The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-02 00:00:00

THE.. SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 2, I. 69

then, too, these different classes of, kisses are strall2.=l;
intermingled, as when, for instance, an old and attached
Minister, upon some formal occasion, kisses the hand of
his sovereign, but yet expresses in that kiss his reverent,
fond, and abiding attachment—a Burleigh kissing, on
receiving some wand of office or some mark of favour, the
hand of Queen Elizabeth. You cannot find any two things
in which there may be so much outward resemblance.
and at the same time so much inward difference, as in
two kisses. If you were to say " There are house: and
houses "—well, there is considerable difference in houses ;
but, for the most part, there is a similar inconvenience and
a similar want of skill and adaptation to be found in tho
mansion in Belgravia as in the suburban semi-detached
residence. Yes, I think the rest of the world would admit
that, if we were to turn " It y a fagots a fagots," into
"There are kisses and kisses," we should have made a
translation that far exceeds the original in force and
meaning, as much, indeed, as Dryden exceeds Horace,
here and there, in his rendering of some Horatian Ode.--
Mr. Arthur Helps, in Good Words.

NATIONAL SPORTS.

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Considering the inclemency of the weather the Epsom
Spring Meeting has been remarkably successful. Turf
worshippers are always prepared to rough it at spring
meetings, and by Tuesday the tremendous gale, which
worked such ill at Dover, had considerably moderated.
It was bitterly cold on the Downs, but there was nothing
to complain of. The racing will be found to present many
features of interest. In the Trial Stakes, Blue Gown and
Formosa, the winners of last year's Derby and Oaks, ran.
The odds were 5 to 2 on Blue Gown; 10 to 1 against
Formosa. Both animals were in very fine condition, and
the odds seemed strangely disproportionate. So the event
proved ; for Blue Gown had much difficulty in getting
rid of the Oaks winner, and succeeded in pull-
ing the race off by not more than a head.
If the racing world were susceptible of learning
by experience, the City and Suburban Handicap might
prove a most valuable lesson, but the racing public
will not "profit by loss." Having won a trial with Bhie
Gown and the Palmer, Vagabond was supported
to such an extent that the public, anxious to
secure the good things before the stable commis-
sion was executed, brought the horse down to 5 to 2.
Sir Joseph Hawley, however, could not be expected to
tolerate this price, and accordingly, on Monday afternoon,
Vagabond was scratched. If the public will indulge in
premature backing, it must be prepared to take the
consequences. Alpenstock succeeded Vagabond as first
favourite, La Belle Helene and the Drummer coming
next. But positions changed a little before
the start was made, Alpenstock being then at
4to 1, and the Drummer at 5 to 2. The start was not
effected until an hour had been lost. It was a very strag-
gling start, of which Poinsettia got the best, but she
retired at the mile post, and on entering the straight
nothing looked better than Vacuum; Alpenstock, how-
ever, who had been lying about fifth all through, had the
race in hand within the distance, and won easily from
the Drummer and Birthday, whom a head divided.
The winner was immediately quoted at 10 to 1 for the
Two Thousand, and 100 to 6 for the Derby ; but the next
day's performance made all the difference in these prices.
After coming in third for the Great Metropolitan,
Alpenstock receded to 100 tc 8 for the Guineas, and 50 to
1 fur the Derby—a position which is not likely to be
materially altered during the next two months.
The weather on the second day was miserable. In
the morning it was dull, cold, and damp, and in the after-
noon very little improved. Whatever interest there was
centred in the Great Metropolitan. Alpenstock and the
Drummer started equal favourities at 3 to 1, 100 to 30
being given against the Vagabond. But the latter was
charily believed in after the escapade of the previous day,
and the interest of the race was confined chiefly to the
match between the Drummer and Alpenstock. The

result very clearly proved that the latter could not yield
the other 10Ib. The race was never in doubt. The
Drummer ran like a stayer, was always in front, and
won easily by three lengths. Vagabond was only fourth,
and the result so far is a decisive proof of the utter
uselessness of private trials when unsupported by
the test of public form. Drummer deserved his victory.
He is a good horse, not handsome, but neat,

Is now a race or economy between me
different departments, so the battalion, together
with the wives and children of the ollicers and men;
are to be taken to Portsmouth, there embarked on
board a transport, and carried by sea round the
Land's End to Liverpool. The saving effected
thereby is ; but the amount of discomfort in-
flicted upon some 650 persons in having to make a
sea voyage at this season of the year, to say nothing
of the real danger which there is in a voyage at such
a stormy season as this, may well be put against the
pecuniary saving.

the Rev. E. 'Leighton, of Homey, mmaicsex, ana
his wife, during their. joint lives, an annuity of £l6O,
and to the survivor an annuity of 1:80. Ile leaves to
his sons aria daughters the residue of his property,
including securities on bonds in the company " John
Crossley and Sons (Limited)." The sons are to
receive each a double share of that of the
daughters.

THE TRIUMPH CF ENGINEERING.
Stephenson's bridge over the Menai Straits and
Brunel's bridge at Saltash still stand unrivalled as
specimens of engineetingart. But anotable viaduct was
opened for public traffic on Wednesday, constructed
by the London and North-Wes tern Railway Company,
to shorten the distance between London and Liver-
pool. It has been erected bylllr. Baker over the Mersey
at Runcorn. The bridge—a wrought-iron open lattice
girder—consists of three openings of 305 feet each, the
height to the under edge of the girders at spring
tide high water being 75 feet. Like Stephen-
sons's bridge, the piers are built upon the rock. The
approaches to the Runcorn bridge are by two
viaducts of brickwork, containing on the Lancashire
side 65 arches, and on the Cheshire side 32 arches.
These arches are built in blue Staffordshire bricks,
and are of 61 feet 6 inches, and 40 feet spans. The
facings and piers of the bridge are of Bramley-fall
stone. The distance from London to Liverpool by
the new route is something over 200 miles ; it is
intended to travel it, without stoppage, in four hours
and a quarter: