The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-02 00:00:00

meeting, " In fact he himself felt as if he knew

more about it than before." Such is the prero-
gative of naturally quick sympathies and descrip-
tive genius, and this is one—and one not to be
acquired by any study—of the great elements of
Mr. ►SPURGEON'S popularity.

Our readers will see that, after a close perusal of
the Book for the special purpose of forming his own
judgment, Mr. SPURGEON gives his decided verdict
for the truthfulness of M. Du CHAILLU. Mr. S.
has been, doubtless, accustomed to notice the appa-
rent discrepancies of the Gospel narratives, and to
regard them justly as evidences that there could be
nothing like imposture in their getting up. Im-
postors do not make mistakes which a child can
detect. "He took up the book and looked
first at the pictures—children always did.
After reading the letterpress, he said to himself
that those pictures were the ruin of thv book, be-
cause, although very well done, they were not cor-
rect. Having pointed out various important and
humorous discrepancies between the illustrations
and the printed matter, the lecturer said that if the
man was an imposter he would first have looked to
his pictures, because such an individual would not
have left a hole big enough for a mouse to have
crept through." We must say that the application
of so well known a principle is perfectly fair in this
case; and as a juryman, to decide not from mechani-
cal comparison, but from the general impression left
by a narrative, of its fidelity to fact, there are not
many men better qualified than our shrewdly-ob-
servant and vivacious minded lecturer.

We cordially wish the reverend gentleman success
in his new vocation; and we are quite confidsnt
that if health and strength hold out, he will be a
public benefactor, by adding to his other labours
that of furnishing sober but thorough entertain-
ment for the million.

What NAPOLEON 111. is reported to have said
he other day in regard to the Roman Question,
may be applied also with peculiar force to the
Polish Question. It was little more than the echo
of a remark made originally in 1797 by the Founder
of his MAJESTY'S dynasty. " The Pear is not yet
ripe," said the First NAPOLEON. "The Pear is so
ripe that it will fall of itself," said the Third NAPO.
LEON. And tl•.at remark—is it not directly ap•
plicable to the Question of Polish Independence. It
is understood to be so applicable by the Polish
people themselves that they are designedly holding
their hands, as it were—they are almost, we might
say, holding their very breath—simply waiting
for the dropping of the pear now pendent, mellow
to its very core, upon the bough. For there is as
surely a political law of gravitation to bring down
the ripe pear when it is ripe, as there is that grand
natural or physical law of gravitation which wag
discovered by the dropping of the ripe apple in Sir
ISAAC NEWTON'S garden-orchard. And in the
mere fact of this universal expectancy throughout
Poland there is assuredly a peculiar significance.
Among the most warlike races of Europe the Poles
stand forth in many respects conspicuous and pre-
eminent. The greatest of modern conquerors de-
clared them to bo "the people who most rapidly
become soldiers." And he had certainly by his
immense experience acquired the right to express
an opinion of that kind—he who had first of all
contended with so many different races upon the
field of battle, and who had afterwards martialled
so many different races under his own banners.
The History of Poland, in truth, in many of its
pages, is at once about the most warlike and heroic
among the annals of the various kingdoms of
Christendom. Under SOBIESKI, her warriors were
the champions and defenders of the threatened
liberties of Euroi:e ; and it must ever remain among
the most glorious recollections of the prowess of
the human race, that in 1683 under the walls of
Vienna the Polish warriors, led by their hero-king
SOBIESKI, swept back the legions of the Turk—not
only preserving Austria to LEOPOLD, but all
Western Europe to Christianity. Again—coming
dawn even through all the terrible misfortunes in-
cident to Poland, coming down even to our time, to

the very commencement of this nineteenth century,

we find rho Poles faithful, in the midst of all their
sufferings, in spite of their reiterated and seemingly
irreparable partition, faithful through every ima-
ginable obstacle to their heroic and martial antece-
dents. Insomuch that NAPOLEON the Great is
constrained to speak of them as we intimated; he is

compelled to characterize them as the people who

the most rapidly become soldiers. He might have

said more than that of them, however. He might

have added in their regard that as the Poles become

soldiers the most rapidly, so they remain soldiers

the longest ! They are the most faithful to the

sceptre of the sword: they are the most loyal in their

military allegiance. Among all the motley races
that fought under NAPOLEON'S banners they were

about the most heroic—they were, without a doubt

of it, the faithfullest. History has told what glory

the Polish Legions won for themselves during

the long wars of Spain and of Italy.

Who does not recollect how resplendently

they were led on wards by the matchless

valour of PONIATOWSKI, in the stupendous army of
the modern SisosTms, across the Bug, across the
Dneiper, through the victories of Smolinsko, and
the Moskowa—back from the ashes of Moscow,
through all the horrors of the Bersiva, remaining,
still faithful to the falling fortunes of NAPOLEON
upon the field of Leipsic, in the midst of the
general defection of the Allies of the Great Em-
PEROR. Yet it is this warlike race, this
Polish people that becomes en army the most
rapidly and remains an army the longest, that
we now recognise, claiming its rights by main-
taining an attitude the most pacific! Not a sword
drawn, not a blade sharpened. The whole mul-
titude sitaply in prayer and expectation. And
this purely because they are one and all conscious

that the hour of their delivery is close at hand—

that nothing can retard its coming—that the-pear

is so ripe,that it mu3t fc.ll by the simple for-o'e of

political gravitation.
Renee in fact—because he also recognised this—
the late Prince ADAM CZARTORYSKI, left as his last

advice to his compatriots the one earnest reeom-

mendation—" Wait." Their national motto in

the young—" The Band of Hope"—and most will
agree that for that age such a society may be a great
blessing.
Mr. SPURGEON'S lecture was, as our readers
will doubtless see for themselves, on the Gorilla
and his country ; the accessories were all in keep-
ing. The borough member, himself suck a tra-
veller, Mr. L-kYARD, was his chairman. A huge
gorilla stood on the table, the orchestra con-
sisted of the children of the Band of Hope,
and dissolving views of the country wound up
all. Of the amusement furnished our report
leaves no doubt. The lecturer was evidently in
his element. Indeed it is quite evident that Mr.
SPURGEON is one of nature's genial. souls
—not made for an ascetic. His sympathies
with every new position are almost instan-
taneous. He was as much at home with the Gorilla,
with an audience come for entertainment, and
with the scenes and folk of Central Africa, as he is
with a congregation on Sunday. Indeed M. CHAILLU
thanked Mr. SPURGEON for the way in which he
had brought African life so vividly before the