The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-05 00:00:00

SIU WALTER. SCOTT.

Ardent admirers of Sir Walter Scott are lamenting
the neglect with which he is treated by this generation.
Among others the Prime Minister has added his
voice to the general lamentation. There is a great
deal of exaggeration, however, m what has been said
about the dusty cover of the Border poet, and a great
deal of truth. In this cynical age the romantic tone
of the " schoolboy's poet " is hardly likely to be the
one most in favour ; and the author of " Pon Juan,"
with all his faults, takes precedence of the author
of " Marmion." But the latter is not alto-
gether forgotten, as some would have us believe.
His novels are still read very widely, if his poetry is
somewhat neglected, and there will be many to take
up enthusiastically the proposal for celebrating in
August 1871 the centenary. Our experience in the
Shakspere case makes us rather shy of such
festivals. But they manage these things
better in Scotland—witness the case of Burns—
and are hardly likely to quarrel as they of
S tratf or d- on-Avon did.

NOTES.

The court-houses of Ireland are not regarded w:th
the reverence with which we look upon " the place
where our judges sit." But the idea of a member of
the bar refreshing, the tired energies of jury, counsel,
and public by reading his election address while the
judge is at luncheon strikes us as rather novel. This
was done by Mr. Barnes in the Dublin Court-
house while the petition as to Sir Arthur Guinness
was being heard. " With elocutionary powers
peculiarly his own," says a Dublin cor-
respondent, "he declared the course of action
he meant to pursue if returned to Par-
liament. Among other measures which he
intended to propose for the benefit of the country
was the arraignment of the Attorney-General for
prosecuting the Fenians, and the unconditional
liberation of the prisoners, not on the ground of
expiation of the offence or of clemency, but
because they were innocent of the crime laid to
their charge. The laughter and applause which
this harangue produced probably startled t'ie
learned judge, who, suddenly appearing on the
bench some minutes before the appointed time,
cut short the oration by calling out in stentorian
tones for the sheriff. Mr. Barnes, on perceiving his
lordship, made a rapid exit, and the police and
sheriff were severely reprimanded for allowine the
finish
disturbance
his sherry and san. The learneddw ic judhes.e g then went batik tA.
"
The appeal .against the decision of the court in the
case of Augustine Costello has gone in favour of the
Crown. So that amiable Fenian will have to serve
out his term of imprisonment.

TILE REFORM LEAGUE.
The Reform League does not intend to cease
to exist as yet. Indeed, it never thought
Jf such a thing. The resolution was only a blind,
after all. Its terms will, perhaps, be remembered
That while this committee still holds manhood
suffrage to be the proper basis for the franchise, the
organisation will terminate when certain other thing'
short of manhood suffrage have been obtained. Or,
in other words, It is no good agitating for
manhood suffrage any longer. Nobody listens to us,
or cares for what we are doing, but if we change our
foundation and "go in" for moderation, we may
still maintain a position. The leading men of the
League, however, were very much opposed to the
basis of the organisation being changed, and the
resolution was shelved by the passing of "the pre-
vious question."