LOCAL CELEBRITIES AND LOCAL NEWSPAPERS.

IT is often said that the love of virtue flourishes most in these happy little corners of the globe which are secluded at one and the same time from the interest and the dissipation of the great world. Village Hampdens are possessed of all the excellent quali- ties, and are subjected to none of the temptations, of their more distinguished namesake, and the rose which blushes unseen not only smells as sweetly as, but more sweetly than, the flower which from its position is compelled to undergo the fatigues and responsibilities of public life. A ceremony has lately taken place within the Tower Hamlets which suggest these considerations. A new Lecture Hall, built near the works of Mr. Harper Twelvetrees (of Marylebone fame), was inaugurated the other evening by a solemn gathering, con- ducted by, and made in honour of, Mr. Twelvetrees himself. In a great public festivity there is often much that pains and disquiets the thoughtful observer. First of all there may, perhaps, be an ex- cessive devotion to the pleasures of the table. Then, again, the great world does not always choose its heroes rightly. Wheu the filed one comes forward to address his audience he too often turns out to be one who has made his way in life by personal struggles after fame, and the mundane occupations of a political career. The next day an unjust Press, perhaps, adds a little drop of bitter gall to the recollection of the evening, by tearing into shreds the speech of the hero of the feast. It is quite refreshing to turn to such a peaceful and happy contrast as that which is presented to us in the revelries of the Tower Hamlets. The Tower Hamlets Express contains an account of the inauguration in question that is enough to put us all to the blush. Mr. Harper Twelvetrees, whose religious and social biography is given us at length by the Express, is indeed a happy man. In the first place, he seems to have reached the topmost pinnacle (if we may use the expression) of successful insecticide. " The gigantic extent of his commercial transactions" (to borrow the language of the Express), " the fact that the produce of his manufactories stare us in the face in every highway and by-way of the metropolis and pro- vinces, and is associated with every trifling requirement of the do- mestic ménage, have contributed to render the name of Twelvetrees a household word." Then, again, he is (judging again from the language of the Express) a person of peculiar personal advantages, and is in the habit of delivering public addresses, of which the most salient charac- teristic, the Express is "inclined to think," is "earnestness." In addition to this, he is connected with numerous political, temperance, educational, and religious institutions; and, lastly, he has the felicity of having won the admiration of moral and conscientious journals. There can be no doubt that the Tower Hamlets Express is on the side of virtue, and thoroughly and heartily admires Mr. Twelvetrees. Such sincere and noble enthusiasm for what is right, such appre- ciation for those who labour to do good by day and, indeed—as far as Mr. Twelvetrees and his art are concerned—by night, is not to be found everywhere. Mr. Twelvetrees, it appears, has had a long life of usefulness, and may say almost, in the words of our great poet, that he often has been

"Sleepless himself, to give his clients sleep."

What has been his greatest achievement, and what will be his noblest reward, is that he has conquered the noble sympathy of such journal- ists as the writer of the Tower Hamlets Express, and that he has had three columns of close print devoted to his biography in what appears to be one of the most high-minded publications of the day.

The evening opened with tea, during which we are not at all sur- prised to learn that the new hall presented "quite a cheering" aspect, and the chair, " in the unavoidable absence of the Earl of Harring-

ton," was occupied by Acton S. Ayrton, Esq., member for the

Tower Hamlets. A long list of noblemen and gentlemen had been advertised as likely to attend. At the last moment, we learn with regret, that circumstances over which they had no control prevented all the former and some of the latter from being present, but the absentees all sent their best wishes, and some of them their prayers, so that their loss, it is to be hoped, was of less importance. The Tower Hamlets Express prints their letters of excuse at full length. "The Right Honourable the Earl of Harrington, K.C.B.," writing from "Elvaston Castle," regrets that numerous engagements in the country will keep him from the opening of the hall. He begs, how- ever, "to express his hope and belief that the new hall may prove a lasting monument to record the benevolence of Mr. Twelve- trees in promoting the greatest happiness for the greatest number." Sir John lieskett Lethbridge feels unable, in consequence of the damp weather, to accept the kind invitation of the eminent insecti- cide. But he will not forget that invitation, and he wishes to support all such noble efforts as Mr. Twelvetrees is making for his fellow- men. The "Right Hon. Lord Teynham" deplores his inability to attend, but invokes a blessing on Mr. Twelvetrees. Mr. Edward Miall has arrangements which take him for the time out of town, but wishes them all a pleasant meeting. Mr. G. Crnikshank is also " com- pelled to be out of town for a few days just at the time of the pro- posed meeting," but sends thanks and wishes. The Rev. Hugh Allen hopes that the Lord may bless all the labours of Mr. Twelvetrees, but is sorry that he cannot have the pleasure of being at his inaugu- ral soiree. On the whole, therefore, the friends of the inauguration had known what it was to be disappointed by their lions, but the best face was put upon the matter, and Mr. Ayrton, M.P., took the chair, and addressed the meeting upon the advantages of intellectual as contrasted with unintellectual pleasures.

Mr. Harper Twelvetrees himself made a speech which was sensible and modest, as might be expected from an employer who was addressing a number of his own workpeople, upon whom he had conferred all the obligations that a kind master has it in his power to bestow. The Tower Hamlets Express must have been slightly dis- appointed. At the beginning of their narrative of the life and man- ners of Mr. Twelvetrees they quote select passages from his oratory, which had prepared us for something far more startling. One passage in praise of the man who does his duty while he "soars aloft upon the triumphant wings of industry, enterprise, patience, and hope," is so extremely picturesque that the Marylebone electors, to whom, after the defeat of Mr. Twelvetrees, it was addressed, must almost have regretted their choice of the less imaginative Mr. Harvey Lewis. "Though the fame of such a man," said Mr. Twelvetrees, "may not sash out to distant countries, or to future ages, yet his honesty, his truthfulness, and his integrity, will surround the little circle of his efforts with a burning and shining light, and a beautiful trail of glory, such as the sun leaves behind him at his setting, will follow him to the grave, and perform his funeral obsequies." For a man who is in the habit of looking forward to having his funeral obsequies per- formed by a trail of glory, it must be confessed that Mr. Twelvetrees, on the occasion of the opening of his new Hall, was exceedingly re- served and undemonstrative. He said but little, and that little was not in praise of himself. His example was not followed by the train of admiring orators who succeeded. The Rev. Mr. Bucke plunged at once into theology; and suggested a theory of historical criticism which is worthy of an Irish bishop. In Mr. Bucke's opinion, Ro- manism and Rationalism, combined with a neglect of the Bible, have been the causes that destroyed the great nations of the earth. Where, he asked, was now the city of the Pharaohs? The sands of the desert engulphed its glory, and the waste places were its sole re- mains. Amid the ruins of Babylon the owl and the jackal raised their screech and howl. Rome and Greece were split up, and their glory departed as a dream. Spain was like the lightning-struck and blackened hull of a vessel tossed by the tempest at its will, and Jerusalem was trodden down beneath the feet of the Moslem. But England flourished still, because she remained faithful to her Bible, spite of the efforts of Romanism and rationalism—despite the Church of Rome on the one hand, and Essays and Reviews upon the other. The reverend gentleman wound up by appealing—with a fluency and rapidity which "defied all efforts at reporting"—to the employes of Mr. Twelvetrees to be grateful to their master.

The Rev. J. Wilson contributed a brief sketch of his own religions experiences, a brief summary of his clerical career, an account of a letter he had written and a visit he had paid to her Majesty, with a description of the surprise of her attendants at his expressing a pre- ference for water over wine. But the Queen, lie said, was not a person to love us less on account of our maintaining our principles. And he was not without hope of her Majesty's future conversion to piety and teetotalism. We are deeply indebted to her as a nation. God grant that her convictions may be yet more deepened, and that the glory of her character may come out with all the effulgence of the setting sun.

A person of the name of Payne, who appears to be, by profession at least, both a poet and assistant judge, was, however, the favourite and the lion of the evening. We cannot compliment the law upon the dignity or the good sense of its representative, who seems, from the applause and familiar notice with which he was received, to be the customary wag of the Tower` Hamlets. Augustus used to remark of two famous visitors at his table, that he sat between smiles and tears ; Mr. Twelvetrees is fortunate in being at once the owner of a weeping philosopher like Mr. Bucke, and of a laughing philo- sopher like Mr. Payne. After a display of damp comic fireworks, Mr. Payne wound up his performances with a few original stanzas in honour of the illustrious promoter of the greatest happiness of the greatest number. It would seem that it is the one thousand six hundred and nineteenth of the kind to which his own fertile brain has given birth :

" Working men of Bromley, Working men of Bow, March the march of progress, Singing as you go.

Twelvetrees is a jewel, Twelvetrees is a brick, And like fire to fuel We to him will stick. Twelvetrees is a master Honoured by us all, Oh! may no disaster Ever him befal.

Working men of Bromley, Working men of Bow, Twelvetrees has a partner, As you daily know.

Say—her praises sounding, May the joys of life

Ever be surrounding • Twelvetrees and his wife."

There is such an obvious similarity between the respective styles of Poet Close and Poet Payne, that we cannot but suspect they are connected. The Poet of the Lakes and the Poet of the Tower Hamlets remind us of one another forcibly. We find in both the same noble tendency to praise all truly great men. In this respect they resemble Pindar. Seated at the hospitable board of a second Hiero, Poet Payne takes up his harp to commemorate his patron's triumphs, and to encourage him to new efforts. Poet Close watches the achievements of his benefactors from a little distance, but with the same enthusiasm. If Mr. Payne should ever migrate from the Tower Hamlets, it will be a consolation to Mr. Twelvetrees and the men of Bow that they can easily supply his place. It is a credit to the Government that two such promising literary geniuses should be enjoying places or salaries in the gift of her Majesty's Ministers. Both Poet Payne and Poet Close may sing to Lord Palmerston what Catullus sang to Cicero :

" Gratias tibi maximas Catullus

Agit pessimus omnium poets Tanto pessimus omnium poets

Quanto to optima omnium patrons."

We acknowledge that the little peep which the Tower Hamlets Ex- press has permitted us to take at the inner life of the Tower Hamlets, is an agreeable and a refreshing one. Nos etiam Aims: in Arcadia. The Tower Hamlets, removed from the follies of the larger world, is, it seems, a little world in itself, like the Abyssinian valley of Rancho, with its sages, its statesmen, its poets, its philanthropists, and its king. What can it desire more! It enjoys the advantage of having a moral and enlightened journal, the privilege of hearing lectures on religion and science in a lecture-hall built for the purpose, and the presence of Mr. Twelvetrees, who, we trust, is performing for the Tower Hamlets in a small way, what St. Patrick did for Ireland in a large one. We are proud of finding that so near to our own doors, there is, metaphysically speaking, a little moral garden, where the voice of merit is heard alone, whither envy never comes, and where an incorruptible press, burning with charity and affection, proclaims honestly and fearlessly its admiration of all that is good and eminent. How can Mr. Twelvetrees have the heart to think of deserting such a little paradise for the rougher scenes of a political career? It is bettet to enjoy the affection of the high-minded inhabitants of the Tower Hamlets, and the friendship of a journal like the Tower Hamlets &press, than to be seated among the statesmen of the land.