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MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1859.

To greet Ohristmas after the old man- ner is hard upon us who dwell in Aus- tralia. Do what we will, wo cannot conform to the spirit of the season. The bond of use, if not broken, is sadly loosened by chango of place. We are too young to have lost the traditions of the old country.

We live within the stranger's land,

And strangely falls our Christmas evo.

We have had no time to make a Christ- mas of our own, and are indissolublytiod to the old Christmas we have left. " The " merry, merry hells of Yule " ring out, but it is from the far distance. Their voices are of another world. They speak of a life and a scene which are not oura. They come linked with associations which we can never reproduce. For years, Christmas to us can never be any but the English Christmas-the grand old Christian festival, which has en- twined about it all the tenderest and warmest emotions of our English nature. In Australia, bereft of all the old attributes- covered with . no holly or misletoe, seasoned by no snows or mists, Christmas is an exotic, only to be kept alive by pain. It brings no warrant for jollity, and is for the most part a very sickly and me- lancholy delusion. Wo cannot, if we would, make merry after the old fashion. It is in vain that we are reminded that the turkeys are as fat and the beef as prime as in the old country-that our Christmas has rather an ad- vantage over the old ones, in being held under bright sunshine and greenery. This sort of consolation is an insult to our feelings. The sunshine we can do without, and the green, unluckily, is never anything else but green. There is no one of any taste but would willingly give up a few days of our brilliant sun and perpetual verdure, in order that he might realise Christ- mas in his wonted habit, with a thick white sheet of snow on the ground, and a fine damp fog in the air.

The time will doubtless come when Christmas will be naturalised in Aus- tralia. The season has that force of life in it, that it will live and grow anywhere wherever Englishmen are gathered together. A hundred years hence our descendants will wonder how Christmas could ever havo boen kept ex- cept under eucalyptia.ua abumingsun. It will have become quite proper to deck Christmas in acacia and gum-leaves. Holly will be effete, and misletoe a lost tradition. The season will havo gathered new associations out of our Australian history. It will have its own charaoter, distinct and individual. A new order of sentiments will be attached to Christmas, and there will be new emotions for the poets to draw out. Till then, the best compliment of the season is to be reminded of home and the home fes- tival-the best wish we can utter, that we may keep the holly in our hearts, and ever be true to the spirit of the misletoe-that every recurring Christ- mas may find Victoria, under all poli- tical changes, growing in reverence to the glorious old mother whose blood she retains, and faithful to tho genius which has made Britons great and free all over the world. Let her learn, as a young nation, that modesty and self-restraint, without which riohes are a snare and greatness a peril, not

-Fiory-hot to burst All barriois in her onwaid lace

For power. Let her know her placo ; She is tho second, not the first.

A higher hand must moko her mild,

If all bo not in vain ; and guide

Her footsteps, moving side hy sido With Wisdom, like the younger child.

In his pamphlet upon the new system of conveyance by registration, Mr, Torrens mentions that the report of the Royal Commissioners on the Regis- tration of Titlo arrived at Adelaide most opportunely on the eve of the day appointed for the second reading of his Bill, and greatly strengthened his cause. Mr. Torrens may well be proud of the fact that he had prepared his Bill before that report arrived ; for the coincidence in the conclusions between the two is most remarkable; and it was demon- strated that by patient investigation and independent reasoning, Le had been enabled to compile a system equally operative and equally applicable, as a remedy for existing evils, with that which had been elaborated by the first legal and political intellects of England. The Commissioners were the Right Honourable S H. Walpole and Joseph Napier ; Sir A. J. E. Cockburn, Attor ney-Gcneral; SirR. Bethell, Solicitor General j J. E. Headlam and V. Scully, Queen's Counsel; R. Lowe andW. D. Lear, barristers j II. Drum- mond, J. E. Denison, R. Wilson, and W. S. Cookson, Esqs.

According to them, the grand defect of the English law is the want of an in- dependent titlo to land. Possession gives no titlo or right of disposal. There is no such ownership like that of a chair or a sum of stock, but the owner- ship is susceptible of modification by deeds into a number of independent quantities and degrees of ownership, and tho deeds thus affecting the property continue valid, though for a time sup- pressed or improperly withheld. A rq

trospr-ctivc examination of tho title u therefore, necessary on tbo occasion of * sale But, supposing the title is fou"j to be valid on sucli an occasion the law provides no permanont or binding record of the faot . 0i subsequent sales the same i'nrej. tigation is just as necessary as over" "? Purchasers should in their own interest" " and for their own protection, rormí «the investigation which took pl¡L " before, and examine the title rotn "speetively from the" date of their "own contract, without relvint; on «the previous transfer, or the P33 "session enjoyed under it, and treaJ "ing these as possibly illusory merely " Another and equally glarjnfi /¡. is the distinction between the lcni and equitable estate, by which flu right to the possession, and to reoorer the rents and profits of real proporty h a court of law, may be vested fa in.

person, while another is the bencficii!

owner.

The matter is put with, perhaps moro practical effcot by Mr. TouueL' Ho observes that the dependent natur' °, Tles if fche 8rand S0U1'CC of misohiof "When," says he, "a title has tob

traced back through successive pro « pnetors, each instrument examined

"each transaction scrutinised to asoor « tain that all necessary formalities H<n " been observed, and that no equitable " interest or claim remains outstanding " no man may venture to deal with hn " own land; the experienced skill of the " conveyancer must be had recourse to." Such inquiry, commenced anew each time the property is dealt with, is at- tended with heavy costs. The chain is no stronger thau its weakest link. Eaoli transaction is a fresh link, increasing the perplexity and risk of loss. Finally, tlio process of investigation must ncoos sarily be tardy. With all these disad- vantages, land under a "dependent" title, instead of being the best, become* an inconvenient and undesirable basis

of credit.

In regard to the evils of the English Land Law, the Commissioners and Mr. Tomiens are in perfect acoordanoa! Let us now see what remedy they re- spectively propose. At page 16 of tin report the Commissioners state that " the main desiderata to which atten " tion ia most anxiously directed are " simplification of title, facility of " transfer, simplicity of form, and the " consequent diminution of delay and " expense. To obtain these desideratu " registration of title is the remedy "proposed." They then, with great care, examine tho various plans of regis- tration of title that had been submitted to them, and finally recommend a system which, in prinoiplo, is the same that has been carried into operation in South

Australia.

Tho first grand object aimed at ia both plans, was to abolish retrospective investigation, and to make the titles in- dependent. This is done in South Aus- tralia by making each proprietor of the feehold directly from the Crown. The process is as follows :-A " Lands Titles " Office" has been established in Ade- laide, in which sits a Board, consisting of the Registrar-General and two Com- missioners. All lands alienated from. the Crown, after a oertain date, are granted subject to the provisions of the now Property Act. These are termed "free" lands. Lands previouslyalionatcd may be brought under the real Property Act, upon application of the proprietor. In this latter case, the deeds and other evidence of the applicant's title are doposited at the Lands Titles Office, together with the application. The/ aro handed to the solicitors of tho Lands Titles Commissioners for examination and report. The Commissioners sit once a week to decide upon such applications, but they determine only to what exteut the claim of the applioant to be recog- nised as proprietor is to be advertised. The Commissioners do not act judi- cially. In the event of a prima facie ownership being established, they issue an order, in terms of which the Regis- trar-General causes advertisement to be made, and, should no caveat be lodged within the time for that purpose limited, he proceeds to bring the land under the operation of the Act. Shoull a caveat be lodged, the Registrar General notifies rcoeipt of it to tho applicant proprietor, and abstains from further proceduro until the caveat lapses, is withdrawn, or is discharged in due course of law. So soon as land is brought undor operation of the Act, the title deeds given up by the applioant are btamped as cancelled, and with oertain precautions for subsequent identification, until authorised to bo destroyed, are deposited in the muniment-room. Cer- tificates of title aro made out in dupli- cate, one to be bound up in the register book, and tho counterpart is doliYcrol to the proprietor. Property thus eman- cipated "from the oppressions of tin " english property laws" is known ia South Australia as "freed lands." After being brought under the operation of the Act, there is thonceforth no diffi- culty in making a sale, in leasing, or ia mortgaging the property. The certificate of ownership obtains a place upon » folium of the public register, and room is left on the folium for records of sub- sequent transactions relating to it, until there is a change of ownership, when a new certificate is issued, and ii placed upon a fresh folium. Then ita old folium is cancelled, and withdrawn from the register.

But probably the most imporüut featuro of all remains to ho noticed -the indefeasible title. It is satis- factory to find that the value of this portion of the system is_ fully recognised by the Royal Commissioners. At Section 30 of the Report, they moa tion that the suggestion of a guarantee or warranty o'f titlo was common to moro than one of the plans brought beforo thom, was supported from many quarters, and was, in the Commissioners' opinion, very valuable. They state that after a title had been once investigated and approved by an experienced counsel and solicitor appointed for tho purpo«, it could be safely guaranteed against all claims that might be brought against it, in which case a small premium might be lensbmibly charged to the registered owner, ." and tho aggregate amount of " the premiums paid would constitute «

« fund to indemnify the State, as the « public insurer, in case any latent claim « should be" subsequently established."

This is exactly what Mr, Tobujsms liad embodied in the South Australian Act, and-this feature in it maybe fairly considered- the chief cause of its great success. Mr. Toiibens mentions'3,3 benefits actually realised from this. policy that titles, being indefeasible, proprietors may invest capital on land secure against risk of deprivation, and the no less harassing contingency of a Chancery suit; mortgagees will no longer require to look to title, but .only to the value «of the security. Itis singular how exactly the predic- tions of the Royal Commissioners tally with the realisation at Adelaide. The Commissioners enumerate nine ad- vantages of the new system:-1. It affords the benefit of a registration of deeds. 2. It renders unnecessary retro- spective investigation of the title. 3. It will simplify the title to real pro- perty for the future. 4. It will make purchasers of the fee and lea3es perfectly secure. 5. It will sim- plify to the utmost possible extent the iorms of transfer and the modes of con- veyance. 6. It will tend to increase the saleable value of land. 7. And to lower the rate of interest on loans secured upon land. 8. It will confer facilities for the sale of large estates in lots. 9. It will enable persons to obtain a warranty of their titles at the same or nearly the same expense as that incurred in an ordinary purohase under the present system. So muoh for the Commissioners' prophecy. Mr. Torre ns states that "a saving, amounting on " the average to ninety per cent., or *' eighteen shillings in the pound ster " ling, has been effeoted in the oost of " transfers and other dealings, irrespec " tive of the (protection from) contingent " liability to further expenses resulting " from suits at law and in equity, the *' grounds of which are out off by the " alteration of tenure. The procedure " is so simple as to be readily compre " hended, so that men of ordinary edu " oation may transaot their own busi " ness." " The cost of a mortgage is *' 10s. ; the timo ocoupied in tho transac

" tion is 15 minutes. The cost of a,

"transfer or re-loase is 5s. ; the ti to. 3 41 occupied'is 5 minutes, and the validity " of each step is guaranteed by an assur " ance fund supplemented by the " security of the general revenues of the " colony."

Mr. Torrens further points out a »umber of advantages that arise in the enhancement of the value of land by the improved title, the increased security and facility of transfer, and by re- moval of the risks, costs, and impedi- ments which have attended the system of mortgage 5 but these advantages are so solf-evident that it is unnecessary further to dwell upon them.

An excellent choice of amusements is offered to pleasure-seekers to-day. Lovers of tho national spoit havo the option of enjoying the sea or tho ?country air, for thoro are races both at Williams- town and at the Plough Inn, on the Plonty-roal. The marino stadium, will in all probability be tho most frequented, as the programme is most ex- cellent, and tho course, we understand, both a good one and in capital order. It is tho sama over which tho champion colt took his trial gallops. Pleasure trips have boen organised to all paints of the compass. Queenscliffe will ha visited by two steamers-the Lady Bird mi Citizon, each, no douht, bearing full fioigl ts> while the Kangaroo has Schnapper Point for hoi destination. AU these boats are announced to start at an early hour. Messrs. Spiers anl Pond have advertised another monster pic- nic at Sunbury, " the last having provod such an immense success." Tlio sunny slopes and greon woodB of Heidelberg havo boen selected by the Vesleyan body wherein to disport themselves, and the Upper Yarra will no doubt bo thronged with small craft of evory build and capacity, as multifariously freighted as is usual ©n these occasions. There will no doubt bo as much bad rowing and had joking, and as muoh good fun and good humour as over have stirred tho echoes of tho tortuous little rivor. Guni Jjiians and Westmoreland men aro promis od plenty of wrestling and roast boef in Frank- lin-street ; and those who affect a grcator variety of English sports can ho accommodated at some liolf-dozen hostolries within an easy distanco of town. Such asdotermino upon staying in town cm have their oppotitos stayed with gratui- tous plum-pudding in Bourko-streot, and with liquid refreshment in any streot at tho usual figure. Cremorne has a tremendous bill of at- tractions, whore visitors up to 4 o'clock (in the afteinoon we presume) may be accommodated v,ith a chance in tho wheel of fortune Two of tho theatres have noveltios-The Boyal, "The Ooldon Branch," localised ; and the Pantheon, "Tho Discreet Princess," also adoptod. Mr. 0. V. Brooke this evening commences a round of peiformanees with his favourite character of " O'Oallaghan." Thoro aro doubtless othor pub- lic amusements which we have omitted to notio3, though not intentionally. Wherever and however Christmassing is dono, may hearty enjoyment

provail !

Tho Botanical Gardons on Saturday woro not so woll patronised as usual. This may bo partly accounted for by the fact that many persons had left Molbourno for tho country districts, and others were under tho impression that the band would not play, as the concert announced to tako place that day for tho benefit of the Lying-in Hospital had been postponed until noxt Saturday. Tho band performed some choice selections from "Ernani" and tlio "Bohemian Girl," and se- veral pieces of dance music, among others the march, " Riflemen Form." The inonster¡aloe is

growing very rapidly, and was a souroo of groat |

attraction to the visitors.

Tho swimming matches at tho St. Kilda Hathing ship carno off vory successfully on Sa

turdoy afternoon last, although the dolays at I tlio beginning and during the procoodings might veil have been avoided, and would havo pre-

vented the spectators' patience from being nearly j

exhausted, as waa tho case on several occasions.

The weather was such as to draw a vory large 1 audienco, all of whom seemed to tako consider- able interest in tho sport. Stevens, who had won the champion match on two previous occa- sions, was again the winner, and was awarded the silver cup, A vory general dcBiro was ex- pressed to seo young Molesworth pitted against tho champion in a short raco of somo 00 yards, and many, in the ovont of its coming off, weto inclined to back tho youth, not to say novice, against tho vetoran. Wo understand that it is the intention uf tlio Bathing Company to hold some swimming matches at their establishment on Saturday week, the 7th January, so that it appears thoro is likely to bo no look of en- couragement for tho art.

At the usual weekly meeting of tlio Commutes .vf tho Immigrants' Aid Society, hold on Satur- day, tho Superintendent reported the state of the Home to be as follows :-Number of inmate? as reported last week, 149 ; admitted since, 15 ; «litchnrged, 21 : total now in the Homo, 1 t'j,

.consisting of Benevolent Asylum cases, !) j ohU«.

dren chargeable to-tlio Government, 79 ; oases chargeable to tho 6ocioty,~45 ; Btonobroakers, S.c.,10. ' .'

Tho gaol returns for the week ending Satur-1 day,' the 24th inst., wore ¡is follow :-Await'iar , trial in tho Supremo Court, 8 ; on remand, S ; on stations, 4 ; under sentence of hard Iahour, 321 males, 1 female; imprisoned, 59 males, 1 fomalo; lunatics, 3; debtors, 10. Total conflnol in gaol, 210 males, 1 female. During the weok

96 prisoners lind been received at tho gaol, au I j £5 discharged. j

The Boyal Park Ciickot Club proceed to Praii-1 ran this afternoon to play a match with tho Prahran Cricket Club, on thoir ground, near the

Myall Hotel, this boing tho return match botweo i I

tlio above clubs. Tho previous one boing well oon- ¡ tested, an interesting game is oxpoctod lo b3 played. Wickets will bo pitched at two; gama to commenco at half-past two p.m.

To judge by tho nish of purchasers to tho East- ern Market on Saturday night, thero was an ampio supply of good choor piovided for th.3 Christmas feast. Tho stalls wero thronged with customers nt an early hour, but it was shortly after dark that the market presented its busioit ¡jceno', Buxom-looking dames, carrying; large family baskets ; fathers of families with capacious carpet-bags, doing speciality for the nonco ; sor vnnt-girls with aprons loaded with garden-stuff all catering for tho next day's dinner ; clerks ani nien-about-town, in white turbans and airy habili- ments, lounging through tho place in search of amusomout ; mon in jumpers and cabboge-troa hats, smoking meerschaums and black days; nondescripts of all ages and professions, and children innumerable, crossed and recrossed tho crowded space, jostling against each othor in tli3 most admired confusion. Of late, and cspooially since the extended accommodation in this market, tho variety of commodities offered for sale has increased to a great extent. Fruiterors, poul- terers, and greengrocers aro not the only, if tho most important members of this weekly trad- ing community, Tho breakages caused by " that careless girl" can bo hero romodiod at a trifling cost j [crockery, potB, pans, and kettles; shirts, caps and ribbons; books, fancy ornaments, and'flnory of ovory desciiption, ren- dered no less attractive by contrast with tha unpretending stalls on which they aro oxhibitoJ, aro all on view hcic foi ono night in tho weok. The incessant exertions and civility of the stall keepers, who havo only a limited time to dispoie of their wares, the really low price of the goo is, and the impunity with which visitors are allowoj to examine without being compelled to buy, all contributo to a busy trado as long as it lasts. Oa Saturday last, all hands woro actively engaged at the southern end of tho market. Kendy-monoy Jack, mounted on tho top of his waggon, was haranguing, with his accustomed volubility, a ctowd of lookers on, who, fiom tima to timo, in ?v cfclcd shillings in articles of heterogeneous dia- meter and doubtful value. Vendors of turkoys, geese, ducks, and fowls, engrossed a largo por- tion of cuBtom, at good prices ; bacon, butter, cgçs, and cheese weic in unusual demand ; while tlio holdors of vegotàblo stalls showed no dis- position to hold, cabbages and onions having, as thoevoning woio on, a downward teudonoy. Tlio juvenile portion of the visitors, too, on the si length of their Christmas tips, speculated freoly in lollies, an took advnntago of tho opportunity lo admiro for tho hundredth timo tho transparent designs in sugar-candy which hung in tompting array beforo thom, Trado »as, in truth, particu- larly brisk and noisy at tlio Eastern Markot on Saturday night, and the show of poultry was worthy of notico, the business done in this quar- ter boing quito sufficient to indicato tho near approach of that day on which,

" E'on from the peasant to the lord,

A turkoy smokes on ovcry board."

The, supply of vegetables was plentiful, and although wo have seen better collections of fruit and flowers at this season of tho year, thero was a sufficient supply of each disposed of to dcoorato moro than the average number of dinnor-tablos, und to send homo a proportionate numbor of markot gardeners with countenances appiopriate

to tho occasion.

A Parisian visiting tho Hippodrome on Satur- day night, and observing there tho methodised destruction of some oight scoro rats by dogs ?varying in weight and murdering propensities seeing, moreover, the rapt attention poid to thî performance by o largo section of Her Majesty's subjects in Molbourne, and being cognisant of the fact that a livo legislator's oral certificate of death was required boforo the muricides could be apprehended omi the victims romovol ior intoi-ment-would, wo think, bo mora than over puzzled to know whore

Englishman's notion of le sport ondod. For botwoon two and three hours fully COO adult males sat packed with mconveniont closeness, watching at intervals the pinning and scrunching of o dozen or so squealing rodents, whicii had for tho most part to be huntod out of corners whore they loy huddled together gasping and terrified, About one in ten showed fight, and a worso lot of dogs was nover pitted, at least if thoir merits arc to he decided by the ovoning's performances. Even tho champion Tippbo, winner before of the "gold collar," and now of tlio "silver goblot," mado but a sorry show, for each rat occupied him a fraction over sovon seconds in the butchering. Shado of the dog Billy and memories of St. Luke's, was ever such protracted mur- der ! One canine favourite-Rattler, we think, by namo-after clumsily mumbling to doath a couplo of rats, positively sat down on his hauncllOB, and declined further action. Somo ruffian, who was at oneo expolio 1, suggested tho addition of a syllable to tho dog's name, so that ho might bo called Kat-leary. Since, then, the vermin, as a mass, wero non-combatants, and their slayers mostly inert nnd unsatisfactory, our Parisian's won- derment must havo roached a vory high jiei>suro up to tho time whon the snako and mongooso exhibition came on. This really was worth seeing, and yot attracted considerably loss attontion than the canino failures preceding it. The Bnokes woro all largo, in full vigour, and most tonaeious of life. The instinct of tho mon gooBe was displayed immediately upon being placed in view of their quarry. Without a moment's hesitation, thoy each mado for their respective snake's head, fastened at onco, and spite of all tho writhings and con- volutions of the reptiles, maintained their grip until thoy had annihilated the powor of using tho poison fangs. Some unbelievers amongst tho spectators ventured to impugn the vonomous properties of the snakes, which wero then and there removed, examined before wit- nesses, and found not wanting. One gentleman took a handful of them home with him, but whother for culinary or soientifio pur- poses it was not stated. The relentless hatred borno by tho mongooso to the snake was admirably exemplified whon tits doad reptiles wero removed. Both the ichneu- mons followed tlio man who took them away, and sat up, with nose erect and ears pricked, for some time, in oxpeotanoy of another font. Neither of the littlo creatures was the least hurt, although between thom either six or oight snakes, all venomous, wore destroyed. Apropoi of tho rattint;, wo must commend tho perform- ance» of two littlo Scotch terriers, which, as a roward for their good bohaviour during tho evening, wero indulged by their proprietors with a dozen each. Thoy both seemed to kill maro rapidly and moro mercifully than tho bovou champion dogs, besides looking moro at homo in t o pit, Perhaps thoir aristocratic associations made them familiar with plate-glass windows.

The annual pcrfoimanoo of the " Messiah" by the Plulharinouic Society on Christmas ovo was this year moro than usually satisfactory, as, in addition to the artistes engaged on ordinary oooa s cub, tlio Committee had secured tho valuablo iciviccs of Madame Sara Flowor, Mrs. Hancock, m d Mr. ¡farquharson. The increased strength Lof the choral department, and of the band, w\.i

also- particularly manifest,'and we cannot but ' congratulate tho society on the liberality which it

has for some time post brought to bear on tlia management of its affairs. Such a course cannot f ailj by rendering the concerts moro interesting, to attract a larger share of public patronage.

Tho Exhibition Building was nearly as full on | Saturday night as during tho Handel Festival,

and thoro is no reason why the .attendant» I should not continue to bo as flattering for tlia future. Tho "Messiah" is a work so well

known that it would bo superfluous to makî | any remarks upon its oharaotor in this placo ;

suffice it to say, that the Philharmonic Society I Ins mastered most of its difficulties, and that 01 Saturday night it was evidently given for tha most part con amore. Mr. Ewart sang the open- ing recitativo, "Comfort yo, my people," woll

and carefully, but it is to be regretted that his I voice, never too manageable, did not appear to be in such good order as it might have been. TThe chorus, " And the glory of the Lord," was .delivered with excellent effect, the tim being sharply and dooisively marked. Mr. Farquharson declaimed the recitative, " Thus saith the Lord of Hosts," and indeed sang tho wholo of the music allotted to him in his usual fine and satis- factory style, and secured tho only encore of the .evening' in tho famous air, "Why do the

nations." Madame Flower's rich voico and I finished style was hoard to good effect in the .contralto musio ; and tho air, " O Thou that

teilest," with chorus, would havo been all that | -could bo desired had not tho accompaniment 1 been rather too loud. The Pastoral Symphony

?was better played by the and, led by Mr. B.

King, than perhaps on any former occasion by this I ?society. Miss Octavia Hamilton sang the air, " Rejoice greatly," as difficult as it is beautiful, -with much taste and skill, though not without raising a little apprehension occasionall as to her success in passages requiring great flexibility ?of voice and power of execution. " He shall feod His flock," by Madame Flower, followed immo I <3iately by the air " Como unto Him," for the

soprano, and sang almost to perfection by Mrs. I Hancock, produced a very satisfactory impres-

sion. Mrs. Hancock, by her chaste and unpre- tending stylo, is earning many encomiums of lato in the musical world, and hor appearance at

these concerts is a decided acquisition. Madama | Flower gavo the fino air, "Ho was despised," with good effect, and, wo had almost said, a dra- matic colouring, to which that effect was not a little duo. Tho quintette and chorus, " Lift up your heads," brought the first part of the concert to 0. conclusion in a very favourable manner. In

the second part, Mrs. Hancock sang the lovely ' air, " How beautiful are tho feet," quite as it I should bo sung, hor dropping, liquid notes being ?wonderfully clear and distinct. Tho accompani- ment to, " Why do the nations ?" was splendidly perf ormed by tho band. Tho celebrated " Hal- lelujah" was most creditably givon by the choru*, and would havo been encored, but the do

l mand was very properly refused by Mr, Hussoll. In the air immediately following, poihaps tho most perfect of its kind that

Handel ovor wrote, "I know that my Ro- j deemer livoth," Miss Hamilton was most suc- cessful, and narrowly escaped an encore. Tho accompaniment this time was in ovory respoot what it ought to havo been, and the encore would certainly havo followed but that the audienco seemed indisposed to mar tho effect of so lino a piece of vocalisation. Tho tmmpot obligate to

the air " Tho trumpet shall sound," was well, but I at first somewhat nervously, performed by Mr

I Stewart, who, howover, concluded tho accompani-1 I mont very cloverly. Tlio final choruses, I

" Worthy is tho Lamb," and the " Arnon," with |

j its grand fuguo, were all that could be desired.

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