The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-22 00:00:00

and dignity of his character in a manner honourable
riot only to his own heart, but to that of the distin-
guished Genius who is thus endeavouring to raise in
_„e 6 stimatio a of his fellows the undeserved victims
of their capriee:and the innocent themes of their oh-
Jurgation. Nobly, bravely, beautifully has he told
!°,3 tale of the sorrows awaitine, those who toil
eunavailingly to themselves, though with advantage to
ie World at large, in the service of that Muse which
8
,the jealous mistress of the student in literature.
varetnotioris have been touched so profoundly by the
Pathetic force of those pasee!eee in the
t°roposition before u 3, that we shrink at the
ta
12toent from anything like an appreciative
eeelysis of its humour as well of character as of inci-
,„4t, a humour genial, mellow, and spontaneous, as
cloybe found exemplified in the hearty but suspi-
ie Sir Geoffrey, in the rollicking but loveible
in the Duke of Middlesex, as proud as
iteeifer but as staunch in honour as Duguesclin,
the wily but magnanimous Hardman,
that .sill but well-natured Shadowly Softhend,
ban,_ y
l'erer after fashion and the nobility, but a little.
V"v whose every vein is throbbing with probity.
i:leral of the scenes are as laughter-moving
their
the e very extravagance of fun as some of
et, .aPpiest of Moliere'e, the most in-
'l"reliarable of comic dramatists. Even to the notes
tehantilY sprinkled through the pages the evidences of
fee author's graceful scholarship extend—his re-
br'ibee to Farquhar being one of the most charming
vErh°l°B"ies for an apparent plagiarism that writer ever
;(Irod upon articulating. Everywhere, in short,
j,'°ug'aout the whole of this masterly and interest-
tlg production are visible the most fascinating of the
,:ral and intellectual powers of the dramatist, the re-
„gtees, of r,ri abounding ideality, the sparkle of un-
„Q, c•
`atious wit, the depth and sweetness of a mas-
se and subduing pathos, and with all these the
11-11.'llir of his more generous sympathies, and the
4'le•vLating earnestness of a nature as resolute in appli-
`l% as it has proved noble in magnanimity.

FINE ARTS.
THE ART-JOURNAL.
1e addition to its many splendid attractions the
4 ft. Journal for May contains the first instalment
io the illustrated Catalogue of the Exhibitiou, a series
bet)g promised and eagerly expected. Considering the
tqldierment natural to everyone who visits the
corYstal Palace, a confusion as to which among the
It
tintless curiosities contained in it shall be inspected,
lot:oust be acknowledged that the editor of this cats-
-I,gue of embellishments has acted very judiciously in
qt,
selections. The title-page designed by Luke Lim-
tl°r, is itself a beautiful specimen of pictorial ingenuity
I_ representing as it does very gracefully the union
,u friendship of the artist and the artizans and the
qwaing of them both by Peace: Foley's
Meld
of " In" and' Bahus," Vecht's
Ic • of the " Murder .of t cche Innocents,:
183'S bronze casting of the "Amazon," Kahszyn, ann s
•tel)e offering nectar to the Eagle of Love, ' and
Aletschsl's " Pieta," will be recognised among the
nodcuts by every individual who has crossed the
Lgtreshold of the great building in Hyde-par k. Added
the interest secured to the publication by
b'e°l se supplementary attractions are those habitually
intro 'ariging to the Art-Journal. Its colit-s this month
Coward's'
the paintings in the Vernon Gallery are
t "Flower Girl," and Turner's " Golden
Sarpendon, from the bas-relief of Watson
Iltoe third principal embellishment. Togmher with
hose are given a portrait of Albert Durer, a ad sketches
the
some of his principal productions. Among
e latter is conspicuous his famous and elaborate
representation entation of "Melancholy," followed by the not
?lebrated " Coat of Arms with the Death's
eal." The letter-press is as excellent as the en-
fi'47ll3 gs are meritorious throughout the whole of this
oubk periodical.

tRaENCH RAILWAY TRAFFIC.
e-"le following are the last returns of the gross re-
'll)tet 44 the principal French Railways :—.
2eotexßEßu;L—Frona May 7 to May 13: Passengers,
0458?nc.;
goods, 182,821 f.; total, 447,410 f.
g Rory.,—From May 4 to May 10 : Passengers,
2,461 i.; goods, 76,295 f.; total, 168,756 f.
301-I,nk'rßE.—Frona May 4 to May 10 : Passengers,
',6f.; goods, 31,299 f. ; total 61,595 f.
' 25RlimAxs.—From May 5 to May 11 : Passengers,
; goods, 113,125 f.; total, 208,344;f.
4,"olll)Eeux.—From May 4 to May 10: Passengers,
M 711.; goods, 40,017 f.; total, 83,088 f.
„Ylti izox.—From May 5 to May 11 : Passengers,
'1ii441..; goods, 41,824 t.; total, 83,568 f.
.13013-LoarrE.—From May 3 to May 11 : Passengers,
42,414 f. ; goods, 16,351 f.; total, 38,7651..
,i"4IITES.—From May 3 to May 9: Passengers,
',Mai.; goods, 16,665 f.; total, 38,117 f.
811ta.SBUILG.—From May 7 to May 13.: Passengers,
8q '133f.; goods, 64,351 f.; total, 153,490 f.
.° ,Ara.—From April 20 to May 4 : Passengers
~
1'4951.; goods, 28,965 f.; total, 51,563 f.
1,
SITEREAU.—From April 30 to May 6: Passengers.
5.412 X.; goods, 13,4361.; total, 28,8481.
Alk RSEILLES.—From April 30 to May 6: Passengers,
42'135,.-E; goods, 21,135 f.; total, 63,2701.
/oims. —From April 27 to May 3 : Passengers,
I,Li
`,6,05‘ If. ; goods, 43,0661.; total, 169,117 1.
.),"ihcatTnEs.—From April 28 to nay 4: Passengers,
°%,6271; goods, 12,6991.; total, 47,326 f.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.
GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—Return o i traffic for the
Week trading May 18
_••• ... £19;937 1 3

Corresponding week last year... 17, 518 12 9
LAN:CANWIRE AND YORKSHIRE RAILWiiY. (260 miles
"PP.) —Traffic for week ending May 18...£1 6,443 7 2
Corresponding week in last year, (227 i
tniles open) .. ••• ...£13,812 9 5
fort AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILW AT.—.AMOIII2f, of
'rall he week ending May 18 :
Passengers ••• •••
Goods ...

... 1:?,732 7 9
... ... 2,264 19 1

Total ... £10097 610
Corresponding week last year... 11,087 0 5
Noa
.THSTAFFORDSHIRE RAILWAY. ( Miles open,ll2.)
eturn of traffic for the week ending May /1 :
Railway and canal .—•
Z 4,708 0 0
Corresponding week last year ... 4,716 0 0
, Ote. —The above is exclusive of the receipts available
finder,, the agreement with the London and North-Western
44ilway Company.

- -
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAnwAY.—Traffm for the
week ending -May 18:

MAIN LINE.

Passengers ...
Parcels, H. C. and D. ...
Goods, cattle, &c. ...
Mails

... £1,206 12 9

... 65 4 6
... 416 17 3
... 575 0 0

Total

.£2,263 14 6

Passengers
Parcels, H. C. and D. .••
Goods, cattle, &c.

... £46 9 8
... 1 11 1
... 76 5 5

Total

... ... .
STEAM-110AT3.

Passengers ••• •••
Parcels, H. C. and D. ...