The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-03 00:00:00

pill these are few and far between. Amid these poetic
beau: ies, these magnificent descriptions, ever and anon
we find some sudden startling passage, some senti-
ment of wisdom and philosophy, which bids us to lay
aside the hook and think ; these exsmples are nume-
rous. Perhaps one of the most striking is the foLow-
ing :—" W,• make our fortunes, and we call them late."
In, these passagrs we recognise the genius that con-
cei‘ ed " Sidowa." It is needless to say more regard-
ing these volumes-; those who -have not read them may
look torward to the perusal with pleasure, and those
who know them will be glad to read them again. The
first volume contains a portrait of the author, from a
likeness by Chalon. It was evidently taken some
years back, and represents him

" Still fresh with the brightness of youth."

As such it forms a fitting accompaniment to a work
(to use the tp-autiful language of Contarini) written
" while the dewy freshness of youthful fancy still lin-
gered on hit mind."

THE STUDENT'S HELP. By Guido So,elii

Since the first confusion of tongues, innumerable
system have been advanced to facilitate the acquire-
ment of different languages. Some have proposed
tuition orally, some tuition by books, some tuititn by
means of tables arranged in a peculiar and mathe-
matical order. In the present little brochure, its
author endeavours to aid all students in Italian and
French literature by a method of very ingenious sim-
plicity. The plan, which is entirely his own, is
no:hing more than the introduction of three parallel
columns of letterpress in each page—first, Italian,
then English, then French. By this arrangement the
mode of learning to translate from either is lett
entirely to the option of the teacher, who may at one
time, by concealing the original text, require his
pupils to give a literal version from one or other of
the foreign dialects, or at another pr,iceed upon the
opposite principle. In the development of this novel
system Guido Sorelli has selected the largest portions
of Genesis, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, &c., as specimens
of the manner in which the three languages should be
placed in juxtaposition; and if the publication be not
precisely adapted for the generality of scholars, it is
deserving of notice from its feasibility as well as its
eccentricity. Whether it would not have materially
improved this rather unpretending work if its com-
piler had expunged the metrical lessons at the end, is
possibly a matter of opinion; but we must em-
phatically protest against such extravagant vagaries
of verse as that in which Guido Sorelli exclaims—
" Stand off, ye stars ! nor more in union'd joy illume
a world." Still more do we protest against the in-
troduction of anything like fanaticism, or bigotry, or
controversial zeal, in connexion with an elementary
book of this nature—a book thar circulates among
parties too youthful and inexperienced to be able
properly to estimate the merits or demerits of any
religious tenets. We would remind Guido Sorelli
that one of the most divine attributes of Christianity
is charity, and that another is justice; and that, con-
sequently, if he wishes to claim kindred with the
followers of the Nazarene, he should never imbue a
school-book with malignity towards one body ( f men
and sycophancy towards another. As a teacher of
youth he labours, in this respect, under a heavy re-
sponsibility. Saving, however, this very great
blemish, the small volume before us is elegantly
worded and usefully conceived.

THE RECENT ACt IDENT ON THE

NORFOLK RAILWAY.

GENERAL PASLEY'S OFFICIAL INQUIRY.
THETFoRD, THURSDAY.—Yesterday morning, Nlajor
General Pasley, the Government Inspector-General of
Railways, arrived by the early train from town, to in-
stitute his official inquiry respecting the late overturn-
ing of an engine ar.d train on the Norfolk Railway,
whereby the engineer and stoker lost their lives, in order
to frame his report of the catastrophe for the guidance
of the Board of Trade.

On his reaching the station of this town, he imme-
diately proceeded to that part of the fine where the
accident happened, which passes through Kelveston
Valiey, attended by Mr. Duff, the Chairman of the
Company, Mr. Till, the Secretary, Mr. Marshall,
the Locomotive Superintendent, and Mr. Merritt,
the contractor for the permanent way, and com-
menced the investigation by inquiring into the
state of the road where the engine went off. Mr.
Marshall and Mr. Merritt conducted him about 250 feet
from where the engine was lying to the broken chair,
and then pointed out the exact point, which was
twenty-two feet distant. The course of the engine
was then minutely explained to him, as being in an
oblique direction, how she pitched on her side twice,
and then went over or down the embankment.
Having taken a note of these facts, as also the appear-
ance of the rails which had been torn up. and which
laid on the side of the line, the engine formed the next
subject of his inquiry. It had been raised from the hole
at the bottom of the bank, having sunk deep into the
soil, and was perfectly at view for the most searching
examination. It was minutely inspected by him, as•
sisted by Mr. Marshall, internally and externally. The
plates and cylinders had been removed, and although it
had received many bumps and bruises, no damage wa,;
discovered that was likely to have caused it to ru❑ off.
It was thought from the circumstance of the engine
jumping at the same moment as the fire and steam flew
from it, as described by the witnesses at the inquest,
that the boiler or some of the tubes had exploded. The
supposition, however, has been entirely set at rest, as
not the least injury was found that could have caused
such a result ; the regulator remained in the same posi-
tion, and clearly indicated that the steam had been shut
off by the unfortunate engine-driver, Pickering. There
was no axle broke, or any of the rods that worked the
driving wheel ; all were found perfect, with the excep-
tion of a trifling defect, which could not in any way be
said to have led to the accident.

The principal witnesses, Coldman, the guard, who had
charge of the train—Tedder, the sccond one—as also
the plate-layers, were in attendance to be examined by
the Genaral. He, however, did not take their state-
ment; no doubt finding the newspaper report of their
evidence sufficient for his informatit.n.

Mr. Wright, a county magistrate, residing at Kelveston
Hall, was present, and General Pasley, hearing that a
person in his employ had seen the accident, and had
timed the rate of the train just previous, desired that he
might be sent for. On the man arriving, he stated that
he saw the train upwards of a mile before the engine
ran off the line. He saw it pass the mile-post in the
Kelveston-cutting, as also the one near where it hap-
pened with the accident, and it was going at a very
great rate. He thought sixty miles an hour; fur he
pulled out his watch and timed it. It ran from post to
post in a minute.
The General requested a sight of the watch, and,
judging from its antiquity that it probably might not
have one of the most accurate movements, having no
second-hand, he thought that there might be some
mistake as to the speed the train was said to be
travelling at.
At this juncture a train was heard coming up, and the
party retired on one side to let it pass, which it did at
the ordinary rate. Mr. Wright, evidently much amazt,cl
at the velocity, alluded to that train's progress as a cor-
roborative proof of the man's assertion, and pointing to
the passing train, observed that it was going at sixty
miles an hour. A discussion then ensued, and on the
General being applied to, he remarked that, standing as
they did on the side of the line, the train might seem to
milesl t
Wpaesrehx,pme
be going at a greater rate than it really was. For his
Norwich, where
part, he did not tidal( it was proceeding faster than 30
hour.
that General Pasley would have gone
on to
heydei,tll
train had beentaken lip, the shattered carriages of the
butnhoet left for London about five
it
isgivver any opinionb as to the
him, that leywr,roconiele;oftrr the
o'clock. Although
cause of the disaster,
remarks that fell from
conclusion as Mr. Bidder and 31r. Marshall. Ilea=
served, that the escape of the passengers was most mira-
culous.
Since the inquest the bodies have been interred at Ely.
They were married ; and iledgar's widow had only been
confined a day or two prior to his dr'•adful fate.

WETNIINsTER (LATE QUEEN-
SQUARE) POLICE-COURT.

The new Court in lieu of Queen-square was on Thursday
opened by Mr. Burrell ; his colleague, Mr. Bond, an
Mr. Wray, the Receiver-General, being present. The
Court itself is a fine capacious building, about 30 feet
by 24, and exceedingly lofty. It is evident that work-
wen have been busily engaged at it for the la.t three or
four days, and with advantage, as there is a marked im-
provement in the general arrangements since we last had
occasion to notice it, and an obvious desire now to render
the whole as convenient as possible : but there are still
alterations required before it can fairly possess the claim
which it should have to convenience and comfort. But
the convenience of the public has not been properly con-
sulted. The place dignified by the appellation of a wait.
ing-room is a miserable hole, competent to seat eight
persons, with an asphalte floor, and a door opening in its
centre into the open air. So " commodious" is this
place, that when fourteen persons were in it at one time
on Thursday, the fresh corners were obliged to fight their
way through them every moment on their way to the
clerk's office or interior of the Court, this being at pre-
sent the onl) public entrance, although we are informed
that another will be opened in a few days. The clerk's
office is small and dark, the portion allotted
to the public being miserably small, so insigni-
ficant, indeed, that that which appears to be private
part, as also the retiring. room for the cleiks to
make up the quarterly accounts, or do any other busi-
ness in, must be appropriated to the public if anything
like five or six persons are engaged is a case. There is
also a lamentable, not to say cruel want of accommoda-
tion to the officers who are unfortunately compelled to
be rt sident on the premises ; but we have no doubt that,
as ftr as their comfort now can be advanced, every effort
will be made to effect it. In this respect, however, as
regards mere room, the case from the construction of the
building is hopeless. The cells, seven in number, are
alrnirablv constructed, and reflect great credit upon both
the humanity and feeling of those who designed them ;
they are, indeed, most perfect. Workmen are likely to
he engaged about the premises for another month, and
they have received orders to construct seats round the
large space devoted to the public in the Court. which will
be a very great advantage, and, with other contemplated
improvements, must much advance the comfort of those
attending the Court.
Mr. W. Taylor, many years second clerk at *Union
Hall, or Southwark Police-court, has been promoted to
the chief clerkship at the Westminster Police-court,
vacant by the death of the late much respected Mr. R.
Rlwards. Mr. S. O'Brien, formerly of Bow-street
Police-court, and late of the Commissioners' Office, in