The Sun.
London, England, 1839-12-31 00:00:00

quer Bills at par, to prevent them being paid in as duties
after the Ist proxi:no, as least such portions of them
as will then arrive at maturity. Consols closed at
; Exchequer Bills at par to 2s. dis. ; and Bank
Stock at 1771.
Spanish Consols left off at 24,i ; Portuguese New
Five per Cents. at 231 ; Colombian at a fall to 23i
24 ; Mexican at 28i ; and Dutch Two-and-a-Halt•
per Cents. at a rise from 52i to 53i.
There was a large amount of business doing in the
Railway Shares after the middle of the day, and prices
were generally higher, or, at any rate, well,supported.

PRINCE ALBERT.

(Extract of a Letter from Cobourg, Dec. 13, 1839.)
For the last two months the curiosity of the public
in reference to the family, the religion, the education,
&c., of Prince Albert of Saxe Cobourg Gotha, so na-
turally awakened by the prospect of an event now no
longer doubtful, has given rise to the most ludicrous,
the most absurd, and, what is more to be regretted, the
most false statements, that the fertility of the journalists'
imagination and the artful designs of the intriguing
could suggest. I take the opportunity of making a
communication which may, in some degree, tend to cor-
rect these false statements, and which may not be
wholly without interest to the English public.
Having been honoured, in the kindest manner, by
the notice of the different members of the reigning fa-
mily, during my residence at Gotha, the moment that I
received authentic information of our Gracious Majes-
ty's decision, I felt it my duty to hasten to Cobourg,
and to offer my respectful congratulations to the Prince
and his illustrious family ; and never did duty and in-
clination harmonize more truly, for I was confident
that Europe had not a Prince who possessed in a higher
degree all those shining virtues, those amiable qua-
lities, and brilliant accomplishments, which must in-
fallibly ensure the happiness of our amiable Sove-
reign, and cannot fail to secure to her illustrious con-
sort the universal love and admiration of Great Bri-
tain. On my arrival I was honoured by an invitation to
the Ducal table, and felt highly gratified in being the
first Englishman to present his personal congratula-
tions. The Prince replied in English in the kindest and
most unaffected manner, and with the greatest delicacy
and tact commenced an animated description of the
literary curiosities that are to be found in the Ducal
Library, and made some allusions to his tour in Italy.
At dinner I was fortunate enough to be placed near the
Prince, who conversed with the greatest ease on various
subjects, with some in German, with others in French,
and with me in English. I was delighted to hear the
flattering manner in which he spoke of England, and
of the pleasure he had experienced during his residence
in its capital. Being honoured by several invitations to
the Castle, the more I saw of the Prince the more I dis-
covered the extensiveness of his acquirements, the soli-
dity of his understanding, and that aimableness of charac-
ter which has absolutely rendered him the idol of his people
—the more I felt the blessing which our Queen has
conferred upon her people in selecting a Prince so
worthy of his high and brilliant destiny. On Sunday,
December 8, I was present at the proclamation of the
Prince's marriage About 300 persons were assembled
in the ancient castle of the Ehrenberg, from Austria,
Prussia, Saxony, Hesse, &c., including deputations
from the corporations of Gotha and other towns,
who presented addresses of congratulation. I know
not when I have seen a more imposing sight. When
the Minister (Baron de Carlowitz) had read the pro-
clamation, the Duke embraced his son, and the Duchess
next imprinted on his forehead the kiss of fond
affection, while in every eye one read the heartfelt wish
that all the parents' fondest, proudest wishes might be
fully realised. More than 160 persons partook of the
hospitalities of the Duke's table in the " Riesen Saal,"
or Giants' Hall ; and a more sumptuous or splendid en-
tertainment could not be imagined. The loud anu
cordial cheers which the health of England's Queen
brought forth, and which burst out with an enthusiasm
that all the forms of etiquette and courtly ceremony
could not restrain, were almost too affecting, and when
the band struck up, " God save the Queen," the tears
of joy flowed freely. We must not omit to mention a
circumstance characteristic of the Prince. By his
orders the people were admitted during dinner into
the Riesen Saal to see the assembled company.
Old and young, peasants from the hills, all walked
about without the slightest restraint, to their evi•
dent enjoyment ; and to hear their hearty exclamations,
the blessings they invoked on their beloved Prince and
his august parents, was a more eloquent and sterling
panegyric than volumes could express. To describe the
universal attachment of all classes to the Prince were
impossible ; I have never heard other than the most en•
thusiastic praise ; not one dissentient voice could
be heard from one end of Thuringia to the
other. If I have remarked the personal beauty of
the Prince, the general reply is, " Ach ye! gewiss
Er ist ausserordenllich zchon-und zo gut, zo gut
wie Ur shoe ist, Freilich Er ist ein liebenswur-
diger Printz." The older servants of his august pa-
rent, and persons attached to his suite, cannot speak of
him without tears, and are Quite wretched at the thought
of his leaving his native land. With respect to the Prince's
religion, I myself have seen and heard convincing proofs
of his attachment to the Protestant faith, of whose doc-
trines his ancestors have ever been the firm supporters.
Those who have had the opportunity of knowing the
instructors of the Prince will not for an instant credit the
absurd and utterly false reports of his attachment to the
Roman Catholic church. The Prince's being confirmed
by the Rev. Dr. Gensler, of Cobourg, an enlightened
divine of the Lutheran Church, and his commonly re-
ceiving the sacrament from this gentleman, are suffi-
ciently convincing proofs to the contrary. The Prince
and his illustrious family are far removed from all bi-
gotry, either Catholic or Protestant, and without any
parade or show of religion, attest by their lives and ac-
tions that they arc in all essential things the true follow-
ers of their Divine Master. I could with pleasure
dwell much longer on this subject, but here it would
be misplaced. I shall conclude my brief notice by the
expressio❑ of a sincere wish that my countrymen may
appreciate the Prince's sterling merits as much as they
are here prized.