The Sun. — London, England, 1836-12-13 00:00:00

LITERATURE. QUARTERLY RE VIE W.—No. J. Murray, London, 1836. In the first, and most amusing, article in this Num ber, a more detailed account is given of Goldsmith's early life, very many years previous to the period when he gained celebrity as an author, than we have yet met with. These details are drawn from Mr. Prior's me moirs of the poet, which the Reviewer praises in lavish terms for the research and impartiality displayed throughout them. " Poor GOldy,",---as Johnson used to call him—met, up to the age of thirty, with more reverses than fall to the lot of nine out of ten authors. " He was everything by turns, and nothing long ;" physician—travelling tutor—usher—hack writer for Griffiths—getter up of children's books for Newbery —and, finally, essayist, poet, novelist, and dramatist, in each of which last capacities he has achieved high and enduring fame. We subjoin a diverting anecdote of him when practising as a physician in South wark " By Mr. Sleigh's assistance, Goldsmith was enabled to set up as a physician, and one of his Trinity churns, the the Rev. Mr. Beatty, met him in the street, in a suit of green velvet and gold, but with a shirt and neckloth which he must have worn for a fortnight ; when, however, he seemed in excellent spirits, and said he was now practising his profession, and doing very well. Mr. Prior quotes a lady still living for a story that Sir Joshua Reynolds used to tell at this period. The green velvet coat had been bought second-hand ; he discovered presently an unseemly patch, and one of his patients was highly amused when, after several vists, he discovered why the doctor always placed his hat over his left breast, while delivering his opinion." Goldsmith was always fond of tawdry and expensive clothes—witness his famous peach-blossom coat, which blooms, and will bloom for ever, in the pages of Boswell. To such an extent did he carry this fancy, that he ac tually, when desirous to obtain orders, appeared before the Bishop of Elphin in bright scarlet breeches, infi nitely to the astonishment and perplexity of the worthy Prelate I On another occasion says the Reviewer— " He took apartments in the Temple, hired a man-servant, and appeared suddenly metamorphosed into a smart phy sician, with a professional wig and cane, purple silk small clothes and a scarlet silk roquelaire, buttoned to the chin, charged in his tailor's bill at four guineas and a-half ; but imposing as was this attire, it earned the Doctor more jests than fees, and he soon retreated again to his Islington lodgings." Here he wrote the famous nursery tale " Goody Two-Shoes"—a discovery for which we are indebted to the indefatigable researches of Mr. Prior. Here, too, most of his best works were penned, particularly his " Letters on English History," which still maintain their ground as a production of rare merit. As he was not to be trusted with money himself, Mr. Newbery the bookseller, one of his most generous friends, un dertook to arrange all household matters for him : " His friend, Mr. Newbery, settled with his Islington landlady quarterly, exactly as if the author had been in a state of pupilage. Mr. Prior does not disdain to quote se veral of their accounts, from which it appears that Gold smith's board and lodging cost 12/. per quarter ; that his extra expenses were quite trivial, and that the landlady, from the regard she soon conceived for him, allowed him, now and then, to invite a poor brother-author to dinner, without making any claim for his entertainment. When wine was produced, which did not happen above once or twice in a month, Goldsmith was charged ls. 6d. per bottle, and no one evening is burdened with two bottles. His usual beverage in this retreat was a slight decoction of sassafras, which had at that time a fashionable reputation as a puri fier of the blood ; and his supper was uniformly a dish of boiled milk. Except when he went to dine in town on Fri days with the Club, such was his simple fare. He read in the morning, strolled away into the fields to arrange his re flections, came home to his early dinner, and then sate down to write for the evening. His chief amusement seemed to be playing with the children, who had always free access to his only room, and teaching the dog to beg. Whenever he had done enough of his history to keep the press going for a week or two, he turned to some child's book for his em ployer." To the day of his death Mr. Newbery continued a fast friend to Goldsmith ; but not so another bookseller, who was at that time editor and proprietor of a perio dical, which, we believe, still lives, though " it makes no sign." This fellow, though he scarcely gave the poet enough to keep body and soul together, was never sa tisfied with his performances, invariably estimating them by their length, and the speed with which they were pro duced. Luckily, Goldsmith soon got out of his clutches, and lived to see the essays, of which his employer thought nothing, because they were not long and com mon-place enough to suit his vulgar tastes, universally recognised as among the best in the language. But though celebrity did at len g th come to the p oet, it did not come till he had attaine d his thirty eighth year— too late to recompense him for all the sufferings and vicissitudes he had previously endured. His death,o; it seems, was occasioned by despair of getting free from his pecuniary embarrassments s----he died, in short, of a broken heart ; but he has left a name that will never die. As a poet he has many su p eriors, but as a prose writer, none. His " Vicar of Wakefield" still c h arm s all Europe ; and his " Citizen of the World," for the ease, and grace, and perfect naturalness of its humour, is not surpassed by even the happiest efiusions of Steele and Addison. It is singular, however, that lie could do nothing without a model, as Johnson has justly observed. He had the curiosa felicitas in per fection, and touched nothing that he did not adorn ; but little or no originality. His Dr. Primrose is but a 'variorum edition—a copy in water-colours—of Par son Adams ; but the character is embellished- with so many nice traits of individuality ; enlivened by so many racy touches of the quietest humour ; and brought out with such exquisite unconsciousness (the most difficult thing in the world for a novelist to achieve) by the auto-biographer himself, that it has all the vivid effect of an original conception. The great merit of Goldsmith's works is, that they leave a cheerful impression on the mind. They exhibit the sunny side of humanity, forming in this respect a marked contrast to the sterner and more vigorous w Things of Fielding and Srnollett. Hence we always tuim to them with pleasure, and recognize in Moses, and the Miss Flamboroughs, and Beau Tibbs, and eve n the knavish Mr. Jenkinson, with his one long story of the " cosmogony, or creation of the world," acquaintances of whose diverting eccentricities we never weary. Poor Goldsmith I He possessed every sense but common-sense ; but wanting that, he wanted eve rything. Among the moderns, Washington Irving has imitated him the most closely, but is still far below him as a humourist, though he surpasses him in ela borate polish of style, and a certain picturesque power of description. In the notice of Lord Mahon's " History of Eng land from the Peace of Utrecht," the Reviewer of course praises his Lordship in unqualified terms, and e ven joins with him in regretting that the Whigs of the present day arc not the Whigs of Marlborough's time. How absurd is this regret! As times and circumstances change, so must statesmen change with them. If not—if the policy of the past is to direct the future—how happens it that the Tories are all -.turning Reformers ? " Campbell's Poetical Works" is a cold and somewhat churlish notice of the works of otle of the most popular, and deservedly so, authors of the age. The critic, however, is compelled to admit that som e of the poet's choicest lines have become " familiar i n oe us mouths as household words ;" but we will go farther asnd state, that the oftenest quoted lines in this or anvlangew ge, are to be found in Campbell's poems. Who does not see, on a handsome average, at least three 'times a-week throughout the year, the allusions to the meteor flag of England," and the still more no . iorious " angels' visits ? Within the last twelve or fosarteen years we have seen many poetical schools and sys, 4 cms flourish and decay , but " Hope," and " Wyo naunc," and, the best of all, " O'Connor's Child," Still anaintain their ground. " Memoirs of Lucien Buonaparte," is remarkable for nothing but the Reviewer's expression of astonishment, that Napoleon should have made so many blockheads, kings and princes. Why, they were fit for nothing else, which was no doubt the Emperor's motive for encircling their brows with the diadem and coronet. It requires talent to make a statesman, soldier, or philosopher ; but any fool can be a king. Ex quovis ligno fit Mercurius. " Seldom, alas, the power of reason reigns With much sufficiency in Royal brains," says Cowper ; and our own three first Georges are illustrations of this wholesome truth. The " Factory System" is a valuable, fearless and unpitying exposure of this grinding tyranny. Till we read the Reviewer's strictures, not one of which but is supported by proof positive " as holy writ," we could have had no idea of the cruelties practised on the helpless factory children by their task-masters. And yet these are the men who have been crying out so lustily against negro slavery I In reference to this sickening cant, we quote from memory the concluding stanza of an ad mirable poem entitled " The Dying Factory Child," which appeared some few years since in Frazer's Magazine : _ " That night a chariot passed her, As on the ground she lay, The children of her master An evening visit pay ; Their tender hearts were sighing, As Negro wrongs were told, While the white slave was dying, Who gained their master gold." In " Wraxall's Posthumous Memoirs" the Reviewer enters at considerable length into a defence of Mr. Pitt, from the charge brought against him by the Ba ronet of " pecuniary corruption," and shows that his Memoirs are not worthy of the slightest attention ; he is more successful here than ha is in exposing what he calls the inaccuracies of Colonel Napier's " History of the Peninsular War"—an article which is almost wholly made up of invective and assertion, And in no way injures the gallant historian's character for ac curacy and fair dealing. Had Colonel Napier been a Tory instead of a Reformer, no doubt the " Quarterly Review" would have discovered that his historical abi lities were equal to those of Ciesar. NORTHAMPTON-MONDAY. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The Reformers here intend, on Friday next, to give a dinner to George Peach, Esq., Mayor, who is the first Liberal that has filled the civic chair of this borough within the memory of man. They go upon the good principle— one which was unknown at all former Mayors' inaugaration dinners—of each paying his own expenses. This is a good plan : it keeps both parties on independent terms, and does not preclude any man possessed of only a moderate fortune from taking upon himself an office, honourable in itself, but almost ruinous to individuals, unless they resort, as did the old Corporators, to the charitable and other funds for assistance. That the public money was misappropriated is certain, from the fact that almost everything the Corpora tion had under its control or in its possession, was mort gaged to such an extent as to leave it bankrupt at the time of passing the Municipal Reform Bill, and obliging the pre sent Town Council to sell off some portion of the property, in order to remove the pressure of the debts upon the re mainder. At the dinner, Mr. Vernon Smith, M.P., is to take the chair ; and among those who are expected to at tend are Earl Spencer, Lord Lilford, Lord Charles Fitz roy, M.P., Hon. Fox Manic, M.P., Sir William Wake, Bart., E. Bouverie, Esq., C. Hillyard, Esq., Raikes Currie, Esq., (the new Liberal candidate), the whole of the Liberal council, &c, &c. The requisition to Mr. Raikes Currie is at present very numerously si g ned. The electors are delighted with him, and there is but one feeling with the Liberals—that of casting aside all minor differences, with a determination of bringing in both Vernon Smith and Raikes Currie. The Tories have given up the idea of there being any chance. If we are not greatly out, our good friends at Northamp ton will save their present nzisrepresentative (and most familiar friend of Sir Robert Peel *) the trouble of attend ing at St. Stephen's. He may then devote his leisure to enrich the literature of his country. The Quarterly knows the VALUE of his communications ; and if his college tutor is still alive, Mr. C. Ross may rise to literary fame as bright as the Lord Brudenell Peter Pindar talks of, who took a German to the opera to tell him when there hap pened a small slip with any unlucky performer. Pindar says— " He grew from that hour a Lord of wondrous skill ; And though the man is dead, he keeps so still. It has been remarked that Mr. Ross is the only Member of the House who ventures to address Sir Robert as " Peel." THE PRESS IN SWEDEN. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) Sweden, in throwing off, in 1809 , a despotic King, Gus tavus Adolphus IV., obtained a constitution in 1810, and with it the liberty of the press. In 1812, the Diet thought proper, as an amendment, to grant to the then King a partial censorship, but it was only a temporary right, and which, as soon as the emergency which created it had sub sided, ought to have been abolished. Since that time twenty-four years have passed away, and the succes sor of the Kirq to which it was but temporarily given is still in possession of this odious and mischievous power of seizing the edition, and hinder the further publication of any newspaper, without assigning reasons for such an act. The Government is therefore in this case judge and execu tioner, and interferes with private property in a manner which in England would be considered approaching very nearly to robbery. Almost every newspaper in Sweden which belongs to the Opposition party has more than once been subject to this despotic act. An Evening paper (Aftonbladet) which has a very great circulation, has been seized no less than six different times, and the publication stopped. Besides these seizures, the editors are often proceeded against for libels that have ap peared in their respective newspapers about Foreign Powers. The Constitutional Government of Sweden degrades itself by thus being made the tool of the despots of the Holy Alliance. The above named Newspaper has now a prosecution azainst it, for copying an article contained in the Ben Sens, a Parisian newspaper, called Democracy in Italy," in which were some remarks alluding to the despotic and cruel behaviour of the Austrian police in Italy. The prosecutor in this case is no less than the citizen and republican Bernardotte, who fought for liberty in America, who spilled his blood for liberty in France, in Italy, in Germany, and in Holland, and who was elected by *a free people as their constitutional King. We hesi tate not to pronounce such conduct unworthy of so great and so celebrated a Sovereign. ROBBERY AT THE SWEDJSH POST OFFICE. Swedish and Norwegian General Consulate, No. 17, Great St. Helen's, Dec. 12, 1836. SlR,—Enclosed I beg leave to wait upon you with a notice respecting a robbery committed at Christiana on the 28th ult., of sundry mail bags ; and in so doing I crave the favour of your giving the said notice all the publicity in your power. I remain respectfully, Sir, Your must obedient servant, ( Signed) CHARLES TOTTIE. (Translation.) " From the Royal Norwegian Department of Finance, Trade, and Customs. " SIR„—You are hereby informed that a robbery was com mitted yesterday evening at the Post-office here, shortly before the departure of the mail, when a bag was stolen, which con tained the following mail-bags from the following places, viz.:- 1 Letter Bag of this place, with a Register of 28th inst. 1 , do. from Bergen do. 22d 1 ... do. •.. Trondjen do. 23d 2 do. ... Chi istiansand do. L/th & 22d 1 d o . do. 23d 1 do. Aalsunde do. 19th 1 ... d o . Dramen do. 28th 1 ... do. Koningsbcrg d o. 27th 1 ... do. Kongsringer do 26th " You will please, without loss of time, to give every publi city to what has transpired, in order to prevent, as far as it is possible, inconvenience to merchants who may be looking to rem ittances by the abstracted baggy from the mails of this day. ( Signed)J. H. VOGT. C. F. GLUCKSTAD. " Christiana, Nov. 29, 1836." The Havre journal of the Bth inst. states that the violent westerly gales which lately prev ailed in that neigh bourhood bad apparently ceased for two o r three days, and allowed some vessels bound for the north to quit the har bour. On the night of the 7th, however, the hurricane re commenced with increased fury, and on the morning of the Bth the sea at high tide rose above the level of the quays of the outer port. During the gale the packet-boat Switzer land, and three vessels from the United States, entered, however, the harbour without accident. Madame Vestriscontinues her career of management with the most decided success. The last new burletta of The Two Figaros is certainly one of the best of its kind ever produced, being alike complete in its scenery, costume, and performance. The numerous audiences it has attracted during the past week fully j us tify M a d ame in its represen tation every remaining evening of Mr. Liston's engagement. BRIGHTON-MONDAY We are happy to state that their Majesties are quite well, and are only prevented from being in public by the conti nued unsettled state of the weather, which has had a ruinous effect upon the fancy trade of the town, as none of our fash ionables can, from the same cause, venture out. The Earl of Albemarle, Master of the Horse to the King, left the Palace this morning for London. To-morrow his Lordship goes to Norfolk. Mdlle. D'Este left the Palace this morning for London. Prince Polignac and his son called at the Palace this morning, and paid their respects to their Majesties. Among other calls at the Palace this morning were Major- General Sir Thomas M.Mal:on (on his return to Ports mouth) ; the Hon. Mrs. Charles Norton, and Miss Camp bell, Major-General Sir Loftus and Lady Otway, who have arrived in Brunswick-terrace. Her Majesty, attended Divine Worship yesterday even ing in the Royal Chapel. Prayers were read by the Rev. Mr. Wood, and the Rev. J. S. M. Anderson, her Majesty's Chaplain, delivered an eloquent discourse from the I lth chapter of Hebrews, 4th verse. The treble parts of an an them, composed by King, the words from the 22d Psalm, were well sung by Masters Gutteridge and Richards. The Earl of Errol returned on Saturday to Brunswick terrace, from Aylesbury. We have a society of madrigal singers in this town, who execute, with great precision and taste, the delightful com positions of Weelkes and Wilbye, &c. ; and on Thursday evening last they afforded to the lovers of ancient harmony a rich treat. COURT CIRCULAR. A meeting was held yesterday afternoon at the Home Office, at which Viscount Duncannon, Lord John Russell, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Poor Law Com missioners were present. The Marquis of Sligo transacted business yesterday at the Colonial Office. The Right Hon. C. Poulett Thomson had a dinner party on Sunday evening in South Audley-street, Earl Spencer, Viscount Howick, Lord John Russell, Mr. C. Wood, M.P., and Mr. E. J. Stanley, were among the company. The Chancellor of the Exchequer arrived in town yester day afternoon, from the seat of Mr. Calvert, near Ware. The Judicial Committee of his Majesty's Privy Council sat yesterday. The Lords present were Lord Brougham, Sir J. Bernard Bosanquet, Sir James Park, Hon. Thomas Erskine, Sir Alexander Johnston, and Sir E. East. The appeal from Bengal, the Mayor of Lyons v. the East I ndia Company and his Majesty's Attorney-General, was resumed. _ _ _ _ ~—...—. The Solicitor-General was heard for the Crown, and Mr. Tinney replied for the appellant. The Court then adjourned. The Master-General of the Ordnance and Lady Vivian have arrived at Surrey Cottage, near Olney, from Leamington. Sir Hussey returns to Pall-mall to-morrow, to resume his official duties. Lord and Lady Southampton arrived in Carlton gardens yesterday from Hastings. His Lordship proceeds to Whittlebury-lodge, in Northamptonshire, for the hunting season. The Count and Countess Schuvaloff, by birth a Princess of Soltikoff, who made a recent tour in this coun try, and were guests of the Duke of Devonshire, at Chats worth, have left Frankfort-on-the-Maine for St. Petersburg. The Duke and Duchess of St. Albans are expected to leave Stratton-street to-day for Brighton. The Marquis of Granby has been appointed a Cap tain in the Leicestershire regiment of Militia by his father, the Duke of Rutland. Belvoir Castle will be the scene of *brilliant fetes the first week in the ensuing month. The Duke of Wellington will, it is expected, arrive at the Cas tle, on the 3d of January, on his annual visit to the Noble Duke. Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Herries are amongst the recent arrivals at Weymouth. On Saturday, the 10th instant, the christening of the infant son of Lieut.-Col. John Sidney and Lady Susan Doyle, took place at Brighton. Their Majesties, who were graciously pleased to stand sponsors, deputed the Earl and Countess of Sheffield to be their proxies. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Thomas Cooke. There were present—the Dowager Countess of Guildford, Earl and Countess of Sheffield, Mrs. Fitzherbert, Hon. Col. and Mrs. Dawson Darner, Gen. Sir Charles and Miss Doyle and the Marquis of Bristol. Lady Sheffield, on the part of their Majesties, presented to the infant a most beau tiful piece of plate. The Countess of Bridgewater will dispense her usual bounty of roast beef and plum-pudding to the poor at Christmas. Lord Stanley is expected to return to Knowsley Park to-day, from a visit to his friend John Coles, Esq., at Wood cote, Shropshire, where a shooting party has been assembled. His Lordship has taken a mansion in Carlton-gardens for one year. The Earl and Countess of Belmore have returned to Castle Coote, after spending several days at Castle Saun derson. vv M& Charles Towneley and Lady Caroline carne up from Stoke Farm on Friday last, to Sefton House ; and on Saturday they left town, on a visit to the family of Mr. Sto ner, in Oxfordshire. Gorhambury, near St. Alban's, will be very gay dur ing the holidays. The following distinguished persons honoured the New Italian Opera Buffa with their presence on Satur day :—His Royal Highness the Duke of Brunswick, the Prince Esterhazy, Prince Polignac, Count d'Orsay, Duke of Argyll, Lady Cowley, Countess of Sefton and the La dies Molyneux, Lord Burghersh, Count Tolstoy, L a d y Shelley, Lady Ashburnham, Lady Georgina Mitford, Lady Dudley Stewart, Sir William Abdy, Mr. Hope, &c. Prince Polignac and his son left the Clarendon Hotel on Saturday, at 10 a.m., on a visit to the Hon. Ar chibald Macdonald, his brother-in-law, at Brighton. He will return to town to-morrow. Among the numerous fashionables who have visited the Prince, to congratulate him on his arrival, have been the Duke of St. Albans, two visits, Count and Countess Sebastiani, Sir Francis Doyle, Prince Esterhazy, Duke of Palmella, Mr. Duncombe, M.P. The Prince did not intend to give a grand dinner to-day, as was announced. Sir Walter Carew, Bart., is about to lead to the hymeneal altar, Miss Taylor, the young and beautiful daughter of Colonel Taylor, of Ogwell House, in this county.-IVestern Luminary. It is supposed from the alterations in progress at Kew Palace, according to a plan submitted to the King, that his Majesty will make it occasionally his temporary re sidence during the Session of Parliament, as being more convenient and less trouble to come to town than from Windsor to St. James's Palace, to hold levees and commu nicate with his Ministers. It is now finally decided to invite John Crawford, Esq., of London, the friend of Dr. Bowring, M.P. and Colonel Thompson, M.P., to become a candidate for the representation of the borough of Preston, in the event of a dissolution of Parliament. Our readers will be b glad to learn that the Court of Directors of the Honourable East India Company has passed a measure, granting full batta to officers on stations exceed ing 200 miles from each Presidency. Since the races the party at Scone Palace has con sisted of a family circle. For Christmas a select party is invited ; and about the close of January the family will re turn to the metropolis. The Hon. David Murray has re turned to Scone Castle. His Majesty has authorised General Le Marchant to accept and wear the insignia of the Third Class, or Knight Commander of the order of St. Fernando, which was conferred upon him some months ago by the Queen of Spain. Princess Polignac and family are expected to arrive at the Clarendon on Thursday next, from P ar i s . The first husband of the Princess was the Marquis de Choiseul, who died in 1824. The Earl of Harewood's fine mansion in Hanover square has recently undergone a thorough repair. His lordship and the family are expected in town early in Fe bruary. The Earl of Ripon arrived in Carlton-gardens on Saturday evening, from a visit to Sir Robert Peel, a t Dray ton Manor. The Countess and the young Lord Goderich are staying at Norwood. Lord Lowther is expected to arrive,in Cleveland-row on Saturday, from Paris. Earl Spencer, after stopping a few days at Althorp, will proceed to his scat in Yorkshire, where he will pass tho Christmas recess. The Duke of Wellington is expected to pay a visit to the Duke of Rutland at the end of the month, when a distinguished party will be assembled to enjoy the sports of the field. Earl Jermyn, Lords Rokeby, Forester, C. Man ners, and Sir F. Trench, are expected to be of the party. The Lord-Lieutenant and the Countess of Mulgrave returned to Dublin on Saturday from a visit to Sir William and Lady Maria Somerville. Their Excellencies have re moved into the Castle for the winter. It is stated Mr. Jardine is to be appointed Recorder of this city.— Bath Journal. We have Mr. Freshfield's authority to state that lie has not the slightest idea of resigning his seat as the represen tative of Penrvn and Falmouth.—lealinouth Packet. Sir John Campbell, late Minister to the Court of Persia, after a long absence, has returned to Granbelly Cas tle, N.B. Sir William Molesworth having accepted the invita- tion cf the inhabitants of Leeds to become a candidate at the next election, has, consequently, declined the invitation of the electors of Newcastle to come forward in the event of a dissolution of Parliament.—Tyne Mercury. We regret to state that Mr. Faulkner's manufactory at Manchester was burnt yesterday, and property in value exceeding 100,0001. destroyed. It is supposed to be the work of an incendiary. Sir Clifford and Lady Constable are entertaining a party at Burton Castle, near Kingston -upon-Hull. The Hon. Baronet at his last rent-day, made a deduction of 10 per cent. in the rents of the farms upon his estates. The Earl and Countess of Harewood are entertain ing a distinguished circle at Harewood House, Yorkshire. The Earl of Aberdeen, Lady Wm. Thynne, Sir J. and Lady B. V. Johnstone, have been among the fashionable guests. Lady Cawdor, Sir H. Willoughby, and the Hon. Mr. Howard, are amongst the late arrivals. The Duke of Roxburgh, his mother, the Duchess of Roxburghe, Lieutenant-Colonel O'Reilly, &c, left Floors castle on Monday last, in two carriages and four for Lon don. The celebration of his Grace's marriage with Miss Dalbiac is fixed for the 20th instant. .. _.. Sir F. Chantry is at present on a visit at the Dakes, the seat of W. J. Bagshawe, Fsq. Colonel Fox has arrived in the Addison-road, Ken sington, from a tour. Lady Mary and Miss Bagot are expected to arrive from Paris in a few days. Elizabeth, the youngest daughter of the late Lord Barrington, is to be married in a few days to the Rev. L. Mills of Suffolk. _ _ _ Baddington, the scat of the Duke of Beaufort, will be a scene of gaiety during the Christmas holidays, where a numerous party of fashionables have been invited by his Grace, to partake of the festivities of the season. Lord Brougham increases in strength every day, and is indefatigable in his attendance at the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. In the list of Senate of the London University in our Paper of yesterday, for " Sir Stephen Love Hammick, Baronet, Doctor in Medicine, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, and Fellow of the Royal Society," read ,‘ Sir Stephen Love Hammick, Baronet, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons." The Prince of Canino intends to break up his establishment at Brompton, and retire with his son, lately arrived, to America. As soon as the proposed reduction in the tolls on Waterloo-bridge takes place, it is said that several omni buses and short stages will make it their route. The boot and shoemakers at Glasgow have struck for an advance of wages and fresh regulations. The masters are unwilling to accede to the required terms, and have advertised for fresh hands. The dispute between the journeymen bricklayers and their employers have been adjusted.—Glasgow Paper. By the will of the late Miss Vaughan, a legacy of 60,0001. is bequeathed to a Noble Marquis, payable out of a particular stock in the Bank ; but in which stock there is found to exist only 10,0001. standing in the deceased's name. A question, we hear, is likely to arise, whether the Noble legatee is compelable to take this latter sum in full of his demand, or whether he is not entitled to claim the difference from the other ample funds of his liberal bene factress. The Journal des Debuts announces that the Mi nister of Finance has fixed a duty of five francs a head on all large, dogs quitting France along the frontier from Dun kirk to Rousses. The object of this measure is to repress the contraband trade carried on to a great extent in that quarter by means of dogs. As a proof of the unusual character of the present season, it may be remarked that we had yesterday rain and wind during the whole of ' the day, and that in the course of the night flashes of what is usually called summer light ning were observed at frequent intervals in the direction of the south.—Paris Paper. Mrs. Nisbett is at present delighting the good people of Edinburgh. On Thursday last she appeared as Lady Teazle, and attracted one of the largest audiences of the season. Mr. Kemble is to make his last appearance on the stage in the character of Benedick. Mr. Forrest, the American tragedian, will shortly personate Richard the Third, for which an entirely new and splendid dress is making. Mrs. T. Welch, once Miss Wilson, a lady who for some time excited considerable at tention by her vocal talents at Drury-lane Theatre, in the character of Mandane, in the Opera of Artaxerxes, will soon appear at the same theatre in Lady Macbeth. Mr. Forrest makes his first appearance at Liverpool on the 26th inst. Lord Carlisle, at his rent-day in Morpeth last week, generously returned the tenants on his estate in that neighbourhood ten per cent. The Lecture on Thursday last, at the Islington Literary and Scientific Society, was delivered by Dr. Mat thew Truman. The following were among the distinguished com pany last week at the St. James's Theatre to see The Vil lage Coquettes :—Duke and Duchess of St. Albans, Duke of Brunswick, Prince Esterhazy, Lords Prudhoe, Burg hersh, A. Fitzclarence, Baron de Lagos, Lady Knox, Lady Agnes Miller, Lady Hope Vere, Lady Gould, Sir H. Har dinge, Sir F. Pollock and family, Sir H. Webb, Hon. D. Dundas, Hon. E. Byng, &c. Mr. and Mrs. Wood netted 1,5001, by the three weeks engagement which they fulfilled at the Liverpool Theatre Royal, immediately after the Festival. The Earl of Eldon has erected a beautifully exe cuted tablet in St. Nicholas's Church; at Newcastle, to the memory of the late William Scott, Esq., the venerable Earl's father. The inscription is from the pen of the Learned Lord, and concludes with the following sentence :—" This tablet is placed here by one of his affectionate sons." The Earl of Derby is making vast improvements on his extensive estates in Lancashire. At Knowsley his Lord ship expends 5001. weekly in wages to labourers. They are employed in planting, road-making, draining, &c. We have received a communication, from a quarter which leaves us in no doubt of the correctness of the infor mation, corrobative of a report which has been in general circulation of late—viz., that Sir George Murray is not likely again to stand for the representation of this county. —Perth Courier. The excavations at the Forum of Rome, ordered by Government, have, it is said, ascertained the precise position of the Tribune, from which the orators harangued the people. It has hitherto been supposed to have been in the centre of the Forum ; but it appears now to be proved that it stood at the foot of the Capitol. All that has now been cleared, appears to agree perfectly with the descriptions of the historians and the ancient medals. The arch of Septimus Severus is on one side, and that of Titus and the Colosseum in front. The Prussian Government has offered a prize of 100 ducats for the best native or foreign medical guide, to serve as an arranged manual for the practice of midwives, as the knowledge of that class of female practitioners is known to be very limited in Prussia. The work must be written in German, and may be sent in to the Minister till the 31st December, 1837. The Marquis Camden has left Tunbridge Wells for Bayham Abbey. Mr. C. Kemblers first appearance on the stage was at the opening of the new Drury-Lane Theatre, on April 21, 1794, when John Kemble played Macbeth, Palmer Macduff, Wroughton Banquo, Mrs. Siddons Lady Macbeth, and C. Kemble Malcolm. Old Bannister was Hecate, and Moody, Dodd, and Suett the witches. It is remarkable that there is not a single principal performer in the tragedy now alive. C. Kemble has risen from Malcolm to Macbeth, and has outlived them all. It is now somewhat more than 40 years since he first came upon the stage as a boy. We learn that the Directors of the Bridges and Roads have received accounts that between 25 and 30 bridges have been carried away, and from 12 to 15 roads cut up by the late floods. The road to Strasburg is almost impassable : the snail is daily between three and four hours behind its time in arriving. We have heard it confidently reported that a letter has been received from Sir Robert Peel by a noble Lord and ex-Minister, resident near Edinburgh, in which Sir Robert has intimated that it is not his intention to accept of the banquet offered him by the supporters of Mr. Learmonth and Lord Ramsay in this city.—Caledonian Mercury. An elopement took place in Dublin within the last few days which has caused, as all such " affairs" do, a great sensation in the fashionable coteries, the niece of a Conservative Irish Nobleman with a Gentleman distin guished as a vocalist in the metropolitan cathedrals. They were married privately, and the fugitive pair fled some thirty or forty miles northward after the ceremony, but deemed it better to return once more to their " happy home," but not of " halters free" as your Cockney friends would call them. An arrangement to the satisfaction of all parties will shortly be entered into, it is to be hoped. DOVER, DEC. 3.—This day between twelve and one o'clock a considerable portion of the cliff beyond Smith's Folly gave way, and killed a lad named John Toms, aged about thirteen years, on the spot. Two men who were pitching dung into a waggon belonging to Mr. Mat son, of Sole Farm, were seriously injured by the chalk fall ing on them. One, named Sawkins, had his leg and thigh broken ; the other, named Tunbridge, received considerable internal injuries. We hear neither of the poor men are considered out of danger. A mighty bar is thrown across our harbour by the violence of the late south-westerly gales, and the action of the still mightier waves. Not a vessel can enter into or depart from this harbour. On Sun day all the passengers were compelled to go to Deal to to embark for the Continent.—Kentish Gazette. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. I LORD JOHN RUSSELL AND SIR -.....- HENRY PARNELL. FRANCE. PARIS, DEC. 11.—The Indicateur• of Bordeaux of the Bth has the following article :—" The accounts from the frontiers confirm what we said yesterday, that the Carlists had suspended their fire against Bilboa. " On the 2d in the afternoon, the enemy began to with draw their heavy artillery, sending it towards Durango, re taining only the field pieces. " On the 3d General Espartero assembled his principal officers, and it was decided that they would wait for Gene ral Alcala with the reserve, consisting, as we have said, of 4,500 men, which was to arrive on the sth ; and, therefore, Espartero would not attack the enemy till that day, or the Gth. _ _ " On the 4th in the morning he ret&ned his positions at Assua and Erendio. The Carlists have recalled to Bilboa all the forces that can be spared in Guipuscoa, not having enough to oppose Espartero. The Sentinelle of Bayonne says, " We have received the following letter from St. Sebastian :---‘ A person worthy of credit assured us that Espartero was not to attempt a decisive attack on the Carlists engaged in the siege of Bilboa before the 4th or sth of this month. This delay was dictated by prudence ; he waited the arrival of the di vision of Alama, composed of eight battalions, before he commenced his movement. What especially induced him to wait is the Carlists having withdrawn their heavy artil lery, so that Bilboa had nothing more to fear. The re sult of Espartero's attack cannot be doubtful, since the Carlists themselves are persuaded the town cannot fall into their hands.'" A Ministerial paper says, " The steam-boats which are intended to be employed as packets between Murseiras and Constantinople, Smyrna, and Alexandria, trading at the prin cipal ports of Italy and Sicily, at Malta and Athens, have now almost all left the ports on the Ocean, where they were built, to go to the rendezvous at Toulon. The Leonidas, which left Brest on the 20th of November, arrived at Tou lon on the sth December in the morning, having stopped one day at Lisbon and five at Gibraltar. It was therefore only nine days at sea, in very bad weather, to perform a voyage of 582 sea leagues (20 to a degree.) It will there fore take only nine days for the voyage from Marseilles to Constantinople, the distance being 590 sea leagues. Coals are already being provided at the places where the vessels touch, such as Malta, Alexandria, Smyrna, and Syra. It is thought that these steam boats will begin their voyages in March. We shall then begin to have regular communications every ten days with the Levant. The effects of this enterprise on the prosperity of our commerce —and in Marseilles in particular—are really incalculable. Constitutionnet, Dec. 11. TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, NOV. 16.—0 n the 10th instant, some very important changes among the Turkish high func tionaries were announced to the public. The following are ~he most remarkable :—Husref Mehemet Pacha, who has for some years acted as Seraskier, withdraws from that post, which requires locomotion and personal activity ill-suited to his very advanced age ; and an office less arduous, but, perhaps, still more honourable, has been created for him, under the title of Devlet Naziri, Supervisor or Director of . . the Government, with a salary of 7,200/. per annum. The new Seraskier is Halil Paella, first son-in-law of the Sul __ tan, and adopted son of Husref Mehemet, who will advise and assist him in the discharge of duties, which most as suredly are beyond his mediocre capacity. Said Pacha, the second son-in-law of the Sultan, has been made Mushir, ---- --- Councillor of the Imperial Palace, General of the Guards, &c. ; and he gets the government of all the provinces in Asia Minor recently heaped upon his predecessor, Ahmed Pacha, the particular friend of Lord Ponsonby. Said is a young man of excellent character, and is not deficient in ability. Ahmed, who has thus been taken off his high horse, has been made Capudan Pacha, and knows about as much of ships and navigation as a monkey knows of ma thematics. He is, however, a mild man and a good admi- nistrator, so that the people of the arsenal are by no means displeased at the appointment. Tahir Paella, whose place he has taken, has been named Tophane Naziri, Ge neral of Artillery, and Director of that department. He is a man of talent, and was the best Grand Admiral the Turks have had since the famous Hayredden Pacha, but is so severe and cruel that he is almost universally disliked. Being still at Tripoli, a corvette was immediately des patched to bear him the tidings of his new nomination, which being a deep step below his late office, will make him as savage as a lion driven away from a pleasing repast, and no one would like to fall in his way when he re ceives the intelligence. These changes are attributed to the influence of the ex- Seraskier, who has long sought to get Tahir Paella removed from the command of the fleet and arsenal. They have been made palatable to the Sultan by the handsome pro vision made for his two sons-in-law, who are the principal gainers in the affair. The Russians can have had nothing to do with it, as it certainly does not advance their cause. By the withdrawal of Achmed Pacha from the Palace, they lose very considerably, and it is not likely that they will succeed in corrupting his successor. They must, however, be delighted to see Ahmed confirmed in the very office in which he gave such dire offence to our Noble Ambassador. The Govervor of Scutari, against whom his Lordship also complained, has, by this arrangement, lost his place—he follows the fortunes of his master, Ahmed Pacha, and is now at the arsenal. It was supposed there would be other changes, brought about by Russian pertinacity ; that the ex-Reis Effendi would be replaced, &c., but so far I hear nothing of the sort. The list of appointments (Teojehat) has not yet been distributed, although it ought to have been printed a week ago. On the 12th, Sarim Effendi, the Minister of Commerce, despatched on a mission to Mehemet Ali Pacha, sailed in a corvette for Alexandria. If he is authorised to concede to the Pacha the privilege of forming a tariff of duties, to be applicable solely to the territories he calls his own, I conclude it must be under the condition that the small contribution payable to the Porte shall be considerably augmented. Little more is said of the new tariff proposed to be esta blished here, except that Russia hints that she will not come into the general arrangement. But even if Russia offered no impediment, I do not think that we should easily succeed in it, becouse the Turkish Ministers on whose de cision the point depends, arc the very persons most inter ested in preserving the old abuses, monopolies, and prohi bitions. They are naturally voracious birds, and these are the offal on which they feed and fatten. Look at the salary of the Devlet Naziri, 7,200/. a year. Think you that he can live upon it, cheap as things are in this country ? By no means ; he will spend four times the amount, and will not be content unless, besides that, he is all along accumu lating treasure by the shovelful. To acquire all this money he must sell firmans, privileges, offices, and what not. The extravagant habits of the great Turks require reforming. Their armies of suivants and servants might be cut down with great advantage to the country, and without injury to themselves. Whilst writing I am sorry to hear of the death, 'by the plague, of Halil Pacha, the new Seraskier. He had been exposed for several days to the congratulatory visits of all the principal people of the capital, each of whom, according to etiquette, would kiss the hem of his garment, and some one or other must have communicated the germs of the fatal malady, which first attacked him on Sunday last. He is much regretted by all classes—the Sultan loved him as a son, and his wife, the Princess Salihe, adored him. It is said that the pestilence has again made its appearance in the Imperial Palace, and the Sovereign himself must be pretty well comprised. With such instances of the un sparing nature of the disorder, it is hoped that something will be done in the way of general and effectual precau tions. It is now worse than it has been at any time since the dreadful year of 1812. Our plague thermo meter, the Greek Hospital Report, shows the admis sions of last week to have amounted to 183. Yesterday one of the gates of Constantinople was closed in compliance with an ancient custom, which demands that ceremony after there have been carried through it, in one day, 1,000 corpses ! The weather continues most unfavourable, warm and muggy, and unless a change take place speedily, heaven only knows what will become of us. The death of Hard Pacha will derange the late Ministerial appointments. For a great number of years we have had no instance of a person of Hald's elevated station falling a v ictim to the plague. Those who have friends here will learn with plea sure that we have had no new cases in the Frank quarters for five days past. The corvette which sailed for Tripoli last week, took down Hussein Pacha, the General sent up in chains to be tried for alleged treason, and whose acquittal and appoint ment to higher rank I mentioned in my last. It is supposed that he is authorised to take the reins of government there into his own hands. Tabir Pacha, whom the inhabitants of Tripoli hate to the last degree, for his unsparing ferocity, is ordered to come back immediately. It is said that Voghoridhis, the Prince of Samos, having been discovered in speculations to an unreasonable extent, is about to be disgraced. The Samiots are quite right in looking well into their affairs. ------ A poacher, named Joseph Ridsdale, has been corn. mitted to York Castle, for deliberately shooting- at Thomas Cartwright, a watcher on the estate of Sir W. M. Milner, Bart., r‘t Grange Farm, on Friday afternoon. Four brothers of Ridsdale were also committed on Thursday, as accessories after the fact. Cartwright is not expected to recover. A gentleman with a glass eye was about to exercise the right of suffrage this morning, when he was accosted by a political opponent with " I say, mister, what are you doing here ? You can't vote ; you're not nitural eyes'd." The joke was taken in good part, and created general mer riment.—Baltinzore Gazette. We have authority for inserting the following copy of a note written by Sir Henry Parnell to Lord John Russell on the 29th of November last, on the subject of Sir Henry's speech at Dundee : " 19, Chester-street, Nov. 29. "My Dear Lord John—l have received your note and a copy of your letter to Mr. Denison. " In saying to him that you think there has been song mistake in the report of what I said at Dundee on the Cern Laws you are filly borne out by the fact ; as I did not say that Government proposed the Agricultural Com mittee for the purpose of repealing or modifying the Corn Laws. " Yours faithfully, H. PARNELL. " To the Right Hon. Lord John Russell, &c." The following is the substance of what Sir Henry Par nell said on the subject of the Corn Laws, in replying to the address of the non-electors of Dundee : " He observed that there was one subject he had omitted to notice, namely, the appointment of the Agricultural Committee. He said he was surprised to find that the Corn Laws were not mentioned in their address. There was no subject in which they were more interested. Al though the Committee made no report, there was much evidence that showed that these laws ought to be altered. As the appointing of the Committee necessarily implied an inquiry into the Corn Laws, the Government showed no indisposition to have the grounds examined on which the policy of modifying, or even of repealing, these laws could be defended." THE ANNUAL DINNER OF THE SMITHFIELD CATTLE CLUB. This annual festival was held yesterday at the Free mason's Tavern, the Earl Spencer, President. On the No ble Lord's right and left we observed, his Grace the Duke of Richmond, the lion. Captain Spencer, the Rev. Alger non Peyton, J. Dodd, Esq., the Mayor of Northampton, T. Seinior, Esq., Stephen Grantham, John Druce, John Ell man, John Buckley, George Inskip, Robert Lindell, John Gwilt, Thomas Loft, and Henry Trowers, Esqrs. About 200 persons, interested in the breeding and feeding of cat tle and general agricultural pursuits, sat down to dinner, which was a substantial one. The cloth having been drawn, the CHAIRMAN proposed " The health of the Ring."—(Great cheering.) " The health of the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family," was next proposed and duly honoured. The next toast which the Noble CHAIRMAN gave was, " Prosperity to the Smithfield Club." In risirg to propose this toast, in which, his Lordship said, he conceived they were all so deeply interested, he thought it was necessary, however good the judgment of the generality of the far mers might be, that there should be a stimulus to keep up the breeds of the various cattle throughout the country, or for want of it he feared a general deterioration would take place. The Duke of Malmo-sr, here interrupted the Noble Chairman, and stated that he thought it would be more satisfactory to the Gentlemen assembled for him to propose the health of the Noble Earl Spencer, who had for years paid such constant attention to the interests of the club.—, (Loud applause.) The Noble EARL, in returning thanks, said that he felt it to be a matter of duty, and a matter of pleasure it was, to fulfil that duty, inasmuch as he never felt more comfort able than when he met the farmers and gentlemen of the country.—(Cheers.) He liked agricultural pursuits, and having tried many others—(Great laughter)—no one pur suit gave him so much satisfaction with so little alloy as this did.—(Cheers.) Although he had not been so successful on this occasion as he had been in other years, he would always endeavour to bring the best animals he could to the show ; and under any circumstances he hoped he should never produce a bad one. The healths of the several Noblemen and Gentlemen who have obtained prizes and medals at the late show, were then proposed, and cheerfully responded to. Upon the health of his Grace the Duke of RICHMOND being proposed, great cheering took place ; and his Grace, in returning thanks, said he felt highly gratified at the man ner in which his name had been associated with agricultural pursuits, and he also must express the great pleasure he at all times felt in meeting his brother farmers.—(Cheers.) He felt it due to himself and to them to state that great benefits arose to the community at large through their exer tions. He had stated at their last general meeting, when he was an unsuccessful exhibitor, that he would endeavour to improve his stock ; he had made that attempt, and had the satisfaction of being successful. As a candidate before them, in future he pledged himself that a bad Southdown should never carry off the prize. There was, no doubt, many more capable, but none more anxious for the welfare and prospe rity of the farmers than himself.—(Cheers.) He felt most sincerely grateful for the honour conferred by those around him.—(Cheers.) Mr. GIBLETTS'S health being proposed ; in returning thanks, said that he was very much pleased to find that he had been a successful candidate. Among stock in general he expressed an opinion in favour of the Hereford, and contended that no animal could be so perfect as those which bore a fair proportion of lean to fat. On the health of the Judges being drunk, one of them, Mr. STOKES, said that Mr. Gibletts might be a very good judge of fat cattle when arrived in town, but he had very little opinion of him as a breeder of stock. Several other toasts and sentiments having emanated from the Noble Chairman, and which were most cordially responded to by the Company, his Lordship, accompanied the Duke of Richmond, left the room amidst the deafening plaudits of the numerous company. SHOCKING RAILWAY ACCIDENT. On Saturday the thorough train from Newcastle was proceeding to Carlisle, drawn by the " Sampson" locomo tive engine, about four o'clock, with about 26 passengers and a heavy load of goods. To enable the engine to stop easily at the Wetheral station, the steam had been let off about half a mile before reaching the Corby Beck-bridge, and the train was descending the inclined plane at the rate of eight or ten miles an hour. On reaching the bridge, the engine man, William Simpson, saw . a man upon the line, and gave him the signal to get out of the way. He did so, and scarcely had this danger been avoided, when to his horror and consternation, the engine man saw the Points were set for the staith before mentioned instead of the main line. He gave the alarm to his fireman, to put the break upon the train, and at the same instant, he reversed the motion of the engine, and leapt off, followed by the fireman. Although the reversing of the motion somewhat checked the velocity of the train, it was insufficient to arrest its pro gress, as it was upon a considerable descent. In an in stant the engine and train ran up the branch rails, and right forward to the staith. On the staith six empty coal wag gons were standing, against which the engine struck and drove them forward off the rails. At the same moment it would appear, the stone pillars of the coal cells which sup ported the rails gave way, and the engine fell to the ground, a height about eight feet, carrying with it beams, pillars, and the whole frame work of the staith. The tender fell in the same way. Attached to the tender was a horse truck laden with corn and covered with a tarpauling ; this also fell to the ground, but alighted almost evenly upon its wheels. Following this was a truck laded with goods and a cart ; this truck was turned over, and fell upon the grain truck. Next to this were the carriages with passengers, the first of which was arrested just on the brink of the falling ruins, and was a good deal damaged ; but all the passengers escaped unhurt with the exception of one man, who had his hand injured by being jammed between some broken timbers of the damaged carriage. Several lives were lost, as will be seen by the following verdict, delivered at the Coroner's Inquest : W e find that Henry Johnston, Matthew Potts, and John Kelsey, came by their deaths accidentally, by reason of the locomotive steam engine called the " Sampson," and the carriages by which she was followed, running from the proper line of road, and breaking down a staith at Great Corby---such deviatian from the right line being caused by the misplacing of certain points or switches at the West end of Corby-bridge ; and that a deodand of 151. be levied upon the steam engine and carriages. " That this Jury cannot seperate without expressing its disapprobation of the conduct of the Railway Company in not placing their own responsihle servants at every turn where such switches are placed, or insisting upon Lord Car lisle, and all others having private depots giving such se curity for proper attention to the switches leading to such depots as will give the most perfect security, attainable in such a mode atravelling, to those whose lives are commit ted to their charge. Commodore Lord Yarborough was at Cowes on Saturday, and again on Tuesday. We are happy to state that his Lordship enjoys good health. " THE GREAT METROPOLIS. " —The author of " Random Recollections of the Lords and Commons," en couraged by the universal popularity of his first production, has further exercised his descriptive genius in presenting us with a truly original picture of our Modern Babylon. To those who have never yet visited London this work will prove fall of wonders ; whilst the most confirmed Cockney will be perfectly astonished at his own previous ignorance, and literally puzzled to ascertain by what extraordinary in fluence this " Great Unknown" appears to have acquired the übiquitous privilege of omnipresence. He has freely exposed the peculiarities of metropolitan society in its seve ral gradations ; introduced us behind the scenes of our va rious theatreS, and wholly removed the veil which laereto fore concealed the clubs and gaming-houses from Fablic oh , servation, THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1536.