The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-25 00:00:00

the paraphernalia which accompanies one of these
vast assemblages is minutely depicted ; also a map
of the independent states of Assam and Bhutan,
and of Rajpootana, Guzerat, &c., &c.

The Comprehensive History of _England, Civil,
Military, .Religious, Intellectual, and Social.
Parts 34, 35. Biackie and Son.
This valuable serial is fast nearing its comple-
tion, having with Part 35 reached the year 1850.
Part 34 opens with a sketch of the poets who
graced the beginning of the present century. The
author gives us his opinion of the writings of Scott,
Wordsworth, Moore, Southey, Byron, and Hannah
More. Of Lord Byron, like too many historians
and biographers, the author takes a prejudiced
view. He cannot but admit that he was the first
poet of the day ; but why condemn a man be-
cause he wrote straightforward and truthfally ?
It is true that he portrayed characters of
a reckless and desperate nature, but he ex-
poses their failing, and, as in " Lara and the
Gaiour." he shows that remorse and distrust must
accompany crime. What has brought so much
undeserved censure upon Byron is, that he wrote
undisguisedly, and scorned to hide his meaning
under an hypocritical garb of sanctity. Let any dis-
passionate critic examine the writings of some of
the eminent writers of the present day, and 03 a
close analysis he will find immorality and profli-
gacy of a deeper dye than is t&be met with in any
of Byron's works, only in the one case the sin
is painted colour de rose to deceive the super-
ficial reader, rendering its effect the more
pernicious, while, on the other, the very
clearness with which crime is delineated
warns the most obtuse intellect of the danger.
Book 12 commences with the ascension of William
the Fourth to the throne, and again we enter
upon the affairs of France, with the expulsion of
Charles the Tenth, and the election of Louis
Philippe. The exciting period of the Duke of
Wellington's premiership and his failure as a
politician, occupy considerable space. It is un-
necessary to dwell at any length on the succeeding
chapters relating to our own time ; suffice it to re-
mark that all the leading characters, whether civil,
military, or scientific, are duly noticed, and por-
traits of many of them are furnished. Great pains
have been devoted to the detail of all matters which
are likely to be useful or interesting to the reader.

The Marchioness of Downshire's dancing parties
will take place this evening, and on Monday, the 29th inst.,
not on Friday, as stated yesterday.
The Earl and Countess of Munster have been
placed in mourning by the death of their youngest son, the
Hon. Arthur Fitzclarence, who died on the 20th inst. at
Edinburgh.
The Countess Dowager of Sandwich has arrived
at Grosvenor. square, from Hinchingbrook, Huntingdon.
Sir R. Peel, Bart., M.P., and Lady Emily Peel
had a dinner party last evening, at their residence in White-
hall-gardens. The guests included the Marquis and Mar-
chioness of Clanricarde, Maria Marchioness of Aylesbury,
the Marquis of Hartington, the Earl Granville, the Earl
and Ccuntess of Clarendon, the Earl of Malmesbury, the
Earl and Countess of Chesterfield and Lady Evelyn Stan-
hope, Sir Edwin Landseer, Mr. Alfred Montgomery, and
Mr. Delane.

A marriage is arranged to take place between
he Hon. Fanny Blanche Calthorpe, second daughter of
Lord and Lady Calthorpe, and the Rev. John Fielden,
chaplain to the Marquis of Cholmondeley, and son of Mr.
Fielden, of Witton Park, near Blackburn, Lancashire.
Married, on the 23d inst., at St. James's Church,
Piccadilly, by the Rev. Edward Wilts, assisted by the Rev.
Otto Ball, Mr. Cecil van Notten Pole, only son of Sir Peter
van Notten Pole, of Todenham House, county of Glou-
cester, and grandson of the late Earl of Limerick, to Frances
Anna, eldest daughter of the Rev. Henry Rice, and grand-
daughter of the Hon. and Very Rev. the Dean of Gloucester.
The Manchester papers mention the death of Mr.
John Leech, one of the largest and most wealthy cotton
spinners in that city.
The Hon. George Leslie Waldegrave has resigned
his appointment of secretary to the Speaker of the House
of Commons. Mr. Waldegra% e's unwearied courtesy and
urbanity have gained for him the esteem of all with whom
he has been concerned during the six years he has offici ted
as secretary to Lord Eversley and to the present Speaker.
We understand that Mr. Alfred Denison, brother of the
Speaker, has bean selected to fill the vacancy.
The Irish Roman Catholic prelates are now sit-
ting in solemn conclave, in Dublin. They met for the first
time on Tuesday, but the proceedings were strictly private.
The business before them, we are told, is "important."
The resumption for the season of the special tidal
service between London and Paris, via Folkestone and
Boulogne, the short sea route, takes place on May let. The
journey will be performed by special express trains on both
the South-Eastern and Northern of France lines, in a few
minutes over 10 hours. The syotom of intorprotiug conduc-
tors, registration ur bugmage, with the other facilities
hitherto afforded by this service, Is to be maintained in full
efficiency.
It is stated that, at the request of the Turkish
Government, one of the Commissioners of the Board of
Trade, accompanied by an official conversant with accounts,
has been authorised to proceed to Constantinople to assist in
an investigation of the finances of the Empire, with a view
to their adjustment upon some defined basis. French offi-
cials are said already to have. reached Constantinople on a
similar errand.
THE ATTEMPTED MURDER IN ISLINGTON.—
Since the brutal attempt at murder on the unfortunate
young woman, Mary Ann Redkison, in Chapel-street,
Islington, the police have been on the alert, and in the
course of their investigation they have been successful in
apprehending another of the party who was engaged in
this murderous outrage and burglary, and he is now in
custody. He is the son of a butcher residing in Chapel-
street. He has given information of a third party, and
also the cabman who took away the chest. It is therefore
probable that by this time all the parties concerned are in
custody.
COLLISION ON THE EASTERN COUNTIES RAIL-
WAY.—Tho Essex Herald of Tuesday reports a serious
collision on the Eastern Counties Railway, at the Bishops's
Stortford station. It seems that a goods train had been
shunted to allow. of a mail train passing, and before the
first train could recover its original position, another of a
similar character came up in an opposite direction at the
rate of about 15 miles an hour. The engines of the two
trains struck each other with great viclence, and both were
much injured. Four or five trucks were smashed, and the
property in them—beer barrels, sacks of corn, &c.—strewn
at out the line, which was blocked for a short time; but no
life was lost, although one man received a severe bl w on
the right side of his head, and also several bruises on other
parts of his person.

TITS POST. OFFICE.—The estimate of the expenses
of the Pcst-office for the current years is a strange contrast
to such an estimate 30 years since. The conveyance of
mails by railways in 1861 will cost £643,400, while mail
coaches, of wliich our fathers were so proud, get a vote
(which is declining every year) of only £13,870. 193 sorters
and clerks are required for the travelling post-office. The
mere apparatus for exchanging bags on the railways causes
an outlay of nearly £2,000 a year, and the supply and repair
of mail-bags above £ll,OOO. The poundage allowed for the
sale of postage labels at the post• offices is described as ex-

ceeding £21,000 a year. The letter-carriers, sorters, and
messengers now constitute a little army of above 11,000
men, and their year's pay exceeds £520,000.
CROWN LANDS IN CANADA.— The sales of Crown
lands in Lower Canada during 1860 amounted to 290,026
acres, being more than double the account sold in 1859

The free grants on the colonisation roads amounted to
19,421 acres, being an increase of 1,429. But we have still

an almost inexhaustible supply of lands for intending pur-
chasers, there being no less than 5,397,191 acres surveyed
and as yet not granted, and a great deal more which the

surveyors have not yet visited. Of what are called " Clergy
Lands" there were 44,545 acres sold in 1860, or more than
10 times as much as in 1859. In Upper Canada there were

sold, in 1860, 126,413 acres of Crown lands ; 26,300 acres
were located as free grants. Of clergy lands 62,522 acres

were sold, and about 10,000 acres of school lands. There

aro still for sale surveyed Crown lands amounting to
1,853,121 • clergy lands to 198,974 ; and school lands to

76,000 acres.—Canadian.News.
ALLEGED TORTURE IN THE MAZAS PRISON.--
A correspondent of the Nation Suisse, a Geneva paper,
writes :—" I have just received from Paris a letter relating
unheard of cruelties exercised in the Mazas prison. My in-.
forruant is a man of strict veracity, and, Pbelieve, incapable
even of exaggeration. Here is his statement A witness
called before tho Juge d'lnetruction to give evidence in
Auguste Blanqui's affair, saw him enter the cabinet with
unmistakeable marks of recent violence on his person. His
clothes, including his shirt, were torn, and his hat, was
crushed, as if it had been trampled on. The witness, shocked
at the sight, could scarcely help expressing his indignation,
when Blanqui, addressing the judge, said, ' It is atrocious '
and useless to drag me out of my cell and assault me, for
you may kill me, but you shall never force a word out of my
lips.' On this the gaolers rushed in and removed him with
violence from the cabinet.' " Another letter appears to
confitm the aboVe extraordinary statement.

TIM SCOTCII PIG IRON TRADE.—There has been
a great revival in the Scotch pig iron trade since an
amelioration was first observable in the commercial pros-
pects of the country. Thus the shipments have expanded
as follows

1361. 1860.
Tons.
Week ending M Tons.arch 9 7,117 .. 11,114
~ ~ 16 7,982 .. 9,656
~ 23 8,206 .. 10,037
, , 30 10,169 .. 8,345
April 6 14,992 .. 12,275
If ,1 13 14,419 .. 11,673
Considering the depression under which this important
trade has long laboured, the hopes induced by these figures
an witnuely grAtifyiDg,