The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-28 00:00:00

TrifiE SUf, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 28, lEEE.

of the law ci misidering that the man who has killed
another in. --a, sudden fit of passion, caused by insult
or otherwisi ), is as guilty as he who has brooded over
the crime lo r a long time. No wonder that the ma-
jority of iii© witnesses examined by the Commis-
sion have recorded their opinion that such a condi-
tion of aff 'airs requires alteration. Two modes are
mentioned as practicable for improving this faulty
state of th'ir.gs, and they are worthy of regard; the
first is to abrogate the existing law of murder, and
to subseltite a new definition of it, " confining it
to felonims homicides of great enormity, and leav-
ing all -those which are of a less heinous descrip-
tion hn the category of manslaughter." The
other course is similar to that in vogue in America,
which leaves untouched the distinction between
murder and manslaughter, and divides murder into
two classes, in order to restrict the punishment of
death to the first degree of it. The Commission
consider, after careful consideration, that the latter
mode will be found the most practicable in the end,
and prevent unnecessary confusion in several ways,
such as interfering with the treaties of foreign
nations for the extradition of fugitives charged with
that crime, and also renders it unnecessary to " re-
model the statutes." -By thus confining the
penalty of death to murders of the " first
degree" confusion and misunderstanding may
be avoided, and a better understanding pre-
vail regarding the due administration of the law.
In all the secondary cases of murder the punishment
should be penal servitude for life, or for any period,
not less than seven years, as the discretion of the
Court shall award. The crime of infanticide has
engaged the attention of the Commission owing to
the frequent failures of justice in this respect. This
" important and difficult subject," as it is here
styled, has been duly weighed, and the result of the
discussions and deliberations has been that it is
proposed to meet the emergency by passing an Act,
making it an offence punishable with penal servi-
tude or imprisonment, unlawfully and maliciously
to inflict grievous bodily harm and serious injury
upon a child during its birth, or seven days after-
wards in case such child had subsequently died.
" This mode will obviate the great difficulty that
now exists in proving whether the child has been
born alive, which supposed necessity at present
prevents the carrying out of the sentence in such
numerous instances."

SPAIN.
OPENING OF THE SPANISE CORTES.
THE QUEEN'S SPEECH.
MADRID, DEC. 27.

The Queen opened the Cortes in person to-day.
In the speech from the throne her Majesty said :
" My desire for peace has not been able to
prevent the commencement of hostilities between
this country and Chili, which had obstinately re-
fused to make amends for wrongs done to the
Spanish nation during the Peruvian difficulty. The
Government will give an account to the Cortes of
the progress of the war and of any negotiations
that may take place in connection therewith.
" Desirous of respecting the independence of
the States of South America, founded on the ancient
colonies of Spain, I have signed a treaty recognising
the independence of San Salvador.
" My relations with the other foreign Powers
continue favourable.

" Various reasons, originating in a desire per-
manently to promote the interest: of the nation,
have induced me to recognise the Italian Kingdom,
but that recognition cannot weaken those feelings
of respect and devotion to the Holy Father common
to all the faithful, nor lessen my arm intention to
watch over the rights of the Holy See."
Her Majesty, in referring to th,3 financial diffi-
culties, spoke of the necessity of increasing certain
taxes and reducing the expenditure, in order to
balance the expenditure with the revenue. A bill
would be introduced with the object of extinguish-
ing or liquidating the old, and of reducing the
floating debt. Other measures relating to the
national domains would be presented for the consi-
deration of the Chamber at the same time as the
general Budget. Bills would also be laid before
them tending to promote municipal liberty and to
harmonise the interests of local administrators with
the interests of the Government. Another bill for
the prevention of the slave trade in the Antilles
would also be presented.

Tier Majesty complimented the army and navy,
and concluded as follows :•

" I am convinced that labour and production
cannot be developed where order and liberty do not
exist. My Government, without being uneasy
about the attitude of political parties, will pursue a
tolerant but firm policy, will repress disturbances
without cruelty, and will respect the law. I hope
it will overcome all difficulties, relying upon public
opinion as represented by the Chambers."

An almost unanimous opinion prevails respecting
the desirability :of restoring to the Judges the
power of directing sentence of death to be recorded.
Perhaps the most important branch of the subject'
here treated of is that which is reserved for the
conclusion of the Report, namely, whether
the " abolition of the present system of public
executions" is expedient. Upon this branch it
would seem that nearly all the witnesses are unani-
mous in condemning the practice. The Commis-
sioners therefore recommend that an " Act bo
passed putting an end to public executions, and
directing that sentence of death shall be carried
out within the precincts of the prison, under such
regulations as may be considered necessary to pre-
vent abuse, and satisfy the public that the law has
been complied with." This is a very momentous
thing for a Royal Commission to recommend, and
the proposition of such a change naturally gives
rise to serious considerations. It is not likely that
this last recommendation of the Commission on
Capital Punishment will meet with anything like
universal approbation, because it will appear to
militate against some of our most cherished customs.
The principle of publicity is inherent in the Consti-
tution of this country, and the idea of the extreme
penalty of the law being carried out in a hidden
manner will meet with disfavour in many quarters.
Besides, there is another very important thing to
dwell upon, and that is how far would the adoption
of such a system as this proposed affect the class
most to be considered, namely, the criminals them-
zciv ez. Would not some of the reproach and oblo-
quy which now attaches to the sentence be removed
if the public execution of it were changed to one
of a comparatively private character. In all our
legislation in this extremely difficult matter let us
never lose sight of the one thing needful, which we
are apt to overlook in the multitude of secondary
questions that arise, and as deservedly considered
of great consequence. This predominant object
assuredly is so to frame our statutes, and carry out
the sentences of our courts and the verdicts of our
juries, that the utmost horror may be entertained
by criminals at undergoing the extreme penalty of
the law. Thus only may we hope to effect any-
thing like a beneficial system for the protection of
society, and the deterring of criminals, so far as
human ingenuity can attain, from the commission
of that offence most obnoxious to justice and
most awful in its responsibility. Connected
with this subject, it is worthy of notice that
a large cargo of criminals has just been sent from
France for New Caledonia, containing two hundred
convicts. The first cargo sailed last year, and con-
tained no fewer than seventy-two assassins. This
shows that " capital punishment " is the exception
and not the rule where murder has been proved,
even though it may be carried by a majority of
seven to five in the jury-room.

MADRID, DEC. 28.
The frigates Vadras, Almansa, and Trinidad are
about to leave for the Pacific.

The diplomatic corps was received yesterday by
the Queen.

The Papal Nuncio, as senior member of that body,
congratulated her Majesty on her return to Madrid.

The Commission for the reform of the Customs
tariff and the differential duties levied on vessels of
foreign countries is actively engaged in its labours
A royal decree has been issued directing the
special commission appointed to report upon the
means of suppressing the differential duties to ex-
tend their inquiries to the possibility of effecting a
reform in the present system of duties upon cotton
manufactures, and the mixed fabrics into which
cotton enters, upon cast or bar iron, and coal and
coke.

The royal naval authorities at Cadiz have noti-
fied to the shipowners and shippers in that port
that the Government has adopted and will con-
tinue to adopt all necessary measures for the effi-
cacious protection by the royal naval forces of
Spanish merchant vessels against Chilian privateers.
Great alarm prevails at Cadiz on this subject, and
the public are anxious so know how many and what
class of vessels will be sent to sea by the Govern-
ment to protect Spanish commerce.
Letters received here from the Pacific state that
the Spanish frigate Blanca has taken 13 Chilian
prizes, the Resolution 5, the Vencedora 1, and the
Berenguela 4. One of these prizes was, it is stated,
laden with copper ore to the value of $200,000.
In consequence of the determination of the
Moderado and Neo-Catholic parties to offer a vigor-
ous and united opposition to the Ministry in the
Senate, it was lately rumoured that the Government
intended to promote several deputies from the Con-
gress to the Senate, in order to counterbalance the
strength of the Opposition in the latter body. This
report is now contradicted by the Correspondencia,
which states that the Government will meet with a
decided support in the Upper as well as the Lower
llouse of the Ccrtes.

It is semi-officially announced that the King of
Portugal will arrive in Madrid between the 27th
and 31st instant.

Open dissension now prevails between the Pro-
gressist and democratic parties. During her last
sojourn in Spain Queen Christina is generally be-
lieved to have made every effort to bring the Pro-
gressist party into power. The Novedades now
states that her Majesty will resume these endea-
vours upon her approaching visit to gpain on the
occasion of the confinement of her daughter, Queen
Isabella. The Novedades and other journals of the
Progressist party regard this advocacy of Queen
Christina with some complacency, and even appear
disposed to forget their former hostility to that
exalted lady. This appears a great scandal to the
Democratic press, which maintains that there is no
longer any popular party except that of Demo-
cracy. All others, instead of relying upon the
people, confide in one or other of the personages
surrounding royalty—some in Father Claret and
Sister Patriocinio, others in the ex-Secretary
Tenorio, or in the Queen's physician ; and, finally,
the Progressists in Queen Christina.
The Democratic Committee has accepted the re-
signation of the Socialists formerly belonging to it.
Twelve Democratic representatives from the pro-
vinces, professing social opinions, have also separated
from the mass of the party.

ITALY
FLORENCE, Dec. 24.

The Ministerial crisis has not yet terminated.
Fresh difficulties are said tohave arisen through cer-
tain differences with General Lamarmora and Com-
mander Lanza. The general is understood, however,
not to despair of success. Senator Saracco, who
holds a high reputation for ability in financial mat-
ters, is expected in Florence. His visit is supposed
to be connected with the present Ministerial crisis.
Within the last sew days a Ministerial decree has
been issued closing the ecclesiastical seminaries of
Meleto, Giovinazzo, Monopoli, and Andria. At
the same time notification has been sent to the
seminaries of Marola, Carpi, and Del Finale,
granting a period of one month within which they
should conform to the prescriptions of the existing
educational laws under penalty of being closed by
the authorities. The opening of secondary schools
in the Neapolitan provinces is actively proceed-
ing, and the municipalities in several districts
have granted subsidies towards their support.
The Opinione states that when the reduction of the
dioceses to the number of provinces is carried out
there will be one theological school for each diocese,
in which pupils will not be admitted until the com-
pletion of their 18th year.
In yesterday's sitting of the Chamber of Deputies
the commission appointed for the purpose made their
report upon the bill extending throughout the year
1866 the application of the exceptional law on brig-
andage of the 7th February, 1864. The commis-
sion, composed of Signori Mazzarella, Lazzaro,
Mancini, Massa, Marazio Arnulfo, Valerio, Cor-
renti, and Avitabile, admitted that the exceptional
law in question had borne the best results ; but with
respect to the future " they were unanimous that
an exceptional law could not be retained unless de-

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE
ntinnuneddedby absolute necessity." The report con-
(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) " The real question before the commission was, there-
fore, to decide whether it was still necessary and indispen-
sable to maintain the law abovementioned. Nov, it should
be stated that both among the committees of the house and
the commission the opinion prevailed that such a necessity
had ceased to exist. It was unanimously held that excep-
tional measures were no longer necessary ; that it is suffi-
cient if the Pontifical frontier be well guarded, and if the
ordinary magistrates and the officers of public safety fulfil
their duty with diligence, accuracy, and promptitude. The
commission are glad also to acknowledge that increasing
civilisation henceforth renders a special impressive law un-
necessary. The commission aro convinced that the Govern-
ment will take the necessary measures to guard the frontier
—that it will vigilantly watch that the civil and military
authorities in their several provinces fulfil their duty, and
will thus effect a complete organisation !of the service of
public safety. The commission arc further of opinion that
it would be useful to assign rewards to those who may dis-
tinguish themselves against the few brigands still remain-
ing. If it should be considered necessary to take special Inca-
sures for the protection of any particular district contiguous
to the Roman frontiers,such measures might form the subject
of a special bill. Since it is resolved that there is no ground
to accord the extension of the exceptional law, thero is no
necessity to discuss articles of secondary importance rela-
tive to matters that would be better discussed separately."
The Ministerial bill was therefore rejected by the

commission.
Signor Chiaves, Minister of the Interior, after
stating the motives that had actuated the Govern-
ment in presenting the bill, admitted the improve-
ment which had been effected in the southern pro-
vinces with respect to brigandage, which had now
also lost all political character. Under these cir-
cumstances the Government had determined to with-
draw the bill. The Minister did not apprehend any
dualism between the civil and military authorities,
and believed that the former would fulfil their duty
all the better when they felt their responsibility in-
crease. Signor Chiaves concluded by stating that,
from the above considerations, he had the same
morning submitted a decree for his Majesty's sig-
nature, withdrawing the bill for the extension of
the exceptional law. Special measures might be
proposed for any particular district in which they
should become necessary.
The Chamber afterwards unanimously passed a
vote of thanks, proposed by Signor San Donato, to
the army and the National Guard for the immense
fatigues and sacrifices they had endured in effecting
the suppression of brigandage. A motion, brought
forward by the same member, was also adopted, by
which the House adjourned until the 15th Jannary.

FRANCE.

PARIS, DEC. 28.

The Moniteur of this morning publishes the deci-
sion of the Supreme Council of Public Instruction,
in the case of the seven students, with a long pre-
amble, setting forth its reasons. The decision of
the Council of the Academy is confirmed, but the
term of exclusion from the Paris Academy has, in
the case of Brigourdan, been reduced to two years.
Rey Lafargue, Jaclara, Casse, and Losson are ex-
cluded from all other academies throughout the
empire for two years, and Reynard for the space of
one year.

The Emperor received yesterday at the Palace of
the Tuileries a letter by which the King of Prussia
notified to his Imperial Majesty the marriage of his
niece the Princess Alexandrine with Duke Frederick
William of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. -
The Ministers yesterday attended the Council of
State, now occupied with examining the draft of the
budget.
The Emperor and Empress went yesterday at two
o'clock to visit the new Tribunal of Commerce, and
were received at the principal entrance by M. Behic,
Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, Baron
Haussmann, Prefect of the Seine ; M. Berthier, Pre-
sident of the Tribunal of Commerce ; MM. Baltard
and Bailly, architects ; M. Robert Fleury, the
painter ; &c. Their Majesties found collected in-
side all the members of the Tribunal of Commerce
as well as those of the Prud'hommes. The visit
lasted a considerable time, their Majesties asking for
information on the most minute details. At their
departure, as on their arrival, the imperial party
were saluted with acclamations.

At the State dinner given at the Tuileries on
Monday the Queen of Portugal was seated at the
right of the Emperor, and the Princess Clotilda at
his left ; at the right of the Empress was the King
of Portugal and at her left Prince N.tpuleon. After
the dinner the artists of the Theatre Frangais played
two pieces, " Le Legs," of Marivaux, and " Il faut
qu'une Porte soit Ouverte ou Fermee," of Alfred
de Musset.

The Theatre des Arts at Dijon has just been the
scene of an extraordinary incident. A young actress
named Erambert, being irritated by a hiss after
singing an air during the performance of the " Bar-
bier de Seville," addressed the words " Imbecile !
Pete !" to the author of the mark of disapproval.
For this offence she was, on the following day, con-
demned by the Correctional Tribunal of two francs
and the payment of costs. But on her appearance
on the stage in the evening, she was received with
such a continued uproar that at length the curtain
had to be let down, and the actress came forward
with the director and apologised to the public, after
which the performance was allowed to proceed.
The Government of Electoral Hesse has given its
adhesion to the proposed treaty of commerce be
tween the Zollverein and Italy.
BOURSE, Dec. 27.—Two o'clock.—The market is
bad, heavy sales continuing to predominate. Eng-
lish Consols are telegraphed with a decline of 4 per
cent. French Threes, for the Account, are quoted
at 68f. 15c., a decline of 'lie. Italian Fives have
receded 20c.—to 65f. 35c. Credit Mobilier con-
tinue particularly offered at 820 f., with a loss of 20c.
Spanish Mobilier have fallen sf. In Railway shares
Lyons have fallen 2f. 50c., and Lombard 3f. 75c.
Three o'clock.—The market has closed on the fol-
lowing slightly improved quotations

4} per Cents 97 25 1 Roman —
Do. end month — I Ottoman Fives 43

3 per Cents. 6B 071 Mexican Loan 49
Do. end month 6B 2U Do. Bonds —
Credit Mobilier ... 837 50 Russian —
Do. end month ... 832 50 Austrian
Bank Shares 3715 Spanish Threes ...
Credit Foncier 1320 Home Debt —
Italian Loan 65 50 Deferred
Do. end month 65 45

RAIL

Orleans
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern

Western
Eastern

WAYS.
Cash.

Sardinian .

Amt.
- - ... 835 -
- - ... 1130 -
- - ... 848 75
- - ... 573 75

Austrian

- - ::: 546 25
- - ... 520 -

- - ... 221 25

--- --- ... 435 -

Lombard — ... 431 25
North of Spain — ... 167 50
Saragossa — ... 212 50
Ditto to Barcelona
Roman — ... --

-AMERICA.

-~ -

ARRIVAL OF THE NOVA SCOTIAN.
(Via Greencastle.)
NEW YORK, Dec. 16, Evening.

The Governor of Georgia, in his inaugural ad-
dress to the Legislature, declared that there is no
conflict between the Federal Constitution and the
Georgia State Constitution. He says the laws of
the former are supreme, and argues that ample
protection should be given to the negroes in order
to encourage them to work.
The Provisional Governor delivered to the State
Governor the seal to represent the President. The
Senate then declared the latter Governor of
Georgia.
COMMERCIAL.

NEW YORK, Dec. 16, Evening.

Money abundant ; gold, 146. Exchange on
London, 160 ; on Paris, 3.52}. Stocks firm and
advancing. New York Centrals, 961 ; Illinois, 134.
5.20 Bonds, 1031. Cotton good inquiry : middling
Upland, 49 to 60. Flour dull. Wheat firmer.
Corn dull. Provisions heavy. Coffee steady.
Sugar heavy ; molasses dull. Petroleum very firm :
crude, 411; refined, 66.

ARRIVAL OF THE BREMEN.
SOUTHAMPTON, Dec. 28,

The North German Lloyd's steamship Bremen, from
New York on the 16th inst., has arrived here with 110
passengers for this port, Havre, and Bremen, $260,720 for
England, and $308,200 for France.
On the 17th inst. she spoke the steamer America from
Southampton, off Sandy Hook.
Her news has been fully anticipated.

LIIERATURE.

Illustrated Gift-Books.

Handbook of Christian Symbolism. By W. and
G. Audsley, Architects. Day and Son (Limited).
—Another of those magnificent works de luxe, in
the production of which the celebrated firm of
publishers and chromolithographers, the Messrs.
Day and Son (Limited), stand altogether unrivalled,
has here been issued from the press in the form of
this superb Handbook, Giftbook and Christmas-
book, all in one, upon the exquisite theme of
" Christian Symbolism." And as a glorious
indication, even externally, of what is meant
by Christian Symbolism —we have outside
the volume depicted for us in red and
golden emblazonry upon a solid bevilled binding
of apple-green cloth imitative of morocco—The
Cross, the emblem of Salvation, surrounded by
The Circle, the emblem of Eternity, and this again
surrounded in its turn by The Nimbus, the emblem
of the Glory of the Divinity. Upon the centre
of the Cross, the ineffable symbol. of The
Pentacle, consisting of two interwoven Equilateral
Triangles, each and all of them emblematical of
the Adorable Trinity—within the central sexagon
formed by the inner tracery of the Pentacle, the
holy initial-letters I H S--significative of Human
Redemption. The contents of the volume, however,
although extending to no more than eight compa-
ratively brief chapters, will be found upon examina-
tion to be more than a simply tentative treatise upon
the subject of Christian Symbolism generally—being
the rather in point of fact upon all the great essen-
tials of symbolism as it relates to Christianity, ex-
haustive, as a treatise, for the generality of readers.
Archaeologists and Antiquarians will dig deeper of
course into the foundations of this mysterious theme,
but for the generality of readers, we repeat, the
volume as it now stands, is to all intents and pur-
poses, sufficient, is—as we have said, in a manner
almost exhaustive. The compilation of the
work has evidently been for the fraternal authors of
it, who are architects, a labour of love, and we should
imagine also from the mere choice of the subject
matter of their disquisition—but still more, let us
add, from the manner in which it has been treated
by them throughout—a labour no less of unaffected
devotion than of enthusiastically artistic apprecia-
tion. However this may be, the result of their joint
labour is such as to delight the eye and to captivate
the imagination. The book will exercise a charm
over those who consult it : for few will care to con-
sult it who are not predisposed to look upon its em-
blazoned delineations and the accompanying expla-
natory letterpress with a profound and sympathetic
interest. Its character altogether is intensely.
High Church, or, to speak more emphatically, in-
tensely Catholic. Its accumulation of the lovely facts
here brought together for artistic and literary cele-
bration, is drawn from the treasury of the past,
from the depths of the catacombs, from the sculp-
tured traceries and adornments of the old gothic
cathedrals, from the gorgeous emblazonments of their
stained-glass windows, of their tapestried banners
and hangings and draperies, of their priceless chalices,
and tabernacles, and remonstrances, and lecturns, and
thuribles, and reliquaries, and all the rest of their
costly paraphernalia, fabricated for the most part
from one or other of the precious metals, and en-
crusted and powdered over in profusion with every
variety of precious stones. After a comprehensive
introduction relating to the whole suggestive beauty
of what is signified by Christian Symbolism, the
authors consider, herein, the whole subject of that
symbolism minutely and reverently in detail. The
Nimbus of God is first taken into consideration. Then
the Aureole and Glory of the Saints. After that
the Nimbus of the Angels and Archangels. The
second chapter then takes into account the august
symbols and emblems of the Omnipotent God—the
symbols now of the First, now of the Second, now
of the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, now of
the Holy Trinity in Its indivisible Unity—the
Equilateral Triangle, the trefoil, the three Greek
letters 0 SIN, meaning 6 c'Sv, " I am." And so on—
through all the august and lovely hieroglyphics
symbolical of the Mysteries of Eternity, of the
Glories of Time, of the sacred annals and divine
Truths of Christianity.
By the Loch and Riverside. Edmonton and
Douglas.—An oblong volume of no inconsider-
able dimensions, containing within it a rich
store of humour at once of a pictorial and
a piscatorial character. Whoever the artist
may be, ho carefully conceals his identity
under initials (K. I. F.), almost amounting to the
anonymous. Having all the while no reason what-
ever for such concealment so far as the excellence,
freshness, and vivacity of his drawings are concerned.
If the late John Leech had ever indulged his
humorous fancy by drawing with a greasy crayon
upon a lithographic stone, instead of with a lead
pencil upon boxwood, we might have looked for
just such a series of sketches as these by K. I. F.
as a sort companion to Mr. Briggs's angling adven-
tures.

Tennyson's Princess. Illustrated by Maclise.—
Although the name of Moxon still appears upon the
title-page of this exquisite and luxurious volume,
the work is issued now, we believe, from the estab-
ment of the Messrs. Routledge and Sons—
coming to us from the Broadway, Ludgate-hill,
and not as hitherto from Dover-street, Piccadilly.
Identically the same with the work as it originally
appeared some seasons back, this charming edition
of " The Princess," by Alfred Tennyson, illustrated
by Daniel Maclise, leaves us nothing whatever to
say of it in the way of additional commendation.
It is, if not the poet's masterpiece, or the artist's
chef d'oeuvre, a veritable capo d'opera among
elegantly decorated publications—a jewel of a book
even in its material or substantive character as such,
that is to say in its mere binding, paper, and typo-
graphy.

Wordsworth,'s Poems for the Young. Strahan.—
Externally even, this dainty gift book is singu-
larly attractive. Ingeniously let into the binding
are three of the prettiest coloured illustrations,
the letterpress inside being besides this very plenti-
fully embellished. Among all the many lovely
poems of William Wordsworth, about the
very loveliest are those in celebration of the charms
of childhood, The little cottage girl who persists in
saying We are Seven "—who is there that knows
her not, or, that knowing her, does not love her ?
Here she is brought visibly before us, and together
with her all her little male and female associates, the
children born of the brain and heart of the bard of
Rydal Mount. Welcome to our affections at
all times, coming to us, no matter under what
guise or aspect, they are especially and very dearly
welcome at a home-season like this of Christmas-
time, and when they appear before us in a shape in
itself so exceptionally alluring.
Scenes from the Winter's Tale. Illuminators,
Owen Jones and Henry Warren ; on Stone, A.
Warren. Day and Son (Limited).—A gorgeous
book, the leaves of which are less leaves than
they are thick tablets covered over with the
richest blazonry and the loveliest illuminations.
Perdita Leontes—Hermione—Florizel—Autoly-
cus, and the rest of the leading dramatis persona of
Shakspere's exquisite classic pastoral drama of " The
Winter's Tale" here appear before us in visionary
splendour to the music of the Immortal Bard him-
self and under a very halo or aureole of chromatic
magnificence glittering around them at the
touch of the luminous pencils of Owen Jones and
Henry Warren. None but a lover of illuminated
literature already familiar with the magical beauty
lavished upon works of this luxurious character
emanating from the Messrs. Day and Son's
establishment Can form the faintest notion
of the glory of colour squandered over
these pages (or tablets as we have called them).
delineative of " Scenes from the Winter's Tale,"
from any mere verbal description. To say that they
are leaves resplendent with all the colours of the
rainbow, would be to say hardly anything. For
salmon colour, and mauve, and ruby, and delicatest
pink, and purpling damson are but very faintly, if
at all discernable, among all the variable tints of the
arch of Iris, whereas here, under the brushes of
Owen Jones and Henry Warren, aided by the
Messrs. Day and Son's (Limited), un-limited appli-
ances they have been squandered over and around the
text and the embellishments with all the imperial
luxuriance of the modern art of chromolithography,

It is a work of poetic and artistic voluptuousnes
luscious in the glow and the grace of ib—in the
grace of the outlines and in the glow of the colouring
—alike in tone though unlike in degree to the sense
of the more educated and the less educated among
its purchasers. Opening the book anywhere—
merely to see it is to accord to it our instant ad-
miration.

Passages from Modern English Poets. Illustrated
by the Junior Etching Club. Day and Son (Limited).
—Nearly fifty original etchings are here brought
together—to be precise, forty-seven in all--as illus-
trative of English Poets, living ordead, almost all of
them Poets of the present century. Sparsely scattered
through the collection, the exceptions, in effect, go
no further back than Grey or Shenstone. Several
of these etchings are of singular beauty, many
of them are of great force and dash, a few
are of remarkable power. But mingled with
these there are others so crude or jejune, so
blurred or scratchy, as to be falteringly indi-
cative of their having come from the needle of a
mere amateur or tyro in the etcher's art. As a
whole, however, coupled with the selection of Poems
the etchings illustrate, the book is a literary and
artistic elegance among Christmas offerings.

The Path on Earth to the Gate of Heaven. BY
the Rev. F. Arnold. Dean and Co.—A volume
more like one of the old fashioned illustrated
gilt-edged annuals has not for a long time
been published. It is purely of a religious
character, however, as the graceful title of the book
clearly enough indicates. A charming Christmas
souvenir or New Year's offering it makes, moreover,
and one in many ways worthy of preservation.
Several famous paintings have been selected among
the themes apportioned to the artists whose powers
have adorned the letter-press of the rev. author
with sixteen really beautiful embellishments. Con-
spicuous among them will be recognised the Mignon
of Ary Scheffer and the Christian Martyr of Slia"
geneyer. A volume, it is altogether, that can
hardly be otherwise than a most welcome decora-
tion to the table of any boudoir or drawing-room
where Christianity is revered and art appreciated.
An Alphabet of Monograms. By Henry Leslie.
Day and Son (Limited).—A marvellous reper-
tory of Monograms, comprising within it up-
wards of Five Hundred Designs—every one
among them contrived, invented, we might say,
and afterwards very dexterously and elegantly
engraved by the same hand of rare cun-
ning—the hand of Henry Leslie. To enamellers,
engravers, die-sinkers, chasers, carvers, modellers,
heraldic painters, embroiderers, and illuminators,
the volume will be of a value and utility almost in-
calculable. Terminating with a very Royal-Rose
of a monogram indicative of the name of Victoria,
the book sets forth upon its title-page—that is to
say, in the four corners of it—four very remark-
able and elaborate Monograms of the names, here
of Albert Edward and Alexandra, there of Napoleon
and Eugenie. The other designs being almost all
of them simply initials interwoven.

The British Workman is a cheap illustrated
periodical of sterling excellence, mainly remark-
able for the boldness, and occasionally the beauty,
of its woodcut embellishments.

The Band of Rope Review might be spoken of
in nearly identically the same terms, only that its
letterpress is of that intensely good character that
its influence is almost, by a sort of revulsion, to
make its reader feel slightly irreligious !
Old Jonathan is another dreadfully proper
publication—an overwhelmingly worthy old gentle-
man he is, whose talk savours so monotonously of
the mere wishy-washiness of a factitious piety that
it becomes in the end nothing less than sickeningly
vapid, utterly nauseous, and all but demoralising !

Hide and Seek. By Wilkie Collins.
Elder, and Co.)

(Smith,

A new and popular edition of Wilkie Collins'
third work of fiction has here in this half-crown
volume been brought within reach of the outermost
circle of his admirers. " Antonina" was the first
or maiden work of this eminent Novelist. " Basil"
was the second. " Hide and Seek " (as we have
said) the third. Among all his works, perhaps, the
least known—certainly the least generally appre-
ciated. That he himself, however, sets high store
upon it, is indicated pretty plainly by the circum-
stance that it is the one he has selected to inscribe
in simple but merest words of affection and admi-

ration to Charles Dickens. And it assuredly will
hold, if only for that reason, high place among the
stories related by the famous tale teller to whose

enthralling fancy the world ii indebted for such
other more renowned works of fiction as t 4 The
Woman in White," " The Dead Secret," "No
Name," and the yet unfinished " Armadale."

POSTAL SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES.—The
Postmaster-General of the United States reports
that the mail service in operation at the close of the fiscal
year ending 30th of June, 1865, embraced 6,012 routes of
the aggregate length of 142,340 miles. Tho aggregate
miles of transportation are stated at 57,993,494, and the
cost per mile was 111: cents by railroad, 14/ cents by
steamboat, 10 cents by celerity, &c. The number of let-.
tors conveyed in the mails in the year is estimated at
467,591,600. Of these 4,368,087 were returned to the dead-
letter office, including 566,097 army and navy letters. De-
ducting 1,156,401 letters returned to writers, or held ae
valuable,the total number lost or destroyed was 2,352,424
or one in every 200 mailed for transmission and delivery.
Fully three-fourths of the letters returned as dead fail to
reach the parties addressed through faults of the writers,
so that the actual losses from irregularities of service and
casualties, ordinary and incidental to the war, did not ex-
ceed one in every 800 of the estimated number intrusted to
the mails. The returns of dead letters from cities are
largely in excess of proportions based upon population.
To them special efforts have been directed to secure the
most efficient service, and it is believed improvements in
operation, chiefly that of free delivery, will diminish the
number of undelivered letters at offices in densely popu-
lated districts. The receipts of the department for the
year were in excess of the expenditure, but in the new
current year the expenditure, allowing for the re-opening
of Southern offices, are estimated at $18,768,000, leaving a
deficiency of $1,200,000. The Postmaster-General re-
commends several changes in the conduct of the business
of the department. He recommends that stamped enve-
lopes be charged but at the price of the stamp, and that
"request envelopes"—that is, envelopes which have been
purchased from the post-office having a request printed on
them that they be returned if not called for in a certain
time, be so returned without additional postage. He also
recommends that pre-paid letters shall be restored to the
owners free of postage, and that letters may be forwarded
from one office to another at the request of the party ad-
dressed without extra charge. He states that, under the
present system, the cost of advertising letters which are
subsequently sent to the dead-letter office is $60,000, and
he recommends the repeal of the law giving the advertising
to the paper having the largest circulation, and thinks
that the mode of advertising should be left discretionary
with the Postmaster-General. He states the loss to the
department, which is the result of the franking privilege,
at $2,000,000, estimating that this would accrue, if free
matter was charged with existing postage rates, over and
above the annual appropriations therefor. Although the
Postmaster-General does not think the time yet come for a
general reduction in the rates of postage, he confidently
looks forward to it shortly, and now thinks that new
postal arrangements should be made with foreign countries
by which the rates should be materially decreased.
UNITED STATES' ARMY PENSION LIST.—In the
fiscal year ending the 30th of June, 1865, 15,000
army invalid pensioners were added to the pension rolls.
At the close of the year there were 84,130 army pensioners
on the rolls, requiring for their payment an annual appro-
priation of $7,792,772. There are on the pension rolls the
names of 1,115 widows of Revolutionary soldiers. TWO
soldiers of the army of the Revolution still live to receive
their $3OO a year—namely, Samuel Cook of Clarendon,
New York, aged 99, and William Hutchings, of Penobscot,
Maine, aged 101. It is 82 years since the termination of
that war.

The anniversary meeting of the Anthropological
Society will take place on Tuesday, January 2, when the
annual address will be delivered. The fellows and their
friends will dine together in the evening at St. Jarad°
Hall.

The next mail packet from Jamaica IN ill be the
Seine ; she is expected to-morrow, and will bring newl
from Jamaica up to the Bth inst.

CHRISTMAS MARRIAGES AT LAMBETH OLD CiltnlCll.
On Sunday morning last as many as 34 marriages
took place at Lambeth Old Church, on Christmas moriiivg
as many as 40, and on Boxing-day (Tuesday morning) 815
many as 14 happy couples were tied together in the hell
bonds. The reason assigned for this unusual number being
married at this church is, that the feed are less by 35. 6d. or
4s. than at any of the district churches. In conseti,...ae of
the amount of duty to be done on each of the above th
ree
mornings, the clergyman was obliged to commence as earl
as 8 o'clock, so as to have the whole concluded before the
commencement of the regular forenoon service.