The Press. — London, England, 1858-10-09 00:00:00

study which bas b ee n pronounced a " weariness of the ossi fl es h;' he may p bly find that desire gratified in A. IL th i s co mpendium by God is Love. London : Dayton and Co. Tins is one of those religious volumes of which we understand that the sale is something prodigious. If so, the author may well dispense with eulogy ; and we shall therefore content ourselves with saying that, no doubt, for persons in affliction or adversity, this little volume will be found a consolatory and sustaining resource. Poems. By William Tidd Matson. London : Groombridge. - - - IV E have little to add to the opinion we formerly expressed of Mr. Matson's poetry. tie is a man of highly-cultivated taste, and has a mind well stored with poetical associations and images. These qualities will generally enable a writer to depict his emotions in smooth and agreeable verse, and Mr. Matson is certainly no exception. His versification is strikingly fluent, and reminds us occasionally of the peculiar rhythm of Longfellow. We should especially select in illustration of these remarks the " Lament of an Old Man," "By the Seaside," "Love Benighted," from Anacreon, and "Lady Alice Fleming." The book is nicely got up, and is certainly above the ave rage of the ruck of poetry. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. BOOKS. Fallen Heroes of the Indian War. A Poem. By John V. The English Cookery Book. By J. H. Walsh, F.R.C.S.— - Routledge. Indio; an Historical Sketch. By Rev. Geo. Trevor, M.A. —Religious Tract Society. Memoir of Joseph Curtis, a Model Man. By the Author of "Means and Ends.""—Sampson Low. A Memoir, Letters, and Diary of the Rev. Henry S. Pole!) =pion M.A — Bentley. Gordon of Duncairn. A Novel.—Bentley. A Handbook for Travellers in Syria and Palestine. Parts I. and 11.—Murray The Descendants of the Stuarts ; An Unchronicled Page in England's History. By Wm. Townend.—Longmans. The Church: its Mission, Government, and (Worship.— Triibner. Reply to the Statement of the Directors of the Atlantic Teleg►aph Company.—Bradbury and Evans. 4 Test Book for Students. By the Rev. Thomas Stantial, M.A.—Bell and Laldy. Hollingsworth and Modern Poetry.—Freeman. Elementary Notes on the History of France. By Mrs. Edmunds.—Tallant and Allen. The Quarterly Journal of Dental Science. Tait's Edinburgh Magazine. London University Magazine. Meliora. The Money Bag. zric arts. THE PRESS, OCTOBER 9, 1858. rata. THE PRINCESS'S.—This theatre was reopened on Saturday with one of those splendid revivals of the works of the great master spirit of the drama, which Mr. Charles Kean inaugurated, and which have become so completely identified with his name. The Merchant of Venice was the play which was selected to initiate the season with which Mr. Kean closes a management unparalleled in its success. In the general cast there was no material change, and the effects were as powerfully brought out as ever. The reappearance of Mr. Charles Kean as Shylock—a character which he has so faithfully delineated—and of Mrs. Kean as Portia—one of the best in the repertoire of this accomplished actress—was hailed with an enthusiasm which was at once an evidence of the popularity of those to whom the ovation was made, and cf the just discrimination which gene rally guides the verdict of the theatrical pub lie. The house, as might have been expected on such an occasion, was densely crowded in every part. We understand that King John will be produced with all the magnificence which characterized its first pro euction, and will succeed The Merchant of Venice, which will continue to be performed during the ensuing week. With the exception of the re-opening of the Prin cess's, the theatrical history of the week has been so barren as to leave little to chronicle; in fact, the programme of favourite pieces which each house has presented to its patrons has passed off sufficiently attractive to enable the lessees to dispense with novel ties. At the HAYMARKET, The School for Scandal, the revived comedy of Wives as they are and Maids as they are, and The Rivals, have been the principal pieces, followed by the ballet of The Daughter of the Guadaiquiver, The King's Gardener, and several amusing nities.—The LYCEUM Still adheres to Ex tremes, or Men of the Day, undoubtedly one of the very best of modern comedies. Faultless as a dra. matic composition, it derives additional force from the admirable manner in which not only the prin cipal but the subordinate parts are performed. After a run of seven weeks, with the comedy in the full zenith of its attraclio3, minute criticism would be out of place ; but we cannot too highly commend the inimitable performance of Mrs. Weston, as the Lancashire widow, Mrs. Mellon as Lucy Vavasour, Miss Kate Saxon as Jenny Wildbrier, and Mr. Jame% Rogers as the " upper servant."—At DRURY LANE, The Rose of Castile has been performed during the week with continued success, and will be followed on Monday by Flotow's opera of Martha, produced for the first time in English in this country.—The repe tition of good pieces at the OLYMPIC has met with deserved success.—ASTLEY'S, which has been com pletely renovated during the recess, will be opened on Monday with a new drama entitled The Cove nanters, in which the whole of the metropolitan and provincial equestrian talent of the company will be enlisted. HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES. Photographed from Life at Windsor Castle by Lake Price. Lithographed by Lane and Lynch. London : Mitchell. THT.RE are few among the caterers in matters of taste and art to whom the public is more indebted than to Mr. Mitchell. To him we owe many a night of dramatic enjoyment of the highest class, and to him we owe too the possession of many a work of art that hanging on our walls delightfully recalls bygone pleasure. The last production of Mr. Mitchell lies before us in the form of a Portrait of the Heir to the Throne. As a portrait merely it would be of high value, for it i s ph otogra ph e d from life ; but,inde pendently of its fidelity, it has other characteristics which command admiration on different pounds. It is a charming picture, composed with great taste, and executed with perfect artistic skill. In either character, whether as a portrait or as a picture, it will be a charming additi on t o the rooms of the most fastidious connoisseur. MISS (}LYNN, whose public appearances of late have been few and far between, has not entirely left the stage. She has been giving readings and acting at Manchester, at Liverpool, at Bradford, and at other towns. YORK, once at the head of English musical pro vincial towns, is about to revive its music meetings, which have been abandoned for more than a quarter of a century. A York musical festival, if report errs not, will be once more held in 1859. DusiL M. JCLLIEN, who is about to visit on a musical tour every cspital and city of Europe, America, Australia, the Culonies, and the civilized towns of Asia and Africa, purposes giving his twentieth annual series of concerts at the Lyceum Theatre for one month, commencing on the Ist of November. We trust that these concerts d'adieu of the great artiste will meet with all the success he so well deserves. Vubitt glmustmtnts. THE GREAT GLOBE.-Mr. Wyld has opportunely added to his entertaining exhibition in Leicester square a beautiful diorama of China ; and we may here contemplate in miniature the hitherto unknown regions which diplomacy has opened to the world. Some of the most prominent scenes of the late war are depicted with remarkable fidelity, and a lucid lecture by Mr. Livingstone aids the visitor in his easy but instructive toar through the Celestial Empire.— HERR FRIKELL, not prince but king of conjurors, wields his magic wand at the Polygraphic Hall with unabated success over the crowded audiences who nightly visit the salon of this great magician, who has added to the charm of his performance by giving isome practical lessons in his .nystt rious art.—The equestrian performances at the Aniimmia continue to prove attractive. Montg 4lathet anb 6itg patiugence. FRIDAY Ev NINO. THE return of the Bank of England for the week ending Wednesday last, the 6th inst., shows the following changes compared with that for the week preceding :--- Increase in Circulation Decrease in Public Deposits Increase in Other Deposits Increase in Government Securities Decrease in Other Securities Increase in Bullion Increase in Rest Decrease in Reserve Bullion in both Departments 19,526,475 Circulation, including Bank Post Bills 21,635,717 The statement that the Bullion has increased only 235,9961. appears inconsistent with the fact that the Bank has during the week purchased gold to the extent of between 600,0001 and 700,0 )0/. It admits, however, of a simple explanation. The payment of Government salaries at the end of the quarter has absorbed a large amount of coin, which in its turn accounts for the decrease in the Government Deposits. The Reserve has also been somewhat diminished, partly by these payments and partly by the addition which the Bank has made to its stock of Government Securities. A considerable portion of the sums paid for the purchase of gold appears to be retained in the Bank under the head of Private Deposits. It is owing to the gradual running off of its discounts and advances that the Bank is enlarging its Public Securities ; and we should not be surprised to see a further amount taken from the Re serve for employment in this way. In the course of the week provision has had to be made for the retirement of the commercial bills at maturity in the beginning of the month ; and owing to this circumstance there was a comparatively active demand for money on Monday and Tuesday. The pressure, however, proved as temporary as possible ; indeed, while it lasted it was only partially felt, Since then the market has relapsed into a quiet, steady condition, with a comparatively limited amount of transactions, the mass of which are taken to Lom bard street and the Joint-stock banks. Owing to its terms being fully a ha'f per cent above those required in the open market, the Bank has done very little busi ness ; nor are its dealings likely to increase at present, unless the rate of discount ue reduced. It was expected that this policy would be adopted yesterday, but no change was made. There are many persons, advo cating rival interests, who profess to feel astonish. ment at the perseverance of the Directors in main. taining the three per cent rate, seeing that it is now prohibitory of discount transactions, while the means from which those transactions are profitably con ducted remain both unemployed and increasing. We are no indiscriminate supporters of Bank policy, which sometimes is puzzling enough; but we think we can see sale reasons for abstention from a redac tion. They are not to be found wholly in their desire to prevent inflation, nor in a disregard of the interests of their proprietors ; but, if our view be correct, in a prudent forecast of what may occur some months hence. At the same time it is possible that by re ducing next week or the week after, the Bank Directors may upset our theory, for in finance as well as in law there is often a " glorious " state of uncertainty. Our present impression, then, is, that the Directors will not be prevailed upon to reduce, even after the dispersion of the dividends has produced its usual effects. That operation is expected, on almost all sides, to produce such a sense of abundance, both in the Money Market and among the public, that it will, or rather may, induce a period of reckless speculation, of wild enterprize, and of unsound investment. Mid it is said that, even if these events do not supervene, money will be so abundantly placed with the banks and discount houses that they may, from the very abundance, be compelled to offer still lower terms to obtain employment for it; so that the Bank, amidst the competition of capital, will be forced to reduce in order to preserve the remains of its business. We cannot coincide in these views, which, we think, have been rather hastily adopted. In the first place, it is in a period of abundance, and when we are upon the brink of an inflation, that the correcting power of Bank administration ought to be felt. If there is danger of the inflation degenerating into recklessness and imprudence, it is the office of the Bank from its position to warn the commercial community by its attitude that peril is impending. The only way in which this attitude can be taken is through the medium of its charge for discounts, and