The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-30 00:00:00

TIM SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENTNG, DECLARER 30, 1863.

have been innumerable proofs afforded during the
discussion of this vexed question that incalculable
advantages would accrue to all parties immediately
connected with the affair, and that no detriment
could occur to the colonies that are in so much tri-
bulation at the notion, owing to the immense dis-
tance that lies between, and the other impediments
that bar the passage of the unwelcome visitors from
one place to the other. A passage is quoted from a
letter of the Crown Solicitor to the Colony, who
once resided in Adelaide, and he states that he gives
a
it as his decided opinion, after mature reflection and
ample opportunity of forming a judgment, that the
transportation system to Western Australia is a great
advantage to both the convicts and the population,
and that he also believes the plan to be innocuous
so far as regards the remaining Australian Colonies.
Nothing that can be adduced in the way of testi-
money, however, seems to hare been of any avail,
and the consequence is that, as usual, the
cause of improvement has been checked, and the
services that might have been rendered to a class
which pre-eminently require all the adventitious
aids that can be given them, are lost for the present
at all events, and the kindly wishes and energetic
schemes thrust churlishly back on their propounders.
It seems a cruel wrong to inflict upon the convicts
themselves thus to debar them from a great privi-
lege, and to shut the door upon all efforts to amelio-
rate their position and deprive them of the benefit
of entering into a new sphere of action, and seeking
a new world, as it were, where they might more
easily put off the sins that so readily beset
them in the old one. This is a sad reflection to
dwell upon, and it seems desirable to consider
whether it cannot be contrived that something
should be done to mitigate the evil, and thus lessen
the extent of the disappointment which such a
decision as that referred to must inevitably occasion.
If the spot that was selected is not to be permitted
to remain the trial-ground of the system to the
degree proposed, why not seek a fresh sphere, and
discover new opportunities for carrying on the good
work that has been checked and stopped in the
desired localities. There are vast tracts of fertile
country in the north-west and ncrth of Australia, as
yet but partially explored, but enough of these
parts is already known to inform us of their value.
'Why should not convict labour open up the resources
of these districts the same way that it developed
those of New South Wales, Tasmania, and Queens-
land ? Why should the colonists of New South
Wales and other districts remote from Swan River
act the part of the dog in the manger ? Govern-
ment have restricted the number of convicts to the
old quota. Let them be satisfied with this, and
remain quiescent for the future, and let the Govern-
ment turn to account the district above referred to.
The life may be hard perhaps, and the results may
not be appreciated for years to come, but one great
object will have been effected, England will be
freed to some extent from long-service criminals,
and the foundation of new empires will have been
laid.

The statistics of the Registrar-General are no
less interesting than important. The thousands
who die annually from preventible causes are con-
tinual reproaches to our social reformers, and afford
but too conclusive evidence that much remains to
be done in spreading education among the masses,
and also in enforcing the observance of sanitary
laws. The rapid increase of the population renders
the observance of such precautions especially neces-
sary among us, seeing that the increase in London
alone is reckoned at 121 daily, or, taking merely
the excess of births over deaths, at 72 daily.
The English registration shows an addition
to its numbers of a population equal to
the present inhabitants of London and York-
shire, and this within the comparatively
short space of time that elapsed since the establish-
ment of the registration system of 1837. It is cal-
culated that in every five years there is an increase
of a million, and in the middle of 1861 the popula-
tion of England was reckoned at 20,110,496. There
is, therefore, little reason to fear any diminution of
oar numerical strength, but the wise mau will look
not only to the actual number of the population
but to its vigour and endurance. Health and
power are not less important considerations than
the number of individuals that form the State. The
quality of the water consumed is known to have a
powerful effect on the general health, and Dr.
FARR, in the report we have been speaking of,
attributes disastrous consequences to the habitual
consumption of impure water. He says, " The ova
of worms and the seeds of various diseases are thus
diffused among children ; while great numbers of
men and women in the prime of life also suffer, and
often die of the maladies which are the inevitable
consequences of violations of natural laws." Dr.
ACLAND, the Regius Professor of Medicine in the
University of Oxford, in writing on the subject,
also speaks strongly as to the evils attending im-
pure water and its effect in encouraging fever of a
typhoid kind. The Registrar wisely and kindly
adds a warning to his list of the deaths from this
source, in which he insists upon the necessity of
cleanliness and ventilation in the dwellings of the
poor, if the ravages of typhus under its many
various forms are to be kept within moderate
limits. Such advice is specially needed by the
poor, pent up in close workshops or small and un-
healthy homes; but, in truth, the dwellings of the
rich are not altogether free from blame in such re-
spects, and people seem to be almost as much
afraid of a breath of fresh evening air as of typhus
itself. In many other cases much lies within the
power of the public, such as in the instance of
smallpox, which is now said to exist only by
sufferance, though unfortunately the ignorant pre•
judice of many of the lower classes hinders much
of
.the good that might be done in this respect.
There are several other points of interest in this
report as affecting the condition of the national
education, the peculiarities of the marriages, &c.,
but, these points which affect the pablic health
concerns us all more nearly.

CHAMPAGNE should be not only cool but cold,
and, if it be not kept in a temperature sufficiently
low, it must be iced. In a hot room, even in winter, the
coolness is pleasant; but when the bottle is allowed to re-
main in the ice-pail until the wine becomes nearly as cold
as the ice itself, it is wasting fine champagne to give it in
that state,: for flavour and taste become what wine-mer-
chants call " locked up." Ten minutes' iceing, or, as the
French call it, frappe, does not deteriorate the wine; but
even then it is not equal to that which is fresh brought out
of a cold cellar, where !t has lain long undisturbed. The
practice of putting pieces of ice into the wine itself shows
that a cool refreshing drink is wanted, but it is destructive
to the quality.—Shaw's Thine, Vine, and Cellar.
THE OLD NAN'S ARCH, Arcus Sinilis—A
white ring on the outside of the pupil of the eye so
known to physicians and anatomists. The nature and im-
port of this sign of senility has only been lately understood.
This ring, on being submitted to the analysing powers of the
microscope, shows itself to be composed of fatty matter in
toe substance of the cornea, The ring itself seems to be of
e
jo settence ; but it is found to be an indication of what
s generally t going on in the body. Modern research has
in the 1,,, one of the ways in which old age reveals itself
This
cerrydeYraiiiiorl:y the fatty degeneration of the tissues.
cessation of th,
degeneration existst%ctoi°llB,
in. into fat gradually diminishes the integrity
Hence the areas ainat,beclue
eis
irw
filich it occurs—and at last leads to the
Where this process of fatty
it is found generally to
going on in other organs.
This condition of the system is not 1 cation that changes of thin
sem:tole the physician an indi.
ionfdtihcaet CT:: the Sabi, Zenorgan,
other organs of the body, It is a 'lse,: ay be. going on in
not tobe
neglected.
without
remedy—and by judicious treatment the disastrous effects
of a fatty degeneration of the tissue, may , A
e
averted,

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

[REUTER'S TELEGRAM.]

AMERICA.
NEW YORK, DEC. 19, Morning.
(Per the Etna via Crookhaven).
The Federals are falling back in East Tennessee
before Longstreet, who has turned against his
pursuers.

The New Orleans papers repeat an improbable
report that the 'Mexicans had recaptured Puebla.

The Heels, Hibernia, Australasian, and City of
Washington have arrived out.
Advices received from Charleston announce that
the Federals threw a large number of shells into
Charleston on the 10th, provoking a heavy fire
from the Confederate batteries. A severe gale had
seriously injured the Confederate obstructions i❑
Charleston harbour, it was believed sufficiently to
render them ineffective against the Federal fleet,

Hardee's army is estimated at 35,000 strong,
and is at Dalton, with pickets extending to the
tunnel. Wheeler is reorganising cavalry at DAlton
for an active winter campaign. Grantfand Sherman
have left Chattanooga for Bridgenorth.
The guerilla General Morgan has escaped south-
wards across the Tennessee river, sixty miles above
Chattanooga. Sixteen of his escort were captured.

The official reports of the commanders of the
monitors during Dupont's attack upon Charleston,
now published for the first time, show that all
the monitors received severe damage, and if the
attack had been continued they would have been
disabled. One commander says he was disap-
pointed beyond measure at the experiment of Moni•
tors overcoming strong forts, and considers it was
a fair trial.

The New York, Tribune asserts that as the
Chesapeake was captured in British waters she will
be delivered to the British authorities, but it was
not believed that pirates would be allowed to
put to sea again. Mr. Seward has had a friendly
interview with Lord Lyons on the subject.

THE WEST INDIA AND PACIFIC MAILS
SOUTHAMP TON, DEC. 30.

The Royal Mail Steam•picket Company's ship
Shannon, with the above mails, has arrived here.
She brings 142 passengers, 3,319,261 dollars in
specie, of which 88,133 are on account of the Mexi-
can dividends, and 1,500 packages of cargo.

She left St. Thomas on the 16th inst.
Tier Majesty's ship Nile, Admiral Milne, arrived
at St. Thomas on the 14th inst.

It was reported at Havana on the 7th that news
had been received faveurable to the Spaniards.
The revolution was expected to be soon over. The
news from the West India Islands is unimportant.

THE POLISH INSURRECTION.
BRESLAU, DEC, 30.

Arrests continue to be made in Warsaw, partiea
larly at the hotels. The National Government has
made a fresh appeal to the insurgents in arms.
Intelligence received from Radom states that
Chinlielinbki has been ehot at that place.

JAPAN.

PARIS, DEC. 30.

According to news received here from Alexan-
dria the parties of the Tycoon and Prince Satsuma
had agreed upon the expulsion of foreigners from

Japan.

The yielding of the Tycoon was attributed to the
pressure exercised by Prince Satsuma.

THE SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN QUESTION.
FRAiXFORT-ON•MAINE, DEC. 29
(Evening).
The following is the text of the Austro•Prussian
motion introduced in yesterday's sitting of the
Federal Diet :
" That the Confederation should require Denmark
definitively to suspend the November Constitution
with regard to Schleswig, and should at the same
time notify that, in case of refusal, the Confedera-
tion will be compelled to obtain a pledge for the
fulfilment of its just demands by the military occu-
pation of Schleswig.
"That the Federal Diet shall also request the
military committee to submit propositions for rais-
ing the forces possibly required for the occupation
of Schleswig to the necessary strength."

THE BRAZILS AND RIVER PLATE,
(By Telegraph from Lisbon.)
BUENOS AYRES, Nov. 28.
Wet salted hides, 35 to 88 ; dry American, 33 to
37 ; wool, 85 to 102 ; tallow, 143 ; lumber, 34.
Flour native advancing.
Imports paralysed owing to the depreciation of
the currency and the unsettled state of affairs.
ITONTE VIDEO, Nov. 30.
Exchange, 52k. Wet salted hides, 5.30; dry
American, 4.721 to 5 ; dry German, 4.20 to 5.60,
scarce, email transactions. Wool, 3.80.
1.65. Imports unaltered, very dull.

Proclamation of the Hungarian National

Committee,

(Neuter's Express,)
MILAN, Sunday.

The Alleanza publishes the following proclama-
tion, issued by order of Louis Kossuth, by the
Hungarian National Committee, and distributed
and placarded in all the cities and towns of the
kingdom :
" BY ORDER OF LOUIS KOSSUTH.

THU NATIONAL COMMITTEE OP INDEPENDENCE TO THE

NATION.

" Faithful attachment to the flag of 1849 is un-
alterable in the heart of our nation. The great
majority of the nation, rejecting every kind of com-
promise, is firmly resolved to shake off the detested
yoke of the Austrian domination.
" But, as the outward signs of our national life
have not latterly been in harmony with this reso-
lution, doubts have arisen among our natural allies
abroad with regard to the firmness of those inten-
tions. These doubts have been the greatest obstacle
to the efforts of our government, tending to effect
the freedom of our country. To remove this obstacle
becomes an imperious necessity in view of the new
direction of European events, which offer a tempting
perspective to all the peoples groaning under a
foreign yoke.
" We must give some sign of life in order that
our natural allies may be convinced that they can
count with certainty upon the Magyar arm against
the common enemy. We must be on our guard in
order that the stratagems of alarmed Austria do not
draw our nation into a snare.

" We must prepare ourselves so that we may be
;..n a condition to energetically take advantage of the
favourable opportunity. To obtain all this the Go-
vernor, Louis Kossuth, terminating all previous
arrangements, has deemed it necessary to order the
formation of a new general committee.
" By the present act it is therefore made known to
the nation that in consequence of this order the
General Committee of Independence has been con-
stituted, and that, having as object the realisation
of the declaration of independence of 1849, being
ready bssides to make every sacrifice, it has reso-
lutely undertaken the direction of affairs, in con-
formity with the instructions received and to be
hereafter received from the elected governor of our
country.

" The committee counts on the patriotic senti-
ments of the nation that the crders it may give
will be promptly executed, its instructions followed
and its arrangements spontaneously carried out,
"At the same time it seriously warns the open
and eecret enemies of the fla of 1849 to abstain
from any plot or intrigue if they do not wish to
incur the penalties inflicted upon traitors to the
country.

"In any case, the General Committee of Indepen-
dence declares that it has determined to secure
obedience to its orders and the execution of its
eventual arrangements. Let the nation live in
good hope, and let every honest patriot prepare for
action
" Our device is 1849 and Victory.'

" Given at Buda.Pesth, Nov. 26,1863."
(Here follows the seal of the committee, bearing
the national arms, around which are inscribed the
words, " General Committee of Independence."
This proclamation has been printed in all the
dialects of the kingdom.

!S, 1863,

)tg Herald, says :
I beg to submit the
63 :-
1 Successor

Kent, E. .. Deedes, W (d)
Reigate
Totness
Cambridgeshire Ball, E. (r)
Lisburn
Somerset, W Moody, C. A. (r) Langton, W. H. G.
Cambridge Steuart, A. (r) .. Powell, F. S.
f)evonport
Devizes
Chichester Freeland, H. W. (r) .. Smith, J. A.
Bandon
Antrim .. Upton, General (p) .. O'Neill, E.
Thetford Euston, Earl (p) Fitzroy, Lord F.
Dublin, Co. .. Hamilton, J. H. (r)
Radnor
Tralee O'Connell (op') O'Hagan, T.
London
New Itoss Tottenham, C. (r) Tottenham, Col.
Kit sale
Lisburn
Berwick Gordon, Capt. (d) .... Cargill, W. W.
Clare ... Calcutt, F. M. (d) O'Loghlen, Sir M.
Pontefract
Montgomery
Ludlow
Worcester W. Elmley, Viscount (p).. Lygon, Hon. F.
Tewkesbury .. Lygon, Hon. F. (r).... (Seat vacant)
Tatnworth Raynham, Visct. (p).. Peel J.
Coventry .... Ellice, Re. Hon. E. (d) Treherne, M.
Barnstaple .... Potts, G. (d) .. Lloyd, --.
Reading Pigott, G. (off)
Windsor Hope, G. W. (d) Vyse, Col. H.
Oxford
And over Cubbitt, W. (d) Humphrey, W. G.
Buckinghameh Cavendish, lin. W. (p) (Seat vacant)
In the foregoing table d. stands for death vacancy; of,
acceptance of office; p., accession to the peerage; r., re-
signation; e. v., election void. The number of changes has
been unusually great; the results slightly less favourable
to the Conservative cause than those of 1862; but then it
must be remarked that 1862 was an exceptionable year, the
Conservatives gaining six seats and losing none.
Not counting Lisburn we have lost three seats and
gained five. Two of the former, there is little reason to
doubt, will be repaired when opportunity offers—l allude
to East Kent and Barnstaple. Of our gains probably all
are permanent ones.

Since the last general election our gains have been 26 ;
our losses, 11. Thus :

Dartmouth
Taunton
Aylekbury
Beverley
Ayrshire
Londonderry
Harwich
Boston
Leicester
Wilts, S.
Cork
Tynemouth
Lancashire, S.
Birkenhead
Oxfordshire
Lincoln
Grimsby
Wakefield
Yoi kshire, N.
Southampton
Devonport
Lisburn
Pontefract
C,,ventry
Tamworth
Buckinghamshire
Total gains .... 26

Bodmin
Whitby
Berwick
Pontefract
Roscommon
Plymouth
Lincoln
Kent, E.
Lisburn
Montgomery
Barnstaple

Total loss .. 11

Let us now consider these changes as affecting the state
of parties, and Lord Derby's chances of coming into

power :

NI3I.I3ERS IN DIVISION, JUNE 13, 1859.

For Lord Derby.... 310 I Against

Then for 1864

Subtract
I Add

Showing a majority in favour of Lord Derby of fifteen
votes. In point of fact, there is strong reason to believe
that when the day of account arrives, as soon it will be, the
Whigs will be driven out by a majority even larger than
this.

The following table has been drawn up from year to year,
and may, I think, be relied upon :

JAN WARY 1.

1864. 1863. 1862. 1861.
Conservatives.. 314
Peelites
Whigs 233
Radicals

656 656 653 651
It is not a little noticeable that the pure Whigs (save
the word I) are invariably the chief sufferers by electoral
changes. Fewer Whig vacancies are filled by Whigs than
occurs in the case of any other parties.

TIIE CONDEMNED MURDERER IN KIRKDALE
GAOL.—Few criminals who have been inmates of
the condemned cell at Kirkdale gaol have exhibited such
cheerfulness and firmness as the man Charles. Ho eats
and sleeps well, and converses freely with all who approach
him. It is very clear, from observations that have fallen
from him since his trial, that he never expected the jury
Would convict him of the murder. On Friday he intimated
his desire to communicate with Mr. Pope, the learned coun-
sel who defended him, upon the subject of a memorial being
got up and sent to the Queen, asking that his life may be
spared. He was informed, either by the learned counsel or
another gentleman connected with the legal profession, that
it would be of no use to send a memorial to her Majesty ;
that the only thing which would be likely to affect the sen-
tence was for him to prove that he was not with the unfor-
tunate woman on the night of the alleged murder. On this
information being conveyed to Charles, he said he must in-
duce some of his friends " outside" to get up
a potitio
expressing at the same time his belief that if the circum-
stances stances under which he had been convicted were lu,i Y set
, v
forth and explained in the petition, the sentence of tne la)
would not be carded out,—Manchester Guardian,

The Funeral of Mr. W. M. Thackeray.

(THIS DAY.)

To-day the mortal remains of the late William
Makepeace Thackeray were consigned to their last
earthly resting-place, in All Souls Cemetery, in the
presence of a large number of literary and other
friends, who attended to pay respect to his memory.
The funeral procession, which was one of extreme
simplicity, left the residence of the deceased in the
Kensington-palace-gardens, at eleven o'clock. It
consisted of a chief mourning coach, in which were
the Rev. John Thackeray, Captain Shaw, the
brother-in-law of the deceased, Mr. James Rood,
his cousin, and the Hon. E. Curzoa. There were
ten private carriages, in the following order—those
of Mr. Martin Thackeray, Mr. Lowe, Lord Gardner,
Sir W. Frazer, Earl Granville, Mr. Macaulay,
Q.C., Sir James Colville, Mr. Bradbury, of the
firm of Bradbury and Evans.

The funeral procession arrived at the cemetery
at a few minutes past 12 o'clock at which time there
were between 1500 and 1600 present, most of them
congregated in front of the chapel doors.
Amongst them we noticed Mr. Robert Bell, Mr.
Charles Dickens, Mr. Mark Lemon, the Rev. Dr.
Rudge, Mr. Robert Bel), Mr. Leech, Mr Isaac
Butt, M.P., Mr. Charles Matthews, Mr. Howel
Morgan, the High Sheriff of Merionethshire, Mr.
W. H. Russell, the historian of the Crimea, Mr.
Lawrence, Mr. O'Dowd, the Aldermen of London
(Masters of the Charterhouse in which Mr.
Thackeray was educated), Mr. H. Cole, Mr. Rich-
mond, Mr. O'Neill, Mr. Theodore Martin, Mr.
Cresswell, Mr. C. L. Gruneisen, Mr. R. Browning,
Sir S. Carmichael, &c.

The solemn service of the church was said in
the small mortuary chapel at the western end of the
cemetery, by the Rev. Charles Stuart, of King's
College, London. The pressure of persons anxious
to obtain admission into the chapel was intense, but
there was no confusion, and every word which was
spoken was distinctly audible.
At the close of the chapel service, the procession
was reformed, and, preceded by the minister,moved
to the grave, which is situated on the south side of
the cemetery, and near to the dead wall, which
abuts upon the canal. There a dense crowd collected,
and the chaplain at once continued the service.
The body was lowered into the grave in
solemn silence, amidst:the consolations which the
burial service of the Church of England so patheti-
cally provides.

Having taken a last glance at the grave which
contained the remains of their departed friend, the
vast assemblage dispersed.
The coffin was an extremely plain one, covered
with black cloth, and btiaring a simple inscription
setting forth the day of the birth and that of the
death of the deceased.

The Misses Thackeray were present in the ceme-
tery during the service, and were naturally much
affected.

On the Day of the Great Satirist-Humourist's
Funeral, one of the periodicals his genius, in its
time, the most signally adorned—Punch—appro-
priately comes forth with that genial, kindly,
charming tribute to his memory :
While generous tributes are everywhere paid
to the Genius of him who has been suddenly called
away in the fulness of his power and the maturity
of his fame, some who have for many years enjoyed
the advantage of his assistance and the delight of
his society would simply record that they have lost
a dear Friend. At an early period in the history
of this periodical he became a contributor to its
pages, and he long continued to enrich them, and
though of late he had ceased to give other aid than
suggestion and advice, he was a constant member of
our council, and sat with us on the eighth day from
that which has saddened England's Christmas.
Let the brilliancy of his trained intellect, the
terrible strength of his satire, the subtlety of his
wit, the richness of his humour, and the catholic
range of his calm wisdom, be themes for others:
the mourning friends who inscribe these lines to
his memory think of the affectionate nature, the
cheerful companionship, the large heart and open
hand, the simple courteousness, and the endearing
frankness of a brave, true, honest Gentleman, whom
no pen but his own could depict as those who knew
him would desire,,

Consoling Thoughts in Praise of Old Age,

It seems to us, therefore, that a great deal of un-
necessary pity has been thrown away upon old age.
We begin at school reading Cicero's treatise, hear-
ing him talk with Scipio and Loolius ; we hear
much about poor old men ; we are taught to admire
the vigour, quickness, and capacity of youth and
manhood. We lose sight of the wisdom which age
brings even to the most foolish. We think that a
circumscribed sphere must necessarily be an un-
happy one. It is not always so. What one aban-
dons in growing old is, perhaps, after all not worth
having. The chief part of youth is but excitement;
often both unwise and unhealthy. The same pen
which has written, with a morbid feeling, that
"there is a class of beings who do grow old in their
youth and die ere middle age," tells us also that
" the best of life is but intoxication." That passes
away. The man who has grown old does not care
about it. The author at that period has no feverish
excitement about seeing himself in print ; he does
not hunt newspapers for reviews and notices. He
is content to wait ; he knows what fame is worth.
The obscure man of science, who has been wishing
to make the world better and wiser; the struggling
curate, the poor and hard-tried man of God ; the
enthusiastic re'ormer, who has watched the sadly
slow dawning of progress and liberty; the artist,
whose dream of beauty slowly fades before his dim
eyes—all lay down their feverish wishes as they
advance in life, forget the bright idea)
which they cannot reach, and embrace
the more imperfect real. We speak not
here of the assured Christian. He, from the noblest
pinnaele of faith, beholds a promised land, and is
eager to reach it ; he prays " to be delivered from
the body of this death ;" but we write of those
humbler, perhaps more human souls, with whom
increasing age each day treads down an illusion.
Al/ feverish wishes, raw and inconclusive desires,
have died down, and a calm beauty and peace sur-
vive; passions are dead, temptations weakened or
conquered, experience has been won ; selfish inte-
rests are widened into universal ones; vain, idle
hopes have merged into a former faith or a complete
knowledge ; and more light has broken in upon the
soul's dark cottage, battered and decayed " through
chinks which Time has made." . . .

We are no longer the fools of time and error.
We are leaving by slow degrees the old world ; we
stand upon the threshold of the new ; not without
hope, but without fear, in an exceedingly natural
position, with nothing strange or doubtful about it;
with our domain drawn within a narrow circle, but
equal to our power. Muscular strength, organic
instincts are all gone; but what then ? We do not
want them ; we are getting ready for the great
change, one which is just as necessary as it was to
be born ; and to a little child, perhaps one is not a
whit more painful than the other—perhaps not so
painful. The wheels of Time have brought us to the
goal ; we are about to rest while others labour ; to
stay at home while others wander. We touch at
last the mysterious door—are we to be pitied or to
be envied P—The Gentle Life.

NEW STRINGED
Musical Institute of
A COMPETITION FOR THE B
QUARTETT has been opened by
Florence, offering a first prize ofd4o , thOe a second of 200 francs,
fie° of cost, until four
ea that the Archbishop.of
Manuscripts are to be forwardie6t,h.
of August next year,
o'clock inutthiaeradfitearnnoon 0
an"ubnie living of Bolton
Afen Percy to the
York has offered the valua
.—The Sacred Harmonic Society's
Bishop of Taamar"' t the
place, under the direction of
next costa, on Friday, Jan. 15, being a subscription concert.
The Bight Hon, B. Disraeli and Mrs. Disraeli
e!XpEerTf:ritraaHnieeLWill take
have arrived at Grosvenor-gate, from Hatfield House,
uorts,where they have been on a visit to the Marquis and
Marchioness of Salisbury.
Mr. H. A. Bruce, M.P., Under Secretary of State
for the Home Department, left town on Monday, on a -visit
to the Earl and countess do Grey, a Studley Park, near
Ripon,

r • ',1"4
e,atry,/,
tiffinrr* Cirafiat

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Dee. 29.
The Queen walked and drove in the grounds

to-day.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge ig
expected to leave Gloucester House early in the ensuing
week, on a visit to the Earl and Countess of Derby, at
Knowsley, near Prescott, when a distinguished circle will
meet the royal duke.
His Serene Highness the Prince Frederick of
Schleswig-Holstein has left the St. George's Hotel.
His Excellency the Turkish Ambassador arrived
at the embassy, in Bryanston-square, on Sunday evening
from visiting Madame Musurus and family at St. Leonards.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury's
party during the last few days at Hatfield House, Ilerts,
has included the Duke or Wellington, the Earl of Clan'
william, Lord John Hay, Sir Roderick Murchison, Sir
Hugh and Lady Cairns, the Right Hon. Benjamin and
Mrs. Disraeli, Maj -)r Teesdale, Baron Marcchetti, &c.
The Earl of Lonsdale left Carlton House-terrace
last week for Ventnor, Isle of Wight, where the noble earl
will stay about a month.
The Earl and Countess of Yarborough are re-
ceiving a sucuession of visitors at Brocklesby, their seat in
Lincolnshire, during the Christmas season.
The Earl of Shannon has arrived in town front
Castle Marty, the family seat in Ireland.
Count Woronzow Daschkaw, Col. Makaroff, and
M. Feder have left the Clarendon Hotel for Paris.

Lord and Lady Egerton of Tatton have been ea-
tertaining company at Tatton Park, Cheshire.
Mr. Francis and Lady Eleanor Cavendish arrived
at the Hon. General Cavendish's residence, in Burlington-
gardens, yesterday, from Kimberley Park, Norfolk, the seat
of Lord Wodehouse.
Mr. and Lady Evelyn Brudenel Bruce have left
Thomas's Hotel, Berkeley-square, for Woolston, Lambotull,

Berks.
Mr. and Lady Fanny Howard have arrived at
Compton Hall, near Eastbourne, from Chatsworth, Darby'
shire.
We hear that Miss Gordon, only daughter of
Lady Francis Gordon, lies most dangerously ill at.Frampton
Court, Dorsetshire, the seat of Mr. Brinsley Sheridan.
The Right Hon. Thomas M. Gibson, M.P., 15
staying with the Rev. J. G. Cullam, at his seat, Hardwick
House, near Bury St. Edmunds. Mrs. Gibson is passing
the winter at Nice.

VICTORIA COLLEGE FOR LADIES, BAYSWATER.-'
The Christmls term at this college was brought to
a close on Tuesday evening, in a manner which was evi-
dently as satisfactory to the fashionable and crowded assem-
blage of parents and friends as it must have been gratifying
to the director of the institution, to see gathered around bin
so many friends, willing to testify their approval of his
assiduous efforts during the last four years to establish a
college where the really useful and practical is blended with
the ornamental part of a lady s education. The progran3lna
of the conversazione closing the term consisted of sever°!,
well selected morceaux for the pianoforte, which were playad
with both taste and brilliancy by several of the pupils, and
which evidenced even in the case of three very jape der
pianistes, that they had progressed most satisfactorily inlaer
their professor, Mr. George Kiallmark, and the lady super-
intendent, Miss Snell. A scene from a German play W 35,
enacted with great ability by the pupils of Dr. Fische!, an
t&
in the case of a Miss Mossman especially, a remarkable
knowledge of the language was shown. A French piece,
also, performed by the pupils of M. De Bouge, a Elise
Craufurd, in particularly evincing extraordinary facility ia her
use of the language, proved beyond doubt that skilful teaching
had been appreciated by willing and hard-working students..
Several readings from Willis, Montgomery, and Longfellow'
were then given by both senior and very junior pupils, and
the unanimous applause that followed them was at once
testimony to the great attention the director, Mr. IlenrY
Lesingham, professor of elocution, gives to this highly.im-
portant but frequently much neglected branch of education;
and this was the more obvious when the company hadin the
opportunity of hearing, and we might add of seeing, Mi;;
Lesingham's own reading from the " Samson Agonistes
an exponent of what elocution should be. His reading w
everything those having an, appreciative taste could 11e as
r
wished it to be, and it was received in an enthusiastic
manner by all present. Mr. George Kiallmark played two
pieces in a most brilliant style, and one worthy of any °f
our great players, and very much to the delight of all pre'
sent; whilst Mrs. Helen Percy, a lady well-known in
Bayswater as a vocalist and teacher of singing, sang two
songs in a manner which elicited marked and prolonged
applause. The evening's entertainment soon after this
ended by Mr. sergeant Miller, the Recorder of Warwick,
distributing to several meritorious pupils certificates of merit,
which were executed in a very artistic manner. In per-
forming this pleasing task, the sergeant expressed himself
as highly satisfied with the progress of the pupils and the
manner in which the college was progressing. The com-
pany then separated.
EXETER-HALL.—MADAME LIND-GOLDSMIDT.—•
This gifted lady and her accomplished husband,
Otto Goldsmidt, Esq., having placed their services at the.
disposal of the committee of the Friends of the Clergy Cot..
poration, it has been arranged to give a grand performance'
of Handel's magnificent oratorio of "The Messiah," 5
Exeter-hall, on Tuesday, January 5, 1861, on which occa-
sion Madame Goldsmidt will be supported by the leading
vocal talent of the day. Apart from the object for which .
the performance has been arranged, the great and ever •
existing wish to hear again the enchanting tones of "
Lind" will ensure an audience of no ordinary characte)
The ticket arrangements have, we believe, been confided 10
Mr. Mitchell, of Old Bond -street, so that the public in .17
rest perfectly certain that, notwithstanding the extrema 31310
nary nature of the performance, no more tickets the% ,tha
hall will comfortably accommodate will be issued..

oratorio commences at eight o'clock. be
A LARGE LONDON GRAVEYARD is likely of
made something pleasant to the sight by the plaAt 113'3.0
trees and shrubs in it. Hardly any churchyard in I" 912lere
offers greater facilities in this respect than the °lle
alluded to, namely, that of St. Luke's, Chelsea; is'svideers.t
):
large, not closed in by houses, has streets on three
and is broad and wide enough to show large trees in silt Ah,elai
bulk. A subscription has been opened to pay the :gee
expenses, and in a short time the thing will be doll°.
commend this example to parishes with churchr rd
in anything but a pleasant and venerable condition.. J-rl-.
pendently of the sanitary advantages to accrue fror a silo' a
planting of trees, it is worth considering that a tree, .I,l3l`te
by the grave of some lost friend, may remain a tee
arueonY:
rea
of affection long after the most costly stone has ma

away.
CHARIN G- CROSS RAILWAY; It almost aPPear
doubtful whether the long-expected opening 'of tll6
important line will take place by Friday (New YeLas-daY)!
as was generally anticipated, the Government it is pector noD
having yet made his report to the Board of Triad 5, without
whose formal certificate it cannot be opened to the public.
In the meanwhile there is only some exterior r finishing
work to be done, and the interval will he emph )yed, 01°
ng
8t
properly, in drilling the company's staff into th e worki
of the line and signals. The Customs departmer t platform
at the Charing-cross station, to which the. Custom. I s business
finished
now carried on at Folkestone will be transf erred, is
and ready for opening.
TROTTING MATCH AT DONCASTER FOR acing,--"
ort
On Monday afternoon a trotting mat ch came'
the Doncaster Racecourse, in the presence of horsemmense
number of persons, between Rat Tail, the .bay of Mr.
Clayton, of Kirk Burton, near Wakefield, and DigbY, the
roan horse belonging to Mr. Pield, of CopmanatcheorZ;
Betting opened even, but towards the finish.
of
the starter
Tail had the call. Mr. Aice, of Doncaster,
wling place in
and judge. Rat Tail took the lead, the sac 0
it throughout
the two-mile course, and maintained
and di d not go
winning, after a good race, by two lengtla , • Rigby broke'
past the
aown,,about fifty yards from home,
to match was for
turning round and resuming the tro
thenceUtn, i: a noticing this
post, virtually giving up the combs:. atlti, hat point by not
MO a side. .
week a small volume of ' poetry," crueL'y remarks that
very much like a nt )velty in tooth
A,REVIEWER mu the, A
the following looks
cleaning :

restless
Muto the smooth, pur e lips
seven and eight Tightened o'clock on the: ;morning of
sloonN.t—he:BwPaetarle
ANOTHER COLLIERY the
Saturday last, a fearful explosion took plane at the Gin
Coalpit, at Maesteg, the property of the Llynvi Yale Iron
Company, when 13 or 14 persons lost their lives by lira-
in
E Workings
pr kLi nogs
lire-
damp. The following is a list of the bodies already brought
hours O 1
up when our report left, namely:—William Isaac, carpenter,
left a wife and seven children ; William Elias, lately unt-
ried; John Bevan, left a wile and three children.; David
Williams (and son), a married man; David Rees, married;
Morgan Thomas, single ; William Davis, single ; Benja-
win Rees, single; William Jones, single; and David Jones,
single.—Cambria Daily Leader.
IRISH CALCULATION.—An Irish lady Was once
declaring that she could not understamt how gentlemen
could smoke. "It certainly shortens their lives," said sh°
" I didn't know that," said a gentleman. " There's 11,5
father, who smokes every blessed day, and he is now iu
years old." " Well," was the reply, "if lie had never
smoked he might have been 80 by this time."
A WOMAN'S RANSOM,—Bp F. W. Robinson,
author of " Grandmother's Money," &c... 3 vols:
l
..Ir. Robinson has already published several succeOufnd
novels, among which are "Grandmother's It
ri°
loneY" .'l.
"Under the Spell." "A Woman's Ransom" is SuPe,,
to any of its predecessors. It is a good novel, rents'
habli
clever, and thoroughly readable. The story is original: I'4l
there is plenty of incident in it.-,.Press. ..