The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-26 00:00:00

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EDUCATION.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
perceive in your article of Monday evening last,
on the proposed Government measure of public education,
that you, unintentionally no doubt, confound the W esleyan
Methodist body with the Wesleyan Association. These
bodies are perfectly distinct, the latter originating, some
years since, in a secession from the former; and for the
representations or actions of the Association the Wes-
leyans are not at all responsible. The only resolutions
adopted by the Wesleyan Committees accompany this
note; from which it will be seen that the principles
which have contributed to the " high character" which
you admit they have " obtained," are those by which
their present and future conduct on this question will Le
determined.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,

CHARLES PREST,
Secretary to the Wesleyan Committee of rrivileges,
Wesleyan Centenary Hall, Bishopsgate-street Within,
March 25th, 1847.

The following are the resolutions above alluded to:—
At a meeting of the United Wesleyan Committees of Pri-
vileges and Education, convened to consider the "Minutes of
the Committee of Council on Education in August and
December, 1846," and held at the Centenary Hall, Bishops-
gate-street Within, March 18, 1847 ; the Rev. W. Atherton,
President of the Conference, in the chair:
It was moved by the Rev. Samuel Jackson, seconded by
the Rev. John Scott, and resolved unanimously,-
1. That, in reference to the deeply-important question of
national education, this committee cannot depart from the
great scriptural and Protestant principles already avowed in
the resolutions passed on two former occasions,—namely, in
1839 and 1843; but feels it a duty to reassert and maintain
them : and that, on these and other grounds, this committee
decidedly objects to the present measure. But as the present
aspect of the question is, as to its circumstances, sornetvhat
varied from that under which it was formerly considered, the
final and definitive declaration of the reasons to be assigned
for this decision shall be subject to exact and mature delibera-
tion at an adjourned meeting of this united committee, to be
held in this place on Thursday, April Bth, at ten o'clock A.M.
And that, in the meantime, an. extract from our former
resolutions, embodyiug a statement of the great principles
above mentioned, shall be reprinted, in order to explain to
our friends at large the only grounds on which we are pre-
pared to approve of any scheme of education which is to be
supported by national taxation.
2. That the Parliamentary sub-committee of each of
these united committees be instructed to prepare the extracts
above referred to, and also a draft statement of the objections
against the pre.,ent measure, to be submitted to the commit-
tee at its adjourned meeting.
3. That the same sub-committee be instructed to print
and circulate these resolutions.

(Signed) W. ATHERTON, Chairman.
The Ctutirinan having left the chair, it was taken by the
Rev. S. Jackson ; when it was moved by James Heald,
Esq., of Stockport; seconded by P. Rothwell, Esq., of
Bolton; and resolved unanimously—That the best thanks of
the meeting be presented to the Rev. the President of the
Conference, for his kind attention to the business of the
committee.

(Signed) JOHN S. STAMP,
CHARLES PREST,
Secretaries to the Wesleyan Committee of Privileges.
JOHN C. PENGELLY,
THOMAS VASEY,
Secretaries to the Wesleyan Education Committee.

POTATO SEED.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Should you, consider the following statement to
be of any service to the public at the present time, and
as it may be the means of saving a quantity of valuable
seed, I beg you will insert it in your valuable journal.
About three weeks since I planted two gallons of
walnut kidneys, one of which wes of a large size, and
apparently healthy seed (I made two seeds of
each potato) ; the Other being of a smaller size,
was put in whole. A few days since I was led to
examine them, when I found those that had been cut
were all considerably affected with the disease, as well
as having been attacked by the ravages of the wire
worm and slug. Those that were put in whole were not
touched ; therefore showing the necessity of not cutting
the seed.—l am, Sir, &c., W. M.
Bentley, Hants, March 24, 1847.

JAS. SHERIDAN KNOWLES, ESQ

TO Mb; EDITOR OF THE SCItV.

SIR,—I read with great pleasure in your paper of the
9th March, the remarks which you made in reference
to the manner in which Sheridan Knowles ha:- hitherto
been overlooked, in the distribution of that fund allotted
to the reward of literary genius. That Sheridan Knowles
ranks in many of his dramatic works next to our im-
mortal bard, " who lived not for an age, but for all
time," cannot be denied.
Whilst some authors in their dramatic works have
pandered to low tastes and vulgar sentiments, Sheridan
Knowles has invariably in his writings maintained the
dignity of virtue and the sanctity of truth. As one who
has in his entire writings aimed at purifying the stage,
and enlightening mankind through its influence, She-
ridan Knowles is entitled to be regarded as a public
benefactor; yet, whilst his "Julia" can draw thousands
of spectators to see and hear the incomparable perform-
ance of Mrs. Butler—and remunerate her talent with an
overflowing exchequer—the author who brought the
character into being has never yet had a single dawn of
favour shown to him by the State. The eloquent and
patriotic energy of William Tell, the impassioned beauty
of Virginius, the pathetic grace and favour of the
Hunchback, the sprightly elegance of the Love Chase,
and the doop devoted expression of The Wife, will carry
down the name of Sheridan Knowles to posterity as one
of the greatest of our dramatists and poets. We are
then irresistibly led to the question—" How the genius
of Sheridan Knowles has been acknowledged by his court
trymen, and how the literary labours of that genius have
been answered and rewarded ?"

It would be invidious to single out the names of those
who receive literary pensions; but beyond the shores of
our own native land, with the exception of America, by
how many foreigners are the works of Tennyson or
Hood known? Yet they received pensions from the
State. For what? The one for writing a couple of
volumes of poetry, the other for having ridiculed society
in an annual publication of wood-cuts, puns, and non-
sen+ical stories. That Hood could write well there can-
not be a doubt—take, for instance, his " Song of the
Shirt;" but Hood rose into a name by pandering to the
light reading of the day. That Sheridan Knowles is
entitled to a pension from the State there cannot be two
opinions amongst literary men. It is left for Lord John
Russell to do him justice, and I have no doubt he will
do it.

I have much pleasure in stating, through the medium
of your paper, that a memorial has been got up in Leeds
to the Premier, requesting him to allow Sheridan
Knowles to have a portio❑ of that fund which is dedi-
cated to the reward of genius. That memorial has been
signed by the mayor, magistrates, aldermen, couLcillors.
merchants, &c., &c., of Leeds, and will be sent in a few
days through the medium of Lord Morpeth. Such an
appeal, and made from such an influential portion of the
community, will, I hope, (and who will not join fervently
in that hope ?) be successful.
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
Leeds, March 23, 1847. MARTIN CAWOOD.