The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-03 00:00:00

AN AMERICAN ACTOR.

We have to record that George Holland, the veteran of the
American stage, has been in his time one of the best of its
comedians, and always a worthy, honoured gentleman. Th e
suggestion that we made some months ago—and which
was eagerly caught up by the press in all directions—that
a complimentary benefit should be tendered to Mr. Hol-
land by the chiefs of his profession, is once more, renewed,
and we earnestly hope it may bear fruit in some substan-
tial good to the aged actor. Concerning the claims for
such a benefit that Mr. Holland has upon the members of
the dramatic profession, and upon the theatre-going public,
we presume there is no need for us to say a word. The
fact that this venerable player, at the age of 79, is still
compelled to participate—to the extent of his feeble powers
—in active duty, tells its own story, and makes its own
significant and eloquent appeal. In another point of view,
also, Mr. Holland arrests public attention and inspires
interest. He is one of the oldest actors in the
world. He has been on the stage for more than
half a century. He is an honourable relic of
the past, that links us with earlier generations,
and as such ought to be honoured. When
George Holland was born this Republic had existed
only four years under the Constitution. Washington was
President of the United States, and George the Third was
King of England. Napoleon Bonaparte's tremendous and
startling career was all before him. Byron was an infan t
three years old. Shelley was yet unborn, Not one of the
Waverley novels had been written. Steamboats were to
be invented. In brief, modern literature was yet to come,
and the great strides of modern civilisation had yet to be
made. Thinking of all these things we realise the career
of the aged actor, and view him as an object ni uncommon
interest.—Tribune,

Viscount Midleton is so seriously ill that his life is
despaired of. He was formerly (as the Hon. Mr. Brod-
rick) rector of Bath and Dean of Exeter.

Most of the papers note the death of Mr. Alexander
Devaux. The Times says he was one of the most
esteemed merchants in the City of London, and head
of the firm of Charles Devaux and Co.' which has
been established here nearly half a century. Mr. Devaux
was a Frenchman, with large property both in France
and this country, and his patriotic interest in the impend-
ing war probably accelerated his death, which occurred
from apoplexy. He was chairman of the Anglo-Egyptian
Banking Company, deputy chairman of the Ottoman
(Smyrna to Main) Railway, and a director of the Medi-
terranean Extension Telegraph Company and of the
General Credit and Discount Company.
Emma Harken, a married woman, has been
arrested at Jersey on a charge of compasssing the death
of a child named Alice Mary Paint, aged twelve years,
by gross ill-treatment, and neglecting to give her sufficient
food. The prisoner had the care of the child, who she said
was an orphan. The child used to call her " aunt," but
there is reason to believe the prisoner was her
mother previous to her marriage. She made the
child do all the household work, taxing her beyond
her strength, and continually beat her for the veriest
trifles. In addition to this, the poor child was half
starved, and ate ravenously any food the neighbours gave
her. Two days before her death, though she was then
and had been for some days in a dying state, she was sent
into the street on an errand at eleven o'clock at night.