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

LATEST DRAMATIC INTELLIGENCE!

An ingenious critic in the Daily IVews 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. Lovol say to this? It reminds us el
a dramatic reviewer in another of our morning confetn•
poraries, who, souse months back, commended the talent
displayed in one of the old plays" reproduced at
Sadists' 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 Shaltspeare! 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 he comforted,
until Mr Calciaft appeared before the footlightso and
took courego to inform them that the dramatist had heel,
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. Sophoeles.

DEATH OF A METHODISTIC CELEBRITY,—Last welt
M. Ilugh Bourne died, in S:alTurdshire, at the advanced
age of 81. He was the founder of that large and in-
creasingly useful branch of the Methejistic bo ly, known
as the " Primitive Methodists." This body originates
only some thirty-three years back, Mr. Bourne and some
few others being expelled, or having withdrawn, from
the " Wesleyeiny," on account of their not being per-
mitted to held what are 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 llugh
Bourne was the " leader ;" but now they have 600
rekular travelling preachers, about 10,000 lay preachers;
5,255 chapels, aid 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, iu a literary point of view, though
possessing an extensive acquaintance with the Set iptures.
Their rough eloquence and vehement appeals to the con-
science of their heaters—who aro largely of the lower
orders, whom more polished speakers would fail to move
—are oftlimes highly e&ctive. They are ill paid, but
as a whole contented, and characterized by a laudable
prudence, arid notwithstanding their small revenues, are
rarely involved in pecuniary embarrassments. In the
Conference, which is always open, the lay element holds
a proportion of 2 to 1.
EALLY RISING.—Spits 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
yourself or any one else to break in upon them, your
days will slip through your hands unprofitable and fri-
volus, and unenjoyed by yourself."
STATISTICS 01' THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPIL—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
emplo,l6s niaT taco at upwards of 800 parsons.