The Express.
London, England, 1855-02-16 00:00:00

711

MUSIC.
THE MADRIGAL SOCIETY.
This society, &subtle:4m the oldest musical estrocia.-
siss is the meld, held its ono batched sal foamiest*
festival yesterday, at Preeramees'-hall. Poe
stare• v=lceetury, tot waly his the cause of its proceed*.
iarnxes ininterrupted, but Its becks and records ban
,bees priestved in an unbroken series from its very founds.
ties. Lest night, or the heaths of the °Misers
of the society being given, Mr. Oliphant, the se-
entary, is returning thanks for his eolleagnes and
himself, created much interest by reading some
passers from the eel eat saints, and aconnts,
giving annsidag pictures of the simple habits of the little
knot of thalleella sod mechanics who founded the society
—their frugal fare at their meetings, their excursions to
Blackheath or Itiehmead, the good feeling which prevailed
among them, mad their rue and enthusiastic love of their
favourite art. It is remarkable that them bumble indivi-
duals kept alive the love of the line old music of the Eliza-
bethse age at • time whoa, In the general depravity of
taste in Ragland, it wee almost extinguished. The
personal character, musical &nutriments, and zealous
exertions, of the late Sir John Rogers, as Preei-
gat of the society, revived its fortunes and raised it
to its invent state of prosperity, in which his successors, the
late Lord &atom and Sir George Clerk, have ccntriented
SS maintala it. Sir George Clerk, actively as he has long
been engaged in the cares sad labours of public busing's, is
as amateur of more than ordinary attainments ; and his
weal ia behalf of the society was evinced by his leaving hi.
home in Scotland only the day before yesterday for the
single purpose of presiding at this meeting.
It was an exceedingly agreeable one. Then was a
numerous attendance of members and visitors, and a larger
proportion than usual of skilful and distinguished
musicians who took part in the performance,. Mr.
C. Potter acted as conductor, sad gave the time
with decision and HMSO,. Each pert of the hammy
was supported by • competent number of good voices, and
NM
of the finest old Realists and Italian madrigals were
mina in a meaner which we have never heard ensiled. As
• tribute to the sensory of the late Sir Andrew Barnard, as
ell and Jealous member of the society, whops death has
taken plies since the last anniversary steeling, Sir John
Regmes beautiful and pathetic five-part madrigal, " 0 say,
Ts nets, who shine in realms above," was sung with inn
heiMg, for Sir Andrew was known to and revettsd by
almost every person present Among the pieces which
gave the greatest pleasure were, Bennett's "Ail cfeaturee
new are wry minded," Batmen's " Phillip, farewell,"
Ward's " Sweat Philomel" (an exquisite pins of expres-
sion, which was loudly encored), Dr. Oreene's "0 clap,
year hands," Marenrio's " When April distill in roses
gay," and Mr. Oliphant's "Stay one moment, gentle
aver " Seville's celebrated "Fs, Is, la," u usual, eon-
eledid the evening.

CONDITION OF THE POOR IaNI ST. PANCRAS
WORKHOUSE. -INTERFERENCE OF THE
POOR LAW BOARD.

•
Ids 00harque000 oUreprofien` • 'iOne which have
lately been mat ' reepostiag the overcrowded state of the
Bt. roam Worllmowleitell as of the'l ltby tondition
sod Mghabal OMB la some of thesinmates werlim
=Mod ft emisiselho Pees low. Commissioners felt
lola as isstitahrm latalry hitdthe management end ma-
aides of the weebhoeses. la secordaace with this &dared.
asthma, Mr. HA am of the inspectors to* the Poor-law
illuZlias so* said •visit, and reported the result
i Se lip Pourisew
At the ma* moth, of the Board of Directors of the
Peer i St. Pesos, Taoaaa Bt.n Banta, Esq., in the
Mr. Coot, the miry disk. read a assn Mina from
Lord Courtesay, ratasery Is the Poor-law Besel,esetata•
lag the autstasse of Ohs report of their fliers/Mr, Mr. Hall,
us to tie state sad gs.ssul management of Oa wsekhones.
This report gas to Mow that the atatemsalis whisk have
boa made ware far ham Ming asoggesaled. TM repast
shades pleasularly is Is.amosmosat of Iks ist
emu cry sod morels, weak sad Was iipholog and mis.
fkatalsi Obs evermemodod sad uallsallby situ 'Ms firmer,
whim\ potlealarly cake be Sbe imaisdkal sad Arenas
sapedateedoece of the easherities,ll4. Mal remarks with
regard to the latter, that both male sd Me& wards were
is as overerowded and unhealthy state. he ODD room,
21 by 22 feet, 10 feet high, there were, as the WA of
Jimmy, crowded together 46 men and boys. Is meet of
the beds there were three persons sleeping together, and is
three straw beds raced side by side upon the door,
there were alas men and two bays. Them beds were
not furbished with sheets, sad three out of the nine men
wen UI ; sae bad a sore leg, the other two were suffering
from internal disease, sad not only slept, bat passed the
day is the ward. Them and other straw beds in the same
ward were swarming with vermin ; and it was admitted by
the toaster that many other beds in the sans* ward woe
more or leas similarly Ohms& In the sae:ailed day room
for ..steals, as many ai If ma slept without bedding of any
kiad. The nativist/ MIDIS kw females are represeated as
he equally defeWtrem The report condentas in unmet.
void terms, the bemeed preettee of crowding ;nether in
one tensors NM Mt supostable, but ',dined, ratepayer,
sad Oct/amp
with,c2, which mesas the virtual's
▪ emeteidal sepawls UM • ate, the clean with the
Meg, des bolliqf sick aid diseased. Mr. Hall
was IMINSDI is is priussed the master that soma of the
pees asst insals• wow NM into their casual wards every
W.I. Bach a moat mold Lordly fail of propagating the
physical and morel amlumbeatioa of the inmates. The
report, after dwelling rigs. Obis portion of the workhouse
sad its naaagemso. wash : • The state of things
fa Obese mails awasialy,ask se to all for the immediate
sad saargolo latoposidas of the directors, sad the Poor-
kw Beard fed it to he eask Imperative duty to call upon
them to make at once ease, practicable exotica Wonky to
put as end to it."
Lord Courteasy s letter comladisnialsealUag the atter
tips of the Board to the various by the
Poor-law Commissioners, and recoontiggiogir it/formed,
with as little delay as possible, of the preatedlop taken by
tha directors la oossequenee of the eginsaualsaides.
Hr. RTOCILTON moved that the eammiollea be referred
to the he.. escamittee, with a respell thia they would
report to that board at its sitting on Tuesday
Mr. Howie eseoaded the motion.

Mr. Touren expressed his surprise that Mr. Mukha,
who was etas el these who always claimed the right of the
Poor-law Board to interfere, should make such a pupal-
ties. Be looked upon the document just read as nothing
less than a peremptory order and • piece of dictation oa
the part of the Poor-law Board, which, if the resolution
wee purled, they, as • board, would be at MOD yielding to.
The better plan was to merely acknowledge the receipt of
the letter. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CHAMP said that the existence of some of the evils
alluded to could not be denied, the best plan to remedy
them wu to look the evil in the face boldly, and go to week
vigortnisly. (Hear, hear.)
PRATT weaned the great point in the letter was
the cruelty of placiog respectable persons with the professed
upset. To his own knowledge, the widow of a prof's-
maul gentleman had, by the system complained of, been
compelled to pass more than a week in the same ward with
the lowest characters. The question of the rates was a
mere phantom compared to such an evil as this. (Hear.)Mr. STOCKTON did not wish to admit that the Poor-law
Board had any right to iaterfere, but he could not deny that
the state of the infant nursery was a disgrace.
Upon a division, the motion to refer the letter to the
house committee was negatived.
At preseot the number of recipients of parochial relief
in St. Pancras sm.& 12,000, and every part of the work-
house is most inconveniently crowded.