The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-14 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN. GOSSIP.-WEDNESDAY.

Members spent the last hours of the prm-Easter session
in recrimination and reproaches about the state of public
business. Well might they do so. The condition of
affairs is most deplorable. All that has been done is to
pass the Coercion Bill, and to get a clause and a half
of the Land Bill through committee. There are
now nearly 350 amendments to the latter measure to be
discussed. This is the way in which the House has fulfilled
, its pledge that the bill should go through Committee
before the recess. The Conservative party are not alone
to blame for the delay. " Weak-kneed " Liberals must bear
their share of culpability. The result of the proceedings
of both is that it will require the utmost exertions on the
part of the Government to get the Land- Bill passed
during the present session, and that not a single member
off the Treasury Bench believes that any other
measure of importance will become law. If con-
fession• were followed by repentance there might be
some hope of improvement. But some of the members
who took part in yesterday's scolding match gloried in
their shame; and Lord Elcho especially, the very incarna-
tion of puppyism, exhorted Lord Claud Hamilton and
his congeners to continue displaying their "fluency"
with the highly patriotic object of obstructing legislation.
is a poor prospect that we have before us, and I do not
wonder at Mr. Osborne's gloomy vaticinations (things
must be looking bad when he is cast down) and Mr.
Mundella's stormy eloquence.
The holidays will certainly not be too long, considering
the number of hours the House has been working. On
Monday week M.P.s will have to begin again the weary
task of plodding through the details of the Land Bill with
its interminable amendments. Three days later Mr.
Newdegate will bring on (if he can) his motion for
appointing a select committee to inquire into the condi-
tion of conventual and monastic establishments. If he
does succeed I can promise your 'readers such a stormy
debate as has not been witnessed for many a day. I was
present at the debate. It took place between half-
past one and half-past three on Saturday morning,
and I beheld such a scene of excitement as
it was impossible to adequately describe. I see
the Ministerial journals are divided on this question, the
,Times supporting Mr. Newdegate (and carefully sup-
pressing-, by the way, the fact that his victory on Satur-
day morning was obtained through a violation of the
pledge that the matter should not be brought forward
after 12.30), and the Daily Telegraph opposing him.
Without passing any opinion upon this subject,
I may just point out two things : first of all,
there is a grave legal difficulty in the way
of inspecting "monastic institutions." Such institutions
have no legal existence, for they are forbidden by law,
and if the State appoints Government inspectors it
stultifies itself by recognising the existence of associations
which have been established in defiance of itself. The
other point I will put in the form of a question. How
comes it to pass that those M.P.'s who have near

relatives in nunneries are just the persons who most
strenuously resist the inspection of them ? Sir John Cole-
ridge, the only member of the Government who has
spoken on the question, has, I believe, a near relation in
a convent, and yet he opposed Mr. Newdegate's motion.
Mr. Matthews, M.P. for Dungarvan, who has both
aunts and sisters nuns, was indignant to the verge of
passion at the proposed intrusion upon these ladies'
privacy. We do not find that persons who are so unfor-
tunate as to have relations in mad-houses resist Govern-
ment inspection. On the contrary, they claim it, because
they believe it necessary. The inference is that the Op-
position to the inspection of nunneries arises from the
belief that it is not necessary.
During the present week the best known of the London

)lurches have been crowded with w n.shippers. In many
of them there have been as many as five or six services
a day, and most of them thronged. At St. Barnabas
(Pimlico), St. Paul's (Knightsbridge), St. Alban's (Hol-
born), St. Mary Magdalene's(Paddington),and most of the
other " advanced" churches, there will on Good Friday
be the following services at different hours :—Litany and
latter part of Commination Service; Matins and
ante-communion office ; Meditations on the last
words from the Cross with hymns, lasting for three hours;
Evensong, Litany, Commination Service, and Ser-
mon. In some of these churches the "Reproaches" are
sung, being adapted from the Roman service of Tenebrse;
and the chanting of the " Miserere" (the 51st Psalm) forms
one of the features of the day's devotion. On Easter Day
there will be at all these churches at least four cele-
brations of the Holy Communion, beginning at five in
the morning. The Easter Services begin on Easter Eve
at 8 or 9 o'clock.

I believe that there is good foundation for the report
that if any fresh ecclesiastical prosecution is instituted
against High Church clergymen, High Church laymen
will retaliate by prosecuting some of the Low Church
Bishops for their sins of omission. Of course
men like the Bishops of Ripon and Durham lay themselves
open to proceedings every time they officiate. It is to be
hoped, however, that we shall be spared the' pain of
further quarrels, which, if continued, must lead to a die'
ruption of the Church. lam glad to see that the five
High Church clergymen to whom the ilishoiaa Louden
wrote his recent letter, have condemned in strong terms
the abuse which the Church Times poured upon that
prelate, and also the publication of his letter, which wad
meant to be private.

The Indian Civil Service competitive examinations took
place last week, and the questions were more monstrously
absurd than ever. What can be the good of knowing the
dates of all the eruptions of Vesuvius for instance?
Such knowledge is simply-lumber. It does not develope
the mind in the acquisition of it, nor is it of any service
when acquired. No fewer than 300 candidates left the
room one afternoon in consequence of the extreme and
unfair difficulty of the examination papers.
The National Education Union is at last beginning to
bestir itself. Aroused by the , incessant activity of the
League, it is now issuing circulars broadcast and appeal.
ing for funds. The, schemes of the two associations are
contrasted. Mr. Cowper-Temple, Lord Palmerston's
stepson,lB chairman of the Union, Colonel Akroyd, M. P.,
is the treasurer. Dr. Barry, Mr. W. H. Smith, M.P.,
Mr. Buxton, M.P., and Mr. F. S. Powell, late M.P. for
Cambridge, are the hon. secretaries.

The first concert season of the year may be said to close
this week. A few nights back I had a great treat in
listening to Mr. Henry Le'slie's choir. This gentleman is
going to give four first rate concerts in May and June.
He will have Nilsson (who, as well as Patti, has just been
taking farewell of Parisian opera-goers), Jima di Murska,
Volpini, Sinico,Monbelli, Trebelli-Bettini, Mongini, Gar-
Boni, Foli, Santley, and other well-known singers.
Mr. Disraeli's new novel is anticipated with great
curiosity, all the more because it is understood that the
right hon. gentleman has taken his revenge upon a certain
well nown Quarterly reviewer, Lord Salisbury,
to wit, by bringing him into " Lothair." A
very different writer, Dean Stanley, has a new
book in the press entitled " Chapters on the Ecclesiastical
History of England During the Last Twenty Years."
The Bishop of Argyll, Dr. Ewing, is about to bring out a
series of seven monthly papers at a shilling called " Pre
sent Day Papers on Prominent Questions in Theology."
The long expected Speaker's Commentary is coming out
7,t last in octa-to volumes. The Pentateuch will anneal'

during the 'Present year. Genesis has been done by the
Bishop of Ely. The first nineteen chapters of Exodus
Job and the Epistles of St. Peter and Jude, by Canon
Cook; the remainder of Exodus and Leviticus, by the
Rev. Samuel Clark ; and Numbers, Deuteronomy, and
Joshua, by the Rev. T. E. Espin, rector of Wallasey
The Bishop of Bath and Wells has done Judges,
Ruth, and Samuel ; Professor Rawlinson, King 9,
Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah. The. Psalms are done bY
the Dean of Wells ; Proverbs, by the Rev. E. IL
Plumptre ; Ecclesiastes, by the Rev. W. T. Bullock,
secretary to the " S.P.G."; the Song of Solomon, by the
Rev. T. L. Kingsbury; Isaiah, by Dr. Kay; Jeremiah,
by Canon Payne Smith ; Daniel, by Archdeacon Rose,
Ezekiel, by Dr. Currey ; the minor Prophets, by the
Bishop of St. David's, Prebendary Huxtable, Professor
Gandell, Rev. F. Meyrick, and Rev. W. Drake. Matthew
and Mark heve been done by the Archbishop. of York
and Dean Maisel jointly ; Luke, by Archdeacon Jones ;
John, by Canon Westcott ; the Acts, by the
Bishop of Chester; the Romans, by Dr. Gifford;
the Corinthians, by Professor Evans and Rev.
Waite ; Galatians by Dean Howson ; Philippians bY
Dean Jeremie ; Ephesians, Colossians, Theaalonians, end
Philemon by Professor Lightfoot, Canon Westcott, and
Dr. Benson jointly; the pastoral epistles by the Bishop of
London ; the Hebrews by Canon Kay ; the Epistle of St.
John by the Bishop of Derry ; St. James by Dr. Scott;
and the Revelation by Archdeacon Lee. All parties are
represented in this undertaking, but not the extreme of
any party, except Canon Payne Smith be reckoned an
extreme Low Churchman. Dean Stanley and Dr.
Pusey, though both Biblical scholars, have no part in the
work. The editor is Canon Cook, but the plan of the
work was settled by a committee consisting of the two
English Archbishops, and the Bishops of London, Llandaff,
Gloucester and Bristol, and Chester, Lord Lyttelton, the •
Speaker, Mr. Walpole, and the Dean of Lincoln.
During the progress of the work the editor consulted
with the Archbishop of York and the Regius professors
of Divinity at Oxford and Cambridge. The authorised
version of 1611 has been reprinted without alteration, but
notes will give corrections and amended readings.
The comment will be chiefly explanatory, presenting
in a concise and readable form, the results of learned-
investigations, carried on in this and other countries
during the last half century. When a fuller discussion
of difficult passages or important subjects is necessary, it
will be placed at the end of the chapter or of the volume.
Among other literary news, it may interest your readers
to be told that the Graphic is now carried on by n limited
liability company, and that Mr. Frederick Locker will
shortly be connected with the editorship. Mr. Dickens's
new story, which Mr. Fildes is illustrating, is being
published simultaneously on the other side of the
Atlantic in Every Saturday. The sale on this side
is already about 50,000. Lord St. Leonards has been
writing " Observations on the Irish Land Bill " which
shew that at the ripe age of 89 he still takes interest in
public questions; these " Observations" will be published.
Mr. O'Connor Morris, the Special Commissioner of the
Tones in Ireland, has written on the same measure in the
Fortnightly Review. The author of the article in the
Quarterly Review issued to-day, entitled " Non-His-
toric Times " is Mr. Fergusson, the well-known
writer on architecture, and author of that splendid work
" Tree and Serpent Worship." Mr. Fergusson believes that
much of our religion is borrowed from Brahminism, and
he is about to visit Devonshire, in order to hunt up traces
of the ancient faith. Another visitor to the 'West
is Mr. MacCallum, the artist, who is going to paint
a number of the old ships of war in Hamosze
before they are broken up, and he has received special
facilities for the purpose from Mr. Childers. Mr.
Eirikr Magnusson is busy in translating from the
Icelandic " The Lily," a song to the Virgin, written by
Eystein Asgrimsson, an Augustine monk, who died in
1361. Mr. Whymper is publishing "Scrambles among
the Alps," which will include an account of the first
ascent of the Matterhorn.

To-day being Maunday Thursday the Queen's
-charities were distributed in the Chapel Royal, Whitehall,
with the tJawtl ceremony. The Bibhup her
Majesty's Lord ):tigh Almoner, officiated, assisted by the
Sub-Almoner, the contributions being made to 51 aged men
and 51 aged women, the number of each sex corresponding.
with the age of the Queen. H
The accouchement of Princess Christian is ex-
pected during next month.
Princess Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore, yo-ungest
daughter of the Queen, attained her thirteenth year today,
having been born on the 14th of April, 1857.
The llon. Mrs. Westby, aunt of Lord Ra Is`gek
died on Tuesday last at her residence, Yoticgato, Regent'e
park. •

lhe officers of the Royal Artillery at Woolwich
have accepted a challenge from the officers of the Royal
Engineers to row an eight-oared race at Putney before the
middle of June.

This morning one cf the Salvage Corps, named

Batten (who had been left on night duty at tho premises de-
stroyed lately by fire in tho Dlinories), was found buried

inder the debris of a portion of an upper floor, quite deal.

A shocking explosion occurred last evening at the
Mersey Chemical Works, Warrington. The boiler was
used for evaporating caustic potash. A man named WoodS
a stoker, aged fifty, and a lad aged seventeen, named OdaYi
died of the injuries they sustained. Four others were oe"
riously injured.
The Select Committee of the House of Commons
on the Tramways Bills, it is understood, have agreed to
report that the various projects should be subject to provi-
sional orders of Parliament, and not to a certificate of the
Board of Trade.

DEATH OF M. DE BERIOT.—This once famous
violinist, and who was even better known to the last gene-
ration as the husband of the great Madame Malibran, has
recently died at Louvian in the 68th year of his age. For
years past he had been blind and paralyzed, and lived habi-
__

tually in Paris, but bad lately returned to his native towns
Louvain, where he was attacked with his fatal illness.

FIRE IN DRURY-LANE.—LaA night a fire broke out
on the premises occupied by Messrs. Flavell, timber benders,
of Parker-street, Drury-lane. The fire engines were quicklf
on the spot, and a good supply of water was provided. Not-
withstanding their exertions, however, the premises were
destroyed. The results of the fire will be distressing, inas
much as the workmen employed in the factory have lost
their tools.

FIRE AT TRENTHAM HALL.—Yesterday morning
a fire broke out at Trentham Hall, the Staffordshire real'
deuce of the Duke of Sutherland. Just before five o'clock
it was discovered that a closet used as a depository for
household implements was in flames. An apparatus for
extinguishing fire had been arranged in the Hall by the
Duke of Sutherland, and if it were not for the existence of
this agency of protection it is probable that the building
would have been entirely destroyed. The closet was de"
stroyed, and the adjacent apartments ware more or less da-
maged. The fire was *nth ely extinguished in about a°
hour and a half after it was discovered.

Sir John Simeon, Dart, M.P. for the Isle of Wight
is suffering from severe illness, and has been ordered bY
his medical advisers to give up his attendance in Parlis-
ment for a considerable time in order to recruit his health.

The London correspondent of the Manchester
Courier writes :—I watched Mr. Gladstone closely when
his Chancellor was expounding his heresies about direct
and indirect taxation, and he affected to be very busy
writing. By the way, the Premier has been seized with lb
remarkable fit of literary activity lately. He writes/
writes away night after night—he must have covered
reams by this time—and nobody knows whether it is 14
private diary he is keeping, or whether he has been pigued
by the keen interest evinced in the appearance of AO°
Disraeli's novel, to commence a new series of articles for
" Good Words " or fresh Homeric speculations.
A WONDERFUL EXPLOIT.—A. woman slept ill
Stonehouse Workhouse, Plymouth, on Sunday night,
aged 92 years. She had walked from Greenock to Trur°
(Cornwall), leaving the former place six weeks before
Christmas last. Her walk occupied her eleven weeks and
four days, and she is now on her way back to Scotland,
having left Truro on Monday week. The woman states,
in proof of her age' that she was born in the 92nd Bee"
ment, and that in the year 1798 the regiment was sent to
Ireland during the Rebellion. At that time she was lq_
years of age.

A MYSTERIOUS MURDER. The journals O
Toulouse publish accounts of a mysterious murder at
Boux (Haute-Garonne). A tailor disappeared more than
two months back, leaving a wife and three children. 11e
had attended a fair at Saint Wat, where he went to Pay
a debt of £32 and was seen at an inn with 1115
creditor, who liad been overheard to say to Win'
" Pay me the interest only, and leave the
capital to another time." A short time back an
anonymous wilting was picked up in a street of Saint'
B•Sat, bearing the words, " Search the cellars of the town'
and you will find the man ou are looking for." 111°
authorities in consequence made a perquisition, aided by
dogs, and discovered some human remains in a vault
beneath the inn in which the tailor had been last seen.
The body had been cut into pieces, and buried beneath _es
thick layer of salt, by which it had been preserved frail
decomposition.

ine inaurititis papers confirm the statement Oa
Sir Henry Barlcley, the Governor of the island, wil;
succeed Sir Philip Wodehouse in the Government of the
Cape Colony, - - ,