The Express.
London, England, 1849-11-02 00:00:00

ANNUAL 41011188 OP TIII
ATHENAEUM.

The maul rettaitlen of the MangoUr Atheneum,
is pees years rendered so eamorable sad isist by the
seleities of seem greet literary mai—es D ekksai Disraeli,
Allisme, Lord Iflorpeth, and Lord Malice—to preside, has
Mt this year bees attempted of so large a male. 'ahead of
ewes. the Fns Trade Hall they ham saki into nquiel-
lien their owe noble building—their
,szeitnes lecture
dm etre—fee the istelleetaal feast and the yet
mere elegant sad fled -praportimed eptestment celled the
Sevemeens, for esti premealle. The " feast of
nose end Sew of soul" thee beesaht abstet, took place oa
Weemelleg ethalag. aid was leased "social soiree."
Thu* ism peetsadiag thea its essre, it attracted
sail Miami mow*. no ImPhitY Peinciffilli7
ed the yams maim* mealestithees, Sang
aspireete rinse the esusitier house sad waremese, sad them
in Prei Per the pre/smiths, with their fair Musa twain,
sad their owa sestina and Medea the glass of
Whim sad the maid of lora ;" but there were not want.
leg • fair 'prinking of them who had attained mature?
TOM to patronise, assure, add give character to the assembly.
The company assembled, alter divesting themselves of all
saperiluoas portions of their dress for such a party, in the
Mem theatre, soon alter heir put seven o'clock, mad Mr.
Absalom Watkia, an old sad tried rim of the imitation,
sad • Cramer. was celled to the chair.
Mr. WATKIN was greeted with math applause on tieing
le open the prostedings, and mid he should not waste time
adverting
to his owa want of ability to discharge the
he had undertakes; if the sanity of hie situation
dmeld betray his into any inadvertency he knew that they
mead repave it with good Yams' ; and on his part, he
sixth' keys no objective to cesetribthe even by a blunder to
the kflari'y of the evening. (Laughter.) They were met
forth, puree of enjoying themselves innocently, preeti-
°ally, sad he was willing to believe that each of them
bad knight thither a disposition to be sadly pleased, and to
take in good part whatever might cam Without tote
dis-
position there was no real meal enjoyment; but where it
existed it imparted a charm to common thiuga, gave grace
and isaponanas to trifles, and extracted happiness from the
met minery connectives. (Applause.) Its influence re-
eaushied that of the as, whose Mew gave splendour to
Wags is themselves deetitate of brightness, sad converted
even mamas of dooky vapour into scenes of beauty and glory,
suoa as ohm were spread out before us at the close of an
merumnal day, redolent of gay colouring and splendid with
golden light. As every amiable quality was best exhibited
in • haste form, he should ezpvet the ladles to take the
Mai en this occasion, and to diffuse over the evening the
semilim elan innocent gaiety—their fads radiant of kindly
Pselig, end beaming with unaffected smiles. (Applause.)
Dared men it there was very math in sympatby in all
these things. A few sullen, cum-grained people, were suf.
Idea to mar the effect of the best arrangements, end to
reader • whole assembly uneosaforteble. Let the ladies
remember, therefore, treat it rested with them t.
defend the present assembly against each a disgrace.
(Laughter.) Be, to-night (cnsunued Mr. Weide), our
umbers in the art of being happy. Do not be discouraged
Wyo. observe moused the bearded part of the mummy
ems few rather compromising disciples—(lamhter)--rear
turn with gloomy looks, and at imettuagol a mows upon their
brow—ye:id, perhaps, by some real or imaginary evil, and
ready to fall out with anybody and anything because they
ate not pleased with themsalves. Smile upon them *atm
tenets., I **treat you, lade.—(laughter and applause)—
smile epos them with kindness sad good humour, and you
will see the gloom disappear mid the uneasiness ersaish—es
the darken' of night as dissipated by the dawning of the
day. If I amid realise my wishes, there should not be one
&medalled or discontented face amongst us, aid with you as
my allies I really hop, that we shall succeed. If we
do, although this soiree will not be distinguished
or talked about for the brilliant oration of the
&Airmen, it will be remembered for something
quite as good—the amount of real happiness we have en-
joyed is lt. (Applause.) Beereatioes form • necessary part
of every well-ordered lice. The greatest and best of men
have acknowledged this truth, and acted upon it. I Lave
ist•en been interested and pleased to observe that out of thorn
beautiful little poems, the Sonnets of Milton (only It in all),
two are invitations to private friends to unite with him in
social enjoyments. There is one of them, that addressed to
his friend Cyriae Skinner, I shall read to you, not only
because it is appropriate to the present ucca ion, bat also for
its iniriesha b gut), ; and moreover, and principally, because
I a persuaded that is directing your attes'inn to poems
which breathe the inmost &clings of our greatest poet at die.
onset periods of his life, I shall oe opening a Low SCUM of
phantasy to all who hear me. Atter reading the poem
I alluded to, commencing" Cerise, whole grandame, &c.,' the
chairmen continued : The use of recreation, to borne the
words of the eloquent Bishop Taylor, is to strengthen labaur
I and to sweeten net but, as he quaintly and jurly adds, •
lite made up of amusements would be as preposterous as
• garment impacted of fringes or a feast composed of
MUM. ((Laughter an appleueej It it a jus: remark that be
the anthems's: of pleasure two and two do not always
make four. If we would **joy amusements we mast ru-
ches. that enjoyment by previous labour; and the best
prepare isa for the relaxed., of the evening is the assiduous
discharge of the duties of the day. (Hear, hear.) The
' great poet whose liars I bare quoted was deeply sensible of
this No gam could be more conscious that he had a task
to perform; none more exemplary in the improvement of
hi. time. He speaks of himself as having been in his you.h
accustomed to apply to his studies long before the earliest
bell had summoned the mechanic to his daily task ; and in
a sonnet addressed long afterwards to the same dear fated,
when he had been three years totally blind in consequence
of his imams application to the composition of his oeleonied
defence of the peoole of England, after adverting to his
blindness this is the strain in which he writes:
i• Yet I segue not
Against Heaven's hand or will, nor bate a jot
0: heart or h-pe,__• but still bear up and steer
Right onward. Whet nipples me, dost thou ask
The conscience, friend, to have lost them, o.erplied
In liberty's defence, my noble task,
Of which all Europe talks from side to side.
This thought might had me through the world's vain meek,
Content, though blind, had I no other guide."
(Applause.) A Milton appears but once in the lapse .1 ages,
a reader his country illustrious end to acquire for himself
isaperiseable name. We are neither sit cal with the ex-
leaordinery powers nor celled to the stupendous labour lie
andertook and performed, but each of us has his &noted task,
end oar happiness depeads upon that fidelity and earnest-
ases with which it is baffled. The Athendom was esta-
blished to enable the young ram, the middle elate, to become
meetly el the impetant situation in which they are placed,
of the win emewry to which they belong, and of the free
seed oyleesed government under which they live. It is
net seingb, riflemen, that yea are clever debates and
Barest Writer.; that you sing agreeably and dance with
elegmet—it is proper sad desirable that you should be all
this—bat, Was you an Me avidness and able in the busi-
ness or prefesika in whisk you are engaged, you have
missed your way ; and an wither worthy of the country
that gave you birth sew deesrvbig the affection of any
amiable aid worthy women. (Applause.) lam quite an
Okla the ladies will quite epos with nee in this opinion, for
though they de somethaes take impassion upon the unde-
serving, and hastily .site their fortunes to agreeable
and good-natured lmbeeility, they have an intuitive
perception of the right sad are tally aware that the young
Rau who neglects his Wages Ma neither be • good hus-
band, or a good father, or a geed shies°, but with, it may
be, a very amiable disposilies, is very hke to imetes his cea.
nexique fa 'ath, and es weer eat his life ie eleserity and
disgrace. (ChWreers.) Te the ladies I nay be, la assislusion,
allowed as an old man to slime • few worth. We „e
tch the
happiness to live seder • Mal.sevethigs wise
dignity the sceptre ef the arealest inensirthy is the world.
It is, in ay opinioa, meal tits_ proudest Ilimpits of political
skill that a young and besaMfal MOMS should be the un-
disputed mistress of a dondeden whisk extends from the ris-
ing to the artist sun, and which sealweess a hundred milli-
on of people ; bat it is still more memelleas that the beim
thus exalted should be worthy of her Medea. (Applause.)
And yet, ladies, that eta beloved sovereign is so worthy
admits not of a doubt. film has faced danger without
'brickbat, sod in the tempest, and when threatened by the
dell of the meanie, has skews the courage wkiek
te her statics, but was hardly to be oa-
ken her sex. Oa all occasions she has
O 8•11816611 the welfare of her people ; aor is
she Ironadmirable is private life. Her private life Is remsek-
able; she is • pod wits sad a good mother. Hat "
lime am, exceeded her Mom, and more than that, she
Ease
pail.*end le still paying, the debts of her father without
Whig ham =sigmas Mat Om seam Moreover, she
Ire billed apia paying 60 ices.. tax, and thus eouttribut-
ki is IMP mama of ti. W. Can Ide better, ladiee,
them 1111 MINIS my Mk that yea my ell emulate the ex-
thole if the Gases la her demo& life; sad that so doing
(may reign, as she ibis, in the Marls of your Millets
Laughter and great applause.) She chairman ameluded
by thanking his sadism for their patient Mendes, and
exhorted them to prepare at me hr die" *Mal mirth " and
' " mavens kind " whisk was tie
The Nathan, sow prepaid feet the ether H
eels.
limeesaing, amag the lint of whisk we ininied a
lea ef mask by seams .1 the brat 'me- betheakeit
Melees sham, " Wag% delights see ace rstareiagr
'f's glee, " Ouse, beemeseen May ;" saw=
lit. them seems se elemiag r H. s.
shims, " New ley day's ntirlag help," mid ether gleam.
bas. el the meg guatimmea betimes OM Maims►b.
Wind OM mow by thithig mikes el Shabic
" Asps like it" sad " Musk ale shoat Madame
off swath
awl meg*: ibis air
tniCgo'eloik, the mile lead admirals,
M visitatioas very media*, gives. essapay me I
tnimbeted into the ball mesa mft. the gaidsaim of the 1
Wth delta evening, sad ikaalas esswarassa cures kept
eip win great spirit mad eekmadia shy baler.
AS anima melba tly delighted with
the pealedlimeat of the esmeasg

PCltarrf OP Boon MUM DIVPICIILTIEL—At
the Deasy Policeman, as the 264 k ult., Joseph Southall
sad Theme Southall, heathen, sad Edward Gant, wars
stirgod with slabs, • lawless of bents, the property of Ile.
Tune easekbetkeeller, Cann West, ea the peersiffeedatya
Thrasalay. The books, it appeowei, ham
ham the shop wkeiaw el the pormenter, a pen of plaw_luiv-
bdtwitrWatedy leashmaai Times Eloathill'alrad wu
use by Non Asa esaileat to Yr. Mies, who
oleo Oita that tha pima Swot was with his debating*,
ear thoPlatti IPSO ainegifter. The throe Osman, were
elm* alterwords uggosheakil by Illeworistarleat Jesekes,
=.navidalsi dem Salad du of doe hobs ea Joseph
The blob won itimailed, ori the prisossis wars
oommittod to take their viol. Gawk k was stated, had bus
repeatedly is Fists oa &arise of eiy.