The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-09 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.

Sir,—Permit me to assure you, on the authority
of Mr. Fechter, who is much gratified by your
thoughtful and eloquent notice of the performance
of " Roy Bias," that the version now reproduced
at the Lycsum Theatre is literally the same as that
in which he appeared at the Princess's Theatre,
without the omission of a single incident or word.
The impression resting on the mind of your dra•
matic critic is evidently caused by the performance
of the original French drama.
I remain, Sir, faithfully yours,
I enclose my card. R. L.
December 9, 1861.

MISS BATEMAN AT THE GLASGOW THEATRE•
ROYAL.—The interest attending the performances of
this accomplished actress in Glasgow, says the Glasgow
Daily.llerald, continues to increase as the term of her en-
gagement draws near. Night after night the theatre has
been crowded almost from the very commencement, and
on Tuesday night and last night great numbers could not
obtain admission for love or money. Since Miss Bateman's
arrival here, we understand, she has had several very
tempting offers from English managers, one of whom ten-
dered a hundred guineas for a single night's performance
of "Leah," Owing to previous arrangements, however,
Miss Bateman has been obliged to decline all these offers;
and as she cannot possibly prolong her stay in Glasgow
after Saturday night, every lover of the histrionic art who
desires to see the "mirror held up to nature" as it ought
to be, and as it rarely is, would do well to look out for
tickets of admission without delay.
MIDDLE-CLASS EDUCATION IN THE WEST—The
anuaal distribution of prizes and certificates awarded
at the Oxford and Cambridge local examinations during the
past year to the pupils of the Devon County School took
place on Tuesday. This school was the first practical step
in Devonshire towards obtaining schools for the middle
classes. It chief promoter was the Rev. J. L. Brereton, the
rector of the parish, and a prebendary of Exeter Cathedral,
who was most cordially assisted by the late and present Earl
Fortescue and several other county gentlemen and noble-
men. The school has progressed most satisfactorily, and
there are at present about 50 boarders in the institution, in
addition to a number of dayboys. Several scholarships aro
annually competed for, and at the recent University local
examinations the pupils have passed most satisfactorily.
The Oxford University made West Buckland one of its
centres, and the managers have adopted the satisfactory plan
of sending in not merely a few selected pupils to these
examinations, but the whole of the upper classes. The un-
dertaking has proved so successful that it is now proposed
to establish a county college for Devon, Cornwall, and
Somerset, with the object of offering inducements and op-
portunities for lengthening the ordinary period of educa-
tion ; and in addition to provide a profession of teachers—
including professors, tutors, and schoolmasters for the
middle classes—and to determine the debated question
whether it is practicable to combine general and special
education. Earl Forteeeue presided at the meeting on
Tusday, supported by Mr J. W. Buller, M.P., Mr T. D.
Acland, the Rev. J. L. Brereton, and a numerous company
of county gentlemen and clergy. Earl Granville, K.G.,
the Bishop of London, and Sir Stafford Northcote had also
accepted invitations to be present, but Royal commands
requesting the attendance of the noble earl at Sandringham
prevented his attendance; a family bereavement was the
cause of the hon, baronet's absence, and the venerable pre-
late arrived at Castle-hill (the seat of Earl Fortescue) too
late to be present at the interesting proceedings. After the
loyal, constitutional, and patriotic toasts had been disposed
of Earl Fortescue distributed the prizes, and then proceeded
to propose " Success to the Devon County School," coupling
with the toast " The Health of the Rev. J. L. Brereton."
The school, his lordship observed, was no longer an experi-
ment, but a success. The institution was founded for an
independent class, aria it was no small element in its success
to find that it was paying its working expenses. (Hear,
hear.) It was now ten years ago that he had first endea-
voured to call attention to the important question of middle-
class education. N early 30 years ago the great and good
Dr Arnold had dwelt on the deficiency of provisions made
for the education of the middle classes. Now it was not as
then a question of importance, but the question of impor-
tance. The noble earl referred to the fact that a Royal
Commission, in which several west countrymen were in-
cluded, was about to examine into this matter—to the at-
tention which the Royal Agricultural Society and the S.
ciety of Arts were devoting to the subject ; and the number
of county schools which were now springing up in various
parts of the kingdom; and concluded by adverting to the
proposed County College, the objects which it had in view,
and to the growing importance of the agricultural class in
the country, and to the necessity of farmers' suns being so
trained as to avoid the two extremes—sticking too fast to
what is old, and rushing too quickly to what is new.
(Cheers.) Prebendary Brereton responded in a long speech.
WEST SUFFOLK ELECTION.—BURY ST. ED,
MUND'S, Dec. 8. —The election of a member to
serve in Parliament for the western division of Suffolk, in
the ronneot Earl Jermyn, elevated to the Marquibate of
Bristol on the death of his fa,ber, took place here to-lay.
Three waggons had heal disposed as a kind of hustings in
font of the Angel Hotel, but as the weather was dull, and
resolved itself finally into a diaagrceablo drizzling rain, the
High sheriff, Sir U. N. Broke-Aliddletnn, and the supper.
ters of Lord Augustus Hervey, the solitary candidate, held
the "special county court" prescribed by the writ on the
steps of the hotel. The attendance of electors or persons of
any kind was at first extremely small, but by the time the
Under-Sheriff (Mr A. Cobbold) had laboriously waded
through the writ about 100 persons had probably collected.
Lord Augustus Hervey, having been proposed and se-
conded, was declared by the High Sheriff duly elected.
The hon. member then returned thanks, and the proceed-
ings terminated.

The English frigate Racoon has arrived at Mar-
seilles from Gibraltar. The Prussian frigate Niobe took
her departure front Brest this roorniog.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

[REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.]

CALCUTTA, CHINA, AND ATJSTRALIA,
MALTA, DEC. 8.
The Elaine will leave for Marseilles at mid•

night.

The Dahi left for Southampton tomday at 7 a.m.
OUTWARD BOMBAY MAIL,

The Ripon from Southampton, Nov. 27, reached
Malta on the 6:h inst. at 10 p.m., and left on the
7th at 4 p.m. for Alexandria.
The Delta from. Marseilles, sth inst., arrived on
the 7th at 9 p.m., and left on the Bth at 7 a.m. for
Alexandria.