The Press. — London, England, 1853-11-12 00:00:00

6 him,—the approved method of rewarding and dismissing a fairy who ham done service. " The Three Trials; or, Crabby Cress," is a wonderful tale, abounding in startling incident, but scarcely so pleasing as the first. It is de ficient in art. Again, " The Seven Crosses of Tiverton "is complicated, but we are interested in the seven little girls " who were twins," and who were all in a round basket like little birds in a nest, opening their months for food. The next tale, "'The Pixies' Bath," we notice to reproach Mrs. Bray with a morbid craving for horrors. The (lse is this :—A wicked man is trying to till up a Pixy pool, whereupon, " although working in a place so lately filled " with water, the fleas swarmed in such abun dance that the men tore the very skin frt on their "bones with scratching." Wherefore in Pixy land, with all its machinery at herdisposal, must she resort to one of the plagnem of Egypt to accent plish her purpose? Poetical licence is pardon able, but this licence is not poetical. The last tale we notice for the sake of the illustration, or rather for the sake of Mr. K. Brown and his brethren. It represents a beautiful prince asleep, and Serena, the lady, falling in love with him. And here is the point : his legs are prodigiously long, and we accuse Mr. Brown and his brethren of Idly associating virtue and good qualities ge morally with length of legs. Any illustrated serial (except Mr. Thackeray's) will establish the truth of our criticism. r o oe gazing at these long legs, and lulled by the soothing sound ofa waterfall, is lute for prayers, not bearing the vesper bell. She has to give a silver bell to the chapel to expiate her crime, but alas ! not having fully confessed, she is drowned close to where she saw the prince, who was not there to save her, when there might have been a reason for giving him long legs, viz., that, resembling the waders, ho might have taken to the water without in convenience, and fished out his intended. The chapel—bell and belfry—has vanished, and is no more visible to mortal eye ; yet when a flood of white light falls from the fitll round moon, changing the mist of the foaming cas cade into diamond dust, mingling with the many voices of the water, that silver bell is still heard ringing a fairy funeral chime. The Cossack and the Turk. By Arthur J. .Tice. London : Vir.etelly. Tuts is a popular but carefully-compiled account of the present crisis in the affairs of the East, and of the events that led to it, ending with that last note of Omer Pati' to Prince tiortschakotf which imme diately preceded the commencement of hostilities. By the treaty of Kainardji, concluded in 1774, Russia " then obtained a right or simple ' intereessi iiii ' on be. half 4 4 the Christian inhabitants of Moldavia and Wallw chic in 114211 the treaty of Ackerman Wits e 1111 l +Ord. in which the privilege of intercession was ilex melt to that Of" representation.' liv the next treaty, vaned the treaty of Adnanople an important step was secured for Russia, who then obtained a right of ' guarantee.' And. finally, in 11434, when an organie owttlement was effected, determining the constitute of the two principalities, the Czar became entitled to a right of ' protectorate' the Greek Christiana that dwelt in them." Mr. Joyce sketches the question of the Holy nacos, and of other incidents which resulted in Prince Itlenschikoff's mission to Constantinople, and then interweaves the different notes and manifestoes that appeared, in a clear and simple narrative. Some in teresting info:mation about the military and naval resources of Russia and Turkey follows : " The Russian captains and admirals arc not by any means bluff, bearish old tars of the Drake. Tromp, or Ray ter stamp. slippered they are and wrapped 1110111. Mg-gowns, and got up in the most splendid style of ease, they 101 l on suit sofas of purple veliet. reading Frenell WRAP, or they sit at the 0111110 by the hour, playing Enotex par Chapels." The Russian sailors and mar ine 4 " stand in their high hoots and stiff costs in the exact position prescribed by the rules and regulations sit their service, so that their feet form an angle o f flit-triiye de• trees, and this position it is their ride and their glory to pi eser,* On the spirit, at the 'singed, and at the guns." A map of part of Turkey, &c., is appended, with carious other illustrations. Pantomime finelyets. 1 Amami .T. Cross a nd s o n. ['morn the above rather fantastic• title :%lr. R. .1. Cole ha% published a pamphlet, consisting of three letters by him which originally appeared in the Leader, advocating prepaid taxation l y wan.; o f atamps on a variety of documents, the re%idite bin ouggestiqum sud oblervatious ou taxation geucrally. THE PRESS. As the whole pamphlet occupies but sixty-six pages, it is of course absolutely impossible adequately to discuss a subject so large in a space so limited. The writer proposes to tax railway tickets, professional and trade bills, tavern bills, theatrical and other tickets of admission to places of amusement, ativer tising bills, circulars, &c.; and this he thinks would relieve the springs of industry. The detect in Mr. Cole's plan appears to usto be that the full meaning of the proverb he quotes, " many a mickle makes a intiekle," is not sufficiently impressed upon his mind. A penny—the "mickle"—may be a trifle in itself, but, if the aggregate of pennies makes the " intiekle " millions of pounds, then, if it is levied on a class, the depressing effect on that class is as great as if the tax was imposed in larger auuuusts and on fewer numbers, though each individual may feel it less. Thus a tax on railway. tickets would diminish travelling on railways, because you must come at last to a limit to the funds the public expend in travelling. Mr. Cole argues that a tax of :Is. Oil. per annum on third-class travellers would not be burden some. If Mr. Cole will 'consider what is the annual amount each individual contributes to the general revenue of the country, he will find that half a crown would be a considerable addition to it ; still more in the case of second and first class passengers, whom he pr►poses to tax five shillings and seven shillings and sixpence respectively. The incidence of taxation is a most difficult sub ject ; and whoever has time to spare may do service to the State if he devotes it to au endeavour to make the burden rest more easily on the shoulders of John Bull. Cat and Dog. A Story founded on Fact. Loudon : Grant and Griffith. Tuts is a clever and pleasing little book. It relates the history of " Captain "—a noble setter—who was great in the field, amiable in the parlour, and an es • pecial favourite of his young mistress, Lily. Miss Lily, however, though true to Captain, was not exclu sively devoted to him, but permitted a pretty white Persian kitten to share her favours, whereat of course Captain became jealous, indignant, and disgusted. Let him tell his own tale of how subsequently they came to a friendly understanding : " 1 ;Asia natnre waa all that fussy and I wanted to express just now, antitheft is always easy to show, with or without words. Mews in various tones from her were met by small, good-hut 1111 l irtsi halfharks and agreeable grunts from me. till at last she fairly left oft mewing, anti began to purr. :Much pleamsi with my success so far, I now lay down, stretelung out my front paws to their full length before, and my tail behind , brushing the floor in a half-circle wifb the latter. Then I yawned in a friendly way, anti finally laid my heed down on my pews to water, my little protegee quietly, in horea of enticing her Omni her fotri.vm. " This last msiunuting attitude decided her. She gently placed first one little white paw, and then another, on r t.. jcrting oniinnelits of the bookcase, one step on the lion, anti the next on the unicorn : and, without hurting either herself or the delicate carved work which she chose to use as her staircase, she alighted harmless and unharmed within my reach. Then she mewed once more ; but that was her last expression of doubt or dread. I soon reassured her; and that moment was the tirst of a confidence and in timaey seldom seen between our uncongenial races. • • • • `' I shall never forget the surprise of the gardener's wife when Puss and I entered the kitchen side by side. she screamed its if we had been a couple of wild liensts. cried she,' there's that poor little kitten just under Captain's 111.11 be the death of her. Wlnd shall I th;?' " She seized a broom, mid held it between us, really to beat Inc it I ventured to attack the kitten. lint I wagged my tail, and PUNS jumped over the broomstick. '" Well to he sure !' said Mra.tionlener, letting fall the broom. and holding up her hands ; ' did anybody ever see the like of that ?' " She placed a saucer of milk on the floor. and I sat quietly and let the kitten drink it. T h e kitten herself was a little sanitised at this. and hesitated liefiwe not knowing exactly shat it might be proper for her to do; indeed, I could scarcely expect her to understand the eti- Tien. , of so unusual a eirennistanec; but she had a great Meal of tart, and soon perceived that I wished her to go on natu ally ; s o she began la a eiug. tl gh looking 11111114 at litt• between every two or three mouthfuls, to make sure that she was not taking a liberty. Init. meeting with no thing lint eneouragement, she finished her repast with great satisfaction. and we both laid ourselves down by the kitchen fire, as if we had been friends all 0111 " Well to be sure!' exelai 111 l al the gardener's wife again. It was her favourite phrase : she seemed never to tire' of it. and to have little else to say ; lint I understood what she meant, and took a etonfortable nap in consequence." Soon Lily and her papa, and all the family mid servants except the gardener and his wife, left the old manor house in the country where they had long lived, and Captain and Puss were left behigd ; and he, feeling very lonely, fell in love with Puss. They soon became sworn allies, like a strong brother and gentle sister. Hut Captain is sent for to London, that he may be a house dog there. In London he pines for his little Pussy. and, as he cannot live with out her, ho finally sets ott' to fetch her from the country. lie brings her safely tee town, and thence forth they lie happily together, The journey of the SATURDAY, dog to the manor-house, and his return with Puss, are well told; indeed the book is good and natural throughout, and is pervaded by a vein of quiet sati re which may amuse other as well as little people. Th e main incidents iu the work the authoress says aro true—we have read other sumlar anecdotes of ani i , mils well authenticated. NEW MUSIC. Second Musical Serrice for the Church of England. By Charles Edward Stephens, Organist of Trinity Church, Paddington. London A 311.141C11. service, arranged for four voices. The composer deserves praise for simplifying church mus►c so much. The whole service before us is written with great care and an evident desire to adapt it to the generality of performers. The har monies, when employed, are written as simply as possible. The "Te Deum " and the responses after the Commandments are arranged well. A Set of Sonlp. The poetry selected and published by permission. The music by Edward Francis Fitzwilliam. London: D'Almaine and Co. A sEr of songs, consisting of twelve ; the poetry by different authors—Shakspeare, Macaulay, Byron, L. E. L., Blanche, 17. c. The music throughout is most creditable to the composer: it shows an excel lent arrangement in simple keys, combined with a strict attention to the accompaniments and sympho nies. In some of the songs, particularly in No. 4, " Love is a weary thing," we are reminded of many passages in the "Irish Melodies." Mr. Fitzwilliam possesses the talent of uniting sweetness and bril liancy in his songs, and is happy in the style and taste displayed in this series. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. ('hlireh Seollem , l2llagoz.int. No. 171. Arthur 11011 and Co. The &ROSA lyike Crimes of Great Britain is 1851. J. W. Parker mid son. fillse It.lpierni. TI. 11. Hamilton. J. Cornish. The Wurd "Eternal" oust l'unighnirrit of The Wieked. F. 1). Mamice. Macmillan and Co. /Mtrorery. A Poem. E. A. LealLam. Walton RIO Maherley. Income Tux Tables. Longman, (Awn, and Cu. USIt. ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. ON last SaturaWnight, Nov. the sth, a considerable crowd was attracted by the first performance of Mr. Duggan's Pierre. It is a very slight piece, in which Pierrit (Mr. Henry Drayton) is depicted as mad, and then gradually recovering his reason by hearing some favourite old melodies sung to him by Nicette (Miss Lowe). The piece is not inaptly called "a lyrical sketch." Deficient in variety of dramatic in cident, it might be contracted with advantage. Its music is light, pleasing, and graceful ; and some of the airs, charmingly sung by Miss Lowe, were re ceived with deserved applause. After the performance of Pierre we were treated to that delight of genuine playgoers, " a row." Fol lowing the example of less harmonious operatives, the orchestra had " a strike," not upon their instru ments, but upon their manager. Altercation was heard from behind the scenes, and some unrehearsed etrects were produced, which were not at all attuned to the plaintive sweetness of the music of Pierre. ruder the generally excellent management of this theatre such interludes are of rare occurrence. The audience were very good humoured. The occupants of the gallery sang in chorus, " Cheer boys, cheer," and their performance was highly relished by those who tilled the boxes and the stalls. Sonic lines of " Molly Bawn " were next sung by a noisy hut good humoured l'atiander, and the time was whiled away until at last the curtain drew up for some very good dancing, in which Miss Parkes, a new candidate for applause, distinguished herself by the grace and vigour mmf her Caelasea. An net of tionnatubnia was then played, but time orchestra decamped for the second time, and the audience had to retire without seeing The Star of the Rhine. As faithful chroni clers we are obliged to record these incidents, but they are not of such unfrequent occurrence in theatri cal life RS to call for any special strictures. We feel pleased at a well-meaning attempt to sustain the appetite for an English opera, and we wil ]not follow the example of some of our contemporaries, whose censure was rather disproportionate to the occasion. EXETER HALL. The Sacred Harmonic Society commenced last night their twenty-second season, with their 29th concert. The chief performances of the night were I lenders "Coronation Anthem," the " I►ettingen 'Fe Deum," " Zadok the Priest," and Mozart's " Mass No. H." M. Costa conducted. In the programme for the season, just issued by the committee, they state, that arrangements have been made to bring forward several work 4 hitherto unperformed by the ~~ L. -.0111..0g00.