The Sun.
London, England, 1842-09-08 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

FJREST LIFE. By the Author ova " A Net, Ho me.'
Lyndon, Longman, - 2 Yds. -
'fhe writer of these volumes has aimed at giving
some amusing and instructive pictures of life in Mi-
chigan, on the borders of the wilderness. She says
nothing of Indians, nothing of the very first pioneers
of the•wilderriess ; she takes us into one of those dis-
tricts in which villages have arisen, in which some
society his been tiarmed. and some conveniences are
attainable. A Doctor is within a few miles ; it is
visited by a pedlar ; carpenters can be hired, and
will -stay when they are not wanted at home ;
and schools, according to the law of the United
States, have been formed, though the distant com-
munity still trusts to itinerant schoolmasters.
" The public square, though intended to become in
time the glory of the village, is still in a state of
nature ;" the inhabitants " are still lulled to sleep by
the plaintive iteration of, the Whip-poor-Will ;"
" they still occasionally catch the wild note of the
owl, as he chides the moon ;" and " they hear, with
ever new delight, the sweet welcome with which the
theilsand.songsters of the morning hail the appear-
ance of the sun." They might have good gardens,
but they have too much else to do. " Lilacs and lilies,
and even cauliflowers and celery are mere super-
fluities. The tomata has hitherto been consi-
dered heathenish and abominable ; asparagus use-
ful only to put above the looking-glass, as
a • fly-trap." By no other author are we in-
troduced into the domestic life of these settlers,
and made acquainted with the dangers, particu-
larly of disease, which they encounter, and the petty
and annoying difficulties they have to overcome. We
see, indeed, in a great multitnde of books, a rough
outline of savage wildness, yielding in places to a
rampant civilization ; we see utter destitution gra-
dually becoming great abundance, first of food, and
afterwards of comfort we see the beginning of a rude
log-house and we see afterwards a flourishing city; hut
this authoress.takes us into the log-house and into the
improved dwelling which afterwards arises in its neigh-
bourhood, and shows us the minute and daily, cares and
troubles which fill up the settler's life in the early stages
of the transition. This minute information is conveyed
in a pleasant, agreeable manner, very often assuming
the form of a tale
_; is mingled with much philosophy,
and enlightened throughout by quiet, steady, kindly
mi feeling. The book is occasionally de a little tedi-
ous by over many remarks. Sfre di not like the
Sibthorp correspondence, but, on the whole, it is
much to -our taste, and will bestow on unsophisticated
minds considerable -pleasure, mingled with much
information. We have no doubt whatever
that the book is written by one who has sojourned for
a. considerable period, and is probably now a so-
journer, in the regions she describes. If they be
peopled by many more such accomplished and gentle
persons—and sfie records numerous traits of ster-
ling virtue—they must speedily become conspicuous
for refinement, as they now are for offering a com-
fortable home to all, those who can reach them, en-
dowed with heitlth, strength, and the knowledge of
some useful art.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR—The report of the proceedings at Guildhall,
respecting my charge against the Licensed Vic-
tuallers' Protection Society, for having denied the
payment to me, on behalf 'of Mr. Ibbotson, of 25., as a
fee for entering the name of my master, as an appli-
cant for a servant, is likely to do me injury unless you
give an explanation. The Magistrate refused to go
on with the case, as he decided he had no jurisdiction,
as pressed by Mr. Wire. As I did pay the fee it is my
intention to summon the Secretary for the amount. I
paid, and. I have no doubt of being able to prove cir-
cumstances, there to be adduced, to show that though
no receipt was given for the money I paid, the prac-
tice hitherto, that I have a claim against the Society.
--I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

GEORGE SMITHERS.
Black Boy and Horse Shoe,
Nicholas•lane, Sept. 7.

KENT HOP IN

MAIDSTONE.—Picking is now proceeding in good
earnest, and in many places the hops have come down
so fast that the pickers have been forced to strike off
in the middle of the day for want of sufficient drying•
convenience. The sample is said to be generally ex-
cellent, and much fewer complaints of lightness are
heard than might have been expected.
WATER' NGIIUR &c.—Picking has become gene-
ral in this neighbourhood, and most of the growers
speak of the growth as answering their highest ex-
pectations. The quality is spoken of as very fine.
Some few have been packed, and the hops are light in
weight compared with the number of bushels. The
general estimate of the duty is about 145,0001.
HORSMONDEN.—Picking has progressed sufficiently
now to enable an opinion to be given concerning the
duty, which we consider at present too high. The
samples are very good generally, as regards condition,
and all our best grounds are excellent. It will be
the, very best growth that has been experienced for a
very great many years, and it will be the planter's
own fault if he does not obtain remunerating prices
this year, for he may not have as good a chance again
for some years to come. It is considered here that
135,0001. will be the outside of the present duty.
NORTH lAM.—The picking has partially commenced,
but the hops do not seem to come down so well as was
expected. _ _ _

WINDMILL HILL, SEPT. 2.—Hop picking is become
general in our plantations, and a few pockets have
been sent to market. The planters now find that
there is not the crop that was anticipated, and that a
large hole is made in the grounds for but few hops;
the sample is good, and it is expected that the picking
will be sooner over than was at first imagined. ' Hel-
lingly, Heathfield, Dallington, Ashburnham, and
Ninheld, are in the same position. The duty is still
thought not to exceed 135,0001.

FEMALE DEALERS IN CORN.—An ancient custom
prevails at Chartres, the largest corn market in France,
with the exception of Paris, the women invariably
acting as the sole agents in the purchase and sale of
corn. The market is worth a visit for the sake of see-
ing the operations of the women, to whom is confided
the entire duty of measuring the corn, delivering it to
the buyers, receiving the prices, and paying over the
amount to the sellers. These women are more ex-
pressively than elegantly termed, " Leveuses de culs-
de-poche ;" poche, in the dialect of La Beauce, sig-
nifying the sack in which the grain is brought to
market. These women form an organised corporation,
which has existed for several centuries. They enjoy
a reputation for the strictest integrity, which is indeed
sufficiently attested by the fact that the whole transac-
tions of the market are entrusted to them. Nor are they
under any surveillance ; the buyer and the seller alike
put implicit confidence in them. The latter, when he
has pitched his corn, leaves it entirely in their hands,
goes about his business or pleasure in the town, and re-
turns in the evening to receive the amount of the sale,
without making any inquiries, or taking any frrther
trouble about it. The confidence placed in the honesty
of these women, and the importance of the charge con-
fided to them, may be estimated from the fact. that ten
thousand quintals of corn is by no means an unusual
quantity to change hands in one market day at Chartres,
the whole of.which is invariably disposed of fur really
money, paid on the spot.
SUICIDE IN TILE SERPENTINE.—Yesterday morn-
ing, at an early hour, a person of gentlemanly appear-
ance, was seen to throw himself off the bridge of the See-
pentine, in Hyde Park, into the water. The men be-
longing to the loyal Humane Society, on recalling in-
telligence of the suicide, commenced dragging for the
body, and about five o'clock they succeeded in finding it.
The deceased, whose name is unknown, was taken to the
receiving house of the Humane Society, and medical as-
sistance was rendered, but life was found to be quite ex-
tinct. The deceased appears to be 40 to 43 years of age,
stout built, and about 5 feet six inches in Insight, and
was dressed in a black coat, black silk waistcoat, dark
trowsers, and Wellington boots. his appearance denotes
that he has movod in a respeotable sphere of life.
FATAL. ACCIDENT ON TILE RIVER.—Yesterday
evening a lamentable accident, attended with loss of
life, occurred on the river, nearly opposite Ro th er-
hithe, as the Waterman steamer No. 2 was proceeding to
Woolwich. A vessel called the Eden,
from Newcastle,
Just cast :anchor at this spot, the Captain was
boutliav
ig
to proceed on shore in the long boat, and in the
act of crossing the river, the boat, which also contained
three sailors, was struck by the prow of the steamer,
and immediately swamped. The four p_ersons strug.
gled for some time in the water, until several boats
put off from shore and succeeded in saving the three
Isla)
oi lsotrsim,mbuedit we
immediately regret to state that the Captain sank al-
) after the collision, and never rose
more. The engineer of the steamer saved one of the
sailors at the risk of his own life.
TituNDER-STORM LAST NlGllT.—Yesterday even-
ing the metropolis was again visited by a thunder-storm,
which, during the time it lasted, was severe and appall,.
ing. In the early part of the evening dense masses of
clouds appeared approaching from the south and west, at
which latter point of the horizon, shortly after dekk, the
lightning became most vivid and incessant. About a
quarter before eight o'clock the rain came down stiddenl
in torrents, which was accompanied by incessant flashes
of lightning, of a pale blue colour, and loud peals of
thunder. The lightning. throughout the whole duration
of the storm,was most awfully mill and intense. Shortly
after nine o'clock the storm abated suddenly, passing off
in a north-easterly direction.
DISTRAINING FOR RENT.—Speaking of Turkey
Gays the New Orleans Picayune,) we heard an extensive
tale yesterday. It was told us by the doctor. A man
up town, on going to dinner a day or two ago, found a
magnificent turkey, weighing fifteen or twenty pounds
smoking hot on the table. As he happened to recollect
that he had himself purchased a pair ,a ducks in the
market that morning, he began to wonder how they,
became transformed into the dish before Ben,
said he to the boy waiting upon him, " where the devil
did this turkey come from ?' " Why, sa," said Ben,
" dat ar turkey is been roosin' on our fence dis three
night, and dis mornin' I seize him for de rent ob de
fence ?" A great nigger that ? We have a shrewd
suspicion that he understands the WY* Of TINteY much
better than his roger,