The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-11 00:00:00

LA TRAVIATA.

of our readers as may think Mr. Lumley's arguments
worth consideration must judge for themselves how far
he has succeeded in establishing his point. For ourselves,
again we renew our indignant protest against this exhi-
bition of harlotry—whether harlotry triutnphant, or har-
lotry repentant—upon the public stage. There are foul
stains in human existence which notoriously exist—
which cannot and should not be ignored, and which yet
cannot be exhibited on a public stage without imminent
danger to public morality. We write in no Puritanic
spirit on such matters —we admire and wish well to the
efforts! of dramatic genius—nor do we, who acknowledge
ourselves in all humility to be frail and erring men, wish
to cut off from human sympathy and commiseration
those poor creatures who have been led into vice by the
passions and inhumanity of our own sex. With all these
admissions, which are made in the plainest sincerity, we
must still protest against the poetry of the brothel as a
fit inspiration for dramatic performances. The image of
the weeping Magdalen is one of the most touching
which has been handed down to UR even in the pages of
Scripture, but who can wish to see the story of Mag-
dalen dramatised, and presented to the public with all
the soft allurements of music and song ! Does Mr.
Lumley believe in hie own proposition, that one of his
purposes in setting "La Traviata" on the stage was to
soften the hearts of women who 'yet stand upright to
the shame of their erring sisters ? Is it true that the
opera-at.the Haymarket was intended in any degree as a
charity sermon for the relief of unfortunate persons of
the class to whom the heroine of " La Traviata" belongs'?
Mr. Lumley knows better than we can tell him that
nothing of this sort was the case. Whether this were
so or not, there is nothing in the progress of the story
which is peculiarly calculated to evoke the active sym-
pathies of women. An unfortunate young person who
has acted the part of a public prostitute—not from dire
necessity, not from the strong impulses of passion, but
coldly and professionally for gain, and much gain—
finds at last a man who will love her for her awn sake.
She turns with disgust from the filth of her condition—
but it is too late. The fell hand of consumption is on
her. The parents and relatives of the young man who
had become enamoured of Violetta very naturally oppose
themselves to such an ill•assorted union, The excite-
ment consequent upon these struggles still further agi-
tates the diseased frame of thepretched young woman,
who coughs her way through three acts, and finally ex-
pires on the stage in the public sight in a manner whicb,
however true to nature, ought to be revolting to the
feelings .of the spectators.
Such is the story of "Ls Traviata." Mr. Lumley
contends that it is one pre-eminently fitted fir dramatic
representation. Hie chief ground is, as we before eug.
gested, that as such things as prostitution and seduction
unfortunately exist, it is wrong to slur them over and
ignore them altogether. We ought, on the contrary, to
display striking txamples of them for the benefit of
young wives and maidens, just in the same . way
that Helots—to use an old hackneyed example—were
exhibited in a state of drunkenness before the youth of
Sparta. The spectacle of a poor prostitute dying of
consumption must necessarily operate as a wholesome
warning to all young ladies. Why, then, should we not
take our sisters and daughtersand wives into the hospitals
at once ! Thereisnothieg like therude truth of nature. Mr.
Lumley only weakens and dilutesthe wholesome impres-
sion by the help of his orchestra and stage scenery. There
is no escape from this position. If the arguments by
which he endeavours to defend the exhibition of "La
Traviata" be true, then on the same principles we ought
to direct the attention of all those whom we most wish
to preserve from moral soil or pollution to improper
books and improper exhibitions of every kind. All that
will be necessary will be that the book, the picture, or
the exhibition should contain some suggestion of retri-
bution, and that the subject with which each may deal
should not be presented in too warm and attractive
colours, and all the exigencies of Mr. Lumley will be
satisfied. We entirely protest against such a doctrine.
There are things which cannot even be glanced at with•
out injury to the freshness and delicacy of the mind.
We are not writing for men hackneyed in the ways of
the world and familiar at least with the existence of vice,
but even the worst among such persons would, as one
may hope, be unwilling that their young daughters
should be initiated even in the preliminaries of vice.
Now, of what persons is the majority of the audience
at the opera Composed ? Mainly, we believe, of young
persons, and these young ladies, who have for the most
part been carefully and religiously educated. Why com-
plete this education by a finishing course of Magdalen-
ism, to show them what they may come to if they mis-
conduct themselves, and the consequences of such mis-
conduct? Mr. Lumley must excuse us if we still per-
eiet in the belief that this last finishing touch to female
education is wholly superfluous.
Again, with regard to the argument that the hearts of
women are likely to be softened towards their erring
sisters by an operatic display of the miseries of harlotry,
we are compelled to express our entire
,dissent from it.
If th• implied command of the Divine Founder of the
Christian religion and the recorded example of. His ten-
derness and mercy in such a case are unavailing, neither
will the warblings and simulated cough of a Piccolomini
be of much avail. It is unnecessary for us to repeat
here the distinction which we drew in our firmer remarks
between Mr. Lumley's present apotheosis of prostitution
and the other examples which he quotes from earlier
authors. Let the reader judge of his candour, or fitness
for instituting such a comparison, when he finds that the
manager of her Majsety's Theatre can really see no sub-
stantial difference between the plot of the "Vicar of
Wakefield" and the plot of "La Traviata !" On such
a comparison it would be idle to waste a word. Finally,
we renew our objections to " La Traviata" on artistic
grounds. A dirty story is the ready resource of every
vulgar fellow who can do no better; and, just in the
same way, our present coneoctors of dramas and operatic
libretti are ever ready to serve us with hideous tales of
incest, rape, prostitution, Reduction, and adultery, be-
cause they have not wit or capacity for anything more
true to human nature under its usual and healthy aspects.
We have not made this protest against Mr. Lumley's
opera from any spirit of hostility to him, for we siecerely
wish well to his enterprise, but we leave it to the public
to decide whether we or Mr, Lumley and the Satanic
dramatists are the truest friends to the stage. Who
plays most into the hands of the Puritanic party—those
who represent or those who protest against the sys-
tematic representation of obscenity in our theatres ?
Besides, we protest again most earnestly—despite Mr.
Lumley's special pleading--against any further exhibition
of consumption, dropsy, cancer, cholera, or hydrophobia
upon the stage as necess try for the instruction and de-
light of mankind. Let Mr. Lumley leave the prostitutes
to the pulpit and the patients to the doctors. Next
season we trust to hear no more of such abominations.

THE LATE ISAAC WELD, ESQ.

THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS,

HERTFORDSZURE.—Wheat cutting was commenced by
several farmers-.near Hertford on Tuesday. The crops
look
yield
LE than dE lastinds,
Ha. ayule:icdt,4l
i_heTßr e is e
ilueckbsr
brilliant l
iaer,nyat
Iprospect of a better
weather we have had
for the two last weeks has been most auspicious for har-
vest prospects. The hay, a very heavy crop, is nearly
all secured in good or der, and the extraardinary heat of
the past week has forced the corn towards maturity in a
rapid manner. The fields present the appearance of har-
vest being now at band. Some early pieces of oats and
barley are already cut, and if this fine weather continues
the corn harvest will become general in ten days. The
showers in the previous week bad the best effect upon
the corn, causing the ears to fill with bold corn, which,
if well got, will insure a good quality. Speaking of the
corn crops in this neighbourhood generally, they are
good, and may be estimated at something above an ave-
rage measure. The heat has been excessive ; at 3 p.in.
on Friday the thermometer wrote 88, and on Saturday
it reached 112 in the shade.—Leicester Journal.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.—The weather continues warm
and fine. The cutting of barley and oats is now general in
the neighbourhood, and some patches of forward wheat
have fallen before the sickle.—Northampton Herald.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE.—Since our last the weather still
continues as propitious as ever, and the crops are fast
verging to maturity. In some places in this county the
reaping of wheat has already commenced ; and should
the weather continue as warm, fine, and settled, as it is
at present, the harvest next week in the vale will become
pretty general. From our own observations we can safrly
aver that a heavier and more promising crop of wheat, in
this neighbourhood at least, has perhaps seldom been
seen ; and as there has been very few storms of rain
during the important period between the blossoming and
the near approach of the wheat crop to maturity, and
also a very small proportion of corn beaten down, there
is every likelihood of a very large yield. Prices have
retrograded in consequence, and a fill of at least 2s. per
bushel has already taken place. Bread 'also in the me-
tropolis has already become cheaper, with every prospect
of becoming more so. .The hay crop may now be consi-
dered as nearly secured, and for bulk and quality has
never in the memory of man been equalled.• Barley is
fast becoming ripe, and likely to prove productive.
Some early patches are ready for the scythe. Notwith-
standing the sinister reports about the potato crop in
some parts of the country, our opinion is that the dis-
ease is very partial, ifsit exists at all, and that a good
crop may be considered certain. Beans are a wry
heavy crop almost every where—abundance of haulm,
and well " corned." Indeed, with the exception of fruit,
which has in mo 4 places almost entirely failed, we may
look forward hopefully to one of the most prod active har-
vests which has been ever seen, and fervently thank the
Merciful Giver of all good for the great blessing He has
vouchsafed to us.—Gloucestershire Chronicle.
YORKSHIRE.— We have had a succession of brilliant
weather since last week, under the effects of which the
crops have experienced a marked and beneficial change.
Wheat is now ripening fest, and some of the earliest
crops will be ready for the sickle next week. Barley and
oats, too, are now fit for cutting in many places, and
harvest operations will commence in earnest in these de-
scriptions of grain next week. Wheat generally presents
a satisfactory appearance, having greatly improved during
the last few weeks. There are complaints of blightin some
of the wheats on thin and poor soils. Occasionally, too,
we hear of the plant being thin on the ground, and the
ears being short and small, but on the best wheat lands
the crop is in excellent condition.—Doncaster Chronicle.
STIRLINGSHIRE.—During the past week the weather
has been most oppressively hot, and the effect upon the
crop is already very apparent. Many fields are approach.
ing the golden hue of harvest, and all are looking ex-
tremely healthy. It was feared that the thunder showers
of Wednesday would have damaged the standing grain,
but we are glad to see that these fears were not realised.
The heat still continues, and there is at present no ap-
pearance of a change.—Stirling Journal.
EDINBURGH.—The weather in this neighbourhood dur-
ing the past week has been very warming and forcing,
and the cereal crops have made astonishing.progress
towards maturity. So far as wP can judge wheat will
be a full average crop in the Lothians, for though some
of the spring sown crop is samewhat thin on the ground,
much of the autumn sown is considerably over an ave-
rage. Barley will be a fair crop, but the acreage extent
is small this season. In early districts cutting may
begin abort the end of the mouth. Oats are somewhat
irregular ; on fine land they are about an average, but
in the late districts they are short in straw and rather
unpromising. Potatoes have improved with the fine
weather, still the crop must be greatly inferior to that
of last year. Turnips have made rapid improvement of
late. There are some fair crops to be seen here and
there, hut on the whole,they are not very satisfactory.
—North British. Daily Mail.

MPLANCHOLY DEATH OP A CHILD
FROM POISON.-SINGULAR CASE.

Monday morning, when our menibersy at-
zended the London-bridge station, the use of a desk
for selling tickets, usually allowed on societies'
excursions was flatly refused ; and several meta.
hers, posted as usual for the sale of tickets,
were not a little surprised to be told such sale
would not bo allowed, and that they would be
given in charge of the Police.
This was not however done, because Mr. Slight,
the Secretary, knew- his threat was an idle one, as
he knew also his next statement was untrue ; his
words were, "Every Ticket you sell, you rob me
of sixpence." Mr. Slight knew well from the largo
numbers pressing at the entrance, more than ail
ordinary day, that they came because the Odd
Fellows--and the Odd Fellows alone—had can-
vassed for them. Later in the day he and the
other officials refused to take Odd Fellows'
Tickets, which had been purchased by members in
the country days before ; and also stopped the
trains for conveying Lem and their friends to the
Palace.
A proof of the ticket was shown to and approved
by Mr. Slight in June, and on it was stated that
the trains would run up to 5 o'clock.
It is unpleasant for Odd Fellows to have these
complaints to make, and it is to be regretted for
the sake of the Brighton Company, that its legal
adviser was not at the station, as he might have
told Mr. Slight the little fact that these acts
amounted to a breach of contract, for which the
Odd Fellows' Committee would recover damages.
But, sir, the annoyance to the Odd Fellows did.
not end here. The letter of an " Eye Witness,''
who might have signed himself " An interestrsd
agent of the Company," states the Odd Felleewe
were "allowed" to go to the Palace after persu.std-
ing the directors'. The truth is, the directors.' ad-
vertisement persuaded the Odd Fellows, and after
engaging with them the companies threw every
difficulty in the way. The Odd Fellows who
went by early trains to the Palace, found that
though the engagement was made months since,
the doorkeepers of the Palace had not received
orders to admit the tickets. The Widow and Orphan
Fund, which was intended to be benefited, lost
money by this proceeding—lost money by the dis-
honest and unjustifiable conduct at London-bridge
—and lost money in providing a dinner, which,
from the delay at Loudon-bridge, the excursionists
could not come to partake of and pay for.
An "Eye Witness" says the Odd Fellows eat,
and drunk too much, and that disorderly conduet
prevailed. Lord Robert Grosvenor, Mr. Tidd
Pratt, and others can testify that in the dining.
roam nothing was amiss. The vice-chairman,
Grand Master Cox, proceeded from that room to
the terrace to deliver an address as announced
in the bills. lie was a little behind time, how-
ever, a large crowd was collected to hear him,
and the leader of the band was asked to allow a
pause between the pieces of music, that Mr. Cox
might speak. This was the gentleman whom an
"Eye Witness" sneeringly calls an " Orator," and
wishes it to be inferred he was one of Thomas Car-
lyle's stumps. Mr. Cox had nearly concluded his
short (not "long and tedious") speech, when the
band again commenced. All around who were
attentively listening to hini were astonished at this
insult, and many called out to th© band to stop.
One old gentleman near the platform ventured to
raise himself to be more plainly heard, and was
struck by one of the band with a music stand.
After the irritating proceedings all day, this dis-
graceful conduct aroused a few who ascended the
platform, doubtless with the intention of compell-
ing the band to desist, but the whole of the
band (without main force) immediately descended
from the platform. Mr. Cox was pressed
to resume ; he did so, and immediately con-
eluded. This an " Eye Witness " calls a " scan-
dalous row." I, as another eye witness, and one
of the Odd Fellows' Committee, can only say if
there is any scandal, let the blame of provocation
rest on the right shoulders.
It is hinted that the Crystal Palace Company
ought not to allow these excursions. If the company
can do without the industrious provident classes,
those classes can do without the Crystal Palace
until the Brighton Railway and Crystal Palace Com-
panies know how to treat them properly. The Odd
Fellows cannot think they should tamely submit to
the annoyances that were practised ; the committee
have worked most zealouslyformore than two monthet
past to insure the comfort of their fellow-members
and friends; engaged lecturers to explain the various
Courts ; have been in repeated communication
with the proper officers of the companies ou the
plan of the day's proceedings, and were animated
with the best spirit towards the companies.
The Odd Fellows were therefore surprised to find
themselves treated with such contempt—to find
their chief officers, representing a quarter of a mil-
lion provident men, insulted whilst speaking—to
find, in a leading newspaper, one individual is per-
mitted to question the right of themselves and their
wives and families to have a little healthy and in-
nocent recreation on the lawns, and to unjustly
stigmatise them as a drunken band when retusping
komc.
They have not hitherto sufficiently courted the
aid of the Press in behalf of their cause ; but have
maintained a steady resolve to help themselves ;
yet they desire, like every other well-meaning body;
of men, to have "Justice" meted to them by theA
Press, and I therefore beg to offer a true statement
of the circumstances to you.

JOHN HARRIS,
" Earl Cathcart," MARC ANTONY LboDGIL,
Munster-square, Regent's-park,
7th August, 1856.

EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY.—We fear the expenses
of repairs on the permanent way have been so great that
the forthcoming dividend of this company will be a serious
disappointment. There is a talk of submitting to the
shareholders to put a large portion of the expenses to an
account to be liquidated by annual instalments, spread
over a period of perhaps 10 cr 12 years.—Herapath..
SCENE IN A ClRJECH.—Yesterday morning, during
Divine service in the recently opened church of St.
Stephen's, in the \Vestbourne Park-road, Paddington, a
numerous congregation were suddenly seized withleel-
ings of alarm, at a precipitate descent of a portion of the
ceiling from the right hand gallery of the church. The
noise and dust, coupled with the uncertainty of what
might follow, naturally caused the greatest portion of
the congregation to retire. After a suspension of nearly
a quarter of an hour, the service was renewed before an
extreme'y diminished congregation, to whom the worthy
incumbent, who had exerted himself strongly to allay
the excitement, stated that providentially no injury of
serious import had been sustained.
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TO EDITOR OF TU str.pr.
letter appeared in the Times of Wed.
nesday last signed by an " Eye Witness.' Several
answers to the assertions contained in the letter
have been addressed to that paper, but have not
been inserted. The public, and especially mem-
bers of Friendly Societies, ought to be infme of
the little truth there is in the assertions ofd an
" Eye Witness."
The Crystal Palace advertise certain terms upon
which Friendly Societies' Committees can take per-
sons to the Crystal Palace, and realise a benefit
for their Charitable Funds. The Odd Fellows'
Committee engaged with the Secretaries for au.
Excursion on Monday, the 4th of August, and im-
mediately announced it in London and the pro-
vinces. The expenses of the committee were very
groat, large quantities of bills and tickets being
issued in all parts of the country, and deputatickna
waited upon the South-Western, North- Western,
Great Northern, and Eastern Counties Railway
Companies, to engage trains for excursions to Lan.
don. The result was that several thousand persona
came to town on Saturday and Monday purposely
to be at the Crystal Palace on Monday. " A
A deputation, from the committee also askeTthe
Brighton Company for a train from Brighton, which
was refused in consequence of the Company's other
engagements ; but it was afterwards found that a
train was announced in Brighton for the Crystal.
Palace on the Odd Fellows' day, and the deputr.4-
tion insisted upon having a percentage from the
company on all persons coming up on that repre-
sentation, which was conceded by the compan-
-- -