The Express.
London, England, 1868-06-26 00:00:00

THE EAILLMWOOD ASYLUM ANNUAL FETE.

Railway travellers to or from Brighton yester-
day caught glimpses of a garden fete, the prevail-
ing characteristics of which were genial enjoy-
ment and artless jollity. The spacious marquees
and brilliantly gay fanner, together with some
hundreds of well-dressed men, women, and
children, all mingling in out-of-door sports and
games, were the things principally seen by pas-
s, tigers on the line ; and it needed previous know-
ledge or a peramal visit to understand the nature
and purport of the display. A fancy fair and
summer fete for the amusement of idiots, at which
these aftlictevl creatures are not merely unrestrained,
Lad among the gayest of the gay, is a remarkable
testimony to the humanity and skilled knowledge
of the times. The fete ut Earlswood yesterday
c prised cricket, croquet, Aunt Sally, Pullet and
Judy, foot-ball, races, and jumping matcher, and
were all indulged in and enjoyed by people
who were ull hopelessly idiotic, but who all
showed themselves amenable to the laws of
kindness and discipline. Those who base their
conceptio 41 of the appearanee of idiots upon
oavater's sketch, would have been agree-
ably surprised at the gentle, winning phy-
siofnanuies of the girls and boys, and men and
wormer, we saw yesterday. Many of them had it
mild and touching expression. Still, imperfect
physical struetures were here and there pain-
fully apparent ; but in many of the ardent,
eager, joyous players it WM didleillt to
trace any out ward inferiority to the guests
iiroitind. Yet every patient at Earlswood is an
idiot ; that is, one of a eli:ss which up to the
leginnittg of this century was viewed with super-
stition and abhorrence alum even Luther re-
commended the Elector to put to death as brutal
creation s, full of the devil—And whom it is a not
-lI.DICII error even now to confuse with the
There are tiainsandi of these idiots in this
country. They arc poor creatures who require
a special treatment. and who are positively in-
jured by contact with the insane. Earlswoocl
deals cffletually with 500 idiots, and has hun-
clicils more knocking at its doors, whom it is
compullosl to exclude for want of space.
sonic are well coo led, and their friends
pay handsomely for their accommodation (others,
and these are by far the most numerous, are
provided for by the charity. Sonic of the
people in the grounds yesterday pay one hun-
dred guineas. and Nome twice that sum per
trauma, for the treatment and residence freely
given to others; and as separate sleeping chamber
and private sitting-room form the only distinction
h tween the wealthy and the indigent.
Earlswisal owes its origin to Dr. Andrew Reed,
the philanthropic founder of several of our great
charities. Many of the idiots there are pos-
sessed with a strange cleverness, while abso-
lutely deficient in the qualities necessary for the
commonest business of life. The records of the
place and a stroll through its handsome corri-
dors furnish abundant illustrations of this. One
idiot has special power as a copyist of tho finest
engravings, and his imitations of Landseer and
other well-known artists arc plentifully hung
about the walls. Another has un extraordinary
memory, and can give long personal sketches of
historic character such as Thomas A'Bockett and
Talleyrand. The Rev. Mr. Sidney, a faithful
friend to Earlswood, was visiting the establishment
one day with a clerical brother, and while
Talleyrand was being described as a man of in-
finite cunning, " always saving himself from
scrapes," the sane questioners, smiled ; where-
upon quick as lightning—the idiot added
"he was a clergyman too," remember-
ing Tulleyrand's Bishopric of Antun. One of
the inmates we saw yesterday—a smart, active
man of thirty, in nautical uniform—has con-
structed a model ship, and has developed mocha-
Meal genius of no mean order. Ile was wearing
an ivory cravat ornament, manufactured by him-
self. which would have done credit to any West-
end shop, and appeared to be exercising an intel-
ligent supervision over the pastimes of the day.
Ask him a question, however, and ho stares
vacantly and in silence. Try to rouse him by
your admiration of the vessel he has fashioned
with such exquisite care and skill, and he gibbers
unintelligibly, or tells you that "Angels are
good—devils bad—angels put top of mast,
devils down below." Boots are made by
one idiot which have challenged compari-
son at the English and French Exhibitions
for neatness and beauty ; and in what is called the
" workshop block," a new building, of which
Mr. Alderman Abbies laid the foundation-stone a
few years ugn, the inmates may be seen at work,
except on such festivals as yesterday, upon a
variety of trades. Household end laundry work,
mat-weaving, farming, gardening, carpentering,
tailoring, shoemaking, plumbing, and basket-
making, are all carried on by idiots. The trade of
as carpenter is a prime favourite, and that of boot
moil shoemaker comes next. Of the 1,14 boys now
in the school, 70 can speak fairly, 10 can speak in-
distinctly, 27 can speak a few sounds only, and 17
1111 l ot speak at all. Out of the same number 27
can read, la can rend by spelling the words, 26
know nearly all the letters, -10 know 14
fl NV litters, and 46 know no letters at all.
Twenty-six only eau write sentences, 22 can
No rite rase- words, 2$ can make a few letters, Z).",
can make strokes and the letter 0, and 23 either
selibble or make no attempt. The shop-lesson, in
which one inmate plays et dealer while others come
to bey, is a great favourite, (Ind is found useful in
esliniating l is d ounces and names upon the
ineino7: and the clock-hsson, or teaching how to
ascertain the time, if not equally popular, is
finally useful.
It was touching yesterday to see parents and
brothers and sisters selecting their afflicted darling
out of the crowd of 'dup.'s, and to hear their bur-
ial congratulations on the improved intelligenex,
tIICV AMC. Sometimes they were not rossignised,
and then the shosk wits lwnl to bear. But gene-
' ally ileac was a vague start.of recognition, a won-
dering shout of delight, and then mother and child
wandered away from the gay and noisy crowd.
The competitions in the sports were as keen and
good tempered as could be wished in sane compe-
t o ors, ;aid "OW " livdy buoyiud happinees
Wcis beyond dispute. To visit Earlswood is to
mingle in community prefonndly satisfied with
its own gifts. We are informed that its inmates
are profoimdly sensitive to music, and deeply im-
pressed with the simple truths of religion. The
skilful instruction and admirable discipline of
Earlswood might be copied with advantage by
f‘i one teachers of the mine.

TIIE SIWTH STAITORDsIIIRE DION TRADE.—
Jr:cm 2.s.—The preliminary meeting of the
ittnanastens of thin district wen held in this town this after-
noon. A nlolithon van utuudrnottnly panned to adhere to
the Kale of price* fixed three months ago for all descrip-
tion,' of manufactured iron.

" PERS/WM:ERA—. The hair, the teeth, and
the etimplexion an the three 441144nitial point. of a hand-emu por-
arnud heir* their prenervidien to of_primari impor-
tance to all. The (.410 requhsitie prepare/ by /wore lowland
1411 d SOMA not only preiwree but embalm.. the attraction of them
tne.drtible charms of youth and beauty. The • leaewegar
ctwnetlieno and ism...see the hair; the ' (Wahl' preeerrea mad
heautines the teeth; and the Kalydoe tararta brilliancy asfi
Cl44' TTI4 MP to 4144 0013381htil bal. The merit.. of these preparationa IA
too well known to 4414144,46• any nalogy from ea 464 to their special
mei-Ilene.. Ito lady's toilet should be witlsoat lenient llowlandie
invalugtie Yvlict."--LAdTtrikessent.j