The Sun. — London, England, 1848-01-04 00:00:00

both Every publicity had been given to the proceedings, by advertisements in the public press, by notice on thechurch doors, and he was happy to say although in the first instance there may have been some apposition to the object proposed, that this objection bad now quite disap eared, and as for the society re presented by Mr. Cirriffith, even this opposition was very slight now. This society held a general meeting with a view of opposing the diversion of the old road, but the members almost unanimously came to the conclusion that the new road proposed by his Lord ship would be not only an improvement to the neigh • bourhood, but a decided advantage to the public at l arge. He therefore now uloved the Court to confirm the proceedings, and De-TA session they would apply for a g enera l order to close the path. Mr. ROTCII expressed his opinion that the present path was by far the 'nest that could be devised. The Court confirmed the proceedings cf the past session. SURREY SESSIONS.—(THIS DAY.) The first general quarterly sessions for the county of Surrey was this day held at the Court. house, Newington. Mr. Puckle, chairman, the Earl of Lovelace, Lord Louvain, Colonel Challoner, Mr. Freshfield, Mr. Briscoe:Mx. Austin, Captain Parrott, Mr. Nicholson, Mr. Curling, Mr. Penryn, Mr. Johnstone, Mr. Locke Ring, M.P., and numerous others, took their seats upon the bench. The calendar contained the names of 59 prisoners of who . T.n there were that could Neither read nor write Read or read and write imperfectly 37 Read or read and write well 3 Superior education The various reports from the surgeons, chaplains, and governors of the various gaols and houses of cor rection in the county were read and confirmed ; as Were also the reports of the various inspectors of weights and measures. Some discussion took place upon the report of the treasurer of the county, with respect to the mode in which the various disbursements had been made to appear in the accounts presented to the session. PROPOSED COUNTY RATE. Mr. FRESTIFIRLD, in moving the county rate for the year, said the committee appointed to inquire into the rental of the property of the county upon which the assessment -was to be made, under the late Act of Parliament, had made their inquiries, and the result of their labours had, he considered, been most valu able. It appeared that there were 69 parishes in the county, which had returned a sum of 109,3011., upon which they were willing to be assessed over and above the amount to 'Which they were already assessed. In 23 of the parishes a reduction had been made in the amount of the assessment. The committee had endeavoured to equalize as justly as possible the amount of assessment in all the parishes, and he thought that they were entitled to the confidence of the magistrates for the mv.nner in which they had performed their duties. The Learned Gentleman concluded by moving that the proposed county rate presented at quarter sessions upon the 19th of October last by the committee appointed to prepare a fair and equal county rate under the Bth and 9th Vic., c. 111, be allowed and con. firmed. Mr. JourtstoY.z seconded the motion. He thought that the assessment made was a very fair one. The increase in the present assessment over the old one was 237,,5771. In the thirty parishes which had objected. the increase made in the assessment had been only 39,0001., which was a very small portion out of the whole assessment. He thought that the better course would be not to refer the matter back again to the committee, but to allow these parishes Which thought They had grounds of complaint to appeal in the usual manner. Should the Court de cide to act upon the old rate there would be a direct money loss to the country of about 1,6001. In answer tr, a question put by Mr. BRISCOE, Mr. JOHNS - ,TONE said that in the assessment which had been made care had been taken to exclude from it all wooris, plantations, and manorial rights. Mr. AUSTIN( moved as an amendment that the pro posed county rate be referred back again to the com mittee. until the various appeals had been heard and dzs',osed of. Captain PARROTT seconded the amendment. Considerable discussion took place upon the ques tion. The original motion was however agreed to by *large majority, and the Court proceeded with the ether business before it. THAMES.—(THIS DAY.) Edward Grzjiths was charged with having bur glariously entered the premises of Mr. James Hip thorge, a gentleman residing at No. 5, Grove terrace, East India-road. Mr. Hipthorpe stated that he retired to rest last night, about half-past ten o'clock, previous to which lie locked his area gate, and also the house door, him self. This morning, about three o'clock, he was awakened by hearing a noise, as of some one moving about in his kitchen. He immediately arose, went down stairs, and saw the prisoner standing by the kitchen door. Directly he caught sight of witness he smashed the window, dashed through it, and en deavoured to effect his escape. A;policeman, however, who: happened to: be passing on the other side of the way, observing his hasty exit, instantly pursued him, and , after a desperate struggle, with the assistance of another constable, he was eventually secured. Police-constable K 94 examined Mr. Hipthorpe's premises, He found that the prisoner had forced open the doors and window with a large iron bar (produced), and a pair of folding doors in the parlour had been " prised open." The bar had been taken from the iron railings in the front of the house. In his defence Griffiths declared it was only a lark, he being tipsy. Mr. YABDESY committed him for trial. THE DOUBLE SUICIDE IN MARY LELIONE.—(INQUEST THIS DAY.) An inquest was held this day, at noon, in the Fitzroy Arms, Clipstone-street, before Mr. Wakley, on the lsodies of Alexander Thomas Williams and Susanna Williams, who kept the Star coffee-house in Cleveland-street, and of whose double suicide we gave yesterday an account. The deceased lived on the most affectionate terms; the husband was thirty one years of age, and the wife twenty-four. It sp eared that he bad been subject to headache since his return from India, where he served some time in army. He was about to advertise his business for sale this week, in consequence, as a witness said, of the hardness of the times. The house was closed at twelve o'clock on Saturday night, and nothing was, up to that time, observed peculiar in his manner. At a quarter to one, Henry Mathews, a carpenter, who lodged in the house, was attracted to the bed room of the deceased , by the screams of the wife, and seeing the body of the man han g in g , he made an alarm, which brought a policeman and others to his assistance. The body was taken down, and whilst Mr. Hatfield (the surgeon), with Mathews and the policeman, were engaged in endeavouring to resusci tate the still warm body, other persons found Mrs. Williams in the shop with her throat cut, and a bloody razor lying near her. She was still living, and seemed to possess her senses. She made a gurgling noise, attempting to speak, and struggled up on her feet, when she instantly fell forward and ex pired. Mr. Hatfield left the husband's body when he heard of her case, and proceeded to sew up the gash, when he found that life was extinct. The jury found " that Alexander Williams com mitted suicide, but that there was no evidence as to the state of his mind at the time. That Susanna Williams committed suicide, being at the time in a state of delirium, occasioned by the shock which she received on seeing the body of her husband suspended in the bedroom.' THE CONVICTS SALE AND ArCOY. --- These two wretched men, who are ordered for execution on next Monday, had, as far as M'Coy was concerned, nearly presented a different termination, in consequence of a most murderous attack having been made on him by his equally guilty companion. M'Coy, it will be recol lected, made a confession, and which it appears created a deep feeling of revenge in the mind of the other. From what has transpired, it appears that a few days since, and previously to the execution being fixed on, Sale, on leaving his cell, ha d, by immense exertion, forced out of the place in which he was locked up a portion of an iron bar, which he secret ed about his person, and with this deadly weapon he went to the day-room. .Shortly after Di‘Coy was brought in , and while ho was in the act of was hing himself, Sale went behind him an . d hich st . ruck his c ompanion a terrific blow on t he head, w Instantly felled him, and before the turnkey could render the slightest aid he was knocked down. Fortunately the turnkey was enabled to cry out murder, and ring the bell, which brought some of the other turnkeys to his aid. Sale swore that he would murder the first that attempted to seize him, and tha the was determined to have M'Coy's life. The men, however, rushed on him, and after a short but severe struggle they overpowered Sale, and las was placed under control. On examining his cell to ascertain how he had obtained the piece of iron, it was dicovered that he had, in the course of the night, forced it out of the wall near the cupboard, and had succeeded in removing some of the bricks, no doubt, under the impression that he should have been enabled to effect his escape. Since the time of the order to carry the law into effect, they have been placed in different rooms, and six men—namely, one in the day and two of a night, are in constant attendance , and w il l continue so until they are delivered up by the Governor into the hands of the Sheriffs on Monday morning next. INDISPOSITION Or THE ARCHBISHOP OT CANTER- Bun y.—This venerable and distinguished prelate has for some short time been labouring under indisposition; and which, within the last few day 9, has been somewhat aggravated by a slight attack of influenza. We are happy, however, to state that it no time has the attack been suffi,ziently severe to confine tho Archbiihop to Yj‘: room; and the answer to inquiries at Lambeth Paisee yesterday morning was " tha t his Grace was better to day." Dr. Ferguson i s in daily attendance on his Grace, but no danger is apprehended. THE StIN, , LONDON, BRUSSELS AND DUTCH PAPERS. ' BRUSSELS, DEC. 31.—The Chamber of Represen tatives terminated in its sitting to-day the general discussion on the budget of war, and passed immedi ately to the discussion of the articles, which were suc cessively adopted, without any other amendments than those presented by the Minister of War himself at the commencement of the sitting. By virtue of these amendments the budget has sanctioned a reduction of 152,000 f. The whole of the budget was adopted by a ma jority of 61 to 10, and one absentee. Several Members declared that they gave their vote for the budget for the army for 1848 with the express intention that this vote did not in any way prejudice the question of the reduction of the expenses on the budgets which have yet to be presented. M. Van Huffel, M. Dedscker, and M. Lesoume, expressed themselves very clearly upon this point. In the absence of formal propositions, it was impos sible that the discussion of the budget of war should have any other result than the present. Those Hon. Members who impressed upon the Government the necessity of seriously adopting economical plans have discharged their duty. The public now intend to avail themselves of the legal method which is open to them for sending in petitions. The Ohambers have adjourned to the 18th January. Before separating the Chamber voted the provisional credit for the departments of Public Works and Justice. From the Ist of January the former republic of Cracow will be assimilated with the otter districts of the empire of Austria with ;tit that concerns its political administration. The I - imperial Commissioner, Count Deym, has caused in important ordinance to be published at Cracow, which prescribes the admi nistration and org?..nization of the new district. TILE HAGUE, DEC. 30.—The official journal of this day publ 6 - h 44 1. ; ...es the following royal decree : cc e , William 11., &c., .seeing the report of our Minister of the Colonies, under date of Nov. 32, 1847 (secret), our Council of State (advices of Dec. 7, 1847, lib. C), with ulte rior report of our Minister of the Colonies, under date of the 16th of this month (lib. B, No. 43, and secret), have decreed and do decree : " SINGULAR ARTICLE. " Articles 70 and 71 of the registration concerning the direction of the government of the colony of Suri nam are suppressed and replaced by the following disposition : " Commerce and navigation in the colony of Suri nam are open to all nations with which the kingdom of the Netherlands is in relation of amity. " Special decrees will regulate the conditions of the admission, and the amount of duties to be taken. Our Colonial Minister is charged with the execution of this decree, a copy of which will be sent to the Council of State. " The Hague, Dec. 17, 1847. " WILLIAM. To the Minister for the Colonies, J. C. Baud." This decree is accompanied by a disposition from his Excellency the Minister of the Colonies, stating that the royal decree shall come in force on the Ist of May, 1848, and that after that date the tariff of the export and import duties to be introduced into the colony of Surinam, as far as concerns the ships of foreign nations, shall be based in such a manner that it shall double the dues levied on Netherlands vessels.—Dutch Papers, Jan. 1. FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—ROINISEY, JAN. 3.—As the half-past nine o'clock A.M. passenger train from Southampton to Sa lisbury was passing over the wooden bridges or viaduct, about a mile from Romsey, yesterday (Sunday morning), the . engineer, named Middleton (one of the most expe rienced on this line), saw about thirty men at ballast work, filling a number of carriages with gravel to repair the road which the late heavy rains had greatly injured, and misplaced the rails—noticing full a quarter of a mile before he reached the place where they were at work, that some of the men were not on the side they ought to he to avoid danger, he began to whistle, which caused many of them to get out of the way, three running across within five yards of the front of the engine, at a time when she was going at full speed, two of whom were knocked down, and but slightly injured; the third, named Bungay, was struck with the buffer, it is supposed either on the back or shoulder, by which he was driven on the iron rail, the engines and carriages passing over his legs, cutting one off about the knee, the other near to the groin, killing him almost instantaneously; his fellow-workmen picked him up, and there being an en gine on the spot, the body was taken to Romscy. Bungay had only been a few weeks on the line, previously work ing as a farm labourer at the village of Whitenip, near to Romsey. He has left a wife and five children totally unprovided for. CASE or SIMONDS.—We are informed that Mr. T. 11. Boykett has been retained for the defence of this new church-rate victim. The trial is expected to take place in the course of the present week.—Patriot. The Exeter Gazette excuses itself from publishing President Polk's Message on the ground that, "it measures fifteen feet three inches in length of an ordi nary newspaper column." FIRE.—DISTRESSING CASE.—Yesterday morning a fire broke out, about five o'clock, in a small house situate No. 3, Labour-in-vain-street, Shadwell, a neigh bourhood very densely populated by the poorer classes, among whom the greatest alarm and confusion was created. It appears that the house where the fire ori ginated was occupied by Charles Harrison, a labourer, whose aged wife had been bedridden for the last nine weeks. Yesterday morning, during Harrison's absence at work, his wife managed to crawl down stairs to her daughter, who is a widow, with three young children. Soon afterwards the front room above, which the old woman had quitted a few minutes previous, was dis covered to be on fire. The neighbours, with praise worthy zeal, rushed into the house, and, having first removed the old woman, her daughter, and two of the children from the house, proceeded to the room above, where another child was lying on a bed in the apartment fast asleep, with the flames all around it. The child was roused, without sustaining any material injury, and the fire was soon extinguished by the alacrity of the neighbours, before the parish and brigade engines ar rived. The furniture was partially destroyed, and the immense quantity of water thrown into the house to subdue the fire rendered it totally unfit for occupation. The poor family who inhabited it have been totally ruined by the disaster, and are now without a home or furniture. ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION.—A quarterly gene 7. ral court'. of, the,,governors and subscribers 'of this instil' tution, which vrto established in 17'98, for the purpose of educating, clothing, and apprenticing to trades the sons of indigent Masons, was held yesterday evening, at the offices of the charity, 7, Bloomsbury-square. B. B. Cab bell, Esq., M.P., treasurer of the society, presided. After the transaction of the usual business, the vacancies, 111 which amounted to seven, were filled up, and there being no other business, the court sephrateil. LONDON COFFEE AND EATING HOUSE KEEPERS' BENETOLENT ASSOCIATION.—Yesterday evening a meet ing of the members of the above association, founded for the purpose of relieving aged and decayed members of the trade, their widows and orphans, was held at the Freemasons' Tavern; Mr. G. Chislett, president, in the chair. The report stated that the institution, which has been established ten years, is increasing in prosperity. The male and female pensioners each receive 131. per annum. The balance-sheet ending July last showed the receipts, from all sources, to be 2821. 16s. 10d., while the expenditure amounted to 2721. 12s. The funded ca pital of the society amounts to near 2,000/. CALEDONIAN _RAILWAY.— The inspection of this line, previous to the opening, commen ce d en Thursday m orning by Captain Simmons, R.E., Government in spector, dcotnpanied by Mr. Collester, resident engi neer, Mr. Sinclair, locom otive superintendent, and the several assistant-engineers. They passed over the whole of the Edinburgh line to Carstairs, from thence along the line towards Glasgow to the junction with the Wishaw and Coltness Railway at Gariongill, and along the latter railway to Motherwell. The inspection was resumed yesterday morning from Carstairs southwards, along the main line to Beattock, from whence Captain Simmons would proceed to London and make his re port. From the state of the line it is hoped that the inspector's report would be favourable. Some days, however, must elapse before it can be known t? the officials of the company. The sanction from the Railway Commissioners is, therefore, now all that intervene to prevent the directors from naming a day for the opening. —Scotsman. WILD NuTmEGS.—Directions have been issued by the Customs' authorities to the principals of the de partment throughout the kingdom, to admit all parcels of wild nutmegs, out of the shell, at the duty of sd. per lb. from the present time. THROWING AT A RAILWAY TRAIN.—On Wednes day afternoon the window of a first-class carriage, in the 3.30 up railway train, was broken, near West Ferry, by a missile, supposed to be a turnip, most maliciously thrown. One of the passengers, a young gentleman, had his face cut by the shattered-pieces of glass. Two individuals were afterwards identified as the persons who were present when the missile was thrown, and one of them as the actual culprit. They were at once con veyed to Paisley, when after examination by the Sheriff, the man who threw it w as f u lly comm itted to take his trial. They gave their names as Black, and said they belonged to Greenock.— Glasgow Constitutional. A patent has been taken out in America for dis pensing with sewing in themanufaature of shirts, collars, an d linen articles. The pieces are fastened together by indissoluble glue. COUNTERFEIT .COIN. -- Large quantities o f b as e silver coin are now in circulation, especially fi ve - s hilli ng pieces, which are so admirably executed as to precludedetection, j detection, unless by very competent udges.—Bioning. ham Gazette. BUSINESS OF THE WESTMINSTER COUNTY COURT. —The number of causes entered in the Westminster County Court, during the nine months it has been es , tablished, up to and inclusive of the 31st ultimo, amounted to no fewer than 13 , 394 . Of this number upwards of 12,001) have been heard and decided. At the first opening of the Court the Learned Judge, D. C. Nloylan, Esq., sat but four days a week, but the business became so heavy that soon after he was compelled to sit every day. During the last week the number of causes heard each day averaged from 120 to 130. A Const antieu r Metter. of the 15th ult.. states that in the preceding week there were hut a very tew cases of cholera in that city, but that, according to letters from Aleppo, the disease was prevalent in the Diarbeker. It was also said to have made its appearance at Marrasah. THE MAGAZINES. BLACK W 00D. Among the many thousand readers of« American Notes for General Circulation.," it cannot be for gotten that Mr. Diekena ham occasionally evinced no small inclination to aid in the establishment of an international copyright, and that, in doing so, he line often hurried into disputation, and sometimes soared into eloquence. One letter of his, addressed to poor Tom Hood, as editor of the :Yee Monthly, was pub lished, if we recollect sightly, in that magazine, shortly after his return from the United States, and maintained, with considerable vehemenee l the injus tice of that unnatural system which defrauded the English, while it led to the destruction—because it tended to the enervation—of the authorship of the Americans. In Parliament, Sergeant TalfoUrd, the alter ego of "Bos," has raised his rhetneical voice against the old ruinous system; and tint of Parliament agita tion has not benn panting to effect, if possible, its annihilation. Hitherto the crusade againct literary pirating has been energetic, but hitherto, also, it has been all talh. A publishlna• firm in Edinburgh has at length acted, e.nd their efforts give every promise of being eminently successful. The attempt to which we are alluding—made through the instrumentality of Blackwood'" Magazine—is altogether of so inge nious a character, and angeirs such golden results to writers and pttblksheis on both sides of the Atlantic, that we shall transcribe the account of it contained in the number for January. It will prove, we are satisfied, an anecdote worthy of preservation in the History of Literature, and must (to quote the slang dictionary) be regarded as nothing more nor less than " a capital dodge," Here then is the amusing incident recorded in the Note entitled " Blackwood and Copyright in America." The publishers of the magazine had for many years been aware that a cheap American reprint of the work was in regular circulation to a very large extent, and they were naturally desirous to put an end to such an injustice. While they were turning their attention to the subject, they received in the early part of the past year a communication from an American gentleman, suggesting, as an effectual means of redress, the insertion in the magazine, from time to time, of an article from a native or a naturalized citizen of the United States, who would establish a copyright in his own person, or that of an assignee, and thus either protect the whole work, or bompel the publishers of the pirated edition to reprint it in an imperfect form, such as would materially check their success, and, in either way, break up the system. " The tone and talent of this communication seemed to the publishers to recommend their correspondent as himself well qualified to lead the way in this most righteous enterprise, and the result was, the appearance in the October number of the article " Maga in America," which has been highly relished on both sides of the Atlantic. Of this article a proof was dispatched to Mr. Jay, a solicitor of eminence in New York, who, with the utmost promptitude, registered the copyright in his own name, and, presenting himself to Messrs. Scott, the reprinters, inquired it they were about to puladsh the magazine, as usual, that month, as he thought it right to inform them that, by so doing, they would be placed in a delicate position. On hearing an explanation, Messrs. Scott were considerably taken aback, and, although unwilling to acknowledge that the game was up, they seemed to have a painful conscious ness that such was the case. The negotiation terminated in the mean time, in their agreeing, after various letters, and not a little conversation, to pay a SUM as copyright, before they issued the October number, and a like amount for each succeeding number, until a further arrangement were made. It would have been very easy for the proprietors to have brought the reprinters under heavy responsibilities, by giving them no hint of their movements, and allowing the October number to be pub lished as usual, when Messrs. Scott would have become liable to a severe penalty for every copy sold. This was not done, as no blame is attached personally to Messrs. Scott, who have merely acted under a bad system, in which any one publisher might think himself free to seize an advantage which was open to all." The credit of this clever device is attributable in three quarters—to the ingenuity of the American Contributor, to the decision of Mr. Jay, the solicitor, and, in a particular manner, to the enterprise and co operation of the Messrs. Blackwood. We are rejoiced that active measures like this have been adventured upon, as they must ultimately give recompense where recompense is especially due. Another paper from the pen of the same trans-Atlantic correspondent enlivens the new number of Blackwood. It is a caustic notice of the state of "The Periodical Literature of Ame rica," and discloses the diseased and unhealthy condi tion of the reviews and magazines printed in the United States According to this contributor, the principle causes of this unsoundness in the tone and quality of the periodical literature of Brother Jona than are—the system of gratuitous writing, the un certainty of payment when payment is promised, the villanous system of partisanship, and the cheap re prints of the choicest of European publications. To those who object in toto to magazine writing as light and superficial, he speaks thus : "First. Do you see any primii facie improbability in supposing that a mar. may write a very good essay, who could not write two good volumes octavo; or a racy and interesting sketch, who could not put together a readable novel; or a few graceful poems, without having matter enough for a volume of poetry? " Secondly. Is a treatise necessarily profound, because it is long ; or superficial, because it is of practicable dimensions? " Thirdly. When you use the term ' superficial,' do you really believe and mean to imply that periodical writers are in the habit of discussing subjects which they do not understand? Would you say, for instance, that Macaulay's reviews denote a man ignorant of his tory, or that Sedgwick knows less geology than the man who wrote the Vestiges of Creation,' or that Mitchell knew less Greek than Lord Brougham?" Of the first and last contribution for January—the first being a retrospect of " Thirty Years of Liberal Legislation," and the last being a stricture on " Ireland and the Ministerial Measures " we may take occasion to speak elsewhere. Their tenour can be conjectured. In the article inscribed " Switzerland and Italy" there . are sentiments which have caused us as much sur prise as they have pleasure, appearing as they do on the Conservative pages of Maga. While sympathy is expressed for the Catholic cantons of the Sender bund, it is also expressed—and that, moreover, in earnest language—for the popular movement in the Roman peninsula. After alluding to the prolonged prostration of the - Italians,j 3 / a elrood observes :—" A new spiritual chief ascends the throne at Rome, by accident rather than by design—[shall we not rather say by the express design of a Superior Agency ?]— he pronounces a few magical words, and in an instant the sacred fire of liberty, and the desire of resisting foreign oppression, pervades the whole land." At the same time that full justice is done to the King of Sardinia and the Grand Duke of Tuscany, for the part they have taken in these transactions, the writer distinctly remarks—" To Pius IX., and to the noble conceptions of his prudent nand, the whole of the recent movements in Italy may be fairly attributed." This should never be forgotten by those who give credit to every idle rumour wafted to us from the shores of the Papal States. if Cardinal Ferretti has proved a brilliant promoter of the popular came as Secretary of State, he was made Secretary of State in the room of Lambruschini by Pius IX. If Gioberti can agitate in behalf of democracy, Gio berti was recalled to the Eternal City by Pius IX. Whatever may be the future results of his Pontificate, the first year of the reign of the reforming Pontiff must ever ensure for him the goodwill and gratitude of those who are sincere in their devotion to the cause of civil and religious liberty—witness his famous amnesty, witness his institution of the national guard, witness his disbandment of the Swiss soldiery, wit ness his beneficent measures in reference to the Jews of Rome, witness his emancipation of the press, witness his establishment of re presentative legislation in the municipalities. These deeds crown him with a nobler crown than the triple diadem of the tiara. When speaking of the civil war in Switzerland Ebony becomes jocular. He has been alluding to the elements of tranquillity for which the Helvetic republic is peculiar : " And yet, of a sudden, up rises a storm; the Fede ration splits; and, before men can come to comprehend what the mountaineers are quarrelling about, swords are drawn, shots are fired, a couple of towns are captured, and the war is declared at an end almost before it was known to have commenced. It has been like a drama at the opera. Scene, a rocky district, with a town in the distance:enter a chorus of peasants, who sing about liberty. Alarums: a band of soldiers rush In and drive them off the stage. Grand cantata of the president— and the curtain falls. Some connoisseurs in the boxes call for the manager, and ask when the opera is going to begin, as they wish to intervene: the manager enters from the side-door, bows humbly, and intimates that they may have their tickets returned if they please, the play being over. General disappointment!' There is a charming little sketch, called " Some thing like a Country House," painted in the style of Watteau. " Evenings at Sea" are continued with the autobiography of a surgeon. " Flechier's Chronicle of Clermont Assizes" is a delightful reminiscence of the eloquent prelate, who is chiefly memorable for his funeral oration on the Great Turenne. It is fol ' lowed by a curious and most entertaining memoir of "Don John of Austria," the illegitimate son of the Emperor Charles V. ; and that again by " A Night's Peril," a paper for all who can relish the marvellous. As the commencement of a new year Blackwood is large in promise, —and, as far as the monthly instal ment is concerned, it is anything but small in fulfilment. BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY. The article in the present number of Bentley which will be looked to with the greatest interest is undoubtedly the one entitled, " Government Defence of the Country," by James Augustus St. John. Mr. St. John is one 6' Qui moles borninurn multornm vidit et urbes ;" he has hot uitvely d through, like but he has sojourned in France and the various coun tries, European, Asiatic, and African, which are I washed by the Mediterranean, Baltic, and German TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY Sens, and, therefore, we should (give much greater ( of those who think that nothing good can come out weight to the opinion of Mr. St. John on this subject of Lancashire. Let those who have been accustomed than to that of Mr. Cobden. In considering the to consider the factory girls as over-worked slam 'various articles which have of late appeared in diffe- immoral and debauched beyond the possibility :cik rent journals on the possibility of a French invading reclaiming, read the following description of a factory , army being landed on our shores, and on the relative at work : military and naval strength of France and England, " But let us go down into the ' shed' (shade), where - Mr. St. John sas— these threads are woven into cloth. What a magnificent y " The best thing, however, is to state, as far as pos. sight ! We enter a room, the end of which we can Bible, the exact truth, and neither to overrate the power arl see—it is so far off. It is on a ground. floor, and of France, nor to underrate our own. Supposing our har d ly building above it. The windows are placed in Military strength to be equal to our population, and the the roof, that the 'hands' may have more light for their extent of our territories, France would be a mere pigmy work. A trul locus a non lucendo derivation for the y term shade ! Within it there are three or four hundred in comparison with us. Her population does not exceed thirty-five millions, while ours falls little short of two women, managing seven or eight hundred looms. hundred millions, that is to say, comprises one-fifth of Women do you call them ? They seem to be young the population of the globe. But no idea of our mili- girls. It is the circumstance of their having pinafores tary strength can be gathered from this view of the tied round their throats that suggests the juvenile ap earance ; bat they vary in agefromfifteen to forty, as matter. Our empire is scattered in patches over both P you will perceive, if you mark them closely. Each is hemispheres, divided by oceans, and impressed in diffe rent places with a different character by the combined engaged on her work: there is no laughing, or giggling, influences of climate, race, language, and religion. or child's play. Perhaps one here and there, recognis ing her ' minister,' may convey the intelligence to her France is one compact unity, or nearly so, for all she possesses external to her own shores is of comparatively neighbour with a nod and a smile; but she becomes very little value, and would inevitably , be shorn away by the demure again when she fancies she is observed. She first stroke of the sword of war. Her military establish - probably begins to smooth her hair with the comb she meats, therefore, lie nearly all within a moderate dis - has always near her. or to tidy some portion of her tame of the ca ital and may easily be wielded b the dress ; for most of them have a proper sense of their p y , ' becomings.' But why is she stopping her loom ? central Government, whether for offensive or defensi ve Some thread has been broken, or some bad work made, purposes. And what, then, is the real force of France? during her absence of mind, and it is to be set right. It has confidently been stated in the newspapers that it The thread is pieced, a rod is touched, and the shuttle amounts to three hundred and fifty thousand men, in the rattles on again, as if it ss ere alternately shot from side hi g hest state of discipline, animated by the worst feelings to side out of two fifty-pounders. Every thing is as of rancour and hatred against this country, and inured to the most merciless cruelty in the wars of Africa. This. orderly v iew of the matter may suggest erroneous conclusions. and neat as it can be, where there must neces sarily' be particles of dust and cotton flying about. The The French army actually consists of about 325,000 ventilation is on the best principle , and t he tem p er ature not more than 65 deg. If there be a sm ell, it is the pacification and defence of Algeria. Twenty men, of which from 1 10 to 120,000 are required for the healthy one of oil. Such an employment for ten hours or twenty is not too fatiguing. The effort consi s t s in mental five thousand men are distributed through the other a French colonies in Western Africa, the Antilles, and the attention, and in remaining long upon the leg s. See that Pacific, so that a large reduction must be made from the woman—a book is lying upon her stool — she can take formidable round numbers with which our popular an occasional glance at some anecdot e or narrative s p ecu l a tors have hitherto dealt. Still the force of while her looms are going. Another, you rem ark, has France is very great, and, in the estimation of military her knitting by her side. These are very ex p ert men, more than sufficient to invade England in her weavers. And, as you are a disciple of Lavater , d o y ou present state of comparative defencelessness, not think that the intelligent eyes and interesti n g faces " Much stress has, moreover, been very properly laid around you will bear a favou rable com p arison with those on the character of the French soldiers. They are not of your London Graces ? But how is this ? The din what they were in former days, the representatives of the of a thousand shuttles is yet ringing in our ears, but civilization of the kingdom, but a fierce, immoral, reek- every loom is still in an instant. It is now one o'clock; less horde, approximating more nearly to savages than the pinafores are thrown off ; the shawls and bonnets any other troops in the world. This has been rendered hastily put on; and all the ' hands' are moving out in one indubitable by the history of their campaigns in Algeria, continuous stream. Come along with the crowd : there where they have been guilty of more and worse crimes is no rude remark to be heard ; a mercurial boy or two against humanity than any other army whose exploits may, perhaps, be talking louder than would beseem the are on record. Burning villages, massacring the inha- deportment-room of a fashionable academy—that is all. bitants, shutting men up in caves, and roasting them The dense mass separates into its component parts as it there alive, with every other excess which villany can reaches the street, to collect again at the same place conceive and brutality can execute, have been their about two o'clock:' habitual achievements. And yet they had nothing to Then, again, with regard to crime, the statistical retaliate on the Africans. Neither the Kab) les, nor the tables compiled by the Rev. John Clay show that Arabs, nor the Moors had humiliated them at Waterloo. while in Worcestershire the proportion of criminals Abd-el-Kader had not marched to Paris, or transported to the population is 1 in 343, in Gloucestershire 1 in Napoleon to St. Helena, and kept him there in imprison- 364, in Shropshire 1 in 447, in Somersetshire 1 in went till his death. Consequently, what they have done 451, in Lancashire it is only 1 in 453 ; and this supe in Africa must have proceeded from the natui al prompt ings of their character. It would be altogether different riority of the great manufacturing over the great in England. They would here have much ';o sevene agricultural counties is thus satisfactorily accounted , since they could not fail to discover at every step for by the writer of this article :—" Where persons," trophies snatched from them on the field of battle, bitter says he, " are engaged in any well-regulated occupa mementos of defeat, the flags of their ships of war, mag- tion from morning to night, there may be m uch ig nificent pieces of artillery, and statues and monuments norance, but there is little leisure for crime. On the erected to celebrate victories over them. In our public ; other hand, where men are employed as they term it, records they would find the proofs of a thousand other -' at a loose end,' the temptations to evil are greatly fasts and circumstances calculated to excite their fury. increased." We rise froin the perusal of this article What, therefore, the weak and defenceless portion of the uite ready to join in the writer's exclamation, " A population of this empire might expect to meet with at noble county is that of Lancaster ;" and we thank the their hands, can scarcely be imagined even from reflect author of this admirable paper for having thus come ing on the mysteries of the caves of Dare, or the infa mies of Otaheite. Whatever the most degraded passions, forward to rescue the inhabitants of this noble county lust, cupidity, or revenge, could conceive or perpetrate, from the calumnies of puling sentimentalists, who would unquestionably be accomplished. On this point fancy that because an operative lives in a house in there can be no mistake, stead of a pigstye, sleeps in a bed instead of on "It appears to be generally admitted that France has straw, works under shelter instead of being ex now at her disposal an army of one hundred thousand posed to all the inclemencies of the weather, and men for offensive purposes, and that she possesses the earns from 18s. to 205., instead of from 7s. to lOs. a means of transporting nearly half that force by steam week, that therefore he must be discon from her own shores to ours in the course of a single tented, weakly, and vicious. This is followed night. An officer of the highest rank, who visited the " by an article, entitled Modern Condottieri," tions of the French army, confirms the popular report camp at Compiegne, and carefully examined the condi being a spirit-stirring account of the exploits of the that it is in the completest possible state of efficiency; foreign Algerine legion in Spain under the command that its artillery practice is most exact and admirable, first of the jobbing Bernelle and his no less jcbbing that it is familiar with all our most recent improvements wife, then of the stupid Bedeau, and lastly of the gal in gunnery, and that, in spite of an external varnish of lant and chivalrous Conrad who was killed at Bar politeness, the spirit by which it is universally pervaded bastro, near Saragossa, just as he got off his horse to is that of most deadly hatred towards this country. For place on it a wounded man who had been badly hit a long time the French Government has been moving up by his side. After his death the legion was disbanded, its forces towards the north, where they are kept in for- having been reduced in two years from 7,000 soldiers usidable masses, almost within sight as it were of the shores of England, at Cherbourg, St. bialy, Brest, and to 380 men, the greater number of whom were crip other ports, where an ample supply of war steamers is in ples—a sad exemplification of the fact, that it is a constant readiness to transport them wherever their Spanish principle of action to pay their mercenary services may be required. troops as little as they can, and to make them fight as "On the subject of the steam navies of France and much as possible, working them to death as hack England much too little information is popularly pos- masters do cheap horses. In "The - Literary Circles of sensed. If collected together, our steamers would no doubt the Last Century" we find much amusing gossip about suffice to defend our shores from the attacks of the whole Mrs. Montagu and her friends, and in the article world. But, in point of fact, where are they? Scattered entitled "The King of Bavaria, Munich, and over every ocean and every sea, protecting the tracks of Lola Montez," much that is new and much commerce, or overawing the pirate and the slaver. Com- that is true, about, perhaps, the most remark aratively few are retained at home, while those of able monarch of his day, and his still more re - France, constructed and maintained purely for purposes markable female Prime Minister, for such is Lola of aggression, are kept perpetually within call. Among Montez to the King of Bavaria, rather than his mis these, there are sixteen immense steamers, each capable of serving as transport to fifteen hundred soldiers during tress. An unfair course, says this writer, has been a short voyage. Other and smaller war steamers, acting pursued towards Lola Montez by her political as the satellites of these, would divide the remainder of enemies. She would herself have no hesitation in the invading army between them, so that a vast flotilla, saying that the Jesuits were the prime movers with artillery, horses, and m a n on board, might be in all these cases, and certainly it is true, pushed over in twelve hours from the coast of France to no gentleman, no man accountable to society our own. would have resorted to such unmanly proceedings. The Ministers, it is said, took into their most The object of the authors of the monstrous, ridicu anxious consideration the letter of the Duke of lous, and absurd calumnies, of which Lola Montez "Wellington to Sir John Burgoyne. To his honour has been the object, has been to work upon the poeti be it spoken, Lord John Russell was not one of the cal temperament of the King, by exhibiting his fair Ministers to whom the representations of the Duke ally in a ridiculous and disgusting light ; for as the were made in vain. " They hesitated long before writer justly observes, " the moral indignation, of they could determine whether it would be most de- which there was so much displayed in these at sirable to make a large addition to the regular tacks is unfortunately a sham. It was not that the arrny, • Or_to organize an immense militia, or to adopt King of Bavaria had a mistress which offended these the middle course of relying partly on soldiers of the calumniators, but that he had an ally in Lola Montez line and partly on what may be strictly denominated who had the courage and the influence to op en his a domestic force. After mature deliberation they ewes to the monstrous iniquities perpetrated in his wou ld seem to ha ve g i ven th e pre f erence t o the course name, and by which he incurred the odium." A last mentioned." So far this is well, but it is not former mistress of the King was not only tolerated by enough. We should wish to see harbours of refuge these persons, but patronised many years, because she cons tructed on e very par t o f our coas t w h ere they are made influenceher subservient to their party pur needed, which w ou ld b e use f u l t o ou r commerce poses. The bull-dog, of which so much has been in time of peace, and which in time of war would be said, is a quiet English animal, and not a bull-dog at our best defences against invasion—harbours in which all; and if she has on some occasions exhibited the l a rge fleets, whether of ship s o f war or of merchant na t ura l resentment of a high spirited woman, it has vessels, could lie in safety. Never was the time so only been in cases where she has been grossly in opportune for this construction as now. The railway stilted by men bullyof position in a manner which companies are everywhere suspending their opera- the lowest in England would consider tions—thousands of navvies are and will be thrown unworthy*of his ller house, which is a out of labour, and will have to be maintained perfect nnis bli . 'ou, in built li. t under nd l i herhtn lightness. n out of the poor-rates until they can procure employ-She mot. Surely it would be infinitely better to employ witsas simpci) : a ' g her e tastes, isd elegant in uniqueher manner, cultivatedin an these men in the construction of harbours of refuge has a great respect for England and the English. She than to maintain th em i n idl eness i n the union work h as a strong mind, and has very clear ideas on foreign ' h o uses. We have a ccumu l ate d wea lth by our industry po li t i cs , and her novel Pe and powerful mode of ex r ss -it behoves then th a t we s h ou ld by our ene r g y d e - i ng t h em has a great influence on the King, who has fend it from those who would rob us of it. also a comprehensive mind, and more than all, she is And if we b e treated like be es , an d d es t roye d f or th e sake o ff ers w hich have been made to her, either to quit the of our stores . by those w ho have long desired to c ountry or to abuse her influence over the IC She p lunder and ruin our hi ves o f i n d u stry and commerce. i s regarded by the members of the Royal g iamily The novel of " Captain Spike" is approaching to a rather as a political character than as the King's conclusion. lii the present number there is a terrific f av ourite ; and the Queen of Bavaria, to whom the King d esc ription of the escape f rom t h e S was h o f Spik e h as always paid the most scrupulous attention, has and the crew of the brig, and of the chase by the boats voluntarily 'stated that should the King desire the of the Poughkeepsie, 'The boat of the S wash is so presentation of the newly-made Countess at Court, , laden, that S p ik e and t h e boatswain, and three deeply she would offer no obstacle. We have, besides these ot h er s, agree to thr ow t h e i r compan i ons over b oar d by articles, a well-written paper urging the immediate a ruse, and the two blacks, the Mexican captain, Mrs necessity of adopting measures for our national de- Budd, and poor Biddy, fall victims to this diabolical fence, and another on the Hampden controversy, in scheme. Jack Tier swims to the boat which the writer finds grievous fault with all parties. psie, on board which he finds Mulford and t e Poughkeepsie, It is difficult to say to whom he deals out the hardest Wallace. A struggle ensues among the of mis h e i r e e h an al s l blows—to the Prime Minister, the Bishop elect, or on board the S wash's boat, in the course the remonstrant Bishops. fall overboard except Spike and the boatswain. The ....-- men on board the Poughkeepsie fire, and kill the boatswain, and wound Spike, and take him prisoner. \ \r, have two excellently-written biographical sketches, _one of Si r H. H ar di nge, t h e ot h er o f Si r bm_ith Sydney l both illustr a t e d by well-engraved portraits. A continuation, by Mr. Warren, of his interesting voyage upon the River Amazon ; a most amusing account,_ by Capt a i n M'Q u h ae , o f h er Ma jesty's ship Daedalus, of a vi s it t o Raja Brooke, of Sarawak (illustrated by an engraving of the Bunga low of the _ Raja) ; a laugh ter mov i ng s t ory, b y A. Eld e r, of the adventures of a lucky grocer, who had 60,00 0 /. left him, which is illustrates.by Leech in his qua intest style; and a varity of other amusing light reading. Bentley begins the new year well. DOLMAN. There is a good deal of rOlifaing humour in " The Adventures of a Schoolboy ;" the contribution is evidently written by one not very long since emanci pated from the forms of Eton or Rugby. The "Mixed Marriage " is pursued with considerable point in re ference to a rather dubitable phase of social morality. In the biographical paper on the Right Hon. Richard Lalor Shed—being the fourth instalment of the series of " Sketches of Irish Agitators"—there is a somewhat curtailed and confused account of the part taken by that distinguished orator in the famous meeting,-on the 24th of October, 1828, on Penenden Heath. Even to the assertion made as to the:manner in which Mr. Sheil's speech appeared in our own columns, we can only give a partial corroboration. A new hisloriette is commenced with some promise, under the rather formidable, but attractive title, " The Golden Age of Merry England ; or, the Days of the Virgin Queen." The critical notices towards the end of the number will be peculiarly interesting to the general reader, and the Catholic intelligence, by which it is followed, will have its usual value in the estimation of the subscribers to the magazine. FRASER. Fraser opens with an address from the new pro prietor, Mr. J. W. Parker, announcing the principles on which t he magazine will henceforth be conducted. Its earlier numbers were, he ad m it s , di s fi gure d occa sionally by an excess of bitterness and levity of tone which have gradually disappeared, leaving its raciness as perfect, and its force of argument as vigorous, as ev er they were. We hail thi s can did a d m i ss i on as a guarantee that for the future the " slashing" style will be a bandoned b y Fra ser . A no th er p l e d ge , hail with satisf ac ti on i s , th a t h ence f or th w hich we also each separate number of the magazine, though dove tailing with those that com e b e f ore and fo ll ow a f ter, as possible be r en d ere d a comp l ete wor k in itself—a will as much pledge which we b e li eve w ill b e r i g idl y k ep t. as Regina has ever been honourably distin guished from the i great majority of her metropolitan contemporariesoy her o . omparative freedom from the abominable nuisance of continuations. The series now commencing, however, is distinguished by one feature entirely new : the last ten pages of the present number are devoted to a record of the principal events whiell have occurred during the preceding month, hoto at home and abroad, and j u d g i ng f rom th e i r con tents, it is evident that the subscriber will, at the end of the year, .find himself in the possession of a well-digested, admirably-condensed annual register. This revival of the practice of the magazines of the olden time is worthy of commendation. The January number opens with an article on the state of the manu facturing poor, which is well worthy the perusal DOMBEY ond SON. No. XVI. By Charles Dickens. As the heading to the forty-ninth chapter announces it, " The Midshipman" certainly does make " a dis covery." Walter Gay comes . back ! safe and sou n d. The manner in which Captain Cuttle breaks the intelligence of his return to Florence is peculiarly c h arac t e ristic of that " ancie n t mariner." Captain Cuttle, indeed, is the feature of the number. In his sentimental mood he speaks of Sol Gills's " nevy" men tioning Mr. Dombey's daughter, " with his face glisten ing withdoo, like a new blowed rose, at dinner." In his more solemn and impressive manner, he recounts the dangers of the deep, " when you drive, drive, drive through the storm and dark, as if you was a driving, head on, to the world without end, evermore, amen, and when found making a note of." his disap pointment when Florence comes out of the haber dasher's shop with only a little parcel, instead of being followed by a porter staggering under a bale of goods—his wiping his head with the blackened t o ast on his hook, in a fit of delirium, when Florence greets Walter with an embrace—his looking in upon them like an amiable warming-pan, when they have 84 mutually explained themselves his encol traging himself whenever he stopped at a ha:7 word, ;s•hile reading, with " Now my lad! With le l ' or, cht at ""Steady, Edgard Cuttle, steady!" and Ills. having made over his watch, spoons , and sugiu kings " jintly," are all in character, Captain Cuttle v s henceforth in the Boz Gallery. Florence and Walt s r are affianced, and their betrothal beautifully telt. No news is heard of Edith or of Carker ; and the con dolence of Mrs. Chick, of Cousin Phcenix, and of Major Bagstock, is repelled in succession by the merchant. Mr. Dombey is still too proud for sympathy. " The tree is struck, but not down." Even Lucretia Tox is obliged to evince a surreptitious interest in his , calamities by stolen visas to the horrible Pipchin. There is throughout an evidefit, tendency towards the " wind up" or eclaircissement. HOWITT'S JOURNAL. Without question the best contribution in part for the present month is the poetical one by il Hallingham on "Frost in the Holidays." It reads almost like one of Longfellow's. Here is one verse, as bracing and true as half an hour's exercise or, the Serpentine:— "'rho lake is like glass!—hurrah! hurrah! On with your skates without delay! Off we shoot, and poise, and wheel, And swiftly turn on the scoring heel; And our flying sandals chirp and sing Like a flick of swallows upon the wing." The second volume of this journal of literature and popular progress is just completed. THE METROPOLITAN MAGAZINE. In his dissertation on " The Literary Forgeries of Chatterton," the editor displays a full appreciation of the poetic genius of this most extraordinary and un paralleled mortal. To our thinking, however, he altogether misapprehends the personal character of Chatterton. lie has not read his history rightly, or he would see in it the narrative not only of the most precocious intellect ever vouchsafed to human being, but of moral excellencies of an exquisite beauty — excellencies which were only extinguished in the delirium of poverty, abandonment, despair, and famine! The other articles are meritorious. COURT CIRCULAR. Wrinsoa, MONDAY.—The Royal Family took walking and pony exercise this morning on the East ern Terrace and slopes. His Royal Highness Prince Albert enjoyed the sport of shooting this morning, accompanied by his Serene Highness Prince Lowenstein, and attended by the Marquis of Abercorn, the Marquis of Ormonde, Mr. G. E. Anson, and Colonel Seymour. His Serene Highness Prince Lowenstein, and the Marquis and Marchioness of Abercorn, took their departure from the Castle to-day. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge enjoyed the sport of shooting, yesterday forenoon, in Richmond Park. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester visited the Princess Sophia yesterday. The Commissioners for the Reduction of the Na tional Debt had a meeting yesterday, at the Treasury. The Commissioners present were the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Langdale, Master of the Rolls, the Governor of the Bank of England, and the Deputy-Governor. Mr. Ilieam, Secretary and Comptroller-General, was in attendance. Mr. Justice Wightman had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday, at the Home-office. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Lady Mary Wood arrived in town yesterday , from the seat t.;i: the Duke of Bedford, Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire. The Right lion. Baronet and Lady Mary left town in the afternoon, on a visit to the Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne, at Bowood Park, Wilt shire. Dispatches for the Governors of the West India Colonies, and for the Governors of Gibraltar and Malta, and also for the Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Islands, were sent off from the Colonial office, on Saturday evening. FRENCH PLAYS. M. Paul Bocage, the celebrated author, actor, and manager, of the Odeon Theatre, made his debut here last evening, in the character of the Due d'Albu querque, in his own play of Echec et Mat. Ile is a tall, majestic-looking man, with a brilliant eye and expressive, and mobile features, impassioned when ne cessary, but always dignified. In a word, a French Kemble. The play itself is an elaboration of Don Ccesar de Bazan into five acts, substituting a high-minded, dignified, loyal, Castilian nobleman, for ' the vivacious scapegrace as the unfortunate per son upon whose wife the King has cast loving eyes. The Due saves his own honour and his wife's acid the King's by his dignified and cautious conduct ; and in all these scenes he found a fitting representa tive in M. Paul Bocage. Antigone is to be produced here to. morrow with Mendelssohn's music. M. Bocage sustaiLs the character of Creon. IVe expect great things from him. The house was full, and was most fashionably attended. OLYMPIC THEATRE. Mr. Gustavus V. Brooke made his debit/ here last evening. This gentleman had been so outrageously bepraised by his provincial friends, and his approach had been heralded by so many puffs preliminary, that we were prepared to be disappointed with him. For once, however, we have met with a man equal to his fame, and willing and gladly admit that Mr. G. V. Brooke is quite worthy all the eulogiums which have been; passed upon him. Mr. Brooke's first entrance created an impression in his favour. He has a tall commanding figure, and a face evidently handsome, in spite of the disfigurement of the dark hue, which gives somewhat of grimace to every marked movement of Othello's countenance. His voice is of excellent quality—deep and sonorous, and this quality is never lost, however strong the utterance of passion. The first two acts rather gave the notion of an eloquent declaimer, than of a man of fire and passion. The reading was excellent ; the voice well modulated, the emphasis carefully adjusted. An air of commanding dignity was spread over all this earlier portion of the performance, and the only fear was, that the whole would prove too quiet and measured, and at last seem monotonous. A well conceived display of indignation at the brawl in which Cassio is involved led to a con trary supposition ; but still the third act was anxiously expected as a test. Through this great ordeal of the third act—of the dialogue with Ingo—Mr. Brooke passed most triumphantly. Here he showed that he was a man, not only of form, but of sub stance. his bursts of jealous passion came down with terrific weight, and whether he soared on the wings of rage, or sank exhausted be neath its force, all was fresh, energetic, and genial. There was nothing in his points to suggest a reminiscence of other actors. Indeed, in the ordinary sense of the word, he can hardly be said to have made a " point " at all, of such a continuous, sus tained character was his acting. And be it remarked, that the correctness and sound judgment which were visible in his earlier speeches did not forsake him when he abandoned himself to the more violent outbursts of passion. As he preserved his voice, so likewise did he preserve his head, however great the storm of emotion. But if we would mark the most striking features of Mr. Brooke's representation of Othello, we would indicate those passages in which the under-current of grief is forced up into the midst of jealous rage. Lines, and parts of lines, w hich he de livered, were in this respect exquisitely touching, and evidently resulted from ori g inal conception. The excla mation, " Damn her, lewd minx, oh damn her," when he gave an expression of sorrow to the repetition of the curse, is a remarkable case in point. Indeed, all the mournful side of Othello's position he had conceived with great delicacy. The break of the voice into weeping at the words " Othello's occupation 's gone," and, above all, the deep anguish when he said, " fool, fool," after the discovery of the villany that had been practised upon him, were touches of the deepest pathos. In Mr. Brooke we possess what we have long wanted on the stage, a gentleman of power, of taste, and of elocution, who has an ear to appre ciate the rythm of blank verse, and who de claims beautifully—not in the hop, step, and jump, and pause style in which " great tragedians have of late years chanted the poetry of Shakspere, Ile is intense without mannerism, and can be impas• sioned without going through a series of poses plastiques. He was admirably supported by Stuart, whose lago :is the best on the stage, and by Miss Stuart, who made a most interesting Desdemona. Mr. Brooke was called for at the conclusion, and re• ceived with the greatest enthusiasm. Such a success has not been achieved for years. The house was crowded. DEATH OF THE DOWAGER COUNTESS or CLAN CARTY.—We regret to announce the death of the Dow ager Countess of Clancarty, which occurred on Thursday, at Garbally, near Ballinasloe. DEATH OF Digs. HASTIII.—We are sorry to notice in our obituary to-day, the death of Mrs. Ilastie ' the venerable parent of the Member for the town. Mrs. Hastie's family was the Steuarts of Alderston, in the county of Haddington, and she was-aunt to the late Mr. Robert Steuart, for two or three Parliaments represen tative for the Haddington Burghs, and one of the Lords of the Treasury.— Glasgow Saturday Post. HARMONIC HALL, SOUTHWARK BRIDGE -ROAD. — Several benefits have recently been taken at this unique place of entertainment by local philanthropic societies, for the distribution of bread, coals, &c., to the de serving poor, during the winter months, and it is satis factory to add, they have been productive of great advantages. Last evening a new pantomimic repre sentation, called the Devil in London, was produced by the manager, Mr. W. Warde, and the several hits at the follies of the day elicited much applause from a crowded auditory; as also did the effective singing of Mr. Pearce, in Dibdin's naval melodies, and Mr. Temple in some characteristic country songs, IRELAND. DISARMING OF THE PEASANTRY IN 7 HZ DISTURBED DISTRICTS. DUBLIN, DEC. 31.—This evening an extraordinwry Gazette was issued from Dublin Castle, containit ten proclamations, affecting the following count es and baronies—viz., 1. The whole of the county Tipperary. 2. The whole of the county Limerick. 3. Baronies of Upper and Lower Bunratty, Clonderlaw, Inchiquin, Islands, and Upper and Lower Tulla, in the county of Clare. 4. _Baronies of Orrery and Kilmore, in the county of Cork. _ 6.. Baronies of Athlone, North and South Bailin t Boyle, and R oscommon, and the Kilmacumsey, Kilcola, an d Kilna maugh,poabrbisehre,s B of al e ly r if e o ve e : in the barony of French Park, county of :Roscommon. 6. Baronies of Glenahiry and Upperthird, in the county of Waterford. 7. Baronies of Bally-brit, Clonlisk. Eglish, and G arrycastle, in the King's County. s. Baronies of Clonmahon, Tullyhunco, and Upper Lo oghtee, in the county of Cavan. Baronies of Cirrigallen, Leitrim, and Mohill, " , :nunty of Leitrim. In 1 11 , 7 Bar :nies of Ardagh, Granard, and Longford, pro ,lamations—as appears by the fol.- s of Longfo . rd. qu i re all . persons (not . being justices in the county n her Majesty's naval or These new lowing copy—re of the peace, or persons L. military service, or in the cot,st-guard service, or in the service of the revenue, or in ale police or consta bulary force, or special constables, Os' pensons duly licensed to kill game, or persons to who m tiny license shall have been granted under the Act), to deposit their arms in certain depots, appointed in each &Is trict, under a penalty of imprisonment for two yews with hard labour. "NOTICE. " BY THE LORD-LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND. " CLARENDON. " Whereas by an Act passed in this present session of Parliament, in the 11th year of her Majesty's reign, entitled 'An Act for the better prevention of Crime and Outrage in certain parts of Ireland, until the Ist day of December, 1849, and to the end of' the then next session of Parliament, it is amongst other thing enacted, That from and after the day named in the proclamation in said Act first men tioned, it shall be lawful to and for the Lord- Lieutenant, or other chief governor or governors of Ireland, by notice to be published in the Dublin Gazette, and posted in manner in said Act men tioned, from time to time to require all persons (not being justices of the peace, or persons in her Majesty's naval or military service, or in the coast guard service, or in the service of the revenue, or in the police or constabulary force, or special con stables, or persons duly licensed to kill game, or persons to whom any license shall have been granted under said Act) residing or being within any county, county of a city, county of a town, barony or other district named in said proclamation, or any part thereof respectively, on or before a day named in such notice, to deposit or leave at a place or places to be named in such notice, or at the nearest police station or barrack, any gun or guns, pistol or pistols, or other fire-arm or fire-arms, or any part or parts of any gun, pistol, or other fire-arms, or any sword or swords, cutlass or cutlasses, pike or pikes, bayonet or bayonets, or any bullets, gun powder, or ammunition wh ich he, she, or they may I have in his, her, or their custody, power, or pos session.' "Ica:w notice is hereby given, that we require all being justices' of the peace, or persons persons (noi a . -aal or military service , or i n the in her Majesty's nom. in the service of the coast-guard service, or a cons tabulary force, revenue, or in the police o. duly licensed to or special constables, or persons a ';cense shall kill game, or persons to whom any "- • being have been granted under this Act) residing ox • a, within the district included in the said proc lamatioa, on or before the B th day of Ja nuar y , 1848, to deposit and leave at the police baarracks, in the town of Athlone, Athleague, Roscommon, Tulsk, Strokes • to his, her, or barracks nearest town, Elphin, and Boyle, within the said district, or at the police-station , nor uns pato or their residence, ,:11 and every gu g or pistols, or other fire. a arm or fire- arms, and any part ip i ;. !-,ol t or other fire-arms, and or parts of any gun, ,pig. or cutlasses, any sword or swords, pike or any bullets, gun pikes, bayonet or bayonets, a powder, and ammunition which h e , e, o wer, or or they m; sh may have in his, her or their c u s t o dy, y possession. " And whereas, by our proclamation, b y. and with the advice of her Majesty's Privy Council in Ireland, bearing date at the Castle of Dublin, the 23rd day of Decembef ? 1847, we declared that from and after the 29th day of December, 1847, the said Act should apply td and be in force in, the baronies of Athlone, North and South Ballintobber, Ballymoe, Boyle, and Roscom mon, and the parishes of Crieve, lailinacumsy, Ka cola, and Kilnamanagh, in the barony of French Park, in the county of Roscommon. " And notice is hereby further given, that every person who, after the said Bth day of January, 1848, shall knowingly have in his or her custody, power, or possession, any gun, pistol, or any other fire-arm, or part or parts of any gun, pistol, or fire arm, or any sword, cutlass, pike, or bayonet, or any bullets, gun powder, or ammunition, contrary to the provisions of said Act, will be liable on conviction thereof to be imprisoned, with hard labour, for a term of two years " By his Excellency's command, " WM. M. SOMERVILLE. " Dublin Castle, Dec. 30, 1847." THE SPECIAL COMMISSION. DUBLIN, JAN. 2.—Chief Justice Blackburne and Chief Baron Pigott leave Dublin to-morrow morning en route for Limerick, and will be received at the Ballybrophy station by a troop of the Queen's Bays, with mounted police, and escorted therefrom to the city of Limerick, arriving there the same evening. Their Lordships will open the special commission on Tuesday morning in the County Court-house, both judges presiding together ou the bench. The Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General, Mr. G. Bennett, Q.C., and the Hon. J. Plunkett, Q.C. will attend to conduct the cases for the Crown. Mr. O'Hea is expected to appear as principal counsel tot the prisoners. The calendar presents a fearful array of crime. Subjoined are the principal cases for trial: — Michael Howard, murder of Johanna and Corne lius Hoorigan. Michael O'Brien, Michael Madigan, and John Shaughnessy, murder of Edmond Kenny. Andrew Dee, murder of Edmond Murplq• 'William Ryan (Puck), murder of John lia"liY• William Frewen, Thomas Frewen, an d ,John Frevven, harbouring Ryan Puck, by which he for some time evaded apprehension as a felon. Thomas Ryan and Patrick Ryan, murder of Ho' nora Ryan. John Renehan, Michael Kennedy, D. Erin* Thomas Fitzgerald, James Doyle, William Quail n, Michael Donnelly, and John Gorman, murder saf John M'lnerny. Michael Hickey, conspiring to murder John M'lnerny. James Skeahan, murder of Ralph Hill. Ellen Quaine, Daniel Quaine, James Quaine , Thomas Patrick a n r d in s o t n h , e b m e i u n r g d e o r f o a l n lt a a r I m p Thomas and Mary M'Namara, aidi ng an d ass i s ti n h ed H p i a l r l. ty that fired at and wounded John Staunton. John Molony, shooting at Michael Carroll. Joseph Carroll, shooting at John Molony, and John O'Brien, Denis Ryan, being of an armed party who fired on the police and wounded head-constable Sullivan. Patrick Sweeney and Edward Broderick, soliciting Maurice Flanagan and others to murder John Don nelly. John Coleman, Patt Long, and John Supple, being of an armed party who attacked the house of Denis Shea for fire-arms. Cornelius Tracy, Patrick Ahern, James Healy, Michael Gleeson, John Walsh, Michael Falvey, David Connell, John Bourke, Thomas Hoare Cornelius Daly, and Thomas Walsh, riotous assembly in arms, and driving off cattle belonging to Mr.' Robert Fetherstone, the Rev. George Massy, and the Rev James Ryan, parish priest. John Ryan, Roger Ryan, Thomas M'Corma ck, and John Fogerty, murder of Daniel Dillon. Thomas Lyons and Patrick Bourke, conspiracy to murder John Ryan, and accessaries to the murder of Honora Ryan. Michael Holahan, Whiteboyisrn. David Tierney and Thomas Nagle, concealing i n their houses Maurice O'Donnell, charged with White bovism. DEATH OF DR. CIELOTOII.—One of England's most eminent musicians has been gathered to his fathers, name ly, Dr. Crotch, who died on th e 29th o f D e c e mber, at the residence of his son, the Rev. W. R. Crotch, master of the grammar school at Taunton, aged 72. A MURDERED CHILD FOUND IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.—Last eveni ng , M r . P a y ne resumed the in quiry on the body of a child, unknown, found in a second-class carriage at the South-Eastern Railway Station, London bridge, on the 24th ult. Mr. Pettigrew, surgeon, said he had made a post-mortem examination of the body, and ascertained the cause of death to be suffo cation. There were the marks of a cord, which had been bound over the mouth and round the head so tightly as to leave a deep furrow. All that was known respect ing the body was, that the carriage in which it was found was near the engine, and had come all the way' from Folkstone. Mr. Mead, the summoning officer, had made inquiries along the line for a description of the passengers in that carriage, but had learnt nothing satis factory. The Coroner said as it was a clear case of murder, that it was advisable to adjourn again in the hopes of finding the guilty parties. The inquest was again adjourned for a fortnight. .71