The Sun.
London, England, 1828-06-19 00:00:00

gerald, we might have set it down t 4 " the match-
less intrepidity of face" which the poet ascribes
to Hibernia ; but Mr. T. P. Courtenay inten-
ded the avowal as a master-stroke of political dex-
terity. This was, no donbt, a deeply studied
manoeuvre. Every one recollects the anecdote
of the affectation of Alexander's courtiers in

having wry neck!, because their master's was
wry. There is a curious instance in point, men-
tioned in 'a letter in 1616, from the Tuscan Am-

bassador at Rome to the 'Grand Duke, in a col-

lection of letters respecting the two persecutions
of Galileo. The Pope of that day was, it seems,
a great admirer of ignorance, and his courtiers
took -care to appear as ignorant as possible.—
" Galileo (says the Ambassador) is warmly at-
tached to his opinions ; he evinces extreme pas-
sion, and little strength of mind and prudence,
in not being able to conquer this, so that
he renders very dangerous to himself this
climate of Rome, especially in this age
in which the Pontiff, who abhors letters and men

... . ,
of genius, is quite indignant at these novelties
and subtleties ; and every one seeks to accom-
modate his understanding and his inclinations to
those of the master ; so that even those who

knew something and possess curiosity, when
they have any brains, affect to be quite the con-.
trary, in order not to be objects of suspicion, and
not impede their fortune."—Mr. T. P. Cour-
tenay, no' doubt, follows the policy of the Pope's
courtiers. " The Duke (he no doubt said to
himself) vaulted to the Premier's seat, with his
mind quite a tabula rasa. He knew as much
of the politics of the Georgium Sirius as of the
politics of this Empire. His mind was like
mine, a sheet of blank paper. But he instantly
applied himself to the study of our various rela-
tions—foreign and domestic, civil and eccle-
siastical—took lessons from a Professor of Poli-

ical Economy, and in a month or two stood
forth to the admiration► of Europe and his

countrymen, a proficient in every acquirement ;
and over and above, a master of the highest de-

scription of eloquence. His Grace is evidently
persuaded that the soundest judgments are
formed on all subjects by those who come to the
consideration of them without any previous
knowledge. The recommendation of Sir George
Murray, as successor to the veteran Huskisson,
was obviously his utter ignorance of Colonial
of airs ; and so well was his Grace's principle
_

understood, that Sir Alexander Hope, Colonel
Lindsay, and other military men, instantly
upheld military men as the fittest to fill civil
offices. His Grace, no doubt, takes me to be
as ignorant as himself, and I must be careful not
to undeceive him ; and the little I do know I
must conceal, that it may be produced after-
wards as the result of my summer's studies, and
that his Grace may thereby be flattered by the
success of his scheme, as affording an unques-
tionable proof of the nati%e greatness of his
mind, which attains to every thing by new
roads." So much for Mr. Thomas Peregrine
Cotirtenay and his pure blank mind; and so
much for the blessings of ignorance.—Morning
Chronicle.

We know not whether the new President and
Vice-President of the Board of Trade intended

to disarm public hostility against them, for hav-
ing presumed to fill offices which were lately oc-
cupied with such distinguished credit to them-
selves and benefit to their country, by Mr. Hus-
kisson and Mr. Grant ; but their avowal of in-
capacity at the present moment, for discharging
satisfactorily the duties of their respective offices,
and their promise to study them closely during
the recess; and, above all, to make up their
minds respecting the commercial policy which
the country ought to pursue, however modest and
ingenuous on their part, is not likely to be at-
tended with any beneficial results. We doubt
much, indeed, whether it will not induce many
to imagine that there are to be changes whereno
changes of any moment can take place without
the most serious injury to the couimunity, and
those connected with the shipping interest in
particular to buoy themselves up with hopes
which cannot he realized. The Chancellor of

the Exchequer disclaimed, indeed, all idea of
change, and to him, perhaps, we ought to look
rather than to the new occupants of official situa-
tions, for correct information respecting the po-
licy of the Government ; nut when we recollect
how little agreement there appears to exist, or
rather how little confidence, between the head of
the Government and his subaltern organs, we do
not think it altogether impossible that a very dif-
ferent story may come out one of those days, as
it lately did in the case of the Test and Corpo-
ration Acts, and that an attempt will be made to
revert to the exploded system of our ancestors.
We say an attempt, because an attempt, and a
temporary attempt only it must he ; for the com-
mercial relations of the country have been so
greatly altered within these few years, and now
exhibit such signs of return* prosperity, that
any important alteration of them is as impos-
sible as it would be impolitic. Whatever may
be the result, however, we cannot refrain from
expressing our regret that Mr. Charles Grant
should have been removed from an office—for
virtually removes he was—which he was so emi-
nently calculated to with all the duties of
which he was so thoroughly conversant, and his
place supplied by a gentleman who, according
to the modest statement of his deputy, declares,
that they must both go to school and study their
alphabet before they can make up their minds on
the all-important subject of the shipping inte-
rest !—Morning Advertiser.
There has been of late a good deal put forth
in Parliament and the Newspapers, respecting
the tax on sugar. The political economists
wish that some part of the tax should be taken
off. They want to increase the consumption of
sugar, for the benefit of the West India planters
and our manufacturers. The argument is—the
lower the duty the greater value of sugar will be
consumed, and the greater value must the 'West
India planters take back, in payment of our ma-
nufactures. For our part, so far as revenue is
concerned—and especially as it respects the
question of direct or indirect taxation, in order
to revenue, and that of the two modes we shall
give the
palat-
able to the pcoplc--.-we think that the tax on
sugar is one of the fairest taxes we have ; and
consequently we do not join in the outcry for a
reduction of the duty .; on the contrary, it is a
question. whether sugar would not hear a still
highei' tax. The tax on cotton, silk, wool, and
other things, has been diminished, on precisely
'
the same principle that it is wanted to diminish
that on sugar ; but we are • of opinion that such
diminiShing of duty on the articles we have enu-
merated has not been attended with benefit. If
we must recommend the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer to do any thing with respect to sugar,
we would recommend him to tax it a little more;
but, at. the same time, to put an equal tax on
West and East India sugar. And as to cotton,
silk, and sheep's Wool, we also think that he