The Sun.
London, England, 1868-11-30 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 30, 1868,

A MENAGERIE ON FIRE.

An American contemporary gives tne particulars of a
fire which occurred at Philadelphia in a saw and planing
mill, almost contiguous to a building in which were lions,
tigers, monkeys, and other animals, in cages or boxes con-
structed for temporary use. When the fire was discovered
Mr. Forepaugh, the proprietor, commenced tumbling the
cages or boxes from the building into the street, while
those outside removed them from the vicinity of the fire.
While thus engaged a Bengal and a Brazilian tiger made
their escape. The former made his way to Mr. Bryan's
stables, in the vicinity, the crowd in the street giving
way with great promptness, where he was secured.
The Brazilian tiger ran along Jefferson-street until
he reached the house of Dr. Gebler, near Twenty-second-
street. Here several ladies were standing at the door,
but the tiger passed by them, and through the hall into
the kitchen, where he remained until recaptured by one
of Mr. Forepaugh's men. The box containing the lion was
so much damaged that it was with great difficulty that
the animal could be kept until another box was obtained
and the lion secured. A large white Florida wolf got
out of the box, and made his way through the crowd
without attracting much attention, and about nine o'clock
in the evening he was met by a gentleman who took the
wolf for a dog, and the wolf no doubt took the gentleman
for one of those connected with the menagerie, for, as the
gentleman opened his front door, the wolf entered the
Douse ; but as soon as he came under the gaslight in the
hall his character and standing in the animal creation
was known. The gentleman, not feeling disposed to use
force to remove the intruder, opened the parlour door, and
the wolf passed in ; the door was closed, and the animal
was allowed to pass the night upon the soft Brussels, being
afterwards delivered over to his owner.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

ON EDUCATION.

I The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Ward Hunt),
following the precedent laid down by so many eminent
men, has been giving forth his views upon education for
the middle classes. He distributed a few days back at
Northampton the prizes gained by the local competitors
in the Oxford and Cambridge Examinations. He laid
down that men who had become eminent had in nearly
every case shewn promise of it in youth. No doubt there
were instances of men who had been idle and dissolute in
their youth, but who had seen the error of their ways, and
had given up idle and dissolute habits ; but it
would generally be seen that these who had been
distinguished for virtue and intellectual ability bad almost
invariably given promise of it in their youth. Therefore
such an occasion, when the youth of a district bad been
submitted to examination, was one of great interest to all
who had a regard for the future welfare of this country.
It might not, perhaps, be known to some of them how
these local examinations first arose. Some years since
there was a feeling in the country that the universities
were not doing all they might for the education of the
people. Much had already been done, but he hoped
some plan would be devised by which the benefits
of the universities would still more largely be diffused.
It was in consequence of the feeling he bad alluded to that
the local examinations were established. Thinking men
who had given their minds to a consideration of the
question came to the conclusion that some benefits
could be gained if competent men were sent out tc
test the systems of instruction pursued in different locali-
ties, and to stimulate the youth of this country in the paths
of learning and of knowledge. About ten years since the
universities established the system of local examinations,
and so far as it had yet gone it had been eminently suc-
cessful. The hopes that had been entertained were
not disappointed, for not only had the youth of the country
been stimulated to greater exertions in the pursuit of
knowledge, but the teachers had been benefited as well as
their scholars. Without saying, therefore, that the uni-
versities had done all they might or ought to have done
for the education of the people—for, as large seminaries of
learning supported by vast endowments they might have
done more it must, he thought, be admitted that great
efforts had been made towards extending their usefulness.
There was a trite saying that intellectual knowledge was
not all that was to be desired. Moral character went
for something, and a more fatal mistake could not
be made than to suppose that intellectual capacity
could compensate for the want of moral character. It was
generally seen that boys who were the most successful in
obtaining prizes for intellectual acquirements were also
most distinguished for good conduct and character. Such,
at least, was his own experience, and he was speaking
In the presence of many who had the training of those
young minds, whose experience, he thought, would con-
firm his own. There were some young men present who
had attained honours, and to them he would say
earnestly " Don't be satisfied with what you have done."
Some persons when they had gained certain honours,
or attained a certain distinction, thought there was
no more to be done, and that they might retire on
their laurels. No greater mistake could possibly be made.
A prize or a distinction in life ought not to be considered
a goal, but rather as a milestone, to mark the progress
which had been made in the path to knowledge. Some
persons talked of finishing their education. It might be
so far as related to their being subject to the control of a
tutor or a teacher, but it should ever be remembered that
in reality education went on throughout life. No one
should suppose when they entered a profession their edu-
cation was at an end, for they had but learnt the best
way of acquiring knowledge and of disciplining their own
minds. If they had gained that, they had obtained that
which would enable them to make the best use of their
time in after life.