The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-09 00:00:00

and the quantity of Tallow ail )at is somewhat extensive.
Since Monday last, our market has ruled firm, and a
good business has been doing, at, in acme instances, a
further aavance in the quotations cf 3d per cwt. To-
day, P. Y. C. on the spot, is telling at 375
are 9dd for
emand new,
and 37s to 37s 3d for Old. Higher rates ed
for forward delivery. Town Tallow has advaer nceibs.d to
37s per cat. net cash; and rough fat to 2s ld p S

A TYPHOON IN THE CHINA SEA.
The barque Vernon, on her way from Manilla to
New York, on the 641 c f May last, suffered from one
of those visitors of the east, w hich is thus described by
a correspondent of the Courier:—" We were run-
ning under all sail at nine o'clock in the morning,
but, as the weather looked more aed more um ettled,
and strong fitful gusts of wind came from the S.E.,
Captain M'Key, who is an old voyager in this part of
the world, commenced making preparations for receiv-
ing the enemy. We took all our studding sails in,
sent down the royal yards, and furled the main: ail.
The rain now commenced pouring down in torrents,
while the loud claps of thunder and the vivid flashes
of lightning gave too sure evidence of the near ap-
proach of one of those dreadful scourges of the China
Sea, a typhoon. At this time we were steering
W.S.W., and the wind S.F.. nearly, brought it aft
the barque, running at the rate of eight miles an
hour, under easy sail. As I stood looking over the
rail, watching the conflict of the elements, I heard a
loud roaring to windward, and instantly knew it was
coming butt-end foremost, as the sailors say. Captain
1111 Kay, who was standing beside me, heard the sound,
and instantly ordered the man at tie wheel to
keep the ship off before the wind, and then shouted
forte his orders, ' Clew up the foretopsail and haul
up the foresail;' but by the time the foretopsail was
clewed up, it burst upon 113 in all its fury. Upon the
first gust it took our foresail clean out of the bolt-
ropes, and then the poor barque reeled and tumbled like
a drunken man. By this time we had our main top-
sail clewed up, but it split into a thousand pieces, and
before the men could get on the foretopsail yard that
sail went with a loud report. By this time the wind
had increased to a perfect hurricane, and the heavy
sea that was running plainly showed to us that we
must heave the ship to, or run under. Tne poor barque
was labouring very heavily, and Captain I\FJ(sy, see-
ing our only hope of safety would be to heave her to,
watched his opportunity and ordered the helm to be
put down by a motion of his hand, for amidst the
roaring of the wind it was impossible to hear a person
six inches from you. Our gallant barque, obedient to
the helm, slowly came to the wind, while every
person seized a rope and lashed himself in the best
manner possible to prevent being swept overboard,
in case we shipped a sea, but, as luck would have
it, we escaped that misfortune, and shipped no water
of any consequence. We now began to feel the force
of the wind, with not a stitch of canvass set. We found
that the poor vessel lay nearly on her beamends. Al-
though we were very deeply loaded, something had
to be done to relieve her, "and by the motion of his
hand the captain expressed to the mate to stave all the
water-casks on the lee side. lastantly half a dozen
men were in requisition, while the rest of the crew
were engaged in heaving overboard everything that
was lashed on deck. The gale, instead of decreasing,
increased, and with a loud crash our foretopmast
went over the side, taking with it the maintopgallant
mast. All hands were now at work with a will, for
every man felt that unless the vessel was lightened all
must go to the bottom, and by almost superhuman
exertions the deck was cleared. Just as our deck was
somewhat cleared our jibboorn went, taking our jib,
flying jib, and foretopmast staysail. Fearful of the
spars getting under the bottom of the ship and
staving a plank, we were obliged to cut the wreck
away. We now turned our attention to the pumps,
and by sounding the weather one we found that
there were three feet of water in the hold. I now,
for the first time, began to feel a little discouraged,
but fortunately the gale began to abate, and, by con-
stant pumping, we bad the satisfaction of finding that
the water decreased ; and by seven o'clock P.M. she
was clear. After losing spars, rigging, water, pro-
visions, and sail, the captain concluded to go back
to Manilla, and refit ; and, consideriug our condition,
we could not do otherwise. In conclusion, let me
say that I have been round Cape Horn, and in a
great many parts of the world, but I have never
witnessed a gale like the above, and sincerely hope
that I shall never see one of equal severity. We
found, after our arrival at Marline, that the ship
Carolus, Captain Dunbar, bad experienced the same
gale, and was' obliged to put back with the loss of
spars, sails, rigging, &c., and leaking very badly, most
of her sugar being damaged, she having as much as
six feet of water in her bold, and was on her beamends
for 12 hours."—Boston Daily Mail.

37s per c NI. nei c.,.;
1846. 1847. 1848. 1849. 1850.
Stock this day •• .• 8,892 13,338 15,369 '47,3.50 ; 24,213
• 428 d 465 6d 45s 64 i3Bs 3d to 378 Od
Price of Y. C. •• • • to 4250 9d to Os Od to Os Od 385 Od Ito 37s 9d
Delivery last week • • 1,921 2,936 , 2.819 1,459 2,002
Ditto from June 1•• .. 14.513 17,396 23,327 17,239 18,859
last week • 726 1,619 2,729 2,41,1 , 2,374
Arrivals
Ditto from June 1 ... 12,783. 22,629 : 31,165 19,116 1 17,448
['rice of Town •• •• 443 Od 40s Gd 478 fid 40s Od 139 s Gd
STAWIENT OF TALLOW S lIPIING AT ST. PETERSIATEGII.
1850. 1849. 1848. 1847. I 1846.
Tallow dispatched Casks. Caskw. Casks. Casks. I Casks.
from Cronstadt to
Aug. 1 , 0.6. 27,960 32,029 49,784 46,226 26,616
In shits loading and
lighters ••• • • • . 18,503 , 18,890 11,274 11,690 13,860
Total loaded off, lith
O.S. .. •• .. 46,463 50,919 61,058 57,698 40,476
LoadeAud afterwards.. 67,213 68,446 73,918 72,747
Total at the close of -- ----- ---
.• 118,112 129,504 131,861 113,223
the navigation.... ..
--
London.• •• • • .• 10,600 8,475 23,824 20,181 8,884
Liverpool .•..• • .. 9,195 5,562 8,445 8,394 4,039
Bristol .• ••• • • 2,199 1,584 2,415 2,8.20 1,317
Other English ports 1,59 5,641 6,339 4,5e9 4,132
Ireland ••••• • • • • • 021 2,036 2,548 2,163 3,511
Scotland •••• • • • 381 1,488 3,46 f 3,319 1,584
Germany ...• •• .. 2,026 4,104 2,747 2,372 2,574
France .•••• • .. .. 1,056 3,139 - 2,228 602
•
27,900 32,029 49,784 46,226 26,616

26,616

27,9C0

BANKRUPTCY.-(THIS DAY.)
IN RE T. C. JONES.
This bankrupt, who had carried on business as a
linen-dr:ger in the Binckfriar'6-road, came up for his
certificate.
Mr. TURNER, for the the whole
debts due amounted to about 2,400 L, but that only 7001
was due to trade creditors, the other being due to friends.
The assets would be large.
There being no opposition his HONOUR granted a card-
ficate of the second class.

SURREY SESSIONS.-(THIS DAY).
These sessions commenced to-day before Mr. Puckle,
the Chairmen, and a full bench of magistrates. Ac-
cording to the calendar there are only eighteen prisoners
for trial, and the offences with which tkey are charged
are of the most trivial description.
The grand jury having been sworn,
The CHAIRMAN proceeded to deliver his charge to
them. lie said that it was with real pleasure that he
had to congratulate the grand jury and the county at
large on the state of the calendar. lie had had con-
siderable experience in the Commission of the Peace for
the county of Surrey, and he had never in his life seen
so light a calendar at ..the present season of
the year as the one fur the present session.
It was wonderful to think that there ware only l 9 pri-
soners for trial. Various causes had doubtless brought
about this most agreeable result, and probably
among the foremost was the better education of the
lower classes, which bad induced in their minds
a right feeling as to their station and importance to so-
ciety. The governor of the gaol had put into his hands
an average of the calendar for the last eleven years,
from which it appealed that the average number of pri-
soners for trial in each year was from 52 to 70, while,
in the present instance, the number for trial was
but also
only 18. The calendar also vas most
tory, not only as respected numbers,
in reference to the crimes committed: they were of the
slightest description, and none of them required any
comment from him. The Chairman having shortly ad-
verted to the duties of grand jurors, remitted the grand
jury to the performance of their functions by congratu-
lating them on the lightness of their labours.
From the statement sent to the Chairman by the
governor of the gaol, it appeared that the number of
prisoners for trial in 1839 was 87; in 1840, 74; in 1841,
90; in 1842, 87; in 1843, 38; in 1844, 73; in 1845, 43;
in 1846, 42; in 1847, 75; in 1848, 33; and in 1849, 48.
The grand jury having retired,
The COURT proceeded to swear in the petit jury and
with the trial of the prisoners, but no case calling for a
special report came before it during the whole morning.

MANsIO-IsillOUsE.—(lHIS DAY.)
This morning a reap, ctably-dNress man,
ced at t who gahe
ve
the name of Cuptain Crosby, R.., ed
was pla
bar, before the Lord Mayor, for various alleged acts of
swindling.
Captain Taylor, R.N., deposed that the prisoner had,
in the roonths of May and June last year, borrowed
various sums of money of him, by falsely representing
himself as Captain Crosby, of the royal navy. Witness
had introduced him to other gentlemen, from whom he
obtained money, &c. The prisoner had also received
101. from one of the O'Connell family. On inquiry it
was ascertained that the prisoner had been a sect of
schoolmaster on board the San Joseph, but was not
known at the Admiralty as captain.
Various other charges were ready against the pri-
soner, and his Lordship ordered a remand to a future
day.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Siu,—As the aid of your valuable journal has been
given to advocate the claims of a class of officers
whose position is less favourable for promotion than
any other grade in her Majesty's service, I beg to
mention to you that there are at present upwards of
sixty captains on full pay in the army who have been
actively employed in the present rank from ten to
thirteen years, the prospect of regimental promotion,
for most of there,
_being still very distant, and even
improbable, the purchase system having left them
where they are. For such claims as theirs surely
it is not much to ask a step by brevet ; they are all old
officers, having served twenty, some thirty years, and
others even longer, regimental advancement being at
present almost impossible for them. The greatest boon
that could be conferred upon them is increased army
rank. It is believed the authorities contemplate this act
of justice at the commencement of the second half of the
present century. I trust this reasonable Lope, which
is looked forward to with intense anxiety by those ve-
terans, will not be taken from them on the ground of
economy. We have now an overflowing exch( quer—
the prospect of a plentiful harvest—all classes are in
comparative peace and prosperity—let not the
old soldiers of the country be deprived of their
reward to save two shillings a day ; no economist in
England would object to this outlay for men who
haveslevoted their best years to the service of their
couiitry.—l remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
London, Sept. 7. CEN TURION.

MARLBRO'-STIIEET.-(THIS DAY.)
MURDEROUS ASSAULT ON THE POLICE.-Dennis
Gorman, a rough-looking fellow, who had been repeatedly
in custody for violent assaults on the police, many of
whom are totally disabled from duty in consequence of
his bru,al viols rice, was brought before Mr. Hardwick,
charged with the fallowing murderous assaults on the
police when in the execution f their duty :
Police-constable,l43 11, stated that about twelve o'clock
on Saturday night, a soldier was being brought down
Oxford• street, in custody, followed by a mob of between
two and three hundred people, when he saw the prisoner
and several of his cumpauions rush from Gilbert-street,
and comm' nce hissing and hooting, and urging the mob
to rescue the soldier from the custody of the officers.
All at once the prisoner and his companions flung a
volley of :tones at them, many of which struck
the constables cn the head. Witness then looked
round and distinctly saw the prisoner throw
the paving-stone produced at Sergeant Bewley,
which struck him on the bead, and felled him to the
ground completely stunned. Before witness could get
near the prisoner the latter threw another stone, and
when witness got up to him he collared him and took
another stone from his band. The prisoner then tried
to throw him on his back, the prisoner's companions at
the same time pulling at his legs. Sergeant Bewley,
who had recovered from the effects of the blow, and
whose head was streaming with blood, then came to his
aid and sprung his rattle, when the prisoner's compan
con-
ions
ran off. The prisoner was, however, secured, and
veyed to the station, where he became so exceedingly
violent that it required the united strength of six con-
stables to lock him up in the cell. Wben at the station
the prisoner threatened to ruin them for life, as he had
done before to the b-- police.
Sergeant Bewley, 20 D, said on Saturday night he was
assisting a soldier to the station, when he received a
violent blow from a stone on the shoulder. On turning
round to see from whence the stone came, he saw the
prisoner close by him, and heard him say " You b--,
I will disable you for life, worse than those b--s were
in Devonshire-street." The prisoner then threw a large
raving-stone at witness, which struck him on the side of
the head, breaking his hat, and inflicting a severe
wound, from which the blood flowed in torrents. Wit-
ness fell down on bis back insensible, and when be came
to himself he found the prisoner in custody of 143 D.
On the way to the station the prisoner kicked him se-
veral times.
Police-officer, 112 D, corroborated the whole of the
above evidence.
Burton, 82 D, stated that about six o'clock last night
he was on duty at the station-house, near the cell
wherein the prisoner arts confined, when he heard him
say to some one outside, " You must get Ryan and as
many more as you can to come up and swear I was
standing still and never threw a stone at or touched
Bewley at all." Witness immediately communicated what
he had heard to his superintendent.
Inspector Jackson, of the 1) division, having corrobo-
rated this, added that the prisoner had been convicted
more than twenty times lA. assaults on the police.
The prisoner, who protested his innocence, was com-
mitted to the House of Correction for three months,
with hard labour.
ASSAULT BY A SoemEst.---Joseph Gitlin, a private
belonging to the Grenadier Guards, was charged before
Mr. Hardwick with assaulting police-constable 231 D.
The constable deposed that about 12 o'clock on Satur-
day night he was on duty in Oxford-stteet, when he
saw a young woman knocked doyen with a horse
and cab. A man went to her assistance, and res-
cued her from her dangerous position, when the pri-
soner ran up to him and challenged him to fight.
Witness re quested the prisoner to go away peace-
ably, which he refused ; to do, and as he was drunk
at the time he (witness) sent to the barracks
for a " picket " to take him away. While the messen-
ger was gone, the defendant took off his belt, flourished
it about, and said he would fight any b— there. As
the prisoner seemed inclined to be mischievous, witness
took the belt from him, when he struck him (witness)
on the breast with great force, and knocked him back-
wards into the road. Witness then sprung his rattle for
assistance, and several other constables having arrived, the
prisoner, after a deal of resistance, was taken to the
police station.
The prisoner, who denied the charge of assault, was
committed to the House of Correction for ten days.

ALARMING EXPLOSION OF GAS AT ST. MICHAEL'S
Cuuncu, CORNHILL —Last evening, shortly before the
commencement of Divine service in St Michael's Church,
Cornhill, an occurrence took place, which, had it been a few
minutes later, would, in all probability have been attended
with disastrous consequences. It appears that at the usual
hour the men proceeded to light the gas, preparatory to
opening the sacred edifice. Atter some of the lamps had
been lit, it was found that the flare was not equal in height
to what it had previously been, and a strong smell of gas
having attracted the attention of one person, he traced it to
the churchwarden's pew, when he incautiously took a lighted
candle to the spot. Ile had no sooner done so than the
light came in contact with the gas which was escaping, and
au explosion took place, which knocked the man down, and
set fire to the flooring of the paw. Fortunately the damage
done is not very cot siderable, but the churchwardens issued
a notice, that no service would be performed in the church in

consequence.
THE MURDER NEAR HARROW.—At the Harrow
Sessions, on Saturday, Benjamin Dorvill, who was charged
some time ago, under circumstances which have already,
been detailed in this journal, with the murder of his wile
underwent a further examination before Mr. Rotch. Some
additional evidence having been given, the prisoner was com-
mitted for trial upon the capital charge.
EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF SHOOTING AT RICH-
NO-NO.—During Friday and Saturday a great sensation pre-
vailed in consequence of a young gentleman' the son of an
eminent publisher in the neighbourhood of Covent-garden,
and who resides in the vicinity of Richmond, having acci-
dentally shot a young man under the following extraordi-
nary circumstances, which assumed more mystery from the
fact that the police authorities were kept in ignorance of the
real state of the case until late on Thursday. It appears that
the young gentleman, who is aged about 17, was at about
seven o'clock on the evening of Tuesday amusing himself
with firing off a duelling pistol loaded with ball in Blac
Horse-lane, Marsh-gate, in the immediate vicinity of the
Richmond Railway, and'across which lane the line is on the
level. A gateman, named William Newman, is stationed
there. It is stated that the young gentleman asked sew-
man to let him put a mark on the post of one of the gates for
him to fire at, which Newman consented to, and the first ball
the gentleman fired missed the mark, passed through the
hedge on the opposite side, and lodged in the elbow of Charles
Howe, a groom, living in Grosvenor-mews, Richmond-hill,
who was at that time talking to a young woman. The bones
of the arm were completely smashed, the ball being buried in
the marrow of the larger bone. The young gentleman,
learning the accident he bad caused, procured a fly and pro-
ceeded with the wounded man to Twickenham, where he was
immediately attended by Mr. Wellington, is ho was of opinion
that amputation must be resorted to, and recommended his
removal to St. Bartholomew's Hospital. This was done on
Thursday night, and it was found necessary to amputate the
arm from the shoulder. The wounded man still remains in
an uncertain state.
FIRES YEsTERDAY.--NO fewer than five fires oc-
curred yesterday in different parts of the town. The first
took place between two and three o'clock in the morning on
the premises belonging to Mr. William Jones, a dairyman,
at No. 9, Pavilion-yard, Whitechapel, immediately conti-
guous to the Pavilion Theatre. The fire was first discovered
by .a man who worked on the premises seeing an unusual
glare in one of the lofts filled with hay and straw. This
party, knowing that a man *as asleep in the loft, immedi-
ately raised an alarm, and the man succeeded in effecting a
retreat, but not before he had been slightly burned. Assist-
ance having arrived, nine horses, each valued at 30/., and a
number of cows, were extricated. In a very brief period
numerous engines of the London brigade and the parish at-
tended under the direction cf Mr. hraidwood, the superin-
tendent, and Mr. Fogo, the foreman of the A district. By
the time the engines arrived the flames had broken through
the roof, and were attacking the windows of the saloon of the
theatre, so that its destruction appeared inevitable. Fortu-
nately, the mains of the East London Company afforded an
atundant supply of water, and the firemen, by dint of great
perseverance, succeeded in preventing the extension of the
flames ; some time, however, was spent before the main body
of flames could be extinguished, and not before that portion
of the premises in which they began was destroyed. the con-
tents cumumed, and some damage done to the buildings on
either side. The origin of the misfortune is at present un-
known. Mr. Jones, unfortunately, was not insured. The
four other fires occurred, one at 8, NVakefield-street, Bunhill-
row ; another at 79k, Portland-place; a third in Ratcliffe-
highway; end the fourth iu the City; but the damage done
to each was but slight.
EXHIBITION or 1851.—THE BUILDING.—The
first castings for the iron columns were delivered on the
ground on Saturday last, having arrived the previous day at
the Kensington Basin, from the' foundry at Dudley. The
sashes are being made in London, and it is expected that
several hundred hands in a very few days will be engaged on
the work.
ierss
jistots:eNptDhheoTrchoamTc
itwEaeni BOMBAY
(00i
of
the
edYi
Bombay
ARMY.--Major-
General
m t
will,a ry
assuming the higher office of Commander-in-
siGtioerTto)
NI; THE
maß succeed. CS
Gomm
1-tfoisl;cluenasj,doeorrn:
Commander-in-
Chid Of the Queell'e aucl CeroPanY'a troops in India.

EXTENSIVE AND ALARMING FIRE AT LIMEDOVSE.
—This morning an official report was received by Mr.
Braidwood, of an alarming and extensive fire, which took
place at about eight o'clock this morning, on the premises of
Alessrs. John Chanter and Co., patentees of the patent me-
tallic composition for ships bottoms, Salmon's-lane, Lime-
house. The first communication was received by Mr.
Superintendent Fog°, of Wellclose-square station by the
Blackwell Railway electric telegragh, and in less than five
minutes the engines were on the spot ; but despite the strenu-
ous exertions of the firemen, the workshops for mixing the
composition in were completely burnt down, and consider-
able damage was dote to the adjacent buildings. It was
nearly ten o'clock before the fire was wholly subdued.
Tux POST-OFFICE.—On Sunday last the official
order for renewing to the public the Post-office accommoda
tion, of which they had been temporarily deprived, through
the exertions of the Sabbatarians and th e luk rmness of
ewa
detail
their opponents, came into. operation—points of being
reserved for subsequent consideration. The indecent haste
with which the epistolary intercourse of the community was,
for nearly two days in the week, cut off in the first instance,
with
has been in some measure atoned for by the promptness
which the Government have retraced their steps, and there is
no reason to fear that the House of Commons will be found
napping again even in the " Derby" week. A repetition of
the popular indignation roused by the first inconsiderate mis-
take would go hard with any Ministry. Electors all over the
country will see the necessity of keeping their Members" oP
to the ;auk" on 04 important cseetiow.Carlisie Journal,

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING,

LEIGH HUNT AND THE " TIMES."
om the Weekly Dispatch.)
Mr. Editor,—Every now and then the Times con-
sults the graification of that portion of the public
which is the least scrupulous about the means, so that
its gratification is but ministered to, by unbaggiog
some unlucky author and hounding upon ;him the
sharpest-toothed critic in its kennel. Famous sport
ensues, for all except the worried and lacerated party.
He is regarded in the same way as the patient under
the operation which the doctor (in Zeluco) describes
as being so very beautiful and; pleasant. " But it
must have hurt the patient very much. 0, the
patient—your ladyship was thinking of the patient!'"
In justice to the surgical amputator, it must be re-
marked that his function is often alike essential to
the well-being of the individual and of society.
Whether that can be said of the horrors of the chase
which the wild huntsman of Printing House-square
pursues for the amusement of his readers, is more
than questionable.
If there be a man ready, in a frank and friendly
spirit, to shake hands with all the world, and with
hom it might be hoped that all the world was ready
to shake hands in return, that man is Leigh
Hunt. From youth to age his geniality of
spirit has been unfailing. Orression could
not squeeze it out of him, nor venomous calumny
dash it with bitterness. It has deserted bins
neither towards friend nor foe, in victory or in clef-at
and disappointment. As poet, philosopher, politician,
critic, with all the requisite qualities fur its high and
varied functions, there has ever been the human sub-
stratum, the elastic, kindly, truehearted man in all.
Nor are there wanting, from the Times critic, large
acknowledgements so large that they might have
harmon;z.sd with a tone as eulogistic as that adopted
is depreciatory. But it seems that Mr. Hunt cannot
say his multiplication table ; that when a youth, in
clerk's employment, he came too late to office ; that
the flowers and piano in his prison-house were an
imprudent outlay ; that he was overreached by a
cheating bookseller in the price of a " Collection of
Italian Poets ;" that he finds it difficult to make both
ends meet ; and that he loves his Queen, and would
like to be Laureate. All which charges might
be left to themselves, but for the assumption at the
bottom of all, and of which the entire criticism is an
elaborate enforcement, that a man who follows lite-
rature as a profession may serve himself as well as by
any other profession, and has only himself to blame
if he be not well to do in the world. Especially is
he condemned should he complain of, and cast any
imputation upon, " broad. shouldered society."
I hold this to be a delusive and pernicious doctrine;
and I will state why. There are certain conditions
and limitations which the critic keeps out of sight.
Under ordinary circumstances, the thriving literary
man must not seek to improve, but merely to gratify,
the public taste. In politics, he must side with the
strongest and wealthiest party. In religion, he must
say nothing of a " heterodox and Leigh Hunt-ish"
Christianity. In criticism, he must praise the fa-
vourite of the day. No prejudice can safely be
assailed. If by the toil of years he can make a name,
then, and only then, he may sell his name ; perhaps,
being overpaid as much as he was underpaid before,
when his works had the first freshness of his intellec-
tual spring, and he fairly wrote out all the thought
that was in him. He must stifle the impulses to
put forth his best powers, aim at the noblest ob-
jects, and strive to realise what " the world shall
not willingly let die," in order to do the work of
the day, whatever it may be, and win the day's
bread and cheese. Having proved himself efficient, and
got rid of any superfluous nicety or independence, he
may find employment or job work at the wages of a
subordinate clerk; and if his party be in office, and
he lucky enough to have an influential patron, he
may end his days as one of her Majesty's hundred
pounds a-year pensioners. The Times compositors
must have laughed when they set up the assertion
that " there is no reason why the man of letters
should not pass through life with the respect of him-
self and of the world at large ; why social happiness
and comparative independence should not be enjoyed
by him as well as by any other professional man."
The reason is obvious. The man of letters is before
his age. He has knowledge which the ignorant can-
not appreciate, and taste in which the unrefined do
not sympathise. With unquestionable genius, it may
take him half a century, as it did Wordsworth, to
establish a reputation without which every publication
entails loss rather than profit. But Southey, says the
critic—how respectable and thriving Southey
was! The instance was an apt one. Southey
was fortunate in two conversions, and both

tem very timely. From Democracy he
was converted to Toryism, and from Deism, or
something like it, to the Church of England. Not
every man of letters can expect new light to beam
upon him so luckily. Then came his pension, and
afterwards the Laureateship; something to fall back
upon this. Add to this, what would have been utterly
unattainable, or any equivalent to it, in his original
state of opinion, a permanent engagement on the well-
paying Quarterly, and the exceptional character of
the case is complete. No doubt the man of letters,
who is not so happy as to be converted, may feign
conversion at the critical moment; and no doubt such
conNersion is mont y's worth in the legal and clerical
professions, as well as in literature. So fsr the pa-
rallel holds. But the Times is silent on this condition
of its general proposition.
In the present .tate of society no prudent man who
can help it will make literature hia sole occupation and
means of subsistence. The pay is in the inverse ratio of
the merit. An unprincipled partizanship pays the best.
S mi-mechanical compilation, the second best. Really
orignal works, unless of mere amusement, the worst
of all. Now, if a solid and noble literature
be of any importance to the nation, this is a very bad
state of things, and ought to be remedied. And who
will (luny its importance ? Its wreath is far brighter
than than that of the warrior, and watered neither
by tears nor b'ood. Its humanizing power is beyond
that of art. Its songs are proverbially mightier than
laws. As enshrined in the wise, it promotes religion
while resisting priestcraft; as diffused amongst the
people, it furnishes enlightenment and excitement,
while abating intemperance. It is as a soul to the
body of the community, keeping it from death and
corruption. And it is the nature of that intelligence,
without which even hard'necessity would not gene-
rate the invention, that by mechanical arts subdues
the globe to the service of humanity. Honest rulers,
able legislators, faithful priests, skilful artizans, all
are important to a people ; hut not less important
than any are its public writers, their integrity, their
patriotism, their independence, their honourable esti-
mation, and their fair remuneration.

All that neei be asked is fair dealing towards a
profession so important for the well-being of society,
and yet, from the very nature of the case, so much
worse paid than any with which it can be brought
into comparison. I plead neither for Government
patronage nor private patronage. But I demand,
what form of property is so ill protected as literary
property? If a man sticks an acorn into his ground,
the oak-tree belongs to him and his heirs for ever.
Is it a less work to generate a " Lear," or a " Para-
dise Lost" in his mind ? Yet in that, there is no
perpetual property to the producer. In a few years,
the bookseller and the public divide the spoil. Had
American piracy plundered our merchants or our
laniowners one-tenth as much as it has plundered
our authors, would not the question long ago have
been a national quarrel, only to be set right by jus-
tice and retribution ? Before the Times' assertion
can be verified, there must be an equal sacredness of
property for the man of letters and the man of acres.
You must cease' to sacrifice the one to the public
good, and then to sacrifice the public good to the other.
Again, I ask, whose occupation is taxed like that of
the man of letters ? The material on which he
writes or prints is taxed. Not what he sells merely,
but the whole of the edition which has only the
chance of sale, is previously taxed. The
intellectual materials and appliances are all under
taxation. Every public announcement of his work
is taxed. Immense capital, and circulation also im-
mense, combined with a high degree of popular
utility, have been taxed out of the market. And what,
like this, has to be encountered by the lawyer,' the
dotter, or the clergyman ? What, indeed ? No such
rocks obstruct the easy flowing of their fees and
tithes. They have their toils; but, comparatively,
they toil in comfort and for competence.
The public has a deep interest in the intellectual
and moral qualities of public writers, and in so treat-
ing them that they shall not live and act under power-
ful temptations to idleness, falsehood, apostacy, or any
other misguiding influence. The imprudent must
reap the results of their imprudence, in this as in any
other class. Had the Times only endeavoured to
" warn genius of .the certain consequences of a lofty
neglect of the ordinary and every-day prudence re-
quired for even moderate success in any worldly
calling," I should rather have aimed at seconding
than at controverting its strictures. I speak, of
course, with reference to their general spirit, not their
individual application, leaving that to the better
informed on Mr. Hunt's private history and circum-
stances. But the theory is false, and the particular
instance adduced in its support is condemnatory. If
Mr. Hunt have encountered difficulties which might
have been averted by his timely becoming Churchi,
fied, Torified, and a vilifier of his old assoeiates
ii
the Quarterly Review, I give him joy of his diffi-
culties and his endurance. With honest men he has
the best of the bargain, a hard lot though it be. It
ought not, in any case, to be made harder by public
indifference or fiscal partiality. There is not less of
folly than of infamy in taxation upon literary inte-
grity. Mind was not tnadesto be the tool of party or
of patronage. A wise nation will not abandon it to
that degrading destiny. Let people ask themselves
why apologies for Russian despotism and Austrian
brutality are written for British publications ?
They cannot be the spontaneous produc-
tions of intellect. That is not in the nature
of thine. A persevering power le at work, and