The Sun.
London, England, 1827-01-26 00:00:00

ANECDOTES OF IMPUDENCE.

ANECDOTES OF IMPUDENCE.—What a fruitful field for
speculation and anecdote this very comprehensive title
supplies. The Church, the Law, the Army, and, in some
few instances, the Navy, all owe to it eternal incalculable
obligations. What is the inspiration of genius compared
to that of impudence ? for one man of genius that lays fast
hold of the world's attention, a hundred men of impudence
monopolise it. This very popular qualification is, in fact,
the almost exclusive key to success. It fascinates the
gentle heart of woman : enforces the respect of the mob ;
gives a high station in the senate ; and insures command
to him who is blessed with its possession. While genius
works its way against wind and tide, on the shift-
ing current of popularity; impudence, a well-trimmed
vessel, with flowing sail, and favouring breezes, floats
proudly on in splendor, and just contrives to enter some
snug sheltered port, while the storm is brewing which is
destined to overwhelm the other. The present little volume
(unassuming we cannot call it, when referring to its title)
contains some very felicitous samples of impudence, unadul-
terated with the least alloy of modesty. Mr. Elliston
figures with particular eclat throughout its pages : indeed,
he appears to us quite the hero of the tale ; as, years back,
Cibber was the Demi-God of the Dunciad. His accident
during one of his late performances of Falstaff is as deli-
cious a bit of impudence, as we could possibly wish to
admire. 'What a pity he was not born in Ireland ! Mr.
Hume, in like manner, puts forward strong claims on the
amateurs of impudence; but though nature has greatly as-
sisted him in this respect, art has not done so much as in
the case of Mr. Elliston, in whOm the worki4s•of life one
blended with the scientific additions of the other, have
jointly conspired to complete a model of assurance. We
do not here wish to be understood as speaking with con-
tempt of the dignity of impudence : far from it; we look
on it as the most valuable of earthly possessions (indeed, we
ourselves are no mean rirnficionts in this respect, at least
_ _ - ..0 sincerely- trust that this volume, devoted
to its praise, may have .11 *hPs
ot success that the
.'that universal
it, interest of its subject demands.
is to be brought out henceforth in parts areaPa
if so, it bids fair to be the largest Encyclopnedia ever yet
published. On the other hand, what a very diminitive
duodecimo " Anecdotes of Modesty" must supply'

JONES AND THE CRITICS.—We have been much
amused with the opinions of the daily, weekly, and monthly
critics, on the merits of the Romance of Paul Jones; fcr,
while they
all agree about the genius of the author, they
differ so materially respecting the way in which he has used
it, that a reader who has faith in their sagacity must be
sorely puzzled, whether to be kept awake with its spirit
or fall asleep with its languor. The Aew Monthly Maga-
zine says, " It has established the author's character as
one of the most distinguished writers in the province of
fiction;" while the London Magazine snys,‘: It is too long,
and too extravagant, nevertheless and notwithstanding, we
recommend it to our readers." Blackwoods t fagazine
declares, that "In Paul Jones there are many striking inci-
dents. and situations; many picturesque and poetical de-
scriptions, which prove Allan to be a man of an original,
vigorous, and sagacious mind; but as a tale of the sea,
it is a failure ;" as if the merits of a journey from Aleppo
to Jerusalerr4 can be tried by the Navigation Act ! The
Inspector ElS3ures its readers that " it is remarkable for de-
fectiveness of plot and freshness of description," and
that a little more skill would have made a better book !
In this the Inspector is re-echoed by the Atlas, which
declares," Though Paul Jones be instinct with a poet's
fervour, it would be unsafe to read it as a history." The
Literary Gazette says, " It is wild, supernatural, and
teuched with extreme vigour and beauty." The Literary
Chronicle admires the author, and all his works ; and the
Mirror says, " Every page glows with vivid description
and striking incident." In the north the opinions seem a
little more akin and consistent. In the Caledonian Mer-
cury, indeed, ar*d the Edinburgh Weekly Chronicle, praise
and blame are most whimsically intermingled; but the
other Scottish Papers are more decided. . The Scots
Times and the Glasgow Free Press speak of the astonish-
ing copiousness, and vivid descriptions, and originial cha-
racters, and shrewd and bitter sarcasms, with which the
romance abounds ; and the Scotsman says, " The author
founds a dominion over the manners and acts of the
people—the memory and spirits of their ancestors." We
conclude with an extract from the Monthly Magazine:—
" The active and bustling scenes are described with much
truth and vivacity ; the sea-fights and the storming of
Ockzakow, are scenes of great vigonr, well conceived, and
well executed."

On the afternoon of Wednesday, the 17th current,
the almost naked body of a female was discovered by two boys
while passing along the beach of the Solway Frith, a little to .the
westward of Balcarry Bay. The sight of such an object in such
a place, made a deep impression en the minds of the boys, and
they immediately made all the haste they could to alarm some la-
bourers who were working near. The labourers followed their
conductors in silence, and rather unceremoniously dug a hole, and
interred the corpse at a short distance from the spot where it was
found. A proceeding so informal, made some noise in the dis-
trict where it occurred, and Colonel Gordon, of Culvenan, so
soon as he became acquainted with the circumstance, humanely
provided a coffin, a shroud, and every other necessary ; and after
the body had been disinterred, it was finally deposited in Berwick
church-yard, with every degree of decency and solemnity. From
the state of the corpse, it wak evident that it had been long in the
water; its appearance was that of a perfect skeleton; a shirt, a
pair of stays, one stocking, and one shoe, were all that remained
of the original clothing, and these articles have been retained by
the sexton of Berwick, as the only means existing of identifying
the deceased, should her relations ever learn, and take the trouble
of inquiring into her unhappy fate. We should add, that the
body was so far mutilated, that one of the feet had entirely disap-
peared, and that an opinion is entertained by some that the de-
ceased could be no other than the female who perished along with
the sailor, who endeavoured to save her during the melancholy
shipwreck of the Ranger in November last.--.Dumfries Courier