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Leader (1850-1860), 20th September 1851, Edition Country of 2, Page 18, TIMON OF ATHENS. Faithful to the generou...

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      902 Mftt Vltbiitt. [Satuftftay ,

      902 Mftt VLtbiitt . [ SATUftftAy ,

      €Fyt Irts.

      € fyt Irts .

      Timon Of Athens. Faithful To The Generou...

      TIMON OF ATHENS . Faithful to the generous traditions of " Vivian , " who has appointed me his critique blond on occasions when he is absent , or . weary , or lazy , or , as now , absorbed in congeniallight reading ( you know what he calls light reading , and all I can say is , I can't pronounce the titles of the books ) , I shall tell you at once , that I did not get to Sadler ' s Wells till the great scene between Apemantus and Timon in the fourth act . The fact is , I am of a very wine-and-walnutty disposition as the autumn

      draws on , and you must make allowance for a natural laziness of temperament , especially after dinner . Then I was so bold as to undertake the journey to Islington on foot , under a vague impression that , by striking down Gray ' s Inn-lane , I should , as a yachting friend of mine was once informed by his sailing-master , as he was running in for the Needles Passage on a foggy night , " Knock down summut soon if I held on . " I was very soon out of all reckoning ; and instead of taking proper lunar observations , —the confession is humiliating , —I allowed myself to be directed into all sorts of impossible quarters by communicative street-boys of very diminutive frames , very shrill

      voices , and exceedingly composed and yet wideawake manners . When I reached the theatre I found in its very approaches something not merely decent and dignified , but purifying and elevating . The " genius of the place " was as of a temple devoted to Art , and not merely to Amusement . Shakspeare should certainly remove from the atrium of Drury Lane to Sadler ' s Wells . He would be far more comfortable , and less compromised , under the protection of Mr . Phelps . On reaching the boxes I found the theatre crowded with an audience not merely attentive , but intent and rapt ; and a more discriminating audience is not to be found in London . The intellectual

      aristocracy of Islington were there no doubt ; but I was struck with the demeanour of the mechanics in the pit and in the gallery . They thoroughly understood every word ; they caught at every fine thought and subtle allusion : many of them followed the scene with the book . All this may be the derision or the despair of the fast school ; 1 am not an exclusive dramatic legitimist , nor do I very keenly enjoy your modern Elizabethan five-act plays ; but it was refreshing to me ! o find that there were still believers in " glorious Villiams , " as French critics call him , and an audience capable of soaring above extravaganzas

      which extravagate extravagance itself . As I purpose * another pilgrimage of love to Timon of Athens at Sadler's Wells , I defer speaking critically till next week . I content myself with advising all who can , to go and see this line play , admirably put on the stage with that reverent and thoughtful care displayed in all the accessories , which has always marked the productions of Mr . Phelps . The scene between Apemaiitus and Timon was most effectively rendered by George Bennett and Phelps ; the reading was scholarly and refined . In the last act I had an opportunity of observing how strongly all the subordinate

      parts were tilled , for there is no " starring " Sadler ' s Wells . What lias often made Shakspeare tedious is the great number of tsmall characters not inadequately but ridiculously represented . Jiut O ! ye doubters , what grand passages there are in this Timon I What thoughts clothed in what a diction ! Hear this on life and death : — " My long sickness Of health , and living , now begins to mend , And not / tiny brings me all things . "

      What a solemn sweep , too , in this passage : — " Timon hath made his everlasting mansion Upon the beached verge of the Halt flood ; Which once u day with his embossed froth The turbulent surge shall cover . " The last ncenes were cleverly managed to conunit spectacular taste * , by a diorainic tiled passing from the city to the sea shore , with a noble glancing sunset sheen . I wish our French

      critics , when they visit London , would pay a visit to Sadler ' s Well . s in preference to the blood-andthunder atrocities of the Victoria , which do not . precisely represent the English drama , any more than fogH and porter our national existence So ror the present , with best wishes to Mr Phelps the " unacknowledged leg islator" of Islington , I reiniiin , satis adieu . Lii Chat IJuant .

      (Drpmirinnuf Flf Tjr* Imit,

      ( Drpmirinnuf flf tjr * iMit ,

      Political And Social.

      POLITICAL AND SOCIAL .

      Cooperative Stores And Their Organizatio...

      COOPERATIVE STORES AND THEIR ORGANIZATION . The first cobperators have perhaps never realized their professions . Those Stores , now the most successful and satisfactory , disappointed their first customers . How could it be otherwise ? Beginning with a small capital they could lay in only a small stock , and that not always of the best quality . Then their first sales being few and far between , the quality of the goods , deteriorated by time , did not always answer the expectation of customers , who commonly began by expecting a better as well as a cheaper article , Then those appointed to " buy in" in the first instances , are not always the best persons . They may want judgment , they may want practice , they may want knowledge of particular articles . But as a new Store is seldom rich it cannot afford to

      throw away what has been bought injudiciously , or at disadvantage : it must be sold : and those who come to a new Cooperative Store , just by way of giving it a trial , are always the persons , who happen to get these articles ; and who , in no wise reflecting upon the difficulties which always beset new beginners in business ( difficulties from which Cooperative Societies enjoy no natural exemption ) , spread an unfavourable opinion around them . I have known many cases of those who ought to have known better , and to have done better , who have withdrawn their custom on these accounts . It is too much to expect either better articles or cheaper articles at first . Time must be given for the system to develope itself , which

      sooner or later it does , and proves an advantage to all who deal at such Stores . The Rochdale Cooperatives sold worse groceries than their competitive neighbours at one short period , and so have Stores nearer the metropolis , and of greater pretensions . The Leeds Flour Mill ( confessedly so effective now ) did not , without any exception , supply from the first , the best quality of flour ; but the capacity of these Associations to compete with , as respects quality and cheapness , and to exceed in advantages to purchasers all competitive dealers around them , has been demonstrated . Let those , then , who wish Cooperative Stores to succeed , give them a Trial , give them Time , and a liberal opinion .

      One ought here to observe that the difficulties adverted to , under which Cooperative Stores have hitherto , in so many cases , laboured , will be obviated by the Central Cooperative Agency of London , of which Organization mention has already been made in this journal , an Organization conducted by the firm of Lechevalior , Jones , and Woodin . Leehevalier being a , devising , Woodin an executing , and Jones a species of speaking partner , than whom no more suitable person could be found to undertake that indispensable office . Mr . Lloyd Jones ' s

      functions chiefly at this time lie in the provinces . Presiding over a Branch of the Agency in Manchester , he visits various places , extending his tours as far even us Scotland , to jifford to the public that explanation necessary for them to lend their aid , and to Stores that instiuctiou needful for their guidance . The Central Agency in London is able by its comprehensive dealings , to supply to the youngest Stores the best articles , and at the fairest prices , furnishing as it were the buying talent so diflicult to find in many places , to all Stores who put themselves into business communication with it .

      Of whatever advantage , and it i 9 incalculable , which the Central Agency—in its development—will afford to the growing Union of Cooperative Stores , of no less moment will be its value to the purchasing poor . Where now can they go , being sure that they will not have supplied to them deleterious and adulterated articles ? The recent exposures made in public Journals , Medical Reviews , and in Parliament , show the impossibility of the working-classes being able to buy pure food , i . e . food which they shall know to be pure , from tradesmen whom they can trust . The multitude of small tradesmen in all places

      doubtless intend to keep good faith with their customers ; but they cannot do it unless they can command ho much capital as will enable them to go to the first markets and select for themselves . The rich man who can order his Wine from Bordeaux or Madeira , or who can give orders so large that wholesale houses will supply him , can consciously secure himself the cheap and genuine article . And out of wholesale houses only the well informed commercially , or through business relations , are able to select the

      reputable . The working-class are again out of the way ot all this , both as respects meant ) and knowledge , mid to them a Central Cooperative Agency becomes u moral guarantee of the highest importance , and doubtless the day will come when many tradesmen will do what private gentlemen are now doingorder their goods of that Agency—as that firm will become a moral guarantee to the customers of tradesmen who deid with them , that the articles they buy of such tradesmen ure genuine and wholcHome . Yet for this Central Agency to net efficiently , it

      is needful that it be widely supported , and itistT " interest of all that it should be supported . What ' offers to do no other firm offers in the same sense *' the same spirit ; and if this opportunity should na ^ away , it may not be soon repeated . But not alone in th respect of purity ; of food is this Central Agency sourse of public irriprovemerit . It is not only honest * but it does notjpw ^" , and that is an intell ectual benefit which deserves some public acknowled gement ; but of this I shall speak in another letter . Jq ^

      National Charter Association. —At The Us...

      National Charter Association . —At the usual weekly meeting of the Executive , the final report from Mr . Ernest Jones was read . He visited Shef field on the 9 th , and afterwards went to Newport Pagnell , in Bucks , and North Crawley . Upon the whole , he thinks the experience gleaned during the tour of a most encouraging character Notwithstanding the inactivity , the neglect in subl scribing funds and organising , it is evident that a

      democratic under-current is at work beneath the aurface , waiting but for the coming commercial crisis to arise , to roll its waves in the broad agitation of a Chartist movement . Now , indeed , there is little action—but there is all the more thought . In the agricultural districts he believes the movement once begun would spread with the rapidity of fire . A special meeting of the Executive has been called for the 24 th of February .

      Redemption Society . —The rules for the management of a cooperative store , in connection with the society , are now prepared , and will be brought before a special meeting of the members on Wednesday evening September 24 , when it is hoped that they Trill be adopted ' and immediate steps taken to carry out the scheme ! Moneys received for the week : —Leeds , £ 1 Is . id . Newcastle , per Mr . Johnson , £ f > Is . 2 d . Building Fund : —Leeds , 9 s .: Newcastle , 3 s . 9 d . Propagandist Fund , 2 s . 2 d . — J . Hendehson , Sec .

      Dtym Cmtttril.

      dtym Cmtttril .

      Pc01811

      ^ [In This Department, As All Opinions, ...

      ^ [ In this department , as all opinions , however extreme , ark allowki ) an expression , the kditob nkck 8 sabii-t holds himself responsible fob none . j

      There Is I\O Learned Man But Will Confes...

      There is i \ o learned man but will confess he hath much prolited by reading controversies , his senses awakened , and his judgment sharpened . If , then , it be profitable tor him to " read , why should it not , at least , be tolerable tor las adversary to write . —Milton .

      Catholic And Protestant Miracles. Septem...

      CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT MIRACLES . September 16 , 1851 . S ik , —The Times , which for the nonce appears to have entered into a holy alliance with Exeter Hall , has been recently very facetious at the expense ol Popish miracles and Father Newman ' s logic . Now , it appears to me thnt the formal logic of Popery is absolutely unavailable on the grounds tuken by fie writer in the Times , and that the Birmingham doctor has reall y succeeded in placing the advocates ot our popular Protestantism on the horns of a dilemma . The same / rood people who cheer the No-1 opery orators on the platform , grow warm at the eloquence of Dr . dimming , and chuckle over the delicate banter of the Times , in discussing the pretensions oi winking Madonnas and bleeding pictures , sit quietly in their pews , and listen with devout attention to tne miraculous elocution of Balaam ' s ass . They believethat the whale swallowed Jonas , and would no douoi . believe , if the Church « o taught ( for it is on inc authority of the Church , and not on the authority « their reason , that they believe these things ) , tnu Jonas swallowed the whale ! . Now , what is the real difference between tho < | , " " lity of the orthodox Protestant and the orilioao Papist in these matters ? The Papist believes a miracle attested by living men and women , ana J » to have occurred iu his own time . The 1 r <) tes ™" believes a miracle fluid to have occurred Home w yrars ago , and attested by traditional and url \ testimony . The two sets of miracles are P « " ^ equally p-. irpoKeleHH , mid the testimony in ench case least / qunlly HUHpit-ious-except that it is n «» rquitefl » easy to expose a fraud 4000 years old as a fraud oiyterday . It is quite clear that the exercise ot our reasoning faculties will lead equally to the rejeono of the Protestant and ihe Popish miracles ; and ^ tn if they are believed at all either by I '™* ? "" " j Papists , it inuBt bo on the authority of their eoferw

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 20, 1851, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_20091851/page/18/