... ?? COMM ENT S. It seems that every one has been under a grand mis- take in supposing that the House of Commons had not much to do, and that the session would end early. Mr Disraeli repudiates on behalf of his party the notion that their policy is to be one of silence and consideration. So far is this from being the case that Parliament is saddled, close upon the middle of June, with no less ...

... CURRENT EVENTS, As we stated last week, the General Assembly of the Established Church of Scotland has approved the principle of the Duke of Richmond's Bill for abolishing patronage and vesting the election of ministers in the male communi- cants. The Assembly has since framed a petition in favour of the Bill. On the other hand, the Assembly of the Free Church has, by a majority of 433 against ...

... CO M ME N T S. The Home Secretary has brought himself and his Colleagues to a regular fix. He first proposed to close the public-houses in small towns and country districts at ten p.m., and to keep them shut on Sunday afternoon, throughout the country, until seven p.m. These two provisions, if they had been adhered to, would have proved more grievous to the publicaus and the public than the ...

... CUTRRENT EVENTS. TnE COUNCIL of the National AgriculturalLabourers' Union has held its annual meeting at Leamington during the week. Mr George Dixon, M.P, presided, being supported by Mr Edward Jenkins M.P., Messrs J. C. Cox, of Belper, Mr J. S. Wright, of Birmingham, Joseph Arch, President of the Union, and other prominent leaders4of the move- ment. The following resolutions were adopted:- ...

... GO S SIP. Thle translation of Prince Florestan of Monaco! is begin- ning to attract notice in the French press. The Fgaro assures us that Prince Florestan is due to the erudite and otherwise fascinating pen of the Prince of Wales ; a notion derived, it is to be supposed, from the sight of the Crown printed in gold on the cover of the book. I The poem on Livingstone in Africa, by the ...

... ?? C OMMENT S. Government has shown itself sufficiently squeezable on the Licensing Bill, having in fact thrown itself into the arms of the House for the sole purpose of being squeezed. Pablic-houses and beer-houses are to be placed on the same footing; and the hours of closing are to be 12.30 for the metropolis, 11 for towns of more than 2,500' inhabitants, and 10 for towns of smaller popula- ...

... SOME OBJECTIONS TO WOMEN'S SUFFnAGE. Sir,-I see that Mr Goldwin Smith has entered the field, armed with all his justly high anthoritv, against Women's Suffrage. I hope I am not disrespectful in saying that his arguments rest mainly on the old commonplaces and ideal generalisations which the progress of facts seem more and more to disprove. But I leave the general argument (which, nevertheless, ...

... GO S SIP. Some important additions will shortly be made to the collection of pictures at the Dor4 Gallery. Amongst them will be a Crusade-piece, the Soldiers of the Cross, The Massacre of the Innocents, La Vigue, and the M Midsum- mer Night's Dream. The engraving of The Dream of Pilate's Wife is to be entrusted to M. Francois, Membre de ?? Frauiais, the ?? line engraver. Messrs ...

... G O S S I P. We are informed that M. Rochefort is preparing an account of events dating from the discontinuance of La Lanterne, with especial reference to their bearing upon the present politictl situation in France. M. Rochefort's Narrative will be published in French and in English, in a serial form. M. Rochefort, who was very laborious during his captivity of three years, wrote, amongst ...

... [We have received, from a perfectly authentic sree, the following particulars of the escape of M. Rochefort and his companions, which we think calculated to interest e l readers.] Mystery still surrounds the escape of the six Fferc prisoners from New Caledonia; and it is a mystery a U cannot yet be cleared away, since the refugees themse!. A- cline to cast any light upon it, from fear of ...

... A PROPOSAL has been made public for a new Liberal Club in London, which shall combine social intercourse with the aims of a political organising committee. The Duke of Devonshire is to be President, and the Marquis of Hartington (the eldest son of the Duke),Chairman of the Committee. It is sought to raise a fund of 200,0001.; and the entrance fee and annual subscription are to be thirty ...

... COMMENTS. Mr Plimsoll's Merchant Shipping Bill was rejected on Wednesday by a majority of three, a fact to which Sir Charles Adderley's awkwardness gave all the significance of a damaging defeat. The Secretary to the Board of Trade was manifestly sore on the subject; so much so that he seemed only half in earnest when he gave Mr Plimsoll credit for humane intentions. The ridicule which he ...