The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-16 00:00:00

TI-IE SUN, LOI\DON, THURSDAY EITILNING, JUNE 16, 1864.

portance of the question, that there seems every
reason to hope these propositions will soon become
the law of the land. Lord JOHN MANNERS ex-

pressed a hope that " before many weeks were over
they would see this measure unmutilated receive
the royal assent." That such may be the case all

right-minded individuals will concur in hoping, for
it i 3 an undisputable fact that it does not do to trust

these important matters to the good sense, the good
faith, and the good feeling of employers or the
friends of the young employed. The law must be
the universal referee, and there must be a distinct

and decisive regulation laid down from which there
is no appeal. It is certain that all these changes
will give rise to opposition at first, prejudices will

arise, and pertiality be displayed, but there cannel

be a better cause for which the reformer may brave
the difficulties of improvement than this, which

seeks protection for those who cannot protec

lemselvee,

Mr, Holman Runt's Pictures,

There is now on exhibition at the new gallery,
6, Hanover-street, Regent•street, three pictures by
Mr Holman Hunt, of the greatest merit. The first
and most important is "The After Glow in Egypt,"
which represents an Egyptian girl standing is the
after-glow of evening on the banks of the Nile.
The girl, a native of Ghizeh, near the Pyramids,
has been gleaning in the rich fields of bearded
Egyptian wheat, and now approaches us bearing on
her head a sheaf bound with straw and entwined
with poppies. Even the graceful, gliding mo
tion of this child of the desert is not gentle
enough to hinder the shedding of the ripe
grain, and therefore she is attended by a flock
of Barbary pigeons, one of which has alighted,
half hovering on the wing,
half clinging to the
sheaf, looking eagerly amongst the corn in search
of grain. In this painting Mr. Hunt has wonder-
fully depicted the glories of an Oriental atmos-
phere, and the manner in which the figure of the
girl is dealt out is worthy the highest praise. The
flesh tints have about them all the native warmth,
and there is a brilliancy in the eyes that make them
positively life-like. The pietureeque costume of
the girl falls moat gracefully, and the masterly
manner in which the artist has treated this portion
of the painting, whether in respect to colour or
form, will not escape notice. "London-bridge on
the night of the marriage of the Pr ince and
Princess of \Vales" is a painting of a totally different
description; but the same wonderful management
of atmospheric effect is here exhibited. Tee appear-
tines of the bridge on the memorable occasion is
vividly portrayed, and the intense blue of the firma-
ment gives space and profound solemnity
to the sky,
which deepens as the eye looks into it. Through
the arches of the bridge runs the dark river, only
to be silvered and become iridescent us it glides
into the moonlight, and the high riding masses of
clouds meet on the horizon, so far as the firery vieta
of lamps enable us to see into the glowing and
dim-coloured atmosphere of the distant end of the
bridge. The fire-bearing tripods, waiving banners
of Denmark, the crush, confusion, and excitemen
of the crowd, altogether produces one of the most
vivid pictures ever placed on canvass. "The Last Day
in the Old Home," illustrating the ruin of a noble
property by the spendthrift heir, who has brought,
about the sale of the old home by auction from his
love of gaming. The
two companions, with the greatest care, and
painting is finished, like its
although it illustrates a most lamentable event, it
will be treasured by its possessor as a work of rare
merit and of the highest art.

M. BENEDICT'S MORNING CONCERT.—The pro-
gramme is now fully completed, and the concert
announced by M. Benedict for the 20th instant will be
one of the most extraordinary ever presented to a music
loving public. It is quite impossible to quote even the names
of the artists anxious to testify their appreciation
of the abilities of N. Benedict by appearing
at his benefit, we therefore refer our readers to the
programme itself, which, we have no doubt, astonished
and delighted them. It would be absolutely absurd to do
more than mention the bare fact that N. Benedict's con-
cert takes place next Monday morning at the St. Jathes's
Hall. The result of such au announcement will most
surely be a crowded, fashionable, and delighted audience.
HOME FOR ROMAN CATHOLIC FEMALE CONVICTS,

—An association has recently been formed for the
purpose of establishing a home for female convicts of the
Roman Catholic religion, to afford them a shelter on leaving
prison, to subject them to moral and religious training in
the tenets of their own religion, and eventually to enable
them to start in a new and honest career in cur colonial
dependencies. A concert on behalf of this highly praiso•
worthy object is to take place at the Hanover-Equare Booms,
under the patronage of the Duchess d'Aumale and the leading
members of the Roman Catholic nobility. The musical
treat provided for the occasion is worthy of the object and
of the patrons,

nations in trade and commerce we are sapping our
foundations, and poisoning the root of our strength
by cutting off future supplies. A diseased and de-
crepid generation of labourers will militate against
any eminence that we may hope to reach, and mar
the effect of any effort male by posterity to carry
on successfully the arduous endeavours of the pre-
sent community. Besides, the wrong thus perpe-
trated is positively frightful to contemplate.
Nothing can excuse or justify the fact that young
children of a tender age are put to trades which
indict vital injuries on their unformed constitutions
and wither their undeveloped strength. The
provisions of this Bill seem to be very
admirable, and to have taken under notice
many matters that will materially affect the
welfare and comfort of these distressed operatives.
Between seventeen and eighteen thousand children
are employed in dangerous trades, such as lucifer
match making, manufacture of percussion caps, &c.,
and rules have been given for the proper cleansing
of the places where they work. The children are
not to take their meals in the place of manufacture,
and no child under eleven years of age is to be em-
ployed in any trade above mentioned. This is a
very excellent arrangement, and will prevent much
suffering to thoae of tender years. Some parents
are so heartless that they sacrifice everything to
money, and are glad to get their children out of
the way. Besides, there are thousands of these
little ones who are without a proper guardian, and
for these it is right and fitting that the law should
provide some protection. ln the potteries, many
children work for thirteen and fourteen hours a
day. In one portion of the work, the " dippers"
seldom remained many years without paralysis
supervening. It is greatly to the credit of those
concerned that they have sent a memorial to the
Government, signed by the manufacturers at the
potteries, which prays for the adoption of this
bill. In the lucifer trade, children are often em-
ployed from six in the morning until ten.at Light.
This bill will prove of great service to these
children in many ways. It limits their hours,
secures ventilation, and obviates the necessity
of their taking their meala in the factory.
The paper•staining trade is not injurious
in itself, but the poor little workers were
kept so many hours at their labour that
they sometimes " fell from sheer exhaustion,
while all their limbs became sore from long stand-
ing at the machinery." Such pictures are frightful
to contemplate, and the critic, the cynic, and the
caviller may well smile at the zeal which sends mis-
sions to the uttermost ends of the earth, and under-
takes to remedy so many evils abroad, while the
children of England, the sons of the soil, are
crushed and trampled upon like this. It is greatly
to be rejoiced at that so efficient and comprehensive
a system should have been organised, and the
labours of the Commission appointed to inquire into
this complicated case seem to have been crowned
with success. It will be a source of unmitigated
satisfaction to every one who appreciates the im