AMERICAN COURT CIRCULARS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 513, 3 October 1857, Page 3

AMERICAN COURT CIRCULARS.

(From the ' Times.')

Things are very dull just now. There is an end of Epsom and Ascot. The King of Prussia and the Neuehatelois have settled their little differences. The Chinese affair drags on so heavily that we can scarcely expect the public to be very eager about the fresh monthly number of intelligence from the source of tea. At home the new House of Commons is doing its work with all the energy, all the occasional wildness, and all the ultimate docility of a batch of raw recruits. We have talked out the annual exhibition, of the Academy. The rival managers of the two Opera-houses have displayed their tactics, and the interest in the Royal British Bank is only revived by the apprehension of its Directors. Por a few days the public have contrived to exist upon the Manchester pictures, the Divorce Bill, and the Handel Festival at the Crystal Palace; but these brilliant bubbles have either burst, or the eye is sated with their radiance and marks them no more. When we turn to the other side of the Atlantic we find no diet for the public appetite upon which the merest quidnunc coxAH contrive to exist for one poor afternoon at the bow window of his club. The Walker question, and the .Kansas affair, and the Central American difficulty seem either to have settled themselves or to be in course of amicable.settle: Kent or compromise. All goes well there. For the motner.t-^-and may that moment be indefinitely

prolonged!—" Hail, Britannia!" and ~'Rule, Columbia!" have become the national airs of the United States. In the absence of moro stirring, but less gratifying intelligence, we can do no better than call particular attention to the report which we print this day from the ' New Fork Herald ' of the festivities at Washington held under the auspices of Lord Napier, the ' English Ambassador, on the anniversary of the birthday of our English Queen. Our American friends as far excel us in the style of^their Court Circulars as they do in yacht-building, Ipck-picking, and revolvers. The document, which will be found in another" portion of our columns, actually introduces us into the best society at Washington. The acute, energetic features of the men, the grace of the ladies, the keenness of their repartees, the_ majesty of their busts, the luxuriance of their occasional embonpoint, and invariable charms will here be; found depicted with a graphic power, far beyond the reach, of our own domestic Jenkins. 'Tis a perfect gallery of photographs. Let us pick out a few characters at random; and, first, we should be worse than ungrateful if we did not acknowledge the handsome manner in which Lord and Lady Napier are spoken of by the American chronicler of the revels. On'that memorable night at "Fish-house" the aspect of the place "astonished some and delighted all; it had a bright, fresh, and jaunty look." Lord Napier is pronounced to be every inch a nobleman, and, should any New Yprker entertain any doubt upon the subject, he is told to go to Brady's," and to see the inimitable photograph of his Lordship suspended there. Lady Napier, we are told, is of medium [height and symmetrical figure; " the winning smile that plays over her fine features is the reflex of the happy disposition within." From Lord Napier and his fair lady we pass by an easy transition to the rest of the Corps Diplomatique. The French Minister, Count Sartiges, " has a spice of hauteur in his manner that does very well in an Ambassador." The choicest flowers of the chronicler's rhetoric, are reserved for the Ambassa. dress. " His Countess, ci-devant Miss Thorndike, was one of the ornaments of the ball. Though somewhat stout for so young a person, her claims to beauty are undeniable. Her bust is magnificent, and her face is singularly attractive, from its expression of real good nature." The Eussian Minister's wife too, autrefois Miss Thompson, of Massachusetts, was exceedingly affable and gay; but " perhaps this was the result of a hint fiom her diplomatic spouse.'' The Washington writer is at great pains to tell us how Baron Stoeckel travelled all night from New York to Washington, in order to be pre-' sent at the fete of the English Ambassador, " lest any mistake should arise as to the attitude of his Court in reference to the dispute with China." On the other hand—and we confess that, in a reciprocal spirit, we cannot look upon such a demonstration without suspicion— Madame Cramer, the wife of a Secretary of the Russian Legation, wore her hair a la Chinoise, ostensibly "to enhance the effect of her striking physiognomy." From the Corps Diplomatique we pass to the native Americans, who, we confess, interest us much more. Why was not General Cass at the ball f The explanation is most satisfactory. General Cass intends no slight upon the British Crown, but, as his habit was to go to bed at ten o'clock every night, and as the dancing at Lord Napier's only began at half-past ten, it would have been not a little difficult for the General to be present in person. " So careful is he of his health that he will notdine out, not even with the President, and I doubt if he would sit up after ten p.m. were he sure of the nomination in 1860. Twenty years ago in Paris, at balls in his own splendid house, —and he gave no end of them,- — he would quietly slip off to bed at 10 o'clock, as though he dreaded the fate of Cinderella, but, fortunately, he left his amiable wife, three charming daughters,and a host of attaches to supply his place." From General Cass we pass to a circle of notabilities less known to the English reader. There was " the tall and very gentlemanly Secretary to the Navy; Governor Toucey was there with his wife, who is nearly as .tall, and equally distinguished in appearance and demeanour." Nor was the keen-witted and warm-hearted Howell. Cobb, with his plump face, wanting to the festivity; nor Governor Floj'd, the Secretary of War, " with his really martial appearance and martinet air." Then there was Judge Black, the Attorney-General, " with his searching, critical, disputatious countenance, one of the most awkward customers in a law argument any man can meet with. His wife, too, Europe will rejoice to hear, is a phenomena not only of beauty, but of extraordinary youth. Her daughter is grown up, and it is not easy to say which is the senior of the two." Is this the way Court Circulars are written in America ? The endeavour to reproduce here the whole of this portrait-gallery would be useless; we must refer to the catalogue, which we print inecctenso, for further and more accurate information. There it will be found how the Hon. John Appleton, although habitually a grave person, seemed to enjoy the levities. Mrs. Appleton is a sprightly and highly cultivated person—she ie, we are told, adapted for society, and it is therefore no wonder she seemed quite at home at the ball." But we must positively refuse to make any more selections from this wonderful Gallery of Illustration. If oui- own Court Circular would give ua anything .-!equally interesting and characteristic about our grandees, the general mass of mankind might take^ greater interest in their amusement. Finally, let us add, we heartily rejoice'to seethat Lord Napier has won finch good opinions • at Washington, onO st- »*C3 so well with Anieri«can society.