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

YEAR AFTER YEAR IS PASSING. YEA R after year is passing On swift but si!ent 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 I How many a smile lit up the earth, A few brief seasons Clown! 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, Though words wore few become— Oh for the happy tone and smile That lit our childhood's home! Year after year 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. 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 — ouraelres 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 Apuleius, 4-e. 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 bel and the cleverly-com pounded conceits of a man of lively imagination, no great purity of taste, and a considerable reck 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. Launterings 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 dashed 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 " saunterings," 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 followinc , remarks on the relative positions of the court, and popular circles in Eng land and France. PUBLIC MORALITY IN ENGLAND AND IN FRANCE. "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 "la 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 confined 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 lath 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 au 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 and then bought in England ; more frequently they are in timidated • but in France—the very French confess it — all are venal, from the highest to the lowest. lam not au 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 retainingfee. No hustingswithout 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 ever since 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 rights 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 thonal liberty of her citizens may almost be conside e red pers 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 , w ith. respect to the person who is to preside over thi s 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 ere fist: 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- Boys and their Rulers ; or, What we do at School. London: Nathaniel Cooke. 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 in 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 vindi 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 MOVEMENTS. One might almost suppose that these sectaries had 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 sufficient to indicate sectarian zeal, and foster the sectarian 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 this is 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. The public must at all times know they are Dissenters, and why they are so. Strange infatuation They act as if their denominational crotchets were the very essence and marrow of the Gospel, and are not a whit wiser than the child who shades his eyes from the sun, and thinks the 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 ticles it contains. The Chemistry, of Common Life. By J. F. W. Johnston,M.A. Edinburgh and London : 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. _Kidd' 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 Almanack, 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 It. Fargher, Douglas, Isle of Man. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER. ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. THE " TIMES" v. LIVERPOOL EMIGRANT SHIPS. VARIETIES. A LAD was subpcenaed 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 'batty 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. CURIOUS COINCIDENCE. —lt 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 VERY 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 doctor, "your disease is incurable. Your skin is too short, so that when you shut your eyes, your mouth opens." SENTIMENTAL AHITJIMETIC.-2 glances—make 1: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 maniage. READING AND THINKING.—AIways 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 ro 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 festi-, ities, 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. 'Es 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 more complete.—Kidd'• Jour nal of Nature. CONTEBSATION.—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 WEnsm.—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 FORPRINCE ALBERT'SSTA.TUE.—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 ft.—Punch. PERMANENT IsK.—Until a better substitute can be found, I strongly recommend the universal use of Indian ink in preparing 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.—Corres pondent of The Builder. TnE GOORKA 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 Sutlej displayed such conspicuous gallantry as to place them for courage on 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 , have short 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 amounting to contempt. In the Nepaul war of 1814, with inferior numbers, they defeated the British troops more than once; and an ac quaintance with them under arms in no way tended to diminish my opinion of their high character as soldiers. — Indian Misgovernment by Sir C. J. Napier. A "COUNTRY SCROOLMASTER."—The following cha racteristic production has been forwarded to this office, in answer to an advertisement which appeared in our columns a short time since :—" Sir—Having been in formed by your paper of the sth ult., that a schoolmaster is required for a country school, I beg to offer myself as candidate, and to say that I can teach the whole course of arithmetic, English Grammer, Book-keeping, Mensura tion, Practital Geometry, and the first four books of Euclid or Elementary Geometry & Geography, therefore I 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 any testimonials, except my own sweet serf which you may have on the conditions set forth in your valuable Telegraph by dropping me a not which you may address to me Aughnacloy, Derrylin, Co. Fermanagh.—l am sir your most obt servt,— —"—Newry Telegraph. NATIONAL INFLUENCES OP POETRY.—Since poetry— especially the lyrical form of it—has become a power in the State, it may be interesting to our readers to hear that a Turkish poet, Halls Effendi, has written a national hymn, in the style of the " Marseillaise," which his countrymen are described as repeating with extraordinary zest and energy. Philosophers affect to despise poetry, and Plato banished the poets from his model republic ; but in moments of crises like that which now shakes the Orient, it is always found that men will bear, and dare, and aspire more greatly under the sway of lyrical passion than without the exaltation of nerve and brain produced by this subtle and spiritual power. The Spartans needed a Tyrtaus. Roger de Lisle nerved the arms which beat down one after another the Kings of Europe. Korner roused all Germany to action. Becker's lyric saved the Rhine provinces, and won for the author two royal pen sions. The Revolution of '4B was effected- to the chorus of " Mourir pour la Patrie '-" and the splendid Hungarian campaign of '49 was made to the " Kossuth March." Our own Commonwealth was introduced by a psalm tune, and James the Second was frightened out of three kingdoms by a chorus. Dibdin and Campbell did nearly as much for the British navy as Nelson and Collingwood,,—either song-writer certainly did more than Selden, Pepys, and all other antiquarian prosers about the sovereignty of the seas put together. It is of no small moment, then, that a native poet:;should have drawn from the rock those living waters of song which at once satisfy the common craving and fortify the national zeal.—Athenceum. WINTERS IN OLDEN TIMES.—In 1664 the cold was so intense that the Thames was covered with ice sixty-one inches thick. Almost all the birds perished. In 1693 the cold was so excessive that the famished wolves entered Vienna and attacked beasts and even men. Many people in Germany were frozen to death in 1696, and 1699 was nearly as bad. In 1709 occurred that famous winter called, by distinction, the "Cold Winter." All the rivers and lakes were frozen, and even the sea for several miles from the shores. The ground was frozen nine feet deep. Birds and beasts were-struck dead in the 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 iu the finest parts of Italy. In 1716 the winter was so intense that people travelled across the Straits from Copenhagen to the province of Senia, in Sweden. In 1729, in Scotland, multitudes of cattle and sheep were buried in the snow. In 1740 the winter was scarcely inferior to that of 1709. The snow lay ten feet deep in, Spain and Portugal. The Zuyder Zee was frozen over,. and thou sands of people went across it. And the lakes in England froze. In 1744 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 1771 the Elbe was frozen to the bottom. 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. Ptcrun.v of MENECIIIKOFF.—Menschikoff has in variably refused to sit to any artist He is about 70 years of age, of middle stature, has close cut 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 through 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 Prince fel/ headlong to the ground.. When he was taken up it was found that a cannon ball.had passed between his legs and wounded him severely in the thigh. Prince Menschikoff is one of the most extensive landed proprietors in the empire, and counts his 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, on all grand state occasions his appearance, carriages, and suite are most magnificent. He possesses a superb mansion 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. But while he bends to the imperial yoke from motives of avarice or ambition, he revenges his official servitude by browbeating, threatening, and abusing all 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 sou and daughter.—United States Gazette. EGYPTIAN WOMEN'S GRIEF.—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 bad 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 the uni form style of the poorer class of women in 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. I, Thompson's Letterfrom Zgypt. TO THE EDITOR OP THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. SlB,—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 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 can confidently assert, that there are no finer or better ships in the world, than the American packets trading to this port from New York. Every improvement that skill can suggest, for the proper lighting and ventilation, is introduced, and adapted to the peculiar character of the trade,—of which the carry ing of steerage passengers forms so important a feature. Yet the Times most recklessly describes these ships 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 was promised to the emigrant. Now, I do not believe it to be true that the emigrant is ever promised a thirty days' passage, since no one with com mon sense would listen to such a promise; nor is it true that the passage hence to New York- usually, or often, occupies sixty, or fifty, or even forty days. Of the list of ships referred to by the Times, (arriving: at New York in all November,) and which had encountered a- succession of gales from the west, of almost unexampled severity, only three were over forty days on the voyage. The nnies admits that " the passage hence- to New York has come to be regarded by the nations of over taxed, overgoverned, overdragooned, and overpaid Europe," (these are the very words of the chief organ orher Majes ty's Ministers) as "connected with high hopes and expec tations, with- pleasing retrospects, and glowing: anticipa tions ;" and this passage of three thousand miles can be obtained from Liverpool for £2 10s. or £3 ; but, a few lines lower, it says, " There is a disgusting and. repulsive uniformity in the process by which sordid and" heartless avarice extracts- its booty from helpless poverty and ig norance." Booty, indeed! at sixty shillings for a " sixty," or even thirty, days' passage, out of which,—aftar provi ding " helpless poverty" with 70 or 80 days' provision and water, medicines, medical attendance, fuel for cook ing, and cooks,—the extortions of two governments have to be satisfied, surveyor's fee, medical inspector's fee, and line of steam-boats and cabs for these officials, on the embarkation on this side, and head-money of two dollars, with commutations and bonds, for the infirm, for paupers, on the landing on the other. Booty ! I fancy the shipowners would- be glad to have it pointed out-! Th e Times sees, and, when it suits its purpose, can pretend to mourn over the " helpless poverty and ignorancer--nay, the squalid misery and vice the utter destitution and degradation. of thousands in our own England ; and hundreds of thousands in unhappy Ireland ; but when enterprising Men build, at immense cost,_ noble ships expressly adapted to the carrying, with as much comfort as may be, these miserable creatures to a_land of " glorious anticipations," the querulous Times watches their departure with impotent rage and jealousy, and vents its anger by imputing " callousness, brutality, and ava rice" to the officers and owners of the passenger ships- I could name one of these brutal captains who writes thus to his owners :—" I had nine poor little orphans sitting around my cabin door all the day long, and whom I fed from my own table ; two of them being too young to help themselves, I fed with my own hand the whole re_ mainder 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 case to the conduct of other captains. But the Times. 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 emigrants to Australia are 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, in his own hand, the means of comfort and health on shipboard—the other is accompanied by the accumulated evils of 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 served out than his hat, and in that article to re ceive, altogether, the allowance of flour, rice, oatmeal, biscuit, tea, sugar, and salt. Is the owner of the ship to be blamed for such wretchedness as this, and to beheld. up to the scorn and contempt of the world by the "first journal in Europe ?" The man is fleeing like Bunyan's Pilgrim (as the Times remarks) for his lite, 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 I hence to the United States, and of their owners and officers, I am, Sir, A LIVERPOOL SHIPOWNER. UNITED LEGAL FRIENDLY [BURIAL SOCIETY, TO THE EDITOR OP THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. SIR,—In 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 tern. 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, &e., A COMMITTEE-MAN OP THE 'UNITED L4G41.14 FRIENDLY Di:TRIAL SOCIATI. Liverpool, Jan. 2,1504, ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIG_ENCE. PREFERMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS Rev. W. Allen, 8.A., to the Stipendiary Curacy of Muckle stone, Staffordshire. _ _ Rev. W. BehO, 8.A., to the Curacy of 3taunton•upon- Arrow, near Leminster. Rev. G. W. Bence. 8.A., to the Curacy of Lydaington,Wilts. ltev. H. Rolland, ILA., to the Curacy of Mary MaAalene, Bridgnorth. Ret;. W. H. Cave Browne. 8.A., to the Curacy of St. Alary'a, Prince's-road, Lambeth. Rev. S. J. Butler, M.A., Vicar of Penryth, Cumberland, to be a Surrogate. Rev. C. A. A. Craven, 8.A., to an Assistant Curacy at St. Peter's, Liverpool. Rev. W. Dawson, to the Incumbency of St. John the Evangelist, Moor Allerton. Rev. W. H. Freer, 8.A., to the Curacy of Colwich, Staf fordshire. Rev. J. 0. Millar, M 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 Ray. EDWARD HARTOPP CRAIIOCK, 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 CntrEcll steadily increases in the United States. In 1832, there were 21 dioceses, 592 clergy, 678 parishes, and 32 , 268 communicants ; in 1852, there were 29 dioceses, 1,660 clergy, 1,650 parishes, and 100,000 communicants. ILLNESS OF THE LORD BISHOP OF KILMORE.—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.—Birmingkenn 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 Stathan, 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. CONVOCATION.—The convocation of the prelates and clergy of the province of Canterbury, which stands ad journed until. to-morrow, will• on that day be farther pro rogued, according to the tenor 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 will assemble in the Jerusalem , Chamber at ten, a.m., and will then, afterprayers, proceed to the discussion of such topics as may be brought under their consideration. DIOCESE Or MA.NCHESTER.—Preferments : The Wor shipful Dr. Haggard, chancellor of the diocese, on the nomination of the Bishop of Manchester, has appointed the Rev. 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 Stock, 8.A., to the stipendiary curacy of the Parish Church of Radcliffe, near Manches ter, and the Rev. Henry Lloyd Bickersteth to the stipen curacy of St. Andrew's, Manchester. PRESENTATION TO'ACLERGYM.A.N..—OII Saturday, on the occasion of the annualcongregationalten-: party,in connexion with Tintwistle Church, near Manches terit he Rev. E. Bot e ler Chalmer, jun., the' senior curate, was presented with a very gratifying testimonial of regard by the teachers and scholars of the 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 silver plate :—" Rev. E. B. Chalmer, M.A., from the Tintwistle Sunday School, and. Protestant Asso ciation, in token of affection and esteem. Dec. 25, 1863." The presentation was made by the Rev:J. A. Page, the incumbent, who spoke 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 Colonial 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 THE BISHOP OF LONDON FOR VIOLATION OF THE CHURCH'S RULES. (FROM. TEE MORNING POST.) Ma. Charles Westerton, one of the churchivardens of the parish of St. Paul, Knightsbridge, has made a formal complaint against the 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 remembrance that, when the practices of the Rev. Mr. Bennett, at the same church, excited so much indignation, and so much annoyance to the majority of the parishioners as to lead to episcopal interference, and his consequent resignation, that his lordship, in order to restore simplicity to the service of the church, and tranquillity to the parish, appointed a new minister, in the person of the Hon. and Rev. Robert Liddell, the parishioners had reasonable hope and expectation that this gentleman would.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 so fatal to Mr. Ben nett, and so offensive to his 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 time. after Mr. Liddell's accession to theincumbency, they perceived a decided im provement in the performance of Divinesarvice ; but it soon became evident that the Rev. 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 Roman Catholic Church, had obtained,a dangerous influence over the.mind of Mr. Liddell, and.that he had succeeded,. by slow and almost imperceptible degrees, in persuading him toadopt 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 the morning service at St. Paul's Church is performed. From this it appears that, while the clergy bell is ringing, the choristers, boys and men, about 20 in 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 used at the communion. As they approach the altar, on which stands a large cross, Mr. Liddell bows to it reverently, and. places on the 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 ception of bowing, take their places behind him. While this i$ going on, the choristers and congregation 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 Mr.. Liddell and the curates return in procession, he and Mr.. Nugee bowing again to the altar as they approach it. The congregation and,claoristers have risen, the latter singing a " Gloria." Mr. Liddell having by this time taken his place on the north and his curates on the south side of the altar, they kneel down with their faces towards it, and their hands clasped, as 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. This 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 MEGITHERIUM.—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 vertebra', 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 other discoveries interesting to science,--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. BOWING, we have reason to believe, will succeed Sir George Bonham as Governor of Hong Kong and Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China.—Globe. TIIE MARRIAGE of Prince Napoleon with the Princess Pauline Sophia Mary of Baden is said to be definitively arranged by the Grand Duchess Stephanie. TUE KING OF HA NOVER 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 RADOM= 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. MEETING OF PAnLIAMENT.-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 GrLLKREST, 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. TUE Cot:am—Prince Leopold of Saxe Cobourg 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.. CnonERA IN THE COAL PORTS.—The Queen has directed letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal, constituting and appointing Joseph Burnley Hume Esq.- Barrister-at-Law ; John Simons, E sq . ; an d 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 NEWS:—Prince Albert, with the Prince of Wales, and Prince Alfred, skated in the Home-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 hadthe 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 NEW YEAIeS , GIFTS.—The Ist of Jan, 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, varyinc , in quantity according to- the families of the re cipients,6 and 25 per cent. added to the subscriptions of the poor in the purchase of articles of clothing. The expense is defrayed by a grant of £l5O fr:. - -,mr.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'-hali 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 Ghards 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 Granville, Colonel Biddulph, and others •who had formed the Royal circle at dinner, honoured the festive scene with thclr presence. Refreshments from the Royal larder and cellars were bountifully dispensed, and thedun and merri ment were kept up until 4 o'clock on Friday morning. TUE PREBAGE. — Since last Christmas wjhave recorded the death of one Duke--Beaufort ; one Marquis—Hunt ley; ten Earls—Beauchamp, Brownlow, Dartmouth, Ducie, Kenmure, 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 Saltoun. 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 i to the Earldoms of Dartmouth, Ducie, and Warwick. Two. members of the Lower House have likewise acceded to catertesey titles—thc- Hon. John Dalrymple, member for Wigtonshire, to be called. Viscount Dalrymple, and the lion. F. Charteris to be culled Lord Elcho—by the deaths of their respective grandfathers, the Earls of Stair and Wemyss. The Earls of Newburgh and Tyrconnell, and Lord rtolls, 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 to the Upper House as Baron Strafford, of Harmondsworth. MUSIC AND THE DRAMIA. LIVERPOOL AMATEUR GLEE AND MADRIGAL. UNION. —A Christmas performance by this Society was given in the lecture-hall of the Mechanics' Institution on Friday evening, and was not only successful, but deserved to be so. The programme was a singular but very 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 description of Christmas-day from the " ringin&-in" of the , bells in the morning to the ringing oat" of them in the evening, and includes a church service of great beauty. The performance of it was not marred, except by .a single trivial error, 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 well rendered by Miss-.Maycock, Miss Williams, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Santley,...to the first of whom .especial praise is due for the chaste: manner in which she gave the very sweet music which she had to sing. We. may espe cially mention. the part commencing, A merry Christ mas, sir, to you," which she gave with a child-lik e sim plicity, admirably in harmony with the subject. Miss Maycock, whom we had not before heard in public, appears to have a highly finished style of 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 Hirst. The second part of the concert consisted of carols, glees, and madrigals—all on the subject 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 an 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_tobe called. BRANDY.—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 be looking up in, consequence. A. GOLD-DIGGER IN A Fix.—The• following is an extract from the letter of a digger established Eagle Hawk. Gully, Sept. 3d :—" You remember Dead Horse Gully,' the scene of our sporting adventures. Well, I lately sank a hole there in 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. One day I had been more than usually lucky, so next morning betimes I was stirring; made fast my rope to a tree, and down I went by it hand.under hand, lit my slush lamp, 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 how 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 a bound 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 eame in contact with the roof of the tunnel, and I fell back stunned and senseless. How long I lay in this state 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 g old 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 reproemtthestreodotfhi. stealthily breathed again, and with a forced courage 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 iu 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 bett er if I h ad waited until it was asleep. Muttering a p rayer, 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, notwithstandinc , the body was severed in two. I clambered up the side of 6 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, thanking God for my narrow ecsape. The snake measured 8 feet 6 inches. I went home to my tent, and made out the day fos sicking." TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1854. TEA PARTY at ALL SAINTS' SCHOOL TIIE first annual tea meeting of the congregation 00 friends of All Saints' Parish Church was held, last tilet in the upper room of the new school-rooms, in Great IN el son-street. The chair was occupied by the Rev. Henn: 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. Richar ( Dandy, Rev. Wm. Winlaw, Rev. John Woodhouse, an ( Rev. W. B. Matthias. About three hundred sat down to a well served all; plentiful supply of tea and cake, furnished by Mr. 'Mei bourn, 20, Clarence-street. The room was tastefull: decorciel with flags and banners, bearing appropriat devices, and with flowers and evergreens. Grace befall tea and after tea was sung by the choir in good style after the latter of which an anthem was sung, and prayer offered up by the Rev. J. Woodhouse. The Rev. H. 31A.BLEN expressed the great pleasure h experienced in meeting with so numerous a body of hi parishioners at the beginning of a new year, and under cil cumstances more gratifying than had usually been hi fortune. Never till the present occasion had he been nbl to meet them with what he felt entitled to call all the pais] machinery in inn operation. Our schools (said the rev. gee tlernan) are now built, and mostly completed in all respect: and me nearlyallpaidfor. (Cheers.) We have them now in condition toreceive the aid of the government to clear off small remaining debt, and in a few weeks or months we wi ] have our schools in full work and without debt. In loot ing at a report made by his predecessor, he - found that as cording to that report there was but one school in tb parish, although it extended to Kirkdale. There w er 8,000 souls in All-Saints' Parish, and among these wer children of all. fit ages to attend school. In 1847, Sr got a school opened in Upper Beau-street, another was the] added, and after that the church. was built, and at last have got our schools built and free of debt. (Cheers. He had therefore: to thank his congregation for 11l efficient manner in which he had been aided, and a particular manner he had to thank the ladies for the' kind and generous exertions. The schools had heel built at a large expense, no small portion of whirl was swallowed up in the cost of the site ths being not less than £1,404. The building cost £1,310 the residences £309; in all £3,273 ; but as sofa little apparatus was still wanting, say that £3,300 may b set down as the full sum. Ho was glad to say that nearl; all that sum had been raised in the space of ti years, still they were something short, to meet whit they would be in a short time entitled to receive £854 fret the committee of the Privy Council. (Cheers.) The New Year's Hymn was here sung. The Rev. ISAAC 110LMES addressed the meeting, all; congratulated the pastor and the congregation of Al Saints- on the exertions they had-- made and the succo they had met with in their laudable exertions. The Rev. J. R. Cocoa, in commencing his address begged to correct a popular error which existed as t o th ecclesiastical status of the Rev. Henry Marlen, who wa not unfrequently called the incumbent of All Saints' dis trict ; now, his position was equal to that of the rectors Liverpool, and All Saints' was a parish: It might be wel enough knewn that 200 years ago Liverpool was a slid out of Walton, and now All Saints' is a - slice out of Liver pool. The rev. gentleman, in a speech full of facetin, an replete with well-told anecdotes, enforced the blessings 0 a really charitable disposition, and urged-on the meetii' the gratification of indulging in it in regard to such oh jects as the one-they were that night met to promote. The collection in favour of the School Library, amount' ing to £7 Os. ld., was now made ; during which time 6 1 anthem was sung._ The meeting was then addressed by the Revs. J. C POWELL, of St. Thomas's, S. B. Surros, and JoiLl WOODEOUSE, WllO. severaly urged on those• present til l important claims of the schools and the library ; afte which the doxology was sung, and the meeting_ separated POLICE COURT-YESTERDLY- STYALPTG OATMEAL—WiIIiam Lee, an oh man,. charged with stealing.. a small quantity of oatmeal f the side of a ship, unloading in the docks, on. Sato.] afternoon, The prisoner, who looked very sqtatlid. miserable, was discharged with an admonition. ROBBERY FROM i7IFE PERSON.—HeIen Carron it charged with stealing a watch from a man, past midd age, named Edward Brennan. It appeared from the es' dente of a policeman that, about two o'clock that more ing, he saw the prosecutor and prisoner come out. of entry, anct, knowing her to be a bad character, he stopp( them, and asked prosecutor if he had lost anything. C examination ; prosecutor discovered that he had lost 1, watch, which was found concealed on the prisoner, and I took her into custody. The prisoner said the proseeuti gave her the. watch, as he had no money, and wishE to treat her. She was sentenced to be imprisoned for dill months. STEALING PROM A SHlP.—Thomas Johnston charge with Stealing a-silk handkerchief from a co a t pocket in .- tW cabin of the ship Geraldine on Friday last, was sentence to two months' imprisonment. STEALING MOM WAPPING RAILWAY STATIONI Patrick Hegan and Martin Co nwa y were charged wit'l stealing a quantity of fustic-wood. It appeared that a quantity of fustic-wood had been sent from Evan, Cox, an d Sons to the railway station at the end of last week f 0 transmission to Kidderminster, and that nineteen pie( had been abstracted from• the number sent to the rails station. The prisoners -were found with a billet of fustic . wood similar to that sent to the railway station on SatA t ; day last, and near to the place. They gave conflict _ w il l ' accounts of how they became possessed of it, and sentenced each to twenty-one days imprisoumsaL HOLTSEIMEAKING.—John Phillips and Done were charged with having, on Saturday afternoon, enter( the house of Mrs. Williams, in Rack Salisbury-street, Eva ton, and stealing the sum of 4s. in silver and some cePP i money,whileMrs.Williams was absent. When apprehend s by detectives Grisenthwaite and Eaton, two purses and etil l articles, supposed to have been stolen, and two skelet° keys, together with a picklock, were found in their P° session. They were remanded for seven days. STEALING A WATCTI. 7 - Catharine Smith ISMS Ellgige, with the theft of a watch, which she sent a woman to pawn at the shop a Mr. Simons, who, suspecting property ti not to have been honestly come by, insisted 'I; having the owner- brought to him. For this purpose . 1 sent an officer along with the woman who brought it his shop, and, after sonae inquiries, the officer took Stab into custody. She . said she found the watch 'lli on the pillow of her bed, where she considered it b' been left by some one. of - her numerous lodgers on Frid! night, and being in want of money on Saturday mornit she had sent the watch to be pledged, as stated. She Nr' discharged, but the watch was ordered to be kept. PA SSIN A. COI:I4%TE RFEIT CROWN PI EC E.—Jail Jackson was charged with attempting to pass a. bs crown piece, yesterday afternoon, at the shop of Mr. CC son, in Falkland-street, offering it for two penny wo rth rasberry cordial. On the cheat being detected, the P 1 soner endeavoured to repossess himself of the-coin fo make his escape; he was, however, secured, and gis:' into custody. In defence, he said he had been drinks on Friday and. Saturday, and was drunk when be offer the coin, which,. however, he said he did not remenit anything about. He was remanded for seven days. ILLEGALLY PAWNING.—Eli7beth Strang was char". with illegally pawning a pair of trousers, gelonging man named Fairhairn, who, along with his wife, wile an apartment in the house of the prisoner. She was charged with:taking a watch, belonging to a man nav e Strang, on the 23rd December, and pawning- i• at the of Powell, in Scotland-road. The prisoner did not de ll pawning the articles, but said she meant to-redeem tbell She was ordered to pay a fine of 205., with. costs, on Eac of the articles, or to suffer imprisonment for one mol" The watch was ordered to be restored to the owner. AN ExpENstv - E GLIZZLE.—James man wit - lithe .appearance of a "swell down on his luel was charged. with assaulting and threatening an Wel woman.who sells oysters at the corner of,Queen-square , Saturday night last. It appeared that the. prisoner 1 ordered and. swallowed three dozen of oysters, for nie prosecutrix charged him the very moderate sum of instead of paying which he became very abust auctpushed the poor woman about ; after which he P llll out a.knife. and threatened to stab her if -she did not silt from demanding her money. In. extenuation, he s! he-had been drinking, and had lost his luggage, wil l had by mistake been forwarded to_Belfast, and he did' know what he wa s d o i ng . H e was ordered to pay 4 ' or suffer one month's imprisonment. He said he co l not.pay the money, and was removed in custody. THE PANTOMIMES continue their deserved attractio l and during the week have afforded much pleasure numerous hosts of youthful pleasure-seekers, and also those of graver years, who, fo rge tting th e i r k some ness a , cares of business, sought to. while away an hour in ivfl cent mirth. At the Theatre-Royal, the introduction ‘ , furnished an'd incidents, the c o mach ecpah artistic ntomim an had h d a. i Lm au a t n it y w a se ttl e .a n c e t r, ians_ at the peculiar hobbies of the day, a mod e o f censure transformations embrace many smartly told practi ca l out of mind allowed to be legitimate. The scenery tunny instances beautiful, and the concluding one, gorgeous in the highest degree. It opens with the revie the British fleet air Spithead, is gradually changed statue of Britannia, with her accompanying emblems' the back of which is a brilliant star of the Order of , ' living statue of h er M ajesty. This is a scene of gilt Garter, which, openi ng up, unfolds a splendidly att il brilliancy and b eauty. At the Royal Park Thol, the talents of the artist and machinist are also en l P lo ' with admirable effect in seconding the efforts Columbine and Harlequin in producing a running co mentary on life's frivolities and laborious foils In the Adelphi we also found a warm rivalry of the pretending houses, and in all greet a hearty desire to P duce something worthy of the festive season. ACCIDENT TO Ma. HEADLAM, painful dent occurred on Christmas-day to Mr. Headlam, Newcastle-upon-Tyne ' who is staying with his fat ", i Archdeacon Headlam, at 'Wycliffe Rectory. The n,) gentleman was going down stairs when his foot cal*i some obstruction and lie lost his balance ; in struggling recover it, he snapped the tendons of the knee-caP s e both legs. Surgical assistance was promptly obtain., and it is expected that no permanent bad effects will ens: though he will probably be confined to his room for sect/ weeks. COLLISION ON LUDGATE-HILL.—On Monday n ib collision of a frightful character happened at the foot i Ludgate-hill. As a cab wa s p rocee di ng pas t St. r i n!,:i the horse took fright, and dashed down the hill at a teriii pace. The cabman managed to keep the affi'igh, animal clear of passing vehicles, till it came to the fo°,,, the hill, where the horse d rove against the back of ano tP , cab proceeding in the same direction, and the drive r , the foremost cab was th rown f rom his seat, and pitch his head. It i s f eare d th a t hi s i n j ur i es will ininate fatally. His cab was likewise greatly broken , and the teeth of the other horse stuck into the panelling, making an indentation of at least an inch The horse in the hindermost cab was so much i 3 1. 14 that it was left lyin g at th e corner o f Farringdon-sui to be killed. The driver of this vehicle only saved life by clinging to the Royal Society's fire-escape: o the corner of New Bridge-street, Blackfriars ; and Ik ep i worth, the conductor of the machine, having the pre' of mind to scotch the wheel of the cab, no furtheY, chief took pla,ce,