The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-09 00:00:00

TAKING THE VEIL.

On Monday a spectacle of very unfrequent occur-
rence in this country took place at the convent of
" The Sisters of Mercy," situate near Hickman's
'Folly, Bermondsey. The ceremony was for the ini-
tiation of two young ladies, one of whom had to re-
ceive the white veil, and the other the religious (or
black) habit of the community. Before eleven
o'clock, the hour appointed for the ceremony, the
chapel attached to the Convent was filled by a
numerous congregation, the major portion of which
consisted of ladies. As soon as the clock struck
eleven, the Convent bell began to toll, which was the
announcement of the entry of the procession into
the chapel. The Very Reverend Dr. Griffiths, the
titular Bishop, who officiated, advanced to the altar,
splendidly dressed in his sacerdotal robes; in his train
were the Rev. Messrs. Sisk, Broman, P. Butler,
Harraben, J. Coyle, Foley, Hearness, IL Leu, and
an Armenian monk, named Lazarien, together with a
number of others of the Roman Catholic clergy, &c.,
the choristers, bearers of the incense, and others
forming the procession. At a given signal the choir
struck up the hymn to the Virgin, " 0 Gloriosa."
The sisters of the Convent then entered in procession,
in the usual costume of nuns, each holding a lighted
taper in her hand. The two novices, Miss Bax-
ter and Miss Kellett, who are both young
ladies of considerable fortunes, followed in order,
led by the superioress, assisted by two of
the sisters (one of whom was Miss Agnew, neice of
Sir A. Agnew, Bart., and the other Lady Barbara
Eyre, daughter of the Earl of Newburgh. The reli-
gious names the latter ladies bear are Sisters Mary
and Clara.) The novices, Miss Baxter and Miss Kel-
lett, were both elegantly dressed in white embroidered
muslin wearing chaplets of white roses as head dress,
and each held a lighted wax taper- in her right hand.
After they approached the altar an exhortation was
delivered by the Bishop, from St. Matthew, c. xix.,
v. 29 :—" And every one that hath forsaken houses,
or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or
children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an
hundred fold,: and shall inherit everlasting life."
After the exhortation the Bishop severally ques-
tioned them as to their own free will in taking the
holy habit of religion, to which having assented, the
novices retired to put off their secular dress, and
shortly returned in the habit of the nuns. On re-
turning, the hymn "Veni Creator', was sung by the
choir, during which the two novices lay extended flat
on their faces before the steps of the altar, where they
remained in a motionless posture until the coticlusion
of the ceremony, when, after being assisted to rise,
they each kissed the other sisters, and the procession
left the chapel in the same order in which they entered,
and returned to the Convent. During the delivery of
a very affecting discourse by the titular Bishop on their
retirement from the world, the novices showed no signs
Of agitation, nor did their countenances betray any
sYlAptoms of reluctance, but, on the contrary, ap-
peared to be lightened up with an expression of
enthusiastic feeling.

EMIGRATION.
By details given from the opening of the season (says
:the Limerick Chronicle), the public are aware that
the emigration system has been carried to a more for-
addable extent this year than in any preceding one ;
and we now subjoin a correct account of the total
number .of those who have voluntarily severed
all the 'cherished associations of home ana country,
to seek beneath the sun of a distant land that
subsistence which a " wayward fate " has denied them
in their own. But should we say " voluntarily"—true
it is, the strong arm of the law has not in this in-
stance wielded the instrument of separation—it has
not been the means of depriving our country of her
industriOus and enterprising children—still causes
exist, which are obvious enough, but to which we shall
,not at present refer. The number of human beings
freighted for North America this season in Limerick
:is as follows :—By the. Borneo, 286 ; Primrose, 258 ;
.June Black, 417; Governor, 199; Ninian, 226 ; China,
293 ; Shelmalier (New York) 93 ; Thetis, • 203
Energy, 193 ; Nerio, 'l3O ; John White, 118 ; Bryan
lAbbs,. 193 ; Ariel, 68 (Miramichi) ; Maria, 176 ;
'Ann . Moore, 180 (for Quebec) ; making a total of
33,032 souls from the port of Limerick alone, for the
most part natives of the counties of Clare, Limerick,
and Tipperary the great majority of whom were
agricultural labourers. Of
_these SQMO were pro-
vided with free passages by Colonel Wyndham, te-
nants from his estates in Clare, whose interests
had expired, and others were in like manner,
provided for by the Marquis •of Clanricarde.
It is a fact worthy.' of record, and one which speaks
much for the improved moral character of our coun-
trymen, when compared with scenes. that have been
the great.distinguishing mark of emigration in other
days, ',that not one single case of drunkenness
came under the notice of Lieutenant Lynch, the
emigration agent. of this port, whilst making the
necessary inspection previous to the sailing of each
vessel, and the inquiries of this intelligent and
experienced officer were most frequent and minute on
every occasion. It is, we allow, a reproach to us to
lose so many of our countrymen, healthy, strong, and
vigorous; and what is a new feature, their families
well equipped and provided, for adventure in the New
World, at a time when the reformed habits of our
people render them, not in the usual ironical accepta-
tion of the term, " The finest peasantry of the world."
The persons we allude to certainly form, this season,
the best of their class that ever left Ireland.

BARRISTERS (IRELAND) BILL.
The remarks of Sir Valentine Blake in the House
of Commons respecting this Bill appeared only in a
part'Of our impression, and as they are of some im-
portance to those interested, we publish them again.
It may be necessary to state that Sir Valentine was
not aware that the Irish students intended to oppose
.the Bill, else he would have withdrawn it at once.
. Sir V: BLAKE stated that the, only object which he
.wished to accomplish was, that Irish law students
should 'not be eompelled, as at present, to reside it
one of the inns of Court in London, as. a preliminary
qualification to be called to the Irish bar. He stated
that the Bill, as now printed, was introduced by him
at the special instance and request of persons who
represented that they were a deputation from the
Irish law students ; it was their Bill, and he
(Sir Valentine Blake) told the deputation
that _ the Bill contained objectionable matter, in
his opinion ; but that, from his respect for the
students, he would bring it in and have it printed,
and if permitted by the House to go into Committee
Upon it, the objectionable parts might be omitted, and
that pait only retained which would repeal the exist-
ing law as to the residence of Irish students in Lon-
don. lie was, however, sorry to perbeive that all the
established legal authorities in the 'House were op-
posed to the repeal of the old Act of 33 Henry
111., which, when enacted, was useful, just, states-
manlike, and neeessarx, But when it was recol-
lected that there Was tlien no University in Dublin
—that the superior Courts of Law and Equity
in Ireland existed merely in name—that there
Nvas no law library—no King's Inns—that in fact,
the administration of justice was conducted under the
ancient law—that there were no Assizes—no Sheriffs
—no counties then in existence; there could be no
doubt but that under such circumstances it was pru-
dent and wise to introduce the system, whereby
Students for the Irish bar were instructed in the
praCtical knowledge of the administration of the laws
of England. This House would riot deny the ex-
istence of the changes which are the result of time.
We have it on the authority of Mr. Hume, that when
he wrote (now approaching to a century ago) the
population of Ireland alone was greater than the popu-
lation of the three kingdoms at the time of the death'
of Elizabeth. Was it too much to affirm that it was
now three times as great as the population of the
whole United Kingdom when the 33d Henry VIII.
was enacted ? This law was impolitic, and unsuited
to the present time. Was it just or fair that men,
wh6.had struggleti to obtain degrees in Trinity Col-
lege, and who had not the pecuniary means of en-
tering their names on one or other of the Inns of
Court in London, and of a residence there for
near two years—was it consistent with a true
patriotic feeling to exclude nine out of every
ten men thus situated, many of them distinguished,
and some having obtained academical honours ?
To be thus excluded from all participation in the lot-
tery of professional advancement was indeed an in-
justice and.a cruelty which he (Sir V. B.) hoped to
be instrumental in abolishing; if not now permitted,
he would persevere in some other form, and thus
achieve what he considered to be for his country one
of its most undoubted and valuable privileges. Hav-
ing brought this measure forward under the circum-
sta'nce's' efore stated, and at the special request, as
he (Sir,V: Blake) thought, of the Irish studentsit ,
was 119 t Without the utmost amazement he saw
Idinself placarded as an unworthy Irish Member
by a: meeting. Of the students in Dublin, held •on the
lt3th inst It was plain that a great misunderstand-
ing of the circumstances under which he was pre-
vailed upon to introduce the present Bill did exist
at. that meeting, and that no one at it was aware
that persons here, acting in the name and on behalf
of. the Irish students, were, in point of fact,
the authors of the Bill, and so far misled him
(Sir , Valentine) as to' induce hum to undertake
the duty at the special instance and request of the
whole body of the Irish students. It was satisfac-
tory, however, that even in the disclaimer put forth
at iliat meeting, there was contained a full and ample
recognition of the principle for which alone he (Sir
V. • B.) would perseveringly contend, namely, the aboli-
tion of the prohibition to admit persons duly educated
to the Irish bar, unless they were in pecuniary cir-
cumstances which would enable them to pay 301. or
401. for an admission, and to reside in London.

The Journal du Havre publishes -a long account t 3
an alleged outrage upon the French flag, on the coast of Sierra
Leone, in the year 1839, by the commander of an. English
cruiser, the Fair Rosamond. The statement is founded aim
the report of the mate of the French trader NOemi-Marie. After
relating some minor grievances, the Journal du Havre sap
" The commander of the English cruisvr Captain Wnham
Brown Oliver, having boarded the Noemi,darie, M. Gutricbe
politely invited him to go first into the cabin, but Capt. Brow
shamefully struck him in the face with his fist, and, draw
inn his sword, threatened to use it if he did not immediately
order the panels to be removed. He then went into th
cabin armed with his sword, and, flourishing it about like a
madman to the right and left, called for a light, in languag
which was not tit to be applied to a slave. At this momen
one of the sailors of the Noemi:Marie, named Cruse, having
observed to him that if a French ship of war were at Sierra
Leone, he would not dare -to conduct himself in this way,
Captain Brown, who spoke French very well, replied that
if he had the French flag, he would wipe his with it.
After having searched the hold, and tossed about the cargo,
Captain Brown removed M. Gutriche and Cruse to his ship,
prthuebtlebciik.w"ill TbtefuJuoundrntao
ads becfuoir,et
stihneau
Brown,
to..
dwihzeHreatchreeyadwdesretolethfteaallbonvieg,htviurchn
rbietiaens,
oefusggi
eerrraati oLne,otnhea,t
ba
uctomsuptlhaui plaint was l*id before the autho.
ritievof Sierra Leone, but w,thoøt result,
the day after the outrage, got under weigh and left the statikn.
SINGULAR CIRCUMSTANCE.--A vessel it at present
building in Mr. Brown's yard, Dundee, of about 240 tons.
After the outer planking was partly kid,,a pair of robins were
seen hovering about the planks, and approaching very close
to the workmen. Their object was soon made appirent. A
small corner of one of theribsoft
and
hevessueloiwseasofseuleetpwearddisanodf
y rne
there they commenced building a neat little tenement,
tNwoetnhtingi they finishedintimidated bythe bustle
their frail dwelling,, and have at pre-
sent four eggs deposited in it. In the progress cf putting on
the inner planking, the workmen came so close upon the nest
that they had to cut out a corner to allow the birds to get Ott
and in. So tame are they that the men continue working
with their hammers within a few inches of the robin sitting on
her eggs, without disturbing her the least. he deck is 'now
•n the vessel, and the little creatures may be seen flying down
the hatchway and hopping about the bold with great familiarity.
—Dundee if order.
An "Ukase was published at St. Petersburgh on the
Bth ult., appointing Lveneral Adlerberg as Director- General.of
the Post-offee, in place of Prince Golotzin, who bas.resigne&
The Emperor. bat addressed .a letter le.fille'Prieievt4/411111
him in *aim terms fin' his iielout and Veltalesitelose.