The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-22 00:00:00

DINING AT GREENTVICIL

A lively article appears in the Daily News, describing a
dinner at Greenwich in April. The writer is enthusiastic
in praise of early whitebait and dinners before the crush-
ing season begins. There is no crowding in April, no
apologetic speeches from host or manager to the effect that
your telegram was received late, that the best rooms are
occupied, or that the greatest dinner of the season is about
to take place upstairs. The choicest situation in the house,
the most assiduous attention, the warmest welcome, are
all yours. Your company is evidently expected, and
the interest you awaken is lively and concen-
trated, not wandering and diffuse. The very waiters—
who seem to have been wrapped up in lavender in
their solemn black and white cravats at the close of last
season, and to have been exumed directly the first white-
bait was caught in this, so unaltered are they—regard you
with sympathetic approval as men and women of taste.
They know how beautifully fresh, how deliciously crisp
yet melting is their sacred fish at this present time of
eating, and they have but a poor opinion of the political
insight which can delay the close of the session, and so
defer the Ministerial dinner until delicacy is sacri-
ficed to size. Some confidential whispers as to
the various wines to be ordered, a sweet in-
terval of anticipation spent on the balcony, some
passing gossip in which those present try to impose
on each other by talking of indifferent topics, while
whitebait, and whitebait only, is in their hearts, and then
—The Dinner. That the souches are as plentiful and as
good as ever ; that the whiting pudding still recalls a
poetical batter ; that the curries, the stews, the boiled,
the fried, the roast, the grilled fish were all more or
less good, it is needless to say. Happy was
the young person who dinned at Greenwich for
the first time, happy in the pleasant compulsion
which made him partake of every dish, thrice
happy in the constitutional vigour which made
compulsion unnecessary but delightful. Older diners
find an unfailing solace in contemplating the opposite
bank of the river during the discriminating pauses
they think it right to make. That cattle browsed where
warehouses and factories now cluster, and that where that
long line of buildings stand was marshy pasture land,
when you, when we, when most people were young, is an
announcement frequently and judiciously made ; for it
reminds the eaters of the mutability of all earthly things,
and that the present only is theirs. Not less wise is the
command that the banquet shall not be hurried. An
exquisite course should not be executed like commercial
orders, "with promptitude and despatch." A decorous
dallying heightens the joys of anticipation, and makes
fruition ecstacy. The waiters think so, and regard those
issuing this mandate with increased respect. Whose fault
it was that the salmon cutlets before referred to should
have been served tepid it is too late to ask. The blow
was felt keenly at the time, and not even the addition of a
hot relay of the same dish removed the sense of injury.
For, as was remarked with much acumen, salmon with
hot pickles is the turning point in a fish dinner. The
mingled piquancy and richness stimulates the palate,
titillates the appetite, and cheers the diner on. It is dis-
tressing that when, as in our case, these cutlets are flabby
instead of firm, sodden instead of sharp, and of a
temperature which is neither hot nor cold. Let the hotels
look to it ; let their patrons be on the alert. Call it by
what name you will, the admixture of salmon and pickles
should be regarded as a crucial test of excellence,
and should be refused unless it has been brought
direct from the kitchen by express. It would
he deceitful to deny that a temporary blight
fell upon the party at this failure ; and that
nothing but the supreme excellence of the three
courses of whitebait could Lave restored their spirits.
With respect to these, description fails to convey the
sweetness of the first, the rougher merits of the second, or
the more fiery pleasures cf the third. One wooed the
affections coyly, the others had different methods of taking
them by storm. Whitebait au naturel is like an
ingenuous maiden who wins all hearts by her innocence and
timid grace ; while the successive varieties of " black
devilled" and " red" are grades of matured beauty, in
which art supplements nature, and artificial graces compel
the devotion you rejoice to pay. Perhaps the "black
devilled" may be held to form a half-way stage, combin-
ing some of the attractions of the two others, and so enlist-
ing the special sympathies of all moderate diners. There
was a tender glow from the setting sun which played
softly about the waiters' heads as they handed the
last-named dish round, and made them, as they put their
heads on one aide to whisper to those they served, like
animated pictures of inedimval saints. This gave a beau-
tifully serious tone to our employment, and after the
whitebait stage it is perhaps well to draw a veil. Other
articles come and go, and are discussed with apparent
vigour. In particular there is a spring gosling which is
agreeably succulent and rich ; and some iced gooseberry
fool which wins unstinted applause. But the event of
the day is over when the last tiny" bait" has disappeared.
Even the initiate seem serenely satisfied then, and though
the remaining dishes are accepted as appropriate, all
fervour is at an end, and the gratitude evinced becomes
of a retrospective rather than an active kind.

The Telegraph says that although Mr. Disraeli has
styled the Irish Church Bill of the present Government a
"vast and violent change,' it seems not nearly big enough
to suit the digestion of certain people. Lord Cairns and
Lord Salisbury in the Upper Chamber, with the dubious
companionship of Lord Westbury and Lord Clanricarde,
want Mr. Gladstone to give them forthwith an Irish
Land Tenure Bill as well. Meanwhile, Lord Clanri-
carde has before the House of Lords a little scheme of
his own invention, which is good so far as it
goes, though it goes but a very short way. On Tues-
day night the noble Marquis presented this legislative
bantling for a. second reading ; but he used it rather too
much like the Russian mother, who threw the smallest of
her babies out to the wolves, in the hope so to save the
sledge and with it the rest of the family. Lord Clanricarde
did not affect to care half so much about getting his own
bill made law, as he did about finding out by means of it
what the Ministry proposes to do in regard to the land
question. Lord Granville, with the gentlest possible
rebuke of such impertinence, gracefully declined to be
thus made to " stand and deliver." To such free-and-
easy interpellations the Government will necessarily turn
an unheeding ear. So far as they are merely inquisi-
tive they are impertinent and obtrusive. So far
as they express a genuine apprehension, that the state of
Ireland may be affected by uncertainty in regard to the
Government policy, a sufficient answer exists in the
reports of Parliament. Mr. Fortescue's measure of 1.8(36
will stand as evidence at once of the aim and spirit which
will animate any measure to be proposed by the present
Government. But the very effort will demand time and
deliberation, with a survey of 'existing conditions ; and to
touch any task so vast, so complicated, and demanding so
exact a treatment, while both the Government and the
Legislature are actually engaged in the momentous work
of reorganising the Anglican Church in Ireland, would be
to frustrate the labour of the present session, and defeat
the hope of the next.
The Herald, in discussing the Irish land question, is of
opinion that Lord Clanricarde's measure of itself could
effect but little, if any, good. To reduce the stamp duty
on leases and ender them cheaper, must, as a matter of
course, form a part of any measure which may be here-
after introduced for the arrangement of the land question.
But we have never known disputes arise concerning the
tenure on which land was let, or the rent stipulated to be
paid for it. The real objection to granting leases on the
part of landlords is simply that they only tell in favour of
the tenant, and throw unjust obstacles in the owner's way
when he seeks to recover possession of . his land from
a non-paying occupant. Every one conversant
with the management of Irish estates knows that,
when "times become bad," the landlord is obliged,
as a matter of prudence, to grant abatements;
while, when prices largely improve, the lease, which still
remains in existence, stops his right to raise his rent in
proportion. To talk of enforcing violated covenants, by THE CASE OF SHEWARD.—It is stated that a
distress for the penalties agreed upon, would be a farce— few days before Sheward made his first confession his
no person would dare to purchase either goods or cattle-- attention was called accidentally to a work relating
and then comes the final loss of at least two years' rent to the discovery of long-hidden murders. He was at
and costs before the law will oust the dishonest or insolvent the shop of a Mr. Boston, a pawnbroker, at the time,
holder of the farm. To make leases the rule, the advan- and he was observed to be much affected, and left rather
tages to the contracting parties must be equal; by all hurriedly.
means give perfect security and a fair tenure to the
tenant on the punctual discharge of his liabilities; hut, on THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH.—The Lord
the other hand, enable the landlord, in case of his default, Justice-General of Scotland was on Wednesday installed
to recover his property by an inexpensive and prompt Chancellor of the Edinburgh University, amidst enthu-
proceeding. The effect of such laws would be to stimulate mastic demonstrations. Numerous academical degrees
the tenant to industry, because he could not count on pro- were conferred, and the new chancellor delivered
tection from litigation, while they would induce the an inaugural address, returning thanks for his
owners of estates to give fair tenures which could election, and entering upon the questions of univer-
be quickly terminated on the default of those to whom city patronage, the prospects of the Edinburgh University,
they let. and the necessity for additional chairs, besides that already
The Post complains that recently and frequently lan- established of engineering, to meet the demands of new
guage has been held upon the Irish land question which professions.
has been sometimes stupidly impolitic, and sometimes, it CHEAP MUSICAL BOXES.—We have just received
is to be feared, designedly mischievous. It is an untoward a letter from- a victim of the "musical box" swindle,
fact, of which Lord Grey has truthfully and disagreeably whose experience may be of value to intending purchasers
reminded us. But among all the utterances which have of the cheap musical boxes advertised in some American
been scattered forth we cannot call to mind any more and Canadian papers. The advertisement offers for sale
"musical boxes" warranted to play eight tunes, and the
calculated to create the difficulties which he de-
precates than those enunciated by the noble earl price asked varies from one to three dollars. Our cor-
himself. We do not expect, as some people appear respondent sent for one of these, inclosing the requisite
to do, that the Irish Church legislation will turn funds, and received by return a twopenny mouth organ
out to be a harlequin's wand, and will change with a with eight holes. This advertisement our correspondent
single flourish the condition of men's minds and the whole thinks " a sharp Yankee dodge."—Toronto Globe.
aspect of things in Ireland ; but we are persuaded that all lliggs does not seem to be without present imita-
other legislation would have failed in effect, unless the tors. It is stated that the chief clerk in a well-known
ground had previously been cleared for it by dealing I and hitherto flourishing London cemetery company has nays_ primarily with the great Church difficulty. Those, there- I teriously disappeared during the last few days, and his
fore, who have sufficient power of self-denial to postpone •
party strategy to patriotic considerations, will cease to sudden exit has impelled another employe in the same
endeavour to induce in the Irish mind an idea that their company to follow the example of his superior office
r
interests are made subordinate to those of the Administra- Simultaneously with the departure of these it has been disr-.
tion in their character of the managers of a parliamentary
majority, covered that the Ehareholdei s have been seriously de-
frauded, and that the defalcations extend over a consider-
The Daily News declares that the Bishop of Peter-
borough must have forgotten the date. tfis protest I able period. The total amount has not yet transpired. For
against the " voluntary system" belongs to the period many years rest the shareholders have regularly received
before the first Reformcond. Act, an
It is true that his and iend is an anachronism in thece a high dividend, and the cc mpany has been regarded
days succeeding the se
as one of the best managed in London. The beard of
on Wednesday cheered him when he said, " Upon the
endowed principle it was Felix who sometimes trembled directors includes a well-known member of Parliament and
before Paul ; upon the voluntary system it was Paul that several gentlemen of high commercial standing. As a meet-
was for ever trembling before Felix ; but Churchmen ing of the company n-ill shortly take place a full, true, and
generally will read the speech with amazement.
articular recount of the irregularity will probably be sub-
It is new to us that when Paul preached to P
Felix he was an
endowed preacher, at least in mitted to the suffering shareholders.
the Bishops sense of pecuniary endowments; and c,
oHAIISPERE AND BACON. —The Historical Manu-
the spiritual endowments of a Paul are certainly
not attached in these days to the material endowments scripts commission, which was appointed on the recom-
mendation of ilr. Duffus Hardy to search for the historical even of a bishopric. But most Churchmen believe that
the voluntary system is the new life of thec Chutreohc,oawne(rl
MSS. that are still concealed in private collections, has dis-
they do not believe either that the lay man t lt
before the priest, or that the voluntary sj sem makes the covered a book, apparently the note-Gook of a student of
minister "the :stave of the fanaticism, passions, and long- Gray's-inn during the time when Bacon was a bendier of
ranee of Lis flock." Is this a true description of the ,
society. It is earlier in date than the published works
voliin.tasy Churches of England ? it even like enough ,"4
-if Bacon, and it contains the outlines of many of those
to be a caricature of the working of the voluntary system I
in the Church itself? That voluntary support in- thoughts whirl Bacon afterwards elaborated in his essays
terests the laity as well as the clergy hi Church and other of his works. The euriore fact that no link of the
affairs is true ; hut the time is gone by when those t
slightest kindlas hitherto connected together Shakspere and
affairs can be considered as belonging to the clergy alone. I
The one thing- the Church of England depends on for its his illustriouscontemporary Bacon, has been frequently sub-
figure is, that the laity should identify themselves wit II it. ' lees of commen t•;but on the inside of the cover of the this book,
They can only be brought to do this as their voluntary
onrymai,ysrribbings, the name William Shakspere occurs
zeal is called ont and their influence recognised. Whey do .
not want the minister to be under them, but they will not . four times. This signature is not thought to be Shakspere'e
be under the minister. Their willing gifts are the own. It appears as if the book belonged to a youth who
Church's best endowments, and if; those gifts are spurned had taken xuzates of lectures delivered by Bacon, and bad
for fear they should make "the clergyman the mere slave i•
in things temporal of those to whom he was to be the scribbled d wring intervals of inattention the name of some
teacher and pastor in things spiritual," , the Church will man of not esor possibly of some companion. For the
not gain the permanent material endowments for which ' info atio,moS those curious in the eul‘i we may say
the bishop longs, and may Irmo those whom it should
shepherd and teacb in spiritual things,
the name i nwritten as we have given it " Shaksnere.'l_