The Sun.
London, England, 1836-11-24 00:00:00

Tuesday evening a conversazione was heldl
of this Institution, Wellington-terrace, \Vat
road. The spacious and beautiful rooms of the institdrolici
were crowded with a most respectable company of both
sexes, and we may say of all ages, parents and children, all
enjoying, with evident delight, the feast of reason so taste-
fully provided for them. The walls of the rooms were
covered with pictures both of ancient and modern masters,
and tables placed along the centre of the principal room con-
tained a great variety of the specimens of vegetable and mi-
neral kingdoms. After the company had spent some time
in examining the various articles placed for their inspection,
a paper was read by Mr. Handey, the Hon. Secretary, on
the character and influence of the fair sex in the production
of human happiness, in which the celebrated poets who have
most distinguished themselves in paying homage to Heaven's
last, best work, were invoked, and their warmest praises as
warmly responded to by the male portion of the auditory,
and probably very sincerely assented to by the other. Cer-
tain it is, that all appeared highly gratified, and Mr. Han-
dcy's eloquence, which united sound philosophy with warm-
hearted feeling, was loudly applauded.
At intervals, after the reading of the first paper, Mr.
Francis and Mr. Handey entertained the company with
some excellent singing, accompanying their voices on the
piano : the performances of both gentlemen were highly,
and certainly very deservedly, applauded.
Mr. Cowper delivered a discourse on Terra Cotta vases,
a great variety of which he exhibited from Pendon's manu-
factory, Adelaide-street. He explained, by figures, how
they could be made of the most graceful forms, by all the
lines being portions of ovals, and showed how tastefully they
could be painted to represent any form of sculpture—a
beautiful art, in which ladies could speedily acquire great
excellence.
Dr. Truman, in conclusion, delivered a discourse on the
utility of such institutions ; the great attractions they had
for the young, and the great facility they afforded for the
acquisition of scientific knowledge. In such institutions the
lecturers generally confined their instructions to a more li-
mited portion of science than was the practice in our public
institutions ; and as this division of scientific instruction was
also the practice of the most celebrated schools on the Con-
tinent, the practice of these voluntary institutions in this
country would probably lead to an improved system of ge-
neral instruction, under the sanction of Government. An-
other great advantage of such institutions would be, that
they would become repositories for standard works of lite-
rature and the arts. He had it from good authority, 'that
the Americans are now making the greatest exertions to
procure from Europe the greatest possible quantity of such
works, for the establishment of literary and scientific insti-
tutions in all their towns. He hailed with delight the pro-
gress of knowledge amongst a people descended from our-
selves—the countrymen of Franklin, of Washington Irving,
and of Cooper—a country, too, which had lately sent us
one of the greatest actors of the age, and he wished that
their highly honourable exertions in the pursuits of litera-
ture and science might operate as a stimulus to our own.
The company, which consisted of between 400 and 500,
throughout the evening presented a most happy and joyous
appearance, and were evidently highly gratified by all that
they heard and all they saw ; for, as Mr. Handey well
observed in the introduction of his address, the managers
had provided pictures for the eyes, articles of vertu for the,
connoisseur, treasures of the animaal and vegetable king-
doms for the scientific, and concord of sweet sounds for the
delight of all. The whole was under the direction of
Messrs. W. H. Cooke and Handey, and certainly the
mental feast produced did them great honour, and we are
satisfied delighted every partaker.