The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-22 00:00:00

7111; STATE OF TWA: WEATILER.

There has been a sort of Merlin or Murphy pro-
phecy current for many months past, to the effect
that the foul weather with which we have been
afflicted since September of last year was to come
to a termination on-the 21st of June—the longest
day. Here, then, with the help of water-proof
coats and umbrellas, we have arrived at this criti-
cal period in the biography of tan nation ; but are
we rid of the rain, the:fog, the. snow, the gales,
and all the discomfort which- the elements Uan
entail upon us when they become confused in
one long, continuous hubbub ? It has been
charged against us Englishmen that we are some-
what too apt to make the weather the subject of
our conversation ; but we point to our expel iencu
of the last ten months, and esk—lfave we not a
right to do so ? Surely, at the time of the famine
in the sister island, two Irishmen who met each
other by chance on the banks of the Shannon might
very reasonably be indulged in a slight criticism
upon potatoes. For the last few years the peasants
who live or die in the neighbourhood of the
Italian lakes accordingly as the silkworms attend
to or neglect their business might be excused if
they asked each other how the mulberry trees
were thriving. The wine growers in the Medoc
country or on the - Cote d.'Or feel some little
interest in the progress of the vine disease. Just
in the same way we peer wet-footed—we had need
to be web-footed---storm-bound _islanders have a
right to interest ourselves in the condition of the
weather. For a wonder,•the proverbial felicity of
our Queen in such matters has deserted her. The
British Sovereign, with all sorts of august asd
illustrious personages at her back, drove up Ascot
Racecourse the other day in a close carriage amid a
deluge of rain, just as though she had been
some ordinary mortal. Put not your trust in
Princes any more. This last refuge and consohit ion
have been denied for the last ten months to the
English race. The Queen of these realms, equally
with the humblest costermonger among her sub-
jects, has lived in the midst of showers, and storms,
and hurricanes. The rain has fallen with Scrip-
tural equity upon the just and the unjust, the
mighty and the humble, the rich and the poor. Nor
must we bring any peculiar reproach upon these
islands in this respect. In those countries of
Europe which lie closer to the sun, and where, ac-
cording to received canons of belief, the more for-
tunate inhabitants were living among violet-beds
and watching the flight of the firefly while we
were staggering among our fogs with linkboys to
guide us on our obscure path, the weather has
proved just, as bad as it has been in the British
Ides. Not even the auspicious event of a liberated
Italy could entice a smile from the angry clouds the
other day, when Victor Emmanuel went forth to
receive the homage of his new Mullion sub-
jects. The Spaniards, who, under the guidance
of O'Donnell, had chosen—as they imagined—
the most favourable season of the year for
levying war upon the unyielding Moor, found
themselves involved in - snow and fog, and
elemental miseries, the like of which had
never been remembered. Never have such an
autumn, winter, and spring been known in Ger-
many as during the last ten months. Thecalamity
—for it has indeed been a grievous calamity-has
been universal throughout Europe, and the British
Islands have not been worse treated than neigh-
bouring lands.

The social miseries consequent upon this continu-
ous ill-weather have indeed been hard enough to
bear, but they have been as nothing in compari,on
with the injury inflicted upon the substantial re-
sources of the nation. The herbage has been
drowned, or scorched -up under lift The-
younglings of the flocks and herdiliave perished
for want of food. Lambs, which in ordinary seasons
produce wealth in abundance to the stockgrowers,
have been given away freely to anybody who would
accept them as a gift. The price of meat has flown
up to a point at which it is placed almost beyond
the reach of any save the comfortable classes. We
hear of leagues formed in this or that district or
town for the purpose of uniting to give up the use
of butchers' meat until the butchers consent to
reduce their prices. Under the usual condition of
affairs Scotland, with its long ranges of sheep-
walk, exports mutton to England. England is
now exporting mutton to Scotland. The evil is,
unhappily, far indeed from being a sentimental
one. People who are engaged in agricultural
operations will tell you that, unless the weather
mends, and that speedily, the year's harvest will
be in the most imminent peril. We all know the
meaning of a deficient harvest. Irreparable mis-
chief is not yet done; but an eleventh month of
bad weather superadded to the ten which have pre-
ceded it would probably be sufficient to place the
grain crops in jeopardy. Under these circum-
stances we have at least the comfort of thinking
that in our own islands the legislative folly of man
is not acting in harmony with the inclemency of
the elements. The farmer on the banks of the
Ohio anti the Belgian grower of stock are working
for the British markets. Not many years ago a
few months of rain, a spoilt harvest, and a rejected
Reform Bill would have represented in the h :nds cf
a skilful agitator the groundwork of a formidable
agitation. Now at least the humblest mechanic
or peasant who may be suffering distress in cense-
quenee of the hardness of the times is well aware
dial the Government of the country has nothing to
do with his misfortune. His indignation may be
directed, probably without cause, against the corn-
dealers, or millers, or butchers, or bakers: but there
the quarrel ends. As to the weather, the common
sense of the matter, according to the observation of
ordinary men who make no pretension to the pro-
phetic character, would seem to be that good years
and bad years, wet years and dry years, go in
cycles. We have had for some years past a series
of :dry years, and now we must apparently make
up our minds to sea the wheel for a while in revo-
lution the other way. Lot us hope that the worst is
past, and that henceforth matters may begin to
mend, although the amendment will in all likeli-
' hood be gradual.-7imes.

,Sheet Organs.—Occasionally we have a half-
holiday visitation from some half-dozen "of the risinvg..
generation," who insist cn considering us a''pl•t.
fellow," and pay no more respect to the interesting
upon,
than
volume or poetic musing they may break
tart or ounce
they would to the intact form of a raspberry„
.
lof
fi t
Bt ins
iue ton, 1 . (d) r,
we have played
by-the-by,
of toffee. We are always expected to
or "Aughts and Crosses" (a game,_ateplay at "Margery Daw,"
the world),—or we must
at pretty oft en on that large slate,—the
fine, but it is
recapitulate the horrors attending
enter into the "Political Biography"
l bigamiesV
or we must lend a hand in making o.ur. very odd dog stand on
rather hard work to 'keep it up, as Atlas said, when he
his hind legs for lumps of cake. This is all very
took the world " pick-a-back; however, we bear it all as
well as we can, and when by chance a street organ bursts
out with a presto polka, the crowning, point of rude joy is
attained ; Whittington is done for, Bluebeard is nowhere,
Margery Daw is an "abandoned young woman," and such%
course of gymnastics is instantly gone through, as Orpheus
himself never elicited from the bulls and bears of old.
Stamping, hopping, jumping, leaping, and all sorts of im-
possible actions are indulged in, and designated as "danc-
ing," ourselves not being f 1 d un requent y turned into a human
" Maypole," of some five feat three, or" Jack in the Green,"
as the fancy of the cherubic "ballet corps" may dictate;
but we certainly have "rare fun," and it is a question if
Adams's band uver yielded as much real festivity as the poor,
ragged Italian's street organ. We wonder whether these
active citizens of nurseryland will enjoy their elegant steps
in the spacious wax-lighted ball-room in years to conic,
as they do these extemporaneous, muscular comtrastionl
among our household goods, where they bring thcir curly
heads in frequent contact IA :th an arm-chair, or tumble full
length on the hearth-rug. We wonder if lace airts and
white neckties will carry the charm of broad tsashes and
plaid tunics ; whether the sparkling champagne and deli-
cate chickens will prove such Olympian fare as the home-
made orange-wine and haunches of gingerbread ; whether
the dainty master of the ceremonies will be as pleasant es
the audacious Skye terrier flying at their heels. We would
wager our best edition of Shakspere that they will reniem7
ber these " aboriginal" dances with a distinct and grateful
visicn ; for when childhood is at all what chil dhood;4l,gbt
to be, its memory imbibes a fragrance from 6 e brt„,l7
and daises of life, which the geranium bountt, ;on
i'''',"
,-s
rity's dress-coat, or the rose-decked Sonnet?, o,
~l',, v_.,l?r: y
"If togs
trailing robe, can never overpower.—Eggs ""7
from my Journal."

NOTICE IN HEREBY GIVEN, That JOHN
BAYLESS WIDNELL, of No. 162, Regent-street in
the county of Middlesex, Mantle Manufacturer, hath, by In-
denture, bearing date the 24th day of May, 1860, bargained,
sold, assigned, and transferred an his Estate and -Effects
whatsoever and wheresoever unto .lames Riley, of Watling-
street, in the City of London, Silk Merchant, and Samuel
Morris, of r- o 67, Cannon-street, West Saint Paul's, in the
said City, Furrier and Leather-seller, upon trust for the
benefit of such of the Creditors of the said John Bayless
Widnell, who should execute th said Indenture Tree
months from the date thereof the ;
and that the saidwithin Indenture
was duly executed by the said John Bayless Widnell, James
Riley, and Samuel Morris, respectively, on the said 24th day
of May, 1860, in the presence of, and attested by. Ebenezer
Kemp Randell, Solicitor, 17, Gracechurch-street, in the City
of London, ; and the said Indenture is now lying at the Office
of the said Ebenezer Kemp Randal, at 17, Gracechurch-street,
aforesaid, for inse on and eecution by the Creditors of
the said John Bayless WidnelL—x Dated this 21st day of June,
1160. E. K. RA. DELL.
17, Gractehurch-street.
•

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_

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THEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lessee, Mr. J. B. Baukstone.
THIS EVENING the performances will commence with
SHOCKING EVENTS. Mr. Compton.
To be followed by THIS FAMILY SECRET. Messrs
Chippendale, Howe, W. Farren, Villiers, Buckstone, Mrs. B.
White, Mrs. Fitzwilliam, Mrs. Wilkins, and Miss Amy
Sedgwick.
After which, a new farce, entitled FITZSMYTHE OF
FITZSMYTHE HALL. Messrs. Buckstone, W. Farren, and
Rogers; Mrs. Wilkins and Miss Henrade.
To conclude with THE ODDITIES OF THE OHIO. By
the Leclercqs.

Commence at 7.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.—
Lessee, Mr. A. Harris.
THIS EVENING, will be performed THE MERRY
WIVES OF WINDSOR. Sir John Falstaff, Mr. Phelps.
To conclude with THRICE MARRIED. Mr. Meadows.
Miss C. Leclercq, &c