The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-03 00:00:00

LITERAT URE.

THE VOYAGE OF LIFE, 3 Vols.
Bentley, London, 1844.
Those of our readers who care only for the excite-
ment of fiction, and are not very particular as to pro-
bability or sustained continuousness of incident, will
derive much amusement from the perusal of this story,
which abounds in the romantic and the adventurous,
in the New World as
well as in the Old, and is re-
commended by the graces of an easy, fluent, style.
Many of the most graphic scenes in the story are laid
in Canada ; and one of the most extraordinary, inci-
dents, which takes place close beside the Falls of
Niagara, is—so the authoress, Miss Muro, assures us
in her preface--a literal fact, thereby affording an-
other illustration
of Lord Byron's hacknied remark
that " truth ,is stranger than fiction." The descrip-
tions in the second volume of the terrible fire in New
York is a powerful piece of painting ; but the account
of the rescue of Colonel Vernon and Edith Courtenay,
by the hero and his brother, draws much too largely
on the reader's credulity. Improbability of incident,
indeed, is throughout the great defect of the narrative,
and deprives it of much of the interest that would
otherwise belong to it.

THE JILT. 3 Vols. Bentley, London.
This is truly a story of the present day. Some of
the most characteristic scenes are laid at. the West-
end of the metropolis' and have reference to the
fashionable academy of Mrs. de Belton, where young
ladies are so highly and diligently polished, pre-
vious to their entrance into the enchanted world of
the ball-room, that not a particle of rude, healthy,
natural feeling is left adhering to them. The cha-
racter of Mrs._ de Belton is drawn with great tact, '
yet without exaggeration ; and the advice which she
gives to her pupils—especially as regards their matri-
tnonial views—is full of quiet sarcasm. The Jilt,
Melicent Luttrell, who gives the title to the tale, is
also a well-sustained portrait, though difficulties and
trials are at times heaped upon her in a lavish profu-
sion, savouring not a little of the improbable.

The Hon. James Erskine Murray, whose melan,
choly death in Borneo will be found detailed in the
extracts from the Overland Mail, was of the Elibank
family, and married the only child of Mr. James Erskine,
of Man, which name he assumed upon his marriage. He
was uncle of the present Lord Elibank, and an advocate
at the Scotch bar. He since,
published, a few years a
very interesting work, detailing a pedestrian tour he
made across the summits of the Pyrennees. He was in
his 35th year.
DEATII OF Mg. RALPH LAMIITON.—We regret
we have to announce the death of the above gentleman,
who has been, since February, 1837, confined to his
couch, from the effects of a fall while hunting. The
Venerable Gentleman expired on Monday last, at his
seat, Horton-house, Durham. Mr. Lambton was son of
General and Lady Susan Lambton, daughter of the Earl
of Strathmore, and uncle of the late Earl of Durham.
Mr. Lambton was well known in the sporting world as
having for manyyears been a master of hounds in the
North, which be only gave up at the time of his accident
although of a great age, and sold his hounds to Lord
Suffield for a higher price than was ever given before.
THE SINKING FUND.—A return of the rate of in-
crease of the Sinking Fund, from the first establishment of
it by Mr. Pitt, in the year 1786, to the close of the continen-
tal war in 1815, in periods of five years, has been obtained
and printed, on the motion of Mr. W
odeuouse, M.P. for Nor-
folk. It hence appears that the amount of sinking fund
actually appropriated was, from August, 1786, to February,
in the year ending February 1, 1791,
1787, 500,555/. ;
1 020 211/ exhibiting an increase of 719,656/, in five years;
in the year ending
" February 1, 1796, 2,143,5951., exhibiting
an increase of 923,384/., in five years ; in the year ending
February 1801, 4,911,135/.2 exhibiting an increase of
2,767,5391. in five years
.; in the year ending February 1,
1806, 7,850,0331•, exhibiting an increase of 2,983,897/. in five
years; in the year ending February 1,1811, 12,050,5371., ex-
hibiting an increase of 4,200,503/. in five years ; and in the
year ending February 1, 1816, 14,109,512/., exhibiting an in-
crease of 2,058,9751. in five years. Thus it appears that be-
tween the years 1786 and 1816, the amount of sinking fund
actually appropriated was increased altogether by the sum of
13,608,957/., that is to say, frolll 5A5551. to 14,109,5121.