The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-14 00:00:00

Meyerbeer's Last Days,

A few lines may suffice to record the little there
is to tell of the last days of the great composer. It
was on Saturday, the 23d April, that he first
became unwell. He sent for his usual doctor, who,
however, found nothing to be alarmed at. On the
Tuesday he was worse, though another physician,
Dr. Rayer, who was then summoned, still noticed
no grave symptoms. During these days he talked
much about his " Africaine," and the question
whether he should preface the opera by an overture
or a simple introduction. At the first visit of Dr.
Rayer, in reply to a remark complimenting him
on his works, he said, " You are too indulgent ; but
I have a number of ideas here," he added, putting
his fingers on his forehead, "and a number of
things that I should like to do." " You will da
them," replied the doctor. "Do you think so ?
Well, so much the better." On Sunday the Ist,
towards mid day, the attack seemed to be giving
way; but this was at the expense of the general
strength of his system. He seems to have sunk
gradually from that time. At eight in the evening
of the same day he "swished a very good night, as
he had done on the preceding evening, to those who
were gathered round his bedside. Among the
number was his wife, his three daughters, and M.
Jules Beer, his nephew. All hope had by that time
disappeared. At 20 minutes to six in the morning
of the 2d of May he passed away. His breathing
and pulse had become quite imperceptible, and only
one sigh marked the actual moment of his depar-
ture—so tranquil was his end. A few hours
afterwards Rossini, arriving from Passy, where he
had heard of the illness of his friend,'. called to ask
how he was. Suddenly hearing the sad news from
the porter, he sat down, says the narrator from
whom we quote, and burst into tears. A paper was
found in Meyerbeer's portfolio marked "To be
opened after my death." In this he gives directions
as to the disposal of his remains. He had been
haunted, it seems, by,a singular dread of being
buried before life was extinct, and the paper
contains provision for guarding against this. The
news of his death fell on Paris like a thunder-clap.
Measures were at once taken for paying the last
honours to his remains in a manner befitting the im-
mense debt that France owes to him. A grand fune-
ral procession accompanied the corpse to the
Northern Railway station. A great crowd of musical
celebrities, poets, and artists were there to say adieu,
in the name of Paris, to their great guest. His own
solemn music was played and sung in funeral pomp,
and more than one eloquentdiscours was pronounced
over the bier. The speakers dwelt much, with par-
donable pride, on the honour done to France and
her metropolis by Meyerbeer having sought there
the means of producing his greatest works. They
dwelt, too, on the modest simplicity of the life
which he had led among them—a simplicity uncor-
rupted by the temptations of vast wealth, fame, and
honours. When these- farewells had been spoken,
the train carried his remains to Berlin. There, on
Monday last, he was laid, as he had wished, by the
side of his mother and two children. His own music
again was his funeral chant.—the Reader.

THE EGYPTIAN HALL.—The following visitors
have, during the past week, inspected the pictures
now on view at the Egyptian Hall : —The Earl of Kenmore,
the Earl of Effingham, the Earl of Erroll, the Earl of
Wicklow, the Countess of Ducie, Viscount Exmouth, Vis-
countess Forbes, Lord Eustaee Cecil, Lord Francis Russell,
Count Wachtmeister, Lady C. Stirling-, Lady Barnard, Lady
Clements, Lady Johnstone, Lady Dutton, Right Hon. Sir
John Trollope, M.P., Hon. Robert Forbes, Hon. Frederick
Byng, Hon. Henry Unwin Addington, Sir H. J. Stracey,
Sir Robert Shafto Adair, Sir Thomas Erskine Perry, Sir
Montague John Cholmeley, Sir Theodore Henry L. Brinek
man, Mrs. Grant Duff, Mr. S. Cave, M.P,, Mr. John J.
Briscoe, M.P., Mr. Henry B. Baring, M,P., Mr. John
Abel Smith, M.P,, the Misses Wynne, Rear-Admiral Stop-
ford, Gen, Hamilton, Gen, Wintle, Gen, Simpson, Lieut.-
Col Hon, A, Egerton, &c.
STEAMSHIP BUILDING ON THE CLYDE.—The
Clyde Shiplailding Company has launched thr
Lennox, a paddle, and a similar vessel to the Leven, the
launch of which was reorted last week, The same company
has launched the Beatrice, intended fox the South Ameri-
can trade, and of the following dimensions:—Length, 190 ft
—breadth, 23ft—depth, lOft 3in. The Beatrice is now being
_ _ _

fi.ted by Messrs, Henderson and Con!bourn, Renfrew, with
engines of 150 horse power. Messrs. A. and J. Inglis, of
Pointhouse, have launched a twin screw of 370 tons, with
friction-geared engines of 50 horse power, named the Platy•
pas, Tho steamer has been launched for the Queensland
Steam Navigation Company, and is the first vessel fitted
with a double screw and driven by friction-gear built on the
Clyde. Messrs. Barclay, Curle, and Co.. of Stobcross, have
launched an iron screw built for the Carron Company for
the Grangemouth and London trade. She is named the
Clutha, and is being fitted with engines of 130 horsepower.
Her dimensions are—Length 190 ft—breadth, 27ft Gin—and
depth, 15ft—and her burden is 700 tons. The Roe, a paddle,
built for Messrs. Burns's new fleet of steamers for the mail
service between Scotland and Ireland, has •' run the lights"
on a trial trip in 511 min ; equal to a speed of 18f miles per
hour. The lowa, a screw of 2,200 tons, built in Waterford
for the General Steam Navigation Company, is now being
engined on the Clyde. The lowa is to ply between Liver-
pool and New York.

MR. PATER'S CASE.—Aooording to the Law
Times of to-day the Queen's Bench has refused the
application of Mr. Pater for a review of the fine for con-
tempt of court imposed upon him by the Assistant-Judge
of the Middlesex Sessions. The refusal was expressly based
upon the ground that the Quarter Sessions is a court of
competent jurisdiction to punish for contempt, and that the
Superior Court will see only that the act amounted to a
contempt, and will noi, review the measure of it. The Lord
Chief Justi ae well put it, contempt may be by manner as
well as by words, and this cou:d not be judged of by a court
of appeal. On the more important question of the limit of
an Advocate's licence there has been no decision. The in-
clination of the court seemed to be rather towards justifying,
or at least excusing, the attack of Mr. Pater upon the
offending juryman, and we cannot-but think, that in this Mr.
Pater did not exceed the limits of his right as counsel, bound
to protect his client from anything that bore the remotest re-
semblance to partiality. It was the manner of doing it
that was the gravamen of complaint against him. From the
earlier reports of the case we had gathered that Mr Pater
had insulted the judge; but it was not admitted that his
attack was upon the juryman alone. This very much
changes the complexion of the case. His offence has been
only that of slight excess of justifiable anger, and this
scarcely demanded such a penalty. It would have been
otherwise had he, as reported, been insolent to the judge.
Nothing can justify that. Under any circumstances of
provocation counsel is bound to submit to the judge and to
treat him, or rather his office, with outward respect. If he
thinks that the judge is not discharging his duties fairly
the advocate should throw up his brief—but he should not
suffer himself to be betrayed into vituperative language.
If in the heat of conflict he should chance to do so, his right
course, as Cockburn, C. J. intimated, is to apologise, and
there can be no shame in tendering an apology to the
Bench for the insult offered to it, whatever may be the
feeling towards the man who sits upon it.
GREAT FIRE AT THIRSK.—One of the most dis-
astrous fires that ever occurred in the North Riding
broke out at Thirsk on Tuesday, by which the premises and
stock, &c., of Mr G. B. Baker, grocer, Mr J. G. Baker,
and Mr J. Baker, father of the former, were completely de-
stroyed. These premises were situated in the market-place,
and collectively formed the most important business concern
in the town. The fire was discovered at 2 o'clock in the
morning by Miss Baker, who slept on the third floor, and
was awoke by a cracking noise beneath her. This lady at
once found that the house was on fire, and aroused her
brother and his family. There was little time for escape,
and in order to get the servants out the room had to be
broken open, and many only just escaped in their night-
dresses when all was one mass of fire. Not a thing of any
descrip.ion could be saved. The town fire-engine and at
smaller one belonging to Mr H. D. Clough, were soon at
work, and a telegram was forwarded to York for assistance.
The fire was thought mastered, and this telegram was oun.
termanded. About 4 o'clock, however, a fresh
outburst
w
procurede
occurred,
thea ndt
wholehe n
rangeit wasoseen
buildingsthat
unless
th
that
s assistanceidethe we r
mar-
ket would go down. The wildest alarm was occasioned,
the inhabitants of the neighbouringiutohotuhseesstsreetetitn: abouther
getting their furniture and goods e
vast masses of furniture were soon thrown together. A
minutes past 4 two of the Yorkshire Insurance Com-
few
pany's engines, with the Fire Brigade, left York by special
• res were in play on the fires
An and in shoat 40 minutes fi,eF.
An explosion was apprehended, but was prevented by the
firemen, who entered the cellars, and got cut the oils, &c.
The Royal Oak Hotel wee undoubtedly saved by the fire-
nmieguhta.ndOtnhetheionrieurntlaitseideei,rcuthme'hu
i acaese of a perfectly still
of ; Messrs. Pinkey
and Yates got on fire, but was put out without much
damage, except from water. Messrs. Ovington have aiso
suffered in a similar way. The destruction of property and
stock is variously estimated at from £B,OOO to £lO,OOO, and
is only partially insured in the Imperial-ollice. The fire
was not finally subdued till night, when the street was
literally blocked up with furniture hastily thrown out of the
neighbouring houses. The Thirsk Natural History Society's
fine library is totally destroyed. The origin of the fire is
unknown.