The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-29 00:00:00

TO THE BurrOß OF THE KIN.

Sin,—Optimism is in the ascendant ! Redeunt Satur-
nia Regna 1 In this best of all possible countries of
this best of all possible worlds, under this best of all
possible Governments, it seems almost impossible, to be
wrong or to do 'wrung. It is true we sometimes stumble
over melancholy and disgraceful efects, but somehow or
another these seem to have no corresponding causes.
It ignorant people, like myself, persist in looking for
them, they receive sore slaps and buffets in the face from
a flight of Good Intentions, whicb, emerging from the
old ruins of Routine, flutter and, flap about our ears so
as utterly to blind and confuse us.

Blessed, then, and happy are the ignorant ! Here,
on the Cotswold, we were bewildered by the war, which
has left us minus many " old familiar faces " of sons,
brothers, and husbands. We were more bewildered by
the peace, which has left us simply, plus the double
income tax and a rumour of fireworks and illuminations,
which we, the olod•compellers,` shall never see, and, of
which, unless they are to represent the old custom of
corpse-candles, we cannot divine the reason.
But, of course, all is for the best.

Our time, Sir, is pretty. well occupied in the country.
Boys and old women will steal turnips, and hardened
ruffians will frighten pheasants into apoplexies. Never-
theless a book sometimes finds its way into our hands,
and enables us to lay aside "Burns' Justice " for a brief
period.
I venture to quote a few passages from an author
(Captain Mayne Reid) who appears to have seen,
thought, and done as much as most men in this best of
all possible worlds. He says :
"A fondness for fireworks is a singular but sure charac-
teristic of a declining nation."

" Give me the statistics of pyrotechnic powder burnt by
a people, and I shall tell you the standard measure of their
souls and bodies. If the figure be a maximum, then the
physical and moral measure will be the minimum—for the
ratio is inverse."

"I saw a whole nation, its rich and its poor, gazing on
one of these pitiful spectacles, got up for the purpose of uup-
ing them into contentment. It was the price paid them for
parting with their liberty of opinion, as a child parts with
a valuable gem for a few sugarplums. They were gazing
with a delight that seemed enthusiasm. I looked upon
eyes that gleamed with demoralised thought."
"These were the representatives of a once great people,
and who still deem themselves the first of mankind. I
felt sure that this was an illusion. The pyro•spectacle and
its reception convinced me that I saw before me a people
who had passed the culminating point of their greatness,
and were now gliding rapidly down the declining slope
that leads to annihilation and nothingness."—Vide" The
White Chief," pp. 109-10.

Would not one imagine, sir, that all this bore date
about the Ist of June, 1856, and was written not a hun-
dred miles from St. James's t

But in this best of all possible countries, the best of
all possib'e Governments, of course, knows best, and
the country ought to rejoice in being spared the trouble
of coming to a conclusion.
Of course before it was determined to spend thousands
on these coming illuminations, the aforesaid best of all
Governments has satisfied itself--

lit. That not a single sOldier's widow or orphan is left
unprovided for.

2d. That the Chancellor of the Exchequer is labouring
under a plethora of revenue, an " ernbarras des rickesses."
31. That the great majority of the country consider
the peace as safe, satisfactory, and honourable.
For unless these three- points are beyond dispute, the
fireworks and illuminations seem to us, ignorant country
people, very like a mockery, and almost like a crime.
But no doabt our best of all possible Governments can
give a satisfactory answer on all three heads.
So by all means let us have fireworks and illumina-
tions ! What next ? as my friend Richard Cobden has
it. Why, next, of course, the window breaking. King
Mob must be allowed to rejoice in his own fashion—
Gin in pailfuls, beer in rivers !
• Dash the window glass toshivers,

as sings a respectable character in one of Scott's novels.
Why not? You have "achieved" (that is the phrase) a
belauded and illumined peace. Who can object to so
respectable an ancient right as window breaking, its in-
variable accompaniment ? What are glaziers bills com-
pared with time-honoured custom After all, your
broken windows are only a " prielibatia," a foretaste, a
slight reminder of what might bare happened it the Cu,.
sack had got the upper hand. It is only the mustard
without the beef. It is only the thistle with which the
donkey chooses to excite its carrot-sated palate. Even
quiet Cowper could become enthusiastic upon it—
That
man shall be my toast,
When breaking windows is the sport,
Who bravely breaks the most.

But if you have shabby misgivings, how easy your safe.
guard. " Proximus ardet ucalegon"—your next-door
neighbour illuminates, but why should you ? Put but
your faith in placards, shelter yourself under thei-egig of
Powys and you are secure, otherwise you may have
cause to lament that you are not—
Proxinans, at longo proximns interballo.
Sir, in London you are a wise, sensible, and consistent
race of people, but sometimes your proceedings are be.
yond the comprehension of
A COUNTRY SQUIRE.

FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT. —Yesterday, a man
name!! Charley Garner, a zinc-worker, was killed at the
London Bridge Terminus of the London and Brighton
Railway by endeavouring to enter a carriage whilst thc
train w 35 la MotiOll.
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