The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-10 00:00:00

CRIMINAf.Co-IfitT.--(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT'.

(Before Mr. Justice CRE39WELL and Mr. Justice COLERIDGE.)
SENTENCE ON Carr. PETRIZ.—At the sitting of the Court this
morning Peter Petrie, R.N., aged 54, the captain of the barque
Lydia; a merchant vessel, was brought up for judgment, he having
"-been tbund guilty of cutting and wounding Josiah Lawton, a sea.
-man, with intent to disable him.
Mr. Justice CoLERIDGE, in passing sentence, said, that after a
and careful investigation of the charge against the prisoner, he
e"d been found guilty. The jury, however, had accompanied their
verdict with a strong recommendation to mercy, which recommen.
lotion the Court, in passing sentence, would of course take into its
tonsideration. The Court, however, could not forget the circurn-
atancei under which the assault of which the prisoner had been
found guilty wet committed. When the Court took into its con.
sideration the facts of the case—considering that the prisoner was
the captain of a vessel, and that the crew had not the power of re-
sisting any cruelty, it was necessary to hold this case up as an ea-
tople. The sentence of the Court therefore was, that he be impri.
*?lied in the House of Correction for 18 calendar months, and that
during that time he be kept to bard labour.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

UNION HAL(THIS DAY.)
Anis Smith. a woman advanced in years, was charged before Mr.
Ccerrin.oaers with stealing a purse containing 21 sovereigns, and
three blif.crowns, the property of Mr. Kilburne.
A sergeant of the P division, stated that the prisoner was given
into custody last night, by Mr. Kilburne, who charged her wtih
robbing •hint of a purse containing the aboue sum. His account
was, that'while he was conversing with the prisoner she contrived
to-take thepurse and money out of his pocket. The Sergeant ad-
ded,.that the complainant expressed his determination to attend
this morning and follow up the charge against the prisoner, but he
Was'not present now.
Mr. Corrusonsre made some strong remarks on the frequent
circumstance of prosecutors not attending to substantiate their
-charges, after giving persons into custody. The present was an
;Instance of this sort, and, as the complainant failed in his atten-
kance, he should, therefore, discharge the prisoner.
Yatton and Caroline Malbone were also put to the bar,
charged. with robbing a gentleman named Pearce of several shares
publiecompanies.
The prisoners were given into custody this morning at eight
O'clock, in the Circus, by Mr. Pearce, but when the case was called
on herwas absent.
Mr. Commowitu said, that as the robbery was committed so re-
cently, he should keep the prisoners in custody a short time, but if
the complainant did not attend he should discharge them.

LITERATURE.
• THE SECRET PASSION. 3 Vols.
Colburn, London, 1844.
The best portions of this romance are decidedly
the more serious and imaginative-,--those more espe-
elanywhich refer to the gradual -development of the
" Secret Passion"—whence the story derives its title
--of the celebrated Countess of Pembroke, the most
deservedly distinguished character of her day. The
allthor works up this incident with considerable force
and feeling, and excites a deep interest for his sus-
ceptible
,heroine in the breast of the reader. The
manners of the times, too, are depicted with very
screditable accuracy ; but we must protest against the
author's humour, which—as honest Dogberry would
tY,"—" is most tolerable and not to be endured ;"
",,"". also against the frequent quaintness and obsolete-
less of his language, which wears the aspect of sheer
affectation. A novelist, even though treating of
Past times, Should always, like Sir Walter Scott,
Chetthe vernacular of his day, and not adopt
;,, of the past. In the opening chapter of the
"Iliance before us, the style seems studiously
;tint and- old-fashioned ; and the author ex•
wt.; was
special fancy for the use of words
'`43cll are lot, and never were, English. Thus, in-
tai of the term "content," he adopts the odd, affected
111!"€' contentation," and so enamoured is he of
!*5 nevi, coinage, which never issued from a Saxon
that he repeats it not less than three times in
QZ
page There is another specimen of his style,
ttt °se slighthst blemish is, that it has the most dis-
acquaintance possible with grammar :—" They
N got so familiar with the strangeness of his fashion-
e thkey had acquired a sort of aifectionateness to it."
tho,‘ should not have noticed these defects, but that
occur in almost every other page, and form the
bee' drawback to a story which might otherwise have
Ait ultle a favourite with the novel-reading commu-
a,.iaasinuch as it is by no means destitute of fancy,
111. places is full of passionate sensibility.

_,,,,
_.
~.—oirtTALriry IN THE METHOPOLL9.—The total number
°1 deaths; during the week ending Feb. 3; amounted to
~,,,86, showing an increase of 75 over those of the pre-
di:us- week. The excess has taken- place chiefly among
aths caused by diseases of the lungs, the aye-
-3asg• b?„i,lig 330, while the present returns give
wal.; "le number carried off by inflammation
• . 106, and from consumption 162, both con-
siderably
who above the average iby small-pox
violent
con-
whom II ho.d
deaths ' . not been vaccinated. ,and •
tted by fe-
iBolenotf
IS, 4 of which were suicides 'coninnby
.th males. Protithe meteorological observations taken at
tueAireenwi Observatory it appears that the ther-
io.eeter.during the week was lowest. on Feb. 1, and
E EARL or
. iti :di' ez
04 t. ;:::u Jan. 29, the degrees being respectively 27.5
Tii
• !r,kye-received in 'town from Castle Howard respecting the
CARLISLE.—Last evening accounts
.!•lakniineg illness of the Earl of Carlisle, which represent the
, '''*,,:netli f the of
Earl to be exceedingly precarious. Tha alarming which have manifested themselves are of
asu
t_ , . A,!ig charactr, so as to excite painful apprehensioroble.
:_v 43 •Lordship's ultimate recovery. If anything the _
Lavalid.'w
thange-r as somewhat improved on Thursday night, but the
the f.--ar larS sii sliglit as not to remote in the least degree
t . B,eutertained by the member- of his family assembled
that seat.
The H
of Rom, Hon J• E. Elliot, late Member for the county
Lady lotirngl, brother to Earl Minto, and paternal uncle to
anti-Corn- Russell, has transmitted to the freasurer of the
N'ild of I law League Association at Hawick the sum of 10/.,
u National Leag,ue Fund of 100,000/.
I.ol:.tistrlitions have been received by the Office of
EsZxt._; to cover with mourning the Chapel Royal, St-
-,,;: a, and the
. New Chapel, Buckingham Palace, and to
.7 li,.y. tor Divine service by Sunday next.
• vicij iiisal4 Thompson, one of . the Nottingham c0n-
,,,.. -,rvilny eat:aped from custody Three Year's-day, has
ir etekeu #tud lodged in gaol. others are still at
"