The Express.
London, England, 1868-12-21 00:00:00

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LONDON, MONDAY, DEC. 21.

THE APPROACH OF CHRISTMAS.

TEE rapid approach of Christmas is being
heralded in the usual way. " With the Cattle-
" show and the pantomimes,•" was the era fixed
by the late ALBERT SYTTH for his arrival from
China ; and the definition of date is as accurate
now as then. The Christmas periodicals are the
smut couriers of the time. Early in October the
stream begins to flow, until by the middle
of November every conceivable stretch of every
conceivable Christmas sentiment has found
its way to the reading public. Hysterical
gatherings of snow-blocked travellers who
swear eternal friendship and proceed to disclose to
convivial strangers the secrets of their lives ; in-
sane confidences and disjointed revelations, im-
pulsive love and unmeaning hate have proved
the staple of these stories for many years.
But there is no need, even for the most
unobservant, to turn to literature for evidence of
the approach of Christmas. The streets, the
shop., the newspapers, the schools, the markets
are all full of it. The posters on the walls have
pictorial effects, like gaudy nightmares, all
referring to Christmas. The advertisements on
omnibuses and at shop-doors teem with
references to the time. The guinea hamper of
gin end wine, vaunted as an appropriate offering
in honour of the great festival of the Christian
Church ; the goose clubs at the taverns, where
the happy contributor of sixpences a week receives
a curious specimen in articulated ornithology
upon a given day; the grocers' appeals to the
public to behold and test their splendid and re-
cently imported fruits; the Italian warehouses
obverted into fairy palaces, in which
georgeons bon-bon boxes are shaped into
triumphal arches, and where buying and
selling are carried on in what seems to be the
transformation scene of some old Lyceum bur-
lesque; the toysbops, the oyster warehouses, the
fishmongers', the butchers' with groat Christmas
prize beef, ticketed as from the Agricultural
Hall; the Government Offices, the Banks, and
places of business generally are all preparing for
the Christmas week, some ostensibly, others by
internal arrangements by means of which the
bolyday slis3l be properly and generally observed.
For one good Let arisen out of the hysterical sen-
timent fostered by Christmas numbers, and mock
geniality. A general disposition has arisen to
prolong the holyday time and to make the week
dividing the old year and the new a resting-place
for those immersed in the worry and bustle, the
fever and turmoil of the battle of life. The race
is so swift now, the fight so tierce' that men have
less time than ever for the cultivation of the
simple virtues ; and the home of many a
successful rose is to its owner and chief
a mere hotel in which he spends the
least interesting portion of his time. If this is
so with those who are at the luads of firms ; who
direct operations, and issue orders to the rsnk and
file, hke generals in the field, and if it presses
Lardly—bow much more must it tell upon the
young and impulsive, whose immediate personal
intereete are not at stake, and to whom kindly ern.
pally and friendly affection are more valuable than
gain. These are the classes for whom the extra
Christmas holyday is advocated, and to whom it
will be a true boon. It is the workers, awl
especially the young workers, who need a little
indulge nor and fur whom a clear three or four
days' holyday in asked. The business of this busy
London would not be materially hindered, and the
wheels would go all the easier afterwards. Many
of our leading firms we we glad to ass have

*imbed
rest - •

THE HIGHER EDUCATION OF WOMEN.
Tam boas: and opprobrious epithet which a few
years ego was applied to well-educated women is
now wholly out of date. No one thinks of calling
a lady • " blue-stocking " because she can read
VIRGIL or Goalie without the help of a transla-
tion, or because she has acquired an extensive
knowledge of English literature. The antiquated
notion that the study of what litirrow calls
" household good " is the only study adapted fo,
the feminine intellect is happily exploded, and it is
acknowledged—a wonderful concession truly !
that the woman whose mind has been enlarged
by culture may even make a better wife and
mother, and a more judicious housekeeper, than if
her education had been restricted to embroidery
and piecrust. The education of women, then, is
allowed to be of the highest advantage, and the
only question is how far shall that education ex-
tend We answer that no rule of general appli-
cation can be definitely laid down. There should
be • wide range for choice, ample provision
for such en education as men are accustomed
to deem liberal, and there need be no
fear but that young women who have
passed the school-girl period of life, and are
really eager for knowledge, will select such
branches as are most suited to their position or in-
clination. The studies absolutely unfitted for
women on the ground of sex or capacity are few
indeed ; and there is no reason why the higher
education of • young lady who is unsatisfied with
the " finish " of a boarding-school should not be
as complete and as varied as that provided for her
brother.

We are glad to see that Canon Grainsirrona,
in his address last week at the Ladies' College,
Bristol, advocated with all earnestness the higher
education of English girls, and that not on the
ground of pecuniary advantage, and additional
means of livelihood, but because by such culture
they would contribute to the happiness of home.
Many women in this over-crowded country—
and among them are some of the best of the sea—
pass through life " unattached ;" but a woman's
true vocation is matrimony ; and no intellectual
man will prefer an ignorant " unidea'd" woman to
one who is capable of appreciating his pursuits,
and of being a counsellor as well as a wife.
Doubtless there may be wives who neglect their
children and servants for the sake of books, and
prefer a mathematical problem to a baby; but
this is no argument against the higher education
of the sex. It is only a proof, and a very strong
proof too, that the education of such women has
been terribly ill-regulated. There is, however,
one objection, and as far as we know one only, to
this generous education of the fair sox, namely,
that it involves a corresponding culture on the
part of men. We cannot, of course, consent to
any diminution of authority, to any inferiority of
position ; but bow maintain our dignity, if as
rulers we know less than those whom we under-
take to govern ' This is a serious difficulty no
doubt, and there is but one way of overcoming it.

MONDAY

got was is adagios.
scoosapsaied by Plias

la the paiaditlds mead*
.
The Crows Plisses and rearm el Pawn* O 1!!"
Beatrice, aad Priam Looped& dab wilt old.
'• Dia IL

n. (boa, asesapsiat W Mama Deatrice, arm
oat yedaday attanwas. Viwomins Clifdera was to
atioadanos.
- - - - - - -

The other members of the Royal Family also west out.
The Queue, the Crown Prime and Princess of Pram*
Princess Ladle, Prince Arthur, Prism Leopold, Prisons
Beatrice, and Prince Edward of Sani Weimar, attended
divine service at Whippingbam Ohureb this mondnig.
The Bev. George Protium, othoiated.
Priam Arthur, attended by Colonel Elphinstone sad
Prince Edward of Sam Weimar, arrived at Osborne yes-
terday. -

Despatches were received on Bata:day at the Ookinial-
oMce from the °overarm of Hong loam Oeyka, the
Mauritius, Oibranar, and Heligoland. Deepatehes were
seat to the ()overarm of the North Anessioan'Provinees,
Bermuda, British Columbia, and the Bahamas.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mrs. Lowe
entertained a select envie at dinner est listurdny maks,
at their residence in Lownderequare.

The Duke of Duodena; arrived in town on
Saturday hos Boughton House, his seat in Northampton-
shire.

The Duchess (Emily) of Beaufort left town on
Saturday for Badminton, to speed the Christmas with the
Duke and Durban of Beaufort.

The Marquis of Hamilton, has left town
co a visit to thll Eiri and Manton Rowe at Goren, war
Atherton. _ _ _

The Earl and Countess of Yarborough are about
to eatertsia a maceresioa of gessb et Deesidedry tuba
the teethe semea.

The Berl and Countess of Shannon arrived in
lowa aa Manley b Caatia-Maztynesir eat to abet,
Oak.

The Berl and Countess Cowley have left town
for Drayoott.

The Earl and Countess Movers, the Countess
of Uzbuidge, sad lady Mende bave left the St. Georp's

The Earl of Campertkoini has left town for Sir
George and Hon. lady l'hilip's swat, Weston Hoare,
Warwickshire.

Lord and Lady Daferin arrived at their red-
deuce is Oramoor-squere at the close of the past weak

from Claadoboye House, Dew Belfast.

Lord and Lady Charles Bartle Percy and Miss
Percy have arrived at Claridge's Hotel, frees Guy's Cliffe,
Warwick.

We (/'apt) have to announce the death of Lady
Elizabeth Margaret Ferrara BoitMee, who disd on Friday
at Springfield Park, Warwickshire. The Lamented lady
was the third daughter of George, second Marquis Towns.
bend, and was born 16th August, 1784, and married in
1816 Mr. Joseph Moore BouUbe., who died in May,
1860.

Sir Richard Mayne was s►id to be slightly bettee

THR ZXPBESS,
adopted this view. Lit boo m
rest of our legislators, bankers, 111
that they should put their
by making the easing • -". The , sax
one, ensure to many a . ' "Alai
shall be spent merrily indeed
Lewd Mks& Paget
Her Majesty, son