The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-25 00:00:00

ST, JAMES'S HALL,

Last evening an amateur performance was given, under
the most distinguished patronage, at tha St. James's Hall,
in aid of the funds of the Immaculate Conception Charity
Schools, the object of which is to provide for and educate
necessitous children. The attendance was brilliant and
fashionable; and the success achieved by the experiment
of attempting, by a novel method, the increase of the funds
of a charity other than by the
perpetual "public dinner,"
will no doubt find favour with those engaged in similar
laudable and praiseworthy objects. The festival was under
the especial patronage of his Eminence Cardinal Wiseman,
who attended from the commencement of the proceedings
in order to receive the report of the society. From a state-
ment read it appeared that upwards of 800 children had
been either aided or supported by the society, the announce-
ment of which was received with loud approbation. Cardinal
Wiseman having briefly addressed the assembly. and urged
upon all present the necessity of maintaining their labours,
the performances commenced with a little drama entitled
written, we believe, by his emi-
"r's ago, for the English college at
has the advantage of good dialogue,
etlla
knowledge of theatrical construc-
tion,t:elixcn etialalsbci of hatwgtehit situations,
irhseS,cyeaeccombined with the excellent manner in
which
o it f
7::
evening. The next performance was an ori-
ginal performed, rendered it one of the great suc-
cesses
operetta, " A Student's Frolic," which gave universal
satisfaction. There are a number of very pretty airs, all of
miss Sullivan, Miss Jenkins, and Miss Ryan, as
which were sung with great taste by the amateurs—the
ladies,
usual securing the highest honours. Mr. Frank Massey
and Mr. oreiog g
Stapleton deserve high commendation—
indeed, the whole operetta was very nicely given, and
therefore all are enti
tled to praise. The evening's entertain-
mentT
concluded with the capital farce of " Little o ddl e-
kins," which evoked the heartiest merriment of the aristo-
cratic assemblage.
nre

ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—The annual meeting ,
but he could not let the report be
of the fellows of the Ethnological Society was held
e remarks. on their present posi-
yesterday at their rooms, 4, Martin's-place, Charing-
cross—Mr. John Lubbock in the chair. The chairman
had been contributed to the
progressing very satisfactorily, and
said it was not the custom of the society to give an address
president was a very important one,
at it
on read. theirw i
They
annualhho
euyt
makingwmeetingswere
ssoevcieertayl.veiry,hvatalbuyabthlee
as were also those respecting the.
.native tribes of the in-
teriorwhich had been visited by Speke and Grant.
of Africa,
Everything looked welt for the future ; their members were
increasing, and their funds were in a prosperous condition.
The report stated that the prosperity of the Ethnological
Society, whether measured by
the value ,of the papers it
had received, the animation of
its discussions, or by the
accession of new fellows, was decidedly on the increase.
They had elected 30 fellows since the last anniversary. Mr.
E. Jefferies, of Ceylon, had been a corresponding member.
The third volume of the new series of the transactions of
the Ethnological Society was in the printer's hands, and
its publication would be hastened. Those publications had
been bought by the public to a considerable extent. The
library had received valuable additions, including the trans-
actions of cognate societies at home and abroad. The diffi-
culty of finding space for the proper display of objects of
ethnological interest had hitherto prevented the council from
giving sufficient development to their museum, but they
thankfully acknowledged considerable accessions to their
small but interesting collection during the past year. The
report was adopted. Mr F. Hindmarsh, the hon. treasurer,
read the cash statement, which showed that the net re-
ceipts, including a balance in hand of £212 3s 2d, amounted
to £522 6s. The expenses had been £306 5s 6d, leaving
a balance of £216 Os 6d still in hand. A vote of thanks
Was passed to the officers of the society for their services
during the past year. Some alterations were made in the
rules of the society, The officers and council for the en-
suing year were elected, and the proceedings terminated
with a vote of thanks to the chairman.