NEWS OF THE WEEK.
Arms his brief unceremonious visit, the King of the French has regained his dominions ; not without unforeseen accidents to ob- struct his departure. The intention was, that he should recross from Portsmouth to Treport in his steam-ship, the Gomer • and Queen VICTORIA and her husband actually accompanied him to Portsmouth for the purpose. But there they found the sea boiling, -with an adverse wind, so that it was not deemed safe or prudent for the King to risk the probable impediments to landing on the inconvenient coast of Treport. Taking leave of his hostess, there- fore, he returned to town, in order to reach Dover by railway. At London a fresh foe crossed his path—fire: the New Cross station of the South-eastern Railway was in flames ! In spite of Canute's rebuke, however, kings do not always yield so much as ordinary mortals to the elements : the conflagration scarcely impeded the despatch of his special train; and, after a world of unforeseen chances, Louis PHILIPPE achieved a short night's rest at Dover. He was roused to receive an address from the Corporation,—for Corporations have left him no peace, except the European peace which he has preached in his replies. His impromptu visit to Dover exhibited him in a more familiar guise to the people of that port than he appeared in even at Windsor or Portsmouth. They caught him in an unprepared state at an inn : but they found the same benevolent dignity, the impressive frankness, which seems to Test its greatness less on artificial state than on the magnitude of the interests that centre in him and the magnanimity of his own purposes. The English people saw the man of royal condition intent upon realities; treating accidents that might have vexed prouder monarchs as trifles ; reverently reciprocating courtesies while he dispensed with forms ; the husband bent upon relieving the anxiety of the aged companion of his days, and hastening through the rain and mud to save time rather than wait for coaches. The accident of his homeward journey brought him into closer 'contact with the English ; enabled them more thoroughly to appre- ciate some of the sterling qualities of his character, and helped him to an additional glimpse of their ever-ready friendly disposition towards him. The Opposition journals of Paris do their best to conceal the inevitable effect of these kindly reciprocations ; but the violent expedients to which the cavillers resort—such as the pretence that the English in their regard separate Louis PHILIPPE from his country—show how the writers mistrust their own trick ; and more candid reporters testify to the delight evinced by Frenchmen at the unprecedented compliment paid to Louis PHILIPPE ill the excur- sion of London's civic dignitaries beyond the bounds of their own jurisdiction—homage paid not only to the man, but to the repre- sentative of the French people, their chosen Royal Magistrate.
