The Sun.
London, England, 1817-11-27 00:00:00

UNION HALL.

HAWKING SAND.--This was an information laid
by Hymns, the informer, against Thomas Crutch,
of Dclitturd R uati w ay, for hawking sand without
a lictuse, The detenJant said that lie purcLa.:ed

the sand of Mr. Lee, at Lewisham, and gave him
-1i• a load for it ; he dug the sand himself out of
the pit ; he contended that sand being a raw ma-
terial, could not possibly come within-the meaning
and construction of the Act. The Magistrate
over-ruled the defendant's objection, and con,-
victed him in the penalty of 10/. The defendant
appealed to the Sessions.

COLONIAL JOURNALS,

THOUGHTS ON THE ADVANTAGES OF A. CLASSI-

CAL EDUCATION.

(From the Free Press, published at Hali/'a.r, in Nova Scotia)
(Concluded from yeiterday's SuN.)
While engaged with this particular department
of the subject, I beg leave to mention farther,
that a thorough knowledge of Greek and Latin
prosody is so intimately connected.with elegance
of English composition, that I 'confess I have no
idea how a person could have any pretensions to
the one, without, the aid of the other. It is cer-
tain that some people have neithel' taste nor ear
for music, whether vocal or instrumental, and can
never be taught to sing or play a tulle, even by
the most skilful adept in the science. In such a
condition must the writer and orator be, who are
ignorant of prosody and the melMlious adjustment
of long and short syllables. Notwithstanding all
that has been said of late in public Reviews about
the profligacy of wasting so much time on rules
of prosody and nonsense verses, it is my humble
opinion, that the chief reason why so very few of
our public speakers are eloqUent and agreeable
orators, is the ahnosctotal neglect into which an.-
cient prosody has been permitted to fall, by those
who are entrusted with the classical education of
youth. Ido not mean to' insinuate here, that
there.is- no Stich thing as English prosody ; but
as it has, been. derived from the ancients formerly
mentimned, the very diffi-.7nity with which it is
acquired and applied, in scanning Anacreon, So-
phocles,',Eoripides, Homer, &c. in Greek—and
Ovid, Virgil, Horace, Bucl;anan, &c. in Latin
is 'a strong recommendation in its favour, and
will greatly facilitate its dexterous application
in English, by enabling to compose with grace_
fulness and elegance, and to write with, poeti-
cal melody, 'even when metre is entirely out of
the question.
I might also mention here, that a classical etlu-
catioo affords an inexhaustible source of the
most refined amusement to all who are posseSsed
of it, whether Ladies or Gentlemen, in as far
as it vivifies and expands, the powers of the
mind—inspires a. generous contempt of false
taste, so prevalent in modern compositions,
and enables them to .discern and appreciate the
transcendent beauties of the most illustrious poets,
orators, and historians whom the world has ever
known.

Though I should be suspected of prejudice, and
interested motives, I will venture to affirm, that
as there never was, there never will be, any peo
ple in existence, so learned, refined, and elegant,
and of course so excellent models of imitation,
in all natural science, as the Greeks and Romans.
Their bravery as soldiers—loveaof country—ar-
dour for tame—and indefatigable zeal in defence
of liberty, as appear in the writings of Caesar,
Cicero, Virgil, Livy, Homer, Tirtzeus, finder,
Xenophon, &c. are and have been universally ex-
tolled. • The native energy and elegance of their
language is equally astonishing, and can never be
sufficiently admired ; nor is there any thing so
likely to make a youth magnanimous, spirited,
and brave, as .a familiar acquaintance with it—no
avenue of intellectual perambulation, I am sure,
so flowery and fragrant as that through which we
roam, in perusing the classics—no companions
so pleasant as they are—and no entertainment so
rational (excepting the inspired writings) as that
which they aftbrd—covsequently there can be no
common acquisition so valuable as the knowledge
of Greek and Latin, which furnishes us, with such
a fund of mental enjoyment, on terms so moderate.
Would any young Lady be willing to have the
knowledge of drawing, geography., French, danc-
ing, or other fashionable accomplishments, struck
out of her mind,on condition that the toil and ex-
pence, to which she was necessarily subjected in
learning those branches, should be fairly compen-
sated in money ? No, she would indignantly scurte
any such commutation, even were it possible to be
made, conscious that knowledge is power, and
that wisdom and learning are infinitely better than
riches. With no less firmness does the boy of
claisical acquirements fetish) his Latin and Greek,
proud of the distinguishing superiority they con-.
fer, and grateful to his parents, by whose exer
'ions he has been happily liberated from that soul-
debasing bondage to which:the ignorant and il-
literate are for ever doomed. What an extensive
dominion does the knowledge of ancient litera-
ture impart to the mind, into which it has been
introduced ! What an immense' range for reflec-
tion does it supply ! What a multitude of ideas
does it afford ! Mid the great advantage is,, that
this is a treasure from which the possessor can
constantly draw, and af which be can never be
deprived. Nay, if hconce truly possess it, should
a storm at any time, arise, in the. course of his
voyage through life, there are a thousand ports to
which he may steer..
Let me then encourage and advise all 'intelli-
gent parents, callable of giving their children.a
liberal education,
_to instruct them in the know-
le,ge of the ancient languages, let their future
destination be what it may. Such a valuable ac-
quisition will continue with them, in all vicissi-
tudes of fortune, and will enable them to think,
speak-, arid act with ease anti-propriety, in every
departinent 'of life. Itinerant adventurers, who
wish
,to draw the public attention to. a few lec-
tures, -which learned authors have enabled them
to compile; and, a superficial acquaintance with
their own. language e.obles-.them: to read,..may
attempt and have sometimes attempted, to vilify
ancient literature (like the fable of-the fox and
the unripe-grapes), as a thing altogether unwor-
thy Of those exertions which the painful acqui-
sition of it necessarily requires. These, however,
and'all similar, vhstualitiea, need no refutation,
and are sufficiently punished with silent contempt.
While a particle of genuine taste remains among
us, Latin anti Greek 'can never fail to be admired
—and so long as parents are. duly 'interested. in
the education•of their children, those ancient and
elegant languages will never be allowed to fall
into disuse, • •

CORONER'S INQUESTS.

MELANCHOLY CASE OF POISONING.

An Inquisition was taken yesterday before
HUGH LEWIS, Esq. Coroner, at the Shakspeare
Tavern, Lavon-street, Eaton-street, Pimlico, on
the body of Mr. David Sarjant, one of the &LP. •
rante, and a performer of minor characters in the
drama at Covent-Garden Theatre, whose death
was caused by his taking pois,..m.
Francis Roger Pat slow, surgeon, Eaton-street,
Pimlico; bein,h sworn, said, that on Saturday night,
about 12 o'clock, Mr. Rickerby, of No. I,
Brewer-street, came to leis house and requested,s,'
him to go to the deceased, who resided in the
same house as Mr. Rickerby. He sent-his assist-
ant, who took a powerful emetic with him, and
told him to send for him if the deceased had takea
poison. He received • a message in a short tinie;;;f
requiring his attendance ; he went inimediatelye
and found the deceased quite insensible, and tip:-
parently under the influence of opium. He used ‘,
every possible means to restore the deceased
out effect ; he remained insensible till four o'clock
on the _following morning, when he expired.
Coroner—" Can you make oath that the de-, '
ceased took opium ?"
Witness—" He laboured under those
toms which persons who have _ taken opium ~
in an excessive quantity invariably 'do; but- he
would not swear that opium was 'what he had
taken, as there were other soporiferous medicines
that would produce the same effects."
The Coroner and Jury requested Mr. ParsleW
to open the body. During the operation—
Wm. Rickerby, Esq. was examined. . He stated,
that on Saturday night the deceased came home
from the Theatre ; a lady who resides in the house
called to him, and said, that the deceased was ap-
parently intoxicated, and wanted assistance to bed.
He went to him and found him lying on his be&
The deceased was sensible when he spoke to him,
but appeared very much intoxicated. He said that
he had taken three shillings worth of laudanum,
and unless Mr. Parsiow was sent for he Should be
dead in two hours. He asked him his reason for
acting in such a manner as'he had done ? and be re-
plied, that his cireumstances were very much embar-
rassed ; that he could not answer the demands' his
creditors had upon him, and it had such an effect
on his mind that be could no longer bear it, and
rashly took poison. The deceased paid great ,at-
tention to a lady who lived in the house, who had
frequently given him money to relieve his embar-
rassments. He knew of no difference between the
deceased-and the lady. For the last two months
the deceased has been much given to drinking.
Mr. Parslow attended time deceased until be died,
and used every' means to recover him.
Francis Roger Parsiow, Surgeon, being re-
examined, said, that at the request of the Coroner
and Jnry he had opened the body of the deceased ;
he found in his stomach a quantity of black fluid,
which he knew to be opium. The opium was the
cause of his death.

Mr. William Bambrough, assistant-apothecary-
to Mr. Watkins, No. 2, King's-road,
stated, that the deceased came to their shop ott
Saturday evening, and asked for six' pettily-
worth of laudanum ; he said that he was in the
habit of taking some every night to Make him
bleep ; 114: r0f....4 to let him have such a quantity;
he sold him
,two pennyworth, I
.s the firerit-•
est quantity they sell to strangers ; after he had
served him, he observed that he was intoxicated,
The quantity the deceased purchased of him could
not have produced his death.
It appeared from other evidence, that the de-
ceased had purchased opium at different shops in
the neighbourhood of Covent-Garden on Satutday
night.
Verdict—" The deceased took poison in a state
of insanity."