The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-03-27 00:00:00

THE ROMANCE OF CROWN JEWELS.

The Daily News remarks :—" Crown jewels have
received, in double measure the magical quality and
romantic virtues which tradition has attached to pre-
cious stones. There is certainly something strangely
beautiful in gems, which are as it were, the
flowers of nonorganic 'nature. It is easy to see how
the sapphire, with its steadfast blue, came to be held
the stone of pure constancy, how the shifting opal was
thought unlucky, though it is less obvious why the
amethyst should produce• sobriety, and why the
emerald and cat-stone should be worshipped
by Fijians and Peruvians. These are some among the
many distinguished classes of gems, but Crown jewels
have a romantic private history attaching to most of
them. Some have served as the eyes of Indian idols,
and as the decorations of barbaric thrones;
blood has been shed like water, and oaths broken,
and empires overturned for the Koh-i-noor. The
Scotch Regalia, more remarkable possibly for
historical associations than for intrinsic value,
were long hidden from mortal eye before being dis-
covered by Sir Walter Scott. The Crown jewels
of Spain have just escaped a leas romantic adven-
ture, and every admirer of Royal dignity will be
glad to hear that they are not to be sold by Messrs.
Christie and Manson., Ntie Spanish jewels must be
among the most interesting in Europe, and are con-
'fleeted with the wildest American adventure and the
most sombre Court history. These stones may have
gladdened the death in life of Carlos 11., and helped
to console his unfortunate Queen for the loss of heT
happy days in France, and for the tyranny of her grip:i
waiting woman in chief, the severe great-gr,andi
daughter of Cortes. It would be easy to draw weteru
political moral from the fact that the restored dyusy43o,
can afford to keep its jewels; but sueli refleCtions arei
absorbed in the satisfaction that so interesting a colleej
tion is not to be broken up." •
,
SUNDAY REST ASSOCIATION.

In London, last Friday, a jubilee meeting in aid of
the objects of this association, which was set on foot in
1807 to promote "the voluntary closing of shops in the
Met_r9.polis on Sundays," was held at the Mansion-
'louse, Lord Ebury presiding in the unavoidable
absence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who had
hoped to be present on the occasion.
_

At the outset, the Rev. Alfred Jones, clerical secre-
tary of the association -read an interesting statement
as to its. supcessfpl volts, during the 18 years of its
existence./ 'IL 1 )
The Earl of Shaftesbury, in moving the first resolu-
tion, to the effect that Sunday trading, being "detri-
mental to the moral, social, and physical well-being of
the poor of London, was an evil urgently requiring a
remedy," said the Society proceeded on a principle
of humanity, and its success was proved by the
difficulties it had overcome, and by the fact that
from 1,200 to 2,000 shops were now closed on the
Lord's Day in various po,rts of London which had
formerly been opened on that day, That alone, he
saidoght to
_encourage the Society to further efforts
- 0
__400,7 °psi 0 and to incite others to emulate its
example. He trusted, moreover, that a novel prin-
ciple of action was about to be introduced into this
country—that of doing good by persuasion, instead of by
brute force. From what he knew of the poorer classes,
he was convinced that none would more rejoice than
they at the abolition of Sunday trading; and he
offered to the raseting a pledge on the part of coster-
mongers of Golden-lane, whom, said his lorhdsip,
amid much laughter, he had the honour to be a
member, that they would carry the principles of the
_Association to the fullest effect. He - added that he
trusted the scandal of Petticoat-lane would be
abolished in the City of London, and that, by the
blessing of God, not only every living soul, but every
soul which had yet to live, would come eventually to
regard the Sabbath as the pearl of days. Lord
Shaftesbury resumed his seat amid responsive cheers.
The motion was seconded by the Rev. Dr. Irons,
and was adopted without a dissentient.
The next resolution was proposed by Sir Thomas
Chambers, M.P., to the effect that the meeting recap

nised with thankfulness the great success which had
attended the efforts of the Association to reduce Sun-
day trading in various parts of the Metropolis; and
Sir Thomas expressed the pleasure with which he had
heard that the Society was recognizing the principle of
of persuasion instead of coercion as a higher and better
principle in carrying on the benevolent work they had
taken in hand.

The motion wa seconded by Mr. Alderman
M'Arthur, 3/1.P., who, in doing so, said the Sabbath-
day was a birthright of every working man; it was
also coeval with the Creation, and had been given as
the antidote of Heaven to the curse of labour. He
made an urgent appeal for funds to enable the Asso-
ciation to carry on the philanthropic work on which it
had embarked.

The motion was put from the chair and adopted
without a dissentient.

Later in the proceedings the Earl of Harrowby,
speaking from an experience of forty years in relation
to movements of a similar kind, bore emphatic testi-
mony to the good which was being done by the one
under consideration, and regretted that the limited
funds at the disposal of the Society had not admitted
of simultaneous efforts in the same direction being
made over the whole Metropolis.
The meeting was afterwards briefly addressed by
the Rev. Mr. Simpson, Rector of St. Clement Danes,
Strand, Lord Ebury, the Chairman, and by the Rev.
James Lord, at whose instance the best thanks of the
audience were voted to the Lord Mayor for granting
the use of the Egyptian Hall on the occasion.