Summary Of The Week's News.

tion with Literature , Mr . Disraeli replied to the toast of " Her Majesty's Ministers , " and the Lord Mayor to " The Health of the Lord Mayor and the Ancient Corporation of the City of London . " The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke on behalf of the guests , and , in return , proposed the

toast , " The Health of the President , and Prosperity to the Royal Academy , " an appropriate acknowledgment of which brought the programme to an end . The company broke up about eleven , and , perhaps , the most brilliant event of the season was at an end . At no gathering ,

except when a Sultan or a Shah visits us , does a grander assemblage of eminent Englishmen occur . Royalty , the Church , the Law , the Ministry , Art , Literature , and

Science , Wealth , Municipalities , each and every of these is represented by its most illustrious members . Rank and Fashion were present in the flesh , but what of Beauty there was to be seen was on the walls of the various rooms

in Burligton House . Those who may pass along the Strand just now need hardly inquire what month it is . The numbers of men in clerical garb , and of maidens , old and young , pretty and plain , all passing along that crowded thoroughfare , either

converging towards or dispersing from one common centre , these sufficiently betoken that we are in the month of May - —a month when all the religious societies under the sun , or , at all events , in the United Kingdom , find their way to Exeter Hall , for the purpose of holding their anniversary

meetings . Nor is this the only evidence we have that we have reached the merry month . Very far from it . No matter in what part of London , there are signs of genial spring , and of the pastimes we affect in the brighter months of the year . Any of our readers who may betake

himself to the neighbourhood of the White Horse Cellar , in Piccadilly , will be amply rewarded for his pains . He will look at a picture , or rather a series of pictures , which it would have done his father ' s heart good to have seen —a picture common enough throughout England before

1830 , but which , since the introduction of railways , had till quite recently almost died out—we mean the four-horse coach of the period . Of tho many " revivals" that are taking place around us , none , we feel certain , will be so

popular as the revival of stage coaches . It may be very well to go into ecstasies over Shakcrism , or Moody and Sankeyism , or the other isms and ologies which occasional l y set us all in a commotion . But there is no ism so dear to

an Englishman as stage coachism , no ology for which he would more readily make any sacrifice than horsc-fleshology . He may hardly , so to speak , know a horse from a cow , yet he takes to horses , and to those who do know something of them , quite naturally . Let then our readers visit

the part of Piccadilly we have indicated above , cither earl y in the morning , between 9 . 30 and 10 . 30 , or of an afternoon , and then they will see , cither on the point of setting out , or returning , quite a number of coaches , well appointed , well horsed , and well driven . Such are the Dorking , the

Tunbridge , the Windsor , the Guildford and Maidenhead , the Boxhill , the Beckenham , the Virginia Water Coach , and others . Those who have plenty of leisure time cannot do better than avail themselves of one of these opportunities for enjoying a good drive of twenty or more miles out and

home again . They will traverse some of tho prettiest country in England . They will have good companionship on the road , be able , as they will certainl y need , to refresh themselves at the end of the stage and will enjoy tho ineffable pleasure of bowling along good

country roads at ihe rate of ten miles an hour , which we take to be far preferable to railway express at sixty miles . The world would be far jollier if it ' . vcre not in such a desperate hurry to come to an end . Then , having sauntered along- Piccadilly in an afternoon , there is the " row " to lounsre in if one affects that kind of thiusr . Or if there is

a Jack of taste for this insipid sort of amusement , there are the picture galleries all open—the Academy , tho Society ot British Artists , the Society and Institute of Water Colour Painters , & c , & c . Then the season of athletics is in full swing , while cricket , yachting and polo are well under

weigh . Only a few days since the Surrey Cricket Club held its annual meeting . On Wednesday the M . O . C . had their annual meeting and dinner , aud already we have seen the score of one county match , in which Kent tried the mettle

of thirteen of hercolts , and found , apparently , some good stuff amongst them . Then the various rowing clubs are going into practice for the Thames Regatta , for Henley , and other aquatic fixtures . To day the London Athletic Club holds its meeting at Lillie Bridge , and this day fortnight will

Summary Of The Week's News.

be held what is usually one of the most successful gatherings of the year , viz . the Civil Service Sports . Altogether muscular Christianity is going to have a pretty busy time of it , and as the weather has been a little more genial of late , we may be pardoned for looking forward to a little outdoor

enjoyment . We must be hard indeed to please , if we cannot find some way of amusing ourselves out of coaching , racing , cricket , rowing , yachting , athletics , horticultural and botanic fetes , horse shows , dog shows , the rough horse play of Victoria Park , or the inane lounge in Hyde

Park . By the way , another important event in the racing world has just come off , " Freeman " won the Chester Cup on Wednesday . To-day , at the Alexandra Palace , there is

the first of a series of Saturday Popular Concerts , while at the Crystal Palace , where this week has been held the annual Mule and Donkey Show , the first grand display of fireworks will take place .

In the operatic world the chief events to be noted are the appearance , this week , of Madame Christine Nilsson at Her Majesty ' s , Drury Lane , while Madame Adelina Patti is announced to sing at the Royal Italian , Covent Garden , for the first time this season , on Tuesday next , the 11 th

instant , when she will enact her usual role in Meyerbeer ' s opera "Dinorah . " This evening Madame Nilsson will appear in Verdi ' s Opera " II Trovatore , " while at the Royal Italian will be given for tho first time , Wagner ' s romantic opera " Lohengrin , " with Mdlle . Albani as " Elsa di Brabante . "

Everything connected with the Arctic Expedition under Captain Nares is being rapidly pushed forward , and the Admiralty are very properly desirous of putting aboard the two ships that will compose it everything that will contribute to make the long winter pass as agreeably as

possible . Books , magic-lauterns , dresses for private theatricals are being furnished without stint , while of provisions there will be every variety of preserved meats , & c , & c . The expedition is appointed to start on the 29 th instant , the day fixed for the public celebration of Her Majesty ' s birthday .

The chief event that is talked of on the Continent is the approaching meeting of the Emperors of Russia and Germany at Ems . We hope the friendl y meeting of these monarclis may bo taken as indicative of peace and goodwill towards all the world . France persists in being disquieted

by war rumours . We cannot say she is unreasonable in this , for other powers share her doubts as to a long maintenance of peace . At Gn'itz more than one demonstration has been made against Don Alphonso ( brother of Don Carlos ) , and his wife Dona Blanca . The reason of the

demonstration is not apparent , but the services of the police and military were called into requisition and some difficulty was experienced in restoring order . From India we hear of a dreadful outbreak of cholera . Sir Garnet Wolseley has

reached Natal , and taken up his governorship , while a revolution is reported to have broken out at Port-au-Prince , Hayti , ou the 2 nd instant . This news , however , has not been as yet confirmed .

At a meeting held on Wednesday , 5 th instant , to make arrangements for the approaching Festival of the Girls ' School , which will take place on Tuesday next , it was resolved that the Stewards from the Province of-Yorkshire be seated together at Table No . 2 , and ballot for places .

Brother J . Boyd was selected as Chairman of tho Ladies ' Stewards ; Bro . Constable to be second Chairman , should a second bo required . Brother Headon , W . M . Great City Lodge , to bo Vice-Chairman . The Ladies' Stewards aro to meet at 2 o ' clock , and dine together at 2 . 30 . Tho Ladies' gallery will be opened at 5 o ' clock .

On 1 nday evening , the 30 th tilt ,, Bro . Sir Michael Costa ' s Oratorio of Eli was performed at Exeter Hall . Every part was crowded . Madame Patey , Madame Lemmens Sherrington , Mr . Santley and Mr . Vernon Rigby sustaining the principal solo parts . The band and chorus

consisted of nearly 700 performers . The quartet , " We bless you in the name of the Lord , " sung by the before-mentioned artistes , deserves especial praise , and was encored ; so also was the march . Bro . Willing was the organist , and the chorusi -. vere perfect . Sir Michael Costa conducted .

Mrs . Limpus , the widow of our late respected Brother Richard Limpus , informs her friends and pupils that she continues to hold , afternoon Reunions , weekly , at her