The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-07 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS MAGAZINES.

The Eclectic Review is one of the most able of
its kind. If its views are not always the most
liberal, they are at least clearly and sensibly ex-
pressed. The number for March has articles on
" The Fine Arts in France," " The Table Talk of
Samuel Rogers," "Recent Poetry," and various
other topics of general interest, as well as some
more characteristic ones, such as " Guthrie on the
GOSpel in Ezekiel," and a paper ou the " Works
of the Hansard Knollya .Society."—Sharpe's Lon-
don Maga:iine preSents its initial attractions to the
lovers of light reading, in a collection of tales and
sketches, lively and pathetic. The two chief
features are the stories of " The Holy Homes,"
by Silverpe,n,, and, " The
,HiStory of Lorimer
Littlegood," by 'Alfied Cole. The latter poSsesses
the advantage of being illustrated by George
Cruikshank. " Life in a Water Drop" contains
some curious information for those unacquainted
with the marvels that may be found in one.
There is an interesting paper on "Alexander Hum-
boldt," and some amusing remarks on " The
Threatened Fatinction of Ghosts." The ollet
preserves its pre:eminence 'as the • book of the
fashions. It presents its fair readers with four
plates, three of them beautifully coloured,
and presenting a remarkable contrast to the
unfinished and -taviely appearance of most
books of a character. Among the many
cheap serials .that _are now in circulation, Vie
Family Friend is one of the best. The recent
number has a remarkable series of papers by Dr.
Letheby on the' mischievous effects of 'quack me-
dicines. , He subjoins an analysis of the most com-
mon of these preparations. There is also an article
entitled:' Social Frauds," exposing the tricks often
practised on'the unemployed 13/ means of advei-
tisementii.dic.. There are many other useful and
interesting.' subjects 'treated of in this excellent
little magazine Which is published weekly at a
very low price..

Macphail's Edinburgh Ecclesiastical Journal
supplies a number ,of more or less interesting
articles, among which one on "Islamism," a second
on the " Customs and Characteristics of the Jews,"
and a third on "Our Scottish Pulpit," are more
particularly, deserving of notice. The latter has
special application to' Mr. Cain' snd his famous
sermon, which, forcibly inculcating a practical
every-day Christianity, took aimost the entire " re-
' ligious world" by surprise. . Justice, in the writer's
opinion, and we incline to agree with him, has
hardly been done to the consummate skill with
which the masterly art of the preacher is concealed
beneath,.here and there, a somewhat homely utter-
ance. We are disposed, however, to rank Dr.
Guthrie higher than does the reviewer.

ATTEMPTED MURDER AT LlVERPOOL.—Yesterday a
foreigner nanted•Margens Dell, cook on board the ship
City of Mobile, lying in the Bramley-Moore Dock,
, Liverpool, deliberately fired a rifle pistol at John Scan-
lan, a seaman on board the same vessel. The ball
' struck' Scanlan on the hip, shattered the bone, and pass-
ing round dodged in the unfortunate man's abdomen.
He lies in an uncertain condition. Delf is in cust,.dy.
It is not known-why he made the attempt on Scanlan's
life.
DEATH OF THE ASTRONOMER VON BIELA.—The scien-
tific world w5ll learn with regret the death of the eel(
brated astronomer Von Biela, which took place at Venice,
on the 18th of February. ' Wilhelm, Baron von Biela, a
major in the, Austrian army, was bore on his ptternal
estate of Rolla, near Stolberg, in the Hartz mountains,
on the 19th Of March, 1782, and had consequently nearly
completed hii 74th year. ' At an early age he ent( red
the service of Austria, and it was in the year 18'26,
whilst quartered withitia regiment—the 18th Infantry
otthelinesseat the.fittle town of Josephstadt, in Bohe-
mia, that he made the interesting discovery of the comet
(called after hiin) circulating round the sun, between that
lurnicary and the orbit of Saturn. Having retired from
the army he spent the last years of his life in the study of
his favourite science—astronomy—and in constant cor-
respondence with Maedier, Argalander, Humboldt, and
other savans of celebrity. Baron Von Biela was pos-
sessed of a valuable collection of paintings, which afford
a proof of his refined taste and admiration of the fine
arts.
REFORMATORY SOCIETY FOR MlDDLESEX.—Yesterday
a meeting of the Middlesex magistrates was held at
Clerkenwell.Sessions-liouae, presided over by Lord R.
Grosvenor, M.P., for the purpose of considering the pro-
priety of forming a society, to be called the " Middlesex
Society to 'Prdmote the Reformation and Employment
of discharged Criminals." After addresses from the
chairman and Mr. Pownall, it was resolved " That such
a society should be formed, to consist of patrons, a pre-
sident, and a managing committee ; that such committee
be empowered to appoint a treasurer and secretary, and
that the operations of the society should be generally
appli'able to the reformation and employment of pri-
soners upon their discharge from the three prisons of the
county of Middlesex." Other resolutions embodied
further details, and at the conclusion of the meeting
Mr. Allen, the eounty treasurer, honorary secretary to
the society, announced subscriptions to the ansoust
df
210 guitkeas, and annual donations of 21 guineas. Lorii
R. Grosvenorswas, appointed president, awl Air. 4, a.
xeiplog4 tower.