The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-26 00:00:00

the turn of midnight on Christmas-eve, Divine service is
celebrated, followed by the singing of carols to the harp;
and they are similarly sung in the bou3es during the
continuance of the Christmas holidays.—Sliarpt's London
Magazine.

HiGHLATin GASIES—CHRISTMAS-

DAY.
A numerous and well-appointed meeting of the hardy
men of the north assembled, "shinty" on shoulder, to
revive their recollections of " the land of mountain and
of flood," and in generous rivalship to test their activity
of limb and strength of sinew, in the athletic games of
their country. The gathering place was Blackheath,
and nowhere in the vicinity of the metropolis could better
ground be selected. The weather too was in the highest
degree propitious ; a keen and char atmosphere braced,
without chilling, the nerves, and to this cause may
partly be attributed the abandon with which each
Highlander gave himself to the sport, and the uniform
good humour that prevailed among those assernhled.
Mr. Gibson and Mr. Buchanan, having been appointed a
committee of selection, they proceeded to divide the
field, and thirty players having been mustered on either
side, the ball was thrown up between the " two hails,"
and the game of " shinty " commenced in right earnest.
One side sported red and the other green, but in this
instance the greens were the wider awake, and, after a
tough contest, in which clubs and shins Nvero equally
roughly treated, the greens came of the victors. Tao
more games were played, which were divided, the reds'
having achieved one triumph in the course of the day.
The party then returned to town, and each
" Took aff his several way,
Resolved to meet anither day."

DEATH OF THE SARDINIAN
MINISTER.

It is with feelings of deep regret that we record the
decease of the Count de Pollon, Minister from his
Majesty the King of Sardinia to the Court of St.
James. The melancholy event, which took place on the
21st instant, at the town residence of the deceased, in
Lower Grosvenor-street, did not transpire publicly until
Thursday evening. His Excellency was first attacked
with the complaint, the fatal termination of which we
now record, about a month since, he being at the time
on a marine excursion with Sir W. Middleton, of
Shubbard Park, Suffolk. On an examination by some
local surgeons, it was found that a severe pain in the
side, by which he had been somewhat suddenly seized,
arose from the formation of an abscess. He was subse-
quently attended by Drs. Ferguson and Bright; and
after remaining for about three weeks at the seat of Sir
W. Middleton, he returned to town in a weak, though
apparently not in a dangerous state. On Friday, the
18th, however, a most decided change for the worst took
place, and he rapidly sunk, expiring on the following
Monday, at the age of 49.
The Count was a member of an old Sardinian family
of great respectability, and was the hereditary holder of
an ancient title. At a very early age he entered the
service of his country, and we are informed served with
considerable distinction in the war against Napoleon.
He subsequently directed his attention to diplomatic
affairs, and when but of very tender age came to this
country as secretary to the Duc d'Agile. He was sub-
sequently advanced to the office of Charg4 d'Affaires. He
afterwards proceeded as Sardinian Minister to the
Hague, from which he returned about ten years since to
this Court as chief Minister, and in such capacity he has
terminated his earthly career.
He was a member of the Roman Catholic religion, and
was attended in his last moments by the Rev. Mr.
O'Connor, of the Sardinian Chapel, Lincoln's Inn-fields.
He never was married, and the Marquis Pallavicino, one
of the legation, was the only one of his friends present
when he died. His mortal remains will be interred on
Monday next in Mensal-green Cemetery, and the cere-
mony will be a private one.