The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-13 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, NOV. 13, 18G6.

The close of the Industrial Exhibition, which has
for the last ten weeks been held in the Agricultural
Hall, Islington, took place last evening with all
due ceremony. Exhibitions of this kind have of
late years grown common enough, but the one just
over possessed some important features. In the
first place, the number of its visitors-550,000—
redeemed it from insignificance, and the class which
they for the most represented proved that the great
desideratum was at last attained, and that the work-
ing men of the metropolis were really attracted by
it. In a pecuniary sense, too, the Metropolitan and
Provincial Working Classes' Exhibition, has a
right to claim attention. Besides meeting the esti-
mated liabilities, the Council have been able to
expend £BOO on prize medals, certificates, and me-
mentoes for exhibitors. Over half a million of
the visitors paid for their admission, so that the
Exhibition must pecuniarily be considered a great
success, although the various musicians, lecturers,
&c., who have added greatly to its attractions, gave,
for the most part, their services gratuitously. In-
cluding the silver and bronze medals and certificates
of honourable mention, 441 exhibitors out
of 1,455 have received marks of merit. The
Council, however, are not" disposed to give
unqualified praise, but wisely point out
to the exhibitors the general deficiencies
of the exhibition. " The chief deficiencies are in
those important qualities which result from well-
directed study, and in originality of design, the
offspring of independent thought. At the same time
there are abundant evidences of patient, laborious
perseverance, of earnest assiduity, and particularly
of technical skill and manual dexterity, which give
promise of more decided excellence." This is per-
haps as much as could reasonably be expected, since
it is only within the last few years that any attempt
has been made to cultivate a taste for design among
our workmen, or to give them the opportunity of
1 improving any artistic abilities which they
may possess. We cannot expect to find
the flower where we have not sown the
seed, and until lately it seemed to be considered
useless to attempt encouraging art workmanship
among the English. Our workmen have too often
but little opportunity of cultivating their taste for
the beautiful either in nature or art, but they are by
no means deficient in the appreciation of it. Lord
JOHN MANNERS, who presided over the ceremonies
of last evening, mentioned that last year his pre-
decessor in office had at the close of the season dis-
tributed the plants from the royal parks and gardens
among such of the working classes who cared to
apply for them. The number of plants thus given
away was about 20,000. This year he had been glad
to follow so good an example, and to his great
pleasure the demand had increased from 20,000 to
50,000. As Lord JOIIN MANNERS observed, such an
employment of his leisure hours can hardly fail to
refine and improve the taste of the artisan or me-
chanic, and fit him for the study of the various de-
grees of art workmanship. Some years ago, when
visiting Ireland, he had been struck with the beauty
of the sculpture adorning the fine new hall of the
Dublin University. He found on inquiry that the
workmen who had embellished it had real leaves
and flowers for their copy. There is no reason why
our metropolitan workmen should not profit to an
equal extent by the study of the beautiful in nature.
Another gratifying and suggestive fact in con-
nection with this exhibition was the large number
of men who brought their wives and families with
them. What our working classes very much need
is some place where they can obtain rational re-
creation which all can share in. If we improve the
wives and mothers we shall improve and elevate the
homes and the children ; but, as it is, the hard-
working women have too often no resource but
gossip, while their husbands have no other alter-
native than a dreary, unattractive room and the
public-house. It would be better, instead of warn-
ing men against temptation, to offer them some
counteracting inducements to steadiness and so-
briety; and if our social reformers bore more often
in mind the sound but unpoetical maxim about
Jack and work, they would be more likely to
achieve practical good thal by trusing to theories
and sermons.

l attendedir' RUSSELL GURNEY, the Recorder of London,
yesterdayin
at the Hartley Institution,
Southampton,
order to distribute the prizes which
had been awarded to the successful candidates in the
Oxford and Cambridge local examinations held
there. After the ceremony
wa
gentleman made some remarks,swohviecrbthweerrieglhvtelhl bon
ceived, and appeared to do full justice to the matter
before him. He expressed his great satisfaction as a
member of one of the old universities that the uni-
versities should have " struck out this new course
of usefulness for themselves." This is strictly true,
for in nothing have these time-honoured institutions
of our land more recommended themselves to the
respect and admiration of the present generation
their adoption Of their system of local
min must
ations. Many besides Mr. GURNEY
feel pride in
pride and delight, and when they see the use-
fulness of those institutions extended or diffused,
the more so when they recall the happy days they
once passed within their precincts, where thuRNE
they de-
rived the benefits of instruction.
tthoe
tmh,e
sheo
uwneivveerr,s
idt
ioeess,
notadmiration
make
him
i anda rbelvi
ne rde ndoceev ftoe re
and he frankly admits that while they
ayeyddids,aannid anearle-
culable amount of good in earlier
still continuing the good work, that it
nowadays
to deny that the number of students
is very small in comparison with those who ought
to share thebenefit of the best sort of education. Of
course, there is i:othing to be surprised at in this when
we bear in mind the great increase which has taken
place in the number and population of the country.
In olden times the streets of Oxford were crowded
with students, but now these are, for the mast part,
confined to richer members of the community, ex-
cept where ancient endowments were founded for
necessitous students. In dwelling on this point,
Mr. GURNEY said, " Well, indeed, did these en-
dowments do their work in many cases, by giving a
noble education to many who could not otherwise
have obtained it." As a proof of this he related an
anecdote which perfectly well illustrated his mean-
ing. He was told by a gentleman who had ob-
tained high distinction in his profession that he was
the son of a country clergyman,whose means did not
permit him to give his son all the advantages he
desired, but agreed to defray the expenses of the
first year. The son went to Oxford, and during the

first year he distinguished himself so much that he
obtained a scholarship, and was enabled to complete
his own education afterwards. Certainly there is
no more profitable way of investing money than
this, to invest it for the benefit of posterity, and
enable those whose merits deserve recognition to
make their way to the position which is their due.
Continuing his reminiscences of the same gentle-
man's career, Mr. GURNEY pointed him out as an
example to his young hearers, and to show that
energy and perseverance may often accomplish
great things in another direction. When he was
called to the bar he had no important connections,
and did not know how he would get on, but soon
after there was a suit in Chancery in which one of
the colleges was concerned, and the solicitor called
on the head of the college to inquire if any par-
ticular gentleman should be engaged. The head
of the college replied that he did not know any
one, but that a gentleman lately called had made
a translation he had been much struck with,
and he should wish him to have a brief. In conse-
quence the brief was given, and the young lawyer
acquitted himself so creditably that he was never
afterwards in want of a brief. " I mention this
circumstance," said the right hon. gentleman, " for
the purpose of showing my young friends that there
is no one good work, nor one decided proof of in-
dustry and talent, on which future fruits may not
hang." Such advice and encouragement are ad-
mirable, and must lead either directly or indirectly
to incite and influence those who are beginning
their careers. Semper paratus should, in truth, be
the mottoes of those who have to work their own
way iu the world, and they should not let a chance
slip by for want of care and assiduity. As Mr.
GURNEY truly observed, the age at which young
men were now sent up made a difference, and to
get over the difficulties thus presented recourse
was had to the old mode, as the mountain would not
go to MAIIOMET, MAIIOMET must go to the moun-
tain. By the institution of oral examination the
Universities did as much as they possibly could for
those young people who could not get to them. The
Universities send examiners into the great towns,
and ascertain the amount of knowledge and also
the amount of ignorance. This raises the standard
of education, and of course the distribution of prizes
and certificates hold out an inducement that never
existed before. No doubt the attendant benefits on
such institutions as these local examinations are
very considerable ; and they have also induced the
masters to make greater exertions, in order that they
may appear creditably at the ordeal through which
they have to pass. Dr. ARNOLD made some interest-
ing observations on the merits of examinations as
regarded reading, in which he said that a student
wanted them not only to excite him, but to do away
with a sort of indistinctness that is apt to assail a
lonely reader as to the amount of his acquirements,
so that he may not think he has a very accurate
conception of anything, while he is at the time quite
imperfect in it.

The study of history is too apt to be neglected in
these days, and Mr. GURNEY regretted to find that
in the Southampton examination it was found that
it had not been so well attended to as it should have
been. This, as he truly said, was not a time when
such a branch of study could be safely put aside.
" When more power was being given to the great
body of the people, if they were not versed in
history, they would not be fit to perform the duties
which devolved upon them as citizens of the country."
By the attentive suing of all things relating to
this important subject, by studying the history
of their own country of old times and of other days,
they cannot fail to have better thinkers, and more
experienced judges. Mr. GURNEY, in his very com-
prehensive speech, adverted to the circumstance that
at Southampton they had no examination for
females, but it had been shown that no difficulty
existed in this respect if they had a good ladies'
committee. Dr. ARNOLD has said that great want
is felt in this important respect, and girls labour
under great disadvantages in this respect. As a
proof of the good derived from these trials it may
be cited that at an examination 90 per cent. failed
in the first year in arithmetic, but in the
next only throe failed. In concluding his
address the right honourable gentleman made
some earnest and eloquent exhortations to
his hearers, and counselled them to go on and
persevere, that they should not pause in the hour of
triumph, and not to mistake the means for the end.
Sir JOSHUA REYNOLDS has given some excellent advice
on this fact—" Have no dependence on your genius,
if you have great talents industry will improve
them. If you have but moderate abilities industry
will supply the deficiency. Nothing is denied to
well-directed labour ; nothing is to be obtained
without it." Such counsels and warnings are of in-
estimable advantage to those who are entering
on their careers, whether they are flushed with
success and over confident, or despondent and
apt to despair. It may safely be affirmed of the
youth of this generation that their way is made more
clear than it ever was to their predecessors ; they
are assisted by the most eminent men of their time,
and it remains for the most part with themselves
whether their careers are successes or failures.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Monday Evening.

The Emperor has invited the Prince Napoleon
Jerome to take part in the discussions relative to the
reorganisation of the Army. To this information
of the Moniteur I may add that the Prince is now
at his chateau at Meudon, and that yesterday various
experiments were made there with the new guns
recently manufactured there. The firing is very
rapid. Indeed the effect is that of a series of ex-
plosions at the same instant.

AusAtereioarndin:litnoisttheerjoautrnthale LC'loturalite,oßf aFrolonrdene
cßer, uheaks,
arrived in that capital.
The King of Bavaria, like the Emperor of Aus-
tria in Bohemia and Moravia, being
desirous to
inspect those parts of his kingdom where the Bava-
rian Army came into conflict with the Prussian
troops, has left Munich for Franconia.
Notice has been given officially to the exhibitors
at the ensuing Great Exhibition that the Emperor
and Empress, wishing to preserve to themselves
entire liberty of choice, will refuse to purchase any
articles which may be marked with their initials
without their consent.

A letter has been received in Paris from M.
Ridel, a French missionary, which gives some inte-
rih
ceos
rt ionag. particulars e relativet
ot of
thatoeov
oe no tt
rs
n a tt e-
butary of China, sends ambassadors to China every
year. Ile received from them the false information
that the Chinese had commenced a general massacre
of the Europeans. Ile immediately seized and be-
headed Bernoux, the vicar apostolic ; Daveluy, his
coadjutor ; and the missionaries Beaulieu, de
Bretenieres, Dore, Aumai,Ve, Hain, Pour-
thic, Petitnicolas, and a great number of
native Christians. As to M. Ridel he had been
closely concealed for three months in a private house
belonging to Christians, expecting every day that
he should be discovered and put to death. The
Mandarin of the district had arrested many Chris-
tians. Accounts of a later date th an the letter of
M. Ridel state that happily he had? been able to
escape with eleven missionaries, and .had landed at
Tcht-Fou, China, on the 7th of July, Two other
missionaries, Messrs. Feron and Calas, were wan-
dering among the mountains of the Gina' The