The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-29 00:00:00

LITERATURE

GER 'JAN' IN ONE VOL II Falck Lebaim.
Several very excellent works have already appeared
introductory to the German language ; nevertheless,
we can distinctly assert that the present volume ap-
pears to us to surpass every one of its predecessors.
Before we had leisure to examine the arrangement of
the different elementary principles comprised in the
pages of this grammatical compilation, we were per-
suaded that its publication must be almost superfluous,
and we were persuaded that it must be superfluous
from a recollection of the inimitable introduction to
"a theoretical and practical kno.a ledge of the Ger-
man language," written several years since by T. S.
Reisender. So fully wore we convinced of the advan-
tages of the system adopted by Herr Reisender, that
we could scarcely conceive to ourselves the necessity
for anything more simple, mere perspicuous, :or more
symmetrical in the shape of a German grammar.
We have carefully examined the volume just issued
by Lebahn, and we confess that we were alto-
gether mistaken in our anticipations. Numerous
and admirable as are the works of this description,
which have from time to time come under our obser-
vation, we do not remember any one that has afforded
us equal satisfaction with that given by the present.
There is a novelty about its classification of a very
striking character; the parts of speech are placed in
the happiest order; and the arbitrary rules illustrated
with the most appropriate examples. Besides this,
the volume has these additional attractions : it is fur-
nished with a vocabulary of 4,500 words, synonymous
in German and English; it contains a translation of
the opening chapters of " Rasselas" and "The Vicar
of Wakefield," and the entire of Fouque's beautiful
tale of "Undine." As a pioneer to the conquest of a
glorious literature, we consider this volume to be
without any competitor.

THE PAST AND FUTURE OF THE BRITISH
NAVY. By the lion. E. Plunkett.
Any book with such a title-page cannot fail to
arouse the interest, and to excite the curiosity of
even the least patriotic among Englishmen. An d
when, on a perusal, it is found to contain so much
that is candid, honest, sagacious, and startling, and
that it proceeds from the pen of an observant Com-
mander in the Royal Navy, it will inevitably illicit
commendation. Captain Plunkett is wholly preeau-
t. onary in the nature of his present production ; he
conceives that there is an intense necessity for active
and energetic improvements in the glorious service
of which he is a member, and, solicitous alike for the
safety of his country, the glory of the navy, and the
maintenance of our naval supremacy, he has braved
all the perils of authorship, and boldly launched his
present work upon the dark and mysterious ocean ofcri-
ticism. However much individuals may differ from the
writer, in his estimate of what is requisite in the way
of the modification and advancement of the sea-ser-
vice, it will be impossible for any one to deny him the
possession of the most patriotic sentiments, or to
believe that he has been actuated by any other than
the most generous motions. We all know perfectly
well that the Prince de Joinville wrote many home-
truths in his pamphlet, as well as many erroneous
notions, and many expressions that might be readily
contorted into mere bombast and braggadocio. We
all know, moreover, that the science of naval tactics
has been marvellously changed by the adoption of
steam-power in our armed vessels. Those alterations
and those home-truths necessitate a corresponding
activity in the service ; an activity ambitious of keep-
ing pace with the advancing spirit of the age, and of
not being baffled by the encroachments of science.
Although we are confident, therefore, of the c'n-
tinued vigour of our navy, and of the va!our and
efficiency of our seamen, we must, nevertheless, ob-
serve that there are many suggestions contained in the
present brochure deserving the serious consideration
of the Right Hon. the Lords of the Admiralty.

FINE ARTS.
THE CHRISTIAN IN PALESTINE.
Part VII.

This most attractive serial is continued with una-
bating excellence. We are doubtful whether we
should more admire the learned and interesting letter-
press, penned by Dr. Stebbing, or the brilliant and
picturesque illustrations copied from the original
sketches by W. H. Bartlett. " Mount Thabor, look-
ing towards Gilboa and the Jordan," is a delicious
composition. From the quaint and characteristic
cluster of Arabs and goats in the foreground, the lat-
ter dipping their long beards in the pool; from the
cool umbrage of .the half-distance, to the remote
mountain and horizon bathed in sunlight, everything
imparts an additional beauty to a scene which, from
its mere undulations and its manifold associations,
would have been strangely interesting. The other
engravings are of almost equal purity.

ROYAL GEMS FROM THE GALLERIES OF

EUROPE. Part VIII.
The contents of the present number are more in
keeping with its sonorous and ambitious title than
any of its predecessors. Two of the masterpieces of
Murillo, and one from the brush of Claude Lorraine,
have furnished prototypes for three magnificent en-
gravings. In only one of these do we observe any
very glaring deficiency; and that deficiency is the
expression imparted to the countenance of the" Good
Shepherd." There is a clumsiness in the features,
and an earthliness in the whole character of the phy-
siognomy, which are altogether at variance with the
delicate pencilling and seraphic expression of that
childlike face which we have so frequently gazed upon
with rapture in the National Gallery. The counte-
nances of the " Spanish Peasant Boys," from the ori-
ginal in the Dulwich Gallery, are, on the contrary,
inimitable—the gleaming teeth of the vagrant urchin,
and the sulky and crust-munching face of his com-
panion. " The Sylvan Calm" is a most exquisite—
we may say a most masterly—engraving, by Samuel
Bradshaw. As far as black and white can possibly
convey any notion of the luminous embroidering of
the sun, and the gelid gloom of the shadows of Claude
Lorraine, this engraving does. This single plate is
worth more than the price of the entire number. It
would conjure up the glories of summertide and the
loveliness of Andalusia during the November fog in
the ultinta Mule of IVhitechapel.

MURDER IN CINCINNATI.—Edward Byington,
was cut to pieces by a Mr. Church with a bowie knife In
the street, on the 27th ult., in consequence of Byington
accidentally against him. Great excitement
at the melancholy result.—Ame•
prevailed
in Cincinnati
r nni
rican paper.
MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF A YOUNG FEMALE.—On
Tuesday night .Ir. Joseph Payne, the Deputy Coroner,
held an adjourned inquest, at the Vestry Hall, John-
street, Horsleydown, respecting the death of Eliza
Brown, aged 24 years, whose friends reside in Vauxhall
Bridge-road, Pimlico, who was found dead in the river.
It appeared from the evidence of numerous witnesses,
that the do ceased, who was very respectably connected,
and was a quiet and well-conducted girl, had formed an
acquaintance with a Mr. Allen Smith Redhead, breeches-
maker, of Bedford-place, Vauxhall Bridge-road, Pimlico.
On Saturday, the loth inst., the deceased visited a per-
son's house at No. 5, James-street, Buckingham-gate,
with Mr. Redhead, which place they left at half-past
eight o'clock in the evening, and proceeded for a walk
round the West-end of the town, after which he left the
deceased at her mother's house. On the following morn-
ing she left home, promising to return to dinner, but
nothing was seen or heard of her until Tuesday, the 13th
inst., when her body was found off Pickle Herring-
stairs, Horsleydown. She was not unhappy nor weak-
minded, and expected to be married on Christmas-day
next. The only additional evidence was from William
Enthall Thoreman, a clerk, who stated that on the even-
to'clock, t whilewe
sh
for owma s
the passingto tollgate, aotvee, over
onW at
Lt eer IS°
even-
ing of Saturday fortnight, between seven and eight
tor-aber
di d
sgied,en,near
saw a female, similarly attired to the deceased, in a de-
sponding state of mind. He called a policeman, but
before they had time to reach her, she precipitated her-
self into the water. An alarm was raised, and every
endeavour used to save her, but she was carried away
by the tide. The jury returned a verdict of " Found
drowned; but how she came into the water there was not
sufficient evidence before them to prove."
THE BEY or Tums.—Ahmed-Pacha-Bey, who
is on the point of proceeding to Paris, is 40 years of
age. He succeeded his father in the regency of Tunis
on October 10, 1837. He is married, but without
children. His mother was a Christian. She was taken
at Tabarque with the Genoese colony which was there
established, and being carried to Tunis she changed her
religion and marriedMustapha, Ahmed's father. This
woman enjoys in the regency the utmost consideration,
and possesses much influence in
.the conduct of affairs.
She owes this importance in particular to the veneration
which her son feels for her. The Bey is accompanied
in his journey by several personages of his court, and
amongst the rest his Kasnadar, a young Greek, his
Highness's brother-in-law, and M. Raffo, his interpreter
and councillor of state.
NATIONAL GALLERY.—NEW PICTURES.--The Na-
tional Gallery opened on Monday last with sixteen new
pictures ; two of which (the Boar Hunt of Velasquez,
and the temptation of St. Anthony, by Annibale Ca-
racci), are recent purchases and the remaining fourteen
the bequest of Richard Simmons, Esq. The purchases,
on this occasion, exceed in importance the value of the
bequest. Mr. Simmons's pictures, consisting of third-
rate masters, and not very favourable specimens of the
masters they represent. A catalogue of the names of
the artists, and the subjects palmed, will give no bad
idea of the character and value of the recent acquisi-
tion :—L Godfrey Sehalken—Lesbia weighing jewels
against her sparrow. 2. Sa,:s3ferrato—The Madonna.
3. Joseph Vernet—A Seaport. 4. Houdikoeter—Do-
mestic Poultry. 5. Gerard Van Harp—Conventional
Charity. 6. Backhuysen—A Brisk Gale. 7. Deitricy
—ltinerant Musicians. 8. Greuze—lles.,l of a Girl.
9. Nicholas Macs—The Idle Servant. 10. Breenberg—
Landscape with Figures. 11. Both—A Landscape,
figures by Poelemberg, (the landscape in Both's best
style, the figures in Poelembergs ordinary manner).
12. Canaletto—The Piazza of St. Mark, Venice,
(bolder
but less finished than usual). 13. John Van Ilugten-
burg —A Battle-piece. 14. Theodore de Keyser—A
Merchant and his Clerk. We may add that the cele-
brated Bacchus and Ariadne of Titian has been cleaned,
and, as far as we could observe, with care and judgment.
The pictures in the gallery are now 212 in number.