The Express.
London, England, 1846-10-06 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 6, 1846.

before W. Marlin, Esq., coroner, on the body of a child,
named Jane Archer, about three years of age, who was suf-
focated, on Saturday, in consequence of having fallen through
the boarding of a privy. Upon the jury returning from
viewing the spot where the accident occurred, the coroner ob-
served, that the place was in a most infamous state ; the one
or two boards still left on the floor being loose, and the whole
in a moat dangerous condition. The jury concurred in
the remarks of the coroner, and after strongly animadverting
upon the carelessness of the landlord, who had been applied
to, and refused to put ti-4 premises in a safe state, returned a
verdict of " Accidental death."
PRISON BaßSKlNG.—Yesterday morning, a man, named
Edmund Fidler', who had given himself up as a deserter
from the 28th regiment of foot, on Saturday last, effected his
escape from the Windsor borough gaol, by breaking through
the ceiling and roof of the room in which he was confined,
and then letting himself down into the back premises of the
Five Bells public-house, which adjoins the prison. Mr.
Parker, the landlord, ikeing the man come rolling over the
roof of an outbuilding in his yard, and quietly walk out into
the road towards the Great Park, immediately gave informa-
tion to the gaolor, when the prisoner was pursued, retaken,
and more securely confined.
ESSEX. . . _

Ova OP THE MOST DARING BUROLAIIIEB that has of
late years been committed in Essex, was effected on Mon-
day at the Red Lion inn, South Weald, the premises of Mr.
Pain, hone-dealer. Horse-dealers attending fairs frequently
keep large sums of ready money in their possession, as the
parties who committed this robbery were no doubt aware,
if not of the fact that • considerable sum was to be found in
the house in question. Mr. Pain, it appears, retired to rest
at his usual time, and about two o'clock in the morning was
alarmed by having the window of his room forced in, and
ail or eight men wearing masks and otherwise disguised,
entering the apartment. They told Mr. Pain, who is
advanced in years. they did not want to hurt him, but
they would have his money, on which he got up and
went down stairs, followed by several of the men across
the taproom to another staircase, leading to the room of Mr.
George. Smith, his grandson, in the front of the other end of
the house. Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Horsley, Mr. P.'s daugh-
ters, who slept in the adjoining room, entreated them not to
hurt their father, promising, if they aid not, to show them
where the money was. The villains then rifled their pockets
of the contents ; but they did not take • gold watch and
various articles of jewellery belonging to Mrs. Smith. They
next went to the grandson's room, and called him by name,
and, drawing the curtains round his bed, told him
if he did not lie quietly they would kill him. They
then returned to Mr. Pain's room, where, during his
absence, most of the gang had been ransacking his I
drawers, as the contents were strewed about. From a
strong chest, which they broke open, they took a small
iron box away with them, containing 1741. in 10/. sod
51. bank notes and sovereigns, a canvas hag with eleven
sovereigns, thirty-three old guineas, and a number of docu-
ments. They all appeared well-dressed slightly-made young
men ; some of them wore Newmarket-cut coats, and one of
them had crape on his hat. The thieves left behind a short
ladder and a black glazed calico pocket torn from a great-coat,
and in which holes had been mule to see through. It is
concluded that they cut their hands with the window-glass,
some blood being found sprinkled about the room, and one
of the men cut his throat with the glass in breaking in, as
Mrs. Horsley states that she saw a wound, and the party
took • shirt from her box, belonging to Mr. H., which he
bound round it, and took away with him. Mrs. Smith went
to the window to give an alarm, when two stones were
thrown, but fortunately both missed her.

musk.
NEW PIANOFORTE .COSIFOSITIONs.—It is not often
that we have much satisfaction in hearing or perusing the
pianoforte music of the present day. While the instrument
itself, by the skill and ingenuity of our Broadweods, iiirk-
mans, Clementis, and Beards. has gradually come to surpass
every other in the extent and variety of its powers, those
powers have been more and more abused by the present
generation of performers, who have reduced a most noble
instrument to a machine for the exhibition of feats of manual
dexterity. Their style of execution has in a great measure
nullified and rendered useless the greatest improvement
which the pianoforte has received—that full, prolonged tone
which enables it, under the hand of a fine performer, to
emulate the effect of vocal music. It is not yet forgotten
bow John Cramer taught it to sing, when it was a much
less perfect instrument than it is now ; and the numerous
performers, both public and private, who were formed in his
school, all acquired, more or less, that legato touch, that
cantabile style, which has now given way to loudness and
rapidity. The name of t is inimitable artist reminds us of
his sentiments on this subject, as lately expressed by him in
some prefatory remarks to a musical publication :—" The
compiler," he says, " is induced to intrude here a few words
upon the peculiar style and apparent object of what is com-
monly denominated' the modern school ' of instrumental play-
ing and composing, so universally in vogue in the present clay.
He is one, he believes, not likely ever to be found overlooking
the essential importance, the absolute necessity, to every
artist and performer, of a solid and well-matured technical
dexterity. He is not insensible to the real value, in the pro-
duction of accessorial effect, of difficulties of execution,
throughout the universal domain of art. He well knows to
what large extent there enters into that compound of de-
lightful sensations excited by a masterly performance, the
extremely pleasurable emotion arising from a perception of
obstacles overcome. Nor will he, he presumes, be held to be
wholly ignorant of the amount of that feeling experienced
(perhaps sometimes monopolised) by the performer himself.
But this particular ingredient, in the composition of the
artistic enjoyments, is assuredly not the legitimate end—it is
not, legitimately, made even a prominent feature among the
many higher constituents, of a real Art. Its effect is merely
a certain temporary astonishipent, an excited curiosity allay-
e.',—for the most part barren of all other result. It plays round
the head, but comes not near the heart. To find, then, such
works as those which are already over much the rage of the
present day, set up as models for youthful and general emu-
lation,—to see their performers and composers elevated into
founders of schools for the universal extension of such prin-
ciples of composition and artistic achievement,—is indeed,
and the compiler makes bold to confess it, a tax sore and in-
tolerable upon the patience of one, like himself, whose life
has been spent in the grateful and venerating admi-
ration of the works of the giant composers, living and
flourishing in the days (now distant) of his youth."
No one who knows this illustrious artist will ascribe his lan-
guage to the feeling of the laudator tempor is act i ; as no
man has ever been more alive to the real progress of his art.
It is the language of sound philosophy and pure taste.
Among the mountains of music-paper, however, bristling
with sharps and fiats, and black with demisemiquavers, in
imitation of the fantasias of Thalberg, Liszt, Dopler, and De
Meyer, we find productions of a better school ; compositions
in which novelty of thought and freedom of style are com-
bined with the regularity, symmetry, melody, and clearness
of the older masters. In the pianoforte music of Mendel.-
Rohn, Sterndale Bennett, Itosenhain, Lindsay Stoner, and
Stephen Heller, we find the fruits of the study of Bach,
Mozart, Clementi, Beethoven, and Cramer. It is to some
recent productions of STEPHEN HELLER that we wish now
to call the attention of our readers. They are short pieces, ten
in number, entitled " Penske, Fugitives ;" each piece having
a title indicating its peculiar character or expression—as,
" Passi.," " Souvenir," B,:e. M. Heller is a young Parisian
artist who has already become highly distinguished; and the
re:eption given to his works is a favourable sign of the cur-
rent of public taste. We cannot better characterise these
pieces than by saying that they are much akin, in style and
spirit, to Mendelssohn's celebrated " Songs without words."
The theme of each of them is a flowing and expressive melody
which stands out in clear and distinct relief from the rich and
varied accompaniment. The subject, without ever being lost
sight of, is expanded and embellished by elegant, and often
brilliant passages and masterlymodulations; and the movement
is terse and compact, witheut being so prolonged as to induce
fatigue. This descripeion is applicable to all of them, though
some have struck cur fancy rather more than others. We
have been particularly charmed with the third, which is a
" romance." A delicious vocal strain runs through it, which
is sometimes heard in the upper, sometimes is the under, and
sometimes is the middle part, and always with a graceful
and delicate accompaniment. With words, it would make a
beautiful song. We may observe, by the way, that, in the
tenth bar from the beginning, the C in the bass ought to be
marked sharp. The eighth, a " caprice" in F minor, is
exceedingly expressive and simple in effect, though the pecu-
liar use of sencopation in the melody will puzzle many per-
formers. The ninth, " Inquietude," is, to our feeling, the
moat lovely of them all. It is very brief, filling only three
pages; but every bar tells. In the fourth bar from the
beginning, the last D ought to be marked natural; and the
same omission occurs where the passage is repeated. These
are the pieces we like the most ; that which we like the least
is the " Reverie" dedicated to Moscheles, which is too
laboured and too like a pianoforte study. Taking them
altogether we recommend them to the attention of good
plsyers ; for, though they are free from the unmeaning dif-
ficulties of the day, yet they require taste, feeling, ex-
perience, and no small command of the instrument.

riggers and shipwrights. She has been new rigged with top
masts and top-gallant masts; her funnels taken down, and
various improvements made to counteract her tendency to
lurch, and to obviate the evils previously manifest. The
Scourge, s. v., Commander Caffin, is at present at Woolwich,
undergoing some slight repairs. She is under orders to
convey troops to Guernsey. The Black Eagle, s. v., Muter
Commander Cook, arrived front Ostend en Sunday, having
conveyed over her Serene Highness the Princess of Saxe
Weimar. The contractors for the erection of iron sheds,
Messrs. Fox, Hendefson, and Co., have commenced the
erection of a new iron shed over the slip No. 4. It will be
considerably larger than the old shed, and will afford ample
protection for the men whilst at work. The Plover, bng,
Lieutenant Collinson, recently arrived from China, was paid
off at Woolwich yesterday.
Area's-newer% Ger. R.—Surgeon E. Groves, Acting-Master W.
Betts, Acting Purser F. W. Cote, Boatswain F. Hullott, and Carpenter
G. Tucker, to Mntine ; Muter's Assistant E. W. Grant to Pererel ; Clerk
in Charge W. B. Gordon to Sheanrater ; Lieut. J. A. Hodsraklns to
Sltten ; Purser J. R. Etluett to .4ebrou ; Acting Purser F. Lucas to
Kingfisher; BcatawainJ. Morris to Avenger. Coast guard: 8.8. Shore
to be chief officer. Ocr. 3.—Lieut. J. H. Furneaux and Gunner (su-
pernumerary) W. Brown to Ereellent ; Master G. Wilson, Second
Master E. Maunder to Blazer; Master R. W. Roberts to Dasher;
Second Master H. T. Ellis to Medina ; Mate F. L. Cotton to Matins ;
Surgeon Superintendent R. Wylie to Arabian convict ship; Assistant
Surgeon. J. Davidson to Sen./tower; Chaplain the Rev. P. Sornervide to
Endynaon ; Master's Assistant G. W. Burtcluill to Inman; Master's
Assistant W. C. Buck, Supernumerary Clerk E. L. W. Brown to Cal e.
; Clerk's Assistant W. Weller to :lawyer ; Carpenter J. Ray-
mond to Rattlesnake.
Paosearmse, Der. 3.—W. Ross to be Acting Carpenter of Rakich.
FILENCH NATT.—Orden have been given at Cherbourg
to complete, as soon as possible, the Henri IV., of 100 guns,
which has been seventeen years on the stocks. The steam-
frigate Le Sane', 5.50 horse-power, is ready to he launched ;
her engines are also ready. The Newton, steam-corvette of
220 horse-power, is also getting ready for sea.
Tontors. SEPT. 29.—Besides the steam-frigates Descartes
and Asmodi,e, which have joined the squadron, the Castor,
Pingottin, and Brazier, steamers, have left successively for
the Gulf of Spezzia. The Castor returned on the 27th at
seven in the evening, but kept her steam up, and was out
at sea again in half-an-hour, with despatches for Prince de
Joinville. On the 28th, the squadron cast anchor at the
Hyeres Islands.