The Sun.
London, England, 1826-01-25 00:00:00

[MORNING 11E11 A 1.9.3

The possession of power is almost universally
acceptable to the human mind. TliP
splendours of a throne fascinate weak miods, and
the strongest intellects are More tempted by the
glory of controulling the destinies: of millions of
their fellow-creatures than alarmed at the awful
responsibility of so great and difficult a charge. In
the case, of Constantine, we have nut
sufficient
material to guide us to any thing like a conch!.
sive opinion. His character had not been deve-
loped enough before the.rticent events to afford
much ussktance to the judgment in endeavour-
ing to separate fiction from truth. He was", in-
deed, always represented to be a person whose
disposition was quite opposite to that of the stoic
philosopher, who regarded virtue, independently
of all circumstances, as the summunt bonum, and,
therefore, not very likely to be insensible 'to the
attractions of the Imperial purple. If his abdi-
cation be voluntary, it is unprecedented. To
surrender absolute power -at the Men-tent that the
diadem was placed upon his 'brows, and before he
felt any of the cares that darken the grandeur
of royalty, would be an instance of insen.
sibility or sell-denial, to which history has
no parallel. We know from all experience
that nothing in this world has oftener ex-
cited men to enterprizes- of a criminal ambition
than the hope of reigning. Rot we are now told,
that a country the least civilized in Europe has
exhibited to the world the example of an indif.
ference to a Crown, which the history of the most
ru,iished na tlons has never a (forded .There were,in.
deed, some instances of volnutary iibdira tion in the
ages of theltomanErnpire; but no example of a-ge.
nerous eou testi() dechne'a sceptre, like that of Ate
itussiutt'PlinceS.The tale:ls romantic!, and scarcely
credible; and if "it` were-related in a novel:instead
of the solkr pages of the daily journals, would
be [severely critised for it's departure from nature
and its violence to all known experience. Wltati
Maxentius resigned the ensigns of royalty; he
was disappointed at not finding It throue that

source of happiness which he expected, and
he soon sorrowed for his lost authority, and
endeavoured to resume it.. To an affected for-
bearance succeeded a desperate .ambition.—
He plunged his country in civil war to ar-
rive at that power through waves of blood,
which, but a short time before, he had requested
another to accept as a burden of which he had
become wearied. The retirement of Dioclesian,
in the midst of triumphs, was a great exertion of
the philosophic judgment, but if he had enjoyed
the glories of dominion, heliad also experienced
the anxieties of empire, and he knew how much of
bitterness was infused into the inebriating cup of
power. When Charles the Fifth descended from
his throne he was advanced in years, and the
hardships to which he had been exposed were
enough to break down a powerful constitution,and
make retirement desirable. But what have we
yet seen in the character or fortunes of Constan-
tine that could induce him to resign the vast do-
minion to which he was raised—and to abandon
the riches, the power, and magnificence of Im-
perial authority, before he knew any of the
troubles that haunt the Palaces of Kings ? What-
ever may be the result of his abdication, its cause
appears to be yet unexplained.

BISIIOP BL&IZE.—The Festival of BISHOP
BLAIZE was celebrated at Keighley seven years
ago, with a joyousness and splendour only infe-
rior to the same exhibition at Bradford, on the
3d of February last year ; but it appears that
the good Bishop, to whom is ascribed the invert-
Lion of combing, must not have the customary
honours paid him this year, for instead of making.
arrangements for the procession, and providing
good cheer for strangers, some of the manufac.
turers have quite enough to do to proyide for re-
turned bills, to find employment for their work-
people, and to administer to the wants of those
they leave been obliged to turn off. But amidst
this gloom and privation there are those who
look forward to brighter days and to returning,
prosperity ; and it is to be hoped, that in the
approaching spring their anticipations will be fully
realized.—(Brugford Courier.)

Tuttxtsu Womm—These are allowed a much
greater degree of freedom than those of Persia
or lid ia , The wives of the higher classes are
permitted to go out and visit each other, either
entirely unveiled, or with a small veil over their
faces. Although the opulent Turks keep a num-
ber of women, they are seldom married to more
than one wife at a time. The remainder consist
of Georgian or Circassian slaves, who are per-
mitted to dress and live equally well with the
wife, but they are in every other respect subject
to her authority.

CHEAP LEOAGIES.---SOMe years ago a City
Banker (a quaker) died, leaving a will, in which
he bequeathed very large sums to his ;relations
and friends ; twenty thousand pounds to one,
ten thousand to another, thirty thousand to un-
other,and so forth, the whole legaCies amounting
to a vast snot (half a million it is said) ; but they
were left under this condition, that they were,
not to he pull to the parties till after the lapse
of tern yeirrs from the death of the testator, apd,
during this time the money was to remain the
capital of the firm. This seemed a commercial
whim, no more. At the expiration of the la.tt
ten years, the le:tacks were applied for, and it
was discovered that not one sixpence was forth-
coming, or ever had any existence, except in the
imaginative will of the deceased hanker. His
sole object was to give credit to the firm, and
this he completely accomplished, for every body
took it for granted that the immense property
willed away was, during the last toil years,
making' a part of the capital of the firm, and
.high idea was formed of a house so strength-
ened.

CONSUMING. TIME IYHOLESALIL—There is a
large
,silver watch, now in the possession of Air.
Newlove, of York, for the purpose of being re-
paired, in consequence of the following most ex-
traordinary circumstance. It is the property of,
a person at Stillington, near York, who, a few
days ago, w hilst attending to a large fat pig, ac-
cidentally drew the watch from his pocket with
a fork he was using. It fell near the said pig,
and by it was immediately seized, chewed, and
swallowed, before the owner had time or oppor-
tunity to recover it. Watch, glass, ribbon, key,
&c. were aU hurried together into the animal's
stomach, to the apparent destruction not only of
the watch, but of the life of the pig also. But,
fortunately, the animal was no worse for its ex-
pensive and novel repast, and in a few days the
lost property having passed through the animal
with its food, with regained by the owner, and,
though much damaged, is expected to be ngnin
useful, notwithstanding this singular accident.—
Doncatter Ga:cite.)

niCE BitE.ll).-TllO following directions for
making this valuable succedaneurn will be read
with interest during the present high and ad.
vancing price of wheaten bread. The composi-
tion, long, considered impracticable, from the de.
ficieucy of gelatinous matter in the grain, is thus
developed, among many illustrations and obser.
vations, in the Journal dens Sciencies rice,
after being received by a mill to the finest pos-
sible powder, and carefully sifted, is put into the
kneading trough, and a quantity of Water, thick.
Fried by boiling in it a small portion of the flour,
must be thrown upon it. The whole must be
then worked together, adding a little salt and n
due quantity of leaven. The dough, covered
with warm' linen cloths, is then set by the fire for
fermention, during which it will OSSUMenan
pearance almost of liquefaction. It is then to be
filled into a stew-pan, lined with tin, and pre.
viously wet with water, and covered over with a
sheet of white, paper, be placed in the oven
ready heated, In. a very slioat)iiiiisie
tt
t:delve, rind'
urned
tirted begdexterously the part uls
mould,
may he left in the
°Volt till done. It comes out a fine yellow.colour,
tit-ichest pastry, and IS as agreeable
to the taste w, to the sight, Its value is, of course,
propor, dionlhlv lessened by long keeping.