Poetry.

Poetry .

THE POET LAUREATE AND THE LATE PRINCE CONSORT . A new edition of the Idylls of the King contains the following dedication : — These to his memory—since he held them clear , Perchance as finding there unconsciously Some image of himself' —I dedicate ,

I dedicate , I consecrate ivith tears—These Idylls . And indeed he seems to me Scarce other than my own ideal knight , "AVho reverenced his conscience as his king ; AVhose glory was redressing human wrong ; AAlio spake no slander- —no , nor listened to it ; AVho loved one onlyancl ivho clave to her—"

, Her , over all whose realms to their last isle , Commingled ivith the gloom of imminent Avar , The shadow of his loss moved like eclipse , Darkening the world . AA e have lost him—he is gone . AVe know him now . All narrow jealousies Are silent , and we see him as he moved . How modest , kindly , all-accomplished , wise ! With what sublime repression of

himself—And in what limits , ancl how tenderly ! Not swaying to this faction or to that ; Not making his high place the lawless perch Of winged ambitions , nor a vantage-ground For pleasure ; bufc through all tliis tract of years AVearing the white flower of a blameless life , Before a thousand peering littlenesses , In that fierce lighfc which beats upon a throne

And blackens every blot : for where is he AVho dares foreshadow' for an only son A lovelier life , a more unstained than his ? Or how should England , dreaming of his sons , Hope more for these than some inheritance Of such a life , a heart , a mind as thine , Thou noble Father of her Kings to be , Laborious for her people and her

poor—Voice in the rich dawn of an ampler day—Far-sighted summoner of war and ivaste To fruitful strifes and rivalries of peace—SAveefc nature gilded by the gracious gleam Of letters , dear fco Science , dear to Arfc , Dear to thy land and ours , a Prince indeed , Beyond all titles , and a household name , Hereafter , through all times , Albert the Good .

Break not , 0 woman ' s heart , but still endure ; Break not , for thou ait Royal , but endure , Remembering all the beauty of that star AVhich shone so close beside thee , that ye made One lighfc together , but has past and left The Crown a lonely splendour . May all love , His love , unseen bufc felt , o'ershadow thee ;

The love of all thy sons encompass thee , The love of all thy daughters cherish thee , The love of all thy people comfort theo , Till God's love set thee at his side again .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COURT . —Her Majesty ancl Royal family still remain in retirement , but Her Majesty has presided at a Privy Council to approve the royal speech in the opening of Parliament , The King of the Belgians has returned home . The Crown Princess of Prussia ( the Princess Royal ) , is expected in England about the 12 th inst ., and it is supposed she will meet her brother , the Prince of AVales , in Germany on the 10 th-. It is stated that the Queen will visit Balmoral at an earlier elate than usual this

year . Some time about Whitsunsido is said to be fixed for her Majesty's departure , ancl it is understood that she ivill remain at her seafciu Aberdeenshire about a month . GENERAL HOME NEAVS . —The Registrar General continues to report a high rate of mortality for the metropolis , The number of deaths last week Avas 1492 , which , though lower by 77 than

the deaths recorded last week , was 78 above the usual ten years ' average . It will thus be seen that the increase stands just midway between the one point and the other . The births are above the average—or 2020 against an average of 1969 . . The attention of the Legislatae ivas called last year to tlie means of preserving salmon in our waters . It appears the efforts of the conservators are considerably interfered with by the exposure for sale of salmon during the close season . The

plea is that the fish are brought from the Continent or from Ireland , to neither of which places does the act interdicting " closetime " fishing apply . Ot course , ifc is not always easy to detect the falsehood of this plea ; and even in truth does not prevent the fish so caught from being unwholesome . From the efforts that are now made to stop all these loopholes for evasion of the act Ave anticipate that Parliament will deal with the question in the ensuing session . Afc the annual meeting of the

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce an important discussion took place on the "American question , " and more particularly the blockade and the blocking Up of the entrance to Charleston . Mr-Ewart , M . P ., strongly denounced the stoppage of Charleston harbour , and expressed a fear that that measure would prove far more destructive to the port than Mr . Seward seemed to suppose . AVith regard to the blockade , " if the reports he had last heard ivere true , that of upwards of 100 vessels trading between

Havana and the Southern ports of America only six had been captured , it was quite clear thafc the blockade coulcl nofc he effectual , and that they would be perfectly justified in disregarding it . " How far ifc ivould be politic to do so was , hoivever ; quite another question , and he hoped the Government would continue their present course of non-intervention , as he believed that before the lapse of many months , tho civil war would be brought to a " satisfactory issue . "

It is stated in the Observer , that the AVar Office authorities propose to supply A olunteers with accoutrements , as well as with cloth for their uniforms , from the Government stores , at cost pi-ice . The Army and Navy Gazette , on the other hand ; asserts that no " equipments or ornaments of any kind" will be furnished . The Gazette , we may remark , shares Sh- John Pakington ' s predilection in favour of scarlet as the most suitable colour for A olunteer uniforms . One point with reference

to the proposed Manchester Memorial of the late Prince Consort has been definitively settled . At a meeting of the Committee on Monday , a letter from the Mayor was read , in which His AVorship offered to present to his native city a statue of the Prince , eight feet in height , of Carrara marble , provided that tbe Committee ate disposed to erect out of the funds ivhich may be subscribed and placed at their disposal a suitable building for its reception and preservation . It is

scarcely necessary to say that this munificent offer was accepted ; and the sub-committee appointed , will , therefore , now have to deal solely with what has been the knotty question all alongthe form of the non-monumental part of the proposed tribute to the memory of His Royal Highness . It was stated some time ago that an eminent firm in this country had proposed to lay doivn a new telegraphic cable between England and America , provided the Government would become responsible for a sum

approaching three-quarters of a million sterling , required for the execution of the undertaking . Of the fate of this project nothing definite is publicly known , bufc ive learn from the Observer that a rival scheme is on the tapis . The American government is stated to be most anxious that another attempt should be immediately made to connect the Olcl and Neiv AVorlds by means of a telegraphic cable , and Mr . Cyrus Field , who ivas so intimatelconnected ivith the unsuccessful effort

y made two or three years ago to accomplish that object , is said to have undertaken a mission to this country Avith the vieAv of urging our Government to second the proposal of Mr . Lincoln ancl his Cabinet . The Observer tells us that the American authorities have offered to subscribe one half the amount required , ancl to grant the use of ships to assist in laying down the wire , provided the British Government will defray the remaining portion of the necessary outlay . Ifc is added that

no objection will be made to the selection of British territory as the transatlantic terminus of the cable Mr . Milner Gibson was presented on Tuesday with a testimonial for his exertions to repeal the paper duty at a breakfast in the Freemasons' Hall . Mr . AVilliam Ewart , M . P ., was in the chair , and there was a sprinkling of other members of parliament present . The testimonial consisted of two silver gilt candelabra , with a centre flower-basket , the testimonial bearing an appropriate inscription . In his reply , Mr . Gibson disclaimed all