The Express.
London, England, 1852-12-23 00:00:00

SWITZERLAND,

We read in the Suisse of Berne that the Prato
of that city had summoned before him all the book.
sellers of the place to inquire of them whether they
had sold any copies of Victor Hugo's
Petit, and from whom they had received them. Tn:i
proceeding, it is said, took place on the dental of
the French ambassador.

BELGIUM.

The budget of the Interior having been ad ,yed
by the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, the• d!,-
canton on the budget of war was taken on Mondsy.

TURKEY.

A correspondent in the south of Hungary writes that
the aspect of affairs in Servia is becaming darker.
The Prince is preparing for action against Turkey by
concentrating power in his own hands, releasing
himself for that purpose front the embarrassment of
a senate, and dismissing functionaries and appoint-
ing men who will render unlimited obedience to has
personal commands.
The Prince keeps up the most intimate relations
with Daniel Petrowitch, the ruler of Montenegro,
and with the Russian Emperor. He has also in-
creased his regular army by 4,000 men.

TIIE DUKE OF MONMOUTII.—ItefetTing to the di.
eapitated body recently discovered at King's-:tuneham, a
correspondent of the Notts and (furrier writes as follows •
I have a strong suspicion that the decapitated body will
tarn out to belong to no less a personage than the Dike of
Monmouth, who wag beheaded on Tower-hill in 168.5; sad
although, according to Burnet, he was, soon after his ext•
cation, buried in the chapel of the Tower. his body may
have been afterwards removed, and privately deposited in
the quiet chapel of Nuneham Regis, at that time, as now,
the property of the Buccleuch family. Monmouth married
Ann, the daughter and heir of Francis Scott, Earl of Bue-
cleuch; and though in some measure estranged from him
by his improper connexion with Lady Ann Wentworth, yet
the tender interview that is recorded between Monmouth
and his wife previous to his execution, gives countenance
to the idea that she may have procured his remains fur
deposit privately within her own family receptacle; and.
under such circumstances, it may readily be conceived th.t
such secrecy would be used so not to leave any mcmenio
with the corpse as to whom it might belong, the very rtr•
cumstince of decapitation being thought, probably, ,irate
sufficient then, as now, for designation.

CHRISTMAS IN TAsMANIA.—For mart' yearb I
have been accustomed to eat my Christmas dinner in a
white jacket and a loose shirt collar, the doors and windows
thrown wide open, admitting with the warm and sluggish
breeze the scent of summer thwers and newly-mad e hay.
A much prized lump of ice cooling my tepid lemonade has
long been to me the only sign of frost—the Fula mrmram
of old-country Christman weather. In Tasmania, a dew!:
of juicy English cherries, ripe jolly-looking goosrbrrno.
ruddy bunches of newly-gathered currants, and delicices
strawberries, formed a repast far more in keeping with the
weather than the dinner of roast beef and hot plum rad-
ding which, in obedience to the good old custom, we vainly
strove to swallow. But still, in Australia, as in every Eael,ra
colony, whatever be its latitude, Christmas retains it, da
associatioas and loved usages; and the Yule log, end mil-
night waits, the rich spice cake and mellow cheese, recall
the long absent settler many a happy Christmas of h:r tor
hood. In the bunch of mistletoe that hangs above hisbeei
(for Australia has her mistletoe), the newly-lorded eaus
great sees the bright eyes and sunny smiles of that for
cousin who was his partner all last Christmas-eve; and is
whose company he was continually lo.ing hiwself sacof
the dancers, and as often turning up bewail& tic elisarouf
bou,zh that hung in the ball-room kitchen of the fa hog'
at home.— Dickens' " Horiseigoid Whrde.-
LORD NELSON.—Everything which Matt% to car
noble-hearted hero is of importance in the gee of to ad:
!aims ; therefore the epitaph on the gravestene of em 0;
his old followers will be read with intere.t. I met with it.
tour years ago, in the churchyard of Wouldt!arn, a village
on the Medway, half-way between Rochester and Mra6
stone. The concluding lines appear to contradict the state;
meat of my reverend brother, Mr. flatly (A." 1"
ax-
Queries, Vol. VI., p. 438), that Lord Nelson died to tM
arms of his chaplain, Dr. Scott ? Can the two statement*
be reconciled ? " Sacred to the memory of Walter Sark!,
Esq., of this parish, who died on the Lim September,lsl),
in the 70th year of his age. He was purser or his Msfell
' ship Victory in the glorious battle of Trafalgar, and in a 4
arms the immortal Nelson died."—From Notes aid Wart'

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