The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-06 00:00:00

' -'

THE AGE OF CHIVALRY IS GONE.

~ wife of some Cabinetfrom her husband, and
Minister
drew
Last night it pleased Mr. Cobden to attempt the facetious.
Warned by the experience of Mr. Layard, he did not venture
to discharge his sarcasms against men. He chose the safer
line of calumniating women. The sainted Nicholas had a
taste for flogging females, and his admirers amongst us imitate
him as far as the usages of Englsh law will allow. Mr. Cob-
den supposed a case—only supposed it ; how " possibly the
- divulged to the wife of the editor of some leading journal, the
fact that there were two parties in the Cabinet—a war and a
peace party—and that the peace Party, who were the weaker,
required to be flogged into submission." If Mr. Cobden
meant this not very original parable to be understood as hav-
ing no foundation in fact, it was as pointless as irrelevant—a
mere repetition of islalgar, hackneyed sneers at all women, as
weak and meddling gossips. If he meant it to be understood
as having some foundation in fact, he insinuated what he did
not, and could not, know to be true—which, as we take it, is
next door to a man's asserting what he knows to be untrue.
This is not the first offence of kind of which these peace-
at any-price men have been guilty. Rather more than half a
year ago they placarded the walls of our manufacturing towns
with an anonymous attack upon a distinguished authoress,
whose only offence was that she was suspected not to believe
in their dogmas. What have the wives of Ministers and edi-
tors dice that they arc to be offered up as victims to the un-
manly and vulgar ribaldry of Mr. Cobden and his associates ?
iAre they to be placed beyond the pale of the protection of
that chivalry which is conventionally assumed to regulate
the conduct of gentlemen towards females in this country f
The coarse, pot-house jest of Mr. Cobden was received in the
House of Commons with approving laughter. Burke was not
far wrong when he said the age of chivalry was gone. If
women can no longer rely upon their " natural protectors"
to shield them from vulgar impertinence, it were well if they
took their cause into their own hands, and goaded these
things of a third sex, destitute of the feelings of men, with
their crotchet needles—since they have no longer distaffs
wherewith to belabour the creatures.—Dally Ems.

BANK RETURNS.

For some time past the importation of gold to England has
been on the increase,
and by the return for the week ending
May 19 the stock of bullion, in both departments, amounted
to 16,647,7161., being an increase of 602,2151. as compared
with the preceding return.'
At the commencement of the year the stock of bullion in
the Bank was from 124 to 134 millions,
so that an increase of
from throe to four millions has taken place since the Ist of
January,
The amount of unemployed notes in the banking depart-
ment has also considerably increased, being by the above re-
turn 10,280,610/. This is about three millions more than it
was at the beginning of January.
It has repeatedly been obs-rved in this paper that an im-
proved condition of the country may be anticipated whenever
the amount of gold and that of unemployed notes is consider-
ably increased.
Tho experienced and judicious author of the "
Bank of
England Barometer" makes the following observations, with
which we agree :—" If the sum total (of the bullion and
notes) exceeds 24 millions, we may expect that in proportion
as it exceeds that amount money will be plentiful, discounts
low, and prices in general remunerative."
As the sum total of bullion and notes now amounts to
nearly 27 millions, we may therefore look forward to an im-
proved state of commerce. The foreign exchanges are in our
favour, and this fact, together with the favourable intelli-
gence from the seat of war, and the undoubted benefit which
the wheat crops will derive from the change in the weather,
all combine to bring about an improvement in the state of
the country.
The Funds, the most sensitive of all securities, have risen
considerably within the last week.--Derbyshire Courier.