The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-24 00:00:00

rilE SUN, LIONDON, FRI'DAY EV_ENING, 'AP•RIL 24 1857,

LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS,

LAW IIUELLIGENCE.—(This Day

LITERATURE.

Patio! RAILWAYS.

1 Leasing
Companies

Closing Prices
yesterday.

Business
this dig,y.

COURT OF. BANKR,T_TPTCY.
(Before Mr. Conirnis.4ioner Evans )
IN lii BAINBRIDGE AND DELL.

These bankrupts were de,.cribed as of Southwarl.
bridge-road, Southwark, shoemakers, and today was
appointed for their last cxsinination, which bad been
aejouraed on several occasions in consequence of the
discrepancies between the accounts rendered by the
bankrupts.

Mr. Beata, from the office of Mr. Buchanan, now ap
peered for Bainbridge, against whom no oppositton was
now made ; Mr, Lawrence and Mr. Warrand, of Basing•
hall-street, fir Dell, who was oppe'sed by Mr. Turner
on behalf of the assignees. The fiat.) have been fre-
quently noticed. The material point in the case is that
Bainbridge went to America just beLre the bankruptcy,
and it was at first supposed that he had taken a consi-
derable sum of money, but on 'inquiry this did
not appeari to be the fact. Thee° was, however, a
large deficiency in the partnership account,, which had
been very irregularly kept. Dell's ex►mination
had been adjourned for further explanatiens, but those
now given were still not deeined sati,factory.
Mr. Lawrence said there was no opposition to Bain.
bridge, and it would perhaps be better to allow both the
bankrupts to pass, leaving Mr. Dell to adduce further
evidence at the certificate meeting.
His Honour said that he must have the best evidence
as to the accuracy of the accounts; at present he had
oily the oath of one bankrupt against the other. If evi
deuce in corroboration could be given it would be better
for all parties.

It, was ultimately arranged that the case should stand
over for a month for Mr. DOll to procure the attendanc,,
of persons who, he alleged, could support his statements.

CITY SHERIFF'S COURT.
(Before Mr. Prendergast, Q.C.)
[MPORTANT QUESTION TINDER THE INSOLVENT LAWS.

GRAVE ,v. AMIN.

This was an adjourned judgment summons. It ap-
peared that after judgment had been obtained in this
Court the defendant applied to the Court of Insolvency
and obtained protectiou under the interim order. Mr.
Buchanan then took an objection to the jurisdiction of
this C,,utt, and the power'of the judge to commit,
pending the proceedings in the Insolvent Court, and the
case was ordered to• stand over until the Court of In-
solvency had pronounced its judgment.

Mr. Buchanan now Said that the Court granted
a final order, and it had been held elsewhere
that this was a complete answer to any pro.
ceedings in respect of a debt for which the
creditor's name was entered is the schedule. By the
last Amended County Court Act, it was clearly laid
down that the protection of the Court of Insolvency
should operate as a bar to any punishment under the
County Courts Act—he (Mr. Buchanan) had argued the
case before Mr. Sergeant Manning, at the Whitechapel
Court, and although that learned judge bad previously
committed a great number of persons, he at last came to
the conclusilu that be had no authority, as it was quite
clear that the whole of an insolvent's property, present,
past, and to a certain extent, the future property of an
insolvent, was vested in the Court of Insolvency, for the
liquidation of the debts existing at the time of the in.
solvency.

His Honour said that under the City Small Debt
Court Act there was no exception in respect of certifi.
catee in Bankruptcy oar orders in Insolvency.

Mr. Buchanan submitted that because his Honour
happened to he presiding in the heart of the C;ty of Lon-
don, he would not act against the spirit of an act which
operates a few yards beyond it, and over the whole
country.

His Honour said that at present he would not make
any order, as the defendant had no means, but another
summons might be taken out hereafter, for he would not
allow creditors to be defeated by such means.

MARKET NEWS.—(This ray)

CORN EXCHANGE.

The arrivals of English wheat up to our market, this
week. coastwise, have been seasonably good; but the sup-
ply fresh up to-day, by land carriage, was limitel The
attendance of buyers was by no means numerous, and most
kinds of home-grown wheat sold slowly, at Monday's ad-
vance io the quotations.
Only limited imports of foreign wheat have been re-
ported. The sale for that grain was inactive, but we have
no change to notice in prices.
_ _ _

Barley was in moderate supply and fair request, at full
currencies.

We have had A fair sale for malt, and prices were sup-
ported.
The,show of oats was moderate, and the oat trade ruled
steady, at very full prices.
Beans, peas, and flour were firm, but not dearer.

"Du not leave the room, Roberto !" cried the arch-
bishop to his chamberlain.
"No, do not leave us, good Roberto," said the admi-
ral. "I have brought here a medicine prepared by the
most skilful wediciner of Italy ; and you snail adminis-
ter it to his reverence. Sure lam t:tat it will soon re-
store him to his wonted health."
"I am deeply beholden to your lordship, but I
rather decline it," said the sick wst, in a tune and with
a look of concentrated and bitter it
" You are too fond of the infiae: S :ravens, monßignore ;
I shall reall suspect that you are or ly bait a Christian, '
persisted Majlne, jestingly. "I never trust th,,se Slr.,-
ceu leeches myself. One catin,fit eortaia tory
have a conscience.

"Roberto," cried the archhi,hop, " cooie hither,
Here, to this side of the couch. Ito .p dow:). It is
polio) be whispered. "I know at is oisoo, and be
nail force me to swallow it. Send and ,uinwon I`,.v ma,
or some other kinsman ; teli t:lein, fur the live of
Heaven, to come and save me "
Tke chamberlain lett the couch hastily.
" Szlid in the Bishop of Syrac:u-e ne•ore you go,"
cried the sick man. "Di t you not ray he wa in w.,i'-
ing? Send him in: Itista,tly! instantiy
"You had rea'ly better tase this iuet.:icain.,-,t firs,"
persisted Majone ; "it wiL give y .0 titre. gth 'u enj y
the conver:e of your friends."

The chamberlain, however, without. quitting the room,
bad, through the half-opened (ionr, mane a eigi, to those in
the aojoiLing apartment ;and toe Ilisnop of Sy tacti,e here
entered and took a ,ea•,-, beside the p1,0.:v of ',lib in vali,i.
" 1 am endeavouring to persuade our worthy friend,"
said the Hign Admiral, addre,sidg hiw, "to take a
potion which I have mix,d with the greatest care. I
saw the leech my:4eif pour it into this fla,k," and he
produced one of g' 1,1 from the fol,ts imis ampie
"Is not his lordship too kind ?" said the archbishop
to his friend, in the sarcastic laucalur twit c:).nes over
some men when

" Indeed I tear me that the stomach of hiA reverence is
too weak to permit him t take at4tiiug at till, uour,",
ob:erved the Bishop of SyracUse.
" Set it down on the ta7le, good admiral," said the
archbishop, emboldened by the vicinity of the 2tner pre-
late, and feeling that no vioence wou:d ire attempted in
his presence. " Set it down on the tank', aio I will
swallow it to-morrow. Will not that be soon enough ?"
"As you will, as you will," ejacu.ated 111.,jone, with
eeeming carelessness. "I will carry back tile pr-cious
medicine with me ; but you craill-advised, poor BAczo.
Let us talk of other matters. Toe king-pre,st:s you hard
for some pretended debt, as I have heard."
"I thought your lordship bad heard of sarcasti-
nay remarked the Tics man.

Why, ear° archiveseovo, ye know that Giorgio
Mjone hears of everything that th,:t inv: does ; and
that hts enemies eh& go trim wit instigating every
harshness."

"Poor injured mail!" sighed the archbishop.
"Indeed it is time that our scheme were pu. into ex,
curion," persisted Majone. " What say, AI ,tteo of 'ta-
verna? Yyu have seen him sincehis return ?"
"He heard of my illness, and, as a kinstnao, hastenA
to inquire after me," replied the primate.
A fit of spasmodic suffering here cams on —p,rllaps
the show of it was rather encouraged by the al couishop
in order to break off a conver,ation that :night implicate
his relative. It effectually prevented the cowinur.tion
of the dialogue. Majone proposed to the Bish,p ‘,l
Syracuse to administer his boasted potion what* the
invalid was iu this almost senseless state ; hut to this
the other strenuously objected. Foil..d and angry, thy
High Admiral at length withdrew.
The chamberlain, Riberto, meanwhile had been on
the point of sending messengers to the Baron of Taverna,
and other friends of his patron, when the young lord
rode up to the gate of the archbishop's palace.
"For God's sake, my lord," cried the chamber ain,
"put an end to this. Niajone is with my lord, and trying
to make him swallow some flesh poisonous drug. His
life is not sure for an hour."
Taverna half drew his sword from the scabbard. "As
will do it now as later,' ho cried, and was pushing for-
ward.

"Nut in my lord's presence," said the chamberlain ;
" besides Lie has his ftiaids and folio worm in tine wijair-
ing room. But what better time could you have than as
he returns home ? You could come upon him in the
shadows of the streets."
"Dust take me for a dastard murderer !" exclaimed
Taverna, angrily.
Another noble Sicilian here rode up to our hero, and
his conversation with the servant of the archbishop was
broken off. But the new corner was one not likely to
tame down the excited feelings of the baron ; it wa'
Guglielino Count of Lesina—a man of a stern and fierce
temper, and one of the most violent enemies of the ad-
miral. The two rode aside together.
Half an hour later, Majone, preceded and followed
by a large body of friends and of servants carrying
torches, was making his way towntda the gate of Santa
Agate, on his return to his tower of Baych. With
many a laugh and witty jest at the good-nature of the
admiral, who had allowed hiicseif to be foiled of the ob-
ject with which he bad visited the archbishop, and which
seemed to be pretty accurately surmised, the es ort came
boisterously onwards. Suddenly, one hastened back
and whispered to the minister that the street was lined
with groups of men in the colours of the Baron of
Ta7erua and the Count of Lesina. Majone turned pale ;
but after a few woraenter consideration, be said, "It is

toe late to retreat. We are a.strong body,
and he Baron-of Taverna on my part, a,d hid hit,
Alcautr ; or, The Dark Ages. By J. R. Beste,
Come to me," he said to the man Who had br .ught the
information.
Esq., author of "The Wabash," " Modirn The message was repeated to our hero, who stood be.
Society in Rome," ttr-c. Three vols. Hurst and side the gateway with the Count of Lesina.l
131aeke-t.
' "We are discovered, friend," cried the latter. "On
The announcement of a new work by this brit- ' him, at once!"
liant and successful writer must have been gratify_ Both set pure to their charger; and Taverna soon
ing to many. Those who bad wand, red will him came in sight of the bulky admiral.
thrtugli the lonely and perilous Leek w. I
oils, or Here I am, 'traitor, villain, poisoner !" he cried,
who had taken part in the stirring Ecenes of the ho"Zeurre
rI th n mounter of all wickednerei thou die.
of th kinc, Draw, and defend thy'self !"
Italian insurrection, must have looke I firward .
feartelt al him furiously with his sword ; but the
with pleasure to tire prospect of another work from arlieired t sal kt!se drawn. Re was a gomd swordsman,
the pen of a writer so attractive and original. T:10 aryl he ea.ily parried the blo,e. A few more were inter-
.stvxess of his former productions was indeed sof-. f0,,,,.„d. Tony ere well matched ; hut the youth and
ticket to eme.ouiage aeother at-emit, and though skil, of the younger roan pro/ailed ; and .Giorgio Ma-
the age, the evens, and the characteis are different, j:ete fell aciAlie ea, th,dead ; bile, strange to ray, the
we aniicipitte that his readers will aiimie, t at the whole company of hie friendsand foil ewers fled from his
charm of the style and tee interest of the narrative i side without baring-rai.ed an arm in his defence.
remain unditninished. Apparently reserved to The novelty of the scene, the remoteness of the
avoid the charge of monotony, he carries us butte epoch, the :tarring an warlike nature of the times,
seven centuries among the deseeedanti of those give to the Work an air of vigour and freshness
bold Normans who conquered Sicily. William of which is rare Denting narrative; of a later age. The
Hauteyille, the grandson of the great Boger, filled I number and variety of the characters introduced
the throne, bu without obtaining mu .h glory, for keep the scene coutinuilly chang ligr ; they include
posterity has since confirm.d the , title j''s leery goodly company the siothul King, the
bestowed on hint by are' elliotrs subj c., Wd- ambitious and evil favourite, the bold and haughty
him the Bad." He is represente las a man of a ha' ons, the cunning Arabs, tire truthful an 1 valiant
cruel and avaricious disposition, a relentless tyrant, i Irish squire, and a cro a'd of minor persons, who,
whose slothfulness induced him to le-. the reins ef nevertheless, sometimes play an importan; parr.
governMent fall almost entirely into the hands of I.The hero,n,a, toe, are not waiting in diversity of
:his favourites. The chief of these, th,: Lod High attraction. There are the wily Queen, the beautiful
Admiral of Admirals, was also the most unworthy: and high-souled Clemente, the gentle Acata, the
He encouraged all his master's cruelties, and calm and pious Theresa, and the hermit princess, to
aided many of his own, his gr at o eject b Aug to whom the wondering villagers gave the name of
_destroy the King and reign iu his pi ice. Ho Santa R,salia. A darkerna'ule, however, mingles
occupies a prominent part in the opening of with this fair sisterhood. Coraeza, the daughter.
!he story, but mee-s the just reward of his of Majone, and be'rothed by her father to Taverna,
crimes from the hand of one lie hid injured. is the cause of much saffering to those who. have
The haughty _Nomad barons, each of them a little thwarted her vehement passions. In his preface
king, were-ill-disposed to brook the tyranny of Mr. Beste clefei.ds his former works ftotn some
one whose grandfather had been their equal. They attacks that -le,d beet made on their, and totally
formed several strong confederacies against the diselaiihs alliiireution of indulging in controversial
king, and proposed tat his sort, a chi:d, should o: re igious disquisitions. "I write," he observes,
reign in his steal. Unf rtuneaely a chance shot, " for toe general public, and am neither a divine, a
aided by a blow from his cruel father; killed the polemic, uor mi-sionary." His profession would
poor .liitle monarch of half-a day, and the king rather seem to ho Oat of a historical novelist, and
biking advantage of the fickle temper of the people lie appears
_to possess the requisite quelincaiioes
Was soon reinstated in all his dignities. The shot t- fir that' difficult pursifit. He justly regards as one
sighted people allowed thernselves to. be in- of its highest recommendations the power it-pos.
fluenced by the Saracens, whohr King William had :seises of familiarising the reader with the details of
always favoured, and by the priests, who, from a history ; and in the. hands of a skilful and con-
mistaaa n wish to preserve order, exerted themselves seientious writer, it is no doubt a forcible means
to procure the release of the aggressor. Tile re- of impressing information. The author has added
venge of the treacherous sovereign was son] felt 'mother .to hiS list of:successes, won in a more
by the sturdy band of confederates ; one oflipis stubborn field. He has forsaken the personality
favourite punishments had always been puttmg end excitement that lends so much interest to an
out the eyes with red-hot bacons, and it may be historical rum :nce of our own days, to trust to
imagined he did not hesitate to employ it on such the unaided light of his genius to pierce the
an occasion. Hanging, exile, confiscation, impri- gloom of. the dark ages, and awake for the long
.sonment, soon left Kiug William leisure to enjoy, forgotten struggles of that earlier time, the atteu-
, uudistur bed,- the couches of the Aleaear-:--the old- tion so readily'accorded to the narrative of a mo-
Saracenic name for the royal palace of Sicily. The dern insurrection. It is a matter of congratula-
love story of the Baron Mathew of Taverna and the tiou that be has so well succeeded in such an
fair Countess Clemeuce, the hero ant h mine of arduous attempt, that he has invested the stern
the story, is also founded ou fact; indeed the author old bar ons, whose swords have long been rust
assures us that with the exeeption of a few K,l)or- with the interest of heroes of fiction, leading his
dinate characters, whom he names, all,the_actirs in readers far along the dusty highways of history,
this stirring drama really existed and acted as he but strewing them with the flowers of romance.
describes. Mathew of Taverna is portrayed as 'a
true knightly hero, and the leader of tile' band
of rebels. He was the slayer of the :hated
'favourite of the king, the head admiral, and
was hailed by the people as their deliverer.
He applied for the King's consent to his marriage
with the Lady Clemente, but was .rudely rt.-fined,
though supported by the entreaties of he brother
nobles. He retired with his friends to his castle
to concert measures, and they finally decided on
his marrying the Countess without waiting for prr-
mission. This daring step precipitated the rebel-
lion, whose failure we have before alluded to. The
previous adventures of the Lady Clemente and her
friend, her courageous escape from imprisonment,
and the wild and stormy scenes that f: Hewed her
marriage, are full of interest. The conclusion of
their adventures we will leave to be le trn,d from
Mr. Bests's enthralling narrative; as to those unac-
quainted witb the history of that remote period
it will possess all the attractions of novelty. The
following passage will give some idea of t ie excit-
ing native of the incidents and the graphic power
of the writer. Majone, the Lord Admiral, having
indu-ced the Archbishop Hugo and Mathew of
Taverna, his kinsman, to join in a plot he had
formed to depose the King, gave the Archbishop
reason to distrust his motive. He opposed his
plans, and Majtme, finding him indexiete, invited
hint to supper and poisoned him. The next day
he kindly came to visit the sick man—
" Caro Hugo I" he exclaimed to the sick prelate, "for-
give the familiarity of my address, dear monAgnore, but
it toucher me to the heart to see you in this plight."
The arcbbiahop turned away his head in disgust.
" Rejoiced am I to see so many friends and followers
in attendance around you," 'continued Majuue. "This
is not such a wicked world, atter all ! roe sympathy
your friends show for you proves that a good roan is
priz,?deven in this life."

The Botta Pass ; or, Englishmen in the Highlands.
By Erick Mackenzie. 3 vols. Smith end Eider.

It may be an agreeable diversion to those novel-
readers who are weary of hackneyed places, and
stereotyped descriptions, to follow in fancy the
heroes and hsroiues of this novel through wild and
romantic scenery, to connect their fitful careers
and sir nge a lventures,. with the legendary lore
that still pervades " the land of the mountain and
the flood." Characters such as are presented to our
notice must interest whenever, and wherever met
with, but they strike with a peculiar force, and are
iriveNted with an added charm, when the attributes
with. which they are surrounded are congenial to
their nature. It is not only with those indigenous
to the soil that this applies, but the visitors are
seen to more advantage than if we had taken our
first glimpse of them amid the crowd of fashion's
idlers, or in the glare of courtly saloons. March-
moranst and Auber, with tho-e innate qualities,
that single out, and set apart their possessor, if he
aspire to distinction, were yet the very men to
allow themselves to be overcome by the various
casualties of time, place, or 'circumstance. With
their companion, Harold, it was otherwise, 'he was
the same always, straightforward and decided.
The attractions of the story are so numerous and
varied that it would be difficult to single out any
one point of it for attention, but the chief regard is
centred in the fortunes of Esme. Hers is a fine
character, one not often met with in the pages of
fiction, the lights and shades of Cher disposition
are eo finely blended, the weakness of her
nature,' wfien sinking under nervous depres-
sion—yet the energy with which she again rose
to her former level, the never-ceasing struggle after
something higher, nobler, greater, than anything
she had hitherto attained to, all bespoke a different
temperament to her sisters. Another, but whether
a better was questionable, Line required other
friends than those surrounding her, to assist her in
the perilous journey of life. She corktrived to es-
cape the many and serious dangers that beset her,
but it was at a fearful risk, and she hail to spend
weat stiould have &en youth's happiest season in
suffering. It would not be just to a narrative like
the present .to attempt detailing its course, as it
would be impossible tudy to appreciate the events
without studying them in their relative bearings
one tewards another. Yet it will appear to every
Attentive obs,rver that the situation of Esme at
tire period of the visitors leaving the Highlands, is
a skilful construction of social manoeuvres, and re-
dounds. to the honour of the artificer who so
planned and devised it. It was not that she was
fickle or changeable, nor that she desired false ex-
citement, and mystery in her affairs, but she did not
know hee• own miud in the strange and perplexing
views of life presented to 'her. the found what
many dreamers have before awakened to, that it is
not the beat preparation for emergencies to be con-
tinually dwelling upon them. Had she strength-
ened Ler mind by inward discipline, an outward
calm would have taken the place of those fancied
-vie ons and glo ony reveries. She would have risen
superior in her native strength to the terrors of
predic'ious; and been enabled to overcome
ire tey arose any danger or difficulty.
Nevertheless, by her very unguardedness, Esme.
is tendered fascinating. The germs of the good in
any form or shape hear the impress of light and the
image of beauty, but they are peculiarly developed
when tiey are shown in the life of a young maiden
like Estee. By her pure 'existence she held out a
charm to the highest in the land ; they could not
find her, equal iu their exalt -d stations. There was
one thing, however, in which they could not suc-
ceed in at-racing her; they wanted truth, and she
felt thise--they were not true to themselves ; hence
they could not be to her. In Auber she felt his
score and contempt for what she priZed, and when
with Marchmorain she realised that he was divided
against, himself. Iu his best moments of devotion
to nature and appreciation of art, a warning voice
*seethed ca,iliug him away to more dazzling scenes of
worldly honour, wealth, and distinction. In this
lie forgot, himself ; it was this endeavour .to be
great that prevente I him from being so. Had he
chorishe .1 the feelings that animated him in the
glories of nature's solitude, their majesty would
hive given him the courage of a hero, and have
erought him out of the conflict mote than con-
queror. He regarded them as romantic and
visionary, as idle suggeetiens to be trampled under
feet, betere he cotalii pu-sue his course. It was
the turning point in. his career when he met the
Highland maiden en her native mountains. Had
he thi-n yielded to his natural impulse; bad he
joined his fate to that of one so exalted as Esme,
ire must have been successful in his after life.
The unworldlieess of her. nature would have
triumphed over the artifices of his
judgment ;
with one always beside him to speak of his
better self, he would have evidenced and _
illustrated iu his actions the noblest ambition, and
have aspired to teat high standard of success,
s
which is moved not by the breath of the.word
flattery, nor disturbed by the shadow of its passing
frown. It may be more true to paint Marchtuoram
as a failing, however, and it serves to display more
of the pow, r of Esme, by leaving her alone in the
terrors of a discovery from which the boldestinight
have shrunk. The inner life of the young heroine
was filled with strange mysteries and disturbed by
passing clouds,
but, as often occurs, its outer exist-
ence was carried on in different guise. Many
.a
time in the course of these events ,did Esme form
one of a
gay and happy group, who assembled in
various spots to do honour to the travellers and
strangers ever welcome in that country. Those
impromptu fetes, and spontaneous rejoicings, must
have gladdened the spirits of world-weary men who
acre escaping from the " rack of a too easy
chair," when they hurried to the mountains to rest
in the pursuit of imaginary hardships. The interest
is preserved by here and there some touching
scene, or melancholy passage of existence, which in
the midst of youth and gaiety brings home the
mutability of life and happiness. Such is the
" Highland Shepherd's fate," as described
in the season of Christmas mirth.. A mourning
party set out to track the spots

"Mid the wild mountain heather,
Where the pilgrim of nature lay stretched in decay."
Huistan died faithful to his trust., and many might
thus envy the lotely death on the sni iw-covered hills.
The last scenes are , powerfully described, and the
way in which Estee discovers the treachery of
Marchcaoram is in accordance with the wild nature
of the place, while it is dramatic in the intensity of
i►ts excitement. Her subsequent danger on the