pa vey bright and entertaining batch of weeklies reaches us by the English mail. We have for some time past fallen almost sensibly into the habit of beginning our notes with quotations from articles upon the Tonquin Question, and in order to preserve continuity will' do so again to-day, It appears that Admiral Courbet lias spoken very plainly to the Government respecting his position in Tonquin. He dos to to acknowledge the intrepidity displayed by the Black Flags in their reance to his attack on the outworks of Sontai; he says that the enemy are well armed; and adds that while the ouquinese Black Flags are notorious for their courage, the presence of Chinese leaders, despatched from an Empire supposed by them to be irresistible, would greatly increase their vtormination, The Spectator summonses the debate in a few words Who Duc de Broglie made a speech on the Votes of Or denouncing the general feeling that criticism was unpatriotic, but still that was the feeling; and Admiral Jaurdzuiberry was warmly cheered fora very Chauyinist speech, Ho thought China would accept accomplished facto, but if not, he would "follow xample of 1860," when Peking was directly attacked by Lord Elgin and General Montauban, That could be done out blockading ports, and Kurope would Prance if si passed under the Caudine of Chin de Breyoinet was nearly as violent, asking that Chit should be called on to withdraw her tro and that if she "material guarantees" should be seized; and M, Berry declared that even the prudent Louis Puilipps had affairs in the extreme East," and that 'a countly did not become great by flinching from ditticalties."" The Souato voted the first grant, £360,000, by 211 to 75 and the scoond grant, £300,000, by 215 tod, There we have a distinct threat that, under certain circumstances, the Frouch will march on Peking. It wasa threat, because, although uttered by the Admiral with an unpronuunceable name, MI. Ferry stated that had taken up his plans. Tie Suturday likewise discourses on the Deadlock in Ponqnin. This paper advocates prompt intervention on the part of England; and concludes with the very true remark that one of the chief difficulties in dealing with this ox apg other question is that China ig country in which nobody seems to be able to discover the ultimate authority. The writer adds Foreiguera have generally to deal with the Viceroys of Provinces; but over them is the Council of Foreign Airs, and over it again there is said to be a Council of the Imperial Household. The Emperor himself is just about to reach his majority, and something, atleest, will depend on his character. He will be more or less under the influence of his father, who is known to hate foreigners, and of the female members of his family,' who have acted as Regents during his minority, and have pursued a moderate policy, Tue chiefs of the Tartar ruling daes will doubt lee have a good deal to say before any decision ie come to; and the Chinese of the subject race cannot be disregarded, because they are always prepared to rebel if they a good opportunity, and to seize any chance of attacking their foreign rulers, as ti ai The " good-natured Russian friend" was perhaps not very far out when he spoke of the assistance that would probably be given to France, were she to invade China, by although their help might not be But to turn to other subjects,—the political event of the week is certainly the visit of the Crown Prince of Germany to the Pope. the Saturday believes, will prove the first step to a reconciliation between the Vatican and the inal, Xhat the Crown Prince, while a guest at the Quirinal, should hare bee: received with honour at the Vatican is evidence that the feelings of the Holy See have altered, not only towards Germany, but also towards Italy. An open recognition by the Papacy of the new of things in the latter country cannot, indeed, be expected at present. But it will none the less surely come in time." With re-yatd to the respective positions of the burch and the State in Rome, the writer remarks It is to be remarked that, though Ital form only a very small minority among Rot the policy of the Roman Churels ral centuries, mainly more than two Italian Pope has Italian Pope—th jong period i diplomacy of th by Lea Pp Church are chiefly ile in no part of th the fact that the guided by Italians Government advantages other country p. Phe two parties to the conti Very understand ous auothe They have too long together for there to be any for illusion or deception on either side.
ow that all hope of toration of moral Power las vi the situation has become clearer. The time will eoon be over when the must ignorant oau believe that Pope is not now as free to exercise his tual functions as he was when a temporal He ig, in fact, a great deal freer under the protection of a Great Power than when liable to be chased from Rome by the people of his own city, or coerced by robber-barons and dragged into exile by forei ga despots.
'A good deal of interest appears to have arisen lately in haunted houses, and the Saturday hasan article on a forthcoming pamphlet by Mr. Ingram on the Haunted Homes of England which will amuse if not instruct. Far better, however, is the parody on 'I'he Stately Homes of England' Which appears in the Pall Mall, The first verse rus The Haunted Homes of England, Mow eerily they stand, While through them flit their ghoste—to wit, Lhe Monk with the Red Haud, The Byeless Girl—an awful spook—Lo stop the boldest great!
The boy that inked his copy-book, And so got wopped" to death 'A atill more absurd publication is one that is reviewed in the Saturday. It is called The People's Wil vice of Song on the Li of the Rt. Hon.
Gladstone, M. P.' Tt is, in fact, an idolatrous compilation of prayers and hymns to the glorification of the Premier, whom it calls the most illustrious ornament of the House of Commons—the Ulysses of the Liberal Party—the Grand Old Engi Gentleman," The East-and People's Palace has been made the subject of a meeting at the Mansion House, in which the Lord Mayor, Professor Huxley, Mr. Goschen, and many other notabilities took part. On this the Saturday writes sensibly and well, 'Phe Spectator's article on Canon Lid-'Secularist' sermon is aleo thoroughly worth reading, Although, as the writer says, he cannot in any way emulate the noble and simple eloquence of Dr. Liddon, as exemplified in a passage that he quotes, he proceeds to illustrate the Canon's teaching from one or tivo different points of view which it did not enter his line of thought to include, 'This he doos ably and well. Apropos of the nomination ofa Diasenter to examine Oxford candidates in the Thirty- i 'A Country Clergymau' tells the following good story I well remember what happy went in for my own examination in the Articles at Oxford twelve years og: the ablest scholars in my college, went in at the same time, and to him, an earnest and sincere man, the Thi Articles were matters of the mostundisguised amusement. So confident did he feel of sympathy on this point, that he even had the it icate his views to his mary College Exed member of th Universit you think, Sir," said the candidate to his examiner, "that these Articles are really very amusing?" A frown. for the sake of decency, and a slight remans trance, followed thie froe expression of opthe examiner agreed with the candidate, jon j but it war a perfectly open Que more excerpt from the Spectator, It is part of a parody entitled The New Jeremind? by Peter Cains, whoever he ay hi We ran up bills for Fogland's aake, but Credit did it all, Ana billa(oolees you pay them) are practically But in the hands of recklees Rade, to rain small 5 England glides Not only do they pay their own, but settle ours besides nancing {atnily, we are, We fought like Jingo where we could, but find it none too strong To awoar that fights in Egypt are something very wrong 3 And though we Voted to a map, Rebellion to Tuo other side, that did ea too, are clearly Brutes and we We're a consistent family, we are, We coax and flatter the dear Whigs, but they will not be caught We make appeals to Hartington, apparently for naught Ho will not sever from the Rads, or shun the deadly lists Of Atheists (speaking mildly), and Thieves and Commu: praises sing, It he doesn't worship ground-rent as the really sacred No property in brains or work where man and, 1s due entirely to His grace, like property and.
We are a righteous family, we The Antheneum is heavily weighted with its annual reviews of Continental Literature for the past year, which extend over twenty-one pages. Me. Ezmont Hake's ' Story of Chinese Gordon' is noticed further on, but briefly, Mr. Swinburne contributes the following sonnet gri the death of Richarg Doyle
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.