NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 281, 16 February 1878, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

(FBOM THE HO MB NEWS.)

Some years ago Lord Shaftesbury dedounced " Ecce Homo" as "one of the worst books ever belched forth from the jaws of hell": now his lordship has taken his name off the list of the Christian Knowledge Society, in consequence of " a distrust founded on the experience of their publications, which at one time lead people to Romanism and at another to infidelity." The specific offence of which Lord Shaftesbury now complains is •? A Manual of Geology," by the Rev. Brownlow Maitland, containing some allusions uncomplimentary to the literal accuracy of the Pentateuch. Mr Maitland could scarcely have desired a better advertisement for his work;

The Duke de Montpensier gives to his daughter, the Princess Mercedes, as a dowry, twenty-fire millions of francs, without counting a great quantity of diamonds and a wonderfully rich trousseau. The young King presents her with several suites of jewels, and his portrait set in brilliants. The Holy Father, who has always entertained a great affection for his godson, Alfonso Xil., sends an apostolical ablegate to be present at the marriage, and who is the bearer of a wedding ring blessed by His Holiness, as well as a rose in diamonds for the future Queen of Spain. The Countess de Paris has sent to her sister a suite of jewels worthy of figuring in the finest collections in Europe. A monster meeting in favour of tenant right was held on December 31, at Glanmore, county Gal way. There were upwards of 10,000 persons present. The chair was occupied by Mr James Kilmartin, Stralee House, county Roscommon, and great enthusiasm prevailed. Resolutions were adopted to the effect that a new land campaign for 1878 be adopted by frequent public meetings held throughout the various counties, and that members of Parliament be called on to gire an account of their stewardship, and in the event of any member refusing to attend without a legitimate excuse he be censured and called upon to resign. At the conclusion of the proceedings several voices exclaimed, " We will send you, Mr Kilmartin, to the House of Commons as the champion of tenant right at the next election for Roscommon County." The Rev. Canon Beadoh, of Southampton, has, among others, received the congratulations of the Queen, through Sir J. Cowell, and the Duke and Duchess of Saxe Coburg, on his attaining his 100 th year; Canon Beadon is the last surviving *' freeman" of Hampshire, and has been for more than sixty-two years one of the managers of the Southampton Savings Bank, the original committee of which included the Earl of Malmesbury, Lord Palmerston, the late Dean of Westminster, and John Willis Fleming, then M.P. for South Hants. To a lady who once asked him for the secret of his long life and robust health, the Canon replied :— " Never be out of bed after ten o'clock at night, nor be in bed after seven in the morning; never do any brain-work after dinner ; and never wear a greatcoat." The Observer says that the visit which Her Majesty paid to Lord Beacon sfield on December 15, is, with two exceptions, the only honor of the kind received by any Prime Minister during the present reign. In 1841, some few months before his retirement from office, the Queen visited Lord Melbourne at Brocket Hall; in 1843 a royal visit was paid to Sir Robert Peel at Drayton. Ie should, however, be added that the number of State visits which have been paid by the reigning Sovereign .to the houses of her subjects has been extremely limited ; the most remarkable of such visits, besides the two we have mentioned, up to the date of the Prince Consort's death, were paid to the Marquis of Lansdowue, at Lansdowne House, in 1839; to the Duke of Bedford, at Woburn Abbey, in 1841; to the Duke of Wellington, at Walmer Castle, in 1842; to the Duke of Devonshire, at Cbatsworth, and the Duke of Rutland, at Belroir, in 1843; to the Duke of Buckingham, at Stone, in 1845; and to the Duke of Norfolk, at Arundel, 1846.