The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-30 00:00:00

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LITERATURE. II:CR ilti,ll:3Nl
LETTERS OF MARY STUART, QUEEN OF
.SCOTLAND ; collected from the Recueil des Latres
de Marie Stuart; together with the Chronological Sum-
mary of Events during ne Reign of the Queen of Scot-
land. By Prince Alexander Labanolf; translated,
with Notes and an Iptroduc Von, by Turnbull,
Esq., Advocate.
The great exertions made b:; Prince Labanoff, in in-
vestigating the archives of almost every Court of Eu-
rope, for State papers connected with the life and times
and personal history of the ill-fated but illustrious
daughter of James V. of Scotland, are favourably known
to all European scholars, who are interested in the ex-
tension of our biographical knowledge. Of the admira-
ble abstract which Mr. Turnbull has here made of the
Prince's voluminous " Collections," we cannot, speak in
terms of two earnest praise. Suffice it to say, that on
the three momentous incidents connected with Mary, on
which, among medern writers, Hume and Robertson
have laid most stress, as impl.cating her in conduct of
the most guilty criminality, these papers, now for the
first time produced by Prince Labanoff, from the various
royal and ducal repositories of continental sovereigns
and princes, where they had remained unexamined
and unknown by all former historiographers, and cor-
roborated by various documents drawn from the
monuments and records of Noble Scottish fami-
lies, completely, in our opinion, establish her in-
, nocence. We allude to the suspicion of a guilty inti-
macy between Mary and David Riccio,—the charge of
her having had a guilty pre-knowledge of, or other col-
lusive participation in the murder by gunpowder of her
husband, Darnley ; and the still darker story of her
subsequent union with the ferocious Bothwell. We are
not ashamed to own that on each and every of these
points our own private judgment had long since passed
condemnation on the memory of this great, accom-
plished, but unhappy Queen. On all the evidence
which preceding historians had collected, even of
that produced by Mary's ablest apologists: we had
remained Lupressed with this terrible conviction. We
rise from the perusal of these letters and papers with a
far different conviction—a clear and distinct perception
that they establish her absolute exoneration from these,
and from a multiplicity of less grave imputations.
Riccio appears, in his capacity of secretary for foreign
correspondence, to have well merited her unbounded
confidence ; and it is certain that Murray, Argyll,
Glencairn, Rothes, Boyd, Ochiltrce, and the other
parties who signed the bond, by which they cove-
nanted one with the other and each to all to effect
the murder of the Italian, were moved by no sort
of conviction of her gallantries, or resentment for Darn-
ley's supposed dishonour, but simply by the desire to rid
themselves of the man who was thoroughly cognisant of
all the facts of their past conspiracy with the Duke of
Chatelherault (Earl of Arran) to depose her, and place
the Regent, Murray, on her throne, supported as they
were by the powerful protection of Elizabeth, the as-
surances of which had been communicated to those
rebel Lords by Throckmorton. As to Darnley's death,
no reasonable man can doubt of Bothwell's fiendlike
concern in the matter; but we have abundant evidence
of Mary's regret and unaffected sorrow for the
untimely fate of her worthless husband. All the
authenticated evidence, even that given by quarters most
hostile to her, now removes every suspicion from the
Queen of criminality "or knowledge or act" touching
the appalling fate of Darnley-. Then, as to Bothwell,
whom it is certain she detested, we have in these collec-
tions irresistible testimony to the fact of his having
forcibly seized her near Almond bridge, and afterwards
committed violence on her person. Her marriage with
that ruffian on the 15th of May, 1567, is therefore to be
explained on grounds that will suggest themselves
to every reader. She was married "in mourning ;"
and an original letter of the French Ambas-
sador, M. du Croc, preserved in the Royal Li-
brary at Paris, Harlaye Collection, addressed to
Catherine de Medicis, three days after this ill-assorted
but compulsory marriage, at which Du Croc had refused
to be present, has this most remarkable passage
Thursday (the very day of her marriage) her Majesty sent
for me, When I perceived a strange formality between her and
her husband, which she begged me to excuse, saying that
if I saw her sad, it was because she did not wish to be
happy, as she said she never could be, wishing only
for death. Yesterday being all alone in a closet with
the Earl of Bothwell, she called aloud for them to
give her a knife to kill herself with. Those who were in the •
room adjoining the closet heard her." Melvil, in his Memoirs,
gives the same detail: ; they may be found p. 180 of the Benne.
tyne Club edition : " The queen, wha was to disdanfully hand-
ht, and with sic reprochefui langage, that Arthour Askin and I
being present, hard her ask a koyf to stik hirself, or elis,' said
sche, I shall drown myself.' "
It is difficult to say whether the narrative or auto-
biographical interest or historical importance of this
work be the more difficult sufficiently to Appreciate.

ROYAL ADELAIDE GALLERY.
NEW ZEALAND.

• An attractive and interesting novelty has been this
week added to the stores of this institution. nip
novelty to which we have now to draw public attention
is that of a New Zealand chief—a real chief—tattooed:
in the most becoming and patrician fashion—lecturing in
good inteiligible English, to no small extent enriched
with a genuine brogue. Our lecturer, whose name is,
Barnet Burns, was born in Ireland of Scotch par/tufa,
and passed the first few years of his life in Manchestn.
He engaged in a seafaring life, and had visited at am
early age most parts of the world, and now, besides a.
perfect familiarity with the Polynesian dialects, he.
speaks some of the civilized, languages (amongst others,
French) with greater facility than English. His simple
narrative of his adventures and sufferings is deeply
affecting, and the descriptions and illustrations which he
gives of the habits of the savages amongst whom he
lived and reigned fur many years, against his will, are
fraught with interest. The gesticulations, war dance,
and other modes of the New Zealanders strikingly
resemble those of the North American Indians. But if
Mr. Burns, or, according to his presr'nt title (for he is
still a chief), " Pahe-a-nange," gives us a correct spe-
cimen of their song, the New Zealander has a great ad-
vantage over the Indian in possessing t rich, varied, and
most expressive melody. We strongly recommend the
chief to public attention and favour.

IRISH WASTE LAND IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY.—
On Thursday the half-yearly meeting of the proprietors of this
Company was appointed to be held at the King's Head
Tavern, Poultry, but as there were not fifteen proprietors
present representing three hundred shares, as required by
the Act of Incorporation, no actual business was transacted.
Mr. Maule took the chair, and the half-yearly report, which
gave a statement of the accounts, up to the 30th June, had
been made up, and showed the balance of bills and cash
then in hand was 1,2831. 9s. 7d.', and that the assets of the
society, after allowing for such liabilities connected with
them as were then outstanding, was 11,211/. 17s. The
Directors did not deeni it desirable to give an account of the pro-
ceedings for the past half-year, as it must necessarily be in-
complete for want of the report of Colonel Robinson as to the
piesent condition of the Society's estates; that gentleman
was at present engaged in his annual inspection. The Direc-
tors had every reason to anticipate that favourable accounts
would be submitted to the Proprietors at their next half-
yearly meeting. The number of shareholders at present in
the Company was 115, the number of shares being 2,769.
The report concluded by stating that Mr. E. J. Cooper,
having disqualified, had retired from the direction. A Pro-
prietor inquired how the contemplated lines of railway
in Ireland would affect the Society's lands ? The Chairman
replied that if the Dublin and Galwa♦ line had passed last
session it would have been of material advantage, as it would
have afforded a direct communication with the Society's estates
at Kilkerrin. As that line had been for the present rejected,
the Company had received the sanction of the Board of Works
fer the construction of a direct water communication. In
answer to a Proprietor the chairman stated that the Directors
were not in a position at present to declare a dividend, a cir-
cumstance which probably caused su scanty an attendance of
proprietors.

HYDROPHOBIA AND ALLEGED MURDER.—A case
of hydrophobia occurred at Ennistymon on Tuesday last. A
girl named Anne Gallery, about fifteen years of age, was bitten
six weeks since by a dog. The dog did not show any previous
signs of madness, but he has not since been heard of or seen-
Dr. Shannon was called on, and when on his way met two
other medical men who accompanied him, and they all agreed
it was a confirmed case of hydrophobia. Our informant adds,
" This poor creature was smothered between two beds." Can
this be true ? We presume it was not advised by the medical
attendants. the circumstance being known, an inquiry will
no doubt be instituted into the murder.— ClareJoureal.
ROMAN REMAINS IN LINCOLN.—In High-street
several Roman remains have been disinterred ; and amongst
the rest some bases of pillars, and two beautiful coins of the
Emperor Antoninus Pius and Domitian. On Wednesday
afternoon the workmen discovered some huge worked stones
at about four yards from the present surface; those have
evidently been plinths to pillars supporting a Roman build-
ing; on one is an inscription, which, as well as it could be
traced, consists of the following letters : Tic. lIRYPO
MERCVRES IVM. Most probably this is incomplete, as in all
likelihood it was continued along the fellow-plinth. All the
earth above the level at which the stones were discovered is
made ground.— Stamford Mercury.
THE CHANNEL ISLANDS —GOSPORT, SATURDAY,
ONE O'CLOCK. —A special messenger from the Home-office
just arrived here, with dispatches. for Jersey. He has
Admiralty orders to proceed immediately in the Cornet steam-
vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Prettyman; lying in Ports-
mouth Harbour, to Jersey, and to return in that vessel. He
went on board the Comet, and will start by daylight.
A CHILD FOUND DROWNED.—On Thursday even-
ing Mr. William Carter held an inquest at the Hero of
Waterloo, Waterloo-road, Lambeth, on the body of a male
child found in the Thames. Paul Hill, a waterman, said that
on Tuesday morning last he discovered the body of deceased
floating in the water off Langton's Wharf, Pedlar's-acre. He
immediately gave information to Sergeant Baldwin, 13 L, who
got the body ashore. Mr. John Havers, surgeon, said the
child had been born from three to four weeks, but from its
decomposed state it was impossible to tell whether it had been
born alive or not. Verdict, " Found drowned, but whether
born alive or not there was no evidence to prove."
ROBBERY OF THREE lIU NDR ED POUNDS AT
GRAVE END. —Yesterday, at the Gravesend petty sessions,
held in the Town-hall, a young man named Cum uirigs was
charged with entering the apartments of Captain Bryan,
Richmond Terrace-place, and stealing a carpet-bag containing
property and other articles to the amount of 3001. It ap-
pears, on Saturday morning last, during the absence of
Captain Bryan, who for some time past has occupied apart-
menis at the house of the prisoner's relatives at the above resi-
dence, his room was entered and the following articles stolen:--
A carpet-bag containing linen marked C. 8., a black frock coat
and trousers, a black satin waistcoat, a pair of reading glasses
set in gold, and ten sovereigns. An old pair of trousers that were
hanging up in a closet were also stolen, in the fob of which
were two lOW. Bank of England notes, one 40/. note, and two
51. notes. The prisoner having been seen in the apartments
in the course of the morning, he was apprehended on sus-
picion of having been concerned in the robbery, but no por-
tion of the property could be found. Mr. North, the superin-
tendent of the Gravesend police, prayed for a remand. The
magistrate, however, refused to detain the prisoner, who was
consequently discharged. _

ACCIDENT FROM WINDOW CLEANING.—On Thurs-
day morning, about nine o'clock, as Mary Howard, servant to
Airs. Al'Eviley, residing in the Waterloo-road, was cleaning
the first-floor windows, she missed her hold of the sash and
fell into the area below, from a height of yearly thirty feet.
Her right leg and her arm were fractured, and her spine was
mere! injured, She is 4onildered in very great danger.