The Press. — London, England, 1854-02-11 00:00:00

140 PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. Boors. Our Cruise in the !incline. J. W. Parker and Son. Paul Clifford. By Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, Bart. Routledge. Nog& : the Solace of Rare Leisure. By the Rev. J. Banks. Hardwicke. Lady Lee's Widowhood. By Captain E. B. Hamley. 111ackwoods. The RUSBO. Turkish Campaigns. By Colonel Chesney. Smith, Elder, and Co. Adams's Parlianwnt ary Handbook. Edited by E. Morton, Esq. Adams. Beflectionsteont Nature. Poems. By 11. Harris. Pickering. 7'/,c Protestant in Ireland in 18.53. Seeleys. PAMPHLETS. Preface to a Complete Edition of Pamphlets on Naval Affairs. By Vice-Admiral Bowles. Ridgway. Oxford Reform and Orford Professors. By H. H. Vaughan. J. W. Parker and Son. The Theology of Table-Turning. By the Rev. M. S. Godfrey. Seeleys. Church Questions, with Scripture Answers and Questions. By the Rev. J. Lancaster. Seeleys. A Letter to the Lord Chief Justice of England. H y It. Sill. The Claims of Lord Palmerston to Fill the Post of Prime Minister of England Considered. Boone. The French Revolution. A Poem. Canto 11. By J. Monier. Bosworth. _ _ NEW Music. Arouse, ye Men of England. Song. By C. W. Glover. Jeffreys. Itt puma. H►YuARKET THEATRE.—Press of matter compels us to postpone our notice of Miss Cushman's per formance of Meg Merrilies until next week. THE LYCEU3I.—On Tuesday evening last this theatre was well tilled, but the audience had scarcely taken their seats when they were dismissed by an intimation that there was to be no performance, as Mr. Charles Mathews was unable to appear. The following morning the advertisements and bills were put forth as usual, announcing the evening's per formance; but, before the doors opened, a placard was posted, announcing that, owing to unavoidable circumstances, the theatre would be closed that evening. No explanation is given of this unexpected occurrence. ttsir. MR. W. STERNDALE BENNETT'S CONCERT. I ON Tuesday last Mr. W. Sterndale Bennett gave the first of his annual series of concerts. We candidly confess we are not great admirers of this gentleman's compositions. Not that we question his inventive powers, which are, without doubt, of a high order, but it is our opinion that he lacks fancy, imagination, and the power of construction, and that, by absence of these qualities, his music is rendered too laboured and heavy ever to attain any lasting popularity. It is not, however, solely upon his abilities as a composer that Mr. Bennett's musical reputation rests. He is a pianoforte-player of great eminence, and few pianists of modern days excel him in the performance of classical music of all periods. Moreover, Mr. Ben nett is entitled to general respect for the purely in dependent course he has pursued in the politics of the musical world; and his career may be cited as an example of the success which invariably attends a man of talent if his pretensions be not exaggerated and his conduct uniformly temperate as well as straightforward. Mr. Bennett performed pianoforte music by Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, and Mendels sohn, and several of his own compositions ; and the programme was further varied by a quintett by Dus aek and vocal music executed by Mrs. Lackey. EXETER-HALL. MENDELSSOHN'S oratorio Elijah, advertised by the Sacred Harmonic Society last night with a very strong cast of singers, filled Exeter hall to the brim, and, in spite of the absence of Mr. Sims Reeves (who was to have sustained the principal tenor part), occasioned by stress of weather at Boulogne. we. question whether, taken as a whole, the oratorio has ever been better performed in this country. Miss L. Pyne is the first English singer of the day, and she gave the principal soprano part with energy and feeling it would be di i; cult for any one to surpass. She was ably seconded by Miss Williams and Miss Dolby, and the manner in which these three ladies executed the trio was perfection itself. Signor Belletti is by far the best Elijah we have ever heard : he sings the music allotted to him with great expres sion and judgment, and enunciates the Eni,,lish words with a distinctness and correctness of emphasis which are quite extraordinary. In some instances, too, his reading of the part was new, and he deserves especial credit for his delivery of the words, " Call him louder," which produced a great effect upon all his hearers, and fully demonstrated the singer to be a man of intelligence as well as a clever THE PRESS. vocalist. Mr. Sims Reeves's place was supplied by a Mr. lierberte, whom we do not recollect to have ever heard before. W e feel, however, much plea sure in recording that this gentleman, notwith standing the unfavourable circumstances under which he appeared, acquitted himself with great credit, and seemed to give satisfaction to the au dience. We must not omit to say that the band and chorus left nothing to be desired. Their execution of the music was excellent. fortis gttt, literature, SILVIO PELLICO, well known to every English reader of Italian literature by his " Le Mie Prigioni," died at Moncaglieri, near Turin, on the Ist of February. He was only in his 0 6 th year, but his sufferings had long since exhausted both mind and body, and for many years past he had been affected by a pulmonary complaint. In early life Silvio Pellico wrote a tragedy called Francesa di Rimini, which enjoys a considerable reputation in Italy. In 1820 he was tutor in the family of Count Porro at Milan, and the following year was arrested as a carbonaro and condemned to death at the same time as Count Gonfaloniere and many others, which sentence was commuted to imprisonment, and he remained in the fortress of Spielberg until the amnesty of 1830. On his release he sought shelter in Turin, and had been almost ever since employed as librarian in the house of the Marchese Barolo, where he died, having completely separated himself from all political connection after his arrival in Piedmont. THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON has granted from his privy purse a pension of 1,200 f. a yea to Mme. de Monsigny, widow of the son of the composer of that name. THE STATUE OF JEFFERSON, third President of the United States, was cast on the 25th ult. at the royal foundry at Munich. It is 13 feet high, and has taken 10 tons of metal. The model is by the Ameri can sculptor, Hiram Powers. Mr. Powers resides at Florence, but was present at the casting of his work. A FURTHER SUM OF Two MILLIONS has been decreed in aid of public works in the communes of France, in order to give work to the people. THE SWEDISH CHAMBER OF NOBLES, upon the motion of the Minister von Hartmannsdorff, have declared railroads to be "things unfit for Sweden." M. SAINVILLE, for twenty years a popular actor at the Palais Royal Theatre, died at Pau on Jan. 31, in his 48th year. THE Bulletin de Paris announces a complete and radical reorganisation of the Bibliotheque Royale in the Rue Richelieu. THE NEW CONVENTION between Spain and France on literary property is almost universally condemned by the Madrid journals. They contend that in reality there is no reciprocity in it; that France has all to gain by it, and Spain nothing; that whereas all French novels, dramas, &c., of any note, are sure to be translated into Spanish, there are none or few translations of Spanish works into French ; that the ' real intention of the convention is in favour of French and against Spanish and Belgian interests, the effect of the eleventh article, which will exclude French works published in Belgium from coming to Spain, being that the latter will have to pay 100 reels for a work which now (the Belgian edition) costs 20 rests, &c. The official Gazette publishes some long articles in defence of the convention. THE GREAT VERON CASE, concerning the late sale of the Constitutionnel, was resumed on the 3d inst. before the civil tribunal in Paris. The pleadings were most voluminous, the entire day being occupied with hearing different counsel on behalf of the several plaintiffs, complaining of the treatment they received from Dr. Veron. Their plaint chiefly regarded a sum of more than 700,000 francs which the doctor bad retained out of the gross purchase-money, and nov claimed to belong to himself as the price of his rights of management and editorship. When the court rose the case was adjourned for a week, when Da Veron's advocate will reply on his behalf. THE DEBUT OF MADAME PETROVICH, gran , , daughter of the celebrated Kara George, at the Pars Italian Opera, raised extravagant expectations. Tie lady appeared on Tuesday week as Lucrezia Borgia, but is said to have been so overcome by emotion as to have utterly lost the calmness and self-possessbn indispensable for success. On the following Thursiay a new basso, of high Italian reputation, M. De Arts, appeared as the Podesta in La Gazza Ladra, Rid completely succeeded. His voice is described is a deep mordant bass, which he uses with much effet. A SWEDISH GENTLEMAN has constructed a aew compositors' machine, which is said to succeed )er fectly. He has left for England, where he will patent his invention. The name of the mechaneia is Wiberg. In Denmark the printing-machine of Sorensen (which was exhibited in the Crystal Paace) has been perfected, and will now be used u the establishment of the Foufrelandet. SATURDAY, THE ABBE DE LAMENNAIS is said to be recovering. Several persons have endeavoured, during his serious illness, to induce him to send for a Roman Catholic priest, but in every case without success. A lady, known for her devotion (Mme. Cottie), .succeeded in getting into his room, and there, throwing herself on her knees by the bedside, besought M. de Lamen nais to be reconciled with the Church ; but her pains were all to no effect., the patient declaring that not only would he not listen to any priest, but that his body should not have the usual prayers of the Ca tholic Church said over it. _ Ma. SPENCE has completed, at Rome, the model of a colossal figure, intended for the Sydenham Palace, representing his native city of Liverpool. 'Jibe figure is dignified and grandly draped, and will be distinguished from her companions in the row of cider by the commercial caduceus and the legendaiy bird, the liver, which (according to some theorists) was the origin of her name. MLLE. CLAUSS, who on her way to St. Petersburg has been giving concerts at Cologne, Dusseldortt; Elberfeld, and Bonn, with great success, played twice last week at the Court of Hanover. Alter the second concert the Queen sent for Mlle. Clauss, and conversed with her for a long time in her private apartments. Before leaving she presented her with a magnificent bracel. t set in ( i tmonds. THE drama of La Jeunesse des Mousquetaires, founded upon the first of the series of romances written by M. Alexandre Dumas, of which these gallant personages are the heroes, has b en brought out at the Poi te St. Martin, with a success which promises to renew the career of popularity it en;oyed some years ago when first produced at the Theitre Historique. It is written, or rather extracted, from the pages of the original tale by the author himself and M. Magnet. The principal character, D' Artagna, is, as f rmerly, represented by Melingue. Dn. LiszT has composed an opera, which will see the light at the Court Theatre at Weimar in the course of next month. The libretto is said to te from the p, n of an eminent personage, whose name is not given. The title is Faust. JENNY LIND'S intention of visiting England, and of giving a series of concerts in London and in the provinces, has been nullified by recent occurrences. A communication to this effect has been received from her husband, Otto Goldschmidt._ _ _ VIENN Feb. 4.—Professor Dal Fuzz°, of Leg horn, has discovered a method of submarine naviga tion ; and, the same being now matured, he has en trusted it to an enterprising agent at Genoa, who will convey it to Paris and London, in order to take out the necessary patents, and then make experi ments. MR. FAIRBAIRIL the eminent engineer of Manches ter. who is visiting Paris for the purpose of taking his seat in the Academy, received on Saturday last an imperial command to attend at the Tuileries, and wa3 honoured with a lengthened interview. His Majesty made minute inquiries as to the progress of in3chanica: science in England, and at parting pre sented Mr. Fairbairn with a diamond box, marked with the imperial initials, as a recognition of the eminent services he had rendered to science. THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND gave a grand dinner on the 20th ult. at Serny's Hotel, in Rome, to Cardinal Antonelli. Among the guests were M.,n- Signor Medici, Monsignor Borromeo, the Pope's Majordomo, Monsignor Macioti, and Monsignor ralbot, Count Philip Antonelli, Prince and Princess Doria, Duke of Sermoneta, Prince Massimo, Duke of Zagarolo, Duke and Duchess of Wellington, Lord Broughton, Lord Dungarvan, Sir John Ramsden, Mr. Petre, and Mr. Edward Howard. The Duke and Duchess of Wellington had arrived in Rome on the 23rd ult. GALLERY OF ILLUSTRATION.—A view of Sebastopol has been added to the other attractions of this popu lar place of amusement. The order in which it appears is immediately after Constantinople and St. Petersburg. The spectator sees before him a land locked harbour, six miles in length, of a long oval form, in every part of which, and especially close in shore, ships.of-the-line are moo ed. The shores are low, arid hills sloping steeply down to the bay. The town is in front, but the famed batteries, four in number, are far away at the narrow entrance, where distance deprives them of terror, whilst between a steamer, which imagination supposes to be the Retribution, is securely making her way. The stone of which these fortifications are built is light, friable sandstone, interspersed with granite. Mr. Stoc queler made his descriptive lecture as pleasing as usual. His allusions to passing events were suffi cient to satisfy the most patriotic without offending against good taste. THE ContaoE or 1853 at the Mint comprised 10,597,993 sovereigns, 2,708,796 half-sovereigns, no crowns or half• crowns, 3,919,950 florins, 4,256,188 shillings, 3,837,930 sixpences, 16,038 fourpences, 36,168 threepences, 4,752 silver twopences, and 7,' 20 silver pence ( for Mannday money), 1, 21,440 pennies, 1,559,040 halfpence, 1,028,828 farthings, and 955,224 half-farthings. The total valne of the coinage of the year was 12,668,0001.; the average of the previous five years was only 4,000,0001. I