The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-01 00:00:00

ANNIVERSARIEk

The custom of holding anniversary festivals seems
to be going out of fashion, like many other old ways.
Few, however, can have forgotten that one of the
days of the past week—Wednesday, the 23d of
April—was a day to be held in peculiar honour in
England, as the anniversary of the (reputed) birth.
day of Shakspere. Curious that that day should
also be St. George's Day ! The Society of
Antiquaries met to elect their office-bearers for the
ensuing year; and, we dare say, the fact that it was
Shakspere's birthday was not forgotten among the
toasts at their dinner. At other meetings, also, in
many parts of the country, the circumstance must have
been remembered, as well as that, on the Same day last
year, Wordsworth died. Cant mingles with all things
—and most dreadfully of all with dinner speeches;
but we like the fashion of keeping anniversaries.
By-the-by, talking of birthdays, does anything
in the character and genius of a man depend on
the month in which he was born? Is there any sig-
nificance in the fact that Shakspere's first in
fant gaze on the world and on Warwickshire happened
in the " sweet and showery " spring month? We don't
know; but it would be difficult inductively to make any.
thing out on the point. Burns was born in January;
Milton in December; Goethe and Napoleon in Au-
gust; Wellington in May; Cromwell—a very different
kind of person from Shakspere—almost on the same day
in April as Shakspere; in fact, all sorts of men have
been born in all sorts of months. Yet a deep fellow
might make • something of the subject; and we advise
some deep fellow to do so.— Leader.

HEALTH of LONDON during the WEEK.
(From the Report of the Registrar-General.)
The official report says:—The deaths registered in
the metropolitan districts; in the week ending last Sa-
turday were 1,075. The tnortality, which was of
unusual amount throughout March, but in the subse-
quent three weeks of April showed a disposition to de-
cline, again exhibits a considerable excess above what is
usuaily erterienci:d at this period of the year. Last
week was The seventeenth of the year; taking the same
week in each of the 10 years 1841-50, it app ars that
the deaths did not rise in any instaLce to high as in
last week; that iu 1849 they rose to 1,058, hut in most
cases scarcely exceeded 900. The average of the 10
corresponding weeks was 904, which, if corrected for
assumed increase of population, becomes 986. Above
this estimated result there was an increase last week
amounting to 89.
Compared wish that of the preceding week, when the
deaths were 998, the present return exhibits an increase
in the zymotic or epidemic, and the tubercular classes of
fatal diseases, and in those diseases which affect the res-
piratory organs. The zymotic class numbered 217
deaths in the previous week, and has now risen to 232;
the difference arising almost exclusively from measles,
which has nearly doubled its number of cases within the
fortnight. This complaint carried off 67 children last
week, scarlatina 10, smallpox 8 children and an adult.
Typhus was fatal in 32 cases, diarrhoea in 21, influenza
in 7, and hooping.cough in 66. Considerably more than
the usual number of children are still dying from this
last-mentioned complaint, which at this period of the
year does not generally exceed 43 in its weekly measure
of fatality.
Other diseases which have last week been augmented
in their fatal effects are consumption, which rose in the
last two weeks from 108 to 139 (the latter number not
being far from the average), and pneumonia, or inflam-
mation of the lungs, which rose from 52 to 90. ,The
increase in this latter disease has been chiefly confined
t children; and bronchitis, the mortality from which is
spread more t qually over all ages, actually shows a
decrease.
It is shown by a comparison of deaths at different
periods of life that both the youthful and aged portiona
of the community, hut chiefly the former, have latterlyti
contributed more than the usual amount of
smtobrenalide,
while the ranks of the middle-aged supply s_
average number of deaths for this season less
the year.
The number of persons who died last
oreeyk under IS
I 394; the
years was 544, while the averate
wasi 299, while the
number at 15 leers and under 60, 6
60 years and upwards
average is 318; and of persons
feetrths
there died 216, while the averagroeuiss;
a 188. ft
c which Births
re-
cently have been unusually numerous;
will
be admitted to account in some degree for increased
mortality among the young.
In public institutions 147 deaths were registered last
week, and these are distributed in the following propor-
tions:-83
workhouses, 7 in military and naval
asylums, 40 in hospitals, 7 in lunatic asylums, 7 in
military and naval hospitals, and 3 in prisons.

STATE oofTIZ WEATHER DURING THE PAST WEEK.
sillwAy._ The sky was covered with cloud throughout
the day. heavy rain fell from 3 till Bb. 3(IIII. P 31. Eke-
tricity—positive, and tension strong during the morning.
MONDAY.—The sky was overcast thrtaighout the day;
cirrostratus. Rain fell frequently. Electricity—Nothing
was shown throughout the day.
TUESDAY.—The sky was overcast during the morning
and afternoon ; at night the amount of cloud was variable ;
cirrostratus and haze. Rain fell heavily during the morning
and afternoon. Electricity—Nothing was shown throughout
the day.
WEDNESDAY.—The sky was three-fourths covered during
the morning and afternoon, and clear at night ; cuPttll
cumulostrati, and cirrostrati. Electricity—positive, and
ten-
sion strong during the afternoon.
covered
THURSDAY.—Three-fourths of the sky
during the morning, one-half covered during
the Electricity
and clear at night ; cirrocumuli and cirrostrati.
—positive, and tension strong during the afternoon.swas covered
FRIDAY.—The sky, with slight excepitisotnra,
us
0 t and cirro-
with cloud throughout the day ;
culictricity—positive,
stratus. Misty rain fell at about noon.
and evening.
and tension strong during the afternoon
mostly covered with cloud
wereafternoon,
SATURDAY.—The sky was
Electricity—positive
A shower of rain fell at '2h. 40n2.0„; volleys of sparks and
throughout the day; cumuli.
and negative during the afternoon;
galvanic currents..
tai 9h.
placed on the main-
cLuu°rms3tufl.ostrati, ari.d cirrostrati.
:h:BA.2l.tlewamsesai;B;eadings at,
eachof dayst at ,and the
mast, and r
I. m. was ' ' •
mean reading at 9h. 1...
for the same times were 51.6 Q, and
The mean reeaadding
the Royal Observatory
47.6' respectively. barometer decreased from 29'85 in. at
The reading of theweek
to 29.27 in.
the Leginni noon on the 22d ;ng of thn e
.„ i. by 9 F.M.rm on the 25y th ; and decreased
increased to 29 the
end of the week.
to 19.56 in. by

[AnvEstTisEstENT.] Holloway's Ointment and
Pills for the Cure of Scrofula, Cancerous Wounds, and old
Sores.- Ma Avory, a youth, the son of Mr. James Avory, of
Ramsey, eras severely afflicted with scrofulous wounds for three
or four years, and during that period many remedies were tried,
but without the least benefit whatever being derived from them.
In this deplorable state Mr. Joseph Sergeant, chemist, of
Ramsey, recommended him to use Holloway's Ointment and
Pills, arid these invaluable medicines have been the means of
effectually curing the bo of his shocking
brief space
of time, They are an efficacious remedy for bad
all Dru gists
legs, old sores, gout, and rheumatism.—Sold
by
044 Stgrand,
and at Professor Holloway's Establishment, - ,
London.
11 h periwinkle were
several tons of the little shell--s complaint in a very
3 bv the Duntroon
landed at the Broomielaw, on
Castle from the Highlands.
London to satisfy the cravings othirty
tons or more of this
il,h,Veeethe
Let rs ed
modernaio' b e forwarded
aon ia
nt
so..
Every week there are probaboiyLooon,
all of which are col-
insignificant edible sent m considerable ef,a,
ebelkelyem-
ployment, and diffusing
numerous
P
employed. The peri-
wages amongst the
lycted near ()ban, and must)
in bas containing from two te
winkles, or wilhs, are packedac_a, and keep quite fresh until they
three hundred weight each,,
itivcrtixr,
arrive at their ultill36" tcboen saidmeeraabnlse of