The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-10 00:00:00

1111,
*
\ LX} e Alit UAL
LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1850.

Popular education is much talked about by poli-
ticians—the Earl of CARLISLE has given practical
testimonies of his solicitude to aid in forwarding its
development. His lectures in the Leeds Mechanics'
Institute go further in proclaiming
the advantages of
diffusing knowledge throughout the community than
the most able speech on the subject of general in-
struction ever delivered within the walls of Parlia-
ment. One of these brilliant prelections we have
already particularised as having been directed to the
disclosure of the now somewhat obscured and for-
gotten beauties of POPE. Another, relating to the
aspect of the United States and Canada, as they ap-
peared when visited by the Noble Earl in 1841.2, we
inadequately, comme-
-
rawoouraldte.here briefly, though

In this admirable lecture Lord CARLISLE presents
to the imagination a series of pictures, sketched with
a rapid pencil but a master hand, in which may be
recognised a panoramic view of the condition of
society in the North American Continent. Impres-
sions of a country like the United States, coming
from an observer as liberal and intelligent as the Earl
of CARLISLE, must surely exercise even over the most in-
different a deep and earnest fascination. For the
landscapes of the western republic the illustrious
traveller had the appreciative faculties of a poet and
a painter ; for her swarming population and extend-
ing cities he cherished the interest experienced only
by the philanthropist ; for her men of genius he had
capabilities of estimation flowing out of the fulness of
an eclectic and cultivated intellect ; for her institu-
tions, political, social, and religious, he had the judg-
ment of a legislator and a statesman. Consequently
itwas with consummate skill that the different subjects
suggested by the theme of his discourse were touched
upon and illustrated.
Witness this, the adroitness of his portraitures of
those distinguished Americans with whom his Lord-
ship came in contact during the course of his pere-
grinations. Mr. QUINCY ADAMS, once the President
of the Republic, seems to him like " a fine old game
cock" when, in his seventy-fifth year, he sees him
standing erect on the floor of Congress, shrieking out
in behalf of the right of petition against slavery. Mr.
HENRY CLAY wins his regard by the intonations of
his melodious voice, insomuch that he pronounces
him to be a man " easy, simple, and genial, with
great natural dignity." Ile beholds also in the
" jutting brows, and cavernous eyes, and massive
forehead" of Mr. DANIEL WEBSTER the evidences of
a great and comprehensive intellect. Mr. CALHOUN
is applauded for " his ability, his honesty," aye and
even his very "impracticability," and Mr. TYLER
himself commended as " a simple unaffected person."
Mr. VAN BUREN he finds interesting and anecdotal.
Chancellor KENT he regards at seventy-eight as
" full of animation and racy vigour, combined with a
very great simplicity." WASHINGTON IRVING ap-
pears to him " as gentle and genial as his works," the
highest encomium he could pronounce. Mr. Justice
STOREY he looks upon as " a profound commentator
and expounder of law, but as one of the most
generous and single. minded of men." Dr. CHAN.
NING, though marred by the aspect of his " fragile
frame," and by the influence of his " dry manner,"
impressed his mind so strongly.that he felt himself
"in a presence in which nothing that was impure,