The Sun.
London, England, 1832-04-17 00:00:00

(LEST SPEAKING.)

SIR ISAAC NEWTON'S SOCIAL CHARAC-
Ten.—The social character of Sir Isaac Newton was such as
might have been expected from his intellectual attainments.
Ile was modest, candid, and affable, and without any of the
eccentricities of genius, suiting himself to every company, and
speaking of himself and others in such a manner, that he was
never even suspected of vanity. " But this," says Dr. Pem_
berton, " I immediately discovered in him, which at once both
surprised and charmed me. Neither his extreme great age,
nor his universal reputation, had rendered him stiff' in opinion,
or in any degree elated. OF this I had occasion to have almost
daily experience. The remarks I continually sent him by let-
ters on the Principia were received with the utmost goodness.
These were, so far from being any ways displeasing to him, that
on the contrary, it occasioned him to speak many kind things
of me to my friends, and to honour me with a public testimony
of his good opinion."—Family Library, No. XXIV, Dr.
Brewster's Life of NCICIOiI.
We believe that the first instance on record of
a nindoo bringing an action for damages for a breach of pro-
mise of marriage, occurred in the Supreme Court on Friday
last The action was brought by the mother of the boy against
the fattier of the girl; and evidence was given to show the ex-
penses that had been incurred by the mother, in the expecta.
lion of the marriage contract being fulfilled. The plaintiff was
nonsuited, the Court being of opinion that the evidence was
not sufficient to entitle her to recover. It was observed by the
Chief Justice, that even if he had felt compelled to give a ver-
dict to the plaintiff, he should have thought it much better,
while the usages of the natives of this country remain so very
different from our own, that all matters connected with their
religion and religious ceremonies should be kept out of the
Supreme Court. We omitted to mention, that the marriage of
both the contracting parties took place on the day originally
fixed for the wedding, the bride and bridegroom only being
changed,—lndia Gazette.
LIVERPOOL, Saturday Evening.—Arrived
today, the John Wells, from Philadelphia; the Flora and
Egidins, from Ostend ; the Barton, from Barbados; time Dart
from London ; the Enigheten, from New Carleby ; the Ere-
derika, from Jacobstadt; the Paefic, from St. Petersburgh.
Arrived yesterday, the James and Jane, from Laguna; and
Frederika, from Ostend.
The following postscriptutn is annexed to
many of the invitations fee soirees in Paris:—"
The cholera
will not be the subject of conversation."lt
is
not true that the cholera in London has
been exelusively confined to the lower classes. A Noble Earl,
whose life was only preserved by the prompt adMinistr?tinn by
his Countess of the remedies prescribed by the Board of Health,
has since been attended by two eminent physicians, both of
whom affirm the case to have been one of decided,
unequivocal,
spasmodic cholera.
Certainly the Anti-Reform speakers in the
late debate showed an extraordinary want of tact in the manner
in which they assailed the motives and conduct of Lords liar-
rowby,
Wharncliffe, and others, who are described as the
wavers" upon the subject. Towards waverers the obvious
policy is to soothe, and not vituperate—to conciliate, not to cast
off; but on this occasion the scruples of the parties in question
were met in a tone which leaves them, happily for the country,
no possibility of retreat,

Mr. BAYNTUN presented a petition from the managers
of the York Savings' Bank, praying for an alteration in
the law regarding Savings' Banks, particularly in the
clauses respecting inv, stments.
Sir GEORGE MURRAY presented three petitions
from as many presbyteries in Scotland against the proposed
plan of national education in Ireland. The petitioners
stated it to be their duty, and consistent also with their
inclination, to take a deep interest in all matters con-
nected with religion, but especially with the religious
education of youth, and that it was their birthright to
have the use of the whale word of God, and they prayed
the House not to pass any legislative enactment sanction-
ing mutilated or imperfect copies of the Scriptures in
Ireland. He was of opinion that the plan of Government
committed a great error in proposing a plan which would
separate that which it denominated a moral and literary
education from a scriptural education. The education of
youth, especially those of the poorer classes educated
by Government, should embrace religions as well
as moral and literary education, but the Government
plan took one under its protection and left the other
alone. Such a system could not but weaken the religious
feelings of the humbler classes of society ; but there was
another objection to it—it seemed to recognise two prin-
ciples directly opposed to each other, and which it was
impossible to amalgamate, vie., the principles which re-
gulated the Catholic Church and those which regulated
the Protestant Church. To the Protestants it was
essential that there should be a free use of the
Scriptures, while to the Catholics it was said to
be necessary to place a discretionary power as to the
use of the Scriptures in the priesthood, and to he used
only as the priests should think fit. The plan of Govern-
ment was not likely to be attended with any success, on
account of the great discordance between the two religious
principles, and it was not fit that the public money should
be employed to effect a scheme that was so defective.

. .
Colonel CONOLLY said it had been his fate to act as
a magistrate in Ireland for !many years, and to witness
the extreme ignorance which prevailed among the poorer
classes. Any thing which went to deprive them of the
free use of the Scriptures would only perpetuate that
ignorance.
Captain GORDON conceived the petition well worthy
of the attention of the House. This was the sixth Pres-
byterian petition that had reached that House upon this
important question, and he firmly believed that every
Presbytery in Scotland would address the House upon the
subject. Such persons being the superintendents of
scriptural education, were the best judges of what such a
system would effect.
Mr. IL GRATTAN asserted that it was utterly false
to say that the Roman Catholics, did not read the Bible.
There was scarcely a Catholic child but what had it in his
possession, and he could bring down to the House a num-
ber of Catholic Testaments, in order to show that the
statements which bad been made bad been totally without
foundation.

Sir GEORGE MURRAY, in stating what he did
about the Roman Catholic, had only taken the autho-
rity of the Right lion. Secretary for Ireland; he, however,
should certainly take no notice of the observation that had
been made by the Hon. Member who had just sat down.
Captain GORDON would follow a like course : no ob-
jection corning from such a quarter would provoke a dis-
cussion from him.

The petition was then ordered to be printed.
Colonel TORRENS presented a petition from the Port.
reeve and Mlgistrates of Ashburto❑ against the Registry
Bill.

Mr. CAMPBELL stated that he should postpone the
second reading of the Bill which stood for to-night till
after the Easter recess; but he could assure the House that
the Bill was now making great progress in the public
mind. He was sorry he was not in the House at the time
a petition was presented against this Bill from the
borough which he represented (Stafford) ; if he had been
he should have made some observations on the miF-
representations th.t had taken place on the subject, and
the effects they had produced. The shoemakers of Stafford,
he understood, had been led to believe every pair of shoes
they made must 1p registered.—(Hear, and laughter.)
Colonel TORRENS presented a petition from persons
connected with the Bolton Chronicle, praying that all
taxes might be removed from knowledge.
Mr. J. WYNN presented a petition from a parish in
Mayo, against the new plan of education in Ireland.