The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-26 00:00:00

PRESIDENT LINCOLYS.FIRsr zRvE

Just within the.door is a large corridor ; at the
back side of this corridor was an immense hat and,
coat rack, towards which tended we all. Mixed'
in with all sorts and conditions of men were many
ladies—ladies whose faces were flushed, whose
hearts'beat quick, whose toilets were disarranged,
and whose dear little tempers, I fear, were some-
what soured by the incessant jamming of the ruder
sex about them. At the hat-rack was a great scene
of confusion; every box was full; there was no
room for any additions to the files of coats, cloaks,
and apparel generally, and if anything was left
there, it was left at the owner's risk. This risk
was taken, and with a.desperation worthy of the
noblest cause ; we turned towards the famous
" East Room." There we found a vast multitude
of people, for whom locomotion was impossible, and
who were happy only in this, that the first levee
epme fseteet? andby sut unmitigated
success. slowly,
held byT
the
Turning ol n
fsrowin thasa
but surely, we neared the " Blue Room," where
were the objects of universal scrutiny, of universal:
regard, of universal curiosity, and universal Eiym-
patty. Right near 9r• dpT, stood the•Presidonti
term •
his tall towering,irr!ia.t44.--tulitoitali4,,..
head bowing continually, is arm working uninteir:
ruptedly, and -a happy genial smile playing,gooa-
naturedly about his mouth. He was dressed in a
plain black suit—frock coat, vest, and trousers—a
wide turnover collar, and white gloves. At the
average of 25 a minute he shook hands and ex-
changed greetings with his visitors. Occasionally
some old gentleman would endeavour to stop and
have a little social chat about good old times, but
the pushing crowd behind him would come up with
such irresistible force that, like the wad from a pop-
gun, he was thrust out by succeeding aspirants for
the Presidential digits. Mr. Lincoln looked well.
His colour was good, his face but slightly flushed,
and his demeanour dignified and calm. Certainly
his powers of endurance are very great, for although
it was announced that at 10 o'clock-he would retire,
he kindly held on until nearly 11, by which time
he must have shaken hands with over 3000 people.
He was very highly gratified` at the success which
attended the affair, and expressed himself to that
erect several times during the evening and tillage:-
quently. Mrs. Lincoln was sought, of course, first
of all. She stood. near ber husband, with dignity
and ease. Self-possession, under such circumstances,
one would not naturally expect, but it was there.
Had the mistress of the White House been born
and bred at Washington, accustomed from child-
hood to the surroundings of the most prominent
:positions, she could not have exhibited, out-
wardly, less anxiety, less embarrassment, or
more entire savotr faire. Do not misunder-
stand me. Mrs. Lincoln has three character-
istics, which, when given to an American woman,
-will sustain her under any circumstances, and
enable her to bear up against any pressure.
They are common sense, self-confidence, and tact ;
all of which to ft. reMarkable extent are hers. In
addition to these, she has a naturally pleasing man-
nor; ft 'open heart, and 'a working brain. Her dress
will ;commend itself to all who admire simple ele-
gance, ,She wore a very rich and becoming crimson
watered Silk, with pearl ornaments, a very elegant
point lace cape and trimmings, with a head-dress of
natural camelias interspersed with simple pearls.
I take pleasure in recording the fact that Mrs.
Lincoln- is eminently qualified for her position ;
that Eilielvis commenced well, has produced in the
most captiousa favourable impression, and will show
to her countrywomen, and to Washington society in
particular, that she can, as did Mrs. Polk, adorn as.
well as sustain the responsible place which she has
been called to fill. Mrs. Kellogg, a sister of Mrs.
Lincoln, who Las for years been the admired repre-
sentative of Cincinnati society, stood at the side of
the wife of the President. She wore a chaste and
exquisitely fitting pearl-coloured brocade silk, with
diamond ornaments. Her hair was tastefully
dressed with flowers, and her tout ensemble could iu
no way ,have been improved. Mrs. Lincoln has
extended to Mrs. Kellogg an invitation to retrain
at the White House as her companion, an invita-
tion which we are glad to learn will no doubt be
accepted. Mrs. Grimsley, a cousin of Mrs. Lincoln,
a lady of fine presence, graceful carriage, and per-
fect address, with Mrs. Edwards, Mrs. Julia E.
Baker, and Miss ,Lizzie Edwards were also of the
party. Mrs. Grimsley wore a very handsome blue
watered silk, with a long train, with peail'and
turquoise ornaments, and 'a head ,dress of 'white
roses. Mrs. Baker, the accomplished wife of Mr.
Baker, of the Springfield Journal, 'wore alemon-
toloured watered silk, with low neck, short sleeves,
and long train, with point lace cape, a very .rich
head-dress of cherry-coloured verbenas, with gold
sprays intermingled, and a full set of pearl orna-
ments. Mrs. Baker is spoken of as a lady of literary
ability and taste. Miss Edwards, who though but
recently a school girl, has become already the un-
fortunate topic of newsmongers, was dressed
with the simplicity and taste becoming her
youth. She wore a Paris .muslin, exquisitely
embroidered with French needlework, and a simple
diamond cross depended from a chain about
her neck. There were very many elegant and ex-
pensive toilets there, And a great many costly ones
that were not elegant, but it is certainly gratifying
to feel that we are represented as well in the social
.as in the political world at the Mansion of the
Executive of our country's Government.—Neto
York 2imes.

THE HILLS OF LONDON.

(Fenn? the St. Jaines's Magazine.)
There was a time when great persons rode from
the neighbourhood of the Tower, westward, up and
down hill ; but it made all the difference in life to
them, whether on reaching a certain point they
proceeded by Snow and Holborn-hills, or by that
of Ludgate. The latter sometimes led to the block
in Lincoln's-inn-fields or Westminster-yard; but
it more frequently took the wayfarer to Westmin-
ster Palace and acceptable greetings, whereas by
by the other hills, a man who was the chief object
of interest in a procession from the Tower seldom
went to any other exaltation but that to be had at
Tyburn So went Lord Badlesmere, because his
obstinate wife, in his absence, would not surrender
his Kentish castle of Leeds to Queen Isabella. So
went, subsequently, Queen Isabelia'syounger friend,
Edmund Mortimer. So went bonny Lady Hun-
gerford—that pretty and petulant Agnes, who in a
fit of impatience poisoned her husband, Sir Edward,
and swung for it, like the ugliest of felons. It would
take a volume to tell the names only of all the vil-
lains whose passage down Snow and Holborn Hills
was demonstration clear of their having achieved
that " greatness" which Fielding has so happily
illustrated. Look, through your fingers if you
will, at the solemn spectacle Generally speaking,
it had little of solemnity in it. The heroes of
the day were often on good terms with the mob,
and jokes were exchanged between the men who
were going to be hanged and the men who &served
to be. There they pass, from the Tower, or any
one of the City prisons, to the triangular erection,
on "Deadly Never-Green." There pass Southwell,
the sweet versifier ; and Felton, the assassin of
Buckingham ; five of the three-score-save-one who
signed away the life of Charles I. ; and victim after
victim of Tit us Oates ; and John Smith, the burglar
of Queen Anne's time, the only unlucky individual
who ever really came to life after being duly exe-
cuted at Tyburn. And there, amid the greetings
and clamour of a quarter of a million of people,
passes, smilingly, that hideous young murderer,
Jack Sheppard, whom the brightest talent cannot
polish up into a hero. And there is the doubly
hideous Jonathan 'Wild, uttering Amen 'as he
picks the chaplain's pocket of a cork •
screw—if the
treacherous coward had
enough of the energy of
evil left to allow of his
committing
hi
that last felonyy
A nobleman follows nn, Lord Ferrers, rgrrily
dressed in his wedding . ; then a noblemum 8
servant, who for small ering suffered tl%e same
penalty that his betters" did for murder_ Lord
Harrinot '„on s man rode over the London.. hills to
Tyburn, in
a frock of blue and gold, with a white
cockade in his
hat, as a continual assertion of his
innocence. That reverend gentleman veho succeeds
is the very pink of fashionable Tireachers, Dr-
Dodd. He had
long lain hid in the house known
as Goodenough House, at thu corner of Gun-
nersbury-road and Brentford-lane ; and for rob-
bing the Reverend Doctor Bell, the old Princess
Amelia's, chaplain, in front of that very house, that
remarli.ably handsome young highwayman, with
sixteen ribands at the knees of his breec hes, is
going also to " the three-square stilt at IN yburaf,"
wh,7.ther Dodd followed him.

INDIAN FAMINE RELIEF FUND.
In accordance with the suggestion of several corre-
spondents, Messrs. Grindlay and Co. beg to announce that
they are prepared to receive and remit by each mail to Colonel
R. Baird Smith, C. 8., the secretary to the Calcutta Relief
Committee, any oontribtitions forwarded to them in aid of the
above fund, and which will be duly acknowledged in the
" Times " and the "Rome News."
East India Army Agency,
55, Parliament-street, London.

rrITTEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lesgee, Mr. J. B. Baokatone.
On EASTER MONDAY (April 1),. will be performed
A. DUKE IN DIFFICULTIES. Mrs. Stirling, Miss F.
gaydon, Mrs. Wilkins, Miss Fanny Stirling, Mr. Backstone,
Mr. Compton, Mr. Howe,

-- -
After which, will be revived, with entirely new scenery
and effects, and all the original music by the late Sir Henry
Bishop, the melodrama of THE MILLER AND HIS MEN.

Commence at 7.