The Sun. — London, England, 1846-03-02 00:00:00

1. t 4 I I 10 I , ' I 6 0 6 0 0 /4 0 0 DP 0 0 0 ea o gre* 41 0 ° 11 0 'OlOl O, tow,' ir ; 1 70 0 1 d: 00 0 100* c 4, 6, 4 .0 0 Al 4 0 6 10 io s o ° I, ll° 1, 61°, 40 ior oi Od a do r go Ale .11 OP 0 11 0 1 ate• # 0 1: 0601,,4, 1::-011;00 vA lolsi 00 )Af) to coicV ,00 o fe Ip. ter O f) I 0 ~,A1 ace' 01 RAI CAVA Y COM mirrEEs7 (THIS DAY.; This s.b-commiLth., ,Committee met to-day shortly after twelve o'clock. The lirlhie; Inen.s:ers were present, viz., !lir J. Y. Buller (chairman), xitterrainstone, Mr. Bell, Mr. Gibson Craig, Mr. Kenible, and Mr. Viz--itunGn, GLASGOW, AND DUIVIDAIL 'X'ONSIIXILE JUNCTION. Thu consi deration of the petiti ons aga i ns t thi s Bill w as resumed. r4Lt Gr aham (agent f or t h e pet i tioners) suggested that the Corn r e i t e . should proceed with the allegations having reference to the . onanyttee had no objection to proceeding in that way. as stated by Mr. GRAHAM that the notes which the Committee li thed to be proluced had been inspected by both parties since. v ,"`e discussion arose between the agents as to which should take Ord:ultiative upon these notes, the one to show that the standing 44z:shad been complied with, an d th e ot h er th e nega ti ve . ti on ;Gaallax said that he would make his election of the allega keu;esPectiut the road marked 231, which was stated to be in fir •Laughten was examined In support of the allegations. Tie Tian__ complete sm vey of all the line from Glasgow to Helens .Z.. The notes he th en h e ld i n hi s h an d were th ose h a at the time of till survey, and contained complete wu " As to the portion of the line now under discussion. • ennstant's survey co i nc i ded w i th Is i s own. and had reference to ,7LP2itit of datum line which they were now considering. His as ts- Run t had done a great deal of business for him, and he generally accurate 2e notes slimed that a mistake of seven feet had been committed ..,road Marked 231. ;17 • o re cross-examined the witness. He judged of the correct *its assistant's notes from his general accuracy. His assistant 1144 relent Y.le corroborated the preceding evidence. d A t T ens . Crew exaied—Ha a survey of te line bur gh, e and th m e n allegation d as s t the point 231 was h correct.from 11 11. C o Sub-Committee, No. 4. .... s ir -r arnittee re-assembled this morning at twelve o'clock; pre a: W. lleathcote, Chairman, Mr. Cornwall Leigh, Mr. ta euto be * 3 1r. 31. J. O'Connell, Mr. Hope Johnstone. COsois. Th ut TILACIEROCK AND PASSAGN. /tits eac. sa e Was postponed in consequence of the absence of a material 21 traLnv AND ENNISKILLEN. the._ e live.a3 , is to form a direct line of communication between ''ora.s which are the termini of the railway. The line also Nth ofsdiret.'t metropolitan communication to Londonderry. The Sait t d line, with branches, is ninety-four miles, ard the esti gees, Z 41.000,0610/. The engineers are Messrs. Stephenson and essrs. Gr,egory and Falkner, the Parliamotary agents. Vith trtitions had been presented, complaining of non-eompliance w, e s s tanding orders ; but the only one upon which an appear "leare Made was that of Mr. George Pilkington, of Rutland he plate n. (P)Po*oth,Tal proofs were gone int°. The first allegation in the kapi er ; • Petition was, that the riotteea to the owners, lessees, and Ik atstic ,‘"theY re accurate, and Caleulatad to mislead the persons 2be .0 1 served. petiZtgation failed on the gfound of the petit i oner not being b are_ t e snake the allegation, he petition!ng for another party writtene it authority to do so he had not obtaineJ, ' l4 was then adjourned for the attendance of a witness who -- "'srY to complete the promoters' case. e„. Sub-Committee, No. 6. tbzint , t o:llMttee re-assembled this day, at half-past twelve o'clock. C aPtain Jones (in the chair), Mr. Deedes, and Lord SOUTH WALZS. Itlstkriect of this Bill is to effect improvements in the 1 1 11 ah ms in e, by constructing various deviations ; one from liZ t her e at or near Caity in Olamorganshire to Llanharren ; rom Llydney to the Forest of Dean, with other small tZti; tb The length, including all the deviations, is about 84 fieestimated cost 2,000,0001.; the amount is provided for in )12tity °f tho Company. Engineer, I. K. Brunel, Esq.; Porno 'girt 4"„nts , Messrs. Bushe, Venables, and Co. ; and solicitors, • and W. Hunt. SP OUTING INTELLIGENCE. )o , *ia th e in fol . l ow i ng LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHASE horses had arrived at Liverpool'on Saturday v n tir ef F* - - siee i „ --37, Golden Pigpen Cure-all, Regalia, Tinder-box, 14 4 y '4 °4 rip, Single - - Peeper, Everton, Alice, The. Artist, S t . L:eY, The Artful Dodger, Mameluke, and Culverthorpe. 'lblig . g e r Was declared not to start, on Monday last, at CHESTER SPRING MEETING. ~1443,,,Aceptances for the Free Handicap. C-?lb ; " A i llair, 4 yrs, Ist 41b; the Poor Soldier, 6 yrs, le t re, 5 S t _ nur, 4 yrs, 6st ; Eoline, 4 vrs, sst 1 llb ; T'Auld tOlie, a zr__7 l , sst 101 b ; Lady Sarah, 5 yrs, sst 101 b ; sst lb ; Gazelle, 3 yrs, 45t 61b; Sister to Skip iltt Noe, 4 st 61b %in ofhin -F ENGLAND STEEPLE CHASES—THURSDAY. 'k! p 0 sous. each, 5 ft, with 80 added, l2st. each, &c. 4 1i• (12 Subs.) 3 miles. son's Snipe, 6 yrs. •• • (Mr. J. Cookson) 1 It t :ara c c e ,urn's Clementine, aged. ••••• • • • • • •• .. . ....... 2 k t B Perambulator, 6 yrs. •• ••••..••••••• • • • • • • • • • • • 3 I, ll .teedVl, F 'S The Veterinary, 6 yrs. ...... ................ 4 le g e teRZ. Cremona, aged ••••• • • • • •••• • • • • .... •. • ... .. 5 h.Ot e Zing also started, but were not placed :—Mr. S. Parker's I• t z . • - •„`i aged 3lr. C. J. Reed) ; Mr. Yea named LAU. Benton,' *en' 'arton' ( s Saltator, aged, and three others. Won cleverly k t . • • ' M akes of '7 SOTS. each, 5 ft, with 50 added, 12st each. J • (13 Subs.) tlrt e e rtilson nd The Infant, 6 yrs ........ (Mr. C. Headlam) 1 E. t.„" nd Sir Edward o 'l% o "`ts lid Harold . (1 • ••••••• • • • • • • • t tlt ei r aits Bull ' •"e ..... •:•• 3 t,„ _ _ er s Goblet . ott l e Pi r , Charley Boy ••••••••• • • • • • • • • • •** • • • • • • •• • I 8 in Arted. Won by half a length, after a fine race. )(1 - 5 75 o f HUNTING APPOINTMENTS. ti; Thu r : e aufort's lids., Mon., Hallavington ; *l(Sred., Yate Turn rton Compton Bassett ; Sat., Chavenage Green. . Bampton Down ; Thurs., 3laun Down-1134. Suffolk hds., Tues., Bradfield-street ; Fri., Wilton _.10% . Nike harm.,d Mon., Patcham ; Wed., Race-course; Frl., Dyke. 11,see Lata -arrs., Mon., Newmarket Hill ; Thurs., Telseombe Tye. e th ,~ l l Tues., Castle Goring ; Thurs., Thakeham; Sat., The 11 ;e 414 e LeA,for,o!idler's lids., Tues., Witley; Fri., Tidaley Wood. 10_011. 11 f -re hds., Tues., Wonnelow Trunk. Vshir,"s,-..,Tues., Mary Knoll ; Fri., Sutton. 4 0 1 41 07t11t e e d u , 43 ., Tues., Acton Reynold ; Fri., Twemlows. l'a rh ,.,, l ds., Tues., Faintree. Py . - ".,?llgh's lids., Mon, Nettleton Lodge ; Wed., Riby Cress `ah.,• ''nie4 zd t l iain Hall—l 1. i lLua., Mon., Burton Constable ; Tues., Bainton New • ayk._,Lae Mill ; Fri., Everingham Park. hds.. Mon., Top of Garrowby Hill ; Wed., Stamford N• ',2elek s :,.-ilham Wes Field-1. 11,400,1 • hds., Mont , Print Hi o% ll ; Tues., Mitfordßridge; Thurs., tkilt Eatington ; Sat., Red Hill. 'aa ) riart o . ' 'T i en.. Culver House. It o lie k , . 11 , Mon., TrebarthaVillage ; Thurs., St. Stephen's it_l t; , thahire iele„„ l4 atinces ton 10 lids., Mon., Rockfleld ; Thurs., Hendre-10. tote i p-, Wed., Borough ; Sat., Babland Gate. Mon., Mere Hall; Tues., the Three Greyhounds; k. 4 . i;rd Bridge ; Sat., Aston Hall. hds., Tues., Backford Hall; Sat., Hooton. l ion en t Jun's hds., Mon., Chirk Castle ; Wed., Penley ; Thurs., - ‘a ; 1,,0r • ; Fri., Wynnstay-10I e . Mon., Hullavington Yate Turn ' ' e napton Bassett ; Sat., Chavenage Green. ;440, W v4 ila"` t7 ' Di t14. 6 ._, will r _ NNER.—The Right Hon. Sir James IN:Nay„__Celve the several Cabinet Ministers at dinner on k t iZ.A ti ",:a_ t t l , at the Right Hon. Baronet's house, in Hid-street. reL LI tux Paget has been appointed precis writer 114 •14i'lltr t , 1) , 0 Partmeut, in the room of Lord Henry Lennox, It Zl l ,;Op e C office on being returned to Parliament for Chi -44 41 3 n ot ),,..44118p 0410 th e slightest foundation for the reported -qty report in n of the Earl of Lincoln. The best refutation to ,144Z 11 ; that the Noble Earl returned to the metropolis on taT ta - Saturday evening dined at Sir R. Peel's. Zig P' be a Ir' Eß. 27. PARCEL RoBBERY. —A most v att e, ll ,.Y th e L. adroit robbery was committed upon the porter ern kit "'Ni te ~.t.don and Birmingham Railway Company on Thurs- Lie4killay e ' La t• It pears tht the porter left the station at ery lawith between forty a and fifty parcels in his basket, t• kf t lita v ens parts of London ; when he got to Gray's • gitlthe to him and said lie had been sent after eh station with two parcels, which he produced, Sie told he said were to be delivered immediately. The t e t a llte ear u a c or Porter if he would run with the two parcels, lie siAterit th e bait his basket till his return. The porter most fool found his off with the two fictitious parcels, and on itt", ‘ leZee o f tr Z. basket and parcels had all disappeared. The 18,.` 4 4. -u 'Y be i n , ac t of egregious folly on the part of the porter no doubt it will be serious ; one or two ket4 , •'l ste l•41•4 • 18 were4gined -404 , fro m 4, 44 all that Cour s solicitors in this city. The railway com eth, liable for the act of their porter, and will, no ',ooineuts it ey can to remedy the loss ; but in the case of is very often impossible to obviate the injury by kl n i t Pensation. was'-'I.I7TY.—On Saturday a return obtained by ot,„_ issued of the capital on which legacy duty has been L",,i,l , tie e - a "nt of revenue received in the United Kingdom for h legacies, &c., in the year ending on the sth of Jan., • e 41 . Member has procured similar returns for several t?ltep paid in that in the last year the capital on which legacy q •4jallie e " i 4n Great Britain was 45,599,714/. 3s. 3d. ; the total t 6 , 40 %: )!! le,„ ' 9 , 7 was 1,339 , 419,5111 . 14s. Ild. In Ireland the amount .1 1 22::tiste - e ,F ie s was 61,629/. 18s. Id.on probates and letters Sal.; The — , °4 (both in the year 1845), the amount of duty was oe'• Lakt,`evenue received in the year ended on the sth of 1 11119.1kehint a; inEngland and Wales, On legacies, 1,178,8661.65. 9d.; e et ^4l l • 13 e, adminietrations, and testamentary inventories, 1 11 * 1 0 a. ' ll Scotland it was respectively 88,0731. 15s. sd. and , si4:..ta G reat Britain, 1,266,9401. 2s. 2d. and 1, 029 , 9541 . 25. ; 14 7a It • Was 61,6291. 183. Id, and 65,8 521 . The to tal dut y 4 7 a ?SI hi the "United Kingdom on legacies now amounts v on b,,_ttle lid.; and on probates, Ike., 31,814,8961. 2s. 81. 4 ' d. 4 4e4 , -- i jubot ts .rups on legacies since 1797 amount to 8999/.ls. 4d.; 0 4 , tees to a nd aoNninistrations to 1,182,7051. 78. lid .110 chtb annoNice the arrival in London of Ma ths(tili!ler after a hig•bly successful tour in Germany and Bo h_the titan m Majesty, the Empress of Austria, and her Ma- Nie ta - 84.,,thigoi l e Belgians IMve conferred upon Madame d'Eich ke ...v.. , Post of harpitte to their Majesties. 17,44Z:rat 7TH SIR JAMES KEARNEY, HAis.—Thls Officer e xpired on Monday last, 7 .ii a kt14444 1 help[ uss ot, th •He was born in 1788, and entered the army e time not mere than sixteen years of age. His bi et t l, 414; stated :—Corie , t, Feb. 28, 1794 ; Lieutenant, 7161e7,,• 25,14 1 , d „ a, May, 31, 1795 ; Major, May 27, 1802 ; • 23, i „;.; Major-General, July 22, 1830 ; Lieutenant- Nike - No s , ef Of 1 ; and Colonel of the 7th Hussars, in rowel of Sg e4 9o 4 - .. c tilee - r `f 3 eY (appointed to the Blues), Dec. 20, 1842. 11 6 ,,,A st . t .erved in the East and West Indies ; with the th"aras the and Walcherencommanded the 2d a eld with vokkiLv it te Wat d army of occupation in Francois married, vpi tit a g o augliter of Clayton Bayly, Esq. kktt e P l e tc ani.p it : V ali DIEMEN'S LAND.—The Nymph % . 1.4 leo nite nua ae r set, took down to Woolwich 100 convicts from p ah _ e(i nvi e t t - v 00 Wednesday, and the Arid and Fairy steam b?aeh Yesterday, for the purpose of being put on tti a til elp Stet t ired barque, moored off the Royal ard Arsenal. to 4 blemen's L and. A convict gu of the 65th tptaq°aroih chatham, and will take charge of the convicts At. tke - aeW k : and afterwards join the head-quarters of the d k , eh, /41,, z _ ' , until w ales. litLtelVtza.. Zy e i C 2,BFLAGRATION.—On Tuesday evening 4: 4 "„ 1 %.,„it. T t !lit of" 11 .4, the " Patent Wood Works" at Truro, under 14‘ oth thin ] 4 13 D ea r •• Gill, formerly of Plymouth, were discovered to Ad t er es Whi ‘ : 0 have originated in the store-room of manu . T i rea e er Zil to connected with the offices, and the charcoal S t lirtl t engi n - . 4 g a line of building immediately facing the li lt net th„`"'_ Were speedily on the spot, and were worked ar`,.7eanty supply of water would permit. The Va„411;41 tkiWever, from the nature of the building, l ott_ N t '' i e aliel ees — am and inflammatory contents, soon showed No sl i V i 44 1, 44,1 tl t , Of airy attempt to save the premises , y •d e e ° - lir eve :a efforts of tke men were judiciously directed tiii,,at e : t t h iot et were y,,",.. ti eg its extensio, - .2 to the main portion of the "extnf, a nc runately successful. A bonded cellar imme tlievo3,ThehJenglia,,cllntaining (it is now ow1;ed) as many as 500 " Mr. Gatiey. of Tresillian, :yes entirely de .1,114,14 ft ..lane e. ',Z s istramerise, and the heat scarceis: endurable i ti N t Latri o 7. fre t , i t s us wood works, we hear, are insuredhZ,avilY• be L ,,ed lose I "ririr we have made, is uninsured, and wl.l l tw .r. Gatiey. The whole range of buildin. 41 4 I P/Mouth °, heurs• Wednesday vening.—The fire tf ....0 t1 i th e orr _ Journal. §.ir k .Lords f.,uN s. _ Application having been ,T O tt , 4111„, Mter ts .` - ' ol `nmissioners of the Treasury, by an ".9 °f. the Le d In the importation of . such ;rticles, oicit 1 4. _ e olfters of h bed ith r Y . I t4 ,ach, t revenue having demanded eWeeriti os m drawin si %lerints upon sundry patterns of 4 1 l itt Coo t _,,ha, imported into the port of London, theei n of th e Be cc ely,ed a communication from Mr. oncim kciienlinancier!taries to the Treasury, stating that - 1:11 th e t o b t e horn y d n. by their Lordships to convey to allowing the present importation 144 :1 4 ' 11: B roe adruitted .at the rated duty of 3d. per dozen, 14 4 1 ai 1 1 th at rate as ti it N 4 411 1114 this ;„, Is chargeable on prints sewn or T,_ for , k ulpert at T iu lgnce was further to be extended k tti e tk ail_theio,,u,! of the article applicable to and I h,„ pu te kto lth ni re 4 s e be en e v o “ m r Posc.. This order of the Lords of ledekrtt rdi, tien t t unheated to the several depart tvteoitiof au g e l , , a n d I s t te f officers to gov . ern themselves in etktio ttprt_ u. articles considerable importance to the Tp~ipti es I,: a r to n,„ , as, although the duty in either t ' c l 44 of he tr ver Y trifling y t the extent of the i, h ,toa eh Lade, caused by - tle e endless variety and 'kw. tn. I ntred 'lnd c f k te :o 4 % p atte uo e d Patterns almost daily being in rhS 00 1 the continent for the purpose ot V4 st diV e l er o.r embroidery, needlework, f r e f \ o . rn_ react iri...,oPerations, makes, in the aggre .. the amount of duty levied thereon. THE MAGAZINES. e AT OD, 10 i'4vour the: tied Lite loos; remarkabi•, in the article entitled " The Roman Carupagua." It to be regretted that so fine a subject for description, and One too so well treated, with this exception, by the write;, has been disfigured by political bias, and attempts to prop up a baseless theory by facts which have as little to do with the importation of foreign. grain as the cap ture of Rome by the Gauls. Speaking of this wilder ness around the walls of the Eternal City, the writer juitly says, " Its appearance pruduces an extraortiimr,yr impression on the mind of the beholder. All is silent. — the earth seems struck with sterility—desolation reigns in every direction. A. space • extending from Otricoli t Terracina, above sixty miles in length and on an aver age twenty in breadth, between the Appenines and the sea, containing nearly four thousand square miles in the finest parts of Italy, does not maintain a single peasant." And a little further on—" The few living beings to be met at the post houses have the squalid melancholy look which attests permanent wretchedness, and the ravages of an unhealthy atmosphere." This is all correct, except as regards the universal desolation to the extent men tioned. Between the Pontine Marshes and Rome then- are several towns, among others Velletri, Frascati, and Albano, with not a little agricultural cultivation; but it is the conclusion drawn from the present deplorable condi tion of a small portion of Italy to which we object. Rome had no corn-laws, Rome imported grain from Lybia and Egypt, the plain of Rome was converted into pasture land, the peasantry were driven away, the army could not be recruited with freemen, aad the barbarians conquered the mistress of the world. The Cobdens or that period ruined the empire by throwing the " bold peasantry, a country's pride," out of employment.. This Campagna di Roma is a mere speck as compared with. the rest of Italy—a small strip running along the'sea shore, and its depopulation could have no perceptible effect. in diminishing recruits for the army. The depopulation was not produced by the importation of foreign grain, and the decay of agriculture, but by the malaria, which commenced before the establishment of the empire, and has been increasing ever since. During the most flourishing times, mention is made of it : during cer tain seasons it was considered dangerous to reside in certain districts around the city, and in the time of Augustus, the Pontine marshes appeared to have pos sessed nearly the same character as at present. The journey of Horace to Brundusium leaves no doubt of the fact. When he passed the night at Forum Appii, evidently much against his will; he declared war against his belly (ventri indico bellum), because the water, as now, was most unwholsonie (tcterrima), and his slumbers were constantly interrupted by the croaking of the fen frogs, which still infest the locality. The writer, there fi,:re, must find out some other cause for this desolation than ti;e absence of corn-laws ; but so bent is he on his theory, that he forgets other people can reason as well as h iluse ir, and asserts that the policy of the different Roman Pont'ta may still be regarded as the cause why no improvement has taken place. "It is so," he says, " because the weakness of the Papal Government, yield ing, like the imperial, in ancient days, to the cry for cheap bread among the Roman populace, has fed the people from time immemorial with foreign grain. instead of that of its own territory." Cheap bread, therefore, has done all the mischief ; but if cheap bread really is the cause, will the writer explain how it hap pens that in the plains of LombaCiY: and in the Legations, more especially in the district of.l3l4°g"a, bread is very cheap, and the country is in the very highest state of agricultural cultivation ? We fine nothing . , in the other articles that require much Notice. " Ib's all fol~ the best" is concluded, and the " Student of Salanianc,? -1 has reached the fifth part. We hope the sixth will be the last. A contributor with the signature "N. N. T." has furnished a translation of the 24th book of the Iliad, in English hexameters, and says he would not be reluctant to attempt the completion of an Iliad in the same verse. We sincerely hope he will not give himself the trouble, for it would never sell. Homer has been translated in various ways, but none, except the version by Pope, is readable. The rest have all sunk into oblivion, and we are sure this would be the fate of a translation in English hexameter. As many readers may be desirous of know ing the opinions of North on Peel's plans, we give the iollowing extract from " Ministerial Measures, simply remarking that the little word if, appears to be a great favorite : " Of the probable fate of this measure we shall venture no opinion. The enormous amount of private business which of late years has been brought before the Houses of Parliament —the importance and the number of the internal improve ments which depend upon their sanction, and in which almost every mail of moderate means has a stake, are strong proba bilities against any immediate dissolution of Parliament, or an appeal to the judgment of the country. But there is no policy equal to truth, no line of conduct at all comparable to consistency. We have not hesitated to express our extreme regret that this measure should have been so conceived and ushered in; both because we think these changes of opinion on the part of public men, when unaccompanied by sufficient outward motives, and in the teeth of their own recorded words and actions, are unseemly in themselves, and calculated to unsettle the faith of the country in the political morality of our statesmen—and because we fear that a grievous, if not an irreparable division has been thereby caused amongst the ranks of the Conservative party. Neither have we hesitated —after giving all due weight to the arguments adduced in its favour—to condemn that measure, as, in our humble judg ment, uncalled for and attended with the greatest risk of dis astrous consequences to the nation. If this departure from the protective principle should produce the effect of lessening the tillage of our land, converting corn-tields into pasture, depriving the labourer of his employment, and permanently throwing us upon the mercy of foreign nations fbr our daily supply of corn, it is impossible to over-estimate the evil. It; on the contrary, nothing of this should take place—if it should be demonstrated by experience that the one party has been grasping at a chimera, and the other battling for the retention of an imaginary bulwark, then—though we may rejoice that the delusion has been dispelled—we may well be pardoned some regret that the experiment was not left to other hands. Our proposition is simply this, that if we can not gain cheap bread without resorting to other countries for it, we ought to continue as we are. Further, we say, that were we to be supplied with cheap bread on that condition, not only our agricultural but our manufacturing interest would be deeply and permanently injured; and that no com mercial benefit whatever could recompense us for the sacri fice of our own independence, and the loss of our native re sources." THE NEW MONTHLY. Popular names, with their " lengthened sweetness long drawn out;' constitnte the chief attraction, as usual, of Colburn ; for we are treated in this number with additional " Echoes from the Backwoods," by Cap tain Levinge, good chattering echoes of their class—a continuation of the " Privateer's-Man," by Captain Marryat, forming a reminder of a bye-past style of novel writing—more about " The Travels and Opinions of Mr. Jolly Green," hodge-podgy vagaries, half- French half-Cockneyism, like a grisette in a Danstable bonnet—another chapter of " Beauchamp," by the in exhaustable G. P. R. Tames, describing a struggle near a river, and ending with true melodramatic effect, " both plunged in together into a deep pool, and disap peared for an instant in the water "! I I —fresh "Lights and Shades," by W. H. Maxwell, cleverly written and sparkling.—new pen-and-ink sketches of Lords Stowell and Eldon—but whew ! let us take breath after such a long-winded catalogue. Of poetry there is no defi ciency, videlicet a nondescript bit of comicality,. by Charles Hooton, entitled " The Raven," in which moral aphorisms are deduced from a bird's bill, instead of a doctor's. If imitators may be taken as a criterion of the originality or genius of the prototype, then was .2Esop one of the most genuine originals, and one of the loftiest intellects that ever inhaled oxygen, or strutted forth upon the earth a—rational biped. Nor can we regard this estimation of his character as too eulogistic. We would back that helot, with his hump-back and his ragged garments, against the wisdom of any ten lexicographers that can be picked out of any university in any generation ; we would wear his effigy, graven upon a precious stone, upon our finger, as about the noblest symbol of human intelligence. His words were rugged and misshapen as himself, but they contained thoughts of singular eleva tion ; they were jewels buried deeply in the mire, but they were worth digging for any day out of the three hundred and sixty-five. To return, however, to our magazine lyrics, Edward Kenealy sings us "An Irish Romance," and his hands stray among the strings with no little felicity ; while J. E. Carpenter—(in reality the sweetest ballad-writer of his day)—attempts something very pretty indeed about a calm at sea, but fails most signally in the effort. How such balderdash, in the shape of metre, can ever' be claimed by a writer of romaunts like Carpenter, we cannot conjecture. We suspect Master Apollo is hoarse with carolling overmuch, in which case he should remain silent for the nonce. Of Mrs. Butler's three poems we shall say no thing since field flowers occasionally have theirdeficiency thus are the corn-poppies brilliant but scentless. A "Gallop to Gretna" is a reminiscence of a power, nowlike Saturn's, extinct ; it gives a spirited description cf one of those boarding-school flights which, by a stern parliamen tary enactment are at the present moment little better than " flights of imagination." One other contribu tion and our notice of the New Monthly will terminate. Peter Priggins gives us a new adaption of the fable res pecting " Town and Country ;" somewhat inferior to his ordinary gossip, though still animated with his affection for fun and his loathing for the unprincipled. The foregoing enumeration of articles will give some indicationof the variety and merit of the March number. BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY. - - Mr. Maxwell, as author, and Mr. Leech, as artist, open the present number with a continuation of "Brian O'Linn." Mr. N. A. Wells follows, with an amusing account of a month's residence at Madrid; and then we have a paper of sterling historical value frein the pen of D. W. C. Taylor, entitled "Chesterfield and his Times." The following passage, with which the paper concludes, is a estimate of the character of Chesterfield:— "His own character was factitious; and he therefore re rs. of others as artificial, and he set about garded the charaCte their examination as if habits of mind were subject to the same laws as costume and dec;:ratiou• The world was to Min a huge masquerade ; he played the part of the most accom plished diplomatist of the French and fastionable sehool. There was calculation in his frivolity, and intense i;;ltishness in all his actions. lie was an actor in a drama ; and Le: whole ambition was concentrated, not in the success of the piece, bnt of that special portion which it was his choice to maintain. Systematic frivolity, the sacrifice of principles to appearances, a contempt for humanity, an opinion that men were instruments to be employed and women creatures to be deceived, a heartless indifference to all the obligations which can arise from sympathy and affection ; such were the ele ments of the philosophy which Chesterfield professed, and on which he stedfastly acted. "A great philosophical experiment was tried by the states man whose career we have been contemplating; the selfish theory of morals as preached by Hobbes, and practically expounded by Rochefoucauld, was tested in actual life, with every advantage it could derive from elegance, grace, end refinement, contrasted with a grossness of prevailing manners• bordering on brutality. How did it succeed ? There is no more lamentable failure in our history. Chesterfield never gained a triumph. Baffled as a statesman, disappointed as a politician, super-attenuated as a leader of fashion, rejected inion , deprived of all social a n d his ex „:ni.i . te t uess alents served only t o as a litera ( 1: , 5 e ry e ahiirrre et f ,i i c i sunshme appears i n is is dark carter—liiS royalty in Ireland; but this owed itA brightne,s to his tem ,norary abandonment of his system. In Ireland he was corn. pealed to grave affairs; for the vices of Dublin were too gross, and its dissipation too bru tal to be en j o y ed b y a m an of refine:nent ; he was far from the gaming-tables of St. J ames ' s , f ri ;_rn the saloons of royal mistresses, from the levees of heirs apparezn, from the circle of Lady Yarmouth, and from the intrigues of a_re royal closet. T.L7."." ciretwnstanced, he laid aside frivolity to adopt utility, and thus sight months of contradiction to his own principles form the redeeming epoch of his life." It is not often that we meet with a paper of such sterling character in the pages of Bentley. The " Out pourings" of D. Canter are continued, but the wine is getting low and vapid. The present libation is an out pouring of twaddle. The next paper, " The Last Days of Riego," by Mrs. Romer, is a spirited contributioi to the romance of history, and affords another illustra tion of the truth of the aphorism-that truth is stranger than fiction. In addition to the illus tration of " Brian O'Linn," we have a beau tiful engraving by Cook, from Sir Joshua Reynold's portrait of the Countess of Cork, accompanied by an amusing sketch of the life of that indefatigable Lion hunter. We have the Tipperary Hall (a by no means unsuccessful imitation of the Noctes Ambrosiam) and the " Zoology of the Gent.," by Albert Smith, an excel lent paper, full of genuine satire (as contradistinguished from lampoon) sparkling with wit, and not wanting in wisdom. We hope Mr. Albert Smith will continue his popular zoology. LONDON, MON!! AY _EVE' NG 11 2, 1846. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen ant Prince Albert, accompanied by the Prirwe of b%° al, s, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, and attended by the Countess of Mount Edgecumbe, the Dowager Lady Lyttelton, Colonel Bowles, Major-General Wemyse, Major-General Sir Edward Bowater and Dr. PI etorius, arrived at Osborne House at twenty minutes past twelve o'clock on Friday from town. Her Majesty and her Royal Consort drove out in an open carriage in the afternoon. The Royal children were taken in the pleasure grounds. On Saturday the Queen and Prince Albert took their usual early walk on the sea-beach. The Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, were taken in open carriages to the beach for their accustomed exercise. Her Majesty and her Royal Consort took an airing in an open carriage iu the afternoon. Yesterday morning, the Queen and Prince Albert, and the Ladies and Gentlemeu in waiting, attended Divine Service, in Whippingham. Church. The Royal Family were taken airings in the pleasure grounds of Osborne Flouse, The Duchess of Kent left town at half-past nine o'clock, on Saturday morning, for her residence, Frogmore House, near Windsor. Lltr Royal Highness returned to Clarence House. `,,;t. James's at six o'clock. Their Ro y Highnesses th e D uc h ess o f K ent, an d t h e Duchess of 'Gloucester, attended Divine Service yester day 1 - norning, in Grosvenor Ch a p e l, S out h A u dl ey-street, -LAO y Fanny Howard was in waiting on the Duchess of Kr int. I man of the day. Tilt faith in Peel which anima tes the 'Change of London, ha: an influence, greater or less, . in all • - .i. ty. A iew Cobden s may use siperor to this indiscriminating idola try, but Peel is the mai of the great inoney-making ; inte rest. On the other hind, he is the man of the mt sabrity among the landownersand relics of the old borough :-rnon gering party, who see lie necessity of confoi ming to tl ie new state of society. Owing to these circumstances, he is a Pis'wer in himself. The Liberals of all shades, see more or - less clearly, that he is engaged in a duel with the old gian t of 4cred-boroughmongerinc, and that the forces of the cg qn batants are not very unemal. The talk of standing out lor higher principles, and failing back upon Peel in the event of a defeat, is mere grimace and affectation. With half-a-dos en it may be earnest : but the mass have made up their mir ids' to close with his offir. ':'he Protectionists feel this, and. feel that the game is up with them. The sharpest sting tl ley have yet felt, was on the first night of the talk on Mr. Milt is's amendment in the Home of Commons, when they were al lowed to rise one after another to vent their spleen, no. •one thinking it worth while to reply to them. Even under- - .lbis provocation, their tone was querulously despondent anal et al sciously feeble, not robAstiously indignant. They niter ed their complaints with the bated breath and wVisperit sg humbleness of bondsmen. They deprecated personalities-- speaking all the time from purely personal motives--from an awkward conviction t; at they are very assailable. The landed interest will be fund as completely paralyzed in its own exclusive h ouse as in that where it has of late years been bearded by a strong and growing minority, now a ma jority. The Duke of Wellington is doing his work admirably He invites his malcontents one by one to personal interviews; puts them under a disadvantage by asking them to ex:plain why they oppose a measure which lie professes to think ad mirable; allows them to flounder on from depth to depth in the chaotic inanity of their own minds; and dismisses them labouring under the amazing reflection that they have not ' been able to advance onevalid argument against Peel's reform and ready, after a few days' uneasy self-worry, to acf4ulean e in it from utter helplessness. The measure, we have little doubt, will pass both RCA? .es without any dissolution. And then a general electio , ,, cs sn not be vary far distant. If there are men in the tour:try ho entertain clear practical not i ons of admanistrative politics, who are moved by ambition to take part in public busirtin, and sufficiently affluent to be able, to devote themselves to the pursuit without compromising their independence, at that general election they will have a rare chance of succes.s. If there are constituencies really independent if party; and anxious only fbr good government, they will be on the watch for such candidates. In choosing men for the next Parlia ment, it is not the pedantic formula 3 of political creeds, but' practical views of administrative reform, and an earnest de termination to spare no exertions to realise them, that ought to be looked to. The first and second Reform Bill Parliaments have pretty well broken up old parties, the third may show us the formation of a new one, adapting its practice and professions to the new balance of politica ' power." DOUGLAS JERI?OLD'S. Although Juniper Hedgehog is silent during Mardi, and although the editor's excellent story of " St. Giles and St. James" is again postponed, this number is equal in other respects to any of its predecessors. First and foremost, " The History for Young England" is once more introduced, and brings us to the reign of John " Lackland," with its usual epigrammatic style of narra tive. " A Plea for our Climate" is good—thoroughly good ; it is sagacious, well-toned, and novel in every particular. We would transcribe it entire, did space permit—here, however, is its conclusion : "By our ability to remain out of doors, without risk or in convenience, more hours per day and more days per year in England than in almost any other country—by our exemp tion from whirlwinds, tornadoes, earthquakes, siroccoes, simoens—by our escape from seasons of ceaseless rain, cease less heat, ceaseless cold—by our longer and more healthy lives—by the heroes and heroines whom our skies have bent over—by the harmless glories of our majestic woods, the rich greenery of our fields—by the fruits we eat, the flowers we smell, the birds we hear, the beasts we have and the beasts we hare not, and the inoffensive reptiles we possess, and the offen sive reptiles we do not—by all these considerations on all these grounds, I call upon tke reader, even though an easterly draught be chilling him, or a London fbg be blinding him, or a sudden rattling shower be destroying his hopes of a pleasant walk before dinner, to bear those little inflictions in good humour, to look upon them in the light of slight drawbacks to the general excellence, the general healthful ness of the climate of Great Britain." " The Masquerade of Society," " A Plea for the World belew Stairs," " Old Misery the Miser," the " Uses of Fools," and other contributions, are brim ming over with a shrewd knowledge of mankind, and an ardent longing for the regeneration of all classes— a spii it which is so admirably and unaffectedly incorpo rated with this periodical. A paper entitled " The Press and the People," is too meagre for a theme so immense and important. We cannot convey our sentiments upon this subject better than by quoting some opinions of our own, recently published elsewhere, upon " THE NEWSPAPER PRESS OF ENGLAND. " The magazines, the reviews, the serial romances, and the prodigious bulk of newspapers, form at once the chronicle and the phenomenon of our own immediate times. Through their medium, the doctrines of our thinkers are promulgated throughout the world, and obtain the widest circulation. Through them, very frequently, a mind is awakened to its destined impulse, as with a flash of electricity, at the beck of the wand of that invisible, but potent and terrible magician—the press—that mighty engine, whose silent but indomitable voice penetrates the uttermost limits of the globe, vivi fying with its inexorable eloquence the germs of inte grity and independence; at one moment branding some petty charlatan with its playful but irksome scorn ; at another, warning a despot iu some distant laud of the epoch of his doom. Much, indeed, would our predecessors marvel at the vigour, the copiousness, the diffusion, and the inexhaustible energies of this new creation. Summoned into being by man's instinctive thirst for regeneration, the press is simultaneously sus tained by, and sustaining, the liberty of' intellect and action—it is at once the tyrant and the embodiment of republicanism, the tyrant over individual domination, the fosterer of universal freedom. With its emissaries ever on the alert, and scattered throughout the various terri tories of the earth, stimulated to novel exertions by an ever-present spirit of competition, roused into new de. veloptuent by the ceaseless alterations of society, the press, as a monitor of the populace, is ever increasing in its influence, and strengthening in its strength. But that such should be the case cannot create astonishment, when it is remembered that its vitals are the amass ment of many thousand minds—that it stands forth the representative of human intelligence—that it is the creature of the logi,ian, the analyst, the politician, and the philosopher. Occasionally, without question, this being r e b e l s aga i ns t it s own creator, as in the instance of America, where, nourished in its malice by the moral turpitude of the social system, and given up to the most licentious abandonment, it pollutes the commonwealth by its baleful presence, and rules it only as a very demon would. There, a great nation is at length becoming conscious that, like another Frankenstein, it has warmed into existence a creature of hideous aspect and of horrible capacity--a monster which now constitutes its greatest misery—one that, unless annihilated, may ultimately prove its downfall. The characteristic, however, which is most conspicuously visible in the newspape rs i s t h at o f t h e i r rap idi ty of g i ving information ; nothing is more significant of the present age than this quality in our daily literature. A volume, yet damp from the pressure of the type, is elaborately dissected on the very even ing after publication ; before a bandage is yet adjusted over a broken limb at the hospital, the accident is detailed in every journal ; while the actress is still engaged in removing the rouge from her countenance, a criticism on her performance is being set up' by the compositor ; the orator at a public assembly, on resuming his seat, has the first portion of his address thrust into his hands already printed, with the intimation left speaking,' at its conclusion. 'These circumstances would have savoured of black-magic to our progenitors ; but society has become habituated to their recurrence, and no longer regards them as miraculous. For our own part, however, we never perceive the broad-sheets of our newspapers, yet reeking from their passage through the labyrinth of the printing-machine, without an internal exclamation of, Honour to the Press !" Honour to the manes of Guttenberg !'" The foregoing is some slight exposition of the marvel so mincingly treated upon in the present number of Jerrold's Magazine. A " Winter Scene," by J. Scholes, is au exquisite piece of blank verse, which lack of space alone prevents us from reprinting. Most of the other articles are of value, and the whole coll ec ti on is worthy of its editor's supervision. A deputation from the Waterford and Limerick Rail way Company had an interview with Sir James Graham and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Saturday. The deputation consisted of the Earl ofClare, the Right Hon. D. R. Pigott, M.P. for Clonmell ; Mr. Thomas Wyse, M.P. ; and Sir Henry W. Barron, M.P. for the city of Waterford ; Mr. A. Stafford O'Brien, M.P., Alderman Thomas Hughes, Chairman of the Limerick Railway Company ; Mr. Charles Biancorn, Mayor of Clonmell, Mr. James Power, M.P. for Wexford ; Sir Thomas Esmonde, M.P. for Wexford ; and Mr. Vignoles, Engi neer-in-Chief. The Hon. Mr. Scott, M.P., had an interview with Mr. Secretary Gladstone on Saturday at the Colonial• office. The Earl of LiNcoln arrived in town on Saturday morning. Sir Robert Peel had a dinner party on Saturday at his residence in Whitehall-gardens. Mr. James M'Queeu had an interview on Saturday with Mr. Secretary Gladstone. Mr. Dean, Chairman of the Customs, had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Saturday at his official residence in Downing-street. Dispatches were sent off on Saturday evening from the Colonial•office for the Governors of the West India colonies. Dispatches were also sent off on Saturday for the Governor of New South Wales and the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope. The Duke of Wellington attended the early service ' yesterday in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. Pra) ers were read by the Rev. Dr. Wesley. The sermon was preached by the Rev. H. Finch. At the daily service the prayers were read by the Rev. J. C. Haden, the lessons by the Rev. G. Repton. The Bishop of London officiated at the communion service, assisted by the Rev. Dr. S.eath and the Rev. J. C. Haden. The sermon was preached by the Bishop of Oxford. The anthem was "By the waters of Babylon" (Boyce). Mr. Turle presided at the organ. The Marquises of Granby and Queensbury, Lords Cawdor, St. Germans, Colville, De Manley, Farnham, E. Bruce, Palmerston, Canterbury, Foley, W. Graham, and Morpeth ; Ladies St. Germans, Somers, and Palmerston, were among the nobility present. COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) ARRIVAL OF HER MAJESTY, PRINCE ALBERT, AND THE ROYAL CHILDREN, AT OSBORNE HOUSE. The Royal Family and suite landed from the Fairy at the new landing-place in Cowes Harbour, after twelve o'clock this day. On approaching the harbour the Royal yacht was saluted by the batteries of Cowes Castle and the Royal Yacht Squadron House, all the foreign ships hoisting their flags to compliment the Queen. The farmers of the Isle of Wight are quite in ecstacies at the Duke of Richmond and Lord Ashburton having declared " that hares were vermin, and alike injurious to the crops of the tenant and the trees of the landlord." It is calculated that a farm of 500 acres keeps at least 1,000 hares, which will eat as much as 200 sheep, at 17s. 6d. each, or one sheep to 5 bares, at 3s. 6d., ... £175 0 0 Waste caused by hares in feeding equal to 1 4 43 15 0 218 15 0 Every hare on a farm eats and wastes the value of 4s. 6d. at :least, and every rabbit costs the farmer at least 2s. per annum. If the farmers could get rid of the game, they would not be much concerned about the corn- laws. NORTH NOTTINGHAMSHIRE ELECTION. THE NOMINATION. MANSFIELD, SATURDAY.—This morning the nomination of Lord Henry Bentinck and Lord Lincoln, as candidates to represent North Nottinghamshire in Parliament, took place in this town, according to previous official announcement. After the usual formalities, Lord Henry Bentinck was pro posed as a fit and proper person to represent the northern division cf the county in Parliament.—(Long and loud cheering.) W. H. BARROW, Esq., of Southwell, seconded the nomi nation. T. BAILEY Esq., of Basford Hall, addressed the meeting, and concluded by nominating the Earl of Lincoln. Mr. PARKINSON (amidst the general clamour)—As a friend of Lord Lincoln, I ask you whether you do this with his Lordship's sanction and authority. Mr. RiaLET—I can tell you that it is by Lord Lincoln's knowledge that I appear hear. Mr. PARKLNSON—I press for an answer. I ask you if you have his Lordship's authority for him ? The SHERIFF put the question, and Mr. Bailey replied that he had answered it.—(Continued confusion.) Sir T. WHITE—I ask you if you have his sanction to nomi nate him here. _ Mr. BAILEY—It is with the knowledge of Lord Lincoln. The UNDER-SIIERIFF—Has Lord Lincoln authorised you to nominate him ?—(Cries of "Answer that.") Mr. BAILEY, with much vehemence—l will not be beaten down by any one. I stand here as a freeholder, to nomi nate any fit and proper person to represent the southern division of this county in Parliament I choose, even though he be at the end of the earth. I will not be tied down by any unconstitutional declaration. Mr. PARKINSON said, if Lord Lincoln had given his sanction, he had broken his word.—(Hear.) Mr. BAILEY—But I offer him as a candidate.—(Great confusion.) Mr. PARKINSON—But remember what Lord Ashley said. —(Hear, hear.) Mr. BAILEY—I care not what Lord Ashley said and did. (Groans.) Sir THOMAS WHITE and the SiTERIFF begged for order. A voice—Let him empty himself of his speech; that's all he wants.—(Laughter.) The UNDER-SHERIFF expressed a hope that Mr. Bailey had Lord Lincoln's sanction for the steps he was taking. His Lordship had not said a word about coming forward to him. Mr. BAILEY—I don't wish to give unnecessary trouble. I have put Lord Lincoln in nomination, and I will bring him in.—(Long and loud cheering, and great uproar.) Yes, I repeat, I will bring him in. —(Ironical cheers.) It was not necessary, he would say, in answer to an exclamation that Lord Lincoln would not come himself, that the general should come himself. It is unnecessary. If we succeed, it will not be the first time a subaltern has led on his cohorts to victory.—(Cheers.) We knew we had a phalanx of wealth and of power to contend against, and we did not attempt to break ground until we were sure of winning the contest.—(Loud cheering and uproar.) Mr. GEORGE MOLINI COWLEY seconded the nomination of Lord Lincoln. He expressed his confidence that the free traders formed the majority of the elcetors, and that the election would terminate in the return of Lord Lincoln. (Cheers and signs of disapprobation.) Lord HENRY BENTINCK then presented himself, and was received with loud cheering. He could not but apologise for having been forced upon their attention ; it was, how ever by no wish of his own ; there were many difficulties at first in his path to be encountered, but now they had been smoothened away, and the manner in which their leaders had abandoned them ought to call forth their utmost ever- gies to secure his return.—(Hear, hear.) Twenty years' discussion and experience had laid before them all the argu ments on the great question of protection; and they were much indebted to the present Ministers for some of the strongest arguments that could be used against the arguments of their now new allies, the League.--(Hear, and applause.) His Lordship continued to address the meeting in this sense for some time. At length he said he did think that, if the measures of Government were passed, all the land in that division of the county, from Arnold to Bawtry, would be thrown out of cultivation, and would again become nothing more than an extensive rabbit warren. - (Loud cries of "Hear, hear.") When he called to mind what had recently been done in the House of Commons, in spite of consistency, he could not bele but think that something was seriously wrong. —(Hear.) Now these weak, ratting Ministers, were found to be truckling to every wild cry of the League, and refused to offer any resistance to the cry of the Papists; it had be come their duty to take their affairs into their own hands. Their proceedings, hitherto, had plainly indicated their future intentions, and it could not but be observed— The confusion here was so great that the Noble Lore's voice could no longer be heard. During the whole of his speech much noise had existed, but now a wild and general cry arose in the town that was almost deafening to those in the Hall. Exclamations of the division, a dissolutien of Parliament, &c., were very frequent, at which the protec tionists turned pale and still. At length a large placard was held up to one of the windows announcing a majority of 97 in the House of Commons for Sir Robert Peel's measures. This intelligence was received with repeated rounds of cheering by the free-traders, during which the Noble Lord ceased speaking. Lord BENTINCK at length resumed, and after some further remarks and disturbance, concluded. Mr. BAILEY called for three cheers for the majority of 97, which were given in hearty good style by the free-traders, and reiterated by the vast crowd outside. Each candidate was then put to the vote, when a vast ma jority of hands was held up in favour of Lord Bentinck. A poll was then demanded by Mr. Bailey for Lord Lin coln. _ - ivote of thanks was passed to the Sheriff, and the meet ng terminated at half-pat twelve. The greatest excitement prevailed in the town. --------- PETWoRTIL—THE POTATO BLIGHT. —We are sorry to report that the young crops of potatoes are effected with the same disease as the cr o p o f l ast year. Mr. M'Ewen, Colonel Wyndhon's gardener, has taken up from the frames some of which had thrown up shoots 18 inches above the ground, the tubers being nearly large enough for the table, and has found them affected to a very great degree, so as to preclude all chance of their coming to maturity. The haulm has for some little time shown the effects of the disease, being covered with dark brown spots, and in parts d y i ng away. Mr. M'Ewen has tried some seed planted out of doors, and found on eta mination that where the shoots were_ advanced two or three inches, although they bad nut appeared above the ground, the disease had made visible inroad, the shoots being in many instances quite rotten; and he says he bas not a doubt that the whole crop will be destroyed.--.Eirighton Gazette. A CoNTRAST.—In Nottinghamshire the Duke of Newcastle thrusts his son out of Parliament (for a time, at least), and (for a time only, perhaps), the Duke of Portland thrusts his . son into Parliament. What a "Duke-ridden " county is Notting- EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT. The fourth annual meeting of the Metropolitan Drapers' Association was held on Friday evening, at Covent-garden Theatre. The attendance, in point of numbers, enthusiasm, and respectability, vied with the League meetings. The pit and galleries were crowded, and on the platform we observed thn Right Hon. Lord Ashley, the Right Hen. Fox Maule, M.P., Colonel Fox, M.P., Reverend C. Ainslee, T. A. Coxe, L.L.D., &c. Shortly after eight o'clock the chair was taken by the Right Hon. Lord Ashley, who was greeted with loud plaudits. The Noble CHAIRMAN said, that having the honour to preside as Chairman on the present occasion, be would, in conformity with the established custom, proceed to address them a few observations.—(Hear, hear.) These must neces sarily be as brief as possible, that he might not inter pose between the gentlemen who would address them, not only because they possessed more particular knowledge of the subject than he did, but that they might have the opportunity of hearing those Members of Parlia ment whose long attendance there would be incompatible with their duties in the House of Commons. did rejoice at that vast assembly congregated at such a meeting, and assembled for such a purpose. He presided last evening over a meeting for a similar object to the present, and he would repeat what he said on that occasion, namely, that he had a kind of parental anxiety for the movement. If he should be deemed arrogant, he was ready to say, Non nobis Domine. He was a disciple of that doctrine which said moral ex cellence could not exist with physical degradation. Much had been already done, but much remained to be accom plished for the object of the meeting.—(Hear, hear.) He had with him letters from various departments of industry complaining of this movement. But what of that? Their object was noble and great. Their success would be the precursor of the success of other similar movements ; and they would accomplish what the Scrip ture asserted, that man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until evening.—(Cheers.) Much had been said on the subject before them. It was asserted by many persons in business that mental im provement disqualified for physical exertion, and that those who were emancipated would devote their time to dissipa tion. Now, both of these he lustily denied. Had it been so among the operatives of the northern districts, in Manchester and elsewhere? Had it not, on the contrary, been found that those measures which gave increased time for relaxation had been more effective than a Sabbath Bill ?—(Hear, and cheers.) Now that was an overwhelming testimony which could not be refuted.—(Hear. ) He thought that every patriot and philanthropist ought to seek to create and promote that feeling which led to the present movement. He would conclude by calling on Mr. Nash to read the report. Mr. NASH (the Secretary) then read the report, from which it appeared that a considerable increase in members, and other features of prosperity, had taken place, which were in no small degree ascribable to the efforts of the press, which, not withstanding the warfare of politics, lent its advocacy to the present movement. Considerable improvement had taken place since the last annual meeting among all the trades. Among the rest, were the booksellers; the foremost amongst whom were Messrs. Longman and Co., who had set the example by closing their establishment at an early hour. It was determined not to confine the benefits of the association to the class for whom it was originally established, but to embrace all trades, and to carry out that object it was re solved to raise a sum of 5,0001. A prize had been offered for essays on the effects of early closing, which were dis tributed gratuitously. Towards the sum proposed to be raised 600/. had been already contributed, and the receipts for the past year had exceeded the expenditure by a small balance.—(l-ear, hear.) After some further observations, the report concluded by a strong appeal in favour of the early closing movement. The Right Hon. F. MASSLE, M.P., said that if he had the smallest conception of having to address a meeting like the present, he should have paused ; however, he trusted that as this was his first appearance on the stage, he would receive from a British audience that indulgence which was never withheld from a first appearance. The cause they had met to advocate was one that, if ever a movement was entitled to the teem philanthropic, justly deserved to be so designated. Their object was to assist a class 'Utterly unable to assist themselves.—( Hear, hear.) They had earned for themselves a name for assuaging slavery abroad ; but perhaps, as was not unfrequently the case, they lila neglected to look at home. What had been done in their own country? Why there they saw young men kept standing for thirteen or four teen consecutive hours. He would not speak of this as ex isting in a country of freedom. The present system was not one of interest merely to the drapers or any other class of society, but affected the whole social system ; for that system was calculated, not only to send thousands to an early grave, but destroyed their morals altogether. Let them take the case of a youth who was brought up under pious parents, but who was compelled to earn his living. He was placed at one of those establishments which opened early and closed late, and a few months perhaps saw him destroyed in mind and body. It was the interest, therefore, of the public to destroy such a system.--(Hear, hear.) They could not effect that by legislative enactment, but by peaceful agitation. —( Hear, hear.) That agitation was not the agitation of the de.nagogue, seeking to set his foot on those institutions, which wisdom has reared.—(Loud cheers.) It was in their own power to do this. He would appeal to the ladies in parti cular to assist in this movement, to the success of which they could so materially contribute. By effecting the benefit they now sought to obtain, they would earn for this country a name as famed for morality and humanity as it was for success in arms.—(Loud cheers.) The lion. Gentleman concluded by proposing the first resolution. The Rev. Mr. HUGHES, in seconding the resolution, said that the meeting which lie attended last night, namely, the Christian Instruction Society, which was an offshot of the present association, refuted fully the illiberal assertion that those whom they sought to relieve would not employ their time correctiv.—(Hear.) The Times had called the League a great fact. He would call the present move ment a great fact, for it demonstrated that an oppressed class had discovered their rights ; and as one great fact was about to realise the object for which it was called into exist ence, so he would say that the present fact would yet corns to the same termination.—(Loud cheers.) The Rev. Gen tleman then passed a high eulogium on the Noble Chairman, who, he said, was ever ready to come forward in the cause of philanthropy, and to rescue his fellow-man &cm the iron hoof of every species of despotism.—(Hear, hear.) The late Lord Ashley was o pp ose d to oppression. He wished to see the name of England glorious —not for her success in arms, nor for territorial pos•ession, but for her efforts to elevate the character, and to contribute to the happiness of her sons.— (Hear.) He would prefer to sacrifice the national greatness rather than sustain it by the suffering of his fellow-country men.—(Loud cheers.) J. PAYNE, Esq., Barrister-at-law, then came forward and was greeted with considerable applause. lie said he would not occupy their attention for any length of time. There were some persons who might say, remembering where they then were, that the scene now enacting there was " Much Ado about Nothing," or, perhaps, " Love's Labour Lost ;" but he would pause awhile, and they would see that" All's Well that ends Well."—(Loud laughter.) He, like the preceding speaker, must congratulate them on having such a chairman as the nobleman who presided, and with whom he had fought many battles in the cause of philanthropy. He met with a little quotation the other day which struck him very forciby ; it was as follows :—" Touch the feelings and you will obtain the heart's verdict."—(Laughter.) As he was just rising, a little bit of paper had been put into his hand, which contained this wise hint, " Say something about money." This he intended to have done, and he had now to inform them that a collection would be made ; when, as their feelings had been touched by the eloquent appeals they had heard in behalf of the plaintiff, the Metropolitan Drapers' Assistants' Association, they would return a verdict, and damages 5,000/.—(Great laughter.) The CHAIRMAN then read the following resolution, which was carried with loud acclamation : " That this meeting views with deep apprehension the con tinuance of that system of protracted toil which is so preva lent in the shops and warehouses of this country; regarding it as destructive to the bodily health, to the mental develop ment, and to the religious feelings of those employed therein, and as tending to deteriorate the moral and physical condi tion of the nation generally." The collection was then attempted to be made, but the chairman said that the house had become so crowded that they could not proceed with it at present, and it would be made at the door. He would, therefore, call on the Hon. Colonel Fox to propose the next resolution. The Hon. Colonel Fox, after a few preliminary obser vations, said that he would not detain them at any length. He denied that those whom they sought to assist would be likely to misuse their time. At all events it would not be the faults of those who were endeavouring to ameliorate their condition by continued and constitutional agitation. - George THOMPSON, Esq., said that he could deeply sym pathise with the speake r , w h o ex p re ssed his diffidenceon h at had e ad dressing the meeting. He would read the resol uti on now to propose, which was as follows: "That of : hops w th o is uld M fi ee n t d in i g t , r p inr s t u er a e d s e t d te th e a l t ee t e he t p h r e o i p r r e i s e t t a o h r - s o lishments earlier if the public would cease to frequent them an evening, and, therefore, that the habit on the part of to be t in h g ei the public of evening shopping is the main support of the 'Late Hour System,' hereby pledges itself, individually and collectively, to co-opdrate with the efforts of the Metropoli tan Drapers' Association to effect its abolition by abstaining from making any purchases after seven o'clock." This was a practical resolution, showing them how that they all could do something. Experience showed that no object, based on religion, reason, morality, and philanthropy, could be witheld, if energy were concentrated for effecting it. (Hear, hear). The most generous philanthropists, of every class in society, desirous for the well-being of their fellow countrymen, were all in favour of uprooting the evil which they now sought to eradicate. That was an evil which stood in their way in accomplishing every benefit for that class they sought to assist, and was blighting their moral excel lence. It was net necessary, he conceived, to urge on an assembly, like the present, not only to adopt the Trerelgruteaiont max himadefththeatheorneoeudrintoWsheiccohntditebyuhtetulievatceodt doupooi:teitd. namely, ear,hea r and untothat most forcibly to the present subjelli, ethers as we would be done by— out this teat they were called on to assist in carrying move ment needed little demonstration. —(Hear, hear.) If labour brought lassitude when it was voluntary and with a glittering prize in view, as the Noble Chairman would tell them, what must it be when it was forced, excessive, uncheered, and un remunerated.—( line u o n f e o r b a s t e e rdv. J o L n e t u h d a cheers.t would l ) ead ll to e a w n o y u t l h d in n g o t h inked hostility, But this he would say, that they should prefer dealing.with those shopkeepers who closed their establishments at an early hour, and did not sacrifice their fellow-creatures to their selfishness. They might also go abroad as missionaries, and say to those who refused to accede to the popular feeling, "We like your good, we have no fault to find with you, but that you keep your shops open too late, and there fore we will not deal with you any longer."—(Hear, hear.) Thus, though they could not all be the suns of systems, they might yield a light; and like the poor old woman in the night, who saved the ship from wreck by the aid of her humble lamp.—(Loud cheers.) Let them look at this ques • tion in a philosophic view. if reading made a man learned, and thinking wise, how could they expect anything, but mental degradation from those who were engaged in toil of tke most harrassing description till ten o'clock at night? He contended, also, that the employers were as much interested in this movement as any others. He would ask them if it were not better to allow those young men whom they employed hours of relaxation at a suitable time, instead of turning them out at midnight, to herd with the dissipated and depraved, for all that were respectable were in their homes at that time.—(Hear.) The eloquent gentleman here made a forcible appeal to the ladles present, with whom he said the matter chiefly Tested. e did not despair of the attainment of tht ~.ojeci. speedily, more particularly as they were • isred by the press. He was glad to see that oi , ^ ^ vt the metropolitan rt' 1 - the subject now before them. forward f. wi t_t Tr alce on very pa p e rs had come News.—(Cheers.) He would be glad to see the p ‘..,ries of' "Name, name.") That journal was th r e ess D n a o il w y . philanthropy. But do. The But perhaps It and then tak e it s f ee t o ff the scorching steps of politics , and stray in the plea san t walks of gave as much o e f n i t ts w s o p.reas it could limited in its effects to th e erenselitt one sex, for it not would ultimately reach that sex who, as then departed at a late hour from that me e ti ng, t h ey would beho d in shops, amid the glare of gas, toiling away, and the next morning with pallid cheeks and tottering limbs at an early hour _proceeding to the s cene o f renewed toil.— (Hear, hear.) The victims of this system, male and female THE SUN, AINS WORT Culled from the original of Alexander Dumas, the chapters of the " Count of Monte Christo" are continued with unabated, if not increased, spirit ; Mr. Ainsworth's romance of " Old Saint Paul's" (the in judicious revival of which we commented upon last month) is continued also; the "Life and Writings of Nimrod," in like manner, reach another installment ; while Dudley Costello obliges us with some additional " Passages in the Private History of my Poodle." Al , though we are desirous of not pursuing a wearisome re monstrance with the gentleman to whose editorship this magazine is consigned, we would again entreat him, with the utmost earnestness, to avoid any future re.,usitation. Harrison Ainsworth's imagination is too copious to com pel him to sustain his literary reputation by reprints. Where, we may surely inquire, are the "Lancashire Witches?" where is the conclusion of the "Revelations of London?" If Mr. Forrest cannot manufacture any effusion superior to '• The Goblin Steed," we would re commend him to appraise his escrutoire, and sell it at a sacrifice. Never was there a more backnied legend than that respecting goblin steeds; we have been treated over and over again to goblin steeds, to all appearance shod in phosphoric smithies; goblin steeds perspiring little rivulets of fire; goblin steeds with saddles, of course of asbestos. These same goblin steeds have been de scribed again and again with the same break-neck rhythm, the same invariable moonlight, the same con ventional " Away and away went the coal-black steed!" May this unhappy repetition be the last l We take leave to assure Mr. Forrest, and the whole tribe of poetasters, that goblin steeds are sadly at a discount—after Lord Byron's " Mazeppa," nothing of the description is re quired. Charles Hcoton's " Immaterialities : or, Can such Things be ?" we conceive to be a capital joke ; the seriousness with which he pretends to wail the decay of credence in ghosts is comical beyond measure. He hath a sneaking kindness for spectral illusions, and utters the following lamentation upon the practical character of this generation—the passage is rife with wholesome truths : " Our household gods are metal and paper, to whom we sacrifice six days. . . Our very poetry is mixed up with r i7achinery—our inspiration springs from the breadbasket, and 9ur sympathies are sown upon poverty like a patch with`needle and thread.' The pity of the bard goes hand in hand with a quartern loaf; and the shirts upon our back' loudly reproach us with the pining misery of the weary sempetress who fitted their parts together. The phan tom ship, the fate morgana, the giant of the Brocken, the warriors and horsemen of the clouds, are all put to flight by the science of optics ; the kraken is destroyed—not by har poon or gunshot, but by the log-books of voyagers who never saw him; astrology is, a lie, dreams are idle nonsense, and spectres result only from a disturbance of the brain and visual organs." For this the writer is (or assumes to be) mournful : for this we are right joyous. Those have but a maudlin estimation for the invisible kingdom, who pine for the darksoine ages of credulity, who weep for the gnome, and the pixy, and the hobgoblins of our forefathers, and who are filled with a sullen disgust of those divine sciences by which these nothings have been scared away from the general mind. With hydraulics, and mechanics, and chemistry, and steam-power, and all those glorious causes and effects of intellect, we are not, as some erro neously imagine, degraded either in our rationality or our poetry. Nobly has Keats announced that "the poetry of earth is never dead." Superstition and ignorance are no increasers of our happiness, God knows l and under the category of superstition or of ignorance the absurdities already mentioned can alone be classed. Our bards, it is true, hold " a dear quartern loaf " in one hand and their lyre in the other—hut are not their themes thus sanctified with a purer and a holier greatness in pleading for the woes and sufferings of their fellow-men? The bay-leaves would sweeten custards for those that want not ; the loaf of bread would allay the pangs of famine felt by those that want ; which of these two aspirations is the greater? The earth itself is fraught with such subtle and exhaustless beauty, that we need no stimu lants from any bugbears of a diseased fancy. Viewing things in this light, the world without is but an index, is but a channel, is but a golden passport, to the world within. " How a Charade is solved by a Codicil "is another of those pleasant, rattling, off-hand papers, in penning which Shirley Brooks has so much facility. " Lady Alice Kyteler " is also fully entitled to a perusal. As a caterer for public taste, Mr. Ainsworth has again shown himself this month a proficient ; the minority of the articles are frivolous, the majority are clever. TAIT'S. Mr Baron Hume, nephew of the historian, it is well known in the literary world, possessed for many years all the papers, documents, letters, &c., left by his uncle, and strong wishes were often expressed that the most important of them would be given to the world during his life-time. They were, however, kept from the know ledge of the world up to his death, and about that period were intrusted to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, to be dit;posed of as that learned body might think proper. Mr Hume has now been dead for many years, and little or nothing was heard of them, till the announcement of a work, entitled " Life and Correspondence of David Hume, from the papers bequeathed by his nephew to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and other Original Sources." This work has been drawn up by Mr John Hill Burton, Advocate, and published by Tait, and as far as we can ju3ge of it, from the brief notice in the present number, possesses deep interest, and will be eagerly perused by literary men. Hume was one of the most conspicuous men of his age, his philosophical works, notwithstanding their sceptical character, have been much read and admired ; his history, though liable to strong objections, is still the history of England ; he associated with the brightest geniuses of a period remarkable for characters, celebrated in every department of literature and science; and, as a proof how little his philosophical disquisitions were considered injurious to Christianity, he was the intimate friend of some of the moat orthodox clergymen of the Scottish church. Several of their letters are found among his papers, and they satisfac torily refute a story circulated by the Quarterly Review, that the Scottish clergy at that period were a set of hy pocritical sceptics and scoffers. Mr Burton, and some of the gentlemen forming the Council of the Royal So ciety, had examined all the correspondence, and " found nothing whatever to give colour to such an accusation." We find in this collection a brief account of Hume's appearance, given by Lord Charlemont, who happened to meet him at Turin, while a young man, on his travels. llume was at that time secretary to Lord St. Clair, then i on a military embassy to the Courts of Turin and Vienna. The following is the picture drawn by the young Irish Peer : " Nature, I believe, never formed any man more unlike his real character than David Hume. The powers of pysiognomv were baffled by his countenance; neither could the most skilful in that science pretend to discover the smallest trace of the faculties of his mind in the unmeaning features of his visage. His face was broad and fat, his mouth wide, and without any other expression than that of imbecility. His eyes vacant and spiritless, and the corpulence of bis whole person, was far better fitted to communicate the idea of a turtle-eating alderman, than of a refined philosopher. His speech in English was rendered ridiculous by the broadest Scotch accent, and his French was, if possible, still more laughable; so that wisdom most certainly never disguised herself before in so uncouth a garb. Though now near fifty years old, he was healthy and strong; but his health and strength, far from being advantageous to his figure, instead of manly comliness, had only the appearance of rusticity. His weating an uniform added greatly to his natural awk wardness, for he wore it like a grocer of the trained-bands." The Reviewer calls this a " true portraiture." Now, we have no hesitation in saying that it is not only much surcharged, but in several respects devoid of truth. In none of the portraits of Hume that we have seen is he represented with his " mouth wide." He had thick lips, like most of his family, but they had nothing of that appearance of stupidity which this portraiture of him implies ; probably he was awkward in his military uni form, did not button his coat so well, or tie his sash so much in style, as the dashing young Irishman, but we have no doubt Hume thought that Lord Charlemont's Irish accent was infinitely worse than his own ; and as to his French being " still more laughable," the fact that Hume in his youth resided three years in France, had mixed with the learned both at Rheims and La Fleehe, and disputed with them many intricate points of philosophy in their own language, and, while at Paris, was the especial favourite of the wits of both sexes, would lead almost to conviction that these remarks of Lord Cbarlemont were destitute of truth. Besides this we have several articles in the number above mediocrity, independent of a humorous one by De Quincy, on "The Memoirs and Correspondence of the Marquis Wel lesley." Tait is highly pleased with the measures of Peel. The following is the Postscript to " Politics of the Month :" F' At the time when we go to press, it is impossible to say what will be the immediate fate of the Ministerial mea sure or its authors ; and the rapid march of events may bailie conjecture, and falsify our conclusions before they can be published. This much is certain ; the Ministerial mea sure, in all its integrity at the least, will be carried. It was coolly and suspiciously received at first, but with every suc cessive day it has grown more acceptable. The public snuffed at it as 'a dog dbes at a piece of meat thrown down to him by a stranger or suspected person ; and, like the dog, ap pears inclined to finish by bolting it greedily. In the City, meaning thereby in the money market of London, Peel is strong. The very faults of his character strengthen him with. the rich burghers upon 'Change. He is looked upon as a prosaic safe Minister; we have heard his measure rapturously applauded by some c.f these capitalists before they could possibly have mastered its details, who would have exclaimed against the tithe of its innovations as revo lutionary and destructive, if proposed by any other states . HA YMARKET THEATRE. A clever adptation of the French vaudeville L' Etourneau, with which the frequenters of the French Plays must be familiar, was produced here on Satur day under the title of The Irish Post. The adaptor, Mr. Plancl , 6, has laid the scene in London, and has made L'Etourneau an Irishman, and capitally was the part acted by Hudson. The title , The Irish Post, is derived from the incident on which the plot of the piece turns, and which is this :—a certain Terence O'Grady (Hudson), a clerk in the city, having, me t a lady on board a steam pack et to who m he has been y take ven geance ex ceedingly civil, venturesto ad dress a le tter to her; and hav ing, as he thinks, dispatche d it, he learn s that her husband, ho a ds s at s -re r e a testy, jealous old fellow , o p ens all her letters, and reads direthem,T e ren oc nei n and a manoyfr fury o o r yn v e e rhw rushesehwo i to o l mostshalle p uoffiedc tol to get th e letter, insult his wife. The postmistress refuses to deliver it ; he goes to the old man's house to waylay the postman, getting into all sorts of amusing scrapes, of course, in his pursuit after his tin • fortunate billet, and, at last, when he is brought face to face with the husband, the lady, and his own master, and fancies that ruin is impending over him, he discovers the fatal letter in his own waistcoat-pocket, it never having been posted at all. The piece is full of bustle; the dialogue is smartly written; Hudson rattled through the character in grand style, and was ably supported by Tilbury, James Bland, and Mrs. Humby (whose postmistress was admirable) ; and the audience were kept in roars of laughter from the rising to the falling of the curtain. We may, therefore, venture to predict that The Irish Post will start at the Haymarket every evening until Easter at least. r'against a gentleman prospectus of a c om p an y, 1, The decision upon the charge brought at th e Man wsiohnos-ehounsaem, e byw as one of the provisional committee, has been p os t p o ne d to Monday week. The model for the forthcoming subject at th e R oya l Surrey Zoological Gardens was submitted to h er M a j esty tisr. attached Vi 7 hi te, a to su t r k v e e3o and Prince Albert, at Buckingham Palace, on Thursday last, and most graciously approved of. EADYERTISEMENT.i—The Earl of Aldborough and Holloway's Pills.—An astounding Cure by this miraculous Medicine after every other nteans had failed. See extract of his Lordship's letter dated Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21, 1845. "To Professor Holloway. beg to acquaint you that your pills have effected a care of a disorder in my liver and stomach which all the most eminent of the faculty at home and all over the Continent had not been able to effect. Nay; not even the waters of Carlsbad or Marienbad. (Signed) Aldborough."—These wonderful Pills will cure any disease of the liver and stomach.—Sold (also Holloway's Ointment) at Professor Holloway's establishment, 244, Strand and by all medicine vendors throughout the civilised world. were not so much the objects of commiseration, because th ey were not beheld .clothed in rags and in the other exteriors of wretchedness, but with the forced smile which concealed deep and intense mental miss}-. These were not necessary evils of their system, but were blots and excrescences on the face of socie y. lie would conclude by calling on them to persevere in their efforts, which must inevitably be crowned with success. The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, which was carried unanimously The Rev. Mr. DIBDD7 then proposed, and the Rev. Dr. Cox seconded, a vote of thanks to the Noble Chairman, in doing which they passed a high eulogium on the object of the resolution. The Noble CHAIRMAN, in acknowledging the compliment, said he trusted their efforts would not cease till they had relieved the females of the metropolis, who were suffering equally with the other sex, from the system they were endeavouring to abolish. The meeting then separated at twelve o'clock. SOUTHAmpToN, MANCHESTgR, AND OXFORD RAILWAY MEETING OF PROPRIETORS, A meeting of the Proprietors in the above -named under taking was held at the King's Arms, Palace-yard, at 12 o'clock, on Saturday, for the purpose of enabling the directors to explain to the company their present position. The meet ing was numerously attended. and the chair was taken by Mr. Muntz, M.P. the chairman of the Board of Directors, at 12 o'clock presisely. The CHAIRMAN said that the shareholders had been called together under circumstance.; of a rather peculiar nature. The directors could have wish e d that this meeting had been called for the purpose ofenabling the shareholders to say what line of conduct should be pursued preparatory to the final close of this undertakiag, ; but as it unfortunately happened that they were placed in very difficult circumstances, in con sequence of suits which had been instituted against them— upon grounds which were true or not true—that could not be done The directors were placed in a position of extreme difficulty, inasmuch as they were charged with having hitherto misconducted themselves without having the means of correcting or contradicting that report, and they thought that they should be justified in calling the present meeting for the purpose of explaining their conduct to the shareholders betbre the courts of law had passed their judg ment upon them. After the directors had explained their position to the shareholders, they would only be too glad to bring this concern to a final close and settlement, as speedily as possible. As far as regarded himself, he could say most decidedly that he wished, from various circumstances which he would relate to them, that he had never had taken any part in the undertaking. Under the present state of liti gation in which the company had been placed, it became a serious matter to know how they should act. The directors were advised that it was quite impossible for the scrip -holders to take any share in the close or winding up of the affair— that in fact the shareholders were the only parties who could take any part in it. The directors had no wish to hide any thing from the company ; their desire was to give as full an explanation as possible of the present prospects of the com pany. As the present was a meeting which had been legally called, and his character had been aspersed for the part which he had taken in this affair, he wished to explain in a very brief manner the part which he had taken in this undertaking. He had never taken any part in any railroad undertaking previously, nor would he ever have connected himself with the present had it not been for the circumstances which he would briefly detail to the meeting. In August last, lie received a letter from a Mr. William Parsons, in which that gentleman submitted to him a project to form a railway which should connect Southampton with the North west of England and North Wales. In that letter Mr. Parsons informed him that he had obtained the sanction and assistance of many influential gentlemen in London for the formation of such a line, and he suggested to film (the Chairman) that as he was the representative in Parliament of the town of Birmingham, through which the Ile would pass, his name would be of great weight, and he, therefore, requested permission to place his name amongst the directors of the proposed undertaking. He represented also that there would be no competing line, and that the profits would be unusually great, as it would be a direct line, connecting some of the most important towns in Eng land and Wales. Re (the Chairman) replied to that letter, requested to be furnished with a prospectus of the under taking, and stating most distinctly that he had never con nected himself with any undertaking. He was unwilling to take any part in this, but as it was represented to him by the writer, that his doing so would be of service to the people of Birmingham, he had no objection to take shares, in it if there was no rival line. Mr. Parsons, in reply to that letter said, that he found that he had erred in saying that there was no competing line, for since the date of his first letter, he found that there was another undertaking of a similar description with which his (the Chairman's) colleague (Mr. Spooner) had allowed him-. self to be connected, and with which he also took every prominent part. On the 21st of August, Mr. Parsons again wrote to him, stating that several noblemen and gentlemen (including Lord Rossmere Colonel We s t enra, & c.) had au thorised him to place their names on the provisional com mittee. He also said that he was promised the support of Lord Carnarvon, and other noblemen, and tliat he had an interview with a gentleman who was intimately ac quainted with Mr. Spooner, and other gentlenaen of the rival line, and who would succeed in inducing them to give their sanction to their undertaking, and withdraw it from the rival line. The next letter he received from Mr. Parsons was dated the 26th of August. In . that letter he had been advised to bring the present undertaking before the public at once, as the rival undertaking had not been abandoned, and also that the line should be considered as a purely com mercial undertaking. He Mee stated that he had succeeded in obtaining permission to add Mr. Spooner's name to the provisional committee, and he would take-the liberty of put ting his (the Chairman's) name at the head of the committee of management, requesting him at the same time to favour him with his presence at a meeting of the proprietors as soon as convenient. On the 29th of August Mr. Parsons again wrote to him (the Chairman) with an amended prospectus, which he said he intended laying before the public, but in that prospectus the most important names on the provisional committee had been left out. He stated in that letter that the rival undertaking had been brought liefore the public, but that it was impossible that it could succeed, inasmuch as that which lie had projected would afford precisely the same accommodation, as that contem plated by the other line, and at the same time save the public 1,100,0001., and preserve what he called the hard-earned rights of other companies. Now, the fact was, that he (the Chairman) did not positively know, until that tim e , th at a rival undertaki ng wou ld b e started, for had he anticipated a rival line he would not have taken the least part in this undertaking. A PROPRIETOR—I think you had then a very good oppor tunity- of withdrawing from the concern, and exposing the individual who had brought it forward as having made state ments to you which were not founded on facts, he having said that this scheme was the only one which was then existing. I merely make that remark to give you an opportunity of explaining the reasons why you did not withdraw. The CuAnustaxe—Perhaps it will be saving the time of all parties if I should be allowed to proceed with my statements. If the company think that I should not make the explana tion, I will not make it, but I think that I should have an opportunity of clearing my character.—(Cries of " Go on.") The Chairman th en cont i nued to say that he received another letter from Mr. Parsons, in which he stated that the applica tions for shares were immense, that the time for applications would be limited to ten days, but that the directors need not trouble themselves by applying, as care would be taken that shares were allotted to them. On the 6th of September he received another letter from him, requesting him to attend a meeting of the company at Swindon that day, and that Mr. Attwood had also promised his support to the 'undertaking, and leading him (the Chairman) to believe that the rival line had been abandoned. On the 30th of September he re ceived a circular from the secretary, stating that each gen tleman in the managing committee had a call of 500 shares, and wishing to know how many he would take, at the ssuxie time requesting that he would fill up the form that wee at the back of the letter. He did not answer that letter, nor take any shares, as he did not consider the concern wor thy of say notice. On the 15th of September he had also received a letter from Mr. Parsons, stating that he had ridden over the line with Mr. Kenton, the engineer, and had chosen a very good course of country, and he also stated that he had persuaded Mr. Raatrick to become their th Se e p n te r zn es b o er lye t fi he t re hat w 3oo as a arnhaereeta enginfetehre; directors, and that onthel7 i th t was of ing o only shouldwtetm.reagearveldetteforr in each answer to that, g i v i ng of the direct ors . H e re membered au thority to put his name down for 100 shares. He after wards rec of eived several communications from M r . Parsons, and one them, amongst other things, stated that he was appointed chairman. He attended a meeting of the committee for the first time on the 26th. He afterwards learned, on the Bth of October, that a letter of allotment for 200 shares had been placed at the disposal of Mr. Parsons, for the expenses and trouble he had incurred in the management of the affairs of the company. Mr. Parsons, on that occasion, spoke to him, and told him that he had been refused the letter of allot ment, but he had at length prevailed upon the secretary to give it to him. The committee were decidedly of opinion that the conduct of Mr. Parsons was wrong, as he had no right * a al g lo o t o m d en d t ea a l s 2 0 , f 000 con s consideration s o sand:it:F:4l a n p u p m ly b e f r or required s such an not be given to any but a responsible party. ' The fore, deputed him, with Mr. Spooner, M.P., and limns, to ask Mr. Parsons to give up the letter of allot . Wil- Mr. Parsons, on being asked, fetched the letter, and, some hesitation, he gave it up, and it was, with his eons' en er t, destroyed. A SHAREHOLDIR asked if the shares were then at a dis count ? The CHAIR,MAN said that they were not. Since that time Mr. Parsons had brought an action against several of the gentlemen on the committee, for having deprived him of the premium that accrued on the letter, by destroying it. Mr. Parsons wrote to him to attend as a of the transaction' expressing great regard for him,wi tress bt at last, instead of calling him as a wit ness, h e fil ed a bill i n Chancery against him. After Mr. Parsons had given up the letter of allotment a report arose that he had been through the Court of Bankruptcy without having paid any great amount in the way of dividend. The committee in consequence felt it necessary to associate some persons of known respectability with Mr. Parsons in order to assist him. Mr. Parsons ob jected at first, but at last consented, and Messrs. Hill and Heald, solicitors, were appointed. After that time Mr. Parsons spoke so roughly to the committee that they deter seined that he should not be allowed to act in the committee rooni. Several proceedings with refe rence to amalgamation with Mr. Bethal'alhasswed. the Andover line, took place sub secittently. The attempted amalgamation with Mr. Bethel': line woe prevented by a great difference in the levels at t he point of junction, and the Andover line failed in actual expenditure, and four hundred P ilecfuired capital. Mr. Parsons had received 25 1 ( 1 /tf n of w h er i a s (Mr. Muntz's ) object offered for his services. He had refused - 1 ) 4 and had . placed the matter in Chancery. His calling the shareholders together was to justify himself in their eyes, and Company stood. let them know the exact state in which the The SECRETARY then read the repo rt. At the concl us i on unnecessarya very stormy d iscussion ensued, which it is of the reading, Mr. Psteisoeis rose to justify his con duct, ali k e place before the public. said that the shareholders w ere i n Kssession Mr. MUNTZ After the recrimination had in some degree s u b s id e d , of the exact state of the Company, and it would. I'e better to adourn until the law proceedings came to a Close. They would probably be concluded on Tuesday next The meeting then adjourned. GREAT NUMBER OF NEWSPAPERS DISPATCHED.-- The dispatch of newspapers on Saturday night last from the General rost-oftice was so large, that it was found impossible to get through the duty before nearly three-quarters of an hour beyond the usual time. The number posted, assorted, and dispatched, is estimatod at 130,000, besides which 35,000 were forwarded by the morning mails. , ROYAL COLLEG E OF SURGEONS. Timmay , Feb. 26.—The re was a tolerably full attendance oi the : Counc night il th.4l evening, the P res i dent in the chair. A warnt discussion arose on the subjects of t h e oration, and the offensive conduct of Mr, Law. rence. A vote of censure on the politico-medical part of the oration was proposed, seconded, and carried by a majority of 7to 4. Th e propositions" of the deputation of Associated Surgeons were also considered, but nothing final was settled with respect to them, and the subject is adjourned to the neat meeting of the Council. An opinion generally prevails that Mr. Lawrence must retire from pro. feselonal life.—Lancet. 1W 651 I 261 J i2s IS WI, IS 4 ' -11