The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-11 00:00:00

PRESBYTERIAN MAR RIAGES.

Lord MOUNTCASHEL presented several peti-
tions, very numerously signed, from places in tl-e
counties of Tyrone, Cavan, and Down, in Ire-
land, praying the House• to enact some measure
for the better regulation of the law respecting tt e
marriages of Presbyterians with members of tie
Established Church.
The House then Adjourned.

lIOUSE OF COMMONS, MARCH 10.
There being only Thirty-two Members present
at Four o'Clock, the House adjourned till to-
morrow.
NAMES OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT WHEN THE
HOUSE WAS COUNTED OUT.
Barnard, E. G.—Greenwich Lamhton, H.—North Durham
Blake, Sir V Jentine—Gal way Maher, John—Wexford Co.
Blewitt, Reginald—Monmouth Phillpotts, John—Gloucester
Bowes, John—South Durham . Plumidge, aptain—Penryn
Bowring, Dr.—Bolton Powel, C.—Limerick Co.
Brotherton J.—Salford Rundle, John—Tavi•uock
Bryan, Major—Kilkenny Co. !choletield, J —Birmingham
Byng, George—Middlesex Stock, Dr.—Cashel
Chnstmas, W.—Waterford City Strutt, Edward—Derby
Cobden, R.—Stockport Stuart ,Villiers—Waterford Co.
Crawford, S.—Rochdale Thornely,Thos.—Wolverhampton
Duncombe, I'. S --Finsbury Villiers, t.. P.—Wolverhampton
Gibson, T. M.—Manchester Ward, H. G.—Sheffield
Harris, J.—Newcastle under Lyme Williams, William—Coventry
Hay, Sir A. L —Elgin, ac. Wilson, 11.—Clitheroe
Hindley, Charles--,--shton

THE COURT AND TIMES OF FREDERICK THE
GREAT.—This work, just issued, under the editorial auspices
of Thomas Campbell, bids fair to take its place in all historical
libraries. In a lengthy review of it in the last number of
Blackwood's Magazine, it is justly, remarked that—" The
late visit of the King of Prussia to England renews the public
interest in the Sovereign and his country. In this feeling, ire
think, we shall gratify our readers by giving them some sketches
of that period, which raised Prussia to the rank of a monarchy,
and of that extraordinary man of genius, who first made her
throne conspicuous in Europe, and asserted for himself one of
the highest places among the warriors and statesmen of the
modern world. The above work, which sketches the career of
Frederick the Great and his immediate predecessor, is a re-
markably animated, various, and intelligent narrative ; beyond
all comparison the best that we have ever seen of the two
Prussian Kings, and valuable as a collection of traits of cha-
racter, in themselves as curious as any, perhaps, ever furnished
by Royal biography. The material is condensed rith suet'
dexterity, and combined with such judicionsness, that weiecol -
lect but few biographies which have more highly and constantly
kept up our attention."
WATER COMPANIES.-IVC did not, it appears, err
greatly in predicting that the opening of the Parliamentary
season would present its usual _number of projects fee new
water companies ; nor were we much mistaken in anticipating-
" prospectuses which might tempt the capitalist with large
but visionary profits." fhe projectors of some of these
companies have really surpassed our expectations;
capital
400,0001., 25,000 houses at 2/. per house, 50,000/. per annum ;
expenses, 14,000/. per annum —net amount 36,0001., or W.
per cent. on capital. Why such moderation, by the way ?
why not have taken credit for 27,000 houses ?—for the one
a'sertion is about as likely to be verified as the other. In
the latter case there would have been a net 10 per cent—a
lure infinitely more captivating. When it is added that
every house of the 25,000 is to be taken by a process of compe-
tition from the existing companies, it is enough probably to show
that our former observations were far from being too strong
or unelicited. There is, however, no great risk of such pro-
jects receiving the sanction of the Legislature. Even were it
possible for as Act to be obtained, the experience of a few
short years would cause all connected with such undertakings
to call to mind, with feelings of no slight regret, the warning
they hail neglected. Putting aside the correctness of the
estimate of outlay (questioned, it would appear, by those most
competent to form a judgment on the subject) the calculation
of income is wholly illusory. For years, any new company
would not get enough to pay their expenses, as the existing
companies, driven to despair, would go below the price, what-
ever it might be, at which the new company would offer to
supply; and if, as the result of a long and weary struggle, a
compromise should be effected which would assign to a new
company some portion of the districts of the old, the income to
be derived from it would, even with the assistance of an in-
creased charge to the public, not realise 21. per cent. upon the
capital expended.
FASCINATION.—EDITED BY MRS. GORE.—This
charming tale seems rapidly proving its claim to the title
Mrs. Gore has bestowed upon it. Its lively, vivid, and pic-
turesque sketches of French and Getman manners and society
during their most picturesque period, its spirited and original
draughts of character, and its dramatic cast of plot and in-
cident, are commanding for it universal perusal. Its " fas-
cinating" hero, so famous in the romance of real life of the
time of Louis XV., the noble, passionate, and devoted Princesse
de Soissons, heroine of the tale, the three Aulic Councillors, on
whose oddities and peculiarities the whole plot turns,ehe jolly
German boar-hunting Baron, the henpecked Gourmand, the
crack-brained scholar, not to forget the (generous-hearted little
tailor and his shrew of a wife—all these first-rate characters,
and half a dozen more of a 'secondary class, give to this tale a
" Fascination" which will-no doubt be as irresistible in our
day as its celebrated hero was in his.
We find the following in a letter from Perpignan :
--4, The inhabitants of the small town of Alassanet, on the
Spanish side of the frontier, were a few days ago celebrating
the fete of their patronal saint, when, in the middle of a dance,
in the public square, a man, named Da Costa, saw his brother-
in-law, who was a.Carlist, and with whom he had a family
quarrel. Da Costa immediately left his pat tner, approached
his victim, and in the presence of at least 1,200 persons plunged
a dagger twice into his heart, and then went leisurely, and,
without being pursued, across the frontier, which was full
three leagues distant "
A person, named Morel, in the establishment of the
Gohelins, two days ago blew his brains out, leaving a widow
and two young children. No cause for this act is yet known,
but for some time he had been in a depressed state of mind.
The Abbe Longuemarre, Chaplain of the Gobelins, refused to
followed by all the workme of
admit the body into the chapel, and it was buried without any
greatbut nirbef of the inhabitants ofn the
tohfethiensrtiittrtioonf,ranelidg.iona
neighbourhood.