The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-06 00:00:00

LITERATURE.
PEREGRINE P ULT (.7 NE Y. Three Vols.
"ktortinter, London, 1814.

Though somewhat loosely constructed, and not. al-
ways keeping within the pale of probability, this story •
possesses many points of interest ; the hero's
(Pultuney's) character is cleverly su-.tained through-
out, from the moment when he is first introduced
to the reader, at fourteen years of sago, just fr,7sh from
a cricket-match, to the period ,vhen,:zfzer having e'en
his fill of Indian life, and gone through a variety of •
exciting adventures, he is married to Augusta Sweet-
enham at the cathedral church of Calcutta, at which
interestine, crisis of his fate, the novcl:st, as in duty
bound, takes leave of him. The story is penned
in a spirited, off-hand style, and its livelier scenes
are its best, though, occasionally, there is too much
exaggeration in its vivacity, especi.illy in the earlier
chapters, and the author's fun seems to come from him
with an effort. As a tale full of bustle and incident,
and crowded with characters, "Peregrine Pultuney"
is likely enough to meet with a fair share of public
approbation.

RICHELIEU IN LOVE. Coburn, London, 1 44.

We learn from his preface that the author of this
comedy is a young :nan, and that it is his first
dramatic venture. We should have guessed as much,
for " Richelieu in Love" exhibits many of the faults
of inexperience—such, for instance, as a constant
effort at smartness; a want of keeping in spine. of the
principal characters—especially in that of Anne of
Austria, who, in her first lite-a-t."f:7 with the dis-
guised Buckingham, talks more like a pert waiting-
woman than a lady—and a clumsiness in the manage-
ment of some of the leading incidents. The scene of
the comedy is laid in France, during the admini,tra-
tion of Cardinal Richelieu, who, if we may credit
certain historians, fell violently in love with the
Queen, and newer forgave her the derided repulse she
offered, when he ventured to hint at his passion.
This singular incident forms the chief feature of the.
play, and we certainly cannot compliment the author
en the ease, and grace, and dexterity with which he
has handled it. Nor is he more successful in de-
lineating the characters of Buckingham and Prince
Charles, who throughout the comedy talk and act,
not like polished young men of the world, but like
rash, inexperienced boys, just escaped from the
thraldom of the nursery. But, indeed, the besetting
fault of Richelieu in Love is the exceeding puerility
of its dramatis persona, all of whom are incessantly
bandying childish conceits with each other, like so
many precocious school-boys awl school-girls. The
author is by no means devoid of talent ; he has great
vivacity. of manner, awl sometimes even approaches
wit; but he is wholly deficient in tas!e and judg-
ment. We can see no earthly reason why his comedy
should have been prohibited by the Lord Chamber-
lain. The performance would have shaken the pillars
neither of Church nor Stare, had it even had as great
a run as the Beggar's Opera.

PARIS ACADEMY 0-F SCIENCES.
SITTING OF MARCH 25.
The important question of the nutritive or non-
nutritive properties of gelatine again came before the
academy. M. Gay Lussac, alluding to the commu-
nication which had been received from Amsterdam
on this subject, expressed his astonishment that the
commission of the Academy, which was appointed not
less than fourteen years ago to make a report on this
disputed question, had not yet come to a decision.
M. Thenard, one of the members of the commission,
stated, in reply to M. Gay Lussac, that he was fully
sensible of the mission intrusted to him and his col-
leagues, and was not sorry that public allusion had
been made to their inactivity. As far as he was per-
sonally concerned, he declared that no blame was due
After a spirited discussion, it was decided by the
Academy, that the commission should he called upon
to make their report within a delay of three months.
After the reading of several scientific papers, pos-
sessing little interest for the public at large, a com-
munication was read from M. Goldsmith, of Got-
tingen, on the results of the new calculations which
he has made for the purpose of rectifying the para-
bolic elements of the comet of M. Faye. These cal-
culations accord with those originally made, in at-
taching to our planetary system this comet, which, in
the most eccentric point of its orbit, is at a distance
from the sun which does not exceed six times the
circuit of the terrestrial orbit.
The Academy, having been invited by the Minister
of War to renew the annual commission of three
members to take part in the labour,.; of the Conseil
de Perfectionnement of the Polyt(A bale School, re-
elected MM. Poinsot and Thenard, and appointed M.
Poncelet to replace M. Arago. Previously to the
ballot, M. Arago informed his colleagues that he
would no longer corm part of the Commission, on
ac-
count of the determination of the Minister to modify
the constitution of the school, contrary to the formal
opinion of himself and his colleagues.
A communication was received t*: om M. Dupuits
Delcourt and M. Maret Monce, relative to the new
copper balloon which they are constructing. The
chief merit of their invention is sail to be the means
of remaining longer in the air than with a balloon
made of silk, as they say that their copper balloon
would offer a resistance to the obstacles which pre-
vent a long sojourn in the air with the ordinary bal-
loon. We know not how far these gentlemen may
be correct, but some of the members of the Academy
seemed to be of opinion that as the copper balloon is
made necessarily of thin sheets, there will be danger
of rupture at the joints.
MM. Natalis, Guillot, and Melsims made a com-
munication on the use of iodure of potassium in the
cure of persons affected with saturnine maladies.
They say that they have administered it with the most
decided success. The dose is gradually raised to four
and even six grammes per day, and from 200 to 300
grammes in the whole suffice for a•cure.
A paper was received from M. Charrier on the use
of opium in medicine. The author states all the cases
in which the use of opium is regarded as salutarj or
injurious; and, in allusio.i to the general notion that
it should never be administered in inflammatory cases,
mentions some exceptions in which it may be given
with great benefit to the patient. In most cases
where inflammation is not present he regards it as an
invaluable medicine.
M. Guinant laid on the bureau of the academy a
lens of flint glass twenty itichts in diameter, the
largest that now exists. M. Arago stated that the
telescope of Pulkowa, the largest in any observatory,
is only fourteen inches in diameter.
M. Andral read an interesting memorial from M.
Demazy, on suicides committed in the arrondissement
of Mans during the twelve years from 1830 to 1842.
From his observations it appeared that, in this space
of time, eighty-seven persons destroyed themselves,
and of these sixty-six were men, and twenty-one
women. The greater number took place on a Mon-
' day morning, during full moon, and in the day-time.
The ages of the suicides ranged from thirty to sixty.
' Most of the individuals were married, and had pre,
' viously shown symptoms of mental alienation. De-
bauchery and other bad habits were in most cases the
exciting causes.

UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREWS.—The Students of
Divinity attending St. Marv's College, St. Andrew's, wishing
to testify their regard to the Very Rev. Principal Haldane,
invited hiin to honour them with his company to breakfast
in the Black Bull inn, on Thursday, the 23th inst. Accord-
ing:y, a very large party, including most of the gentlemen in
town, elders and friends of the Established Church, sat down
to breakfast ; Mr. James Anderson, Student of Divinity, in
the chair, supported on the right by the Very Rev. Principal
Haldane, the Rev. Dr. Buist, Profess:.• Ecclesiastical His-
tory ; Professors Jackson, Alexander, Dr. Ferrie, &c.; on the
left by Provost, Playfair, Robert Lindsay, Esq., of Straiton ;
James Lumsclaine, Esq., of Lathallan. Mr. William Graham
acted as croupier. We observed amongst those present—
Drs. Anderson, Reid, Gillespie, Mudie, Smith ; Colonel Play-
fair, John Bain, Esq., banker, Dr. Woodford, and the Rev.
Messrs. Mason, Thomson, Cutler, Scott, Black, Foggo,
Martin, Herdman ; Messrs. J. Cusack, W. P. Dickson, &c.,
Students in Divinity. Grace was said by Dr. Buist.—Scottish
Record.
_ _

EXECUTION OF A MURDERER.—James Bryce, who,
after a trial of two days (the 12th and 13th ult.) before the
Court of Justiciary in Edinburgh, was convicted of the
murder of his brother. in-law, was executed at the usual
place of execution in that city on Wednesday last. The
wretched culprit was in a state of pitiable exhaustion when
placed on the drop. Notwithstanding a drizzling rain
descended, and a raw wind blew during the morning, an
immense multitude came from the neighbouring country,
and the place of execution was surrounded by an anxiously
expecting crowd as early as six o'clock.
PERILOUS JUMP.—On Monday last, when the up-
train which arrives at the Barnsley station, on the North
Midland Railway, about two o'clock, was within two miles
of that place, a person in one of the second-class carriages
lost his hat, and immediately jumped out for the purpose
of recovering it The train was going at the speed of 30
miles an hour. On this being made known to the driver, the
train was stopped, and was backed in search of him. He was
picked up in an all but senseless state, had one arm broken,
and was very seriously injured. He was removed from the
train into one of the rooms at the Barnsley station, when
medical assistance was procured as quickly as possible. His
hat had the name Wheelhouse written inside it, and he ap-
peared to be a working man.—Derby Reporter.
N EWARIC..--The once celebrated post-house, the
Clinton Arms, in this town, has ceased to be such ; the
horses, coaches, &c., were last week sold to Mr. Joseph
Gilstrap, of the Hotel Kirkgate, in consequence of the de-
crease of road business. The town has now that listless look
so general in places dependent upon posting and coach
traffic, which has been destroyed. The ,proximity of a rail-
way, and the effects of steam travelling, have become truly
serious. The inn alluded to had, a few years ago, twenty-
five to thirty pair of post-horses, besides those required for
stage-coaches, &c.—Stamford Mercury.
MURDER AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.—Last night,
between the hours of seven and eight o'clock. the inhabitants
of Essex-street were thrown into a state of the utmost hor-
ror and alarm by the following appalling occurrence :—lt ap-
peared that, at the time above-named, a house-painter and
paper-stainer, named West, lodging in Essex-street, had an
altercation with his wife, and in a tit of ungovernable passion
lie stabbed her mortally with a sword-cane in the abdomen—
her death was almost,. instantaneous. The wretched mur-
derer then turning the. weapon upon himself attempted to ter-
.minate bis.own existenca,.and had :.iitliCted.a wound on,.his
person, when he was preventd perp,trating self-
destruction by his mother, who, with a child of his and the
deceased, was in the room at the time. He was taken into
custody by the police, and conveved to Mercer's Hospital.—
Dublin Evening Jiail of Wedamiay.