The Express.
London, England, 1852-03-08 00:00:00

IRELAND.

Deady, Mtien G.
At a Privy Council held yesterday, at Dublin
Castle, Lord Chancellor Blackburn° was sworn in
one of the Lords Justices.
'rho full dress ball at the Castle, in honour of St.
Patrick's-day, is announced in the Gazette for the
24th inst. Large quantities of Lord Eglinton's
baggage were delivered at the Castle yesterday.
Captain Montgomery, comptroller of his excellency's
household, and some other officers of the household,
have already arrived. Mr. Wynne of Hark:wood,
the new under-secretary has arrived in town, and
entered upon his official duties.
The Mercantile Advertiser, which is generally
well-informed in political matters, has the following
election rumour : " We have learned that the con-
servative and protection;st party have finally deter-
mined to start two candidates for the city of Dublin
at the next election, and that a coalition has been
arranged between Mr. Grogan and Mr. Vance. So
far as we can learn, the liberal party have yet taken
no decided step in preparation fora general election."
The Londonderry election commences on Saturday
next. The tories seem to be quite certain of the re-
turn of Mr. Whiteside in Enniskillen, where the
nomination takes place to-day.
A general order expressing Lord Clarendon's
marked approbation of the conduct of the military
force in Ireland durinit his viceroyalty, has been
issued by the deputy-adjutant-general cf the forces
in Ireland.

The committee of the catholic university have
issued an address to the "catholic clergy of Ireland,"
requesting that they would bestir themselves in the
collection of the funds, which, it is stated, already
amount to the sum of 30,000!. in cash, besides an
annual income of 500!., while only one-third of the
parishes of Ireland have yet sent in their contribu-
tions.
The Catholic Defence Association have received a
subsidy of 33f. from the Roman catholic clergy of
Cloyne, and 501. from one member towards the anti-
proselytism fund.
Colonel Dunne will not be opposed in Porterling-
ton. In his address to the electors, he very
,judi-
ciously avoids all allusion to political principles.
The election takes place on Monday next, the Bth
instant.

A meeting of Roman catholic clergy was held at
Mallow yesterday, for the purpose of considering
among themselves the merits of the various can-
didates now in the field for Cork, and of determining
which should receive their support. The proceedings
were strictly private, but it was understood that the
opinion of the meeting was divided between Mr.
Fagan and Mr. Scully, with a little more leaning
towards the latter gentleman perhaps, owing to the
support which Mr. k'agan has been known to give
to the Queen's Colleges.
There will be no opposition to Lord Claud Hamil-
ton in Tyrone. The election takes place on Friday
next. _ _

Mr. Isaac Butt, Q.C., is mentioned as the conser-
vative candidate for the representation of Armagh
at the next election in opposition to Colonel ltawdon.
Mr. J. O'Brien has issued a farewell address to the
constituency of Limerick.
Tho Kilkenny Moderator has the following account
of a most daring outrage :
On Tuesday loot a Whiteboy offence of the most daring
kind was perpetrated on the farm of Bellmont, or Coin
East, near Cutlecomer. A man in the employment of Mr.
Shirley, of Garrynaman, the tenant, was engaged in plough-
ing, when in the open noon day, a man having his face
blackened, and armed with a gun and a brace of pistols de-
liberately walked into the field, shot the two horses, valued
at 36'., dead on the spot, and beat the ploughman in the
most dangerous manner. The fellow then walked away as
deliberately as he came, firing shots as ho went along. This
outrage was committed within musket shot of fifteen or
twenty house., but no one sought to intercept the ruffian.
The land ass formerly held by a man named Carroll, who
emigrated, leaving several yean' rent due, hut it appears
that Carroll's family, who reside in the neighbourhood
claim the " tenant right," and the conacquenee has been
that Mr. Shirley has been undergoing persecution since he
entered on the farm; it is not long since a valuable cow
and pony were similarly shot on the land.

THE CONDEMNED CONVICTS IN TIIE PROVINCES.—
Kalabergo, the young Italian who wa, left for execution at
the late Oxford ns,ixes, for the murder of his uncle, near
Banbury, will, it is stated, suffer death on the :Ind inst.
The wrt lehed woman l'inckard, who was condemned at
Northampton for Dangling her mother-in-law, will undergo
her sentence on next Saturday week. The day for the exe-
cution of the two men, John Eyre, and John 11(emi‘h, who
were convicted at Winchester of the murder of John Soffte
at ltomsey, has not as yet been fixed.

MUSIC.

DRURY-LANE..--MR. RALFET NEW OPERA.

Balto's sew opera, " The Sicilian Bride," the an-
nouncement of which raised much expectation in the mu-
sical world, was produced on Saturday might. TM appear-
ance, after so lung an interval, of a great work by the first
English dramatic composer of the day, is, indeed, en occur-
rence of singular interest. Balls is our only musician who
has gained an European celebrity, and whose name has
become a household word in Germany and France, LA well
as In England. A house, consequently, densely crowded in
every part, attested the importance justly attached to the
production of this opera; and the acclamations with which
Mr. Belle was greeted on taking his place in the orchestra
showed the sense entertained by the public of his character
and reputation.
The libretto is the joint work of M de St Georges, the
eminent Parisian dramatist, and of Mr. Bunn. The
subject is historical, being founded on the memorable revolt
of the Sicilians, in the 13th century, from the French go-
vernment aar Charles of Anjou, terminated by the terrible
massacre railed the .` Sicilian Vespers," and the expulsion
of the survivors from the island. In the construction
of the plot, historical truth is not dandy adhered to ; but
this is of no great consequence in a work of fiction, pro-
vided that the incidents are in themselves consistent, co•
hermit, sod striking, which is certainly the case in this
opera.
The story, though open to criticism in various re-
spects, possesses touch interest, contains Situations
which are new and striking, and affords gr-at recipe
fur the imagination and inventive power or the coin-
poser. We are nut inclined, after a single hearing, to
speak deanottieally respecting the merits of a work
of such magnitude; hut we received very great pleasure
from many parts of it, and our general impression of the I
whole is exceedingly favourable. Well auire.. works it is
decidedly the mast alternate. The long and complicated
scenes of concerted music arc constructed with much artistic
skill ; the choruses are rich in harmony and lull of vigour;
and the instrumentation is highly finished, and often very
charming and striking in its effects. It is, in short,
a most careful and (abet a French critic would
call) "contacientioua" work. A considerable change,
too, seems to have taken place in Belie'. et) It —a
change which has been remarked in several composers of
the ltalian school. His music his mounted a German cha-
racter; instead of reminding us, as formerly, of Rossini
end Damixetti, he now reminds us of Walter and Meyer.
beer. Not that he is by any means a plagiary from
either • but there are features itt his music which make it
resemble theirs—particularly his greater use than formerly
of chromatic intermix, madden modulation., and irregular
rhythms. he "Sicilian IRO° " differs as much in style
from the " Siege of Rochelle," as " Guillaume Tell " array
ices (rota Tanereeli." Whether or not this change is for
the better, wed° not as yet feel prepared to ray. Thu later
style is certainly less popularly attractive—it is leas melo-
dious in the vulgar sense of the word--it has less of
those smooth, flowing, familiar tunes, which are
at once seized by the uneducated car ; but it
will probably be found that it has gained in
exchange more substantial and durable qualities, like seine
of them great German works which arc gradually making
their way to general popularity.
The performance, though liable to the defects of a first
night, was excellent on the whole. Mr. Sims Beeves acted
the character of Co doyo with great energy and passion, and
sang magnificently. Miss Crichton, in the part of the
herniae, had immense difficulties to encounter. The music
is full of bravura passages in the highest regions of the
soprano scale, taxing heavily the powers of the strongest
voice ; and it was not surprising that the young singer
lattery showed some sign* of fatigue. But her performance
fully justified the reputation she has gained. She acted
with intelligence, dignity, and feeling ; and her singing
sham that of a true and genuine artist. Mr. Whitworth
gave great effect to the character of the Martinis tie Martine,
and his singing of the ballad in the named act was one of
the most succesaful things of the evening. Mies I'. Berton
displayed her usual talent in the part of Pietro, the young
armourer ; Miss Isuan acted and sang prettily as
Sirens; and Mr. Drayton made a great deal of the little I
part of Satnnieo, the necromancer.
The chorus and orchestra we re sufficient, both in
strength and cruelty, for the ad. quote performance of
their duties, hut they showed traces of insufficient pre
paration. There were occasional t• hitches," and some of
the brass instruments now and then made wild work of
what was Mier° them. But, after a night or two, them
faults will disappear. In regard to the " mounting "
of the opera, great credit is Me to the manage meut. In
the scenery, costumes' and decorations, neither cost nor
cars were spared, nod the result was a spectacle, equally
beautiful and magnificent. The piece, however, is toe long.
Ily the excision of half of the ballads and the condensation
I of pars of the concerted music, greater rapidity would be
I given to the metro, and the whole effect would be more
I completely satiatectory.

DRAMA.

SIDLE WS WELLS.

Mr. White's play," King James the Sixth; or, the
Gowrie Con-piracy, ' performcd ut the above theatre un
Saturday evening, though Lew to the stage, is nut new
to the t üblic. It was published several yvors ago under
;he title of " The Earl of Gowrie," and attracted euubitlcr-
able attention. As now prciluecd on the stage it has
undergone some alterations, eons:sting chit fly el condensa-
tion and an improvement in the catastrophe. The title of
the play suftleivntly explains its subject—the mysttriuus
avetupt made upon the life of the Scottish king by the
youn; Earl of Gon•Me and his brother Alexander Ituthven,
while the king was in the earl's castle at Perth. The

circumstance. which led to this attempt, and even the par-
ticulars of tho attempt it elf, bate never been clearly 11K,T-
Llilied awl the motisis of the actors remain a disputed
question to this day. Mr. White has made his election
without hesitation, painting the tin unhappy ltuthvens
as every thing that is noble and beautiful, atm representing
them as victims to the cunning and rapacity of a detestable
tyrant. This may be the correct view of the matter, but
it is not quite established by historical evidence.
In this play King James is represented as engaged in
a flagitious vinspiracy with Spain for the purpose of re.
establishing l'opery in Great Britain by furce of arms.
Sir John Ayl.lr, Queen Elizabeth's envoy to Scotland,
having !careen that James is iu communication with Spain,
persuades Logan of Itestalrig, a staunch presbyterian, to
endeavour to seize the King and keep him in confinement,
promising on the part of Elizabeth, a liberal recom-
pense for the act. Restalrig, by a tale calculated
to awake the King's rapacity, tries to get him
into his bands, but the King's superior cunning overreaches
Resta/rig, who is seized and conveyed to Falkland Castle.
Ilestalrig is the friend of the Earl of Gowrse; and it is
the endeavour of the Earl and his brother to effect their
friend's rescue which leads to the attempt which cost. them
their lives. This motive, joined to his love for Culiterine
Logan, whom the King is about to force to marry one of
bin favourites, induces the Earl to join in luring the King
from the palace of Falkland to his castle at Perth. Bat the
brothers have no design en the King's life, and the Earl is
in the act of directing his brother to open the gates
and set him at liberty, when the King's attendants
break in and the Ituthveus arc massacred. The
play is powerfully written, and is very effective
on the stage. King James, besides being made odious, is
made comic. Ile speaks the dialect given to him by Scott,
latter Fortunes of Nigel," and his quaint phrases (albeit
out of keeping with the tragic character of the subject)
gave much amusement to the audience. Phelps's persona-
tion of the Scottish Solomon, dialect and all,was admirable.
Marston acted the part of the young Earl of Goalie with
grace and manliness. The Earl's mother—a striking cha-
racter—received justice from Miss Goddard; and the little
part of Catherine Logan was sweetly acted by Miss Cooper.
The rest of the parts were well sustained • and the play
was received with great applause by a crowded audience.