The Sun.
London, England, 1834-09-25 00:00:00

ORIGINAL LETTER OF COLERIDGE.

" Wo is me! that at forty-six I am under the ne-
cessity of appearing as a lecturer, and obliged to regard
every hour that I give to the permanent, whether as
poet or philosopher, an hour stolen from others' as
well as from my own maintenance ; so that after a life
(for I might be said to have commenced in earliest
childhood)—a life of observation, meditation, and
almost encyclopedic studies, I am forced to bewail, as
in my poem addressed to Mr. Wordsworth--
Sense of past youth and manhood come in vain,
And genius given and knowledge won in vain,
And all which I had culled in wood-walks wild,
And all which patient toil had reared, and all
Commune with Thee had opened out—but flowers "11
Strewed on my corse, and borne upon my bier,
In the same coffin to the self-same grave.
Wo from without, but well for me, however, from
within, that I have. been more sinned against than
sinning.' My lectures are, though not very numerously,
yet very respectably attended—and as respectfully at-
tended too. For no small portion of the former lam
indebted to the favourable notice taken of them in the
; and, occasionally, in the New Times and Morn-
ing Chronicle. My next Friday's lecture will, if Ido
not grossly flatter-blind myself, be interesting, and the
points of view not only original, but new to the audience.
I make this distinction, because sixteen, or rather se-
venteen, years ago, I delivered eighteen lectures on
Shakspeare at the Royal Institution—three-fourths of
which appeared at that time startling paradoxes, which
have since been adopted even by men who at the
time made use of them as proofs of my flighty and
paradoxical turn of mind—all tending to prove that
Shakspeare's judgment was, if possible, still more
wonderful than his genius ; or rather, that the contra.
distinction itself between judgment and genius, rested
on an utterly false theory. This, and its proofs and
grounds have been, I should not have said adopted,
but produced as their own legitimate children—nay,
the merit given to a foreign writer, whose lectures
were not given orally till two years after mine, rather
than to their countrymen, though I dare appeal
to the most adequate judges—as Sir G. Beaumont,
the Bishop of Durham, Mr. Sotheby, and afterwards
to Mr. Rogers and Lord Byron, whether there is
one single principle in Schlegel's work (which is not
an admitted drawback from its merits) that was not
established and applied in detail by me. Plutarch tells
us, that egotism is a venial fault in the unfortunate,
and justifiable in the calumniated ; yet, I should not
have done this violence to me, but that Mr. Words-
worth, for whose fame I had felt and fought with an
ardour that amounted to absolute self-oblivion, and to
which I owe mainly the rancour of the Edinburh
clan, and (far more injurious to me) the coldness, ne-
glect, and equivocal compliments of the Quarterl,y Re-
view—has affirmed, in print, that a German critic first
taught us to think correctly concerning Shakspeare."
—From the Canterbury Magazine. •

We regret to announce the death of Spagnoletti, the
veteran leader of The orchestra at the King's Theatre, from an
attack of apoplexy on Tuesday afternoon last.
SUBTERRANEAN PA SSAGES.—The discovery of
a passage beneath Eltham Castle has revived many hale-for-
gotten stories of these darkened labyrinths. Such a passage
is said to exist beneath the gate of St. John of Jerusalem,
Clerkenivell, extending by one branch to the vaults of St.
James's Church, and by another to Canonbury-house, Isling-
ton, formerly a favourite residence of Queen Elizabeth, and
another at Aldgate.

A somewhat improbable rumour is afloat of Lord
Plunket being desirous of exchanging the Lord Chancellor-
ship of Ireland for the English Mastership of the Rolls.
At a late contest at Melksham, relative to making
a church-rate, the Quakers were unanimous and earnest in
their opposition to the Established Church, whilst the
Wesleyan Methodists almost as unanimously took the other

side.
UNINHABITED LEASEHOLD PROPERTY LIABLE
TO ASSESSMENT TO THE POOR-PATE.-At a vestry held at
Ilfracombe on Monday last, it was contended that leasehold
houses, producing a beneficial interest to the landlord in a
ground-rent, are liable to assessment to the Poor-rate during
the whole term: when uninhabited, the leaseholder becomes,
in law, the occupier, and as such is subject to assessment : that
the lessor receiving a direct interest from a ground-rent, is
exempt from assessment, but that the lessee is liable in right
of occupation.

LIVERPOOL COTTON-MARKET, SEPT. 23.—We
have had a good demand in our Cotton-market to-day, both
from the trade and speculators. The sales amount to 5,000
bales, in many cases at an advance of id. on yesterday's
prices; 360 Bahias have been sold from loid. to 1 lid. ; and
the remainder in American cotton from 7d. to 00., and 100
Orleans, lod.
An instance of the advanced state of the " march"
was observed the other day on a letter in a neighbouring Post-
office, bearing the following direction :—" To mispeach fcr
wider petney at the weet sheet opinginn."—Boston Herald.

LONDON,
THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 25, 1334.

Madrid Papers of the. 17th instant have been re-
ceived by express. They are particularly interesting,
from the report they contain of the speeches delivered
in the Chamber of Procuradores (Deputies) on the
16th, on the motion for discussing the report of the
Finance Committee. The debate was not concluded
on the evening of the 17th, consequently the conclu-
sion to which the Chamber have come is not yet known
to us. This discussion was carried on in rather an
acrimonious spirit, the Ministry being by no means
consistent with itself in the expression of its opi-
nions. The principal speakers were the Marquis DE
MONTEVIRGEN and Count TORENO. The former
spoke in terms of severe censure of the conduct of the
Government, asserting that the members had evinced
neither a correct knowledge of public affairs, nor a
capacity for public business. He maintained that the
war was continued, either through the ignorance, or
by the connivance of the Ministry, who were in pos-
session of abundant means of extinguishing it when-
ever they were so disposed. These are his own
words :

Has it been, then, from want of money that this war has
not been concluded? Has it been through want of money that
so many generals have allowed themselves to be superseded,
and compromised their military honour ? Has it been for
want of money that the Minister of War has been obliged to
impose penalties on the officers who refuse to join their regi-
ments ? Has it been for want of money that while the nation
is paying for upwards of 100,000 men, there are not sent 20 or
30,000 to the 40,000 men already there ? Is it for want of
money that the Urban Militia is not in a state to allow the
whole army to proceed to the insurgent provinces ?"

This speech, which was delivered with great earnest-
ness and energy, was loudly applauded by the Chamber,
which would seem to infer that these interrogatories
would not admit of an answer in the affirmative. But
be this as it may, we are certainly of opinion that the
Spanish Cabinet is much to blame for not having
taken more effectual measures to crush the rebellion.
If the statement of the Marquis DE MONTEVIRGEN
be correct, such a Cabinet ought not to be suffered to
exist for a single hour, nor axe we certain that by the
fundamental constitution of the kingdom, the
Members might not be impeached for treason against
the state. Such, tit least, ould be the fate of a
Ministry in this country daring to withhold supplies
voted for the extermination of a rebellion.

The speech of the Marquis DE MONTEVIRGEN
called Count TORENO on his legs, whose answer to
the charges preferred against himself and his colleagues
was a sad specimen of what we so often witness in the
conduct of public men—a proper sense of what ought
to be done, conjoined with a kind of vacillating timidity
which shuns its performance. In one respect, how-
ever, his speech was truly satisfactory. He opposed
the Report of the Majority of the Finance Committee,
contending that Spain was bound to discharge the
whole of her debts, if she had the means of so doing ;
and that in default of the ability to meet all the just
demands made upon her, she had no right to sacrifice
exclusively one set of creditors for the benefit of another.
He contended that Spain was not in a condition to
discharge her debts in full, and that that alone was the
reason of his proposing a reduction of the interest on
the whole of the loans, which, without sacrificing the
claims of any class of creditors, would relieve Spain of
much of the burthen which now oppressed her, whilst
at the same time it would prevent invidious jealousies
among the bondholders by placing all on the same
level. Our readers know with what earnestness we
opposed TORENO'S plan, on the ground that Spain
had abundant resources within-herself of discharging
all her pecuniary obligations both at home and abroad;
and we are bound to say that the only point at which we
are at issue with him is on this question of capacity
or incapacity on the part of Spain. TORENO says—
" The nation is justly responsible for the entire debt.

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1834.

1, as one of the Cabinet, would ,recommend its total
liquidation, were there any legitirdate means of so do-
ing ; but there 'is not a sufficiency of resources, and
therefore I propose that we enter into a compromise
with the public creditor,•so as to treat gall claimants
alike." This is, in substance, TORENO'S language ;
and our sole disagreement with him, is in holding that
the Spanish nation is as powerful to pay her debts as
he says she is willing, if having the power. But hear
TORENO'S own statement of the difficult position in
which the recognition of the debt would place Mi-

Princess as an amiable and accomplished woman, and
we cannot but regret that she was doomed to witness the
downfall of her family through the mad ambition of
her husband. 'The rumours which have reached Paris,
respecting the progress of the war in the provinces,
will be found in our extracts from the Indicatcur
of Bayonne,
and Galignani's Messenger. The con-
dition of Spain is really horrible at the present mo-
ment.

A trio of Agitators are now at work in Ireland.
Three Furies, with their attendant imps, have super-
seded St. Patrick, St. Bridget, and St. Columb-Cille,
in the guardianship of the island of primeval sanctity.
O'CONNELL in the South, MARCUS BERESFORD
in the north, and in the centre, (mirabile clictu !)
Corporal COBBETT, Editor of the Register, Member
of Parliament for Oldham, and Criminator in Ordinary
of his Majesty's Government. The latter is the
great centre of attraction at the present moment.
He has imported his Gridiron for the purpose, no
doubt of roasting the Orangemen ; not that he loves
them less, but because he fears O'CONNELL more, be-
neath whose banner he has taken shelter. The Dublin
papers announce, in flaming paragraphs, the commence
ment of his career of glory. Already are the walls
of the city placarded with announcements of his
determination to deliver three lectures a week
for the edification of the wondering inhabitants
of Dublin. But the Lectures are not to be de-
livered gratis ! No, no ; that would not be like
COBBETT. Box, pit, and gallery prices are on a
scale which shows the motives of the man. GOD help
Ireland, if she. has no better friend than COBBETT to
direct her. But we will return to the subject to-
moiroW, and that in a way in which none will mistake
our opinions of such trickery.

The Poor Law Amendment Bill, as we stated yes-
terday, begins already to work well in several of the
parishes about town, and it must soon operate benefi-
cially for agriculture. It will enable farmers to get
their work better done, and to obtain more work for
their money. But it will not restore to farmers the
capital of which they have been deprived by the opera-
tion of the Corn Laws, which have prevailed since
1815. Though the present law is fast tending to
leave landlords without rent, and will ultimately leave
them without tenants, still they pertinaciously cling to
it. Nevertheless, in process of time stern necessity
will do that which observation and reflection ought
long ago to have effected. In the mean time, how-
ever, land-owners are eager for a measure, which tithe-
owners until lately resisted as obstinately as land-
owners still resist any modification of the Corn Laws.
Whatever may be said for a Bill to commute tithe
not having been carried in the last or preceding Ses-
sions, Ministers will be without excuse if such a Bill
be not passed in the ensuing Session. But a proper
Bill remains still to be prepared. The Bill which
was not proceeded in last Session is more indefensible
than the Bill which was abandoned in the former
Session. It is manifest that the right course
is to follow the commutation upon voluntary ar-
rangements. Every tithe-receiver knows what he has
received, and every tithe-payer knows what he has
paid, in the last seven years. The means of making a
voluntary arrangement are thus within the power of all
parties.' It should, therefore, be provided that a majo-
rity of the proprietors of any parish may make an
agreement with the tithe-owner for the commutation
of their tithe, and if the minority will not also agree,
then the expense of the compulsory part of the pro-
ceeding should be thrown upon the minority. If all
refrain from coining to an agreement, then the expense
must fall upon all.

But it is not enough to ascertain, by agreement or
otherwise, what each tithe-owner is henceforth annu-
ally to receive, and what each proprietor is annually
to pay. It is further necessary that the commutation,
though paid in money, should be a corn rent. Means
exist in England for this purpose similar to those
which have been long practised in Scotland, with
benefit and satisfaction to all concerned. There the
stipend of a clergyman is fixed at so many chal-
ders of victual, convertible every year into money
according to the fiar prices, which are struck in
the month of February in every year, by a jury
under the direction of the Sheriff of the county. So in
England, weekly returns of prices being made from
every corn market in each district to the comptroller
of corn returns, the means exist in the office of that
functionary which enable him to strike the average
price of corn in every district in every year, say preced-
ing every 25th day of March, and it only remains to
enact that he shall notify such prices in the Gazette
in the month of April in every year, and that the
quantity of corn ascertained to form the living of every
clergyman, and the portion of that quantity of corn
charged upon the land of every proprietor, shall be
convertible into money every year, according to such
prices ; by which the money payment to be received
and made every year will be readily and easily settled
with certainty in all time to come, by the operation of
the Bill itself.

The advantage of a tithe corn rent, thus convertible
into money every year, becomes manifest, when it is
considered that the average price of wheat in the last
year was under 48s. per quarter, and in the year 1832
the average price exceeded 665. per quarter. The ad-
vantage is not less apparent that when the charge is
once made upon the land according to a portion of
corn in place of a portion of money, it remains always
made without the necessity of any subsequent altera-
tion or fresh charge, or any change of charge whatever.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-(THIS DAY.)

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.

The LORD CHANCELLOR entered the House at two
o'clock, immediately after which the Commons was sum-
moned to hear his Majesty's Commission for the further
prorogation of Parliament read.
One of the clerks of the House of Commons shortly af-
terwards appeared at the bar, when the Royal Commis-
sion was read, proroguing the Parliament to Thursday, the
s were, the Lord Chancellor (who, we
e looking extremely well after his
Duke of Argyle, and Lord Auckland.
were glad
iefge
lrOcanceoi
ttmootubmorecs
,ps?eoterinxlc
Commissioners
v

INSOLVENT DEBTOR'S COURT.-THIS DAY.

IN THE OF THE PETITION OF THE HON. GEORGE

lIENRY TALBOT.
--
This case stood in the cause list to-day for hearing, but
at the sitting of the Court the officer of the King's Bench
Prison, informed the chief clerk, (Mr. Massy) that the
Hon. Petitioner had been discharged out of custody by his
detaining creditor, a tavern-keeper. The petitioner is the
brother of the Earl of Shrewsbury, and heir-presumptive to
that dignity. It is understood that an arrangement will be
effected with all his creditors. His schedule filed in Court,
exhibits debts to the amount of 25,849/. 3s. 10d., for which
he had received consideration. They had been incurred
from April 1827. The Hon. Petitioner has an income of
for life, being the interest of 60,000/.
tioL Ls and CHADWICK JONES were instructed
3,21‘0144,5ra5-.yNeairc,
to oppose, and Messrs. COOKE and Wooonom were re-
tained to support, the petitioner.