The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-29 00:00:00

THE 913N9 LONDO/C TUESDA.Y BITENING, MAY 29 !epic

quist'and rather reseaml; still I am mtlemistalcen if she
is net gifted with a 'very lively sense of the ridiculous.
In conversation, she speaks on matters of business with a
grave earnestness one would net expect from her appearance.
She has evidently a mind disciplined to restrain under
the principles of the action of the moment every feeling
which would interfere with it. She has trained herself to
command, and le rued the value of conciliation towards
others, and constraint over herself. I can conceive her to be
a strict disciplinarian ; she throws herself into a work—as
its head— as such she knows well how much success must de-
' peed :upon literal obedience to her every order. She seems
to understand businesi thoroughly, though to me she had
the failure common to many ' heads,' a too great love of man-
agement in the small details which had better perhaps have
been left to others. Her nerve is wonderful ; I have
been with her at very severe operations ; she was
more than equal to the trial. She has an utter dis-
regard of contagion ; I have known her spend hours over
men dying of cholera or fever. The more awful t.. every
sense any particular case, especially if it was that of a dying
man, her slight form would be seen bending over him, ad-
ministering to his ease in every way in her power, and
seldom quitting his side till death released him."
Further, Mr. Osborne adds—" Hers was a post
requiring
diplomacy- of a Palmerston, the eniturance of a
the courage of a Cardigan, the tact and
Howard, the cheerful Philanthropy of a Mrs. Fry"
—observing indignantly in reference to the insinua-
tions thrown out as to the religious opinions enter-
tained by Miss Nightingale—" if there is blame in
looking for a Roman Catholic priest to attend a
dying Romanist, let me share it with her—l did it
again and again." Before quitting this branch of
his subject our writer remarks :
" We all know, et least the most of us alas ! do, islat it is
to watch around the sick bed of friends and relatives.
We know how the exigencies of a sick room break through
all the mere conventionalities of every-day life. Where all
have their every interest for the time absorbed in the
endeavour to minister to the comfort of the sick one
by whom they watch ; where friends, relatives, and ser-
vants have this one object in view—real delicacy consists
in being insensible to everything else. When even in distant
passages, they who meet speak in whispers, in the actual
room of apprehended death, the very atmosphere of the
scene makes all things as pure as the motives that call for
sympathy and aid afforded."
Continuing, in allusion to the peculiar trials to
which, in their attendance upon strangers instead
of near and dear relatives, Miss Nightingale and
her sisterhood are subjected—" There is not one of
that devoted band who does 'not each day pass an
ordeal to her every womanly sense beyond all de-
scription." Well may he exclaim, then—

" England and the English army will ever owe a deep
debt of gratitude to cheladies who have devoted themselves to
this first attempt to introduce the zeal and tender care of
well-bred women into the economy of a Military Hospital."

As it would be impossible and at the same time
alt.gether unnecessary to follow Mr. Osborne in
this review of his book upon " Scutari and its
Hospitals" through the whole series of his elabo-
rate descriptions, some of the more striking amongst
them may be here grouped together in no unwel-
come quotations. It is scarcely possible to read un-
moved the following example of the rapid fluctua-
tion of—

hthoewesaatieyrtroeasr
heio sheizioe hs
letters ; they have no glance to
itsrewadifeouattei 'gl4l.sl;il°
tit"'
r 7 tjefew dozen
well-
written directions of the Rectory, -tdhaeyßtroewseprare for
y,tll the ewcalthy
yeomen of the village ; they try with curious eyes to recog-
nise which are the ill-folded, worse directed—' Soldier's
Army letters.' He takes these from the rest—there are four
of them ; one with hasty hand he gives his wife, thank Cod'
his only words ; it is the well-known writing of his son : he
turns now towards the counterthere are four or five women
there, waiting letters ;' two children with some half-pence
before them, are come to make purchases, they seem alive to
the nature of the scene, and as yet speak not of what they
want themselves. To two women he gives to each a letter;
the third with shaking hand he holds up to the light, and
seems to study every word of the direction, yet It
is written plainly enough, and is intended for .the
elderly woman at the counter, with the tall girl—not;
yet her daughter—by her side. He has recognised the
handwriting of one of the chaplains of the hospital in the
East ; he has had letters so directed pass through his hands
twice before, and knew well what was told in them. At last
he gives the letter to her to whom it belongs; she has not
gone many yards from the door before she has opened it—it
is short—with a glance she has gathered its tale; turning to:
the girl walking near her, she says—' Goa help thee and me
Jane :' not a word more is said by either ; they hurry to
their lowly dwelling—once there, there is no restraint upon
the agony of their grief, no concealment of its cause ; she
who was the widow with one son, is childless ; could grief be
with e s
manywi wife now
a w
o indeedA of a hise m widow?pte,i
comfort,
acute, were that poor girl who had hoped to De the lost
on
gtloi b
offero urs
manycrowd
ai n
officeof real sympathy ; long after the sun has set upon that
n
day are the hysterical screams of the vounger of the mourners
heard; the mother weeps, says little, but in the silent depth
of her s,rrow, proves that it is ono time may make endurable,
Neighbours
i
but never can etllice. The rector's wife, a lady from the hall,
have been to that cottage—all that true sympathy, all that
the teaching of the Christian's book, all that the liberality of
Christian charity, could do or promise, has been oifered-
but as yet it is too soon—the one is stunned in the mother's
woe ; the other raves, in the full force of youth's agony, at
the sudden crushing of youth's fondest hope."
Whereupon Mr. Osborne exclaims, in words of
burning wrath and sorrow—" 0 ! war, war, how
dost thou in thy utter bitterness of trial curse our
race. . . . Men crown thy triumphs with laurel—
the cypress of the cemetery, the yew of the church-
yard, these are the real emblems of thy accursed
work." Closing the volume with every sentiment
of respect for the pure and lofty charity of which
it is the eloquent but humble commemoration,' it
is impossible for us not to avow it to be our be-
lief, as one among the organs of public opinion. in
England, that the people of this country endorse
with their admiration the thanks for his efforts at
Scutari, recently tendered to Mr. Osborne by her
Majesty's Government. Equally impossible would
it be henceforth not to recognise in an earnest sim-
plicity the secret of S. G. o.'s acknowledged genius
as a rhetorician.

IVHITSUN TIDE A 11USEMENTS.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

Bellini's btautiful opera of Norma, supported by
Madame Arga, Mdlle. Wagner, Signor Arwandi, and
Mr. H. Brabant, and a grand ballet, in which Mdlles.
Palmyra and Paolo drew a crowded audience at this
theatre. Success seems t 3 follow Mr. E. T. Smith in
all his undertakings, and his bold attempt to giv& the
hest style of entertainment at the lowest possible price,
deserves to receive—as we are glad to see it does-i-the
hearty support of the public.

a panorama' in the proper sense of the tern-r
---is tie
illusion of great breadth of landscape rind seiSik!frvnliln
which it produces, and this, combined with what we
have just alluded to, creates an iinpi.'ession of iletualitv
that renders the effect of the whole Upon the mind at
once gratifying and complete. Without entering at 341
into detail or description, for in such a case these are out
of the question, we may observe that the view is taken
from the centre of the vast plateau, or open ground,
occupied by the Allied armies, on the south side of the
city. Immediately in front of us, as we enter, the city
itself commands first attention. It is supposed to be
about a mile and a half distant, and it has; the appear-
ance of being a handsome, regular, well-bui/tt place, com-
posed of white stone ; and the towers and spires of the
churches, and other conspicuous edifices, rising above
masses of buildings, look bright and fresh in the sun-
shine. The whole of the military harbour is distinctly
seen, as well as the two important farts of :Nicholas and
Paul, which defend its entrance fram the grand harbour.
The other fortifications on this side, most of which have
been erected and armed since the investment, are clearly
observable ; as also are the Redan batterieo, the Redan
Fort, and the celebrated Malakhoff T)wer. Beyond Se
bastopol is seen the full extent of the noble harbour,
with the strong forts that, defend its entrance from the
Black Sea, as well as the numerous batteries that line it
on both sides. On the east are shown the batteries, en- 1

-enchments, zigzags, and other approaches of the Bri-

tisb, on the extreme right of which ar. the renowned
Inkerman heights and valley of the Tchernaya, To-
wards the west are the French works, and along in a
southern direction are the Allied camps, enclosed in the
rear by redoubts and defences, occupying the heights
from Tchernaya to the heights of Balaklava. In the dis-
tance are the fine range of hills, with their snow capped
summits, which close in the view on the east. The whole
of this extensive landscape teems with life and motion,
and presents a very stirring and picturesque picture of
camp life, and the hazardous operations in the intrench-
ments and batteries. Two of the most prominent groups
represent Lord Raglan and General Canrobert, each
surrounded by a brilliant staff, occupied in their daily
inspection of the progress of -the sieve. The road from
Balaklava to the camp is also indicated, and along it
supplies and ammunition are being conveyed by the
Land Transport Corps. All the incidents of the bom-
bardment, of which we have heard so much, are por-
trayed in so fearfully real and lifelike a manner, as to
cause one involuntarily to shudder at the sight before us,
and to feel grateful for the security from danger with
which we can behold what is presented to the eye. The
landscape portion of the painting is from the hand of Mr.
Burford, the proprietor, the figures having been put in
by Mr. H. C. Selons. Both artists deserve the highest
acknowledgment of the talent they have displayed. We
may add, in conclusion, that the panorama will amply
repay an hour's attentive inspection.

THE ENGLISH GLEE AND MADRIGAL
UNION.

The delightful morning concerts given by the above
musical society re-commenced yesterday morning, at
Willis's Rooms, St. James's, and attracted, as they have

never yet failed to do, a crowded and fashionable audi-
ence. The programme was very judiciously selected,
and embraced four madrigals, seven glees, and a four-
part song by Mendelssohn. Stafford Smith's lovely
madrigal, "Flora now calleth forth each flower," was
finely given, as also was Webbe's glee for six voices,
" Hence all ye vain delights." A. madrigal (J.
L. Hatton) "The Hunt is up," brought the first
part to a conclusion. This is a very spirited com-
position, and was most deservedly called for a
second time. An amusing account is given of the ditty
itself from " Sir Thomas More's Household Book"—a
diary kept by More's daughter, wherein the 4th of Sep-
tember, 1523, is thus quaintly chronicled :—'' Supped
with my Lord Sands. Wound up the evening with
musick, Lord Sands sung us a new ballad, ' The King's
Hunt is up, &c.' which father affected hugelie. There was
some burden 'of hey tantarra, where my lord did stamp
and snap his fingers. He is a merrie heart." Mr.
Hatton, in his new setting of this old " new ballad,"
has given it all the dash and jollity which we can imagine
the original air to have possessed, from the im-
pression it made on the grave Sir Thomas More.
It was rapturously applauded. In the second part we
had some fine compositions, viz., "Sweet Honey-
sucking Bees," by Wilbye ; and Bishop's " Under the
Greenwood Tree." The greatest treat of all remained
till nearly the close of the concert ; it was a glee by
Greville, entitled, " Now the Bright Morning Star."
The melody of tiis composition is exquisitely beau-
tiful ; in fact, it is perfectly enchanting. The principal
' solo pares were sustained by Mrs. Lockey, Mrs. Ender-
\
sohn, Mr. Lockey, Mr. Hobbs, and Mr. 11. Phillips,
Mr. J. L. Hatton presided at the piano-forte.