The Express.
London, England, 1867-11-21 00:00:00

1, THURSDAY EVENING,

Eht Court.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Nov. 20.

The Queen walked and drove in the grounds
yesterday afternoon, accompanied by Princess Christian,
and her Majesty drove out this morning, accompanied by
Prince Leopold. The Hon. Emily Cathcart was in
attendance.
The Counter of Flanders and Princess Louise also went
out driving.
The Count of Flanders and Prince Christian, attended
by Colonel Bunnell and Major-General F. H. Seymour
went out shooting.
Lord Skelmenalale and Major-General Sir T. M. Bid-
dulph had the honour of accompanying their royal high-
nesses.

Y. and Biadame Van de Weyer had the honour of dining
with the Queen and the royal family yesterday.
Her Majesty's private band played the following 'elec.
tion after dinner before the royal family :
Overture, " Les Client' de Bronze "
Andante, " stigmata No. 1"
Marche, •' Les dean Juurn ea "
Divertissement, "Le Proptif te "

The ladies and gentlemen in waiting had the honour of
joining the royal family in the drawing-room.

A Cabinet Council was held yesterday at the
official residence of the First Lord of the Trea-
sury in Downing-street. The Ministers present
were the Earl of Derby, the Lord Chancellor,
the Duke of Marlborough, the Earl of Malmes-
bury, the Right Hon. Gathorne Hardy, Lord
Stanley, the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos,
Sir John Pakington, Sir S. Northcoto, the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, the Right Hon. H. T. L.
Corry, the Duke of Richmond, Lord John Men-
nen, and the Earl of Mayo.

MRS. DISEAELL-011 inquiry at the Chancellor
of the Exchequer's residence, at Grosvenor-gate, at 12.30
p.m. this day, the answer given was, " Mrs. Disraeli is a
little better."

His Excellency the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland
has left town to resume his official duties at the Viceregal
Lodge, Dublin.

The Earl and Countess of Malmesbury were
honoured by the presence of the Duke of Cambridge at
dinner yesterday evening at their residence in Stratford-
place. There were also present—their Serene Highnesses
Prince and Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar, the Earl and
Countess of Derby, the Earl and Countess Stanhope, the
Earl and Countess of Tankerville, the Earl Cadogan, Vis-
count Canterbury, Lord Wharncliffe, Lord and Lady John
Manners, Sir Edwin Landeeer, Colonel Hon. James and
Mn. Macdonald, Miss Gorges, be.
The Earl and Countess Fitzwilliam have been
entertaining a large family party at Wentworth House,
Yorkshire, on the occasion of the marriage of their eldest
daughter, the Lady Frances M. Wentworth Fitzwilliam
and Mr. C. M. Doyne, eldest son of Mr. Robert Doyne, of
Wells, county Wexford.

The Earl and Countess Russell received a select
party at dinner yesterday evening at their residence in
Chaham•place.

The Earl and Lady Constance Grosvenor and
family have arrived at Moutons from Paris.

The Times of India says that a marriage is an-
nounced to take place in January between Captain Lowndes
Randall, A.D.C. to his Excellency the Governor• General
of India, and Bliss Lawrence, his Excellency's eldest
daughter.

Drama.

ST. JAMES S.

A mutilated version of an old-fashioned comedy
by Thomas Morton, called the School of Reform, was 'pro
duced at this house last night, with Mr. J. S. Clarke, the
new American actor, in the part of Robert Tyke. This
play was written by Morton in imitation of the German
school of drama, and is full of that sentimental writing
which shows the author's weakness rather than his
strength. Its original popularity was mainly due to
the exceptional merit of the cast which at Covent-garden
in 1805 included 0. F. Cooke, Minden, Charles Kemble,
Lewis, and Emery (the father of the present Mr. Eatery),
whose Robert Tyke was the chief feature of the per-
formance. The play has always secured a certain amount
of popularity when an actor with tree-comic power
could be found to represent the drunken and repentant
horse-stealer, and of all living representatives of this
character Mr. Benjamin Webster is, perhaps, the beat.
The version of the drama performed at the St. James's
is so condensed that the story is almost unintelligible,
and the various characters, with their inflated fine hat•
gunge and profuse sentiments, are rendered more absurd
than interesting. The condensation of the same author's
comedy, The Way to get Married, at the Olympia, has
been far more cleverly done. Mr. J. 8. Clarke's Robert
Tyke becomes the central feature of the play, more from
the poverty of the surrounding materials than from any
concentr►ted force on the part of the actor. His best
points were rather indications than full developments of
serious dramatic power, with the exception of his descrip-
tion of his father's supposed death, and his grimacing
throughout was too liberal, and too much like the " mug-
ging "of Major de Boots—a part he is still playing at
this theatre. The play was very poorly put upon the
stage, and the scene-shifting was disgraceful.

WHITEHALL, Nov. 19.—The Queen bail been
pleased to appoint Alan Eliot! Lockhart, Esq., to be Lieu-
tenant and Sheriff Principal of the county of Selkirk, in the
room of Henry Francis Lord Polwarth, decried.—Gazelte.
CONVOCATION.—YeatercIay morning Sir Francis
Twins, the Vicar-General of the province of Canterbury,
attended at the Jerusalem Chamber, but no members of
either House of Convocation were present. The meeting
of Convocation follows as a rule the meeting of parlia-
ment, but this being an exceptional session, the Arch-
bishop has directed the convocation to be adjourned until
February.
EARLY CLOSING ASSOCIATION.—The annual cele-
bration of the success of the Early Closing movement took
place last night at St. James's-hall, under the presidency
of the Earl of Shaftesbug. The hall was well filled in
every part, the audience including a goodly proportion of
ladies. Mr. Walker. the secretary, after announcing
that letters of regret of their inability to be pre-
sent had been received from the Bishop of Oxford,
Mr. Charles Buxton, M.P., Mr. Anthony Trollope,
and the Rev. It. D. Wilson, gave • brief retro-
spect of the past year's operations of the society,
showing that numerous additions have been made to the
list of establishments that close early and adopt the
Saturday half-holiday. The noble chairman then deli-
vered an earnest address, observing that he was not
new to this glorious movement, for thirty yearn ago
he (was engaged in_ promoting the great principle
of early closing as embodied in the Factory Act, which
prohibited labour in our great departments of industry
after six o'clock in the evening, and he hoped he should
I've to see the day when the principle would be extended
to every branch of trade and manufacture. In a free
country like this, where every man could do almost as he
pleased, it was of vital importance that the people should
be trained to the highest degree of moral excellence to
render them capable of self-government, and it was im-
possible to attain that end under a system which squeezed
all the labour out of • man, and then cast hiw aside
like • sucked orange thrown upon the pavement.
The great work in which they were engaged was highly
calculated to bring into being • new race of wives and
mothers, to train up MODS and daughter. to the great high
moral and Christian duties that are imposed upon them in
this transitory world. Mr. 3l'Cullagh Tommie, M.P., the
Rev. W. Rogers, Dr. Furor, and other gentlemen also ad-
vocated early clueing from their several points of view, and
at intervals between their speeches • choir of .100 voices,
under the direction of Mr. Ilenedict, sang various melodies.
Mr. Alberto Randegger presided at the organ, and the
members of the choir were contributed from houses of
business.

THE ENGLISH CHURCH UNION AND RITUALISM.
A special meeting, largely attended, was held last evening
at the Freemasons' Tavern, to discuss resolutions of which
long notice had been given by the Rev. Dr. l'usey, in
reference to the report of the Ritual Commission. The
Hon. C. Lindsay, chairman, 4.nnounced that the council
had that day withdrawn three of the resolutions. Dr.
Pawl moved the fourth, which was, however, altered so
as to read—" That whilst holding that vestments cannot
be deemed essential to the validity of the consecration of
the blessed sacrament, and ought not to be introduced by
the clergy without the goodwill of their congregations,
this union nevertheless believes it to be," A very
long discussion took place on the question whether the
goodwill of the congregation should be alluded to, and the
"aggrieved parishioner" recognised. An amendment to
omit the words was negatived, and the resolution carried.
The resolution is to be sent to the Ritual Commission.
SOCIETY OF ENOINEEES.—At the ordinary meet-
ing of this society, held on Monday, Mr. W. H. Le Feuvre,
president, in the chair, a paper was read by Mr. Arthur
Rim, jun., C.R., "On the Connexion between the Shape
of Heavy Guns and their Durability," the discussion on
which was adjourned till the next meeting. The names
of eight candidates for election were announced.