Avant from the news that silk is rising, and that tea shows symptoms of coming out, the mail brings more satisfactory political news, than we have read for many long months, We may cavil at the Times' versatility, but there can be no question as to the enormous power which it exercises over public opinion in England. It is, therefore, especially gratifying to find that it is at length turning from its error, to a more just appreciation of the true political situation. The files brought by the last mail contain two notices of the China question, which indicate a great change from the views it has lately ex-prossed. The frequent information with which it has been supplied—both pub-liely and privately—from Shanghai, seem at length to have told their tale; and it sees at length that Mr. Burling ame has been talking nonsense, and that the theory of reference to Peking, with which" he has indoctrinated Lord Clarendon, is " impracticable The change will excite little surprise in those who take the pains to study the English character, or who pay tention to the circumstances which have lately arisen with regard to our foreign relations. It would have been safe, some months ago, to prediet that the utterly erroneous views which have obtained for the best part of two years, must sooner or later be dispelled, by the influential power of realities. Of course, fighting anything so impalpable asa theory, with a battery of s0 gross and material a character as a collection of attested facts, is no easy task; for the theory is, like the wizard knights of Romance—not "amenable to the dint of hard blows. Arguments from experience, and the gathered results of carefully collected particnlars, are powerless to make any impres sion on the intrenchant coinage of the doctrinaires' brains. A structure erect-the basis of practical experience may be deficient in coherency, and weak in its particular parts, but it will be susceptible of attack by reasonable machinery, and will show perceptibly, when a weak place is discovered. Bat against an air-fortress like that which Home theorists have lately constructed, the bombardment of facts, and the artillery of argument are at best uncertain. It must never be forgotten that the English have cently paid an extravagant war bil It is trae that the full of Magdala was tearless battle," but it was too expensive; and certain politicians sitting at home and counting the cost, begin to think that it might have been avoided. Keeping this fresh in mind, cannot be surprised that the prospect of a war in China was eminently distasteful. If we remember, besides, that the consistent watchwords of the Liberal Party have ever been Peace and Economy, we shall see less reason for wonder that a new government, which bad come into power on the distinct condition of upholding these two great principles, should view any bel-loose action on the part of subordinates in distant lands, with anxiety and alarm. The presence of an Admiral in the China waters, who is known to be remarkable for the quality called dash," might naturally be supposed to augment official uneasiness. Now, however, the Abyssinian War is forgotten, the ministry are secured in their position, and the dangerous element is withdrawn from the Naval Department; so an opportunity presents itsel€ for the Government to approach the China Question independently and fairly. It is easy to understand how the leading journal first followed the new mania, and viewed with distrust the expressions of remonstrance which reached it from those interested in the question. Bat the stream of facts and information with which ithas been supplied, seem now to-have had their effect; and the result is apparent in the paragraph which we reprint from its columns, to-day. It is positively ro-freshing, after listening to "sentiments," until we are as tired of them as Sir Peter Teazle was with those of Joseph Surface, to read sentences like the following. "It is a fact not to be disputed that the solitude of China has been suecessfully invaded, and the Empire dragged into the general system of the world, by what may be called a spirited policy*® ® We have much faith in moral influences, but we cannot think that, if the world had waited patiently at Canton until the progress of Chinese enlightenment should open the gates of the Empire, much advance would have been made, or would be likely to be made." Of course, it is necessary to say a few words on the other side; but the tone both of this article and of the one which we reprint, is very different from the style with which we have been too familiar of late; and it indicates the approaching triumph of reason and right. About the change that has come over the European mind with regard to Mr. Burlingame and his mission, we need scarcely say much. sufficient to wrap ourselves in the Jo charity of the Times, andtosay that "Mr. Burlingame himself was probably the dupe of instructions which were drawn up in two different versions, for domestic and foreign use."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.