The Sun. — London, England, 1846-12-26 00:00:00

ICILY NIATIMETB. SMITITFIELD.--Meadow Hay, 215 s to 31 17s ; Clover ditto - 3/ 5s to 4/ 165 ; and Straw, li 8-3 to 1/ 12s per load. Trade dull, at our quotations. CUJIBERLAND. —Meador IL:3', 2/ 8.; to 41; Clover ditto, 3/ 8s to 41 15 a; an d St raw , 11 8 s t o 11 12 s p er l oa d. A limited supply, and a sluggish demand. WitrrEcitAi.sr--Meaativi Ilay, 21 5s to 31 15s; Cloves ditto, 3/ 83 to 5l; and Straw. 1/ 8s to 1/ 12s per load Supply moderately good, and trade dull. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, RECEIVED THIS DAY. BETTING AT MANCHESTER.—FRIDAY. A blank day. HUNTING APPOINTMENTS. Shropshire hds., Mon., Hawkestone; Wed., Child's-wood, Ercall ; Fri., Berrington Village--i to 11. Brighton hrrs., Mon, Patcham ; Wed., Racecourse; Fri., Dyke--i to 11. Crawley and Horsham lids, Mon., Holmbush ; Wed., the Cock, Southwater ; Fri., Handcross Village—i to 11. Brookside hrrs., Mon., Newmarket Hill ; Thurs., Tels corn be -tye--10 Dorrington hds. ' ' Mon., Wiverton Hall • Wed., Chaddes don Hall ; Sat., C oleorton Toll-bar—i to 11. Essex Union lids., Wed., Tiptree Windmill; Sat., South- Minster-101. Quorn hds., Mon., Shearsby Inn ; Tues., Charley Inn Mill. RAILWAY RETURNS. RAILWAY TAAFFIC.—The following are the Total Receipts of Rail- Ways for the past week—that is to say, up to the date to which th e r e , Peetive returns are made, together with the receipts of the same week in the previous year:— Week ending NAME OF RAILWAY. Last t i • week. r, Dec. 18 17 22 20 A £ - 175 479 464 608 603 553 568 189 214 - 456 3,039 2,20 9,005 7.036 613 - 426 - 1,905 1,784 784 GBO - 112 1,124 - 17,366 17,355 - 979 36,582 34;741 644 644 6,003 ~01s 5,703 5,516 - 844 7,688 7,356 17,929 16,231 1,278 1,717 410 1,263 1,038 1,095 - - 5,769 - 4,6'26 495 421 1,648 948 6,361 5,451 553 -- 1,251 1,162 679 583 5,142 4,757 Ar broath and Forfar ••••• •• • • Chester and Birkenhead. •• •• • • •• •• • 0 üblin and Drogheda. • •• •• ••• •• •• • Dublin and Kingstown •• •• • • • • • • • Dundee and Arbr0ath.............. Durham and Sunderland .•• .. Edinburgh and G1a5g0w........... Eastern Counties and North Eastern. East Laneasihre •• •• ........ • •- . Eastern Union •• •• •• •• •• .. •• •••• • Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr -• • • Glasgow and Greenock •• • • . • • • • • . • Gravesend and R0che5ter............ Great Southern and Western Great Western, &c .. • ....... ........ ' Hartlepool ......................... London and North Western, &c..— • . London and 81ackwa11.............. London and 8right0n ......•........ Londoa and Croydon ... ..... Londod and South Western Manchester, Bolton, and Bury ...... Manchester, Leeds, and Hull Assoc•. Maryport and Carlisle • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Midland, Bristol, and Birmingham.. •. Newcastle and Carlisle • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Newcastle and North Shields.... Newcastle and Berwick • • • • • ....... North British • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Paris, Corbeil, and Orleans.. •••• •••• Pads and Rouen. •• •• •• •••• •• •••• Preston and Wyre•• •• •• •• • . Sheffield and Manche5ter............ South Eastern and Branches .... •... South Devon• • ...... . •• • ........... Tatl' Vale • ..... • • • • meter . ........ York and Newcastle . .. •...... York and North Midland... .... A DIATRIBE ON BOXING-DAY. The denizens of this great leviathan—London—the B abylon of the nineteenth century—were never blessed 'ph a fi ner d a y th an thi s —b r i g h t, c l ear, b rac i ng — a Yto knit th e h uman f rame w i t h i ron t h reads, an d to u tt -ghten and warm the heart—a day, coupled with the 1 0 1, 1 nory of yesterday, t o w i n men f rom t h e s i n an d woe shjthe past to gentler aspirations—ki n d ness , good-fellow ,,Pt charity I London seems mad on such a day as this ! quite mad ! ere's n o t a noo k, or f rowzy court or alley, whose ` l tid vapours, in the warmer season s , l oa d th e a i r w ith P f ,Ltagion and death, with direst fever s , b u t p o urs frus to-day its myriads, anywhere, everywhere. Cie crime -stained, the virtuous—for virtueis not wholly risked from the dirtiest nooks—and the sickly, leave t b the nonce their plodding way of life, and hurry into t Z t !ride s t ree t s an d m i x w i t h t h e t h rong. 'Th e well -0 l ea Maid of all work—too often th e h ars hly ruled er British slave—the apprentice, the errand boy, and rest of the domestic fraternity, find at least, after rtelr useful toils, a day without alloy, a respite from the zours of th e kitchen and household affairs, from the 4 1 2 and the street—and sally forth, decorated to the b l .`,of their a bility, t o ma k e th e b es t o f i t , an d I °e, to " spend their hard won penny fee." ih er °se of other trad e s and occupations, f rom th e sma ll . ave-Reper to th e ver i es t cos t ermonger , t a k e ease t o -d a y, litsLlell the s t ree t s an d p u bli c -h ouses , or —f or t h e pu bli c 11 , is turning another way—take advantage of the s e a : v l "al exhibitions—those which, being free, truly.d.e tali: the appellation—and with their wives and families their refining influence. We passed by many $ it Yi and, measured by those who passed in the brief th pa_ ee of a minute, how many would visit them in ;cours e of the day! the Thames was alive , too ; the "silent highway " is - no small number trona the crowded arteries of the ` r owded city, for the cheap boats along the whole t°ll ,rse they run were liberally patronised. its'reenvvich, London's nearest " watering place," had sprinkling of visitors, and the suburbs, which do I n ;ear a very inviting aspect at this time of the year, :°_!( d charmingly to day, for troops of young and old, "Ichildren released from school, made them merry. Truly this is a national holiday —a supplemen -7 "11 day of res t, which, like yesterd ay , b r i ngs kin used together—lets the anvil cool, i n order that - "No who toil at it from year to year m ay make-merry and holiday indeed ! which sets the toil- Wor n by unanimous content and approbation free, and Who, by boisterous mirth, provokingly uneven gaits, tied communion too frequently with their " mother earth," testify their respect for such occasions, which , unhappily, too raro. LITERATURE. IenEATISE ON THE STAMP LAWS. By 4h Tilsley, Assi,tant Solicitor of Stamps and Tales. ou r a have much pleasure in calling the attention of tle 4l rt eressional readers to this publication, by a gen and a n Peculiarly qualified, by his official position to p,,exPerience, to render a work of the kind valuable pr a -le ° of business. The almost endless points of limetiee. which arise daily in the o ffi ces of solicitors, co ,. which are generally the subjects of inquiry and t s _usultation at Somerset House, evince the necessity fol ' s uch a work by a competent hand. Theb book before us appears to embrace the whole Y of the law of stamps, comprising statutes whose lame is Legion, and a review , very full and elaborate, Where any importance or difficult seems to re quire it, of all t h e have from time to time occupiedcases whic h the attention of the different Courts. The constantiv recurring subject of probate and legacy duties •" c opiously, the present state of the law treated somewhat be developed by leg al ralating to it, 8 ° far as it may be said to decisions, being lucidly deduced and orpha ned - . The generally, by its classificatio n and arrangement, l l Peeuliarly adapted for facility of referenc, a e i r _ ' ll nutance in no slight degree enhancing its value and utility to practical men. The tables collate the meal 11° Ie of the present duties payable in the United Ri n g . I embodying in the most convenient form, partica illira both a s t o d u ti es and exemptions, collected, and r ere tcrtfre to be sought out from a host of Acts of Par. lotoient to whi c h re ferences are made. The care and *hour bestowed upon the work can have been of no ( C hi ar amount, and the result cannot fail to be acceptable to the profession generally. tito It IIA.IMOUGHT SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL.— The soli of r ?f this noble charity has recovered a legacy of 600/., whtch the society had no information until three years after the d em i se of the benefactor, a ca pt a in of a mer e it ship, —Nautic a l Standard. t o GREAT BRITAIN STEAMER. —We are enabled ann ounce that the di rec tors have finally abandoned all ic,o'll aeon of attempt i ng to ra i se . t hi s ill-fated vessel, ha y ell a lett er to that effect, addressed to our talentedo f b i — unn, Mr. Matth ew Stead, in which the ingenuity lai n ' Plan Was ack now l e d ge d, Captain Claxton, at the e tune stating it to be the 412th received by them,— e a Town b u Messenger. anti R l: Mix AND HOLYH EAD PACKETS. — Th e Dublin Ate ° l Yhead Rail way C ompany are a bout to build four w lt a h r° ,',llacket s to run to and from D u bli n , in conjunction " l toe railway. They are to be of first - rate desig ns, vessellls order to encourage competition, and secure good Pre ni i„'2 11 e1 hav e most lib era ll y d e t erm ined to offer a th e , 0 7 1 ,. 13 f 1.0004 to the b u ild er o f t h e b oa t which, in with th e -s i e Z i ,;welve m on ths, makes the quickest passage Will be ' Eille at amount of repairs. Of course the boats W °f ir ° ll e r - - Nautical Standard. We hav e ed in oitlyertofiorrets a .letter from Rome of the 11th : just passed a dreadful night. The rain fell , with lightning and thunder. The Tiber Part s . "Pi its banks, and inundated the city in many de atr o „ In the vicinity large quantities of corn are a rc " e u, whole flocks have perished, and several persons said to have lost their lives. The waters of the Tiber are now returning to their bed." ti n , k e ren acres of land, in Hermiston, sold on Friday night last for 95/. and a second lot of ten acres t 'r 84/ per acre, le • Per acre. The North Wood at Ingilby, contain einllinety acres, was sold the same evening for 4,000/ cola Mercury. stel'°ltElGN CATTLE.—The Sir William Wallace to alter, arrived at Blackwell from Boulogne, has brought co lther entire cargo of liv e cattle comprising forty-two 'l B and 600 sheep, th e pro d uce of France. 'MCC D o. inENT.—An aged man (name unknown), sup to be a resident in Maiden-lane, Battle-bridge, tilaran.l.,ast night run over by a cab, the driver of which wm , 'LI out t. O he asleep at the time. The injured man e c — e ,„Pftasing along Maiden-lane, and the horse was pro- N o "`ng at the moment of the accident at an uncontroled eof 12 miles an hour. Mr. Benjamin Gardener, of ti c T ai ngton Gravel-pits, happening to be passing at the and e l to comp any with his wife, witnessed the accident, co P.ursued and bvertook the cabman, who seemed un hrlalous of what had occurred. The injured man, from c a b mouth blood gus h e d profusely, was placed in the „,,_! and conveyed in a speechless state to the nearest -"‘'.,glent hospital. There was no policeman near. an ,T ALL INTO A SEWER.—On Christmas-eve as a A namEd John Phelps, living in Lant-street, South • * was returning home through the Borough Mint, With a d in _ goose that he had provided for his Christmas Pole beine• th e worse for liquor, he reeled against a r i ;' . le placed Co guard an opening into the sewer, and fell He was e x t r i cate d w i t h di f fi cu l ty. a_ P etitions ar e being-numerously signed i n Li nco l n, v,,Lor d Palmerston, pr a yi ng th a t th e G overnment will o r 0 1 :apt to negoc i ate with France for justice to the Q ueen Wi leite and her subjects.--Lincoln Mercury. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY. TIMES.—The political and commercial interests con necteri with the establishment of the principal lines of railway on the continent of Europe are of such imoort ance to the independence, security, and prosperity of the states through whose territories these lines may pass, that the subject deserves more notice than it has hitherto received in this point of view. The effect of railroads in England has been to concentrate the resources of the kingdom, and to give a greater energy to our naticnal unity; but the system is interrupted by our coasts, and our insular position relieves us from the necessity of closely investigating the consequences of rivalry or con nexion with the railroads of adjacent states. On the continent, on the contrary, it is obvious that the position of railways with reference to the population and the go vernment of foreign states is a matter of the greatest moment. A common interest has suddenly commenced between countri• s which view. d one another a few 3 ears ago with jealousy or indifference; and, again, a new source of rivalry has sprung up between other commu nities, hitherto united by the closest intimacy, which is already leading to political consequences. In central Europe the construction of railways involves not only questions of domestie, interest, but of foreign policy. Russia and France may, from their territorial position, construct their most important lines without much reference to ths policy of other states ; but almost all the other lines of Europe are parts of a great whole, not subject to the same pelt tical authority, and the real termini of all these lines may be said to lie in some foreign territory, since they are incomplete until they are prolonged to the sea. Three great longitudinal lines of railway are now partly opened and in course of construction between the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean or the North Sea and that of the Mediterranean. The first lies entirely within the terri tory of France, and will pass, when it is completed, from the ports of Havre and Calais, through Paris and the centre of the kingdom, to Marseilles. The second line, and that which is by far the most advanced at the present moment, extends from Hamburgh to Trieste; and some of our readers will perhaps be surprised to learn that, with the exception of about 160 English miles, this line is already open to the public. From Hamburgh to Berlin the line is now completed, which unites the capital of Prussia with the principal port of Northern Europe. From Berlin it proceeds to Leipzig and Dresden, where it is interrupted by the unfinished portion of the road between Dresden and Prague ; but, passing more to the east, another line now open extends through Breslau to Ratibor to Olmutz, a distance of about forty English miles, the line is as yet interrupted. But both from Prague and from Olmutz the great Northern line of Austria takes up the traffic, and conveys it through Vienna, and thence by the Styrian line as far as Cilly, in Carinthia. Cilly is about 120 miles from Trieste, and at no distant period the whole of this line will be completed. These two great trunk lines are wholly under the control, the one of France, the other of Austria, Prussia, and the North German states. But in the meanwhile a third line of the greatest importance to centtal Europe has been formed, and in great part opened to traffic, starting from Ostend, Antwerp, and the Dutch ports, and pro ceeding (though at present with several interruptions) to Basle. There it stops for the present, but it is pro posed to connect these Rhenish railroads by a branch through Bavaria and Wirtembere• with another line which would pass:along the vall e y of the Middle Rhine from Lan dau on the Lake of Constance, through the cantons of St. Gall and the Grisons, to I)issentis. In the vicinity of that place a passage of the Alps, said to be practicable by a tunnel of two miles and a half long, has been sur veyed, by which the road would emerge in the Val Blegno, and descend to Lugano, where it would unite with the railroads of Piedmont, and proceed either to Genoa or to the branches which may hereafter be formed in connexion with southern Italy. The physical obstacles to this lino are probably not greater than those which have been surmounted by the boldness and skill of the Austrian engineers in carrying their line through the valleys of the Styrian Alps. The more serious im pediments which may retard the execution of the scheme are of a political nature, and it may not be without interest or utility to point them out. It is a matter of vital interest to southern Germany to open a line of railway communication with the Me diterranean coast, and it is no less important to Pied mont to have this line connect Genoa with the north of Europe. Both the states of the Zollverein and the Court of Turin have everything to appre hend, and nothing to gain, from the competition of the great lines of France and Austria, shackled as they are by the duties and formalities of the prohibitive system now in force in those countries. But, on the other hand, France and Austria are naturally disposed to view with no little jealousy and alarm the project of a railway connecting so many of the freest commercial states of the continent, and establishing a direct communication between the whole of Italy and the Rhine. The minor Powers which are especially interested in the promotion of the scheme, namely, Piedmont, the Swiss Cantons, and the southern kingdoms of Germany, are, perhaps, deficient in financial resources and political vigour to carry it into full execution; but it concerns their inde pendence and their future prosperity not to allow it to be sacrificed to the rivalry of their more powerful neigh bours, and especially of Austria. The Austrian Go vernment are resolved that, if they can prevent it, northern Italy shall not be opened by a line of traffic passing on the western side of the Lago Maggiore, and through the Cantons of Tessin and the Grisons; and hey have, not unnaturally, fixed upon Switzerland as :he weakest link in the chain, and the one least able to resist their hostile interference. The Austrian Charki d'Affaires at Berne has recently been detached on a special mission to the Grisons—a canton in 'Aid' Austria has at times exercised a peculiar in fluence ; the Austrian forces in the Vorarlberg have been augmented ; and if the course of political events should give any colour to the intervention in Swiss affairs which Austria meditates, she will not forget to place herself in such a position as effectually to break the line of communication across the Alps outside her own frontiers. No doubt the Jesuits, and the Radicals, and the convents, and the free- corps will be the osten sible grounds of such a measure ; but we suspect the desire of thwarting the plan of this railroad will prove a great aggravation of the political misdemeanours of Switzerland in the eyes of the Austrian Ministers. Nlennvrhile the open hostility of Austria to the scheme, and the various intrigues she has resorted to in order to defeat it, have irritated the Court of Turin, and roused the indignation of that portion of the Italian people who are not Austrian subjects. The time is come when the [-louse of Savoy, if we may judge from the incidents of the last few months, refuses to acknowledge the control of Austria in the affairs of Piedmont and the other states of Italy. Not long ago Austria requested that two of the most eminent literary men in Italy, who are known by their adherence to the cause of moderate liberty and national independence, should be sent away from Turin, although they were natives of the country ; Ind we regret to add, that the French Minister at Turin did not blush to support that impolitic and ungenerous demand. The Piedmontese Government refused to withdraw its protection, and even its favour, from the gentlemen in question ; and on several other occasions it has given proofs of a strong determination to perse verein a vigorous a nd independent line of policy, which may effect in nor thern Ital y changes as great as those which Pius IX. ha s commenced in the south. Amongst these reforms and improvements the construction of rail roads is not the least important, not merely for their practical convenience, but because they are at once the means and the object of national union and international combination. The internal power and prosperity of Italy, and her internal relations with the rest of Europe, can not be more effectually promoted at this time than by the extensive introduction of railroads. Austria has shown the immense importance she attaches to the sub ject by the rapid execution of her own great undertak ings of soothe kin l d, which would do honour to any nation ; but uss who may seek r ill heir ad t ein following her example. van ag CHRONICLE.— to surmount . her jealousy of States Town Council ontrains of the Edinburgh yesterday, and stoppage of the Sunday the Th e discussion of the Edinburgh Glasgo w -Railway, which we pub lishedfree agency of the public that very monstrous and with the is a tolerably significant proof that will interference Scotland. The motion of M e Council should oppose any not long be endured in liament by the Edinburgh and Glasgow 31111 brought into Par • C. B. Tait, that the Town Com pany until the old facilities oe Sunday Railway restored, was evidently looked poe n nx a t a r L y e: conveyance are proved of his main object as an some who ap was, however, affirmed by the council bygraomajority of twenty to seven ; and upon very good formerof the enormous Bill, spe u ee n i d i s it will be thought by any one who reads the mover. The company, in obtaining its which upon public grounds gave it a right of interference with the property of others, made a virtual if not a legal compact to leave the public no worse off in respect to the means of conveyance than it was before. But before the railway was made there were coaches, by . which the poor man who had no vehicle Of his own could travel upon the Sunday. The coaches have been put down by the railway as effectually as if they were prohibited by law, and it is a clear violation of an understood agree• ment to deprive the public of their only substitute. The Edinburgh Town Council, as knowing and representing the local interests of the city, is bound to submit this breach of faith to Parliament as a reason against grant ing any new privileges to those who have been guilty of it. In looking through the discussion everybody must be struck with the contrast between the facility with which Mr. Tait and his friends were able to adduce practical arguments in support of their views, and the extreme difficulty which there appeared to be in finding anything deserving the name of a reason on the other side. That the prohibition was a pharasaic imposition of burthens upon the shoulders of the poor was made sufficiently obvious. On the first day on which the Sun day trains were stopped, 241 carriages of a private kind drove up to the various places of worship in Edinburgh. The day was not wet, or the number would have been much greater. Here then were three or four hundred servants ministering on the Sabbath to the convenience of the wealthy iu a manner essentially the same in principle with that which is prohibited as irreligious in reference to the poor. It is Dives, as usual, looking sharply after the morality of Lazarus, while he is very easy about his own. Even so, however, if ultra-Sabha tartan directors, who roll to church in softly cushioned carriages, could understand how much better the sub stance of abrality is than the form, they might have startled with a piece of evidence produced by Mr. Robertson, in the shape of a letter from Mr. List, the superintendent of the county police of Mid-Lothian. Mr. List, perpetually conversant as he must be with the hard and stern realities of working-class life, finds that drunkenness, the master vice which stands in the way of the improvement of that class, is diminished under the operation of Sunday trains. After the con stant toil of the week in the unwholesome atmosphere of a town, excitement and relaxation will be sought on the Sunday. The dram-shop was of old the resource. Of THE SUN, LONAON, SATURDA Y EVENING, DECEMBER 26, 1-116 late the cheap country excursion has drawn off its cus tomers. A more wholesome and not less Effectual stimulant than spirits is found in the fre,h and exhila rating breath of the fields arid the woods. Can any right-thinking man hal e. a doubt as to what our choice should be between such alternatives? Which:is the pro fanation of the religion of Christ—which the outrage to morality—the employment of a few to give the 1 %bearing class the same pure enjoyment on the Sunday which the rich have at command, or the adoption of a rule wh'.cli practically imprisons those toil- worn multitudes, and drives them to the momentary, but mi serable and ruinous relief of intoxication ? " Very plausible," some shrewd and well meaning formalist may observe ; " but what if the Sunday trains only change the scene of intoxication ? What if the city dram shops are deserted only that the fair face of the country and the solemnity of the Sabbath may be desecrated by city debauchery ?" Yes, if—. But what says the witness we have referred to ? " Last summer (when the Sunday trains were run ning) I found no occasion to have any extra constables at Jock's Lodge, the public-houses being less frequented, and no breaches of the peace committed. The same applies all around Edinburgh. The Nergvent at Mussel burgh reports that he saw no increase at the public houses in his district, neither did he see more drunken ness th7n on former occasions. " It is quite true that the Sunday trains lead many from the town churches ; but it is equally true that many attend the churches in the country with their aged parents, who were never able to do so before. Some of these places of worship are those they attended in child hood." lie adds a comparison well worthy of the attention of the Edinburgh guardians of working-class morality :-1 " I have often contrasted Edinburgh and Glasgow with London, Liverpool, and Birmingham. In the two former places there is scarcely any opportunity afforded the labouring classes to see the beauteous works of na ture in the country; but ample facility to waste their time in public-houses, become drunkards, outcasts, and ultimately food for the police. On many occasions I have walked and rode about Edinburgh and the suburbs on a Sunday evening, and counted no less than 60, 70, 80, and on one occasion 125 intoxicated persons, in my perambulations of about three hours. Now, looking at the latter places on a Sunday evening, you may see hundreds returning from the country—some with their wives and families—and scarcely one amongst them the least intoxicated." In reply to these and similar statements, Bailie Mack and Bailie Duncan, the champions of Sabbatarian re strictions on their poorer neighbours, had little to urge except that the council should think of the state of its funds in reference to the expense of going before Par liament, and that the railway directors bad done nothing contrary to law. "If these gentlemen were wrong, they were amenable to the laws of the country." Ohl Bailie Mack, is there nothing wrong amongst us—nothing that needs redress except what is done against the laws of the country? Are all things to be endured which an " action of declarator in the Court of Session" cannot remove ? What do you suppose petitions to Parliament were intended for, Bailie Mack? Really, most respec table of civic dignitaries —approver of things as they are, and conservative of your own comforts and privileges, whatever may happen to those of others—your right eousness savours more of the righteousness of the law than of that which the Gospel enjoins. SIR ROBERT PEEL'S NEW POR TRAIT GALLERY AT DRAYTON MANOR. This magnificent gallery, which has been for some time in course of erection, is not entirely completed ; and has recently received within its walls a large number of valuable historical portraits, which, added to the chefs-d'oeuvre in that line of art previously in the possession of Sir Robert 'Peel, render the col lection altogether one of the most remarkable in the kingdom. The gallery itself is attached to the south-east angle of the mansion, and forms a wing 100 feet long in ex tension of the north front, the style of architecture being of the Elizabethan period. An arcade extends along the three sides of the building, and this is surrounded by an entablature with an attic ' upon e hich a r e sma ll carved pinnacles, which break the outline of the building. The exterior is further decorated by four stone statues, somewhat larger than lee, the two towards the south or garden front representing Rubens and Vandyke, and the two towards the north representing Reynolds and Lawrence. The gallery has no windows, but there is a glazed sash door at the south-western extremity, which leads on to a new terrace, about 160 feet long and 19 feet wide, which is decorated with a stone balustrade, vases, pedestals, &c. This terrace joins on to other terraces surrounding three sides of the mansion, the whole of which are embellished with a profusion of marble and stone vases, &c., harmonising well with the building, and supporting the character of its architecture. The new gallery is entered from the south side of the entrance corridor of the mansion, through an ante-room, by wide folding doors of carved oak. The north end of the gallery, which is first entered, is somewhat separated from the main building by a spacious arch, richly or namented with carved oak pilasters, archivolts, pendants, &c. Through this arch the visitor enters. The gallery is divided into three compartments by groups of 16 mar ble colums and pilasters. The ceiling is deeply carved and elaborately ornamented with the trusses, frets, pen dants, and panelling which characterised the Elizabethan period. In the cove are thirty heraldic lions with shields, bearing the initial letters of the names of Sir Robert and Lady Peel and of their children ; these lions are shaped as consoles supporting the roof ; the spaces between them are panelled with enrichments of foliage and fruit formed into bands, the horizontal portion f the ceiling being tra beated and deeply panelled and ornamented with scrolls and pendants. At the springing of the cove is an en riched entablature, which, with the cove and the whole of the ceiling, is of varioas shades of oak and walnut tree wood. The walls are painted of a neutral greenish colour, and the skirtings are of a ainscot. The floor is bordered with an inlaid band, of a small pattern ; con sisting of oak, waltnut-tree and ebony woods. The co lumns and pilasters above alluded to are of the Doric order. The capitals and bases are of white veined Ita lian marble ; the shafts each consist of a single block of Belgian marble, of variegated colour. The pedestals are panelled, and composed of the same marbles. The pic • tures are lighted from above by horizontal skylights in the roof, so placed that every part of each picture is ad vantageously seen from the proper points of view. This recent addition to the mansion has been erected from the design of Mr. Sydney Smirke, F.S.A. It was finished at the close of last autumn. The subjoined is a list of the principal portraits con tained in the gallery : Viscount Hardinge, by Lucas. Sir David Wilkie, by himself. The Right Hon. W. j. Gladstone by Lucas. The Right Hon. Henry Goulburn, by Pickersgill. 'I he Right Hon. Sir James Graham, Bart., by Lucas. The late Lord Abinger, by Sir Martin A. Shee, P.R.A. The late Earl Grey, by L ons d a l e . This full-length portrait of the above statesman has been recently pur chased by Sir R. Peel of the widow of the artist. The Earl of Aberdeen, by Sir Thomas Lawrence. This picture was exhibited at the Royal Academy, in 1830, the year of Sir Thomas Lawrence's death. Tne Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel, Bart., by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Lady Peel, by Sir Thomas Lawrence ; a companion picture. The late Sir Robert Peel, Bart., by Sir Thomas Law rence. Lord Lyndhurst, by Pickersgill. The late Sir William Follett, by Say. The late Lord Erskine, by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Lord Brougham: a most admirable likeness of the Noble and Learned Lord. Sir Frederick Pollock, by Say. The Right Hon. Sir George Canning, by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Lord Stowell, by Sir Thomas Lawrence. The Czar Peter : an original of that extraordinary potentate. The late Right Hon. William Huskisson, by Sir Thomas Lawrence. The Duke of Wellington, by Sir Thomas Lawrence. A full-length, representing the Noble and Gallant Duke standing on a raised ground, wearing a military cloak, and having a telescope in his hand. This portrait was in the Royal Academy Exhibition in 1825. The late Earl of Eldon, by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Edmund Burke, by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Judge Blackstone. This portrait of the above cele brated Judge was purchased by Sir Robert Peel the year before last, at the sale at Castle Priory, the seat of Mr. W. S. Blackstone, M.P : , near Wallingford. Lucas. LW Therl The late Earl of Liverpool, by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Highness the Duke of York, by Sir His late Roya l dliasnataPnlietty,, by by s G a a;:sborough. William Beechey. Shaksßpeigrhe: l a i n o n e s . t A e e d m m e i d r Admiral portrait Sir George o f the immortal Cockburn, ba bard. The late Lord Byron. South ey , the poet, by Sir Thomas Law rence. Cowley, the poet, by Sir Peter Lely. Otway, the dramatist; thin portrait was painted by Mary Beale, a pupil of Sir Peter Lely. Fuseli, by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Cuvier, by Pickersgill. Samuel Rogers, the poet, by Lucas. M Gibson, Arthur d N ou V ynr k o , ire the husaewr Murphy, hoe r urt portrait r , p at the r e ,b yb poet, y by himself. , P The late Sir F ranc i s ChantryGed des .c kersgill. Benjamin W est , the artist. by Jackson. nolds. et. Professor - h fenebs Philipes rl o y , theK O wen , m omas Lawrence. Bart., by Si r M a rtin A. Shee. Dr. Buckland, by T. Phili ps, R .A. abi chemist. y i hkef eeospmrri sodr dramatist, h. b y Sir Joshua Rey . ,Lriheobilga.tethseircenleebnrbrrabtayythieetnePHd, THREEPENNY THEATRES.—The Lord Chamberlain has intimated to the proprietors of these theatres in England his determination to withdraw the licence from them unless they raise the prices of admission -6d. being the lowest price to be taken. We believe Mr. Miller, of the Adel*, has received a similar notice ; at the same time stating that the rise must take place on and after the Ist of January next.—Glasgow Herald. UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE.—In the night of Monday week, the 14th inst., when the frost was most intense, deep thunder was heard in this city, and the flashes of lightning were extremely brilliant. We observe that the same electrical phenomenon was noted at Shrewsbury and Welshpool on the same night and early on Tuesday morning. At the latter place the thunder was very near, the report rapidly succeeding the flash.—Hereford Journal. GRAND BANQUET to MR. COBDEN AT MALAGA. The Spaniard s appear unwear i e d in their . enthusiastic end hospitable r ecept i on o f our distinguished country man Mr. Cobden. We yesterday received an extraordi nary supplement o f the Avisador Halagueno, containing a lengthy report of a grand festival held in Malaga, on Monday, th e 30 t h o f November, in honour o f the English free-trader. The scene of the banquet was the saloon of the new and magnificent hotel, about to be opened in the so called Casa de Campo, a beautiful edifice on the eve of completion. The saloon was adorned with the greatest .taste and elegance, beautiful draperies were suspended from the balls, whi c h were also grace d b y a multitude of paintings by th e fi rst masters of the sc h oo l of Seville, representing the p ortra i ts of em i nent men , especially Spaniards. Thr ee sp l endid lustres illuminated the apart ment. The staircases and the entrance of the building were filled with vases of exquisite flowers and odoriferous plants of all sorts. The table was spread with the delicate taste which distinguishes the committee appointed to superintend the entertainment, consisting of Don Eduardo Delius, Dun Juan Giro, and Don Juan Clemens. Large China vases, with flow( rs and fruits, and rich silver candelabra, were profusely intermingled with a beautiful and elegant service of plate, & c . Th e centre of the table displayed a magnificent epergne. The guests invited, it is needless to state, included all the " notabilities " of Malaga, principally merchants, and parties i n t ereste d in trade. These gentlemen awaited in a drawing-room the arrival of Mr. Ccbden and Mr. Salis Schwabe, who presented themselves at a quarter before six o'clock. Mr. Cobden's entrance was saluted by a fine milit ar y b and, which struck up a p i ece of musie especially selected for the occasion. 'rho banquet was then served up. Don Enrique San doval, Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce, presided ; and Senor Don Jose Hernandez, the treasurer of the same institution, officiated as croupier. Mr. Cob den was seated on the right hand of the chairman, and Mr. Schwabe on the left. The British Consul, Don Jose Marin Garcia, Don Guillermo Mark (the father of the English Consul), and Don Louis Mirasson, also occupied conspicuous positions at the table. Covers had been laid for 70, and very few of the parties invited failed to appear. The cloth having been withdrawn, the toasts of " The Queen of Spain," and " The Queen of England," were drunk with log alty and enthusiasm. The Spanish band played our beautiful national anthem on the announce ment of the latter toast. The PRESIDENT then said—"-I believe that I am the interpreter of the sentiments of this assembly, and of the agricultural and mercantile interests of my country, in proposing a toast in honour of Mr. Cobden, M.P., the distinguished leader of the English League." The toast having been received with every demonstra tion of good feeling, Mr. CoSIDEN, M.P., rose, and expressed himself as follows (the English version of his speech was after wards rendered into Castilian by Don Francisco Crooke, of Navarot):—Allow me, gentlemen, to manifest to you the expression of my utmost gratitude for your affable and cordial reception, which I attribute to your sympa thies with the principles with which my name is con nected, and not to my own personal merit. This ban quet, gentlemen, is a homage to freedom of trade, and not to me, its humble advocate. By "freedom of trade," I understand the right of freely exchanging the products of this beautiful country for those of the rest of the world. I do not mean to signify by this that there ought to be no custom-house duties for the purpose of creating a revenue for the Government; but that these duties ought not, in my opinion, to be imposed for the ex clusive benefit of classes or private individuals. In one word, my ideas are not adapted to what some call " protection," but what in England we term " monopoly." It appears to me of the greatest importance to be thus explicit in elucidating the real meaning of my words, because it i s a f avour i te de vice of our opponents to give a false interpretation to our object and our motives. They confer upon them selves high-sounding names, assigning very erroneous ones to those who advocate free trade ; and, unfortu nately, there are too many who allow themselves to be hallucinated by vague words and sounds. They call their own system " the protection of national industry." What is this that they call " protection ?" and how does it operate 2 An individual goes to the Govern ment, and says, " I bind myself to supply from Spain a certain article, provided a law be passed prohibiting every other merchant from selling it, although it may be of better quality and far cheaper than my own." This may certainly be very profitable to the individual, but it involves spoliation far more than the protection of public and general interests. The custom-house is alienated from its legitimate object when it i s ma d e use of for the purpose of rendering more lucrative the un dertaking of any private individual, and preventing others from following the same trade. The sole and unique object that can justify the creation of taxes and duties, is, as I have said, the provision of a revenue or resources for the state. This is the basis of all our present operations in England ; and I ought to remind you, gentlemen, that we have put in practice the principles of free trade, without waiting for other nations to do as much in our favour. In former times our Government sent its Ministers to other countries to enter with them into treaties of commerce ; but the tar diness of diplomatists is proverbial, and they never made less progress than when they attempted to arrange with each other reciprocal concessions in their respective tariffs. In truth, they only succeeded in exciting much envy and many suspicions, which retarded the progress and development of sound commercial principles. We, neverth. less, declared when we formed our League in England, that every country ought to regulate its tariffs without regarding those of other nations. We repudiate the propriety of making commercial treaties, and we take this question entirely out of the hands of diplomatists. Sir Robert Peel pursued these principles, and did not leave his succ issors the opportunity of forming special treaties of commerce with other Governments. Hence forward no English dip!omatist will ever be able to enter into any negotiations with a Spanish Minister for a treaty of commerce. In this manner, those who advocate free trade in Spain, see them se l ves place d i n a muc h more ad vantageous position, being able to promote their principles by means of the absence of all foreign interferencein the contest. In future, then, you cannot be accused of advo cating the interests of England ; on the contrary, you can point out the example of that very nation, which has already put in practice the principles of free trade, and which will adhere to them, whatever may be the policy adopted by the G overnment of Spain or that of any other nation. I need not repeat, gentlemen, what I have so frequently shown elsewhere, that the progress of the principl es o f free trade in this country depends entirely on the enlightenment of the people. If you desire to present, and to further sound opinions upon this or any other quest i on, you ought to promote its discussion.—(Applause.) I doubt not that, after ma ture reflection upon a matter of so much interest, the people of Spain will come to the same conclusion as my countrymen.. Th e y will be convinced, as we are, that free trade promi ses to all nations the greatest possible amount of prosperity, we l lbeing, and felic i ty ; they will viewit, like ourselves, as t h e presage o f peace b etween nations ; this magic word peace expresses in 1,000 ways the progress of humanity and civilisation ; and they will see, w ith us , t h at the dearest interests of the great family of the h uman race are involved in our principles! —(Prolonged applause.) When the Spanish nation has had opport un i t i es o f a frank and full discussion of our principles, I am sure that it will place itself in the van guard of the nat i ons who may unfurl the standard of commercial liberty. I w i ll conclude, gentlemen, b y proposing " The prosperity of the city of Malaga." Don JOSE lIERNANDEZ replied to Mr. Cobden's speech in complimentary term s , and said:—lt were muc h to b e desired that in our unhappy country, where abuses abound and flourish, the real meaning of free trade could b . e better und ers t oo d , s i nce many are terrified by the idea that the frontier s are a b out to d i sappear, an d , that there being no d u ti es to pay, t h e di rect taxes will be increased in order to maintain the revenues of the state, and that the native manufacturing establish ments will be ruined. Fre e t ra d e, gent l emen, at l east as I desire it, is that n o thi ng may be prohibited and that the duties may be moderate, as the only means of abolishing smu gg li ng and increasing consumption. Spain i ought to be more i nterested than any oth&. na tion n the reduction of duties, since our products will reap the advantage of it in foreign countries. Let us, therefore, recommend our illustrious guest not to forget. Malaga in his continual efforts to obtain mercantile freedom, which will more and more unite the interests of all nations, averting disastrous wars, like those under ' which we have suffered. Let us drink a toast, gen tlemen, in gratitude to Mr. Cobden and his fellow traveller. Many more speeches were made in the course of the evening by Mr. Schwabe and the Spanish gentlemen present. After taking coffee, &c., Mr. Cobden and his friends retired at halt-past ten o'clock, infinitely satis fied with their cordial reception. MADAME Bishop.—This charming vocalist took her farewell on Wednesday night in the character of Isoline, in the Maid of Artois. The effect produced by her charming voice and finished style was never more striking. The most rapturous applause was elicited by her interpretation of all the well-known morceaux : she was frequently encored, and, at the fall of the curtain, was called for, cheered, and complimented with several bouquets. THE CONDE DE MONTEMOLIN.—The Conde de Montemolin returned to town on Thursday evening from a visit to the Earl of Carnarvon at Highclere; his Lord ship's seat in Hampshire. In the course of this visit the Conde de Montemolia shot over the beautiful preserves of his noble host, and enjoyed excellent sport. The Conde was everywhere received with the most hearty respect and enthusiasm. His amiable and condescend ing manners endeared him to all with whom he came in contact, and he left amidst general expressions of affectionate regret. The Conde de Montemolin, after attending divine service yesterday, received and paid several visits; amongst the visitors were the Earl of Lonsdale, the Marquis de Barbancois, Lieutenant- Colonel J. S. North, Mr. J. A. St. John, Mr. M. D. Talbot, &e. P T s theß NOTICE. --- Yesterday not i ce was issu issued theaFiFl sifo c r mad General Yost ira, office, Lisbon, St. Martin's-le Vigo,lnt t o i op'se-rltee, Cadiz, Grand that Madrid, and Gibraltar, appointed to be disp a t c h e d on the morning of the 27th instant, would not b e f orwar ded t ti h l e l tmhaeilmeotreneimnger Madrid.ofthe2 Bth , L in e s t t t a e r r i e t, to be time on Mondaybconveyedby morning. A CHRISTMAS FAlR.—Yesterday there was a fair of some magnitude held on a piece of ground situate be tween St. George's Church and the Bricklayers' Arms, Kent-road. There is a theatre, circus, a number of shows, and Van Amburgh's performing animals. This portion was, however, closed yesterday ; but the swings, round-abouts, ariel machines, and fancy stalls, were in great request, notwithstanding the coldness of the day, by the umbers who visited it. THE CHRISTMAS CAROL. "Then came the merry maskers in, And carols roared with blithesome din; If unmelodious was the song, It was a hearty note and strong." SIR WALTER SCOTT. The word " carol" is said to be derived from the Latin cantare, to sing, and rola, an interjection of joy. By some writers, however, it is supposed to be of Ita liad, and by others of French, extraction; its meaning is, gt nerally, a song of mirth and exultation, especially of religious joy. The " Christmas Carol," in particular, is a song in celebration of our blessed Lord's nativity. This kind of pious ballad is undoubtedly of very remote origin. Bishop Jeremy Taylor, in his "Great Exem plar," fancifully remarks that the first Christmas carol was the hymn of the angels to the shepherds in the plains of Bethlehem:—"Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will to men." Milton, also, in Para dise Los', thus mentions the same anthem:— " His place of birth a solemn angel tells To simple shepherds keeping watch by night; They gladly thither haste. and by a choir Of squadron'd anges hear His carol sung." This hymn was introthiced at an early period into the services of the Church, being sung either at Morn ing Prayer, or in the Communion Office, or before the Lessons on Christmas Day. In process of time, other hymns of the same kind appear to ha'e been formed after its example ; and it is stated by the eel,. brat,d ritualist Durandus, that anciently bishops were accus tomed, on the above festival, to " sing carols among their clergy" in the cathedrals. In a Latin poem, written about the middle of the fifteenth century, and soon after translated into Eng lish, the following allusion to the practice of carolling in church at Christmas occurs : " A wooden child is on the altar set, About the which both boys and girls do dance and trimly jet ; And carols sing in praise of Christ, and for to help them here, The organs answer every verse with sweet and solemn cheer." The " Christmas carol," however, was not confined to the Church offices in medieval times. "It has been the custom," says a modern writer, " for the common people of England for many centuries to go about in bands, at an early hour on Christmas morn, serenading their neighbours with what are called carols.' " Such also was the usage in other parts of Christendom. "During the season of Advent," remarks Mr. Digby, " the waits, while other men took their rest, wandered, singing hymns in the streets ; and on the blessed night every one kept watch like the shepherds, while minstrels chanted Christmas carols." In these ancient poems the inhabitants of each town and village used to be repre sented making the offering of whatever best object they possessed to the infant Saviour and the blessed Mother. These ditties even gladdened the festivals of royalty. Henry VII., in the third year of his reign, kept his Christmas at Greenwich ; on the twelfth night, after high mass, the king went to the hall, and kept his e s t a t e at the table; in the middle sat the dean and those of the king's chapel, who, immediately after his Majesty's first course, " sang a carall." The earliest collection of Christmas carols supposed to have been published, is only known from the last leaf of a volume, printed by Wynkin de Worde in 1521. " These," says Brand, " were festal chansons fur enlivening the merriments of the Christmas celebrity; and not such religious songs as are current at this day with the common people, under the same title, and which were substituted by those enemies of innocent and useful mirth, the Puritans." We differ from the above antiquary in reference to the puritanical origin of the "religious" Christmas carols " current at this day." Many of them appear to be even of earlier date than the Reformation; and, since the Precisions, as is well known, hated Christmas Day as Popish and anti-Christian, and abolished its observance wherever their influence extended, it is most improbable that they should have composed songs for its celebra tion. Be this as it may, the majority of the medieval Christmas carols were "religious." Some of these, in a more or less interpolated and modernised state, have been banded down to us, and though, perhaps, wanting in interest to a refined mind, are sometimes admirable for their simplicity and tenderness. Take for example the ensuing stanzas from that quaint old ditty, begin ning— "Joseph was an old man, an old man was he, And he married Mary, Queen of Galilee," which was sung by companies of little children at Christ mas, and which " brings fairly before us the paintings of the old masters, where Joseph is always represented as so old a min, and Mary sits in the oxen's stall with her crown on her head." " As Joseph was a walking, he heard an angel sing— This night shall be born our heavenly king; He neither shall be born in houses nor in hall, Nor in the place of Paradise, but in an ox's stall; He neither shall be clothed in purple nor in pall, But all in fine linen, as were babies all ; He neither shall be rock'd in silver nor in gold, But in a wooden cradle that rocks on the mould; He neither shall be christen'd in white wine or in red, But with the spring water with which we were christened.'" How sweet, again, are the following lines, which en rich another antique carol:— " 0 fair, 0 fair Jerusalem ! when shall I come to thee, When shall our griefs be at an end ? Thy joys ‘N hen shall we see ? The fields were green as green might be, when, from His glorious scat, The Lord our God lie watered us with His heavenly dew so sweet." These words could only have been written by one fully conversant with the ritual of the Western Church. They are adapted from her Advent service. Very rneloilious to our ears is the rhythm of the carol be ginning with "I saw three ships come sailing on," and containing the verses which follow : " And all the bells on earth shall ring, On Christmas-day, on Christmas-day; And all the bells on earth shall ring, On Christmas-day in the morning. And all the angels in heaven shall sing, On Christmas-day, on Christmas-day, And all the angels in heaven shall sing, On Christmas- day in the morning. And all the souls on earth shall sing, On Christmas-day, on Christmas-day; And all the souls on earth shall sing, On Christmas-day in the morning." Our space will not admit of our giving to our readers any more specimens of the simple Christmas carols which animated the devotion of our pious ancestors. We will now offer a few remarks on those early " feste-chan sons" which were merely intended to be incitements to Christmas revelry. Perhaps the most ieterest ing of those extant is an Anglo-Norman carol of the thirteenth century. It is too long for insertion here, but it gives a very interesting picture of the gaiety and kindly feeling which the festival of the Nativity appears to have excited among all classes, and dwells with much satisfaction on the long list of Christmas dainties, and the profusion of rich wines. Another of these secular carols was discovered in a MS. of the times of Henry VI. The song itself, however, from the style and spelling, may be assigned to a century earlier. "It seems," says Miss Lawrence, " to be sung in the week before Christmas, when the household maidens all busied themselves with dressing up the halls and cham bers with evergreens. The great hostility expressed to wards ivy may be accounted for by the circumstance of its being used at funerals." A few lines of this carol in modern orthography may not be uninteresting here:— " Nay, Ivy! nay, it shall not be, I wis; Let Holly have the mastery, as the manner is. Let Holly stand within the hall, fair to behold; Let Ivy stand without the door; she is full sore a-cold. Nay, Ivy ! &c. Holly and his merry men deftly dance and sing; Ivy and her maidens are always sorrowing. Nay, Ivy ! &c. Holly bath berries, is red as any rose, Gay-looking to the hunter, as through the wood he goes; Ivy, too, hath berries, but black as any sloe; Thither come the owls, and e a t th em as they go. Nay, Ivy !" &c. The Reformation did not impair the popularity of the Christmas carol in England. A writer in 1631, in his description of a good and hospitable housekeeper, has left the following picture of Christmas festivities " Sup pose," he says, " Christmas now approaching ; the ever green ivy trimming and adorning the portals and part clo,es of so frequented a building ; the usual carols to observe antiquity, cheerfully sounding ; and that which is the complement of his inferior comforts, his neigh bours, whom he tenders as members of his own family, join with him in this consort of mirth and melody." At the end of a " Miscellany of Epigrams, &c." published about the same period, is a " Christmas carol," which contains a recital of the pastimes in vogue at that season. This, and similar compositions of the seventeenth cen tury, make, however, no pretension to any religious cha racter ; but, in the mean time, others also, of a devo tional strain, were in general use. Wharton mentions a in license, granted to one Tysdale 1562, for printing cer tain goodly carols to be sung to the glory of God ;' acd again, " Christmas carols authorised by my Lord of London." Bishop Andrewes, in one of his sermons on the Nativity, preached on the twentieth-fifth of Decem ber, 1619, celebrates the day . as " glorious in all place, as well at home with carols as in the church with anthems." From the time of the famous prelate just mentioned to our own, the practice of singing Christmas carols in this kingdom has been preserved; " varying probably in circumstances and degrees, but dispersed, more or loss, over the different parts of the country." In Heath's " Account of the Scilly Islands," he says that it is usual there to sing carols on Christmas day at church. Dr. Goldsmith, in his "Vicar of Wakefield," writing about 1763, and " laying the scene of his narrative at a small cure in the north of England," relates that, among other customs which they retained, the inhabitants "keep up the Christmas carol." Brand, in 1795, remarks that little troops of boys and girls, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and other places in the north of England, " go from house to house, knocking at the doors, singing their Christmas carols, and wishing a happy new-y ear ." A wr i ter in 1811, describing the manner in which the inhabitants of the North Riding of Yorkshire celebrate Christmas, ob serves, " About six o clock on Christmas day I was awakened by a sweet singing under my window; sur prised at a visit so early and unexpected, I arose; and looking out of the window, I beheld six young women and four men, welcoming with sweet music the blessed morn." " Carols," writes Mr. Hone, in 1825, " begin to be spoken of as not belonging to this century, and few perhaps are aware of the number of these now printed." He adds that he possesses " upwards of ninety, all at this time published annually." Mr. Howitt, in 1838, remarks, that the Christmas carols which were sung about from door to door, for a week at least, not twenty years ago, are rarely heard now in the midland counties. More northward, from the hills of Derbyshire, and the bor dering ones of Staffordshire, up through Lancashire, Yorkshire, Northumberland, and Durham, you may fre quently meet with them. The custom of Christmas carolling prevails in Ireland to the present time. In Scotland it is unknown. In Wales it is still preserved, to a greater extent, perhaps, than in England. After the turn of midnight on Christmas-eve, Divine service is celebrated, followed by the singing of carols to the harp; and they are similarly sung in the houses during the continuance of the Christmas holidays.—Sharpe's London Magazine. HIGHLAND GA itIES—CHRISTMAS DAY. A numerous and well-appointed meeting of the hardy men of the north assembled, "shinty" on shoulder, to revive their recollections of " the land of mountain and of flood," and in generous rivalship to test their activity of limb and s:rength of sinew, in the athletic games of their country. The gathering place was Blackheath, and nowhere in the vicinity of the metropolis could better ground be selected. The weather too was in the highest degree propitious ; a keen and char atmosphere braced, without chilling, the nerves, and to this cause may partly be attributed the abandon with which each highlander gave himself to the sport, and the uniform good humour that prevailed among those assembled. Mr. Gibson and Ur. Buchanan, having been appointed a committee of selection, they proceeded to divide the fi..ld, and thirty players having been mustered on either side, the ball was thrown up between the " two hails," and the game of " shinty " commeneed in right earnest. One side sported red and the other green, but in this instance the greens were the wider awake, and, after a tough contest, in which clubs and shins were equally roughly treated, the greens came of the victors. Trio more games were played, which were divided, the reds having achieved one triumph in the course of the day. The party then returned to town, and each " Took aff his several way, Resolved to meet anither day." DEATH OF - THE SARDINIAN 1 MINISTER, It is with feelings of deep regret that we record the decease of the Count de Pollon, Minister from his Majesty the King of Sardinia to the Court of St. James. The melancholy event, which took place on the 21st instant, at the town residence of the deceased, in Lower Grosvenor -street, did not transpire publicly until Thursday evening. His Excellency was first attacked with the complaint, the fatal termination of which we now record, a bout a month since, he being at the thee on a marine excursion with Sir W. Middleton, of Shubbard Park, Suffolk. On an examination by some local surgeons, it was found that a severe pain in the side, by which he had been somewhat suddenly seized, arose from the formation of an abscess. He was subse quently attended by Drs. Ferguson and Bright; and alter remaining for about three weeks at the seat of Sir W. Middleton, he returned to town in a weak, though apparently not in a dangerous state. On Friday, the 18th, however, a most decided change for the worst took place, and he rapidly sunk, expiring on the following Monday, at the age of 49. Tne Count was a member of an old Sardinian family of great respectability, and was the hereditary holder of an ancient title. At a very early age he entered the service of his country, and we are informed served with considerable distinction in the war against Napoleon. He subsequently directed his attention to diplomatic affairs, and when but of very tender age came to this country as secretary to the Due d'Agile. He was sub sequently advanced to the of Chargé d'Affaires. He afterwards proceeded as Sardinian Minister to the Hague, from which he returned about ten years since to this Court as chief Minister, and in such capacity he has terminated his earthly career. He was a member of the Roman Catholic religion, and was attended in his last moments by the Rev. Mr. O'Connor, of the Sardinian Chapel, Lincoln's Inn-fields. He never was married, and the Marquis Pellavicino, one of the legation, was the only one of his friends present when he died. His mortal remains will be interred on Monday next in Sensal-green Cemetery, and the cere mony will be a private one. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, DEc. 25.—Her Majesty rode oat in a pony phaeton this morning, accompanied by the Princess Royal. The llon. Colonel Phipps, Equerry in Waiting, attended on horseback. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, and the Princess Alice, took walking and pony exercise on the Eastern-terrace and Slopes. The Queen and Prince Albert, the Ladies and Gentle men of the Court, and the Domestic Household, attended divine service this morning in the private Chapel of the Castle. The Ron. and Rev. C. Leslie Courtenay officiated. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent also at ended the service. In the afternoon her Majesty and Prince Albert rode out in a pony phaeton, his Royal Highness driving. The Equerries in Waiting, the Hon. Colonel Phipps and Co lonel Bouverie, attended on horseback. The royal dinner party at the Castle this evenin will include her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, the Viscountess Forbes, and Mr. Vaughan, the Dowager Lady Lyttleton, Hon. Miss Lyttleton, Miss Pole Carew, the Lady in Waiting to the; Duchess of Kent, the Ba roness de Speth, Lord James Murray, General and Lady Isabella Wemyss, Colonel and Lady Emily Seymour, Mr. G. E. and the Hon. Mrs. Anson, Sir George and Lady Couper, Captain Francis Seymour, and Mr. Glover. The Bind of the Scots Fusilier Guards will attend during dinner. Her Majesty's private band afterwards attend in the Castle. WINDSOR, FRIDAY EVENING.—ThIS being Christ mas- day, Divine service was performed in the private chapel of the Castle, by the Queen's private chaplain, the Iron. and Rev. C. L. Courtenay, her Majesty, the Prince Consort, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Prince Alfred, with all the ladies and gentlemen of the Court, attending, After the strviee, the beauty of the day induced her Majesty to ride out; and an open phaeton, with postillions, being stilt round from the ro) al sables, her Majesty, attended by the Marchioness of Douro, and escorted by the lord and equerries in Wait ing, drove through Old Windsor, as -far as the Bells o! Ouseley, and then returned by the same rcad to the Castle. In the meantime the Prince Consort, with the Prince of Wales in his hand, walked across the nom, Park to Frogmore, and visited the Duchess of Kent, and before their Royal Highnesses left the lodge, they exa • mined the state of the iee on the lake of the grounds of Frogmore. This afternoon, about three o'clock, the Queen again rode out in a pony phaeton, the Prince Consort driving. They again took the road through Old Windsor, with intent, it was supposed, of entering the Great Park at Bishopsgate, and so returning Spring Hill and the Long Walk to the Castle, but from some cause or other they returned to the Castle by the Old Windsor road, and after having been out little more than three-quarters of an hour. WESTMINSTER-BRIDGE.--The following seven re solutions appear in the third report of the Select Com mittee of the House of Commons on the New Houses of Parliament and Westminster-bridge, which was pub lished on Wednesday last. The Parliamentary blue book contains the evidence given. "1. That the majority of the witnesses who have been examined on the point concur that the foundation of Westminster bridge having been originally vicious, that bridge can never be permanently sound. 2. That the expense Of completing the alterations and repairs now in progress, or in contemplation, according to contracts and designs under the superintendence of the Bridge Commissioners, rill be very considerable, amounting at least to 70,0001. 3. That this expenditure will still leave the bridge in a state requiring constant attention in respect to repairs, and without any certainty of permanent security ; while it will likewise leave the water-way far less adequate to the requirement of the navigation, particularly when the contractim of the stream by the embankment in front of the new palace is considered, than would be the case under a new bridge. 4. That irrespective of the ap proaches, the expense of a new bridge over the site of the present bridge, and retaining the present bridge for temporary use would not exceed 360,000/, according to the highest of the estimates forthat object which have been furnished to the Committee, either in 1844 or in the pre • sent year. 5. That the bridge estates would probably furnish a clear surplus of at least 100,000/. in aid of the funds for the erection of a new bridge. 6. That Parlia ment, having by direct grants from the Exchequer (the remaining expenditure having been provided by money raised in lotteries under Acts of Parliament), furni:hed a large part :of the expense of erecting originally the present bridge, and having constituted the comrnisirtn under which the said bridge was erected and has been administered, and having by section 20 of the 9th George 11., c. 29, declared that the said bridge shall be extra parochial, and by the section 21 that it shall not be a county bridge, maintainable as such bridges are by county rates, has recognised and sanctioned the prin ciple that this bridge, which is thus by law excluded from other support, shall be maintained, and when need ful repaired, restored, and rebuilt, at the expense of the state. 7. That in these circumstances a sufficient case has been made out to justify this Committee in recom mending to the House, that the present bridge be pulled down and that a new bridge be constructed, and that a Bill be brought into Parliament next session to transfer to the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods, &c., the estate and property of the Bridge Commissioners, due consideration being had to the claims of the officers of the bridge estates, if their services should be discon tinned." SURGICAL OPERATIONS WITHOUT PAIN.—We have been informed that two operations were performed by Mr. Liston, at the University College Hospital, on Sa turday last, while the patients were under the stupefying influence of vapour of ether. The one was amputation of the leg, the other, evulsion of the nail of the great toe. The vapour of ether was inhaled by means of a proper apparatus, and, when it had produced its . full effect, the operation was speedily performed. Ne ither of the patients knew, when they recovered from their stupor, that the operatket,had been performed. Mr. Liston observed that the vapour of ether had been used for a similar purpose in America, but only in minor operations, such as the removal of tumours, &c. We hope to have further particulars on this very interesting subject—Medical Times. Loss AND RECOVERY or ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SOVEREIGNS.—On Thursday, the proprietor of a public-house in the neighbourhood of Drury-lane paid to the receiving-clerk of a brewer 170 sovereigns, secured in a bag. After receiving the money, the clerk sat for a short time in the parlour, placing the bag of gold at his side, but on leaving the house he forgot to take it with him. Shortly after his departure a poor woman entered the parlour, when the first object that attracted her attention was the bag, which she opened, and on discovering its contents presented one of the sovereigns to the barman, asking him to change it. The barman, aware of her poverty, said that she must have robbed some one, when she became confused, and attempted to conceal the bag under her meagre clothing, which at tracting the barman's attention, ho discovered the bag of sovereigns which he had just paid away. While he was taking it from her, the affrighted clerk returned, and was highly delighted at having thus recovered the bag of money. INTERESTING DECISION—THE METROPOLITAN POLICE. During the past week Mr. G. Clive, the sitting magis trate at the Hammersmith Police-court, decided a case of considerable importance to the public at large. The case was brought before the magistrate for investigation by the especial order of the Commissioners of Police, having arisen under the provisions of the Police Act (2d and 3d Victoria, cap. 47, sec. 67), which enacts, " That it shall be lawful for any constable to stop and detain, until due inquiry can be made, all carts and car riages which he shall fin& employed in removing the furniture of any house or lodging, between the hours of eight in the evening and six in the following morning, or whenever the constable shall haie good grounds for believing that such removal is made for the purpose of evading the payment of rent." Police constable, William Ravening, T 113, was charg e d on a special sheet, with having illegally stopped goods from being removed. Major John Bartleman deposed that he was an officer in the Honourabl e East India Company's service, residing at 31,- Addison-road North,-Notting-hill. On the 2d inst., between three and four o'clock in the afternoon, Mr. Coulson was removing some furniture from witness's house by witness's direction, when the defendant came up and seized the property right in front of witness's house, saying that he should nut release it until a receipt was shown. Witness asked the defendant what re ceipt he meant, - but he would give witness no direct answer until witness pressed him very hard, stating that there must be a mistake somewhere, as witness had been only three or four days in the house. Defendant said the receipt he wanted was the landlord's, for rent; whereon Mr. Coulson suggested to the defendant that the receipt he wanted was ;or the furniture then being removed. Witness also told the defendant that there was no rent due, and that he should go and inform the landlord; but the defendant refused to release the goods until Mr. Richardson's (the landlord) nephew came and said there was no rent due. The defendant then said he had never asserted there was rent due, and that be had required no receipt for landlord's rent. Defendant also said he acted under the orders of Sergeant Blun dell, T 9. The defendant, in answer to the charge, pleaded that he had acted under th e or d ers h e h ad received from superiors, and called for his defence Charles Amos, T 151, who deposed that one day the latter end of November last, Mr. Coulson, upholder, of High-street, Nutting-hill, asked witness if he was on duty in Addison-road, North, as he wanted the police to have a sharp look-out at No. 31 in that road, as he ex pected there would be some goods removed from there, and that if he saw anything removed they were to stop them and let him know, as the gentleman had had some goods of him (Mr. Coulson) to the amount of 31l or 321, and he had heard a very queer account of him. Witness told Mr. Coulson he did not go so far as Addi son-road North, but he would report it to his sergeant, on which Mr. Coulson thanked witness, who reported what Mr. Coulson had told him to his sergeant when he came round. Witness afterwards told Mr. Coulson that he had reported it to his sergeant, when Mr. Coulson said he was very sorry that he had told witness as he was likely to lose a hundred pounds customer through the things having been'atopped, and that if the gentle man came to witness, he (witness) was to say that Mr. Parker had been to witness. George Dunbar, T 91, deposed that he received in formation from the last witness about the goods likely to be removed from No. 31, Addison-road North. Knowing Mr. Coulson to be a house agent, he thought it was for rent the goods were to be stopped. Nothing was said by Amos to witness about rent. Witness told Inspector Havell that he thought it was for rent. Witness also told Sergeant Hogan the same. Inspector Havell, Sergeant Hogan, and others corro borated the evidence of the preceding witnesses. Mr. CLIVE asked Inspectors Morgan and Havell, who were present, if private constables were expected to obey the orders of their superiors, without any inquiry or exercising any discretion themselves ? The inspectors replied that the private constables were expected to do so. That being the whole of the evidence in the case, Mr. CLIVE, after some consideration, declared it to be his opinion that there had been great negligence on the part of the police in taking and giving instructions on the subject of the removal of goods, without 'having previously satisfied themselves that the case was one in which they were by law entitled to interfere. That they were deceived by Mr. Coulson appeared very evi dent, but great blame must still be imputed to them for allowing themselves to be so easily deceived, especially when the slightest enquiry would have at once set the matter right, or at all events have thrown the responsi bility on Mr. Coulson, who was the proper party to bear it. He might also observe that the common precaution of obtaining a written instruction from Mr. Coulson was neglected. In the case before him, although the orders emanated from authority, yet the whole proceeded from the report of a private constable, itself caused by mere word of mouth information from an ink rested creditor, never sifted or inquired into at all. It therefore appeared to him that all the ceremony of transmitting orders from superior authority might be avoided, if, after all, one private constable acted at last upon the information of another. At the same time, the effect was to render the private constable less responsible and snore indifferent than if he acted on his own authority in this case. It was clear that to fine the defendant Ravening would be to punish a man for obeying lawful authority, and therefore the effect of the system was that no person is punishable at all. He however felt that he should not be performing his duty to the public if he did not fine the defendant, but he would defer his final decision as to that point until a future day. On the case being again called on, Superintendent Williamson and Inspectors Morgan and Haven were again in attendance to watch the case on the part of the police commissioners, when Mr. CLIVE, addressing the defendant, said, that what he had stated to be his opinion on the case, on the previous occasion, he had only to repeat again. Ile bad in the interim well considered all the points in the matter, and was of the same opinion still, that the defendant was placed in an unfor:unate situation, but that he (Mr. Clive) must fine him in the full penalty of 101., or a month's impri sonment, and leave him and all other constables to get oat of it the best way they can. In doing so he felt him self bound to look to the hand that does the illegal act, and to punish that individual. The defendant was then removed by the gaoler to the lock-up, but the money was shortly afterwards paid by a relative. Mr. Clive afterwards entered the following remarks upon the charge sheet, with a view to their being laid before the Police Commissioners : " It is with great regret that I have passed this sen tence. It is a case in which the present responsibility of the constable is found unfortunately conflicting with his duty, as a member of the police force, to his superiors. On the part of the public, however, I must look only to the individual guilty of the illegal act, and cannot allow him to escape from his responsibility by pleading the commands of his superiors. The inconvenience result ing from a constable occasionally refusing to obey an order on account of his belief that it is mistaken or illegal, is less than the evil to the public arising from the abso lute irresponsibility of an officer who may at any time shield himself behind the orders of his superiors." We understand that the Commissioners of Police have since suspended the constable from both duty and pay, without any limit being stated to the suspension. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. ON DITS AND GOSSIP. The shareholders of the North British have prepared a requisition, calling upon the directors to convene a special meeting to consider Mr. Hudson's offer for the purchase or lease of the line. This requisition has eli cited an advertisement from the directors, requesting the shareholders to suspend all proceedings in the matter for the present. It is, therefore, concluded that negotiations are pending. The direCtors of the Manchester, Midland, and Great Grimsby have declared their intention to wind up the cor.cern. It appears from an official statement that 31,220 shares were paid upon, producing 42,9271. 10s., being 11. 7s. paid per share. The directors state that they intend to return 4s. 6d. per share, after all the liabilities are paid. The London and York have just purchased the East Lincoln - shire, which extends from Boston to Great Grimsby, where it joins the Great Grimsby and docks. The terms are 6 per cent. on the capital to be expended, with the option of taking London and York shares at par, when that line is completed. The certificates of the shares in the Birmingham and Oxford Junction have been issued at Birmingham; and to afford convenience to shareholders, they have been supplied to the brokers in all the large towns. The Eastern Counties and Great Northern, it is said, are about conjointly to erect two immense docks at Wisbeach, in connexion with their lines there. O ne o f the docks will cover an area of thirteen acres. The Southampton and Dorchester have applied to the Town Council of Poole to learn upon what terms they will sell the quays. . _ The Great s ' Western are to lease the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth, and to make application to Parliament for powers to extend the line. In the event of the powers being obtained an alteration will be made in the course of the railway between Pilcombo, near Bruton, and Rodden, near Frome. Alterations will also be made near Bradford in the course of the branch to Bathampton. The South Devon are reported as being about to lease the Ashburton and Newton. The terms are stated to bo five per cent. ACCIDENT TO THE HON. GRANTLEY .13BRKELET.-- On Thursday last, the Hon. Gentleman being engaged to shoot at Heron Court, the seat of the Earl of Maims bury, finding himself somewhat later than his appoint ment, he rode his horse over the rails into the pleasure grounds. The spirited animal on which he was, having jumped very freely on landing in the pleasure grounds, he was obliged to swerve suddenly to the lett, to prevent contact with the laurels. The heavy double gun on the right arm, and the sway of the shotbelts, threw so much stress on the left leg, that, though the rider was not shaken in his seat, he retained it with a severe strain to the bad: tendon of the knee. The Hon. Gentleman was obliged to return home on wheels ; but the accident is not considered of any serious consequence, rest being all that is required. RAILWAY TRANSIT A REMEDY FOR THE SCARCITY OF MILK IN THE METROPOLIS.—The great scarcity of milk among the milk dealers in the metropolis at Christ mas has for many years been much felt; but by ar rangements m a d e w i t h country dairies, great quantities of milk we re yesterday imported into London by rail way, and a very - plentiful supply of milk was had from Essex, H ert f or d sh i re, and Hamp shire; large cans of milk are d a il y transm i tte d to t h e me t ro p o l is by the various railways.