The Sun. — London, England, 1856-01-31 00:00:00

L ITER AT URE. Popular Garden Botany. By Agnes Catlow. Popular _History of Palms. By Dr. Berthold Seeman. Popular Geography of Plants. By Dr. Charles Daubeny. Lovell Reeve, Hen rietta-street, Covent-garden. Who amongst us does not love flowers, trees, and grass ? We have only to cast our eyes around us on the varied paths of every-day life, and ample evidence will be afforded that there is an immortal influence in " The pomp of groves and garniture of fields." Mankind has ever revelled in the scent of the blossoms and the shadow of the boughs. The tawny savage of the backwoods strides over the prairie's purple bells, and gazes on the pine giants of his native forests with exulting joy. The ducal master of Chatsworth breathes among hie choice exotics, and treads daintily beneath the majestic branches of' his spreading oaks and beeches with infinite pleasure. The same spirit dwells in each bosom—they both " love flowers and trees." The old, red night-capped cobbler, who labours daily i n you cubbed-up shed, has got a pot of inignionette beside him—shrivelled, dusty stuff, destitute alike of essence and colour, but he sowed it himself, and waters it himself, and puts it in the sunshine himself, and we suspect that the cubbed-up shed, with its abominable effluvia, of stron g horse-hide and stronger wax-ends, is ren dered somewhat more cheerful in the imagination of the inhabitant by the presence of that poor pot of naignionette. The old cobbler "loves flowers." Watch the fair daughter of a regal line just Concluding her toilette for a night of palace festi vity. You will see her take the bouquet with an extra beam lighting up her eyes. She snuffs at the luscious gardinia, prys into the pe tals of the pendant fuschia, and re-arranges a few leaves of the delicate myrtle with tender assi duity. The noble girl " loves flowers " better than all the other bright things about her. We meet Sunday morning idlers by dozens, strolling through the bye market streets of the great city. Let us just glance at them. We See a brawny drayman, who has evidently for gotten to shave himself, and nob been too parti cular about the set of his neck-tie ;he has on the lame rough, tough, dirty, thick, blanket sort of jerkin in which he let down the butts of " Bar clay's best" into dingy cellars during the week, but, in a button-hole of the said jerkin, is a splendid carnation. He has consumed some minutes In placing it safely and conspicuously, and he Walks on, eyeing it every now and then, with great self-satisfaction ; and his satisfaction is not un altered, for while observing his pride in the really beautiful blossom, we feel proud also that one of a class who had courage to Pelt Haynau should " love flowers." A grimy Son of Vulcan is carrying off a huge bunch of wall-flowers, which he says is for his "little Polly, who is ill o' fever, and likes the smell on 'em." A lank, pale woman has spent an extravagant halfpenny on a dozen brilliant sweet Peas, which she declares will "keep beautiful for a ' week with plenty of fresh water." A charity boy has picked up a bit of a broken stock, and with earnest endeavour fixes it above his badge of po l'erty, and then as earnestly bends his head to try and get a whiff of its odorous breath. Aye, ye "love flowers," ye children of Toil, and ever will. Down yon area we see a goodly number of half dead plants, with their yellow leaves supported by green sticks, and some so utterly denuded of foli age that their " genus" is a mystery. These are the especial and treasured property of the cook, Who is never known to cuff her favourite Tabby, saving when he insists on trying his talons about the root of the best geranium. In the balcony window above, we perceive snowy camelias and gorgeous cactuses standing up, in their rich china vases, in attractive magnificence. They belong to the young heiress, who tends them hourly with her own jewelled fingers, and who was never known to snub her darling juvenile sister except ing when the juvenile sister unduly destroyed a l ong -cherished arum, when the heiress dispensed as vulgar and decided a box on the ear as could have been bestowed by the most unrefined of ex asperated young ladies. It is plain that those above and those below " love flowers." As for gardens ! they are as old as Paradise itself, and we see the occupation of the "old Adam" still peeping out, when the over-fed gold- Surfeited citizen betakes himself to a detached villa, " within ten miles of London, and two of a railway station," where lie puddles and pokes with his gardening tools, in his gardening jacket, and takes more pleasurable interest in grubbing up a few weeds, or planting a row of seedlings, than he ever experienced while cashing a heavy bill for Messrs. Needem and Co. " The phaeton is ready, sir," says John to his civic master ; but the master is hoeing away at an obsti nate dock-root at the lower end of the shrub bery, and perfectly oblivious of Threadneedle street and Bradshaw. The elderly gentleman has Managed to " mess" the bottom of his trousers Pretty considerably ; his hands must be washed ; his boots must be changed ; his face is rather moist and rather florid, owing to the inveterate resis tance of the dock-root, and he cannot possibly go by that train. " I shall go by the half-past one," says the civic master, and lie again applies him self vigorously to the dock-root, which he at last conquers. Elated wi ht to feat, he conceives a fancy for clearing the herb bed of " that nasty chickweed," and aftsr doing an immensity of nothing, he finds it is too late to be of any use in town, and sits down - o his dinner with the full conviction that he ha , na aerially assisted the gar dener. Happy delesio r 1 It is pleasant to see the primitive digging and delving tendency of childhood return in men, when all that Fortune can bestow and all that Ambition can achieve has served but to teach that it is possible to have " too Much of a good thing," and that a bit of grass-plot rimy be as nigh to heaven as a banker's counters Here we may see attached to a beggarly cot tage a tiny patch of ground, probably about twenty feet by twelve ; but the tiny patch is crammed with scarlet runners, hen and chicken daisies, nasturtiums, sweet williams, and heaven knows what. There are the entailed acres sur rounding the towers and terraces of the great, and these acres are a galaxy of beauty, belted with floral rainbows, and breathing distilled honey to such excess that the very bee faints away, and the good-natured butterfly has to fan him back to existence with her lightsome wings. The occupier of the lowly home and the owner of the stately mansion alike "love flowers." Mark that bony, gaunt, sinewy vine, trying to creep over a smoke-dried wall, with its :Few leaves turning brown when they should be green, and its fewer grapes turning sour when they should be sweet. Observe this twining mass of tendrilled creepers, thickly woven to form the " bower of beauty and romance in the princely pleasance." See the homely woodbine clustering over the farm house porch, and note the clematis and jasmine skilfully trained to screen the morning sun from the baronial breakfast room. Oh ! how true it is that " flowers and sweet green things are loved" by peer and peasant. We find them re cognised everywhere, as the silent ministers of God's unfathomable power, and the unceasing idols of man's instinctive homage. Gardens are pleasant places. They were so when under the classical patronage of Semiramis and Alcinolts, and they are agreeable still, bearing the modern patronymics of Versailles, Kew, Rosherville, or Kensington. There is something refreshing in the very word " garden." Whether the style be Italian or Dutch it is of little consequence, as far as the general impulse of Humanity is concerned. We admit that we prefer to ramble where Nature and Art keep up a becoming family feeling ; yet when we are shut in with peacocks cut out of box trees, whose only merit is that they do not scream, yet we say we cannot quarrel with the place they dis figure. We feel that a " garden" was intended, and that is enough to sanctify the most atrocious taste. We have been led into this wandering bit of gossip by the perusal of the three charming volum es under notice. These books form a most instructive and entortainin addition to our store ~~ of Botanical Literature. The volume on " Popular Garden Botany," by Agnes Catlow, should be in the hands of every one who wishes to possess a fair and accurate knowledge of floricultural pur suits without being compelled to wade through dense details of complex theory ; and these pagas cunt iin all the information necessary for those who take interest and find amusement in " a garden." The style is concise and simple, yet giving enough of science to qualify its instructions. It treats of most hardy and half-hardy flowers, and gives the best method of producing and rearing them. The twenty coloured plates illustrating the work are alone worth the price. " The Popular History of Palms," by Dr. Berthold.Seeman, is also an admirable publication, calculated to attract all classes of readers by the masterly extent of its investigating research, and the lucidity of its general tone. The warm ap proval of the work by such a man as Humboldt is au incontestible guarantee of its excellence, and we can only offer our word of praise as the spon taneous result of the delight with which we have perused it. " The Popular Geography of Plants," edited by Dr. Charles Daubeny, forms a fitting com panion to the other volumes, and is of inesti mab!e value to those who would learn something of the wondrous adaptations and arrangements of Nature in her various characters of vegetation throughout the world, and who would yet escape being perplexed by the dry and technical method pervading most works of the kind. The last named volumes aro illustrated by exquisite land scapes in chromo-lithography ; and setting aside the intrinsic literary worth of these three publica tions, the pictorial beauty contained in them ought to secure them a place on every drawing room table. We cordially recommend them to all those who love fields, trees, and flowers, especially as the cost of the volumes is as low as the tone of their contents is elevated. CHARLES KNIGHT. The English Cyclopeedia. Conducted by Charles Knight. First Two Divisions. Natural His tory, 4 vols. Geography, 4 vols. Messrs. Bradbury and Evans. to estimate the probable merits or demerits of the perfected work from this solitary and merely frag• mentary specimen—as presumptuous as it would have been for any one, even Hierocles himself, .to appraise the value of the unseen house represented by the ono brick of the immortal Scholasticos. Robert Owen, it must be ad mitted, built up the scheme of an extinct colossus of birds, from a single bit of a gigantic bone dug up by chance at our antipodes—a scheme cor roborated almost miraculously by a subsequent discovery of the entire skeleton ! But criticism does not exactly admit of an Owen —or, if it did, would find some difficulty in detecting his where abouts. So that we are perforce compelled to re ceive No. I. of Charles Knight's " Popular History of England " for precisely what it pretends to be and no more—namely, the precursor of thirty-five other monthly instalments. Judging it from the four preliminary chapters comprised within the limits of this initial number, the work promises to be a very lucid narrative of the great annals of our mother-country—a narrative which, if only con tinued *ith the same ability to the end, must prove eminently worthy of the hand to which the people of England are already grateful for so many and such varied masterpieces. The Popular History of England, in other words, promises to be to the Pictorial _History of England what the "English Cyclopedia" is proving itself to be to the " Penny Cyclopedia." An improved remodelling of the old materials materials in their new form strangely ripened, matured, and generally de veloped to something more nearly approximating to absolute completeness. " The Popular History of England," indeed, is considerably more even than this as contrasted with its predecessor, the memorable " Pictorial History of England"—inas much as the former purports to be and actually is an entirely new work, penned by the skilled hand of the veteran author, editor, printer, publisher— Charles Knight. Charles Knight was the projector of the " Pictorial History of England." He is the writer of the " Popular History of England." His sparkling and some of them exquisite essays, en titled collectively " Once upon a Time," assure us of his capacity to pea the annals of the people of England (and not alone of the monarchs of Eng land) as they ought to be penned, but as they never have been hitherto. Honour to the " Old Printer" for his daring and patriotic enterprise. It is one eminentlybefitting him in his pre-eminent position as the classic biographer of the most glorious of all the sons of England—the biographer of Shakspere thus not inaptly aspiring to become the popular historian of Shakspere's Fatherland. An ambition worthy of crowning the labours of a life to which the people of England are already indebted, among other things, for the priceless boon of a cheap and wholesome literature. Amberhill. By A. J. BArroweliffe. 2 vols. Smith, Elder, and Co. might one clay be crushed beneath a mountain of gold. She feels it now ; her sin has been profit less, her guilt unavailing. Had she but waited and trusted all would have come right. She hears mocking voices in the air—" Well done, they say, well done ! You have had your will ; you have won a husband and his riches ; you have ransomed your father. Poor fool, it was needless ;it was labour utterly in vain ! You have given your life, you have bartered your soul to do it, and Death was waiting to forestall you at the last—to pour into your lap a greater treasure than even your sin has earned ! Lilian, what have you done ? There is Cyril ; look at him—can you see his heart ? There is Alice ; have you watched her in her chamber ? There is Michael, he waits for the marriage blessing ; do you think it is a curse ? Turn from them, Lilian, look at your own soul-- you dare not ! Yet the work is done. Tear off that deceit, it was NOT needful ; no not for that father's sake whom you have loved before your Lord. God's hand was ready to r e d o e m hi m; th e very wealth you thirsted for was garnered up and waiting the appointed time. It might have blessed you, it comes to crush you. Ali ! the mountain of gold !" Overwhelmed by these reflections her overwrought brain and over-taxed strength give way. She falls senseless, and when she recovers—where is she ? She has been for a year and a half the inmate of a lunatic asylum. She makes her escape through the open window before she discovers the fact, and hurries back to her native place, her beloved Am berhill. She passes the well-known church, she turns to look once more at her mother's grave, and reads her father's name upon the stone ! Yes ! he is dead, that weak though loving parent, who had made shipwreck of her life and Lis own—he from whom, in her shortsightedness, she would have averted every trial he had had to bear, the consequences of his own sins alone. His own curate, a fierce and unrelenting bigot, had discovered both his secrets and proclaimed them to the world, and he had sunk beneath the double disgrace, and his son had fled the country. Thus Lilian was left alone to learn how our wishes may be fulfilled and yet not granted. She had prayed and striven for wealth with an almost impious resistance to the will of Heaven, and her rebellious desire came to pass, and she stood alone in the world. But the bitter lesson was learnt at last, and the stormy heart found rest. She effected a reconciliation between her cousin and Mr.Hallidon ; she discovered her brother, who hail begun a new life in a new world, and blessings followed her footsteps. But the friend of the weary was at hand, she survived but to welcome the lover of her youth once more, and the weary spirit was at peaoe. The style is earnest and often eloquent, the characters dis tinctly drawn, and the interest unflagging. Some points in the plot are improbable, and some incon sistent with good taste, but the talents of the writer are evident, and the attention of the reader is secured. The lesson resulting from the effects of an undisciplined mind and a perverted judgment are clearly shown. Had Lilian, instead of striving after unattainable wealth, persuaded her father to surrender his benefice, and resign themselves to comparative poverty, she would have acted wisely and well. But we are not allowed to wait till the most convenient opportunity to choose the right course—to do wrong for a little while till our worldly prospects are secure, and then forsake it. We may rest assured, if we act thus, we shall not go untempted. If we loiter on the brink of the precipice, a false step will hurry us lower down than we intended. This moral, deduced with clear ness and vigour, is impressed on the pages before us. It shows the writer to be ono who has thought and felt deeply, and we may hope to receive from his pen another work like the present, in which the graphic power of talent portrays the dangers of self-deception, and the mind of the reader is mpressed with too-often forgotten truths. Hanso Towns. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 31, 1856. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen and Prince Albert left Windsor Castle at half-past 11 o'clock yesterday morning, attended by the Duchess of Sutherland, Lady Churchill, Lord Byron, Col. the Hon. C. B. Phipps, Sir Edward Bowater, Lord C. Fitzroy, Col. F. H. Seymour, and the Master of the Household. Her Hajesty and the Prince, travelled by a special train on the Great Western Railway, and proceeded from the Paddington terminus, escorted by a party of the 3d Light Dragoons, to Buckingham Palace, where the Royal party arrived at 26 minutes past 12 o'clock. Her Majesty, attended by Lady Churchill, Lord C. Fitzroy, and Col. Seymour, afterwards visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Glocester at Glocester-house. The Queen held a Court and Privy Council in the afternoon. At the Court M. Musurus had an audience of her Majesty, and delivered his new credentials as Ambassa dor from the Sultan of Turkey. Mr. Alfred Rucker had his first audience of the Queen, and delivered his credentials as Minister Resident of the Their Excellencies were introduced by the Earl of Clarendon. K.G., the Queen's principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and conducted by Major. Gen eral the Hon. Sir E. Cost, K.C.H., her Majesty's Master of the Ceremonies. The Right Hon. Sir Henry Bulwer, G.C.8., was pre. seated to the Queen at an audience by the Earl of Cla rendon on his return from his mission to Tuscany. Mr. Baron (George) Bramwell was presented to the Queen at an audience by Mr. Secretary Labouchere (act ing for Sir G. Grey), when her Majesty was graciously pleased to confer the honour of Knighthood upon him. Mr. Wrn. Carpenter Rowe (Queen's Crunsel), Chief Justice of Ceylon, was presented to her Majesty at an audience, by Mr. Secretary Labouchere, and had the honour of Knighthood conferred upon him. Mr. M. R. Sausse, Puisne Judge at Bombay, was presented by Mr. Secretary Labouchere to the Queen, and received the honour of Knighthood. Mr, William Edmond Logan, Director of the Geolo gical Survey in Canada, was presented by Mr. Secre tary Labouchere, when her Majesty was graciously pleased to confer the honour of Knighthood upon him. Mr. P. Benson Maxwell, Recorder of Prince of Wales's Island, was presented by Mr. Secretary La bouchere, and received from the Queen the honour of Knighthood. Mi. Richard Bolton M'Causland, Recorder of Singa pore, was presented at an audience by Mr. Secretary Labouchere, when her Majesty was graciously pleased to confer the honour of Knighthood upon him. Viscount Gough had an audience of the Queen in the Royal closet, when her Majesty was graciously pleased to deliver to his Lordship his gold stick of office as Colonel of the Royal Horse Guards. The Privy Council was attended by his Royal High ness Prince Albert, Earl Granville (Lord President), the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Harrowby, Lord Privy Seal ; Viscount Palmerston, First Lord of the Treasury ; the Earl of :Jlarendon, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs ; the Right Hon. Labouchere, Secretary of State for the Colonies ; Lord Panmure, Secretary of State for War ; Sir G. Lewis, Chancellor of the Exchequer ; S;r C. 'Wood, First Lord of the Admiralty; the Right Hon. R. V. Smith, President of the Board of Control ; Lord Stan ley of Alderley, President of the Board of Trade ; the Right Hon. M. T. Baines, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster ; and the Marquis of Abercorn, Groom of the Stole to the P;ince. . At the Council the Queen's Speech on opening Par liament was sanctioned by her Majesty in Council. The Queen pricked the list of Sheriffs for the different counties of England and Wales for the present year. The Hon. Win. Bathurst was the Clerk of the Council in Waiting. Her Majesty gave audience to Viscount Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, and Lord Panmure. The Right Hon. M. T. Baines, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, had an audience of the Queen. Her Majesty was attended by the Earl of Malgrave, Treasurer of the Household ; Lord Byron, Lord in Waiting ; and General Sir Edward Bowater, Groom in Waiting. Her Majesty and his Royal Highness the Prince honoured the Haymarket Theatre with their presence in the evening. The Royal suite consisted of Lady Churchill, Lord Byron, Lord C. Fitzroy, and Colonel Seymour. The Earl and Countess of Stanhope, Lord and Lady John Russell, Lord and Lady Stanley of Alderley, the Right Hon. Wm. and Mrs. Cowper, the Right Hon. T. B. Macaulay, the Right Hon. T. Pelnberton Leigh, Admiral the Hon. R. S. Dundas, Major-General Sir Richard Airey, and Major-General Dupuis, command. ing the Royal Horse Artillery in the Crimea, left Windsor Castle yesterday. Mr.. John •Wood, Chairman of the Beard of In- land Revenue, had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday. Sir A. Spearman had also an interview yesterday with the Right Hon. Baronet. Despatches from the Governors of the West India Colonies were received yesterday at the Colonial office. Eureka-Lit is found ! A really national cyclo psedia—a new dictionary of universal knowledge— issued as a cheap periodical, and yet delivered to the subscribers with such admirable rapidity as to come almost at once into their hands as a substan tial publication. Already (in attestation of this) half of the entire work has even now been per fected—perfected within three years from the date of its commencement. A similarly brief interval will place the other moiety in our possession. Eight out of the sixteen volumes of the serial may now be ranged upon our bookshelves for consulta tion. The remaining eight are to follow in due sequence s according to Mr. Knight's original an nouncement. Hitherto he has been true to his word—he will not fail to fulfil his later promises with equal accuracy in the hereafter. He has taught us to regard his assurances upon these mat ters with implicit and illimitable confidence. He has earned his right to our respectful acceptance of his declarations upon these heads as neither illu sory nor simply speculative. What he engages to do, he does, and does, moreover, always right well, and—thoroughly. It cannot very easily be forgotten by the reading public of England, that to Charles Knight, among all men, it is indebted, especially, directly, personally indebted for the boon of an unbounded supply of instructive and entertaining, cheap and wholesome publications. As the originator of our respectable cheap litera ture, Charles Knight takes foremost rank among the more eminent and the more practical of our great national benefactors. He is incomparably and beyond all question the Father of the new Sys tem. Individually, as an author, as a man of in tellect—his fame will rest, of course, upon the me mory of his luminous writings as facile princeps amcng the commentators and biographers of Shak spere. It gives promise, moreover—thi s literary re putation of his—of being very considerably enhanced by his ingenious researches as the popular historian of England. Otherwise—as a philanthropist, as a promoter of general education, as a publisher — Charles Knight will be most honourably remem bered in his capacity as the founder of the recent, but already wide-spread system of good and cheap literature, whether in regard to books, or in regard to periodicals. Recollect, it was Charles Knight who, years and years ago, poured lavishly from his printing press, every successive Saturday, the weekly instalments of that very memorable illus trated instructor—the Penny Magazine. It was Charles Knight, again, who in the same way, month after month, printed and published that well remembered pocket library—the Shilling Volumes. It was Charles Knight who was the accepted and authoritative medium for the distribution all over the empire of the famous treatises of that much abused but eminently serviceable body—the ,society for the Difficsion, of Usefid Knowledge. It was Charles Knight who did all this, and who, besides doing all this, crowned the whole of his really benign labours at once as author, and editor, and publisher, by giving to the world another genuine world-wonder in the shape of his heinous Penny Cyclopedia. He has, since then, in a re markable little volume called "The Old Printer and Modern Press," related how it came to pass that the last-mentioned work, in spite of its ad mitted excellence, never became so far successful as to he actually remunerative. He has therein laid it down as an axiom that no serial publication has ever really succeeded in this country, which occupiscl more than four or five years, at the very utmost, in the stages of its periodical appearance— explaining, while doing so, very lucidly, the why and the wherefore. Ho has recounted, for ex ample, in illustration of his accuracy in this rather startling estimate, how the " Penny Cyclopiedia," during the eleven years absorbed in the progress of its issue, number by number, pai.t by part, volume by volume, gradually, at first almost imperceptibly, but in the end very appreciably, dwindled from a circulation of 50,000, to a circula tion of 20,000—upwards of half the number of the original subscribers finding their patience exhausted long before the arrival of the ultimate date of its completion ! Instructed by the very costly expe rience thus purchased, Mr. Knight deliberately re solved upon the issue in weekly numbers at sixpence, and in monthly parts at two shillings, and in quar terly volumes at twelve shillings, of THE NATIONAL CYCLOP.EDIA, a Dictionary of Universal Know ledge, based upon The Penny Cyelopcedia. A won derful undertaking, apart from its cheapness, when it is remembered that it is, to all intents and pur poses, a new cycloptedia, to be begun and finished. within five years altogether from the actual date of its coinmencemeat. Yet more remarkably to faci litate the completion of the serial in the hands of the subscribers, Mr. Knight, it appears to us most judiciously, decided upon an alphabetical arrange ment of his English CyclopLedia under four separate divisions, each complete in four volumes—first, 4 vols. of " Geography ;" secondly, 4 vols. of " Natural History ;" thirdly, 4 vols. of " Sciences and Arts ;" fourthly, 4 vole of " History and Bio graphy "—sixteen volumes altogether. A couple of these divisions appearing simultaneously. Already, as we have said, exactly half of the entire work, as thus organised, has by this time made its appearance. Tao subscribers have thus, within little more than two years and a-half acquired in return for the petty outlay of just sixpence per week, eight splendid volumes, comprising within them a perfect cyclopmdia of " Natural History and "Geography." Beautifully printed in clear type, upon excellent paper, and lavishly adorned with woodcut illustrations, the text of the old work (the " Penny Cyclopdia.") having been carefully remodelled in the new work (the "English Cyclopdia ''), so as to adapt it to the advanced state of existing knowledge ! How successfully all this has been accomplished in the two broad divisions of the work already completed, may be easily enough conjectured, when it is bobornem mind that among the distinguished authorities consulted in reference to the natural sciences are contemporaries as illustrious as Owen in regard to anatomy, as Liebig in regard to c hemistry, as Austad i n regar d to geo l ogy, as Broderip in regard to ornithology, and so forth throughout. Speaking of the work at this stage o f it s publication, we are not estimating its value merely es; pule llcrettlem ! It is something better and more advanced even than a torso. Already there stand before us, each compl e t e i n it se lf an d maturely perfected, two out of the four figures arranged to be grouped together, in symmetrical order, upon the pedestal of the English Cyclopcedia. We can speak of them, therefore, as we find them ; and we find them in all essential respects really admirable. When brought to its final close th e aggregate work will be embellished with upwar d s of five thousand wood engravings-5,000 separa t e illustrations, scattered over the pages of s i x t een quarto volumes of inestimably instructiv e letter press. Sixpence a week for all this—the wonders of our age it must be confessed are not altogether restricted to such marvels as the steam-engine and the electric telegraph. The Popular History of England. By Charles Knight. No. I. Bradbury and Evans. Here, indeed, we have in simple truth before us but the foot of a Hercules. It were presumptuous This is a striking and remarkable story, with great originality of plot and vivid delineation of character, drawn by a vigorous if unpractised hand. Yet, notwithstanding the talents displayed in its production, the impression it leaves on the reader's mind is not a pleasing one, though it may serve to point a moral to those whose passionate affections mislead their judgment, and whose desire to make those they love happy overpowers their sense of right. It presents us with the melancholy picture of a vehement and gifted nature, with an enthusi astic reverence for all that is true and noble, and a fervent sense of right, wandering in the paths of sin and sorrow, and wrecking all its hopes of hap piness and virtue, on that rock which has proved fatal to so many, " doing evil that good may come." It is written in the form of an autobio graphy, the writer being the only daughter of a clergyman who has four sons. The story opens with a tragedy. On a sultry summer afternoon the heroine, then only a girl, is in her father's study, when sho overhears a conversation between him and her mother, which opens to her the fatal secret which mars her whole after life. As her mother is persuading her husband to choose the right way, and has just triumphed, she sees her youngest child playing in the garden in the thunderstorm. She flies to bring him into safety, and they are both struck dead beneath an old cedar tree. The same vivid flash deprives another of her brothers of sight, and a third dying some time after, Lilian, and her eldest brother Lawrence, are all that remain of the once happy family, the blind boy being placed at a school, and seldom returning home. But the bit terest sorrow was to come. Lilian's father, as we have already said, was a clergyman of the English Church, but being of a controversial disposition he had become persuaded that her ritual was not the right one. What the precise nature of his doubts was, his daughter never knew ; she only knew that he did doubt, and she saw the result. This father was the one great object of Lilian's existence. Her affection for him was intense, and she saw that t continue the outward observance of his profession was to him torture. But he was of that weak and vacillating disposition, which possessing the noblest impulses, might almost as well have the worst. " With e longings of an angel" he had neither strength of mind nor moral rectitude sufficient to stay him from acts that were almost criminal. The thought of his family deterred him trom surrender inn' his benefice. His wife and five children he thought he could not doom to poverty, and so he lingered arid delayed till his wife, with firmer principle and stronger faith, persuaded him to do what was right, nothing doubting—for whatever the real value of his opinions, it is certain that if lie believed them true, be should have followed them. The hand of death withdrew from hint his adviser and support, and with her his new resolu tions. Lilian was aware of the struggle in her father's mind, and an earnest longing to aid him filled her heart. She saved all she could, but found her hoards proceed slowly, and a passionate desire for wealth seized her. She sought it, it is true, for her father's sake ; but, alas, when once riches are made our final object, reckless of the moans by which they are attained, however pure the heart, however holy the object, the path to every crime lies open. All Lilian's better feelings were sacri ficed at the shrine of gold. Her early lover was poor, and the first affection of her heart was sur rendered. She found herself desiring the death of her miser uncle, nay, almost conniving at it, for she neglected to warn him of danger. His pacl:et book fell into her hands ; she became a thief. It is true that the check she withdrew from it did not profit her as her brother claimed it ; but that did not excuse the act. Finding the philosopher's stone still eluding her grasp, she resolved to captivate a rich lawyer, with whom she was well acquainted, and who had extricated her from a serious diffi culty. She succeeded, and they were engaged, though with the confession on his part that he had once loved another, and could never hope to love again. Lilian was reckless, she had taught herself to love him, and freedom for her father was an object great enough to compensate for any defici encies. A cousin of Lilian's, Alice Campbell, came to reside with her a few months betore her mar riage. She had been brought up by her aunt, a strictly conscientious woman, but had never seen her mother's family, owing to her aunt's displea sure against Mr. O'May, Lilian's father. This was another of the instances in which his fatal weakness of disposition entailed misery on others, and re morse on himself. He had recommended a friend to the dying Mr. Campbell, as a guardian for his daughter, whom he believed to be unworthy of the trust. He proied so, and the orphan was left penniless. Her aunt, in displeasure, would never see the author of the misfortune, and broke off an engagement which Alice had, formed, on learning that her lover was a friend of Mr. O'May. This lover was no other than Mr. Hal lidon, the lawyer, to whom Lilian was en gaged, and as the wedding-day rapidly ap proached, that was to fulfil the hopes of her life and set her father free, the long-parted lovers met at Lilian s home. They were both too upright, however, to wish the engagement broken without Lilian's consent, and that she would not give. To the passages which follow we must demur. How ever much Lilian's love for her father had become, the ruling passion of her life, however great her desire to set him free from his difficulties, how ever vehement and excitable her feelings by nature, it is, to say the least, highly improbable that she should have been so lost to all womanly dignity and self-respect, so forgetful of feminine propriety and delicacy, as to insist on the fulfilment of Mr. Hallidon's promise to her against his wish. It sufficiently proves that the story is traced by a masculine pen, for though Lilian's character is described as almost Italian in its vehemence and ' excitement, her finer and better feelings were in compatible with such a course. It was scarcely possible that she should have become so hardened in her gold-seeking course, and the fact of her be ing described as really cherishing an affection for Michael Hallidon, renders it the more improbable. Butso the author, to our regret, has described it. Lilian refuses to abandon her rights, which the others admit to be pre-eminent, and so affairs proceed for a few days. Lilian, meanwhile, is perplexed by repeated demands for money from her brother. We have not alluded to his pursuits before, though they occupy a prominent place in the story. It is enough that lie has persuaded his father to write a falsehood about his age, to obtain him a situation, and is compelled to bribe one who knows it to silence. He, too, has possession of his father's secret, and uses it to extort large sums of money from that miserable man. Driven almost wild by the troubles around her, and tortured by the sense of all her own wrong doing, Lilian finds a letter one day announcing the miser's death and her succession to all his wealth. 'Bitterly she re ' CA l3 a PKQPIlega 014 her desire fer Tr' 3 ealtb that oho Vi • .....e:.~Jf'~'t.'. ~". t POLITICAL DINNERS. Olive Hastings. A Novel. By Mrs. Parry. 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett. This story is well calculated to wile away soli tude or amuse an idle hour. It is somewhat more romantic than the generality of novels now met with, and it will thus be attractive to those who delight in tracing a heroine's adventures through countless dangers and amid sundry snares—at one time surrounded by friend s , and suddenly the prey of cruel enemies, and abandoned to despair. Olive Hastings is a pleasing and charming personage to grace a romance and adorn a narrative. She was singularly situated, and the plut is ingeniously constructed, and all the events which led to her strange position in Mrs. Dugeon's family are pro bable. Some of the characters who figure in the scene are strikingly described, and give a vigour and vivacity to the tale. Edward Crichton, with his melancholy tendency and gloomy ideas, the result of a neglected youth Colonel Merlin, who possessed naturally a good disposition and kind heart, but who, by want of self-command, andl wrong companions, had perverted the one and warped the other, are contrasts effectively brought before the reader. One went from bad to worse, till an awful death completed a neglected life, with out a moment's preparation for the " weighty cares of an eternal scene ; ' the other gradually amending what was wrong in his life and rendering himself more worthy of the excellent maiden on whom he had fixed his affections. The worldly and selfish temper of Mrs. Dugeon and Miss Shamwell are truthfully sketched, and we may form a notion from their proceedings of what the unfortunate have to encounter who are bound by natural, legal, or circumstantial ties to such natures. Poor Olive found treacherous friends in such a family, and a dreary home in that house over which Miss Sham well presided. Only her inexperience could have induced her to bind herself as an apprentice to the wily woman, who, under the guise of friendly assistance, was making all things subser vient to her interest. Mary Dugeon, the coquette, is a likely instarace of what conceit and ill temper will bring their victims to. She nearly met with an agonising and untimely grave as the sequel of her rash and headstrong conduct, and it is not to be wondered at that she should, from the period of her restoration to health and strength, determine on a quiet and secluded mode of life. It is only an event of retributive justice, when the crafty and cunning set at Portglou are caught in their own toils, and while they retire into disgraceful obscu rity, they hear of their escaped victims taking their exalted places, amid the great and good of the land. Tho unlucky ,4 Will," who was driven about in all directions by the cruel family, is interesting from his zeal and fidelity to the cause of the orphan, Olive, who was a fellow-sufferer in the same house as himself. It is satisfactory to hear of his meeting with friends at last. Olive's various captures and escapes are exciting, and if such occurrences are rare nowadays, in com parison to what they used to be, it is not unlikely that so vehement a nun as Colonel Merlin should seek to profit by stratagem when common forms did not avail him. Be was urged on and goaded to his base acts by a still more adroit deceiver, who spent his life from youth to ago in the practise of evil works. He died at last by the hand of him whom he had led astray. With her gentle man ners and meek spirit Olive possessed a determina tion and energy tha - , rose equal to any emergency, and hence she escaped wonderfully out of the hands of her enemies. "Deprived of all, of every stay, save Innocence and Heaven," she came un harmed out of the conflict, and triumphed in the majesty of devotion and truth. Her story is capable of enlivening by its variety, and interest ing by its depth of feeling, and the right purpose displayed in its coiaposition. The reader is intro duced to numerous phases of society, which con tain graphic sketches of good and evil, and several characters appear chose diversity of disposition are skilfully depicted, thus presenting altogether an attractive novel fot perusal. RAILWAY B:LLS IN PARLIAMENT. Yesterday the follcwing bills were declared to have complied with the standing orders : Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland.—Exten sion to Strokestown Ind Cavan. Oxford, Worcestel, and Wolverhampton Railway.— To extend the time or completing the line, aid adapt ing the same to the broad gauge, a. id to facilitate the construction of the branch to . Stratford•on-Avon ; also to raise 150,0001. for completion of the broad gauge, and to convert mortgage debt into stock. Scottish Central Railway.— For branch railways to Denny. Carmarthen and Cardigan.•—For deviation of line, at a cost of 190,0001. Alford Valley Railway.—For consE,"nation, at a cost of 85,000/. Formarture and Buchan Railway.—Vor a line from the Great North of Scotland to Stricken, at an esti mated cost of 245,000/. Dareoth Valley Railway.—For deviations and pur chase of land. The two bills declared not to have complied with the standing orders on some technical growidis were : Llanidloes and ICewtown Railway.—For abandonment of part of authorised line, purchase of additional lands, &c. East Somerset Railway.—For construcl'ing, at a cost of 75,0001. The other bills cf a miscellaneous kind A ,ere-13road stairs Harbour, Fier, and Landing-place (to be con structed out of nooney to be raised on the rates); and Isle of Wight Steam Bridge and Approacbk (to estab lish a company for a floating bridge between Stokes Bay and Ryde, at a not of 20,0001) ; North Elields and Tynemouth Docki'cost 100,0001.); Bath Ga e; Renfrew shire Roads ; a n d Col n b roo k Road and Con way Road. NEWSPAPERS AND ADVERTISEMENTS.—A ccording to a return just puliished, the duty on newspal )ers and ad vertisements in tae year ended the 31st of March last was 478,7821. Earl Granville, Lord President of the Privy Council, gave a full-dress dinner last evening, at his residence in Bruton-street, to a party of pecre, consisting of the Earls of Gasford and Abingdon, the mover and se. conder of the Address, the Lnrd Chancellor, the Duke of Argyll, the Marquises of Lansdowne, Abercorn, Clanricarde, and Townshend ; Earls Fitz william, Har rowby, Shaftesbury, Somers, Cowper, and Bessborough; Viscounts Hardinge, Sydney, Falkland, and Torrington; Lords Overstone, Stanley of Alderley, Broughton, Hatherton, Glenelg, De Tabley, Wodehouse, Dufferin, Monteagle, Foley, and Camoys. Viscount Palmerston gave a full-dress dinner yester day, at his re-4idPnce in Piccadilly, to the following mem bers of the House of Commons :—The Speaker, the Right Hon. H. Fitzroy (chairman of Ways and Means), the Hon. G. Byng (mover of ,the Address), Mr. Baxter (seconder of the Address), the Right lion. M. T. Baines, Sir M. F. Berkeley, Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon. R. Vernon Smith, the Chancellor of the Exchegner, the Right Hon. H. Labouchere. Viscount I)ruwlanrig, Viscount Monk, Viscount Duncan, the Earl of Mut. grave, the Right Hon. E. P. Bouverie, the Right Hon. W. Cowper, the Right Hon. W. G. Hayter. the Righ t lion. Sir Benjamin Hall, the Right lion. E. Horemae, the Right Hon. NV. Keogh, the Right Hon. Robert Lowe, the Right Hon. W. Monsell, Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Frederick Peel, Mr. James Wilson, Sir A. Cock burn, and Sir Richard Bethel!, the Hon. Henry Brand, General Buckley, Mr.. Grenville Berkeley, Mr. W. N. Massey. Mr. R. Othorne, Mr. J. D. Fitzgerald, Mr. J. Moncrieff, and Mr. H. 1). Seymour. Mr. Charles C. Clifford also dined with the noble viscount. Lord Ernest Bruce was prevented dining with his lordship owing to a recent domestic affliction. Viscount Palmerston and Earl Granville read the Queen's Speech on opening Parliament to their respec- tire guests. Toe Right Hon. B. Disraeli received yesterday at dinner, Grosvenor-gate. a party of members of the House of Commons. There were present—the Earl of March, the Marquis of Blandford, the Marquis of Granby, the Marqui# of Chandos, Lord Bective, Lord Win. Graham, Lord Barrington, Lord Galway, Lord Stanley, L , )rd Lovaine, Lord Newark, Lord Newport, Lord Elmley, Lord R. Cecil, Lord Edwin Hill, Hon. Eliot Yorke, Colonel Hon. Henry Lowther, Hon. R. Windsor Clive, Right Hon. Sir J. Trollope, Right Hon. Sir J. Pakington, Right Hon. C. N. Hamilton Sir "Watkin W. Wynn, Sir J. Yards Buller, Sir William Joliffe, Sir E. Lytton, Mr. Palmer (Berkshire), Mr. Miles, Mr. Buck, Mr. Bentinek, Mr. Stanhope, Mr. Egerton, Colonel Howard Vyse, Colonel Gilpin, Mr. Dupre, Mr. Gore Langton, Mr. Palk, Mr. Knightley, Mr. Bateson, Mr. Packs, Mr. Portal, Mr. Fellowes, and Mr. Archdall. Yesterday evening the Earl of Derby entertained at dinner in St. James's-square twenty-eight members of the House of Peers. Amongst them were the following : —The Duke of Manchester, Duke of Montrose, Duke of Cleveland, Marquis of Salisbury, Marquis of Exeter, Earls of Eglinton, Desart, Lucan, Cardigan, Lonadale, Winchilsea, Malmesbury, Hardwicke, Sandwich ; Lords Stradbroke, Redesdale, Colchester, St. Leonards, &c, MANSION HOUSE.—Yesterday the Lord Mayor enter tained Mr. Thwaites, chairman, and the other members of the Metropolitan Board of Works, and a number of distinguished and private friends, at dinner. Among those present were—Mr. Thwaites, Mr. W. Corrie, Mr. W. Williams, M.P., Mr. T. Turner, Sir W. Cubitt, Mr. Carpenter Rowe, Mr. Pasbley, Q.C., Mr. Hardwick, The Chisholm, Mr. Rose, Mr. Walker, Alderman Sir John Musgrove. Bart., Mr. Alderman Challis, M.P., Alderman Sir Francis Graham Moon, Bart., the Right Hon. J. Stuart Wortley, M.P., Recorder of London, Alderman Sir R. W. Carden, Mr. Alderman Wire, Mr. Alderman Carter, Mr. Alderman Cubitt, M.P., Alderman Sir Henry Muggeridge, Mr. Alderman and Sheriff Huntley Kennedy, Mr. Alderman and Sheriff Rose, Mr. Alderman Eagleton, Mr. Alderman Lawrence, Mr. Corrie, Captain Gossett, Rev. Mr. Erle, Mr. Waley, Mr. P. Salomons, Dr. Letheby, Mr. J. Dillon, Professor Sylvester, Captain Barnett, R.N., Mr. Serjeant Mere wetber, Mr. J. Ingram Travers, Mr. B. Travers, jun., Mr. Walker, Mr. R. Lambert Jones, Mr. Deputy Lott, Rer. Dr. Mortimer, D.D., Mr. Miller, Mr. Bristow, Mr. B. Drew, Mr. Bunning, Mr. Hayward, Mr. Josiah Wilkinson, Mr. R. B. Seeley, Mr. Nicholay, Mr. Deputy Harrison, Mr. T. H. Hall, Mr. L. Davis, Mr. Doputy Rathbone, Mr. Deputy Peaoock. UNITED MEXICAN ASSOCIATION.—The half-yearly meeting of this association took place yesterday, Sir 3. Easthope presiding, when the report was received and approved. The works at Jesus Maria and La Trin'idad mines are making progress ; but a further outlay will be required to test their produce at a greater depth, and 8,0001. is estimated as the necessary amount. The assets in Mexico inolude 6,0001. cash and ores, and 10,0001. a claim on the Government ; but, as regards the latter, the present condition of politics excludes the texpectation of its immediate payment. It is though,. however, that sufficient can be provided from these sources to carry out operations, and the directors promise to exercise strict i e c c h o n s o , 0 7 0 . 1. T s thaenfdusn to os theiu Loudenorfe p u r n e c s e l a n i t m l e o d , 80d0i v/i -dends, while 5,3001. will have to be appropriated to meet outstanding liabilities. If further capital should prove to be essential, the directors propose to avail themselves of the power to raise the remainder of the loan granted on a previous occasion. The amount of specie brought by the West I n di a steamer yesterday is 140,0001., of which 90,0e01. iq • gold. The CHAIRMAN, after repeating the statements he had made at the formation of the association on the 22d inst., and the efforts he had made to promote railway re form, and to establish peaceful relations and harmonious working between rival companies, explained that the reason the meeting was not more numerously attended, both to-day and on the previous occasion, was that no step beyond advertising. had been taken to secure a large attendance. He bad, however, great confidence in the truths of the principle upon which they were pro seeding, and be had no doubt they would speedily see the results of those (at present small) meetings in the existence of a powerful and widespread association. (Hear.) Referring to the mismanagement of the Eas tern Counties line, he said that after the exposé made by the committee of investigation, it would be impossible to prevent the adoption of a better system in that eoin pany, let Mr. Waddington and the directors do what they might. He then quoted Mr. Waddington's book and Mr. Capper's evidence as to the Eastern Counties coal trade, and urged that the gain there stated of Sc. 3d. per mile per train of 30 waggons, which would give a profit of something like 320,0001. each half year on this branch of traffic, and contended that that calculation proceeded upon the fallacy that the 30 waggons ran the whale distance, whereas the number of waggons was diminished at every station from - Peterborough south ward, and the receipts became less and less, while the expenses teiatinued to the end of the journey. This was not taken into account in estimating profits, nor in the instance alluded to. The annual expenditure neces sary to keep the railway, the rolling stock. and the buialings on the line had, according to the engineer's account, been withheld and omitted from the calcula tions. These charges woul•C have wholly absorbed the total net earnings of the line. He then adverted to the bill read by Mr. Love, of the Eastern Counties Railway, which proposed the issue of a Six per Cent. Preference Stoek, which lie contended the cash account showed to be wholly unnecessary, though the sys stein which the directors had pursued would, if con• tinned, compel them to take that step a year or two hence. The Eastern Counties eves by no means an isolated case. There were many other lines which carried on a large traffic at a loss. Take the North- Western, the average earnings of each engine on that line in 1846 amounted to 5.261/. net, while in 1854, not withstanding the numerous improvements in the con struction of locomotive engines, the gross earnings of each engine upon the same line were only 4,254/. He be lieved that the great loss was upon the goods traffic, and that the French railways carried a smaller proportion of goods as compared with the extent of the passenger traf fic, which was, he considered, one reason why they paid so much better than our own. There was another item of expenditure which in calculating traffic rates ought to be considered, and that was the money they were called upon to pay in compensation for injuries resulting from railway accidents. Juries as well as the legislature ap peared to lock upon railway companies as fair game, and the practice wart generally to apportion the damage, not according to the circumstances of the accident, or the degree of blame attaching to the company, but to the circumstances of the party injured, so that railways ought in justice to themselves to inquire into the position in life of every traveller who came to them, and charge the tare higher or lower accordingly. It would almost seem that when floggitg in the army and navy was abo lished, the lash had been transferred to the backs of rail way shareholders. Amongst other points of mismanage ment, to the correction of which the association might direct attention was the permitting the salaried servants of the railways to become contractors, shipowners, and traders, as in the instance of Mr. Gooch, of the Eastern Counties, the practice of giving certain large carriers a sort of monopoly of the goods traffic, whereby theydrew a commission on all goods carried ; the mingling together of capital and revenue in the accounts, and the running of long heavy trains where lighter trains would be suffi cient. A change in dill - latter _respect would increase ra ther than diminish the accommodation afforded to the public, while it would avoid the necessity for employing the large heavy engines, which. were a ccnstant source of expense by destroying the permanent way. It was proposed to manage the affairs of the associa tion by a council of 100 members, 25 to be elected in London and the rest to represent the principal provin cial towns, and from this council an executive committee of twelve would bo appointed. There had been some doubt expressed as to the prospect of obtaining sufficient funds. As far so they had gone —and they wonld re member the association was only a week old—there was every indication that there would be no want of the sinews of war. (Hear, hear.) Most of the members of the committee had subscribed ten guineas each, and were prepared to subscribe as much more if required, but it was considered that a small annual subscription extending over the whole body of the railway proprietors of the country would lee the more satisfactory mode of raising the requisite funds. The sum suggested was ten shillings, and that, it was expected, would bo sufficient, but of course the committee would be glad to receive larger subscriptions from those whore circumstances per mitted it. He had had oommunicatione from Lord Wynford and several influential persons in Parliament, and from many large shareholders, approving of the movement and promising support. He moved that the report be adopted. (Hear, hear.) Mr. BRowx, who believed that the great bane of rail ways was competition, and consequent low rates, sug gested that the first object of the association should be to communicate with the several boards, with a view to induce rival companies to work in concert, and adopt paying rates. He seconded the motion for adopting the report. Mr. G. SMITH thought it wise to lay down certain principles for the guidance of the association. First, they ought to consult all accountants, in order to devise some simple and plain mode of keeping railway accounts for universal adoption. (Hear, hear.) As they were now made up and presented to the shareholders, it was impossible to understand them. They were now framed, as it appeared to him, for the sole purpose of coafu i g. He also considered that ' some improved system of audit was necessary. Mr. GOLDOLIDT hoped the reckless expenditure entered companies,rthe purpose not merely of litigation, .l of for the purpose ought intoof construction, o b n y s t railway rtrcti on, but for to occupy the attention of the coun elthe associatio n . He knew an instance where, out of a capital of a million, 11 9 ,0001. had been throw n awa y i n law and Parlia mentary- expenses. There was a case, too, th at was now pending before the courts, between two opposing com panies.one proposed to settle the matter in dispute The • ~ by arbitration, but the other refused, and lodged no fewer than 39 pleas in answer to the claim of the other. Ete su ggested that an annual list of the members of the I n d in b e e n d s e e d, a sent rounds he r point ano f toa railwayll of reform, efo pro r p a r , , a i e rd"ute;cti a ti n o d n should in the nu m b er o f t h e di rectors form i ng t h e board. The foreign rail wa y s , ass ociation which were se much better managed than our own, were generally in the hands of four or five able and well-paid directors. (near, hear.) Mr. SMITH moved a resolution approving the objects of the association, and promising it support; which , 1 having been seconded, was carried unanimously. This resolution was proposed and accepted as a substitute for the motion. of the chairman for adopting the report, which was withdrawn.) Another resolution, appointing the council of 25 gen tlemen, with power to increase their number to 100, and to select from amongst themselves an executive com mittee of 12, was carried, after an objection from Captain Tuckett that the election of the whole number ought to be left to the general body, and some remarks from Mr. Mitchell showing the necessity for the association by a reference to the depreciation in the market value of all railway property, AO, auswerirg nail a do conumute ___ The annexed extract from the New York Herald, of the 31st ultimo, will show that the far-famed " Wizard" has not achieved merely an European reputation. His character amongst our transatlantic brethren is such as to render everything in which he is concerned matter of general interest, and the account of his well-merited suc cess will gratify the amour propre of the " Statesmen," by showing that the verdict which they so unanimously returned has received the imprimatur of a long succes sion of London audiences. The advertisements of the Professor, however, only constitute a portion of his great triumph. They may afford him a fair chance of displaying his wonderful resources, but unless he had the stuff in him they would speedily become worse than useless. We gladly recognise the advantages derived from the assist ance of his admirable auxiliary, Mr. E. P. Hingston, whose intelligence, amenity, and indefatigable zeal have become "familiar to our ears as household words." But that is a portion of the tact of the Professor, who has accomplished the difficult task of invariably finding " the right man for the right placs." He never made a more successful hit than in associating Mr. Hingston with himself. But still under any circumstances he must have achieved the triumphs he so eminently merited. " I cannot overlook another great planet that has juAt created a new orbit of his own. Anderson, the Wizard of the North, has been giving his well-known entertain ments' for over one hundred nights to houses overflowing and large as at find. His tricks are well done and some of them quite novel, but ho has succeeded in stirring up this immense curiosity simply by dint of advertising, not the ordinary process of announcement such as every body knows, but by a variety of literary legerdemain such ass was never before attempted. The Wizard' has the good fortune to possess a man of all work, for be does everything but perform the Wizard's tricks, which no doubt he could do, by name of Hingeton, who is the inventor of this novel, curious, and amusing style of ad vertisement. If he could only secure a patent for it, though, in fact, he has the monopoly in his own wit, he could make a fortune, and no doubt will. I cannot stop just now to analyse the really scientific way be carries out his purpose, but his mural literature, for invention, variety, and pint, is unsurpassed. Barnum is out-Bar flurried at last—for a greater than be has appeared." THE METROPOLITAN BOARD 01? WORKS. The following is the programme of the business to be transacted by this board at its meeting on Friday (to- morrow) :- 1. To confirm the byelaw regulating the width of streets and alleys, made by the board on the 25th inst. 2. As to advances to the contractors. 3. To receive report from the committee appointed to consider the foimation of committees to hear and deter mine appeals ; for financial purposes ; to consider bye law& ; to confer with vestries and district hoards ; to re port on duties of the board under the Building Act ; to examine and report on claims for compensation. 4. To take into consideration the necessity of appoint tan e p o A r fa t d to that this tich i ate boardt bißoenoaas da t . i the ing, at an early period, a solicitor to the board. 5. To consider the following motions, of which no tices were given at the last meeting : By Mr. Davis—" That all the principal officers being appointed, the remaining or subordinate officers be ap pointed by the chairman and a committee to be named at this meeting." By Mr. Corrie—" That it be referred to a committee t to consider and report to ia board hnccielooetni w rpi kmo h aw e rtueo t en b rn e se r ocieft necessary," a i r l n makehe opinion th e s o e f w s e u r c s such a e n o d t n n w tt k e s e, mbee,pitritoidneecnit in n e p t r b o e ce l e 3 d s t t z clause of the Metropolis Local Managers/eat Act before some changes ifan havew,bi applicationsh e ch e i n no m otLi a ine d iT e rac i nou ;: i borrow ingstru n e r io n n ey to co s n u t c a h in c eli m n i t t h w a o t d for general purpo.seß. H. W eTneoraricceive RAILWAY REFORM. The meeting of railway proprietors, held on the 22d inst., to promote reform in railway management, and adjourned to the 30th, was continued yesterday aocord ingly, at the London Tavern, Mr. W. MALINS presiding as before. There was a very limited attendance, and the chair man in consequence delayed the proceedings for some time beyond the hour advertised, but without any effect in adding to the numbers. The lion. SECRETARY read the following report from the committee appointed at the previous meeting : " Since the last meeting your committee have been in communication with many influential proprietors, and have obtained much valuable information, many impor tant offers of co-operation, and every indication of liberal pecuniary suppsrt. Your committee purpose, with a view to a rapid and efficient organisation of the associa tion, to obtain with all convenient speed lists of the shareholders in the various lines, when a direct applica tion will be made to every individual to enrol himself a member of your association ; and they are encouraged to believe that the result will be such a concentration of the proprietary influence as must speedily make itself felt in the conduct of railway affairs. Your committee have not thought it expedient to define with too rigid precision the objects or modes of action of the associa tion, deeming it more desirable that these vital subjects should receive the deliberate consideration of the council when fully formed. Your committee have had under their consideration as various suggestions brought before the meeting held on the 22d inst., amongst others the pro posal that railway proprietors should be invited to en rol themselves en masse in the ranks of the association, and that the council might rely for funds on spon taneous contributions, to be made from time to time ; but your committee being of opinion that the scale of the operations of the association can only be safely based on a reliable fund, have not deemed it ad visable to adopt this suggestion ; but, desirous of exclud ing none by a high subscription, they recommend that an annual payment of half-a-guinea shall constitute membership. It will be obvious that even these arrange ments will, at all events for the present, necessitate the exercise of a judicious liberality on the part of the more wealthy supporters of our objects. Your committee have also considered the question of local associations, and are of opinion that their establishment will be emi nently useful. In accordance with this conclusion, the chairman attended an influential meeting at Liverpool on Monday last, and a powerful association is in process of organisation in that town. Time did not admit o f his visiting Manchester, but the committee hope that a similar association will be forthwith formed there, which will be well supported, and they are glad to announce that they have good grounds for believing that power ful local associations will be formed without delay in most of the principal towns i n th e United Kingdom. Your committee are fully sensible that they will have much to overcome in the inertness of many pro prietors, and in th a t official hostility which ever mani fests itself towards vigilant control ; but having no party battle to fight, no personal antipathies to serve, actu ated solely by the single purpose of restoring prosperity to a depreciated property, they are encouraged to be• lieve that at no distant day the association will be po tent for good, and conduce to make railway manage ment as conspicuous for adherence to sound commer cial principles as railway enterprise is for its pre-emi nent magnitude." ~s~~ ..~. of the weekly press as to the proposed mode of action, and the advisability of raising fares. After some conversation upon points of mere detail, op, vote of thanks was passed in favour of the chairman, which closed the business. TILE GREAT W.ESTMINSTER MEETING.. The 'Westminster meeting of yesterday has in every respect transcended our utmost expectations. A more respectable gathering of earnest reformers and strenuous advocates of popular progress never look place in a city which had for generations been celebrated for its patriotism and attachment to the cause of civil and religious liberty. The great Hall was crowded in all parts, not excepting the galleries, while the feeling which animated the vast and intel ligent assembly was such as we have rarely witnessed. It was a most significant sign of the times. It was clear as the meridian sun, from the spirit by which the crowded meeting was influenced, that the people are far in advance of their leaders, and that if a few men of talent, patriotism, and character were but to come forward to direct a national move ment, we should see such an agitation in favour of popular rights, both at home and a b roa d , as t hi s country never before witnessed. There exist mate rials for accomplishing those great reforms in the present state of affairs in England, such as no leader of the people ever before had to work with. A n d though we cannot at the moment name the right man for the important office of heading a grand national organisation for reforms which are so much needed, we do not doubt that, as the Hour has manifestly arrived for the national movement, the Man will not long be wanting. We refer our readers to the copious report, which we give in another part of our impression, of yes terday's proceedings at St. Martin's Hall. If Minis ters had faithful friends there, they must by this time be profoundly impressed with the convic tion that the people of England will not tamely submit to any terms of peace which are not com patible with the honour and interests of this country—secure the future integrity of Turkey-- and extort from Russia the most ample guarantees for the tranquillity of Europe. If Ministers, after the demonstration of yesterday, venture to accept unsatisfactory conditions of peace, they will do it at their peril. There was the most perfect unani mity we ever witnessed at any public meeting, in protesting with a terrible earnestness against any patched-up peace—in denouncing the idol, of an armistice, before a treaty of pease has been formally signed--and in demanding that Russia be made to indemnify us for the expenses of the war. But even that did not seem to a large proportion of ,the assemblage to go far enough. They de manded the impeachment of all the Ministers, in cluding the members of Lord Aberdeen's Administration, who hare been parties to the criminal or incapable management of the war. An amendment was moved to that effect, the chairman hay. ing refused to incorporate its, substance with the resolu tion ; and on being put to the meeting, it was carried amid deafening acclamations. We think that proposing an amendment of this nature was a mistake, because it can be followed by no practical results ; bet it was a great fact, as showing the feeling of the people on the subject of the war, and their opinions as to how those Ministers should be dealt with, on whose shoulders rests the heaviest portion of the responsibility. We cannot doubt that the exhibition of public feeling in the city of Westminster, yesterday, will have its due weight with the Huse of Commons, as well as with Ministers. Manyibf the members of the representative branch of the Legislature who have hitherto been either the subservient supporters of the Government in their misdeeds, or been silent when they ought to have dt. nounced and protested against the incapacity or culpa bility of those in power,—must have heard, in the deafening plaudits with which the hall rang, when the conduct of Ministers 'was so denounced, the death knell of their existence as representatives of the people. We a'so be grievously disappointed, as well as surprised, if yesterday's demonstration in Westminster do not have its effect in enlightening the minds of many members of the Lower House as to how they should vote when the question of the Austrian peace propositions comes before them.—Morning Adrbliser. COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE. UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. CAMBRIDGE, JAN. 30. The Laly Margaret's Professor of Divinity gives no tiee that his lectures for this term wilt commence on Friday, February the Stb, at one o'clock, in the Artie Schools, to be continued on Wednesdays and Fridays. The Professor of Political Economy gives notice that his course of lectures on the principles and history of that science will commence on Monday, Feb. 11, at 12 o'clock, in the Geological•rooms under the University library, and he continued daily. The lectures will be free, except that those gentlemen who attend with a view to the professorial certificate should provide themselves beforehand with a ticket from the Registrary of the University ; and are requested , to put down their names at Delghton, where a syllabus may be had. Bell, and Co. s, CL4SSICAL TRIPOS. Candidates for classical honours are requested to send in their names to the Senior Examiner, Mr. Wolfe, of Clare College, on or before Saturday, Feb. 9. The examination will commence on Monday, the 18th inet. in the Senate-house. The adwices from Pana y e d from again Melbourne the superiority of th at route for u' received with R.m b a e e yes nr t e e c rd ie of the Seas. The new di scover i es o f gold. quartz 20 miles of Geel ong are allege d to have to the odfaNteosv having r, or five day s ' later than those by tine yielded 880 oun ces of g old to the ton. The Shalimar was to leave for Liverpool with the mail on the 9th of Champion within November. At Sydney many failures continued to take place, and others were expected, but it was hoped the worst had passed. Large arrivals of flour had taken place from Valparaiso, and the price was now 471. per quotatious of go ld were 75 ! . 3J, per cunct et ton, The an no, at ;6ydney. t'‹