The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-15 00:00:00

AUGUST 15, 1846,

NEWMARKET and CHESTER-FORD

RAILWAY.

The first half-yearly meeting of this Company took place
yesterday, at the Offices of the Company, 5, Church-passage,
Guildhall; Lord John Manners in the chair.

The SECRETARY read the usual advertisement convening
le meeting; and the following report was then submitted to
Le shareholderv—

" This meeting has been convened in accordance with the
requirements of the Railway Clauses Consolidation Act, and
your directors have the pleasure to submit their first report,
subsequent to the passing of the Act which incorporates this
Company ; and congratulate the shareholders upon the Act
having been successfully obtained. Your directors are happy
to be enabled to state, that owing to the excellent manage-
ment of the law affairs of the Company, no opposition has
been made to the progress of the Bill in passing through its
several stages ; and, consequently, the legal expenses
incurred have been of limited amount, as compared
with those borne by similar projects, which have been carried
before Parliament under less favourable auspices. The land-
owners and occupiers along neatly the whole extent of the
line have been successfully treated with, upon terms which
may be considered satisfactory; and your directors are con-
vinced that the early construction of the line will be at-
tended, not only with great advantages to the public, but
from the central situation of the line, in respect of some of
the most important railway communications in the kingdom,
will prove highly remunerative to the shareholders. Your
directors confidently recommend the immediate prosecution
of such surveys and plans as may insure to this. Company the
success of an application to Parliament next session for carrying
out extensions of the line from Newmarket to Thetford, and
from Newmarket to Bury St. Edmund's, and resolutions to this
effect will be submitted for your approval. a having been
with much reason suggested, that it may be expedient for
this Company to extend the proposed line from Bury to Ely
also, your directors recommend, therefore, that they should
be empowered (if upon further consideration it should appear
to them of sufficient public importance, and to the interest of
the shareholders) to make this additional extension. Your
directors are empowered to announce, that they have as-
surances from most of the landowners on the line of the
proposed extensions of their readiness to ce-operate,
by their influence and support, in the success of an
undertaking that will, when completed, form the
best and most convenient route from Norwich
to London, as well as from the east coast to the midland and
northern counties. Your directors feel called upon to state
that they had entered into a treaty to lease the present line,
with the extensions of Thetford, at the rate of 6 per cent. on

the outlay, and half the profits of the Norfolk Company; but
that treaty was broken off in consequence of an intimation
from the solicitors engaged, that the Norfolk Company had
no power to do so without the leave of the Eastern Coun-
ties. The capital which the Act of incorporation em-
powers the Company to raise is more than ample
for the purposes of completing the present line, and
contracts, under the guidance and advice of Mr. R. Stephen-
son, have been made for the entire completion of the works;
the line has been staked out, and the works are in course of
progress. The short period that has elapsed since obtaining
the Act has prevented the directors from ascertaining the
precise amount of expense incurred, but, after making liberal
allowance for accounts not yet received, they are of opinion
that the total expenses of the Company, to the date of in-
corporation, will not exceed 9,066.., beingunder 13s. per share.
It is intended to pay interest at 4 per cent. per annum on the
deposits paid, and upon all future calls, commencing Ist of
January last, upon registered shares, and the first payment
will be made on or after the Ist of September, 1846. In ac •
cordance: with the Act, it will be the duty of the proprietors
at this meeting to appoint two auditor& The directors beg
to recommend to the notice of the shareholders, for appoint-
ment, John Sands, Esq., of Austin-friars; and Henry Rance,
Esq., of Cambridge, solicitor."
The report was adopted unanimously.
The present line brings Norwich nineteen miles nearer
London than it is at present.
A vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman, and the
meeting separated.

'POOR MAN'S GUARDIAN

SOCIETY.

A public meeting of those friendly to the objects of this
society was held yesterday, in the Hall of Commerce, City,
. .

at one o'clock.
Mr. B. B. CARRELL, M.P., having taken the chair, said
would not be necessary to detain the meeting with stating at
any length the objects of the society, as these would appear
in the motions and in the speeches of the gentlemen who
moved them. He thought it unusual and extraordinary that,
in a nation whose merchants were princes in wealth, a society
like the present, should be necessary to draw the public atten-
tion to the unprotected state of the poor ' • yet soit was. Wealth,
he said, had its powers. but it also had its duties • and it
was to fulfil these that this meeting bad been called. He
would not detain the meeting longer, but call on
Mr. COCHRANE, who moved the first resolution. He said it
would be a work of supererogation in him to talk of the condi-
tion of the poor generally ; he would confine himself to the poor
within the city of London. It was said in the last report
of the asylums supported by voluntary subscriptions that
from 18,000 to 20,000 persons had been relieved during the
last winter, and that about EO,OOO rose daily from their bed
not knowing where to get a breakfast. The Lord Mayor,
about the beginninc, of the year, on hearing a case of a young
woman who had' broken windoirs, stated that about
one hundred and twenty-five cases of young women
had been brought up before him fpr breaking, windows, that
they might obtain that protection in gaols Which was denied
them anywhere el: e. He stated further, that in the poor
unions of the city of London they kept bull-dogs to growl
and snarl when the poor came to apply for relief. These
were statements which were not indebted to private fiction.
Mr. Cochrane then referred to the case of Ann Lynch, the details
of which have already appeared in Me Sun, as well as the
details of the assault committed on two women by the under-
officers of Marlborough workhouse. He added that the ex-
posure in this bet instance was due to the humane exertions
of one of the police—Sergeant Morton—who at first paid
the expenses out of his own pocket. He thought these de-
tails were enough to rouse every citizen of London
to give that protection to the poor which the
law at present denied them. He said the meeting
perhaps was not aware that Dr. Southwood Smith, in his
late report of the Fever Hospital, had stated that one-fifth of
the whole number of the patients were traceable to Marl-
borough workhouse, at Peckham—one-fifth of the whole
number being 125. He concluded by moving—
" That the number of distressed poor who apply to the
City unions is very great; that their necessities entitle them
to our warmest sympathies; that the treatment which they
too frequently experience is proved to be harsh, cruel, and
unjust, and that their sufferings Imperatively demand the
warmest exertions of every honest citizen in their behalf."
Rev. JAMES HARRIS seconded the motion. He never felt
more gratified than on that occasion in lending his aid to
the amelioration of his poor fellow-creatures, for he thought
it was the dawning of a day when the attention of Christian
England would be turned to facts which had escaped it for
the best part of his life. He did not think that the aristo-
cracy were aware of the state of the poor, he did not believe
that they could form an idea of it, and therefore he was glad
that such an institution bad risen to point their attention to
it. He said he had been called again and again, being the
incumbent of Mile End New Town, to see the poor, many
and many a time, dying of starvation. They submitted to
starvation and death even, out of the strength of their better
feelings, rather than apply to these workhouses, which he
did not think were a blessing to this land. He augured suc-
cess to the society from the strength of sympathy which had
been stirred, and from the presence of their present Chair-
man within the legislature of the country. The speaker
paid a compliment to the philanthropy of Mr. Cabbell, Mr.
Walter, and Mr. Ferrand, and concluded by seconding the
resolution.
Mr. SIMMONS, before the resolution was put to the meet-
ing, wished to be allowed to say a few words. He said he
was one of those cruel individuals, the City union guardians.
--(Hear, hear.) He had come there that day like any other
citizen, merely to hear what might be proposed to the con-
sideration of the meeting. He had not come with the inten-
tion of making a speech, but after hearing the speech of the
eloquent gentleman who moved the resolution he felt called
on to rectify some of the statements which had been made.
Perhaps it was not known that the guardians of the city of
London Union were elected by the free suffrages of their
fellow-citizens in the parish to which they belong, or that
they were honorary servants, and unpaid. Instead of there
being 50 of them, there were nearer a hundred. Now these very
guardians, these maligned ind ividualswish ed to erect an asylum
for the casual poor; and it was only on Tuesday last that a
special committee had been appointed to carry out that object.
But he was unwilling that the citizens should retire from that
place without hearing the otherbide ; they had already heard
one side depicted by his friend, Mr. Cochrane, in the most
glowing colours. It was surely an injustice to visit on the
guardians whatever casual oppression might be exercised by
their officers on some of the casual poor. There were men
among these guardians as ready to aid in the present move-
ment for the protection of the poor as the gentlemanwho had
so eloquently addressed the meeting. They were men who
were elected by their fellow-citizens to the discharge of
their duty as guardians, and, therefore, they were
not likely to be the men whom his friend would
make them- believe they were. They found great
difficulty in managing the casual poor, a vast number of
whom came into that city; and perhaps injustice might in
some cases be done, but it was hard, he thought, to lay this
at the door of the guardians, and to represent them as
a hard and cruel set of people, as though they were
opposed to the poor, or the Poor Man's Guardian
Society. He had had the pleasure to stand up
himself and others besides him in that board of
guardians, and advocate the cause of the Poor Man's Guar-
dian Society. But it had been the policy, to attribute any
cruelty which might be committed in Marlborough House to
the City union guardians, which was surely more than ought
to have been expected. He felt it so, especially, when he
stood there and said he wished as much as any of them
to remedy these evils. It was his wish and the wish of
others to do so ; but individuals to whom allusion had been
made had always stood in the way. Marylebone was a large
parish, and many Noble Lords lived there. When the pro-
posal to build an asylum for the casual poor was made,
the parish of Blarylebane—the aristocratic parish of Maryle-
bone—had always been against it, and said they would not
have it. He said he was most sincere in deploring any irre-
gularities that had occurred in Marlborough workhouse, and
he wished most heartily to see the poor comfortable and their
wants supplied. The speaker concluded his statement by
thanking the chairman and the meeting for listening to him
with the attention which they had been pleased to bestow on
what he had to say.
The resolution was put and carried unanimously.
Mr. LUKE HANSARD moved, and Mr. llvnE CLARKE
seconded, the following resolution :—" That the efforts of the
Poor Man's Guardian Society in behalf of the poor gene-
rally, and especially in exposing the cruelties practised to-
wards the poor in the union, Marlborough-house, Peckham,
entitle it to the warmest support of the citizens of London."
This was put and carried unanimously.
Mr. THORNBORROW moved, and Mr. PERCIVAL seconded,
That for the convenience of the merchants
the following :—"
and citizens of London a subscription be opened in the city
on behalf the Poor Man's Guardian Society, and that Messrs.
Smith, Payne, and Smith, Messrs. Jones, Loyd, and Co.,
Messrs. Dennison, and Mr. Thornborrow, be requested to re-
ceive contributions."
The resolution was put from the chair and carried.
Resolutions appointing a committee of co operation in the
City, and according thanks to Mr. Moxhay for the gratuitous
use of the Hall, were moved and carried.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the business,
and the meeting separated.

PRICE SD.

PRESENTATION of NEW COLOURS
BY PRINCE ALBERT TO THE 13TH LIGHT
INFANTRY.
PORTSMOUTH THURSDAY. —His Royal Highness the
Prince Consort 'having sigqified his consent to honour his
" own " regiment by preseting it with new colours, this
day was appointed for the celebration of the ceremony, and
Southsea-common was the site chosen for the brilliant dis-
play, the " pomp and circumstance " attendant upon which
attracted an immense multitude of ail ranks, especially the
higher, anxious to witness so interesting and national a
spectacle.
The 13th was first embodied on the 20th of June, 1665,
under the command of Thomas Earl of Huntingdon. They
left England for Flanders in 1742, and returned in 1715.
In 1747 they again embarked for Flanders, and served in the
wars of the Low Countries under Marlborough, returning in
1762. They were also engaged in the siege of Limerick. In
1768 they were sent to Ireland; thence to Minorca, in 1769,
returning to England in 1776, in which year they were pre-
sent at Culloden, under the command of his Royal Highness
William Duke of Cumberland, K.G., where, as a mark of dis-
tinction for their gallant conduct, the sashes of the officers
and sergeants were ordered to be tied on the right side. In
1781 they were sent to the Leeward Islands, returning in
1782. In 1790 they embarked for the West Indies, and
were engaged in the defence of the island of St. Domingo,
and returned to England in 1796. In 1798 they served
in Ireland during the rebellion. In 1800 they em-
barked for Egypt, where they served under Abercrombie
against the French, and obtained the honour of bearing the
sphinx on their colours and appointments. In 1802 they
proceeded from Alexandria to Malta, thence to Gibraltar
(1S03), and returned home in 1806. In 1808 they embarked
for Bermuda, and afterwards joined the expedition against
Martinique in the same year, for which they were permitted
by the Prince Regent to bear on their colours and appoint-
ments the word "Martinique," in consideration of their dis
tinguished gallantry and services at the attack and reduction
of that place. In 1813 they left Martinique for Halifax,
and whilst there a detachment was sent to hold a post called
La Cole Mill, where it most nobly performed its duty in re-
pulsing the enemy, 6,000 strong, on which occasion the de-
tachment had thirteen men killed, and one captain, one
subaltern, two sergeants, and forty-six men wounded, and
gained the thanks of General Provost, K.G., commanding
the forces, for their gallantry. In July, 181*, they returned
to England, and in the folloiving.month were sent to Jersey.
In June, 1819, the regiment returned home _and in the See,
temberellpar: - ! embarked: for Scotland, and thence, in
November.,• .::,,4;.•.•,:„;.„.-_ :-* ~- ,-' for . Ireland.,. 144
they were orde .i .", 2 mie ,to urnettfoa, tbeace
..re
to klelinburgh, to do duty during the visit. of oorgiTY.'l
to that city. After the departure of his Majesty they
embarked at Leith, for Chatham, prior to sailing for
the East Indies. The regiment was denominated " Light
Infantry," on Christmas-day, 1822, by order of George IV.
In May, 1823, they arrived at Calcutta, and in April follow-
ing embarked for Rangoon, in the Burmese empire, under
the immediate command of Sir Robert Sale, the senior Lieu- '
tenant-Colonel being placed on the staff, and continued to
be under the leadership of that distinguished officer in
nearly all the principal engagements which took place
in that country, and repeatedly received the thanks of the
Governor- General of India in council and the general-
officer commanding, and were permitted to bear on their
colours and appointments the word "Ave," as a reward
for their distinguished services in that empire. They re-
turned to Calcutta in April, 1836. In November, 1838,
the regiment moved from Kurnaul to Ferozepore, and
formed part of the army of the Indus, under the late Lieu-
tenant-General Lord Keane, G.C.8., and on the breaking
up of that army were ordered to remain in Affghanistan,
which they did until 1842, when they returned to the Com-
pany's provinces, where they were received with tile most
marked honours by the Governor-General of India, in
consequence of their distinguished services ; and as a
further reward for their continual gallant conduct her Ma-
jest was pleased to order the facings of the regiment to be
changed from yellow to blue, and to be styled "Prince Albert's
Regiment of Light Infantry," and, further, to bear on
their colours and appointments the words " Aifghanistan,"
" Ghuznee," a mural crown superscribed " Jellalabad and
Cebu!, 1842." They returned to England in 1845. The
late hero Sir Robert Sale, was full Colonel of the 13th when
he was killed.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert, wearing a field officer's
uniform, came over from Osborne in the royal yacht, ac-
companied by Colonel Wylde, and a small retinue all in
uniform, and landed at the King's stairs, in the Dockyard, at
about a quarter to four o'clock. The Commander-in-Chief,
Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, Bart- the Lieutenant-Governor,
Major-General the Hon. Sir Hercules Pakenham, K.C.B, and
a brilliant staff of officers of both services, received his Royal
Highness on landing, who immediately entered General
Pakenham's carriage, and was driven to the field, escorted by
General Pakenham and staff on horseback, receiving the
shouts of welcome from the immense concourse of spectators
who lined the road as he passed.
Soon after three o'clock the regiment took up its position
on Southseancommon, in line, at open order, with the old 1
colours in the centre. On the arrival of the Prince, lie was
received with the customary honours. The regiment then
formed three sides of a hollow square, the company told off
as a guard for the new colours, remaining in the centre of the
open face.
The Prince having alighted from the carriage, mounted
his charger (which, together with five other beautiful
animals, came down from the royal mews to the George
Hotel last night), rode along the line, inside and out, in-
specting the troops as they covered the ground, after which
the, Prince dismounted and entered the hollow square,
accompanied by General Pakenham, Sir Charles Ogle, and
stair, and stood uncovered while the Rev. G. _R. Gleig,
Chaplain-General to the Forces, consecrated the colours,
which, after this ceremony, were handed to the Prince hp,
Lieutenant-Colonel C. T. Van Straubenzee and Major Mere-
dith. The Prince then handed them to the two senior En-
signs (J. D. Longden and Melville Browne), who received
them kneeling, and continued in that position -whilst his
Royal Highness addressed them in a brief but most
spirited and soldierly manner, enjoining them to preserve
their colours, never to allow them to be captured, but to
emulate the conduct exhibited by the departed hero, Sir
Robert Sale, whose absence was the only alloy to the
gratification he felt in performing the august ceremony
of the day. His Royal Highness, in the course of his address,
passed some high and well-deserved encomiums on Colonel
Squire and the 13th regiment, to which that gallant
veteran replied :—" I beg most respectfully to return my
most sincere though humble thanks for the distinguished
honour your Royal Highness has just conferred upon this
corps in the presentation of new colours, and for the
highly flattering manner in which your Royal Highness has
been pleased to mention my name, in connexion with its
services in India, and also for the gratifying encomiums
which you have passed on our late honoured and respected
commanders, Sir Robert Sale andColonelDennie. Your Royal
Highness may be assured that your gracious condescension
will ever be esteemed by all ranks in the regiment as the
greatest stimulant to the loyal and faithful discharge of
their duty under whatever circumstances of trial they may
hereafter be placed, iu supporting the honour and interest
of our beloved Queen and country. God save the Queen!"
His Royal Highness appeared much gratified with the senti-
ments of the gallant Colonel, mid having bowed, retired with
General Pakenham and Sir Charles Ogle, and remounted his
charger.
The sides of the square, which were wheeled up then
wheeled back, and the regiment formed a line. The new
colours were now "trooped," followed by the guard in charge,
the band playing "The Grenadiers,' slow march. On
arriving at the left of the line, the colours were carried, and
the officers marched up in front of the line, one rank of the
guard marching between the ranks of the line, and the other
rank in rear of the rear rank. On arriving at the place where
the old colours were stationed, the new colours took up their
place, whilst the old ones were paraded up the remaining
portion of the line, the "trooping" still proceeding, and were
then delivered over to the escort on the right of the line ;
their military existence, as atandards of the regiment, then
ceasing.
The ceremony having terminated, the Prince re-entered
the carriage of General Pakenham, and, accompanied by
Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, Bart., and escorted by General
Pakenham and staff, returned to the dockyard, whence he
embarked for Osborne-house, under salutes from the ships in
harbour, the Platform Battery, and the Contest, Columbine,
and Sardinian corvette at Spithead.
A magnificent entertainment will be given in honour of
the event this evening, by the officers of the 13th, at the
King's-rooms, Southsea-beach.

WINDOW GLASS.—Several arrivals of window glass
are now taking place from Belgium, doubtless with the view
of partly meeting the required supplies in consequence of the
late storm.
ANOTHER STOPPAGE.—FIeet-street is stopped again,
making somewhere about the twentieth time this year.
Considering the street is oftener stopped than used, we think
the thoroughfare had better be blocked up altogether, and
then persons in a hurry would know at once they had better
run round by Holborn, when they wanted to go from the
Strand to Ludgate-hill. We advise the Lord Mayor, there-
fore, to put up the following notice :—" Considering Fleet-
street is a constant source of annoyance, and has been found
to be terribly in the way of persons having to transact
business in the City, it will be closed to all public traffic on
and after August the 10th, and will be laid out for the
future exclusively as a cab-walk and practising-ground for
advertising- vans. Sealed tenders from advertisers and cab-
proprietors, stating highest terms for the lease of the entire
street for one year. to be sent into Guildhall. By order of
the LORD MOTOR."—Punch.
BEARD'S PHOTOGRAPHY.—In former notices of Mr
Beard's success, in carrying out and improving upon
Daguerre's magnificent discovery, that painting can be exe-
cuted with a " pencil of light," we have expressed our anti-
cipation, that, in the progress of "Photography,' the
scien-
title patentee would at length arrive at thepowoderifiocfathioxamogf
upon his plates not only form, or that simple in
colour, which is called light and shade, but even colour itself,
in all its combinations. Of course, in speaking of such anti-
cipations, we had no idea of any " touching up," or painting
over the photographic picture after the sun had done his
work. We expected that the time would come, and, before
long, when Mr. Beard would be able to catch the rays, and
permanently stamp them on his panels, not merely in theirwhite
union or prismatic dispersion, but in every variety of combina-
tion which the eye of Rembrandt has observed, and the hand
of Reubens vainly endeavoured to imitate. The last specimens
of photography which we have seen from Mr. Beard's studio
at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, convinces us that we
have not hoped too much. It happens, strangely enough, that
the first approach to the production of colours by the pho-
tographic process, is found in the EYES 1 whereas in those,
the most expressive and soul-speaking of the features, it
had always been observed that pictures produced in this
way were especially defective—that, in fact, the eyes were
always more or less cold, ghastly, and inexpres-
sive; and were, of necessity, always of one
colour, whatever might be the complexion of
the countenance which it was intended to pourtray. We
now find the various tints of the iris preserved upon Mr.
Beard's photographic plate, with as much delicacy as those
minute and fine touches of form, which no pencil of artist
could imitate, and which hitherto have formed the unmatch-
able excellence of photographic portraits. The portraits of
some children with very light, delicate blue eyes, just issued
from Mr. Beard's laboratory, are extraordinary as well as
beautiful specimens of the perfection to which that gentle-
man has brought life in portraiture.
THE WARWICKSHIRE MURDER.-011 the 6th inst.
we gave the particulars of the death of Hannah Tredwell, of
Hornton, who was shot by William Cave, of the same place.
The coroner's jury have returned a verdict of " Wilful
murder" against Cave, and he has been committed to Oxford
gavi fbr trial.

HER MAJESTY'S
THE SEASON' "
On Friday next this immense
the scene of unceasing exertion ant
the many hundreds of persons, Ent,
mentally or mechanically engaged, wi
ters of the globe—more than one of h,
destined singly to draw crowded houses other
leged capitals than ours.
Lablache goes until the Bth of October to Naples.
Grisi, Mario, and Corelli, aft.: their tour in the provinces,
to Paris.
Castellan goes to Italy. She is:offered enga4(ments
Russia, which she has refused, and another at Milan. SI e
previously goes to enact operas at Dublin and elsewhere, with
Fornasari, Mantas, Sic.
Sanchioli is engaged at Palermo.
Fornasari intends, after his provincial tour, to visit
Verona.
Botelli is engaged at Lisbon.
Corbari and Brambilla follow Castellan,-and then go to
Milan.

Taglioni returns to her beautiful residence at Como after
a tour in the provinces.
Gratin is engaged-at Rome till next season, and has, be-
sides, offers innumerable.

Cerito and St. Leon go to Pesth and Berlin, but previously
they will dance at the principal theatres in our great !com-
mercial towns.
L. Taglioni goes back to Naples, where she is engaged, hut
on her way will dance three times at the Academie de
Musique in Paris.
Perrot, the poet of the ballets, goes to Milan, to produce
some of his successful works.

Mdlles. Honore, Demelisse, and Cassan, to Brighton, and
thence to Paris to study.
Mdlles. Juliano and L'Amoureux remain in England, to
pursue their studies under M. Gosselin, the professor of
choregraphy in the school maintained throughout the year
by her Majesty's Theatre.
.I%liss James is engaged at Madrid.
The Rightly lists published, which are always incomplete,
and which can in no other respect deceive the public, will
prove by comparison that up to the present moment the at-
tendance at the Opera this year has been greater than in any
previous season. This is the more remarkable, as the diffi-
culties to be surmounted have been this year great beyond
precedent. The crisis of political affairs, so intense and pro-
longed, absorbed society, and the over-speculation of all
classes, in railroads impoverished the affluent, whilst her
gracious Majesty's necessary retirement for two months
naturally threw a gloom over all pursuits of pleasure, and
kept numbers of the most exalted personages in the country.
Illness, on the one hand, and on the other breach of faith,
produced by thirst of lucre, deprived the establishment.
of the presence of certain talents expected, and it became
suddenly necessary to substitute new attractions, not only
as great, bat greater. To another adverse circumstance with,
which the management has had to combat, we attribute little
importance—we allude to personal enmity and to that
malice which follows, like sharks do men ••of.war, all great
establishments the more prosperous they are, seek-
ing what they can devour. As the greatest light prodaces
the most numerous, the most eccentric, and the darkest
shadows, so does an institution like the Opera, when it
shines with unwowed eclat, awaken the most intense)
and fantastic malignity. The public, however, soon
perceive the cause; for fair criticism deals not in abuse amid
venom, and mendacious contrast and supposition is a well-
known form of compliment. The headlong inventions
incalculable in variety and number, such as the soi-disarif
rival companies, the stupid assertion so oft repeated, that an
august personage had condescended to take part in a question
of theatrical discipline; that one great artist engaged was
dead and buried ; that another still greater, if possible, was
about to marry and retire; that other virtuosi had resolved
not to come, &c. icc.—all these barefaced inventions for a
moment might make one or two of the subscribers hesitate
at the beginning of the season ; but, ultimately, the more
virulent the attacks, the greater was the success. No
artists, and no performances generally achieved, such sur-
passing triumphs as those who were the objects of the most
unsparing abuse. We have heard a story of the parents of a
celebrated performer hiring persona to hiss, when they
thought the applause was becoming lukewarm from ex-
haustion, which immediately awakened unbounded enthu-
siasm. We would submit to the attention of managers, after
the example we have had before us, whether under similar
c►rcumstances they should not purchase an enemy to keep
attention alive.
The Opera, as an assemblage of the most exalted art, and
the rendezvous of the highest fashion, has always been a
source of great interest to our readers. We have conse-
quently endeavoured this year to extend the information re-
garding its progress. In every department of theatrical
art our columns bear witness to our wish to second honest
effort. As regards her Majesty's Theatre, we have felt that,
whether we looked to the past or to the present, to the im-
mense difficulties vanquished, or to the splendour achieved,
our warmest encouragement was due to a management
which has rolled back the adverse tide which for halt a cen-
tury overwhelmed this magnificent institution, and made it,
in a commercial as well as in an artistic point of view, a
disgrace to the country.
Let us now pass in review the events of the season.
The performances during the season 1846, up to Thursday,
August 13, have been :
Subscription nights 45
Benefits • 9
Extra nights — 10

Total
The following are the opera
performed, and the number of
OPE]

Anna Bolena
Belisario
Barbiere
Ernani

Don Giovanni
Don Gregorio
Gazza Ladra
Lucia di Lammermoor

(partly or wlnsll ) 6
Luerezia Borgia
Lombardi ll
Linda di Chamouni 4

I ............ ••• ••• ,••• 64

2, ballets, and divertissements
times each has been enacted :

Times.

Matrimonio Segreto 4
Nino
Norma ... 4
Don Pasquale 4
Pirata 1
Puritani
semiramide
Sonnambula (3 times
only partly)
La Prova
L'Elisire d'Amore 1

BALLETS AND DIVIRTISSIEMENTS.
Alma 5 I Outline
L'Auroro • 3 Jugernent de Paris and
Bacchante

Catarina 'l9 • VivandiZre ... 2
Le Dkiire d'uu Peintre 4 Sylphido 2
Eoline ... 7 Un Bal sous Louie
Gitana
Lalla Rookb .. 15
This gives us a sum total of twenty-one operas and thir-
teen ballets or divertissements—stubborn facts, proving the
immense variety of the repertoire. But when we remember
that latterly three, four, and often five and six performances
of different kinds have formeA the night's bill of fare, the
diversity appears marvellous. And it must not be forgotten,
that all these works must be prepared and produced within
five months—for the presence of the artists in London it has
been hitherto impossible to obtain earlier than a few days
previously to the opening. The season began this year
with unprecedented splendour—with a new opera and a new
ballet, in a theatre now presenting such an aspect that many
distinguished foreigners have visited it even when no per-
formances were proceeding, merely to behold the copies of
the greatest masters of modern times and of antiquity faith-
fully transferred with the durable and vivid truthfulness of
the encaustic—an art which sovereigns and nations are now
seeking to revive in all its pristine splendour, and of whose
progress in England her Majesty's Theatre has thus singu-
larly become the first example, and will probably remain the
noblest specimen in the country.

The Opera on Thursday presented a most exciting scene.
Scarcely were the doors opened, ere every seat was tenanted
—the rush was tremendous, and hundreds of disappointed
eathusiasts might be observed with gloomy faces, receiving
back the money they had paid. The fame of Don Giovanni
would seem to be perennial—the melodies came upon the
ears and heart as fresh, as lovely, and as full of meaning,
as when the composer first penned them—the wondrous
harmonies instinct with poetry, passion, and knowledge,
yield the same fervour, and will continue thus so long as
they receive equally worthy interpreters ; for, like Shak-
spere, Mozart sought his inspirations in nature.
On Thursday was one of the meet crowded nights of the
season ; the concourse was so great that money was refused
at the doors. Amongst the company present we noticed—
his Royal Highness Prince George, the Duke of Wellington,
the Duke and Duchess of Bedford and Lady Frances Russell,
the Duchess of Leinster and Lady Jane Fitzgerald (who oc-
cupied her Majesty the Queen Adelaide's box), the Marchio-
ness of Sligo and the Ladies Browne, the Marquis of 'Lich-
field, the Marquis of Donegal, the Baroness Brunnow and
Mdlle. Olga de Lechner, his Excellency the General Count
Bjornstjerna (Sardinian Minister), the Count and Countess
de Jarnac, his Excellency the Turkish Minister, his Excel-
lency Sami Pacha, Le Conseiller d'Etat de Kasmer, the Earl
Bruce, the Earl Bective, M. de Berg, Lord Monteagle, Lade'
Dungannon, Lady Lawley, Lady Charles Somerset,
M. C.Ko
Ladies Ponsonby, Sir Edward and LadySVet the-
driaffsky, the Count de Courey, the Hon..
akoy,Hon. Sthpoenliceorn.Cowwirieiamr, Sir George
3Nia.pdzeerßa, Pb.rainucdaae,
Mr. T.
st:
Duncombe, M.P., Hon. James Macdonald, &c.

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.—The treasurer has announced
his benefit for this evening, and has certainly put
forth a most attractive bill of fare. A host of talent rallies
round him. When such artistes as Madame Vestris, Madame
Albertazzi, Mrs. Stirling, Mr. Charles Mathews, Mr. Wal-
lack, Mr. Leffler, and the entire strength of the company
lend their aid, it is an entertainment that every playgoer
must be delighted with. We recommend all lovers of the
drama to avail themselves of a chance which seldom occurs.
So much talent on one evening cannot often be got together.
The Committee for assisting those nurserymen and
florists who have suffered so fearfully from the late storm
have determined to hold a flower show and fete, at the Surrey
Zoological Gardens, on the 24th and 25th inst. We rejoice
at their decision and wish them every success. We make no
doubt that those nurserymen and florists who have been
exempt from this calamity will be but too happy to respond
to the call, and do their utmost to render the show attractive.
Mrs. Lawrence, of Ealing Park, has most kindly promised
to assist the undertaking, and we are sure that the amateurs
generally will willingly step forward to render aid to a class
of men suffering under a visitation they could neither avoid
or control.

THE SANATORY CONDITION OF THE METROPOLIS.---
On Thursday a meeting of clergymen, gentlemen, and citizens
generally, was held at the London Tavern, to adopt mea-
sures in connexion with the National Philanthropic Institu-
tion, for more effectually watching over and promoting the
sanatory condition of the metropolis. The Rev. J. Williams
ILA., Vicar of St. James, Shadwell, presided. Dr. Lynch
expressed himself strongly on the necessity of taking mea-
sures to secure the co-operation of the merchants and bankers
of London in the object they had in view. He rejoiced to
say that Lord John Ru,sell had pledged himself to carry out
a great sanatory scheme, and the Corporation had expressed
willingness to assist in the work. On the motion of Mr.
Leddel, seconded by Mr. Sparke, a resolution was adopted
affirming the opinion of the meeting, that the public mind
should be instructed on the causes which continued to injure
the health of large towns, with a view to their removal by
legislative enactment. Other resolutions were adopted, call-
ing upon the clergy and the medical profession to endeavour
to prevail upon the local authorities of their respective dis-
tricts to have the streets, courts, and alleys daily swept,
and also appealing to medical men to report weekly to the
general committee on the state of their parishes. A vote of
thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings.
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMSNTS.--Aii the person
occupying houses on the east side of Upper St. Martin's-
lane have received notice from the Commissioners for Me.
tropolitan Improvements to vacate their dwellings on or
before the 29th of September next, the whole of them being
required for the new street, as well as a great many in Long-
acre. This street will be 105 feet in width when complete 4
and will form a direct line, in- conjunction with the opening
to King-street, Covent-garden, and contemplated
ments in St. Anne's parish, from the Strand to
and Tottenham-court-road.
BALLAvAr.—The fol.
GRAVESEND AND ROCirEer!r week ending Atir 8,
lowing are the traffic returns fo mount
received,
2944 1
1548:—Passers, 12,214 ;