The Press.
London, England, 1853-09-03 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

SEPTEMBER 3, 1853.

However, 110 sooner did we get into smooth water again, than all
his confidence returned, and he called the Captain "a lubber :" the
reason of this was, that the Captain had suggested the " taking a reef
in"—on which Lord JOHN remarked, " Take al reef in! Who the deuce
would bring a reef on board? 'We want to avoid reefs!"
Everybody being struck dumb by this, his Lordship looked round
with triumph. We hear that he will certainly take command of the
squadron which is intended to conciliate the Russians ; and there can
be little doubt that, if so, the Ministry will sustain the reputation
which they have acquired !

ATHENIAN ABERDEEN.

Oh ! Shade of CHATHAM, look with scornful eyes
OIL the weak hand that dares to grasp thy rod ;
See how th' emasculate dotard spirit dies,

Trembling and palsied 'neath a despot's nod.
Thus Athens once, in her declining years,
Before the Macedonian bowed in shame,

And found, too late, her vacillating fears
Had cost her all, except her ancient fame.
The friend of Philip paved an easy road,
To drag his country 'neath the tyrant's goad;
The friend of NicnotAs, remembering Greece,
Improves the notion for a c►aven peace,
And, more Athenian than his models grown,
♦Yrecks other realms while he betrays his own.

THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER.

Ova correspondents generally coincide that, owing to the rain, and
the large proportion of uncut corn, the birds had the best of it on their
great anniversary. Irrespective of these natural impediments to sport,
we have heard of others, in individual instances, unfavourable to the
game bag. Captain OSBORNE was it by a perverse tendency
to hang lire on the part of his doe Manton or Miller (we are not accu-
rately informed as to the designation of his gunmaker); and Lord
ABERDEEN, in the absence of other sport, actually missed a Turkey at
which he aimed when it was on the ground. Lord Jolts, at Roseneath,
did his best to justify his sporting joke at Lord DERBY'S Ministry that
" they were like partridges, not to be killed till September;" but we are
intOrtned that such a mist came over his vision that no partridges
would have reached his larder, unless his eyes had been continually
wiped by the gamekeeper. The most singular incident befel Mr.
GLADSTONE. His dog commenced by pointing the village " stocks,"
but as the game would not rise, though the CHANCELLOR of the Ex-
cnr.ouEn to-ho-ed lustily, after getting out of temper and thrashing his
pointer, he proceeded to look for game elsewhere, us it was plain that
he was the sole game in .his instance. Singular to relate, wherever
he went his dog pers.sted in pointing inditferent objects, such as
church doors, pumps, pigsties, etc. When another dog was brought
him, it turned tail and ran home. A third persisted in pointing his
own gaiters; and it was only late in the day that it was discovered
that there was an understanding in the kennel to render him no assist-
ance, fur certain reasons connected with the (log tax. It is said that
he is shortly about to make a communication to the Naturalists' Jour-
►ral on this striking instance of canine sagacity. It should be added
that he remarked that his gaiters were unusually wet, but he attributed
this to the moisture on the turnips.

THE DEVOTE!) OF WESTMINSTER.

APROPOS OF " SIR ARTHUR O'KELLYN."

Oh, what has become of Sir JOHN VILLIERS SHELLEY?
Oh, what may the fate of that Baronet be ?
As thin as a lath, and as weak as a jelly—
Completely pumped out by the session is he.

421

PRESENTATION OF A MEDAL TO LORD
ABERDEEN.
IT IItIVIIII,Z been understood in polities) eireles that Lord ABERI)IS:F.X

had, with a fmnkness not his habitual failing, expressed some dis-
satisfaction that a demonstration should have been made in favour of
a nobleman whom the Viscount is pleased to eonsider, or at least to
designate, as a subordinate member of his O►►vernment, an intimation
was given to the representative of the Turkish Court that the interests
of his Sovereign would be promoted by some little attention being
publiely manifested to the Premier. The hint occasioned eonsidemble
embarrassment t 4) the Ambassador of the Ottoman Porte, and his Ex-

celleney got through a great number of pipes before he could make up
his mind to meet the exigency of the cr►s►s. Ilut, ultimately, seal for
the interests of the Sultan prevailed over the Ambassador's personal
feelings, and he sent for a member of into of the leading firms of
jewellers, and desired that a book of patterns and models of testi

menials might be submitted to him.
Several subjects were presented to his Excellency. One was a
salver, ornamented with designs from the Elgin marbles; but the
Secretary to the Embassy luul accidentally found HAYDON'S auto-
biography upon the table of his club, and he suggested that, consider-
ing Lord AnKaDEEN's old opinion upon these relies, the present might
be misunderstood by a nobleman not celebrated for his rapidity of
perception. A cup, formed of a Homeric group, was next proposed,
but a visitor to the Ambassador fortunately recollected that the Noble
Viscount did not believe in Homan, and considered that the poems,
which the world is infatuated enough to ascribe to a single mind, were
the work of a sort of Coalition of bards, who had worked upon no one
principle, but had endeavoured to beguile the public of their day with
a series of traditional fictions dressed up with flummery and verbiage
to suit all tastes ; the alleged blindness of Ilosma being, in Land
ABIZDEEN'S upiuion, a mere myth. indicating that the Coalition in
question had no straightforward views, and were actuated solely by
the desire of feeling their way as they went on. A presentation of
plate was next thought of, but this was negatived ou the consideration
that spoons might painfully remind the Noble Viscount of several of
his colleagues, while the fiddle pattern might. be deemed a gratuitous
insult to a Scotehman. Finally, his Excellency thought that, us
medals had been presented to Lord PALIISRSTON for his exertions in
preserving the independence of Poland, the best course would be to
present Lord AUERDEEN with a similar testimonial, in acknowledgment
of his efforts for maintaining the independence of Turkey.
The device fur the medals occasioned even greater difficulty ; but,
Mr. LAYARD happening to look in to take a quiet ekibutaque with the
Ambassador, the Honourable Member for Nineveh was enabled to
afford his Excellency the benefit of his advice. A winged bull was
first recommended, but the extreme sensitiveness of the Irish Members
of the Cabinet was remembered, and it was feared that they might
recognise in such a device an insult either to the Pope or to Ireland.
It would hardly do to have Mr. SADLEIII 1111t1 that valuable lot resigning
a second time. Then a subject representing England, armed, holding
out her hand to Turkey, was mentioned, but the joke was considered
too strong even fir Lord A eliaos:EN. One of the told servants of the
Embassy, hearing the discussion, produced out of his turban a mass of
old Greek and other medals, of which he had become possessor, vile
et mons, and one of these, a Greek type, appeared to the Ambassador
to be just the thing required, but the silversmith stated that it was
too much worn to be available as a medal, the only word he could
make out being something like EIIKAPIOT. At last await decided that a
medal having the head of her Majesty on one side and a Turkish
inscription on the other would be the most suitable, and was accord.
ingly agreed upon.
Lord ABERDEEN had unfortunately left town, but the medal has
been forwarded to him, and he has acknowledged the receipt with timid.
gratitude which lie is in the habit of expressing fir the very smallest
iiIVOUII4. Unluckily, the Secretary to the Embassy had written to
supply a translation of the inscription which occupies the reverse of
the medal; and Lord AnminExx, with the caution which belongs to
him, has contented himself with saying that he is much flattered at
finding himself undeservedly favoured with the countenance of his
Sovereign, and expresses a belief, in which he is not singular, that it may
not be long before he is able to dilate upon the reverse.

RD

The voice that last summer was lively to hear—
Which the Potboys of Westminster loved next to beer,
A CARD.
Has been tried on the Commons so often in vain,
AT the risk of offending one of our most respected contributors,
That we doubt if we ever shall hear it again.
we consent to state that Mr. RALPH OfiltoHNE is not the " Silent Mem-
ber" who occasionally writes in our columns. Mr. OSBORNE is really a
But what must be must, very amusing person when he has time to refer to the late Jossru
He is going to dust, MILLICR. But his official duties at present deprive him of that spiritual
And the " Chamber of Horrors" will have his bust. advantage.
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