The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-25 00:00:00

ROBERT STEPIIEN,,ON IN SOCIETY.

Here be was simply charming and fascinating in
the highest degrree, from his natural goodness of
heart and the genial zest with which he relished
life himself and participated its enjoyment with
others. He was generous and even princely in his
expenditure—not upon himself but upon his friends
—and his love of the English pastime of yachting
amounted almost to a passion. On board the
Titania, or at his house in Gloucester-square, his
frequent and numerous guests found his splendid
resources at all times converted to their gratifica-
tion with a grace of hospitality which, although
sedulous, was never oppressive. There was nothing
of the patron in his manner, or of the Olympic con-
descension which is sometimes affected by much
lesser men. A friend (and how many friends he
had !) was at once his equal and treated with re-
publican freedom, yet with the most high-bred
courtesy and gentle considerateness. We may
doubt whether any of the celebrated reception-
houses of our aristocracy ever afforded more delight-
ful gatherings than those with which Stephenson's
expansive tastes surrounded him in his home.
Men of science, letters, art, great travellers, en-
gineers, young and old of both sexes, and of
varied accomplishment, gave to his reunions a
completeness the more striking that it seemed
never to be anxiously aimed at. Surrounded by
his choice collection of modern w orks of ar t,or explain-
ing his philosophical apparatus, or battling, some
scientific thesis, or exchanging some sprightly
banter in a social circle, the image of Robert Ste-
phenson will: rise up before his friends as a pillar
bearing the record of some of their happiest hours.
What a favourite he was with all, especially with
women and young persons! No one who enjoyed
his intimacy can forget the easy and familiar man-
ner in which he was accustomed to enlarge on in-
teresting but abstruse points of natural philosophy.
But to ladies, and the youn especially, ho made a
point of explaining eyerythi g with more than usual
care and definiteness, neve quitting the subject
until he was satisfied that e had been perfectly
understood.—Once a Week. _

THE LICENSING SYSTEM IN LIVERPOOL—ME-
MORIAL TO GOVERNMENT.--A special meeting of magis•
trates was held in Liverpool yesterday to consider the re-
port of a committee apptinted recently on the subject of
memorialising government with regard to the present
licensing system. The committee urged government to take
immediate action, and to bring in a bill in accorlance with
the suggestions framed by a committee of the House of
Commons (appointed at the instance of the Liverpool magis-
trates an I Mr. W. Brown) in 1851. The report was i nani-
mously alopted.
THE TRADE AND SHIPPING OF THE PORT 0,
HULL.—The tonnage of the shipping of the port of Hull
will this year exceed that of last by from 100,000 to 150,000
tons. The consequence of this excess of tonnage is that
freights have been and are unremunerative. The timber
houses complain of the heavy imports, and wo learn that
grain, seed, and other staple articles yield little or no profit.
The immense quantity of imports has, however, the advan-
tage of supplying the labour market, and an increased num-
ber of persons are employed in the seed-crushing trade.
The deal carriers and labourers generally are also in full
work. With this increase of labour tho price of food has
been reasonable, and the working classes in ate wain have
but little to complain of. •