VICTORIA.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 205, 23 August 1860, Page 4

VICTORIA.

LFrom our own Correspondent.'] Melbourne, 20th July, 1860.

Since the departure of the last mail for New Zealand nothing of any importance has transpired in. the colony beyond the passage of the Land bill through the Upper House, which has resulted in the- adoption of no fewer than 252 different amendments affecting the vital principles of the bill, and which has left it somewhat in the position of the Highlandman’s gun, wanting lock, stock, and barrel. On the bill being returned to the Assembly two nights ago, a resolution was at once moved by Mr. Duffy (formerly the great Irish agitator, and who now figures prominently in our Parliamentary reports)—■“ that the amendments of the Council be disagreed to.” This, however, after a long debate, was lost, and the amendments will therefore be gone through seriatim by the /Assembly, carefully considered, and either adopted or rejected. A conference between the houses will likely close the dispute. The committee appointed to forward the Exploring Expedition to the interior of Australia, are proceeding with their preparations. A leader has been chosen out of some fifty or sixty applicants, who has been hitherto unknown to fame, whatever his qualifications are. His name is Burke, and he has up to this time occupied the post of Mounted Constable at the Ovens, where he has doubtless had considerable experience in bush travelling. About 30 men are required for thg expedition, and no fewer than 700 applications were forwarded for . the vacant posts. Twenty-four camels, for the use of the explorers, have within the last few weeks arrived from India, together with several natives, and the gentleman intrusted by the government here to go to India and select the animals. The camels have arrived in first-rate order, and are likely tt> be very useful if the interior of the country is at all what it is supposed to be. I think in my last month’s communication I mentioned, that a movement had commenced for preaching in the theatres here. Already three sermons have, been delivered in the

large theatre in Melbourne, on successive Sunday afternoons, with marked success. The officiating ministers have been the B.ev. Messrs. Taylor (Baptist), Perks ?(Episcopalian), and Campbell (Presbyb rian), and 1 observe that the Rev. Mr. Dare (Wesleyan) is announced to officiate next Sabbath. 7'he lectures on Sabbath observance w.ere brought to a close last Monday evening by the Rev. Dr. Cairns, a gentleman who, with all his zeal for the cause, has done, it infinite mischief on the present occasion by his intemperate attack r oh our leading journal, the Argus, for holding views contrary to his own on the perpetual obligation of the fourth commandmi nt. Think of such expressions as the following being applied by a minister to the editor of a paper at a public lecture—“ slimy traitor,” “ words like the-finked tongue of a serpent,” “ sentiments which we should turn from as from the smoke of the bottomless pit.” Expressions such as these are far from calculated to' produce any good effect in the advocacy of the cause of truth. “ Soft words and hard arguments ” is a saying which deserves a more permanent place in Dr. Cairn’s stock of proverbs than he seems to have assigned it. At this time political affairs in Europe, especially in the south, present a most ominous appearance. The ambitious designs of the Emperor of the French are being gradually unveiled, and likely, on the return of the allied fleets from China, the very appearance of that ill concerted union between England and France will be destroyed, and a European war, for which events during the last few months have been rapidly ripening, will be the result. The marked friendship between the Emperor of /Russia and the Emperor of the French is most significant, while the immense number of troops which the.former monarch is congregating on the borders of Turkey, evidently presages the speedy destruction of that country. Britain will have too much to do tor her own safety to interfere, and France . evidently is too friendly to the Czar to occasion him any dread in that quarter. Trade here is very dull, but it is hoped that the return of summer will somewhat revive it. A,great exodus ; of the population is anticipated to the Snowy River diggings, lately discovered, ! in the spring, and this will have no good effect on trade in this colony, although it may benefit the sister colony of New South Wales. Almost'the half of Melbourne has been laid up with influenza for the last week or ten days. The various counting houses and government

offices have been greatly thinned, sixteen clerks being laid upyat one time in the Post office, and many ; bf our town ministers,bbing disabled from preaching. The epidemic , has not befell confined to. this colony.but New South Vitales and South Australia have »so been visited ; indeed, in, the former colony, a large proportion of the cases were fatal.'

The head quarters of the 40th Regt., embarked at Sandrjdge Pier yesterday, on board the City of Hobart, amidst’ the enthusiastic cheers of an immense crowd of several thousands. The* scene reminded one of the departure of the Grenadier Guards for the Crimea. Major General Pratt. leaves next Tuesday in the. .Victoria! .

The following is an extract from a letter dated, Government Observatory, Williams* town, 14th July, from Robt. L. F. Ellery, E.R.A.S., Government Astronomer, regarding the comet noticed in the Wanganui Chronicle of the 19th ult.:

“ What comet is this ? As yet our observations scarcely extend over a sufficient period to determine its elements. ■ That it,is Charles the Fifth’s comet of 1556 is not at all probable, nor do I think it is De Vico’s, as has been suggested, for, although the period of that comet would lead us to expect its reappearance this year, this one bears no resemblance in path or appearance. De Vico’s comet had an inclination of only 2% degrees to the ecliptic, while this has evidently a much greater one. That had a bright nucleus and small well defined tail, this is nebulous with a comparatively large ill-defined tail., “ A comet (comet 2, I 860) was observed in Europe in April and May this year ; it was first seen by M. Rumher at Hamburgh ; the present comet bears some, resemblance to it in many respects. If we are favoured with further observations the elements of the orbit will be computed, and it will then no doubt be recognised, if not a stranger. “ It is much to be regretted that the instrumental means at the disposal of the Observatory have not allowed any. satisfactory observations of the physical appearances of the comet to be made; but it may be remarked that no defined nucleus could bfe seen, the heart appearing quite nebulous.” A requisition is in course of signature, asking the mayor to convene a public meeting, to decide upon what steps should be taken towards raising a fund for the wives and families of the men of the 40th regiment who have fallen in New Zealand.— Herald, 20th July.

A letter from Geelong of the 15th ult. says,—-“ The war in New Zealand is the chief topic of conversation in almost fevery circle here. It has given r new impulse to the rifle movement, and our population has on a sudden become exceedingly warlike. Strong opinions condemnatory of the generalship displayed in the late encounter are freely expressed. Trade here is quite stagnant at present, and prospects are not pf the most cheering character.”

LOVE. In love*—if love be love—if love be ours, Faith and unfaith can ne’er be equal powers: Unfaith in auglit is want of faith in all. It is the little rift within the lute, That by-and-by will make the music mute, A nd, ever widening, slowly silence all. The little rift within the lover’s lute, Or little pitted speck in garnered fruit, That, rotting inward, slowly moulders all. It is not worth the keeping; let it go. But shall it ? answer, darling, answer No; And trust me not at all, or all in all. My name, once mine, now thine, is closelier mine; For fame—could fame be mine, that fame were thine ; . And shame—could shame be thine, that shame were mine. So trust me not at all, or all in all. . (_ Tennyson’s New Volume,

Matrimony and Cotton Tops —Now, gentlemen, let us pause for a moment over these cotton tops —let us turn them inside out —and see what is the legitimate inference to be derived thence. Here we find a young lady just at the most critical period of her life —when she has exchanged vows, for the first time, with her lover or husband—call him what you will—who sees before her an unknown and untried future, which, in most cases, love tinges with its purple hues. What is she thinking, about ?—that she will be a glory in his prosperity, a solace in his sickness and adversity, to that man in whom she believes as the type and exemplar of glorified humanity ? Pardon me, gentlemen, if I carry you back to the times in which we also—-we hard worldly men—believed in such things, even we! Well, what is this young girl thinking about ? Why, that a silken stocking will set off her foot and ancle to greater advantage than a stocking of any other texture. This is her notion of love—that is the acorn out of which the sturdy oak of Mr. Barber’s domestic happiness is to grow.—From-‘‘Di-vorce a Vinculo,” iu Once a Week.