The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-11 00:00:00

to their just level; and if he is ever thought of at
all as a 1 tenteur, it is chiefly by reason of his
friendship with Voltaire, who afterwards be-
came his bitter enemy, and, under the title of the
King of Bulgaria, has satirised his despotic
habits with the severest acrimony in " Candide."
In the volumes before us, the fullest details are
given respecting Frederick, both as a man and
as a monarch. Every memoir, bearing on the
subject, has been diligently ransacked; the so-
cial and political peculiarities of France, Austria,
and several other European States, are also con-
sidered with attention; entertaining matters of
Court gossip are introduced ; and.the result is
livelier and completer picture of the condition
of Europe during the greater portion of the
eighteenth century, than has yet issued from the
English Press. The opening chapter is the most
indifferent in the work. It is too vag,ue, and
sketchy, and unsatisfying, and though aspiring
to the
in
of history, is anything but histo-
rical n its character. In the course of this
chapter the author expresses his surprise that a
witch should have been persecuted in North
Germany so late as the middle of the eighteenth
century, when he might have known, on a little
consideration, that even at that comparatively
recent period, witchcraft was believed in through-
out the greatest part of the Continent, and per-
secuted accordingly. He speaks, too, of the
German armies, at a somewhat earlier period,
being too often recruited from the dregs of the
population; unaware, apparently, that the Eng-
lish armies were thus recruited, through the vile
agency of press-gangs, as late as the year 1810.
Many a gaol-bird fought, and fought bravely
too, in the Peninsular war. On the whole, we
consider the present volumes the most entertain-
ing works of the sort we have read for some time.
They are not exactly history, for history deals
with the great outlines if particular periods, and
seldom deigns to notice their minor peculiarities;
but they are the next best thing to it, and are
about the same calibre, in point of literary abi-
lity, as Mrs. Thompson's entertaining Memoirs
of the celebrated Duchess of Marlborough. We
subjoin an extract, by way of sample of the
author's manner. He has been speaking of the
military jealousy of Frederick and his occasional
brusque manner towards his Generals :
Frederick, though a consummate judge of military
merit, showed himself, through his whole life, but too
ready to affront even his best officers on what might be
deemed very slight occasions. Thus we have seen that,
during the second Silesian war, the brave Marshal
Schwerin, who had rendered the most important services
to his Sovereign, as yet inexperienced in military opera-
tions, had fallen into disgrace, quitted the army, and re-
tired to his estates. Accidentally meeting his brother
at the Ridotto, soon after the conclusion of peace, the
King inquired—" What is the Marshal doing ?"—" Ho
is attending to the cultivation of his estates and the
management of his affairs, your Majesty ; for the rest,
he is quite well." " When you write to -him, salute him
in my name," rejoined Frederick. "Heis a great man,
but he is obstinate, and forgets that lam King." A
year afterwards, he invited the Marshal to Berlin.
Schwerin went, and was in the King's ante-chamber by
eight o'clock in the morning, just as his hussar was
taking in coffee. He sent in his name. The King gave
no answer, took up his flute, and walked to and fro for a
quarter of an hour extemporising. Laying down the in-
strument, he buckled on his sword, and then ordered
the Marshal to be admitted. He motioned the attend-
ant to retire. Of the conversation that ensued nothing
is known, but that it was at first loud and warm, gra-
dually subsiding till nothing could be heard in the
ante-chamber. Schwerin was in high spirits when he
left the King, who had given him an invitation to dinner.
Before the commencement of hostilities Frederick was
anxious to conciliate another of the tried and distinguish-:
ed leaders of his troops. Zieten, the dashing commander
of the hussars, had been for some time in disgrace with
the Kind He, with many other officers, had early con-
ceived a jealousy of Winterfeld, because Frederick was
thought to honour him with his more especial confidence,
and frequently gave him commissions to which his rank
might be supposed not to entitle him. In 1745 he even
preferred a formal complaint on this subject to the King,
and accused :Winterfeld of doing him ill offices with his
Majesty. "Be assured," replied Frederick, "'that I
have seen with great pain from your letter that you enter-
tain the idea that I have taken a dislike to you or am dis-
contented with your services. I beg you to believe that
neither the one nor the other is the case ; that, on the
contrary, I esteem you as a meritorious officer, and am
perfectly satisfied with your valour, skill, and fidelity.
But, if at times I give particular commissions to Winter-
feld to do this or that, according to my instructions im-
parted to him in secrecy, I cannot suffer any one to inter-
fere in such matters or to tie my hands, especially as in •
these cases there is nothing that trenches on your rank
and seniority. I hope this will make you quite easy on
the subject."
Zieten had in his regiment many volunteers of dis-
tinction, in favour of whom he was less strict in regard
to discipline, and this drew upon him the severe dis-
pleasure of the King. In the year 1753, a great encamp-
ment was formed near Spandau. Zieten was there with
his hussars. The regiment was advancing into the line,
preceded by the kettle-drums, which it had taken at
Katholisch-Hennersdorf. " You are good for nothing,"
cried the King, " back, behind the front !" After-
wards, at the special review, he upbraided the whole
regiment in the severest terms, and said that it was
composed "of rude unplaned clowns." In this man-
ner he continued to vent his displeasure. Zieten,
who was standing before the front with drawn sabre,
could no longer repress his boiling indignation. Turn-
ing towards the King, and thrusting his sabre, rat-
tling with the vehemence of the action, into its scab-
bard, he said, in an emphatic tone—" If then, in the
devil's name, we are good for nothing now, there was a
time when we knew how to do our duty like brave men.
At that time, when we were needed, we were good
enough." " Yes," cried Frederick, quite as angrily,
" then you were good, now you are good for nothing
whatever." During the time the manoeuvres lasted,
Zieten never drew his sabre again, but remained in the
camp as a mere spectator.

IVANHOE. Cadell, Edinburgh, 1841.
We have here one of the most popular of the
Waverley Novels, published first in an octavo
form, and secondly in a duodecimo, and in both
cases got up with remarkable neatness. These
editions are far preferable to the original ones in
forty-eight volumes, which were much too bulky.

SCOTT'S LIFE OF NAPOLEON.
Cadell, Edinburgh, 1841.
This is the Fifth Part of the Second Volume
of this well-known historical work, and com-
mences with the proceedings of the year 1806,
and goes down to the Battle of Busaco, which
was fought in the year 1810. The work is singu-
larly cheap, considering the elegant manner in
which it is published.

C. DIBDIIV'S SONGS. Part IV:
How and Parsons, London, 1841.
This edition of Charles Dibdin's songs has the
advantage of musical accompaniments to the
words, which is decidedly a great recommenda-
tion. In every respect, it is the most complete
edition that has yet appeared of the great naval
song-writer.

METROPOLITAN MAGAZINE.
There are several pleasant papers in this Num-
ber, evidently from practised Magazine pens;
and foremost among them, we may mention the
" Memoirs of an Italian Exile," which relate
with much spirit some circumstances regarding
the last squabble between the Austrians and the
Italian Liberals, which, it may be remarked,
excited great interest in England about the year
1821—the " Poet and the Reviewer," which is a
lively sketch, by Mrs. Abdy, of London literary
life—" Spencer Middleton," an amusing story,
but which would be much more so if it were a
little less prolix in some of its dialogues—and
" Memoirs of Gibraltar," in which we have a
striking account of the lague that raged there a
few years ago. We should have included this
periodical among our usual monthly notices of
such works, but it reached us at too late an hour.

Sixth, of this
KNIGHT'S STORE OF KNOWLEDGE.
C. Knight,
iLvhonicdhoni,sl
tsitiel .
useful and intelligent Miscellany, there are some
In the presetaigrhti;
statistical accounts of our public endowed gram-
mar-schools, together with several pertinent sug-
gestions respecting education; and a Life of the
Duke of Wellington, whose chief recommenda-
tions are, that it is penned in a temperate and
impartial tone, and is remarkably accurate in its
leading facts.

KNIGHTS ENGLISH MISCELLANIES.
The second volume of " Brand's Popular Anti-
quities," from the last edition of Sir Henry Ellis,
sets before the reader a delightful continuation
of every relic of our olden sports, customs, and
manners, either derived from Pagan practice, or
emanating in later times from Christian observ-
ances and rites.

THE DISTRESSED SPITALFIBLDS' WEA-
VERS.—.The Lord Mayor received in aid of the dis-
tressed Spitallields' weavers, the sum of 104 as the con-
tribution of Mr. Russell Ellis, and 12/. 19s. 40. from
Mr' Hicks, of the Bank of Enand, which had been
collected from various officers oft hat establishment, in
small sums, from ld. upwards.
The donation of 1001. in aid of the Spite!fields'
weavers, mentioned in a paragraph a few days ago as
having been transmitted to the Lord Mayor thro ugh Childs'
banking-house by Mr. R. Wood, was sent by Mr. Robert
Richard Wood through that medium.
The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty
have appointed Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Brace, K.C.8.,
Commander-in-Chief of her Majesty's fleet in the river
Medway. We are the first to announce this appoint-
ment, as we are upon all matters connected with the
navy.—British Queen.
NUMEROUS DEATHS IN THE METROPOLI-
TAN HOSPITALS.--Within the last few days no fewer
than nine inquests have bermleld in three of the London
hospitals, viz., St. Barthe;lomew's five, St. George's two,
and the London two, being a greater number than has
I ever been known in so short a period.