The Sun.
London, England, 1826-11-15 00:00:00

WEDNESPAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 15, 1826.

LITERATURE.

THE SABBATH MUSE.

`We have been much pleased with this little unas-
suming publication ; whose sentiments, fraught with
the purest spirit of piety, and expressed in language
worthy of their divine character, must come home to
the hearts of all. The Author has selected a theme
well fitted from its solemn, yet inspiring associations,
for the higher purposes of poetry, and has done it
adequate justice. His apostrophe to Virtue, is espe-
cially beautiful, and we regret from its length, our
utter inability to insert it at present ; the following
sketch of the Sexton, however, will serve to show what

he Author's talents really are ; the line marked in
:alics possesses both fancy and observation.
E'en here whereto my thoughtful walk bath led,
Within this lone church-yard no sight obtrudes
To shake the constant mind.' Not but lileem
The sexton's song, half buried in the grave,
Unmet, irreverent,, heartless. Round him lie
His playmates,' friends, companions, rivals, kin ;
The earth he digs is of them, and the air,
Which from his lungs he shakes in hoarse catarrh,
Is pestilent with their smell, yet he eau work
Amid those sad memorials of past days,
Nor once attain the thavht that's in a tear.
At length the knave is silent,—and behold,
The slow procession moving nods along,
While crowds pursue, as if the show were made
To flatter with its sight the curious eye,
To All that empty bowl, the gossip's ear,
Or give another chance to vanity
Of mention ere it rot. But let it pass—.
'Tie the last strut of pride, and may be borne.

AFRICAN ANTS, &e.

I:110M MR. CRADOCK'S AMUSING WORK, ENTITLED

" LITERARY AND MISCELLANEOUS MEMOIRS."

Tuesday the 27th.—Waited upon the Governor of Guadeloupe,
where, to my great surprise, I met with my old acquaintance, A r .
Smeathman, the African traveller, who was giving English in-
structions to the Governor's three sons. Here likewise I was in-
troduced to Dr. Fischer, Professor of Physic at Gottingen, and
many other literati; and it was agreed that we should all assem-
ble again in the evening at the Academy, to hear Mr. Sme'ath-
man's interesting lecture on the subject of Africa, which was to
be given there... He not only treated us with the sight of many
models of antiquities, but likewise with the inspection of his own
drawings of the termites or ants ; of which, as soon as I reached
home, I took the following account :
" The Termites or Ants, upon the banks of the river Niger, in
Africa, are so numerous that at one season of the year they make
part of the food of the inhabitants, who consider them as a great
delicacy, when roasted iu the tame manner as we do coffee.—
These insects in their way of living resemble bees. They form
their houses with great exactness, in several cells, in which they
deposit their eggs. The King and Queen make theirs separate,
and much larger than the others. The Queen grows to the size
of a large hornet, and as she enlarges, the working ants increase
the size of her cell. When first hatched, the ants are of a whitish
colour, but soon change to a brown, almost verging towards
black. At this time they have wings. Sometimes the queen ant
grows to be six inches long (one was shown to us most curiously
dissected by Dr. Hunter.) She is so prolific as to lay 60 eggs in
a minote. Some of the ant-hills rise to the height of 20 feet.—
We saw the drawing of one of them, with an ox at the top of it.
These are of great use to travellers in Africa, as they all appear
much higher than the herbage." (The Governor of Gaudaloupe
said, the grass in that island was much the same ati that described
by Mr. Smeathman, and gave us an account of the Island of St.
Lucie. The grass there, lie said, was cut once in six weeks.)—
A most curious account was then given of en immense bird which
lead used to accompany Mr. Smeathman at dinner time. It would
stand behind his chair to be fed ; would retire into the country
for many mike, and again return. It wits higher than anostriuh.
Mr. Sineatlunan and I had frequent interviews, whilst we re-
mained at Paris; and here I cannot help anticipating so far as to
mention, that in little more than a year, we unexpectedly met in
London; it was at the great. Coffee-house in Ludgate-hill, where
we stayed and supped together. We talked overmany occur-
rences from the time we had resided at Scarborough, of which
delightful sea-port he was a native. He then informed me that
he had been frequently with Mr. Pitt, who wished to give. him
some foreign appointment, but that he had that day made an ad-
vantageous engagement with the African Company. He seemed
ill, and said be was going that night to sleep at the house of a re-
lative at Lambeth : as it rained hard, I urged him either to re-
main in town, or endeavour to get a coach ; but he replied, " Do
you think, my friend, that I shall merely stay here to nurse for a
cold, who are thoroughly seasoned to all climates ?" We parted,
and I had not passed a fortnight in the country, before I read a
recital of his death. Hie old friend, Mr. Kearsley, of Fleet-street,
applied to me to give him any particulars I knew of his life; but
before I could furnish any, he likewise died. - I retain some of
Mr. Smeathman'e drawings; but of his papers I can give no ac-
count; and thus ends my melancholy recollection of this most
north y character.
In the course of the evening which we passed at the Academy,
a proposal was made;,that we should all meet the next day at
the Royal Observatory, and, examine for some miles the stone-
quarries which had been opened under the City of Paris ; and
accordingly, at em early hour, a large party assembled, and soon
afterwards began to nudes this dangerous experiment. We first
descended to the depth of eighty-four feet, which is the height
of the Observatory, and then traversed several long aisles, like
those of churches, but under ceilings which were frequently drip-
ping with water. We then sometimes scrambled up and down
broken stairs, like those in old belfries, but we no where met
with any good or direct road. On coming to one part, some
alarm took plait, as it was feared either that the torches might
go out, or from similarity, that the guides might mistake the
passages ; when one of the company mentioned that some such
accidents had' lately occurred, and his recital did not much con-
tribute to our comfort or satisfaction ; sonic other altercation like-
wise began to arise, when suddenly we found ourselves in a broad
area, where an entertainment for us had been prepared, but most
of us seemed more inclined to see broad daylight again, than par-
take of any elegant4estivity ; we accepted, however, with as
good a grace es we could, of some refreshment, but the most
prudent of the party suggested, that the 'wines should nut be too
freely and particularly amongst the inferiors or at-
tendants.cautiously partaken of this unexpected repast,
distril iul tetavilia, g
we made our acknowledgments to the donors, but did not express
when we were informed that we might almost
ascend the regular staircase, which leads into the
hmuuerhehd immediatelyi displeasure,
tahseu i
highly-favoured Abbeys of Val de Grace. This
church has the honour to contain the hearts of at least thirty of
the Royal Family of France, but the Abbeys itself was erected by
Queen Anne of Austria, the wife of. Louis the Thirteenth, as a.
mark of gratitude to Heaven for the birth of Louis the Four-
keoth, whoil laid the first stone of the building when he was only.
oven Years of age ; and the whole is venerated with all due de-
votion, as a sublime sanctuary.
Some of my friends at the Observatory having expressed a wish
"'
in lin how our adventure underground had terminated, I waited
upon sham next morning, and gave them all the information in
wy
head the to find that all their finest instruments
lead beet purcitseduilneLoudon.had touch discourse with them
ennc*rniug the
umostexperienc
and gave themt as I could, not only of the
improvements
at faithfulthe an accoun
at Greenwich, but like-
wise of the . ett stronomete of my own country,
,„enera. Royal Observatory
er
et made in our own
le._progress which had
e with marked attention, They listeZd"townill as
in inany different paconfessed,
that and freely
that though their build' te,
its t,lse.kingdom
yet it was by tl extend-
ed stamen y
nr, means erected
as to exterior, was partial. arlY elegant,
ed ; and that, till Cassinfected on a su
been sent for from lltdolgtt the reques
no astronomi-
cal observations, they believed, 111(1
new directions,
with e
awe
accuracy as in England. , ever been made
said, they were hippy to find we had experienced
then reverted to the t of the great Colbert, had
roses of the d: before, and they
convenience front either darn • ed h
P nr cold, has they still consider t
no material in-

whole as a dangerous undertaking. Till the year 1774 it was
not publicly known that quarries extended under great part of
the city, when some very alarming accidents had occurred ; they
were then surveyed under the direction of Government, and plans
of them were taken ; and it was illaeavered, that most of the
southern, parts of Paris were undermined, and were in the moat
imminent danger. A Special CatneMssion WAS appointed in the
year 1777, to direct such works as might be required ; and the
necessity of such Commission was fatally proved the very day that
it was installed, for a house situated in the Rue d'Enfer, sank
near one hundred feet below the level ; but they added, such was
the carelessness of workmen, that after all which had been done,
they considered now, that no great shock was wanting to throw
dawn all the stones into the places front whence they had been
quarried, and that not only the magnificent Abbaye du Val de
Grace, but some palaces were only so mauy signs to tell beholders,
that whatever they saw above their beads, had merely been taken,
without consideration, from under their feet.

SOME ILLUSTRATIONS of Mr. M'CULLOCH'S PRIN-
CIPLES of POLITICAL ECONOMY. By MORDECA I
MULLION, Private Secretary to. Christopher North. 1%3:-
wood,.Edinbur4; and CidelliAtiodoo, 1826. Bvo. pp. 74.

proof we bring of his imposture is=—that, in the last Number of
the Edinburgh Review, he has palmed otr as au original artitio
on Mr. Jacob's Report, an Essay, written by himself, that ap-
peared in a former Number on a Letter of Mr. Whitmore.

Edinburgh Review, No. SS,' Sept. 1826, pp. 355-6-7.8.
" But while the abolition of the Corn Laws would be produc-
of no material injury to the farmers and landlords, by reducing
the average price of raw produce, it would, by giving greater
steadiness to prices, be no less advantageous to them than to the
other classes of the community. Were the freedom of the corn
trade established, our' prices would be governed by the deerape
Price of Europe : and it is plain, inasmuch as the weather that
is unfavourable to the crops raised in a district having a particular
soil or climate, is most commonly favourable to those raised in
districts having a different soil or climate, that the averoye price
of a great Continent, or rather of the whole commercial world,
must necessarily be incomparably more steady than that of a single
kingdom. Holland, during the days of her greatest prosperity,
was chiefly fed on imported corn ; aruf it is an undoubted fact,
that prices in Amsterdam were always comparatively moderate,
and fluctuated less than in auy other market of Europe," &c.

Edinburgh Review, No. 81, October, 1824, pp.
" But if the abolition of the Corn Laws would not be injurious
to the farmers or landlords, by causing a further reduction of
price, it would, in other respects, be singularly advantageous to
them. Were the freedom of the corn trade established, it is plain
that our prices would be governed by the average price of Europe,
which, inasmuch as the weather that is unfavourable to one country
is generally favourable to another, is comparatively steady. AA
illustrative, of this principle, we may observe, that Holland, dur-
ing the days of her greatest prosperity, was chiefly fed on im
ported corn; and it is an undoubted fact that prices in Amster-
dam were always comparatively moderate, sod that they varied
less than any other market of Europe," &c.

Edited on this system, what admirable numbers might we have
of the .Edinburgh Review? Literature by Mr. Jeffrey,—philo-
sophy by Sir James Mackintosh,—politics by Mr. Brougham,—
wit, humour, fun, and frolic, by the Rev. Sydney Smith,--select-
ed articles,—all written in their happiest vein But oh ! misery
of miseries, whit a number might be put together from the hallu-
cinations of the hacks of the concern !
Reynolds—and "the rest." Such a number would prove fatal
to many subscribers; they would not only give up the Review,
but the ghost, and find refuge in the grave from the accumulated
horrors of Cockneyism about to burst on their devoted heads.
We should not have been in the least degree surprised had Mr.
McCulloch, emboldened by the success of his hitherto undetected
artifices, sported the same article twice in the same number. An
opening article stands pretty far removed from a concluding article.
Ere the ordinary reader has waded through the space between,
the memory of the opening article is lost or dim ; and although
he might be somewhat puzzled and perplexed by the sudden aspect
of the apparition, In the questionable shape of the concluding
article, we are persuaded that, if four and twenty hours were to
elapse between perusals, he would seldom or never discover his.
friend of yesterday. In the case of Mr. M'Culloch's articles, ex-
perience proves, that it is altogether impossible to imprint them
on the tablets of the pUblie's memory ; and seeing that the same
article has been published and re-published so frequently in dif-
ferent numbers, without awakening the slightest suspicion of its
identity, how can w,e doubt for a moment that it would have equal
good luck in the same number, and page itself off for two, just
like any other swindler in a large town,.who succeeds in robbing
his lodgings, in the character of a blue red yellow Admiral in the
morning, and in the evening gets possession of a gold repeater by
playing the old General !

We-could,. if we chose, exhibit one of Mr. MlCulloch's para-
graphs, who, like "a tall bully, lifts his head and lies," assum-
ing nine different disguises, and performing nine different cha-
racters in nine different companies.. Here is a short one, whc
performs five.

Nu. l.—Mr.,l4VCiallocles &ay on Reducing the interest of the
National Debt.—Edinburgh, 1816, pp. 139, 4 40.
" A general failure of ths,crops in an extensive kingdom, is s
Calamity that but seldom. occurs. The weather that is milkvou-
nide to vegetation in one specks of soil, is frequently savants.
geons to it in another. ft moist clayey land *utter from a wet
*winner, the crops are rendered more luxuriant in dry rocky
districts; the excess of produce in one province compensates for
its deficiency In another, and except in anomalous cases, such as
the present season, the total supply is nearly the same. If this
be generally true of a single nation, it is always true in reference
to the world at large. 'No 'one instance of universal scarcity
blackens the history of mankind,! but it is constantly found, that
when the crops of one country fail, plenty reigns in some other
quarter. A freedom of trade is alone wanted to guarantee a min.
try like Britain, abminding in the varied products of industry, in
merchandise suited to the wants of every society, from the possi-
bility of* scarcity. The nations of the earth are not eondenined
to throw the dice to determine which of them shall submit to Is.
mine. There Is always abundance of food in the world. To en-
joy asonstant plenty, we have only to lay aside our prohibitions
and restrictions, and to cease to counteract the benevolent wisdom
of Providence.

"The case of Holland strongly corroborates the truth of all we
have now stated. In the days of her greatest prosperity, she was
chiefly fell with imported CM, and the prices there were extremely
moderate, and what is of infinite consequence, were more steady
than iu any other country of Europe."
No. 11. —Scoraat ax, 6th January, !tat I.
" Nor is this mere gratuitous assumption. The weather which
is found to be unfavourable to the crops of one country, is inva-
riably found to be favourable to those of another country having
a different soil anti climate. When moist clayey lands suffer from
a wet season, the harvests are Universally rendered more luxuriant
iu dry rocky districts. - The excess of produce in one part com-
pensates for its deficiency in another. And a sithultaneotts failure
of the crops in different countries, is a calamity with which huma-
nity has not hitherto been afflicted."

But we have it in our power to appeal to a still more con-
clusive experience. Holland, in the days of her greatest prove-
rity, was chiefly fed by imported corn; and it is an undeniable
fact, that the prices there were always extremely moderate, and
fluctuated less than in any other country in Europe. Even dur-
ing the convulsions of the last twenty years, and when her former
commercial connexions had been almost all dissolved, prices col-
tinned extremely steady. The nations of the earth are not con-
demned to throw the dice to determine whiCh of them shall sub-
mit to famine. There is always abundance of food in the world;
and to enjoy a constant plenty,. they have only to lay aside their
prohibitions and restrictions, and to ceaserto counteract the bene
volent wisdom of Providence."
No. 111.---Burrmarr To ENCVCI,ONEDIA ilazfi. Ellin. 1819.

crops
A fie
edo
of
mo onef
country
trees
isalfia,elilloe, eltaedtacy,t.
Vol. 111. Part It p. 361.
" In the second place, the wider the surface from which a coun-
try derives its supplies of food,
.the less will it be exposed to flue-
tuations of price, arising from favourable or unfavourable seasons.
A gtneral failure of the crops of an extensive kingdom is a calamity
that but seldom occurs. The weather that is unfavourable to ve-
getation in one species of soil, is frequently advantageous to it in
another. If moist clayey lands suffer from a wet summer, the
crops are rendered more luxuriant iu dry rocky districts. The
excess of produce in one province compensate* for its deficiency in
another and, except in anomalous cases, the total supply is nearly
the same. But, if this be true of a single nation, it is always
true in reference to the world at large. No ono instance of uni-
verw ~e,geity blackens the histbry of mankind ; but it is con-
infbilsolte toltiliiiterwqhneanrtet
to guarantee a country like Britain, abounding in all the varied
,staeignitlloy
products of industry, in merchandise suited to the wants of every
ur society,h a e filn'oltneotnhederned4ibtiolittYhroofwa trerdeiitcey.to 'itellteerniliaintietn•::hoicfbno'ef
them shall submit to famine. There is always abundance of food
in the world. To enjoy a constant plenty, we have only to l•
aside our prohibitions and restrictions, and to cease to
the benevolent wisdom of Providence."

" The case of Holland strongly corroborates the truth of all We
have stated. In the days of her greatest prosperity, she teas chiefly
fed with imported corn, and the prices there were extremely mo-
derate; and, what is of infinite consequence, were steadier than
in any country of Europe."
No. IV.----Entsuunott REVIEW, No. Lxxti. Pp. 444, sti., .Fo"
bruary, 1824.
Nor is this mere theoretical reasoning. The weather, which is found to be unfavourable to t crops of one district, is invori-

ably found to be favoureble to tlio:se of enotlar district, having a
different soil and climate. When moist clay lands suffer from a
wet season, the harvests are uniformly rendered snore luxuriant in
dry rocky districts. The excess of produce in one part compen-
sates for its deficiency in another ; and, except in some anomalous
eases; the average produce does not differ considerably. A failure
Ed the crops throughout an extensive kingdom, is a calamity that
does not often occur; and no single instance can be proiluced of a
simultaneous failure of the crops throughout the commercial world.
On the contrary, it is always found, that when the harvest is un-
favourable in one country, it is proportionality favourable
in some other quarter. Holland, in the days of her vastest
prosperity, was chiefly fed by imported corn ; and it is an un-
deniable fact, that prices in Amsterdam were always moderate,
and fluctuated less than in any other market in Europe. Even
during the convulsions of the last twenty years, and when. bee
former commercial connexionm had been almost entirely dissolved,
prices continued extremely steady. It is,' as the Count de Terri
has happily observed, ' a melancholy error to suppose that the
nations of the earth are condemned to throw the dick, to detenninsi
which of them shall submit to famine !' There is always !sham/.
ance of food in the world to enjoy a constant plenty, we
have only to throw our ports open—to lay aside our prohibitione
and restrictions, and to cease to countentet the benevolent wisdom
of Providence."

No. V...--EDINSUAGIif RtVIRW, No. /AV. p. 183, January lattr.
" But in the second place, it is not true that restrictions pn the
Corn trade afford any security for our obtaining an ample and in-
dependent supply of raw produce. On the contrary, .it is a re-
cognised principle, that the wider the surface from which a
country derives its supplies of food, the less will it be exposed to
fluctuations of price, arising from favourable or unfavourable sea-
sons. The weather that is injurious to one soil, or one situation,
is generally favourable to a different soil and a different situa-
tion. A general failure of the crops throughout au extrnsist
kingdom, is a calaMity that but rarely occurs. The excess of
produce in one province, generally compensates for its deficiency
in another; and, except in anomalous met, the total supply is
nearly-the mime. But, if this be generally trap of a single nation.
it is always true in reference to the world at large. It is inva-
riably found that when the crops 'clone country fail, plenty reigns
in some other quarter. And a perfect freedom of trade is all that
is wanted to guarantee a country like Britain, abounding in all the
varied products of industry—in merchandise stilted to the wants
of every society—from the possibility of a 'Scarcity."

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