The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-01 00:00:00

philosophers a good many readers will be of the
opinion of a Scotch blacksmith, mentioned in Dr.
Fleming's book, who thus defined this disputed
science—" Twa folk," said he,
" disputin' thc-
gitber, he that's listenin' doesna ken what he
that's speakin' means, and he that's speakin'
doesna ken what ho means' himsel—that's
metaphysics." The clever and interesting story
of "The Interpreter" is brought to a conclusion—
a fact which many of the readers of Fraser will be
disposed to regret. Its not very approprate titie
does not give any idea of the variety of its scenes
and characters, the interest attaching to them, and
the ability of. the style. The conclusion is marked
with some striking and unexpected events. We
hope to meet this writer again in the pages of
Fraser. The recent volumes of the memorials and
correspondence of Charles James Fox are criticised,
and the editorship of Lord John Russell does not
escape some severe strictures. "On the Use of
Proverbs in Grave Composition," is the title of a
singular paper, chiefly relating to the writings of
Professor Blunt, and upholding the authority of
those pithy little sayings which embody, as has been
happily observed, the wisdom of many in the wit
of one. " The Englishman's - House - his - Castle
Theory" is the name of the article which follows,
and there is no occasion for the writer to sign him-
self " A Grumbler." Lord Normanby's recent work,
"A year of Revolution," affords the subject for an in
teresting paper on the state of France ten years ago.
" India in Mourning " is an article dated from the
Punjaub, Sep.:, 29, and gives us a glimpse of the
feel,ngs of our countrymen in the East. "It is
the belief of every thinking man in India that the
British power will survive this convulsion ; but it
is no less the conviction of every man in India, with
his eyes open, that the present generation of Anglo-
Indians may be swept off the face of the earth."
This, it must be remembered, was before the news
of the fall of Delhi. The following tribute is paid
to the memory of Sir Henry Lawrence :

"Sir Henry Lawrence had that rare and happy faculty
(which a man in almost every other respect unlike him,
Sir Charles Napier, is said also to have possessed) of
attaching hiinEe'f to every one with whom he came in
contact. He had that gift which is never acquired, a
gracious, winning, noble manner ; rough and ready as
he was in the field, his manner in private life had an
indescribable charm of frankness, grace, and e ren
courtly dignity. He had that virtue which Englishmen
instinctively and characteristically love—a lion-like
courage. He had tbat fault which Englishmen so
readily forgive, and, when mixed with what are felt to
be its naturally concomitant good qualities, they almost
admire—a hot and impetuous temper; he had, in over-
flowing measure, that god-like grace which even the base
revere, and the good acknowledge as the crown of vir-
tue—the grace of charity. No young offices ever sat
at Sir Henry's table without learning to think more
kindly of the natives ; no one, young or old, man or
woman, ever beard Sir Henry speak of the European
soldier, or ever visited the Lawrence Asylum, without
Ewing excited to a nobler and truer appreciation of the
real extent of his duty towards his neighbour. He was
one of the few distinguished Anglo-Indians who had
attained to something like an English reputation in his
lifetime. In a few years his name will be familiar to
every reader of Indian history ; but for the present it is
in India that his memory will be most deeply cherished ;
it is by Angfo-Indians that any eulogy on him will be
best appreciated ; it is by them that the institutions
which he foanded and maintained will be fostered as a
monument to his memory."

A postcript at the end of the article announces that
the joyful intelligence of General Wilson's complete
victory had "lifted from the mind of every Eng-
lishman in India a cloud like the shadow of death."
The poetical contributions to Fraser are not above
mediocrity. Two of them are translations from
the Italian, and the third, " A Summer Vision,"
is very incorrect in- its rhymes. Tresses and
meshes, lustrous and wondrous, window and
sha'low, mar the cifect of a simple and pleasing
poem.

The United Service Magazine.—The first paper
in this magazine is entitled " Thoughts relative to
Military itequirements," and considers that suffi-
cient attention is not paid to military history. It
is observed that while experience in the general is
the great and only desideratum towards success, it
is hardly contemplated as necessary that theory
should form the groundwork of this experience,
and that it is but reasonable to suppose that the
art of war, like other arts, has a theory and begin-
ning, in which it behoves all military aspirants to
be instructed in. Iu support of this argument the
writer quotes the opinions of Napoleon :—" The
principles of war are those which have regulated the
great captains whose deeds have been handed down
to us in history, Alexander, Hannibal, Closer, Gus-
tavus Adolph us, Turenno, Prince Eugene, Frederick
the Great," &e. ; and " Tactics, evolutions, the science
of the engineer and artillery officer, maybe learned
from treatises much in the same way as geometry ;
but the knowledge of the higher branches of the
art of war only to be gained by experience, and
by studying the history of the wars and battles of
great leaders." A second article on military re-
form and tho army purchase commission censures
severely the system of pwronage and interest. An
alteration in the pont-ions and allowances to officer.'
widows and families is also recommended. An
interesting paper by Captain Spencer gives an
account of the French conquest and occupation of
Algal ie. The history of the pirates of Algiers is
briefly traced from the days of Barbarossa to the
French victory in 1830. The subject is to be con-
firmed. "A Visit to the Tcherna Morsky Cos-
sacks" proceeds with interest, and the "notes of
an Old Staff Officer" contain some interesting de-
tails of Belgian life and Government. A letter on
the subject of the Indian army gives a list of causes
which have lessened the value of the Company's
service in the estimation of the Sepoys. It
is dated Ferozepore, and the efore the writer
has the au hot ity of local knowledge for
his suggestions. A paper on British cavalry
recommends an alteration in the present method,
with the view of obtaining " the greatest amount of
lightness with the smallest sacrifice of equipment."
It is further remarked that the want of interest in
the men fur their horses produces much evil. The
description of the " Seats of Insurrection" is con-
tinued with interest. The exciting legends of the
Black Watch, by James Grant, the well known
author of the " Romance of War," proceed in their
usual style. The narrative in tee present number
is a tale of one of those fearful lettres de cachet
which were the means of so many se.lret crimes. [t
is the story of a Scotch Major who was taken pri-
soner at Ticonderoga, and, through the jealouey of
a French noblemen, was consigned to the dungeons
of the Bastille fur twenty-eight years, only to be re-
' leased when age had whitened his hair and suffering
had nearly deprived him of his facu ties.

nicaorirtahti Ngrei
voe
sf Pra vienrcye
aaig
Bentley's Miscellany. —A notice of the Reach
Napoleon's journey to the
account of the Pari-
sian critics among the iceb:Tge. " Midnight
Doings" is the continuation of the story of
" Moat Grange," commenced in the last number.
The hero, Charles Dalrymple, having been the
accidental cause of his fathom's death, gives up
his engagement that he may not interfere with
the fortunes of his mother and sisters. By way
out his laudable intentions,
oyinLgondon, becomes mixed with a
rs, and drowns himself in the
he
et furthercoofa egsa
mu cpbalretr
Thames : at least so it is implied, but a doubt
is left on the reader's micd as to the certainty of
the suicide. The last songs of Beranger afford
an interesting yet mournful topic to Monkshood.
Interesting as all concerning the Vi6UX chanson-
nier must be, and mournful as showing the old
man, even when nearing the last steps of the road
along which we are hurried by the "vieux postil-
ion," can find nothing more joyful for his lyre
than the recollections of the plaisirs de vinyt ans.
Anw her paper on French literature is a criticism
on Edmond About, which gives him great praise
for the high tone of morality in his works, and the
ability with which they are writ.en. Judging
from the extracts, however, it appears there is still
a little room for improvement in the selection of
characters.
and "An OldTlwnodiPar aiper"The British Army,"
Officer on the Causes of the
Indian Revolt," contain some remarks and sug-
ge,tions worthy of notice. " The Life of an
Architect" is continued, and Mr. Dudley Costello's
lengthy history of the raisdoings of the millionaire
of Mincing-lane is brought to a conclusion. "The
Calcutta Petition" is the title of a well-written
paper on the present system of administration.

The Mechanics. —This is a, useful and interest- 1
ina number of a valuable magazine, which affords
great facilities for the circulation and diffusion
onfewscsielilicand mechanical knowledge. All tho
connected with such subjects is given, and
nColn one of these an in-
rre
muume rosondents contain
ventor ibes a new instrument for ascertain-
ing and comparing the, intensities of light, which
he proposes to call the Letoscope. Another sug-
tin gmfraotmter. p
the late fracture of Big Ben was pro-
ieii
tilt. s
er letterses
gcsts that
bably caused by the exterior and interior sur-
faces of the bell being in states of unequal ten-
sion. He supposes that the outside was too
rapidly cooled, and that consequently it was not
a Nomogeous vibrating body, , 3% It is to be hoped
that this danger will be avoided in the recast-
ing.
,Circular Steam Tillage, Submarine Tele-
-1 s the Drainage a London, Rifle Bullets,
gulp i ,
Passenger Signals, and a variety of subjects,
occupying an important position in public atten-
are- treated of and discussed. An account
tion,
of reont patents, and reports of scientific insti-
tutions: are given at length. We cordially com-
mend this serial to all who are scientifically or
I professionally interested in the study of mechanic's.