The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-16 00:00:00

LATEST NEWS.

San Juan del Sur, with a number of passengers and
120,000 dols., in gold, on the first of April. Tire
Cortes had also on board the junior Mt. Garrison,
with about 4,000 doll. for General Walker. She
had been boarded up the toast by Mr. Cross, who
was sent out for that purpose by Mr. C. Vander-
bilt, and by Mr. Cross, the master of the Cortes,
was made acquainted with the state of affairs be-
tween the Company and the Government of Ni-
caragua. Captain Collins chose an anchorage from
which he could easily slip, and war. boarded by four
men, who represented that they were Walker's
officers, and that they came to seize the ship, and
that they were supported by a force of one hundred
men sent by Walker for the purpose. The captain
consented with a good grace, and invited his guests
to the cabin, where they ate, drank, and were
merry. Leaving them with an unlimited supply of
Champagne, Captain Collins went on deck, quietly
slipped his cables, and the steamer drifted gently
out of the harbour with the ebb tide. There were
three other vessels in port at the same time—the
ship Daylight, Wilson master ; ship Continent,
Gibbs master; and a California packet. They were
all laden with coal, and the Walker men told the
master of the Cortes that they were waiting for
them to discharge to seize them. Captain Collins
accordingly took the Daylight, and the other ves-
sels in tow, and they all drifted out together.
When the Champagne. drinkers found outwhat was
going on over their heads, the Cortes was on the
high seas, and the master let them know that he
was in command.

PARIS, MAY 16

The Archduke Maximilian of Austria arrived

at Paris yesterday evening. He proceeded with
his suite in the Court carriages to St. Cloud.

MARSEILLES, MAY 13,

The Indus has brought 500 troops on board.
The Bizantin has also arrived, with 850 men.
When the former vessel left Constantinople the
Ramazan had commenced. The Sultan had pre-
sented M. Thouvenel, the French ambassador,
with a very splendid snuff-box. The Turkish
troops which were in garrison at Eupatoria had

arrived at Constantinople. A commission had
been formed for the liquidation of the accounts of
the army of the Eat ; M. Blanchet, the intendant-
general of the French army had
.been appointed
president. The Presse d'Orient states that nume-

roux arrests had been made in Magnesia, and
that 17,000 Tartan were about to emigrate from

The New York cotton-market was quiet, and
sales were limited to 600 bales, without a quo table
change in prices. Flour continued firm. Pork
was dull and easier. Freights were firm, with
more doing.

the Crimea.

VIENNA, MAY 1

The Archduke Ferdinand M aimilian is charged
with the mission of offering to the Emperor of
the French the mortal remains of the Duke de
Reichstadf. The ashes of the son o: Napoleon I.

MARRIAGE WITH A DECEASED WIFE'S
SISTER.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Six,—The Committee of the Marriage Law Reform
Association are desirous, through your columns, of con-
gratulating their supporters on the result of the recent
debate on the Marriages Bill in the House of Lords, the
majority against the Bill having in 1851, been 34, in a
house of 98, including pairs ; and in 1856, only 19, in a
house of 141. On the recent division, 61 Peersrecorded
their advocacy of the measure.
Confirmed by every fresh discussion in their conviction
of the justice of their cause and its firm hold on the public
mind, and encouraged by the good wishes of a large por-
tion of the clergy of the metropolis, they assure their
supporters of their determination not to relax in their
efforts to obtain for all marriages with a deceased wife's
sister the validity which with the consent of the Bishops
was accorded to those contracted previously to 1835 ; a
consent which has convinced the people of this country
that such marriages are not contrary to God's word.
As they continue to receive numerous applications
from persons desirous of contracting such marriages in
countries where they are lawful, they again refer to the
following judicial opinion by Lord Stowell :—" English
decisions have established this rule, that a foreign mar-
riage, good according to the law of the place where ce
lebrated, is good everywhere else."
They refer also with satisfaction to the recent deci-
sion of Lord Ardmillan in the Scottish Court of Session,
by which the nephew of Sir T. Livingstone, whose father
had married his wife's sister, in England, inherits his
paternal property in Scotland ; the judge accompanying
his decision by a distinct expression of opinion that mar-
riage with a deceased wife's sister is not contrary to
Scripture, or to the statute law of Scotland.
They take this opportunity of directing attention to
certain inaccurate statements reported to have been
made during the recent debate.
The Bishop of Oxford quoted Liguori as asserting, and
the Church of Rome as sanctioning and adopting, the
doctrine, that the Pope might dispense, in matrimonial
prohibitions, with the law of God. Liguori, indeed, re-
fers to that doetrine, but only to condemn it, thus show-
ing that, by granting dispensations for the marriages
now under consid6ra!ion, the Church of Rome dial not
regard them as forbidden by the law of God. Liguori's
words are—" Qoaeritur, an Papa possit aliquando dig
pensare in impediwentis de jure divino ?" "Triplex evt
serttentia." " Tertia sententia demum comenunior,
probabilior dicit, nunquani posse Papam dispensare in
its qum sent de absoluto jure divino."
In connect:on with the sutject of dispensation, it is
worthy of notice that the Bench of Bishops gave their
sanction to the act of 1835, which operated as a dispen-
sation to all previous marriages of affinity; and as it
cannot be pretended that the Bishops claim an authority
not conceded to the Papa, of dispensing with the law of
God, the conclusion is irresistible, that the marriages the
Legislature then bad in view were not held to be pro-
hibited jure divine.

will he conveyed to France with great pomp,
should the offer be accepted.

BERLIN, MAY 14

Princess Paskiewitch died yesterday in one of

,he hotels of this city.

FRANCE.

PARIS, THURSDAY EVENING.
The Emperor yesterday received the replies of
the Duke of Saxe Meiningen and of the President
of the United States to the notifications of the
birth of the Prince Imperial.
A Council of Ministers met yesterday at the
Tuileries, under the presidency of the Emperor.
His Excellency Lord Cowley has returned from
London, after a short leave of absence.
The Moniteur publishes the appointment of
Baron de Bourqueney as Ambassador at Vienna,
and that of M. Hubner as Austrian Ambassador
at Paris.
BOURSE, May 15.—The following were the last
quotations :

Cash. ft. e. End oflionth.
li per Cents 94 10 —f. —o.
3 per Cents 75 15 75 45
New Loan — —
Bank Shares 4,000 Roman
Credit Mobilier 1,837 50 Austrian
Belgian Fives. :. 9G. Spanish Threes 4li
Piedmoutese (5). 94 flom, Debt
RAILW A YPI—fOB CASH.
fr. ,! tr. e
Orleans ......... 1,432 50 Viremtsrn
Northern
Lyons
.. 1,,405 New Ditto ...... ... 915
tiediterranean 1,700 Grand Central
Lyons Geneva Bli Tt•sto ...... .. ...... ~ -
Cette

SPAIN.
There is nothing of political importance in the
Madrid journals of the 10th. The treasurer of
the province of Gerona had taken to flight with
30,000 duros (150,000 f.), and had left several
forged bills. Some sensation had been caused by
by the publication of a circular from some of
the chiefs of the Progressist party, recommend-
ing that the party should be reconstituted, and
that the moderades on the one hand, and the
democrats on the other, should be excluded
from it. The Queen was causing repairs to
be made in the famous palace of Alhambra.
Her Majesty had ordered the Count de Altamira,
grand equerry, to go to Seville to invite the King,
ex-Regent of Portugal, to visit her at Madrid.
Severaal important political personages had gone to
Saragossa to join the Duke de la Victoria. There
was a talk of having grand military manoeuvres to
last three days in the plain of Caravancheles, and
to be attended by the Queen and Marshals Espar-
tero and O'Donnell.

The Bishop is also reported to have asserted that the
marriage of cousins was not forbidden till the time of St.
Augustine. As it was forbidden in the; canons called
apostolical, side by side with marriage with a wife's,
sister, and with the marriage of the clergy, the bishop
would appear to concede that these oft quoted canons
are not assignable to a period earlier than the fifth
century.
Lord Campbell is reported to have declared, as of hie
own knowledge, that the feeling of the people of this
country was against the measure before the house. To
this the committee will only reply that nearly 2,000
clergymen of the Established Church, including 412
clergymen of the metropolis, and more than 250 Irish
clergymen, have advocated the repeal of the existing:
law; while the petitions of the laity show above 700,000
signatures in favour of an alteration of the law, and less
than 65,000 signatures against it.
The Bishop of Exeter asserted, upon the authority of a
conjectura: statement in the report of the commissioners
on the law of marriage, that such marriages were lawful
in only one canton of Switzerland ; the correct statement
being, that in 20 cantons and half a canton the marriage
is permitted, while it is prohibited only in the canton of
Vaud, and half the canton of Berne.
The Committee also think it necessary to state that
the condemnatory language used by Lord Thurlow, and
quoted by the Bishop of Exeter, did not in any way re•
fer to marriage with a deceased wife's sister.
They strongly urge their friends to promote, on all
suitable occasions, temperate discussion on the subject,
that having been hitherto the chief means of the gradual
but steady progress of their cause, as it doubtless will be,
at no distant period, the means of its ultimate success.—
I have the honour to be, air, your obedient servant,
JOSEPH STANSBURY, M.A., Hon. Sec.
Committee-room, 26, Parliatnent-st., May 5, 1856.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—The aspect of this house
oast night gave every indication of a solid prosperity.
Though of course there was not the excitement of Satur-
day, when all the world seemed inspired with the cere-
mony of 2.3-opening the old establishment all the boxes
were filled, and the stalls and pit looked closely packed
and substantial. In fact, the ancient custom of opera-
going seems to be revived as a matter of course, and the
classes settle down in their wonted place of resort as by
a law of nature.
A model of a newly-invented train for the Emperor
of the French was tried on Monday on the railway line
between Paris and Tours. It consists of 5 carriages,
communicating with each other by a gallery. There is a
drawing room and bedroom—in facta complete appatte-
meat. Another new carriage, for sick people, was also
tried. It contains 8 beds, A ticket, with the use of a
bed, will only cost double the ordinary fare.
ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, LYCEUM THEATRE.--Their
Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the
Princes Mary honoured the performance of the Royal
Italian Opera with their presence last evening. Their
royal bigenesses occupied the Queen's box, and were
accompanied by Viscount and Viscountess Newport and
Lady Caroline Cast. His Royal Highness the Duke of
Cambridge also honoured the theatre with his presence.
The house was crowded with fashionable company.
The following distinguished persons have witnessed
the Oriental Museum, the Dioramic Tour, &c., &c., at
the Great Globe, Leicester-square :—The Bishop of St.
Asaph, Lady Ponsonby and party, Lady Horn, Ler
anti Lady Norbury, Sir Richard Westmacott, Sir Wm
Woraley, General Sir Charles Leigh, Major Morley and
lady, Hon. Mr. Byng_and friends.
DINNER TO HER MAJESTY'S JUDGES AT THE MANSION
HOUSE.—The banquet proposed to be given by the Lord
Mayor and the Lady Mayoress, on Tuesday, the 27th
inst., to her Majesty's judges and the members of the
bar, is unavoidably postponed till the following day.
TESTIMONIAL TO DR. HASSALL.—Yesterday the cere-
mony of presenting a testimonial to Dr. Hassall, in re-
cognition of the benefits which he has conferred on the
commuoiti by his scientific labours in connection with
the subject of adulteration, took place at a public dinner
at the Freemasons' Hall, at which Lord William Len-
nox presided, in the absence of Viscount Ebrington
M.P., who was prevented from attending by sudden in-.
disposition. About 100 gentlemen, cmnprising: noblen
men, members of parliament, and others eminent i
screuce and literature, were present on the occasion
amongst others, the following :—Mr. Oliveria, M.P.
Sir Thomas Tancred, Mr. Wakley, Admiral Duritze,
Major Sibthorp, M.P., Mr. Thwaites, the Pre-ident of
the Board of Works, Dr. Farr, F.R.S., Mr. Tuxford
Mr. Harvey, Mr. Hancock, Dr. Bennet, Dr. Waller
Lewis, Lev. R. S. Daniells, Dr. Barnes, and many
others.

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.—Mr. Charles Russo!), deputy
chairman of the Albion Life-office, and late chairman
of the Great Western Railway, committed suicide yes
terday. Shortly after 6 o'clock in the morning his set,
vans, on entering his room, found him lying on his bed,
in his dressing-gown, unconscious, and with two pistol,
by his side. Mr. NPOscar, surgeon, of Tyler-street, and
Dr. King, of Savile-row, were in immediate attendance,
and found him bleeding from his nose and mouth, and
breathing heavily. One of the pistols had misfired, but
the ball of the other had entered the roof of the mouth,
lodged in the brain, wounding in the passage some
of its blood vessels. The wound he had inflicte upon
him-eLe was at once pronounced to be mortal ; stilt he
lingered oa until 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The Rev.
Whitworth Russell, Inspector of Prisons, who also died
by his own hands, was Mr. Charles Russell's brother.
Tae LATE SIR CammEs HOTIII3I. —Yesterday ap-
peared an official copy of the despatch written by the
late Sir C. Ilotham to the late Sir W. Molesworth (the
Colonial Secretary), enclosing his speech at the opening
of the Legislative Council of Victoria, on the 23d of
Nov., 1855, with the address to it. To this is appended
a copy of the despatch announcing the death of Sir C.
flothans, and the account of the funeral follows. It is
melancholy to be reminded by these papers that within a
brief interval two such men as Sir W. Molesworth and
Sir C. tiotham should both have been removed by death,
and their valuable services lost for ever to the colonies of
Great Britain.

THE FU NT. LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY l& xss6

"STERNATIONftL LIPS ASSURANCE
SdC TETI:

The 17th Annual General Meeting of the In-
ternational Life Assurance Society was hold at the
Society's House, 142, Strand, on the 14th inst.,
Edmond S. Symes, Esq., the Chairman of the
Society, in the chair. A large number of the
shareholders attended,

The SECRETARY Laving read the notice con.
vetting the meeting, the balance-sheet, and audi.
tor. and actuary's reports, the Directors' repori
was read, as follows :

SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT.

London, Wednesday, 14th May, 1856.
The directors have much pleasure in meeting the
proprietors at this the 17th annual general meeting
of the society, and in laying before them the balance-
sheets and actuary's report for the past year.
Notwithstanding the scarcity of money caused
by the late war, which has materially affected the
business of all life assurance offices, your directors
have the satisfaction of stating that the business of
this office has been well sustained ; the number
of new policies effected during the year amounting
to no less than 935, assuring the sum of 379,7621.,
and yielding in premiums 12,592!., in addition to
the sum received for renewals ou old policies and
other sources, bringing up the present income of
the society to upwards of 90,000 z. par annum.
On the other hand, your directors regret to state
that the losses by death, amounting to 39,0031.,
although not so large as in the preceding year,
have again exceeded the expectation by 5,6631. It
is satisfactory, however, to know that this excess
has not arisen from any undue mortality amongst
our assured—the number of claims expected to
occur during the past year, according to the scale
of mortality adopted by the society, being 70, and
the actual number of deaths occurring during the
same period being 66. The excess, in point of
money paid by the society, being occasioned by
the fact that the majority of the claims have oc-
curred upon policies of large amount, a circum-
stance evidently beyond the control of the society.
Tied an equal number of claims fallen upon policies
Jut exceeding the average amount, the result would
have been a difference of nearly 8,0001. in favour
of the society.
For many years the property' which the society
became possessed of at Languin has been a constant
source of trouble and expense ; and although the
directors have been always desirous to dispose of
this property, they had never been able to obtain
such a price for it as they felt justified in
Accepting. They have, however, great satis-
faction in stating that at the end of last
year they succeeded in selling the property
for 8,0001., a sum which they have every reason
to believe is its fair value. This property stood
in the books of the society at a sum which, in-
creased by accumulated expenses, reached 15,1261. •
the difference between which sum and the actual'
amount realised by the sale forms the larger por-
tion of a sum of about 11,0001., which your direc-
tors have thought it right to write off from the
amount standing in the society's books as assets
at the date of the last annual report, the remain-
der being composed principally of old loans on
policies which had been allowed to lapse, and two
or three agents' balances which have for years
stood as doubtful on our boo'ts. The directors
have taken this step from a conviction that it is
highly expedient to remove from the books of the
society all sums appearing as assets, which are
of such a bad or doubtful character as to leave no
reasonable prospect of their ever being realised ;
and they trust that the proprietors, while submit-
ting to a present loss by this diminution, will feel
greater security for the future in the knowledge
that all such items are now expunged from the
accounts.
In the last annual report it was stated that the
directors were earnestly engaged in sifting the
whole of the society's operations, and in endeavour-
ing to carry out a general system of retrenchment
of expenditure. In conformity with this under-
taking, your directors have instituted a careful
investigation into the working of each separate
general agency, and the result is as regards ex-
penses, that whilst the proportion of working
expenses properly belonging to the head office has
been found to have been up to the present time
but little, and is now not at all in excess of what
the business will fairly support, the proportion at-
tributable to our Foreign General agencies appears
to be far greater than is consistent with prudent
management. Your directors, therefore, have
anxiously applied themselves to devising the beet
means of gradually reducing the working expenses
wherever they could do so without endangering
the progressive increase of the business. In this
they have obtained the cordial co-operation of our
chief foreign representatives—large reductions have
already been made, and others are decided upon,
and will speedily ho brought into operation, and at
the same time active measures are in progress for
extending the business of the society. In other
respects the business at our foreign branches
generally has been remarkably well conducted.
Some irregularities have recently come to the know-
ledge of the directors, in the conduct of the
Paris agency, which are still under investigation ;
but your directors anticipate that the prompt mea-
sures which they have taken will prevent any ma-
terial pecuniary loss from ultimately resulting to
the society, and such arrangements, are in progress
for the future working of that agency as will, it is
hoped, produce a decided increase in the already
extensive business derived therefrom, as well as a
great reduction in the expenditure, and additional
efficiency in every department. The number of
directors at the Paris Board has been reduced, and
each now holds at least 100 shares in the capital
stock of the society, and the President, a gentle-
man of fortune and influence, formerly a banker iu
Paris, kindly gives his daily attendance to superin-
tend the management.
The proprietors will recollect that in a circular
addressed to them in February last, it was notified
that Mr. Starr had resigned his offisie as manager.
This resignation was ascempanie.l by the mutual
expression of good wishes and by a recognition
on the part of the board of his exertions for
the benefit of the society at various times. The
directors have thought it unadvisable, as well
as an unnecessary expense, to reapp)int a separate
efficer as manager, distinct from the chairman, under
whose superintendence all matters connected with
the society necessarily come, and the chairman
having resigned his appointment as one of the
medical referees now devotes his whole time to the
management, by which arrangement alone a saving
of not less than 7001. per annum will be effected in
the expenses at the head office, while the directors
confidently trust that increased energy and effi-
ciency will be the result.
Your directors have had under consideration the
system hitherto adopted iu this society of making an
annual division of profits. This mode is found to
he open to grave objections, since the period is too
short to allow a correct average result of the so-
ciety's operations to be obtained. If the claims
are small in one year a larger amount may na-
turally be expected to occur in another—while, if
the claims are large in one year, we may fairly ex-
pect a smaller amount in following years. Thus the
deficiency in one year will be compensated by the
excess in another, so that a more correct average
is obtainable in a series of years ; while the distri-
bution of profits, made in a good year, causes an
unfair amount of pressure upon the society in the
next, or less profitable years.
On considering the plan adopted by all the most
successful offices, we find that only one or two
besides our own make an annual division of profits
—several divide once in three years, others once in
seven years ; but by far the greater number divide
their profits once in five years, and some of those
who originally adopted a septennial division have
subsequently altered it to a quinquennial. We are
therefore led to the conclusion that this latter
period has been found the most equitable and con-
velient ; and havin,e• every reason to believe that
the amount of the bonus under such a plan would
be larger in proportion than under the present
system, your directors strongly recommend that
steps be taken for carrying this suggestion into
effect.

According to the provisions of the deed of settle-
, ment such a change can only be effected by two
successive general meetings of proprietors, specially
called for the purpose. Your directors therefore
propose shortly to convene a special general meeting,
in order to submit to it the propriety of making
the future division of profits once in five years.
-'
Since the last meeting, Charles Bennett, 1-
lias resigned his seat on the direction ; '',_-'4, cF
8'
Nicoll, EA., has resigned on account of °lll4'c,
T. C. Grattan, Esq., has become disq,- _ ill health ;
sale of his shares. Your directo-
_...alified by the
their views with regard to °co.. -rs carrying out
that the present board is go' icnr iy, and feeling
proper mantweinent of the , 'ta 8* afficibtit for the
P
not thought it advisable f , fill."°e'utYl s business, have
It will be the busipac• --
uP these vacancies.
elect three directors,
Hodalell ofßSallit
p'47, sent meeting to
in id of the
Esq., Henry Jolla
and John Moss,
Esq., whose term of off"' —84.3
eligible for re-election, andee expirm ~ but who are
Kea worthy Browne, and thf mselves accord-
tel King Church,
ingly ;and to confirm e electi, nu of William
who have been - Psq,..-and Job a Symes, Esq.,
court . P.tipointed director g by a special
eonVelnd •for that
sl
electgne dewaondC auditorsl ° il e:
airclay, Esr, ,
re .purpose: , vice A. C.
decease' '
Wheatstone,
toin the room of
ft r Vheatston r
lcitorci Yowl, ' F.R.S. . " an
tt Tabor, Esq.,
e i R S d Professor J.
c, Whose term of au, ,e expires, but

who are eligible for re-election, and offer them-
selves accordingly.

E. S. SYMES, Chairman.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report, adverted in detail to the several points
mentioned in it, and congratulated the shareholders
on the position and prospects of the society.
The report was then adopted unanimously.
It was announced that the usual dividend, at the
rate of 5 per cont, per annum on the subscribed
capital would this year be paid to the shareholders
free of 'income tax.

The usual business having been transacted, and
the cordial thanks of the meeting having been
given to the Chairman and Directors, the meeting
then separated.

LITERATURE.

Diamonds and Dust. 3 vols. Newby.
This volume would appear to be the first work of
its author. It displays all the enthusiastic ideas,
all the Utopian schemes, and also very frequently
the overwrought language of a young writer.
There is also a freshness of sentiment and fertility
of imagination which would seem to indicate. its
being the production of one whose ready enthu-
siasm and plans of social regeneration had not yet
encountered the disappointments of experience.
The characters of the story are numerous, and many
of them properly romantic and uncommon. The
plot is exceedingly complicated, and the most at-
tentive reader might be puzzled in the attempt to
unravel it. There is a false heir, of course, and a
stolen child, and a dishonest lawyer, and a disap-
pointed lover with Italian schemes of vengeance ;
and then at the end, as all experienced novel rea-
ders might foresee, the false heir is dispossessed of
his stolen property, all the missing deeds are found,
all the lost witnesses appear from Ireland, from
Italy, wherever they had fled ; all the love affairs
are happily arranged, and the story concludes
triumphantly. It must not be imagined, however,
that it is a mere romance of a not uncommon cha-
racter. The writer has taken the opportunity to
express many social and political opinions, chiefly
on the present state of society, and has invested
some of his heroes, and one of his heroines with
great intellectual powers. There is also a Chartist
hero, the exception to the happy conclusion, who,
from a mistaken idea of benefiting the human race,
only ends, as many others have done, in ruining
his own happiness and that of his family. Many
pages of the work are devoted to his rhapsodies of
social advancement, which, however, appears like so
many similar projects to be only theoretical. This
is the mistake of many visionary reformers, and of
the present author among the number. It is very
easy to launch forth into a chapter of grand phrases
full of ardour, and even eloquence, to depict a
nation and a race, where crime and vice shall never
exist, where laws and institutions shall be perfect
and unchangeable, but it is a very different thins,
to tell us bow these wonderful results are to be
attained. Certainly not by Chartist meetings
or midnight societies. These planners forget that
were their objects immediately attained, were laws,
and rulers and institutions perfect, the hardest tebsk
would remain unperformed, and the imperf ec-
tion- of the people of all classes would mar the
effect of their Utopian dream of universal good aiad
happiness. Is there not as much misery caused by
private deceit, and avarice, and selfishness as by oppression ? and the faults and failings in-
herent in the human race will long retard any
effort, however vigorous, any schemes, ho never
benevolent, for their perfectibility. We confess to, I
having more respect for the unpretending Con-
stance, 'who spent her time in ministering to the
wants of those around her, than for the gifted
Andrew Langston and the enthusiastic Lady Ethel,
who, notwithstanding their brilliant theories and
lofty scorn of existing institutions, appear to have
been of very little practical benefit. The charac-
ters are numerous and varied, and many of them
well drawn. The style is also agreeable, and occa-
sionally eloquent, though the reader could very
well dispense with some pages of disquisitions,
which, though often well written, grow wearisome
from repetition. The hero and heroine travel in
Italy, and many characters are introduced with all
the fervour and passion of the south. The Italians,
indeed, aro made -i`ss appear with their full share
of romantic qualities. The work displays consi-
derable talenr, great imagination, and variety of
incident and character ; and when time and expe-
rience shall have modified his social theories and
subdued the exuberal Ice of his style, we have ne
doubt that the autho r will be ranked among our
successful writers of fiction.

Elsie Seymour ; or, the Contrast. By A. Wygorn.
3 vol 9. Newby.
There is sufficient t alent displayed in this book
to give it a standing, wind some parts of it aro in-
teresting, both from the qualities displayed by the
heroes and her&nes., and from the peculiar situa-
tions in which they are placed. However, there
are drawbacks to its exo,dlence in suwe places. The
chief fault is the too frequent introduction of
Scriptural passages, ncrt, always in an appropriate
mariner. Some theological points of difference are
discussed, which aro n9l. suitable to the style of a
light novel. It is difia cr ilt to understand also what
moral is intended to be conveyed by the life of Elsie
Seymour, whether she ii; to be a shining light, and
a bright example, to elle ourage present aspirants,
and point the way to fi; ture votaries in the cause,
or whether she is to be considered as one who ne
glectod her immediate d:aties. It is certain that
her course was anything but satisfactory. A mind
at peace within, was es sentially requisite fur her
undertaking, but, on the contrary, she passed a rest-
less career of conflicting d oubts. At one time she felt
inspired to step out from :her contracted sphere, and
perform a great work, bcril -at iri its very humility and
self-sacrifice, beautiful in. its devotion, and holy in
its combination of the virtues that should adorn
the Christian character- —faith, hope, and charity.
Again, at another timer, her spirits would sink,
her thoughts be distrac,;ed, while the voice of con-
science secaned to whisp an admonition, and the
chims of her family riva the,calls of her mission.
"On home's high duties -be your thoughts employed,
Leave to the world its :striving and its void,"
might with reason bra add xessed to one, who deserted
the domestic heartb , fort.he allurements of pleasure,
or even for the higher o:)jects of intellectual culti-
vation and cnjoraient, but Elsie's employment was
essentially not of this world. Therefore the reader
feels at a loss to recoacile how, if qualified for
her work, it was right for her to begin and not
complete it. Not withstanding these flaws in the
narrative there is much to please, as well as edify
in the character of Elsie Seymour. Katharine
Elliott is also attractive, although the circumstance
of her m understa tiding with Montagu, might hay,:
E
been made as compl icat ed, without the introduction
of so awkward a did 3roana as the one that is encoun-
tered. Herbert Lis'e is of a noble and generous dis-
position, and reflects ' a lustre upon the story by
his true merit and in trinsic excellerke. Only one
year is consumed in the course of the events de-
scribed, but it is a ye, 7y important and busy one.
In that epoch engagements are contracted, dis-
solved, and recompos 3d. During that space the
heroes and heroines R 'ander to the valley of the
Nile, and the cities of the Holy Land. They re-
turn from their explore ttions to the pyramids and
cataracts of Egypt, an 'd
their pilgrimages to the
temples and shrines of.J 'erusalern, to the retirement
of their English homes, while Elsie Seymour pro-
ceeds to work at her self-imposed task. She is
snatched away by a su, lden death in the midst of
her toil ; but the refl '.ection of her life was a
bright one " among the sisters over whom she had
presided, and also in the circle of her dearest
friends, a halo of light seemed to enshrine and
consecrate the memory o f Elsie Seymour."

The late Sir Edward Tie rney, Bart., whose decease
occurred on the 11th install t, at his residence in Lower
Fitzwillianu-street, Dublin, • vas the brother of the late
Sir Matthew I",erney, Phys ician to King George IV.
and King W;:iliain IV., ar d succeeded to the title in
1845. Thy immediate caw ,®, of Sir Edward's death was
an attar of acute bronchi' originated during the per-
forinwilcwe of his duties as one. of the Crown Solicitors for
Ireland„ on the occasion o f the late special commission
at 'Jan, o. His only sou, Li eutenant-Colonel Tierney.,
who ha d been summoneil from Paris, arrived with Mrs.
Tierr.r,y on Friday morr aml, with Sir Lionel ar.d
LP.dy Darell, and °Vier members of the family, was
eraser it during the las c moments of the lamented baronet.
Trn FORTEICOMIN G TRINITY 'MM.—Yesterday the
lists of rules for the ensuing Trinity Term, commencing
on Thursday next, were exhibited, The aggregate of
the three common, law courts is 132, being a larger num-
ber than appeared at the beginning of Easter Term.
The forthcomitig term is the last before the long vaca-
tion, and it is anticipated that there will be a good deal
~f business Wore the courts. lii the Court of Queen's
Bench there are 45 rules, in the Common Pleas 33, and
in the Court of Exchequer 54. There are in the Court
of Queen's Bench—in the new trial paper, 2 rules for
judgment and 23 for arguMent ; in the special paper, 3
rules for judgment and 7 for argument. The i•ts of
the Common Pleas show 4 demurrers, 2 enlarged ru'es,
and 17 for new trials ; whilst in the Exchequer there
are 7 rules in the peremptory paper, 3 in the special
paper for judgment, and 16 for argument. Of
new trials there are three for judgment and
25 for argument. There has been an increase of busi-
ness in the common law courts, and the profession give
the prefrence to those tribunals. One reason alleged is,
that in an undefended case the coots are only 31. Bs.,
tnd judgment can be obtained in a shorter period than
in the county codas. The true cause probably arises
from the expenditure of costs out of pocket and the dif-
ference in the administration of justice.