The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, 1869.

--------_ _
feeling on both sides of the Atlantic might moderate.
By the 25th of September this desirable result, ac-
cording to Mr. DKr, had been attained, and the time
for resuming parley was accordingly come. The
United States were ready " to consider propositions
from the British Government." No doubt; but
England had already made an offer, it had
been accepted by the accredited represen-
tative of the other party, and the Senate almost
unanimously rejected the resulting treaty. The cir-
cumstances were such that there can be little
doubt of the right of England to close the question
for ever, and to refuse further discussion, no matter
on what terms. In any event, if we do consent to
reopen the controversy, the next advances must
surely come from the other side. And such was the
tenor of Earl CLARENDON'S reply, dated November
6. The honour of the nation is concerned in adher-
ing to this resolution. To refuse our offer and then
expect us to begin again may be very natural to
the Americans ; but it would be contrary to English
nature to fall in with this notion. As Earl CLAItENDON
says, the basis on which the United States will
negotiate must be clearly intimated before the ques-
tion can be gone into again. And though it will be
gratifying, of course, to put an end to the question,
it is not easy to see how, with any pretence to
honour or consistency, we can concede more than the
very large measure already given.

VERY gratifying and seasonable is the news jus
received of the remarkable progress of Christianity in
Madagascar. That island was long remarkable
for the dreadful treatment accorded to mis-
sionaries and native Christians. Some of
the former established themselves in the country
previously to 1816, and under a moderately
humane, though selfish king, the work of conversion
went on with rapidity. But RADAMA, as the
Sovereign was called, soon died, and for a long series
of years ending 1862, the great island was under the
absolute dominion of a sanguinary woman named
RANAVALA. This despot closed the missionary schools,
drove away the ministers, put many of the native
Christians to death with great tortures, and compelled
the rest to find a miserable refuge in inland fast-
nesses. A weak-minded king who succeeded RANA-
VALA was put to death in 1863. The Queen who
now reigns has inaugurated a new era. Of her ante-
cedents it is sufficient to say that they were in strict
accordance with the habits and morals of her race ;
but her later doings deserve the highest praise. She
first tolerated Christians, then she encouraged them,
and now she has joined the " white " faith herself.
She became a Christian early in the present year, the
aristocracy followed, then the people of the province
in which the capital was situated, and ere now
the Reformation has doubtless spread through
the entire land. In order to fully establish
the new religion it was necessary to first remove the
old one. This task, always a difficult one, even for a
ruler, was triumphantly accomplished by the QUEEN.
The priests threatened, but the nobles supported the
Sovereign ; whilst the people stood still. When the
priests came to the royal residence to assert their rights,
a party of officials was sent off privately to destroy the
great Madagascar idol. In the absence of the priests
the monstrosity was brought out in state before the
wondering people. The great god consisted of
nothing more than a small piece of wood with
a piece of silk, about three feet long and
three inches wide attached on each side. The
people, contemptible as was their object of adoration,
believed it invincible ; but it disappeared in the fire,
and the downfall of idolatry was complete. Other
images followed ; and soon the people were without
an object of worship, and calling loudly for one. It
was found that of 280 towns in the capital province,
120 were provided with churches, and a supply of
teachers was at once forthcoming for the remainder.
Thus the victory of Christianity is complete. The
consequences, in a country so vast, and so contiguous
to great and almost unexplored territories, ought to
be highly important.

NEVER perhaps did Christmas find the aspect o.
the world more pacific. We are not, it seems, to be
blessed with the disarmament project announced a
few days ago; but there are at least no signs of any
serious rupture. If Europe is not to be relieved from
the burden of its armaments, they are at all
events inactive, and likely to remain so.
The state of affairs is singularly reassuring.
At home, the threatening aspect of Irish law-
lessness has passed away in great measure, and the
festive season is marked by that dulness which in-
variably precedes the Parliamentary session, in the
absence of exciting foreign events. France is occu-
pied with the important, but not alarming, question
as to whether M. DE FORCADE or M. OLLavfnn shall
be the EMPEROR'S lieutenant—whether, that is, the
old style of personal rule is to be kept up a little
longer, or the moderate Reform policy make further
advances. Prussia is chiefly concerned with that
regular occupation of European Governments,
getting rid of a financial deficit. Russia,
true to her old policy, is looking after her
own business. Austria, whose history just now
presents the most interesting features of foreign
politics, is troubled with a Ministerial state of uncer-
tainty, not to say a crisis, and with the aspirations of
those small nationalities who desire to share the
privileges which have been granted to Hungary. In
Italy a Ministry has just been formed. This infant
Government was received into the world with the
gratifying prediction that it would not exist a month ;
and unless Signors LANZA and SELLA abandon the de-
plorably bad system of government adopted by their
predecessors, the forecast may not unlikely prove true.
Repressive and tyrannical measures, heavy army ex-
penditure, and the extravagance in Court and official
circles, represented the policy of the fallen Ministers.
Let the new corners take warning by the example.
From Spain comes nothing but the old story, that
the Spaniards want a King, and nothing but a King,
but yet cannot find one. Lastly, the temporary settle-
ment of the Turco-Egyptian dispute leaves Europe
without even the shadow of a quarrel. All that we can
wish is that nothing disagreeable may be done at Rome.
If the sons of the Apostles can manage to keep the
peace, there need be no apprehension about the sons
of men. It is true that there is a little insurrection
here and a certain turbulence there. The Republi-
cans in Spain have not yet forgotten their recent
defeat. The Dalmatians are considering whether
they will do better to give in at once or fight a little
longer. The Danes who are incorporated with Prussia
are stewing more serious signs of discontent.
Finally, the discovery of Socialist plots in Russsia
proves that the Muscovite Empire has so far advanced
in ideas as to possess a few equality thinkers. But these
things are not worth mentioning, save as testimony
to the healthy condition of the European body ; for
as mankind cannot exist without fighting, so these
small outbreaks are to be regarded as safety-valves in
the absence of more serious business.
Amongst other pacific symptoms, we are promised
or threatened—it is not clear which word is most
appropriate—with another attempt to settle the
Alabama question. From the correspondence which
President GRANT has sent to the United States'
Senate, it is clear that the energies of the
English and American diplomatists were by
no means exhausted by the heavy work
of preparing the JOHNSON-CLARENDON Treaty, nor
their spirits damped by the unceremonious reception
which their remarkable production met with at
Washington. It was a strange chapter in diplomatic
history. The British Government yielded well-
nigh all that they had previously refused ; and
the Americans refused the free gift of , almost
all that they had previously asked. Mr. JOHNSON,
in spit© of his dinner-eating, overmatched our states-
men, and the discerning authorities at home abused
him for it ! Of course the Senate at the time was
confifient in its wisdom, but it does not seem that
the 1. LT, ie of above half a year has served to dissipate
its doll ision, which was shared by the new Govern-
ment az d the American nation generally. On the
15th of May last, Mr. Fisir, President GnANT's
Secreta; y of State, informed Mr. MOTLEY that the
Goys rat lent " had abandoned neither its claims nor
its ltopet lof a speedy settlement." The Secretary
advc,catec 1 a brief delay in order that public
L

ROYAL LABORATOO, IVOOLTVICIL

The persons employed in the Royal Laboratory
assembled in the model room of the Royal Labora-
tory, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, on Thursday even-
ing, for the purpose of presenting Col. Boxer, on
his retirement, with a testimonial of their high
esteem and regard, in the shape of a silver table
centrepiece and candelabra, manufactured by Mr.
Smith, of King-street, Covent-garden. Capc.V. 1).
Majeudie, Royal Artillery, As3istant-Superintendent
Royal Laboratory, in presenting the testimonial to
Col. Boxer, said that 15 years ago Col. Boxer was
called in at a time of great emergency to help the
country through a great difficulty. What he had
done could best be told in the words of a gentle-
man, a member of the present Government, who at
the time held the responsible position of Clerk of
the Ordnance :

" In the month of April last I was for a short time
the only officer at the Ordnance, and from returns
which I called for I saw clearly that in the event of
any large expenditure of shell in any military or
naval operations we should have been entirely un-
able to supply the wants of the service. I sent for
Capt. Boxer, and, pointing out to him the danger of
our position, told him that some means must at once
be found to improve it. He pledged himself to
place the department in five weeks in a position to
supply any number of shells that would be required,
at an expenditure of about £B,OOO. He also pledged
himself to such a saving in the work as would in
six months be sufficient to pay the whole cost of the
proposed factory. The annexed letter, forwarded
in October last by Colonel Wilson, clearly shows
that Captain Boxer's expectation's were more
than realised, that the department was relieved
of all danger, and that in the present year a
sum of at least £40,000 has been saved
to the public. It is almost unneeessary to observe
that such great results could have been been at-
tained only by the union of great ability, great
scientific knowledge, and great energy." The
Secretary of state for War (Lord Panmure) had
said on this occasion,—"To the untiring zeal of
Captain Boxer I am delighted to confess my means
of keeping up the fire before Sebastopol was en-
tirely owing." If Col. Boxer had stopped here—if
be had retired without doing another stroke of work
—he would have earned a just title to the gratitude
of the Department which he had saved from dis-
grace and, the country which he had saved from
danger. For 15 yeats he had laboured to raise the
character of our war material to a standard of ex-
cellence and simplicity unattained in any other
country, and opposed the introduction or retention
in the service of complex, costly, and inefficient
stores. Captain Majendie, in conclusion, expressed
a hope that, though absent in body, Colonel Boxer
might still be with them in spirit, and the friend-
ship which bound them and which had brought
them together that night might connect them, how-
ever distinct and distant their future paths might
be. Colonel Boxer, in reply, referred gratefully
and gracefully to the astdstancephich in his
early years—ten years before he had any official
connection with the Royal Laboratory—he received
from some of those who now stood before him.
He ascribed the success which had attended his ad-
ministration to the skill of his fellow-workers, to
their zeal and devotion to the service, and to the
observance of the principles which had ever governed
his conduct of the Department—of placing trust
and confidence iu those under him, and not inter-
fering more than necessary with the details of their
special work. After he had concluded his remarks
those present gave him three hearty cheers, and
three cheers more, and thus appropriately brought
to a conclusion proceedings which must have been
as gratifying to Col. Boxer as they were honourable
to all concerned.

THE FIRE AT ST. PANCRAS.

LITERATURE, SCIENCE, ART, (f-c.

(From the Atheneum)
There is good news for literary antiquaries this week.
A fragment of about 800 lines of an early History of the
Holy Graal, in alliterative verse, has been found in the
noble Vernon MS., in the Bodleian, by the well-known
editor of Early English texts, the Rev. Walter W. Skeat.
The fragment is without beginning or end, hut it describes
chiefly the wondrous shield prepared by Evalash or Mor-
dreins (Slow-of-Belief) for his descendant, Sir Galahad.
Its position in the romance is easily ascertained by refe-
rence to Lonelich's translation of Robert of Borron's
French Romance, edited for the Roxburghe Club by Mr.
Furnivall.:This alliterative Graal fragment will go to
press at once for the Early English Text Society.
The original of Chaucer's " Man of Law's Tale of Con-
stance" has been proved to be, as Professor G. Stephens,
of Copenhagen (in his " Fi3rteckning," Stockholm, 1847, p.
20), said it was, in an early French Chronicle in the
National Library at Stockholm. In this chronicle the
Constance Story occupies eighteen quarto leaves (155-173).
The story has been much abridged by Chaucer, but all his
incidents, and some of his reflections are in the original.
That refers frequently to a chronicle of the Sessons, or
Saxons, whence it took the story ; and the French Chroni-
cle even quotes in English ("• en sa lanyaye") the words of
Constance to the blind beggar,when she " gives himhis sight
again," as Chaucer says, 1. 4982. We may thus hope that
some day the English original of the French chronicle may
turn up. In most pleasing contrast with the selfishness
which disgraces at least one English collector, the Swedish
authorities have, at the instance of their librarian, the
Chevalier Flemming, most generously sent their MS. over
to England, and deposited it with the Keeper of the
Manuscripts in the British Museum for the use of the
Chaucer Society's editors. For this society the Constance
episode will be forthwith copied and printed, with a trans-
lation, and a comparison of Chaucer's treatment of it.
We mentioned some while ago Messrs. Moxon and Co.'s
plan of a series of English poets, at a cheap price, to be
edited by Mr. W. M. Rossetti. It had been intended to
issue some of the volumes of this series within the current
year ; but the present idea is to wait until next summer,
and then to publish the whole set of volumes, about
twenty, altogether. Seven of the volumes are to be selec-
tions ; the others will, of course, make no pretension to
forming a complete body of the English poets, but need
not be the less acceptable on their own showing. The
earliest writer included in the series, as at present
sketched out, is Milton; Professor Longfellow is the
latest ; but the series may be extended should it be found
to meet a public requirement. The volumes will have a
fair complement of illustrations. Mr. Rossetti supplies a
condensed notice, mainly biographical and partly critical,
to each poet. In the volumes of selections he will have a
wider field for expatiating in.
The work of making the Darien Canal is soon to begin.
The United States screw steamer Nipsic has been ordered
to convey a surveying party to the isthmus, and the store-
ship Guard will carry the provisions, tents, and scientific
apparatus of the party from the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
There is a dispute as to the boundaries of New Granada
in Columbia. The Brazilian Boundary Commission has
attempted to include the river Putumayo, to the mouth of
a stream called Guequi. It also claims the mouth of the
Iza. The New Granada Government denies this.
The Royal Society, at their last meeting before the
Christmas holidays, did honour to themselves and to a
famous captain by electing Lord Napier of Magdala a Fellow
of the society.
We understand that the new telescope to be used as
refractor or reflector, constructed for the Royal Society by
Grubb and Son, of Dublin, will be ready for trial by the
end of the present year. It was ordered last July, and
those who know anything of the operations required for the
production of a large and perfect instrument will under-
stand that the manufacturers have not been idle. Mr.
Huggins is building his observatory to suit the telescope,
and we may expect in the course of the coming year to
hear of his making fresh spectroscopic discoveries by aid of
the new appliances.
It appears that the preliminary Report of the Scientific
Exploration of the Deep Sea, drawn up by the three
naturalists engaged in it, is shortly to be published in the
"Proceedings" of the Royal Society. Readers will then have
an opportunity of judging in how far certain off-hand con-
clusions as to a disturbance of geological theories is sup-
ported by the facts set forth in the report. For the present
we confine ourselves to stating that the questions raised
are undergoing lively discussion, and that physical science
as well as natural history will gain by the results of the
expedition.

THE PENALTY OF BEING IMPERIAL.—That she-
monkey brought from the East by the Empress of the
French has begun to pay the penalty of the greatness
which has been thrust upon it. No less than fifteen photo-
graphers, who are all announced as " devoted to the
reigning dynasty," have applied for the honour
of perpetuating the feature of this new member
of the Imperial House. If the right should
be accorded to any of them, we shall not only pity the
poor little quadruman the torture of having to sit still
for its portrait, but we may also inspect with some interest
the series of portraits of the Imperial family which may
appear in shop-windows and in albums. Will the series
hereafter be held as complete without the picture of this
female monkey, which is now the talk of Paris, and which,
now that the Emperor's faithful dog ift mentioned no
longer, is more identified with the dynasty than any other
living thing which is not of its blood?
LUTHER AT EISENACH.—At two we started for
Eisenach, a quaint and foreign-looking town, overlooked
by the Wartburg, famous and interesting as having been
Luther's "prison," or more properly speaking, stronghold,
for a season. Half an hour's brisk walking brought us from
the station to the summit of the eminence on which The
castle stands. The date of the oldest portion of the building
lies as far back as the 11th century, having been founded
in 1067. One portion has been restored within the last
six years. The judgment-hall is frescoed with represents,
tions of various events in the lives of the several Land-
oyes to whom the castle has belonged. The chapel is
sithly coloured. The roof is of a deep blue, bespangled
with golden stars. From a painted glass window of early
date a " dim religious light" is cast over the several objects
of interest—the pulpit from which Luther preached :so
boldly,tho ancient seats of carved oak, the crimson-oovered
altar. The banqueting hall is very handsome,with polished
oaken floors, and walls decorated in the mediaeval style.
The apartments in the tower were then occupied by the
Grand Duke of Gotha ; so that we could not see them.
Quitting, therefore, that portion of the castle, we followed
our guide to the quarter in which Luther's room is still to
be seen in its original condition. The great splash of ink
en the wall where ho is said to have beheld the devil in
Arid persona tempting him, has been more than once
tenowed, and as often carried away by visitors piecemeal.
It exists no more ; but the broken plaster shows where it
Once was. The square, rudely-built oaken table, at which
Mc Reformer wrote his translation of the Bible, stands
ever against the door. The edge is bound with iron, to
Prevent its being further hacked and def%ced by eager
chippers. Beneath it reposes a mammoth stone, used by
Luther as his footstool! Ina recess stands a wooden bed-
stead, to represent that in which ho slept; but the four
posts pre all that remain of the original, they say. An
antique-looking stove, covered with bright green glazed
tiles projects far into the room. The walls are adorned
with portraits of Luther and his parents, and some auto-
graphs of the former, framed and glazed, dated respectively
1533 and 1539. The lattice-window looks upon the moun-
tain ridges of the Thuringerwald. As we gazed forth, car-
ried tack in thought nearly three centuries and a half, the
sun sank like a golden ball behind a forest-clad peak, and
we turned to Those the cell, that we might descend th,e
1491111tain-side by daYlighto-01i4c71 4r9Y2'3t

An enormous saving will be effected in plain, fanny, and
commercial stationery, by dealing with the manufacturers,
Perkins and (lotto, who receive the papers direct from the mill,
and cut, press, and finish it upon the premises, employlng UP
wards of 150 hands. They undertake to supply the public with
largo or small quantities at a trifling advance upon the cost. A a
an example, a ream of 180 sheets of Note Paper for Is. 500 En •
velopes for 2s. 3d. Samples and price list post free. Parkins
and (lotto, manufacturing stationers, 24 and 25 Oxford-es reet,

THE BISHOP OF ROCHESTER ON THE

OFFERTORY.

The Daily News thus comments upon the fatal firo at .....
St. Pancras :—" Christmas Day has this year been marked
Dr. Claughton, in his recent charge, thus refers to the
by an appalling calamity, the death of a mother and five
weekly offertory :—.` The offertory is as much a part of the
children by fire. In the topmost story of a lodging house
service as the prayers are, or the Psalms, or the reading
in one of the crowded streets of St. Pancras, a poor woman,
and preaching of the Word The distribution of it is in
who had only been confined on the Sunday before, lay
the elected representatives of the people, the church-
helpless and untended ; her nurse had gone out, but four
'wardens, jointly with the minister. Some look upon it as
of her own children and another who had been brought ,
a kind of forcible distraining upon our goods. How
in to play with them were in the room with her. I
grievously they err in this! It is the very idea of a volun-
A fire broke out in the room just beneath hers, the
tart' offering, made to God, approved by God. Some grudge
tenants of which had gone out, leaving their door locked, .
the few minutes added to the service, as though it were an
and by the time it was discovered it had filled the stair- :
undue encroachment on our time. I would ask them
case leading to the rooms above with smoke, so that it i
to consider one thing, i.e., the time expended by men
could not be ascended. No one seems to have heard any 1
of business, who can ill spare tho time, in going round to
outcry, and it is supposed that the poor woman and the
1 !the houses or offices of the better sort of the parishioners
little ones were suffocated before the flames reached them.
to collect their subscriptions. I say days of valuable time
It may be hoped so. The inquest will probably throw !are thus consumed in the world, which might all be saved,
some light on the possibility of saving the unfortunate
If our Christian congregations could agree to make their
family at the time when the discovery of danger
gifts in God's house as is appointed. Some men say that
was first made. The report leaves the impression that if
, this method is utterly inadequate to meet the wants of
anyone who had had experience of fires, and knew the
i the case. Might it not be made wholly adequate, and that
best way of passing through smoke, had made a
ply, by throwing upon it our church expenses
courageous attempt, the family might have been saved. I very sim
When the fire-escape arrived the flames had acquired of whatever kind, and then throwing ourselves
into it so as to defray them ? Of course we may
such ascendancy that the apparatus no sooner
throw expenses upon it, and having no faith in it hold
touched the building than it caught fire. The alarm
I back, and lose our venture. But let us boldly say to one
supply of the water of the New River Company was
was given at 8.20, .and in a few minutes an abundant
another,l " This is a mode indicated" (I do not say co-
manded, but indicated) " in Holy Scripture ; we will nuke
afforded; but under our present wretched arrangements
this was of no use without an engine, and the first engine trial of it ;we will lay by us in store every week as God
has blessed us, and will cast our offering into the plate as
did not arrive until half an hour had elapsed, and was
not at work until ten minutes after that. With a high 1 God's portion of our blessing, and we will teach our
pressure water service the water would, in this case, have . children the same." No greater pleasure to a child, no
been poured upon the house half an hour before it was or . better teaching for a child, that it may learn what is
due to God, than to give something out of its little
could be.
treasure for God's glory. In no very long time our chil-

dren will become our teachers by their bountifulness.
Their unselfish nature, or their nature, if selfish, acted on
by Divine grace (you believe that God's grace doth act upon
children's heart's), will expand in our very sight, in
this simple act of giving. They will be our remem-
brancers on the Lord's day morning, not to forget God's
house, God's poor, the homeless, the sick, the destitute. I
say there is a blessing in the Offertory in this respect,that
it teaches the children of the very covetous to give. You
rejoice to hear your children sing God's praise. By the
same law you will rejoice to see your children give to
God's glory. I will trust the offertory for this grace of
giving habitually as we can afford. In it we have the
poor always with us. In it we learn to think of the
preacher of the Gospel, who must live of the Gospel, and
of the whole household of faith. I have seen men and
women learn this lesson by it, that their goods are not
their own, but God's; that they are God's stewards. I
deny that it is inadequate to supply the wants of the
Church in any place, if the people will only support
it by common consent and endeavour. This is all
that is wanting! nothing but a good heart and faith, if
Christ's love be in us. Why should a farmer in a rural
parish say, " There are only I and two or three others to
give, we won't have the offertory here? " I ask you why
you should not give your gifts in that way, if it is a right
way ? I ask you why your labourer, and your servant that
serves you, should not give his penny in that way, if it is
a right way? I ask you why it is better that those who
are well-off in a parish should meet together and agree
what to subscribe, instead of doing this simple thing which
St. Paul suggested ?"

THE SITE OF THE FLEET PRISON.—The Com-
mon Council have agreed to convey to the London, Chatham,
and Dover Railway Company, for the sum of £60,000 tho
freehold interest of the corporation in a piece of ground
on the east side of Farringdon-street, the Bite of the late
Fleet Prison.

A PRINCE ON lIIS ASSASSINATION.—A few days
since the Moscow public were thrown into a state of con-
sternation by a circumstantial and apparently well-
authenticated report that Prince Yury Nikolaievitch
Galatzin, a distinguished member of St. Petersburgh
society, had, while travelling in the central pro-
vinces of Russia, been surprised one night by three men
disguised as monks, cut down, and despatched with great
barbarity. And while everyone was shuddering over
this appalling recital, a few days ago there appeared
in the Moscow News a letter from the murdered
man himself (whose powers of composition seemed
no whit deteriorated by the operation) to the
following effect :—" Sir,—l have just read, with no small
entertainment, the minute details of the barbarous murder
of which I was the victim in the town of Kozlov, a few
days after my arrival in St. Petersburg, the assassins being,
I believe, ' three men disguised as monks' The fact of my
being here, alive and well, renders it probable that I was
not the person assassinated ; but I am fairly informed,
through official sources, that the existence of these three
worthies is somewhat dubious, no one in Kozlov having
either scen them or met anyone who has. I am, therefore,
somewhat inclined to doubt the accuracy of the informa-
-1 tion.—l am, &c.",

A NEW WORK ON THE MARVELLOUS BOY

Dr. Daniel Wilson's book on Chatterton, just published, is
remarkable as being the first biography of the marvellous
boy in which the house in which he perished is correctly
pointed out. An examination of the old rate-collector's
books of the parish of St. Andrew's, Holborn, for the
year 1770, for which we are indebted to a correspondent
of the Atheneum, has clearly demonstrated that
" Mrs. Angell, the sackmaker," from whose house
in Brooke-street, Holborn, the poet's latest letters
were dated, resided at No. 39 in that street, a few doors
from Holborn, on the left hand side. It is an old red
brick house, which has evidently undergone no important
change since the Bristol boy died by his own hand in one
of its garrets. Hitherto every biographer—and even Mr.
Peter Cunningham, that laborious literary antiquary—has
for no reason that we know of, mentioned No.
4 as the residence of Mrs. Angell, a house which
has long ago disappeared. It is curious that Mr.
Phillips's famous picture of Chatterton's death
represents St. Paul's in the distance through the
garret window, which was a possible thing from
the garret of No. 39, but quite impossible from that of
No. 4, for Chatterton's room, as we know, looked on to
the street, while the front windows of No. 4 must have
turned their backs on the City. The discovery will save
the artist from the reproach of a blunder. It is also
noticeable that Dr. Wilson fully accepts, as indeed it
would be difficult not to do, the arguments which have
been advanced to shew that the very full and circum-
stantial report of the inquest on Chatterton, which cheated
Dr. Maitland and Professor Masson into writing elaborate
essays, is an impudent forgery.
TRAGIC END OF A MASK.—Towards midnight,
when all were half mad with wine, De Guisay suggested
a mask. These things, rough as they were, were usually
pre arranged. Everybody knew when to look for the
maskers, and, in most instances, who they were. But the
marriage had been too hasty for this ; nobody now ex-
pected anything of the kind; and the King took the hint
all the more eagerly. He retired, unobserved by the
crowd with De Guisay and four other wild ones—
scions all of the noblest houses in France. The
projector of mischief had a quantity of tot
and a pitch-pot in readiness, and the tight dresses
of the group were speedily covered with a very good imi-
tation of the shaggy hide of the bear. Masks for the face
were always at hand, and thus the travestie was effected
in a very few minutes. Five of the gang were then bound
together by means of a silken rope cut from the tapestry,
and the sixth, the King, led them into the hall, where
the thing took amazingly. " Who are they ? " was
the general cry ; but that, of course, nobody could
tell. At this instant entered the wildest of all the
wild Dukes of Orleans. Hearing of the superior order of the
fun going on at the palace, he had left his own amuse-
ments in another quarter, and hurried thither. He found
the torch-bearers ranged close along the walls and the in-
quisitive company gathered round the maskers. " Who are
they?' hiccupped the three-parts intoxicated prince.
" We'll soon find that out." And snatching a torch from
one of the bearers, he stag;ered forward. Some gentle-
men attempted to stay him, but he was obstinate and
quarrelsome, and refused to be restrained, except
by main force ; and as this was not to be thought of
with a prince of the blood, however fuddled or miselliev-
ous, they gave way. The prince lowered his torah to
examine the nearest of the maskers. But hand and foot
being equally unsteady, he brought the flame in contact
with the tow, and the group was instantly in a bright
flame. Presence of mind, or common sobriety on the
part of spectators or actors, might have averted the
results. But there was none of the latter there, and
but two instances of the former. The youthful consort
of the aged Duke of Berry seized the King, and envelor «A,
him in her ample robe ; thus he was saved. Another of
the maskers, the young Lord of Nantouillet, noted for
strength and agility, rent the silken rope with a wrench
of his strong teeth—pitched himself like a meteor through
the next window, and plunging into a cistern in the court,
escaped with scarce a scar. As for the other four, they
dragged hither and thither through the horrified mob,
fighting with each other and the flame, and
uttering the most awful shrieks. Men who had gone un-
faltering through a hundred fights sickened at the sight,
.4,nd women fainted by scores. Roused by the uproar, all
Paris was soon afoot in wild excitement, and crowded
round the palace. A hundred reports were current—that
the princes wore engaged in deadly strife being the ono
most credited. At last the flame burnt out, and the four
maskers lay a black and writhing heap on the floor.—
Carnhill Magazine for January.