The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-29 00:00:00

LATEST DRAMATIC INTELLIGENCE!

An ingenious critic in the Daily News of this morn-
ing, while alluding to the brilliant success achieved last
night by the first performance of " Anne Blake" at the
Princess's, seriously informs the public that "it is written
by Mr. Westland Marston, a gentleman who has gained
a name in our dramatic literature by The Wife's Secret,'
and other pieces of acknowledged merit. What will
the ingenious Mr. Lovel say to this? It reminds us cf
a dramatic reviewer in another of our morning contem-
poraries, who, some months back, commended the talent
displayed in one of the " old plays" reproduced at
Sadlers' Wells, under the management of Mr Phelps,
observing that it augured admirably for the author's
future productions—the author being, in fact, one of the
contemporaries of Shakspcare! Or, still more, it recalls
to our recollection the ardour with which a Dublin audi-
ence, some years back, shouted for the author of
" Antigone," and, like Rachel, would not be comforted,
until Air Calcraft appeared before the footlights,t and
took courage to inform them that the dramatist had beer,
dead some two thousand years, and that, therefore, it was
in vain to look to the stage-box for the appearance of
the honourable Mr. Sophocles.

DEATH OF A METHODISTIC CELERRITY.—Last week
M. Hugh Bourne died, in Staffordshire, at the advanced
ago of 81. He was the founder of that large and in-
creasingly useful branch of the Methodistic body, known
as the " Primitive Methodists." This body originated
only some thirty-three years back, Mr. Bourne and some
few others being expelled, or having withdrawn, from
the " Wesleyans," on account of their not being per-
mitted to hold what aro known as " camp meetings,"
and for some other similar reasons. They wished to
restore Methodism to its primitive simplicity, and were
accordingly designated " Primitive," that is, original
Methodists. The first little band, thirty-three years
ago, was a " class" of about twenty, of whom Hugh
Bourne was the " leader ;" but now they have 600
regular travelling preachers, about 10,000 lay preachers;
5,255 chapels, and 109,000 members, with an increase
of between 4,000 and 5,000 members every year. The
ministers are a very earnest, pious, and extremely labo-
rious class of men; for the most part they are but indif-
ferently educated, in a literary point of view, though
possessing an extensive acquaintance with the Scriptures.
Their rough eloquence and vehement appeals to the con-
science of their hearers—who aro largely of the lower
orders, whom more polished speakers would fail to move
—are ofttiines highly effective. They are ill paid, but
as a whole contented, and characterized by a laudable
prudence, and notwithstanding their small revenues, are
rarely involved in pecuniary embarrassments. In the
Conference, which is alwaya open, the lay element holds
a proportion of 2 to 1.
EARLY litsitin,—Said the distinguished Lord Chatham
to his son, " I would have inscribed on the curtains of
your bed, and the walls of your chambers, If you do
not rise early you can make progress in nothing. If you
do not set apart your hours of reading, if you suffer
youritlf or any one else to break iu upon them, 'your
days bill slip through your bands unprofitable and fri-
voles, and unvujoyed by yourself.'
STATISTICS OF THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPII—The
total extent of telegraph in England is nearly 4,000
miles, representing an outlay of about 300,0001. The
total amount of wire laid down for the purpose is up-
wards of 4,000,000 yards, and the total number of tele-
graph posts somewhere about 100,000. The staff of
employ is may be taken at upwards of 800 persons.