The Express.
London, England, 1861-09-20 00:00:00

THE EnueArraw MINUTE.

The usual quiet of the autumnal season is being
disturbed by the vigorous agitation of clergy, school
moaners, and teachers, who roundly denounce the new
Educational Code of the Privy Council "as a very objec-
tionable and pernicious measure. calculated directli sad in-
direotly to be most injurious to the of popular
education in Great Britain." By way of proving their
case, the leading opponents of the new Minute dwell
mainly upon their vested rights in the present system ; and
make it a special ground of complaint against the,Council
that they are repodiating " positive pecuniary en-
ppessata with upwards of twenty thousand indivi-
duals, to say nothing of the Reboot managers
who, on faith of existing regulations, had built schools
specially adapted for working under the old system, and at
great extra expense, under compulsion from the Council-
cam, who required conformity with their own plans " We
shall be much surprised if the public are led away by ouch
stimittdipary sod interested assertions. There are already
Signs of a reaction against the claim now pnt forward that
the present system shall be maintained intact, not because
it is best for the country- -for it has been deliberately con-
demned as both unsuitable and most costly—but because it
best 'observes the interests of teachers and managers. The
tramition from the artificial system of training schools and
augnientatious, now in force, to a more simple plan, which
will secure for the poor the groundwork of ethmatioc,
must no doubt involve some hardships. But the real
question is, whether • w wetly machinery is to be kept tip
and extended solely for the benefit of those who work it,
viz., the certificated schoolmasters, who are, as the Edia-
Gte ryh Review says, alone in this country, the creatures of
the government, " taught, trained, inspected, salaried, sad
protected by a highlycentralised system of administrative
authority." If the opponents of the Minute only ask far
its postponement, there may be some reason for the die
mend ; but if, as appears, they want to maintain things as
they are, it will be for the public to decide whether they
are willing to continue • plan of education which moat on
perfectly answers its primary object, and must nemesarily
become three times as costly es at present, in order that
some 20,000 persons may continue to it at the public ex.
panto.—Noricuriformist.

EARLY CLOSING MEwrina. —A well-attended
meeting of =detente of both sera engaged in the drapery
and millinery establishments of Pimlico, Chelsea, Knights-
bridge, and Brompton, was held on Wednesday evening in
the lecture hall of the Young Men's Christian Association,
Sloane-street. Mr. Burnett, an employer in the neighbour-
hood, responded to the call to take the chair, and addressed
the meeting on the present position of the early closing
movement, particularly to the above districts. Mr. Fitter
and Mr. Kennedy, from the central association, suggested
the formation of a local committee, on the plan adopted by
that society. A resolution to that effect was carried unani-
mously, and a committee was at mom formed, to meet at an
early date. A cordial vote of thanks to the chairman termi-
nated the proceedings.
ZOOLOGICAL SOCINTT OT LONDON.—At the
monthly general meet*, held yesterday at the society's
house in Hanover-equare, Dr. J. E. Gray, V.P., In the
chair, Mapir•General Sir J. B. Heaney, K.C.8., Sir H.
en EdMee, Bart., Dr. Downes, Miss Sotheby, sod Messrs.
J. F. Backbones, G. Bruce, F. A. Milbank% and C. L.
Duff Gordon, were elected fellows ; and Mr. J. G. John-
son, of Madeira, is a corresponding member. The follow-
ing gentlemen were proposed as iandidates for the fellow-
ship : Sir Joseph Hawley, Bart., Lieutenant-Colonel the
Hoe. A. E. Fraser Colonel W. W Ramsay, Major F.
Atherley, Captain J. W. Woodball, Dr. Festival Wright,
sod Messrs. N. Wood, jun., H. E. Wooten', Albert Daven-
port, H. J. Lies, F. Benthall, and U. Farlow. The follow-
ing gentlemen were proposed as corresponding members of
the society, viz., Dr. F. Mueller, director of the Botanic
Gardens, Melbourne, and Dr. W. Huggins, of Trinidad.
The report from the council announced, among other sr-
rivals in the garden. that of a tine specimen of the rare
Sable Antelope, trot Natal. It also stated that the
number of *inter* to the gardens during the prevent year
had amounted to 218,995.
Trie BENZ/ICS MAnmer.—simony, observes the
Herold, though forbidden alike by the law ecclesiastical as
well as the civil law of &liked, still appears to flourish.
Among many such advertisements in the public prints we
need notice but one, which tells us that the advoirson of the
rectory of Hurstinonceuz, Sasser, will be sold by public
auction on the 25th of September, the present clear value
being 1.2001. per annum, and the incumbent in his 70th
year. This seems at least a profitable investment—is it
safe

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A NRW QUALIFICATION FOR HOLY ORDERS.—
The Lord Bishop of Rochester has just promulgated a
novel but by no mean■ unwarrantable order to candidates
for ordination. He requires a oertiticate from each coodi-
date to the effect that De has power of voice sufficient for
his public siiaistrstions ; that he him no impediment or
limitation ; and that his manner of reading is not heavy
or tnouotunous, but such as is well fitted for the sacred
functions which he will have to discharge. His lordship
also requires every candidate to read before him previous to
the ordination. This regulation is likely to have most
beneficial effects, though Bishop Wigrain is the first bishop
who bee made it.

SUDDIN DILATH 0/ • BElDE—Yesterday Mr.
Paybe held as inquest ou the body of Romans Stewart, •
fine young woman, who had died suddenly whilst on her
way to St. Luke's Church, Old-street, to he married.
Suasnoidi Parker, aunt of the deceased, tosidiog in Bell-
court, Walbruok, elated that her niece left the house at 10
minutes past 8 in the morning. Witness, having some- ;
thing trifling to do, told her that she would immediately
follow. A minute or two after she did so, and et the
corner of Walbrook she saw the deceased lying on the
ground, and revers' people attending to her. She was then
stir*, but could not speak : for • moment she regained
LOOsciousam and knew erliegen, but is a few minutes atter
she expired. William Stewart, of Witham Perms, North-
arepton•hke. said the doomed weeks daughter, and had
has, is worries in Lapdogs. In her letters to him she had
sorketuessempleined of being poorly. The jury returned I
wrest el " Natural easels,