The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-22 00:00:00

and dignity of his character in a manner honourable
not only to his own heart, but to that of the distin-
guished Genius who is thus endeavouring to raise in
the estimation of his fellows the undeserved victims
of their caprice ".and the innocent themes of their ob-
jurgation. Nobly, bravely, beautifully has he told
the tale of the sorrows awaiting those who toil
unavailingly to themselves, though with advantage to
the world at large, in the service of that Muse which
is the jealous mistress of the student in literature.
Our emotions have been touched so profoundly by the
pathetic force of those passages in the
composition before us, that we shrink at the
moment from anything like an appreciative
analysis of its humour as well of character as of inci-
dent, a humour genial, mellow, and spontaneous, as
may be found exemplified in the hearty but suspi-
cious Sir Geoffrey, in the rollicking but loveable
Wilmot, in the Duke of Middlesex, as proud as
Lucifer, but as staunch in honour as Duguesclin,
in the wily but magnanimous Hardman,
and in that silly but well-natured Shadowly Softhead,
a hankerer after fashion and the nobility, but a little
fellow whose every vein is throbbing with probity.
everal of the scenes are as laughter-moving
in their very extravagance of fun as some of
the happiest of Moliere's, the most in-
comparable of comic dramatists. Even to the notes
scantily sprinkled through the pages the evidences of
the author's graceful scholarship extend—his re-
ference to Farquhar being one of the most charming
apologies for an apparent plagiarism that writer ever
ventured upon articulating. Everywhere, in short,
throughout the whole of this masterly and interest-
ing production are visible the most fascinating of the
moral and intellectual powers of the dramatist, the re-
sources of an abounding ideality, the sparkle of un-
ostentatious wit, the depth and sweetness of a mas-
culine and subduing pathos, and with all these the
fervour of his more generous sympathies, and the
alleviating earnestness of a nature as resolute in appli-
cation as it has proved noble in magnanimity.

FINE ARTS.
THE ART-JO URNAL.

In addition to its. many splendid attractions the
Art• Journal for May contains the first instalment
of the illustrated Catalogue of the Exhibitiou, a series
long promised and eagerly expected. Considering the
bewilderment natural to everyone who ♦isits the
Crystal Palace, a confusion as to which among the
countless curiosities contained in it shall be inspected,
it must be acknowledged that the editor of this cata-
logue of embellishments has acted very judiciously in
his selections. The title-page designed by Luke Lim-
ner, is itself a beautiful specimen of pictorial ingenuity
7-representing as it does very gracefully the union
in friendship of the artist and the artizans and the
crowning of them both by Peace. Foley's
group of " Ino and '1 , Bacchus," Vecht's
shield of the " Murder of the Innocents,"
Kiss's bronze casting of the "Amazon," Kahszinann's
" Hobe offering nectar to the Eagle of Love," and
Rietschel's " Pieta," will be recognised among the
woodcuts by every individual who has crossed the
threshold of the great building in Hyde-park. Added
to the interest secured to the publication by
those supplementary attractions are those habitually
belonging to the Art-Journal. Its copies this month
from the paintings in the Vernon Gallery are
Howard's " Flower Girl," and Turner's " Golden
Bough." Sarpendon, from the bas-relief of Watson
is the third principal embellishment. Together with
these are given a portrait of Albert Durer, and sketches
from some of his principal productions. Among
the latter is conspicuous his famous and elaborate
representation of "Melancholy," followed by the not
less celebrated " Coat of Arms with the Death's
Head." The letter-press is as excellent as the en-
gravings are meritorious throughout the whole of this
double periodical.

FRENCH RAIL WAY TRAFFIC.
The following are the last returns of the gross re-
ceipts of the principal French Railways :
NORTHERN.—From May 7 to May 13: Passengers,
264,589 f.; goods, 182,821 f.; total, 447,410 f.
Rousii.—From May 4 to May 10: Passengers,
12,4611.; goods, 76,295 f.; total, 168,756 f.
HATRE.—From May 4 to May 10 : Passengers,
30,296 f.; goods, 31,299 f. ; total 61,595 f.
ORLEANS.—From May 5 to May 11 : Passengers,
95,2211. ; goods, 113,1251.; total, 208,3461.
BORDEAUX.—From May 4 to May 10: Passengers,
43,071 f.; goods, 40,017 f.; total, 83,088 f.
VIERZON.—From May 5 to May 11: Passengers,
41,744 f.; goods, 41,824€.; total, 83,568 f.
BOULOGNE.—From May 5 to May 11 : Passengers,
22,4141.; goods, 16,3511.; total, 38,765 f.
NANTES.—From May 3 to May 9 : Passeugerts,
21,4521.; goods, 16,665 f.; total, 38,117 f.
STRASBURG.—From May 7 to May 13: Passengeri,
89,139 t.; goods, 64,351 f.; total, 153,490 f.
BALE.—From April 20 to May 4 : Passengers
22,595 f.; goods, 28,9681.; total, 51,563 f.
MONTEREAM—From April 30 to May 6: Passengers.
15,4121.; goods, 13,4361.; total, 28,8481.
MARSEILLES.--From April 30 to May 6: Passengers,
42.135 f.; goody, 21,1351.; total, 63,2701.
LYONS. —From April 27 to May 3 : Passengers,
126,051 f.; goods, 43,0661.; total, 169,1171.
CHARTRES.—From April 28 to May 4: Passengers,
34,6271.; goods, 12,6991.; total, 47,3261.
RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—Return of traffic for the
Week ending May 18 ..• £19,037 1. 3
Corresponding week last year... 17,61 S 12 9

LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY. (260 miles
open.)—Traffic for week ending May 18...£16,443 7 2
Corresponding week in last year, (227*
miles open) .. ....£13,812 9 5
LONDON A--ND SOUTH-WESTIRN RAILWAY.—AMOIIa Of
Traffic for the week ending May 18 :
Passengers ... 7 9
Goods ... ... 2,261 19 1

Total ... ... .. £10,997 610
Corresponding week last year... 11,087 0 5

NOILTH STAFFORDSHIRE RAILWAY. ( Miles open, 112.)
Return of traffic for the week ending May 11 :
Railway and canal ... ... £4,708 0 0
Corresponding week last year ... 4,746 0 0
Note. The above is exclusive of the receipts available
under the agreement with the London and liorth-Western
Railway Company.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD ILinwAr.....Traffic for the
Week ending May 18 :

MAIN LINZ.

Passengers ... ...
Parcels, H. C. and D. ...
Goode, cattle, &c. ...
Mails ... ... ...

... £1,206 12 9
... 65 4 6
- 416 17 3
... 575 0 0

Total ..

... £2,263 14 6

•••
MOLD.

Pa.ssen gars ...
Parcels, H. C. and D. ...
Goods, cattle, &c. ... ...

... £46 9 8
1 11 1
76 5 5

Total

... £124 6 2

••• ... ,
STEIM-BOATI.

Passengers
Parcels, H. C. and D. ...

... £193 6 1
... 14 15 4

Total ... £2OB 1 5
CALEDONIAN RAILWAY... (160 miles opened.)—Return of
traffic for the week ending May 11:
Passengers, &c. £2,493 9
Goods, &c. ... 4,058 1 5

Total' .. ... ... £6,551 10 94
Corresponding week last year ... 6,114 15 5
' Including Wishaw and Coltness, now in charge of a
factor.

AFFECTING CIRCUMSTANCE.—FUNERAL SERMON.
..- On Sunday evening a sermon was preached at the Wes-
leyan chapel, Tunbridge Wells, by the Rev. John Skidmore,
on the occasion of the deaths of Henry and Charles Godomark,
aged respectively eighteen and nineteen years. They were
tho only children of their parents, both were educated in the
Wesleyan Sunday school, after which they were both elected
teachers, and subsequently both entered the Wesleyan So-
ciety, the eldest in 1649, and the youngest in 1850. For se-
veral months past both were afflicted with consumption;
they died within a few hours of each other, and both were
buried in one day in one grave. Their moral characters were
blameles, and their end was peace.—Kentish Independent.

TSB EAGLE AND THE GEAVE-DIGGER.-011 MOH.
day afternoon last, about half-pmt three o'clock, the sexton
of St. Nicholas's Church, Nottingham, was preparing the
last earthly home of a person recently deceased, when he
heard a sound, a little distance overliearhd,a:4's
upwards
huge wings
he
battling with the breeze, and on casting is
perceived a majestic eagle soaring in the air, being evidently
about to alight in the churchyard. The bird-kirg took a
gallant swoop, ,and then settled on a mound of green turf
near the wonder-struck sexton, who, in a fit of
desperate
courage, resolved, if possible, to effect a capture of the noble
bird. The feathered giant peered keenly at his civilised op-
ponent, and drooped his wings lie a game cock preparing for
the tug of war. They advanced towards each other, closed,
struggled, and the contest had commenced. Textile manu-
facture soon gave way before the rapid attacks made upon it
by the eagle's hard beak and sharp talons, but the represen-
tative of the man tribe was determined to show that he was
one of " the lords of the creation," and reso
was lved eodrroetuodsul rempatuione;
or perish in the attempt. His coat. sleeve
thing of shreds, but still the battle was g y
tained, now the bird and anon the man appeardinegnitaoinhathvee
the advantage. At length, however, by a coup
sexton floored the monarch of the feathered tribe,
baenbdohreaNbiinmg
rendered him powerless by pinioning his wings,
away in triumph. This circumstance might astound the or-
nithological world, were it not stated that the eagle, though
it certitinly a
alarmed the sexton, was afterwards ascert
to be " the living sign" of Mr. Raynor'e, the Spread Eagle,
Long-row, Nottingham. It had slipped itc chain that after-
noon and escaped.—Notts Guardian.
UNITED SERVICE INSTITUTION Yesterday, Sir
R. T. Murchison delivered, at this institution, one of a
series of lectures on select points of Natural Philosophy, in
which Major Adams and Colonel Hamilton Smith have
already taken part. Sir Itoderick's subject on this occa-
sion was the Formation of Mountain Ranges. This process
he illustrated by reference to the Alps, whose configuration
and glacial phenomena he described by reference to dia-
grams. The lecture excited great interest, and tne speaker
was frequently applauded.
THE CRYPT AT THE GUILDHALL.—A vast number
of the metropolitan visitors have been within the last fort-
night to see the Guildhall. The crypt under part of the
great ball in which the civic entertainments are given has
been completely clsaned, and the splendid columns have
been to a certain extent polished, and the arches, which are
considered specimens of first-rate skill, have been completely
developed. There is in the middle of the crypt a large red
granite bowl of enormous weight, which has attracted much
Cttrioslty,