The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONIiONI MONDA Y EVENING, DECEMBER 10, 1866.

phantasmagorian views we should only be lured
further into the dreary desert of despotism." In
commenting upon those mistaken politicians he
shadows forth a great deal of the causes which have
accorded to Prussia such success in the present
year. IVaverers have been caught, and doubtful
men have been seduced from their allegiance by
the spacious sophistries of Berlin ; that majority of
the world which always goes over to the winning
side has declared loudly for the supremacy of
Prussia, and here many doubts and misrepresenta-
tions have arisen.

We cannot see the good that can arise from this
misrepresentation of evil, and those who persist in
putting white for black, and sweet for bitter, in the
case of Prussia, are doing great injury to the sacred
cause of truth, and insulting the supreme majesty
of justice. It seems almost impossible to understand
why such perversity should have seized upon so
many minds, and nothing that any one can do or
say appears likely to disabuse them. There is great
force in this passage about truckling to triumphs
which deserve no need of encouragement or
applause. " What demoralisation would corrupt
national and party life if this inclination of having
before men success became general." We com-
mend the arguments of this writer to the notice of
all who have been mystified by the plausible argu-
ments of BISMARCK about German unity and such
like clap-trap. As he very properly remarks, the
" loftiest political phraseology of the needle-gun
enthusiasts shall not make us forget that we are still

in the midst of the struggle." This is an exact
definition of the state of things in Germany. It is

a struggle, neither more nor less, and it will soon be
seen whether the German nation is to advance or to
retrograde. If the policy of BISMARCK is carried out in
its entirety, there will be a great wrong done to pro-
gress ; but if, as may be the case, that wilful states-
man be checked in his career, the States of Germany
will have an opportunity of retrieving themselves.
At any rate, while in this transition state, let not
men's minds be deceived, but let them realise thei r
true position, and comprehend in its full force the
nature and tendency of Prussian policy. It is one
of aggression from first to last, and it is redeemed
in no one particular by any generous conduct, or
any trait of a higher tendency than that of rapacity,
and a determination to gain its ends no matter how
such ambition may militate against the rights and
destroy the interests of others.

the Court of Assize for the Deux Sevres at Niort for
the murder of his first and second wife, and of his
son by the latter, naturally excites great attention.
I sent you some particulars about the case, but it
may be well to recapitulate the facts. They are
brief, although no less than 1.60 witnesses were sum-
moned on the part of the prosecution. The two
women were evidently poisoned, the first wife in
1856, and the second in 1865, trace 3 of poison
having been found in the intestines. Abel Reau,
the son, no doubt died fron the same poison, corro-
sive sublimate. The prisoner, in addition to his
other occupation, dealt in horses, and was a veteri-
nary surgeon. He was in the habit of using poisons
in small doses for the cure of horses and mules. It
was proved that he obtained a fortune of no less
than about £6,000 sterling from insurances on the
lives of his wives and property which would have
reverted to his son if he had lived, but which came
into the possession of the prisoner at the death of his
son. Many medical books were found at his house,
and marks and notes were made upon those portions
which treated of the most deadly poisons. On one
occasion he asked a witness if he could tell him the
best and quickest mode of poisoning, for his cousin
had threatened to shoot him, and he wanted to get
rid of him. His idea of marriage, as expressed to
another witness, was, " the more wives a man has
the richer he grows." Another heinous incident in
his case is, that the poisoner offered I,ooof. to an
Italian refugee named Bertadatto to assist him in
endeavouring to prove that his second wife and son
were poisoned by two relatives named Bontemps and
Bichon.

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

TURKEY.

CONSTANTINOPLE, Dec. 9.
The election of Baltazzi as Prince of Sumos has
been confirmed by the Porte.

The United States have resolved to appoint Con-
sul-Generals in the Roumanian Principalities and

Servia.

It is asserted that Mustapha Pacha is to be re•
called from Candia.

Clean bills of health are now granted to outward
vessels from Constantinople.

CALCUTTA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN

MAILS.

MALTA, Dec. 9.

The Ceylon left here at four p.m. yesterday, and
the Massilia sails at noon to-day.
The former may be expected at Marseilles on
the morning of the 11th, and the latter at South-
ampton about the 18th inst.
OUTWARD BOMBAY MAIL.

The Delta, from Southampton, Nov. 27, reached
Malta, Dec 6, at 7 a.m., and left at midnight for
Alexandria.

The Poonah, from Marseilles, sth inst., arrived
on the Bth, at 3 a.m., and left at 10 a.m , for
Alexandria.

TIIE BOMBAY MAILS.
SOUTHAMPTON, Dec. 10.

The Peninsula and Oriental Company's steamer
China, with the heavy portion of the above mails
has arrived here. She brings 43 passengers, £1,617
in specie, and 3,380 packages of cargo, including
raw silk, value £145,000 sterling.
The China experienced fine weather throughout
the voyage.

Gibraltar, Dec. 6.—Exchange on London, 49
to I ; Paris, 5.14 ; Madrid, dis.
Her Majesty's ships Redpol3 and Skylark were
in the harbour.

LITERATURE.

Social Life in Former Days. Second Series. Illus-
trated by Letters and Family Papers. By E.
Dunbar Dunbar (late) Captain 21st Fusiliers.
1 vol., pp. 199. Edmonston and Douglas.
Some time back we noticed the very interesting
contents of the first volume of this very curious and
original work. We are not surprised 'to find that
the success of that first adventure has induced
Captain Dunbar to bring out this second in-
stalment. The old family documents from
which these incidents have been collected, many
of them having been exceedingly difficult to
decipher, some delay has necessarily taken
place in the publication of this second volume.
Its contents are fujly as interesting as those of its
predecessor, but the curious spelling and old-
fashioned words render many of the letters difficult
reading even at present. To the student of history
and to the future historian they will have, of course,
a particular value and interest. Among the subjects
referred to in the present volume are—" Feuds
between Powerful Families," in 1577 ; " The Plan-
tation of Nova Scotia and knights bannerets thereof,
1625 ;" " Letters from the Courts of James VI. and
Charles 1.," " Scolastical and Bibliothecal," " Noble
and Exemplary Wives," " An Order for Dress, an
Offer of Marriage, and a Marriage, 1657," " Invita-
tion to the Funeral of a Countess ; Obsequies of a
Laird, 1663; and of a Knight, 1666." Many of the
details of the domestic and social life of a bygone
age are here revealed to us in the most simple and
accurate manner, the writers being wholly uncon-
scious that they were inditing epistles for the interest
or information of a future generation.

Memoirs of the Confederate War for Independence.
By Heron Von Borcke, lately Chief of Staff to
General J. E. R. Stuart. Two vols., with a
map. Blackwood and Sons.

Thesevery interesting memoirs of the Confederate
war have already appeared in the pages of Black-
wood's Magazine, but they are well worthy of a
separate publication. The writer expresses a hope
that, although a new war, in which he himself had
" the proud satisfaction of fighting in the great
battle of Konigsgratz," may have effaced the recol-
lection of "the splendid army of Virginia, many will
still read with some interest the simple narrative
of a soldier who is proud to have shared the suffer-
ings and the glory of the late Confederacy."
To the gallant lleros Von Borcke himself, late
chief of Staff to General Stuart, and now one
of the 3d Prussian Dragoons, the feelings of the
politician are evidently subservient to those of the
soldier, and a war of independence on one side of
the Atlantic or of conquest on the other are equally
welcome and satisfactory.

The Book of Birthdays; or, Anniversary Poet) y of

Hunzan Life. Darton and CO.

A pretty little volume, containing some hundreds
of little poems collected from various writers, all
more or less relating to the great anniversary of
human life. The author justly claims for his little
book the merit of containing a variety of poems on
similar subjects never before collected. Among those
authors whose works have furnished materials for
this volume are Pope, and Dryden, and Byron, and
Scott, and Campbell, and Tennyson, and Bulwer
Lytton, and Wordsworth, and Burns, and Johnson
—in fact, every poet worth recalling.

The Texan Ranger; or, Real Life in the Backwoods,
By Captain Flack. Darton and Co.

The author tells us that he has endeavoured to
give in this volume some idea of the life led on the
Southern plantations some few years ago, and as-
suredly a most adventurous life it must have been.
Alligator shooting, and adventures with cougars and
wild bears and opossums are varied with ac-
counts of wild bull fighting, and the pursuit
of the mustang or wild horse, to say nothing
of snakes, and wild cats, and wild turkeys, and
stags, and bisons, which afford continual subjects
of pastime or peril.

Lucy West; or, The Orphans of high ay. By
Mrs. H. B. Bank. One vol., pp. 208. Frederick
Warne.

This is a very interesting little story, which may
afford profitable amusement to young readers. Lucy
West is one of those who marry in haste and repent
at leisure, and her various trials are related with
considerable feeling and fidelity to truthfulness.

Smart Sayings of Great Personages. One yol.,

pp. 200. Darton and Co.

This little book professes to be a repertory of
wit, anecdote, apothegm, and repartee of states-
men, courtiers, divines, lawyers, actors, poets,
painters, and philosophers, collected together on the
strength of Dr. Channing's remark, " that one
anecdote of a man is worth a volume of biography."
If this be so, then must this little repertory of two
hundred pages be equivalent to an entire library

The earth weighs 1,256,195,070,000,000,000,000
tons.

BATH AND WEST or ENGLAND AGRICULTURAL
SOCIETY.--This society, which is second in import-
ance only to the Agricultural Society, has, at. a meeting of
the council just, held, fixed to hold its meeting in 1867 in
the city of Salisbury on Monday, the 10th of June, and
following days, the entries for stock and implements to
close on 18th of April, and for poultry on the 10th of May.
£l,OOO will be offered by Che society in prizes for stock,
besides £5O given by the local committee at Salisbury, and
£lOO toward the expenses of a dog;show, should it be con-
sidered desirable to hold one. In the competition for prizes,
Devons, Herefordshire, and short-horn cattle aro to be
placed on the same footing, and in the sheep classes several
additions have been made to those of the Hereford show,
it having been decided to offer prizes now for Leicester,
Cotswold, other long-wool, Southdown, Hampshire Down,
Shropshire, Oxford Down, Somerset and Dorset born, and
mountain sheep. The prizes offered by the Salisbury
committee are £lO and £5 for five four-teeth Hampshire
Down sheep to be shown in their wool; and £lO and £5
for five six-teeth or full-mouth ewes; also £2O, in sums
varying from £5 to £2 10s., for Berkshire pigs, and £3
les. for sheep sheering. In the horse classes prizes of £3O
and £l5 will be given for agricultural stallions foaled before
1865, £2O and £lO for agricultural stallions foaled in 1865
£l5 and £5 for mares and foals or in foal, .£2O and £lO for
pairs of agricultural horses foaled before 1862, and £2O and
£lO for do. foaled after Jan. 1, 1862. In the hunter classes
£25 and £lO will be given in prizes for mares or geldings
foaled before January, 1863 ; £25 and £lO for do. foaled in
1863 ; and £l5 and £5 for fillies or geldings foaledin 1864.
In the hack class £lO and £5 will bo given for mares or
geldings to carry not less than 15 stone, and £lO and £5
for do. to carry not less than 12 stone ; and £lO for the
best mare or gelding pony not exceeding 13 hands high. A
very liberal prize-sheet in the poultry department has also
been decided on, and arrangements aro to be made for a
horticultural show similar to last year. There will also be
an exhibition of art manufactures and pictures.

A Winter with the Swallows. By Matilda Betham
Edwards. 1 vol., pp. 286. Hurst and Blackett.
Often in her childhood, the fair authoress of this
delightful volume tells us, she had wished that the
Arabian Nights were all true, little dreaming, she
adds, how she would one day discover nothing to
be truer than poetic fiction. On her recent visit to
Algeria she seemed to hear story after story added
to the Thousand and One, all new, as true and
almost as wonderful. " The city of Algiers rises
like a vision from the sea, and' one wants a pencil
dipped in colour to give any adequate conception
of it. Imagine terrace after terrace of pure white
marble piled upon a sunny height with a broad
blue bay below; bright green hills stretching
towards a vast velvety plain on either side,
beyond all a line of snow-tipped mountains, dim
and distant as clouds ; and you have some shadowy
idea of as fair a picture as the world can show."
This picture gives not only the idea of the appear-
ance of Algiers, it may also serve to illustrate the
lively powers of observation and description which
render the authoress of this book a most delightful
cicerone through the enchanted regions of the East.
Christmas-day in Africa, " warm as an old-fashioned
May-day,"—Algerian Streets by Moonlight—A
trip into Kabylia, with legends and history of the
Kabyles—A Journey to the Cedar Forests—Sleep-
ing in a Caravansary—Breakfast with the Trappists
—A Moorish Palace—Housekeeping in Algiers—
such are a few among the almost innumerable mat-
ters of interest and information that pass before
our notice, and live in our recollection as depicted
by the skilful hand of this fellow-wanderer with
the swallows. -