The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-24 00:00:00

JULY 24, 1851

eminently varied and interesting, being in some re
specs not unworthy of its extended and ripenec
celebrity.

FINE ARTS.

THE ARCTIC COUNCIL. An Historical Pic,

titre, painted by Stephen Pearce.
Having ourselves inspected this interesting work of
art, now on view in the gallery of Messrs. Graves
and Company, near the Opera Colonnade, we have a
satisfaction in directing public attention to the paint-
ing as a production of really remarkable excellence.
A more attractive subject could scarcely have been
selected by any artist, or one more singularly calcu-
lated to excite the sympathies of the population. It
represents " The Arctic Council" as the members ap-
peared when discussing a plan of search for Sir John
Franklin, previously to submitting it to the Lords of
the Admiralty. Among the group are recognised the
forms of several whose names will ever be illustrious
among the glorious band of English navigators, the
features of many a salt water captain the records of
whose travels have long been as " household
words" in the homesteads of the United Kingdom.
As faithful portraitures of these extraordinary men,
the heroes some of them, maybe, of our readers' boy-
hood, the figures comprised within this canvas are
more peculiarly interesting to examine than those de-
picted of late years in any other production. Sus-
pended as portraits introduced upon the wall in the
background are likenesses—of Sir John Franklin, the
" gallant and intrepid seaman," whose situation at
the present moment has awakened, according to the
emphatic words of the descriptive key by Mr.
O'Byrne, author of "_The Naval Biography," a feel-
jog of interest " throughout the civilized world, as
sincere and deep as it is painful and unparalleled"—
of Captain James Fitzjames, the officer second in
command of the Erebus in the missing expedi-
tion—and of the late Sir John Barrow, the
distinguished promoter of the science of navigation.
Among the remarkable personages constituting the
Arctic Council will be especially noticed the stalwart
form of Sir George Back, the fine and intelligent
countenance of Sir William Edward Parry, and the
handsome though prematurely grizzled head of Sir
James Clark Ross. Besides these there are distin-
guishable the companion of the last mentioned navi-
gator in his latest expedition (that made in 1848 and
1849, in search of Sir John Franklin), Captain
Edward Joseph Bird, together with Sir Francis Beau-
fort, well known as the hydrographer to the Admiralty,
John Barrow, Esq., the Keeper of the Records, Lieut.-
Colonel Edward Sabine, among other things, dis-
tinguished by no less than twenty-nine memoirs con-
tributed by him to the " Philosophical Transactions
of the Royal Society," Sir John Richardson, Inspec-
tor of Fleets and Hospitals, and Captain Frederick
William Beechy, not the least among our noble band
of navigators. One omission we regret, though,
perhaps, for reasons unknown to ourselves it may
have been unavoidable, that of Captain Crozier, the
distinguished comrade of Sir John Franklin. It will
be learnt with very general satisfaction that this
splendid historical painting, by Stephen Pearce, Esq.,
will before long be issued in the form of an engraving.

THE GRAND HIGHLAIVD AND FANCY
BALL IN GUILDHALL.
The deputation of the Scottish charities in London,
who petitioned the corporation for the use of their Hall
for a ball in aid of the Institution, having been successful
in their application, the assembly took place yesterday
evening under the patronage of the elite of the Scottish
nobility, a list of whom has, been from day to day ad-
vertised. The Hall and Crypt, with their decorations,
were exactly in the same state as they were on the 9th
of July, when her Majesty honoured the citizens with
her presence. There was a good gathering of Highland
dresses, but those in fancy were but few. Among the
earliest arrivals we observed the Duke of Wellington,
the Duchess of Somerset, and many of the ladies patron.
esses, who were received at the entrance by a body of
the stewards, preceded by the band of the Caledonian
Asylum, in whom the Commander-in-Chief seemed much
interested, particularly with their singing of the well-
known national ballad of" Auld Lang Syne." We un-
derstood that there were about 1,400 present,
among others several of the foreign commissioners
and other continental officials, the variety of whose
costumes, mingled with that of the gallant Gael,
gave the scene a gay and animated appearance. The pro-
gramme contained all the favourite dances, to which
music of an excellent quality was discoursed by Adams
and his band, while in the Council Chamber another
band, led by Mackenzie, of Edinburgh, played admirable
strathspeys anti reels to those who preferred that grace-
ful dance to the lackadaisical quadrille, but those appear-
ing in the former last night, with the smallest exception, I
could never have been taught reel dancing in Scotland,
otherwise they would not have accompanied their flings
with such hideous yells, certainly more closely allied to
an Ojibbeway canter, than Highland dancing. It is true
they were in Guildhall, where the liberty of the subject
has always had the boast of having the greatest sway;
but when they stand
.up to join a strathspey again we
beg them to listen to the band or pipes that are playing,
and leave their own exclamations for a domestic step.
Captain Charles Forbes, Sir J. Mackenzie, Brodie of
Brodie, Cluny M'Pherson, and Sir John Heron Max-
well, assisted by the stewards, were very attentive to the
distinguit-hed visitors present. The festivities were kept up
with unflagging vigour to an early hour. The absence of the
gallant Sir Duncan Macdougal was much and sincerely
regretted, which was on account of severe indisposition,
We trust the funds of both charities interested in the
result of last night's entertainment will be benefited; at
any rate the patriotic gentlemen engaged in its manage-
ment and carrying out deserve the highest credit.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
The usual annual fancy dress ball, in aid of the funds
of the Scottish Hospital and the Roy al Caledonian
Asylum, took place last night, at the Guildhall, the de-
corations of which remained in the same state as they
were on the occasion of her Majesty's state visit a fort-
night previously. Most of the company were in High-
land costume, or in naval, military, or fancy dress, and
between eleven and twelve o'clock, when the large hall
was crowded, the effect was extremely brilliant and
animated. The children of the Caledonian Asylum,
numbering M girls and 63 boys, were stationed on
either aide of the vestibule, in Highland costume. His
Grace the Duke of Wellington arrived shortly after ten
o'clock, and was received in the hall with loud and en-
thusiastic cheering. At eleven o'clock the children were
marched round the hall, preceded by the stewards and
the military band of the asylum, and on arriving at the
dais played the National Anthem. They were after-
wards conducted to the Common Council-room, where a
substantial supper was provided for them. There were
about a thousand persons present, and among them se-
veral of the lady patronesses, Lord James Stuart, Cap-
tain C. Stuart, Sir .L H. and Lady Maxwell, the
Lord Mayor, ase. Adams's efficient quadrille band of
thirty performers was stationed in the gallery over the
entrance, and Mackenzie's band in the Aldermen's
chamber, and in both the hall and the adjoining apart-
ments dancing was kept up with great animation till the
clock at the west end had indicated many of the " wee
small hours ayont the twat." Tea, coffee, and other re-
freshments were provided during, the evening by the
Messrs. Staples, of the Albion Tavern, and there was
an elegant and substantial supper at a later hour of the
night. The ball was eminently successful, and judging
from the numbers present, we have no doubt the result
will prove highly beneficial to the funds of this valuable
benevolent institution, in whose aid this festive enter-
tainment was set on foot.—Herald.

- -
LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY.--The inquest on the
bodies of the two children, supposed to be murdered by
their mother, who afterwards attempted to commit suicide
by jumping into the Mersey, from the landing-stage, has
been again adjourned, owing to the illness of two of the
jurors. At the police-court, the man charged with'shooting
the deceased Irishman, Malley, during the Orange riots,
was remanded till to-morrow (Thursday). A witness de-
posed to seeing him place the cap on the pistol and fire the
shot; but the prisoner's master (a brickmaker) stated that
the man was at work at the time the shot was said to have
been fired. Just as this account was leaving, a report
reached us, on authority upon which reliance may be placed,
that another case of stabbing had occurred in the London-
road. A man walked up to a police-constable and stabbed
him in the back, :And though immediately pursued, the as-
sassin escaped.

A VOLCANIC ISLAND.— It will be remembered
that an island, about 120 feet high and 2,000 feet in circum-
ference, suddenly sprang up in 1831 between Sicily and La
Pantellaria. It disappeared about a month after, and at a
later period even the sounding lead could give no indication
of its existence; but vessels passing over the place it had
formerly occupied would sometimes feel a sort of shock, which
showed that it was of volcanic origin. In March last, how-
ever, the French vessel Eole, which was taking soundings in
the vicinity, discovered some traces of its existence ; and we
now learn from Naples that in the course of last month her
Majesty's ship Scourge, Captain Kerr, verified the truth of
the preceding observation, and further discovered that the
island, which has been christened " Isola Giulia," was only
nine feet under water. Captain Kerr had a pole with a
streamer and an inscription set up on the spot.—Journal des
Deitats.

ETON COLLEGE.-011 Friday next, the 25th inst.,
the Reverend Dr. Okes, provost of King's College, Cam-
bridge, with his two posers, will arrive at Eton College in
state, where they will be met by the Rev. Dr. Hodgson,
provost of Eton, Rev. Dr. Hawtrey, head master, and all
the authorities of the college. The body will at once proceed
to the Cloisters, where the customary cloister speech will be
delivered by the captain of the next year. On Saturday the
speeches will be delivered in the upper school, commencing
at twenty minutes before eleven o'clock. The grand ban-
quet, heretofore given on the Monday, will take place in the
College-hall, at three o'clock on Saturday afternoon. This
arrangement has been made in order that the electors of
the two colleges should proceed on Monday with the trials
without interruption after the indentures of the previous
year have been cancelled. The regatta will take place at
half-past six o'clock on Saturday evening, and the crews
will dine at Surley-hall. A display of fireworks on a larger
and more splendid scale, by the celebrated Mr. Darby, of
Vauxhall, will conclude the day's proceedings. On Monday
the school will break up, and a special train on the Great
Western Railway will leave Slough for London, as early as
seven o'clock in the morning, for the conveyance of the
oppidans. The collegers, except those on trials, will leave
in the afternoon.

A NEW READING OF THE MYSTICAL NUMBER.—
In the course of a lecture recently delivered by the pervert
Newman the following novel interpretation of the apocalyptic
number 666 was propounded :—Astonishing to say, Queen
Victoria is distinctly pointed out in the Book of Revelation
as having the number of the beast ! The number is 666.
Now she came to the throne in the year 37, at which date
she was 18 years old. Multiply, then, 37 by 18, and you
have the very number 666, which is the nayatical emblem.
[But why not multiply the true figures-1837 by 18?]