Page:Notes by the Way.djvu/274

 204

��NOTES BY THE WAY.

��The Morning Star.

��The Timet.

��The

Education Difficulty.

��Lord Palmrr-

ston with- draws baruls from the parks on Sundays.

Advertise- ments of books.

��and settled, with the most patient impartiality, an interesting discussion between a parson and his curate, as to who should have the hat-bands presented at a funeral. These are just the kind of problems which one has strength to enter on in the hungry hour before dinner, and we may be glad to have them handled so soberly and discreetly."

the subject for the following comments :
 * 4i On the 22nd of March the founding of The Morning Star forms

" Certain conditions of success may be wanting to The Morning Star ; but whether it succeeds or fails, we are convinced that a cheap press will ultimately be the means of fastening an effectual responsi- bility on The Times."

The writer then renders to The Times this well-deserved tribute :

" It is needless for us to accompany our censures of The Times with compliments to its ability, which are implied in the censures. . . . It would be sovereign injustice not to add that we owe to The Times the high standard which must be proposed to itself by every newspaper, dear or cheap, that aims at a very extensive circulation. From the penny journalism of America The Times has saved us. . . .The Times, in truth, was the first English newspaper which secured the services of writers possessing the skill, the tastes, the sympathies, and the informa- tion of thoroughly educated gentlemen."

A great scheme of metropolitan improvement is also commented upon in the number for March 22nd, comprising

" the rebuilding in Pall Mall of the War Department offices in all its branches, and of the other public offices along a reconstituted Parlia- ment Street. . . .the opening up of St. James's Park by the widening of some existing passages, together with the removal of the York column and steps."

' The Education Difficulty ' formed a subject for discussion in 1856, as it does half a century later. In an article on April 19th the opinion is expressed that " a sensible instructor will never be seriously embarrassed, within the walls of his own schoolroom, by the fact that his pupils may belong to different sectarian deno- minations" ; and it is stated that the then Bishop of Manchester " conducted at Birmingham, with facility and success, a great school which was open to the children of Dissenters and of Jews."

Among other home subjects treated in these first two volumes are ' Chemistry and Agriculture,' ' Crime and Punishment,' ' Law Reform,' ' The Sale of Commissions,' and ' Sabbath Observance.' The last question gave rise to much heated discussion, and Lord Palmerston had to yield to the Scotch members, and withdraw the bands from the parks on Sundays.

Although the proprietors made no effort to secure advertise- ments, advertisers sent in their announcements, No. 1 having six pages, including a column from Mudie, who states that he has a thousand copies of Sydney Smith's ' Memoirs.' Other books

�� �