The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-13 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 13, 1850.

- -
" 7. To follow existing public streets, roads, or paths, i The sewers now empty themselves into. the Thames
so as to avoid heavy compenea:ion for injury to private at various levels, and when the tide rises above the
bt he ussa
itdh e
to Nv hboal e
bsuyts taenm
c.fse
injurious curves or undue prolongation of the :ewers
property, whenever this can be done without causing orifices of those
sewers,
of the district is stopped until the tide recedes again ;
of course the whole drainage
and consequent loss of level.
"8. To extend the ramifications of the sewers :Stet.
the main lines are completed into all the streets at such
Commission commenced the consideration of this
depths and with such inclinations as to give perfect self- articulationer s inn
ft h zi t
cesspools.lecalit y mayTla
with a sincere desire to accomplish the drain-
cleansing street-drainage, and the opportunity for effi-
subject
drain-
cient house drainage. age by natural means, if possible; but it soon became
,
"The following is a general outline of the means pro- apparent that these sewers, which were subjected tor
posed to effect the objects above named:— eight hours out of the twelve to a state of stagnation,
"I beg to recommend the top of Woolwich-reach as acquired a settlement of solid matter which required
the point for delivering the sewage into the river, because even a more extensive system of flushing than that
I believe that the matter so delivered at and after high which we now possess. It has been proved by the
water, end in the centre, and at the bottom of the stream last few years that even gushing, under such circum-
g,
will not rise to the surface, so as to inconvenience the stances,
inhabitants of Woolwich, If, however, it should be
sewers to
forma concrete of hard substances is such
deemed expedient, either for agricultural purposes or for
to render any current of water, however rapid and
as
any other reason, to convey the sewage below Woolwich
quite •
to some point near D constant,ial before its delivery into the lneffectual. Under these circum-,
Thames, it may be Effected by means of iron pipes stances it became apparent that the Commission must
across the marshes and through Woolwich, to be supplied resort to artificial means of drainage, and pumping
by an engine and stand-pipe erected at or near the by steam appeared to be the most economical and the
Woolwich ros4, near Greenwich• gate. most efficient plan. Mr. Forster therefore proposed
" Commncing with thetatl at a point eight miles the establishment of a steam-engine, at the Ravens-
belo elon-briage, t propoeed to form a double bourne, to lift the whole of the sewn eof the district
reservoir, capable of holding at least twenty-four hours' to a height of 2ft., and by th t g °ens a current
am, drainage, covered over, and elevated to such a height as would be established -
so as to maintain throughout the
to discharge the whole of its contents at high water, de-
whole day, without cessation, a constant flow, and the
livering them by means of pipes near the middle and at
solid
the bottom of the river. The sewage will be lifted matter which now forms the subject of complaint
into the reservoir at this point (by means of an engine) would be carried off. The expense of pumping may
from the main sewer, the invert of which is supposed at first appear to be very great. I thought so myself
to be at about mean low water, and ten feet below the at the commencement; but when it was reported ,to
surface of the marshes. me, by the officers of- the commission, that the cost
"Hence the course of the main sewer will be across of flushing and the cost of removing this solid matter
Greenwich-marshes, along Woolwich Lower-road, Tra- now concreted at the bottom of the sewers would be
falgar-roacl, and Roan-street, to the Ravensbourne very great, and that the cost of pumping up the whOle
(where there is proposed to be a lift not exceeding of the sewagematter wouldl
cost less money, thought
twenty-five feet) passes under the River Ravensbourne that theof
system
Pumping, as applied to the south
past the corner of the Trinity almshouses, crossing
aide
of the Thames, appeared to be entirely without
Union-street and Bridge-row or Collier-street.
objection. I will not no
"This lift and shaft I propose to place completely . wgo into the details of the
under cover, and to connect with the chimney of the works, as Mr. Forster has already explained them ;
smoke-consuming furnace of the engine all the passages and I shall move that Mr. Forster's report be adopted,
from which any gases could escape from the sewer, and and that the works therein recommended be carried
I feel perfectly confident that with these precautions the out forthwith.
possibility of any annoyance being caused to the neigh- Sir JOHN BURGOYNE said—After the clear and
bourhood may be obviated. full statement made by Mr. Stephenson, it is not ne-
" I mentioned above that it was not proposed that the cessary for me to go into any of the matters or details
engines should have to raise all the storm waters or connected with this report, as it would only lead to
land floods; these will be provided for in extraordinary confusion. It is, however, satisfactory to know that,
cases by the four existing- outlets—vis , the Effra, the after the considerationgiven to these • l • •
genera princi-
Earl, the Duffield, and St. John sewers, and by means of
Plealaid down in M Forster's
r.in
report,
reservoirs and a diversion of the upper part of the Effra -
to keep the low-lying and thickly-inhabited part of the stoners are unanimous in adopting them ; and that,
district free from floods. with regard to details, there is no difference of opi-
" From Collier-street a line which may be called the nion amongst us. I think that no dissatisfaction can
'southern main line' diverges: the 'northern main line' be expressed by the public at the system which we
passing along the Lower Deptford-road to the crossing propose to adopt; and I
- am glad to have an opporth-
of the Earl sewer, from which point it strikes into a nity of expressing my own full concurrence in the re-
north-westerly direction, and in a straight line towards port which has just been read.
St. James's church, Bermondsey, thence along Prospect- The CHAT/mum—The Court has at last succeeded
place to Doekhead, and thence to Gainsford-street and in coming to a satisfactory solution of this very diffi-
Tooley-street, where it unites with the great St. John's cult question, and I was never more rejoiced than I
sewer, with which are connected the Battle-bridge and am now to find that we have substantially brought,it
its various branches; the inclination of the new sewer
Iremind the
to a conclusion. must
41 feet per mile, somewhat less near the point of dis-
of clause 17 in our Act, which provides that no law
charge, somewhat fluid shall be considered formally enacted by any Court
more of course as the volume of
u
diminishes et each successive ramification of the sewers. unless notice is given of it previously. I think, there-
" Returning to the diverging point at Deptford, the fore, that we had better consider this day's proceed-
course of the ' southern main line' will be by Loving ings merely as the required notice, and formally
Edward's-lane nearly in a straight line with Old Kent- adopt this report at a future special Court.
road at Hatcham, along the Old Kent-road to Surrey This was agreed to without remark.
Canal-bridge, which is at the point of divergence of Mr. HAWES said, in reference to the prompt exacti-
on intermediate main line to be afterwards described; tion of these works, we are now in treaty with seve-
the southern main line will proceed by Neat-street and
ral persons for the loan of sufficient money to carry
Albany-road, in a straight line across to St. Mark's-
them out. We shall require about 500,0002 ., to be
road, and by Camberwell New-road to St. Mark's church, . .
repaid in years by thirty instalments, principal
Kennington. Here it will pass under the Effra sewer, thirty
divided and by a connexion therewith will receive its ordinary and interest, The expense so will amount to
run of drainage; the floods of the Effra being provided about 2d. in the pound.
tor by a relief line about 1,200 yards long, passing along Viscount EBRINGTON—That depends upon the
the Oval and Harleyford.street to Vauxhall-criek—the terms which are made ; but the charge will be about
present open and most offensive portion of (be Effra 2d. or 3d. in the pound; it will be stated in the
from Kennington-road to Vauxhall being filled up yearly expenses.
tend abolished. A GENTLEMAN in court asked whether it was com-
" The level of the southern main lino at St. Mark's 1
pu. sory upon landlords to drain into these sewers
church would be about 1.0, or nearly 7 feet below the
deepest sewer existing there at present, and will afford when they were formed ? W ere the powers of the
unexceptioneble drainage for Stockwell and Clapham, Act sufficient to compel them ? Hawes—Every house within 100 feet of, a
ton road and Wandsworth-road. Belham-hill, and the whole district lying between Brix-
1-1 leer.
sewer must drain into it, and we shall take care to
" The course of the ' intermediate line,' diverging at have a sewer within 100 feet of every house.
the Surrey e
Canal bridge,
-* proceeds along the Old Kent. After receiving the estimates for some works la
road to the Bricklayers' Arms, where it will divide; one minor importance, the Court adjourned.
arm passes along the New Kent-road to the Elephant
and Castle, where it will receive
,the drainage of the
Walworth and Kennington-roads and a portion of
London-road and St. George's-road.
" The other more northern arm of this intermediate
sewer proceeds from the Bricklayers' Arms along part
of the Dover-road and Trinitycatreet, crosses Blackman-
street, continuing along Great Suffolk. street, across
Southwark-bridge-road, along Suffolk. street, across the
end of Gravel-lane, through Nelson-square, to Rowland
Hill's chapel, at which point its level will be 0.40, being
about 1 foot 2 inches below the Battle-bridge sower.
This immediate main line will be 21- miles in length
from the Surrey canal-bridge to Rowland Hill's chapel
—one half of it through streets at present without deep
sewers, and one half along the line of an existing deep
sewer, fcr which it will form a substitute, and the more
southern arm passing up to and dividing at the Elephant
and Castle, about one mile in leng h, along the lines of
existing sewers. The inclination of the proposed new lines
varying at the different parts of the sewer, according to
the branches received on the principle above mentioned.
" Consequent upon this intermediate main line being
carried into the middle of the populous districts will be
an alteration of the levels of above six miles of existing
sewers in the following streets, viz.:—New-cut, Corn-
wall-road, Waterloo. road, Borough-road, Newington-
causeway, Westminster. bridge-road, Lambeth-road,
Westminster-road, parts of London-road, and St.
George's-road. This will involve, in addition, much
alteration in secondary drains and in house drainage;
and I cannot quit this part of the subject without again
suggesting to the Commissioners the expediency of
watching and testing the working of the present main
drains as soon as the main sewers are sufficiently com-
pleted to do so, before they proceed to the extensive alte-
rations in the existing sewers which the contemplated in-
terference with them will involve.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS

TINIES.—The Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers
have at length published a practical scheme for the
im-
mediate drainage of the southern side of the Thames.
This plan was read in open court on Friday last, was
virtually adopted by acclamation, and remitted to a
future day for the more formal sanction required by law.

It was, moreover, announced that " the Commissioners
were unanimous" in their approval of the scheme, and
that even " in regard to details" there was " no differ-
ence of opinion amongst them." The chairman gave a
still more emphatic utterance to the sentiments of the
Court, for ho described the "solution" of the great
problem as " satisfactory," and expressed his extraordi-
nary gratification at the "conclusion" to which the

" very difficult question" of metropolitan drainage bad
been thus substantially brought. The scheme
which has wrought these miraculous effects is the
immediate production of Mr. Frank Forster. Its
details were reported at full length in our paper
of Saturday, and the curious reader bad an opportu-
nity of tracking the proposed sewerage throughout
the
whole 13 miles of its extent. We shall not engage
ourselves to any such performance on the present occa-
sion, but shall confine our notice to the general princi-
ples of drainage which have been thus conspicuously
sanctioned, and the claims put forth by the Commission-
ers to the acknowledgments and sympathies of the pub-
lic. The first of the principles laid down by- the Com-
missioners fur the guidance of their engineer, and by
him adopted in the construction of his scheme, was the
purification of the river Thames. The stream was to be
kept " free from sewage, at all times of the tide, from
Woolwich-reach upwards." On this point the instruc-
tions, according to Mr. Forster's report, were absolute
and unconditional. The Thames was to be drained, and
the top of Woolwich•reach has been selected as the point
for delivering the sewage, only upon the express assump-
tion that under the projected arrangement no inconve-
nience will be created even to the inhabitants of that
town. We abstain from inquiring into the probabilities
of this conclusion, our present concern being limited to
the professed declarations of the Commissioners and
their engineer. A distance of eight miles below London-
bridge bing taken, a double reservoir is to be formed of
a capacity sufficient to hold at least 24 hours' drainage,
into which the sewage is to be first lifted by Means of an
engine, and thence discharged through the agency of
pipes into the middle of the river and at its bottom, at
certain periods of the tide. Thus we have the following
leading principles of the scheme : —an absolute diversion
of the sewage matter from the river Thames, and the
conveyance of the same by means of trunk drains to a
reservoir at some distance on the banks of the stream,
where it is to be stored for disposal. At present, as we
have shown, it is contemplated to discharge the accumu-
lation every 24 hours, but provision is
made for a dif-
ferent arrangement, and in cage it should bo thought ex-
pedient " either for agricultural purposes or for any other
reason" to avoid the proposed discharge at Woolwichi-
leach, the sewage, we are told, can be conveyed by iron
pipes across the marshes to " some point near Erith."
In other words, it is now avowed by the Commissioners
that the sewage of London can be carried clean away
from the Thames by large drains, that it can
be collected in a distant reservoir, and that
if even at a point eight miles below London-bridge its
discharge into the Thames at high water only should be
found productive of inconvenience, or if the deposit
should prove available
,for agricultural requirements, it
can be transferred elsewhere for storage and use. In
estimatedthe s e
cost, conditions
unood difficultyunder
the
present
eseot whatever
and
arrangement,
rtphinwegards of 13 miles of sewerage, all apparatus in-
cts‘oelurcduued, is 241,297/. 'We need not enumerate the minor
particulars of operation speeified in Mr. Frank Forster's
report. What we have said is sufficient to chow that
the chief conditions of metropolitan drainage for which
we have so long contended are here plainly recognized,
and will, as it is alleged, be kept steadily in view
throughout the execution of the scheme. The Com-
as if their proceedings had been
missioners now prefer their claims to public ac-
knowledgment,
hitherto misunderstood and their inactivity cen-
sured for want of a due comprehension of the
duties with which they were charged. " The public,"
observes Mr. Stephenson, " must bear in mind that
the commission has not been more than ten months in
existence, and that many of its members were absolutely
unacquainted with the localities to be drained, or the
systems of drainage actually
.can express, I think, no
existing." " The 'public,"
pursued Sir John Burgoyne, '
dissatisfaction at the system Lord
we propose to adopt."
Ebrington wholly concurred in the conclusion of his
colleaeues, and recorded his estimate of the general
subject in terms which we have already transcribed.
Without descending at present. to a snore minute
scrutiny
de-
manded, we may venture to explain to the Commis-
which they
of the scheme for which such credit is
sioners why the dissatisfaction
a, so
learnestly
deprecate is not likely to be exchanged
of ten ° t.
efforts. Beyond all doubt, the
space Mr. months
iunder
the circumstances described by .
.Stephenson, s nod
"ed in the construction an
they could wish for a thankful apPreciatiPornoTtra as'
=model ate time to be ocupi
drainage. Had
inaugurated their transactions last
the Commissioners
those instructions which
October by the publication ofultimately
to have received—
hadMr. Frank Forster seems
approval of a good scheme of metropolitan
and of so disposing
re-
solution of purifying
the
;id be at least rendered of the sewage that it should
productive, no inhabitant of this
harm-
less, and if possible
they at once acknowledgheadmtehse,ir obligations and
aubefore the production of a
ten, or even twenty months, y discontent at the lapse of
city would have conceived
successful plan. What created.rit
in which that delay was
simply the delay, but the spit
dissatisfaction was not
was the first ma-
such conditions as they nowte d
? It was a proposal for
nifesto of the Commissioners
one-half of their duties, for
avtaen.oe,What, in place of
discharging themselves ohfe
were called upon to super-
sede,perpetuating the systemht
seywage into the Thames more
were afterwards openly defended
first disavowed, but
uthor in our own columns. The
absolutely a nd
and advocated by their author tfohrahturbneitDegre. A
ample evidence of inclining'
other Commissioners g
-2They carefully avoided any
to the same truck.
discussion of the great question before them, and
o_
covertlyof
disparaging the idea that
drained as well as the
city on its
banks, There wee no
Dongaing the filet that, instead
lthset
Thames n o
eeuld
be _ .

" I beg now to lay before you my estimate of the cost
of draining the district according to the system above
described ; but before doing this I would observe that in
drawing up this report and these estimates I have thought
it desirable to put down, the outside amount of life, of
depth of drains, &c., in order that if there be any error
it may be on the right side. In this estimate I have
neither included compensation for passing through or
under private property, which, however, from the lines
adopted in accordance with the principle you laid down,
will be comparatively trifling, nor the cost of the detailed
drainage, to estimate which will be a work of much time
and lengthened inquiry. In any case this will involve a
considerable outlay, but as it is dependent on the settle-
ment and partial completion of the main drainage, it
would have been premature to go into it here; neither
have I taken into account the cost of extending the
system of drainage into the suburban districts—a provi-
sion which it becomes daily more imperative to make.
" Estimates of cost of system above described.
Miles. Fur. Cost.

Main trunk drain from outlet in
Greenwich marshes to the ]Eft at
the Ravensbourne... .
ResPrvoirs and outlet pipes
Pumping engines and apparatus ...
From the left at the Ravensbourne
to a point near St. James's Church,
Bermondsey, north main lino 2 5 ... 46,930
Extension of north main line from
St. James's Church to the Great
St. John Sewer ... 0 6 8,000
South main line from Collier-street,

... 2 0 ... £25,887
20,280
27,400

Deptford, to St. Mark's Church,
Kennington ... ... 4 0 ... 49.600
Flood line of Effra 0 5 ... 7,200
Intermediate main line from Surrey
Canal-bridge, with northern arm
to Rowland Hill's Chapel 2 2 ... 12,000
Southern arm along New Kent-road 1 0 ... 5,000
Alterations of existing sewers to
connect with the intermediate
main line, &c. ... 6 0 ... 32,000
Effra flood line diversion by Peck•
ham

7,000

13 3 £241,297
" I have the honour to remain, my Lord and Gentle-
men, your most obedient servant,
" FRANK FORSTER.
" To the Hon. Metropolitan Commissioners of Sewers."

Mr. STEPHENSON said,—ln moving the adoption of
this report I think it desirable to explain to the Court
a few of the principles which actuated Mr. Forster
in devising the plans which are now upon the table,
and the reasons which guided him in laying them
down. Before commencing the consideration of these
general principles, however, allow me to say, in reply
to some complaints which have been made out of
doors respecting the great, delay which has tagen
place in proposing any general plan for the drainage
of London, that the public must bear in mind that the
Commission has not been more than ten months in
existence, and that some of its members came into it
quite fresh—unacquainted with a great number of
the localities of London, and absolutely unacquainted
with the complicated system of sewage existing, to
the extent of nearly GOO miles. In addition to this,
the underground surveys were in a very incomplete
state, and no one could venture to say what general
plan ought to be pursued at that time, as it was dan-
gerous to commence with sny one locality, for fear
of interfering with the ultimate chance of success.
London, however, divides itself naturally into two
districts—north and south, and after the Com-
mission had examined generally the condition
of these two districts they found that Ber-
mondsey, Lambeth, and Southwark were infinitely
worse than the north side; to that portion, there-
fore, they have directed their attention, almost with-
out cessation, during the last few months. I am
glad to see these plans upon the table of the court,
having in view the establishment of a complete and
perfect system of drainagel for this district, which
extends over nine squarehi miles, es, three of which are
from 6 to 7 feet below
eight or nine square miles 4
iv-tawr water mark.
two
to Thesix
wholefeet
mdraarikn,age forw this
underdevise
asystem
high-water
of be
localityappa re nits
a thatwork
o
of no inconsiderable difficulty. The locality may be
said to be drained only for four hours out of the 12,
And during those four hours only very imperfectly.

of inquiring how the river could he•cleansed, they svere-
inquiring how to dispossess the public of the notion that
the river wanted ckansirig. Instead of resolutely at-
tempting to solve the problem, their first endeavours
were to change it. They deliberately misconceived their
duties, and amused themseives with questioning the
wishes of the ratepayers when they ought to have been
doing their best to satisfy therm They were not insti-
tuted to combat the opinion which revolted at
a huge tidal sewer in the heart of the City, and yet
they conducted themselves for mouths as if such
had been their sole and express vocation. That
they have been at length reclaimed to sounder sen-
timents may be true, but the resolution is not
quite so laudable as they seem to presume. It, is
impossible to forget that they depreciated, more or
less openly, as long as they were able, almost every
principle which they now adopt, and that the decision
for which they now take credit must needs be the result
either of tardy enlightenment or irresistible compulsion.
It may be said, perhaps, that good sense no less than
generosity, suggests the acceptance of these amends
without any more altercation, and that if London is at
length by common consent to be we!l drained, the dis-
putes engendered by the process may be prudently
dropped. We have no objection to such a course,
but we would desire the reader to observe the
effects of public discussion on this most important
problem. hied it not been for this salutary
check on the doings of a clique the metropolitan
population would at this time last year have been
absolutely at the mercy of a domineering influence
which bud prepared itself for substantial manifesta-
tion, in the form of " sumps," or cesspools, at every mati's
door. These inveterate jobbers were at length dis-
banded, with what justice may be collected from Mr.
Stephenson's -present plea, that the existing Commis-
sion, after the two years' prelude of its predecessor, had
actually to commence de novo, as if the problem had
never before been entrusted to mortal man. Again, the
whole question, but for the same check, would have been
quietly shirked, and instead of the present proposal to
cleanse our river and sweeten our dwelling-houses, we
should have had the whole scheme of tidal sewerage per-
petuated and the purification of the Thames represented
as a chimerical idea which none but contractors or
visionaries could ever have seriously entertained.

E RAT [IRE.
PET TIC OA GOVE It NME NT.
By Mrs. Trollop!". 3 Vols. -
Again in this, although not to so great a degree,
as in her last work, we find Mrs. Trollope too much-
addicted to making " much ado about nothing,"
but again, as in ail that emanates from her hand,
we find it impossible to resist that agreeable fascina-
tion which lures the reader on from page to page
until the last volume is completed, a fascination of
manner that invests with a certain degree of attrac-
tion incidents the most trivial and individuals the
most ordinary. "Petticoat Government" may almost
be styled, like " Vanity Fair," a novel without a
hero ; for, although Mr. Frederic Dorking and Mr.
Charles Worthington, the man of fashion and the
man of genius, very attractively sketched, and ad-
mirably contrasted with each other, do figure
in the pages ; and although a certain Dr.
Wroughtly afferds Mrs. Trollope en opportunity of
indulging in a little quiet satire, but this time the
satire is so (pie", and the Doctor is so delightfully
good-natured, that we are not disposed to qnarrel
touch either with him or his biographer,—although,
as we have said, these three worthy gentlemen do ap-
pear in the course of "Petticoat Government," the
ladies have deoidedly the advcntage—their doings are,
in fact, the subject- matter of the book. I❑ a cathedral
town, to which Mrs. Trollope has been pleased to
give the name of Westhampton, chiefly because, as
She tells us, she knows of no town of that name,
there had resided for years a most resptct.ble family
of the name of Jenkyns. Oi this family, at the
opening of the tale, we are introduced to two most
interesting specimens, Miss Barbara Jenkyns issal
Miss Elfreda Jenkyns. While their two beautiful
sisters had long since left the paternal roof, Penelope
having eloped with the drawing-master and
Judith residing in India with her wealthy husband,
Miss Barbara and Miss Elfreda had devoted them-
selves to intellectual pursuits, the elder still retaining
the family house at Westhampton, and the more am-
bitious Miss Elfreda endeavouring to obtain an en-
trance into fashionable society in London. So we
find them when information arrives of the death of
the sister in India, and that her orphan daughter
Judith, a rich heiress and a ward in Chancery, is on
her way to England, to reside during a few years
with her maternal aunts, the choice of residence being
wisely left in the young lady's hands. Now it is
that the history begins in earnest. Each aunt is
naturally anxious to be the guardian of the
young heiress, Barbara, because of the pleasant
addition to her income, which is 'likely to accompany
a Chancery ward, and Miss Elfreda, in addition to
this reason, counting upon the fashionable visi-
tors with which such a guest could not fail to make
her acquainted. Such is the groundwork of the first
portion of the tale. The maneuvering and out-
manceuvering of the two most intelligent, but not
most agreeable ladies, is described as Mrs. Trollope
can so well describe such scenes, with a simplicity
that renders the description most natural, but also
with a quiet humour that renders it irresistibly en•
tertaining. One point of dispute exists between the
amiable but withal wilful Judith and her aunts. The
young orphan, in compliance with her mother's
dying wish, is most anxious to discover
her aunt Penelope, who on her marriage with the
drawing-master had been abandoned by her family.
This aunt, a widow in extreme poverty, with her son
Charles, a promising artist, is ultimately discovered
by the persevering heiress through the instrumentality
of a picture in the National Gallery. At the time of
this fortunate discovery the beautiful and wealthy
Judith is engaged to Mr. Frederick Dorking, the
man of fashion. This part of the tale might have had
for its motto the saying which so vividly impressed
David Copperfield, " there can be no disparity in
marriage like unsuitability of mind and purpose."
Upon the unhappiness which is likely to be the conse-
quence of an union between two persons, "one of whom
has been brought up in the habits of what is called
fashionable life, and the other with habits that have
nothing to do with fashion at all," the authoress of
" Petticoat Government " takes occasion to dilate
very forcefully and feelingly. The example she has
given is an admirable corroboration of her remarks.
Frederic Dorking is so gracefully and agreeably
portrayed, that no young lady who reads her story
can marvel at Judith's choice, and yet very few will
read on to the end of the chapter and hesitate to ad-
mit that the disparity in tastes and feelings between
the two fancis, augured little for the happiness of
their domestic life. Without betraying too much we
cannot follow the fair Judith further. The
scenes and characters described in the course of
the three volumes are of a class in the description of
which Mrs. Trollope invariably excels. In por-
traying the faults and follies of the ridiculous Miss
Barbara, or the fashionable Mrs. Dorking, her humo-
rous and satirical pen is equally happy. While af-
fording an abundance of entertaining matter,
" Petticoat Government," is nut without more im-
portant and desirable attractions. The scene in the
artist's painting-room, where Judith sees her cousin,
whose high genius she appreciates and admires,
treated with contemptuous neglect by her fashionable
friends, and the consequences of that scene to the
noble. hearted and high-spirited girl, are sufficient to
recommend the book to all who can sympathise with
its writer's admirable and audacious discrimination
between genuine gold and glittering tinsel.

A IVovc,

A MONTH AT CONSTANTINOPLE. By
Albert Smith.

" I fear," writes Albert Smith in his preface,
" that those of my friends who looked for a comic
Constantinople' in this volume, will be somewhat
disappointed ; so also will those who thought I might
be tempted, by the example of other writers, to
give my own opinions, either upon the long-vexed
question of Eastern politics, or the social and probable
condition of the Turks." If, however, both these
classes of expectants be disappointed in this volume,
the public generally will find in Albert Smith's
" Month at Constantinople" a most delightful and
interesting work. With the conviction, as he frankly
admits, that " the funny school " has been a " little
overdone of late," and leaving, as he modestly ob-
serves, " to more able and experienced heads " the
grave discussion of serious political topics, he has
happily steered in a medium course, and has compiled
from the reminiscences of his brief sojourn at Con-
stantinople a series of chapters which abound with
information, without once becoming heavy or weari-
some, and which sparkle with humour without de-
generating into the " funny school." While
our traveller pursued his romantic wanderings
his ready pencil was ever in his hand, at times noting
down some graphic description of a passing scene,
and at others, when the object was sufficiently wor-
thy or sufficiently interesting, transferring it in fac -
simile to his portefeuille. Thus the published volume
is adorned with pencil, as well as with pen and ink,
portraitures of many of the marvels encountered by
Mr. Smith in his memorable month at Constantino-
ple. The various peculiarities of the Eastern
customs, the baths, bazaars, slave-market, fig-
packing, &c. &c., are the subjects of graphic
sketches and interesting remarks. Some
Turkish songs, of which the words and music also
are to be found in this volume, will be, no doubt,
most attractive to its fair readers, while those travel-
lers who feel disposed to follow the writer's example
will find some useful information in the concluding
pages, wherein are set forth the full particulars con-
cerning the time and expenses of the journey from
London to Constantinople by Switzerland, Italy,
Malta, Athens, and Smyrna, the time being about
three months, and the expenses little more than fifty
pounds. The folio wing account of the entry into the
Golden Horn, and the first glimpse of Constantinople,
is a happy specimen of the easy and delightful
style in which the whole series of reminiscences is
penned :
" I must confess that the first view of Stamboul, as
w© neared
certainly disappointed
Ihadthhaetarpdaratnodf
me. readthe seuitcyt: extraordinary accounts
of the beauty of the coup crail, and my expectations had
been raised to such an absurd height, that although I
St. Sophia,
down to the blue
andknew h In wasthat
he staring
dark
cypress hard
gat r
ot
vhee
cMo
mo
nqgu e o
water before us surrounded the Sultan's harem, and
that this blue water was the Bosphorus, my first excla-
mation to myself was—' And is this all!' But when we
rounded the Seraglio point, and slowly glided into the
Golden Horn, where the whole gorgeous panorama
opened upon me in its unequalled loveliness, the feeling
of wonder and admiration becamtabsolutely oppressive.
I bad never been so strongly moved before but once—
when I looked down upon London, by night, from a
balloon. To speak of the magnificent domes and lofty
minarets that detached themselves from the amphi-
theatres of buildings as we proceeded, and stood in clear
white relief against the bright blue sky; or of the quaint
houses and intermingled foliage and graceful cypress
groves that climbed to the very summits of the hills, and
stretched fir away in the distance—of the thousand
ships that the noble harbour brought alongside of the
very streets—the fairy palaces commencing to border the
Bosphorus—the light gilded wherries that darted by in
all directions, amidst the tame sea birds who rode upon
the clear rippling water—the gaily-coloured crowds upon
the bridge—the vivid sunlight—the exhilarating atmos-
phere—above all, perhapi, the sudden change from the
ennui of a sea voyage—is only to repeat what every-
body has said who has ever visited Constantinople—to
anticipate what ever) body will say on future arrivals."

EXTRAORDINARY BUNCH OF GnAPES.—There iS
now at Mr. Mayer's, the goldsmith, 68, Lord-street, a bunch
of grapes which measures in circumference three feet six
inches, diameter one foot two inches, length one foot six
inches, and the estimated weight is eight pounds. It is of
the black Hamburgh sort, grown at the residence of John
Houghton, Esq., West Derby. The vine has been laid down
four years, the fruit is of a full, deqa, rich, blooming colour,
and is perhaps the largest bunch ever produced in this
neighbourhood. We understand it is to be presented to Made-
moiselle Lind in the course of the week.—Liverpool. lbion.
THE TWELFTH OF AUGUST.—Reports from the
moors speak of fully average prospects of well-stocked shoot-
ings ; and, in the neighbourhood of the city, we have of late
observed several large coveys of strong young bird&—ilber-
deett Herald.