The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-27 00:00:00

WEST VIRGINIA.

The Legislature of the State of Virginia seems to
be in the condition of the unfortunate individual
who has been divorced upon account of the maltreat-
ment of his better-half, and who, after the separa-
tion has been decreed, begins to realise the value of
the jewel which he has lost. Virginia, by bhd con-
duct in 1861, caused the people of a large portion
of her former territory to sever the political ties
which had bound the Old Dominion. They resolved
to be no longer connected with Secessionists and
traitors, and they set up the State of West Virginia
for their own safety. That Commonwealth has been
recognised as a regular member of the family of
States, and has for some months exercised all the
privileges of maturity. .But now old Virginia is
" reconstructed " and " thoroughly loyal " there is
a hankering among the ex-chivalry for the old con-
nection. They want new Virginia to calmly resolve
to give up her existence, and resign her rights to the
old husband. In pursuance of the fond desire of
the Richmond Government, the following tender
language is used by the Legislature :
" Resolved—That the people of Virginia deeply
lament the dismemberment of the ' old State,' and
are sincerely desirous to establish and perpetuate
the reunion of the States of Virginia and West
Virginia, and that they do confidently appeal to
their brethren of West Virginia to concur with them
in the adoption of suitable measures of co-operation
in the restoration of the ancient Commonwealth of
Virginia."
Commissioners have been appointed to urge this
reunion upon West Virginia, and endeavour to
negotiate for the assumption, by the new State, of
a portion of the old State debt. The Commis-
sioners will adopt the language of the celebrated
advertiser in the " personals " of the London
Times, " Sally, come back, come back to your
admiring Thomas ; but, if you won't come back,
at least return the silver spoons."

West Virginia, we imagine, will neither go back
nor agree to pay the debt of the rebellious portion
of the old State. The West Virginians have a
lively recollection of the tyranny which was exer-
cised over the free section of the State before 1861.
They know, too, that they had a majority in favour
of the Union in the Convention of 1861, but that
the State was dragooned into secession by fire-eaters.
They had a specimen of the friendship of their late
brethren, in the invasions of their section, under
Pegram, Lee, Floyd, and various guerilla raids
by vagabonds of lower rank. They had to beat
back their dear brethren at Rich Mountain, Laurel
Hill, Carnifex Ferry, Cheat Mountain. and many
other places. They were denounced as traitors to
the State, and the recapture of the territory of the
State, and the execution of the " traitors" who had
resisted the Richmond treason, was avowed to be a
settled principle of State policy. It was no fault
of Virginia, under Rebel rule, that these threats
were not executed. The only thing in the way was
the presence of United States troops on the " sacred
" soil," which kept the Secessionists busy in defend-
ing their own capital, and which gave no time for
experiments in the western part of the State. The
occupation of Western Virginia would be a very
clever financial operation for the old dynasty. It
would saddle the West with a heavy debt, and ex-
tract the means of lightening the burdens of the
East by heavy taxation on the petroleum interest.
We imagine that the West Virginians have lost all
of their ancient State pride. They will receive
the Commissioners with becoming dignity, and
apprise them that they have no desire to renew the
partnership, and are well content that bygones
shall be bygones.—Anglo-American Times.

CHARLES DILLON i 3 starring at the Arch Theatre,
Philadelphia, playing " Macbeth," " Virginius," " Louis
X 1.," " Richelieu," and " Belphegor."
SEYMOUR'S SON'S ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF
" PICKWICK."—As regards " Pickwick," the ori-
ginal plan was to give the adventures of a club of cockney
sportsmen, and the idea and title of the work was my
father's, who had so far matured his plan as to show it'to
Mr. M'Lean, and afterwards to Mr. Spooner, who had some
idea of publishing it, and proposed that Theodoro Hook
should write the letter-press. We have reason to infer,
from an entry in the artist's book, that the first four plates
were etched before he showed the work, and that they were
afterwards re-etched, and modified, in some degree, to suit
Mr. Dickens's views —which circumstance may account
for the style of his letter to my father, written just after
the first number appeared, where he seems to claim a share
of merit in originating the design :—" 15, Furnival's-inn.
My dear Sir, —I had intended to write you, to say how
much gratified I felt by the pains you have bestowed on
Our Mutual Friend, Mr. Pickwick,* and how much the
result of your labours has surpassed my expectations. I
am happy to be able to congratulate you, the publishers,
and myself on the success of the undertaking, which ap-
pears to have been most complete.—Dear Sir, very truly
yours, CHARLES DICKENS." * A curious juxtaposition,
here, of the titles of Mr. Dickens's last and first work of
fiction !

A MOONLESS MONTH.—The month of February,
1866, was marked in the astronomical calendar as the
month which had no full moon! January had two full
moons and March will have two ; but February has none.
Of course this peculiar conjuncture of periods that makes
the full moon show her face but a few hours before the
month comes in, and again a few hours after the month
goes out, is a rare thing in nature. But how rare do you
suppose, gentle readers ? It has not occurred before in
your lifetime nor ours-:not since the time of Washington ;
not since the discovery of America by Columbus ; no, nor
since the Christian era, not since the fall of Adam, nor
since the creation of the world, unless that bo placed back
some myriads of years. And it will not occur again, ac-
cording to the computation of astronomers, for two millions
and a-half Qf years.