The Sun.
London, England, 1832-05-05 00:00:00

LADIES' MUSEUM.

This number of an improving periodical is
handsomely and even profusely embellished with
an excellent portrait of Mrs. Danvers ; a spirited
original landscape sketch (the name of which
should have been mentioned), by Hulmandel ;
and four graceful figures of female costume. In
addition to this, we have the words and music
(both new) of a very sweet ballad, and four
prose tales, penned in an easy, unasssuming style.

A QUEER BOOK, BY JAMES HOGG.
EDINBURGH, 1831.

Very queer indeed, and this is nearly all that
we can say in praise of this uncouth, ill-con-
cocted volume. Mr. Hogg is no humourist,
yet he here affects a spirit which is not witty, but
extravagant. We allude to his poem entitled,
" Jock Tait's expedition to Hell," which is the
queerest of all queer abortions. His serious
stanzas are the best, and in the lengthy ballad of
" The Wife of Ezdehnore" one or two pretty
poetic thoughts occur, which just suffice to raise
it above the tame, flat, Salisbury-plain level of in-
tolerable mediocrity.

CALABRIA, DURING A MILITARY RE-
SIDENCE OF THREE YEARS.
LoNnos, 1832.

A very entertaining volume, full of incident
and anecdote, particularly as regards the chival-
rous Joachim Murat, King of Naples. The
original work is the production of a French
officer of high rank, of which the one before us
is a translation. We may say of it, what can he
said of very few translations, that it has been
executed with uncommon spirit, and in a style,
we may add, of superior elegance. The preface
is very pleasingly and unaffectedly written, and
the book embellished with a clever lithograph
by Hullmandel. To those who are fond of
graphic descriptive sketches of one of the love-
liest countries in Europe, we recommend an at-
tentive perusal of this work. We subjoin a
specimen :

" That part of the arrondissement of Castrovillari lying
at the entrance of Calabria, was in full insurrection when
we arrived. The inhabitants of the villages bordering on
Cimpotomese intercepted the communications with the
capital ; and the money sent forward to the camp, under
weak escorts, was in constant danger of being carried 4,ff.
The chief officer of our battalion being appointed to the
command of the arrondissement, was ordered to occupy
the defiles of Campotornese with entrenched posts, and
employ all the means in his power to put down the in-
surgent population. This service presented the greatest
difficulties, in consequence of the nature of our positions,
and the character of the savage inhabitants, ferocious and
ignorant to excess. Moreover, we were not at all ac-
quainted with this part of Calabria, and the battalion,
considerably reduced by diseases and the detachments al-
ready furnished, had not more than three hundred and
fifty disposable men.
" After resting some days, we marched out for Mor-
mano, which, from the prosperous condition of the inha-
bitants, had not yet openly dared to throw off the mask.
We entered it without encountering any difficulty : but
at night, three soldiers having imprudently gone out from
a church, where they were quartered, fell under the
poniards of some wretches, and this was quite sufficient
to convince us of the bad dispositions of the inhabitants
towards our countrymen. The Commandant had the
Syndic immediately arrested, together with bis four as-
sistants, and two of the principal proprietors, who neither
would nor could deliver up the perpetrators of the mur•
der. We were obliged to keep them as hostages, in order
that they should answer for the peaceable conduct of their
fellow-citizens, and furnish on their personal responsibility
trustworthy guides to scour all parts of the country. Alter
having left behind a detachment, which secured itself in a
convent, for the purpose of guarding the hostages, and of
assisting us in the event of our being obliged to tall back
upon a point of retreat, we set out on our expedition to
scour the insurgent villages. We travelled some frightful
mountains and yawning gorges. At every step we took,
we had to be on our guard against ambuscades--a causioo
that retarded our march considerable, being in ever%
instance obliged to assure ourselves of the way. We founi:
the miserable villages through which we passed inhabited
only by women, sick people, and old men. All the popu
lation fled at our approach. But at what point was it
preparing to reassemble? It was most important to as-
certain this, in order to secure ourselves against a suddei,
attack. The detachments sent forward to make the dis.