The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-09 00:00:00

GENERAL KLAPK4

General Klapka has addressed the following letter
to M. Kossuth :
" My dear and very honoured P
riend,Four
years since the march of events forced us to resume
more seriously the work of delivering our unfortu-
nate country. It was then that we formed with our
very noble friend Count Ladislas Teleki, and under
your presidency, the Hungarian National Commit-
mittee. We have served the cause as well as cir-
cumstances and the limited means at our disposal
permitted us. The arrest of Ladislas Teleki and his
unfortunate death was the first blow which our or-
ganisation abroad had to endure. Of the three
members of the committee one had ceased to live,
you were in London, 1 at Geneva, retained by pri-
vate busir.ess. My intention was then to propose
to you either the reconstitution or the complete dis-
solution of the committee. Yielding to the persua-
sions of my political friends, I adjourned every pro-
ceeding in that sense. Imperious circumstances
compel me at present to withdraw completely. My
health has suffered considerably lately.
My private
affairs claim a greater share of my time. I cannot,
therefore, any longer devote myself directly to our
political interest, except in a very insufficient man-
ner. My good wishes will assuredly follow those
whose time, efforts, and activity shall be devoted to
the triumps of our cause, but I cannot engage my
responsibility any longer in it ; I cannot attach my
name to it any longer. I withdraw, therefore, re-
nouncing henceforth all intervention in the direc-
tion of the affairs of the Hungarian emigrants. If
I must again enter on a military policy, it will be
on an appeal from my country. After 14 years'
uninterrupted labour for the welfare of my unfor-
tunate country, 1 return into private life, taking
with me the firm conviction that I have conscien-
tiously performed my duty. I feel still a hope that
my withdrawal will not in any respect cause a pre-
judice to our cause, and that without my aid the
first rays of reconquered liberty may shine on my
country at no distant period. Until then let concord
strictly unite all the patriotic elements in foreign
countries. The first of duties is to preserve the
Hungarian name pure and untarnished, and I am
confident that none of my countrymen will fail in
doing so. " KLAPKA."

CRYSTAL PALACE.

Brilliant weather and an attractive programme
of amusements co operated to induce a large and
fashionable attendance at the Crystal Palace on
Saturday last, and we may safely say that palace
and grounds were seldom seen under more advan-
tageous circumstances. Within doors, under the
noble vaulted roof of the matchless structure, the
various tropical plants and shrubs were in splendid
condition, as healthy, strong, and perfect as if they
were in their native climes, and not leading an
exotic existence in a very high latitude on a very
high hill. The air throughout the building was
delightfully tempered, and rendered as fresh and
agreeable as could be desired—a fact which was
fully appreciated by the thousands who thronged
the nave and loitered in the courts. At one
o'clock, in the concert-room, the orchestral band of
the company performed a selection of music of a
classical character, comprising the chefs d'oeuvre of
the great masters, and including the sprightly and
beautiful " Exhibition March " of Auber, the exe-
cution of which created quite a furore amongst a
discriminating audience. On the termination of
the first part of the concert in the Music Court the
company adjourned to the park to witness the dis-
play of the entire system of waterworks and Blon-
din's first ascent this season over the terrace foun-
tains. The grounds wore their brightest livery.
Gigantic elms, oaks, and chestnuts seemed to bew
to the earth by the weight of their foliage, as they
gently swayed hither and thither in the breeze.
As soft as the softest Turkey carpets was th.s.
closfly cut and verdant turf; gorgeous were the
parterres of flowers and beds of rhododendrons, and
smiling and luxuriant the wide expanse of country
which the eye swept over beyond, from Gad's hill
on the left to the tree-clustered knolls in far-off
Sussex on the right. Foreigners there were pre-
sent not a few ; for nearly one-half the visitors
were French and Germans, who were in ecstacies
with the scene, and vented their pleasure in their
own mother tongue, and then in the limited broken
English at their command, but ever with a lavish
expenditure of gesticulation. It was one of the few
occasions that the play of the fountains has proved
a real success, though at times the high wind
which blew across the park from the south behaved
capriciously, and sadly marred the effect. For the
same reason Blondin's ascent was a difficult one.
His passage along the rope from the middle stage
to the end next the refreshment wing was not with-
out peril, as it appeared from below, and required
all his courage, prudence, and caution, so great was
the resistance offered to his progress by the wind,
The return was accomplished backwards. One of
two of his simplest and safest feats were all he yen.
tured to attempt; and on his reaching the centre
stage it was not without a sense of relief that
people saw him step into the car and
drawn into the front gallery of the build-
ing, instead of passing along the remaining half
of the rope. At half-past four the company's band
and the band of the Coldstream Guards, united
under the conductorship of Mr. Manna beneath the
new ceiling of the Handel orchestra, and performed
the following selection of music ;
Wedding •• •• •• Mendelssohn.
••
Solo for Cornet, "The Whirlwind Polka .. Levy.
(Cornet, Mr. Levy.)
Exhibitipn Overture .. Meyarbeer.
New Waltz, " Flora" .. .. A. Manna.
Prayer from " Mose" .. Rossini.
Coronation March, "Ding of Prussia" .. Meyerbeer.
Overture, " Haydee" Auber.
The performance was of a character to test the
efficiency of the new arrangements, and the results
were most satisfactory in an acoustic point of view.
The entertainments were brought to a close by Mr
James Coward's-peformance on the great organ.
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