The Express.
London, England, 1856-05-19 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, KAY 19.

THE departure of the young Prince FuEDERICIt
WILLIAM from Berlin, on a visit to Queen Vicroitts.
and the Court of England, appears now to be cer-
tain; and, although the object for which that visit is
at pn sent made -will probably be deferred the a year
or eighteen months, it is needless longer to conceal
that a marriage is projected between the Heir
Presumptive to the Crown of Prussia and the Princess
Royal of England.

In such an Alliance, the first thing the great ma-
jority of the English people will desire is, that the
young Princess msy find all that domestic happiness
which has hitherto so pre-eminently distinguished the
life of her Royal Motber,and that,not only foe her own
sake, but for the people with which the marriage will
connect her. The influence which the domestic
virtues have in every sphere, necessarily enlarges and
extends with the position of life they illustrate and
adorn. In England the private example set by
Queen Vicronta has dons much, not merely to purify
the manners and elevate the tastes of society, but has
promoted and excited sympathies between the higher
and the lower classes, the value and importance of
which to the Commonwealth can hardly be over-

estimated ; and for much of the course punned by the
Court, duriug the preempt reign, in what may be
called its social career, the country is, it would be
unjust to deny, indebted to the Prince Consort.
Takeo, therefore, even from a purely domestic point
of view, Royal Marriages, it their political import-
ance be diminished, may nevertheless, in their silent
unobtrusive effects, be instruments of great publics
good.

But, can try one, who looks at unhappy Spain, at
afflicted Greece, or at oppressed Naples, doubt that
there are still European countries in which Royal
Mnrrisges do influence the political condition of the
states they concern ? Had Queen Lusatia.* married a
prince of cultivated and expanded mind, of sense, of
spirit, and vigour, how different miget have been her
reign, how different the condition of Spain. Or had
nut King Ora° found in his Consort a woman
of arbitrary dispositions, of obstioate self-
will, and of vindictive Inclinations, Greece
would probably by this time have embraced
that career of moderation, temperance, and internal
development, which were the objects of the Treaty of
London, &eel might, by its strict neutrality and good
government, have obtained a position in the Me-
diterranean which the philo-Russian tendencies of
the Quer), the sighing alter impossibilities of those
under her inflaeoce, and the national sad bad
faith of the Government arm can saaosapliab.
Again, had the wretched King of NAPLES bees
blessed with a wife who could have felt for the
misery of his people, assuredly the wisdom of &true-
hearted woman might have achieved what the threats
and remonstrances of angry allies have failed to

accomplish. When we look at the infilienos over the
war which the family relations between the Coats of
Berlin and St. Petersburg have eadoubtedly had, and
rtollect with what fatal pertinacity the doomed
Hones of BOURBON have held together, we shall Sod
that, even in public affairs, the homely Scotch proverb
that " blood is thicker than water" proves true.
In such a marriage es that new in contem-
platioc, Prussia has, immediately, much toes to
gain than England. Prussia is exactly in that state
when the personal character of its Monarch sad
Princes sway, in a great manner the tendencies and
destinies or a cosotry. Tree it is that the policy of
Prussia is no longer in the hands of its sovereigns
and their advisers; it is dictated by a party
whose superabundant monarchical predispositions is
endangering Monarchy itself, by carrying Prissia
back, if not into the days, certainly into the spirit
and atmosphere of Feudalism. Bat the source of the
power of this party is mainly to be found in that
sickly and learned sentimentality prevalent in
Prussian society, of which the reigning Sove-
reign is, perhaps, the chief exemplar. It is by means
of this seatimentality, arid of its accempanying intel-
lectual, sensual, and aesthetics' dissipation, that
domestic life so largely and so fatally predominates
over public life and public duty in Prussia. To
nee a oommoo, but in this butanes a most apt ex-
poser)°, the Court of Berlin wants an infusion of
new blood, to invigorate it ; to drive out
its netnby-pattsbyism; to dispel its vain tran-
scendental, nonsensical delusions; to make it more
"of the earth, earthy." But where in Germany is
such a want as this to be supplied ? At what small
German Court shell the Prince of Pausau fad that
stens sane in torpor* sow, that freshness, healthiness,
robustness of mind and body, that clear head, truthful
tongue, and honest resolute will, that simplicity and
sincerity of purpose, without which it is hopelcis
to see Prussia playing the part of a great monarchy?
That such a prise can be discovered in the Court of
Eogliind we do not undertake to say. But it is a
great thing to appreciate the real want of a country.
The next thing is to seek for the means of supplying
that want where it is most likely to be found. And
this appears to us exactly what the Prisms of Patinae
is doing for We son.

A domestic connexion between the two Courts mast,
however, beu its political fruits also. There is no
doubt • host of excellent ?tenons why Primal• is at
present unpopular in England, but those reasons are
chiefly of • temporary character. At all events, it
would be • grave misfortune for England by any
evanescent, however just, resentment to force Prussia
into permanent relations with Austria and Russia.
Even in our anger, it is wise end prudent to look a
little ahead, and base oar policy rather on reason than
on feeling—to say nothing of passion. At the be.
ginning of the present century, Prrr was soenstoined
to say that the safest and most efficient continental
ally for England was Praises; sad so it would now
be if the Court of Prussia were (to nee LAUD'S ex-
pression) "other than it is." la contributing, then,
an excellent Princess to that Court we shall be doing
our beet to plane it in a position in which it will'
be both an efficient and a safe ally.

SADLER'S WELLS ENGLISH OPERA.—Mr. Howard
(Mawr begins hie lolg son iuocad wren et Hoglish operatic
performances Pas erasing with Balfa's Borraire Girl.
for which additional rear lass been written ►y the
popular c intossr, who will maw his first appeasers in
Eneland afar a long arena, and radar his ova trete.
The oast, lacludiag Mr. and Mrs. Inas Beers, Yr. Dela-
Testi, Mr. Weir, mad Mir P.ole, berry straps sad these
wisest singer will be supported by an orchestra oarafally
sainted from the liar Opera beads, eorprierag ear
anise r Wrests*, Reassat, Marsala, Realleiel (a sew
!taro a-player of celebrity from Paris), Tbulwall, Whin,
Calliay H.r., sad by a arras also drawa treat the best
reroee. We hope OW this spirited aadertakiai will be
attended with owneso.