The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-17 00:00:00

THE PUBLIC READINGS SOCIETY.

Another of these entertainments took place last
evening, before' a limited audience, in Wylde's
Reading Rooms, Leicester-square. The attendance
will, without doubt, become more numerons when
the fact of the existence of such a society becomes
more widely known. Already, by the few who were
collected together, its humane purpose and earnest
labours appeared to be fully and cordiallyappreciated.
The Rev. Owen Owen commenced the proceedings
yesterday with a very interesting and animated
exposition of the design of the Society : illustrating
his remarks by a variety of readings—some of them
revealing very considerable knowledge of the dif-
ficult art of declamation. His specimens included
several (chiefly humorous) pieces of his own com-
position. Beyond which, one of Professor Aytoun's
stirring "Lays of the Scottish Cavaliers," read by
Charles J. Plumptre, Esq.—followed by M. de
Lamartine's thrilling narrative (from the Histoire
des Girondins) of the " Origin of the Marsellaise,"
read by W. Charles Kent, Esq.—contributed to
diversify the evening's entertainment. But the
principal Reader--the hero of the night—was un-
questionably the reverend gentleman whose varied
exertions for the amusement of the audience opined
and closed last night's proceedings.

MILITARY lIONOU_RS TO RELIGIOUS
PROCESSIONS.

The following is a copy of the general circular of
the late Lord Hill, alluded to by Sir E. B. Lytton,
as the order which now regulates the conduct of
the military in all our Roman Catholic colonies :
" Horse Guards, June 26, 1837.
"It having been deemed expedient to lay down
fixed and specific rules with regard to the extent
to which her Majesty's land forces shall, for the
future, pay military honours to religious processions
in Catholic countries in which any portion of the
said forces shall happen to be serving, I have it in
command to direct your special attention to the
following, and to express Lord Hill's desire that
you cause the same to be strictly observed by the
troops serving under your orders, viz. :
" Troops are not to turn out for, move with, or
take any active part in any religious procession or
ceremonial.
"All sentries are, however, to salute the proces-
sion as it pdsses their posts. All guards and other
bodies of troops that happen to be under arms in
the direct line of the procession are to salute it as
it passes them, but are not to remain under arms
for the procession after it has passed them, nor to
await its return.
" The usual salutes of cannon from forts or bat-
teries for catholic processions may be continued ;
but on these occasion.; a simple order only for firing
the salute on the day and hour specified is to be
given, without specifying the occasion for which it
is to be fired.
" Lord Hill earnestly hopes and trusts that,
notwithstanding the foregoing instructions, every
officer, non-commissioned officer, and soldier, under
your command, will (as heretofore) continue to
carry himself with the utmost forbearance and
respect towards the ministers, and other members
of the catholic religion, as well as to their religious
institutions, bearing constantly in mind that the
present regulation is made to meet the conscientious
scruples of individuals, without in the remotest
degree encouraging or contemplatinr, a diminution
of that respectful consideration withe which the
British army has ever-been enjoined to regard the
religimg feeling-si, habits. and even prejrdices of
carry foreign country in which it has been required
to serve.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) " JOHN MACDONALD, A.G.
" Addressed to General Officers commanding at
the Mediterranean, Mau tins, and Canada." -