The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-12 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1863.

Last evening's discussion in the House of Com-
mons brought with it a foreshadowing of the close
of the Session. It did so in the shape of a purely
technical series of objections made by one or two
members very discerningly, in reference to the
devices resorted to by one or other of the members
of the Government, with a view to the frittering
away of the time of the House by an occasional and
most unlooked-for count out. The hon. and learned
gentleman the member for Youghal was the one who
yesterday seized the opportunity of directing the at-
tention the popular branch of the Legislature to the
exceeding inconvenience resulting only too frequently
frena these truly vexatious little Ministerial sur-
prises. Reminding the House that only so recently
as 1861 Thursdays were allotted to the Government,
the motion of adjournment on Fridays being also
dispensed with, Mr. BUTT by that simple reminder
demonstrated how it was that only a couple of years
since two opportunities were snatched from the
reach of private members for bringing forward
motions in which they, as private members, hap-
pened to be Interested. Nay, the fact was so
entirely what the member for Youghal stated it to be
last evening, that with a view to compensate for the
loss of these same vanished opportunities for private
members a standing order was passed, declaring
that while committees of supply or of ways and
means were open, the first order of the day on Fri-
day should be either supply or ways and means, and
upon that order being read the question should be
proposed that Mr. SPEAKER do leave the
chair. Since that order morning sittings have
been continually fixed for Fridays—that very
practise, however, defeating, as the member for
Youghal insisted with good show of reason yester-
day, both the letter and the spirit of the arrange-
ment contemplated by the standing order of the
session before last. How, is it asked ? By only
too simple a means it may be said—two hours of
the time which it was the object of those standing
orders to give to private members being practically
deducted by the morning sitting. Several counts
out on Friday evenings, in point of fact, have
actually occurred already this session in conse-
quence, Government has convenieLtly failed to
ma" a house when the interrupted business
of the day was nominally about to be
resumed, Inconvenient notices of motion were
thus to be got rid of readily enough by Her MA-
JESTY'S Ministers. Time and events, and measures
are thus pleasantly to be tided over by Ministers
whenever they care to avail themselves of so eli-
gible an opportunity. The
-
suspension of the sit-
tings for two hours on the Friday evenings affords
the opportunity, and of that golden opportunity
Ministers are not slow to avail themselves.

Although no result followed from the brief de-
bate in Upper House last night in reference to
the Prussian Convention, and the Foreign Secretary
was unable to give any further informaticn of im-

portance concerning it, there is no reason to regret
that the question bus been again brought forward.
The tone of the (lEcussion will serve at least to
show M. BISUARK the feelings vith which Eng-
lish politicians of all sides regard this obnoxious
treaty, and he may also reflect with advantage on
the tone in which the conduct of the Government of
Prussia was spoken of by the representatives of the
governing class in Great Britain. The Earl of
CARNARVON, on inquiring whether Earl RUSSELL
could give him any further information on the
subject of this famous treaty than that which was
afforded by the correspondence on Polish affairs
already laid before Parliament, expressed his
anziet7 to avoid touching upon any questions that

might embarrass the Cabinet, but added that he
did not consider the information he wished to ob-
tain would produce any prejudicial effect. After
dwelling on the disastrous and dangerous state of
things in Russia and Poland, and commenting on
what he termed the wanton and gratuitous inter-
vention on the part of Prussia, the noble lord went
on to speak of the mysterious Convention which hoe
been such a bugbear to European diplomatists for
the last few months.

If Prussia, said Lord CARNARTON, chose to abolish
Ler Parliaments, put down her press, and convert
a constitutional monarchy into a military despotism,
he had no right to interfere with her proceedings.
But when her policy extended beyond her own
frontier, all Europe became affected by it, and it
was our duty to speak out. There can be no pos-
sible doubt that the convention exists. Count
BISMARK has himself admitted it, the Russian
Minister has acknowledged the fact to our Ambas-
sador at St. Petersburg, while it has also been
owned by the Prussian Minister in this country.
Curiously ecough, however, while the Russians
show no unwillingness to submit the treaty to in-
spection, they refuse the request to produce it-on
the ground that objections to such a course are
raised by Prussia. This reticence goes far to con-
tradict Count BISMAIM'S assertion that it is a dead
letter. Its explanation is probably to be found in
the existence of the secret article to which reference
it seems is made in the convention itself. Perhaps
the Prussian Minister anticipates that England
would push her inconvenient curiosity still further
when she saw such a mysterious allusion in the
document itself. Certainly the conduct of the
Prussian King and his Ministers—the course of
policy pursued by them at home and abroad—does
not allow us to trust much to their secret
diplomacy. Prussia is one of the last
Powers who could meddle secretly in the
affairs of her neighbours without produc-
ing uneasiness, and in this case, when her
sympathies are known to be on the side of unscru-
pulous oppression and ruthless violence, the exist-
ence of a clause in the convention which she dares
not with all her effrontery bring to light, is not
likely to satisfy her own people or to reassure other
European Powers as to her intentions. Full powers
already existed to enable Russia to demand the
extradition of offenders whether political or crimi-
nal. Surely this was as much as Russia had a right
to ask or Prussia to grant. As Lord CARNARTON
observed in the absence of anything like political
necessity or domestic pressure, the existence of such
a convention can only be attributed to the jealous
fear of anything like constitutional life springing
up in Poland. The possibility that out of the ter-
rible struggle now going on some truer principles
of government, some more liberal constitution may
emerge for that unhappy country, is, as the noble
lord truly observed, the phantom that has scared
the Prussian rulers. Conscience makes cowards of
us all, and the shortest diplomatic memory goes
back to a time when the pretentious kingdom was
comprised within limits very unlike its present
boundaries, while the means by which its rapid ex-
tension were attained were not such as to make its
rulers feel secure in the prospect of revolu•
tionary struggles. Still that the course pur-
sued by the Prussian Government is disastrous
to herself, who can doubt. In such a policy, as Lord
CARNARTON remarked, she goes back by genera-
tions, and surrenders the prize for which she has
struggled so long—the leadership of Germany.
" More than this," said the noble lord, " I
think it will be admitted that such a policy
is not only unworthy, unnecessary, and un-
wise, but that it is eminently unsafe. Are
Prussian statesmen positively so blind, are their
eyes so judicially darkened that they cannot see the
excessive danger of the course they are now pur-
suing, and are not aware of that which any child
can discern—how nicely balanced and how critical
affairs now are in Europe ? Is it possible for them
to fancy that they can act while others hereafter
will sit still, and that the mischievous precedent of
intervention will not be exercised some day by some
other Power. In one word, to put it in the
strongest form, do they think that their western
frontier is so secure that they can venture to trifle
with their own fortunes and the peace of Europe ?
It would be well if Prussian statesmen had solved
these questions clearly and distinctly in their own
minds before they ventured upon this dangerous

course."

Earl RUSSELL'S reply, though affording no in-
formation, was at least satisfactory in its denun-
ciation of the conduct of Prussia. With regard to
the Convention, he admitted that there had been
every kind of contradiction and obscurity; and the
noble earl did not appear to put much faith in
Count BISMARK's assertion that the treaty was
now a dead letter. It is by no means satisfactory
that our Ministers should be unable to obtain fuller
information when the French Ambassador has, it
seems, been favoured with a view of the document.
Earl RUSSELL has expressed himself decidedly on the
question. If so, his opinion will be endorsed by the
sentiments expressed last night in the Upper House
—sentiments vahich will certainly meet with public
approval, both as regards the dishonourable pro-
ceedings respecting the Convention, and, to quota
the words of Lord BROUGHAM, " the conduct of the
Prussian Government to its own subjects, its own
Parliament, and its own constitution."

The banquet at Merchant Taylors' Hall last night
was a most interesting one. It was the Prince of
WALES' first visit to the City to a banquet, and he
was surrounded by a brilliant and distinguished
circle. Additional attraction was imparted to the
occasion by the circumstance of the PRINCE taking
np the honorary freedom of the company. In pro-
posing the health of his Royal Highness, the
MASTER said—" This is an eventful day for the
Merchant Taylors' Company ; the heir apparent to
the throne of this realm has honoured this loyal and
ancient corporation by becoming one of its honorary
members. I propose the health of the Prince of
WALES, citizen and Merchant Taylor, and his Royal
consort" It is in identifying himself like this with
the customs and ceremonies of so many important
and influential members of society that the PRINCE
is now showing such sense and discernment. He is
not confining his presence to the " gilded saloons"
of the aristocracy, but dividing his favours by
mixing as far as possible with various circles, and
thus uniting divers interestsby the same attracting
influence. The PRINCE spoke briefly on two occa-
slona—first when the ceremony took place of enroll-
awmheng thehis Company,hsalthwaasn
pd roposed.afterwardsOn
ant
the
Ifibriargnstclhuiomect on
occasion he said that he was proud to belong
to a Company which nobly worked for the
bzuefit of the human race, and he esteemed
it an honour to have his name enrolled
among the freemen of the Merchant Taylors'
Company. At the banquet the Master proposed
the health of the honorary
members of the
company, associating the toast more par-
ticularly with the name of the Earl of DEBBI,
He said that the representatives of the old
English houses of STANLEY, CECIL, and pERc.,,
were among their honorary members. Lord DERBY
who was; very warmly received, observed " that of
course politics must not be referred to on that
occasion, partly from the mixed character of the
assembly, and partly from the presence of their

illustrious PRINCE who, though he took a deep
interest in all public affairs, should always be kept
aloof from all political connexions and party con-
siderations.' But," added hie lordship, "there are
some topics that may be discussed, and some neutral
ground on which all may meet, and in one thing
all are agreed, not to interfere with the time
honoured iustitutions of the country." The Earl
then eloquently alluded to the previous career of
the societies :—" God be praised that the great com-
panies are no longer called on to perform those
valuable services and important functions for
which in earlier and less happy days they were of
signal service to the country. There is no needfor the
guilds of London to stand up now and defend the
privileges of the people against the encroachments
of the Crown. There is no necessity now for the
interference of the guilds of London to be the guar-
dians of our infant commerce, nursing—may I ven-
ture to whisper the word—protecting it. I might
also add monopolising the trade of the country.
That infant commerce has now outgrown the neces-
sity of being sustained by its nurses, and whether
to assist the commerce of our country or resist the
encroachments of the Crown these guilds are no
longer required. The alterations made in the super-
structure may not require the buttress for its ori-
ginal purpose, yet the buttress remains, not less an
ornament to posterity than as a mark of honour
reflected from antiquity on modern times." No ene
better than Lord DERBY can address an assemblage
of this kind. He can adapt his style to suit every
emergency, and whether he commands the applause
of listening senates with his apt retort or vehement
denunciation, or mixes in the more genial atmos-
phere of the festive throng, he is always the master
of his subject, the skilled rhetorician, and the im-
pressive orator. Mr. DISRAELI, who was also en-
thusiastically welcomed, responded for the House
of CoMmons. He said " that the members of the
House did not look upon these associations
as a mere matter of routine, but they accepted them
as the expression of mutual respect and sympathy,
consecrated by generations which had preceded
them, by long experience, and hallowed by the
history of an ancient nation. Our corpora-
tions are not the least considerable of the secu-
rities that we possess for that public liberty which
is perhaps the peculiar privilege of this country.
They permit the aggregate of individual sentiment
to assume when it is necessary the massive and
majestic form of public opinion, which controls and
regulates the course of public affairs." He then
alluded to the event of the day, and said that the
Prince of WALES was also a member of Parliament,
and while it was the boast of the Company that the
PRINCE had that day taken up the freedom of their
Institution it must be recollected that he had
already in the House of Lords taken up the free-
dom of the country. On the whole it was impos-
sibie that this assembly could have been more suc-
cessful in its carrying out. The brilliancy of its
company, the eloquence of its speakers, the occasion
of its attraction, all combined to produce a splendid
effect, and the entertainment will long live in the
recollection of all present, and hereafter rank
among the most renowned and interesting that have
for a considerable period taken place in the City.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

FAUST.

GOethe's celebrated " Soul Poem," as it is so
reverently called in Germany, and which in its
scheme at le..st has been acknowledged generally
as the most imaginative work of our age, has long
since exhausted every homage that could be paid
to it by art. Painting, sculpture, music, and the
drama have reflected it in turn, and made more
Tamiliar every aspect of it which cc,nld exer-
cise the fancy or give a further stimulus to
the already excited sympathies. To this
end its twofold character abundantly con-

dnced. In completion of that series of analogies

which it is intended to present as the picture of the
course of a daring and erring human soul, this
poem is found to exhibit both its infinite and finite
aide—man in his religious and philosophic, and
man in his purely social and domestic aspect.
Suggested, on the one hand, by the book of Job,
where we see a mortal by divine permission sub-
jected to the special and probationary influence of
the. Spirit of Evil—this poem presents, on the other,
a purely domestic story, in which we have a conflict
presented tous of the spiritual and animal tendencies,
and wherein this conflict is not only painted in
the bosom of the hero, but contrasted in two beings

—one of whom is lost through scepticism, and the
other saved by penitence. Here it is man that is
made the tempter, and woman who becomes the
victim—woman, type of all emotion, who, as her
heart veers to earth or heaven, is degraded or re-
deemed l It is this story of "Faust and Margaret"
that has really won for G iidthe's poem its extensive
popularity. Much of his religion is very doubtful ;
much of his philosophy unintelligible—an enigma to
his profoundest students, and probably even to him-
self; but in his story of a pure and loving nature,
betrayed by the trust proper to its fervour, and by
a higher being whose wilful baseness degrades his
own nature more than hers—it has appealed to every
bosom, and not only excited sympathy, but conci-
liated tastes the most exacting and diversified.
Passing over the evidence on this point in the
illustrations it has prompted in nearly every form
of art, it is interesting to observe how especially it
was thought adapted to the agencies of music.
GOathe himself, anxious to give more emphasis to
its lyric and dramatic character, wished his poem
to be accompanied by music when it was
proposed to place it on the stage. Others fell
that it would be more successful if thrown entirely
into a lyrical form, such as Kreutzer and Lind-
painter, both of whom have illustrated its first part,
and Pierson, who has composed its second. The
illustrious Spohr was at length induced to produce
the poem as an opera—a task he executed with
great learning, but with little poetry or genius.
Madlle. Bertin followed in his wake with scarcely
more success in France, and at last, some five years
since, it received the first dramatic setting that at
all approached its merits in that produc-
tion of M. Gounod, which filled Paris with such
a furore, and which, since transferred to
Germany, has, in all its principal theatres,
and among the Poet's devoted worshippers excited
a sensation comparable to nothing but the first per-
formance of " Don Juan." Such a triumph most
people would consider quite decisive of its clain,s,
and would be naturally tempted to ask how it is
that a work that for five years has been
__supplying
the highest excitement not only to our lively neigh-
bours but also to the calmer and more exacting
minds of profound musicians and true poets,
should never have been transferred to our own
country till now. This is a question, however, which
we know is more easily asked than answered,
and so content ourselves with announcing that the
first perforrcance of the opera in England, at Her
Majesty's Theatre, last night, set the seal to the
course of successes which has attended its produc-
tion generally—being one of the most brilliant and
decided triumphs which has ever been witnessed in
country. _

tdrme:::Waa
As it is impossible on a first hearing to detail the
merits of such a work, and especially under the dis-
advantages which attend a first performance, we
shall defer to another occasion the minute attention
iptiecrdtuermesalnudesn,essa:d content ourselves at present
with giving its character and general fee
lt
leh
te
hr
ob-
serving that its characteristics are its vivacity,
and a profound and graceful ten-
amount of imagination. It grasps with the hand of
positivelife of
thepassion
story—all
the
emotion and all the character that float upon the
which is inSeparablerefely reaches to the grandeur
in the religious inaueirsuch a theme—whether
that redeems Margaret, or