The Press. — London, England, 1856-04-26 00:00:00

404 In the class of subject pictures, Mr. L. Haghe's un. doubtedly occupy the first place. His "Ante ebamber of the State Inquisition at Venice" (No. 50) is worthy of the highest praise for truth of ex pression, natural grouping, and full and harmonious colouring. In " Venice—ll Melo" (No. 55), Mr. Haghe presents a magnificent effect of sunset., most exquisitely painted, while in " The Town-hall of Oudenarde" (No. 04), the interior of an old Flemish house is represented with wonderful accuracy of detail, and the unromantic burghers with the greatest life and humour. Mr. Warren's " Rebekah and Isaac " (No. 77) is strikingly Eastern in the character of soil and sky. An objection has been taken by a contemporary to the convergence of the shadows of the camels' legs, on the ground that a luminary distant, like the sun, some millioas of miles from the camels, would cast sensibly parallel shadows of parallel legs. There is much plausibility in this objection at first sight; but if Mr. Warren were desirous of justifying his shadows he might easily do so by reminding the critic that lines really parallel in nature are not necessarily so in a picture, the laws of perspective being duly observed; the sides of a sheet may serve as a conclusive example against Mr. Warren's opponents. The Eastern cha racter is admirably kept up in " Hagar and her Son " (No. 191), though the picture wants sentiment. Our kissing " days are, alas ! over; but, judging from what we remember of the delightful operation in our younger years, we imagine we should have been sadly chilled if any of our " kisses " had received the infliction as coolly as the lady in Mr. Absoion's (No. 16) ; she just raises her eyebrows as much as to say, " What a bore !" In " Dorah " (No. 202) the same artist has fully shown his power; the grace and sweetness of the female figure, and the innocent sim plicity of the child, are worthy of all praise, while the execution shows a combination of breadth and finish in striking contrast to the weakness and sketchi ness of his other attempts. Mr. Corbould's "Ye Lymnere hys Dreame " (No. 211) is full of odd fancy ; the artist is supposed to have fallen asleep after a very varied course of reading, he says : we should have put down the effects displayed in his dream to a still more delightful and profitable occu pation. Mr. Wehnert's scene from Don Giovanni (No. 223) is, in spite of great depth of colour, a positive caricature, the Commendatore a mere stage tradition ; while Mr. Kearney's "Fulfilment" (No. 205) fulfils nothing, not even the most ordinary ex pectation. The angel is as little of an angel as can be conceived, and as much like a fair-haired barber's block with wide-opened eyes as possible, while the colour is dirty beyond conception. We must post pone the landscapes to a future opportunity. glusir. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. THE official programme for the ensuing season has appeared. The theatre is to open, according to the programme, on the 10th of May, with Mme. Alboni in the Cenerentola, and a ballet divertissement enti tled Lea Quatre Saisons. Mlle. Piccolomini will make her first appearance shortly after in Verdi's Traviata, followed by Mine. Albertini, in the same composer's Trovatore, with Mme. Alboni as the gipsy. The debut of Mlle. Wagner will, we believe, come off in Bellini's Capuletti e Montecchi, early in June, the part of Romeo being, to all accounts, one of that lady's most celebrated assumptions. The troupe engaged for the season counts Mme. Alboni, Mlle. Piecolornini, Mlle. Giudetta Ilizza and Mlle. Finoli, Mme. Amedei and Mlle. Berti, and Mine. Albertini. In addition to the above an en gagement has been effected with Mlle. Johanna Wagner, Signor Salviani, of La Pergola, Florence; Signor Boucarde (all first appearances), Signor Mariani, and Signor Calzolari, Signor Beneventano, Signors Vario, Fortini, and Baillou ; Signor Zucconi, his first appearance ; and Signor Belletti as the basso. The director of the music and conductor is not to be Balfe, but Signor Bonetti, of the Italian Opera, Paris. Leader of the orchestra, M. Tol. Logue,: leader of the ballet, M. Na laud. For the ballet we have Mlles. Rosati, Bellon, Bos chetti, Lisereau, Clara, Rosa, Katrine, and Marie ; N. Vandris, M. Charles, and N. Paul Taglioni. There are so many first appearances here that it is delicate to predict the amount of success they may attain, " the little house in the Haymarket " wrecking many a continentat reputation. Mlle. Wagner's repu• tation will, no doubt, bear the test triumphantly. SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY. THE fourth performance of Costa's oratorio Eli, introduced last night at Exeter-hall Madame Viar dot to the amateur society, to which music is so much indebted in this country. This novel appear ance in the London cast of Eli restored the work to the B►rmingham scale of grandeur and interest. It was felt that no ordinary vocalist was singing the simple and solemn strains of Same!. With fixed and breathless attention, the THE PRESS. to that noble declamation, that intellectual interpre tation, that wonderful appreciation of word-painting which makes the hearers absolutely forget how little nature has been bountiful to the gifted artist. The vocalisation of Viardot will always be a marvel, for it is impossible to assign the causes of the elec trical effects which exercise such a sway over the minds of the masses. The Morning and Even ing Prayers were more declaimed than sung—more recited than vocalised; but the profound silence--- here and there irresistibly broken by prolonged plaudits—testified the intense interest of the crowded hall. Viardot achieved one of her greatest triumphs. If in Fides, on the first night in Paris, she proved herself to be one of the most dramatic of singers, last evening she equally demonstrated that she in one of the most finished exponents of the sacred school. If anything could have added to the excite ment, it would have been the execution of the so prano part of Hannah by Mme. Novello, for the first time, although it was written for her originally. Her bravura air was redemanded ; but it was more remarkable for the power of her organ than for neat ness in the delivery of the florid dtvisions. Formes resumed the music of Eli, and Sims Reeves the tenor portion. The German basso is improving, but he has not yet mastered his music. There are such fine points about his singing that it is a matter of regret he does not acquire more style and refinement. The oratorio was finely executed in the choral and orchestral departments ; it evidently gains on every rehearing. one glarlat ad •Itttiligeact. FILIDAY EVENING. THE return of the Bank of England for the week ending April 19th shows the following changes compared with that for the week preceding : Decrease in Circulation £8,388 Decrease in Public Deposits . . 484,383 Decrease in Other Deposits Increase in Government Securities Decrease in Other Securities Decrease in Bullion .. Increase in Rest .... ... Decrease in Reserve Circulation, including Bank Post Bills Bullion in Both Departments This comparison is wholly of an unfavorable character. The chief points which merit serious consideration are the large decrease in the bullion and the continuous diminu tion in the Reserve. The bullion is now below 10,000,0001.—in fact, it is only 1,010,287/. more than it WM in the week ending October 23, 1647, when the Government was compelled to interfere to arrest a panic, while the Reserve of notes and coin is only 4,330,127/. The Bank, under these circumstances, has but very limited means to assist the trade of the country, and it is certainly unable to prevent the mass of discount transactions being absorbed by the Lombard-street houses. The hope of an equalisation in the rates on two and three months' bills is now dissipated for the next few weeks, for the directors are not in a condition to apply their funds in that direc tion. The Government appears to have been again a borrower, with a view to maintaining a respectable balance. The decrease in the Private Deposits is explained by the activity of trade ; but, on the other hand, a large amount of private securities appear to have been withdrawn on the repayment of advances. The chief features in the return are, however, the falling off in the Bullion and in the Re serve, and they are not adequately explained by the assump tion of a large export of gold to Turkey, or a simple mer cantile demand fur notes in the country. The Money Market has presented rather an anomalous appearance in the week ju,t closed. There has been at the same time both abundance and scarcity; Excessive rates and comparatively low rates of interest ; a heavy de mand and a demand of peculiar moderation. The expla nation of this state of things is easily made. The supply of money, which has produced a temporary sense of abundance, has arisen from increasing confidence in the soundness of trade, and in the stability of our resourzes having induced greater readiness on the part of banking and discmuit establishments to make liberal advances for the promotion and extension of legitimate enterprise ; while the same con viction has induced the public to place large portions of their reserves out at call, whereby they obtain better returns in the shape of interest, instead of applying them exclu sively to purposes of permanent investment. In the latter case only from 4é to per cent. can be obtained, but in the former the minimum is 5 per cent., the security being equal in both cases, while the lenders or depositors can ob tain their money back at the shortest possible notice. The supplies thus thrown into the market for fructification have of course been increased by the payment of the dividends ; the general effect being substantially to diminish the commercial rate of interest by one-half per cent. The Bank of England, owing to the very mode rate amount of its Reserve, has been unable to reduce or even to equalise the discriminating rates charged since last October of six and seven per cent, upon two and three months' bills; it has, consequently, been unable to main tain a competition with Lombard -street, and thus has missed a profitable class of business transactions for a with the disadvantage of being under some degree of odium for its alleged indisposition to increase the means of commercial accommodation. Had the Bank been enabled to enter into this business, it is probable that the stagnation which has pervaded the week's dealings in all classes of securities might have been avoided, and money have been obtained upon even cheaper terms than at present. The Bank, however, has not been in a position to afford facilities for this object, nor is it likely now to be very soon ; and, con s° . quently, for all except commercial purposes money re. mains as dear and as tight as ever. The commercial de. mend has, under these circumstances, been tolerably well satisfied, and it has rather relaxed for the last day or two, the current rates remaining as before at a minimum of 5} and 5i per cent. But now comes the other side of the picture. A sum of 1,050,0001. was paid into th e Bank yesterday in final liquidation of the instal. ments upon the Loan and Exchequer• Bill fund. ing. To meet this liability large advances have been required, which, except in rare cases, it was fonnl impossible to obtain, unless rates were paid amounting, even on Government Securities, to seven and eight per cent. The Bank yesterday made advances to some scrip holders at six per cent, but the amount was insignificant. The average was seven and a half per cent It so nappens, too, that considerable calls have fallen due this week upon various undertakings. The concurrence of these causes has, therefore, neutralised, so far as Stock-Exchange and other analogous transactions are concerned, the benefits of the cheaper market in Lombard-street ; and thus we have had, along with comparative financial plenty and abundance, an equal amount of financial pressure and scarcity. And, at the present moment, there are no signs of much improve ment There is a general expectation of the announce. ment of a new loan before the Chancellor of the Exchequer gives notice of the day when he will introduce his Budget; while next week there must be an appreciable renewal of pressure in all quarters from the coincidence of the railway and other settlements upon the Stock Exchange with the falling due of the mass of commercial acceptances. The specie imports of the week have been rather under 46,0001. The 814 Anglesea was telegraphed today off Plymouth, with 204,2761. on board. The exports amount to 100,000/. _ _ Business has been very inert in all descriptions of securities; and quotations are generally lower than this day week. Consols are a half per cent. lower. They closed last Saturday at 93f to for the Account; last night they were heavy at 94 to To-day the anticipations of an unfavorable Bank return, rumours of a new loan, and the near approach of the railway settlement, depressed the market, and Consols closed at $421 to I. The Railway Market has been inactive ; and transac tions are few, notwithstanding that these securities still keep in public favour as paying quite as well as Consols, if not better, at present prices. A decline has taken place from want of business, in nearly all descriptions. Most of the foreign lines are in the same position. The French, however, are showing a tendency to recover, but Belgian undertakings may be said to remain stationary. Indian hues have been in considerable demand for investment, and a fair amount of transactions Lave taken place m those of Canada. To•day nearly all descriptions were heavy from the opening, and in some instances a marked decline took 'deco Joint-stock Banks and miscellaneous descriptions are rather lower than last week. London and Paris Bank have declined to four to three and a half dis. The Unity Bank is to next, the Ist of May. SATURDAY, BANK OF ENGLAND. An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth Victoria, cap. 1 for the week ending on Saturday, the 19th day of April, le5G. - ' 154 RUE DUPiRTMENT Notes issued .... 4123,603,20.3 Government Debt 111,015,1c0 Other Securities .. 3,459,90) Gold Coin k Bullion 9,206.213 Silver Bullion .... --' business on Thursday A 23,083,20.1 'RANKIN° DI Proprletore'CapltalXl4,s43,ooo Meet Public Depoettcs Other Deposita 11,e07,628 Seven Day & other Bills :P4ITMENT. 423,663,203 doverument Seeu• rides (including Dead %VeightAn.) £13.117,8311 Other Securities .. 15.921P,363 _ . _ Notes Gold et Silver Coin 667 1527 483,383,323 • Tnrluding Exchequer, Commissioners of National Debt, Saving's Beaks, said Dividend Accounts. and breathless attention, the vast auditory listened I week, if riot for ten dais, BRITISH FUNDS. Closing Prices. OFFIC per Cent. Consols Ditto for Account I per Cents Reduced 1 per Cents Long Annuities Honk Stock, 7 per Cent Offinitun Exch. Bills, 203. 0 June India Bonds, (1,000 I.) Aut./. h Rttrdm. , Belgian East. J. Dutch Rhenish East Indian Gt. Indian Pen G. W.of Can.,Sh Lyons & Geneve Madras Na. R Lge.(w.in ) Nrthrn.oi Prue, . Norw. Truk. Prf . Paris & Lyons Paris d Orleans Paris & Rouen 24 x Pi n' 422 3 1 1 4, 6 9 56i 7} 34 I [AI. QUOTATION. FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Mond. Tuesday. Wednes dA6iB 14 id 21 id if Ad P P 24 I 23i 4j 24 4 22 9} 22A 3 23, $ sd Aid 36 Bxdl6 iid 20} in p. 20i I n 7 4 7 1 42 A 41 4 1 6 9 a 56 4 56 i 04 6 66 0 blond. Tweed. Wed. Thurs. Frit! 4r. In; 8! 93; 192; 193 i 91i 3 1 93 1 3 1 1i 3. '4 - 4 02 1i 92 14 : 91t 4 1 01. I9lg !92i 921 0 ; 921 on 1313.16 313-10 3 3-16 1 1 '3 3-1 11 212 211.4 3 i 2112 2124 2 11 1 341 par l 3d pa c r i par 3,dl;3dsdpar Thin. 61 Min 12*1 et d : I 4 1 20 txd, 254 0 19, 201 7 1 7 49 I I 49 89 8 9 HI I K _~