The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-14 00:00:00

etween them, and it now rcmains for Mexico to decide whether
they shall be continued, or whether tl-e peace of the two countries
shall be broken by a conflict equally injurious to both, and which
can give satisfaction only to the enemies of civil liberty and repub.
lican institutions.

The undersigned will pass over in silence the charge made
against his Government of having violated the treaty of friendship
with Mexico. The right of Texas to cede the whole or a part of
her territory to the United States, and the right of the United
States to accept such cession, have already been amply ♦indicated
repeatedly. The undersigned has received no official communica-
tion as to the action of his Government in regard to the annexa-
tion of Texas to the Union; nevertheless, he cannot doubt, from
the tenor of his personal correspondence, that the measure has
been passed by Congress and approved by the President. He ex-
pects daily dispatches from his Government, with special instruc-
tions upon this subject, and before taking any further steps, has re-
solved to await their arrival.

The undersigned has the honour, &c.,
WILSON SHANNON, Minister, &c.
In reply to the above, the following letter was sent
VS' 0 days after ;

National Palace, Mexico, April 2, 184 5.

The undersigned, Minister of Foreign Relations, has the honour
to communicate to his Excellency, Mr. Shannon,.Minister, &c. &c.,
in reply to the note of His Excellency of the 31st of March that
the Government of Mexico cannot continue diplomatic relations
with the United States upon the presumption that such relations
are reconcileable with the law which the President of the United
States has approved in regard to the annexation of the department
of Texas to the American Union : that this determination is
founded upon the necessity which Mexico is under of maintaining
no friendship with a Republic which has violated her obligations,
usurped a portion of territory which belongs to Mexico by a right
which she will maintain at whatever cost; that the relations be.
tween the two countries cannot be re-established before a corn.
plete reparation of that injury [agravio] such as is demanded by
good faith, justice to Mexico, and the honour of the United States,
is made.

Moreover, the undersigned will take the liberty to say to his
Excellency, Mr. Shannon, that if the United States Government
thinks that it entertained friendly sentiments towards Mexico at
the time of giving such offence, and when attacking the integrity of
the Republic of Mexico, this Government (Mexico), is very far
from entertaining the same views, or of acquiescing in the assu-
rances which his Excellency, Mr. Shannon, has given, whatever
may be its sentiments towards his Excellency personally.
The undersigned, in making this announcement to his Excel.
lency Mr. Shannon, doing so by the order of the President of
Mexico—cutting short a new discussion which the interruption of
the relations of the two countries will not permit, and because no.
thing can be added to what this Department has already said-.has
the honour to renew the assurances of his very distinguished consi-
deration. LUIS G. CUEVAS.

Santa Anna's trial was slowly progressing. His
health is represented as being very indifferent.
The British frigate Eurydice arrived at Vera Cruz
on the morning of the 12th instant, from Galveston, with
dispatches, which were immediately forwarded to the

capital.
Captain Patherson, of the schooner Fanny, spoke, on
the 17th instant, in lat. 20 46, lon. 95.20, the American
squadron, consisting of the frigate Potomac, sloop Fal-
mouth, and brigs Fairfield and Sonnrs, bound to Vera
Cruz.

Letters had been received in Vcra Cruz from the
American Minister, Mr. Shannon, who had retired to
Tacubaya, that he would leave for the United States in
a few days. It is probable that he is only awaiting dis-
patches which he knows to be on their way to him, be-
fore taking leave of Mexico.
The city of Mexico had been much damaged by an
earthq,:ake, experienced on the 7th ult.
There is no news from Canada.

LITERATURE.

ROGER DE FLOR;or,theALAIUGAVARS. 3 Vols.
This is a spirited and stirring history, full of inte-
rest and excitement, following closely in the path of
truth, yet embellished with all the graces of romance.
The events which it celebrates took place in the be-
ginning of the fourteenth century, when the ancient
glory of Rome had departed, and Constantinople was
ruled by Greek emperors, and inhabited by men,
who, according to Gibbon, "assumed and dishonoured
the names of both Greeks and Romans." When
Constantine chose Byzantium as the seat of his
mighty empire, he little thought he was preparing
the grave for Roman power, but so it was ; the
luxury and effeminacy of the East became the " con-
querors of the conquerors of the world." I'Ve may say
in the words of one of their own poets, when speak-
ing of the Trojans, " Fait Roma! et ingens gloria
Romanorum." Under these circumstances, the Turks
found little difficulty in seizing on the Greek pro-
vinces in Asia—the descendants of the " rapid Greeks"
and " steady Romans" were unable to defend their
own. In this emergency, the Emperor Andronicus
gladly accepted the proffered assistance of Roger de
Flor, the leader of the Catalans or Almugavars. The
fierce and desperate character of these warlike men
presented a striking contrast to the effeminacy of their
allies; born in the bivouac, reared amid the storms of
war, they were the very children of battle, daring and
irresistable. Gibbon, in speaking of them, observes
" it was reported that they could cleave a man and
horse with a single stroke," and he adds, " the report
itself was a powerful weapon." A large body of these
dreaded soldiers, under the command of Roger de
Flor, arrived at Constantinople, where they were re-
ceived with fear and doubt, for cowards are ever sus-
picious. The following is a description of the beau-
tiful Stamboul, as it appeared on their arrival :
" In front lay the capital of the world—lovely even in
its decline—rising almost at once from the bright waters
of the Propontis, while the silver line of the rapid Bos-
phorus stretched far away beyond the entrance of the
Golden Horn, until it could no longer be traced between
the closing shores of the rival continents. Behind was
the s a; and far, far off the lofty summit of Olympus,
capped with snow, might have been easily mistaken for
the cloudy mansion of the ancient Gods of Greece. On
the right and left Europe and Asia extended into the re-
mote distance, until lost in the blue haze, which the
aching eye sought in vain to penetrate. The galleys
swept proudly on—the leaders and the troops crowding
the deck in their bright arms, which flashed back the
rays of the early sun, and dizzied the eyes of the crowds
that lined the shore in thronging multitudes."
" As the galleys approached nearer, the different fea•
tures of the noble city came more distinctly into view.
First the huge palace, with its gardens and terraces,
stretching down to the very edge of the water, and ex-
hibiting in its varied architecture the taste (or perhaps
the want of it) of every emperor from the time of its
great founder. Further off the white pumice domes of St.
Sophia rose in the full maturity of nearly eight hundred
years, proving how well the architect Anthemius had
fudged when he refused to permit the use of wood in the
construction of a building which he intended should last
for ever."
The interest of the tale is kept up throughout ; it
abounds with animated descriptions of the impetuous
Catalans, their combats with the enemy, and their
quarrels with the crafty Greeks. The conclusion of
the story is strictly in accordance with history; the
fear and jealousy of the Emperor, and especially of
his son Michael, overcame every other consideration ;
Roger de Flor was summoned from the head of his
conquering army, to meet the Emperor as a friend
and guest. His companions sought to dissuade him,
but with the confidence of a generous spirit he mis-
trusted their suspicions, and obeyed the royal invita-
tion. Seated by the side of the Emperor Michael—
in a scene of festivity, in the presence of the Em-
press and of his own wife, the Emperor's
cousin —he was treacherously assassinated ; a
victim to the fears of a cowardly tyrant, who was
jealous of his glory, and who dreaded his power. The
writer of fiction could hardly find a more romantic
theme, or one more fraught with interest and instruc-
tion : it is enough to say he has done justice to the
subject. Almost all the characters are historical,
except Melee, the Koord, one of the most interesting ;
he has been taken prisoner by the fierce Catalans,
but his life is spared by Roger. Overcome by gra-
titude, he swears to serve him faithfully till he can
repay the debt, and then he must seek revenge. The
constant companion of the brave warrior, he learns to
love a character which resembles his own ; at length he
saves the life of Roger, and the debt is paid. The unhappy
man imagines he can read the secrets of futurity, and
he foretells the glory of Roger, but tells him also that
he is fated to destroy him. When the chief was sur-
rounded by assassins in the banquetting hall, the
first impulse of Melee was to rush to his assistance,
when, remembering the prophecy, he raised his bow,
and struck him whom he loved so well ; then believ-
ing his mission fulfilled, he fled to the desert. The
following is an account of the conclusion of the most
decisive battle fought between the Turks and Almu-
gavars :
" Far In advance Roger de Flor led the carnage,
and where he passed but little was left for others to do.
Still the Turks fought on, and the tide of battle swayed
backwards and forwards, with an obstinacy which seemed
to promise that it could only cease from the absolute
weariness of both parties, or from the death of all en-
gaged. But suddenly loud cries were heard on the
right of the Turkish cavalry, and Roccafort, with the
entire of his infantry, rushed down the hill upon their
flank with the impetuosity of a mountain torrent which
has burst its barriers, and descends into the plains,
sweeping flocks and herds, shepherds and cottages, in its
i•naivnegrleyd,cefaosrelethsseifirigwhetaroifedthehotsetrrwibales
destructive course.
a oduelrsaseee
jaasys'aeilTienhdse which made the attack of the Almugavars ab-
solutely irresistible All
owentti
lin
gdown s bad
do
er e
.
that dreadful shower, against which n
fence ; through mail shirt and padded hauberk, through
shield and steel cap, the javelins o, f the atalant(lre
way
and, and
through. me lt anidiamhoarnsesNl ere equally their
through pierced
endurance could resist no
longer, and the Turks turned and fled
" So dreadful, however, had been the slaughter in that
hand-to-hand contest, where for five hours each man
fought for his life, that Montaner asserts the Turks left
six thousand horse and twelve thousand infantry dead
upon the field, without counting those who perished in
Marulli's pursuit and by the hands of the mountain
peasantry."

THE BRITISH QUARTERLY REVIEW.
IVo. 11.

We can hardly judge yet of the merits of this
wor, but on comparing the present number with the"