The Sun.
London, England, 1852-06-21 00:00:00

Now, we are ready to acknowledge at once that the
persons who waited last week upon the Earl of
DERBY were actuated by the highest and purest
motives imaginable. We regard them ea men con-
scientiously desirous, not only of doing what was
right themselves in this matter, but of inducing
others, and, if necessary, of compelling others,
to emulate their example in acting obediently to one
of the holiest commandments. Headed by the vene-
rable ecclesiastic entrusted with the government of
the English hierarchy ..it would be almost impossible,
as it would be most assuredly 'indecorous, to doubt
for a single instant that the deputation was influenced
by the most benign and elevated considerations. As
a further testimony-4f any such had been required—
there was conspicuous, amongst the number of
those attendant on Saturday afternoon upon the
Archbishop of CANTERBURY, one of the most
benevolent noblemen in the ranks of our
aristocracy, one of the most energetic philan-
thropists of our time, one of these men who have
conferred the largest benefactions upon the humblest
classes of the community—it is esimost unnecessary
to say, that we allude to no other than the great-
hearted and noble-minded Earl of SHAFTESBURY. Of
the sincerity of the feelings which induced the depu-
tation to wait upon the PRIME MINISTER upon the
subject already specified, we repeat that we are, to
the fullest extent imaginable, se tisfied. That sin-
cerity we respect—for that conscientious solici-
tude we entertain sentiments evE n, to some extent,
of reverence. But—we regard th a entire proceedings
as a mistake—originating, doubtless, in the highest
source, but still a mistake, and a mistake, too, which
if acted upon more widely woad be absolutely cer-
tain to be productive of the most pernicious conse-
quences. We would here argue the matter with all
respect, but at the same time with all conceivable
earnestness. It is feared by the Archbishop sf
CANTERBURY and his companions in the deputation,
that the opening of the Crystal.Phlace on Sundays, at
Sydenham, would lead to some' scandalous desecra-
tion of what they are pleased to cell, and what we will
censider to be, for the sake of argument, the
Sabbath. Were the proposed building to be con-
verted into an establishment in a c y way resembling a
casino or a ball-room we could cone prebend the reason-
ableness of such an anticipation. But how the inno-
cent relaxation of wandering over grass-plots, cr
among flower-beds and shrubberies and fountains,
can bit reseeded by any sane maa as a desecration of
the Sunday, we cannot, for the of us, conjecture.
Even supposing such to be reaility, the deputation
should at any rate be consistent in its interposition.
It should not visit the whole penalty of a
compliance with their crotchet upon the
Crystal Palace alone. It should urge upon the
Cabinet the necessity of closing the gates of Hampton
Court and similar placss of " plessaunce" on all

Sundays—for there is going or, week after week
every seventh day the same drea led system of dese-
cration ! But it may be urged by the sympathisers

with the deputation, in reference to the Crystal
Palace, that money would be received for admission.
Again we maintain that the suggestion of a

Government interference in the matter should

at any rate be consistent in its character.
If the people are to be prevented from pay-
ing on all Sundays for tree innocent grati-
fication of sauntering through a garden, or for
the purely intellectual gratification of passing through
a collection of the products of a rt, science, and in-

dustry, they should likewise be prohibited from going

on the same days upon somewhat more noisy and
roystering excursions. They should be prohi-
bited to flock by steamboat or by railways into
the various suburbs surrounding the metropolis.
The taverns should be closed against their ad-
mittance. They should suffer penalty for every
TfiltPobeafere no. alt liquor, and be mulcted for every whiff
If the Government are to interfere in
anyconsiw,ay whatsoever, at least let their interposition be
Sabbatari,inns
a`ent• The truth is, the whole scheme of the
originates—as we have again and again
inaised-_
calculated to mistake; and in a mistake, more-
over,
i simultaneously its its
eon'senu to prove grievously prejudicial
Crystal Palaceq eil c"' Rather than see the
British closed on Sundays, we would
see the
Museum and the Na-
tional Gallery
opened. For, if the
by roaming of the opportunity of
labouring classes are
recreating themselves
inspecting models of Ymala,lning among flowers, or
statues or pictures, they
masterpieces of art, such as machine or looking upon
relief to the tap-
room. fly for
Afford them the satisfaction
will naturally ut rhael 1
tye aa-ngda rd a inevitablyn
of viewing the beauties of
Nature, and they will re-
sort less frequently to the consolations
ons of the Bottle.

Courts Extension Bill
tohtlentcyonaderation of the Hou;e
Noble and
will'l _this
broughteveni utuhdeerG
of Lords, and its prospects of ;
Passalg during the
opposition °a the l3 e"
sent; session will materially depend
degree of
Learned Lords whose opinions on legal
which it may experienc? from
matters will
naturally be received with respect and deference by
their brother Peers. We trust that a measure of such
vital importance, in which the great body of
the
people are so deeply interested, DAY not be unduly
delayed or rejected through the over-sensitive
scruples respecting the etiquette of the profession
of which the/ had individually been amongst the

The Sabbatarians are again at work, and this time
the object of their pious solicitude is the unfortunate
Crystal Palace,
about to be removed from Hyde-
park to Sydeaham. A deputation waited upon the
PRIME MINISTER, at his official residence in Downing-
street, as recently as Saturday afternoon, for the
' purpose of urging upon her MAJESTY'S Government
the expediency of adopting precautionary measures so
as to preclude the possibility of either the Crystal
Palace or the adjacent pleasure-grounds being opened
to the public on Sundays. At the head of this
deputation was no less important a personage
than the Primate 0f,.a1l England, his Grace the Arch-
bishop of CANTERBURY. Among the other distin-
guished personages who thus warned the Earl of
DERBY against the possibility of permitting such a
very frightful desecration of the seventh day (mean-
ing the first), a day these scrupulous religionists are
in the habit of calling the Sabbath (meaning Sunday
instead of Saturday), were the Lord Bishop cf
LONDON and the Lord Bishop of WINCHESTER.
Together with the Archbishop and his suffragans
were associated, moreover, the Earl of SHATTESBUnY,
the Earl of LIARROWBY, and ten or eleven other
equally sincere and conscientious gentlemen. It is
worthy of remark that the deputation was not
merely favourably received by the First Lord of
the Treasury, but it obtained from his Lordship an
explicit admission that the object held in view was
one of such large importance that it should command
his best consideration, in the event of the course
about to be pursued by the Crystal Palace Company
requiring the interposition of the Government. So
that there is every reasonable probability that the
Crystal Palace will not be opened to the public on
Sundays. Either the company will accept this timely
intimation, and refrain from attempting any proceed-
ing likely to scandalise the Sabbatarians, or the
Cabinet, acting upon the advice of Saturday's deputa-
tion, will interfere so as to prevent this effort to
afford the Londoners the opportunity of a little inno
cent recreation.