The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-08 00:00:00

THE CORN-LAWS AT EPSOM.

The " great event" of the day being decided, one ,
equally important suddenly claimed, as if by common
consent, the devoted attention of the countless specta-
tors—we allude to the gratification of their craving ap- ,
petites—and such a " race for plates" was perhaps
never before witnessed on any course in the kingdom.
In the Grand Stand the good things provided by Mr.
Careless and Mr. Hare, in hospitable abundance, were
seen vanishing like snow beneath a burning sun, while
the scramble from that building to the carriages er
booths on and about the Downs, in pursuit of " crea-
ture comforts" there provided, afforded sufficient evi-
dence that hunger admits of no ceremony, and gentle
and simple jostled each other with a vigour fully equal
to their appetites. The force of example, it is said, is
powerful, and if confirmation were necessary, it was
furnished in the Queen's box, for her Majesty and
Prince Albert, acting on the impulse thus generally dif-
fused, retired to their saloon, and, in common with the
busy throng without, partook of a repast which had
been prepared for them and their friends, and which
we believe, was brought from Claremont. And here
truth obliges us to state a fact, which we trust it will
never be again our lot, as public Journalists, to record,
namely, that the Queen of England was abso-
lutely in want of a bit of bread ! Whether it
was that the bracing air of the Downs had sharpened
the appetites of her Majesty and her excellent Consort,
as well as the appetites of the members of her Court,
beyond all previous experience, or that the caterer for
the Royal luncheon had been unusually stingy in his
supply, we cannot take upon ourselves to say ; but this
we do know, that, amidst jocund laughter, we heard a
very importunate demand for bread at the Royal table,
but it would seem that none was to be had. At last
forth came the Earl of Uxbridge, and casting a suppli-
cating look into the next box, in which the Duke of
Rutland and a small party of ladies were actively dis-
cussing the merits of a paper of sandwiches, appeared
to us as plain as his intelligent countenance could convey
a meaning to say—" Have you any bread to spare ?"
But, alas! he saw the embodying of his thoughts in
words would be in vain, and that his distresses were not
likely to be relieved in that quarter. Luckily the
Earl of March came up at the moment, and his Lord-
ship was immediately despatched for the requisite sup-
ply ; and perhaps, having himself experienced the
pressing claims of hunger, the Noble Earl lost not a
moment in proceeding to the store of Mr. Careless,
where he purchased two half-quarters loaves, with '
which he quickly returned, and thus assisted in
quieting the mutiny which might otherwise
have broken out even in the Royal presence,
and the apprehension of which evidently ex-
cited extraordinary merriment, in which her Majesty's
happy voice, in soothing the impatience of her clamo-
rous guests, was distinctly audible. We trust, in giving
this anecdote, we shall not be accused of uncourteously
betraying the secrets of the Court ; but verily so much
good humour prevailed, and the disposition of our lovely
young Queen, in which she was anxiously joined by
her affectionate husband, to make all about her happy,
was demonstrated in a way so unaffected and so natu-
ral, and in a manner so perfectly consistent with the
amiability of both, that we cannot refrain from im-
parting to others the unspeakable pleasure we felt our-
selves, which we must say would have been enhanced
tenfold had we had the good fortune to have been se-
lected as the purveyor to her Majesty's table instead of
the Earl of March, whose office, although far from sel-
fish, we certainly envied. We ought to add that while
the Earl of March was sent on his " misssion to the
Court of Careless" (a name which, by the bye, ought
in future to be transferred to the Clerk of her Majesty's
kitchen,) a gentleman arrived with half a loaf, which
the Earl of Uxbridge politely declined—at least far her
Majesty's use. One of the equerries, whose name we
do not recollect, however, less scrupulous, seized on the
tempting morsel, and breaking eff one half with great
naivete, and a very intelligent wink, exclaimed: " Half
, a loaf is better than no bread."—Sunday Paper.

PUBLIC EXECUTIONS.—A remarkable instance
of the effects which public executions are calculated to have in
forming the character was exhibited in a respectable academy
in town last Wednesday foronoon. A boy about ten years cf
age, who had been taken by his father, for the second time, to
see an execution that morning, was describing with consider-
able minuteness to a number of his schoolmates the scene
which he had witnessed. Some of his little auditors appeared
very horrified, and one of them, a girl, asked him if he was not
afraid when he saw the woman hanged? " Afraid !" he replied,
" not the least, woman. I could have pulled the rope."—
Glasgow Chronicle.

NATIONAL EDUCATION IN IRE-

LAND:

We subjoin extracts from the Sixth Report of
the Commissioners of National Education in Ire-
land for the year 1839. With the exception of the
district under the spiritual authority of the eccen-
tric and crotchety Dr. APHale, the accounts of the
working of the system throughout Ireland are highly
favourable, and for the truth of these the respectable
names subscribed to the document are a sufficient

guarantee.