The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-05 00:00:00

THASPECTATOR,.I, Wellington-street, Strand,

toidaa.
NEW UPPLEMILNT.

The Spectator, founded In 1828 by the late Mr. literal, has
now retained for thirty-four years • eierseter for hil=emitesee
• its critics declare has under lie new propi=
Ti•••• and ihette_e. the frireeereiliten ot the
eel eillee, ' opc wane ahead mgr. The
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paper is the organ of no patty, oderle, or Wields's/ .A 0 object
is -simply to express, in every department of life, the thoughts of
educated Liberals—the only thoughts which La England are apt
to And inadequate exp .roision. Consequently in political prin-
ciple the Spectator is thoughtful Whig but with a more decided
tendency towards reforms at home and the extension of orderty
freedom abroad than the old Whigs were supposed to bans.
Since he establishment, however, It has subordinated all patty
interests to the general welfare of the people.
. . .

On theological-questions It is the Ohte-ct of the Spectator to
maintain the principle of Christian liberty., and. while expressing
• deep and revcreutlal talth In the grest Truths of Christianity,
to do battle against all forms of intolerance and religious op-
precis ion
To carry out these views, the proprietor have the &instance
of a staff large enough to ensure a reasonable certainty that
every topic discussed shall be treated by some one who has made
it • subject of special study.
On sell public questions, and more especially on an foreign
questions, this journal commands the best sources of informs-
' tion, and has repeatedly during this year been the end to nuke
the true bearing of events apparent to its readers. Its object,
however, is not so much to supply news as to express the feel-
ing of the educated classes on the news, sad correct that vague-
nen and bewilderment of thought which the constant receipt of
news in little morsels teat such a tendency to produce.
This is accomplished, first by a series of exhaustive leaden on
the topics and the literature of the day, and, secondly, by an
arrangement peculiar to the paper—three pages composed of
thort pungent paragraphs, conta the entire history of the
week, told not in minute detail, but In the way In which a club-
man of good information would relate the news.
In addition to these three pages, three more are added in the
opinion of two most valuable letters. One describes French
upon the facts of the week, and la contributed by one of
the most eminent of French exiles the other gives the history
of the American civil war, VI it appears week by week to •
highly cultivated American writing from the spot.
On the ern week of the new year the Proprietors intend tongue
a supplianent, which they dodge should be annual. It will contain
first, • complete account of the history, condition, and resources
of the forty reigning families of Europe. To understand oontem-
Mhistory, far as Europe Is concerned, it should never be
eow:l as
ien that the great royal families who fill the thrones of
the Old World have become a clam, or. more strictly spething,
a caste. It la not too much to say that the cherished dream of
f the time when all nations should be gathered together
one bond of brotherhood, his been realised as for as the rulers
nations are concerned, who, in the strictest sense of the word,
have oome to form one family. There are, at this moment, forty
crowned heads in Europe who're all united to each other in more
or leas close ties of blood relationship; and who acknowledge the
family obligation by maintaining a theoretical equality among
themaelvea. Should the Czar, whose territory Is larger than one-
half of Europe, address the pettiest of (Lerman princes, he calls
him "Monsieur MOD frere ; end whether the "brother" is
highest or lowest in point of rank, power, and fortune, as
long an he Ls the hereditary ruler of a country, or
part of a country, be is reckoned ernubtirtig, or on the
same level with all the other sovereigea Only those
matrimonial unions which are contracted within the
great family circle are accepted by the members ea "legiti-
mate ;" the rest, be they ever so lawful according to the law of
the land, are " morganatic" and illegitimate as far as the rights
o royalty are concerned. According to these views, the Czar of
Ream ta really no Russian, the King of Sweden no Swede, and
the Queen of Spain no Spaniard but they must be regarded.
one and all, as cosmopolitan members of • high and independent
republic, which has no vlelbb head, but acknowledges only
mutual guardianship, as it wean its right to exist " by the grace
of Clod"
The supplement of the Spectator of Jannary 3, IMU, together
with this article on the " Royal Families of Europe," will contain
another on the "Circulation of Rome and Foreign literature."
It will be as essay forming an attempt to gauge the public taste
of our own and other countries by examining the quantity of
different species of literature produced and supplied to the
people within a given time. It is a wait subject, which timpani
seldom treated, and cannot be otherwise than fragmentary is the
present instance. The proprietor' of the Spectator have been at
great pales to collect the statistics of the bookselling trade et
borne and abroad ; but their efforts have not been as well re-
sponded to se wee expected, and Ilverefora the article Is offered
only as a ern sway en be *abject, for the future completion of
which materials may be gathered in fame. As it is, however, It
is sot without its interest, and may serve to draw attention to •
compamtively neglected, but which Is really of the
inspottanos.
"WWished every Saturday morning, price ed. : by poet, rd. ;
end may be had by all news agents in town and county ; or
direst from sae amoe. 1, Welliagtonalreet. Strand.