The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-30 00:00:00

rAliTtraii,tromant Nett
11/1144na, POBTER 4nd SON are directed to
Sell by AUCTION. at e Gle, 54, Pall-, en Wed-
nesday, April, 4, a choice and wellth-selectaledryCOLLECTlON of PIC-
TURES, the works of living artists of the highest reputation, includ-
in; that formed by William Llewellyn, Esq., of Park-street, Bristol.
Many of the pictures have been exhibited, and some painted on com-
mission, including a View of Pcestum, an important and recent
work, by David Roberts, R.A. ; in the Medway, near Gillingham,
tl.e celebrated picture by W. Muller, and Twilight, by the same
artist ; Crossing the Sands at Low Water, by R. Lee, R.A.; Donotta
Castle, by C. Stanfield, R.A.; Sherwood Forest, by T. Creswlck,
R A., the figures introduced by A nsdell ; Wood Green, by Linnell,
and two other works by the same artist ; Emnerdale Water, one of
the lake scenes, by J. B. Pyne ; four capital examples of Sidney
Cooper, A.R A. ; a Roman Peasant Woman, by T. Uwins, LA . ;
the Rescue, an Important picture, by P. F. Poole, A R.A. ; th
Romp in the Hayfield, and two smaller works, by the same artist ;
Nineveh, a grand composition by J. Martin; a Pair of Frenc h
Fisherwomen, by F. Stone, ; the Huntress, by D. Maas e,
R.A. ; and specimens of— _

C. E. Leslie, R.A., E. W. Cooke, A.R.A. W. Etty, R.A.
W. P. Frith, R.A. W. E. Frost, R.A. Sir A. Calcott, R.A.
J- Sant J. Ph 1111,) F. Danby, A.K.A.
G. F. Herring T. Webster, R.A: G. Lance
May be publicly viewed Saturday, 31st March, and the 2d and 3d
of April, and catalogues had of Messrs. Foster and Son, 57, Pali-mall.

THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET.
Under the management of Mr. Bucketona.
THIS EVENING.
Will be presented THE SECRET AGENT. Principal characters
by Mr. Bucke(one and Miss E. Chaplin.
To be fell iwed by the new Ballet, UNA NOCIIE DE FIESTA
EN SEVILLA.

To which will he added A PRETTY PIECE OF BUSINESS. Cha-
racters by Messrs. Howe and Buckstone ; Mrs. Caroline White, and
Misses Ellen Chaplin and Reyno:ds.
To whioh will be added the new Ballet by the Spanish Dancers,
called TPLE GALICIAN FETE.
To conclude with SHOCKING EVENTS.

LOYAL PRINCESS'S rt l TIiE, OXFORD-STREET.
Under the Management of Mr. CuAarza Ka&x.
THIS EVENING,
Will be performed LIVING TOO FAST.
To be followed by the original adaptation of Casimir Delavigne's
Historical Play, entitled LOUIS THE ELEVENTH. Principal
character by Mr. C. Kean.
To conclude with the popular new Farce, entitled A GAME
OF ROMPS. Principal characters by Messrs. Harley and Chester ;
Mrs. Winstanley, Misses Heath, Murray, C. Leciercq, Daly, and
Ternan.

THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI.
Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste.
THIS EVENING,
Wig be performed a new and original Drama, preceded by a Pro-
logue, and called JANET PRIDE.
After which, I'LL TELL YOUR WIFE.
To conclude with BETTY MARTIN.

ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. natl.
THIS EVENING,

Will be presented the new Comedietta, called TIT FOR TAT, In
Which Messrs. F. Robson, A. Wigan, and Miss Maskell will appear.
Followed by the Face entitled A BLIGHTED BEING, in
Which Mr. F. Robson will appear.
Aster which, a new Fairy Extravaganza, entitled THE YELLOW
DWARF AND THE KING OF THE GOLD MINES. Characters
by Mr. P. Robson, Miss Julia St. George, Miss E. Ormonde, Miss
Marston, Miss Bromley, and Mrs. Fitz&llan.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. Wm. Cooke.
THIS EVENING,
The ()rani Romantic Equestrian Spectacle called TIMOUR THE
TARTAR.
After which, the incomparable SCENES in the CIRCLE, and the
astounding evolutions of the Four Performing Elephants, with Herr
Endersohn's ace implished Performance on the Slsck Wire.
An Equestrian Spectacle of peculiar construction is in active pre-
paration for Easter Monday.
Box-office open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W.
West. Acting Manger, Ir. W. 11. Cooke. Equestrian Director,
Mr. W. Cooke, Jun.

NATIONAL STANDARD.
THIS EVENING,
Will be performed, ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. Miss Glyn
and Mr. Marston.
To conclude with BLACK-EYED SUSAN.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.

Llnaer the direction of Miss Rebecca Isaacs.
THIS EVENING.

Will he performed THE CRICKET ON VIE HEARTH. Cha-
racters by Messrs J. Halford, Rogerson, and Kinloch ; and Miss Re-
becca, Isaac, Miss Beaumont, and Miss Somers.
After which. 'I'WAS I. Characters by Messrs. Kinloch and J.
Howard; Miss Isaacs, Miss Beaumont, and Mrs. Laws.
To which will be added a Ballet Divertissement.
To conclade with TRICK FOR TRICK.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
TIM DAY —Morning 13 min.aftel 12 I Eveninf 36 mfn.aft. 12
Tu- w -Iforninj 57 min.after 12 Evening 1G min.aft. 1

THE WEATHER.--Sus O,vwi, March. 30.
LIERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
45—highest since noon yesterday.
37—lowest this morning and during the night.
45 —this day, at noon.
BAROMETER, 30'51—another great rise.
WIND, N.—Light breeze, with cloudy weather and
occasional sunshine.

s)!
0.
‘"-j) „;ft .7 •

LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCIA 18aD.

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The great Merit question suggests some curious
eJnsiderations. Lord PALMERSTON declares against
merit; purchase and seniority are better. By
which of the three is Lord PALMERSTON Premier?
Seniority might well give him the rank, but
would he be content to take that ground ?
Pur-
chase, in the vulgar sense of the term, would have
been easy with his Lordship's present wealth ; but
Premierships are not to be purchased by money—
some brains are held to be requisite to justify such
a promotion. And purchase in the sense of
political bargaining —say an engagement to
work out the wishes of Austria and the
Coburgs how can such an insinuation
be credited for a moment 7 Is not Lord PAL-
MERSTON the man of whom it was affirmed to an
.applauding Senate, by our present representative
at Vienna, that ho was the Minister, not of
Austria, or of any foreign power, but of England.
The conclusion seems to be that Lord PALMERSTON
has been promoted for merit—for merit real or
supposed. Her MAJESTY tried routine ; she
sent for Lord DERBY, the head of the largest
section of the House of Commons, then for Lord
JOHN, commander of the next regiment in point
of numbers, but all in vain. The people de-
nounced routine-chosen Premiers ; they pro-
claimed that Lord PALMERSTON had merited the
post ; they remembered certain little wars in
which he acted very vigorously ; they believed he
would show the same qualities when tried on a
larger scale ; he was named by popular acclama-
tion to the post, and her MAJESTY gracefully
bowed to the popular voice.

Lord PALMERSTON, therefore, ridiculing pro-
motion by merit, ridicules the very reason of his
own elevation. • Can it be that he anticipates
becoming a proof of his own argument, that merit
is mere chance opinion, as likely to he wrong as
right, "a Utopia, vain to hope to see established in
any country whatever." There were a few who,
at the time of his appointment, laughed at the
popular choice ; they roundly asserted that Lord
PALMERSTON was the veriest of Tories, that he
would be as faithful to his order as pre-
ceding Dukes and Earls and Lords, and
that
when it came to a real question
of standing by the assumptions of Courts or
the wishes and rights of peoples, he would soon
be unmasked. All will remember the predictions
of RICHARD COBDEN in this vein. We trust his
lordship has no misgiving that the great Free-
trader will prove a political prophet. Should the
suspicious rumours prove true—should
present sus
the fortifications of Sebastopol be left standing
should the present intolerable tenderness to Rus-
sia in the Black Sea be continued—should her
armies in the Crimea be suffered to outnumber
those of the Allies, while we are squandering
millions on the transport service—should we
wait on conferences, on Austria, on Russia, and
beconsequently too late again this spring as we were
last spring—then indeed will the nation own it-
self mistaken. It will allow itself to have been
an inadequate judge of merit; but it will believe,
nevertheless, that not ability, but will, through
some fatal cause, was wanting, and it will demand
another committee to ascertain what it is that
disables able Premiers. It will find out the reason
why a Premier, whom it chose to " carry on the
War with vigour," allowed our army to Le van-
quished in the Crimea, our Plenipotentiary to be
vanquished at Vienna, and Russia to triumph in
the impregnability of her pirate's hold.
But anent this question of merit there is a
curious illustration furnished us just now in the
Crimea. We have seen the French system placed
in contrast with our own till, however pertinent,