The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-29 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 29, 1853.

UNIVERSITY AND CLERICAL.

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CAMBP.IDGF., DEC. _'`i.—'Tar. REciIUS Pr.ortssoit• I
snip or II rung-v.—The Vire-Coancellor has this day issued
the following notice in connexion with the above-named
professorship, sow vacant :—'• To all whom it may concern :
We, Thomas Charles tiLlelart, LL.D., Vice-Chancellor
the University of Cambridge, and the other electors into
the lectureship hereafter enentioned then present, greeting.
Whereas the place or office of King's Reader of Hebrew ,
in the university aforesaid is now vacant by the death et
the Rev. Hodge Mill, D.D., we do signify, by these pre-
sents, the voidance of the said lectureship, and appoint
Wednesday, the 4th day ut January, and the hour of
p.m., on the said day, for all those who are willing to be
candidates for the said leetursship, to be then els
amined in the public schools, by usage assigned to the
said letture.—T. C. Gs6Dahr, rice•Chincellor. Law
Schools, Dec. 28, 1853, II a.m." Candidates must be M.A.,
D.D., or D.D., and preference is given (creteris parisiss) to
Fellows of Trinity College. The electors are the Vice-Chan-
cellor, the Master, and the two Senior Fellows of Trinity,
the Provost of King's, and the Masters of St. John's and
Christ's Colleges.
Httsmem Pnize.—This prize, under the will cattle Rev.
John Hulse, D.A., given to the member of the University
under the standing of M.A , compc-sing the best disserta-
tion in English on the Hold-aces in General, or un the Pro-
phecies or Miracles in Particular, or other subject evincing
the truth or excellence of the Christian religion, has been
tio! day adjudged to G. M. Gorham, 8.A., of Trinity

MUSIC.

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WEDNEcDAY EVENING CONCEILTS.
The concert of last evening was all ugreeabl.
mixture of classical and popul it music. Of the
tomer sort were, the overture and several vocal
pieces from the Zauberfate, Mr. Steradale Bennett's
pianoforte Concerto in F minor, played by Mr. \V.
U. eosins; Mozart's air from Fiyuro, Voi the ra-
pete," sung by Miss Thirlwall ; the scena from
Robert le Diable, Quando lascia la Normandia,"
sun; by Miss Louisa Pyne; and Beethoven's Sym-
phony in C, which closed the first part of the con-
cert. Among the above vocal pieces, the greatest
impression was made by Miss Pyne's mar-
vellously brilliant execution of the famous air of
the Queen of Night in Zuuberflofc, " Gli
angui d'inferno," certainly the must arduous
task ever given to the human voice—a task, how-
ever, which seemed to coat this most accomplished
singer no efinrt whatever.
The aria from the same opera, " 0 cars imma-
gine," was set down in the programme for Mr. Har-
rison, but that gentleman wisely did not attempt it.
substituting a thing much more iu his way, an air
from Luerezia Borgia. Bennett's Concerto, played
by Mr. Cusins, was a treat of a high order. The con-
certo itself is one of the noblest works of its class,
worthy of companionship with the compositions of
Beethoven and Mendelsohn; and Mr. Cusins did
ample justice to its beauties by a masterly perform-
ance, full of intelligence, energy, and expression.
The second part of the concert, as usual, consisted
of vocal pieces In a light and familiar style; the
singers being Miss L Pyne, Mr. Harrison, Miss
Wells, Miss Thirlwall, Mr. Pierre, and Mr. Lawler.

REUNION DES ARTS.—This society had their last
meeting of the season last evening at their elegant
rooms in Marley-street, which were crowded by a
fashionz.ble and brilliant assemblage. There was an
excellent concert of chamber music, vocal and instru-
mental. The singers were Madame Amedei, Miss
Terns°, Miss Messeut, and Signor Ciabatta, who
performed several favourite opera airs and concerted
pieces. Beethoven's Trio in 11 flat, for the pianoforte,
violin, and violoncello, was played by Miss Arabella
Goddard, M. Ries, and M. Paque. Miss Goddard's
performance of this magnificent work was in every
respect exquisite—not less remarkable for clear,
firm, and brilliant execution, than for the thorough
apprehension she showed of all the grand and
beautiful conceptions of the composer. In the latter
part of the concert there was a new trio by M.
Praeger which it was not in our power to hear; but
we barn no doubt we shall soon have an opportunity
of forming an opinion of this production of a com-
poser who has already distinguished himself by
, works of much merit.

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

The suirele of yesterday evening had more than
ordinary attraction for all who take interest in the
program of art and the means of diffusing • more ex-
tended teats for it among the people. The walls were deco-
rated with specimens of the process known in Germany as
" nature printing," and also with beautiful examples of the
perfection to which the beautiful art of chromolithography
or colour printing is rapidly being brought in this country.
It appears that the Viennese claim the Naturselbsteiruck"
as their invention, although experiments in a similar direc-
tion were made by Dr. Ferguson Branson so far back as
1847. The then recent introduction of gutta percha sug-
gested to that gentleman the possibility of procuring by its
plastic agency minutely accurate impressiora of botanical
specimens to be afterwards printed from the mould,. Ano-
ther novelty bad, however, to be called into requisition to
procure the clear outline rendered impossible by the soft-
ness of tke material. The wonderful electrotype solved the
difficulty, and in 1830 Mr. Branson was enabled to present
complete specimens to the British public. Very re
cestly the subject has been taken up by Mr.
Hertinger, of the imperial printing-office in Vienna,
and it is but justice to that gentleman to say
that if he has not the merit of an original inventor, be
most at least be admitted to have materially advanced the
progress and extended the application of the art. In the
Viennese process, soft lead is substituted for gutta perch.,
and the leaf to be copied is spread upon it and subjected to
smart pressure. By a delicate and ingenious process, this
design of nature's own making is printed in colours, so as
te be a perfect reproduction of the superfiiies of tne ob.
PAL Among the prints eahibited last evening were twelve
Sam subjects, which combine with the accuracy that
Wow to this process alone, the most beautiful variety of
that, and • general effect which might be equalled but cer-
tedaly could not be surpassed by the most accomplished
artist working with the pencil. The English specimens
won those of Dr. Branson before mentioned, and one or two
sent in by Messrs. Bradbury and Evans, who have pa-
lmated the art in this country under the name of
glagtoglyphy. Although these latter do not exhibit the
advanced state of perfection to which the Viennese prints
bate attained they are yet full of promise, and justify the
mnifident hope that so useful an art may be successfully
introduced here, and applied to the illustration of scientific
subject,. Of its use in advancing scientific knowledge en
adequate estimate may be formed when it is remembered
brew difficult it is in many eases to procure botanical or
ormlogical spicimens. With the aid of " Naturselbstd-
seek," the rarest leaf, or the most unique fossil may be
multiplied ad irtfisitfunt, and made as accessible to the
nehools of the crowded manufacturing towns as to royal mu-
seums, or the costly cabinets of the wealthy. In the depart-
ment of chromolithography it is satisfactory to know that
the finest specimens are those of our own artists. The spe-
cimens shown by Vincent Brookes, Leighton Rowney, and
Beater, have all the brilliancy and delicacy .f paintings, and
bid fair to lead to the extensive use of pictures in the interior
decoration of working men's houses. That the people
always liked them is no new discovery, but the instinctive
preference for colour, which is part of the nature of man,
has only recently been recognised by those who seek to
bring art down to the standard of popular Wtainment.
That instinct is recognised and provided for in inventions
like chromolithography, and it only remains for those who
with laudable teal and much skill are labouring to bring
the art to perfection, not to pitch their tariff of prices
higher than the commercial principle requires, nor so as to
limit the acquirement of their pictures to the wealthy few
who are satiated with art already. The soiree of yesterday

. _
evening was, notwithstanding the inclemency of the wea-
ther, fully and fashionably attended.

PHOTOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION.

The specimens prepared for the present session
are numerous, and comprise the productions of some of the
best continental artists, as well as pictures created at home.
The Swiss scenes of Martens, the French landscapes
of Baldus, and the interiors of Le Secq, are espe-
cially worthy of notice. Mr. Delamotte's views of and
from the Crystal Palace, at Sydeobam, are interesting,
but are deficient both in clearness end distinctness
of outline. The distances are particularly faulty.
Mr. Robertson's views of Constantinople, though
good, are inferior to his French competitors, still
they will repay a careful inspection. The " Gate of the
Seraglio" is reality itself. There are the water-carriers lying
about the steps, as if ready to rise at your bidding; there
is the Oriental anstume, taken by an artist who makes no
mistakes, and there are all the accessories round about,
placing you at once in the Turkish street, without the
trouble of going further than next door to the Clarendon
Hotel. Several coloured specimens of miniature portrait
painting will be found in this season's exhibition, which
surpass in brilliancy the finest painting on ivory,
while, of course, the likeness is such as would
be unattainable by any other means. The faces
also indicate an increased celerity in manipulation, as what
may be called the toothache expression, so common in sun
portraits, is entirely absent. The faces look natural and
pleasant, and the brilliant colouring sets them off to the
best adventure. We have here indicated only a few of
the features of this attractive exhibition, to which amateurs
....