The Press.
London, England, 1855-04-21 00:00:00

lusit.

DRURY LANE.— fhe operatic season commenced
on Aitani..y n►ght with the performance of SeLm►'s
opera, La Sonaanata.., by an Italian co►npan,. The
new Amines (Madame Ga,sier) ach►eved a decided
success. lids lady, who is from Paris, possesses a
voice which, although somewhat worn, yet retains
considerable brilliancy and sympathetic quality.
Her intonation is good, and her execution mau►testa
a fair command over mechanical difficulties. The
air in the first act, "Come per me strew)," given
with brilliant effect, called forth the warmest applause;
and the favorable impression thus created was
maintained to the close of the opera, when the finale,
"Ah non giunge," in which Madame Gassier went
up to F in alt., fully established her success with the
audience. Signor Bettini was a good Elvino, and
sang throughout with pure and refined expression.
In the aria, " Tutto e scoilto" he received an unafia
mous encore, and his performance altogether was
highly finished and artistic. The part of Count
Rodolpho was well filled by Signor Gassier, who was
very efficient in the concerted music; and with an
excellent orchestra and fairly good cliorm., caretully
conducted by Mr. Tully, the ensemble was perhaps
superior to most of the previous performances of the
Drury-lane Italian opera. The principal artists were
called before the curtain at the end of each act, and
warmly applauded. In the course of the evening the
National Anthem, and "Partant pour is Syrie," were
performed in honour of the speciality of the occasion;
and a pretty ballet concluded the entertainment.

SOCIETY.—The third conct it took
place un Monday evening. The programme was as
Willows:—

PART I.

Sinfonia in A, No. 2
Aria, "Vi etriunando," Mr. Wei (Faust)
Concerto, Pianoiorte, in 13 fiat, Up. 19, I Beethoven.
Nay bluper
Aria, " Bald acillagt die Abschieda atuude," I Mozart.
Mine. Ruderedurtt

Overture," Euryauthe" • Weber.
PART 11.
Sinfonia in C minor, No. S
Heat., "lui W'eeh.eliwwerdar"l M me. Itudre „
Aria, "Ja, ich tiih'es"
Overture," Lea Deux Juurneer "
Conductor, Herr Richard W riper.
Herr Formes, who was engaeed to sing at this con-
cert, was prevented by Mills, osition from am raring,
and Mr. Weiss in his stead sang the aria, " sbra-
mantic, ;" and the scene from Faust, in the second
part, was sung by Mine. Rudersdortf in place of the
duet from Der Alchymist, which was to have been
sung by that lady and Formes. The concert did not
at all suffer from these changes. Mendelssolm's
"Italian Symphony," the finest of his orchestral
works, was played with an effect not surpassed on
any former occasion. The times of the different
movements were taken as we have been accustomed
to hear them, excepting toe " Saltarello " at the end,
which was quicker; yet in the rapid, impetuous whirl
of the Neapolitan dance the utmost distinctness was
preserved. In Beethoven's great symphony in C
minor, the final movement, the triumphal march, was
taken very quick, and with immense energy. Through-
out the whole symphony its lofty character was nobly
sustained, and we never were more strongly impressed
with its grandeur and power. Beethoven's pianoforte
concerto was played by Mr. Lindsay Sloper. Consi-
dering its extreme beauty, the neglect it has met
with is unaccountable ; and Mr. Sloper showed his
taste and judgment in choosing it on this occasion.
It is very much in the style of Mozart, whom Bee-
thoven in his early productions seems to have made
his chief model ; but the fiery and original
genius of the composer is apparent throughout. Mr.
Sloper's playing was exquisite; beautifully cleat and
articulate, rich in tone, finely phrased, and full of
grace and expression. He was most warmly ap-
plauded. Mr. Weiss sang the "VS abramando" ad-
mirably, though it is not entirely suited to his voles.
Mme. Rudersdorff, who appeared for the first time at
a philharmonic concert, had a great and well-merited
success. The first air she sang is a musical curiosity.
It was written by Mozart for the part of Palmitin, in
the Zauberflott, but not sung, because the performer
had not sutticitia execution for it. It is in the style
of the two well-known airs in the part of the Queen
of Night, and c:fritaiffs passages of the same kind,
and nearly as difficult,. It is, moreover, a beautiful
aomposition, and bears the swap of Mozart in every

losiUon, iind bears tug ■wr..y

of the
and per-

ednesday night two
and attractive that

formed by the
Rooms,

, chorus,
pity that
internal
voices,
_
and an admirable orchestra—should, for want of dis-
crimination in the choice of a conductor, b 3 corn

pelted to present the best compositions in its reper-
toire with their details improperly distributed, or
imperfectly executed. Herr Molique may be (though
we do not say that he is) an excellent executant ;
but, as we have before asserted, he wants the deci-
sion and energy that ought to be the primum mobile
in a leader; one upon which almost the whole effect
of a performance is dependent, as peculiar excel-
lence in any number of single players is of no avail,
unless their individual abilities are properly
amalgamated by the bdton into an harmonious
result. The overture, scherzo (encored), interlude
notturno, and wedding march, in the Midsummer
Night's Dream, were deliciously and spiritedly
played, the last obtaining a rapturous encore; but of
the vocal parts throughout the whole of the per.
formanoes we will not venture to speak, except inci-
dentally of a new basso, Mr. Wallworth, whom we
do not remember to have ever heard before, and who
certainly was perfectly inaudible on Wednesday
night. The great chorus " Come with torches," in
which the owls screech and the ravens croak and
flap their wings (Walpurgis Night), was the only
concerted vocal piece that went well; and, we are
bound to say, it was the most difficult one. Signor
Piatti was condemned, we can call it nothing else, to
play Molique's long, dreary, uninteresting violoncello
concerto, each progressive movement being longer
and more dispiriting than the other. His tone
was rich as ever. There is something in Men-
delssohn's music, apart from its scientific elaboration
and cunning contrivance, so romantic and attractive
that we cannot help feeling much regret that such
singers as Miss Stabbach and Miss Heywood should
be selected to portray, vivd voce, its beauties. Deli-
cacy and fineness are required in the vocal expres-
sion of such compositions, not harshness, uncer-
tainty, and misinterpretation. We should heartily
exhort the directors of this society to manage a little
better, and not select the worst singers for the best
pieces ; but rather even to reverse that arrangement,
and try to render palatable their less tempting
morceaux by calling forth the talent of real artists to
make the most of them. The frequent abstinence
from applause, "that cheapest, and yet dearest
reward of merit," as Burke calls it, represented
silently, but effectually, on Wednesday night, that
the audience (who were throughout most attentive)
shared our opinion.
SIR HENRY BISHOP'S CONCERT.--EXETER -HALL.—
On Monday evening the second and last of the even-
ing concerts took place. The selection on this
occasion embraced the usual favorite pieces. "Lo
here the gentle lark," " Foresters sound the cheerful
horn," "The winds whistle cold," "Tell me my
heart," and "My pretty Jane," &c. The hall was
crowded upon the occasion, the encores were nume-
rous and well deserved, and if anything was wanting
to establish the fame of the composer it was achieved
at this performance. The glees, solos, quartets, and
concerted pieces were all sung with admirable feeling
and effect, and their beauties fully rendered. We
regret, however, to state that Sir Henry Bishop was
suffering so severely from illness as to be unable to
attend the concert ; and it may not be out of place
here to call attention to the sad circumstances under
which these concerts have been improvised. It is
the object of Mr. Mitchell and of the friends of Sir
Henry Bishop to give a series of similar cot certs in
the metropolis and after the season, in the provinces,
in order to provide a fund which shall secure the re
maining days of our distinguished composer from
want or ruin. It is a painful truth, but one about
which there need be no reserve, that Sir Henry
Bishop, prostrated by disease, finds himself com
paratively destitute. This fact needs no further remark,
and the public to whom the name and works of
Bishop are so familiar will scarcely fail, under such
a stimulus to their benevolence, to do all in their
power to forward the views of Sir Henry Bishop's
friends. A committee of gentlemen have been ap-
pointed to manage the affairs of the fund; and
from the success which has attended the first concerts
we have little doubt but that a handsome sum will
be realised. Meanwhile we can only bear witness
to the excellence of the performance, and to urge
all those who love English melody to attend these
concerts, the first of which will talc. place at the
Hanover-square Rooms, on Saturday afternoon, April
68th, from three to five p m.

VERDI.I4 new work at toe Brand 0 pera, Paris, is
p#►ot expected to be ready for reprobentation before a
Igo porio4 of tho summer.

THE PRESS. -

Corrtspontantt.

LIBERAL SPAIN.
If after a successful revolution we do not enter on a course of
liberal refonns, we shall never realise thew.—Speech of Senor
Sapiente in the Cortes, Feb. 15,1805.
TO THE EDITOR OP " TES PRESS."
Sir,—lt was confidently anticipated by all foreign
Protestants residing in Spain that the advent of a
soi-disant liberal Government would be characterised
by a more liberal policy, not only in political, but also
in religious matters. The wish, as it so frequently
is in life, was father to the hope ; and it has been
reserved for an ultra-liberal, or revolutionary, Govern •
ment to permit, if not indeed to saneiton and to
justify, not only an outrage on all liberty of con-
science in the person of an English clergyman and
a small congregation of three or four persons, but at
the same time a violation of a private domicile fur
the objects of intolerance, which has no parallel in
the history of bigotry—that is, in the history of
Spain.
That in this enlightened land a British subject
bad been at one time buried in a gasometer at
Madrid—that at another the wife of a British consul
had been thrown into a ditch—that on several occa-
sions travellers had been sentenced to imprisonment
for recommending the perusal of those scriptures
which Spaniards themselves profess to believe in--
all this and much more was well known and re-
gretted; but I believe it is the first time that the
private residence of a British subject has been forcibly
entered on a Sunday, on the plea that five or six
persons were collected together performing their
devotions in accordance with the dictates of their
consciences and their faith. Yet this is reported to
have been the case at Seville ; and the outrage, in
itself so flagrant, has been, if possible, rendered
more glaring by the manner in which Senor Lu-
zuriaga, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, has re-
ceived Lord Howden's temperate demand for expla-
nation and redress.
Lord Howden, in the first instance, demanded
information on the general question of liberty of
conscience, requesting Senor Luzuriaga to determine
the precise amount of liberty of conscience to be
enjoyed under the 129th Article of the Penal Code,
which article declares, " Whoever celebrates public
acts of faith which is not that of the Roman Catholic
Apostolic Church shall be punished by the pain of
banishment."
Senor Luzuriaga, in reply, states that the same
law exists now as formerly, and that it belongs
exclusively to the tribunals to interpret the laws, and
to advise the consuls of her Britannic Majesty who
reside in this country ; and subsequently Senor
Luzuriaga refers Lord Howden for his own individual
opinions to his speeches delivered in the Cortes on
the religious clauses of the Constitution.
It is well that there exists a Spanish Hansard to
record these models of eloquence, for there has been
nothing like them since the young Constitution of
Greece was born. We must give Senor Luzuriaga
credit for his wawa, when he advised each member
before he voted on the question to go home and
consult his wife, children, father, or mother (he ran
through the whole table of consanguinity) ; and,
having thus excited the feelings of his audience by
this appeal to their social relations, he began to
work a little on their fears. " The Government," he
proceeded to say, " was in a position to know that
this was the feeling of many provinces, whose loyalty
would be greatly shaken if the people saw rival
altars rising by the side of those of their ancestors ;
and then the Ministers could not answer for the
preservation of the public peace—indeed, the total
overthrow of order might be the consequence. I say
this not as wishing to influence you by your fears."
No, not at all ! and he terminated this appeal to the
" lowest passions " by, "El govierno no deja de ser
liberal." For all this the Government is not the
less liberal.
But the disgraceful occurrences at Seville clearly
prove how right Lord Howden was in begging that
the 129th Article in the Penal Code should be
clearly defined, and also the following article in the
Constitution :
The nation obliges Itself to protect and to maintain the
worship and the ministers of the Catholic Church which
Spain professes; but no Spaniard or foreigner can be pro-
secuted for his opinions or belief, unless he proclaims
them by public acts contrary to religion.
It is right to state that if Spain has become more
bigoted within the last half-century (since 1795—f0r
at that time the law simply declared that no foreigner,
under any circumstances, could be attacked for his
religious opinions), it is not the fault of our Minister,
Lord Howden' who is the only Minister of a l'ro-
testant State who has made repeated efforts to obtain
a franker toleration. He has had to contend with
the influence of the Court and the prejudices of the
whole Government; and it is an important fact that
he has obtained that the word civilinente should he
struck out of the clause as it was originally proposed,
for it' this had remained it would have left full scope
th! Mow of th ecolniivitkal trammels. Lard

S.

7
Howden, in a despatch to Senor Luzuriaga remark-
able for the eloquence of its expression, the clear-
, ness of its argument, and the earnestness of its
conviction, if we may judge from some passage;
whioh have fortunately obtained publicity, urges,
with great truth
:
With regard to all public acts, the Government of this
country has an undeniable right to exact implicit obedience
from all foreigners who come to reside here, and who
should keep away if the intolerance of its laws and habits
disgusts thew; but the Spanish Government has no right
whatever to violate the dooliMe of an Englishman, and
penetrate into his private chamber, iu cases iniconnecte4
with criminal acts and the safety of the State.

It certainly seems that, if anything, Lord Howden
has in this passage placed far too liberal a construc-
tion on the principles of international law. We are nut
at all prepared to admit that any Government that
professes ko have emerged from barbarism eau arro-
gate to itself the right to make lawi so exceptional
and severe against the subjects of any State in such
close alliance with it, and then meet all demands
for redress by the reply, " Yuu may keep away if
you find our laws too intolerant." The apology, it'
such it can be called, is as untenable in public as it
would be held in private life, if any man were to receive
friends in his house, and then render it intolerable
by his eccentricities and intolerance. I remember
that it was used recently in another public transac-
tion by his Majesty King Gogo of Dahomy; for,
when expostulated with by Admiral Bruce for his
savage, barbarous customs, which sometimes led him
to the entire destruction of tribes in alliance with his
own, he replied, " That it' foreigners did not like the
customs of Aboukeka, they might stay away " ; and,
as these customs not rarely consisted in Laing car-
ried about cooked on men's beads in a large basket,
a good many strangers took the hint, and left his
Majesty's dominions. But States which pretend to
be more enlightened than Aboukeka can scarcely
avail themselves of such an argument. But what
shall we say when we remember that the nation
against whom this stringent intolerant piece of
legislation is mainly directed is a nation not only in
close alliance with Spain, but the nation to which
Spain is mainly indebted for what remains of its
nationalities—which has sacrificed for Spain its blood
and treasure—the nation whose fleets are at this
very moment defending her dependencies—and to
whom a constitutional queen and a constitutional
Government owe their very existence.
But to return to Lord Howden, who proceeds to
remark that
Senor Luzunaga's two notes are virtual refusals, not
only of redress, but of all cognisance of unlawful proceed-
ings against all foreigners in religious matters. The
representative of a friendly nation was told by the natural
protector of foreigners to seek for explanations where
they may be casually afforded, and redress wherever he
may imagine it to be found ; while it was quite certain
that if a question of illegal interference were brought
before a Spanish tribunal k where an humble English
clergyman was the plaintiff. and the authorities of the town
were the defendants) what would be the result.

What the result was likely to be is no longer left to
the imagination. It appears that some explanation
was demanded from the civil Government of Seville,
who denies that it was a party to this outrage. It
may be so; but is there no such a thing as an eccle-
siastical authority residing at Seville, at whose dis-
posal the police is sometimes placed or if, as is now
stated, the police did not actually enter the house, is
there no authority besides the civil governors which
has power to compel the owner of a house to turn an
English clergyman out because he was known to
read the service to a few friends not exceediug six
in number?

It is true that a more liberal and enlightened
spirit manifests itself among some classes in Spain,
but it is surely not on the part of the Government—
this liberal Government—which, on the contrary,
takes every opportunity of crushing it. The eloquent
and distinguished Senor Corradi prepared an amend-
ment the other day, "To permit strangers who
establish themselves in Spain to exercise their
worship under the condition of maintaining it at
their own expense and within the limits assigned by
the laws." He supported this with a power of argu-
ment and an eloquence rarely heard within the walls
of the Cortes. After quoting several instances of
persecution, he pointed out that Spain takes the lead
of all other nations in bigotry and intolerance. In
Rome, in Naples, and in Tuscany foreigners are per-
mitted to worship God after their own hearts; and
he added that Spain might even take a lesson from
Mahometan countries in that catholic charity which
should be the most prized possession of a Catholic
Church ; and he concluded with a forcible considera-
tion

I will but use one other argument—that is, that intole-
rance and exclusion in relivious questions ore terrible
evils even to that Catholic Church which we desire to pro-
tect. How do we know that the law of Talion 1 tetaliation)
will not some day he applied to us—that intolerance will
not be met by intolerance ; exclusion by exclusion?
Senor Corradi's amendment was del eated, but only
bi lievel4Weas the numbers being lae so ut. Bei it

384
bar. Taken as a whole, this was a concert
highest order, both in regard to selection ai
formance.
Hatmoste UsioN.—On Wednesday nig
works, the most characteristic and attracti'
Mendelssohn ever composed, were performed
Harmonic Union at the Hanover-square
With excellent instrumentalists, a second4lite
and third-rate artists for the solos. It is a p
this society, which is endowed with the
elements of success—namely, good chorus