The Sun. — London, England, 1849-01-01 00:00:00

Tournay, Jurbise, Landes, and lias;:elt West Flanders B% — to JOINT STOUR _MANE:S. Australasia _ _ British North American .... 50 CAonial .... .. .. ..... - Commercial of London 2O — London Joint Stock e .... ..... 10 London and Westminster... 20 ..... National Provincial of Engld. 35 Ditto, New National of Ireland 22% — .... to Provincial of Ireland Ditto, New Union of Australia 25 Ditto,New..... 24 — to Union of London .. 10 Union of Madrid MINES. •••• ' to-- Anglo Mexican lOO ... .. Asturian Mining Company... 14 Australian ...... 2 !4, . ..... to Blaenarvon Iron and Coal ... 50 ... .. -- .. 'to Bolatios - Scrin - ...... to -- British iron Brazilian Imperial ..... .., ... 24 1 /, ...... Ditto Cocaes and Cuiaba... 30 Ditto St. John Del Rey ... 15 — .. .. to Cobre Copper .... ..... ~...... 40 General Mining .. .... •.... 29 Real del Monte, Unregistered . .. .. ... to Do. Black Debentures — Do. Red Debentures ... Santiago de Cuba lO United Mexican MARKET NEWS-(THIS DAY. CORN EXCHANGE-MONDAY. For our markets coastwise and by land carriage the arrivals of English Wheat, last week, were on a very invited scale. Those of all other articles of home pro duce were trifling in the extreme. From Ireland and Scotland scarcely any grain came to hand. The imports from abroad were again liberal, viz., 17,161 quarters of Wheat; 39,250 ditto of Barley ; 16,426 ditto of Oats; 2,625 ditto of Rye, 786 ditto of Beans, 4,642 ditto of Peas, 2,267 ditto of Tares, 6,064 ditto of Linseed, 286 ditto of Rapeseed, 5 ditto of Mustard-seed, 15 ditto of sundry seeds ; 5,342 barrels, and 1,582 sacks of Flour. Since the above returns were made up, several foreign Grain vessels have come to hand, and rather large imports, should the wind prove favourable, may be expected this week. Fresh up this morning the supply of English Wheat was on a moderate scale, and chiefly from Essex. Generally 'peaking, the condition of the samples was improved by the prevailing somewhat cold wi ather. The stands were again scantily filled with samples of Essex, Kent, and Cambridgeshire Wheats; hence the demand for most kinds was firm, at fully, but at nothing quotable beyond the prices paid on this day se'nnight, and at which a good clearance was effected without difficulty. The quantity of free foreign Wheat on show, as the majority of the importers are placing their fresh arrived cargoes in bond, awaiting the total abolition of the import duties, was smaller than for some time past. As the attendance of country millers (most of whom appeared short of stock) was good, the demand for all foreign Wheats was steady, and late rates were well supported in every in stance. The duty is now 8s per quarter. Bonded par cels and floating cargoes were quite neglected, and, consequently, nominal in value. The immense imports of foreign Barley had a depressing effect upon the trade for that article, and prices gave way quite is per quarter. In English Barley exceedingly little bus iness was doing, at the above decline. We were scantily sup plied with Malt, nevertheless the Malt trade was in a very inactive state at barely last week's quotations. The quantity of Oats on offer was by no means large. Se lected samples sold to a fair extent at full prices. In the middling and interior kinds exceedingly little business was doing. All kinds of Beans were very dull; in prices, however, we have no actual fall to notice. Peas were heavy, and rather easier to purchase. The transactions in Indian Corn and Meal were confined to retail parcels. Flour was a slow sale, at late rates. CURRENCY PER IMPERIAL MEASURE. Wheat—Essex & Kent, Malt—Chevalier Red. • • 41s to 545 Oats— Yorkshire and Ditto,White, New 475 58s Lincolnsh., Feed. 17s 20. Norfolk and Lin- Potato coin, Red. •• • . 47s 53s Youghal and Cork, Ditto, White .. •• • . 498 56s Black . • ..... 15s 20 Irish, Red •...• • • . —s —s Cork, White . 17s 22 Dltto,White •.• . • • —s —s Scotch, Feed..... 21s 25 Rye—Old .... .. • . s Beans—Tick 28s 32 New... .... 28s 30s Pigeons Barley—Grinding 26s 29s Peas—Grey . 375 38 Malting . 32s 34s Map1e........... 375 39 Chevalier .. ... 345 35s White... .. Malt—Suffolk and Nor- Boilers ... 388 41 folk.. 570 59s Flour—Town-made... 41s 46 8r0wn........... 48s 56s Suffolk Kingston and Ware 58s 59s Stocktn & Norfolk 36s 38 59s to 60s SIVIXTUFIELD. Very limited imports of foreign stock have taken' place into London during the past week, or as under:— From Beasts. Sheep. Calves. Pigs. Antwerp 10 Medemblik.... 23 ... 73 .. 1 - - Harlingen ... Rotterdam ... 38 Total 6l Corresponding week in 1847... 841 1,653 ... 19 ... ..... Difference ... 280 less. 833 less. 9 less. 1 more. The arrivals at the northern outports have been confined to about 600 bead of beasts and sheep, almost wholly from Holland. There were on sale in to-day's market 140 oxen from Spain, a very unusual addition to the supply at this period of the year, in very inferior condi tion. With Beasts, Sheep, and Calves, from Holland and Germany, we were very scantily supplied. From our principal grazing districts, the arrivals of Beasts fresh up this morning were seasonably good as to num ber, and of fsir average quality. Notwithstanding the attendance of both town and country buyers was good, and the weather decidedly favourable for slaughtering , the Beef trade was in a very inactive state, at Friday 's depression in the quotations of 2d per 81bs, and at which a total clearance was not effected. The highest figure for the best Scots was 4s 2d per 81bs. From Lincoln shire, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire, including Warwickshire, we received about 2,000 short-horns ; from the eastern, western, and midland counties, 800 Herefords; runts, Devons, Scots, &c., from other parts of England, 300 of various breeds; and from Scotland, 120 horned and polled Scots. There was a considerable increase in the supply of Sheep, owing to which the de mand for that description of stock was heavy, at a de cline id the prices of Monday last of quite 2d per 81bs. The extreme currency for the best old Downs was from 4s 8d to 4s 10d per 81bs. Half: breds and long wools were particularly dull. Al though the supply of Calves was limited, tha Veal trade ruled dull; but we have no further decline to notice in prices. We have to report a slight improvement in the demand for the best Pigs, at full currencies. Otherwise the Pork trade was dull. To show the extent of the heaviness of the trade in to-jay's market, we may ob serve that Beef was selling aT from 2d to 10d, Mutton 6d, Veal 10d, and Pork 2d to 4d per Sibs lower than at the corresponding period in 1848. Per Ms. to sink the offal. a. d. to s. d Inferior Beasts..... 3 2 3 6 Second quality 3 10 Prime large Oxen.. 3 10 4 0 Prime Scots ...• •• 4 0 4 2 Large coarse Calves 3 6 4 0 Prime small ditto .. 4 2 4 6 Suckling Calves —lB 0 25 0 Inferior Sheep . 3 2 3 6 a. d. to t. d. Second qual. Sheep 3 8 4 0 Coarse-woolleddltto 4 2 4 6 Southdown Wether 4 8 410 Ditto eut of the wool 0 0 0 0 Large Hogs ••.. 3 10 4 4 Small Porkers .... 4 6 4 8 Quarter old Pigs •• 17 0 22 0 Lambs .......... 0 0 0 0 Beasts. 3,891 TOTAL SUPPLY AT MARKET. I Sheep. Calves. 1 1' IKs I 21,090 75 150 FOREIGN SUPPLY. Sheep. I Calves. I Pigs. 150 Beasts. 250 NEV7GATE AND LEADENEALL. Since this day se'nnight the arr.vals of country-killed Meat for these markets have been on a very limited scale, the time of year considered. The supplies on offer, slaughtered in the metropolis, have been small. Still, however, the general demand has ruled heavy, and prices have not been supported. Scarcely any carcases of foreign meat have appeared on sale, and only four baskets of Beef have come to hand from Hamburgh. This morning there was a slight improvement in the trade, on the following terms:— At per stone by the Carcase. to s. d. s. d. to s. d. Beef,inferlor...... 2 8 210 Mutton, inferior .. 210 3 4 -- middling .... 210 3 0 middling.. 3 6 310 - primelarge .. 3 2 3 4 - prime .... 4 0 4 4 -- prime small .. 3 4 3 6 Pork, large.... ••• • 3 6 4 0 Vea1........ •..... 3 6 4 4 - small •••• .... 4 2 4 8 BOTLOUGII 310 P MA. I'. There is a slight improvement to notice in the demand for the best new Hops, in pockets, at fully last week's quotations. The inferior kinds of new, as well as old, Hops are very dull in sale. Now Hops:—Sussex pockets, 215 s to 2 / 1 8s; Weald of Kent ditto, 21 8s to 31 5s ; Mid and East ditto, 2/ 12s to 5/ 17s per cwt. 33011.011G8 AND SPITALPIELDS. These markets are heavily supplied with Potatoes from our own coasts, as well as from Scotland and abroad. Their quality, however, is not to say first rate. The trade generally is dull, at drooping prices. The importations last week consisted of 36 tons from Corotoi, 380 ditto from Rotten, 300 ditto from Antwerp, 82 ditto fram Ghent, 100 ditto from Calais, 232 sacks from Havre, 400 tons from Dunkirk, 124 ditto from Rotter dam, 156 ditto from Ilamburgh, 6 ditto from St. Valery, and 50 ditto from Estcbrugge. Yorkshire Regents, 100 s to 150 s; Scotch ditto, 1008 to 120 s ; ditto Cups, €os to 90s; ditto Reds, 60s to 80s ; ditto Whites, 60s i tsa 8 93 ; French Whites, 60s to 95s ; Dutch ditto 45s to 65. per ton. WOOoo L. Last w ee k' s imports of Wool into London were com posed of only lg bales from the Cape of Good Hope, and 12 bales from Hamburgh. In the private contract market there is a better demand for the best qualities of .English and colonial Wool, at very full prices. Other ie wise t h e sae trade large. is in a slu gg i s h state. The supply on offer y - T./LIAO VAP Since our last report this market, from the heavy stock of foreigu and home- raz 10 Tallow, h ts ruled ex ceedingly dull, at a further decline of from 6d to 9d per ewt. P.Y.C. on the spot is selling at only 42s per cwt. The transactions for forward delivery are trifling in the extreme. Town Tallow, 42s 6d to 43s per cwt. net cash; Rough Fat, 2s 44d to 2s 5d per 81bs. The Consolidated Board of Excise, Stamps, and Taxes, is to consist of the following :—Chairman, Mr. John Wood ; Deputy Chairman, 11r. John Thornton Commissi oners , M essrs . H art D ar i Q , Th omas H arr i son, Henry T. Stephenson, Charles John Herries, Charles P. Rushworth, Charles Pressly, Alfred Montgomery._ Observer. LoLA MONTES.—This lady, who Forne time since caused so great a sensation in Bavaria—consequent on her elevation to the rank of a Countess by the ex-King --is said to have arrived in London on Friday last. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EV.ENING, JAN VARY I, 1849. DRURY-LANE THEATRE. CIRQUE NATIONAL DE PARIS. The Olympic games,, as instituted by the Greeks, orieinating in their flue perception of all that was beau tiful in poetry, lrlintieg, sculpture, and music, together with their love of beautiful form, became a principle in their religion, and the re-cult was their being enabled to produce such extraordinary efforts in the various branches of the fine arts. Whilst the more savage and bloody amusements of the Romans outrage and shock our feelings of humanity, we find the Greeks occupying themselves by the innocent and delightful objects sought after in their games. They contended for glory by the peaceful arts, and chariot racing, running, wrestling, throwing the discus, gymnastics, acts of strength and feats of agility, were among the recreations of the peo ple; and if they were compelled, by less peacefully dis posed neighbours, to war in defence, their peace was celebrated by these games, which contributed so much to domestic happiness and joy. These reflections have been elicited by witnessing the truly excellent company of equestrians of iii. Dejean, and we wish to point out to our readers that they behold in them the true spirit of the Olympic games of Greece revived in modern days. We must also observe that the perfect air of re spectability that pervades the entire establishment of this gentleman, in dress and manner, leaves nothing to be desired for the moat fastidious taste. All is elegant and unique in its way, and, to crown the charm, a total absence of all that vulgarity which is associated with our early recollections of circus performances. The theatre has been converted, with much skill and taste, into a perfect amphitheatre; the entire performance taking place in the arena, which was the true character of those aecient places of amuse ment. We have a vivid recollection of Duerow's per formances (who received his education at Franconi's), and the dramatic power of feeling which he threw into all his parts, must be in the remembrance of our readers. There was genius in all he did, and it is no more than a common act of justice to say, without any disparage. ment, that although there is no one member of this com pany who can be said to be his superior or equal, yet, as a whole, the troop of M. Dejean stands unrivalled in power, excellence, variety, and the indescribable elegance of the entire arrangement.. The performances during the past week have been well attended, and most warmly received. We shall occasionally give notices of the va rious members and their exciting performances. Madlle. Caroline and Madlle. Anato are the two female artistes who merit the most attention from the public, and in noticing them first, we are only guided by the voice of the public. Madlle. Caroline exhibits in a style of riding sitting in the saddle. She is a fine-looking woman, with a beautiful figure, which she carries with much noble ness. She sits on the horse as if she were, centaur-like, a part of the animal itself. Whether the steed rears, plunges, capers, wheels suddenly round, leaps bars, gal lops, or suddenly stops—there she sits as if it were pas time to her. Nay, such is her skill, that when you think the horse, from his wildness of action, must certainly throw her, you see her smile, and are relieved from the anxiety by finding that it is the most consummate skill of the rider. Jupiter, one of the horses she generally appears upon, is a beautiful creature, white, with a very intelligent head. He is an Irish animal, and his action most extraordinarily stag-like, plunging forward and striking out at the same time with his hind legs, in fearful style. Russe, another horse she rides, is the most noble animal in the stud—a light grey in colour, with dark touches in the main, tail, and legs—a charger in figure with the bow neck of the war-horse. He has a wildness of action which is very fine, and paws the earth with his fore-feet. This fine animal was a present from the Emperor of Russia, and was not to be trained for the service of the army ; but Franconi has succeeded in training him. Mademoiselle Caroline gene rally wears a handsome costume of black velvet and crimson riding habit, which contrasts well with the colour of the steeds. Her stele of riding exceeds anything of the kind we ever beheld. She sits with peerless ma jesity upon the horse, with a dignity worthy of a Queen of Amazons. Mademoiselle Palmy re Anato has a style and gcnius peculiar to her alone. In her is combined the true female artiste ecuyere to perfection. She mounts on the saddle on tip toe, and becomes inspired, acting in the most sylph-like style and ariel lightness. The perfectly ex quisite and finished manner in which she executes her beautilul poses, and the elegance of her celebrated pas, has ginned for her the title of the Taglioni of Eques trians. The unapproachable lightness of her spring— the neatness, rapidity, and preCision of her gazelle-like bounds over the scarfs and through the hoops, never fails to call forth the most enthusiastic applause of the audience, and she is nightly recalled. To considerable beauty of person she unites much elegance, and a mo desty of demeanour which wins the favour of the audi ence. Her manner of dressing her person (which is little in need of ornament) is in the most chaste order of fine taste, and embraces a pleasing variety—from the pure white or the delicate pink, to the more dashing crimson ribbons and boddice—a crimson rose, or an ele • gant gold netting to tie her hair in the Grecian sty le. She takes her rank as the first female equestrian in Europe. The horse " Norma," on which she generally appears, is of a handsome dun-colour, with fine dark main, tail and legs, and is richly caparisoned; and his steady-going pace is admirably adapted to the exquisite finished riding of this fair Italian. HAYMARKET THEATRE. The Merchant of Venice, as performed before her Majesty and the Court at Windsor Castle, was per formed at this theatre on Saturday evening; and great credit is due to Mr. Charles Kean for the admirable manner in which he has managed the excisions from the text so as to render the play fit for representation before the Court. The drama itself is greatly improved by these excisions,and we have no doubt but from this time forth the " Court" version of the Merchant of Venice will be adopted at all our theatres. The effect produced by the performance on Saturday eve.eing satisfies us that the greater portion of the coarse vulgarisms which disfigure some of the noblest productions of Shakspere are not from the pen of the immortal bard himself, but are mere " gags " which successive generations of actors have introduced. We verily believe that the text of the Merchant of Venice as performed on Saturday night was a nearer approach to the text as originally written by Shaks pere than any performance that has taken place since the original production of the play. Mr. Charles Kean was the Shylock, a character in the delineation of which he stands alone, even as his father did—no actor can approach him in this part. Be is indeed "The Jew That Shakspere drew." Nothing could exceed the concentrated bitterness, the biting sarcasm with which he gave the opening scene; but he was impressive withal. He appeared to be no mere selfish wretch, seeking to gratify his mere personal malice—he seemed a patriot after a fashion, the repre sentative of a race which bad wrongs to avenge and rights to vindicate, and who, in favourable circumstances, might have been a William Tell, and have restored Israel to her place among nations. The scene with Tubal was sublime—it was a perfect tempest of con tending passions ; and the sudden change from furious hate to deep tenderness when he mentions his deceased wife was one of those exquisite touches of pathos which at once carry away an audience, and force tears, as if by magic, fi ore the eyes ot the sternest. The great trial scene, too, was given with immense power. In his stern demands for " justice," in the greedy look ot hate with which he seemed to devour Antonio, and in the manner in which he. as it were, petted the handle of the knife which was to minister to his revenge, he seemed to revel in the triumph of his intellectual superiority over the "Christmas fools." Christians might have physical force, and might rack the body, but he had moral force, and could rack the mind, cud so had he fenced himself by their own laws that they themselves were forced to deliver to him his victim. His looks, his gestures, his manner, his tones, showed that he felt that he had not only profited by the lesson they had taught him, but that he had indeed bet tered the example. The sudden transition to that utter prostration of all mental and physical power, with which ho is overwhelmed when he hears the judgment of Portia against him, was magnificently given. Mr. Charles Keau has before now done great things, but his Shylock is certainly his greatest. It is in every way worthy of the name he bears. Mrs. Charles Kean's Portia was a beautiful delineation, gentle, lady-like, and graceful ; in the trial scene she rose to tragedy, and the mercy speech was given with a power, a pathos, and a beauty that left not hi ng t o d es i re . As a piece of de clamation it was perfect. Keeley's Lancelot Gobbo was full of quaint Shaksperian humour; Webster rattled throegh Gratiano in admirable style ; and Mrs. Keeley as Nerissa was a paragon of pertness. The play was excellently put on the siege, and the house was crowded in every part. Almost every private box was occupied by persons of rank and fashion ; and we hail this as a revival of the taste for the drama among our upper clasies, among whom it has, unfortunattly, long lain dormant. Mr. and Mrs. Kean were called for at the onclution of the play, and were enthusiastically received. (From the 7 imes.) The revival of the Merchant of Venice with nearly the same cast as when it was performed at Windsor Castle on Thursday, drew a crowded house on Saturday The private boxes were occupied by several persons of rank and fashion, and perhaps there may be something in the hope that the higher classes are beginning at last to bestow some attention on the English drama. Mr. Charles Kean's interpretation of the character, of Shy lock is on the principle of bringing forward those traits which hint at the connexion of the Jew with the rest of humanity, rather than those which reveal his malice and vindictiveness. The broad expressions of rage and re vengeful triumph he indeed gives palpably enough; but when malice takes the form of sarcasm he passes it lightly over. Thus his first scene, in which he makes the bargain with Antonio, was without a number of those points to which we have been accustomed, and did not produce much effect. Even here the humanizing view was made to prevail, and in the recapitulation of the wrongs which Shylock had endured from Antonio, the line "And all for use of that which is trine own." was the most remarkable, giving to the whole speech the character of rational expostulation rather than that of indignant reproach. His chief force he had reserved for the third act, and the comparison be:ween the Jew and the Christian came out with great power. In the scene with Tubal the mounting exultation with which he heard the misfortunes of Antonio was excellently ren dered, especially the gasping ejaculation, "I thank God, I thank God 1" But the WA touch was the regret for the turquoise. " I had it of Leah, when I was a bache lor." This reminiscence of a young love, suddenly oc curring in the midst of a storm of hate, was deeply pathetic. Objections have been made to this "point," on the ground that so violent a revulsion of feeling is improbable ; but as the whole scene is, in fact, a series of violent contrasts, we do not see why the actor is to be re fused the opportunity of producing a striking effect here. th e tri4l scene Shylock's Axed glance at Antonio was well conceived, though here too the predominance of the r athetic over the vindictive might be tract d. !The spite fulness of the Jew's mood was by no means prominent, but every ono could sympathise with the deep sorrow which he felt when his fortunes mere reversed, and the silent anguish with which he heard his sentence to "be come a Christian," was finely expressed. To sum up all, we should say that Mr. Kean has gained a sympathy for Shylock, by dwelltng with great effect on certain parts, and by sacrificing somewhat too liberally the de tails which tell on the other side of the question. When he leaves the stage the audience forget the evil qualities of the Jew, and are disposed to consider him an ill-used man. Mrs. - Charles Kean's Portia is one of those highly finished delineations which she alone can give. The modulations of voice and graceful gesticulation which accompany the apostrophe to mercy render it exqui sitely beautiful. A very remarkable point, not gene rally observed by the house, was made with the appa rently unimportant words— " Shy lock, there's thrice thy money ofer'd thee." These were delivered in a tone of persuasion and even compassionate expostulation, as :if she extended mercy even to the Jew, and would not employ the crushing power she had in reserve till she had offered every chance of escape. Mr. Keeley's Launcelot Gobbo is a rich piece of Shaltsperian humour, worthy to be placed by the side of his Launce. The ludicrous contention be tween the fiend and the conscience, when the poor ser vant seems physically pushed about by two opposite powers, was given with the greatest breadth, without an approach to exaggeration. Long as Mr. Keeley has been known and admired by the public, the full measure of his qualities had scarcely been brought to light before the recent revivals at the Haymarket. When we have bestowed a word of commendation on Mrs. Keeley, who gave inimitable pertness to Nerissa, we fear our praise must stop. At the conclusion of the play Mr. and Mrs. Kean were called and appeared before the curtain. (From the Chronikle.) The Shy lock Of Mr. Charles Kean Is, from beginning to end, a consistent, impressive, and often a masterly performance. Giving a full and poetic effect to the solemn allusions of the Jew to his people and his faith, as well as to the more rare touches of feeling which here and there chequer the sombre hue of the character, Mr. Kean carries, to a certain extent, the sympathies of his audience with him, so far, at least, as to allow him to give full and tremendous force to the final bursts of hate nd revenge. He played the first scene with a stern, impressive power, which augur% d well, giving the keen, satiric speeches with concentrated bitterness. The opening portion of the third act was, however, his greatest triumph. He worked the passion gradually up, as a man maddens himself by talking of his own wrongs, breaking suddenly and bitterly from the subject of Jes sica's flight to that of his own losses through Antonio, until he burst out into the full tempest of mingled wrath, despair, and triumph, at the news of his daughter's prodigality and his debtor's bankrupty. Still, however, Mr. Kean does not lose sight of the more tender features of the character. Even in cursing his daughter, he flings a despairing mournfulness into the phrase—and the intense, absorbing passion of his " I thank God—l thank God—l- thank God," is finely contrasted with the delicacy of that redeeming touch of gentle pathos, " I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor." The trial scene was given with great and sustained power. Mr. Kean infused- a frozen doggedness intohis demeanour, which, with the eager gaze fixed constantly on his victim, and the mechanical fumbling of the fingers round the haft of the knife, told exceedingly well. Mrs. Kean's Portia is one of those bright creations which she loves to embody- She threw, perhaps, a rather more decided tone of grace, ful comedy over the part than is generally raven to it and the droll, yet pretty swagger with which, as the learned Doctor, she marched out of court, was full of character. Mrs. Kean's declamation in the trial scene is purity itself, and her by-play during the choice: of the caskets is full of subdued and natural grace. The house was a crowded and a brilliant one. (From the Post) Whether occasionsd by the prestige of the performance on Thursday, at Windsor, in the presence of her Majesty and the Court, or by the genuine attraction of the dis tribution of the characters, The Merchant of Venice, acted on Saturday night, collected the most crowded audience of the season. With but few slight exceptions, the cast was identical, and the result was generally satis factory. The costumes are rich and quaint, and the scenery picturesque and appropriate. The Shylock and Portia of Mr. and Mrs. Charles - Kean will rank as amongst their most successful embodiments, and will prove profitable to the direction, independ e ntly of any extraneous aids. Taken in its entirety, Shylock is the most complete of all Mr. Charles Kean's portraitures— the colouring, though vigorous, is not overcharg( d, and the fellness is meliorated by touches of tenderness which soften without weakening. The conception of the elder Kean is adopted without any slavish adherence to the working of the original, though the family likeness has a tendency to carry the mind back to the creator of the peculiar school of acting. We have, however, thought that the besetting sin of this concep tion is the unmasked malice, and absence of all policy, in the presence of his oppressors. He throws aside, in his first interview with Antonio, all concealment, and rehearses to him, in a voice choking with his wrongs, a catalogue of his individual indignation, and the general contempt lavished upon all his tribe. The mere asking a Jew bill-broker to advance a sum of three thousand ducats on the acceptance of a prince-merchant of Veniet would, we think, hardly excuse such an outburst of pas sion as the words are made to bear in the received ren dering. We doubt much whether this be' the Shak sperian intention ; and, most assuredly, these passages, i' enunciated with a mixture of sarcastic humour and wily look, would place ,the uncommon nature of the bond de manded by bhylock more within the bounds of probabi lity and more germane to the matter. The terms of the loan would not then strike so harshly, and the after scenes of the play would gain in truthfulness and dra matic effect. The inner contempt felt by the Jewf or his aristocratic persecutors, based upon his ever brooding thoughts of his ancestors, the Princes of Judah, imparts a subdued dignity to Shylock, which is made, ransparent through almost every line of the text; and the tenacity of his hold of the bargain, and his craving for the Chris tian pound of flesh, are caused by the memory of old and continuous insult, maddened by the recent flight of his only child, who has not only robbed him, but sinned against the law of her people by " marrying 'with the stranger." The Jew is left desolate in his old age; he is alone, taunted by his enemies, trampled upon, and heart struck; revenge is left to him. He does not in his insanity rush forth to slay, for he has, or thinks he has, a bond for certain vengeance, and he follows out the old law of blood for blood—for his blood was his child, who had been stolen—he will have it legally, and he loses his claim through a verbal quibble, is condemned to lose all his earthly goods, and compelled to deny his God by the sentence of the State. The bond might have been for. given, and the accumulated contempt of all Venice, with the spitting: upon his gaberdine, and the promises to do so again and again, might all have been forgiven and forgotten, had his child, his Jessica, been left to shed a light and a happiness around his home; but here is the true cause of his insanity, for he knew full well that, had the pound of flesh been awarded to him, he must have fallen beneath the stilettos of a thousand Vene tians; but death was the only hope, and he would re join, in a better world, his Leah, the mother of his apostate child—she of whom he had the turquoise ring when he was a bachelor. What a host of memories does its loss conjure up in the old man's mind! Years of oppression fade away, the tricks and tradings of the mart, and the money-spinning, and the profits, and all the heart-hardenings of an overreaching commerce—all are gone, and for a moment he is again a youth beloved by the chosen of his heart. What a wonderful stroke of genius is this one thought of Shakspere—how full of true humanity, how touching, how exquisitely ex pressed, and with what a fine and picturesque otien talism does it terminate!— TIIBAL. One of them showed me a ring that he had of your daughter for a monkey. SHYLOCK. Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal; it was my turquoise ; I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor; I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys. This one line, like a flash of lightning, casts a ray of heaven on the withering agony and insane vengeance of " the old Jew." In the various phases of passion of this scene Mr. Charles Kean was admirable in his varying intensity, and there was a concentrated energy in his recapitulation of the wrongs he had endured, a fiendish exultation in his ravings for vengeance, a hideous joy as he listened to the relation of Antonio's losses, a deaden ing despondency and utter des o lation as h e heard of the wasting of his gold by his daughter, and a gush of ten derness at the memory of his wife, that called forth en thusiastic plaudits. The trial scene was given with great force and discrimination, and the sudden ehange from assured triumph to the frustration of all his bad hopes by the sentence of the Doge was as finely conceived as it was artistically expressed. Mrs. Charles Kean's Portia was charming, the gaiety of the earlier scenes, the modest and tempered interest evinced during the choice of the caskets, and the glance of wordless rapture when the prize was selected, were amongst the sweetest portions of her acting. As the " young and learned doctor" in the trial scene, there was no; sublimated dignity assumed, nor monotonous delivery of the famous lines commencing " The quality of mercy is not strained." These were given with a calm and religious fervour, yet natural and deeply im pressive—the delicious verse floe ed on equably and mu sically, as the soft strains of an organ down the aisle of a cathedral. The audience was hushed to absolute still ness, during the recital, and Mrs. Charles Kean was at their termination greeted with several rounds of ap plause. The subsequent scenes were full of graceful comedy, and the pretty swagger when she has obtained the ring from Bassauio was richly humorous. Mrs. Keeley's Nerissa was capital, and Mr. Webster's Gra tiano, Mr. Wigan's Bassanio, and Mr. Rogers's Anto nio, were carefully and cleverly performed. Keeley, as an exponent of Shakspere's clowns, stands alone. No actor in our memory may approach him in his felicitous appreciation of the quaint quips and cracks, or the as tuteness with which he grasps the philosophy of these singular creations. Commentators have differed regarding the source from which the plot of The Merchant of Venice has been borrow( d, some attributing it to an old translation of the Gesta Romanorum, printed by Winkin de Worde; but all doubts have been set at rest by the discovery that the fable has been taken from a story in the "Pecorone" of Sir Giovanni Fiorentino, a novelist, who wrote in 1378; and the choice of the caskets from a tale of Boccaccio. The following translation of the tale alibied to will be read with interest: --There lived at Florence a mer chant, whose name was Bindo. He was rich, and had three sons. Being near his end, he called for the two eldest, and left them his heirs; to the youngest ho left nothing. This youngest, whose name was Giannetto, went to his father and said," What has my father done?" The father replied, " Dear Giannetto, there is none to whom I wish better than you.. Go to Venice to your god. father, whose name is Ansaldo, he is childless, and has often written tome to send you to Mines He is the richest merchant amongst the Christians, and if you behave well you will certainly b+ come a wealthy 11121?. " The son expressed his oeedie nee to the wish of his father, a el having received his bent diction and closed his e 3 es, eeparted to Ansaldo, who received him with open arms, and commanded that Giannetto should be obeyed and served pith even bore attention than himself. He then delivered him the keys of his ready money, and told him to keep a good table, make himself known, and acquire the good will of everybody. Giannetto lost no time in following this advice, and in a short time became the favourite of all Venice. It happened that two of his most intimate . acquainta.uces designed to go with two ships to Alexandria, and, with the consent of Ansaldo, Giannetto suffered himself to be persuaded to accompany them. His uncle procured fur him a fine shit?, laden with merchandise, and well armed for its protection. In the course of the voyage, Giannetto passed a gulf, the port of which presented so fine an appearance that ho asked the captain its name. The commander replied that it was the property of a widow lady, who had ruined many gentlemen. " She has made a law," said the captain, "that whoever arrives here inuv share her couch; and if ho can have the enjoyment of her, he must take her for his wife, and be lord of the country; but it he cannot enjoy her, he loses all he possessed." Upon this Giannetto gave orders to get into the port, and no sooner did he step ashore than he proceeded to the lady, who received him with great honours, and having ascertained that he was aware of the law she had made, sent for the nobility of her Court to entertain him. The night being come, the lady intimated that it was bed time, and Giannetto having expressed his readiness to attend her, she pre - sent( el him with a goblet of drugged wine. This caused him to sleep soundly throughout the night, and conse quently the lady rose with the sun and claimed the ship, which was delivered up to her. She, however, presented Giannetto with a horse and money, and he returned to Venice; but, fearing his uncle's anger, repaired to the house of a friend, and sent word to Ansaldo that his vessel had been wrecked. His uncle immediately took him home and consoled him for his loss. The news was soon known all over Venice, and every one was concerned for Giannetto. Some time afterwards his companions arrived, from Alexandria very rich, and telling him that he might easily acquire the same . good fortune, his uncle was persuaded to fit him out another vessel. His real object, however, was again to try his fate with the lady who had cap tivated his heart, be therefore once more re paired to the port of .Beltneete, where the lady again received him with joy and revels, again gave him a narcotic, and again seized his ship when he had slept through the night. His return to Venice filled his friends with dismay ; but his indulgent uncle resolved upon giving him one more chance ; but the expense of the former outfits had so limited his means, that he was ten thousand ducats de ficient in the necessary amount for the new venture, in consequence of which he applied to a Jew at Mestri, and borrowed the amount named, on the condition that it was to be repaid at the Feast of St. John, or the Jew to take a pound of flesh from whatever part of Ansaldo's body he pleased. Again Giannetto departed, and again entered the port of Belmonte, where he was received as formerly, and the day passed in tournaments and other festivities. The lady, when it was the usual time, catching him by the hand, begged bias to take his rest. When he passed the door of the ch am b er one o f the damsels in waiting cautioned him, in a whisper, not to taste any liquor that might be offered. The lady said, " I know you to be thirsty," and handed him some wine, as on former occasions, but he poured it down his bosom, and consequently remained awake and won the lady for his bride. They were married with great pomp, and Giannetto was made Governor of the country; but his happiness caused him to forget his uncle, and the bargain that had been made for him would have entirely departed from memory but for a procession which his lady informed him was in honour of the feast of St. John. This at once reminded him of the dreadful penalty of the day, and he related to his lady the plight in which his uncle stood. She instantly supplied him with money and attendants, and he made his way with all speed to Venice. The time being expired, the Jew seized Ansaldo, and insisted on having his pound of flesh, allowing him, however, a few days to give him an opportunity of embracing Giannetto before he died. Several nv.rchants would have jointly paid the money, but the Jew would not hearken to the proposal, insisting that he might have had the satisfac tion of saying that he had put to death the greatest of Christian merchants. Giannetto offered twenty thousand ducats—thirty thousand—forty, and even a hundred thousand, but the Jew was inexorable, and as Venice was a place where justice was administered with the strictest impartiality, there was nothing left but to let him have his way. In the meantime the lady of Giannetto had followed her lord in the disguise of a lawyer, and being informed how matters stood, she made proclamation that a famous lawyer was come from Bo logna to decide all cases at law. The parties conse quently came before him, and as the Jew was not to be persuaded into mercy, the judge decided that the law must take its course. "Do you cut a pound of this man's flesh where you choose," said the judge. The Jew or dered Ansaldo to be stripped, and was on the point of using his razor, when the judge said," Hold I take care what you do. If )eau take more or less than a pound, I will order your head to be struck off; if you shed one drop of blood, you shall be put to death. Your paper makes no mention of the shedding of blood; but says you may take the pound of flesh, neither more nor less. And now, if I see one drop of blood, off goes your head." The rage of the Jew upon this - may be imagined. An saldo was of course released, and conducted home with great joy by Giannetto, who carried a hundred thousand ducats to the inn to the lawyer, who refused it; but being closely pressed to take some recompense, pointed to a ring worn by Giannetto, and said he would take no other reward. ‘• It should willingly be yours," said Giannetto, " but it was the gift of my wife, who bade me always wear it for her beloved sake." The lawyer re marked that if the lady esteemed him as she ought, she would not be displeased at her present being con verted into an offering of gratitude ; upon which Giannetto gave'the ring, and the judge departed, re suming her own dress as soon as she reached home. When Giannetto returned ho was received with appa rent coolness by by his lady. She asked him where was the ring she had given him. "Itis no more than what I expected," cries Giannetto ; "and I was in the right to say you would be angry with me, bat I swear by all that is sacred, and by your dear sell . ; that I gave the ring to the lawyer who gained our cause." " And I can swear," says the lady, with as much solemnity, " that you gave the ring to a woman ; therefore, swear no more." Giannetto protested that what he had told her was true, and that ho said all this to the lawyer when he asked for the ring. The lady replied, " You would have done much better to stay at Venice with your mistresses, for I fear they all wept when you came away." Giannetto's tears began to fall, and in great sorrow he assured her that what she supposed could not be true. The lady, seeing his tears, which were daggers to her bosom, ran to embrace him, and, La a fit of laughter, showed the ring, and told him that she herself was the Livryer, and how she obtained the ring. Giannetto was greatly astonished, finding it all true, and told the story to the nobles, and to his companions; and this heightened grestly•the love between him and his lady. He then called the damsel who had given him the good advice in the evening not to drink ihe liquor, and gave her to Ansaldo for a wife; and they spent the rest of their lives in great felicity and contentment. The play throughout was received with much applause, and at its termi nation Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean were called before the curtain. (From the Herald.) Shakspere's Merchant of Venice was played on Satur day night, cast in all the essential particulars as it was last week at Windsor Castle. Coupled with the new Christmas piece, the attraction appeared to be of no or dinary kind, for the house was crowded in every part. Mr. Charles Kean's Shylock is a well-considered and thoughtful personation, and probably one of the most ef fective that he undertakes. The Portia of Mrs. Charles Kean is as graceful an embodiment as can well be imagined, and in the great scene in the fourth act singularly dignified and impressive. This, in fact, is the only situation of any real importance which the character evolves, and Mrs. Charles Kean re alises it to admiration. Her delivery of the apostrophe to mercy is finely beautiful, pregnant, in the calmness of simplicity of her utterance, with devout and exalted persuasion. Mrs. Keeley was the Nerissa, and Mr. Keeley Launcelot Gobbo—on e o f th ose pure Shakspearian " bits" in which he has never in our time had an equal. Mr. Leigh Murray and Mrs. Compton were exchanged for Mr. Caulfield and Miss P. Horton, in the parts of Lorenzo and Jessica, the latter a substitu tion that could not be deplored. Among the other changes of the Palace east, it may be mentioned that Mr. Brindal and Mr. Tilbury were employed in lieu of Mr. Diddear and Mr. Addison as the Duke and old Gobbo. Altogether the play was re presented with a degree of efficiency that the town of late years has not been accustomed to-- meaning by efficiency that prevalence of excellence throughout, which, while ensuring the gratification of also seeures a Mr. Webster a th r e ow sp in e g eta re to sp r e a c s t a fo d r ra t m h a e ti e c sta pe b r l f i o sh rm m az has during the present season exhibited an improved wisdom in the principles and details of his management, evidently of service to his interests. The amalgamation of the Keens with the company, and their renounce ment of the privileges of " stardom" in the choice of pieces and the limitation of appearance, hos proved prac tically beneficial to the house, and corroborates the opinion that we have often expressed, that though the public may be capricious, it is never virtually and de structively indifferent to that which really challenges consideration. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. CHESTER CUP. ENTERED UP TO SATURDAY EVENING. Tho following horses have been named for this event; the entry closes on Monday bight:—Cawrousb, Ri baldry, Clermont, Loupgarou, Great Wtstern, Egret, Vesta, Eagle's Plume, Reality, Luger, Solon, Impostor (late Lanesborough), Rotbersthorpe, Auricula, Peep o'Day Boy, Primrose, Sunnyside, Rodney, Burghley, Bedlam, Sir Peter Laurie, The Swallow, Bon-mot, Epi darius, Emily, Avenger, Ellen Loraine, New Forest Deer, cby Harkaway, out of Diana; Fireaway, Henry of Exeter, Windermere, Cossack, Cockerrnouth, Fore sugreer,, F a lm ul i p ' h a us, by c Vulcan, Sirlca n 4 s ; ogador, The Stinger, Hercules, out of Empress, Sister to Satirist, Idle Boy. R e d b LANGPORT, SOMEESETEHIRE.---A N EAGLE SHOT. —A prodigious sea eagle (Halimtus), messuring, seven feet from wing to wing, and weighing upwards of nino pounds, was killed with an ordinary gun a few days since whilst wending its rapid flight over a wood in the neigh bourhood of High Ham, by. Mr. William Thyer, of that place, a feat which must gain for him the reputation of being (in sporting phraseology) " a crack shot." The bird has been purchasedby Mr. Edward Quekett, of this town, who intends giving it a place in his museum. MAGAZINE DAY. BLACKWOOD. Although we recognise the hand of Alison in the first article for January, we give precedence to the contribution of Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton— because in "The Year of Revolutions" we find only the marks of great political bigotry and intolerance, while in " The Caxtons" we perceive the evidences of a very brilliant and distinguished genius. If the concluding chapters of this beautiful serial be only comparable to those which have already appeared, " The Caxtons" will prove—or we are very much mistaken—the masterpiece of one 'who has already penned such works as " Harold" and " Zanoni. The interview between Pisistratus and Trevanion is an admirable piece of dialogue ; while reading it we were breathless with attention—so artistically is the interest aroused before its commencement. Hitherto we have heard it objected to " The Caxtons," that no one cares a straw what becomes of any one of the characters. The objection, we opine, will be re linquished even by the most exacting after the perusal of " Part IX." A profound sympathy is there excited by the author for the creations of his fancy —a sympathy which extends proportionately to Fanny Trevanion, to Pisistratus Caxton, to Augus tine, to Captain Roland, and in a les.:er degree to the other personages whose fortunes are delineated in the narratise. We still miss Sir Sedley Beaudesert —Bulwer must not forget him, for he promises to eclipse Pelham, Maltravers, Ferrers, et hoc genus *me. Francis Vivian threatens to occupy the post vacated by Pisistratus—namely, as secretary' to the Member of Parliament and future Minister. Should the adventurer be actually admitted in the capacity of amanuensis into the house' of Mr. Trevanion, we calculate that his feelings of honour will not prove so punctilious in regard to the acquisition of the hand of the heiress. Vivian (doubtless, as we have already intimated,. the reprobate son of. Captain Roland, receiving under an assumed name the patronage of Pisistratus) will prove the evil genius of the fiction— repaying with misery, and anxiety, and confusion the generous efforts made in his behalf by the younger Caxton. How beautiful, how touching is that part beginning "And it was true, 0, my mother!" The tears brim into the eyes while reading it; end we say deeply and earnestly with this great writer, "We come to men for philosophy—to women for conso lation." Old Augustine, having begun the correction of the first proofs of his colossal work, discourses right eloquently on a crochet of his respecting the Hygeinic Chemistry of Books. The conceit is most felicitous, and abounds with the tokens of a very curious erudition. He presents to Captain Roland and to Pisistratus, each, a copy of the " Life of Ro bert Hall" (written, if we recollect rightly, by the renowned essayist, John Foster, of Bristol), telling them that the biography will affect them as a sove reign remedy for their afflictions. And so in truth it turns out—the memorial of the Bossuet of Eng land shedding a balm into the hearts of the mourners. The scene in which they meet, and mutually reveal the emotions aroused by that tale of genius, of pain, and of resignation, is peculiarly happy, especially to wards the conclusion. The Captain says— " What I have seen in this book is courage. Here is a poor creature rolling on the carpet with agony; from childhood to death tortured by a mysterious incurable malady—a malady that is described as an internal appa ratus of torture;' and whodoes, by his heroism, more than bear it—he puts it out of power to affect him; and though (here is the passage) his appointment by day and by night was incessant pain, yet high enjoyment was, notwithstanding, the law of his existence.' Robert Hall reads me a lesson —me, an old soldier, who thought myself above taking lessons—in courage, at least. And, as I came to that passage when, in the sharp paroxysms before death, he says, • I have not complained, have 1, sir ?—and I won't complain,'—when I came to that pas sage I started up, and cried Roland de Caxton, thou hast been a coward! and, an thou hadst had thy deserts, thou hadst been cashiered, broken, and drummed out of the regiment long ago!' " " Alter all, then, — my father was not so wrong—he placed his gun right and fired a good shot." " He must have been from six degrees to nine degrees above the crest of the parapet," said my uncle, thought tully—" which, I take it is the best elevation, both fur shot and shells, in enfilading a work." " What say you, then, Captain? up with our knap sacks, and on with the march!' " Right about—face!" cried my uncle, as erect as a column. , , " No looking back, if we can help it." "Full in the front of the enemy.—' Up, guards, and at 'em " " England expects every man to do his duty!' " " Cypress or laurel!" cried my uncle, waving the book over his head. It is long since there has appeared, even in Black wood, such a serial as " The Caxtons." We congra tulate the entrepreneurs of Maga upon the acquisition of Bulwer in a nigher capacity than that of a contri butor of metrical translations. Alison—if it be Alison, which we could almost avouch—is clever, shrewd, and abounding with a miscellaneous kind of knowledge in the political retrospect upon 1848, " The Year of Revolutions." But,he is ultra-prt.j u diced on the side of the Reactionnaires. And,beyond this, he is just a trifle too sanguine as to the conquest of democracy by the counter-revolution. He will find in the end that it is the glory and not the shame of Pius IX. that he began the movement of political reform ; and he will find also, that however successful the tyrant of Naples, and the tyrant of Prussia, and the tyrants of Austria may have been in putting the heel of despotism upon the nationalities of the Germans and Italians, democracy will vindicate its rights and its reputation by an explosion in com parison with which the revolutions of 1848 will be insignificant. "French Conquerors and Colonists" is an agreeable review of the volumes penned by Borrer and Alby, " The White Nile," a criticism on the Expedition of Werne, and an ornothological paper on " The Dodo and its Kindred," are eccentric productions which will afford amusement to those who like anything rather out of the way. Mr. Stir ling receives a deserved eulogium in the article en titled " Art and Artists in Spain ;" and after an in different tale of -1787, r entitled " The Sword of Honour," Blackwood terminates its number for January with a review of the " Memoirs of Kirkaldy of Grange." At this rate, during 1849, Ebony will more than sustain. its honoured and honourable repu tation. DOLMAN. A new aeries of Dolman's Magazine is here com menced. We hardly.recognise the publication now that it has changed its livery from Ailac to apple green. A story, headed " The Catholic at Sea" leads off the periodical on its new adventure; and the editor follows with a trivial but amusing account of an incident which occurred to Mr. Anderson, " The Wizard of the North," when travelling on a conjuring expedition through Ireland. F. A. P. addresses him self in tones of indignation and: b rernonstrance to the Romans—speaking to them in Latin verses and Greek verses. The latter are the better of the two, and there is a sound of dignified sadness in the excla mation— " zaspE, :cat El o:iyyr,v 6:7/2.5 - ^ci Oppowyroc ctc,;;Eiv, y/ igpct%:;*/ EV 0:-)14,SU PaXAEo 70vSE ?,Yr.dv." Nevertheless, we coincide somewhat in the opinion expressed by a celebrated critic, that if a man wants to delude the mass into the idea that he can write poetry he has only to string a few commonplace ideas together and clothe them in the gorgeous ap parel of the dead languages. In the present instance, however, the aim redeems the ideas, and thousands will sympathise with the writer when he cries out in anguish ;EU (El.) TYS fluviac. The Letters from Italy commenced in this number, will just now be an ob ject of peculiar attraction to the subscribers to this Roman Catholic publication. RENTLEY. The Gaol Chaplain opens the new volume of Bentley with the first three chapters of a new tale, entitled "The Coroner's Clerk." They are written with great power, and the tale itself promises to he one of en chanting interest. This article is illustrated by Leech. The other illustration of the month is an engraving, by Holt, of Grant's picture of Raja Brooke, on whose position in the Indian Archipelago we have an ela borately-written article by Mr. J. A. St. John. Mr. St. John is completely master of his subject, and satisfactorily refutes the sneerers who would fain give up our possessions in the Eastern Archipelago, and induce us to leave that fine region to be monopolized by the Dutch, the Spaniards, and the Malay pirates. He satisfactorily proves that not only have we a per fect right to settle and colonise these islands, without any violation of our treaties with Holland and Spain, but that the Dutch invasions of Bali, Celebes, and New Guinea are positive encroachments in vio lation of those treaties. Our new settlement of Labuan bids fair to be a second Singapore ; it will be the emporium of the Archipelago so soon as the pirates shall be suppressed. Certain professors of ultra philanthropy have chosen to raise the cry of humanity against those who insist upon the necessity of de stroying these nests of sea-marauders. They are the innocent natives, we are told, and we have no right to interfere with their pursuits. As well might it be contended that the execution of a Timg was a wanton infringement of the rights of religious liberty. Murder can never be religion, therefore Thugs are hanged. Piracy can never be legitimate trade, therefore pirates are to be extirpated. And those pirates of the Indian Archipelago not only Om ships and massacre their crews, but land even upon the settlements of European nations and carry off the inhabitants and sell them as slaves. This is con.- stantly happening cn the. Is!and of , Penang, a British settlement, and llynherr btockb . row, a rich Dutch merchant of Samarang, was carried away by these pirates and kept in slavery for years by the Sultan of Lino, and W 33 at lest ransomed and re stored to his family by a Chinese merchant. Our readers doubtless remember reading of the massacre on board the " General Wood." The perpetrators of that crime took refuge in the island of Puly Oby, and during the course of 1847 captured and plundered 70 irading vessels and massacred the crews. Towards the end of the year they were attacked and rooted out by the Phlegethon and thirty-five of them were taken to Singapore. Among the I)lunder which they had collected, besides the property which they had carried off from the General Wood there were found gun carriages, bayonets, time pieces, English boats' rudder, mast, sails, ladies work-boxes, card casts, &c. We are rejoiced to find that the Rajah Brooke, whose return to Sarawak was hailed by his subjects with the greatest enthusiasm, is about to propose a plan for putting a stop to these atrocities, The " Memoirs of Chateaubriand " are continued in this number, as are the delightful " Wayside Pictures." Thedescription of the steam-boat voyage up the Rance, from St. Melo to Dinan, is one of the most beautiful we have read for a long time. " The banks of the Rance may be compared to a va riety of pretty pastoral spotl, mixed up with wild rocks, picked out of Switzerland and looked at through the wrong end of an opera-gla.s. You can here fancy everything to tLe very [wrath of the steeps, to have come freshly from Interlacken, and twenty other such places in the recesses of the mountains, taken in the height of their summer beauty, and dropped like showers of roses ov,r the margins of this stream. The variety is endless, all upon a small scale, but, by force of contrast, occasion ally assuming a character of sublimity. Sometimes the river runs into little bays and creeks, and sometimes it closes up and forms inland lakes, sheltered on all sides by hills covered with verdure to the summit ; in some places a chateau crowns a well-wooded height, or gleams out through the green depths of a valley ; then a village grows up before you, its white façades creeping along the side of a cliff, or disappearing in a ravine as the steamer sails past. As you approach the port of Dinan (for so the French call the little quay that juts out here) you see the spires of several churches glisten ing above dense masses of foliage on the tops of the pretty miniature mountains, and now and then you get a glimpse of the old grey walls of the fortifications, with the dark outline of a mighty town standing on the heights with an air of tyrannic strength. A clatter of little boys and passengers from the town costae down to convey back sundry purchases conveyed by the steam boat—an odd caricature or two of a sailor hanging, like a lizard, to the wall—some half-dozen idlers, such as are to be found at every place in the known world where a boat touches—and, perhaps, three or four English visitors sauntering about, and glad of an incident to break the sleepy routine of the day —are, upon the average, the first signs of life you may expect to en counter upan landing at the port of Dinan." The " Flaneur" is rather dull this month, and Al bert Smith is not so funny as is his wont. He gives us, by way of Christmas amusement, a batch of ghost stories from Glanville and Aubrey. Alfred Crowquill, however, gives us an excellent gossip entitled " Life," and Mrs. Ward a beautiful sketch of the scenery on the banks of the Coquet. Among the popular books of the month noticed in this number is Macaulay's " History of England." COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, SATURDAY. The Queen and Prince Albert took an early walk this morning in the Slopes and Home Park. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the younger branches of the Royal Family walked in the Park. Lord John Russell and the Earl of Liverpool left the Castle this morning. There was no addition to the royal dinner party this day. SUNDAY. The Queen and his Royal Highness, and the younger members of the Royal Family, took an early walk this morning in the Home Park. Her Majesty, the Prince, and Ladies and Gentle men of the royal household, attended Divine service in the private chapel. The service was performed and the sermon preached by the Hon. and Rev. C. L. Courtenay. There was no addition to the royal dinner party this day. Her Majesty's private band performed the follow pieces in the Castle, on Friday evening : Overture—" Le Rovine di Paluzzi" Romberg. Duo—" Colporteur" Onslow. March—" Fidelio" Cavatina—" Freischutz" Weber. Sommerfreuden and Balmoral Waltzes.. Labitzky. March—" Les deux Journees" Lord John Russell returned to his residence, in Richmond Park, on Saturday, from W indoor Castle. IRELAND. THE CASE OF MR. DUFFY. DUBLIN, FRIDAY.—The Commission Court was again occupied yesterday with the argument on the demurrer to the indictment against Mr. Duffy. Mr. Baldwin, Q.C., on the part of the Crown, was heard in support of the indictment ; and Mr. Butt, Q.C., for the prisoner, sustained the demurrer. At the close of his argument, Mr. Butt referred to the demand made by the Attorney-General, contingent upon the possible decision of the Court against the de murrer, for final judgment against the prisoner, and drew a distinction between misdemeanour and felony, contending that the Crown could not demand judgment irr felony, and that it would be monstrous that, for the ~ffenee of pleading a bad l plea by his counsel, the pri soner himself should be debarred from trial by jury, and transported kr life. The Attorney- General is to reply, on the part of the Crown, this day. APPOINTMENT.—The office of clerkship of the peace for the city of Dublin, hitherto jointly held by the late Mr. George Archer and Mr. Dickenson, has been con• ferred solely on the latter gentleman. DEATH OF ME. ALDERMAN JOHNSON. Mr. Alderman John Johnson expired at his residence, Millbank, at an early hour on Saturday morning, after an illness of some months' duration. The deceased Alderman, in conjunction with his bro ther (who still survives), succeeding to his father's business, was, in early life, extensively engaged as a paviour, and both also inherited a large for tuno from their father, who made a fortunate specula tion in a stone quarry in Devonshire, since known as the " Halter Granite," and who also undertook the contract for the celebrated breakwater at Plymouth; this and other speculations tended to place the de ceased alderman at the head of the stone trade. In the year 1836 he was called upon to fill the office of Sheriff of London, and in 1839, a vacancy taking place in the ward of Dowgate, he became a candidate, and succeeded to the aldermanic gown for that ward. In 18.15 he was elected, after a poll, to fill the civic chair, and during the year of his mayoralty maintained the hos pitality and dignity of the office of Chief Magistrate in a state of almost unrivalled splendour, and among the many guests who honoured him by their presence at the civic festive board was Ibrahim Pacha. During the period he presided at meetings of a vast number of the metropolitan charities, to each of which he was a liberal contributor. Of late years he advocated strong and de cided Protectionist principles, being a firm supporter of t the navigation laws, and a decided oppo nent of free trade. At the last general elec tion ho was one of the candidates for the re presentation of the city of London. He also offered himself to represent the borough of Plymouth, but was defeated. As the deceased alderman ;has been ill for some time, several candidates for the aldermanie gown are already in the field. It is understood that the pre cept to the ward of Dowgate for the election of his suc cessor will be issued on Tuesday next. The death of Mr. Alderman Johnson leaves vacant the t own for the ward of Dowgate, for which the late Sheriff Pilcher and Mr. Carden are now candidates. The Rev. Thomas Dale has (says a correspondent) resigned one of his appointment., known as the "Gol den Lectureship," a post, tho emoluments of which are about 5001. a year, and the duties one sermon a week, delivered on Tuesdays at one of the churches near the Royal Exchange. There are already three candidates for the appointment—first, the Rev. Mr. Molyneux, of Woolwich; second, the Rev. Mr. Gurney, who will, of course, have the influence of his relatives, the Messrs. Hawes, they being members of the court of the Haber dashers' Company, iti whose gift the lectureship is; and third, the Rev. Mr. Melville—a gentleman who is al ready chaplain of the Tower, and principal of the East India College, with a salary of 2,0001. a year. BEGGING UNMASKED.—At a late meeting of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, the Rev. Mr. Branch said that a short time since he visited a room in Westmin ster, where he saw a woman with a dying child in her arms. Commiserating the wretched creature's condi tion, he inquired into her history, and her means of livelihood, and, in answer to his questionv, 0 are replied, " Oh, sir, my sufferings are great, and 8 know those of my child ; but when my child is gone,l , , it not what to do." " But," observed Mr. child, Branch , s you will be a happy release for you and can make no exertions while you a)r'oeurbutritdeer:le,d, w w h i e t n h her." " Oh, dear ! Sir," ejaculated th she is gone, I'll have to so , I'll earn while she costs me nothing. nindb'lind, gathered round a nothing by begging, for it is the i.n pay 9 d U. an-ldeacs the l house iflledo rrindeoan°l3 : t i bt exciteb r a . etr ßr e a h n i l c d h ' an d planning for their and rogues, male and compassion." In another r ib o oo o imi a regular wareroom, found forty beggars, yaga twd c. xhi - b n Ued for hire and sale einnve:rtl," attacks, varietye s t m i o upont o o fr:bthbhoe dresses, gp e u n w te l includingcostumes, t Widows'ure e 8 C fire, ail yrOeulantgi,ngoldt,heliarmeex, j; weeds and saw C clerical suits, tattered rags, si y plansof mendicant opera-. the severalparties Lions pursued by extraordinary bazaar, and who made begging a regular & c., adopted to the different trade. A. bailiff, SaUvu r r o a n i e n b , y wa a s de s b ta to b r he w d ho t m o the e heart named cn the 24 thult., at vois going to arrest. The murderer has been arrested. ..... Galignani. MR. ROEBUCK AT BURY.—Owing to the continued illness Of Mr. \ T alker, the Member for Bury, whose malady is of a character precluding the hope of his being able to attend to his Parliamentary duties for some time to come, it is in contemplation, upon his resignation, to invite Mr. J. A. Roebuck, the late Member for Bath, to stand in the Liberal interest. A burglary was committed yesterday morning at the house of Mr. Josephs, a jeweller and watchmaker, nr , ar Lion Chapel, Waterloo-road. The family were aroused by some neighbours, 'oho saw the shop door open, and it was found thpt the whole of the stock had been stolen. FRANCE. The following appeared in our Third Edition of Saturday]:— We read in the Moniteur:— " An exemplary punishment has just been inflicted on the first division of the Ecole Speciale Militaire, in con sequence of grave disorders which took place in the night of the 19th of this month, of which it is important to make known the motives. The participation of the pupils of that division in all the events which have oc curred at Paris since the revolution of February, their long absence from the shoal, the antici pated advancement accorded to the promotion which preceded them, and the hopes they had themselves conceived, left in their minds an agitation injurious to the discipline of the schools, and thus caused the Minis ter of War to send them to their families to the month of October last. From that time to the present calm was re-established in the schools, and the studies con tinued their course in a satisfactory manner. But the entry of the newly admitted students caused some bad traditions, which have never been completely destroyed, to he restored, and thus drew on a small number of pupils punishmtnts from which they had the pretensions to re lieve themselves on account of the importance they at tached to the services which they rendered in Paris, and the praises they had received fur them. These punish ments became the pretext of tumultuous demonstrations, forbidden by the regulations, and. at length, in the evt ning of the 19th, the agitation assumed the charac ter of open revolt, during which the authority of the chiefs was completely and grossly disregarded. In con quence of the investigation which took place on these events, the first division was dismissed, and immediately re-organized by a special commission, which only admit ted the pupils who, by their conduct and industry, of fered the strongest guarantees for securing order in the school, and good officers to the army." _ . . The following is a return of the situation of the Bank of France on the 28th of December, 1848: ... f. 143,243,781 44 .. 115,335,537 00 198,677 80 ••• ... 58,458,853 03 ... 104,833,577 22 17,560,918 00 32,754,368 85 1,560,310 00 50,000,000 00 50,000,000 00 10,000,000 00 34,771,288 62 12,806,741 39 4,000,000 00 . _ 2,273,658 00 5,500,000 00 200,000 00 230,000 00 11,256,525 42 5,259,618 00 32,663 00 749,102 20 7,848,032 50 f. 668,873,682 47 ... f. 67,900,000 00 ... 23,350,000 00 ... 10,000,000 00 ... 2,980,750 00 ... 4,000,000,00 ASSETS. Cash and ingots ... Ditto in branch banks Bills past due ••• Bills falling due in Paris, of which 14,651,874 f. 77c. are from the branch banks •.• ••• ... Bills in the branch banks ... Advances on coins and ingots... Ditto on French public securities Ditto by branch banks... ... ... Ditto to the State on Bons du Tresor... Ditto on the loan of 150 millions ... Rentes of the reserve fund ... ... Rentes, disposable funds ... ... Investments of the new branch banks in the public funds ... ... ... Hotel and furniture of the Bank ... Real property of the branch banks ... Loan of 10,000,000 f. to the city of Paris Interest in National Discount Bank ... Ditto branch banks ... ... ... Bills protested at Paris Ditto at the branches ... ... ... Expenses of administration of the Bank Ditto of the branches ... ... ... Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... Consolidation of Treasury Bonds ... LIABILITIES. Capital ... ••• . • ... Ditto of the Branch Banks ... Reserve fund ... ... ... Ditto of the branch banks Reserve•immobiliere ... Notes to bearer, in circulation ... ... 392,780,700 00 Ditto of the branch banks ... .., 16,317,225 00 Ditto to order (post-bills) 437,218 65 Account-current with Treasury creditor 25,176,814 35 Various accounts current 82,017,436 04 Ditto in branches 25,959,324 00 Bills payable at sight ... Ditto at branches ... 3 022 •• • 300 00 • , ... 940,356 00 Bills of the branch banks payable by the Bank ... 5,188,015 86 Ditto of the Bank payable by branches.. 2,509,630 00 Dividends payable ... . . ... 4,279,176 25 Liquidation of the Algiers Bank ... 341,384 04 Discounts, and diverse interest... 608,788 04 Ditto branch banks - 99,990 00 Re discounts of the last six months ... Ditto in branch banks .. 246,051 47 455,275 00 Miscellaneous ... 262,747 77 f. 668,873,682 47 PRUSSIA. A letter from Berlin, of the 25th, says that the Prussian Ambassador at Rome received orders to express to the Pope the profound interest which his position excited in the mind of the King, and to beg his Holiness, if obliged to abandon his States, to take up his residence in the royal palace of Bruhl, on the Rhine. AUSTRIA. The Prince de Windischgratz, by decree of the:l9th declares Presburg and the comitat in a state of siege. He promises protection to the peaceable, and orders that the turbulent, the seditious, or those who shall attempt:to seduce the soldiers, shall be tried by court martial. He shuts up all clubs, dissolves the National Guard, orders the citizens to give up their arms; for bids any communication with the Diet or the Com mittee of Safety, &c. The draft of the Constitution presented by the com mittee in the sitting of the Austrian Constituent Diet at ICremsier, on the 21st, is composed of 29 para graphs. It guarantees personal freedom, right of property, and equality in the eye of the law. It abolishes privileges, admits all citizens to all Govern ment employments, and declares that moo titles or rewards can be conferred on any other ground than personal merit. It guarantees unrestricted right of petitioning, right of association without arms, freedom of education, and equality of rights between the dif ferent nationalities. FRANKFORT. We learn from Frankfort, on the 24th, that the Central Government had convoked all the plenipoten tiaries of the empire to communicate to them the law on the fundamental rights of the German people. Generally speaking, the plenipotentiaries expressed themselves in a satisfactory manner. Austria, how ever, refused to publish the law, on the ground that the relations between it and Germany were not yet settled ; Saxony and Hanover declared that they would submit the law to their respective Diets ; and Bavaria expressed no opinion, having received no in structions. The Prussian plenipotentiary expressed himself more favourably than any other. BELGIUM. We learn by an official return made to the Belgian Government that the exports from Belgium in the first eleven months of the present year were as follows :—Coal 1,347,148,000 kilogrammes, bark 9,007,567 kilos. ; cast-iron in pigs 55,858 ; wrought cast-iron 253,270 ; forged iron 785,563 ; nails 6,118,463 ; linen threads 603,124; flax 5,495,226; books 126,964 ; machines 2,178,095 ; refined sugar 9,001,291 ; tobacco 13,090; cigars 111,302; cotton tissues 750531 ; woollen cloths 624,833 ; other descriptions of tissues 36,286 ; flax-hemp and other tissues 1,310,144, glass 1,578,023, zinc 13,149,071. On the whole, these exports, compared with those of the corresponding period of last year, show a falling off of only 352,360,127 kilos. The ex ports of arms in the eleven months of this year were 5,049,755 francs, being an increase on the same p!- riod of 1847 of 935,034 f.; and on several other arti cles there has also been an increase ; the great falling off is on coal, owing to the demand having greatly t", clined in France in consequence of the stagnation 1 manufactures. ITALY. i ssue d by the quite incompetent The following is the proclamation l i s r s s i e o l a ves to which we were Supreme Junta of Rome : a b g e d deliberating chamber of the called by a decree of the , ECiOUS of the extreme neces sity Ith instant, 'yet to th A e lth eril g e h d dig nity b - e e in ibe state a government, and public sity felt by all to. c onsider mission give the overcoming just hesitations we the co-operation of the literature an jegisrlous appea l o f the country. Our con obeyed the p maintain internal order, other r°! ° e rs d ae l o pment of free institutions, re-establish promotc tn ,„rnong all classes, and co-operate with all our prosPez . " l l , realisation La in t e of national independence. But w e ' t declare , a the same time, that we only intend to as µ.esum, these functions pro tempore, and until the Consti tuent Assembly of the Roman States shall have delibe ratedstrait solicitiundew,eiitiogenestbbeier us to as speedily on our political order. That constituent, claimed by the unanimous wish of the nation, will be convoked viuce s , con fid e in our zeal as we confide in your un i on as possible. People of Rome and the pro. and determination to crush the fatal design of our enemies. Let us maintain order entire and unalterable, as well as tranquillity and obedience to the laws. " Rome, in our residence, Dec. 20th, 1848. (Signed) : G Co A e L B E IN T I T . r. " CAMERATA." TURKEY. Advices from Constantinople to the 6th instant are communicated by the Augsburg Gazette of the 25th. They announce the departure of Maslum Bey for Alexandria with the firman of investiture for the new Pacha of Egypt. From Syria accounts have been re ceived to the 18th of November. The cholera still prevailed in St. Jean d'Acre, Alexandretta, Latakia, and Tripoli, but with less intensity The Lebanon was perfectly tranquil, but in the southern districts of Hauran an attempt to take a census of the population had provoked a formidable insurrection, the inhabitants being apprehensive that the census would be followed by a compulsory con scription for recruiting the ranks of the army. A strong detachment was dispatched from Damascus to put down this revolt, and enforce the census, if necessary. The health of the Earl Talbot is reported in the Staffordshire Advertiser to be extremely precarious. Hill Lordship has recently had a relapse of a disease under which he has been for some time suffering.