The Sun. — London, England, 1851-03-31 00:00:00

The • Learned Counsel was then proceeding to refer to the allegations that threats had been used by the Earl and Countess to make her consent to a marriage, when The LORD CHANCELLOR said he might observe that there appeared to be some inclination on the part of Miss Talbot to contract the marriage in question, and that there was no foundation whatever for the assertion that she had been forced into it by the Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury. He, however, thought it was not a proper match, and had objected to it, when on a visit to Alton Towers, observing that if the idea were not relinquished the matter should come before him in the regular way. A short time afterwards he received a letter from Earl Shrewsbury, saying that the marriage had beer, relinquished, and that the lady was happy under the circumstances, mean ing that she had unwillingly relinquished it. The words of the letter were—" that she was more disposed to yield to the will of God than to her own inclinations." Mr. ROLT said he was extremely glad that his Lord ship had exculpated the Earl and Countess of Shrews bury from the monstrous and unfounded accusation that they wished to importune her with regard to the mar riage. Dr. Doyle also stated, in his affidavit, that he himself had great objections to her marrying a foreigner, and especially to the marriage in question, clearly showing that he was no party to it. The nature of Mr. Berkeley's conduct was further elucidated in the letter of the young lady, which his Lordship had handed down to the bar the other day, and which he felt bound to quote, as it had been published in the newspapers of this morn ing, no doubt for some ulterior object. When conclu sions were formed and promulgated in the way they had been before the public, they were certainly calculated to interfere with the due and proper administration of justice, and he could not too much deprecate the prac tice. The LORD CHANCELLOR —It is too much the practice to try cases out of the court, with the desire, no doubt, of influencing the conduct of the judges. A judge who attends to remarks made out of doors can never exercise his honest judgment, but I do not think the judges ge nerally are influenced by them; at any rate I shall ❑ot be. Mr. BOLT—We have the fullest and most entire con fidence in your Lordship. The LORD CHANCELLOR—I did not think that the letter would be published. Mr. PARKER —We know nothing about the publication Of the letter. We think it a great misfortune that so ;Inch publicity has been given to the matter. Mr. ROLT—We could do no more than say that we Were ready to discuss the matter in private; but, of course, if we had suggested that it would have been a confession of guilt on our part. Mr. BERBECK, who appeared in support of the peti tion, said he was quite surprised to find that the letter had been published. Mr. ROLT thought until the contrary was proved it Must be considered that Mr. Berkeley, or some of his advisers, had promulgated the letter. The Learned Counsel then read the letter of Miss Talbot, say ing, inter alia, that she never wished to see Mr. Berkeley again, and that she thought he had disgraced himself by his conduct in the eyes of every just and reasonable person. This letter expressed the true feelings of the young lady, and the truth of it was 48 undoubted as anything which ever came from the lips of mortal. In his opinion it was worth all the affidavits Which had been presented on the other side. When the young lady had broken off a marriage which accorded With her affections, was there a more fitting place to fly to to soothe her wounded feelings than the convent where the said she had passed nine years of the happiest period of her life? Nothing was more natural than that she should go there. Mr. Rolt next commented on the letter of Dr. Hendren, the pseudo. Bishop of Clifton, and admitted that parts of it clashed materially with the statements in the affidavit. The LORD CHANCELLOR—It is a most extraordinary letter. He says distinctly that she went to the convent to become a postulant, and the affidavits assert the con trary. Mr. RoLT—It is certainly a most objectionable letter; and it is quite clear that the gentleman who wrote it is hot fit to be at the head of a convent. It is open to the severest animadversion; but in my judgment it is not characterised by that craft, cunning, and subtlety al leged by my Learned Friend. It is the letter of a gen tleman ignorant of the facts of the case, but conscious of ita injustice, presumptuously rushing into a conflict with enemies with whom he is unable to contend. The tone or it is that of a bold vain-glorious polemic, not of a cunning and subtle priest, entering the lists with writers hot only of great ability and talent, but well acquainted With mankind, and the daily affairs of life. Mr. Rolt concluded with an energetic appeal against what he called the reprehensible conduct of Mr. Berkeley, and hoped that his Lordship would discharge the petition With costs. The case was not likely to conclude to-day. NIARLBRO'-STREE T—(THIS DAY.) ' EXTENSIVE ROBBERY BY A SERVANT.—EIiza Wil liams was brought up in custody of Stringer, an active atid intelligent officer of the C division, charged with having stolen a gold watch, several articles of jewellery, vs and other property belonging to Mrs. E. Leicester, 23, aaroad-street, Golden-square. The prosecutrix deposed, that on the 10th of January islet she was residing at 19, Queen-street, Golden square, and at that time the prisoner was in her employ as servant of all work. On the kerning of that day, the prisoner came into her bed-room at eight o'clock, being an hour lier than the usual time she had been de - IlLed to call witness; - About ten o'clock on the same morning, in conssquence of the prisoner having absconded, she looked over the things in her apartments, and missed therefrom a gold watch, several pieces of jeWellery, and a number of silk dresses, her property. From circumstances which subsequently came to her knowledge, she went to the police-station and gave no tice of the robbery, with a description of the prisoner, to the police. The value of the property stolen was shout 401. Jane Clempson, servant to Mrs. Foster, 19, Queen street, proved seeing the prisoner on the morning of the 1 0th of January leave the hous e with a lar g e bundle in 44 possession, shortly after the property was missed. Stri ng er, 193 C, said, from in formation he received, 4 4 procured a warrant for the prisoner's apprehension, and on Thursday last, about half-past five o'clock, he look her into custody at Kilkenny, county Limerick, Where she was living with her mother. On telling her the nature of the charge against her, the prisoner denied that sh e had lived with Mrs. Leicester. Witness found some portion of the stolen property, consisting of a Visite and a dress, at a pawnbroker's, where it had been Vedg e d by the prisoner's mother ou the 17th of March. 4 4e prisoner's mother, on being questione d, admitted s'eceiving the property from the prisoner, who told her she brought it from England. The visite and dress produced were identified by the Prnsecutrix as her property. 11r. Woolfe attended for the prosecution. The prisoner, who offered no defence, was fully com kitted for trial. THE MARCHIONESS or LANSDOWNE.—By the train Which reached the Great Western terminus last night at a carter-past ten o'clock, no further accounts were received tom Bowood Park, respecting the health of the Marchioness .°J Lansdowne who, we regret to say , is hourly ex p ected to The last bulletin expresses not the slightest prospect of her recovery. THE SPEAKER'S DINNER. —The following Members attended the Right Hon. the Sp eaker's seventh dinner on siatufd a y :—Lord Arundel and Surrey, Lord Ebrington, Lord kuson, Lord Enfield, Hon. R. E. Boyle, Sir William Moles- Worth, Sir Percy Nugent, Sir E. Buxton , Mr. E . Ellice, j un., Air. Hutt, Captain Matheson Mr. Perfect, Mr. Butler , Mr. Wyld, Mr. Richard Harris , Air. Locke, Mr. Bass, Mr. Sher loon Cawford, Mr. W. Brown, Mr. Morgan John O'Connell, gtejor Blackall, Mr. Heywood, Mr. Brown Westhead, Mr. rrbally, Mr. Chisholm Anstey, Ma. James Clay, Colonel 'Janne, and Mr. Divett. FUNERAL OF THE LATE LORD DAcur.--Yesterday lilt mortal remains of this lamented nobleman were removed 'tom his Lordship's late country seat, Hoo Hall, Hertford shire, to their final resting place, in a vault built expressly for.their reception, in the churchyard of Welling, about a toile distant from the Hoo, in accordance with the wish of the deceased. REPRESENTATION OF BURY. —The electors of this borough are taking steps to secure the services of a gentle blan to represent them in Parliament at the general election, Which it is believed is fast approaching. Mr. Walker, the Present Member, has never yet taken his seat, and of course 1 , 1 0 one thinks of him. The Conservatives a re desirous to ,oring forward Mr. Henry Hardman, a gentle man of some local influence; the Liberals have not yet made a selection, though the Reform Association is actively moving in the matter, and purposes holding a meeting of electors on the Subject in the course of a few days. REPRESENTATION OF ROCHDALE..—The announce ment by Mr. Crawford, the Hon. Member for this borough, that he does not intend to offer himself as a candidate for the suffrages of the electors, in the event of a general election, has thr ow n the inhabitants into considerable pe r p lexit y . The Liberals, who have for some time held the representation 1 11 their h a nds, are desirous to have their townsm an, Mr. John Bright, to fill the honourable post, when vacate d ; but hardly as such a proposition might e to hime , w silly expect that gentleman will accede to it b , for him w e at least, that to leave Manchester now wo uld look like ' ti nning away from the opposition threatened by a section of the voters, who regard his conduct in respect to the Papal aggression as deserving the most marked punishment. ROYAL ARTILLERY, WOOLWICH, MARCH 29. — We have much pleasure in stating, on the best authority, that M a jor-General Richard Seeker Brough, Colonel Com mandant of the 9th battalion, who had been very ill, is now ~m u ch better, and that the report o f the death of the gallant ?facer which was current in the garrison was consequently I ncorrect MODEL EDITOR. — A correspondent of the Boston Museum thus spea k s of Mr. W ri g h t , t he edit o r of th e c l hr ono ty pe H e has been known to write with a pen in each hand o n t w o different subjects , rock the cradle with uiti feet, and whistle " llail, Columbia," for the twin babies, While intently p er using one of Parker's sermons, all at the aline time. THE BOILE R ExpLosioN AT MA NCH E STER.—The bath and last body of the unfortuna te p ersons killed b y the fro m : of a boiler at Manchester on Tue sda y last was taken the ruins of the mill on Saturday mornin g , at six o'clock. The remains are these of a boy named John Corn tshY. Mr. Fairbairn, c i v il e ngineer, will be called before coroner's jury at the adjourned inquest, and probably Z i ne oth er practical and sc ientific men acquaint ed with The safety-valve, which was blown from 'e , top o f _the boiler at th e ex plosion, has been fou nd, and ; is said to be very small for the quantity of steam which W "old have to blow off when the pressure was very high. When apersonundervalues himself to another, he is re s o n ably suspected of a desire to be thought better of than he deserves.— Eliza Cook's Journal. A LONG WlRE.—Amongst the most remarkable Productions from Birmingham at the Great Exhibition, !here will be a piece of iron wire for the r sof the elec iiitettehleagt has ever a mile long. This is thleigPresaetest length of Wire ever Veen drawn it is from the mill of Mr ohn Ceruforth. toLi: a A 4 2 4 6 4 0 0 3 6 4 0 20 0 teat on t mid geady limited . to s• 4 . i 2 ° ,t D 3 3 4 . 5 3 ; 5 314 ea have nen On Li kinds 110 Wing )r Ton. to — 6 to —s to 7 58 to 7 53 to — 8 to — 8 to "-5 Really prices; all. In t ; bags rices:-- 'eald of ?er cwt. Is being very in- Torte& Hobart row the , 4 from g in our the total d prices the last IL C. on Iwo Tall 2a 20 1851. 86,3011 404 Oct Ito 408 3d 1,618 82,787 487 93,577 410 44 .GHT. Ijourned 03 again that its ries held Dd. H e ce what ; oblige' ere cow' t , oni the ,erior of ie Court. sterv'ert , u p E rior, urg lady tter she DYOIIIII. s he were the other a s placed Earl and abroad+ r in th e had poste' AMERICAN NEWS• LIVERPOOL, MARCH 30. By the United States mail steam-ship Pacific, Cap tain Nye, which arrived in the Mersey shortly before noon, we have advices from New York to the 17th inst. She has 65,0001. in specie on freight. The Havre packet had 150,000 dollars in silver and 58,000 dollars in American gold engaged. The royal mail steam-ship Asia arrived at New York at 8 A.M. on the 14th instant. The screw steam ship City of Glasgow sailed from Philadelphia on the 14th inst., but has not yet arrived. We have advices from Mexico to the 15th ult. There is no news of importance. We have advices from Havannah to the Bth inst. Suear continued very firm. Exchange on London, 5 to 6. Advices from Hayti to the 16th ult. have been re ceived. Coffee was very scarce-85 to 86 dollars Hay tian per 1001 b. Log wood, 40 dollars per I,ooolb. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. MARCII 19. Money Market—There has been a fair market for Government and State stocks during the week, with a moderate business. The demand has been mostly for banking purposes. Money continues in active demand at 5 to 6 per cent. on loan, and 6 to 7 per cent for short bills. Foreign exchange has been firm and in good request. Bills on London, 1091 to 1104, and principally at the latter rate. Bills on France, 571t0 5 10 for 60 days' paper, and 5t05 2i for short sight. Amsterdam, 411 to 42; Hamhurgh, 361 to 36k. Cotton—The cotton market has fluctuated considerably since our notice of it for the steamer Europa, advancing and receding as the tenour of the European and the southern accounts were favourable or otherwise. On Sa turday and Monday last the market was dull, and prices declined 4c. from the rates of Friday last. Yesterday, however, there was an active demand, and this reduction was fully recovered. We continue our last quotations, which on most descriptions now stand higher than on the Bth inst. The receipts at all the shipping ports are 1,751,328 bales, against 1,615,055 to same date last year —an increase this season of 136,273 bales. The total foreign exports this year are 224,911 bales more than last—say 119,000 bales increase to Great Britain, 54,353 increase to France, 21,824 increase to north of Europe, and 29.211 increase to other foreign ports. The ship ments from southern to northern ports are 115,696 bales less this season than last, and there is an increase in stock of '35,215 bales. The sales for the week ending Friday last were 15,100 bales, and since our last 7,500 bales. We quote inferior Atlantic ports, nominal; Florida, nominal; other Gulf ports, nominal. Low to good ordinary Atlantic ports, 10 to 104 ; Florida, 10 to 101; other Gulf ports, 10 to 11. Low to good middling Atlantic ports, 11 to 11-s; Florida, 11 to 111; other Gulf ports, 111 to 121. Middling fair to fair Atlantic ports, Ilk to 12k; Florida, 12; other Gulf ports, 12 1 to 131. Fully fair to good fair Atlantic ports, 12i; other Gulf ports, 14. Flour—Since the circular of the 25th of February the movements in the Atlantic have been almost confined to the home trade, with a heavy market, and the quotations are now 14-c. per barrel less than at that date. Grain—Wheat is held so much above its realised value that the millers purchase sparingly—Genessee, 1120. to 1150. Iron—We have to report a sale of 200 tons of Scotch pig at 20 dolls. 50c. to 21 dolls. 75c., six months, ex ship; 70 tons of Swedes, 84 dolls.; and 56 ditto, com prising a large proportion of extra sinders, 92 dolls., eight months. Tobacco—We have but to note sales of 100 hhds. of Kentucky, at 81c. to 11c.; 20 Maryland, 7 40; two bales of Havannah, 48 to 53; 75 cargoes of Florida, 17 to 30, four months; and a lot of Kentucky stems, in bales, 1 doll. per 100 lb. as cash. Freights are dull. Cotton, to Liverpool, Id. asked; Havre, id. To London, tobacco, 22 6 to 25; flour, 18.3 d. to Is 4d., nominal. To Glasgow, cotton, I; ashes, 205.; to California, 40c. to 60c. per foot, dull. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Having commenced the season on Saturday week by the deb4t of Mademokelle Caroline Duprez as Lucia, and by the production of one of the most charming ballets, Mr. Lumley has followed up his " most excel lent beginning" by producing, on Saturday last, Auber's most original, most delightful, and perhaps, taken as a whole, greatest opera, Gustave 111 . The plot of this opera, which is from the pea of Scribe, is well known to every playgoer in the United Kingdom, and the most popular of the airs are familiar to every one, for there is scarcely a theatre in the United Kingdom in which Mr. Plancl.e's version of it has not been per formed. In that version, however, the opera is sadly curtailed of its fair proportions, the whole of the recita tive is omitted, and as it pleased the Covent-garden management of that day, be considered it necessary to give the part of Gustavus to as actor who could not sing, Mr. Plane)] 6 was obliged to introduce a new cha racter, a certain Colonel Lillenhorn, whose sole busi ness appeared to be to sing the music which the King could not sing, and whose presence was felt as a perpetual intrusion. Familiar therefore, as is the Covent-garden operatic version of Gustavus 111. to the English public, to Mr. Lumley is due the honour of having been the first to produce, in this country, in its original entirety, unmutilated and without interpolation (save in one instance, to which wo shall presently allude, and in which the interpolation is an improvement), this the chef d'cruvre of Auber; and to produce in a style surpassing, in any respect, even that in which it was originally produced even at the Grand Opera in Paris. The cast was as follows: Amelie ••• ••• Mme. Fiorentini. Arvedsen (the witch).— Mdlle. Feller. , Oscar (page of the King) ... Wle. Caroline Duprez. Ankastrom ... Signor Lorenzo. Reborn, Signor F. Lablache. I Ribbing, nobles "' *** M. Poultier. , Gustave 111. Signor Calzolari. Madame Fiorentini, who made her debut during the last week of the last season, but who, during that week, achieved for herself an European reputation, has added immensely to that reputation by her performance of Amelie. Never have we heard the exceedingly difficult music of this part more purely Or more sweetly rendered, while her acting was tragedy of the very highest order. The trio in the second act, " Dio the in cer mi leggi" was delightfully rendered, and the grand scena at the com mencement of the third act was a superb piece of perfect dramatic vocalization. Her look and, manner as she drawi the fatal name from the urn was one of the most powerful pieces of acting we have ever witnessed, and Madame Fiorentini has added immensely to her fame by her representation of this cha racter. Mdlle. Caroline Duprez made one of the daintiest and prettiest of pages, and sang the music of the part deliciously. It is exactly suited to her voice and style, and she seemed quite to revel in the saucy melodies of Auber. Her aria in the first scence was exquisitely ren dered, .and the well-known invitation to the ball seemed to acquire additional freshness and spirit from her admi rable manner of rendering it. The great triumph of the night, however, was in the last act, in which she introduced an air from Auber's opera Le Serment, com posed, as it would appear, for the purpose of condensing the greatest possible number of vocal difficulties in the smallest possible compass. In this air Wile. Caroline Duprez, by her marvellous powers of execution,excited quite &furore ; never have we heard a more marvellous and perfect specimen of florid vocalization. Caizolari sang the music of Gustavus, with exquisite taste and sweetness, and Lorenzo gave a fine, spirited, and manly version of the part of Ankastrom. The trio by the conspirators, by Lorenzo, F. Lablache, and M. Poultier (who has been engaged fro m the French Academie de Musique expressly to take part in this trio), was the very perfection of part-singing. Mademoiselle Feller made her debilt in the character of Arvedsen, and from the manner in which she performed the part we are most desirous of seeing her again. Her voice is a contralto of rich and sono rous quality, and her intonation is perfect. It is evident from her manner of performing this little character that she is a most accomplished artiste. It is not, however, so much on the solo parts as on the choruses that the success of Gustave 111. depends. Among the choruses of this opera are to be found some of the very finest specimens of Auber's choral writing, and these were rendered with an exactness and closeness that left nothing to be desired. The " Viva el re," at the conclusion of the second act, was redemanded as a matter of course. The choruses were not only admirably sung, but they were acted with infinite spirit. Never have we seen a more lively scene than that to which we have just alluded—the sailors' chorus at the conclusion of the se cond act. In order to render the production of the opera as perfect as possible, Madlle. Carlotta Grisi was brought over from Paris expressly to take part in the masked ball, and made her dibiit for the season in a new grand pas composed expressly for her, and engrafted on the " danse des Folies. Her reception was most enthusiastic; she looked as lovely, as graceful, and as fascinating as ever, and danced divinely. The orchestra, under the direction of Belie, did full justice to Auber's brilliant,' sparkling, and most expres sive music, and the success of the opera was at once brilliant and complete. All the principal artistes were called on at the conclusion. The beautiful new Watteau ballet concluded the evening's entertainments. The house was crowded in every part; long before the rising of the curtain there was not a box or a stall unoccupied, and the pit and . gallery were crowded. DRURY LANE THEATRE. A translation from Scribe and Auber's comic opera the Dame de Pique, which has lately been so successfully pro duced in Paris, was announced for performance at this theatre on Saturday, but shortly before the doors opened a notice was posted to the effect that the comedy of Simpson and Co. would be substituted for the Queen of Spades, in consequence of the sudden indisposition of Mrs. Nisbett, who was to have taken the principal cha racter. The curtain accordingly drew up for Simpson and Co., which was proceeded with quietly for a few minutes, but on the entrance of Mr. Simpson, the audience, especially the "gods," became impatient, and re fused to allow it to continue. Mr. W. West, the stage director, came forward but could not obtain a hearing. Mr. Anderson himself then appeared, and stated that he had not been made acquainted with Mrs. Nisbett's in disposition until ten minutes to six on that evening, but if the audience desired it, the Queen of Spades should be given, as Miss F. Vining had kindly consented to read Mrs. Nisbett's part. This arrangement appeared to give entire satisfaction to the audience, and in about half-an-hour the curtain again rose for the Queen of Spades. The scene is laid in Russia, and the principal character is Katinka Nelidorf, who, having been so impru dent as to box the ears of the Czar Peter, who bad been making love to her, had been ordered to bo arrested for the offence. She, however, has contrived to escape un der the disguise of her humpbacked and lame old aunt, the Princess Beresina, to the castle of the Princess at Polosa. On her way she accidentally becomes acquainted with Eric Klamberg (Mr. Craven), a courier in the Imperial service, whose father bad been unjustly disgraced from the rank which he held in the imperial army by the machinations of the Prince Moskau. At the castle he meets the Prince (Mr. Walter Lacy) and challenges him, but the Prince declines to fight until Eric has paid a large debt due to him from his father. In a moment of exaspera tion Eric strikes him, and is immediately arrested and sentenced to be shot. In the meantime he is confined in a salt mine belonging to the Princess, the superin tendent of which, Ivan (Mr, Anderson) has ruined him self by his love for gaming, which he seeks to gratify at every risk on every opportunity. He has heard of a legend that the Princess Beresina is in possession of a certain ring which contains the names of three magical cards, which are always sure to win if the owner of the ring turns round a secret spring in its interior. Olga (Mrs. Walter Lacy), the waiting-maid of the Princess and the betrothed of Ivan, bribes him, by means of the ring and the secret of the cards, to permit his prisoner to escape by the panier vhich serves to let down the workmen to the mine, which is 1,000 feet below the surface. The escape is accordingly effected, the supposed Princess tells Ivan the names of the three cardil,—the three, the ten, and the Queen of Spades,—and gives him the ring, which, however, is immediately taken from him by the Prince, who has overheard the secret, although too late to prevent the prisoner's escape. The second act of the play passes at the public gardens at Carlsbad, in Bohemia, where Kopeck (Mr. Barrett), an old usurer, has set up a gaming house, and taken into his service Ivan, who has lost at play all the money given him by the supposed Princess. Prince Moskau, the Princess, and her waiting-maid, and Eric, are also l i at the gardens on the night of a masquerade, and the Prince, who wishes to mend his fortunes by marriage, exchanges a :paper, proving the innocence of Eric's father, for a contract of marriage with himself, signed, as ho imagines, by the Princess. He then tries his for tune at the faro table, betting on the three cards ; and Eric, who has raised a portion of the amount of his debt, stakes it against him. At first the three cards win, but immediately afterwards they lose, and Eric, therefore, is enabled to pay off his whole debt, and meet his enemy upon terms of enmity. They are about to fight, when Katinka makes her appearance in the dress of the Queen of Spades, with the real Princess Bere sina, and bestows her hand upon Eric, and that of her waiting-maid upon Ivan, who promises thenceforth to renounce gambling. The piece was very well put upon the stage, and was perfectly successful in spite of the drawback of the principal character having to be read. Miss F. Vining, however, went through it as well as it was possible, under such unfavourable circum stances, and was called for at the conclusion of the first act, and at the end of the piece, and loudly applauded. Mr. Anderson was excellent in the character of Ivan, never thinking of anything, but maddened at seeing ga mbling which ho cannot join, and rushing to the gam ing-table with frantic eagerness when he has got hold of a little money to stake upon the magic cards. The other characters were also very well sustained, and when either Mrs. Nisbett is recovered sufficiently to sustain the princ i p al character, or Miss F. Vinin g has had time to study the part, the piece will, no doubt, have a long run. The performances concluded with the magnificent spectacle of Azael, which continues to draw crowded houses. Mr. French, publicly addressing the directors of the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway, said to them, 6 , y e i re a dirty crew—a shabby lot! Dirty water upon ye— bad luck to ye all!" The essentials of a watering place may be literally summed up thus :—Sea, salt, sun, sand, shrimps, shells, steamers, ships, and sailors. CEYLON PAPERS.—The appendix and index to the evidence taken before the select committee in Ceylon have just been published in the form of a blue book, weighing 51b. 12oz. It is composed of rather more than 550 closelyprinted pages, and contains a great variety of documents connected withithe affairs of the island. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENIN G, MARCH 31, 1851. be looked upon as the standard edition of it, having passed under the hands of its author shortly before his lamented decease, and having besides this been very carefully edited by his son, the distinguished repre sentative of Buckinghamshire. A POPULAR NARRATIVE of the GREAT EXHIBITION. By Peter Berlyn. James Gilbert. Within the compass of an elegant pocket volume, the compiler of the present narrative has contrived to fur nish his readers with a very copious history of the origin, progress, and prospects of the Great Exhibi tion. Throughout the work be has written with an especial regard at once to'simplicity and perspicuity, so that we rest satisfied his labours will prove eminently successful, the book being incontestably the narrative of the great Industrial Exposition. Beginning with all those preliminary particulars which are absolutely essential for the comprehension of the entire scheme of the Prince Consort, the narrative describes very lucidly the growth of the first crude idea to its present gigantic dimensions. The share taken in the project by the Society of Arts is duly celebrated, and the in fluence of the successive expositions of French in dustry especially notified. One paragraph is eminently deserving of quotation. It runs as follows : "On the 30th of June, 1849, Mr. Cole and Mr. Fuller, with Mr. Scott Russell, attended by his Royal Highness's comsnand at Buckingham Palace - , where Mr. Thomas Cubitt was summoned to meet them. It was at this meeting that his Royal Highness communicated his views fully with regard to the formation of a Groat Col lection of Works of Industry and Art in London in 1851, for the purpose of exhibition, and of competition and encouragement. It was at this meeting also that his Royal Highness first stated the four great divisions — of Raw Material—Machinery and Mechanical Invention —Manufactures—Sculpture and Plastic Art—of which he proposed the Exhibition should consist. It was at this meeting also, June 30, that his Royal Highness gave to the proposed Exhibition that great feature of universality which has ever since formed the chief cha racteristic of his plan. His Royal Highness' considered that, whilst it appears an error to fix any limitation to the productions of machinery, science, and art, which are of no country, but belong as a whole to the civilized world, particular advantage to British industry might be derived from placing it in fair competition with that of other nations. Thus it will DO seen that although a Great National Exhibition had been proposed and aimed at over and over again, yet it was reserved for the Prince to give the finishing . stroke to the structure which had been gradually rising, by making the propo sition that the Exhibition should comprehend the In dustry of All Nations:" From this it will be sufficiently apparent that his Royal Highness was literally and actually the originator of the whole undertaking, and that as its originator he is, beyond all others, entitled to congratulation in regard to its successful development. The different meetings held in the metropolis in furtherance of the design, are scrupulously recorded, and the speeches delivered upon those occasions accurately reported. Mr. Paxton's description of the Crystal Palace is given, moreover, in the very words in which he himself de livered it to the Derby Mechanics' Institution. In like manner, we have a little further on a reprint of the brilliant article on the same subject printed in the weekly miscellany of Mr. Dickens. The subjoined particulars of the building, extracted from another portion of the " Popular Narrative," cannot fail to be regarded with considerable interest by those not al ready aware of its dimensions : " A resume' of the statistics of this marvellous edi fice will best convey, at a glance, an idea of its vastness: —lt consists of a nave 72 feet wide, and 64 feet high, with a series of side aisles, two of 48 feet, and six of 24 feet wide, of the respective heights of 43 and 23 feet, the whole spreading to a width of 456 feet; the total length is 1,848 feet: a transept, 408 feet long and 72 feet wide, intersects the building at right angles in the centre; this transept is covered with a semicircular roof, springing at a height of 64 feet from the level of the ground, and making the entire height 110 feet. The total area of the grotheundl e fl r o i o e r s t i s o e 2 r 7 a ,l l o t o o s 7 q 7 u 2, ar 7 e B4 square feet. The feat, and g a 1 er t i h e s a t ar o e f 24 feet wide and extend nearly a mile. The table space for exhibitors will be more than 8 miles in length. The total cubic contents of the building are 33,000,000 feet. In addition to the timber for joists, flooring, &c., the glass and supports of iron comprise the entire structure; the columns, sash-bars, and panes of glass, are similar in form throughout. There are 2,244 cast-iron girders for supporting galleries and roofs, in addition to 1,128 intermediate bearers, 358 wrought-iron trusses for sup porting roof, 34 miles of gutters for carrying water to the columns, 202 miles of sash-bars, and 900,000 super ficial feet of glass, weighing 400 tons. The average weight per superficial foot of the ordinary roofing is only 3i lb. The tender for its construction was accepted on the 26th of July, 1850; possession of the site was ob • tained on the 30th of July; the first column was fixed on the 26th of September; and only 145 working days after the commencement, but little of the vast building remained to be finished. To give an idea of the enor mous extent of the building, it may be noticed, that the width of the main avenue is within 10 feet double that cf St. Paul's Cathedral, whilst its length is more than four times as great. The walls of St. Paul's are 14 feet thick, those of the • Crystal Palace' only 8 inches. Saint Paul's occupied 35 years in building, whilst the Hyde park building will have occupied less than half that num ber of weeks; .the celerity of the construction has been most remarkable. As many as 308 girders have been delivered on the ground in one week. Seven of the great trusses of the nave were raised in one day. Each man fixed about 200 superficial feet of glass per day. In order to perform these marvels, it was necessary to de vise and employ various contrivances for economising labour, such as the sash-bar machine, the gutter ma chine, the morticing machine, the painting ma chine, the glazing machine, besides many others of an equally ingenious nature. The average number of work men employed was about 1,800, amongst whom about 2,5001. was weekly paid in wages. Even in the payment of the workmen ingenious machinery was called into re quisition, by ,which it was found possible to make nearly 2,000 distinct payments within the space of two hours!" Among the subordinate details of the enterprise, we learn that 3,6001. has been paid as purchase money, jointly by Messrs. Spicer Brothers and Messrs. Clowes and Sons, for the privilege of printing and publishing the Official Catalogue, while Messsrs. Schweppe and Company have on their part paid 5,5001. as purchase money for the purpose of supply ing the refreshments. The volume is altogether a very clever and most complete compilation. POPULATION OF AMERICA. Without venturing to assume as indisputably accurate the minuter portions of three rough proofs of the Union census, we may, perhaps, be warranted in concluding that the leading features are correct. The estimated numbers are as follows: No. of Represen. Represen- States. Free popu- Slaves. tative po- tatives lation. pulation. and fractions. - ' Maine •••• • • • • ...... 582,026 • • • • 6 22,970 New Hampshire •• • . 318,003 .• • 3 38,475 Massachusetts • • .... 994,724 .• .• 10 62,964 Vermont .. ••• • • • .... 314,322 .• • • 3 34,194 Rhode Island ........ 147,549 • • .. 1 54, 73 Connecticut ••.. • ... 37 0 ,913 • • • • 3 91,385 New York ••••• • • • . . 3, 098 ,818 • • • • 33 24,010 New Jersey .•.. •• • ... 489,888 52 .. 5 24,819 Pennsylvania •••• • • • • 2,3 41 ,204 • • • • 25 11, 04 Ohio ••••••• • • • • • .• 1, 981 ,940 • • • • 24 25,244 Indiana • • . 99 0 ,258 • • • • 10 58,498 Wisconsin ••••.. • • • • 305 ,596 • • • • 3 26,068 Michigan •••••• • • • • .. 397 ,576 • • • • 4 24,872 Illinois ••••• • • • • ... • • 850 ,000 • • • • 9 11,416 lowa •• .. ........... 192,000 .. • • 2 5,648 California .. •• • • .... 200 ,000 • • • • 2 13,648 Maryland •.• • • • .... 492,661 90,355 546,874 5 60,994 Virginia ••••-• • .. • . 040,000 460,000 1,216,000 13 4,712 North Carolina ...... 480,000 280,000 608,000 6 88,944 South Carolina ...... 280,000 350,000 490,000 5 24,120 Georgia . 555,000 365,000 771,000 8 28,592 rionda•..... • . •• .... 40.0 i 0 22000 05,240 1 Atarnba • ........... 440,000 330,000 638,000 6 78,994 Mississippi . 300,000 320,000 490,000 5 26,120 Louisiana • • ........ 250,000 200,000 370,000 3 90,472 T exa s lOO,OOO 50,000 130,000 1 36,824 Arkansas •• • • ...... 150,000 45,000 177,000 1 83,824 Missouri •••• • • • • 590,000 91,547 644,928 6 65,872 Tennessee ........ . 800,000 250,000 950,000 10 18,240 Kentucky ... 782,000 211,000 908,600 9 70,017 Delaware ...... •• • . 90,277 2,332 91,676 1 INT= POPULATION. Free. ...... ........ 13,574,797 6,294,936 197,985 Slaves. Free States .. ... Slave 5tate5.......... District aad Territories •••• 3,057,234 3,500 20,067,720 3,070,731 The entire representative population is about 21,710,000. The ratio of representation will be about 93,176. And as by the law of May, 1850, the number of mem bers to be returned to Congress is fixed at 233, the distribu tion of these among the six-and-twenty States of the Con • federacy will make upon the whole a difference of four votes in favour of the free and against the slave-bolding states. Some of each class gain, and several of both lose representatives under the new census; but the probable results are said to be, that while the free states gain six new members and lose four of their old ones, the slave states gain but four additional and ari, deprived of six. The change at first sight may appear to be inconsi derable, but its importance is in fact inestimable. Hi therto the balance in the Lower House of the Federal Legislature has long been considered so doubtful as to render every vote into which the question of abolition was suspected, however remotely, of entering, exceed ingly precarious. Neither party would admit itself the weaker, and neither could make good its claim to per manent superiority of numbers. But a lasting with drawal of two votes from the south and the lasting addi tion of two votes to the north is a serious matter. Not many days since we showed that what slavery is to the United States, our religious dissensions are to England. The important part of our census, then, will be that of which we find no mention in the return de manded of each head of a household, but which is to be gathered from answers to queries put to the pastors of different religions. This, indeed, will be an important return.—Morning Paper. ---- - POISONING IN SUFFOLK.—On Friday and Satur• day last a long investigation took place at Stonham Aspal, near Ipswich, boore the coroner and a jury, to ascertain by what means a labourer named Cage, came by his death sus picion having attached to his wife of having poisoned him with arsenic. From the evidence produced it appeared that the deceased and his wife lived on the worst terms, and that she was a very profligate woman, that Cage was for some d d i a c y a s l a p i r d e v w i o a u s s a l& a t i o n h e d i s . d H e n e t h d e very a ill in t i a n t d b a e y d , w a e n e d k ha and d t m w ea was about to be buried, when from certain intelligence as to the cause of his death the clergyman of the parish caused a post ponement of the funeral and a coroner's inquest to be called. T t h h a e t it was chase for her roved exivirdse.nce of two med ical men affirmed the fact of the presence of a rsen ic in the stoma ch, &c., and a pennyworth o f arse nic. A good deal of circumstantial Cage had employed a woman to pur evidence was adduced to fix the guilt on Mrs. Cage, who remanded abnedened-tfaokreenxainmtoinactuisatnodtyhisbdyaoyr, and rof a magistrate, and in the meantime the inquest has been adjourned for a full analyzation of the contents of the stomach of the deceased to be made. SIR GILBERT HEATHCOTE.---It is with much re gret we have to announce the death of Sir Gilbert Heath cote, Bart., of Normanton Park, Rutland, and of Durdans, county of Surrey. He died at his seat Durdans, on Wed nesday last, the 26th inst., after a short illness, aged 77. He entered the House of Commons at the early age of 21, where he represented the county of Lincoln in three, and the county of Rutland in nine, Parliaments. At the dissolution in 1811 he retired from active political life, but continued to the end of his days much devoted to the amusements of the turf, and on w hich no one was more distinguished high • • le honour. It is singularly worthyremark th a t during his lonbgetp,olanitidcalinanhdisspmoartaiyngelcecatrieoenrso nhet h f n oeervturf bh a of ra e dr nevernac made a contest. in 1838, and on th at oc casion and his t sa e rb cc D e e ssw y as always greeted with unwonte d eoSanirthatiloibastehrmetr.sw on the ORGANS AND VANS.--A horse drawing a brougham takes fright at one of the huge grind-organs, and the conse quence is some damage to the carriage. Forthwith the Com missioners of Police forbid the performance of the monster grind-organs in the great thoroughfares. This is doubtless quite right, but what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the ga nder; and why are the monsteradvertisin g va ns permitted to go about frightening horses, and thereby endangering people's properties, limbs, and lives, while the orga n - 8 a tithe part so large , g larin g , and apt to startle horses, notare put under a ban? T he vans are sheer nuisances, and nothing but nuisances in any way . The organs have their rede eming g music. Why, then, is the worst of the two tolerated; o r, we should rather say, fa voured? Are the Commissio ners waiting till some gentleman has to complain of damage? w e will answer for it that for one horse that starts and becomes unruly from the noise of an organ there are a dozen that are frightened by the vans,with which they never get familiarized, as the vans are continually altering their shapes, colours, Cu' appearances, and enlarging their size.—Examiner. Christchurch, Blackfriars-road, was sacrilegiously broken open by some thieves some time during Saturday night. They did considerable damage, but did not succeed in carrying anything away. THE GAME Laws.—At the recent Nottingham assizes Baron Alderson, in a night poaching case tried before him, and where it came out the t Earl Manvers keepers had a savage dog, his Lordship commented upon the shameful p ra ctice of gamekeepers taking out ferocious dogs " to worry men," as he justly termed it. Let us ask, N, hy do keepers go out with loaded guns? Not to shoot game in the night, we apprehend. Time the odious game-laws and the exces aye game-prekierTiffg propensity were rectified. THE CENSUS.-LAST The Census-office, at Craig's-court, for the last two or three days has been comparatively quiet, having issued all its tons of returns and instructions to all parts of the country. By " taking time by the forelock " the necessary arrangements for the census of last night were so complete, as to leave the officials a lull of repose after their recent very pressing engagements. Some excite ment was experienced up to the last hour, owing to the information which had to be given to those who had not perfectly understood their instructions, and in conse quence of a pleasing fact respecting the educational de partment which it is very gratifying to notice.; It appears that the estimate formed at the Census office, of the number of schools in the country, had been very far below the reality, and in consequence it was necessary to supply a largo additional number of the forms to that department. This deficiency of schedules applied more to England than to Scotland, for which country a large supply had been furnished. But the estimate for that country, in the first instance, was by no means adequate. The num ber of forms for day-schools sent to Glasgow in the first instance was 800; for adult evening schools, 200; and for Sunday-schools, 200; but it has been found neces sary to increase the number for day-schools to 1,500; for adult evening-schools to 800; and for Sunday-schools to 1,000. Daring the latter part of last week, after the issue of the schedules, the most gratifying evideace was given of the willingness of the public to supply the desired infor mation. In some cases they wished the enumerator to fill up the schedule then and there, and offered to give him all the information required. A few old people have shown some lingering recollections of the poll-tax; but they have been very few who have indicated any un willingness to give adequate replies to the queries proposed. The printer had been besieged by some fifty or sixty persons who had mislaid their papers, and who applied to him under the impression that he was the , proper authority to supply the defect. The enumerators and local registrars have reserved stores of schedules to meet such cases, and also double schedules, with lines for 55 names, where the household is very large, besides being able to furnish any further quantity that may be required. Individuals who may be at a loss would also find their wants in this respect at once met, by application to the head office, where, perhaps, it would be well to report all cases of neglect or omission. As far as has been ascertained, all parties are willing to co-operate in producing an accurate and ample census, whether old or young, married or single, rich or poor, lay or clerical. An excellent example will be set by one lady at the west-end of London, at the head of a very large family, of some 800; who, though married, is the head of her family, and who, through her Lord Cham berlain, will duly answer to all the queries of the sche dule, and accurately report her own age and place of birth, with all requisite particulars as to her husband and seven children, an example which, it is hoped, will be readily imitated by her subjects, whose numbers are now to be ascertained. MR. COMPTON'S BENEFIT.—That most artistical of our low comedians, Compton, takes his benefit at the Olympic Theatre this evening, on which occasion he appears as Dr. Pangloss in the Heir at Law, and as Paul Shack in Peake's excellent farce Master's Rival. No actor on the stage has won his laurels more fairly than Mr. Compton, or is more deserving of his high reputation. We anticipate for him a bumper. The Duke of Brunswick and Mr. Charles Greene contemplate another attempt to cross the Channel in the Nassau balloon. They will start from Hastings very pro bably in the course of the next few days. The services at St. Barnabas were resumed yes terday, and notice given that they should be continued as heretofore. The interior of the church remains untouched, and the choral service has been retained, though the old choir is missed. The sermon was preached by the Rev. James Skinner, late fellow of Durham University, from 1 Cor. 9. The discourse was listened to with great attention by a crowded congregation. SECESSIONS FROM ROME.--Two members of the Church of Rome have recently been received into the Church of England by the Rev. J. W. Grier. The ceremony was performed in the presence of the congregation _assembled in Antimte Ghigcb t stOliniciSes LITERATURE. COIII23fENTARIES ON THE LIFE AND REIGN OF CHARLES THE FIRST. 2 Vols. By Isaac Disraeli. Edited by his Son. London: Henry Colburn. Several years since, the present remarkable contri bution to historical literature was originally published. The new edition, now lying before us, possesses conse quently but the attraction of a reprint, well revised and judiciously corrected. Issued as it is, however, at a moment so peculiarly appropriate, it will be welcomed with no common eagerness by the majo rity of the reading community. It comes to usindeed, just now, as aptly as the essays written by M. Guizot upon the characters of Monk and Washing ton came of late to the great multitude of intelligent Frenchmen. It comprises within itself at once a warning and an example. In one chapter it has par ticular reference to " The Genius of the Papacy." In another it takes into account " The critical and variable situation of English Sovereigns with regard to their Roman Catholic subjects." It consequently arrests the attention of the masses throughout these kingdoms at the existing crisis with a power appor tioned to the influence of existing circumstances. We doubt not, therefore, that of all the valuable compilations for which we are indebted to the industry and erudition of Isaac Disraeli, this will, for a while at least, be incontestably the favourite. It will be pa ramount in public esteem for the time being, beyond even his memorable and estimable "Curiosities of Literature." Those who have already perused its pages will revert to them with only increased avidity, and this not merely because of their having passed under the scrupulous revision of their author, now, alas ! deceased, but because of their extraordinary applica tion to events now transpiring amongst ourselves, and provoking, by their unusual importance, the scrutiny more or less of the entire of Christendom. Those again who, on the contrary,' have yet to acquaint themselves with the fruits of Mr. Disraeli's research in regard to English history immediately prior to the foundation of the Commonwealth, will find their cu riosity stimulated in no ordinary manner by the reflec tion that now-a-days we are being afforded a striking illustration of the veracity of the old saving, that the annals of a country are little better than perpetual repetition. From the crimes perpetrated by a by gone Government, the Cabinet of the day may learn great lessons of admonition. From the weakness or 'ferocity exhibited by the mob in Jays long since de parted, the multitude of the hour may, in the record preserved of the frightful consequences of those excesses, perceive the folly of allowing themselves to be carried away by the impulse of passion or by the contagion of a diseased excitement. The brilliant author of " Coningsby " has performed his duties as editor with all filial assiduity, and with an earnest regard for the maintenance of his progenitor's reputation. His "advertisement," although unsatisfactorily short, is pithy and to the purpose, directing the notice of all men to the words of wisdom contained in these two volumes of Commentaries, words which it were well the public, and not only the ,but the Legisla ture, considered betimes in a light appropriate to their true application. The history of the " decline and fall" of monarchical power during the latter por tion of the reign of King Charles the First is itself an epic crowded with a variety of solemn and moving incidents. The loyal devotion of the Cavaliers, the democratic enthusiasm of the Roundheads, the fer vour of those who clung with passionate tenacity to the Crown, and the sincere fanaticism of those who assumed the designation of the Covenanters, make up a picture which for its emotional intensity has scarcely a rival among the many startling spectacles displayed in the annals of humanity. Removed as we are by so long a period from the time when that heroic generation convulsed the whole framework of English'society by their contentions, we can now happily look without prejudice at the many chivalrous deeds performed on both sides indiscriminately, on the side of the King, and on the side of the Parliament. Devoted as we are by all our political principles to the cause represented in the stalwart form of our im mortal Cromwell, called, and with truth, by the most eloquent of historians, "the noblest prince that ever ruled the destinies of England," we behold in the policy of Charles only a series of execrable duplicities and prevarications. We believe him to have been a man with many noble qualities, but with a tyrannical temperament, so paramount among all the peculiarities of his great nature, and so indulged in from the earliest period of his childhood, as to have ultimately warped his judgment and distorted his conscience. That he played false with the nation, all history proclaims in characters as indelible as the bloody record of his death afterwards inscribed by the hand of popular passion upon the stones of Whitehall. For inasmuch as he compelled the people by these detestable proceedings ' to fly to the last resource of a deceived multitude, the desperate resource of insurrection, we abhor the me mory of that monarch who, by his mistaken worship pers, has been transfigured into a hero unblemished and incomparable. Entertaining these sentiments, nevertheless, in reference to the policy of the King, we recognize in the ICing himself personally qualities such as command our most earnest and unconditional admiration. We behold in him a prince worthy, even in his weaknesses, of the title, a prince stubborn to force, but placable to persuasion, a prince brave in the midst of innu merable dangers, and resolute to the last even in the avenging face of the Nemesis of our national liberties. Who can read unmoved the touching narrative of his decapitation as penned by his present biographer ? " Addressing the headsman, the King said, When I put out my hands this way, then!' As soon as he had laid his head on the block, the executioner thrust his hair under his cap; and Charles, thinking that he had been going to strike, commanded him to stay for the sign!' On the uttermost verge of life, men could dis cover in the King no indecent haste, no flurry of spirits, no trembling of limbs, no disorder of speech, no start in horror—his eyes were observed by an eminent physician to be as lively and quick as ever, as his head lay on the block. The blow was struck—an universal groan, as it were a supernatural voice, the like never before heard, broke forth from the dense and countless multitude. All near the scaffold pressed forwards to gratify their oppo site feeling, by some memorial of his blood—the blood of a tyrant or a martyr. The troops immediately dis ersed on all sides the m o urnf u l, o r the a g itated people." There is a solemnity in all this that one would think might have touched the lerge and sensitive heart of Milton ; yet Milton it was who, blinded by his poli tical prejudices, beheld in the serene demise of his sovereign only the mimic valour of a hero shod for a while in the sock and the buskin ! Affecting inci dents are not wanting, however, in the life of King Charles long before the period of his execution, and Isaac Disraeli has availed himself of all these with the adroitness of a master in biography. Take the fol lowing by way of illustration : " Often the King rode hard through the night, and saw the break of day, which only recalled the wearied fugitive to the anxious cares of a retreat, or a pursuit. Once, late in the evening, the King summoned several gentlemen together, and after their conference he dis missed them to their beds with this pathetic address— ' Gentlemen! go you and take your rest, for you have houses and homes, and beds to lodge in, and families to love and live with—but I have none! My horse is wait ing for me to travel all this night, and return to the place when I came.' The King had long been like a hunted partridge, flitting from one ground to another — this is an affecting image given of his erratic and anxious courses. In his strange condition, destitute, not merely of the household wants of men, but of those still more poignant, the bereavement of his wife—his chil tisther yr e v n pe — dal sn As e f e, r i sG e o n o d hd s a — bt hae t tnt h obhd e eeghnig s avt i u vsev f f ene e n r m i m n e g e a F ai t o c t patience no r cn e es h tt 00 0 b n e e e x s e e rr c o i b s my afflictions.' e flictions: " a b n e d en c fr o e u g n u s e e n ll t o ly rs r e similar ! A o n m g o a n n g i m i h t s seem dep endents apparent. It was thus that Strafford died the death inappalled, almost we had said unmoved, by the hor rors of dissolution—as white a soul, said Archbishop Usher, as ever returned to its maker ! Through every stage of this remarkable history of the rapid progress from tyranny to republicanism, the biographer pur sues his way with a facile and abounding eloquence, lighting up his path by the luminous track of his erudition. Having hastily recounted the birth and boyhood of Charles, and given a secret history of the Spanish match, he advances with great speed into the narrative of the stirring events which followed immediate upon the accession of the future victim of popular vengeance. One after another, he he tells how the Parliaments in that reign were con voked and dissolved, until the assembling of those valorous and unflirichiug representatives of the men of E an n l g y lan to d d w ra h w o b co is mp sw el o le r d d, t b h u e t d s e u s b p s o e t q u a e t n tlength fl not ing away the scabbard. In tracing the events of the civil war and the vicissitudes of the Sovereign during the time when he stood at bay against the nation he had outraged by his depotism—Mr. Disraeli has of course given a colouring to his composition which suf ficiently indicates the proportion in which his sympa thies are divided among the belligerents. Neverthe less, while devoted heart and soul to the cause of the Cavaliers, the author has manifestly striven most as siduously to,vvrite in a, loftier spirit than that of a mere partizan. Nor in this endeavour has he proved entirely unsuccessful. Hence the value of the work in our consideration. Several new lights are of course thrown upon such parts of the annals of Charles as have been hitherto somewhat obscure, and among the most curious sources from which the biographer has drawn his information we may allude more particularly to the Illercure Francois, a journal previously over looked or depreciated, but containing a large mass of valuable, and even in some instances, inestimable in telligence, having been contributed to not unfre quently by Louis XIII. and Cardinal Richelieu. A vigorous and laborious composition upon a subject ever interesting to the majority of Englishmen, these "Commentaries of the Life and Reign of Charles the First," by Isaac Disraeli, must always be regarded as an important addition to our historical literature. The present, moreover, we doubt not, will henceforth COURT CIRCULAR Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal, the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Court, and the domestic household, attended Divine service josterday morning in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace. The Hon. and Rev. Gerald Wellesley officiated. The Queen and Prince Albert, attended by the Countess of Desart, Lord Alfred Paget, and Colonel Bouverie, left town at eleven o'clock on Saturday morn ing, and paid a visit to the Countess de Neuilly and the French Royal Family, at Claremont. Her Majesty and his Royal Highness returned to Buckingham Palace shortly before two o'clock. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent arrived in town on Saturday, attended by Lady Fanny Howard, from her residence, Frogmore, and visited the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Her Royal Highness partook of luncheon with her Majesty and Prince Albert, and in the afternoon returned to Frogmore. His Royal Highness Prince Albert presided, on Sa turday afternoon, at a meeting of the Royal Commis sion for the Promotion of the Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations. His Royal Highness, attended by Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey and Colonel Bou verie, arrived at the Exhibition building in Hyde-park, at three o'clock. The Commissioners present were—Earl Granville, Lord Stanley, Lord Overstone, Sir Richard Westmacott, Sir Charles Lyeil, Sir Charles L. Eastlake, Mr. Baring, M.P.; Mr. Bazely, Mr. Cubitt, Mr. T. F. Gibson, Mr. John Gott, Mr. Pusey, M.P.; Mr. Stephenson, M.P.; Mr. Alderman Thompson, M.P.; and Mr. John Shep herd (Chairman of the East India Company.) Mr. Scott Russell, Secretary to the Commission, at tended. Colonel Reid, Chairman of the Executive Com mittee; Colonel Lloyd, Special Commissioner; and Dr. Lyon Piayfair, Special Commissioner, were in attend ance. The meeting broke up at hall-past four o'clock. His Royal Highness Prince Albert afterwards in spected the building. The Royal Family took their usual exercise on Satur day in the garden of Buckingham Palace. The Duchess of Sutherland and Lady Constance Leveson Gower, the Marquis cf Westminster, the Earl of Liverpool, Lord and Lady John Russell, and Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phipps, had the honour of dining with the Queen on Saturday. The band of the 2d Life Guards was in attendance, in Buckingham Palace, during dinner, and performed the following selection:— Overture, " Jubilee" Weber. Fest, Polonaise Selection from "Robert le Diable" Waltz " Henrietta" (Ist time) T. Browne. Pas Rode, " The Fox and the Crow" Luce. Quadrille " Masaniello" The " Victory" Galop God save the Queen. The Queens private Band afterwards attended, and played the following pieces:— Overture " Libella' Air " Le Dieu et la Bayadere" March " The Sleeper Awakened" Duetto " Don Pasquale" His Royal Highness Prince Albert honoured Mr. Wil liam Theed with a visit at the studio in Henrietta-street, on Thursday last. A Cabinet Council was held at the Foreign-office, Downing-street, on Saturday afternoon, which was at tended by Lord John Russell, the Lord Chancellor, Sir George Grey, Viscount Palmerston. Earl Grey, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Francis Baring, the Earl of Minto, Lord Broughton, the High Hon. Henry Labouchere, and the Marquis of Clanricarde. The Coun cil sat two hours and a half. Mr. Alexander Hastie, M.P., had an interview with Sir George Grey, on Saturday, at the Home-office. The Agricultural Implements Committee of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 had a meeting on Saturday, at half-past twelve, in the Exhibition Build ing in Hyde-park. There were present Mr. Pusey, M.P. (Chairman), Hon. Dudley Pelham, Colonel Chal loner, Mr. J. V. Shelley, Mr. H. S. Thompson, and Mr. Brandreth Gibbs. Colonel Reid (Chairman), and Mr. Dilke, of the Executive Committee; and Dr. Lyon Play fair (Special Commissioner), attended. Mr. Blanchard had an interview with Earl Grey on Saturday, at the Colonial-office. The Duke of Wellington attended the early service yesterday in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. The prayers were read by the Rev. Dr. Wesley, and the sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Jackson. At the daily service the sermon was preached by the Bishop of Here ford. The prayers wero read by the Rev. Mr. Helmore; the lessons by the Rev. Mr. Haden, and the Communion Service by the Rev. Dr. Wesley. TO THE SECRETARY OF THE BRADFORD REFORM ASSOCIATION. otvaay MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY.) Sir,—The House on rising on Tuesday was ad journed till Thursday; partly on account of the late sitting, and partly, probably, on account of the Queen's levee. On Thursday the 27th, motion was made for a Committee to consider a Resolution, that it is expe dient to put in force the power given by the late Act altering the Navigation Laws, whereby additional or differential duties should be levied in British ports on goods exported or imported in Spanish ships, sufficient to countervail duties of the same kind levied on British ships in the ports of Spain. The principal movers were connected with the Northern fisheries ; and the Free Trailers replied to them effectively, that the proposal went to enact, that whereas now Shetland salt-fish was hindered from going to Spain in the cheaper British vessel, means should be taken to make the Spanish one also dearer than at present. The Shetlanders appeared unable to answer this, and so the votes went against them by 98 to 53; the strong and substantial argument against them being, that it was impolitic to allow the Protectionists to take a step under the shelter of salt-fish, towards anything like the renewal of the ancient state of things. An effort was made on the same day to renew the attack on the Member for Weat Surrey for his out spokenness on the subject of monastic institutions. But the Speaker was stanch, and it fell to the ground without effect. A division took place on the salary of the Vice- Chancellor, in which the Vice-Chancellor won. It is not good lawyers that run away with the public millions, but dilettanti gentlemen who build large baby-houses of stone, which after all have not room for the Members of the House of Commons, and generals who please themselves with sending their brass-headed sticks to native chieftains, as Gessler set his hat upon a pole, and then we condemned souls have nothing to do but pay. On Friday a petition was considered on a question relating to an Election, where it appeared that a cer tain act had taken place at an interval of fourteen days, but not of fourteen clear days. Whereupon, since it was not stated that the Act of Parliament said fourteen clear days, it seems to have been properly determined that fourteen days would suffice. At all events the House so thought, as evinced by a majo rity of 204 to 7i). On proceeding to the Committee of Supply, a ques tion was moved on the maintenance of the Military Hospital at liilmainham. A listener to the Irish orators who opened the subject, must have been shocked with the idea that the Government con templated ignoring the services of all the Irish in the army, and confiscating the revenues appropriated for their aid. But on submitting to the rule of Audi al terant partem, he would piecemeal have discovered, that the whole amounted to the facts, that Chelsea Hospital is large enough for all, that the soldiers, English and Irish, have no great affection for being made shows of in hospitals, and in general vastly pre fer ending their days among their kindred and friends, and that there are expenses attendant on the mainte nance of many hospitals for few men, which are worth the saving. In opposition there appeared nothing but the spirit of nationality which demands an Irish hos pital for Irish soldiers ; a demand which is somewhat ludicrously taken down by the fact, that Irish soldiers are not sent to the Irish hospital, but soldiers dis charged in Ireland, so that the Irishmen may be looked for in Chelsea, and the English in Kilmain ham. The opposition was finally overcome, by a ma jority of 137 to 105. On going into the question of Land Forces, the usual kind of motion was made for reducing the num. ber by five thousand men. If something of this kind was not expected, the original vote might have been found increased by the five thousand. The customary motion therefore acts as a useful ballast. In the pre sent instance the ballast was maintained by a demon stration of 47 against 186. On Saturday the House met for a few minutes to receive the Report of the Resolution on the above. I remain, Sir, yours very sincerely, AN OLD REFORMER. London, 31st March, 1851. MRS. TROLLOPS'S NEW NOVEL.—The excitemen, recently created in the religious world by the proceedings of a certain clergyman and a certain bishop, appears to have attracted the attention of one of our ablest novelists, for Mrs. Trollops, in her new work just published under the title of " Second Love ; or, Beauty and Intellect," has introduced in a very entertaining story several clerical characters, re minding the reader strongly of the best passages in her u lar "Vicar of Wrexhill ; " and among them is a bishop of the Established Church and a clergyman belonging to his diocese, whose proceedings afford a very lively view of Church principles and Church patronage at the present crisis. All the proceedings in the Court of Chancery, in the case of Miss Talbot, on Friday and Saturday, were given in yesterday morning's Observer, to the extent of six folio columns, with editorial remarks. The Observer of March 23, which gave three folio columns of Miss Talbot's case, has been reprinted, and copies can yet be had at 170, Strand. On Sunday next, April 6, a gratuitous supplement to the Observer. Price of the Observer and supplement, 6d. The trustees of the Cholmondeley charities, through their treasurer, have presented a donation of 2 - ., t o the Royal Dispensary for o/ Diseases of the Ear, Dea n . street, Soho-square. All ruins are delightful. Antiquity is a v sorceress, that flings a beauty and an interest arounlvs —t hat - : ever she touches, hallowing even the most co m mon-place jects to the contemplative eye. — Eliza COOk' urnal ob . ELOQUENCE OF TUT HAMIIIBB A auc tioneer in South Durham announced for sale last week, an e el-spear, as w hich he grandiloquently described , match for the t r ident with which Neptune persuades his ‘ adolphin coursers in their gambol speed through the labyrinths of his ocean!" He also had a miscellaneous lot of " books, boards, bottles, posts, props, pump-handles, and a pretty paradigm of pots, pans, and pantry pipk• 111 5 . pretty paradigm:—Gates head Otiseryer. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. MALTA, MARCH 22.—The Resistance troop-ship, after a beautiful passage from England of only 20 days, has arrived at this port. She brings out the 68th Regiment, to relieve the 44th service companies, which will embark for Gibraltar on Tuesday next. The sergeants of the 69th Regiment are about to pre• sent to their late sergeant-major (Honnor) a silver cup, in token of their regard for him during a period of 21 years. The sergeant-major retires into private life en joying the esteem of the entire corps. A melancholy accident occurred on Monday last. A boat of the Medina was sent round from the Grand to the Quarantine Harbour, to creep f or a c h a i n an d anchor, from which she had slipped a short time before. Having succeeded in her duty, she was returning, and when off St. Elmo she was caught in a heavy squall and capsized. Her crew consisted of Mr. Long, a Master's assistant, and six men, two of whom, James Griffin and William Crawley, sank to rise no more. This morning a large party of fashionables left the island by the French steamer for Naples. Among the number were the Earl and Countess Cottenham and family. During his Lordship's stay in Malta his health has materially improved. A general court-martial will assemble shortly for the trial of a private of the 69th Regiment, who having had a quarrel with a comrade on the preceding evening, loaded his gun yesterday morning and fired at him. Providentially the vile act was rendered nugatory by the ball striking au iron post, and glancing off from the in tended victim. PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 30.—Captain Arthur Lowe, son-in-law to Admiral Sir John Ommanney, K.C.8., will be flag captain, and Mr. Alexander Kent, secretary to . Sir John at Devonport. The Penelope, 22 Captain Lyster, was reported com plete in the master-shipvvfight's department to-day. She will probably be taken out of harbour on Tuesday, and sail for the coast about the 10th, with Commodore Bruce, to relieve Commodore Fanshawe on the coast of Africa. The Fox, 42, Commodore Lambert, arrived at Trin comalee on the 29th of January, and remained there on the Bth of February. The Fox was to go to Madras to • meet the Hastings, 72, Rear-Admiral Austen, from Sin gapore. The Salamander steam-sloop sailed from Trin comalee on the Ist ult., for Moulmein. The good service pension, which reverted to the gift of the first Lord of the Admiralty on the promotion of Captain Henderson to the rank of Rear-Admiral, has been conferred on Captain John Drake (1835). Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to grant permission to Lieutenant W. Parker, of the Royal Naval Hospital, Hasler, to wear a gold medal bearing a 5 em bossed star and crescent upon it, conferred on him by the Sultan for his services in co-operating with the army in Egypt under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, in 1811. The Fantome, 12, Commander Gennys, and the Cal• liope, 26, Captain Sir Everard Home, arrived at Madeira on the 11th instant, and the Pandora, 6, on the 15th. The Avon steamer, Second Master-Commander Veitch, arrived at Portsmouth on Saturday with seamen for the Prince Regent. The Avon returned the same even ing to Plymouth. The Birkenhead steam-trooper, is taking on board provisions sad water. She will go to Woolwich the early part of the week, to take on board four companies of the Royal Artillery for New Brunswick and Canada. The Rhadamauthus, Master-Commander Belam,troop steamer, with Artillery (two companies) and some de tachments of the line on board for the Cape, anchored is SL Helen's Roads in the night, and came up to Spithead on Sunday morning. She will proceed for Plymouth the same evening, to await final orders and complete fuel and water. Wind N.N.W., fresh breezes, and fine. DEVONPORT, MARCH 28.—The Retribution has con siderable defects to make good, having experienced very bad weather on her passage home from Lisbon. Her rudder-head is twisted, and requires a new main pin. Her port paddlebox is much damaged, and it will re quire a fortnight before she is fit to go to sea. She came into harbour on Thursday evening. The Bonetta sailed this morning. The Avon steam-tender sailed to-day, with aupernu. meraries for Portsmouth. A court-martial assembled this morning on board the Impregnable, to try Mr. Robert Watson, supernumerary boatswain of the St. George, on a charge of drunken ness and disobedience of orders, preferred by Lieut. Cull, of the St. George. Commodore Lord John Hay, president; Captains Nias, St. George; Sir Thomas Mait land, Impregnable; Captain Warden, of the Retribution ; and Commander M'Cormick, of the St. George. Mr. George Eastlake, Judge-Advocate. Mr. John Beer, solicitor, defended the prisoner. After a strict and patient investigation, it was consi dered that neither charge was proved, and Mr. Watson was honourably acquitted. Mr. Watson is an old and efficient warrant officer, having first-rate certificates for near 40 years. He lately served in the Wellesley. The Camel lighter, Faben master commanding, sailed this afternoon with stores for Pembroke. Her Majesty's ship Cumberland, 70, Captain Peter Richards, was in Torbay on Friday, and is now beating down Channel. The packet brig Brilliant, Captain Ca'beck, with mails and passengers for Madeira, sailed yesterday. WooLwica, MARCH 29.—The Caradoc steam•vessel, recently plying between Dublin and Holyhead, but now fitting at Woolwich as a packet to run between Mar seilles and Malta, went down the river in charge of Lieu tenant Derriman, with Mr. HumphryF, chief engineer at Woolwich dockyard, on a trial cruise, to ascertain her speed and the efficiency of her engines before proceeding to her destination. The weather was rather unfavour able for the experiment, but her average speed at the measured mile, with 8 feet 6 inches draught of water, was 13i knots per hour, the engines making 251 revo lutions per minute. She now carries 140 tons of coal, and her new boilers occupy a space of about two-thirda of the original ones. She started at 10.45 A.M., and re turned to Woolwich at 5 r.ie. The Roynard steam-sloop, Commander Peter Cracoft, was at Wbampoa on the 25th of January last, and a letter from on board, dated that day, was received here by the last India mail, in which it is stated that a dread ful fire had taken place on the previous night just ahead of the ship, and only about 200 yards from her. The whole of Bamboo town, consisting of about 350 wooden houses, was hurnt down in the short space of three hours. The other blade of the screw of the Rey card was broken off at Shanghai and a new one put on at Ningpo in twelve days, the two engineers doing all the work on board themselves, and they have now a pro peller of their own construction, affording evidence of the benefit of having practical engineers ou board. Mr. Oultram was promoted for repairing the first blade, and Mr. Guldsaek is deserving of promotion for his indefa. tigable exertions in assisting in repairing both blades. TRIAL OF THE MX PRUSSIAN WAR STEADIER. A trial took place on Saturday with anew iron steamer intended as a gun vessel for the Prussian service. This vessel, built by Messrs. Robinson and Russell, left Blackwell shortly after twelve o'clock, not only to try her rate of speed, but to test her power of firing guns in a manner quite novel, and for which a patent has been secured. The paddlewheel war steamers of the Royal Navy %an fire only one gun ahead or astern; but, in the case of the Nix, the sponsons or platform in front and astern of the paddle-boxes are so formed and strengthened that two guns, one for each sponson, can be fired either forward or aft to cross each other at a distance of 130 yards from the bow or stern. The Nix is a vessel of only 550 tons, builder's measure ment, with a mean draught of water of six feet six inches. The engines are of 150-horse power, and her armament consists of four 8-inch guns, 65 cwt. each, and 9 feet long; also, two 32-pounder guns, 25 cwt. each, and 6 feet long, mounted upon carriages made by Messrs. Fergusson, Millwall, with all modern improvements in that department of gunnery. She tried her speed at th• measured distance in Sea roach, and performed the mile, with the wind and tide in her favour, in 4 min. and 5 sec. When the Nix arrived off Southend she fired two B•inch sponson guns' shotted, firing three rounds from each, the shot crossing each other within a dis tance of about 130 yards ahead of the vessel, making an angle towards the line of keel of 21 deg. The vessel then returned, and although encountered by a strong wind and tide performed the measured mile in 6 min. and 55 sec., making an average speed of 11,684 knots or 13,463 miles per hour. The Nix being intended as a vessel of war has been fortified on the inside with two thicknesses of 4-inch teak plank, and is considered to be very strong. She carries about 124 tons of coals, equal to ten days' consumption. The engines performed 32 strokes per minute. They, as well as the vessel, were constructed by Messrs. Robinson and Russell. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. EPSOM SPRING MEETING. The programme for Thursday and Friday next is by far the strongest that has been issued since the establish ment of the Spring meetings. So strong is it—thanks to the liberality of the licensed victuallers and their friends, and the zeal of the clerk of the course—that the stewards of the flat races are at length enabled to di a . pense with " heats ;" and we have no doubt will exclude them altogether from all future lists, whether in spri hr , summer, or autumn, On the first day the venue will be laid in the same locality as last year—the sport to con sist of three steeplechases and a hurdle race, with pa tine mo ney amounting to 220/. The " legitimate" racing on the following day will be in every respect first-rate. Six events will come off—viz., the Trial s ta k ed , the City and Suburban Handicap, with an acc e pt ance of 27 oat of an entry of 51 (one having become void by the death of that straight-forward sportsman Sir G ilbert Heathoote); the Two years old Stakes, with 2 0 entr ies (one void), and the prospect of a large field ; th e Great Metropolitan tions (one void); the Railway Handicap, for which 44 were left in out of 101 nomina which, as well as the Trial Stakes , Plate and Selling Stakes, afternoon at tour o'clock—tbe close on Wednesday extraordinary money added amounting to 6501. So ext an improvement in the cha racter of the meetin g i s creditable to M r. Dorlin g ; an d as the Bright on Railway Company will provide ample accommodati on i n the shape of specia l trains on bo th days, them is no doubt t hat he will be liberall y sup ported by the NoRTH O F ENGLAND STEEPLECHASE. The dis puted race has been decided iu favour of Isaac. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. should feel extremely obliged if you could find corner for the following acro s t ic on the na me of Phelps; it was written by a deceased friend of mine just before his death.—Yours obediently, W. J. L. P ouring thy sounding likes on eager ears, urling thy flashing sentences afar, E 'en as in Feudal Times thy form appears L it up to greatness as the truthful " Mar." P oint onward still and long beneath thy reign ball " Sadler's Wells" its proud career maintain. CHARLES WILTON. THE LONDON SEAMEN.—A monster procession of the seamen of the port of London is appointed for Wednes day, o convey the petitions for the repeal of the Mercantile Liam Act. 7110 s 71 Os 41 los 27103 Irt of td to 1850 1,494 ?igg. 63 66 is al ?igs•