The Press.
London, England, 1856-06-07 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

upon the necessity for legislative interference with
respect to the law of divorce, and the law which
related to the property of married women. He was
strongly impressed with the conviction that the law
ought to be altered, so as to give the wife the same
interest in property inherited or acquired by her
which the husband possessed in his. Sir Erskine
Perry, M.P., moved a series of resolutions, seconded
by Mr. D. Hill, the Recorder of Birmingham, to the
effect that the rules of the common law which gave
all the personal property of a woman on marriage,
and all subsequently acquired property and earnings,
to the husband, were unjust in principle and injuri•
ous in their operation ; that the principle of Courts
of Equity which recognised separate property in a
married woman, and invested her, with respect to
such property, with all the rights of ownership, was
in accordance with the requirements of the age, and
in conformity with the opinions and usages of the
wealthier and better instructed classes of society ;
and that the conflict between law and equity on the
subject ought to be terminated by a general law
based upon principles of equity which should apply
to all classes. '1 he resolutions were agreed to, after
some little discussion, in which Mr. Monckton Milnes,
M.P., Lord Denman, and others took part. In the
course of the pt9ceedings, a letter from Lord
Brougham, addressed to a member of the Law
Amendment Society, was read by Mr. Hastings, tae
secretary. The noble lord expressed great dis•
appointment at being prevented froze attending in
support of a movement which was of great impor-
tance, he considered, both in a legal and social point
of view.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ALBERT laid the
foundation-stone last Saturday of a home or institu-
tion for the reception of natives of Asia or Africa
upon their arrival in this country. The establish-
ment will be similar to the Sailors' Home, in Well-
ciose-square, and will be situated near Limehouse
Church. It will afford accommodation for 230 in-

mates, who will be provided with food, lodging, and
instruction for eight shillings a week. The ceremony
of laying the stone was marked with unusual features.
Hindoos, Lascaxs, Chinese, Arabs, Africans, and South
Sea Islanders, cleanly dressed in native costume,
were ranged up to and around the marquee under
which the Prince took his stand, while the leading
Oriental Nabobs in England, clothed in all the
magnificence of turbans and jewels, were present
on the occasion. At the conclusion of the cere-
mony the Maharajah Dhuleep Sing thanked the
Prince on behalf of diet nation of India, and Prince
Albert returned a suitable reply.

THE SUNDAY BAND COMMITTEE AND SIR GEORGE
GREY bad a corresp nidence last week with reference
to the promised public demonstration last Sunday in
Hyde-park. Sir George Grey intimated that al-
though her Majesty's Government had no desire to
interfere in any way with the free expression of
opinion on the question on the part of the inhabi-
tants of the metropolis, yet that the royal parks were
open for the enjoyment and recreation of the public
under certain conditions, and that assemblages of
the people to hear speeches or to pass resolutions
were wholly inconsistent with the objects for which
the parks had been mane accessible to the people.
The letter then stated that police and park-keepers
would, if necessary, prevent any such meeting, and
expressed a hope that no such meeting would be at•
tempted. To this letter an answer was sent by the
committee to Sir George Grey, stating that the com-
mittee would use their best endeavours to prevent

any such demonstrntion in Hyde-park, but that bands
would play ( weather permitting) in the Regent's-
park and in Victoria-park every Sunday during the
summer, from four to six. The meeting did not
take place in Hyde-park, neither was there any per-
formance by private bands except in the Regent's
and Victoria Parks. Two letters, the correspondence
between the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord
Palmerston, have been published, but they contain
no points of fresh interest.

SIR CHARLES EASTLkKE'S late addition to the
National Gallery of Botticelli's "Virgin and St.
John," is thus characterised by the correspondent of
a contemporary writing from Florence :

Its history is as follows:—It purports to be painted
by Botticelli : those here who have always known the
picture say it is an old copy. Be that as it may, little of
the original painting remains. I never saw the picture.
but I heard a well-known artist here say he saw the head
of the Madonna twice painted in and out. as the restorer did
not like his first two attempts. The picture fnrmrd one of
ninety- others which were purchased here by a person who
combines together grocery, banking, and picture dealing.
To this person Sir Charles, I bear, gave nearly 4(XV. for
this beautiful acquisition. I do not desire to make any
comments on the purchase, farther than to say that if this
wandering picture-buyer proceeds as he is at present doing,
the National Gallery of England will become the laughing-
stock of the world. I will only add the comment of one
of the best and oldest judges of pictures here, " 0 Dio !
Cattivo. t'attivu ! "—I am, &e., Isottts.
Florence, May 29.

THE NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR TIM EDUCATION Or
THE, Foos, on the principles of the Established