The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-09 00:00:00

EDINBURGH.

The commission of the Church of Scotland As-
sembly met here on Wednesday, and along with the
commission of the Free Church Assembly, meeting
the same day, and the U.P. Presbytery of Edin-
burgh, appointed Thursday, the 29th inst., as a pub-
lic fast day on account of the cattle plague. Dr.
Lee proposed that the Sunday following the 29th
should be fixed, when the services would be more
generally engaged iu than on a week-day fast, and
Principal Tulloch and others supported the amend-
ment, which was not, however, pressed to a division.
Mr. David Smith, elder, suggested that Friday the
30th being Good Friday and a Bank holiday should
be selected, but the suggestion was opposed by Dr.
APRae, of Hawick, who thought that already a
considerable section of this Church were showing
too much disposition to observe the Episcopalian
festivals, and that to encourage a superstitious at-
tachment to these days would result in a worse state
of things than any cattle plague which had ever
visited this or any other country, It was ultimately
resolved to select the 29th as the day which the
other Presbyterian bodies had concurred to hold.

YORK.
The day of humiliation on account of the cattle
plague in the diocese of York, which had been re-
commended by his Grace the Archbishop, was ob-
served ou Wednesday in all the churches in York.

In the evening the Hon. and Very Rev. the Dean
preached a sermon on the subject in the Minster
from that part of the 9th chapter of Exodus which
describes the hand of the Lord being on the cattle
and the smiting of both man and beast. In the
course of his remarks he said it was asserted in these
days that the order of nature was invariable, and
that events took place according to the fixed law of
cause and effect. It was assumed that God in the
beginning endowed every creature with special
powers, and, having brought the whole into perfect
order and harmony, He left it to its natural opera-
tion ; and although He surveyed the glorious sys-
tem and pronounced it to be very good, He never
interposed to change any of its movements. It was
therefore said that a season like the present--a season
of plague and pestilence—was the result of some law
of nature either known or unknown to science, and
that it was useless to ask God to remove it, or
to avert the dreaded consequences. The Dean did
not think that the great body of reflecting Chris-
tians in this country would subscribe to such
arguments. _On the contrary, there was an
inward conviction that this was God's work ; that
He had laid His hand upon the land ; that He has
declared there shall be a very grievous murrain ;
that He has sent it, and that He alone can avert it.
The Dean made au appropriate application to his
congregation, and urged attention to religious duties.

3 RE LAND.

(From the 7'imes Correspondent.)
DUBLIN, March 8.

You can hardly have an idea of the soothing effect
produced in this country by an article written in the
spirit of your last on the land question. This is the
real root of popular discontent. The tenants, as a
rule, make the improvements, in many cases in-
creasing the value of the land tenfold. The rent, in
the course of years, is multiplied in the same.pro-
portion. This increase, made pursuant to periodical
valuations by the landlord, in which the tenant has
no voice, the tenant class, and I may say the whole
mass of the population, regard as an enormous tax
on improvement, which too often amounts to a pro-
hibition, preventing investment and encouraging the
exhaustion of the land. Still, if the farmer is to live
on his holding, bad land must be reclaimed, cleared,
drained, fenced, and houses of some sort must be
built, and the work of improvement proceeds in re-
liance upon verbal agreements, or upon the land-
lord's sense of justice, that, at least, the tenant will
not be disturbed so long as he pays the rent, which
the agent, from time to time, imposes at discretion,
the agent generally being an attorney paid by a per-
centage on the rental, and looking out sharply for
costs against defaulters. But when the landlord or
his agent has got " other intentions about the farm,"
and the occupier receives notice to quit, the law
which has come into operation is not the law of
equity, but a code of statutes framed, as the people
believe, by the landlords themselves, with the steady
purpose of securing their own interest, and recog-
nising no right in the occupier to the property
which he has created by his industry. The people
complain that, whereas in every other department
of human industry the property which a man
creates by his labour or outlay can be identified,
valued, and sold for what it is worth, under thepro-
tection of law, the property which the tenant-farmer
creates by his industry and outlay on the land is
not recognised as his property at all, but becomes
ipso facto legally the property of the landlord,
unless the tenant has a lease. It may be asked why
the tenant has not a lease, and why he holds land
without one. To this he answers that he holds the
land because without it his family cannot live, and he
would give all he is worth to get a lease at a reason-
able rent, but the landlord refuses to give one, pre-
ferring to have the discretionary potter of re-valua-
tion, and of issuing in terrorem notices to quit. It
is on these accounts that the people, whether right
or wrong, regard the law of landlord and tenant
in Ireland as essentially unjust and oppressive ; and,
as the Legislature has so often refused to remedy
the alleged wrong, which militates against national
prosperity and peace, popular opinion condemns the
Legislature itself as favouring injustice and oppres-
sion for the sake of the aristocracy, which inherits
the confiscated lands of the most confiscated country
in the world.

These remarks receive a curious confirmation
from the intelligence from Strabane, in the county
of Tyrone, which has arrived just as the last sentence
was written. The first arrest of a member of the
Bar in connexion with Fenianism was made there
yesterday evening. His house was surrounded by
a large body of constabulary, all the approaches
being carefully guarded. It was supposed by the
people who crowded the street that Stephens was
the object of the search, as one constable was seen
on the roof to prevent exit in that direction. They
remained in and about the house for nearly three
hours. At length they arrested Mr. Underwood,
who was sent by rail to the county gaol at Omagh,
with a strong escort, under the command of the
county inspector, Mr. Barry. The prisoner was
many years ago an active member of the Irish Tenant
League, and at a public dinner in the town of Omagh
he was called to order by another Member fur the
violence of his language against the Government,
but he was warmly defended by Mr. Gavan Duffy,
who was present. Mr. Underwood's enthusiastic
hfun exceedingly popular
the north-west, and he
NlY,iotuhntgh
eI r e l
tenant-farmersandism
offered himself several times as a candidate for Tyrone
and Donegal. After the Tenant League was broken
up he became a member of the Brotherhood of St.
Patrick, which distinguished itself by the demon-
strations in honour of the remains of M‘Manus, and
which seems to have merged into the Fenian Bro-
therhood. I have sometimes wondered that he
escaped so long, for in the evidence at one of the
Fenian trials in Dublin (not published) there was
an entry of money sent to a person at Strabane
bearing his initials T. N. U., and it now appears
that documents about pike-drilling were found in
his possession. As Mr. Underwood is the only bar-
rister arrested, he is also the only Protestant of any
note among the prisoners. He belongs to a small
but a highly respectable and loyal body of Dissen-
ters—the Unitarians. He is descended from a
" United Irishman," and was always regarded as a
little eccentric.

Twenty-five of the 27 prisoners arrested in Slat-
tery's publichouse, No. 7, Cork-hill, on Tuesday
evening, were yesterday removed, under the provi-
sions of the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act, from
Chancery-lane Police-station to Richmond Bride-
well. The other two prisoners (John Quinn, of the
60th Rifles, and William Murphy, alias M'Cabe)
were brought up befnze the sitting magistrate at the
head-office charged with being deserters. Murphy
was committed for trial, and Quinn was remanded,
pending inquiry.
A letter from Cork, referring to the assizes,
states :

" If all the prisoners at present in our gaol were to be
tried the assizes would not terminate for some months, for
each gaol is chokefull of prisoners, and in addition there
are a great many who were admitted to bail at the last
commission and since to come up for trial at the assizes.
It is the intention, however, of the Crown not to proceed
against those who stand charged with having in their pos-
session unlicensed arms in proclaimed districts, or against
those accused of administering the Fenian oath. This class
of persons will not be tried, as I have been informed on
reliable authority, but will be detained in custody under
the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act. The only prisoners
that will be tried at the assizes are those who are not accused
of political offences, together with the graver Fenian
offenders."

At the last meeting of the National Association
the following letter from Mr. Bright was read :--
44 London, March 3.

" My doer Sir,—l have received the copy of the resolu-
tion of thanks voted to mo by the Committee of the Na-
tional Association of Ireland. I value it very much, and
ask that you will convey to the committee my gratitude for
the approval they have expressed of my recent speech on
the affairs and condition of Ireland. I think there is a
better prospect for your unfortunate country, and I shall
gladly do all in my power to assist her own representatives
and the Government in such legislation as may be required
for her good. Prom the present Administration I am sure
you will receive sympathy, and I cannot but hope that at
an early period there will be a resolute attempt to conquer
the malady which, from time td time, brings so much suf-
fering to Ireland and so much discredit to England. I be-
lieve it is in the power of Parliament to remove all just
causes of discontent with you, and I shall heartily co,ope-
rate in every effort tending to that result.—llelieve me
always sincerely yours, "JOHN BRIGHT.
" Peter Paul M'Swiney, Esq."
The total ntunber of persons arrested under the

suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act up to Tues-
day night is 176, of whom 42 are Irish Americans.
Four have been discharged.
The 60th Rifles proceeded by special trains this
morning, which left Westland-row station at 8.15
and 9.15 a.m., to Kingstown, under the command of
Col. Charles N. North, where they embarked on
board the transport ship Simoom, for transmission
to Malta. Two companies of the Depot Battalion,
60th Rifles, at present in the Royal Barracks, will
leave on Saturday.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

LIVERPOOL SPRING *MEETING.-THURSDAY.

The sport to-day only included five race; and presented,
after the important event of Wednesday, no feature of
general interest. The Steeplechase has been the event of
the meeting, and the Spring Cup, formerly an attraction for
the opening clay, now only brought nine moderate perfor-
mers, of which the best was Jezabel, to the post. The
Handicap Steeplechase was won by Lord George, the trial
horse of yesterday's winner, Salamander, and both the
property of Mr. Studd ; and the Molyneux Cup, a hand-
some tankard of frosted silver, with goblets to match,
manufactured by the Entanuels, of Burlington-street, was
almost a gift to Reporter. The attendance was moderate.
The Molyneux Cup Steeplechase, of 100 sovs, added to a

sweepstakes of 10 sous each. Grand National Course.

About four miles and a quarter. 14 subs.
Lord Poulett's Reporter, aged, 12st (Mr. Edwards) 1
Mr. Spark's Stormcock, aged, 12st 71b (Jervis) 2
Mr. Cockburn ns Frank, aged, 12st 71b (Mr. Lawrence) 3
Betting-11 to 8 oach agst Reporter and Frank, 3to 1
agst Stormeock.

Frank jumped off with the lead, followed by Reporter,
Stormcock laying off, and they continued in this order for
the first round, when, after coming to Beecher's Brook the
second time, Reporter drew away, was never afterwards
headed, and won in a common canter by 12 lengths; Storm-
cock, who passed Frank soon after entering the straight;
gaining second honours by four lengths.
A Steeplechase Handicap of 100 goys. About three miles
starting at the Canal-point. 33 subs.
Mr. E. Studd's Lord George, aged, lOst 81b

- • (Mr. Goodman) 1
Mr. W. Hawkins's The Rogue, aged, 10st 101 b

(W. White) 2
Mr. Oliver's Garotter, 5 yrs, lOst 71b (Ryan) 3

Crusade and Heurlys also ran.

Betting-2 to 1 agst The Rogue, 4to 1 each agst Lord
George and Heurlys, and 6 to 1 agst any other.
Crusade took up the running, followed by The Rogue to
the water jump, where Garotter wont to the front and went
on with the lead, attended by Crusade and Heurlys, Lord
George lying last. At the first fence after the turn Heurlys
refused, and Lord George took third place, Crusade soon
after falling at Beecher's Brook, and Rogue going on with
the running, waited upon by Lord George to the last fence
into the course, soon after which the latter passed him, and
won very easily by ten lengths. Garotter was a very bad
third.

The Liverpool Spring Cup of 200 sous (specie), added to a

Handicap Sweepstakes of 15 Boys each: Mile and a half.

55 subs.
Mr. Wadlow's Jezabol, 3 yrs, 6st , , (Kenyon) 1
Mr. W. Meeson's Welbeck, 5 yrs, 7st 71b (Carrol) 2
Mr. J. Palmer's Caithness, 3 yrs, 6st (Cameron) 3
The following also ran : —Bradamante, Fantail, Provi-
sor, Pirate, Junius, Slieve Came.

Betting-5 to 2 agst Bradamante, 3to 1 agst Caithness,
6 to 1 agst Jezabel, 100 to 15 agst Junius, and 10 to 1 each
agst Fantail and Provisor.

Provisor made play, followed by Caithness and Fantail,
to the mile post, where Caithness went to the front, and
went ou with the lead to the turn into the straight. Jeza-
bel here running through her horses, and having both
Bradamante and Caithness beaten at the distance, went in,
with only Welbeck near her, an easy winner by a length
and a half ; Caithness a bad third.
Handicap Plate of 40 sovs for 3 yr olds and upwards.

Winners 101 b extra. Entrance 2 sovs. T.Y.C. 5 subs.
Mr. T. Hughes' Vigil, aged, Bst 61b (Prior) 1
Mr. W. G. Craven's Panacea, 3 yrs, Bst 101 b ...(Morris) 2
Mr. It. Hineson's Malvern, 4 yrs, Bst 101 b (Loates) 3

Betting-6 to 4on Vigil, 2to 1 agst Malvern, 4to 1 agst
Panacea.

Panacea made play for a short distance, when Vigil took
up the running, was never headed, and won easily by half
a length. Malvern a bad third.
The Craven Cup Hunt Steeplechase of 100 sovs (specie),
added to a sweepstakes of 10 sovs each. Grand National
Course. Four miles and a quarter. 13 subs.
Mr. Goodliffe's Snowdon, aged, 12st 91b (Mr. Goodman) 1
Mr. W. G. Craven's Lysbrian, aged, 12st 91b
(Capt. Tempest) 2
Mr. J. Millward, jun.'s, Lady Sandford, 6 yrs, 12st 61b
(Mr. Thomas) 3
Betting-6 to 4on Snowdon, who, alternately with Lys-
brian, led for the first two miles, and at Beecher's Brook,
the second turn round, took a commanding lead, was never
headed, and won at least easily by a length; Lady Sandford
a bad third.

RACING IN FRANCE.

LA MARCHE STEEPLECHASES-MARCH 4.

The second La Marche spring meeting took place on
Sunday last. The weather was again remarkably fine and
the attendance unusually large. The opening event, the
Prix do Franc Picard, was the principal race, and Magenta
was made a great favourite, 5 to 4 being taken, but he never
showed very formidable in the race, and R. M. D., my se-
lection of last week, won very easily. This was succeeded
by the Prix des Marnes handicap, which brought out six
runners, and Niger, my second selection, won very easily
by two lengths. The concluding event, the Prix de
l'Avenir, for horses which had never won a steeplechase
value GO soya, brought out a field of twelve, and Milton
and Vaucresson were both backed at 2 to 1, and after a fine
race Milton was declared the winner by a head, being again
ridden by Cassidy, who rode two winners this day. An
objection was made by the rider of the second horse against
the jockey of Milton, for having crossed him, but the
judge's decision was not changed. The trotting mare
Bayadere ran in this last race, but seemed quite unfitted
for jumping or galloping. The ground was in very good
going order. Particulars of the racing will be found below,
commencing with the

Prix de Eranc Picard (Handicap) of 100 sovs, open to all
horses ; entrance, 8 sovs each, h. ft ; the second to receive
16 sovs. Three miles and one furlong. Six subs.
Count de la Bigne's.R. M. D., 6 yrs, lostl2lb (G. Quinton) 1
M. E. Porte's Sentence, 5 yrs, Oat 131 b
Magenta and Valentino also ran.

Betting-5 to 4 agst Magenta, 3to 1 each agst R. M. D.
and Valentino, sto 1 agst Sentence. Magenta made the
running to the wall, followed by Valentino and R. M. D.
close up, Sentence being last. After passing the wall
R. M. D. took the lead and led over the brook, and con-
tinued in front the second time round and over the brook,
when Sentence then took the second place, but never got
up to R. M. D., who continued in front to the end, winning
very easily by a length ; Magenta and Valentino, beaten
off, came in together.

PEIx DE MIUNES of 60 sovs, for all horses, which have
never won a steeple-chase value 120 sovs; entrance 4
sovs each, h ft ; the second to save his stake: list each ;
certain penalties and allowances; jockeys 71b extra.

One mile and seven furlongs. Eleven subs.
M. E. Porte's Niger, 5 yrs, list lib (J. Cassidy) 1
Count de la Bigne's Perla Pine, aged, list 121 b
. uinton) 2
Mr. Harper's Mario, 5 yrs, list lib (G( Count) 3
The following also ran :—Caprice, Linieres, and Gue
d'Amour.

Betting— 7 to 4 apt Niger, 3 to 1 agst Mario, 4 to 1 agst
Perle Fine. Niger got away in front, followed by Mario,
and these two jumped the brook together, closely followed
by Caprice and Perle Fine. Half-way round Perle Fino
took the second place, but Niger continued in front, and
won very easily by two lengths; Mario was a bad third ;
and Gue d'Amour and Linieres were beaten a long way.
PRIX DE L'AvENIR of 60 sovereigns, for all horses, four-
year-olds and upwards, which have never won a steeple-
chase value of 60 sovereigns ; entrance 1 sovereign each ;
the second to receive 20 sovs (the entries) ; four-yr-
olds, 16st llb ; five, lOst 101 b; six and aged, list ; the
winner of a flat race value 80 sovs to carry 71b extra;

maidens allowed 71b. About two miles and a quarter.

21 subs.
M. U. Lunel's Milton, 6 yrs, list (J. Cassidy) 1
M. Desvigne's Vaucresson, 6 yrs, list 71b (IL Lamplugh) 2
M. D. Copp6e's Duncan, 4 yrs, 9st 8113 (Dickinson) 3
Messrs. Forcinal's Lansquenot, 4 yrs, 9st 81b...(Young) 4
The following also ran :—Betty, Young Nuncio, Baya-
dere, Tambour do Basque, Droit-du-Seigneur, Misterton,
Royal Junior, and L'llomme entre deux Ages.
Betting-2 to leach agst Milton and Vaucresson, 7to 1
agst Droit-du-Seigneur, 10 to 1 agst Tambour do Basque,
and 12 to 1 agst Duncan.
This race was between Milton and Vaucresson, Tam-
bour do Basque, and Droit-du-Seigneur. On coining out
of the garden the second time Milton and Vaucresson were
in front, the latter stumbled and lost his place. Tambour
de Basque and Droit-du-Seigneur then joined Milton, and
the throe ran together to the last fenco, when Tambour do
Basque fell ; Vaucresson now joined Milton and those
two run a fine race home, ending in favour of Milton by a
head Duncan secured the third place.

On March 1, at the Hares de Vineuil, near Chantilly,
Mr. T. Carter's Conversion (sister to Astrolabe), a colt,
foal by Muscovite.
On the 2d just, the following brood mares arrived at the
above Tiaras on a visit to Muscovite, viz., Mr. T. Carter's
Nobility and Obligation, and Mr, 11. Pelamarre's Can-
tonmle.

Mr. H. Delamarre's Vermont, 5 yrs, has been stopped in
his work during the last week; this horse will now be
taken out of training, and will shortly be sent to the Haras
de Bois Roussel.

On Saturday last, March 3, Baron 11. do Mesnil's horses,
including Barberouse, Monitor, Novateur, a 3-yr-old by
West Australian, and two 2-yr-olds, left Ch,ntilly, under
the care of their trainer, Spreoty, for England, and will be
trained i the neighbourhood of Winateetar,

Athletic Sports at the Cambridge
University.

-4.-
CAMBRIDGE, Wednesday.
Tho last day's athletic sports at Cambridge University
took place on Fenner's Ground to-day; Alag,daleu sports,
which were to have been held on Wednesday last, being
held to-day. The following was the programme as carried
out :

One Hundred Yards—First Heat—Johnson, 1; Hoole, 2
beating two others.

Second Heat—Messrs Willcox and J. N. Richardson ran
a dead heat for first.

Final Heat Johnson, 1; Willcox, 2 ; won by three yds.
Putting the Weight—Willcox, 1, 28 feet 3 inches; John-
son, 2, 26 feet 5 inches.

High Jump—Willcox, 1, 4 feet 11 inches ; Harley, 2,
4 feet 91- inches.

Hurdle Race•—First Heat—Willcox, 1; Harley, 2.
Second Heat—Johnson, 1; Richardson, 2.
Final Heat—Willcox, 1 ; Johnson, 2.
Throwing the Cricket-ball —Harding, 1 ; Johnson 2
95 yards 2 feet.

Quarter-mile—H. Johnson, 1; Harley, 2.
Long Jump—Richardson, 1 ; Willcox, 2.
Throwing the Hammer—Wheeler, 1 ; Harding 2 ; 57 fee'
7 inches.

Strangers' Half-mile—Thornton (Jesus), 1 ; Webster
(Trinity), 2 ; Garnett (Trinity) 3. A good race ; won
easily by Mr. Thornton. Mr. Webstor being out of con-
dition, could not spurt. Time, 2 min. 10 sec.
Mile Race—Stevens, 1 ; Harley, 2. Mr. Stevens went
away with the lead and was only passed once by Wheeler,
but soon regained his position, winning very cleverly.
Time, 5 min. 28 sec. The winner of this race is a runner
of some promise, and will probably next year be heard of
amongst the University winners.

A Consolation Race terminated the day's sport.

GYMNASIUM, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY.

The second competition for Challenge Cups, open to the
University of Cambridge, commenced on Wednesday after-
noon at the Gymnasium, and was attended by members of
the University. Two well-known Trinity men were um-
pires, and Mr. F. Grant referee. The preliminary heats for
the light weights were competed for first by Messrs. G. F.
Sams (Peterhouse), and W. Doig (St. John's), the former
winning. Last year the winner was the Marquis of Queens-
berry, who gave up the cup on leaving the University.
The second pair were Messrs. Rowan and Walker, the for-
mer winning. The final bouts will take place this day.
For the middle weights, Mr. Paget (Trinity), the pre-
sent holder, beat Mr. Taylor (Trinity), and Mr. Doig
(John's), beat Mr. Braithwaite (Trinity); and Messrs. Doig
and Paget compete this day for the Middle-weight Chal-
lenge Cup, as well as the Heavy-weight Cup, which has
been given up by last year's `►inner, Mr. Milvain.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

- -do-

TIMES.—It is the fashion to compare the excite-
ment which awaited the introduction of the Reform
Bill of 1832 with the languor of 1866, very much to
the discredit of the present time ; but it would be,
perhaps, more to the purpose if our feelings now
were compared with our feelings on the four more
recent occasions when her Majesty's Ministers sub-
mitted as many Reform Bills to the consideration of
Parliament. 1832 is a long way off, and its circum-
stances were altogether different from ours. The
men are changed, the chiefs are for the most part
gone, and some who are left were Radicals then and
are Tories now. The fault is not wholly theirs, for
they had to encounter a different task from that now
before Parliament, and what they did was, in fact, a
revolution. The government of the country was
transferred from an oligarchy to the middle classes,
and even if the same men are sometimes found
serving the same offices as before, they do so now
by permission and free choice, and not simply be-
cause it is their will and pleasure. It is useless to
compare 1866 with 1832 ; we must compare it with
1852, with 1854, with 1859, and with 1860, when
other Reform Bills were brought forward to perfect
the Bill of 1832, and to redress the very same evils
and anomalies which Mr. Gladstone will have to deal
with on Monday. It must be confessed that we have
changed very much since 1852. Chartism was then
net yet extinct, and the agitation for the repeal of
the Corn Laws had created a disturbance in the
political world which threatened to pass into a
struggle for power between the different classes
of society. Lord John Russell's Reform Bill,
introduced in that year, was certainly the crudest
and most worthless that we have seen in our
time, yet it excited hopes and fears and raised
a fluttering which we look for in vain in 1866. The
bill of the Aberdeen Ministry in 1854 was of a
very different character ; it proposed to enfranchise
£lO occupiers in counties and £6 in boroughs, be-
sides fundholders, depositors in savings-banks,
University graduates, and persons paying 40s. a
year in income or assessed taxes ; and it contained,
moreover, a provision which would enable a minority
of more than a third to return a member where three
members were to be returned. It provided, also, for
the transfer of 62 seats from small and decayed
boroughs in England and Wales to counties and
new borough constituencies. The bill was vehe-
mently discussed even in the midst of the war, and
was at last reluctantly abandoned. It is unnecessary
to go through the provisions of the bill of the Derby.
Ministry in 1859, or of the Palmerston Administra-
tion in 1860. Each of them contained large en-
franchising powers, each of them provided for a
redistribution of seats, each of them in its turn
aroused hope and inspired dread, though it must be
owned that the hope and the dread diminished with
every succeeding bill since 1854. The House of
Commons was, in fact, learning its own mind and
the mind of the country, and at last came to the
conclusion that the one already perfectly represented
the other, since both were profoundly indifferent to
all projects of Reform. The result was a reproach
to the sincerity of the Legislature and of the people,
yet it was undeniable, and the last Parliament ex-
pired with a feeling of perfect self-satisfaction at
having done what was wanted, if not what had been
promised. We should be well pleased if we could
believe that the measure of Monday will put an end
to a protracted agitation which is not creditable to
any of us. We have found out, it is true, how little
the people care about Reform, and in this instance
their indifference may be so far fortunate; but a
session free from the disturbance of popular passions is
just the opportunity which should be seized by
statesmen for settling questions which have been
long debated, and upon the principles of which all
thinkers are agreed. The apologists of the Ministry
may, perhaps, say that they, too, have bee, learning,
and have at length slowly found out the limits of
what is possible ; but they forget that what is pos-
sible depends very much on themselves. If they
were united and in earnest, they would compel the
support of waverers who are now uncertain, if they
have not already passed into hostility. What is
wanted is a bill which shall make the House of
Commons a more perfect mirror of the nation by
making the distribution of power within it corre-
spond to the distribution of power outside its walls.
POST.—The changes in the management of the
National Gallery make us more hopeful than we
can be under an established regime of possible im-
provements and changes. We wish to render all
due honour to Sir Charles Eastlake for what he did
of good. Refined taste and general tact in carry-
ing out his views—in harmony with those of the
Prince Consort—must be fairly allowed to him. He
will leave his mark upon the Gallery. Without
wishing at all to depreciate the results of his direc-
torship, we should like to suggest two points which
may, we hope, be not unworthy of consideration by
his successor. In the first place, the specimens ac-
cumulated of the earlier schools of painting seem to
us, to say the least, sufficient. A national gallery
ought to contain only very first-rate specimens. An
historical series, without regard to absolute merit,
might be interesting enough in a mere school of
painting, but a national gallery appeals to others
than artists. It is not necessary that it be made up of
specimens, whether good or indifferent, which shall
carry on the mere history of painting without pleas-
ing or interesting the general visitor. We would
suggest teat what is necessary for the history of art,
but fails to please any but antiquarian artists, should
be kept in some separate collection. The series of
paintings to be exhibited to the general public should
be only of chefs-d'oeuvre. A chronological arrange-
ment may be useful, but this points to study
rather than an exhibition of national treasures.
Large ecclesiastical pictures of everlasting Virgins
and Holy Families, and very ugly Saints and
Martyrs, shoald not fill whole rooms. No
doubt, at certain periods, the Church was the
only patron of art, but these things, however
valuable to the student, do not please the gene-
ral taste. We are in danger of being bored in
an intolerable degree with the fancies of some
modern theorisers on art. Private collections of
noble paintings are free from this mannerism, and
are much more pleasing than some of the rooms at
Charing-cross. We hope that the new director will
strike out a new line, and make the national collec-
tion something better than a museum of ancient art
only. Even in the light of an historical series our
Gallery is sadly deficient in pictures which show
modern progress, or, if the word progress be objected
to, which show modern tendencies. Pictures of the
last century are very few in number. Let the
Gallery be compared with the noble room which
was recently erected in the Cromwell-road--not in
its capacity only and suitableness for exhibition, but
in the subjects exhibited, and we think every one
will admit that we there saw specimens worthy of a
public collection of which we have sadly too few
among our national art treasures. In the next
place, why have we no Gallery of Sculpture?. We
have many names of great note. Roubilliac,
Chan-
trey, Flaxman, Northcote, aro all represented in

our cathedrals. Why is there not a national collec-
tion of specimens of these masters ? As we have so
long neglected to secure them, it will be extremely
difticuL; to obtain them now ; but surely We ought
to begin. Purchases may be made but rarely ; but
if there were a hall in which they could be exhibited,
we might find that gifts would be forthcoming from
time to time, as private collections are dispersed by
the death of their owners ; and we should not only
get noble specimens of English art, but of foreign
art also, which would go far to promote study and
emulation in modern artists, and which would im-
prove the public taste. The criticisms on modern
sculpture seem to indicate deterioration rather than
progress ; but this may be owing quite as much to
the want of public patronage as to the deficiency in,
talent and capability in modelling. France and
Bavaria give attention and encouragement in this
noble field ; England alone leaves to private
patrons
the promotion of a most glorious and elevating
branch of the imitative art.