The Sun.
London, England, 1833-08-05 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

CHATSWORTH, THE PATRICIAN.
LONDON, 1833.

The name of this novel is its greatest recommen-
dation. Its merit stops with the title-page. Occa-
sionally there are specimens of pleasant dialogue;
but, as a whole, the work is tame and lifeless.

DEMETRI US, ANrD 0 THER POEMS.

LONDON, 1833.

To Miss Agnes Strickland—a lady already fa-
vourably known to the public as an authoress of
considerable ability—we are indebted for this little
volume of Poems, which is penned in a pleasing
vein of fancy and feeling. The " Stanzas on the
Ruins of Bungay Castle" are the best, and give fre-
quent evidences of a gentle and thoughtful nature
alive to " the still, sad music of humanity."
DOMESTIC MANNERS, 5-e. of the WEST

- -
2 VOLS. LONDON, 1833.
There is abundance of useful practical information
in these volumes, which are the production of a
Lady who was for five years a resident in St. Vin-
cent and Trinidad, and who, during that space of
time, appears to have been no indifferent observer
of the social condition of the white, coloured, and
negro population of the West Indies. Her testi-
mony, however, is to be received, if not with abso-
lute incredulity, yet, at any rate, with wholesome
distrust, especially where the general forbearance
and mildness of the planters towards their negroe,
is insisted on; for the authoress avows that she her-
self has belonged to that class. It follows, there-
fore, almost necessarily, that some little bias must
exist in her mind in favour of the planters, for all
(no matter how acute and well-intentioned) who
view matters through the spectacles of self-interest
" see them through a glass darkly." Still, through_
out her volumes, Mrs. Carmichael shows an evident
desire to be impartial. Her frequent and strenuous
efforts to dismember herself of the shackles of pre
judice are greatly to her credit, though we fear she
is only dragging " at each remove a lengthened
chain." The chapter in her book which we most
generally referred to, and which indeed contains
the essence of the whole, is the one discussing the
relations between master and slave. The spirit of
this chapter is temperate, but no one can fail to
perceive its tendency. In other respects the book
is a useful one, as being fill fraught with matter.

UNITED SERVICE JOURNAL.
The number for this month is, if anything,
below par ; but it nevertheless contains one or two
good papers. The first will probably be consi-
dered the most valuable, although upon a subject
of which we are the least competent to speak
being an examination of the means of military de.
fence possessed by Canada. As one of the most
interesting matters we could touch upon in these
days of economy, we have picked out the follow-
ing particulars from a paper recommending
Jersey as a residence for officers on half-pay.
The writer thus speaks:—
" Such houses, fit for a small family, containing per-
haps six rooms, with kitchen and convenienc. is, and
a small garden, let at from 301. to 351 Jersey money,
or from 271. 104. to 321. sterling. In the outskirts of the
town, in some directions, houses of five rooms and
kitchen, and with a very small garden, let as low as about
241. sterling.

•-• • • •
" Leaving rent and furniture, I now come to the price
of the necessaries of life. Beef, mutton, and veal-the
beef no way inferior to English beef-sells at irom 6d. to
61d. per lb. of 17 oz. ; pork, during the winter, of the
very finest quality, 41d. to 51d. ; bread, of an excellent
qualify, finer or coarser, from lid. to 2d. per lb. ; but-
ter, superior to what is generally found iu England, about
10d. during the summer months, 2d. more during the
winter; eggs, during the summer, sd. to 6d. per dozen,
in winter at least a third dearer; milk, lid. to 2d. per
quart; best loaf sugar, 6id. per lb. ; goad moist sugar,
Sid. to 41d. ; excellent black tea, nowise in'erior to that
which sells in England at 75.,35. 4d. ; best green tea, 6s.
All kinds of vegetables are to be purchased at a very low
rate. Oysters, during the season, are sold at Is. per
hundred ; it must be admitted, however, that they are
coarser than the oysters generally eaten in England.
Jamaica rum sells at 4s. 4d. per gallon ; Hollands at
3% 4d. These prices are all stated in Jersey money ; that is,
if an article costs a shilling, and you give ls. British, you
get a penny back. 1/. British is worth 1/. Is. Bd. Jersey.
• • •
" Excellent Port and Sherry may be purchased, for
ready money, at about 225. sterling per dozen ; Marsala,
certainly superior to the common run of this wine in Eng-
land, and beyond all comparison better than the whole
family of Brontes and Capes, costs I Is. sterling per dozen ;
light Grave and Barsac are sold at from 10a. to 15s. ;
good Burgundy, at 225. sterling; Rhine wine at some-
thing less than 161. Clarets, of course, are at all prices,
but a very pleasant wine may be bought for 131. 9d. ster-
ling. Vin du p iys of France costs 6d. per bottle. Rum
and Holland, have already been mentioned ; but as we
speak at present of luxuries, we must not omit mention of
Cognac, which, of a quality far superior to any that is
usua ly to be met with in England, costs 7s. per gallon,
Jersey currency. But besides the article of drink, there
are various other luxuries to be commanded in Jersey by
an income which, in England, contents itself with the
purchase of little beyond necessaries. Among these, I
would mention fruit in the first place-grapes, for example,
which may be currently purchased at 4d. and 6d. per lb.,
while the best qualities, such as the black Hamburg, and
even the Muscat, reared under glass, but witt.out artificial
beat, costs from bd. to Is. Melons also may be had at
Bd. or 9d. a-piece; while, if we descend to the com.
sooner fruits, baking apples are sold for literally next to
nothing ; and vegetables of all kinds, especially the finer
sorts, are sold for one half of what they cost in England.
In the article of fish, too, there is something for luxury
to cull from. The John Dory, the red and grey mullet
the base, the lobster, and occasionally the turbot, may all'
be purchased at a price which brings them within the
reach of the most moderate income. There is another
luxury which must not be otnittedr--the power of keeping
a little vehicle. The keep of a poney to one who has a
stable, will not exceed 171. or 18/. sterling; and there
are no taxes either on horses or vehicles, neither are there
any toll-bars. It is evident, then, from these details,
that as one who in England can barely command the ne-
cessaries of life, can live at least comfortably in Jersey, so
one who, in England, can live merely comfortably, may
command very many luxuries in Jersey, • • • •a•
" As another advantage, let me mention climate,-
which, to persons of feeble or injured constitutions (as
many who have seen foreign service are), is no slight con-
sideration. Tbe climite of Jersey is warmer than the
warmest part of England; while the vicinity to the sea,
at the saute time that in winter it tempers the cold, mode-
rates also in summer the intensity of heat. It has beers
acertained, too, by authentic tables, that the mortality
of Jersey is lower than in any part of England ; and in
no population of the same extent that I have ever seen,
have I ob,erved so few who exhibit in their aspect the
ravages of din-ate.
• • * • • •

" To those who have families, it is important to be
known, that education in Jersey is good and cheap. 'I he
best masters in French, music, and drawing, may be ob-
tained at from one-third to one half of their cost in Eng-
land; and for the chief branches of male education, there
are many eligib'e schools, presided over by able masters.

" These details may serve as some guide to the officers on
as to their choice of
rtmehysei
dboeapnlicfn-eipo;any, andotfh
that
Iht
shalle
thosear mc conclude
chlandnavy,ouedee iincomes
am
es
paper with offering
range from 100/ .
to 4001. per annum, cannot anywhere spend (barn to so
mach advanssic a. in tin island of Jams"