The Express.
London, England, 1847-09-18 00:00:00

the royal Diary), by endeavouriag to gat a begging petition
(whit* they had been hawking about the country), placed
is Ott hauds of the Duchess of Kent. The two worthies,
whilethey were being curtseyed over the aviary and through
tile Queen's retiring room displayed the most imperturtaktal.
gravity. They left no gratuity, as may be imaginede for the
attention they had received during their visit.

A CONSERVATIVE DEMONSTRATION took place on
Wednesday at Plymouth, in the shape of an entertainment
given by his supporters to Mr. Palmer, their newly-
elected representative. The affair is described as being of
character highly gratifying to its promoters.
Ate ADJOURNED INQUEST on the body of Philip
Beasecombe, tanner, who was found, on Wednesday morn-
ing last, banging from the loft of Mr. C. Tanner, Tavistock-
road. Plymouth, has been held before J. Edmonds, iiaq.,
coroner, and a respectable jury, at the Guildhall. He was
described as being cheerful in disposition, until a week before
his death, when he became melancholy, it was believed, in
consequence of the illness of his mother-in-law ; he at that
time began to indulge in drink. The evidence as to his pre-
vious state of mind being by no means conclusive, the coro-
ner told the jury that the fact of the deceased having de-
stroyed himself bring proved, if they believed him to be in-
sane, their verdict would ba in necordance ; but if the con-
trary, their verdict would be felu-de-se. The court was then
cleared, and after being closed fur some time the jury were
dismissed, an eleven of them were of opinion that the de-
ceased committed suicide while in a state of temporary insa-
nity, and the other live were in favour of a verdict offe/o.de
sc. This reniered it necessary that another jury should be
empanelled. At the second inquest, which was held before
the same coroner and a double jury, the same evidence was
gone through, with the exception of that of one witness who
gave a more particular detail of the deceased's state for the
last few days be'ore his death, duriog which time he had
been almost continually intoxicated. A verdict of " Tem-
porary insanity " was ultimately returned.

flataft.
SOCIETY OF BRITISH MCAlClANS.—Yesterday
morning, in the Hanover-square Rooms, there was a trial of
new works composed by the members and associees of this
society, before a pretty numerous audit nee' who were pre-
sent by invitation. A performance of this kind is hardly •
subject for puhlic criticism ; but we can say, with propriety
and justice, shut it was on the whole of a verysatisfsetory de.
seription, end that several of the pieces did great honour to
their young authors. The prorramme contained overtures
by Mr. Ileac., Mr. Leftwich, and Mr. Coward ; a symphony
by Mr. H. C. Banister ; • pianoforte solo by Mr. W. C. Mac-
Wren ; songs and a duet by Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Rocktaro,•
a flee-part glee by Mr. Hopkinson ; • violin ado perrurmed
by Mr. Thirlwall; and a harp concerto by Mr. Townies. The
orchestral pieces did not exhibit that bOldness and freedom
of design which is the result of gr:at experience ; but they
gave proof of well-directed study, and no small skill
m orchestral combination. The opening, in particular,
of Mr. Halte's overture, • fugal°, in C minor,
was • piece of able and effective counterpoint. Of
the three overtures, Mr. COW6TL'A was the most
vigorous and modern. An aria composed by Mr.
Bodnar°, and very well song by Miss A. Hill, gave us much
pleasure. Me. Rockstro has done well to take Mozart as
his model; by doing so he is much more likely to reach
excellence than by imitating and exaggerating (as imitators
always do) the harshness and ruggedness too prevalent in
the present German school. We were especially delighted
with Mr. Hopkinson's glee (or more properly quintet, fir it
was accompanied by the orchestra) for five voice., called
" The ..Eolian Harp." It was remarkably well sung by the
Mims Williams, Miss Cubitt, Mr. T. Williams, and Mr.
Thirlwall, and its effect was charming. Mr. Thirlwall, in
his violin solo (composed by Mr. Mitchell) exhibited a full
vocal tone and considerable execution; buz it was execution
thrown away upon the tricks and spurious diffirultin of the
Paganini school. We wish our aspiring violinists would
only read what Spohr, in his great " iolin-school," says
about this kind of playing; it would, we think, put them
out of conceit with it. We could have wished to have had
a few things by the older members of the society, such se
Bennett, 0. Macfarren, Westropp, or C. Horsley; but, on
the whole, the performance was a creditable arid agreeable
one.