The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-24 00:00:00

as Mr Glaisher's ballooning. It is difficult to see why
experiments on the Banting system should not be
arranged by the same illustrious society, and their ex-
penses defrayed from the same source. Bantingizing is
surely as dangerous as ballooning; for a thorough-going
Banting exposes his life for the good of his fellow-crea-
tures as bravely as the most intrepid aeronaut. Perhaps
the most serious obstacle is the difficulty of finding a num-
ber of individuals willing to yield themselves up as sub-
jects for the experience of science. There is only one Mr
Glaisher, and there are, probably, not many Bantings. If
Mr Banting had been, indeed, a denizen of Russia in the
days of Peter the Great, or of Prussia in the times of Fre-
derick, there would have been no delay. His system
would have been tried immediately upon the fattest and
most desperate criminals. For a free country the plan
would prove, perhaps, a failure. That the State should
Banting.ze a gaol-bird against his will would be as odious
whose duty
might, indeed,
was
o b e
be possible
to
regulate
to
their
diet for
with living
to all enlightened citizens as flogging in the army is to
those metropolitan members whose seat is contested hotly.
It
precision,
and to take observations of their personal declension with
accurate nicety. But it is to be feared that science would
suffer by enlisting under her sacred banner an army of cold-
blooded mercenaries. They would treat Mr Banting as
Sancho Panza treated Don Quixote in the matter of the
stripes which were to disenchant Dulcinea, and which,
when Don Quixote's back was turned, his squire laid vigor-
ously on to the neighbouring tree. To try Mr Banting's
system thoroughly, enthusiasts and not mercenaries are
1% anted, only that enthusiasts in the cause of abstinence are
not so easily discovered.

THE "SATURDAY REVIEW'S" TRIBUTE TO MISS HELEN
FAUCIT.—T here is something in the present aspect of Drury
Lane Theatre that makes us feel as though we had glided,
to the extent of some 20 years or more, up the stream of
time, and were again witnessing the efforts of Mr Macready
to establish the high poetical drama in one of its ancient
abodes, whence it had been driven by opera, ballet, and
spectacle. The master-spirit is indeed not present ; hut the
managers who now hold his place, though their names do
not sound so loud in the trumpet of fame, adopt the prin-
ciples which he has bequeathed to them, and find their
reward therein. The notion that Drury Lane is not merely
a big edifice, fit for everything save the purpose for which
it was built—that it may still possibly became the capital
of the English theatrical world, especially now that the
link between Covent Garden and the non-lyrical drama
seems to be severed for ever—is again astir, and is regarded
as at least plausible, whereas, if started ten years ago, it
wou:d have been looked upon as the dream of an unprac-
tical enthusiast. And much of the plausibility of this
notion is to be sought in the earnest and consistent
manner in which Messrs. Falconer and Chatterton go to
work. They cannot indeed collect such a company as was
presented by Mr Macready when he opened Drury Lane in
the season of 1841-2, or by Madame Vestris when she
opened Covent Garden shortly afterwards; for death and
old age have deprived us of many established grandees of
the profession who were then in full vigour, while several
have been dispersed in consequence of the modern system
of theatrical free trade, which, whatever may be its advan-
tages in other respects, is certainly adverse to the formation
of strong companies. But even in this direction they have
done their best. Mr Phelps, indubitably the actor of the
highest standing now to be found available for legitimate
purposes, is at the head of their force, and around his name
are grouped a circle of others belonging to trained and
respected owners. Granted the present" condition of the
stage, and required the levy of a tragic troop, we do not
think that the problem could havo been better solved than
it has been by Messrs Falconer and Chatterton. To
their earnest spirit witness is also borne by the manner in
which their pieces are produced, or, as technical writers
say, " put upon the stage." They have recourse to grand
spectacles on occasion, and sometimes awaken the uncom-