The Sun.
London, England, 1855-07-03 00:00:00

CRICKET.

The match between the United All England Eleven
against Sixteen of the University of Oxford was com-
menced at Lord's yesterday, in the presence of a large
assemblage, and at the close of the day the score stood
thus .—England, first innings, 120; Oxford, first innings
(7 wickets standing), 69.

LORD HOWDEN AMONG THE CARLISTS. —A letter
states that the diligence in which Lord Howden was
proceeding to Paris had been stopped for six hours by
the Carlists, near Burgos.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF EXCISE.—We
understand that Mr. John Wood, formerly M.P. for
Preston, and who, for many years, has filled with suc-
cess and ability the office of Chairman of the Board of
Excise, is about to resign that appointment. His suc-
cessor, in all probability, will be Mr. James Wilson,
M.P., a gentleman who, in subordinate capacities in the
Governments of Lord John Russell, of Lord Aberdeen,
and Lord Palmerston, has rendered considerable service
to the country by his economical researches, and as the
framer of many useful measures in relation to the com-
merce and fiscal regulations of the country. The salary
PI PAO& per annum.—Monting 44vIrtiscr!.

The act of last session restricting refreshments at pub-
lic-houses was the first turn of the screw upon the com-
forts and enjoyments of the poor, and this experience
has determined them not to submit to a second applica-
tion of the torture ; and who can say they are wrong !
The worm is turning. The poor have set about defend-
ing themselves according to the maxim of Bentham, that
it is only by making the ruling few uneasy that the many
can deliver themselves from oppression. They laid down
the law plainly enough in Hyde-park, that if there is to
be no recreation, no refreshment for them on their only
day of respite from toil, and not even the necessary
meal if they should have happened to be unable to pur-
chase it in the time prescribed, there shall also be no
amusement, no pleasure for the rich. And the thing
will not stop with carriage drives and airings. If the
bill should pass (which we believe to be now impossible)
there will be mobs at the doors of the poulterers, fish-
mongers, and confectioners, to prevent their sending out
their commodities for the tables of the rich ; and that
will not be all, the signs of entertainments will be
watched, and doors will be beset where carriages are
setting down for dinner parties, and it may be well if
the worst be the forcible escortment of the occupants to
the nearest church or chapel.
The Pharisees, as we-have shown, have succeded in pro-
faning words and ideas that should be held in reverence,
and they have further commenced teaching the most
terrible lesson a people can learn, namely. hatred of the
rich. This was the lesson which the French had by
heart when the revolution broke out, wh ch was, indeed,
its consequence. And the ABC of this devilish primer
was the task of last Sunday. "These are the people
who would rob UR of our poor enjoyments, nay, of our
necessaries," was the feeling of the mob towards the
occupants of carriages, and that their jibes, jeers and
scoffs, hisses and howls, were no playful ebullitions,
appeared in this ugly fact, that when horses took
fright, kicked, plunged, and ran away, threatening
serious mischief, the mob, unmoved by the terror and
jeopardy of the parties, redoubled their cries to in-
crease the alarm of the animals, and add to the chances
of serious or fatal accident. And this feeling has
been brought about by the righteous overmuch, who
rule that, because they are virtuous there shall be
no cakes and ale. These men, if they had their way,
would brutalise the country. They would make two
camps of it, the hypocrites on the one hand, and the
profligate and 'savage on the other. An English mob
has been proverbial for its good nature, and the first time
that vice has been seen in it has been upon the provoca-
tion of the Pharisees. Let timely warning be taken from
the symptom, for it is one of grave import. There are
two great classes in this country, the classes of pleasure
and the classes of pain—the classes with whom pleasure
is the rare exception, the classes whose pains are palling
pleasures ; and to take from the classes of pain their poor
pittance of pleasure is at once the most consummate in-
humanity and imprudence, for it is leaving them only
the one sweet of vengeance upon the community which
deals so hardly with them. In the beautiful scheme of
nature, pleasure has its fair place not less than pain ;
and if we would make a hell upon earth it would be by
dooming a multitude of beings to unrelieved toil, six days
of labour in every dreary week, and a seventh of austere
denial and mortification. Endurance is an exhaustible
quality, and beware of drawing on it too largely. We
study many wants of the poor, and why not study to
give them what is at least one of their main wants,
p'easnre ! It is a necessary of life. " Life is a pill,"
said Doctor Johnson, " which none of us can bear to
swallow without gilding ; yet for tho poor we delight in
stripping it still barer, and are not ashamed to show even
visible displeasure if the bitter taste is ever taken from
their mouths." It is a small thing, indeed, the pleasure
of the poor, little to give, much to receive ; but to di-
minish or take it away, what insensate cruelty ! Mr.
Henry Berkeley, in his excellent speech on the Beer
Act, feelingly and finely observes upon the little but pas-
sing sweet enjoyment of the poor, "Why, the daisy or
cowslip, or the meanest wild flower plucked under the
hedge by the child of a poor man, has more value in that
child's eyes than the richest exotic has to the wealthy
possessor of a greenhouse." The poor man's day is one
in the week, amd there should he every contrivance
to make the most of it, instead of much contrivance
to make the least of it, and to cut out its very
heart of animation. A part should be given to religion,
a part to innocent recreation, and a change from what
has been the business or habit of the week. The se-
dentary should unbend in exercise, the over-actively em-
ployed should repose ; the work•people pent up in close
places should have the opportunity of tasting wholesome
air and gladdening their eyes with new and bright scenes.
In a word, the Sabbath should be as the sun to what
has been the dull shade of the week. Bat who gives a
helping band to these objects, and how is it that amongst
our many benevolent institutions there never has been
established a Society for Protecting and Promoting the
Pleasures of the Poor ? Lord Ashburton has the merit
of having proposed instruction in common things, but,
alas, enjoyment is not of the class.—Examiner.