Aliscellaneous.

Conflicting reports as to the meeting of Parliament in November are still afloat. The Dublin Evening Mail avers that Lord John Russell has been overruled by the majority of the Cabinet, and that Parliament is not to meet next month.

Pursuant to the order in Council, the Archbishop of Canterbury has issued the following form of prayer to Almighty God for relief from the dearth and scarcity now existing in parts of the United Kingdom owing to the failure of some of the crops of the present year: to he read in all churches and chapels of England and Wales, on Sunday the 11th October and two following Sundays immediately before the Litany ; or when the Litany shall not be read, before the prayer for all conditions of men. A FORM OF PRAYER TO ALMIGHTY GOD.

"0 God, at whose bidding the earth, which sustaineth the life of man, bath withholden in parts of these islands the wonted provision of food, and turned abundance into scarcity, withdraw, we beseech Thee, the judgment of which we are justly afraid, that the poor perish not by famine.

"We acknowledge, 0 Lord, that by our strifes and divisions, misuse of Thy gifts, and forgetfulness of Thy manifold mercies, we have justly deserved imnish- ment. We have sinned; we have grievously sinned against Thee. Yet knowing that thou art full of compassion, we beseech Thee to pardon the offeuces of Thy people, to relieve the poor and the needy in their present necessities, and to give and preserve to our use the fruits of the earth in all its seasons. "But whatsoever may be Thy pleasure concerning us, give us grace to receive Thy dispensations, whether of judgment or mercy, with entire submission to Thy will; endeavouring to abate Thy displeasure by repentance, and showing forth our sense of Thy goodness by faithfully keeping Thy commandments. "Of ourselves we are unable either to will or to do that which is acceptable in Thy sight. We therefore pray Thee so to open our hearts to the influences of Thy good Spirit, that, showing compassion and mercy each man to his neighbour, and bearing the burdens one of another, we may obtain of Thy favour the supply of our wants, and with hearts knit together in brotherly love, may partake of Thy bounties in peace and contentment, to the honour and praise of Thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen."

This piece of gossip is going the round of the press- " On Sunday afternoon, during the time the private gardens and the Eastern Terrace at Windsor were open to the public, Lord John Russell, one of her Majesty's guests, walked from the terrace and was proceeding across the grass in the Home Park towards the iron gates opposite the Long Walk, a portion of the Royal domains from which the public are excluded. His Lordship had proceeded some distance before he was noticed by one of the Castle policemen; who no

sooner saw estranger, as he supposed, on forbidden ground, and not knowing who

it was, sang out with Stentorian voice, 'Halloo, you Sir! come back and get off the grass! Come back, you Sir!' Lord John immediately got off the grass and returned back towards the York and Lancaster Towers. By the time his Lord- ship had got to within thirty or forty paces of the policeman the officer found out his mistake, having been informed that the offending party was a person in the

suite of acohe of her Majesty's visitors. He then called out to Lord John, (who had evidently been taken by surprise,) You may go on ; you are all right enough!' His Lordship, smiling at the bystanders, then retraced his steps, and pursued his walk across the Park towards the avenue of trees leading to the Waterloo Gate."

Lord Fingall is, we understand, to have the Itiband of St. Patrick va • cant by the death of Lord. Thomond.—Globe.

Mr. Cobden was entertained, a few days ago, at a grand banquet given to him by the vine proprietors of La Garonne.

It is understood that the vacancy on the bench caused by the death of the late Mr. Justice Williams will be filled by Mr. Vaughan Williams.

The Carlists in Paris laugh at the newspaper announcement that the Count de Montemolin is in London. They insinuate that, on the contrary, he is in Navarre. A report to the same effect prevails in Madrid.

The Prase affirms that General Cabrera has embarked at Southampton for Gibraltar, under a fictitious name, in one of the Peninsular steamers.

As for the Count de Montemoliu, it says he is still in London, striving to raise a loan, but with but little chance of success. "A rather curious circumstance," adds the Presse, "is communicated to us in a letter from

London. it is, that the Spanish Pretender has received a visit from an- other fugitive recently escaped from France, namely, Prince Louis Bona- parte." This visit is also conspicuously mentioned by the Journal des Debate: it states that the Count de Montemolin had demanded the inter- view; which was to have taken place on Monday last, at the Brunswick Hotel.

The Morning Post, however, says—" We have the best authority for stating, in contradiction to this assertion, that no interview has taken place

between Prince Napoleon Louis Bonaparte and the Conte de Montemoliu, either since the recent arrival of those distinguished persons in London, or on any former occasion. We believe we may even add that not du; slightest communication has passed between the two Princes."

We are authorized to state that the assertion in the Paris journal L'Epoque, of the 23d ultimo, that Cabrera dined with the Duke de la Vic- toria, in London, is false. The Duke de la Victoria has not seen Cabrera, nor could he have any relations whatsoever with him.—Morning Chro- nick.

The venerable Thomas Clarkson, whose death is recorded in our obituary, was born at Wisbeach, on the 28th of March 1760. He was the son of a gentleman who held the Mastership of the Free Grammar School in that town. His education, which began under his father's eye, was completed at St. John's College, Cambridge. Here Mr. Clarkson had already attained distinction, when an event occurred which had a mate- rial influence on his future career. In the year 1785, Dr. Peckhard was Vice-Chancellor of the University, and he announced to the senior Bachelors of Arts the following question, as a subject for a prize Latin dissertation—" Is it right to make slaves of others against their will?" ha the preceding year Mr. Clarkson had gained the first prize for the Latin dissertation. Filled with an earnest desire to sustain the fame thus ac- quired, he repaired to London, and purchased as many books connected with the subject of slavery as he could possibly afford to buy. With these he speedily returned to Cambridge, and set himself earnestly to the work of preparing to compose his essay. But so painful to him was the perusal of these volumes, that for a considerable time he scarcely took any rest day or night, and he ceased to regard the essay as a mere trial for literary distinction; his great desire being to produce a work which should call forth a vigorous public effort to redress the wrongs of the African. Henceforward Clarkson devoted his whole energies to the abolition of slavery. He very soon formed an alliance with the celebrated William Wilberforce; who, in 1787, undertook to bring the subject before Perlis- Punt. A committee was appointed for the purpose of organizing an asso- ciation, and the work of controversy began in earnest. Somewhat in the manner of the modern agitators, Clarkson went about from town to town— Item Liverpool to Bristol, and from Bridgewater to Manchester—labouring to make converts and to overcome the prejudices opposed by indifference as well as by self-interest. Years were spent in this process—books were published, meetings were held, evidence was collected, petitions were for- warded to Parliament, successive motions were made by Mr. Wilberforce, and lengthened discussions in the House of Commons took place. Vigo- rous efforts were not wanting on the other side, and a violent agitation was 'the consequence. The Privy Council entered into an examination of the subject, and made a report. Counsel were heard at the bars of both Houses, and witnesses were carefully examined. Clarkson's exertions during the whole of this struggle were untiring. But they were not before the public, and failed therefore of being duly appretiated at the time. Some years elapsed before the triumph of the Anti-Slavery cause was corn- -pieta, for the Abolition measure did not become law until the 25th March 1807. But much more remained to be effected: the slave-trade was abo- lished, but slavery still existed. The year 1834 crowned the efforts of the Anti-Slavery party with success. In that year a sum of 20,000,000/. was granted by Parliament to the slave-owners, and Clarkson's mission was ac- complished. The claim of originality ought not perhaps to be demanded far him; but if not the originator, Clarkson was the Prometheus of the Anti-Slavery movement,—he gave the fire of life to the slumbering opinion against Negro slavery. This is not the place to raise any question about the extravagancies and mischievous modes of agitation into which the Anti-Slavery party have been betrayed, especially in later years. Thomas Clarkson's was a great task; his devotion was noble; his success was the dawn of a better future for the Negro race; and no one will grudge him a. particle of the honours which attended his gentle decline to rest in the ful- ness of years.

Lord Waldegmve expired on Monday last at Flarptree Court, his seat in Sornersetshire. He was horn in February 1816, and was married in 1840 to the daughter of Mr. Braham the singer. There being no issue by this marriage, the title devolves upon the Honourable William Waldo- grave, uncle to the deceased nobleman.

Lord Mount Sandford's death is announced. George Baron Mount Sandford, in the Peerage of Ireland, was born in May 1756. He succeeded his nephew, the second Baron, in 1828; and by his death, the title is ex- tinct. The estates revert to his niece, Mrs. Pakenham, wife of Archdeacon Pakenham, and her sister, Mrs. Wills.

A serious accident is reported at Lord Brougharn's seat in Westmoreland. It occurred on Saturday evening; the sufferers are Mr. Walton, the artist, who was on a visit, and a daughter of Mr. William Brougham, the brother of Lord Brougham. "It appears that the church singers were practising in Brougham Chapel, which is separated from the Hall by a deep cutting in the old London road, over which Lord Brougham caused an arch to be thrown for the convenience of the Hall. Mr. Walton took Miss Brougham (who is about seven years of age) in his arms, and left the Hall by the terrace-door, and was hastening to the chapel; but it being dark, and a light in the chapel windows, he missed the archway, and 'with the child in his arms fell headlong over the terrace into the road, about twenty-five feet. The shriek of the child soon brought assistance out of the chapel; when it was thought that Mr. Walton's back was broken; his head was laid open for nearly three inches, and he was otherwise severely injured. On the swivel of Dr. Taylor from Penrith, however, it was found that the back-bone was not broken. On Sunday morning, Mr. Walton still remained in a very precarious state. One of the child's jaw-bones is broken, and she is in other respects dread- fully injured; but hopes are entertained of her recovery." Lord Brougham had left the Hall for his seat at Cannes on the Friday.

The Commercial Magazine for the present month contains "a list of all the clergymen and Members of Parliament" who have subscribed to rail- way deeds during the past session. This list is a sequel to that of the solicitors and bankers in the last number of the work; and the classifica- tion of the professions in this way furnishes us with evidence of the extent of the railway mania not so readily obtainable from the Parliamentary list of railway subscribers. From the list in the Commercial Magazine, it ap- pears that the number of clergymen who signed railway deeds was 257. Of these the greater number are for comparatively small amounts, of from 2,000/. to 5,0001.; but some of the Rectors, &c. have gone into the specu- lation more extensively. Thus one is a subscriber for 26,0001. one of 27,5001., three of 20,0001. and upwards, six of 15,0001. and upwards, ten of 10,0001. and upwards, 53 of from 5,000/. to 9,000/., and the remainder from '2,0001 to 5,0001. The Members of Parliament are subscribers for much larger sums, and are 157 in number, being nearly one-fourth of the entire House of Commons! This list indicates clearly the strength of the railway interest in Parliament; and the sums subscribed for by individual Members are in many cases very heavy. Thus we have one for 291,0001., another for 250,0001., another 178,0001., another 153,0001, another 144,0001., with two for nearly 120,0001., and many for from 20,0001. to 80,0001. The lists in the Commercial Magazine last month showed the strength of the railway interest amongst the solicitors and bankers; but the present indi- cates more clearly the powerful influence which has enabled the railways to progress to the extent they have done in Parliament—Times.

The British squadron of evolution left Cadiz on the 17th; but not for England. The Admiral intended to proceed to Tetuan for water, but he had returned to the Tagus.

The Standard announces that the Government are about to despatch the Bulldog steam-sloop to Madeira, for the protection of British life and property.

A most unexpected and important discovery has been recently made in reference to the supposed danger which awaited vessels making their pas- sage through the Needles. Up to the present time the Admiralty charts have represented some sunken rocks at the depth of about three fathoms. The country is indebted to Commander Sherringham and the officers of the Dasher surveying-vessel for the discovery that the supposed dan- gerous chalk rocks, in width 500 yards, are never nearer the surface than thirty feet, sufficient for a line-of-battle ship to pass over iu all weathers. The great advantage of the discovery appears to be, that ships of every kind going down Channel will be able to use the Needles passage under all circumstances without risk and with a considerable saving in time.

The Goodwin Sands have undergone great extension in the direction of the "Bunt Head "; so that it has been found necessary to move the light- vessel half a mile further to the Westward, in order to cover the shoal; and the buoy that marks the extreme end of the Bunt Head sixty fathoms fur- ther in a South-westerly direction. A shoal has also sprung up in the Gull Stream, in the direct track of the navigation.

Le Verier's planet was found by M. Galle, at Berlin, on the night of the 23d September. It is a star of the eighth magnitude, but with a diameter of two or three seconds. The planet was also observed on Wednesday even- ing at Mr. Bishop's observatory in the Regent's Park, notwithstanding the moonlight and hazy sky. The following position is the result of instru- mental comparisons with 33 Aquaril—September 30, at 811. 16m. 21s. Greenwich mean time. Right Ascension of planet, 21h. 52m. 47.15s. South declination, 13d. 27m. 208.

In a letter to the Durham Advertiser, Mr. Temple Chevalier describes a very brilliant aurora borealis which he observed at Esh, near Durham, on the evening of the 21st September.

The Courrier de /a Dr&me reports extensive floods in France— For some time past the agricultural part of our community has been complain- ing of the long drought, which had much injured the crops in the neighbourhood of Valence; but this want of water has been amply compensated for by the abun- dant rain which fell on Sunday. Unfortunately, however, it has also caused se- rious damage in many places. Near Cohabeall, the Vevre overflowed its banks and caused considerable injury on the adjoining lands and carried away a bridge. At Loriol, a house was washed down, and another bridge near St. Peray was de- stroyed by the torrent. At Soyons, the road was overflowed, and all communica- tion cut oft At Navin, three houses were thrown down and several persons drowned. At Valence, the water rushed in torrents through the streets, and the claps of thunder followed each other with fearful rapidity. Daring the day the lightning fell on a house near the Polygon, and did considerable damage. A woman was thrown down by the electric fluid, but escaped with only the shock. A part of the ramparts, to the extent of from forty to fifty mitres between the gates of the citadel and that of Bourg-les-Valence was undermined by the water and destroyed; but, fortunately, no one was injured.

Many of the farmers in Dorsetshire have commenced the autumn plant- ing of potatoes, in accordance with the recommendation of several agricul- turists and chemists, who assert that this is the best, if not the only me- thod of checking the prevailing disease.

At the Italian Scientific Congress, Professor Mayer of Bonn gave an account of his researches upon the influence of galvanic currents on the motion of the

heart. The result was, that the current arrested entirely the pulsation for the time that it lasted: the motion being restored when the galvanic influence was withdrawn. The cause imagined was not so much paralysis or spasm, as a. mechanical effect of tumefaction of the parts.

When Mr. Schonbein attended at Osborne House to exhibit the qualities of his gun-cotton to Prince Albert, he offered to explode a portion on the hand of Colonel B--; but the gallant Colonel recoiled from the experiment, and would have nothing to do with the novel power. Prince Albert himself, however, submitted to the test; and off went the cotton without smoke, stain, or burning of the skin. Thus encouraged, the Colonel took his turn; but whether the ma- terial was changed or not for the coarser preparation, it gave him such a singe- ing that he leaped up with a cry of pain. A hearty laugh was all the commise- ration he received. After this, Mr. S. loaded a fowling-piece with cotton in the place of powder, and the Prince fired both ball and shot from it with the usual effect and perfect impunity.—Literary Gazette.

Mr. Macready read the tragedy of Macbeth to the members of the Warringtga Mechanics' Institution on Saturday evening. Application had been made to the tragedian to know upon what terms he would favour the members with a reading of the play; but he generously refused all remuneration, though he had to make the journey from London purposely for the undertaking. He was enthusiastically received by a full audience.

The Adelaide Observer announces the discovery of a gold-mine in South Australia. "To Captain Tyrrell, of the North Montaeute Mine, belongs the honour of this discovery, which was brought to light by him out of a shaft under- taken for the discovery of copper-ore under his directions, for the Victoria Mining Company, in section 5,597, not far from the celebrated Montaeute copper-mine. The auriferous vein, which is described as 'about two inches big,' is composed of a rich ochreous gossan, more or less intermingled with native gold, in various forms, and of the utmost imaginable purity, some specimens having the appearance of what is called dead gold,' and many portions possessing a high degree of bril- liancy." By the late earthquake in Tuscany more than 8,000 persons have been reduced to beggary. The Grand Duke has rendered a decnie, announcing that the houses

destroyed are to be reconstructed without any additional tax on the country. The inhabitants of the different villages destroyed are to be exempt from all taxation until 1848. The port of Leghorn into furnish building materials free of duty to all who need them.—Dally News.

Sir William Symonds has written a letter to the Times setting forth the facts connected with his recent accident. "On my return to London from Pembroke

Dockyard, whither I had accompanied the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty

on their annual visit of inspection, I embarked at Tenby for Bristol, in the morn- me, at about half-past nine o'clock, on board the Plicenix trading-steamer, which had a great number of passengers, bullocks, goods, &e., on board. At about half-past eight in the evening we were crossing the Swash-way, at the en- trance of the Avon, when a steamer was perceived crossing us, being outward-

bound. It was very dark, and raining, and the precautions taken were insufficient to prevent a collision; she came on board us abaft the mainmast. I was sitting near others on a seat against the companion, and was marvellousli lifted off my seat (having a large cloak and two great coats on, all wet through, unknown to those who were sitting near me, and carried above the Pluenix by the head, stem, &c., of the stranger; which, from having been forced into the superstructure of the Phenix, soon appeared to me to be separating from the strange vessel's stem, and I caught hold of a rope under heti bowsprit, which seemed to me secure. Im- mediately after which, it appeared to me that the wreck of the head and cutwater fell into the sea; my vessel having disappeared, I feared that the violent collision had sunk her. After hanging by my two arms some considerable time with won- derful presence of mind, my cries for help were heard. and I was taken on board the Herald steamer from Bristol, bound to a port in Cornwall; and was an hour afterwards landed at Clevedon, and with much difficulty taken up to an hotel, in an exhausted state, much injured and mutilated from contusions, cuts, and strains, about my legs and thighs. An express brought back my servant and one of the passengers, with whom Iretu dtoBristol,andthenoaineupby the afternoon express-train."

The position of the Great Britain steam-ship in Dandram Bay is neither so safe as it was' nor so favourable for removal. The weather grew bad on Friday even- ing, withs gale of wind from the South and South-south-east; which drove the ship further in shore and broke some of the fastenings. It lay on Wednesday with its side to the beech.' Efforts to facilitate its removal were continued without in- termission, and the vessel had as yet received but little injury. Captain Claxton, a director of the company that owns the ship, had arrived at Dtmdrnm Bay; and in a published letter to the secretary, he professes to be fully satisfied with Cap- tain Hosken's explanation as to the way in which the accident happened. There is a double light on the Calf of Man, revolving every two minutes; a single light on St. John's Point, off Dundrum Bay, revolving every minute. As the vessel approached the Isle of Man, a glimpse of the island was caught by those on board; but the lights were not seen, probably on account of the thick atmosphere. In the chart used by Captain Hosken, the St. John's light was not merited at all, though it has been in use for three years. When it was descried, he mistook it for the Calf of Man light. Although he was puzzled at the apparent retardation in the course of the ship, the fact of seeing the light appeared to be conclusive. That only one light was seen was imputed to the dense haze; which had in fact sufficed to hide both lights on the island. The vessel therefore was steered to give the rocks called the Men and Chickens, off the Man light, a sufficiently wide berth to starboard: the ship grounded within Dentin= Bay.

Mrs. Riede, the widow of the gentleman who died from the injuries he received on the Eastern Counties Railway, expired on Wednesday. This lady is said to have been another victim to that disastrous railway; for when her wounded hus- band was brought home, she suffered such a shock that physicians pronounced her recovery from it almost hopeless.

The Observer states that when the bill of indictment against Captain Richard- son for forgery went before the Grand Jury, an important witness was absent— apparently meaning Mr. Stevenson. The bill was ignored, and the Grand Jury broke up. Shortly afterwards, the solicitors for the prosecution entered the Grand Jury-room, and expressed their surprise at the result. Upon this, "some of the members of the Grand Jury, who happened to remain said the reason which caused them to come to the conclusion which they did was, they had attentively ex- amined the check, and that they were perfectly satisfied that the word ten had never been written, nor had any alteration been made; that they were satisfied that it was a blank check; that it was in evidence that the prisoner had au- thority to fill up blank checks; and that they had caused Mr. Stevenson to be called twice. As Captain Richardson is discharged, he, as a matter of course, will retain the 3,2251: taken from his possession."

The skeleton of a man seven feet six inches long has been found at Snaith, near the church, in excavating for the Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole Railway.

A man has been killed in a paint manufactory at Plymouth, by falling into a copper of heated oil which he was tending: he was toned with his bead and the upper part of his body in the liquid, the rest of his body hanging over the edge.