The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-21 00:00:00

ISLINGTON ATHENEUM.

We are glad to learn that this excellent institution,
being as yet little more than nine months old, has
been thus far very successful. The numerous advan-
tages which it offers, at a very trifling cost, ought to
commend it to a still larger number of subscribers.
The list of lectures, announced as " The First Course
for the Season," comprises the names of Christian
ministers and other gentlemen, whose countenance is
an assurance to the public that the Athenreum is de-
serving their support. The first lecture was deli-
vered on Monday evening, Oct. 9th, to a numerous
attendance of ladies and gentlemen, at Baker and
Sou's Public-rooms (which, we understand, are to
be permanently taken for the purposes of the
Athenaeum), by A. A. Fry, Esq., on "The States-
men-Orators of England—Pitt, Fox, and Slie-ri-
dan.'"The lecturer displayed considerable talent
in delineating the character of each, and was
most happy in his description of their several dis-
tinguishing peculiarities. The illustrations of their
eloquence, from their various published speeches,
elicited deserved applause. For an hour and a half
the utmost attention was kept up, and every one
appeared highly gratified. The second lecture, by
the Rev. Dr. Bennett, on " The Nature and Advan-
tages of the Science of Logic," was still more nu-
merously attended on Monday evening last. The
Rev. Gentleman, with his usual felicity, made this
too often dry and uninteresting subject most attrac-
tively instructive. Few men possess in a higher
degree the qualities requisite for a public lecturer
than the Doctor. A thorough knowledge of his subject,
clear and distinct method of arranging and stating
it with a most astonishing command of words—his
apposite and forcible illustrations, while a vein of
humour runs through the whole—his venerable ap-
pearance and entire freedom from ostentation, com-
bined with great kindliness of manner, make one re-
gard him as the affectionate parent giving instruction
to his family. In acknowledging the unanimous
thanks of the meeting the Doctor assured thefilfthat
it gave him pleasure in contributing to the imparta-
tion of knowledge, and that such institutions had his
best wishes. He regarded them as affording great
advantages to youth of the present day, which he re-
gretted that he himself had not enjoyed, for then he
might have been a wiser and better man. At the
close it was announced that the third lecture will be
delivered by F. Lawrence, Esq., on Monday evening
next, on " The Eloquence of the Pulpit and the Bad'
—From a Correspondent.

FALL OF A. RAILWAY BRIDGE.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
CANTERBURY, FRIDAY EVENING.—The driver of
the train, upon getting within a few feet of the
bridge, discovered that it was covered with water.
Not knowing the cause, he shut off the steam, for
the purpose of proceeding very slowly along the re-
maining portion of the line between the bridge. The
impetus given to the train previously prevented the
driver from entirely stopping it, and the moment the
engine got upon the bridge the driver and stoker
saw sufficient to satisfy themselves that the arch was
falling. Without an instant's delay both the driver
and stoker jumped off the engine, which they had`
barely accomplished when the bridge sank with the
weight of the engine, the latter falling over on its
side and rolling down the embankment into a field.
The luggage trucks were pulled by the weight of the
engine over, and several of them fell beneath, some
into the river and others into the field. Those which
remained above were forced into terrible confusion
across the line, and were all more or less damaged;
some of them which fell into the field were shattered,
and the goods partially if not entirely destroyed. '
The driver, stoker, and guards, upon recovering
in some measure from their fright, proceeded to send
intelligence of the disaster to the chief stations both
up and down the line, to prevent any other train from
meeting with a similar accident, and having reached
the Wye station, it was soon telegraphed to London
and to Dover.
The moment the news arrived a number of work-
men, with the railway officials, proceeded with a
special train to the scene of the accident. The water
was then found to be considerably higher than the
level of the bridge, and the sole cause of the misfor-
tune was the excessive rains having swelled the river
to such an height that it had washed away the sup-
port of the arch, which, the moment the weight of
the train came upon it, was forced down. Seeing that
the arch could not be repaired until the water should
subside, a number of omnibuses and other convey..
antes were placed at the spot, and passengers as they
arrive by the trains are landed and conveyed to the
next station, where they again enter a train kept there
in waiting for them. Should the water fall suffi-
ciently during to-morrow, the bridge, it is expected,
will be replaced in the course of a day or two. No
one was hurt by the accident beyond a few trivial
braises.