Literature, Science, And Fine Arts.

for the exploration of Palestine and Sinai . The subscriptions that have been already received will be handed over at once to that fnnd . I would add that the adoption of this additional work will at first tax severely the resources in the hands of the committee ; and those who are interested in the exploration of these Bible lands , and are willing to subscribe , will confer a great favour by

sending their subscriptions as quickly as possible to the Secretary of the Palestine Exploration Fund . —I am , & c , your humble servant , J . W . HOLLAND . " 6 , Portsea-place , Connaughfc-square , Nov . 15 . "

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS . We regret to have to chronicle a sweepingandmost unfounded charge made by the Governor-General of India against the Members of that highly respectable profession , the Civil Engineers . As there are a great number of them who are zealous Masons and hold hi gh rank in the Craft , wc cannot possibly allow it to pass over without

some remonstrance on our part against a charge so utterly unfounded . The statement is to the effect that the Governor-General " was given to understand that in the Civil Engineering profession in England it was a recognised practice for Civil Engineers employed by public companies and others to receive , in addition to the salaries paid

them by their employers , commission on contracts given out , or stores and materials ordered or inspected by them , and other like pecuniary considerations for services done or intended to be done , which were considered legitimate sources of emolument . " At the meeting of the Institution of Civil Engineers , Bro . Charles Hutton GregoryPresidentremarked that

, , the occasion should not be allowed to pass without some reference to an attack on the honour of the profession which has justly aroused in India and England a deep feeling of indignation . He concluded his remarks by stating that although in the engineering profession , as in others , there may be instances of secret dishonesty , such acts not recognised itimateand that

are as "leg ; " where such practices have been " detected , in some cases the persons charged have ceased to be ranked amongst the members of the Institution , and that he felt sure that , in vindicating the honour ofthe profession , the members thereof will have the sympathy of all honourable men .

Theatrical And Musical Notes.

THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL NOTES .

At the Royal Italian Opera , Covent Garden , there has been produced during the week Le ¥ ozze de Figaro , La SonnambuJa , II Flauto Magico , and it's Huguenots ; and this evening Lev Freischutz will bo performed . The principal characters were sustained by Mr . Santlcy , Signer Cotogini , Mdllc . Vanzigi . Mdlle . Sinico . and Mdlle . Titiens , with Signor Ardifci as Musical Director and Conductor '

. Scarcely any change has taken place during the present week at the various metropolitan theatres . The Lady of Lyons has been given with brilliant success at the Holborn every evening except Thursday and Friday , when The Gamester was performed . — A . t the Lyceum Borneo and Juliet has been the principal attraction . —AC the other western houses there " has been , so far as the of mvelt

production y is concerned , complete quietude . Sadler ' s Wells has produced a new drama entitled The Bavarian Girl ,- or , the Black Helmet At Astley ' s Mr . Mr . E . T . Smith announces , "A Night with the two great Poets "—Sir Walter Scott ' s Hob Boy and Lord Byron ' s Mazeppa being produced . —The Grancl Duchess and the farce of In and Out of Service have been performed at thc Standard

. —At the Surrey , "Mrs . Chas . Pitt , who had hitherto figured only as lessee and manager , ' has made her appearance in The Great City , and full y sustained her provincial reputation as a talented actress . —It is Never Too Late to Mend and Temptation have

Theatrical And Musical Notes.

formed the principal attraction at the Eoyal Alfred . — Travers's drama of The Vagabond Father , Quarter Lay and The Ocean of Life have been performed at the Victoria . —At the Grecian the Orange Girl has been revived . The Sacred Harmonic Society commenced their 38 th season at Exeter Hall with a performance of Handel ' s Israel in Egyptunder the direction of Sir Michael Costa .

, The principal vocalists announced are Miss Edith Wynne , Madame Sainton-Dolby , Mr . Vernon Rigby , Mr . AVinu , and Mr . Lewis Thomas . CRYSTAL PALACE . —The Centre Transept is quite gay with the fine collection of chrysanthemums , which form an attractive feature of the Palace during the present month . On Tuesday , the "shilling operas" were

resumed , Sonnanibida being the piece de resistance , and on Thursday Lurline , in the New Theatre aud Opera House , which , we may state , is agreeably warmed . On Wednesday and Friday the Crystal Palace Band gave a selection of symphonies , oratorios , & c , At the concert this day Rossini ' s Messe Solenelle will be performed .

"Eastward Ho!"

"EASTWARD HO !"

( From a Correspondent . ) To Somerset ! Where is Somerset ? Why Somerset is a beautiful village in the Eastern Province of the Cape of Good Hope ; but there is also a Somerset in the AVestern Province ( as we don't wish to be mistaken ) the former is called Somerset East , the latter West . Having received a very polite invitation from the

AV . M . and officers to attend the ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of their new Temple , on Thursday , the 7 th of October , I 860 , we commenced making the necessary travelling arrangements . After having surmounted these difficulties , which in this colony are difficulties , indeed , we started at precisel y 11 o ' clock a . m ; on AA'ednesday , the 6 th , in two carls , each drawn by a pair of

horses , and a groom following on horseback ; each cart was occupied by two B . B ., aud two more followed on horseback . It was very warm , the thermometer being at 90 ° . When we got about five miles out , we took compassion on tho two equestrian B . B . and made arrangements for three in each cart , the groom to lead their horses ; we then lit our pipes , took a glass of Parke ' s

best brandy ( which let mo recommend to your notice , as we consider it A 1 ) , and off we started in fine style aud with renewed spirits . One of the B . B . in the cart with me now made a dash at his carpet-bag , and drew from

it—what ? Why , of course , a copy ofthe FftEEltASONs ' MAGAZINE for July , 1809 , from which he began to read aloud some very interesting articles by "Drialxo , " and other of your correspondents . After travelling about nine miles the carts had to separate , as one of the B . B . wished to visit Bedford , which is nob exactly in the direct route for Somerset ; however , we agreed to meet

at Maskell ' s , at " Cook Huix " Bridge , Pish River , about 35 miles off , and so we did at 7 o ' clock p . m . After travelling 45 miles in hot weather one feels languid , but Matskell ' s Hotel soon dispelled that by tickling our olfactory nerves with tho odour of savoury viands , which wove spread before us in a few minutes aud were done ample justice towhen wo felt ourselves to be

, stronger , if not bettor men . We retired , slept well , and the next morning , the glorious 7 th , at 6 a . m . we made a start for Somerset , then about lb miles off , that is we tried to make a start , but unfortunately one of one pair of the cart-horses was what is termed in colonial phraseology , "sticks , " i . e ., only goes when in the mood ; should the reader ever meet with one , or have to depend

upon him for locomotion , don't lose your temper " with him , for often with a sticks horse you find yourself exactly on the same spot , after an hour or more of coaxing , talking , whipping , pushing at the wheel , and many other plans known only to such as have had to suffer from the effects of the sticks mystery ; it is one that would defy