The Press.
London, England, 1854-04-29 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

Miss ISABELLA Moss, a pupil of the Academy,
gave, on Thursday, an agreeeble concert at Sussex-
hall.
THE FEATURE OF THE PHILHARMONIC CONCERT On
Monday was a MS. symphony by M. Rosenhaim. It
is the duty of the institution to discover and foster
talent ; therefore we applaud with all our hearts a
venture of this kind, even though it turn out a failure.
Correct and classical, the symphony offers little scope
to the critic. The longer pieces that follow atford no
more : there was Beethoven's symphony in B Hat,
and Mendelssohn's " Isles of Fingal." Who is igno
rant of a Philharmonic performance of these master-
pieces? Molique, in his concerto in A minor, gained
at once the applause due to the composer and the
executant. The vocal part comprised, besides two of
Mozart's best-known compositions, an aria of Gluck's,
" Nein-in den Tod."

lortign art, Pagan, &r.

THE arrangement and classification of the articles
which are to be included in the great Paris Industrial
Exhibition next year are now settled, and the
terms are puldi,hed officially in Paris and London.
There are eight groups, the eighth forming the divi ;
sion devoted to works of art., the other seven the di-
vision which comprehends the products of industry.
The first group includes the result of the elementary
operations of industry on matter, the production of
which may. be considered as raw material. It is sub-
divided into three classes—one, embracing mining
and metallurgic products ; one, the produce of
forests, the chase, and fisheries ; and one, agricultural
produce. The second group embraces machinery of
all kinds, and is subdivided into four classes—gene•
red machinery; machinery applicable to locomotion
by railroad or otherwise ; special machinery and ap-
paratus for shops ; special machinery and apparatus
for textile manufactures. The third group contains,
in four classes or subdivisions, manufactures based
on the employment of physical and chemical agents,
or relating to the sciences and instruction ; arts
auxiliary to the promotion of science and instruction
manufactures bearing on the production of light,
heat, and electricity; chemical manufactures ; the
preparation of food. The fourth group contains
illustrations—let, of surgical instruments, articles
used in pharmacy, &c.; 2nd, oojects of naval and
military art; 3rd, illustrations of civil engineering
and building. The fifth group embraces, in four
classes, steel and its products, general metal works ;
goldsmiths' works, jewellery and bronzes ; glass and
pottery. The sixth group is devoted to textile manu-
factures, in five classes, cotton, woollen, silk, flax,
and hemp manufactures, and hosiery, hats, laces, dec.
The seventh group is subdivided into four classes,
articles of furniture, articles of clothing; drawing
and modelling as auxiliary to manufactures ; and
musical instruments. The eighth group, the solitary
group of the second division, is devoted to the fine
arts, and consists of three classes-1. painting, en-
graving, and lithography; 2. sculpture and die-
sinking ; 8. architecture.
AT THE ITALIAN OPERA IN ST. PETERSBURG, Mme.
Lagrange took her benefit, which was brilliantly at-
tended. The Czar presented her with a diamond
pin worth 10,000 f., and some nobles subscribed for a
bracelet valued at 10,000 f. Mme. Lagrange has
signed a reongagement for the season 1854-5 at a
salary of 100,000 f. and a benefit. The other artists
engaged for the ensuing season in St. Petersburg
are Laolache, Ronconi, Calzolari, Tagliafico, and
Mme. Maray and Mine. de Merit.
MLLE. JOHANNA WAGNER has taken her tem-
porary leave of the Berlin public, at the Grand
Opera, in Lindpaintner's opera Caterina Cornaro.
It is said that she is about to appear in London next,
and afterwards in other European capitals.
SPONTINI'S Vestale, which has not been performed
for many years, has been put in rehearsal at the
Berlin Opera-house.
THE Trenton True American is pained to learn
that Mr. Edwin Forrest, the American tragedian, has
become a convert to the belief in spiritual manifesta-
tions. This gentleman is a constant visitor upon
the Foxes, and most credulously insists upon the
correctness of the developments communicated by
the tappers from " t'other side of Jordan." Here.
after it is to be presumed that an improvement will
be introduced into Mr. Forrest's personation of Ham-
let : the ghost of that prince's father will be required
to rap out communications instead of delivering
them in person.
THE SWEDISH GOVERNMENT have just presented
to the Diet a bill for the adoption of the decimal
system in money, weights, and measures. This has
given great satisfaction to all parties engagedin com-
merce, but as the Diet only meets every two years,
and as at its last plenary sitting it fixed the opening
of its next session for the 10th October, 1856, the
measure cannot be discussed until that period.
THE first volume of Signor Farini's new work, en-
titled " Storia d'ltalia dal 1814 sino ai Giorni Nostri,"
has just been published, The work, which is soon to

SATURDAY,

appear in English, contains a mass of most interest-
ing matter derived from sources hitherto unavailable.
Great light is thrown in it upon the efforts made in
1814 and 1815 by the Austrian Government to es-
tablish a paramount influence over the whole Italian
peninsula, and on the persevering resistance it met
with from the Sardinian Court of that day.
ORIENTAL COINS have lately been found in great
abundance in Russia and the Scandinavian countries
bordering upon the Baltic, thus affording strong
evidence of former extensive commerce between
Asia and these northern countries. In Sweden, and
more especially in the island of Gothland, so great
was the quantity of these Arabian coins found at
different times that upwards of twenty thousand
divers pieces of money have been preserved in the
Museum of Stockholm, all of which had been coined
in different cities or towns subject to the authority of
the Mahometan caliphs. With these coins there
have been found numerous rich ornaments, consisting
of rings and other silver articles, distinguished by a
peculiar oriental workmanship.
SOME WORKMEN, white recently digging in afield
on the domain of Svinninge, near Hulbeck, in Den-
mark, found, about a mile from the Gulf of Isefiord,
a piece of yellow amber, which is said to be the
largest ever yet discovered. It is two feet long, one
foot and a half broad, and one foot thick. It is of a
clear yellow colour, and very pure. The Govern-
ment proposes to purchase it for the Royal Mu-
seum of Natural History at Copenhagen, which
already possesses a piece of extraordinary size, esti-
mated in value at 450 f., and which was found near
the same spot in 1680. The old chronicles of the
Island of Seeland state that a part of the lands of
Svinninge was formerly covered by the waters of the
Isefiord.
M. JAY, the founder of the Constitutionnel, one of
the projectors of the once celebrated journal Minerur,
and member of the Academy of Sciences, died on the
9th, at the age of 84. Until nearly 80 he had lived
in Paris, plunged into a vortex of political and lite-
rary controversies, in which he displayed great
vigour, and took for many years a leading part. For
about five years past, however, M. Jay, experiencing
the need of repose, lived in comparative retirement
at a beautiful château at Chaberville, in the Gironde,
where he died after a very brief illness. He has
left voluminous manuscripts, some, it is said, of a
highly-interesting character, and which will no doubt
be published by his heirs.

DIORAMA OF CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.—
This is the most beautiful of the many beautiful
exhibitions of this description which we have lately
visited. All the most remarkable scenes in a tour
of nearly three thousand miles through the most in-
teresting portion of North America pass before us
within a period of two hours, and are most agree-
ably described by Mr. Friend in a conversational lec-
ture, which he enlivens with appropriate songs and
jokes. In the pictorial department Mr. Friend was
assisted by Messrs. Henry and E. G. Warren, and
Mr. Weigall, of the Society of Painters in Water Co-
lours. Starting from New York, we proceed up the
Hudson towards Niagara, and this stupendous won-
der of nature is depicted with an illusive truthfulness
which is almost equally wonderful in art. Many
other scenes are equally well represented. The calm
and majestic river gliding through the peaceful valley
in which the unhappy Andre was captured was espe-
cially beautiful. The gorgeous foliage and the glow-
ing sunsets of the Indian summer, with the green
gloom and the solemn hush of that primeval forest,
which was the red man's home, are rendered with
astonishing fidelity. All who can may visit this dio-
rama with a certainty of not being disappointed.