The Sun.
London, England, 1851-11-18 00:00:00

LITERATURE

TALES AND TRADITIONS OF HUNGARY:
3 Vols. By Francis and Theresa Pulszky. Col-
burn and Co.
Under any circumstances these volumes could not
but prove singularly attractive. At present, how-
ever, they will he welcomed with especial cordiality.
The reader will bear in recollection not merely the
fact that Francis Pulszky is still resident in our me-
tropolis, but that England is enjoying the privilege,
moreover, of receiving with all hospitality the illus-
trious man who deputed him to this country some
three years since, as the Hungarian Ambassador.
It was scarcely possible for an intimate personal
friend of Louis Kossuth, and for one who was also
his political associate during the great war of inde-
pendence, to pass altogether free from sharing in the
calumnies directed against the distinguished leader of
his compatriots. Francis Puhzky has therefore par-
ticipated of late, and that somewhat largely, in the
odium (if as such it can be regarded) of the vitupera-
tions indulged in towards the champions of the
Magyar race by the apologists of continental abseltr-
ism. As au evidence of the flimsy pretexts upon
which those slanderous aspersions have been raised, it
is only necessary to observe that Pulszky has been
assailed of lice with very considerable violence,
simply because of the manner in which he was cur-
sorily mentioned the other day in a newspaper para-
graph. Remarking that the writer of that pira-
graph spoke of our author as Count Francis Pulszky,
the assailants of the cause of Hungary alluded to
that unoffending gentleman in terms of the most
scurrilous description, as a pretender to a rank alto-
gether suppositious. It would seem that these
writers are wholly ignorant of a fact sufficiently
notorious to the rest of the educated community, that
throughout Hungary almost every gentleman is a
member of the national aristocracy. Supposing even
that Francis Pulszky came not in any way under this
category, and that his designation as Count was en-
tirely incorrect, it would assuredly be somewhat
unfair to speak of him derisively as an
upstart, assuming to himself an unmerited
dignity, purely because of a blunder on the part
of a misinformed penny-a-liner. Whether the work
before us is from the hand of Count Francis Pulszky
or from that of Mr. Francis Pulszky, it is manifestly
the effusion of a patriot, a scholar, and a gentleman.
As such it is welcome to us, more peculiarly when it
is remembered that the three volumes under con-
sideration afford those who may have been previously
unacquainted with the subject some accurate notion
of the peculiarities of life and manners among the
heroic and betrayed Hungarians. In his literary
labours, as compiler, adapter, or translator, Francis
Pulszky has been admirably aided by his accom-
plished wife, Theresa Pulszky, and the result of their
labour has been the production of a work eminently
calculated to afford at one and the same time a con-
siderable amount both of instruction and entertain-
ment. In the first volumes are collected together no
less than twenty of the shorter " Tales and Tra-
ditions" relating to Hungary, the second and third
being dedicated to the story of the " Jacobins
in Hungary." Our authors have very gracefully in-
scribed the former, or the miscellaneous portion of
them, to Sydney, Lady Morgan, and the latter to
Professor Francis W. Newman, as some expression of
their sentiments of friendship. According to an inge-
nious expression contained in the " Introduction," it
may with truth be said that " the poetical genius of a
people is expressed in its traditions." What the
nature of the poetical genius of the Hungarians really
is, may therefore be recognised with no inconsider-
able facility from the pages here submitted to our
criticism; and the publication before us will conse-
quently be singularly acceptable to those who may
not have had the opportunity of perusing ere this the
specimens of "Magyar poetry" given to the world in
an English version some years since by the present
Consular-General for the British empire among the
Chinese. To quote ,yet once more from the "In-
troduction" to the volumes lying at this moment
on our desk, " the analytical understanding de-
velopes itself only in the riper age of men
and nations ; their childhood is governed by
imaginations." And in regard,to Hungary, as these
traditions " are the artificial tokens of the riches or
the poverty of its imagination"—they will be received
by the more reflective readers with delight as eluci-
dative of the character of the Magyar race in its in-
fancy. They will be found to comprise within them,
like most other national traditions, very significant
hints indeed in reference to the early poetry, as well
as to the philosophic and mythological predilections
prevalent long centuries back among the masses of
the Hungarians. From an examination of the pre-
sent remarkable work from the hands of Francis and
Theresa Pulszky, it will be perceived that through its
contents new testimonies are afforded of the correct-
ness of the assertion first advanced by the Ger-
man brothers Gramm, that " many popular
tales and proverbs are fragments of ancient
mythology," demonstrating while so doing the
remarkable fact that the worship of Wodin,
Thor, Friga, &c., once extended as far as the
Teutonic languages are spread," as may be detected
by reference to the Slovak tradition of the Robber
" Yanoslaik." Among the narratives given in the
present collection will be found not merely several
relating to particular localities, but others generally
familiar to the entire population, such for example as
those about "Poor Tartar" and "Pan Twar-
dowsky." Added to these we have three legendary
tales valuable in another particular, as showing three
separate and distinct phases of Hungarian life during
the middle ages. First, there is " The Baron's
Daughter," revealing the contrast of the haughty
landed proprietor, scorning to receive territorial pos-
sessions as fief from the Sovereign. Secondly, we
have " The Castle of Zipsen," pourtraying the struggle
between the knights and the burghers, or, as
we should express in modern phrases, between
the aristocracy and the bourgeoise. Thirdly,
we have in the tale already mentioned,
namely, that of " Yanoshik," an account of the man-
ner in which a robber appeared as the avenger of
social injustice, just as among ourselves we have the
same notion exemplified in the history of Robin Hood
and his merry men of Sherwood. One of our lady
novelists contributed only last season to the readers
of romance an entertaining fiction, in which she en-
deavoured to illustrate the old adage of " many a slip
'twixt the cup and the lip." Yet further illustrations
have here come to us from the remote provinces of
Hungary in the German story of " The Free Shop,"
and again in the Slovak story of "The Golden Cross
of Kiirosfo." Besides the tales relating more particu-
larly to the Hungarian people themselves, the volumes
before us contain some referring to other races of man-
kind essentially different in character—the introduc-
tion of which, while partaking. somewhat of the
blemish of an anachronism, is still agreeable as lend-
ing the charm of variety to the compositions. In this
way we doubt not that the "Guardians" will
be read with interest, though referring to Judea
rather than to Hungary, " Ariabid," aboughlt relates
to Persia, and " The Men of Ranshenbach," though
it traces its origin to the Carpathian valleys. Various
other narratives, some of them of the strongest
fascination, will be found to adorn the present
volumes, "The Jacobins of Hungary" being
more pretentious in its character than the majority of
the tales and traditions collected together in the pre-
sent publication. We must, before closing our notice,
transcribe the apologetic sentence in which our
authors close their brief but excellent introduction.
They remark that "the popular tale is deprived of its
natural brilliancy and vigour when repeated far from
the country to which it belongs, as the butterfly which
gleefully flutters around the flowers on which he at
last rests, opening and closing his wings with slow
cadence, is no longer the same when pinned
and cased up under the glass of a cabinet,
or as the flower itself, pressed between
the leaves of a herbarian loses its original
colour and fragrance." After that very graceful re-
ference to what may be regarded as deficiencies in the
work under notice, it would be very ungenerous to
object in any manner to some of the stories here re-
lated to ID, on the score that they are beyond the
reach of our sympathies. While some of them may
be open to this objection, the majority are such as
must necessarily be perused with interest by those
thousands amongst us who view with feelings of
hope and admiration the heroic and generaus-hearted
citizens of Hungary.

THE APHORISMS OF NAPOLEON. Trans-
lated by J. A. Manning. Ackermann and Co.
A new collated edition of the celebrated
,document,
entitled " Les Aphorismes de Napoleon,, sayings
collected together from many scattered sources,
each and all of them remarkable for their au-
thenticity, must be an agreeable announcement
at all times to the intelligent student of modern
histor v. Just now its interest must necessarily be
enhanced by the consideration that, before long, a
struggle will be commenced in Prance, the result of
which may not improbably be, the restoration of the
Napoleonian dynasty. Speaking of the position in
hich the heir to the glories of the. second Sesostris
is to he regarded throughout Christendom, even in
his simple dignity as Republican President, the com-
piler of the pamphlet here issued, in the gaudy trap-
pings of the tricolour, observes, " It will never be for-
gotten by those who happily participated in the bril-
liant and magnificent files of Paris, that the President,whose urbanity, kindness, and courtesy, were the
theme of such just and universal praise, is the nephew
and heir of the mighty Emperor, whose moral, political,
and philosophical thoughts are faithfully recorded in
this little volume." Those, he very judiciously re-
marks,may be viewed as affording the key by which the
mysteries of Napoleon's mind and actions may be
un-
locked. They are arranged in the present edition in
parallel columns, giving them both in the
original
and in the English translation—numbering in all no
less than six hundred and fifteen paragraphs.
I Tempted though we are to indulge ourselves with

R is, lB5l.

a quotation, we shall abstain from so doing on the
reflection that it would not be altogether unlike that
scholasticos, who brought a brick as a sample of his
house, according to the account furnished in the
witticism of Hierocles.

TILE COJIIC ALMANACK for 1852. By
George Cruihshanh. David Bogue.
Bloomerisrn pourtrayed by Cruikehank! Surely
that of itself is a sufficient attraction towards the
Comic Almanach. Such a frontispiece as it is—so
excruciatingly ludicrous in its sketches of the new
dcopslay
tumpel—unagfitel, p
—after this cannot possibly
that receptacle for defunct
rubbish petticoats,
bight and all,b y intohim
whom Mr. Peacock invariably calls the Swan of
Avon, " the tomb of all the Capulets." Nothing
schemen r e truly loflyug
the
lAhmaberle iicann
jr,eufaetrheanuceessthoasthisfantastic
appeared—
no, not even from the pencil of John Leech, the inex-
haustible. Termiers sketches in Punch upon the
subject have been !iron enough, even the little draw-
ings by On whyn have not been undeserving of the
title of meritorious—but next this colossal caricature
from the hand of our rare George Cruikshank, they
dwindle into insignificance. Then the accompanying
illustrations—" Turning the Tables !" Preposterously
humorous as our caricaturist has long since proved
himself to be, his artistic fun has never, we fancy,
been carried to such a delightfully outré extravagance.
Fancy a picture of "A Scene in the Zoological
Gardens at Ourang-Outang Town,' with a
wild man, caught and inspected by the
" natives"—and this by Cruikshank ! Fancy " Ad-
vice to Persons about to Marry—Try—Cheap Furni-
ture"—the bride and bridegroom tumbling from chairs
afflicted with the rickets, the mirrors dropping from
their frames, the table breaking its back under the
weight of dinner, the library dangling shelf from
shelf, and all this by Cruikshank ! Fancy the anti.
cipations of the golden age of costermongering repre-
sented by a well-fed specimen of the class selling per-
riwinkles at a guinea a pint, and followed by a couple
of gorgeously liveried flunkies—and this too by
Cruikshank ! Fancy John Bull inundated by over-
flowing supplies of water, with the spectacled old gen-
tleman peeping down the hose of the Government
scheme, which, notwithstanding its magnitude, ap-
pears to be as dry as the channel of the Niger—and
this again by Cruikshank I Fancy—but no, you can
never fancy it—the embellishment in which the same
master hand depicts a new field for military
occupation—a cornfield being reaped by a regiment
—men storming the harvest-cart with uplifted sheafs
—others charging the stocks with pitchforks—and the
commanding officer superintending the agricultural
movement of his men in the distance. The grace,
and beauty, and wit, of the whole engraving is this,
that viewed at a little distance it has all the animated
effect of a battle-field, and when examined closely has
all the charm of an unexpected pastoral. The Peace
Society should bestow a gold medal on the artist, and
should have the sketch prefixed to every one of its
printed documents. Another glorious etching is the
one revealing to us the ovation of the new French
President—M. Jullien ! His principal banner in its
inscription running delightfully thus—" Liberte
Egalite! Fraterniti—Fiddlededee r Hine—H. G.
Hine—whose little miniature, full-length silhouettes
seem to us to be the idealization of those atmospheric
" blacks," which are the plague of the London laun-
dress—cornea upon us again with a perfect shower
of these grotesque comicalitics. His illustrated
record of the perilous ascent of Jung Fran is a
thing to be remembered. The impossible jumps
from precipice to precipice, the utterly impracticable
methods of clambering up to the top of a frozen ca-
taract, and of dancing on the quivering accumula-
tion of an impending avalanche, the gambols, and
frisks, and other saltatory proceedings equally ab-
surd under the circumstances, will prove, we fancy,
a source of genial and resistless laughter. The lite-
rary portion of the Comic Almanack for 1852 is ge-
nerally understood to have beeen entrusted this year
to Angus B. Reach and Shirley Brooks—either of
them " a host in himself," but together well qualified
to tread in the footsteps of dear Tom Hood, the ori-
ginal projector of this wonderful kind of melange for
fascetiousness. A better number of the Comic Al-
manack has seldom appeared, and certainly not within
several years bygone. Not the least among its at-
tractions is the circumstance that it brings to us
once more, in unabated vigour and drollery, our
matchless and immortal Cruikshank.

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR, Nov. 17.
The Queen walked in the Home Park and Slopes
this morning.
The Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and
younger members of the Royal Family, took their
accustomed pony and walking exercises.
Ilis Royal Highness Prince Albert went out shoot-
ing this morning, attended by the Earl of Listowel,
M4jor-General Berkeley Drummond, Colonel the
Hon. Charles Grey, and Colonel F. H. Seymour.
Mr. Frederick Peel is expected at the Castle to-
day, on a visit to her Majegy.

A deputation, consisting of Sir Charles Fox, Mr.
Thomas Brassey, Mr. Edmund Leahy. and Mr.
Mathew Leahy, had an interview with Viscount Pal-
merston on Friday, at the Foreign-office.
Mr. William Lock had an interview with Lord
John Russell yesterday, at his official residence in
Downing-street.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
MALTA, Nov. 11.—The Caradoc packet has
broken down, and will require a long time to be put
in repair. Her patent floats have been much da-
maged. The probability of such an accident hap-
pening to them were foreseen ere she left England,
but no effective measures of precaution seem to have
been used.

The crew of the Caradoc has been turned over to
the Ardent, which steamer has been a long time past
lying up in ordinary.
The Banshee carries on the portion of the Indian
mail sent through France.
The Medusa will carry forward the outward India
mail, expected by the Medina on the 14th inst.

The Tagus (Peninsular and Oriental Company)
arrived this morning, and leaves immediately for
Constantinople.
Nov. 12.—A garrison court-martial assembled a
few days ago to try two men, Thomas Lumby and
Richard Griffiths, of the Royal Sappers, for desertion.
They escaped to Sicily some time since, but, after
a short holiday, they got tired of the life of inactivity
they were leading, and voluntarily giving themselves
up at Naples, went back to Malta. The prisoners
were found guilty, and sentenced each to be branded
with the letter D, and to undergo a period of three
months' imprisonment.

The men were of good character.
The Pottinger has just been telegraphed. She is
overdue. She was reported in sight yesterday when
I commenced my letter. The Banshee carries on the
mail to Marseilles, that portion at least which is sent
through France.

Orders have been issued both by the civil and mi-
litary authorities to pay every honour to Colonel Sir
W. Reid on his arriral. Re is expected here to-
morrow.

APPOINTMENTS.
Woorwrcer, Nov. 17.—Second Master Thomas A.
Hall (1851) to the Hastings, 72, flag-ship, on the East
Indies station.
Clerk J. B. M'Avoy (1851) to the Hastings.
Master's Assistant H. Goldsmith to the Rapid, 8,
brig, at Portsmouth.

NAVIGATION OF THE MEDINA.--Tbe Town Coun-
cil of Newport are about to take measures for carrying into
effect the improvement of this river, and Mr. Hamilton Ful-
ton, the engiheer, has been requested to attend the Town
Council to explain all matters relative to the subject. The
decision on the Norwich case, so frequently referred to at the
last meeting of the Town Council, has been given against the
Corporation of that city, the judges having decided that the
Council has no right to expend any portion of its funds in
making application for Acts of Parliament to improve the
navigation of the river. This being the case, the inhabitants
of Newport have entered into private Subscriptions in order
to defray the expenses of an application to Parliament for an
Act in the inswing session.
Tam
CARLISLECarrick, R
was LANCASTER
heldb
ANDefOreDlr. W. AcoifuLnWtyAlCo-TonAel;
inquest ,
at Southwaite, on Monday last, on viere
James Caine, labourer, aged 32 years, lated of the Elephant
Ina, Broadfield. The deceased had att
on Saturday 9 and returned by the
mid-afternoon
ed Carlisle hiring
train to
Southwaite station. After partakingof some ale at the
beershop at Southwaite, he proceeded
on his way towards his
house, and was not again seen alive.This was a few
minutes after five o'clock. I.
road which leads to his house, keeping the public
Instead of
the
rails and walked along the line nearly deceased had got
mile. TheoNeexrpress
down train, which was twenty mnutaeshehind time, left
Penrith a minute after six. Vhen about a mile short of
Southwaite station, while running at the rate of thirty-
eight miles an hour, the engineman and stoker felt the
engine receive a shock and pass over some object on the
rails, which at the moment they believed to he a horse or
cow. The break was applied, and the train brought tha
standstill as coon as possible, but not till the trainfu had
und n
reached the station. The body of the deceasedTwbaes
body was
the rails presenting a shocking appearance.
being
fre© from
literally torn to pieces, no: a t.ingle portion
d had lain down on
injury. It is supposed that the deceased
returned a verdict
the railway and fallen asleep. The jury
of" Accidental death." One of the jury it appeared had, not
long ago, had a miraculous escape from death under ;similar
the between furs and
circumstances. He had lain down
fallen asleep with his right arm across one of the rails. A
train coming up passed over his arm and separated it; from
his body.— Whitehaven Herald.
POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS AT LEEDS,--On Sinful.,
day last Mr. Rowland Hill, secretary to the General Post.
office, and Mr. J. W. Godby, surveyor for the Leeds district,
had an interview with the mayor and a deputation from the
Leeds Chamber of Commerce, at Leeds, on the subject of in-
creased postal arrangements and facilities
between Leeds
and London. This meeting was appointed at the inst ;nee of
the Leeds Chamber of Commerce, who are desirous of ob-
taining an earlier delivery of letters in the f a temc on. A
long conference took place, and a favourable result is
i looked for.

SPORTING NOTES.
Na. crAri
WARWICK AND . LEAMINGTON ALTILIMNAL
MEE PING.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SIL.V.
Silt,—itti almcst superfluAls to write about to-day's
races, as they will be decided about the same time as
this appears ; but I hare not the slightest shadow of
a doubt but what the crack will carry off the Warwick
Handicap, Chief Justice and the .thrquis being his at-
tondants. The Welter Cup lays between Lord Water-
ford and Mr. Bevill—the former for choice,.
To morrow, the day devoted to the cross-country
work, the racing will commence with a Free Handicap
Steeplechase, of 5 soya. each, with 25 added, over three
miles of ground. This race, in all probability, should
GULNARE have accepted, will be won by her, as the
Handicapper has let her in at the favourable weight of
lOst. The second feature is the Handicap Hurdle Rana
of 5 sovs. each, with 30 added. To this stake there are
six eea Subs, but if the odd six muster at thepost it will be
as much as can he expected. Lord Waterfoi d's Lord G eorge,
if started, would, no doubt, turn out the winner, but us
it
o isi ndetra Pgo to the post, no farther
czsi
well, however, to take no liberties with 'it would b:= as
him, as he might
etxi, n e ; d
his that
cha h
chance w
il s i eceessary •
be suit after all, ia which ca'e it would be a very awk.
ward affair for the layers. The field will prr•bably con-
eist of Half-and Huff, Fugitive, Sir Robert, Flirt, Forest
Lad, and Bedford; another or two might run, but it is
very dubious. I eon.ider that thn race lies between
Half-and-Hal', Fugitive, lend Bedford, and were I to
Place BEDFORD first, with Fugitive and the mired liquid
in the next two places, I think I should shout h.r the
mark. The Grand Opel Stettleohase of 20 Boys, eloh,
opfubfaliio steeplechase allowed 5,b;
li ft, with 100 added, the second to save his stake, gen-
tlemen riders who have never ridden a winner in tiny
scribers to it, including
COTlClitr. hunting' Country, under the usual steeplechase
over about four miles
ions. This stake has five-and twenty sub-
he will start I am not qu)irtgeccaci?rtdanlien;lb3:uult.
steeplechase horses of the d yWaterford has a couple entered, Lord Ge 1-
* l a'
be Lord George, who, with 12st ll'b , up, will struggle
home in the front, perhaps
Peter Simple and Sir Peter Laurie Da a
imaginer ratsh : which t bweisitl
the,d winner. The British
Yeoman, at llst 41b, is a veryas angerous opponent, as
tiave each ilbs extra
to carry. The Hero is without a
if not started for the Hurdle RaCe off*lliarulnanunchoamif:
chance, and St. Helier
and Maria Day are not much better
Forest Lad, d,A'litiese'sruit,rand all the rest
Rat
-trap,
uteh
might as weiulluiemattl.in their
Mowbray, Peter,
of the extreme light weights,
fall to
light
tlsdaiaries.iaoun,dbrlatarldwfainckcyatrheethrueume
willonsF dangerous
stables for the chance they possess of winning this atake.
oLfamthieenlni
of the following:—the British Yeoman, Peter Simple,
one
Sir Peter Laurie, and Half-and-Half—the Yroat.j:e I
PETER SIMPLE for choice. The sports will conclude
with the Hunt Cup Steeplechase, value 100 sous. In all
probability all the entries, ten in number, will be found
at the post, and I think it pretty certain that Proceed or
The Hero will be the winner.
I am, Sir, yours, &c.,
THE SPIRIT OF THE TURF.

Nov. 18, 1851.

SPORTING INTELLIGEN CE.
TATTERSALL'S—YESTERDAY.
WARWICK HANDICAP.
7 to 4 agst Doubt
5 to 1 agst Miss Ann—takea
6 to 1 agst Chief Justice
12 to 1 agst any other
The only bet of any amount was 1,000 to 200 agst
Miss Ann.

450 to 50 laid agst Hobbit)DERBY
Noble, and 1,200 to 30 agst
Chief Baron Nicholson.
Blackstone, engaged in Sir J. Hawley's name, was
shot last week.

SIR JOSEPH HAWLEY'S STUD.
The sale of the first portion of Sir J. Hawley's stud
took place yesterday at Hyde Park-corner, and, as might
have been expected, drew an immense attendanco the
crowd being so great that it was with much difficulty
the horses wore brought out. The following were the
prices :

HORSES IN TRAINING.
Hautboy, b e, 2 yrs, by Old England, out of Lady
Strut ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• 65
Caloric, b f, 2 yrs, by Hetman Platoff, out of Oxygen 400
Bilberry, bl f,2 yrs, by Touchstone, out of Lady Sarah 125
Pluck, a filly, 2 yrs. by Venison, out of Dauntless... 305
Bc, 2 yrs, by Old England, out of Science... ... 20
Bf, 2 yrs, by Touchstone, out of Cheshire Witch... 63
Br c, Brother to Truthteller, 3 yrs, by Ascot, out of
Testatrix ...
•.. ... 40
Vermuth, bm, 3 yrs, by Cotherstone, out of Vat... 80
Merry Peal, bm, by Shine, out of Vibration ... 360
Breba, bl in, 3 yrs, by Touchstone, out of Lady Mary 110
Aphrodi:6, br in, 3 yrs, by Bsy Middleton, out of
Venus ...
... 930
The Ban, eh c, 3 yrs, by Don John, out of Young
Defiance .. • ... 630
The Confessor, 3 yrs. by Cowl, out of Forest Fly... 770
Cranberry, ch a, by Irish Birdoatcher, out of Lady
Strut—.
... 210
Mendicant (foaled in 1843), by Touchstone, out of
Lady Moore Carew

GE.

STALLION.
Old England, by Mulatto, out of. Fortress .

... MO

... 300