The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-21 00:00:00

VICEREGAL COURT.

The first levee for the season is officially announced to
take place on the 29th of January, and the first drawing-
room on the evening following.

MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS

The following are the results of " A Table of Mortality
in the Metropolis, showing the Number of Deaths from
all Causes registered in lie Week ending Saturday, the
14th of December, 1844." The Table is issued from the Office
of the Registrar-General:—

Weekly
CAUSES; OF DEATH. Total. Average of
live Years
Epidemic,Endemic,and Contagious Diseases 220 178
Diseases of variable or uncertain seat lOB 111
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses 153 157
Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of
Respiration 444 285
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 42 21
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other
Organs of Digestion
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c 5
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &e.
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles ll 6
Diseases of the Skin, be
Old Age, or Natural Decay

..
By Violence, Privation, or Intemperance 36 26
Causes specified 1196 942
Deaths from all Causes ...... l2Ol 946
I:MATHS FROM THE PRLNCIPAL DISEASES DICLUDBD tninrut

THE ABOVE HEADS.

Teta,. Weekly Average
of File Years.
Consumption 145 147
Scarlatina 47 34
Pneumonia .
Dropsy ..... .. ........ .....
Hooping Cough 26 33
Typhus
Small Pox 5l 15
Disease of the Heart
Measles ............ ............. 33 28
Apoplexy
Diseases of the Brain .... 14 9

Diarrhea.. - ... 10 12

Sudden Deaths 2O 15

DISTRICTS.
West 176 138
North 209 171
Central
East 268 207
South 339 242

Total ... ........,..1401 946

EXTRAORDINARY LAND SLIP.
A most extraordinary land slip happened a week
from Thursday last, the 15th, near Lebanon, New
Hampshire. About three miles to the eastward of
the village is a high conical hill, rising perpendicu-
larly on its southern side, but on the north sloping
gradually from the summit to the rich table land be-
low. This hill forms part of the property of Benja-
min Wurtle, Esq., and the land around it is divided
into three farms, each of which runs in a rectangular
shape into the hill, meeting together in a point at its
apex. The following is the relation of a person on
the spot at the time :
" With one of the tenants, Robert Gourley, I had
occasion to transact some business on Thursday last,
and having called on him at his farm-house about
two o'clock of the day, I was detained till late in the
evening. About half-past ten lo'clock, as we were in
the act of reading over some papers, preparatory to
their being signed by us, we were startled by a sudden
explosion. Our first impression was, that a piece of
artillery had been discharged in the rear of the farm
buildings, but after reflecting on the extreme impro-
bability of such an event, we referred the detonation
to an earthquake, or some subterranean convulsion.
For the next few minutes we sat in a state of con-
siderable alarm, which was augmented on hearing
unusual sounds from the barns and stables, as if the
cattle were struggling to get loose. Just as we
started from our seat, by a sort of instinctive resolve,
to ascertain the cause of this singular occurrence, we
suddenly felt the house in motion.
" At first there was a violent jerk, then a movement
on ward, not unlike the first starting of a ponderous
railway train. Gradually the motion increased, until
we found ourselves moving along at a rapidly accele-
rating rate. It was a clear starry night, and I could
see the boughs of trees in the distance passing the
windows, just as we perceive the transit of simi-
lar objects from the window of a travelling ve-
hicle. This continued for two or three mi-
nutes, and then there was a sudden stop, producing
another violent jerk, which threw my friend and me
to the opposite side of the room. We ran imme-
diately to the door, and our astonishment may be
more easily, conceived than described on discovering
ourselves in an entirely new locality. I saw at
once that a land slip had taken place ; but although
I had read of similar occurrences in the districts
around the Alps, I was not prepared for so remark-
able an instance as had just taken place.
" We found ourselves at least a quarter of a mile
from the original spot. The farm-house and out-
buildings were all entire. A range of poplars, which
grew near the barn, still occupied the same relative
position to that building. The only change observable
was that a stream which flowed a little below the
farm-houses had entirely disappeared.
" The most singular result of this movement is
that the farm offices of my friend, Mr. Gourley are no
longer upon his own farm. They have been pro-
jected upon the lands of a totally different proprietor,
and it is supposed that unless he manage to rent, in
addition to his old farm, the portion of land on which
his stealing is now located, a good deal of nice liti-
gation will be the consequence of this sudden and un-
expected freak of nature."—Boston (U. S.) Chronicle
of Nov. 30.

SUlClDE.—Thursday afternoon, shortly after four
o'clock, Mr. Wood, jun., son of the proprietor of Wood's
Hotel, Lincoln's Inn-fields' entered the shop of Mr.
Rusk, bootmalcer, of High Holborn, and requested per-
mission to go the water-closet, and, being a customer, it
was immediately granted. Haying remained for a con-
siderable time, Mr: Rusk became surprised, and upon
going up stairs, to his horror discovered the unfortunate
young man quite dead, having cut his throat with a razor
which was lying on the ground. No cause for the rash
act has been assigned.
THE PRINCE CONSORT'S PRIZE Ox.—This splendid
animal, which arrived at Windsor from the Smithfield
Club Cattle Show, on Monday last, was immediately
taken to the royal dairy in the Home-park, where it will
be domiciled during the winter,

MR.WILSON'S ENTERTAINMENTS
Concerts, we have always thought, labour under a
disadvantage from which most other kinds of enter-
tainments are exempt—namely, the continual inter-
ruption of the interest of the audience by the cessa-
tion of the performances, and the appearing and dis-
appearing of the performer, with all the noise, chat-
tering, and moving about, which invariably follow.
In ordinary concerts of vocal music, this defect is
irremediable. The performer cannot sing right on,
song after song, till the performances are done; first,
because he is not equal to the exertion ; secondly, the
attention of the audience would be thereby kept too
much on the stretch • and, thirdly, the agreeable
succession of the humorous and the sentimental,
which so greatly enlivens a concert, would cease to
harmonise. And as nothing could me more absurd
than the performer, in the interval between his songs,
standing twirling his thumbs and looking at the
audience, and the audience twirling their thumbs and
looking at him—off he must go !
Mr. Wilson was among the first to devise a remedy
for this—certainly the first who did so systematically
—by giving, as it were, popular musical lectures
with vocal illustrations. By a well-chosen series of
amusing anecdotes and critical remarks, with which
he introduces each song, he at once keeps up the
interest of his :audience from first to last, and adds
novelty and variety to the other attractions of a con-
cert. Never was popularity better merited than that
which Mr. Wilson has thus attained. As was
to be expected, he has had may followers ; but,
we are happy to say, he has had no rival. Too often
hare we seen the person who had the talent to strike
out for himself a new path to wealth and distinction,
outstripped by some more fortunate but less deserving
competitor; and we repeat, that we are happy that,
in the present instance, Mr. Wilson's talents have bid
defiance to competition, and have secured the fruits to
him that planted. Ably and pleasingly does Mr.
Wilson go through his performance; anecdotes well-
chosen and well-told--delightful songs as delightfully
sung : indeed, with him, the gems and their setting
are alike admirable.
There is no vocalist whose manner we think equal
to Mr. Wilson's. It is varied and full of animation,
and alike in the humorous and the pathetic, never fails
to carry the audience along with him; indeed,in the dry
and somewhat caustic humour peculiar to the Scotch,
and with which many of oar songs abound, Mr. Wil-
son is unrivalled. Yet his manneris never forward—he
never o'ersteps the modesty of nature ; everything is
chaste and polished, yet nothing is missed ; it is
nature in its most pleasing delineation. In his style
of singing, Mr. Wilson is simple, tasteful, and
very effective, without seeming to aim at being so;
and the more critically his style in singing any piece
is examined, the more fully will his discrimination
be conceded. His style, too, is quite free of what is
commonly called " stage effect," but which may be
often more fitly denominated clap-trap; and he never
indulges in a flourish at the end of a song, as many a
one does, merely to announce to the audience that he
is now ready to be miffed ! From the first note of the
song to the last, all is in good taste ; and as he faith-
fully and beautifully expresses the transitions of
feeling—the lights and shadows of the piece—his
singing never wearies by sameness; yet so de-
licately is this sometimes done, that we rather feel
the transition, than appreciate it by ear—the music
seems still the same, yet ever changing. His voioe
is rich, and singularly sweet and pleasing, and seems
not even yet to have reached its full development—
some new perfection (if we may use the term) be-
coming every year perceptible ; and so smooth and
steady is it, that during his late concerts we failed to
detect a single roughness.
Mr. Wilson has lately been giving concerts in
Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the- reception he has
met with in both cities has been most flattering. On
Friday and Saturday last week, he gave two concerts
in Edinburgh—au evening one in the Music-hall,
and a morning one in the Hopetoun-rooms. On
the latter occasion he gave a selection of German
songs, which were quite new to us. They have very
rarely been performed in this country, and then
only at some of the classical concerts in London.
The " Journey," by Mendelssohn, is a magnifi-
cent composition; but the piece we liked best was
" Fair Annie"—a perfect gem—as sweet a little song
as we ever listened to—resembling much, as Mr.
Wilson observed, some of the sweet and simple lays of
our own land, and also not a little, we thought, some
of those of the Emerald Isle. We have only space
left to mention the " Curse of Dunvegan "—a singular
and striking piece of music, which Mr. Wilson has
lately added to his list of Scottish songs. He first
sang it in the Music-hall, and had to repeat it, by
desire, in the Hopetoun-rooms.—Scottish Dramatic
Mirror.

Mr. Wilson is at present giving his entertainments
in the Athenaeum, in Manchester, with great success;
and, after visiting Liverpool and the principal towns
in Lancashire, he will resume his evenings at the
Music-hall, Store-street, in the course of a few weeks.
" Happy Land" is the constant accompanyist of Mr.
Wilson.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
ASIIDOWN PARK COURSING MEETING.
THURSDAY.
First Ties for the Craven Puppy Stakes—Crape beat
Elastic ; Frighten-'em beat Bill Scott ; Vesper beat
Prudence; Eisler beat England's Queen.
Second Ties—Elsler beat Frighten-'em; Crape beat
Vesper.
Second Ties for the Gold Cup—The Winner beat
Perseverance; Feathers beat Brilliant.

First Ties for the Dog Puppy Stakes—Frantic beat
Westover; Westend beat Breadalbane.
First Ties of Bitch Puppy Stakes—Magpie beat
Entre-nous; Blessington beat Wit's-end.

HUNTING APPOINTMENTS.
Sir R. Sutton's hds., Mon., Cariby ; Tues., Ayston ;
Thurs., Colsterworth ; Fri., Seaton Windmill ; Sat.,
Market 0 verton— 1 1.
Earl Fitzwilliam's hds., Man., Sawtry Gorse ; Tues.,
Barnwell Wold ; Fri., North Wood-10.
Mr. Hellier's hds., Mon., Kenwick Toll-bar ; Tues.,
Thornton Village ; Fri., Giraby ; Sat., Welton
Wood-11.
Her Majesty's stag-hds., Mon., Thorpe Greene ; Fri.,
Stoke Common-11.
Mr. Drax's hds., Mon., Pointington ; Fri., llolnest Keal.
Lord Elcho's hds., Mon., Marchmont ; Tees., Ayton ;
Fri., Beauley.
Findon hds., Mon., Ham ; Tues., Applesham ; Thurs.,
Wappingthorne ; Sat., the Holmbush-11.
Essex Union hds., Tues., Kennel ; Sat., Purleigh Wash.
East Essex, Mon., Helion's Bumpstead ; Thurs., Marks
Hall ; Sat., High Wood.
Quorn hds., Mon., Shearsby Inn ; Tues., Steward's Hay;
Thurs., Itolleston Hall ; Fri., Six Hills-10i.
Pytchley hds., Mon., Buttock's Booth ; Tues., Walcot
Village ' • Fri., Fox Hall ; Sat. Brock Hall-104.-104.Badsworthhds., Tues., Doncaster Bar; Thurs., Mickleton
Hall ; Sat., Ackworth Moor Top--1(A.
Mr. Fuljambe's hds., Mon., Rossington-bridge ; Tues.,
North Carlton ; Thurs., Blythe Law Hill ; Fri.,
Gringley-on-the-Hill.
Earl of Harewood's hds., Mon., Sickling Hall ; Tees.,
Bramham Moor Cross-roads; Fri., Wighill Village, 10i.
Rufford hds., Mon., Kennels ; Thurs., Ossington ; Sat.,
Langwith Lodge.
Lord. Henry Bentinck's hds., Mon., Langford Lodge ;
Tues., Gate Burton ; Thurs., Sadbrook ; Fri., Bran.
ston Wood ; Sat., Bardney-1 1.
Mr. Farquharson's hds., Mon., Clifton Wood.
B. V. 11., Tues., Milborne Port ; Fri., Bishop's Caundle.
Mr. A. Smith's hds., Mon., Clatford Oakcuts ; Tues.,
Wilcot and Whorwell Wood ; Thurs., Woyhill ; Fri.,
Everleigh ; Sat., Faccombe.
Sherwood harrs., Tues., 2d milestone, Nottingham Road;
Fri., Dalestorth.
Thanet harm., Mon., Sarre Mill ' • Wed., Vincent—loi.
East Kent hds., Mon., Sandling Park ; Tues., Stouting
Common ; ri., Black Mill-10i.
Hurworth lids., Tues., Sweaton-bridge ; Thurs., Moon
Bank ; Sat., Neesham-10f.
Raby hds., Tues., Middleton Tyes; Sat., Wakerfield, 101.
Duke of Cleveland's stag-hds., Tues., Caldwell —l2.
Sir W. W. Wynn's hds., Mon., Bryn-y-pys ; Tues.,
Plas Teg ' • Thurs., Farndon ; Sat., Iscoyd-10i.
Atherstone hds., Mon., Canwel Gate; Tues., Cricket's
Inn ; Thurs., Nailstone Village ; Fri., Camp Hill ;
Sat., Three ots —lo4a.
Mr. Candler's hds., Tues., Woodcote Green ; Fri.,
Bredon Hill.
Mr. Archer's hds., Mon., Vroudon; Thurs.,- Dolsdown
Inn-10i.
Cheshire hds., Mon., Tabley; Tues., Aston Hall; Thurs.,
Church Minshull; Sat., Devonport Hall-104.
Crawley and Horsham hds., Mon.; Crawley Gate; Thurs.,
Ockley Court; Sat., Turner's Hill Village-101.
Herefordshire hds., Tues., Myne Park; Fri., Chilston
Turnpike-10i.
Ross harrs., Mon., Weston Lodge.
Ludlow hds., Tues., Bonldon Village ; Fri., Onibury
Village.
Mr. Morgan's hds., Tees., New Bridge Hill-10
Shropshire hds., Tues., High Hatton ; Thurs., Chipnal
Wood ; Sat., Twemlows-101.
Albrighton hds., Mon., Wassail Top ; Thurs., Onslow ;
Sat., Gatacre-10i.
United Pack, Thurs., Little Stretton-9.
Wheatland hds., Tues., Sidbury; Sat., Homer Hill—10.
Montgomeryshire hds., Tues., Guilsfield; Fri., Halfway
Inn, Berriew.
Brighton, harrs., Mon., Patcham ; Fri., Dyke.
Brookside harrs., Mon., Newmarket Hill ; Thurs., Tels-
combo Tye.
Essex and Suffolk hds., Tues., Thorington Hall ; Fri.,
Gifford's Hall.
Tiverton lids., Mon., Cruwy's Morchard ; Thurs., But-
terleigh ; Sat., Seven Crosses-101.
Warwickshire hds., Mon., Wellesbourne; Tues., Alitford-
bridge ; Thurs., Shuckburgh Park; Fri., Print Hill, 101.
Holderness hds., Mon., Brandsburton Moor ; Tues.,
Londesborough Gate, York-road ; Thurs. Winestead ;
Fri., Welton Grange • Sat, Rise Mile.
Lord Yarborough's hds., Mon., Swinhop House ; Thurs.,
Saxby Mill ; Sat., S‘Vallow Cross-roads-11.
Sir T. Sykes's hds., Mon., Settrington Beacon ; Thurs.,
the Windmill, Stocton Forest ; Sat., Scampston-
bridge-710i.
Mr. Mure's hds., Mon., Euston Park ; Thurs., Depden-
green-1 oi.
Mr. M. Ingram's hds., Mon., Catton ; Thurs., Poston ;
Sat., Henhurst-1 ok.
Thanet harrs., Mon., barra Mill, Cavendish-bridge.
Donnington hds., Mon., Belton Grange ; Thurs., Ca-
• vendish-bridge Sat.,Cli4ou Village,