The Brecon Reporter and South Wales General Advertiser

THE COURT, ♦ THE Queen has been living very retired since Christmas at Osborne. Preparations are being made, for her Majesty's reception in February next, both at Palace and at Windsor. It ia believed that the Queen will remain in London about a fort- bight and then take up her residence at Windsor for he remainder of the season. THE marriage of Prince Christian and her Royal highness the Princess Helena will, it is said, probably take place early in Jnlv. THEIR Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of 'Wales terminated their visit to the Earl and Countess ?f Leicester at Holkham, Norfolk, on Saturday, return- Jig with their suite to Sandringham-house, by the West Norfolk Junction Railway, from the Burnham station. Although the weather has been extremely Cold and inclement, the visit of the Prince and Princess to IIolkham has doubtlessly been rendered very agree. le by the hospitable warmth of their reception. The t Norfolk Junction line, which h0,9 militated the movements of the Pair» is at pre- sent in a very incomplete state, general traffic is Qt expected to be commenced oil it until March, when lt will be carried to WeUs-n^V^-fea, a point still Nearer Holkham than stay of the Prince ^d PrincasS at Sandrin^»fi is drawing to a close, and a visit which they had proposed to make to Lord and Lady Walsingham at Merton-hall, Norfolk, will {tot now b8 paid, the ti^e which would otherwise have been devoted to it having been absorbed in the retire- ment imposed on the Rsyal pair for a fortnight by th death of his Majesty the King of the Belgians.

JPOUTICAXi GOSSIP. IT is very little known that the coin composed of pl»tina is again being introduced among the circu- lating medium of Russia. The metal is extracted j ?FVa m*Q9 which has lately been re-worked, and f 'Which produced last year a quantity of pure metal aiaounting to 2,3701bs. ,*T is reported that the first vacant puisne judge- ship be offered to the Recorder of London, ^isaell Gurney, Esq., Q.C. and M.P., who is now serving on the Jamaica commission. Under any a judgeship will become vacant before Jjto long vacation, and, ia all probability, the learned Recorder will fill the seat on the judicial bench once bv his father, the late baron. MAZZINI, who was reported to be ill and in rather J*aitened circumstances, is better in health. He u»nds a chance of being elected a deputy. It is Wetty well time that the King of Italy gave him per- fusion to sniff the air of Italy again; which, now that is free air, will- smell sweeter to him, and have, Uej aPs» a calming effect upon his excitable political IJHIS Excellency the Russian Ambassador and Brunnow gave a sumptuous entertainment jj1 Saturday evening, it being the Russian New Tear's at the Russian Embassy, in Chesham-place, ^elgraye-gquare. His Royal Highness the Duke of Abridge honoured their Excellencies with his oom- at dinner. A distinguished company, including j* the members of the embassy, were honoured with ^itatioka to meet the illustrious guest. The band A S16 Coldstream Guards, under the direction of Mr. Godfrey, performed during the banquet. Shortly Sal ^eH o'clock Baroness Brunnow opened her jtoons for the reception of a brilliant assemblage of e members of the diplomatic corps and foreigners staying in London. The festivities termi- rp with dancing in one of the principal saloons. ^as been some cavil (says the Examiner) at Jtee a^0n 6 ^asfer the Rolls to the Wrage- What if the elevation had been not so much ause Sir John Romilly was Master of the Rolls, as the Rolls was Sir John ;^Uly ? The man who upon full knowledge was a taC,Tarly recomm6iided by Mr. John Stuart Mill as iVa.a i rePresentative for Westminster, and who looked to by an extensive body of the heads and ^"actuates of the London University as their represen- tative, had the franchise been conferred upon them, is bot likely to be, in impartial judgment, an inferior |9er. Nor is the leading promoter of the Encumbered ^tatea Act—that Aot of which Sir Robert Peel em- phatically said, it was so good a measure that he •eally wondered how it could have passed; a measure which alone, from its beneficent effects, would have earned a peerage for its foster-father—likely, in im- jntetial judgment, to be an inferior member of the 1 Lords. A lawyer who decides more on gislative Principle than legal precedent is likely to &*8lafcif reversed occasionally by judges of XnunVi,80r'* Lord Romilly be such a lawyer, so ia of Jbetter for him and for the public good. It them 'ii. lawy0rs that, so far as the law provides ??> the true statesmen oome. ?' FENWICK, M.P. for Sunderland, has ac- tio .a Lord of the Admiralty, vacant by Of etappomtment of Mr. Childers as Financial Secretary M the Treasary. Ch?? are haPPy to announce that the Right Hon. Sir • Wo°d has quite recovered from his late acci- ion/ilQ field, and purposes returning to in order to meet his colleagues in their *&inet deliberations. "4 å. TELEGRAM from Madras says it is believed that l'd Napier will succeed Sir W. Denison as Governor. J oddest franchise right as yet proposed in these is that by an esteemed M.P., who thinks that man en marrying ought to have an extra vote. dOUbt that it would be a great inducement to the population to forsake their lone state, j. Wo officers (says the Army and Navy Gazette) have SR3 named as likely to succeed Sir Frederick Grey as Sea Lord at the Admiralty, and it would be J~7Ou.lt to fix upon any others more capable of dis- to a- nS the important duties of the office. We allude ■ty- Baldwin Wake Walker and Sir Alexander Milne. Jv 'however, believe that the appointment would not i^ngenial to the tastes of Sir Baldwin. *&oii Gl^>STONE, as leader of the House of Com- Dn ^as issued his circular to the members who sit them ?i_ Ministerial side of the House. He informs ^tH, t the House will meet on the 1st of February awl1*?1?6 °.f a Speaker, and on the 6th for the Mthfii-f business, and hopes it will be consistent ji| their convenience to attend. 1?XCELLENCT THE MARQUIS D'AZEOLIO left tif thefl n legation on Friday for Turin, on account ^saimofl«8eroa8 iiiness of his uncle, the Chevalier >glio, the statesman. Count Maffei will ^'affai-afl d*nwtion the Italian Legation, as charge It j 'ai(j^the absence of his Excellency. J^ada +y> 4-IIB foil ^e offer to contest Tiverton was $ills- q Patch • 4*\n& Conservatives1, Daniel 2, • Hood • 12 Freemanla' i ^erald; 10, Brett, Q.C.; ^«abe2^ ii'ns and it i?' 13, Hay. At the unlucky ^Qept the difficult task. ^ld that the last man will Vot^. 1 8,11(5 they have been taught the_Talue of

THE ARTS, LITEEATUBB, fte. at^? international fine art exhibition is to take uiac Ceivj6 Hague this summer. The latest date foe te_ ng nictures will be the 15th of Ma.y. 1 ^EOKGE WITT has presented his VALUABLE col- ^-manuscripts and books illustrative of PtW'PnB ^British Museum, on condition that a j^arate room jje get apart for them, open to students certain conditions. painter Magnussen, of Altona, has, through the ^mendation of the Princess Royal, received from Q. J4ueen an order to paint the wedding of Prince Hitman of Schleswig-Holatein with Princess Helena, ^*°h is to take place in June. HoraeeVernet's, and his son-in-law Delaroche's, • ea have been presented to the Louvre, where a V will be exhibited in a few days among the varied W i!are coitions of jewelled boxes, tazzas, &c., W form 80 iutereating an addition to the art measures of that national museum. ^AN admirable portrait of Prince Arthur, son of **enry VII., has just been issued, taken from an da *fnfc and valuable painting by the celebrated Jan n Mabuse- Prince Arthur was born at Winchester fa.stle, baptised in Winchester Cathedral, was married j Catherine of Arrogan at St. Paul's Cathedral, f^ndon, died at Ladlow Castle, 1502, and lies en- ^Stthed in Worcester Cathedral, near Prince Arthur's vnapeL This artistic memorial of a Prince who, his torians record, was one of the most promising person- ages of his time, cannot but prove an interesting addition to the album of every connoisseur and anti- quary, and we are pleased to learn that its merits have obtained far it a place in the Royal collection of por- traits of historical celebrities at Sandringham. THE Architectural Museum offers some additional prizes to Art-workmen this year. The Council of this body offer a first prize of is5 (given by the Architec- tural Union Company) for a boss modelled in clay, representing King David with his harp the boss to be not less than nine inches over, and to be original in design. The Council offer a second prize of £ 2, and r will adjudicate both. Also prizes for stone and wood carving, silver work, translucid and opaque enamels, and marble mosaic, the particulars of these competi- tions to be obtained of the Secretary of the Architec- tural Museum. In addition to the above, certificates of merit will be given in deserving cases. All objects sent in for competition must be sent to the office- entranoe ef the South Kensington Museum, by March 1st next. The objects will remain the property of the workmen or their employers. A RATHER interesting discovery has been made by MM. Farwooth and Pizzicani, in the course of their excavations near Tripoli. A search for Greek or Roman remains has eventually led to the turning up of a tenement ferming a complete Jewish household, such as were in existence two centuries before the Christian era. Some of the apartments are in a re- markable state of preservation, the domestic utensils being such as were commonly found in the Nile Valley. It is further stated that Hebrew rolls of the Penta- teuch and the Psalms are recognisable, besides a volume of original Jewish poetry, utterly unknown to Oriental scholars. What truth there may be in such a startling announcement may be shortly ascertained by the London Asiatic Society, to which the relics have been forwarded. A NEW periodical, called "The Working Man," was brought out, by Messrs. Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, on the 6th insfc.; and it has been so well received by the public that the publishers announce a third edition of the first number. The paper contains many valuable facts and much information, and is certainly cheap at 2d. M. MAME, publisher of the "Bible Illustrée of M. Gustave Dore, having solicited an audience with the Emperor, to present a copy of the work, was informed, in reply, that his Majesty would receive him, but in company with the author of the illustrations. M. Gustave Dore therefore went to the Tuileries at the I hour appointed, and was warmly complimented by both the Emperor and the Empress, who also accepted the homage of the work, magnificently bound. THE description of the life and works of Michael Angelo has formed the subject of a book lately pub- lished at Hanover by Herr Hermann Grimm, The work is an excellent biography of the artist, and at the same time an exact description of his various ex. cellent performances as sculptor, engineer, architect, and painter. THERE is nothing like doing things effectually, says the Athenceum. The Americans have long insisted that it is necessary to cross the Atlantic to learn the English language. Why, you speak English like a native American!" is the highest compliment they can pay your cachology," as the late L'srd Lyndhurst called it. To prove the alleged fact on which their theory in this particular is founded, they have just published an English Dictionary including 12,000 more words than in the latest edition of Dr. Johnson's Dic- tionary. THE following is another instance of American perseveranceThomas Townsend, of New York, by devoting nine hours every day for the last five years to the task, has collected,-indexed, and arranged every fact recorded in the American journals, as well as every incident that has come before him in other ways, of an historical, general, or personal nature, bearing upon the war and its causes, since the election of Mr. Lincoln in 1860 to the present time. His collections fill fifty-two huge volumes of 600 pages each. A BOOK which is likely to gain some notoriety is announced, called 11 Memorials of Service in India," by Major Macpherson. The writer was a man of distin- guished genius, and performed brilliant services to civilisation and Christianity by putting down the Meriah or human sacrifices, which long prevailed among the Khonds in the Madras Presidency, and which previous company's servants had essayed in vain to repress. THE Eaglish translation of the Emperor's Life of Julius Caesar" is now rapidly approaching completion, and we understand that its narrative of Cassar's cam- paigns, and its account of his career as a soldier and statesman, are eminently characteristic of its Imperial author, as well as being of intrinsic interest to the general reader. There are thirty-two maps explana- tory of Caesar's campaigns. All this looks well for the success of the coming volume. It may be interesting to state that the sale of the first volume resulted in a commercial success, and that a large sum beyond the amount originally stipulated for the copyright was paid by the English publishers to the representatives of the Emperor out of the proceeds.

WILLS AND BEQUESTS. The will of Mr. Fonblanque, Chief Commissioner in the Court of Bankruptcy, formerly residing in St. John's-wood, and late of Brighton, was proved in London on the 28th ult., and the personalty sworn under < £ 7,000. The executors appointed are Albany Fonblanque, Eaq., the son; Edward William Cox, Esq., his son-in-law; and Thomas L'Estrange Ewen, Esq., of the Inner Temple, barrister. The will is dated August 5,1865, and the testator died on Novem- ber 3, at the age of seventy-eight. He leaves to his son John an asnuity and the portion of his books which he may select; the rest of his books and the remainder of his property, real and personal, he leaves between his son Albany and hift daughter, Rosa Cox, and their children. The will of Mr. Joseph Tussaud, of 58, Baker- street, Portman-square, was proved in London under.240,000 personalty. The executors and trustees are Henry Jsaathan Riches, solicitor, King's Bench-walk, and William D. Kenny, Doctor of Philosophy. The will bears date July 8,1865, and he died August 15, at the age of sixty-eight. The daughter is the principal legatee. There are a few complimentary legacies to the executors and some relatives and friends, and he directs that his daughter shall distribute the sum of zC200 in such a manner as she thinks proper amongst the employes in the exhibition, in sums not exceeding .£10 to each person; and, as concerns the exhibition of waxwork, the same is to be carried on and con- ducted under the terms and covenants of a deed of partnership entered into, in 1864, between himself, his brother Francis, his daughter Louisa E. Kenny, and Joseph Tussaud. He directs that, out of his real and personal estate, a sum of £ 7,000 shall be reserved for his two grandohildren, Charles and Anne Abud, the issue of his deceased daughter Mary. The residue of his real and personal estate he leaves in trust for his said daughter, Louisa Elizabeth Kenny, the wife of the said Dr. W. D. Kenny. _Illustrated London News.

A dispateh ffom Arltwerp statea that the General Steam steamer Panther, which sank on Sunday night, after collision with the Antelope, lies in deep water, and there is no prospect of saving vessel or cargo; the second engineer went down with her.

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. Military Insurrection in Spain. Liberal Europe has assisted at too many revolutions in that kingdom, and too often seen the Governments born of them faithfully copy the vioes of their prede- cessors, to take much interest in military revolts. General Prim is undoubtedly a soldier of the Liberal party, and there is much in his public career and personal character to admire. But we do not know the complexion and aims of the movement he has in hand The time has gone by when Englishmen held that in every insurrection the presumption was in favour of the insurgents. In this case the pre- sumption is certainly against the party which obsti- nately declined to show itself at the polling-booths, preferring to bring about an insurrection. We can only hope that the outbreak will speedily come to an end without much bloodshed, and that, whichever party may win, Spain will be the freer and better governed for its actioDaily News. For the last six months Spain, which we had been led to believe was advancing in power and resources, has been in such a state that it compels us to believe a political revolution or almost anything possible. The country has been a prey to suspicion, disaffection, and fear, and this without any visible cause which had not been equally patent for the last ten years, for it is not to be supposed that the Government is obnoxious to the people on the ground of the arbitrary character of its recent foreign policy. The revolt, at all events, is deeply to be deplored. Many things could be dis- cussed in Spain which demanded reform, but none which, after so much patient endurance, need have provoked revolution. Small civil wars, barrack trea. sons, and military executions are things fitter for Mexico than for Spain. There was a time when such scenes were familiar enough, but those days must not be recalled if Spain is to improve or preserve her present position among European States.—limes. We are under martial law (estado de sitio) though the public peace has not been for one moment dis. turbed in the streets of Madrid. Nevertheless, as a preventive measure, a battalion of infantry quartered I in the neighbourhood of the palace has been disarmed. Spain is a oountry of surprises. We have thus been taken aback by an outbreak which was not expected to take place before next spring. Two regiments of cavalry—one quartered at Aranjeuz, the other at Ocana—" pronounced the night before last. A por- tion of the troops under General Zavale, Minister of Marine, passed over to the insurgents, whose com- mand was assumed by General Prim. A regiment of infantry quartered at Almansa has also joined the in- surgents, and set out for Valencia, whither General Otero has been dispatohed in hot haste to quench the rebellion. No telegrams were dispatched yesterday or to-day, and we are without any news from the pro- vinces. All the facts stated above the Government acknowledges to be true. But the Ministerial organs deny that the movement has spread, as people assure us, to SaragCza and Barcelona, which, however, ap- pears inevitable, as the influence of Prim is great in CataJonia and Aragon. The programme set forth by the insurgents is ".Iberic union under the constitu- tional reign of Isabel II," with a Prim and Espartero Ministry. This reservation in favour of the Queen is hardly to be reconciled with the enthusiastic acclama- tions that greeted the King of Portugal and Victor Emmanuel's daughter on their passage through this city. But we all know that political programmes always say less than they man.-L' Avenir National Paris. The Snow-storm in London. Thursday was a day of severe trial to the flesh of all Londoners. The morning trains were late, the cabs were not at all, the slush was ankle deep, the wind was furious, the anow was being shovelled off the houses on to your hat or umbrella-in short, life was purely a trust, and a very heavy one, without allevia- tions. The oaba are evidently like Sir Robert Peel's 13ank Act of 1.844. They fail precisely at the emer- gency for which they are specially provided, diffusing a general panic and discredit throughout society-jast as if the ships were all to strike work on occasion of a universal flood. When the'slush on the footpaths began to abate under the efforts of the army of men who were employed in shovelling it into dangerously dense hillocks in the streets, in which carriages and omni- buses subsequently stuck helpless, the cabs returned to life, having desisted only so long as the anguish to foot passengers was at its maximum. London covered with a uniform dirty paste six, inches deep, on pave- ment and roadway alike, is a place of suffering such as Dante has scarcely conceived or Gustave Dore de- lineated. -Spectator. The Position of New Zealand. Stamp duties have an ugly sound in a colonial budget, but it makes all the difference who imposes them. They are already levied in New South Wales; and the New Zealand Government have probably by this time passed a Stamp Act, avoiding (to use the characteristic style of the Canterbury Press) these blunders in the Sydney Act which created such per- plexity in the New South Wales commercial world." When the last mails left Wellington, Mr. Sewell, the Attorney-General, was pointing out that there is a large outlay to be met, unless the colony means to repudiate; and that, according to the estimates, expenditure exceeds revenue by at least thirty thousand a year. Internal defence must be paid for, and the Panama mail service, and the interest on the three millions loan. Unless they borrow more, Govern- ment" must either impound the provincial revenue (which the provinces will take care not to allow), or impose fresh taxes. Customs duties are already so high that people think smuggling is likely to begin; an income-tax would be too much like the direct taxes which are the sole support of the Provincial Govern- ments; to'stamp duties there seems no objection. Besides, they yield more, for in England the cost of collecting stamp duties is only two per cent., while the income-tax costs thirteen. New Zealand has been rapidly qualifying for admission among civilised (and debt-burdened) communities. Before the war is over she will probably find that every acre of confiscated land has cost about four times its value. Still, a good national debt is, (WA are often told) a security for the stability of a Government. To begin in this way right early may save the New Zealanders from a war of North against South when there are no more Maories to dispose of.-The Press. The State of our Navy. Has the navy advanced one step during the past year ? Has our combative force in speed or guns been aided by Mr. Reedf Most undoubtedly not. There are men who place the failure on the shoulders of the Duke. We are not of that opinion. It is not possible for men selected from the rank of those who spurn the artisan ability to advise the Duke—and he is compelled to accept such as his confreres. If a new board of effectives totally unconnected with party, and who could advise, was established, then we might hope for better things; but if we might venture a surmise, it would be that the Duke never asks or takes the opinion of men not competent to help him. We need not add more. I Whether any new feature will be acted on to raise the British navy above its present stagnant state, we are totally at a loss to conjecture: but to lend an attentive ear, to treat as sense any of the bunkum published to bolster up the constructor, we respectfully decline; it is too transparent for intelligent bipeds to entertain. There is one sensible desideratum suggested by an old yet still very intelligent offioer-" Determine first, by in- expensive experiment, the best form for extreme velocity, for carrying radial weight-say 100 tons on a given curvature due to a radius (men outside White- hall can comprehend this), and, having determined this, place armour in sensible proportion, and one or more guns to render her fit to perform one duty not omni-potent." By degrees, before 1867, Mr. Reed may be taught his business. How much will the coming Parliament consent to pay for such tuition ? Not by thousands, but millions! The "five millions" threatened to be developed some seven or eight years since might go to pay for it, and the very proposer then had no small share in the fatal appointment. We hope, in January, 1867, to have a better "state- ment" to lay before our readers.-Arrny and Navy Gazette.

A Wealthy Beggar.—An old man residing at Neuilly-sur-Sbine, France, who has been living there on charity for more than twenty years, died a few days since, and was buried at the public expense. On removing the few articles of furniture in his wretched lodging, several rolls of gold coinit were found in an old cupboard. A minute search was then made, and in the stuffing of chairs and other hiding places were discovered bank-notes and securities amounting, with > the gold, to 1,600.

OUR MISCELLANY. -+-- An American Preacher's Bet.—There is one more characteristic of American humour which we must notice-the familiar use of Scriptural language. In certain cases this is perfectly natural and harmless. An uneducated man mixes up Scripture and common life more frequently in proportion to his belief in Scripture. Many of the stories which seem risky to us would be impressive to the original speakers. A certain Mr. Lorenzo Daw preached a sermon on the text from St. Paul, "I can do all things." "No Paul," he said, you are wrong for once; I'll bet you five dollars you can't," and he laid down a five-dollar bill on the desk. He continued to read, through Jesus Christ our Lord." "Ah! Paul," he said, that's a very different thing; the bet's off." This decidedly beats any anecdote we ever heard of Mr. Spurgeon.-Cornhill Magazine. Robins and Small Birds.—Robins are con- sidered as a sort of sacred bird in this country; but when I was residing in a well-wooded country in France I never was able to see or hear of a robin, so greedily are they killed and devoured by the inhabi- tants. Indeed, bho only small bird I was able to see during my visit was a cock chaffinch, who was utter- ing his oft-repeated and melancholy notes, as if de- ploriag the want of any congeners, so completely was the breed of small birds extirpated. The consequences were that the extensive kitchen-gardens attached to the house in which I was residing were so full of snails, grubs, and other insects, that they devoured the fruit which fell from the trees during the night. Such is the avidity of the French to feast on small birds, that I have seen even swallows, those graceful and welcome harbingers of the spring, hawked about Paris to be purchased for the tables of epicures. To return to robins. I recollect some years ago receiving a visit from a French abbe, who resided at his cottage at Ealing, and who boasted of the number of Rouge- gorges he caught in his garden in traps, saying what good eating they were! I told him that if it was known at Ealing what he had done, he would be mobbed by every boy throughout the village.E. Jesse, in Once a Week." The Mountains in the Moon.—It is an ascer- tained fact that there are three classes of lunar moun- tains. The first consists of isolated, separate, distinct mountains, of a very curious character. The dis- tinguished characteristic of these mountains is this Thev start un from a nlAIn onito BTKMATIITT-. On earth it ia well known that mountains generally go in ranges or groups; but we find these isolated lunar mountains standing up entirely apart, never having been connected with any range. The one named Pico is 9,000 feet high. This mountain has the form of an immense sugar loaf, and if our read ers can imagine a fairly proportioned sugar-loaf, 9,000 feet in height, and them- selves situated above'it, so as to be able to look down upon its apex, they will have an approximate idea of the Pico. There are many other mountains of a similar description scattered over the moon's surface; and these mountains not only stand apart from each other, but, what is still more remarkable, the plains on which they stand are bat slightly disturbed. How singular, then, the influence that shot the mountain up 9,000 feet, and. yet scarcely disturbed the plain in the immediate'neighbourhood! The second class of lunar elevations consists of mountain ranges. Now, this is the principal feature of the mountains on earth. This phenomenon is also found in the moon, but there it is the exception; only two principal ranges are found, and these appear to have been originally one- range. One is called the Appennines. It is so well seen, that just as the line of light is passing through the moon, you will thmk it is, generally speaking, a crack in its surface; but a tele- scope of ordinary power will at once manifest it to be a range of mountains. The lunar Apponnines may be compared with the loftiest range of mountains upon earth. It is 16,000 feet high, and there is another range still higher, rising: 25,000 feet above its base.— Cassell's Illustrated Family Paper. Never Give a Bishop a Blank Cheque.— Sir Richard was a man of most noble and generous disposition, and his charity was of a truly Catholic cast. Nathan Rothschild had actually asked him on one occasion for a contribution towards the erection of a synagogue, and had got it, and a liberal one, too. The Bishop of a prelate of distinguished piety and an insatiable craving for new churches and new livings, had on one occasion of many pathetically la- mented to his ",dear, though religiously mistaken, friend," Sir Richard Ellesdee, the spiritual destitution of one of the metropolitan districts. The banker had just had two slices of good luck: he had realised in a joint operation with the house of Baring and the house of Hope a net profit of about zC5,000 sterling, and had enriched his collection with an undoubted Sebastiano del Piombe-a dead bargain in the bargain. So the bishop had hit upon a good time for his pleadings. Sir Richard, even more than usually disposed to a generous liberality, handed the petitioning prelate a blank cheque, which that worthy ecclesiastic had the modesty to fill up to the tune of thirty thousand pounds sterling! to builfi a church and endoiv the living, to which he forthwith, and even ere the site for the sacred edifice had been chosen, desig- nated a deserving young clergyman, a near relation of his own, of course. Well, the cheque being for a large sum, and upon Sir Richard's private account, was presented in due time to the head cashier, who opened his eyes very wide, and, after some hesitation, decided, at the risk of a row with his chief, to proceed to the banker's sanctum, and endeavour, if possible, to obtain the cancelling of the obnoxious little document. When the cashier presented himself before his chief, and mutely handed him the cheque, it must be confessed Sir Richard was slightly staggered, and felt not a little wroth; poor easy man I he had given the bishop credit for some delicacy. He was annoyed; but his first im- pulse, and a very natural one, was to quarrel with the man who had, as it were, brought the annoyance home to him. So, addressing the cashier for the first time in their lives, Sir," he sternly demanded, pray, sir, had you any doubt about my signature ? Then, sud- denly struck with the consciousness of the gross in- justice of this rebuke, before the indignant cashier could find words to give vent to his outraged feelings, the banker added, in a tone of hearfelt contrition, "Wilson my dear friend, forgive me and shake hands; and if ever you catch me giving a blank cheque to any of God's servants again, I give you leave to tell me of it. Shake hands. You must confess it is very an- noying to be done in this disgraceful manner; but pay it, my boy, pay it, and let's have done with it, for Heaven's sake."— The Old Ledger, by Dr. Strauss. Kiesing in the Cars.—A recent correspondent tells the following story:—"I was spending the night n Freeport, Illinois. After breakfast I came into the sitting-room, where I met a pleasant, chattering, good- humoured traveller, who, like myself, was awaiting the morning train from Galena. We conversed pleasantly and freely upon several topics, until seeing two ladies meet and kiss each other in the street, the conversa- tion turned upon kissing, jast about the time the train was approaching. 'Come,' said he, taking up his carpet bag, since we are on so sweet a subject, let us have a practical application. I will make a proposition to you. I'll agree to kiss the most beautifnllady in the oars from Galena, you being the judge, if you will kiss the next prettiest, I being the iudee.' The oro- position staggered me a little, and I could hardly tell whether he was in earnest or in fun but as he would be as deep in it as I possibly could be, I agreed, pro- vided he would do the first kissing, though my heart failed somewhat as I saw his black eyes sparkle with daring. Yes,' said he, 'I will try it first. You take the back car and go in from the front end, where you can see the faces of the ladies, and stand by the one you think the handsomest, and I'll como in from behind and kiss her.' I had hardly stepped inside the car when I saw, at the first glance, one of the loveliest women my eyes ever fell on a beautiful blonde, with auburn hair, and a bright sunny face, full of love and sweetness, and as radiant as the morning. Any further search was totally unnecessary. I imme- mediately took my stand in the aisle of the car by her side. She was looking out of the window earnestly, as if expecting some one. The back door of the car opened, and in stepped my.Wmsl friend. I pointed my finger slilj? at her, never dreaming that he dare carry out his pledge, and iinagine my amazement when he stepped up quickly behind and kissed her with a relish that made my mouth fairly water. I expected, of course, a shrjap of terror, and then a row gene- rally, and a knock-down; but judge of my astonish- ment when I saw her return the kisses with compound interest Qick as a Sash he turned to me and said, i 'No m, sir, it is your turn, pointing to a hideously ugly, wrinkled old woman,who sat in the seat behind. 'You mutt excuse me,' I exclaimed. I'm sold this time.' I give up. Do tell me who you have been kissing?' And we all burst into a general peal of laughter, as he aa.id,' This is my wife. I have been waiting here for r her.' He told the story to his wife, who looksia-iii 1fold sweeter as she heard it." Ancient Manners and CListonis.-In € i Elizabeth's time, there is a report for the yeas IJK in which it is stated "that the maids of bonolr, desired to have their chambers ceiled, and tLe, partition that is of boards to be made higher, los ti&if the servants looked over." And about the same tisLt- it is said that certain young noblemen and gentlemes. were guilty of similar indecorous behaviour, beings fond of peeping over these boards, to the great aumc-v ance of the ladies when at their toilet, whereat e2" Majesty was hiarhl-v disDleased. and eaverelv rerrn-rWi them. Moreover, it seems that tho chamber for squires of the body was "ruinous and cold," acd quired to be ceiled overhead, and boarded aadei- foot; and tkat some part of the Castle was ao mnefe out of repair that the rain beat in! It is Dot meMf clirious than instructive to note the state of things isa- Scotland about the same period. There waa ever; a greater lack of personal comforts among the cobiEty in that country than in England. The a.i, Earl of Buchan, in his Antiquarian He- searches," gives the following rare piece of informa- tion, which at least shows linen to have been a gcarc# commodity in the time of James VI. In the axc&iwg:. of the Mar family, under the section dedicated tc antique costume, it is stated that the Royal charge (James) continuin g under the nurture of his govermii the Dowager Countess of Mar (as towards his meratk,, and ordering his person), had, in the dead of the night, been seized with a colic. The ladies of honour all summoned from their warm beds to attend ltis heeniss; when, as was remarked, none of the ladies had any shifts, except the auld Countess of Mar, h- ladyskip being tender (sickly)." Alongside of tM& fact, this other fact is not without interest. Wner. our gracious Sovereign is at Windsor, twenty-fois baskets, averaging 1501b. weight each, or something; like a ton and a half, of solid linen, are sent daily the wash," the which operation is performed by steam-engine, and thirty-four servants-, with a manages.* at their head.-Builder.

EXTRACTS FROM PUNCH s" & The Laureate Loquitur,—3866. How shall we rise and welcome him ? With blaze of trumpet and slap-balg, Or get celestial shout from Ohang, Or howl from lungs of Anakim P Or shall we tune a harp like his. Who sang of philosophic lore; Repeating proverbs o'er and o'@r, And Baying this is true, and this A fine-drawn thought ? Or, say, shall or ? Who sang of love and classic criiaej In soft alliterative rhyme, Come from the hills of Calydon ? And yet no Psean one could raise, Could fitly sing the coming storm When Bright is bawling for Reform, And Russell runs through shambling way& And though a broader day may come; Old voices echo on the night, Old voices bring the old delight, In soft winds blown about a home. That haunted by the memory still, Shows violets mouldering to decay, And sadly falls the new year's day, With windy peals from hill to hill. So we to whom all grace belongs— The heirs of all the cycles bring, Must tune dyspeptic harps, and sing The refrain of our fatuous songs. And still the hills repeat the strain, For now whatever may befall, One happy thought is over all, The thought that—" Here we are again V" Lines by a Trooper ordered on Foreign Service AiR The Stirrup-Cup." The last Sally Lunn has been browned in the hall-, The last muffin battered by cook who is sleepiag. My cap and my cane are removed from the wall, Yet still a warm hand in my own I am beeping; My sergeant suspects that I'm sweet upon Jane, The Underground's handy, dear girl! we EruEi. sever; But pour out the ale, that thy trooper may d.ta.in A last glass of beer to his true housemaid ever I I cannot ride back—for no ticket appears, No money to get one unless I can borrow, I pledge thee my word, but do dry up those tears, Oh, love! that in stamps I will send it to-morrew Here's to thee, Jenny, and if it be willed That back from the Indies thy trooper oome never Till death he'll remember, that she who had filled His last glass of beer was his own housemaid evei 1

Schoolmaster's English. A few weeks since we drew attention to a «urio»-.g scholastic and unschoWly advertisement of a scfcocl m Devon. We have since come on a curious instance 01 similar elegance of composition nearer home:— A Gentlemanly BESIDENCE WANTED, at Lady I>aj, within two hours o £ London by a southern railway,, with about ten acres of grass land for the purpose of taking pupils. The house to contain not less than four sitting anil eight bedrooms, besides servants' rooms. Apply to Sev. j. A. W-,&c. What sort of pupils does the reverend gentleman contemplate ? He might educate a good many yonug donkeys on ten acres of grass land.

The Latest Edition. A fashionable contemporary supplies us with- W following bit of intelligence:— At a recent masked ball, in Norwich, a young lotiy was completely dressed in newspapers. Of course she struck off a large impression, all gentlemen present being impressed with the idea 43&ai the paper duty-to fall in love with her—was re*, imposed. We wonder whether dancing increased hew circulation, and whether her leaders were the leaders of fashion. Of course she could not object to having her hand squeezed as an act of homage to the prsea, Legal Elevation. Singular Case. From Rolls we learn this lesson brief- A Romilly, with rare luck gifted, Shows how a lawyer like a leaf Is by a little rustle lifted. What Mr. Horsman says it will Come to, (An old Nursery Rhyme, adapted to Brigbt'a JSlectern' Regime.) Candidate: Who comes here ? Elector: Candidate: What's your price ? Elector: A pot of beer. Candidate: I object to stand a pot. Elector: Get you gone, you scaly lot!

A Stock Riddle. Why is the cattle plague a sort of colic Because it is a bu-oolic complaint.

f WANTED A DISCHARGE.—A contemporary opens » grave article on explosives with the following words I —" We haye had a committee sitting for sunrnml "'M_ on « gun cotton.' We'l, all we can say is that, cem- 81^furnSe ,material» we wonder they haven't lonp ago rurnished a report. F,R To NOTE.—Different nations hav.,E, ainerent modes of expression. For instance, in China a mandarin would never think of saying he dii not care a button about it* APPROPRIATE ORNAMENT.—The other day we observed a dress trimmed with artificial bunches cf- hops in a draper's window. Of course, the hops W%T £ intended for the ball. Two BED! Two BED !-Thehigheat and the Icwesi' in this fortunate country are now, thanks to the Guardians of the Poor-law, placed on an equality. The- rich man has his bed of down, and so has the poor iciaa, his bed of down-in the gutter. NATIVE WIT.-Brown, being advised for the becefia of his palate to taste an oyster roasted in a thin, slice. of bacon, passed a sleepless night in trying to eOEcøct, a feeble joke about the oddity of putting the spat .PG:n, the spit. n A GREAT HIT.-The man who first ''si,nick Ala must have been Rowland. I Nox ERA-T.-On what sight should the I' be bcrn ? On Boxing-night, to be sure I ■>«*-•- PEOPLE talk about making a clean sweep. Cka I make a sweep clean ? I THE HUNTSMAN. ORATION.—A speech by P, —

In accordance with a decree issuwl by iSa I Government of the Emperor of Russia, (>he d*<;iuj»v j system of coinage has been adopted iu Buaskc since the 1st inst.