The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-01 00:00:00

of examining its provisions; he should support-the mo-
tion of the Noble Lord. He had been much pleased to
hear the allusio❑ of the Hon. Baronet, the Member for
Sussex, to that great constitutional principle, that no
man's property should be taken from him, and given to
another. He trusted that at a subsequent period of the
session, when the proprietorship of land was the subject
of discussion, the Hon. Baronet would keep that princi-
ple in view.
Colonel SIBTHORP withdrew his opposition to the
motion.

MAGAZINE DAY.
BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE.
Major Harris's late work on the highlands of
iEthiopia forms the subject of a criticism, or rather
essay, in this Number ; the writer has skilfully ex-
tracted all the most relishing passages in the Major's
volumes, and produced a very readable article. Speak-
ing of the prospects of African discovery, he tells us
that it is not likely that that great continent will ever
be extensively explored, unless it be entered fawn-the
Abyssinian side. " All attempts" he adds, "to enter
it by the western coast have failed. The heat, the
swamps, the rank vegetation, and the unhealthy at-
mosphere, have proved insurmountable barriers. The
north is fenced by a line of burning wilderness. But
the east is open, free, fertile, and beautiful." This
is a suggestion well worth being attended to, should a
taste for exploring Africa again find favour in the eyes
of our enterprising travellers. " A Word or Two of the
Opera-tive Classes" furnishes us with-some amusing
particulars respecting some of the most eminent execu-
tioners and dancers—strange conjunction !—ofthe past
century. But singularly enough, the writer makes
no mention of Samson, the expertest and politest ex-
ecutioner on record, who went through his trouble-
some duties so scientifically that it must have been
quite a pleasure to have been guillotined by him.
There were three, we believe, of the name, but the
elder brother was the Samson. He invariably made
a most deferential obeisance to his victims before
proceeding to business, and sometimes even offered
them a pinch of snuff; but 10, before they had time
to sneeze, their heads were rolling in the basket ! If
a man is to be beheaded, it must be a great comfort
to him to be beheaded by one who understands and
practices the gentilities. Speaking incidentally of
the fame acquired by opera-dancers, we are told that
it is often as " European, nay, as universal," as the
fame won by a Wellington, a Talleyrand, or a Met-
ternich. This is but too true, and what is worse, it
is a truth as old as the hills. As in past, so in present
times, the world neglects its instructors, and pays
court only to those who amuse it. A learned and
philosophic Coleridge dies in comparative neglect and
destitution, while a Taglioni lives in affluence, is
patronised by mighty Sovereigns, courted by rank
and fashion, and sees all her movements chronicled
from day to day, just as though she were a crowned
head! Truly, this is a great encouragement for
people to wear away life in the effort to instruct
their fellow-creatures ! " Belfront Castle" is an
agreeable tale, illustrative of some of the social enor-
mities of those days of chivalry which Burke has
praised so highly. " Free Trade and Protection,"
contains a diverting theory or two. The Roman
empire, it seems, fell a victim to the destructive prin-
ciples of free-trade! The mistress of the world
might have been alive to this day, had she been go-
verned by a monopoly Executive, with a Peel at its
head; but she chose to put faith in Cobden and Bright
councillors, and the consequence was, that she went
off in a gallopping consumption. The irruption of
the Goths and Vandals, the luxury and recklessness
of her patricians, and the slothful, degenerate habits
of the vast mass of her effeminate citizens—no longer
what they were under the Republic, or the earlier
days of the empire—these combined circumstances
had nothing to do with the matter; Rome died of a
free-trade in corn ; and the inference which Blackwood
would wish to establish is this—that England will
die, too, if she wantonly exposes herself to the same
mortal malady. " A Roman Idyl" is a more chaste
and thoughtful poen' than is usually to be found in
magazines, and accordingly we subjoin it

Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
At a subsequent period of the evening -Lord WORS-
LEY brought in the Bill, which was read .a first time,
and ordered to be read a second time on. Wednesday
week.

PRISON DISCIPLINE (SCOTLAND).
The LORD ADVOCATE moved for leave to bring
in a Bill to,amend the law with respect to prisons and
prison discipline in Scotland. He stated that previous
to 1839 the laws of Scotland relating to prisons and pri-
son discipline had been very unsatisfactory. The prisons
were not fit for the reception of any human beings; and
there was no sufficient security for the safe custody of the
prisoners. The expense, both of erecting and main-
taining the prisons, fell exclusively upon the Royal
burghs, and the consequence was that very inadequate
provision was made. In 1839, a statute passed, to im-
prove the then existing state of the law. That statute
had been in operation ever since, and it had caused a
great improvement in the discipline of prisons. There
was a general Board in Edinburgh, for the manage-
ment of prisons, and they reported annually on the
subject. Their reports were most valuable documents.
They showed. that the new system had in general worked
admirably ; but, of course, some defects had been found
in it, and to remedy those defects was the object of the
Bill. The report of last year stated that the
system had been in operation four years, and that
experience had proved the soundness of the system upon
which it was founded, at the same time some imperfec-
tions might be pointed out. A Bill had been introduced
last session to remedy those inconveniences, and for af-
fording additional facilities for improving the manage-
ment of prisons. The measure which he was about to
propose was essentially similar to the measure of last
year, and its objects were to remedy those imperfec-
tions and to afford those facilities. He would not weary
the House with details, but would content himself with

alluding to two points. Since 1839 there had been a new
census, and as the contribution of each district towards
the expense of maintaining these prisons was regulated
by the amount of population, it was necessary to have an
enactment authorising the authorities to take the last
census as the basis for the assessment. It was also ne-
cessary to remedy some imperfections in the plan at pre-
sent used for the transmission of prisoners. The Bill,
therefore, contained provisions fur the better removal
of prisoners. The Bill was, in fact, the same as the Bill
of last year, with some few alterations.
Mr. WALLACE would not propose the amendment
of which he had given notice. He had now on the paper
a notice for the appointment of a Committee to inquire
into the subject, and he thought that would be a more
convenient time for discussing the subject of prison dis-
cipline in Scotland than the present. He should not,
therefore, oppose the motion of the Learned Lord Advo-
cate. He believed the system of prison discipline had
been greatly improved in Scotland since 1839.
The motion was then agreed to, and the Bill was
brought in, and read a first time.
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.

Mr. M. GIBSON postponed to that day fortnight the
motion of which he had given notice for this evening on
the subject of agricultural statistics.
The remaining Orders of the Day were then disposed
of, and the House adjourned at a. Quarter before Eleven
o'Clock.

LIVERPOOL GRAND STEEPLE
CHASE.
(FROM OUR TURF CORRESFONDRST.)
WEDNESDAY NIGHT.—The disappearance of the frost,,
and the favourable state of the weather, this morning, suc-
ceeeding to several hours of heavy rain, removed all appre-
hensions of a postponement, and enables us to state, not only
that there was an excellent show of company, but that the
gratification afforded by two very sporting races was un-
alloyed by accident, wrangle, or mismanagement; still, in
speaking of the numbers present, we are forced to admit
that the variable state of the weather in the early part
of the week prevented hundreds from the metropolis and
other distant localities from risking an expensive, fatiguing,
and, it might be, bootless journey, and that the assemblage
in consequence was somewhat below the average. We men-
tion this with regret, from a knowledge that the lessee's
heavy responsibilities in the shape of rent, money given to be
run for, and incidentals, must of necessity make any falling off
a matter of serious anxiety. The start for the principal event
was fixed in the cards at two o'clock, but as the precision
observed at the legitimate races is not looked for in sports of
this description, it was nearly three before the horses were
in the starting field. Until the stated period for starting
the weather had been favourable ; the sky then became over-!
cast, and just before the race commenced the rain set in,
accompanied by a mist, that rendered it next to impossible
to distinguish the colours of the riders a quarter of a mile
from the stand. For this reason we shall make no apology
for confining ourselves to an! official return of the starters
and their riders, and a brief general " idea" of the manner
in which the race commenced, progressed, and terminated.
Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 sous. each, 10 ft, with 100 added,
the second saves his stake. (41 subs., 19 declared.)
Mr. Quartermaine's Discount, lOst 12th (Crickmere 1
Mr. S. Crawfurd's The Returned, 12st (Scott 2
Sir T. 11. Goodrick nd Tom Tug, lOst 71b (Rockley 3
Lord Maidstone's Cmsar, list 101 b (Barker 4
The following also ran :—Mr. Ekins' Peter Simple,
12st 121 b (Frisby) ; Mr. Millbank's Robinson, 12st 71b
(Parker) ; Lord Maidstone's Wiverton, 12st 41b (Oli-
ver) ; Mr. W. Scott's Heslington, 12st (Mr. IV.
Benett) ; Lord E. Russell's Lather, 1 Ist 21b (Ball;
Sir J. Gerard's Louis Philippe, list (Cowell) ; .
Hollinshead's Little Peter, lOst 121 b (Day) ; Mr. Moore's
Nimrod, lOst 101 b (A. M'Donough) ; Lord Sefton nd. Ma-
rengo, lOst 101 b (Brotherton) ; Mr. Kennedy's Teetotaller,
10st 71b (Sharkey) ; Lord G. Bentinck nd. the Romp, lOst 71b
(Byron) ; and Sir W. M. Stanley nd. Charity, 10st 71b
(Powell).
Betting-5 to I agst Marengo, sto 1 agst Discount, Bto
I agst Heslington, 8 to 1 agst "iViverton, 12 to 1 agst Charity,
14 to 1 agst Robinson, 14 to I agst Nimrod, 15 to 1 agst The
Returned, 20 to 1 agst Louis Philippe, and 25 to 1 agst the
Romp.

Oh ! blame not, friend, with scoff unfeeling,
The gentle tale of grief and wrong,
Which, all the pains of life revealing,
Yet teaches peace by thoughtful song.
The landscape round us wide expanded
As ere was heard the name of Rome ;
And Rome, though fallen, our souls commanded,
In this her empire's earliest home.
Her brightness beamed on each far mountain,
Her life made green the grass we trode,
Her memory haunted still the fountain,
And spread her shadows o'er the sod.
Her ruins told their tale of glory,
Decreed to that eternal sky ;
And through that ancient grove, her story
With sibyl whisper, seemed to sigh.
The pile her wealthiest mourner builded,
In glimpse we caught through ilex gloom—
Metella's Tower, by sunshine gilded,
That beams alike on feast or tomb.
And on this plain, not yet benighted,
'Mid awful ages mouldering there,
Young hands in new-blown flowers delighted,
Young eyes look'd bright in sunniest air.
Till we, Viterbo's wine-cup quaffing,
Which fairer lips refused to grace,
Could win by jest those lips to laughing,
And veil'd in folly wisdom's face.

But say, my friend, thou sage mysterious,
What nymph, what muse disown'd the strain
Which bade our heedless mirth be serious,
And woke our ears to nobler pain ?

That region grave of plain and highland,
With Rome's grey ruin strewn around,
Is not a soft Calypso's island,
Nor fades at Truth's evoking sound.

High thoughts in words of quiet beauty
Accord with visions grand as these,
And song's imperishable duty
Has holier aims than but to please.
By word and image deeply wedded,
By cadence apt and varied rhyme,
To rouse the soul in sloth embedded,
And tune its powers to life sublime.

- -
No sooner were they all fairly off, than Tom Tug, emerging
from the crowd, took the lead at a middling pace, attended
by The Romp, The Returned, Lather, and, after the first
three or four fields, Discount, Heslington, Wiverton, Cnsar,
and a ruck of horses lying up. Except that Peter Simple
found his way into a ditch, nothing occurred to give variety
to the race until they reached the hurdle fence that inter-
sected the line a few strides below the artificial water jump.
It was taken first by Tom Tug, followed by The Romp, at
the next moment by The Returned, and afterwards, in quick
succession, by Lather, Heslington, Discount, &c. ; in nearly
the same order was the water cleared, without a mistake,
except The Romp, who fell on her knees, but recovered her-
self in an instant, and without losing her place. Tom Tug
went on with the running to about the fourth fence, which
he refused, and The Returned was left in advance. Tom,
however, speedily resumed his position, and was first in the
throng up to the lane ; here he was joined by The Returned,
The Romp, and Caesar, and the four raced together nearly
abreast along the lower end of the course. Discount, who
had waited on them, then drew upon them, and getting up
inside as they entered the straight running, passed them one by
one, was ahead at the distance, and, improving his advantage
every stride, passed the winning chair at least 20 lengths in ad-
vance. The Returned headed Tom Tug at the distance, and beat
him for second by about a length and a half. Caesar was six
lengths behind, and was placed fourth; Lather was fifth,
Marengo and The Romp next, but all beaten off a long way.
Most of the others were pulled up some distance from home.
Charity fell after jumping the water, and Lather broke down
near the end. These, and Peter Simple's mistake at the
ditch, were the only casualties. We should state, in conclu-
sion, that the ground run over was precisely the same as last
year, with the exception of the walls, for which a hurdle
jump was substituted ; and that the rain en Tuesday night
had made it very heavy.
The Champion Hurdle Race Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each
with 50 added ; the second saved his stake. Two miles.
(11 subs.)
Mr. Raworth's Chance, aged (Bradley) I
Mr. W. Scott's Heslington, 6 yrs (Oliver) 2
Mr. Milbank's Robinson, aged
:—M (Parker) 3
The following were not placed r. Dauber na Baronet,
5 yrs (Thomas) ; Mr. Ekins' Peter Simple, aged (Frisby) ;
and Mr. J. G. Watson's Mudlark (Brotherton). Betting—
Even on Chance; sto 2 agst Heslington ; and 4to 1 agst
Robinson. Peter Simple made all the running to the last
hurdle but one, at which he was passed by Heslington and
Chance, the horse leading ; the mare, however, was well in
hand, collared him at the last jump, made him safe at the
Stand, and won cleverly. Baronet and Mudlark were beaten
off several lengths,
Match, 300, h ft, Lord Maidstone's Wiverton received 120/.
from Hon. S. Herbert's Arctic.

By loftier shows of man's large being
Than man's dim actual hour displays,
To clear our eyes for purer seeing,
And nerve the flagging spirits gaze.

By strains of bold heroic pleasure,
And action strong as thought conceives,
By many a doom-resounding measure
That best our selfish woes relieves ;

By these to stir, by these to brighten,
By these to lift the soul from earth,
The poet dares our joys to frighten,
And thrills the dirge of lazy mirth.

Ye Ruins, dust of empires vanish'd,
Ye mountains, clad with countless years,
From your great presence ne'er be banish'd
Sad songs that live in earnest years :
Sad songs, the music of all sorrow,
Profound and calm as night's blue deep :
Accurst the dreams of any morrow
When man will feel he cannot weep.

BENTLEY'S
MISCELLANY.
This periodical reached us at so late an hour yes-
terday that we have scarcely
had time to do more
than just glance at its contents. It is, on the whole,
an amusing Number, and opens with Albert Smith's
story of the " Fortunes of the Scattergood Family,"
which, so far as it has yet proceeded, is an improve-
ment on his former tale. The description of Mr.
Glenalvon Fogg's Coburg melodrama, and its re-
hearsal at the theatre, in the presence of the enrap-
tured author, abounds in sly touches of humour,
which are the more effective inasmuch as they seem to
be based on truth. There is also a spirited sketch of
a young boy's first day at a public school—an im-
portant epoch in their lives which few school-boys
ever forget. "Eve of St. Andrew" refers to the pe-
riod of Napoleon's invasion of Russia, when all Ger-
many was in a state of high political ferment, and
secret political societies were spreading in every di-
rection. The heroine of the narrative is Herman
Muller, an enthusiastic young German, who falls in
love with Louise Palm, the daughter of the President
of one of the societies in question: Now it chanced
that the father of this girl, though a staunch patriot,
was also a confirmed monomaniac, and this malady
showed itself in the strange means which he adopted
for procuring rare editions of old books. lie would
call at the house of some gentleman or lady who he
understood had a rarity of this sort, and, while en-
gaged in conversation, would suddenly knock their
brains out with a nice little hammer, which he always
kept concealed about his person, and then walk
coolly off with his treasure, as if nothing
of moment had happened. He had thus dispatched
several respectable gentlefolks without creating the
least suspicion, for no one supposed that so staunch a
patriot as Palm, and one too so gentle in his nature,
could be a wholesale murderer ; when unfortunately
one fine day he took aim at the skull of a Countess,
whose back was turned towards him ; and being dis-
covered in the act by Herman Muller, who happened
to be entering the room at the moment, he was of
course arrested, found guilty, and decapitated. By a
note attached to the tale, we learn that it is strictly
founded on fact—another striking illustration of Lord
Byron's famous adage, that truth is stranger than
fiction. The present part of Mr. Fisher Murrav's
" Physiology of London Life" opens with a descrip-
tion, as minute as an auctioneer's catalogue, of the
first day of term in the- London law, courts, and closes
with a story illustrative of the troubles and difficul-
ties and vexations that beset the path of the young
and briefless barrister. The-- "Death of Joachim
Murat" details the last days of the late ex-King of
Naples--Napoleon's brother-in-law, a brave, gene-
rous, but rash man, and the finest cavalry officer in
Europe. Melancholy as was his fate, we can hardly
say that it was altogether unmerited, for Murat had
in succession betrayed all parties who trusted him;
and was warned beforehand what would be the con-
sequence should he again set foot on the shore of
Naples. But he disregarded the well-meant warning,
and rushed headlong on his destiny. The " Gaol
Chaplain" relates an interesting anecdote of the late
Edmund Kean, which we subjoin :
" As to Kean, his transit from the depths of obscurity
and penury to fame and wealth was almost instanta-
neous. Poor fellow ! I have seen him at various phases
of his chequered career. At Exeter more than once I
have been a spectator when he has played in his finest
style to a house that had not five pounds in it. Sadly and

Amongst the company present were the Earl and Countess
of Sefton, Lord De Tably, Earl and'Countess of Eglintoun,
Lord and Lady Craven, Lady C. Towneley, Lord Curzon,
Lords Macdonald, Maidstone, Cosmo Russell; Sir G. Hous-
ton ; Honourables Stanley Fitzroy, F. Craven, Captain Stan-
ley; Sir W. M. Stanley, Sir R. Brooke, Sir H. Brownrigg,
Sir F. Bathurst; Messrs. Payne, Errington, J. Stanley, Mill-
banke, F. A. Millbanke, Bagge, A. Graham, J. Bell, J.
White, Mare, Heywood, Blackburn, &c. &c.
The Waterloo and most of the principal hotels are full ;
but time will not admit of our giving a list of their visitors.

BETTING AT THE TALBOT.
CHESTER CUP.
10 to 1 agst Sir Robert 20 to 1 agst Tacita—taken
14 to 1 agst The Prior 30 to 1 agst What
15 to 1 agst Cattonite 40 to 1 agst Arnagill—taken
20 to 1 agst Pharaoh 27 to 1 agst Alice Hawthorn
20 to 1 agst Freedom 50 to 1 agst Vakeel—taken.
___

DERBY.

13 to 2 agst Ugly Buck—t.
20 to 1 agst Forth's lot, bar
Leander—t.

33 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's
lot—taken
40 to 1 agst Saddlebow—t.
50 to 1 agst Theseus—t.

AIN SWORTH' S MAGAZINE.
Mr. Ainsworth's story of the " Court of Queen
Anne" makes rapid progress. In the chapters before
us we find the Duchess of Marlborough's influence
fast verging to its extinction—dimmed before the
rising star of Harley and his wily confederate, Mrs.
Masham. There is a spirited scene between the
Duchess and her Royal' mistress, at which Harley is
present, when the antagonist parties abuse each
other in good set terms, and with a heartiness of
hatred that reminds us of the famousdispute between
that spotless couple, Peachem and Lockitt. The
supper-party at Mr. St. John's is less cleverly ma-
naged. All the wits of the day, the Congreves,
Steeles, Addisons, Vanbrughs, &c., are in atten-
dance, and their- persons are described with the
minute accuracy of a hue and cry placard ; but their
conversation is a mere non-entity—without life, hu-
mour, raillery, or .knowledge of any kind. They eat
abundance of good things, but they say none. "A
Demon's Mirror" is an ingenious piece of diablerie,
to which a useful moral is attached. A young man,
by means of a magic .looking-glass given him by an
accommodating fairyrienabled to see into the hearts
of all his friends. Of course the sight is one more
edifying than satisfactory, for while words of honied
softness are on the lip, hate, and jealousy, and spite,
and a thousand bad passions are rankling in the heart.
The writer closes his legend with this serviceable ex-
hortation—" when you "are tempted to hold the
mirror too near to the hearts of those you wish to
love, rub off the quicksilver." The "Death of the
Pauper Peasants" Ls one of the numerous imitations

THE CURRENTS AT CAPE AGULHAS.--A bottle,
containing the following, was picked up near the mouth of
the Kaffer Kiul River, Cape of Good Hope, a short time
since :—" Barque Maria, Sproule, from Batavia to Cowes,
thrown overboard 20th July, 1843, lat. 35. 23. S., lon. 20. 54.
E. Should this be picked up by any one, for the exten-
sion of our knowledge of the currents of the ocean, they will
please to make it known." A difference of opinion exists
amongst nautical men, trading to the eastward, regarding the
current abreast of Cape Agulhas, but it has been ascertained
from captains who have long traded on the eastern coast, and
who have had very frequent occasions to notice the current,
that it generally runs westward on the edge of the bank all
the way from Port Natal round the Cape. Close to the
shore there is often a reaction, and there are also eddies
formed, which are apt to mislead strange vessels in coming
too near in.

NARROW Escarz.--Last week, as a commercial
traveller was proceeding in a gig from.Punkeld to Blair-
gowrie, when about half-way, he discovered, through the
twilight, a woman sitting at the roadside, partly enveloped in
the rapidly falling snow. On speaking to her, and receiving
no answer, he alighted, and found she was senseless through
the extremity of the cold. He humanely lifted her into the
gig, and took her to the nearest public-house, where the usual
restoratives in such cases were used, happily with effect. On
recovering, it was ascertained that she had been round the
neighbouring country, selling small wares, &c., and being
fatigued, had sat down to rest herself, when a stupor, as often
happens in similar cases, came over her, which would most
probably have ended in the sleep of death, had she not been
thus providentially discovered.—Perth Journal.

THE SUN, LON-DON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 1, 1844,

sorely dispirited did he quit it. At Drury, after his. hit,
I have stood behind the scenes, and have witnessed Peers
and Members of Parliament rushing to his dressing-
room to express their unbounded delight at his perfOrm-
ance ; and have been amused more than once by seeing
members of the committee of management jostling against
each other, in their eager haste to present negus, lemon-
ade, and orgeat, to the favoured and flattered actor. And
mine was the sorrow—saddest spectacle of all l—to view
him in his decline. He was crossing the Tyne, a few
miles below Newcastle, in a steam ferry-boat, that plyed
between the opposite shores, so contrived that a carriage
could be driven on and off it without requiring the oc-
cupants to alight. A large, heavy travelling-chariot
drew up; and in it sat a thin, feeble-looking, little man,
muffled up in cloaks and fur. With the face I was sure
I was familiar. I bent forward, and caught the profile.
It was Kean. A woman of colour sat by his side. On
the cushions and floor of the carriage were strewed va-
rious play-books ; torn, dirty, dogs'-eared, and disfi-
gured enough. He was to act that evening in a neigh-
bouring country town ; and thither, impelled by old as-
sociations, I followed him. Alas I gazed on a wreck
—a premature but thorough wreck. Voice, memory,
strength, all were gone. The box I sat in was near
the stage—too near—it commanded so completely the
exit and entrance of each actor as greatly to dispel the
illusion. But on that night its position was invaluable
to me. It enabled me to watch my former favourite
closely and throughout. Whenever he quitted the
boards it was in a state of thorough exhaustion. But
every gesture was most anxiously observed. His com-
panion, the woman of colour, was in close attendance on
him ; had evidently her fear as to the result of the even-
ing, and gave him continually small quantities of what
appeared to me, strong spirit-and-water, as a temporary
but fatal stimulus. I could have choked her,' cried
Pounce, 'for her assiduity!' The play was the Iron
Chest, and he, of course, Sir Edward Mortimer. Long
before it closed he was voiceless from exhaustion.'

" Fit subject,' said for the moralist ; health,
talents, energies, all profusely drawn upon, and all pre-
maturely spent !'
" I would do battle with ye on that point too,' cried
Pounce ; but time presses. In truth everything con-
nected with that man was unprecedented, and out of
course. His friends, his haunts, his hosts, all were ro-
mantic and •ut of keeping. Was there ever anything so
droll as the contrast afforded to him and his habits by
his host, Miss Hake, the little feather-dresser, with
whom he lodged at Exeter ? Imagine a punctilious, pre-
cise, correct, and rather timid old maid, of a certain age,
of very staid demeanour, and matter-of•fact habits.
Imagine her, I say, the host of an erratic genius like
Kean ; and yet he lodged with her for a very con-
siderable period. She, staid and timid as she was, liked
him, and they parted with reluctance and regret.'
" Droll enough, certainly I'
" ' And instructive ; for it showed the power
possessed of kindlino, strong feelings of personal attach-
ment at a period when those prepossessions must have
been wholly disinterested.' "

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.
Some sensible remarks appear in this Number
headed " The Censorship of the English Drama,"
which, as the majority of our readers know, is a
power delegated to the Lord Chamberlain and his
deputy, the Licenser. The remarks have been sug-
gested by the singular circumstance of a new comedy
in five acts, " Richlieu in Love," having been for-
mally prohibited by the officials—after it had been
accepted by Mr. Webster, and advertised to be per-
formed at the Haymarket—on the plea that "it was
unfit to be represented, because it was calculated to
bring the Church and State into contempt!" As we
have not seen the piece, we cannot, of course, under-
take to say how far this plea is tenable or otherwise;
but who can possibly imagine Church and State to be
in danger of being blown to atoms by a broadside
from a Haymarket comedy ? The idea seems to us
pre-eminently absurd, and could only have insinuated
itself into the imagination of a man blest by Provi-
dence with the very thickest of skulls. The writer
of the remarks who tells us that he has read the pro-
hibited play, expressly states that no man in Eng-
land, except the Licenser himself, could point out a
single passage, situation, scene, or combination of any
kind, which bears such a construction as that, on the
pretext of which this play has been sentenced to per-
petual ostracism from the stage. If this be really
the case, the sentence of prohibition is as arbitrary as
it is ridiculous ; but we are not at all surprised at it,
for Shakspeare has long since assured us that—
" Man, vain man,

Dressed in a little brief authority
Plays such fantastic tricks before high Heaven
As make the angels weep."
In the " Letters from Hong-Kong and Macao,"
we find some diverting characteristic sketches of
Chinese customs and manners. The Chinaman is, it
appears, as proud of his tail, as an opera-dancer of her
heels, " and a very favourite mode of punishment
used by the English was to cut them off, when the
poor curtailed Celestial went away as disconsolate as
the fox in the fable." The Chinese are also great be-
lievers in omens ; " like our forefathers," says the
author, " they associate misfortunes with the appear-
ance of comets, and pay no slight attention to all
signs and wonders in the sky. The Governor of
Canton, when I arrived there, was in deep mourning
for an eclipse of the Emperor's sister, the moon !"
" Many Happy Returns of the Day" is a gracefully
versified poem, from the pen of Miss Eliza Cook.
" Enquire Within ; or, the Confessions of a Key-
hole," contains, inter alia, a satirical sketch of that
very common character, a confirmed invalid—one of
the most teasing and irreclaimable of bores. In
general it may he taken as a rule that all " confirmed
invalids" are as tough as whipcord, and—to use a
genteel expression—" stick like bricks" to life. If
they happen also to be annuitants, the, are, as a
matter of course, immortal, like Godwin s St. Leon

—the first annuitant on record. Mrs. Trollope's
long-windedgoi d s forby
u
gladwt
to meet
t m eeo n
to
with
again, who, in the " Lord of Thoulouse," exhibits his
ostorryitasoftteh. e "
mr Be ut
are e' is so
worldly comic humour to great advantage. This Lord,
and his friend the Marquis Rigmaree, are anxious to
see how their respective spouses—both of whom are
prim and pious ladies—are getting on during their
absence • and accordingly they go to consult a con-
juror, Who delights their optics with the following
most edifying spectacle :
He takes from a shelf, and he pops on his head, •
A square sort of cap, black, and turned up with red,
And desires not a syllable more may be said ;
He goes on to mutter,
And stutter, and sputter
Hard words, such as no men but Wizards dare utter.
" Dies mies !—Hocus pocus—
Adsis Demon ! non est jokus !
Hi Cocolorum !—don't provoke us !
Adesto !
Presto !
Put forth your best toe !"
And many more words, to repeat which would choke us.—
Such a sniff then of brimstone !—it did not last long,
Or they could not have borne it, the smell was so strong.
A mirror is near,
BAlfunytdoauu
,capysi rsiataessegkdsat,
it( sibhusf!i
rfh:
diyna
grpoo:nuunennrdi
dnosa:atmytdohruerdwi
onnrogdt-srs eaooyf mtiht here,
wasesr ee
So large and so clear,
'edr,ear ;
Till at length as the gloom
On its broad polish'd surface began to appear.
And the Count and his comrade saw plainly before 'em,
The room Lady Isabel called her " Sancta; um."
They start, well they might,
With surprise at the sight,
Methinks I hear some lady say, "Serve 'em right!"
For on one side the fire
Is seated the Prior,
At the opposite corner a fat little Friar;
By the side of each gentleman, easy and free,
Sits a lady, as close as close well may be,
She might almost as well have been perch'd on his knee.
Dear me! dear me!
Why one's Isabel—she
On the opposite side's La Marquise Rigmaree
To judge from the spread
On the board, you'd have said
That the parge quarree had like aldermen fed,
And now from long flasks, with necks covered with lead,
Theywere helping themselves to champagne,white and red.
Robbing and nobbing,
And nodding and bobbing,
With many a sip
Both from cup and from lip,
And with many a toast followed up by a " Hip!—
Hip!—hip!—huzzay!"
—The Count, by the way,
Though he sees all they're doing, can't hear what they say,
Notwithstanding both he
And Mar-quis Rigmaree
Are so vex'd and excited at what they can see,
That each utters a sad word beginning with D.