The Sun. — London, England, 1853-03-22 00:00:00

OYAL ITALIAN OPERA, iv COVENT-GARDEN. The Directors of the Royal Italian Opera beg most respectfully to 'lnform the nobility, gentry, subscribers, and the — public, that the SEASON of 1853 will COMMENCE on Tuesday, March 29. The ensuing Season will be the Seventh of the Royal Italian Opera; and whatever pride and gratification the Directors may naturally feel in making this announcement, they are not unmindful that it is to the generous and encouraging patronage of the Subscribers and the public, end to the loyalty and esprit de corps of the artistes of their establishment, as well as to their own individual exertions, they are indebted for the accomplishment of the object they have so unweariedly laboured to attain, viz., the perm-nent establishment of a Dramatic and Lyrical Institution worthy of this great metro polis. The Directots feel it i for them to state that s scarcely necessary they intend still to pursue that path which has led to these success ful results ; and they ti ust that their arrangements for the forthcom ing season, which they now have the honour to submit, will be I.eceived as an evidence of that intention. It will be sewn that the great artistes who have so long held the highest rank in public estimation still lend their valuaisle aid; that of those who last year appeared for the first time in England, the most promising have been retained, and that several ethers of great repu tation have been added to the establishment. The Directors regret that they are not able to make a positive an nouncement as to the performance of Mademoiselle Wagner during ti he coming season ; they still, however, entertain sanguine hopes that circumstances will permit of that lady's appearance, if it be only for a limited number of representations. The Repertoire of the Royal Italian Opera now comprises THIRTY /sir/4.E OPERAS, each of which is complete in scenery, costumes, and appointments. SE If IR AMIDE ..... .. • . Rossini. LA DONNA DEL LAGO ............. Rossini. J,'ITALIANA ALGIERI . • Rossini. BARBIERE DI BEVIGLIA • Rossini. LA GA ZZA LADRA.......... • • • Rossini. IL TA WREN ............ •• • •. • • .....................Ross LA CENERENTOLA •. Rossini. GUGLIELMO TELL.... •• •• • . • • • • • ... Rossini. MOSE IN EGITTO (ZORA) • . • • .. • ... Rossini. OTELLO . • • ...... •• • • ...... •••• • • • • Rossini. I DUE FOSCARI. Verdi. NABUCO (ANATO) . NORMA ... • • LA SONNAMBULA .. • • .. • • • • • • • • .. • • Bellini. I PURITANI ..••..........••..•..... Belllni. I CAFULETTI E MONTECCHI • • • • • • Bellini. LES HUGUENOTS ..... ••••••• • .. • • Meyerbeer. ROBERT LE DIABLE ..............Meyerbeer. LE PROPFIETE .................... Meyerbeer. LUCIA DI L AMMERMOOR .. • • .. • • .. Donizetti. L'ELSIR D'AMORE • • ........ • • • • • • .. Donizetti. LUCREZIA BORGIA ...... • • . • • ANNABOLENA ••••.. • • .. .. ••• • • • Donizetti. MARIA DI ROHAN ... ••••• • • • • • LA FAVORITA . • • • • • • • • LINDA DI CH.AMOUNI •......... Donizetti. Donizettl. L FLA UTO MAGIC° ••• • .. Moza , t. DON GIOVANNI .. • • • • Mozart. LE NOZZE DI FIGARO.. ...... M ozar t. MASAN lELLO • . Auber. IL MATRIMONIO SEGRETO .. • • • • .. Cimarosa. DER FREISCHUTZ • • ..... •• .. Weber. SAPPHO.. •• • ••••••••.. .. • • • • • • • • Gounod. FIDELIO .........• .• ...... •• • • Beethoven. Spohr. YIETRO IL GRANDE.. • • ...... Jullien Daring the Season, out of the following Operas, three will posi tively be produced : Spohr'S Opera of JESSONDA. The kind and flattering reception accorded last season to the cele brated Dr. Spohr, on the occasion of the production of his opera pf Faust, has enabled the directors to induce that great composer once more to visit this country. Ills Opera of Jessonda, arranged for the Italian Stage expressly for the Royal Lalian Opera, will therefore be produced under his immediate superintendence. Verdi's New Opera, RIGOL E T T O, As performed with the greatest success at th 3 Teatro de la Penice at Venice; and at the Imperial Opera of St. Petersburg. Rossni's Opera, MATILDA DI SHABRAN. Donizetti's Grand Opera, DON SEBASTIAN, As performed at the Academie Royale at Paris, A New Opera, by Stnor Bonetti, entitled JUANA SHORE. A grand Opera, by Hector Berlioz, entitled BENVE.NUTO CELLINI. The Engagements for the present Season are : SOPRANI. Madam ORIST, Mademoiselle ANGELINA BOSIO, Madame CASTELLAN, Mademoiselle ALBINI (Her first appearance in England). Mademoiselle DONZELLI (Her first appearance in England). Madame JULLIENNE, and Madame 3IEDORI (From the Imperial Theatres of St. Petersburg and Vienna ; her first appearance in England). • CONTRALTO. Mademoiselle NANTIER DIDIEE (From the Theatre Italien at Paris; her first appearance in England). SECONDE DONNE, Mademoiselle COTTI, and Mademoiselle BELLINI. TENORI. Signor MARTO, Signor sr IGELL r, Signor LUIGI MEI, signor SOLDT, Signor LUCIIESI (From the Teatro della Scala, at Milan ; his first appearance In England); and Signor TIMIIERLIK. BASSI DARITOSI Signor RONCONI, Signor TIONIMI, and Signor ItELEITI (Nis first appearance at the Royal Italian Opera). BASSI PROFONDI. llerr FORMES. Signer TAGLIAFICO. Signor FOLONINI. Signor GREGORIO, Signor RACIIE, and ➢lonsieur ZELUER. (Ills first appearance these three years.) The Orchestra and Chorus will exhibit the came 12'gh state of efficiency. DIRECTOR OF TUE METSIC, COMPOSER, AND CONDUCTOR, Mr. COSTA. The Military Band will be under the superintendence of Mr. GODF RE Y. Maestro al Piano_ Signor PANIZZA. (From the Teatro della Scala at Milan.) Prompter.• .• Poet .• ..... • • signor ONTERASI • • ••• • • • •• • • Signor MAGGIONI. The department of the Ballet will, in accordance with the wish of many subscribers, he rendered more attractive than heretofore; and Divertissements will be given on evenings when the duration of the Operas will permit. The engagements are— Mademoiselle MELINA MARMET (From the Teatro de la Fent ce, at Venice), Mademoiselle B AR VI LLE, Mademoiselle KOLEMBE RG, Mademoiselle TERESA, Mademoiselle LERIEUX, and Mademoiselle MATHILDF. LESSON (From the cademie Imperials at Paris). Maitre de Ballet, Nlonsieur I)esplaces (From the Academie Imperiale at Paris). Leader of the Ballet. Mr. Alfred Mi)llan. Dircetor of the :Vise-en-Scene, Mr. A Harris. Scenic Artist, Mr. William Beverley (His Fir .t Enio.gement at the Royal Italian Opera.) Costomier, Monsieur Leblond (From the Imperial Theatre, St. Petersburg.) - - - Costumire, Madame Marizo. Decorator, Mr. Prescott. Machinist, Mr. Allen. Tickets, Ctails, and Box( , , fur the Night or Season, to be obtained at the Box-office o the The Are G....mi1. of Bow-street and Bart_ Street) ; and at the ilr!lr2ip.ti. iibra , ies and innsiesellers. The perf Traances , sitieonnrence at Eizht o'Clock on each evenin;;. The Box-office in grnircun Eleven to Five o'Clock. Royal Italian Opera, Corent-garden, March, 1853. T HEATRE ROYAL, H.A.YMARKET. NEW MANAGEMENT. So'c Lessee—Mr JOHN B. BUCKSTONE, Brompton-square. The pnb'ic is respectfully informed that this Theatre will LIE OPEN on EASTER MONDAY next, March 28, 1853, under an entirely new management, the constant endeavour of which will be to sustain the long established character of this house as the first heatre in the Metropolis, for the representation of English Comedy and Farce, with the occasional addition of such Entertainments as may be considered attractive. NOVICE —The duration of the present recess being too brief to ad mit of any alteration in front of the Curtain, it is therefore an nounced that the Theatre will undergo a. thorough repair and re-decoration during the forthcoming saintlier vacation, from July until October next. when a new stage will be laid down, and altera tions made in the building, founded on many suggestions forwarded by the patrons of this popular and iashionable place of amusement. On EASTER MONDAY, March 28, 1853, will be presented a COMEDY, for the purpose of introducing several new candidates for popular favour. After at hich, an entirely New and Original Ex travaganza, writtm by J. It. Manche, Esq., entitled MR. BUCK STONE'S AStIENT OF MOUNT PARNAiSUS, the scenery of 'which twhiltshEa other Establishment, wilt be painted by Mr Charles Marshall, who is engaged at performances, ent. assisted by Mr. George Morris and Mr. Connor; which will be duly announced. a a ( 2g l ..;! str a walla (which maybe retained the whole of the evening), aan. First Prl lery, 6a. _ ce—Boxes, 55.; pit, 35.; amphitheatre, 25.; gal lery, ed. brontla Price—Boxes, 3s. ; pit, 2s; amphitheatre, is.; gal commence at ,_to be opened at half-past six, the performances t o yaineas 0ae 7, 9 4. second price at nine. Prixate boxes, two able of holdin g 12 ea and a half each. N.B.—A private box, cap say be secured at the box with a furnished ante-room attached, may also al en a Office, price five guineas. Season tickets public bee slibrarie of MesZs...ec,iiou. Private boxes to be had at the dram, Ebers, Bailey, AllcsolZlSegala, Mitchell, HookbAm, An- Tr": HAXSI4-RXET COMPANY Will consist of the %Hewitt; Who for a limited period. Mr. Miss Helen Faucit, who i s engortablished Favourites : Barry Sullivan, Miss Reynolds, Compton, his first appearance here. m i n ai rg ad at this Theatre. Mr. Theatre. Mr. Henry c laa Reward, her first appearance at this ()Yrs In a in the drama at this Theatre. 3trs. Bacta n „,: t first appearance .Poynter, from the Theatres Royal York acd• Kr ' Howe, Mrs. ora ah ___, pearance in London. Mr. Chippendale, from th e p ner first ap- York—his first appearance here. mim ___ ark Theatre New unaptin, her 'pearance in the Hayruarket Theatre. Mr. Wan ani rat ap. first appearance at this Theatre. Mrs. Stanley, wba a , r ren, his gaged. Mr. Tilbury, who is also re-engaged. Miss Augusta ` s re-en nce i n L o ndon. Mr. Rogers, Nus.._Ver non, her first appearance her first appearance at this Theati•e. Mr. Arthur Paye e, h n i ne r r, appearance in London. bliss Amelia Vining, Mr. Clark, as,..",: ti a l t . Caul field, Mr. Caulfield, Miss Eleanor Bromley, from the Theatre Royal. Drury-lane. Mr. Coe, Miss Grace Leslie, her first appearan ce in London. Mr. Braid, Miss Laidlaw, from the Lyceum , Theatre. M rs. Fitzwiillam, Cr. Buckstone, Miss B. W oulds, Mr. Ellis, Miss liar. vey, Miss A. Wont, s, Mr. Hilton, Mrs. Coe , Miss Archer, Mr. mit ten, Miss Grantham, &c., and a numerous Corps de Fella. While from time to time such important additions will be made, as will not only strengthen the Company, but render every member of it exclu fively belonging to this Theatre. Stage Manager—Mr. Chippendale. Musical Director—Mr. Edward Fitzwilliam. The following Novelties will be produced in due sueceSaion : An Extravaganza, by J. R. Pianche, Esq. A Comedy by Robert Sulivan, Esq., author of " The Beugar on Horseback," and " The Old Love and the New." A Play, by Robert Browning, Esq., author of "Paraceisus," &c.—and in which Miss Helen Faucit will appear. A Comedy, by Tom Taylor, Esq., author of " To Parents and Guardians," And one of the authors of " Masks and Faces." A Farce, by Thomas lefty, by I'algrave Simpson, Esq., Author of A Drama, by J. R. Flanche, Esq. A Comedy, .q., author of " The Serious Family," &c. A loyne, Esq. A Drama, by Douglas Jerrold, be opened on Thursday nest, the 24th March, Mr. Turpin, who will personally attend daily, .fully requested to observe that a new andcom .epers-having been engaged, it is requested that be offered by them, they may be reported to iEvening nsure a proper regulation in the business of wilt be annouticLd for the First °R'rtece, tuttll the Management 19 convinced pone anent, Mnrtu n , Esq. A Come " Poor Cousin Walter." Barnett, EN CA _. .1.141_,. Stirling Co iil • ~. a Wo* ce Will b , .sy Al a n of 3 P"'" ;.' ., z : n l4 4 i , %. . "..'. ---4, ii, ties i ' ir * i 1 ,vi ties b ' t Vin e idgc93d ° V t ° 1 . : etitt no 1 iteto ft anyi i , tAtrit N 1 .5 , , postpoi ROY L " I XCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under t, .ts Management of Mr. Charles Kean. 011 EASTER MONDAY, MARCH 28, Will be per. 'mu ed the Tragedy of MACBETH. After which W ill be t,roduced a new Drama, adapted from the the French or %lons. Scribe, by Mr. Pa:grave Simpson, called MAECO SPAI)A . Principal characters by Messrs. W. Lacy, J. Vining, Ryder, 1 graham, and Everett; Miss Beath and Mist C. Leclercq. p r ENERA .L SCREW STEAM SHIPPING COMPANY. :NOTICE IS HEs: GIVEN, That this Company's Auxiliary Iron Screw Steam-chip ARGO, 1,850 tons, George Hyde, Commander, will leave Southampto n for PORT PHILIP and SYDNEY on WEDNEs- DAY, the 4th of M ay next. he accommo da tion is of a superior description, and the cabins are fully furnished. Ths rates of passage money--After cabin, first class, 80/. ; Fore Cabin, second class. 50/. These rates are exclusive of wines, beer, al Id s piritous liquors, which, howe..ver, may be had on board at moder, tte prices. The ship will carry an experienced surgeon. Applications for • passage to be made at the Company's Offices, 2, Royal Exchange-I naldings ; and for freight and parcels, to Messrs. Balfour, Laming, arnd Owen, 16, St. Mary-axe. HIGH `WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tins DAY —NI , nning 0 min. after 0 Byelning 6 min.aft. 12 To-Moaaow—M. nning 34 min. after 12 Evoning 57 min. aft. 12 D.etILY WEATHER TAALE. TUESDAY, ARCH 22, 1853, State of the. - wind and weather at each of the following places at nine o'clock yesterday morning. The stations aro arranged ii i order of latitude. HASTINGS— - Calm—partially cloudy. SOUTHAMPre 3N—W., gentle breeze—overcast. TUNBRIDGE- —N.E., calm—overcast. BASINGSTOE E—N.W. gentle breeze—overcast. GREENWTCH- —W., gentle breeze—overcast. STROOD—WI. calm—snow. SWINDON— V T., light airs—cloudy. CAMBRIDGE—I., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. HOLYHEAD--N., strong breeze—showery. LANCASTER --N., strong breeze— snow. The returns from the following places indicate the state of the weather on Saturday morning at nine o'clock : HOLYHEAD--E., gentle breeze—hard frost. LANCASTER--N., gentle breeze—cloudless. DARLINGTON—N.W., strong breeze—cloudy, strong frost. SNAP—N.; strong breeze—principally clear—hard frost. THE WEATHER.---SUN farms, 31Aucs 22. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 35—highest since noon yesterday. 25—lowest this morning and during the night. 36 this day at neon. RUIO3IEI7II, 29'91. WIND, N.E.—Sharp breeze and cloudy—sunshine. THE PUBLICATION OF ‘, THE SUN" COMMENCES EVERY AFTERNOON AT THREE O'CLOCK, AND THE LATE OR THIRD EDITION, CONTAINING THE DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT THE SAME EVENING, With all other News arriving up to the hour of Post, AT SEVEN O'CLOCK. EXPRESS EDITIONS will be forwarded after the Post is closed by the Latest Trains. 4 . 171 r Atn, LONDON, TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1853. The trial which has just taken place at King ston, of the parties concerned in the Egharn duel (a full report whereof will be found in another part of this day's impression), affords additional and very powerful corroboration to the assertion, that too stringent enactments are calculated to defeat their own objects, and that juries will fre quently —nay, habitually—interpose between the undue severity of the law and the prisoners on trial, so as to protect the latter from the penal consequences of comparatively venial violations of the criminal code. It was in cases of duelling especially, that the sympathies were so strongly excited, and that juries invariably disregarded the charge of the presiding Judge, refusing to find that parties, engaged in a fair encounter, where the life of one was set against the other, were guilty of wilful and deliberate murder if there should have been a fatal result to the meeting. The so-called laws of honour and the law of the land were diametrically opposed to each other, and the wisest, the best of our statesmen, of our naval and military celebrities, yielded to the fashion of the day, and engaged in transac tions which might have led to their igno minious execution upon the gallows. It is suf ficient to say that the late Duke of WELLINGTON-- the Iron Duke—the hero of a hundred fights—a man of whose personal courage there could have been no possible doubt, was not satisfied to rest on his well-established reputation ; but, although a sexagenarian, deemed it essential to demand " satisfaction," for what he conceived to be an imputation on his honour ; and that his distin guished successor at the Horse Guards—Viscount HARDINGE—aided and abetted him in his offence, by consenting to act as his second on the occasion. Sir ROBERT PEEL called out Mr. O'CoNNELL, and the invitation was only refused because the chal lenged had, but a few years previously, stained his hands with the blood of his opponent--Mr. DESTERRE—a catastrophe which, we have reason to believe, excited the deepest contrition in the mind of the Liberator to the last hour of his existence. And yet, when these occurrences took place, the law was precisely the same as it is at present, and as it was when Lieutenant MUNRO was convicted of wilful and deliberate murder at the Old Bailey. What would the people of England think if the names of WELLING TON and HARDINGE-Of PEEL and O ' CONNELL-or, going a little farther back, of CANNrNG and CASTLEREAGH, CURRAN and GRATTAN, had been inscribed in the Newgate Calendar as murderers— wilful and deliberate murderers—who had expi ated their offences on the scaffold, or, through the interposition of the Royal prerogative of mercy, in perpetual exile from their native land. There must have been something rotten in the state of affairs that placed such men in opposition to the law on one point, of which they were in all other respects the most strenuous supporters. There must have been something radically wrong in the enactments, which juries repeatedly, almost invariably, refused to lend their aid in carrying into execution—violating their oaths rather than become participators in what they conceived to be the infliction of a still greater wrong on the parties on trial. A healthier and a better state of feeling, how ever, arose. Public opinion became opposed to the " monomachia," or single combat. Juries were found to execute their painful duties faith fully and truly ; and the case of Lieutenant MUNRO, on which we have repeatedly commented, proved that there might be a capital conviction although there had been no foul play—nothing unfair in the management of the duel, and the survivor had done all in his power to avoid the painful alternative. This conviction gave a heavy blow and a great discouragement to the practice of duelling—none could be found willing to brave the fearful results of a conviction ; and even if men allowed their passions so far to pre vail over their reason, they could not find friends, real or nominal, to act as seconds. The conse quences were too formidable to be lightly encoun tered, duelling became obselete, and the efforts ' that were made to revive the objectionable prac tice only entailed ridicule and contempt on those tryi ng the experiment. This salutary state of affairs has, however, been completely altered. A duel, in which foreigners °mafatal termination y were engaged —men ignorant alike of English law and English ignorant have been feeling on the matter—had a Noghing could, we believe, fully and fairercom ;Ilan the entire transaction. We thin th completely exonerate the parties con cerned from slightest suspicion - g are personally at could create the c o o i n f e e e ul rn i e ) a lay ; l a v n e d,s r o e oi far e e a s they that they have been practically exempted stringent consequences of the offencefrom Imvioiirceh they were implicated. The LearnedanJduudgne_ equivocally. who presided laid down the la w clearly " He declared that, if two or more personswent ou arme dwith deadly w eapons, fo r com mitting an, unia tv _ ful act, which fighting p t together oseof a duel undoubtedly was, and the purpose the death of one of the p arties ensue d , it was in , the eye of the law in every one o f the parties connected with the transaction, and that it applied equally to the seconds of the deceased as well as those of the survivor—that all should be held responsible for that which might be re garded as the natural result of the act they were about to commit." The only real questions for their consideration then were—Did a duel take place? Was the deceased wounded in that duel ? Was that wound the cause of his death? Aed were the defendants engaged therein ? There should then have been either a conviction on the entire charge or an absolute acquittal. There was no intermediate course, no compromise, that could properly be adopted. They might as well have returned a verdict of petty larceny, or libel, as of manslaughter. We fear that the effect of the verdict and the sentence (two months' imprison ment) will be to bring duelling again into fashion. We would, therefore, once more urge the neces sity of special legislation on the subject—of an enactment rendering duelling a grave misde meanour, punishable with fine and imprison ment, no matter what might be the result, and making all parties in any degree concerned, either at the meeting or as acoessaries before the fact, liable. The power of adding " hard labour " at the discretion of the presiding Judge would be exceedingly beneficial, so as to prevent single com bats on trivial, or insufficient, or indeed on any grounds, and to restore matters to the same state that they had been before these refugees engaged in the transaction which led to the investigation at Kingston, to which we have considered it our imperative duty to direct the public attention. A NATIONAL GALLERY—worthy of the name— has, at length, we rejoice to think, come to be re garded as a necessity. By the word " gallery" we mean both the casket and its contents —we imply under the phrase " national gallery" both the splendour of the edifice and the completeness of the collection. As matters stand at present it is really painful and humiliating to reflect how England is situated in regard to Art. Although the wealthiest country in the world, she has—the fact is notorious—the poorest collection of paint ings of all the great Powers of Christendom. Not mere y the poorest collection of paintings, but the most miserable edifice that could possibly (with such a purpose in view) have been con structed for their conservation. Look at it. Look at that architectural masterpiece (!) on " the finest site in Europe," (H) and then examine its pictorial treasures. (1 ! 0 The disgrace reflected upon the nation by all this is known to every intelligent man to be of the most flagrant character imaginable. Externally there are two or three stone pepper-castors on the top of a tasteless structure, devoid even of the merit of a moderately good elevation. Internally there are half-a-dozen apartments, in differently furnished with pictures, some of them of very questionable authenticity, selected obvi ously without much regard to intrinsic excellence, and disposed round the walls apparently without any eye to symmetry of arrangement. And this is the National Gallery of the United Kingdom I Compare it with almost any one of the large Galleries on the Continent. Compare it with the Louvre at Paris —with the Royal Museiira at Berlin—or with that of Munich, the famous Pinacothek ! Why, the shame of the contrast is something ignominious. Here scantiness, and there profusion ; here parsimony, and there munificence ; here confusion and meanness, there order and magnificence. Those are the results of even the most cursory and superficial comparison. Never let us brag again of our fine taste as a people, so long as that fine taste continues to be mainly ex emplified by those abominations of Trafalgar square, by that execrable building, and that me lancholy collection. Until we have turned over a new leaf in this particular, we ought to be a trifle more circumspect in putting in our claims to the merits of artistic fastidiousness. England, too, ought surely by right to assume a nobler position among the national patrons of Art—Art having found some of its most illus trious cultivators among the ranks of her more gifted children. Yes : for in the revelation of original genius in Art, the Anglo-Saxon race has approved itself scarcely inferior to the most elevated of its distinguished contemporaries. Yielding, of course, to Italy, to Spain, and to Flanders, the glory of their pre-eminent reputa tion ! Setting aside, as altogether out of the category of comparison, the works of some among the loftier masters, the products of an age more classic and more ambitious—. " Whate'er Lorraine light touched with softening hue, Or savage Rosa dashed, or learned Poussin drew I" Putting altogether aside the pioneers of the golden revival of the art of APELLES—setting apart the whole of that glorious catalogue of ori ginators from CIMABUE to GIOTTO, and from MA SACCIO to PERUGINO—above all, avoiding any more direct reference to the designing of DA VINCI, the colouring of GIORGIONE, the grace of CORREGIO, the grandeur of MICHAEL ANGELO, and the divine and matchless excellences combined in the incomparable RAFFAELLE—we may still ven ture to regard some among the higher departments of modern art as not having been wholly mono polised by foreign competitors to the exclusion of every Englishman. The time has arrived when we may speak thus without treason to the purer schools of the Roman Peninsula. The day has come when we may presume to express opinions such as these without necessarily being charged with a sort of poetic leze-majeste to the Gods of the Brush at Bologna or at Florence. Happily, we may dare to speak thus nowadays, without being accused of depreciating the supreme merit of such men as SARTO or PIOMBO, as TINTO RETTO Or DOMENICHINO, as TITIAN Or the CARAC CIS, men like PARMEGIANO, and PAUL-VERONESE, and RUBENS, and VANDYCK, and REMBRANDT, and SALVATOR, and CLAUDE, and GUIDO, and VELASQUEZ. Reverencing their fame according to the respective value of their productions, we may yet ho permitted to claim a certain degree of consideration for our fellow-countrymen. If England has no TENIERs--she has a HOGARTH. If she has no OseTADE---she has a WILKIE. If she never possessed a CANALETTO-- she has produced a TURNER. Descending to the lowlier departments, to the delineation of fruit and of animals—we have a LANCE if we are with out an UNDINA, and a LANDSEER if we are with- out a SNYDERS. Ascending again to the loftier schools of art—if France had her DAVID, had not England her ETTY ? Throughout the whole list we might advance, name by name, without shrink ing in any one instance from the comparison— alluding to the artistic history of a race illus trated by the labours of a CONSTABLE, a RAY NOLDS, a WEST, a COLLINS, and a GAINSBOROUGH. _ - ---- Allusion to the chiefs among our living masters might be invidious ; yet among their names, too, we might find abundant corroboration. So has it been in Art with England—England disgraced by her National Gallery, while so much might have been expected from a country numbering a HOGARTH and a TURNER among her painters, a FLAXMAN and a GIBSON among her sculptors, a WREN and a PUGIN among her architects ! Thank Heaven, however, there now appears some probability of a change for the better in this particular. Already we have gained the rov cras for a noble enterprise between Brompton and Ken . MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, TWO O'CLOCK. The sales of Cotton at Liverpool yesterday were estimated at 7,000 bales, of which 1,500 American were taken for export, and 500 on speculation. The market was tame without alteration in prices. The sales comprised 6,000 American, 200 Pernam and Maranham at 61d. to 61d., 100 Bahia at bid. to 61d., 300 Egyptian at 7d. to 10d., 400 Surat at 30. to 41d., and 30 Sea Island at ls. Bd. to 2s. 6d. per lb. In Railway Shares only a limited business was clone at lower prices. sing,ton. Already, moreover, we have witnessed the index finger of a living master pointed steadily The letters by the steamer Parana, from the West Indies have been delivered, and their general contents evince more plainly than before the deter mination to accomplish that great desideratum, a reduction of expenditure. At a meeting held in the parish of Hanover, Jamaica, one of the speakers made the following curious statement : " The Hon. Hugh A. Whitelock was called to the chair, who accordingly addressed the meeting on the subject of the miserable state of the island and the pre sent financial difficulty, and concluded his speech by stating, that if the House of Assembly could not succeed in carrying any measures of retrenchment into effect, that he would positively recommend that the revenues of the island be handed over to the British Government for two or three years, who might succeed in conducting the duties of the Government of the colony commensu rate to its prostrate, ruinous, and fallen condition." It was fully expected that tonnage dues would be abolished in Jamaica, and the Chairman of the Committee on the Estimates of Ways and Means had proposed to do away with the following im posts : All tonnage dues, with the exception of lighthouse dues, a relief of Hereditament tax, at 6d. in the pound ' ~. 16,000 „ Income-tax ..................... 9,000 „ The additional imports And tax on stock and wheels £62,500 The mercantile advices from the Continent are not of special interest. At the meeting of the Maria Antonia Railway this day, a dividend of three shillings on the old shares, and one shilling on the new shares was de clared. The accounts showed a balance of 7,0261. 4s. 4d. The chairman regretted the smallness of the passenger traffic in spite of the line being further opened, but hoped it would improve as the other lines were completed. The Committee of Spanish Bondholders have received the following : " Guayaquil, Jan. 26, 1853. " I avail myself of an opportunity, vid Panama, to inform you that the Government have received a dispatch from the Government of the province of Manahi, an nouncing that a gold mine had been discovered at a place called Jama, and that a commission had been dispatched to ascertain the extent of the same, the results of which I expect I shall be able to report to you by the steamer of Ist proximo. " Private letters differ as to its importance, some stating it to be inexhaustible, others admitting it is ex tensive ; beyond a doubt, the people from that district are flowing thither, in spite of bad roads and heavy rains. " Either by land or sea, it requires about seven days to reach Jama from this. in the right—meaning, of course, the onward—di rection, one of our gifted Royal Academicians having in this important matter, and at this criti- "I have commenced my conferences with the commis sioners for regulating the debt, on which I hope to report by the steamers." cal juncture, ventured upon the somewhat unin viting labours of a censorious pamphleteer.* " Guayaquil, Ist February, 1853. "I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of Ist Dec., and beg to enclose duplicates of my last respects. - - - "As yet, nothing further is known about the gold mine. The public opinion is now not so sanguine as at first, but we must await the result of the commission sent out by the Government of Manalie. " As yet I have not been able to come to any settle ment with the commissioners—they made me a proposal so entirely inadmissible that I considered it my duty to reject it at once, since which we have not met. His Excellency General Urbinia assures me that he will urge on a settlement on an equitable basis. The commis sioners insist on even more favourable terms than those of New Grenada, and also What they will propose as an ultimatum, must have the sanction of the ensuing Con gress, which is to meet in Quito next September." The English Stock Market has taken an upward course again, and the much more tranquillising character of the news from Constantinople has an excellent effect. The speculators for a fall are not likely, however, to buy back yet, anticipating many contingencies before settling day, and asserting that the French Government is endeavouring to put a better face on matters than circumstances warrant. On the other hand, and among disinterested parties, there is no apprehension of hostilities. Consols have been quoted 994 and are now about 991 .for transfer. For account the transac tions have been at 99i to I, and at one period there were buyers at nearly the highest of those .ratcs. Exchequer Bills have been marked 14s. premium for those of June, and Bs. for those dated March. East India Bonds are 40s. premium. South Sea Stock has been done at 110. Foreign Stocks have rallied partially, but are yet unsteady. Spanish Deferred Bonds have been 24g I, and the Three per Cents. 49. Portuguese Four per Cents. are 38/ to Mexican Stock is wo r th 25g - to The Peruvian New 4i per Cents., paid up, have been done at 88k. Brazilian Five per Cents. are 1031. Sardinian Bonds have been up to 95i to N. Austrian Stock is at 99, and Russian Fire per Cents. have been 118- to 1191 ex div., a rise of 1 to 2 per cent. The Railway Share Market has recovered the fall of yesterday, and, although the dealings are limited, holders refrain from pressing sales. The principal transactions have been in Great Western, North-Western, Midland, and Lancashire, and Yorkshire. French Shares are up full 11., upon Northern, Strasburg, and Lyons ; Sambre and Meuse, are higher. The Gold Mine Shares are rather looking up, and the favourable advices received by the Colonial Gold Company, inspire more confidence in Aus tralian undertakings. The Land Companies Shares are rather higher, most being done in British American Land, and South Australian and Van Diemen's Land. The Australian Bank Shares have advanced, and also the Oriental. * " The National Gallery : its Formation and Manage merit. Considered in a Letter, addressed, by permission, to H. R. H. The Prince Albert, K.G., &c., Etc. By Wil liam Three, R.A." Bvo. pp. 84. Chapman and Hall. London, 1853. BRITISH FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK THIS DAY, (From the Official List.) _ limones, done. 3 per Ceut. Consols Annuities Long Annuities, Expire sth Jau., 1860 — Ditto 30 Years, Expire sth Jan., 1860 6 3-1 6 India Bonds, £lOOO ___ Ditto, under £lOOO 4O South Sea Stock Consols for Account 13th April Exchequer Bills, 10. June. March. £lOOO £5OO Small l4 PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Austrian Bonds, 5 per Cent. ..„... ....... .. 99 Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Grenada Bonds, De 'erred, M ex i can 3 per Cent....... Peruvian 4i per Cent BBl Portuguese 4 per Cent. 3B 38131 Peruvian Scrip ~ .... Russian Bonds, 5 per C en t . Ditto, 4i per cent lO3l 3 Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Spanish Bonds, 3 per Cent 49 Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent 248 i HALF-PAST TWO. 111 9994 Consols . ................. Ditto April Account .. We are requested to state that, on the recommenda tion of Lord Palm ers t on , her Majesty has granted a fre e pardon to Pa x t on and Wynn, who were convicted at the January sessions of the Central Criminal Court. SCARCITY OF SERVANTS IN LONDON.—No less than forty applications for female servants, have recently been made to the master of the Marylebone Workhouse, who cannot recommend one from the house, although its in mates number 1,820. The master states, that so viciously inclined are the young females in the workhouse, that they are no sooner supplied with situations, than they leave their service and return again to the workhouse. And that within last week three girls, after enduring imprisonment for enisconduct while in service, claimed and obtained admission to the house. Upon examining the books, he found that the continuance of workhouse girls in service, did not average more than a week. To meet this evil the guardians have resolved to erect a re fractory ward for such girls. TDB CHURCH E STATES COMMISSION ERS .- -The Com missioners, app afforded appointed under the " Episcopal and Capi tular Estat es Act, " have just ma d e t h e i r second report. They state th at since the fac ili t i es f or enfranchisement by the act have become more generally understo o d, they have received numerous applica tions for their sanction to agreements conditionally entered into by ecclesiastical corporations with their lessees. During the present year, they have ap proved the terms agreed on in ninety-seven cases for the sale of reversions, and in eight cases for the pur chase of leasehold interests. The value in fee of the leasehold estates, enfranchised by these sales and pur chases, exceeds the sum of 650,001., and they add, that they hrve reason to expect that the enfranchisement of their estates will be shortly proceeded with by several other ecclesiastical corporations, to a considerable extent, first thus confirmi ng them in the op i n i on ex p res s e d in th e i r report, th at the operat i on o f th e ac t would be to promote a satisfactory settlement of the Church lease hold question. In conclusion they recommend that Church eopyholds be put on a similar footing. PROFESSORSHIPS IN SCOTLAND. —yesterday, a bill which is bef ore t h e H ouse of C ommons was printed, to regulate the ad m i ss i on o f pro f essors t o th e l a y chairs in the universitie s o f S co tl an d . P ro f essors are not to be required to sub scr ib e t o t h e C on f ess i on o f F a ith, but to sign a declarati on th a t th ey wi ll no t exerc ise the func tion of their office to the prejudice or the subversion of the Church of Scotland, as by law established. EMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA.—The departures from the port of London for the Australian colonies during the past week have again been more numerous than ever. They consisted of nine vessels to Port Philip, with an aggregafe burden of 3,740 tons ; three to Sydney, with an aggregate burden of 1,160 tons ; two to Hobart-town with an aggregate burden of 829 tons ; one to Adelaide, of 680 tons , and one to Launceston, of 213 tons. Their total capacity was, consequently, 6,622 tons. Consider able shipments are still made of manufactured goods and general ; merchandise, but no essential change has occurred in the - rates of freight. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 22, 1 853, COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR CASTLE, MARCH 21. The Hon. Col. Liddell, Equerry to the Duchess of Gloucester, arrived at the Castle last evening to inquire after her Majesty on behalf of her Royal Highness. The Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Norfolk, and the Earl of Aberdeen, arrived soon after nine o'clock this morning, and returned to London about two o'clock. The Marquis of Breadalbane, the Lord Chamberlain, and Mr. N. Macdonald, also arrived at the Castle to day, to inquire into the circumstances attending the fire on Saturday night. The Austrian Minister had an interview with the Earl of Clarendon yesterday. The Earl of Aberdeen left town at eight o'clock yes terday morning for Windsor Castle. His lordship re turned to town in the afternoon. A deputation, consisting of Mr. Jas. Macgregor, M.P., Chairman, Mr. Coles Child, and Mr. H. Rich, M.P., from the South -Eastern Railway Company ; Mr. Leo Schuster, deputy-chairman ; and Mr. C. S. Crowley, from the Brighton and South Coast Railway Company ; Mr. Alderman Humphery, from St. Saviour's parish ; Messrs. Martin, Maylard, William Baugh, J. G. Beard, Francis Rider, and Thomas J. Russell, churchwardens of St. Saviour's ; Messrs. J. Thwaites, and Thomas Bailey, inhabitants of St. Saviour's ; and Mr. Herbert Sturney, vestry clerk, had an interview with Sir William Molesworth yesterday, at the Office of Works and Pub lic Buildings in Whitehall-place. The deputation was accompanied by Apsley Pellatt, M.P., and Mr. Eli Richards. The Sicilian Minister transacted business yesterday at the Foreign-office, Downing -street. Mr. Ross and Mr. Jackson had an interview with the Duke of Newcastle yesterday at the Colonial-office. 13 0W-ST.REET-( THIS DI Y.) THE NEWSVENDERS AND THE POLlCE.—Marles Robin ' son, a newsman, was placed at the bar before Mr. Jar dine, charged with obstructing police-constable 129 F while in the execution of his duty. The constable stated that between four and five o'clock yesterday afternoon he was on duty in Catherine street, opposite Mr. Moseley's newspaper office, for the purpose of keeping the pavement clear from the news boys, who assembled there in great numbers, when the defendant came out of Mr. Moseley's shop, and obstructed him in his duty. Witness remonstrated with him on the impropriety of such proceedings, and was walking away, when defendant came behind him, and trod on his heels, and when witness told him to leave off the annoyance, he (defendant) jeered him, and then ran into Mr. Moseley's shop. Complainant then proceeded on his beat, and in about a minute defendant came again behind him, and putting his h ea d Oler hi s ( w it ness ' ) shoulder, called out in his ear as loud as he could, " The London news, the London news," and, as a great crowd had assembled, and defendant persisted in his annoyance, witness took him to the station. After he was bailed out he came back to Catherine-street again, and pur sued the same system of annoyance. Police-constable, 158 F, corroborated the above evi dence. Mr. Geo. Atkins, of the firm of Thurston and Co., 14, Catherine-street, said their house of business is situated between two news-shops, and every afterroon large crowd of boys assembled opposite to their house, so as to render it an intolerable nuisance, and their lan guage was exceedingly coarse and obscene. He was an eye-witness to the conduct of the defendant, as described by the constable. The defendant was exciting the boys to resist the police, and his proceedings were decidedly calculated to lead to a breach of the peace. Mr. Jardine said he was an eye-witness to the nui sance, he himself having frequently to cross over to the other side of the way to avoid the crowd of news-boys. In reply to the charge, the accused said he was not in Catherine-street five minutes. He had been to Mr. Moseley's to buy some Evening Mails, and when he left there, he having some papers on hand to dispose of in the " market," certainly did call out, "London News— who wants a London News?" He then went into Mr. Moseley's shop again, and when he came out the con stable took him into custody on the charge of obstruct ing him in his duty. As to treading on the heels of the constable, that he denied ; he was in too great a hurry to do that, for the Racing Times had just come out, and every one was anxious to get their supply as soon as they could, in order to deliver them to their customers. Mr. Jardine said, neither defendant nor any one else had a right to take up a portion of any public thorough fare for the purpose of a market. If they must deal in newspapers, they ought to have a place solely for that purpose, and not cause a nuisance and an obstruction to the public. He considered the charge against defendant had been proved, and therefore fined him 20s. The fine was paid immediately. NEW PRUSSIAN LOAN.—The advices from Berlin mention that the new 4 per cent. Prussian loan of 750,000/. had been issued at par with an allowance of 14 per cent. commission to lar g e subscribers. Nearly a third of the amount was reserved by the Government. SPANISH BONDS.—We hear numerous inquiries as to the amount of certificates issued by the several com mittees of Spanish bondholders in London, Amsterdam, and Madrid, as vouchers for the half of the overdue coupons left unfunded at the last conversion. The total amount issued in London was 3,529,3701. ; and in Amsterdam, 3,164,1671. ; in all, 6,693,5371. The amount issued by the committee in Madrid is not known, as no home Spanish securities are recognised or negotiable in this mark e t. Th e ent i re amount i ssue d b y all the committees, however, is believed to be about 7,800,000/. Supposing these vouchers to be admitted as cash in the subscription for any new Spanish loan at the rate of 104 per cent., they would thus represent in the aggregate a sum of about 820,0001. sterling in cash. THE PASSPORT SYSTEM.—The Journal de Geneve cir culates the following story :—Mazzini is said, on leaving London, to have gone direct to Paris, where he stopped at the Hotel Meuric e , as an E ng li s h gentleman, with light hair and rather weak eyes, and provided, of course, with a correct English passport. From thence he went to Strasburg by railway • the police, however, had got on the scent, and followed, but could not meet with any such gentleman there. The only individual they found was a respectable English gentleman, with brown hair, very lively eyes, and quite a different passport. While the French police were therefore directing their atten tion to Lyons with a view to the apprehension of the light-haired man, the brown-haired Mazzini was playing off the same counterfeit again on the German police, and passed through Germany to Milan, where he is reported to have stayed a few days. ADULTERATION OF AUSTRALIAN GOLD.—The adul teration of the Australian gold which has lately been practised is likely to check the export of coin from this country for its purchase. A large amount consigned to one house, by the Francis Henty, has been found to be about 4s. per ounce below standard value, instead of about 3s. above it, as heretofore. AMSTERDAM AND ROTTERDAM PRODUCE MARKETS.— The weekly reviews from the Amsterdam and Rotter dam produce markets mention that business had slightly increased, and that general quotations were well sup ported. The operations in coffee since the termination of the Dutch East India sales had been more active, and prices showed a tendency to advance. Raw and refined sugars continued to command attention, but the con . tracts in the latter were limited in consequence of the prices maintained. The late unfavourable advices from Batavia hal caused considerable purchases of spices at improved quotations. The accounts from Antwerp and Hamburgh represent a similar state of trade. NEW BANK OF CONSTANTINOPLII.-It appears that an effort is to be forthwith made to establish a new Bank of Constantinople, and to bring about a re-adjustment of the circulation that shall correct the ruinous rates of ex change at which all the foreign payments of the country are now made. As this can only be effected, however, by an importation of the precious metals, either through a loan to the State or the opening of credits in London or Paris, the measures to be proposed will be regarded with curiosity. The recent repudiation puts the idea of a loan out of the question, and the fact of the solemn contracts of the late bank having been disavowed by the Government which created it, and which professed to make the maintenance of its honour a primary considera tion, seems equally fatal to all prospect of credit being given to any future institution of the kind. AUSTRALIAN PARCEL MAIL.—A Stockton-upon-Tees correspondent begs to call attention to a scheme which, he thinks, if carried into effect, would prove profitable to the shareholders. It is, to establish a company for the conveyance of parcels to Australia or to any other foreign ports, but especially to the former. Theeom pany could take as much room as they req uire on board of a sailin g vesse l or s t eamer , an d di s patch the goods every monthfreight, &c., paid here—and have gds --agents_e in the country an d a lso in Australia, &c., to consign t he goods to. The parcels could either bestowed loose in the vessel, or in boxes or bales, &c. private e ssrs. ANEW LINE OF COMMUNICATION TO that F o E spirit . of — M Vienna, Jones, and Chappel, with steam - packet recently communi cation' become enterprise for which Liverpool fa mous, have established a line of cation' to Oporto. The first vessel despatched to the new station was the screw-steamer Rattler, Benson °m mender, whi , th took her departure h e on Sat ur d ay evening, w ith a fair cargo on freight.—Liverpool Albi on. ROBERT HOUDIN._ Mons. most celebrated Houdin, the celebrated of modern prestuitgitateur, ha d honour of giving a "Séance Magiq ue et Fantast i que, by express command, at Buckingham Palace, on Friday afternoon, on the occasion of the birt hd ay of her Royal Highness the Princess Louisa, in the presence of her Majesty, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, Prince Arthur, the Princess Royal, the Princess Alice, the Princess Helena, and the Princess Louisa ; their Royal Highnesses the Duke and 'Duchess of Nemours and three children, their Royal High nesses the Prince and Princess Augusta of Saxe Coburg with four children, the Duchess of Sutherland and four children, Madame Van de Weyer and two children, the Countess of Shaftesb ur y an d four daughters, the Coun tess of Desert and two children, Lady Alfred Paget and one daughter, and four children of the family of Mr. Farquharson of Invercauld, were also present. Mr. Coleman accompanied the performance on the pianoforte. M. Houdin, who came for the occasion express from Lille, where he was giving a series of performances, had the honour of receiving the expression of her Majesty's approbation. This popilar artiste is announced to give his extraordinary entertainment at the St. James's•l Theatre every evening during Easter week, SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S—MONDAY. METROPOLITAN HANDICAP. Bto 1 agst Contentment (taken). 9to 1 agst Snowdon Dunhill (taken). 9to 1 agst Lampedo. 13 to 1 agst Richmond. 15 to 1 agst Peggy. 20 to 1 agst Terpsichore (taken). Lampedo, after 8 to 1 had been taken to a small amount, receded 9 to 1 ; Contentment, against whom 10 to 1 was laid early in the afternoon, closing at 8 to 1, takers. The outlay on Snowdon Dunhill and Richmond was in small sums. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES. 9to 2 agst Defiance (5 to 2 taken freely). 6to 1 agst Hobby Horse. 12 to 1 agst Llanforda, (taken). 15 to 1 agst The Confessor (taken). CHESTER CUP. 10 to 1 agst Trifle. 20 to 1 agst Lady Evelyn (taken). 1000 to 30 agst St. Michael (taken). 2000 to 50 agst Friday (taken). 2000 to 40 agst Ann Page (taken). The only bet of any magnitude was 5,000 to 300 ags Lady Evelyn. 20 to 1 was afterwards laid in ponies. MARKET NEWS-(TIIIS DAY.) COLONIAL. HAY MARKETS. SMITHFIELD. —Meadow hay, 31 o.s to 4/ /Os; clover ditto, 41 0 5 t o 51 O s ;. and straw,. 11 5s to 1113 s per lo• A. full average supply, and a sluggish demand. CUMIIERLAND.—Meadow -h a y, 31 3s to 41 13s ; clover ditto, 41 Os to 5/ ; and straw, 11 65 to 11 14s per load. Supply moderate, and trade rather dull. WHIT ECHATEL.—Afeadow. hay 31 Os to 41 lOs ; clover ditto, 4/ O s t o 51 5 s ; and straw, 11 6s to 1113 s per load. Trade dull. SUGAIL—There have been largo sales at about the Pr" vious rates for Madras, &c. ; foreign sorts are held for very full prices, with a limited supply; refined has been firm The quantity of British plantation landed last week was 728 hogsheads, 2 tierces, 175 barrels : there were taken for home consumption 981 hogsheads, 60 tierces, 257 barr els ' The stock in the s ame places' is 4,330 hogsheads, 759 tierces' 659 barrels. COFFEE.—This article is very firm. Native, 10,00 0 b l g s privately sold yesterday at 47s 9d to 48s 6il • and about 3,000 bags are expected to be sold to-day. There is I,ll ' one public sale to-clay. Pl a nt a ti on i s i n request privately, and rather dearer. num.—The quantity landed last week at the East and West India Docks w as 372 puncheons 16 h ogs head . s . . there were taken f o r h ome consumption 205 puncheons „L hogsheads, and exp or t e d 123 puncheons 59 hogsheads. 1: stock in the sa me same pl aces i s 10,724 puncheons 7 801 i b tll RICE.—At auction 2,267 bags Bengal were mostly bought in at lls to lls 6d for good. Part sold at 1 0 s uu to 11s, being 6d. cheaper. TALLOW.—P.Y.U. i s 44 s 6d t o 44 s 9d per cw t. on the spot, and town 45s 9,1, with a fair demand. COTTON.—This article is firm, and in more request. TEA.—Congou is wanted, especially the better kinds' green there is a small advance. DERBY. 9to 1 agst West Australian (taken to 1001. and afterwards offered. 13 to 1 agst Cinuas (t .:,ken to 1001.) 16 to 1 agst Ho - ieywood (take 17 to 1). 18 to 1 agst Umbriel (taken to 5C1.) 18 to 1 agst Ninnyhammer (taken and aft off). 25 to 1 agst Ethelbert. 2000 to 60 agst Vandereecken (taken and aft off). 1000 to 30 agst Qum i Colt (taken). Mr. H Stebbing, the celebrated trainer, died on Sun. day last. Tavisock is declared not to start for the Somerset. shire S,aLes. SPORTING NOTES.—No. CCCXCIV. ANALYSIS OF THE GREAT NORTHAMPTON SHIRE HANDICAP. In continuation of my analysis of this handicap, Osborne's lot next claims my attention. To commit an Hibernicism, however, it only consists of one, who, I be lieve, will run ; but the antiquated Alp, though lightly weighted, can scarcely be deemed to have a chance. Rogers has the Harrier, at 6st 121 b, and the King of Troy, at Est 21b—the latter, in my opinion, being the best. Tremble will probably represent Godding's stable, although the five-years-old May-day is, I think, the best of the twain. Hambletonian, from Bradley's, at Est 51b, ought to have a little chance over this course'; but I f ancy a ll the light-weighted four and five-years-od are completely disposed of by Lumley's Maria, who, at 6st 41b, I have no doubt will be one of the first four. Madeline gave symptoms last year of being able to carry alight weight successfully among moderate animals, bat I believe she is not quite forward enough in her work to do anything this time. Happy Joe and Lady Blarche, both four years old, at the same weight (sst 121 b), are very indifferent animals, and let loose occasionally. Charley comes from Newmarket, but whether for this Stake or the Whittlebury I am not able to say ; his chance, however, cannot be first-rate for this Stake, when there is only a pound between him and Defiance — the latter being by half-a-stone the best horse. The Duke of Bedford has a couple of nominations who have been doing good work lately ; but Gossip having done more than his stable companion, Dabchick, will probably represent the stable ; and as Defiance is sup posed to po ssess a f a i r c h ance, in the same strain of argument, Gossip, at 51bs. less, cannot quite be on the hopeless list. Charles Marson has Polly at work, a mare with no pretension, at the weight, to compete successfully with either Gossip or Defiance. The Bell Tinker is not forward enough in preparation to have the shadow of a chance of winning. Jacqueline, from Tom Taylor's stable, will carry Lord Chesterfield's co l ours , an d , at 4st. 121 b., will no dohbt run very well. The intentions of the Llanforda party I have not been able to ascertain ; but should their horse run, and be meant, at sst. 21b., including 51b. for winning the Liver pool Spring Cup, I should even then entertain doubts of her being able to win. Lampedo, I believe, does not run. Molasses, I should say, will be the representative of Young Stephenson's stables, and will, as usual, be " no where at the finish. Tobolski, with 4st slb up, the winning weight of last year—is totally incapable of repeating the performance. Chaffwax, with the feather of 4st 31b, requires no con sideration. Gholab Singh has paid forfeit for this, and all his other engagements, and is not likely to appear again in public. To sum up, I think the race will lie with Confessor, Maria, Defiance, Gossip, and Hobby H orse ; an d as I entertain a slight doubt of the power of Defiance to carry the weight allotted to successfully, I must look for the winnet Ia HOBBY HORSE or CONFESSOR, if he should represent the stable. The other three, I expect, will be in very close attendance. Alifinal opinion on this stake will appear next Tues day. THE SPIRIT OF THE TURF, HOTEL AND TAVERN-KEEPERS' PROVIDENT INSTITU TION.—The fifteenth annual meeting of subscribers to the above institution was held yesterday at the Craven Hotel, Strand, the object being to receive the annual report of the committee, the auditors report, and to elect offeers for the ensuing year. Mr. S. Lovegrove presided. From the report which was read at the meeting the income from all sources for the past year appeared to be 446/. 3s. 2d., and the disbursements to 20 members and 12 widows of members, 2291. 25.; and after deducting the current expenses of the year there remained a balance of 1101. 10s. sd. The number of recipients had annually in creased from in 147 to 32 in 1852, an d amongst the whole number B reliev B ed during that period the of 1,2641. 9s. had b een distributed. The rep large sum ort further mentioned two remark a bl e i nstances of the usefulness of the institution. In one instance, where a subscriber had paid in 81. Bs., he had, on subsequently coming to dis tress, received up to the present time 1021. ls ; and another, who had , p a id i n 9/, 98., had received fro m . the funds 951. The report concluded with a grateful enu meration of the benefactors of the institution, and the announcement that Mr. Bass, M.P., had consented to preside at the next anniversary festival.—The Chair man, in opening the proceedings, briefly called at tention to the above facts contained in the report, and moved its adoption. One or two questions were asked respecting the mode of distribution, and were satisfac torily answered, after which the report was unanimously adopted. Thanks were voted to Mr. Alderman Salo mons for his kindness in becoming a vice patron of the association; to Mr. Masterman, M.P., for his donation of Si. 55.,_ being th e n i nt h sum of that amount he had given to the institution ; and also to the honorary con tributors, whom the chairman informed the meeting were principally ladies. Officers for the ensuing year were then elected, and the proc ee di ngs t erm i na t e d w ith the usual vote of thanks to the chairman. COMMISSION OF LUNACY ON A COMEDlAN.—Yester day, Mr. Commissioner Winslow held a court at . the Bridge House Hotel, London-bridge, to inquire l into the state of mind of Benjamin Crowther, forme o r f y th a e comedian, engaged at Astley's, and more re cently ral of the witnesses that Mr. Crowth . e a r T w h as tr m e arried to Surrey Theatre. It resulted from the evidence o f seve ral Vincent, lessee of the Victo in ri full el:altiLonArer 14 of February, 1852, when he with fever, followed by the ceremony he proceeded to Brighton with Mr s . te Crowther, and was a ttacked lunatic asylum i n C b asylum his what now appears to be a settled mental der angement. He was a t fi rs t sent to a erwell, and sub sequen tly toan n o r t y li , e . rw,haieth wasinstituted by his brother, h e was resid in g Bethnal - green ; but a t the time o f this inquiry, father, as before his marriage. Berem oval to a n h l 8 behaviour fbre r l is in with had been marked by g reat excitem e nt alternately with_ f ear being the predominant emotion. In the depression, i the alle d ge lunatic was introduced. course oft he inclu_ry challeng Having es b t the rushed anu room, t h reatening to write blasphemous and foul language, he was with some verdict difficulty led o u t of the room. The jury re- turned a , " That Benjamin Crowther is now of unsound mind, incapable of managing himself and Ns a ffairs, and has been so since the 18th Feb., 1852." THE LAW OF DIVORCE. —The first report of the Com missioners appointed by her Majesty to inquire into the law of divorce, and m ore particularly into the mode of obtaining divorces cl vinculo matrimonii, has just been laid before Parliament. After an elaborate summary of the history of the law from the earliest times, and a statement of the inconveniences occasioned by its present state, The Commissioners proceed to make various sug gestions as to th e a l terations and improvements which they think may be made in the law with prudence and safety. The principal of these suggestions are, that the 'distinction between divorce 4 meusd et th0..0 and divorce vinculo matrimonii shall still be maintained, but that the latter shall be allowed for adultery only, and that a verdict at law and an ecclesiastical sentence shall not be considered as preliminary conditions which must be complied with before it can be obtained. They recom mend that the existing mode of obtaining a divorce a vinculo shall no longer be continued, but that a new tribunal shall be constituted to try all questions of divorce, and also all matrimonial questions now deter mined in the ecclesiastical courts, and that this tribunal shall consist of a Vice-Chancellor, a common law Judge, and a Judge of the Ecclesiastical Courts. Lastly, they recommend that there shall be only one appeal from the decree of the court, and that the appeal shall be carried to the House of Lords. SUICIDE OF A LIVERPOOL GENTLEMAN.- —A very pain ful affair has occurred at West Derby, near Liverpool. Mr. Richard Benson Blundell Hollingshead Blundell, a county magistrate, has been for some days missing from his home, Deysbrook, West Derby, and, though diligent search and inquiry were made for him, no clue was ob tained until Sunday morning, when his body was found in a pond Rot far from his own residence. It was at first 'supposed that he had been murdered, but a further examination of the remains tended to show that the in juries upon the person were self-inflicted, and not such as to lead to the supposition that a murder had been perpetrated. The deceased gentleman, though very wealthy, was labouring under the singular impression that he should come to poverty, and this so weighed upon his mind as to lead to the commission of the me lancholy act described. LLOYD'S SHIPPING-(TIIIS DA Y.) LONDON, March 22.—Wi n d thi s d ay at N oon, N ., fine and dry. DEAL. March 21. - Wind, E.S.E., calm and foggy. ~ • rived—Eleanora, D emerara ; S orc i ere, St. Michael, . s uo t garet Evans, New York. Sailed—Dannebrig, Il e ' . Town ; Earl of Shaft es b ury , M a d ras. The Colombo ( t h e Tian brig), bound to Newcastle with sulphur, is en Goodwin, and discharging; expected off at high water' LIVERPOOL, March 21.--Wind, N.E. Arrived pub bel, St. Michael's ; Arabian (s), Constantinople. Off —Wave, St. Übes. Sailed—General Wiltshire, Coqule? Kortenaer, Melb ourne; L amar ti ne, Pernambuco; _ Orleans, New Orleans. SOUTHAMPTON, March 21.—Wind, N.W. A Bengal (s), Kelloch, Alexandria. Sailed—Ripon (s), ' 6l-18 andna. PLYMOUTH, March 21. Wind, N.N.E. Arriv • Elise, Lindberg, New York. FALMOUTH, March 20.—Wind, variable. Arriv ed-- Bazaar, Alexandria. .„h 9. 6 YARMOUTH, March 22.—(P er Electric Teleg,rar- d a.m.)—The Ros coe , o f an d f or L ondon from Sun d er lan d , is in the roads, after having been assisted off the Corte' Sands. SHOREHAM, March 20.—A piece of board, about I li, feet long, with a g ilt scro ll a l ong the outside, eviders, part of the qua r t er ga ll eys o f a large vessel, with " Alet g de , Chisholm and Co., shipbrokers, Arroath," o n the insit was picked up l as t wee k on th e oyster grounds, and brought in here. CROMER, March 21.—A b oa t , pa i n t ed b lac k, 18 feet is long, an d mar k e d i n carved letters Towaso Conatta (?) Ay thrown on the beach at Salthouse, March 19. to DOMINICA, Feb. 26.—The Regalia, from D e merarii, v , London, ca ll e d o ff thi s port Feb. 19, and reported 0 master dead, and y e ll ow f ever amongst the crew ; s he .. ,11 painted ports and with water and two seamen, and proceeded. , c 1 NEW YORK, March 7.—A ship, with A I coppered, app aren tl y a b out 800 tons, and nearly with F. H. the last letters on her stern, was seen onZe: Feb. 22, in lat. 30, long. 73, by the Empire, Cr° r e arrived at Phil a d e l p hi a ; she was abandoned, had lost foe and main mas t s, an d h er mizenmast fell a few MillUteo fore the Empire came up. er PANAMA, Feb. 21.—Th e J o h n H utchinson, from T,iv f pool to this p or t, w hi c h was on shore to the southwa rd 0 . Buena Ventura, Ist Jan., is reported to be a total / 17- "` — ' cargo sated, but in a damaged state. san d JAMAICA, Feb. 26.—Th e Willi am Inglis, from '— Martha, put in here Feb. 23, leaky, and is discharging' , e a LIMA, Feb. 26.—The B r iti s h s hi p B rant was deotil„,°lo by fire, on her passage f rom Ri co t o thi s port with guo-- THE COST-BOOK SYSTEM. In our journal of the sth inst., we alluded t o 4 , pamphlet entitl e d " Th e G o ld C ompan i es an d the Co book System." We pointed out its fallacies, and o is monstrated fully that it was a work without a sing point to recommend it, either in respect of facts, a'a -. ment, or good diction. rted It was not our intentio n , th ere f ore, t o h ave reve to the subject, but being overwhelmed with letters , 7 . consequence of the City Edit or o f th e Ti mes h a ving OS mented on it in such a peculiar manner as to colivy the idea that our contemporary admitted the soundness of Mr. Higgins's statements, as respects the Cost-book System, it is incumb en t on us , as th e c l ass journal, remove this impression. W e b e li eve , i n d ee d, that the City Editor of the Times has been inadvertently led in t o i ref nfo erell a c t e ion ° , a misconception of the system by the compiler of t pamphlet. On inquiry as to the position of Mr. Joseph NaP,, ie ,: the e e obliged only w ayt we e e o c n a f n e ss thatobtain a ig w gi rtt w i: then even to the extent, simply, that he •is a barrister" May, 1851. Mr. Higgins is a bold man, but we do not quarrel with him for his temerity, or for making u p a pamphlet. It is the o r d er o f the day, we know, for the juniors to write about s ome thi ng, no natter what, to s ho w their perfect indepeneence of briefs ; and the more startling the position assumed, whether right or wrong, the more is the effect produced. The present is a case in point. A very young barrister, with scissors and pen, puts together 31 pages, including the title-page, of largetype, to p erver t f acts — to cope with the talent and matured judgm en t o f th e b enc h an d b ar , and ,' cautious City editor of the Times is thrown off his guar' by the dash of this barrister of 22 months' standing. i Mr. Higgi ns asser t s b o ldl y an d unequ i voca lly that t he cost-book system i s appli ca bl e on l y to C ornwa ll—that f!; to the jurisdiction of th e St annar i es ' C our t, which placing himself in direct opposition to all the best of the day, particularly of the Western Circuit, the Re; gistrar under the Joint St oc k C ompan i es ' Act, and even to the Court of Chancery itself. Act The exemption und er th e J o i n t S toc k C ompan i e s , -0- in favour of partnerships for mines, minerals, and (Inf o ries, is general and no t l oca l . I t i s only a few we eks since Vice-Chan ce ll or St uart d ecreed in favour of the rights of a shareholder to determine and put an enr l ,. t . ° , his liability, by re li nqu i s hi ng — t h at is writing off----ul shares (having previously disbursed all calls and chargel in the Pen nan t an d C ra i gwen Mine, which is situated at the foot of A rran N ow dd wy, i n t h e mountains of Merionethshire. This power of the limitation of liability is the v er l, essence, the very life and spirit, of the Cost-book Syst' a boon which is inad m i ss ibl e i n compan i es un d er t' t " Joint Stock Act ; and if it can be applied to associa' tions in North Wales, it may surely be carried out i e favour of undertakings in other parts of this country; for we confine our remarks to this country, and wh en ! without referen ce t o C a lif orn i a and other places far r_,) moved, where it i s proposed companies should be 'gorier" on this system. The only sound work yet extant on the laws of mini n g is by Mr. R. P. Collier, M.P., Recorder of Penzan,et In his t rea ti se, published two years prior to that vflue— introduced Mr. Joseph Napier Higgins to wig an d gocrel f lie does not raise the question of the non-application the c os t-b ook system to parts out of Cornwall ; he' merely alludes to it incidentally, as a settled point i n the reverse sense ; for, in expressing himself as to the Pro priety of extending the jurisdiction of the Stannarl Court to Dev ons hi re , h e says , " t h e whole district 1,•°,?",. be comprised in which the cost-book is prevalent ; ie" though not confined to Cornwall and Devonshire, it is believed to be rare in other counties." The Registrar under the Joint Stock Companies' Act admits, moreover, his inability to compel cost-book or; panies to register ; and we k now o f no i nstance o f that functionary having tried to enforce registration, as re spects associations in this country. The only point to be guarded is a strict adherence to the acknowledged pries pies and the received rul es an d regu l ations. It is t h e oe; parture from these points, an d no t th e a d opt i on o f theme , bookaystem, which render s man y compan i es li a bl e to heaTJ , penalties, and open to j us t censure. I t is, however, sincerely to be hoped that a l eg i s l a ti ve enactment will determine unmistakably and finally, as to the limits, co nditions , and requireme n t s o f the Cost-book' System ; and it i s indeed with ple asure we l earn that Mr. Collier has de,: termined to introd uce a bill thi s •sess i on. S uc h a t a sk could not be in more able hands, or entrusted to a gee" tleman in whose judgment and knowledge of the pies. tion the whole mining community would have greater confidence.—Mining Journal. THE HEAD MASTERSHIP OF CHRIST'S H OSP ITAL.--: The governors of this institution have appointed Tees day, April 1, for the election of a head master in the room of the Rev. Dr. Edward Rice, whose melancholy death was recorded in this journal some time ago. Th e committee have selected the three followi ng ge ntlemen' and the governors on the day named will elect one °I, them to the vacant office. Th e R ev. Dr. G. A . Jacob' Principal of the Collegiate School, Sheffield ; the Re v ' Hugo Daniel Harper, M.A., f e ll ow of Jesus Colleg e, Oxford, head master of the Gram mar - school, Sherburne; and the Rev. Henry Newport, M.A. head master ° the Grammar-sch,ool, Exeter, formerly head master ° f St. Bartholomew s School, Newbur Hitherto it h as y . been customary for th e head master to hold, w ith the mastership, one of the livings in the gift of the governors , but in future this privilege will be disallowed and th e head master will n o t b e allowed to take any clerical clu , v unconnected with the school. The stipend is 8001.' 9 ' year and residence. INSTALLATION OF LORD DERBY AT OXFORD. ---Th a e authorities of the University of Oxford have appointe the Bth of June for the installation of the Earl of Derby, who was some time since elected Chancellor, in the roo ms ii of the late Duke of Wellington. It is expected that rati c of the é c l at which would have otherwise attached to the . proceedings will be wanting, in conseuence of the a e f rirnonious proceedings in opposition tot he re-election ° c. Mr. Gladstone as member for the university, on the t ° o casion of the right hon. gentleman's appointreen.., Chancellor of the Exchequer, and that the approont_f; installation will partake very much of a political chri le , ter, a circumstance which it has always been one of great objects of the university to avoid. A CONVICT SHOT.—On Thursday, one of the conv.i ° ,,, t° employed at the prisons on Dartmoor endeavours-doe"; effect an escape. He ran off, but was pursued, and other attempts to catch him failing, a sentry fired and II" ...„il in the leg at 250 yards —a good shot, and which 7 -- doubtless serve as a warning;