The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-14 00:00:00

THE WHITTINGTON CLUB.

The Whittington Club held its second soiree at the Crown
and Anchor Tavern on Wednesday; Douglas Jerrold, Esq., in
the chair. The indefatigable president of the institution was
supported by the presence of several ladies and gentlemen,
distinguished as friends of the middling and industrial classes,
among whom we noticed Mrs. Cowden Clarke, Colonel
Thompson, George Dawson, Mr. Bennock, and many ethers;
the absence of Mr. Dickens was accounted for on the score of
ill-health, as was that of Mr. Macready by a professional
engagement elsewhere. If number and good-humoured
hilhrity be any sign of success, then does the Whittington
Club bid fair to outvie the most aristocratic assembly of the
day, for the room was literally crammed with well-dressed
ladies and gentlemen; and we learned from the president's
speech that the institution, which but a few short months
since was but a thing existing in the warm imaginations of
its enthusiastic friends, is now a somewhat tangible embodi •
ment of what hearty and united co-operation can accom-
plish ; and it promises, moreover, very shortly to have a
locale of its own in some compendious form of " brick and
mortar."
Sincerely do we wish it success, if this be not a super-
fluous compliment with an affair that in three short months
has increased its members from 1,200 to upwards of 2,000.
The entertainment of the evening consisted of a mixture of
music and sentiment, and we heard with great pleasure that
distinguished caatatrice Miss Maria Ilawes, whose beautiful
song of " I'll speak to thee" was sung with great power and
feeling. There was an excellent trio by the Misses Bain-
firth, Bassano, and B. Hawes, and a duet concertante
by M. Benedict and Mr. Carte, which called forth repeated
expressionsof approbation. The only encore of the evening was
the fine old song of Arne's, " Where the bee sucks there lurk
I," which was given with great spirit by Miss Bassano.
Several well-intentioned and judicious remarks were made
by the Chairman,Colonel Thompson, Mr. Dawson, and others,
as to the power of the middle classes to combine in such an
institution both for amusement and instruction, elegant en-
tertainment, and useful knowledge; but it struck us that
the speeches were wanting in enthusiasm. These, however,
were but preliminaries to the brisk and lively dance. This
commenced at ten, when a scene of life and vivacity, as well
as grace and elegance, presented itself, of which Almack's in
its beet days might have been proud to boast. There will
be great benefits accruing from this institution, and its gene-
ral gatherings will amply compensate the trouble inciden-
tal on all such large assemblages, if they only present
opportunities where youth of both sexes can meet to pass a
leisure hour, free from any of those baleful influences which
tend to debase and degrade our common humanity.
We have rarely seen a more cheerful company, or been in
so large an assemblage, where so few symptoms of weariness
appeared. There was a goodly sprinkling of persons of ma-
tore years, but the most part were youths and persons in the
prime
of life. Again we say, success to the " Whittington
Club," may the anticipations of its most sanguine friends be
speedily realised, and the metropolis studded with societies
1 av;og for their main object the providing healthful recrea-
tion and appropriate literary food, in unison with every social
and physical comfort.

TESTIMONIAL TO LORD DUDLEY STUART. —Wed-
nesday a deputation, composed of the Members of the Com-
mittee of the Polish emigrants in Great Britain and Ireland,
accompanied by several of their countrymen, waited upon
Lord Dudley Stuart, at his residence, St. James's-place, to
present his Lordship with a gold watch, as a token of grati-
tude on the part of the whole Polish emigration, for the ser-
vices rendered by his Lordship to the cause of their country
The watch, which was made by Messrs. Patek and Co., o
Geneva, their fellow countrymen, is a splendid piece of work-
manship—the dial ornamented with various emblematical
devices of the history of Poland, and on the back are en-
graved the arms of his Lordship, and the words, "
Dinnino Dudley Coutts Stuart, illi assiduo libertatis Poloniie
defensori ; ejesque liliorum patria orborum adjutori. Die 3
Maii, 1847." Several distinguished persons, among whom
the Lady Frances Sandon, the (lon. Miss Rider, Mrs. John
Alel 'Smith, the Marquis of Northampton, and the Lord
' Beaumont, were present on the occasion.