The Express.
London, England, 1864-01-07 00:00:00

Zig Court.

OSBORNE, J. 6.
The Queen, accompanied by Prince Arthur and
Prince Leopold, walked in the grounds yesterday.

Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office
from the Governors of the North American Provinces.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, ac-
companied by the equerry in waiting and attendants, went
out shooting yesterday morning. In the afternoon the
Prince of Wales and suite went skating on the ice, which
now covers the canal or ornamental water at Frogmore. The
increasing frost of Tuesday and yesterday has rendered the
ice extremely thick, and it is now in first-rate condition for
the skaters. The Prince and suite enjoyed this healthy
recreation for some time, and were on ths ice till slate hoar
in the afternoon.

PKINCE ALFRED.—His Royal Highness Prince
Alfred, accompanied by Major Cowell, arrived in Edinburgh
on Tuesday morning, having travelled from London by the
night train. It is expected that his royal highneu will be
the guest of Lord and Lady Belhaven, at Wishaw House,
to-morrow and on Saturday nest.

The Duke of Hamilton left the family mansion
in Arlington.street, Piccadilly, on Tuesday, for his seat,
Easton Park, Suffolk, where his grace and a select party of
friends intend to have a few days' shooting.
The Earl of Westmoreland has taken a residence
in Upper Grosvenor-street, for a few months.

The Earl and Cuuntes, of Derby are entertaining
his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge and a distin-
guished cu:npariy at Knowsley Hall, Lancashire. The Duke
and Duchess of Manchester, the Esrl and Countess of
flardw•icke and Lady Amnia Yorke and Hon. Eliot Yorke,
Viscount Hamilton, M.P., Lord Henry Gordon Lennox,
ALP., Sir Henry and Lady- Sophia Des Crux, and Colonel
Clifton, in waiting on the Duke of Cambndge, are of the
party enjoying the hospitalities ut the noble earl and
countess.

ISAUGURArroy OF
.OLIT.1:1: GOLDSMITHS

.sTATCE IN DUBLIN.

The ceremony of inaugurating the statue to the
memory of ()liver Goldsmith took place in the court in
front of Trinity College on Tuesday. Twelve o'clock was
the hour appoiuted for the proceedings to commence, and
long before that hour a numerous concourse of persons bad
assembled before the gates of the college, and at either side
from Grafton-street to Westmoreland•atreet, and in front
as far as the King William statue, presented an array of
anxious spectators. At 12 o'clock his Excellency the Lord
Lieuteuaut (armed, and was received on the platform by the
Provost of Trinity College. the Lord Chancellor, and Lord
Talbot de Malahide. His Excellency was attended by
Major-Geseral Larcom, Colo.tel Forster, Mr. Hatched)
(private secretary), Lady Barbara Leeson, and the Hoe. H.
Leeson.

The Rev. J. H. J ELT Err baying formally banded over the
statue, on behalf of the Committee, to the l'rovoet, Fellows
and Scholars of Trinity College.
The PEON o,l' requested his Excellency to inaugurate the
statue.

His E XCELLENCT on presenting himself wasloudly cheered.
He said—lt in now little more than six years ago since I met
many of you for the purpose of doing honour to a most
truly Irish and delightful poet, Thomas Moore. (Cheers.)
At that time I took upon me to rev that upoo the spot where
I now stand there ought to be raised • statue of Oliver
Goldsmith. (Cbeers.) The proposal seemed at once to
meet with approvaL lam sure you all agree with me that
whatever delay has occurred is amply made up for by the
grace, dignity, and excellence of the finished work.
(Cheers.) Look upon him as he stands before you : the
genial-hearted Irishman, the gentle moralist, the consum-
mate poet—(cheer.)—stands here is front of the college
which gave shelter to his early youth. Loving biographers
have done full justice to his history, and an eminent orator
who is at once the representative and ornament of this uni-
versity—(cheer:)—has unfolded the rich gift of his genius
with filial revereoce and with congenial ability. (Cheers.)
We contemplate the character, not free from imprudence.
from error, nor from ridicule, but fully redeemed by the
most guileless sympathy, by the most romantic benevo-
lence, the most manly independence. (" Hear," and
cheers.) We contemplate • genius of which no more cor-
rect summary can be made than in the words which his
greet friend, Dr. Johnson, inscribed on the stone that
bears his name in Westminster Abbey—" There was no
style of composition which be did not essay—none
which he essayed that he did not adorn." (Cheers.) Out of
so much variety and out of so much excellence, if I were
called upon to select the most striking specimens. I should
naturally mention "The Traveller," " The Deserted Vil-
lage," and perhaps above all " The Vicar of Wakefield."
The walls of the Royal Academy of London would scarcely
know themselves if a single year went round without
exhibitiug some subject from "The Vicar of Wake-
field." Perhaps 1 may remark that the prison
scene is that fascinating novel preceded certainly
and perhaps suggested some of the benevolent
exertions of Howard and of Fry. Still novelist, his-
torian, essayist, satirist, dramatist as he was, it is as •
poet that we mainly represent to ourselves Oliver Gold.
smith. and if I were to search for an adjective to distinguish
his poetry, I do not know that I could find a more fitting
one than exquisite. (Hear, hear.) Others have soared to
greater heights said shed iutenser light in the poetical
heaven, but where were there ever combised more perfect
rhythm, more mellow harmony, more refined simplicity,
more perfect truth 'I (Cheers.) I should have much liked
to justify my praise by the most convincing proofs I could
toe by recalling some of the notes of the music of his stride
to your, I am sure, not unaccustomed ears, but I fear I
most use it sparingly. and take the decline of • virtuous
old age—lines which I myself once heard applied with sin-
gular effect by Lord Brougham to Mr. Wilberforce :
" For him no wretches born to work and weep,
Ex pima the mine or tempt the dangerous deep ;
No early porter stands in guilty state,
To spurn imploring famine from the gate ;
But on he moves to meet his latter end,
Angels around befriending virtue's friend,
Bends to the grave with unperceived decay,
While resignation gently slopes the way—.
And all his prospects brightening to the last,
His heaven commences ere the world he pass'd."
(Loud applause.) It is no violent tranaitioe to the country
clergyman. It is most refreshing to find hew Goldsmith,
amid all his weaknesses sad irregularities, cherishes is his
heart of hearts the moat genuine sympathy and goodness.
Perhaps in those instances those feelings were heightened by