The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-08 00:00:00

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

GRAvEsms-D, Tuesday Morning.
Arrived, Aug. 7.—Richard, from Sartwick ; Maria, from
Soderham; Maiden Queen, from Foo-chow-foo.
Arrived, Aug. B.—Ensina, from Stolpemunde.
DEAL, Tuesday Morning.
Passed—Pilgrim, for Syra ; San Joso, for Havannah ;
Bride, for Singapore—all from London.
Anchored.—Ellent from Rangoon, for Bremen, and not,
as reported, for London.

The Stock Exchange Committee have appointed
Thursday, 10th instant, a special settling day in the
shares of Moore, M'Queen, and Co. (Limited), not
to be marked. The committee have also resolved
that, in consequence of a " material variation" be-
tween the prospectus and the articles of association,
a settlement in the shares of the Russian Iron Works
Company be refused.
CORNELIUS O'DOWD'S VISIT TO LONDON.--Just
as I feel the roll of the Atlantic is the finest bathing in the
world if you be a strong swimmer, so do I believe there is
nowhere like London to live in if you bo rich enough.
It's very poor fun, though, if you can only scramble and
struggle, hold on by another, or shout for a life-belt. In
such sad plight as this I fancy I am just as well in
shallow water, stagnant though it be, and a little muddy
at bottom. To bo rich enough for London means to be
able to enjoy the best society of Europe, in the midst of
more material comfOrts than ever met together elsewhere.
"Non contigit calque" to live in Park-lane, however, and
fortunately for us small minnows of the fish-pond, there aro
little pools and rivulets where we can disport ourselves
very pleasantly, and where none of us is so ill-mannered as
to hint at there being such creatures as whales. Now,
though I cannot afford a box at the opera, I should like to
go occasionally, of an extra night say ; so I would be well
pleased if fortune permitted me now and then to visit this
marvellous place for a week or so, to cross over the great
bridges—lounge in its parks—eat its fish dinners —hear a
good debate in the House—or, better still, listen to a good
dinner conversation, such as I have heard many lately. I
certainly enjoyed myself more in England than I ever re-
member doing before; and I am graceless enough to believe
that I owe it to myself, mainly at least, and for this
on,
that I found there were scores of things which once on a
time used to irritate and annoy that now vexed mo no
longer.
Whether it was that when younger the current of life was
craving
more turbulent in its very buoyancy, or that a
am-
bition to be something, or to do something, quite beyond
me, left me restless and fevered, but so it was. I always
found myself in London very cross that I was not rich,
that I had not a house in Piccadilly and a seat in Parlia-
ment, that I was not so much sought after as tis, or s
much in request as that other ; in fact, that I was sucha a
mere " waif " there was no one so poor as to claim me.
Well, time has rolled on .and made memo better—far from
it, only so much older, more wayworn, and more stupid;
but, as a sort of compensation, it has made me more pa-
tient. I no longer fret that my place is below the salt;
the fare is very good, after all, and scores of pleasant fel-
lows, I well know how much better than myself, sit there
also. Our own fault is it, if we keep our eyes on those at
the head of the table, and long for the costly viands that
are served to them ; our diet is good and wholesome, and
very pleasant is the company who partake 'of it. • • •
So far as my opportunities extended, I should say that
they dine better in England than.of yore, they talk better,
and they dress better. I don't think the House of Com-
mons so eloquent as I once remember it ; and I am sure
that the drama is just as dull, and the acting as intensely
vulgar as ever ; but what is to be done with an audience
who never laugh except at old jokes that they are used to,
and must have their drollery, as infants have their food
made easy for mastication before it reaches them?—Black-
,
wood's Magazine.
THE STEPMOTHER OF CONSTANCE KENT.—We
have received from a near relative of Mrs. Kent,
residing in Manchester, a contradiction of the narrative in
a recent publication regarding circumstances in the history
of the Kent family previous to the tragic event which has
caused so much sensation. The accuracy of our correspon-
dent is further vouched for by a respectable firm in the
same city ; and although, of course, w e do not accept our
information upon mere rumour, wo have no hesitation in
believing that the following statement, furnished to us upon
the best authority, is correct._ Wo are informed that "Mrs.
Kent was never a mill girl, or in any way connected with
a mill. She was born at Tiverton, Devon, and was the
daughter of one of the most respectable tradesmen in that
town. She was educated from early youth in a first- class
school, under the care of a lady of superior attainments.
In fact, she received a superior education to qualify her
competently to fill the situation of a governess, and such a
position she had occupied before her engagement in the
family of Mr. Kent. The statement of ill-treatment by her
of Mrs. Kent's children has not even the shadow of truth
about it. What Constance Kent instructed her coinsel to
say was literally the fact—that she had been treated by her
stepmother with kind and forbearing love. Mrs. Kent
was brought up as a lady, and has always conducted her-
self as such. I must observe that Mrs. Kent's first child
was born 10 months after her marriage."—Edinburgh Daily
Review.