The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-24 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

()i,flines of Scripture, History. By +he Rev. J. •C.

Riddle, M.A. LongMau.
The Rev. Mr. Riddle is well known as an autho.-
rity on Scripture history, and as a writer of reli-
gious works. The present volume consists of an
abridgment of " A Manual of the whole Scripture
history, and of the history of the Jews between the
periods of the Old and New Testaments," for the
use of junior pupils in schools and families. He
found that while his large "manual" was greati)
in favour among college students and intelligent
readers, a simpler and more succinct narrative was
needed for the younger members of schools and
families. He has, therefore, prepared this abridg-
ment, leaving out the notes and notices of contem-
porary history, omitting the appendix and inaes,
and condensing a good deal of the information.
Thus, while much that displayed his ability, and
research, and rendered his large work especially
valuable, has been dispensed with, a clear and
simple narrative has been retained, giving all
necessary information to the young student, and
fully supplying the want felt by teachers and
parents. •

The Parents' Cabinet of Amusement and Instruction.

A new edition. Smith and Elder.
This is the first part of a new edition of this,
useful and agreeable little work, which is a
known ' favourite among juvenile readers. In-
struction and amusement are most
pleasantly
combined, and the information given is precisely
of that kind which children most eagerly seek after;
" A Walk after a Shower," " The Broken Pump,'
and " Sir Humphrey Davy," are among the most
attractive titles. For children under twelve this
little work is admirably suited.

Conversations on England. By Mrs. Kemp, author
of " Rachel Cohen."

This is a very useful and interesting work, in-,
tended to give the young student a correct idea 01
his native country "as it was and is." It is founded
on a novel and ingenious principle. A mother and
her children having begun conversing on the pecu-
liar advantages of England, agree to meet once a
week and discuss each county in turn, each mem-
ber endeavouring meanwhile to collect all the in-
formation he possibly can on the subject. The
geographical boundaries, the antiquities, the his-
torical associations, the manufactories, the popula-
tion, the natural features, and all peculiarities 9r
notabilities of the locality, are fully discussed in
a very interesting and impressive manner. An
attentive perusal of this work will impress on phi,
young reader's mind many important historical
facts. The styli is a little too high-flown, espe-
cially when moral or religious reflections are intro-
duced. dueed. There is scarcely sufficient impartiality
either, in the historical portion. The authoress Is a
staunch royalist, and in all questions relating
to the Civil War her inclinations are veil,
perceptible. Nevertheless her work is a very useful
one, and the quantity of curious information go
has so industriously collected contains much that
will be novel and interesting to elder readers.

The Classification of English Statutes. Edited by
James Bigg. Simpkin and Marshall.
Mr. Bigg has followed up his valuable work of
" The Statute Book for England," recently pub-
lished, by the issue of the two first parts of hI
" Classification of English Statutes," a most useful
and indispensable companion to it. These two parts
relate severally to the acts relating to the pat
stock companies, and to probates and divorce, an
the series will, we presume, include the whole list
of public statutes.

Moore's Irish Melodies. With symphonies anti
accompaniments for the pianoforte. People's
Edition. No. 1. Longman.
Messrs. Longman have conferred a great boor!
upon the lovers of true melody, by their issue ;34
these beautiful melodies in so cheap and accessible
a form. The price of each part is a shilling,
and
and
first number contains 13 airs, whose words
music- both throw far into the shade the fashion-
able productions of more modern days. Among,.
those in this part are the popular favourites,
" The harp that once through Tara's halls, "
not yet," " The last rose of summer, " Rich an
rare were the gems she wore," and many other
whose mere names call up the echo of sweet or
stirring strains. Moore's Irish Melodies, his Na"
tional Melodies, and Sacred Songs have ahead/
been published in handsome volumes, but a cheap
and popular edition was still wanted, and that de-
ficiency is now supplied. The extreme moderation
of the price, and the excellence of the type and
paper, leave nothing to be desired. It will be a
treasure to musical amateurs of limited means.

LYNCH LAW AT READING.

After the trial of Mary Newell, at Reading, °ll.
Wednesday morning, for the murder of her illegiti-
mate child, which was reported in The Sun of Yes"
berday, an incident occurred which unmistakeably
demonstrated the public feeling towards William
,
Francis, who had seduced the unfortunate young
woman, and whose heartless conduct in refusing "`"
give her any relief or afford her shelter led her to
the commission of the crime by which she has for-
feited her life.
During the progress of the trial a general feeling
of sympathy was evinced for the young woman, and
this became the more intense when Francis Was
called and gave his evidence, in which he admitted
that he was the father of the murdered child, and
had refused to render assistance or afford shelter
to the young woman on the night she called
upon him, after walking eight miles with the chihl,
•
Immediately after the trial finished, and the unfe,..kr.
tunate young woman was sentenced to deal
Francis left the hall, and proceeded to the Great
Western Railway station, to go by train to vv"l:
lingford, where he has taken up his residence silo,:
the tragic affair. He was followed by a mob, which
increased as it approached the station, the feeling
becominc, irresistible to wreak vengeance upon thed
fellow who had first seduced the young woman an
then wholly and unmercifully abandoned her'
He had taken his ticket at the office and walked
on to the platform, and was awaiting the arrival
of the train by which to take his departure,
when the crowd burst through the doors of t 11!
office, and drove the heartless fellow back
the road. Here he was instantly grasp
by some young men, who roughly hatred
him, and the cry of some bystanders, " Plea
him," led to his being rolled in te 111,11
in a merciless manner. A pond several yards ute;
low the railway road being espied increased tile
cry for ducking him, and the rough fellows in whose
grasp he was placed him at the top of the enibam)--
ment and pushed him down, in the evident h°tre
that he would experience an immersion in t
horsepond. Francis rolled over and over, but
stopped within a few yards of the pond. The tended object not being answered, an athletic le r
low rushed down the embankment, caught hold e'
Francis by the collar of the coat, and dashed 1111'
into the pond. Francis stood upright, and WT.
about three feet deep in water. He waded throur
the mud and water, and then took to his 11011',:
hoping to escape further ill-treatment. He ran'
across a meadow to the west of the town; but be vii.d
quickly followed by a mob bent upon serie'
mischief. He ran well, and proceeded on the tail"
pike road towards Wallingford, but his dripping_,
clothes prevented his running more than rale'
when he stopped from exhaustion.
In a few minutes he was overtaken by a posse
er
fellows, who handled him in the roughest !nal:md.
imaginable. They dragged him several yards, aria
thrust him into a ditich, in which he was inameiter
in mud full breast deep, and there kept him
above a quarter of an hour. They then
Per-
mitted him to run away, but only to give furtm;
vent to their indignation. Kicks and blows were
dealt out unmercifully, and portions of his cloth_
were torn from him. He ran as well as he Wir
able along the street, but every step he took was feb;
lowed by missiles. When he reached the centre of t
town he was observed to be in state of exhaustion'
and several gentlemen, who feared that his Ili.
would fall a sacrifice to the violence of the infer
ated mob, interposed for his protection, and kex
ssij
.es:
them from inflicting further violence. sor:,
police-officers were in attendance as soon as it ded.
insdiscovered what had happened, and they succee
dg Francis in the police-station tic h°
the infliction of further mischief. tate
When at the station he was found to be in a st to
of semi-nudity, so rough had been the treatineo
which he had been subjected. His forlorn an
abject appearance excited the sympathy °le
few gentlemen, and they sent him a few artlethe
of clothing and also money to enable him in ob
evening to get to his home by train. The Jule&
retreated from the station-house, but wait Ae,
in the adjacent street a long time afterwarr;
expecting him to leave to proceed by train to INlte,
lingford. The police, however, found it to
,eO.
dangerous for Francis to leave the station, ,Lero.
under an escort of the Wilole force, and they.toe in
fore determined upon avoiding his aPPearillgthe
the streets under their protection. Through it
good management of Mr. Superintendent Peek,
was arranged for Francis to leave in a clandestilleet
manner. The crowd being kept considerably
bay, Francis was enabled to leave the station lifb
rfl
observed, and as it was apprehended that the uto
would again assemble near the railway station
effect another capture, a vehicle was procured, au,
the wretched creature was driven several miles 017
of town, and thus allowed to get home without
fm Vier mole Station.