The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-03 00:00:00

YEAR AFTER YEAR IS PASSING. YEAR after year is passing On swift but silent wing, Yet every breath their pinions' wake, A shade is sure to fling, Which darkly falls upon the heart, As o'er the lake's calm breast A shadowy pall is thrown, when wake The zephyrs from their rest. Year after year is passing— Our friends—oh ! where are they ? 'Their vacant places at the board Tell they have passed away ! How many a smile lit up the earth, A few brief seasons flown! How thin the closing circle now ! Where have the members gone? Year after year is passing— How changed the heart is now ! Far deeper lines are written there, Than gather on the broW; And thought grows burdening to the mind, Thougn words more few become— Oh for the happy tone and smile That lit our childhood's home! Year after yvar is passing On swift but silent wing, Yet every breath their pinions' wake, A shade is sure to fling. And darker will the shadows fall, As roll the seasons by ; Till, gathering thick, death's gloomy pall On every heart will lie. REVIEWS OF BOOKS. Saunter?lugs in and about London. By Max Schlesinger. The English Edition by Otto Wenckstern. London : Nathaniel Cooke. The, volume before us is a very readable one, and it abounds in such pictures of the metropolis and its vicinity as have, in reality, a claim to be ranked among our national peculiarities. On its title-page it is adorned with two patronymics un questionably Teutonic in their origin, although, judging from the style of the book, we incline to the belief that, like Garrick's farce, " 'Tis English, English, sirs, from top to toe," and that the German is merely intended to give a race to a series of sketches clashed off with truth fulness and vigour. At the conclusion of the volume, in a sly, bantering way, one of the corps de plume, Dr. Keif by name, is made to point out the sins of omission, as these are to be experienced in the perusal of the saunterings. In censuring those omissions, he says : " Not a word of your dog and rat fights. Not a word on the manifest incompetency of the majority of your sculptors and painters. Not a syllable of your unequalled musical barbarism. Not a word of the stupendous prosti tution—of the dirt—the dissoluteness —the bestiality, in the lower Thames quarters and the borough. No detailed descriptions of your gin-palaces and sailors' saloons —your learned "professions the intricacies of the law—medicine swamped in charlatanism—the narrow-mindedness of your aristocracy, and the snobism of your middle classes : all these matters are altogether left out." Although it must be admitted that some over expenditure of sarcasm is evinced in the above catalogue of omissions, it cannot be denied that, in not a few of the instances, the hits are well planted. The author of these " sauntering,s," if sensitively alive to the plague-spots whose appearance indicate the direful nature of our social maladies, is also conversant with those healthier indications which mark the vigour of our moral and mental consti tution., Take the following remarks on the relative positions of the court, and popular circles in Eng land and France. PUBLIC MORALITY IN ENGLAND AND IN PRANCE. " We are now in Downing-street ; and, however gloomy the appearance of that street may be—perfidious and egotistical as the Downing-street policy may appear to the Continentals—which, by-the-bye, proves its popularity here—we can, at least, say in its favour, that it has, within the last twenty years, been less open to corruption by means of money and female politicians, than was the case on the other side of the channel, in the country of " is gloire," of blue skies and " unutterable somethings." Of course the reunions are less interesting; there is not so wide a margin for intrigue; the ambition of roturiers is kept within the limits of decency; the fair sex, with all its followers and appendages, is confirmed to a narrow sphere of action, and these are the reasons why—just as in other matters—English politics have a more sober, business-like, respectable, and tedious appearance than politics in France. It is really miraculous that, in a country which is governed by a Queen, and one who in herited the crown at an early age, there has never been made mention of Court and other intrigues, which in fluenced the conduct of public affairs. Say it is merely by accident ; say that such accident is partly owing to the ' coldness of the blood which runs in the veins of English women ; or, if you please, think of the olden times, when the women of Whitehall made history in as shameless a manner as any women in the Tuileries or Versailles. No matter ! It has been reserved for the 19th century to create a Woman's Court, which excludes all love intrigues. Such a thing is impossible in France; and if possible, the French would not believe it, nor would they put up with It. A government without female interference, quarrels and corruption ! Monstrous, at least to the French, who, , rather than live under such a Government, would choose to live in an austere Catonian Republic. " The respect for public decency, which in England is sometimes carried to a ridiculous length, is, nevertheless, of great use, for the morality of the Government, corrup tion, indeed, is an important item in English electioneer ing tactics; money and drink are lavished on the voters; but this corruption, however shameless, is confined to the lower classes. Honourable members, who are very pathetic on the neglected education of the people, think very little of treating all the inhabitants of their borough to a preposterous quantity of drink, in order to ensure their re-election. But the corruptors themselves are not so corruptible as the men who for the last ten years—for it is not necessary to go back to an earlier date—held the reins of the government in France. The poor are now stztd then bought in England ; more frequently they are in timidated; but in France—the very French confess it— all are renal, from the highest to the lowest. I am not an admirer of corruption in England ; but I like it better than I do corruption in France. If rottenness there must be, it had better be partial and one-sided, than a general corruption of the body politic. " Certainly the small English boroughs, with their electioneering tactics and venality, are disgusting ; but still there is some difference between the treating and bri bing the peasants and small shopkeepers, and that nauseous corruption of all classes of society, which is so prevalent in France, more particularly since the reign of Louis Philippe. In England the polling days have; from times immemorial, been days of feasting, drinking, and fighting for the lower classes. The want of political cultivation, ignorance of the important questions at issue, the indifference, and, in many instances, the brutality of the lower classes, make it a matter of small moment to them whether the barrel of beer, from which they drink at an election, is the gift of cha rity, or the devil's retaining fee. No hustings without speech ifying—no polling-place without swilling. The witnesses who have been examined by the election committees have generally confessed that the candidate, according " to the old established custom," behaved like a " gentleman" — that he treated the electors to ale and gin, shook hands with them, gave them money, and hired brass bands for their special gratification. A melancholy proof this, of the neglected condition in politics and morals of the lower classes in England. " But far more saddening is the spectacle of corruption which France has exhibited these many years past. It is not the rude and uncultivated mass, which sins from ignorance of its own abandoned condition; corruption there extends its sway over the educated, the learned, the wealthy, the refined. It is the despotism of a cynism of venality, such as the world never saw since the days of the Roman emperors. The French aristocracy, the army, the bour geoise, the church, and the press, are all in the market. Eloquent morality solicits corruption with the most im pudent eagerness, and drives the hardest bargains. In France corruption has become the fashion ; it is the law, the essence of politics, and it has almost become a necessity for the attainment of even honest purposes. The poison pervades all the organs of the body politic; and eversince the commencement of the first revolution, the Frenchnation has been convulsed, and caused convulsions among the neigh bouring nations. But never at any one time —no, not among all her changes—was there a single period, however short, in which personal liberty obtained that respect which it commands in England ? And although this fact is on record, and though it cannot be contradicted, yet there are German admirers of France (the majority of them know nothing of France, except the boulevards of Paris), who believe that the French are the chosen People of liberty, the prophets of the nations, and martyrs for their political salvation. True, the history of France is instructive to those who take a warning from it. True, the French are a chosen people ; indeed, they are chosen to sound the trumpet of war into the ears of the nations. But there never was any fortress save one, which was conquered by the sounding of trumpets—Jericho, in the land and the age of miracles. Singleness of purpose, and honest perseverance, these alone can in our days ensure the victory of great principles. But the sons of France have always been strangers to those two qualities; and the glory which these can give, they have never coveted. They care not for substantial liberty, for it not only gives r i g hts but imposes duties also. Freedom is a treasure which requires the most anxious care ; he who neglects it, loses it. France obtained it three times, and thrice she lost it ; and now the French say again—" Ca ne durera pas." But, it is to be hoped that the phrase will be flung back again, whenever they shall take it into their heads once more to sound the trumpet of alarm to the countries of Europe. " England, with all her political and social blemishes, has at least come to this, that any danger to the personal liberty of her citizens may almost be considered as an absurd impossibility, while the French, are, as yet, so ignorant of the rudiments of national liberty, that they still wish for a strong government ; that is to say, one which centralises all the resources, and absorbs all the powers of the state. The various parties are all agreed on this point ; they differ only with respect to the person who is to preside over this " strong government." The Legitimists vow that that person must be a Bourbon ; the Bonapartists claim the right, as they have established the fact, in favour of a scion of the great Emperor ; and the Republicans are eloquent in praise of ele tiV govern ment ; but every one of these Partisans reserves to himself a large prospective share of the loaves and fishes, which, as all the world knows, are entirely at the disposal of a " strong government." The ambition of free self government, which characterises the English, is altoge ther unknown to the French. Hence they can die for liberty, but they cannot live for it." The length to which our extracts have extended precludes the possibility of devoting much space to commendation of the work ; this we regret the less, as the quotations given will speak more favourably of the style of thought and of expres sion which characterise the volume, than could be conveyed in eulogy, however pointed. The sub jects of remark are varied and happily chosen ; their merits and peculiarities are fairly, as well as freely, discussed ; and the volume, while in dicating with artistic terseness the " Lions of London," and how they may be seen, is also useful in enabling us " To see ourselves as others see us." It is altogether very tastefully got up ; is embel lished by cleverly illustrative designs, cleverly engraved ; and it is published at a remarkably cheap rate. The Works of Apulei us, 4i'c. A New Translation. London : H: G. Bohn. Apuleius, author of " The Golden Ass," which forms the principal portion of the present volume, was an African by birth, and partly, at least, by blood. He was a native of Madaura, an inland town of Africa, and lived about the commence ment of the second century of our era. He was a voluminous writer; a man of varied and pro found learning, an orator, a wit, and a satirist. In point of fact, from what we learn of his history, he was what, in modern parlance, would be styled a " fast man upon town :" his town, however, being a pretty extensive one, embracing as it did a large portion of the oriental empire of Rome. In his Metamorphosis, or Golden Ass, many—and among others, Bishop Warburton—have professed to discover a deeply-considered theological inten tion ; while others, quite as numerous, and of no inferior critical acumen, have failed in per ceiving in it anything be 3 and the cleverly-com pounded conceits of a man of lively imagination, no great purity of taste, and a considerable reek lessness of purpose. The volume before us, which is one of Mr. Bohn's Classical Library, contains, in addition to " The Golden Ass," " The God of Socrates," " The Florida," and Apuleius' cele brated "Defence," or A Discourse on Magic," of the practice of which imaginary crime he was accused. It also contains a metrical version of " Cupid and Psyche," and Mrs. Tighe's "Psyche " It is a handsome volume, and forms a valuable addition to our English translations of classic authors. Boys and their Rulers ; or, What we do at School. London: Nathaniel A lively and amusing brochure, in which the freaks, frolics, enjoyments, struggles, and pas times of school-boy life are vividly delineated. The adventures, narratives, and descriptions, are in a great degree made to turn upon and exhibit the " sayings and doings" at Christ's hospital ;- many interesting particulars connected with the domestic and scholastic routine of duties in that important establishment are given with much :spirit. Church of Scotland Magazine and Review. No. VIII. Edinburgh : A. C. Moodie ; Liverpool : W. Thomson. . This periodical,. hitherto but little known Liverpool, is one which, from the general talent= exhibited in its articles, must be hailed as a wel come addition to the theological literature of the Scottish Church, by those who are members-of her body. The number opens with a paper entitled " The Church of Scotland, and the work she has to do." It is directed in a great measure to %indi cate the Church of Scotland from the charges brought against her by the various denominations of Scottish dissenters. At the commencement of the article we find the following picture of DISSENTING MO c,E3IENTS. One might almost suppose that these sectaries fri.4 dis covered it to be a Christian duty to confess everybody's sins but their own ' • that humility and retiring modesty had been expunged from the catalOgue of Christian vir tues ; and that to secure the world's esteem and applause was the only thing a Christian church ought to labour after. And, as if all this were not 3ufficient to indicate sectarian zeal, and foster the sectaria;a, spirit, other means for the purpose, still more objectionable, have been• re sorted to of late years. The pulpit has been perverted into a rostrum, from which ecclesiastical demagogues may assa 1 the character and pervert the motives of better men than themselves ; and God's own Sabbaths have been pro faned by being made the chosen season on which itinerant lecturers, notorious for their exploits on such occasions,. may expatiate on the charms of voluntaryism. All thisis! melancholy enough in a religious point of view, but is per , fectly characteristic of our Scottish dissent. Our sectaries are never at ease unless when emitting a testimony. me, public must at all times know they are Dissenters, and why they are so. Strange infatuation r. They act as IL their denominational crotchets were the eery essence ar.d;• marrow of the Gospel, and are not a whit - wiser than the child who shades his eyes from the sun, and thinks t 1.43. while, that that little hand of his is bigger than the great luminary of the heavens." While the above temperate reproof is adminis tered to the professors of dissent in Scotland, we cannot disguise from ourselves the general applica bility of its censure in respect to many of the most obtrusive forms and particulars of sectarianism, as that is to be met with nearer home. This, the first number of the Church. of Scotland Magazine which we have seen, impresses us favourably, both as regards the talent which it displays, and the dispassionate tone it manifests in the.various ar- tides it contains. - The Chemistry of Common Lift. By J. F. W. Joluiston,_lll.A._ Edinburgh and Edon::. W.. BlackwoOd.and Sons. The plan of this work, the first part of which is before us, appears admirably arranged.-. It seems intended to be eminently popular and practical in its nature, the first part being devoted to the che mistry of " The air we breathe and the water we drink." From the simple and popular mode in which the subject is treated, and the well-known celebrity of Professor Johnston, the work must prove both successful and useful. s Journal. London : William Spooner. The number of this journal for December main— tains the place the publication has long enjoyed in. public estimation. Its contents embrace miscel laneous reading of a pleasing and instructive kind* They are devoted to a wide variety of subjects, are generally distinguished by good sense = and good taste, and are well suited to excite a. desire for knowledge, no small amount of which is also con veyed in its pages. Liverpool and Isle of Man Almanaek, for 1854. This will be found a very useful repertory,, con taining, as it does, much minute information relative to the tides and navigation of the Mersey and the Irish Sea and Channel. It, is published at a cheap rate by R. Fargher, Douglas,. Isle of Man. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER. ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. THE " TIMES" v. LIVERPOOL EMIGRANT SHIPS. VARIETIES._ A LID was snbpcenaed as a witness in one of the Ameri can courts. The judge said, " Put the boy up on evi dence." Upon hearing which, young America exclaimed, " Who are you calling boy ? I have chewed 'baccy these two years.' , THE OFFERING OF GOOD DEEDS.—We celebrate nobler obsequies to those we love, by drying the tears of others, than by shedding our own ; and the fairest funeral wreath we can hang on their tomb, is not so fair as a fruit-offering of good deeds.—Jean Paul Richter. Cuntors COINCIDENCE.-It is said that some time ago, five clergymen of the Established Church met in the manse of Strontian. They were all natives of Perthshire —were all cousins—were all of the name of Stewart—and their charges were adjoining each other.—lnverness Courier. THE SWINE.—That much abused quadruped has found a eulogist, who thus sings his praise : " You know he's stupid, since you fail to find Some traces in him of the march of mind ; Is he unlettered ?—think how Bacon 'shined; And dont forget the tales Hogg left behind." A VERT FAT MAN, for the purpose of quizzing Dr. —, of N—, asked him to prescribe for his complaint, which he declared was sleeping with his mouth open. " Sir," said the dcctor, "your disease is incurable. Your skin is too short, so that when you shut your eyes, your month opens." SENTIMENTAL ARITHMETIC.-2 glances—make I.look. 2 looks—make 1 sigh. 4 sighs—make 1 waltz. 3 waltzes —make 1 palpitate. 2 palpitations—make 1 call. 2 calls —make 1 attention. 2 attentions—make one fool (some times 2.) 2 fools—make 1 flirtation. 1 flirtation 2 bou quets-1 engagement—one marriage. READING AND THINKIIC G.—Always have a book within your reach, which you may catch up at your odd minutes. Resolve to edge in a little reading every day, if it is but a single sentence. If you can give fifteen minutes a-day, it will be felt at the end of the year. Thoughts take up no room. When they are right they afford a portable pleasure, which one may travel or labour with, without any trouble or incumbrance. THE FEATHERED TRIBES.—A HINT IN SEASON.— Let us not forget, amidst our Christmas festivities, the claims which our little patient friends, the birds, put forth to a large share of our hospitality. Do not bring out the murderous gun to destroy what little of life remains ; but try and make them happy. A mere trifle will do this ; and they will in return sing you such a song ! The winds are now bleak and cutting ; the frost is keen, and the aspect from without "wintry" in the extreme. 'Tis now that their plaint falls persuasively and pleadingly on our ears "The snow's coming down very fast, No shelter is found on the tree; When you hear the tempestuous blast; I pray you TAKE PITY ON ME!" Let not this little Christmas carol—savoring of love and confidence—be chanted in vain ! Then shall our " Christ mas log" burn all the brighter, our joys be the more joyous, our happiness the mere complete.—Kidd; Jour nal of Nature. CosvEnssnos . .—To come away from a conversation in which there has been no censure of others, yet no lack of zest, is to carry with our memories a golden clue. A PARTY of Cromwell's soldiers went into a cabin in Ireland, and demanded the second best bed in the house. " That's bad news for Morgan, sir," replied a poor fellow sitting at the fire. " Who the deuce is Morgan ?" asked one of the party. " Morgan, sir," answered the owner, "is the pig." DANIEL WEBSTER.—Some one speaking in the hearing of the late Daniel Webster of the sublime poetry of the Old Testament, the latter seriously remarked, "Ah, my friend, the poetry of Isaiah, and Job, and Habakkuk, is beautiful indeed ; but when you have lived, as I have, 69 years, you will give more for the 14th or 17th chapter of St. John's Gospel, or for one of the Epistles, than for all the poetry of the Bible. INTEREST FOR PRINCE ALBERT'S STATUE.—Give Prince Albert a statue ? Yes, certainly, at the proper time ; may it not arrive for a thousand years ! But, when it does arrive, up with the statue ; a statue which shall have been merited by a highly useful life, whereof the promo tion of the cosmopolitan fair in Hyde-park will have been one only among the remarkable acts. In the meantime, that the memorial may be worthy of the hero, put the money already subscribed towards it out to increase and accumulate, by which means, in addition to the interest which our descendants will take in the work, we shall also transmit to them compound interest that will help to pay for it.—Punch. PERMANENT IN a better substitute can be found, I strongly recommend the universal use of Indian ink in preparinc , all manuscripts intended to convey in formation to future ages. It is well known that all the inks in common use are far inferior to those used by the ancients,—that our modern inks soon become pale, and in the course of time almost if not entirely invisible. It is a patent fact, that Doomsday Book, after the lapse of nearly eight centuries, is in a much better state of preservation than the state papers of the period of our last two kings. The inks used by our forefathers, I believe, contained carbon ; and as that substance is the base of Indian ink, all documents prepared with it must, from the indestructi ble property of the carbon, remain unchanged so long as they can be preserved from damp and other destroying influences; and I am not aware of any plan so likely to secure their preservation as that I have adopted.—Cforres pondent of ne Builder. Tus GOOMEA TROOPS.—We had three irregular' corps of men called Goorkas, natives of the hills forming - the kingdom of Nepaul. Bravest of native troops they at the battles on the Satlej displayed such conspicuous gallantry as to place them for courage a level with our Euro. peans ; and, certainly, they have . a fine military spirit, are fierce in war, of unsurpassed activity, and possess great powers of enduring. fatigue. Very low of stature, they haveshort limbs, but with enormous- muscles, and vast strength, and their chests are both broad and deep. These hardy soldiers profess an extraordinary attachment to our men, and are, like them, given. to strong drink ; but are said to - have a dislike to the Sepoys amonuting to contempt. In the l`Zepaul war of 1811, with inferior numbers, they defeated' the British troops more than once . ; and an ac quaintance- with them undm arms in no way tended to diminish my opinion of their high character as- soldiers. — Indian Misgovernment by Sri. C. J. Napier: A " COVIOTRY SCHOOLMASI'Ert."—The following cha racteristic prAnction has been forwarded to , this office, in answer to an advertisement which appeared- in our columns a sltbrt time since :—" Sir'---Having been in formed by you.rpaper of the sth nit. that a schoolmaster is required for a country school, I begi to offer narself as candidate, and to'say that I can teeeh the whole euarse of arithmetic, English Grammer, Bookkeeping, Mensura tion. Practital Geometry, and the - first .four books - of Euclid or Elementary Geometry & Geography, therefore / flatter myself qualified to teach your'" Country School;" but not having yet acted in the honourable capacity of either town or Country school master, I cannot furnish you with t....ny testimonials, except my own sweet self which yo* may have on the conditions set forth in your valuable Telegraph by dropping me a not which you may address , to me Anghnacloy, Darylin, Co. Fermaaagh.—l am sir roar most obt servt,— —"—Newry Telegraph. NATIONAL INI , LITErCEN oP POETRY.--Since poetry— especially the lyrical form" of it—has bectrine a power in the' State, it may be interesting to our readers to hear that a Turkish poet, Halig Effendi, has written a national fiyrah, in the style of the "Marseillaise," which his countrymen are described A repeating with extraordinary zest' and energy. Philosophers affect to despise poetry, and' Plato banished the poets from his model republic ; but in' moutents of crises liire that which now•shakes the Orient, it is. always found that men will bear;. and dare, and aspire mare greatly under the sway of lyrical passion than without the exaltation a nerve and brain - produced by till; subtle and spiritual power_ The Spartans needed a Tyrteziesi Roger de Lisle nerved the arms which beat down one after another the Dings of Europe. Koruer roused all Germany to action. - Beeker's lyric saved the Rhine pretinces,, and won for the' author two roy , al pen sions. Tl Revolution of '4B was effected to the . eliorris of " Monritvpotir la Patrie ;" and' he splendid Hungarian campaign. of '49- was made to the 'Kossuth March." Our own Commonwealth was introduced; by a psalm tune,. and James theSeeond was frightened, out of three kinz;dbms by a chointh and Campbell did nearly as ranch for the BMA. navy as Nelson and: Collingwood,--either rt6ng-writer certainly did more thaw SeMen, Pepys, and all other antiipiariare prosers about-the severeio b nty &Rho; ge seas put tother. It is of no smaitmoament,then, that, a native poet',' - should have drawn. Iron), the rock Clime. living waters- of song which at once.satisfy the commit craving and fortify the national zeak,--Athenceum, WINTERS IN:-OLIMEN TIMES.—Ia:I664 the cold was-so intense that the- Thames was covered with ice sixty-one. inches thick.. Almost all the birde‘-perishe4l. In 1693 , the cold was so excessive that the fandshed.wolves entered: Vienna and ..tacked beasts and even , men, Many people.. fir Germany were frozen to death 'ziil696,. and 1699 was- , nearly as bail. In 1700 occurred that famous winter~ called, by distinction,. the " Cold Winter." All the rivers, and lakes werefrozen,. and even the' sea , for several miles , from the shores._ The-ground was frozen nine feet deep.. Birds and beasts -were struck dead inlthe-fields, and men perished by thousands in their houses: In. the south of France the wine plantations were almost destroyed ; nor have they yet recovered that fatal disaster. The Adriatic sea was frozen, and even the Mediterranean. about Genoa and the citron and. orange groves suffered extremely in the finest parts. of Italy. In 17/6-:the winter was so intense 'that people travelled across „ the Straits from Copenhagen to the province of Senia,iuSweden. In 1729, in Scotland, multitudes• of cattle and sheep- were buried in the snow. In IT-10- the winter wee, scarcely inferior to , that of 1709. The. snow lay ten feet. deep. in Spain and. Portugal. The Zilyder Zee was frozen, over, and thou sands of people went across it. And the lakes in England_ froze. In 1741 the winter was very .cold., Snow fell in Portugal to the depth of twenty-three:-feet on a level. In 1754 and 1755 the winters were very severe-and cold. In England, the strongest ale, exposed to the air in a glass, was covered with-ice one-eighth of an. inch thick. In rya the Elbe was frozen to .the bottoms_ In 1776 the Danube bore ice- five feet thick below. Vienna. Vast numbers of the feathered and finny - tribes-perished. The winters of 1774 and 1775 were uncommonly severe. The Little-Belt was. frozen over. From 1800 to 1812 also the winters were remarkably cold, particularly the latter, in Russia, which proved. so disastrous to the. French army. PICTURE OE , MENSCILLKOFF. — Menschikoff has in-- variably refused, to sit to any artist. He is about 70 years. of age, of middle stature, has closecut milk-white hair, a: high open forehead, sharply-defined features, and a bright sparkling eye. His gait is haughty, but slightly limping,. from a wound he received in a singular manner, at the siege of Varna, in 1828. One: evening, having given some orders that he wished to see• implicitly obeyed, he strolled thrctagh the camp ; and. as. he was returning to his quarters he stopped and remained with his legs_ stretched wide apart while he enjoyed a pinch of snuff. Suddenly the-report of a heavy.. gun. was heard, and the: fell Ite.adlon,g to the ground.. When he was taken up it was fermd that a cannonball had passed between hia legs and wounded him severely in the thigh. Prime Menschikoff Ss one of the most extensive landed proprietors in the empire, and counts hie . serfs by thousands ; but, unlike the generality of the Russian nobles, he adds daily to his wealth. His economy. is without a parallel,_ and indeed is stated to descend, to , parsimony of the lowest grade ; but, however grinding his extortion in his-patri monial estate, wall grand state occasions his appearance, carriages, and suite are mast magnificent. He p-assesses a superb.ma.usion at St. Petersburg; his establishment of servants and equipage is on a scale of the most lavish ex pense, and he is surrounded by numerous aides-de-camp glittering in " barbaric pearls and gold." Another striking peculiarity of this remarkable man is the aversion he entertains for foreigners.. Not one—even an ambassador — has ever been permitted to enter his palace. He is both rough and fickle, and when anything offends him becomes absolutely brutal. Rut while he bends to the imperial yoke from motives of avarice or ambition, he revenges his official servitudeby browbeating, threatening, and abusing na who have the. misfortune to be connected with him; and as he is a man of considerable talent and indomitable energy, he succeeds most marvellously in his amiable. occupation. It is not therefore to be wondered at that he has many enemies. Menschikoff married the Princess Delgorouki, by whom he has a son and daughter.— United States Gazette. EGITTIAS WOMEN'S GRIE7.---AS. we walked out this morning, near a little village on the : western bank of the Nile, our attention was arrested by loud outcries, which seemed to proceed from both sides of the river, and, on the opposite , bank, we saw some women making violent ges ticulations, accompanied with piercing screams.. At the same time a confused wailing arose from the village ; and, directing our steps thither, we saw a number of women, seated on the ground, swinging themselves to and fro, throwing dust upon their heads, and uttering a low mur muring cry, that seemed to be a repetition of the same words, in a plaintive monotonous chant. Others were walking up and down, throwing their arms in the air, tearing their long cotton hoods, shaking their dresses violently, and shrieking as if distracted with grief. All the women of the village were gathered round one of the little hoods, which seemed to be the centre of this strange commotion. Presently the women whom we had seen on the opposite bank arrived in a boat, and came in mournful procession to join in the wailing of the village. Some were chanting the same dolorous chant. Others, throw ing aside their garments, would shriek at intervals ; and each one, as she reached the group at the village, would utter a shrill piercing scream, such as we had first heard from the other side the river. On inquiring the occasion of this grief, we learned that a little child playing near this river, the day before, had fallen in and got drowned; and though, according to the present custom of the country, he had already been committed to the dust, the neighbours, far and near, had gathered to mourn with their mother. The absence of male persons from this assembly of women forcibly reminded us of the frequent allusions in the Scriptures to the 'mourning of women; and the whole scene answered to the details of scenes in the Old Testament. The effect was peculiar. There were, perhaps, in all thirty women, all dressed in i the uni form style of the poorer class of women n Egypt, with a long, loose garment of dark blue cotton cloth, and a hood of the same material covering the head and descend ing to the waist. These melancholy looking figures pass ing to and fro, shrieking, howling, wailing, throwing open their hoods and disfiguring themselves with dirt, jerking their garments as if they would tear them to pieces, seemed the very impersonation of despair. I know not how long this scene continued, perhaps till nature was ex hausted, but for more than a mile beyond the village, we continued to hear that wild, piercing cry that had first startled us,— The Rev./. Thompson's Letterfrom Egypt. TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Sin,—The "leading journal of Europe" has its faults and its failings, like lesser oracles. It can no more pre tend to infallibility than the meanest of its contemporaries ; nay, on many minor subjects of interest it is as far behind them in information as it is a-head of them in dogmatism and assumption. Nor can it be said, at all times, that it seeks the most authentic information on the matters on which it presumes to enlighten the public mind ; nor makes the best or the most honest use of the information it does obtain. Were it otherwise, there would not have appeared in the impression of Tuesday last the article on which I am now about to make some comments : an article, which, had it been found in some low German or Irish paper, would at once have been attributed to interested motives, or malice prepense. The characteristics of that article are, obvious misstatements, a palpable unfairness towards ships in the American trade, and a rooted hostility to Liverpool. To dispose, first, of the latter charge. The writer in the Times commences by directing attention to the passage from Liverpool to New York ; then goes on to describe, in most exaggerated terms, the miseries, nay " horrors" of that passage, and the heartless cruelties supposed to be perpetrated by the officers and owners of the ship; and finally, (without the slightest allusion to any other port of embarkation,) quotes a list of twenty eight ships arriving in New York, in November, all of which had cholera on board, and several of which lost one ninth of their passengers. Now, as thirteen of these un fortunate ships—described by the over-graphic Editor of the Times as floating charnel-houses—sailed from other ports, and were visited by a rate of mortality precisely equal to that of the fifteen which sailed from Liverpool, it is most unjust towards this port,. to' attempt to cast on it all the odium which may be supposed to attach to cir cumstances so deplorable;—but which, I have no hesita tion in saying, I believe' to have been' entirely beyond 1 man's control, unless the passengers had been refused a passage altogether. With regard to the character of the ships engaged in the emigration trade, I eau confidently assert, that there are no finer or better ship& in; the world, than- the American packets trading to this port from New York. Every improvement that skill can suggest,- for the proper lighting-2nd ventilation, is -introduced, and: edepted to the= peculiar character of the trade,—of which the-carry ing of steerage passengers forms so important a featiue- Yet the Times' most recklessly describes these slips: as " unsound in the hull, and rotten in' the rigging," and hence occupying sixty days in the passage, instead of the' thirty which it says woe , promised to theemigrant. NOw-; I do not believe it for be true that theemigrant is ever promised uthirty days' passage, since no one with cone= mon sense would-listen to such a promise; nor is it true , that the passage hence to New York usually, or often,, occupies sixty e or fifty, or even forty days. Of the list of ships referred; to -by the Vines, (arriving at - New York in all November,)-' and • which had encountered' a . succession of gales from the west; of almost unexamplid severity, ' only three wereeovet forty days-on the voyage. The Times admits that " the passage hence - to New York has come V:, 'be regarded , by the nationseof over , ,taxed, overgovemed,overdragoonexl, and overpaid Europe," (these are the very words of the chief organ of her' Majes tk's, Ministers,) as " - Connected wide high hopes ancr;expee titions, with pleas* • retrospects, -anon glowing anticipa tions ;" and this passage el three tliousand miles can be &stained from Liverpool - for £2 lees or £3 ; but, a' few lines - lower, it says, " - There is a diselsting and repulaive unif6rmity in the process by which sordid and heartless avariee- extracts its booty &Om helpless. poverty and ig norar.ce.". Booty, indeed! at sixty still thgs for a " sixty,."' or even thirty, days' passage, out of which,—after proefe; ding "'helpless poverty"' with 70 'or S 0 clays' provision: and water; medicines, medical attendaece, fuel for coop ing, and eoaks,—the extortions of two governments have to be satisfied, surveyor's -e, medical inspector's fee, and line of steam-boats and cabs-for these• °traria' Ls, on the . embarkatitn on this side, and head-money - of two dollars, 1 with commutations and bonds, for the infirm, for paupers, ;. on the landing on the other. Booty !: I fancy the shipowners-would be glad t> have it pointed out ! Th e 1, Times sees,atul,when it suits its purpose, can pretend to mourn over the " helpless poverty and ignorauce"—nay, the squalid, misery and - Abe* the utter., destitution and degradation of thousand& in our own- England ; and hundreds. of thousands-:in unhappy Ireland ; but when enterprising men boßds -at •immeneee cost, noble ships expressly adapted to the. carrying, with as much comfort as may be, these miserable creatures to a, land of " glorious anticipations," theequerulous Times: watches their departure with impotent. rage andjealonsy, and vents its anger by imputing " callousness, brutality, and ava rice" to the officers and owners of the passenger ships. 1 ; I could name-'one of these brutal captain& who- writes : thus to his owners :—" I had nine poor little orphans sitting around ray cabin door all the day long; and whom ' I fed from my own table ; twceof them being too-young to help themselves, I fed with any own hand th.aewhele re. naainder of the. passage, and, this saved their' lives." Chance threw a:sight of this letter in my way; therefore, I have no reason to believe: this. an exceptional ease to the conduct of other captains- But the Timee-patronizes Australia, and-writes up Australian ships—their superi ority for speed, safety, and comfort, and freedom from dis ease, entirely ignoring a long array of facts which prove the contrary ; and forgetting:to. remark that. the whole shipping interest is in anxious suspense' as. to the fate of the passengers to, Australia, who sailed in the cholera season, and from whom no tidings have yet reached us. It forgets also to notice that the 1 ' emigrants toe Australia ara of a completely different class from those, to the United States and Canada. The one is impelled by avarice to leave a comfortable home in quest of wealth—the other is driven by poverty from a houseless location to seek a .refuge from starvation. The one carries with him, he his own hand, the means of comfort atid_bealth on shipboard—the other i&aettompanied. by the accumulated .evils eaf hunger, nakedness, and dis ease that have, marked his, last resting-place. Even the, Government, ,in selecting emigrants for Australia, takes. care to refuse its charity to the miserably poor and, wretched. The candidates must be within a certain age, in full health and strength, honest and industrious, sober„ and cleanly, with a good character from the clergy and magistracy„ and bringing with them a suitable outfit—and if married, must have:no, more than two-children under. years of age._ It is impossible that the_ Australian voyager can know. anything,, of such utter poverty as will induce the father.of a large family of little ones to go on board a ship so, destitute, as to have no other receptacle for the stores servedout, than his hat, and in that article,to re ceive, altogether, the allowance, of flour, rice, oatmeal, biscuit,. tea, sugar, and salt. Isthe_owner of the ship to be blamed for such wretchedns as this, andte be held upto the scorn and contempt of the world, by the " first , journal in. Europe ?" The man e is fleeing like Bunyan's pilgrim. (as the Times remarks) for his life, and is willing —nay, eager, to pass, if need be, even through the Valley of the Shadow of. Death, to reach a better land; the Times, Apollyon-like, stands up and bars his progress, and slanders and belies all, who would assist him on the way. I shall not enter further into this matter at present, but, with your permission, shall recur to it if need be: meantime, hoping your London contemporary will see fit to modify its opinions, and to make a more correct esti mate of the character and deserts of the large and splendid fleet of ships, British. and American„ carrying passengers hence to the United States, and of their owners and officers, I am, Sir s A LIVERPOOL SHIPOWNER. UNITED LEGAL FRIENDLY ;BURIAL SOCIETY. TO TUE EDITOR OP THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. Sts,—ln answer to a letter in Saturday's Journal, signed " Moses Cullen," denying any division between. Protestants and Roman Catholics, and representing every thing as in. harmony in the United Legal Friendly Burial Society, I feel myself called upon to give it a most unqua lified contradiction. So far from harmony, there is a complete rupture, which, I venture to assert, will never be healed except by a separation of the parties into two so cieties. Perhaps the public will understand the matter in its proper light, when I inform them that, of the officers, there are four Roman Catholics to one Protestant. Of the committee two-thirds are Roman Catholic. There are fifteen collectors, and of these nine are Protestant. So it will be seen that, while the staff of the society are mostly Protestant, the government is almost entirely Roman Catholic. Again, as to the immediate cause of the dispute. A vacancy having occurred in the office of secretary, the president, in order that he may provide a book for his son, takes upon himself, without consulting officers, collectors, or committee, to appoint one of the collectors to the office pro tem. On the other hand, Mr. James Currie, son of the founder of the society, offers himself as a candidate, Nine of the collectors support him, believing him to have a prior claim ; but, in order to destroy his chance of election, a conspiracy has been entered into, between the partizans of the president and his nominee, to blast the character, if possible, of the sub-treasurer, because he is the father of the candidate, James Currie. This is a true statement of the motives which have actuated certain writers in several of the Liverpool papers. With regard to the letter of Wm. Brown, Esq.,treasurer of the society, I regret that he has been imposed on by the ex parte statements of interested parties. I. feel certain that, if he knew the real facts of the case, he would not lend the weight of his name to crush an honourable man, in order that a faction might achieve a triumph over the just claims of his son.—l am, yours, &c., A COMMITTEE-MAN OF THE lINITEDqEGAL FRIENDLY BURIAL SOCIETY, Liverpool, Jan, 2,18b41 ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIGENCE. PREFERMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS. I Rev. W. Allen, 8.A., to the Stipendiary Curacy of Muckle , stone, Staffordshire. Rev. W. Hebb, 8.A., to the Curacy of Stuunton•upon- Arrow, near LeAninstet. Rev..G. W. Bence, 8.A., to the Curacy of Lydrlington,Wilta. Rev. H. Rolland, 8.A., to the Curacy of Mary Ma4clalene, Bridgnorth. Rev. W. H. Care Browne. 8.A., to the Curacy of St. Mary's, Prince's-road, Lambeth. Rev. S. J. Butler, M.A., Vicar of Penryth, Cumberland, to be a Surrogate. _ . Rev. C. X. A. Craven, 8.A., to an Assistant Curacy at St. Peter's, Liverpool. I:ev. W. Dawson, to the Incumbency of St. John the Evangelist, Moor Alierton. _ _ W. H. Freer, 8.A., to the Curacy of Colwich, Staf fordshire. Rev. J. O. Millar, ➢I.A., Christ's College, Cambridge, to be one of the Curates at Cirencester. Rev. M. W. F. St. John, to the Vicarage of Frampton-on- Severn, in the Diocese of Gloucester and Bristol. Rev. T. A. 'Fagg, to the Curacy of Christ Church, Black friars, London. Rev. F. T. Scott, M.A., to the Vicarage of Sibertawold with•Coldred, Kent. . _ _ Rev. T. Sharp, M.A., to the Senior Curacy of St. Martin's, Birmingham. Rev. A. Smith, 8.A., to be Principal of the Collegiate School, Huddersfield. Rev.'J. T. Walters, M.A., to the Rectory of Stradishall, Suffolk. -- ALDFORD RECTORY* is vacant from the death of the Rev. F. Brandt. It is in the county and diocese of Chester. The patron is the Marquis of Westminster. The value of the living is £330, with residence. THE REV. EDWARD HARTOPP CRADOCH, M.A., canon of Worcester, and rector of Tedstone de la Mere, in the county of Hereford, was unanimously elected principal of Brasenose, in the place of the late Dr. Harington. THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH steadily increases in the United States. In 1832, there were 21 dioceses, 592 clergy, 678 parishes, and 32,2e8 communicants ; in 1852, ' there were 29 dioceses, 1,650 clergy, 1,650 parishes, and 100,000 communicants. ILLNESS OF THE LORD BISHOP OP ICILMORE.—The Right Rev. Dr. Leslie, who has reached an advanced age, has been suffering very severe illness, at Kilmore-house, Cavan, but latterly there have been symptoms of improvement. Dr. Leslie' had been consecrated Bishop of Dromore in 1812 ; his lordship was translated to' Elphin in 1819, and to Kilmore in 1841. A DIOCESAN ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY has been esta blished in Worcester, Lord Lyttelton being president. Its objects are to promote the study of ecclesiastical architec ture, antiquities, and design, by the collection of books, casts, drawings, &c., and the restoration of mutilated architectural remains within the diocese, and' to furnish suggestions, so far as may be within its province, for im proving the character of the ecclesiastical edifices here after to be erected or restored.—Birmingham Gazette. PRESENTATIONS VACANT.—The Rectory of 'Weston-by- Welland, with Sutton. Bassett Vicarage, Northampton shire ; value £3oo' a-year ; patron Lord Sondes. The Rectory of Statham; Glamorganshire ; value £4oo:a-year. The Rectory of Brasted ; Kent ; value £7OO a-year ;- patron, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Vicarage of Eastry with-Worth, Kent, value:£6oo a-year ; patron, the-Arch bishop of Canterbury.- CONVOCA.TION.—'IIma: convocation of the prelates' and clergy of the province of Canterbury, which stands' ad journed until to-morrow,,will- on that day be further pro-- . rOgued, according to the-Inner 'of a Royal writ under 'a special commission from , his grace to that effect, until :Wednesday, February 1, the day after the meeting of par liament. On the day named, the members of both houses ' willassemble in the Jerusalem Chamber at ten, a.m., and viill then, after prayers, proceed to- the discussion of such topics as may be brought under 'their consideration. 0100203 R OF MARCHESTERv — PreferMents: The Wor siiipful• Dr. Haggard, chancellor of the diocese, on the nomination of the Bishop of Manchester, has appointed the.-Revs Alfred Hewlett, incumbent of Astley, to be one his surrogates.—On Tuesday, at- the Diocesan Registry, St. James's-square, the Bishop of Manchester licensed the Rev: Edward Peche Stocky-BA., to the stipendiary curacy of the Parish Church of;Badcliffe near Manches ter, and-the' Rec. Henry Lloyd Bickersteth to the stipen curacy of:St. Andrew's, Manchester. PRESENTATION TO A CLERGYMA.N: ,— ODSaturclay,onthe occasionofthe - ansualcongregationaltea-party,inconnexion with Tintwiatle Church, near Manchester; the-Rev. E. Bote ler Chalmer, junk, the senior curate,: was presented with a very gratifying testimonial of regard by the teachers and scholars of tlit Tintwistle school, and.the members of the Protestant Association. The token. of "affection and esteem" was-' an elegant timepiece, with. the following inscription on-a silverplate :—"Rev::E. B. Chalmer, M.A., from the Tintwistle Sunday School,. and. Protestant Asso ciation, in token-of affection and esteem Dec. 25, 1853." The presentation• was made by the Rev. J.. A. Page, the incumbent, who> spolte in high terms of the valuable ministrations of his curate ; and the -demonstrations of regard on the part of the hundreds- who were assembled must have been . most gratifying to the: rev. gentleman, who is resigning his curacy for the association secretary ship of the Colouiat Church and School-Society, and who carries with him the expression of affectionate esteem above alluded to,. and which was the-offering of "the poor of the flock" alone. PRESENTATION OF CLERGYMEN TO TILE BISHOP OF LONDON VIOLATIM OF THE CHURCH'S , RULES. (PROM .Trub- MORNING _110512%) Mu.. Charles Westturton, one of the ehtuvh;vardens of the garish of St. Pauli, ...Knightsbridge, has. made a formal complaint against tha•Hon. and Rev. R..Liddell,. M.A., the incumbent, and the Rev.. George Nugee, M.A., the curate, in a letter addressed. to. the bishop of the diocese. Mr. Westerton states that it would be within his- lordship's remembraire that, when the practicea.of the Rev. Mr. Bennett, at the same ohurch, excited scamuch indignation, and so much annoyance to• the majority of the parishioners as to lead to episcopal int erf erence, and his. consequent resignation, that hislordship, in order torestore simplicity to the service of the ehurch, and tranquillity to , the parish, appointed a new minister, in the person of the. Hon. and Rev:. Robert Liddell,. the parishioners bad reasonable hope andexpectation that this gentleman woukl.have profited by the example of his predecessor, and that he-would have adopted. a line of conduct, in the performance of his duties, the reverse of that which had proved se.fatal. to Mr. Ben nett,. and so offensive. tehis parishioners: But he (the churchwarden) regrets to: inform his lordship that they have been most grievously disappointed. It is very true, he proceeds to say, that for a short timenfter Mr.. Liddell's accession to the incumbency, they perceived a decided im provement in the performance of Divine service; but it soon becameevident that tkeßev. Mr. Nugee, , the former curate under Mr. Bennett, who. was retained .in . his office, and. who :had ever been conspicuous in his tendency towards the idolatrous ceremonies of the Romon,Catholie Church, had. obtained a dangerous• influence ever. the mind of Mr. Liddell, and that he• had succeeded,. by slow and almost imperceptible degrees,. in persuading,-him to adopt all the former obnoxious practices, until they have at length at tained the same unhappy completeness..as a system which became so intolerable to them under the ministry of Mr. Bennett. The churchwarden gives the bishop a lengthened description of the manner in which, tbe morning service at St. Paul's Chunk, is performed. From this it appears that, while the clergy bell is ringing,:the choristers, boys and men, about Wii number, issue,-from the clerk's ves try in procession, followed by one of the curates, cap in hand. When they have taken their places, Mr. Liddell and two curates, with occasionally volunteer clergymen, walk in procession from the vestry, each bearing one or more of the vessels to be usedat the communion. As they approach the altar, on which stands a large cross, Mr. Liddell bows to it reverently, anal places on they credence table by its side the vessel, he has brought. Mr._ Nugee, also bowing reverently, now approaches, and„ giving up what he has brought to• be placed there, takes his place on the south side of it, followed by the others, who, having followed his example, with the ex- - seption of bowing, take their places behind him. While this is going on, the choristers andcongregation have all risen,, During the " - Gloria Patri," which occurs frequently dur ing the service, Mr. Liddell„.folding. his hands across . his breast,bows his head towards the altar, continuing bent till it is ended. Mr. Nugee does the same. At the conclu sion of the Litany, the clergy retire in procession. to the vestry. A voluntary from,the organ peals forth, and Mg. Liddell andthe curates return in procession, he and. Mr. Nugee bowing again to the altar as they approachit. The congregation, and choristers have risen, the latter singing a " Gloria." Mr. Liddell having by this time taken his place on the north and. his curates on the southside of the altar, they kneel down with their faces towards it, and their hands clasped, as i in devotional adoration, No com munion table is provided, but instead of it an. elaborately carved oaken altar, precisely like those used in, Roman Catholic cathedrals, and chapels, and like them, covered with rich velvet " antependia" of colours varying with. the seasons, embroidered with monograms, fleurs-de-lis, and other devices in silver and gold. Das, altar has been placed on a dais, or platform, covered with carpet, and on it has been erected a " super altar," to. give a. greater elevation to the cross, and huge candlesticks, with equally huge candles, which stand upon it. This cross the bishop ordered to be removed, but it has been replaced. On the altar stands vessels of gold , for the communion, with large brass crosses on their velvet sides, so placed as to be seen from every part of the church where the altar is visible. At certain seasons veils of rich embroidered lace and bouquets of flowers, the choicest that can be pro cured, are crowded in confusion on and about it : every niche of the reredoes on each side and above is occupied with plants of camella japonica, and " fleures immortelles," and evergreens deck the main body of the church itself: Until very lately these expensive floral displays have been paid for out of the offertory money. The churchwarden takes the whole of the rubrical directions of the Prayer book seriatim, and assures the bishop that Mr. Liddell and his curates habitually violate nearly the whole of them. He adds that at the communion he has seen ladies pros trating themselves almost to the ground in front of the cross, raising themselves no more than was absolutely necessary to enable them to receive the bread and wine from the minister who tendered them. Under these cir cumstances, the bishop's interference is called for. The matter has been productive of much agitation in the dis trict, and his lordship's determination upon the matter is looked for with great anxiety. ANOTHER MEGA.THERIUM.—A discovery of great in terest to the science of paleontology has lately been made at the gates of Constantina (Algeria), while making a cutting for the improvement of the approaches to that city, where a great part of the skeleton of some gigantic animal was found. The thigh and leg bones, the vertebrae, the ribs, the upper part of the head, and several teeth were in a very good state of preservation. The head is not less than 85 centimetres from the teeth to the nape, and 48 across the bone of the forehead. The front part of the upper jaw has long teeth, and also tusks, similar to those of a wild boar. The legs of the animal are about the size of those of a horse, and, from the bend of the ribs, it is supposed that its size must have been about four times that of an ordinary ox. Its head is somewhat similar to that of the hippopotamus, and its mouth must have been of extraordinary power. No name can be assigned to this animal, but it is considered probable that it may belong to the numerous family of antediluvian pachydermes. The ground wherein it was found is com posed of a soft calcareous rock of tertiary formation. It is expected that the government will order some further excavations to be made on the same spot, which may lead to otherdiscoveries interesting to ocienoe,—Globe. COURT AND FASHION EARL SPENCER is appointed Lord High Steward of her Majesty's Household in the room of the Duke of Norfolk. DR. BOWRING, we have reason to believe, will succeed Sir George Bonham as Governor of Hong Kong and Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China.—Globe. THE MARRIAGE of Prince Napoleon with the Princess Pauline Sophia Mary of Baden is said to be definitively arranged by the Grand Duchess Stephanie. THE KING OF HANOVER transmitted £5O, as in former years, to be distributed among the poor inhabitants of Kew parish, to enable them to enjoy the pleasures of Christmas. GENERAL RADOWITZ died at Berlin, on Christmas-day, at noon. His death was tranquil, and without pain. He has.left a very large circle of loving friends, and the whole German public has long been accustomed to regard him as one of the celebrities of the times. A RUMOUR was prevalent at Berlin, on the 26th ult., that Prince Albert, of Bavaria, is to marry the youngest sister of the King of Spain. M. de Wendtland, the Am bassador of Bavaria, is said to have conducted the negoti ations. ➢IEETING OP PAELIAMENT.-At the Privy Council, on Thursday, Parliament was ordered to be further pro rogued from the 3d of January until Tuesday, the 31st of January, 1854, and a proclamation was issued summoning Parliament to meet on that day for the despatch of public business. DR. JAMES GILLIKREST,, Inspector-General of Army Hospitals, and Corresponding :Member of the National Academy of Medicine of France, died on Christmas-day. He entered the medical department of the army in 1801. During his long course he served in the West Indies, the Peninsula, America, and on the Continent of Europe. A NEW FLEET it is rumoured is about to be formed, in tended for service in the Baltic, to be commanded by Sir Charles Napier. Another rumour says that the Emperor of Russia has ordered a screw fleet to be constricted, the number of which is variously stated at fifteen ships and at thirty ships. THE CorßT.—Prince Leopold of Saxe Cobonrg left Windsor on Tuesday, for Southampton, en• route for Lis bon. The Earl and Countess of Granville and Lord and Lady John Russell arrived at Windsor, on Wednesday, on a visit. Her Majesty held a privy council at the castle on Thursday: CHOLERA IN THE COAL PORTS.—The" Queen has directed letters• patent to be passed under the Great Seal, constitutingtand appointing Joseph Burnley Hume, Esq.. Barrister-at-Law ; John Simons, Esq.; and John Frederic Bateman, Esq., to be Her Majesty's Commissioners for Inquiring into-the causes which have led to, and have ag. gravated the late outbreak of cholera at Newcastle-upon- Tyne, Gateshead,- and Tynemouth. IMPORTANT NEWB.—Prince Albert, with the Prince of Wales, and Prince Alfred, skated in the Honie-park on Wednesday and Thursday morning. Her Majesty was present. The gentlemen in waiting skated with his royal highness on Wednesday, and on Thursday several of the officers of the regiments quartered at Windsor had• the honour of joining his royal highness. The Queen accom panied by Lord and Lady John Russell, walked down to the ice, and remained a considerable time. HER MAJESTY'S NEV7' YEAR'S GIFTS.—TIIB ISt Of Jana falling on a Sunday, Her Majesty's customary new year's gifts to the poor inhabitants of New Windsor and Clewer were distributed on Saturday in the Riding-house, Windsor Castle. The gifts consisted- of beef and plum pudding, - varying in quantity according to the families of the re— cipients, and 25 per cent. added to the subscriptions of the poor in the purchase of articles of clothing. The expense isdefiayed by a grant of £lOO from the lord steward's de partment, and a grant of £lOO from the lord chamberlain's- CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES'• AT, WINDSOR CASTLE.— ..On Thursday a ball took place - in the servants'-ludi at Windsor Castle, in which the-whole of the domestic and other servants belonging to the• Castle and Royal domain, to the number of nearly 200, took part. A portion of the Band_ of the Ist Regiment of;Life Guards formed the orchestra, and when the merry , dance had proceeded for some time Her Majesty and Prince Albert, accompanied by Lord and Lady John Russell,-.the Earl and Countess Graaville, Colonel Biddulph, and -others who had formed the Royal circle at dinner, honoured the festive scene with their presence: Refreshments from the: Royal larder and cellars were bountifully dispensed,-and the fun and merri ment were kept up until 4 o'clock-on Friday morning. _ _ Mg - PERRi&E.-- Since last Christmas-we - have recorded the-death- of one Dzeke—Beaufort one: Marquis—Hunt ley; ten- Earls—Beauchamp, Drownlow, Dartmouth, Ducie,-,Kenmare, Oxford, Portsmouth, Stair, Warwick, and Wemyss; one Viscount—Melbourne; two Bishops —Lincoln .and Derry; three Barons—Cloncurry, Dacre, and Suffield; and two Scotch Representative Peers-- the-Earl-of Seafield. and Lord Saltonn. By these deaths the peerages• of . Dinorben, Oxford,. and Melbourne have become extinct . and five vacancies have been caused in the House of Commons by the accession. of the Marquis of Worcester to the Duchy of Beaufort; of General Ly gon to. the. Earldom. of Beauchamp ;'and, of Lords Lewis ham,Moreton,. and Brooke, to the Earldoms of Dartmouth, Duck; and Warwick. Two members of the Lower House have-likewise-acceded to courtesey titles—the Hon. John Dalrymple, _member for Wigtonshire, to be called Viscount Dalrymple-, and the Hon. F. Charteris ta.be called Lord Elchoi—b' the deaths of their respectivegrandfathers, the Earls, of -Stair and. Wemyss. The Earls- of Newburgh and TYrconnell. and Lord Rolls, have also died during this period, but they were not peers of,the- United King dom.. The: only addition to the peerage• has been Vis count Enfield, the eldest son of the Earl.of Strafford, who has been called. for the Upper House as Baron Strafford, of Harmondsworth. MUSIC AND TILE DRAMA. IaVEN,POOI._.INEATEIIII, GLEE AND MA.DBIGAL UNION. —A Christmas performance by this Society was given in the. leetum.hall of the Mechanics' institution on Friday evening, and was not only successful, but deserved to be so. The programme was a singular butvery pleasing one, consisting entirely of Christmas pieces, The first part consisted of C.. E. Horn's cantata, " The Christmas Bells," an exceedingly pretty and pleasing work.. It is a musical descripticak-of Christmas-day from the " ringing in" of the bells in the morning to the " ringing. out" of them in the evening, ,and. includes a church service. of great beauty. The- performance of it was not marred, except by a single triviakerror, and the admirable variety' which the work afforded prevented the slightest symptom. of fatigue during its continuance.. The solo pieces with: which it abounds were-wellrendered. by Miss Maycock,. Miss Williams, Mr. Johnson;, and. Mr. Santley, to the first of whom especial praise.-is due for the chaste mannerinswhich she gave the-: very- sweet musk which she had to sing. We may espe— cially mention. the part commencing, " A merry Christ mac, ,sir, toTon," which she gave-with a child-like sim-t plicity, admirably in harmony with. the subject. Miss, Maycock, whom we had not beforeheard in public, appears to have a highly finished style or singing, and we shall be glad to have an opportunity of hearing her again. The piano -forte and organ accompaniments were excellently given by Mr.. Edmund F. Smith, and Mr. George Hint. The second. part. of the concert consisted of carols, glees, and .madriglals —all on the suhject of Christmas—which were -well, sung. An organ solo (" The Christmas Pre sent," by Mendelssohn,) was given. by Mr. George Hirst so delightfully, that it had as immediate encore. The concert would have passed off with much greater spirit, but, for the excessive coldness. of the room—a matter to which.the attention of the committee ought to be called. BRANDT...—There are bad:. accounts of the vintage in Cognac. The brandy is so inferior, that some of the principal houses have resolved not to quote it in their lists. Old brandies will belooking up in consequence. A GOLD-DIGGEN ix Af Fix.—The following, is an extract from the letter of u. digger established:at Eagle Hawk Gully, Sept. 3d :—".You remember Dead Horse Gully,' the scene of on• sporting adventures., Well, I lately sank a hole therein the deep sinking. Mine ran about. 17 feet, and, as it,turned out pretty good,. I drove in about 40 feet towards the side of the hill. Ou,e. day I had been, more than usually lucky, so next morning betimes I was stirring, made fast my rope to a tree, andd.own I went by it hand under hand, lit my slush larap,,and proceeded along the drive on my' hands and knees, : eager to begin work, and thinking of the big nuggets. You remember I was always celebrated for making small drives. Shading the light with my hand, I crawled in. Near the far end I stopped to avoid crawling through a small pool of water. Casting the light, before me to see bow the land lay— horror of horrors,!—on the other side, of the pool I per ceived a pair of small glittering gray eyes intently fixed on me, the cold, malignant expression of which forced the warm blood back to my heart with abound which nearly suffocated me., I knew at once that it was a snake, and a deadly one, too, Arching its neck. with a hissing noise, it collected itself for the fatal spring ; starting back, my head: came in contact with the roof of the tunnel, and I fell back. stunned and senseless. How long I lay i n thi s s t a t e I know not,. but when I came to consciousness I at first thought that I was at home. in the `big smoke;' but gradually the truth forced itself upon me. Where was the snake ? Was I bitten ? To the last mental query I cheerfully answered, ' No!' for most of these snakes are very deadly, and the bitten part swells up immediately. On consideration, I remembered that the snake had reared for the spring, so it was clear I had fallen in the.nick of time, and the reptile had passed over me ; but where was it now? A cold shudder passed over me when I consi dered that the snake must still be in the hole, perhaps even within a few feet, watching me with its glassy eyes, or preparing for another spring. I am not easily frightened, as you well know, but for all the gold in Bendigo I would not be in that situation again. How was Ito proceed ? My only weapon was a driving pick ; grasp ing it, and creeping cautiously along, I heard a noise in front. Was it the snake ? I held my breath in fearful suspense, with the sweat of agony moistening my brow. No, it was only some loose stones falling from the roof. I breathed again, and with a forced courage crept stealthily along. Arrived near the mouth of the tunnel, I was again startled at seeing a large carpet-snake (my late tormentor) circling round the bottom of the hole, and gliding half his length up its slippery sides, darting in and out his forked tongue, and slowly moving his head as if searching for an opening to hide itself. Being concealed in the dark tunnel, I had ample time for deliberation. Evidently I should be able to strike the first blow if I could succeed in reaching the mouth without making a noise. I made up my mind at once, perhaps rashly ;. I might have done better if I had waited until it was asleep. Muttering a prayer, I crept cautiously forward, but the head of my pick caught against a loose projecting stone, and down came a lot of earth. Cursing my bad luck, I looked to see what effect it would have on the snake. It was evidently aroused, twisting and contorting its body into all sorts of knots and circles, at the same time keeping its piercing glance fixed on the mouth of the tunnel. Darting quickly from my conceal ment, I nailed the snake to the ground through the neck with my pick. With a hiss of pain it suddenly threw its folds round my leg and partly drew it towards its head ; recovering, I planted my leg firmly, pulled out my bowie knife with my left hand, and cut the snake in two about a foot from his head; still the slimy body was contracted round my leg, and still the forked tongue was playing in and out, notwithstanding the body was severed in two. I clambered up the side of the hole with the snake's body still clinging to my leg ; when I got to the grass, I again cut the, snake in two and unwound it, th an king God for my narrow ecsape. The snak e measured 8 feet _6 inches. I - went home fo my telic44llnadeOlAttileday `fo §icking." TUESDAY, JANTARY 3, 1854. TEA PARTY at ALL SAINTS' SCHOOLS, THE first annual tea meeting of the congregation and friends of All Saints' Parish Church was held, last night, in the upper room of the new school-rooms, in Great Nel son-street. The chair was occupied by the Rev. Henry Marlen, incumbent of the parish ; on the platform were the Rev. S. B. Sutton, Rev. J. R. Conor, Rev. J. 0. Powell, Rev. Isaac Holmes, Rev. George D. Todd, Rev. Richard Dandy, Rev. Wm. Winlaw, Rev. John Woodhouse, and Rev. W. B. Matthias. About three hundred sat down to a well served and plentiful supply of tea and cake, furnished by Mr. Mel bourn, 20, Clarence-street. The room was tastefully deem% to I with flags and banners, bearing appropriate devices, and with flowers and evergreens. Grace before tea and after tea was sung by the choir in good style ; after the latter of which an anthem was sung, and a prayer offered up by the Rev. J. Woodhouse. - The Rev. H. MAitrEzi expressed the great pleasure he experienced in meeting with so numerous a body of his parishioners at the beginning of a new year, and under cir cumstances more gratifying than had usually been his fortune. Never till the present occasion had he been able to meet them with what he felt entitled to call all the parish machinery in full operation. Our schools (said the rev. gen tleman) are now built, and mostly completed in all respects, and are nearlyallpaidfor. (Cheers.) We have them now in a conditiontoreceive the aid of the government to clear off our small remaining debt, and in a few weeks or months we will have our schools in full work and without debt. In look ing at a report made by his predecessor, he found that ac cording to. that report there was but one school in the parish, although it extended to Kirkdale. There were 8,000 souls in All•Saints' Parish, and among these were children of all fit ages to attend school. In 1817 ; we got a school opened in Upper Beau-street. another was then added, and after that the church was built, and at last we have got our schools built and free of debt. (Cheers.) He had therefore - to- thank his congregation for the efficient manner in which he had been aided, and hr a particular mannerhe had to thank the ladies for their' kind and generous- exertions. The schools had been , built at a large expense, no small portion of which was swallowed up in the cost of the site that being not less than £1,404. The building cost £1,310; the residences £300; in all £3,273 ; but as some little apparatus was still , wanting, say that £3,300 may be set down as the full sum. He was glad to say that nearly all that sum had been• raised in the space of two years, still they were something short, to meet which they would be in a short time entitled to receive £854 from the committee of the Privy Council. (Cheers.) The New Year's Hymn was - here sung. The Rev. IsAA c HOLME& addressed the meeting, and congratulated the pastor and the congregation of All Saints on the exertions they had made and the success they had met with in their laudable exertions. The Rev. J. R. Co1;o commencing his address, begged to correct a popular errov - which , existed as to the ecclesiastical status of the Rev. Henry Marlsn,who was not unfreqa9tly called the incumbent of All aints' dis- trict ; uflsr, his position ;;;,:zitothat of the' rectors of Liverpool r and All Saints' was a parish. It might be well enough known that 200 years ago Liverpool was a slice out of IValton, and now All Saints' is a slice out of Liver pool. The. rev. gentleman, in a speech full of facet* and replete with well-told anecdotes, enforeed the blessings of 'a really charitable disposition, and urged on the. meeting the gratification of indulging in it in , regard to such ob- jectssas the - one they were that night met . to promote. The collection in favour of the Schoot.Library, amount ing to £7 6s. 1d.,. was now made ; during•which time au anthem was sung- The meetirg was then addressed by - the - Revs. J. C. P-OWELL, of St. Thomas's, S. B. SurrtrN and Jon's ,WoonuousE,.. who severally urged on those present the ;important claims. of the schools and the- library ; after 'which the doxology was sung, and the meeting-separatell. POLK'ff COURT-V_ ESTREDAY. STEALING. OvratEAL..—William Lee, an old - man,. %VW charged with stealing a small quantity of oatmeal from. the side of a ship, .unloading in the docks, on • Saturday afternoon. The prisoner, who looked very - squalid and: miserable, was Irolliarg,ed with an admonition:- ROBBERY FROM, DThE PERSON. — HeIen Carron was. charged with stealing a watch from a man, past- middle• age named Edward,Brennau. It appeared from the evi dence of a policeman that, about two o'clock that morn big, he saw the prosecutor and prisoner come- out of an eery, and, knowingher to be a bad character, he stopped them, and asked prosecutor if he had lost anything. On examination, prosecutor discovered that he had lost his. watch, which was found concealed on the prisoner, and he took her into custody. The prisoner said the prosecutor gave her the watch; as he had no money, and ' wished to. treat her. She wa&senteneed to be imprisoned forthree mouths. STEALING- FROM 8-Rm.—Thomas Johnston, charged. with stealing a silk handkerchief from a coat pocket in the, cabin of the ship Geraldine on Friday last, was sentenced to two months' imprisonment. STEALING FROM. WAFTING RAILWAY Sm. TION:—.. Patrick Hegan and. Martin Conway were charged with stealing a quantity of fastic-wood. It appeared that a large . camntity of fustic-w.ood had. been sent from Evan, Cox and Sons to the railway station at the end of last week for transmission to Kidderminster, and that nineteen pieces had been abstracted from the number sent to the railway station. The prisoners were found with a billet of fustic wood similar to that sent to the railway station on Satur day last, and near to the place. They gave Madding accounts of how they became possessed of it, antl,weTo' sentenced each to twenty-one days' imprisonment. HotsEßnEAKina.---John Phillips and -- Datuallaii were charged with haming,.on Saturday afternoon, entered. the house of Mrs. Williams, in Back Salisbury-street, Ever ton, and stealing the sum. of 4s. in silver and some copper money, while Mrs. Williams. was absent. When apprehended by detectives Grisenthwaiteand Eaton, two purses and other articles, supposed to have been stolen, and two skeleton keys, together with .a picklock, were found in their. pos session. They were. remanded for seven days. STEALING A WAZOTk—Catharine Smith was charged with the theft of a watch, which she sent a woman, with• to• pawn at the shop of Mr. Simons, who, suspecting the property not to have‘been honestly come by, insisted on having the owner brought to him. For this purpo,se he sent an officer along-with the woman who brought it to his shop, and, after-some inquiries, the officer took Smith into custody. She. said. she found the watch- lying on the pillow of her bed, where she considered it had been left by some one -of her numerous lodgers on Friday night, and being in want of money on Saturday. morning she had sent the watch. to be pledged, as stated.. She was discharged, but the watch was ordered to be kept PASSING A COXINTERFEIT CROwN PlEcE.—James Jackson was charged with attempting to pass a base crown piece, yesterday afternoon, at the shop of Mr. Ces son, in Falkland-street,. offering it for two penny worth of rusberry cordial... On. the cheat being detected, the pri soner endeavoured to repossess himself of the_coin and make his escape.; he was, however, secured,, and given into custody. In defence, he said he had been drinking on Friday and Saturday, and was drunk when he offered the coin, which,„ however, he said he did not remember anything about. He was remanded for seven. days. ILLEGALLY BawniaG.—Elizabeth Strang was charged with illegally pawning a pair of trousers, belonging to a man named Fatrbairn, who, along with his wife, occupied an apartment in the house of the prisoner- She was also charged withaaking a watch, belonging to a man named Strang, on the 23rd December, and pawning at the shop of Powell, inScotlaud-road. The prisoner; did, not deny pawning the Articles, but said she meant to redeem them. She was ordered to pay a fine of 205., with.costs, on each of the articles, or to suffer imprisonment for one month. The watch„was ordered to be restored to the owner. Ax ExuzfsivE. GUzzLE.—James Mioughlin, a young man with.the appearance of a " swell down. on his luck," was charged with assaulting and threatening an elderly woman who sells oysters at the corner of Queen-square, on Saturday night last. It appeared that the prisoner had ordered.a.nd swallowed three dozen of oysters, for which proseentrix charged him the very moderate sum of ls., instead of paying which he beaania very abusive, and pushed the poor woman about ;_ after which he pulled out a knife and threatened to stab, her if she did not de sist from demanding her money. In extenuation, he said he hadbeen drinking, and had Lost his luggage, which had by mistake been forwarded to. Belfast, and he did not know what he was doing. He was ordered to pay 405., or suffer one month's imprisonment. He said he could not pay the money, and was removed in custody. THE PANTOMIMES continue : their deserved attractions, and, during the week have afforded much pleasure to numerous hosts of youthful. pleasure-seekers, and also to those of graver years, who, forgetting the irksomeness and cares of business, sought to. while away an hour in inno cent mirth. At the Theatre-Royal, the introduction to the pantomime and n hAs e ma aut n if y al at see trac ne t r i y ous an , d ibneicnigdefun the comic rn ts, ishedwith much artistic y smartly amod to e ld of p e ract ensl i z cal hits a idia tion r s ho Ttb ie rE s tc o e f . t a ran t th s e fo p rm ee time out of mild allowed to- be legitimate. The scenery is in many instances beautiful, and the concluding one is many e n da y gorgeous in the highest degree. It opens with the review of the British fleet at Spithead, is gradually changed to a statue of Britannia,, with her accompanying emblems, at the back of which is a brilliant star of the Order of the Garter, which, opening up, unfolds a splendidly attired living statue of her Majesty. This is a scene of great brilliancy and, beauty. At the Royal Park Theatre, the talents of the artist and machinist are also employed, with admirable effect in seconding the efforts of Columbine and Harlequin in producing a running com mentary on life's frivolities and laborious foibles. In the Adelphi we also found a warm rivalry of the more pretending houses, and in all greet a hearty desire to pro duce something worthy of the festive season. ACCIDENT TO Ma. HEA.DI,I3I, M.P.—A painful acci dent occurred on Christmas-day to Mr. Headlam, M.P. for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, who is staying with his father, Archdeacon Headlam, at Wycliffe Rectory. The hon. gentleman was going down stairs when his foot caught some obstruction and he lost his balance ; in straggling to recover it, he snapped the tendons of the knee-caps of both legs. Surgical assistance was promptly obtained, and it is expected that no permanent bad effects will ensue, though he will probably be confined to his room for several weeks. COLLISION ON LUDGITE-HILL.--On Monday night, rg collision of a frightful character happened at the foot of Ludgate-hill. As a cab was proceeding past St. Paul's, the horse took fright, and dashed down the hill at a terrific pace. The cabman managed to keep the affrighted animal clear of passing vehicles, till it came to the foot of the hill, where the horse drove against the back of another cab proceeding in the same direction, and the driver of the foremost cab was throw n from his seat, and pitched upon his head. It is feared that his injuries will term urinate fatally. His cab was likewise greatly broken, and and the teeth of the other h orse s t uc k i n t o th e back; panelling, making an indentation of at least an inch deep , The horse in the hindermost cab was so much injured that it was left lying at the corner of Farringdon-street to be killed. The driver of this vehicle only saved 1 31 5,. life by clinging to the Royal Society's fi re - esca p e , the corner of New Bridge-street, Blackfriars ; and worth, the conductor of the machine, having the presence of mind to scotch the wheel of the cal) ? no fqrther n2WI chief took plaeo,