The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-12 00:00:00

THE LONDON INSTITUTION.

At a recent meeting of this institution Dr. W. R.
Bexfield gave the first lecture of his course " On the
Present State of Music in England." The subject was
church music, the different classes of which were treated
under the denominations subjoined—chants, psalm tunes,
chorales, services, anthems, sanctuses, responses, masses,
voluntaries. Various examples of these were performed,
after an appropriate introduction, by Dr. Bexfield, who
accompanied the singers on the orgue d percussion, con-
structed by the Alexandres of Paris.
At a subsequent meeting Dr. Lyon Playfair delivered
his second lecture " On the Dependence of Industry on
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Science," discussing and illustrating on the present d
d
h earns
mills and pumps, and the making of glass and china,
presented presented examples ; no science, no philosophical know-
ledge of the properties of the objects concerned, having
been applied in effecting these objects. Two thousand
years' experience in the making of porcelain gave China
a monopoly of the world, but a few years of science
had given England the knowledge which it had taken
the Chinese the former period to attain. Thus science,
guiding experience, is far more to be relied upon;
the latter may be a crutch for a lame man, but
will never enable him to run a race. The
very gradual progree of philosophy, and the neces-
sity therefor for its abstract culture, was illustrated by
reference to the history of the telescope and the micro-
scope, which did not open their wonders to an unex-
, pectmg and startled world, but crept into existence with
steps so slow that their impression is not sufficient to
trace out the history of their progress. The improve-
ments in the steam-engine, again were so gradual that a
court of law, only half a century since, gave a solemn
judgment that Watt had done nothing essential towards
them. The compass cannot point to us the period when
it offered its inestimable services to man, nor has paper
left us a record of its discoverer. The lecturer next
proceeded to consider the true nature of theory, and of
its relation to practice, strongly controverting their
supposed antagonism, and contrasting the pert adage
that an ounce of practice is worth a ton of theory, with
the demonstrable truth that a grain of theory is worth,
when rightly directed, many tons of practice. In
illustration of the principle that abstract philosophers
were the real benefactors of industry, and that prac-
tical appliances were only the mediums by which the
truths made known by them were imparted to the
industrial world, the progress of several branches
of
electricity.ence was
In specially
ebn beginning
subjectt
hthat
mere
observation from science, it was observed that, while
of scidistingutisrahciedng,
Pliny, Aristotle, and Galen all knew that a fish was
abundant in the Mediterranean which, on being touched,
gave a shock, the natives of the banks of the Orinoco
knew that an eel-likes sh abounded in that river having
the same property ; d the legionaries of Cwsar ob-
served in certain states of the weather a lambient light
playing on their spear-heads ; but that none knew, until
a certain stage in the progress of science had been at-
tained, and that of recent date, that all these effects pro-
ceeded from the same cause. The principles of the elec-
tric telegraph, as one of the inestimable fruits of the
culture of science, were explained, together with its con-
struction and use, Mr. Thomas Allan's recently patented
t magneto-electric engine, in which it has
tpealteegnrat
pdhirebe being exhibited.
i A working model of his
the same
been attempted to avoid the errors both in mechanics
and in magnetism of former machines having
object, was also exhibited in action ; but Dr. Playfair,
did not hold out much hope of ess ation
s the cost
while approving the construction adopted by Mr. Allan,
su cc
of magneto-electricity as a prime movers un es the
ap p
of the zinc consumed as the
f some produced in the
covered by the value of some article source of power could be
battery, such as devised by Mr. Martyr
action of the battery
Roberts. Other important lately
results of the production of
the stannate of soda, resulting from the
utilities in the pursuit of abstract science were adduced,
illustrated, and exhibited.

, "----=----
DISCOVERY OP AN ANCIENT CHAPEL IN LEADENHALL-
STREET, CITY.—A most interesting discovery of a beau-
tiful vestige of Gothic architecture, in excellent preser-
vation, has been made beneath the house at the south-easte
to
corner of Leadenhall-street, and directly opposit
Aldgate Pump, at present in the occupation of Mr. J.
Brown, the patentee of the improved sea bed. The
arches and vaults on the basement have been hitherto
used as a warehouse for wood and other materials, b
theut
the extreme beauty, of the architecture, particularly
sculpture and groining, led to an investigation, and after
a most diligent search, it was ascertained to
be the re-
mains of a chapel dedicated to St. Michael, and
It is de-
signated by old historians as "Next Aldgate." de-
signated
pears to, be of very great antiquity, g been built by
Norman, Prior of St. Katharine's of the Holy Trinity,
in the reign of Henry I. and his queen, Matilda of Bou-
logne, about the year 1108, and is now nearly 750 years
old. The chapel consists of pillars and arches ; its
length, from north to south (contrary to the present
mode of building sacred edifices), is 48 feet, and its
breadth, from east to west, 16 feet. The walls are con-
structed with oblong blocks of chalk, similar to those of
Rochester Castle ; the arches are of stone, the keys of
which are beautifully sculptured with masques and other
devices, and exhibit at a glance the skilful masonry of
our ancestors. The chapel has been filled with soil and
rubbish nearly to the capital of the pillars. From the
ground to the crown of the arches is 10 feet, and, allow-
ing the shafts to be buried 16 feot, give a height of 26
feet to the interior of the building ; the iron hinges of
the casements are still attached to the walls, from which
circurnstance it is conjectured that the structure ori-
ginally stood on the surface, but that in subsequent
years the ground outside was raised gradually, until at
last the relic of past ages was completely buried. At
the southern extremity there are appearances of an arched
passage in the direction of St. Katherine Docks, the site
of which the priory of Saint Katherine formerly occupied.
The foregoing description is neceesarily brief, but a visit
to the spot would amply repay the antiquary or other
persons interested in the study of the remains of the
Past ages.
' ,