The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-22 00:00:00

THE QUARTERLIES.

THE QUARTERLY I?EVIEW. No. CLXXI.
Elsewhere we shall have occasion to refer to the
two principal political papers in the current number
of the Quarterly— the onslaught on " Free-trade,"
and the elaborate defensive paper entitled " Lord
Clarendon and the Orange Institution." Upon the
latter especially we cannot fail to have cause for par-
ticular animadversion, seeing that it is an article not
less conceived in a most erroneous, we had almost said
in a wilfully erroneous spirit, than it is penned in a
most perverse and sophistical mood. As to the other
contribution already mentioned, the diatribe against
the Free-traders is quite of a character with the pre-
sent movement of the agricultural party throughout
the United Kingdom. Tbat party, from the fussy
nature of their proceedings, really appear to be in
some sort sanguine cf the ultimate restoration of pro-
tection. All we can say to them is—we wish ye n
may get it ! Before, however, these eagerly desired
imposts upon corn can be revived the empire must be
convulsed from one extremity to the other with tEe '
mind-quake (as Alison admirably calls it) of revolu-
tion. And those who would thus resort to the old
subject of contention between the various sections of
the community are the very antithesis of real conser-
vatives ; they are, in brief, and in fact, the true revo-
lutionists. Upon their heads will descend the re-
morse, and not only the remorse, but the actual re•
tribution of the infuriated multitude, in the event of
society being driven to extremes by their wilful and
most selfish machinations. A theme of more practical
utility than that of reviving an obsolete and impossible
tax, a subject of infinitely more importance to the
agriculturists of England, Ireland, and Scot-
land, is discussed with much talent, and
with remarkable perspicuity, in a previous
article in the same number of the Quar-
terly—namely, the most judicious and practicable
systems of drainage. To this contribution we would
here more especially direct the attention of the
Uritish farmer; and we would do so with the more
satisfaction from our conviction that in such argu-
meats lie the chief means for the restoration of
British agriculture to its pristine prosperity. A
paper of considerable interest to the ecclesiastical
branch of the community immediately precedes this
chapter on the science of agriculture, namely, tEe
one entering into a careful examination of the in-
fluence and working of the " Clergy Relief Bill."
Those who are partial to the anecdotal records of
political autobiography will derive no small amount
of entertainment from the gossipping criticism on
the memoirs recently published, relating to " Lord
Cloncurry and Mr. John O'Connell." The tone
assumed towards those authors is as might have been
expected, sneering and ironical, yet, through the
atmosphere of derision, many shrewd and felicitous
observations are discernible, and a perusal of the paper
will be amply repaid by proving a source of no little
amusement. Foremost among all the contributions
to the present number of the Quarterly, however, in
point of situation is the ethnological paper treating
of the " Natural History of Man," with especial
reference to the scientific labours of the late, learned,
and lamented Dr. James C. Prichard; and foremost
among all, in point of merit and interest, is the his-
torical article on the beautiful but unfortunate city of
" Venice." At all periods a retrospect of the fortunes
and vicissitudes of that romantic mistress of the
Adriatic is fraught with marvellous fascination ; but
at this particular epoch, when we have witnessed the
heroic efforts of the Venetians to revive the golden
days of their Republic, a reference to its career as a
Sovereign State is invested with an indescribable
charm. Venice, called simultaneously by Lord
Byron and by Lady Morgan, the

" Rome of the Ocean"—
must always continue to Englishmen a spot con-
secrated by sublime recollections ; and it was from a
sense of this fact that we perused with so much
genuine pleasure the fantastic and eloquent chapter
descriptive of its appearance in a dream, scrawled off
by the pencil of Charles Dickens—a chapter that may
be found on reference to his " Italian Pictures."
Associated as it is with the poetry of Shakspere, and
the romance of Boccacci9, and the despairing volup-
tuousness of Byron, Venice must always be a region
dear to the admirers of genius ; and seeing that the
true admirers of genius are always those who can
best appreciate patriotism; the history of its efforts to
preserve its independence, and, later still, of its
struggles to redeem itself from the political bondage
of Austria, must ever be to them a subject worthy of
prolonged and sorrowing contemplation. While we
are ready to recognise the ability of the Quarterly
Reviewer, upon whom has devolved the responsibility
of pourtraying the sequence of recent events at
Venice, we cannot of course remain blind to the
egregious party prejudices by which his otherwise
admirable paper is obscured and tarnished. Taking
his own comments, however, throughout, cum grano
salig, regarding as merely idle words most of his very
violent and condemnatory epithets, the paper will be
found to be a clear and perspicuous narrative of
events from the rising of Northern Italy, under
Charles Albert the Magnanimous, to the final ex-
tinction of the hopes of Italian patriotism by the con-
quering legions of the veteran Radetzky. As
affording materials for the future historian, the Sis-
mondi of the next generation, this article in the
Quarterly will be found to be one peculiarly valuable.

A noun FRIGHTENED TO D EAT H.—Oa Thurs-
day morning as a waggon, laden with coals, and drawn
by three horses, was waiting for passage at the Bobbers
Mill Gate whilst the gnat up-train of coal waggons to
Mansfield passed by, the middle animal of the team b( -
came so much alarmed, though v. ithuut displaying any
extraordinary violence of manner, that before the whole
train, which consisted of upwards of 30 carriages, had
passed by, he dropped down and instantly expired.—
Notts Mercury.
EXPLOSION AND Loss OF LIFE.—On Thursday
evening last, about six o'clock, a dreadful explosion took
place on the premises of Mr. Moffett, 61, John-street,
Tottenham-court-road, which resulted in the death ( f a
youth named Moore, and the serious injury of a younger
brother, who lies without any hope of recovery. The,
two unfortunate boys were amusing themselves with
supplying a naptha or spirit lamp with spirit, when it
flowed over and came in contact with the light, causing
an instantaneous explosion. The shop front was set on
fire, and the two boys were dreadfully burned. So great
were the injuries inflicted on them that the eldest
breathed his last on Friday morning at the University
College Hospital, and the youngest remains at his fa-
ther's house without hope of recovery.
A CALIFORNIAN YEN TURE.—A Liverpool
emer-
chant, who purchased 5,0001. worth of
at 225. per barrel, sent the wholo out to
ntenture. The
CaliforniaaAmrican flour
from
this port, where it proved an x
barrels sold at 86s. each, andheeecleeared 10,0001. by the
transaction.—Liverpool Chronicle.
DAMAGE DONE Br GAME.—In consequence of the
tenantry under Lord John Scott complaining of the
damage done by tho flame to their crops, &c., his Lord-
detroyed the whole of his extensive preserves
isnhif hasVarir iek-shire, dismissed his keepers, and given direc-
tions to the tenants to keep the game down by shooting
all that they see on the land in their occupation.
Dui llonsE-RAce IN EGY PT. The Oriental
Company's stoaa.er Indus, Captain Soy, has left South-
ampton for Alexandria with the Indian Mail. She had
a number of splendid horses on board, some of which, it
was stated, were shipped to run against the Pitch» of
Egypt's horses, when the c.:lebrated race comes off be-
tween English and Egyptian hones in Alexandria.
CHELSEA PENSIONERS.—Ten men of the Woolwich
division of Chelsea rnsioners left Woolwich yesterday
morning for Tilbury Fort. where a company, seventy in
number, is to assemble, t) prcceed with the next con-
vict-ship as emigrants to Australia.