airtruptis.

Christmas was kept on Monday with the customary festivities and en- tertainments, and with the accompaniment of real Christmas weather, frost and snow, as of yore. London looked like London on Sunday, only more gay. All day long, the streets were enlivened by the passing to and fro of the denizens of Cockaigne and their country cousins, in search of amusement, or engaged in the business of sightseeing. The British Museum, the National and Vernon Galleries, Wyld's Great Globe, Ma- dame Tussaud's rooms, the Zoological Gardens, St. Paul's Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey, were visited by many thousands : it is estimated that between forty and fifty thousand persons entered the British Museum alone. The weather being fine all day, and only more bracing at night- fall, the theatres were besieged with thousands whom pantomime in all its glory never tires; and anxious managers were gratified while the pub- lic crushed its way into every corner where sight or sound could arrive. It is remarkable that a pantomime was played at the Haymarket for the first time in its history, on Monday night, founded on Southey's charm- ing story of the Three Bears. The Princess's, the Olympic, Sadler's Wells, the Surrey, and the Victoria, also adhered to the old rule of pre- senting a pantomime on Boxing-day ; while the Adeiphi and the Lyceum preferred fairy spectacle.

It is worthy of note that the crowds in the streets were very orderly and well-behaved.

The paupers of the Metropolitan Workhouses were regaled on Sunday with Christmas fare, roast beef and plum-pudding, with gifts of tobacco and snuff to the adults and oranges and sweetmeats to the children. In all the parishes, with four exceptions, there is an increase in the number of paupers both out-door and in-door, varying from 1576 in St. Pancras to 6 in the Edmonton Union. The large increase, however, occurs in the out-door poor ; showing a prevalence of that system of relief throughout the Metropolis.

An agitation is in progress in the City for the purpose of " procuring an alteration in the existing laws relating to the assessment of the poor-rate and the removal of chargeable poor." At a meeting of persons interested, on Wednesday, it was resolved to request the Lord Mayor to call a public meeting on the subject as early as possible.

Mr. Charles Westerton, one of the Churchwardens of the parish of St. Paul, Knightsbridge, has made a formal complaint against the Honourable and Reverend R. Liddell, M.A., the incumbent, and the Reverend George Nugee, M.A., the curate, in a letter addressed to the Bishop of. the dio- cese. According to Mr. Westerton's account, Mr. Liddell the successor of Mr. Bennett, and Mr. Nugee the former curate, who was retained in office, and has obtained "a dangerous influence" over the new ineom. bent, have gradually revived the Romanising practices which were so os fensive as to call for the Bishop's interference and Mr. Bennett's removal. The Churchwarden gives the Bishop a lengthened description of the man. nor in which the morning service at St. Paul's Church is performed.

" While the clergy bell is ringing, the choristers, boys and men, about twenty in number, issue from the clerk's vestry in procession, followed by one of the curates, cap in hand. When they have taken their places, Mr. Liddell and two curates, with occasionally volunteer clergymen, walk in pro- cession from the vestry, each bearing one or more of the vessels to be used at the communion. As they approach the altar, on which stands a large cross, Mr. Liddell bows to it reverently, and places on the credence-table by its side the ',easel he has brought. Mr. Nugee, also bowing reverently, now ap. preaches, and, giving up what he has brought to be placed there, takes his place on the South side of it, followed by the others; who, having followed his example, with the exception of bowing, take their places behind him. While this is going on, the choristers and congregation have all risen. During the `Gloria Petri, which occurs frequently during the service, Mr. Liddell, folding his hands across his breast, bows his bead towards the altar, con- Unsling bent till it is ended. Mr. Nugeo does the same. At the conclusion of the Litany, the clergy retire in procession to the vestry. A voluntary from the organ peals forth ; and Mr. Liddell and the curates return in pro- cession, he and Mr. Nugee bowing again to the altar as they approach it. The congregation and choristers have risen, the latter singing a 'Gloria: Mr. Liddell having by this time taken his place on the North and his curates on the South side of the altar, they kneel down with their faces towards it and their hands clasped, as in devotional adoration. No communion-table is provided, but instead of it an elaborately-carved oaken altar, precisely like those used in Roman Catholic cathedrals and chapels, and like them, covered with rich velvet antependia,' of colours varying with the sea. sons, embroidered with monograms, fleurs-de-lis, and other devices is silver and gold. This altar has been placed on a dais or platform, co- vered with carpet ; and on it has been erected a 'super altar,' to give a greater elevation to the cross, and huge candlesticks, with equally huge candles, which stand upon it. This cross the Bishop ordered to be removed, but it has been replaced. On the altar stand vessels of gold for the commu- nion, with large brass crosses on their velvet sides, so placed as to be seen from every part of the church where the altar is visible. At certain seasons, veils of rich embroidered lace and bouquets of flowers, the choicest that can be procured, are crowded in confusion on and about it : every niche of the reredoes on each side and above is occupied with plants of the camellia japo- nica, and fleurs immortelles, and evergreens deck the main body of the church itself. Until very lately these expensive floral displays have been paid for out of the offertory money." The Churchwarden takes the rubrical direc- tions of the Prayer-book seriatim, and assures the Bishop that Mr. Liddell and his curates habitually violate nearly the whole of them.

There was a festival on Tuesday, in the Hall of Association in Castle Street, Oxford Street, the head-quarters of the cooperative experiment, for the purpose of presenting an address to the Reverend Frederick Mau- rice, signed by 960 working men of the Metropolis. The room was gaily decked out with flowers, evergreens, pictures, and engravings ; and be- side the gathering of working men, there were present a good sprinkling of other classes. Having partaken of tea, Mr. Corfield, a working man, took the chair ; and, in a brief speech, told the assembly, that they had met to present an address to their esteemed and reverend friend Mr. Maurice. It was creditable to him that he had given a more liberal, merciful, and genial interpretation to the Holy Scriptures, than was usually given to them ; and for this the working men were grateful. Mr. Corfield added, that the conduct of the authorities of King's College was not likely to narrow the division existing between the working classes and the Church.

The address expressed the feelings of admiration and affection with which the working classes regard Mr. Maurice ; to the greater part of whom he is known chiefly for his efforts in improving their condition and introducing a purer and higher tone in their daily life, and for the sacri- fices he has made to the maintenance of what he conceives to be vital and essential truth. All these services have been enhanced by his ur- banity and kindliness. Touching the recent occurrence, they say- " It is with pain and bitter regret that they have become acquainted with recent events connected with your position as a public teacher in one of the chief educational establishments of this country ; and, while they desire to avoid any expression of opinion as to the theological aspects of the dispute which has unfortunately arisen, they are convinced that that establishment will be less favourably regarded in consequence of its results ; and the au- thorities in connexion with it having looked upon you as unfit to rank among its most honoured teachers, working men will come to the conclusion that those authorities are not entitled to their respect." The working men, the address continues, believe that "if anything tends to bring the many into real communion with the Church, it is that it numbers among its ministers men like yourself."

In reply, Mr. Maurice delivered an impressive address, enthusiastically applauded throughout.

He must ask them to believe that he felt that which he could not express on this occasion. Briefly alluding to a circumstance which had lately oc- curred to him, he said he wished they had said nothing about it; and for his part he would pass it almost entirely : for those who signed the address must have differed from him on many points; and when he knew that others made allowances for him, he must make allowances for them. He would not have alluded thus slightly to those proceedings, had he not thought that those who addressed him attached much importance to acts which, if he had neglected to do, he must have fallen short of what he ought to have done.

Disclaiming the testimonial as one personal to himself, he declared that he valued it for the sake of the cause in which so many of his friends are interested. They had done more than he had. He was only the represent- ative of others, put forward because he was a clergyman of the Church of England; and he had come forward because he believed it was the duty of a clergyman of the Church of England to come forward in such a cause as this. He had also been put forward in order that the working classes might under- stand that the Church of England ought to occupy the place it does occupy. If, as churchmen, they did not feel they had a right to bear this witness to the world, they had better give it up altogether, and say " Our mission is nothing, our position is a lie.' It was better for them to make this confes- sion at once, than profess to do some things which they do not do, and say some things which they do not say. . . . . He believed the institution to which they had alluded in their address, and with which be had been connected, was doing a great work for the mid- dle classes of this country, and for all classes. He believed and trusted that it would go on doing that work. Dear and honoured friends of his are con- nected with it, in whose hearts and understandings he had the profoundest ncongasnee, and who he believed would not cease to labour that all good may cows to the country from their teaching. But those now assembled had another calling. It was for them to consider whether they could not bring tho working Massa into the same kind of discipline, and give them the mine kind of education as the other classes. He felt he was bound to enter- tain this question more seriously than before, and he was most anxious that those whom he now addressed would assist him, and give him their hints and suggestions as to how it could be most effectually done. They ought to consider how the working man could be brought within the influence of those collegiate institutions. An address had been delivered at Sheffield by a popular lecturer on the subject of a People's College, and the question is one which they were bound to reflect upon and consider. The Sheffield in- titntion might not be the best, brit what had been done at Sheffield could be done in London ; and they were bound to ask themselves what could be done in the way of improving the education of the people. He had spoken espe- cially of education, but the address had alluded to the union of classes—to the absolute necessity of all. classes feeling that they are one, and that the great barriers which separate them are not so mighty as the bonds which unite them one to another. He felt and understood that the Church could only prove itself to be a real body in the land while it is working for that union of classes— that the clergyman does not belong to any particular class in the community, but stands charged with the duty of bringing all together. This was his special vocation ; and therefore, at a time like this, when the war of classes is get- ting more serious—when they read of the terrible events now going on in the North of England—when they feel how much good is thrown away and bow much ruin is entailed—when they hear all this, they feel the obligation laid upon them to bring masters and men together, and to show how some reconciliation could be made between them, and some arrangement of their claims, which could not be effected by talking about the relations of supple and demand. When they feel all this, and see how tremendous is the dis- cord between classes, they behold a great work lying before the clergy of England. They see that they are bound to try if they cannot turn these feelings of strife to union and fellowship, and if they cannot turn the sums of money which they raise by such noble sacrifices to their use instead of their ruin. This is a question which is forced upon the consideration of all classes. The allusion in the address had induced him to touch upon it ; and he had done so to get rid of personality, and to show that he did not look upon the honour done to him as a personal favour, but as a testimonial to a principle and a cause. When there are such questions as education and strikes pressing for consideration, they could not expect him to talk of any petty sacrifice he had made ; for every one is bound to make great sacrifices, and to work as they had never worked before. At the same time, they would feel that he was not disowning any of their kindness when he gave this di- rection to their thoughts. They would feel that he was only showing more thoroughly how much he desired to sympathize. with them, and how much he felt the extent of their sympathy for him. Sympathy is the most produc- tive of all principles, and has effected all the good there is in the world ; and he was sure that no other power would ever be substituted for it, to take its place or to do its office. He was sure that no struggle with man and man and class and class would ever do in England. If they were to go through the length and breadth of the land, and consider what had been accomplished, what triumphs had been won, and what enemies had been put down, it would be found that it had been done by the fellow working of hearts bound one to another, and pledged to accomplish that which they believed it right to do. He had always declared, wherever be had gone, that he stood upon the ground of an English churchman—that he was making that profession—and that he did not mean, under any circum-

stances, to abandon it When he saw two great countries struggling together—one the country of the Mussulman, and the other going forth with a proud and Christian name, singing Christian songs of victory—when he saw that country desiring to set its hoof upon the nationality of all other countries in the world, and that it was pledged to put down that which was right and put forward that which was unjust—when he felt that one foot of that great bear was resting upon Hungary and the other upon Italy—then he felt that when that power went forth in the name of the Cross he was bound on such an occasion to rejoice in the victory of the Crescent, rather than in that which pretended to be the supporter of truth and was not. After much earnest enforcement of these and similar sentiments, Mr. Mau- rice concluded his address by invoking upon all present the blessing of this Christian season, and a happy new year.

The speech of Prince Adam Czartoryski, delivered in Paris on the 29th November, was read to an assembly of Polish exiles in London last week; and a complimentary address to the Prince was adopted, signed by Lieutenant Sehulezewski and Mr. Zaba.

Richard Medhurst, a boy of fourteen, worked with his father at a factory in Clerkenwell; on the evening of the 30th October, he left the factory with i another boy. A man who was in a chaise-cart, in Old Street, said he wanted a boy to go with him to hold his horse ; Richard said he would go ; he got into the cart, and the man drove off towards Shoreditch. Nothing more was heard of Richard Medhurst till Monday sennight, when his naked corpse was found in a ditch at East Acton. His father said that when the boy left home he was stout and healthy : the corpse was very emaciated ; there were marks as if the hands and feet had been tied with a cord ; there was a bruise on the nose, and a more extensive one over the right eye ; on the body were scratches and sears ; the back and hips were sore, as if from lying long in oneposition. There was no food in the stomach; and the left lung was extensively diseased, though when last seen alive Richard, it was said, exhi- bited no signs of such disease. Medical evidence, however, described the disease as of long standing, and the boy's constitution as of a highly scrofu- lous character. On the whole, the inference is, that from some unaccount- able motive, the boy was decoyed away, imprisoned, starved, and beaten ; and when death resulted, his body was conveyed to Acton to mislead those searching for the murderers as to the locality of the ()rime. The Coroner's Jury, after two sittings, adjourned for a fortnight, to allow of further in- quiries, and to enable the Coroner to apply to the Home Secretary to offer a reward for the conviction of the murderers.

Haeas, a German tin-plate-worker, of King Street, Soho, after attempting to murder his wife, has killed himself. On Wednesday sennight, Mrs. Hasse gave birth to a child ; her husband uttered taunts about its paternity. On Saturday, he took Mrs. Haeas's mother out on pretence of marketing, slipped away from her, ran home, and with a sharp-pointed spring-knife attacked his wife, who was in bed—the infant beside her. She raised her arms to defend herself, and received several gashes on them and on her side ; and she managed to get out of bed and run down stain with the infant. They were subsequently conveyed to the Workhouse: the child was covered with blood, but was not hurt ; and the mother is going on favourably. When the Police went into Haeas's room, they found him dead ; he had nearly cut ;able heed with a razor.

William Anderson has been committed by the Lord Mayor on a charge of littering a forged bill for 22501.—a case of which the particulars were noted last week ; and he is remanded on a second charge—uttering a forged bill for 2.180L, with intent to defraud Mr. Freese : in this case he received the money for the bill, Messrs. Overend and Co. having discounted it for Mr. Freese.

The Clerkenwell Magistrate has sentenced John Thwaites and his wife to prison for two months for cruelty to a girl six years old, the illegitimate child of the man. While the girl was beaten, kicked, and starved, the chil- dren of the unfeeling spouse were treated well.

Mr. Williams, a clockmaker of Spitalfields, was garotted and robbed of a watch on Monday evening, by three men who followed him from a shop. Timothy Warren is in custody, and has been identified by Mr. Williams as one of the robbers.

Pour of those very unmanageable creatures, evil-disposed young girls, have been committed by Alderman Wilson for attempting to set fire to the West London Union Workhouse, because they had been put in a separate room for ill-treating some old women.

William Mitchell, a watchmaker of Pimlico, is in custody charged with pawning watches intrusted to him for repair.

Three white swans and a black one, the property of the Ornithological So- ciety, have been stolen from St. James's Park. A reward is offered for the detection of the impudent thieves.

The inquiry at Marylebone Workhouse into the case of the Welshes has been continued ; and the evidence given by the officials and others, with the admissions and behaviour of the Welshes themselves, seem to show that there was not only great exaggeration in the statements made before the Coroner, but downright falsehoods.

The Magistrates at the different Police Courts have received liberal con- tributions for their poor-boxes at this inclement season.

A fire in Upper Thames Street, very early on Monday morning, destroyed a large part of Mr. Dunster's rag and paper warehouses. Several surround- ing buildings were also damaged, including St. Michael's Church, Queen- lithe.

There was another large fire very early on Thursday morning, which destroyed the premises of Mr. Burgin, an upholsterer, in Great Winchester Street. The adjoining houses, and three on the opposite side of the narrow street, were much damaged. The buildings were old, contained much timber, and are said to have been erected before the Great Fire.