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

TILE SUN, LONDON,_ THURSDAY EVENING, SEPT-EMBER 21, 1848.

-- -
BANK OF EN GLAND-(THIS DAY.)
A half-yearly general court of the Governor and Pro-
prietors of the Bank of England was held at twelve
o'clock, this day, in the Court-room ; Mr. James Mor-
ris, the Governor, presided.
The attendance of Proprietors was very large.
The minutes of the last meeting having been read,
The GOVERNOR said—l beg to inform the court that
this is one of the quarterly general courts appointed to
be held by the Charter, and also one of the half-yearly
general courts appointed to be held by the bye-laws, for
the purpose of considering a dividend ; and that the
Court of Directors having considered the state
of the Bank accounts, are of opinion that a
dividend may be made if the court think
fit of three and a half interest and profits for the half
year ending on the 10th of October, without any deduc-
tion for income-tax. The Court of Proprietors regret
that they are not able to propose the same amount of
dividend as at the last half yearly court ; but owing to
the rate of interest and the little demand for money the
Proprietors must necessarily anticipate such an an-
nouncement on the part of the Directors. I had better
state the rest. The rest on the 29th of February, 1848,
was 3,946,5241., out of which a dividend, at the rate 01

four and a half per cent. was paid in .April, amounting
to 654,8811., leaving, after the payment of the dividend,
I have mentioned, 3,291,643/. The rest on the 31st of
August, 1848, was 3,808,5441., out of which it is proposed
to pay a dividend of three and a half per cent. in October,
amounting to 509,355/. after which a rest will remain of
3.299,1891., showing an increase in the rest as compared
with that of the 29th of February, 1848, after the pay-
ment of the dividend, of 7,5461.
Mr. FIELDER wished to make a few observations, but
in the outset of his remarks he wished it to be expressly
understood that he did not wish to suggest anything
which might by any possibility destroy the permanent
stability of England's bank—the glory of the world—
nor in speaking of the government of the bank,
and the course it had adopted in its manage•
ment, should he say anything which was improper
a hen applied to those entrusted with the ad-
ministration of their affairs. The proprietors were
much indebted to the governor for the very accurate and
useful summary of the proceedings of the bank for each
week. He found by that summary that the profits aris-
ing from the business of the corporation—not capital but
cash, were 14,553,0001. (as we understood for the half-
year), showing that the bank possessed a nett capital of
18,381,6721., independent of the amount funded in 1832,
and other property valued at near 1,000,0001. Such, at.
least, was its value in 1832, and he apprehended that the
great improvements that had been made in the bank and
its vicinity, that it was of that value now. In round
numbers, it might be said that the funded property
amounted to 19,000,0001., of which he found that no
more than 11,000,000/. had been subscribed, and that no
less a sum than 7.739,2671. were entirely from profits.—
(Hear, hear)—interest and profits on the business of
the corporation. In looking at the Act of Incorporation
he found that the spirit of the charter was to the effect
that the annual profits were to be shared amongst the
proprietors without the deduction of one single shilling.
—(Cheers.) That was the spirit of the charter. It did
not say a single word about hoarding up their profits for
future generations, although he admitted that sufficient
of their profits should be retained for the efficient
working of the establishment. The Act of Anne spoke
in a similar strain with respect to the disposal of the
profits; and the great principle which was understood to
guide the operations of the establishment was, that di-
vidends should not in any case be paid out of capital, but
out of the legitimate profits. The Act of George 111.
laid down the same principle for their guidance, and
laid much stress upon the profits of the Bank being
divided every year amongst the Proprietors. But there
was another class of persons to whose interests they were
bound to look, because they were comparatively help-
less—namely, aged widows and orphans, and others,
perhaps, entitled to a life interest only. Why should they
accomplish the hoarding up of a large, and to his mind
an unnecessarily large, sum at the expense of those en-
tilled only to a reversionary interest?—(Hear.) He was
opposed to the adoption of the principle in the Bank of
England of paying the proprietons only 7001. a year
when they made 1,0001., reserving 3001. to increase the
capital for the benefit of those persons of whom the
widow and the orphan knew nothing. He would ask the
professional advisers of the Bank, whether a Court of
Equity would sanction the payment of a similar sum
out of an estate yielding 1,000/. a year on the ground
that it would be well to lay out 3001. of it in increasing
the land and building upon it, when the heir-at-law
devisee would derive the sole benefit, not the life pro-
prietor, who was to be the sufferer? In 1694, 12,000,0001.
was subscribed, which was subsequently increased, and
he found that they had for many years been in the habit
of sharing the profits fairly and justly, and without
apply ing any portion of them to swell the capital. Whilst
this plan was in operation, they went on extremely
well; but from the time they began to accumulate from
the profits to the extent of 7,000,0001. or 8,000,000/.
an entanglement of their affairs ensued from which they
had not recovered. No proprietor of right feeling
would favour the application of any portion of the pro-
fits for the creation of capital. In 1816, 2,910,000/. was
taken from the proprietors for this purpose, but he should
consider an old man of business could not understand
why it was done, since it was at the sacrifice of those
who had only a life interest. Instead of paying it off,
the same system was pursued up to the hour he was
speaking. Bence all the entanglement of " the old lady
in Threadneedle•street."—(Laughter.) He did not wish
to cast blame upon the directors, nor to cripple the
c fficiency of the Bank, he merely wished to point out
how they might best avoid the errors of the past.
He considered they should be dividing 101. instead of 71.
per cent. Ile begged to move the following amendment,
and trusted the Governors would take it into their
serious consideration :—" That the Proprietors should
have the same bonus, in addition to the dividend, as
they were awarded at the last meeting."—(Hear.)
Mr. DE WINTON seconded the amendment. After
paying a dividend of ,q per cent. for the half-year, they
would have a rest of upwards of 3,000,0001.
Mr. LEVY said that this question was discussed in
1847, and he believed it was then understood that when
the rest was 3 000,0001., the remaining profits ought
to be divided. He defied any one to say that the Bank
had been injured by dividing 4i per cent. He
thought the directors were not the best judges of how
the funds of the Bank ought to be appropriated. If
they did not know how to lay out the money of the
Bank, the proprietors did.
The GOVERNOR said they had not earned more than
3i- per cent. during the last half-year.
Mr. SELWYN supported the amendment.
Mr. GREY wished to know, when a larger profit had
been made, why the proprietors had not had a larger
dividend than 41 per cent? He concurred in the amend-
ment that the dividend should be 4} per cent.
A PROPRIETOR thought they should have had a
stnando heo
pro-
petal for a dividend of 4 per cent., but he considered it
mwaosnstdreotuesrmtoinperdoptoosegaiNd,eiviidt his of
mostu
3 per r
e cent.,ou sp p

sition.
Mr. COOK, considering the present state of the Cor-
opiosreadtiaonso,
ufenldt bounde
tti
oo
ns ayi n trphraotr
otshi en
gdirectorsthe
dh
eandde
they
had done.
Mr. Alderman SALOMANS thought the Court of Di-
rectors ought to give some reasons to the Court of Pro-
prietors why they had reverted back to the dividend
of 34 per cent., when, if they paid 4f per cent., there
would be a rest of upwards of 3,000,0001.
The GOVERNOR said the reason of their making larger
profits on previous half-years was the railway deposits,
and the high rate of interest. During the last halt-year
they had only made the :311- per cent. Ho could assure
the proprietors that the directors had well considered
the subject, and he trusted the Court of Proprietors
would support them.
Mr. Alderman SALOMANS, under such circumstances,
would support the proposal of the directors, expressing at
the same time a hope that when greater profits were
made they would have a larger dividend.
Mr. GOLDSMID had heard no reason for the dividend
being decreased, and if the directors were to make what
dividend they liked, it was no use the proprietors com-
ing there.
After some short discussion,
The GOVERNOR put the amendment, and declared it to
be carried by a show of bands.
A ballot was then demanded by nine proprietors being
members of the Court of Directors.
Mr. JONES LoYD thought that before a ballot was
demanded it was necessary to put the original resolution
as amended.
The GOVERNOR said, as the amendment had been
carried the original resolution had fallen to the ground.
Under the advice of Sir F. Kelly, he thought Mr.
Fielden had better make his amendment as an original
motion.

Mr. FIELDEN did not care how he put it, so as they
got a dividend of 4i per cent.
After some further discussion, it was determined that
the question should bo settled by the ballot, whether the
dividend should bo 3 or 41 per cent.
The ballot was ordered to take place on Wednesday
next between the hour of eleven and four.
Mr. DE WINTON then brought forward the motion of
which he gave notice at the last Court, relative to the
alteration of the constitution of the Court of Directors,
and proposed certain resolutions.
A PROPRETOR suggested that the resolutions should
be printed and distributed among the proprietors, and
their consideration postponed to a future Court.
After some further discussion,
Mr. DE WINTON ultimately postponed his motion to
the next Court.
Mr. WEEDING gave notice, for the next Quarterly
Court, to move that a Committee be appointed to consi-
der and report on the present state of the bye-laws of
the Corporation, and if, in their opinion, it be expedient
to make any and what alteration therein.
The Court then adjourned, at two o'c!ock, till Wed-
nesday next, at eleven o'clock.

On Sunday afternoon, about five o'clock, some.
children playing with lucifer matches on the premises of
the Rose public-house, at Crovdield, near Stonham, set
fire to the straw in a bullock-shed, and the flames rapidly
extended to the barn and the public-house, which, with
about six coombs of wheat, were entirely destroyed; but
Mr. Somers, the landlord, succeeded in removing his fur-
niture and effects.—Bury Post.
GLASGOW AUTUMN ASSIZES.—TUESDAY, SEPT. 19.
—Th3 Glasgow Autumn Circuit Court was opened to-
day by Lords Aloncrieff and Cockburn. The only case
of interest tried during the day was that of Margaret
Park, accused of child-stealing, or " plagium," as the
offence is termed in Scottish law phraseology. From
the evidence it appeared that the prisoner picked from
the streets a little girl, the daughter of a Mr. Morrison,
a pattern drawer; that search was afterwards made for
her in every direction; and that many days afterwards
the child was found in a state of nakedness in this
woman's possession in an obscure part of the city. The
prisoner
was convicted and sentenced to fuurteen years'
transportation.

THE COGGESHALL ROBBERIES.
CAPTURE OF Two MORE OF THE GANG.—During
the past week two more of the parties connected with
this gang have been apprehended under the following
circumstances :—On Tuesday last an inquiry of a
private character took place before some of the magis-
trates of the IVitham division, touching these rob-
beries, when, from the particulars which transpired,
it was considered necessary to institute some inquiries
in the neighbourhood of Fordham, near Colchester.
The result of these inquiries was, that a letter was
brought to light which put the police upon the right
scent to some parties who had rather suddenly
diappeared from Coggeshall. A special warrant
was therefore obtained from the Rev. Henry Du
Cane, at Witham, and placed in the hands of a
police-constable, Francis Livermore, No. 150, who
left Witham by the mail train at two
o'clock on Wednesday morning, and proceeded
direct to Liverpool, where he arrived about three
,'clock the same afternoon, and having obtained the
assistance of two police-officers there, he proceeded
to make inquiries for the Colonist sailing-vessel, which
had been lying in port there, but found that she had
ailed the previous night, and was supposed to be
lying about four miles down the river. He there-
upon procured a sailing boat and went down the river,
and about six o'clock came in sight of the vessel. He
at once, on reaching the side of the ship got on board,
and there apprehended William Payne and Thomas
Whittaker, two parties well known to him, and for
whom the warrant had been made out. They made
no resistance on the appearance of the officer, and
were at once ironed and taken back to Liverpool,
where they stayed that night, and the next day
were brought safely in custody to London, and
from thence to Witham, were they arrived by the
mail train in the evening. On the following
day they were brought up for examination,
before Sir John Page Wood, Bart., and the
Rev. Henry Du Cane, but, in order to give time for
getting up the evidence, they were remanded until
week. The principal charge standing
against the prisoners now is, of being concerned in
the robbery at the residence of Mr. Charles Skingley,
at Coggeshall, several years since, but it is expected
that several further charges will be brought against
them. We need hardly state that the apprehension of
these parties, under the circumstances just named,
has created quite a sensation in the neighbourhood of
Witham and Coggeshall, and much credit is given,
both by the magistrates and the public, to Police-
constable Livermore, for the zeal and activity he
displayed in capturing these fugitives in the manner
he had, when they must have considered themselves
beyond apprehension, for the ship was only waiting
the going out of the tide to set sail to New York ;
whence the parties were booked, and had paid their
fare; and we have no doubt that, when an opportunity
for promition occurs in the force, he will not be
forgotten.—lpswich Express.

Shortly after the third dose, or when six grains had
been given, she fell asleep, and thus was rescued from
inevitable death.—Correspondent of the Times.

CLERICAL INTELLIGENCE.

PREFERNENTS.—The following appointments have
taken place:—The Rev. Charles Wood, B.A , to the rec-
tory of Beaford, near Great Torrington, Devonshire,
rendered vacant by the death of the Rev. J. B. Bussell,
M.A., on the nomination of Thomas May, Esq.; the
Rev. John Postlethwaite, M.A., perpetual curate of Lit-
tledale, Lancaster, to the rectory of Taslcy, Shropshire,
rendered vacant by the death of the Rev. W. Moore; the
Rev. A. Seaton, 8.A., to the perpetual curacy of Great
Wirley, Staffordshire, on the nomination of the Rev, F.
T. Blaekburne, M.A., vicar of Cannock; the Rev. W.W.
Griffith, curate of Llanharry, Glamorganshire, to the in-
cumbency of the church of St. John the Evangelist,
Brecon, rendered vacant by the cession of the Rev. R.
Davies, on the nomination of the Archdeacon of Brecon;
the Hon. and Rev. Lewis Denman, M.A., to the
rectory of Washington, near Gateshead, on the nomi-
nation of the Bishop of Durham; the Rev. William
Jackman, M.A., vicar of Falkenham, Suffolk, to the ru •
ral deanery- of Colneys, in that county, on the nomina-
tion of the Bishop of Norwich; the Rev. William Webb,
M.A.. rector of Suuderland, to the rectory of Winston,
Durham, on the nomination of the Bishop of the diocese;
the Rev. E. Davys, M.A., to the vicarage of St. Martin,
Stamford Baron, Northamptonshire, rendered vacant by
the cession of the Rev. Ellis B. Were, M.A., on the no-
mination of the Marquis of Exeter; the Rev. William
Sharpe, M.A., to the perpetual curacy of Altham, Lin-
colnshire, rendered vacant by the cession of the Rev.
Wm. Wood; the Rev. Oswald L. Chambers, 8.A., minis-
ter of Smithilis, Chapel, Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire, to
the lectureship and curacy of the parish church, Leeds,
on the nomination of the Rev. Dr. Hook; the
Rev. Thomas Drosier, M.A.,:curate of Burnham,
Norfolk, to the vicarage of Colebrooke, Devonshire, ren-
dered vacant by the death of the Rev. A. Grueber,
M.A., on the nomination of the Dean and Chapter of
Exeter; the Rev. H. Tacey, M.A., rector of Swanton
Morley, near East Dereham, to an honorary curacy in
the cathedral church of Norwich, on the nomination of
the Bishop of the diocese; the Rev. Arthur Browne
Spry, 8.A., curate of Weeting, near Brandon, to the
vicarage of Shouldham, with Shouldham Thorpe, Nor-
folk, on the nomination of Sir Thomas Hare, Bart.; the
Rev. George Rawlinson, M.A., curate of Oxton, Not-
tinghamshire, to the perpetual curacy of Bothamsall, in
the same county, rendered vacant by the cession of the
Rev. John Chapman, on the nomination of the Duke of
Newcastle.

BENEFICES VACANT.—The following benefices and ap-
pointments have become vacant :—The rectory of Hart-
hill, Yoikshire, rendered vacant by the death of the Rev.
Jonathan Alderson, M.A., value 6891. per annum, in the
gift of the Duke of Leeds ; the rectory of Stody, with
the rectory of Hunworth annexed, near Holt, Norfolk,
rendered vacant by the death of the Rev. Josleh Webb
Havell, M.A., value 320/. per annum, in the gift of Lady
Suffield ; the vicarage of Escombe, Bishop Auckland,
rendered vacant by the preferment of the Hon. Lewis
Denman, value 204/. per annum, in the gift of the
Bishop of Durham ; the vicarage of Hedon- on-the-
Wall, Northumberland, rendered vacant by the prefer-
ment of the Hon. L. Denman, value 2521. per annum, in
the gift of the Bishop of Durham ; the incumbency of
smithill's Chapel, Deane, Lancashire, rendered vacant
by the preferment of the Rev. 0. L. Chambers, M.A.,
value 200/. per annum, in the gift of P. Ainsworth, Esq.;
the rectory of Sunderland, with the perpetual curacy of
St. John's, rendered vacant by the preferment of the
Rev. Wm. Webb, M.A., value 3861. per annum, in the
gift of the Bishop of Durham ; the perpetual curacy of
Thw&tes in Ilillom, near Ravenglass, Cheshire, ren-
dered vacant by the death of the Rev. James Willies
Sanders, M.A., value 115/. per annum, in the gift of the
landowners of the.district ; the curacy of St. Mary-le-Bow,
Cheapside, London, rendered vacant by the death of the
Rev. Arthur Trollope, M.A., in the gift of Archdeacon
Hamilton.

TATTERSALL'S-THIS EVENING.
QUARTER TO SIX O'CLOCK.
CESAREWITCH.
20 to 1 agst Palma
20 to 1 agst Lanesborough
20 to 1 agst Dacia
20 to 1 agst Loadstono
25 to 1 agst Dough
25 to 1 agst Remembrance
TRIENNIAL.
5 to 2 agst Elthiron
4 to 1 agst Tadmor
5 to 1 agst any other
DERRY.
40 to 1 agst Escalade

We are happy to state that, according to accounts
received from Canada by the last mail, the health of the
Countess of Elgin was in a fair way of permanent im-
provement. It is now understood that the Noble Earl
has abandoned all idea of retiring from his high office
for the present.
The Earl and Countess of Harrowby and Lady
Frances Ryder, Lord Dudley Stuart, and a select party
are visiting the Hon. G. M. and Lady Louisa Fortescue
at Boconnor.

BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY.—The inquest on the
bodies of the two children murdered last week by
Martha Jones, at Willenball, has terminated in a
verdict of wilful murder against the unfortunate woman.
Since the horrible occurrence the wretched woman has
been in the workhouse at Wolverhampton in a state of
insanity. She, however, is sufficiently sensible of having
committed the terrible offence, and has repeatedly ac-
knowledged her guilt. She will be removed to Stafford
gaol to take her trial at the next assizes.
SOITTEIAMPTON, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 20.—The
Ocean Steam Navigation Company's ship, Hermann,
carain E. Crabtree, sailed this afternoon with the
United States' mails from Germany, France, and Eng-
land, for New York. The Hermann took out 129 pas-
sengers, amongst whom was the famous Dr. Hecker, the
leader of the insurrectionary party in Baden—an exile
to the United States. The cargo was a large one, con-
sisting of valuable silks, watches, jewellery, lace,
&e., from France ; woollen goods from Bremen ; and
cotton and silk manufactures from England ; also some
opium, and raw silk, and specie value ','25,000. The
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company's
ship Indus, Captain Soy, also took her departure, with
usual East India and China mails, via Gibraltar and
Malta, to Alexandria. The Indus had ninety first-class
and some second class passengers, and about 160 tons of
manufactured goods, cottons, linens, &c., on freight. The
auxiliary screw-steamer Waterwitch arrived this morn-
ing, in six days, from Oporto, with seventy-nine head
of cattle.

EXTRAORDINARY CROP OF POTATOES.—A gentle,
man in Banff having in the spring received a few
potatoes, part of a small quantity procured from Rotter-
dam, planted them in his garden in the Seatown, having
cut the seed as usual. The plants very soon appeared,
and through the summer continued to grow most luxu-
riantly, so much so that all who saw them predicted that
there would be nothing but shawl. This prediction,
however has been anything but verified; for, on the crop
being dug, which was on Tuesday last, there were
gathered from the ground, which consisted of exactly
one Scotch rood or fall, or the 160th part of a Scotch
acre, the unprecedented quantity of eighteen pecks, or
four and a half bushels—the produce being thus at the
rate of 720 bushels per acre. At several of the stems
upwards of forty potatoes were found; one had sixty-
three full-grown potatoes, and at another were counted
the very extraordinary number of 110. We understand
that the gentleman who received them has determined
upon greening and preserving the whole for seed, and
we sincerely trust that he will be successful in bringing
this very prolific potato into general use. We may
mention that there was not the slightest appearance
of disease, but on the contrary, every tuber had the most
ihealthy
appearance, giving every reason to believe that
not a seed will be lost.—Bang. Journal.
THE At'oNso STEAU FRIGATE.—This fine vessel,
the crew of which have earned an European fame for
their humane and disinterested conduct, sailed from
Liverpool on Tuesday for Lisbon and Rio de Janerio.
DEATH DT AMMONIA.--On Saturday evening a
journeyman hatter in the employment of a firm in the
Canongate went into a closet on the premises, and lift-
ing up a phial, containing ammonia, took a mouthful or
two of this powerful excoriative, the consequence of
which was that he died within an hour, his mouth,
tongue, and throat having swelled to such an extent as
to produce suffocation. The case is under medical in-
vestigation, and as yet it is not known whether the de-
ceased partook of the ammonia from a suicidal intention,
or mistook it for spirit of wine, of which he had been in
the habit of tasting freely and with impunity, he having
been greatly addicted to intoxicating liquors.—Caledo-
nian Mercury.
THEFT AND RECOVERY OF THE PROPERTY.—On
Wednesday a lady, while attending a sale of furni-
ture, discovered that her purse had been taken from her
pocket. On mentioning the circumstance to some par-
ties in the room the company were desired to remain,
and in the meantime the police were sent for. On their
arrival a search was made, but unfortunately they were
unsuccessful in discovering the thief. All hopes of ever
again seeing the purse and its contents having been
given up by the lady, she returned home. In the course
of the evening, however, she was not a little surprised to
hear of its discovery; for about six o'clock in the even-
ing she received from the auctioneer intimation to that
effect. It appears that a respectable gentleman, who had
also been attending the sale, after dinner had put his
hand into his pocket for his handkerchief, drew out the
missing purse. He immediately delivered it over to the
auctioneer, with its contents all safe. There cannot be a
doubt that the thief, fearing detection, had slipped it into
that gentleman's pocket.—Glasgow Chronicle.
SUFFOCATION OF A NEGRO.—On Tuesday evening
an inquest was held by J. M. Favell, Esq., at Mr. Mur-
ray's, the Ship public-house, Gateshead, on the body of
George Thompson, a negro, aged 36. Deceased was
cook and steward on board the Calais Packet, Captain
Alexander Ellis (the property of Mr. John Carr, coke
manufacturer), having shipped on board that vessel on
the eve of her last passage from London to the Tyne.
On Monday, when she was lying on the Tyno Main
Patent Slipway ,at Messrs. Gaddy and Lamb's, ship-
building-yard, arrangements were made for smoking her
with charcoal and sulphur to destroy the rats; and Mr.
Lamb, therefore, at the instance of Mr. Ellis, took
lodgings for the night for all the crew. They had
" a glass" together on shore, at Mr. Rennison's,
the Neptune public-house, where, at twelve o'clock,
the negro still remained, occupying the neutral
ground between drunk and sober. The rest of the
men slept at their lodgings; he, on Tuesday morning,
was found lying upon a chest in the forecastle of the
shipidead. Medical aid was instantly procured, but he
was past that—he had perished with the rats. Verdict,
" Died of suffocation." Nothing was known of the poor
African previous to his engagement in London, but his
comrades inferred from his conversation on the passage
Shot he bed a wife and children.—Gatohead Observer

LITERATURE.
SERMONS ON PRACTICAL

SUBJECTS. 1 I

1 Vol. pp. 363. By the Rev. Samuel Warren.
It is not only as the father of one of our most dis-
tinguished novelists that any literary production
whatever from the pen of Dr. Warren, of Man-
chester, is welcome to our heart and agreeable to our
imagination. It is also, and in a particular manner,
because of his own ripened abilities. The fruits of
his meditations, mellowed by the sunshine of piety,
and smacking of the flavour of a scholarly and re-
flective intellect, form a rare contrast to the crudities
of thought which are thrown off in such'abundance by
the younger and less experienced members of his pro-
fession. Of this the goodly volume before us is a
sufficient evidence, containing as it does the musings
of one whose religious feelings have been neither
embittered by fanaticism, nor darkened by the
wrathful emotions of which are too often
generated in the heat of polemical dispu-
tation. Although we are seldom induced to
touch upon matters at all approaching to an ecclesi-
astical character, and although the present volume is
merely an improved edition of what had already been
printed, we are impelled to notice the circumstance of
its publication because of the amenity of disposition
and the sweetness of philosophy displayed in almost
every syllable. Among the twenty-five sermons
comprised in the volume, we must particularize in
an especial manner the one upon " The fading of the
Leaf." It brings to our remembrance the brilliant
and condensed eloquence of (Id Jeremy Taylor, that
eloquence which glittered with the gems of wit, and
the gold of wisdom.

THE STORY OF THE PENINSULAR WAR.

1 Vol. pp. 399. By the Marquis of Londonderry.
Better, immeasurably better, in our estimation,
than the " Story of the Battle of Waterloo," by that
indefatigable book-maker, that semi-clergyman, and
demi-semi-soldier, the Rev. Mr. Gleig, is the story
of the campaigns in the Peninsula, as told by Lieu-
tenant-General Charles William Vane, Marquis of
Londonderry. The story has the advantage in this
instance of the story-teller having himself partaken
of those perils in " flood and field" which his pen
delineates. As colonel of the second regiment of
Life Guards the noble author shared in the 'vicissi-
tudes and glories which marked the progress of
British arms on the Spanish and rortuguese
peninsula. He was, therefore, peculiarly qualified
to record the achievements of his gallant brethren in
arms, and the more so, because :he) hasbetrayed no
disposition to gratify a petty vanity, by pushing
himself forward into an unnecessary prominence in
the course of his manly and soldier-like narrative.
In speaking thus decidedly of the merits of this com-
position, we are aware that the work is long since
familiar to the majority of English readers. We are
commenting upon a narrative whose merits and de-
merits have long since been weighed in the balance
of miscellaneous criticism. Nevertheless, we con-
ceive ourselves to be justified in some measure
in our allusion, from the fact of the re-publi-
cation of the work of the Marquis of Londonderry
in a more accessible and portable form than hitherto,
in a form calculated to extend the range of its popu-
larity, and to render it welcome in the public estima-
tion as a running commentary on the more ornate
and laborious effusion of the historian Napier. Mr.
Colburn deserves some expression of eulogium for
the production of this fascinating account of the
Peninsular War in a manner so singularly elegant
and compact, and at a price so peculiarly moderate.
The work is embellished with engraved likenesses of
the author, of the Duke, of Lord Hill, of Viscount
Beresford, of the Marquis of Anglesey, and of
General Sir Hussey Vivian ; besides an elaborate
map of the entire Peninsula. It is worthy of
remark that the republication of the " Story
of the Peninsular War" has some direct pretensions
to originality, inasmuch as, appearing in three parts,
the whole of the third part, with the exception of the
28th chapter, has never before appeared.

HISTORY OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
From 1789 to 1848. Part I. By T. TV. Redhead.
A very remarkable compilation, of which the pre-
sent part is the first instalment, has just commenced
by the Messrs.[Chambers. To the other boons which
those industrious and gifted publishers have conferred
upon the people of these islands will undoubtedly be
added, and that, moreover, in a very prominent posi-
tion, the work written by Mr. Redhead upon the French
Revolutions. From the Preface and Advertisement
we observe that the history will be completed in six
monthly parts, forming three volumes octavo. It
will embrace the narrative of all those wonderful
events which occurred in, or emanated from, France
from the year 1789 to the year 1848, inclusively.
The style of the writer is perspicuous, and occa-
sionally even characterized by a nervous energy of
expression.

THE ROYAL CORRESPONDENCE. I Vol.

pp. 129. 7ranstated by J. A. F. Jwige.
A little book, emblazoned with the royal diadem,
and consisting of the Private Letters between Queen
Victoria and Louis Philippe—those letters which, with
other strange manuscripts, were discovered in the port-
folio of the ex-Sovereign of the French, on the cap-
ture of the Tuileries, and which subsequently ap-
peared in the Revue Retrospective. As a curio-
sity in the Belles _Lettres the correspondence is not
unworthy of preservation, and especially as contain-
ing very important materials for the future historian.

THE MILITARY LIFE OF JOHN DUKE OF
MARLBOROUGH. 1 Vol. pp. 504. By Archi-
bald Alison.
Had this noble volume by the historian of Europe
appeared in the first instance in its present state of
isolation, we should have indulged ourselves in a
comprehensive criticism upon its general character.
As the work, however, originally appeared as detached
and fragmentary sketches in the pages of Blackwood's
Magazine, and as Mr. Alison has merely compacted
those brilliant sketches into a finely-proportioned
biography, we find ourselves only enabled to record
the fact of its publication. As a companion
to Maxwell's "Life" of Wellington" and Gur-
wood's edition of the Duke's Dispatches, Ali-
son's " Life of Marlborough " will be an essential
addition to the bookshelves of every true Englishman.
The volume is embellished with a map of France and
the Netherlands, with a plan of the siege of Lille,
and plans also of the renowned victories of Blenheim,
Ramifies, Oudenarde, and Malplaquet. Now that
the biography of Marlborough, by Alison, has ap-
peared in this substantial and elegant guise, the public
can no longer be accused, without blame, of having
as feeble an idea of his fame as of the fame of Timour
and of Bajaaet.

SADIVESS AND GLADNESS. A Novel, by the
lion. Miss Sidney. 3 Vols.
THE DISCIPLINE OF LIFE. A Novel. 3 Vols.
We cannot refrain from uniting in the same re-
view these two works, which, we believe, made their
public appearance on the same day, and which in
many respects singularly resemble each other. Their
very names conjure up a similar train of ideas. " Sad-
ness and Gladness," and " The Discipline of Life."
The object of both works is the same, and that object
is a high and a holy one. Both are from the pens of
ladies, and of ladies of the aristocracy—one authoress
being a descendant of Sir Philip Sidncy, and the other
the daughter of a Noble Lord (now deceased) justly
celebrated for his admirable qualities as Lord-Lieu-
-
tenant of Ireland. The position of the wri
ters in this instance adds an additional in-
terest to their works—those ladies reared in
affluence, and surrounded by all the luxuries of life,
have dedicated their talents to the illustration of the
trials and troubles of humanity, and not to illustrat-
ing those trials and troubles only, but to showing
how those trials may be overcome and those troubles
turned to advantage. The object of both works is,
as we have already said, a high and a holy one. But
by classing these two works together, and by declar-
ing them to be to a certain extent very similar, we
are far from meaning to recommend either one as
being capable of affording the amusement and benefit of
both. The perusal of the one is in no wise calculated
to diminish the interest of the other, for resembling each
other as they do in name and object ; in plot, style, and
manner, they are totally dissimilar. The one is a com-
plete novel filling three entire volumes, the other work
consists of three 'separate tales. But, in order the
better to demonstrate their points of resemblance and
of dissimilarity, let us enter more particularly into
the peculiarity of each. " Sadness and Gladness,"
from the pen of the accomplished authoress of
" Home and its Influence," consists of one story occu-
pying three volumes. Its object, as implied by its
name, is to illustrate the different influences of joy
and sorrow, or rather the different effects of a joyous
and sorrowful temperament.
" As half in shade and half in sun,
The world along its course advances,"
there are some individuals whose path seem to lead
perpetually through the sunshine, and others
who are as continually in the shade. So it
is with the two heroines of Miss Sidney's tale.
Mabel is a creature of " gladness," endued with that
happiest of dispositions—happy to its possessor and to
all who come within its influence—the disposition
which is prone to look on the " bright side " of every-
thing. Lady Flora, on the contrary, is one of those
unhappy ones who, miserable in themselves, can find
"gladness" in nothing. As if more particularly to
demonstrate how little fortune and worldly circum-
stances have to do with happiness, the " sad'' heroine,
the Lady Flora, is the daughter of an Earl, and is
surrounded by all the appurtenances of wealth,
while the " glad " Mabel is reared in comparative
poverty, and compelled to devote her talents to the
support of au unloving and ungrateful father. In this
picture of life in its various phases, which Miss Sidney
here presents us with, if some of the adjuncts of the
picture be not quite natural, NI e are Billing to for-
give, and we can easily forget these incidental
blunders, in consideration of the reality and vitality 01