The Press. — London, England, 1855-03-31 00:00:00

312 Annals of the Artists of Spain," but in its present separate form it will be welcomed as a worthy tribute to the memory of the great painter. The contents of this volume have been thoroughly revised and corrected, and many additions made, which materially improve the biography and render it more complete. The characteristics of Velasquez's art, the beauty of his style, his power of colour, his skill in grouping, and the very soul and spirit of nature which he breathed into his historical works, as well as the extraordinary versatility of his genius and his unrivalled power of portrait, are done full justice to by his ardent and devoted biographer, but we are disposed to think that he claims for the courtly Velasquez something more than his merits deserve. No doubt he was a great painter, but he can scarcely be classed as "the greatest" in that age which produced Murillo, Vandyke, Claude, Rubens, and Guido. If ever painter lived who ought to have succeeded in his art it was Velasquez. The intimate friend and constant companion of a sovereign who revered his genius, Velasquez had every means and oppor tunity given to him to develop his talents. He had no wants, and few cares ; and so firmly was he fixed in the affection of his master, that for nearly forty years he basked unclouded in the sunshine of royal favour. With the most splendid collections of paintings and sculpture, daily increased by the addi tion of the most famous works, fresh from the easel of his great contemporaries, always open to him, immense advantages, one can deny that Velasqu ez en j o y ed advantages, and these deserve more consideration than Mr. Sterling is willing to admit when he draws a comparison between his hero and the other painters of the age. From the intimate connections which Velasquez had with the Court, much historical matter is introduced by Mr. Sterling, so that the life is as much a history of the period as of the painter; and, indeed, the great charm of the book consists in the vivid and brilliant descriptions given of the magnificent Court of Philip IV. and in the numerous anecdotes and reminiscences of the great men of the age who patronised Velasquez. The History of the War. Compiled from the Public Documents. By George Fowler. London: Sampson Low and Co. THAT part of the present compilation which relates to the origin and earlier phases of the war, and of the diplomatic " carte and tierce " which took place, is clearly and succinctly related; but this is followed by rather a confused description of the campaigns of 1854. However, the attempt to condense the numerous descriptions and particulars which have been published of the events of this war into one readable narrative is commendable, and Mr. Fowler's two-shilling volume is full of matter selected from the best authorities. A map of the Crimea and a plan of the allied pusition accompany the book. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. BOOKS. Hardwicke's Shilling Peerage. Hardwicke. North and South. Chapman and Hall. Poems. A. Id . Morgan. Saunders and Otley. Learning and Working. F. D. Maurice. Macmillan. Annotated Edition of the English Poets, " Thomson." Vol. 11. J. W. Parker and Son. Sisters of Charity. Mrs. Jameson. Longmans. AMATEUR TnEATnicAl.s.—This evening, the 31st instant, an amateur performance, the actors in which will be all members of two literary clubs, will take place at. the Olympic Theatre, and the proceeds of the entertainment will be devoted to the benefit of the family of one of the most talented and prolific writers of the day, who is, we trust temporary only, incapacitated by illness from mental exertion. The performance will consist of Mr. Shirley Brooks' comedietta, Anything for a Change, Mr. Bunn's farce of My Neighbour's Wife, and an attempt hitherto unrisked by amateurs—a pantomime. Several of the parts will be filled by literary men. The re hearsals have been most active, and from all we can glean the performance promises to be the most sue oessful yet attempted by amateurs. Every seat in the house, though advanced prices are charged, has long einile been engaged, and from a list of the placeholders which we have seen, the audience would appear to be as aristocratic as it will be numerous. ALBoNt, after an absence of several years, is about to return to England. She is engaged by Mr. Beale for a tour in the provinces during the months of April and May; Ernst is to be of the party. It is now oertain that Madame Goldschmidt (Jenny Lind) will not visit England this season. M. JULLIEN has retired, pro tempore, to his estate in Belgium, to take some repose after the fatigues of his double winter season and long tour in the pro- vimes. MR. CHART.ES MATHEWS declares, by advertisement, big inability to further encounter managerial respon sibilities. He assigns the illness of Mrs. Mathews, the badness of the times, and the want of capital, as the main causes of his failure. THE PRESS. lortign gtrt, Sittratute, fix. THE FRENCH ACADEMY, in its sitting on Saturday, elected M. Ponsard, the author of Lucrice, Agnes de Meranie, Charlotte Corday, Honneur et Argent, and other successful dramas, a member in the room of M. Baour.Lormain, by sixteen votes out of twenty eight. M. Liadieres had seven votes, and M. Augier five. THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAM —A note from Genoa, of the 21st, states that the submarine telegraphic communications between the Continent and the island of Sardinia are completed. Despatches have been exchanged between La Spezzia and Cagliari. A TRIFLE called Zvonne, composed by the Prince de la Moskowa, has been produced at the Opera Comique (Paris). For the Gymnase, M. A. Dumas, junr., has written acomedy of the Dame aux Camelia. school. It is entitled Le Demi Monde, a civil cogno men given by the author to a class in Paris, belong ing to the " best' society by their luxury and wealth, and to the worst by their morals. M. Duprez has composed an oratorio on the subject of Sampson. The trilogy L'Enfance du Christ, by Berlioz, is to be performed at the Opera Comique in Passion week. In May, Berlioz proceeds to London, where he is en gaged to conduct the New Philharmonic Concerts. A NEWSPAPER IN CHINESE AND ENOLISH was started at San Francisco on the Ist of January last. It is called the Oriental, or Tung Ngai-San-Luk. It is published under the auspices of an English mis sionary society, for the purpose of converting the Chinese in California to Chnstianito. Its Chinese editor is one Lee-Kan, who was converted to Chris• tie.nity at Hong-Kong. LETTERS from Athens mention the discovery m three hundred antique statues, or fragments of sculp ture, recently brought to light by excavations at Argos, on the site of the Temple of Juno. These precious remains of ancient art have been recovered by the Greek Government; and, if it had any large spirit or interest in archaeology, Argos possesses within its classic soil quarries of invaluable works of sculpture buried in the ruins of the ancient city, and which might be reclaimed at no great cost. Indeed, the sites of the old Greek temples in many districts, excavated by the Government or by the capital of associations, would probably, by sale of the works discovered, amply repay the outlay. Evidence of value on this point is derived from the enterprising exertions of Sir Charles Fellowes and Mr. Layard, and the rival labours of M. Botta and M. de Saulcy, under the auspices of the French Government. The small village of Argo stands on the ruins of the ancient Argos. The old town is described by Strabo as the principal city of Peloponnesus next to Sparta. In number and magnificence of temples and public edifices, in schools of art and great artists, it 'whops only yielded the palm to Athens. In sculpture the Sicyonico-Argive shool, under Polycletus, rivalled the attic studio of Phidias and Praxiteles. THE VIENNA CONFERENCES.- 111 a group before the Passage de l'Opera, the following telegraphic de spatches were read aloud on Saturday :—" Vienna, 2 o'clock. Nothing has transpired concerning the conferences. The probabilities are in favour of peace." " Vienna, 3 o'clock. —Nothing is known of what has passed in the conference. The probabilities of peace are becoming stronger and stronger." "Vienna, 4 o'clock.—The deepest mystery continues to prevail concerning the conferences. No serious doubt can now be entertained of their pacific termination." All this was very satisfactory, and, the moment after, M. Gogo said to Prndhomme, "Just imagine what I have just heard."—" I can't say, do tell me."—" Count de Buol has pronounced a pacific speech."—" I know that."—" But that is not all."—" What is there more r—" The Russian and allied plenipotentiaries saluted each other very cour teously."—" You don't say so !"—" Absolutely, Prince Gottschakoff asked Lord Westmoreland how he did, and M. de Titoff inquired of M. de Bourqueney how his cold was getting on."—" Well, that is strange !" "It is, I assure you, as I say. These, you must admit, are pacific symptoms." —"Oh ! beyond a doubt !"—" If this intelligence be true, we ought to have a rise of at least three francs at the Bourse."— "No doubt of it !" On the above system of interpre tation, the following, we are assured, are to be the next telegraphic despatches :—" Vienna, Monday evening.—Prince Gortschakoff has just issued from the conference ; he had no appearance whatever of a black eye."—" Vienna, Tuesday morning.—Count de Buol has just left the third conference, without the slightest mark of a contusion on the nose. There cannot be any doubt of peace."—Charivari. A PLEASANTRY upon the famous Peace Society and the war is attracting crowds to the Folies Nouvelles, called Pierrot Quaker, in which the laughable illus trations of Chem, the George Cruikshank of Paris, are introduced, accompanied by some fooleries on the part of Legiand as Pierrot. One of the points is that the disciples of peace, laughed at, thrashed, and angry, never lose their pacific equanimity until one SATURDAY, of their own general meetings, which, 'after much quarrelling, winds up with a battle royal. M. DiDor, the eminent French publisher, has just issued a pamphlet against the projected paper duty in France. In 1340, says M. Didot, Kiug Philip ordered that " paper and books, being indispensable to pupils, should be exempt from duty." King John, in 1360, confirmed that privilege; and afterwards Louis XII. and Francois I. declared books exempt from every kind of impost. Henry 11., in 1652, ordered that there should always be in France a special favour shown to paper ; and, in 1789, when an attempt was made to introduce a paper duty, the idea was so unpopular that the proposed plan came to nothing. MADAME VilknoT has signed an engagement to appear at the Royal Italian Opera this year. fusir. NEW PHILHARMONIC SOCIRTY.—The second con cert of the season took place on Wednesday evening, at Exeter-hall, under the direction of Dr. Henry Wylde, the principal vocalists being Miss Stabbach, Madame Anna Thillon, and Mr. Hamilton Braham ; the solo instrumentalists, Herr Ernst (violin), and Mr. Lindsay Sloper (piano). The following was the programme : PAST I. Overture—" Coriolsamu" Beethoven. Selection from " The Ruins of Athens" Aria—" Non tamer." Madame Anna Thillon Concerto in I) minor—Mr. Lindsay Sloper Mendelasohn. Symphony in C minor Beethoven. Part Song—" 0 Hills, 0 Vales of Pl H. ure" ldendelasohn. PART eas Overture—" Oberon " Selection from" Comus" C. E. Horsley. Fantligt— tOtello)—Violin, Herr Ernst Rub.. and ktondo—" Arriere, &Mere t " Madame Anna ninon (L'Etoile an Nord) Meyerbe3r. Overture—" Ruler of the Spirits " Conductor—Dr. Wylde. Beethoven's overture to Coriolanus, which was very finely performed, though seldom heard in this country, is a striking composition, full of melancholy grandeur. The selection from the Ruins of Athens comprised the chorus, " Daughter of mighty Jove ; " the duet of Greek slaves, which was sung by Miss Stabbach and Mr. Hamilton Braham ; and the wild and original "Chorus of Dervishes." The pathos of the duet did not seem to be felt by the singers, and even the chorus of Dervishes was sung with a little too much vivacity. Mendelssohn's concerto in 1) minor was exquisitely played by Mr. Lindsay Sloper, who is one of the most accomplished pianists of the day. His tone was full and resonant ; his execution firm and articulate; and his style animated and expiessive. Nothing more unsuitable to Madame Thillon could possibly have been chosen than Mozart's " Non temer." This florid singer is quite at home in the music of the modern French opera; but Mozart's superb aria is not the class of music in which she is heard to advantage—her meretricious reading completely destroying the character of the music in this in stance ; yet it is due to Madame Thillon to say that in the second part she fairly redeemed her character in her brilliant execution of the air from Meyerbeer's L'Etoile du Nord. But the great feature of the evening was Beethoven's orchestral chef d'auvre, the symphony in C minor, which was performed in a manner which did great honour to the conductor and the orchestra. The tempi of the different movements were taken with judgment; and the grandeur and pathos of this matchless work were developed with an expression and effect rarely heard. It was certainly a most magnificent performance. Mendelssohn's part song, which was sung with much care and delicacy, was unanimously encored ; and the selections from Comus, a chorus, " Come let the rites begin," the ac companied recitative, " This way the noise was," the song, "Sweet echo," remarkable for its ingenious and imaginative instrumentation, were, with the chorus and march, all rendered with fine effect, and proved full of characteristic beauty and expression. In the Otello fantasia Ernst achieved his usual triumph ; and Weber's two overtures to Oberon and The Ruler of Spirits were played with an effect which proved the excellence and power of the orchestra. The concert was highly successful, the hall being crowded in every part, and a large sum was collected for the charity for which the concert was given. SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY.—On Friday last (23rd inst.) one of the finest musical performances of the sea son was given by this society at Exeter-hall. Mendels sohn's Lobgesang, and Mozart's Requiem—the one a hymn of praise, the other a service for the dead — offered an opportunity for a most suggestive compa rison between the pure styles of these greatcomposers. The choice of these two works for performance upon the same night was one of the happiest selections of the directors of this society, and drew a crowded audience to the hall. The solo performers, Mrs. Lackey, Mme. Novello, Mr. Sims Reeves, and Mr. Weiss, were, with the exception of Mr. Sims Reeves, in excellent voice. In the duet, u I waited for the