The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-01 00:00:00

WEDOWOOD'S HOSPITALITY.

From his first cccupation of Etruria Hall his establish-
ment had boon that of a country gentleman of good estate ;
as his fame and consequently his necessary hospitality in-
creased, his establishineut was likewise added to. Iu 1794,
seven male servants, a large proportion of maid-servants,
and those beaded by a housekeeper, attended on the family
and its incessant round of guests. The Hall must have
often borne the appearance of a first-class London hotel
during the season. Guests ever coming and going, visi-
tors from the works, neighbours and friends. Foreigners
from every country were occasionally there, and distin-
guished Englishmen formed a large proportion. Wedg-
wood had a strong sense of fitness and convenience, and
without wasteful expenditure or o,tentation, ho had
made his house a " comfortable place." Guests might
well like to come and linger. In the cheery sitting-
rooms, so full of light and warmth, they found the loveliest
works of art—vases, bas-reliefs, cameos, medallions,
and many other treasures of choice workmanship—on
the harpsichord the newest music, on the shelves the
newest books, as bills remaining show. Each day at
three o'clock the dinner table was laid for unexpected as
well as expected guests, for it was known who might
arrive before or after the meal was served. By the master's
desire the service of the table was often changed. This
week Etruscan painted plates and dishes adorned it, next
simple cream colour, a third the grape pattern, or some other
variation. To-day the salt-cellars Irere jasper with Flax-
man's bas-reliefs, to-morrow black basaltes of exquisite
form, or vessels resembling shells. The dessert would be
served in dishes formed as autumnal loaves, or in those
modelled from the antique. Even the cook had moulds
for her puddings, her fruits, and her jollies, of various
kinds. Such was the master's taste.

The frontispiece of this superb and crowning volume
of the work gives us a portrait of Thomas Bentley,
the indefatigable and invaluable coadjutor of Josiah
Wedgwood.

Reminiscences of a Bengal Civilian. By William
Edwards, Esq., Judge of her Majesty's High
Court of Agra. One vol. Pp. 342. Smith, Elder,
and Co.

" From my first entrance on the active duties of
an Indian civilian's life," says Mr. Edwards, " I
cherished the desire, should I ever retire from the
service, to compile a narrative of bly own time."
Little did Mr. Edwards then imagine of what a
romance and what a tragedy that narrative would
be composed ! He had carefully kept notes of all
the interesting events which transpired during the
first year of his residence in India. Those papers
were, however, lost in the great rebellion of 1857,
which more than compensated for the loss of those
materials by itself affording matter of far more
momentous interest. The narrative of the perilous
escape of Mr. Edwards, Mr. and Mrs. Probyn, and
their children, and one other companion—the only
survivors of the massacre of Futteghur !—is of en-
thralling interest, and is written with the simplicity
of truth.

THE COST OF THE ELECTION COMMISSIONS.—The
salaries payable in connection with each of the election
commissions amount to about £2O per day. Shorthanding
in connection with each commission costs also about £lB
per day, and allowances to witnesses and miscellaneous
expenses amount to at least £5 per day more. Altogether
the cost of each commission may be set down at about £45
per day, perhaps £5O per day would be nearer the mark.
As each commission will probably sit about 50 days, the
aggregate cost of each will approach £2,500, making
£lO,OOO altogether for the four commissions.—Observer.

ACCIDENT TO THE LONDON AND BRIGHTON COACH.
—An accident occurred on Friday to the stage coach which
runs between London and Brighton. The vehicle left Pic-
cadilly in the morning, and had got as far as the Clayton
Tunnel, when the horses shied and became unmanageable,
owing to one of two itinerant boy musicians, who were
stonethrowing at each other, having run in front of them.
After much plunging the horses dashed the coach against
a bank and overturned the vehicle, about a dozen of the
passengers being more or less injured—though none, it is
hoped, fatally so.

The honours destined for those gentlemen who
are mainly identified with the Atlantic Telegraph expedi-
tion will comprise knighthoods for Mr. Canning and Mr.
Glass, the latter of whom, we regret to say, is in a bad
state of health. The same distinction has been offered to
and declined by Captain Anderson, of the Great Eastern.—
Sunday Gazette.

THE CAPTURES OF SUPPOSED FENIANS IN
LIVERPOOL—MichaeI O'Brien, Charles Campbell,
and William Carey, the suspected Fenian agents, who were
recently arrested on the charge of being found in illegal
possession of a quantity of muskets, swords, bayonets, and
a phosphoric mixture, were again brought before the Liver-
pool magistrates on Saturday. Mr. Walter, the prosecut-
ing solicitor, asked for a further remand, on the ground
that the case was not yet complete ; but Mr. Cobb (who
appeared for the prisoners) objected to this, and contended
that ample time had been afforded to the police for getting
all necessary information. Mr. Mansfield, the presiding
magistrate, thought that as the depots of Government
stores were very numerous throughout the country, more
time might be necessary to ascertain from which the arms
had been taken. He therefore granted a remand for another
week.

One of the South Western Steam Packet Com-
pany's steamers landed at Southampton last week 150 tuns
of butter from France. Four or five of these steamers
leave French porta every week laden with dairy produce.