The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-10 00:00:00

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TRADE WITH RIENSIA.—It is stated that some contracts
have been made by English houses at St. Petersburg for
produce, with hand-money, to be delivered in May next,
but with a proviso that the amount is to be refunded if
any impediment should arise in the delivery of the goods.
IMPORTATION AND EXPORTATION OF OPIIIM.—III the
first month of 1853 the-quantity of opium imported was
168, 3871 b. The quantity retained for home consump-
tion was 62,9631 b. In the same period 85,7941 b. were
—The departures from
exported.
colonies during
They have comprised
theth
a])
pastpE ro
Arti oUf
weekß rso
hnFodOwol
aAfnouri BriTtc AustralianeleaAe
altogether six vessels—two for Adelaide, with an aggre-
gate burden of 1,209 tons ; two to Port Philip, with an
aggregate burden of 704 tons , one to Sydney, of 665
tons ; and one to Launceston, of 495 tons. Their total
,capacity was consequently 3,073 tone. The rates of
' •
[ freight continue to be suppiFto4 with oteadintie.

"BEING TALKED ABOUT."

BY ELIZA COOK.

(From Eliza Cook's Journal.)

It seems to have been the opinion of the most ancient
philosophers, that the world dearly loves " a bit Of
scandal ;" and we shrewdly suspect that present and
future philosophers may preserve the same prejudice of
belief without running any risk of their judgment being
impugned. We fear that the love of scandal is born with
us all—from the Queen who listens to the calumny
touching the character of a maid of honour, to
the ragged costermonger who salutes a " brother
chip," as we heard one do last week with, " Who
stole the inguns ? " While the maid of honour is
immaculate she gets little notioe taken of her; - she
may walk, talk, and have her being like other proper
people ; and while the costermonger goes to Covent
Garden and does nothing " particklar wrong," he excites
no degree of unusual interest among his compeers ; but
let either •f these persons make a real or reputed slip
from the regular highways of lawful rectitude, and the
distinguishing mark of " being talked about " is imme-
diately earned.

This common idiom appears to possess but one inter-
pretation. We never get " talked about " for our suffer-
ings, our virtues, or our abstinences. Oh dear, no ? We
must " steal inguns " in some shape or other, or at least
be supposed of having an intention to steal them, before
any of our "good-natured friends " (we drop the strong
expletive) will deem us worthy of this honour. Only let
us hear that So-and-So is "being talked about," and we
ask any of our impartial readers what the instantaneous
and conclusive impression is. Why that So-and-So has com-
mitted or is committing some questionable something. A
flirtation of aggravated order, an impending insolvency,
a breach of trust, an elopement, or something worse—
in short, anything that is ignored by highly respectable
people, is immediately guessed at ; and the very circum-
stance that this idiom is invariably accepted in only one
sense of calumniating import is ample proof that we
have an unwholesome preference for the garbage of
gossiping food, and that the errors, ,supposed or posi-
tive, of our fellow-creatures, are unceasingly the most
agreeable and exciting themes to dwell and dilate on.
We were led into these remarks by accepting an invita-
tion the other evening to join a select debating and so-
cial party, where about a dozen ladies and gentlemen of
considerable standing in society, and of unimpeachable
religious principles, were "gathered together" to enjoy
conversatma and crumpets, Mocha and music, toast and
twaddle (we beg pardon, the last word was quite a slip ;
no doubt the alliteration led us into it), finishing up with
cold chicken and warm "all sorts" ad libitum. The en•
tertainment afforded consisted of conversational spasms
under the effects of conventional opium, and we began to
wish that we were at home most heartily. At length the
talk turned on " Uncle Tom ;" and this dark subject led
to a discussion on the glorious light of Christian charity
and the supreme beauty of mercy. The amount of ge-
nerous sentiment expressed would have civilised the
Thugs, and quotations to illustrate the subject fluttered
about as thick as gnats in a summer twilight. We heard
that " mercy is twice blest," and so forth ; and some re-
mote voice gave the appeal of—

That mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me.
The great golden rule of "Do unto others," &c., met
our ear twice ; and we were edified exceedingly by scraps
and sentences which we had been acquainted with since
the date of our first eating plum-pudding. At length
the speakers became very poor and very few, like
mourners at a workhouse funeral ; and a remark from
an eminent reverend gentleman, that he thought one
great feature of charity was not to be too ready to think
ill of our brethren, was the last we distinctly remember
A mental mist succeeded, very cold and very still. Then
came short coughs and using of handkerchiefs. The
minutes seemed entirely governed by the long hand of the
clock ; and a couple of ladies took desperately to the Book
of Beauty, which la ap the table in the very height of scar-
let-fever turned up With golden jaundice. The fire received
two perfectly unnecessary pokes from the hostress, and
every body sat as though improved Newton's Principias
and superior de Stael's Corinna were in phaychological
preparation by them ; in short, one of those social fits of
social catalepsy occurred which terrify nervous people, and
seriously affect even the bravest of the pioneers of society.
Every one was either shy, stupid, or silent—perhaps all
three blended • when we suddenly hit upon a plan which
we had adopted once before in the like distress. " Pray,"
said we, addressing ourselves to the company generally,
" have any of you heard how Mr. Manby, who lives at
Woodland House, is being talked about ?" A squib thrown
among the dozen ladies and gentlemen would scarcely
have moved them so effectually. The Book of Beauty
was left wide open without an eye upon the immediately
striking' likeness of the Right Honourable Emmeline
Constance Helena Oldstars ; the hostess put down the
poker, which she had grasped for the third time, withotit
using it ; ,and a sort of mental ant-hill began to work.
A sudden thought struck the reverend gentleman, that
Mr. Manby had lately increased his number of horses ;
that he had built a new wing to his house ' • that his draw-
ing-rooms had been refurnished in superb style ; and the
simultaneous conjunction of idea was, that Mr. Manby
was being -'talked about" through having lived too fast.
An elderly lady, who had lately quoted the Great Teacher's
rule, suddenly remembered that she had seen Mr. Manby
walking and talking in his grounds very confidentially
with his housekeeper; and, moreover, the housekeeper was
a good-looking woman ; so of course it was most likely
that Mr. Manby was being "talked about" through some
delinquency on the score of domestic propriety. A gentle-
man of very High Church principles had an impulsive
conviction that Mr. Manby had gone over to Catholicism.
The High Church gentleman knew that Mr. Man by had
contributed largely to some Irish schools, and that he was
enthusiastic over his recollections of witnessing high
mess at St. Peter's at Rome ; and that he declared it as
his opinion that a good Catholic was as much to be re-
spected as a good Protestant ; consequently, there could
be little doubt that Mr. Manby was " talked about" for
turning over to Popish atrocities. Each and every one
present was deeply anxious to learn the extent of Mr.
Manby's misdoings, for it was plain enough they all
thought Mr. Manby must have done something wrong
before he could be "talked about." We permitted the
appetite for Scandal's highly-seasoned made dishes to be-
come as voracious as we deemed prudent, and then simply
stated that Mr. Manby was being talked about for having
generously taken his sister's two orphan children to bring
up. Gentle reader, you should have seen the sudden
disappointment that marked every countenance,— the
" Oh I is-that-all" sort of expression, which pervaded the
High Church lineaments, and the positive sneer of in-
difference which sat upon the lady's lips who had incor-
porated the good-looking housekeeper in her liberal con-
clusions. You would have gleaned ample testimony
that the love of detraction is very like an instinct in all
bipeds, and that being " talked about" is tantamount to
having infringed some law, either civil, moral, or con-
ventional. A positive relish for the follies and crimes
of our brothers and sisters seems to preponderate in
ninety-nine dispositions out of a hundred. If we
cannot find circumstances that involve a damaged
reputation to amuse our speculative minds and
tongues, we generally contrive to pick oat some
eccentric deviation from worldly customs—nay, the
chattering digestors of conversational carrion will even
raise their jargon over those who are to be pitied
rather than blamed, and whose sad position claims our
delicate sympathy rather than our coarse and loud dis-
cussion. We have seen one powerful instance of this in
our lifetime. We were on a visit in the suburbs of
London ; and close by our friends resided a gentleman
and his family who had been settled there some twelve
months in most respectable repute. The intelligence
and courtly bearing of the man made him a welcome
and pleasant neighbour, and the family participated
in all the social reunions of the neighbourhood. While
we were staying with our friend, by some unhappy
chance a rumour was breathed that our esteemed neigh-
bour, Mr. Broughton, was the son of a celebrated mur-
derer who had died on the scaffold. The scaring report
circulated rapidly, poor Mr. Broughton was soon "talked
about" in a most " inhuman manner" and his posi-
tion and comfort broken up thereby. We frequently
heard his name whispered in a horrified and mysterious
tone while the unfortunate man was within probable
hearing. We saw some refined idiots shrink from his
extended hand, and a heartless old citizen actually volun-
teered to " pump him " on the subject of "who his father
enr sho
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breeding, that the utmost delicacy
should be exercised in such a case, and that it was the
height of inconsiderate barbarism to be " talking about"
him so continually • but the love of low depreciating
gossip overcame all better endeavours, and within six
months poor Mr. Broughton was compelled to leave the
neighbourhood. He was an unexceptionable husband,
father, friend, and citizen, but he was unwittingly the
son of a criminal, and consequently was fated to be
"talked about"" until his heart was chafed and his brain
insulted.

Now this sort of idle, vitiated indulgence of the tongue
appears to us to be a seriously demoralising propensity,
but like brandy with stomachs, it seems to serve as a
stimulant to weak minds, and as a depraved luxury to
strong ones. We have heard men—wise, benevolent,
grey-headed men—" talking about " a lady in a public
conveyance with reckless indiscretion, laughing over vile
insinuations, and promulgating unseemly reports with
eager zest, while to our positive knowledge every word
they uttered was false. It strikes us that parties should
be soundly authorised before they " talk about" a woman's
character to the ears of the crowd, and even if they held
convincing proof of an erring sister's wrong it would
savour more of manhood and nobility to deal gently with
it. Oh ! there is a fearful amount of unhappiness and
injustice wrought by this " talking about," and doubtless
the foulest and most mischievous libels published are
stereotyped in the constant every-day prating which
escapes all indictment and eludes all proof. It would be
tao drinkgreatsatnh sanitary reform
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" talking about" people of whose real principles and actual
conduct they know little or nothing, There is a vulgar
and ancient saying which declares that " the biggestthief
often cries out thief first," and certain it is that those
who are most prone to gloat over the fancied or existing
f womentheir
withoutl d learn
misdemeanours of others are frequently not among the
most immaculate of creation. Our wholesale denouncers
of impropriety, our stern inflexible censors, and our
taintlesse
gabblingss
thpeumrvseelyvoers.s of peccadilloes are not invariably
Ask any "poor author" whether his friends are not
mighty assiduous in sending him " papers " which con-
tain a " cutting up" of his novel or his poem. Flattering
paragraphs, and eulogising praise may be printed without
attracting notice or exciting interest; but only let a
"slashing" review appear, and all hie circle have seen it,

and take very good care that he shall see it too ; in fact,
the " severe criticism" is always worth being " talked
about," but the " commendatory article" is never cared
for by our friends. As regards our own experience we can
declare that whenever a snap or snarl at our innocent
jingling appears in black and white, so sure is our break-
fast-table laden with an overpowering number of the
periodical containing the said snap or snarl ; and fre•
quently we receive a most friendly letter or two, drawing
our attention to the pleasant piece of printing, and
assuring us that it is being very much " talked about."
This being "talked about" is a tax which we all pay,
more or less. We have heard a lady "talked about" for
daring to wear the same dress at five separate evening par-
ties, and at last she was rudely stigmatised as "Miss Ever-
green," the unfortunate dress being of that colour ; and
our thoughtless cousin Polly incurred no end of being
" talked about" by asking for a glass of porter at the
supper of one of these parties. Mr. Groves is a very
charming old bachelor, living down our lane, and he has
been seen to call several times on Miss Heartly, a very
charming old maid, who also lives down our lane, and
report goes so far as to say that he has taken fruit fre-
quently, flowers always, and that once he has actually
remained under Miss Heartly's roof until past ten o'clock
at night. We can inform Mr. Groves and Miss Heartly
that people are begining to "talk about" them pretty
freely. Doubts are arising as to Mr. Groves's moral
respectability, and hints are thrown out touching Miss
Heartly's sense of propriety. We seriously advise the
foolish couple to forego any neighbourly or warmer
feeling which may exist between them, or they will be
tabooed to a certainty. We have lately gained a very
civil neighbour in a Captain Smith, who lives in first-
rate style and is a bit of a dandy, but we can confi-
dentially tell Captain Smith that it is necessary he
should, publish his " birth, parentage, and education"
on the gate of his premises ; for it is whispered that
he was born in St. Giles's, and that his earlier pursuit
was that of a travelling tinker, and that he really can
hardly spell his own name—in fact, he is being " talked
about', most maliciously. Poor man I we should pity
him if his teeth were not so white, and his laugh so
happy ; as it is, we think he may exist through the
shower of missiles thrown on his "bringing up," and
manage to enjoy the blessing of life, even though he did
receive it in the unsanctified purlieus of St. Giles's.
But come, we must have a care, and not weary our
readers with more illustrations of the odious " talking
about" habit than are necessary, and if our slight sketch
deters one thoughtless or mischievous tongue from say-
ing that which is alike cowardly and scandalous, or at
least frivolous and paltry, why we shall be well repaid
for the hour we have spent over our copy-book, and we
can assure our dearest friends that, highly as we respect
Lady Fame, we would much rather have this scrap of
writing "acted upon " then " talked about."