The Sun. — London, England, 1844-05-29 00:00:00

EWS ,nch receiYea iled st rir is La ittc Les n ister of fie. Thousrs , d , will dole% e h they 11)IT a s the 1 ;71 s change. I DII as inevltev the line of were P orc e 0 f W CI° he clod t rs ro w a ill set motiot.2. to 0,, gr e' i S° ral ylot n. the m ade hi s attotw:.,i• ng bees Batt, s,se 40s. Lies of cons for for warran'/ the strates 0 f a ll # th a e s ;ose nE" into t 0 !_°, lo ney, saw;money fir t• 4, A ndre e m' all : the ifacturer,_,A rece l ni 5 inaster t tally ;d dutY • said ri°t ell 11 1 lerken W St. An . dre std )1d stu ds, ec ci, as an i i i1 tiee, being p i t ted s h e ado 3 's fl f° tree Of t s ia, inc e§ ) the F rr- wete ntelleets be , su ld he 5Dv • N EE• "o°l or i° 0 lor g la d s o t Re "~ .... ent to Mr. Gill, a letter, of which the folio wing is a Copy " Ma 25. " Sir—Having received an intimation from Col. Peel that he has caused no ti ce o f act i on to be serve d on M r. Weathe rhY, we decline further interference with the nestion of the qualification of the horse Running Rein. And remain, Sir, your obedient servants, • " liE TEISSIER, " GILBERT HEATIICOTE. " To Mr. Gill, solicitor to Mr. A. Wood." LEANDER. ti n t That the public may h ear b ot h s id es o f th e ques ,„ again r e f er t o t hi s l uckless an i ma l , f or t h e Farrtels.sealcil: s publishin g cop i es o f two cert ifi ca t es sen t t o yesterday afternoon by Mr. Forth. His wha t, i n explanatio n o f th e fi rs t i s t o the effect t s. nat, in F e b ruary last, having tried Leander to be a w e II superior h orse, h e was anxious to sat i sfy hi mse lf ecith regard t o th e rumours that had been circulated neer ning his age , an d f or t hi s purpose h a d hi s mouth examined by Mr. Wood, the veterinary sur- Z, of Arundel, from whom he received a certificate, hthg his own and his clerk's signatures, that he e three y ears old. This appears a strong po i nt ur of M r . F orth ; but it is now asked, "W as •,, se submitted to Mr. Wood for examination the l o rpcal Leander, or an animal, professedly Leander, of the age m ent i oned in the certificate ?" In a case 0 , , .° 0 much uspon, and opposed, as Mr. Wood's l4 ini°ll hy those given by Messrs. Field and Bart ';k_ t) the strongest corroborative evidence should have y ,pr With F orth , n respect to the removal of the lower jaw,. Mr. Mitchell, that, on its being brought to him by Pur . r , -4te nell, he directed it to be boiled, for the aft e r - ', e of removing the flesh, and that the jaw was k r prds sealed up, in order to its inspection by d oe ; lald, on Saturday. In conclusion, Mr. Forth eo „ l _ 4 .res that, from first to last, he has acted upon a thauiv,letion that the horse's age was rightly stated, and 1.e.!. notwithstanding Mr. Field's opinion, he still witi a i t. Ihe following are copies of the certificates:-- gx " Arundel, May 27, 1844. lex a " re by certify that in the month of February last ide t m u t t led, privately, at Mr. Forth's request, the hors d e . At th„, r, and pronounced him to be then three years old. the t h "," t une he had a decided three yrs old mouth, and -.Aks had not shown themselves. " J. WOOD, S. T. HARMAN." la " Worthing, May 20, 1844. fre h Pereby solemnly declare that I cut the under jaw th e r .'eander, in the presence of several persons, not at it ivia ttlest of M r . F orth, b ut t hi n ki ng, as t h e h orse l a y, wptild re Youngest m ou th I h a d ever se en, I thought it ue a satisfaction to Mr. Forth to show his friends. " J. MITCHELL." P RINCESS'S THEATRE. Oh .mo act d rama, de Valmy is the title of a very interesting h from the pen of Mr. Bayle Bernard, Beene „‘‘,.' ss produced at this theatre last evening. The 3'4 the first a c t is laid at Strasburgh, in the 44 ' b ull, where we find Blanche de Vainly (Ma kitiilt,4''agenie Prosper), very young, very fasci %loin an d very coquettish, residing with her uncle, the C hatillon (Mr. Granby), the commandant of atte;: iiB an• Her hand is sought for by all the (ti r , =l,and she fli r t s w ith th em a ll. C a pt a i n F r anval app, 'Talton), who is devotedly attached to her, 40 1: 1 f ur some tim e t o be the favoured suitor. He, (kr-levri introduces his friend, Captain St. Hilare b ated i; Lacy) to his intended. St. Hilare is fasci vith Y her charms, and, on Fran val remonstrating Alp er samewhat harshly, she gives her hand to St. eti_ d the fi rs t ac t en d s w ith th e i r marr i age . after D er icKl of th e secon d ac t i s 1815, just second restoration of the Bourbons. anti C hatillon, now raised to the rank of general, and - : ll „ t eci commandant of the district of the Rhine, Cou"‘ e°lll panied by his nephew and niece, the littsZ . , a nd Countess St. Hilare. Blanche loves her ci lly :: devotedly, but, through the machinations of h igh ("I St. Hilare has been induced to suspect her t ani tt : s . : leir r e ;n l the moment of their union Franval had Nr y Z n eed his scheme of revenge by meetingßlanche forcing his attentions on her, writing latit a `ling to her former connection, and in tklch6ing that her affection for him still continued, .! ) f ti e are that these letters shall fall into the hands Atil ot .'ailare who is driven almost to madness with Itteh :Y . l whilst his constant reproaches have produced th e 6,11 ef fect upon Bl anc h e a s t o have reduced her to to ike'llcof the grave. She has entreated St. Hilare It l h tlftr ern Pa i nY her uncle to the Rhine, and to .take her 'artly; — ' ll °l 3 ing thus to escape the pursuit of Franval. and t he after her arrival at the inn, St. Hilare . enters, tat Nr ar ges her with having plotted the excursion for r ha s ) ,? se of meeting Franval, whom he declares ,i_' l lovii4j' a t !net under her window. Her denial of all 1 0 , 7 ge of Franval's arrival, her protestations . of and fidelity to her husband, are all in vain. r neet kes out w i t h a b race o f p i sto l s, d eterm i ne d to a t‘iy r o "val, and fi g ht hi m a t on ce. The silent teri b i b e L Blanche, as immediately afterwards the re ka,e-arrns is heard, was admirably delineated RtoiliZaale Eu g enie Prosper. No words could have — 4„half the effect. They have not met, how rt fi,,tne shots h a d procee d e d f rom so ldi ers w h o Itte to ,;Plg after various of the pr osc ribed, w ho were at th e to escap e across th e Rhi ne . A list Amyne proscribed is posted on the inn door; t h' e f h t,f;e names appears that of Franval ; and all : Lne list are to be shot within six hours after 'ei,ZPPrehension. Faint and exhausted, Fran- N l O 4 th e room, and, to her horror, Blanchere 'et C s in th e f ug iti ve , w h o i m pl ores h e r protection, aitilitaler lover. lie recognises her also, and de ten44,4B: Pardon of her for the past, is about to sur nitnself t o th e so ldi er s, who are heard ap ,selfikN without, when she bids him disguise him ,,Nrs 'el' husband's cloak and producing her hus 17a; nt passport, tells the o ffi cer that they are the ' ll ll f r a rid Countess of St. Hilare, and thus saves etiv tt 1, arrest. The guards leave them. She per val itvi,i_er husband approaching, and conceals Fran haer room. St. Hilare enters. The innkeeper, l l jaks as come in for orders, makes some observa t. conduct when the soldiers were there. Hi lare s suspicions are aroused—he orders the 14 1t.t La ilr to leave the room—demands who it was . 1; 41 1 1 ,„ 4 4 , 8811 1ned his name, and Blanche, choking tl, e sees-",_°ll, points to the ' list of the proscribed. ale it 4 the name of Franval ; and rushes towards st u t ter in which she had concealed him ; !ater and to prevent his entrance, and the guards ' Pai>l arr est St. Hilare himself as Franval. It Cqjill"at be pr o t ests he i s St. H i lare —" Th e C ount Z e n re" says the ca pt a i n o f gens d armes , " has just t , port v ,-seort ed ac Rhine." Ah, my pass sue ? am exclaimsross the ; the unhappy Blanche has given . of d the 11 to Franval—to save him she has sacri k..ilife of the husband she adores. The acting tl i 4 f t his - t a „ ra i e Eugenie Prosper throughout the whole jg-vi e Cag scene, was the most beautifully touch -0-,11 w :ve ever seen. There was no rant, no noise iL• 11 „ 1 - „, c l u iet, but the intensity of her agony was ier: soiree pparent, and the more harrowing from "IgveSS; the quivering lip, the fixed eye, the hu tl tity n i, r es 3 ion of countenance, bore evidence to the ,zier anguish, more naturally, more truly, L e , enectively than could any of those exagge 1-'4Z Ch la re tl4 :inns of woe which an inferior artist would ti - Ver - s h 11 into the part. Madame Eugenie tr °ll 15 f . th Pweci herself a true artist in her delinea ,2Betly, 's harrowing scene. Her acting was true P po rt and mediatetragedy of the very highest order. The en ttry of General Chatillon, who orders the 00 - 7 t e ti the Zease of St. Hilare, and the arrival at the fo ,an d a note f rom F ranva l, inclosing the pass - st : o 4 ter viiraovvledgi ng an d craving p ar d on f or his A ett l lng St. y+ brings about the denouement by re tug. St _ t dilare an d Bl anc h e to eac h ot h er, an d sr e is a re st the causeless jealousy of the Count. 01 4 No e i ecl ntie underplot admirably supported by t4err y as Justine Blanche's servant, and ba,,i r s Pierre, Justine, servant. These evir!lerr e ! rnade a match of it, set up an inn, 'aYs ( ,f as , a rigid Bonapartist, determines, in the C3 r, h e . 481 5, that if he cannot fight for his Em ry Royalist 3 ',111 • at least charge for him, which he does able r ut' 1 e v Per was tits pay double for the miser re,•as .cape he gets before them. Madame Pros 11,07tved wi‘ e i l for at the fall of the curtain, and was N a Llasts, an T shouts of applause and showers of Iv e e ev eilin ' the piece was announced for repetition des erve _ g not devoted to opera. This piece ht l3 ou, 0 ,,5, the triumphant success it has met with. i h Vu eed f ` o t r ae most interesting dramas that has been 44 A tetni t i nd a long time, and will, no doubt, run for fshietlA er of the season. The house was well u aY attended. ti Au o_ o I kl t slittdht of: iII4 NCE.--VIENNA MAY 15.—The na- CA.10, 00 , 3 .us.tra, including everything, amounts now to an t ,' tot a l a.„l,4mus—that is, more than six times as much uf;44t of else •uoant of revenue of the empire. The exact harii:t certserenue and expenditure is not exactly known, Xub ee ZT that there has long been a deficit, which 1 14 so nts _uas not been able to get rid of. th i s been Present s 13 HE SERVICE.—The Vicar of Leigh th Q 4 b iol. to .°4 h to the Chancellor of the diocese, and ti o4 l 3 _ , rin c i pai th e n 'shop by the churchwardens and ,ion cert a i t i' l 'a . lt of the lay members, for the introduc -1440 hi s hur ',Ttuges into the service ; such as preach dst,„Etat, najnee, reading the prayer for the church tic s frou l th ' e _lng, public collections on saint and hole ,withont`f.ul,'gregation, dismissing them, on such ti tn peu to he n t'nediction, and for certain regulations r E e5,..7,rx, offensive in reference to christenings, s% Pr 8 VUeI4II Y in the burial of the dead.—Boitoi ZrncA,, bo N A ND 411 (1 — t t° a nd tbat ia t Tkeih.t-ass cat" P li any re RAILWAY.ine o s ing re t hare r 'bent "class n ' a g• e— an iinprovement lo wanted. beirrn. carriages are also undergoing improve lon.:.6 1° 1 ! covered over, although not covered in ; altltle journey occupies eight hours between potireed ti:eonr_d_London, there is little fear of the in . .14 41 4 fr oni r,s`u..°dation inducing any other than the eed suti.Orting to these slow conveyances ; they kiLlttit esp e • ciently uncomfortable for the needy and ! ,.ra ur elally . net, net and vvintr y weather.—Birming- WHITSUN AMUSEMENTS. ADELPHI. " The Wizard of - the North " continues to draw crowds nightly to this theatre, to witness his mar vellous feats of sleight of hand, and those really sur prising deceptions and transformations which might well excite the envy of Simon Magus himself. Not content with the fame he has already won, " The Wizard" has, with a just appreciation of the popu larity his performances have acquired, made renewed exertions to strengthen his claim to public favour at this particular season. In addition to the diversified succession of his own performances, the lovers of music were highly gratified by a vocal and in strumental concert, which formed a distinct part of last evening's entertainments. The performers were Mademoiselle Rossini and the Misses Emma and Victoria Collini, and Mr. Collini. Made moiselle Rossini played two grand fantasias on the violin with admirable execution and effect, and with a skill and command that drew from the audience re peated bursts of applause. The Misses Emma and Victoria Collini sang a duet, "As it fell upon a day," in which they were much applauded, and Miss Emma Collini sang with great sweetness and expression the beautiful ballad, " Kate Kearney." Brief as this notice necessarily is, we must not omit to mention the ability with which Mr. Collini played accompani ments on the violoncello and the flute. At the con clusion of the concert the audience again testified their approbation in renewed applause, and this musical interlude promises to become an agreeable feature in the entertainments at the Adelphi. "The Arab Brothers," a trio of interesting youths, per formed some wonderful feats of agility, and formed some very beautiful and striking tableaux. THE .IV.ATIOIV AL GALLERY. - - • - -- - - This splendid national collection of pictures, in which are congregated the works of almost all the celebrated painters of every country in Europe, since the close of the fifteenth century, formed, as might be expected, a great object of attraction to thousands of the more sober-minded of the holiday folks on Monday. The dif ferent rooms were crowded to excess during the day, but the greatest decorum and regularity were observed by the multitudes who thronged them. THE ROYAL ACADEMY. From its extent, varied character, and the prestige attaching to its name (being justly considered at the head of all the periodical exhibitions of the metropolis), this establishment received its due share of attention on the part of the holiday-keeping public. The rooms were well filled throughout the day, and, as the exhibition is rich in every department of art, it did not fail to gratify the most sanguine expectations of the visitors. SUFFOLK-STREET GALLERY. The present exhibition is generally acknowledged to be one of its happiest displays. It is especially rich in landscapes, both portraits and compositions, and in other departments of art it maintains, at least, its pristine station. WATERCOLOUR EXHIBITION, PALL-MALL EAST. The fortieth exhibition of this society, which is now open, is generally deemed equal to the best which has occurred since the formation of the society. The. exer • tions of the members appear to sutler no diminution ; but, on the contrary, they have rendered their present annual exhibition worthy the reputation they have ac quired in former years. The liberal patronage of the public has, in consequence, been their reward. NEW WATER-COLOUR EXHIBITION, PALL-MALL. The excellent quality of the specimens which adorn the walls of both these exhibitions is a proof of great attention paid by our artists to the cultivation of this branch of the fine arts, in which they have long been held to excel all the world. Like its predecessor, the exhibition-room of this society received its due share of the patronage of the holiday-keeping public. THE. PARISIAN VENUS. This is an exhibition completely per se, having, from its peculiarity, no competitors in the metropolis. It consists of a beautiful model, in wax, of a recumbent female, on removing portions of the surface of which the whole internal organization of the body is displayed to view. Every part is finished with the most perfect accuracy as regards anatomical detail, and it may be re garded not only as an object of amusement but of useful Information, in relation to the study of the human frame. THE PANORAMAS, LEICESTER-SQUARE. A strong desire to view our newly-acquired territory of _Hong-Kong, of which Mr. Burford's Panorama is allowed to be a perfectly correct representation, was of course to be expected on such a day of recreation to the metropolitans as Whit-Monday. Independent of the exactitude of the resemblance, this panorama, like all which have from time to time emanated from the same hand, is entitled to high praise from its pictorial beauty and artist-like execution. The other panoramas on view at Mr. Burford's rooms are representations of Trepott, with the landing of her Majesty and Prince Albert ; and a beautifully painted portrait of Baden Baden, the Cheltenham of Germany. THE DIORAMA. The dioramas on view were representations of the Abbey Church of St. Ouen, at Rouen, and of the Ex terior of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, at Paris. They are both painted by M. Rcnoux, who has obtained great celebrity in this country, for his happy talent in this species of painting. They are perfect optical illusions ; and when the gradual alteration of effect from open day light to the gloom of night is in progress, the spectator finds it difficult to conceive that he is not standing in the immediate vicinity of the piles, the mimic representation of which he is contemplating. THE COSMORAMA, REGENT-STREET. These delightful views attracted much notice. The representations consist of the Colossal Statues of the Plain of Thebes in Upper Egypt, the Exterior of the Pantheon at Rome, La Mer de Glace in Savoy, the Ex terior and Interior of St. Peter's at Rome, the Eruption of Mount Vesuvius, in action ; the Lake of Thun, and the Hippodrome at Constantinople. These views are painted with so perfect an air of reality, that it is impos sible not to admire them. Some pleasing variations in the effect of light are occasionally made, which add materially to the interest of this exhibition. POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION. - - - Mr. Horn's lectures upon the music of eight different nations continue to be the principal novelties at this in structive establishment ; and they, in conjunction with the physioscope, the hydro-electric machine, the opaque microscope, and the large concourse of miscellaneous toys and instruments, are capital objects for the atten tion and delectation of Whitsun visitors. There are several items of novelty added to the miscellaneous stores of this institution, and a new set of dissolving views. ADELAIDE GALLERY. This is always a favourite haunt with holiday folks, and properly so, for it contains a vast number of objects of the greatest interest. Some accessions have been made lately to the stores of curious things with which its chambers and galleries are loaded. There are models, philosophical toys, and optical instruments in abundance; and at stated intervals there are short lectures on scientific and general topics, which are full of amusing practical illustrations. The dissolving views are still as fresh and as beautiful as ever ' • and then there is the steam gun, the gas microscope, Monck Mason's aerial machine, be sides wooden railroads—the examination of which inter mingle very instructively with the disquisitions on mes merism, phrenology, and mechanics, which are in pe riodical delivery by the professors in attendance. Mr. Clauelet's collection of photograph portraiture is one of the principal notabilities of the place, and the process itself may be seen in action on the roof of the gallery by the patentee and his assistants. The evening concerts at the Adelaide Gallery are very good of their kind. The proprietor employs just now a strong orchestra, capable of executing any description of music ; and the vocalists, in conjunction with it, are by no means uninteresting and unskilful people. EGYPTIAN HALL. General Tom Thumb is still the principal exhibition at these rooms, and the public interest in him does not seem to abate with acquaintance. Since the presenta tion of the little hero at Court, he has become an object of especial patronage among the nobility and gentry, at whose soirees he is almost as frequent a visitor as the American Minister himself. For the %Vhitsun folks there is no doubt he will be a great card. Not only does he go through his Grecian statues, sing Yankee songs, and take snuff as Napoleon, but at half-past twelve in the morning he paces the platform in the iden tical court-dress in which he paid his respects to the two Queens of England and the juvenile members of the Royal Family. Think of that ye holiday-makers ! A pretty sight is the General in this official coat of plum coloured velvet, this waistcoat of embroidered satin, these stockings of silk, and these ruffles of lace. Besides the attractions of the General, there are other things worth looking at in the room where he exhibits. There is Mr. Catlin's celebrated gallery of pictures, contain ing multitudinous delineations of the prairie life, war fare, and costume of the Red Indians of North America. General Tom Thumb takes leave of the London pub lic on Saturday next, when, it is stated, he goes over to Paris to make his obeisance to Louis Philippe. THE EXHIBITION OF THE DECORATIVE WORKS FOR THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.—This exhibition at the St. James' Bazaar, although better attended on Mon day than on any previous day since its opening gra tuitously to the public, was nearly deserted, the number of persons visiting it not reaching to more than 200 or 300 during the day. The cause f o r thi s l ax ity, as re gards numbers, is stated to arise from the fact of its not being known to be open to all f ree o f c h arge . Th e works of art which attracted most notice was the splendid specimen of carving by Mr. G. Rogers, the different styles of fresco painting, and the designs for stained glass windows. THE TOWER OF LONDON.—The reduction in the price of admission to view the armoury, and the crown and other jewels kept within the Tower of London, caused a great influx of visitors to that national depo sitory yesterday, all of whom appeared delighted with the evidences of England's former and present greatness. THE THAMES TUNNEL. -- As at Easter, the stalls in this undertaking were decorated out with ags and ever greens, with music at either end of the tunnel, playing favourite airs during the day. The number of persons passing through was very great. BRITISH MUSEUM.—The number of visitors to this national establishment on Monday was 25,558, being an increase of 7,148 as compared with Whit-Monday last year, when the number was 18,410. A few constables of the A division, under the able direction of Sergeant Neal, were in attendance, and the gieatest order pre vailed throughout the day. THE RIVER and the RAILWAYS. (From our Evening Edition of Yesterday. There was a general turn-out of the working population of the metropolis yesterday, some on their way to the rail roads, others hastening to the wharfs to embark, and many taking advantage of other conveyances for the purpose of reaching the suburban fairs at Greenwich, Stepney, and Wandsworth. In spite of the Lord Mayor's proclamation, the Woolwich and Greenwich steamers were occasionally most tremendously overcrowded, particularly after sunset — for, although the City police were stationed on the wharfs and piers in the vicinity of London-bridge and also at Black friars, his Lordship's jurisdiction did not extend beyond those-places; and, consequently, there was no one to prevent the vessels being overloaded at the Adelphi, 'Hungerford, and Westminster, and also at Greenwich. The " Solid pier," which is in a very dilapidated and insecure state, and the Watermen's floating pier at Greenwich, were thronged with the holiday folks from an early hour till midnight. Steamer after steamer arrived, and discharged their living freights ; and no sooner was one cargo got rid of than another supplied its place. The town, the fair, and the park were filled with good-humoured mobs; the fair was generally the first place visited, afterwards the park, and lastly, the Royal Hospital, and there was plenty of amusement and re creation for the multitude in all directions. The showers of rain which fell at intervals during the day frequently dis persed the people, and forced them to seek shelter in the taverns, tea-houses, and other places of refreshment. The veterans in the hospital were busily engaged in conducting the numerous visitors over the painted hall and the wards of the building. .The crowds became so great in the afternoon that numbers were obliged to go away unable to obtain ad mission. The fair is precisely similar to the one at Easter, and indeed of twenty previous years. Richardson's theatre, and the great Crown and Anchor booth, fitted up for dancing, and where at one time 400 persons were dancing the Polka, are the principal attractions. The gingerbread stalls are as numerous as ever, and the public-houses and tea-rooms are stocked with enormous quantities of provisions, of which ham and beef are the staple articles. The consumption was of course immense. The numbers landed at the two piers during the day exceeded 40,000. There were thirty steamers engaged in the traffic, viz., eleven of the Watermen's steamers, thirteen of the old Company's, the Robert Hawkes, William Gunston, and Laurel, engaged for the holidays by the Watermen's Company ; the Flirt and the Coquette ' which kept up a communication with the Black wall Railway, and a Gravesend boat called the Prince of Wales. The Watermen's steamers, and the vessels engaged by them, made sixty trips between the Adelphi Pier and Greenwich, and carried down 15,000 persons and brought back as many. The Greenwich Railway also came in for a large share of business, and the trains were running every quarter of an hour with as many holiday folks as the car riages could find room for. Thirty thousand souls were conveyed up and down this line during the day. The greatest hilarity and good humour prevailed among the vast assemblage at Greenwich, and we did not hear of any mate rial accident. Stepney fair has been again revived, and the display of booths, shows, and exhibitions of every description are more numerous, and immeasurably superior to Greenwich. There is more room, and the arrangements for the accommodation of the people are decidedly better. The fair is held in two large fields close to the Thames-police Court ; in one is an enormous canvas temple called the Crown and Anchor, be longing to the Essex phenomena, Young Gipsy Stevens, and it was brilliantly illuminated in the evening, when dancing commenced with great vigour, and that popular pas the Polka was all the rage. The booth is 300 feet long and 60 in width. Refreshments were supplied in abundance to the dancers. There are two other dancing-booths in the same field, and the outside of one of them is decorated with a large painting of the wife-killing Harry the Eighth, and is conducted by Mr. Mason, the landlord of the house known by that sign in the Mile-end-road. The veteran Clark, with his equestrian company, his corps of acrobats, and his daughter, Aurora Clark, who displayed most astonishing feats in the ring, is located in a large circus in the same field. On the adjoining field there is an immense number of exhi bitions of every kind, Peterson's large theatrical booth, not inferior to Richardson's, where a " tale of enchantment" was performed to admiring audiences every half hour; Johnson's theatre on a smaller but very superb scale, living wonders of every description, ups and downs, swings, and roundabouts. From an early hour all the roads leading to the fair were pouring in an incessant stream of visitors, and when it was lighted up at nine o'clock the scene was one of the most brilliant and animated ever witnessed. The numbers present would defy calculation. The Prince of Wales, Maid and Magpie, Safe Harbour, Sidney Arms, and Star and Garter Taverns in the vicinity of the fair, as well as the grounds attached to them, were filled with people, who, from the noise they made, and the shouts of merriment which ever and anon proceeded from them, appeared to enjoy themselves highly. The fair is highly productive to the inhabitants of Stepney, and from 2/. to 5/. has been freely given for the use of one or two small rooms during its three days' existence. In consequence of the competition in the Gravesend trade, and the low fare by railway and steam-boat, the concourse of Londoners who have besieged the town during the last two days is beyond all precedent. EXCURSION TO COLCHESTER. A little more than two hours have elapsed since we left the Shoreditch Station, and here we are making the best of our time at Colchester, without having experienced any incon venience from curves, cuttings, gradients, or inclined planes, but with many thanks to Mr. Hall, one of the Ma naging Directors, for the precaution -he has suggested, and which is carried out on this line ; we allude to the signal posts which are placed along the line. It is a post of some ten feet in height, at the top of which there are five painted panels or leaves, which are spread out like a fan, or drawn in as occasion requires ; for instance, when a train is stop ping at an intermediate station to take up or set down pas sengers, and the train happens to be on the opposite line of rails to that on which the station is, then all the panels of the signal are extended, so as to prevent any other train or engine passing. But if the stopping train happens to be on the line of rails next adjoining the station, then two panels only are exhibited, and another engine or train may pass along the other line of rails, provided the speed be re duced to fifteen miles an hour. When the fourth panel is removed from sight, and any portion of the third is visible, no engine or train is allowed to pass more than 100 yards beyond the signal on the same line of rails, until the third panel is entirely raised. After the train has passed the signal-post some 14, minutes all the leaves of the signal are withdrawn from sight., which shows the line to be clear. We are happy to state that since this simple plan of Mr. Hall's has been adopted, no accidents of any kind have occurred. SOUTHAMPTON RAILWAY EXCURSION. The Directors of the above railway very wisely and humanely followed the course pursued by them in the Easter holidays, by allowing the public the advantage of seeing either Southampton or Gosport at half fare, or, in other words, any one going down to either terminus yester day, paid, in the first instance, full fare, but, on his arrival at his destination, he was allowed to keep his ticket, a por tion of the corner only being torn off by way of check, and he was at liberty to use it in returning either last night or to-day, at his pleasure. 'Whether it arose from a due want of publicity, or from the coldness of the weather we know not, but there were comparatively few applicants for the favour. At seven o'clock a train was started, carrying about 300 passengers, but more than half of them were regular pas sengers, who had no thought of being mere excursionists. Other trains followed throughout the day, but they carried no snore than their usual number of pas sengers. The morning, which at an early hour threat ened to rain, was cold, but the seven o'clock train had a fine run down. Notwithstanding numerous stoppages, the whole distance (78 miles) was completed in three hours and 20 minutes. Few of the holiday people stopped in South ampton. Waiting for the train were two steamboats, ad vertised to sail—one to Cowes, the other to Ryde. They drafted nearly all off, nor had they returned when we came away ; and, although few in number, were determined to see the most they could while out. The directors afforded the same facilities to the people of Southampton to spend their holidays in a rational manner, and it appeared as if they had embraced the opportunity with much more avidity than the people of London, for the early up-trains were very long ones and every carriage filled. EXCURSION TO DOVER. Long before eight. o'clock the London station was crowded ; and so completely were the officers of the Company taken by surprise, that it was with the greatest possible difficulty they managed to accommodate the holiday assemblage; and in deed it was only by a prompt yet effective " transmogri fication" of cattle and goods " trucks" into third class " car riages," that they were enabled to satisfy the claimants for what the old Jacobins would have termed " the honours of a sitting." It was pleasing to observe that the holiday folk were as willing to be accommodated as the Company's officers were desirous of accommodating. With so much good feeling the train could not but be a merry one. All appeared to be gratified at the anxiety manifested to afford every possible convenience for the trip, and a fe.w minutes after eight o'clock the first train, containing upwards of 1,000 passengers, cheerful and communicative, was rapidly wending its way into the " rural districts." The atmos phere was a fine clear one, and though a sprinkling of rain now and then fell, it seemed but to freshen up Nature's countenance and to render her smiles the gayer and the more beautiful. Just below the Maidstone sta tion we had a glance at the Maidstone branch line, which appeared to be in a forward state. We understand that it will be opened, in August next, some months, if we are not mistaken, before the time which the engineer fixed for its completion. At the Staplehurst station, where we sojourned for a short time, availing ourselves of another train by which to get to Dover, we witnessed what might a short time since have been deemed by the directors a very strong evidence of the necessity of a branch to Hastings—viz., three coaches with passengers from that town. The pream ble of the Dover Company's Bill for a branch to that place has, however, been declared to be not proved, and the Brighton Company will, therefore, probably have the felicity of carrying all those passengers who now prefer travelling by way of Staplehurst. From the line we could perceive the works being carried on at the branch line leading into Folke stone harbour. This branch appears to be near its comple tion. At the present moment about 150 tons of coals per day find their way into the railway waggons. Greater facilities are to be afforded, in the shape of cranes worked by steam, for land ing coals upon this branch line ; and it is stated that when these get into work, the average quantity of coals landed daily will be upwards of 500 tons. We had almost forgotten to observe that just below the Ashford station we observed the Canter bury, Ramsgate, and Margate branch-line marked out. This, it is expected, will be finished in about eighteen months. At Folkestone station a considerable number of the passengers left the train, and availed themselves of the opportunity of making a steam trip to Boulogne. Throughout the day the trains were crowded, and none carried fewer than 600 passengers. The most anxious atten tion was paid to the comfort of the passengers by the secre tary, Mr. Whitehead, and the superintendent, Captain Charle wood, and, indeed, everything that could possibly contribute to the pleasure of the excursions was most sedulously at tended to by those gentlemen. NORTHERN AND EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY. CAMBRIDGE LINE.) Previous to the I'llitsun holidays, the directors of this line wisely, and we may add, generously adopting the course pursued by some other railway companies, advertised their intention to issue " holiday day-tickets" for Whitsunday, Monday (yesterday), and Tuesday (this day), by the pur chase of which a person going to Bishop's Stortford, or the intervening stations, would be taken from London to Bishop's Stortford and back for the one fare down ; and we were happy to find yesterday that many hundreds of per sons availed themselves of this arrangement ; though from the repeated inquiries we heard for places by the " third class trains," we wish, for the sake of those who were more immediately interested in the matter, that that portion of the public had been apprised of the fact, that no third-class carriages were intended to be run. By the eight o'clock and by the half-past nine o'clock morning trains a vast number of individuals took their departure from the " city of smoke and toil," unawed and " nothing daunted" by the melancholy appearance of the weather. At the latter hour appearances were indeed most unpropitious and uncongenial, and re mained so through the greater part of the day, at Bishop's Stortford and along the intermediate line of country; never theless, every succeeding train dropped its quota of pas sengers at the respective stations on the railway, all light of heart for the day, and bent upon enjoying their own rational idea of recreation, and all were alike determined to make the most of the Whitsun holidays. The number who availed themselves of their return tickets 04 this *port line of rail- THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY MORNING, MAY 29, 1844, road was about 900; and nothing could exceed the atten tion which was paid to the passengers by the Company's servants. BRIGHTON RAILWAY EXCURSION. The recurrence of Whitsuntide, like that of Easter, is always a " green spot" in the lives of the inhabitants of the metropolis, than whom we question if any people more enjoy the opportunities these annual festivals afford for relaxation from their usual employments, and for participa tion in the pleasures to be found both in town and country. Emphatically it may be said that the worthy citizens then quit town and go down into the country, with the firm determination of being happy. In proportion as facilities for travelling are provided and increased, so new points of attraction open up ; and as this process is going on almost daily at a rapid rate, so the number of these who avail themselves of the means of locomotion becomes still greater and greater. An instance of this we had yesterday, when, through the liberality of the London and Brighton Railway Company, hundreds and thousands of holiday folks were, at half the usual charge, whisked to the most beautiful watering-place in England, which, until the completion of this splendid line ofroad, was nearly altogether closed against the great bulk of the middle and working classes. The first train left the terminus at London-bridge early in the morning, and contained upwards of a thousand carpenters, and the second, which left at nine o'clock, was a monster one, consisting of 54 carriages, drawn by four en gines, and conveying the enorm ous number of 1,500 passen gers. Other trains were kept running at regular intervals. PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY. The fifth concert took place on Monday night. The follow ing was the programme : PART I. Sinfonia in B flat (No. 4)—Beethoven. Duet, " Stung by horror," Miss Rainforth and Herr Staudigl (Pascal Bruno)—J. L. Hatton. Concerto, violin, Herr Joachim—Beethoven. Overture ( Faust)—Spohr. Duetto, " Pazzarello, 0 qual ardir," Mr. Machin and Herr Staudigl ( Faust)—Spohr. Quintetto e Coro, " Ah ! godan for felicitade," the principal parts by Miss Rainforth, Miss A. Williams, Mr. Manvers, Mr. Machin, and Herr Staudigl (Faust)—Spohr. PART Overture (A Midsummerlirigitt's Dream)—Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Scherzo (A Midsummer Night's Dream)--Mendelssohn Bartholdy. _ _ Song, with chorus, " You spotted snakes," Miss Rainforth and Miss A. Williams (A Midsummer Night's Dream)—Men delssohn Bartholdy. Notturno, march, and finale chorus (A Midsummer Night's Dream)—Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Song, with chorus, "Joy, 'tis a glorious thought," Herr Staudigl ( Fidelio)—Beethoven. Hunting chorus ( The Seasons)—Haydn. Leader, Mr. Loader ; conductor, Dr. F. Mendelsson Bar tholdy. The novelties introduced by Mendelssohn into the plan of the concert excited great interest in the musical world, and produced a more crowded audience than we have seen at the concerts for several years. " Everybody," in common par lance, was there; and the room had that animated appear ance which it used to have in the old palmy days of the So ciety—days which, we trust, are returning. There was only one symphony, but it was a chef d'ecuvre— Beethoven's in B flat. In the performance of this magnifi cent work the effects of Mendelssohn's training were appa rent. We have frequently heard it very finely played at these concerts—with satisfactory precision and great vigour. But there was last night an attention to the chiar 'oscuro of musical sound in which this orchestra, with all its excellence, has hitherto been deficient; a softness and delicacy in the piano passages, a sharpness in taking up the points, a simul taneousness in those sudden bursts with which Beethoven startles his auditory, a unity in the whole movement of the band, as if all its members were animated by a single mind, and a fire and animation which we never before observed in an equal degree. The symphony was followed by a duet from Mr. Hatton's opera of Pascal Bruno, sung by Miss Rainforth and Staudigl. This opera was lately produced at Vienna with some success, Staudigl being one of the per formers. Such an occurrence, of course, has given occasion to many remarks on the hard case of our native composers, who, finding it impossible to have their pieces performed at home, are compelled to try foreign lands, where they are better received than in their own country. Look (it has been said) at this case of Mr. Hatton--we should never have heard a note of his music, either on the stage or in the concert, if it had not gained some eclat at Vienna. Now, supposing this to be the case, the fault does not lie with the public, but with the musical profession themselves. We have said again and agaie, that we have never yet seen a piece by a native musician, when fairly brought before the public, that did not meet at least as favourable a reception as it was entitled to ; and we have not the smallest doubt that, had Pascal Bruno been brought out in London, and performed as well as in Vienna, it would have been as well received as in Vienna. Whether it deserved a favourable reception is a question upon which the duet performed last evening threw little light. It was an impassioned dialogue, demanding much theatrical action, between two characters of whom the audience knew nothing ; and it is impossible to sympathise with feelings of which we do not know the sub ject. Such a scene, to produce its effect, must be represented on the stage, as part of the piece to which it belongs, and not torn out of its place, and sung by persons standing up in the front of an orchestra. It would be unfair to give a judg ment of a piece heard under such circumstances. We can only remark that it is evidently the work of an able musi cianpthat its ideas did not strike us as remarkable for ori ginality; and that, whether owing to the overfulness of the author's score, or to the overplaying of the orchestra, the voices were buried beneath the ponderous load of instrumen tal accompaniment. Miss Rainforth, in particular, whose vocal organ is by no means feeble, could scarcely make her self audible. The next piece was Beethoven's violin concerto, played by young Joachim, who, though he has several times played in public since his arrival in London, may be said to have appeared last night for the first time before a great musical audience. His appearance in the orchestra was very inte resting. He is qiiite a little boy, and does not look above twelve or thirteen, with a pleasing and ingenuous counte nance. He acknowledged the welcome he received, and the enthusiastic plaudits bestowed on his performance, with much modesty, and his unaffected simplicity was very engaging. Child as he is in years, and small in stature, he is, in art, a grown man and a giant. He has every quality of a great performer ; a full, rich, vocal tone ; a rapidity of bow and finger which no difficulties can embarrass ; great force and vigour, united to the utmost delicacy of taste ; and much feeling and expression. He does not belong to the Paanini school, and executes the utmost difficulties, in the highest regions of the scale, without even having recourse (or at least very rarely) to the use of harmonics. Wonderful and delightful as Joachim is now, it seems impossible even to imagine what he may be when he arrives at the age of the passions, before which time the genius of an artist can never be fully developed. There was then a selection from Spohr's Faust, preceded by the overture to that opera. It proved, comparatively speaking, a failure. The music selected, though very effec tive on the stage, is too theatrical in a concert-room. There cannot be a greater mistake, prevalent as it is, than the practice of taking these complicated concerted pieces, full of bustling incident, which, however clear and effective they may be rendered by dramatic action, are nothing but un intelligible confusion in a concert. The whole of this part of the performance, accordingly, made no impression on the audience. . Blendelssohn's music in the Midsummer Night's Dream had a very different effect. It consisted, in the first place of the 'charming overture which everybody knows, followed by a little instrumental scherzo movement, quick, magical in its fairy lightness. It was loudly called for a second time. Then came " Ye spetted snakes, with double tongue," as a duet and chorus ; the solo parts were sung by Miss Rainforth and Miss Williams, and the chorus consisted entirely of female voices. Though the verses are indelibly associated in our mind with Stevens's beautiful glee, yet we listened with delight to Mendelssohn's elegant and imaginative treat ment of the subject. There were then two instrumental movements, a notturno and a march. The latter (a gorge ous composition) was encored. And, lastly, there was the final chorus, " Through the house give glimmering light," for female voices, and having for its accompaniment several of the most remarkable passages of the overture. Nothing more exquisite can be imagined than the whole of these mu sical illustrations as they may be called) of the Midsummer Night's Dream. They are full of the genius and fancy of Shakspeare himself. The reception given to this beautiful music was rapturous ; and we heard all round us the most eager desire to hear it again. We can inform our readers that this opportunity will present itself next Friday, at Mrs. Anderson's concert, where it is to be performed in precisely the same manner—by:the same solo singers and chorus—as last night ; and, by the way, we may add, that, at the same con cert, Beethoven's grand choral fantasia is to be performed, Mrs. Anderson taking the pianoforte. On the whole, the concert of last night was singularly in teresting, and appeared to give the utmost delight to the audience. MR. C. KEMBLE'S SHAKSPEREAN READINGS. Mr. Kemble gave a reading of the tragedy of Othello on Monday—a drama with which some of his greatest triumphs were connected in the character of Cassio, a part in which he stood alone, and in which he leaves no successor. On Monday despite his advanced years, the speeches of Cassio were spoken with all that remained (with much more than could have been expected) of the admired actor's former elastic vigour and animation. The scenes generally retained for full delivery were selected with the same sound judgment which has characterised Mr.Ketnble's arrangement throughout, and were given with tasteful and still impressive elocution. It is a remarkable fact, that Mr. Kemble always obtains the greatest applause whilst he is depicting Shakspeare's female characters. As the gentle Desdemona—the most artless, in nocent, and beautiful of Shakspeare's creations—he excelled himself, as if his energy increased in proportion to the beauty of the character which he represents. The rooms were more crowded on this evening than on any of the pre v i ous occas i ons . The Earl and Countess of Harrington, and several persons of rank and distinction, were present. WHEAT, &c.—Accounts of wheat delivered from the warehouse or vessel, duty free, under the Act 5 and 6 Victoria, cap. 92 ; of flour, Sc., substit u t e d f or w h ea t ; o f the delivery of flour and biscuit so substituted; and of for feitures under the Act, showing the disposal of the articles forfeited, have been laid on the table of the Commons' House of Parliament, on the motion of Mr. John Trotter, the Con servative Member for West Surrey. We take the opportu nity of presenting our readers with a summary of these very detailed accounts, which may serve in some degree to show the operation of the new Corn Act from the 10th of August, 1842 (the period of its receiving the Royal Assent), up to the sth of April, 1844 (Good Friday last). It appears, then, that the total quantity of wheat delivered from the ware house or vessel, duty free, during that period amounted t 71,048 quarters; that the quantities of fine wheat flour de posited in the warehouses amounted to 81,171 cwt., of which 7,059 cwt. were afterwards delivered for home consumption, 69,176 cwt. were taken out for exportation either as mer chandise or as stores, and 4,935 cwt. remained in warehouse on Good Friday last; that the quantities of captain's biscuit so deposited between August, 1842, and April, 1844, amounted to 12,625 cwt., of which 11,815 cwt. were taken out for exportation as merchandise or as stores ; that the quantities of standard biscuit (of the standard of that sup plied to the navy) so deposited in the warehouses amounted to 53,316 cwt., of which 50,993 cwt. were afterwards taken out for exportation; that the quantities of common ship's bis i cuit deposited amounted to 164,821 cwt., of which 159,224 cwt. were taken out for exportation ; and that the quantity of fancy biscuit deposited amounted to 10 cwt., all of which were afterwards exported as merchandise or as stores. The forfeitures under the Act appear to have been but few, and the return of the fines levied is nil. Sir Fowell Buxton is at present on a visit to this city, for the benefit of his health, and is undergoing a course of treatment at Sydney Gardens establishment. The celebrated Mrs. Fry is also staying with us for the purpose of recruiting her health, which has been for some time past in a very precarious state. We understand that both Sir Fowell Buxton and the venerable Mrs. Fry are taking the mineral watvr. at the pump-ma—Bath Zeraw, LIT ERATURE. THE TRIUMPHS OF TIME. Bentley, London, 1844. The " Triumphs of Time" consists of three tales, all of which are written with a certain degree of spirit and intelligence, though the longest, entitled "The Previsions of Lady Evelyn" is, in some of its leading incidents so improbable, that much of the in terest, which would otherwise attach to it, is de stroyed. We allude, more especially, to not a few of the scenes which take place in the household of Lord Glenmore, where the young hero, Gerald James, is domesticated as a tutor, and which, though highly wrought up, have certainly little in common with real life. The most entertaining story in the collec tion is " Sealed Orders," which is a translation from the French of Count Alfred de Vigny,' and turns upon the melancholy fact of a blunt but kind-hearted captain of a French vessel, having been ordered to sail with two young people, just married, and greatly attached to each other, who are to be treated accord ing to certain sealed orders transmitted to the captain by order of the French Directory, and which he is not to open till the vessel has passed the line. On opening these orders at the appointed locality, he finds that he must instantly execute the young bridegroom as a traitor—a task which he accomplishes, notwith standing the deep interest which the manners of the young couple have excited in his mind. The account of hia subsequent remorse, and of the madness of the bereaved girl, is exceedingly affecting, indeed quite painfully so. THE LAW OF ARREST IN THE CITY. A curious circumstance exemplifying the benefit of the law of arrest in the City occurred a few days ago. A mercantile house in Jamaica having determined upon a speculation of shipping a large quantity of goods for the markets of Central America, engaged a German, who was proceeding to those parts on some business of his own, to undertake the management of the speculation. The German accordingly proceeded on his errand, and the house in Jamaica received from him several letters announcing sales from time to time made, until it appeared that nearly 5,0001. had been received, when the correspondence suddenly ceased, and the house could get no more answers to their letters. Under these circumstances, the firm naturally became alarmed, and set on foot inquiries concerning the German, when they learned that he had gone to New York, and subsequently that he had sailed for England. They forthwith dis patched one of their clerks to England by a steamer, which was fortunately on the point of start ing in search of the party. The clerk arrived in London late on the evening of the 11th instant, and on the following morning proceeded to the house of the correspondents of his employers. The corre spondents without delay accompanied him to their solicitors, an eminent firm in the City, and on their way to adopt means of frustrating the palpable object of the German, they were lucky enough to meet the identical person coming out of the offices of the Co lombian Mining Company. A messenger soon learned that the German had called at the offices of the Com pany in order to obtain an introduction to a bul lion broker, and that he had been referred to a well known City house of that description. At this critical time the parties ran off to the bullion broker's, who informed them that the German had left with them to be assayed, a very large quantity of bullion and gold dust, and was to call at two o'clock that after noon to receive the value. Application was then made to a judge for the arrest of this wholesale robber, to effect which a warrant was granted, and an officer was posted ready to meet him at the place where the treasure lay. As might be expected, the German was punctual to his appointment; and, on making his appearance, was shocked and astonished at being grabbed for the sum of 5,0001. On being arrested, he exclaimed " Hang dis England. Half an hour more, and it would have been all right." He could not, of course, procure bail, and the only alternative he had was to make a full acknowledgment, and to give up the keys of his luggage, which, upon being searched, was found to contain bills and other securities, amounting, together with the bullion and gold dust, to nearly the full sum for which he had been seized. The not least curious part of the story is, that the German arrived in London only a few hours before the arrival of the clerk of the Jamaica house, and that both put up at the same hotel, neither of them being aware of the locus in quo of the other. The business of the clerk, it will be observed, was completed in the most satis factory manner in two hours, and in less than two days from that of their arrival, they were both pas sengers in the same vessel for Jamaica. THE ARMED GENTRY OF IRELAND. A return has been published of those persons in Ireland who have registered arms, under the new Act, to the amount of twenty stand and upwards. The list is amusing. It contains the names of the most prominent alarmists in the whole country, being com posed almost exclusively of that class, fellows armed to the teeth, like Richard the Third in the Tower, and "Intending deep suspicion." There is Lord Lorton with sixty-three stand ; a trigger, perhaps, for every cabin razed to the ground upon his wide patrimonial demesnes. The Marquis of Westmeath can take the field with his peppering gamekeeper, in character and equipment like Robin son Crusoe and Friday. Lord Bernard is loaded with barrels like a brewer's horse. The Earl of Donoughmore has guns enough to fit out the whole tribe of his " blood relations." The brave Earl of Glengall is bristling with all manner of mor tal engines, not forgetting the long bow ! The Earl of Rosse has his telescope guarded, in the centre of y the ind sp iv e i c d i n fi a c ls enu ar m e eration his own well-garrisoned town, with pieces of the amus ingly characteristic. Edmund Staples, Esq., longestDun of wea proannsge possessed. Dun more, Queen's county, boasts " three double-bar relled guns, six muskets and sword bayonets, six Some of b carbines, seven bayonets, one duck gun, three blun derbusses, five double pistols, and eighteen single pis tols;" whilst a neighbour of his, H.Waller, Esq., of Castle Durrow, rejoices in a still greater variety, namely, "three double-barrelled guns, five single guns, three muskets, two carbines, two carbines with spring bayonets, one air-gun, two double-barrelled pistols, one single-barrelled pistol, one six-barrelled pistol, one four-barrelled pistol, four swords, four bayonets, and one blunderbuss." The famous " Lord of the brass-hilted sword" was nothing to Mr. Waller, of Castle Durrow. The best armed man of the whole lot, as far as numbers go, is James Pearson, of Ardara, in Donegal, who has 81 guns. As there is nothing in that country worth shooting except rabbits, Mr. Pearson has, probably, an extensive interest in the fur trade : and hence the sameness as well as the multiplicity, of his argument. But eighty-one guns in the Black North are nothing, by comparison, to the forty stand of arms possessed by Benjamin Lefroy, Esq., of Cardenton, in Kildare.—Abridged from the Dublin Monitor. THE OLD BANK.—We are glad to be able to state that the creditors of the Old Bank, Dudley, received a dividend of ss. in the pound on Wednesday last. This is the second dividend, which, with the first, amounting to 6s. Bd. in the pound, settles better than half the de mands upon the estate, which it is now confidently as serted will pay ful 20s. in the pound. That there must be something substantially wrong in our monetary and commercial matters, when such an establishment as the Old Bank, possessing ample resources, was compelled to stop payment, is obvious. It is said, and we believe truly, that if Mr. Dixon had retired from busi nets only a very short time ago, he could have done so upon 300,000/. ; with that spirit, however, of continuous enterprise which characterises the nation, and has raised it to its present commercial superiority, he continued extending accommodation to all around him until overtaken by one of those periodical convulsions in VI/de incident to our defective monetary arrangements, he was obliged to submit to the ordeal of the bankruptcy laws, and to which no man possessed of such ample means of meeting all ordinary demands upon him ought to have been subjected.—Birmingham Journal. THE ANCIENT CITY WELLS.—In the course of the last week, while making some excavations in Friday-street, Cheapside (where formerly stood the Saracen's Head Inn, and the house of Sir C. Wren), a deep well, said to be of Roman construction, was discovered. It was about two feet below what was supposed to be the ground on which the Saracen's Head was erected, but upon digging the earth massive walls were met with, of the Roman and subsequent periods. The Roman wall was composed of Kentish flags, flint, and cement. Other walls, which were made of bricks, were so firmly cemented together that the pickaxes were blunted, and required wedges to be used in order to separate the bricks from each other. The well, on being plombed, was found to be about forty feet in depth, and the water was pure and pellucid. It was not known to the late occupier of the inn that such a well was in existence. A short time ago, in Addle-street, a similar description of well was found, upon clearing away the earth for a foundation. It is supposed that after the Fire of London many wells were lost, which were covered over with the bricks and rubbish of the houses de stroyed, as in several other parts of the City wells have been found upon removing the earth. THE INSPIRATION OF A FINCH.—On the produc tion of La Sonnambula, Malibran and Templeton were ' the original Amina and Elvino in England, and Bellini came round to the stage, embraced Templeton after the lish o h d im th a at pa p r o t o t r h i\ a r t a r ib o r u a ld n ish'iistne favourites witnessed, on w th or e k fi o r n s t an stage. tri um p hs The e achieved om o composer performance, at the same time paying him the most flat tering compliments, and with tears of exultation wouldpro iirasinmgorhtaimusehehim.,, T took to inspire Templeton with a knowledge of dramatic effects was somewhat ingenious; when she wished him to express rage, which she could not otherwise bring courseaustampeddi e n her ce ja withe ha actualon jealous swlho paineehr rheeaphnulda:serdea rage, ee:. O n ont sinceo under standing n e a dc etoc casioner d_ w he rit m e e for h him to do, she gave him a hearty pinch on the arm, whilst appearing to the audience to bestow caresses, standing her motive; it produced a most electric effect wuphoihthohfee upon.--M usical Review. THE POOR-LAW COMMISSION REPORT. The Poor-law Commissioners for Scotland have had their report presented to the House of Commons. Public attention has long been attracted to the issue of these appointments. The people at large, looked to obtaining a more uniform and equitable mode of assessing for the poor, and more ample provision for them. A considerable portion of the ratepaying minority, on the other hand (or those rather who should pay rates but do not), with the expectation of no change being permitted, have waited with equal anxiety that they may continue as they are doing, to absorb for their own use that portion of the national property , which in reality belongs to the poor, and which is the first claim that should be paid from all property whatever. The object of the Government, by institut ing this inquiry, undoubtedly was to meet the demands of those desiring a change, but from the report before us, there is no prospect that any change will be effected, at least on authority of the Commission. By selecting Scotchmen exclu sively, by constituting two-thirds of the Commission from landed proprietors, who most likely pay no poor-rates at present, and the other third from clergy men, who had taken an active part in the management of the system as it exists, a Commission was selected of men unanimously wedded to the continuance of the abuses that have been complained of, and who, in their report, shut their eyes to all the suffering and its causes that had been presented to them, and conclude by recommending a continuation of the present prac tice in all its deformity ; or at least such slight changes thereon as would not be worth, to the poor, the paper that an Act with the alterations would cost. At the time the Commission was appointed, we ex pressed our app-obation of Mr. Twisleton having been made a member of it. We had every reason to believe that Mr. Twisleton would do his duty faith fully and effectively, taking an enlightened and hu mane view of the case. In these expectations we are glad to say we have not been disappointed. Mr. Twisleton, though a public servant, and standing alone, has had the firmness to dissent from the report in all its conclusions, and to publish along with it his reasons for so doing. The first part of the report is taken up with a pretty lengthened statement of the general working of the Scotch system of relieving the poor; and the first conclusion come to is, " That the funds raised for the relief of the poor, and the provision made for them out of the funds raised for their relief, are in many parishes throughout Scotland, insufficient." The next conclusion, after the introduction of some pages of evidence and reasoning on the subject, is " That it is not desirable that there should be any appeal from the decision of the parochial managers as to the amount of allowances?' Having thus summarily decided that there should be no appeal from the parochial managers, the Com mission next consider whether they may not also, as at present, continue to assess themselves or not for the poor as they ',have a mind. On this subject the Commission state that,— " Not only has no case been made oat for so great a change upon the system now in operation, accord ing to which it is left to the parochial authorities to provide the requisite amount of funds for the poor, either by an assessment or otherwise, as they may deem most expedient; but the voluntary method of providing these funds, to which a preference is still given by a large portion of the intelligence of the country, has appeared to us, in a great variety of in stances, to work in a satisfactory manner, and to be productive of beneficial effects. In these circum stances, to introduce a measure necessarily subversive of it, would certainly be inexpedient." Having thus decided that there shall be nothing but voluntary assessment, and that there shall be no appeal from the parochial authorities, the Commission next recommend "that a board of supervision, all the members of which should be unpaid, shall be established for a limited period, to which board re ports shall be made, at least twice in the year, from the parochial boards, stating specially the numbers and condition of the poor in each parish, and the amount of relief, in such form as shall be prescribed by the board of supervision; that complaints may be made to such board, and that such board shall have the fullest power of inquiry and remonstrance. That the board of supervision shall make a report annually to the Secretary of State on the condition and manage ment of the poor throughout Scotland." The Commission next recommended " that the heritors and kirk-session, or other managers of the poor in each parish, shall be bound to appoint a sala ried clerk, or other officer, who shall be required to make the reports to, and conduct the corespondence with, the general board of supervision, and that the remuneration which such officer shall receive shall be fixed by the parochial board of management." In the rural parishes, it is recommended "that those persons only are to be considered heritors, and held entitled to vote as such, who have a valued rent t the amount 51. Scots, or upwards." Subject to the limitation which we have above suggested, (the Commission says) we would further propose, that in rural parishes in which an assessment is raised, the body to be entrusted with the power of imposing such assessments and administering the funds, shall consist, in addition to the heritors and kirk-session, of a certain number of persons, to be chosen by the rate-payers not being heritors as above defined. For the town parishes the Commissioners say— " We are of opinion that it is desirable that all parishes, which, either in whole or in part, are situate within the parliamentary boundaries of any burgh, should be united and held to be one parish, for the purposes of providing for the poor, and of settlement. " We would farther recommend that the managers of the poor in such united parishes, should consist wholly or chiefly of managers, to be elected by the rate-payers, and also of the provost or chief magis trate, ex officio. The number of votes which each rate-payer shall have, being regulated by the amount of the property on which he is assessed.' The report then goes on to recommend that two or more parishes may unite to build poor houses. That medical relief should be supplied more exten sively than at present. That where there are no poor houses there should be dispensaries established, and after detailing a number of cases given in evidence regarding the inadequate treatment of poor lunatics, the report recommends that lunatics should be sent by their parishes to lunatic asylums. Parish autho rities are recommended to relieve all cases found des titute in their parishes, the expense to be recoverable from the parish of the pauper. A relieving officer is recommended for every parish, and the same facility for removing English and Irish paupers from Scot land, as exists for removing foreign paupers from England. Further, that "in each parish the board of managers should be required to defray from the funds provided for the relief of the poor, the expenses of educating pauper children." In addition to the remedies in existence, it is re commended that " husbands or fathers neglecting to maintain their wives or families, be punishable crimi nally by a summary process, in the event of the wives or families becoming chargeable on the parish. And that, in like manner, fathers of illegitimate children, where such fathers admit their liability, or have been found liable by decree of a competent court, shall be punishable criminally by a summary process, if they neglect to pay the aliment, and the child become chargeable." It is next recommended that the' period for obtain ing a parish settlement should be extended from three to seven years. After some other unimportant recommendations regarding settlement, the report proceeds at great length to consider the important question for which the Commission was appointed, viz., the relieving of able bodied persons when thrown destitute for want of employment. Against the granting of relief the authority of a great number of witnesses is quoted, but none of the witnesses favourable to relief are no ticed in the report. The situation of the unemployed at Paisley and Dunfermline during the late distress is also examined at length. Against the granting of relief to the able- bodied when unemployed, some Highland innkeeper, an underling to the Duke of Richmond or some of the Highland lairds, we suppose, is quoted, and next the Duke of Richmond himself, Sheriff Campbell, of Pais ley, the Rev. Mr. Chalmers, of Dunfermline (who last year made himself famous by his hasty desertion of the Free Church), and lastly, Mr. Hunt, of Pit tencrieff, Dunfermline, a manufacturer who, by his business, has raised himself t o p ossession of a man sion-house and country estate—Mr. Hunt's evidence will give an idea by what means—and as it is about the longest quotation in the report against relieving the destitution of the unemployed, we insert it as it appears. Mr. Hunt— ,, A manufacturer and dealer" his evidence bears, " in the coarse description of goods above mentioned, offered a few days ago to employ from 500 to 600 workmen, now idle, at a reduction of 25 per cent. on their wages. A committee of these workmen waited upon witness yesterday to ask him to subscribe for the relief of their distress, and to consult him as to the propriety of accepting the offer of work at re duced wages. Witness told them that he would sub scribe fur the relief of their immediate wants, but that it was necessary that they should employ any money which they received from subscriptions in sending their young men to find work in other places, as it was obvious that there were more people in Dunfermline than could find employment in it, unless they chose to work at the reduced rate of wages ; that with regard to the question of wages, it was quite plain that the rate must always be regulated by the proportion which the demand for labour bore to the number of persons wanting employment, that is by the supply and demand." The Commission conclude this part of the subject as follows :—" In fine, having in view the not inade quate relief hitherto afforded in periods of a depressed state of trade or manufactures, by voluntary contri butions, made on the emerging of such periods, and the improved system of administration, with reference to the funds thus raised, which, under the teaching of experience, has been gradually going forward.. . . We strongly advise, therefore, that the Poor-law of Scotland, with reference to the important section of it which has been now under review, shall be continued unchanged." Having thus given our readers a brief outline of the report of the Commission, from which so much was expected, we shall conclude our notice for the present by inserting the protest against the report by Mr. Twisleton, but with the intention of returning to the subject when the document itself shall have been a shor t time in the hands of the public. The cool way in which the Commission and their favourite witnesses dispose of destitution will not readily be forgotten. They propose to offer work at a reduction of 25 per cent.. • they tell the workman his wages must be re gulated by the demand—that the wants of himself or family must not be taken into consideration—and that when he cannot find work in one place, he must travel to another, and another, and another, but he is never to seek assistance. Such a remedy was surely easily discovered before the appointment of this Com mission, whose disposal of those in want to die, or continue suffering, sets all the calculations for improv ing the condition of the population as coolly aside as if the members had lived during the days that burn ing for witchcraft was in fashion, or though those whose wants they refuse to relieve were some inferior class of beings living in the moon, and not endowed with the same sympathies and the same wants as themselves. REASONS OF DISSENT FROM THE FOREGOING REPORT. I. Because the proposed alterations in the Scotch Poor-law are, lam afraid, insufficient to remedy the defects which are ad m itt e d t o ex i s t i n th e i r adminis tration. 11. Because, while it is admitted that the provision at present made for the relief of the aged and infirm poor is in many parishes of Scotland inadequate, the main reliance for the supply of this deficiency seems to be placed on a proposed board of supervision, or standing commission of inquiry, with ample powers of inspection, but with no administrative control or direct authority. But it appears to me, that the striking inade quacy of the allowances at present made to the aged and infirm poor in a large proportion of the unassessed rural parishes of Scotland, arises, not so much from ignorance of facts as from want of funds, which again is owing, in no small degree, to theories respecting the effect of any provision for the poor, even when it is restricted to the relief of the aged and the infirm. And any statements made annually in reports, tending to show that this class of poor ace in a destitute con dition, will be met by the usual answer, that -the only cure for such evils is in the moral and religious edu cation of the young; and that a provision for the poor creates much of the misery which it relieves, but does not relieve all the misery which it creates. M. Because no proposal is made for requiring the managers of the poor in unassessed rural parishes to assess themselves for the destitute, aged, and infirm poor; using these terms in the most comprehensive sense, as including all those who are entitled to relief under the present law. It appears to me that the mischiefs which have been attributed to assessments for this class of poor have been retparkably exagge rated, even although they may not be altogether vi sionary. On the other hand, this mode of providing for the aged and the infirm is the most equitable which can be adopted; its general tendency, as dis- • tinguished from its invariable result, is to insure an ampler supply of funds than can be raised by volun tary contributions ; and it reaches non-resident her-- tors, and others who may give either nothing, or com paratively little, in aid of the church collections. IV. Because it is not proposed to render it com pulsory on the managers of the poor to provide me dical attendance for paupers. The arrangements for medical relief, and the power of fixing the scale of remuneration to medical practitioners, are to be left exclusively to the local authorities, who may deem that they have a direct pecuniary interest in fixing the scale of remuneration as low as possible, or in throwing altogether upon medical practitioners, as is very frequently the case at present, the burden of at tending the sick poor gratuitously. V. Because it is not proposed to authorise, or to render it compulsory upon the managers of the poor in large towns to provide houses of refuge, or poor houses with wards for able-bodied persons. Bat establishments of this kind, which are, in fact, iden tical with English workhouses, appear to me essen tial to the proper management of the poor in large towns ; and without them I do not see how the beg ging, which prevails to such an extent in the chief towns of Scotland, can be suppressed, consistently with humanity, or in accordance with public feeling. VI. Because, while in reference to towns with a population above 5,000 inhabitants, the advantages of poorhouses for the reception of certain classes of poor, entitled to assistance under the present Scotch poor law, are clearly pointed out, as subsidiary to out door relief; yet the erection of such poor-houses is prOPosed to be left entirely to the discretion of the local authorities. But while I admit that the arrangement of various details may be safely vested in the managers of the poor in each parti cular town, it is my opinion that the principles of dealing with a subject so difficult as that ofadminister ing relief, should be settled by the more enlarged wisdom of Parliament. And a matter of such im portance as the erection of poor-houses ought not to depend either on the honest judgment, or possible caprice, partial knowledge, or narrow views, of acci dental majorities in particular localities. VII. Because no proposition is made for dealing with the case of large towns, when, during seasons of depression of trade, large bodies of operatives are thrown out of employment, and become dependent for subsistence upon public charity. It seems to me desirable, that in all large towns which have a poor-house with wards for able-bodied men, the managers of the poor should have a dis cretionaiy power, with consent of a board of super vision, to assess the inhabitants, for the purpose of setting to work destitute unemployed persons, with out requiring theni to enter such poor-house. The aid of a poor-house, with wards for able-bodied persons, materially facilitates the operations of those who, in periods of depression of trade, under take the duty of giving out-door relief to a certain number of that class. VII. Because no alteration is proposed in the Scotch law of rating, which is peculiarly anoma lous and defective. The usual mode of levying the rate on what is called " means and substance," is similar in its main features to the income-tax, but is unaccompanied by those safeguards with which the levying of the income-tax has been surrounded by the wisdom of Parliament. Either, therefore, safe guards should be introduced, for the purpose of in suring secrecy and fairness, or the attempt to assess supposed means and substance should be abandoned, and the mode of levying poor-rates in Scotland should be assimilated with that which is in operation in all other parts of the United Kingdom. EDWARD TWISLETON. —Glasgow Evening Post. A GENTLEMANLY SWINDLER. About two months ago, a person of genteel exte rior, nearly six feet high, and about fifty years of age, arrived at an hotel in this city from Monmouth shire, in a fly. On his arrival he alighted and walked into the hotel, and requested the landlord to pay the hire of the fly, and the usual fees to the driver ; this was, unsuspectingly, complied with, and the gentle man took up his quarters with mine host, staying there nearly a fortnight. In the meantime he conversed with the landlord about taking a house in the neighbourhood, suitable to his apparent condition in life ; at length he resolved upon engaging lodgings in the city, on the plea of economy, until the difficulty of obtaining a house pleasing to the taste of a lady-like woman who was with him, a n d w h om h e represented as his wife, about 40 years of age, with Scotch accent, together with a little boy, between seven . and eight years, could be accomplished. Subsequently to taking these lodgings he to o k a house at 'ortson, and commenced gardening operations, preparatory, as he represented, to going there io reside. During his stay in Hereford he outrodee ects every day, and con ductedl lis real himself im self character, all ddo,f, several fortune. however, re s the tradesman whom he had la\ ‘ ti' l isn fa a t a ro rmr n ia. i v s ne e him for the money, and an early ' day was' fixed pressed for payment. The day previous to that fixed, he hired a gig and ordered it to be sent a little way out of town at an appointed hour, under pre tence of going a short distance for a ride. In order to get away his luggage, a carpet bag (pre viously obtained on trust of a tradesman in the city), the lodging-house keeper's attention wa s diverted to something at the back of the house, whilst the bag was given to a person waiting outside to convey it to the gig. Off they started to Bromyard, and on their arrival he got a man to take the gig back to Hereford, telling him the person of whom he had hired it would pay him for his trouble. The unsuspecting man paid the gates on his return, and when he arrived at Hereford, found the owner of the gig, not hav ing been paid himself, of course would not pay the poor man, and he had to walk back minus his dis bursements for the tolls. From Bromyard he went to Worcester, and from Worcester to Birmingham or London. He victimised the Hereford people to the extent of about 1001., having paid for one month's lodging only.—Abridged from the Hereford Times. THE ROYAL ACADEMY EXHIBITION, FOR 1844. We understand that a leading article, on the present year's Exhibition of the loyal Academy, by one of the most distinguished critics of the day, will appear in the June Number of Colburn's New Monthly Magazine.