The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-17 00:00:00

DOWNING-STREET, Ocr. 17.

The King hail been graciously pleased to nominate and appoint
Lieutenant-General Lord R. E. H. Somerset, Knight Commander
of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath, to be a
Knight Grand Cross of the said Order, in the room of General
Sir Henry Warde, deceased.
His Majesty has further been pleased to nominate and appoint
Major-General John Taylor, Companion of the Most Honourable
Military Order of the Bath, to be a Knight Commander of the said
Order in the room of Lieutenant-General Lord R. E. H. Somerset.

EIGHTY-THREE NEW COMICALITIES.

Just published, price Threepence,
HE GALLERY OF COMICALITIES,
PART 111., from BELL'S LIFE IN LONDON—a
ontinuation of the Series already published. The New Gallery
equals, if not exceeds, in point of wit, humour, and talent, th6se
which preceded it, and embraces a matchless collection of EIGHTY
EXQUISITE WOOD ENGRAVINGS, illustrated by poetry and
prose, in a style which cannot fail to please and delight all classes
of the community, and dispel the " blue devils." The Engravings
alone cost 400 guineas !
Published by W. Clement, jun., No. 170, Strand, London.
of whom may be had.
PARTS I. and 11., forming an incomparable seriAlkzat the same
price of Three Penee each.
PART I. contains 140 Prints; PART 11, has 78; and PART
111. 83. In the Three Sheets 301 Comic Wood-cuts for Nine
Pence ; the designing and engraving of which, at Five Guineas
each, cost 1505 Guineas.
Shopkeepers are supplied at Two Shillings for Twelve. Copies
unsold of Part 1., Part 11., or Part 111., will be taken back at
the Office of " Bell's Life in London," at the cost price of 2d. each,
any time before the 24th of June, 1835. Placards for shop-
windows. Good for the scrap-book, portfolio, coffee and hair-
dressers' shops, news-rooms, and all sporting-houses.

LONDON,
FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 17, 1834.

The total destruction of both Houses of Parlia-
ment by fire last night, will mark the commencement
of a new era in the history of England. The future
historian, when he comes to this resting place, will
suspend his narration to dwell with melancholy plea-
sure on the glories of which these now smoking ruins
were a witness—to recal the hallowed recollections of
the triumphs of freedom obtained within those walls—
and perchance to date from the downfall of this vener-
able pile, changes the most momentous which have
stampt their impress on the character of a great people.
We saw the fire from every point to which an approach
to it could be made, and never before did we behold a
spectacle so awfully grand—so sublimely terrific. On
Westminster Bridge, and more than a mile beyond it,
whither the wind blew for about two hours after the
breaking out of the flames, it literally rained fire. The
crowds of people who flocked from all directions were
immense, and but one feeling of sorrow seemed
to pervade 'the people—all were united in a
wish :to preserve these monuments of the freedom
of Britain—these theatres upon which were acted
whatever is greatest, noblest, and most glorious in her
past records. Much was done ; and to the cheerful
and timely exertions of such persons the country is
indebted for the preservation of Westminster Hall and
the adjoining Law Courts.
It is impossible to contemplate these Splendid ruins
without feeling that another link which connected the
past with the present is broken. Here, within these
walls, the most memorable of freedom's battles were
fought—here the Great Charter of English liberty was
first unfolded for the protection of the people--and
here an humble Member of the House of Commons—
HANIPDEN—dared to brave the power of a Royal
despot. Within the now bare, blackened, and roofless
walls of St. STEPHEN'S Chapel (lid WILLIAM
Rufus, with the nobles of his court, prostrate himself
in prayer, and EDWARD 111. give to heaven those
hours which were not devoted to the happiness of his
subjects. The House of Lords too—the first Legis-
lative Chamber in the world—was not without a host
of recollections which rendered it an object of vene-
rable respect in the eyes of the country. Here stood
ELIZABETH, in all the pride of regal triumph, an-
nouncing the destruction of the Spanish Armada_
whose foundering fleet formed the never-to-be-forgotten
needlework decoration of the lofty walls ;—here WIL-
LIAM 111. gave the Bill of Rights to Englishmen ;
and here the final words were spoken which gave tole-
ration to the Dissenter, emancipation to the Catholic,
and freedom to the slave. The national loss, from the

destruction of these edifices, sacred to liberty and tie
past, cannot be estimat eel. The books alone destrord
were worth several tho usands of pounds, independent
of hundreds of most valuable records, of which it nay
take half a century to (fiscover the full extent. for
the various reports of the .origin of the fire, we refer to
the accounts which are riven in our other colurnis.
The loss, considered as an ordinary business affair, is
estimated at half a million sterling.
Among those who were -present, duringlthe".ccn-
flagration, and who were very active in giving direc-
tions, or otherwise superintending the people, we
noticed Viscounts MELBOURNE, A LTHORP, PAL.
MERSTON, Lord AUCKLAND, Sir JOHN HOB-
IIOUSE, Earl MUNSTER, Lord A. FITZCL A-
RENC E, Mr. HUME, %LP., the Commanding
Officers of the Guards, the Commissioners of Police,
&c. Indeed a spirit of rivalry seemed to pervade all
parties to render every assistance possible.

There is an article in the last number of the Edin-
burgh Review, just published, which deserves atten-
tion, from the frank and temperate spirit that pervades
it. The Reviewer is a zealous advocate for the Mi-
nisterial system of policy ; and explains how it was that
the Local Courts, and Imprisonment for Debts' Bill
were not brought forward, as promised, last Session.
On this head his reasons are most satisfactory, and..
clearly show that the adjournment of these two impor-
tant questions originated in circumstances over which
Ministers had no control. He then proceeds to advo-
cate the expediency of measures being well considered
and digested before they are brought under the notice
of the Legislature, in such terms as the following :
" And in truth from this very consideration it is of the
habits and dispositions of the Lords, that we derive one
of our most cogent arguments in favour of deliberate
and well considered measures of improvement being
alone brought forward, and alone pressed by the coun-
try. The Lords may prevent the passing of crude and ill-
digested laws ; they may counteract, andthey have once
and again counteracted, the evil tendency of precipitate
schemes of legislation. But is it safe for the people to leave
in their hands the only guards against such mischiefs ?
Assuredly not, and for two manifest reasons : first,.
you never can be quite sure that the Lords may not
suffer the faulty measure to pass, for the express pur-
pose of bringing Reformers into disrepute, and dis-
gusting the people with legislative improvement, against
which it is in vain to deny that a majority of their
body have a deeply-rooted prejudice. Secondly, even
were there such risk, the consequences would be most
mischievous to the influences of both Houses, of leav-
ing the Lords always to remedy the errors of the Com-
mons. One House would lose its importance and
weight in the public eye, and the other would gain all
that was thus lost." There is as much truth as saga-
city
in these remarks ; but, indeed, the whole article
breathes the same manly and convincing spirit.

We have received the French papers of 'Wednesday,
which bring no news of importance, simply mention-
ing that since the recal of RODIL, the QUEEN'S
troops have remained in Pampeluna and Vittoria, and
it was not supposed they would resume active opera-
tions until the arrival of General MINA.

German Papers contain nothing of the slightes

interest.

No express has yet been received from Madrid.
The intelligence respecting the war in the Spanish pro-
vinces is given in our extracts from the French Papers
of Wednesday

By some inadvertence or other the Report of the
Corporation Commisssion which appeared in The Sun
of yesterday, was taken by mistake from a morning
paper, and our own, upon which we commented in our
leading article, thrown aside. This will sufficiently
account for the discrepancy between them, and, we
trust, satisfy Mr. FRANKS that no reporter of ours'
has falsified his evidence.

THE ANNUALS.

FORGET-ME-NOT. Ackermann and Co.

The re-appearance of old friends in new faces, with
a look of uncommon bulkiness about the waists, is apt
to beget strange and unaccountable suspicions of their
fidelity, morality, and all the other virtues for which
old friends are wont to be prized by a strait-laced ge-
neration. IVe are ourselves very like our neighbours,
as far as suspicions go to form our character ; and
of course when our old Christmas friend, the
" Forget-Me-Not," edited by Mr. Shoberl, appeared
in our presence, clothed in morocco and gold, and
invited us to look him over, and see how ponderous
he was grown, we confess we began to tremble for his
reputation, and perchance to assume airs which might
give others occasion to think we were not overstocked
with Christian charity. Never were suspicions more
unfounded. Our excellent old friend is improved every
way ; and has added considerably to the number of his
best friends since we last had the pleasure of seeing
him. He is proud of his braided doublet, which he
confesses is rather an expensive one ; but then he is
growing wealthier every year, and sees no reason why
he should not study to improve his exterior as well as
other old gentlemen,—though for that matter he is as
hale, and strong, and active as ever he was. The
truth is, he is more so ; and in saying this we are sure
he will not question our sincerity, after the many proofs
he has had of it.

Most of the engravings in the " Forget-Me-Not,"
are very beautiful, though even the best are by no
means of equal merit. The finest are Diana and
Endymion, by Wood, engraved by C. Rolls ; Mabel
Grey, by Cattermole, engraved by Davenport ;
Gulione, by Sir T. Lawrence, engraved by Agar ;
and the Village Tomb-cutter, by Chishohne, en-
graved by Davenport. The literary part is even
superior to the pictorial. The " Warlock" is a
tale which will be read, and appreciated by every
person of taste ; and the " Bear of Carniola" is one
of those fine German legends which one loves to listen to
seated by a cheerful and happy hearth, surrounded by a
a circle of young and eager listeners. The verses are light,
agreeable, and well adapted to the pages for which they
were selected. The lines on the death of Mr. Acker-
mann are very affecting ; and, did our space admit of
it, should be transmitted to our columns. There is
something filial which we love to dwell upon, in
this tribute to the memory of a man who may be styled
the father of English Annuals, and by whom the one
now before us was called into existence.

The Manjuis and Marchioness of Clanricarde have
arrived in Paris, on their way home.

A letter from Algiers, dated 27th ult., announces
the arrival of Mr. Thomas Campbell, Author of " The Plea-
sures of Hope," &c. in that colony. .

A General Court-martial is now sitting at the Tower
for the purpose of trying private James Hay, of the Ist batta-
lion of Coldstream Guards, for having made an attempt upon
the life of the drill-sergeant of the battalion, while in the ex-
ercise of his duty on the parade in the Tovvei.
Bernier tells us that whenever the Great Mogul
made an observation, it was customary for some of the great
Omrahs to lift up their hands and cry " Wonder ! wonder !
wonder !" A proverb current in his Majesty's dominions was
" If the King saith at noonday it's night, you aro to :say,
Behold the moon and the stars I'"

jar
-
••cil
-
mar
I Jr
A

WiL