The Express.
London, England, 1864-04-29 00:00:00

PROPERTY DI FRANCE.

In the Corps Legislatif, on Wednesday, a bill
was introduced, the *leases of which, two iu num-
ber, were as follow :—" let. A credit of two mil-
lions is opened for the Minister of War upon the
budget of 1864, for the acquisition of land,
and for sew works in the military esta-
blishments. 2nd. This expense will be met
by means of the resources to be procured
by the alienation of the lands and buildings
hereinafter mentioned." The committee by whom
the measure was examined approved of the first
clause, but objected on principle to the other. It
admitted that the property which it was proposed
to alienate was of no public utility, and that it
would be even advantageous to alienate it. It was
of opinion, however, that national property could
not be disposed of without the direct au-
thorisation of the legislature, and it there-
fore proposed to the Council of State an
amendment of the terms of the measure with a
view of obtaining that authorisation. The amend-
ment was not adopted. The committee cousequeutly
felt compelled to propose to the chamber the
rejection of clause 2. After a debate, in which the
bill was defended by M. Ronland and M. Rouher,
the recommendation of the committee was adopted
by 134 to 114, the majority against the government
being accordingly 20. "Some amount of agitation
followed this .division," says the Moniker in its
report.

THE STRATFORD SHAKESPEARIAN
FESTIVAL.

-41-
STRATFORD-ON-AVON, TRIIIIMAT.

"The plucky little people of Stratford" was the
definition oonversationally applied to self and
townsmen by one of the members of the Shake-
speare Committee yesterday. And it conveys, not
inaptly, the impressions and opinions of all visitors
to the town—from the London actor, who is uto-
Dished at the forethought and expenditure displayed
tosecure him conifortduring his sojourn, to the suc-
omission of visitors and playgoers, who are loudly
expressing their wonder at the magnitude and com-
pleteness of the arrangements made. Now if, as
Emerson insists, " the one thing the English value
is pluck "—and if, as he goes on to say, our cab-
men have it, our merchants have it, our bishops
have it, our women have it, our journals have it,
assuredly Stratford will be long remembered for
the mettle and bottom it has shoat]. The festival
may be said to have " turned the corner " last
night ; and though the path has at times been
harsh and rugged , the pleasant feeling of security
now enjoyed by the guarantors , and the complete
falsification of the unfavourable predictions, must
be as gratifying as it is well deserved. Many of
the purchasers of tickets had their money returned
when Hamlet bad to be withdrawn from the bills,
and Romeo and Juliet and the Comedy of Errors
substituted ; but many more were content to accept
the entertainment perforce provided by the com-
mittee, whilst others there were to whose tastes the
programme of last night specially appealed, and
the result was the fullest house of the weak. As
we announced yesterday, the Comedy of Errors
preceded the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.
Like every morning this week it has been cold
and dull up to noon, but the sun is now shining
brightly, and groups of pedestrians, as well as nu-
merous vehicles, have been going to, or returning
from, the various places of interest in the neighbour-
hood throughout the day. The fancy ball of
Friday is expected to be unusually brilliant, and
many are the stories afloat as to the gorgeous
rsi.nuut and characteristic embodiments to be looked
for. The committee are to be arrayed in simple
court dress, but Shakespearian characters will be in
the ascendant, and as previous arrangement has
been in many instances impracticable, it is quite
possible that we shall have, not two but twenty
itichniouds in the field. One of the effects of this
festival has been "to bring together," as Mr.
Leech's little sporting snob remarks to the old peer
in the hunting field, "parties as wouldn't other-
wise umet," sod when the lion and the lamb-s
leading London comedian and • very learned
bishop, far wiser in their generation than arrogant
Warburton and sarcastic Quin—lay down peaceably
together in a comfortable open carriage; when (though
this is less noteworthy) another comedian compares
notes and exchanges polished table jocularities with
a viceroy, who shall say that the festival is
not doing somewhat towards the smoothing of
rugosities, and the allaying of prejudice 1 This
afternoon a concert of instrumental music anti
glees from Shakespeare's plays was given in the
rooms wherein Mrs. Macready read yesterday.
We have just had the impressions recorded at
the commencement of this letter fully confirmed,
and have had the pleasure of hearing, on excellent
authority, that the Stratford Festival is already a
pecuniary, as it is, in every other Reuse of the wools,
an established success.

A noittn. twos AND MODEIN PRACTICE. —A
ahigular clue ems before the blaster of the Moll& Deb/in.
oa Wednesday. A Wiest claimed a fee-farm grout of
premises which he betel ostler a lease dated IL* eciataining
the grasp coveaaut—oo doubt cheructeriarie of Irish life
is " the good old times"—that the reoewal doe was to he
a sum at 151. or a hogshead of "right good claret." The
pretest husilsrd—rather. we gamy meanie. from a street
yessiatiou for eecieot usages time uuder the Winces
of the mieubercial spirit of this degenerate age—elite
to have the claret. The choice evinces, if not good taste
sad t hospitable frame of mind, at least a hese mess
of the iacremed marketable value of the "right geod"
Urania, the patting lamed beiag now computed to be
worth 100 godson& Under them circumstances a wins tad
delicate quietism was submitted to the Master of lb. Retie
—manly. to determioe .bat equivalent sum should be paid
by the Isaiah Ceased for the tempt contended that the
claret should sot be of the very highest, DOC yet of a low
Clam, but a respiatable asedoun, sod that 551. would be
oomph to pay. Ocauasil loathe landlord submitted that this
was quite tee mat a Agars. His Honour, who is,admittedly
"not a had judge," felt kismet( unable to decide the poiat.
It is (dearly a one to be discussed out of court at a later
period of tM day.—Thsilis ISsily Express
_ . .

- - -
Bourne' Tits is 'bolos and strong, reillests
is
We
sod wholesome to am Thus &disallow. bays morel
tor NW too s Nowa protons's. It to sold Is yeasts by 1,210
assolls.--(A4vortissmost.)