The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-03 00:00:00

HANDEL'S RIVAL.

Sarah Duchess of Marlborough (vide.her Private Cor-
respondence, published in 1838) made in her private jour-
nal the following entry: " 1737—1 am in pursuit of get-
ting the finest piece of music that ever was heard ; it is a
thing that will play eight tunes. Handel and all the
great musicians say it is beyond anything they can do,
and this may be performed by the most ignorant person.
And when you are weary of those eight tunes, you may
have them changed for any other you like. This I think
much better than going to an Italian opera or to an
assembly. This performance has been lately put into a
lottery, and all the Royal Family chose to have a great
many tickets rather than to buy it, the price being, I
think, ONE THOUSAND POUNDS, infinitely less than some
bishoprics have been sold fur (1:), and a gentleman won it
who, I am in hopes, will sell it, and if he will I will buy
it., for I cannot live to have another made, and I will
carry it into the country with me." In honest faith the
grinder of this delectable instrument, " which plays eight
tunes," might have been in time no unformidablo rival of
the " modern Briareus," as Pope called him—Handel!—
if the hydra headed monster Fashion had folloried in
the same wake as Sarah Duchess of Marlborough.
HAYDN

IA short time subsequent to his return to Vienna met
Prince Lobkowitz, the❑ as well recognized as a great
protector of music and patron of its votaries, as a theo-
retician and practical virtuo,o of no mean order. " Why
have you never written an instrumental quintett?" he in-
quired of Haydn. To this the.great-souled German re •
plied that he had never fur one instant dreamed of such
a thing till he had heard Mozart's celebrated quintetts,
and that he found those so sublime and perfect that he
could not presume to put himself, as it were, in competi-
tion with so illustrious a composer. " Well, then," re-
turned the Prince, " do not think of that; write me one,
and you shall have no cause of which to complain!"
Urged in this manner, Haydn set strenuously to work,
and in a short time laid his manuscript before the Prince.
Running his eye over the first page, he beheld a score of
five lines, but of which the fourth was vacant of notes.
He took no notice of this at first, imagining that Haydn,
in common with some other composers, had commenced
the quintett in four parts, intending to add the fifth at
some other time; but no! on inspecting the whole mane•
script he found the same line empty throughout. Turn-
ing to the smiling composer be exclaimed," How is this,
my dear Haydn? You appear to have forgotten the
fifth part." "Oh no! your Highness," was the reply of
Haydn, " I have left it for you to fill up; you will do it
better than I can." As cunning and eourtierlike a reply
as ever emanated from the soldiotlike flattery of a
Richelieu or the more delicate and subtle brain of a
Machiavelli.

In the Hull Packet of last week, there is a report
of a case tried at the C 'Linty Courts, Hull, on the 2 tat
of October, in which Thomas Dixon, cook and seaman,
sought to recover 9/. 3 from Mr. William Brown, being
wages due to him had he been allowed to go the voyage
in the St-enter. The plaintiff detailed ull the circum-
stances connected with the putting back of the ship into
Grimsby Roads, and swore most distinctly that he offered
to the master to proceed with the ship, provided he
would have her properly repaired and surveyed, so that
it might be proved that she was in a seaworthy condi-
tion. o,her seamen were called in corroboration. After
a brief absence, the jury came into court, having made a
calculation of what was due to the plaintiff, but before
giving in the verdict they asked the Judge if they re-
turned a verdict for the plaintiff, whether or not it would
affect the sea-worthiness of the vessel ? On being told
that it would, the foreman said they would return a ver-
dict for the defendant, but, at the same time recommended
him to make some allowance to the plaintiff for the time
he had been employed on board the vessel. Was this
jury composed o' Irish, and of the proscribed creed?
IRISH FISHERIES.—BENEFITS OF CURING STA-
TIONS.—We have heard from one of the curing stations,
Killyberrs, where they have a considerable quantity of
dried fish cured in the most superior style—that the
prospects are most cheering. In one week of the early
part of last month 300 barrels of fish were cured; and
during the last week 30,000 fish were caught and cured
at this one station. What a proof this is of what may
be done by perseverance. These fish-curing stations are
admirable model schools for the neighbouring fishermen.
The Parliamentary reports now before us show how pro-
fitably these curing establishments have been conducted.
There really is no more legitimate—no more safe field
for speculation in Ireland; and we are truly gratified to
learn that the efforts of the Board of Works, as fishery
commissioners, have induced enterprising individuals to
enter into this most profitable trade.—The Advocate (a
new Dublin paper). _

PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE.—On Wednesday morning
the guards upon the nine o'clock train observed, on run-
ning up the platform to the North-Western station at
Eu,ton-square, a man walking up the line, and imme-
diately put on the breaks with great force, so as mate-
rially to reduce the speed of the train. The first carriage,
however, struck the man violently across the loins, and
hurled him sixteen feet from the spot. He fell between
the rails, and the train passed over him; but, beyond
some severe bruises, he was unhurt. The man, whose
name is Hebert, says he was quite aware of his dreadful
position the moment he fell; and that he knew if he
escaped death by the carriages that he should be safe,
unless the train were propelled by an engine in the rear;
etnd in this horrible uncertainty he lay crouched up,
awaiting his fate, till aroused to a knowledge of his safety
by the astonished bystanders.
SUICIDE FROM THE DAHLIA, RIVER STEAM-BOAT.—
Mr. Bedford held an inquest on Wednesday, at the West-
minster Hospital, on the body of Jane Brett, aged 64, of
No. 14, Red Lion-street. The deceased, it appeared,
had for some time been out of hor mind, and having
attempted to hang herself a short time ago, her family
othwater. twice
closely watched her. On Monday last, as she appeared
quite calm and collected, she was allowed to go out alone.
and, tlsh
intoog sheo
She went directly to London bridge, got on board the
leaped Dahlia steamer, and on reaching Westminster-bridge
tAhrust
hitcher
it a was, sheextended
was
caughtto her,
and taken ashore, after
she had been in the water about
two minutes.
She
died ten minutes was then alive and sensible, but she
Verdict, ~ aftey her admission to the hospital.
MARRIAGE Temporary insanity."
IN HIGH LIFE.—On Tuesday, the 31st
nit., were married
at Petworth Church, by the Rev.
Thomas
Thomas Jockett, rector Esq., eldest sun of Robe,
rt _Richard Southweli Bourke,
the county. of Meath,
to Bourke, Big., of Hayes, in
Colonel Wyndham, of Petwor Blancheh third daughter of
of the ceremony the bridal t ; Sussex. At the close
Huuse, where a ,unapthous dpe'eruyi.tr•eturned to Petworth
:::... ,i..(:',,ared; soon
a 1,,- :Lie Mae and bridegroom j
departed for Sandhurst, 1
the seat of th., Hon. Francis Scott.