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A grand entertainment was given on Monday to the Bishops and clergy, at the Mansionhouse, by the Mayor and Aldermen, on the an- niversary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. The banquet was prepared in the Egyptian Hall. The list of guests comprises the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops of London, Ripon, Bangor, Chichester, Ely, Lichfield, Lincoln, Llandaff, Rochester, Sal‘bury, and St. David's; Archdeacons Wilberforce, Hollingforth, Manning, Hamilton, and Robinson ; several of the Aldermen and chief functionaries of the Corporation ; Dr. Stebbing and other Doctors of Divinity, and many of the City clergy. Sir Robert Inglis, M.P., and Manetjee Cursetjee, a distinguished native of Bombay, who is here to acquire a practical knowledge of British institutions, were among the company.

On Saturday last, the four hundredth anniversary of the foundation of Eton College was celebrated by a numerous meeting of Etonians, at Willis's Rooms. Lord Denman presided, supported by the Provost of Eton, and Dr. Havrtrey, the Head Master of the school. Lord Morpeth, Lord Lincoln, the Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Justice Patteson, Mr. Justice Coleridge, Dr. Keate, Sir H. Turner, and upwards of three hundred gentlemen, were present. Lord Morpeth, in returning thanks for the toast of " The Statesmen of Eton," jokingly remarked, that although he was now in the sixth form of the Cabinet, it was very probable many gentlemen present expected he would be shortly in the "remove. On the "Judges of Eton" being drunk, the Vice-Chancellor returned thanks ; and declared his opinion, that the practice of escaping from the entanglement of weeds in swimming at Eton helped those edu- cated there to become good lawyers! These seem to be recorded au the brilliant sayings of the evening.

The twenty-third annual meeting of the Society for Promoting the Building of Churches was held on Thursday, at their rooms in St. Mar- tin's Place. The Archbishop of Canterbury presided. There were also present the Bishops of London, Ripon, Salisbury, Lincoln, Norwich, Hereford, Bangor, and Gloucester ; the Earl of Harrowby, Lord Bay- fling, Lord Bolton, the Dean of Chichester, the Dean of Salisbury, and a numerous assemblage of the clergy. The report stated that the num- ber of applications for aid was 181; and the number of grants made was 143, involving an outlay of 22,543/. By these means, opportunity would be afforded of attending Divine service for 45,757 persons, and of which 33,466 would be free sittings. The amount of the Society's grants up

to the 31st March last was 56,3881.; to meet which there was, however, but 55,1901. 6s. 7d. Since the formation of the Society in the year 1818, additional accommodation has been provided for 522,137 persons, in- cluding 367,805 free sittings, at an expense of 304,9101. to the Society. The report complained much of inadequate means.

The National Society held its annual meeting on Wednesday, in the Central School-room Sanctuary, at Westminster. There were present the Archbishop of Canterbury, who occupied the chair ; the Bishops of London, Winchester, Hereford, Lichfield, St. David's, Bangor, Glouces- ter and Bristol, Ripon, and Norwich ; Lords Lyttelton, Sandon, Kenyon, Ashley, and Harrowby ; the Deans of Chichester, St. Asaph, Salisbury, Ripon, and Hereford ; Archdeacons Macdonald, Manning, Wilberforce, and Austin ; the Principal of King's College ; Sir G. Sinclair, M.P., Sir R. Inglis, M.P., and some ladies. The report stated that in the past year 556 grants for schools in connexion with the Established Church had been made by Government and the Society ; by which a sum of 34,006/. had been dedicated to the accommodation of 96,291 scholars. The product of the parochial collections which the Queen had allowed was 26,5271., collected at 8,015 places.

The Agricultural Society of England held its general half-yearly meeting on Saturday last, at their offices in Cavendish Square. Among

those preseut, were Earl Spencer, the Earl of Roseberry, Lord Port- man, Lord Camoys, the Earl of Lovelace, Sir Charles Morgan. Mr. Handley, M.P. ; the President, Mr. Pusey, being in the chair. The Council stated in their report, that an Irish Association had been formed on a similar plan to that of the English. The next meeting of the English Society would be at LiverpooL Their numbers had risen from 3,500 to 4,595; but from failures in the payment of annual sub-

seriptions by members, there was in that source of revenue a deficit of 78L; still, however, such was the general increase of their funds, that 1,0001. had been added to the large property already possessed in the Funds ; and they would also be enabled to add 2001. to the sums for distribution in annual prizes. The report was ordered to be exten- sively circulated. Mr. Handley, M.P., was elected President for the ensuing year.

A general meeting of the members of the Children's Friend Society was held on Saturday, at Exeter Hall ; Sir Charles Lemon in the chair. The report stated, that although the Committee had used every endea- vour to procure sufficient funds for carrying out the purposes of the in- -stitution, especially with regard to the proposed industrial farm at the Cape, they had been unable to effect their object. They had applied to Lord John Russell, hoping that the Government would render them some assistance; but Lord John had declined to interfere. Several speakers addressed the meeting ; and eventually a motion for the dis- solution of the Society was put and agreed to unanimously.

The Pitt Club held their triennial dinner, at Merchant Tailors Hall, yesterday. The Earl of Eldon presided; and several Tory Lords and Members of Parliament were present. The speaking, if it is fair to judge by the meagre reports which are given, was below par.

A public dinner was given on Thursday to the Honourable Charles Langdale, 31.P., at Freemasons Tavern, as a public acknowledgment of his services in the cause of the Roman Catholics. Lord emus occupied the chair ; and about two hundred sat down to dinner ; amongst them the Right Reverend Dr. Wareing, the Right Reverend Dr. Collier, the Right Reverend Dr. Clancy, with several Roman Catholic clergymen of the Metropolitan diocese, Mr. O'Connell, and some other Members of Parliament.

More public meetings have been held this week in London and the vicinity to support the Free-trade movement. The inhabitants of the Ward of Farringdon Without declared in favour of the Budget proposi- tions on Monday. The parish of St. Sepulchre agreed to petition for alteration of the Corn-laws. The members of the Bethnal Green Reading-room and Mutual Instruction Society pronounced an opinion that all restrictions on trade; especially the trade in corn, ought to be repealed. On Tuesday, the Vestry of St. Luke's petitioned for total repeal of the Corn-laws. Dr. Pye Smith led the way at a public meet- ing in Hackney, declaring all monopolies unwise, and petitioning for repeal or modification of the Corn-laws. Mr. Scoble, the Anti-Slavery agitator, moved to leave out the qualifying mention of" modification"; but the original proposition was carried. A meeting at Paddington, on Wednesday, was interrupted by a Chartist lad, who moved its adjourn- ment till the evening, that the working-classes might attend. He was seconded by a person who made a jest of his motion. Another amend- ment on the original resolutions, condemning the wasteful expenditure -of Government and the proposed plan for making good the deficiency, was rejected. The meeting was attended by Sir Benjamin Hall; who spoke, of course, on the side of the Ministerial measures. The Chartists also interfered at a public meeting at the Latimer Room at Hammersmith : but they were defeated. A meeting of Reformers at Kensington adopted a petition for the Government scheme. On Thurs- day, the Ward of Portsoken petitioned for repeal or modification.

A meeting of noblemen and gentlemen connected with the British North American Colonies took place on Saturday, at the Colonial Club- house St. James's. The Earl of Mounteashell, on taking the chair, ex- plained that the North American Colonial Committee had called a spe- cial meeting to determine what steps it might be advisable to take in opposition to the proposed alteration of the Timber-duties. The following was one of the resolutions carried- " That the proposed measure of Government above referred to has the fur- ther serious objection of being introduced at a moment the most inconvenient and impolitic, it being the period when the first Parliament since the union of the Provinces is on the eve of assembling, and when, according to a report of a recent speech of the Secretary for the Colonies, in his place in Parliament, it was stated that the Governor-General of British North America had expressed an opinion that the proposed measure would embarrass him in his administra- tion in Canada."

• On Monday evening, a Chartist meeting was held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand, ostensibly for the purpose of adopting resolutions "having for their object the release of all political offenders and carrying out the People's Charter "; but the new financial policy of Government, the Poor-law, and the Rural Police, formed the principal topics of comment. Mr. Smart, a provincial delegate, declared that the Chartists held the balance of the elections in their hands ; and he said that if they were now using the Tories to cut the throats of the Whigs, they would afterwards turn round upon the Tories and treat them in like manner. Thanks were proposed to Mr. Thomas Dun- cornbe, and other Members of Parliament who aided in procuring the release of all political prisoners. Mr. Skeffington, in seconding this resolution mentioned that Mr. Feargus O'Connor was to be proposed and carried into Parliament triumphantly, as the representative of Lei- cester. All the resolutions were carried of course.

A crowd assembled on Tuesday afternoon at the entrance to the House of Commons, to witness the arrival of the huge Chartist petition with 1,300,000 signatures, which was borne by the working-men in procession. Shortly after four o'clock the procession appeared. headed by some well-known Chartist leaders. The petition was carried on the shoulders of eight sturdy men, in fustian jackets. Ariived at the iron gates, a message was sent to Mr. Thomas Duncombe, who had agreed to present it. An answer was sent down analogous to the formula within-doors, " Please to bring it up." The lobbies were crowded, se- veral Members running to see the monstrous document. Finally it was received by Mr. Duncombe and Mr. O'Connell; who managed, with some difficulty, to roll it into the awful presence of the Speaker.

Citations have been served on five or six of the inhabitants of Hack- ney, to compel the payment of church-rates in arrears, amounting alto- gether to something less than thirty shillings. The whole of the parties having a similar defence, they proposed that at the hearing of the cases one should be selected, by the decision in which thp rest should be bound. This apparently reasonable overture was rejected by

the Churchwardens ; who, besides having taken these proceedings in the Ecclesiastical Court, have caused a Magistrate's order to be served on five hundred defaulters in the parish, accompanied by an intimation, that upon continued contumacy distress-warrants shall promptly follow.

On Saturday, Westminster Bridge, which has undergone extensive repairs, was again opened for the passage of horses and carriages, after having been closed for some weeks. The carriage-way has been very much lowered; there is no longer the abrupt declivity that was so un- pleasant, and frequently caused, especially in frosty weather, severe accidents.

Numbers of workmen arc busily employed in taking down the large brewery which lately belonged to Messrs. Goding, at Knightsbridge, on the site of which is to be erected an entrance-gate to Hyde Park for foot-passengers and carriages, with a keeper's lodge; to be named Prince Albert's Gate. Surveyors have also been taking plans for the erection of mansions ; the fronts of which will be towards the Park, extending from the new entrance nearly to Hyde Park Corner. The small old houses and shops on that side are speedily to be removed for that purpose.

In the Court of Queen's Bench, on Monday, judgment was given in a trial involving the question of deodauds in cases of accident by steam. A person called Joseph Mason having met his death in consequence of the improper manner in which a steam-boat had been managed, the Coroner's inquest found a verdict of murder against a particular individual, and levied a deodand of 800/. upon the steam- boat. Lord Denman now stated, that a Coroner's Jury had no power to impose a deodand in an inquisition where they had also found a verdict of murder. All the cases of deodand reported on the books were cases in which the death had occurred by misadventure; and whatever might have been the origin of deoclands, it had never been thought that they were intended to operate as fines to be imposed upon individuals for negligent or malicious conduct. The Court was of opinion that at this time of day they were not called upon to extend the application of deodands beyond those instances in which they had been levied according to ancient usage. The Court therefore decided that such part of the inquisition as related to the imposition of the deodand should be quashed.

A case of contested copyright in music, the case of Chappell versus Purday, was opened in the Exchequer Chamber on Monday. The plaintiff is widow of the late music-publisher in Bond Street; and she seeks to restrain the defendant from publishing the overture and part of Auber's opera of Fro Diavolo. Time music was sold by Auber to M. Troupenes, by him to M. Latour, and by the latter to Mr. Chappell. This was in 1830, when the copies were lodged with the Minister of the Interior in Paris. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Purday had the over- ture and portions of the opera newly arranged and prepared for publi- cation ; upon which Mr. Chappell sought the defendant, and an arrange- ment was made that Mr. Purday should not take further steps ; while Mr. Chappell would publish the music arranged in the defendant's way, and allow him copies at thirty-five per cent, below trade-price. This contract was acted upon during the life of Mr. Chappell, and for some time after. In 1836, however, Mrs. Chappell obtained what she thought a legal assignment of the work, (no legal instrument having been previously executed between the parties,) and then refused to supply Mr. Purday with the work on the former terms. Upon that, he published en his own account ; and hence the present action. It was argued that no infringement on copy right had taken place. It had been held in the case of Clementi versus Walker, and in other cases, that where the work of a foreigner was first published in a foreign country, there was no infringement cf copyright for an English pub- lisher to print copies of the work and sell them in this country ; and further, that no assignment of the work from the author subsequently would give a copyright to parties in England under the circumstances. The Court rose in the course of the plaintiff's reply : the next hearing will be on Saturday next.