The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-06 00:00:00

CREMORNE GARDENS.

The past summer has been so remarkably unfa-
vourable to outdoor amusements, that Mr. Simpson,
the propiietor of Cremorne, has been engaged in
one perpetual struggle against the inclemeneies of
_the weather. Indeed, clurintlhe whole season of

1860 there have been only 50 nights on which the
visitors could remain in the open` gardens till any-
thing like a late hour. However, the energies of
Mr. Simpson have been in a great measure expen-
ded on the production of amusements altogether in-
dependent of meteorological influence. The Stereo-
rama, that masterpiece of Messrs. Grieve and Telbin,
combliiing the peculiarities of 'the theatrical set
scene with those of the panorama, was a novelty

that could be witnessed amid the storms of 1860 as
comfortably as Mr. Burford's pictures in Leicester-
square; and the same may be said of the fine col
lection of ferns, which is reported to have cost seve
ral thousand pounds, and was another new feature
of the season. An elegant dining room added to the
hotel may also be mentioned among the fresh 'in-
door amusements.

Of late it has been the continued policy of Mr.
Simpson to augment the number of his day visitors,
N-Nho are, for the most part, quiet family people, as
distinct as possible from the more hilarous persons
who value Cremorne chiefly on account of the mon-
ster platform. In accordance with this policy the-
special exhibitions open at noon and close at 11, to
suit the convenience of everybody.
However, in his endeavours to make Cremorne
celebrated as a place of daylight recreation Mr.
Simpson, who in this respect may find his parallel
among other great persons, feels himself encum-
bered with two or three zealous allies, whose views
but partially correspond with his own. While he,
in a catholic spirit, would oblige the lovers of the
sun as well as the minions of the moon, a few of the
Chelsea vestrymen are resolved that the former
alone shall be gratified, and that Cremorne shall be
closed every night at 12 o'clock. By this arrange-
ment the value of Cremorne as a place of evening
recreation would be, in a great measure—nay,
wholly destroyed.
Possibly to some inexperienced persons the hour
of midnight may at the first hasty glance appear
late enough for anything. But it is to be remem-
bered that although a few minutes will suffice to
clear the bar and tap-room of a public-house of a
score or so of topers, the same cannot be said of a
large garden, in which several thousand persons are
assembled. If the gardens were closed at 12o'clock,
a gradual retreat must commence long before, and
the many persons who come at, say, 9 or 10 o'clock,
to indulge in a promenade followed by a supper
would find themselves so wofully cramped in their
operations, that they would soon cease to patronise
the gardens altogether. In fact, there is no doubt
that the " early closing movement" extended to
Cremorne is a sheer absurdity, and that those whe
advocate it really seek the destruction of a particu-
lar form of amusement. No one can suppose that a
multitude sufficient to support Cremorne will be in-
duced to go all the way to Chelsea on purpose to see
an equestrian circus, a panorama, or a conservatory,
that might just as well be seen in a more central
part of the town. Amusements of this kind are
serviceable adjuncts, but Cremorne is essentially a
place for open-air promenading, supping, and—let
us add—dancing. At such a place the society is ne-
cessarily of a mixed description, especially when the
tariff of admission is moderate, but we believe the

highest degree of attainable respectability has been
attained by Mr. Simpson. Save on the night ,of the
Derby, his gardens are never the scene of violent
disorder, and, if his visitors may not all be of im-
maculate reputation, they are compelled to observe
the rules of good behaviour while on his premises,
which the most fastidious person may traverse at
any hour without annoyance. The annihilation of
Cremorne would ultimately result in the destruc-
tion of " gardens" altogether, for it is beyond com-
parison the best place of its kind in the neighbour-
hood of this metropolis.
The crusade against Cremorne, which will be re-
newed this month, was commenced three years ago,
and 15 years have elapsed since the first opening of
the gardens. Of course, Mr. Simpson's present
privileges will be opposed on the ground of local
annoyance, and the encroachments made upon the
rest of Chelsea slumberers by the noise of the choice
spirits who return late from-Cremorne ; but one can-
not help thinking that during a period of 12 years
many of the sufferers must have come to the nui-
sance of which they now complain with a full
knowledge of what they were about to undergo.
The reputation of Cremorne is not confined to odd
nooks and corners, but extends over the country,
and even to the Continent.

Moreover, the question about Cremorne is not of
merely local importance—a dispute between the
Chelsea folk who like it and the Chelsea folk who
don't. Chiefly in consequence of the excellent
management of Mr. Simpson, Cremorne has gra-
dually attained a metropolitan importance, and its
attractions do not more directly appeal to the resi-
dents of Chelsea than to the inhabitants of Camber-
well. A few dozen persons, who idolise Morpheus
and abhor Terpsichore, have, of course, a right to
its
amusements that all London may be deprived of
amusements in order that their own peaceful slum-
bers may remain free from disturbance ; but to ob-
tain the world's decision in their favour, they ought
to show that the uninterrupted dreams of the very,
very few are of more consequence than the waking
joys of the very, very many, not omitting from the
record the fact that the very, very few are by no
means bound to sojourn in the neighbourhood of
Cremorne if they don't like it. To a person of delicate
nerves -a walk along Cheapside in the middle of
the day is exceedingly annoying, but one would
counsel the susceptible individual who would avoid
the ceaseless throng rather to dodge among the
back streets than to petition Parliament for the
reduction of the city traffic to the standard of a
small country town. In the good old days when
"witches hung that jurymen might dine," the
witches were at any rate not more numerous than
the jurymen, but the Chelsea Morpheus, small as is
his number of devotees, is a Moloch that will not
be satisfied with a fewer than a million or two of
victims. Because Chelsea is virtuous there shall be
no more cakes and ale, and all London shall go to
bed soon into the bargain. So, at least, thinks
Chelsea itself ; whether the Middlesex magistrates
are of the same opinion remains to be proved.

OUR BECKY AND THE SAILOR.-A young damsel
who is engaged and will shortly be united to a gallant son
of Neptune, lately visited the Mariners' Church. During
the sermon the parson discoursed eloquently and with much
earnestness of the dangers and temptations of the sailor.
He concluded by asking, "Is there one who thinks any-
thing of him who wears a tarpaulin hat and blue jacket, or
a pair of trousers made of duck ? In short, is there one wh
the
o
cares aught for the poor sailor ?" A little girl, a sister of
damsel, jumped up, and looking archly at her sister, said in
a tone loud enough for every one to hear,
Becky does."—Western Morning Hews. "Yes, sir ; our
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