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I TOWN TALK ] BT OUB 8PECIAL COBBE3PONBSNT. .1 Ow fMAm will understand that we do not hold ourselves resron i libit far ow abb Corresponded'* opinions. ;• SNOW in the country is not an unpleasant thing. j To lo jk from your comfortable room on the Downy flakes, Softly alighting upon all below," is rather a welcome occupation. To see the hills and dales, the trees and hedges, covered with the thickening mantle," is to have an old scene pre- sented to you under a new and not unpicturesque aspect. The redbreast comes hopping to your window-sill, and having thrown it a few charit- able crumbs, you may draw your chair near the fire, or, if you like, with Cowper, Wheel the sofa round," and learn, by means of your newspaper, the pleasure of which he sisgs- "To see the stir Of the great Babel, and not feel the crowd." But in London, the "fleecy shower" means a hQst of urchins crying through the street, "Want y door done, m'm?" slush, ankle-deep, when you go out; a second horse to your cab; deadly missiles, called snowballs, aimed at windows of said cab; horses falling, breaking their own limbs and those of human beings as unfortu- nate. And then, what an offensive sight are slushy streets! One whole dpy wag, allowed to pass before anything was done to clear the streets. On Friday some disastrously feeble efforts were made to render the streets fit for traffic. I say disastrously, for I saw at least half-a-dozen horses lying under vehicles of various kinds. In the afternoon of Friday the horse of a poor man fell as he was turning round Clerkenwell Prison, and broke his leg. To see the wretched animal shrinking as he was led limping away might have suggested a doubt whether the theory of animals being almost insensible to pain, lately propounded in one of our ablest reviews, can be with safety subscribed to. Where was Bumbledom ? Do Vestries, like certain animals of a sluggish circu- lation, relapse into torpor, during the winter months ? Oh, Mr. Bumble, with Dickens and his followers cracking their whips above your head; with a host of reviewers applying their lances to your most tender parts; with leader-writers dwelling disrespectfully on the inertness of your manly form, and completely ignoring its dignity and aplomb; and with all the excuse your enemies derive from your recent demeanour, I tremble for your existence. ON Saturday I heard Miss' Emma Hardinge, at St. James's-hall. As a rule, professional orators can only be given a second or third-rate place. They are of the shop, shoppy. You can never forget that they are orators." Miss Hardinge is no exception. She has all the faults, too, of American oratory: violent gesticulation, a turgid style, and a habit of doing the wild-beast-in-his- den style of thing. Still, there is no doubt that Miss Hardinge has power—as, the cant phrase runs; and some will, perhaps, think her all the more powerful because she has very little taste. THREE striking papers, descriptive of the casual wards in the Lambeth Workhouse, have appeared in the Pall-mall Gazette—on Friday, Saturday, and Monday evenings. In the first paper we are told how the visitor to the casual ward drove to Lam- beth in a neat but unpretentious carriage," how he obtained admission, how he took a plunge inabath containing a "liquid disgustingly likeweak mutton broth," howhedesperatelymunchedhis toke (bread); and in this and the following papers the writer details some of the conversations, and only dares to hint at some of the practices heard and wit- nessed during that weary night. The Observer sneers at the "swell," while appending a report of Mr. Farnall's, elicited by the article of the swell," and pointing out that he was shown into an "irregular" ward, from the miseries of which casuals will in future be spared, by having lodg- ings provided for them. This,.too, in consequence of the article of the "Swell." The Fkneur also glances askance at the brougham. I confess I don't see why the brougham should not have been mentioned. There can be no doubt the writer —who is a man in a high position, and well known in the literary world-went in a brougham. What harm to tell simply what took place ? Seeing that an abuse needed correction, and that the very surest means of correcting it were taken, the man who so completely sacrificed one night's comfort for this object, and the excellent paper to which he contri- butes, deserve) in my opinion, the thanks of the public. A casual wardis certainlynotthe best place, even with the luxuries of toke and skilley Spatiosam fallere noctern "—to have a quiet sleep. A man named Robert Scully has been starved to death in Bethnal-green Workhouse. I hope our "swell" will pay a visit there; and I for one shall not object to his taking his brougham. A MOST amusing sentence occurs in a report of a charge of manslaughter that appeared in the Star of Monday: "On Tuesday night witness called .on her, when she was rather the worse for liquor, and the landlady was in her company, but her health was good." As I in-Ltionecl the Star, I may as well tell you of an emeuie arising out of an article on "Pot-house Politicians" that appeared in an evening issue of that paper. Charles Dickens, in the preface to the second edition of Nicholas Nickleby," tells us how he got no end of letters from Messrs. Squeers, who thought he had aimed at them. A debating society, where very able speeches, .1 understand, are occasionally to be heard, thinking itself spe- cially marked out, took up the cudgels against the Star. Their proceedings were again sketched, and nobody could read of the inflamed Orators without amusement. A few evenings ago-led by these circumstances—I paid a visit to this ancient forum. Papers containing the first obnoxious article were handed round. On this occasion some of the orators professed themselves flattered, while others thought they did well to be angry." I should think the proprietor is rather glad, as it must draw attention to his place. The waiter is unfor- giving-his white tie was libelled. It was a deli- cate point in which to hit a man of hi3 profession. When I saw him it was pale enough, any way, but whether with anger-I know it had a fretful little curl—or with bleaching, I am not expert enough say. A S.4B case occurred at Worship-street Police Gowrt Saturday. Elizabeth Stevenson, fourteen A 8.0 case occurred at Worship-street Police Gowrt 9R Saturday. Elizabeth Stevenson, fourteen years of age, and but too evidently "lost," was I charged with having robbed her father. May my curse be on you up and down for ever," was her address to her father as she left the dock. It is impossible to believe that this child was properly brought up. As the opening of Parliament draws near political gossip becomes more earnest. Will the Government last? Is it strong enough? Must it not fall on the question of Reform ? are questions anxiously debated in Conservative and Liberal clubs. It is a general belief that the Government will not live through a session. I venture to doubt this view. The Government is not as strong as it might be; but in relation to the Opposition it is not weak. ON the 18th inst., the remains of Sir Charles Eastlake were borne to Kensal-green, where his friend Thackeray rests. There were not so many there as when the great novelist was buried. There was, of course, a largeTnumber of artists. One missed the remarkable figure of Leech, which, was so prominent on the occasion of Thackeray's funeral. HILARY TEEM commenced on the 11th. The attendance at the Temple has not been so full as usual. The inclement weather frightened the Irish students, who preferred losing a term to be- ing lost themselves. Z.

SUMMARY OF PASSING EVENTS.…

THE GREAT SNOW STQR} £ .

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AMERICA.

MILITARY REVOLT IN SPAIN.

REPORTED SUICIDE OF ADMIRAL…

• "-————:———— : "'!; ...1…

SWANBOROUGH V. SQTRERN.

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