The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-22 00:00:00

TH E A TRE-R 0 Y AL, DRURY-LANE,
Lessee—Mr. E. T. Smith.
THIS EVENING, LATEST FROM NEW YORK. Mr.
and Mrs. Barney Williams. -
To canclude with the new pantomime, ROBIN HOOD;
or, Harlequin Friar Tuck and the Merry Men of Sherwood
Forest.

tz_OYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean.
-
THIS EVENING will be performed THE CORSICAN
BIIOT HERS. Mr. C. Kean.
After which, a new grand Christmas Pantomime, entitled
THE KING OF TIIE CASTLE; or, Harlequin Prince
Diamond and Princess Brighteyes.

THEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lessee, Mr: J. B. Buckstone.
THIS EVENING will be performed THE BUSYBODY.
Messrs. Buckstone, Farren, &c. ; Mrs. E. Fitzwilliam and
Miss Reynolds.
After which, a new grand Comic Pantomime, entitled
UNDINE ; or, Harlequin and the Spirit of the Waters.
Commenge at 7.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Manager, Mr. Edmund Falconer.
THIS EVENING, will be performed THE SISTER'S
SACRIFICE. Messrs. Emery, Barret, and Rogers. Madame
Celeste, Mrs. Keeley, and Miss Julia St. George.
After which, will be produced the new Burlesque, written
expressly for the Lyceum Company by Robert B. Brouth,
and entitled TIIE SIEGE OF TROY. The principal cha-
racters by Mrs. Keeley, Miss Julia St. George, principal
Weston;
bliss Portman, Miss Talbot, Miss Kate-Saxon. Miss E. Romer,
Sec. ; Mr. Emery, Mr. Charles Young, Mr. Ellerton, Mr. .1.
RotTers, Mr. Barrett, &c. ; Miss Rosina Wright, Miss M.
Charles, Miss Harriet Dalton, &c.
To conclude with the new Comic Pantomime, replete with
new tricks and mechanical devices, entitled HARLEQUIN
TOY lIORSE ; or, The Cremorne Fete. Clown, Mr Charles
Lauri ; -Harlequin, Mr. John Lauri ; Pantaloon, Mr. Henry
Lauri ; Columbine, Miss Jenny Lauri.
Reduced Prices—Dress Boxes, 4s. ; Upper Boxes, 38. ; Pit,
2s. • Stalls, ss. ; Gallery, ls.
Box-office open from 11 to 5 daily. Doors open at half-past
6, to commence at 7 every evening.

NEW THEATRE - ROYAL, ADELPHI
Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Benj. Webster.

THIS EVENING, THE BIRTHPLACE OF PODGERS.
Mr. J. L. Toole, Mr. C. Selby, Mr. Billington ; Miss Kelly,
Mrs. Chatterley.
To be followed by TARTUFFE. Tartuffe, Mr. B. Webster;
Orgon, Mr. C, Selby ; Damius, Mrs. Bellinp,lon ; Elmire, Miss
Henrietta Simms; Dorine, Mrs. Mellon; Marconi, Miss
Keeley.
To conclude with the grand Christmas Pantomime, entitled
MOTHER RED CAP; or, Harlequin Johnny Gilpin's Ride
to Edmonton.:Clown, Mr. Croueste ; Harlequin, Mr. Ililde-
brand ; Columbine, Miss Hayman ; Pantaloon, Mr. Lupin° ;
Sprite, Mr. Le Barr.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Lessee and Directress, Miss Swanborough.
THIS EVENING, THE RULE OF THREE.
After which, the new Extravaganza, KENILWORTH ; or
Ye Queene. ye Earle, and ye Maydenne.
And THE LITTLE SAVAGE.
Commence at 7 o'clock.

AsTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE,
Westminster-road.

Lessee and Manager Mr. William Cooke.
Great and glorious Success of the gorgeously-appinted Pan-
tomime.—First appearance these two years of tliE celebrated
continental equestrians Mr. A. Brydges and Madame Brydges.
Dress Circle, 4s. ; Boxes, 3s. ; Pit, 2s, ; Gallery, Is. ; Upper
Gallery 6d.

Durin-g the week, the great Eastern Spectacle of THE
REVOLT IN INDIA ; or, The Fugitives and their Faith-
ful' Steed.

After which SCENES IN THE CIRCLE by the Star
Riders of Europe.

To conclude with the great Operatic and Burlesque Eques-
trian Pantomime, entitled HARLEQUIN BARON MUN-
CHA ITSEN, AND HIS COMICAL CREAM COB
CRUISER. Baron Munchausen, Mr. W. Anson ; Harlequin,
Mr. 11. Hemmings; Pantaloon, Herr Cole; Clown, Mr. A.
F. Forrest ; Columbine, Miss Julia Weston.

Stage Manager, Mr. R. Phillips.
A Morning Performance of the renowned Pantomime every
Saturday, at Two o'clock.
Carriages for day performances at half-past four, and for
night representation at half-past eleven,

CANTERBURY HALL, Westminster-road.—
Proprietor --C. MORTON.
The public is most respebtfully informed that the FINE
A fert4 GALLERY. in connection with the above Hall, IS NOW
OPEN DAT AND NIGHT, from 11 o'clock a.m. until 12
o'clock p.m. The New Gallery contains an extensive Collec-
tion of Pictures, by Ancient and Modern Masters and is also
devoted to Art productions generally. The Proprietor feels
he may confidently assert that, viewed altogether, the exist-
ing. Music hall, the New Fine Arts Gallery, and the recently
added Ante-Hall, will present an attraction which, whether
as regards the architectural beauty of the structures them-
selves, or the varied and hitherto unattempted combinations
within, will be found to be wholly without parallel in the
Kingdom.
The MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT commences as usual at
Seven o'clock.

In addition to the usual entertainment, the SAUVLIiT
FAMILY, of Amsterdam, Eight in number, whose varied
instrumental performances have created so marked a sensa-
tion in the principal cities and towns of the Continent, will
perform every Evening at Nine and Eleven o'clock.

THE WEATHER.-SUN OFFICE, JAN. 22.

THERMOMETER, TN THE SHADE.

51—highest since noon yesterday.
49—lowest this morning and during the night.
51—this day at noon.

BABomETER,-29.95.
WIND, south-Westerly; light, with dull weather.

THE SUN.

SATURDAY. JANUARY 22, 1859.

THE BURNS CENTENARY.

At a time when the world rings with the name

of Burns, and tens of thousands are about to as-
semble in every quarter of the habitable globe, to
pay a tribute to his genius and do honour to his
memory, it may interest our readers to cast a look
back upon a former occasion, on which a similar
" commemoration" took place in London, the im-
mediate object of which was to raise a fund in aid
of the subscription for completing the " mausoleum"
then erecting at Dumfries. The architectural part
of the monument was by Mr. Thomas F. Hunt,
Clerk of the Royal Works, and author of several
excellent publications in favour of Tudor architec-
ture as the most suitable for English country resi-
dences ; and the statue in the centre, of Burns at
the plough, with Cella vouchsafing her prophetic
inspiration, was by Turnerelli, a popular sculptor
of that day, from whom we have busts of George
111. (the Jubilee, 1809), Blucher, Platoff, and other
celebrated characters of a glorious period. The
design originated with Mr. William Jerdan, at that
date editor of The Sun, who had the good fortune
to associate many distinguished persons and patriot
Scotsmen in the necessary measures for its suc-
cessful accomplishment. The meeting assembled
on the 25th of May, 1816, at Freemasons' Hall,
and the Earl of Aberdeen presided, with Mr.
Charles Grant (now Lord Glencig) among his sup-
porters at the uppei table. Of the numerous list
of stewards, it is somewhat saddening to reflect
that very few now live to remember the share they
took in giving effect and eclat to this national
festival. Besides the two noblemen already men-
tioned, there only remains Lord Palmerston, and of
others of lesser rank, the writer is only aware of
Sir Peter Laurie, Mr. Cosmo Orme, and Mr. Jor-
dan, being survivors of the forty•two years sneep
over the tenure of human existence. Lords Mel-
ville and Archibald Hamilton; Baronets Sir John
Marjoribanks and Sir George Warrender; states-
men, F. Horner and Commissary Herries ; warriors,
General Dunlop and Sir Neil Campbell, and Admi-
rals Sir G. J. Hope and Sir Graham Moore ; legis-
lators, Keith Douglas, Kirkman Finlay, Charles
Forbes, and John Irving; eminent bankers and

merchants, Archibald Campbell, G. liathorn, John
Innes, John Nichol, Coutts Trotter, and John
'Nunn ; and the distinguished sons of poetry and
painting, Thomas Campbell and David Wilkie, have
all passed away ; as, in 1900, forty-two years from
the period of the forthcoming Centenary manifes-
tation, the vast majority of those who celebrate it
will have been gathered to the dust, where also
rests all that is mortal of the illustrious being whose
immortal genius, as The true Voice 'of Scotland,
justly claims the utmost glory that can be laid upon
the altar of his fame.

Lord Aberdeen fulfilled the duties of the chair
with great feeling and eloquence, and the memory
of Burns was responded to by one of his sons, who
was present accompanied by some relatives. The

day passed most auspiciously. An ode, written for
the occasion, by Thomas Campbell, was admirably
recited by Mr. Conway, the distinguished tragedian,
arid a song by Mr. Jerdan, to the measure of" Scots
wha hae wi' Wallace bled," was effectively sung by
Sinclair. (These productions were printed in the
Sun of May 27th and 28th.) M'Gregor's bagpipes
and Gow's band kept alive the harmony of the
evening ; and after Lord Aberdeen left the chair, a
second revival was formed, with the Bard of Hope
presiding. Mr. Mayne, the author of " The Siller
Gun," a Dumfriesshire descriptive poem, Wilkie,
Campbell, Keith Douglas, member for the borough,
K. Finlay, member for Glasgow, Mr. Laurie (Sir
Peter), Jerdan, and others were called up by the
toasts, and nearly £4OO were subscribed in the hall.
The sculptor received £3OO for his work, and the
balance collected went to the general fund. Yet,
perhaps, the most gratifying and memorable cir-
cumstance connected with the meeting was the
introduction of young Burns to Mr. Charles Grant,
the result of which was a cadetcy in India, from
which the recipient has returned a staff officer, and,
will be present either at the Glasgow or Dumfries
tribute on Tuesday, the 25th, one son being pro-
mised to each meeting.

---The greatest credit is certainly due to the three
gentlemen who undertook the responsibility of
selecting the Prize Poem for the Burns Centenary,
their decision has been so prompt, and yet mani-
festly, from the whole tenor of their report,
arrived at only after the most careful deliberation.
Imagine the labour involved in the process of such
a choice as this—a choice that so many might re-
gard, at the best, as invidious. A single poem --L
the best—to be picked out of a metrical chaos of no
less than six hundred and twenty-one ! Conceive
for a moment the tedium and monotony of reading
through 621 poems (many of them, of course, we
may rest assured, merely so-called)—all upon the
same subject : no doubt many of them exceedingly
good, some of them decidedly indifferent, and pos-
sibly a few—but let us hope, for the sake of the
three judges, a very few—positively execrable. It
is not extravagant, it is, in fact, only reasonable, to
surmise as much in regard to a formidable total of
621 metrical productions, upon any given subject
whatever. A journalist's experience—particu-
larly, we should imagine, a provincial jour-
nalist's experience—would afford sufficient
surety that the character of these 621 Burns'
Memorial Poems has not been inaccurately conjec-
tured. It must have necessitated the exercise of
an extraordinary power of endurance to sit down
in solemn conclave and break the seals of these
mysterious pacquets of verse—many of them, in all
human probability, penned by competitors having
the faintest possible idea, if any, of the nature of
spondee or dactyl, of trochee or anapaest. Yet
the accomplished member for Pontefract, the face-
tious Secretary for the General Board of Health,
and the humorous and scholarly half of the delight-
ful Box GuALTlEß—evidently entered upon their
task, as the sailors say, " with a will." Beginning
thus with the will, they have contrived swiftly
and surely to work their way through all this
formidable array of manuscript. Not without
some degree of hesitation (as they confess) they
have at length definitively chosen one cut of the
two best poems submitted to them for selection,
and to the fortunate writer of the successful pro-
duction awarded the prize of fifty guineas. The
second best No. 8,904—is distinguished by incom-
parably the happiest among all the distinguishing
mottoes yet particularised—" Dowered with the
hate of hate, the scorn of scorn, the love of love 4:
As to the mottoes affiked to the poem, to the un-
known writer of which the promised premium has
rbeen awarded, they are the titles simply of two

of the great Ayrshire Ploughman's most famous

compositions—" A man's a man for a' that,"
and the opening line of BRUCE at Bannock-
burn. The lucky number of this successful
tribute to the memory of Scotia's Bard is not par-
ticularised in the report : upon this and all other
matters relating to it the general curiosity will
doubtless soon enough be satisfied. By a happy
coincidence—just upon the eve of the hundredth
anniversary of the poet's birth on the 25th of
January, 1759—the National Portrait Gallery has
been opened down at Westminster, and although
the collection as yet only numbers fifty paintings
in all, there upon the walls of the gallery (No. 55)
hangs the portrait of the great song writer of Cale-
donia. It is the veritable likeness painted by
ALEXANDER NASMYTH, and retouched by Sir
HENRY RAEBURN, and presented to the nation in
the June of last year by JOHN DILLON, Esq., its
generous possessor. It exactly accords, this por-
trait, with the graphic description of the poet's ap-
pearance sketched by the pen of Dr. CURRIE in his
" Life of BURNS :" where the biographer writes—
" His well•raised forehead, shaded with black curly
hair, indicated extensive capacity. His eyes were
large, dark, full of ardour and intelligence. His

race was well-formed, and his countenance uneom.

monly interesting and expressive. His mode of
dressing, which was often slovenly, and a certain
fullness and bend in his shoulders, characteristic
of his original profession, disguised in some
degree the natural symmetry and elegance of
his form. [His form—nearly five feet ten
inches in height—having been previously noticed
as one that indicated agility as well as
strength.] The external appearance of BURNS was
most strikingly indicative of the character of his
mind. On a first view his physiognomy had a
certain air of coarseness, mingled, however, with an
expression of deep penetration, and of calm thought-
fulness, approaching to melancholy. There ap-
peared in his first manner and address perfect ease
and self-possession, but a stern, almost super-
cilious elevation, not, • indeed, incompatible
with openness and affability, which, how-
ever, bespoke a mind conscious of superior
talents." That is Dr. CURRIE'S description. It
harmonises with NASMYTH'S portraiture. Both
are eminently characteristic of the man as he ap•

pears in his own heart-stirring songs and ballads
—the immortal writings of that poor ploughman,
born just one hundred years ago, in the humble
cottage built by the hands of his father, William
Burness, the gardener. At sixteen he first, as he
tells us, committed the .sin of rhyme. His education
had been of the poorest in the parish school of Dal-
rymple. He had scarcely attained his thirty-seventh
anniversary when he expired. His popularity had ,
previously become very wide spread and wonderful.
CARLYLE has exclaimed in its regard, in his "Hero
Worship "—" High duchesses and other genius
gather round the Scottish rustic Burns; a strange
feeling dwelling in each that they never heard a
man like this—that on the whole this is the man!
In the secret heart of these people it still dimly
reveals itself, though there is no accredited
way of uttering it at present, that this
rustic, with his black brows and flashing
sun-eyes, and strange words, moving laugh-
ter and tears, is of a dignity far beyond all
others, immeasurable with all others." Sixty-three
years have now elapsed since those flashing sun-
eyes became dimmed by death, and were closed for
ever. During that interval the memory of BURNS
has been apostrophised in poetrrof more or less
excellence by THOMAS CAMPBELL, by WILLIAM

WORDSIVORTII, by JAMES MONTGOMERY, by HOGG,
the Ettrick Shepherd, by CIIARLOTTE SMITH, by
FRANCIS BENNOCII, by ROBERT TANNAHILL, and
by a variety of others. Finally, there is this prize
poem in his honour, together with 620 other poems
by the unsuccessful competitors for the honour
awarded by the decision of Messrs. MONCKTON
MILNES, TOM TAYLOR, and THEODORE MARTIN—
by whose hands the latest votive garland of homage
has been placed recently upon the tomb of the
glorious Ploughman-Poet. The decision comes like

the echo of the Muse who. hailed ROBIN as her
own inspire Bard :

" ' And wear thou this,' she solemn said,
And bound the holly round his head;
The polished leaves and berries red
Did rustling play,
And like a passing thought she fled
In light away."

The great Irish Landlord demonstration, fixed
for the 27th inst., at the Rotunda, bids fair to
prove a total failure, if it should come off at all.
The replies received by the honorary secretaries,
from some highly respected and influential men of
their own class, have been by no means of an
encouraging character; and it is more than hinted
that even the getters up of the movement would be
glad to back out of it, but for the ridicule that
would unquestionably attach to their withdrawal,
at the eleventh hour, from the elaborate scheme so
prominently set forth in the public journals. One
of the worst features of the case is the attempt to
prevent the attendance of the general public. Not
only are there high charges for admission-7-4s.
to the platform and 2s. to the body of
the meeting—but the applicant's name must
be submitted to a committee, in the first
instance, who will inexorably exclude him unless
he is known to be of " the right kidney," and
fully prepared to endorse every proposition that
may be brought forward for the impartial considera-
tion of the assembly. The Lady Patronesses of
Almacks were not more particular in the olden
time than the Patrons of the Rotunda are sup-
posed to be. Matters may be conducted with
perfect propriety, but nothing will convince the
great body of the Irish people that it is not a mere
" hole-and-corner meeting," intended to inflict
penal laws on the community and to deprive
it of the fair play and justice that
it has heretofore obtained. We do not
for a moment suppose that such would be
the result. We are too well aware of the incor-
ruptible integrity and great ability of the learned
judges that adorn, the judicial bench in Ireland;
and, we may add, that jurors of any class, whether
special or common, seldom err, save on the side of
mercy, and when they may entertain such reasonable
doubts that the accused should fairly receive the
benefit of the doubt. We know that there have been
exceptions, but they have been few and far between,
and certainly not sufficient to warrant so gross an
insult to the class from whom the panel is
selected as to permit of a change of venue
in cases agrarian of crime. As we have stated,
we do not imagine that the prisoner would be
unfairly treated ; but the general impression in
the vicinity would be that such was the case, and
the administration of justice should be above sus-
picion. There would also be a real grievance, for
how could a man, generally in the most humble
class of life, be enabled to bring his witnesses from
Cork, Kerry, or Tipperary to Antrim, Donegal, or
Tyrone ? The Crown could bring forward the
approvers, but anything calculated to cast discredit
on their testimony would be virtually suppressed.
There arc many of the contemplated resolutions
that are mere " platitudes," and require no
fresh legislation. The—qualifications of sti-
pendiary magistrates may surely be left in
the hands of the local administration. We believe
that, generally speaking, they have fairly and
impartially discharged the important duties con-
fided to their hands, and that if any have fallen
into the sere and yellow leaf, they have still earned
such a reputation in bygoxe days, that few would
be willing to see their feelings hurt by the demand
to resign their functions on the ground of incapa-
city. They are invested with a quasi judicial
character, and if it was known that they could be
dismissed at any moment, the entire utility,
so far as the million were concerned, would
be a mere nullity. If the judges are to be
made independent of the Crown, it is no
less important that the stipendiary magistrates
should be so.

As to the appointment of magistrates, that rests
exclusively With the existing Government. In
every instance we believe that the duty has been
justly and conscientiously performed, but we confess
that, under any circumstances, we should regret
seeing that great unpaid body invested with the same
"authority, privileges, and immunities" enjoyed by
men who have been selected for their special fitness,
and who receive handsome salaries for their exer-
tions.

There was an old saying that a man who
received a legal opinion for nothing paid its exact
value; we fear, however, that in judicial or magis-
terial matters there should be a negative sign, and
that these honourable gentlemen were too fre-
quently worse than useless.
It is, indeed, lamentable to find that Ribandism
is on the increase. The steps lately taken by the
Government, however, show that t ey have had
sound information, and the activity isplayed may
satisfy the landlords and peoplo of Deland that the
existing law, which is amply suffict for the pur-
pose, will be strenuously enforced on every suitablo
occasion. Nothing more is required, and if we
might be permitted to offer an advice to the land-
lords, we would earnestly recommend them to let
matters rest as they are. Coercion has never yet
produced a beneficial result in Ireland, and never
will, under any circumstances. The people can be
far more easily led than driven.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, we
are happy to announce, is so far recovered from the effects
of a severe cold as to be enabled to take her usual carriage

The Marquis de Croisy has arrived at the Bruns-
wick Hotel, Jermyn-street.

The Ear] of Malmesbury arrived in town yester-
day, from visiting her Majesty at Windsor Castle.

Viscount and Viscountess Campden, with their
youthful family, have arrived in Grafton-street, the noble
viscount having taken the residence of Mr. Newton Lane
for a few months.

The Baron Zitzerman has taken his departure
from the Brunswick Hotel.

Lady Williams and family have arrived at the
Brunswick Hotel, from Dover, en route for the North.

We regret to announce the death of the Hon.
William Middleton Noel, which took place suddenly on
Thursday last, at Exton Park, Rutland, the seat of his
brother, the Earl of Gainsborough.
ACCIDENT TO THE BISIIOP OF- ST. ASAPII.—A
few days ago the Bishop of St. As. ph was lying on a sofa
in his palace, when a large picture dropped from its hang-
ing upon his head, and inflicted a serious -Wound, dividing
the skin, and penetrating the flesh nearly to the skull bone.
His lordship is at present going on favourably.
We regret to have been led into the error of
announcing yesterday the death of the King of Naples. The
information upon which we acted was received in absolute
terms by telegraph from our own Correspondent, upon
whose caution in matters involving important political
resUlts we have been accustomed to place implicit reliance.
The King is undoubtedly seriously ill. Rumour asserted
his death, and our correspondent too eagerly forwarded this
as if it had been an absolute fact. It is our duty to explain
to the public
.the vexatious incident from which we have
suffered. It Will be seen, however, that it is one of those
unfortunate occurrences to which newspapers are necessarily
sometimes liable.-3Erning Post.

SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY,
EXETER HALL.

Tim rehearsal of the London Choir for the Handel reg.
tivar. took place at this hall last night. The choruses from
"Solomon" were those selected for practice, and tho per-
formers numbered nearly 1,700. The manner in which so
large a 'body of vocalists gave these difficult choruses
authorises the most hopeful anticipation's for the success of
the great Festival. Under the vigilant and efficient superin-
tendenw3 of Mr. Costa, great correctness and precision Were
filially attained in the difficult choruses of " May no rash
intruder,'.' and "Draw the tear from hopeless love." The
first of the:, the beautiful Nightingale Chorus, was loudly
applauded by the visitors. Though a small space was
allotted to strangers, the audience was numerous, and the
interest evid curtly taken in the success of the vocalists must
have been n lost encouraging. The wonderful unison to
which :4o large a body of voices was brought rendered the
effect of some of the choruses truly impressive.

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