The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-22 00:00:00

THIS EVENING

Will be performed the popular Drama, called THE SIKHS' IN-
VASION ; or, England's Victories of 1846.
After which, splendid SCENES of the HIPPODROME, by the
British and Foreign Professors, Male and Female.
The whole concluding with an Equestrian Drama, entitled
THE NAMELESS.
On MONDAY NExT, an extraordinary Change of Performance,
embracing a New Spectacle, called THE MERCHANT STEED ;
or, The Flight of Damon. In which Mr. T. Harwood and Mrs.
Merton Brooks will, in addition to the regular Company, have the
honour of appearing. With other attractive Entertainments ; to-
gether with the Romantic Drama of THE NAMELESS.
Box-office open from eleven till five o'clock.—Doors open at six
and commence at seven o'clock.

DAVIDGE'S ROYAL SURREY THEATRE.
Lessee, Mrs. Frances Davidge.
Immense attraction ! A New Opera, and powerful combination of
attraction and talent. An increased Hand and Double Chorus.
Conductor, Mr. E. J. Loder.
THIS EVENING will be performed the Opera of THE SYREN.
In which Miss Georgians Smithson will appear, supported by
Messrs. D. W. King, Weiss, S. Jones, Horneastle, A. Harris; Miss
Betts, and Miss Parry.
With the Musical Piece of THE QUAKER.
To conclude with WEALTH AND WANT. 'ln which Messrs.
E. F. Saville, Fredericks, J 7 T. Johnson, Neville, Heslop, W.
Smith, Lewis ; Miss Richardson, Miss Martin, Miss E. Terry, Mrs.
W. Daly, and Mrs. Honner will perform.
Box Office open from eleven till four o'clock.

Under the Patronage of her Most Gracious Majesty.
ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.
EVERY MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND
THURSDAY.
VIEW of NAPLES, ERUPTION of VESUVIUS, DESTRUC-
TION of HERCULANEUM and POMPEII, in the year 79.
A richly ornamented GOTHIC BRIDGE of STATUES has been
constructed, which will be brilliantly Illuminated at Night.
The PROMENADE CONCERTS, conducted by Mr. Godfrey.
CALYPSO'S FAIRY GROTTO, representing in the Interior
Telemachus relating his adventures to Calypso.
The PYROTECHNIC DISPLAYS, by Mr. Sonthby, are on the
most complete and effective scale.
Preceding the Volcanic Display, Mons. FARINET.LI will descend
from a Chinese Pagoda, seventy feet in height, to the surface of the
lake, where a Naiad's Car will rise to receive Lim, and bear him to
his chrystal home.
The Glass Conservatory is splendidly ornamented with festoons
of lamps, enabling the visitors to view the matchless collection of
Carnivore by gas-light.
Feeding of the Carnivore at half-past five; the Pelicans, &c., at
six ; Concert at half-past six ; and the Eruption at dusk.
Admission. One Shilling.
Under the Patronage of his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambr'dge.
On MONDAY, Aug. 24th, and TUESDAY, Aug. 25th.
A GRAND FLORICULTURAL EXHIBITION and BAZAAR
DES FLEURi. In aid of the Funds for assistiag those Nurserymen
and Florists who suffered by the late Hail-storm. Extra Bands will
attend, in addition to the combined attractions of the Gardens.
Admittance, TWO SHILLINGS. Doors open at One.

THE WEATHER.—SIIN OFFICE, AUGUST 22.
THERMOMETER, Lowest, 57; Highest. 70; Noon, 68.
BAROMETER, 30.09.—W1ND N.W., cloudy.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON-BRIDGE THIS DAY.
Morning .. 11 minutes after 2. I Evening .. 29 minutes after 2.

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SECOND EDITION.

unjustly accused, ' The sting of the wasp may fester and in
flame long after the venemous—l should have said vexatious
—insect has left its life and its poison in the wound,' and this
is the same with regard to such attacks as that which I have
been directing the attention of your Lordships to."
Lerd G. BENTINCK made another long speech last
night, by way of rejoinder to his antagonist. We do
not enter upon any of the points he sought to esta-
blish, because, as we have no confidence in the data of
one who is constantly retracting and apologising, it
might only be a useless waste of time. On Wed-
nesday the Member for Lynn made a retractation,
and an apology to Lord LYNDHURST, with respect to
the living of Nocton. Yesterday he was forced by
Mr. S. 'WORTLEY to go through the same humiliating
' ceremonyin favour of Mr. PERRY, who, it was clearly.
proved, had not been " dry-nursed" by Mr. Com-
missioner HOLROYD, as had been stoutly alleged by
Lord G. BENTINCK on a previous occasion. We can
, have no confidence in any averments which come
from such a quarter. Besides, it is palpable they
have been made, not from a regard to the public in-
terests, but from a malevolent delight in assailing one
of the most powerful members of the late Cabinet,
which happily succeeded in passing the great Corn
Bill, and which has had the effect ofrendering the pro-
tectionist leader in the Commons so atrabilious in his
Parliamentary warfare. But, as though in despair of the
futility of his accusation, the Noble Lord last night
cast a new ingredient into his virulent cauldron, in
the hope that his distinguished adversary would not
escape free from all prejudice. Lord G. BENTINCK
asserts that, on the 10th of July last, Lord LYND-
HURST sent an eminent and respected merchant of the
City of London to him, to propose that he should join
the colleagues who were in a minority in her MAJESTY'S
late Cabinet on the question of the sugar duties.
Lord GEORGE dwelt upon this fact to show that his
character stood favourably with the ex-Chancellor
about six weeks since. The divulging of this political
secret may, or may not, lead to a further explanation
in the House of Lords. For ourselves, we see
nothing objectionable in one politician pro-
posing a combination with another, both being
out of office, upon a question where it
was considered their views were parallel.
But what might have been Lord LYNDHURST'S
opinion of Lord GEORGE on the 10th of July last,
and before the gross and vindictive attack levelled
at his character, for a corrupt exercise of his
official functions, does not necessarily disparage
the view which the late Chancellor may
have since formed of his accuser's character,
now that it has been exhibited in very different
colours. The unbridled license of Lord GEORGE
Will, we have no doubt, receive another check.
We should not be surprised if Mr. GLADSTONE were
to administer a wholesome castigation. Experience
is a dear school, and before long the Noble Member
for Lynn may find the truth flashing across the deser
waste of his mind, that there is a certain class o:
bipeds who will learn in no other.

In compliance with an order of the House of
Lords, dated August 3, 1846, a return has just been
made of all pensions granted since January 1, 1838.
We turn to this document with peculiar interest,
anxious to discover that while the national revenue
has in no instance been squandered, the national
benefactors have not too frequently been forgotten.
We have examined this catalogue of pensions. on the
civil list with the most unaffected and scrutinizing
anxiety; we have risen from its perusal with a mix-
ture of painful and pleasurable emotions, though, it
must be acknowledged, the painful were predominant.
We cannot, unquestionably, complain of any
extravagant expenditure of the public moneys as fares
the sum total is concerned; but in various particulars
' we conceive we should be amply justified in cavilling
at the selection of some amongst the recipients.
Nor is this the only cause of our dissatisfaction in
regard to the appropriation of the national funds.
While our astonishment is elicited by the bounties
lavished upon individuals without the vestige of a
claim to become pensioners upon the British ex-
chequer, our indignation is aroused at the tardy re-
turn made to some of our most illustrious benefactors,
and occasionally at the total omission of very eminent
and deserving names.
During a period of little better than seven years
and a half seventy-nine individuals have been pen-
sioned with merely 10,7801. per annum. Considering
the number of recipients nothing could be more
niggardly than this allowance:-10,7801. distributed
amongst seventy-nine individuals become splintered
into portions but little consonant with the affluence
of this great empire, or the manner in which her
meritorious and necessitous children should be recom-
pensed. The highest among these pensions is 1,0001.
per annum, of which munificence there is a solitary
example ; the lowest are 254 and even 20/., of which
there are absolutely seven individual instances ! Is
it, we ask, compatible with the dignity of the English
Government, with the benevolence of the English
laws, with the generosity of the English people, that
their servants should be granted, in their hours of af-
fliction and despondency, such an ignominious bounty
as twenty pounds a year? Does not the very inser-
tion of a name upon the Civil List constitute an
acknowledgment that its owner has a claim upon the
gratitude of the population ; and is it not, therefore,
disgraceful to that population that such a claim
should be satisfied by a pittance so niggardly ? Is it
just, is it honest, is it generous to repay our national
benefactors—generally persons of refined minds and
susceptible feelings—with a pension more miserable
than the wages of an ordinary mechanic ? It is
monstrous to shirk these inquiries on the plea of
economy ; as well might a merchant refuse to
loosen his purse-strings for one of the most
useful persons in his counting-house, on
the plea of economy. The relief of the
necessities of her more gifted offspring—those whose
genius has proved the benefaction of their fellow
creatures—is among the liabilities of a civilised na

tion. Liquidate those liabilities before you talk of
economy ; but, above all, in GOD'S name, do not
reward your benefactors by a lingering starvation—
namely, by a pension of 201. a year ! Either a
man deserves no recompense whatever, or he de-
serves something better than such a " death in life."
Among the seventy-nine pensioners there are
several foreign and many very obscure names, the
introduction of which is to us peculiarly anomalous,
from our knowledge of eminent personages who, not-
withstanding their genius and their wants, have been
entirely disregarded by Government. Three names in
the catalogue convey a grand and affecting moral ;

they breathe of the woes of genius and of the in

human parsimony of the State ; they are—

JANE HOOD, 1001. ;
MARY HAYDON, 50/.
MARY BANIM, 401.
Surely the names of those widows require no
comment to enforce the melancholy truths they teach.
We will leave their mere utterance to fructify a feel-
ing of generosity in the Administrative, and to
kindle a sentiment more akin to gratitude in the
bosoms of the people.

Already we have spoken of the tardiness evinced in
tendering a recompense where it is ultimately ac-
knowledged to be due. Is an evidence re-

quired ? Here are two. On November 17, 1842
WILLIAM WORDSWOBTH was granted a pension of

3001. per annum. On January 28, 1845, PATRICK
FRASER TYTLER received a pension of 2001. per

annum. Among the most spontaneous recompenses
of this description, we must particularly mention
JOHN RAMSAY M'CULLOCH, 2001. ; ALFRED TENNY-
SON, 2001. ; JAMES DAVID FORBES, WU.; and Dame
FLORENTIA SALE, 500/. For such rewards to such

individuals, and so offered, we can, as an organ of
the people, express our cordial and unbidden grati-
tude. Could we recognise a similar impartiality
and a similar munificence throughout, we should
not feel inclined to cavil as we have done
at the various items in the catalogue. Surely the
most " parsimonious politician provident of coin" (to
travestie the language of MrLrox) would not raise an
outcry of profligate expenditure were these pensions
of a more average munificence, and distributed with
more discrimination. Many worthier signatures
might then appear among these seventy-nine ; a
larger sum than 10,7801. might then be announced
as thus appropriated ; the number of our illustrious
suicides and martyrs of knowledge would be con-
siderably diminished ; nor would such an arrange-
ment cause the civilisation and prosperity of this
country to retrogress.

A letter from Vienna, of the 9th, states that the
Papal Nuncio to the Court of Austria has gone to