The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-09 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—lt is proper the public should be informed that a
document which appears in your journal this evening,
purporting to be the " Report of the National Shakspere
Committee," is not the report of the National Shakspere
Committee. Such a paper was read at the meeting of the
General Committee on Monday last, but was felt to be so
vapid, irrelevant, and inordinately long, so deficient in
practical information, and so tainted throughout with self-
glorification—nearly two-thirds of it consisting of a cata-
logue of names arbitrarily, and, in acme cases, offensively,
distributed—that a vote was carried, without a dissentient
voice, that it should be printed for circulation amongst the
members, and that the meeting should stand adjourned to
Monday, 11th inst., to take it into consideration.
As a numerous meeting of the independent members of
the committee, who take the liberty of thinking for them-
selves, and who desire to impart a national character to the
movement before it is too late, may be expected on Monday;
and as it is highly improbable that such a meeting will
adopt such a report, I need not add that its publication was
premature, to say the least, and that, under circumstances
I have detailed, it could not have had any legitimate officia
sanction.
Jan. 8,

A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE,

TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY-THREE NEW COM-
PANIES IN 1863.—During the last year no less than
263 new companies were started. Their capital amounts to
one hundred millions sterling I They are thus classified :

27 banks, L 31,900,000 —l5 money (dikount, &e.),
£19,000,000-65 manufactures and trades, £14,455,000-14
insurance, £10,300,000-17 railways, £9,496,000-17 hotels,
£4,320,000-6 slipping 4168,000-49 mining, £3,019,000
—l7 miscellaneous, £2,655,000-6 gas, £670,000. Fortu-
nately these figures are not so formidable as they appear,
The hundred millions sterling thus seeming to be absorbed
must be subjected to vast deductions. At least one-third of
the list will never proceed further than registration,
Another third will be wound up within two years. The
remaining third will go on and prosper, but will probably
never call up one-half of their capitals, and the actual calls
will be spread over 12 or 18 months, so these are not likely
to cause any seriotth embarrassment.—Law limes of to-day,
just published.

Mg. GEOB.CiE HOGARTH.—A committee has been
formed to present this worthy gentleman with a
testimonial., Mr. Hogarth is the well known musical his-
torian and critic. He was the attached friend of Sir Walter
Scott, and is the father-in-law of Charles Dickens. He met
recently with a severe accident, from the effects of which he
is slowly recovering, but is still in the house of his friend,
Mr. Aguilar, where he was removed when knocked down
by a horse. Mr. Hogarth is highly esteemed by a wide
circle of friends, and amongst the subscribers to this mani-
festation is the firm of Broadwood for £5O. Mr. Anderson
will act as hon. treasurer, and Mr. Campbell Clarke as hon.
secretary, so that no exertions will be wanting to do honour
to an estimable man, from whose pen such valuable infer.
mation and charming criticism has emanated for more than
half a century.

A SPARK OF Wit—During a recent performance
at one of our theatres, a man and his wife had to
quarrel on the ste.ge, the woman in a rage of jealousy, the
man trying to persuade her that she was too saspicious and
too passionate; both were acting with great spirit, when the
wife moved him arm too near a candle. and her muslin dress
was in flames in an instant. Both actors kept their heads,
however; the husband extinguished the fire, and, proceed-
ing with part, interpolated, " You see, my dear, I was
right ; you are ready to flare up—vous enflammer—for the
least thing l"—Paris Co7respondent of the Daily Telegraph.

A VENERABLE TROUT.—A trout has lived in the
well of the farm of Alton, Insch, for thirty years. When
put thete thirty years ago it was of an ordinaryEize; now it
is about a foot long, is correspondingly thick, and resembles
a mackerel.—.lberdeen