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

Burial of the Dead.

The following lines, from the 88th edition of
" The Christian Year," will be read with especial
interest, now that their truly Christian author (the
Rev. John Keble) is himself laid in the grave :
Who says, the wan autumnal sun
Beams with too faint a smile
To light up nature's face again ?
And, though the year be on the wane,
With thoughts of spring the heart beguile ?
Waft him, thou soft September breeze,
And gently lay him down
Within some circling woodland wall,
Where bright leaves reddening ere they fall,
Wave gaily o'er the waters brown.
And let some graceful arch be there
With wreathed mullions proud,
With burnished ivy for its screen,
And moss that grows as freshly green
As though beneath an April cloud.

Who says the widows' heart must break,
The childless mother sink?
A kinder, truer voico I hoar,
Which o'en beside that mournful bier
Whenever parents' eyes would hopeless shrink,
Bids weep no more-0 heart bereft,
How strange, to thee, that sound !
A widow o'er her only son,
Feeling more bitterly alone
For friends that press officious round.

Yet is the voice of comfort heard,
For Christ hath touched the bier—
The bearers wait with wondering eye,
The swelling bosom dares not sigh,
But all is still 'twist hope and fear.
E'en such an awful soothing calm
We sometimes see alight
On Christian mourners, while they wait,
In silence, by some churchyard gate,
Their summons to the holy rite.

And such the tones of love, which break
The stillness of that hour.
Quelling t'embitter'd spirits strife
" The Resurrection and the Life
Am I ; believe and die no more."

Unchang'd that voice—and though not yot
The dead sit up aud speak,
Answering its call ; we gladlier rest
Our darlings on earth's quiet breast,
And our hearts feel they must not break.

Far better they should sleep awhile
Within the church's shade,
Nor wake, until now heaven, new earth,
Meet for their new immortal birth,
For their abiding-place be made.

Then wander back to life and lean
On our frail love once more.

- 'Tis sweet, as year by year we lose
Friends out of sight, in faith to muse
How grows in paradise our store.

Then pass, ye mourners, cheerly on
Through prayer unto the tomb ;
Still, as ye watch life's falling leaf,
Gathering from every loss and grief,
Hope of new spring and endless home.

Then cheerly to your work again,
With hearts new braised and set
To run, untired, love's blessed race,
As meet for those who face to face
Qvor the grave ttt cir Lod have met.

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 N-Yaas-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. H 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
Deelisb, 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 mus
cal publications of the highest genius, the admitted
masterpieces of the world's greatest composers.
.11 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. 11. R. Marriott (Boosey and
Co.)—ln the Moonlight Long Ago, words by George
Cooper, set to music by J. R. Thomas (Boosey and
Co.)—Merry Christmas Quadrille, by Marriott
(Boosey 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 Oui ou Aron ?—A Collection of Sanc-
tusses, Kyrie Eleisons, and Doxologies, edited, com-
piled, and arranged by W. H. Birch—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 ! 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 sfranchisement of Government

VETnylrurn art

On Saturday evening 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 politf,;:al 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.
,:Mr. 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. Giaham
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 WEsAII," 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 Cresar'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 waR
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
stop:iv did not Atop to reader assistance.