The Sun.
London, England, 1852-06-29 00:00:00

HATS.

The Cork Examiner, in one of its excellent notices
of the National Exhibition now open in the chief city
of Munster, thus justly;reprobates the villanous fashion
of the modern male head-dress :

" We mach wish the many makers of hats metropoli-
tan and provincial, who so well occupy a large space
in this transept, would produce something amongst
them which might rid us of the peculiarly stiff, un-
comfortable, and ungraceful style of head - piece
which custom compels us at present to en-
dure. Unanimous es the public are and have
long been in their complaints and evens groans at our
present hat, which by a rare and happy combination,
unites almost the extremes of weight, ungainliness, and
fragility, it still seems likely to live. Once it was
fondly hopsd that the Great Exhibition might have re-
corded its doom, but on the contrary it seemed to
have rather given it a new charter and muniment
of existence.: Truly when burning June (only
luckily in that respect the present mouth does
not happen to be of the " melting mood") waves it red
flag' one feels almost inclined' to follow the example of
Byron's Bardanapalus, who casts his helmet away alto-
gether, and rushes forth bareheaded rather than have
his brow encumbered with its ponderous shapelessness.
Certainly the exhibitor who shall contrive some fitting
substitute would well deserve of his country the appro-
priate tribute of a laurel crown."

DEATH OF HOWARD PAYNE.—John Howard
Payne, the noted American actor and dramatist, died lately
at the Consulate at Tunis, in his 60th year. He was born
at New York, in'l792. From childhood he was a prodigy
even in that region of precocious intellect. In his 13th year
he was a writer for the press, and editor of the Thespian
Mirror. At 16, the youthful Roscius appeared as Young Nor-
val, in Douglas, at the Park Theatre, New. York. At Boston,
he appeared, among other characters, in those of Hastings,
Rolla, Edgar, and Hamlet. In 1812 he came to England,
and made his debut: at Drury-lane, in his 21st year. • West,
the painter, was a kind patron in those days. In 1826 he
edited a London dramatic paper called The Opera Glass.
A great number of dramas were prepared by him when on
the London stage, chiefly adaptations from the French.
Charles Kemble appeared in some of these, as in Charles 11.
The now cosmopolitan air of " Home, Sweet Home," first
bppeared in Howard Payne's Clari, the Maid of Milan. In
the latter years of his life he occupied the post of Consul of
the United States at Tunis.

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS! BENEVOLENT
INSTITU-
TIO.T. The usual half-yearly general meeting of the gover-
nors and subscribers to this charity, founded for the purpose
of granting annuities to aged and decayed members of the
above community, which was advertised to take place on
Saturday, at the City of London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street,
was adjourned, there not being sufficient members present at
the hour appointed to form a quorum. The report to have
been submitted to the meeting stated that the receipts
for the half-year had amounted to 1181. IBs. 6d., making
the total amount received from the commencement of the
institution to the present time, 951/. bs. The disbursements
during the same period had been 316/. 15s. Bd., leaving a
balance iu the hands of the bankers of 6541.95. 4d. The re-
port, after noticing the establishment of a new branch _at
"Bristol, concluded by urging the necessity of active and per-
severing efforts being made, it being the intention of the
committee to have an election at Christmas next. The meet- I
fag was then adjourned for a week.