Intelligence reached London on Thursday, that Earl Spencer, who was

known to labour under serious illness, had expired on the previous morn- ing, at Wiseton Hall, his seat in Nottinghamshire. The statements as to the nature of his illness are obscure. A few days ago it was announced that " an operation" had been performed, and that he was out of danger; now it is said that he suffered a "second attack," and that the immediate cause of death was gout in the stomach. Whatever the cause, the event will occasion very general regret.

Our summary of the Earl's career is compiled from various sources.

John Charles Spencer, best known as Lord Althorp, was the eldest son of the second Earl Spencer; and was born on the 30th May 1782. He finished his edu- cation at Trinity College, Cambridge; and in 1806 he entered the House of Com- mons as Member for Okehampton. On the general election at the death of Mr. Pitt, Lord Althorp stood for Cambridge; but failing, he was returned for North- amptonshire; which county he represented until his succession to the Peerage, in November 1834. In 1814, he married Esther, only daughter and heiress of Mr. Richard Acklom, of Wiseton Hall: that lady died in 1818, leaving no children; and Lord Althorp did not marry again. By the female line, Lord Spencer was descended from the first Duke of Marlborough: the Duke's daughter married Charles Spencer, Earl of Sunderland; and her youngest son was Lord Spencer's ancestor.

In politics, Lord Althorp attached himself to the same party to which his father belonged; and although his husky voice and hesitating manner prevented his ever being an orator, he was a busy Member of the Commons, and eventually became an influential one. During the Fox and Grenville Administration, he held a Lordship of the Treasury; and from that time he took a leading part in the Whig policy. He was conspicuous in his hostility to the Duke of York, in the year 1809; and when the Duke resigned the command of the Army, Lord Althorp concluded a long speech by saying " that resignation ought to occasion no regret, as his Royal Highness had lost the confidence of the country." He also took that epportumty to denounce the practice of conferring high office on persons of such exalted rank. On the return of Napoleon from Elba, Lord Althorp moved an address to the Prince Regent praying his Royal Highness not to disturb the peace of Europe. He opposed the Six Acts with as much energy as he was master of; he resisted the grant of 6,0001. to the Duke of Kent on his marriage; he moved for a repeal of the Foreign Enlistment Bill; and he opposed the Irish Insurrection Act. But the subject upon which he most frequently submitted motions to the House was the state of the public finances; always insisting on retrenchment and economy.

When the Wellington Administration was defeated in 1830, and Lord Grey was " sent for," Lord Althorp accepted a seat in the Cabinet, reluctantly, it is said, as Chancellor of the Exchequer; and he became also leader of the House of Commons. In his financial measures he was not eminently successful: but the personal influence which he acquired, through his bonhommie, good temper, solid attainments, and undoubted honesty, told powerfully in the debates which began with the Reform Bill; and he had a large share in carrying that measure. His antagonists charged him with opposing while in office measures which he sup- ported in Opposition: among the instances cited to his disadvantage, were the Assessed-taxes, the extension of the elective franchise, the ballot, the Newspaper- tax, the cheap pamphlet duty, military flogging, and the Pension-list. Still, his influence continued great. In 1834, amid the unsettlement created by Lord Stanley and Sir James Gra- ham's secession, and moved by some share in Mr. Littleton's misapprehension with Mr. O'Connell, Lord Althorp sent in his resignation. His retirement broke up the Cabinet of Lord Grey; who spoke of his colleague Althorp as "the leading member of Government in the Commons, on whom my whole confidence rested, whom I con- sidered as the right arm of the Government, and without whom I felt it was im- possible that the Government could go on." Earl Grey was replaced by Lord Melbourne; and Lord Althorp was induced to retain his place as Chancellor of the Exchequer. He remained in office until his succession to the Peerage, in Fiat/ear ; when King William, tired of the Whigs and their declining influence, asaqy sent for Sir Robert Peel from Italy.

Lord Althorp, now Earl Spencer, retired into private life; and may be said to have succeeded the Earl of Leicester (the better-known " Mr. Coke of Norfolk ") as the leading practical agriculturist, at least among country gentlemen of the Liberal party. He seldom spoke in Parliament; and it was chiefly as a stanch Free-trader among noble farmers that the Earl was conspicuous in this later period of his life. He was President of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and Vice-President of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Know-

The leading Whig journal, the Morning Chronicle, pays a natural tribute of respect to the distingmshed statesman; conceived perhaps too exclusively en beau, but on that account imperfect rather than erroneous.

" Earl Spencer's abilities were unquestionably of a high order; but so little dazzling, that through them alone be would scarcely have gained political dis- tinction. His great strength lay in his character, which inspired confidence in a degree almost unexampled. Good sense, which is quite as much the result of moral as of intellectual qualities, frankness, and thorough honesty of purpose, were the charms by which he wielded a power unattainable by mere talent or eloquence however striking. Earl Spencer—or, as we should rather call him by the old familiar name which he has made memorable, Lord Althorp--was a statesman after England's own heart. Plain, downright, careless of the graces of manner, struggling only with a difficult utterance to get out the matter, in- capable of all winding or double-dealing, free from every taint of party bitterness, and with a temper and good-humour which no provocation could disturb, he ac- quired a place in the confidence of his countrymen such as has seldom or never been conceded to brilliant and commanding powers. It is perhaps a good sign of England, that of all countries, ancient or modem, in which popular institutions have existed, it is that in which popular qualities are of least importance to public men. A certain degree of power and consideration must always attend them; but confidence is bestowed and obedience rendered on other grounds. We prefer honest men to brilliant men for our rulers; although it must be con- fessed that we do sometimes make the mistake of yielding too much to Parlia- mentary cleverness.

" The career of Earl Spencer, however, is a proof of the amazing power of character in our political contests. During the four troubled and difficult years that followed the accession of Lord Grey s Government, he led the House of Commons with singular success. Whether he had to deal with u fierce and ex- asperated Opposition, or with discontented members of his own party, his power was equally manifest. His immoveable calmness and transparent honesty con- stantly softened hostility and allayed dissension. He performed, in fact, the highest and most difficult duties of a Parliamentary leader, without any of the powers which are sometimes thought necessary for the management of popular assemblies. Without eloquence, or even fluency—without an imposing manner, or a good voice—he carried through Parliament a series of the greatest reforms that have ever been effected. With the legislation of that remarkable period the name of Lord Althorp will long be identified. He was not, indeed, by any means the governing mind of the Cabinet with whom that legislation originated; nor was his share in the framing and conduct of the Reform Bill itself so large as that of Lord John Russell ; but the implicit confidence inspired by his character gave an incalculable strength to the Administration, and it would be difficult to esti- mate the degree in which it contributed to carry it safely through the dangers of that stormy time. " The part taken by Earl Spencer in public affairs was not the result of ambi- tion. He loved the fields and the library far more than the House of Commons. Agricultnre and letters were the pursuits which he unwillingly left for the cares of-state, and to which, when the opportunity arrived, he gladly returned. Lord Brougham has made the public aware of the nature of those speculative inquiries with which a portion of Earl Spencer's leisure was occupied. His love of farm- ing, and keen interest in all kinds of agricultural improvement, are still better known. Among the true friends of agriculture Earl Spencer was conspicuous. That his views, however large and enlightened, were strictly practical, was proved in his own farming operations with abundant evidence. The opinion, therefore, deliberately expressed by him on a recent occasion, that the agriculture of this country would be served by the removal of restrictions kept up avowedly for its benefit, must have come before every thinking mind with an enormous weight of authority in its favour." Lord Spencer is succeeded in his title and estates by his brother, Frederick Spencer, born in April 1798. He married, in February 1830, Elizabeth Georgians, second daughter of the late Mr. William Stephen Poyntz, M.P., and sister to the Marchioness of Exeter and Dowager Lady Clinton: he has a youthful family; his eldest son, Viscount Althorp, being born in October 1835. The present Earl is Equerry to her Royal Highness the Dutchess of Kent, a Captain in the Navy, and C.B. He commanded a ship at the battle of Navarino.

The Irish Protestants have lost a stanch supporter in the Marquis of Ely, who died on Friday last. The late Lord was born in February 1770; and married in 1810, Anna Maria, eldest daughter of Sir Henry Watkin Dashwood. He was Marquis and Earl of Ely, Viscount and Baron Loftus, of Loftus Hall in the county of Wexford, in the Peerage of Ireland, and Baron Loftus, of Long Loftus in the county of York, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; he was also a Baronet, a Knight of St. Patrick, a Privy Councillor in Ireland, Custos Rotulorum of the County of Wexford, and Colonel of the Wexford Militia. He is succeeded in his title and es- tates by his eldest son, Viscount Loftus; born in January 1814.

The Galway Mercury mentions that Sir Valentine Blake has been alarm- ingly ill: Ids death even was reported; but there was still " some hope that he would rally."

There is nothing new to report of' the harvest. The accounts still pre- sent the same medley of hopes and fears; the fears rather preponderating.

The Emperor of Russia has made an advance of 200,000 roubles to the inha- bitants of Livonia, to enable them to purchase rye-seed; the crop having generally failed in that country.

On the nights of Monday and Tuesday last week, the whole of Lancashire, from the Mersey to the Lune, was visited by an intensely severe frost; which cut down the stems of the potatoes, and put an end to their growth. Crops, which on Sunday and Monday appeared to be growing vigorously, now present nothing but the appearance of withered stalks. What effect this will produce on the quantity of the crop, and on keeping the potatoes, is somewhat doubtful; but we fear it must be injurious, as they have lost at least a fortnight of their growth, and can never ripen properly.—Liverpool Times.

The lateness of the harvest has hitherto very much interfered with the sports of the field. Grouse are somewhat scarce even upon the beat ground; but hares and partridges are plentiful.

The Standard makes this oracular statement, of which one can scarcely tell whether it is inference or vaticination—" Sir Robert Peel's Government has given proof that it does not sleep over the affairs of Ireland; and we may therefore con- fidently trust it to deal with the Repeaters, whatever line they take. We believe, and our readers are entitled to know our belief, that if the incendiary proceeds, the next step will be 'short, sharp, and decisive.' "

Admiral Sir Hyde Parker has resigned the command of the Experimental squadron, and has been succeeded by Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Pym. The

Times remarks of the new Admiral, "that he appears, by an official re to `have entered the service in the month of June 1788, or rather more than

Seven years ago. We hope the result will show his fitness for the task he has under- taken; but it is certain that, in the cruise which has just commenced, Sir Samuel Pym must be prepared to try the qualities of the fleet in a very different manner from that in which our seven line-of-battle ships and six thousand men went yachting in the sunshine and the breezes of July. The Bulldog, steam frigate, was launched at Chatham on Thursday. The extreme length of the vessel is 190 feet, the breadth 36; the tonnage, 1,124. She is fitted with two engines of 150-horse-power each. Her armament consists of two 42-pounders, 10 feet in length; two 68-pounders, 9 feet in length; and two carronades, 42-pounders.

General distress and indignation have been excited by the state of the Eclair steam-sloop; which arrived at the Motherbank on Monday, from Africa, with a mortal fever raging on board: there have been deaths almost daily; yet the men were confined to the ship, which was excluded from aid by the quarantine- laws. The fever broke out among the crew whilst the Eclair was at the islands on the West coast of Africa; when she proceeded to Bonavista, to recruit their health. Finding, however, that the mortality increased, she was sent to Ma- deira; and as the virulence of the fever had suffered no abatement, Commodore Jones ordered her return to England. Commander Estcourt died on the 16th September, on the voyage home; the surgeon, Mr. Maconchy, on the 21st; 31 persons died at Bonavista; the total number of deaths up to Wednesday was 65; and of the survivors there were then on board 18 White men in health and 23 sick. On Wednesday night, the vessel left the Motherbank for the Quarantine- station at Standgate. It had been suggested that the Admiralty ought to place an uninfected empty ship at the disposal of the officers and crew ; and the Morn- Herald states that two hulks have been devoted to their use—one for the tick, the other for the convalescent.

It is said that the boat of the John Hendrik, Dutch Indiaman, the vessel which was wrecked on the island of St. Paul, has arrived at Ceara, in Brazil, with five men. This boat put off from the island in the endeavour to reach a passing ship, and was carried away by the current: it had nine men on board; so that four must lava perished.

At an inquiry held in Galway a few days ago, by Captain Washington, the Tidal Harbour Commissioner, one of the Town Harbour Local Commissioners stated that the Board of Works had been allowed 1001. for India-rubber to keep out the tide when the docks were undergoing repair.

It is stated that George Hudson, Esq., M.P., has completed the purchase of another largo estate in Yorkshire, from the Duke of Devonshire, at a price little short of half-a-million of money. It may be presumed that Londesborongh, one of the richest and noblest estates in the East Riding, is the property alluded to.— Newcastle Journal.

The Dean and Chapter of Winchester have ordered the nave of their interest- ing cathedral to be open without admission-fee four hours each day, from nine ill eleven and from two to four o'clock.

The Augsburg Gazette states that the Bing of Prussia had commanded the houses of the two Reformers, Luther and Melancthon, to be purchased by the State and converted into schools. Ho had likewise ordered the doors of Luther's dwelling, which the French had in a great measure destroyed, to be restored: they wal be formed of metal, and richly embellished.

England does not stand alone in the possession of railways notorious for mis- management and disasters: the Lyons and St. Etienne line has a bad eminence -rn that r spect. A short time back, a boiler exploded; killing the engine-driver, and dangerously wounding two stokers. A week afterwards, there was a narrow escape from a more fearful disaster. Between Givors and Lyons, the railway is very dangerously situated close to the Rhone, which is there very deep. Some coal had alien from waggons upon the rail, and was not cleared away; at night, a train came along—the engine was forced off the line, and with the tender plunged into the river. Fortunately., the guard of the first carriage was able i detach the train, and thus saved the lives of two hundred persons who were in the carriages.

The Queen has contributed 201. to the fund for the relief of the sufferers by the Jarrow explosion.