The Press.
London, England, 1854-12-23 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

I should not have troubled you with this letter—a
course I never before adopted—but for the uniform
faithfulness and ability which I have observed in
your literary criticisms, which have, moreover, been
always so kind and flattering to myself.—l have the
honour to be, sir, your faithful servant,
SAMUEL WARREN.
Inner Temple, Dec. 21, 1854.

[We are bound to accept Mr. Warren's disclaimer of
any intention to give painful prominence to the great blot
in Scott's character by the publication of the letter alluded
to, and he must allow us to retain our opinion on the im-
propriety of publishing it. We were perfectly aware of
Sir Walter's vindication of his falsehood ; but a great
mind, when warped to wrong, seldom descends to gratui-
tous shame, and we must confess that we know no in-
stance in which Scott, with so little reason, volunteered a
direct and deliberate denial of his authorship of the novels.
We did not, as Mr. Warren supposes, represent him
to say that the denial was creditable to Scott's character,
which would have been incorrect, but that the letter on
the whole was creditable to his character, which, we think,
the praise given to it for good•nature and condescension
justifies. Mr. Warren expresses no opinion on the validity
of Scott's defence. We are sorry that on this point his
trumpet should give an uncertain sound, because, if direct
falsehood is to be excused by every petty motive of con-
venience, interest, or whim, the obligations of truth would
be altogether set aside ; the words of men, even of those
who stood highest for social position and character, would
meet with no belief, and falsehood would defeat its own
ends by generating universal incredulity.]

usit.

THE SACRED Henn°rue Socirry has commenced
its winter season within the last few weeks, with
one performance of Deborah, and two of The Messiah.
The Messiah, performed with a powerful cast,
including Mme. Clara Novello, Miss Dolby, Sims
Reeves, and Herr Formes, is too well known to need
description, but the evident failure of the attempt to
introduce Deborah calls for remark. This oratorio
was composed in 1733, and brought out in the same
year at the King's Theatre at the special desire of
George II.; but, notwithstanding the royal patronage
under which it was ushered into the world, Deborah
does not appear to have met with any success, for
after a few presentations we cease to hear of it; and
at present, with the exception of a single air and one
or two choruses, it is almost entirely unknown to
the musical public. The causes of this neglect are
various: the poem composed by Pelham Humphreys,
at the express desire of Handel, surpasses even
librettos in feebleness ; the oratorio itself is poor in
airs, and the recitative out of all proportion to the
rest of the work, which depends for its attractive-
ness entirely upon the choruses, of which, though a
few would have done honour to the composer in the
fulness of his fame and powers, the majority are
rendered tedious and uninteresting by conven-
tionalisms whioh the creator of Israel and The
Messiah was unable to cast aside. The subject is
taken from the Book of Judges. The parts of
Deborah and Abinoam on the late performance were
effectively filled by Mme. Clara Novello and Herr
Formes, the latter fully meriting the encore which,
in defiance of etiquette, was unanimously accorded to
him in the pathetic air, "Tears such as tender
fathers shed," an air which to most persons has
hitherto represented, and we much fear will still
continue to represent, the entire oratorio of Deborah.
The part of Barak was hardly suited to the conscien-
tious and unobtrusive style of Miss Dolby ; she
lacked the energy requisite to produce a full effect in
such airs as " All danger disdaining," and "In the
battle," ctc. And hence one principal reason why
Deborah failed upon this occasion. In addition to
its weakness as an oratorio, we had one of the prin-
cipal warlike characters ineffectively sustained by a
gentle woman who found it physically impossible to
throw that force and energy into words that breathed
the fire and fury of a war god. Of the orchestra and
choruses every praise may be repeated ; and, though
the magnificent opening choruses were executed in a
manner which left nothing to be desired, yet Deborah
was felt to be a failure, as much perhaps on this occa-
sion from the weakness of execution of certain cha-
racters as from any inherent feebleness of its own.
Sr MARTIN'S-HALL.—Mr. Hullah gave a grand
Christmas performance of The Messiah on Wednes.
day evening at this institution. The execution in
general was correct and impressive, and the hall
densely crowded. Mr. and Mrs. Sims Reeves, and
two very promising debutants—Miss Palmer, a con
tralto, and Mr. Thomas, a basso—were included in the
cast, which was effective throughout. Mr. Hullah's
instrumentalists were selectly chosen, and the accom
paniments, including those of Mozart, most deli-
cately and carefully played.
THE MUSICAL CONCERTS AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE
do not appear to succeed to the satisfaction of the
directors. The radical defects of the palace as a
concert room, from the discordant reverberations of
the glass roof, seriously affect the instrumental per-
formances, and the harmony of those fine bands of
the Artillery, Life guards, Grenadiers, and Fol.

SATURDAY,

hers, is completely destroyed. The vocal choruses
are incontestably weak, and out of all proportion to
the strength of the instruments, which, except in
pianissimo passages, completely drown the vocal
accompaniment. A grand concert was given on
Thursday last, and is to be repeated this day.
COVENT GARDEN.—M. Jullien, we are happy to
see, has at length concluded his arrangements with
the directors of Covent-garden Opera-house for the
lease of that establishment for a month of promenade
concerts. We need hardly congratulate the public
upon such a valuable accession to our musical amuse-
ments during the month of January; and when we
state that Ernst, Bottesini, Kcenig, Madame Pleyel,
and Madame Anna Thillon, are engaged as solo per-
formers, and that, in addition to the Beethoven and
Mendelssohn nights, we are to have a night devoted
to the works of Mozart, we can have no hesitation in
predicting as great a success to M. Jullien's excellent
efforts as was recently achieved at Drury Lane. Meyer-
beer's Struensee, Rossini's Le Comte Ory, Verdi's Riyo-
letto, and Spohr's Jessonda, are all to be performed. A
new quadrille, "The Pantomine Quadzilla," com-
posed for the Christmas holidays, and a new polka,
together with that piece de resistance, " The Allied
Armies Quadrille," are to be nightly performed.
The concerts commence on Friday next, the 29th
instant, and will continue for one month.

THE WESTMINSTER PLAY.
TERENCE'S Eunuchus was fully performed, with
prologue and epilogue, upon Monday and Thursday
evenings last. The representatives of Phadria and
Charea, Mr. E. H. Wodehouse and Mr. H. L. Harris
son, were both good, and the energetic temperament
of the latter contrasted forcibly with the despondent
sentimentality of the former. These parts, however,
come out less conspicuously than those of a more
marked individuality, as for instance, those of Parmeno
and Gnatho. Mr. J. F. Dickson embodied the
" servus " with a quick perception of the peculiar
cunning which lies beneath the surface ; and he
gave the amusing essay on the vagaries and solici-
tudes of love, beginning—

" In amore bee omnia insunt villa ; Injarie,
Suapicionea, inimicithe, inducts.
Belhun, pax rureuui "
which occurs at the very outset of the comedy, with a
pertinence that promised well for the after scenes.
The parasite, who scans so shrewdly and dupes so
cleverly, was personated by Mr. R. M. Freeman with
equal dexterity; and the satire of the coxcomb, in-
cluding the inimitable soliloquy in which he describes
with such sublime complacency the villany of his
vocation, was enjoyed as usual. The blustering
Thraso was made the most of by Mr. G. F. Wells;
and the situation incident to the assault upon the
house of Thais came out accordingly with much
comic breadth. The ladies, it has been before noted'
are dramatically stronger in the Eunuchus than in
any of the other plays of Terence ; and Thais in par-
ticular, demands a representative of considerable
ability. Mr. C. E. Fisher delineated the anxious
courtesan, painted by the author in such truly
feminine colours, with care and delicacy, though with
some abridgement of the pathos which properly
belongs to the part. This, however, was partly attri-
butable to the " make up" of the young gentleman,
which was so thoroughly womanly as to occasion a
titter of merry admiration. The other personages
were filled more or less meritoriously, and the
comedy, which was capitally costumed throughout,
passed off amid the usual reiterations of applause.
In the prologue, which, as well as the epilogue,
was spoken by the captain of the school, Mr. J. F.
Dickson, a special tribute was paid to the memory
of the eminent classic, the Rev. Fynes Clinton ; and
also to another deceased but unnamed Westminster
—we believe Mr. Vaughan Williams. An incidental
allusion to the mercenary soldier, of which Thraso is
the type, was caught up with emphatic avidity by the
audience, who evidently applied it to the Ministerial
proposition of raising foreign troops. The mistake
was palpable enough, but it was none the less signifi-
cant of public feeling.
Among the company present were Lord Wrottesley,
Mr. Baron Alderson, the Dean of St. Paul's, Mr. G.
Cornewall Lewis, Mr. R. Monckton Milnes, Dr.
Haggard, Dr. Sutherland, &c.

At the HANOVER-SQUARE Rooms an exhibition is to
open on the 26th, presenting to public notice the
Erdmanniges or Earthmen, and the Aztec children.
These creatures are to be daily exhibited at the
Hanover-square Rooms from eleven to one, and at
the Linwood Gallery, Leicester-square, from three to
five and from seven to nine p.m.
THE NEW GRAVING DOCK AT SOUTHAMPTON WAS
opened on Monday for the first time for the reception
of ships. This dock, which has cost 52,0001, is 500
feet in length, its extreme width Hy feet, its depth
over the sill and blocks 25 feet ; but a better idea of
its magnitude will be derived from the fact that it
would hold a ship 100 feet longer than the Hima-
laya.

DECEMBER 23, 1854,

Taz GOVERNORS OF CHRIST'S HOSPITAL met on

Tuesday and passed a resolution, after some debating,
to the ordering the appointment of a select com-
mittee "to inquire and report whether any, and if
any, what changes are advisable in the constitution,
powers, and duties of the committee of almoners."
The committee consists of thirteen members, seven
of whom are to form a quorum.
TILE ARCHITECTURAL EXHIBITION has opened this
week at the Suffolk-street Galleries, Pall-mall. The
exhibition of this year is rather poor in provincial
contributions of drawings of works which are now in
actual progress of erection, plans of which should cer-
tainly be presented for inspection, as giving the public
an opportunity for fairly judging of the positive state of
the art in the country.. Designs for villas, town-
--

halls, churches, and public and-private buildings of
every size and description are very numerous, among
which, those of Mr. Murray (Nos. 233, 236), are
worthy of remark, for good qualities of design and
for happy effect. The exhibition altogether may
be considered as successful and promising, and we
trust may have the desired result of contributing
something towards the elevation of the public taste.

BURFORD'S PANORAMA OF THE BATTLE OF ALMA.—
We have become so accustomed to moving dioramas
and panoramas upon a gigantic scale and of a tedious
length, that a simple panorama of the old Leicester-
square style is a pleasant contrast to the modern
Americanisms. Mr. Burford's panoramas have been
well known for many years, but have rather faded of
late before gigantic competitors. However, this pre-
sent painting of the battle of the Alma ought fully to
restore his pristine popularity, for we have not yet
seen so beautiful and so perfect a picture in all details
of the great battle. The moment chosen is when
the Guards and Highlanders have just reached the
grand reuonbt and are charging an immense solid
ma.ss of Russian infantry upon the hill-side. The
various incidents of that moment, which have now
become historical facts, are faithfully represented,
and, from the central point of view, the whole arrange-
ment of the field of battle, the advance of the guns
and of the different regiments, the long serried lines
of the reserve and cavalry upon the other bank of
the river, the distant line of fire of the French, the
ships at sea shelling the heights, and those terrible
batteries, are all distinctly visible. The figures,
boldly designed, are painted with great vigour and
effect, and a beautiful view of the scenery of the
country fur a circuit of many miles is presented to the
eye. Altogether it is a most effective painting, and
conveys an excellent idea of the subject.
THERE have been few novelties produced lately at
any of the theatres owing to the preparations for the
Christmas pantomimes, which will be produced next
Tuesday night with all their traditionary fun. At
the Haymarket we are to have The History of Little
80-peep, who had Lost her Sheep.—At Drury Lane,
Harlequin and King Mustard. By Leman Blanchard.
To be preceded by the tragedy of George Barnwell.—
At the Princess's, Harlequin and Blue Beard the
Grand Bashaw, from the pen of Mr. Planehe.—At
the Olympic, The Yellow Dwarf, also by Mr.
Planche.—At the Lyceum a fairy extravaganza,
entitled Prince Prettypet and the Butterfly, by Mr.
W. Brough.—Adelphi, St. James's, Marylebone,
Astleys, Sadler's Wells, and the Surrey, each pro-
duce their quota to the general stock of amusement
for the season.

THE SILVER MEDAL AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY.—.
We have received several letters respecting the
award of the silver medal to Mr. C. L. Eastlake, for
the best measured drawing of Burlington-house.
The charge made is, that the successful candidate
did not himself measure the building, and was not
able to produce a certificate of having attended the
requisite courses of lectures which other students
are required to produce. We hesitate to insert a
charge against the justice of the Council in such a
matter, and have no doubt it could be made clear,
but the manner in which it has been made to us
leaves us no discretion.—The Builder.
M. LESSEPS, formerly French Consul-General in
Egypt, who is using his utmost influence to cement
French interests in that country, has obtained from
the Viceroy a firman authorising the formation of a
ship canal between the Mediterranean and Red Seas
from Damietta, the eastern branch of the Nile, to
Suez. The term granted is ninety nine years, and
fifteen per cent. of the profits are to be set aside for
the benefit of the Egyptian Government. All Go-
vernment lands through which the canal will pass
are to be given gratis; all private lands to be pur-
chased. To carry our this project, a company is to
be formed in Europe. The French General, Gallice
Bey, asserts that the completion of such a canal
ought not to occupy more than five years. By most
of the older European residents the entire affair is
regarded as a wild scheme, and never likely to make
further progress than its appearance on paper.
THE amount of capital invested in French railways
is three thousand millions of francs, of which two
thousand millions have been paid by companies and
one thousand by the State.

THE PRESS.

tout anb "as n.

The Queen remains at Windsor, which will con-
tinue to be the head quarters of the Court until after
the Christmas holidays. On Tuesday her Majesty
and Prince Albert came to Richmond by railway, and
paid a visit to the Duchess of Cambridge at Kew.
Next day the Prince Consort arrived in Loudon, in
order to preside at a meeting of the Governors of
the Wellington College. His Royal Highness re-
turned to Windsor in the afternoon.
The royal bounties to aged poor were distributed
during the pet week, at the Almonry-office, White-
hall, under the direction of the Lord Bishop of
Oxford, lord high almoner.

By express command of her Majesty, the new
royal steam•yacht, now nearly ready for launching at
Pembroke, is to be named the Victoria and Albert,
and the present Victoria and Albert is to have her
name changed to the Osborne.
Lord H. Rokeby, lieutenant colonel of the Scots
Fusilier Guards, who is about to leave England for
the Crimea, was sent for yesterday week at the re-
quest of the Prince of Wales, his Royal Highness
wishing him to be the bearer of a fur cloak as a
present to Sergeant-Major Edwards, of the Scots
Fusilier Guards, who when in England was the
Prince's gymnastic preceptor.
His Serene Highness Prince Victor of Hohenlohe
left London on Wednesday night for Germany.
Herr Von Usedom, lately Prussian Minister at
Rome, arrived in London on Thursday, on a special
mission with reference to the treaty of December 2.
After transacting business in London, the am-
bassador will, it is said, proceed to Paris, on a similar
mission to the French Cabinet. Herr Von Usedom
is the bearer of an autograph letter from King
Frederick William to Queen Victoria.
Cabinet Councils were held on Saturday, Tuesday,
and Thursday last.
The Duke of Newcastle proposes to stay in town
during the holidays. The utmost activity still pre-
vails in the Minister of War's department. The
Earl of Aberdeen will also remain in town during the
greater part of the holidays.
The Earl and Countess of Derby and Lady Emma
Stanley left town yesterday for Knowsley-park, Lan.
cashire, at which hospitable seat the noble earl and
countess are entertaining a large party of distin-
guished guests.
Admiral Sir Charles Napier arrived in London on
Monday evening from Portsmouth. The gallant
admiral was present on Tuesday night in the House
of Commons, and listened for some hours to the
debate on the Foreign Enlistment Bill.
Lord John Russell has purchased Bure Homage,
the seat of Sir John Littler, at Christchurch, in
Hants.

The King of Prussia has received and been
pleased to accept a gold medal, ordered some time
past by the Czar to be prepared by the Warsaw en-
graver, Muncheimer, in honour of Prince Paskie-
witch having completed his fiftieth year (October,
1851). Specimens of this medal in silver have been
struck at the Prussian mint for distribution at
Berlin.
The Chevalier Bunsen continues to reside in re-
tirement at Hiedelberg, and has jmt sent to a pub-
lisher at Berlin an historical work, the fruit of his
regained leisure.
It is reported that the band of the Royal Horse
Guards (Blue) is going to Paris, to return the visit
of the Guides.
One of the Madrid journals states that there are
at present in Spain 72 duxes, 597 marquises, 492
counts, 53 viscounts, and 53 barons.

Letters from the Crimea state that Mr. Augustus
Stafford, M.P., is staying on board the Sanspareil,
bnt makes daily visits to the camp and the hospitals,
writes letters for the wounded, and seems to be most
anxious in his inquiries into the working of every
department.
The vacancy in the Commission of Inquiry sent
to Scutari, created by the loss of Dr. Spence in the
Prince, has been filled up by Dr. Laing, and the
commissioners have commenced to take evidence.
The Queen has appointed the Marquis of Nor-
manby, K.G., to be her Majesty's Envoy Extra-
ordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Grand
Duke of Tuscany.

Mr. Crauftird, the present Solicitor• General, will
be appointed to the seat upon the Scottish bench
vacant by the death of Lord Rutherfurd. There
being at present an Earl of Crawford, the new judge
will take his seat as Lord Ardmillan. Mr. Mac-
kenzie, the Sheriff of Ross, obtains the gown of
Solicitor-General.
The city tolls heretofore taken at the several bars
of the city of London for waggons, carts, &c., not
being the property of a citizen, are to cease on and
after Monday next the 25th. These tolls brought in
a revenue annually of about 6,0001., but gave much
annoyance to those engaged in London traffic.


1227

Captain Stewart has been appointed deputy-
governor of the convict prison nt Portland, vice Baker,
transferred to the Warrior Hulk at Woolwich as
governor.
The Rev. W. H. Buck, curate of St. George's,
Southwark, is appointed chaplain of the Queen's
Prison, vice the Rev. H. Vachell, resigned.
The Archdeaconry of Carlisle has become vacant
by the death of the Rev. Dr. Goodenough ; also the
rectories of Great Salkeld, Cumberland, and Mare-
ham-le-Fen, Lincolnshire. The appointments, which
are of the aggregate value of 1,6001, a year, are in
the gift of the Bishop of Carlisle. Dr. Goodenough
was a son of a late bishop of that diocese.

MR. BRIGHT ON THE WAR.
A THRONGED and unusually noisy meeting was held
in Manchester on Monday, in order to call Mr.
Bright to account for his anti-war letter lately written
to Mr. Absalem Watkins. The muster of electors to
whom the pacific manifesto of their member had
proved most distasteful was exceedingly numerous;
but, on the other hand, the Bright partisans had col-
lected in sufficient numbers to interrupt all regular

proceedings, and drown almost every attempt at
speaking by sheer clamour. This power they exer•
cised without remorse, and the result was that the
passions of the opposite party were excited, and the
whole meeting passed off in the most "inexplicable
dumb show and noise." Mr. Bright himself, though
he exercised unwonted patience, failed to make bis
words audible; and the repeated attempts of the

Mayor, who presided, to obtain a definite decision
from the assembly by the customary formula of a
" show of hands," proved so abortive that he ulti-
mately dissolved the meeting without being able to
record the result of their discussions. Mr. Bright,
however, availed himself of the opportunity afforded
by the proximity of the " League-rooms " belonging
to his own particular party. Thither he proceeded
from the Town-hall amidst an uproar of booting, and
found withinside a friendly audience, who listened
patiently, if not applaudingly, while the hon. member
delivered the following vindication or apology for his
escapade :
His recent letter on the subject of the war was in reply
to one from Mr. Watkins, asking him to attend a meeting to
co.lect subscriptions for the relief of the widows and orphans
of soldiers. at which that gentleman considered it desirable
that the representatives of Manchester should be present,
that he (Mr. Blight) should make a speech to explain his
views on the war,lind that the meeting should decide whe-
ther to petition for peace or go on with the fund and sup-
port the war. He did not see much connection between
the two. No man in England could have less sympathy
than he had with the Russian system of government, and
he was one of those who had received with the greatest
delight the ex-governor of Hungary when he came to this
eountry, and who was the most wonderful man, probably,
that had visited these shores for a long time. He had not
merely disliked, but be had an obsolete horror of what he
considered the unfortunate and wicked step which was
taken by the Russian Government in putting down the
attempt of the Hungarian people to gain freedom for them-
selves, and he had no doubt that a great deal of the present
clamour in this country against Russia had been the in-
evitable consequence of that false step, But should it not
rather tend to shake the confidence of the people of this
country as to the cause in which they were engaged, when
the Czar did not fear to lay betbre the people of his capital
a translation of a statement of facts such as his (Mr.
Bright's) letter? He hoped the people of Russia would
learn from it that there was a country—unfortunately the
one with which they were at war—where, however strongly
public opinion might run in one direction, and although
there might be a villent clamour in its favour, yet a man
might, in opposition to that clamour, and fearless of the
public opinion and of Government alike, publish his own
opinions to that public and to the world; and he hoped it
might lead the people of Russia to consider whether they
might not, with great propriety, endeavour to make their
own system of government approximate more nearly to the
one which permitted the exercise of such freedom. Were
we all to shut out mouths when our Government made a
grievous mistake in foreign policy, which might lead to
consequences that not only ourselves, but our posterity
would have to regret? And was he not to warn his coun-
trymen when he found thew running after something
which would turn out to be a " and a
delusion ? His opinions on the question now chiefly occu-
pying the attention of the country were well known, and
he had stated them fully at a public meeting a year ago, as
well as in the House of Commons, and whatever might
have been there Raid in reply by the Minister who was
supposed to know so much more of foreign affairs than any
other, he had ventured upon no answer to his (Mr.
Bright's) arguments. The people of this cenntry be-
lieved that they were engaged in this war with a noble
object, but he believed the sequel would show that the war
v bad no reference to the liberty of Europe or the advantage
si of this country ; and we might form some estimate of its
character from the character of those who were engaged in
It as our allies. It was no easy matter to humble a great
empire as it was proposed to "humble Russia." If there
•
were such a combination of Governments for the purpose
`.l of humbling this country and dismembering our empire,
would not every man among 'is, who conceived it possible
1 that he could handle a musket, rush to resist the invader?
1. But now we were reduced to the necessity of engaging
15,000 German mercenaries—men who had no more moral
principle than to sell themselves to slaughter anybody in
any part of the world—and he should give his most decided
vote against the measure which was now before the Legis-
lature in reference to the hiring of foreign troops. In
conclusion, Mr. Bright expressed his donhts of the con-
tinuance in power of a Coalition Government which had
shown that it had never coalesced and contained none of
the elements of strength; but was ready to support that or
any succeeding Government which should avail itself of
any honourable opportunity to rectum tranquillity to
Europe. (Loud cheers.)
- - - -

- IN

•s is supposed, of the disorders in

China, the price of opium Was fallen within the year
from 1201. to 001., and the bulk of it is a Government
monopoly. This will strike at least a million stet..
ante off the three millions of revenue which the
Indian Government draws annually from this
au...ROA