The Sun. — London, England, 1847-04-26 00:00:00

- „ to the lacquer of " Omoo." Yet " Omoo" is lively, sparkling, humourous , conversational, diversified with life and vivid descriptions of little episodes of oce an southern scenery. As an example of the latter charac teristic, we tender the following pen-and-ink delineation of the aspect of Otaheite : " Otaheite is by far the most fameus island in the South S e as; indeed, a variety of causes has made it almost classic. Its natural features a lone distin g uish it from the surrounding groups. Two round and lofty promontories, whose moun tains rise nine thousand feet above the level of the ocean, are connected by a low, narrow isthmus; the whole being some one hundred miles in circuit. From the great central peaks of the larger peninsula—Orohena, Aorai, and Pirohitee—the land radiates on all sides to the sea in sloping green ridges. Between these are broad and shadowy valleys—in aspect, each a Tempe—watered with fine streams, and thickly wooded. Unlike many of the other islands, there extends nearly all round Otaheite a belt of low, alluvial soil. teem ing with the richest. vegetation. Here, chiefly, the natives dwell. " Seen from the sea, the prospect is magnificent. It is one mass of shaded tints of green, from beach to mountain top ; endlessly diversified with valleys, ridges, glens, and cascades. Over the ridges, here and there, the loftier peaks fling their shadows, and far down the vane% s. At the head of these, the water-falls flash out into the sunlight as if pouring through vertical bowers of verdure. Such enchantment, too, breathes over the whole, that it seems a fairy world, all fresh and blooming from the and of the Creator. " Upon a near approach, the picture loses not its attrac tion. It is no exaggeration to say, that to a European of any sensibility, who for the first time wanders back into these valleys—away from the haunts of the natives—the ineffable repose and beauty of the landscape is such, that every object strikes him like something seen in a dream; and for a time he almost refuses to believe that scenes like these should have a commonplace existence. No wonder that the French be stowed upon the island the appellation of the New Cytherea. Often,' says De Bourgainville, I thought I was walking in the Garden of Eden.' " Nor, when first discovered, did the inhabitants of this charming country at all diminish the wonder and admiration of the voyager. Their physical beauty and amiable disposi tions harmonized completely with the softness of their clime. In truth, every thing about them was calculated to awaken the liveliest interest. Glance at their civil and religious in stitutions. To their king, divine rites were paids while, for poetry, their mythology rivalled that of ancient Greece. " Of Otaheite, earlier and more full accounts were given, than of any other island in Polynesia; and this is the reason why it still retains so strong a hold on the sympathies of all readers of South Sea voyages. The journals of its first visi tors, containing, as they did, such romantic descriptions of a country and people before unheard of, produced a marked sensation throughout Europe; and when the first Otaheitans were carried thither, Omai in London, and Aotooroo in Paris, were carressed by nobles, scholars, and ladies." From the peculiar interest, which has been latterly ex cited in regard to this magnificent island, it may be pleasant to many of our readers to peruse the account given by at eye-witness, of the French interference in that quarter. Mr. Melville speaks out plainly, but, to our thinking, very much to the purpose. The circum stances, here alluded to, have been so egregiously garbled by different narrators, that we encroach to no incon siderable extent upon the narrative of our American voyager : "It seems, that for some time ;back the French had been making repeated ineffectual attempts to plant a Roman Ca tholic mission here. But, invariably treated with contumely, they sometimes met with open violence; and, in every case, those directly concerned in the enterprise were ultimately forced to depart. In one instance, two priests, Laval and Caset, after enduring a series of persecutions, were set upon by the natives, maltreated, and finally carried aboard a small trading schooner, which eventually put them ashore at Wal lis Island—a savage place—some two thousand miles to the westward. " Now, that the resident English missionaries authorised the banishment of these priests, is a fact undenied by them. selves. I was also repeatedly informed, that by their inflam matory harangues they instigated the riots which preceded the sailing of the schooner. At all events, it is certain that their unbounded influence with the natives would easily have enabled them to prevent everything that took place on this occasion, had they felt so inclined. " Melancholy as such an example of intolerance on the part of Protestant missionaries must appear, it is not the only one, and by no means the most flagrant, which might be pre sented. But I forbear to mention any others; since they have been more than hinted at by recent voyagers, and their re petition here would, perhaps, be attended with no good effect. Besides, the conduct of the Sandwich Island mis sionaries, in particular, has latterly much amended in this respect. " The treatment of the two priests formed the principal ground (and the only justifiable one) upon which Du Petit Thouars demanded satisfaction ; and which subsequently led to his seizure of the island. In addition to other things, he also charged, that the flag of Merenhout, the consul, had been repeatedly insulted, and the property of a certain French resident violently appropriated by the Government. In the latter instance, the natives were perfectly in the right. At that time, the law against the traffic in ardent spirits (every now and then suspended and revived) happened to be in force; and finding a large quantity on the premises of Victor, a low, knavish adventurer from Marseilles, the Otaheitians pronounced it forfeit. " For these, and similar alleged outrages, a large pecuniary restitution was demanded (10,000 dolls.), which there being no exchequer to supply, the island was forthwith seized, under cover of a mock treaty, dictated to the chiefs on the gun-deck of Du Petit Thouar s frigate. But notwithstanding this formality, there now seems little doubt that the downfall of the Pomarees was decided upon at the Tuilleries. " After establishing the Protectorate, so called, the rear admiral sailed; leaving M. Bruat, governor, assisted by Reine and Carpegne, civilians, named Members of the Council of Government, and Merenhout, the consul, now Commissioner Royal. No soldiers, however, were landed until several months afterwards. As men, Reine and Carpegne ware not disliked by the natives; but Bruat and Merenhout they bitterly detested. In several interviews with the poor Queen, the unfeeling governor :ought to terrify her into compliance with his demands; clapping his hand upon his sword, shaking his fist in her face, and swearing violently. ' Oh, King of a great nation,' said Pomare, in her letter to Louis Philippe, 'fetch away this man ,• I and my people cannot endure his evil doings. He is a shameless man.' " Although the excitement among the natives did not wholly subside upon the rear-admiral's departure, no overt welto pl an as act of violence immediat e ly f o ll owe d. The Queen had fled to Imeeo ; awl the dissen s i ons among the chiefs, together with o u f " th n e people , some common n th o e f ir resistance. Queenc o the ill-advised condu c t n f t h e m i ss i onar i es , p re vented a union confidently t t iy reheglrieeadt upon the speedy interposition of by many ties, and whizti, more than once, had solemnly guaranteed their independence. "As for the missionaries, they openly defied the French governor, childishly predicting fleets and armi • es from Britain. But what is the welfare of a spot like Otaheite, to the mighty interests of France and England? There was a remonstrance on one side, and a reply on the other; and there the matter rested. For once in their brawling lives, St. George and St. Denis were hand and glove; and they were not going to Gross sabres about Otaheite. During my stay upon the island, so far as I could see, there was little to denote that any change had taken place in the Government. Such laws as they had were administered the same as ever; the missionaries went about unmolested, and comparative tranquillity everywhere prevailed. Neverthe less, I sometimes heard the natives inveighing against the French (no favourites, by-the-by, throughout Polynesia), and bitterly regretting that the Queen had not, at the outset, made a stand. • " In the house of the chief Adea, frequent discussions took place, concerning the ability of the island to cope with the French : the number of fighting men and muskets among the natives were talked of, as well as the propriety of fortifying several heights overlooking Papeetee. Imputing these symptoms to the mere resentment of a recent outrage, and not to any determined spirit of resistance, I little anticipated the gallant, though useless warfare, so soon to follow my de parture. " At a period subsequent to my first visit, the island, which before was divided into nineteen districts, with a native chief over each, in capacity of governor and judge, was, by Bruat, divided into four. Over these he set as many recreant chiefs. Kitoti, Teti, Utamai, and Paraita ; to whom he paid 1,000 dolls. each, to secure their assistance in carrying out his evil designs. "The first blood shed, in any regular conflict, was at Mahanar, upon the peninsula of Taraiboo. The fight originated in the seizure of a number of women from the shore, by men belonging to one of the French vessels of war. In this affair, the islanders fought desperately, killing about fifty of the enemy, and losing ninety of their own number. The French sailors and marines, who, at the time, were reported to be infuriated with liquor, gave no quarter; and the survivors only saved themselves by fleeing to the moun tains. Subsequently, the battles of Hararparpi and Fararar were fought, in which the invaders met with indifferent LITERATURE. TEE WESTMINSTER AND FOREIGN QUARTERLY RE VIEW. IVo , . XC'll. and SIR R. PEEL'S PICTURES. ,T h n Saturday Si r R. P ee l opene d hi s mans i o n in White 'f• gardens for the reception of visitors invited to inspect his beautif u l co ll ect i on of works of art. The pr i nc i pa l stair f._asel the pictu re - ga ll ery, an d , we b e li eve , one o r two other 'ens' have recently been red ecor ated, whilst the pictures emselves have undergone a fresh arrangement , and ill. completion of these details was the immediate cause of the ' , ion of Saturday. Th e i nv itations in this instance were not regulated by the exclusive spirit which almost uniformly prevails on similar occasions. That there should be present Many of the most distinguished members of the Peerage and of the House of Commons might naturally be expected fora the eminent social and political position which the Sight Hon. Baronet occupies; but it was gratifying to ob- Serve, asaociated with them, a very large number of gentle men connected with art, literature, and science. One may sometimes yimagine that the owner of this fine collection may have sought a temporary relief from the cares and vexations which are the inevitable lot of public r e iel3 in this count r y— a nd he, certainly, has had his li t _ Are of th em —i n the tranqui l en j o yment of the plea sures_ which ar e t o b e f oun d i n t h e contemplation of the won derful emanations o f gen i us by which he is here surrounded; and, perhaps, judging wisely that a due appreciation of art la not confined to the aristocracy exclusively, he was in duced to ext en d to a w id er c i rc l e t h e gratification which these pictorial treasures are capable of imparting. Be this as it may, this is the first occasion on which so liberal a Spirit has been displayed, and it deserves honourable men tion, as illustrative of Sir IL Peel's judgment and kind dis- Position. Alt hough Sir R. Peel has long been known as s munificent Patron of modern art, there are not, with, we believe, five exc eptions—Wilki e ' s " J o h n Knox preaching before the 'soils of the Congregation," Sir Thomas Lawrence's por trait one of the Right Hon. Baronet's daug hters, Edwin I'andseer's portrait of another daughter, and Winterhalter s portraits of her Majesty and Prince Albert —any pictures d of I ,, orr i t e r g ait o a r af recently deceased artists in Whitehall -gardens. the whole of this portion of the collection —including the political characters, Lawrence's portrait of Sir Lady and his three-uarter and half-lengi h portraits of ' lt uY Peel —the latter well known by the engraving—have been removed to Drayton Manor. One of th e rooms on the ground floor is approp riated to _some drawi ngs b y Rubens and Vandyke, part o f Sir T h omas a wrence's collection of drawings purchased from his ex etunnitvoersrstj Sir R. Peel. The high me ' fit of these sketches is so then IIY recognised, that it is unnecessary to do_ more rect_eaver that they are characterised by all the master's con. h n " of drawing and boldness of execution. The library all g with proof engravings, chiefly from modern paints Pt'rbebl ,men f dinin g - Mont used to be adorned by the its of r- - pro mar ow time—chiefly the wonderful portra " living • g le s of Lawr ence, whose truthful pencil whate,`---- snatched from Fate Hera er waa beauteous or whate'er was great." f er . e the portraits o n f the late and present head of the Peel wilily, the D k Stowell, th e l a of Wellington, the Earl of Eldon, Lord aeli, all by Lawrence, —ar Aberdeen, m i . H o f . Liverpool, Mr. Canning, the Earl of thheeyseepreorwtziltswweritthhout be . side . s those of Southey and Fu- But, though we can no longer behold great interest, a pilgrimage to Drayton—oft Y—their place is supplied by . w pictures hi i f know -- • These are five portraits, and the picture nas the " Robinette," by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The portraits are those of the artist, Dr. Johnson, George IV. w hen Prince of Wales, Mrs. Thrale, and Boswell, the agree able biographer , o . f the " Literary Leviathan." The portrait Whi c h • • Johnson was painted for Mrs. Thrale, and it is that from in "Dictionar T which appears in several ' editions of the y ' is taken. which On end of the drawing-room is occupied by two pictures, have lately been presented by Sir R. Peel to the f,',77 They are full-length portraits of her Majesty and 4 ,11 a _e Albert, the work of the German artist we have vr_ea__(lY_named. The impression left by a necessarily hurried th r,:f these pictures is not favourable. The colouring of court,e sh is not good, and the general effect is harsh, if not _, The expression given to the Queen is unlike that of la d other portrait we are acquainted with ; but it would be lu au., on that account, to inter that it does not belong to her susceptible The fact is, that the Queen's countenance is of an extraordinary variety of expression, and it l g laY be rem ar k ed that, although no two of the almos t end eSesavennalber of portraits which have been m ade of the strong re ign correspond in expression , they all bear a resemblance to the original. The gallery, which opens 0 1 . 1 . 4 of the drawing-room, is f i lled with paintings of the hi g h est merit. Turn in what direction one may, the eye is Imre to light upon some beautiful object. As far as we could school, the work s h ere are all cabinet pictures of the Datch „ — ,."° 01 , with th e except i on o f two by Rubens. The latter V i Dthe "Triumph o f Sil en us," and the celebrated " Chapeau "le." The Bacchanalian piece is a large composit ion, including eight figures, the principal object being Silenus, ._ W ho occupie s th e centre, an d w hose condition requires the support which he receives from two satyrs. Of course, there !re some of tho se c hild ren w h o m Rubens loved to paint, and mould paint so well, an d the whole picture is remarkable for the brilliancy brilliancy of colour, masterly drawing, and spirited cona- Position, which are the characteristics of this master. After uube"' death thi s p i c t ure was purc hased by Cardinal Riche s_ m 1642. and remained in possession of his family until the French revolution. It subsequently became .`„": property of Lucien Bonaparte ; was brought to - s , .giand in 1816, and sold for 950 guineas ; it was sold again in 1827 for 8401., and was finally bought in pres ent this gallery, its possessor for 1,1001. Rubens's other vs gallery, the well-known " Chapeau de Paille," haslong been the theme of universal eulogy, and, as might be expected, it is a n o bj ect of great attract i on i n t h e gallery. Some of the particulars connected with the history of this Picture a are inter es ti ng. Of all his works th i s was R u b ens ' s .1v ourite. It is said to be the portrait of a Mademoiselle -tUndcens, though, to us, it appears to bear a strong resem- V_ e to the features of the artist's wife, whose portrait he irtiLultroduced into so many of his works. A story is told of wa rn having become enamoured of the lady whilst he neve Painting her portrait, and it is certain that he would " L r Part with this picture, which he called in his catalogue Le Portrait d'une Demoiselle, les bras croises," (the lady has her arms crossed in front of her in this picture). It is not known how the picture acquired the name of the a Cha peau de Paille," and why it should have done so is equally a matter of mystery, for the hat which the lady wears is not straw, but beaver or felt, or, perhaps a coarse kind of velvet. After the death of the artist's widow the picture became the property of the Landens family, whose representative, M. Van Haveren, in 1817, sold it for 50,000 f. to M. Stiers d'Aertse laer. In 1822 it was sold by auction, and bought by M. Nieuwenhuys for 36,000 f. He brought it to England and, after being exhibited publicly, and attracting thousands of admirers, it was purchased by Sir R. Peel for 3,500 gui neas. The specimens of the Dutch school are, as may be an ticipated from what has already been stated, very numerous, and of the highest excellence. To give a detailed notice of even a fevi of these works would extend this article beyond reasonable limits, and we shall, therefore, confine ourselves to the mere mention of some of the pictures which chiefly attract attention :—" View off the Thames," Backhuysen ; this picture is valued at upwards of 1.5001. "An Old Castle," Cus-p ; this is one of the most charming pictures in the collection ; its beauty, indeed, is perfectly enchanting. " The Avenue," by Hobbema; a remarkably beautiful pic ture, and differing in some respects from the artist's usual style, cost 8001. " The Poulterer's Shop," by Gerard Douw ; sold in the Choiseul collection, 1772, for 692/. ; from that of the Prince di Conti, 1777, for 800/.; from that of the Duc de Chabot, in 1787, for 832/. ; from that of Coupre, in 1801, for 1,024/. ; and from that of Mr. Beckford, of Fonthill, in 1823, for 1,2701. " A Landscape," by Dujardin ; cost 930 guineas. "The Duett," by Diet zu ; cost 450 guineas. "Le Corset Rouge," by F. Mieds; bought from Mr. Beckford fur 305 guineas. "Le Chat," by W. Mieris ; bought for 370 gui neas. " The Alchymist," by Adrian Van Ostade. "The Music Master," by Jan Steen. "The Mu sic Lesson," by Terburg ; cost 920 guineas. " A View in the City of Cologne," by Vander lleyden ; cost 415 guineas. " Landscape," by Vander Velde ; cost 760 guineas. Also, by the same artist, " A Calm," bought for 500/. ; " the Coast of Schevening," cost 900/. ; and " A Gale," cost 3001., "The Interior of a Stable" and "A View on the Sea Shore," by Wouvermanns, cost respectively 530 and 450 guineas. In a room leading out of the gal lery at the end opposite to that which communi cates with the drawing-room, are the portraits before re ferred to of two of Sir Robert Peel's daughters by Lawrence and Edwin Landseer. In the former, which has been en graved, the young lady is represented seated on the ground caressing a spaniel. As a work of art it is beautiful ; and, Lawrence being the artist, it is unnecessary to add tbat the likeness was exact. It is necessary to speak in the past tense; for the little girl of the picture has grown up into a woman. In the same room is Sir Joshua's justly celebrated "Snake in the Grass;" and, by the same artist, a spirited portrait of Admiral Keppel. In conclusion, it may be ob served, that this assemblage of pictures affords indisputable evidence of the correct taste of the collector; for, whilst there is not a single bad work in the whole, and hardly one which does not rise above mediocrity, the vast majority are of the very highest character. Sir Robert Peel was in excellent health and spirits, and was assisted by Lady Peel, accompanied by one of her daughters, in the reception of the guests. The Duke of Wel lington arrived and departed early; the Duke of Cambridge came in about the middle of the day ; but Lord John Russell did not appear until most of the company had left. When Sir R. Peel observed his Lordship in the gallery, he advanced, and shaking him cordially by the hand, led him to Lady Peel. It Wa3 interesting to see these two political leaders meeting in such a manner and under such circumstances, and the incident seemed almost to justify the observation of a gentleman present, that " it was as pleasing a picture as any which adorned the walls." Among the visitors were— His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, attended by Major Stephens, the Duke of Hamilton, his Excellency Count Schilmmelpenninck, his Excellency the Prussian Mi nister and Madame Bunsen and Miss Bunsen, his Excellency the American Minister and Mrs. Bancroft, the Duke of Wel lington, the Marquis of Northampton, the Earl of Ripon and Miss Hobart, the Earl of Lincoln, the Countess of Jersey and Lady Clementine Villiers, the ountess De Grey and Mr. Vyner, Viscount and Viscountess Mahon, Viscountess Hardinge and the Hon. Miss Hardinge, Lord John Rus sell, Lord Colborne, Lord C. Townshend, Lord Monteagle, his Excellency the Belgian Minister and Madame Van de Weyer, the Right Hon. Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon. Sir James and Lady Graham, the Right Hon. Sidney and Mrs. Herbert, Viscount Goderich, the Right Hon. Sir George and Lady Clerk and Misses Clerk, Baron Lionel Rothschild, the Hon. Francis Charteris, the Right Hon. George and Mrs. Dawson and Captain George Dawson, Sir Walter James, Bart., M.P., and Lady James, Sir H. Hume Campbell, Bart., M.P., and Lady Campbell, Sir henry de la Beche, Lady Chantrey, the Right Hon. Sir Robert 11. Inglis, Bart., M.P., Sir John Rennie, Sir Willoughby Gordon, Sir Alexander Downie, the Very Rev. the Dean of Westminster and Mrs. and Miss Buckland, the Rev. Dr. Liddell, the Rev. Dr. Wellesley, Sir George Hayter, Sir Henry Ellis, Sir W. Newton, Sir W. C. Ross, Sir Frederick Madden, Professor Owen, Dr. Lyon Playfair, Colonel Rowan, Mr. W. G. Hayter, M.P., Mr. H. T. Hope, M.P.,Mr. J. Hume, M.P. Mr. Charles Baring Wall, M.P., r. Cardwell, M.P. and Mrs. Cardwell, Mr. Benjamin 'Tawas, M.P., Mr. C. Buller, 1%1.P., Mr. T. Baring. M.P., Mr. H. Mildmay, M.P., Mr. T. S. Dun combe, M.P , Mr. T. Wise, M.P., Mr. B. Botfield, M.P., Mr. B. Bernal, M.P., Mr. W. Ewart, M.P., the Rev. W. Cureton, the Rev. J. Forshall, Messrs. Samuel Rogers, Landseer, G. E. Anson, Hamilton, C. Barry, Eastlake, T. S. Cooper, S. Cousins, J. Holland, S. Lawrence, li. W. Pickergill, C. Dickens H. Ferrer, C. Stansfield , C. L andseer, S. Prout, J. J Lucas, J. Landsaer, J. Severn, W. Mulready, Stephanoff, R. Redgrave, R. Westmacott, J. H. Glover, F. R. Saye, W. riYee, F. R. Lee, 11. Hallam, E. 11. B all y , Ho g srth, F. Howard. W. C. Marshall, Cotterell, A. Elmore, 11. Ley, A. Pellatt, T. Uwins, W. Wyon, J. Sheepshanks, Heath, J. J. Chalon F ara d ay, T. A mye t, W. Brockendon, C. Fielding. S. FulfOrd W. Barnard, E. Corbould, S. Sly , W. Behens, E J Hawkins, J. M. W. Turner, E. Eddis, kc.— Times. Lxx In a cursory criticism upon Sir Bitliver Lytton's " Word to the Public," the Mstminaer pronounces many opinions which we eaneot characterise as other wise than untenable and fallacious. Crime it acknow ledges to be the legitimate theme of tragic composition, whether that compo;ition he either dramatic or narra tive: and yet it cavils at the employment of crime as a means of inculcating morality either by the novel-writer or the dramatist! It illustrates this position by enveigh ing against the custom of " copying the dark back ground of Rembrandt's portraits." What we should like to know are the masterpieces of ancient and modern dramatists, and of ancient and modern novelists (for we look upon Tacitus and Herodotus as among the antique romance writers—the predecessors of the feuilletonistev Dumas and Sue), what we ask are the masterpieces of these dramatists and novelists ancient and modern but dark backgrounds such as may be compared to the glooms of Rembri adt? If we look to the giant tragedies of Aschylus and Sophocles, we shall find there parricedes, and adulterers, and murderers, and inces tuous monsters, the habitual dramatis persona , ; we shall find there rapine and midnight decd] of blo ,dshed and violation. In more recent works of what must be termed classic excellence, we see the regici.le in Mac beth, the adulterous assassin in Hamlet, the cruelties of unfilial fiends in Lear, the infamy of bawds and liber , tines in Measure for Measure, the sins that man has no words to express, and that would have shamed the habi tants of Gomorrahl in the Cenci. From first to last, from the tales related by the romancing historians of Gre,ce and Rome, in relat'on to the concubines of Alexander and Darius, to those recounted in the torturing suspence of "Caleb Williams," and the diabolical anguish of" Frank enstein," the arch-actors are criminals, the arch-act is crime—the hue of the compositions is darker than the darkest background of Rembrandt. And yet a prurient morality—a morality bred in mawkishness and effemi nacy would depreciate these majestic originals, because in holding up crime and criminals to abhorrence—be cause in delineating the woes and tribulations conse quent upon sin—because pourtraying the deformities of iniquity and the agonies of remorse, they are suffused with colours of an apyropriate darkness—they should be expunged or repudiated! Nay, the Westminster goes so far as to say " how much:would have been softened by Shakspere, even in the best of his tragedies, had they been addressed to an educated audience .of the„nine teenth century!" We can only ejaculate with Dominic Sampson, " Pro-digious!—Pro-digiousl — Pro - d i g iousl " Of a verity this is, indeed, the self-sufficiency of the nineteenth century! How much would Shakspere have softened, say you? Had he softened one sentiment, abated one iota of passion, refrained from the utterance of one syllable, rejected the portraiture of one character —be that character Parolles or Pompey Bum—it were in truth an ineffable blessing that be lived in the barba rous days of Elizabeth, instead of the enlightened times of Victoria. We like not this arrogance of generations. But the Westminsterean appreciate" Dombey and Son" to the uttermost, if it fails in the admiration of " Lucretia." The Reviewer arrives at the same conclusion which we have repeatedly expressed during the last three or four months, that " if we may judge of the work as a whole, from the early numbers, Dombey and Son' is the best of the productions of Dickens." In testimony of the felicitous expression of sentiment by which this inimi table genius is characterised, the writer transcribes the entire scene of the death of Little Paul Dombey. Cu riously enough, however, he objects to the two last pas sages in that memorable chapter; in which two passages, to our thinking, are contained the very quintessence of its pathos. A dissertation upon metaphysicians follows this introductory article, with especial reference to the works of Hobbes, Locke, Law, Tucker, Butler, Hartley, Paley, Priestley, Bentham, Mill, Hutcheson, Adam Smith, Reid, Beattie, Ferguson, Stewart, Brown, Leib nitz, Wolf, Kant, Fichte, Schelling, and Jacobi. Many acute and sensible remarks are uttered in the paper. After a sort of preliminary lamentation upon the mourn ful multiplicity of guide-book, the Westminster rambles pleasantly through " North Wales and the Lakes." Al luding to the poets generally associated with the latter regions of Cumberland, the Reviewer makes the following truthful observations:— " We firmly believe that no set of men were ever " written up" like the late poets. A very popular magazine—Black ood's—for a series of years, seemed to devote all its ener gies to this cause; its politics, decided as they were in sup porting that faction whose every tenet has proved an error, were held comparatively in abeyance before the engrossing object of laker-laudation; in those, the palmy days of Black wood—the days of the Noctes Ambrosiance"—every one read, and every writer imitated and echoed, the Black woodian dicta, on matters of taste; so that laker-lnudation became a fashion. Wilson, himself a laker, and one of the great prose-poets of the age, set the example, which crowds were too glad to follow; so that, prolific were the pens of the Takers, especially poor Southey's, their laudators were fifty fold more voluminous; and, if praise will ensure fame, Southey may smile serene from the throne of state in the temple of that goddess, surrounded by Wordsworth, Wilson, and Coleridge, while Miltons, Shakperes, Byrons, and Cow• pers are lingering about the portals, or losing their way in some over-crowded corridor. But after all that has been or shall be hereafter written in their praise or dispraise, there is a test from which none can escape, and that is, fitness for quotation. "As ssith the poet," or words to that effect, are perpetually recurring; and this, " saith the poet " is accom panied by a clear description from Cowper, a burning line from Byron, a majestic thought from Milton, a nervous sp‘evaaser couplet esanhgeierv f gfe r r o ro m mtc:h P m rnu o ge pe i lhosi a comprehend Wilson rswororemhe fromea tnadl Shakspere:lhe Southey.) allegory from a ny r o it Spenser, does n 0 t o r m a s o e an u- a true lover of poetry can utter the name of William Cowper in the same b — r e t a h t e h i w i the tati n a w m i t e h s o th f e M T i l i t ta o n u , s — Sii t a h k s r g o e o r tn e p , l a y n d w i ß t h y Byron sublime. I.rontetot two have i ine b s ee o n f correct in F in saying rwe more that tc th o a w n suspect pertieyer fi poetry in his life—always saving and excepting his ex quisite verses on his mother's portrait. Thenexteo n tribution is an elaborate inquiry into the authorship of the "Two Noble Kinsmen"—en inquiry as to how much of that beautiful drama was Shakspere's, or how much Fletcher's, or whether Shakspere in fact had (to use a vulgar phrase) any finger in the pie. We have always considered this question as tolerably well settled by thnt significant sentence of Augustus William Schlegel (see his " Lectures on Dramatic Literature," lec. xiii.)—" Amidst so many grounds for doubting. if I might be allowed to hazard an opinion, I should say, that I think I can perceive the mind of Shakspere in a curtain ideal purity, which distinguishes this piece above all the other pieces of Fletcher." Coupling this peculiarity with a variety of collateral circumstances, the great German critic declares that he sees no reason for calling this copartnership in the production of the " Two Noble Kinsmen "in question. About the " Sites of Public Monuments" the review has a few pet va garies of its own. There has latterly been so much parade about the erection of the colossal statue of " the Duke," and there are so many effigies of the same personage erected in the most incongruous and preposterous localities, that his admirers really seem to dread the realisation (in his regard) of -the old adage, " Out of sight out of mind." Shakspere has no na tional statue—but he wants none; Byron has not even a bust in Westminster Abbey— but he wants none. They may be so far "out of site," but happily they can never be "out of mind." An essay on" Population," a summary of the "Report on Lighthouses," and a very dangerous and almost blasphemous review of the theological writ ings of "Straus and Parker," conclude the Westminster. In the department of the Foreign Quarterly we must ob serve that there is a comprehensive survey of foreign literature during the last three months. The reviewers congratulate the public of France on the evident decline in the "quotidian fever of the Roman feuilleton." A swarm of minor and miscellaneous criticisms are ap pended. SELECTIONS IN PROSE AND POETRY. Edged by John Bleaden. Those who have ever, like ourselves, delighted in the exquisite fragments from popular literature collected by Mr. M‘Diarmid, will welcome every successive pro duction of a similar character. The volume just pub lished by Mr. Bleaden is precisely of the description which rendered the work of his predecessor so agreeable —though we conceive the former might more correctly have entitled his book " Selections in Poetry and Prose," seeing that the metrical quotations immeasurably exceed the prose both in number and excellence. The editor disclaims in his introductory preface any intention to render the volume merely a vehicle for his own com positions ; yet those compositions are numerous, and occasionally meritorious. Sometimes we observe that the pieces are unaccompanied by the names of the authors, possibly from a forgetfulness as to their pater nity : for example, at page 50, there is a charming little sketch called " The Bride's-maid," which Mr. Bleaden might as well have subscribed with the initials if not with the full signature of Thomas Haines Bailey—the verses having come from the pen of that clever lyrist. Instead, again, of givinit stanzas so hackneyed as the famous " Burial of Sir John Moore," by Woolfe, or Shakspere's apostrophe to " Mercy," or Moore's " She is far from the land," or Scott's " Lines on a Tear," or Mrs. Hemana's " Voice of Spring"—gems that are already enshrined in the memory of almost everybody, and that, consequently are superfluously repeated—we think it would have been preferable and judicious to have intro duced others less familiar to the generality, taken for example from partially forgotten poets, such as Cowley, or Christopher Marlow, or George Herbert. Indeed, we question whether it might not have been advisable to have transcribed more largely from the productions of living writers than from classics like Shakspere and Moore, and Coleridge and Akenside, who are already ranged upon the bookshelves. Of these latter poetical authors there is assuredly no dearth. Alaric Watts, the Brownings, husband and wife, Tennyson, Mother well, and Ebenezer Elliot. It is ungracious, however, to make even these exceptions to the delightful volume presented to the public by Mr. Bleaden, affording us, as at does, such a delectable banquet of dainties. As a re past of literary sweetmeats and poetical confections, the book is both palateable and nutritious. success. " Shortly after the engagement at Ilararparpi, three brrat Pole)had w sent th e t o Frenchmen were waylaid in a pass of the vall e ys, an d mur ho to p certain m a j a . and d Fergus rsgpuy, (said ws dered by the incensed natives. One was Lefevre , biding-placeconduet a a notorio us scoundrel, of four chiefs, whom the governor wished to seize and execute. This circumstance violently inflamed the hostility of both parties. " About this time, Kitoti, a depraved chief, and the pliant tool of Bruat, was induced by him to give a great feast in the Vale of Paree, to which all his countrymen were invited. The governor's object was to gain over all he could to his interests; he supplied an abundance of wine and brandy, and a scene of bestial intoxication was the natural conse quence. Before it came to this, however, several speeches were made by the islanders. One of these, delivered by an aged warrior, who had formerly been at the head . of the ce l e b ra ted Aeorai Society, was characteristic. ' This is a very good feast,' said the reeling old m an, ' and the wine is also very good; but you evil-minded Wee-Wees (French) and you false-hearted men of Otaheite, are all very bad.' "By the latest accounts, most of the islanders still refuse to submit to the French ; and what tarn events may here after take it is hard to predict. At any rate, these disorders must accelerate the final extinction of their race. " Along with the few officers left by Du Petit Thouars, were several French priests, for whose unobstructed exertions in the dissemination of tbeir faith, the strongest guarantees were provided by an article of the treaty. But no one was bound to offer them facilities, much less a luncheon, the firs. day they went ashore. True, they bad plenty of gold; but to the natives it was anathema—taboo—and, for several hours and some odd minutes, they would not touch it. Emissaries of the Pope and the devil, as the strangers were considered — the smell of sulphur hardly yetshaken out of their canonicals —what islander would venture to jeopardise his soul, and call down a blight upon kis bread-fruit, by holding any in tercourse with them ? That morning the priests actually picknicked in a grove of cocoa-nut trees; but, before night, Christian hospitality—in exchange for a commercial equi valent of hard dollars—was given them in an adjoining house. " Wanting in civility, as the conduct of the English mis sionaries may be thought, in withholding a decent reception to these persons, the latter were certainly to blame in needlessly placing themselves in Co unpleasant a predicament. Under far better auspices, they might have settled upon some one of the thousand unconverted isles of the Pacific, rather than have forced themselves thus upon a people already pro fessedly Christians." Although this sequel to the " Adventures in the Mar quesas" is comparatively defficient in romance and inci dent, it is agreably penned, and evidently written with the utmost truthfulness. Altogether it is a great im provement upon the recent contributions to the " Home and Colonial Library," and sustains, if it does not en hance, the literary reputation of Herman Melville. MURRAY'S HOME AND COLONIAL LI BRARY. Nos. XLIII. and XLIV. OMOO Parts I. and 11, By Herman Melville. So much were we charmed by the previous work of this admirable American author, that we fear the liveli ness of our expectations of the present chapters has mi litated considerably against the impression which might otherwise have been conveyed to our minds by " Omoo ; or, Adventures in the South Seas." " Typee' certainly took us by surprise ; it was a brilliant and fascinating book from a previously unknown hand. It came upon us with the freshness of a treasure discovered whero one was least expected. It has rendered the name of the American sailor—" a sailor before the mast," be it ob served—Herman Melville, henceforth and for ever plea sant to our ears—a name associated with recoltec tion4 such as the genius of Defoe and the enter prise of Anson could have evoked. But " Omoo," like many another sequal that could be mentioned, is nothing iiiccopuisoi with " Type " Typo" is os pas gold ROYAL ORTIMPTEDIC HOSPITAL.--The Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, the Lady Mayoress, and Miss Carroll, ho noured this charity with a visit on Friday. They were re ceived by the surgeons and a deputation from the committee, and e x themselves highly gratified as well as much astonished at the surprising cures presented to them. Some of the opponents of the Maynooth Grant, it is said, intend to put Mr. Spencer de horsey in ROM/114- tin tor Newport, Ige of Wight, at theaut KNIGHT'S MONTHLY VOLUME. Nos. IX. and X. The Philosophy of Health, Vol. 11. First and Second Half. By Southwood Smith, MD. For the continuation of this masterly treatise upon the physiological wonders of man, and for its publication in so cheap and popular a form, we are indebted to the originator of this admirable serial. The wood-engrav ings are sofficiatly clear to illustrate the mitten descrip• THE ITN, LONDON, _MONDAY -EVENING, _ APRIL 26, 184 PRINTERS' PENSION SOCIETY. The Second Amateur Dramatic Performance, for the benefit of this deserving Society, took place at the Olympic Theatre on Saturday evening. The following address, written for the occasion by Mr. Angus B. Reach—a gentleman already favourably known in the lighter walks of literature—was delivered by Mr. Foster previous to the comedy : " Last 3 ear we tried our fortune on the stage, We played for woe-worn want and tottering age; Our cause, and not our merits, made us bold, We won your plaudits, and we gained your gold ! So now, once more, your favourite smile we claim, Our drama different, but our end the same. We're bolder, though, than when we tried our hand In that dramatic band-box 'yclept The Strand.' s Yet, in a cause like this, is it not well, To pay an inch by asking for an ell ; A growing webb demands a widened loom, Your spreading charity needs elbow room, And changes so your natures, that e'en devils — Printers', I mean—demand 'Olympic' revels. Now to commence, then. (Looks at the play bill.) Here's our bill of fare— May all enjoy sonic savoury morsel there, First comes the comedy ;—be its five acts, To those who reap the produce, five great facts! Bid our Poor Gentleman a loud " God speed," For, wanting your applause, he's poor indeed! What's next? Our actors here will please I wot, These failing—we can try those who are not. You doubt P—But in our play the mimic's art Can even make the absent take a part. Some moments more let joyous song and dance Ring in the ear, and twinkle to the glance: With Luke the Labourer to close the day, A stirring, hearty, good old English play— A play that cold indifference cannot brook, One must be heated—not lake-warmed by '•Luke !" I've done ! All ready ? (Looks Or. Prompter nods.) Of our venturous host, Is every warrior fairly at his post? (Prompter nods again.) 'Tis well. (To wings.) Be bold, and think tho' but beginners, Who on a night like this would be the sinners— The hissed, or hissers? Why, of course, the latter: What! Hiss the food from off a poor man's platter? Perish the thought Ring up at once! Begin I The course is clear! My life u p ou't we win! ' —• After the address the evening's entertainment commenced with Colman's Comedy of the Poor Gentleman, in which the principal characters were well sustained by Messrs. Philp, Hammond, German, Tompson, and Miss E. Lloyd and Mrs. J. Fnrzman. It was followed by some excellent dancing by pupils of Miss Gilbert, Messrs. Frampton and Flexmore ; after which, Mr. Butler's delineations of Stage Passions and imitation of London actors, met with deserving applause. The evening concluded with Luke the Labourer. Great praise is due to Mr. C. Hammond's Luke and to Mr. W. Chitty's Philip. The part of Clara Wakefield, by Miss E. Lloyd, was a clever piece of acting, and Jenny was admirably personated by Miss Jane Coleman, a young lady of promis ing talent, who was deservedly encored in the duet with Bobby Trott (Mr. T. Green). The house was crowded, and therefore it is to be hoped that.the Society's funds will be largely b ene fited by the amateurs' gen erous exertions. His Royal Highness Prince Albert (Patron of the Society) took a private box on the occasion. * A performance, in aid of the funds of the same society, took place last year at the Strand Theatre. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) FRIDAY, APRIL 23. NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL-OFFICE. RAILWAYS. The Committee of Selection have nominated the following Select Committees on Railway Groups : A Committee consisting of—Lord C. Wellesley (Chair man), Sir John Duckworth, Mr. Mainwaring, Colonel Mare, and Lord E. Russell, to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 39, viz.:— Hartlepool and Stockton Junction, Wear Valley, Bishop Auckland and Weardale, Weardale Extension, and Wear and Derwent Railways and Skildon Tunnel Amalgamation Clarence Railway, and Leeds and Thirsk Amalgamation, Leeds 4nd Thirsk (Leeds, Durham, and Newcastle Exten sion, &c.) Leeds and Thirsk (Eaglescliffe and Stillington Extension, &c.) York and Newcastle (Pelaw Tyne Dock, &c., Branches), York and Newcastle (Wearmouth Doek Enlargement), York and Newcastle (Hartlepool Dock and Railway, &c., Pi irchase ), York and Newcastle (Main Line Improvement, &c.) The Select Committee to meet on Tuesday, May 4, at half past twelve. A Committee consisting of—Mr. Cripps (Chairman), Sir John Trollo Mr. Christie, Mr. Broadwood, and Mr. Muntz, to whom th p ey e, have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 49, viz. Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, and Glasgow, Paisley, Kil marnock, and Ayr (No. 4), Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilston, and Glasgow Southern Terminal Railways Amalgamation, Caledonian and Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock /tailways Amalgamation, Caledonian ( Lease or Purchase of the Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilston Direct and Glasgow Southern Terminal Railways), Caledonian (Purchase or Lease of Wishaw and Coltness), Edinburgh and Glasgow, Edinburgh and Glasgow (Monkland and Kirkintillock, Bal lockney and Slamannan Railways Amalgamation Sale or Lease): The Select Committee to meet on Tuesday, May 4, at one. Select Committee on Group No. 48. Mr. Stanstield discharged ; Mr. Bond Cabbell selected, and added to the Committee. Select Committee on Group No. 22. Mr. Bernal discharged; Mr. Drummond selected, and ap pointed Chairman of the Committee. The Select Committees on Groups Nos. 15, 17, 19, 24, 26, 5, 44, and 52, will be selected from Panel No. 5, which will be required to be in attendance during the week commencing Monday, May 10. PANEL No. V. Mr. Alexander . Lord John Ilallyburton Mr. H. J. Bans. Mr. U. V. Harcourt Mr. Balfour Captain 11. Howard Mr. Bernal Mr. B. Hughes Mr. W. Beckett Mr. Hurst Lord Henry Bentinck Mr. Ilutt Dlr. I. Blackburne Hon. C. Lawless Mr. S. Blackstone Major Layard Captain Boldero lion. J. P. Maxwell Lord Ernest Bruce Mr. P. Miles Mr. Buck Mr. Mitchell Mr. Colvile Sir C. Napier Mr. Corbelly Mr. Neville Mr. S. Crawford . Captain Pecksll Mr. B. Denison Sir R. Peel Mr. Dennistoun Mr. Pinney Mr. Dickinson • Viscount Pollington Sir H. Douglas Mr. Prime Mr. Drax Lord Rendlesham Mr. Du Pre Mr. H. Seymour Sir J. B. East Mr. H. Stuart Sir T. Esmonde Mr. M. Talbot Mr. Finch Mr. Taylor Hon. H. Fitzroy Hon. G. R. Trevor Mr. Forbes Sir W. Verner Mr. Forman Sir R. Vyvyan Mr. M. Gore Mr. Waddington Earl Grosvenor Marquis of Worcester. Mr. Hale SIR ROBERT PEEL AND THE GERMAN PROTECTIONISTS. It appears from the German papers, that when Dr, List, the most prominent advocate of protection in favour of the products of Germany, was in this coun try, during the last autumn, he addressed communica tions to Lord Palmerston and Sir Robert Peel, for the purpose of procuring their concurrence in the views of Dr. List in favour of protection. The answers by them are stated to have been published in the German papers. The following is that sent by Sir Robert Peel:— " Drayton Manor, Aug. 22, l 846. " Sir,—l beg leave to acknowledge the receipt of the letter which you have addressed to me, and of the memorandum which accompanied it. " I thank you for this communication, and have given it an attentive perusal. " The sentiments which it expresses in favour of the policy and reciprocal advantage of an intimate union between this country and Germany have my cordial concurrence; a con currence as complete and unqualified as is my dissent from your views as to the mode by which that intimate union can be most effectually promoted. "You are of opinion that England ought cheerfully to acquiesce in the m aintenance of high duties on the import into Ge r many of the products of English industry, for the purpose of benefiting the people of Germany, of conciliating their good-will towards England, and of thus encouraging amicable relations between the two countries. "I, on the contrary, am of opinion that the people of Germany will be benefited by freer access to the produce of English industry in exchange for their own, that the good will to be purchased by denying that access will be the good will not of the people of Germany, but of comparatively a very small portion of that people, either interested in the manufactures with which English industry would compete, or, labouring under erroneous impressions as to the prin ciples which ought to govern the commercial relations of two great countries ; and that we shall be laying the best foundation for reciprocal amity and for an intimate union be tween Great Britain;andlGermany by relaxing the restraints on our commercial intercourse, and by the diminution, and not the increase or the maintenance, Of the present protec tive duties. "lou observe that views in favour of protection are at present uppermost in the mind of the German public—that it does not matter, with regard to the object of your memoir, whether, such views are true or not ; it matters only whether they do exist or not. " I must be permitted, with all due respect for your autho rity, to doubt the allegation that such views are uppermost in the mind of the people of Germany ; but if they are, I totally dissent from your position, that it matters not whether such views are or are not correct. 4 4 If they prevail, and if they are not correct, they ought to be combated by those who, as statesmen, conduct the public councils in Germany, and, let me add, by those also who, as writers on political economy and the commercial policy of nations, undertake to enlighten the public mind, and to form and direct the public opinion of their fellow-countrymen. 44 1 for one believe those views to be completely erroneous, to be injurious to Germany, injurious to England, and im pediments to that intimate union which I wish to see estab lished and confirmed between two powerful nations whose political interests are so nearly identical. lam bound, there fore, frankly to inform you that I cannot advise that acqui escence in them on the part of the ruling authorities in this country which it is the object of your . memorandum to in culcate.—l have the honou r to be, Sir, your obedient servant, " M. List, &c. " ROBERT PEEL." SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY.—EIijah is to be per formed at Exeter Hall, on Friday next, under Mendelssohn's di re ction, being the last time it can be performed before he l eav es England. Staudigl will, on the occasion, support his original character of Elijah. 'MR. MACREADY'S RE-APPEARANCE AT THE PniNcEss's.—lt is said that Mr. Maddox, the lessee of the Princess's Theatre, has offered Mr. Macready an engagement for twenty weeks of the next seastat, at 100 guin eas p er week. His perfor mance to be three times a week at stipu lated intervals.— Observer. EXTRAORDINARY CASE.--A long investigation took place before W. C Irter, Esq., the coroner for Surrey, at the Guildford Barge, Belvidere-road, Westminster-bridge, as to the d ea th of John Peterbr aged 58, who was alleged b • hidge, by w ile to have been seriously injured by mesmeric influence un d er most extraordinary and novel circumstances. l.t turned out, however, from the evidence of Dr. Aldie, of the Surrey Dispensary, that the deceased died from the combined I effects of dropsy and coasumption, V er di c t, " Natural death," 3 0 j ° c1 , e her ° of ttal i° e n at o lierjsited 4 / , AlO - :01 So c . i r c hs , l fCl l ea 0) . Of 10 ;. pr o ,let li r * V e fih °l6 0 1 1 ° 0 00 1 100 e $ it• D tor , o ope pe rti P too elf. d on' jot ., y id , of i • i o toco - m io I I°. tions. and sufficiently neat not to mar the appearance of the letterpress. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen held a Privy Council at three o' clock on Saturday afternoon, at I3uckingham Palace. It was attended by his Royal Highness Prince Albert, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord President ; Lord Cotten ham, Lord Chancellor ; Lord John Russell, First Lord of the Treasury ; Sir George Grey, Secretary of State for the Home Department ; Viscount Palmerston, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs ; Earl Grey, Secretary ef State for the Colonial Department ; Sir Charles Wood, Chancellor of the Exchequer ; the Earl of Auckland, First Lord of the Admiralty ; the Earl of Clarendon, President of the Board of Trade ; the Mar quis of Clanricarde, Postmaster-General , Lord Camp bell, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster ; Earl Spencer, Lord Ch amberlain ; and the Duke of Norfolk, Master of the Horse. The Hon. William Bathurst was the Clerk of the Council in Waiting. The Queen gave audiences to Earl Spencer, th® Mar quis of Lansdowne, and Lord John Russell. The Court was attended by the Marquis of Anglesey, Gold Stick in Waiting; the Eal of Morton, Lord in Waiting; Lord Marcus Hill, Comptroller of the House hold, and Major the Hon. Robert Boyle, Groom in Waiting. Her Majesty and Prince Albert rode out on horse back on Saturday, attended by the Equeries i n Waitin g' , Major •General Wemyss and Captain the Hon. A. 11. Gordon. Their Royal Highnesses Prince Alfred and the Princess Alice, accompanied by the Dowager Lady Lyt telton took an airing on Saturday, in an open carriage and four. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal took their accustomed exercise in the Royal Gardens on Saturday. The Royal children took their usual airings yesterday. Her Majesty and Prince Albert, attended by the Countess of Charlemont, Hon. 11Iiss Kerr, Hon. Miss Cavendish, Earl of Morton, and Major-General Wemyss, honoured the performance of the Royal Italian Opera with their presence on Saturday evening. Yesterday was the birthday of her Royal Highness the Princess Alice. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent arrived early at Buckingham Palace, to pay a visit of congratu lation the Queen and Prince Albert. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge also paid a congratulatory visit to her Majesty and her Royal Consort. The Queen and Prince Albert, the Ladies and Gen tlemen of the Court, and the domestic household, at tended Divine.aervice yesterday in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace. The Hon. and Rev. C. Leslie Courtenay officiated. Yesterday was the Birthday of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester. Her Majesty and Prince Albert, accompanied by the Princess Alice, paid a visit of congratulation to her Royal Highness at Gloucester House. The Royal Duchess also received visits of con gratulation from Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar. During the day, many of the nobility and gentry called at Gloucester House, and left their names for her Royal Highness. The arrival of his Royal Highness the reigning Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, who was expected yesterday at Marlborough House, has been delayed for a few days. Her Majesty the Queen Dowager and her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent attended Divine service yesterday, in the Chapel Royal St. James's The Prayers were read by the Rev. Dr. Wesley, and the Lessons by the Rev. W. Hall. The Sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Wesley. The anthem was " The Lord is King " (Arnold). Frances Lady Clinton and the Earl Howe were in waiting on the Queen Dowager, and Lady Augusta Bruce on the Duchess of Kent. The Duchesses of Beau fort and Sutherland, Ladies St. Germans and Palmer ston, the Duke of Beaufort, the Marquises of Anglesey, Headfort, and Northampton, Lords Cawdor, St. Ger mans, Evelyn, Norreys, Palmerston, and Castlereagh, were among the nobility present.. The Duke of Wellington attended the early service in the Chapel Royal, St. James's, yesterday. The Rev. Dr. Wesley officiated, and preached the sermon. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited the Queen Dowager yesterday, at Marlborough House. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary, attended by Baroness Hammerstein, Baron Knesebeck, and Mr. Edmond Mild may, honoured her Majesty's Theatre with their pre sence on Saturday evening. A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday afternoon at the Foreign Office. It was attended by Lord John Russell, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Minto, Sir George Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Earl of Auckland, Lord Campbell, Sir John Hobhouse, Viscount Morpeth, the Earl of Clarendon, the Right Hon. T. B. Macaulay, and the Right Hon. H. Labouchere. The Council sat two hours. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. L'Elisir d'Amore was repeated here on Saturday. Lablache as Doctor Dulcamara in L'Eltsir d'Amore was as glorious as ever ; Castellan, who was in excellent voice, sang and acted bewitchingly, and Gardoni as Nemorino, sang the music most sweetly, and looked and acted the lover to the life. his Una fertiva Lagrima is one of the most exquisite gems of the lyrical drama. In the ballet department we had the magnificent Divertissement from Lalla Rookb, with Cerito and St. Leon ; and the ballet of Coralia with Carolina Rosati and Marie Taglioni. The house was crowded. Amongst the company who honoured the theatre with their pre sence we observed their Royal' Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and the Princess Mary, attended by the Baroness Hammerstein, Major Stephens, and Mr. E. H. St. John Mildmay, his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar, Viscount and Viscountess Barrington, and the Hon. Miss Barrington, and th e H on . Mi s s Mitchell, occup ie d her Majesty the Queen Dowa er's box. T here were also g present Mr. Ge orge Ed sard an d the Hon. Mrs Ans on, and Mr. and L a d y A nne Ch a rteris (in her M a j est y 's box). the Prince Louis Napoleon, the Duke and Duchess of Cleveland, his Excellency the Russian Minister, the Baroness Brunnow and Madlle. Olga de Lechner, the Marchioness of Douro, the Marquis of Donegal, the Marquis of Huntley, the Marquis of Granby, the Mar quis of Clanricarde, the Earl of Cardigan, the Earl of Munster, the Earl of Lonsdale, the Earl of Belfast, Viscount Somerton, Lord Berwick , V iscountess Dillon and the Hon. Miss es Dillon, Lord Gardner, Lord Mac donald, Lord Charles Wellesley, Lord and Lady Wil loughby D'Ereab37, and the Hon. W. D'Eresby, Lord and Lady Col c h ester, Lord B roug ham, the Baron Rehau• sen, the Count d e Courcy, Lady Graha m, Lad y Meux, Lady Fitzroy Somerset and Miss Fitzroy Somerset, Sir H. Willoughb y, de Burgh, the C ount de K ou d r i a ffsky, Air. W. W. Wil liams, Mr. and M rs. Ph i ll i ps, Mr. and Mrs. Mort o p , Captain Reynolds, Captain Smith, Mr. C on y n g ham, Mr. Stuart, M.P., Mr. and and Mrs. Hod gson , Mrs , p ke Reding, Mr. H a y ter, &c. &c. packe ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN. Rossini's L' Italiana in Alyicri was produced here on Saturday, with an entirely ne w cast, comprising Mdlle. Alboni as Isab e ll a , Marini as the Bey, Revere as Taddeo, and Salvi as Lindero. Mdlle. Alboni has added to her fame by her personation of Isabella. Her ren dering of the music was exceedingly brilliant, and, better than all, exceedingly correct. Her rendering of the celebrated aria " Pensa alla Patria," was perfect, and richly merited the applause with which it was received. The Lindero of Salvi is not equal to his Edgardo. Either he was labouring under indisposition on Saturday, or his voice is deficient in power. Ile gave snatches of the music beautifully, but occasionally there was manifested a want of power of execution to carry out his conception. He seemed to be at times exhausted. Marini is a good, steady bass singer with a powerful voice, and a p erfect knowledge of music, and although in the Pa pareari he approached not near to the rich and unctions humour of Lablache (who can approach the unapproachable), yet, in his ren dering of the bye part of this celebrated quartette, there was a grave stolidity that told well. Rovere was the Taddeo, 1111 and R9vere is in all points the perfect conventional Italian Buffo. We can imagine the roars of laughter and applause, the furore of delight which Rovere would excite among an Italian audience, but every low come dian, and the buffo is the low comedian of Italy, while he en j o y s a greater popularity ameng his countrymen than other artistes, seldom succeeds in making himself understood by a foreign audience. The French, for in stance, were delighted with Charles Kemble, with Kean, with Macready, but they could not understand Liston, and were lost in astonishment at . the roars of laughter understood the Italian which he exc ited amon g the E nglish portion of the a udience. So w ith Rever e last evening. Those gre at proportion of the audie nce , they could not un derstand the fu n. Now this is easil y accounted for. The fun of the buffo actor_ is generally l oca l fun—understood a nd appreciated , and enjoyed with a zest incomprehen sible to strangers, by those who ar e h a bi tuated to the f conversat i on alities of the place. ew l i ° g hn h oT te n d ht , iaud n bi a ti beenet s h e °actinglfn tea :o find drama, were de r was caviare to a e But remove him to another audience _ _ unaccustomed t o hi s pecul i ar h umou r, and he would have to educate them to his man ner, and himself to their ideas o f f un, b e f or3 h e caa hope for success. This is the case with Rovere. lie i s certainly a most accomplished Italian buffo, but that is not enough with a foreign audience, because they do not unde:stand Italian con ventionalities, and in order to attain that position to which his talents entitle him, he must endeavour to become more cosmopolitan in his humour, and his audience must, at the ame time, becoe more talian in theirs. If Bever° performs his part m I of this arrange ill thereby teach his audience theirs, and tent, he w w ill be deservedly as great a favourite here as then he he is in his own country. The principal artistes were all called for at the conclusion. The new ballet, La Heine des Fees, concluded the evening's entertainments. Her Majesty and Prince Albert were present. Among the donations to the Drury-lane Theatrical Fund, on Friday evening, was one of 501. from the Duke of Bedford, and one of 101. 10s. from B. Bond Cabbell, Esq., M.P. DRURY-LANE THEATRE. MORNING PERFORM ANCE of " TIIE DxsEirr."—Considerable curiosity is excited by this announcement, more especially as it is generally un derstood that her Majesty intends bringing the Prince of Wales. and his eldest brother and sister, to see this grand spec t ac le. No doubt the children of most of the nobility will be present on the occasion to Witness this interesting en tertainment. Lord and Lady Algernon St. Maur have arrived in Upper ggdepatreeto fr9m bi 41404 Dracllo7. THE “EDINBURGH REVIEW" AND SIR FRANCIS HEAD. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—As the conduct or misconduct of a public servant has always been considered by the British press as a subject worthy of fair investigation, I request that you will do me the justice to insert the following brief exposure of some ac cusations which have lately appeared against me in a public journal. In the number of the Edinburgh Review which has just been published, it i 3 stated, that on Sir F. Head's retiring from the administration of the Government of Upper Canada, he " determined on traversing the United States in disguise; ' and "that having reached the town of Waterton, in the cha racter of servant to Judge Jones, he chose to overact his humble part so grossly as to excite suspicion, and conse quently provoke recognition." In reply to the above, I deliberately declare that, on my arrival at Waterton, as well as throughout the whole of the journey alluded to, my face was uncovered, that I was dressed in the blue cloak I had always worn at Toronto, un derneath which I wore my usual travelling dress. During this journey Judge Jones openly and undisguiscdly treated me with the attention he had invariably shown me at Toronto; and I pledge myself that, if appealed to, Judge Jones, who is now at Toronto, will certify that the assertions in the Edinburgh Review, that I travelled in disguise, and as his servant, are, in every particular, untrue. Having refuted an . allegation which I trust every man of honour will feel it was due to my character to contradict, I will now briefly expose a few other misstatements of minor importance, which I certainly should not otherwise have noticed. 1. It is stated in the Edinburgh Review, page 373. that " Sir F. Head now took a step which subjected him, and we think justly, to the loudest censure from the citizens of Toronto. He sent his own family on board a steamer in the Lake. Now, though no one will be very hard on him for showing such affection for his family, it must be recollected that the other families in Toronto had no such means of refuge." The truth of the story is as follows :—On leaving Govern ment House, on the night of the rebellion, to take up my position in the market-place, I conducted my family to the house of her Majesty's Solicitor-General, where they re mained the whole night. On the afternoon of the next day, the present Bishop of Toronto recommended several families to go on board two steamers, which were not in the Lake, but lying moored in the harbour. They did so ; and Lady Head and my daughter sharing equally with them the accommodation, remained on board one of these two crowded vessels until the Mayor of Toronto, accompanied by several of the principal citizens, far from entertaining the feelings described, came alongside to congratulate them " loudly" on the defeat of the rebels. The Bishop of Toronto, and the principal families residing in that city, if appealed to, will, I am sure, certify that the above statement is correct ; and that the assertion in the Edinburgh Review, that " the other families in Toronto had no such means of refuge" as I procured for my own, is perfectly untrue. Besides which, independent of my own personal feelings, I surely need hardly observe what political importance would have been attached by the rebels to the capture by them of any member of my family. 2. It is stated in the Edinburgh Review, page 363, and sub sequently reiterated, that Sir Robert Peel " repelled all Sir Francis Head's attempts at intimacy," " nor would he take any step in the way of giving Sir Francis that reward for his services which the latter most urgently pressed on him." The facts of this case are as follow :—On my return from Canada I was living in Warwickshire, in my usual retire ment, when Sir Robert Peel did me the honour to call upon me ; and, at his invitation, I twice spent a few days at Dray ton. This alight acquaintance, however, sickened and died in consequence, I suppose, of my having opposed the Parlia mentary course which Sir Robert Peel telt it his e uty to take with respect to the Canada Union Bill. After he had been Prime Minister upwards of a year, I, one day, briefly mentioned to him that as, at the request of the Government, I had given up a permanent appointment to go to Canada, as I bad received, during the present reign, no acknowledgment whatever, pecuniary or honorary, for the part I had taken in suppressing the rebellion in Canada, as well as in repelling the invasion of the Americans, and as a long list of officers who had served under me had been re. warded, I conceived I had some claim upon the country. In reply to which, Sir Robert Peel very courteously recom mended me to put my ease into writing and to address it to her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies. I never did so—never again troubled Sir Robert Peel with any request for myself, and never, either before or after wards, asked anything from Lord Stanley. If these gentle men be appealed to, they will, I feel confident, declare that the assertions of the Edinburgh Review, as above quoted, are incorrect. 3. It is stated in the Edinburgh Review, page 369 " For the information of readers at home, it may be as well that we should give a succinct narrative of the circumstances that attended M'Kenzie's attack on Toronto. Our know ledge of such facts as are net taken from the official accounts has been derived from written statements given to us by Colonel F." For about eight pages these " statements" are quoted at tedious length, in order to blame me in every possible way for not having attacked Mr. liPlienzie, &c„ &c., &c., accord ing to the advice of this officer. It is, therefore, necessary that I should disabuse the public by reluctantly stating, what is perfectly well known throughout Upper Canada, namely, that the gallant militia Colonel in question, from excessive zeal and loyalty, gradually became so excited that on the day after the defeat of the rebels it was necessary to place him under medical treatment ; that during his illness I in vain endeavoured, by every possible act of personal kindness, to remove trom his mind a strange idea that I was his enemy ; and that although he eventually recovered, this idea conti nued to haunt him so incessantly that when, a year after wards, on his visiting England, I was from feelings of regard about to call upon him, I was earnestly warned by a Cana dian now at Toronto not to do so. Now is it creditable that under such circumstances the " written statements" and opinions of this brave and worthy individual should have been selected as the foundation of an elaborate attack upon me ? 4. It is stated in the Edinburgh Review, page 382, " Tbat having quarrelled with Colonel F. and every independent person who had once acted under him—have disgusted the old officers of the army and navy by ordering them to serve as privates under the lawyers and merchants' clerks of Toronto, Sir F. Head was '!ntirely in the hands of the family compact.' Commissions in the militia were given to every relation and hanger-on of the principal members of the Go vernment. One regiment is said to have been entirely offi cered by persons of the same family name. Pmfitable con tracts enriched others of the favoured connexion." Now, I never for a moment quarrelled with Colonel F. On the contrary, on my arrival in Dowliing•street front Canada I respectfully, but most earnestly, urged Lord Glenelg to reward him ; and, as regards the rest of the charge, I feel confident that if appealed to, the old officers of the army and navy, as well as the Adjutant-General of the militia of Upper Canada, who was officially cognisant of every appoint ment, will certify that the above assertions in the 'Edinburgh Review, especially that relating to a regiment having been entirely officered by persons of the same family name, are a series of untruths. Now, it will naturally be asked, " From what source has the Edinburgh Review ventured to assail the character of a retired public servant by a series of such unfounded asser tions?" The writer of these calumnies solves this mystery himself. After, in page 351, describing. the ringleaders of the rebels as " the popular leaders," and the gallant men who defeated them as "the illiberal party," he says (see pa.;e 380), "the American Sutherland, who was one of the leaders of the ex pedition to Navy Island, when subsequently a prisoner at Quebec, gave the writer of this article the following account of the affair of Navy Island, of which, as misrepresentation could not in any way serve him, there is no reason to doubt the correctness. In all its main points it was exactly corro borated by a statement which an informant of ours received from Van Ransalaer, Sutherland, and about twenty-three others." Now, Sutherland I committed to gaol at Toronto before " the writer of this article" visited him when under sentence 1 of transportation; " he was a prisoner at Quebec," and Van Ransalaer for nearly a year had been lying in the gaol of Albany, in the United States! How many of the " twenty-three other persons" whom " the writer of this article" cites in evidence against me were convicted traitors whose projects I had defeated and whose prospects I had ruined, he has not deemed it advisable to state. He only informs us that as they " exactly corrobo rated" the statements of Van Ransalaer and Sutherland, "there is no reason to doubt the correctness." In the strange admixture of impersonal testimony, of ano nymous witnesses, of evidence collected from gaols, of special pleading, and of total disregard of truth and decenc y which characterise the article before us, the British public will, no doubt, at once recognise the old materials of that unfortu nate mass, or rather mess, of mis-statements, commonly called "Lord Durham's Iteport."—l am, Sir, your obedient servant, HEAD. Athenaeum, April 24, 1847. S 23 BRISTOL CIGAR MARKET, —We have _PAIL • no new features to notice in our sugar-market, wine con tinues e xtremely dull, and prices are a g ain lower . — Bri stol Mercury. THE SMITHFIELD NITISANCE.—Mr. Ormsby Gore gave notice on Friday that he would nominate on Tuesday the following members on the Select Committee respecting Smithfield Market. It will be seen that the city interests have been particularly consulted in the selection of Mr. W. B. Baring, Mr. Thomas Baring, Alderman Copeland, and Mr. Mastcrman. The following is a list of the proposed committee: —Mr. Ormsby Gore, the Right Hon. Viscount Morpeth, Viscount Mahon, Lord Seymour, the Right Hon. W. B. Baring, Right lion. Sidney lierbert, Hon. Eliot T. Yorke, Mr. Thomas Baring, Mr. Bramston, Mr. Burroughes, Alderman Copeland, Mr. Beckett Denison, Mr. Dlasterman, Mr. W. Miles, and Mr. A. Stafford O'Brien. SINGULAR AFFAIR IN HIGH LIFE.--On Satur day information was received at the head station of the D or Maryleboae division, in Marylebone-lane, and was from thence circulated throughout the different divisions of both the Metropolitan and City police, of the following singular d imposition and robbery having been committed uponladla y of rank residing at the West-end :—The name of the or her title has not been permitted publicly to transpiraev,boauittv,hoe particulars circulated by the police state, that I before, foren oou b tawieserielutolii hours Frenchman, ia s o h f i o e u l e a l'e ly n ... a d V ss twelve ed, d o o v a ' e ct i r a n c tl a t b e d a of the noble owner's to porarythe doorabse absence e a rfernsiltniehnocemienl;,)tre=gaz u y r ng tli e representingteni to the servant that he came from a friend residing h E t a i t i Eaton-square, n l - a z! obtaining as h his a a l l r z in terview daorfe'thheeisiouucsceeed hiant object in doing an, or what took place at the interview, has the lady with a gold watch-key not been made publicly known, beyondla,lyto him , th d e el f i a v c e t r ttoh two b\ so me means or other ind uced go ld w atches, a gold guard - attached, and a sha wl of the value of upwards of 501., with also 15/. in money. the lady receiving from him in exchangf an enamelled gold watch, warranted perfect, and a gold chain and key, very inferior articles, and of trilling value ; after which he politely bowed himself out of the house. The Frenchman is described as being about five feet seven or eight inches high, from 35 to 40 years of age, of florid complexion, can speak several languages. and is of very plausible manners. He gave the name of Manley to the servant who attended him when he entered the house, but to the lady he signed it "F. Delan." The police are aware that an individual an swering the description recently obtained 201. from a Spanish gentleman by a similar trick. DEATH OF LADY ALICIA GORDON.—We have to announce the demise of the above lady, which took place on Saturday morning, at her residence inllertford-street, May fair. filer ladyship was born in 1788, and was only daughter of the late, and sister of the present, Earl of Aberdeen. The deceased lady was for many years Lady of the Bedchamber to her late Royal Highness the Princess Sophia Matilda. Mr. Greg, and a deputation, had an interview D with Sir George Grey, on Saturday. The Ea rl of ptevon had also an interview with the Right Hon. Baronet. A deputation from Rochdale. consistitiorfm'l'Vanir.oSfhtahr; man Crawford. Mr. Thomas Livosey Wi Grr ( e c vn la at u ( r c d l 3r,k , board of guardians), and Mr. William Roo its had an interview with Sir George w the Lime Office, SPORTING INTELLIGENCE CHESTER RACES. The following horses, besides many others, were expected to reach Chester by Sunday evening : - Al ival, the Dart, T'Auld - Squire, Jovial, Elemi, Lord George, Gwalior, Lord Saltoun, Inheritress, Annandale, the Emerald Isle, th e M agnet , M ac ki e, Godfrey, Pinkedkindess, Poynton, Delorai ne , S t . L eon, S usanna h, T r ib ute , Phili p , Abdi e l, Pre mier (3 yrs o ld), Sir Martin, Vanish, Kismet, the Stinger, Burlesque, Claribal, the Cur, Sweetmeat, Miles's Boy, Moonlight, Princess Alice, the Lamb, Beverlace, Miss Norton, Restoration, Curb-Chain, St. Lawrence, So Nice, Farthing Candle, Miss Burns, Mendicant, Bourton, Adminis trator, Chertsey, Lady Mary, Blontpensier, Camera Obscure, Winchester, Sagacity, Swallow, Nerissa, Plaudit, Dulcet, Watchdog, Queen of the Tyne, Banana, Arthur, Sylvanus, Emigrant, Maid of Lyme, Pal, Mermaid, Flahow. lagb, Clermont, Mickey Free, Horn of Chase, Erin-go-bragb, five or six of Lord Chesterfield's, &c. The Assembly•room at the Royal Hotel will be opened as a Subscription Betting Room during the races, and for this purpose will be found one of the most convenient in the kingdom. The course, which has been much improved since last year, is represented to be in good order, and the meeting, should the weather continue favourable, promises to be a brilliant one LATEST BETTING AT TIIE WEST END. CHESTER CUP. 7 to 1 agst Dulcet 20 to 1 agst Clermont—taken 7to 1 agst Al endicant I and aft. off. 12 to 1 agst The Lamb—taken'A to 1 agst Erin-go-Bragh—t and aft. oft'. 25 to 1 agst St. Laurence 18 to 1 agst Newcourt—taken 25 to 1 agst Mickey Free 20 to 1 agst Camera Obscura 25 to 1 agst Inheritress 25 to 1 agst Annandale Tim CHESTER Cur DAY.—Some misconception hating arisen with regard to a proposed special train from . the Euston-square station to Chester on the Cup d a y , it will be as well to mention that nothing has yet been determined should the directors resolve on starting one, it will in all probability leave at six in the morning. DURHAM RACES.—FEIDAY. _ _ The Two Tears 6ld Stakes of 10 guineas each, with 20 sous. added ; colts, Bst 31b ; and fillies, Bst. Three quarters of a mile. (4 Subs.) Mr. B. Green's Miss Margrave .(W. Oates) 1 Mr. R. Hesseltine's Doll .. . 2 Captain Boyd'a Sybil Captain Pott's Jea10u5y........ 4 Von by half a length. The Cup Stakes of 10 guineas each, 3 yrs old, 6st 10Ib ; 4 yrs, Bst 31b ; byra, Bst JOlb; 6 yr, and aged, 9st ; mares and ... geldings allowed 31bs. Two miles. (5 Subs.) Mr. Ewbank's Louisa Newsll, 3 yrs (Longstaff) 0 1 Mr. W. Cranston's Comme it fent, 3 yrs 0 2 Mr. Bell's Quadruped, 4 yrs Mr. Jaques's Nell Cook, 4 yrs Mr. Johnstone's Calista, 4 yrs 6to 4 agst Louisa and 6to 4 agst Comme it Faut. A fine race ended in a dead heat between the favourite. Deciding heat.—Even betting. Won on the post by a head. The Selling Stakes of 3 sous. each; p p, with 25 added ; 3 • yrs old, Bst ; 4 yrs, 9st; 5 yrs, 9st 6lb ; &c. Heats, one mile and a quarter. Mr. Ewbank's The Helmsman, 5 yrs ...... (Bumby) 0 1 1 Mr. Jaques's Nell Cook, 4 yrs, 6st 111 b.. Mr. Spearman nd bf, by Inheritor,4 yrs. sst 111 b 3 2 3 Mr. Dawson's Pleasure Trip, 4 yrs, Est 111 b Mr. Dawson's Tribute, 3 yrs, 6 st. Mr. Kitching's Lucy, 5 yrs, 7 st 10 Ib 0 dr Three well contested heats. (RECEIVED THIS DAY.) CHESTER, SUNDAY Evstinta. Arrivals since our last :—Evenus, Jolly Beggar, Master Downes, Pantasa, Morocco, Dipthong, Mermaid, Glen Sad dell, Naworth, Buckstone, Patriot, Tom Tough, Rowland. Bruce, Cheapside, Bannockburn, Lady Lurewell, Enchantress. Sir Tatton Sykes, Regalia, Pam, gi ewcourt, Ladv Wildair, Woodpecker, Clumsy, Jenny Wren, Cherry, Headsman. Agnes, Fair Rosamond, Pic Nic, Wolfdog, Infringe, Golden Bee, Spithead, Elizabeth Sharston, Hooton, Osprey, Mar low, Foreclosure, Free Lance, Alliance, Trojan, June, Brown Fly, Yellow Rose, Smuggler Bill, Hawkstone, Congress. Arachne filly, Tommy Moore, c by Tory Boy out of Mamsel Otz.—No betting. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—The most important race of the year, that for the Derby Stakes, will, ere another month is sped, be recorded in the annals of the past, and one of the strangest Derbies on record, with all its ups and downs, will be irrevocably settled. Consequent upon this, it is quite time I divided the " corn from the chaff," we having passed through two of the three great tests, in the shape of the Craven and First Spring Meetings at Newmarket, by which we analyse the merits of the Derby nags; the remaining test, the Dee Stakes, will be settled during the present week at Chester, after which I shall be able to give my final opinion on the " great card" of 1847. That division of the nominations which have either directly or indirectly received their quietus in going through the " two tests," are out of training, or known as non-starters, or, if starting, without the ghost of a chance, are the following, viz.—lngoldsby, Don Caesar, Seducer, Jesuit, Lazarillo, Jack Musters, Spem Gregis, Black Satin, Rehearsal, The Questionable, Abyssinian, Eger, Gabbier, Villiers, Crozier, Sloth Coulternil, Severus, His Serene Highness, Seljuck, Luxor, King of Morven, Projectile, Lord George, Jemala, Jolly Dick, Cottisford, Bedlam, Saddlevvorth, Tim Whiffler, Premier, Papa, Allertonian, Dromedary, Bedouin, Legatee, M‘Grk gor, Tartar, Silver Eel, Resolution, Themis, Va lance, Toga, Marmora and Mantle colts, Voronetz, colt by Harkaway, George Barnwell, The Precocious Youth, Crassus, Rauthos, Caps, The Queen, Miss Bacon, Mir millo, Verres, Heart of Oak, Siege of Troy, Buckskin, Tantivy, Weebit, Bellerophon, Atlantic, Timonr, Ray ner, Sir Walter Scott, Tom Fool, Sir Martin, Johnnie Armstrong, Bit Nibble, All tatter'd-and-torn, Hard Bar gain, Whetstone, Typhon, Deloraine, Daring, Shawn Buidhee, Para Shastha, Redwing, colt by The Saddler, Mangosteen, Fickle colt, Retort colt, filly by The Sad dler, Sister to Cobwtb colt, Lancer, Wildboy, Old Eng lish Gentleman, King of Naples, Oregon, Veneer, Wolverton, View I follow, Mold,. colt, Outpost, Vampire, Rob ltynd, Meaux, Cutaway, Broadsword, Hornet, Ab• did, Bowstring. Socrates, Hemsley, Brodie, Bt.ndigo, Dubiin colt, Marpessus, Mr. Newman, Little Muley, Eldon, Sir Peter Laurie, Clarendon, Pl.ae`nis, The Riever, Tallt ho, Derildes, Sagamcre, colt by the Pro vos', Morak; Dor, and Fannus; leaving sixty from which to pick the winner. This lot I will sift next Mon day. I cannot help remarking, en passant, that Day's this year is by far the most formidable lot, and that Rent's string, so pelted and poked through the winter, is all moonshine. The success which has attended all my prognostications this year still stands by me; for I not only foretold the winner of the " Two Thousand," but placed the first and second correct for the " One Thousand," and should, in all probability, have been (queen> , successful in the New market Stakes, had not Epirute suddenly fell amiss. As I predicted, War Earle was second, and received his quietus, so far as his Derby chance is concerned. Cos sack won easily, and added another sprig to the Dane bury wreath. This race, as a contemporary states, was the truest run this year; and the winner (mark my words) will be John Day's Derby horse. The annual sport on the R')oileie at Chester begins at half-past one en Tuesday, will the Grosvenor Stakes, which must be won either by Pantasa or Burlesque. The Chesterfield Stakes, for three yrs old, will have ten starters; most probably the following animals:— Aliwal, St. Leon, Juvi..l, Sagacity, Premier, Watchdog, Ahdiel, Lady Lurewell, Moonlight, and Susanna. Of these, Aliwal, Watchdog, Lady Lurewell, and Susanna, will form the front rank at the stand; Susanna ot Watch dog finally winning, with nothing to spare. A Sweepstakes of 25 sovs. each, for two yrs old, will have an Enchantress among the field, also Lucy Ashton, Glen Saddel (a very fine cult), Buckstonc, The Stinger, and Boyerlac; and the public may look out for a stinger in Colonel Anson's colt or Enchantress; Beverlac being close up. A Sweepstakes of 5 sovs. each will be won by Butter ton or I{awkestone. On Wednesday the good old town of Chester will be disturbed from its wonted propriety by an influx of the London and Manchester divisions of the sporting fra ternity, for the express purpose of witnessing the ex citing struggle for the " Coop," as the natives term the " Tradesmen's Plate." The field for this race 7111 be composed of the following with but few deductions or additions, viz at lb st lb Sweetmeat, 5 yrs 'Sir Tatton Sykes, 4 yrs 8 11 Flahowlsgh, 5 yrs Inheritress, aged......... 8 8 'Clumsy, 5 yrs .. Dulcet, 5 yrs ... 8 81 Chertsey, 5 yrs . ..• ••• 6 1 2 Mendicant, 4 yrs ...... 8 o,*Cawrouch, 4 yrs ... 6 1 2 Annandale, 5 yrs I - St. Lawrence, aged 7 101 Emigrant, aged Neweourt, aged ...... ... 7 10*The Magnet, 5 yrs 6 7 Queen of Tyne, aged ... 7 9\ Sylvanus, 5 yrs Lady Wildair, 5 yrs ... 7 8' Farthing Candle, 4 yrs 6 2 Arthur, 5 y rs ... 7 7 Camera Obscura, 4 yrs 6 0 Fitzallen, 5 yrs Princess Alice, 4 yrs *Lord Saltoun, 6 yrs 7si The Lamb, 4 yrs ... 6 0 Mickey Free, 6 yrs 73, Chatterbox, 4 yrs *Ratcliffe, 6 yrs 7 3*Regalia, 4 yrs 5 8 Pal, 4 yrs .. ... 7 2 Banana, 4 yrs 5 7 4 11 7 0 Sir Martin, 3 yrs... Plaudit, 5 yrs b f 1 sta ters with an asterisk e dou t u r . awirei;gfhrtosm, f rom the feather weights, Sir 'Marian Woodpecker, 554,13,3:r yrs 6 7 13 0 C E i m er e m ra o i n d t ao: e y x r ! ... 3 . - . r . s . 4 4 4 9 Those marked I select middle Sa x i ze l e e t weights, t , A n n l a i n a d g a n l e e t , IN ith these, I think I can pull Martin and Clermont. aa From nndd cLa t a h rod e ye r h a e li a or v i through, and shall not be at all surprised should the race come olf thus—Sweetmeat first, Sir Martin Rand, and b id- scorn; and ~ Clermont third. Her Majesty's Plate will find its way into the pocket of Sir C. C(;ekerell with Congress. On Thursday Wolfdog will he Premier for the Dee Stand Cup, w ith Aliwal and Bannockburn near the mark. The Dee Stakes will bring a few Derby and Oaks pets to the post, including llontpensier, Neriasa, Miles's Boy, and perhaps the Horn of Chase and Wanota. The best of this lot, in my opinion, is Montpensier; with him and Mr. Pedley's I'll s t an d to w i n .—l am , Si r , &c. \ April 26. THE SPIRIT OF THE TURF. te KING'S COLLEGE.—Saturday afternoon the annual distribution of prizes took place in the medical department of this institution. His Royal highness the Duke of Cam bridge, the Earl of Elelim, the Bishop of Landon, the Bishop of Winchester, the Rev. Dr. Sheppard, and the Rev. Dr. Jelf, Principal of the College, were present. 1 The Bishop of London presided. A report was read, which gave a most encouraging view of the prosperous state of the school. A number of prizes were then given to those students who had made the greatest protlciency in their various departments of medical study, and a vote of thanks 1 being given to the Right Hon. Chairman, on the motion of the Duke of Cambridge, the meeting separated. APPROACHING MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE —We understand that a marriage is immediately to take place be tween the Lady Alexandrina Vane, the highly accomplished daughter of the Marquis and Marshioness of Londonderry. and the Earl of Portarlington, whose recent acccession to the extensive family property in England and the sister king dom will he fresh in the recollection of our readers. THE TELEscoric FUNNEL.—We u nderstand that the telescopic funnel adopted in the Sidon, Blenheim. and other ships, is the invention of our talented townarnan, Mr William Halls, professor of dancing, son of Captain Halls, R.M. We hear that the same gentleman has invented a percussion fuze, which will secure the bursting of a stiell the acisigig it waits tie (4ect,...gamphi, zhvra,,k. 11kive (Mr. 10 11 3' him rived, elore ,s, e dill V th e ;411 onl e6 Ko° l° as Dior iatiOr l str st• ,IV°1" e Of 11; u nw. A il l o old Ig 0014. o thi° 0 4 Dills yr s , w I orko! •ro.- the 5- in e• A b e Sri ;