The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-29 00:00:00

Commence at 7 o'clock.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE,
Westminster-road.
Sole Lessee, Mr. William Cooke.
The New Tariff :
Dress Circle, 3s. ; Upper Boxes, 2s. ; Pit, is. ; Galleries, fid.
Great and Extraordinary Sensation produced by the new and
brilliant Decorations—Splendid Act Drop—Magnificent
Chandelier—Appropriate Scenery.
- During the week the new and successful drama of
THE BATTLE OF BOTHWELL BRIG.
With THE SCENES IN THE CIRCLE, comprising the
evolutions and equitations of the first Professors in the world
and their unequalled Stud of Horses.
To conclude with a Farce called A MISTAKEN STORY.
No fee for booking.
Stage Manager, Mr. R. Philips.

CANTERBURY' HALL, Westminster-road.--i
OPEN EVERT EVENING.—The following Company
of Vocalists are engaved for the performance of Selections
from all the popular OPERAS, MADRIGALS, CHORUSES,
GLEES, DFETS, &c., viz. :—Miss Russell, Mrs. Badsey,
Miss Brunell, Miss itay, Madame Bartoletti, Miss Montague,
Mrs. Lawrence, and Mrs. Anderson ; Herr F. Jonglimans,
Mr. Ilonshaw," Jones, J. Barker, W. Melling, Senor Antonio,
E. L Hime, Mr:'Badvy, ,Senor Tiroli, Mr. Cozens, Mr: Bell,
Mr. Barnard, and Mr. St. Albyn. Mr. John G. Forde, Mr. E.
Taylor, and KW. hackney. Pianoforte, Mr. Cecil Hicks
—Harmonium, Mr. Courtnay—Director, Herr F. jonglimans.
Commence at 7 precisely. Suppers, &c., until 12 o'clock.
NoricE.7-The Proprietor begs respectfully to announce
that

TUE FINE ARTS GALLERY
IS NOW OPEN,
From 11 o'clock a.m. until 12 o'clock p.m.,
Containing an extensive Collection of Pictures by •Ancient

and Modem Masters.

THE WEATHER.-SUN OFFICE, OCT. 29.

THERMOMETER, TN THE SHADE.

56—highest since noonryesterday.
46—lowest this morning and during the night.
47—this day at noon.
BAuo3IETED.-30.38--a rise of nearly half an inch.
WIND, North-Westerly ; light, with fine cold weather.

THE SUN.

FRIDAY. OCTOBER 29, 1858.

Another popular speech in the provinces by an
eminent Statesman—this time a speech upon the
self-education of the masses, in the course of which
the orator (Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT) utters a
panegyric upon novels, and offers a tribute to
newspapers. " Approbation from •Sir HUBERT
STANLEY is praise indeed." But what—not "will
Mrs. GRUNDY say ?" but—what will Lord GoDE
men think of this hearty approval by an ex-
Minister of the favourite pass-time in our
Mechanics' Institutes ? The thumbing, after work-
ing hours, not of learned treatises upon cube roots
and conic sections, but of the latest serial ana last
new romance—a damp copy of The Sun reeking
from its recent passage through the press, or
the crisp, uncut bran new number of
Mr. THACKERAY'S Virginians. Instead of
abstruse books, says the right honourable

gentleman the member for South Wiltshire give
the people wholesome intellectual amusement. lie
adds, " Because we are virtuous "—but candidly
admits in parenthesis (" I have no hesitation in
confessing that I am not virtuous on thesallgoints
myself")--" it is no reason why we should forbid
the. '.cakes and ale' to others." There is besides
in this a real knowledge of human nature.
The, speaker *as in all probability perfectly
correct when he said afterwards that that old story
about ALFtEn's division of the day was—not a
doubt of it—purely mythical. Eight hours for
'study, eight for labour, and eight for rest, would
break the heart of any man after a very little
• while's' continuance, even supposing him to have
the somnolence of the Seven. Sleepers, the mind of
a 13:k iCAL, gni- the body of a coal-heaver.
We believe that no education, much less that
any self-education can, be conducted accord-
ing to rule and compus—can be squared to
a ,nicety through a series of days, weeks,
months, and years, either with the rigid rules laid
down say in WATTS'S " Improvement of the Mind"
—(charming in theory, excruciating in practice)—
er with the prim liws (a framework of whalebone,
buckram,•and frippery) arranged with inexorable
neatness in Mrs. CHAPoNt's " Lefton." Every

education, even the snot systematic, must in a
great measure by necessity be somewhat--there is
no more appropriate phrase for it—higgledy-
piggledy. The labour of tuition cannot in any
one instance be worked out with the precision of
a syllogism. As well lay down laws of
etiquette for love-making and expect them
to be followed. " STEPHENSON, HI GIL MILLER,
and such men," said Mr. SIDNEY HER-
BERT, " do not want opportunities given to them;
they make them." And so, in regard to these
Mechanics' Institutes, it is in simple reason incum-
bent upon their more rational promoters that the

toiling multitudes should be allowed to choose for
themselves. Scientific works of all kinds, algebra,
geometry, treatises upon natural philosophy—as
much of these as you please upon the book-
shelves, but do not fore 2 them upon the
hands and eves and brains of the toilworn popula-
tion. Let thorn be within their reach to be studied
when and how they list, but permit the stu-
dents also, at their own will and pleasure,
to unbend their minds whenever they like over
other works of a less serious character—theradiant
pages of light literature. "Novels—good novels,
I mean," said the right hon. member for South
Wilts yesterday in his speech at Warminster—
" ire, in my mind, a great school of human nature."
Who can doubt it ? Who will Fay that time has ever
been lost over a wholesome fiction, over one of the
exquisite masterpieces of WALTER SCOTT or MARIA
E DGEWORTH ? Why, it is one of the most cha-

racteristic traits recorded in the biography of the

greatest practical scientific genius of his
age, the man who may be said, 'without
any extravagance of metaphor, to have
harnessed the fiery dragon of the Steam Engine to

the car of modern Civilisation—that from boyhood

to old age he dearly loved a good story, an interest

ing novel, an enthralling romance.

And certainly

JAMES WATT made good use of his time too—how-
ever frequently he hung over the chapters of the

tale teller. Nobody nowadays reads only a single

book—like the man whose whole library (and a very
good one, toe, in its way, under the circumstances)

via> Hudibras." We are miscellaneous reader,
all of us• There is not much fear of any one saving

what is called in Scotch a " sumph," or in
Irish an " omadhawn," or in English just
plainly a born idiot, dedicating his en rgies, for
once and for all, to the study of one s'ngle story
book. Every one who reads at all, re:.ds here and
there, by fits and starts, now this, n)w that, as the
whim prompts or humour changes. Leave readers
to themselves in a well selected library, and be sure
no harm can come of it. Nor—whatever the reading
in a library thus well 'selected—will the time con-
sumed in it be lost time. Something worth
gaining will have been gained—amusement
or information, gentleness orknowledge—no matter
whether ire student-has been poring over a report
of Lord BROUGHAM'S speech about NEWTON, at
Grantham, or over Sir EDWARD LYTTON'S latest
instalment of " What, will He Do with It ?" in
Blackwood. Whether the leaves turned under the
light from the singing gas-burner be those of "Paul
Ferroll " or WHATELY'S "Logic," pf "Tom Brown's
11 School Days" or of WHEWELL'S " Astronomy."

Mr, BRIGHT has received a great ovation from
his constituents—the good men and true who
rescued him from the inactive position in which he
was placed, and declared that JOHN BRIGHT
should again raise his voice in the representative
branch of the Legislature. He had committed
grave faults, but there was an excuse for him
which few, if any others, could put forward. His
religious convictions were diametrically opposed
to war in any form, or under any pretext ;
and we must respect, in Mr. BRIGHT, opinions
which in almost any other person would only ex-
cite contempt and indignation. Mr. BRIGHT need
not apologise for his views, or attempt to fritter
away his earnest convictions. It may be true thathe
argued within narrower limits ; that his reasoning
was, addressed to a wider body than his very re-
spectable co-religionists. But still; as a member
of the Society of Friends, he must have been the
opponent of war in any form ; the advocate of
peace at any price or on any conditions. But still
we do not think the worse of him on that account.
His services were accepted, subject to that one
drawback. There was no deception on his part,
and therefore no right to complain of his conduct.
The great point on which the opinions of the
honourable gentleman were most eagerly sought
was that relating to the all-important question of
Parliamentary Reform. There he was a high
authority,
.an unexceptionable witness. The re-
cognised leader of a numerous and influential party
of independent Liberals, he could speak on this
interesting subject ex cathedra, and the
people generally must rejoice at receiv-
ing such valuable hints as to the views and
anticipations of the really Liberal party. His sug-
gestions will be anxiously looked at by the " ins"
and " outs "—by her MAJESTY'S Government and
her MAJESTY'S Opposition. Each will be solicitous
to learn how far they can travel with the straight-
forward, thorough-going JOHN BRIGHT—how far
they can conciliate his valuable support, and place
their opponents and rivals for office in a false posi-
tion. The Birmingham speech will therefore be
closely studied and attentively considered; and,
indeed, it will be found well worthy of perusal for
the clear, distinct, and lucid view which it takes of
the great pending question of the age.

The opinions of Mr. BRIGHT refer to three
points, out of those which have been" ventilated—
a large extension of the suffrage—an equalisation
of the electoral districts—and security to the voter
by means of the ballot. A fourth topic would
have been required, but the abolition of the
property qualification last session rendered any
reference to this question unnecessary and uncalled-
for. We cannot, however, forget that we are
indebted to the Government of Lord DERBY for
eliminating this important element from the reform

lequation.
The Reform question occupies at the same time
a very triumphant and a very perilous position.
Triumphant, because men of all parties—of all
phases and varieties of political opinion, are virtually
pledged to the introduction of a bill—perilous,-
because that very unanimity may lead to a very
diluted milk-and-water sort of measure, which
would not give entire satisfaction to any person or
persons throughout the length and breadth of the
land.

We have had four Governments pledged, to Re-
form, that of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, Lord ABERDEEN,
Lord PALMERSTON, and, last and best of all, Lord
DERBY. The measures of the two first were duly
ventilated, although that was all, and we fully
concur with Mr. BRIGHT in saying, "the less said
on the subject the better." It is certain that what
Lord JOHN offered, either as Premier or as the
leader of the Commons under Lord ABERDEEN,
would not now be accepted by the Liberal party
as anything approximating to a fair instalment of
justice. The ballot—the alpha and omega of
Reform—was studiously ignored, and there was but
little proposed in the way of the equalisation of
electoral districts, or removing the gross anomaly
on which Mr. BRIGHT dwelt with so much truth

and eloquence.
It needed not the numerous instances cited by
the honourable gentleman to prove that the
House of Commons does not fully or fairly repre-
sent the people. The fact is but too painfully
notorious, and the re-ne,l too u7gently required,
to admit of doubt. Like Mr. BRIGHT, we have no
dread of universal, or manhood suffrage, as it has
been styled. Every man who contributes to the
taxation in any way—and it would be diffi-
cult to find the fortunate individual who is
exempted—should have a voice either through him-
self or his chosen representative. This is the true
fiscal theory—that there should be no taxation
without representation, and anything that violates
that principle must necessarily be opposed to the
constitution.

The present distribution of the franchise is so
absurd that it cannot be defended in any way,
when there are to be found in the House of Com-
mons 330 members (who form an absolute majority
for all practical purposes) elected by less than
180,000 voters, while the remaining 328 have
nearly 800,000 constituents. The distribution of
the members is also so'notoriously bad, that no one,
we believe, will object to a sweeping alteration. We
do not say that the electoral districts should be mea-
sured out by metes an bounds, and ascertained
with mathematical accuracy. But some approxi-
mation to fairness may be made—some arrangement
that will remove the present ridiculous system, and
substitute something of a better description in its
place.

The great object to be attained is to ascertain
the wishes of the people without exception. Agri-
culturists and operatives have an equal right to ex-
press their views, and any Reform Bill that may be
introduced should be based on the actual facts, with-
out reference to the effects that may be produced
on party interests. There is too much reason to believe
that the last Reform Bill was framed to suit a particu-
lar purpose. The present must be prepared with
more extended views—looking rather to what is
fair and equitable than to what may be expedient:
" -But " the ballot" is the great point of all. Give
protection to the voter, free him from every corrupt
influence, save him from bribery and intimidation,
whether of landlord, priest, employer, or customer;
and even of that of the non-elector who resorts to

the mild Rersuasion of bludgeon or of brickbat.
Let :,he" elector be enabled to exercise his privi-
lege in the manner which in his soul and con•
science- he deems best, and everything else will
be of secondary purpose. The extension of the
suffrage is very desirable, the equalisation of the
electoral districts still more so—but the vote by
ballot is of far greater importance, and without it
no measure of reform can be satisfactory or accept-
able to the community at large.

THE DEPARTURE OF PRINCE

ALFRED FOR SEA.

The Prince of Wales, attended by Major Lindsay,
went down to Portsmouth on Wednesday last to
see Prince. Alfred off. The parting between the
royal brothers was very affectionate, and the royal
cadet seemed also much moved at parting with his
old friends and instructors, Dr. Minter, of the royal
yacht, and Naval Instructor Jolly, of the Illus-
trious. The latter gentleman is new appointed
tutor to Prince Arthur.

The young sailor Prince seemed in the best of
spirits, and at once at home with the young gentle-
men selected (for no officer has been appointed to
the Euryalus, we believe, whose character and
merits have not first been submitted for her Ma-
jesty's approval) to be his coinpagnons de voyage.
Mr. Walton, of Gosport, was honoured by her
Majesty's commands to fit out the young Prince,
and it may be interesting to those young gentle-
men who are studying to enter the navy, and
others already admitted and seining, to know that
Prince Alfred will enjoy no immunity from his
royal rank, that his outfit is no better nor more ex-
tensive than theirs, that his chest is the exact and
strict " regulation" article, and if his servant has
a cabin allotted him, the Prince, his master, slings
his hammock on the lower deck, and berths himself
therein the same as the other cadets, and with the
same chance of " cobbing," though probably not
with the like probability of receiving that intro-
ductory infliction. Her Majesty had the Prince's
chest and outfit sent up to Buckingham Palace for
her own and the Prince Consort's inspection, and on
its return to Mr. Walton on Wednesday for shipment
the Queen and Prince were both pleased to express
their high satisfaction with the equipment.- The
chest is of polished ' oak, and the toilet utensils
white metal - eleetroplated. The kit was of the
usual character, and no superfluities.
The Prince of Wales will shortly receive a com-
mission in, and join the army.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge left
town yesterday, on a visit to her Majesty and the Prince
Consort, at Windsor Castle.
The Earl and Countess of Malmesbury left town
on Wednesday, on a visit to the Queen and the Prince
Consort, at Windsor Castle.
The Countess de•Stackelberg, accompanied by her
daughter, the Baroness de Cazes, have left Claridge's Hotel,
for Shrublands, near Ipswich, on a visit to Sir W. and
Lady Middleton.
Mr. and Mrs. Cottrell Scholefield have arrived at
Farrance's Hotel, Belgravia, from Westbridge, Isle of
Wight.
THE LATE FEARGITS O'CONNOR'S LAND SCHEME.
On Wednesday evening the sufferers from the above scheme
held a meeting in Nottingham—Mr. Ley in the chair. On
the motion of Mr. Bostock, seconded by Mr. Lilley, it was
resolved to accept the proposal of Mr. Goodchap, made be-
fore the Court of Chancery in June last, viz., 20 years' pur-
chase of the rent charges for the estates of the company,
which he promised to give if he could legally do so. A let-
ter was also adopted to Mr. Richards, the master in Chan-
eery, requesting him to sanction such arrangement, and
thereby expedite the winding-up of the affairs of-the com-
pany ; and further requesting him to institute a searching
inquiry into the costs attendant upon the whole of the pro-
ceedings, in order that the claimants may obtain a divi-
dend from the surplus assets.
ROBBERY OP 973 AMERICAN DOLLARS.--Yester-
day (Thursday) a man named Timothy Kirby, said to be
chief officer of the American ship Patterson, was brought
up at the police-court at Liverpool, charged under the fol-
lowing circumstances :—A sailor on board the Patterson,
named James Harding, who shipped at New Orleans, placed
973 dollars in the care of Kirby, who was to deliver it up to
Harding on the ship reaching port. When the Patterson
arrived in the Mersey the mate absconded, taking with him
the hard earnings of the complainant. He was traced to
Queenstown, and back again to Liverpool, where he was
given into custody. The complainant stated that the way
the prisoner got his money was by telling him that the re-
mainder of the crew were a set of "scoundrels," who would
rob him of anything he had, and if he had any valuables
about him that he would take care of them till. he reached
Liverpool. The prisoner was remanded for seven days.
TOM MATHEWS'S REMINISCENCES OF GRIMALDI.
—On Wednesday evening Tom Mathews, the king of
clowns, and, in his early days, a pupil of " Old Grimaldi,"
gave his unique and successful entertainment, called " Re-
miniscences of Grimaldi," at the Lecture-hall of the Wal-
worth Literary Institution, Livermore-road, Walworth,
before a very crowded assembly, and was received with
much applause. The entertainment consists of various
songs, introduced by judicious selections from Dicker's
" Life of Grimaldi," prefacing and illustrating each
'-song, very cleverly spoken by Miss Clara Mathews,
who presided at and accompanied the comic vocalist
and mimic on the piano. The songs were the old
and familiar favourites of old play-goers. The immortal
Tom sings in his clown's attire, and never sang better.
The applause was tumultuous, and every song was rede-
manded and promptly complied with. The entertainment,
which was highly successful, is divided into three parts,
Miss Mathews singing a popular song during the intervals.
At the conclusion Mr. Mathews was greeted with rounds
of applause. We recommend all who like a couple of hours'
of comic drawing-room entertainment to give " Tom
Mathews a visit."
REPEAL OF THE PAPER DUTY.—A meeting of
persons interested in the repeal of the paper duty was held
at Edinburgh, on Wednesday. It was attended by Mr. J.
Cassell, Mr. Francis, and Mr. Vizetelly, from the London
Association, and by a large number of gentlemen represent-
ing the different classes immediately affected by this duty.
Mr. Adam Black, M.P., publisher, was called to the chair,
and the first resolution, to the effect that the paper duty is
a tax on labour, is a vexatious interference with the manu-
facturer, and obstructs the progress of education, was moved
by Mr. Francia and seconded by Mr. Cassell. Mr. Robert
Chambers, seconded by Mr. Ritchie, moved that it was de-
sirable that the members of the Scottish newspaper and
periodical press, printers, publishers, papermakers, and
general consumers should join in an effort for obtaining the
repeal of the duty in the ensuing session. Mr. Cowan,
M.P., papermaker, seconded by Mr. Greig, moved that a
subscription be entered into and that a committee be formed
for the purpose of carrying out the previous resolution. The
resolutions were unanimously adopted. It was stated at
the meeting that the London Association had now enrolled
between 50and 60 Members of,Parliament as vice-presidents,
and that they expected to inceive before the meeting of Par-
liament such an amount of support as would, in all proba%
bility induce the Chancellor of the Exchecjiter to accede to
their demands.
EXTRAORDINARY HOAX IN MARYLEBONE.—
Yesterday much excitement and merriment to all but the
victims in the affair were created in Marylebone, through
the perpetration of an extraordinary hoax upon a scholastic
establishment, ke-it by Mr. Staines, at 107, Marylebone
(late New) road, by which the neighbourhood was kept in
a perfect agitation for the whole of the afternoon, owing to
the large concourf• of people brought together on the occa-
sion to make up some madcap'e caprice. It has often hap-
pened that a hoax has been perpeftated on unfortunate
tradesmen by directing their attendance at a certain hour
to make provision either for a wedding or funeral, or some
such extraordinary event that never was appointed in
reality to take place ; but in the present instance a very
different mode of proceeding was adopted—the concocters
of ‘• th..; having taken the trouble to answer various
advertisements that appeared in a morning paper, both pro-
fessional ones, tradesmen's, and those from domestic ser-
vants, and appointing yesterday afternoon for an interview
with the applicants at the above address. The result of the
hoax was most successful, for from two o'clock until late in
the evening the unfortunate victims continued to arrive as
cording to appointment.

ABOLITION OF SUNDAY TRADING IN SOMERS
To'WN.—The authorities of St. Pancras have determined
to take similar steps to those recently adopted by the City
with regard to Petticoat-lane, for the abolition of Sunday
trading in Somers Town. At the weekly meeting of the
vestry memorials were presented from tradesmen and other
parties upon the subject, and it was shown that the pro-
ceedings in Chapel-street, Brill-row, and the neighbour-
hood, were on a Sunday morning of a most disgraceful and
disgusting character._ It was not the resident costermongers
and poor people who kept stalls that were complained of,
but the parties who came from Petticoat-lane and other
parts, and who paced the streets with various machines and
nostrums, bawling out at the top of their voices, oven during
Divine service. One gentleman who had paid a Sunday
morning visit asked whetherwhat he saw could be considered
as necessaries. There was an exhibition, " The Grand Gold
Mines of California." He counted six weighing-machines and
four blowing-machines to test the strength of the lungs.
There were gentlemen with rats in, cages, others with fancy
terriers for sale, shooting-machines for nuts, game cocks,
swings and roundabouts, and even profane music. There
were several vendors of quack medicines, and some gentle-
men of the " medical profession" wbo exhibited a number
of tape-worms, made of gutta percha or parchment cuttings,
but which he assured his wondering auditory had been ex-
tracted from frail humanity by the nostrums he was vend-
ing at one penny per box. He assured them that his me-
dicine was composed of seven herbs; in order to justify the
use of which for "the ills that all flesh is heir to" he pro-
ceeded to quote a passage from the let chapter of Genesis.
These statements created a very profound sensation, and a
motion, moved by Mr. Ross, and seconded by Mr. Hearn-
den, directing the vestry clerk to exercise all the powers
which the vestry possess under the Local Management Act
for removing the nuisance, and calling in the aid of the
police to effect that object forthwith, was carried by an over-
whelming majority.
SUPPOSED SUICIDE OF A FEMALE.—Yesterday
evening, Mr. Wm. Carter, the coroner for East Surrey,
opened an inquest at the Blue Anchor Hotel, Richmond,
on the body of Elizabeth Jossling, the wife of a brazier,
residing in Night and Morning-street, in that town, and
who was supposed to have committed suicide. It appeared
that the deceased was suddenly seized with violent sickness
on last Sunday week, and that she was continually retching
until her death, which took place on Sunday morning. The
illness was, however, attributed to natural causes, the de-
ceased being subject to bilious attacks, and probably no in-
cwiry would have been thought necessary but for the fact
being ascertained that a day or two before her illness Mrs.
Jossling had purchased a pennyworth of arsenic at a che-
mist's shop in the town, and it being known that she had
attempted to commit suicide 12 years before by placing her
head in a waterbutt ; it also appeared at the inquest that
during her last illness her husband missing her from bed
proceeded down stairs, where he found her standing on a
chair, with a rope round her neck, and the other end of
which was attached to a post. Evidence at great lenglh
Was drat gonet yeagredodntbeyntsthoefjudry
o.
ceased'scaisnes,houidbe
adjourned
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stomach to be analysed.

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