The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-05 00:00:00

FRASER.

With all possible anxiety for the due reformation
of the Universities, Fraser is desirous that that re-
formation should be effected from within rather than
from without. Nevertheless, the supporters of the'Royal
Commission may obtain some useful hints from a
perusal of the article on " University Ref irrn," which
occupies the opening pages of Fraser fur June. The
lovers of the horrible and the mysterious will peruse
with delight " Something about a Murder," wherein
they will find, to their disappointment perhaps, the
revelation of a ghost resolving itself into the cunning
device of an ingenious maiden. All who are
familiar with the delightful gossip of Horace
Walpole—as who is not—will find peculiar
pleasure in " The Letters of General Con-
way to Horace Walpole," of which the third in-
stalment is contained in this number of the magazine.
The General is not unworthy to be the correspondent
of the renowned letter-writer, and it is evident by the
tone of the epistles that he fully reciprocated the feel-
ings of affection with which the memorialist of the
Georges always mentions the name of Conway. As
the hero of Eastcheap was known as " Jack to his
intimates, John to his brothers and sisters, and Sir
John Falstaff to the rest of Europe,".so it appears that
the Earl of Orford to the rest of Europe, and Horace
Walpole to the public generally, was addressed by his
intimates by the familiar name of " Hurry," for
which General Conway in one of these letters thus
apologises::—" Dear Horry,",he writes, " though I am
a little afraid of being so familiar, you b,,gin
with such a Sir,' and end with such an
' obedient humble servant,' that I am in doubt
whether it is not fit for me to change my style too,
though I am so hampered in au usage almost imme-
morial, that I should certainly find it very difficult,
for I really can scarce keep a decent degree of cere-
monial phrase with my new acquaintance, and to be
formal with my old ones seems as unnatural a thing
to me as to be familiar with Lord Northampton or
the Duchess of Dorset." Lord Campbell's Lives
of the Chief Justices" is the subject of an interesting
article, and of a somewhat severe criticism. " A
Study of Shakspere in the Merchant of Venice" gives
an unusual, but not unjust elucidation of the charac.:
ter of Shylock. These, with other papers, no', here
enumerated, render Fraser for June a number of
average excellence.

ECLECTIC REVIEW.
Under the editorship of Dr. Thomas Price we ob-
serve that this able organ of the Dissenters is con-
ducted with more than usual ability, and its different
contributions display a very visible improvement.
Several of the most interesting works recently pub
lisped in various departments of literature are passed
under the ordeal of a discriminating criticism; their
general construction, nature, and merits being judi-
ciously and perspicuously analysed. It is thus that
Mr. Warburton's history of the " Conquest of
Canada" is very earnestly commended. It is thus
that the " Dramatic Poem of the Romans" is wel-
comed with eager felicitations to the author, and with
emphatic eulogiums upon the many brilliant gifts
displayed by him as a poetic aspirant. It is thus that
Mr. Mure's critical history of the "Language and
Literature of the Greeks" is subjected to a serious
examination ; that Mr. Hunt's annals of the " News-
paper Press" afford an opportunity for the consider-
ation of the growth of journalism ; that Mr. Miller's
"Footprints of the Creator," a book of much power
and imagination, is made the subject of scrutiny by
the reviewer; and that General Klapka's recent nar-
rative of the "War of- ludeOudence in Hungary" is
energetically commended to' ace', notice of the com-
munity. The paper on the "Exeter Hall
L'ctures," and the article on " Ship Passages

in Central America to the Pacific" deserve attentive
perusil, and are written with a liberality that must
command at least respect, if it cannot in all instances
secure coincidence of opinion. Upon the closing con-
tribution in the June number of the Eclectic, we
have occasion to speak elsewhere—our leading
columns this evening having especial reference to the
Government Bill regarding Metropolitan Intermenti.

THE BRITISH GAZETTEER.

The Fourteenth Part of this valuable national

work has appeared with the Ist of the present month,
illustrated with the maps of two counties, Westmore-
land and Hereford. We subjoin an extract descrip-
tive of a well-known and admired locality on the
shores of the Thames, one of the most enviable resi-
dences in the vicinity of the great metropolis :
" Greenhy the, Kent, a hamlet in the parish of Swans-
comic, on the southern bank of the Thames: 18 miles
from London, 3 from Dartford, 5 from Grave:end.—
This place stands on tl e eouthern bank of the Thames,
across which there is a ferry of great antiquity into Es-
sex. Together with Gravesend, it is much frequeated
during tae summer by the citizens of London, and it has
in consequence been much improved and enlarged of late
years. There are extensive chalk-pits here wad at
Northfleet, the chalk being connected with the hills
forming the southern boundary of the Thames marshes.
Several of the excavations are 150 feet deep, and in
some parts much below the level of the river. The chalk
is burnt for lime, and sent to London, &c., forming an
important article of commerce, and there are wharfs
along the shore for the convenience of shipping. The
flints intermingled with the chalk form a principal in-
gredient in the manufacture of Staffordshire ware, and
considerable quantities of them have been exported to
China. On the banks of the river 'Thames, there is a
beautiful park, once belonging to the Dartford nuns, and
was then called Inee-G rice, but is now named luerees.
This property was for several years in the posseesien of
the Celcreft family. John Cateraft, Esq., about a cei-
tury ago, exieeded a large amount in ornamenting the
grounds, and beautifying the mansion; and in 1763, the
Marquis of Granby, on returning through Kent, alter his
continental aectories, visited Mr. Calmat-, and passed the
night at Ingress. The Government, under the Melville
Administration, purchased this and several other pro-
perties in the vicinity, in contemplation of formiug a
grand naval arsenal, by excavating the marsh just below
Ingress; but the project was abandoned on account of
the difficulty that might occur iu getting the ships down
the river to the Nore on an emergency, the towing of
vessels by steam tugs not being then invented, and Sheer-
ness was the spot selected for the arsenal. The Earl of
Besborough held Ingress alter the Celerafts, and in 1795
it was the property of Roebuck, Esq., who enlarged
the house, and erected a noble portico, designed by the
unfortunate Novosielski. It is said, that during the un-
happy differences between George IV. and his queen,
Caroline, she expressed to the Government a wish to
have a grant of Ingress for her residence in this country,
but to avoid complying with her request the house
was sold in lots, and levelled with the ground.
About 20 years ago, Government put up to auction all
the property they had purchased for the projected arsenal,
and Ingress was purchased by James Harmer, Esq.,
formerly an alderman of London, who has erected, with
the stone of the old London-bridge, near the cite of the
former building, an elegant mansion, designed by
Charles Moreing, a promising young architect. Mr.
harmer has taken great pains in tastefully laying out
the grounds, and ornamenting them with plantations
and shrubberies, and it is now considered by many as one
of the most romantic spots in England."