The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-08 00:00:00

LAMBETH.

John Phillips, the son of a o.,entleman of respectability,
was charged with exposing his person in Coldharbour-
lane, Camberwell, on the preceding evening.
The case was clearly proved, and when the prisoner
was called on for his defence, his father, who seemed
very much affected, rose and said that for many years
his son had been the source of the greatest possible un-
happiness to him, and after dissipating a very handsome
property, had enlisted in the 45th Regiment. Soon after
he accompanied his regiment to India, and had been i❑
all the desperate battles during the last two years. The
awful description of the carnage he had witnessed, which
he had sent home, induced him (the father) to send out
a sum of money to purchase his discharge, ani he con-
sequently came home. On his arrival, a short time since,
his head was one mass of blister, and it was his im
pression that this must have affected his mind. During
the whole of his former prc.fligacy he had never known
his wretched son to be guilty of any such offence as the
present, and if it was his Worship's opinion that he had
been really guilty of the charge he should be the last to
screen him. _

Mr. ELLIOTT felt perfectly satisfied of the prisoner's
guilt, and committed him to the House of Correction for
three months.

ST. STEPHEN'S, WALBROOK.
On Tuesday morning, at 11 o'clock, a meeting of the
parishioners of St. Stephen's, NValbrook, was held in the
vestry of the parish church for the election of church.
wardens for the ensuing year. The chair was taken by
the Rev. Dr. Croly, the vicar. Not more than 20 per-
sons were present.
The minutes of the last meeting of the vestry having
been read and confirmed,
Mr. NV. ROCK, churchwarden, observed, that it was
now twelve months since the last vestry meeting was
held in this parish. The reason of this was, that in
the intervening time several questions relating to paro-
chial affairs had been under the cognizance of courts of
law ; and it was therefore felt unnecessary to continue
the meetings which they had been accustomed to hold
in that place. The litigated questions to which he re-
ferred had, however, now been decided, and he was
happy to say that in every instance the decision had
been in favour of the parishioners, and against the sel, et
vestry. The Judges of the Court of Common Pleas had
unanimously declared the election of Alderman Gibbs
to the office of churchwarden to be illegal and void.
Those with whom he (Mr. Rock) acted had been ad
vised, by the legal authorities they had consulted, that
the effect of this decision was to put an end entirely to
the select vestry in the parish of Walbrook. Triere
could be no doubt that there had originally been a select
vestry in the parish ; but in order to preserve a custom
it was necessary, when that custom was at variance
with the common law, that it should be strictly adhered
to. In this case the custom had been departed from,
and the result was that the vestry of St. Stephen's, Wal-
brook, would henceforth be an open vestry.—(Hear,
hear.) It was true that Alderman Gibbs bad inti-
mated his intention to appeal against the unanimous de-
cision of the Judges of the Common Pleas, but it was of
course open to him to take any measure that he might
choose to asLipt. The meeting was aware that during
the last four years a Chancery suit had been carried on
between Alderman Gibbs and himself (Mr. Rock), in
which the parish was not immediately concerned. He
(Mr. Rock) had pledged himself several years ago that
he would extract some account from Alderman Gibbs,
and that pledge he had now fulfilled.—(dear, hear.)
It was necessary, in the course of the suit to carry the
accounts into the office of one of the Masters in Chan-
cery, and at that time Alderman Gibbs'. accounts ex-
hibited a balance of upwards of 1,8001, which he claimed
afterthe
Lisnovoeis t;i g a
at ienag
tthhee avc
Vice
-ncths
eseterltli
ec kr
from the parish of Walbrook, The Master, however,
osubsequentlyf
decided that the remaining 5001. could not be
recovered by Alderman Gibbs. This claim of
1,8001. was, therefore, annulled, and all the money
that Alderman Gibbs had received since the commence-
ment of these proceedings would go to the credit of the
parish. As the income of the parish was above 7001.
a year, and as upwards of three years had elapsed since
legal prose 'dings were commenced, it followed that
Alderman Gibbs had now in hand from 2,000/. to 2,300/.
or 2,400/. to the credit of the parish ; for during the
three years he (Alderman Gibbs) could not have ex-
pended more than 180/. or 2001. The parishioners had
achieved in this, struggle all that they had desired to
obtain; and they now demanded payment from Alder-
man Gibbs of the amount which had accumulated in his
hands during the last three years. He hoped the pa-
rishioners would take care that the accounts of the
parish were more regularly kept by their future church-
wardens.

After a few words from Mr. FLIGHT, expressing his
concurrence in the observations of the previous speaker,
Mr. CUNLIFFE observed, that he was sure the meeting
would admit that the late churchwardens, Messrs. Rock
and Flight, deserved the thanks of the parishioners for
the trouble they bad taken with regard to the matters
which had been referred to, and he begged to move their
re-election to office for the ensuing year.
The motion was seconded by Mr. KENDRICK, and was
unanimously adopted.
The 11ev. CUAIRMAN called the attention of the
meeting to the state of the parish church, which, he
observed, was most scandalous. He had said three years
ago that the church was not in a fit state for the per-
formance of divine service, and he might now repeat the
statement with much greater force. Ills only surprise
was, that any congregation assembled in the edifice, tor,
independently of the possible casualty of the roof falling
down, the cold during the recent inclement weather had
been almost insupportable. The church was in a state
of utter insolvency. There was a sum of 140 guineas
due to the organist; the sextoness had a claim for up-
wards of 2731 ; and four years' stip( rid, about 1601., was
due to himself (Dr. Croly) as lecturer.
Mr. It ,Cl: observed, that a notice had been published,
signed by Mr. Alexander and Mr. Ramsay, convening a
parish meeting for Friday next. He considered, there-
fore, that they ought to ascertain the names of all the
select vestrymen, that they might know veith whom they
were fighting—whether with men of substance or with
men of straw. As Mr. Flight and himself had been
chosen churchwardens of the parish, he wished to tell
any gentlemen who might claim to act as churchwardens
that his colleague and himself were ready to declare war
to the knife. If any other persons took any step as
churchwardens, he could assure them that actions would
be commenced the next day.
Dr. CROLY indmated his intention to attend the
meeting on Friday.
A vote of thanks was then given to the Rev. Chairman
and Messrs. Rock and Flight, and the proceedings
terminated.

EDUCATION IN ROME.
THE EVENING SCHOOLS.
(From the Roman Advertiser.)
There are many elementary schools for the benefit
of the children of the people, diffused throughout
b er o f w
the regions of Rome, and collecting so large a num-
itthhetyhoosue of young as
Paris, to be
London,able to
and
stand
otherin competi-
tioncap
capitals.
.
We shall here limit ourselves to giving some account
of the nocturnal schools, which, coming to the aid of
the diurnal ones, complete the system of popular
education, in supplying instruction for those children
who are obliged to work during the day, and have no
time to pass in school except the early hours of the
evening. The nocturnal schools of Rome had their
origin in 1819, by means of Giacomo Casoglio, a
carver in wood, who, from love towards his fellow-
artizans, conceived the design of collecting their
children in the evening, in a large chamber in the
Via Guila, where, besides the catechism, he taught
them reading and a little writing, attracting his
young pupils by presents. This labour, so much of
love, but so imperfect in the hand of an artizan,
was assisted the very same year by the Nocturnal
Oratory, which Monsignor Giannoli opened near the
school, in the Church of St. Nicola degli Incoronati.
The oratory asssisted the school during the life of
Casoglio, and afterwards the good priests oontinued
the work commenced by the artisan. But this seed
soon bore much greater fruit, when the Advocate Gigli,
full of benevolence towards the people, opened, in 1830,
a school at his own expense, in St. Maria de Marche-
giani' which locale being too small, it was afterwards
transferred to St. Simone e Guida. He founded an-
other in Borgo, in 1833, and desiring to extend these
benefits over the whole city, transferred that of St.
Simone e Giuda to a more suitable place at the Mar-
chera d'Oro, so appointing it that it might be taken
as a model for all the rest. But, whilst bent on these
charitable designs, death cut him off in the time of
general mourning, 1837, when, having converted
his school into a house of relief, and going every
day with the others who recruited in the task of
nursing, to the houses of cholera patients, he was
seized by the disease, and • h dthe • t. of his
peris e victim
singular charity, But though he was dead, his work
did not die With.
interrupted by !'ll, as the two schools, although
ordinary s this
calamity'
and deprived of their
Palottapassed into the hands of the Abate
, succours, model of be
stored them to the' benevolence, who not only re-
Pristine: state, but remitted the

funds in the amount of the deficit sustained ip the
interval, exerted himself so much that the aids
augmented, and prevailed upon his parishioners,
who were subsidiaries of the Cassa di beneftePhza,
to contribute two scudi a month in those places
where the schools had been opened. By such pious
industry, he increased the revenue to 500 s-mdi,
with which he was enabled to open a new school
in the Via dell'Arancio. When he was obliged
to leave Rome on account of his health, the Cardinal
della Porta, then vic Ir, perceiving the utility
of these schools, took their interest greatly to
heart, anal confirmed the pious society by the decree,
" Delle scuole notturna di religiose,'' under the in-
vocation of the Vergine Addolorato, some being de-
sired to contribute by money, others by labour. In
order to increase the benefits resulting, he desired
to place them under the guidance of a mall who
might be their voluntary director and promoter,
as was found in Monsignor Morichini, who having
already assumed the direction on the instance of
Pallotta, retained it with hearty willingness, accord-
ing to the wish of the Cardinal. It was not possible
that the choice could have fallen better than on this

individual, in respect for whose genuine modesty
we shall only say, that his ability of mind and
benevolence of heart are known to all. If the, uni-
versal interests of the Church, and the recompense
of merit in such a prelate, ought not to be paramount
to particular advantages, the loss that Rome has
sustained in so energetic an ecclesiastic would be
too severe. [He has been elevated to the dignity
of Nuncio at the Court of Bavaria.] It was then
that an established order was given to this institution,
the administration set on a firm basis, the regulations
compiled, and the instruction determined. Then
(1829) its course became continually more progres-
sive, and its benefits gradually extended over the
principal centres of the city, The truly apostolic
zeal of the good priests, and the assistance of charitable
and distinguished, persons, gave increment to the
pious work, and since 1841 the regulations in regard
to the institution, the worship, and instruction, have
been in print. In respect of the first, all is confided
to a directive council, composed of president, vice-
president, directors of the schools, secretary, and
accomptant. The president is chosen by the council,
and the members of this by the general session of
the society, this last being composed of associates,
some exercitants, some contributors. The council
meets once a month, the society on the occasion of the
annual balancing of accounts, and for the election of
the members of the council, who are in office two
years. The evenings of vigils and festivals are dedi-
cated to religious exercises, when all the schools
assemble in their respective oratories, for catechetical
instruction, and prayers are given, and two feasts
especially celebrated, those of the plater dolorosa and
St. Luiga Gonzago. On the afternoons of festivals,
the pupils are conducted to some gardens, where
they pass their time in amusements till the evening.
The schools are opened at the hour of 24, and the in-
struction begins at a half an hour later, lasting till
1 o'clock, and three-quarters of the night (24 is now
6 o'clock, the first hour of the night 7). Every,
school is divided into three classes, in which are suc-
cessively taught, reading, writing, and arithmetic,
and catechism for the last quarter of an hour. In
the third class are taught the elements of linear
design, and of geometry applied to the arts. Choral
music is also taught to some extent, enabling the
children to sing at their devotions, and on returning
home at night. It certainly awakens peculiar emo-
tions when, at the second hour of the night (8
o'clock), one meets bands of these children, or hear
them as they pass under our windows, singing the
praises of Mary, and going to the homes where their
mothers receive them with blessings, whilst they
bless also the pious care of those who thus train their
children in the paths of virtue.

CHRISTOPHER COLOMB.
True genius is seldom to be put down by clamour,
though, unfortunately, instances of' this kind do
sometimes occur, and unquestionably had not Felicien
David been possessed of strength of mind ,as well
high talent, he would have sunk under the storm of
abuse so ungenerously raised against him last year,
on the occasion of his "Moire," whieh, because the
public was disappointed in not finding it another
"Desert," was universally cried down as a worthless
rhapsody, and its author as something like an im-
postor. Some of your men of genius would have
taken this sorry treatment—and sorry and shabby
enough it certainly was—in dudgeon, and forsworn
Apollo in a huff—nay, some of our acquaintance
would infallibly in such a strait have blown out the
small portion of brains appertaining to them ;
but M. David did far better—he betook himself, not
to Avernus, but to Autt4uil, where he avenged him-
self on his detractors by writing a symphony,
which not only restores him to celebrity, but places
him beyond the reach of all future cavil among the
first composers of his time. The subject is a grand
one, the conception of a man of genius—the discovery
of the new world; the title Christophe Colomb, ou, la
' Discouverie tin Nouveau Monde. it was produced at
the Theatre of the Conservatoire, for such was the
effect of the clamour to which we have alluded that
not a lyric theatre would open its doors to the coin
poser, and it was to the generous interference of mit.
A is
Night sat
parts—", The Depar-
ture,"
of the Princes that this sane, which belongs to the
Crown, was placed at the disposal of M. David. The
symphony "
ii(lited in
at hoe four Tropics," "The The Revolt,"
and " The New World. These are all described
with an imitative power really wondrous, though
the auditor is no doubt largely indebted to a re-
citative well delivered by M. llenry, of the Opera
Comique, who, by a kind of running commen
tary on the events described, keeps the audience
au courant of the intentions of the author, like
the chorus in the old Greek tragedy. The sub-
ject opens with the preparations for the departure of
the expedition, the undulation of the waves, and the
ships riding at anchor. being expressed with singular
felicity. The embarkation amid the prayers of the
people, the signal for sailing, and the departure of the
fleet, with the various feelings of regret and alarm at
such a moment experienced by the adventurers and
those who remain behind, were admirably depicted,
and this part concluded amid loud and long plaudits.
The composer subsequently describes the features of a
long navigation—the weary calm, the langour of the
tropics, a tempest, a dream of home, a revolt on
board, and lastly, the sight of the new world ; the
rapture of the nearly hopeless sailors at the prospect,
and the dances and choruses of the natives ; all were
received with applause, which, as the beauties un-
folded themselves to the audience, rose at length to
enthusiastic demonstrations of delight. The sym-
phony, we should mention, is not wholly instru-
mental, the subject being developed by several
choruses and other vocal morceaux, all of considerable
merit, but we must add that the execution seemed on
the whole inferior to the work. The composition is
of colossal grandeur, and it would demand all the
resources of a first-rate theatre to do justice to such
a production.