The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-08 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Mervyn Clitheroe. No. IX. By W. Harrisonl
Ainsworth.
Thecuriosity of the reader is by this time piqued
almost beyond endurance, as to the possible t esult
of the intricate plot of Mervyn Clitheroe. Accord-
ing to a scarcely credible intimation of Malpas Sale's,
at the close of the new number before us, the true
will of old I7ncle Moberly—miking Mervyn his /
heir, and depriving Malpas of his otherwise secure
inheritance—is destroyed. The confusion, indeed,
in the story is by this time worse confounded. Mrs.
Mervyn is said to be dying. Apphia is apparently
denied to the hero by a rash promise extorted
from her by her mother, Mrs. Brideoake. It seems
uncertain whether John will live to espouse Ora
—and dubious even yet, to some extent, as to the
match really coming off after all between the ami-
able elderly spinster (sister of old Hazy), and
Cuthbert Spring, the merry gentleman. Three
more .• instalments of the serial will clear
up all uncertainties and will doubtless bring
the tale to a happy conclusion. In which event
poetical justice demands for Malpas the most igno-
minious exposure, for Puwnall something worse
than a sousing in the horse-pond, and for Phaleg,
Olud, and Penninah a collective puni,hment
little short of transportation. As for Mrs. Bride-
oake, it is to be hoped that her pride, if not
her neck may be broken somehow opportunely.
Everybody, of course, reco2,nises the father of the
hero in the officer who makes his appearance with
the old Batchelor friend at Mervyn's rural fete—.
Colonel Clitheroe, fur some unimaginable reason,
masquerading for a whilo under the psuedonym
f Major Atherton. We look forward to the
acknowledgmen.;:of his identity with pleasant anti-
cipations. ,

ST. JAMES'S HALL.—The Vocal Association com-
menced a t eries of six subscrvion concerts last night
in this new and splendid hall. The programme,
sel-cted entirely from the works of Mendelssohn, was
one of the highest excellence—such, indeed, as might
have been expected • from the classical taste of Mr.
Benedict. There was a numerous and efficient orchestra,
led by Mr. Blagrove ; and amon-g the solo performers,
vocal and ineite urnental, were MOlllB of the most eminent
that,
na A
ofsso
a
very inferior
f the day. C,,ncerts of this refined description are'
calculated to egtatlitsob
be
ee
hopedrepute chfa the
t may be encouraged in St. James'
Flail,
of wbicb, when c,rtain itmispensable .modifica-
tions are effected, the metropolis will have just reason
proud.
elation
Lblibsre
to b 3
GAZA.T WESTEDN OP CANADA. RAILWAY COMPANY.--
roe halt-yearly general ink eting of shareholders in this
company was held at the London Tavern, Bishop-gate-
re ter ; Mr. Robert Gill, chairman of the
IBtoacrt,i 5 e
of Directors, in the chair. The report stated
hat the traffic for the pat half-year, as compared with
f,t,e corresponding period of 1857. showed a decrcaQc of
32,248/. 3s. Bd., which is only 12,6241. 6s. SJ. lees than
he wevi,ll4 six mouthy. After some discussion, the
report was unanimously adopted. A. dividend el 5i per
cent. was then declared payable on April 28th, on all
shares registered in the London books on Match 22nd,