"The Patronesses of the Theatre, the Ladies of the City of Edinburgh." This toast I ask leave to drink with all the honours which conviviality can confer.
Mr.PATRICK ROBERTSON would be the last man willingly to introduce any topic calculated to interrupt the harmony of the evening; yet he felt himself treading upon ticklish ground when he approached the region of the Nor' Loch.

He assured the company, however, that he was not about to enter on the subject of the Improvement Bill.

They all knew that if the public were unanimous--if the consent of all parties were obtained--if the rights and interests of everybody were therein attended to, saved, reserved, respected, and excepted--if everybody agreed to it--and, finally, a most essential point, if nobody opposed it--then, and in that case, and provided also that due intimation were given, the bill in question might pass--would pass--or might, could, would, or should pass--all expenses being defrayed.

(Laughter.) He was the advocate of neither champion, and would neither avail himself of the absence of the Right Hon.

the Lord Provost, nor take advantage of the non-appearance of his friend, Mr.Cockburn.