The Press.
London, England, 1857-08-08 00:00:00

THE WEEK.

THE Session draws rapidly to a close, and exhausted Members pant
for the country and fresh air. Ministers will probably finish what
business they have taken in hand. They promised little, and they
have kept their word, as if bent on fulfilling Mr. DISRAELI'S prediction
of "a wasted year." The Divorce Bill has been on the anvil since the
time of the Coalition Cabinet, and we can understand the argument of
Lord STANLEY, in the Noble Lord's desire for expediting it in com
mittee, on the intelligible ground that the new Parliament should
seem to have done something in its first session !
In the meanwhile, it must not be forgotten that many political
measures were not allowed to be discussed, on the ground of the
Reform Bill next year. What chance is there of Parliament being in
a moud for a new Reform Bill? The news from India occupies, and
will continue to occupy, the ruling powers. Whatever Ministry were
in office, it is plain that it could not undertake to deal with Reform
while our Empire in India is placed in jeopardy. It cannot be denied
that Parliament will separate in gloomy circumstances, for Mem-
bers will not know how soon they will again be summoned to their
posts.

The Turkish imbroglio, the question about the Principalities, and
other matters, give a rather clouded aspect to foreign affairs just now.
The blunder made by Ministers in not calling out the Militia sooner,
first pooh-poohing the idea, and then rather ungraciously adopting
the suggestion, has caused much pain to those who wish to see the
Queen's cause supported with thorough energy and zeal.
Parties, also, seem getting into the state in which they were before
the General Election. Mr. BRIGHT is again in the political field ; Air.
COBDEN and Mr. MILNER GIBSON will be introduced on the first oppor-
tunities ; and so far from the last election " clearing up the state of
parties"—as Lord JOHN RUSSELL hoped—the constitution of the House
of Commons is likely to be more uncertain than before. All things
show that the political recess is likely to bring forth incidents of a
most remarkable kind.

The visit to Osborne of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor
of tho FRENCH is announced to bo strictly private, but it is
quite possible that questions of grave importance will be discussed at
Osborne during the next few days. Ministerial journals assure
us that the French alliance is safe, and that, though the Govern-
ments of the two countries differ in opinion upon minor matters, upon
all great questions of foreign policy their views are identical. The
crisis at Constantinople indicates in the most unequivocal manner that,
though the action of the Governments may in general be harmonious,
yet upon some essential points, such as the Danubian princi-
palities, the opinions of France and England are diametrically opposed.
The Anglo-French alliance may be in no danger from this difference of
opinion, but it must be clear to any man of common understanding
that the restless enemies of that alliance must derive considerable
consolation and advantage front the antagonism revealed in the steps
recently taken by M. DE THOUVENEL at Constantinople. Lord PAL•
lIERSTON may rest assured that the people of this country have adopted
the principle of the French alliance from deliberate conviction, not
from temporary distress, and that they will not permit the responsi-
bilities of that alliance to be lightly cast aside. One object of the
present visit to this country of the Emperor of the FRENCH may be to
place that alliance upon a closer and more solid foundation than
would appear at present to exist.

The death of the Right Rev. CHARLES JAMES BLOMFIELD, late Lord
Bishop of London, has naturally been followed by many and various
estimates of his life. It is the fate of men like the deceased Bishop
to meet with scant justice. One who could not, perhaps would not,
conceal what were his real convictions, yet felt at the same time the
hopelessness of endeavouring to give effect to them in his own age, is
a character that deserves at once our compassion and our sympathy. Yet
a large class of persons will be certain to stigmatise such men as insin-
cere, as undecided, or as vacillating. Such is not the view we are dis-
posed to take of the deceased Prelate's character. Born at a time
when the genuine traditions of the old English Church were in full
force, living among men who had known intimately JOHNSON, MARKHAM,
and Lovra, and possibly remembered Bishop BrTLER, the young
scholar's predilections were all in favour of that well-nigh defunct school
of High Church divinity, of whom the late venerable President of
Magdalene was one of the last representatives. In that theological
movement, which commenced in tl.e year 1833, it was impossible he
should not recognise the presence of many truths which he had from
boyhood associated with Anglican .r thodoxy ; but it is probable that