The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-12 00:00:00

it, allows his days to dwindle out in some distant
retreat. I admire,: the man who, indeed, truly esti
mating life, cognisant to the full how really insigni-
ficant at the best is this existence, nevertheless, as
life has been given him, struggles and strives with
his whole heart and soul—with his utmost energy and
power, to work benefit and to do good ; who remem-
bers that talents were given not to be hidden and put
away, but to be properly and profitably em-
ployed. And though, even to this man there
will be moments of melancholy and fits of gloom,
certain is it that such visitations will be but few and
far between ; weighed down be may be for a very
brief period by the contemplation of the littleness and
insignificance of his present existence, but quickly is
he revived by the recollection that it is his own fault
if even in this life he knows not many and great
gratifications, and that upon his own head only will
rest the blame if, this life ended, he enter not upon
another of unfiding enjoyment." Longfellow's
poems are the subject of a very interesting and
judicious criticism contained in this number of
Ainsworth's, which also presents us with a continua-
tion of the "Lancashire Witches."

MISCELLANEOUS.
The Eclectic Review is as usual distinguished by
its liberal tone and by the interesting nature and
solid character of its articles; the contents of this
number are more than usually diyersified.—.7llac-
phail's Edinburgh Ecclesiastical Journal contains a
very excellent article on " Crime in Edinburgh," in
which we are glad to see justice awarded to those
most praiseworthy institutions the Ragged Schools.—
The Sportsman is embellished with the likeness 01
Rhed3cina, winner of the Oaks of 1850, and " Half-
Sprung," a glimpse of the Moors, with two splendid
grouse expecting the coming sportsman.—The Lon
don Repertory of Inventions, as usual, contains both
pen and ink And pictorial definitions of recent patent
inventions ; among the scientific notices is an
article on " The Proposed Extension of Copyright
of Designs Act."—The Colonial Magazine is, at once,
rich in matters of colonial interest.—'The Farmer's
Magazine is also excellent in its pectiliar line ; a
short-horned heifer and black-faced ram and ewes are
the subjects of the illustrations in this number.—The
Church of England Magazine abounds in interesting
and serious essays and poems, and sketches of natural
history, &c.—The Rambler contains an article on
popular education and Catholic poor schools, and
some interesting criticisms on recent works.—The
Lady's Companion fully verifies its title; it would be
impossible for a lady to meet with a more graceful,
instructive, and delightful "companion."—Le Follet
also is an exquisite ornament for the drawing-
room and boudoir.—The Family Herald preserves
its usual characteristics, being as entertain-
ing and as fall of information as ever.—
The Looker-Ou, a sixpenny miscellany, edited by
Fritz and Liolett, has reached its eighth number. It
contains many well-written articles.—The Working
2lfan's Friend is deserving of its name, few periodi-
cals are better calculated to improve and interest the
working classes.—Sharpe's is as attractive as ever.
The charming diary of Milton's daughter, and the
entertaining tale of " Lewis Arundel," are continued in
this number, which contains many other very excel-
lent compositions.—The Belle Assemblie, with a
variety of interesting tales, contains one of Mrs.
Abdy's pleasing sketches "Marrying a Beauty," and
one of Mrs. Crosland's beautiful and ennobling songs
" The Battle of Life."

THE BATTLE OF IDSTEDT.

BY ANGELUS.

"Such usage, as your honourable lords
Afford me, assassinated and betray'd !"
Samson. Agonistes.

At early dawn, ere rose the day
Thro' fog and rain and hail,
Was heard the trumpet's startling bray,
As prelude to the tale
Of Riffle, 'twixt the valiant men
Of gather'd Holstein, and the Dane.

A eight sublime it was to see,
As day grew dimly clear,
And rose and fell tumultuously
The conflict, far and near:
While Death crouch'd nigh, to count amain
The harvest he should surely gaiu.

Loud was the volley'd musketry,
And loud the cannon's boom;
And fierce, the horsemen hurried by
Like fiends, athwart the gloom;
And mingled yell, and scream and groan,
Made music to the overthrown!

O grief, for those who fighting fell
To strengthen lawless power!
But deeper far, for those whose knell

mark'd the hour
When Freedom wept—and weeping fled
The field of her unburied dead!

DEATH OF FOUR PERSONS FROM EATING POISONOUS
MUSHROOMS.—Last week Mr. Pratt held an inquest at Wis-
bed' Fen upon the bodies of Patrick Hunt, an Irishman, 18
years of age, and Winifred Garvey, 28 years old, wife of
Garvey, also an Irishman, when the following particulars
were elicited : - Patrick Hunt, on the 2d instant, when
walking by the Thorney road-side, saw and gathered a small
quantity of apparently mushrooms, which he carried to his
lodgings, cooked them, ate a portion himself, and gave some
to Mrs. Garvey, who also ate a few, and gave a small quan-
tity to her child, a girl two years old. They did not experi-
ence any serious effects that day, but at daylight on Satur-
day morning they all were attacked by violent sickness and
purging, accompanied by great pain in the stomach and
bowels. Neither the auflerers or their friends appear to have
apprehended any danger; but on Saturday evening Hunt
became suddenly worse and died about eight o'clock. At
that time Mrs. Garvey's husband returned from work, and
finding his wife much weaker, and in pain, he became
alarmed, and medical attendance was obtained. On Sunday
morning, however, she died; the child lingered until Monday
morning, when she died also. The fourth death was that of
Thomas Howd, an Irish child in another family, who it seems
also partook of mushrooms, but not a portion of those eaten
by the three first attacked, nor, as far as is at present
known, gathered at the same time. A post mortem examina-
tion of the body of Mrs. Garvey was made, when extensive
patches of inflammation were found in the stomach and
small intestines, very similar to what is seen in cases of
poisoning by arsenic. The inquest was adjourned.—Cam-
bridge Chronicle.

A FLOCK OF SHEEP KILLED BY LIGHTNING.—
Gloucestershire has been visited during the last three or
four weeks with some severe thunder storms, which have
been particularly remarkable for the fatal consequences to
the flocks and herds. Several valuable cows were destroyed
one night by the electric fluid in the neighbourhood of
Gloucester, and on Thursday evening last, during a short but
most violent storm, 23 sheep were instantaneously killed by

lightning in one field, at Upton St. Leonards, nee; that city.
The sheep were in a field on the Grove Court farm, in the
occupation of Mr. Pembury, and one of Mr. Pembury's la-
bourers was in the field when the storm came on. He ran
toward► a tree for shelter, when a flash of lightning, followed
instantaneously by an explosion of thunder, struck the tree
and shivered it to pieces, killing 23 out of a flock of 26 sheep.
Their fleeces were scorched, and there was a black line down
their backs.

IMPORTANT TO LICENSED VICTUALLERS.—We
understand that a petition to Parliament is about being got
up for the purpose of altering the excise-laws with reference
to thole licensed victuallers who carry on the wholesale and
retail trade on the same premises. It is proposed, for the
purpose of redressing this alleged evil, that the Legislature
shall extend the retail bottle trade generally in wines and
spirits, or deprive the person who carries on the double trade
either of his wholesale or retail licence, the existing innova-
tion, it is asserted, being injurious to both the bona fide
licensed victualler and the wholesale dealer.— Sunday Paper.
SUDDEN DEATH IN THE WESTMINSTER SWIM-
MING BATllS.—Yesterday afternoon the bathers in the
Westminster Swimming Baths were thrown into a state of
the greatest consternation by the occurrence of the following
melancholy event. Between two and three o'clock a young
man, a master tailor, an habitué of these swimming baths,
entered the place. Just before entering the water he had
been heard to remark that he had better wait a little, as he
had but just dined. Being unable to swim he generally en-
tered the water step by step instead of plunging in. He was
at length observed to stand upon the second step of the ladder
leading into the water, and then all in a moment to fall in
with a loud splash. His friends waited for a few seconds,
expecting to see him rise, but, having waited for some fifteen
seconds and not seeing him appear, they went to the spot,
and, to their horror, saw the unfortunate man lying at the
bottom. An alarm was instantly raised, and every assis-
tance given. The body was taken out and a medical man
sent for, but on his arrival he pronounced lite quite extinct,
and attributed the causel to a fit of apoplexy. The body
now awaits a coroner's inquest.
COLLISION IN PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR.—AD acci-
dent occurred on Thursday morning, which might have
caused great damage to several ships in this harbour. The
Echo tug was towing the Britannia, 120, up to the shears
against a very strong tide, the wind blowing fresh from the
westward, when, in attempting somewhat rashly to pass be-
tween the Blake and Victorious hulks, Britannia's quarter
touched the bow of the Blake, which had the Fox frigate
alongside, and she instantly drove with a fearful crash right
across both ships, lifting the head housing of the Blake
nearly off, breaking off both flukes of her only anchor, and
finally remained firm across Fox's bowsprit. The first-lieu-
tenant very promptly let go botk her bower anchors, or had
the bulk's moorings broke the three ships would have drifted
on the Illustrious, 72, and in that case it would have been
difficult to say where the mischief would have ended. Fox's
jib-boom is condemned, and her bowsprit under repair by
the dockyard. _ _

PROROGATION of PARLIAMENT.—It is DOW ex-
pected that the present session of Parliament will be brought
to a close on Thursday next, and that her Majesty willpro-
rogue her Parliament in perssn. Her Majesty and the
Court will honour the Earl of Carlisle with a visit at his
beautiful seat, Castle Howard, in Yorkshire, on the 27th
inst., on her route to Scotland.
EXHIBITION or lBs.l.—The President of Peru has
issued a decree appointing the Minister of the Home Depart-
ment, Don Lucas Fonceca, Don Nicholas Pierola, and Don
Nicholas Rodrigo, a commission to select and take charge of
articles intended to be sent to England for exhibition next
year.
THE MINISTERIAL DINNER.--The following mem-
hers of the Government (in and out of the Cabinet) dined
together on Saturday, at the Trafalgar, Greenwich, prepara-
tory to the termination of the Session :—The Lord Chan-
cellor, IL M. Bellew, Hon. E. Bouverie, Hon. Colonel
Boyle, Earl of Carlisle, A. E. J. Cockburn, Sir W. G. Craig,
Admiral Dundas, Viscount Ebrington, Lord Foley, Earl
Grey, Sir G. Grey, J. Hatchell, Right Hon. W. G. Hayter,
Benjamin Hawes, Lord Marcus Hill, Right Hon. W. S. Las-
celles, Right Hon. Fox Maule, G. C. Lewis, Earl of Minto,
Viscount Palmerston, J. Parker, Sir J. Romilly, Earl of
Strafford, Marquis of Westminster, Sir Chula ViOcif Sir
W §9l2ClTiile) 149E4 se/1119114