The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-19 00:00:00

THE PROPOSED CONGRESS,

------
No one who has looked with attention at the t, 111
ofpublic opinion among the French can have Me, '
to observe a certain degree of lurking discontent
with the foreign policy of the Government. Like
our own it has failed in conciliating all parties. It
Eihwnamisswhpihenir to
libertiescco of
incurred
srrred great expense, and is even now me-
naced
across the Atlantic; and with the people of
France, the artisans, the labourers, the lower classes,
the war in Mexico is unpopular to the last degree.
ofl thappens also that throughout France generally,
there is, it not a sympathy, at least a reluctance to
quarrel wiih the Northern States: They have no
ehfie he
a the
dwsst.
„ohce South.aiolmndtdshgeLlilisaad In
ndifficulty
lgladly
theFayettetb e i
pspoint,
sustainedesronnc
iseio ntcteegno therefore,
ryiaan
vdtg haif
afteoecvra
by
uot ti
voice
atcy
another the ,
Europe. .it
of still greater importance.
Europe is well aware that in the matter of Poland
France has been restrained by the moderation of the
Emperor, and that too in the face of a diplomatic
defeat. Now, if by
would obtain what it
pmd
eeersaoi nrr
es,B who, o
the
h :0
wr
iChgoei nnl
ega
credittr
ee
ds s
it. F
wr
Sus-
tainedea nu cl
dem
ainthweirtehbtyhethEe
consentient voice of Europe,Rus-
rseiamwould hardly venture to confront him in her pre-
p that Hungary
if
all
terected into an
io, all
independent
tepeanttdietnudt es.tatPlae,owenud, would
at events gainaeother
hand,
consti-
tutionßussiaofeehmerewowhant, and
the weaomneld Occupy with
ollce s regard
sns to
these
occupies with regard to Austria. If, on th
Russiast
o.tes shouldw hieh refuseh a d
acted
ett oe
d make c
with
France in the
important solemnities of a Congress would be
pledged to follow her in an almost inevitable war;
and is it to be believed that France would en gagein
a continental war without endeavouring to secure
material advantages ? Can we think of such a war
as anything else but the most terrible of disasters P
Reflecting for an instant on the state of affairs in
the Western Hemisphere, is it not clear that it would
be suicidal in the last degree to waste our strength
here when it may be so soon called for there ? It
comes to this, then. This Congress, so far as Poland
is concerned, will either extort compliances from
Russia, of which France, or perhaps the Emperor,
would reap all the glory, or it will lead to a war
which France will have the honour of leading, and
from which she is sure to gain either in territory or
prestige. It may be said that there are minor ques-
tions of very grave importance, but that is an
assertion which we are ready to dispute. For our
own part, we can see nothing in any quarter of the
globe which calls for a step of such magnitude ; a
step, moreover, of which no one can foretel the
issue. We see no sign that such emphatic inter-
' vention is demanded.—Social Science _Review.

SOCIETY OF ARTS,

The one hundred and tenth session of this society
commenced last evening at the society's house, John-
street, Adelphi, and was numerously attended.
Since the last meeting of the institution the hall in
which the meetings are held has been remodelled,
and by the addition of the ante-room has been much
enlarged, thus materially increasing the accommo-
dation required by the members generally. Amongst
those present we noticed Vice-Chancellor Page
Wood, Sir Thomas Phillips, Mr. Harry Chester,
Mr. John Dellion, Mr. H. Cole, &c.
W. HAWES, Esq., the Chairman of the Council,
presided on the occasion.
Mr. LE NEvE FcSTER, the secretary, read the
minutes of the last meeting of the society, which
were confirmed.
The CHAIRMAN then delivered, in accordance with
the usual custom, the opening address of the session.
He commenced by expressing his regret that he had
to follow so able a chairman as his friend Sir Thos.
Phillips, and after adverting to the alteration and
improvement of the hall in which the society were
held, he adverted to the losses which the society
had recently sustained by death, alluding especially
to the late president, Mr. William Tooke, Mr.
Alderman Cuhitt, Mr. Joshua Field, Mr. Joseph
Glynn, and Mr. Mulready. Mr. 'William Tcoke
had, he remarked, filled every office of the society,
and even when he was not able to take an active
part in its affairs, he always evinced a great anxiety
for the welfare of the institution. In speaking of
the policy which the council proposed to follow
during the ensuing session, the chairman referred
to the action of the society in the cause of education.
That some system for encouraging 'private study
after leaving school had become absolutely necessary
from the universality of education, was never, he
said, so apparent as now, when the attractions of
sensation novels were, if not absolutely injurious,
tending to excite feelings and sentiments, calculated
to lower rather than to elevate the tastes and prin-
ciples of their readers. Many of the objections to
the competitive examinations did not apply to those
adopted by the society. Cramming could not be
adopted before their examiners. The examina-
tions were not entered upon to give a particu-
lar position in a college, or in military or
naval life, but were pursued by those who hoped
to gain the notice of their employers by great sacri-
fices and severe labour after their day's business
was over. The working classes formed the base
of our industrial fabric, and too high a value could
not be attached to any step which enabled them
to obtain an acquaintance with sound principles of
political economy, which would influence their own
conduct and enable them to influence that of others.
The first exhibition of specimens of wood carving
was held in June last, and a second exhibition
would be held in that room in a few days. In pro-
viding
papers for their Wednesday evening meet-
ings they would endeavour as much as possible to
select subjects interesting to the members. Arts,
manufactures, commerce, and agriculture, will all
meet with attention during the session, but the
council would particularly urge the co•operation of
the members in finding good and interesting papers
to be read at these meetings. Those announced for
the evenings before Christmas were likely to
more than usually interesting ; but, besidesf
- lectures these
papers, they had arranged three courses o
by professional gentlemen eminent in their special
departments. They would be deliveredhtt
on Monday
or on Thursday evenings, as might be found most
convenient. The first course, b
ings, D.C.L., is on " InternationaylLaw and its r. G. W. Haste
and b
Com-
mercial Relations,"
gin before Christmas.
The others, by Mr. Creep e
on " Chemistry ACalvert, F.R.S.,
Burgess,and Mr.
"Fine Arts Applied Applied to the Arts," and
toylndustry, will follow in suc-
cession.
The council have this year, in conjunction
with the College of
quennial Physicians, to award the quill-
" Swinev Prize," consisting of a silver cup,
value £lOO, eontjt• •
ming
the best publish a purse of £lOO in gold, for
council will also,
treatise ou Jurisprudence. The
also, at the end of the session, award,
for the first time,
-
the society's gold Albert medal for
distinguished c merit in arts, manufactures, or com-
merce, the new dies for which aro in progress, the
likeness of the Prince Consort having been submitted
for the approval of her Maiesty. The chairman then
adverted to the bust of the Prince Consort, by Mr.
Theed, which was placed in the room, and when the
pictures ordered were completed, they would have
in sculpture and on canvas the very best likenesss
that could he had of the Prince Consort, as
a likenc•F,s of her Majesty• chairman then paid
n high compliment to the Prince
.Consort for his
desire to promote the social nd intellectual
After some fur-
provement of the working elas aes.
he
r observations, the chairman, in conclusion, said
that the society
had a great duty to perform.
t Let
us strive, be said, to release industry from
the
shackles of prejudice and ignorance—to encourage
the greatest freedom for the exercise of talent, come
from whence it may, and thus to maintain this so-
ciety in the foremost rank of those who are striving
to extend the operation of those he humanising and
Ls'
peaceful influences which invariably follow
-
the