The week has been full of receptions. The Viceroy of
Egypt arrived on Monday, 2,400 Belgian Volunteers on Thursday, and the Sultan on Friday. The public is only interested in the last, but each gives rise to a certain amount of movement and anima- tion. The Viceroy has been entertained at Guildhall, the Belgians are stared at and almost mobbed in the streets as if they had three legs, and the Sultan is a universal topic of popular conversation. The reception of all ought to be well conducted, but we deprecate strongly the conclusions that we shall fight for Belgium one whit the More readily because her volunteers are effectively dressed, that we shall defend Turkey because we tax India to give the Sultan a supper, or that we shall abstain from taking Egypt when needful, because Mr. Gabriel talks complimentary rubbish about the " murmurings of the Sphinx, being made utterances of poli- tical economy."
