ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 438, 13 October 1849, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

The race for the Derby had been 3 very interesting ami exciting one, and was won by Lord Eglingtoun\s Flying Dutchman, beating 25 others ; Hotspur 2, Tarimor 3. The Oaks was won by Sister to Arkwright. Dr. Buckland, the new Dean of Westminster, having determined to set a noble example by setting apart a portion of his income tor the repairs of the Abbey, very judiciously began by a close investigation of the actual state of the edifice ; and To ! it has been discovered that buttresses and other essential parts of the building are in so dilapidated and imminently dangerous a condition, as lo thre iten with destruction some of the venerable Royal chapels, and the unequalled national relics they contain. It is indeed fortunate that the appointment of a dignitary alike remarkable for rare acquirements in science, and a generous disposition, has saved the country from impending misfortune, and the abbey authorities from unavailing reproaches. But the case naturally leads to the question — how it happened that the ruinous condition, of parts of the admired structure was not observed and remedied by others previous to the present Dean's appointment. No less than 14,000 British seamen deserted the merchant service during the past year, 8000 of whom have left their vessels on the American coasts. — United Service Gazette. The celebrated Padre Ventura had arrived in Paris (it was said) on business of importance connected with Rome. The City of Prague had been declared in a state of siege ; Leghorn had been carried by assault, on the lltb of May by the Austrians; the Austrian General commanded a force of 17,000 men. The installation of the new King of Holland took place at Amsterdam on the 12th of May. The kingdom of Hanover was about to be annexed to the Zollverein. In Baden and Bavaria there were several petty revolutions. « There is one room in Marshall's flax-mill, at Leeds, 400 feet long and 200 broad. Jenny Lind. — Flight of the Nightingale. — The. public will, perhaps, learn with some surprise that our most admired songstress and Swedish Nightingale has left her residence at Brompton, and departed for Paris, on her way to Stockholm. No marriage

in England, we may venture to affirm, will take place till she has had the advantage of consulting with her family and friends. What may hippen after that who can tell ?—Literary Gazette.

The Kobe Noor or M ount ain of Light. — " Here we are like rats in one of the bastions of the wall of Lahore. Our regiment guards the space between two gates, and each officer has one of the bastions given for his quarters. Went this evening to the Treasury to see the famous diamond called " Koee "Noor," or Mountain of Light, which was thisday exhibited for the last time previous to its being sent to the Queen of England. This jewel, by far ibe most magnificent in the, world, originally belonged to a Hindoo Rajah, from whose hands it passed into those of the Mahorr.medan rulers of India. Shah Shoojab 00l Moclk, the last of the race, when driven from his throne fled to Lahore, to claim the hospitality and protection of Runjeet Singh, carrying with him this invaluable diamond. Runjeet Singh did not hesitate to extort the jewel from his unfortunate guest, who fled to Loodiana in the most abject poverty. The whole history of the gem is one of robbery and spoliation, and now, to crown all, it is taken from the grandson of the old robber to adorn the crown of the Queen of England. The diamond is anout the size of half a small hen's egg, and is set in an armlet with one of a smaller size (half the size of a sparrow's egg) on each side. All the other jewels belonging to the Maharajah were afterwards shown. Amongst them is a magnificent topaz, about the size of a walnut, with the name of Ackbar Shah and and other monarchs engraven upon it. 1 hffre were also some magnificent strings of pearls, in ray opinion finer than the other jewels, each being the size of a large black currant. Amongst other things shewn us was a jacket of quilted silk, actually covered with precious stones of all sorts, but chiefly with diamonds aud emeralds, the value of which must have been immense. The place in which the jewels were exhibited was a small dark quadrangular court-yard, surrounded by buildings, formerly composing the Treasury of Runjeet Singh. One by one were the glittering gems carried out from a dark passage, and handed round by an old native, who never for a single moment withdrew his eye from them, and seemed to be in constant apprehension lest some European soldier should walk off with the prize. What would old Runjeet Singh have said could he have witnessed the scene ? '

The Puritans and Christmas. — Perhaps no single circumstance more strongly illustrates the temper of the precisians than their conduct respecting Christinas Day. Christmas had been, fiom time immemorial, the season of joy and domestic affection, the season when families assembled, when children came home trom school, wheu quarrels were made up, when carols were heard in every street, when every house was decorated with evergreens, and every table was loaded with good cheer. At that season all hearts not utterly destitute of kindness were enlarged and softened. At that season the pcor were admitted to partake largely of the overflowing of the wealth of the rich, whose bounty was peculiarly acceptable on account of the shortness of the days and the severity of the weather. At that season the interval between landlord and tenant, master and servant was less marked than through the rest of the year. Where there is much enjoyment, there will be some excess ; yet on the whole, the spirit in which the holiday was kept was not unworthy of a Christian festival. The Long Parliament gave orders, in 1644, that the 25th of December should be strictly oberved as a fast, and that all men should pass it in humbly bemoaning the great national sin which they and their fathers, had so otten committed on that day by romping under the mistletoe, cutting the boar's head, and drinking ale flavoured with roasted apples. No public act at that time seems to have irritated the common people more. On the next anniversary of the festival formidable riots broke out in many places, The constables were resisted, the magistrates insulted, the houses of noted zealots attacked, and the prescribed service of the day openly read in the churches, — Macaulay's History of England. A mother admonishing her son (a lad about 7 years of age) told him he should never defer till to-morrow what he could do to-day. The little urchin replied, " Then, mother, let's eat the remainder of the plum pudding to-night."

Equivocal Compliment. — A simple rustic, not a hundred miles from Patna, Ayrshire, was deputed by the family, of which he was a member, to acknowledge the attentions of the parish clergyman, in having visited and prayed with their aged mother, who was supposed to be dying, on the first opportunity. Johnny thus discharged his duty :—": — " We were a' muckle obliged to you for the bit prayer ye put up for my mither, puir auld body, she was unco proud about it, and thocbt twice as muckle o't as a' it was worth !" — Banffshire Journal.