The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-18 00:00:00

G, JANUAR Y 18 1345

In our report yesterday an inaccuracy occurred in the
description of a piece of silver plate. It is a group of
Sir Bevil Grenville, and not of Sir Grenville Temple.
Sir Bevil Grenville, or Granville, as he is sometimes
called, lost his life at the battle of Lansdown-hill, where
he charged a body of pikemen, who defended an emi-
nence. Mr. Cotterill is the artist who designed and
modelled the group.

THE POOR KNIGHTS of WINDSOR
A very important document connected with the en-
dowment of this ancient order has recently been disco-
vered among the archives of the Court of Wards and
Liveries, which promises to become the subject of legal
controversy, involving, as it does, the rights of the Poor
Knights of Windsor to the distribution among them of
a large and hitherto unappropriated income. The docu-
ment in question is a verified copy (signed by Cecil,
Lord Burleigh) of the charter, under the sign manual
of Queen Elizabeth, instituting the above order, and
bears date the 20th of August, 1558. The following is
extracted from the indenture prefixed thereto .—" And
whereas divers manors, lands, tenements, and heredita-
ments mentioned and contained in the schedule hereunto
annexed, of the clear yearly value of 600/. and above,
are given and assigned unto the dean and canons of
Windsor, and their successors, to and for the intent
and purposes that all and singular the premises,
the revenue, and profits of the same shall for ever be
employed and bestowed in the maintenance and sup-
port of thirteen poor knights within our Castle of Windsor
in such manner and form as in a book hereunto annexed,
and signed with our sign manual, is set forth and
declared." Following this is a covenant, on the part of
the dean and canons, " to employ the rents, revenues,
and profits of the same, in such manner and form as is
therein set forth and appointed." The charter then goes
on to state that the annual sum of 2314 6s. Bd. shall be
applied out of the same towards paying the vicar's and
serving priest's wages, officers' fees, and in the repairing
of the lands. The book annexed to the indenture con-
tains a description of the services to be performed, a
schedule of the lands, and an account of the privileges to
be enjoyed by the knights.
The present value of the endowment is upwards of
11,0001. per annum, although the stipend hitherto paid to
the knights has never exceeded 401. a-year. Until the
discovery of this interesting and valuable relic, which
appears to confirm the right of the knights to the full
appropriation of the endowment of their order, it was
concluded that the charter of Elizabeth, and all copies
thereof, were in the possession of the dean and canons of
Windsor, and no access thereto has ever been permitted
to the knights.
The opinion of counsel has been taken upon the sub-
ject, which is stated to be favourable to the knights, and
proceedings will be immediately instituted to recover
their rights.
The schedule of the lands is interesting, as showing
their N alue in the time of Elizabeth. The following
are some of the principal extracts from the charter, with
the annual rentals annexed:—
"Cornwall—St. German's Parsonage, 48/.; Plympton
St. Mary's, 461.; Plumstock Cnapel, 41L; Bradwynk
Rectory, 36/.; Wirnbum Chapel, 301.
" Devonshire—lple Penn Rectory, 301.; Southmolton
Rectory, 45/.; Ottery St. Mary, 37/.; Islington, 161.
" Wiltshire—Arnbroseshire Parsonage, 23/. 13s. 4d.;
Prebend Tithes of Bedwynde, 564 ; Stapelford Parsonage,
18/.

" Carmarthen—Abbergwille Rectory, 20/.
"Brecknock—Talgarthen and Mawe, 35/.
" Middlesex—lslewerth and Twickenham, .26/. 13s. 4d.
" London—Blossoms Inn, 161.
&c., &c., forming a total of 6611. 6s. Bd.
The copy of the charter is deposited in the Record-
office, and remains in an excellent state of preservation.
It is engrossed on vellum, and amongst other attractions,
not forgetting the autograph of the celebrated Cecil, is
a likeness of the royal founder of the order of the Poor
Knights, which is ascribed to Holbein.

REPORTED DEATH OF THE EM-
PEROR OF RUSSIA.
In reference to the report of the death of his Imperial
Majesty, which has created so great a sensation, we
shall not enter into any speculations or calculations.
We merely afford to our readers, as we have heretofore
done, the statements which have issued from the source
from which the report emanated.
Our Belgian correspondent in his letter, dated " Brus-
sels, Thursday evening, Jan. 16," says :—" I have not
received, in relation to the reported death of the Em-
peror of Russia, any intelligence since I dispatched my
letter yesterday, which can enable me either to deny or
to confirm positively the report so confidently announced
by the Eclair and other Brussels papers of Tuesday
night ; but the authenticity of the statement, which had
obtained for itself general credence, is now very much
doubted here."
Our correspondent at Amsterdam, writing on the 15th
inst., expresses a similar opinion, and mentions that
" the Journal de la Llaye states that no intelligence of
the Emperor of Russia's illness had reached that place."
Our Paris correspondent, dating is letter Thursday
evening, says :
" Berlin papers of the 6th, state that letters had been
received from St. Petersburgh, announcing the illness of
the Empeor. Great agitation was felt at the Russian
Embassy."—Herald.

NEW PROJECTED RAILWAYS.
(From the London Gazette of Last Night.)
RAILWAY DEPAR IMENT OF THE BOARD OF
TRADE, WHITEHALL, JAN. 17, 1845.
Notice is hereby given that the Board constituted by
the Minute of the Lords of the Committee of Privy
Council for Trade of the 24th of August, 1844, for the
transaction of railway business, having had under con-
sideration the following schemes for extending railway
communication in the district of North Kent, and in the
districts of Kent and Sussex, intermediate between the
South Eastern and Brighton Railways, viz.:—
The Central Kent Railway,
The London and Croydon—Orpington Branch,
The London and Maidstone,
The London and Ashford,
The London, Chatham, and Chilham,
The London, Chatham, and Gravesend,
The London, Chatham, and North Kent,
The Rye, Tenterden, and Headcorn,
The South-Eastern—Maidstone and Rochester,
The South-Eastern—Tunbridge to Hastings, Rye,
and St. Leonard's,
The South-Eastern—Branches to Deal and Walmer,
and extension and deviation at Margate,
The South-Eastern—Ashford to Hastings,
The South-Eastern—Headcorn to Rye,
The South-Eastern—Hungerford-bridge to Tunbridge
- Paddock Wood and Branches,
an" - "astern—North Kent, Hungerford-bridge
The South.... • `ll a branch to Sheerness, and branch
to Chilhtem,
1, and Woolwich;
to connect Gfoll+Wit.,
to Parliament in favour
Have decided on repertung .
of the
South-Eastern—Maidstone and Rocheste.;
South-Eastern—Branches to Deal and Wale..ers and
extension and deviation at Margate,
South-Eastern—Ashford to Hastings,
South-Eastern—Hungerford-bridge to Tunbridge and
Paddock Wood and Branches,
South-Eastern—North Kent, Hungerford-bridge to
Chilham, with Branch to Sheerness, subject to any
modifications which may appear to be desirable for
the naval and military establishments of the country;
and reserving consideration of the Branch to con-
nect Greenwich and Woolwich ;
And against the
Central Kent,
London and Croydon—Orpington Branch,
London and Maidstone,
London and Ashford,
London, Chatham, and Chilham,
London, Chatham, and Gravesend,
London, Chatham, and North Kent,
Rye, Tenterden, and Headcorn,
South-Eastern—Tunbridge to Hastings, Rye, and St.
Leonard's (with the exception of so much of the line
as lies between Tunbridge and Tunbridge Wells),
South-Eastern—Headcorn to Rye.

DALHOUSIE.
C. W. PASLEY. G. R. PORTER.
D. O'BRIEN. S. LAING.

FLOCK OF GOLDFINCHES.—On Saturday afternoon
a very numerous flock of goldfinches were observed to
cross the North Inch from Balhousie, and alight at the
river side, a little above the horse watering•place. Con-
sidering that for many years the goldfinch, the most
beautiful of our native feathered songsters, has been a
rather scarce bird, and that seldom more than from
twelve to a scoreittive been discovered together, such a
flock as thatlaryvn On Saturday—upwards of 100, is some-
what reiafFtgibie. Somehow or other, several bird-
fanciers in the'4.town hid so early information of the
chance of making a fine capture, that the birds were not
many minutes alighted, when call-birds and limed twigs
were placed round them in every direction. The wild
goldfinches would not, however, take the twigs, and in a
short time they rose in a body, and flew in the direction
from whence they came, to the sad disappointment of
the fanciers, who expected to take a dozen or so of
them ; and for which, had they been successful,
they would have made a very handsome sum, as
male goldfinch readily brings from 4s to
as., and a female 2s. 6d. The appearance of so nume-
rous a collection of these birds is said to betoken a storm
in the north.—Perthshire Courier,

MR. BRIGHT'S VISIT TO DURHAM.
(From the Sunderland Herald.)
On Wednesday evening John Bright, Esq., the talented
member for this city, addressed the electors and other
inhabitants in the theatre, Saddler-street. Immediately
after the doors were opened the building was crowded
to excess, and hundreds of persons were unable to obtain
admission.
At seven o'clock Mr. Bright appeared on the stage,
accompanied by a large number of his friends and con-
stituents. He was greeted on his appearance with loud
and enthusiastic cheers.
On the motion of Mr. Oliver, seconded by Mr. J. E.
Marshall,
JOHN HINDERSON, Esq., was called to the chair, who
opened the proceedings in an appropriate speech, during
which he referred to the fact that former representa-
tives of the city had not been in the habit of meet-
ing the inhabitants in this manner. They were much
indebted to Mr. Bright for having introduced so good a
custom.—(Applause.)
Mr. BRIONIFT was hailed with rapturous cheering.
His speech occupied nearly two hours in its delivery,
and many of its passages were extremely able
and eloquent. We are only able to present our
readers with a brief abstract. He commenced by stating
the object of their assembly, which was that he might
advert to his votes during the last session of Parliament,
state to them his views of the present position of the
free-trade question, and receive from them any hints or
suggestions as to their wishes for the future. He was
sorry to hear that similar meetings had not been hereto-
fore held in the city of Durham, for he was convinced
that nothing was of more importance than that Members
should frequently meet their constituents, especially when
the connexion which subsisted between them was only
of a political character. Members were far too apt to be
profuse of promises on the hustings, and forgetful of
them in the House of Commons. His professions as a
candidate were chiefly confined to one questicn—the
question of free trade, in the fullest sense of the word ;
not in corn only, but every other article of import, and
with respect to every article of domestic or home mann-
facture.—(Applatise.) The peculiarity of the circum-
stances attending his election seemed to demand that
such a meeting should take place, for he came to the city
an entire stranger, not knowing a single individual in it,
and having no reputation here, save the fleeting and un-
satisfactory one arising from his name often appearing in
the columns of the newspapers. They were satisfied with
his professions, and sent him to Parliament; he had now
returned to give them an account of his past conduct, and
ask their approbation of the past, and their support for
the future.—(Applause.) In taking a review of the mea-
sures of last session, he first adverted to the question of
the sugar duties, explaining the discriminating duties
as they existed previous to the alteration made by
Government, and vindicating himself and his colleagues
for the vote they gave in favour of Government and
against Mr. Miles 's amendment on that question—.
an amendment which, he said, was supported by the
Whigs simply with a desire to outvote the Ministry.
Next came Mr. Villiers's motion for a repeal of
the corn-laws, and on the second night's debate
the late Whig Ministers absented themselves from
their usual places in the House--it was a studied insult
to the advocates of free trade, because they refused to
vote with the Whigs to turn out the Tories. The only
exception was a nobleman nearly allied to this county,
the representative of a neighbouring borough—be al-
luded to Lord Howick—(Applause)—and his speech was
perhaps—he was going to say without any exception—
the most powerful and the most beautiful speech he had
ever heard in defence of free trade.—(Applause.) The
Whigs attempted to lessen the minority on that division,
but they did not succeed; the same number of votes was
registered in its favour as on the preceding year, whilst
from 20 to 30 voted with the League in 1844, who had
never voted with them before.— (Applause.) Later on
in the session Mr. Gibson proposed that a Government
Commission should be issued to go down into Suffolk,
Essex, and parts of Cambridgeshire, for the purpose of
ascertaining the causes of the incendiary fires which
were then raging. Mr. Gibson is a Suffolk landowner,
although he represents Manchester, and as the squires
who represented the rural districts sat and voted as if
they had left an Elysium, he felt it his duty to bring
forward the question. The commission was not issued,
the incendiary fires had gone on and are going on still,
and Government and the landowners refused to inquire
into the cause of this lamentable state of things. He
(Mr. Bright) said that the prevalence of incendiarism
showed that there was something rotten in the state of
the agricultural districts—something was out of joint,
when men, honest and well-meaning as any then pre-
sent, were tempted or driven to raise their hands against
the property of their neighbours and employers; and the
members of the League would have been wanting in
their duty if they had neglected to bring this important
matter before Parliament, especially when they found it
was a subject which the representatives of the agricul-
tural counties were afraid to grapple with. After some
further statements, the Honourable Member continued:
—No party had ever yet been able to make the Leagne
a tool or instrument to aid its 'Purposes, and no party
should ever do so.—(Cheers.) He then adverted to the importance of free trade, and to the increased commerce
which it would bring between this and other countries.
Their opponents knew that free trade was good, or why
did they rejoice over a free trade tariff for China? Sir
Henry Pottinger had been feted, and eight or nine thou-
sand pounds had been subscribed (chiefly by monopo-
lists) to purchase an estate for him, because when the
Chinese were in a very humble mood, as most men are
when they are beaten, he established a tariff, by which
wheat and provisions of all kinds should enter China
free of duty, the ships which brought them being also
free from the usual port charges; by which there is to be
no discriminating or protective duties; and, according to
which all duties for revenue are to be moderate. Now this
was just snch a tariff as the League wanted; and if it was
good for China, he did not see why it should not be
good for England; yet the very men who lauded Sir
Henry Pottinger for doing this for China heaped calumny
and abuse upon the Anti-Corn-law League, because they
were anxious to establish such a tariff in England.—
(Loud applause.) After adverting at considerable
length to the injurious operation of the corn-laws, and
showing that the present state of commercial prosperity
was owing to the cheap price of bread, arising from a
bountiful harvest (which blessing would be perpetuated
by a repeal of the bread tax), he stated the means which
the League was now employing, viz., increasing the
county constituencies by the addition of free trade
voters, for hastening the abolition of monopoly. In re-
viewing his own conduct during the last session of Par-
liament, he had only one cause of regret, and it was
that he had suffered the Night Poaching Bill to pass
without opposition, a Bill which made it equally criminal
for a man to be found armed on the high road as in his
neighbour's lands. This Bill was smuggled through the
House, and he had lost sight of it. He the more re-
gretted this circumstance, because he believed if any one
Member had fairly opposed it, it would not have passed.
He had some consolation, however, in believing that
now, when the evils of the game-laws have become so
fearful that a reconsideration of them must speedily take
place, this further extension of them would add to the
hatred against a system more tyrannous and galling than
any that ever existed—a system which in 1843 consigned
4,b00 of his fellow-countrymen to gaol, and which, within
the lest ten years has caused the deaths of 41 game-
keepers, in 26 of which cases verdicts of wilful murder
were returned by the coroners' juries, besides the
death of a great number of poachers. If anything could
add to the hideousness of the features of these laws, it
was the measure which was passed in the last session of
Parliament. He had already given notice of his inten-
tion to bring forward a motion in the next session for
the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the ope-
ration of the game-laws, especially as they affected the
prosperity of the farmer, and the morals and comfort of
the labourer. He hoped and believed that the Govern-
ment would grant him a Committee on this important
subject, and he anticipated much benefit from their
labours. Mr. Bright then recounted the grounds of hope
for the future ; concluding a brilliant speech by assuring
them that he should return to the House of Commons
stimulated and strengthened by the manner in which he
had that night been received, and determined to devote
himself incessantly and unswervingly to the advocacy
of those great and just principles which first recom-
mended him to the good opinion and suffrages of the
electors of the city of Durham. [The Hon. Member then
resumed his seat amidst the most deafening plaudits of
the crowded audience.]
Mr. BRAMWELL moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Bright
s~ the able review which ho had taken of the proceed-
t,
,ri Parliament during the last session, and for his
gs) E.,
past e.ASertu,-
-ns and expressive, also, of full confidence in
his future cOnslts:t.

The motion vas seconded by Mr. J. E. MARSHALL,
and carried unanimousii. and with loud acclamations.
Mr. BRIGHT returned thanks.
The dense assembly separated about half-past nine
o'clock.

VISIT OP THE COURT TO STRATHEIEDSAYE.-
WINDSOR, FRIDAY EVENING,—IIer Majesty and Prince
Albert (who are expected to arrive at the Castle to-
morrow, to luncheon, from the seat of the Duke of
Buckingham), will take their departure on Monday next
for Strathfieldsaye, where the Court will remain until
the following Thursday. Her Majesty and the Prince
will proceed through Bracknell and Oakingham, at both
of which places stabling has been engaged for relays of
the Queen's horses. Her Majesty, after partaking of an
early luncheon on Monday, will leave the Castle at two
o'clock in the afternoon, so as to reach the residence of
the Duke between four and five. The distance from
Windsor to Strathfieldsaye, about twenty-five miles,
will be accomplished in two hours and a half. The first
stage, to Bracknell, is nine miles; the second, 'to Oak-
ingham, six miles; and thence to the seat of his Grace
ten utiles.

SALISRURY.—FREE TRADE IN THE FIFTEENTH
CENTURY I—On Monday evening last, the tradesmen
employed by the firm of Maton and Co., brewers, of
this city, entertained their friends in a spacious room
elegantly fitted up at the brewery, in Milford-street,
when a jug, containing the modest quantity of fourteen
quarts,was filled again and again with superior strong beer.
This vessel is one of the relics of curiosity belonging to
the late Joiners' Company now extinct in this city, and
was used by the company in 1527; but what is most
remarkable is the fact that on this jug are the words,
still legible, "Free Trade." A similar jug, in the course
of the evening, belonging to the Tailors' Company, was
also presented to the numerously assembled guests, and
also foaming with malt and hop production. The evening
was spent in a very agreeable and pleasing manner.—
Sherborne Journal.

The Duchess of Inverness is passing the holidays
with the Earl of Scarborough, at Rufford Hall, ;Notts.
The Noble Earl, on Christmas-day last, had above 200
of his labourers assembled in the large vaulted hall of
the abbey, whom his Lordship provided with a substan-
tial dinner. The Earl and Duchess during the reps-.
frequently honoured the assemblage with their presence.
Doncaster Gazette.

MODERN COOKERY. London, Longman, 1845.
" The proper and wholesome preparation of our
daily food," says the authoress of this work in her
preface, " though it may hold in the estimation of the
world but a very humble place among the useful arts
of life, can scarcely be considered altogether an un-
important one." Miss Acton here underrates the
science of gastronomy, which is so far from holdinF,
" a very humble place among the useful arts of life,"
that it is considered by all right thinking people as
one of the most important pursuits to which human
invention and ingenuity can be directed. Look, for
instance, at the respect—we might almost say, the
superstitious veneration—which is paid to it in this,
the first metropolis of the civilised world ! Think of
the intense—the yearning spirit of devotion exhibited
by our august civic dignitaries on the first
entrance of the savoury callipash and calippee
into Guildhall on that (lay of days, the ninth
of November ! The Ministers of the Crown,
the judges, the bishops, &c.—all these illustrious per-
sonages are lost sight of in the absorbing attention
paid to the venison and turtle, which may justly be
pronounced the "Lions" of the festival. Then the
famous whitebait dinners at Blackwall 1 What well-
disposed Christian but looks forward to these pleasant
episodes in daily life with rapture, and remembers
them with affection, thus cultivating, in connexion
with them, both the " Pleasures of Hope " and
of " Memory ?" The late Sir William Curtis was
imbued with so profound a veneration for the science
of gastronomy, that he never saw a haunch of venison
hanging up in a poulterer's shop, but he took off his
hat to it as a mark of respect; and the strongest ex-
pression of feeling we ever saw depicted in the human
countenance, was in that of a seedy epic poet who
was standing with his nose flattened against the win-
dow-pane of a cook's shop, sniffing the fragrant
perfumes that came steaming up from the kitchen.
In every age of the world almost every writer of emi-
nence has borne testimony to his love of good eating
and drinking. Homer is full of allusions to these
pleasant matters ; and in his very first book of the Iliad
he describes his gods and goddesses pitching into the
nectar administered to them by Hebe, with such un-
common vigour, as leaves an impression on the reader's
mind that they will all be dead drunk within the
hour. Descending to more modern times, who forgets
the constant references of Horace to his suppers with
Maecenas, and his sketch of the party at Nasidienus's,
where, if it had not been for the unlucky fall of the
curtain, the guests would have enjoyed their fill of
good things as completely as if they had been dining
with Lord Walbrook Gibbs at Guildhall ? In the
inimitable pages of Cervantes our delightful friend
Sancho "tucks like a Trojan"—to use a well-known
simile—and it is a remarkable fact that in the social
Scotch novels the heroes and heroines never once
lose their appetite, no matter how delicate may be
the distresses in which they are involved. Again,
in the " Noctes Ambrosia= "—would they could be
continued !—the redoubted Christopher North takes
every opportunity of impressing his readers with a
lively sense of his gastronomic capabilities ; and even
Milton, notwithstanding the surpassing loftiness of
his theme, contrives to get up a very pretty little im-
promptu supper for Adam and Eve in Paradise, which
they discuss with a relish worthy of an alderman. It
was Doctor Johnson's opinion that the hour of dinner is
the most important in the whole twenty-four; and
regularly as that welcome hour approached, his face
--especially if he happened to be dining with Mr.
Thrale—would be lit up with a radiant expression
resembling inspiration. Had the Doctor been now

living, we can-not doubt but he would have been de-
lighted with the volume before us, which treats of
the best methods of preparing his favourite meal,
with an earnestness—a skill—and an animation
worthy of all possible laud. Like the late illustrious
Kitchener--that erudite professor of gastronomy—
Miss Acton gives no receipts but such as she has her-
self strictly tested. Eschewing the theoretical, she
confines herself to the practical portion of the
science ; and some of the sauces for which she offers
receipts are so piquant and relishing in their cha-
racter, that a man might almost digest his own
grandmother with them. But it is on soups that
she is greatest. On this important subject her genius
absolutely runs riot in its prodigality of invention ;
and her details respecting the best method of pre-
paring the " Lord Mayor's Soup"—what a soup that
must be !—might beget an appetite " under the ribs
of death." We have perused her volume in a spirit
of the profoundest reverence, and cordially recom-
mend it to the attention of all gastronomists, who
constitute by far the most intelligent portion of the
creation.

NAPOLEON: AN EPIC POEM.
Longman, London, 1845.
The red morocco binding of this epic poem is all
:hat binding should be; the paper and print, too,
eave nothing to be wished for on the score of neatness
and elegance ; but when we come to speak of the
blank verse in which the poem is written, all that we
can say is, that it is very blank indeed ! As far, how-
ever, as mere scansion is concerned, we have nothing
to object to in the lines, for they are correct to a
nicety ; but, alas, there is no poetry in them—no
graceful or sparkling imagery—no impassioned feel-
ing—all is as dull, cold and barren as the road, ac-
cording to Sterne's Smellfungus, " from Dan to Beer-
sheba.' The subject of the epic is the achievements
of Napoleon, whom the author has taken for his hero
for the singular purpose of abusing him in every
page; and " whose conquests," he tells us,
" Whose conquests, glories, crimes, and sudden fall
No feeble muse may sing. Thy mighty deeds,
Proud Corsican, demand Homeric lyre !"
Of course the author is satisfied that his is " no
feeble Muse," or he would scarcely have undertaken
to sing of deeds which demand " Homeric lyre ;" but
we must beg to join issue with him on this point, for
his muse is as " feeble " as if she had only just reco-
vered from a six months' attack of influenza, and is
far better qualified to sound the praises of General
Tom Thumb, than of the Emperor Napoleon. In
the march of his verse the author is an evident imitator
of Milton, and, like him, is fond of introducing proper
names on all occasions ; but the swelling, stately,
organ-like roll of the melody in "Paradise Lost "is
wholly wanting in "Napoleon," which moves heavily
on for pages together at the dull, leaden pace of a
broad-wheeled waggon, and without making the
slightest approach to music of versification. We
know not when we have met with so presumptuous a
production as the one before us, which, constantly at-
tempting to be brilliant, is constantly dull by mis-
take. The only tolerable passage in it is the de-
scription of the battle of the Pyramids, and even here
there is more smoke than fire.

DIARIES AND CORRESPONDENCE OF
THE EARL OF MALMESBUI?Y, Vols. 111.
and IV. Bentley, London, 1845.
These volumes conclude the Diaries and Corres-
pondence of the Earl of Malmesbury—who, in the
opinion of Talleyrand, was one of the most sagacious
statesmen of his age—and commence with the year
1793, and close with the year 1813. If they do not
throw much important additional light on the history
of this stirring period, they are, at any rate, exceed-
ingly entertaining, for they are crowded with inci-
dents ; and we find in them numerous characteristic
sketches of some of the most eminent public men
with whom Lord Malmesbury was brought into con-
tact in the course of his long and active official career.
Pitt, Canning, and that bigotted old woman, Adding-
ton, are frequently brought on the tapir, and of Can-
ning the noble author says :—" He has been forced
like a thriving plant in a well-managed hot-house;
he has prospered too luxuriantly—has felt no check nor
frost. Too eat ly in life he has had many, and too easy,
advantages. This, added to very acute parts, makes
him impatient of control." The whole of Canning's
political career justifies this sagacious description of
him which was penned in the year 1803, when he
was yet but a statesman of promise, not of perform-
ance. Of the late Emperor Alexander the noble
author appears to have entertained no very high
opinion, and alluding to the battle of Friedland, in
which the Russians were worsted by Bonaparte, says,
" though not decisive as a battle, it was a complete
victory over the mind of the Emperor Alexander;
from that day all his boasted courage ended;
and fear, panic, and every dastardly feeling
terror and dismay could suggest, seem to
have taken at once possession of him." These
Diaries and Correspondence will furnish excellent
materials for the use of some future historian of the
bustling period to which they refer, for, generally
speaking, they are free from strong political preju-
dices, and the author was a cool, wary, astute ob-
server who was not likely to be led very far
astray from the truth in his estimate of men and
or we would
things. We have no space for extracts,
quote some amusing passages from his Diary during
the ricketty administration of Mr. Addington.

HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
DUBLIN. c
Loondpolnete, Caadne/dl, 1
circumstantial 845.
This is the
most complete
m
account we have yet seen of the Protestant Uni-
versity of Dublin, describing its origin under Queen
Elizabeth, its progress, and its present condition, and
containing, in addition, biographical notices of some
of the most eminent men who have received their
education at this celebrated seat of learning. The
work is the production of a gentleman named Taylor,
who has evidently bestowed considerable pains on it,
and has embellished it with several appropriate illus-
trations.

REPEAL IN TUE QUEEN'S BENCH.—Some laughter
was occasioned in the Queen's Bench, Dublin, on Satur-
day, and not a few jokes cracked in the Hall of the Four
Courts on the " advance of repeal," in consequence of
Dr. Gray, who at that time twelve months was placed at
the bar as a conspirator, for being a repealer, having
been that day called and sworn on the grand jury, wear-
ing, it is said, the same repeal button in the jury, box
which he had previously worn at the traversers' bar.—
.Freentan,

THE LATE BANK ROBBERY.—We find that the
Procureur du Roi of this city received a letter some
days since from Mr. Hobler, the solicitor of Messrs.
Rogers and Co., to request him to give, officially, a notice
to the bankers, money-changers, and principal hotels
here, where foreigners are in the habit of coming, of the
list of the stolen Bank of England notes, and to eatition
the bankers and others that they should examine all
Bank of England notes offered to them by foreigners ;
and that if they took any of the stolen notes after that
notice, loss would fall upon themselves, as the payment,
of all the notes was stopped. We believe Mr. Hobler
hag taken the same steps with every British Embassy
and Consulate in Europe, and the official notices when
completed will be forwarded to England ; so that let a
note come in from Paris, Brussels, or any other city or
town in Europe, there will be official proof of notice
against the banker through whose hands it may have
passed, and thus rendering it hopeless in him to expect
payment of the note. We have learned also that the
Bank of England have issu©d a new 1,000/. note, dated
the 13th of November, 1844, instead of the 13th of May,
1844, which is the date of those stolen from Messrs.
Rogers and Co., and that application has been made to
the bankers in London and throughout the United King-
dom, to send in to the Bank of England all the 1,0004
notes of the 13th of May, 1844, which we believe has
been complied with, so that there would now be none
returned into the Baak to be exchanged but those that
were stolen. This extraordinary operation will, we
hope, be responded to by our bankers and money-
changers, to lend their aid in preventing the robbers,
whoever they may be, receising any advantages now or
at any future day from their ill-gotten moneys.—Brussels
British Gazette.
THE FOUNTAINS IN TRAFALGAR-SQUARE.—From
the rapid progress in every department of the works,
these long-expected ornaments will soon be put in ope-
ration. The boring for water is completed, and a very
plentiful supply has been obtained, For several days
past the engines have been employed in raising water,
which has been found quite equal to the demand which
will be required, and a jet of water has r,eadily been
forced to a height of 30 feet in the basins. The well in
Trafalgar-square has been sunk to a depth of about 160
feet, and that in Orange-street, Leicester-square, which
is on a higher elevation, about 30 feet deeper. The iorge
cistern at the top of the engine-house will hold 38,0:00
gallons of water, and that at the top of the tower, whieih
is about 20 feet higher, about one-third of that quantity.
In addition to furnishing the fountains, these are in--
tended to supply the whole of the Government buildiags
and offices in the district, for daily use or emergency, in
cases of fire, for which pipes are now being laid down.
The ornamental iron work for the jets is in a state of
great forwardness. The water, which rises in the borings
to about 60 feet of the surface, is pumped up by two
Cornish engines of 20 horse power.
SAMARITAN FUND OF THE ST. GEORGE'S AND ST.
JAMES'S DISPENSARY.—At the close of the year 1843
the six medical officers of this charity, who attend 5,0(10
patients annually, and visit a large props rtion at their
homes, finding that an immense amount of discsae Ws
1 incurable from want of proper air, food, and Plothing-,.
proposed the formation of a fund, which, in addition to
medicines, should supply these requisites. The Auld
was founded, and 3001. was collected in annual subscriß-
tions and donations. By means of this fund the sieve
poor have been supplied during the present year, by
orders from the medical officers attending them, with
10,408 half-quartern loaves, 3,004 pints of milk, 2,859
pints of soup, 583 flannel shirts, and 465 ventilators.
The benefit has been incalculably great, but the expen-
diture has exceeded the income by 30/.
METROPOLITAN IMPROYEMENTS.—Yesterday the
twenty-first report of the Commissioners of Woods and
Forests was printed, from which it appears that in re-
spect to the metropolitan improvements the Commis-
sioners hove completed purchases to the amount in the
whole of 457,884/. 15s. 10d., and have contracted for
further purchases to the amount in the whole of
191,617/. 15s. 10d. ; and, besides these, the purchases
now remaining to be made, in order to clear the whole
of the ground required for completing the several linee
of improvements, it is estimated will cost the further sun
of 54,2561. 55., or thereabouts. In the line from Oxford-
street to Holborn the Commissioners have completed
purchases to the amount of 211,6841. 14s. 10d., and have
contracted for further purchases to the emoting of
56,969/. 38. 4d. ; and besides these, there remainto be made purchases estimated to cost the
sum of 14,5711 155., or thereabouts. In the line
from Bow-street to Charlotte-street, Bloomsbury,.
they have completed purchases to the amount of
70,958 L 18s. 3d., and have contracted for further pur-
chases to the amount of 3,0094 1 ls. 9d., and besides
these purchases remain to be made to about 17,5952
In the line from the London Docks to Spitalfields
Church they have completed purchases to 96,742 L 165.
lid., and contracted for further purchases to
30,2364
Bs. 7d., and there remain to be made other purchases,
estimated to cost 6,7401 In the line from CovectrY'
street to Long-acre they have made purchases to 77,0784
ss. 10d. ; contracted for others to 89,202/. 12s. 2d., and
besides, purchases will be required to about 8,0971. 10s.;
and in the line from East Smithfield to Rosemary-lane
the Commissioners have completed purchases to 1,4204;
contracted for further purchases to 12,2004 and besides
these, others will be needed to 7,2524 The Commis-
sioners, it appears, borrowed some time ago the sum of
500,000/. from the Equitable Assurance Company, upon
the security of certain portions of the land revenue of
taking measures
tinh
the Crown, and money was also procured from Ex.
eeaps uurrepso 8
eforo
foebotatoipniientwq ;
chequer-bills and the sale of materials. The funds are
now nearly expended in the sums mentioned, and the
loansi o n e
or sf
2asroe,ootoa4k
the improvements in the metropolis.
We learn from authentic sourcesof • f Cold
fCuormthmeris
that it is not in the c
any reduction •
1
in orma i
contemplation of Ministers to
make in taxation, with the exception
of tea. It is added that circumstances of a very saspi-
cious nature have occurredatCherbourg, and that a
proposition will be Ina! to Parliament to appropriate
th e surplus revenue in coast defences and fortifications,
so as to guard against surprise under any possible event;
and to ensure the protection of the yards, menals, and
merchant navy.—Dublin Evening Mari
TILE BREAKWATER LIGHTHOUSE, PLYMOUTII.-011
Thursday morning, the 16th instant, at half-past eleven
o'clock, Mr. Jones, the head-keeper of the Breakwater
Lighthouse, was unfortunately washed off that struc-
ture by an immense wave which came in from the south-
ward. He was proceeding from the east end towards
the west to receive some clothing from a boatman named
Forward, who had been sent out by the lightkeeper's
wife. Forward recovered Mr. Jones's cap, but states
that Mr. Jones sank immediately. Graham, the man on
duty at the lighthouse, instantly hoisted a signal of dis-
tress, and the foreman of the works, Mr. Findlater,
promptly left the Chatham hulk with a number of his
men, who used every exertion in their power, but with-
out effect. Up to two o'clock the body had not been
found. There was no wind at the time, but it was high
water, and there was a heavy ground swell on' owing to
the recent gales. Mr. Jones was a native of Harwich,
and has left a widow and family.
BUST OP ADAM iSMITH.—The Lord Provost and
magistrates have confided to Mr. Patrick Park the task
of executing a marble bust of the philosopher, from the
medallion by Tassy, which is held to be the only like-
ness extant. The bust, when completed, will be placed
in the Council-hall, City-buildings.—Glaegoto Argus.