The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-25 00:00:00

CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.—
OPEN EVERT EVENING.—The following Company
of Vocalists are engaged for the performance of Selections
from all the popular OPERAS, MADRIGALS, CHORUSES,
GLEES, DWETS, &c., viz. :—Miss Russell, Mrs. Badsey,
Miss Brunel!, Miss Ray, Madame Bartoletti, Miss Montague,
Mrs. Lawrence, and Mrs. Anderson ; Herr F. Jonxhmans,
Mr. Hwnshaw, S. Jones, J. Barker, W. Melling, Senor Antonio,
L Hime, Mr. Badsey, Senor Tiroli, Mr. Cozens, Mr. Bell,
Mr. Barnard, and Mr. St. Albyn. Mr. John G. Forde and E.
W. )iackney. Pianoforte, Mr. Cecil Hicks—Harmonium,
Mr. Courtnay—Director, Herr F. Jonghmans. Commence at
7 precisely. Suppers, &c., until 12 o'clock.
NoTicE.—The Proprietor begs respectfully to announce
tnat in the month of October,

A FINE ARTS GALLERY,

now in course of construction, will be thrown open in con•
nexion with the above Hall.

ROYAL GARDENS, VAUXHALL.
—Director, Mr. R. DUFFELL.—EXTENSION OF THE
SUMMER SEASON FOR ONE WEEK MORE, by special
desire.—On MONDAY EVENING Concert in the Handel
Orchestra, supported by Mrs. Lawrence, Mrs. P. Corti,
Messrs. P. Corti, Russell Grover, C. Roman, Elijah Taylor,
and Master Haydn Corti. On the Ballet stage, Mr. G.
Thompson, will go through his wonderful evolutions.—Mr.
James Robinson, the Great American bare back rider, will
appear in the Cirque Imperial, in conjunction with the
• talented Company of Equestrians (including Madame Blanche,
the Equestrian Magnet), under the direction of her Majesty's
Clown; IL Croueste.—Splendid Illuminations.—Brilliant Py-
rotechnic Displays.—Dancing before and atter the fireworks.
—Two Bands.—Open every evening, wet or dry, from Monday
to Friday, at Seven ; Saturdays at Three. Military Bands
at Four.—Maypole and waltz dances by Chapino's Troupe
until Six, when the usual entertainments commense.—Admis-
glen, One Shilling ;. Children, Sixpence. Open on Sunday
at Five ; refreshment ticket, ed.

THE WEATHER.-SUN OFFICE, SEPT. 25.

THERMOMETER, IN TUE SHADE.

65—highest since noon yesterday.
63—lowest this morning and during the night.
63—this clay at noon.

BAno3lrrEn-3).55.
Wixr, North-Westerly; light, and fine

4-4+%
Clktt
444(14;,,,-;, 4

?~RGI'C

THE SUN.

SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 2J., 1858.

Another remarkable oration upon a grand theme,
recently delivered by a man of extraordinary emi-
nence, has followed close upon that superb eulogium
of NEWTON by Lord BROUGHAM. Scarcely had
those eloquent accents ceased vibrating upon the
popular ear -when Professor OWEN read that ela-
borate, and in many respects masterly, address to
the British Asacoiation, given in extenso in our
impression of last evening—the address by which
his Presidency at Leeds in 18j8 was formally

inaugurated.
If in nothing else, the British Association is
certainly productive of advantage to the general
community in this—that year after year it enables
some gifted intelligence to survey anew, from the
watch tower of the Present, the advance made in
the development of science generally. Occasionally,
as in this instance of RICHARD OWEN, the great
physiologist, the President of the British Associa-
tion, a man who, in one or sther of the departments
of natural philosophy, or the physical sciences, stands
foremost among all living contemporaries. Thus
it is that the survey taken of our past progrels
assumes to itself a peculiar and paramount impor-
tance. Insomuch that even those who are accus-
tomed habitually to depreciate the annual labours of
the Association are constrained to forego for once
the indulgence of their pert and hackneyed
cynicism, and listen or read as beseems those
who are addressed by an intellect remarkable for
its rare endowments. Nevertheless, even thus de-
nied for once the wretched luxury of reviving, yet
again, sneers repeated season after season with
" damnable iteration"—the Times must needs pre-
face the report given in its columns of the splendid
inaugural address by Professor OWEN, by desig-
nating it spitefully " a very prolix document."
Yet examine this document carefully from first to
last, and it is assuredly difficult to admit anywhere
of its being noticeable for prolixity.
Beginning with a reference to the geological
revelations hitherto vouchsafed to the industry and
research of man, the orator remarked eloquently
upon the awful and scarcely conceivable lapse
of centuries during which this earth of
ours has been revolving in its orbit. " Yet,"
he added, " during all those wras that have passed
since the Cambrian- rocks were deposited which
bear the impressed record of creative power, as it
was then manifested, we know, through the inter-
preters of these writings on stone,' that the earth
was vivified by the sun's light and heat, was fer-
tilised by refreshing showers, and washed by tidal
waves.

No stagnation has been permitted to air
or ocean. The vast body of waters not only moved,
as a whole, in orderly oscillations, regulated,
as now, by sun and moon, but were rippled and
agitated by -winds and storms. The atmosphere was
healthily inikenced by its horizontal currents, and by
ever-varying clouds and vapours, rising, condensing,
dissolving,and. falling in endless vertical circulation."
Nobly was it obs'erved by him furthermore, after
remarking that " with life from the beginning
there has been death"—" And herein we discover
the greater beneficence and wisdom ; that through
death, whether sudden or preceded by a brief decay,
the individual enjoys the various phases of life,-
growth, active youth, and
healthy, assimil3tive
vigorous maturitlp with the procreative faculties
and instincts to bout--and as life rises in the scale,
even to the present highest form, foreknowing
of his end, death is still the condition on which
are enjoyed man's purest
pleasure.:4—the reve-
rential love of parents—the holy i 1.... 4 ' •tctions of
wedlock—the fond yearning towards o fkring."
As incentives to philosophical research, what
could be more admirable than these two cii-
tentious observations ?—" The simplest coral arta
the meanest insect may have something in its his-
tory
worfek knowing, and in some way profitable.
Every of is a character in which Divine
wisdom 5.9 written, and which ought to be ex-
pounded."' Again, -was it not exquisitely said by