The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 24, 1858,

ST. 3IARTIN'S HALL.

An exceedingly interesting and not less instructive lec-
ture on elocution, intonation, and the art of judiciously
exercising the voice in reading, reciting, and public speak-
ing, was delivered at St. Martin's Hall yesterday evening,
by Mr. Jenkins, author of the ingenious and learned "Essay
on the Philosophical Principles of the English Language."
The lecturer, whose discourse indicated an intimate fami-
liarity with his subject, described in forcibls and earnest
language the advantage of suiting tone, emphasis, and action
to the sentiment delivered, and traced the want of effect in
many of our English speakers and singers to their cold,
unimpassioned delivery, in which the value of expressive
gesture and sympathetic intonation is totally disregarded.
Mr. Jenkins illustrated his judicious maxims by a variety
of poetical and oratorical recitations, which he delivered in
a most impressive manner, and his lecture, which was
listened to with manifest satisfaction, was rendered addi-
tionally attractive by the occasional introduction of vocal
and instrumental music, performed very skilfully by the
Misses Baxter. The lecture will be repeated on an early
day.

The Earl and Countess Stanhope are passing the
season at Chevening-park, Kent.
Viscount Eversl!:y and the Hon. Misses Shaw
Lefevre have returned to, Heckfield-park, Hunts, for the
holidays.
Viscount and Vitscountess Melgund have arrived
at their residence in Chester-square from Scotland.
Lord and Lady Willoughby de Eresby are at
present at Torquay. They will leave at the close of this
month for Drummond 'Castle, N.B.
Lady Stuart de _R othesay has arrived at the resi-
dence of the Countess. Somers, in Grosvenor-place.
The Dowager Litity Truro is confined to her resi-
dence in Eaton-square, by an attack of asthma.
Lord and Lady Aveland have been entertaining
a numerous circle of friends at Normanton Park during the
past month.
Sir Henry Fletcli er arrived in town yesterday
from a tour in Egypt. Sir Henry will leave to-day to join
his regiment at Winds o r.

Sir Edward and :Lady Colebrooke have arrived
at Farrance's Hotel, B rti'gravia, from Edinburgh.

The Right Hon. 'T.. W. Henley left town yester
day for his seat, Water} erry, Oxfordshire.

A marriage is abd at to take place early in the
ensuing year between : Mr. Curtis, late Royal Dragoons,
eldest son of Sir Wm. ( :urtis, Bart., of Caynham Court,
county of Salop, and MI: Is Master, daughter of Col. Chester
Master, of Knole-park, I .!ounty of Gloucester.

FUNERAL OF THE COUNTESS OF WILTON.—The
funeral of the late Count ass of Wilton took place yesterday.
The funeral cortege, whi4 h left Heaton-hall at 12 o'clock,
formed in the followin! order :—Ten private carriages,
closed ; two mutes, bearn ig the arms of the family; two
mutes bearing plumes a horseman bearing the coronet on
a crimson cushion ; th. e 2 Learse, drawn by six black horses ;
nine mourning coaches *„. each drawn by four horses. In the
first of the mourning ( ;es tches were the Earl of Wilton, the
Marquis of West= ister, Lord Ebury, and the Earl of
Derby ; in the secon. El, Lord Grey de Wilton, the Hon.
Seymour Egerton, ai id Captain de Ros. The procession
reached Prestwich ch arch about 1 o'clock, where a great
concourse of people hr id assembled to pay a last tribute of
respect to the depart& I lady, for whom much affection had
been entertained by th' ,p tenantry and the poor during many
years of her life. The 'j parish church was also filled with
people, many of whom tt ad been drawn thither by similar
feelings. In the family pew were the ladies Catherine and
Alice Egerton, Lady de Ros, and Lady de Wilton. The
service was conducted b 3 the Rev. G. M. Birch, rector of
Prestwich. The body Nit as deposited in the family vault,
which is situate in the i Tilton chapel, in tho north transept,
of the church. . I

REPEAL OF THE 2 'Arkit DUTY.—.A. public meet-
ing of merchants and maj nufacturers was held in the com-
mittee room of the town -hall, Birmingham, yesterday, at
noon,to consider the pre riety of memorialising the Govern-
ment in favour of the 14 veal of the excise duty on paper.
H. Van Wart, Esq. (A .merican merchant), presided ; and
among those present • xl :re H. Smith, Esq., P. H. Muntz,
Esq., Aldermen Bald win, Allday, and Lloyd ; Councillors
Smith, Tonics, Mahei and Wright. The chairman, in the
course of his opening • remarks, said he had never hoard any
re won assigned for ti le continuation of the paper duty, ex-
cept that the Chan( v.llor of the Exchequer could not
do withp:ut the money. . Mr. Alderman Lloyd moved a reso-•
lution, affix-ming that t e continuance of the duty was unjust
and unpolitie- and quot ed the authority of Mr. Gladstone,
who, when Chancellor 1 f the Exchequer in 1822, gave ex-
pression to an opinion at Manchester that the tax upon
paper was untenable an( I ought to be repealed. Mr. Henry
Smith seconded the rem lution, which was supported by Mr.
P. H. Muntz and Mr. John Cassell, who contended that
paper duty was a tax ul )on knowledge, and an obstacle to
the spread of education: The resolution was carried, and
a committee appointed to draw up a memorial for presenta-
tion to the Chancellor o f the Exchequer against the con-
tinuance of the duty, au Ito form a deputation to wait up( n
the Goverim.ent to r€ vtl sent the opinions of the meeting.
1r