The Press. — London, England, 1854-06-24 00:00:00

JuNE 24, 1854. HOME CIRCULATION. THE young King of Portugal is the town lion (a royal lion is the most terrible and taking of all). At Wool- wich ; at Portsmouth ; at every one of the London sights; at the houses of three duchesses in one night; with the Lord Mayor (and actually permitted to go over the Stook Exohange without being mobbed) ; at the last Caledonian ball ; to say nothing of the opera, the parks, and public gardens, has he presented himself, so everybody in London must have had a chance of meeting, staring at, and wondering about, this royal young gentleman of seventeen. At the botanic fete on Wednesday, which her Ma jesty and the Prince Consort attended, Mr. Turner, of Slough, sent a "perfection" pelargonium, which is to go down to Windsor. The Duke of Nor folk's gardener won honest rewards for his fruit. Some two thousand guests were summoned to the state ball on Tuesday at Buckingham Palace. The greatest attractions were Gibbon's classical statues of the Queen and Prince Consort "in the costume of heroic art, with a slight and delicate introduction of colour in the draperies and adjuncts of the figure." This tinging of statues is destroying the one artistic principle of the sculptor's art. No ono wishes a statue to be a reality. Lord Ellesmere has paid twelve hundred guineas for the " Francesca " by Delaroche, now in the French Gallery. There is a pleasant picture just added of the Empress of the French, by Dubufe file, who sold his widow's mite for two hundred and fifty guineas, Mme. Rachel, at Paris, has just lost her sister Rebecca, a very pretty, clever actress, of the Theatre Francais, who used to shine in Victor Hugo's Angelo as Catarina. Here, in our town, the Opera Lyrique extends its success. Mme. Cabel is the most natural of all the various Filles du Regiment who have sung the "Rataplan." She is piquante down to her very boots, the maker of which has been inquired after by more than one lady of distinction. The war is making our merchants turn their thoughts, long withheld, to India. There is the finest field in the world for flax and hemp, as also for the cheaper production of paper. The St. Peters burg hemp broke with a strain of 100 lbs., while the Indian varieties bore tests of 175 lbs. to 400 lbs. The strongest of all is the "Kote Kangra." The Royal Albert ship is being fitted for the Baltic. She is to have a complement of 1,000 men only. Everywhere the Jacks are scarce. The mer chant pay has risen 2/. per mensem for able hands since May. There's a very just hope expressed that this new " sea castle " be despatched to the Black Sea rather, for Admiral Dundas wants a larger flag ship. Her mainmast, weighing twenty-five tons, has been shipped. Heaven speed her wherever she goes ! It was a fine sight on Sunday to witness the con firmation of three hundred of the household brigade by the Bishop of London. He's a good hand at a ceremony where the rubric is strictly decisive and irresistible. The men seemed strongly impressed with what they went through. 'Twas like the opening of a prayer before battle. It is rumoured among our old officers wbo know the Russian army well, that the late accidents to Paskiewitsch, Luders, and other officers of distinc tion in the Russian army, were by "bullets with a sure billet." News from the: English camp states that in several instances the Russian privates have shot their own officers in the melie. Ella's Musical Union on Tuesday was as usual thronged with pretty faces: wherever they go you may be sure of crowded rooms. Ernst and Mlle. Clause in one of Mozart's quatuors, brimful with melodies, satisfied every one thoroughly. That charming pianists is liked everywhere, by nobody more than her Majesty; and though the Queen's band is directed for her, her taste is not; and in the petites soities you frequently can find "Little Clauss" as the profession familiarly call her. Mr. Charles Kean takes his benefit on Monday. He has catered well for the public, but his morals as a manager want mending, for he has certainly pro duced the wickedest drama on the English stage, let alone its irreverent and infidel tendencies. Faust and Marguerite ought to be burnt at the top of Oxford-street or in Torrington-square by the licenser of plays. Captain Owen, of the Department of Practical Art, has been summoning the various trades at the Society of Arts rooms in John-street, to elaborate arrange menta for their display at Paris next year. M.- Ttlt PRESS. tnsir. • PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY. THE programme of the eighth and last concert of the season, given on Monday last, was as follows : PART I.—Sinfonla In A, N 0.2, Memlehmolm—Seen, "Softly sighs" (Der Freiseltilts), Mine. Clara Novello,Webor--Concerto in E flat, Pianoforte, Herr Pacer, Beethoven—Aria, " Sorgete " (Maumetto Sesonio), Sig. Ballettt, Rossini —Overturs (Frei. , *eh iitz), Weber. . . PART ll.—Sinfonia In C minor,lleethoven—Duetto, " Cinque, dieci" (Le Nozze di Figaro), Mme. Clara Novelto and Sig. Mel lott', Mozart—Overture (Joasunda), Spohr. This concert, though not comprising one piece with which the public are unfamiliar, was, on the whole, very successful. Mendelssohn's symphony in A, No. 2, produced all its wciald enthusiasm, the se cond movement being, according to custom, rede mended and repeated. We contess that we never listened to this composition with greater pleasure ; and the progress it makes in our affection is the beet test of its merits as a work of art. We well remem ber the time when the applause and praise bestowed upon it, even in the presence of the composer, were very qualified, and now there is scarce a lover of music who will deny it to be the inspiration of a genius of the first order. The execution was almost without a fault. Beethoven's symphony in C miner calls for no remark. The unfortunate indisposition of M. Ernst having rendered his appearance impos sible, his place was supplied by M. Feuer, who per formed Beethoven's concerto in E flat. This com position (in point of structure and weight of instrumentation almost equal to a symphony ), in terpreted by so able a player, was the best consola tion the directors could administerto the subscribers for their disappointment. The overtures to Der Freischitz and Jessonda were well executed, though the effect of the former was much marred by the inaccuracies of the horns, caused, no doubt, by the excessive heat of the room. The vocal music was partly good, partly indifferent. We never heard Signor Belletti to greater advantage than in the aria, "Sorgete." The music is not of a very high order, but it, is essentially vocal, and, when delivered by an artist who can feel as well as execute, it cannot fail to delight such as appreciate good singing. Signor Bel letti gave his aria to perfection—his performance, in shore, could not be surpassed. We regret we cannot extend our commendation to Mme. Clara Novelle, though, it must be confessed, her execution of the scene from Der Freischiitz was perfectly successful with the audience and obtained great applause. This lady is a good musician and possesses a tine voice, but her method is bad, and she is so little endowed by nature with feeling and sensibility that she must be content to hold a second place in our estimation. On the whole, we think the directors have reason to congratulate themselves upon the results of the pre sent season. Of novelty, it is true, we have had but little ; but when did novelty succeed at concerts of this class unless backed by some name which was a warrant for its excellence ? It is idle to suppose that the public will subscribe in order to listen, night after night, to long, tedious symphonies, the work of masters who, though of unquestionable talent, have no pretensions to that high order of success which few have attained since music became an art. We think, however, that something might with advantage be done for novelty in the selection of the overtures and other lighter pieces. During the present season the specimens of overtures have been confined to compositions which, although ex tremely beautiful, are so well known that they have almost lost their interest now with audience and or chestra. We regret to say that we can report no satisfactory improvement in the vocal department. The directors have evidently endeavoured to effect something, but their attempt has been a failure. Their choice, it is true, has in general fallen upon classical pieces, but these, for the most part, have been so hackneyed and unsuited to the concert-room, that the change has not been for the better. The engagement of singers has been also the cause of dissatisfaction, and not without reason, seeing that Miss L. Pyne, who is undoubtedly the best English singer, has never appeared but once. Before taking our leave of these concerts until next year we must express our gratitude to the directors for abandoning the absurd practice of giving two symphonies and two concertos in the same evening, and generally for their efforts in shortening the con certs. This policy has proved very popnlar with the subscribers; and we hope to see it followed up next year by the promulgation of a request or suggestion that individual movements of symphonies may not be called for. Lord John Russell has appointed Mr. John F. Boileau his private secretary. Mr. Arthur Russell continues with his lordship in the same capacity. The curacy of St. Paul's church, Knightsbridge, in the diocese of London, has become vacant. It is in the gift of the Hon. and Rev. Robert Liddell, M.A. Ca 505 pram. HAYMARKET THEATRE. Miss REYNOLDS, one of the most accomplished and deservedly-popular of our actresses, took a benefit on Wednesday last, when she performed in Planche's new play, The Knights of the Round Table, and in Haynes Bayley's little drama, The Barrack lioom. In times past an actress of Miss Reynolds's class would have been considered as a representative of what was then termed "high comedy " ; but, now that the high comedy aforesaid has become an ex tinct species, Miss Reynolds is known to us as an artist who, more efibetually than any other lady on the stage, holds the mirror up to nature, shows society her feature, and the age and body of the Time his form and presence. Though she, no doubt, ex • eels in those parts where the lady of education or the woman of the world has to be represented, she is by no means unsuccessful characters which involve a deeper interest; and, if the power of expression and flow of sensibility which she unquestionably possesses were more under command and directed with greater knowledge of effect, she would soon become a serious actress of no mean pretensions. Her per ' formance in The Barrack Boom was exceedingly pleasing. Unassisted as she was, by even moderate ability, in the representatives of the other characters, it is only surprising that she obtained so decisive a success. We are happy to state that the house was exceedingly well attended. OLYMPIC. ROLSON'S benefit drew a crowded audience to this theatre on Wednesday night. In addition to The Wandering Minstrel and Hush Money, Wigan's clever farce of A Model of a Wife was reproduced for the occasion. CnEMORNE.—The summer weather of the last week has drawn large numbers of visitors to the Cremorne-gardens. The chief feature in the at tractions has been the novel and daring descent in a parachute by Mons. Letur, a French aeronaut., who, after two failures, owing to the want of ascending power in the balloon at another metropolitan estab lishment, succeeded in his attempt on Tuesday last. This admirable and courageous experiment will be repeated on Tuesday next. THE DECIMAL SYSTEM. A DEPUTATION from the society lately formed for the purpose of promoting the system of decimal coinage waited upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer oa Tuesday last t t urge upon the Government. the propriety of adopting that system. The deputation included Lord Monteagle, Lord Stanley, the Hon. H. Liddell, the Hon. Arthur Kinnaird, Sir Joshua Walmesley, Sir G. Strickland, Mr. Cobden, Mr. Dundee, Mr. Wilson Patten, Mr. H. Brown, Mr. Oliveira, and many other members of Parliament. Mr. H. BROWN, M.P., after explaining the object of the deputation to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, remarked that the decimal system of coinage wan either in existence or in course of adoption in Sweden, Holland, Belgium, Lombardy, the Zollvertsin. Poland, Switzerland, France, Rome, Sardinia, Greece, Ma deira, Spain, Portugal, South America, the United States of America, Canada, Bermuda, China, Japan, and Russia. Mr. GLADSTONE replied that with reference to the pro posal to issue new coins, it was necessary that the Government should previously have made up its mind not only as to the propriety of introducing a decinial system, but also that a pound should be the unit of account. Although they had had various commissions and com mittees upon the subject of a deeitual coinage, it bad not yet gone thmagh anything near that process of sifting amongst all classes of the comistrurity interested in the question that would make it itafe for the Government to take any decisive steps. There could not be a doubt that the decimal system of account would be of immense ad vantage ; even if there were a doubt', the high authority in favour of it would be resistless; bat with regard to a decimal system of coinage, they had not yet received suffi cient evidence as to the 'reuse and feeling of the com mercial claSses of the country. It was plain that the class who had really paid great attention to the subject, the commercial population, were certainly favourable to the general principle of a decimal coinage with a pound as the unit; but there were numerous musses of people who knew nothing of decimals, and who carried out their busi ness on a different system of account, with different divi skink ofi'etin,g some peculiar facilities , the omission of which would be lost if they adopted a decimal system. In his opinion this was a question on which the mere judg ment of the Government was of no importance. There were dome questions which were caned on the recom mendation of Government, and others by the convictions of the country, and some by a mixture of both. Now, this was one on which the feeling of the people must decide the whole question. lie frankly owned that he worthy no means convinced that they could get rid of the penny ; but lie made this admission to them, that nothing could be more unimportant than the opinion of himself, or env man in office. upon a subject of this nature. The question was— what did the country think? Were they prepared for this measure? It was a matter on which they could not take any decisive steps until it had undergone that sifting and ~i. ~ I