The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-01 00:00:00

loterventian—we may now rejoice to our very
hearts' content, over the mingled shame and igno-
miny secured to us by our left-handed adoption
of a kind of blustering yet craven travestee of the
Peace-e.t.an3.-Price policy.

The administration of relief to the destitute has
always been one of the most serious perplexities
which lie in the path of the legislator. To steer
between the two dangers of encouraging idleness
and improvidence and of neglecting the really
needy all times been
is a problem which has at
most difficult an3drtws,hich, in spite of all
our
re
efforts
sto
and solve,
sexlpverim cannot yet be said
to be satisfactorily settled. Even in our own
metropolis we have frequent reason for doubting,
how far our elaborate poor-law system fulfils its
task; and the evils of the old plan, which fell
into the opposite error from that now common,
are still fresh in the memory. The condition of
the poorer classes in the sister country is not such
es to in,iuce us to suppose that the present arrange-
ments are perfect, and therefore Mr. HENNESSY
deserved better success in endeavouring to excite
some interest in the discussion of the Irish Poor
Law. The hon. member, in moving the second
reading of the Pcor Law (Irelano) Acts Amend-
ment Bill, explained that its object was to em-
power the Poor Law Commissioners of Ireland to
allow out-door relief to be given to such classes of
the able-bodied poor to such extent and in such
manner as they may think fit. This permission
does not seem at first sight to contain any objec-
tionable feature, being, in feet, copied from a
similar clause in the English law ; but the prin-
ciple of out-door relief as applicable to Ireland is
strongly objected to by a large number of persons.
The principle is, as we know, readily recognised in
this country, and complaints are often msde that
the line is often drawn too tight, and that, in their
desire to avoid the old mistake of encouraging
vagrancy and rewarding thriftlessness, guardians
and relieving officers often inflict unnecessary hard-
ships on the poor. It is quite evident that it is
cheaper to give a little out-door relief than to take
a whole family into the workhouse ; and at first
sight it may therefore seem strange that the con-
dition of entering the House is generally in-
sisted on ; but the workhouse authorities
know better, and are fully aware that the
dislike to surrendering independence, to break-
ing up a home, and the consequent dis-
ruption of family ties, is sufficiently strong to
keep a good many half-starved persons from apply-
ing to the parish. But the question remains
whether these are not the very persons whom we
should most wish to help ? It is the better class of
the struggling poor who shrink from the " house."
and its restraints ; those who have some.self-respect
left, and who take a pride in their little belongings,
and have a care for their families, and it is these
who in times of sickness or distress have to bear
sore straits to avoid the object of their dread. This
argument may well be brought forward on behalf
of the poor of Ireland, and Mr. HENNES3Y, in ad-
vocating the change ho proposed, especially dwelt
upon the debasement which the Irish poor felt when
they entered the Union. Ile was convinced, he
said, that the law now in operation in Ireland for
the so-called relief of the pour tended very much
to promote that excessive emigration which is so
much regretted, for the labouring man who had
been forced to become an inmate of the workhouse
was eager to leave the country. The social and
moral interests of the poor should, as Mr. HEN-
NESSY very justly observed, be consulted in this
matter of public relief, and certainly these are not
adequately considered when the only resource from
starvation is a " workhoutie, where they receive
Worse than prison diet." There is no reason why
harder measure should be dealt to the Irish than to
the English poor; bat the plea against any altera-
tion of the law is that it would tend to raise the
rates—a result much to be deprecated in so poor a
country. But is it is really the object to keep the
rates low, a very considerable saving might be
made by paying a little attention to the manner in
which the money now raised in poor rates is laid
out since. On Mr. HENNESSVS showing, it appears
that a very great amount of relief might be given
with trifling expense, and in fact one of the prin-
cipal arguments which the hon. and learned gen•
tieman adduced in favour of his measure was its
economy. He anticipated that it would produce
an actual reduction in the rates by assimilating the
Irish poor law to the English system, since
the cost of the maintenance and clothing
per head is in England and Scotland about
ls, 6d. per week, while in Ireland it is 2s. 3d., and,
with other charges, amounts altogether to 33. 10d.,
so that more than twice the number might be re-
lieved en the English system. The increased cost
is not occasioned by a different or more luxurious
manner of treating the paupers—the secret lies in
the official expenses. According to Mr. HEN-
NESSY'S statistics, in one of the unions in Donegal
£333 was expended in the relief of the poor, £209
in the salaries and rations of the officers, and £123
for other expenses, so that for every eightpence
expended on the poor sixpence was laid out on the
officials. la another union the establishment
charges were £590, while the amount spent on the
poor was £502. After this it is certainly some-
what inconsistent to talk about heavy rates, and it
is high time that some inquiry was made into the
matter with a view to restoring a juster proportion
of things. Mr. HENNESSY contrasted these return,.
with those of the Union at Holyhead, selecting that
part of England as being nearest Ireland. In
Holyhead the poor rates amounted to £lO,OOO, or
which £9,300 was expended on the poor, £H.S only
being charged for official expenses. The heavy
expenses, he contended, were mostly due to the
indoor relief system, for the preportion of outdoor
relief given in Ireland is only one-thirtieth against
one-sixth in England. The rule is more oppressive
applied to a poor county like Ireland, where the
means of the labouring population are at beat
scantier than it would be in our own land, and the
benefit of giving a little temporary relief to out•
door labourers when deprived of work by frost or
other causes is very great to the ratepayers as well
as to the recipients. In Ireland the families or
such men are driven into the workhouse, and become
too often pauperised, whereas by a more liberal and
enlightened system the barrier between the children
and pauperism need not be broken down. It is
so light thing to familiarise our working men's
families with the inside of a Union, and it is cer-
tainly not the way to lighten the burdens of the
ratepayers. We hear a great deal about not in-
creasing the temptations to live on the public
bounty, but gentleman who argue exclusively on
this aide of the question will do well to consider
whether in their anxiety to diminish the attractions
of the Union to the worn and tempted pauper they
are not at the same time heightening the attraction!,
of the gaol.

The subject of " park-lane Improvement" ha
of late engrossed much attention, and those who
take an interest in the matter, or are desirous o'
acquainting themselves with its detaib3, cannot di,
better than peruse the letter of Mr. NELSON to thi
Tine g of yesterday. This gentleman is averse to
the suggestion recently made of opening Hamilton.
place as a means of obviating the ex: as of traffic.;

and in lien thereof, he considers that the change
should be made before and not after Park-lane.
There are no less than seven streets opening north-
wards between Park-lane and Berkeley street, at
both which points the rush of traffic is truly " in.
cessant." Mr. NELSON proposes that soma of these
streets which are either culs do sac, or ending in
inconvenient routes, should be opened. This pro-
posal appears to be a reasonable one, and the
explanatiocs given on the subject seem to be satis-
factory. There is no doubt that for some time past
there has been great negligence displayed in per•
minting Piccadilly to remain in such a blocked up
state. 'What is everybody's business is nobody's
hes been proved by the discomfort and danger that
have attended the traffic constantly taking place in
this fevourite street of the metropolis. It is proposed,
then, to continue Clarges-street northwards to come
out opposite to Cuarles-street, Grosvenor-square,
and this could be done in an economical manner.
The other suggestion is to make South Audley-street
go on to Piccadilly. By this means there would be
a direct thoroughfare between Oxford-street
and Piccadilly, and also another thorough-
fare from Piccadilly to Park-lane. Mr.
NELSON deserves credit for his ingenious suge
gestions, and it certainly appears that they contain
more to recommend them than is often found in the
proposals of a similar nature which continually
abound. It is truly stated in this letter that these
proposals will prove cheaper in the end than the
plan of opening Hamilton-place, for the houses there
are so much more valuable than in the other two
localities, that large compensation will be obliged
to be given to the owners. It must seem, besides,
on consideration, that the change in Hamilton-place
will not effect the henefit, nor secure all the advan-
tages that, at first eight, it appeared to promise.
It will be but a temporary alteration, and not be in
the right place for removing the traffic so as to en-
able those who suffer so much inconvenience there-
from to enjoy the requisite relief. It is to be wished
that the Metropolitan Board displayed more ability
and judgment in the consideration of these mats
ters. They seem to exhibit neither discernment to
recognise evils nor wit to remove them when others
have found them out. The task of improving the
streets and accommodating the thoroughfares of
a great metropolis ought not, however, to bs
so lightly spoken of, as is too often the
osse. It was the boast of an Emperor i❑ past
days that he found Rome brick and left it marble,
and this was not an unreasonable theme for self-
congratulation, but the spirit which prompted the
men of old times to improve their capitals has never
rightly been comprehended or sufficiently partici-
pated in by those who regulate the streets of
London.

We have all heard of the princess and the
crumpled rose leaf, and, absurd es it may seem to some
in theory, there are many now-a-days who carry it
out in practice. Perhaps one of the most absurd
forms in which this ultra.refiaement and excessive
particularity has of late shown itself has been the
crusade that has been made against street music.
The humorous remarks that were made during the
discussion that took place the otter evening showed
hocv utterly unfounded were the complaints made.
It it, however, to be observed that in some respects
the provisionEnof this bill are most unfair they con
tain hard and harsh measures against the itinerant
musicians, and are quite at variance with the
general principles of English law. It is a pity that
pe pie become so infatuated about a subject that
really is of so little importance. In the first place,
many of those who complained so bitterly of the
nuisance inflicted upon them by the " org In grin.
tiers" are absent from town during a great part of
the year, and it is most unreasonable to interfere
with others in their mode of gaining an honest liveli-
hood. Sir J. TRELAWNY spoke out plainly and
to the point when he said that the " bill was a piece
of peddling legislation," and truly declared that the
rolling of carriages at night was a great annoy-
ance to some peop,e. It is idle to say that this bill
only sends the musicians from one part of the town
to another, because in any neighbourhood there
may be persons who are possessed of this
horror against street music, and hence the
measure must be regarded as a tyrannical
provision which sacrifices the interests of a humble
class, and the pleasure of many poor persons to the
infatuated prejudieesof a few privileged individuals.
It is impossible to procure quiet in its reality in
London, and these who require, or fancy that they
require, absolute calm for the prosecution of their
studies, should betake themselves elsewhere, for es
fast as they have put down one nuisance another
will start up, and their energies will be consumed
in the struggle for rest, while they will be as far off
their object as ever. Tae promoters of this bill have
succeeded in passing a clause which the Attorney
General has called " to:ally unprecedented," and it
is greatly to be regretted that their zeal, which is
indeed worthy of a better cause, did not show more
moderation in its demands, and exhibit more reti-
cence in its judgment. Considerate persons will
not pursue their avocations the more peacefully be-
cause the stringent regulations of the law have
driven the poor musician from street to street, till
in despair he ventures to defy its mandates, and
finds himself in a prison. When released from
thence, who shall say what his future course may
be ? It is always an unwise act on the part of
legislators to strain a point, so that a conviction is
almost sure to take place, and these social innova-
tors seem resolved that, come what may, the organ-
grinder must be guilty, and that the sooner ho be
brought to condign punishment the better.

The Bishop of London has appointed July 7th
nor the annual distribution, at the Society of Arts,
of the prizes and certificates in religious knowledge gained
by the members of literary and mechanics' institutions,
young men's societies, working men's clubs, and evening.
classos, in union with the Metropolitan Adult Education
Association."

PROSPECTS OF A GENERAL ELECTION.—The
Parliament House—the ctiet sF at Gf the Whigs in
this city—is in motion. For the past three or four days every
horse-hair is it has been on end. There has been a running
to and fro such as has not been observed since the last
general election, and an anxiety which iniicates a feeting
the very opposite of comfortable. Out of doors, too, certain
supposed leaders or authorities among the Whigs are be-
coming quite bland and courteous, if not positively obse-
quious, to those that at any other time they would not care
to recognise or remember. The Tories Lok jubilant, and
rumours are current that in the event of a dissolution they
mean to contest this city against its present roisrepresenta-
fives, or whoever else may appear in the field.--Caledonian
Zercuiy,
A POLICLMAN SHOT BY A BURGLAR. —On
Tuesday night two county constables, named Hutton
and Waldron, were on duty in If ale-road, Hale-head, when
they met a men of suspicious appearance. in order to have
a better view of the man Waldron struck a match, and
then the officers saw that he fully answered the description
of a man who was wanted for a burglary. Waldron seized
him by the back of the neck, when the prisoner drew a
pistol and fired. The shot, however, missed; and he almost
immediately fired another pistol, this time with more mo-
ms, the ball striking the officer in the right side. A des-
perate struggle then took place between the prisoner end
the two officers, Hotton,though wounded, still assisting his
brother officer. While he was doing so, the prisoner
stabbed hint several timas with a chisel. After consider-
able difficulty the prisoner was handcuffed. The constable
lies in a dangerous state.

NATIONAL SEAKSPERE COMMITTEE.—Mr. Ger-
man Reed has liberally contributed £25 50.., being the
entire receipts of one night at the Gallery of Illustration;
Mr Sothern, of the Haymarket Theatre, has subscribed
and Mr Euckstone, the lessee of the tame theatre,
has announced his intention of 8U of
Sla4k*ua !Lnuient Eztl,

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

LREUTER'S TELEGRAMS.]

AMERICA.

ARRIVAL OF THE CHINA.
NEW YORK, JUNE 21 (Evening).
Gen. Grant's whole army was before Petersburg
on the 17th instant. Oa the following date Grant
assaulted the Confederate works, but was repulsed,
suffering a loss of from 6,000 to 3,000 in killed and
wounded. He maintains, however, his entrenched
line within a mile of the city.
The Confederate line forms a semicircle in front of
Petersburg, the flank resting on the Appomatox.
Lee's whole array is supposed to bo at Petersburg.
Smith's corps left Petersburg, and returned to
Bermuda Hundreds.
The Confederates have reoccupied their position
in front of Bermuda Hundreds.
Butler's troops returned after having destroyed
several miles of the Richmond and Petersburg
railroad.
Sheridan has advanced within five miles of Gor-
donsville, where the Confederates were strongly
entrenched.
Sheridan reports that on the 12• h inst. he had
defeated the Confederates at Trevellian station, and
destroyed several miles of the Virginia Central
Railroad south of Gordonsville.
Hunter is reported to be within six miles of
Lynchburg.
On the 13th inst. a large Confederate cavalry
force was reported to be advancing up the Shenan-
doah Valley.
Sherman reports that the flanks of Johnstone's
army have been considerably withdrawn.
Johnstone still holds Kennisaw Mountain as the
apex of his position.
Secretary Stanton has issued an order that five
Confederate general officers shall be placed under
fire, before Charleston, in retaliation for Federal
officers having been pieced under Federal fire in
that town.
The steamer Searen has been captured.
The North American was intercepted off Cape
Race,

NEW YORK, June 23 (Evening).

(By Telegraph to iliite.x.)

On Monday Bierney's corps b)mbarded Peters-
burg at a range of 1,200 yards—.doing, however,
little damage.

Lee reports that the Richmond and Petersburg
Railway has been repiired.

Richmond pipers report that Hunter's attack on
Lynchburg on Saturday bad been repulsed.
Ewell has left to oppose Huo:er.

Sneridan has returned to For: Monroe.

Shermalo reports severe fignti3g on Sunday,whn
Howard gained an important position and repulsed
the Confederates with a loss of 700 men who at-
tempted to retake it,
The Confederate advance up the Shenandoah
Valley has been denied.
The Chicago Democratic •ConNention has been
postponed until August.

The Peace Democracy has resolved to support
no presidential candidate who is in favour of the
war.

Grant's whole army is before Petersburg He wilt•
repulsed on the 17th and 18Th with heavy loss it
an assault on Petersburg,. He maintains nis en-
trenched line within a mile from Petersburg.

Oa the 2 ►th Generals Grant and BuTler and
Admiral Leo held a consultation on the fl..g-ship
in the James River.

An important fresh movement by Grant was
progressing on Wednesday, the 22d inst,
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

NEW YORK, Juue 23 (Morning).
Money tighter. Gold exeied at 210.
NEW YORK, Jane 23 (Evening).

Money tight. Gold had advanced since the
passing of the Gold Bit! to 230, but has race de
dined to 210. Exchaugo on London, 230. Ttie
market is excited, and the financial situation har
caused much apprehension in commercial circles.

Stocks dull. New York Centrals, 132:1—Illinois
shares, 128—Erie, 114-0 per cent US. Bond
Twenty-fives, 105. Cotton advancing—middling
Upland, 145 c.—flour,.—flour, wheat, and corn advancing.
Provisions dull. Coffee and sugar good inquiry.
Molasses steady. Petroleum (crude), 461 e., refined
70c,

The b3nkers of New York have sent a deputa-
tion a modification of the
don to Washington to urge
Gold Bill.

FRANCE.
PARIS, JULY 1 (NlorplOg).

The Moniteur of this morning says :--

"A telegram from General Martimprey, dated
the 27,h ult., announces that all the tribes of the
Flittas, who were still in a state of revolt, hay'
been driven into their last refuges and have surren-
dered unconditionally, 4,000 prisoners are retained
by us as a guarantee for their submission,
" General Martimprey was to embark on the 29th
ult. at Mortagenem to return to Algiers."
The Constitutionnel oF to-day publishes an article
on the praise bestowed by Earl
Russell in the
House of Lords upon the Emperor Napoleon, con•
eluding thus :—" if we point out this manifestation
of the British Cabinet, it is because it seems to us
of great value, and we congratulate ourselves from
the double point of view of patriotism and pleasure
at the prospect of a general peace ; in the first place
because we are happy to see our Government re-
spected, and in the second, because we are convinced
that the good and courteous relations between
France and England are the surest
guarantee foi
I he interests of civilisation."

BOURSE, Juno 30. The riponse de primes
(option) was made at 66t. 85c, ior the l'hree per
Cents. The market has b-en fi,tri. Threes un
varied at 65f. 75c., and Mubilier
at 1,051 f. 25c
The market closed as folluws

4) per Cents 93 25
t)o. end month —
3 per Cents
Do. end month 65 80
Credit 111ohilier 1052 50
Do, end month 1051 25
Bank Shares 3302 50
Credit 14 anew 1245
Roman

Italian L0an...... 69 8
Jo. end month.... 69 ot,
Ditto Threes, ..... ——
New blesicaa .... 56 50
"usalai, ........
Nustrian ........ —
-'l,Ethi,la Thresh., .. 51 25
;-lome DAht ..... . 50
Deferred ........ 45i

EtALLWAyt.
Cash. Account.
865 .. 805 --
990 .. 990
881 25 .. 880

Orioand ~
Northern ....
Lyons and kleditcrranean
New ditto
Southern
Western
Eastern ....

640 .. 648 75
497 50 .. 500
463 75 50
365 - 365 -
402 50 .. 406 25
633 75 .. 531 25
420 422 60
562 50 .. 562 50
250 - .. 250 --

• _
Sardinian
Austrian
North of Spain
Saragosaa
Ditto to Barcelona

THE DANO-GERMAN WAR.
COPENHAGEN, JUNE 29, 10 14 A M.

Last night an attack Was made by the enemy on
Aisen After a violent cent,st they succeeded in
effecting a landing on the Kjaer peninsula.

Our loss has been severe, and cur troops have now
withdrawn between liikebal and Sonderskov.
PASSAGE OF THE ALSEN SOUND BY THE
13itUSSIANS.

FLENsBURG, JULY 1.

The passage of the A:sen Sound by the main
body of the Prussians was cffected in 120 boats,
conveying 3,000 at a time.
The troops landed between Schwabcok and the
most southerly point of Satrunhoiz.
Notwithstanding the sharp fire of the Danerip
their tr.‘lll3;zAtterics were Ulzin.

The Rolf Krake was twice repnleed and was set
on fire.

Two thousand four hundred Dines, including
one hundred officers, were taken prisoners.
Colonel Kaufmann was severely wounded.

The Danish loss is severe. The Prussian loss is
three officers killed and 17 wounded, with 300
men killed and wounded.

LITERATURE,

Charles Dickens's New Series. 'Story,
Our Mutual Fri:7nd. No. 3. i3y Charles Diekeui,

Uhaptnau and Hall.

Chapter Nine of Book One, page 84 of Numlent
Three, has at length brought the hypercritics the
explanation of Mr. Dickens's title—the title flouted
by those same hypercritics as not only enigmatical,
but ungrammatical. The elumdation of the little
mystery is complete and triumphant. And, remem-
ber, it is one not interpolated by an after-thought for
the purpese of explaining away a difficulty but—as
the very fact of the phrase being the title of the
book plainly enough indicates on the surface of it—
appearing quite as a matter of course in the pre-
arranged flew of the narrative. "Our Mutual
Friend," then, is the phrase by which Mr. B: ffie—(a
strictly ungrae matical personage as all the world
knows by this time)—the irnrase by which
Noddy Beffin of the flower, and the dust
binna, and the ash urduntains at H trmony Jail,
designates (while addressing Mrs. Witter) that
mysterious oeaupant of the first floor at Wilfer's,
Mr. John Rokesmith to wit! "I may call
him Our Mutual Friend," said Mr. Boffin. " Whet
sort of fellow is Our Mutual Friend, now ? Do you
like him ?" And so forth. What sort of fellow we
take him to be, we have already, now a couple of
months ago, when noticing the first number, pretty
plainly indicated. But of that—not a syllable more
shall we write henceforth until our author
makes, at his own good time and pleasure, his own
revelation, To say that the number before us—No.
3, just issued with the July magazines—is crammed
full of good things, of intensely humorous whims
and oddities, is, as usual, with any instalment of a
serial tale from the same Master Hand, to give ex-
pression to a mere matter of fact. Specimens of
some few among the good things, however, we take
it,wiil be infinitely preferable, given one by one, than
any simple statement as to the fact of their being
here in the lump. Young Blight, the dismal boy who
is in his small person the " managing clerk, junior
clerk, common law clerk, conveyancing clerk,
chancery clerk, every refioementand department ot
clerk," in Mr. Mortimer Lightwood'e (the soli -
ci teen) chambers in the Temple is the first good thing
we come to in this number—and he for that matter
is thoroaedady good from beginning to end. Y. ung
Bligteis interview with Old Boffin must be turned
and read as a whole, in its entirety. Ditto the
' interview that afterwards takes place between
Noddy Buffo and Mortimer Lightwood. As the
feemer is leaving the latter's chambers at the end
of it, enter the young blase' barrister, Eugene
Wrayburn ! Who—on being told by Beffin
" Nothing like work. Look at the Bees !"—pro
eats (as a biped) against being referred to the beet,,
to the dogs, the spiders, or the camels ! "I freely
admit," he says, " that tne camel, for instance, is an
excessively temperate person. But he has several
stomachs to entertain himself with, and I have only
one." As to the bees, however, he maintains that
he whole case is assumed. " reey work—ye-es !
ut asks Eugene, 6 don't you think they rather over-
do ii ? They work so much more than the)
:;eed—they make so much more than they can
eat—they are so incessantly boring and buzzing at
their one idea till Death comes upon them—that,
don't you think they overdo it ?" Noddy Boffia's4
atreet-talk with Mr. Rokesmith (whd offers himself
as his SeLretar ) is capital—particularly where at
the outset Mr. Boffin is divided in his douots as to
whether the stranger will propose a game of skirties,
;)r meet a country gentleman, or produce an article
jewellty—Noddy, at the mere cotjecture of such
carrying his Familiar Spirit, the Big
Stick, in his arms, as Punch carries his, ready for
any emergency. Yet more droll, however, is the
description, in the next chapter, of the Boffioa' turn-
irut in a four wheel chaise—liable to hiccup itself apart
at the crossings—drawn by a hammer-headed old
horse and driven by a hammer headed young man
—the latter "entombed by a jobbing tailor of the
district in a perfect Sepulchre of coat and gaiters,
healed with ponderous buttons." The juvenile chaff
of the neighbourhood, as this imposing turn-out rolls
into the street—such as "Dawn with the dust,
Buf fin !" and the like—prepares no, as by an appro-
priate flourish of trumpets, for the morning tails
made by those wonderful newly-installed carriage-
folk. Calls—first upon the Milveys—afterwards
upon the Wilfers. The poor curate's family of the
Milveys consisting of " a quite young -nan, expen-
stvely educated and wretchedly paid, with a quite
young wife (charmingly emphatic in her conversa-
tion), and half-a-dozen quite young children."
Veonderful fun—on the Boffins' getting (after
;rent perseverance on the part of the
e.immer- headed young man entombed in the
8-p:ochre) into the Wilfer's little hall—inex-
pressibly ridiculous fun, is made of the three
pairs of listening legs upon the stairs above—Mrs.
Wilfer's legs, Miss Belhee legs, Mr. George Samp-
eon'a legs—of the strained attention on the part of
those same three pair of legs—and, in the end, of
their excited flight. Tne meaning of the two
visits, hero to the Milveys, there to the Wilfers,
being simply this, that at the curate's the Boffins
ire in search of an orphan (to adopt and re name as
John Hermon), while at the clerk's they are bent
upon hospitably inviting to their habitat Miss
Bella, the dissappointed wife, set apart by
old Harmon for—tire supposed deceased. The
tenth chapter of Book 1., closing this third
number of " Our Mutual Friend," makes us
disagreeably acquainted with an odious 'couple,.
to wit, the mature young gentleman and the
mature young lady, previously met at the Veneer-
tug's, and now married Alfred Latnmle, with the
4ingery whiskers, and Sopnroeia, née Akershem,
powder and ail ! A horrid pair—only tolerable in.
'feed as we track them along the sands, during their
eoney moon, on the coast of the Isle of Wight, only
barely tolerable as we track them there, and thus
tolerable simply for the' casual mention of Mr.
Lammle (previously spoken of as being "rather like
a spurious Mephistopheles, and an unecknowledged
member of that gentlemen's family") the casual
mention of him here as he traits his stick after
aim along the wet sand, "as if lie were
of the Mephistopheles family indeed, and
walked with a drooping tail!" Numberless
admirably clever touches, bring oat vividly to
view the incidents and the people at the wedding of
his wretched twain at the Veneerings, Twemlow's
increasing bewilderment as to the Veneering's in-
imacies—the panegyric upon Shares as the Be
All and End All of City Life—(" Where does he
come from P Shares. Where is he going to P
Shares. What are his tastes ? Shares. Has he
any principles? Shares.")—horrible old Lady Tip-
pins's checking off the bridal array and its para.
phanalia—that delicious record in one of Dickens's
maivellous parentheses of that same old Lady
Tippins's dead husband's having been (" knighted
in mistake for somebody else by his Mejesty
King George the Tbird, who, while per-
forming the ceremony, was graciously pleased
to observe What, what, what ? Who, who, who ?
Why, why, why ?' ")—the wedding breakfast at
Veneeringa with the Buff,:rs whispering
Thir-ty Tnou-sand Pon-ads! " with a smack and
relish suggestive of the very fieest oysters"—the
Pokey Unknown, amazed to find how intimately
they know the Veneerings, piucltingup their spirits,
tolaing their arms, and beginning to contradict him
before breakfast—the said combined unknown,
after the bridal pair have gone, returning to the
gorgeousdrawing-rooms, and there doing " malig-
nant things with their legs to ottomans, and taking
is much as possible oat of the splendid furniture"—
all these and how much more in the way of
inimitable touches of the riche; raciest humour
still continue to render the pages of" Our Mutual
Friend" not unworthy additions to that beloved
shelf in the I\l4timal book•roun3) on which stand '