The Sun.
London, England, 1834-05-13 00:00:00

FINE ARTS.

ILLUSTRATIONS of the BIBLE. Part 7th.
The present number consists of four engrav-
ings, all of which are characterised by the ar-
tist's usual mannerism. There is no mistaking
the monotonous grandeur of Mr. Martin's con-
ceptions. lie cannot vary it—he cannot keep
it under—it breaks out in spite of him. Of
the specimen before us, the most imposing is
decidedly the " 4 Seventh Plague of Egypt," in
which there is the same stupendous parade of
architecture that riveted the public attention in
the well-known painting, Belshazzar's Feast.

LITERATURE.

PETER PARLEY'S TALES ABOUT
EUROPE, 6-c. Tegg, London, 1834.
Peter Parley's gossip about the wonders o
nature and art, and the surprising adventures
that Ude' him in the course of his travels
through Europe, are just the sort of marvels to
stimulate the attention of children, and put
them into a state of pleasing bewilderment.
The old man's volume is indeed essentially a
child's volume. It is characterised throughout
by much benignity of purpose ; is simple in its
language ; and in its descriptions full of natural
vigour. There is nothing of the austere pe-
dantry of the schoolmaster about it. Peter in-
structs with a smile, as all should do who desire
to win the attention of young folks. It is by
no means so easy a task as may be imagined,
to write children's books. Of the many who
attempt it, but very few succeed ; indeed with
the exceptions of Barbauld, Trimmer, Edge-
worth, and the author of the present plump
little duodecimo, we know of none who have
exhibited anything like tact that way. By far
the major portion of our children's books are
overlaid with " learned lumber." They are too
wise for youth, and not wise enough for matu-
rity ; with a sort of patronizing, condescending
manner which, of itself, is quite enough to ren-
der them repulsive to young minds. Our friend
Peter Parley is not one of these self-sufficient,
pedantic instructors. He gossips with children
in the way they most love, just as if he were
one of themselves—only a little bigger. Where
his subject is dry, or somewhat abstruse, he illus-
trates it by some brief, pertinent anecdote, with
the further recommendation of beautiful wood-
cuts. We know not to which to give the pre-
ference in this volume—its pictorial or its lite-
rary department. Both are executed in a style
remarkable for its force and simplicity. All
little school-boys and school-girls should make
a point of purchasing the book with their next
pocket-money, and reading it on their next half-
holiday. It will be money well laid out, and
me well employed.

Lord Cloncurry has just published, in the
form of a pamphlet, the design of a law for promoting
the pacification of Ireland, and the improvement of
the Irish territory and population. We have looked
into this plan with some attention, and have been
struck with its simplicity and straight-forwardness.
We hope Lord Cloncurry will take an early oppor-
tunity of bringing it under the notice of the legislature.

There are about 450 different trades carried
on in London. The shoemakers are the most nume-
rous class, and the tailors next ; the former, above 20
years of age, amounting to 16,502, and the latter to
14,552. The carpenters amount to 13,208, and if the
cabinet-makers are included, to 19,629. The bakers,
butchers, bricklayers, and blacksmiths come next, but
they average little more than a third of those trades.
DREADFUL ACCIDENT WITH Loss OF
LIFE AT PENYDARRAN IRON WORKS.-011 Thursday
afternoon, a little after four o'clock, the tube of the
Trevethick steam engine burst with a loud explosion,
threw down in large fragments great part of the cy-
linders of the engine, scattered in all directions the
roofs of several buildings belonging to the works, and
shook a considerable number of the houses around.
Although it is with pain that we record any loss of
human life, we cannot but deem it a most providential
circumstance that in this instance, on a spot on which
generally many persons are present, only two were
seriously injured. Thomas and William Howel, the
sons of old William Howel, well known in the neigh-
bourhood as William of Pencaedrain, were at work in
a shed adjacent, the roof of which, made of iron, fell
upon them, and they were taken out dreadfully scalded,
and nearly in a state of suffocation. Thomas Howel,
we regret to state, expired en Friday morning. Had
the engine burst towards the mill, instead of (most
providentially) towards the bank, the loss of life would
have been most awful.—.llferthyr Guardian.