The Sun.
London, England, 1827-08-29 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF TIM PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The Society for Diffusing Useful Knowledge
has just published its 10th Treatise : it is enti-
tled " Animal Mechanics." The title is some-
what quaint, hut the design 'of the work is ex-
cellent, and the style and matter admirable. The
writer, who is evidently both a perfect anatomist
and mathematician, has given us what may be
pronounced the most scientific and convincing
essay on final causes—in other words, on the
proofs of an Almighty mind in the creation of
man—that has ever come under our notice.—
From the beautiful little sketch drawn by a mas-
ter's hand in Xenophon's Memorabilia, down to
the eloquent illustrations of Derham in his
Physico-Theology, and the elaborate and inge-
nious demonstrations of Paley in his Natural
Theology, there is no one work which in a short
compass combines such perfect knowledge of the
subject, such accurate explanation, such an
earnest tone (the result of thorough conviction),
without the least mixture of cant or fanaticism,
as this little book, to which we now direct the
attention of our readers. We are glad to avail

ourselves of this opportunity of noticing the si-
lent but steady progress of this much calum-
niated Society. Two sets of objectors very early
put themselves, in array against it. How, it was
said, can a committee of statesmen and lawyers
print two treatises (on subjects, too, for the
most part unconnected with their regular profes-
sions) in a month ? Yet the society has regu-
larly published two treatises every month since it
began. Another party exclaimed—" See the
systematic neglect of religion by these liberal and
and philosophical benefactors of the age !" The
present treatise will go far, we suppose, to silence
the hypocritical clamour. A treatise asserting
and proving the mind of an omnipotent Creator
in the mechanism of the human frame, with a
simplicity worthy of Xenophon, a piety worthy
of Derham, an ingenuity worthy of Paley, and
with learning and science superior to them all,
has rendered an invaluable service to the cause
of religion, far beyond the efforts of those noisy
bigots who think the cause of Christianity best
served by outrageous calumny against their
fellow-men, or by discountenancing all the en-
deavours which are made by those out of their
own pale to cultivate the human mind, and
thereby fit it the better for understanding the
great truths of natural and revealed religion.—
Times.

It is just three days since the papers of the
Tory faction announced the existence of " a
King's candidate" for the only vacant office in
an otherwise complete Administration. We did
not think it of so much importance to inquire
what truth there might be in the statement of
these gentlemen, as to show the country what
must be the consequence if such candidates
were permitted to succeed—that such a victory
would be nothing less than disgrace to the
King's Cabinet, confusion to the systematic
policy of the empire, and an utter paralysis of all
the principles of regular and responsible govern-
ment. There is, fortunately, no occasion for
us to raise a discussioa on the matter of fact.
We take the acknowledgment (and a shameful
one it is) of the Tory journals, as they present
it to the world. They put forth, indeed, the
scandal in the form of a boast—unconscious,
apparently, that there is any thing in it which
they and their cause ought to blush for ; and to
that extent a shrewd observer may find some
prima facie excuse for suspecting that there are
grounds for the Tory manifesto on this subject.
.An hypothesis, however, is more convenient to
us than a fact, because it leaves our course of
reasoning more unfettered, and affords room for
others, whose business lies more in action than
in argument, to save their pride while they con-
sult their prudence. Let us, then, assume on
Tory authority, that a " King's candidate" for
the place of Chancellor of the Exchequer has
actually been discovered in the person of Mr.
Herries. Mr. Herries has been brought up in
the Treasury, and is said to know something
of finance. He is said to have a certain
bias on public questions—a bias adverse to
the liberal principles of Mr. Canning on
questions of high state policy diametri-
cally adverse to the
_practical wisdom of Mr.
Canning's friend and colleague, Mr. Huskis-
son, on what concerns our manufactures, ma-
ritime interests, and commerce. Other things
have likewise been asserted of M. Herries, to
which it gives us no pleasure to allude—but let
them pass. A man of the calibre of this Right
Honourable " King's candidate" could have
done little harm in his political capacity : he
would have been controuled and subdued by
more sinewy minds. But the fatal consideration
is, that any man, be his merits or demerits all
that friends or enemies can describe them, shall
be forced into a responsible Cabinet by an irre-
sponsible power. If, according to the tale which
is circulated by these newspapers, Mr. Herries
be a King's candidate" for an office which, in
the first instance, when it was absurdly tendered
to him by a subject who spoke not the sense of
either Sovereign or Cabinet, it is strongly ru-
moured that he at once declined, then, on that
hypothesis, it is our fixed belief, that rather than
endure such anti-constitutional " dictation "
as
must be implied by such a patronage in favour of
Mr. Herries or any candidate, the most respect-
able, enlightened, and efficient members of the
existing Government of England would, one and
all, retire from his Majesty's service. We are
here stating a necessary consequence contingent
on the truth of is specific fact. The premises
are of a Tory fabric, tha conclusion only is ours.
If the King should, by some perverse councils,
administered to the. Royal ear through' holes and
crevices not visible to the Constitution, be in-
duced to make a point of doing that which his
sworn Ministers advise his Majesty not to do,
there is at once an end of the Administration of
Lord Goderich. In this condition of things it
is, that Mr. Huskisson returns to the scene
whence the friend he loved has now for ever
departed. He finds (if the Tory prints tell
truth) that Cabinet whose chief praise and
value would have been its energetic sup-
port of his own enlightened policy and Mr.
Canning's, on the brink of dissolution.—
Why ? h
Because an apple of discord has been
thrown into the Council Chamber, which, ad
Mr. Canning lived, or Mr. Huskisson been in
health and in En land, would never have been
prziduced at all. Mr, Huskisson met his col-
leagues yesterday : alas, how changed from whet
he lied honed to find them! The commanding
sinit which bad called them together gone,—
the noble and congenial minds which had met
the su
melons of their lost chief, and passed with
him 'mutual pledge of generous amnesty awl. of
no less genetoils, end manly emulation, ready to
quit the •
service in. VIIIIC• a he had engaged them,
because it
. 1411"
)ae
ceased to i* one by which his
memory could
honoured tits 44. principles en-
forced, the banai..o-
- inviolate, or the welfare Main"
of their comaiti
Country secured. Mr. Huskisson is, it is

to have the honour of an interview tHis
day with his Sovereign,—the friend, so far its
difference of rank permitted, of Mr. Huskissori's
friend Mr. Canning. The President of the
Board of Trade is a man distinguished not more
for sagacity than firmness. On this occasion at
least, we trust the Right Hon. Gentleman will
not be compelled to resort to either of his cha-
racteristic qualities. If it be, indeed, a question
between power defined by the constitution, and
power unknown to it—between agency account-
able to the nation, and agency which cannot be
called to account—between a Tory clerk of the
Treasury and the most illustrious Statesman in
the nation ;—if, finally, it be a question fairly
proposed to Mr. Huskisson, whether a " King's
candidate"—a being unknown to the history of the
Constitution—shall be forced into what remains of
Mr. Canning's Cabinet, to the certain resignation
of the Whig leaders, who alone supported Mr. Can-
, ning when those upon whom he had far stronger
claims betrayed him, .is it too much to expect
[ from Mr. Huskisson, that he will address his
Majesty in some such language as follows
" Sire, I cannot advise your Majesty to appoint
[ Mr. Herries your Chancellor of the Exchequer,
[ because a majority of your constitutional ad-
visers have formally rejected him as unfit to exe-
cute the duties of that office. Even if I could
persuade my own rnind that under such a dis-
qualification there were nothing unconstitutional
in my recommending this gentleman to your
Majesty's service, I could not shut my eyes to
the inevitable consequences—the most injurious
to the public interest—the most fatal to your
Majesty's service at home and abroad—and the
most discreditable to your Majesty's name among
your faithful subjects, and in the eyes of Europe
—the resignation of the most eminent members
of the Cabinet formed under your Majesty's aus-
pices by Mr. Canning, whose enlightened views
assisted him in suggesting, and whose manly re-
solution encouraged him in pursuing, that sys-
tem of liberal and upright policy which has ac-
quired for your Majesty more love from your
people, and more esteem from foreign Powers,
than you ever before enjoyed—the resignation of
men who rallied round your Majesty in the day
of need—to make room for a fresh irruption of
those who in the day of need deserted you

the former, the most respected class of statesmen
in your Majesty's dominions—the latter, the most
odious or despised." This is language which it
becomes Mr. Huskisson to hold to the Sove-
reign whom he is sworn to advise, whether he
regards himself as a friend to the spirit of the
Constitution—to the King's good name—to Mr.
Canning's memory—to Mr. Canning's policy—
to freedom everywhere—to commerce and civili-
zation everywhere—or to the rights, the interests,
and the glory of Great Britain.—lbid.

Upon the subject of the late alarm relative to

the Foreign Exchanges (than which nothing
possibly could have been more ridiculous), we
deem it necessary to offer a few more observa-
tions. Contrary to what has been stated by
some of our cotemporaries, the recent fluctua-
tions most certainly had nothing to do with
" the over-issue of paper," which is now some
millions below what it was in the years 1824
and 1825. The same may be said of the Coun-
try Bankers, who have narrowed their circulation
too much, and thereby cramped the enterprise
necessary to success in trade. It is in fact quite
idle to attribute the turn of the Exchanges against
us to an over-issue of paper ; and it was more
idle still in a Morning Paper to call for its fur-
ther restriction,- which would only tent to ren-
der the embarrassment still greater. It is per-
fectly well known that gold has been in such
abundance in this country for a year or more
that it has in some measure proved an incum-
brance upon commerce. The Country Bankers
were constantly sending it to London—from
London it found its way to the Continent, where
a sudden demand had sprung up for it from two
remarkable causes :—First, the short crops in
oats and barley in the last year caused a quan-
tity of gold to flow into Prussia and the
northern parts of Germany. 'The importa-
tion of oats, as every one conversant with
the subject must remember, was immense.
Hence the flight of a considerable quantity of
gold ; but the period of its return is not far dis-
tant. The next cause to which we beg to direct
the attention of our readers is, the project of the
French Minister of Finance to reduce his Five
per Cent. Stock to Four, which he anticipates
being able to effect by Christmas next. This
created a necessity for gold abroad—and, as a
considerable profit was to be realised from its
export, it has left this country in large quantities.
Nothing, however, can be more visionary than
to feel or encourage any alarm on this subject.
Our Paper Circulation now seems to rest upon
a more settled basis than it has done for many
years, and •it is worse than foolish, it is abso-
lutely wicked, to fill us with misgivings as to so
palpable a fact. The convertibility of Paper
into Gold upon demand must prevent its over
issue, and this being so, every man must know
that the business of commerce could not be con-
veniently carried on without Paper. If Gold
should really be wanted in this country—which
we deny—it will be easily obtained ;in fact it is
already fast coming back to us ; and to feel un-
easiness at the partial turn of the Exchanges is
no proof of good sense or much practical know-
ledge of the causes that produce them. 'The
panic, however, is fast dying away, and the spe-
culators,- of whom not one in ten knows any
thing about the causes of the fluctuation of the
Exchanges, will be vvofully disappointed.—
Morning Post.

Though it often falls to our lot, and that in
no Yery measured terms, to condemn the pur-
suits of too many persons of elevated rank, so
mischievous in themselves and in the examples
which they set to the rest of the community, we
have been far from insinuating that such impu-
tations attach to persons of rank in general ;
but are free to confess our firm conviction that
' instances of the highest virtue, both in public
and private life, are to be found in that quarter
where their influence is of most importance.
But while vice is bold and dauntless, virtue is,
in its very nature, humble and retired. No
wonder, then, that we see and hear much more
of the one than of the other. A most striking
instance a ttas most truly noble and Christian
conduct in a peraop pf
Ine,;11 rank is just now
before the public, which we
readily seize to pay
due homage and admiration to. ' Wry mean the
conduct of Lord Robert Seymour, in bringing
before the pi. Mic, and especially before the Le-
islature, the case 0:f the unhappy victims of
poverty and mental disease,
the horrid details of
which are now, to a certain degree at least, before
.
the world. 17141 the Noble Lord in question
no other claims to pnbAc gratitude and praise
than merely being the cause of making this
matter known, that circumstance alone would
' have entitled him to great credit ; but when,
f.om the published evidence of the Lunatic
Cominittg9, we perceive that this excell4nt

Nobleman has been long and indefatigably en-
gaged in visiting the scenes of wretchedness to
which the objects of this lowest aiid last of
human miseries are consigned; when we see that
his efforts and inquiries have extended to the
whole kingdom,—that night and day he has beers
engaged in this laudable work ; when we know,
too, that this is only one characteristic of a whole
life dedicated to doing good, and that neither
age nor growing infirmities deter him from strug-
gling to the last in favour of want and disease
wherever it is to be found,—it is refreshing in-
deed to turn for a moment both from the tur-
moils of politics, and from the panders to vicious
pursuits, to contemplate a character calculated to
enamour one with human nature and human life.

In reading the valuable but melancholy details
with which this Committee has furnished us, it
is impossible not to perceive, that had one atom
of the feeling and right-mindedness which cha-
racterises the conduct of Lord Robert Seymour
existed in other quarters, the abuses and the
hardships which have come under its observation
would either never have existed, or could only
have arisen to have been immediately remedied.
Too much, if we may be permitted to say so,
seems to have been sacrificed to professional for-
mality, coldness, and etiquette. The inspection
of medical visitors, defective as it is acknow-
ledged by themselves to be, in its very nature
and authority, seems to have been rendered still
more so by these causes ; and that which a little
of Lord Robert Seymour's zeal would either
have prevented or remedied, seems to have grown
into practice from impunity and inattention.
Happily, however, this inquiry, and still more,
the publicity which is given to its details, must
already have accomplished much good, as it un-
doubtedly will much more. The county of
Middlesex can no longer refrain from erecting
and maintaining a proper public receptacle for
the objects of this frightful disease ; and until
that is done, private houses, we have no doubt,
will be both managed and looked after in a way
they have not hitherto been,. and the lie will be
attempted to be given to the past, by eradicating
.its errors from the future.—]%lorning Herald.

We give in another part of our paper, a re-
port of the public meeting at Liverpool, in ho-
nour of the late Premier, to which we yesterday
made allusion. This meeting was held on Mon-
day,
and as might have been expected, from the
number and character of the indivieuals whose
names appeared in the requisition, was as large
and as respectable an assembly as ever took place
in that great, wealthy, and most intelligent city.
The Mayor presided, and the resolutions were
moved by Mr. Birch, M. P., and several other
of the most influential inhabitants. The speeches
which will be read with peculiar interest, are
those of Mr. Rushton, and the short address of
Mr. Courtenay ; the former in triumphant reply
to one of the silliest attempts at interrupting the
harmony of a meeting that perhaps was ever
made, certainly the most contemptible that ever
was tolerated. The gentlemen who stood for-
ward on this occasion to oppose the sentiments
of their fellow-citizens were a Mr. Smith, an
agent of old Cobbett, and a mutual friend, a Mr.
Mitchell. The charge made by these perso-
nages against Mr. Canning's memory was, that
the public taxes had increased since he came
into office from sixteen to sixty millions !
.

The Resolutions were carried with two
dissentient voices in one case, and one in
another. We are happy to find the minority of
the same character and value_ ,at. .1.4.49ra1,*041
tirmingham.. It is -quite agreeable-to eir pro-
fessions and to their conduct, for the disciples
of the crazy old man of Kensington, and the
understrappers of the Opposition, to join hands.
Cobbett has hitherto, with undeviating success,
contrived to ruin every cause which he has dis-
graced by his support. We hope he will conti-
nue to afford it to his present allies. The prin-
cipal resolution of the Meeting at Liverpool
was, that a monument should be raised to the me-
mory of Mr. Canning. This method has, we
believe, been adopted as preferable to a statue,
not so much from regard to expence, as from its
being a more open and visible expression of the
feelings of the people of Liverpool, and as speak-
' ing those feelings more directly and impressively
to strangers who may casually visit the city. The
gentlemen who signed the requisition, compris-
ing most of the principal men of Liverpool, were
appointed a Committee to carry into effect the
wishes of the meeting.—New Times.

PILCHARD FISHERY.-011 Tuesday even-
ing one of the St. lye's scans enclosed about 60
hhds. of fish, and on Wednesday morning,
another sean enclosed about 300 hhds. Consi-
derable quantities of fish are still seen in deep
water, and the fishermen still hope for a success-
ful season. The St. Ive's driving-boats continue
to take considerable quantities of fish ; on
Monday night they took 10,000 to 20,000 fish
each, and on Wednesday night they obtained
about the same quantity. One of these drift-
boats is manned by four fishermen, whose united
ages amount to 302 years. On Monday night,
they proceeded about 12 miles from laud, and
caught 12,000 pilchards. Several small catches
of pilchards have been made by the seam in the
neighbourhood of Fowey : on Wednesday night
one scan took about 26 hhds. of fish ; about 60
hhds. of fish were taken by the Lobe .sears on
Monday last, and on the same day, two sears
belonging to Cawsand took about 30 hhds.--
West Briton.

AMERICAN THEATRICALS.—The Drama
appears to be in a very flourishing condition in
the United States. New York,
a city contain-
ing scarcely two hundred thousand inhabitants,
has no less than six theatres in successful opera-
tion. To this number a new one has been re-
cently added, the most capacious and splendid
in America, and said to be surpassed by few in
Europe. Amongst other attractions the Mana-
gers have imported a first rate Coys de Ballet
from Paris. This novelty has excited the won-
der and admiration of the Yankees. Mademoi-
selle Garcia, formerly of the Kings Theatre, is
the Prima Donna of this new establishment.
Her musical talents, which are of the first order,
are said to be unrivalled in English Opera, and
her enunciation perfectly distinct and free from
foreign accent. Agents from this new theatre
have been some time in London, and have made
several engagements of performers, among whom
we learn are the following :—Miss Graddon ;
Miss George, of the Haymarket and Bath
theatres; ana Miss Fisher, from the Sheffield
Company; De Camp, Acting Manager ; Archer
and Comer, of Drury-lane ; William Chapman,
from the English Opera ; Holland, from the
Haymarket ; Fisher, of the Bath theatre ; and
Vernon, from Birmingham : besides a host of
musicians, scene-painters, machinists, property-
men, &c. &e. &c. New theatres are erecting
at Boston, Philadelphia, Savannah, and Charles-
ton, which hold out flattering prospects to emi-
grant members of the sock and buskin.