The Express.
London, England, 1847-02-19 00:00:00

enclose one of Dr. Trailra letters ; every word I can answer
for the truth of. Pardon this hasty serawl.—Believe me, my
dear sir, very faithfully your , J. CIUMFORD CAFFM.
P.S.—There have been flan or three post oriortent exa-
minations of those who have Inv], and they find that the
inner membrane of the stomach turns into a white mucus,
as if nature hai supported herself on herself, until enlist's-
lion of all the humours of the system had taken place.
WALES.

Ton DEAF AND DONIII.—On the Ist init., a meeting was
held in the Town-hall of Aberystwith, for the purpose of
establishing a school for the deaf and dumb natives of the
principality. The mayor, D. Edwards, Esq., who took the
chair, stronely commended the object of the meeting, but
seemed to think the present rather an unpropitious moment
for the commencementof the undertaking, as the principality
and other places were inhering heavily from the mucky of
provisions. This feeling, however, was quickly dissipated
by Mr. Owen, who informed the meeting that he bad the
assurance of a gentleman thoroughly acquainted with the
country. that he would undertake to raise in Cardiganshire,
Carmarthenshire. and Pembrokeshire, and in one English
town, the sum of 3,0001. in donations, and 1.0001. in annual
subscriptions.—Mr. Owen stated the number of deaf and
dumb persons in Wales to be at least 600.

pit BM.
DEATH OF WILLIAM COLLINS, RA.—This cele-
brated painter died at ten o'clock on Wednesday, the 17th
inst., at the age of 59. He had been ill for some year* past.
but it was not till within the last six months that he was
obliged to abandon the pencil. Hie disease was one of the
heart, terminating in dropsy. Critics in art associate the
name of Collins with everything that is pleasing in rural
life. " Children picking bops," "Children gathering black-
berries," and " Children examining the contents of a net;"
with everything that is connected with the life of a fisher-
man on the sea coast—" Fishermen coming ashore before
sunrise," " Fishermen on the look-out," and " Fishermen
getting out their nets." Mr. Collins was the son
of a picture dealer and cleaner—a man of ready
wit—hut best remembered by his " Life of Morland,
the Painter." His son William was born in 1788,
and exhibited for the first time at the Royal Academy, in
the year 1809, at the age of 21. In 1815 he was elected an
associate of the Royal Academy, and in 1829 a royal acade-
mician. A very considerable alteration was made by Mr.
Collins in his style and manner of painting after his visit to
Italy in the years 1837 and 1838. Like his friend Wilkie
he became ambitious of greater eff.rts, and visitors at the
academy were surprised to see an old favourite quitting his
sea-shore scenes, his muscle gatherers, and shrimpers, for
" The Two Disciples at Emmaus," and " Our Saviour with
the Doctors in the Temple." The latter picture is now at
Bowood, the seat of the Marquis of Lansdowne. The
head of Christie uncommonly poor—the heads of the doctors
finely painted, but rather vulgarly conceived. The
colouring is very powerful and harmonious. But it is not
by his more ambitious efforts that Mr. Collins will be tried—
some of hie sea-shore scenes are exquisitely true to nature;
and his " Rustic Civility" (boys opening a gate), and his
" Happy as a King" (a boy swinging on the top of a gate),
are incidents happily conceived and charmingly painted.
His " Fetching the Doctor," in the exhibition of 1845, gas-
man • quiet humour different altogether from any of his
former efforts. Mr. Collins received large prices for his pic-
tures, and has left a widow and two sons to lament his 100.

Plum.
SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY.—The performances
at Exeter Rail, last evening, consisted of a selection of
sacred music, comprising Handel's Coronation Anthem,
The king shall rejoice ; " the ancient quartet, " Alla
Trinita Beata; " Mozart's Service (or Mass), No. 12; and
Handel's " Dettingeo Te Deum." None of these pieces
werenew to the Exeter Hall audience, nor was there any-
thing remarkable in their performance. The solo parts were
sung by Mrs. Sunderland, Miss Dolby, Mr. M s, Mr.
Genge, and Mr. H. Phillips, who acquitted themselves
very satisfactorily. All the pieces were well received ; but
the only encore was given to the fine specimen of mediaeval
harmony, Alla Trinita," to which the singers did grestjus-
tice. In the " Dettingen Te Drum," Mr. Harper,jun.,produced
great effect by his masterly performance of the trumpet part.
His obligato accompaniment to Phillips's air, " Thou art the
King of Glory," was vehemently applauded. This young
performer is • worthy successor to his Lahti., who has so
long been regarded as the greatest trumpet-player of his
time. The chorus singing was powerful, and often very
grand, but exhibited the usual deficiency of delicacy
and variety. Sufficient pains are not taken to teach
this immenes lady of voices to produce a piano.
The hall, as usual, was full to overflowing. We
have received a copy of the Report of the Anuual Meet-
ing of the Society, which has been recently held, with the
report of the committee laid before that meeting. These
documents are very satisfactory ; and, in particular, we ob-
serve with pleasure a resolution passed at the meeting, ad-
mitting the necessity of more frequent and careful rehearsals
than have hitherto taken place, and making regulations for
an improvement in this respect in future. We hope (in the
words of the report) that this will "tend materially to im-
prove the character of the public performances." At the
same time. we must observe that much more than Oil is
necessary for the accomplishment of this desirable object, The
report contains some interesting statistics. During the last
ten years, the society, after defraying its large expenses, have
accumulated stock invested in the funds and other property,
to the amount of 2,0001. Their payments in that time to
members of the musical profession amount to 20,0001.; and
for charitable and benevolent purposes, to 4001. They have
given 160coneerts, which have been attended by 306,670
persons • and the society's receipts during the same pet iod
have been 37,0001. In regard to the future, it is stated that
" they have entered upon arrangements, under
which they hope to be enabled to produce several
works which have not yet been performed by
the society; amongst these are included Handel
oratorio Belshazzar,' which, although one of his noblest
compositions, has probably not been performed as a whole
in public within the memory of any person now living ; and
Dr. Mendelssohn's new oratorio ' Elijsh,' with the im-
portant advantage of being conducted by the composer him-
self. They have also the gratification to announce that Dr.
Spohr has accepted an invitation from them to conduct the
performance of some of his compositions during the present
season." All this bespeaks well directed activity, which, we
hope, will produce good fruits.
gbe 'Munn.

FRENCH PLAYS. —Aland. Fred4ric Lemaitre took
his benefit last night, when helappeared so Jacques Ferr.ind,
in Eugene Sue's drama " Les Mystares de Peri.," performed
on this occasion for the first time in London. This play is
founded on the novel of the same name, which is to familior
to the romance-reading public that we may be spared
any description of the plot. That the novel, though
et • bad school, is written with great power, is
Mimed hy the large number of readers it has
hand. Bat sureties will not always bear turning into
action ; and " Les Mysteres de Per," though dramatised by
the author himself and a collaborate's'', is ineffective in Fe-
rmentation The piece is in five acts, which are subdi•
riled into eleven tableaux, some of which were omitted in
the performance of lost night. In the effort to cram each of
these with effective situat;oas, incidents are brought
about with such forced rapidity, that all craisens-
Stance is lost—in a word, it is a bad specimen of French
melodrsme, and the part of Jacques Ferrand is quite
unworthy of ',maitre. There is no salient characteristic
on which the artist can seise, so as to impress an individuality
and centraliee the interest. Don Caesar de Baron end
Robert Macaire, as represented by Lemaitre, live in oar
recollection long after we have witnessed his performance ;but
JacquesFerrand has no existence ; even Lemaitre's careful and
artistic acting could notinfuse vitality ; and we amid not bat
regret to see hie efforts bestowed on so bad apart. Although
much care had evidently been bestowed on the redact up of
the piece, and the actors put forth their beat pours, it halted
sadly towards the &nowt:sent, which came about so lamely
that more mirth than interest was excited. In alluding to the
performance generally, we mustnotomit to notice with praise
the acting of M. Durnery, as the brutal Maitre d'Ecole. M.
Lansteval, as the sturdy Chourinevr; M. Tourillon, r
Pipekt, and Madame Graau,r as Madame Pi,oekt. The
play was received with some disapprobation, and will
scarcely be repeated—we trust not; and that M. Lemaitn
will choose for his one remaining performance a part note
worthy of him than Jacques Ferrand.
SADLER'S WELLS.—Thin theatre was last night
filled to the roof by an andienee, numbering, among those
who composed it, several men eminent in literature and sit,
amembir to witness the first performance of a new histo-
rical play written by the Bev. Mr. White, and called "Feu-
dal Times ; or, the Court of James the Third." The poetry
of this work ie so pure and earnest, and its construetM so
dramatic, that it maybe predicted with little qualification that
this piece will hold a permanent place on the national stage.
The three principal figures in " Feudal Times " are
lama 111, of .tiast4; Cochrane, Earl of Mar, his
minister and favourite; and Archibald Douglas, Earl of
Angus, Bell-the-Cal the first a good but a weak man;
the second a good and a great man; the third a
great but a bad man. Between the king and the
minister there exists the distinction which seven one who
loves art and Mem the a volupnary her one who
cherished' this es • parlet. The minister and the
Earl represent, the am letarel, the ether political miaow-
au". ; aced thes42;esseted the melba of the ielehreat
noble with the pisissisa, theme sr the wish the
sword- A fors passemege, Margaret • est&
orphan, reads the lama that to those two dams se i
en irreconcilable, then hoboes • seamen dossed
love for Cochrane, dr natural love of MINIM for what-
ever is good, meat and heroic, they meet end fuse. The
mutual action of thine several persons is treated in a plot of
remarkable life and essegy.
_lt GPM at the lement whm
Cochrane has been medlar' of Mar; • genet with Ainpue
ensues, and is followed by • deg between them Arwla
vanquished, and spared only he beams the use
enemy of his coequeror. set appeal of great sir
ficesallibrgara Rseede be mbar to march whist
Claragligt Weeps, end smisetehm, eseseling to the mil-
kman story, is slay (kehromo,—oto bilithesst." The swat
of A and lds perils by the weak wad timid Kiri,
;and so the stediatee is lei to the semen of treason,
the slaughter of °wham, and the dm* et Margaret,
who will not survive WA. Bads ea is narked by a dagle
event of intermit to the principal penauge ; that event is
brought about without realty and mimed witiwat clam
and ais made to tell with great and imeamsted /NM Mb
meet powerful sem in the play 1e whisk the drag
between Anger eel thahrawe wilareed ben email ew set
the palace by Marprot, and by her to the King
and Queen. Those; in maim it meg be Wieder le the
similar one in " leashes," is wields )dense desselles
attack on Tonnage:cm to the been of the tale who is
wounded in the chamber, it Is In the
degree stirring and martial, and, to use •
triad hyperbole, " electrified the home." TY* the