The Press.
London, England, 1854-11-18 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

certainly, if anything would induce a love of the
fields and woods, it is an effective word-picture of
our national sports, told by a true sportsman. Every
sentence that he writes hears to you the fresh bracing
air of gorse and furze-bush, which makes you, " long
in city pent.," champ and fret, like the impatient horse
at cover side, curbed in by his less impatient master.
These inimitable sketches of country life will be read
with pleasure and profit while a love for our field-
sports continues to survive.

The Platonis Protagoras. The Protagoras of Plato.
The Greek Text Revised, with an Analysis, and
English Notes. By William Wayte, B.A. London :
George Bell.

AN edition of the "Protagoras" of Plato, the text being
principally taken from the Zurich professors, Baiter,
Orelli, and Winckleman, and illustrated by notes
which are intended to serve a►► an introduction to the
study of Platonic Greek; and also by references, on
points of construction, to Jen Grammar and Mad
big's Syntax, which will be found of considerable as-
sistance to the student.

The Stepping-Stone to Animal and Vegetable Phy•
siology. By Mary Shield. London : Longmans.
THIS is one of those works for young people, in-
tended to render science easy, and to induce a better
acquaintance with two subjects much neglected in
education. In pursuance of her object, the authoress
has consulted the best authorities, and so arranged
and simplified her subject as to produce a correct
and instructive book. The illustrative woodcuts will
materially assist the youthful student.

Lectures in Connection with the Educational Exhi-
bition of the Society of Arts, Manufactures, and
Commerce. Delivered at SL Martin's-hall. Lon-
don : Routledge.

A CHEAP edition of the series of lectures delivered at
St. Martin's-hall, in connection with the Society of
Arts. The present collection does not include the
whole number, no record having been preserved of
many of the lectures delivered. We notice Car-
dinal Wiseman's lectures upon the " Home Education
of the Poor"—an experiment of doubtful prudence ;
at all events, in common fairness, Dr. Cumming
should have been invited to follow or precede the
cardinal.

Chess. A Poem in Four Parts. London : Harrison.
SomE pleasant little vets de soeieti upon chess, cleverly
introducing the principles of the game, pointing olt
the victims of designing saloon players, and warning
young and old against allowing a love of this noble
amusement to interfere with the more serious duties
and business of life. It points a moral in the ex
ample of a young student who, neglecting his studies
for the love of chess, loses his caste, and dies in
poverty. The poem is written with some spirit.

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
BOOKS.

Sketches of Campaigning Life
Olive.

Chapman and Hall.
Dino.

........
My Novel. Sir E. B. Lytton, Bart. Routledge.
Cotoper's Poetical Work*. Ditto.
Statute* in 1245.1. J. W. Rogers, Esq. Wildey and Co.
Common Place Book. Mrs. Jameson. Longman and Co.

Poems. E. V. Sankey. ~ Hope and Co.
Epullia. Ditto.
Playing al Settlers. Mrs. R. Lee. Grant and Griffiths.
Political Sketches. Dr. Ketalag. Theqbald.

PAMPHLETS
The British Parnassus. A. W. Clement. Bosworth.
Useful Hints to Young Men. J. Vandenberg.
Dockyard Politics and Patronage. Clowes and Co.
College Education and Self-Education. D. Masson, A.M.
Walton and Maberly.
Two Sermons. H. Whitehead, A.M. Hope and Co.
The Cholera in Berwick•sfreet. Ditto.
The House that Jack Built. Grant and Griffiths.
Picture Fables. Ditto.

A CORRESPONDENT, of distinguished critical know-
ledge, corrects an error in the notice of Waller's
poems in the last PRESS. As an instance of syllabic
defect in Waller's verse we referred to the use of
" spirit" on two occasions in the "Panegyric" as a
word of one syllable. Our correspondent states that
Waller wrote " sprite," and that " spirit " was com-
monly so spelled in Waller's time. This shows that in
modernising the spelling of a poet there is danger of
disturbing the harmony of his numbers. In this
case " sprite " should have been retained in the text,
and a note added, if thought necessary, informing the
reader that " spirit" was thus often written at the
time.

THE attempt of the manager of the Italian Opera-
house in Lisbon to extort a higher price from the
frequenters of the theatre has failed, and even led to
a public expression of disapprobation by hissing
Madame Alboni, although every one acknowledges
her transcendent merit.

Ett granta.

1099

HAYMARKET.—Mr. Hudson, in The Irish Ambas-
sador, and the Spanish dancers, aro still sufficient
attraction at tuns house without the introduction of
any novelty.
Pnincess's.—The Courier of Lyons and Schamyl
have been continued during the week. Schamyl, rn
particular, attracts great attention ; and Mr. Kean,
no doubt, will be well rewarded for the trouble and
expense entailed upon the management by the
production of so perfect a spectacle.
ADELPHI.—A new farce was brought out at this the-
atre on Thursday evening, but with questionable suc-
cess. The Slow Man of Mr. Mark Lemon was a burden
which even the talent of Keeley could scarcely carry
triumphantly, not, perhaps, because the entire suc-
cess of the piece depended upon his efforts, but
because, as a farce, it has little merit of its own in
incident or language. Keeley, as The Slow Man, loud
of epic poems and the guitar, unfortunately takes
chambers just vacated by a fast man, and, in conse•
quence, becomes the victim to a series of annoyances
from the fast friends of his fast predecessor, who,
after all, has only moved into the set next door.
Pets of the "fancy," gentlemen with bull terriers
and " varmint," convivial medical students with bell-
handles and knockers, are perpetually harassing Mr.
Messinger Watts, of quiet habits and poetic tastes, and,
to complete his misery, the lady of his love, Lucinda
Dix, renounces him as an incorrigible hypocrite,
upon accidentally discovering the character of his
quasi associates. In the end, of course, an explana-
tion takes place, everything is cleared up, and the
fair Lucinda agrees to become Mrs. Messinger
Watts. The plot was so stale and the dialogue so
distressingly heavy that the fall of the curtain pro-
duced a violent display of disapprobation ; and we
doubt much whether The Slow Man will be found fast
enough for the Adelphi.
OLYMPIC.—Mr. Charles Dance's Beulah Spa has
been revived this week, with Mr. Wigan as Sydney
Beauchamp; Mrs. Wigan as Parker, the gipsy girl;
and Messrs. Robson and Clifton, as the two boys in
love with her. I'he cast also includes Mr. Emery,
Mrs. Fitzallan, a young debutante of promise, and
Miss Julia St. !George as Caroline Granary. The
characters throughout are well supported, and
Mrs. Wigan's acting, as the gipsey Parker is inimit-
able.
MARYLEBONE.—Mr. Herallchi " trashedy," as Peg
Woffinglon would call that effort of his dramatic
genius, Videna, has been superseded by a play from
the pen of a young author of promise, Mr. Robson.
Love and Loyalty is a drama rather founded upon
an imitation of the Elizabethan school than upon the
pure Elizabethan type itself, and hence, as always
happens in imitations, the accidental peculiarities,
rather than the essential beauties, have been too pro-
minently brought forward. The dialogue is over-
loaded with metaphor, and the mythological allu-
sions are so abundant, as almost to justify the
remark that has been made, that " the dramatis per-
sona had commenced life by committing to memory
the bibliotheca of Apollodorus." This, in an age
remarkable for the simplicity of its poetic diction,
and a growing indifference to classical tradition,
would, with an ordinarily intelligent audience, have
rather endangered the successor` the play, but with the
good people of Paddington, °mite ignotuni pro mag-
nified- With great skill in the construction of the
plot, and force and power in the situations, Mr.
Robson has yet failed to contrast nutlicieney the
different sentiments and tone of feeling, which ought
by right to be-long to the opposite characters which
he has drawn. The broader distinctive qualities of
human nature are doubtless well defined, but Mr.
Robson's Cavaliers and Roundheads are scarcely to
be distinguished but by the costume of their respec-
tive representatives. In the support of the characters,
Mr. Wallack as Marston was very effective, and his
powerful acting justly called forth great applause.
Mrs. Wallack played Juliet with simplicity and ease,
and the other characters were well supported. The
play was undoubtedly successful, and may fairly an-
ticipate a run.
Sr. JAMES'B.—The School for Scandal has been
revived thin week, with Mrs. Seymour as Lady Teazle,
Miss Grey as Mrs. Candour, and Mr. ltant,er as Sir
Peter. The cast is effective, and the house has been
well attended during the week.

DRURY Lasz.—A selection from Beethoven's "Pas-
toral Symphony" scarcely deserved such curtailment
as it met with at the hands of M. Jullien during the
week. If we are told that the performance of one part
of a certain symphony is to take place, why is it not given
intact? No lover of music can approve of that sys-
tem of picking out here and there the lighter airs
from a great master's composition, and so presenting
an incongruous selection without unity or design.
M. Jullien has earncd a great reputation for im-
proving the taste of the public by his judicious
choice of music, but it is one thing to make a good
selection, and another to curtail it in the performance.