The Sun. — London, England, 1835-12-15 00:00:00

~~-. , :..~...,~0. E. theatie t a very his per' 'ell short it was, .3. e in this 7 of the pular in haunted fargelia, s in the c abode he Em dreams, to the magical ichanted ;littering .e the rc the fair Ile maoic guardrail )ne who Zamna attempt• 6 farmer, already to disen rial trip, e enebarY enalty of .e able to ashes the g's power restored gorgeous e golden ballet of ne Vedy, vas given .oubt not TING tgricultu roughont SPOONERr called to. ze honour I Central a widely- 1 body or ley might Led neces- quiry into culturistsr e meeting object in )on minor of which 2t to form' ;ement of tient feel-. innum be iamentary rs of the ations for ,any influ vhich w,a6 )pe, Lord. th, embers. vening• has boa rt of tho is meant, d control , that 3)1 .•••••• le free or t for the irokerage or specie, that any ; is always business, some in- our ; and nature, is in some he parties instance have the with tiro additiolis ifficult to. to this to be r trading, a bullion , .aordinarr ,st seriou* is of two ly sought iereliants , • Is passed will never, I wm be, own, that uction of frequently e of sale, mpetition, ; now re' mipetition perforo l- attention be looked in obtain- in forma .ports be sr an odious, to derive the great not av ail the Bank s as usual , e stronger iew taken. hernselves to course•, the Bank Ideal- 1 Y O dvanta ge s —Tinies• 'lreorgianal Dublin; the Asia,. Foreland• d remains Sailed the the,Jarneh dland, put. rid fine.- - ailed frail ia, Curry, Philadel ocher, and mes, from hres, New Quebec Off pas f —,rog' , frog' E.rraneau . Dyer, au from Kiel• 0 Sunken inica, Sao ierpool oD abandone4 Cork, rtv s aved. under th e, ,tit back t? ldland, on from Lo L lat. 644 311 the 1 5 ‘ River. . ... atl 1 1 1 1 LITERATURE. TEE MYSTERIES OF PROVIDENCE, AND THE TRIUMPHS OF GRACE. Aj 2.'RE AUTRO.R " PROSPECT ; OR, SCENES OF REAL LIFE." , Longman and Co. 1835. TO decide - upon the merits of works of a strictly religious character, is not the province of newspaper criticism ; and it rarely happens that we permit our selves to exceed those limits which, in our opinion, Ought to bound our critical labours. Our exceptions tn ails general rule have only been in favour of works i ntroduced to the public under peculiar circumstances, a nd when we found them to contain extensive and general views of the 'Christian dispensation, without arty allusion to the tenets of a favoured sect. Now, the volume whose title is prefixed to this notice is rather remarkable, as being the production of a Young Scottish lady, the daughter of a clergyman. It embraces a domestic story, of which we are assured that the leading incidents—indeed all the incidents— ate strictly true. There is nothing whatever remark able in the fact of young ladies writing religious tales ; Jut in the repression of those views which charm the i magination of youth, heated by religious enthusiasm, and in making truth itself both the groundwork and the superstructure of the intellectual fabric, there is certainly much to call forth the approbation of every w ell -regulated mind. So far all must admit that the "Mysteries of Providence" is deserving of high praise. AGNES DE MANSFELDT. IT 7'. C. GRATTAN. Saunders and Otley. 1836. An interesting story of one of the most interesting Periods. in the annals of the world. The great deluge, Ind tk e redemption of mankind by the death of the 4 edearner, are the only events to be found in the wide page of universal history, whose consequences can hear a comparison in the magnitude of their results, pith the Reformation of the Church brought about, i n a great degree, by the preaching of Martin Luther and his devoted followers. Many circumstances con (lured to facilitate the triumph of this intrepid re former, and to effect those wondrous changes in the entir e frame-work of society, which are the admiration °I modern times : nevertheless, our astonishment is 0t diminished; and after the minutest investigation of the naturalconnection between the effects and the causes which produced them, we dismiss the subject with a settled conviction that to the theologian, the philoso pher, andthe politician, the sixteenth century offers more I nateriaas for deep reflection, and for acquiring a real i nsight into the motives by which the mass of mankind a re actuated, than any other five centuries from the creation of the world to the present time. This is Is entirely owing to the complexity of the events of t hat period. The changes which took place were of such a nature as to leave none indifferent to their oc= eurrence. Their effects were felt from the highest to the lowest classes in society ; - and those to whom the P•frairs of this world were indifferent, found themselves Peiplexed with respect. to their condition in the extent. I t is. only in a conflict where men act freely, and where t hey are impelled to action by the motives of religious conviction and political interest, that we catch a glimpse ' 3 f human nature undisguised ; for where only one of t hese motives exists, those upon whom it operates are for the most part either living machines or monsters 14 fanaticism. But all this relates rather to the Period in which the story of Agnes de Mansfeldt is laid, t han to the incidents of the story itself. The loves of a Catholic Electoral Archbishop of Cologne and a p rotestant Canoness—the duplicity, the treachery, knd the villainy of a self-styled Italian Count, and the credulity of a young and lovely Duchess, who has re course to magic in order to rec over th e a ff ec ti ons o f h er husband— a. are nut of themselves events which pe culiarly mark any period in modern history. Never theless the incidents that accompany them bear the )rapress of the time, and of the difficulty with which the human mind emancipates itself from the thraldom c 4 a blind superstition. The story is throughout d eeply interesting. The plot is tangled, and we• can ot stop t o unrave l i t ; b ut t h e f o ll ow i ng extract w ill l °e sufficient to convince our readers that there is no want of power in the more stirring scenes. Those who * ill not desire to know more of a work containing such t passage as the following, are less curious than We are : "' Now, Duche ss A nne ,' sa id h e , s t ern ly an d a b r uptly, fate bath at length placed us fitly together. We - are now 'tdeed alone—the heavens above us, the waters underneath ''we are no more mere beings of the earth, which we have 'bitted and lost sight of—one of us for ever. Arc you pre- Ilared to die ?' To die ! oh God ! What mean you by those horrid I r f o rds ? Oh, C ount S cotus, d o not tr ifl e w i t h my terrors— . am in fearful alarm—prithee, prithee, put back to land— et me meet my husband' s f ur y, an d f a ll by his hand, rather t 4 ' l n linger in this agony of dread !' `` Patience on e momen t ;it w ill nit l as t l ong . C an ' s t Ch oi; l ,„ fathom, pro u d D uc h ess , th e d e pth s o f th a t fl oo d ? " 13 ; yet thy bed is ready made in its soft sands. Thou /t °aldest read the s t ars ! H a , h a , h a ! it mus t th en b e th rough the magnifying medium of those waters into which Toil are about to sink. ` Alas, alas, there is a f r i g htf u l t one o f t ru th i n y our terribl e voice—you arc not mocking my fears,—l know I' 3o are going t o mur d er me — o h, mercy , mercy , C oun t e otus! I have done nought to injure you. What means t his purpose ? Tell me, tell me—oh, say that you but Van with my weakness—that );ou are about to work some bPlwerful charm, some spell for my happiness, and this is ut the dreadful preface—the mysterious and awful Mean- L ltion for the spirit of good you are going to raise—Oh, 'Peak me some comforting words ; turn your face towards fie, that I may read your heart 1' "Ile agitated supplicant rose from the bench and ?tight the Itali a n i n h er arms . H e fl ung h er b ac k ru d e ly I. ° l ll him, and exclaimed, ~`" Not injured m e ! Did you' not repulse my passion W hen I loved you ? Did y ou no t fl y i n di sgust an d t error sw nen I wooed you—in mockery it is true, but you knew 4ot that—by the river side? Do you not now, even when '° l .l would twine your arms around me, loathe and fear me? `'re not these wrongs, and do they not merit death ? But *itbout all this you are doomed to die, and by my hand, al ld in the eddies of this flood—it is written—so prepare !' " He bad left the boat to its random course, and'fearing that it might drift to the shore, he was resolved to finish theldeed at once. He therefOre approached the Duchess, l ''ho lay stunned and almost senseless across the bench, and 4 eizin g her round the waist he lifted her up. But the dread fapproaching death gave her new strength, and she clung 4 r ster to the bench, and screamed aloud in the hoarse hope .,,agiless of succour. A thought flashed across her mind that seemed to promise a momentary respite from what she 110 a, felt to be her inevitable fate. v " Oh, stop, stop one minute,' cried she, but one minute, 'Ai I tear off those diamond trappings and give them to as a poor reward for a minute more of life.' " Foolish wretch !' vociferated the Italian, they are k 3 false as is your sex—they are not worth ten ducats. now as you perish that I have had all of you worth bay -InR, in the real jewels which those counterfeits replaced -441d now to finish with you!' D uchess. Mercy, mercy !' uttered the choking voice of the 4-'achess. ".` Death, death!' responded the villain. Hast thou rer known me for such a fool as to dream of my letting you o l ve, that I might die ? of allowin g you to proclaim your Wri justification, and brand me with infamy ?' 1," Oh, fear not that I shall reveal anything,' cried the -.uuelless, in new hope of touchily , - him with compassion -01 swear eternal secrecy—l will bury myself out of sight the whole world—l will tear my tongue out, if you but par e my life. " ' The dead only tell no tales,' was the villain's reply ; !M at length worn out by the struggle, she offered no re °lstance to his attempt to raise her up, but a low panting AZ37 of supplication which he heeded not. He lifted her in luarms, and just as lie stooped towards the boat-side to nge her into the stream, a bounding spring from the °t iler end made the frail vessel heave to and fro, and the 1 11 ord erer l ost hi s b a l ance ere h e cou ld effect the deed. A. shout close to his car accompanied a powerful blow if o rllch f e ll e d hi m to t h e floor. He sprang up again, and rand himself assailed by two men, whose furious voices he "ognisea for tllop of Sweinisben and Von Heyen. They b Od~l Y e and on him, and by a sudden heave they lifted him np flung him right over the side, striking him repeated blows on the head with their clenched fists, to force him from the convulsive grasp with which he still clung to the gunwale. He disappeared. But, with a last desperate clutch he had seized the body of the Duchess and dragged her with him into the river's depth. Both instantly sank, her gurgling screams mixing with the oaths and ex clamations which broke from the shocked men, who had meant to be her saviours and avengers. With straining eyes and out-stretched arms they watched, for some seconds of fearful suspense. At last the white-robed body of the Duchess rose to the surface, and almost close to the ready hand of Von Heyen. " 4 God be praised ! I have her 1' exclaimed he, making a grasp ; but a portion of the fragile garment tore away from the hapless -wearer, and she sank again.. A. cry of agony broke from the brave young man, who without a moment's consideration of his own danger sprang into the river, and dived in the direction where she had disappeared. Von Sweinishen had now to support the sole burden of agitated suspense. He held the oar in both hands, afraid to move it lest he might propel the boat to the place where he hoped the bold swimmer at least would rise -again, and thus cause him the risk of a stunning blow against the keel or side. In a few seconds he appeared, and though he spoke not, and that the darkness prevented his anxious comrade from seeing any certainty of his success, it was evident, from the striking out of only one of his arms in the water, that he held some heavy substance in the other below the surface. " Heaven grant you have not missed the lady and brought up the murderer !' cried Von Sweinishen fervently —but the nearly exhausted swimmer dared not open his mouth to reply, lest the water should rush in and take his breath entirely away. " Von Sweinishen saw it was impossible without immi nent risk of upsetting the skiff to lift in his friend or the person he held ; so, the moment Von Heyen approached sufficiently near to the side to grasp the gunwale with his unencumbered hand, he worked lustily with the oar, and in a few minutes succeeded in reaching the shore just as his companion's strength had almost failed him, and as he dreaded that he should be forced either to relinquish the hold of the boat's side, or let go the object he upheld with the other hand. ' • Which is it ?' cried Von Swcinishen, rushing from the stern, as the boat buried its prow into the soft bank. " The Duchess, the Duchess !" replied Von Heyen, sinking on the rushy sedge, and with a last faint effort dragging up the body beside him." THE ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. This new and beautiful theatre was opened last night. The house was crowded in every part ; and its exceeding beauty produced the most animated expressions of admira tion from the audience as soon as they were comfortably seated and had time to look about them. Its form is a model of symmetry, and its rich and brilliant decorations are in the purest and most elegant taste. The prevailing colour is a soft and delicate white ; the ornaments are gold ; and the interior of the boxes is covered with crimson silk. At seven o'clock the curtain rose, and Mrs. Selby made her appearance to speak the opening Address, written by J. Smith, Esq. She was dressed in the colours of the theatre, and looked exceedingly well. After receiving a warm welcome, she spoke the following lines :- 4 - lovering 'twixt Hope and Fear, I come in haste To know if what you look on meets your taste? Survey our carving, ponder on our gilding, And use your hands thus, if you like the building. You seem well seated in our Muses' bowers, Crowded, perhaps—but that's your fault, not ours. Those Girandoles insure us from the dark ; Medallions- Watteau, a la Grand Monarque; Pit comfortable, rounded to a tittle, And not too large, perhaps to-night too little; Those tall white ladies, who uphold the frieze, Are named Car--(What ?)—Car—Caryitides ; Perhaps (if here I'm out, suspend your laughter), So call'd, because they carry roof and rafter. A petticoat police, on rising salary, To cry out " Order, order !" in the gallery. We've risen upon you, like a rampant lion, As Thebes of old was sung up by Amphion. All's not quite done, we're still in deep committee— We mean to start a railroad from the City, With branches well secured by bolts and hooks, To join St. James's parish to St. Luke's, Critics may cast that burden from their shoulders, Railing is now confined to joint stockholders. Here ends my tune as trumpeter—what follows Seems an affair exclusively Apollo's : That God of Song, at sixes and at sevens With mighty Jupiter, who rules the Heavens. Too weak with Jove's red thunderbolt to battle, Dropp'd down on earth to tend Admetus' cattle ; He "struck the light guitar" for nine long years, And when call'd upwards to the House of Peers (Take down my words, Reporters, while I say 'em), He left a son on earth, and call'd him BRAITAM From infant years he now has tuned his lay, How well it ill becomes not him to say. Grant tit for tat, excuse my woman's whim, He gave his voice to you—give yours to him! Here, in St. James's, now he wakes'his lyre, And rears an altar to his radiant sire, Who views, well-pleased, this temple-to his praise, And gilds our pillars with his parting rays. Aid, then, our offering, sanctify our cause, And grant us, gods, one thunder of applause. Mrs. Selby delivered this very clever address with much grace and animation. Its many happy points were caught and responded to by the audience ; and the well•merited and well-turned compliment to the hero of the night was re ceived with peals of applause ; when it subsided, the or chestra began the overture to the new opera of Agnes Sorel, the first production of a young female composer, Mrs. A' Beckett. This piece is an agreeable drama, of slight construction. The heroine is the celebrated mistress of Charles the Seventh of France, who makes some figure in the history of that country, and holds a distinguished place in its poetry and romance. in this drama she appears in her original state, as the daughter of a country gentleman, who had attracted the notice of the King and of his Minister, the Count Dunois, both of whom are enamoured of her charms. 'The Minister finds his sovereign residing in her father's house, in the guise of a wounded officer. They come to a mutual explanation as to the state of their affections ; • and the King gives his Minister permission to enter the lists with him in a fair contest for the lady's affections. A series of plots and counter-plots takes place, in which the King is worsted, and involved in perplexities from which he can only deliver himself by a declaration of his rank. The sen timents of the fair Agnes, however, in the King's favour, are sufficiently apparent ; and the result is left to be guessed at. There are some subordinate parts, very pleasant, but of no importance to the plot. Braham appeared in Count Dunois. Accustomed as he has been, fer forty years, to taste the sweets of public ap please, he probably never felt so strongly how high lie stands in public estimation. He was received with peals upon peals of applause, which lasted for several minutes, and were acknowledged by him with strong marks of feeling. His whole performance gave proof of unabated powers. His voice was as rich, full, and beautiful as ever ; and he sang with the glowing and energetic expression of his earliest days. Miss Glossop (the, sister of the composer) was the heroine. It was this young lady's first public ap pearance, and her agitation, at the beginning, was extreme. But she gradually recovered her self-possession, and exhi bited many of the qualities of an accomplished singer. Her voice is powerful, and on the whole, sweet ; though her highest notes have an occasional shrillness which will be mellowed by time and practice. Her style is excellent, and her intonation unexceptionable. She is very handsome, with an intelligent and expressive countenance ; and her air is dignified and lady-like. The part of the disguised King was performed by Mr. Barker, whose singing filled us with surprise and admiration. Where can such a singer have so long hidden his talents ? His voice is a high tenor, of the finest and most delicate quality, resembling very much that of Ivanhoff ; and he has all the finish and re finement of a first-rate artist. The duet in the first act, between him and Braham, was one of the most charming things we have ever heard. Stretton, in the Baron de Lindon, fully supported his rising reputation. The music of this piece does great honour to the fair composer. It bears strong marks of an Italian education, but has more of the beauties of the modern Italian style than of its faults. We have many reminiscences of Rossini and his imitators ; but there are also many traits as original as they are beautiful. An open, flowing, and simple strain of melody pervades the whole opera ; and the instrumental parts are ingenious, graceful, and free from noise. Some of the airs and duets are too long—a fault to which every young composer is liable. When Mozart, in his maturer years, played over some things in his early opera of The Se raglio, he said, " This is very well for a room, but too ver bose for a theatre. When I composed this opera, I took delight in what I was doing, and never thought anything too long." Mrs. A'Beckett will one day have a similar feel ing, when she takes , a review of Agnes Sorel. It is, hoW ever a beautiful opera, and is entitled to be ranked amongst the finest specimens of English dramatic music. The remaining entertainments were two exceedingly lively and pleasant pieces, (each of them in one act) enti tled A Clear Case, and The French Conwany. They were admirably acted, and produced a great deal of laughter and applause; But we must take another opportunity of speak ing of these pieces, and the excellent actors who appeared in them. The Count de Salis, who derives considerable estates in Ireland from his uncle Charles, the last Viscount Fane, has obtained his Majesty's permission to assume the name of Fane in addition to his own. Through the extinct branch of the Fane family, which he represents, Count de Salis is connected with many of the most distinguished fa milies of the English nobility. ~~ TO THE IN ---- tDEPENDEN ECTORS OF WESTAIINS • THE SUN, LONDO GENTLEramv, = l:lavine• received a r from Mr. Dc veer, with a Morning Chronicle's leport a meeting at the British Coffee-house, of some of the electors of Westmir= ster, of which he was Chairman, I find myself placed in a situation not.new to me, and therefore not surprising nor painful, but which calls upon me for.this address. I have frequently, in the course of my life, risked and incurred censure for doing that which I thought right. In those cases my private feelings have been always offered up at the altar of the public. Accustomed to look into my own mind for satisfaction, and not abroad to receive it by reflec tion from others, I have never hesitated to take any step I thought might be useful ; and in endeavouring to make a stand against the introduction amongst us of a tone and style of language and manners, which, if tolerated, would render society a curse instead of a blessing, I have done that which my own mind tells me I shall never repent. The letter addressed _appropriately to the members of Brookes's respecting Mr. Daniel O'Connell was unques tionably, intended to be an appeal to the public. Poli tics, however, are not necessarily connected with it. I might, for example, agree with Mr. Daniel O'Connell in all his political principles and opinions—if any man can tell me what they are, or, harder still, what they will be a month hence—and yet think his language and man ners not to be borne. On the other hand, to his opinions and principles I might oppose the bitterest hostility, and yet have for him, personally, the utmost esteem—might cultivate his friendship, and covet his society. Mr. Penn cey puts the question thus at the meeting—" not as between Mr. Daniel O'Connell and me, but as between England and Ireland." There is certainly no dispute between Mr. Daniel O'Connell and me ; which, indeed, he makes a charge against me, as he says, " unprovoked attack ;" and this, which he considers a charge, I consider a justifica tion. The question for the consideration of the public is not between ?,Ir. Daniel O'Connell and me, but between Mr. Daniell O'Connell and civilized society. It is, whether a person, disregarding all the proprieties and decencies, let alone courtesies, of civiliztd society, ought to be countenanced and sanctioned : the question is thus made plain, and so I have it, stript of all false adjuncts as bare as lEsop's crow. Mr. Pouncey ended with saying " my letter had given him sincere pain ;" for this I am sincerely sorry, for there is not a man in Westminster whom I esteem higher or feel more regard for than I do for Mr. Pouncey, " warm admirer and supporter of mile," or not. Mr. Prout sup poses me a tool in the hands of others, and the llforning Chronicle ingeniously points to Mr. George Sinclair—this affords him an opportunity of calumniating both. I agree with Mr. Prout that, if culpability attaches anywhere, tool or no tool, I am equally culpable, for the act and deed is his who signs and seals it ; nor do I shrink from it or its consequences, be they what they may. To the good sense and good feeling of the electors of Westminster I fearlessly appeal ; so does Mr. Daniel O'Connell, at least so I col lect, as far as I can collect anything, from his skimble-skam ble episde from Derrvnane, where it seems this Jupiter Tonans, or Jupiter Scapin, has retired to forge some light ning, red with uncommon vengeance, to blast the " betrayer of his party, his principles, and his country." Well, I await ;he thunderbolt with the utmost composure, like Horace's ust man, so ludicrously translated by Mr. Creech, and ;herefore so apt to the present purpose— " Should the whole frame of nature round him break, He, unconcerned, would bear the mighty crack !" Jupiter assumed many shapes, you know, amongst others that of a bull—not an Irish bull, nor a "Pope's bull— but an honest John Bull ; so Mr. Daniel O'Connell, who is an excellent actor, assumes many characters ; and he is to-come out for the first time in the character of a fine gen tleman, all finery and perfume, essenced like a milliner, " redolent" of " civet ;" he calls for an ounce of it, if to " sweeten his imagination" it will hardly suffice, but he is to perfume his very words and pour forth the vials of his wrath, his indignation, and patriotism in eau de rose, and all this upon my head. Why, I shall be " all redolent," like himself. His greatest difficulty, however, will be to discover the word he is in search of ; it will be a mon strous long word if it express all that he sets down for it— no mouth, no, not Garagantua's, will be large enough to pronounce it, and as to Lord Burleigh's celebrated shake of the head, it will be a trifle to it ; but hear him himself, making an essay at his new vocabulary. "He who betrays his party, his principles, .and his country," shall be " a foolish fading gentleman ;" and he who, " with one virtue and a thousand faults, abandons that virtue, but corrects none of his faults, shall be—l do not at present know exactly what—but I will discover some perfumed word, so soft as not to shake the shattered nerves of the most unsound, personally as well as morally; of the anti quated roues of St. James's." You may well stare, gen- t f lea!ien, and rub your eyes, and ask one another what dots all this mean ? CEdipus himself would be puzzled, much more an elector of Westminster, where we have not been used to such highflown gaudy rhetorical style, such poetic prose—he only who can discover the word, can discover the meaning. At the commencement of this exquisite epistle, they would call it illigant in Ireland. Mr. Daniel O'Con nell calls on his countrymen to mark what he endures for their sakes, for his " principles of civil and religious li berty," and " for his loved and abused land." " I receive all," he says, "as the wages of my devotion." Does he mean to say these are all the wages he receives ? He then bombastically adds, " For it is treason to love her, and death to defend." Why, what braggish balderdash and fustian is all this ! what empty, vain, and absurd vaunting, at a time when there is no danger—when, instead of facing danger and death, he quietly and securely pockets 18,0001. or 20,0001. a year. - If any reliance can be placed on the Irish press, he talks of being engaged in a strife, not of words, but of things. Again I ask, what things—that is to say, perilous things ? What reality, what risk of any sort or kind has he ever exposed himself to, out of devotion to his "beloved country ?" There is only one part of this strange epistle of any importance, and to that I do request your particular attention, and that you will bear it well in mind. He calls me " a foolish fading gentleman," meaning thereby, " one who betrays his party, his principles, and his country." This is what he undertakes to prove, or to attempt to prove ; which, if he does not, I shall pay no more regard to any thing else he may choose to utter, than to the gabble of a goose ; for he has deprived both his tongue and pen of all power of either causing scandal or giving offence. One gentleman proposes to the meeting to summon a public one, for the purpose of getting it to require me to resign my seat. This another objects to, as giving too much import ance to the letter. Another says, "if not a tool, it follows I am an apostate,"—" a non sequitur, master serjeant," as the man says in the play. As to Whigs and Tories, I beg leave to say I have the greatest regard and friendship for many of both denominations, and no regard for either as a party. My war, political, was with the boroughmono-ers ; I have lived to soe them; thank Heaven ! decently interred— being dead, so is my enmity. Mr. Kemp complains of my treating deputations with incivility. I was not aware of it, certainly never intended it, and really wonder that any one can have supposed I could by possibility intend it. I never coiled the people before the hustings rabble—l detest the term, I think it inhuman, not fit, to apply to any collection of human beings, however low or degraded. As to the ballot, which Mr. Kemp, I think, supposes I am against, my answer is short—l supported it both by speech and vote. I always thought it a convenient, orderly, and easy way of taking votes ; I never thought it pregnant with such prodigious advantages as many expect to derive from it. As to the Corporation Bill, I am inclined to think that it would have been better to abolish the old Corporations, and not to have created new. As to my resigning my scat, before alluded to, unless called upon by a majority of my constituents, I should not think myself at liberty to do so, even if I wished it. In my opinion it would be a desertion of my post, and unfair to the great body of the electors ; so that, maugre all cavil, calumny, and malig nity, this post it is my purpose unshrinkingly to maintain. The electors of Westminster may dismiss me, but I will never desert them, nor retire without giving them notice, and ample time to make such arrangements as they may think desirable. I remain, Gentlemen, as ever, Your most devoted very humble servant, FRANCIS BURDETT. SCHLEGEL'S NEW WORK, " THE PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY."—" The Lectures of Frederick Von Schle , el have just been published by Saunders and Otley. Few publications of equal importance have for many years is sued from the press. The original work ranks foremost amongst the philosophical productions of Germany, and is the broad pedestal upon which the fame of Schlegel must be erected. It is not a work that should be monopolized by one nation—it belongs to mankind, and especially to Christianity. The style of these Lectures possesses a na tural loftiness which harmonizes admirably with their matter and their great aim."—Abridged from the Herald of Nov. 6. Madame Vestris is well enough to drive to the Olympic every evening, and remain an hour, but her me dical advisers, fearing a relapse, prohibit her from performing until after Christmas. Her new character in the Beau Ideal she has given up for the present. "THE POETRY OF LIFE," BY THE AUTHOR OF " PICTURES OF PRIVATE LIFE."—" Miss Stickney is destined to ,hold a very high place in the useful lite rature of her country. We cordially recomtnend these valuable and beautifully written volumes ; they will afford both instruction and delight, and supply another proof that the female pen can be vigorous as well as graceful, useful as well as elegant. How exquisite is the author's paper on the Poetry of Grief.' The Poetry of Woman' is grace fully, but not as powerfully ,written ; but the chef d'oeuvre of the work is the Poetry of the Bible.' Miss Stickney's mind is of a very high order."—New Moidhly. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1835. BIRMINGHAM and DERBY RAILWAY. pußLic MEETING AT TAMWORTH. On Tuesday last, pursuant to a requisition to the Bailiffs of Tamworth, a highly-respectable meeting of the inhabitants of that boroughsand its neighbourhood was held at the Town Hall, for the purpose of expressing their opinion of the projected railway from Birmingham to Derby, passing through Tamworth and Burton-upon-Trent. The Mem bers for the borough, the Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel and the Right Hon. William Yates Peel, and many of the neighbouring landowners were also present ; and a deputation from the Directors of the Railway Company, consisting of Henry Smith, Joseph Walker, and William Beale, Esqs., attended from Birmingham. The Right Hon. Sir R. PEEL spoke to the following effect :—Mr. Bailiff and Gentlemen, I attend this meeting with great satisfaction, not only as your Representative in Parliament, but also as an individual deeply interested in the prosperity of this town and neighbourhood. In moving the resolution I hold in my hand; I must, with Mr. Smith, disclaim any intention to dictate to you the views you should take with reference to this subject. I move it, in order that every gentleman present may form his own unbiassed opi nion, and that a question which is so interesting to all of us may be open to a fall and free discussion ; and I hope that any gentleman who may wish for explanation or informa tion respecting the proposed railway, will avail himself of this opportunity to acquire it ; and if he entertain any doubt upon the, propriety of the• undertaking that he will express it, in order that, if it can be, it may be cleared up by the gentlemen who attend here from Birmingham upon this occasion. • I shall first read the resolution, by the mov ing of which I shall conclude my observations.—[The Right Hon. Baronet here read the resolution.] This reso lution, you will perceive, affirms two propositions. Ist, That the projected railway will be conducive to the general welfare of the country ; and, 2ndly, That it will tend to the local interests and prosperity of this town and neighbour hood. Gentlemen, you are far too enlightened to render it necessary for me to say anything as to the great utility— nay, the vast importance, of having throughout the kingdom a cheap and rapid mode of communication. I do not hesitate to avow myself favourable to the principle of communication by railways ; and on all occasions I shall give my cordial support to such undertakings, pro vided I am satisfied they will succeed as speculations, and prove a profitable investment of capital to their pro jectors. It is no reflection on the parties who have ori ginated the undertaking, that their main or primary ob ject is their own individual profit, for it is only by indivi dual gain that the general interest is advanced ; and, unless it can be proved to me that the views of profitable invest ment with which this undertaking is commenced will be re alized, any doubts I might entertain of its success would be materially increased ; for, in order that it should succed as a general measure, it must be shown to be profitable to its promoters. I am, Gentlemen, favourable to such un dertakings, because lbelieve that our commercial interests are best promoted by a rapid ,communication, which will, as it were, bring_ together remote parts of the empire, and unite all our great commercial towns and agricultural dis tricts. It is absolutely essential, in crdcr to maintain our commercial superiority over the rest of the world, that the most favourable means of transit through the country should be adopted : for we are now in a perfectly different position from that in which we were during the late war. At that period nearly all the neighbouring countries were the scene of war fare, and their inhabitants were consequently precluded from competing with us in commercial pursuits. We had a ma ritime force, by which we commanded the seas, and hence' we enjoyed a monopoly of trade and manufactures in the markets •of the world. • During the war which ravaged Europe from 1793 to ISIS, we had a monopoly not , only of the trade and commerce of Europe, but of,nearly the whole of the globe. Peace happily succeeded, and has since prevailed, and other countries are now, and have been for some years past, directing their energies to the improvement and cultivation of their manufactures and in ternal resources ; in fact, so rapid has been their progress, that they now compete with us in nearly every branch of manufacturing industry and commercial enterprise ; and ,it is my opinion that 'it will be impossible to maintain our superiority, and struggle successfully against this powerful competition, unless we exert all our energies to bring into operation every improvement which skill and intelligence can devise. We must not, gentleman, close our eyes to the fact that railways are now being established on the Continent, and that they exist to a great extent in the United States of America. Nor can we, by any means, prevent our artisans and our capital from leaving the coun try, nor our machinery from being exported, if there should appear elsewhere a fairer prospect of profitable employ ment. I think, therefore, that we are bound to encourage these undertakings in every part of England, whenever we have rational grounds for believing they will succeed. I cannot doubt it is for the general interest of the country that they should be established. If by a railway com munication the journey from London to Birmingham can .be performed by a merchant or .manufacturer in five hours instead of thirteen, thereby enabling him to go to London, transact his business, and return the same day, the great advantages arising from so rapid a com munication must be obvious. Again, whatever improve ment in communication which will enable the poor man, in the present state of the poor laws, to carry his la bour, perhaps the only valuable property he possesses, to the best market, and where it is most wanted, must be a decided advantage not only to him but to the community at large ; and it is of great importance that these lines of rail way be laid down with a view to the general interests of the country. It appears, therefore, to me, that it is of the utmost importance to the country—that it is, in fact, indis pensably necessary to the maintenance of its present emi nence and superiority, that such undertakings should be encouraged. So much for the bearing of the subject upon the general question. I shall now draw your attention more particularly to the effect of the line under discussion upon the interests of this town and neighbourhood. I hold in-tray hand a map, showing the line of railway from Lon don to Birmingham, and from Birmingham to Liverpool. It comprehends also most of the large towns in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and comprises, in addition, Hull, Gloucester, and the country lying between these various places. Then, Gentlemen, you are probably aware that a railway is now in process of execution between London and Birmingham, which will probably be opened to the public in about three years. There is also one in execu tion between Liverpool and Birmingham, which will be completed in about two years. Thus Acts of the Le gislature have already passed which will make Birming ham the centre of communication between London, Liverpool, Manchester, and other great manufacturing and commercial districts. There are also Bills in contempla tion for other lines of railway, which have not as yet re ceived, but which will,. in all probability, receive the sanc tion of the Legislature in the ensuing Session of Parlia ment. One of these, for which notice has been given, is to unite Derby with Leeds, and this railway will immediately pass through, or touch upon, the following important places :—Chesterfield, with a population of 10,000 ; Shef field, 91,000 ; Barnsley, 10,000 ; J - luddersfield, 81,000 ; Halifax, 199,000 ; Leeds, 123,000 ; Wakefield, 24,000 ; and I am given to understand that this railway has received very general encouragement, and that there is no probabi lity of any very considerable, and certainly of no successful, opposition to it ; and we may, therefore, take it for granted, that, irk the course of the next Session of Parliament, an Aa Arilbe obtained for uniting Leeds with Derby by rail way communication. There is also another line proposed to unite Birmingham and Gloucester. At the close, there fore, of the next Session of Parliament we shall probably stand thins. Besides the lines of railway frnm London to Liverpool through Birmingham, there will be a line between Birmingham and Gloucester, effecting a direct communica tion to the port of Bristol, and through it to .the West In dies. We shall also find a line connecting Derby with Leeds. Supposing this to be the case, I think, Gentlemen, under such circumstances, you cannot entertain a doubt, when you consider the wealth, intelligence, and commercial en terprise of the people of Yorkshire and the North, that they will, by some means or other, effect a Communication with Birmingham and its 'important adjacent districts, as well as the other parts of the kingdom, by an union of these great lines. The question, therefore, is, in what manner that union is to be effected. The Gentlemen present, who at tend from Birmingham on this occasion, propose to accom plish it by uniting Derby with Birmingham by a rail way passing , through, or - near Burton-upon Trent and Tamworth. The propOsal is, as I apprehend it, that the railway shall pass from Derby to Nether Whitacre, by way of Burton and Tamworth, in one continued line, and that it shall there diverge, one line leading to Birmingham, by way of Yardley, and the other uniting with the London and Birmingham railway, at or near Hampton-in-Arden. Now, Gentlemen, I presume it will be the general opinion of this meeting that to such a proposition, supposing these to be "the best lines for effecting the objects contemplated, we ought to give our assent and support. It certainly ap pears to me, upon a cursory examination of this map, that it is by Tamworth that a line from Birmingham to Derby should run. It is in a direct line between the two places, and not only so, but I apprehend that, on account of the wallies and the natural levels of the country, it will be found that this line can he executed at considerably less ex pense than any other. In all probability in regard to dis tance, a shorter line to London from Derby might be de vised, and it is probable that other presposals will be made for connecting Derby with London by way of Nottingham and Leicester. Supposing this to be the case, it can in no way affect the line between Derby and Birmingham. There can be no doubt that the population of Yorkshire and the north, • in conjunction with the other interests con cerned, would insist upon a more direct communication with Birmingham and the West of England then could be of fered by way of Nottingham and Leicester. It is also . to I be observed that when this line reaches Nether Whitacre i t I arrives within seven miles and a half of the London and Birmine am railway at Hampton-in-Arden ; and I have, therefore (said the Right Hon. Barnet), little doubt that a junction with it will be effected near that place. I also think that it will be a great advantage to this 'town and neighbourhood that such a junction should be effected, and that we should by no means limit the advantages to be gain'ed by us from this railway to Birmingham alone, but that we ought also to have a direct communication with London. My hope is that this will be effected, and that this railway will not only connect us with Birming ham, but also with the London and Birmingham rail way, by. uniting with it at some point near Hampton in-Arden. Gentlemen, I state to you freely my belief is, that this undertaking is likely to succeed, but it would have been more satisfactory to me to have had longer time to have considered of it, and ' to have seen the calculations upon which its success depends. I did not see the plan of this railway till about six weeks ago ; and I am now speaking without any accurate details ; but, ar guing from a general impression, and a strong opinion I have in favour of railways generally, and looking at the great interests concerned between Leeds and Gloucester, I am inclined to think that it will succeed, ant that it will meet the encouragement of Parliament ; but I will reserve to myself, and I recommend you to reserve also, a final deci sion, until you see the calculations that are 'essential to it. Gentlemen, I most cordially hope this project will succeed. I shall give it my assent as a landed proprietor, and I shall support it in my place in Parliament, for it does not appear to me to be one of those speculations with which at pre sent the newspapers so much abound. As regards the local interests of Tamworth, we have the best guarantee in the character of the gentlemen who are conducting the under taking : they arc persuaded that this is the line which will be of most advantage to Birmingham, and which can be effected at the least expense, and I confess that what I have :heard from Mr. Smith still more recommends it to me. I tell these gentlemen we feel deeply interested in the wel fare and prosperity of Birmingham ; it is the great metro polis near which we live, and there is nothing which can tend to produce an increased demand for Birmingham ma nufactures, and promote the welfare of Birmingham, which must not, at the same time, prove advantageous to us, and increase the prosperity of Tamworth. If we can establish this proposed communication with Birmingham it will bring us within half an hour of each other, and promote the mu tual good understanding and sympathy which exists between us. I have now, Gentlemen, stated to you the reasons which will induce me to give my assistance to this measure, and I again repeat that it is_ my int :ntion to give it my strenuous support. I do so, believing it will conduce to the prosperity of this town and neighbourhood, in which I take the deepest interest. Mr. Smith has justly remarked that Birmingham has risen to importance from its central posi tion, and from the means of communication which it pos sesses with other large and important districts ; and I hope the gentlemen who originated, and who will have to carry this railway into execution, will perceive that the interest we take in it must depend upon the facilities afforded to us in making use of it as a direct and convenient commu nication from this town. The advantages of railways do not consist so much in the carriage of heavy goods as in the conveyance of passengers and of the lighter articles of manufacture, in which they are of infinite impor tance. If, therefore, we are to have a railway .pass through Tamworth, and the only advantage ,we are to derive from it is to be the pleasure of seeing p a ssengers comfortably travelling along it at the rate of thirty miles an hour, the benefit to us, indeed, will be but very small, not much greater than we should derive from seeing a balloon pass over our heads ; therefore, when we say we are willing to support this line of railway, it is with this necessary reserve —that the originators of it shall do es erything that is in their power for the benefit and convenience of this town and neighbourhood, and with the understanding that we are to have a station at Tamworth. Where it may be cannot now be determined, but I hope it will be in the most ad. vantageous place for the inhabitants, without regard to any personal considerations. I trust a Committee will be ap pointed to confer with the undertakers of the measure, and after the fullest discussion and mature consideration I hope that situation will be adopted which will give the greatest facility for convenience to the inhabitants of Tamworth and the surrounding places. I hope also the interests of the agriculturists of the neighbourhood' will be consulted. I ' know we shall derive advantage from having a rapid transit to the Birmingham market, by which we can, in half an hour perhaps, deliver our provisions in that town ; but these advantages will materially depend upon the facilities afforded to the farmers to get their pro duce upon the line of railway, and although I am aware great inconvenience would arise from a multiplication a the principal stations, I hope subordinate stations will be made on the line for the purpose of effecting this object, without obliging the farmers to carry their produce any long distances to the station-houses. I am aware that doubts have been expressed by the agriculturists with respect to fle advantages of railroads to them, but I confess I do nit share in these de r ubts ; I do not think we can do better for the agriculturists than to open for them. new markets by the proposed communications with the large towns. It is thought by some there will not be so great a demand for horses, and that, consequently, a decrease in the consump tion of corn will ensue. In my opinion, these apprehen sions need not be entertained. The same objections were f It with respect to the canals, when they were originated, lint they have proved groundless. The general prosperity of the country will be increased by railways, as it has been by canals, and, consequently,' there will be a general in crease of traffic, and the demand for horses will not, on the whole, be decreased ; of course, on the present main lines of coach travelling, fewer coaches may be em ployed, but the traffic in lateral directions will be ins creased by the general improvement. When it was pro posed in the - House of Commons to have a steam-boat between London and Calais the innkeepers on the line of road between London and Dover feared they should be ruined, and petitioned against the measure ; but every . one knows that since the establishment of steam_ brats toaere is a far greater traffic on that road than ther was kefore ; such will, I believe; be the case with rail" ways. In my opinion railways will increase in number , and with them not only the prosperity of the manufacturing but also of the agricultural interests. I shall conclude by proposing the Resolution. I propose it with a view to pro mote discussion, because before you give your consent to this project, the originators of which admit it will be of advan tage to the town of Birmingham, and beneficial to them selves, I wish you to make the best terms you can for the benefit of this place. There is one other subject to which I will call your attention. The convening of this meeting by the municipal authorities of this town is the last act which they will have to perform in their corporate capa city, the period having now arrived at which we come under the operation of the New Corporation Act. I hope you will all cordially join with me in regarding this, their last act, as one calculated to promote the prosperity of this town and neighbourhood, and as gracing their retirement from an office of which they have zealously and faithfully performed the duties. The Right Hon. Baronet concluded a speech which was listened to with the deepest attention, by moving the Resolution. Mr. W. PARSONS, jun., seconded the Resolution, with some very appropriate observations. He remarked that he could only attribute the fact of Tamworth being without any considerable manufacture, to the circumstance that it was out of the line of the various communications of the country. In one of the neighbouring towns he observed a large ribbon manufactory ; in another, a large stocking manufactory ; in another, an extensive hat manufactory ; and he had no doubt that if Tamworth possessed the ad vantagei which this railway offered, it also would rise in the scale of manufacturing importance. He should support . the project, therefore, as one tending much to the advan tage of Tamworth, and give it his cordial assent. The Right Hon. Wtaasast PEEL, 111. Pa briefly addressed i the meeting, and said that he attended rather in the cha- racter of a listener, to hear the opinions of others, than as a speaker to deliver his own. His determination was to be guided by the wishes of his constituents in reference to the subject then under consideration, and if a majority of them were favourable to the projected line of railway, he should most certainly support it in his place in Parliament, and if. they were opposed to it he also should oppose it. That was the course which lie considered a representative ought to pursue. • It might; however, happen, that the interest of the representative was such as to prevent him from voting according to the wishes of his constituents, in that case he thought he ought to resign his seat, and give way to one whose interests did not interfere with those of his consti tuents ; and who could .properly represent their wishes. In reference to the present undertaking; he must say he felt sorry it had been found necessary 10 interfere so materially with his property ; still, if it appeared that the railway would be productive of benefit to the town and neighbour hood, and have the effect of promoting the general prosperity of the country, he should give it his support, regardless of perSonal consideration.—(Applause.) He had endeavoured to induce the projectors of this railway to take a line less injurious, to him, by carrying it along the boundary of his estate, or, if he must use a sporting phrase, he wished them to wing him, and not shoot him point blank. In this, how ever, he could not succeed, and lie supposed it must now be en bill, the whole bill, and nothing but the bill.—(Laughter.) He- trusted he should, on the present occasion, as lie had always done, endeavour to promote, as far as be could, the individual and collective interests of the town of Tam worth. He did not wish to impose upon the proprietors of the projected road, any restrictions incompatible with their interests, or such as were not generally required from others in similar cases, but he must say, if he could, he should like to have them bound to finish the work in a given - time: He could not conceive anything less pic turesque or less useful than an _unfinished line of railway running through a well-cultivated country. He had, how ever, received such Satisfactory information respecting their intentions and prospects, and the respectability of their shareholders, the names- of several of whom were well known to him, and were a guarantee that the project was not taken up as a mere speculation in shares, as in duced him to believe that it would be conducted satis factorily ; and if so, it would have his most cordial sup port. and, he sincerely hoped it would realise their 'mast sanguEne expectations ; and that, by means of this mile: , taking, the increase of the prosperity of the town and. neighbourhood of Tamworth might rival in rapidity one of Mr. Stephenson's locomotive engines. A Committee was then appointed to forward ,the ob jects of the meeting. The Rev. Mr. VICKENSON wished to ask a question which he considered of. impcortance. He wished to know , if the proprietors of the Fail-road had come to any resolu tion respecting travelling e n the Sunday ? Although he might be considered by some as fanatical, and others might perhaps sneer at the idea of his interfering upon such a sub- ject, nevertheless he was not to be deterred, and, if possible, he would have a clause introduced into the Bill to prevent the desecration of the Sabbath. It was, therefore, very probable he should get 'up a petition from the town of Tamworth upon that subject, and it was also his intention to apply to his friends in Birmingham, who, he was sure, would also petition Parliament to the same effect. if they wished to prevent the desecration of the Sabbath, they must have a clause introduced to that effect, as it would be impossible to prevent Sunday travelling if the rail-road was . opened without it. Mr. HENRY SMITH, in reply, said, he could not give any information upon the subject lo which the Rev. Gentleman had alluded; Matters of detail must be settled by the pro prietors. A vote of thanks to the Chain nan having been put, and unanimously carried, that gentlema n returned thanks. He considered they were greatly indebt ed to the gentlemen who had attended from Birmingham, to give them that necessary information which they required, an a answer any questions which might be put to them. He ~ had great pleasure in ing Mr. Smith to accept the thardt s of the meeting for their attendance ; he hoped that he, an d the gentlemen with him, would feel, in some measure, repaid for their trouble, by their unanimous expression of th; 'tics, and from know ing that they felt a deep interest in I:he undertaking, inas much at it would unite the town of rramworth with Birm ingham, thereby cementing still closer the bond of friend ship between them. Mr. SMITH briefly acknowledged the compliment. He certainly could not but feel highly gratified that the under taking met with the aporobation of so "highly respectable a meeting. With respect to the agricultural gentlemen and landowners in that neighbourhood, evczy thing which could be done by the proprietors to protect and promote their in terests, would be considered in the fu;lest manner. • What ever was for the interest of Birmingham could not fail to be of benefit to Tamworth, and he hoped the projected communication between them would lead to their mutual advantage. The meeting lasted about two hours, and broke up at half-past one o'clock. THE SMITHFIELD CAT TLE CLUB. Yesterday the members of this Club. in celebration of its thirty•seventh anniversary, dined at the Freemason's Ta yarn. The company was more numerous than it has been for many years past. Earl Spen cer presided, supported en the right by the Marquis of Chandos, and on the left by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The cloth having been removed, the following toasts were drank :—" The King," " The Queen and Royal Family," and " Success to the Smithfield Club." The Noble Chair man then proceeded to distribute the prizes to those whom the judges had declared to be the successful competitors. (For the partiCulars we refer our readers to the list we published in our paper of Friday last.) The announcement by his Lordship of the award of the great prize of twenty guineas to himself for his Durham ox, was received with great cheering. Mr. HILLIARD proposed " The health of Earl Spencer, as a successful come etitor." Three times three. His LORDSHIP, in returning thanks, said he believed that the advantage to the country of such a Club as this was very considerable. It enabled farmers to sec the perfection to which caere'and sheep could be brought. He should think that there were few who could attend the exhibition, without observing so;ne points of excellence which had not been submitted to their examination before. Were there not such a Club in existence, he feared the breed of cattle and sheep would rapidly degenerate.—(Cheers.) The distribution of the prizes having been completed, " The Duke of Richmond's health" was drunk with three times three. The CHAIRMAN then read a list of the names of the new subscribers ; that of the Marquis of Chandos, pro posed by his Lordship, was amongst them. The list was an unusually long one, and his Lordship congratulated the Club on haring obtained so great an accession to • their numbers. The Marquis of CHANDOS raid he rose with great plea sure to propose " The health of their Chaim in."— (Cheers.) The Noble Lord's health had been already drunk, in his capacity of a successful competitor ; he now called on them to drink the health of his Lordship, as the " President of the Smithfield Club." Drunk with three times three. The CHAIRMAN said, he did not expect to be sailed on a second time to return thanks. He had r Neived their approbation in one capacity—he again was honoured \Vint it in another: and he really did not know which to prefer. —( A laugh.) He was pleased with his prize ;he was also much pleased to occupy the situation of President of this Club. It was an office that he thought conferred great honour on the possessor. For the farmers of Eng hnd to haVe chosen him as President of th s, tho principal farmers' Club in the country, was one of those honours to which he attached considerable importance. He was al ways most anxious for the prosperity of the farmers.— (Applause.) He was a farmer himself, but he hoped that consideration alone did not influence him. He thought it of importance to the prosperity of this country tha‘ alTiculture should prosper.—(Cheers.) And the reason why he should always be ready to exert himself to promote the interests of agriculture was, because he derived much pleasure from it.— He entered into its pursuits ; he was in the same boat with them ; he engaged as a practical farmer to a considerable extent ; then he was dependent for his income on fa-ming-, for his property was all derived from the land.—(Applause.) He might have differed with some as to which was the better course to pug sue for the advancement of the in terests of agriculture, but his and their object was the same, and he assured them that none could have more deeply at heart than he had the interest of the farmers of the country.—(Cheers.) The following toasts were then drank :—" The Stewards , " " The Judges of the Stock," " The unsuccessful Candidates," and " Mr. Coke." " The CHAIRMAN gave the "health of Lord Chand_ The Noble MARQUIS said he considered his eketion this day a great honour, and he assured them that he would go every length possible to promote their welfare.—(Cheers.) " The Manufactures and Commerce of the Country ;" " Prosperity to the Labourers of England ;" " Live, and let Live" were next drank, with much applause. Mr. HILLIARD proposed the " health of the Chancellor of the Exchequer." One or two individuals attempted to get up a cry of " O'Connell," but it completely failed : the , cheering was general and most cordial. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he would re turn thanks for the honour just conferred on him, if they would allow one to intrude upon them who did not belong immediately to themselves, but who, nevertheless, did be long to a country which was a part of the United Empire. —(Hear.) Ile came amog-nst them not only for his pri vate gratification, but also to derive from them the beneft of example and information. He should go to his country men and say," elsewhere in that great country to which we look for example, I have seen the various classes or so ciety united—political distinctions cease—and all rushing onwards in the discharge of one common duty.—(Cheer ing.) He thanked them for the honour done him, and he trusted they would allow him to attach himself to them, , so that he might in future attend as a member of the Sthithfield Club.—(Great cheering.) The CHAIRMAN then proposed the "health of Mr. Ben nett," the late M. P. for Wilts. Mr. BENNETT returned thanks. Two or three other toasts were drunk, after which the company withdrew. TIIE BOOK OF GEms (a splendid Christmas pre sent). —At a season when every one feels the difficulty of selecting an appropriate object for a pnsent, this rich and costly work, which has been aptly called the " Pleasure Book of the Year," must have a very extensive circulation. lo all the attractions of exquisitely finished engravings from upwards of fifty original paintings, is added a beautiful ex terior, which renders it at once, without further binding, an elegant ornament for the library or drawing-room table. Some idea may be formed of the beauty of this Book qC Gems when we mention that it has been produced at a cost of little less than four thousand guineos. BOROUGH OF LAMBET7I.—The R eform ciation of this Borough, or more properly speaking the,", Newington District Division of that Association, had' a : if ! meeting last night at the Elephant and Castle Tavern6l • Newington, to take into consideration the propriety of ap plying for a charter to incorporate the Borough of Lam-''' r beth ; Samuel Palmer, Esq., in the chair. • A number of , gentlemen expressed themselves in able speeches in favour of corporation reform. A resolution to that effect was ultir%lT mately carried, with but one dissentient hand held up against_ it ; and another resolution was carried, appointing meetings for successive evenings. - ilc!isleat ~ i ::: ~.