The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-14 00:00:00

POST-OFFICE LONDON DIRE C2O.R V.

The Post-office London Directory for 1861 is now
published. On the merits of this carefully com-
piled work it is unnecessary to dilate. It forms
part and parcel of the goods and chattels of every
commercial establishment in the metropolis, to say
nothing of the provinces. It is an official, com-
mercial, trade, law, parliamentary, postal, convey-
ance, and banking, as well as street directory,
corrected and revised from year to year. It has
been extant for more than 60 years, increasing in
volume and extending in detail to keep pace with
the increasing business of the metropolis. It was
found necessary a short time since to publish a
suburban directory, London having outgrown
itself, and as it were overflooded the surrounding
country with a floating population of city and
western capitalists whose private whereabouts
were undefined, and it being found impossible to
comprehend so vast an area in one volume, it was
thought better to add a supplemental one, to which
we drew attention at the time of its publication.
The Post-office Directory is to a certain extent
considered infallible, and Messrs. Kelly and Co.
have endeavoured to the best of their ability to
make it so. It is not uncommon to see notices in
the windows of various publichouses stating that
" The Post-office Directory to be seen at the'bar,"
by way of an inducement to the wayfarer to step
in and taste Mr. Boniface's double X, but we would
warn those seeking correct information to inquire
for the Directory for 1861, otherwise Messrs. Kelly
and Co. cannot be held responsible should the un-
wary address seeker meet with disappointment.
A map of London and its environs is appended to
the directory. But its extent is such as to render
a paper map attached to a large volume inconve-
nient for general reference ; therefore the compilers
of the directory have issued a glazed roller map on
cloth, which will stand any amount of inspection
without injury.

It may seem amusing, but it is nevertheless true,
that the weather has interfered with the earlier
production of this work much tho same as it has with
the Farmers, for as the crops would not ripen from
too littte sunshine, so Messrs. Kelly could not " get
up" the big book for too much wet ! Notwithstand-
ing this heavy wet, yet they contrived to finish it
within about four days of its usual time of appear-
ance ;—and they did this with some corresponding
advantage, for as the season was behind, they took
time by the forelock and seized all the latest changes
in life and circumstanced, thereby adding to their
store by forestalling the casualties due to the next
year. For instance, the very recent death of the
lamented Duke of Norfolk, and other matters, find
place in this Book of marvellous variety. The public
cannot fail to appreciate such painstaking diligence
and praiseworthy promptude.

Viscount Valletort, M.P., has arrived at Far-
ranee's Hotel, on a visit to the Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe,
from Mount-Edgcumbe, Devon.

Lord Edwin Hill, M.P. for Downshire, is, it
is said, to fill the vacancy of " whip " to tha Conservative
party occasioned by the retirement of Sir W. H. Jolliffe,
M.P.

Mr. Labouchere has left Fenton's Hotel, for
Amsterdam.

The Dowager Lady Clinton has arrived at the
Brunswick Hotel, Jerwyn-street, from Brighton.

The Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, M.P., and
Mrs. Herbert are entertaining a distinguished circle at
Wilton House, near Salisbury, including the Earl and
Countess Nelson, the Earl of Powis, Lord and Lady Ash-
burton, Lord John Manners, the Bishop of Oxford, Arch-
deacon Marriot, the Hon. and Rev. C. Harris, Mr. and
Mrs. Motley and Miss Motley, Mrs. Montgomery, Mr.
Wyatt, Mr. Burnett, &c.
ILLNESS OF THE MARCHIONESS OF LONDON-
DERRY.—WO (Northern Daily Express) regret to announce
that, this estimable lady is suffering from severe indisposi-
tion. A letter was received yesterday from the Right Hon.
Earl Vane regretting his inability to preside at the dinner
given in connection with the Darlington Cattle show,
to-day, in consequence of her ladyship's sudden illness,