The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-09 00:00:00

secret; but the next chapter will probably have
some startling revelations. Francis Jacox reappears
in this part in a discourse about Wordsworth's
" Intellectual all-in-all." The romance of " Idalia"
is continued, its stately heroine being now in the
hopeless depths of a Neapolitan dungeon. There are
also essays on " Sir Jeffrey Hudson," on Italy and
its ancient remains, and Egypt and the Isthmus of
Suez.

ONCE A WEEK.—" Once a Week" has started on
a new career with every promise of brilliant success.
Tale and sketch, and saying and legend enliven
its pages with more than usual spirit, and the style
and character of its contents are full of variety and
animation. There are novels running on from
number to number after the fashionable manner,
and also stories whose authors, believing brevity to
be the soul of wit, give us introduction, crisis and
denouement, all within the compass of a few pages.
Pleasant are such easy tales to the casual reader,
who does not make novel reading the serious busi-
ness of his day, and who is apt, to mix Chap.
XXXIII. of one romance with Part. XLVII. of
another, and to confuse the hero of one fiction with
the villain of another, if he ventures on taking in
more than one magazine. The contents of " Once
a Week" are not all romance, though they may all
fairly be classed under the head of light reading,
and what with the clear type, the plentiful illustra-
tions, and the liveliness of the general tone and
style, " Once a Week"i must decidedly be classed
among our most attractive serials.
LONDON SOCIETY.—As usual, there are several
subjects of interest in this periodical. " Much
Ado about Nothing" is a romantic tale, which pre-
sents us with some entertaining sketches. "Patty's
Revenge " is continued in a second part, and is a
powerfully written tale ; the character of the
heroine is well described, and she forms a strange
contrast to her vacillating lover. " The Romance
of an Evening Party" is not a very probable but a
perfectly possible narrative, which illustrates the
folly of jumping at conclusions. "Up and Down
the London Streets" presents us with a good deal
of instructive and interesting information, and
famous London town is hardly recognisable in its
antiquated appearance of generations back. " Paris
before Easter" furnishes us with some very curious
sketches and strange modes of showing off the
fashions of the day. The figures are most comical.
" Four Hours in London" contains an account of
the adventures of a Frenchman, who was not at all
satisfied with the reception he met with, nor with
the fare provided for him. " The Merchant Princes
of England" has for subject this time " The Barings
of London." The Two Brides" is an effective sketch,
well illustrated. The " Inter-University Athletic
Games," and " Notes in Rome, Artistic and Social,"
are among the other articles met with in this num-
ber, and " The Crochetters" is a lively sketch in
verse, which is written in a characteristic style.
GOOD WORDS.—Mr. Oliphant's story of " Ma-
donna Mary" is continued with interest. Poor
Mrs. Achtealony's troubles are evidently not half
over, and her prospects of a peaceful home for her-
self and her boys is as remote as ever. " A Day
with the Out-Patients of an Hospital" gives us a
glimpse or two of the world of suffering that goes
on outside Pie walls of infirmaries and dispensaries.
"A Night with the Ramsgate Lifeboat," by the Rev.
J. Gilmore, is a thrilling narrative of perilous ad-
venture and heroic daring. It cannot fail to excite
the deepest interest. " Our Common Faith," by
Professor Plumptre, is the first of a series of papers
dealing with those grand cardinal points of religion
on which all Christians must unite alike. " Peggy
Melville's Triumph" is a story complete in the num-
ber, and among the remaining papers are " A Plea
for Criminal Boys," by William Gilbert, and "A
Sabbath Visit to the Jews' Synagogue."

THE FLORAL WORLD. No. 4. New Series.
Groombridge.—Here is a monthly manual for the
botanical and amateur gardener, who may learn
how to design his flower beds, to cultivate his
grapes, to manage his grass lawns, to obtain the
best varieties of asters, and acquire a good deal more
information in the sixpenny number before us.

THE INTELLECTUAL OBSERVER. No. 41. Groom-
bridge.—This is a valuable miscellany of scientific
information, in •xhich recent discoveries are chroni-
cled as well as older questions, discussed. The
opening paper on " The Musk Rats as Builders and
Miners" is full of interesting zoological knowledge.

THE ENGLISH MECHANIC Part 12. Vol. 2.
Office, 147, Fleet-street.----This useful serial is
described as " a record of mechanicle invention,
scientific and industrial progress, civil and me-
chanical engineering, and architecture, and it
fulfils its promise in the extent and variety of
its contents. The illustrations are numerous and
very good, and it is published at so low a rate as
to put it within the reach of every working man.
THE SUNDAY MAGAZINE.—A well-written pe-
riodical, less adapted for general reading than " Good
Words," but very praiseworthy and readable for
those more of the editor's way of thinking. Several
of the papers are of more than average merit, and
there are also some good verses.

THE BOY'S OWN MAGAZINE—THE BOY'S MONTHLY
MAGAZINE ( BEET ON). —These two pleasant little
periodicals are well adapted to pass away a holiday
afternoon pleasantly and harmlessly.

NEW MUSIC.

Brinsley Richard's Warblings at Eve—words by
Henry Farnie (Cocks and Co.)—The Jolly Old
Friends' Quadrille, composed by Louis Desanges
(Cocks and Co.)—The Awfully Good Polka, also
composed by Desanges (do,) " A x-Iraas-awfully
good," a Polka with pace in it—The Musical Box,
by Immanuel Liebich (do.)—make a cluster of
dance and song music that cannot but prove accept-
able as additions to the stores of many a Canter-
bury.

Mozart's Requiem Mass, edited by W. II Birch
(Boosey and Co.) in vocal score, with accompani-
ment for Organ, Harmonium, or Pianoforte, and
with English words adapted--is a marvellous
shilling's worth.

The Old Songs of Ireland, arranged and adapted
by Arthur O'Brien (Boosey and Co.), is a still more
marvellous three shillings' worth, including within
it as the collection does full fifty famous—some
of them world famous--songs and ballads : Aileen
Aroon, Cushla Macree, Kate Kearney, Savourneen
Deelish, and the like.

Twenty Popular Songs of Scotland (Boosey and
Co.) comprise among them such renowned effu-
sions as Auld Robin Gray, Ye Banks and• Braes,
We're a' Noddin, and Roy's Wife of Aldivallach.

Twenty of Moore's Irish Melodies (Boosey and
Co.) give us—among the choicest pickings—The
Young May Moon, Fly Not Yet, The Minstrel
Boy, and the Last Rose of Summer.
Mozart's Twelfth Mass (in G) and Rossini's
Stabat Mater, each published in vocal score, price
one shilling, edited by W. H. Birch (Boosey),
ought to command a wide circulation, together
with the Requiem Mass already particularised as
issued from the press by Messrs. Boosey and Co. in
this wonderful series of cheap yet elegant musi-
cal publications of the highest genius, the admitted
masterpieces of the world's greatest composers.
Il Ritorno, a duet for Soprano and Contralto, the
poetry by Alfred Maggioui, the music by Fabio
Campana (Boosey and Co.)—Ko Ko Ri Ko, a
Chinese Polka by C. H. R. Marriott (Boosey and
(:o.)—ln the Moonlight Long Ago, words by George
Cooper, set to music by J. R. Thomas (Boosey and
Co.)—Merry Christmas Quadrille, by Marriott
(Buosey and Co.) The Song of the Holly,
words by L. M. Thornton, music by W. F.
Taylor (Do.) The Showman, a song com-
posed by J. L. Hatton. (Do.) yield variety
enough to suit any and every taste. Or, if not—.
from the same publishers come other effusions calcu-
lated to do so, such effusions as Claribel's adapta-
tion to music of the song of The Life Boat, written
by Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, or, better still,
Balfe's setting to music of the Poet Laureate's
lullaby What does Little Birdie Say? a charming
ditty !

Mr. Percy Honey Atkinson, the popular com-
poser of "Hey, ho, my bonnie lad," has just pub-
lished a very charming ballad, "My heart is over
weary, dear," and a humorous Irish song, by Mrs.
Edward Thomas, " The secret yez trusted to me."
Besides the foregoing we have also from the same
popular musical publishers (Boosey and Co.)—
Blumenthal's Out ou Non ?—A Collection of Sanc-
tusses, Kyrie Eleisons, and Doxologies, edited, com-
piled, and arranged by W. H. Birch—l-Warren's
Catechism of the .Harmonium, a little pocket
volume, published at a shilling—Miss Amelia
Edwardes's song, I thought to be your Bride,
set to music by Jacques Blumenthal—The
104th Psalm, transcribed for the pianoforte by
George Forbes—Claribel's sacred song (words
by Ada Cambridge) In all time of our Tribulation—
Kuhe's Fantasia on the popular Songs of Claribel—
Frank Musgrave's transformation into a waltz, into
an airy sprightly waltz, of Claribel's charming ditty,
Come back to Erin—and J. R. Thomas's Love Song
Ah I never dream my love can change, composed for
and sung by Leigh Wilson, the popular vocalist.
Another piece of Dance Music, entitled The
Ethardo Valse, arranged by E. C. Cooke, junior
(Hopwood and Crew), deserves a word of notice
here, being in celebration of La Montana Espiral,
the melody being played daily at the Crystal Palace
during Ethardo's remarkable performance.

The D sfrauchisement of Government
Workmen.

On Saturday eveniag last a crowded public meet-
ing, chiefly composed of the clerks, foremen, and
operatives employed at Woolwich Arsenal, was held
at the Burrage-road School-room, Plumstead, to
take into consideration the 16th clause of the new
Reform Bill, which provides for the disfranchise-
ment of persons in the employ of Government. The
chair was occupied by Mr. J. R. Jolly. Mr.
M'Cubery, a foreman at the Royal Arsenal, pro-
posed the following resolution : "That in the
opinion of this meeting the proposal now before
Parliament to deprive the Government employes of
their political rights is quite in opposition to the
spirit of the Franchise Bill, and, if adopted, will
inflict a most undeserved reproach upon a body of
men who have ever evinced a thorough independ-
ence in the exercise of the franchise ; and this meet-
ing trusts that the House of Commons will cause
to be withdrawn the 16th clause of the Reform Bill,
and that the measure- as then amended will become
law." After many years' experience in Government
service he had never yet seen any attempt to put
on the screw, and did not believe that any of the
authorities at the Royal Arsenal or Dockyard would
dream of doing so. No doubt the immediate cause
of this clause being inserted was the Devonport
affair ; but why should a large body of honest and
intelligent men be made political slaves in conse-
quence of the foolish conduct of an election agent,
or of the Admiralty ? It was a most odious clause,
and if passed all persons in the employ of the Go-
vernment, who had hitherto exercised the fran-
chise, at all events, as independently as the
men employed by private firms, would be poli-
tically branded. Mr. Syer seconded the resolu-
tion. Slark and Mr. Baxter Langley supported
the resolution, which was unanimously adopted.
Mr. Barber moved and Mr. C. Jolly seconded
the adoption of a petition to the House of Com-
mons, based upon the previous resolutions. Mr.
Hughes, solicitor, and local agent of the Conserva-
tive members for West Kent at the last election,
suggested that those members—Lord Holmesdale
and Mr. Dyke—be requested to oppose the clause
in committee. They would no doubt vote against
the second reading of the bill ; but if it got into
committee, he believed they would oppose the clause.
For his own part, he would rather the bill should
not pass at all than that this clause should pass.
(Cheers, and cries of " No, no.") Mr. Barber's
resolution was then unanimously adopted, and also
a resolution in accordance with the suggestion of
Mr. Hughes. Mr. Barrat moved and Mr. Graham
seconded a resolution that the petition be forwarded
to Alderman Salomons, M.P., for presentation. The
resolution was unanimously adopted. The Chairman
suggested that a deputation from the Government
workmen of various towns should wait upon Mr.
Gladstone. He believed Mr. Gladstone was a true
friend to the working classes, and would alter his
opinon on this question if it was properly laid be-
fore him.

THE RIGHT HON. LORD HOUGHTON, D.C.L., has
been appointed President of the Art Union of London, in
place of the Right Hon. Lord Monteagle, deceased.
THE SECOND VOLUME OF THE " HISTORY OF
Julius 02ESAR," by the Emperor Napoleon the Third, may
be expected in the latter part of the present month. it
will be devoted to the history of Caesar's wars in Gaul,
which is understood to have been for many years a
favourite subject with the Emperor, and it will be ren-
dered more valuable by the extensive excavations and ex-
plorations of all kinds which have been made on the sites
of Caesar's exploits by the orders of the Emperor. The
latter is said to have paid great personal attention to this
volume in its progress through the press, which accounts
for the delay in its publication. It will be illustrated with
numerous maps and plans.
FATAL COLLISION AT SEA.—A man named Martin
Markman has been picked up near Poole on a plank, after
being in the water several hours. He states that he be-
longed to the Elise, Send, from New York to Bermerhaven,
with a cargo of tobacco, sugar, cheese, and copper, and
that at 1 p.m. of April 2 his vessel was run into, four miles
off Portland, by a screw steamer with one funnel and two
masts, which was proceeding up channel. The Elise was
struck on the port side, and went down immediately with
all the rest of the crew, consisting of the master, his wife,
first mate, carpenter, three seamen, and a boy. The
steamer did not stop to reader assistance,