The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-02-25 00:00:00

OLD DINING Houas.—Twelve o'clock was considered
late hour for dining, a supper was seldom later than six ;
but forty years previous to this period, over the dining-
room of Secretary Pacca was written this inscription,
Pransurus ante Xne venito, post Xne maneto—" Come
not to dine either before or after ten." In 1627, the Gunts
of Erbach dined at nine in the morning ; anJ, in 1648, the
time of this meal in the establishment of Ernest, Duke of
Saxe-Gotha (ancestor of Prince Albert), was at a quarter
before eleven in the morning, summer and winter, and
supper at a quarter before six ; and, in more recent times,
the grandfather of our gracious Queen (George 111) dined
at one and supped at ten.—From the recently-published
romance of Hampton Court.
ands will be tearing I " COLOUR-BLINDNESS."—The following instance of

the same peculiarity of vision as that observed in Dr.
Dalton and Dug,ld Stewart, occurs in Madame D'Arb-
lay's Diary, in the course of her first conversation with
Kir,g George 111. "To me," said the king, "it appears
nge to meet with people who nave no ear for

ad cannot distinguish one air from another, as to
meet with people that are dumb. Lady Bell Finch once
told me that she had heard there was some difference be-
tween a psilm, a minuet, and a country dance; but she
declared they all sounded alike to her ! There are people
who have no eye for difference of colour. The Duke of
Marlborough actually cannot tell scarlet from green !"
He then told me an anecdote of his mistaking one of those
colours for another, which was very laughable, but I do
not remember it dearly enough to write it. How unfor-
tunate for true virtuosi' that such an eye should possess
objects worthy the most discerning—the treasures of Blen-
heim ! " I do not find, though," added his majesty, " that
this defect runs in his family, for Lady Di Beauclerk
draws very finely."

ploymen t,

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENGLISH AND CONTINENTAL
WAITERS.—There was a difference of opinion in our party
on the merits cf Meurice's cookery; but none on the
promptitnde,dexterity, and grace of the attendance, which
were quite without parallel in our experience. Indeed,
the garcons of the continent are a far more agreeable class
than our English waiters. Our waiters, with some plea-
sant exceptions, are a surly, ill-looking, ill-conditioned
race, moving about with airs of injured innocence while
you stay, and scowling at you when you depart, unless
you pay them twice as much as the profit which their mas-
ters obtain on your bill. T,e, garcons are generally lively,
light-hearted fellows, on excellent terms with themselves,
and disposed to be pleased with every one else; vain of
their trim jackets, open collars, and well-brushed hair, as
a country actor is of his fine dress, and disposed like him
to make the scene on which they move as cay and plea-
smt as possible. They seem conscious that you are in
search of enjoyment, and sympathise with you in your ho-
liday. S :me of them, who speak broken English and ob-
tain higher wages for the accomplishment, supply the de-
ficiency of the English unlearned in French and German
with a ready good-humour and delicacy of tact which
really makes one feel personally grateful to them.—Ser-
geant Talfourd's Vacation Rambles.

CHARGES FOR WATER MADE BY THE LIVERPOOL

AND HARRINGTON CONIPANY.—Cottage property pays
5 per cent. if it be under £8 a-year ; but there are many
hundreds of cottages in the town which are above £8
a-year, and these come under the charge of 6 per cent.
I do most solemnly believe that the persons who live in
houses between £8 and £2O per annum are, on the ave-
rage, more unable to pay their rents than the bulk of our
working-classes are. It comprises that vast class who
are a degree above the artizan or labourer, who are com-
pelled to keep a respectable exterior amidst much economy,
and too often at a deprivation of every comfort. It com-
prises the bulk of widows, lodging-house keepers, clerks
in mercantile offices, females who earn their living by
dressmaking and teaching, pettit shopkeepers of every
description ; and, indeed, forms, after the labouring ranks,
the most numerous body in our population. These are
charged the very highest rate, viz., 6 per cent ! Very
many, a mere degree above these, are found in houses
from £2O to £4O per annum, but as the assumed ability
to pay increases, the per tentage diminishes. These are
charged 5 per cent. As we proceed from £4O to £6O
a year, we again discover the rate lowered tos per cent.,and
from £6O upwards, still further redu. ed to 44 per cent.
So that the wealthy man, who can afford to pay a rent
above £6O, is charged half per cent. less than the labourer,
and 1 per cent. less than the classes who pay with diffi-
culty a rent varying from £8 to £2O a-year ; and this you
call " a charitable tax," and " the rich contributing to
the support of his poorer neighbour !"—lllr. Ho'me's
Letter.

THE LATE KING OF SWEDEN.—In their notices of
the late King of Sweden, the English newspapers have
stated him to be the son of a peasant of Bearn. This is
an error. He was by birth a citizen of Pau, the capital of
that province, as is proved by the tablet placed by his fel-
low-townsman upon the walls of the house where he was
born. His father was a counsellor of Parliament, of re-
spectab!e descent. At the period of the birth of-his son,
destined to such high fortunes, there resided at Pau a Scot-
tish gentleman of rank, for the health of his family. They
were on terms of intimacy with the Bernadotte family, and
he stood godfather to the child. Young Bernadotte, edu-
cated with care, decided early on the military profession,
which he entered as a volunteer. Shortly afterwards, his
regiment was sent to the East Indies. In an engaeement
wish the English he was severely wounded, and left on-the
field of battle. He was found by an officer in our service,
conveyed to his tent, his wounds dressed, and carefully
nursed. The handsome, graceful, and intelligent youth,
won on the affections of his preserver, who treated him as
a son, until an exchange of prisoners enabled him to re-
turn to France. Many years passed away, and Marshal
Bernadotte became commander-in-chief in the north of
Germany. His early friend was a native of Hanover.
The marshal made inquiries for the family, and found
that the officer himself had retired from service to his na-
tive land, to spend his old age. An aide-de-camp was
sent to invite him to the levee. He reluctantly obeyed,
having no idea that in the governor of his country he was
to meet his young friend of former days. Upon his en-
trance, the old officer was surprised to see the French
marshal spring forward, clasp him in his arms, and burst
into tears. " I see," said he, " you have forgotten the
poor youth you saved and tended as a child." He then
related to his officers the particulars of the event.—Fraser.
IRISH TENANTS.—The object which so excited his
astonishment was an assemblage of something more than
a hundred poor people, of every sex and age—from infancy
to dotage—seated on the grass, in a wide semicircle, and
awaiting the moment when he should issue forth. Every
phase of human misery which want and wretchedness can
bestow was there. The cheeks of some were pale and
haggard with recent sickness ; others had but a few tat-
tered rags to cover them; many were cripples, unable to
move without assistance. There was wan and sickly
childhood, and tremulous old age ; yet the tone of their
voices showed no touch of sadness; they laughed and
talked with all the seeming of light-heartedness; and
many a droll and merry saying broke from the medley
mass of suffering and sorrow. The sudden appearance of
Sir Marmaduke at the door instantaneously checked all
merriment, and solemn silence ensued, as he walked forth
and stood in front of them. " What do you want, my
good people ?" said he at length, as none seemed disposed
to open the proceedings. Had their tongues been un-
locked by the spell of a magician, the effect could not have
een nit,re instantaneous—a perfect volley of speech tol-
kwed, in which Sir Marmaduke in vain endeavoured to
follow the words of any single speaker. Their rapid
utterance, their vehement gesticulation, and a certain
cutteral, mode of pronunciation, quite new to him, made
them totally unintelligible, and he stood confused, per-
plexed, and confounded for several minutes, staring
around on every side. " Do, in Heaven's name, be quiet,"
cried he at last ; let one or two only talk at a time. and I
shall learn what you mean." A renewal of the clamour
ensued ; but this time it was a general effort to enforce
silence—a process which eventuated in a far greater uproar
than before. " Who, or what are you ?" cried Sir Mar-
maduke, at last losing all temper, at the continuance of
a tumult there seemed no prospect of coming to an end.
" We're your honour's servants, every one of us,"
shouted the crowd with one voice.— The O'Donoghue.

GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THE OPENING OF PAR-
LIAMENT.—I never recollect an opening of Parliament,
either by our present gracious Sovereign, or by any of her
royal predecessors. marked by so much popularity as that
which distinguished the proceedings of Tuesday. All
London literally out of doors ; and the Queen was loudly
and frequently cheered in her progress to the House.
She looked pale, as usual, on her way to Parliament, but
laughed heartily on her return home. Your readers will
perhaps excuse the familiarity of style. The interior of
the House of Lords was also more than usually brilliant:
the ladies, all of them young and divinely beautiful, came
in great numbers: the House was only one huge parterre
of lovely English flowers—most fragrant too, for I have
never encountered such a sweet smelling savour in all m)
life. The English ladies surely use perfumes to an extent
beyond all others. To give one description of the House
of Peers during the presence of the Queen might do very
well for all; therefore I will not enter upon old descrip-
tions on the present occasion. While her Majesty was
robing, Lord Glenlyon was the " observed of all ob-
servers." He was clad in the full Highland costume,
and looked nobly. I have always viewed with pity the
poor, white-legged, shambling devils, that one meets with
at bats masques, in the Highland dress. One glimpse of
Glenlyon dissipated every such recollection. And that
glorious basket-hilted claymore which he had girt on his
thigh—what tales it could have told if, like the Gentle
Shepherd or Royer, "he could speak ?" Anon the Queen
came into the House; the Commons were summoned;
the lords and ladies present were graciously desired to sit
down, which they immediately did—at least as many
as could; all was silence; the usual minute or two
had elapsed, Everett was speaking Yankee French with
Aulaire ; no Commons, however, appeared—not even the
hollow rumbling sound produced by their feet, as hurry-
ing along the matted galleries, was heard. The Queen
looked round about her—bit her royal lips—became fid-
getty, and appeared angry. All was mute astonishment.
Whether Sir Augustus Clifford, the Usher of the Black
Rod—the summoning officer—had got the gout, and could
not hobble to the Commons fast enough—or whether the
Speaker was in the same painful predicament, and could
not come to the Lords so cleverly as he was wont, is still
a mystery. After waiting double time, the Commons
appeared. Her Majesty looked at Mr. Sneaker, as much
as to say, " 'You're there; are you ?". The Speaker
bowed in the affirmative,as was once said of Lord Abinger.
In a moment the Queen's countenance was lit up, it
beamed with good nature, and unfolding the speech, she
read it in that unsurpassable manner which fascinates every
auditor. The Queen is the most beautiful reader I have
ever heard. It is impossible to describe her reading in
adequate terms. The solemn allusion to the superintend-
ing care and protection of Divine Providence, with which
the speech closed. as is customary, was pronounced with
deep fervour. The Queen immediately after placed the
Speech in the hands of the Chancellor, rose from the
throne, took the arm of Prince Albert, got a kiss in the
passage from the Duke of Cambridge (as is his custom,)
and amidst the cheers of her subjects, was driven to
Buckingham Palace.