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

MARKET NEWS.-(THIS DAY.)

NEWG.II'2I9 AND LiIMETC7III.Itai.
These markets were very inactive to-day, yet prices,
owing to the small supplies offering, were generally
supported. Beef, from 2s 01 to 3s Od; Mutton,
4,1 to 3s 63; Lamb, 3a 103 to 5,-; Od; Veal, 23 6d to
3s 43; and Pork, 3s 03 to 4s Od per Sibs, by the carcase,
![l3:sr 1111417/43MET.b.
SMITHFIELD.—Meadow Hay, 21 8s to 3110 s; (Mover
ditto, 31 Os to 4/ 8s ; and Straw, 1/ 2s to 11 103 per
load. Supply but moderate, and trade dull.
CUM . BERLANDMeadow Hay, 2/ 10- to 31123 Clover
ditto, 3/ Os to 41 4s ; and Straw, 1/ 3.1 to 1/ 10, per
load. A full average supply, and a sluggish demand.
WHITECHAPEL. Meadow Hay, 2/ 8s to 3/ 103 ;
Clover ditto, 3/ Os to 4/108; and Straw, 1123 to 11103 per
load. Trade steady, at our quotations.
TtIZAT raaniVETS.
SOUTHALL, JUNE 26.—Our market: was heavy to-iay
for each kind of stock, and prices had a downward ten-
dency.-13eef from 2s 103 to 3s 63; Mutton, 3s to 3s 10d;
Lamb, 4s to 5s Od; Veal, 28 83 to 3s 4d; and Pork,
33 to 3s 63 per 81bs, to sink the offal.
ROMFORD, JUNE 26.—The general demand was in a
very inactive state, and the quotations were not sup-
ported.—Beef; from 3s to 3a 8d ; Mutton, 3s to 3i 103;
Lamb, 4s to 5s ; Veal, 2s 10d to 3s 43; and Pork,
3a to 3s 61 per Sibs. Suckling Calves, 18s to 22s ;
Quarter-old Store Pigs, 16s to 20s; and Mulch Cows,
with their small Calf, 161 to 18/ each.
LEWES, JUNE 25.—Prime Beasts sold at full prices;
otherwise the demand ruled heavy. Beef from 3s to 3a
103; Mutton, 3s to 43; Lamb, 4s 41 to ss; Veal, 3s to
3s 4d per 81bs.

CORN AVERAGES.
GENERAL. AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN'
For the Week ended June 20, 1850, made up from the Returns of the
tnapectors in the different Cities and Towns in Emgland and Wales
per ImperlalQaarter,
I
I witEAT. IBARLET. OATS. I EYE. WEANS. 1 res,s4,
PRICE •• I 40s 50 22s Bcl 16510,1 I 22s 60 2Gs 741 1 261 9d

DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN.
rELAT. BARLEY. OATS. I RTE. I BEANS. I PEAS.
Is Od is Od is Od is 0.1 is Od is Od

PRIVY COUNCIL-(THIS DAY.)
The JuJicial CommiWo of the Privy Coureil :at
again to-day tor the purpose of hearing appeals and
motions. Their Lordships sat 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
thc.r paper, proceeded to hear the further arguments in
the part-heard case of

DOOLUDDASS PETTAMBERDASS AND OTHERS V. RAMLOL
THACKOWISEYDASS AND °TIMES.
This was art appeal from the Supreme Court of Judi- '
cature at Bombay, in au action to recover the amount
of several wagers, f aey• six in number, which were
made between the appellants and respondents, who were
merchant.; and bankers very extensively engaged in
trade at Calcutta, on the average price of Patna opium
at the then ensuing public Governmerit sale at Calcutta.
The appellants pleaded non aisumpsit ; that they
were induced to enter into contracts through
the fraud and covin of the: resoondente; and that the
average price per chest of the Patna opium :old at the
said public Government sale was au average price en-
hanced by and through the haute?, covin, and collusion of
the respondents. The respondents replii dde 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, hotvever, in that season
increased to nine, and the quantity of opium offered at
each bale was thus proportionably reduaed. The first
Government sale of the season was made on the 30th of
November, and upon that occasion the whole quantity of
Patna opium for sale was 1,690 chests. Of this quan-
tity, however, the French Government had, by conven-
den with the Government of India the right to claim
300 chests to be withdrawn from the cafe, and to be
taken by the French Government at the average price
fetched by the rest. Previously to the sale it ap-
peared that the respondents had made a large number
of time bargains at Bombay and Calcutta, and in
these bargains the average tamed ranged from
1,300 to 1,400 rupees per chest, up to nearly
1,800. In the contracts declared upon in the tetion,
the lowest average named was 1,387 rupees, and the
highest 1,775 rupees. In the great majority of instances
the respondents were buyers, or in other words, specu-
lated on the rise in the price. It Rai proved, however,
that in some instances the respondents were sellers, and
speculated upon the fell. 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 cf opium took place, owing to some parties
keeping up the biddings for the first lot throughout the
whole of 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 day. Immediately after the
fsil tire of the intended sale the respondents, through their
representatives who had attended the sale, wrote to the
secretary of the Board of Opium, and offered 1,800 ru-
pees 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 bad 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 seventy-
five chests purchased by a Mr. Pereira at the rate of
1,750 rupees per chest, the whole of theiratna opium was
purchased by the respondents at sums which made the
average price amount to rather more than 1,793 rupees
per chest. The average price at the sale was greatly
enhanced by the efforts of the respondents' agents. Mr.
Pereira, it appeared, had received orders from Chins to
buy, and was not limited as to price; he considered it to
be his 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 appeared that the re-
pondents' representatives paid the Government 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 upon the market, for the
sum paid by them to the Government exceeded 24 lakhs
of rupees; and soon after the sale, this very opium, or
at least a portion cf 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 fur not perceiving that circumstances in the present
case enabled the respondents to do so with effect. The
respondents mutt, therefore, have judgment for the
difference on the several contracts in the declaratiou."
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 Lordship the Master ot the Rolls sat in his
court. in the Rolls-yard, Chancery-lane, to-day, and
heard motions, none of which possessed any peiLt of the
least interest except to the parties concerned.

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

EXCHEQUER.-(THIS DAY.)
The nisi prius sittings of this Court in London, sifter
term, commenced, to-day at Guildhall, beford the Lord
Chief Baron.

Nu ease of the slightest public interest was heard
during the morning.

COMMON PLEAS.—(TIIIS DAY.)
(Sittings at Nisi-Prius at Guildhall, before the Lord
Chief Justice WILDE and a Common Jury.)
GIDNEY V. DYER.

This was an action for an assault. It appeared that
the plaintiff had occupie f premises in Earl-street, be-
longing to the defendant, as solicitor's offices, for some
years, and had 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 Esrl-street, which he had no right to
do. Violent language passed between them, and the
scene 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.)
(a.Sore Mr. Under-Sheriff iiURCHELL.)
LLOYD V. BROMLEY AND ANOTHER.
This was an action to recover the sum of 101., due for
four quarterly payments under an annuity bond. The
detendenti (husband and wife) suffered judgment to go
by defitult, but a difficulty arose as to the amount due,
defendant not having edmitted any precise amount, the
only evidence being soma letters written by his wife.
The Learned UNDER* SHERIFF held that its she was
a party to the bond her admission was binding.
The jury gave a verdict for 10!.
LENTHALL V. LAMB.
This was an action to recover the. sum of 71.125. 4d.
on a bill of exchange.
Detendant pleaded that he had subsequently to giving
the bill supplied plaintiff with twenty gallons of wine;
he, however, did not appear to support his
plea, and a
verdict was given for the amount.
FR AMPTON AND OTHERS V. WILLIA3IS.
This was an action for tiilaiAdations and breach of
covenant of
• -
A
great nu-thcr of witnesses were evaroined,
case was not of the slightest interest, and was not con-
cluded when we left-. be the

BOW-STREET.—(THIS DAY.)
A young man, named Mason, a boottnaker, with two
ycung female.:., was charged with an assault.
Mr. Elias&le, the landlord of the Red Lion, in Little
Drury-lane, stated that yesterday afternoon the pri-
soner was creating a great disturbance in his house, and
he told Lira that unless he behaved himself he must ho
put out. Up:ln this the prisoner became very violent,
and struck witness a severe blow which rendered him in-
sensible fir some minutes. The p, lice were therefore
called in, and the prisoner given into custody, but he had
scarcely got into the streetihefore the two females, who
had been drinking with him, and made use of very
filthy languege, attempted art acne. The consequence
was, that a general row ensued, and the two police-con-
stables who were performing their duty were dreadfully
beaten and kicked; but, ultimately, 47 F, au indelati—
gable officer, and others, came upon the scene, and the,
three were re• captured, and safely lodged in the station..
Several respectable witnnises confirmed this state—
ment, and the prisoners having nothing to urge in miti—
gation of their conduct, except that they were slightly
inebriated,
Mr. HALL fined the man 31. 10s., or forty days' im-
prisonment; and sentenced the females, who were noto•
rious characters, to be imprisoned in the House of Cor-
rection for a month.

MARLBRO'-STREET.-(THIS DAY.)
MYSTERIOUS ROBBERY.- John Forrest, the son Of
a respectable tradesman residing at No. 26, Great
Pult(ney-street, Golden-square, was placed before Mr.
Bingham' charged on suspicion of having stolen a gold
watch, value 10/., the property of Siccami Giacom.
The prosecutor deposed that he lodged with the
prisoner's parents, and that about eleven o'clock on the
previous night he retired to rest, having previously
locked his bed-room door, and placed his watch on a
stand on the dressing table. The defendant, who slept
in the same room, came home about 12 o'clock, and
witness let him into the room, w here he (defendant) sat
reading for some time. Witness then went to sleep, and
when he awoke at three o'clock this morning, he missed
his watch. He subsequently felt in his waistcoat-pocket,
and found that 3s. had been abstracted therefrom. As
the prisoner was the only person he could suspect of
robbing him, he taxed him with it, and en his denying
knowing anything atanit the money or the watch, wit-
ness sent for a constable and gave him in charge.
Barber 59 C said, when he took the prisoner into
custody, he (prisoner) toll him he remembered seeing
the watch when he went to bed. Ile also said he
usually locked the door, but last night he quite forgot
doing so. Witness searched the prisoner as well as the
bed-room, but could not find the watch.

The defendant denied all knowledge of the watch;
there Tr ere other lcd;er:: in the house, and one of them
might have taken the watch.

Mr. BINGHAM—The robbery was enveloped in a deal
of mystery, and as there was net sufficient evidence to
warrant him in detaining the prisoner, he should dis-
charge him.

MURDEROUS ASSAULT—THE KNIFE AGAIN.--JaMeS
Mew e was brought up in custody of Giblett, one of the
warrant officers of this court, charged on a warrant with
cutting,. and wounding a lad named! Patrick Cooney,
with intent to do him some grievous bodily harm.
Tha injured boy la as in such a dangerous state as to ba
unable to attynd.

Wiliam Coolley, the father of the boy, stated that he
resided at No. 56, Dudley-street. Oa Sunday night
lase about twelve o'clock, he was standing at the door
wai:ing for his son, when he saw the latter running up
the street, followed by the prisoner, who h,td a large
knife in his hand. Witness heard the prisoner call
cut, " You young thief, if I get hold of you I will
do for you." All at once witness's son stumbled,
and the prisoner rushed upon him and cut him across the
face with the knife, three or four times. The
_lad
managed to get up, end was trying to get from the
prisoner, when the later followed behind him and
stable: d him between the ehoelders. The prisoner then
ran away, and witness's son tell to the ground from loss
of blood. Two gentlemen then came up,; and assistance
having been procured, the. injured boy was conveyed to
the Chariug-cross Hospital, where he now lies, in a very
dangerous state, and, according to the surgeon's certi-
ficate, will not be able to bear removal for some days.
The prisoner was remanded for a week.

LICENSED VICTUALLERS' SCHOOL.
The forty- fourth anniversary festival of the Licensed
Victuallers' School was held yest Tday at Highbury
Tavern, Isington; Arthur Kett Barclay, Esq., in the
chair. Upwards of 2 000 persons were present, includ-
ing the following representatives from various parts of
the country :—Birmingham—Messrs. Martian, Gibbons.
Showell, James, and Stiuton. Manchester—Messrs.
Horrocks, Redford, Ridinge, Jolley, and Watkins.
Liverpool—Messrs. Leff, Bryden, and Mackenzie.
Steckpert—Messrs. Mode, Beard, and Kay. Preston—
Messrs. Greene and Watson. Hull—Messrs. Lewis and
Glover. Plymouth—Mr.Watts. Yerk—Mr. March. Shef-
field—elessrs. M'Quhse, Chaubry, Cain, and Appleyard,
Oldham—Messrs. Neeld and Bradbury. Coventry—
Mr. Oakes. Ashton—Messrs. Welker and Woolley.
Wolverhampton—Messrs. Haines, Aston, and Stuart.
Leamington—Mr. Ballard. Staleybridge—Mr. Ashton.
Northarepten—Messrs. Higgins and Mayor. Sudbury
—Mr. Spurgin. Huddersfield—Messrs. Ellam and Bol-
derson. Derby—Mr. Higgins.
A good and substantial repast was provided for the
male portion of the visitors, but we are afraid the ladies
were somewhat neglected; and on the next anniversary
we trust that their claims to the consideration of the ma-
nagers will not be overlooked.
The CHAMMANt in a very appropriate speech, gave
" Her Most Excellent Mejesty Qeeen Victoria, Patroness
of the Licensed Victuallers' School," which was drunk
with the honours.

The nest toast was " His Royal Highness Prince Al-
bert, the Patron of the Licensed Victuallers' Asylum,
the Prince of Wales, and the remaining branches of the
Royal Family."
Then came " The Navy and Army."
After which the secretary read the report, announcing
a second donation from the chairman of 50 gs.; from
Barclay, Perkins, and Co. (their 44th subscription), 100
gs.; C. J. Bevan, Esq., 20 gs.; E. Barclay, Esq. (second
subscription), 20 gs. ; T. G. Barclay, Esq., 20 gs.;
the Chairman and friends, 300 gs.; and several other
smaller surric. The Secretary also announced that the
Governor, J. J. Homer, Esq., had collected, during the
two months and fifteen days in which he had been in of-
fice, the sum of 1,3971.—an announcement which was
received with loud cheers. The whole contributions
amount. to 2.361/.

The CHAIRMAN, in an appropriate address, then pro-
posed " Protperity to the Licensed Victuallers' School,"
which has educated upwards of 1,100 children, and
which now provides for 116. He trusted that the funds
would be sufficiently increased to ensble the committee
to carry out their intentions and provide every comfort
for at least 250 children, which the institution is calcu-
lated to accommodate.

Mr. Bass, M.P., then proposed "The Chairman,"
which was duly acknowledged.
Mr. D. WIRE gave " The Members of the House of
Commons," which was responded to by Mr. Bass.
Several other toasts were atterwards given, including
" The Governor and Committee of Management of the
Licensed Victuallers' School," "The Morning Adver-
tiser," " The Deputation from the Provincial Associa-
tions," " The Secretary," " The Chairman, Trustees,
and Governors of the Licensed Victuallers' Asylum,"
"The Chairman and Committee of the Licensed
Victuallers' Protection Society," "The Stewards,"
" The L' dies," &c.

The pleasures of the evening were greatly enhanced
by the vocal exertions of Mr. Genge, Mr. Sharp, and
several other professionals, who volunteered their as-
sistance.

THE WRECK OF THE ORIoN STEAM-VESSEL.--"
PORTPATRICK, JUNE 21.—Captain Denham, R.N., arrived
here last night from London, and is now pursuing his in-
quiries respecting the loss of this vessel. A female and child
were got out of her yesterday, supposed to be Mrs. Scott, of
Montreal, and her child. Her husband was one of those
who unfortunately perished; he was alive when brought on.
shore, but died in a few minutes. Her sister, Mrs. Smith, a
widow lady, was also drowned; she left ten hildren behind
her at Montreal. Both families were on their way to Glas-
gow, their native town, to make arrangements for settling
there. To-dry three bodies were got out by the divers; one
of them is known to be a Glasgow merchant, but the other
two have not been identified : one was a lad about fifteen.
years old. Captain M'Neill (Collinsay) whose body has not.
been yet found, 4ad his life insured for 20,0001. Yesterday
evening instructions were, received from the Lord Advocate
to apprehend Mr. Henderson, the commander of the Orion.
The warrants were put into the hands of the police here this
morning. We understand that he will be admitted to bail.
A good deal of property in money and plate has been obtained
to-day from the sunken vessel.— Shipping Gazette.

The longest pleasure with a hich we are familiar is
of a passive kind, namely, sleep.—Eliza Cook's Journal.

DEATH FROM CHLOROFORM.—On Monday last *
case illustrative of the fatal effect of the incautious use of
chloroform occurred at Sheffield; the sufferer was a Mr. J.
Smith, a young man of 21 years of age. Mr. Smith retired
to rest on Sunday night, about half-past eleven o'clock, at
the house of Mr. Ray. In the night he was heard to moan,
but it was concluded he was dreaming. As he did not ap-
pear at the usual time at the breakfast-table
was sent to his bedroom, when he was found i a domestic
lying in bed,
life being extinct. In his hands he held a band kerchief,
firmly pressed to his mouth and nostrils. It appears the
unfortunate gentleman has been in the habit of inhaling
chloroform for the purpose of allaying
the face-ache. A.
bottle which had contained chloroform was found uncorked
in the watch-pocket of the bed, and in a private drawer two
bottles of chloroform were discovered. An inquest was heldon
the evening of Monday, when evidence establishing the above
account was given, and also that the deceased had several
times, when he inhaled chloroform, directed William Girt,
d to rouse
ifiozwerhlyengfraoollmingtiontAoiar.sEtaatye,otfo
isnitsenttbhilihtim, an
.Y, which he bad
accordingly done. The post morteni examination of the
body showed the blood to be in a very fluid state and very
dark in colour, the right cavities of the heart were distended
with blood, the liver and kidneys slightly congested. No
smell from which it could be ascertained that chloroform had
been used could be detected. The deputy coroner expressed
his sympathy with the relatives of Mr. Smith, for whom he
could feel moat acutely, the case reminding him forcibly of
his nephew, who died under
et dentist,
London. He had called
to have a tooth ex-
traded,
upon
similar
aaArs
le
rp.oati
traded, and. having inhaled
tnl:llburii.nNselrui
nrac,i
uttemhr
eslt:aamndeigneesern,
chloroform previous to the ope-
ration, threw back his head, and died almost instantly
Tne jury returned a verdict that a
the deceased's death had
resulted from chloroform,
administered b 9
himself.

Tnz LANARKSHIRE MlNEns.—The miners strike
ed
has virtually terminated, the lap e of another week having
induceda (than
change upon their resolution to decline any COCon%
promise. The Glugow men were the first to agree on 1:?_
accep:9nce modified terms. Those who belonged totni:
other 'our districts have since come to the same cleterMo'ld
tion. The conditions to which they have now proclaotoo,
their willingness to accede are Os. 61. of a daily Wage', 0
gether with weekly payment!. The iirNt ()ranch of this c3O, '
has been offeret many firms, all, will, we suppose, be h''aire
accepted. The miners of Ayrshire and Falkirk, who
struck, still hold by their original demands.—Daily Ow"

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LIT RAT URE.

ANNE DI SART. A Tale qf Every day Life.
3 Vo/s.

During the reign of Queen Victoria our literature
has been most appropriately adorned by the natees or
the masterpieces of a grslaxy of auteoresses. Inso-
much has this circumstunce been observable, that
some of the most judicious critics of our geeeratien
have not shrunk from suggesting thee the honours ef
the Poet Laureate:hip should, te t only in commemo-
ration of that fact, hut 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 hay garland, that lady being no
other than the wife of the bard of Paracelsus. Look-
ing at the various departments of art and letters, it i 3
in truth remerkable to detect; the distinction attained
through the mere display of large and beautiful ca-
pacities by women of masculine genius though of
ieminine gentleness. While we have had occasion to
regret the departure of such writers as Jane Austin,
and Maria Edgeworth, and the Countess of Blessin;:-
ton ; though we have had reason to lament
the disappearance of Anna Maria Porter, of Felicia
Hernans, 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 o: yet more into a repid
and auspicious celebrity. Assiduous application has
failed to exhaust the powers of the lively and obser
-*int Mrs. Gore, of the shrewd and sarcastic Mrs.
Trollope, or of that accomplished Miss Mitfard, whose
effusions have ever combined the morality of Mrs.
Hannah Moore with the fascinating simplicity of Mrs.
Barbauld. Among the historical labours of en epoch
rendered illustrious by the contemporary research of
such annalists as the rhetorical Macaulsy, the impar-
tial Lingard, the erudite Hallam, the indefatigable
Prescott, the sedate Turner, and the comprehensive
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
naillie. 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 of 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 cccasional versifiers is unques•
tionably Frances Brown. One of the most earnest
and imaginative of our poatic 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 for popularity, not the least noticeable,
or the least entitled to et-morn:um, are those ladies
whose love far 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—h has been singularly surpassed by
the success of those numerous aspirants for renown
who have assumed tLe literary ma quern. as nevel-
ists. Among these must he mentioned some of the
most promising authors of our generation, who, if
not possessing to the full the strong objective fancy of
Mrs. Radcliff, or the irresistible hilarity of Madame
de Sevigne, or the inexorable propriety of Mrs. Caapone,
or the virile judgment of Madame de Steel, have
yet displayed, to a suprieing 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
"Emilia Wyndham," 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 " Wihningtons."
even with such masters of fiction amongst U 3 as
Charles Dickens and Bulwer Lytton, and with such
a multitude of gifted and agreeable romancists as
James, Lover, DieraeF, Tc,eckeray, Jerrold, Smith,
Chamier, Ainsworth, Lever, Collins, and Warburton,
the vigorous capacities of such romancists 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

he 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 wo-
man's clearness of perception, and a woman's gen•
tleness of sentiment. The story, although vigorously
Written, the incidents, although powerfully 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
1 is alone attributable to the unhackneyed verve of ca-
-1 pacities neither worn nor j tided by previous employ-
] went. 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 ie, 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
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, demands
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 I,lse 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 but
earnest observations. Anna 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
Prank, 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 wcnderful force of colouring and out-
line. ft is a picture of domestic meanness as bril-
liant as one of the gems of Hobbima. Of the family
f 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. 7.he wealthy merchant's fa-
rally 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 eulogiums 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
reminds us so strongly of poor Bumpy in M. Eugene
Sue's Juif Errant as to deprive it in our eyes of the
Merit of originality. Eleanor Glmme, 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.
liindred in inanity are Mrs. Smith, her chaperon, and
Mr. Hall, her suitor. One other of the principal
Characters, not yet mentioned—perhaps altogether
shout the principal character in the narrative—is
Gerald Bolton. Conceived somewhat in the same
Morose or eccentric school as the Mr. Rochester of
"Jane Eyre," and the Mr. Danby of "Emilia
Wyndham," this Mr. Belton of "Anne Dysart"
ni.verthelets no transcript, but a creation
of distinct and even insulated individuality.
Tae 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. Saveral of-the scenes ie
hieh M. Bolton appears are reused, especially it,
regard to the dialogue, with much genius: his love
Passages are depicted Ns ith exceeding grace, pathos,
and delicacy ; and the noble and magnanimous ten-