The Sun. — London, England, 1847-12-23 00:00:00

been discovered that fraudulent overcharges were Made, the prisoner was given into custody. Messrs. Noble and Co., seedsmen, Fleet-street, suffered to some extent by the prisoner's delinquen cies. First, for goods received by the comp,,ny's train Messrs. Noble were charged 11s., whereas they had been debited to the company Ss. 3d. only ; in the • second case, for goods received by the train Messrs. Noble Were charged 35., but debited to the company 2s. 3d. ; in the third case, for goods so received Messrs Noble were charged 145., kit debited to the company 12s. 9d.; and in the fourth case Messrs. Noble were charged 21s. 11d., whilst they had been charged to the company 19s. Bd—the prisoner thus pocketing, by one firm only, in the short space of two days, 6s. 3d., or 18s. 9d. per week, independent of his salary. Mr. Fearn, the clerk, produced a book, in which the proper amount was entered, and said that Messrs. Noble had been greatly overcharged, and that the prisoner had paid him the correct value of the freight age and delivery only. Several other charges of a like nature were proved against the prisoner, and a number of others were ready to be gone into, but Mr. Hurlstone, the second clerk, said that the company would confine themselves to three charges, which had been brought forward and proved before the magistrate, and if other individuals were re quired they would be subpseaned upon the . trial at the Old Bailey. Mr. Hurlstone then read over the depositions, and the witnesses having been bound over in the sum of 401. each to appear at the next session of the Central Criminal Court, the prisoner was fully committed for trial. THE STAGE COACHES OF BY GONE DAYS. About 50 years ago, the:Holyhead mail left London at eight at night, and arrived at Shrewsbury between ten and eleven the following night, taking 27 hours to run 162 miles. This distance, however, before the establishment of railways was done without diffi culty in 161 hours. At the time when this rate of travelling was considered all that was required, there was a coach on the road between Shrewsbury and Chester, called the " Shrewsbury and Chester Highflyer." This coach started from Shrewsbury at eight o'clock in the morn ing, and arrived at Chester about the same time in the evening, the distance being 40 miles. This was a good.bard road for wheels, and rather a favourable one for draught. " But how," inquires a writer in the Quarterly Review for 1832, "can all these hours be accounted for ?" Why, if a " com mercial gentleman" had a little business at Elles , mere, there was plenty of time for that; if a " real gentlemen" wanted to pay a morning visit on the road, there could be no objection to that. In the pork-pie season, half-an-hour was generally consumed in consuming one of them, for Mr. Williams, the coachman, was a wonderful favourite with the farmer's wives and daughters all along the road. The coach dined at Wrexham, for coaches lived well in those days—they now live upon air; and Wrexham Church was to be seen—a fine specimen of the florid Gothic, and one of the wonders of Wales I Then Wrexham was also famous for its ale ; there were no public breweries in those days in • Wales ; and, above all, the inn belonged to Sir ISrat kin. About two hours were allowed for dinner; but Billy Williams, one of the best-tempered fellows on earth, as honest as Aristides, was never particular to half an hour or so. " The coach is ready, gentlemen," he would say, "but don't let me disturb you if you wish for another bottle." This was the plan adopted in the good old times, when every affair of life moved on at . a quiet jog trot pace, not at all adapted to the present , mode of carrying on business. Competition of the • most eager kind has been for some years the order of • the day, and most certainly it cannot be said that • stage coaches stood still. Leaving out of the ques tion the light coaches, which travelled at an ex . tremely rapid rate, we may notice the speed main • tained by the mails, which had to travel long dis tances before their employment was superseded by railways. The Edinburgh mail ran 400 miles in • forty hours, stoppages included. This was nearly . eleven miles an hour. A coach to Exeter, the Herald, went over its ground, 173 miles, in twenty hours, • and E that is a very uneven country ; and the Devonport mail performed its journey, 227 miles, in twenty-two hours. The increase of speed was alarming to those who had been accustomed to the old-fashioned slow coaches, and at the rate at which the new vehicles travelled was considered reckless risking of human life. Nevertheless, the thing went on, and it began to be whispered, in spite of the mer • ciless ridicule of the Quarterly Review, that if steam • Were to be employed on a railroad, it would be. even possible to attain a speed of some twenty miles an hour. In reference to a pro posed London and Woolwich railroad, the Quarterly • not only backed " Old Father Thames wait st it for any sum," but assured its readers that the people of Woolwich "would as soon suffer themselves to be fired• off upon one of the Congreve's 6richocet ' rockets as trust themselves to the mercy of such a Machine (a high pressure engine), and going at such •a rate (eighteen or twenty miles an hour)." And the • reviewer expresses his trust that " Parliament will, in all railroads it may sanction, limit the speed . to eight or nine miles an hour, which is as great as can be ventured upon with safety." The experiment has, however, been tried, and we all know with what saecess.—The Rail; its Origin and Progress. TIM FRENCH ON THE ENGLISH COAST TAKING SouNDINqS.—A correspondent of the Brighton Gazette says—" There is at this present moment lying in wish harbour a whacking French corvette for the pro tection of the fishing trade. Her complement of officers is extraordinary; and every fine day, when they can spare time from their piscatorial occupation, they im prove the shining hour by surveying and sounding the harbour! Verbum sapienti." THE Nzw RAILWAY ACT.—The Act to give fur ther time for making certain Railways came into opera tion on Monday, when it received the royal assent. It was yesterday issued, containing 11 elauses. Various alterations have been made in the measure since its in troduction. By the. Act, as passed, railway companies may " within two months," apply to the Commissioners of Railways for an extension of time for the purchase of lands, &c. The commissioners may require a company so applying to give notice, and may appoint a day for hearing objections. The Commissioners may extend the time to a period not exceeding two years, from the ex piration of the time originally allowed. Existing con tracts and notices to take lands are to be continued as if this Act had not been passed; and in cases where parties are agrieved by an extension of time, compensation may be awarded. The important part of the Act is embraced in the seventh, eighth, and ninth clauses. Contracts for new works are not to be entered into for twelve months, unless it shall be determined otherwise at a general meeting of the shareholders. Within six weeks after the passing of the Act, the opinion of a company may be ascertained as to the commencement of new works. A form has been provided (set forth in the schedule an• nexed to the Act), in which the shareholders may ex press their assent or dissent to the commencement of new works. The chairman is publicly to' announce whether three.fiftbs of the shareholders assent or dis sent. At such meeting, no shareholder is to vote who has not paid up all " calls." A certificate of the meeting is to be filed with the Railway Commissioners, and a sealed copy to be received as evidence in all courts. HERRING TRADE.—Wick, Dec. 16.—The con tinuance of unfavourable weather, preventing all ingress and egress at Pulteneytowa harbour, has considerably retarded shipments of our staple commodity, since our last notice, so that the number of barrels remaining unshipped at this place is not materially diminished from the quantity then represented as being still on hand. There are two vessels in the harbour, taking ea board cargoes, one for an Irish port, and the other for Leith. On their departure, there will remain about 7,000 barrels unshipped here. In our local market we hear of no purchases of cured fish, nor of any inquiries being made,the principal sales of the past season being, as usual, intended for the conti nent. Irish markets give no indications of reviving trade. From Stettin, last accounts were to the effect, that the market continued steady. Prices still stood at shade above eight dollars. With respect to the trade in general, it is in a much more lively state than in De cember, 1846. At that time almost every cooper was out of employment. At present, however, there are few, if any, entirely out of work at ;their own trade.—John o•Groat Journal. FORETHOUGHT AND SAGACITY OF RATS.—In cut ting through an embankment in a field adjoining the river Lune, the other day, for the formation of one of the culverts rendered necessary for the passing of the North-Western Railway in that direction, the labourers met with between fifteen and twenty pounds weight of eels, some quite fresh, and others in the last stage of putrelaction. They varied from a quarter to half a pound in weight, and consisted of the common silver bellied, or river eel, and Lilliputian specimens of the conger, or sea eel. The latter, of course, had come up with the tide. As teeth-marks were visible on the heads of most of them, it was conjectured they had been destroyed in that way, and stored for winter pro vision, by some animal whose retreat was not far dis tant. This proved to be the case. On digging a little further, out bounced a matronly rat, with seven half grown young ones at her heels. The workmen gave chase, and ultimately succeeded in killing both mother and progeny, with a solitary exception, the trunk of a neighbouring tree affording an asylum to one of the family. The embankment is about 100 yards from the water's edge, so that it must have r( quired considerable tim e and labaur on the part of the old rat to have dragged the eels thither.—Lancaster Guardian. Lord Nugent Kennedy left the Blackwell Pier yesterday morning by the General Steam Navigation Company's mail steam ship Ocean for Rotterdam, ex route to the Hague. We have just received, but are unable to publish, a solemn protest against the opposition to Dr. Hampden, signed by upwards of 300 members of the Convocation of Oxford.— Cambridge Advertiser. The Journal de Constantinople of the 6th says,— " Since the publication of our last number several cases of cholera have been reported by the board of health, but the malady is not making much progress." iuu Tlit ANNUALS. THE KEEPSAKE FOR 1548. Edited by the Countess of Blessington. It is said that the days of " The Annuals" are over, and their occupation is gone. If so,:they share the fate of many a popular beauty, whose charms once surrounded her with countless admirers, but whoe) the hand of time has deprived both of the one and of the other. Such is ever the case with superficial attractions—either the external beauty itself passes away and with it the admiration which it elicited, or, if it remains unfaded, " Shining on, shining on, by no shadow made tender Love falls asleep in its silence of splendour," and admiration grows weary of admiring. Under such a calamity, the only chance left the forsaken favourite for retaining popularity, is to have recourse to such means as shall make a lasting interest and esteem more than compensate for the loss of a tran sient admiration. Such a prudent line of conduct has been adopted by the Annuals. In the "Keepsake" for 1848 we remark a slight alteration, which, on examination, we find to be an improvement. A similar change has taken place in its external and inter nal arrangement—in lieu of the silken binding of former times, it now appears in a more durable, though not less gorgeous covering; and in place of a whole contents of silken sentimentalities, its articles present a very pleasing variety, and are many of them worthy of being treasured up and again referred to. The names of the contributors are indeed suffi cient to prove the variety and excellence of the materials. Among them are the fair editress, Lady Blessington, Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, Albert Smith, Monckton Milnes, Barry Cornwall, Eugene Sue, Mrs. S. C. Hall, Camilla Toulmin, Mrs. Romer, Lord J. Manners, and many others. The first article is by Sir E. Bulwer Lytton—" The Lawyer who Cost his Client Nothing." It is taken, we are informed in a note, from the " Thresor d'Histoires Admirables et Ilemorables," published in 1620, " a rare book (adds the note) from which Sterne borrowed with his usual hardihood and felicity." This tale, narrated in Bulwer Lytton's invariably attractive style, is suf ficiently interesting; but the subject is not a pleasing one, being a repetition of that often-repeated theme of the arch-enemy tempting some unhappy wretch to barter his soul for some temporary benefit. One passage, however, is very suggestive, and contains a moral lesson worthy of being remembered. Before the hesitating soldier (the hero of the tale) will con sent to the proposal of the tempter, he insists that he must behold his far-distant child. His companion reluctantly agrees, but the visio❑ is only to last for the hundredth part of a moment, while a nail drops from his hand to the floor. Accordingly he conjures it up for that brief period : " The soldier looked; Bettine was before him; the little room at the forge; the small bed at the corner; the crucifix hung at the bed's head. Bettine's sweet f a c e was pale and disturbed; some dream scared or disturbed her; and her lips plainly syllabled the words—' Father, God save thee!' Then the soldier's soul seemed to make itself palpable, and felt within him, it seemed to flutter and writhe in agony—to appeal to heaven against the base fears of the body, by which its divine essence was so mercilessly endangered. Its voice became audible; as a frightened child at the breast of its mother it wailed for succour and deliverance. Suddenly—as the form of a giant angel, its feet on the earth, its brow encircled by the glory of the loftiest stars—rose Hope. • Son,' said the angel, • whom I have reared from the cradle, wilt thou desert me at the gates of the tomb? Not till the tomb is closed canst thou know me as I am! All my beauty—all my power—are never shown but in the land beyond the grave. Do thy sins dismay thee? I was created to rescue men from sin. Nor guilt ; nor demon has lasting authority on the soul, while it clings to the garments of Hope.' The voice died—the dream faded. Before the soldier stood the tempter, and the nail had not yet reached the floor. • Fiend,' said the man delivered, •if in the hundredth part of a moment the soul, escaped from the body, can feel as mine has felt, what must be eternity ? Avaunt, and let me die !' " This same tale also contains another passage, of a totally different character, which, although somewhat ludicrous, is interesting, as showing its author's strong belief in the efficacy of the " Cold Water Cure." A sick man, at the point of death, deserted by his attendant, being attacked with thirst, so great as to give him the strength of desperation, " contrived, though with difficulty, to crawl down stairs, open the kitchen door, and find his way to the trough in the yard, at which the horses were watered. Of this unpalateable beverage he drank heartily, and found himself refreshed, when, in totter ing back, he fell unawares into a large cistern." Now, whether the shock of the immersion, or the previous draughts of cold water, wrought a change in the complaint, or that the disease of itself had taken a favourable turn, the historian saith not, but the con sequence was the patient's complete restoration to health ! Next follows " A Tale that was Told to Me," by Camilla Toulmin, a tale of a sea voyage and shipwreck, rendered peculiarly interesting by the beautiful character of the heroine, who fully deserved her epitaph of " a most noble woman." It is not ' fair, we know, to disclose the denouement of a story, but in this instance the closing incident is so inte resting and so affecting, that an acquaintance with it would rather excite a desire to know the whole. After the shipwreck, when the vessel was momentarily expected to go down, one boat put off to the not far distant shore, and then a second, the last one, was prepared, but it was found that it could not contain all who remained. There was a general cry that all the women should be saved. One young wife clung in passionate agony to her husband. " My love, my life," she exclaimed, "swear to me that We shall not be parted—swear that you will not urge me to enter the boat, if there be not room for both 1" His only answer was a last em brace, as he handed her fainting to the sailors in the already full boat. Helen (the heroine), the Jest woman on board, about to leave the vessel, wit nessed this scene and drew back. " I yield my place to James Lawson," she said, " let not two loving hearts be parted." And before the husband had time to hesitate or refuse, his wife had drawn him after her and the boat put off. Helen remained. A beautiful engraving—" The Last Moment"—represents her clinging to the broken mast as the ship went down. This picture, whether intentionally or not, effectually illustrates the final conflict of soul and body—one hand of the dying girl clings tenaciously to the broken mast with the strong instinct of self preservation, the other is stretched almost ex ultingly towards heaven—her eyes are cast up wards in faith and hope, while the rest of her countenance is convulsed with the last agony of nature. Yet there is nothing gloomy in the picture or in the tale it illustrates, which is one of the most beautiful and most interesting we have yet seen from Miss Toulmin's pen. 'We have neither time nor space sufficient to analyse each separate ar ticle, but must content ourselves with enume rating some of the most striking. " Red Rose Villa " acquires additional interest from its being the compo sition of the late Grace Aguilar. There is something inexpressibly affecting in thus perusing thoughts, coming, as it were, from the grave. The story in itself is a very pleasing one. " Regniaud's Ven geance," is by Albert Smith, who describes it as " a theft from Boccaccio ; being a free translation of, but not so free, as the original." It is written with his accustomed humour, in a mock heroic, or rather mock sentimental style, yet we could wish that he had somewhat modified the concluding portion—it would have been better had it been even a less "free" trans lation than it is. Among the rather ridiculous, yet not inappropriate, similes to be met with in this tale, here is a novel description of the effects of love : " Regniaud's heart had fairly got into his head, and occupied all the space that his brains ought to have done. Practical anatomists may deny the pos sibility of so curious a displacement, but there are no limits to the power of love. From that time Beg niaud's books went out of favour. He tried to study, but he read the same lines over dozens of times, and even then could not tell what they were about. His fanciful thoughts of Eleria half obliterated the letters, as the varied patterns (f the lining of a trunk overcome by their intensity the modest literature they blot out." " Bataillon," by Eugene Sue, has the somewhat novel attraction of being in French. And a very great attraction it is, for much as any work loses by passing from one language to another, none suffer so greatly as the favourite fictions of France. In the writings of Eugene Sue, Alexandre Dumas, and others, the greatest charm consists in a peculiar fascination of style, an d even of idiom, which is utterly untr ans l a table. This " Bataillon is an amus ing sketch, with a somewhat tragical catastrophe. Batailli n is a stray dog, picked up by one Capitaine David, who adopts him as his comrade ; this Capi trine, and his domineering rnenagere, Madame Tolibois, remind us greatly of Captain Cuttle and his obliging landlady, Mrs. M`Stinger. Those who love romantic tales will be gratified with Miss Isabella Munro's " Tale of the Past,"—" Louisa de Montemar,” and Mrs. Homer's 4g Romance of Ronda." The latter tale, notwithstanding its romantic character, very effec tually illustrates the true policy of the Christian doc trine of forgiveness of injuries —it is a sermon on the proverb, " A soft answer turneth away wrath." Among the lighter contributions are some sketches about " Scandal," by Lady Blessington. Mrs. S. C. Hall, in the " Little Hop-picker's Dream, gives us one of her delightfully natural glimpses of humble life. One of the most interesting articles in the whole volume is a brief tale by Elizabeth Youatt— " The Blind Man and the Child." This tale, attractive in itself, is rendered peculiarly fascinating from the belief that it is to a certain extent founded on truth. A skilful artificer had constructed a clock of wonder ful mechanism for the town of Dantzic, when some of the citizens, justly proud of possessing such a mas terpiece, became alarmed at a report that he was about to construct a similar one for the rival town of Hamburg h. Consequently, with relentless cruelty, they caused the eyes of the unfortunate man to be put out, thus for ever destroying his mechanical powers, and, to conceal their terrible act, transported ' him to a distant country. Years afterwards " the blind LitiN DON man" found his way to his native place, and gaining I access to the works of the famous clock, t) blind, cut some important wire and effectually destroyed it. But this revenge cost him dear; had destroyed his cherished chef d'oeuvre, he did not long survive it, , and the legend adds that his spirit was often seen wandering in the neighbourhood of the ruined time piece, wringing his hands and lamenting its destruction. Of the poetical contributions to the "Keepsake," the first is by Barry Cornwall, a translation from the. German, "The Awakener in the Desert." The versification of this piece is sufficiently melodious, but the subject (the reminiscences of a " mummied thing") necessarily reminds us of Horace Smith's inimitable " Address to a Mummy," and, conse quently, the " Awakener in the Desert," being greatly inferior, obtains little of our admiration. Among the other poems are some veries by Lord J. Manners, being the disconsolate farewell of a despair ing lover; some spirited stanzas upon "Slavery," by Lady E. S. Wortley ; and some sweet lines on " The Destiny of the Poet," by Mrs. Abdy. Anna Savage has contributed a beautiful poem upon the "Bourse," concluding with the mournful moral that the wealth of worlds "cannot purchase one lost hour again." There are only two pieces from the fair editress, one, upon the " Palace of the Luxembourg," is on the text "Uneasy lies the head which wears a crown ;" the other upon the " Gallery of Diana at Fontainebleau," is a brief allusion to the strange incidents connected with a palace built by Henry the Great, for his• " fair Ga brielle," where afterwards " Monaldeschi's blood crimsoned the floor," and where, in latter days, " Fortune's favourite son" resided in the hour of calamity. With this reminiscence the verses thus conclude— " What bitter pangs were his, as now revealed— Ingratitude stood forth, all unabashed, And friends were few. His guards, whom oft he led To glory, cot quered now by grief, shed tears, As they received his earnest, fond farewell, Whom, as a god, they worshipped in their hearts." Of the beautiful engravings with which this volume is adorned the m.,st beautiful is the frontiliiece— a portrait of Jenny Lind, by J. W. Wright. Por traits of Jenny Lind are common enough, they are to be met with in all directions ; indeed we are told in a note to a poem addressed to the fair singer by Miss Power, which appears in the " Keepsake," that shortly after her arrival in England Jenny Lind, chancing to. enter a poor cottage near Burnham Beeches, was surprised and amused to find a portrait of herself " the cherished ornament of the humble abode." Nevertheless, numerous as these likenesses may be, and critically correct as many of them doubt lessly are, after seeing the original on the stage, we are invariably disappointed by them all. They may give a tolerable representation of the features, but they have not the expression which delighted us in the original. They are not Jenny Lind. How ever, this portrait, which forms the frontispiece to the "Keepsake," differs in this respect from its predecessors, it gives us not only the features, but the charming expression which animates them, an expression of mingled sweetness and simplicity. The fair singer is here represented as in the last act •of the Somnambula when for getting a sad reality, she is dreaming of happiness and love ; her countenance fully expresses the tender and joyous sentiments, which are then supposed to occupy the heart of Amina. Her whole appearance is most interesting, and the artist has effectually pourtrayed " The mind, the music, breathing from her face." The pencil of J. Allom, and the graver of C. ilor tram, have contributed some admirable views of the " Bourse," the " Staircase of the Palace of the Lux embourg," and the "Gallery of Diana at Fontaine bleau," and " Phcebe," by E. H. Weigall, is as beautiful and natural a delineation of the dreaming "Little Hop-Picker" as is Airs. S. C. Hall's pen and ink portraiture of the same. THE BOOK OF BEAUTY; or, REGAL GALLERY. The same improvement that we noticed in " 'I he Keepsake" is visible in this " Book of Beauty" for 1848, which, besides its accustomed and very honour able employment as the mirror of beauty, lays claim to the, we were about to say, higher office of illus trator of history. As usual, it presents us with a group of lovely faces, and, as usual, they are not tanciful but actual portraits, with this difference— they are taken, not from the present but from the past. Consequently each portrait is not, as heretofore, only interesting to the favoured few acquainted with its fair prototype, but is, or should be, attractive to the great multitude who are supposed to have a certain knowledge of its original, for each of the twelve fair ladies here re presented, " the likeness of a kingly crown had on," each of these lair ladies was a queen of England. This "regal gallery," as it is termed, appears at an appropriate time, when the sovereignty of Queen Victoria, and the writings of Miss strickland, have rendered the royal ladies of England a subject of general interest. This volume contains the portraits of only twelve out of the long list of English Queens, and in order, doubtless, to avoid the appearance of being too historical, great care has been taken, in the arrangement of the volume, to place the pictures without any regard to date—thus the Queens of Henry VIII. take precedence of the Consort of Richard 1., and the wife of Richard 11. comes long after the queen of Charles I. Hence, we presume, that each lady is to be considered per se, and her life regarded as matter of biography, rather than of history, notwithstanding the judicious remark of Miss Toul min, in her life of Queen Caroline, in this volume, that an isolated historical character is lik e " a pro file cut in paper, without shadow or background, or artistic accessories." Taking the royal ladies, then, not as we find them in history, but in the " Book of Beauty," we must begin with Anne Boleyn, whose portrait by H. O'Neil forms the frontispiece, and whose memoir, by Lady Blessington, is the first article of the volume. This commencement is, we think, somewhat injudicious, not that the picture in itself is unfit to he a frontispiece—on the contrary, it is a most beautiful likeness of a most beautiful counte nance, and as an engraving, is worthy of all praise—yet surely the regal gallery of Eng land can boast of some more admirable Queen than Anne Boleyn. Next follows Jane Seymour, and then Catherine Parr. Thus, out of a list of only twelve Queens, a very undue share is, to our think ing, given to the Consorts of Henry VIII. Their memoirs by Lady Blessington are all interesting, and their portraits worthy of a Book of Beauty. Then we meet with Berengaria and Elizabeth Wood ville, who lived in very different yet equally perilous times. The one shared with her husband in the chivalrous wars of the Crusades—the other mourned over the terrible battles of the Roses. Next follows the stately Caroline, wife to George 11. The memoir of this right queenly lady is, as we have r already said, written by Miss Camilla Toulmin. The life of Caroline is an interesting study ; though only Queen-Consort, she possessed more real power than many a reigni ng d (and ir in ti this o respect, her , conduct awell sovereignworthy may admiration , may venture to say it, of imitation also), although as a queen, she exercised great influence over her hus band, she was zealous in the performance of her duty as a wife, yielding him submission due, and this not from motives of policy, not even, it has been said, from aff ec ti on , but f rom a s tron g se nse of duty. It is related that when, the King desired her to walk with him; when, from ill health, too weak for the exertion, she frequently would plunge her feet in cold water before setting out, in order to gain temporary strength. Whether or not the King knew of this is not said, but in either case, as Miss Toulmin justly observes, " Whether one thinks of a man who could for his own gratification permit such risk and suffering to be incurred by a wife, of whom he said, I never yet saw the woman who was worthy to buckle her shoe ;' or the resolution with which she concealed the sacrifice, Elean or Provence, of alternative comesis equallyth eportrait amazing." an memoir After of Matilda of Sc o tl an d, Queen of H e nry I. This portrait is one of the most attractive in the book; the Queen appears in an attitude of humility, car rying a basket, but her air is dignified, and the ex pression of her countenance most pleasing, according well with the interesting character here given of her by Dinah Mulock, and according well with what we should anticipate from her parentage—the daughter of Malcolm Canmore and Margaret the Saint ; and with her own surname of " Good Queen Maud." Philippa of Hainhault, equally good as a wife and as a queen, presents in many respects a striking contrast to the gentle Matilda, whom she succeeds. Henrietta Maria, Eleanor of Castile, and Isabella de Valois complete this " regal gallery." In the me moir of Eleanor strong doubts are cast upon the veracity of the anecdote of Eleanor sucking the poison from her husband's wound, but " where igno rance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise," and we feel no gratitude towards those who endeavour to shake our belief in the pleasing incidents, few and far between which illumine the otherwise somewhat gloomy chronicles of the past. It is understood that the unrestricted control of the money•order department of the Post- offie through out the kingdom has been placed in the hands of Mr. Rowland fill by the Postmaster General, with a view to its improvement and extension. No step could have been adopted in connexion with this branch of the Go vernment service more calculated to afford satisfaction to the public, while at the same time it furnishes a good precedent—and in England a most rare one—in allow ing freedom of action to a reformer, master of his sub ject, instead of permitting his plans to be marred by official pedants, and then complaining of delays or of imperfections. INTERNATIONA L COPYRIGIIT.—In conformity with the treaty lately concluded netw,en and Eng land relative to copyright, two editions of the German translation of Bulwer's " Lucretia " have been seized at Berlin, and the publishers prosecuted. 41" j LITERATURE. THE COUNCIL OF FOUR ; a Game at Wni.. Lions. By Arthur Wallbridge, author of " orrington Ball." " It happened some short time since," says Mr. Wallbridge in his preface, " that being one of a small party assembled at the house of a friend, we agreed to play at bouts rinies. But the due number of syl lables would not come pleasantly, the poems when complete were uninteresting, and altogether our game at bouts riffles did not turn out. well. Upon this I proposed that we should try a new exercise for our wits. This was to consist of various definitions of some word fixed upon by general consent. Each of the company was to be provided with a slip of paper and a pencil. Three words for definition being chosen, they were to be written down by every person on his or her slip of paper, and the definition of each word having afterwards been written under it, all the papers were to be handed to some one gentleman who was to act as reader. This gentleman was then to read aloud the contents of the papers, giving all the definitions of one word before he pro ceeded to the next. As the anonymous' was to be strictly preserved here was a capital opportunity for the expression of opinion—for jokes—or for anything, indeed, which the temptation of being able to write without chance of being convicted as the author of the matter written could inspire." The game w ent off so satisfactorily that it WPS proposed that Mr. Wallbridge and three of his friends should meet on successive evenings, and define one hundred words as a prospectus and a specimen of the new game of definitions, and the little volume now before us is the result of their labours. It is a manual of wit, wisdom, and poetry in a nutshell. A more amusing hook for a family party assembled round the parlour fire we have seldom met with. As a specimen of the manner in which the Council of Four have performed their task, we give two of the words with their definitions : StrArs - DijCZMDER f 4 -8, 1847. " SUPERSTITION. " 1. The high priest of Ow temple of ignorance. "2. The swaddling clothes worn by suciety in his cradle. " 3. The dethroned pretender to the crown of reason. "4. The nightmare caused by swallowing crude creeds." " DUEL. " 1. Folly playing at murder. " 2. An appeal from reason to in san ity. "3. A game of chance for two persons, in which it is possible for both to be losers. " 4. The only instance in which a man may fire in the air without being expected to hit something." The lovers of " home pleasures" are under great obligations, to Mr. Wallbridge for having added so materially to their stock as he has done by his inven tion of his game of definitions. THE COMIC ALMANAC FOR 1948. Edited by Horace Mayhew. Illustrated by George C:ruikshank. This, the oldest of the annual " jokers," like old wine, improves every year. It is, like the laughter moving frontispiece to this year's number, " a good pennyworth." George Cruikshank has been pe- culiarly felicitous in his illustrations, and he has met with a most efficient collaborateur in Mr. Horace Mayhew, who seems to possess the enviable knack of " hi•thig folly as it flies" with unerring aim. As a specimen of the contents of the Comic Almanac for 1848, we give " THE RESPECTABLE MAN. "A highly respectable Man Is Iscariot Ingots, Esquire, Ile's post obits' on half the ' Blue Book,' And a mortgage or two in each shire; And having more cash than he needs, Why he lends the poor all he can, And only takes sixty per cent., Like a highly respectable man. " He's a house like a nobleman's furnish'd, His side-board, too, blazing with plate, And half silver, half gold, you'd declare It belonged to some peer of the State; So it did—till he seised it in pa) meet Of his sixty per centum per ann.; And now he gives dinners to show it, Like a highly respectable man. "His father-in-law's an attorney, And his brother a dealer in wine, And his brother in-law's a bum-bailiff, And his son in the auctioneer line; So first you've half wine' for your bills, Then are sued, seiz- , d, sold up by the clan; For he lovt s to assist his relations, Like a highly respectable man. " For the assurance of lives he's an office, To make his small profits the mere; If you ask him to discount, he tells you 'For security, you must insure.' Adding • all honest men ought to do Besides it's so easy a plan, And with something to leave on your death-bed, You die such a respectable man.' " It is said he's a tyrant at home, That the jewels his wife has for show, Were all of them salves for some wound— That each diamond's heal'd up a blow; That his children, on hearing his knock, To the top of the house always ran— But with ten thousand pounds at his banker's He's of course a respectable man. " Yet he's kindness itself to young bloods,' And when lordlings solicit his aid, Why he talks like a lather, and asks flow is sixty per cent. to be paid? Such extravagance really would ruin The richest in all Ilindostan; But to serve them he'll do a • post obit,' Like a highly respectable man. "Still some 'scoundrels' declare he's hard-hearted— That he curses each beggar he meets — That for rent he unhous'd his old father, And of want let him die in the streets; Pooh! pooh! he subscribes every quarter For the missiou'ries sent to Japan, And if that doesn't make one respectable, Why what is a respectable mail? " Of religion he well knows the value, For he wus the first of beginners To run up a fashionable chapel For elegant mis'rable sinners;' And to hire a good-looking parson To tell dowagers life's but a span,' For he loves to serve both God and Mammon, Like a highly respectable man. " His daughter has married for love, Though she 'd offers from persons of rank, And my Lady' at least might have been With the money he had in the bank ; But since she thought fit to disgrace him, She may live in the best way she can, So he leaves his own daughter to starve, Like a highly respectable man " Then he makes a fresh will every quarter— Or when he 's a fit of the blues' — Or his wile has offended him somehow — Or some son will not follow his views ; And he threatens to leave them all beggars, W hene'er they come under his ban— He 'll bequeath all his wealth to an hospital, Like a highly respectable man." A TABLE for: Finding the Day of the Week or Month at Sight, from the Year 1840 to 1900. This useful table does great credit to the ingenuity of Messrs. Letts and Co., by whom it has been con structed. The mechanism is si m pl e —a circular moveable table is attached by its centre to a circular fixed table, the moveable table is turned on its axis until the year to which it is desired to refer appears underneath a vacant space left in the card on which the moveable table is printed—the table is then complete, and will show the day of any month or week in the year. It will be found a most useful companion in the library or counting-house. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, WEDNESDAY.—The Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert walked this morning on the slopes. The Royal Family took walking and pony exercise this forenoon, in the Little Park. The royal dinner party at the Castle, this evening, included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Baroness de Speth, Lady Au gusta Bruce, an d Si r the L org a e dy in cou ll:peaiting of the Duchess of Kent, the The band of the Grenadier Guards was in attend ance during dinner. Her Majesty's private band afterwards attended in the Castle. H iHighness the D u k e of Cam b r id ge visited Loyal Highnesses the D uc h ess of Cambridge and Mary visited h er R oya l Hi g h ness t itheoyGaelrman Hospital a t Daiston, yesterday. the Their rtrincess, the Duchess of Gloucester y es t er d ay at Gloucester House. The Archbishop of Yo r k had an interview with Sir loy George Grey yesterday at the Horne Office. The Earl of Devon had an i nterview with t h e Chancellor cf the Exchequer ye s t er d ay. Lord Mont eagle had also a ninterview yesterday w ith th e Right Honourable Baronet at his official residence in Down ing-street. The Right Hon. Edward Strutt, Chief Commis sioner of Railways, and Mrs. St rutt, left town yes terday for their seat, Kingston H a ll , near Derby. Dispatches were rece ived yesterday at the Colonial Office from the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, and also from the Governor of St. Helena. Gl,Asp OPERA, TiIEATRE ROYAL, DRURY.LANE.— present yesterd ay evening were— the Duke of C am b r i dge, attended co b n gEn e li s l i ae ns3sr the Earl of Shelb ourne, the Earl of Amongyis Royal Colonel the Jones; Munster, Lord Durham, Lord Donegal, L or d Al exan d er Gordon Leanox and party, his Excellency the Brazilian Minister and party, the Baron and Baroness Rothschild and party, the Count Rosen, Sir John and Lady Camp bell, Sir Bellingham Gra ha m , Sir George C arro ll, Sir Y, Honourable Major Needham and party. Honourable Bower Lyon, Captain Cuddy, Captain Brand, W. Broadwood, Esq. General G c re a y v ,:- n i d r ish \V. and Ball, party, W. Clay, Honourable MR. AND MR". CHARLES KEAN. (From the Dublin Pilot of Dec. 20.) Mr. Cnarles Kean and his gifted lady are about to leave our city niter a most successful engage merit of 22 nights. During their stay they have " won g01...;ri opinions from all sorts of peop:e," and will depart with the best wishes of those who esteem north and appreciate genius. Our respected manager could scarcely have struggled through the present crisis of gloom and influenza, unaided by " his firm allies, the noble Keens." No other performers could have so signally triumphed over illness and despondency ! They will shortly re-appear in London, where we anticipate the same brilliant career fur them in 1848 which attended Mr. Charles Kean's (OE4 at Drury lane Theatre in 1838. Having steadily progressed in his art, he conquered many difficulties and overcame the prejudices of some who denied the existence of hereditary genius. At that period he placed himself at once at the summit of his profession by a brilliant career of twenty-one representations of Hamlet, sixteen of Richard, and six of Sir Giles Overreach, on the same boards, and with almost the seine suc cess that hailed his father before him, in the memorable ►►eason of 1814 ! His triumph as Hamlet has, indeed, been unprecedented on the stage. In the words of tt►e Times of that day, it may justly be regarded as a most graceful and elegant performance. Such wonderful success must have satisfied the ardent ambition of the young actor, and rewarded the years of anxious probation► he had undergone in the pro vinces: at the same time, perhaps, it raised the stan dard of party feeling, as there was an evident endea vour to stem that success, lest it might diminish the brightness of others. The mere fact of such an ex traordinary attraction i►► the first walk of the drama must convince every unprejudiced mind of the exist ence of great talents to achieve such a wished• for end. His reception in Macbeth, and the result of his per formance of that and other characters subsequently at the Haymarket for a succession of seasons, was scarcely less distinguished than that of Hamlet. Mr. Charles Kean possesses one characteristic above others which enhances his representation of the philo sophic Dane—a bearing and mariner which implies the true born gentleman, and one in the enjoyment of inter course with the most polished society. Consequently, though we admit the merit of many, there is no other so pleasing ; for in that refinement there is a charm which attracts all classes, though some may scarcely know what may be the ingredient so gratifying to their taste. Mr. Kean's acting should be often seen, and duly studied, to be fully appreciated, abounding as it does with so many delicate touches and pencil lings. We may occasionally miss those wonderful flashes of genius which his father shot like electricity through the hearts of his audience, and rendered the elder Kean himself alone; but there is, on the other hand, a finish and completeness that reminds us of the Kemble school, and at once pronounces Mr. Charles .Kean a great actor. It has been most grati fying to all lovers of the drama to see our venerable ex-Chancellor, Lord Plunket, surrounded by his numerous family, so constantly in attendance on Mr. and Mrs. Kean's Shaksperian repre sentations, and to hear his warm expressions of admiration. It Mr. Charles Kean stands unrivalled as Hamlet, how perfect is the entire picture when we hear the sweet tones of Mrs. Kean's warbling the pathetic snatches cf song in Ophelia! The exquisite grace and tenderness of this lady are most charming, and are beautifully illustrated in her performance of this difficult character—a character which, we safely aver, we have never before seen represented. In domestic tragedy and high comedy Mrs. Kean is without a rival. What heart does not respond to her sorrows as Mrs. Beverley and Mrs. Haller, or is not charmed with her playfulness as Rosalind and her brilliancy as Beatrice ? The introduction of two such artists in the same play is an intellectual enjoy ment granted to us for the present, and one which we should cherish while yet in our power : for once re moved by time or circumstances, we may look in vain for the repetition of such combined talent. The performances to-morrow night conclude their engagement, and will be undar the express command of Major-General Sir Edward Blakeney, the Com mander of the Forces, on which occa , ion the tragedy of Macbeth will be given, and in addition Planehe s elegant vaudeville of The Follies of a Night, in which Mr. and Mrs. Kean appear to so much advantage as the Duke and Duchess. SURREY THEATRE. An English version of the Fip,lia del Reggimento has been brought out at this theatre, in which Miss Poole, who is now Mr. Bunn's prima donna, sustains the principal part. This you ng lady, one of our best stage artists, combining much vocal skill with very su perior talent as an actress, is better adapted for this ex periment than any other English singer that we know of ; and she has consequently met with very decided success. Her execution of the catching " Rataplan " is fresh and cheerful; and she is encored in this, as well as in one or two other morceanx of this pleasant end ex hilarating opera. It may be remarked that the exigen cies of the music incidental to the principal character have been considered _with reference to the voice of Miss Poole, and that such transpositions have been made as are necessary— we may add, not much to the detriment of the general musical effect. The other parts are as well sustained as the state of Mr. Bunn's operatic company will allow, and the ensemble is satisfactory to those who are not too exigent, and are pleased with zeal and good intention. There cannot, however, be any want unattained as regards the bluff and paternal Sergeant Sulpizio, which is capitally played and sung by Mr. 11. Phillips. Mr. D. W. King personates the rustic lover Tonio, and Mrs. Daly the Countess. The English text has been sup plied by Mr. Firzball, who is a ready hand at adapta tions of the sort. SOCIETY OF ARTS. Last night a very large m e eti ng o f th e mem b ers and their friends was held in the great room of the Society's house, John-street, Adelphi; Benjamin Rotch, Esq., Vice-President, in rotation, was in the chair. After the usual routine business had been gone through, and the minutes of the last meeting read by the Secretary, The CHAIRMAN called upon Mr. Smith Williams to read a very interesting paper on the Progress of Lithography in England. After a few introductory remarks, Mr. ‘VlLLiams stated that the discovery of the art of lithography was like that of many others, purely a work of chance ; it had been found out when quite a different end had been in view. About 1795—the exact period was not known—Alois Senefelder, the son of an actor, at Munich, and also an aspirant for histrionic fame, made the discovery alluded to. He was in the habit of printing the speeches which he had to study, and as copper-plates were too dear, he tried tin ones; these were found to be uncertain in their ac tion, and he had recourse to stone—a peculiar kind of stone, known now as lithographic stone, was obtained by him; this stone was remarkably porous, and he was enabled by its means to engrave his speeches easily, and to draw the letters backwards ; in this state, however, he might have remained, had not chance directed it otherwise, having one day being desired by his mother to make a note of a certain household bill, and not having any pens, ink or paper, he determined on drawing it on the stone; this was done, and the writing allowed to remain some time ; it then struck Senefelder if he bit away the stone round the writing, with acid, he might be enabled to produce an engraving; the acid was applied, and thus the discovery was made. The art of lithography, Mr. Williams said, was one which required the utmost care and taste, the touches on the stone must be made at once, from the circumstance that no retouching would serve to improve that which was once done wrong. That there were four methods of lithographing, by means of chalk or grease in a hardened state, ink or grease in a liquid state, en graving with incised lines, and those lines being filled up with ink, and by transferring drawings on pre pared paper to the surface of the stone. Great care was required to be taken that the outline of the drawing should be neat and cleanly executed, and that it was properly bitten by the acid ; for were it bitten in too deep, the shades would turn out black lightsand patchy would b ; and faint d were andimperfect. it not sufficiently bitten bet o i a n r , t he f lithography was an ally to engraving, not a rival, and t a b s a s t u a c c h eo it n w n ta we n e oz .e r r e e g f a a r s d t regarded by ln approaching t:glish a a rtists,sta state and e oft on he highest perfection in it. Mr. Williams was very e hi re s em rea vg d . i e t r ig e 'th warmlyof fthe communication. ap p a u ded The walls throughout ot thickly hung with most beautiful specimens of lithography. LEONORA, A LOVE STORY.—Speculation has been busy respecting the authoress of this work, whose beauty and genius have been particularly alluded to, and various ladies have been mentioned as being entitled to the honour of having produced this clever and bril liant story; among others, Lady Dufferin, Lady Bles sington, Lady Duff Gordon, and Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley; but we can assert, on good authority, that neither of these aristocratic writers is the author desired to be discovered, who now appears for the first time in the literary arena. NEWSPAPERS AND RArLwaYs.....The sale of news papers and periodicals at the different railway stations in London is becoming so profitable that the companies now exact a rent from the venders for the privilege. It is said that the sale of papers and periodicals at the London-bridge station returns a p rofit of ten guineas a week,and that the directors have put the privilege up to competition at a high figure. The rent payable for this privilege at the Easton station is at the rate of 601. per annum, though, until lately, the privilege was accorded free of payment. —Railway Times. A letter from Leipsic, of the 13th December, an nounces that the new wor k by J. Venedey, " Vorwiirts and Buck%arts in Preussen," (Prussia ; her Rise and Fall) bas been seized by the authorities. Ast izure has also taken place at Heidelberg, of a work, tntitled " Transactions of the Diet from the Secret Conferences at Vienna to the year 1845." MORTALITY in the METRO P OLI S . NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, DEC. 18, 1847. Epidemic. Endemic, and Contagious Diseases ... 629 Dp.eases of (inc.-I-tam Soat 131 Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Sens. 5... 178 Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of Respiration ... ••• ••• ••• ••• 657 Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels ... ... 52 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, an d ot h er Organs of Digestion... Diseases of the'liidneys, &c. .s. . Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. . Diseases of the Joints, B.mes, and Muscles Diseases of the Skin, &c. . Old Age, or Natural Decay 110 Deaths by Violence, Privation, or Intemperance ... Causes not specified ... ... 3 DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES ... 14 ... 1,946 Poiulation Average weekly Deaths Enumerived, Deaths, 1842-6. in the 1841. Five Autumns. Week, West Districts.— 301,326 . . 146 ... 273 North Districts.. 376.396 IS4 ... 415 Central Districts 374,759 ... 196 ... 314 East Distlicts ... 393,247 232 371 South Districts.. 502,483 ... 2SS ... 573 Totals... ..... 1,948,211 ... 1,046 ... 1,946 Male 3 •• ••• 980 ••• ••• ••• Females ... 966 BIRTHS IN THE WEEK. Males Females ... ... 690 ... ... 629 Total . ... ... 1,319 FLANDERS MAIL. BRUSSELS, DEC. 20.—The deputation of the dis tillers have had an audience of the Minister of Finance, and have received from his Excellency the assurance that at present there will be no change introduced into the law. on distilleries, and that, should it subsequently be found necessary to intro duce more modifications in this branch of legislature, due notice will be given to the distillers. ST. PETERSBURGH, DEC. 1 1 .—His Majesty the Emperor has issued the following manifesto : " By the grace of God, we, Nicholas the First, Emperor and Autocrat of all Russia, &c., do here with make known to our loving subjects our well beloved son the Grand Duke Constantine has now attained the age which has been fixed by the funda mental law of the empire for the majority of the members of our Imperial house. At so momentous a period to himself, wherein having completed the preparatory studies of youth, he now enters into the wide-spread active circle of the years of manhood, which he begins by a solemn oath to dedicate those services to us and to the State. We help him with paternal tenderness, end turn to you, our loving and faithful subjects, calling upon you to unite with us in fervent prayer to the Almighty for his weal. May He give our much-loved son his sanctifying and assisting grace in all good things in every event o his life. May Ile give him wisdom and strength from on high, and enable him ever to prove a worthy successor to our illustrious forefathers, a worthy and firm supporter of our throne and , of our country. " Given at St. Pefersburgh, the 26th day of No vember (Bth December), in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, in the twenty-third year of our reign. (Signed) " NICHOLAS." By a ukase of the same day his Majesty, according to section 27 of the Imperial family statutes, has ap pointed Vice-Admiral Lieutenant-General Lutke, curator to his Imperial Highness the Grand Duke Constantine. The Grand Duke Constantine has addressed the following rescript to the governor of St. Peters burgh :-- " Dmitri Jwanowitsch,—As it is my desire to sib nalize the day of my taking the oath, upon my coming of age, by an act of benevolence, I have, with the approbation of his Majesty, assigned for the relief of the poor of the Residence the sum of 7,500 rubles out of my privy purse. I enclose this sum to you, which I place at your disposal, with the request that you will have the goodness to employ it in conformity with my wishes.—l remain always yo*r well-disposed, " CONSTANTINE." PRUSSIAN FUNDS.—BxzList, Dec. Is. Bills. Money. st.Schuld Sch., 3% per Cent •• •• 92 Pruss•En g lish Bonds, 1830, 4 per Cent ••• • • • Forei g n Exchan g es —• . Exchange on London. LI Sterling, 3 Months AUSTRIAN FUNDS.—Vixiina, Dim 17- per Cent. Metalliques..... . 4 per Cent.ditto— ............ 92 h 3 per Cent. ditto .... ......... • G 6 Loan, 1834 157% Ditto, 1839 .......................... 114% Bank Shares •.• • . :.................1617 Esterhazy's Loan ........ . •........... 62 RAILWAYS. The Northern, or Ferdinand . 156% Gloggnitz , •• • • • . • . • ........ 112 Vienna—Milan .. Leghorn .• • • • ..... •• • • Pesth Bridge HAMBURGII BORSENHALLE, DEc. 18. Bills. Money. Austrian 5 per Cents .............• 104 Bank Shares ........................ 1600 Anglo-Russlan Loan • .............. 101% Russian 5 per Cent., Hamb. Certificate. 101% 101 Ditto Ist series inscription-- 104 Ditto, Rope and Co., ad and 4th series.. 95 Ditto, in Certificate— •••• •• •• 95 New 4 per Cent., Hope and Co. •• •• 86% Ditto Stieglitz . ..... ......... 86% 86 Spanish New 5 per Cent— 12% Ditto 3 per Cent .................. 23 Anglo-Portuguese Loan, 2% per Cent .. 22 Dutch Actual Debt, 2% per Cent• ..... 55 Ditto 3 per Cent. .• • • •• •• •• Polish New 4 per Cent. Loan, 1844...• Anglo-Danish Loan, 3 per Cent ••• • • • 81% National Bank Shares ••• . • •••• • • • • DUTCH FUNDS.—Alarm:um. Dac. 21. Money. Bills ACtaal Debt, 2% per Cent • 55 55% Ditto, 3 per Cent 67 67% Ditto, 4 per Cent. ..................88 85 yi Amort Syndic, 3% per Cent.......... Commercial Company, 4% per Cent .. 162% 163% East India Loan, 4 per Cent .•.• • ..... Exchange on London, at sight ........ 12 10 • Two months..... • I t 97 On Hamburgh, at sight .... 35 11 Two months.• •••• • • • ...... 34 87 On Paris • ••• • •• ........ 56 62 Two months. • • • • • • 56 12 6 273( ............ 92 DUTCH and. HAMBURGH PAPERS. PRAGUE, DEC. 14.—Report states that the cholera has broken out in the town of Stanislawoff, in Galicia, and that the yellow fever is raging there. Nothing has as yet been ascertained as to the fact of the first, and the report of yellow fever proves how greatly matters can be exaggerated. The report has been confirmed that in 019 course of fourteen days the Austrian forces lying in Italy shall be put on a footing for war by calling in all furloughs, and that each third battalion is to be in creased by two companies of Landuehr. Those who had obtained furloughs are to be sent to - their destina tion by railway as far as may be possible. Great preparations are being made for the public fete of our Ministry. One faculty of philosophy has decided, after having previously elected the Grand Duke Stephen Arch bishop, :Baron Schrenk, and the Grand Master of the Order of the Cress, M. J. B. Honorary Doctor, to confer the distinctions of Honorary Doctors and Honorary Members, upon no less than 50 Savans, natives and foreigners. The projected monument to the memory of our citizens who fell in the defence of Prague against Sweden in 1648 has been approved of, and is to be erected on the ramparts close to the terminus. BRUSSELS, DEC. 22.—The Societe de l'Alliance, in its sitting yesterday evening, unanimously voted a petition to the Chambers, demanding a res•riction in the expences of the State, a reduction which should be made to bear upon the budgets of war, the ma rine and foreign affairs. NAMUR, DEC. 21.—The influenza continues to rage with great intensity in the suburbs of Namur. There is scarcely a house where three or four are not laid up with it. Happily it has not assumed a malignant character. AMSTERDAM, DEC. 22.—The aspect of the Dutch funds was far more favourable at our Bourse to-day than yesterday. Integral and Three per Cents. have given place to very active business. The course of Spanish - funds was equally ameliorated, in conse quence of the rise which these funds have had on some of the foreign Bourses. HAMBURGH, DEC. 17.—The accounts of the mar kets are upon the whole more favourable. Transac tions in Coffee have not been inconsiderable the eight days. The Raw Sug ar, considering the late ness of the season, has been unusually active, and the same may be said in regard to Spices and Tallow. The continued unfavourable accounts from England and Scotland have, however, a depressing effect upon our markets in general, Corn—Since Friday week there has again been more business in Wheat. During that time abuve 700 lasts have been sold, chiefly for exportation to England ; the prices have varied but little. In consequence of the setting in of the frost, to-day, a stop has been put to the purchase of corn for exportation. Rye was also more in sre quest, with a tendency to rise. Littl e was d one in Barley,ooly be sold th a the prices being r riee edu s ced prices. stationary. As soon Beans it could was as ascertained that the Wheat mar ket was improved in England, last Monday, the II seers were more firm in their demands. KONIGSBERG, DEC. 13 .--The • • e Minister has just en forced the execution of the suspended judgment of the Royal Government against Dr. Rapp. The Presi dent of the Police has been commissioned to execute the said judgment, and increase its severity by further measures ii Dr. Rapp does not discontinue his official duties. Proceedings have also been instituted against Mr. Ender, and Mr. Papendieck for illegal baptisms. —Dutch Papers, Dec. 22. STATE or THE WEATIIER.—HAME.VEG, . —ln consequence of the high E.S.E. wind during the past night, the Upper Elbe, as fir as the steamboat pier has bi-come fixi-d, so that the steam navigation between this place and Hamburgh is now wholly in terupted. "Die steamer I.reJ , Cap ain arrived here last night, but the liver has become un navigable since, so that no steamer can no‘, enter or leave our port ; for this reason the Hull steamer Lion, Captain Hurst, was not able to leave our city to-day. CT'LLICRSTADT, DEC. 17.—Several vessels, destined for Altona, have run in here on account of the sharp frost which has set in. BERLIN, DEC. 16.—Counsellor Wedecl:e, r.•ho has his residence in Hanover, has been arrested there, at the instigation of our Government. He is said to have grossly violated the confidence of a high per sohage.—Hamburgh papers, Dee. IS. RAILWAY IN LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST CROYDON AXE) EPSOM. LINTS- A very numerously attended ineeting of gentle mull residing within the district between London end Epsom was held yesterday, at the North ;aid :South American Cc flee House, Royal Exchange, " in consequence," in the words of the advertiseirmut conveniLg the meeting, " of the great inconvenience and annoyance daily experienced by the passengers on the above railway, to take into consideration the best means to be adopted for obtaining redress.' Mr. CHARLES DEVOSPORT having beeu called to the chair, proceeded to detail to 'the meeting the grievances which he considered they had to complain of. The principal of these were the inconvenient hours at which th e trains started—the irregularity of the time kept by the trains—the taking off, in defiance of -in implied agreement with the holders of annual tickets, the seven o'clock P.M. London train, which was generally the most convenient for parties employed in the City to return home by, and, above all, as regarded the comfort of the work ing men—the discontinuance of the use at this season of the year of the covered third-class car riages, and the substitution of open ones. He felt that the interests of the shareholders of the company were bound up with those of the residents on the line, and if some: mea sures were not adopted to accommodate those parties, they would be compelled to give up their re sidences on the line, to the great detriment of the landlords, the parishes, and the railway company itself. It had been hinted to him by some friends by whom he was surrounded, that we show them the disparity of the fares to the various classes of pas sengers. He would take the Croydon station as an example. A first class passenger could obtain an annual ticket for 201 ; each carriage contained eighteen persons; so that it produced 3601. per annum. The second-class passenger paid 2s. per day, or 11/. 10s. more per annum than the first-class pas senger ; and as those carriages contained thirty-two passengers, if they multiplied the sum by that num ber, it would be s'. en that they produced nearly 6001. above the first class. Then, again, the third-class passenger paid 31. 12s. 6d. more than the first class, and, as the carriages contained forty passengers, there was a return from that class of 9451. against 3601. from the first class. Of course there was some dif- ference in the cost of the carriages ; but, under all the circumstances, he thought the passengers on the line were very unjustly dealt with, and that it behoved them to make a representation to the directors, with a view of getting their grievances redressed, and the interests of the company thus secured. Several gentlemen entered into a detail of com plaints which they had to make against the company, the most prominent of which are mentioned in the Chairman's address as noticed above, with the addition of its being objected that there is no train from Croy don or Sydenharn by which the families of parties re siding on the line can come to London between twenty minutes past ten, A.M. and twenty minutes past two, rig.; and that, although the charge of a first-class annual ticket to Croydon is only 201„ if you go two or three miles further, the full fare to Epsom, 301., is charged. It was ultimately resolved, on the - motion of Mr. MAITLAND, seconded by Mr. MOORE, that a me morial, setting forth the various grievances complained of, should be drawn up by the Chairman, assisted by such friends who chc se to do so, and lie at the North and South American Coffee-house for signature two days next week; after which it shall be presented to the directors of the London and Brighton Railway Company; and the meeting adjourned to the 12th of January to receive their reply, when, if it is not deemed satisfactory, it is proposed to appeal to the Railway Commissioners. The meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman. EDINBURGH AND NORTHERN. DUNFERMLINE BRANCH.—The works on this branch line of the Edinburgh and Northern, from the point where it joins the main line near Thornton, and extending ten miles to the westward, are now far advanced towards completion. It is only twelve months since the con tractors broke ground, and had the weather not been so very unfevourable for out-door work during the past fortnight, this portion of the line would already have been traversed with a locomotive ; and, should the weather hold good for four or five days, by that time it will he ready for public traffic. It is confi dently expected that an engine will be along the line, from the junction to a little beyond Lochgelly, on the 16th or 17th inst.—Fife Herald. PARIS AND LYONS.—The section from Dijon to Chalon has been received by the company from the Government's engine ers, r, and is expected t o b e o pen e d about June next. lhe foundations of the Paris terminus are almost finished. The works have advanced so much on the remainder of the line from Paris to Tonnerre in September. All their efforts may, therefore, be soon concentrated on the part that separates Tonnerre from Dijon in order to connect, as promptly as possible, the three sections dividing the road between Paris and Chalon-sur-Saone. The tunnel of Blaizy is wholly bored through ; the arch way is almost finished, and the ground is lowered nearly to the level of the future road ; all the wells are opened. The works, however, between Chalon and Lyons are not yet commenced. SERIOUS AFFRAY WITH POACHERS AT BENDRIGG. On Wednesday night last, about eleven o'clock, a, Henry Croft, gamekeeper to Alderman Thompson, in company with two assi s t an t s , name d H enry and W. Hoggarth, brothers, were passing through some pre serves at Bendrigg, they saw three poachers with a dog at a short distance. On perceiving the keepers the poachers made off, followed close by the keeper., and on finding that Croft and his assistants were gaining ground upon them, one of the poachers turned round and called out to the others, with an oath, to " shoot the devils," meaning the keepers, upon which two of the poachers took guns from their pockets and commenced putting the barrels into the stocks. Croft rushed in and attempted to seize one of the men, upon which he dropped the gun stock, took the barrel by the muzzle in both hands, and inflicted a severe wound on Croft's forehead, which felled him to the earth. Henry Iloggarth came up at the time and seized another poacher, but received a violent blow on the left arm from a gun barrel from the third poacher which broke hi s arm , an d o f cou r s e ren dered him unable to defend himself ; but having hold of his man with the right hand, they fell together, and Hoggarth continued to hold him down, although the poacher was lying up on h im with the barrel of the gun, until his brother, who had succeeded, and in capturing to g hethir o d man (who camehohadp usur rendered However, on the brother coming up to where Croft and Henry Hoggarth were struggling on the ground with the other two, the man who had been engaged with Henry Hoggarth got loose from him, and struck William a severe blow on the head with the gun barrel, which knocked him down. The three poachers then made off, after beating the keepers until two of them were almost unable to leave the ground. Croft, however, got the assistance of another man, and proceeded to Kendal, where he arrived about half past one o'c s l eaL o pn c hid k p i i ef n rtaten t l i h gu e wheohnrtone mornin g , nebnylit rtaooknaldear most of found oa i f n n fdo a ri thein keepers identifi e d as dt h m ho o e a g u t s h i e ° wo s n uhs o i e t c c o h c o u fl‘p theiji erod. they had seen with th e party who theim one . them. One lap of Langhorn's jacket was lit as e awu r a hl c l e l h 3 covered with bl oo d. T wo other cl men, kinson and H o l me , were afterwards named taken jn i e nti. custody, and brought before T. Atkinson, Es on Friday, and reman d ed for further examination" till Saturday. The poachers left two gun-stocks, one barrel, and three hare nets, on the scene of action.— Westmoreland Gazette. CALEDONIAN RAILWAY.—We understand that on Friday last, the 17th current, an engine travelled from Carlisle to Edinburgh upon the Caledonian Railway Some time ago an engine went from Glasgow to La. mington. Double rails are laid down along the whole ci . the line with the exception of about fuur miles at th. summit, where there -ts, as yet, only a single line rails. There is, therefore, every probability of the who: , line from Carlisle to Glasgow and Edinburgh being opened for traffic in the end of the present month oi. early in January, 1848.—Dumfries Courier. • INFLUENZAIAT WINDSOR.—This disorder, now S ,-, prevalent throughout the country, has attacked, wi.. considerable violence, both the officers and men be longing to the Royal Horse Guards, and the first bas-. talion of the Grenadier Guards, stationed at Winds( , very few in either regiment having escaped its vi . talion. Upwards of 40 of the privates in the B' are now laid up, and between 50 and 60 of flit Gee:. .. dier Guards are confined to the hospital. Only On(. c . , , throughout the large Lumber who have been at ac;., Ihas proved fatal. The disease has been equally prc lent in the towns of Windsor and Eton and th e ne i g h. bouring Tillages.