The Express. — London, England, 1858-02-06 00:00:00

1 1 j ; LITERATURE. The !finely Retreat : or, a Year is Beregal before the Matiaies. By Two Sums. In two vols. London : Richard Bentley. When a young lady likes to make herself agrec able it is by no means difilcult for her to succeed. If she talks we are entertained, if she dances we are charmed, if she sings we breathe - diviner air In some loft heaven of joy beyond the raw of are. That Eastern beauty who, to save herself from the bowstring, told her lord and master a fresh romance every night, had not a very hard ink after all. Let a woman but be simple and natural, and true—or at any rate let her have the art to appear such—and she wields • fascination to which the strongest of the opposite sex must quietly submit. This truth is exemplified in the book whose title we have placed above. Two sisters go out to India—take • journey often taken—tell ua nothing new—meet with no striking adventures—present no flattering portrait of Indian society, but one quite the reverse I and yet, owing to the thoroughly unaffected account they have published, we must candidly conf ess th a t "The Timely Retreat" is one of the pleasantest books of travels we have read for some time. Tacit= asks—the reader of the " Germania" will remember the passage—" Qua purr,: prefer periese luna Aorridi et synoti maria Raid out Afrseel out ItatiJ relieto Germanism peteret r Our Two Sisters, anticipating u question of similar purport, very candidly enlighten us OA to the object of their journey. London being empty, and Paris—hear it, indignant France, and pardon the audacity of two British maidens—" growing dull," it occurred to Nora and Maude " that we two might ran out alone overland to India ; take a peep at Keith (be it re membered Keith is their brother) and the country, and be back in no time." No sooner was the b liant idea conceived than it was realised. It was in November that the Indian scheme was contem plated. " Before February arrived we found our selves the fortunate possessors of fifty-three dresses each '!!" After this we are not surprised that the company's charge for extra luggage was 121. Gaily our heroines started from Southampton on board the Ava, with a sketch-book and a journal as big as a ledger. At Malta they went on shore early to practice with their pistols ! "We acquitted our selves, we were told, with great credit." Elated with this praise Mande boldly affirms of the I vexes, woman to be the better shot. "I always," she writes, "see that ladies when they do shoot seem to find it easier than gentlemen, as from not drinking wine or smoking they have • steadier hand and a more correct eye." At Valetta they go out on a watering expedition, dressed in brown hats, dark skirts, and loose scarlet flannel jackets. Maude thinks her dress very becoming, but as she pares the saloon she hears a gentleman exclaim " I can't stand this—let me away ; let me away before I get burned up." Yet our heroines are very models of pro priety. They stop away from a grand concert at Ya letta,to which their cousins pressed them to go, "feel ing dubious as to whether the age and standing of these youths entitled them to act as chaperones." At Cairo they joined an expedition to see the pyramids and the Sphynx. " Fortunately for Nom and I, we had had some little practice in sitting sideways on a gentleman's saddle." At Suez they End the advantage of travelling without a gentle man. Every . gentleman, writes Mande, feel bound to ass ist ladies. " whereas if you have a gentleman with you people look on grumpy and never think of helping you, however much you may require it, because that would be aiding him, which they do not care to do," and yet with this care, se they voyaged down the Red Sea, they encounter terrible calamities. Nora mimes " a complete set of hair cushions and rollers, together with two love) plaits of hair, which she h:.l laid in to against the possible ravages of fever on her tresses." Then the wonderful journal was not to be found. " No wonder I flew on deck in despair, to commu nicate my loss to Non , and would not be consoled by the offer of some gentlemen to recover the book at any price from the thieviv Arabs, on condition that they might read it first. Then there were the cockroaches, of enormous size, and in • rampant state of hunger and liveliness. At Ceylon the ladies have a pic-nic, and nearly lose the steamer in consequence. At Madras they refuse to go ashore because the rue was so still! At Calcutta they are hospitably entertained and make preparations for their journey to Meerut, a distance of nine hundred miles, which they do under the gaardianship of an ayah strongly recommended fur her English— that ' English being limited exclusively to the phrase, "My darling child." They are not sorry to leave Calcutta, where conversation is chiefly " civil or military shop," and at no place do they seem to have met with many congenial spirits or much to have enjoyed themselves. The first few days, when they had joined Keith at Meerut, " were unparalleled for dullness and gloom." But in time they found society, and had dinner parties and balls. At the first of these fes tivals the two sisters created quite a sensation by wearing on their white shoes cherry-coloured bows. This was the beginning of a long controversy.. We need not add the ladies persisted in wearing them , " both because we liked them, and also had the au thority of our Paris shoemaker for doing so." Here unfortunately Nora falls ill, and this necessitated a journey to the hills, where they have a fancy ball and the areal scandal, as naturally as if the scene had been not Muasoorie but Mayfair. They exchange this for • shooting excursion in the interior of the Himalayas. Even here we have the femi nine regard for appearances. "So the muslin ends of the pugheree which hung down the back were ornamented with little red stripes, which Keith declared would scare away all the game." This wild life seems to have suited the sisters, though " One day, when we were singing as usual, we were startled by Keith's voice behind us, exclaiming, 'No wonder the Fame is so scarce. if that howling is going to continue, you must let me get an in front'—an impertinent remark which of course only made us redouble our vocal efforts." But at length the time came for the ladies to return. Keith accompanied them as far as Delhi. " One or two days in Calcutta were spent in a whirl of visiting and shopping," and in six weeks they were at home —and lodic, " but as a vision of the past, to be dis carded as • nightmare,always excepting the glorious Himalayas." Well may they call their retreat a timely one. Within a month of their return home the mutiny spread far and wide, " and wrapped the peaceful scenes of our late wanderings in a sheet of flame." Chormiont. A Tale of the Groat Athenian Revo lution. By EDRAID A. Lurnsm, M.A. In 2 vole. London: Bradbury and Evans. This is a bold attempt, and, to a certain extent, a successful one. If it be true, as Sir Lytton Bulwer remarks, that with the dewiest age we have no household and familiar associations—Abet to oar northern imagination the creed of that departed re ligion—the customs of that past civilisation —pre sent little that is sacred or attractive ; such tale, ss " Charmione" can never hope to win a very wide spread popularity. Mr. Leathern has been happy in the choice of his subjects ; for assuredly the most sallied page in Athenian history is that which fol lowed the battle of Arginuare, where, for neglecting to rewne the eurrivors, or to collect the bodies of the dead for burial—at the bidding of the fierce demo cracy which then ruled in Athens—the victorious generals were compelled, unjustly, as most histo rians think, and Mr. Leathern agrees with them, to drink the fatal hemlock. One of these was Peri cles, the son ef the celebrated statesman of that name, and of the equally celebrated Aspasia. The story, which opens with the death of his father, turns upon his love for Cbarmione, and terminates with his untimely execution. Mr. lAmtham's ClAO deal lore is more copious than his knowledge of that mystery of mysteries—woman. One may have studied the digamma, mastered Bancrit, discovered perpetual motion, or squared the circle, and yet he shall be but a very child to any woman of wit who bas had her &cultic* sharpened by a season or two in town. Charmione had been almost brought up with Pericles ; he had long been a suitor of hers; she had rejected him when flushed with honours and clewed a general by universal suffrage ; she had listened to his passionate pleading with indif ference ; and yet we are asked to believe that this indiffrennee suddenly is turned into the moot THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 6, 1858. intense love, merely because Pericles had i rescued Charmione from danger. Real in difference the indifference of Charmione not the indifference of a beauty oonacions of her power, and after all ready to say " Yes" when the heart that adores her has been sufficiently tor mented —cannot give way to such sudden ardour as Charmione exhibits for Pericles. Be this as it may, Mr. Leathern has worked up into his story almost all we know of the domestic life of the Athenians, with a minuteness and fidelity satisfactory alike to the lover of fiction and of fact, Indeed, after all, " Charmione" is more of a history than a romance; but it is a history with its pictures well brought out, so sa to catch the eye. Perhaps the sentiment here and there is a little too modern ; and when the author has done his best, we feel that the picture is of the past—that the warm breath of life is not there—that if it be Greece, "it is living Greece no more." We do not impute this to Mr. Leathern as a fault ; he cannot avoid it ; it is a necessity from which even riper scholars and men of loftier genius than himself have not been able to escape. Our schoolboy habits sit too strong upon us. We can not realise the fact that the Athenian maids had teeth of pearl, and coral lips, and thick black hair, and bright dark eyes, such as are seen in England at this present day. The Greek term for love we have to hunt up in the dictionary ; bat the English reality we discover in a much more agreeable manner. Ho wonder, then, that the one seems to us so cold and unreal—that it seems to us hard to believe that the Greeks had hearts much as ours. Still it is true that Helen laid " old Troy " in ruins, and that Al cibiades, ages ago, on his way home from the Dy-' onyria, might vow to some tender Ismene or An tigone that he loved as man ne'er loved—just as Brown or Robinson did but last night on his way home from the pantomime, with the object of his affections leaning on his manly arm. But we must not leave Mr. Leathern without one extract. We will give of dark eyes, end the mattering of bright thought, snit well with the flatterfag gra of this adornment. There is an other reason elan why ladies with quick tad sbxeric eyes (the Homeric 4raoutnnier) should wear their tamer in ring lets*, roving freely as muck before the face as poribr. For their dark and dangerous gleam are thus sent out like the shot of a body of tirailleurs trout a thicket • and the power in both cases being but partly revealed, and more than half °marled, strikes with a more startling effect than a fore that mantle distinctly before us, and can be measured by inches. lint it is unnecessary to pursue this illustration further. The Instinct of women, nukes when perverted by some tyrannous fashion, will generally lead them to a fitting decoration of their fair forms, as surely ea a poetical genies will lead • poet to choose that sort of measure which is most suitable for the special inspiration by which be ie permed. Lives of the Primo Ministers of England, from the Restoration to the pr esent time. By J. Houston 13nownE, Esq., J ., B. Vol. L London : Thomas Cantley Newby. Mr. Browne gas been some time collecting mate rials for his work. He tells us the reacting of Mr. McDiarmid's most interesting book, and Mr. Forster's masterly biography of " Statesmen of the Commonwealth," and some other collec- 1 flocs of inferior note, induced him to think of a series of " Prime Ministers" as long ago as 1840. After eighteen years of preparation we ought to have had a better book than Mr. Browne has given us. The principal figure is Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, a man whose portrait has been rawn by better artists than our author. Of Thomas, Lord Clifford ; of Thomas Osborne, Earl of Darnley ; of Arthur Capel, Earl of Essex, we know little and care to know little. If Mr. Browne continues, he will have some enviable opportunities for bold and vigor ous character painting. But he must put a great deal more life into his succeeding volumes than he has into his first. Mr. Browne's language needs very careful revision. What does he mean when he tells us " Clarendon was to accomplish threats to the Queen ?" Dangerfield, we are told, " had a plot to discover and a revelation to make. Such imple ments, like love, laughed then at locksmiths." Sketch of . the History of Currency, comprising a brief review of the opinions of the most eminent writers on Me subject. By JANES MACLAREN. London: Groombridge and Bona. We have the authority of Mr. Gladstone for stating that the currency question is a source of 'insanity. If this be so, can we recommend a work upon the subject? Certainly there is nothing in Mr. Maclaren to bring about so undesirable a result. A shorter sketch would have been clearer, but—with the exception of Harriet Martineau—who, since the days of Adam Smith, has written upon such subjects as are discussed by Mr. Maclaren, without being dull ? Our author begins with William the Conqueror, and closes with the last commercial crisis, and quotes at some length the opinion of every writer of note on the subject. His own opinion appears to be, that the Bank Charter Act is in defeasible, that oar rulers are about to enter into a course of doubtful, perhaps hazardous, legisla tion, for the purpose of preserving the mercantile community, and that there is another section of society at this time menaced with loss of property through a defect in ►he currency, that is, through a change in the standard of value. Mr. Maclsren contends that we must follow the example of Hol land. Immediately that the fact of a great increase in the production of gold was established, the government of Holland discarded gold from its currency. TA. Pen, a. Palm, and the Pulpit. By JOHN STOUGHTON. London : Ward and Co. - - - -- --- Mr. Stoughton, at the autumnal meeting of the Congregational Union, held in Cheltenham, read a memorial of illustrious men connected with the county of Oloucester. The three selected were Tyndale, the translator of the Bible; Hooper, the martyr; and Whitfield, the popular preacher. Thew sketches are mere outlines, but they are agree ably written. ADVANTAGES OF THE SENSE OF PAIN.--Sir Httm phry Davy when a boy, with the defiant constancy of youth which had u yet suffered nothing, held the opinion that pain was no evil. He wee refuted by a crab, who bit his toe When he was bathing, and made him roar loud enough to be herd balls soils off. If he had maintained instead, that pain wee • good, his doctrine would have been unimpeach a bl e . Un less the whole constitution of the world were altered, our very existence depends upon our sensibility to euffering. An asseedeb which is quoted by Dr. Carpenter in his " Prin -I=Human Physiology," from the " Journal of a st," shows the fatal effects of a temporary suspen sion of this law of our nature. A drover went to sleep on a winter's evening upon the platform of a lime-kiln, with one leg resting upon the stones which had been piled up to burn through the night. That which was gentle warmth when he lay down became a consuming lire before he roes up. His foot was burnt off above the ankle and when, roused in the morning by the man who superintended the lime-kiln, he put his stump, unconscious of his misfortune, to the ground, the extremity crumbled into fragments. Whether he had been lulled into torpor by the carbonic acid driven off from the limestone, or whatever else may have been the cause of his insensibility, he felt no pain and through his very al eruption from this lot of humanity expired a fortnight after wards in Bristol Hospital. Without the warning votes of pain, life would be a aeries of similar disasters. cn to the lasting detriment of chemistry,en might have eato l 4 the future Sir Ilutophry's foot, while he was swimming, without his entertaining the slightest suspicion of the ra vages which were going on. Had he survived the *Orin from the crab, he would yet have been cut off in the morn ing of his famous career, if, when experimenting upon the , the terrible oppression at his chest had not warned gases to mese inhaling the carburetted hydrogen, nor, after a long struggle for life, would he have recovered to say to his alarmed assistant, " I do not think I s h a ll die." Without physical pain, infancy would be maimed, or perish, before experience could inform it of its dangers. Lord Kairms advised parents to cut the lingers of their children " cun ningly" with a knife, that the little innocents might aro data suffering with the glittering blade before they could do themselves a worse injury ; but if se smart amomparted the wound, they would cat up their own fingers with the same glee that they cut a stick, and born them is the candle with tits same delight that they burn • Ore of paper in the in. Without pain, we could not proportion one adione to the strength of our frame, or our exertions to its powers of en durance. la the impetuosity of youth we should strike blows that would crush our hands, and break on: arms • we should take leaps that would dleloals our limbs ; as no longer taught by fatigue that the =Wm needed repo.., we should continue our sports and our walking tours till we had worn out the living thane with the same unconscionaness that we now wear out our coats and our shoes.—Qoarterk Serino. FALSE VIEWS or lam—There are still some writers who will speak of as corrupt and organ avaricepreeske_ of se a of substituted by and worldffeeme for • sad of ail organised sys tems of religion am spirited efielehoome ; mad it • melan choly truth, that wickedness mad flay consiettly supply evidence in support of such amesetions. Their real refutation lies in an appeal to a:perigees. The slightest acquaintance with any one sphere of active life overthrows them at once, end satisfies say moderately candid mind that, whatever may be the confusions and oontredictione of human sflairs, they are regulated, in some way or other, by laws and principles which no one can afford to neglect, or wan to misapprehend. The Mlle experience will, in most cases, go further, and con vince thaw who obtain it that, apeakiac vary broadly, ao ciety is right and not wrong on these relit*, and that pm. tier or theories which can only be justified on the opposite 'opposition are ipso forts refuted. Practical eceptkiam has never exited to any considerable extent exoept amongst peo ple who were isolated from their kind by ease, or maddened by wrong and suffering. A careless Bohemia who stands aloae in life, who has no family, no particular calling, good health and lively Uinta, may mock at the world and its ways, or, if he is sulky, may turn simieu e t and cares it; and the sense disposition will be found Is ri ven more or Me be other classes of society in exact lion to the degree In which their members stand aloof from the real business of life. If, however, • men hes to keep • shop, to follow a profession, to insane an NM% to bring up • family, or to carry on the business of the world in any other department, he finds at ones that he must either mismanage and abandon It altogether, or take up with the ordinary principles, vulgar as they may look, sad absurd and worn out se he may have thought them,—jedi e . burgh Review, new number. " ENLIGHTENED " ORIENTALS. Our mar In dealing with Orientals is always one and the seas If • man evinces nom of superiority, we posh him k t h before end beyond his age. The late ruler of Zanair is probably as shrewd and enlightened • prince as Arabi& we produced, yet we overrated his powers. A beautififf model of • steam-engine was sent out from England ; it was allowed to rust unopened in hie stores. Like all Orientals, he was " ever surrounded by an odious entourage, whom he consulted, trusted, and apparently preferred to his friends and well withers. He believed ffrmly in the African fetid', and in the Arabian filthier power of metamorphosis; he would never Bog • Magmas, or medicine man, nor cut down a " desire tree." He sent for a Bhaykh whose directs were cele brated, and fastened the paper with a silver nail t o th e door way of Colonel Hamerton's sick room, thereby excluding evil spirits and the ghost of Mr. Napier, who had died in the onnaulate. He refused to aft for his portrait; even Col. Sroyth'ii " History of Haight-errantry and Chivalrous Cha racters" failed to tempt him—for the European peasant's reason, it would take away part of his life. When " chl g miryy " was explained to him , he remarked that only the Siel (low fellows) interfere between husband and wife. His favourite axiom—a fair test of man's mind —was, that " Mullahs, women, and horses never can be called good till death ;" meaning, there is no knowing when they deceive. The Societe Royale des Antiquaires du Nord sent him their diploma; he refined to belong to • body of gentlemen who robbed graves and snatched corpses. The census of Zanzibar being proposed to him, he took re fage with Allah from the sin of numbering his people. When tide-gauges were sent by the Geographical Society of Bombay, he observed that " the Creator had bidden the ocean to ebb and flow—what else did man want to know about it Such was his incapability of unde rstandtna European affairs, that until death-day he believed Loafs peilippe to have carried into exile, as he himself would have dew. all the fiesta and the public treasury of the realm. =lnez be could never comprehend a republic—. who the stick?' Yet, peace to his soul Ihe was She model of Arab princes ; • firm friend to the English aillan, end a great admirer of the " Malikat el Asuuneh," taw most gracious Majesty Queen Viotoria.---Captain Burton in Blackwood' s Magazine for February. GOSSIP WITII A MEXICAN fixtrosit.—She was a handsome dark-eyed girl, and rather handsomely dressed ; the peculiarity consisted in letting her rich black hair fall to her want wholly unconfined by . comb or ribbon ; most girls wear it bound up, and with • y in of gold, if they possess as much wealth, peening through holding it. But the more had not judged ill ; and the grace with which she dung back the dark trews from her forehead and from the nem katydid around her throat, such as dark-haired Aries low to nee, was a charming individuality that harmonised with her rare archness and laughing yet eager curiosity. "Mates* V.," said she, offering me • chair ma I entered the verandah arise unsaddling my horse. We soon fell into ceriverestion upon my day's journey and the terribly unpro nounceehle name of the last village, and the flowers she was =l, freshly plucked from among a myriad of blame= ' urt—the Portugal or Sore di Fella (as she called it), and the rose, the Clore di Castilla. Some dull visitors then ease in and broke up our Masi-tett ; but after chocolate, the delicious chocolate, served up in the tiniest mugs of porcelain, as if any more of each deliciousness would be overpowering, we sat and talked and talked. The Senora man know more about me; was I really Yngka and not Prams t Certainly I was. And had I ever been at Lou' doa ? Oh yes, lived there all my life. And the Palacio di CANED°, was it mucho gran&," and at Hyde Park, was it not? and who could h av e thought it would be moved elsewhere and made "macho ms grinds." And England wee sot a republic, we had a Rana, and what was her naras, and was she " bermes " (beautiful) ? To all this I answered very loyally, sad the Senora expressed her ad miration of a country governed by a beautiful Queen who could not oppress you if she would, and would not if she could. Then Prance, that was not a republic now, it had an emperor • was he not related to "el grand. Napoleon." Yea, I said; be has been President, and behaved like a scoundrel, and made himself absolute; but such things take place so often In Maxim., that my little bit of political morality was quite thrown away on the fair senora. And there was an empress, was there not, a Caatillian lady, and was she, too, beautiful, and had I seen her? Yes, she ems " mucho, macho hernia & ; " I had seen her myself, so there was no mistake. The senora larked proud of her country woman. And were the English Christian. f Yee, said I. Ah, that was better then the Americana, they were not Christians, they were anything; and how many brothers and sisters had I, and how many of them were married, and was I married myself I' No, senora, I never was at Eguala before. And how old was I, and what was my birthday. and who was my patron saint? The lad was more than I could say. Oh, she must know • there was an almanack somewhere; so after due examination it turned out San Herculano was my patron, at which the senora laughed a good deal, m I take it be is a saint of small account, and the senora hand could not have told me much about him. However, I promised, in memory of he r to build him • chapel—in Spain, of eourse.—Pressr's Ilagazine for Feb ruary. SURGICAL PRACTICE AND MUSKET PRACTICE. —We will hazard an anecdote of one who was at the time a simple assistant-surg:aon of as retry, which, without any tinge o f th e 'antique" or heroic," in the epic minas, will yet serve to illustrate our meaning. We wiß vouch for its authenticity :—" Doctor, dear," quoth • wounded light-bob, with pure Miledan ao• actuation, in whose arm—his horses bridle over his own— a dismounted compatriot of the medical order, was repairing as best he might, a gash from a cuirsaaier's sword, by the side of a chemises In Flanders; "Doctor, dear! make haste! there is French skrimmagers in the wood." Piet I ping ping !in undoubted confirmation. " Ah. steady, Pail steady, we'll make a neat thing of it before they de bauch now." Mount I doctor, dear, mount and stick in yer spurs. I can see bag -nets above the bushes, and, raiz : this elisseoorm is on us in a crack." And the man of the musket jumps up, and runs for the dear life—email blame to him—in the direction of a patch of tall standing rye "con. vaynient," for • hiding place. The discomfitted doctor sweeps his instruments into the one, drops the case into the mbretash, mounts his active little rat-tail, and spurs—not up the chaurie , e but a ft er the fugitive light-bob, i n mag nificent contemp t of the rattling invitations to stop from the firelocks of the Chasseure de la Garde. "Here! you sir, Murphy I Patrick 1 what's your name ? Stop, air I stop seoundred I step, thief I " rears the pursuing " For Lairm," said he, afterwards, " would you believe it ? scal was running into the rye with my best surgical wan sticking in his right arm! "—De&is University ifigasiow for February. THE SERMON AND THE PREACTIER.-1.11 It lively, familiar, striking discourse, the clergyman described a scene of which he had been witness the previous week—the execu tion of • horse-stealer after assizes. He described the man and his previous good character, his family, the love they bore one another, and his agony at parting, from them. He depicted the execution in a manner starting, terrible, and picturesque. He did not introduce into his sermon the Scripture phraseology, such as Harry bad been accustomed to hear it from those somewhat Calvinistic preachers whom his mother loved to frequent, but rather spoke as one man of the world to other einfd peeps who mot be likely to *profit by good advice. The unhappy man just gone had gun as • farmer of good prospects ; he bad taken to drink ing, card-playing, horse-racing , cock-fighting, the vices of the age ; against which the young clergymen was generously indignant. Then he had got to poaching, and to horse stealing, for which he suffered. The divine rapidly drew striking and fearful pictures of these rustic crimes. He a his hearers by showing that the eye of the law was watching the poacher at midnight, end setting traps to catch the criminal. He gallopped the stolen horse over highway and common, and from one county Into another, but showed retribution ever galloping after, seizing the malefactor in the country fair, carrying him before the justice, and never un locking his manacles till he dropped them at the gallows foot. Heaven be pitiful to the sinner I The clergyman acted the scene. He whispered in the criminal's ear at the cart. He dropped his handkerchief on the clerk's head. Harry started back as that handerchief dropped. The clergyman had been talking for more than twenty minutes. Harry could have heard him for an hour more, and thought he had not been five minutes in the pulpit. • • Parson Sampson formed the delight of the entertainment, and amused the ladies with a hundred agreeable stories. Besides being chaplain to his lordship, he was • preacher in London, at the new chapel in May-fair, for which my Lady Whi (No well known in the reign of George left an y endowment. He bad the chomest stories of all the clubs sad coteries—the vary latest news of who had run away with whom—the last boss ma of Mr. Selwyn—the last wild bet of March and Rockingham. Hs knew how the old king had quarrelled with Madame Walmoden, and the duke wee animend of having • new love, who was in favour at Carlton House with the Princess of Wales, and who was hang het Monday, sad how well he behaved in the cart. My lord's chaplain poured out all this Intellige nce to the amend ladies and the delighted young provin cial, seasoning his oonvereation with each plain terms and liv ely jokes as made Harry stare, who was newly arrived from the colonies, and unused to the elegance* of London life. The ladies, old and young, laughed quite cheerfully at the lively jokes. Do not be frightened, ye fair readers of the t day I We are not going to outrage your sweet or cell blushes on your maiden cheeks. But 'Us certain that their ladyship at Castlewood never once thought of being shocked, but sate listening to the parson's funny tales, until the chapel bell, clinking for afternoon service, summoned his reverence away for half an hour. There was no sermon. He would be back in the drinking of a bottle of Burgundy. Mr. Will called a fresh one, and the chaplain tossed off • glass ere he ran out. Ere the half-hour was over Mr. Chaplain was hack again bawling for another bottle. This discussed, they joined the ladies, and a couple of card-tables were set out, as, inde4 th famieywas;ingmed Madame for many hours . everyt de Bernstein y, atwhichthecold beat of the any one of olk at *qua, and there was only Mr. Chaplain In the whole circle who was at all • match for her ladyetiip.—The Vie/raises, No. 4. MODERN BURLESQUE.—Let any one, for example, who has undergone the penanoe—and it is no alight one—of going to ese the burlesques, which, either alone or as in troduction to pantomimes, are filling the West-sod theatres, ask himself if they are exhibition which be can with pro priety take any woman or child to witness. The sickening vulgarity of the jokes, the slang aftsiens the use of w wels and phrases unknown in the vocabulary et ladies and gentle men, the Meals of associations white are all but sacred, the ="searkeenres gay prisms, the exhibition of tir skis la seMismse any Minis flar the poses p i dLeisamernipme—aboveall. the nay In which young senuess are mods to swg and do dings which must destroy every shad al Nothely mg Mika in them, make them burlesques Ternideua alas le and audience. WYE, too, as we generally irk they lee based upon some drama or ram that is havered by every masociation with which genius and art as fawn V, nos assuscapt and disgust which they provoke in all educated ma Inevitably recoil upon the theatre where they are pawated. How should it be otherwise ? If the stage has • poem at all, it is to ele vate, not to debase ; to lift the real towards the ideal, not to drag down the ideal into the any mire of a sordid reality. It la meant to educate, not to persist ; and if the character of the audience declines whereC ails ie presented, who can he sasprind? What cradle day if, with such pieces to bara premmt,r F even actors of ability dagemsrate.—Frattr's Nage -1 sins ebrua-T. Prrfe LAST WORDS.—An undue importance is often attached to the incoherent ramblings of eminent men upon their death-beds. It seems certain that Pitt died with little warning of his danger, and that his mind was in a lethargic state, with occasional delirium, for some time be fore his death. The story of his palliation:duration, which has b een denied, is, however, in • certaisteenee, well attested. Lord Malmeebory states that Lady Malmesbury maw Pitt's physician. Sir Walter Parquet, three days after his death, and received from him an account of hi s last hours; and that almost the last words he spoke intelligibly were these, to himself, and more than once repeated—" Oh, what times ; oh, my country "—Edinburgh Bevisso, new number. SCIENCE AND ART. XENTINOS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. Monday.—Britiat Architect*, B.—Geographical, B*.—" Journey from Little Namaqualand, eastwerdalong the Orange River, the Northern Frontier of the Colony, &e., by Robert Modiett."—" Route by the Riven Waal, Ba nns, and Curial, to the Gold Fields and Carats]," by Sir W. H. Holmes and Mr. Campbell.—Preparations for the Deferents of the Livingstone Expedition. Theiday.—Bro-Egyptiazi, 7i.—" On the Cylinder of Tlgleth Pilaw end Notice of a Slab lately brought from Koranjik, illustrating some Perigee in the Book of Amos," by Mr. Hark.—" On Egyptian Mythology," by Dr. Jolowica. Institution of Civil Engineers, B.—Disenasion " On the Methods generally employed in Cornwall, in Dron ing Tin and Copper Ores," by Mr. Henderson.—" On Sub merging :Telegraphic Cables," by Mr. Lcmgridge and Mr• Brooks. Zoological, 9.—Scientific. Royal Institution, 3. " Animals and Plants conaidered Morphologically," by Pro helot Huxley. Wednesday.—Graphic, 8.-11 B.—Annivereary —Society of Arts, B.—" On Steam Cultivation," by Mr. Clarke. British drobisological Association, B}.—Adjourned Discussion "On Roman Horse-shoser On Aglets," by Mr. Coming—" Notes on a Visit to the Roman Camp, at Ardooh," by Mr. Nacintyre. Thuisday:—Royal Academy, B.—" Architecture," by Professor fimirks.—Society 'of Antiquaries, B.—Royal, —" An Account of some Relent Researches near Cairo, undertaken with the view of throwing light upon the Geolo gical History of the Alluvial Land of Egypt," Part 2, by Mr. Horner. Royal Institution, 3.—" On Heat," by Pro how Tyndall. . .P6day.—Astronoulical, 3.—Anniversary. Royal Insti tution, 811.—" On Btatk Induction," by Pro/want Faraday. Satorday.—Royal Institution, 14.—" On the Elements which circulate in Nature," by Professor Blomin. The tenth annual exhibition of inventions in con nexion with the Society of Arta, will be opened on the 6th of April. In July next an examination will take place of candidates for the dvil eervioe of the tut India Company. Government (eaye the .Alhenceuni) has determined that a scientific exploration shall be made in Vancouver's Island, and with this view the Royal and Geographical So cieties have been requested to furnish suggestions for the efficient carrying out of the expedition. Mr. Macdow ell's large statue of Lord Fitzgibbon has been erected In Limerick, on the bridge which Sp= an arm of the Shannon. Prince Frederick William of Prussia has given Mr. Ernest Elect a oonuniasion to paint a large picture of Windsor Castle. Mr. W. N. Sainsbury, of the State Paper-office, has discovered in that repository of original documents some important Ruben' papers. Mr. Sahmbury is arranging these papers for publication. Colonel Baird Smith, whose eminent services at the siege of Delhi have just been rewarded with • Com panionship of that order of which Colonel Phipps has been made • Commander, is • eon-in-law (says the Literary Gazette) of Mr. De Quincey. The friends of Dr. Livingstone have asked him to meet them at dinner at the Freemasons' Tavern, on Saturday next, to receive their farewell. Sir Roderick Murchison preeidee. Dr. Livingstone, our readers are aware, has been appointed H.B.M. Consul for Quillimane, Sena, and Tete, on the mat coast of Africa. The iron steamer in which the expedition will ascend the Zambesi river is to be taken out in pieces on board the African packet of next month, and prepared at Quillimane for the voyage. Since the lit of January last an illnstratedjournal in the Arabic language has appeared at Beyrout. The reader will see from our report of the proceed ings at the Westminster Police-court yesterday, that the Earl of Suffolk has discovered the whereabouts of the valu able paintings stolen from Chariton Park in 1866. The thief proves to be a romeenger in the War-offioe, who was for merly valet to his lordship. further additions, by purchase, have been made to the National Portrait Gallery. They consist of a small crayon drawing, in full colours, of the learned Elisabeth Carter, the lady who translated "Epictetua," taken at an advanced age by Lawrence ; • life-sized portrait of Sir Wil liam Chambers, the architect of Somerset House, being the first example of Sir Joshua Reynolds ; a large picture of William Sharp, the distinguished engraver, from the pencil of Londe!' ; and a small oval picture representing Captain Cook, and taken by Webber, the draftaman to the expedition, at the time when the ships were refitting at the Cape of Good Hope. Fox, the martyrologist, alto on a small scale, and authenticated by the well-known engravings, has been pre sented to the gallery. Yesterday evening Dr. Lankester delivered a lecture, " On the Drinking Waters of the Metropolis," to • numerous audience, at the Royal Institution. The quantity of solid matter per gallon to the New River water is 20 grains, in River Wandle, l7 'grains, whilst the contents of - the — water of theTU=B4l;mb' at different times from 15 to 115 grains. The chief petit to which Dr. Lankeeter drew atte.nti , ci connected with th e drinking waters of the metropolis was the Impurity of that drawn from most of the street pumps. Spring water when drawn from deep wells sunk through the olay into the chalk, is more free from organic matter than the river water, and is unobjectionable u a beverage; but the surface wells, sunk only into the clay to the depth of about thirty feet, contain a large amount of impurity of a my suspicious kind. A table wee ex hibited presenting the results of analysis of the water from most of the inert pumps of the metropolis, which showed that even the freest from impurity contains a large perdu of solid matter. The water supplied from the Thames is now of much purer quality since the water companies have tskes their supplies from above Teddington Lock ; but it is still fez from being in the state of purity that Is dasirahle.,Dr. Larikeeter recommended that drinking water should be boiled, bat If that were objected to, filtration effected a great improvement, and when properly constructed filters are used the water is practically pure. TEI VAILIET-PLACE AT Having refreshed himself, he dlied . f;tl: Into the long =space whose the daily market was held, sad sun der Moe, wide-spreading plane-trete which Milton planted, and among the altars and statues which had grown up with them and the growing greatness of the republic. His motions plainly indicated that he was in search of some body or something; and as he approached the various quar ters of the market which were devoted to the sale of parti cular articles, he was welcomed everywhere by a chorus of eager voices soliciting him to Mate, inspect, or buy. Thus, he had hardly entered the crowd when he was stunned by an explosive shout of— " Onions I colons! buy onions. Excellent sweet onions. Here you are, my lord." " Yes, indeed ; and I wish I were anywhere else," said Theramenes, with an oath, an an odoriferous bundle was thrust within an inch of his nose. So he clapped his fingers he that sensitive organ, and fled into a crowd of house lintakende--if the term be admissible in default of house wine—sauntering along among the crockery-stalls in search of pots and pens, and mournful-looking personages selecting vases and Musa of terra-cotta, to bury with their friends. " Aay ptpkina, sir?" inquired a brisk little tradesman. "Pi r exclaimed his next neighbour; see'st thou not that my lord is labouring under inconsolable *Motion P Allow me to recommend to thee this elegant hydria. How most such • gift be to the dead and the vendor C t v e d d a sympathetic sigh, which seemed to come from the pit of his stomach. D—n the dead" growled Therm/ems, as he escaped a the myrtle stalls. ,la riere, here, mister:" scrammed • shrill female voice. " I know what you're running after. Here's • beauty !" and ahe held up to him a busby myrtle crown. Theramenee shook his head it was another sort of crown he wanted. — " - iiTioVranta sanasges d la Alcibiades? let him hire sae ?" I " Who wants mullets n la Salamis ? kt him hire ere I" " Who wants salads, sweet as cheesecakes? let him hire we !" shouted three lusty cooks in ons breath, from behind parapet of saucepans, stewpana, and every kind of pans. With a vigorous charge, Theramenes took the parapet by storm, but found he had only jumped from the frying-pan into the fire, for a sneaking-looking rascal of a slave-dealer glided up to him, and whispered in his ear — Look, look, my lord What think'st of that? I know Theramenes loves a plump cheek, and here's one after his own heart;" and he pointed to the round form of a captive girl, the child of some Peloponnesian lady,whom the cruisers had carried off from her home. " A perfect Rebel a perfect Bibs !" mid Thersmenes, ea he bustled away. " Now for Msza 1 Now for Hasa!" sung • chorea of bakers, end Theramenes squeezed with difficulty by the wicker booths of the bread-sellers. " Excellent growth, sir I beautiful Tinter, sir l" said a wine -merchant, with a huge senspl•-akla tucked under his arm. " Let me recommend this Chian. It in the mum ef summer sunbeams." Theramenee extracted himself bon the poetioal huckster, and harried on. " Would my lord be persuaded to anent his graceful looks with one of my unguents?" smirked an obsequious mer, who looked as though he were made of the stuff he perfu sold. " Here's Nardinum, and Metopium, Amarscintun. Here's Cyrinum, Jeinninum, Susinum. Here's Megalettium, Me do= and Crocus oil—beautiful Crocus oil, inimitable Crocus oil—Not Then try my Dupe mats. Hue's—" " Here's my man," chuckled Theramesten to himself, as the portly form of Thrasybulas protruded itself from a hair drawer's hard-by. "Any money to-day, Them:penes?' whispered the banker, rising from the table where he wag counting and weighing his drachmas, and catching his victim's robe as he hurried past. " Interest only twenty per cent." " Another time, most generous Chrywitenes," said Thera room, with a quiet end polite wave of his hand, " Boalnees pro" "Charmione" may be read by men of the world, who have lost a little of their college Greek, with infinite advantage. 77ea History of Court Pools. By Dr. DORAN. London : Richard Bentley. - - Dr. ]loran's books are to be read, not criticised.. They all bear great traces of research, industry, and, we must honestly add, bookmaking ; and contain much laborious trifling, much instructive matter, and much pleasant reading. This last book of the doctor's seems principally founded on the " Oeshichte der Hof Barren," a book, we imagine, more ads_ pted to the German than the En g li s h palate. We confess to being of the opinion of Sydney Smith, who maintained that there is more and better wit now than there was in the time of the ancients. We have seen smarter epigrams than Martial's, and have read in Punch jokes equal to anything in Athenimis or Apuleius, still, inasmuch as 'Dr. Doran gives us a glimpse of a life that is past, we thank him for his picture. The history of human folly is a subject too gigantic for any single pen. We must be content with sections, and Dr. Doran has done his part after his wont. We would only add one query—How is it that under the head of " Princes who have been their own Fools " we have only ten pages? On Beauty : Three Discourses delivered in the Uni versity of Edinburgh. With an Exposition of the Beautiful according to Plato. B JOHN STUART Buena,uen Professor of Greek in the University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh: Sutherland and Knox. Next to killing a lie, perhaps the greatest diffi culty in this world is in establishing a truth. The true doctrine of the Beautiful, uttered by Socrates on the banks of the Ilissus—preserved in the subtle dialogues of Plato—had almost died out from among men. The stern protestantiam of England and Scot land, especially in the latter country, saw in all art remains of popery, and abhorred it u an unclean thing; and as our philosophers—each as Locks, and Alison, and Jeffery—robbed beauty of all its divinity, what wonder is it that it was sacrificed to the sordid worship of Mammon ? In earnest and elo quent language Professor Blackie claims for beauty the homage of the world. In these lectures he attempts a philosophical analysis and scientific classifica tion of the main elements of the beautiful in nature and art, and shows that its foundations are laid deep in the human mind. "If there be one subject more than another beyond the strict line of his techni cal teaching which a professor of Greek learning is bound to understand, that subject is Beauty," writes Professor Blackie ; and to the dismission of his fa vourite theme our author brings a vast store of knowledge, a habit of logical th in ki ng , a rare feli city of utterance, and a mind sympathetic with beauty In its every form. That the professor can be chatty and amusing as well as eloquent and phi losophiesl, is clear from the following extract, which we make—let us hope they will appreciate our at tention—solely for the benefit of the ladies : NOW LADIES !MOULD DREEP THEIR HAIR. IR heir and in Inir-dressing also, there has a great ektment of , which few woolen are so stupid as not to know how tow agrze v e tt i La to dies of a quiet disposition tad a calm maw, ylf the gentlemen of their se x th e y can add • sedate dignity, having also a good forehead and reale, should dress their hair very simply with a smooth un adorned braiding, for thus the pure statuesque character of their beauty will come forth with a more undisturbed totality ; W symerany of form, combined with a chaste serenity of logneeks and • (nodal dignity of gait, will exercise an easy sway over all beholders. On the other hand, females of pat vivacity of spirits, and mobility of explosion, should IMO* hair now loose in free curls or eaglets ; the flashing NATIONAL OALLEBY AND BRITISH MUSEUM. This morning wee jawed, an a return to an order of the Howe of Commons, further correspondence relative to the National Gallery and British Museum. At the desire of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, Sir B. Hell forwards to their lordships the following ap proximate estimate for enlarging and improving the National Gallery upon the Trafalgar-square site, as proposed, by add ing the site of St. George's Barracks and fit. Martin's Work house 1. The reinstatement of the barracks. 2. The reinstatement of the workhotuie buildings, including Archbishop Tennpron's School and Library. 3. The reinstatement of the Bathe and Wash-houses. 4. The construction of a suitable building for the Royal Aoademy. 6. The construction of a buffeting for the National Us/key upon the enlarged trite, including the alteration of the exist ing buildings. The estimated cost of the works herein enumerated is lye hundred thousand pounds. In the return are also printed the following resolutions passed at a special meeting of the standing committee of the trustees of the British Museum, held on the 22nd ult., sum moned to consider certain statements and suggestions re specting the want of space in the Museum. The committee having bad under their consideration the report of the principal librarian, dated Nov. 10, 1867 Resolved,— " I. That it appears from such report that there is a great deficiency of space at present fur the proper exhibition of the different collections in the different departments of the Museum, and that there is no vacant space now belonging $o the trustees which will be sufficient to provide for such defi ciency._ "2. That in providing an adequate epace for that pur pose, it is very desirable to contemplate the future and pro gressive, as well as the actual and immediate requirements of the British Museum." The above resolutions were carried unanimously. It wee farther moved " 3. That it appears to the trustees that the but mode et providing for such present and future requirements will be by adopting the plan submitted by Mr. Smirke for the pur chase of land to the north of the museum, as contained in the report of the principal librarian. . . "4. That, in the opinion of the trustees, even if the in crease of the collections which are under their care should at some future time make it necessary to transfer any of those collections to some other place, the land of which the pur chase is new recommended must always be of great sad peculiar value to the museum. "5. That such plan, together with the present resolutions shall be laid before her Majesty's ministers, with the view oi requesting their concurrence therein, and their recommends tion thereof to the consideration of parliament." The foregoing resolutions, Nos. 3,4, and 6, were carried by • majority of 7 to 2. . -- Lord John Rummell moved the following amainlien, as an amendment to resolutions 3,4, and 6 " That it appears to the trustees, that the mode of provid. ing for such requirements, pointed out in the letters of Mr. Sonr . ke to the prhnipal librarian of the 9th of November and 9rd of December, deserves the serious and early considera tion of her Majesty's government. " That such plan be laid before her Majesty's ministers for this purpose." This resolution was not carried. On Tuesday next the Chancellor of the Exche. goer will move in the House of Commons for a select com mittee " to inquire into the proposed sites for a National Picture Gallery, and into the plans for enlarging the British Museum." MUSK' AND THE DRAMA. The Bohemian Girl is to be produced this evening et her Majesty's Theatre, under the title of La Zingara. The mat embraces the principal members of the company— Piccolomini, Bonnier, Belletti, and Giuglini. A portion of the music has been rewritten by the composer. _ _ On Monday week Mr. and Mrs. Barney Wil liams will return to the Adelphl, Mr. Webster, Madame Celeste, Mr. Wright, and Mr. Paul Bedford departing on a provincial tour. - The second anniversary festival of the Dramatic, Equestrian, and Musical Sick Fund Association is an nounced to take place on Ash Wednesday, February 17, at Willis'. Rooms, when Mr. Benjamin Webster will preside. Madame Schumann, it is said, is coming again to England for the season; also Ray Joachim. The Austrian papers mention that Signor Piatti has been giving concerts at Vienna with great success; also M. Rubinstein and Herr Leopold de Meyer. Herr Hiller is to conduct the Whitsuntide festival at Cologne. The remains of Lablache will shortly be removed from Naples to Paris, to be intoned beside those of his wife, when a solemn requiem will be sung in the Church of La Madeleine. A correspondent of the clamour/ states that Lablache is understood to have died in opulence, leaving behind him a fortune of upwards of 60,0001. SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY. The performance of Blijah List evening drew one of the largest assemblages we have ever seen in Exeter Hall. This oratorio never fails to draw a crowded audience, for It now rivals in attraction 77e Neenah itself; and ever since its first production has been more and more attractive as it has become better and better known to the English public. It is to the English public, indeed, that it is better known than to any other ; for Mendelssohn, like Handel, is much better understood and appreciated by us than even by his own countrymen. Last night a greater than usual amount of vocal talent was engaged in the performance. The part of Elijah wax allotted to the young singer, Mr. Bentley, who has so rapidly gained • • high rank in hie profession. Madame Clara NN was the soprano; Mr. Sims Reeves (who seems perfectly recovered from his recent revere illness) was the tenor, and the contralto part was sung by Miss Dolby, with the addition of Miss Palme r when a second contralto was necessary. Mr. Santley, by his per formance on this occasion, lost none of the credit which he had previously gained. Ile sang as purely and beautifully u we expected he would do ; but still (as we had also expected) the part was too arduous for him ; he was unable to sustain throughout the grand and lofty tone which the character of the inspired Prophet demands. In this re spect he fell short of Weiss, to whom, however, he was not inferior as • singer ; but neither of them have come up to the original representative of Elijah, Staudigl, who has not been equalled by any of his iruccesurs. Madame Novell°, Mies Dolby, and Reeves sang magnificently. The choruses and concerted pieces were given with peat power and beauty ; and the performance, on the whale, was effective and satisfactory. REIGATE ELECTION. The nomination took place yesterday, in front of the Town hall. Sir henry liawlinson was proposed by Mr. P. Martin se • thorough liberal,whose views on our Indian empire, though much criticised, were wise and statesmanlike. Mr. Job Apted seconded the nomination. Tke Hon. W. J. Monson was nominated by Mr. G. C. Richardson, as • liberal, and seconded by Mr. J. &cols. Mr. F. West then proposed and Mr. Bonk brieffy seconded the nomination of Mr. I)oulton. Sir HENEY Rawtmeori first addressed the electors, but he wee received with • good deal of disapprobation. He said he WA in favour of the ballot, and thought church rates a violation of religious equality. He would promote army re form. His opponents had twitted him upon his opinions about India, and all he could say was, that they Mould remember that he bad lived to the coun try for thirty years, and that many of those who took exception to his views evidently knew very little about the matter, and could hardly tell the difference between an Indian and a Chinese. He had had the most familiar inter coms with the people of that country, and for a period of three years, upon one oposaion, he did not hear a word of English. He was aware that what he had said had attracted some obloquy, but he would not retract a word of it, and time would show whether he was right or wrong. He had bean amend of framing views to meet the wishes of the govern ment, but be knew that what he proposed was mat die• tasteful and obnoxious to the government, because it would tend to diminish their ipatronage. He objected to their scheme because it would giva them a much larger share of patronage than they at present possessed, and which he did not believe they would exegetes properly, and he was desirous that every appointment in India should be open to public competition. The Hon. Mr. hfomeos next addressed the electors. Hr. Dot LTON then spoke, advocating parliamentary re form. He remarked that if they bad vote by ballot at the present election, Sir Henry &MUMS would not poll more than 18 or 20 votes. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) He had gone into house after house during his canvas, where the electors had told him that they dared not vote as they bled. (" Shame," and Mao of " Name, name.") He did not ex pect however, that Lord Palmerston would propose the ballot. The show of hands was in favour of Mr. Doukas, end the polling takes piece to-day. The E. A. COMMENCEMENT AT CAMBRIDGE.— Kr. Blesser, now a Fellow of Queen's the Senior Wrangler of this year, and First Smith's is • North Briton, or In common parlance, a Beckham.. arm born at ituthen, in Aberdeenshire, end no doubt had a good hard Scotch training ; his Moeda, we believe, MAE rea at Glasgow. Cambridge was not the first English University he came to ; he entered himself at Kin's Collage, London, in 1849, and graduated there in 1853, when he obtained the highest mathematical prize. He then came to Queen's Col lege, Cambridge, where he matriculated in 1854. Queen's, which had not had the Senior Wrangler since 1834, has now had that honour two years running, and the members of that college talk very stoutly of having the Senior next year also. It is also most gratifying to observe, that in the list of Wranglers, there are three natives of Cambridge, and singu larly enough, their urines appear in 11110061/011, thus : 11. Prior Trinity. 12. Lucas St. J0121'.. 13. Hewitt Emmanuel. _ _ _ All three, we areMic;rtrieil, were educated at the Parse Grams mar School in this town. —Canibridg e harp, mien t. VACANCIES, APPOINTMENTS, AND PROMOTIONS, IN THE CIVIL Szavice.—The Royal Household: The office of one of the gentlemen of the Chapel Royal has become vacant by the death of Mr. William Salmon.— Cu: Mr. Andrew Burnett has been promoted from tide -survere at Waterford to tide-surveyor at Plymouth; Mr. Witham Hoyle has been promoted from assistant tide-surveyor at Grimsby to tide-surveyor at Waterford; Mr. Oeo. Fuller has been promoted from first-olsee tidewalter at Cork to asaiatant tide-surveyor at Grin:dbl.—lnland Revenue Department Excise Branch Mr. William R. Calvert, examiner, has been appointed supervisor of Hanlon district, Belfast ool kedon ; Mr. John lellonald, °Hoer of Coldstream divialon, H ji ggi ng t en collect:Mu, has been appointed officer of Port Ellen first division, Argyle collection, Coldstream division belagdiacontinued. Mr. Alfred Michell, officer of Fordintt bridge second division, Sarum collection, has, by be mate of the 28th ult.,been appointed officer of Belfast fourth division, Belfast consodon.—Rest Indies: Mr. C. B. Seendsre him beam appointed principal assistant to the agent Llenteasat-Oovsnor of the north-west provinces, end to have charge of the Delhi and Paneeput district, with the ex ception of the Ramat Perrunnah ; Mr. W. Clifford has been appointed a personal assistant to Mr. Saunders. Sir T. J. Metcalfe, Bart., and Mr. C. J. H. Richards'', have been appointed assistants to the agent Lieutenant-Governor of the north-west proviace&—eiwil Service Gautte. CROYDON Clinacti HATE.—On Tharsdny evening a wall-attended and enthusiastic meeting west held in the Lecture-hell, Croydon, to listen to an addreee by J. Carvell Williams, F.sq., of London, on the subject of church rates. The chair wee taken by The. Aloock, Req., M.P. for Bret Surrey. The chairmen in his address expressed his hope, es a churchman, that this unjust and unnecessaryimpost would soon be totally abolished by act of parliament. Mr. William then addressed the meeting, and in an able, effective, sad humorous speech reviewed the principal points of the church , rata controversy. The lecture was arranged for by the Local Church-rate Abolition Committee, who intend to case a vigorous opposition to the levying of any more church rates in this populous parish. F . wii La ab, Et Egg vet illisi all i The be the trot Pat troc