The Press. — London, England, 1858-10-30 00:00:00

1064 might still have preserved his imitations under a more musicianly treatment. During bars 11, 12, 13, and 14, page 20, the harmonic progressions commencing with the chord of the minor second on D natural, are not only strikingly introduced and appropriate to the sentiment of the song, but perfectly pure and " clean:" why then does Mr. Thomas give us an unclean chord immediately after, in bar 15 of the same page ? Why is the B flat suspending the A natural of the 6-3 chord on the subdominant of G minor doubled in the lower octave, and held on there even after the resolution of the upper suspended tone ? Ilere, again, as it appears to us, we have evidence of that unconscientious haste and carelessness of which we have com plained, and several more instances of thought lessness might be cited from other portions of the six songs—cases of clumsy arrangement, where chords are taken in bad positions, &c. We will, however, now turn to the more agree able side of the question, and gladly award to Mr. Thomas the praise to which he is justly entitled. No. 1 is by far the best of the six songs, and the beauties it includes may be regarded as the most perfect manifestation of those musical powers which arc evidenced in a greater or lesser degree throughout the other pieces belonging to the same set. The subject of the song immediately under notice is a very old, yet always new one— love ; and the poetry, beginning Deep in my " soul that tender secret dwells," is, we need scarcely say, by Lord Byron. Air. Thomas's music is thoroughly imbued with the tender, im passioned, now despairing, now wildly exulting spirit of the verses. Its tones and accents rise and fall with those of the poet, and sound not only echoes sense, but adds materially to its force and beauty. The purely technical merits of this charming little effusion are a well-defined and symmetri cally-rhythmed melodic outline, excellent treat ment of the voice, a due observance of the laws of contrast, and neatness of form, with that dis criminating adaptation of all means to an end which imparts completeness to the simplest efforts of the muse, and invests them with a genuine artistic character. The other songs belonging to this set are en titled respectively "La Primola," "My Mary's no more," " The Queen of Night," " Thou Art the Star," and " The Suppliant's Prayer." THE PRESS, OCTOBER 30, 1858. Ztt granta. Ova dramatic. record for the week affords but little scope for comment. All the houies now open con tinue to rely on pieces already established in popular favour, and to reserve novelties for a later period in the theatrical season. At the PRINCESS'S, King John, which has been played nightly to crowded and enthusiastic audiences, be withdrawn on Monday for the reproduction of another of Mr. Kean's splendid revivals, Macbeth, with which it will be played on alternate nights during the coming week. The . HAYMARKET draws well with Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mathews in London Assurance, and the former in He would be an Actor. It is stated that a comic drama by Mr. William Brough, in which they will sustain the lead►ng characters, will shortly be produced. We are happy to t;nnounce that the health of Miss Amy Seduwick is almost completely restored, and this popular favourite is to reappear at the Haymarket in a new comedy written for her by Mr.yalgrave Simpson. The ENGLISH &MA COMPANY continue their suc cessful campaign at Old Drury with the Rose of Jas tile and Martha, which have been played alternately. Wallace's celebrated opera Maritana will be produced for the first time this season on Monday. The LYCEUM season, one of the most prosperous on record—success being mainly due to the comedy of Extremes ; or, Men of the Day—terminated on Saturday with the benefit of the author and manager. Mr. Falconer, in taking his farewell of his patrons, announced his intention of reopening the theatre on Boxing•night with a company including Mr. and Mrs. Keeley and Miss Louisa Keeley, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Young. That admirable dansense, Miss Rosina Wright, is engaged for the burlesque, which owes its authorship to the prolific pen of Mr. Robert Brough. The scenery is to be painted by Mr. Calcott. The OLYMPIC still adheres to the new drama of The Red Vial as the chief attraction in its bill of fare ; and at the STRAND three of the latest novelties, including an admirable operatic burlesque, draw good houses. MUSif. M. JULT.IEN'S CONCERTS.—This popular maestro will inaugurate his twentieth and last series of con certs at the Lyceum Theatre on Monday. Amongst the attractions offered, and which promise a rich musical treat, is the appearance for the first time of the celebrated violinist Wieniawski. running along at full speed, perceived that he was dragged by the kite, and followed him as fast as b e could ; but being unable to come up w i t h him, he shouted at the top of his voice to Let go ; there was a man killed in a thunderstorm by the lightning of a kite. When Power beard these words, he shouted with redoubled vigour, but could not extricate him. self until, after the distance mentioned, lie was stopped by a high stone wall, the top of which, being coped, cut the cord, and set at liberty the kite and its owner, who was almost lifeless with fatigue and fright." glom glarket anb ditg Nnttiliptc. FRIDAY EVENING. THE return of the Bank of Engiaud for the week ending Wednesday last, the 27th inst., shows the following changes compared with that for the week preceding : Decrease in Circulation.... £301,808 Increase in Public Deposits .. Decieusa in Other Deposita 478,304 Decrease in Securities Decrease in Bullion Increase in Rest ...... 3,3813 Increase in Reserve Bullion in both Departments Circulation, including Bank Post _ Bills The principal feature in this comparison is the evi dence it contains of the continuous absorption of bullion. This week the diminution is not much short of 150,0001.; while we know from the official report, published in this evening's Gazette, that the actual export has been upwards of 499,0001., including about 103,0001. in silver. As engagements are outstanding for a further export to the Continent, it is obvious that a reduction in the minimum rate of discount to two and a half per cent.—a policy that would enlarge the continental demand—is not to be expected. The circulation is declining, although a large amount of Private Deposits have been withdrawn, and the effect is seen in the addition to the Reserve, which Wings the notes up to 11,760,900/. The Private Securities are still falling, a sure indication that the discount business of the Bank is declining. It will be observed that a large addition has again been made to the Public Deposits. Thus early in the quarter they amount to en aggregate of 6,130,0001., a fact which confirms the impression that the Chancellor of the Exchequer will probably make a serious.effort to extinguish a large portion of the Exchequer Bond debt. Henry's Royal Modern Tutor for the Pianoforte. London : D'Ahnaine and Co. Tun above work, which it appears has already reached its twentieth edition, is one of the best as well as the most popular " beginning-books" of the present day. .The instructions are copious, and expressed in plain, simple language, such as children may readily understand. All passages arc carefully and ingeniously fin gered, and particular attention is paid to the study of musical "time," a subject of paramount importance to all who would become efficient players or singers, but which, for some unac countable reason, is but very superficially dealt with in most of our instruction books. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. BOOKS. The Maid of Norway. A Romantic Comedy, in Five Acts. By John Wadlie.—Marlb , ,rough. Principles of Social and Political Economy.—W. Atkinson. Life, its Nature, Varieties, and Phenomena. By Leo H. Grindon —Whittaker end Co. The Mothee, and Other Poems.' By Bryan Yorke, B.A.— Saunders and Otley. An Essay on the Physical Constitution of the Celestial Bodies. By John Widdup, A.B —Saunders and Otley. Phantasies. By George Maadonall—Sm kb, Elder and Co. Sylvan Holt's Daughter. By Holme Lee. Three Vols. Smith, Elder, and Co. Checkmate. A Tale.-13.mtley. A Summer and Winter in ►he Two Sicilies. By Julia Ka vanagh.—Hurat and Blackett. PAXPIILETS. The Tax wpm Paper.—Ridgway. MUSIC. Th.. Harmonium Museum. A Collection of 100 pieces of a Sacred and Secular Character.—Blosey and Sons. I saw He► in the Violet Time. Words by R. Story. Music by E. H. Prout.—Boosey and Sons. Da ,break. Song, by Longfellow. Music by Balfe.— B Huey and Sons. Lorl Lovell'e Waltz. By Henri Laurent.—Boosey and Sons. 51. Cloud Waltzes. By Charles Lyon.—Boosey and Sons. CANTERBURY HALL, one of the most popular of its class as a place of amusement, has been further im proved by the addition of a picture•gallery containing a fine collection of paintings, chiefly by modern masters. The praiseworthy object of the proprietor, Mr. Morton, in thus combining the fine arts with music, is to raise the character of such entertain- Incas, and, at the same time, to elevate the tastes of the working classes. MR. Warrenotise, late electrician to the Atlantic Telegraph Company, has come forward and offered his services again to the undertaking. He states that he does this from a feeling of duty, as being so largely identified with the inception of the project; and also because be is convinced that the cable is readily recoverable. He theretore asks permission to make the necessary examination, and if that should be satisfactory to his judgment, he offers to reopen communications with Newfoundland at his own risk, and to maintain it open at a moderate per centage on the receipts. The American papers say the cable will never be put right until Mr. Hughes, an American electrician, gets charge of it. LAMARTINE, the unfortunate poet and retired statesman, writing to M. Pailuxene Boyer from . Saint Point, his country seat, near Macon, says :—" I am here but for a moment; I have come to take, in all probability, a last adieu of my native home, and to remove the furniture beture the place is put up to auction. It' within three months France does not respond to our appeal, I shall leave her soil that I may nut die upon it. Ne quidem owl." A DANGEROUS FLIGHT is thus described in an Irish journal :—" A young man named Power, residing at Castlecomer, went a few evenings ago to tly what he termed a Spanish kite, of very large dimensions. Having adjusted the cord and tail, it rapidly ascen d e d with a brisk breeze until it had taken the full length of the cold, which became entangled r oun d P ower ' s hand. The wind increasing, he was drawn a distance of nearly half a mile in the greatest agony, the cord cutting into the bone. The Rev. Mr. Penrose, the Protestant curate of the parish, seeing the man running and shouting, at one time raised off the ground for a distance of some perches, and again The supplies of money remain exceedingly ample, anti the amount of capital waiting emplovntoit, but unable to find it, is almost fabulous. Large sums have, during the week, been offered to be placed with the Joint-stock Banks at a nominal interest, and though some have been accepted, the policy of those establishments has been to discourage such deposits. Their reserves are already larger than they can employ. Some of the discount houses have experienced the same thing. Thus, with so much capital yielding no return to the owners, but with a natural desire on their part to make it preductive, the market, as a necessary consequence, has been easy. At the same time the demand has slightly increased. The period is at hand when a consider able amount of commercial acceptances must be provided for, and mercantile transactions being upon the increase there is necessarily a better inquiry for money. But it is not one either from its cuaracter or its extent calculated to affect the magnitude of the supplies or the scale of rates. In character it arises out of a legitimate and safe extension of business, business which yields enough in the amount and the rapidity of its returns to enable the merchant, manu facturer, or dealer, to be in a great measure indepen dent of the discount market. In other words, the bulk of transactions now, particularly among the manufacturing classes, are effected by means of the resources which they themselves are creating. In no branch is this so apparent as among that exten sive interest, the makers of machinery, the produc tion of which has the world for its market, and the demand for which appears to be illimitable. In extent the demand is comparatively small. It bears no proportion to the development of commerce within the last two or three months, simply from the fact that the non-credit system is found convenient and satisfactory to all parties. It is obvious from the existing state of things that any great increase in the inquiry for capital will indicate a speculative movement intended to be carried on by resources temporarily obtained for the purpose. The rates this week have averaged about two and a quarter per cent., though to-day the best bills might have been done at two per cent. For secondary and inferior paper two and a half per cent. is required, and in some cases not less than three; but few, very few, Will consent to pay this price.