The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-27 00:00:00

MEAT NIARKETS.

SOUTH4LL, JUNE 26.—Our [milker Was heavy to-lay
for cacti kind of stock, and prices h*d a, downward t•-n-
-dency.—Beef from 2s 10d to 3s 6d; Mutton, 3s to 3s 10d;
Lsmb, 4s to 5s Od Veal, 2. 8i to 3s 4d; and Pork,
3s to 3. 6 1 per 81bs, to sink the c,ff,l.
ROMFORD, JUNE 26 —The general demand was in a
very MaCtivo state, and the quotations were not sup-
ported.—Beet, from 3s to 3. 8(1 ; Mutton, 3s to 3s 10f ;
Lamb, 4s to 5s ; Veal, 2s 10d to 3s 4d; and Pork,
3s to 3s 61 per Blbs. Suckling Calves, 18s to 22s ;
Quarter-old Store Pigs, 16. to 20s; and Mulch Cows,
with their small Calf, 16! to 181 each.
LEWES, JUNE 25.—Prime Beasts sold at full prices;
otherwise the demand ruled heavy. Beet from 36 to 3s
101; Mutton, 3s to 4s; Lamb, 4s 4d to ss; Veal, 3s to
3s 4d per bibs.

CORN AVERAGES.
GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN
For the Week ended June 20, 1850, made up from the Returns or the
Inspectors in the different Citiesand Towns in Easland and Wales
per Imperial Quarter.
WHEAT. I BARLEY.' OATS. I EYE. I BEANS. I PEAm.
I PRICE .. 40s 5d I 223 8d 16310 d I 22s 6d I 263 7d 1266 9d

DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN.
*HEAT. I BARLEY, I OATS. I RYE. I BEANS. I PEAS.
Is Od Is Od Od (hi Is Od is Od

PRIVY COUNCIL-('PHIS DAY.)

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat
again to-day tor the purpose of hearing appeals and
motions. Their Lordships at in the Council Chamber,
Whitehall, and the Lords present were Mr. Baron
Parke, the Judge of the Admiralty Court, the Chancel-
lor of the Duchy of Cornwall, and Sir Edward Ryan.
Their Lordships, having disposed of the motions on
their paper, proceeded to hear the further arguments in
the part-heard case of

DOOLUBDASS PETTAMBERDASS AND OTHERS V. RAMLOL
THACKOORSEYDASS AND OTHERS.

This was at appeal from the Supreme Court of Judi-
cature at Bombay, in an action to recover the amount
of several wagers, ferty-six in number, which were
made between the appellants and respondents, who were
merchants and bankers very extensively engaged in
trade at Calcutta, on the average price of Patna opium
at the then ensuing public Government sale at Calcutta.
The appellants pleaded non assumpsit ; that they
were induced to enter into contracts through
the fraud and covin of the; respondents; and that the
average price per chest of the Patna opium sold at the
said public Government sale was an average price en-
hanced by and through the fraud, covin, and collusion of
the respondents. The resperadents replied de injuria.
It appeared that prior to the year 1847 it had been cus-
tomary to hold five Government sales of opium in each
year; the number of sales were, however, in that. season
increased to nine, and the quantity of opium offered at
each sale was thus proportionably reduced. The first
Government sale of the season was made on the 30th of
November, and upon that occasion the whole quantity t f
Patna opium tor sale was 1,690 etteqs. 0! this glean.
ttty, however, the French Government bad, by couven-
ti .n with the Government of Judie the right to claim
300 chests to be withdrawn from the -isle, and to be
taken by the French Government at the average price
fetched by the rest. Previously to the sale it ep-
peered that the respondents had made a large number
of time bargains at Bombay and Calcutta, and in
these bargains the average named ranged from
1,300 to 1,400 rupees per chest, up to nearly
1,800. In the contracts declared upon in the action,
the lowest average named was 1,387 ruper s, and the
highest 1,775 rupees. In the great majority of instances
the respondents were buyers, or in other words, specu-
lated on the less. in the price. It was proved, however,
that in some instances the respondents were sellers, and
speculated upon the fall. The sale, as before stated, was
advertised to take place upon the 30th of November, and
the representatives of several firms attended the sale to
bid on behalf of the appellants. On that day, however,
no sale of opium took place, owing to some parties
keeping up the bid liege for the first lot throughout the
whole ut the day, and running it up to a preposterously
extravagant price; and the Government agent, finding
that those parties were determined to keep up the bid-
dings until night, was obliged to abandon the design of
selling at all upon that nay. Immediately after the
f.ilure of the intended sale the respondents, through their
representatives who had attended the sfee, wrote to the
secretary of the Board cf Opium, and offered 1,800 ru-
pee s per chest for the opium. The sale was, however,
again advertised to take place upon the 7th of December,
with several new conditions introduced, chiefly with
the view of preventing a recurrence of the interrup-
tion which had taken place upon the previous occasion.
Before the sale the agent of the French Government
claimed 300 chests. On the 7th of December the sale
took place; and it appeared from a list furnished by the
Government agent that, with the exception of sewed:, -
five chests purchased by a Mr. Pereira at the rate of
1,750 rupees per chest, the whole arf eheiPatna opium was
purchased by the respondents ut sums which made the
average price amount to rather more than 1,793 rupees
per chest. The average price et the sale was greatly
enhanced by the efforts of the respondents' agents. Mr.
Pereira, it appeared, had received orders from China to
buy, and was not limited as to price; he considered it to
be bis duty to buy at any price, and stated that fur those
seventy-five chests he would have gone to 2,000 rupees a
chest, though he considered the price very high at
which ho purchased. It app. aced that the re-
pondeuts' representativei paid the Governmeat for
the whole of the opium, excepting that pur-
chased by Pereira, and it must have required an
immense command of capital to have enabled the respon-
dents to operate as they did up Ai the market, for the
sum paid ny them to the Government exceeded 24 lakhs
of rupees; and soon after the sale, this very opium, or
at least a portion of it, was sold by them at 1,200 and
1,300 rupees per chest, so that to gain by such a transac-
tion, the number and extent of their wager contracts
must have been immense. Chief Justice Perry held in
the court below " that the respondents were not bound
by any rule of law, nor by the rules of morality received
amongst mankind at large, to disclose to the appellants
that they intended to make larger purchases now than
upon former occasions, and it was the appellants' own
fault fir not perceiving that circumstances in the present
cease enabled the respondents to do so with effect. The
respondents must, therefore, have judgment fur the
difference on the several contracts in the declaration."
It was from this judgment that the present appeal was
made.

The further arguments occupied their Lordships the
whole morning.

ROLLS' COURT.-(THIS DAY.)
His Lorchhip the Maher of the Ala gat in his
court, in tho MI6-yard, Chancery-lane, to-day, and
heard motions, none of which pos&esed any point of the
least interest except to the patties concerned.

VICE-CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.)
(Before the Vice-Chancellor KNIGHT BRUCE.)
His Honour, after dispo.ing of the case ut Bird v.
Luckie, heard motions and causes, but no case calling
for a special report came before the court during the day.

EXCHEQUEtt.-(THIS DAY.)
The t,iai prmssiltings of this Court in London, alter
term, commenced to-day at Guildhall, betord the Lord
Chief Baron.

No ca.e of the slightest public interest was heard
during the morning.

COMMON PLEAS.-(THIS DAY.)
(Swings at Nist-Prius nt Guildnall, before tne Lord
Chief Justice WILDE undo Common Jury.)
GIDNEY V. DYER.

This was an action for an assault. It appeared that
the plaintiff had occupie t premises in Earl-street, be-
longing to the def-ndant, as solicitor's officer, for some
years, and bad lately left them to occupy others in
Crosby Hall Chambers, Bishop gate-street. A dispute
had arisen between them respecting fixtures, and on the
17th of April the defendant called at the plaintiff's
offices, and accused him of taking away fixtures from
the premises in Earl-street, whieti he had no right to
do. Violent languai,e passed between them, and the
seene terminated by the defendant assaulting the plain-
tiff with his umbrella, and inflicting several severe blows
on his head with it until it broke in the struggle.
Mr. Montague Chambers called witnesses to prove
his case, and the evidence was proceeding when we went
to press.

SHERIFFS' COURT.—(THIS DAY.)
(Before Mr. Under-Sheriff BURCHELL.)
LLOYD V. BROMLEY AND ANOTHER.
This was an action to recover the sum of 10/, due for
four quarterly payments under an annuity bond. The
detendeuti (husband and wife) suffered judgment to go
by default, but a difficulty arose as to the amount due,
d, faidant not having admitted any precise amount, the
only evidence being some letters written by his wife.
The Learned UNDER-SHF.RIFF held that as she was
a virty to the bond her admission was biuding.
The jury gave a verdict for 101.
LENTHALL V. LAMB.
This was an actin to recover the sum of 71 12s. 4d.
on a bill of exchange.
Defendant pleaded that he had subsequently to giving
the bill supplied plaintiff with twenty gallons of wine;
be, boaever, did not appear to support his plea, and a
verdict was given for the amount.
FRAMPToN AND OTHERS V. WILLIAMS.
4
This was VD LlCiltal for ..iispi•iatione and breach of
covenant of a base.A
gre,,t number (if witm•ssesuteeTerbt, examined, but the
wereed
Chttit. was not' i
the slightest Was nut con-
cluded when we left.

.:''

BOW-STREET.—(THIS DAY.)
A young Mart. 1ia19..(1. Mason, a , With ,"-
yourg we' charged with an assault. .
e)•ndiurel al the Lkn, in Little
Drury-kne, stated that y,aterdav afternoon the Pli
e -
sanr tats creating a great oisturbgince in his house, and
he told him that unless he behavt d himself he must
put out. Up in this the prisorer b.csme • very violent'
and strock witneas a sev2r.. blow wh!ch rendered him
sensible f..r sine minutes. The p lice were therefor°,
called in, and the prisoner given into custody, but he had
scarcely g. t into the streelbefore the two femdes, who
had been drinking with him, and made u,e of very
filthy language, attempted ar, scue. The consequence
a 3, that a genersl row ensued, and the two polio
atables who were perfJrming their duty were dreanfull
bestcn and kicked; but, ultimately, 47 F, an indeicti"
gable officer, and others, came upon the sc. n , and the
three were re captured, and safely lodged in the station.
S,.‘eral respectaldd witne-aces confirmed !his state-
ment, ard the prisoners having nothing to urge in
gain of their cunduct, except that they were slightly
Itiehri,4ted,
Mr. HALL fined the man 31. 10s., or forty days' i°3.
prisnnment; and sentenced the femal,s, who were notcr
rious c,Jtrac:ers, t be impriaont diu the House of Ccr'
rection for a mouth.

MA RLBRO.-STREET.—(THIS DAY.)
MYSTERI,US WtIMERY. —John Forrest, the 041 °l.
a respectaole trildesteen residing at No. 26. Great
Pulttne) -street, Golden-square, was placed before Slt;
Bingham, chart ed on suspicion of having ttulen a geld
watch, value 10/., the property of Siccaaii Giacom.
The prosecutor deposed that he lodged with the
prisoner's parents. and tha: about eleven o'clock on tho
previous night he retired to rest, having previumlf
locked his bedroom door, and placed his wa:cb 00
stand on the dressing table. The defendant, who slept
in the same room, came home about 12 o'clock, endt
witness let him into the room, ahc re he (detendatit)sad
reading for some time. Witness then went to slier, an
A
when he awoke at three o'clock this morning, he missed
his watch. He subsequently felt in his waistcoat-pocksAt'
and found that 34. had been abstracted therefrom. ;
the prisoner was the only person he could suspect
robbing him, he taxed him with it, and on his denying
knowing anything about the money or the watch, nit'
mess sent f, r a constable and gave him in charge.
Barber 59 C said, when he took the prisoner iota
custody, he (prisoner) tett him he remembered seeing
the watch when he went to bed. He also said he.
usually locked the door, but last nista he quite forg°'
doing so. Witness search, d the prisoner as well as the
bedroom, but could not find the watch.
The defendant denied all knowledge of the watch'
there were other It.dgers in the house, and one of
might have tsk, n the watch.
Mr. 13INGHAM— I he robbery was enveloped in a deal
of mystery, and as there wal not sufficient evidence t°
warrant him in detaining the prisoner, be should des'
charge him.
MURDEROUS ASSAULT—THE KNIFE AGAlN.—Jalnes
Moore was t•ruught up in custody Giblett, one of Of
warrant offict rs of this court, charged on a warrant Wit"
cutting and wounding a lad named Patrick CoolleY'
with intent to do him some grievous bodily Laren.
The injured buy was in such a dangerous state as to he
unable to attend.
Wiliam Coolley, the father of the boy, stated that h!
resided at No. 56. Dudley-street. On Sunday nigh.
last, about twelve o'clock, he was standing at the door
waiting for his son, when he saw the latter running 11P
the street, followed by the prisoner, who hA a largl
knife in his hand. Witness heard the prisoner °II
out, " You young thief, if I get hold of you lide
do fir you." All at once witness's son stura,;
anti the prisoner rushed upon him and cut him acrose,L'a
face whit e knife, three or four times. The 19
managed to get up, and was trying to get from o'd
prisoner, when the later fellowid behind him 111/„
stabbed him between the shoulders. The prisoner
ran away, and witness's son fell to the ground from 10';
of blood. Two gentlemen then came up, and assistsecto
having been procured, the injured boy was conveyed
the Charing cross Hospital, where he now lies, in a 'ivr,
dangerous state, and, according to the surgeon's Or"'
fie at., will not be able to bear is muvsl for some days.
The prisoner was remanded for

LICENSED VICTUALLERS' SCHOOi..A
The n,rty• tourth anniversary It siital of the Licens`"
Victual. rs' School was held yest relay at Highbill
Tavern, Isington; Arthur Kett Barclay, Esq., tu tb
chair. Upwards of 2 000 persons %ere present, incla I
ing the following representatives from yarious parts 0'
the country :—Birmingham—Messrs. Marrian, GinbooB'
Showell, James, and Stiuton. Manchester— Mesgrg'
Horrocks, Redford, Ridings, Jolley, and Watkil!l.
Liverpool—Messrs. Luff, Bryden, and Mackenzie._
Stockport—Messrs. Mode, Beard, and Kay. Preston'i
Messrs. Gre. ne and Watson. Hull—Messrs. Le,vist'nf,
Glover. Plymouth—Mr. Watts. Yerk—Mr. March. WI
field—. Messrs. M'Quhse, Chaubry.Csin, and AppleYt'l,,,
Oldham—Messrs. Neeld and Bradbury. Coventrf
Mr. Oakes. Ashton—Messrs. Walker and Woad.'
Wolverhampton—Messrs. Haines, Aston, and
Leamington— Mr. Ballard. Staleybridge—Mr.
Northampton—Messrs. Higgins and Mayor. Sadbuy,
—Mr. Spurgin. Huddersfield—Messrs. Ellam and 13°
derson. Derby—Mr. Higgins.
A good and substantial repast was provided fur the
male p,)rtion of the visitors, but we are afraid the iticilyei
were somewhat neglected; and on the next anniversA"
we trust that their claims to the consideration of the Or
negers will not be overlooked.
The CHAIRMAN, in a very appropriate speech, Pfei
Her Most Excellent Majet=ty given Victoria, Patrouell,
of the Licensed Victuallers' School," which was drat
with the honours.
The next toast was " His Royal Highness Prince
bert, the Patron of the Licensed Victuallers' 21,111111,;
the Prince of Wales, and the remaining branches of
Royal Family."
Then came " The Navy and Army."
,
After which the stcretary read the report annotiaciviog
a second donation from the chairman of 50 gs.; fr°oo
i
Barclay, Perkins, and Co. (their 44th subscription), 'Ol
gs.; C. J. Bevan, Esq., 20 gs.; E. Barclay. Esq (94,°0,.
subscription), 20 gs. ; 'l'. G. Barclay, Esq., °Ale;
the Chairman and friends, 300 gs.; and severs' "-iv
smaller sums. The Secretary also announced 601 ibs
Governer, J. J. Homer, Esq., had collected, during of,
two months and fifteen day sin which he had been 00
--
five, the sum of -1,3971. an announcement whini'o
received with loud cheers. The whole contribute"
amount to 2.361[. ro'
The CHAIRMAN, in an appropriate address, then r„l''
posed " Prosperity to the Licensed Victuallers' Seh°sll
which hst3 educated upwards of 1,100 children, di
which now provides for 116. He trusted that the ft,ittes
would be sufficiently increased to enable the corny'
to carry out their intentions and provide everyo3)lca'
for at least 250 children, which the institution is ell
lated to accommodatV.
Mr. Bess, M.P. then proposed "The Chairmen'
which was duly acknowledged.
ie of
Mr. D. WIRE " The M • - - lIOA

Rave ..embers of the
Commons," which was responded to by Mr. Bass. Aia
Several other toasts were afterwards given, inchle', be
"The Governor and Committee of Management Tj„eri
Licensed Victuallers' School," " The Morning Bemis';
riser," " The Deputation from the Provincial A 65 ;es.
dons," " The Secrktary." " The Chairman, True m;,
and Governors of the Licensed Victuallers' Asiiil '„ost
" The Chairman and Committee of the Lice..,l-
Victuallers' Protection Society," "The Sterlip-
,, The Ladies," &c. ed
The pleasures of the evening were greatly enil" 00°
by the vocal exertions of Mr. Gene. Mr. shop! 0,
several other professionals, who volunteered their
sistance.

THE WRECK OF THE 0311 N STEAM-VES9°,I;6
PORTPATRICK, JUNE 24.—Captain Denham, R.N., 8
here last night from London, and is now pursuing ~r,:5"
cblld
quiries respecting the loss of this vessel. A female and lot
were got out of her yesterday, supposed to be Mrs. Sct)boo
Montreal, and her child. Her husband was one of thteS
who unfortunately perished; he was alive when brougb,
shore, but died in a few minutes. Her sister, Mrs. 501,,,,'bie0
widow lady, was also drowned; she left ten children
her at Montreal. Both families were on their way t°lisg
gow, their native town, to make arrangements foto'', 000
there. To-day three bodies were dot out by the divelloitlier
of them is known to be a Glasgow merchant, but the,,,,40
two have not been identified : one was a lad about P.;001
years old. Captain M'Neill (Collinsay) whose bud as
been yet found, had his life insured for 2000/. I er-oests
evening instructions were received from the Lord Auvorloo'
to apprehend Mr. Henderson, the commander of the 0.0
The warrants were put into the hands of the polies her bail'
morniug. We understand that he will be admitted tstsipecl
A good deal of property in money and plate has been ub
to-day fr
lo om the sunken vessel.— Shipping Gazette. if
• i
The ngest pleasure with which we are faa3lsr
1/.
of a passive kind, namely, sleep.—Eliza Cook's fours° t 0
DEATH FROM CHLOROFORM.-013 Monday 15:13
case illustrative of the fatal effect of the incautious bit/,1
chloroform occurred at Sheffield; the sufferer was
Smith, a young man of 21 years of age. Mr. Smith "c 1;, Ot
to rest on Sunday night, about half-past eleven o'clooo,
the house of Mr. Ray. In the night he was heard to Jorge
but it was concluded he was dreamin. As d Ir'etic
pear at the usual time at the breakgfast-table, a do.o' ed,
was sent to his bedroom, when he was found lying lebieff
life being extinct. In his hands he held a handke.., tee
firmly pressed to his mouth and nostrils. It appearojeg
chloroform for the purpose .of allaying the face-ao-oore
unfortunate gentleman has been in the habit of lire
_AA
bottle which bad contained chloroform was found 1113 C,
in the watch-pocket of the bed, and in a private drawf;oo
bottles of chloe oform were discovered. An inquest was Poore,
llosorotfuhramt
,thdeirdeceetedeasewd
itaisdocoGillir"
the evening of Monday, when evidence establishing the,srerS:
times, when
hweans
inhaled
n and
formerly groom to Mr. Ray, to sit with him, it'd the Die
him when falling into a state of insensibility, which ,
tb
accordingly done. The post morteni examination feel
body showed the blood to be in a very fluid state o,llt,te:l_,
dark in colour, the right cavities of the heart were cli3d:
with blood, the liver and kidneys slightly congas° 3OA
smell from which it could be ascertained that chlorofor,epof
ee
been used could be detected. The deputy.coruner eaPini
his sympathy with the relatives of Mr. Smith, for wiltil9
could feel moat acute!
turpaocnt Mr.a and,
bhiarilsioung,
the case of Mr. 3, the case reminding him 61004
ed,
Waller Badger, his nephew, who die,4 call
u painful circumstances in London. 11,0 th
theio h aed eminent
chloroformdentist,p toro
previous
allite 0P;
us t° t
rrr,atiol.:, threw back his head, and died almost death
eliteudry
freturned
lao
rvo
feorrdmi c,t
itnhcaatu
tio theu
ldye c eaasd
rne eOainist
'I
himself.
MINERS.—The
. tril‘°
14
THE LANARKSHIRE MINERs.The in ers 10/1 •
eelL cons
has virtually terminated. the lapse of another vi-„ of O.
induced a change upon their resolution to declinuree
promise. The Glasgow men were the first to aged °m e,
acceptance of modified terms. Those who belolcreters?on
other four districts have since come to the eam: orocisi
tion. The conditions to which they have 1361waecentii,
their willingness to accede are ss. 61. of a dali `9, tbise
04
por
or D
gettier with weekly payments. The first branch noge, 0 tr,
has been offered by many firms, and will, we app
accepted. Tile miners of Ayrshire and Falk
"naHli
struck, still hold by their original demands.'

two

LITERATURE.

Little
e
:e, and
WO' /16

i~ ler4

Ys'
•e nolo•
of ea-

4Y.)
F,43 "f
Great
ore Sir'
, a gold

to.
jib the
00 the
iOll.l/
00
lat) slept
end
ant) sat
ger and!
missed
in. Be
pect v.
denyibg
:b, wit‘

aer into
I seeing
said to
e forgot
II as the

) watch;
of them

n a deal
lence to
Lad di'

—James
ie of the
of with
Coolleff

].
as to ba

l that he
Y
,he door
Wing lIP
a large
,ner 011
it I will
t no3ble":,
cross L
Che lad
:roe] 11
lira 011
ner tle.„°
.oe]
svistage•
veyed t°
a red
lid eerli‘
days.

00i.ea
Lieeas
[l,,hburf
Ib6)
.j.
to
4 inclu f
parts o
Gibb ong'
_ Messrg'
W at kir
ackeas'e'
'restoirl
iewis an?,
oh.
)pleYorim
sq-ntri
Woolley.
I StOrr.
t°°'
Sabo'
and 1

for the
-
;be la~lel
oivereflu
f the 01/'

oh, ga%
-titrocet,
119 druu

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le
rat
AsY
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froi-
48';‘ 10
101311 a
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the
tbal he
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vhico
tributio"

o'o
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311210itt
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of
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,30. Aiog
inch'''. he
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tewsr

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ANNE DISART. A Tate of E very • day Life.

-
3 -Foie
During the reign of Queen Victoria our literature
has been most appropriately adorned by the names or
the masterpieces of a galaxy of authoresses. Inso-
much has this circumstance been observable, that
some of the most judicious critics of our generation
have not shrunk from suggesting that the honours af
the Poet Laureateship should, net only in commemo-
ration of that fact, but also in compliment to her
Most Gracious Majesty, be bestowed on a lady pecu-
liarly qualified to grace as well as to be graced by
the wearing of the bay garland, that lady being no
other than the wife of the bard of Patacelsus. Look-
ing at the various departments of art and letters, it is
in truth remarkable to detect the distinction attained
through the mere.display of large and beautiful ca-
pacities by women of masculioe genius though of
feminine gentleness. While we have had occasion to
regret the departure of such writers as Jane Austin,
and Maria Edgeworth, and the Countess of Blessing -
ton ; though we have had reel( n to lament
the disappearance of Anna Maria Porter, of Felidi
Hemans, and of Letitia Landon—we have had at the
same time ample reason to felicitate ourselves upon
the survival of other female authors of distinguished
excellence, and upon the rise of yet more into a rapid
and auspicious celebrity. Assiduous application has
failed to exhaust the powers of the lively and obser
vant Mrs. Gore, of the shrewd and sarcastic Mrs.
Troliope, or of that accomplished Miss Mitford, whose
effusions have ever combined the morality of Mrs.
Hannah Moore with the fascinating simplicity of Mrs.
Barbauld. Among the historical labours of un epoch
rendered illustrious by the contemporary research of
such annalists as the rhetorical Macaulay, the impar-
tial Lingard, the erudite Hallam, the indefatigable
Prescott, the sedate Turner, and the comprehen-ive
Alison, there has been awarded a lofty niche for the
elaborate and elegant compositions of Agnes
Strickland. Among brilliant dramatists, such
as Talfourd, and Lytton, and White, and
Knowles, and Lovell, and Marston, and Jerrold, and
Bourcicault, a high and conspicuous position has been
awarded to the intellect of the dramatist of the pas-
sions the eloquent and emotional genius of Joanna
Baillie. One of the most exquisite of living lyrists—
even with Tennyson still in his maturity, and Proc-
ter yet in the autumnal mellowness of his reputation
—is a lady graced with a name doubly poetic, Eliza-
beth Barrett Browning. One ( f the greatest fa
vourites of the population, so rendered by her homely
and heart-born ballads, is Eliza Cook. One of the
most felicitous of our occasional versifiers is unques•
tionably Prances Brown. One of the most earnest
and imaginative of our poetic idealists is the Honour•
able Mrs. Norton. In the histrionic art our fair
countrywomen are nobly represented by Helen
Faucit, and in the pictorial art by Miss Setchell,
while, as a delineator of the fruits and
flowers of the earth, Mrs. Margetts has drawn
inspiration not sparingly from the genius of the
inimitable Lance. From the highest to the lowest
department of intellectual excellence, among the
competitors fur popularity, not the least noticeable,
or the least entitled to encomium, are those ladies
whose love for the true and the beautiful has sur-
passed their terror of the supercilious designation of
blue-stockings. But if the eminence acquired by
the women of England, in the, several walks of art
or literature above enumerated, has been in any de-
gree remarkable—it has been singularly surpassed by
the success of those numerous aspirants fur
renown
who have assumed the literary masquerade as novel-
iste. Among these must he mentioned some of the
most promising authors of our generation, who, if
not possessing to toe full the strong objective fancy of
Mrs. Radcliff, or the irresistible hilarity of Madame
de Sevigne, or the inexorable propriety of Mrs. Chapone,
or the virile judgment of Madame de Steel, have
yet displayed, to a suprising extent, resources of
invention, felicity of humour, directness of purpose,
and keenness of observation. Foremost among these
are the author of " Jane Eyre," and the author of
"EtnhiaWyndham," both works of singular vigour and
ability, the intellectual productiveness of the writers
of which has been further severally illustrated, the
one by " Shirley," the other by the " Wilmingtons."
Even with such masters of fiction amongst us as
Charles Dickens and Bulwer Lytton, and with such
a multitude of gifted and agreeable romancists as
James, Lover, Disraeli, Taackeray, Jerrold, Smith,
Chamier, Ainsworth, Lever, Collins, and Warburton,
the vigorous capacities of such rowancists as Currer
Bell, and the author of " Two old Men's Tales," are
of a kind neither to be disparaged nor overlooked.
Another female writer, whose abilities must entitle
her'. to be enrolled ultimately among those
distinguished predecessors, has just appeared
in the person of the author of " Anne
Dysart." Another female writer, we say, because it
is impossible not to recognise in this " tale of every-
day life " a woman's tact, a woman's sagacity, a Ro-
man's clearness of perception, and a woman's gen-
tleness of sentiment. The story, although vigorously
written, the incidents, although power fully conceived,
the characters, although boldly and nervously
sketched, are, nevertheless, all of them, manifestly
the emanations of a feminine fancy. We must ac-
knowledge, moreover, to having been fairly charmed
throughout the whole perusal by that freshness which
is alone attributable to the unhackneyed verve of ca
pacities neither worn nor jaded by previous employ
ment. The narrative is of the simplest construction ;
the tale is, as the second title imports, one of " every-
day life ;" the personages introduced by it to our ob-
servation, are the men, women, and children
we see around us continually, creatures of flesh and
blood—of generic characters generally, though some-
times of peculiar and individualized idiosyncrasy.
What is, perhaps, the most prominent excellence in
our authoress is her shrewdness of observation—a
shrewdness which, aided by considerable piquancy of
style, satirical without being ill-natured—enables her
to limn the imaginary persons of her history with
astonishing vividness. From epitomising the plot by
a dry and needless analysis we shall abstain yet more
sedulously than ever in the instance of " Anne Dy-
sart," seeing that the work, as a first work, d-tnands
more than ever such abstinence from premature dis-
closures. Besides, it always appears to us that the
scheme of a fictitious narrative, though eminently
interesting in a novel, is indescribably tedious
if abbreviated to a mere enumeration of
particulars in a criticism. What we feel
ourselves alone justified in specifying directly as
worthy of notice in a fiction 1 ke the present are, the
principal character, the conspicuous incidents, and
the manner in which both characters and incidents
have been delineated. Here, therefore, we are com-
pelled to avow at once that, while thus restricting
ourselves within a narrow compass we are embarrassed
by the multiplicity of things upon which we are soli-
citous to comment at least in a few cursory bat
earnest observations. Anne Dysart herself, the
heroine of the story, is a charming portrait of the
daughter of a Scotch clergyman, thrown suddenly by
the death of her last surviving parent into the society
of a little town in Northumberland. Her brother
Frank, a student in the Scottish metropolis, divides
with her the fascination of the reader's attention,
the interest of the fiction fluctuating between the
town of Lorlington and the city of Edinburgh. Mrs.
Nat Wilson, the aunt of Frank and Anne, and
the spouse of poor Nathaniel Wilson, with all her
unconscionable niggardliness and meanness, her par-
simonious dulness, and painstaking mediocrity, is
pencilled with wonderful force of colouring and out-
line.. It is a picture of domestic meanness as bril-
liant as one of the gems of Hubbims. Of the family
of the Greys we can think and speak only with the
fullest satisfaction, forgetting their egotism in their
suavity, and their coxcombry in their benevolence.
Charlotte Grey, the patronizing and voluble blue-
stocking, is admirably described with all her merits
and all her weaknesses. Frederick, though a little too
Much of the " pet parson," secures our kind regard, and
his sister Beatrice, notwithstanding herinanity, obtains
in some sort a share in our sympathies. Of all the
abominable beings in the whole book the most
abominable is that exceedingly explicit and tautolo-
gical Mr. Shield, who would be altogether an un-
mitigated prig but for his being at the same time a
most intolerable bore. 'I he wealthy merchant's fa-
mily of the Dysarts at Edinburgh contains just such
another nuisance as Mr. Shield in the person of the
heir to the property. Of Julia, the gay and the
frivolous, we could speak in yet stronger terms of
disgust but for a circumstance which the reader will
discover towards the close of the narrative, by which our
contempt is merged in commiseration. Barbara, her
deformed sister,
would, on the contrary, elicit from
us our most genial eulogiurais but for a
certain repulsiveness about her which exists
as it were in spite of the evident partiality
of the authoress—beyond which the whole creation
.11. em in M. Eugene
py
reminds us so strongly of pool:
Sue's Juif Errant as to deprive itin our eyes of the
merit of originality. Eleanor armrne,.on the other
hand, is a character as original in idea
.as it is
masterly in execution. Her history constitutes a
striking and beautiful episode, for a while diverting
attention 'from the principal thread of the narrative.
Kindred in inanity are Mrs. Smith, her chaperon, and
Mr. Hall, her suitor. One other of the principal
characters, not yet mentioned—perhaps altogether
about the principal character in the narrative-14
Gerald Bolton. Conceived somewhat in the same
morose or eccereric school as the Mr. Rochester of
" Jane Eyre," and the Mr. Denby of "Emilia
Wyndham," this Mr. Bolton of "Anne Dysart"
is nevertheless no transcript, but a creation i
of distinct and even esulated individuality.
The powerful touches of nature with which his
rugged but sensitive character has been portrayed
redounds very highly to the credit of the head and
the heart of the authoress. Several of the scenes in
which Mr. Bolton appears ere penned, especially it
regard to the dialogue, with much genius : his love
passages are depicted with exceeding grace, pathos,
and delicacy and the noble and magnanimous ten.