The Sun.
London, England, 1868-11-23 00:00:00

FUNERAL OF BOSSINL

The Paris correspondent of the Daily News gives some
earticulars of Rossini's funeral. "A cold, damp, gloomy
day," he says, " did not check the ardour of the crowds
who flocked to Rossini's funeral. Among the envied
holders of tickets for the interior of the Trinit6 Church
many ladies were seen shivering in the precincts for two
hours before the doors opened. It required a very
large military and police force to clear the way for
the funeral procession from the Madeleine to the
Trinit6, and to prevent the populace from blocking
up the approaches to the latter church. On the foot pave-
ment of the Chaussee d'Antin, and in those parts of the
Rue St. Lazare and the Rue do Clichy which afford even
a distant view of the Trinit6, closely-packed crowds of the
humbler classes stood patiently within the limits assigned
to them, and not only waited long to see the coffin carried
into the church, but kept their standing ground
till it came out again two hours later. The Trinit6,
which has only very recently been finished, is by
far the prettiest new church in Paris, and com-
paratively few people have yet seen the interior. I
think Rossini's obsequies should have been solemnised in
Notre Dame, but I know of no private church in this
capital better suited to the purpose. The Madeleine would
have held more people, but the glare of light and the
meretricious carving and gilding there jar with funeral
rites, as I remember having an opportunity of observing
when the great mass was performed for the soul of
Cavour. The Trinit6, a building in the style which
may be called modern Gothic, is exquisitely well
proportioned. The decorations consist of sober but
graceful frescoes. The true " dim religious light " filters
through very beautiful stained glass windows, not too
darkly stained, and the experience of today shews that
in acoustic properties it leaves nothing to be desired.
A few minutes after the opening of the doors, not a
ieat (unreserved for great personages, the friends of
;he family, or the artistes engaged) was loft vacant, and
those who came so late as half an hour earlier than the

hour mentioned in the invitation (twelve o'clock) were glad
to find standing room. All the familiar faces of the
habitwis of the French and Italian Operas were there.
The Institute of France came in a body in their academic
dress. Chevalier Nigrs., with all the attaches of the
Italian Legation, appeared in uniform. No regulations
were made about toilettes, and most properly, for had
mourning been insisted on, not a fourth of the ladies
invited would have gone, and the church would
not have been filled. In the Madeleine roses and
green ribands in bonnets would have looked much
out of keeping, but in the mild light of the
Trinitd they did not spoil the general effect. When
the coffin appeared in the nave it was found to be com-
pletely covered with flowers, evergreens, and decorations.
At the head was a velvet cushion, on which were laid the
numerous orders of the deceased. At the foot was an im-
mense bouquet of Parma violets sent from Nice. The
intermediate space was filled up by large laurel wreaths,
one of which was thickly interspersed with choice flowers.
Just as the coffin was being carried from the entrance portal
to the catafalque in front of the .high altar, a handsome
crown of gilt leaves was placed upon the cushion
among the decorations. A guard of honour of the 51st
Regiment lined the nave, the deceased being, as a grand
officer of the Legion of Honour, entitled to military
honours in France. Although the majority of the
spectators had come to see a spectacle, and although there
were laughing and talking in groups, many had evidently
solemn thoughts befitting the occasion. It seemed to me
that all the pomp, ponzpa mors terrct, was more sad and
affecting in its contrast between dust and earthly vanity
than the simplest pauper's funeral. The duet from
Pergolese's Stabat,' by Alboni and Patti, was the gem of
the musical mass."

Dr.. on MR.—A rather ludicrous incident took
place in reference to an election in England. Some one
declined to allow that a candidate who was LL.D. had
the right to call himself doctor. In Scotland Mr. Swinton,
LL.D., repudiates the doctorship, and is hard upon his
opponent, Professor Pisyfair, who is also LL.D., for using
it. Will some one in authority say whether a doctor of laws
is to be addressed as Dr. or Mr. ? His right seems to us as
clear as that of a P.D., but perhaps the universities who
dub men doctor will give judgment—Medical Press.

MORE FORGERIES ON THE BANK OF RUSSIA.—
, At Lemberg the police have just arrested fourteen persons
charged with forging notes of the Bank of Russia.. For a
long time past numbers of these, of the value of 100
roubles (4f. each), have been in circulation, and two detec-
tives have been occupied in tracing them. At last the
persons engaged in their production and distribution have
been discovered and taken into custody. Amongst the
prisoners are some men ko'al:ng positions far above
511SPiC1011, such as a landowner, a watchmaker in a large
way of business, and several Jewish merchants.
IT IE YORKSHIRE STATUI E FAIRS.—The second
week of these gatherirgi—so popular with the servants,
but so rightly condemned by the clergy and the leading
;arrners— was terminated on Saturday, when the agricul-
ural and domestic servants assembled in hundreds at
Nlalton. The result of the fortnight has been to show
',hat, although domestic servants receive wages about equal
to last year, the farmers, owing to the forward state of
tillage and the lesser herds of stock kept, have the whip-
hand, and all who change places seem likely to change for
the worse, lower wages having to be submitted to. Owing
to the slackness of the hirings hitherto, the annual fair on
Saturday next is expected to be more largely attended than
jospany year

VIE LADY ELIZABETH SCANDAL.

A conteWolitit— bays : ,"Nobody, kie—su-p-p-o—sec
seriously believed that the case of Day v. Rous would be
brought into court. The announcement in Land and Water
of the ahandonnat of the snit is only what was expected ;
but the reason assigned is somewhat surprising.
The plaintiff,' it is said, out of respect to
the late Marquis of Hastings, is not willing to take up
certain past events in connection with the unfortunate
case.' There is only one construction to be put on
this sentence. It can have no other meaning than
that the trial would inevitably lead to disclosures
discreditable to the late marquis, and that Mr.
Day prefers to allow himself to be libelled without
punishing the libeller, rather than permit revelations
to be made affecting his patron's hononr. In regard to
this excuse for withdrawing the action. if it be really put for-
ward by Mr. Day, we have only two observations to make.
First, that Mr. Day does himself by these insinuations
fasten on the reputation of the marquis the very stigma he
professes himself so chivalrously anxious to avert, so that
no further harm would be done in that respect, even if the
insinuations were made good in open court. And, second,
that we cannot conceive how the friends and relatives of
the late marquis can permit such a slur upon his memory
to pass without notice."

SUPPOSED ASSASSINATION OF CAPTAIN

KING.

A correspondent of the Dublin Evening Mail, writing
from Sligo, says :—" The general excitement has
prevented reliable information being gleaned as to the
circumstances of the death of Captain King, but
from what I was able to learn within ten minutes of the
occurrence it appears that he and his nephew, Captain
Webber, accompanied by Captain Jones, Harper Camp-
bell, Esq., and another gentleman, were proceeding, a
few minutes before eight o'clock a.m., up Jail•street to
the courthouse, when they were met by a violent mob in
the interest of Captain Flanagan, at the corner of Castle-
street, and Captain King and his nephew were knocked
down, Captain Jones and Mr. Campbell, who were in
advance, getting off with nothing worse than the blows
of a few sticks on the head. In the course of the
Struggle Captain King managed to gain his feet, Captain
Webber being still on the ground, when the report of a
pistol shot was heard, and Captain King fell dead into
the arms of a stranger in the crowd, shot through the
heart. It is asserted by the friends of Captain
Flanagan that either Captain King or Captain Webber
had a revolver which was presented at their assailants,
which was struck up by one of them, when it went off ;
but, on the other hand, I regret to say that a vast number
believe that the shot was not the result of accident. The
deceased, though a very I,'-minent s trotter of Tkrajor
Knox, and an earnest politician, Was a gentleman Univer-
sally esteemed. He was a nephew of the late Lord Lorton,
was himself a gentleman of considerable property, and I
regret to say, leaves a widow—his aecoxid wife—and,
fourteen children surviving."