The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-06 00:00:00

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-47 cf!,

LONDON, MONDAY, MARCH 6, 1865.

The visit of his Royal Highness the Prince o:
WALES to the Lambeth Industrial Exhibition is an
omen of favourable augury. It is gratifying to find
the young Prince inheriting the tastes and sym-
pathies of his father, and giving evidence that he
too considers the elevation and refinement of the
working classes a matter of social and national im-
portance. Prince ALBERT'S name is indissolubly
associated with industrial and artistic exhibitions.
It was to him that we owed that happy design of a
grand international assembly, where modern skill,
science, and industry should prove to the wondering
beholder that they too had their marvels of beauty
and ingenuity more solid, if less delicate, than
the triumphs of ancient art. It was a
happy suggestion to lend to the somewhat
material industry of this iron age, the elevation and
distinction of such an exhibition. It raised the
manufacturer and the man of business in his own
estimation, and made him feel that his work was
something higher and better than mere money-
getting, trade, and barter. Art and science were
too much neglected among us until within the last
few years, and England owes much of her present
position in them to the influence of Prince ALBERT.
He perceived the want of the people, and he was
anxious as far as possible to extend the benefit to all
classes—a task which is being now carried on in
various ways by the Society. of Arts, and
other agencies. The institution of Industrial
Exhibitions for the working classes was
an excellent thought, and its success was
f idly established by the first experiment. The visit
of the Heir Apparent to Lambeth gave the exhi-
bitors a gratifying proof of the interest which the
highest in the land take not only in their physical
wellbeing but in their mental development. Ancient
civilisation might, perhaps, have given us a display
as gorgeous as those of Hyde Park or of Kensing-
ton ; very certainly it could not have given us the
Exhibitions of Islington or Lambeth. The conduct
of the crowds who thronged to see the young
Prince, who watched his careful progress through
the Exhibition with eager delight, was in every way
admirable. They refrained from any discourtesy or
crowding, the exhibitors were ready to stand forward
and explain to the Prince any of their productions.
The PRINCE'S intelligent curiosity was the best
Compliment to the exhibitors, who felt that he was
taking a more than superficial interest in the
achievements so creditable to them. A laughable
accident delayed the arrival of the PRINCE .till a
late hour, when he made his appearance in a bor-
rowed carriage. However, when he came all was
well, and the patience of the assembly was rewarded
by his approval of the results of their labours.
The PRINCE paid the Exhibition the highest possible
compliment by purchasing an ingeniously-contrived
,perambulator for the service of no less a personage
than the little ALBERT VICTOR--apurchase which
we may naturally suppose gave unbounded satisfac-
tion to the loyal exhibitors of Lambeth.

The meeting of the National Rifle Association on
Saturday was interesting in its way, and brings be-
fore us a subject. that is of importance to the corn-
The Duke of CAMBRIDGE occupied the
chair, and, as usual on such occasions, acquitted
himself admirably of the duties of his position. His
Royal Highness remarked that the affairs of the
National Bifle Association appeared to be is a

munity.