The Press. — London, England, 1855-04-07 00:00:00

beer's " Sabbath Song." Well and justly is she ' named the queen of English singers. Miss P. HORTON'a "GATHERINGS."-011 Monday and during the week an entertainment has been given by Mr. and Mrs. T. G. Reed, in the lower room of St. Martin's•hall. his scarcely necessary to explain that Mrs. T. G. Reed is the "Miss Priscilla Horton" who immortalised herself as Ariel, when Mr. Macready revived The Tempest at Covent-garden Theatre, and since that time ilea been the main sup • port of countless burlesques in which vocal talent was requited as a necessary adjunct of sprightly and intelligent acting. The new entertainment, which is entitled " Illustrative Gatherings," is divided into two parts. In the first, which is called the " Animated Bouquet," Mr. and Mrs. Reed are sup posed to be on a visit to the house of a lady in a country village, and while Mr. Reed performs the office of explanatory " chorus " (in the Shaksperian sense), Mrs. Reed successively assumes the different characters whom they are supposed to meet. Mrs. Myrtle, the hostess, who is overflowing with energy and hospitality; Miss Snowberry, a fatted beauty of somewhat sour temperament, who sings a capital song with a " moral ;" Sir Johnquill, an empty headed handsome gentleman, with a huge pair of whiskers, and an interminable giggle, which most comically contrasts with the expression of a senti mental ballad of his own composition ; and Miss Fuchsia Willow, a languishing beauty, with a pro fusion of curls and a taste for nothing,—are all ex cellent impersonations, complete in dress, voice, action, and appearance. More eccentric, but equally clever, is a dialogue, purely provincial, between two old dames, each of whom is represented by one half of Mrs. Reed, the fair artist having one costume on her right side, the other on her left. The second part of the entertainment is entitled the " Enraged Musician," and is evidently based on the idea of Hogarth's pic ture. Mr. T. Reed is the musician, engaged in the composition of an opera, and Mrs. Reed becomes in turn a talkative landlady, an itinerant Italian boy, a rustic housemaid, with an abnormal development of the organ of order, and a French cantatrice. In this new set of characters Mrs. Reed's peculiar talent is displayed to the utmost advantage, and her brilliant execution of " Robert, tot que j'aime " brings the whole entertainment to an effective con clusion. This novel experiment of Miss P. Horton has proved thoroughly successful, the room being crowded upon every repetition. THE MUSICAL SEASON. The directors of the Royal Italian Opera have at length issued their prospectus for the season. The company will be of great strength. Its principal members being—soprani, Mlle. Bosio, Mlle. Jenny Ney, Mlle. Marai, Mlle. Albini, and Mme. Viardot, the name of Grisi being absent the first time for twenty years, and withdrawn, we understand, for ever. Of tenors we are to have Mario, Tamberlik, Gardoni, Luchesi, kc.; baritoni, Ronconi, and Graziani ; bassi profondi, Lablache, Tagliafico, Formes, &c. ; and the ballet is to be supported by Cerito and Leblond. The great features of the season will be the production of the Etoile du Nord, and of Verdi's last and highly-successful opera, .11 Trovatore. The Etoile du Nord will probably be brought out under the personal superintendence of Meyerbeer himself, who is at present occupied in preparing the opera for the Italian stage, by turning the originally spoken dialogue into recitative. The piece has been very strongly cast, as follows :—Peter, Formes; Catherine, Mlle. Bosio; Prascovia, Mlle. Marai; Danilowitz, Gardoni ; and Gritzenko, Lablache. The English public will thus be enabled to judge of the merits of this celebrated work, which they could not possibly do by means of its very lame performance at Drury Lane—a performance which took place not only without the sanction but in spite of the earnest re monstrances of the author. In the Trotatore, the tine part of the Gipsy will be performed by Mme. Viardot, who is engaged for that purpose. No men tion is now made of Mme. Borghi Mamo, the cele• brated contralto, who was expected to appear in London this season. The opening night is, we believe, fixed at present for Tuesday next. Drury Lane is to open on Easter Monday for Italian and German opera. We learn that Mme. Persiani, Tarnburini, and Salvi are to be members of the Italian portion of the company. The Germans, with some exceptions, will be the same as last year. Balfe is mentioned as being engaged to officiate as musical director. A new German opera, by Mr. Aguilar, has been accepted, and is to be produced early in the season. Bottesini, the celebrated double•bass player, has returned to London after a long absence. His mar vellous tours de force on his gigantic instrument will, of course, form a prominent feature of the con certs of the season. We have already mentioned that Alboni is about to visit this country. She is en gaged by Mr. Beale for a provincial tour during the summer, in which she is to be accompanied by several artists of reputation, including Herr Ernst, Mlle. Jenny Banr, Signor Lorenzo, Mr. J. L. Hatton, and Mr. Land, who is to act as conductor. THE PRESS. qt puma. OLYMPIC TitEAmr.—An amateur performance, projected by Mr. Albert Smith, for the benefit of Mr. Angus B. lteach, a well-known member of the London press, who has been for some time past prevented by severe illness from pursuing his pro fessional avocations, took place on Saturday evening last, at the above theatre, which was crowded on the occasion in every part. The chief performers were members of the Garrick and Fielding Clubs, who, aided by those popular artists, Miss M. Oliver, Miss Martindale, and Miss Roma Wright, succeeded in producing an entertainment that, even apart from the charitable purpose for which it was given, would have proved highly attractive and acceptable to the general public. 'The amateurs displayed their abili ties in the farce of My Neighbour's Wife, and a pan tomime called Harlequin Guy Fawkes; or, a Match for a King, the latter of which was preceded by a circumstantial prologue, very cleverly and feelingly written by Mr. Tom Taylor, and gracefully delivered by Miss M. Oliver. Criticism would, of course, be out of place on such an occasion ; but we may state, generally, that the performance was in every respect so successful that we may look for a repetition very shortly. We are happy in being able to record that the pecuniary result was most satisfactory, and that liberal contributions were received from various members of the aristocracy and literary celebrities, many of whom visited the Olympic Theatre on Saturday evening :—The Duke and Duchess of Wel lington, the Marchioness of Ailesbury, the Marquis d'Azeglio, the Marquis of Stafford, the Earl of Mountcharles, the Earl of Longford, the Earl of Shelburne, the Earl Granville, Mr. Sohn Forster, Mr. W. T. Thackeray, Mr. Tom Taylor, Mr. Shirley Brooks, ctre HAYMARKET.—This theatre opens on Easter Mon- day with The Secret Agent, and a new Easter ex• travaganza by Planet* in which Mr. Buckstone will appear ; but we believe that it is soon to be partially transformed into an English Opera house, when a new English opera by Mr. Henry Smart will be produced, supported by Mr. and Mrs. Sims Reeves, and Mr. and Mrs. Weiss, as the prin. cipal singers. For the " legitimate drama," which will alternate with the " opera," Miss Cushman and Miss Helen Faucit have been engaged. PRINCESS'S.—The Corsican Brothers, and Living too Fast, are to be succeeded by a new romance, as the Easter piece, entitled the Muleteer of Toledo, in which Messrs. Harley, and Lacy, and Vining, will support the principal characters. ADELNlL—Revives The Mysterious Stranger as the first piece, and concludes with a new "spectacle," The Fairy Tales of Mother Goose. OLYMPIC.—StiII retains The Yellow Dwarf, with Law for Ladies, and Kill or Cure, as the opening pieces. THE GENERAL THEATRICAL FUND ANNUAL DINNER took place on Monday at the London Tavern, and was, as usual, very well attended. About 170 gentlemen assembled on the occasion, and there was a large muster of ladies, who, without partaking in the actual festivities, graced the hall with their pre sence. Mr. Buckstone occupied the chair, and, by a succession of humorous speeches, contributed much to the enjoyment of the evening. He was sup ported by Mr. Charles Dickens, Lord Ernest Bruce, Mr. Mark Lemon, Mr. Bell, Mr. Webster, and others connected more or less directly with the in terests of the drama. The fund appears to be in a prosperous, healthy condition, and subscriptions were anncaluced during the evening, amounting in the aggregate to more than 3001. AT THE PARIS UNIVERSAL EXHIBITION, the works for completing the various buildings, and for pre paring the interior to receive goods, are being pro ceeded with most actively. The outside of the prin cipal building . nas been much improved since last week, by the removal of several trees in front and by the arrangement of the ground in gardens at each side. Preparations are also making for the erection of four ornamental fountains at each side towards the Champs Elysees. During the last few days workmen have been engaged in removing the stained glass from nine of the lower compartments of the large window at the bottom of Westminster-hall, for the purpose of being transmitted to Paris as a speci men of Birmingham art in the manufacture of stained glass, at the forthcoming Exhibition. The vacated spaces in the window have been filled up with timber. A LARGE Annrrios has just been made to the public park at Holyrood, by embracing within it a field of about thirteen acres, situated north of the Duke's walk, and east of the ground used for military exercise and parade. This field wss purchased by the Board of Works some years ago; but, the lease having just expired, it is only now available for conjunction with the royal park. The addi tion will undoubtedly enhance the beauty as well as the utility of this portion of the park. SATURDAY, LECTURE BY SIR R. PEEL, ➢i.P. Tun Marylebone Literary Institution was visited on Wednesday evening by a crowded and fashionable audience, who assembled to hear a lecture delivered by Sir R. Peel, his subject being "An Evening with the Poets." The lecture comprised remarks and notices upon the most celebrated poets of Eng. land, interspersed with recitations, of some of the finest passages in their writings. The hon. baronet began by pointing out the connection between the poetry and prosperity of a nation. When the sense of independence was strong, the poetic feeling was high, and there was nothing that excited people to such daring deeds as a spirit stirring ode or war song. From poetry in general, Sir Robert passed on to that of England in par ticular, starting from Shakspeare, of whom his admiration was unbounded. The unaffected nature, the creative power, and the peculiar beauty of lan guage of "Fancy's sweetest child,"—" the thousand minded Shakspeare"—were pointed out in a few judicious observations, and several passages were recited from his different plays. Hamlet's advice to the players and Henry's soliloquy upon sleep brought down loud applause ; and there were several other quotations which were only less attractive. Milton, who came next, was rapidly sketched, and but few and meagre quotations were given from that sublime work, " Paradise Lost," well named one of the six epics written since the creation of the world. The lecturer critically remarked that Milton was, of all the poets, Christian or pagan, the only one who represented God otherwise than as a tyrant. It was the blind poet's beautiful peculiarity to paint the Deity as a father, and a judge who tempered justice with mercy. Addison, Sir Robert showed, was the first critic who placed Milton on his proper pedestal, and then taking leave of the subject of epis poetry, the lecturer hurried to the poetic satirists. Under this head Dryden's well-known sketch of Buckingham was given with great liveliness and expression, and loudly applauded. Pope and John son were then glanced at, with appropriate quota tions from each, and the audience were then intro-. duced to the poets of their own time. Byron was but slightly noticed, but the name of Campbell in troduced the subject of Poland, while Poland led to Russia, and the name of Russia lured the lec turer into a semi•political episode on the war and its causes. Sir Robert pointed out that this was the first time an English army had invaded the Russian territory, although it was 302 years since our ships first visited the country for the pur• poses of trade. We bad invaded Russia to avenge the crimes of Catherine, who bad caused the Kban of the Crimea to be assassinated, in order to obtain possession of the country; and to put an end to the im posture of the last fifty years, by teaching that power that she was about to receive at the hands of civilise tion the retribution her crimes deserved. With regard to Poland, Sir Robert observed that he thought he could perceive, beyond the crash of nations which now threatened Europe, a glimmer of that light of liberty which would free that unhappy country from tyrannical oppression. An eulogium on the late Lord Dudley Stuart closed this part of the lecture, when a few appropriate recitations introduced the topic of shipwrecks generally ; and the lecturer, amid pro found attention on the part of the audience, detailed, with great feeling, his own escape from that calamity in the spring of last year, on the voyage from Genoa to Marseilles. Passing from this personal theme, Sir Robert, referring briefly to the descriptions of scenery to be found in English poetry, quoted as an illustration Rogers's description of the road over the Simplon, and Moore's capital lines upon English travellers, which he delivered with great ani mation and mimicry ; and, in concluding his lecture, expressed his desire to impress upon every one pre sent, more particularly upon the young men con nected with the institution, the necessity for not gliding listlessly down the tide of life, nor allowing the vices or fashions of the time to interfere with their habits or intellectual pursuits. As a lecturer Sir Robert Peel is decidedly popular. He possesses ease of manner and a pleasant con versational delivery, the great secret of success in a lecturer; but he trusts too much to his memory, at times is at a loss, and, with not much power of eloquence, he is afflicted with a sad poverty of language. The same adjectives and adverbs are re peated several times in the same sentence; and, moreover, in the course of speech, he intones his voice to such a degree as to produce too much of a melodramatic effect. In a word, he is more forcible than fluent; at the same time we cannot fail to re mark that his recitations were throughout delivered with remarkable accuracy of expression and beauty of sentiment. His faults, however, were easily over • looked by an audience who frequently and heartily applauded, and at the conclusion unanimously awarded him a vote of thanks. Syr '1