The Press. — London, England, 1858-09-11 00:00:00

THE HEREFORD MUSICAL FESTIVAL. I A MEETING of the stewards of the late Hereford Festival has just been held at Hereford to audit the accounts and ascertain the results, which exceed the anticipations of all parties. The deficiency exceeds that of the last festival by about 100/. ; this excess will have to be divided among twenty-five stewards. • The receipts on behalf of the Clergymen's Widows' and Orphans' Charity are greater by nea:ly than the receipts at the last triennial festival in 1855. Several additional subscriptions have lately been received to add to the donations collected at the doors of the cathedral. The new subscriptions include _ _ 1001. from Miss Wolferston, of Tamworth ; 251. from - - Lord Bateman ; and 10/. each from Canons Poole and Lee. 'These make the general . subscriptions 9001. The Worcester dividend of 601. is yet to come, and with some further donations it is hoped 1,(x101. will be realized; 914/. was the sum collected for the charity in 1855. Preparations for the next Hereford meeting in 1861 have commenced ;fourteen stewards have been secured, and it is intended to establish a guarantee fund amongst tha city tradesman. A good deal of the success of the late meeting is attributable to the exertions of M r. Townsend Smith, the conductor and honorary secretary, and the stewards passed the following resolution on the subject : That the thanks of the stewards be given to Mr. Townsend Smith for his indefatigable exertions in making the necessary arrangements for the late musical festival, and bringing it to a successful issue. Thanks were also voted to the lord bishop and to the chairman. ite prma. THE PRINCESS'S.—The namo of Mr. Charley Kean has become so thoroughly identified with the Princess's that the announcement of his approaching retirement from its directorship will be received with regret by all who have witnessed the part he has played in an important era of the British drama. During his brilliant career the first tragedian of the day has demonstrated the possibility of uniting in _ _ landscape in the background—has been judiciously chosen and well treated byithe artist, Mr. Caldcott. The present sea=on was ushered in with the old- fashioned comedy, The Way to Keep Him, Mrs. Sinclair playing the widow Belmour. A ballet, enti tled The Daughter of the Guadalquirer, afforded an opportunity for the reappearance of the popular Spanish dancer Senora News Perea. The plot is excessively slight, like all of the same character, but with agency of " lavoltas high and swift corantos," or steps weich at least convey a pretty accurate notion of the meaning of the words, it was quite sufficient to insure the stamp of approval from an audience whose presence, at least, belied the oft repeated phrase, " There is not a soul in town." THE STUAND.—Miss Swanborough reopened her little dramatic boudoir on Monday with a light piece by Mr. Charles Selby, who is at once author and actor. The Last of the Pigtails is the name of severance, however, filially triumphs. Thu piece, which, though in one act, may fairly rank as a comedy, was well put on the stage, and bids fair to maintain that success which it unequivocally achieved on its first representation. . . . , . . . ~ .. , . . THE S,P.RESSEPTEMBER 11, 1858. RAC ....* THE HEREFORD MUSICAL FESTIVAL. this work, built of such slight materials that it may Henry and Mrs. IVhitmore Lady Catherine Legge, se William Harrington, Lady Guernsey, Sir William A MEETING of the stewards of the late Hereford be said there is literally no plot. It is throughout a and , party, Mr. C. N. Newdegate battle between new theories and old prejudices, the ITartopp Festival has just been held at Hereford to audit the former being represented by Miss Swanborough, a and lia LMarsdy. Newdegate, Ur. C. .Shaw and party, Mr. M.P., Lady Clifford Constable, the accounts and ascertain the results, which exceed the young lady of the reforming school, who has married Samuel Beal, anticipations of all parties. The deficiency exceeds a gentleman of highly antiquated notions, played to Hon. Colonel and Mrs. Paget, Mr. and Mrs. Dawes , Perfection . by Mr. Selby himself. One 1:3 , One the t he Misses Sammie and parte, Mrs. Perry and party, ' • • that of the last festival by about 100/. ; this excess Mr. T. Bedford and Miss Bedford , r. J. Rawliri d s will have to be divided among twenty-five stewards. husband yields the customs of his early days to the fascinations of the fair reformer, but when his pigtail and party, Mr. James Shaw, Mr. E. Bullock and The receipts on behalf of the Clergymen's Widows' is attacked, he sticks to this last ' vestige of barbarism , Mr. Shepherd, Mr. Oliver Pemberton and Mrs. and Orphans' Charity are greater by nearly 1011/. with all the tenacity of a mandarin. Womanly per- andseverance, however, filially triumphs. Thu piece, peawerton, Mr. Thomas Lane and Mrs. Lane, Mr. than the receipts at the last triennial festival in 1855. Mrs Elwell and party, Mr. R. W. Johnson and - • Several additional subscriptions have lately been l which, though in one act, may fairly rank as a par ty, Mr. John Scholefield, Mr. Carleton Baynes and Miss Baynes, Mr. William Ilarley of Shrews- received to add to the donations collected at the doors r. of the cathedral. The new subscriptions include comedy, was well put on the stage and bids fair to bury, Mr. Walter Williams, Mr. W. I'. Manning, maintain that success which it unequivocally achieved Mr. C. W. Elking ton and lad y , Mr. 'l'. B. Matthews, ' 100/. from Miss Wolferston, of Tamworth ; 25/. from on i ts fi rst representat i on. Lord Bateman ; and 10/. each from Canons Poole - Mr. Alfred Eva ns and Mrs. Evans, Mr. Westley Richard ttc. s, Rev. R. and Mrs. Sergeant, Mr. Frederick and Lee. These make the general subscriptions 900/. The Worcester dividend of 60/. is yet to come, THE CRYSTAL Peresce.-Amongst the many and varied attractions which the "People's Palace " at Iludson, Sydenham holds out as an inducement to rational The total receipts on Thursday were 3,477/. 155., and with some further donations it is hoped 1,000/. '" following, and on Friday 1,461/. 3s. lid. Ihe dis. will h be realized; . 914/. was the sum collected for the c an . ty in 1855. recreation, none take higher rank titan the exhibi- tions of flowers and fruit periodically held within the shillings and pence, is a comparison of the carding Preparations for the next Hereford meeting in building so admirably adapted to the purpose. The gross attendance and receipts with those of 1855 :- 1861 have commenced; fourteen stewards have been last grand exhibition of the season, which opened on TUESDAY. Corresponding Day 1835. Persons. ltecpts. Persons. Recpts, secured, and it is intended to establish a guarantee Wednesday, was decidedly the best ever witnessed in El6ah Evening Concert 1,051 .... 651 - •••• - the success of the late meeting is attributable to the conservatory in which had been gathered a rare WEDNESDAY. Eli E ven ing Concert 1,166 .... 71 4 THURSDAY. following resolution on the subject :- Messiah Evening Concert 1,198 .... 688 FRIDAY. Townsend Smith for his indefatigable exertions in making sion, the attendance was large enough to testify how Judith, &c - - - - a successful issue it and bringing to . Totals 11.,201 £10,009 12 , 020 410, / ,11 in this country. and to to the lord bishop were also voted The produce of the seven performances is therefore Thanks - i harman. 5571. less than on the former occasion , but , as a con• the chairman. THE COLONY OF VICTORIA. siderable reduction has been made in the expendS TIIE following are extracts from the interesting Lure, it is estimated that the net sum available for gte Pratt ire the benefit of the hospital will nearly equal that report of the Registrar-General of Victoria on the realized by the last triennial festival. -- progress and statistics of that colony from 1851 to THE PRINCESS'S.-The name of Mr. Charles Kean 1858, a period during which that dependency has - THE LEEDS MUSICAL FESTIVAL. has become so thoroughly identified with the occupied a prominent position as a distinct member HARDLY had the loud roar of cannon proclaimed to the Princess's that the announcement of his approaching of the empire of Great Britain :- good people of Leeds the departure of royalty than retirement from its directorship will be received TERRITORY AND CLIMATE.-This territory, extending with regret by all who have witnessed the part he has eastward from the 141 st to the 150 th degree of east lon - the gentle strains of music ushered in tile great gitude, and embracing from north to south the immense played in an important era of the British drama. musical festival of 1858. Two great events in a district lying between the River Murray and Baas's Straits, During his brilliant career the first tragedian of the comprehends an area which is estimated at 90,000 square week generally bring with them their inconveniences ; - miles, and being the most southerly part of New Rolland, but here their proximity was rather favourable than day has demonstrated the possibility of in uniting enjoys a comparatively cool climate, and is therefore found otherwise, inasmuch as all the flaunty emblems of a one person the accomplished actor and the practical to be peculiarly well adapted to the European eonstitution. jubilee, banners, flap, and mottoes, which had manager. Refined taste and scholarly research have The mean temperature of the year 1e57, according to already done duty in the presence of the Queen of enabled him to present the great works of the the observations takcii at the Government Observatory, England, were retained to pay homage to Apollo. immortal bard as truthful pictures of the age, never Melbourne, was 59 0, being only 9 . 6 degrees higher than There was also a cause for self-rejoicing in the cit.• losing sight in the gorgeous spectacles which dazzled the temperature of Greenwich. The highest mean monthly cumstance that the huge " welcomes " which every- the eyes of those minute accessories which rendered temperature in Melbourne was 72:3 and the lowest 49 . 4, body felt was applicable to the Sovereign on the the whole perfect. The Merchant of Venice, one of being a difference of 22 . 9; while the highest mean monthly temperatnre at Greenwich is 61.8 and the lowest, Tuesday might be very safely appropriated by each those revivals which have so materially contributed 3814, being a difference of 23 degrees. The diurnal individual as a deserving recognition of his merit or to place the Princess's in the first rank amongst our ranges of temperature in the summer season, however, importance on the Wednesday. principal theatres, closed the season on Friday, the are sometimes very considerable. The festival has commenced very successfully, 3rd ins[., and on the conclusion of the play Mr. Kean POPULATION.-The first settlement or the country, which, and the Leeds Infirmary, the charity to which the appeared before the curtain and delivered the follow- Recording to. this 1 stimate, equals in extent England, proceeds are devoted, will, if we may judge from the lag address :- Wales, and Ireland combined, commenced in 1835. In demand for tickets, derive a substantial benefit from Ladies and Gentlemen,-At the close of each successive the year 1851 it had become peopled by 77,34.5 persons, the performances. season it has been my custom to address a few words to you of whom 23,143 were congregated in the city of Melbourne in thankfulness for kindness and support. The present 18,318 in the surrounding county of Bourke, and 12 , 781 The principal vocal performers were Madame Clara Novelle, Mrs. Sunderland, a lady of great year, from various circumstances, in part unavoidable and in the county of Grant, which, it may be observed, in part unexpected, has been to me a period of great includes the town of Geelong. By the 29th March, 1857, ration throughout the north of England, responsibility, anxiety, and fatigue-relieved, however, by the population numbered 41 0 ,776, of whom 92,300 were Madame Weiss, Miss Helena Walker, Miss Palmer, expressions of public feeling and sympathy, the memory of located in Melbourne and its suburbs, 23,338 in Geelong; Miss Crosland, Miss Freeman, Madame Alboni, and which can only fade with life. Contrary to my original 109,000 being distributed deer the rural districts, whilst Mae. Piccolomini; Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr. W, intention, I feel compelled, from the mental and bodily the gad fields alone, with their rApully increasing town- Cooper, Mr. Inkersall, Mr. Weiss, Mr. Santley, Mr. strain I have undergone, t o s eek a few weeks' comparative ships, absorbed a total of no less than 1r6,550 souls. The Winn, Mr. Hinclicliffe, Signor Giuglini, Signor repose, that I may be the better able to bring ta a returns of the Immigration-otfice, and the official records of Rossi, and Signor Vialetti. The solo instrnmen- successful termination my next and last season. Permit births and deaths since the date of the last census, enable talists w e re Miss A ra b e ll a G o dd a rd- w ho appeared me, therefore, to take Ibis opportunity of announcing us to ascertain that the population of Victoria had my intention of reopening this house . on Saturday, the increased to 469,637 on the 31st of March, 1858. before a Leeds public for the first time, and WRS 2nd of October ' and at the same time to state that, on The rapidity with wh ic h this country has become peopled highly successful in her debut-M. H inton , Mr. H. the 30th day of July next, I shall take my final leave is almost unexampled iu the history of any nation, ancient high rove Mr. Webb, Messrs. C. and T. Harper, Mr. as director of the Princess ' s Theatre. In the meantime, or modern. The steamily progressive character of Williams, Mr. Waetzig, and Mr. Lucas. Miss Dolby, ladies and gentlemen, allow me, in Mrs. Kean's name, the increase may be seen in the fact that during the three we regret to say, was unable to appear from indis- as well as my own, respectfully and gratefully to bid you last years the births have been respectively 10,210, position. The organists were Mr. H. Smart and Mr. farewell. 12,799, and 15,937, against deaths amounting only W. Park; and Mr. R. S. Burton was the chorus- THE HAYMARRET.-This theatre reopened on Mon- to 6,572, 5,760, and 6,531. The unwelcome influx master. The instrumental band was ninety-five day, under the management of' Mr. Buckstone. of Chinese, numbering 34,874 persons, consisting strong, and included the whole orchestra of the During the brief recess it has undergone a thorough almost eir of males, has een the subject of much acrimoniofu lly usscussion, and the b Legislature has sought London Philharmonic Society, reinforced by several renovation, and a new drop scene has been added. to discourage it by special taxes. A similar course of pre- select performers on different instruments from the The subject-Thespis in his cart, with a Greek cee di ug h av i ng been adopted in South Australia and New principal Yorkshire towns, Leeds, York, Halifax, landscape in the background-has been ,judiciously South Wales, it seems that Australian opinion is adverse to Huddersfield, and Bradford. The chorus consisted chosen and well treated layithe artist, Mr. Caldcott. this description of immigration. In the three years entirely of Yorkshire people, and the Yorkshire The present season was ushered in with the old- which elapsed between the censuses taken in 1851 and choristers have no superiors in the world. fashioned comedy, The Way to Keep Him, Mrs. 1814, the number of inhabitants had trebled ; and in the The festival opened on Wednesday with the Sinclair playing the widow &burner. A ballet, enti- course of the four succeeding years even that population oratorio of Elijah, which was performed in a manner tied The Daughter of the Guadalguirer, afforded an had doubled. The increase altogether has been sixfold within seven years. The manner tn which this population which deservedly elicited universal panegyric. The opportunity for the reappearance of the popular has spread itself over the country may be gathered from audience was both large and fashionable. The first Spanish dancer Senora Nene Perea. The plot is the circumstance that while the census of 1854 showed miscellaneous concert in the evening was attended excessively slight, like all of the same character, but but lii townships and villages,the returns of the census by upwards of 1,700 persons. The chief feature in with agency of " lavoltae high and swift co rantos," of 1857 detail the number of inhabitants in no less than f!lis evening's concert was the new ..pastoral " called or steps weich at least convey a pre tt y accurate 204 of such settlements. the May-Queen, composed by Professor Bennett, end notion of the meaning of the words, it was quite MUNICIPALITIES AND THEIR PROGRESS.-The character now for the first time given in public. Mr. H. F. sufficient to insure the stamp of approval from an of this distribution of the people is indicated by the fact, Chorley is the aut h or o f t h e wor d s. audience whose presence, at least, belied the oft- that while prior to the year 1855 there were but two On Thursday Rossini's Stabat Mater, a selection re p eated phrase, " There is not a soul in town." corporate towns in this country, Melbourne and Geelong, f rom S e b ast i an Bach's Grout Passions-Musik, and that number had increased in la-58 te twenty-one. The Beethoven's Mount of THE STUAND.-Miss Swanborough reopened her new municipalities have added, according to the census of Olives, were given, in presence little dramatic boudoir on Monday with a light piece returns of 1857, 88,815 to the number of persons in the an enormous audience. In the evening the second by Mr. Charles Selby, who is at once author and miscellaneous concert took place. enjoyment of local selegovernment. Although all the actor. The Last of the Pigtails is the name of statistical returns have not been received, the energy and I , -.