The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-18 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

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What is Pre-Raphaelisin, f By John Ballautyne,

..k.H.S.A. William Black;vood and Son.

'Without expressing an opinion as to-the nature
of the reply given to the above interesting inquiry,
the pamphlet before us may Le recommended to
tho reader as conveying a good deal of useful artis-
tic information—more than ever desirable in this
age of exhibitions and cheap pictorial illustrations.
The author, while agreeing generally with the opi-
nions of Mr. Ruskin on the subject, takes excq-
tion to some of them and endeavours to show their
baselessness.

A Proposal for Educational Suffrage. Effingham

Wilson.

Those who wish to learn what may be said in
favour of an Educational Suffrage may consult
these pages with advantage. The author leas evi-
dently paid much attention to the subject, and
deals with it in a thoughtful spirit, and with con-
:iderable energy. Education, he contends, should
be the qualification, and the only qualification for
obtaining a vote, and the existence of the proper
amount of education should be ascertained by the
test of an examination.

THE FIRE AT COVENT-GARDEN

TI EATRE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SIIN.

SIR, —The statements of Mr. Surman and Mr. Marcus
Sharpe, in your report of the meeting of ranters and
proprietors of Covent garden Theatre, at Mr. George
Robins's room, on Saturday last, being false in point of
fact, avid injurious to me in their tendency, may I beg
that in the same journal which has given them to the
world my positive denial of their truth may also be pub-
lished ?

Mr. Marcus Sharpe is reported to have said that " if
we bad been told that it was proposed to let the theatre
to Mr. Anderson, knowing that two theatres in the oc-
cupation of that gentleman bad previously. been burned
to the ground, we should certainly have objected to let
him occupy the building." Mr. Surman is stated to
have said, "This was the third theatre burned down
while in his possession. Of the two first, one was in
America, the other in Glasgow." These assertions are
partially untrue. I have performed in almost every
theatre in Great Britain, in most of those of the
Continent, and on nearly every stage in America. One
only, and that one my own, was burned down whilst in
my occupation, and even then it was not during any
performance of mine. No American theatre in which I
appeared was destroyed during my occupancy, or while
I was in that country. The first theatre I performed in
in America was the Astor Opera House, New York ;
then in the St. Charles, New Orleans ; thence I removed
to the theatre, Mobile. My next was Bates's Theatre,
St. Louis ; then one of the same name at Louisville. I
afterwards occupied the National Theatre, Cincinnatti ;
the Broadway, New York ; the Holiday-street, Balti-
more ; and the National Theatre, Washington ; all of
which theatres are still in existence.

The one theatre, 'and the only one, burnt whilst in
my possession was the City Theatre, in Glasgow. It was
built by myself, at a caAt of 15,0001. ; it was burnt
down one night, after the performance of the opera of
"Der Freischutz," I had effected it 4 insurance far 6,5001.,
the whole of which was paid, as far as it would extend,
in satisfying the heavy liabilities I bad incurred in the
erection of the theatre.

Dy the destruction of this theatre I lost all I had in
the world, and subsequently recommenced my career as
a professor of magic. Such was the unfortunate result
to me of the burning of the ono theatre, consumed whilst
I was its proprietor.
Statements such as those made by Mr. Surman and
Mr. Sharpe are liable to do me a large amount of injury.
They are unjust and untrue.
It is no light matter even to bint at an individual being
guilty of arson ; and these hints are so broadly and dis-
tinctly thrown out by the gentlemen whose names I have
specified, that I shall not fail to take due notice of them,
and of those by whom they are disseminated, as justice'
to myself requires I should do ; and the disseminators
themselves may very naturally expect I most unquestion-
ably shall do, at a proper time and in a proper
place.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
JOHN HENRY ANDERSON.
54, Tavistock-street, Covent-garden, March 17.

" REDAN MASsnr."—On Saturday last, the steam-
ship Andes, from Balaklava to Spithead, put into Ply-
mouth, having encountered strong head-winds from Gib-
raltar, and being deficient of coals. Amongst her pas-
sengers was Lieut. Massey, of the 19th, better known
as " lledan Massey." This gallant young officer on land-
ing at the Custom-house was loudly cheered. He ap-
peared in good health, but walked on crutches, the left
thigh and leg biing evidently useless. Although 13
yelrs of age, he does not look so much by a year or two.
The young hero received the greatest attention and kind-
ness from General Eden, who invited him to take up his
quarters during his stay at Government-house, but this
invitation from motives of delicacy was declined. He
is at present staying at the Royal Hotel, Devonport,
accompanied by Dr. W. Clegg, of the Medical Staff,
whose contributions from the seat of war to the Illus-
trated London, News, have so frequently attracted pritlic
attention. Lieut. Massey embarks on Mondry for his
family residence, Dublin,