The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-21 00:00:00

the most conspicuous portraits. The character of
Lady Flora, for instance, is delineated with most
painful truthfulness. Naturally neither beautiful in
person nor captivating in manner, yet possessed of a
good heart and amiable disposition, poor Flora was
reared in an ungenial climate. Her natural affections
were allowed no vent; she grew up painfully con-
scious of her own defects—defects greatly exagge-
rated by that very consciousness. Lady Flora was
proud, and bashful, and painfully sensitive, and the
numerous trials and annoyances to which these qua-
lities exposed her on her entrance in the world are
admirably described. We do not purpose following
the career of the timid debutante; we will not say
how the influences of kindness at length converted
into " gladness" the "sadness" of her heart, neither
shall we speak of the trials of the happy Mabel,
nor the disappointed ambition of Georgina Mulgrave,
whose portrait, disagreeable though it be, is capitally
drawn. We prefer leaving these interesting passages
to the consideration of our readers. Turn we now to
the " Discipline of Life." The three tales which con-
stitute this work are all most beautiful. If their
brevity renders them individually less attractive than
the more elaborate work we havejust been considering,
that defect is more than compensated by their pecu-
liar characteristics. Necessarily less interesting, as
far as regards the complication of the plot or the va-
riety of the incidents,, than the three-volume novel,
the three tales which illustrate the discipline of
life are imbued with a beautiful pathos,
and fraught with a depth of passion which
render them most attractive. " The course of
true love never did run 'smooth" is apparently
the text upon which these tales were written.
The sorrows of love are here made to act as the most
effectual "discipline" of life, and perhaps they are so.
Be this as it may, the heroines of these three tales are
most assuredly sufficiently disciplined by love and
sorrow. The third tale, "lhe Moat," illustrates the
moral most effectually, yet it is perhaps too much
pervaded by an air of melancholy. Margaret, one of
the heroines of this tale, endeavours, not (happily)
without success, to emulate the conduct of Marion in
the " Battle of Life," and surrender her lover to her
sister, because that sister also loves him. But " The
Moat" concludes, to our thinking, more happily than
the "Battle of Life." The lovers are united, and the
unloved sister, " disciplined" by the trial, obtains that
highest kind of happiness which is inseparable from
self-conquest. It is not fair, however, thus to dis-
close an author's secrets, and tell the denouement of a
tale; we will therefore leave undiminished the inte-
rest of "Isabel Denison" and " The Country Neigh-
bour." This latter tale is peculiarly attractive, on ac-
count of its peculiarly attractive heroine, the sprightly,
joyous, wilful Evelyn Villars. Her light-hearted
genial gaiety is most infectious, the reader of her
history is perforce fascinated and amused. Her
joyous presence suffuses the pages with a spiritual
sunshine.

PAYNE'S ROYAL DRESDEN GALLERY, from
Pictures by the Great Masters. Divisions 1,2, and 3.
The Dresden Gallery is well known as one of the
richest in Europe, both in Italian and Flemish
masters. To make the glorious works enshrined in
that Gallery familiar to all the lovers of art in Eng-
land is the object of the present publication. Each
division contains ten splendidly engraved plates by
Payne, from the originals in the Dresden Gallery,
and each plate is illustrated by a notice, biographical
or critical. These notices are exceeding well written,
and, taken as a- whole, Payne's Dresden Gallery
is not only one of the cheapest, but the best, of the
artistic serials.

VAUXHALL GARDENS.—In addition to the attrac-
tions of fireworks, music, dancing, Juba, Van Amburgh,
the lions, horses, &c., the proprietor has caused a model
on a large scale to be constructed of the contemplated
transformation of these gardens, hitherto used only as
summer gardens, into a place of winter recreation, and
into gardens that shall flourish all the year round. Ac-
cording to the plan described in the model, which fills
one of the large apartments in the premises, the covered
walks will be enclosed on the sides, in such a manner
that the cold air will be excluded. They will be illumi-
nated with an immense number of gas burners, by
which heat as well as light will be obtained; the sides
se ill he so contrived so that they will afford a pano-
ramic exhibion of the overland route to India, com-
mencing with the city of Marseilles, and showing all
the principal points. The Rotunda will be made into an
elegant dining-room, a conservatory will be erected, and
stocked with plants and flowers ; and on the ground
now devoted to fireworks will be raised an immense
Hippodrome, in which it is stated that M.Franconi, from
the t.ippodrome at Paris, will exhibit his chariots,
horses, and equestrian pageants. There are many minor
alterations and additions to be made for the opening of
the place for the winter amusement of the inhabitants of
the metropolis. The model, which is a very perfect one,
will be interesting to all who are in search of recreation,
and who have been accustomed to seek it at Vauxhall.
If the design be carried out in the manner proposed
there is little doubt of its meeting the patronage of the
public, although the project is a novelty which a few
years ago would never have been thought of by the most
sp, culative caterer fur public entertainment. The gar-
dens were last night well attended, and the performances
went off in their usual well arranged manner.
ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.-Dr. Bach •
hoffr,er is at present engaged in delivering a course of
most u:( ful and interesting lectures on the history and
uses of Gutta Percha at the above named establishment.
The substance has become so important, entering as it
dues into the arrangements of our manufactures—the ac-
coutrements of our horses and the ornamental portions
of our furniture—that a knowledge of its character, its
origin, and capabilities, seems absolutely to be necessary.
Dr. Bachhoffuer's method of handling the subject is ex-
ceedingly happy. From the natural history and the
chemical analyses of this newly-discovered material, he
passes easily and opportunely to its manufacture and its
application in an economic point of view. The Gutta
Percha Company have supplied the Doctor with a large
and well-assorted supply of beautiful manufactured
articles; and as the lecture embraces practically every
style of solution and fabrication experimentally shown,
we would strongly recommend all interested in the bear-
ings of discovery and of science upon the progression of
civilization to visit the Royal Polytechnic Institution, for
the purpose of hearing the learned Doctor's discourse on
this interesting material.
DISTILLING FROM SUGAR.—On the 4th instant, an
Act (11 and 12 Victoria, cap. 100) was passed to permit
the distillation of spirits from sugar, molasses, and
treacle in the United Kingdom. The Act 10 and 11
Victoria, cap. 6, is repealed, and also part of the 4th
George IV., cap. 94, and 6 George IV., cap. 80. It is
now enacted that licensed distillers may distil from sugar
(icily, or from potatoes only, or from molasses only, or
from treacle, or from any of these materials, and malt or
grain mixed. In the annual account of duty, when sugar
only is used, the charge may be made on the distiller,
but when other materials are mixed, then a different
mode is to be adopted. There is a clause in the Act,
directing that no sugar or molasses shall be received by
distillers, except from the Customs warehouse, and must
be in the same state as when cleared on the payment of
duty, and to be accompanied with a certificate from the
proper officer of Customs. Treacle and molasses to bused for the purposes of distillation are tobe key .is
storehouses until used to prevent adulteration. Notice
terials, and scales and weights are to be provi ma-
de or is
is to be given to the proper officer of the removal
d fof
use. Distillers are to make declarations to claim the al-
lowance, and are to deliver an account of the quantity of
the articles used.
IMPUDENT TRICK.—Last week a stranger called
at the office of a contemporary in this city, and ordered
a large number of handbills, announcing a masqued ball
at the Royal Subscription Rooms, " d la Jullicn," on
Tuesday night last. Dresses and masques were to be
obtained at the rooms two days-before the gala ; but
there was a positive declaration that " no person in the
garb of a clown or harlequin would be admitted." At
the appointed time the rooms were prepared for the
accommodation of the travelling wardrobe, but it came
not, nor were there any tidings of its being on the road.
At last Tuesday night arrived, with the same result, and
the consequence has been a general feeling of amuse-
ment at the thing being a hoax. The only persons who
appear to have suffered are our contemporary and the
bill-sticker. He is no doubt the same person who at the
same time placarded the walls of Taunton with the an-
nouncement.lll ipt e
w Londonoas
lairi
n of
that a grandtown oconcert
donf
vocalists
Chronicle. esdemayt
COLD WATER CURE.—The; body of John Smith, •
a labourer, well advanced in years, belonging
_to the
parish of St. Cyrus, who died here suddenly about a
fortnight ago, was on Wednesday exhumed, in order to
an inquiry by the Fiscal before the Sheriff. It appeared
that tile deceased had been attacked by rheumatic fever,
and was under treatment by a respectable medical gen-
tleman; when, acting on the advice of another, he was
subjected to the cold water cure, having been wrapped
up in cold sheets for an hour or two, when
be expired.
The inquest clearly brought out that death followed
from the appliance of cold. The individual who recom-
mended the cure has been committed for trial, but libe-
rated on bail.—Montrose Review.
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.—A man named James Col-
lins, a miner at St. Blazey, whilst picking nuts at a dis-
tance from St. Blazey, on an old burrow mine, known
by the name of St. Blazey Consols, overreached a bash
hanging over an old shaft, seven fathoms deep, and fell
to the bottom. Having providentially escaped serious
injury, he resolved to exercise every effort to extricate
himself; and his only means of escape was by climbing
up the shaft. He at once set himself to the task, which
he happily accomplished in about ten hours, from eight,
A.M., till six P.m. As the place was at a distance from
the public road, and he was, of course, quite beyond
hearing, he must otherwise have inevitably been starved
to death.—Minitly Journal.
During the last two weeks, that is from August 23
to Sept. 11, the eight military commissions have decided
on the fate of 2,827 insurgents; of these 1,839 have been
set at liberty, 858 condemned to transportation, and 30
sent before councils of war. From the time of their
entering into functions these commissions have pro-
nounced 8,700 judgments in all, by which nearly 4,890
persons were set at liberty; somewhat less than 3,00
condemned to transportation, 229 sent before councils of
war.— Galignani.
REDUCTION Of DUTIES ON COPPER AND LIAD—
The following duties are now payable on copper and
lead, under the Act 11 and 12 'Viet., cap.
_127, 'whichtook effect on the sth inst. Copper ore and regulus of
copper, ls. per ton ; old copper, unwrought copper, rode
or ingots, in plates and copper coin, at 2s. 6d. tbi) ton.
' Lead, pig and sheet, per ton, 21. 6d.