The Express.
London, England, 1860-05-02 00:00:00

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TmlV>anw, VICTIMS: Missas—howe, Backstops,
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ANDOOX. Noma ladalmuss • Compton.—And TYL PILGRIM
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THIS EVINCra, MY WHITS OUT —THE FOOLS ZEVINOT.
Ur. Phelps Mt A and M Heald—AAA TIM
ATLPIIIDIL Illegra /P. Illon% tad taker Mrs, C.
Weis op, L. Kegs& LialiseL IL Howard.

MIRK.
Trre Emma, HIST OF THI FORTY THIETLI.
Mama Lydia Thoewssa, Clem et Pam Z. Travers, [ate Urea.
—WHITILISAIT AT OItiMIWICIL W. Daa.—Aral TEI
MIDDY AMOS& M L Tbareerees.—Osaamsaes at 7.

Ift. JANNWIL
TN= Iviarpsa, A TETI= IN 'SE. Werra T. Sabina's,
Young, sad Isalowd : Ihinar—A LADY AND OENTLE-
NAII IN A reanzurxr NO PREDICAMENT.
Aad MINIM BOMA AT NO= AND ALL ABROAD.

EFITANNIA.
Ma Maned, THE GREEN NIUE OF THE FAY WENT.
Messrs Erred* and Cranford • Mime E.
or. The Rhine sad IN lUdao. Mr L J Yea & laae.-
AA4 ROMEO AND JULIET. Ilia L Caaryton, zL Tarsal&

HIGH WAVLE. AT LONDON BRIDGE
TM DAY —Momiteg, nit fne. After:woe, Int Om
TO4AoluwW —Morning. Olt Om. Afterimage. Ob. I.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 2.

A Toes wish has been nourished into a rumour,
and yeatenlay it was announced in print that the
path of honourable members who dread the passing
of the Reform Bill is to be made smooth by •

compromise. The Government and the Conserva-
tive leaders, it was said, had been in communica-
tion, and the terms of agreement were settled. The
greater number of the people who expect votes under
the new Bill had, it was affirmed, been thrown over-
board by the Government, and the borough occu-
pation qualification was to be raised to 81. and the
county qualification to 161. A pretty story I As
if the Bill left any room for compromise ; as if it
were not all compromise, a measure less compre-
hensive, less wise, and lets just than it should be,
because in its very construction allowance was

made for the hardness of the Parliamentary
heart. We merely notice this pleasant illusion
to state that there is no truth in the rumour, and
that no negotiations for a compromise on the sub-
ject of the Reform Bill have taken place. The
Anti-Reformers must find some other comfort.

Ir seems as if a gift of good manners would be
a great godsend at present. There are times
when men everywhere appear to have lost, not
only their tempers in the stir and pressure of
threatening events, but that form of self-command
which we call courtesy, and the present seems to
be one of those times. There must be something
unusual in the state of affairs when the Head of
Christendom scolds like • spiteful woman, and
when the leaders of Christian nations return rail-
ing for railing. There was a time when the pre-
cept "Be courteous" was taken to heart and
practised as a distinctive trait of the religion
which prescribed it, and a Christian gentleman
was supposed to manifest his quality wherever he
went by the nobleness and charm of his manners.
But we witness other phenomena now. We see the
chief representatives of infidelity in our own country
appropriating the old Christian grace, and publicly
teaching and proving, by precept and example,
that " courtesy is a power," while the most osten-
tatious boasters of their religion are setting the
example of manners which are absolutely revolt-
ing. The POP• may lead in the display of pas-
sion, overcoming all considerateness and modera-
tion ; but he is closely followed by Catholic and
Protestant. The Austrian officials in Hungary,
the French Foreign Minister in addressing the
Swiss Government, and the French Colonels and
journalists in menacing us ; the once high bred
Spaniards, in venting all sorts of nonsense about
our view of their late war—all these proud and
boastful orthodox Christians have for some time
been showing by example the extreme reverse of
true Christian manners. We grieve to observe
that Protestant Englishmen can behave just as ill
as any of them, and without the excuse which may
be made for the Pore and some others—that the
world is falling into chaos around them, frighten-
, ing them from their propriety.
For some years past accounts have reached
this country of the serious political and
social consequences of English bad manners abroad,
and especially in India. Nearly u much has
been said as can do any good about our ways on
the Continent, where our countrymen walk right
between the kneeling people in churches and the
shrines where they are praying, and march up the
altar steps in cathedrals in defiance of all entreaty