The Press.
London, England, 1855-12-22 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

SATURDAY,

papers. The capture of Kutais by OMER PACHA may bring the balance
back to the side of the Allies, and give him winter quarters for his
troops; but Kutais is an extremely strong position, and MOURAVIEFF,
in conjunction with Prince BEsuTovi, will now make every effort to
save it.

Death has this week been more than usually busy among our
eminent men. Mr. RoGERs, tho poet, the patriarch of literature, died
last Tuesday morning, at his house in St..Tames's-place. Of a life that
extends over ninety-five years, and embraces several distinct phases
of English society, we cannot pretend to give even a sketch. The
first of his celebrated works was his best. " The Pleasures of
Memory " is remarkable as having been one of the first poems which
caught the eye and gratified the imagination of THOMAS MOORE.
RooEßs's mind was at once benevolent and satirical. Yet satirical
rather because he could not resist the temptation of saying a good
thing than from any cynical feeling. His charities are well known;
and to his eternal honour be it recorded, that, while titled and fashion-
able friends stood aloof, he consoled the last sorrows, and ministered
to the last wants, of SHERIDAN. Only a few days before SHERIDAN'S
death, MOORE conveyed to him a cheque for 1501 from the generous
poet who survived him so long. The chief foible of ROGERS seems
to have been a tendency for " tuft-hunting," and one or two diverting
stories on this subject are told at his expense. His house at 22, SL
James's place, which he inhabited from the year 1808, has long been
well known for its treasures of art; and, u Mr. ROGERS was never
married, we suppose the dispersion of them will not long be delayed.
We have also to record with regret the death of the gallant, generous,
and amiably eccentric member for Lincoln. Colonel SIBTHORPE ex-
pired last Saturday, in the seventy-third year of his age, and tweuty-
ninth of his representation of his county town. His politics are too
well known to need our explanation, and his honesty to need our
praise. He adhered resolutely to the principles which he advocated
on his first return to Parliament. His influence at Lincoln was im-
mense ; and the only candidate who ever succeeded in unseating hint
was Sir E B. LYTToN, in 1833.

Clincher : Well, the news, dear Captain. You sailed a bravo
squadron of men of war to the Baltic. Well, and what then, eh?
Fireball : Why, then—we came back again !
What a prophet was Farquhar, when he wrote Sir Harry Wildair
Little did he believe that the day would come when fine British fleets
should sail up the Baltic and—come back again ! But we are accus-
tomed to it now, and when this amiable mode of carrying on warfare is
changed for something a trifle more effective—when the fleet really
accomplishes the object it has in view in spite of shot, shell, and
splinters, our suprise will know no bounds. Meanwhile, Admiral
Durms, like old Fireball, has been up the Baltic and come back again
with his fine fleet of ships safe and uninjured, save a little bumping
now and then on unknown rocks. Without entering into any compa-
rison between the results of the two campaigns, or ill-natured remarks
on the sum total of both, we may safely say that never in the history
of this country did we cut so ridiculous a figure as up the Baltic iu
'54 and '55. The operations of the fleets have been contemptible in
extent and unworthy of the nation The hereditary British Lion, it
would seem, under the care and feeding of ABERDEEN, PALMERSTON,
and Co., loses his daring, and, with the spirit of a degenerate poodle,
contents himself with hunting rats and mice in preference to more
noble game.

Even had the public been disposed to forget the poisoning
mystery at Burdon, the fresh occurrence at Rugeley would effectually
have roused them. The second case adds weight to what has been
repeatedly urged about the first, i e., that poisoning being a crime
which so readily eludes detection, it is impossible that it can ever
undergo too searching an investigation. Here are the deaths of two
persons coming close upon one another, whom it is pretty clear have
been murdered by some one—whose murderers it is equally clear;
stand an excellent chance of escape. No excuses whatever can pos-
sibly palliate this. Dr. HAZLEWOOD'S letter, though not indeed penned
with all the discretion we could have wished, inasmuch as he still
continues to throw out hints against an injured person, is still all the
more evidence of the necessity for a searching inquiry, while the
appalling rumours which are rife concerning the antecedents of the
prisoner PALMER, must compel the public to demand that more
stringent steps be taken for their safety than have hitherto been
devised.

THE PARLIAMENTARY ALPHABET.
A is poor Aberdeen, pompous and dull,
Whom the nation discharged as a worn-out " Scotch mull";
B begins Bright, who denounces the war;
C stands for Cobden, less eloquent far;
D for Dundas, who can only aspire
To the glory of keeping his ships out of fire
While E is poor England, who blushes for shame,
And F for our foes who exult at the same;
G stands for Gladstone, with sophistry stored ;
And H for Ben Hall, who would fain be a Lord ;
I for poor Ireland--sorrowful isle—
For Lord Eglinton's gone, and she's ruled by Carlisle ;
J for John Russell, with soul mean and small,
Talking twaddle to shopboys at Exeter-hall ;
K is for Keogh, pronounce it who can,
A little fat, vulgar, Papistical man;
L for poor Labonchere, never once thought of,
Till Pam fiiund Conservatives would not be bought off;

DECEMBER 22, 1855.

M Monckton Milnes, a sweet Radical bard ;
N for old Napier, who hits Graham hard ;
O is for Osborne, a man of much brass,
Whose wit is mere slang, and whom Pam thinks an ass ;
P Pam himself, with old foes hand in glove ;
Q for the Queen, whom we all of us love ;
R is for Roebuck, who never knows fear ;
S for Duke Somerset—affable Peer !
T is for Talbot, and Baines tacked therewith,
Just as V stands for Vernon, which prefaces Smith;
W heralds our funny friend Wood;
(X I can't manage—l would if I could ;)
Y the yahoos of the Pope's Band denotes,
And Z the poor zanies who give them their votes.

rAdvertisement. I

THE CABINET WARBLER ;
A MUSICAL ALBUM FOR CHRISTM AS,
Containing the following new songs, by celebrated authors, and
adorned with a very highly-coloured engraving of

IS THIS DAY PUBLISHED.
OF WHAT IS THE OLD MAN THINKING ?
Song, by the Viscount
P—n. " Truly touching, and exquisitely affecting, replete at once
I%ith truth and vivacity."
THE POSTMAN'S KNOCK. Comic Song, by his Grace the Duke of
A-11. "We can only say, with the noble composer's countryman,
when he went to the post, Bless the quid Dook of A--11.' "
GRANDMOTHER, Is THE BATTLE OVER ? Plaintive Song, by the
Lord P—nm—e. "Admirably expressive of the bewildering trouble of
an unfortunate elderly female amid the shock of arms."
THE LAST LINKS ARE BROKEN THAT BOUND ME TO THEE. Song, by
the Lord J. R. " The half-tender, half-bitter reproach of this song,
supposed to be addressed to Office, is highly characteristic."
THE ECHOES OF WOBURN. By the Same Composer. " Happily
illustrating the line—' And more than echoes talk along the walls.'
The unceasing murmur beard throughout is remarkable."
CHARLIE OVER THE WATER. By Admiral N • " A mild and gentle
affair, which may be approached with perfect safety."
CHARLIE OVER THE WINE. By the Same. "A manly, blustering
sailor's chant, inspired with the very aririt of Boreas."
DAY HAS GONE DOWN ON THE BALTIC S BROAD BILLOW. By Sir J.
G—m. "A pleasant, piquant, taunting little song, intimating con-
tempt rather than auger for some one who has omitted to fulfil his
engagements."
THE OLD ARM-CHAIR. By the Marquis of L—e. " The quiet
tone of this song, in which a grey grandsire is supposed to offer
lessons, from bygone times, to a parcel of self-sufficient lads, is very
well sustained—the laudator temporis acti is completely before us."
0 SEND ME NOT TO DISTANT LANDS ! A Song, by the Lord
C—g, written upon receiving instructions to depart for Calcutta.
" The affected unwillingness to accept a high and lucrative office, the
lay nolo epiacopari, is admirable."
MY BARK 18 ON THE SEA. By R. B-1 o—e, Esq. " This is
an imitative song—the bark (rather a spiteful one) is heard through..
out, and a view of the Admiralty shows the nautical propriety of
the title."
WHA DARE MEDDLE WI ME? By Sir G— G—y, "A defiant
little ballad, in which an ill-natured challenge is given with unequalled
rapidity."
THE MINSTREL BOY TO THE WAR IS GONE. By his Grace the D—
of N—e. " The adventurous character of a gallant voyager, in
Lincoln Green,' is cleverly illustrated."
A TALBOT, A TALBOT, FLEET, FEARLESS AND FREE. By the Right
Hon. Mr. T. B—s. " A merry ditty, which will doubtless awaken
the echoes of the Duchy of Lancaster, where the scene is laid."
BRING ME THE SACK, THE JOLLY SACK. Bacchanalian Song, by the
Lord C—r. " The words speak for themselves : the song should be
played on one of Rolfe's patent grands."
I KNEW BY THE SMOKE THAT 80 GRACEFULLY CURLED. Song, by the
Lord Cl—nd—n. " A charming aroma, so to speak, breathes through
this composition—it may be called a great cigar.'
I Ktiow A BANK. By the Right lion. G. F—d L--s. " The
touching character of this song cannot but move every hearer. The
singer intimates that the bank is associated with melancholy anticipa-
tions, and adds that he fears he shall have to tax our patience."
THE RATCATCHER'S SON. Companion to the '‘ Ratcatcher's Daughter."
By Mr. F—k P-1. " Very comic. We doubt whether Robson
or Sam Cowell could do better—in a small way. In this song we are
happy to say the donkey is not killed "
MY NAME IT is B. HALL. By the Chief Commissioner of Works.
"Another amusing ballad. The significant way in which the singer
hints that he ' is going up the stairs.' is capital."
THE BUTTERFLY WAS A GENTLEMAN. Song, by Mr. V—ru—n
Sm—th. " A light, almost frivolous composition, as Ben Jenson say s,
without control.' It reminds us of the author's other work, ' What s
in a Name ?' "
THERE'S NO CREATED THING AWAKE. Song, by the Right Hon.
H—ry L—b—ch—e. " A delicate piece of artistic work, supposed
to
describe a certain legislative Assembly when a certain orator is
addressing it."
MERRILY DANCED THE QUAKER. By J—n Br--t, Esq. "A first-
rate bit of fun. The frontispiece, representing a Quaker dancing on a
tight-rope made of Russian hemp, is worth the pi ice of the whole.
WHEN THE LADS OF " THE VILLAGE." By the Viscount P--.
" This is a curious affair. It is addresoed to Lord J— R—, and

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