The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-04 00:00:00

MOXIIIIM 244114

LONDON, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 1844.

Among the notices of motions given in the House
of Commons on Tuesday, was one by Mr. Flume, who
stated that immediately after the present recess he
should move that "the House should take into its
consideration the exemplary conduct of the people
whenever they had been admitted to public edifices,
and their general disposition to maintain order and
propriety ; also, that the House do approve of the re-
commendation of the Select Committee, formerly ap-
pointed, that there should he a more free admission
of the people to cathedrals and churches. 'We
cordially concur in the justice and propriety of this
motion—more especially in that portion of it which
refers to the general orderly demeanour of the people
when admitted to visit public buildings. If it were
ever otherwise, the fault lay not so much with them
as with the official authorities, who for many years
made a point of studiously throwing every obstacle in
their way, by saddling them with an admission-tax
beyond their means, whenever they wished to gratify
a natural and laudable feeling of curiosity as regards
those magnificent ecclesiastical structures which were
erected at the public cost and fur the express benefit
of the public. For years and years to-
gether, the clergy, to their shame be it
*aid, most rigorously exacted fees at the
door of every cathedral ; and not an individual
could enter, unless indeed when Divine service was
being performed, but those who were prepared to
satisfy the very un-apostolic rapacity of the clerical
authorities who had charge of the sacred edifice. Of
late, however, a considerable alteration has taken
place in this respect ; the clergy have been shamed
into something like respect far public opinion ; their
habits of extortion have greatly softened do ; and
the consequence is, a corresponding improvement in
the manners of the people, who, as they become more
and, more habituated to the sight of these majestic
monuments of architecture, necessarily learn to
appreciate them better, to take an honest national
pride in their grandeur and sublimity, and carefully
refrain from all acts of wanton spoliation, such as
they used not unfrequently to he guilty of, when they
were regarded by the ghostly guardians of the dif-
ent cathedrals in no more respectable light than as
tasteless, vulgar intruders. We hope to live to see
the day when the principle adopted in Mr. Humes
excellent motion shall be carried out to the utmost
possible extent, and all our ecclesiastical edifices be
thrown open unreservedly to the public, and no one
be seen stenhig at the portals, sueing, as it were,
in forma pauperis, on behalf of the Dean and
Chapter, for an admission fee. There is no-
thing that so refines and elevates the mind
and • manners of a people as the frequent con-
templation of magnificent works of art, whether
in architecture, sculpture, or painting; and every op-
portunity should be taken by their rulers of giving
them 'free, unrestricted access to productions of this
character. Treat the people like Ignoramuses inca-
pable of appreciating the sublime and beautiful in
the creations of art, and you will surely make them
wb in,,.ypur arrogant sense of superiority you
qt. /61)%it4PEtilitm ; but treat them like rational
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4)e '35W-.._o• ,aVcino. enjoyment from such • -
t ..efey;, you will "reap- the benefit of
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