The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-13 00:00:00

THE ,BOAT RACE.

Few things in this vale of tears are more worthy a pen
of fire than an English boat race is, as seen by the runners;
of whom I have often been one. But this race lam bound
to indicate, not describe; I mean, to show how it appeared
to two ladies seated on the Henley side of the Thames,
nearly opposite the winning-post. These fair novices then
looked all down the river, and could just discern two whitish
streaks on the water, one on each side of the little fairy isle;
and a great Llick patch on the Berkshire bank. The
threatening streaks were the two racing boats : the black
patch was about a hundred Cambridge any. Oxford men,
ready to run and hallo with the boats all the way, or at
least till the last puff of wind should be run plus helloed
out of their young bodies. Others less fleet and enduring,
but equally clamorous, stood in knots at various distances,
ripe for a shorter yell and run when the boats should come
up to them. Of the natives and country visitors, those,
who were not nailed down by bounteous Fate, ebbed and
flowed up and down the bank with no settled idea, but of
getting in the way as much as possible, and of getting
knocked into the Thames as little as might be.
There was a long uneasy suspense.

At last a puff of smoke issued from a pistol down at the
island ; two oars seemed to splash into the water from each
white streak; and the black patch was moving ; so were
the threatening streaks. Presently was heard a faint, con-
tinuous, distant murmur, and the streaks began to get
larger, and larger, and larger; and the eight splashing oars
looked four instead of two.

Every head was now turned down the river. Groups
hung craning over it like nodding bulrushes.
Next the runners were swelled by the stragglers they
picked up ; so were their voices ; and on came the. splash-
ing oars and roaring lungs.
Now the colours of the racing Jerseys peeped distinct.
The oarsmen's heads and bodies came swinging back like
one, and the oars seemed to lash the water savagely, like
a connected row of swords, and the spray squirted at each
vicious stroke. The boats leaped and darted side by side,
and looking at them in front, Julia could not say which
was ahead, On they came nearer and nearer, with hun-
dreds of voices vociferating, "Go it Cambridge I" "`Nell
pulled Oxford!" "You are gaining, hurrah I" " Well
pulled Trinity 1" "Hurrah 1" " Oxford I" " Cambridge 1"
"Now is your time, Hardie; pick her up I" " Oh, well
pulled Six 1" " Well pulled, titroke I" " Up, up ! lift her
a bit 1" " Cambridge I" "Oxford I" " Hurrah 1"
At this Julia turned rad and pale by turns. " Oh,
mamma!" said she, clasping her hands and colouring high,
"would it be very wrong if I was to pray for Oxford to
win P"

Mrs Dodd had a monitory finger; it was on her left hand
—she raised it, and, that moment, as if she had given a
signal, the boats, foreshortened no longer, shot out to treble
the length they had looked hitherto, and came broadside
past cur palpitating fair, the elastic rowers stretched like
greyhounds in a chase, darting forward at each stroke so
boldly they seemed flying out of the boats, and surging
back as superbly, an eightfold human wave : their nostrils
all open, the lips of some pale and glutinous; their white
teeth all clenched grimly, their young eyes all glowing,
their supple bodies swelling, the muscles writhing beneath
their Jerseys, and the sinews starting on each bare brown
arm; their little shrill coxswains shouting imperiously at
the young giants, and working to and fro with them, like
jockeys at a finish; nine souls and bodies flung whole into
each magnificent effort; water foaming and flying, row-
locks ringing, crowd running, tumbling, and howling like
mad; and Cambridge a boat's nose ahead.

The scene, here, lives before us, so to speak—visibly,
audibly. And so in regard to other scenes and in-
cidents. Ex uno disce omnes. The fire at one of
the madhouses, for example—Drayton House to
wit. The attempted escape from another of them.
And—as with the localities, so also with the charac-
ters. We know them, one and all, intimately. We
know them not only in their outward aspect and
apparel, bat through all the intricate webwork
of their oddities, whimsicalities, and eccentricities.
Charming, loveable, womanly, eminently maternal,
pre-eminently ladylike, Mrs. Dodds née Lacy
Fountain ! Her bewitching " one fair daughter'
Julia, the heroine of the book—and such a genuine
girl-heroine all through it! Edward, Julia's only
brother, Mrs. Dodd's only son, Captain Dodd's only
gcheir" (for how long a time apparently "to
Nothing l")—Edward Dodd, of Eton, of Oxford—a
dab at boating—as good a Fireman as his Grace of
Sutherland—as enthusiastic a b,liever in tho 'Tizer
as even the Author of the "Great Metropolis" himself
could wish to know ! Then, again--the hero of the

tale, Alfred Hardie, of course loving and beloved by
Julia Dodd—the love of the two, also, of course,
running anything but smoothly, and yet, through
how many hair-breadth 'stapes and perillous ad-
ventures, and often seemingly quite disastrous vicis•
situdes, not coming to grief at the end of these long
chapters of accidents ! The hoary headed villain
of the book, moreover, the godly banker of Barking-
ton, Alfred's old rascal of a father, Richard Hardie,
that is! His incomparably pious daughter, Jane
Hardie, again, Alfred's sister—a bit of a bore, by the
way, if the honest truth must be told! And Noah
Skinner, the cashier at Hardie's bank,participator in
Hardie's fraud ! Mrs. Archbold, too, the matron of
the madhouse, she whose very sideling aspect has
about it so much of the voluptuous : ex. gr. the sub•
joined incidental mention of her, in the drawing
room at Silverton Grave :
Her back was turned to Alfred ; but it was a beautiful
back, with great magnificent neck and shoulders, and a skin
like satin ; she was tall but rounded and symmetrical, had
massive but long end shapely white arm, and perfect hand:
and masses of thick black hair sat on her grand white poll
like a raven on a marble pillar.

And last and certainly not least among the imagi-
nary people of the tale, one who is introduced to the
reader and to the heroine simultaneously, as Dr.
Sampson—

" And Author an' Invintor of th' great Chronothair-
mal Therey o' Midicine, th' Unity Perriodicity an' Remit-
tency of all disease," put in the visitor, with such prodigious
swiftness of elocution, that the words went tumbling over
one another like railway carriages out on pleasure, and the
sentence was a pile of loud, indistinct syllables,

Hardly has which singular announcement been
uttered by the doctor himself when we read on—

Julia's lovely eyes dilated at this dishmaclavar, and she
bowed coldly. Dr. Sampson had revealed in this short in-
terview nearly all the characteristics of voice, speech, and
manner, she had been taught from infancy to shun : bois-
terous, gesticulatory, idiomatic ; and had taken the dis-
course out of her mamma's mouth, twice; now Albion
Villa was a Red Indian hut in one respect : hero nobody
interrupted.

Yet, the odd "good angel" cf the story ho turns
out to be,—this unconventional .Dr. Sampson of
" Hard Cash"—with his fantastic little distich (so
characteristic of the man ! )

Jinnyus, Jinnyus ;
Take care o' your cark'uss.
And his yet more characteristically eccentric pre-
scriptions as, for example—

TOR MISS DODD.
J Pil : Hydrarg: Calor : Co:
singul : nocte sumend :
Dococ : Aloes Co : 5 j
omni mane.

viii, Sept, J, S.

FOR MISS DODD.
Conf : Sense.
Potass : Bitartrat.
Extr : Tarax : 0 II 30
!digit: Elect: Cujug sum: 3j. mini mane.
xviii. Sept. J, S,

Id :, Anglia! reddit : per me Carol: Arandin:
The same done into English by me C. R.
TOR MISS DODD.

1. 0 Jupiter aid us I 1 Plummer's pill to bo taken every
night. 1 oz. compound decoction of Aloes every morning.
Sth Sept. J, S,

FOR MISS DODD.

2. 0 Jupiter aid us I I with Confection of Senna, Bitar-
trate of Potash, extract of Dandelion, of each half an ounce,
let an electuary be mixed ; of which let her take I drachui
every morning.
18th Sept. J. S.
The whole book itself, by the way, is choke-fall of
eccentricities—and not merely the note-book and con•
versation of Dr. Sampson, the chronothairnaalist !
Now, the very song of the seamen of the Agra lay-
ing in cargo—words and music together I Now
parallel columns of a double conversation (vide vol.
1., p. 163). Now another of those wondrously mat-
ter of fact little medical prescriptions :

1;.. Die Mercur, circa. x. hor : vespert
eat in musca ad Aulam oppid :
1 Saltet cum xii canicul :
prctiertim moo, Dora : reddita,
6 hora matutin : dormiat ad prand :
Repetat stultit : pro re rata.

The locality of the Agra, moreover, when first in-
troduced to us, is settled to a nicety, as if in the log-
book! The very thumb.mark of Noah Skinner
is revealed to us on that missing receipt
whereby hangs the whole tangled skein et thio in-
tricately ravelled and dexterously unravelled thread
of the narrative ! Does any one want, as it were,
to feel the solid earth under his feat while travers-
ing the haunts of fairyland, let him, under the
guidance of Charles Reade, but once adven-
ture upon the perusal of " Hard Cash" and we
warrant, him, he will be fairly in for it. En-
tering successively, but once each, Albion-
Villa, where live the Dodds, and Musgrove Cottage,
where dwell the Hardies the reader will not
care to break away from the glamour wielded
over his imagination by the Novelist, until he has
traversed every inch of the real, yet ideal, world
surrounding that at once starting post and goal
of the whole book—the country town of Barking-
ton.

RUMOUR OF A TRUCE,

(From the Owl.)

We are glad that our last announcement for the
season is one of peace.
We are in position to state that a suspension of
hostilities was yesterday agreed upon between the
German Allies and the Danish Government.

We trust that this truce may lead to a pacifica-
tion so much needed in the interests of Europe,
and to the final disposal of the question which has
raised so many difficulties.

KLEKETS—This Day,

MARK-LANE.

Fresh up to our market to-day, the arrivals of home-
grown wheat were very moderate, but most samples were
received in good condition. On the whole, the trade was
steady, and Monday's prices were supported.
The supply' of foreign wheat on offer was moderately
large. In most descriptions, however, sales progressed
slowly, yet no material change took place in Monday's
quotations.

Floating cargoes of grain moved off steadily, at full
currencies.

Barley—the supply of which was seasonably large—sold
steadily, at quite previous rates.
Malt was in fair average request, and prices ruled firm,
Oats were in good supply, and the demand for them
ruled inactive, at the late decline in the currency.
Beans and peas were quite as dear as on Monday. The
show of samples on the stands was small,
The Sour trade, on the whole, was steady, at late rates,

.17

HER MAJESTY,

OSBORNE, July 12.,
Her Majesty and the royal family arrived at
03borne yesterday evening at a quarter before eight
o'clock, having crossed over from Gosport in tho
royal yacht Fairy.

The Queen landed at the Osborne Pier, and imt
mediately drove to the hone.

The Prince and Princess of Wales,

The Prince of Wales rode on horseback yesterday
forenoon, attended by Captain Grey.
A deputation of ladies, consisting of Lady
Wriothcslev Russell, Lady Radstock, the Hon.
Mrs Lefroy, the Hon. Mrs Warburton, the Hon.
Mrs Locke King, Lady Pete, Lady Havelock, Mrs
R. Nugent, Miss Havelock, Miss Hamilton, and
Miss Harrington, had the honour of presenting a
Bible on behalf of the women of the United King.
dom to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales.
The Prince and Princess of Wales drove to Chis-
wick in the afternoon, and visited the Dowager
Duchess of Sutherland.

Their royal highnesses had a dinner party in the
evening. The company included their Royal High•
nesses the Comte and Comtesse de Paris, the Duke
of Leinster, the Marchioness of Ely, the Earl of
Sandwich, the Earl of Sefton, Viscount Chelsea,
Viscount and Viscountess Stratford de Redcliffe,
Lord and Lady Foley, Lord and Lady Rokeby,
Lord Henry Lennox, Lieutenant-General and Lady
Alice Peel, the Hon. F. Byng, the Hon. Mrs Stoner,
Major-General Sir H. Storks, .Major. General
Forster, the Marchioness do Cela (in attendance on
the Comtesse de Paris), Lieutenant-General and
Mrs Knollys, and Captain Grey.
The Hon. Mrs Stonor has succeeded the Marchio.
ness of Carmarthen as Lady in Waiting to the
Princess of Wales.

His Excellency the Prussian Ambassador and
the Countess Bernstorff entertained a select circle at dinner
last evening at the residence of the Embassy in Carlton
House-terrace.

The Earl and Countess of Chesterfield enter-
tained the Earl and Countess of Malmesbury and a sein
party at dinner yesterday evening at their family residence
in Grosvenor-street.

The Earl and Countess of Rosse, Lord Oxman-
town, and family have arrived at the Portland Hotel, South-
sea, on their way to join his lordship's yacht, tho Titania,
lying off Southsea Beach,

The marriage of Miss Emily Cavendish, third
daughter of Mr. Richard Cavendish, with Mr Noel Mundy,
was solemnised yesterday at St. Pan.'s Church, Knights-
bridge, by the Rev. W. Charlton Frampton, rector of More.
ton, Dorset, assisted by the lion. and Rev, R.

The Emperor and Empress of Mexico.

The arrival of the Emperor Maximilian and Em-
press Charlotte at Vera Crux took place on May 26,
as already brisfly announced by telegraph. The
Austrian frigate Novara, in which the voyage was
made, anchored in the port at two o'clock, saluted
by a salvo of artillery proceeding from the guns of
the squadron at the fortress of Ulloa, and the bas-
tions of the fortified places.

The Emperor and Empress disembarked next day,
with their suites, and immediately left by special
train for Soledad, on the way to Cordova, where
their Majesties passed the Light.

The city of Mexico welcomed the new Sovereigns
with every demonstration of popular delight. Be-
sides salvoes of artillery, ringing of joy bells, and
firing of muskets and pistols, the inhabitants
crowded into the streets and public places, where
the band of the municipal guards was stationed.
The French and Mexican flags flying from the prin-
cipal buildings gave to the capital an air of great
rejoicing.

The following proclamation was posted by, order
of the authorities—

" The Political Prefect of the Department of the
Valley of Mexico to the Mexicans.

41 Viva l'Euepereur ! Our august Sovereign has
set his foot on Mexican soil at Vera Cruz. Let us
return thanks to Divine Providence for having
happily conducted to our soil the man to whom
it has confided the mission of regenerating
our unfortunate country. He will soon be in our
midst, and we shall see our hopes realised. Mexi-
cans celebrate the happy news by all marks of re•
joicings. Vive our Emperor, Maxipailian I ! Viva
the Empress Charlotte! Viva Napoleon 111., our
protector Vive the Franco• Mexican army and its
worthy leaders
" Mexico, May 28, 1864."
On the way through the country from Orizaba
the enthusiasm of the people was everywhere as
great as that displayed at Vera Cruz.
Subjoined is the speech of the Emperor of Mexico
at Vera Cruz on the passage of their Majesties
through that city after landing there on May 28 :
" I am happy that the day has arrived on which
I can tread the soil of this beautiful land, my new
country—and salute the people who have elected
me. God grant that the good fortune which has
conducted me towards you may be used to the pro.
motion of your happiness, and that, with the aid of
all good Mexicans, we may see a better future arise.
The important department of Vera Cruz and its
capital, which have given so many proofs of their
patriotism, may be assured of my solicitude. This
port being the principal avenue into the interior,
all my efforts will be devoted to the development
and extension of its commerce. Farewell. I
promise to return to eee you at a more favourable
season, and to remain with you as long as it may be
necessary."

At Orizaba, his Majesty, in reply to the congratu4
lations of the authorities, spoke as follows :--

"In travelling through this beautiful land—my
new country-1 have felt deeply the marks of
attachment which have been shown towards me by
the generous people who have chosen me to rule
their destinies. May Providence hear our prayers
and give to the empire the era of peace—so reces-
sary to its prosperity and grandeur. T►he benefit of
institutions founded• on true liberty, a regular and
durable order of things united to the material deve•
lopment which the means of easy communication
will give you, will at last allow you to make use of
the riches with which Providence, more prodigal
to wards our soil than towards any other land, has
endowed our country. My Government will devote
particular attention to your interests. You, gent le-
men , represent these interests, and on this account
I hope you will display, zeal, patriotism, and scru.
pulous exactness in the execution of the orders I
shall transmit to you."

The Indians of Caautlapa also addressed the Em-
peror in the Aztec language, A translation of their
address is given from the Spanish version :
"Oar venerable Emperor, thou hast before thee
the poor and humble Indians, thy children. They
have come to render homage to thee, in order that
thou mayest know that thy arrival fills their hearts
withloy. They see in it the rainbow which will
drive away the clouds which seem to have for ever
rested on our kingdom. Thou art the envoy of the
All Powerful. May Ho give thee the strength to
save us. Take this flower. It is the sign of our
love. Thy children of the Naranjal offer it to
thee."
The Emperor replied as follows :

" I am much pleased, my well-beloved children,
to receive a deputation from your people. I see in
it a proof of the confidence reposed in me to restore
the peace and happiness of which you have been so
long deprived. Be EMU red that I shall be most
solicitous in watching over your interests, your
works, and your apiculture' productions, and that
the improvement of your condition will always find
a place in my heart. You can assure the inhabitants
of the Naranjal of this."

Their Majesties arrived at Puebla on June 4, and
were escorted into the city by an immense body of
officials, citizens, and inhabitants of the surrounding
country.

It is stated that the Emperor and Empress, in
order to be able to understand without interme-,
diaries the wants of the people who form thc great
majority of the Mexican people, have resolved to
learn, the Aztec language.