The Express.
London, England, 1862-03-14 00:00:00

MR. CHARLES DICKENS'S READINGS.

Last night, in the large St, James's Hall, which was
crammed to repletiou—ell the stalls, nearly 500 in number,
having been pre-mewed so early aa inturdey laat—Mr.
Dickens gave a reading. divided, as usual, into twoparts ;
We first being the "History of David Copperhald," one.
pressed into six chapters; the second, the description of
Mr. Bob Sawyer's supper-party, from "Pickwick." The
" Copperlield". serious interest is entirely confined to the
story of little Emily, commencing with her betrothal to
Ham, and ending with her recovery after the flight, sad
the description of the memorable storm in which if teerforth
is drowned, and Haul beaten to death by the waves iu his
attempt at rescue. The chapters relieving the echoes
terest are devoted to the Micawber pecuniary transactions,
and the domestic difficilltiesof Copperfield and his child-wife.
In this reading Mr. Dickens has expelled all his orevioes
efforts, and taken even higher rank am a dramatic artist
than he had previously attained. His °inception of Pegotty,
the rough honest fisherman, is throughout hue, but in the
scene where he first bears of the be; of his niece, sad
again where he narrates his wanderings in search of her, it
approaches the sublime. Finer facial expression mown be
conceived, and it is assisted by exquisite modulation of the
voice, as the different passions are expressed. This, and
the fish description of the storm, given with terrific force
amidst a deathlike silence, an the gems of a thoroughly
delightful performance.
Mr. Bob Sawyer's supper-pasty came as a pleasant
relief after the sombre coeclusiou of -"
Cupperfield," sad wee
as the farce to the tragedy. What need be said of the
"entire and perfect chrysolite" of fun, save that it kept
everybody in roars far twenty minutes, and that in Mrs.
Ralik, the obstreperous, lanCedy, Mr. Dickens, has one of
his finest personatioes. The audience was as appreciative
as it woo numerous—set • point missed —aDd between the

parte, awl at the eatelusioia, Mr. Dicks= experieoced •
thorough oration.

MOIrS. ROBIN'S' ENTERTAINMENT.

The Soirees Famtastiques given by this expert
magician at the Egyptian Hall continue to be a source of
attraction and amusement, the performances being cos-
stantly varied, mid the " changes" effected being as fre-
quent in one sense es they Sr. surprising in another. Lest
evening M. Robin essayed • new species of entertain-
ment in addition to the ordinary feat. of legerdemain which
form the leading feature in his programme. The novelty
consisted is • panorama of the various places to be visited
by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on his tour
to the East, and this was exhibited through the medium of
an instrument invented by M. Robin himself, and which
he calls en " agiossope." The machinery employed in work-
ing this instrument resembled that used in the representation
of " dissolviag views," bat the ingenuity of IM. Robin has '
contrived various novel effects, for which he claims to him-
self the merit of originslite. These comprised moveable
changes of cloud, the falling of snow, the rippling
of water, the gushing sound of cascades, and the passing
of vessels from one point of view to another.
Amongst the most interesting features exhibited may
be mentioned the colossal statue of Bavaria, at
Munich, the church of St. Mark at Venire, her Majesty's
ship Osborne, off the Port of Alexandria, the Convent of
St. Catherine on Mount Sinai, the Pool of Siloam, the
Mosque of Omar at Jerusalem. the Holy Sepulchre, the
Lake of Tiberias, the City of Dammam (with a flee effect,
exhibiting the destruction of the Christian quarter), the
Forests of Mirombe, the Falls of Lietteni, the Convent of
St. Anthony, • panorama of the places sea between
Burnt and Jails, the City of Malta, &c. The
tourist is supposed to start from • spot whence
Westminster Abbey is visible, ad to terminate the journey
at Windsor, the castle being • prominent object in the
concluding tableau. The whole affair is admirably con-
ceived and most skilfully executed, and those who desire
seine little excitement, ii addition to the "accusation* pro-
duced by M. Robiu's powers of magic, will do well to satisfy
themselves that he is not only one of the most remark-
able of conjurors, but also one of the ablest contrivers of
scenic effects.