The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-25 00:00:00

ST, JADIEs,s BALL,

Last evening an amateur performance was given, under
the most distinguished patronage, at the St. James's Hall,
in aid of the funds of the Immaculate Conception Charity
Schools, the object of which is to provide for and educate
necessitous children. The attendance was brilliant and
fashionable; and the success achieved by the experiment
of attempting, by a novel method, the increase of the funds
of a charity other than by the perpetual " public dinner,"
will no doubt find favour with those engaged in similar
laudable and praiseworthy objects. The festival was under
the especial patronage of his Eminence Cardinal Wiseman,
who attended from the commencement of the proceedings
in order to receive the report of the society. From a state-
ment read it appeared that upwards of 800 children had
been either aided or supported by the society, the announce-
ment of which was received with loud approbation. Cardinal
Wemer af
onr havingm an
ees
commenced briefly
addressed the assembly, and urged
upon all present the necessity of maintaining their labours,
the
with a little drama entitled
Extracting a Secret," written, we believe, by his emi-
nence about thirty years ago, for the English college at
Rome. The piece has the advantage of good dialogue,
telling situations, and a knowledge of theatrical construc-
tion, all of which, combined with the excellent manner in
which it was performed, rendered it one of the great suc-
cesses of the evening. The next performance was ori-
ginal operetta, " A Student's Frolic," which gave universal
ispsatisfaction. There aro a number of very pretty airs, all of
which were sung with great taste by the amateurs—the
ladies, Miss Sullivan, Miss Jenkins, and Miss Ryan, as
usual securing the highest honours. Mr. Frank Massey
and Mr.
George Stapleton deserve high commendation—
' indeed, the whole operetta
to
perettaeT
was very
evyneincienlyg,sgeivhetner,taainud.
ment conclude
therefore all are:ntitwith
the pracapital faros of " Little Toddle-
'
kins," which evoke
d the heartiest merriment of the aristo-
cratic assemblage.

ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—The annual meeting
but he could not let the teport be
at tnhremarks on their present posi-
d h
of the fellows of the Ethnological Society was held
their rooms, 4, S. t. Martin's-place, Charing.
yesterday at
cross—Mr. John Lubbock in the chair. The chairman
om of the society to give an address
said it was not the cust
were progressing very satisfactorily, and
several very valuable papers had been contributed to the
society. That by the president was a very important one,
rt
ie oa . ewi ri
Theyt annualoutra a n ak ei
ne t i
g some 3
as were also those respecting the native tribes of the in-
terior of Africa, which had been visited by Speke and Grant.
Everything looked well for the fu.ture ; their members were
increasing, and their funds were in
.a prosperous condition.
The report stated that the prosperity of the Ethnological
ensured
by the value of the papers it
Society, whether ra
had received, the animation of its discussions, or by the
accession of new fellows, was decidedly on the increase.
They had elected 30 fellows since the last anniversary. 'qr.
E. ffeiriesd ;o oull
member,
The third
of the new
i seri▪
es of the transactions of
j e ilf C:l3Yl°"' bad been a corresponding
the Ethnological Society was
n the printer's hands, and
its publication would be hastened. Those publications had
been bought by the public to a considerable extent. The
library had received valuable additi▪
ons, including the trans-
actions of cognate societies at home and abroad. The diffi-
culty of finding space for
.the proper display of of of
ethnological interests ad hitherto prevented the council from
giving sufficient deelopmentto their museum, but they
thankfully acknowledged considerable. accessions to their
small but interesting colle,ctlon. during the past year. The
report was adopted. blr } . Hindrnarsh, the hon, treasurer,
read the cash statement, which showed that the net re-
ceipts, including a balance in hand of £212 3s 2d, amounted
to £522 6s. The expenses had been £306 5s 6d, leaving
a balance of £216 Os 6cl still in hand, A vote of thanks
was passed to the officers of th society for their services
during the past year. Some alterations were made in the
rules of the society, The officers and council for the en-
ct
ted; thanedchthaierman.
proceedings terminated
swuiitnkgayevotear of werethankse el