The Express.
London, England, 1856-04-17 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, APRIL 17.

le gives us pitman tow that the difileulties
uttemient spa* the abolition of Mannertatim ea a
anoedary punishment have est may of the best
minds of the emennity at work neap the supply of
oriminsle as the beet method of meeting the emba-
lmment of dealing with them. New vigour bee bees
'aimed into the public mosoregeasent of Bagged
Seim& and rainnatories of various kinds. Great
ligislawnere cps taking to heart the condition et their
lehassere ender bresistible tantalite to Knishes's.
Amen the surest prevents es of mime wine sem have
ow insisted ea recreation to due proportion to MIL
A palest balsam of laborer and ameseassat—gemdes
annesseat, gratifying the faculties act uses k
labour—would almost certainly preserve the greet
ansjority of moiety frees mem of eves, kind, and
from the sins which are the esesetnnes of mem
Working ma know and feel this ; and too well they
know, and very bitterly they feel, that, while a nit
variety of anneements lies open before the rich. who
have the elides of labour or idleness, the labouring
eimall have isareely any choice of emosonest at all.
In towns there is may, we are told, this abort list :
a the drinking same, the low theatre, the &gm-
hes, the shooting gallery, sad the street kr youths
and men to find amusement if ; end the Assn are
squally neglected." It has long bee* a woods. with
many people that thew warlike" do not take the matter
into their own hands. They have been tell that
they could help themselves better than anybody
could help them ; that they should learn first where
the laws interfere with their freedom of soden, sad
then strive for the repeal el mestie and tyranakal
laws on the one hand, and betake themselves, on the
ether, to all the harmless usseemente they can ems-
mend. It appears that some people in ono of the
most industrious towns to England have been taking
a part of this advise for some time past. sad are ex-
panding their scheme of amusement into something
which the squeal publis may now profitably abed
to. The working lames of Birmingham bear a high
chancier for Weary, messes, and intelligent*. We
hope that those of than who have founded their
Paths Recreation finiely will be aseepted as ma
example by their own aims in every tows of the
kingdom. The more members belong to well-oes-
dusted asomfations of this kind the Alm wadi-
dates will there be for tickets of leave, and kr ad-
minim to the penitentiary, the hapital, sad the
madhouse.

It appears that somewhat lent than a year ago
hasty-five yoaag persona engaged in daily toil
Piaui their rumors for eveniag ranation. The
only place they could engage for their meetings
would hold only twenty-fives, or they would have
been glad of a larger number. Five of the members
formed a band, and met once a week for radices
another was secretary, another storekeeper, another
chow-leader, and so on. Penny song-book' were
printed far the nee of the members. They provided
swings, chose and draught beards, pules, to., and
varied their annulments very frepostly—always
dosing, however, with is Ood save the Qum" In fall
splendour of band end chores. This was done for a
penny apiece per week. Such wee the etas of
things half a you ago. Now there is a Path.
Recreation Society at which fifteen hundred
people in en evening have attended—each pay-
ing hie penny; and there is no saying how
many more there would be if the place was net over-
crowded. This crowding is an evil—not only on
account of the heat and mime, bat became the
greater number are balked of their amusement at
the gymnastic appar etas and the games. The remedy
is, of worm, to open more places; and nobody who
knows the working men of Birmingham eau doubt
that they will presently do this. The pretest misty
take 201. per week, and spend only so then is
no deficiency of many in the oue. The great apnea
is on Saturdays and Mondays—the days when least
week is done. On other evenings the numbers are
Xrolll ATC !=lll4 Spear& Thus it appeal that
while the place is extremely attnetive me bailey
evenings, it does not tempt the people tram their
industry on the four bard-waking days of a elaes
who earn their living mainly by piecework at home.
First, there% a covered playground, Roman than
twenty today's». It *retains four swinge, and an
electrical machine so dimpued us that the Media are
within general reach. The attractiveness of this ap.
prates is extraordinary; and the exolematione of
electrified victims are heard all the evening through.
Another favourite amusement is walking, or trying
to walk, on a revolving barrel, which most boa good
gymnastic exercise. A small room is appropriated
to this barrel, and to *instead& exercise. Next,
there is the gymnasium, where there are @Sabin
pole and rope, parallel and horiaciatal ban, and the
like—in high favour with men who have been work-
ing are at of mucks all day. A capital skittle-
alley lies beyond. There are rails and pep for cute
and hate; and an abundant provides of water, soap,
sad towels, is made full ue of. ;The upper ream are
sadly small far the needs of such a multitude. One,
at preeent used for Seeman and einglaetielt, is is-
boded to be a reading and emokisg 11)0111. Smoking
goes on there now, and in the gallery which
leads to it. The largest room is over the
covered playground. It is celled the Entertain.
sent Room, and la fitted up with beaches, tandelled
with ledges at the back cm which the ehenbeard,
ooffeacup, or newspaper may be placed. The men
of Birmingham are accustomed to live in a noise;
and the effect is seen a this roan. In the Edda of
the loudest themes, the chouplayere pursue their
gene% end tbe newspaper readers their plitkal
stadia.

No part of the amusement is bitter than the sing.
gag, which is provided by the members themselves.
Good as the fonds are, then is no difficulty in
providing capita of favourite map sad shorans,
which are distribeted as at a eaweert. The male
soap and choruses create an infinity of rairtb. The
nfteehment room is at band; mod there a large cop
of coffee my be had for three hal/peace, bread end
batter or a bun for a penny, and so as. The place is
open from five till tea on five days of the week, sad
from two in the afternoon till ten as Saturdays.
The doorkeeper, $ pendant from the army, is in
attendance all the evening, and his wife manager the
rekeelterent room. The two keep the place in steel-
hat order and cleanlinese, their salary being 11. a
week. Thus far Amebae been nowt of &trivialise
sr dilleulty. The azeolket manager deslame that he
has see observed any swine impropriety whatever,
nor any museum whisk woo net awaked in a
moment by a ward from him. The trials of disap-
pointment from the dkpropertiased maims have
not been trifling; bat the people have kept their

tempws may well. No doubt there will be *ma of
reareation opened en loag in some proportion to their
sabers Meantime, there is to be no pease la the
providon of a variety of eransements. There is to to
as we said, a nedinrroom= and then ank already
short Warm on popular sahjesio, illestrited ti
diagrams, and punier, miaow, and a magi. lan-
tern. The nelfmtpporting obsvaster of emit a plass
being sow Penvall. Ma IW. Ow price of admission
is so low as a peony, the werldig men VA
again wait for a orenraittse of gentlemen to
arrange mad begin the affair for the... They
eon bogie modestly en their own response,
if neressary, and add to their athreseons as
the penes and pomade as In. Everywhere, how•
ever, there are kiadly persons who would give ropes
and poles, and a daily newspaper, if not ohs. boards
and electrial leashing& We have gives this novel
story in some detail. beesses of the ported mosses of
the experiment, which at moo establishes it am an ex-
ample. We hope that them will soon be no largo
town in the kingdom, which will net be thee honestly
stealing the trade of the low theatre and the gin-
palace. In the IMO way, we ascot bat hope that
in our einem and mall real town field games
will: keep the labourer from the publiabouse in
rammer, and a Public Reereadon Society in bad
soothe.

Ilkii.