The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-05 00:00:00

we read that Count M. G. do Wexle has left Eaton-square
for Norfolk. Pop goes de Wezele."
One might have hoped that the weasel had gone to sleep
lorg ago.
The Comic Nett's, the youngest of the three jokers, jokes
on a principle entirely its own. The editor, Mr. Henry
Byron, may congratulate himself—and perhaps pride him-
self—upon having created his own public. Before the era
of perennial burlesques not one in a thousand would have
seen the fun of the jokes in the Comic News. That they see
it now is entirely owing to Mr. Byron's successful teaching
at the Strand and the Adelphi. The wit of the Comic .Nettis
consists almost exclusively in the twisting and distorting
of words from their ordinary and proper meaning to mean
nothing at all. This is carried to such an extent in all de_
partments of the paper, that you are not sure whether the
imprint, the edvertisements, and the announcements of the
publisher
as to the monthly parts and the cases for binding,
are intended for jokes or not, The design is to copy the
features of a newspaper, and to give a comic aspect to all
the affairs of life—to politics, science, literature, art, com-
merce, law, and crime, scarcely stopping short of comic births
and deaths. One would imagine Mr. Byron to be the
happiest man alive, He v.ews all things through the same
medium. The politics that involves the lives of millions
are to him but the occasion for a pun; the science which is
destined to inaugurate a new era of civilisation, the theme
for a jest; the literature:,designed to elevate and `instruct
the age, the subject for a parody; the crime which makes
all men else shudder, the matter for a right merry conceit.
As you read, you wonder if this unsparing and non-inter-
!nittent joker makes puns in his prayers, if he discovers
jokes in the Bible, and sees fun in the Burial Service.
The writers in the Comic News are not ecllectics. It never
occurs to them that there are certain affairs of life which
are serious and do not admit of being joked about. To
adopt ono of their pet phrases, they " go the whole hog."
As an earnest that they will
tick at nothing, the heading
of the paper exhibits a comic pictorial parody of the royal
arms, the motto of the most honourable Order of the Garter
bang facetiously rendered, " On His Walk he Madly
Puns ;" and the legend, " Dieu
et mon Droit " finds its
comic equivalent in " Due a Monday," refer'rine• as it
appears, to the day on which the C • sis published.b,

Royal Institute of British Arcliitects.

e session of the above institute was opened on
Monday evening, the 2d instant, by an add
the President, Mr. T. L. DONALDSON, when there
fromhere
n t
was a large attendance of members and associates.
The learned Professor remarked that within the
few months that had elapsed since they last met,
events had occurred which were interesting to them
as a body and as individuals, and he should pass in
brief review some of the more important topics con-
nected with their profession. It was due to the
great man who had recently passed away from them
(the late Mr. C. R. Cockerell), the first professional
President of the Institute, and to whom the first
gold medal was awarded, to notice some of his (the
President's) own impressions during an intimacy
and personal friendship of 40 years. He then gave
a graphic sketch of the professional career of Mr.
Cockerell, from the early days of his travels in
Greece, Italy, and Turkey, to the close of a long life
of ardent devotion to his profession, and referred
to the principal works with which the name of that
gentleman was associated. It might truly be said
that architecture was his delight. In him the
young architect always found an encouraging
monitor, ever ready to assist and develop latent
talent. A more complete biography of their late
friend was in nurse of preparation, and would be
brought before the members at an early period of
the session. With the gracious concurrence of
the Dean of St. Paul's their esteemed friend was
buried with the great and noble of the laud; and
whatever might be the little jealousies of practical
life, as architects they must feel proud that they
had a Barry in Westminster Abbey, and a Cockerell
in St. Paul's. The president then proceeded to pay
a tribute of respect to the late Mr. Joseph Gwilt,
though not a member of the institute at the time of
his decease, and mentioned that he was consulted
by the Government in the re-modelling of the
Building Act of 1853-54. He then went on to re-
mark that one of the most important proceedings of
the institute during the recess had been the steps
taken by them in opposition to the proposed pur-
chase of the Exhibition building of 1862 by the
nation. As soon as notice was given that it was
the intention of the Government to apply to Parlia-
ment for a grant of money for the purchase of the
building, and for a still larger sum for the purpose
of converting it into a national museum, the council
of the institute convened a special meeting of the
members and fellows, at which a committee was
appointed to report upon the subject. That com-
mittee made a thorough examination of the building
and drew up a well-digested and important report,
and pronounced their opinion that whilst the struc-
ture might have satisfactorily fulfilled the specific
objects for which it was designed, it would be most
unwise to attempt to convert it into a permanent
structure, for which it was not designed. This judg-
ment of the highest professional body in the country
was irresistible, and was endorsed by the House of
Commons, who rejected the proposal by an over-
whelming majority. The learned president then
touched upon the subject of architectural education,
and remarked upon the absence in this country of
any recognised system of education applicable to
that profession. The student in architecture was
for the most part left to his unguided experience,
gleaned in the office of his employer, where he only
became familiar with the works that were there
carried out. They had not in this country as yet
the atelier of the professor, as was the case in France,
where also there were periodical competitions in
the schools of architecture, The disadvantages
under which students laboured were sought to be
in some degree obviated by this institute in the
establishment of the voluntary architectural exa-
mination in which the branches of study were pre-
scribed, as also the steps to be attained to gain dis-
tinction. These examinations, he said, afforded to
young men the true idea of their power of weak-
nesses—if they failed, they must work to obtain
the know'edge in which they were deficient ; for it
was better they should be taught their weaknesses
in early life than deserve them in later years by
disastrous failure in their professional objects. He
trusted next January to see students come to the
examinations with as much zeal as was the case upon
the last occasion, and in undiminished numbers.
Having passed a warm eulogium upon the talents of
Brunel, Stephenson, and Barry in their respective
spheres, the president proceeded to take a
general review of the progress of profes-
sional publications in this country, particularly
illustrated works on architecture, during the last
few years. He next referred to the scale of profes-
sional charges which had been drawn up by the
institute, remarking that this had been done as
much for the protection of the employer as the em-
ployed, and for the honour of their profession any
question with respect to these charges ought to be
liberally interpreted in favour of the employer ; and
as they had founded that scale, on no other ground
should it be regarded as authoritative or conclusive
on such a question. The president then referred
with satisfaction to the fact that the Metropolitan
Board of Works had accepteda tender of over half
a million of money for the Thames Embankment
from Westminster to Waterloo-bridge, and were
taking steps for the same same work from the Temple to
w
Blackfriars. It presumed that the same would
be done with the south side ; and when that great
work was carried out, it would present an aspect of
magnificence worthy of the metropolis of this great
empire. Referring to the railway bridges across
the streets, he regretted that artistic taste had been
so much sacrificed to the convenience of the public,
and these bridges might be characterised as hideous
masses of utilitarian skill. Alluding to street im-
provements, it was to be regretted that a parsimo-
nious spirit in too many cases, both in —0
other large cities, prevented these improvements
being being carried out upon a commensurate ca
had come to be a question of a few thsou_seLeds of
pounds whether a new street should be
40 or 80
feet in width. After referring
to
the subject of the
tier, learned
dwellings of the poor in the me tl.°p °)eTor tion uon
professor concluded with a glowing j a p

architecture,
assed
A vote of thanks was p,
Mr. Gilbert Scott, seconded by
on the proposal of
Mr. Digby Wyatt.

---
THE VINTAGES OF GERMANY AND THE PENIN- 1
SULA.—The vintage reports from Spain and Portu•
gal are the most favourable that have been received for
many years—the best probably since that mysterious dis-
ease, the oidium, attacked the grape, about the same time
as the potato crop gave way. Yet in the face of this
- the,
price of wine is steadily rising. This years Port is like
the vintages that used to be in days of old—richthaerldprceof
abun-
dant; but it will be long before it can affect
what we set upon our table. The German vintage is a
tailure in quality—no bettor than that of 1860,