The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-23 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS,

otbfaoirfetorostinfmestaen;
TIMES.—Among the multifarious duties of an
English Statesman, none are generally discharged
with a worse grace than those which he undertakes
when he endeavours to speak on the pursuits and
avocation of his constituents. Unmeaning compli-
ments on their superior knowledge, trite and trivial
remarks, lame attempts at dragging in politics at
the very moment that he disclaims them, are the
ordinary staple of this kind of rhetoric. As parties
become more evenly balanced, and the interest of
the mere politics of faction diminishes, the number
of annual meetings from which political subjects
are excluded increases. We have, in this country,
I pretty well settled all questions relating to governs
ment, at least for the present, and matters non-
, political are taking the foremost place in the minds
of the people. The privilege which Englishmen
enjoy almost alone among the nations of Europe—
the assembling in pub,ie meeting to discuss pub k.
affairs—is almost falling into disuse for w,trit of
subjects on which to diffor, and the extra-Pdrlia
mentary speaking of the day turns more and more
upon questions of science and experience, es applied
to those arts by which human life is supported and
rendered tolerable. Observing this tendency, Mr,
Disraeli, no careless spectator of the progress of
events or the spirit of the times, has turned his
attention to agriculture, and delivered a speech at
the annual meeting of the Royal and Central Bucks
Agricultural Association which, in tone and mac'
mdhmi
nbai eetni inedrpstsotai
at:oio ncawnt
lootoesuodtna
hnfesu
tett
tpbywi
aoonamasn
matter
me
RoyaltoPamouvti
ner, may serve as a precedent for similar exercita-
mui
ill Pt
at io
manu-
facturing ut 1..
ante. He has been for thirty years a constant
Association. He claims for such associationsa;
pri-
ority
skill and industry which have attracted
to themselves so much larger a share of public
atten-
tion. He thinks any means by which th great body
of the increasing population of this country can be
brought together must be for the public i
tor have
ieonaAanian
sges
He is favourable to associations')ic advantage,
paetbe
ei
hi
reßenrrstclhsocoeenkef hearty,
simeeidxvsgeheßuckingham
consideration
addressingtgreater
and Bi 0 ,ip 1e f a s
philosophical, to
associations archeological, to excursion trains, and
to harvest homes, A touch of
Young England seems
to have come over him, and his tendencies seem to
carry him a good way in the same. direction. as one
_
of Mr. Kingsley's heroes. H
fellowship and kind feeling etoisaelsrlumbeenranant
dintgo
all
things—he aspires to replace the sulky England of
his boyhood to the merry England
of times gone
by. It is impossible, •
he thinks, for people to learn
too much. There is nothing narrow or exclusive in
his philanthropy—knowledge. enjoyment, and
liberty are the patrimony of all, and all have an
equal right to enjoy it. Coming to particulars, Mr.
Disraeli congratulates his audience on what was at
one time rather a ticklish subject—a good harvest.
The wheat is excellent, and if the causes which
give the wheat so excellent a grain have a little in-
terfered with the root crops—if we cannot this year
produce those colossal globes that win prizes at
agricultural meetings, we shall still have a juicy
and succulent root. and one which will be a great
favourite with stock. The main advantage of a good
harvest is that it saves us from exporting twenty
millions of gold to buy grain—that is, it prevents
temporary derangement in the distribution of the
precious metals. We venture to think that this view
hardly doss justice to the real merits of the case.
The disadvantage of a bad harvest is that it is an I
enormous waste of capital. The harvest of the year I
ought to replace the capital employed in producing
it, with a reasonable profit for the time which it has
lain unproductive. A good harvest does replace this
capital, and a bad one does not ; a good harvest im-
plies
an increase, and a bad one a decrease in the
capital of the agriculturist,things far more important
to the welfare of the country than the importations
or exportations of the precious metals. Passing from
the harvest, Mr Disraeli comments on the low in-
terest which is yielded by investments in land, but
points out, what is most unquestionably true, that
this low interest is in some degree compensated by
the steady rise in the value of land itself—a value
independent in a great measure of the rate of inte-
rest yielded. Having consoled the landowner, Mr
Disraeli had his crumb of comfort to offer to the far-
mer. His occupation has its drawbacks, but his is
no fancy business. There is always a demand for
his wares ; beef and mutton, bread and cheese, never
go out of fashion. If man was born to labour, he
was also born to eat, and there is as little chance of
his giving up one practice as the other. Mr Dis-
raeli passes to what ho conceives to a peculiar weak-
ness of the Buckiughamshire farmer. The wool he
grows is too short. He proposes himself to cross his
flock with the Cotswold sheep, and if it is urged
that by doing so he will risk a loss from the pro-
bable fall in the price of wool, this omniscient mem-
ber has considered that point also, and sees no rea-
son to think that wool will fall at all. In the first
place, be thinks wool has risen from other causes
than the stoppage of the cotton crop of America, and
secondly, he has no confidence in the restoration of
peace. All that is said on that subject he views as so
much electioneering talk, and inclines to think that
the war has yet a long time to run ; therefore he con•
eludes that long wool will pay, and goes in for it
accordingly. We do not think Cincinnatus himself or
Cato the Elder could have more happily blended
things political with things agricultural. The last
topic of this speech is incomparably the most impor..
taut. Emboldened probably by his long services and
personal popularity, Mr Disraeli ventures to call
the attention of the Buckinghamshire landlords to
rrohircifeec
gene-
rallye audienceived

British Association for the Advancement

of Science.

Balm, Thursday Morning.
Last evening a grand banquet was given in the
Guildhall
by Mr Tite, M.P., to the British Association to celebrate
their very successful meeting in the city of Bath.
Covers were laid for 220, and the entertainment was alto-
gether et the most sumptuous character. Mr Tito presided,
having on his right the Mayor of Bath, Sir C. Style, Ad-
miral Sir E. Belcher, the Archdeacon of Bath, Rev. C.
Kemble (rector of Bath), Prefaser Phillips, Mr W. 11. G.
Langton, M.P., Mr W. Sanders, Mr Commissioner Hill,
Mr Caillard, and the Recorder of Bath—and on the left the
Earl of Cork, Viscount Milton, Sir Roderick Murchison,
Sir Henry Bayley, Sir A. Waugh, Colonel Pinney, M.P.,
Mr J. F. Dickinson, Sir J. Biwring, Sir R. Schomburk,
Dr. Livingstone, and Captain Barton. Among the gentle•
men at the other tables were many of the most distin-
guished members of the Association.
After the cloth had been removed,
The CHAIRMAN said he had asked them to come together
to celebrate the happy termination of one of the most suc-
cessful meetings of the British Association that had ever
been held, (Cheers.) He had asked the mayor and corpo-
ration, with many belonging to the liberal professions in the
city, and he had invited the British Association to appear
by such of their eminent members as were still among them,
He regretted, however, the absence of many who had been
obliged to leave the city. (Cheers.) His object was not
that there should be any great amount of speech-making,
The people of Bath had probably been satiated with the
talent and eloquence they had heard during the last week.
(A laugh.) He thought a more social entertainment might
be more acceptable. (Hear.) His own speeches certainly
would be very short, but he proposed to introduce some
music, which he hoped would contribute to what was
essentially an English feeling, the comfortable enjoyment
of the evening. (Cheers.) With this exordium he begged
to propose that toast which commended itself to the affec-
tions, good feeling, and loyalty of all Englishmen, and all
foreigners too among theta—" Our excellent and gracious
Queen, the best of Queens and tho best of Mothers."
The toast was drunk with all the honours.
The next toast was "The Health of his Royal Highness
the Prince and her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales
and the rest of the Royal Family,- which was drunk with
enthusiasm.
" The Army, the Navy, and the Volunteers" was the
next drunk, and acknowledged by Sir A. Waugh, Sir E.
Belcher, and Major Porde.
The CHAIRMAN next gave "The Health of the Earl of
Cork and Orrery, Lord Lieutenant of the county of Somer.
set," They had to thank him on this occasion for the kind.
est urbanity and the most graceful hospitality.
The Earl of Coax, in acknowledging the compliment,
said he had great pleasure in attending there the other
evening at the very handsome entertainment of the worthy
Mayor, but he had still greater pleasure in attending to.
night, because he saw in the chair not only a worthy mem-
ber of the British Association, but what in this country was
considered its gloriand boast—a really representative man.
(Cheers.) It was often asked by foreigners how it was that
our glorious Constitution was carried on so ae to work so
well. His answer was to point to such a man as his hon.
friend in the chair. (Cheers.) Let a man's original posi-
tion be what it might, if he had the ability and obtained the
respect of his fellow men, there was no position he had not
the power of attaining in this great and noble country. As
Lord Lieutenant of the county he was only doing his duty
in being present on that occasion. He was proud of the
meeting of the British Association which had been held in
Baths. (Cheers.) He heard on all hands it had been most
successful.
The CHAIRMAN next gave "The Health of the Clergy,"
which was acknowledged by the Archdeacon of Bath and
the Rev Mr Dyer.
The next toast was "'The Members of the House of Co
mons," coupled with the names of Col Pinney and Mr Gore
Langton.
Col Pinney and Mr Gore Langton returned thanks.
(New song, "The Man for me.")
The CHAIRMAN next proposed the toast ut the evening,
" The British Association." (Cheers.) Ile had joined the
Association 32 years ago, when the second annual meeting
was held at Oxford. To the wonderful discoveries in geo-
logy and the personal exertions of such men as Dean Buck-
land and Prof. Sedgewick it greatly owed success, which had
now exceeded all expec:ations ; and its usefulness was pro-
portionate. It had this year voted upwards of ,L 2,000 for
various scientific purposes. When he proposed that the As-
sociation should meet at Bath he ventured to anticipate a
most successful meeting, and so he was happy to knows. it
had turned it. lie regretted that the health of thhemP
to b
Pre-
sent, Sir Charles Lyell, was too infirtn to. alltoo thR. ey
Bw
i tise
present, but he begged to give " Prosperitiyr
&d s
Murchison.
se
ation," coupled with the name of
The toast was drunk with all the honours.
Sir R. Muncnrsoer returned thanks. In the long period
of 33 years they never had a more successful meeting than
that in the city of Bath. (Cheers.) They had assembled to
the number of 2,830, very nearly approximating that of
Newcastle. lie had occupied all the posts in the British
he was, therefore, a competent judge of their
Association ;
meetings, and he coal assure them that at uo meeting had