The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-25 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

I EMI DAY.—Morning, 4h. 20m.—Afternoon, 4h. 46m.
T3-Moratow.-Alelrning, 511. Gal.—Afternoon, 511. 30m.

wrgt 54,,,

LONDON, TUESDAY, DEC. 25, 1866.

The recurrence of the time-honoured festival of
Christmas, always so widely and universally
celebrated among ourselves, bids us look abroad
and see how our continental neighbours are
likel to the welcome season. With the
Frenchman Christmas day is secondary as a
file, whatever it may be as a religious festival ; as
among our Scotch kinsfolk the first day of the
year is with the French the great anniversary holi-
g
day, when greetings
and good wishes are exchanged,
and when pleasant companies assemble in family
gatherings. When we begin to thi • nk of how
Christmas is pet abroad, therefore our thoughts
naturally turn to Germany, where the customs and
affections of the people are in some respects more
kindred to our own, and where Christmas is still
the day of most cherished associations. It cannot
be a very peaceful celebration one would think that
will be held this year at Berlin. The schemes and
intrigues of BISMARCK and his master have prospered
beyond theirwildest dreams, but yet before the tower
is completed it is already tottering to its fall. The
reckless ambition, the shameless hypocrisy which,
under the pretence of defending national rights and
liberties, have absorbed independent states in the
circle of the Prussian dominions, have not indeed
been without a temporary success ; nevertheless, if
King WILLIAM and Count BISMARQIC Choose
to moralise over their Christmas gaieties they

can hardly be very well satisfied with the
position they have gained. They have hope-
lessly alienated the sympathies of England. and
have aroused the national jealousy of France. 131 -
MARCK must be uncomfortably conscious that his
policy leaves open only too many opportunities for
" picking a quarrel," should France find Prussia
growing too strong. The smaller States of Ger-
many may be ready enougli now to acknowledge,
le droll du plus fort; but should an equally strong
pretender appear upon the troubled stage of Ger-
man politics, they will be glad enough to avail
themselves of the exeme and break off from their
despotic leader. As for those free States whom
Prussia has forcibly incorporated with her own ter-
ritory, it is only too certain that they would, if they
had the chance, throw off the yoke forced upon
them under the specious plea of German unity by
the advocates of the real cause of nationalities.
The retribution which deliberate wrong-doing
usually brings upon both rulers and people has cer-
tainly not been long in overtaking some of the
offenders against poor Denmark. Austria, who
leagued with Prussia as the joint executors of the
will of the Gorman Diet, has been bitterly punished.
She found that the same course which was pursued
against Demark was to be followed with respect to
herself, and she was less inclined to admire it. The
occupation of the Duchies was, we were told at
first, only undertaken in the interests of the Duke
of AUGUSTENBERG ; but here are the Duchies for-
cibly dissevered from Denmark, and the Duke
AUGUSTENBERG is about as far from his throne
as ever. He served as a very good pretext for
the transparent designs of Prussia, but all the
smaller States of Prussia were so blinded by their
eager desire to extend the importance of their Con-
federation that they did not see, or would not
believe, the snare, and have ended in the total dis-
ruption of the Confederation itself. They are likely
to pass through some bitter experience before they
regain their former position, and others, besides the
Kings of HANovEn and of SAXONY, may well look
back with regret a few years when German unity
was still a theory, not a disappointing fact, and
when Germany itself meant something more than

an ever-growing Prussia.
The disaffection of the Liberal party in Prussia

itself must be anything but reassuring to the heads
of the State. This wise and benign Government,
which is so competent to administer the affairs of
such divers nations, fails strangely in giving satis-
faction to its own people. Free thought, free
speech, civil liberty in all its phases, is not the
possession of the King of PRUSSIA'S subjects under
BISMARCK'S enlightened Administration. They
must learn to be contented without such trouble-
some additions to their blessings ; but, unfortu-
nately for BISMARCK, he cannot control Europe,
and be is well aware that his conduct is being dis-
cussed pretty sharply in more than one neighbour-
ing kingdom on Christmas-day. Austria, if she
can conciliate Hungary, and learn how to conso-

lidate her vast possessions by the bonds of loyalty
and contentment, has yet a fine future
before her beyond the limits of the

Fatherland. Italy has advanced so rapidly

on the path of progress and unity that she

is fast realising the visions of her poets and
romancists. Denmark, stripped of so much, is yet

rich in the peace and prosperity of her brave and

simple people, their freedom, their loyalty, their
devotion to their dynasty. Through the agency of
the fair Princess DAGMAR, too, she has just found

an alliance more durable than that of Cabinets and

diplomatists with her most powerful northern neigh-
bour. This alliance can hardly be welcome at Berlin,

since it would easily enable Russia, if she chose to

combine with France and Austria, to curb the un-

scrupulous flight of the Black Eagle. Prussia,
however much she may plume herself upon her

military triumphs over unprepared or unequal foes,

could never stand against such odds. It is an ill-
assured victory that she has won, and to obtain it

she has sacrificed national truth and honour, the
respect of men of all nations, and that confi-

dente which no one can feel in a Power who bends

her obligations so completely to her wishes. It will

be, we fear, but a dreary Christmastide in Germany,

though no doubt every effort will be made to keep
up a good appearance, and to pretend that the great

and startling changes which have taken place since

Last year have been entirely in accordance with the

popular wishes, the rights of nationalities, and the
generalieeling of Europe. Before another Christ-
mas has come round we may see still mere startling

changes, though none can teach us more forcibly
the moral that the gains won by hypocrisy and

aggression are neither enjoyable in the present nor

encouraging for the future.

Of late years we have seen many changes and
alterations in our customs and manners, but we trust
that the day will be far distant when the approach
doesit
is
oat
recordmeet witha
the
hgeoaordt y welcome
old
times
of Christmassfor
in England,
which we would not willingly lose sight of. Noth-
ing tends more to foster unity of feeling among
various classes than to have a common point to start
from, and to form as it were a mutual ground, so
e
that social distinctions and d •
iffn
in which h
atv hee aepepmedroach of Christ-
more mthaeyreinhaas
s
great measure be lost sight of,
Perhapsre differences
Christ-
mas never been
mirth
hn
and
ayear
festivities
unsuit-
able to some, for since the dull season last came
round what sorrows and sufferings have not been
the lot of many ? A catalogue of misfortunes seem
to have formed in a great measure the epitome of
this year's calendar, and whether we look abroad
or at home we may see the traces of losses and sick-
ness, and the sad gaps exhibited that have been made
by the arch-destroyer—death. As if we had not
already more than enough to fill up the dreary tale
within thelast seven days we have heard of the awful

accidents in the mines which have been the cause
of so much distress. However the true work

of Christmas need not be stayed on account
of these trials, grievous though they have
undoubtedly been, nor need we always insepa-
rably associate the time with the gayest rounds
of mirth, and the most exuberant display of spirits.
If so few circles could depend on meeting to cele-
brate the time, because the youngest and brightest
must ever and anon find their paths clouded ; the
true lesson that Christianity should teach is that of
unity, that the strains that swelled the song of angels
on the first Christmas morn may still linger in our
minds, though they echo through the shades of
eighteen centuries—" Peace on earth, good-will to
men." Those who seek to illustrate the principles
contained in these words need never pass a dull or
an unprofitable time, although they do not spend
their holiday season in the sounding halls of revelry,
amid the glitter of wealth, or the gaiety of the
light-hearted.

To each and all this Christmas season should be
a treat in the landscape of their lives. The rich
may well rejoice that they have such an oppor-
tunity afforded to them of making others sharers in
their treasures, or of letting in a gleam of kind
times to them, and irradiate what is too often the
selfish tenure of their lives. The busy can be
satisfied at the respite from ti.eir labours
which this time generally affords them,
and as for the p9or they have especial cause for
thanksgiving. Christmas is their esp:tial and pecu-