The Press. — London, England, 1854-06-10 00:00:00

concert of the season will take place on the 19th instant. FRENCH OPERA. WE do not think French opera is ever likely to become popular in this country. Its light instru mentation, conventional melodies, and unmeaning phrases, can never obtain that hold upon our coun trymen's affections that they have acquired over those of our lively and volatile French neighbours, for whose especial pleasure this school of music has been originated and maintained. Nevertheless, as we hold ourselves entirely catholic in art., so we gladly welcome this foreign exotic ; and it gives us much pleasure to see it installed, for a time at least, in one of our dramatic temples, especially when it possesses so effective an exponent a.s Madame Marie Cabel. This lady became the rage in Paris in October last, and has ever since, as prima donna of the Theatre Lyrique, continued to enjoy a large share of public favour. Her voice, like most French voices, is thin and piercing in quality, but she possesses great powers of execution, and, if she has not the gift of expression and feeling in any large proportion, her intonation is at least irreproachable, and her style quite in accordance with the music she has to sing. She was very well received, and throughout the evening loudly and deservedly applauded. It will be only charity to make no mention of the singers by whom she was assisted. Le Bijou Perdu, by Adolphe Adam, the opera selected for the first appearance of the company, is a very poor specimen of the school of music to which it belongs ; and, though no part could be better calculated than that of Toinon for displaying what the Italians call the agility of the voice, we trust we shall soon have an opportunity of hearing Madame Cabel in some opera of greater pre tensions. The orchestra was conducted by M. lie loffre, who formerly resided in London, and was well known as a violin-player. He is now the director of the music at the Theatre Lyrique in Paris. E4t pram. ADELPHI THEATRE. THE occasion of Mme. Celeste's benefit on Wednes day last drew a crowded house ; and well it might, for not only was there the attraction of the fair lady herself, but that of a new farce by Mr. Mark Lemon, entitled A Moving Tak, in which Mr., Mrs., and Miss Keeley enacted the principal parts. This little piece displays considerable ingenuity on the part of the talented author, who has worked old materials into such a very pleasant shape as to obtain a decisive success. The plot turns upon the miseries of Gran disan, a clerk (acted by Mr. Keeley), whose gorman dising propensities lead him into a variety of scrapes, not the least being a domestic row which takes place between himself and his sweet helpmate (Mrs. Keeley). The acting of this pair of admirable artists was inimitable, and convulsed the audience with laughter. Miss Keeley, as a slattern servant girl, appeared for the first time in a new line of cha racter, and did good service. OLYMPIC. GEORGE DANCE'S Hush Money—so great a favourite in the days of Liston—was revived at this theatre on Wednesday last with signal success ; for the part of the hero, Touchwood, is as well suited to Mr. Rob son's peculiar talent as any character in which he has yet appeared. The plot turns upon Touchwood believing—erroneously of course—that he has been accessory to the death of a young woman, and that the fact lies within the knowledge of a water man, Tom Tiller (Mr. Emery). Touchwood overloads Tom, who in reality knows nothing of the matter, with presents and civility to procure his silence ; and in the end the lost young woman reappears alive, to the satisfaction of all parties. The situations of this piece afford Mr. Robson scope for the exhibition of that earnest intensity and serio-comic power he so well knows how to portray; and, the construction and dialogue being extremely good, that effective acting which Mr. Wigan's company never fail to supply is all that is required to make the farce amusing. Mr. Emery was excellent as Tom Tiller, and Mrs. Wigan showed that she is by no means inferior to Mrs. Urger, her predecessor in the part of Sally. PRINCESS'S.—We are compelled to postpone our notice of From Village to Court till next week. Ina* art, Sittraturt, AMONG the presents preparing for the Prince and Princess of Prussia's " silver-wedding " day is an al bum to which the most celebrated member 3 of the Dusseldorf School of Painting will contribute speci mens of their talent. It will contain thirty-five land scapes, six religious, fourteen historical, thirteen Rhenan legendary, and nine subjects of popular life in the Rhenan provinces. COUNT SPARRE has now taken out a patent in Sweden for his new method of manufacturing un forgeable bank paper, stamped bills, Jcc. THE PRESS. THE military relief-map in Stockholm, seventy-two square feet in size, with moveables figures showing the progress of the war in the East, has been so suc cessful that an additional one has been opened to the public. THE NEW TELEGRAPH between Grisslehamn and Upsnla (Stockholm) has been executed with great rapidity. It was not commenced till April, and the distance is nearly seventy English miles. The frost in the ground and the nature of the locality offered great hindrances. On this line occurs the first under water telegraph heard of in Sweden—namely, between Witddon, the peninsula, or rather island, on which Grisslehamn is situated, and the mainland. This is a distance of 3'20 ells. A COMPANY OF SVANISH DANCERS made their &but on Saturday last at the Paris Gymnase. The Em peror and Empress come on purpose from St. Cloud to witness their performance. The principal per sonage was a Senora Perea Nene, who appeared in London about ten years ago. The clibut was highly successful. The astounding pirouettes familiar to amateurs of the ballet were accompanied by novel and expressive gesticulation, which the Empress, with national pride, was observed to explain to the Emperor at the back of the imperial box. THE fourth session of the Imperial Academy of Science at Vienna took place on the 30th ult. Baron Bach opened it with a neat and impressive intro ductory speech ; whereupon Chevalier Baumgarten, the Minister of Finance, held a highly interesting discourse on "The Chances in Natural Philosophy." Then Dr. Shroter, the secretary of the academy, read a clever statement on the activity hitherto displayed by the academy. He was followed by the vice presi dent (M. von Karajan), who spoke on "Henry Teichner, an Austrian poet of the 14th century ;" and Professor Brucke, who amused and interested the audience with a discussion on domestic animals of labour in general, including the carnivorous dogs of the hyperborean regions. The attendance was numerous and brilliant. A FRENCH STEAMER iS being fitted out in the port of Varna for purposes of scientific inquiry; for English and French interests alike demand such a scientific examination of the coasts of the Euxine. The tides, currents, and winds which prevail there are to be carefully observed and noted down on the charts, with the rocks, shoals, and banks, and other impedi ments to the navigation. IN Holstein orders have been given that all works under six sheets are to he regarded as newspapers, and treated accordingly. The press is forbidden to discuss the present system of neutrality. DR. ALTSCHUL lately delivered a lecture on "Faust" at the Marylebone Literary and Scientific Institution, and met with marked success. That a large au dience should assemble in London to hear a German, in the English language, analyse and explain the great dramatic poem of Germany is in itself a sign of the times and of the affinities which exist between the German and the English mind. The learned lecturer, after remarking that " a complete com mentary on Faust' would itself fill many bulky volumes, and even then the subject would not be exhausted," said all he could attempt was "by some sketches, more or less characteristic, of the three principal personages, to illustrate the vivid imagina tion, the productive intellect, and mental power of the drama." "Faust" he considers is a "poetical autobiography, a journal of the writer's thoughts and feelings, which he wrote and corrected, sometimes by additions and sometimes by alterations, for forty years." He pointed out the satire of the prologue, which he thought worthy of Aristophanes ; and, after reading several specimens, came at length to the "real tragedy," 4which opens with the scene in heaven. Of this Dr. Altschul says that it is " one of the boldest conceptions in the language ; and, though Milton or Kloptock might have equalled it, yet they have left us nothing which can be at all compared with it in daring." This is the only occa sion on which we have heard this scene criticised without a reference to Job, from which it is obviously adopted. We could have wished, too, that one so well qualified for the task as the learned doctor would have expressed an opinion on the relative merits of the several translations of "Faust," and especially of the scene in heaven, the most sublime in the whole poem. This he nowhere does. Indeed, the lecture is almost confined to an explanation of the poet's meaning and of the excellences of the poem, elucidated and illustrated by numerous selec tions from the latter. One epithet only struck us as strange. Speaking of the church scene, the doctor says, "the trumpet voice of the evil spirit drowns the pious hymn and the solemn peal of the organ." Surely the whisper of the fiend is the right word, and to us seems more sublime. The idea is, not that a "trumpet voice" overpowers the organ, but that its rolling peal and the swelling hymn cannot drown the whispered promptings of despair. After dwelling at some length on the dialogue between Mephistopheles and Martha, the lecturer concluded with a concise, eloquent, and rapid summary of the closing scenes of I the wondrous drama. MMMIEN SATURDAY, Enibtrsitg, Ititiltgout. OXFORD. THE class list for the first public examination of the pre. sent term was issued on Thursday. The following is th e list of clansmen and winners of prizes : Class I.—Charles T. Arnold, Corpus ; John C. Browne, Cor- pus; 'Thomas B. Buchanan, Exeter; James S. Cattlow, tit. John's; Arthur M. Curteis, Trinity; Horatio Davey, University; George R. Dunbar, New; John J. G. Evered, Magdalen wintara T. Jones, Pembroke; George W. Price. Magdalen; William F. Rawdon, Wellman; Joseph Tanner, Qui3eu's. Grassi 11.—Charles J . Abbey, Lincoln ; Edward B. 'anger, Pembroke; Edward Bartrum, Pembroke; Edward Bulkley, Lin coin; John Burrough, Queen's; Alfred J. Coleridge, University ; Robert J. Dundas, Exeter ; Charles H. Everett, Balliol; John F. Gosling, Banjul ; Edward P. Grant, New; Thomas R. Halcomb, Brasenose ; Samuel C. Hamerton, University; Henry G. Harper, Merton; Edward Hawkins, Balliol ; James B. H. Hawkins, Mer ton; Hobert Henniker, Trinity; Henry Longley, Christ Church; William H. Morino, Jesus; Capel J. Sewell, lirasenose; William B. Shepherd, Queen's ; Albert Smith, Lincoln ; lion. J. B. L. Warren, Christ Church; William F. Wilberforce, University; Cornelius Witherby, Lincoln. PRIZES LWARDLDI Chancellor's Prize (Latin verse).—" Sins et ipsa Roma viribus ruit," Mr. Alfred Blomtield, scholar of Balliol. English Essay.—" The Effects of Commerce upon Chris. tiamty," Mr. T. F. Fremantle, BA., Balllol. Latin Essay.—" Quaniarn fuerint proecipue In cause (sod Aristotelis in fictions praivaluerit" (not awarded). Sir Roger Newdigate's Prize (English verse).—"The Martyrs of Vienne and Lyons," Mr. F. G. Lee, Edmund Hall. MR. WILLIAM INGE, 8.A., Scholar, was on Tuesday ad. mitted Fellow of Worcester College ; and Messrs. Daniels and Tomlinson were elected Scholars on the foundation of Mrs. Sarah Eaton. On the same day Messrs. Pentreath and Phelps were elected Bible Clerks of the same col• lege. Tuz Rev. John Pnrchaae, M.A., Christ's College, Cam- bridge, and Rev. Philip It. Power, Trinity College, Dublin, have been admitted " ad eundem." THE following degrees have been conferred : B.D.—Rev. John Rijaud, Rev. Thomas F. Smith, Magdalen. M.A.—Charles B. Musgrave, Christ Church, Grand Cora. pounder; Henry Id. Batty, Merton; Rev. John B. Byrne, Fre. derick K. Cock, 'University; John G. Smith, Balliol; Alexander lirodie, Trinity ; Frederick Swaine, Worcester; Rev. Henry R. Sandford, Magdalen Hall; Rev. William T. Sankey, New•ian Hall; Rev. Edward Pemberton, Jesus; Rev. Frederick Shaw, Grand Compounder, Lincoln: Rev. Peter Goldsmith Medd,Uni veniity; Thomas Godfrey Fawssett, Frederick Ellis Thorold, and Edgar Hyde, Christ Church ; Rev. Edward John Thompson, Christ Church; Rev. Augustus Henry Eugene de Roinestin, St. John's; Rev. David Owen James, Jesus; Rev. Charles Henry Leigh I.ye, Wadhain; Rev. Edward Nelson Yeatman, Wadbam; Rev. John Wicklif Pantln, Pembroke; Rev. William Be Quette• villa, Pembroke; Rev. William Edward Green, Worcester; Rev. Thomas Samuel Fraser Rawlins, Worcester; Rev. Jacobus Leo nerd Fish, St.. Mary Hall; Alfred Earle, Magdalen Hall. B.C.L.—Hon. Edward Portman, All Souls'. B.A.—William Wilder, Grand Compounder, New; Edward L Fox, Balliol; William Longrigg, Queen's ; William Alexander, Bnuienose; Graham Hastings, Worcester; Charles Irvine Wini berley, Univerrity. Ett gtrmg. WAR-OFFICE, Juira 6. MERIORANDUM. — Her Majesty has been pleased to ap prove of all first appointments of gentlemen to commissions in the Fusilier and Rile Regiments being in future made in the rank of Ensign and not Second Lieutenant as here tofore, which latter grade is abolished prospectively from this date; and her Majesty has been further pleased to ap prove of the Subalterns m the 7th Fusiliers consisting prospectively of the same number of Lieutenants and Ensigns as in other regiments of infantry of the line, and not of Lieutenants only as heretofore. 4th Regiment of Di agoon Guards—Sergeant-MajorJ. G. Drake to be Quartermaster, vice Thompson, appointed Quartermaster to a Cavalry Depot. 6th Dragoons—R. G. Kelly, Gent., to be Veterinary Surgeon, vice Hellen, appointed to a Cavalry Deptit. 6th Regiment of Foot—Lieutenant F. W. Goro to be Captain, by purchase, vice Webb, who retires ; Ensign L. It. Hole to be Lieutenaht, by purchase, vice Gore ; T. B. Hackett, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Hole. 10th Foot--J. Tulloch, Gent., to be Assistant Surgeon, vice Webb, promoted on the Staff. 211th Foot—Lieutenant E. F. Anstey to be Captain, by purchase, vice Tomson, who retires ; Lieutenant M. Turner to be Captain, by purchase, vice Dewar, who retires; Ensign C. E. Parkinson to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Anstey; Ensign W. D. S. Dickens to be L ieu t e nant,. by purchase, vice Turner; L. Kekewich, Gent. , to be Ens ign, by purchase, vice Dickens; W. V. Maskelyne, Gent.,to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Parkinson. 20th Foot—Lieutenant W. F. Kerrich to be Captain, by purchase, vice Wallace, whose promotion on the 21st April, 1854, is to be cancelled; Ensign E. Day to be Lieu tenant, vice Kerrich; J. Armstrong, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Day. 34th Foot—W. Haward, Gent., to be Assistant Surgeon. 39th Foot—Staff Surgeon of the Second Class G. T. Woodman, M.D., to be Surgeon, vice Reid, appointed to the Staff. 43rd Foot—Lieut. L. Graham to be Captain, by pup chase, vice Weyland, who retires ; Ensign H. B. Henson to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Graham ; H. J. Ber ners, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Howson. 54th Foot—A. Herrick, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur chase, vice Hardinge, who retires. 55th Foot—Sergeant 0. Green to be Quartermaster, vice Grigg, who retires upon half-pay. 84th Foot—Ensign H. Currie to be Lieutenant, by pur chase, vice Page, who retires; T. S. Bigge, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Currie. Ist West India Regiment--Lieut. H. Anton to be . Cap tain, without purchase, vice Hammi ll , deceased; Loup L '