The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-24 00:00:00

LITERA.ZURE.

Agnes Tremorne. By L. Blagden. 2 vols.
Smith, Elder, and Co.
The scene of this singular and melancholy story
is laid in Rome, thirty years ago, when Italian
regeneration was still the vision of political enthu
siasts and dreaming patriots, and few votaries of
fashion and frivolity sauntered past the marvels of
creative genius. The two worlds of politics and
art divide the story. The heroine, Agnes Tremorne,
is an artist of rare ability, and her cousin, the
betrothed of her sister, is immured in the dungeons
of Spielberg, and the final catastrophe is brought
about through the agency of a secret society. The
plot of the story is singular in the extreme, and in
some respects painful and unpleasing. Agnes has
a sister, Imogene, younger than herself, and
gifted with rare beauty and a highly sensi-
tive organisation. On the day preceding
that fixed for her marriage, Herbert,
her intended husband, had been arrested, and
his distracted friends and relatives could learn no
more of his fate. The shock threw Imogene into a
fearful and mysterious illness in which her reason-
ing powers were affected and her memory lost.
Each day she fancied was the one before her
wedding, and only the influences of mesmerism
could soothe her nervous irritability. Meanwhile
her father dies brokenhearted having previously
lost his estate, and the sole responsibility falls upon
Agnes, who devotes herself entirely to the charge
of her invalid sister, whom she keeps in happy
ignorance of the loss of friends and fortune, and
supports by her untiring industry. Godfrey Went-
worth, the hero of the story, is an Englishman of
fortune who has been residing in Rome for some
years. An early disappointment has embittered
him and made him shun society. He becomes
accidentally acquainted with Agnes and- her
sister, and offers to assist in the arduous task of
mesmerising. He has been a friend of the unfor-
tunate Herbert, and is noted for a remarkable re-
semblance to him. To the consternation of both
Wentworth and Agnes, Imogene mistakes him for
Herbert, and her delight at his supposed return
restores her wonderfully. They are afraid to unde-
ceive her, and Agnes suffers herself to be persuaded
against her better judgment to let the delusion
continue. Imogene recovers rapidly, and mean-
while an ardent affection springs up between
wenvoro.tim. -r lacy aa perplexed
Lik_gn!s ande
Le or affairs, and Wentworth resolves to
go himself to Spic.thar.re. to obtain news of Herbert,
who is reported to have escapea. ;. truth
in Rome, bat a dangerous illness, and a series of
unfortunate circumstances have prevented him
from tracing them. Before Wentworth under-
takes his journey, however, he is murdered
through the jealousy of Moroni, an Italian lover of
Agnes, who has contrived to awake the suspicion
of a secret society, by the likeness between Herbert
and his friend. The very day after the assassina-
tion Herbert appears, in time to save Imogene from
a second shock, but not soon enough to preserve
Agnes from life long sorrow. Many other per-
sons are mixed up in the story, both Italian and
English, but the chief merit of the book does not
lie in the plot or characters. It is rather in the
style, which is correct and elevated in tone, and the
thoughts, which are often original, and always noble
and truthful. The work is evidently the result of
great care, and the author expresses his
own sentiments through those of his charac-
ters. A keen perception of the beautiful and an
intense love of art are also perceptible. The de-
scriptions of Italy, and the conversations and reflec-
tions are the most agreeable parts of the work,
since there is much in the story which jars on the
reader, It shows, however, originality and inven-
tion to have constructed so singular a plot, although
there is a great drawback to its merits in the fact of ,
its extravagance and improbability. We shall
hope to meet the writer again, when his literary,
ability and principles of artistic and social excel-
lence may be displayed through a more natural
and satisfactory medium.

WIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH.

A public meeting of the University was held on
Monday for the purpose of conferring degrees in
law and arts—Sir David Brewster, Principal and
Vice-Chancellor, presided. Professor Swinton, as
Public Orator, successively presented to the Vice-
Chancellor the Right Hon. Sir John M'Neill and
Mr. John Muir, D.C.L., Oxford, as persons deemed
worthy by the Senatus Academicus to receive the
honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D). In
presenting Sir John M'Neill, he said that, having
graduated in medicine at the University of Edin-
burgh at the early age of 19, he sought in the East
a field for his professional attainments, but ulti-
mately exchanged the practice of the physician's
art for the diplomatic service of the State, and dur-
ing long years of perilous adventure, fitly crowned
by his appointment as British Envoy at the
Court of Persia, his'zeal, ability, anddiscretion had
gained the confidence of the country and the spe-
cial favour of the Crown. Of the fidelity with
which be had since brought his administrative
talents to the discharge of important duties at home
all were aware, and history would tell of the dis-
interested devotion to the call of duty with which
he undertook a mission to the camp before Sebas-
topol, and lent the aid of his tried wisdom and ex-
tensive experience in retrieving the disasters of a
suffering army and restoring the confidence of an
anxious nation. (Loud applause.) In presenting
Dr. John Muir, Professor Swinton said that to the
faithful and able discharge of important judicial
functions in India Dr. Muir had added laborious
study of the languages of the East, and that, while
his writings stamped him as one of the first San-
suit scholars of the age, they were no less com-
mendable as endeavours to overthrow Hindoo myth-
ology and to indoctrinate the native mind with the
truths of Christianity. The degrees having been
conferred by Sir David Brewster, Professor Swin-
ton said he had hoped to present on this occasion
Mr. Stirling, of Kier, M.P., a gentleman widely
known for his successful prosecution of interesting
historical researches, and for the taste and discri-
mination with which he had illustrated an impor-
tant period in the progress of art. His genius and
learning had twice recommended him to the office
of a public commissioner for the improvement of
the academic institutions of Scotland, and the same
qualities had made him a fit exponent of the unani-
mous opinion of the educated classes of Scotland in
favour of the extension of Parliamentary represen-
tation to the members of the Scotch universities.
Devotion to this question having prevented Mr.
Stirling's presence, the Senatus Academicus had
unanimously agreed to confer on him, by special
diploma, the degree which he could not personally,
receive at their hands. (Applause.) The next cere-
mony was the graduation in arts of 62 young gen-
tlemen, the largest number of candidates for degree
that have offered themselves for a century and a-
half. Twenty-eight took the degree of Master of
Arts, and 34 the degree of Bachelor. They were
addressed by Professor Frazer, who adverted
to the circumstance that this was a revival of the
scenes that took place in the early history of the
university when from 50 to 100 graduates were
often received in a single year, when the number of
students was less than a half of what it now was.
In the 18th century and up to the passing of the
recent act the privilege of graduation almost ceased
to be sought after, owing no doubt to the want of
that seltgoverning power which the Scottish uni-
versities had since secured, and owing to the cir-
cumstance that hitherto graduation possessed no
privileges, whereas now the graduates were orga-
nised in a body as a general council to consult on
the affairs of the university, and hoped soon to
obtain the further privilege of a representative in
Parliament, which the Scotch universities could no
longer remain destitute of if this part of the United
Kingdom was to have its share in the intellectual
influence which the universities possessed in the
Legislature.

THIS DAPS MARKETS.

CORN EXCHANGE.

The supply of English wheat on sale hero to-day was on
the usual small scale, but the samples on the whole were
in tolerably dry condition. Good and fine qualities moved
off steadily at full quotations; otherwise the trade ruled
heavy at about previous rates.
We have to report a large arrival of foreign wheat, and
sales progressed slowly in all descriptions at Monday's
currency. _ _

Floating cargoes of grain were much neglected, yet there
is no quotable change to notice in their value.

Fine malting barley met a steady sale at quite previous
rates, but all other kinds were much neglected.
Malt changed hands to a limited extent, on former terms.
The oat trade was very firm, and the quotations had an
upward tendency.

Beans and grey peas fully supported Monday's advance
of is per qr. White peas ruled dull.

Both English and foreign flour Was in limited request at
[ate rates.

ARRIVALS THIS 'WEEK.
Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flour.
English 330 1,230 310
Irish.. •• • ..... • • 130 (
7,340 1 1,850 sacki
brls.
Foreign,. 20,620

BOROUGH HOP.
Good and fine hops of all growths move off steadily at
extreme rates, but other kinds are a slow inquiry on former
terms.

IVIIITECHAPEL.
Our market is fairly supplied with most kinds of meat,
yet the demand, generally speaking, ruled somewhat in-
active at the following rates :
Beef from 2s 10d to 4s 2d ; mutton, 3s 6d to 4310 d ; lamb,
5s &I to 6s 8d ; veal, 4s 6d to 5s Od ; and pork, 4s Od to 5s
Od per slbs, by the moue,