The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-06 00:00:00

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY.

The scandalous discomfiture of the royalist troops
by Humbert in '9B, familiarly known as " the race
Castlebar," is graphically described in " Maurice
Tierney," wherein there is also a most humorous de-
scription of Tom Colooney's first appearance on pa-
rade, which, did space permit, we would willingly
transcribe. ‘. The Mystic Vial," than which few
better tales have appeared in the monthly press, is
brought to a conclusion. The interest is well sus-
tained to the end, without the interposition of any
preternatural agency, as we were induced to antici-
pate from the earlier portion of the story. A dwarf
Tale of the Crusaders," entitled " Marguerite de
Vienne," has the merit of brevity. We aka rather
the simple and plaintive ballad of " Dark Margaret."
The other four papers in the present number are ad-
tnirable. The essay on the writings of the great
modern historian, Alison, is a masterly production,
old will amply repay perusal. " Leaves from the
Portfolio of a Manager" are evidently a contribu-
tion from an amiable and accomplished gentleman, Mr.
Calcratt, the lessee of the Dublin Theatre. Well do
we remember his first appearance on that stage—
Consule Planco—in poor Abbott's managerial reign,
Tullus Autidius, Anno Domini 1825. This is a
delicious piece of dramatic gosip, replete with shrewd
remarks. We can but indulge in a single ex;ract,
wherein is too Much common sense to be palatable to
many :
" Don't collect books, and don't envy the possessors
of costly libraries. Read and recollect. Of course you
have a Bil,le and Prayer-book ; ad,l to these the
Pilgrim's Progress, Shakspere, Milton, Pope , Byron
(if you like), a History of England, Greece, and Rome,
tiuswelt's Life of Johnson, and Napier's Peninsular War.
A moderate sum will give you these ; and you possess
a Cabinet Encyclopedia of religious, moral, and enter-
taining knowledge, containing more than you want for
practical purposes, and quite as much as your brains
can easily carry. Never mind the old classics. (What,
not Horace ?) Leave them to college libraries,
where they look respectable, and enjoy long
slumbers. The monthly periodicals will place
you much more au courant with the conversation and
acquirements of the day. Add, if you can, a ledger, with
9, good sound balance en the right side, and you will be
a happier, and perhaps a better read min, than though
you were uncontrolled master of the Bodleian, the Na-
tional Library of France, and the innumerable tomes of
the Vatican into the bargain."
The description of the unequalled Paganini is capital.
It was no joke for a manager to engage a star who
-wept off a clear two-thirds of each night's receipts,
besides insisting on minor allowances. Think, too,
of 7,000/. being received for six nights' performances
of Jenny Lind in Dublin, in the height of the famine,_
and 5,800/. thereof going into the pockets of herself
and the parties with whom she was associated.
Verily managers have to play a haiardous game!
We shall look for more from Mr. Calcraft's note•
book In a deservedly eulogistic critique on
Blackie's version of lEschylus, the respective trans•
lations of the -famous passage of " the Watchfires,"
by Potter, Kennedy Bailie, Harford, and
Blackie, are given; each successive translator, in
our opinion, rising superior in merit to his predecessor.
Jonathan Freke Slingsby, whilst, as usual, he
delights, this month almost surprises us, in his
" Carol for Christmas." After some prose paragraphs,
fraught with exquisite simplicity, which more than
once verges on the sublime, he pours forth a poem.
fully worthy of Alfred Tennyson. Well knowing,
as we long have done, his powers of ballad writing,
whether grave or gay, pathetic or sparkling, and the
faultless finish of his versification, yet we confess
to having scarcely been prepared for the development
of such high poetic powers as pervade the verses of
Ravenscroft Hall." It contains some seven or
e4ht hundred lines relating:to—but we will not now
enter into a detailed consideration of the story, or
even of the exceeding beauties of this touching and
melodious lay. The present age is not so rich in poesy
that a production of such singular sweetness, purity,
sod power, as " Ravenscroft Hall," should lung be
suffered to remain unpublished in a separate form,
albeit it immortalises the present number of the
Dublin Magazine.

It is understood that the pamphlet announced under
the title of " What shill be done with Cardi:.al Wiseman,"
is from the pen of an em.nent journalist connected with one
of the London daily papers.
PuILANTHIt +PIC SOCIKTIC.—A quarterly meeting
of the Board of Directors of this society was held yesterday,
at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street; Mr. Gladstone in
the chair. It was stated that in consequence ut the large
amount of several legacies which had been bequeathed to the
society, they had been induced to purchase fur 10,0001., the
farm which they formorly rented, which consisted of about
140 acres; bequests to the amount of 1,8001. had been re-
ceived within the last few months. There were now ninety-
seven buys in the school, who were severally brought up to
particular branches of industry—four as carpenters, two as
bricklayers, two as smiths, five were reserved for domestic
purposes, and there were generally eighty-five or eighty-six
employed On the farm. The boys, within the last three
weeks, had accomplished for 30s. what, by employing
regular labourers, would have cost the society upwards of Si.
Altogether the report was highly satisfactory, and was
unanimously received and adopted. The secretary men-
toned that it was intezo.l that a view of the school should
fifiids of the
Itlouse :,,irsh 'cni(a4)ninc,riiivtelagass
betcarof6rtiearteite
be painted for exhibition in the spring of 18 )I, with a view
soaacdh,.3tot4e)t-.,
joeNtou, No, other
teobuutpshi.e-
A,lligtiP Pilitai lea ,ciAngi 1,474