--

place which shall be nameless, than for what we see at a ball. Nay, do not ask me to take you into the boxes, or to any of those supper-houses on our way home: what passes there beggars belief, and almost possibility.

FRENCH CHARACTER. The race of French- | nearly all, in extravagant costumes, in the worst men, indeed, has vastly altered, even within possible taste. To describe a tenth part of the these last ten years; and I think the men of our wild licentiousness, the indecencies, the songs, day have more stuff in them; ay, in spite of re- the specches which take place in this palace of cent events, my public, we may expect· -reason- infamy, this very high temple of the Vices, ably, rationally expect great things of them. would be a thankless and impossible task. Let The national character has become more simple us go into the Foyer, where the better part of and masculine. The light wits of other days, the guests, many of the most distinguished men the graceful courtiers, the marquises of petit sou- in Paris, never fail to assemble. Shouting pers and the œil de bœuf, have vanished into women, screaming, laughing, quarrelling, speaklimbo and given place to other and better men. ing words which should blister their lips, such The modern Frenchman has scant courtesy is what we hear; and costumes more fit for a about him, and usually speaks his opinion plainly out with small ceremony. He is beginning to be generally well educated and informed, to travel, to think, to be moderate, just, upright, and pious, yes, pious. The want of faith, of belief in anything, has been the ruin of the noble intellects of France; it has led them to cui-bono everything, and been the most fertile source of public troubles. This their rulers have at last, at last perceived, and in the future politics of France the Church is destined to play a great part. Religion is now used as a political engine, just as infidelity was in the last century. Now you cannot play with religion; and begin with it PIGS.-We inherited a long-legged sow, hog. how you will, it will soon be far beyond your backed, bristly-maned, flat-sided, slouch-eared, control. Even now while I am writing, a purer rather a ferocious-looking animal. Twice a-year and a better faith, hope and trust in a higher power than that of man, is rooting itself deeply in the hearts of many, and will bring forth good fruits in the right season.- May fair to Marathon.

PROFLIGACY OF PARIS.-Let us go to the theatre. It is the "Palais Royal," and there are five different pieces, all short and high-spiced, to be acted. High-spiced indeed they are, full of false sentiment and the worst licentiousness, all wrapped up in pleasant wit and lively songs. Not one honest thought or healthy moral from the first to the last. One piece especially, (it is called "Un Charge de Cavalerie, ") is decidedly the most filthily obscene performance I ever witnessed, carrying its obscenity beyond words into actions. Yet it was Sunday, and the house was full of young men and girls, out for their weekly holiday, drinking in poison with every breath they drew.

And as I learn, mark, and inwardly digest all these things, and lighting my cigar walk musingly home through the wet streets, I can see the spirit of another revolution, more terrible than the past ones, standing in the midst of this ungodly city and rejocing.- May fair to Marathon.

she was followed down the lane by an almost interminable series of little grunters - reduplications of mamma-sixteen, eighteen, we believe even twenty at a litter. But how could these satisfy the eye of a critic? So we began afresh; and a few years of judicious selection and crossing gave us animals of almost perfect symmetry. The litters, however, from far in the teens, dwindled to six, four, and at length our favorite sow produced one. Nor was this all. The roaded bacon, three inches thick, for which, when trimmed with beans, we have seen gastronomes of undoubted authority desert farther-fetched dainties, was replaced on our table by six inches of rather flabby fat, unredeemed by lean. So when we could not even save our bacon, we gave up the pursuit ; and we are inclined to think that our experience was a sort of epitome of high-breeding. A snubnosed race, called Chinese pigs, or Tunks, have some distinctive marks. They may, for what we know, claim an antiquity coeval with the Sheeking and Shoo-king, though, indeed, we are not precisely aware of the authority on which they are said to have come from "the Flowery Land." They are funny little fellows; pert and queer in their ways; very symmetrical; poor breeders; Let us go to the ball at the opera: a wild and not exactly the pigs to furnish contract bascene of riot if ever there was one. It is crowd-con. The Neapolitan, the Portuguese, and the ed to suffocation; yet there are two every week, Berkshire pigs have many points in common. one here, and one at the Opera Comique. It is not, therefore, the single holiday of a people, spent in a new pleasure, in which a little licence may be allowed; it is the habit, the custom, the common thing with them, as Jullien's concerts may be with the Londoners.

And as I listened very thoughtfully and mournfully, and looked with purged English eyes upon all this, I almost believed I could see the spirit of another revolution, more terrible than the past ones, sitting in the midst of the ungodly crowd and rejoicing.

For a constant supply of pleasing pigs, we should select the Lisbon market. They are the only cleanly animals of a domestic nature (we make no exceptions) in Portugal; very uniform, very symmetrical when fat, and of sufficient activity to get their living in the chestnut woods during An immense space, the stage and pit of the the early part of their lives. To this feeding we theatre, is brilliantly lit up, and an excellent should have attributed the delicacy of their pork, band, under the direction of young Musard, is if we had not heard, on good authority, that in playing lively airs, while some three or four America mast-fed bacon is very inferior, both in hundred people are dancing like mad things. firmness and quality, to that which is fed on grain. The dancers are mostly masked; and all, or whether the animal which, by an agreeable allit

eration, is called a Hampshire Hog, owes any of | to the Castle, whence the original measurements the celebrity of his bacon to acorns and beech- were made, this walk must be computed at nearly nuts, we will not pronounce. We are inclined to six English miles. Notes and Queries. attribute a good deal to careful and scientific curing. Pigs, both in their natural and domestic state, deteriorate if exposed to cold. We are told that the wild boars of Barbary, Bengal, and Scinde, THE LAST DAYS AND DEATH OF MACKLIN. are much finer animals than those which endure He continued in health sufficient to enable him the severity of a northern winter in the forests to visit his old haunts; he had seen younger men of Germany. Nature made the pig an animal of die around him, and he delighted to recount all great activity and spirit. Man, in the due exer- the events of his life, and to relate the various cise of the power which has been conferred upon changes which he witnessed in the world about him of moulding nature to his own convenience, him. He had been the instructor in elocution of has made him a creature of flitches and hams. many eminent men, amongst others of WedderWe think, however, that in the case of the pig, burn, Lord Loughborough, whom he had taught the transforming power has been exercised rather in conjunction with Thomas Sheridan. These, wantonly. Of all the overloaded animals which and others, were still his friends, able and willing deform our cattle-shows, none so entirely out- to assist him. He lived, at this period, as he had rages delicacy as the improved pig. Unless his legs for many years been accustomed; that is, he ate shrink under the weight of his shapeless carcase; and drank those things only which he knew by unless his belly trails on the ground; and unless experience would not be injurious. To his sevenhis eyes are quite closed up by fat, he has no tieth year it had been his habit to drink tea, porchance of a prize. The extremes of domestic ter, wine, and punch; and to eat fish, flesh, and swine are Prince Albert's prize-pig at the one end, fowl. He was moderate in his meals; and whenand the pig whose domestic hearth is in the hut ever he exceeded his usual quantity of wine-a of the Finn, all the way from St. Petersburg to bottle-he always took Anderson's Scotch Pill Archangel at the other. This latter is an ani- when going to bed. At seventy years of age he mal of skin and bone. From his looks you would found that tea was unfit for him, and that meat not suppose that he has any vitals: there seems caused his teeth to pain him, and he then beto be no room for them. His bristles, if not his gan to use fish, stews, and jellies. He always slept ornament are at least his distinction. He fur- upon a mattress, his head raised to a consideranishes them to our markets to an extent, both in ble height, and without curtains to the bedstead. quantity and value, which, but for custom-house For the last twenty years of his life, he never statistics, would be thought fabulous; and to undressed, except to change his linen, or for the which we only reconcile our judgment by recol-purpose of having himself washed or rubbed with lecting that he appears, by these his representa- napkins dipped in warm brandy or gin. He entives, on the toilet-table of every lady, we might deavored by all means to induce perspiration ; almost say of every female, in Great Britain. As but he was careful on these occasions to change to flesh, if one could conceive such an animal to his clothes; and when performing, he frequently be ever subject to the tender passion, the epitha-changed his shirt four times during the stagelamium with which Porson honored the union of the lean master of Benet with a leaner bride, would be highly applicable to him :Though you could not, like Adam, have gallantly "Thou art flesh of my flesh," for flesh ye had

said,

none,

You at least might have said, "Thou art bone of my bone."

business. He was anxious to prolong his life; and even in his hundredth year he seldom spoke of death as near, because his mother, who had ninety-nine. During his theatrical life he wrote taken little care of her health, lived to the age of eight dramatic pieces; the first in 1746, the last in 1781. Of these only two, Love-a-la-Mode and The Man of the World, were printed. He performed five hundred different characters. The closing months of his life were made happy by

Such are the extremes. Medio tutissimus ibis."— the devoted attention of his wife, and he lingered Gisborne's Essays on Agriculture.

on until Tuesday, the 11th day of July, 1797. That morning he arose at his usual hour, but shortly afterwards retired to his bed, and lying down, exclaimed - -"Let me go, Let me go," THE DUKE'S FIRST VICTORY.-It was not in and so expired. He died at his residence in TaviIndia, as commonly supposed, but on Donny-stock Row, and was buried in a new vault under brook road, near Dublin, that his first laurels the chancel of St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden, were won. This appears from the Freeman's where he lies with many of his brother-actors, Journal, September 18th, 1789, where we learn and beside Butler, Wycherly, Southerne, Peter that in consequence of a wager between him and Lely, Dr. Arne, and Peter Pindar. He was, at Mr. Whaley of 150 guineas, the Hon. Arthur the period of his death, one hundred and seven Wesley walked from the five-mile stone on Don-years, two months, and ten days old, and the nybrook road to the corner of the Circular road friendship of his acquaintances was exhibited to in Leeson Street, in fifty-five minutes, and that a number of gentlemen rode with the walker, whose horses he kept in a tolerable smart trot. When it is recollected that those were Irish miles, even deducting the distance from Leeson Street

the last."

The funeral-service was read over his grave by the Rev. Mr. Ambrose, a former pupil, who came from Oxford for the special purpose of paying this last tribute to his memory. Irish Quarterly.

From The Spectator.

CHARLES KNIGHT'S ONCE UPON A TIME.

CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINMENT.

66

423

However much he

yond all his competitors in light literatureknowledge. His pictures of the past are exact, not fanciful. He does not give to Zembla THIS varied, pleasant, and, what is not always fruits, to Barca flowers." the case, informing collection of essays, is in may personify and introduce the phrases which belong to the Elizabethan age, rather than the part a selection from the writings of a man who has done more to popularize literature than living spirit, the facts can be proved as approtoo much of truth, at least as regards masses, number of notices illustrative of manners or perhaps any other man of the day. There is priate and true. in the sarcastic definition of gratitude lively sense of favors to come. Not only is archaeology, and arranged in chronological order. the world at large careless of rewarding men They begin with the pith of the Paston Letters; exhibiting in tale-telling fashion the history for what has past, but as soon as it profits by of that genuine English family. Among them, their labors it forgets those labors altogether. the readers of Mr. Knight, or for that matter If cheap literature is a benefit to the public, the general reader, will perceive some with which no single man has done so much to advance it

The contents of these volumes consist of a

-as that capital picture

But all

as Charles Knight. By combining in himself he is already familiar, the character of publisher and author, by his of the Thames in Tudor and Stuart times, "The Silent Highway." The reader of the first wide connection among men of name and rank, by his spirit of enterprise, and by his taste for edition of "William Shakspeare, a Biography, art, he gave an impulse to reading and to book will recognize other articles: some, again, are reprinted from "Household Words." buying, which you must look back a whole gen-bear upon English and mainly upon London life, eration to comprehend. The Penny Magazine, from the Tudor times to the present day. the Penny Cyclopædia, the Useful and Entertaining Knowledge publications, illustrated works, music, art, reprints at a cheap price, showed the taste, the spirit, and the zeal of Charles Knight, in days when he alone saw the grow ing literary wants of the people and ran the risk of supplying them.

One thing, however, he himself wanted natural monopoly. In all that depends upon cost and combination of purchaseable ability, rivalry must be expected as soon as competition seems likely to pay. Mere cheapness for money

LONDON CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINMENTS.

In his fairy spectacle of Once upon a time there were Two Kings. Mr. Planché develops one of the Countess d'Aunois's tales into a drama with enough plot to amuse, and enough sparkle in the dialogue to scintillate agreeably throughout the piece, without any impertinent obtrusiveness. We are pleased to add that he has abstained almost wholly from political allusions, for we canmuch not perceive any connection between corn laws, foreign wars, cab strikes, and fairy land; and it anybody can imitate, at his own is quite right that Mr. Planché should deny pracexpense or that of his creditors, as soon as cheap-tically their existence. ness becomes the fashion. To hold ground in such a conflict, a man must not only have a wary mind with a touch of selfishness, or at least of prudence which prefers himself to the public. To triumph, he must have qualities at once peculiar and taking; as we have said, a natural monopoly, such as Dickens clearly possesses, and as in a less degree but sufficiently characterizes Charles Knight's worthy collabora teurs the brothers Chambers.

Allusions to current events are the life of a pantomime, but they are the death of a fairy spectacle, presented in good, earnest fairy style.

How people dressed in the times of the fairies, we regret to say that even Mr. Planché does not appear to know. He has, therefore used an excellent discretion in supposing that the characters of his tale dressed as its first readers would suppose them dressed, and accordingly we have shepherds with blue satin bodysuits, ruffs and crooks, kings, gentlemen and ladies, in the style proper to the days of Louis Quatorze. A very elegant effect is produced by the use of this quaint and pic turesque Louis Quatorze costume, and the actors do their business with an air and grace that would have charmed the great monarch himself and all his court.

The qualities of Charles Knight as an author have some resemblance to those which distinguished him as a publisher. He has a wide and varied range of view, a sympathy with opposite pursuits, great extent of information, a skill in the use of facts, and a large command of them. He has a taste both for humor and imagination; but he cannot himself generally compass them. Fairy stories never were more elegantly acted, Not that his works are devoid either of humor ridiculous things never were elevated with more or imagination in a certain sense, -as witness grace and finish into an ideal region, than when his Life of Shakspeare, and several papers in this entrusted to the hands of the Lyceum company. volume. He can call up the past, and truly; but As for Mr. Beverley's scenery, our admiration of it is done laboriously rather than spontaneously; it makes it difficult to describe. Perhaps it will it has more of the mechanical than the magical be enough to say that it is worthy of his reputaabout it. Hence there is something of a slow tion, and that in the final scene of the piece a and heavy character in many of Mr. Knight's productions. They are true, but literally true, wanting the springiness, the vivacity of life. One peculiarity, however, he has perhaps beOnce upon a Time. By Charles Knight. In two volumes. Published by Murray.

fairy effect has been created of the completest kind, by lengthening the silver skirts of damsels who appear to hover in the air, grouping them into festoons and giving to their beauty something of a fantastic, unearthly character. This perhaps is the crowning triumph of the theatre

so far as mere spectacle is concerned. Let us | France, with his long prepared plans for the inadd that Madame Vestris appeared in the wife vasion of England, in return for its shelter and of the shepherd-monarch, acting with consum-hospitality. mate ease and good sense, as she always did and does, and singing with the beauty of voice and articulation which clings to her still. Examiner.

From The Examiner, 14 Jan.

What conceivable motive then, can any one have, high or low, with English interests and English feelings, for the substitution of a Bourbon dynasty for the existing friendly French Government?

A word now on King Leopold, whose wise

THE BOURBON INTRIGUES AND KING conduct we have so often had to praise in this

LEOPOLD.

not the man to brook a thorn in his side in the direction in which lie tempting objects of ambition; and if he should some day march an army into Belgium, John Bull will not consent to stír a finger for the protection of a power that has provoked the chastisement by machinations on the behalf of the Bourbons, and subserviency to the policy of Russia and Austria.

journal, but can praise no longer. While this prince sat on a precarious throne, he was all pruTHERE is abroad a very general belief that the dence and sagacity. The throne was his by the fusion - the Peach'em and Lockit reconciliation tenure of his readiness to vacate it. It was his of the Bourbons- has been countenanced, if not willingness to go that made the public desire for promoted by the English Court. It is probable his stay. But precisely in proportion as he has that there are no better grounds for this notion strengthened himself, or has fancied he has than conjectural inferences drawn from the visits strengthened himself, dynastically by the Austriof King Leopold and his son, and perhaps the an alliance, he has appeared to lose the wisdom most convincing contradiction may be found in which has hitherto kept bim on his throne. the language of the very organs of the fusion, When he was weak one way, he made up for it whose hostility to England is more virulent than by strength in another; now that he conceits ever. The Assemblée Nationale moans over the himself strong in position, he is waxing weak m alliance of France and England, and with per- conduct. Hence he has been meddling in this fect consistency with the policy of its party: for fusion, or the world enormously belies him, and nothing is more certain than that the restoration has brought ill-report on our Court by his visits of a Bourbon would estrange France from Eng- while playing the part of go-between in the desland, and ally her with the Russian and Austrian picable Bourbon intrigues. This is a very undespots. And is it conceivable that any helping safe game. What is to be gained, if anything is hand to so disastrous a result could be given in to be gained, must be remote and doubtful; any quarter in England? Monstrous as would but what is to be lost or jeopardized is very be the impolicy of such conduct, greater still immediate and substantial. Louis Napoleon is would be its dishonor. What fouler perfidy could there be than to promote intrigues and plots against the Government of France while united heart and hand with her in interests, in counsel and in arms? Such folly and such baseness together, should be inconceivable. There never was an alliance more firmly based in common cause than the present alliance with France against Russian ambition: and what one Eng- The example of Louis Philippe should be a lish interest or English sentiment is there to solemn warning to King Leopold. Let him beleague us with Bourbon pretenders and their ca- ware lest the Austrian alliance prove to him as bals against the existing dynasty? It would be disastrous as the Spanish marriages to the citia treachery without a motive, nay, opposed to zen King. The days are past when nations could every conceivable motive. Never has true ami- be knit together by family ties, and all such relity existed between a Bourbon Government and ances will turn out deceitful and disastrous. If England. We espoused their worthless cause King Leopold be now wronged by the rumors to against Napoleon, and the worse than barren re- which we have alluded, it is to the Austrian allisults we need not recapitulate. With Louis Phi-ance that the injurious imputations are immedilippe we were more than once on the verge of ately referable, and since that ill-omened event, war, and the worst feeling towards this country it is certain that the Belgian Press under the was kept alive in France under his sway. When he fell, and Mr. Smith took refuge in England, the French and English people drew to each other as if some impediment to their union had been suddenly removed. The relations with the shortlived republic were fair and cordial: and, with our opinion unchanged as to Louis Napoleon's overthrow of the constitution and liberties of the country and seizure of despotic power, we must yet in justice admit that his conduct towards this country has been, so far as it is known, marked with good feeling, good sense and perfect loyalty. It cannot be denied, at least, that we have gained greatly by the change from a Louis Philippe to a Napoleon III, and that it is satisfactory not to have in prospect the contingency of a Joinville's accession to the throne of

Government influence has shown a very marked leaning to Russia, and has abounded with the most unworthy arguments upon the Eastern question.

It is announced, whether truly or not we know not, that the Count de Chambord is about to visit his excellent cousins at Claremont. The construction which the French Court may put upon the reception of the Pretender in King Leopold's house, is his Belgian Majesty's affair, but the opportunity of the Count's presence in this country, wherever he may be, will doubtless be seized to refute the reports which have been spread abroad, and to show most distinctly that there is no countenance or sympathy here for any schemes or pretensions adverse to the existing Govern ment of France.

From The Spectator, 14 Jan. THE STORIES ABOUT PRINCE ALBERT.

of that influence exists by an irrefragable right

- the impossibility of preventing it. It has generally been considered, upon something like evidence, that the Prince used great taste and "PUBLIC OPINION " is half-inclined to sacri- discretion in the exercise of his undoubted right. fice Prince Albert at the shrine of Rumor. A It is to be hoped, however, that his Royal whisper, which was first insinuated for party uses, Highness does not take his law, either civil or has grown into a roar, and a constructive hint political, from the opinion which Mr. Mulock has has swelled into a positive and monstrous fiction. volunteered upon the case laid by him before the That those who seek the presence of the Queen public. The notion that a Queen regnant is, for find Prince Albert with her Majesty, is a fact any civil, political, or public purposes, in the which rather won the testimony and esteem of subordinate position of a femme couverte, is unthe English public; but then it was said that he tenable. The civil law, however, is of far less attended meetings of the Queen with her Minis- importance than the constitutional law. No one, ters; next, that Ministers were made aware of we believe, would be prepared to deny to the royhis presence that, however reluctant to proceed al wife the sustaining protection of a husband in with business before a third party, they found it any cases of difficulty or trial. The Queen has necessary to do so that it even became neces- a right to command the presence of any one of sary to defend their opinions before the Prince- her Privy Councillors upon any occasion what that the Prince, in fact, interfered with their soever. On the other hand, it is scarcely to be counsel to their Sovereign-that he not only in- presumed that the Queen could be conscious of fluenced the Royal mind, but possessing the any trial or difficulty in the presence of her freely power of free communication with foreign courts, selected and faithful Ministers. Those Ministers he constituted an unlicensed channel for infor- would inevitably share, as men and as subjects, mation between the confidential council of the the desire that every wish of the Queen, as moQueen, and the cabinets of foreign potentates, per-narch and as lady, might be gratified if possible; haps of the enemies of England that, in short, and they could not of course make difficulties. Prince Albert was a traitor to his Queen, that he had been impeached for high treason, and finally, that on a charge of high treason he had been arrested and committed to the Tower! This was the story, not only told in all parts of England a day or two back, but by some believed!

Nevertheless, the responsibility which they undertake carries with it correlative rights; and Queen Victoria has already found that a publie Minister could exercise his right of objecting to the approach even of personal friends to the Sovereign, in an official capacity or on certain ooFull sway has been allowed to the accumula-casions. At the time of the "Bedchamber Plot," tion of what is called "popular feeling" on this Sir Robert Peel's motives were misunderstood, subject, by the absence of any public contradic- because in fact his own actions had not given tion; and indeed, to a certain extent, the asser- that key to his character which enabled us subtion that the Prince Consort is not without some sequently to understand him better; but public share in the Royal Councils is almost admitted. opinion has generally ratified the right which he Amongst the many eager calumniators, his Royal claimed on that occasion. No personal promise Highness finds not a few defenders, and one di- can alienate Prince Albert's inherent right of rect avowed sympathizer, that is, if we may free communication with his personal friends, his trust a correspondence first published in the Dub-relations by blood and marriage in foreign courts; lin papers, which has not been disavowed. Mr. a right, however, incompatible with any positive Thomas Mulock of Killiney, near Dublin, has right of presence at an interview between the immortalized his name in history by exchanging Sovereign and the Ministers, should the Minisletters with the Prince Consort. Mr. Mulock in-ters desire to keep the interview confidential besists upon the Prince's right to advise his wife tween the Crown and themselves as responsible -as a husband, as a councillor chosen by her- servants of the Crown. Any communication self, and as having "an assigned headship over that might afterwards take place between the the Queen of these realms." On "these Chris-Royal lady and her husband would be entirely tian considerations " Mr. Mulock cheers and sus- beyond the pale of Ministerial intervention or tains his Royal Highness; and in reply, Prince responsibility, and they could have nothing to do Albert's equerry, Colonel Grey, acknowledging the receipt of the letter, "thanks" the writer for "his kind communication." It will be observed that Mr. Mulock rests his doctrine partly on the voluntary appointment by the Queen of a councillor, on the subordinate position of the female sex, and on the headship acquired over the wife, albeit Queen, by the sacred rights of marriage.

with it either to sanction or forbid. But should the question arise, their right to decline an interview with the Crown in the presence of a third party, enjoying rights incompatible with the constitutionally-secured secrecy of that interview, could not be gainsaid.

It does not yet appear that the question has arisen. These stories about Prince Albert, flowering in the report that he has gone to the There is some basis of sense in Mr. Mulock's Tower, stand upon no particle of evidence; and Hibernian nonsense. An influence over the in the gross they refute themselves by their mon wife no social relations can destroy, and no Brit- strous invention. From the discretion which the ish man would wish to destroy; so much must Prince has shown in time past, it is now most be conceded. An influence acquired by faithful improbable that the question will ever be permitaffection is equally praiseworthy. The exercise teď to rise.