The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-07 00:00:00

Marriage of Miss Benedict—This Day.

This morning the marriage of Reginald Palgrave
Simpson, Esq., 'of Weymouth, and Miss Maria
Georgina Benedict was celebrated at St. Thomas's
Church, Portman-square. The bridegroom is the
second son of G. E. Simpson, Esq., of Norwich ;
and the bride is the seconi daughter of Jules Bene-
dict, Esq., of Manchester-square.
The bride, who was accompanied to the church
by her,father, wore an elegant robe of white moire
antique, and an exquisite wreath of orange blos-
soms, from which descended a rich lace veil. The
toilette of the bridesmaids, Miss Simpson and Miss
Lablache, in attendance, was remarkable for its
taste and elegance. The ceremony was performed
by the Rev. W. W. Champneys, rector of St.
Pancras, and canon of St. Paul's.
There was a very large assemblage of friends to
witness the interesting ceremony ; at the conclusion
of which the happy pair left the sacred edifice
amidst the congratulations of all present.

Piince Napoleon's Villa.

The " Roman villa" built some years ago by
Prince Napoleon in the Champs Elysees, and lately
sold, is spoken of in the following manner by the
Union :—" In the point of view of art, or rather
imitation, the House of Diomede appears to us
to have only partially succeeded. The architecture
of the residences of Pompeii was taken as a model,
and as all the Roman houses were constructed on a
uniform plan, a pretty exact specimen of the
domestic architecture of the ancients could be had.
Unfortunately, the inclemency of the climate, the
habits which are the result of it, and the meanness
of the age, have led to certain modifications which
would probably not have been to the taste of a
Roman architect, and which shock all competent
judges. On the whole, neither the Pompeian villa
of which the name has been adopted nor the most
common model of the other houses' of Pompeii
have been reproduced. The atrium is dark, con-
fined, and covered in with glass, instead of
being in the open air. The tablinum and fauces
or corridors which served as a communica-
tion between the atrium and the peristylium,
and opened such charming perspectives on the
two extremities of the house, do not exist. The
peristyliunt, which was of so great importance in
Roman domestic life, being, properly speaking, the
family sanctuary, is almost sacrified ; it is replaced
by two large rooms without style or beauty, which
open into each other, and are also covered with
glass. They contain neither colonnades nor por-
ticoes, which rendered that portion of the Roman
habitations so noble and majestic: The numerous
small chambers, cubicula, which surround the peri-
stylium and even the atrium, as in the house of
Pansa, at Pompeii, are suppressed in the new build-
ing. There are only one or two rooms for the mas-
ter to the right of the atrium. The lower sides of
the peristylium and atrium are occupied by the
library, kitchen, and dining room, and, further on,
by a sort of Moorish apartment in two or three
divisions, which forms a most unsightly contrast
with the remainder of the building. Imagine a cor-
ner of some alcazar cut out and transformed into one
of the houses of Pompeii, and then may be under-
stood the impression felt on finding this balneariurn
at the end of a Roman villa. One is reminded of
the architecture of those rococo Moorish or Pom-
padour cottages which shopkeepers contruct for
themselves in the neighbourhood of large towns
to gratify their innocent artistic tastes. The in-
ternal ornamentation and furnishing are not less
shabby nor more antique than the general archi-
tecture. There are but few objects of taste and
articles of furniture, and those seen there are of
modern shape and quite out of place, such as clocks,
zinc flower stands, moquette carpets, and large beds,
surrounded with curtains. The fire-dogs and can-
delabra seem to have come from the shoe of the
neighbouring ironmonger. What an association
clocks, soft carpets, and gas in the midst of an
atrium in the Moorish style, and an impluvium with
columns. And, then, how pitiful the details! Cer-
tain statues are supported by a sort of scaffolding
of boards, covered (who would believe it ?) with
hangings of glazed calico. The shows of strolling
players are better treated than this false patrician
villa. As to the works of art, and the ornamental
paintings and statues, they are very mediocre, to say
nothing worse. The paintings are a lamentable
imitation of the antique, and besides three-fourths
of the panels are still empty. The statues are
miserable copies, in marble or bronze of antique
works. Around the atrium was formerly a row
'of portraits and family busts, but as they are no
longer there, it is needless to refer to them. Were
she statues of the mythological personages to dis-
appear also, probably no one would think of re-
gretting their absence."

A NEW J.ZWISH JOURNAL written in Hebrew,
entitled Lebanon, of which the seventh number has just
reached us, is publishC4 by
M. S. Guerin, rue du Petit-
Carreau, in Paris.
FATAL BOILER EXPLOSION IN GLAMORGANSIIIRE.
—The Cwmfelin tin-works, near Swansea, have been the
scene of a terrible disaster. A steam-boiler explosion has
not only caused a vast amount of danger to tho works and
the expensive machinery employed at them, but has also
hurried five of the unfortunate workmen into eternity, and
caused severe injuries to four or five others. The works
belong to Mr. David Davies, and they give employment to
as many as 300 hands. Owing to the accident, these will
be thrown out of employment, at any rate for a time, as the
works will be brought to a stand-still until the damage to
the machinery, &c., has been repaired. It is thought that
the money loss to the proprietor will be £2,500, but fae
more is the sad loss of life which has spread a mournful
gloom over the neighbourhood.
PROPOSED NEW PIERS.—The Board of Trade
have approved several applications for provisional orders
(to be confirmed by Parliament in this Session) for the con-
struction of piers. Among them is the Alexander-pier at
Hastings, to be erected opposite Warrior-square and extend
1,200 ft. sea wards; a pier at Llandudno, commencing on the
Church-walks and terminating at high-water mark, from
which point there is to be a solid embankment of 450 ft., and
thence a pier extending seawards in an easterly directici
1,670 ft.; a pier at Scarborough, commencing on the north
shore opposite the north end of Blenheim-terrace, and ex-
tending seawards 1,000 ft.; at Redear a pier extending sea-
wards 1,200 ft.; at Dawlish a pier near the railway station
extending 800 ft. seawards ; at Penzance a pier opposite the
Queen's Hotel extending seawards I,oooft. The Board of
Trade have also approved schemes for piers at South Black-
pool, at West Cowes (to low water), at Hornsoa, Yorkshire
extending; seawards 1,200 ft., at Plymouth (1-100), an
three or four other leas known places.