10 AUGUST 1861, Page 1

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

LORD Palmerston, at the beginning of the session, promised nothing, and faithfully kept his promise. Parliament adhered to its pleasant programme of talkative idleness with unswerving con- sistency, and rose on the 6th instant after a session hard to describe except in negatives. It has not added a great law to the statute-book, or developed any project of thrift, or discussed any foreign policy, or devised any new aid to the progress of the mass of the people. It has not revealed any fresh statesman, or elicited any new idea, or added any strength to the Government, or infused any new energy into the suffrage. It has not even helped to form opinion, for opinion is in August just where it was in December, firm in favour of Italy, doubtful on Hungarian claims, satisfied that America is an unreason- able man for once in the right, and content to leave English affairs to flourish as they best may uninfluenced by that English vicegerent of heaven, the wisdom of Parliament.