more or less than fiction. Even Mr. M'Gregor, the The Sikh sirdars. and even the female rulers of that statist, who made a broad intimation that he had some-stormy scct, are thrust out of their possessions, banished thing special on the subject, turns out in error. The their country, and, as the orientalists would say, are put States people are rather too shrewd for our magnani- down into the dust. Our young Irish friends are going mous and generous officials, who, when they have to off, or gone already, over the blue waters to Botany Bay, do with other people's interests, and not their own, for the expiation of their freaks. Some people say, seem too good for this world. indeed, that her Majesty will proceed to Scotland ria Ireland-see Killarney, and hold a drawing-room in Dublin. We have a faint notion that this may be true; and in that case, an amnesty will be published, we hope, from the Phoenix Park. We urge every other power to grant amnesties, and our sovereign can better afford to be generous than any of her contemporaries; but no indemnity bill will be passed for the copyrights and printing materials of Messrs. Mitchel, Martin, and Duffy. These gentlemen might have used them to better purpose, certainly, when they were in their possession. Another discussion on a particular Colonial affair-the gift by Government of Van Couver's Island to the Hudson Bay Company-was cut short by the shabby expedient of getting the House counted out. The colonies have been sufficiently discussed during the month. In the Commons, an effort was made to obtain some alteration of the Canada Indemnity Act, but was defeated by a very large majority. In the Peers, a motion by Lord Brougham on the same topic, and with the same purpose, was more nearly carried. The numbers being: ayes 96, noes 99, and so it was lost by the noes of members who were far out of hearing; but answered by proxies in the pockets of the Duke of Wellington and other noble peers-for of the members present, the majority were with Lord Brougham. We trust that the Earl of Lincoln will renew his motion, for the transaction either manifests a bad job or a piece of stupidity at which we should not be astonished in the Colonial Office. The merits of the question are not very well understood in this country. We thought that before the rebellion, some heavy grievances pressed hard on the Lower Canadians, and so we still believe. The fact did not justify rebellion, or we should all be armed and in a state of sad turmoil immediately. Rebellion, in the case, being one crime, is not justified by a previous crime The Jewish Emancipation Act has been thrown out committed by any party. The Canadian rebels were, by the Peers. The votes were, for, 70, against, 95, from many causes leniently punished. Some of them fled and thus the measure was lost; and Baron Rothschild the country, and subsequently returned. Many persons will be returned to the London constituency. The favourable undeniably to their cause are now in power course of action will probably involve a new writ, a new and in places of profit. They have brought in and car-election; and if any candidate oppose and beat Baron ried this bill to indemnify sufferers for losses sustained Rothschild, the interest of the matter will be lost for in the rebellion. The bill is applicable to Lower Canada a time. If he be returned without opposition, or at as one of a similar character was previously passed for the head of a poll in a contest, the Government will the Upper Province. No objection could be made to the hardly know how to treat their friend, and probably arrangement which is only too long delayed in the cases will adjourn the business over another year and try of those individuals who were unconnected with the risa new bill in 1850. ing. The minority in the Canadian Parliament say that the bill, although professedly excluding rebels or persons convicted of rebellion, will yet confer large sums on men who notoriously might have been convicted except for their prudence in retiring from the colony until the storm was past, and in now returning to share the wreck. They may be right. And great difficulty must exist in discriminating for the purposes of the act according to its letter; but the Canadian government passed, the Governor-General, Lord Elgin, sanctioned, and the Home Government refused to disallow the bill. Last year we devoted a considerable space to the narration of continental revolutions. This year they are on a still grander scale, and fraught with more terrible consequences than seemed likely to arise out of the events of 1849. The French are consumn ating their crimes in the invasion of the Roman States by the bombardment of the Roman capital. The retribution for this barbarous, unprovoked, and most inconsistent war will fall heavily on France. General Oudinot may capture Rome, but his most serious difficulties will commence after his triumpha victory that is to be dearly bought. The Roman intervention contains trouble enough to make a general war, and that is likely to be the result. But we have universal war already. Germany is The arguments used by the ministry favour the idea that they mean to keep the country standing loose with the colonies, and not to despond if any of them should wish to advertise out of the partnership altogether. They hold that the colonies, with a respon-spotted over with hostile armies from the sous of its sible Government, should do as they please in all soil-whose march is marked by battle-fields, or burnmatters of business. We believe that they shoulding towns, and traced in blood. have a responsible Government, by representation in the Imperial Parliament, with local legislatures for local ends, and on the basis of a federal union. Some consistent plan of dealing with revolters, and speaking of them, should be adopted by our officials and their friends. Those of Canada, for example, are high in favour, and making shoals of money. Their imitators amongst the Cingalese are imprisoned, scourged, and shot, unless those of them who have met their end by the hands of the common executioner. The terrible conflict in Hungary furnishes daily battles, and yet the grand armies are only approaching cach other. Russia, weakened by successive defeats in Circassia, with her forces spread over a large frontier in a hostile country, offers Turkey and Poland an opportunity that, once lost, may never come again. If they neglect the tide in their affairs, Turkey deserves to be consumed, and Poland crushed for ever beneath the Czar. RAILWAY AND JOINT STOCK BUSINESS OF THE MONTH. THE month just ended, in regard to railway and joint stock the receipts to be £56,181, and the expenditure £46,468, balance business, has been of a much quieter character than its prede-in hand £9,713. The report was adopted. cessors. We have heard very little of the Hudson controversy beyond an occasional paper pellet or two, from the parties most directly interested in the controversy which recently agitated, in so violent a manner, the railway world, and a stormy special meeting of the Eastern Counties Company. As it regards assemblies of shareholders, the latter has been the only one of much public interest, and was held on Friday the 15th, at the London Tavern. The meeting was an adjourned one, for the purpose of electing eight directors in the room of those who were obliged to retire on account of the exposé of the Hudson management. The muster of shareholders was very great, numbering upwards of a thousand, divided, it appeared, into three sections, each prepared with a list of managers to propose. Mr. Samuel Anderson, one of the former directors, took the chair; having been recommended by the members of the committee of investigation, though not without violent opposition from a very noisy party present, who shouted strongly in favour of other gentlemen. As soon as something like order was established, and the preliminary business was gone through, Mr. William Atkinson proposed the following list of gentlemen for directors in the room of those who had retired: -Edward L. Betts, Esq., of Tavistock Square; Joseph Glynn, Esq., Westbourne-park Villas, Bayswater; James Packe, Esq., Mildenhall, Suffolk; Samuel Ellis, Esq., Euston Square; J. A. T. Smith, Esq., Cumberland Terrace, Regent's Park; Thomas Broadbent, Esq., Manchester; T. J. Margrave, Esq., City Saw Mills; George Reed, Esq., Blackheath Park. On the close of Mr. Meek's address, another list of directors was proposed by Mr. Colman, composed as follows:---The Hon. Elio: Yorke, M.P. for Cambridgeshire; George F. Young, Esq., Limehouse; George Fryer, Esq., Chatteris; James Packe, Esq., Mildenhall; Thomas Naughtan, Esq., 32, Fenchurch Street ; Ambrose Moore, Esq., Eudsleigh Street; H. V. East, Esq., Maida Vale; George Meek, Esq., 29, Russell Square. Aberdeen.--A special general meeting of this company was held in Aberdeen, May 31st-Lord J. Hay in the chair. The report stated that the line, to within twelve miles of Aberdeen, would be open in September. The traffic on the part open was steadily increasing, the receipts for the sixteen weeks ending May 19th, on the same mileage, being £1,150 more than during the corresponding period of 1848. It was expected that the cost of the line would be under £24,000 per mile. Resolutions adopting the report, and authorising the chairman to borrow any sums, not exceeding in the whole £92,222, were agreed to. York, Newcastle, and Berwick.-An adjourned meeting of this company was held at York, on June 1st, to receive and adopt the report of the committee of investigation referred to last month, and to further adjourn the meeting till July 11th. The resolutions, after a short discussion, were agreed to, though no action to give effect to them will be taken till the final report is submitted at the next meeting. In the course of the sitting, Mr. Harrison, the engineer, stated that the actual cost of the bridge over the Tweed was estimated at £126,960; the embankments, &c., £81,379, making a total cost of £208,339. With regard to the works at Newcastle, he stated that the high level bridge will cost £243,096; the viaducts through Gateshead and Newcastle, which are settled up and paid, £113,057: total, £356,153. The cost of the land would be, in addition, £135,000, which includes compensation for buildings taken down. Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction. An adjourned special meeting of this company was held on June 2, at LiverPool-Alderman J. Barcroft in the chair. A resolution was come to to abandon the bill they had before Parliament, on account of a carrying clause which had been forced upon them in committce. In the course of the sitting, the chairman stated that the total liabilities of the amalgamated company were 4804,474. That would complete all the works, and meet all engagements. 10,000 shares were under notice of forfeiture, but not forfeited. This, however, was not enough, for it appears there was a third party in the field with a list; as, immediately after Mr. Colman's proposition, Mr. Price moved the following list of names West Flanders.-The half-yearly meeting of this company was to be appointed as directors:-George Meek, Esq., Russell Square;, Henry V. East, Canterbury Villa, Maida Vale; Hon. Eliot Yorke, held in London, on June 5-Mr. W. P. Richards in the chair. Esq., M.P.; John Fryer, Esq., Chatteris; James Packe, Esq., Mil-The report submitted stated that, at the general meeting held in denhall, Suffolk; James Box, Esq., Burton Street, Burton Cres-November, the traffic receipts for the half-year ending the 31st cent; Ambrose Moore, Esq., Endsleigh Street, Euston Square; George Frederick Young, Esq., Limehouse. quo Another special general meeting, therefore, will have to be called, or else the business will have to remain in statu till the next statutory half-yearly meeting in September. The other gatherings of the month, of which we supply the usual condensed summary in the order of the dates, have not been of much public importance, being principally special meetings relating to points of internal policy and management. Belfast and Ballymena.-The half-yearly meeting of this company was held in Belfast, May 25-the Hon. G. Handcock in the chair, when, from the report submitted, it appeared that the traffie for the half-year ending the 30th of April, amounted to £11,024, exclusive of mails, and including £3.179 for the carriage of goods. On comparing the passenger receipts of the line with the preceding half-year, a falling off is shown, amounting to £3,308; but the goods traffic shows an increase of £1,974, notwithstanding a reduction in the charges. The directors state that they are now able to procure money on loan at 5 per cent. per annum; and the saving thus effected will nearly cover the expense of maintaining the permanent way. of August were stated to be £6,019 5s. 11d. The total expenses · of the half-year (including those of maintenance of way) were £5,962 13s. 10d. The directors then expressed their expectations that the expenses of the succeeding half-year, which are now laid before the meeting, would be diminished. In this expectation they have not been deceived. The expenditure for the half-year ending the 25th of February last is reduced to £5,307 78. 1d. The receipts for the same period, the least productive of the two divisions of the year, amount to £5,713 16s. 5d., being a falling off of £305 9s. 6d. upon those of the preceding six months. The receipts, when compared with those of the corresponding half-year in 1847-8, show a diminution of £1,098 4s. 9d., which your directors believe to be the effect produced by the revolutionary movement in France, which began to operate in February, 1848, afflicted Belgium during the whole of last year, and is now only slowly modifying its influence.-The report was unanimously adopted." Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire.--A special meeting of this company was held at Manchester, June 6th-the Earl of Yarborough in the chair. The object of the meeting was to receive a report from the committee of investigation recently appointed. The report, which was generally favourable to the adopted, instructing the directors to give early attention to the recommendations for improving the scheme which it contained. yet been come to with the Post-office authorities for the convey-management of the directors, was received, and a resolution ance of the mails. The disposable sum being so small, owing to that and other circumstances, the directors do not recommend a dividend to be declared this time. The balance sheet showed! that £514,968 had been received and expended. The report was. received, and adopted unanimously. Cork, Blackrock, and Passage. The half-yearly meeting of this company took place in Cork, on May 30th-Dr. Lyons ini the chair. The report stated that the portion of the line from Cork to Toureen Strand, in l'assage, would be finished in a few months. The statement of accounts to the 28th April, showed London and North-Western.--A special general meeting of this company was held on the Sth, at the Easton Square Station, London-Mr. G. C. Glyn, M.P., in the chair. The object was to prove of the draft on a bill for vesting in this company, and e Lancashire and Yorkshire, the Preston and Wyre Harbour and Docks. The bill was approved of. In the course of the meeting, the following statement of the rapid increase of the traffic of Fleetwood was made : For the week ending April 21 982 990 28 May 5 12 19 ... 897 1847. 1848. 1849. Tons. Tons. Tons. 2,254 897 1,175 2,084 913 2,029 899 1,186 1,936 892 1,156 1,592 Great Northern-On June 7, a special general meeting of this company was held in London, for the purpose of declaring forfeit 26,000 shares on which the calls had not been paid up, and of confirming an agreement entered into with the Eastern Counties, and Boston, Stamford, and Birmingham Railways. The report stated the number of registered £25 shares to be forfeited was 26,534; in lieu of each forfeited share, two scrip shares of £12 10s. each were to be issued, which were to have credit for £2 10s., as a deposit paid thereon, and they were also to bear interest at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum in perpetuity, and to be divided among the shareholders rateably, according to the number of shares held. On an average, £5 a share had been paid on the shares it was proposed to forfeit, so that the directors would be enabled to apportion £2 10s. of this to the newly created shares. Thus a person by paying up £10 would become entitled to the half share of £12 10s. Leeds and Thirsk Railway.-A special general meeting of this company was held at Leeds, on June 9, to adopt the draft of a bill for "enabling the Leeds and Thirsk Railway Company to raise a further sum of money for the completion of their works, to guarantee interest on certain shares, and for other purposes." Mr. H. C. Marshall presided. After a brief discussion, the bill was unanimously approved of. The deficiency of capital to be made up by the bill was stated to be £600,000. Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton.-At a special general meeting of the shareholders, held in Worcester, June 9th, the following committee of investigation was appointed to report to an adjourned meeting, to be holden in London, July 12th: The stand at a clear distance of 460 feet from the great central tower, and again, the abutments stand at a distance from the side tower of 230 feet, giving the entire bridge a total length of 1,849 feet; The side or lang towers are each 62 feet by 52 feet at the base, and 190 feet high; they contain 210 tons of cast iron. scaffolding of the towers is very lofty, and the weight it has to support is 1,300 tons. The framing round the Britannia Tower rises to the vast height of nearly 250 feet. The entire scaffolding is capable of sustaining 2,000 tons. There are in it 570,000 cubic feet of timber and 20 tons of iron bolts. The length of the great tube is exactly 470 feet, being 12 feet longer than the clear span between the towers, and the greatest span as yet attempted. This additional length is intended to afford a temporary bearing of six feet at each end, after they are raised into their places, until there is time to form the connection between them across the towers. Their greatest height is in the centre, 30 feet, and diminishing towards the end to 22 feet. The thirteenth annual general meeting of the proprietors in the Bank of British North America was held in London, on Tuesday, June 12. The directors in their report state that they adhered to a cautious policy during the period of commercial depression last year, and that the British North American colonies had sustained their credit during the same period. Notwithstanding a restricted business, they are enabled to make a small addition to the rest, and after setting apart a sum sufficient to cover the estimate of probable loss, to declare a dividend for the half-year, at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum. It is stated that the Board of Trade have approved of the deed of constitution of the British Bank, preparatory to the grant of the charter. the shares have been largely taken up, it is expected that the charter will be secured ere many weeks pass over, and the bank commence business operations. The Hall of Commerce has been named as the probable location. As On Wednesday, June 6, the third annual meeting of the Solicitors and General Life Assurance Society was held at the Gray's Inn Coffee House, Holborn, London. Mr. Church having taken the chair, the secretary read the report, from which it ap peared, that during the past year the society had issued 214 policies, covering assurances to the amount of £95,069 18s., producing an annual premium of £2,797 18s. 10d. The number of existing policies was 538, and the amount £259,449 9s. 8d., and the annual premiums payable in respect to such was £8,243 Os. 4d. The report was satisfactory, and was adopted. East Anglian Railways.-On Wednesday, June 13th, a special general meeting of the proprietors in the above railways was held at the London Tavern, for the purpose, as announced in the ad- On Saturday, June 2, a meeting of the Institute of Actuaries vertisement, of taking into consideration and approving or dis- was held at the office in Chatham Place, to receive the report approving of a bill now pending in Parliament, for extending the of the auditors, and to elect officers for the year-Mr. J. Finlaison, time and powers for making the Ely and Huntingdon Railway,|| Government actuary, in the chair. The report of the auditors and for amending the act relating to the East Anglian Railways. for the year ending the 30th of April, 1849, stated that the re-After a somewhat stormy discussion, and considerable oppo-ceipts (including the balance at the last audit, on the 27th of sition, the motion was agreed to. November, 1848.) amounted to £449 3s. Sd., and the disbursements to £108 2s., leaving a balance in hand of £341 1s. 8d." From this sum there were deductions to be made for incidental expenses, and there remained a balance of £303 3s. 2d. meeting then proceeded to the election:-Mr. Finlaison was reelected president; Messrs. P. Hardy, C. Jellicoe, J. J. Sylvester and W. T. Thomson, vice-presidents; Mr. J. Lawrence, treasurer; Messrs. J. Jones and R. Tucker, honorary secretaries; and Mr. Cleghorn, registrar. The meeting was addressed by several actuaries; and about sixty persons, the majority of them members, afterwards dined together at Richmond. Midland Great Western.-A special meeting of this company was held on Tuesday, 19th June, at Dublin-Mr. J. Ennis in the chair. It was unanimously resolved to authorise the directors to negociate with the Government for a loan of £500,000, to enable the company to proceed with the construction of the line tɔ Galway. These constitute the substantial railway business of the month In respect to the progress of works, one of the most signal events in the history of railway engineering has just taken place, in the floating of the Britannia tubular bridge over the Menai Straits. This great feat took place on Wednesday, June 20th, in the presence of a vast concourse of spectators. The subjoined description of this colossal work, will be found interesting. The abutments, on either side of the straits, are huge piles of masonry. That on the Anglesey side is 143 feet high, and 173 long. The wing walls of both terminate in splendid pedestals. || and on each are two colossal lions couchants, of Egyptian design. These lions are on a gigantic scale, each being 25 feet long, 12 feet high, though cronched, nine feet abaft the body, and each paw two feet four inches. Each weighs 30 tons. The towers for supporting the tube are of a like magnitude with the entire work. The great Britannia Tower in the centre of the straits is 62 by 52 feet at its base; its total height from the bottom, 230 feet; it contains 148,625 cubic feet of limestone, and 144,625 of sandstone; it weighs 20,000 tons; and there are 387 tons of cast iron built into it in the shape of beams and girders. Its province is to sustain the four ends of the four long iron tubes which will span the straits from shore to shore. The total quantity of stone contained in the bridge is 1,500,000 cubic feet. The side towers The Indisputable Life Policy Fund.-The Assurance Company held a yearly meeting in London on June 22d, when a report of the state of the undertaking was submitted by Mr. Robertson, the secretary. From this document it appeared that, after providing for all payments of sums assured, and all debts, including preliminary charges, there would remain a clear profit of £11,919 19s. 11d., which belonged to, and is divisible with, the future profits as directed by the constitution, exclusively, among the present and future assurers of the company. In the course of eleven months, over which the report extends, they had received 253 proposals for assurances, on 227 of which policies had been completed and issued. The amount thus assured was £73,101, and the annual premiums thereon, £2,904 15s. 10d. On the motion of Mr. Bevan, banker, of St. Albans, the report was received and adopted. The subjoined table will show the state of the leading Joint Stock and other securities during the month; presenting, as it oes, the prices at the opening and close of the period referred THE COUNTESS OF BLESSINGTON. from him to her, as well as to the Earl, her husband, are found AT Paris, of apoplexy, on the 4th of June, the Right Hon. Mar-in his published correspondence. On the evening before their guerite, Countess of Blessington, celebrated for her beauty, her accomplishments, and her literary productions. The day previous to her death, she dined with the Duchesse de Grammont, when she appeared in her usual health. Next morning, feeling ill, she sent for her medical attendant, Dr. Simon, the homoeopathic doctor. A short time afterwards, she expired in his presence. It is little more than two months since she gave up her splendid residence at Gore House, Kensington, to go and live at Paris; and only two days before her death, she got possession of her new house in the Rue de Cercle, where her delightful reunions, for which she was so highly famed, were eagerly looked forward to by the notables and litterateurs of Paris. 46 departure from Genoa, Byron called on Lord and Lady Blessington, for the purpose of taking leave, and sat conversing for some time. On this occasion he gave utterance to an ominous presentiment that had taken possession of his mind--that he should die in Greece, for which he was then making preparations to sail. "Here," said he, "we are all now together-but when, and where, shall we meet again? I have a sort of boding that we see each other for the last time; as something tells me I shall never again return from Greece." He presented to each of the party some little farewell gift. To Lady Blessington he gave a copy of his Armenian Grammar, which had some manuscript remarks of his own on the leaves. In parting with her, he re ladyship gave him one of her rings. In return, he took a pin from his breast, containing a small cameo of Napoleon--which had long been his companion-and presented it to Lady Blessington. Next day, June 2, 1823, she received a note from him, stating that he was "superstitious, and recollected that memorials with a point are of less fortunate augury." He therefore requested back the pin, and sent her a chain instead. Her society was courted abroad by the most distinguished persons, especially by the members of the Napoleon family, with many of whom, and particularly with Prince Louis Napoleon, now President of the French Republic, she was on terms of intimacy. Few names were better known in the world of literaturequested, as a memorial, some trifle which she had worn, when her than was that of Lady Blessington. She was a native of Ireland; || born in 1789; the daughter of Edmund Power, Esq., of Curragheen, county of Waterford, and the half-sister of the late eminent actor, Tyrone Power, Esq., who was lost in the President steamer, on his return to this country, from America. At the age of 15, she was married to M. St. Leger Farmer, Esq., of Poplar Hall, county Kildare, captain in the 47th Regiment. After his death, she lived under the protection of an officer, and was also intimate with Lord Blessington, who was likewise in the army. In 1818, she was united to the latter, Charles John Gardiner, Earl of Blessington, Viscount and Baron Mountjoy, who || died, without issue, in 1829, when his titles became extinct. After the Earl's death, she fixed her residence in London, and long held a very distinguished place in the literary society of the metropolis. Her house became the centre-point of men of talent in almost all departments; and many of the literary celebrities of London were frequently found there as visitors. On more occasions than one she showed herself the friend of obscure but deserving genius. Of this, her notice of Thomas Miller, the basketmaker, author of "Royston Gower," affords a remarkable instance. As soon as he became known by his writings, Lady Blessington sent for him, recommended his book, and did him substantial service. "Often," Miller himself says, " have I been sitting in Lady Blessington's splendid drawing-room in the morning, talking and laughing as familiar as in the old house at home,plied the slightest injunction to secresy, she expresses a hope and, in the same evening, I might have been seen standing on Westminster Bridge, between an apple-vender and a baked-potato merchant, vending my baskets." After their marriage, the Earl and Countess passed seve ral years abroad. In August, 1822, they left England for the continent, and resided for about six years at Genoa and Naples, and other places in Italy. At Genoa, in 1823, Lady Blessington met Lord Byron for the first time, and afterwards saw him daily for a considerable period during her residence in that city. The readers of Moore's Life of Byron will remember the many occasions on which he pays tribute to her intellectual and personal gifts and graces. One or two copies of verses were addressed by the noble bard to her ladyship, and several letters Lady Blessington's contributions to literature were numerous. Her first work was entitled, we believe, "The Magic Lantern, or Scenes in the Metropolis," a small single volume of very modest pretensions, published by Longman and Co., about tweney-five years ago. Her next publication was also a small volume, "A Tour in the Netherlands," of no great merit. Her "Conversations with Lord Byron," in one volume, commanded more attention. In her preface to this work, she states that "she was for a long time undecided as to publishing her Conversations with the noble poet, fearful that, by the invidious, it might be considered as a breach of confidence; but as Boswell's and Mrs. Piozzi's disclosures relative to Dr. Johnson were never viewed in this light, and as Lord Byron never gave or im that she may equally escape such an imputation." The work, on its appearance, was declared to be the cleverest and one of the most interesting things that had been written on Lord Byron; unfolding with all possible delicacy, consideration, and good nature, his true character-even to its inmost recesses. In 1833, her ladyship published her first novel, "Grace Cassidy, or the Repealers," in three volumes. The object of this work was to show the artifices by which the agitation for repeal became popular in Ireland, and the circumstances in the character of the people, and the condition of the country, which render the Irish peasantry so peculiarly liable to be led away by it. With this it combined the delineation of modern fashionable society, in certain of its aspects. The work contains scarcely any plot, the greater part being occupied with dialogues, criticism, || The Madame Catalani and themselves: their version of her parentage being that her mother was a kinswoman of theirs, and that the child had been carried to Italy at an early age. There was certainly a resemblance among these three beautifal women strong enough to pass for family likeness when attention had once been called to the subject. Previous to her coming to Eugland she had obtained a high reputation on the Continent as a singer. She made her first appearance in London in December 1806, on the opening of the King's Theatre, in Portugall's grand serious opera of "Semiramide," The great fame she had acquired attracted a crowded audience, who received her with the utmost enthusiasm. Her voice was extremely rich and powerful, and of great compass and flexibility. She sang with astonishing ease, and in rapidity of execution she was only exceeded by her most celebrated predecessor, Mrs. Billington. She appeared for the second time on the 3d of January, 1507, in the same opera, of the following April, when she performed in "La Morte di Mitridate," with extraordinary success. Her acting was as distinguished as her singing. At her second benefit, on the 10th of July, to show the diversity of her talents, she gave the first act of "Semiramide," and the first act of the comic opera “Il Fanatico per la Musico," in both of which she proved herself unequalled. During the whole of this her first season in London, she experienced the public patronage to an unprecedented degree. She also sang at the subscription concerts which were given at the houses of the nobility. "This In 1836, her ladyship published a work, called “Confessions of an Elderly Gentleman," illustrated with six portraits, &c., by E. Parris. It embodies, in six tales, the different love-passages and marriage disappointments, in the life of the elderly gentle-with increased effect. Her first benefit took place on the 15th man; and its principal merit is its truth and humour. She subsequently published “Confessions of an Elderly Lady," also an ably- || conceived and vividly-written imaginary memoir. She likewise wrote "Desultory Thoughts and Reflections," a work little known, but worthy of remembrance, for the philosophical, yet feminine, spirit in which it is conceived. It is in the style of the maxims of La Rochefaucauld, but presents a much more cheering view of human nature. Her other works are "The Belle of the Season," "The Idler in Italy," 3 vols., 1839-40; "The Idler in France," 2 vols., 1841; "The Governess;" "Meredith;" "The Lottery of Life;" "Strathern;" and "The Victims of Society." This! On the opening of the King's Theatre in January, 180S, she last work appeared in 1887, and both in its general scope, and the appeared in the comic opera of "La Freschetana," and is a artistic manner in which its subject is treated, it has been said favourite song in the second act she was twice encored. Parke, to be not inferior to Miss Edgeworth's "Leonora." It is a tale in his "Musical Memoirs," to which we are mainly indebted for of modern society, written in the form of letters, her ladyship these particulars of Catalani's appearances in London, says: being fond of the autobiographical and narrative style of telling double encore afterwards became fashionable with regard to the a story. The plot, contrary to the usual practice in her novels, singers, particularly at the English theatres; and as none of the is constructed with force and skill, and the characters, principal great singers who preceded Catalani, namely, Mara, Banti, Grasand accessory, are well sustained. Her latest work, published in sini, and Billington, had ever received a similar compliment, the 1846, entitled “Memoirs of a Femme de Chambre," is a sprightly || fact that Catalani was called forward to sing the same song three novel, in 3 volumes, full of sarcastic hits, written in her pleasant-times, appeared extraordinary, until it came out that, as part of est style. The same year, she edited "Lionel Deerhurst," ano- her engagement, she had stipulated to have the privilege of nifty ther novel, in 3 volumes. The Countess also wrote "Sketches orders nightly!" and Fragments," and numerous magazine articles. Besides the works mentioned, she, for years, edited "The Book of Beauty," the most fashionable of the annuals, and displayed fine taste, and the most discriminating judgment in the task. To that and other illustrated publications, she contributed several short stories and poems of a superior kind. In painting manners, her ladyship excelled. Her style is remarkable for its gracefulness. Her plots are, in general, simple; and of all her writings it may truly be said, that they were dictated by sound sense and right feeling. Her recollections of Italy and France are, perhaps, the best of her works, being full of personal anecdote, epigram, sentiment, and description. Lady Blessington was no less famed for her beauty than for her literary talents. Byron well described her as the "most gorgeous lady Blessington." The engraved portrait of her, from the original, by Sir Thomas Lawrence, gives the best likeness of her ladyship, and conveys the best idea of her voluptuous beauty. Her sister was the late Lady Canterbury, previously the widow of the son of the then Sir Alexander Purvis. A younger sister was married, in 1832, to a French nobleman. The Earl of Blessington, by his first wife, the widow of a brother officer, had a daughter, Lady Harriet Anne Frances, born in 1812, who, in 1827, married Alfred Count D'Orsay, from whom she separated soon after. She has continued to reside chiefly in Paris, her husband and mother-in-law living in London, first in Berkeley Square, and subsequently at Gore House. Count D'Orsay has also, we believe, gone to reside at Paris. MADAME CATALANI. AT Paris, of cholera, after only 24 hours' illness, the celebrated cantatrice, Madame CATALANI, in her 70th year. She was an Italian by birth, although, as in the case of Jenny Lind, there were not wanting, at various times, statements in the public prints, making her out to have been in reality a native of Ireland, but taken to Italy when very young, and educated there. The "Athenæum" says that the late Lady Blessington, and her sister, too, Lady Canterbury, both declared themselves in possession of evidence tending to establish a not very near relationship betwixt On the 21st of the following April, her first benefit for the season took place; when, in Nasolini's serious opera of "Le Feste di Iside," she appeared in male attire, as Sesostris, King of Egypt. The receipts of the house on this occasion exceeded one thousand pounds. Byron has commemorated her appearance in trousers in the following lines, in his English Bards and Scotch Reviewers:- "Degenerate Britons! are ye dead tɔ shame, Since their own drama yields no fairer trace In a note he says, "Naldi and Catalani require little notice; for the visage of the one and the salary of the other will enable us long to recollect these amusing vagabonds. Besides, we are still black and blue from the squeeze on the first night of the lady's appearance in trousers." The famous Italian buffo singer, Sebastiano Naldi here mentioned, was a prominent member of the company at the King's Theatre, when Madame Catalani was prina donna. He was accidentally killed in Paris in 1819, by the explosion of an apparatus which had been invented for cooking by steam. Her second benefit for the season of 1808 took place on the 25th June, when in "Il Fanatico per la Musica," she introduced, for the first time, the popular English air of "Hope told a flattering tale," composed upwards of thirty years before, expressly for Madame Mara, by Mazzinghi. On the opening of the King's Theatre, in January, 1809, Madame Catalani was found not to have been re-engaged, owing to disagreement as to terms, her demands being so exorbitant that the management could not accede to them. She gave six concerts by subscription at the Hanover Square Rooms, commencing on the 26th of March. In announcing these concerts, she intimated that she was about to leave England for the continent, The ruse had its effect, for she was engaged for the ensuing season for the Opera, and her concerts were well attended. On the 11th of March, 1810, she made her first appearance, for two years, ai |