The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-10 00:00:00

rHE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, _DECEMBER 10, 1807.

MISS M. B. EDWARDS' NEW WORK.
Now ready, in 8 vo., with Illustrations, 153.,
'THROUGH SPAIN TO THE SAHARA.
By MATILDA BETHAM EDWARDS,

Author of "A Winter with the Swallows," &c.
Hurst and Blackett, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

•NOTICE.-TILE WORLD BEFORE THEM,
the New Novel, by the Author of " Roughing it in the
Bush," is now ready, in 3 vols., post Bvo., at all Libraries and
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Just Publishe 1, prim ts. 6d., by post Is. Rd., Vie SLvond Edi-
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tising Quacks. -
- -

REVELATIONS OF QUACKS AND
QUAOKERY. By DETECTOR. Reprinted. from
the "Medical Circular."
London: H. Ba'liere, 219, Regent-street.
The numerous reviews of his st tr: ling work by the Satur-
day iteview, Putt?h. Weekly Despatch, Public Opinion. and
other journals, recommending Ai universal peru4al, are le-
printed with this elition.

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AIR'S. NORTON'S' NOVEL OF "OLD SIR

DOUGLAS."

"An Old Cambridge Tutor" writes as follows in
a recent number of the Scotsman

Sir,—Will you allow an "Old Cambridge Tutor"
a few words, not 'in general notice of this book
(already ably reviewed in your columns), but with
special reference to. a theory propounded therein,
which has been much disputed, namely, the power-
lessness of education to eradicate or expunge natural
qualities either for good or evil ? Mr. Disraeli says
he has " educated" his party into the enthusiastic
adoption of views originally repugnant to their' in
the highest degree ; and Mr. Lowe says you may
educate a man to utility or inutility according to
the culture given to his faculties. Mrs. Norton
says you may educate the intellect and teach a man
self-government (" the only rule that is safe from
rebellion"), but that you cannot alter his disposi-
tion and the natural bent of his mind. If you
could, argues the lady, all children well and wisely
brought up woulti,bevood and wise, and all con-
demned to evil influence and surroundings would
be wicked ; instead of which, to quote her words—

We see children all brought up in one home, under the
same tutelage, as different as night from day : pious sous
and daughters sprung from infidel and profligate parents;
unredeemed and incorrigible rascals from honest and reli-
gious fathers;

With further illustration, which I omit for the sake
of brevity. To this theory great exception is taken
by some of her critics, who hold that all education
is of the Disraeli order, and can work miracles ;
that, if ever it fails, it is the fault of the parent or
teacher, and that the time-honoured maxim enun-
ciated by the wisest of men, namely, " Train up a
child in the way he should go, and when he is old
he will not depart from it"— is the rule that gene-
rally should be received and adopted by all reason-
able per Fons.

Now, it is a very curious fact that, in the very
first example of the human family upon earth, we
have an illustration in support c>f Mrs. Norton's
argument and overthrow of the contrary opinion.
Cain and Abel were brought up by the same
parents, trained alike iu the habits of religious ex-
ercise, taught equally to raise an altar to the living
God, and thereon to offer sacrifice. Nevertheless,
Adam's eldest son is represented to have ,been in-
corrigibly rebellious, envious, and wicked, while
pious Abel remains a subject of pity and admira-
tion to countless generations of readers. Further
on in Scripture, we have another family presented
to us—the family of King David. Passing over, as
the result of adverse circumstances, the extraordi-
nary difference between the half-brothers Solomon
and Absalom, what shall we say of Solomon him-
self ? Trained by David with the most sedulous
care, educated beyond any man of his age, gifted
with the clearest natural understanding, and fa-
voured by God with a Special answer to a prayer
for wisdom, he bad every advantage mortal man
could inherit, for safe furtherance iu his human
csreer. " &lotnon, my son, is young and tender,"
says the anxious old monarch ; and forthwith in-
structs him bow best to serve God, and to build
that wondrous temple ia God's honour; the chief
materials of which were collecting in David's own
lifetime. fte causes Solon na to be anointed before
his own death, that no confusion of rebellion may
frustrate what he believes to be God's will in the
selection of his successor ; and he leaves that son of
his vows guarded, tended, and trained to govern
his kingdom. What is the result ? Why, Solo non
reigns, is reputed superlatively wise, and writes the
sagest of proverbs, among which is the time-
honoured maxim, " Train up a child," &c.
Without irreverently applying to the Eastern
king that modern and familiar apothegm, " Great
talkers do the least," it is impossible not to contrast
both his pious training and his able theories with
the established proof, in his own person, of their
utter fallacy. Solomon was trained, if ever man
could be said to be so trained, "in the way he
should go ;" and when he was old he did depart
from it, till, sunk in debauchery, idolatry, and folly,
his age so mocked the promise of his youth that he
drew down upon himself a curse from the God who
had so protected him, involving not only his own
temporal punishment, but the rending away of ten
tribes from the inheritors of his kingdom.

Passing from the Old Testament to the New, we might
inquire how the axiom of certain benefit from wise bring-
ing up is carried out in that most touching parable of
the Prodigal Son. According to the illustrative teaching
of Jesus, the same tender, careful, wealthy father has
trained two lads to adolescence. No socner is the younger
a man than ho claims his portion, depart; and spends it in
dissolute living. The elder remains in the home of his
childhood, and is able, uncontradicted, to utter this re-
proachful boast to his father—" Lo! these many years
have I served thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy
commandment." He makes it the ground of complaint
that his brother has perpetually offended and he has
never offended at all ; nor is the fact in any way disputed,
but merely made the groundwork of the Divine lesson of
mercy which the parable is intended to inculcate. The
difference between the two sons is not dwelt upon; it
is a thing common, usual, requiring no explanation.
Leaving Scriptural examples for the quotation from
Doctor Donne which occurs in the first dozen lines of
the clever novel which has been the theme of this discus-
sion, what shall be said of the example afforded us by the
two most remarkable scions of Magdalen Herbert's nume-
rous family ? George Herbert of Bemerton—the saintly,
humble, fervent religionist, author of hymns spoken such
as might find their echo where the angels sing ; and Lord
Herbert of Oberbury—vain, quarrelsome, coxcombical, a
boaster of his own gracious gifts; proud of the lowest of
all successes ; the triumph over woman's prudery or wo-
man's virtue, and bequeathing to posterity those deistical
works which caused Kortholt to class him thus :—" De
tribus impostoribus magnis, Elwardo Herbert, Thomas
Hobbes, at Benedicto Spinosa ?"
But it is needless to multiply examples. There is no one
with common experience of life who cannot recollect simi-
lar instances of contrast ; of trial and disappointment to
the best of parents; of astonishing perversity in the most
religiously trained youngsters; and of as much absolute
difference in the souls anddispositions of children nurtured
in the same home as may be seen in tWir physical com-
plexion and temperament.
I am neither a critic nor a reviewer, but I certainly am
a person With large experience in the training of youth, and
my experience has brought me to precisely the must say
same conclusion as that argued upon by the author of the
very remarkable work of fiction she has just given to
the world. I think the characters iu her novel
show au admirable knowledge of the world. 1
think the book calculated to do an immense amount
of good among youths, who, not heartless, as Kenneth
Ross, may yet be leading as wild a life. I think the
pardon of the tender, passionate, unselfish soldier, "0:d
Sir Douglas," to his scamp of a nephew, strictly probable
according to the d Iscription given of that elderly hero
from boyhood to later life, and th tt his after-spurt of
severity is equally natural ; since both the indulgence and
the severity are the results of passion, not of calm judg-
ment. I should suppose the otherwise lovable and admir-
able character of Sir Douglas was intended by the author
to have that law. And equally natural, in my opinion,
is the shade of reticence in his young wife's disp )sition,
brought up by that very foolish parent, Lady Charlotte
Skifton, and accustomed, probably on that account, to
habitual reserve in all her thoughts and feelings. But,
whatever the value of my opinion with respect to those
other characters may be, I can affirm of my own know-
ledge that iu the course of my professional duties I have
met with many varieties of the Kenneth tribe, and have
never found the most careful training avail to transform
them either into Douglas Bosses or Lorimer Boyds.

Lord Lyttelton and his son have proceeded to
New Zealand via Panama. Ire was mainly instrumental
in founding the Province of Canterbury, and after him the
port of Lyttelton has been named. Canterbury is the
most prosperous colony over founded by England.

POR, VI NG IN fELLIGENCE.

(From the Newmarket Correspondent of the Racing Times.)
An old proverb says that " It's better to be born lucky
than rich," and Mr. Verrill must now think himself one of
fortune's favourites to get his meeting over before the frost
sets in ; and poor George French will think the clerk of
the weather has been very unkind to him in freezing him
out at his first attempt to get up a steeplechase meeting
over the once famous country St. Albans. There is really
nothing to write about now, as all the horses at head
quarters and other places are confined to their straw beds ;
but the immortal Shakspere says :
It's not to be great
Never to stir without great argument,
But to be great is to find mattr in a straw.
Mr. Powell finds himself sadly ill-used from the re-
marks that have been made about the running of Flyfisher
and Laura at Croydon,. and- has written one of the most
foolish letters to a contemporary that ever blotted paper.
He tells us that his jockey, Pope, lost his head ; it would
have been a good thing for the backers of Flyfisher the first
time he rode him if he had lost his hands too, for who on
earth can believe that such a thing as Niger could canter
in twenty lengths before Flyfisher on Wednesday, and
then see the latter walk away from Benazet on Friday.
Jones, the Welchman, who has just been let out of v
French prison, might as well tell us that he had lost his
head in France when he welched the Frenchmen as for
Mr. Powell to tell us that that was Flyfisher's true form the
first time he ran at Croydon. Dishonour has so trafficked
with man's nature latterly that it has found its wiy into
the coursing field, and on the fine old river Thames has
been made the medium of a broil and bubble, which is
likely to end in a court of justice. There are most cer-
tainly some highly honourable men connected on both
sides with the late boat race, and it is a pity they could
not have settled the matter in a straightforward manner be-
tween themselves without going into a court of law, but
it matters tittle about honour in these days. _

" Nature soon revoke whets gold becomes her object."
._,l
I am glad to see that the correspondent of a contempo-
rary has changed his mind about Flyfisher's running at
Croydon ; and instead of telling us that the gallop he had
on Wednesday caused him to win the Cup, he now tells
the plain truth, that there is just three stone difference in
Flyfisher's form from Wednesday to Thursday. The un-
fortunate Joe Kendal has been suspended for life from
riding for a less crime than I have seen since then com-
mitted over a steeplechase country, so that it is ridiculous
to condemn the crime, and not the actor of it. lam now
stuck fast for something to write about, as trainers are act
likely to invite me onto their straw beds to let me seo what
is going on with their young ones, cud whether they are
getting ready for their early engagements; and I should be
doing worse than nothing were 1 to stuff the ears of your
readers with false r.-p arts alkut outsiders likely to
win the Derey, but I premise your readers to keep them
well posted from head-quarters as soon as the horses get
into work fur their spring engagements. There is no
place in England where 'horses are got so fit to run early
in the siring as they are at Newmarket. Fur in-
stance, last year they were first, second, and third,
for the Li cola Handicap, and the winner (Vandorvelde)
was pronounced lame and a non-starter by nearly all the
knowing ones at the time. The following remarks ap-
peared in the Racing Times from me:—"l saw Vander
velde go a rattling gallop this morning. He is not lame,
as is stated in a contemporary; he is a certain runner; he
seemed to have the best of the gallop with Mount Pala-
tine, but I think ha would prefer three quarters of a mile."
I came to the above conclusions from his running in the
City and Suburban Handicap,when he was running well at
Tattenham Corner, and shut up all at once ; but weight
will serve old horses in the spring, and we have often seen
very moderate old horses beat good three year olds at
Lincoln; for instance, Bel Esperanza started at 25 to 1,
and cantered in, and the French plater Benjamin beat
Anglo-Saxon in a canter. I shall never forget how
the owner of Anglo-Saxon turned away from mo w;th
disgust when I told him at Lincoln that Suburban or
Benjamin would beat his horse ; and, had the Count run
his horse, he would have most certainly won for the second
time, as was proved afterwards by his running in the
Prince of Wales's Handicap at Newmarket. How often
have we seen that when horses are kept for a great
event it comes off crab:; against them when the pot is
on. There's nothing like running hal ses when they aro
well in and fit to run. Newmarket furnished first and third
for the Brocklesbury in Ninny and Suffolk, and they were
both fit to run for a man's life at the time, all hough I see it
stated in a contemporary this week that Suffolk was back-
ward at the time. But 1 never remember seeing a two year
old snore fit and furnished than Suffolk was in
February, and I am quite sure Mr. llayhoe will
will bear me eut in what I state. Ninny was quickest on
her legs, and cut her opponents down in the first hundred
yards. I have no hopes of the Derby coming to New-
market next year, although I have no doubt Count
Batthyany will retire on the continent for the winter,
and have some pleasant dreams about his horse Typhoeus,
and almost see the Derby looming in the future ; but I
do not place much confidence in his beating Pace on his
last appearance, as it is certain the latter is not an every-
day horse, and was not up to the mark when Typhoeus beat
him; and in my opinion, if Mr. Dawson can get him to
stand a preparation, he will beat all the horses trained at
Newmarket. I hope sporting writers, touts, and tipsters
will not write up Rabican as they did the Dragon
last year, and, in spite of all I wrote against him, they
brought him to 10 to 1 ; but., as 1 told your readers at the
time, the only credentials he had to win a Derby was that
Gladiateur was once in the same stable. They may
write up Rabican as long as they like, but, as Peggy
Collins would say, he won't do for "Joseph."

AQUATICS.

(From Land and Water.)

During the past week the waterside publics have• been
the scene of most animated discussions on the rival merits
of the two mon, and also on the unexpected termination of
what it was hoped would have been one of the finest races
of this century. It was patent to every unbiassed person
that on the first day no just criterion could be formed from
the doings of either man after Hammersmith Bridge ;
Kelley at this point had got the lead, and Sadler was
already beginning to get hampered by the steamers which
crowded in a most merciless manner both the cutters and
scullers throughout the remainder of the course. At the
start, on the Wednesday, both the boats were rather in
mid-stream than near the Middlesex shore, the usual sta-
tions, and the nose of each boat was pointed towards the
Surrey shore, so as to reach the bank before the iron bridge
in the bend. This position of the two men at the start
caused both of them at once to bear over to the Surrey
shore, Sadler going quite out of his course, Kelley being
less flurried, taking a straighter and consequently shorter
course. Before, however, they had neared the point,
Sadler had got half a length ahead; in the shoot Kelley,
spurting, came up, and both, when well out of the
midstream, came into collision. After this con-
tretemps the race may virtually be said to have
been over, as Kelley, getting ahead, well washed his
opponent to the end ; in fact it seemed to us that both men
were not doing their best beyond Chiswick eyot. Many
were the opinions on board the different steamers as to
which man was most "baked" at the moment of collision;
but they were pretty well unanimous in their fears that
the first day's racing would be awarded to Sadler on the
foul. We use the word " fear" as denoting the general
regret that the great race of the year between two such
cracks should have terrninat!d in to unsatisfactory a man-
ner. Every true lover of rowing was pleased when it was
ascertained that the race was to be rowed again, a judg-
ment of the referee's certainly based on a desire for fair
play and the best to win, and we believe that this opinion
was supported by both parties in a most satisfactory m
mn-
nen Now, however, came the great test of judgment. It
was r moured about Putney during the morning that
something unusual would happen, and though we place
little reliance on fancy bets, on one occasion 10 to 1 was
taken about Sadler starting. This fact, ominous in sound
on an event like the present, rendered those interested
more than doubly eager to gain any clue as
to the doings of either man, and though such
bets may have been flash, to work the market, the
anxiety they caused prejudiced the public mind against
Sadler, and this feeling was little relieved when the mon
dropped to their stations. The delay at the start of 25
minutes can be accounted for in only two ways : either
that both men were anxious to start with weigh on their
boats, or that one of them was delaying the start till dark-
ness or the tide necessitated a postponement. Sadler tried
two starts and Kelley one on each occasion. However,
there was some slight point in favour of one luau ; trifling
as it looked, it was too precious after the close race of the
previous day to throw away. The men had also edged so
close to ono another, that had a start taken place a foul
would have resulted immediately. It appears that the
steamers had cast adrift their moorings and had floated up
with the tide, the referee's among the number, so high up
river that the doings at the start could not be properly
noticed. Kelley, probably tired and cold with backing,
rowed down to the referee for instructions. Sadler finding
Kelley gone, paddled to his cutter, put on his light jersey,
net clothes, as has been stated, in which he intended then
to row, and sculled up to the aqueduct to keep clear of the
steamers, which in backing were causing a great swell,
and able to fleet down to the starting place when
Kelley returned instead of having to back up. This, how
over, Kelley did not give him time to do, as after receiv-
ing instructions from his own umpire, and then the referee,
to row over if Sadler would not start, he sculled up to the
starting point, and without giving Sadler or his steerer
any notice he rowed over; in fact, the whole affair was so
sudden that his own steerer and cutter waited patiently at

PR1C14.;... • 46.
STAmrED

the starting place to see what was up.. How far the re-
feree was empowered fo order the row over under the cir-
cumstances is the moot point ; but, there can be no doubt,
that in his official capac:ty he could not delegate K•dley to
be the bearer of final instructions to his opponent, which,
to render the matter more absurd, Kelley did not even carry
out, as Sadler was iu happy ignorance of what was doing
till some time after. This is the whole pith of the ques-
tion; and we shout I imagine that the validity of such am-
biguous and imperfectly fulfilled orders no decision of im-
partial persons can endorse. It matters not whether Sad-
ler was reported to intend not to start, or whether
he wculd not give Kelley a wider berth, or that his
putting on a thin jersey and paddling away was a
sign of his unwillingness, the men were left by the
referee to start by mutual consent with the simple ideas,
usual in all these races, that a certain position on the
river belong dto each man. The magnitude of the con-
test arid the anxiety of the men rendered their mutual
understanding on these points unattainable, therefore the
remedy in that case was the interference of the referee and
definite instructions to each man, which it wa his duty to
see carried out. Was this complied with ? We have no
wish to quarrel with Mr. Biffen and his decision ; it was
given on the facts as he heard them, and to the best of his
knowledge ; but if he was deciding on wrong premises can
there be no appeal ? We are unacquainted with the laws
of sakes and bets, but we cannot see how the two are in-
separable, as in the case of the former they were-handed
over and staked subject to the decision of the referee,
whatever, it might be, and in this case, we believe with
an indemnity for the stakeholder from legal proceed-
ings. As there was no race we are at a loss to know how
bets can stand. It is much to be regretted that a race
looked forward to with such interest should have termi-
nated in this manner, and it only brings forward again the
necessity for some good rules of boat racing and a court of
final appeal in the case of stakes and bets on, where the
interest of the professional world will be cared for and
even-handed justice dealt without imposing a burden on
any. lover of the spoil. who is good-tempered enough to
stand referee. We cannot agree with a contemporary who
descries the idea of creating a precedent by disputing a
referee's decision. If a matter is wrong and can be proved
so, the sooner the same is put right the batter—a deliberate
review and consideration of a case is different to a wrangle
at the winning post. The result of this race will show the
necessity for some other way of starting than by mutual
contest. The plan in use at Henley of going from boats
moored is sound and answers well. We are glad to find
that there is a chance of Kelley and Sadler meeting again,
as at the Canterbury Hall last Wednesday evening the
backer of Kelley stated that Kelley was ready to row Sadler
on the Tyne in six weeks from the presentlday. In answer
to this Sadler's backer said that Sadler bad been in train-
ing for eight months and would require some rest, hut that
in the following spring he would lx) ready for a match on
even terms foe £5OO a side, and not for £lOO t £5OO as
Kelley's party offered. This challenge and answer may
or may not be the forerunner of a match, but should it take
place it is to be hoped that a more satisfactory result will
ensue.

711 E BURNING OF HER MAJESTY'S
THEATRE.

1.7 p to a late hour last night the fire bad not Lcen
entirely extinguished, and &ere was unmistakable
evidence that there must be a good deal still smould-
ering beneath the surface of the debris which water
does not reach. It is stated that therea re jewels
and other valuables worth £lO,OOO under the part
of the ruins near the wardrobe and dressing-rooms•
A search for these would be fraught with great
danger, for the lofty walls which overhang this por-
tion of the property are iu a tottering condition,
and Mr. Flaxuaore, one of the officers of the Metro-
politan Fire Brigade, who has been left in charge,
prevents any one who has lost property in the tire
from disturbing the debris, lest these walls should
topple and fall. The large water tank still remains
attached to the top of the southern wall, but the
wall itself near the foundation is rent in several
places. During the day coils of rope were passed
over the top of those walls fur die purpcse of pull-
ing them inside the ruins, the fear being that if a
sharp north-easterly wind sprang up, they might
fall upon the houses in the Piazza in Pall-mall.
During yesterday the llake of Cambridge and
the Duke of Sutherland were among those who
visited the ruins. Great distress is likLly to
follow among the subordinates of the theatre,
the choristers, the stage carpenters, supernume-
raries, and others, engaged at small salaries, and it
is understood that a public meeting will be held to
devise means for their temporary relief. Mr. Jen-
nings, secretary to the theatre, gives the following
account of the calamity :—" He was, as usual, all
day in the theatre, and was the only person in the
house with the three firemen, Brown, Eamon, and
Maynard, and the hallkeeper, and general custodian
of the building, Mr. Sprules, and his wife, when the
fire broke out. Mr. Jennings was forced from the
theatre by the building being filled with smoke and
the roof flaming with tire at exactly a quarter past
11, as he had an instant before made reference to
his watch. Noticing the intensely red illumination
of his room, which unnatural and fearful light
totally overcame the white brightness of two gas
globes and the fire which was burning in the grate,
Mr. Jennings looked out into the Haymarket and
saw the facade of buildings, and at the end of Suf-
folk-place all the large windows of the Union Club,
blazing with strong, flickering light, exactly likethe
effect of a splendid golden sunset, deepening into
red, on a clear summer evening. A passage of some
length, opening at Tight angles to another long
passage, which is the usual thoroughfare between
the hall and the staircase leading up to the stage,
was, when he opened his door and entered
it, full of smoke. From the absence of the usual
gas-burners, which for the sake of economy on a
day of non-performance, as Friday was, were not
lit—Mr. Jennings had difficulty in making his way
through this long dark passage ; but from his
intimate knowledge of the ramifications of the
theatre he succeeded, by feeling his way along the
wall, until he discovered the hall to the right and
the egress into the Opera Colonnade. The hall he
could with difficulty see across, from its being filled
with black, rolling smoke, which was at that moment
pouring before the force of the raging flames at the
north-western and western sides of the theatre,
which were confined without windows, by brick
walls and buildings. At this time the ball was
vacant. Not a soul was to be seen or heard, and
on forcing the street door back, and emerging into
the street, Mr. Jennings encountered the first police-
man, who was giving the alarm right and left, and
forcibly opposed Mr. Jennings' desire and intention
to return into the theatre and rescue his books
and papers and property. At this time scattered
policemen and a miscellaneous group of people
were running towards the building, and the
audience then quitting the Haymarket Theatre
were congregating in the vacant roadway in front
of the burning building, where the cloud of
smoke was rolling. At this time not an engine
was to be seen, and only policemen and scattered
vehicles, and the usual crowd which occupies the
Haymarket ; even fewer persons were about than
usual. Madame Titiens alone has, it is said, lost
jewellery worth from £l,OOO to £1,200, in addition
to all her magnificent stage dresses.
The London correspondent of the Edinburgh
Courant states that he has been told by an employe
of the theatre that " a carpenter at the destroyed
opera-house was the real cause of the disaster: On
Friday morning a number of shavings were collected
in a certain part of the house. They obstructed the
way, and they must be removed. Instead of carry-
ing them off—as ought, of course, to have been
done —it occurred to one of the workmen that the
best and shortest plan would be to consume them
in a stove which stood close by, and which was iu
complete disuse. This was' done. The heat in the
old worn-out apparatus was, of course, excessive ;
the fire smouldered throughout the day—the result
last night made known to us. Here comes what
strikes me as being the strangest part of the story.
At two o'clock a rehearsal was held. The smell of
burning was noticed- by two or three of the ballet
girls ; but, strangely enough, the fireman, who, of
course is always kept on such establishments, was
not sent down to make his tour of inspection."

11AvANA, Nov. 19.—General Stevens, superin-
tendent of the Vera Cruz Railroad, died on the 12th ult.