The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-15 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 15, 1863

employment and sources of diversion for idle hours
than can be at all estimated by those who have not
thought of the affair. Idleness is the root of much
evil, but want of proper relaxation is another fruit-
ful source of harm. The poor man returnshome
fatigued with toil, and yet is inclined for
some
di-
version before he retires to rest.. Even those who
have settled homes are not likely to find any .
sion in them. Besides there are
at
esoal, butmanyl reside cases
where young men have no ha
in lodgings, and wander about, as best they can,
for amusement, often frequenting the worst places
withiu n
no
t bi
d intention
they en s a first, but simply to pass the
tensnared d by wily agents, and get
e are
drawn into all kind of snares. It is for this end that
the Working Men's Club is designed, to provide a
suitable change, and an agreeable diversion for
leisure hours. Not only do they provide news-
papers, but periodicals instructive and amusing.
Lord BROUGHAM stated that the Society for the
Diffusion of Useful Knowledge began by publish-
ing scientific works only, but after a time, they
were obliged to add entertaining books to their list,
and now the latter class was the most extensive
among their numerous publications. This is only
natural, for of course a class not given to
study much at any time cannot manage
any deep and hard reading when tired with
long-continued and arduous exertion. Those
authors who make literature interesting to the
lower orders are great benefactors to the com-
munity, and deserve a meed of acknowledgment as
much as those whose works are the marvel of the
learned, and the delight of the refined and culti-
vated. Lord BROUGHAM said he was not afraid that
working men's clubs would be diverted from the
original intent with which they were founded.
" Taking the Southampton Club as an instance, he
found it to be composed of 700 members, of whom
630 were day labourers and skilled work-
men, the remainder being clerks and shopmen."
This is a very good example of the style which is
desired in this class of institution, and it is to be
trusted that this good example will be speedily fol-
lowed in many other towns of the country. What
an advantage it must be to the community of that
town to have so large a number of its lower orders
provided against temptation, and, at the same time,
preserved from discontent, by these rational and
elevated employments. The man who reads even
light works of an evening and discusses the news of
the day with his companions, is much more fitted
to engage in the duties of the next day, whatever
they may be, than he who broods morbidly at home
over troubles that meditation will not cure, or
rushes out in desperation to lose the painful
thoughts in unprofitable pastimes. Lord BROUGHAM
remarked, most truly, that he had no doubt that the
exemplary conduct of the operatives in the North
wasowing to the spread of education and civilisation
among the people. in 1812, when a similar event to
the cotton famine had occurred, riots and distur•
bances had resulted ; but now these heroic men bore
their troubles patiently and quietly. This is most
probably a fact, and if so, it surely speaks forcibly,
if anything can, of the necessity of spreading these
means of grace, and working out this glorious mis-
sion as fully as can be done by available ends.
There can be no higher motive for human
exertions and no more worthy employment for riches
than to aid in rescuing so large a class of their fel-
low creatures from temptation, and putting them
in the way of improving their lives to the best of
their ability, and thus effecting incalculable benefits
for them both now and hereafter. An interesting
speech was made by Mr. BRADY, a working man from
Pimlico. He said that as one of the managers of
the Pimlico Club he was much indebted to the
general council. He and his colleagues bed re-
ceived valuable -assistance from the parent body,
by whom they had been treated as self-relisnt men,
and not, as was too often the case in communica-
tions between the higher and lower classes, as mere
children in leading strings. So far this meeting
seems to have achieved satisfactory progress, but
more funds are required to carry out its laudable
intentions, and bring its good endeavours to a de-
sirable result. A large increase of income is neces-
sary not only to further develope its usefulness
but to maintain its present efficiency. Surety a deaf
ear will not be turned to this appeal ; the voice of
reason and justice must urge the necessity on those
whom the claims of generosity cannot but affect. No
one who is a well-wisher to the community at large,
who has the means at his disposal, will hesitate to
encourage and foster this noble endeavour to elevate
the ,condition and improve the social position of
that important and influential class on whose wel-
fare and wellbeing depend the security of monarchs
and the safety of the whole social system.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE,

4, OBERON."

Mr. Mapleson, guided by the success which
attended his experiment last year, has again decided
on a suppiem.;ntary season of cheap prices—as a
means of placing the peculiar enjoyment of Italian
opera, as produced in its present perfectior. at his
theatre, within reach of the public generally. No
expatiation can be required upon the merits of a
design which gratifies the growing taste for
music in so laudable a manner; since whilst
effecting the artistic good of supplying the
musical student with the highest standards of
execution, it involves the social benefit also of
placing for a time the enjoyment of the few within
the possession of the many. If art be a common
property to be possessed in the degree of public cul-
ture, every means by which that culture can be
stimulated and rewarded is undoubtedly to be
honoured.

Such a purpose could have scarcely been better
initiated than by the revival of Weber's " Oberon,"
which was produced with so much completeness three
or four seasons ago, when the libretto was almost
entirely rewritten by its atuhor, Mr. PlanchO, and
the new recitatives required by the improvements
were admirably supplied by Mr. Benedict. Upon the
merits of these changes we enlarged so fully at the
time that we can have no occasion to do more at
present than say they are carried out in a like spirit
of efficiency, whilst our former praise is as much
demanded by the production of the opera gene-
rally. We have again Madlle. Titiens and Mme.
Alboni in the characters of Reiza and Fatima,
the one embodying the highly dramatic, and the
other delivering the brilliant music, in a manner
which no other singers could compete with for an
instant. W e have also Madlle. Trebelli in the
character of Puck, and Mr. Santley in that of
Sherasmen ; whilst M. Gassier does all that is pos-
sible for the inferior part of Babekan. To these,
must be added the band and chorus, which were
never in such perfection as at present, and the merits
of the mzse en scene, which certainly never were
exceeded.

The great novelty of the occasion, and to many
also the great attraction, was the first appearance
of Mr. Sims Reeves in the character of Sir Huon,
which three years was so creditably sustained by
Signor Mongini. We may safely assert that the
music of the hero has never met with such adequate
treatment since it fell from the lips of Braham•
His grand scene especially—" Oh, 'tis a glorious
sight to see," produced a powerful impression;
while the entire performance was received with the
most unmingled satisfaction. It is needless, we
presume, to add that the house was crowded to the
roof.

A. letter from Copenhagen mentions the expected
arrival there of Prince Amadeus, second son of the King of
Italy, who
intends to begin by a Denmark a tour in the
Scandinavian States.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.

layk
IrA7-v
glifUrt ertnlar

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, July 14.
Her Majesty, accompanied by Princess Leiningen,
drove out yesterday in a carriage and four.
Viscountess Jocelyn and Colonel the Hon. A.
Hardinge were in attendance.