The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1870-02-22 00:00:00

BOrsetstirt.

Abnouran Quer= Samosa —At an ad.
jammed Court of Qasrter Sessions, on Batarday last,
ties following yentlenust quit/led u entity just:ose
—William Johnson Smith, Esq., M.D.,Weymonth ;
Captsin Bonitos, West lodge, Blandforti ; George
Edward Eliot, Bel., Weymouth.

DORCHESTER.
(Amur, Thrion.—Sing our [amine of Mr. Avant'a
ooneart was written, we are gratified to learn that a
moverneut Is on foot, for forming in Dorcherter a Choral
Union on • broad basis.
Hi e MAJZIFIT has bees graciously pleased to ap-
prove the •following appointmeng in the Dorset
Militia—Robert William Andrews, Gent., to be
Lieutenant, rice Aldridge, promoted.
Darrel:Trios or Fox's.—
" We hold in abhorege all ellipsoid' knaves."
Hotting Sowg.
Lord Poltimore's ham& met at Gorwsll on Wed-
nesday, but hers, se well NI the Ashley covers, were
drawn blank. The Blagdon country was then tried,
bat up to half-past two o'clock not • lies fox could
be found. The region of this unwonted deficient),
of sport ia • locality where some of the hurt known
fox-preserver, re mde is thus explained. Within the
st week or ten days, no fewer than seven dead
ones have been picked up, all which have &ppm-
mitt, been poisoned or trapped? The font of their
haviall been found within • radius of • mile
from the Hardy monument points most rignificanUy
be the conclusion that the foxes moat have been
wantonly destroyedi, and public indignation Cannot
be too strongly expressed. If poisoning and trapping
are to be carried oil in this way by individual., it
cannot be expected that the noble lord who has
hunted the country at his own expense and with
such eminent success daring the past ten years will
long °outing to afford sport to so many of his
delighted follower.. It,
therefore, becomes the
duty of every gentleman, Whether be be • to:hunter
or not, to try to the utmost of his power to detect
had expose such unmanly persons, who from wanton
and selfish motives, thus try to thwart the sport of
so many of their neighbours. Since Lord Pol.
timuir• hae bunted the country we have reason to
know that Mr. J. G. Homer, Mr. Maefield, and
others in the neighbourhood to which we refer have
entitled themselves to the thanks of the public tor
the spirited manner in whieth they have preserved
foxes for sport; bet we must ney it is poor soccer.
ageount for them to muting in this course when
they !had that their pains are frustrated by this
cowardly and un-English meaner of proceeding.
R.B.A. Psurwy RSADINOs. —Another of them
entertainments came off at the &wracks on Than-
day evening last. The iodates* was numerous,
eonsisting of many friends and aoquaintaeose of the
soldiers, and • large number of the men themselves.
The performing@ of the Glee Union showed that
their course of training under Mr. H. Wellspring
has been attended with very successful results; the
majority of the odious of the battery honoured the
sormin(s amusement with their presage. The
entertainment commenaed with the reading of •
titled " The return from India," by
poem entitled
Reynolds, in which the meeting of an
English mother with her soldier.son, who, after
braving all the honors of the Indian mutiny, has
returned elated with the honourable mention of
his name in the Dispatch, together with other
rewards for meritorous conduct, was very touchingly
rendered, and was well appreciated. A song "The
White Squall," was next given by Gunner McGregor,
who spared no effort to do justice to the pigs. The
reading of • Spanish ballad "Bernardo del Carpio,"
by Qttartirmaster-Sergemit Henderson followed; the
laiignage of this piece is strikingly beautiful, and
the story poartrays the devotion of a son-13ernardo
to save a suffering are from an exasperated monarch,
and the death of the father by the base treachery of
the king. Mr. Henderson read the belled in telling
style, and was loudly applauded. "An Alabama
Duel," • ping from the ballads of " Bon Gooltier"
was then reed by Colonel Newton. In introducing
the reeding Colonel Newton explained to the
audienoe the origin of the term " Lynch Law" in
America, observing that the inventor of that mode
of summary punishment was the chief character in
the reading before him, "Judge" Lynch being one
of the individuals ocooerned, and Silas Fixings the
other. The story was read with the Yankee meant,
and nasal twang, which char-motorises our cousins in
the far west. "Judge" having roused " dander" of
of his friend Silas, there was • challenge—gins and
knivea—meeting and denotierneWt. with the death
of Silas, being very effectively rehearsed, and at the
conclusion the Shouts of approbation were loud and '
prolonged. The Glee Club then gave "Oh who
will o'er the Downs," in an excellent manner.
Lieutenant Birohatn read • selection from Charles
Dickens's "Oliver Twist," the characters concerned
being Bill Sykes the burglar, Nan.iy, and Pagan the
old Jew. In dramatic style Lieutenant Bircham
gave the selection, Sanding much merriment,mingled
with hearty applause. Driver W. Smith then sang
" Madeline,' in very good style. Another selection
from Dickens followed, the "Action for Breach of
Proinise—Bardell r. Pickwick," read by Dr. O'Brien, I
, The Doctor's telling manner of reading this very ,
amusing piece was quite irresistible. and as he crow.
questioned the witnesses, and addressed the imegin.
ary jury, the audience wore in a perpetual burst of
laughter. The Glee Club followed with " Lightly
Tread," which was very nicely song. Gamier
Gemnds then read a piece entitled the " Prickshaw
Witch," illustrating the superstitution formerly pre-
valent in the northern counties of Engles' 1, and
detailing the discomfiture of • supposed wisard by
the evil of a Yorkshireman. Gunner Grounds also
reed a " Lancashire C•ortahip," imitating the
peculiar dialect of the county, ip • droll manner,
and he was loudly applauded. The evening's enter.
tainment was brought to a conclusion by the singing
of " Ye Gentlemen of England," in very spirited
style by the Glee Club. As the audience departed
the ?Tatiana Anthem was sung by the members of
the Glee Union.

Ma. A VANT9S CONCIRT. —On Tuesday evening a
first-dais concert was given at the Town-hall. through
the enterprise of Mr. T. Avant, of Weymouth.
From • variety of rums the attendance was not
large I yet it was more numerous than might have
been anticipated considering the inclement weather,
the number of people who have oolds or fear they
might have if they went out in evening dress,
the fancy dress bell at Weymouth that evening, and
the circumstance that Mr. Avant is not a Dorchester
professional and so bag no special body of patrons in
this immediate locality. The wooer stood on its
own merits entirely, and the number who oars for
bigh•ollire music ia Dorchester, is but limited;
Chnety's minstrels, with simple melodies, lively
choruses, instrumental tricks, and ounundrunis,
attract a crowded house. That a taste for better
music does not prevail here is more the fault of our
local professionals than anybody else. Sherhorne,
Blaodford, Bridport, and Weymouth, have their
choral or philharmonic societies- {and even a tonic
sol•fa renciation would be better than nothing)—by
means of which the knowledge and skill of the mu-
sins' few is utilized, inexperienced 0111111 are trained,
the public taste is elevated to the standard of the
grand compositions of Handel, Haydn, Moeart, Bee-
thoven, Ac. and a general interest is excited in music
which is eminently desirable, ter it is surely the
most iareot as well as the most enjoyable of plea-
gores, and may be participated in by all classes. But
to return to the concert. It opened with Smart's
"The Carnival," a pert, trio, by Miss Dumb!, Mr.
Monism Barth, and Herr Carl Stepan. Ibis was
sweetly given, and augured well for what WM to fol-
low Her Girl Stepan then sang Wallace's popular
song "the belt-ringer." He has a grand voice, sang
with much taste, and made excellent use of his fal-
setto, reminding one of Weir's ever effective use of
his head voice in the "Village Blacksmith." Mrdlle.
presidia then gave "Th. Sommer bloom bath passed
away." W h • peculiarly rioh mezzo-soprano
Moe and • refined style, she charmed all
hearses, by the graceful tendril's' she infused into !
! the song. Her slightly foreign accentuation of the!
' words rather heightened than otherwise the fespressee
mend of her performance. Mr. Montan. Smith is se
old a favourite at Dorchester, that any critiorm of
his singing is needless. We will only remark that
he sang Mosart's "The Violet," with his aocustotned
delicacy of taste. Mr. Avant then gave a pianoforte
solo, receiving • cordial greeting as he appeared.
The piece selected was Ascher's "Alice," and the
brillancy of his performance mud hare provoked the
envy of all the young lady pianists. Fremont. The
instrument need was one of Kirkman s &rands, and
its beauty of tone and lightness of touch were well
displayed by Mr. Avant. Madame Ituderedorff than
sang an air from Sullivan's new oratorio, 'Th.
Prodigal Son," entitled "Oh ! that thou had'et
hearkened." She bag been for so long a popular
singer, we almost distrust our jodgment that her
singing throughout the evening, save in one
song, was more noisy than musical. Fifteen
years ago we heard her in " The Messiah ;" and
now, after oontinually singing since that time, we
are afraid it must be said her her days—and,
perhaps, her good days as • first-class singer—are
gone. Bat for dramatic energy and aroma; - before
an Andreae, commend us to Udine. Rudersdorff !
How she screamed, exciting the depreoatiee glances
elker associates in the part music, and the laughter
(lithe company ; how, discarding the conventional
*set of music, she boldly faced the audience, and
folded leer arms or stook them a-kimbo ; and how
she swung the train of her dress and leaped from
the platform, will ling be remembered with astonish-
ment. The duet " Vesezio" by Mdlle. Draedil and
Mr. Mootrrn Smith, was a excellent performance.
Miss Dreadd then gave "The wreaked hope," ma a
quiet, graceful meaner, winning golden opinions. A
brilliant spirited trio " I Navomati" by Madame
Ituderedore, Mr. M. Smith, and Herr Stepan, took !
immensely, and was enetwed, when the last move-
men. was repeated. The second part opened with a '
ga• Iptertott Schumann "Gipsy life,' supported j
by the four vocalists. Mr. Moult= Smith sang a ' pretty little song "Speak kindly," and was warmly