The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-01-16 00:00:00

THE DORSET COUNTY EXPR

Within the business heart of leedota, with he greet
distances, matters have been no better—perhaps wane.
What was pretty desist snow in the outskirts, became
unmitigated alai& in the °sutra districts, through
-kith cab and oatalbus homes slowly toiled only to
share up the Alth. As for removing the snow from oar
streets. the ontliorltios mem utterly helpless, and they
wail far a thaw to relieve theta of the insumbeence,
while taxpayers hove to wade ankle deep over every
crossing which is not specially favoured by the volunteer
brigade. A xtatata, very strict in it. terms for our
constitutional country, compel' every house-holder to
clear the footpath in frost of his door, and it in amusing
to see policemen marehing about to warn defaulters,
followed by a detaeltinsal of ragamuffins armed with
spades and brooms, on the look-oat for • job. Bat the
ouly effect of clearing the pavemeut, as the process is
performed, is to make it slippery an glass when the frost
sok in at night. Altogether, we are completely the
victims of snow, as meek as any country villa/era, and
the injury it occasions to business and personal comfort
makes Its real calamity here.

Mr. Peabody made a magnilleent doisatiou to lb* poor
of Loudon, which is being applied by **trustees of the
fund in providing model-house amommodation for the
worliingclassee. From their report. just published, it
would seem that each blocks of baildiap as they have
already opened seemly pey, and they woks a somewhat
ridiculous appeal to have them freed from rates and
tuft. 'Tun must, lacked, be mia-management, if,
with the present rate of hones-reel I London, any
well-appointed buildings tor the accommodation of the
working-dames should fail to pay • good iatereet oa in-
vested capital. For my part. I should rattier suppose
that the capital sum promoted by Mr. Peabody, if well
managed, ought eventimilv so to assuntalata, as to be
the means of entirely reforming the mode of lodging the
poor. The mm• mm of money invested in the same
manner as a commercial enterprise. would be • paying
speculation; but somehow we English people ma never
obtain • sumer in our projects unless there is personal
interest involved.

SPECTATOR.

Literature.

NEW MUSIC
We Mks the " ninetieths, Operatiques" first, as
they are the most oompienous amongst U. Pi•co, WI
have this week to polio'. It is one of the most
difficult and yet apparently easy tasks for a composer
to sit down and transcribe or remit • estimation of airs
front an opera. There is peculiar genius required
for It—. mind that clan adapt itself to the peculiar
character of the pima Men passes very effe-
rent saturate' and nature will stamp itself in their
works. Some possess the finest, most tender, and
impressive fancy, —others are °old, sublime, grand it
is tins, but their works are devoid of aught that can
reach the heart, save • feeling of awe or reverters:is
—their works do not inspire lova Others are
petticoat!, pouring out • depth of feeling softening
into • quiet, sad, somenrian of oedemas that speaks
to the inmost soul To all them phases the trans.
°Tiller has to adapt himself. H. most study, be
most march out their various pecalianties, and make
Lb. variations with which be is to embellish hie
group of melodies, and the links that bind them,
agree with the tone which pervades the work of the
Maestro. Mr. Boytoo Smith him done more we
believe than any composer living towards rendering
popular the operatic gems of our best and most
popular Artistes. The first six of them pieties have
rim through • 'mood edition in las than two years,
and ere again published in conjunction with the re-
maining four selections from "La fill. du Reriment,"
"Don Pasquale," Offenbach's "Orpbte Aux Enters,"
now attaining • large share of popularity at the Hay •
market, under the title of Orpheus at the Haymarket
Theatre; and II Berbiere, No. 17. "La Fills du
Regiment" is capitally done. The prelude and
opening air are brought oat most elegantly with
trite and expressioe. 'The famous " RetePito." is
which Jenny Lind used to orate sods a masation, is
very finely gives. The air is held as closely as
possible to the original text of the composer, whilst
the after movements are held in good conjunction
with it. "La Idle do Regiment" ts not perhaps so
, difficult as some of its predecessors—" Robert le
Diable," or Les Hapenote for instance. Beery oos
,kanee and is familiar with the truly beautiful airs of
"Don Pasquale," they have been set and reset in
fifty different forma Amongst the beet are Thal-
berg's and Linter's edifices, at lead for panty, but
the one is too fell of original matter, and the other
too elaborate for any pianist of moderate powers.
They require a "professional" to render them,
Lb., want all the fine taste and practios of
a Thalbmg or • Linter to play them properly.
Now Mr. Smith's "Do. Pasquale" (quite as beauti-
ful se either of the twn ultimo jest inestiosed) is
within the reach of an amateur. Thom bearitiful
airs that always fall so freshly upon the oar ors hart
arranged so simply sad brilliantly that • good
amateur may take them up and play them without
• fear of disgracing himself by breaking down. In
fact this series of iDustratione is just the set of pieces
that is wanted for ordinary abilities and every day
use. The " (*Otte Aux Bohr*" is a light merry
pieoe—one that will carry pleasure with it wherever
it is beard. The second wormiest is rather pretty.
The " Minuet" is nicely given, graosful, brilliant,
and attractive, and the last air 11 on. of the jolliest
little melodies possible, quite • jets d'esprit, py
and airy, almost funny, if it be allowable
for mote to take that character. The
last of the series is "II Berbieri" and makes • niee
Bonk These twenty pions form now one of the
best of our modern collections of operatio gems and
it would be hard anywhere to find their equal. (2).
"Auld Langsyne" is described by Burns is mine of his
writings "as the very native !swap of simplicity,
tend/moms, and love." A better judge of music
lived than Robert Burns. He loved the
rich beautiful strains of tbe plaintive wild her-
monious musk of his native country. He ap-
preciated those almost Italian outbarshe of
love sad holing poured out from the hearts
of his fellow countrymen; though their country was
oold, perhaps barna, yet their hearts glowed with a
fervour deeper than that of many • richer, more
powerful =don. Mr. Smith has added a jewel of no
mean Inetre to the crown which fame has already
phoad upon his brow. He has given to the musical
world • piece in which he almost empseees
himself for grandeur and sublimity. The
melody opens with • soft and flowing running
pangs refreshingly grateful to the ear. It is on. of
those inimitable arpeggio accompaniments for which
Mr. Smith has gained so much credit in some of his
hest compositions. The mooed movement is very
good and • nice relief to the pianist after the rapid
and brilliant execution required for the Snit move-
ment. The closing passages though difficult, are
brilliantly grand, and truly beautiful as they
possibly can be. There has been an incredible
amount of labour and work expended on this
splendid piece, and it will well relay the
trouble of learning. 3.—" Fern Leaves conies
last on our list for this week. It is an easy sad
mosioilly writhe dream. One of those woodland
scenes for which Mr. Boyton Smith is so famous in
his pianoforte descriptions. Seversl other pieces are
waiting for review, and shall have early attention.
L. W.

gorresponbrnre.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER