The Express.
London, England, 1853-01-03 00:00:00

/Fix court.

WINDSR, JAN. 1.
The royal dinner party yesterday consisted of the
Ducheu of Kent, the Prince of Leiningen, the Prince.
Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the Lady-in-Waiting to the Lind-,
of Kent, the Baroness de Speth, and the Earl of Aberdeen-
who arrived in the afternoon on a visit to her Majesty.-
The band of the Grenadier Guards attended, and elated
in the Castle during dinner, and in the evening her
jesty's private band performed the following selection:
overture, "Faust" spohr.
election, '• Lestoeq"
Acteeto and allegro a la Rime
„kictsuirer. Divertissement, •• I.e Prophet*"
atryt thew
Being New Year's-day, the band of the Grenada?
Guards assembled on the East Terrace at 7 o'clock this
morning, and performed a selection of favourite airs.
Her Majesty's annual distribution of food and elothis"
to about 620 poor persons of the Windsor and Chore;
wishes took place this morning, in the Itidimg.,l,ol
the Castle. The Queen and Prince accompanied by the
Prince of Leiningen, the Princess Adelaife of llohenlAe,
the whole of the Royal Children, and the Earl of Abertle*".
attended by the ladies and gentlemen of the homehuirf,
proceeded to,the school at • quarter before ten o'clock, to,
nets the distribution,which wasarranged under the direct('
f the clergy of Windsor and Clewer, the Hon. and Rev.
G. Wellesley, and the district visitors for the relief of the
poor. The members of the Clothing Club, established
under her Majesty's patronage, received, at the same tirk,
articles of clothing according to the amount of their cost-
butions, with the addition provided by the Queen's bounty.
The Earl of Aberdeen left the Castle to-day for Lonloi
Colonel Bouverie has been relieved by Lieut -Colonel F.
If. Seymour in the duties of Equerry in Waiting to Frnee
Albert.
Tne Queen and Prluee drove out in an open carriage the
afternoon. Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey was in attend.
ante on horseback.
lu the evening her Majesty gratified the numerous circle
of distinguished visitors by a grand performance in St.
George's Hall, of a selection of music front the works mum
late Dr. Mendelssohn. The first part of the concert ma.
.fated of the Lobgesang (hymn of Praise) composed fors
festieal in honour of Gutenberg, the inventor of printine,
The first performance of this work was in St. Thomai's
Church, Leipsie, in June, 1810. The second part con.
prised the published portions of the unfinished oratorio,
" Christus, and • seen& from "Direly," an incomp.ito
•iperc, on both of which works Dr. Mende:swim wise".
gaged at the time of his lamented decease, in November,
1817. A rising orchestra, handeome.y and appropriated;
decorated, was constructed at the cast end of St. George',
Hull, which was crowned by the new and powerful ores,
recently erected there by Mr. Hill. The instu.
mental portion of the orchestra comprised her Majesty',
private 'hand, aided by the addition of many of the awe
eminent performers of the Philharmonic Society and the
Royal Italian opera. The chorus, GO in umber, were
selected from the most efficient in the profession, 'misted hy
a numerous amateur party from the Sacred Harmonic
Society, Exeter Hall, Ile solo vocalists were Miss Louie'
Pyne, Miss M. Williams, Mr. Locke., Mr. Whit:house, of
St. George's choir, and Mr. Lawler. The orchestra Out
complete anu effeetive, consisting of upwards of 100 per.
formers, was conducted by Mr. Anderson, the director of
her Majesty's private band. Mr. Cusins, organist of her
Majesty s private chapel, presided at the organ.
The following had the honour of dining with her Ms.
Testy :—The Duchess of Kent, the l'rince of Lciningeo, the
Princess Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the Lady in Waiting to
the Duchess of Kent, the Baroness de Spetli, and Captaa
and the lion. Mrs. Tottenham.

The evening party consisted of the Countess of Maas.
field, the Ladies Murray and Lady Caroline Murray, Lady
Emily Seymour, Lady Caroline and Miss Barrington, Col.
the lion. C. B. and Mrs. l'hipps, Miss Knollys, Colonel the
lion. Charles and Mrs. Grey, tho Hon. and Rev. Henry
and Lady Anna Maria Cast, the Misses Cust, Captain the
Hon. Mortimer and Mrs. West, Miss Dallas, the !iv...Sey-
mour Neville, tie Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Canning, and the
Misses Codrington.
During dinner the band of the tad Life Guards played
the following:
overture, ''Euryaethe' Weber.
Wa ta, La Rose du MAID' Carl nuclei,
l'ro pew itir. St abat Muter......._...
Grand selection, "Lucretia
Quailride. "Ernani" Verdi.
Polka. "Zusdnadel"
t. slop, "Amason" ....
.t 1 Eave the Queen.

JANUARY 2.
The Queen and Prince attended an eariy Pervice this
morning in the private chapel of tho castle, and took the
Sacrament of the Hol► Communion, which was adminis-
tered by the Hon. and Rev. G. Wellesley.
The ladies and gentlemen of the court, with the domestic
housaold, also attended divine service.

The Earl of Aberdeen returned to towu on Saturday af-
ternoon from Windsor Castle

The Marquis of Lansdowne has left town for his aest
Bowood I'nrk, Wilts.
Despatches for the governors of the West India Colonies
were scut off on Saturday evening from the Colonial.
office.

THE COURT THEATRICALS.

The programme of the theatrical entertainments to
be played before her Majesty and the royal family at
Windsor Castle, under the direction of Mr. Charles Kean,
ha, been arranged. The performances, which will take
place, as usual, in the Ruben' Ita rut, are fix.hl for a suc-
cession of five Fridays, commencing on the ith inst. The
selection comprises examples of the Shaksperian dragnet and
the modern light comedy, and gives free and liberal scope
to the actor's art in representing the passions and emotions
of tragedy, as well as that breadth of humour, and even
drollery, for which the English stage is conspicuous. Thus,
Pn Friday next, in " Henry IV., Part the Second," Mr.
helps as the King, Mr. Wigan as the Prince, Mr. Bartley
as Sir John Falstai, and Mrs. Daly as Lame Quickly,
aided by Harley and Meadows, will represent almost every
chase and colour of which the Shaksperiau drama is sus-
ceptible.
Oa Friday, the 14th inst., "The Captain of the Watch,"
in which Mr. Charles Mathews; and "The Windmill," in
which Mr. irA Mrs. Keeley, Mr. Msedows, and Mn.
Winstanley will appear, afford a specimen of the comedietta
and farce, in the one of which the quick and vivacious
acting of the liveliest of our light comedians, and in the
other our most humorous actor, will give proof of their
abilities.
It will be observed that on Friday, the 21st inst., the very
great compliment of a "first night" of a "new and en-
gine' drama," in the presence of royalty, will be paid to
Mr. Douglas Jerrold. This, it is said, is a consequence of
the enjoyment afforded the royal audience by the same
author's " Prisoner of War," which constituted a portioa
of the court theatricals last year. The success of the new
piece will be powerfully tilled by Mr. and Mrs. Walter
Lacy, Mr. Harley, Mr. Wright, Mr. James Vining, Mr.
Ryder, and Mr. Charles Kean.
" Paul Pry," on Friday, the 28th inst., will give ample
room and verge enough for the drollery of Mr. Wright, in
all its fullness. The farce of The Lucky Friday" on this
evening will also strongly bring out the careful quaintness
of Mr. Alfred Wigan's style.
" Macbeth" on the last evening, Friday, the 4th of
February, will fitly close the series. Mrs. Charles Kean
will play the heroine. The magnificent manner in which
this tragedy has been "mounted" for thi, oeca,ion, the
correctness of the costumes and decorations, the foul cinema
of Shaksperian feeling and reality that have been achieved
by the study and managerial skill of Mr. Kean, will, no
doubt, render the intended production of this piece at the
Princess's Theatre an equal triumph with that of the
" King John" brought out on the same superb scale last
season.