The Sun.
London, England, 1835-12-01 00:00:00

FRAZER'S MAGAZINE.

The Literary Gallery this month contains a portrait,
with a lively memoir affixed to it, of Mr. R. Macnish,
author of some clever papers in Blackwood under the
signature of the " Modern Pythagorean ;" arid of the
" Anatomy of Drunkenness"—a work which has gone
through—Nye know not how many editions. Whether
the portrait be like or not, we cannot say ; at any
rate, it must have been taken when the original was
sadly in want of a razor, for he looks as hairy as a he-
goat. We suppose it is one of Frazer's usual clever
caricature likenesses. " Bombardinio on Manners,
War, and Prince Puckler Muskau," is a light, de-
sultory, omnium gatkerum sort of article. The cha-
racter of the dandy Prince Puckler is well drawn,
though with something of exaggeration. " Mono-
logus" is a didactic essay on logic, said to have been
actually spoken by Coleridge off-hand in conversation !
How any one of his hearers survived to record it, is
to us inexplicable. It would have been the death of
nine out of ten listeners, unless a timely slumber had
come in to their rescue. Ecclesiastes the Preacher
must have been a perfect wag compared to Coleridge,
who seems to us the most finished sample of a button-
holder we ever heard of. " The Baron of Courtstown"
is a pretty tale, of no great pretensions. It may serve
to wile away an idle half hour. " Scottish Ecclesi-
astical History" contains some remarkable facts. The
subject, though often dwelt on (and never better than
by the late Dr. Macree), is still pregnant with interest
to a thoughtful m:nd. " An Elegy" has all the or-
thodox dullness and monotony of one—Gray's still
stands without a rival. " Recollections of Sir Walter
Scott" contain a passable ghost-story. The author
of " Waverley," it seems, was once way-laid by a
goblin at mid-day, sub Jove dio. Fortunately the
bogie was one of the harmless species, and committed
no assault and battery on the illustrious Baronet.
We give the anecdote in Sir Walter's own words
There is a particular turning of the high road through
the forest near Ashestiel, at a place which affords no possible
means of concealment ; the grass is smooth, and always eaten
bare by the sheep ; there is no heather, nor underwood, nor
cavern, in which any mortal being could conceal himself. To-
wards this very spot I was advancing one evening—please to
observe it was before dinner, and not long after sunset, so
that I ran no risk either of seeing double, or wanting sufficient
light for my observations. Before me, at the distance of about a
quarter of a mile, there stood a human figure, sharply enough
defined by the twilight. I advanced; it stalked about with a
long staff' in its hand, held like a wand of office, but only went
to and fro, keeping at the same corner, till, as I came within
a few yards, my friend all in an instant vanished. I was so
struck with his eccentric conduct, that, although Mrs. Scott
was then in delicate health, and I was anxious to get home to
a late dinner, I could not help stopping to examine the ground
all about—but in vain ; he had either dissolved into air, or
sunk into the earth, where I well knew there was no coal-pit
to receive him. Had he lain down on the green sward, the
colour of his drapery, which was dusky brown, would have be-
trayed him at once—so that there was no practicable solution
of the mystery. I rode on, and had not advanced above fifty
yards,
when, on looking back, my friend was there again, and
even more clearly visible than before. Now, said I to myself,
I must certainly have you 1 so wheeled about and spurred
Finella ; but the result was as before—he vanished instanta-
neously. I must candidly confess that I had now got enough
of the phantasmagoria; and whether it were from the love of
home, or a participation in my dislike of this very stupid ghost
—no matter—F Melia did her best to run away, and would by

no means agree to any further process of investigation. I will
not deny that I felt somewhat uncomfortable, ar,d half inclined
to think that this apparition was a warning of evil to come, or
indication of misfortune that had already occurred. So strong
was this impression, that I almost feared to ask for Mrs.
Scott when I arrived at Ashestiel ; but, as Dr. Johnson said
on a similar occasion, nothing ever came of it.' My family
were all as usual ; but I did not soon forget the'circumstance,
because neither the state of the atmosphere nor outline of the
scenery allowed of explanation by reference to any of those
natural phenomena producing apparitions, which, however re-
markable, are familiar, not only to James Hogg, as a poet, but
to almost every shepherd in a mountainous district."

CHANCERY COURT.-THIS DAY•

The Lords Commissioners (the MASTER of the Rat'
and Mr. Justice BOSANQUET) sat to-day in Lincoln's-in°
Hall.
THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL V. THE MAYOR AND CORPORATION: °F

LIVERPOOL.
His Honour the MASTER of the ROLLS gave judgment i°
this case to-day (the facts of which we gave shortly on
turday) dissolving the injunction restraining the Corporation
of Liverpool from mortgaging their corporate property, with-
out costs.