Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-02-01 00:00:00

MARRIAGE OF PRINCE NAPOLEON AND THE

PRINCESS CLOTILDA,

On Saturday, at 3 p.m. Count Cavour, in his character
of notary of the crown, drew up the matrimonial contract
between the Princess Clotilda and Prince Napoleon, in the
presence of General Niel, the French ambassador, Prince
de la Tour d'Auvergne-Lauragais, and the grand digni-
taries of the state. In the evening a deputation of
National Guard was presented to the Princess at a monster
banquet. Later in the evening a serenade took place on
the Place Royale, by the band of the National Guard, in
honour of the betrothed couple, which was accompanied
by enthusiastic shouts of the people : " Viva it Re !"
" Viva i Sposi !" The town celebrated the interesting
event by a general illumination.
On Sunday, at 10 a.m., the marriage was celebrated.
The benediction was pronounced by Archbishop Verceil,
assisted by the Bishops Casalse, Pignerol, Savone, and
Bielle. At 1.30 p.m. the married couple departed for
Genoa, accompanied by the King and the royal family.
The Ilioniteur of yesterday contains the following
messages :
" GENOA, Jan, 30, 7.30 P.M.

" The King and their Imperial Highnesses Prince
Napoleon and his bride have just arrived. They every-
where met with the most enthusiastic reception from the
populace. Their imperial highnesses will arrive at
Marseilles on Wednesday morning, and will depart from
thence the same day at 3 p.m. They will stop at
Fontainebleau, where the Princess Matilda will be
awaiting their arrival to receive the Princess Clotilda.
Their imperial highnesses will arrive at Paris in the
course of the afternoon." _

„,„
” GENOA, Sunday.
" The young ladies of the palace presented a large
bouquet to Her Imperial Highness the Princess Clotilda
on her arrival. The whole town and the port were
splendidly illuminated."
On Sunday evening the royal and imperial party were
expected to appear at the Carlo Felice Theatre, Genoa,
splendidly illuminated a giorno. Yesterday (Monday)
there was to be a grand review of the garrison of Genoa
by the King, accompanied by Prince Napoleon and
General Nul, and in the evening a ball in the state
apartments.
A Turin letter of the 28th, states that the Archbishop
of Verceli, decorated with the St. Helena medal and the
cross of the Legion of Honour, had arrived in Turin to
perform the marriage ceremony. He was to be assisted
by four bishops. The Prince Carignan and the senior
Knight of the Supreme Order of the Annunciation, were
to hold the nuptial veil over the heads of the august
couple, pursuant to a very ancient custom.
On Sunday evening the Strada Nuova and the Piazza
San Carlo of Turin were illuminated by Signor Ottino, a
pyrotechnic artist of celebrity.
On Friday Prince Napoleon was present at a debate in
the Chamber of Deputies. He had been rather looked
for there before, but it is surmised that he deferred his
visit out of delicacy until the dotation bill of his bride
had been voted. As it was, he heard rather a dry dis-
cussion on the law regulating the profession of an attorney.
Count Cavour left his seat to pay his respects to the
Prince in the ambassador's tribune.

In a congratulatory address presented by the munici-
pality of Turin to Prince Napoleon these words occur :
" May our respectful and sincere congratulations be so
many happy presages of the realisation of the hopes
which at this moment fill the heart of all men who are
proud to call themselves Italians."
The Prince, in his reply, echoed the word " hopes,"
.and expressed his sincere wishes for the happiness and
" future prospects of the country."
The significance of the interchange of compliments
cannot fail to be remarked.

THE PRINCESS FREDERICK WILLIAM OF

PRUSSIA

BERLIN, Jan. 30, 11.36 A.M.
OFFICIAL BULLETINS.

The Prince;s-ired;;ia William has slept quietly
during the past night. The health of her Royal
Highness and the young Prince continues satisfactory.
(Signed) Dr. SCHOENLEIN.
Dr. WEGNER.
Dr. MARTIN
BERLIN, Monday, Jan. 31, 11.25 A.M.

The Princess Frederick William has' slept quietly
during the past night. The health of her Royal
Highness and the infant Prince continues satisfactory,
(Signed) Dr. SCHOENLEIN.
Dr. WEGNER.
Dr. MARTIN.

THE TURF IN FRANCE.—The Paris Sprinc, Meeting
will probably commence on the 25th of April, but the com-
mencement may be postponed to the Ist of May. In
the latter case (says the Sport) the third steeple chase of
La Marche, at present fixed for the 10th of April, is to be
postponed to the 17th. The Minister of Agriculture and
Commerce has changed the dates of the Bordeaux races to
the 20th, 25th, and 28th of April, and the let of May.
The steeplechases of Dieppe are fixed for August 21; they
are to be three in number, and one of them is to be for
2,000 f, given by the council-general of the department.
The engagements for the Continental Derby of Ghent of
1860 must be made before midnight of the 31st of this
month. The programme of the steeple chases at La
Marche has been published. On each of the three days
there are to be three events:—On the first, the Opening
Stakes of 2,000 f. ; the Tribune of I,ooof, ; the Trial of
I,ooof ; on the second, the Annual Handicap of 6,000 f,
added to 500 f entry, half forfeit, and 125 f if declared;
the Selling Stakes of I,ooof, and the Avenir of 1,000 f;
and on the third the Extraordinary Handicap of 3,000 f;
the Selling Stakes ofl,ooof, and the Chateau of I,ooof.
GIANT TIMBER.—Our attention has been called to an
importation of three cargoes of mast-pieces of timber now
discharging in the Commercial Docks, Rotherhithe. The
sizes, both in length and square, are so unexampled as to
be worthy of record. One vessel, indeed, the Bostonian,
of 1,000 tons, has, spars of a magnitude that we believe
were never before made timber of commerce ; they run
from 90 to 140 feet in length, and from 26 to 40 inches
square. One mast contains 28 loads, weighino. about 33
tons, and is, as are most of them, nearly as straight as a
ruler, and without a knot, being 1391 feet long, and 392
inches square. When felled it measured 316 feet to the
branching top, and for 150 feet was without any branch
at all. It was squared to 41 inches ; but was of necessity
reduced to 312 inches to admit of its entering the ship's
bowport. The quantity of timber in this enormous tree
is worthy of notice ; call it 300 feet by 41 inches square,
it would contain 3,502 cubic feet, or 70 loads 2 feet as
squarred, or 116 loads as round timber. It would saw
into 2,050 boards 41 inches wide, half an inch thick, and
12 feet long ; or, allowing about twelve per cent. for
waste in sawing, 1,800 boards 36 inches wide, half an
inch thick, and 12 feet long. If laid out quite close it
would cover 72,000 square yards, or 1 acre, 1 rood, 2
chains 6 poles, 10 yards ; or, allowing for unavoidable
interstices, about two acres and a quarter. It is difficult
to imagine a tree half as high again as the Monument
before it branches out. These masts are considered worth
from £l2 to £l4 per load, and we understand are secured
for the British navy ; and it is said that the longest may
perhaps be raised as a flag-staff at Windsor. We are
indebted for these particulars to Mr. N. Gould, F.S.A.
The Builder. _ _

LATEST FASHIONS.—Under-sleeves, formed of puffs of
white tulle, are frequently ornamented with trimmings of
coloured velvet disposed all round the puff. These
trimmings are of various forms, and they are almost all
edged round with narrow black lace. A plain cuff of
crmison or amaranth velvet has a very pretty effect with
white under-sleeves. Another style of sleeve, much in
favour, has a very broad mousquetaire cuff composed of
tulle or net, of whichever material the sleeve may
consist. The cuff is crossed with rows of China
blue velvet, edged with narrow white lace. The collar
intended to be worn with these sleeves is pointed in
front and behind, and trimmed with crossings of velvet
in the manner just described. For ordinary out-door dress,
collars and cuffs of nansouk are crossed with black velvet.
Crossings of velvet are also extremely fashionable for
fichus, pelerines,"and bretelles, made of black tulle. The
crossings are of narrow black velvet in a lozenge pattern,
and the polerines, &c., are edged round with full trim-
mings of black lace. These pelerines and bretelles have
long ends, which may be crossed in front and linked one
in the other at the back of the waist, or they may
be left to flow over the front of the skirt. lii either
way their effect is very elegant. When made of
white tulle, their crossings are of coloured velvet.
Some very pretty children's dresses have been pre-
pared within the last week. One for a little boy of
four years of age, consists of a blouse of grey cashmere,
ornamented with passementerie in blue silk. This
blouse has a ceinture or waistband ornamented with
passementerie, and sleeves with a turned-up mousque-
taive cuff. The under sleeves are of nansouk, orna-
mented with a double row of hem-stitch at the wrist.
A cloak of grey cashmere is worn in out-door dress.
This cloak is nearly as long as the blouse ; it has a small
collar and broad trimming of blue velvet. The hat is of
white beaver, trimmed with a blue cock's plume and
bows of blue velvet. A dress of crimson velvet has
been made for a little girl of five or six. The corsage is
low and square, and is ornamented with a berthe which
descends to the waist. The berthe is trimmed with
grelots in silk, of the same colour as the velvet. Chemi-
sette and under-sleeves of worked muslin. For the
promenade, a cloak of black velvet, with a round hood.
The bonnet is composed of white quilted satin and terry
velvet. The under-trimming consists of a wreath of
small flowers, composed of red velvet. —Lady' s Newspaper.

THE CRITICS AND THE BURNS PRIZE POEM.
The literary journals condemn with faint praise or
severer dispraise the production of Miss Isa Craig. The
following are a few critical opinions :
The Athenceum says :—Worse than prize poetry in
general, the lines of Miss Isa Craig are not ; neither are
they better. They are weak in the joints, and often sin-
gularly oblivious of the common grammatical rights of
tense and person. They abound in "lamps" and "stars,"
with their poetical compounds, " sphere-lights" and
" star souls ;" also in such dulcet harmonies of sound and
sense as "joy-wines" and " poet-souled." A man who
followed his plough arid gauged his beer—who sang in
village inns, and kissed the ale-wife on the sly—who
reeled home late of nights, and lived a lowly Scottish
life, a little more jovial and humoursome than his fellow-
peasants, but as far from mock heroics as any rustic in
Ayrshire—obeys the destiny of every man who sits as
subject to a prize poet, re-appearing as
."a God-made
king ; " fretting through the lines " wrapped in purple
state," and falling, when he falls, with "his regal vest-
ments soiled." Burns himself tells us how his nature came
to him, and he went to nature; the sweat on his brow, the
bird in the hedge, the daisy in the furrow. No one will
forget how he turned the plough to spare the flower. But
these true touches from the hand of genius are far beneath
the Crystal Palace laureate. Altogether the poem wants
grasp of will, ease of numbers, freshness of phrase. As
we said at first, it is respectable prize versification, good
enough to pass with the occasion, but without the nerve,
depth, or beauty that would have insured it, at any other
time, a column in the literary page of a provincial journal.
The Critic remarks—As for the poem itself, we are
obliged to record what is the undoubted fact, that the
prevalent feeling is of disappointment. We are not dis-
appointed, because we expected nothing—certainly far'
less than has been produced. That the poem has fine
lines in.it, it would be unjust to deny; but when we hear
that it is the best of 621, our opinions as to competitions
are more than fully borne out. Those who are anxious
to discern something especially fine in the poem have
selected for special commendation the following stanza
"As lamps•high set
Upon some earthly eminence
And to the gazer brighter thence
Than the sphere lights they flout—
Dwindle in distance and die out,
While no star waneth yet ;
So through the Past's far reaching night,

Only the-star souls keep their light." - '
This, however, is but an impoverished version of one of
the finest figures in Shelley's poem "To Adonais." We
subjoin the parallel passages without further comment:—

" And many more, whose names on earth are dark,
But whose transmitted effluence cannot die,
So long as fire outlives the parent spark,
Rose robed in dazzling immortality ;
Thou art become as one of us,' they cry ...
Whilst burning through the inmost veil of heaven
The soul of Adonais, like a star,
Beams from the abode where the Eternal are."

The Professor, one of the " Council of Ten" in the
Literary Gazette, opines : I think that Isa Craig sat down
in a very happy moment to the coinpOsition of her ode,
and that she has done herself great honour, and given
thousands great pleasure by the mode in which she has
achieved her task. I agree with the Baronet that the
poem, after a little revision by the writer, will take its
place as a standard utterance of pupular feeling. And
as matter of art, one should note that in several passages
the musical flow of the rhythm is perfect. _ _

As poetical luck would have it, says the Saturday
Review, a Scotch poetess won the prize by a very
indifferent poem, which had at least the merit of fulfilling
the propriety of the Scotch proverb, which assigns its own
fish guts to its own sea-mews.
The Illustrated News says : —"The prize poem at the
Crystal Palace, the production of a young Scottish lady,
known to a few, but a worthy few, as an earnest and con-
scientious worker in the literary field and elsewhere, is
worth nearly all the addresses—inasmuch as it is, in the
first place, a poem of an enduring character; and, in the
second, it takes the lofty and truthful view of the genius
and the failings of Burns.

" Ivory" in the Weekly Mail, says : One naturally
expected an ode that should be nationally and individually
characteristic—that should be worthy of Scotland
and Scotland's glorious son—that should smack of
the heather and the mountain, and yet have the
polish and the delicacy of a Cairngorm pebble. Instead
of this, however, we have a set of • rhymes—all poorly
manipulated, and, towards the close, even " damnably
iterative" as rhymes, about kings, and robes,
and jewels, and many other green-room appointments.
That there are a few good lines in this poem no one
can deny ; but that the collaborator of the author of
" Firmilian" should have awarded the laurel to a
spasmodic who prates of "joy-wines" and " star-souls"
is something I cannot understand. The best verse, the
tenth, and the next best, the second, are plagiarisms ;
and this, perhaps, is the reason why they are the best.
The London correspondent of the Oxford Flying Post
says :—Apropos of the prize poems, I wonder whether
the old motto, " Palmam qui meruit ferat" has been
carried out. I should like to have had
.a peep or two at
the adjudicators as they were at work. How they must
have been horrified at the mortal pile of manuscripts
before them ! Between six and seven hundred poems
to be read, scrupulously and critically ? But were
they read scrupulously and critically ? I muck
doubt it. I fancy I see the learned adjudicators di-
viding their piles of poems, and each one reading till he
came to a faulty line, or a plagiarism, and then
reconciling his conscience to the fact of the unhappy
poem being placed among the condemned. Had the
examiners a capacious box for the rejected addresses ; and
if so, did they have inscribed over its yawning mouth
" Lasciate ogni speranza voi ch' entrate ? " I confess I
have no confidence in measuring six or seven hundred
poems by the Procrustean calibre of three individual
minds. The whole system is—well, I won't use a harsh
word, or readers will say " he's a competitor doomed to
oblivion ; " but, at all events, I share in the opinion held
by most literary men, that the prize system is a false one.
RATHER SEVERE UPON TILE BURNS' FESTIVAL.-Per-
haps the shopkeeping element in our national celebrations
and glorifications is neither a new thin.. nor especially
English. The ages of faith, we take It, were ages of
profit ; and hero-worship and saint-worship had then,
as now, their commercial aspect. In a recent celebra-
tion which took place at Chartres, it turned out that a
certain shrine, or statue, was a chief element in the
municipal receipts ; and a decaying cultus was openly
revived, because the town exchequer was moribund.
Treves has always made a good thing of the
holy coat ; Canterbury inn-keepers and tradesmen
knew that St. Thomas-a-Becket kept trade alive for
many a long century ; the Three Kings were a most pro-
fitable investment to the Cologne burghers and it is well
known that La Salette has risen into celebritynot.without
an eye to the pecuniary incomes of poverty-stricken
aubergistes in a poor and deserted district. We do not,
therefore, complain of the Burns Centenary Festival at the
Crystal Palace, as it is commonly designated, as any new
thing. It is only a Yankee notion. Indeed, Mr. Barnum
has no need to teach us the arts of the showman, after
the fact that the people of Birmingham actually exhibited
their sovereign in order to get up the means of purchas-
ing a people's park, which they pretended to have bought,
but had not the honesty to say they omitted to pay for.
We do not, then, stigmatise the Burns' festival as an
innovation. It was only a vulgar stroke in trade. It
was simply a take-in, and was not only an offence against
good taste, but against decency, if not against honesty.—
Saturday Review.

REPRESENTATION OF OXFORD UNIVERSITY.-It iS
rumoured that should a vacancy occur in the representation
of the University, the Right Hon. T. H. Sotheron Estcourt,
now M.P. for North Wilts, and President of the Poor
Law Board, will be solicited to become a candidate.
Banbury Guardian.
A CARRIER PIGEON CONVEYING THE SUDDEN DEATH
or ITS OWNER.—A few days ago, as a man named James
Dando was leaving the Barnet railway station, he sud-
denly burst a blood vessel. He was instantly conveyed
to the Barnet union workhouse, and although every
attention was paid to him he very shortly expired. It
appeared he had gone to Barnet to start some carrier
pigeons, and rather a novel experiment was tried to
discover his friends. A note was attached to one of the
pigeons, and it was instantly liberated. The result was,
that a brother of the deceased arrived at Barnet and
recognised the dead body of his relative in about an hour
afterwards. The deceased resided a No. 2, Jenner's-
court, Blackfriars. •
EXTRAORDINARY CATCH Or FISH. —WORTHING. —On
Thursday morning the fish market presented a very busy
appearance, upwards of 200,000 mackerel having been
brought in by one boat alone. We believe this is the
first catch of the season. A good beginning, truly ! The
mackerel were caught off the Isle of Wight, and so great
was the number that a quantity of the nets sank to the
bottom from the weight of the fish. There is a proba-
bility of their being yet recovered ; but even if such is
not the case, the loss of a few pounds (the nets are, we
believe, valued at £2 each) can be borne without com-
plaining, when it is taken into consideration that the
catch is worth something like £2OO.
Lxirsic FAIR.—The New-year's fair at Leipsic has
closed, and the amount of business done is stated to have
been good. Cloth has fetched good prices, and largo
orders have been given to the principal manufacturers for
the end of March. Of 50,000 pieces brought to the fair
upwards of three-fourths have been sold. White and
coloured flannels for Italy and Switzerland have also been
disposed of at satisfactory prices Silk and half silk
stuffs, however, were flat. Wool was much in request,
and the whole of the Saxon and Prussian stock was
bought up, the Austrian only remaining unsold.