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

LITERATURE.

MODERN CRITICS.

Among the refinements of an age which summons
its Social Evils to midnight tea-parties, and turns
every rude, uncleanly workman into an intelligent
operative, not the least amusing is that which per-
vades our current criticism on art and literature.
The critic of the present day too often approaches
his subject with a reverence half real, half feigned,
which speaks more for the wide-spread influence of
a reigning fashion than for his own power of
weighing, fairly and fearlessly, the merits of the
work before him. Under the combined attacks of
pushing publishers and popular authors, his office
seems to have degenerated into the task of adding
one cheer more to the cries and clappings of his
enthusiastic neighbours. The boldest paradox, if
clothed in a due haze of picturesque words, carries
him off his legs; and the poorest common-place, if
it finds a ready sale, is not less sure to meet with a
hearty welcome from his too courteous or congenial
pen. The bulk of our criticism, like the bulk of
our religion, flows through many different parties
into one common creed, whose outward liberalism
covers avast depth of downright intolerance. It is
allowable, for instance, to sneer at Pope, or run
down Byron ' • but woe to him who misses a beauty
in an old English ballad, or finds a fault in
" Aurora Leigh." Critics may look down with a
fine compassion on the literary leanings of a
Dryden, a Johnson, or a Jeffrey •, but it is rank
treason to charge Shakspere with writing fustian
or Wordsworth with prose. We may fling what
stones we please at the idols of other days, if we do
but join in worshipping the idols of our own.
Hume was a shallow, prejudiced historian, but Mr.
Froude is a writer of large sympathies and keen
insight, whose worst mistakes the genial critic will
pass over as mere spots in so bright a sun. Write
an utterly romantic history of some bygone age or
personage, and you will appear to "genial criticism"
as a great philosopher, or at least a powerful cham-
pion of a nobler and truer faith. But say a word,
however reasonable, against some living writer, the
rising star of some powerful clique, or the esta-
blished pet of a wide-reading public, and "genial
criticism" will at once cry out on you for a piece of
irreverent carping and ill-natured intolerance.—
Publin University Magazine.

AN UNDERTAKER POISONED BY
DISINFECTING FLUID.

Yesterday afternoon Mr. Walthew, the deputy
coroner for East Middlesex, held an inquest at the
Camden's Head, Bethnal-green•road, respecting the
death of Mr. Sohn Samuel Ames, aged 51 years, an
undertaker, of No. 225, in the before-mentioned
thoroughfare, who died under the following melan-
choly circumstances :

The deceased had been engaged to perform the
funeral of the late Rev. James Cartwright, of the
Jews' Chapel, Palestine-place, Cambridge-heath, on
the 15th of February last. The men had assembled
at the residence of the deceased, and were preparing
to start for the cemetery at Hackney on the day in
question, when deceased and one of the men, before
starting, saw a bottle on the sideboard, which was
supposed to contain gin, when the man poured out
half a glass of the contents, and handed it to the
deceased, who drank a portion, and said, " Oh, it is
physic, you can drink the rest." The man tasted
it, and became sick, as eke. the deceased, -who
vomited. The deceased was seen by a surgeon ; he
was so far prostrated that he was conveyed home,
where he had the prompt attention of Dr. Vanden-
burgh, who administered antidotes ; but the de-
ceased died on Friday last.
Thomas Spencer, and other witnesses who had
swallowed a portion of the liquid, proved the facts
as stated above, and stated that the bottle was
labelled " Chloride of zinc," but the room was dark.
Dr. Vandenburgh, of Bethnal-green-road, said
a friend named Chris-
that he was called to the deceased on the afternoon
in question, at the house of
tian, in Mre
The deceased was
a
very ill and vomiting. Witness was informed that
the deceased
had been,
nlisacrkinnYkein.g
some disinfecting
liquid. Antidotes were administered, but inflam-
mation of the stomach supervened, which was
relieved, but fatal symptoms come on, and he died the poison,
mortal effects of
from the which was a
mixture containing chloride of zinc, and which was
clearly.one of misadventure.
The jury returned a verdict. "That
died from inflammation of
stomach, caused by
swallowing a certain liquid poison known as dis-
infecting liquid, by clecid,mt." '

AN IMPERIAL ENRAGED MUSICIAN.—The Em-
peror of Austria Would not mind Kossuth's striking false
notes, if they Were not likely to create discord in Hungary.
—Punch.

DEATH FROM THE EFFECTS OF CHURCH-RATE
EXCITLMENT.—There has been an exciting church rate
contest at Hingham, Norfolk, and one result of the dispute
was of a solemn nature. After the meeting a party ad-
journed to the principal inn in the parish, and renewed the
discussion with some warmth. One of the parties who took
part in the conversation—Mr Bassum, a person somewhat
advanced' in years—addressed the party until he became
quite exhausted, and wound up by observing, " I have more
to say, gentlemen, but I have no wind." He then went to
his seat, and almost immediately afterwards expired,—
Nonconformat.