The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-03 00:00:00

worst evils would be avoided. Let our Indian
Government push boldly forward all public works,
especially those relating to a supply of pure water,
and to an efficient system of drainage, and with the
help of proper precautions as regards the disposal
of the dead we shall Lear less of decimating pes-
tilences.

FINE ARTS,

John Gilbert and J, E. Millais, R, A, Elect,
Visitors this season to those apartments in the
National Gallery in which the Royal Academy,
according to custom, hold their annual exhibitions
—should make a point of looking in—either on
going to, or returning from, that greatest of all
the art displays of the Sear—at the Messrs.
Agnews' Gallery in Waterloo place, at the Gallery,
that is, of the Messrs. Thomas Agnew and Sons, of
London and Manchester. They may be always
certain of finding, there, something pre-einieently
well worth looking at. But, just now, we can pro-
mise them—if they will but look in and judge for
themselves—two especial attractions, an examinee
tion of either one of which will far more than merely
compensate them for the trouble of attendance. In
the first place, there is that darling little glory of
another season of the Royal Academy, that
sweet little lassie of Mr. Millais, (then himself
foremost among the Associates, now youngest
incilcoiaakn,s)—tseated in the old lao little bright-eyed
gamirioning
tthhee
scarlet
green-
baize pew, listening with her whole faco (the
prettiest little chubby child-face imaginable) to her
"First Sermon!" Now that, to the amusement even
of his grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, the little
lady has dropped asleep at her " Second Sermon,''
according to the companion-picture of her, numbered
13 in this year's catalogue of the Royal Academy,
it is delightful to have the opportunity of looking
back at her, as she was when first revealed to us
at Church, before the soporific influence of
the droning preacher's voice had obtained a
mastery over her Senses by the mere force
of repetition. Among the most charming pro-
ductions of Mr. Millais' wonderful brush, this
"First Sermon" is worth studying again and again
—is worth studying in all its details, even to the
very texture of the rusty old green-baize lining of
the pew ! And there--in this very same apart-
ment, at the Messrs. Agnews' Gallery, there is
hung, in sequence, along the walls an exquisite
Series of watercolour drawings—filled to repletion
with beauties that defy any accurate enumeration
of them, writing about them now, as we do, of
course, merely from the remembrance. A truly ex-
quisite series of water-colour drawings, this is, from
the wizard pencil and inexhaustible fancy of John
ulilbert ! The series, here (one admirably well
thought of, by the way),
being illustrative,
stanza after starz 1, of that glorious na-
tional ballad, ditty, chorus (what shall we call
it the most aptly ?), that fine old song about
the Fine Cld English Gentleman ! The original of
this grand old homely chaunt of ours, dates back to
the days of Jamie the Sixth of Scotland, of James
the First of England, and has reference in the
very refrain of it to the gallant gentlemen
attendant in the later years of her reign at
the Court of Queen Elizabeth. The original chorus
running in fact thus—" Like an o.d Courtier
of the Quen, Like the Queen's Old Courtier."
Happily changed long ago to the words as they
are trolled out, now, first by the Singer, afterwards
in faller volume by the echoing Chorus—" Like a
Fine Old English Gentleman, one of the olden
time." And here he is, in all his various and well-
known aspects, in the midst of all his familiar sure
roundings and associations—as brought out to view,
incident by incident, thanks to the radiant colour.
ing of Gilbert. From the " old buttery hatch,"
where he is, himself, seeing after the relief of the
poor at his gate, down to the mournful f uneral,pro-
cession bearing his honoured remains to their last
resting-place:through the old churchyard—the His-
tory of the Fine o.d English Gentleman is rendered
visible to us at lest through the agency of John
Gilbert's genius. The banquetting scene, where
his worship is warming his copper nose with a goodly
tankard of ciliary, in which liquor he pledges the
company assembled at his hospitable board, is full
of picturesque effects of all kinds, among others of
expression, of costume, of architecture. The Christ-
mas revelries in the old hall bring out—to the sound
of the footsteps of the dancers, and to the rapid tones
of the rebeck, and the droning blasts of the sackbut,
and to the mingled harmonies of other ancient im-
plements of ministrelsie—a long processional per.
spective of country dancers as that perspective
has hardly ever been brought out before by
pencil of artist. For the hilarious influence of
the scene hero depicted there is only one other
scene we can compare it to--written this one, how-
ever, not painted—to wit Mr. Dickens's inimitable
description of that wonderful Christmas-eve dance
at old Fezziwig'a! Passing over the other pictures in
this brilliant series of John Gilbert's, we are almost
tempted to single out as our favourite amongst
them all, the Death Bed Scene; where there are
heads hardly unworthy in their way of having
been touched into the semblance of life by
the.hand of Vandyck or of Velasquez. While it is
agreeable to note that Mr. Millais' famous picture
about the "First Sermon" is in process of being
engraved, it is matter of regret to us that nothing
seems likely to be done with a view to the popu
larising of John Gilbert's series of Drawings abon
the Fine Old English Gentleman through the mar,
vellous agency of chromoelithograhy.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE

IREUTER'S TELEGRAMS.]

FRANCE.

PARIS, JUNE 3.
An Imperial decree has been issued today,
according to which rice in grain and in straw may
henceforward be imported into France from all
countries and under any flag free of duty.
Another decree establishes the tariff upon un-
manufactured gold and platina imported into
France at 3 francs per kilogramme, upon gold and
platina beaten into leaves at 25fr. Upon unma.
nufactured silver the duty is fixed at 6c. per kilo-
gramme, and on silver in leaf at 20fr. On gold-
smiths' work, gold and silver jewellery, and articles
of silver gilt and platina the duty will ba sfr, per

kilogramme,
It is also announced that on and after the Ist
July next the price of a telegraphic despatch
between France and Bavaria will be 3fr.
The lioniteur gives the following account of the
Emperor and Empress's visit to Evreux --" Their
Majesties, on alighting from the train, were re-
ceived by M. Janvier, Prefect of the Eure, the pre-
fects of the other departments represented at the
show, and by the Mayor and other authorities at
Evreux. Three open caleches with postilions were
in waiting to convey the Imperial party to the
Exhibition. After listening to a short address from
M. Janvier, the Emperor and Empress and Ger.
Fleury entered the first carriage, the second received
M. Behic, Minister of Agriculture, and M. Boudet,
Minister of the Interior; General Mollard, aide-de•
camp to the Emperor, and M. Fremy, manager of
the Credit Foncier, and the third the ladies in
attendance on her Majesty. •An immense crowd
had assembled in the streets, and received their
Majesties with the loudest acclamations. The Em•-
peror and Empress visited some of the antiquities
of the town, and then proceeded to the cattle show
and agricultural exhibition, every part of which
their Majesties examined with the greatest interest.
Their Majesties, after passing upwards of an hoar
and a half on the ground, re-entered their car-
riages, and proceeded to the Prefecture, where they
partook of lunch, after which the Emperor pro-
moted the Marquis d'Albufera, Deputy for the Eure,
and M. Avril, Captain of the National Guard of
Evreux, to the rank of officer in the Legion of
Honour, and gave the Cross of Knight to M. Le-
couteux, a breeder of the Calvados, and to two
officers of the gendarmery. Their Majesties left for
the railway station at about five o'clock, the crowd
collected being so dense that the horses could only
go at a foot pace. The shouts of ' Vive l'Eaipereur !'
Viva l'lmperatrice !" Viva le Prince Imperial!'
were most enthusiastic. Before departing their
Majesties expressed to the Prefect their satisfaction
at all they had seen, and complimented him on the
admirable manner in which everything had bee❑
arranged under his directions. After their Majes•
ties' departure the Prefect proceeded to the Place
du Theatre and distributed the prizes which had
been awarded to the different exhibitors. In the
Evening there was a grand banquet of 1,500 covers
given by the authorities, Fled at night the town
was illuminated."
The Emperor and Emprees returned to Paris in
time for dinner.

The session of the Senate was brought to a close
yesterday, having lasted since Nov. 5, 1863, M.
Troplong occupied the c'eair at the final sitting.
After a report from the Marquis d'Audiffret, the
Budget for 1865 and the other bills connected with
that measure were approved of unanimously by 99
votes. Some petitions were brought forward, but
without presenting any particular interest. Baron
de Lacrosse, the Secretary, then rose and said:—
"In the emirs() of the Session of 1864 the
Senate has had to decide on 919 petitions, ed.
dressed to its President or transmitted to him
by the President of the Legislative Body, to
whom they had been sent by persons ignorant of
the regulations on tLe subject, which do not seem
to be sufficiently known to the public. Up to the
present time reports have been presented on 757 of
those 949 petitions, respecting which you have de-
cided as follows :-131 have been referred to the
different Ministries; 22 deposited at the Bureau
des RenEeigneruents ; 19 set aside by the previous
question ; 585 by the order of the day ; 13 with-
drawn by the petitioners ; and 12 sent back to the
Secretary's Office as not presenting the character
of petitions; 935 letters giving notice of the deci-
sions of the Senate have been addressed to the
petitioners. The Senate has recently heard the
very judicious remarks of the President on the
subject of pretended petitions addressed to him
with doubtful signatures or without the peti-
tioner's address. All inquiry as to their genuine-
ness being impossible, no attention can be paid
to that category of petitions. Several letters
announcing your decisions have been returned by
the Post-office, because the persons to whom they
were addressed could not be found. This fact proves
the existence of the most reprehensible practice of
troubling the Senate with the pretended grievances
of imaginary petitioners. I have remarked with
regret that, during the present session, certain real
petitioners have been so ill-advised as to criticise in
disrespectful language the reports recommending
the previous question or the order of the day.
Whoever appeals to the authority of the Senate is
bound to accept its decisions, to respect the mem-
bers who present reports, and to put an end to
the accusations directed against the functionaries
inconsiderately or maliciously incriminated in
the petitions which called for the severity of the
Senate. The service of petitions, which every
year assumes greater importance, continues to be
performed with scrupulous attention. Of the peti-
tions inscribed on the general list since the com-
mencement of the session of 1864, 810 have been
registered, bearing 21,015 signatures; 608 were in-
dividual,
202 collective, 532 were of general interest,
278 concerned private interests only. Reports have
been presented on 640 of these 810 petitions; 111
were referred to different ministries, 20 deposited
in the Bureau des Itenseignements, 15 set aside by
the question, 494 by the order of the day, 13 with-
drawn by the petitioners, 12 sent back to the secre-
tary's office as not presenting the character of peti-
tions, and 63 remain over for consideration." M.
Rouher, Minister of State, then read an Imperial
decree declaring the session to be at an end. The
senators then withdrew with loud cries of Vice
l'Empereur !

BOURSE, Jane 2.—The market has not shown
much animation, but prices have been well main-
tained. Threes, for the Account, are unvaried at
66f. 95c., and Mobilier at 1,140 f. Railway Market
quiet, but'Srm. The market closed as follows :
41 per Cent 5....... 93 50 Italian L0an...... 69 85
Do. end month.... Do. end month.... 69 90
3 per Cents ...... 66 65 Ditto Threes...... --
Do. end mouth.... 67 New Me

Credit Mailiar.... 1145
Do. end month.... 1142 50
Bank Shares ...... 3375
Credit Fancier ....1235
Roman .......... 77

exicaa 591

Russian
Austrian
Spanieh Threes —
El orne Debt
Deterred

114 IL WAIN.
Cash. Account.
865 875 --
990 .. 990
872 50 .. 872 50

Orlaans
Northern ....
Lyons and neditcrranean
New ditto
Southern 645 647 50
We3tern
Eastern
Sardinian ......
Austrian -
Lombard
North of Spain
Sarap,-ossa 570 571 25
Ditto to Barcelona