The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-22 00:00:00

THE BOOK OF SYMBOLS.

Chapman and Hall, London, 1844.
In this volume we have a collection of prose
essays on a variety of subjects, written with
earnestness and simplicity, but without much depth
or originality of thought. The author treats
his various themes in a light, attractive manner,
and as all his essays have brevity to recommend them,
we see no reason why, despite their obvious super-
ficialness, they should not be received with favour by
the reading portion of the community. The first
topic which he discusses is "The Love of Know-
ledge—its Pleasures and Advantages," wherein he
writes quite in a con amore spirit, justly remarking :
" The love of knowledge is a Pierian spring of tran-
quillity and happiness that is hardly surpassed by
anything on earth ; and he who drinks of it has a
taste created in him not to be imagined by the igno-
rant. The fabled talismanic power of old is not to be
compared with it, for it exercises an influence that
terminates not but in death; it subjects all things to
its sway, brings the passions, the tastes, the pursuits,
and occupations of life, and the pleasures of the world,
to yield it willing and pleasing homage." In the
essay entitled " On an Active Life," the author takes
the opportunity of doing justice to the old philoscpher
I Epicurus, whose character and principles have been
more misunderstood, and consequently more maligned,
than those perhaps :of any great thinker who ever
existed. Even Horace, who should have known
better, talks of him as being a mere From sensualist,
whereas he was a philosopher who inculcated quite
an opposite system, recommended temperance and
moderation in all things, and taught that the happi-
ness of man consisted in the healthy cultivation of the
intellectual faculties, in tranquillity of mind, and ease
of body. In his own private habits Epicurus was
temperate and frugal to a degree; he preached
nothing that he did not practice ; instilled into the
minds of his disciples lessons of the soundest wisdom ;
and has left a reputation for soundness of thought and
blamelessness of conduct which will always be appre-
ciated by the discerning few, however it may be ma-
ligned by the ignorant many.

HAND-BOOK TO THE ISLE OF WIGHT.
Mitchell, London, 1844.

It is enough to say of this work, that it is minute
and circumstantial in its local details, and may be re-
ferred to with advantage by those who may be de-
sirous of familiarising themselves with the attractive
scenery of the Isle of Wight, whose romantic range
of rocks at the back of the island forming, what is
called the Undercliff, is certainly, unique in its way
among the landscape scenery of Great Britain.

The PRACTICE in the OFFICES of the MASTERS
on the PLEA SIDE of the SUPERIOR COMMON
LA TV COURTS at WESTMINSTER, 6ec.
By Thomas Dax, Esq., one of the Masters of the Court
of Exchequer. Owen Richards, 194, Fleet-street.
Very extensive powers are conferred by the statute
1 Vict., c. 30, and confided by the Courts of Common
Law to their Taxing Masters, yet the principles by
which these officers were guided, and the rules and
regulations they observed in the discharge of their
important duties were very imperfectly known even
to members of the legal profession. Such a work,
therefore, as the present, was wanted, and cannot fail
to prove of advantage alike to attorney and suitor. The
author is Senior Master of the Court of Exchequer,
and, as well from his great experience in office, as from
his former publications, he was well known to be emi-
nently qualified to supply the profession and the public
with a work of such authority on the subject-matter
of the treatise now before us, as should make it a
standard work of reference. The anticipations that
might thus have been reasonably entertained, we find
have been fully realised by the execution of his task.
The whole practice, in all its branches, is fully and
lucidly explained, and the volume has the rare ad-
vantage in a law-book of being written in language
so plain, and so perspicuous, and so little embarrassed
by technical terms, that it may be understood, and
read with profit by all classes of the community.

JUSTICES' JUSTICE.—On Sunday last a portion of
this town was thrown into rather a feverish state of ex-
citement, in consequence of three men being marched
through the streets, like so many felons, and taken to
gaol. " What is their offence," was the eager inquiry of
the spectators, " surely it is not another Sutton-Boning-
ton burglary?" " No;" replied a grave-looking person,
"not so bad as that, but they say its a highway robbery."
These questions and answers induced us to make some
inquiries, and we were told the men had been caught
" committing the very serious offence of stepping off
the foot-path into a field," and oh, horrible! they had
actually thrown a stone at Mr. Edge's keeper. We
shall not trouble our readers with any observations
upon the profanation of the Sabbath, by sending men
through the town on that day in custody, and thus
creating a public excitement at a time which ought to
be held sacred, although it was done by the direction of
a magistrate who has for years been accustomed to hear
read, at the quarter sessions and assizes the proclama-
tion " for the suppression of vice, profaneness, and
immorality." We shall not stop to inquire into the
legality of committing these men to gaol from Sunday
until Wednesday, without any information having been
laid against them, but proceed to make a few observa-
tions upon the case, as reported in this day's Mercury.
Mr. T. W. Edge is a magistrate of the
.county, and has
the shooting over the lordship of Bdborough, which
comprises Woodhorough. his keepers apprehend. these
men, as they say, for trespassing and throwingstone
at them when by the side of a wood ; and by his direc-
tion they were sent to gaol. On Wednesdayin
was heard, and the gamekeeper was completely the case
c
cOntra.•
dieted by the witnesses for the defence, and the de-
fendants discharged. Thus three men were unjustly
imprisoned
from Sunday until Wednesday, and dis-
charged, without any compensation, and labouring under
the stigma of having
prising that an been
sleenwiiiii the gaol. Can it be sur-
ld be prevalent, that " there.
is one law for the rich, and another for the poor ?,
Nottingham Mercury.
INCENDIARY IRE.—On Sunday afternoon, about
four o'clock, the inhabitants of Stowmarket were alarmed
by the cry of " fire," when it was discovered that one
beau and two hay stacks, at Abbott's Hall, were on fire.
There appears to be no doubt but they were set on fire
at the same time, from their appearance when first seen:
one hay and one bean stack were consumed. Fortu-
nately, three loads of hay were saved. But for the quick
arrival of the engines, and the great exertions of the in-
habitants, a large wheat stack must have been destroy-
ed ; this, however, sustained little or no damage. It was
n o doubt the work of an incendiary. Two persons are
in custody, who were seen near the spot a short time be-
fore the fire broke out. The property was insured.
MR. NORTON ON INDIGESTION.—Some excellent
remarks on diet, the causes and treatment of indigestion,
and sound practical rules for the preservation of health,
accompany each bottle of Norton's Camomile Pills, and
are well worth the perusal of all who suffer from this
complaint. In cases of indigestion, we should endeavour
to restore tone and strength to the stomach, and thereby
enable it to perform its important functions ; whereas it
is not uncommon to hear of persons taking what they
are pleased to call anti- bilious pills, which are, generally,
some violent drastic compound, having a
.direct tendency
to weaken, and, ultimately, to destroy the digestlve organ.%