The Week.

Princess Helena . The Queen , accompanied by Prince Leopold , and attended by Lady Augusta Stanley , drove out on the morning of the 13 th inst ., and in the afternoon her Majesty drove in the grounds with Princess Helena . The Queen walked iu the grounds on the morning of the 14 th inst ., accompanied by Princess Helena and Princess Louise , and drove in the

afternoon , accompanied by Princess Helena , Princess Beatrice , and Leopold . The Rev . G . Prothero performed the service on the 15 th inst ., afc Osborne , before her Majesty and their Royal Highnesses Princess Helena , Princess Louise , and Prince Leopold . Thc Queen walked in the grounds on tbe morning of the 16 th inst ., and drove out in the afternoon , accompanied by

Princess Helena , Princess Louise , aud Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein . The Queen walked in the grounds on the morning of the 17 th inst ., accompanied by Princess Louise , and drove out in the afternoon , accompanied by Princess Helena , and attended by the Countess of Caledon . IitPEErAL PAnErAMEXT . —The House of Lords met for the

first time after the Easter recess on the 12 th inst . The business transacted was of little importance . On the 13 th inst . ) the Lord Chaucellor announced the postponement of fche Capital Punishment Bill from the 17 th inst . to the 24 th inst . The Marquis of VVesfcineafch expressed great alarm aboufc the Oaths Bill , and their lordships adjourned at a quarter to six o ' clock .

——On the 16 th inst . there was a discussion on the second reading of the Oaths Bill . Earl Russell moved the second reading in a speech in which he took a historical view of the question , and contended thafc there was now no necessity for coutinuing the offensive oaths which Roman Catholics had hitherto been compelled to take . —Earl Derby followed in a speech querulous iu its tone ; but he did not threaten opposition to the bill . In the debate which followed . Lord

Chelmsford gave notice of a proviso to the effect that nothing in the Act should be construed to weakea the laws in force for preserving the supremacy of the Queen and her heirs in all matters civil and ecclesiastical in the realm . Earl Russell said he saw uo objection to the amendment , and , after some further debate , the bill was read a second time .

The chief topic discussed in the House on the 17 th inst . was the electoral statistics . Lord Campbell , who professes to regard the death of Lord Palmerston as the removal of the sole stay against disorder , wished to have a select committee to examine the electoral statistics which have been laid before Parliament . Of course the motion he made gave him an opportunity of

showing how terribly alarmed he is at the proposals of the Government . Earl Russell , however , disposed of the timid peer very briefly and completely . —The Premier declined to assent to the appointment of the perfectly useless committee for which Lord Campbell asked , and the motion was negatived . In the House of Commons , on the 12 th inst ., Mr . Gladstone in

moving the second reading of the Reform Bill was thoroughly aggressive . He showed that both sides of the House were pledgod to Reform . He vindicated the working men from the charges which had been made against them , and insisted that in every way they had shown their fitness for the franchise . He quoted , to satirise and denounce , the Reform article in the

Quarterly Review , and concluded with a brilliant appeal to the House to deal with ] the question in a statesmanlike manner . Mr . Lowe came next with an explanation of what he had said about working men , and which he insisted had been misrepresented . After him came Earl Grosvenor , who moved his amendment , which was seconded by Lord Stanley . The debate thereafter was dull , until at last Mr . Baxter moved the adjournment -On the 13 th the debate on the Reform Bill was

an improvement upon that of the previous day . Mr . Baxter opened it with a most effective speech in support of the bill . Disavowing all merely party considerations , he advocated the bill as a measure of simple justice . Sir Bulwet- Lytton was jocular in opposition , and wound up a carefully prepared series of impromptus by declaring that he was going fco give his vote against the bill as an Englishman . —After him came a very

different man—Mr . J . S . Mill—who , in a speech remarkable for the closeness and vigour of its argument , demolished fche false pretences under which the foes of Reform sought to get rid of the hill , and pointed out how reasonable and desirable it was that the working classes should be represented in the House . —From Mr . J . S . Mill to Mr . Liddell was only a

stepthe next one taken . Of course Mr . Liddell opposed the bill , which he said professed to do one thinsf , and really did another . —Mr . Hanbury briefly supported the measure , which was attacked by Mr . Selwyn , and manfully seconded by Sir F . Goldsmid . —Lord Robert Montagu was very confident thafc the Government did not intend thafc the Franchise Bill should

become law , and announced his determination to assist them ia carrying out their intention by voting for the amendment . — Sir George Grey gave a higher tone to the debate , which was wound up for the night by Mr . Laing in a fierec attack on the bill as tending towards democracy . — After which Mr . Maguire moved the adjournment of thc debate .

The Reform debate on the 16 fch iasfc . was recommenced b y Mr . Maguire , who in an admirable speech showed up the hollowness of the pretences of those who opposed the Government Bill . After him came Lord Daiilcellin , who announced that he had joined the Adiillamites , and intended to vote against the second reading . He admitted , however , that the bill would pass fche second reading . Mr . AV . E . Forster supported the measure iu a

straightforward manly speech , not less remarkable for the hard knocks it gave to the Opposition and their recreant Liberal allies than for the solidity of its arguments in favour of Reform . Mr . M'Kenna announced that he was of the same opinion as Lord Dunkellin , and , like that noble lord , should vote against the bill . Sir J . Simeon spoke in favour of the measure , which

was opposed by Mr . J . Lowther . ¦¦ - SirF . Crossley spoke up man . fully for the measure in a speech worthy of the early hours of the evening . Mr . Adderley followed on the other side , and was replied to by Mr . Layard . Sir Hugh Cairns came next , and the debate was adjourned on the motion of Mr . Graham . On the 17 th inst ., the Reform gave way to Malt , and the evening was

given up to long lectures by Sir Fitzroy Kelly and his friends on the evil of the malt tax . The old arguments and statistics duly brought out . But there was a novelty . In seconding an amendment moved by Mr . Neate , Mr . J . S . Mill made a speech which will not soon be forgotten against the removal of the tax . After him the debate flowed on sluggishly enough .

On the 18 th inst ., the indefatigable Mr . Darby Griffith moved the second reading of his Public Companies Bill , the object of which is to enable shareholders voting by proxy to vote after . they are accruainted with the proceedings of meetings in which they are interested . The bill was read a second time . Then came a long discussion on the proposal for the second reading

of the Hop Trade Bill , the object of which is to prevent frauds in that , trade . Mr . Huddleston moved the second reading of the bill , the rejection of which was moved by Mr . Beresford Hope . Eventually the amendment was withdrawn , and the bill read a second ti-. ne . —Sir C . O'Loghlen then moved the second reading of a bill for making Bank of England notes a legal tender iu Ireland , and fo removing some restrictions as to Irish banks of . ' issue . T Chinoellor of the Exchequer