The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-12-22 00:00:00

ttteraturr. POETRY. LINES ON VENICE. ST MISS FANNY KEMBLE eight in her dark array From the high Itittice now Steals 'er the Ocean, Bright eye, are gleami ng; c Apd with departed day 'That seem on Night's dark brow flushed seems its motion. Brighter stars beaming. &Orly o'er yon 13:u! coast Now o'er the blue lagune Onward she's treading, Light barks are dancing, Till its dark line is lost And 'neath the silver moon 'Neath her veil spreading. SW ft oars are glancing. The bark on the rippling deep Strains from the mandolin 'lath found a pillow ; Steal o'er the water; And the pale moonbeams sleep Echo replies between On the green billow. To mirth and laughter. Bound by her emerald zone O'er the wave seen afar. Venice is lying; Brilliantly shining, • And round her marble crown, Gleam like a fallen star, Night winds are sighing. Venice reclining. NOTICES China; Political, Commercial, and Social. By R. Montgomery irlartin. Part I. London : James Madden, 8, Leadenhall-street. Qne of the most singular problems in the history of the human race is contained in the condition of the vast empire of China. Four hundred millions of population, or-nearly half the entire population of the globe, are there congregated under one Sovereign, whose dominions ex tend over about 35 degrees of latitude. and about 65 de grees of longitude, with a coast washed by the Pacific two thousand miles in length ; yet the state of that popu lation, their laws and habits, and even the form of the treater portion of the country they inhabit, are compara tively unknown to the remainder of mankind. Their capital cities a European is not permitted to visit ; their arts, their manufactures, their religion, we have for gene rations been compelled to form our opinions of upon vague guesses; and of the habits and character of the mass of the people we know nothing at all. They have hedged thamselves round with barriers against the curi osity and the cupidity of the rest of their species, and, as well, against the intrusion of any other lights of civiliza tion than have been self-kindled, or have been handed down through centuries of exclusiveness. This state of things, however, is not destined to be per petual. Commerce, the great pioneer of civilization and rational liberty, has set its restless eye upon China, with a keen perception of its importance. Four hundred mil lions of people yet to be introduced into communication with the rest of mankind ! What a prospect for the ma nufacturer, the shipowner, and the merchant. is here ! But there is still a h.gher and a holier prospect. Four hundred millions of active and intelligent human beings have to be brought within the pale of Christianity. Wary stepping, too, it will require to enable us to succeed in realizing either of these objects. The Chinese character, so far as we know of it at present, is sensitively afraid of dictation or rude interference with established habits. We may persuade, but we cannot coerce them into their new position in the human family; and to do this we must first study their habits, their prejudices, and their tempers. To assist us the author of the work before us — and an abler man for the task than Mr. Montgomery Martin could not have been found—has devoted his pen, and, the experience and information derived from his late employment as her Majesty's treasurer for the colonial, consular, and diplomatic services in China, and as a mem ber of the legislative council at Hong Kong. The part (No. 1) now published treats of the topography, popula tioh, productions, government, revenue, and banking system of China; and affords us a fund of valuable in formation with respect to this extraordinary people. The second proposes to give their early history and their in tercourse with foreign nations, with some directions as to the line of policy to be pursued towards them. The third will treat of the regulations upon which their internal, coasting, and forefgn traffic is conducted, with separate notices of the tea trade and the opium traffic ; and the fourth will describe the consular ports of Canton, Amoy, Foochoo, Ningpo, and Shanghai, and the stations of Hong Kong, Chusan, Macao, and Kiackta, with some general observations and an appendix of official documents. The present number contains an excellent map of the country. Irish Diamonds By John Smith. London: Chapman and Hall, 186, Strand. This is a beautifully got up little work, and will furnishfood for amusement in many a circle. The author has displayed considerable ingenuity in the endeavour to prove his theory with respect to the source of Irish blundering and bulls, although we are fearful that he has not altogether succeeded in establishing the fact that his notions are very different to those of other people upon the subject. Many of the specimens of wit and humour introduced we recognise as very old friends; but they are welcome nevertheless. In the illustrations Phiz has surpassed himself. By-the-bye, we may be accused of a bull for saying so ; but, really, reading Mr. Smith's collection is rather catching. The Three Wives; or Woman Morally and Religiously Superior to Mon. By John Reid Mills., Liverpool: Edward Howell, Park-lane : Manchester, Henry Whitmore. The proposition sought to be proved in the three tales which compose the volume before us, is by most men acknowledged—perhaps too readily, for it is by no means corrsistent with our views of the human character, or of the designs of the Creator. We cannot admit it as a ge neral principle that woman is " morally and religiously superior to man," although many circumstances conspire for the preservation of her character from ,the contami nating influences with which men are surrounded ; and it is certain that, as an agent for good, she possesses advan tages which men do not. The importance of due atten tion—increased attention—being paid to the education of woman, which appears to be what the writer has in view, is quite clear. To woman is confided the task of model ling the character, in early youth, of their own sex and ours. A talented mother has rarely a stupid child—a pious mother an irreligious child. Some of the greatest ornaments of our literature have traced their distinction to the lessons in childhood of rishimtnded mothers, and the encour.gcoient in manhood of virtuous and talented wives. The three tales with which Mr. Reid has fur nished us are very ably written, and convey much valu able sentiment and instruction. VARIETIES. PORTUGAL AND HER STREET.—lnsolvency has long been associated with the name of Portugal, from the Court of the former being situated in the street of the latter. Now that the Portuguese are in a sate of bankruptcy, the location of the Insolvent Court in Portugal-street appears singularly appropriate. —Punch. CANINE SAGACITY.—The Progress of Arras relates the following additional instances of the wonderful instinct of the canine race :—About two months ago a person em barked for Africa, taking with him a sporting dog, given to him by an inhabitant of Arras. But on Thursday week the animal, who had jumped from the packet at Toulon, made his way home again, where he arrived the same day. The dog was seen travelling back through St. Omer, where he was well known. POLK AND CORDEN.—In swagger, ignorance, and self confidence, these worthies much resemble each other. Nor are they dissimilar in their fates. Substitute the name of Cobden for Polk in the following extract from the Morning Chronicle, (whig paper,) and the remarks would as well fit the fugitive from Manchester, as him who still holds his ground at Washington. The Manchester de mocrats have found to their cost that the path Cobden chalked out for them is the road to ruin :—" Retribution seldom follows so very close on the heels of wrongdoing as it has in the case of the Polk policy of annexation and war. Retribution is usually too long dated for the pur poses of moral impression and effect. It too frequently falls on the wrong men, and visits the children instead of the fathers. Or it comes due at the wrong time—when, the mischief has been done and forgotten, and the rela tionship of cause and effect is scarcely visible to the naked eye. In the New World, however, everything grows fast, and history is ready with her lessons before the sea son for edification has passed away. Mr. Polk's Nemesis has been wonderfully quick with him. One of the greatest of modern proficients in the art of rising' in democracies seems destined to afford the world one of its best exam ples of the law of moral and political gravitation. He has loved popularity and votes not wisely but too well, and his popularity and votes desert him just when he is work ing hardest to propitiate them. More than any other United States President, he has courted, flattered, and pampered the passions of the democracy—and the demo cracy, by way of return, are cruelly ungrateful and vehe mently angry. One does like to see justice strike in this way, while the iron is hot. Mr. Polk's disastrous and unrenewed Presidentship will be a salutary warning to public men in America—pointing, as it so happily does, the valuable moral, that democracies have no gratitude for men who pander to their passions, and unscrupulously flatter their delusions, and meanly sacrifice the higher aims and duties of statesmanship to the coarsest interest of _party." CHINESB Lova or TRADING.—It is truly observed, in an official report to the British government in 1837, that. the Jews perhaps excepted, no nation is so much in fluenced by the love of gain ; and at the same time, so utterly regardless about the means to attain this end. The snore wealthy classes absorb their very existence in trade. Commerce is the invariable topic of conversation, the most important pursuit, the highest object of pleasure, and the goal of all their wishes. Trade is the first and last word in which all unanimously join, whilst the energies of mind and body are consumed in following up this bent. Trade is not here confined to one class of men, but to all ranks and ages. Scarcely can a boy lisp, when he begins to sell a few cakes, or a little sugar-cane. The poorest try to gain a subsistence, if it be only to dispose of a few rags. There is nothing in all nature which a Chinaman might not turn to advantage, and trade in. All recesses are ransacked to find a few trifles which may be sold to advantage, and he would rather procure a pittance in this way, than receive the money without displaying his inven tive genius. The Chinese may justly be termed the ped lars of the world ; wherever you go, there seem to be more sellers than buyers. Nothing can exceed their affa bility if they think you are going to purchase anything from them : they will refuse no money if they can be ever ;ners ; they are therefore quite the reverse of who are rough, disobliging, and positive ; k a price, will not abate their demand. so little g,_ the Japanese, .. and when they ask But the Chinese turn every thing to advantage that offers, and undertake the most diff i cult things for the least hope of gain. The Chinese maxim is, that he who buys is for getting things as cheap as he can, and would g i ve nothing, i did the seller consent to t ; upon this principle, they think they have a right to ask the greatest pric e . Th e dealer does not deceive, say they ; it is the buyer who de ceives himself. The buyer is under no compuls ion ; and the profit which the merchant gets is the fruit of his in dustry.—Montgomery Martin's " China." ORNAMENTAL WATER JETS.—In reading accounts ot ancient London, we find frequent mention of the public conduits, which, if we except the works of London Bridge, erected at a late date, and not extensively useful, were the only means of supplying the wants of the inns b itants, until the completion of the new river works by Sir Hugh Middleton. Judging kern the descriptions and drawings, many of them must have been very beautiful objects. They were elaborately decorated with the rich carving of the medieval artists, and were des•gned so that the water issued from them in jets and spouts of curious device. Many a pedestrian, in the dust and heat of sum mer. would be glad to stop at such a resting place ; and could fountains or conduits of a similar kind be erected, they would form most pleasing features in the architec ture of our streets. Whether it be that the mind is sen sible of any gratifying contrast with the toil of business, or that the motion of the water is always suggestive of beautiful impressions, certainly there are tew adjunstc so desirable to the architecture of cities, and none, of which we are so unaccountably deficient.—The Builder. Tars BUSY lobatts.—Besides the procrastinating and perfunctory class, those are " slothful in business" who do no business at all. And there are such persons— agreeable, self-complacent, plausible persons—who really fancy that they have done a great deal because they have intended to do so much. Their life is made up of good purposes, splendid projects, and heroic resolutions. They live in the region which the poet has described : A pleasing land of drowsy-he d it was. Of dreams that wave before the half-shut eye, And gay castles In the clouds that pass, For ever flushing round a summer's sky. They have performed so many journeys, and made so many discoveries, and won so many laurels in this aerial clime, that life is over, and they find their real work it not begun. Like the dreamer who is getting great sums of money in bis sleep, and who, when he awakes, opens his till or his pocket book, almost expecting to find it full, the day-dreamer, the projector awaking up at the close of life, can hardly believe that after his distinct and glorious visions, he is leaving the world no wiser, mankind no richer, and his own home no happier fur all the golden prospects wbich have flitted through his busy brain. What a blessed world it were, how happy and how rich, if all the idlers were working, if all the workers were awake, and if all the projectors were practical men I—Life in Earnest. THE ORATORY OF M. TRIIERS.—M. Thiers has often reminded me of a beardless woman, well informed and witty —not standing, but seated at the tribune, who chatted upon a thousand subjects, jumping from one to another with the most gracetul levity, and without allow ing the labour of her understandine to appear upon her lips, which are ever in motion. He is more elastic than a spring of the finest steel—he bends and unbends—he rises and falls with the subject—he will roll himself spirally round about a question from its base to its summit—he mounts, descends, remounts, hangs in the branches, hides himself in the thickest foliage, appears, disappears, and passes a thousand times in and out with the pretty agility of a squirrel—he would extract money even from a stone —where others glean, he leaps. He extends his plumage and shows, by turns, every hue of purple, gold, and azure. He does not speak, he coos—he does not c-o, he lisps— he does not lisp, he warbles—and he is so dazzling both to the eye and to the ear, that one does not know which to admire m ,st, his plumage or his song. He will give you a speech of three hours' length on architecture, poetry, law, navigation, or war, and yet he is neither a poet, an architect, a lawyer, a mariner, or a soldier—all he will re quire is an evening's preparation. if he describes a bat tle, he astonishes the oldest generals. If he speaks of walls, roofs, stone, and mortar, you would actually believe him to be a mason or an architect. He will dispute with Gay-Lussac on questions of chemistry, and teach Arago how to direct his telescope at Venus or Jupiter. The fine arts, canals, roads, finances, commerce, history, the press, politics, anecdotes of the streets, theatres, war, literature, religion, municipalities, morality, amusements, great things, middling things, little things—what does it matter to him, he is ready at all. He is so, because in fact he is prepared upon nothing. He does not speak like other ora tors, because he speaks like people of the world. Other orators urepare themselves more or less, but he impro vises ; other orators perorate, but he chats ; and who can be on their guard against a man who chats like you or me ? What did 1 say? infinitely better than you, or than me, or than any one else. I have one fault, however, to find with M. Thiers. It is, that sometimes he cannot restrain his laughter when he is descending from the tribune. Now, a good comedian never laughs at the farce which he plays. On this point, M. Thiers has something to learn. If M. Thiers spoke slower, he would e less listened to; but his volubility is such, that the house cannot go before him, or even follow him. Once started, he proceeds at full gal lop, from the morning to the evening. It the Almighty had foreseen that the day would come on which he would create a Thiers, he wou!d undoubtedly have made the earth turn on its axis in forty• eight hours instead of twenty-four.—Dublin Univerhity Magazine. _ DANIEL DONE OVER.—The accounts from Rome mention among other reforms set on toot by the new Pope, that his Holiness has, by a decree, prohibited " Mendicity and Vagabondism." Othello's occupation's gone."—Alas ! poor Dan ! RELIGION OF THE CHINESE.—II is d fficult to convey a distinct idea or the religion of the Chinese. The higher masses are Deists; and I heard their learned men express an utter disbelief of a future state. In order that we may be the better enabled to see the prospects which pure Christianity would have in China, the followieg explana- ' Lion of the Confucian and other systems is given ; for which I am indebted to Drs. Medhurst, Gut zlaff, Bridge man, and others. While in China, I was favoured by Dr. Gutzlaff's translating my " Analysis of the Bible" into Chinese, which I caused to be printed ; it is now exten sively circulating throughout China, and said to be pro ducing a good effect. The`Conrucian system orreligion, if religion it can be called, for it has little or nothing to do with theology, is merely a scheme of ethics and politics, from which things spiritual and divine are carefully ex cluded. In the works of Confucius there are some allu sions to Heaven as the presiding power of nature; and to Fate as the determiner of all things; but lie does not ap pear to attribute oiiginality to one, or rationality to the other. " Life and death are decreed by fate ; riches and poverty rest with Heaven." The Book of Odes speaks of the Imperial Supreme as " majestic in his descending and surveying, the inhabitants of the world, and promoting their tranquillity ;" who is to be worshipped and served with abstinence and purification ; while he views the af fairs of men, and rewards or punishes them according to their deeds. The principle of order, which regulates the universe," is called the soul of the world. The heavens and earth, together with all animate and inanimate things, are, according to them, but one principle ; which is as universally diffa-ed throughout nature, as water through the ocean. Their description of the creation of the world is as•follows. " Before heaven and earth were divided, there existed one universal chaos; when the two energies of nature were gradually distinguished, and the yin and yang, i. e., the male and female principles, established. Then the purer influence established, and became the ' expansive heavens ; while the grosser particles descended, and constituted the subjacent earth. From the combi natio❑ of these two, all things were produced; and thus heaven is the father, and earth the mother, of nature." Hweenantze, an ancient author of China, whose works are in great esteem, writes thus :—" Heaven was form less—a eliaos ; and the whole mass nothing but confusion. Order was produced in the pure ether ; out of the pure ether the universe came forth ; the universe produced the air. When the pure male principle, yang, bad been dilu ted, it formed the heavens. The heavy parts coagulated and formed the earth. The fine particles united very soon, but the thick and heavy went on slowly ; therefore the heavens came into existence first, and the earth after wards. From the subtile essence of heaven and earth, the dual principles, yang and yin, were formed ; the joint operation of yang and yin produced the four seasons ; putting forth their generative power, gave birth to all the products of the earth. The warm air of yang pro duced fire, and the finest parts of fire formed the sun. The cold air of the yin, being condensed, produced water ; and the finest parts of the watery substance formed the moon."—Monrgornery Martins'a " China." MACREADY AS AN ACTOR.—Mr. Macready has done so much, both by bis personal performances, and his ef forts in the management of theatres, to uphold the legiti mate drama, in an age when it was well nigh overwhelmed by the amphitheatre and the melodrama, that his name can never be mentioned but with the highest respect in any disquisition on the British stage. If tragedy is not ba nished from our theatres, and supplanted by Timour the Tartar, the Cricket on the Hearth, and Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures, it is mainly owing to his continued and most meritorious efforts. As an actor his performances entitle him to a very high place in the scale of histrionic excellence. He is uniformly chaste, reflecting, and gen tlemanlike ; his conceptions are the result of long thought, deep study of his author, and no small amount of historical and antiquarian research. In the latter respect he much re sembles Kemble. He has his learning, reflection, and elevated conceptions of what his profession should be. ' These are great excellencies; and his execution in many respects kee n s pace with his ideas. We say in many re spects, for it would betray partiality to say that in every particular his powers are equal to his ideas, or that be is to be placed on a level with Kemble or Kean, in the force of actual performance. This does not so much seem to be owing to the want of physical powers, for they are very considerable, but rather to the absence of vehemence and energy of conception. He is learned rather than original; correct than impassioned; free from fault rather than overliwing with effect. There is little to criticise in his acting, but sometimes not so much as could be desired to admire; and Victor Hugo, at Paris, characterised the two with equal justice and felicity when he said, after seeing them act together, " M. Macready a le talent ; mais Ma demoiselle Faucit le genie." The best characters to give an idea of Mr. Macready's powers are, King Lear and Cardinal Richelieu. The first is an admirable conception, and is by far the most perfect piece of acting by a male performer on the stage. We doubt if Garrick's were equally true to Shakspeare's idea; we know that Kemble's was less effective. He has brought out this celebrated and most difficult part to a degree of perfection never be fore witnessed in the English theatre. Nor is his Cardi nal Richelieu less admirable. The profound dissimula tion, firm determination, grasping intellect, end vast ca pacity of that wonderful statesman, peculiarly suit Mr. Macready's powers, and are pourtrayed by him with ad mirable effect. His antiquarian and historical lore has here powerfully come to the aid of his professional abili ties ; and he has apparently taken advantage of his resi dence at Paris to gather many interesting and graphic de tails of his manner, dress, and habits as well of mind as body. Altogether, it is one of the most perfect persona tions now to be seen on the stage. He is classical, chaste, and correct in Virginius—esteemed by many his best part. But to those who recollect Kemble, the Roman counte nance, erect air, and restrained dignity which that great actor exhibited in Brutus, Cato, and Coriolanus, appear sadly wanting. Nature has not given Macready the ex ternals of a hero, and nothing on the stage can make up for that deficiency.—Dublin University Magazine, " Received bi j Lightning—Printed by Steam !" is the stereotyped head of the telegraphic news in the Miffalo Courier. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. @ritual Ifliatllanp. Eleven thousand barrels of oats were exported from Limerick last week to England and Scotland. It is said that Government have determined to shorten the term of the soldier's enlistment to ten years. Dr. List, the celebrated economist, has committed sui cid,-, by shooting himself with a pocket pistol. During twenty-four hours, on Thursday, no less than twelve fires occurred in various parts of the metropolis. Lord Ashley, it is stated, declines coming forward to contest the representation of the city of Bath at the gene ral election. The story of Lord Tweedale's marriage being null and void, from a previous contract entered into with another lady in Scotland, is a fabrication. W. S. Dugdale, Esq., M.P., has generously returned half the amount of retits to his tenants occupying garden land, in consequence of the failure in the potato crops. A pension of £lOO a-year has been offered by the go vernment to Father Mathew !! !—" The force of humbug can no further go." _ Triennial stakes on the turf are beginning to spread, and in a few years will be found in the programme of every respectable meeting in the kingdom. A Cantab has admitted, in a letter to The Times, that his charge against a proctor, of arresting a young lady, was only founded on a general rumour to that effect. Mr. Cannan, son of the late Mr. Cannan, official assignee, is appointed to fill the same berth in the place of the late Mr. Alsager. Flixton-hall. Suffolk, the seat of Robert Shafto Adair, was on Saturday night destroyed by fire, occasioned by the overheating of a flue The damage is estimated at £30,000, and a part only was insured. . . The Duke of ltichmond has signified his wish to have the money subscribed or his testimonial, used as the foundation of an institution for the relief of farmers re duced by advrse circumstances. A WARNING.—Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton's new no vel, " Lucretia ; or, the Chih!'ren of Night," is generally pronounced to be a disgrace to the writer, and a shame to us all. Herrings caught at Brighton in the morning are sold in the Midland Counties in the afternoon! at the rate of from twenty to twenty-five for a shilling, or at a reduction of 200 per cent. A report has been circulated that it is the intention of Government, in the next session of Parliament, to abolish the window tax, and raise the property tax to five per cent., leaving the income tax untouched. Lord John Russell has announced that he cannot, of his own act, continue the pension granted to the now de ceased widow of Mr. Hood to the children. An applica tion must be made to Parliament. PRICE OF CORN.—The prices of wheat and other kinds of grain advanced at all the leading markets last week. Wheat rose from 4s. to ss. per quarter at Wakefield mar ket on Friday. On Saturday morning week, about one o'clock, the United Secession Church, Pollockshaws, was di.covered to be on fire, and was entirely consumed. We understand the church was insured with the Sun Fire Insurance Co. for £BOO. Notwithstanding the high prices of provisions gene rally, yet poultry and game is now selling in London at unusually low prices. Pheasants are being sold at 4s. a brace; hares at ls. 6d. each; geese at 3s. each ; and fowls at 3s. a couple. A military board having recently been appointed by the Commander-in-Chief, to consider the present allowances of fuel to the army, and the issues having been considered insufficient, the War-office has ordered that the present quantity of fuel shall be increased one third. Two brothers, Frenchmen, master and mate of a St. Malo vessel, have perished in the Tvne by suffocation, in consequence of having placed a pan of lighted coals in the cabin where they slept ; the only ventilation being a bro ken pane of glass. ZINC TRADE —The smelting and manufacture of zinc is becoming an important trade in Belgium. During the last ten years the progress made in this branch of manu facture has been extraordinary. The borders of the river Meuse produce large quantities of the ore.— The Builder. AN EARLY LAMB —On Tuesday, the lith instant, a ewe, belonging to Sir George Musgrave, Bart., ot Eden hall, veaned a fine lamb on the snow, and the mother and her offspring are doing well. Several more are daily ex pected.—Carlisle pap(r. Professor Schonbein communicated to the Academie des Sciences, on the 23d November, that his gun cotton is not prepared by the same process as the explosive cot ton which has hitherto been experimented with so gene rally. At Blackburn, on Monday night, a fine lioness, which has been in Mr. Wombwell's possession, we believe, for some years, gave birth to three fine cubs, two of which, with their mother, are " doing as well as can be ex pected." Mr Charles Wye Williams, of Liverpool, and Mr. Morgan, secretary of the General Association of Steam Ship-owners, had an interview with the Earl of Claren don, on Thursday, at the office of the Board of Trade, in reference to the Steam Navigation Act. WEST INDIA PINEAPPLES.—The attempt made to import pineapples from the West Indies throughout the year has eve/ y prospect of being realised, and a parcel by the Tay brings this tropical fruit in time for use in England at Christmas. On Monday night a daring burglary was attempted in Mr. Bailey's premises, Norwich. The burglars being de tected by Mr. Bailey's sons, an affray ensued, and one of the men was shot, but not killed. He was conveyed to the hospital on the same night, where he now lies in a preca r.ous state. SHOP ROBBERIES.—The London papers contain se veral reports of robberies at bakers' shops, by individuals in an apparent state of destitution. On Tuesday a simi lar practice was adopted by two men who visited the shop of Mr. Squires, confectioner, of High-street, each taking a loaf. They were handed into the charge of the police. The following announcement appeared among the mar riages in the papers last week :—" On the 2nd of August last, at the British Ambassy, Paris, by the late Bishop Luscombe, Dr. Lardner, to Mary, only daughter of Col. Spicer, late of the 12th Lancers ; the marriage having been previously solemnized in the United States." To MAKE STRONG TEA.—It is not generally known that the way to make good tea is, first to pour in the boil ing hot water into the pot, and then to put in the tea, not mixing it at all. The reason is obvious, for the hottest water is on the top, where the steam rises, then the tea is better infused, and the flavour drawn out more properly. The demolition of the ornamental colonnade forming the front of the south wing of Buckingham Palace was commenced on Saturday ; from which point the new wing begins. The excavations for both wings fronting St. James's Park are complete, and the foundations are al ready laid. A dinner was given to Captain Pechell, M.P., by the guardians of Brighton, on Monday, at the Old Ship, by way of testimonial for his exertions in opposing the efforts of the Poor Law Commissioners to control the parochial affairs of Brighton, and his opposition to the New Poor Law in general. An Irish labourer, named Owen Murray, died in Lon don on Monday last, from suffocation, produced from in flammation of the larynx, superinduced by a piece of bone which he had swallowed, H is life might have been saved had he consented to the performance of an operation for the extraction of the bone. SACRILEGE. —During the night of Friday se'nnight the parish church at Frampton Cotterell, Gloucestershire, was broken into, and a quantity of black cloth, the hanging of the pulpit, and other articles, were stolen therefrom. A reward of £lO has been offered for the apprehension of the offenders. A rencontre took place between the gamekeepers and watchers of the Marquis of Anelesey, and Josiah Spode, Esq., of Armitage Hall, near Rugeley, and a determined gang of poachers, from twelve to fifteen in number, in a preserve on the Armitage Hall estate, on Monday night last. After a desperate conflict, in which one of the keepers was severely wounded, and a poacher shot through the thiali, five of the offenders were secured. at On me s T s u r s es ! d c a o y x m , s o a r ni v o n r g y a an d d a r ing Co.'s,robbery o w rn a h s mm It t a t e p d . pears that the shopman, according to custom, opened the p shortly before eight, and then locking up the door, went to breakfast. It was during his absence that thieves contrived to enter the shop, and swept off trays containing no less than 149 gold and silver watches, of the value of nearly £lOOO. The anticipated contest for the representation of East Worcestershire, it is understood, will not take place. A conference between the supporters of Captain Rushout and of Mr. J. H. H. Foley was held at Worcester on Saturday, when it was arranged that no opposition should be offered to Captain Rushout on this occasion, and that at the next election none shall be given to the return of Mr. Foley. A boy, named James Lawrence, aged fifteen, has been committed to Hertford gaol, for shooting another boy, named George Tomlin. It seems that the prisoner was keeping birds on a farm at Hoo, near Lord Dacre's park, when Lawrence said he would shoot his companion. Tom lin ran away frightened, and the prisoner then fired at him : the gun was charged with peas, some of which pe netrated so far into his back as to cause his death in three days. NOVEL IMPORTATION. — There is now a regular supply of rabbits imported twice a week from Ostend, in which the poulterers of the metropolis are doing a brisk trade. The prices vary from GO. to Bd. per lb. They are in ge neral much larger, but inferior in flavour to our rabbits. The extent of the trade may be supposed by one poul terer in Holborn importing 50 dozen weekly. The num ber of geese, ducks, and wild water fowl imported is daily on the increase. A GOOD DINNER.—At an entertainment given by the late Sir Watkin W. Wynn, on his coming of age, in 1770. 15,000 people dined in Wynnstay park. Among the items consumed were 30 bullocks, 50 large hogs, GO calves, 80 sheep, 18 lambs, 37 turkeys, 10 quarts of shrimps, 80 bar rels of pickled oysters, IGG hams, 18,000 eggs, 150 gallons of milk, 80 quarts of cream, 70 hogsheads of ale, and 120 dozen of wine, besides bread, cheese, vegetables, spices, &c., in abundance. DEATH FROM STARVATION. — An inquest was held on Monday in Melton Mowbray, on the body of a man un known. It appeared that on Sunday morning last, two men, named Bilson and Bakewell, went into a hovel about a mile from Melton, when they observed the dead body of a man lying behind a board in one corner of the hovel, quite stiff and cold. From the evidence of Mr, Berridge, surgeon, it appeared thst the poor man had died from starvation, a few hours before his body was found.—Lei cester Journal. As a proof of the intensity of the frost we have a little fact to record, which is in itself a very curious circum stance. On Monday week, two gentlemen in a garden, at the foot of Stramongate, observed a blackbird fluttering on the branch of a tree, and on approaching it they found that the poor creature was fast attached to the branch by the frost, and they were not able to liberate it without breaking off the twig. It was sometime before they were enabled to restore its warmth so that it could avail itself of its timely rescue.—Kendal Mercury. DICKENS' NEW CHRISTMAS WORK. As this work, entitled The Battle of Life, has not yet reached the hands of the public generally, the following epitome and extracts may be interesting. The Battle of Life is a tale of very simple construction, and very unpretending in the characters that figure in it. These are a Doctor Jeddler and his two daughters, Grace and Marion ;—a ward named Alfred Heathfield, in love with nirion, and beloved by her ; two lawyers (partners) called Snitchey and Craggs ; and two domestic servants of the Jeddlers named John Britain and Clemency New_ come, who afterwards get married, and keep an inn of the sign of the " Nutmeg-grater and Thimble." As the latter t,vo personages are really the principal in the book, and as their portraiture is the most characteristic of the author's best manner, a specimen of their courtship may be advantageously introduced here : " There'll be another job for Snitchey and Cram, I suppcse," he observed, puffing slowly at his pipe. " More witnessing for you and me, perhaps, Clemmy !" " Lor !" replied his fair companion, with her favourite twist of her favourite joints, " I wish it was me, Britain." " Wish what was you ?" " A going to be married," said Clemency. Benjamin took his pipe out of his mouth and laughed heartily. " Yes ; you're a likely subject for that !" he said, " Poor Clem." Clemency, for her part, laughed as heartily as he, and seemed as much amused by the idea. " Yes," she assented, " I'm a likely subject for that ; ain't I ?" " You'll never be married, you know," said Britain, resuming his pipe. . " Don't you think I shall though ?" said Clemency, in perfect good faith. Mr. Britain shook his head, " Not a chance of it !" " Only think !" said Clemency. "Well! I suppose you mean to marry. Britain, one of these days; don't you?" A question so abrupt, upon a subject so momentous, required consideration. After blowing out a great cloud of smoke, and looking at it with his head now on this side and now on that, as if it were actually the question, and he were surveying it in various aspects, Mr. Britain re• plied that he wasn't altogether clear about it, but—ye-es-- he thought he might come to that at last. " I wish her joy, whoever she may be," cried Clemency. " But she wouldn't have led quite such a joyful life as she will lead, and wouldn't have had quite such a sociable sort of husband as she will have," said Clemency, spreading herself half over the table, and staring retrospectively at the candle, " If it hadn't been for—not that I want to do it, for it was accidental, I am sure—if it hadn't been for me; now, would she, Britain ?" " Certainly not," returned Mr. Britain, by this time in that high state of appreciation of his pipe, when a man can open his mouth for a very little way for speaking pur poses ; and sitting luxuriously immovable in his chair, can afford to turn only his eyes towards a companion, and that very passively and gravely. " Oh, I'm greatly be holden to you, you know, Clem." " Lor how nice that is to think of!" said Clemency ; at the same time bringing her thoughts as well as her sight to bear upon the candle-grease, and becoming ab ruptly reminiscent of its healing qualities as a balsam, she anointed her left elbow with a plentiful application of that remedy. " You know I've made a good many investigations of one sort or other in my time," pursued Mr. Britain, with the profundity of a sage ; " having been always of an inquir ing turn of mind; and I've read a eood many books about the general Rights of things and Wrongs of things. for I went into the literary line myself when 1 began life." " Did you though ?" cried the admiring Clemency. " Yes," said Mr. Britain; " I was hid for the best part of two years behind a book-stall, ready to fly out if any body pocketed a volume; and after, 1 was light-porter to a stay and mantua maker, in which capacity I was em ployed to carry about in oilskin baskets nothing but de ceptions—which soured my spirits, and disturbed my con fidence in human nature; and after that, I heard a world of discussions in this house, which fret my spirits; and my opinion atter all is, that, as a safe and com.ortable sweetener of the same, and as a pleasant guide through life. there's nothing like a nutmeg-grater.' , Clemency was about to offer a suggestion, but he stop ped her by anticipating it. " Com-bined,' he added gravely, " with a thimble." " Do as you wold, you know, and cetrer !" observed Clemency, folding her arms comfortably in her delight at this avowal, and patting her elbows. " Such a short cut, ain't it ?" " I'm not sure," said Mr. Britain, " that it's what would be considered good philosophy. I have my doubts about that ; but it wears Well, and saves a quantity of snarling, which the gl-nuine article don't always." " See, how you used to go at once, know !" said Clemency. "!" said Mr. Britain. " But the most eataor dinary thing. Clemency, is that rshould live to be brought round through you. That's the strange part of it. Through you! Why, I suppose you haven't so much as half an idea in your head." Clemency, without taking the least offence, shook it, and laughed, and hugged herself, and said—" No, she didn't suppose she had." " I'm pretty sure of it," said Mr. Britain. " Oh ! I dare say you're right," said Mr. Clemency. " I don't pretend to none. I don't want any." Benjamin took his pipe from his lips, and laughed till the tears ran down his face. " What a natural you are, Clemrny !" he said, shaking his bead, with an infinite relish of the joke, and wiping his eyes. Clemency, with out the slightest inclination to dispute it, did the like, and laughed as heartily as he. But I can't help liking you," said Mr. Britain ; " you're a regular good creature in your way ; so shake hands, Clem. Whatever happens I'll always take notice of you, and be a friend to you." " Will you?" returned Clemency. very good of you " yOurself, you " Well ; that's "Yes, yes ; " said Mr. Britain, giving her his pipe to knock the ashes out of, " I'll standby you." It should have been premised perhaps that these cha racters have been expressly drawn for stage representation in the persons of Mr. and Mrs. Keeley, at the Lyceum, where a dramatic version of the piece is to be produced on Monday night, by Albert Smith. The work has been altogether written with a view to stage purposes, and hence the primary cause, probably, of the many deficiences the discriminating reader will immediately perceive in it. The moral of the Battle of Life is intended to be con veyed in the struggle Marion endures in giving up her be trothed husband to Grace, her sister, and marrying a reclaimed spendthrift named Michael Warden, at the end of six years, for whom she has no particular affection, nor has Alfred for Grace. The motive to this conduct is very imperfectly developed, and the incidents clumsily worked out. But in the course of the narrative various opportu nities occur for the exhibition of those peculiar touches that have procured Mr. Dickens so many admirers among light readers. The specimen already given is about one of the best of its kind the volume affords, but another in an opposite style is subjoined : " It was agreeable to see the graceful figures of the blooming sisters, twined together, lingering among the trees, conversing thus, with earnestness opposed to light ness, yet with love responding tenderly to love. And it was very curious indeed to see the younger sister's eyes suffused with tears ; and something fervently and deeply felt, breaking through the wilfulne-s of what she said, and striving with it painfully. The difference between them with respect of age could not exceed four years at most; but Grace, as often happens in such cases, when no mother watches over both (the Doctor's wife was dead), seemed, in her gentle care of her young sister, and in the steadi ness of her devotion to her, older than she was, and more removed, in course of nature, from all competition with her, or participation, otherwise than through her sympa thy and true affection, in her wayward fancies, than their ages seemed to warrant. Great character of mother, that, even in this shadow and faint reflection of it, purifies the heart, and raises the exalted nature nearer to the angels ! " The doctor's reflections, as he looked after them, and heard the purport of their discourse, were limited, at first, to certain merry meditations on the folly of all loves and likings, and the idle impositions practised on themselves by young people, who believed, for the moment, that there could be anything serious in such bubbles, and were always undeceived ; always! " But the home-adorning, self-denying qualities of Grace, and her sweet temper, so gentle and retiring, vet including so much constancy and bravery of spirit, seemed all expressed to him in the contrast between her quiet household figure and that of his younger and more beau tiful child ; and he was sorry for her sake—sorry for them both—that life should be such a very incredulous business as it was. " The doctor never dreamed of enquiring whether his children, or either of them helped in any way to make the scheme a serious one. But then he was a Philosopher. " A kind and generous man by nature, he had stumbled, by chance, over that common Philosopher's stone (much more easily discovered than the object of the alchemist's researches), which sometimes trips up kind and generous men, and has the fatal property of turning gold to dross, and every precious thing to poor account." All the circumstances tike place in the neighbourhood of a retired village, about a hundred years ago, and are assumed to have extended over nine years. The volume is beautifully illustrated, but is not likely to sustain the waning fame of Boz, and will assuredly provoke much hostile criticism from most of those who do not belong to his coterie. " TRY."—" There was once upon a time a good little 'dwarf named Try, who was so powerful that he overcame everything he attempted ; and yet he was so small and ill-favoured, that people laughed when they were told of his wondrous powers. But the tiny man was so kind at heart, and loved so much to serve his unfortunate and desponding brethren, that he would go and beg of those who knew him better to intercede for him, so that he might be allowed to help them out of their troubles; and when once he had made them happy by his noble deeds, they no longer despised him or drove him from them with sneers, but loved him as their truest friend. Yet the only return this good dwarf sought for all his services was, that when they heard of any one who wanted a help. ing hand, they would say a good word in his favour, and recommend them to 'TRY.' "—The Good Genius that Tinned Everything into Gold. SCIENCE versus HYMEN.—The Lancaster and Carlisle Railway is now opened throughout, and as it con stitutes the route to the far-famed Gretna, if the electric telegraph should be adopted by the directers on that line, elopements would become almost impracticable. What an enemy science is to romance and love ! And what a shame that young ladies who are kind enough to go a hundred miles out of their way to make a man happy, should, like mere mice, be thus snared and caught by wires! To establish the telegraph in the south may be all well enough, but to carry it to Carlisle—the last stage to Gretna—the very vestibule to bliss—is an encroach ment which ought never to be permitted. It would be directing the Galvanic battery of science against the rarest temple Hymen has. It would destroy the little romance of life which still lingers in a manufacturing age, and would take away all the piquancy of love's adventure. Dec. 22, ISA Nine hundred geese, several weighing 151bs. each, 200 THE LADY FAVERSHAM.—SeveraI operations have re turkeys, and 50 ducks, altogether six tons weight, were cently been undertaken to blow up this vessel, which has forwarded on Monday and Tuesday last from Spalding long obstructed the navigation of the Tyne. On Wednes for the London Christmas market. Every day this week day the operations were most successful. The main deck quantities of poultry , almost as large, have been sent to of the vessel was raised three feet nearer the surface of the metropolis. the water than before the discharges were applied, so NOVEL SPORTING.—A few days since two gentlemen amply was their action directed under the bilge of the were near the Meikle Rock, between Avoch and Fort- vessel. The massive iron kneei were divided by the force rose, Rossshire, with a Newfoundland dog. Seeing a fish of the explosions as if by a knife, and the mainmast has in the water, they fired at and wounded it. The dog set been recovered with the exception of three or four feet at off in pursuit, and the contest was keenly kept up, the the bottom. The divers have been engaged during the fish and dog diving in every direction; but the fish was week in fishing up the wreck, large portions of which captured at last, and dragged ashore. It proved to be a have been brought to the surface. 'I he destruction of the fox shark, and measured five feet in length. vesse I has been roost complete. " GUN Tow" APPLIED TO BLASTING.—A gentleman, MR. NEWMAN.—A correspondent of the Daily Newt, who has been a manufacturer of gunpowder in the west of writing from Rome, under date Dec. sth, says—" I have Scotland for the last twenty years, has been successful in noticed the melaectioly death of Colonel Bryan's daugh several experiments with gun tow and gun sawdust, for ter. The solemn dirge and requiem which was held yes blasting purposes. A perfectly satisfactory trial was terday in the church of Irish Franciscans, St Isidoro, made, on Tuesday, at the Lady Mill Quarry, in the pre was attended by several hundred British visitors, besides sense of Professor Penny and a number of other scientific the young lady's kinsfolk, of the princely houses of Do gentlemen. One of the experiments was with a bore of rig, Parriphili, and Borghese. Towards the termination of 3 feet 4 inches, and 2- diameter, charged with 11 ozs tow the sorrowful ceremonial, at a pause in the liturgy, there and cotton, mixed (41bs. of gunpowder would be required), 'arose in the body of the church a person in ecclesiastical and which brought down about 13 or 15 tons in weight— costume, of pensive and careworn aspect, who, standing the effect is represented as " splendid." near the coffin, addressed himself to speak His voice was MESMERISM APPLIED TO TOOTH DRAWING.—We low at first, so that few heard till it gradually filled the witnessed, the other day, the extraction of a tooth from a church, and it was understood to be a simple recital of the young woman, who underwent the operation while in the unostentatious virtues of the deceased ; but soon came mesmeric sleep. The tooth, which was a large one, and words of more impressive import, and a whisper went its lower part quite fresh, did not yield till after a wrench, round that the unexpected speaker on the occasion was the which would have caused most intense agony to any Rev. Mr. Newman, late of Oxford. To the thousands waking subject. The girl's countenance, however, did who have perused his printed sermons delivered in Angli not undergo the slightest change, and no indication of can pulpits it would be difficult to convey a notion of his sensibility was given. She slept on after the operation manner on the present occasion, it being the first time that was concluded, and when awakened in a few minutes, did he delivered himself of an extemporaneous unpremeditated not seem to be for for some time aware that the tooth had discourse." been extracted.—Northern Warder. THE FROST IN LONDON.—The river on Thursday, SUICIDE or MAJOR R. F. FAMES.—On Wednesday, above bridge, presented a singular appe'rance, owing to Major Richard Fairfax Eames, late of the 47th foot, the immense pieces of ice that were drifted up with the Madras army, shot himself through the heart, at an hotel tide. This has proved exceedingly disastrous to per in London, where he had been staying. He had retired sons who obtain their living at the water side. The from the service, having been an invalid on account of an frost has been so intense that it has been found necessary affection of the brain. A letter to a friend was found in to keep fires in all the tire stations, to prevent the works his bed-room, commencing—" From insinuations and of the engines from freezing. After passing Vauxhall inuendos thrown out at various times that I have sacri- bridge there was no clear water to be seen, and the steam ficed my honour and reputation in some way or the other, boats had to make their way as best they cou'd through why I know not. I find this world no longer worth living the masses of ice, which are not yet very dangerous op in, and throw oft the mortal and become an immortal." ponents, by reason of their want of substance. At Chelsea A public meeting was held on Tuesday evening, at the several of the piers became blocked in, together with the Princess's Concert-room, Oxford-street, fur the purpose boats lying alongside ; and in the latter part of the after of " investigating the frightful case of death from starve- noon the Citizen boats were unable to perform their tion of Louisa Mordaunt, from cruel neglect of the Board downward trips. Battersea-bridge had very few of its of Guardians, and also to take into consideration the dis- arches open to navigation, and the few craft that ventured gusting rules of uncleanliness in Marylehone workhouse." through could with difficulty reach Wandsworth. This The chair was taken by Benjamin B. Cabbell, Esq., M.P., place, with the Fulham marshes and osier beds, has always who denounced the present poor. law system in the most been a favourite resort in severe weather for wild fowl, indignant terms ; and all the speakers spoke in the and since Sunday last a very large number have been seen severest language of the heartlessness of the guardians. in the neighbourhood. Many wild geese, ducks, and sea- Strong resolutions were unanimously passed, and the gulls have been shot by parties from boats, and on Tues. poor-law bitterly reprobated by all the speakers. day no less than three brace of w ild d uc k s w e re s h o t i n LIGHTNING.—On Sunday morning we. k, about eight less than two hours. o'clock, Polminnick Cottage, near Penzance, was con- EFFECT OF SHOT UPON IRON STEAMERS.—A para. siderably injured by lightning. The electric fluid first graph, on the effects of shot upon our war steamers, has struck the chimney-stacks, which were completely de- gone the round of the papers, stating that the splinters stroyed, and, descending the chimney, demolished the from shot on iron ships ar e so muc h l arger t h an those ng i b r u o i n l t warof wvoeosde,e vessels. t i\ t h o e w s , a iolonrsfiwr st vreitetwu we to t enter thought g in h t t o oar m s t r h o e o n ,. a t o t t r r a o c c t , e m d , b d y r e t t h ro e y - e se v i e r i e y , a m lo tt o n g t I e w - i p il i c e rit ran it fro m impediment to its c ourse—the ceili ngs , s kirting s , floor, story apocryphal, "from its most vain and impotent eon paper, &c., being considerably injured, and no fewer than clusion ; " for we know something of British tars, and fifty-four panes of glass, with portions of the window- that but few, very few of them, would be determined or frames, were forced out, the fragments having been hurled deterred by the probability of personal danger in their to a great aistance. choice of a ship. The result of our inquiries tends to con- BRUTAL EXHIBITION.—The Leeds Intelligencer says, firm our opini ns. We are told, that on the experiments that a fight for the honour of championship of the light recently made at Woolwich, of the effect of shot on iron, weights, and for the sum of £4OO, was decided on Tues- a gentleman remarked to Sir G. Cockburn that bethought day, in a field on this site of Norwich. The combatants the iron splintered. Sir George treated the matter lightly, were the renowned Joh n ny W a lk e r, an d a newer aspirant, saying, that in the first action he wi's in, splinters from named Sirnmonds. The men have been for some time in the first shot fired knocked down nice men. Now, we active training, and considerable sums were pending the believe, that if Sir George had been of opinion that splin result. Contrary to expectation, the fight was of ver y ters from iron exceeded, or were more dangerous than short duration, as i n th e f o urteenth round, and in thirty- those from wood, he would have freely and openly de one minutes, Simmonds, losing his temper, fastened his Glared it; besides, we remember that the same cry was teeth into the shouider of Walker, by which act he was raised against the use of teak timber when it was intro immediately declared the loser, amidst the execrations of duced in the royal navy. The Cornwallis frigate was the the assembled multitude. first frigate built of teak. In 1808 she was 'commanded THE BARNARD CASTLE MURDERS.—The trial of by the present Admiral Pellew, and he and k the present George Barker, John Breckon, and Thom3s Routledge Admiral Troubridge recollect, we have no doubt, the talk Raine, charged with the murder of Joseph Yates and Ca- a b ou t danger from splinters from teak-built ships of war. th-rine Raine, at Startfortb, in August, 18-15, commenced Mesers. Ditchburn and Mare very fairly offer to set the at York, on Monday morning, and extended over Tues- question at rest : they say they will permit one of their day and Wednesday. They were accused of throwing the iron ships to be filled with paper figures, the size of men, two deceased over the bridge into the river Tees. The to be fired at with shot as often as may be agreed on. two charges were taken separately, the prisoners being The splinters from iron, and their effect, would, by this first tried for the murder of Yates, and on the evening of means, he fairly tested, and the question decided.—Nau- Wednesday the jury returned a verdict of acquittal. The tical Standard. other charge was nut pressed, the evidence being the same 'FOR THE SHORT cordingly record, d. as in the former case, and a verdict of not guilty was ac- M a. OASTLF.R S CONSE CRATION TIME MOVEMENT.—The time, place, and manner of Mr. to the cause - the factory children tying on in consecration o. For some time past a gang of swindlers have been car- Oastler's were thus defined by that gentl eman in his speech at the London a system of fraud by offering to di s- Short Time Me e ti ng —" He had been forty count bills, and to advance money in other ways. Cir culars have been frequently sent to country tradesmen, five years living in a manufa c tu r i ng di s t r i c t, an d a l t h oug h he had heard of the sufferings of the bl ac k s i n th e W es t who have been duped in many instances. In their pros pectuses, they have given various names and addresses, and Indies, and had been enthusi as ti c i n th e cause o f t h e i r emancipation, he had never given himself the tr ou ble to have been pretended to be actuated by the highest mo tives, with a desire to act secretly—for the advantage of know that there was a factory sla ve i n E ng l an d. A n d h their customers. Persons who have been cheated, or on how was he converted ? It so happened that he w as on e whom attempts have been made, have apt lied to the city night a visitor at the house of Mr. John Wo o d, o f Bowl magistrates; and shoals of letters have been received ing Hall, Bradford. He was the largest manufacturer of from the country respecting the proceedings of the gang; worsted in the world, and be said— Mr. Oastler, I won but as yet they have kept clear of the meshes of the law, der that, with all your philanthropy and zeal for the eman - AN UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY.—About a week or ten cipation of the Blacks, you never tu r n y our a tt en ti on t o the factories.' Why, what is there to do there?' Do days ago, an aged woman, who, during a long widowhood " "No I know nothin g not . you know . ? , about the fac had kept a very small public-house nearly opposite the tones—what is the matter.' hy; the system we carry military barracks here, took ill and died. She lived rather penuriously, hut this was generally believed to be on here at Bradford is the most awf u l th a t can b e i mag i ne d ; in consequence of her poverty—being apparently at all we work children, some only fi v e y ears o f age, i n every times somewhat straitened in circumstances. After death mill in Bradford, from six in the morning till seven in the her depositories and coffers were of course inspected by evening, allowing only thirty minute s f or di nner — t h a t i s , i her relations, when, we believe, to the surprise of every 12 hours. In my own mills I give th em t en m i nu t es i one of them—at all events to her neighbours—her wealth, s all. There are mills wh ere th e y wor k more, but that chiefly to no less a sum than in bank notes, but £ arty in Constitu- in silver, was found to I said, 'lt is impos s ible. Hu m a n na amount 14 hours a day. ' ture can never endure it.' `Well, but,' said he, they tional. do endure it.' No time was allowed f or pl a y o r re li g i ous Considerable apprehension exists amongst the relatives instruction. At four o'clock the next m orn i ng , as M r . and connexions of the seamen engaged in the expedition Oastler was going off he was informed by th e servan t th a t of the Erebus and Terror, which sailed from the Tnames in Mr. Wood requested an interview with hi m . I wen t, June last year, under the command of Sir John Franklin continued Mr. Oastler, into the bedroom. Mr. W oo d, and Captain Crozier, and many anxious applications have sitting up in the bed, had a small table by hi s b e d s id e . lately been made to the Admiralty on the subject. No Two wax candles were burning, and between them was tidings have been received since last December, when placed God's holy wo r d. H e was rea di ng it. omy friend,' said he, before you go, I wa n t y ou t o g i ve me from information obtained from Esquimaux, and conveyed to the Danish settlements in Greenland, opposite Discyour solemn pledge teat y ou w ill en d eavour t o get t h ese oe poor factory children e manc i pa t e d. Th e i r con di t i on i s so Island, and thence overland, the expedition was preparing heavy on my mind that I canno t rest, an d every word I to winter in Gilbert's Sound. The last whaler for the r season has returned without bringing any intelligence, lead in this sacred book is lik e an arrow to my sou l . ' and from all accounts this, their second winter in the ice, There was a and didpieture of a penite n t m ill owner. I did g i ve promise him fro m th a t moment to has set in at the north with great severity. [The Lite- him my hand, nary Gazette says that all fears on the subject are ground- endeavour to emancipate the factory sl ave ." less.] DISSATISFACTION AMONG ELECTORS.—The anxiety SNOW STORM.—On Friday week, a heavy fall of snow and restlessness which has shown itself of late on the sub commenced in all parts of the United Kingdom and ject of the dreaded establishment of the Romish Church continued, more or less, for the next three or four , days. in Ireland is evidently increasing. Very recently there Northward of York, the snow was regularly from one to has been a correspondence on these points between Sir two feet thick on Sunday, and as there was a brisk wind, John Duckworth and some of his constituents at Exeter; much of the snow was drifted to the depth of from four a letter to the electors of East Worcestershire, by the Rev. to ten feet in the northern part of the county of Durham, R. B. Hone, of Hales Owen • and a discussion between in Northumberland, and Westmoreland. Not only the Mr. Walker and some of the electors of Reading. Sir John common highways, but also the railways, were rendered Duckworth, with a tenacity which many would show impassable on Sunday and Monday; but large forces of under like circumstances, rejected the idea of "pledging men having been got to clear the rails, not much detention himself." All he would say vas, that he had been born has since taken place. In many parts between Carlisle and bred a Protestant, and hoped ever to remain one; and and Edinburgh the snow lies to the depth of eight or nine with this answer his constituents were forced to content feet, and the moors of Westmoreland and Cumberland themselves as they could. The Reading case differs a are quite impassable. The fall has also been very heavy little in point of form, but not much in point of substance. in Wales. As the snow was accompanied by a severe frost, Mr. Walter, being one of the principal landowners of the the weather was truly winterly—forming, indeed, one of the neighbourhood, has been invited to stand for that town. old fashioned, seasonable (not to say poetical) introduc- But immediately the Protestant pledge interferes with his tions to Christmas which many of the present generation prospects, and he loudly complains of it. He urges, with have scarcely before experienced. great earnestness, the impropriety and injustice of the Pledging system, and plainly av ows that the demand forms THE MERRY 'WIVES OP GLASGOW.—A short time ago s obstacle to his becoming a candidate. Yet Mr. the wife of a grocer in the vicinity of the High-street be. Walter aseriou himself, tie wort , uses language came the object of attention to a gentleman named Mr. .. ~ which, fair interpreted, implies . At length he began to think he had made the de- , 1 3' all that the Protestants sired impression upon the heart of the fair dame, and be require. He says, " I would willingly pledge myself to proposed and obtained her consent to name an evening the maintenance of all the great fundamental principles of when they should meet finally to adjust matters for their the British Constitution." What does any one require departure to a distance. Tbe night accordingly arrived, beyond this? Beyond this, we mean, when fairly inter the couple met, and every thing seemed propitious for the preted. The British Constitution contains, among its enterprise. It was considered prudent, however, to post- fundamental principles, an Established Church, and that pone leaving the city till a later hour, and in the meantime a church protesting against Rome. The British Consti tution excludes a Romanist from the throne and from the it was resolved to have something comfortable. 'rhe effect of the gentleman's potations was to consign him to the office of Lord Chancellor. It forbids any intercourse be arms of Morpheus, when the treacherous Delilah, previ- tween the Government of England and the court of Rome. ously prepared for action, cut off one of his whiskers, and What do we want then from Sir John Duckworth, Mr. bared most completely one side of his head, rubbed his Walter, or any other candidate, but a hearty adherence to face with a strong solution of nitrate of silver, and then this protest ? Only let men honestly declare that they made her escape. Next day, Mr. appeared like a adopt and concur in the declarations of the Church of " blue devil," but the cause of the wonderous change be- England concerning the Papacy and the Romish system, ginning to be gossipped about in the locality, he has dia- and they cannot, without the greatest possible incon appeared.—Glasgow Arous. sistency, proceed to establish and endow this Antichriatian ALLEGED DEATH FROM STARVATION.—GROSS NE- system by votes in Parliament.—Record. GLECT of RELIEVING OFFICERS.—On Friday, an in- A HOAX ret LONDON.—A repetition of the not very quest was held in Hull on the body of Bryan Verey, a brilliant practical joke originated by Theodore Hook, was youth. The coroner, in opening the case, said that the stupidly played off last week upon a stationer named Rus e:Anse of the death was yet unknown to him ; but should sell, of Nos. 79 and 80, Aliergate-street. Precisely at it appear by the evidence that any one was to blame, the five o'clock on Wednesday evening last, seven hairdress jury would, by an expression of their opinion, exercise a era entered Mr. Russell's shop, followed by three other considerable moral influence. The jury, on viewing the persons, each carrying a wig. Upon inquiring their bu body were horror-struck at the fearful spectacle presented sines!, Mr. Russell was informed that they had been or to them. Deceased lived in a narrow dirty passage, at dered to attend at that hour, to dress the family's hair. the further end of which be and his sister occupied a lower Before sufficient time had elapsed to tell the parties that room. The apartment is but six feet by nine. The small they had been hoaxed, in stepped a butcher's man, with a window admitted both the wind and the rain. The body tray filled with legs of pork, and sundry other joints of lay on a miserable straw mattress on same chairs, and was meat ; the man had no sooner placed his tray on the coun attenuated and shrivelled to an almost inconceivable deter, than a fish-monger brought in a stock of fish, and gree, and covered in places with ulcerated sores. The two wine merchants followed, each having a couple of whole form suggested the idea of a skeleton barely covered hampers of wine on their backs. Mr. Russell having ex with skin. The jury returned the following verdict:— plained to the people that he knew nothing whatever of " The jury have no doubt that death has been occasioned the affair, and that the orders must have been given by by the disease which the boy Brian Verey was labouring some evil-minded persons, in came a gentleman who an. under. But it is also their opinion that his death has nounced himself as a corn extractor, and who stated that been accelerated by the gross neglect of the relieving he had been hired to attend at five o'clock, to operate officer of the Sculcoates Union." upon Mr. Russell's corns. A number of pastrycooks InoN.—The English iron market has been rather ani- were the next who entered the shop, each bringing an im mated during the week, owing to the Great Northern mense number of custards, tarts, jellies, &c., but judge of Railway Company having closed for about 45,000 tons of the surprise of every one in the place when the next arri rails, out of 75,000 tons, for which they advertised. The val was announced. It consisted of five beautiful car contracts were taken by two eminent Welsh houses, at a riages, each drawn by two horses, the coachman and foot price equal to £9 12s. to £9 15s. at the works in Wales. man elegantly attired in livery. The crowd, when the It is reported the directors of the company were willing carriages drew up was very great, and it required the see to have closed for the remaining 30,000 tons at the above vices of the police to keep a space for the duped trades rates. In Staffordshire and Welsh pig-iron a very good men to pass to and fro. Whilst the tradesmen were con business has been done during the week, at full prices; doling each other, as a finale to the whole, in came five and owing to the large orders now in the market for rail- chimney sweeps, who stated that they had been ordered to way chairs, there is no doubt an extensive demand will attend with all possible expedition to extinguish Mr. take place ere long both for Welsh and Staffordshire pigs. Russell's chimney, which they understood had taken fire. Scotch pig-iron has been in good demand, and several It took Mr. Russell nearly the whole of the night to an sales made during the week, at prices varying from 725. swer the many parties who had been so imposed upon. to 745., according to numbers. Swedish iron and steel The following night (Thursday), five piand forte tuners are firm at quotations. English copper an d tin remain waited upon the same gentleman, and stated that they bad unaltered. Bence and Straits are in fair request at quo- been hired to tune Mr. Russell's instruments. A car , tations. English lead firm. Speller for spring delivery riage and pair were also brought, as the coachman said, to has been sold at £l9, and on the spot £l9 12s. Gd. has take the family to the theatre. A great number of other been paid. As the navigation is now closed, and our stock tradesmen were served out in a similar manner, and un reduced to about 2000 tons, there is no doubt higher prices fortunately the police have not been able as yet to trace will be realised.—Mining Journal. out the guilty parties.—. Daily News, Li Pc pa re No Yo poi tocl