The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-09 00:00:00

THIS DAI'S SHIPPING.

LONDON, Dec. 9.—Wind this day at noon, E. ;
light breeze, and fine.
SOUTHAMPTON, Dee. B.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Celt
(steamer), from the Cape of Good Hope.
PLYMOUTH, Dec. B.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—Savage,
from London for Bombay.
NEWPORT, Dec. B.—Wind N.W.—Sailed—Gloriosa,
for St. Thomas.
FALMOUTH, Dec. B.—Wind variable.—Arrived—Ocean
Traveller, from Callao ; Rachael, from Callao, and sailed
for the Clyde. Off port—Herschel, from London for King
George's Channel.
BRIDGEWATER, Dec. B.—Wind S.S.E.—Arrived—Mar-
(piss of Bute, for Quebec.

(Bir ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH•)
SOUTHAMPTON, Thursday Morning.

Wind E.
I [Arrived—Deutschland, from Hamburg ; Havre, steamer,
from Havre ; Dispatch, and Atalanta, steamers, from J er-
sey ; Bartley, John and Isabella, and Griffin, from Sunder-
land.
Sailed—James Kennedy, steamer, for Cardiff ; Wonder,
steamer, for Jersey ; Alliance, steamer, for Havre ;
Mechanic's Own, and Wonderer, for Newport.
LIVERPOOL, Thursday Morning.

Wind S.
Arrived, Dec. B—Guildford, from Gaboon River; St.
Patick, from New Orleans , Elizabeth, from Odessa ; Albat
Rocs, from Savannah; Obey, from Jersey; America, from
Montreal.
Arrived, Dec. 9—Ethiope, Royal Mail screw steamer,
from Africa.
The Science, from Buenos Ayres, for Liverpool, was
abandoned in a sinking state on Dec. sth in lat. 50 N. 10
W., having experienced tremendous weather. Crew saved
by the St. Patrick, arrived here.

(BY SUBMARINE AND BRITISH TELEGRAPH.)
GRAVESEND, Thursdrty Morning.
Wind E. ; tide, last hour's ebb ; weather, el3udy.
Arrived, Dec. B.—Lionne, from Gravelines.
Arrived, Dec. 9.—Good Intent, from Calaiss ; Furet,
from Gravelines.
Sailed.—Dutchman, steamer, for Constantinople; Lord
J. Russell, for Dunkirk.

DEAL, Thursday Morning.

Wind E.S.E., moderate.
Passed.—ldalia, from Palermo, for London.
Sailed.—John Bull, and Amazon, for London, with latter
in tow ; Percy, for Hull ; Royal George, for Shelds .

BEHIND THE SCENES.

(From Household Words.)

I like to think of the domestic pleasures,
The homely fancies and the human cares,
The joys and gsiefs of heart the mummer treasures
Behind the tinsel of the garb he wears.
The piebald clown upon the sawdust turning,
With mouth elastic and lash-tickled calves;
The Master of the Ring, with aiguillette fumbling,
While with the jokes of Motley going halves ;
The flitting fairy in her gossamer jacket,
With silver sash, and loosely flowing hair,
And dandy whip—she well knows when to crack it,
While leaping garters from her flying mare ;
The sole-chalked acrobat on padded saddle,
Who turns the sommersault at wildest speed,
Or spans four chargers with portentous straddle,
While deftly guiding onward steed on steed :
These, I delight to know, are men and brothers,
Aresright:y sisters with a touch of grace,
With filial tenderness, some nurturing mothers,
Some, with paternal love, a toddling race.
Thus, yonder, winking through vermilion sockets,
His tongue grotesquely thrust in whiten'd cheek,
With sausages purloined crammed into pockets
That were a paradise to area sneak—
May be but one who midst the peals of laughter
Has secret cause in truth for saddest tears,
Perhaps beneath whose squalid garret rafter
There droops the partner of his hopes and fears.
Yet again, that more preposterous fellow
In lacquered boots with monstrous jingling spurs,
His coat all frogs, his swell-gloves dainty yellow,
Who always struts whene'er a step he stirs—
He perchance may have a chubby rabble,
Among whose gambols he unbends with ease—
His dearest joy to hear their infanl! babble,
Their chief delight but then to climb his knees.
Thus, yonder flippant elf in spangled raiment,
With sauciest air, who holds the sinewy reins,
Perhaps but hardly earns the niggard payment
That some crippled elaer's life sustains.
Even yon rider, bounding like a cricket
Above the crupper of his snorting horse,
Who skims a five-bared hurdle like a wicket,
Wheeling clattering hoofs around the whirling
course—

Nay, ev'n this agile Indian-rubber antic—
Quite independent, seemingly, of feet—
He but ties himself in knots, and twirls half-frantic,
With the homeliest view to make the two ends mee
It lends a dignity to humblest labour,
That reverent tending of the household hearth ;
It draws sweet music from the pipe and tabour,
To which th' itinerant player tunes his mirth.
And hence the sympathy I love to squander
Among all mimes I note, no matter where,
Feeling sure these golden threads oft wander
Thro' the tawdry warp and woof they wear.

REPEAL OF •THE PAPER DUTY.—The annual
meeting of the Association for promoting the Repeal of the
Taxes on Knowledge will be held in Exeter-hall on Wed-
nesday, Feb. 2, 1859.
- -

MR.. R. STEPHENSON, M.P.—ln the course of an
article published in our columns on the 2d inst., a belief
was intimated that Mr. R. Stephenson had at one time
given a professional opinion against the construction of the
Birkenhead Docks, which nevertheless have played an im-
portant part in the commerce of the country. Since this
was published, facts which have come to our knowledge.-
have satisfied us that Mr. Stephenson did not deliver the
opinion itnputed to him. We therefore wish, in justice to
that eminent engineer, to withdraw the statement in ques-
tion, together with the inferences deduced from it —Daily
News.
PROPOSED REFORM ASSOCIATION IN MANCIIES-
TMit.—At the weekly meeting of the general committee of
the Bright and Gibson soiree, held at Newall's,buildings,
on Tuesday evening, Dr. John .Watts said that they were
• told that Mr. -Bright was preparing a new Reform Bill,
and he regretted that they had no effective organisation of
Reformers in Manchester. He suggested that the soiree
on Friday, would offer a good opportunity for inaugurating
such a movement. Mr. Councillor Simpson thought the.
suggestion. a good, one, believing if a committee were formed
On Friday Manchester might give an impulse to the Reform.
movement, and emerge from the total eclipse that had come
over it during the last few years. Mr. George Wilson, the
chairman, approving the suggestion, Mr. Simpson propc4ed
that the executive committee should draw up a resolution
to be submitted to the meeting on Friday, with a view of
organising a Reform association. in Manchester, Tug, mo.
tion wa seconded and aeed to.