... T'HERE AND BACK AGAIV.* What is it that constitutes a good book of travels ? What is it which makes the narrative of one mau seem like the fresh picture of things rendered familiar to us in spite of their novelty, and the want of which makes the pages of another imitate the barren duliess of a handbook or the twaddle of a tea party ? In a few rare instances the subject of the travels is so new ...

... LITERA TUBE. ,H D ?? Cot~zl' 7ie ol' tic London Traders', Tiir)n ai o Cbie-*o-insc 'lh cs, uer, ..t o the M7th Centlry, pres neted to the CurI)oration Libruiy by 11. BeCIzifOY, L--s . By J. H. Buin-. The munificent gift of 'Mr. B3eaufov to the City has rendered it necessary that a proper cataloguo should he made of its contents: this has been ably done by Mir. Burn in thc present volume. The ...

... DRURIY-LANE THEAITRE, We should dismiss, in a couple of sentences, the mass of undramatic and unpoetic verbiage which, ?? the ilroe of a five-act play, occupied three hours last night, bat far the circumstance that at the fall of the curtain the ?? sof the galleries applauded with much vehemence, the drop rose! and, after that, the two p'incipal actors in yhe Betrothal were called on, the ...

... mUSic. nadons- ow, I GLOUCESTER MUSICAL FBSTIVAL. ing a (IFROoa OUR REPORTTE.) ved a GLOUCESTER, FwDvy. >01y a The sacred performances in connoxion with the their Fstival of the three choirs for 1853 were brought to a it,-we close this afterneon by one of the most brilliant gatherings shire. at the Cathedral to listen to the divine strains of Handel's l _Iessia/ that any previous festival ...

... THEATRES, sc ?? Drury-lane.-On Monday, Mr. Brooke appeared as Sir Giles Overreach, in Massinget's play, A New Way to Pay old Debts. We have ever considered his personation of Sir Giles one of his happiest delineations, and we do not recollect having witnessed a more successful effort than his performance on Monday. Mr. Bruoke was in excellent voice, and his rugged style was well suited to the ...

... * M. Soyer has done more to move the hearts of the lEng- lish than all the dramatic translators of all French melo- dramas. His cookery-books are thumbed, alike by the mistress in the parlour as by the cook in the kitchen. He has simplified a noble science; making the culinary art easy to almost the meanest understanding. He has ostly one triumph more to achieve. Let him invent a cook who can ...

... THE MAIDAN'S TO WBR.* .By her previous romances Madame Flygare-Car- 16n has won a high ?? as a novelist, com- bluing intense interest with elaborate construction. In her present she displays an extraordinary epic skilfulness in the manner in which she has reduced to unity a series of marvellous in- cidents, and connectel with them a domes. tic interest, and a development of the affections, ...

... DRIVUY-LANE. A new five-act play wvas produced here last night, under the title of Tile Betrotoal. -It is from the pen of Mr. George H. Baker, an American author (we believe), whose previous drama of Chaaynos met with some degree of success a few vears since. The plot of The Betrothal is but of slender structure ; nor are the incidents remarkable for either novelty, interest, or probability. ...

... I PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS AT LIVERPOOL, (FsoR OUR owN coRRESPoNDENT.) THEATIar BOyAL.-ahsks end .aces ?? be theorderoftheda t this house daring the anext week, introducing Mrs. Stirling and , B. Baker, as Peg Woffington and Triplet. Mr. Compton, an old estah. lished favourite here, will also appear in several of his laughfo. creating larces. BonILg aBranTHEATRE. - The new comedy, 4pearandet are ...

... [FRoM TEr CSENGif.] The unpropitioac state of the prseqnt season has q 'ite put a stop to everything in shape of summner materials for ladies' i'olettes. All light and elegant tistltes are being replaced by those of a wiarmer and more costly description t so that silks are in greater demand than ever. Some very pretty dresses, made of coloured torifefs, have appeared within the la t few days. ...

... PUBLIC AXUSMAX?T8. BURLESQUE ON HORSEBACK. Burlesque has jumped on horseback. After having tumbled, grimaced, wrestled with Shakspere, taken liber- ties with every author living or dead, mimicked every actor that was worth, and sometimes not worth, mimick- ing; after having indulged in every possible antic and absurdity at almost every theatre in London, it has at last taken refuge in the ...

... THE GLOUCESTER FfSTIVAL. GLOUCESTER, WEDNESDAY EVENtINo. The Festival is proceeding with an 6ckst stated to be ur.. precedented in the annals of the city. The attendance in the concert-hall last night was the most numerous a first night has ever boasted, aud this morning the nave of the cathedral was filled in every available portion, the directors being compelled to refuse all further ...