The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-06 00:00:00

AINSWO.RT.II' S.

Four additional chapters of Mr. Ainsworth'a-
popular romance of " Guy Fawkes," re-
printed in the present number, with an-
other of the well-known illustrations by George
Cruikshank, bring the narrative down to the last night
spent at Ordsall Hall by Viviana. Thomas Roscoe
contributes a brief but striking paper, curiously desig-
nated " The Shadow Shower." Julia Addison charms
us with a delightful little tale called "Florence
Hamilton," told in her old agreeable way. E. P.
Rowsell scarifies a certain class of most abominable
bores in a Laman Blanchard-like essay on "Talkative
Individuals." Among the other imaginative contri-
butions to the present number of Ainsworth are the
" Confederates,' " Valdarno," and the continuation of
the romance of " Jacob Van Der.Ne4ss," by Madame
Paalzow.

LATTER-DAY PAMPHLETS. No. V.
Slump Orator.
A world of wisdom has been condensed in these
fifty pages by Thomas Carlyle, and well would it be
for the multitude if they would forego for the
time being any covert antipathy for the rugged-
ness of style of our great thinker—one of
the strongest and manliest thinkers of the
century—and pore over the weighty truths
contained in his present utterances. Mr. Carlyle
conceives that much of the evil now pressing upon
this generation is attributable to the everlasting volu-
bility of our talkers. All of us, moreover, he regards
as more or less cursed with the propensity to speak,
to hold forth, to jabber and declaim ad infinitum.
" Tongue" he looks upon as the malady of the age ;
and he coincides implicitly with a friend of his who
suggests that for the benefit of the world the tongue
should be cut out of the mouth of every new-barn child,
so as to doom to dumbness an entire generation. The
gist of the whole argument is in favour of action in
preference to declamation. Hence the title of the
essay—" Stump Orator." It closes in mournful
tones—tones of very sad earnestness.

HARRISO N AINSWORTH'S ROMANCES.
Yol. Y 11. St. James's.

Gradually and almost imperceptibly the cheap re-is-
sue of the works of this popular novelist have swollen
into goodly proportions—already ranging on the book-
shelf to the extent of seven compact and comely little
volumes. The largeness of the circulation which the
series attained almost from the first period of its
commencement, is a sufficient testimony that the re-
publication was welcome to the multitude ; and the
extraordinary cheapness of the monthly instalments
was of itself almost enough to secure purchasers, even
if the celebrity of the writings had not been an
ample temptation. " St. James's ; or, the Court
of Queen Anne," is compressed, certainly, by
small, but at the same time, by very clear
and readable type, into the compass of the
seventh volume. And those who are at all acquainted
with the prominent features of this purely historical
romance will find in that simple announcement a
large and persuasive attraction. In " St. James's,"
as in several others of the fictions of Mr. Ainsworth,
as, for example, in " Crichton," or again, as in
" Rook wood," the prose is decorated at intervals with
snatches of song such as prove the capacity of our
romancist to render his ideas in the form of lyrical
poetry. Instance this, the stirring stanzas
" Malbrook to the Wars is Coming," the humorous
and satirical lines on the " Boots of Malbrook," and
the capital song of " King Frog and Queen Crane"—
" Old King Frog, he swore begar!
Croakledom creel cre.diledom croo!
That he with Queen Crane would go to war,
Blusterum boo! thrusterem through!"
But apart from all the charms of lyric and romance,
as combined in the books and chapters of "St.
James's," the work is valuable as presenting a vivid
and accurate picture of English society, and especially
of London society, in the reign of Atossa.

HOUSE OF CommoNs.—The estimated amount re-
quired to finish the official houses for the Speaker and offi-
cers of the House of Commons, is 30,1001- • the expense
incurred for them having been 74,0001 Since the
year 1835-6, there has been paid in rent for the temporary
official residence of the Speaker, and in allowances for rent
to the other officers of the House of Commons, a sum of
27,196/. 11s. sd.

FOREIGN VESSELS.—From a return of the sums
paid for the difference of rates and charges due for foreign
vessels admitted into the ports of the United Kingdom (under
reciprocity treaties), at the same rate of charge as British
vessels, it appears that the amount paid by the consolidated
duties of customs in the year ending 31st December, 1849,
was 23,5801. The amount paid up to ilst December, 1848,
was 702,293/., making a total paid under reciprocity treaties
of 730,873/.

COURT OP LIEUTENANCT,...A very numerous
meeting of the members of the Commission of Lieutenancy
took place on Saturday last at three o'clock, for the purpose
of voting an address of congratulation to the Queen upon
the birth of the infant Prince. Amongst those present were
Sir Henry Polly, Sir Moses Montefiore, Sir George Carroll,
Aldermen Thompson, Wilson, Humphery, Hooper, Musgrove,
W. Hunter, Carden, Sidney, Challis, Sheriff Lawrence, Mr.
Hankey, the Governor of the Bank of England, Deputies
Britten, Obbard, Bedford, Lott, Mr. Cornelius Wilson, Mr.
James Bentley, Mr. W. Hughes, Mr. Walford, &c. Alder-
man Wilson was unanimously called to the chair—an honour
which, he assured the Commissioners, he felt the highest
gratification at receiving upon such an auspicious occasion.
He congratulated the country upon the excellent state of
health enjoyed by the Sovereign, who was becoming every
year more and more dear, if possible, to her people. ♦lder-
man Musgrove moved the address after a few words ex-
pressive of the feeling diffused amongst the people of this
great empire at the event. Sir Henry Pelly seconded the
motion, which was carried amidst acclamations. The Court
then adjourned.
A MISERS STORE.-011 ,Seturday last, by the
death of Alexander Dempster, flax-dresser, Brechin, one of
those anomalies in human nature, " a storing of wealth for
another's use," was discovered here. The Brechin miser was
about 56 years of age; for about 20 years, and up to within
a few days of his death, he denied himself, even during the
storms of winter, the luxury of fire and light. He was sup-
plied with his daily food, which was of the scantiest and
meanest description, by a neighbour, but he slept in his own
house. After a few days' illness, Dempster unexpectedly
died on Saturday; and, i❑ looking over his humble dwel-
ling, there were discovered 125/. 10s. in silver, M. in gold,
and also nine 1/. notes, which were stuck behind the window
shutters. Besides the above, there have also been discovered
hank cheques amounting to about 1,0001., and, with other
property, the old man is said to have been worth about 1,5001.
—Montrose Standard.

Jackson, the " American Deer, " has been running
a race against two horses, at Bingamon, in the United
States. The horses were to trot ten miles against the man's
five miles and a half; the horses performed their distance in
29 min. 4 sec.; Jackson his in 29 min. M secs.; the man
thus losing by 47 seconds. The stakes were a thousand
dollars.

FIRES AT EXETER.—On Thursday, the cottage
ornee of Kent Kingdom, Esq., and on Friday, Mount Wear
House, the residence of John Follett, Esq., both in the
neighbourhood of Exeter, were accidentally burned to the
ground.—Exeter Gazette.

THE WHEAT CROPS.—The parish of Willingham
is suffering severely by the wire-worm, many farmers are
engaged ploughing up several acres and planting potatoes;
should the cold weather continue we are afraid many far-
mers will auffer to a great extent.—Comb, Wye Chronicle.