The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-14 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, FRIDAY.—The Queen and Prince Albert
ook their usual walk in the Park this forenoon. _ _

Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal was driven
out for an airing to-day.
The Earl and Countess of Erroll paid a visit to Cum-
berland Lodge this morning.
In the afternoon the Royal party left the Castle for
an airing in the Park, her Majesty being in a pony
phaeton and four, attended by the Duchess of Bedford,
the Countess of Errol, and Lady Leveson. Another car-
riage contained the Lady Ida Hay, the Lady Caroline
Somers Cocks, and the Hon. Sarah Mary Cavendish.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert accompanied on
horseback, attended by the following Noblemen and
Gentlemen :—The Earl of Erroll, the Marquis of Head-
fort, Lord Leveson, Colonel Wylde, Lord Alfred Paget,
and the Hon. Major Keppel.
The Royal dinner party at the Castle this evening
will include the Earl and Countess of Uxbridge, the La-
dies Eleanora and Constance Paget, Lord Paget, and
Colonel Paget.

Yesterday was the birthday of her Majesty the Queen
Dowager. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince George of Cambridge,
arrived at Bushy Park, in the morning, from their resi-
dence at Kew, to pay a visit of congratulation to her
Majesty, on the auspicious event. Their Royal High-
nesses returned in the evening to their residence at Kew.
The Viscount and Viscountess Barrington left Bushy
House, Bushy Park, on Thursday. The Viscountess has
been succeeded as the Lady in Waiting on her Majesty
the Queen Dowager by Frances Lady Clinton, who has
arrived at Bushy Park, the residence of her Majesty.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester re-
turned to her residence in Bagshot Park yesterday, from
a visit to his Grace the Archbishop of York, at his seat
Nuneham, Oxfordshire.

Ilis Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge left
his residence in St. James's Palace yesterday morning,
for Kew.

Lord and Lady John Russell have arrived at their re-
sidence in Wilton Crescent, from pinto House, Rox-
burghs h ire.
Mr. Ward had an interview with the Marquis of Nor-
manby yesterday at the Home-office.
Mr. Thornton, the Chairman of the Portuguese And
Spanish Bondholders, transacted business with Viscount
Palmerston at the Foreign-office.
Viscount ,Palmerston arrived in town on Thursday
from Windsor Castle. •

DR. BIRKBECK.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,—I perceived by your paper, of some few days
back, that a testimonial in honour of Dr. Birkbeck is
about to be raised. lam glad to hear this, and cannot
but feel pleased at the handsome manner in which you
have introduced the subject to the public.
In what has been done as yet, however, I disagree.
Permit me to say that a piece of plate, a lectureship, or
any of those means which have been proposed, would in
themselves be too trivial and toy-like to be applied in the
way of commemorating the services of the individual in
question. I can understand the presentation of a testi•
monial of this description emanating from a private cir-
cle in acknowledgment of ordinary merit ; but I do not
think any thing of this kind would be in keeping with
the nature of the services of Dr. Birkbeck. The ser-
vices of the worthy Doctor are of a national character,
and the testimonial which would go to reward or ac-
knowledge them should also be of a national character,
and should emanate from the highest quarter. I would
say that the services which Dr. Birkbeck has rendered
are of the highest importance to the age and to his coun-
try. He has devoted his life, his learning, his fortune,
and his energies to the improvement and development
of that portion of the public mind to which England
ores so much of her mechanical and commercial great-
ness. The State has not hesitated to bestow its honours
on Merit. Witness—ln physic, Sir B. Brodie and others;
in art, Sir David Wilkie ; m literature, Sir E. L. Bul-
wer ; in science, Sir D. Brewster and Sir 111. Farraday.
Might not some high national honour be conferred on
the revered individual in question ? His services to his
country have at least been as worthy as the noblest of the
names above mentioned. I am, Sir,
ONE WHO HAS PARTAKEN LARGELY OF THE
BENEFITS CONFERRED BY,THE DOCTOR'S LABOURS.
Aug. 14, 1841.

-
• ELECTION PETITIONS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,—Permit me to call the attention of your liberal
readers to a most important change in the law respecting
the presentation of petitions against Tory Members, as
Peel's Bill throws considerable personal risk upon peti-
tioners and their sureties, from which they were toler-
ably exompt under the old law. Under the present
system, a Tory agent of the sitting Member, relying
upon the difficulty of proving the bribery, which noto-
riously won the seat, or the impossibility of bringing it
home to the recognised agents, would immediately retain
three or four counsel, send to the borough an expensive
professional staff to prepare the detente,—summon wit-
nesses,—in short, incur all the preliminary expenses of
defending the seat, with the certainty of throwing upon
his opponent every shilling of the expense, if the peti-
tion was not proceeded in, and the probability of saddling
him with the whole of the costs, should the merits of
the petition be entered into, and prove unsuccessful.
The difference between this and the old law is most
important. Formerly, let the result of the petition be
what it might, in 99 cases out of 100, each party paid his
own costs. Coming events cast their shadows before
them ; and, whether Peel's Bill was introduced to protect
the anticipated Tory majority or not, most assuredly it
must tend very much to abridge the right of petitioning
Three or four thousand pounds on each side, is no exor-
bitant sum for a closely contested petition. A party
may not be unwilling to bear his own costs, but may
well hesitate before he incurs the risk of paying those of
his opponent, increased, as they would be, by Tory
chicanery.
Hoping this notice may prevent an Liberal candidate
y
exposing himself to the tender mercies of the Tory law-
yers or Tory agents, needy and unprincipled as they are,
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
A REJECTED CANDIDATE.

London, August 11, 1841.
P.S.—ln connexion with the above, I may mention a
report, which is. I believe, correct,—viz., that the Carl-
ton Club have hired three barristers to defend all peti-
tions against their party, upon the principle—no cure,
no pay.

FINE ARTS.—The sketch for the statue of Sir
Astley Cooper, intended for St. Paul's Cathedral, has
been completed by Mr. Baily, R.A., and represents the
late highly distinguished surgeon in an elegant and
graceful standing attitude, with his left hand resting upon
a cranium. The figure is robed as a Doctor of Laws.
This work of art is very successful in portraying the ur-
banity and frankness of the highly gifted Sir Astley, nor
are the dignity and self-possession, for which he was so
eminent, wanting in the composition. Another novelty
in art,—also in the studio of the above Academician,—
is a sketch for a memorial to the Reverend Doctor Hood,
the late Dean of ley, which is to be placed in St. John's
College,
Oambridg.
BIRTH-DAY OF THE QUEEN DOWAGER.—
Yetserday was the anniversary of the birth of her Majesty
the Queen Dowager. Her Majesty was born in the year
1792, and has consequently attained her 49th year.