The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-29 00:00:00

MUSIC.

WORCESTER MUSICAL FES TIVAL.
WORCESTER, TIII:HADAT.
Judging from the present return, there must ine-
vitably he a considerable falling off in the receipts for the
shanty as well as iu those for the general fund, compared
with those of the last festival here in 1848. The concert
last night at the College Rail was expected to have been the
most attractive of the series, although Thursday is eousi-
dered the " fashionable " evening. The company alto-
gether numbered 12S, b.-ing a falling off in point of num-
ben of 48 companst with the attendance at the second
concert in 1814, when the number was 476. The weather
again proved spiteful, for nu sooner had the company all
mustered and the concert been opened, than it commenced
raining, and never ceased until early this morning. The
Jeesonda " music pleased greatly. The overture was faith-
fully and intelligently rendered the bassoon passages, by
Messrs. litUM4llll and Cord, were given with great edict.
Mr. Frank More then entered the orchestra and assumed
the baton, to conduct his new cantata " Fridolin." lle
met with a very hearty reception. This composition, which
hes recently been brought out in London, has been so
lately under notice that we need not enter into
a critical disquisition of its merits or its peculiarities.
The pert of Endo in was taken by Miss Birch, the Countess
by Miss Dolby, the OHM, by Mr. Silas Reeves, and Robert
by Herr Fofllll.ll. Mr. Sims Reeves and Herr Formes sang
the two or three songs allotted to them in their sexual judi-
cious style. The concluding trio, " Father of all," is a
very pleasing composition, and was nicely rendered by Miss
Birch, Miss Dolby, and Mr. Sims Reeves. The harp ac-
companiment/Ito the preceding passages were glean by Mr.
Trust, who also accompanied Madame Caen:llan in licatint's
romansa, " Arpa gentil," which (after the " Ins Naiades"
overture) opened the second part of the concert. This was
Madame Castellan's first appearance at the festival, and she
was welcomed with much cordiality. lien Formes sang
the " Sehweig " song from " Der Freischuta " in splendid
style, and was rapturously applauded; an encore was
loudly called for, but the singer did not comply with the re-
quest This was the only encore asked fur during the even-
ing, and the refusal was not a very gracious act, seeing that
Herr Formes had nothing to do afterwards. His=
however, is a very try iug one. Mendelssohn's
" Athalic " closed the concert.
After the storm of last night, the morning opened cool
and pleasant, and the wrath, r proved finer than it has been
since the opening of the festive/. There was a double at-
traction at the cathedral this morning, two oratorios being
eat down fur performance, viz., Ilatidel's " Samson," and
Spolir's " Last Judgment." The attendance, too, was
rather better than yesterday, th..ugh not at all approach-
ing, in point of numbers, the attendance on the Thins-
day of the last festival. 'the overture is well known:
it was magnificently played, and tho chorus of bagon's
priests which follows was gloriously given. 't he air, "Ye
men of Gaza," was sung by Madame Castilian with the
utmost eliastiness and purity of expression, and her clear
liquid voice told admirably through every corner of the
noble cathedral. The " Total Eclipse" was sung by Mr.
Sims keens v.ry fin! ly ; but notwithstanding the breath-
less silence maintained in the church during this snug, the
voice was frequently dropped so low as to he inaudible ex-
cept rinse beneath the orchestra. Miss Dolby's magnificent
contralto was heard to advantage in the recitative and air,
" Return, 0 tied," and the execution of the arduous snug,
1. Honour and arms," by lien Formes, gave delight to many.
The magnificent chorus, " Fixed in hi. everlasting seat,"
VAS • splendid performance. The atlecting chorus, '• Weep,
Israel," was nicely opened, and then followed the solemn
"Dead March," which hail a must thril.ing effect. After
the march followed the recitative by Mr. Machin, "Come,
cease," and then the splendid air by Millie. Cruvelli, "Let
the bright Seraphim.'
Between the two oratorios Mira Birch sung Handel'. di-
vine air, "Holy, holy," with her usual impressive effect,
the audience standing. Madame Castellon also gave the
ravishing air from the " Creation," " With verdure clad,"
which came as fresh as ever, though sung at every festival
and innumerable concerts in the course of the year. The
second oratorio of Spohr, " The last Judgment," was not
brought to a close until late. 'the principal vocal parts
were taken by Miss Binh, Miss Williams, Mr. Lackey, and
Herr Formes. It was nearly 5 o'clock before the audience
bad all left the cathedral. 'I he concert this evening will be
the last evening concert of the festival, but there is the
"Messiah" to be performed at the cathedral to-morrow.

THE BISHOP Of BATH AND WELLS has been
effiligt,l to have three of his fingers amputated ; mortifies-
lion ensuing in these puts, the painful operation beams:
necessary to save his lordship's life.—Merborsie Journal.
MANCHESTER AND SALFORD DISTRICT PROVIDE NT
Starart.—A public mecting of the solocribers and frit nds
of this association was held on Tuesday, at the Manch. •ster
Town hall ; the Lord Bishop of Manchester in the chair.
His lordship, in opening the proceedings, said the objects of
the society were the eueouragement tat industry, tt ,e sup.
preesioe of mendicity and imposture, and the suc mar ef
sickness and unavoidable misfortune. lie might state, as
an instance of the workings of the society, that in the year
ltia) no less than 74,23 W. 11s. hail been saved by deposing*
through gratuitous visitation and other means. llf this
74.8:41. odil had been withdrawn at different times from
various ea uses. Premiums had been paid by way of cocoa.
regiment, to the amount of 2,3222 Ils. lid. rem was one
of the most important points to the working •1. the &celery.
He did not for a moment attempt to defoud the principle of
giring a bosoty or a premium, but he nevertheless tboaekt
that it wen orrermry sometimes to give a stimulus of that
Net to aid a particular object, though it ought''
to be withdrawn oaten the circumstances of the
case no longer required it. This society had carried out a
system of exanaiiiatiou into caws of destitution, detectiag
and exposing imposture, but at the same time afferding
lid to thaw who were really in distress. What hail Irma
the result of this? Between 11440 sad ISA 36,43 persons
had bees visited. Of this number. 13,233 cases had been
invsstigated foe dlffaseat method charities, and 11,013 leer
private charity. Bother more than half thine had Loco
rt-rmulmaded as worthy of relief. lie felt sine that a
meekly. like this Id not meet with other thou a favour- ,
able new by the PA of Manchester, to whom be most
Cordially begged commend it. The secretary then read
a report, which staled that a retrospect of the last year, is
reference to this society, was Rat quite so favourable as its
primmer could wish. The amount of deposits had steadily
decreased from 4,1581. ss. %1., is 181.1, to 1,876/. Its. 30.,
in hashes. Appeal after appeal had been made by the society
fur an secession of visitors, which had not been responded
to. 'the difficulty of obtaining gratuitous visitors was also
noticed is the report of the Liverpool l'rovident Society.
The esuaimittee had the satisfaction of stating that they
had been applied to several times during the past Jeer
by persons who were desirous of founding similar socertko
is other towns, and after the information afforded by the
committee, those societies had in mast instances been seta-
blisliesl.—Mr. lilailstorm moved the adoption of the seine-
tail's report and accounts, which was carried ninety
moody. The meeting was afterwards addressed on behalf
of the association by the Bey. Dr. Vaughan, the Bev. Dr.
Beard, the Bar. Canon Stowell, and *them The Rev.
Canoe Stowell observed, in the course of his remarks, that
it might be said in abatement of the seeming diminution of
influrace of this association that to a certain extent its
work hail been occomplished, or taken out of their hands
by kindred institutions. As regarded the number of visi-
tors, it must be remembered that there were iu reality a
large number of visitors who were not recognised in con-
nexion with any society. He knew of 35 ladies in his own
parish who were constantly visiting the poor, but were,
nonetheless, not connected with the society. No doubt
many other clergymen had visiting societies in connexion
with their churches. lie had no doubt it would be found,
on investigation, that the number of visitors had by no
means decreased. After a vote of thanks to the right rev.
prelate who occupied the chair, the proceedings closed.

Essu TraNFIKE TRIAT.—ABOLITION OP TOLie
CATEI.-011 Monday the general meeting of the trustees
was held at the Shire-hall, Chelmsford, for the purpose of
taking into consideration the plea of Sir James M'Adasts,
for re-arranging the whole 0 the gates in tie Mask, sad
bringing many of them dem the large sewer, mad
TaLl.ay stations—a pre ddem veldsh hair grabseed se
much excitement, and had called Meth memetials against
it from Chelmsford, Rayleigh, Draw, aadl ether places.
There was a very lre attendance of 1111411118 from all parts
of the district ; and H. Bullock. Sq., was felled to the
chair.—Mr. Badham brought fanned a shadow, the object
of which was to effect an improvamsat In the present sys-
tem. He proposed to abolish slat gates and to substitute
thr.e, which might be placed in melt situations as fully to
answer the purpose of those removed. The six gates he
to abolish were Stanway, Gosfield, Hedinghara,
frarst7:ll, Great Leigbs, and Great Waltham ; and that a
fresh gate should be placed at Broomfield, another at High
Garrett, and a third at Leaden. Ile apprehended that, by,
this plan, the increase in their funds, and the reduction in
their expenditure, in the payment of gate-keepers, would
be amply sufficient to carry out their purpose, though they
were in a state of bankruptcy, and that they should not
he under the necessity of borrowing money. Mr. Berner-
diebm luring seconded the motion, Sir J. P. Wood moved,
as an amendment, that all the gates be abolished, with the
exception of that at Halstead. He was convinced that the
road. might be managed be the several parishes in the coun-
ty at a cheaper rate than by the enormous staff at the pre-
test moment, and he thought they would do wisely to abo-
lish all the toll-gates. A conversation ensued, in which Sir
J. Troll. Lord Rayleigh, and others, took part, respecting
the Ii plity of putting the amendment from the chair, no
'lh toe having been given of the intention to propose it.
chairman ultimately put the original resolution to the
Meeting, which almost unanimously negatived it. Sir J.
P. Wood then took the sense of the meeting respecting his
amendment, and only one hand was held up in opposition.
A notice was afterwards signed for a special meeting on the
3rd of November, for legally carrying out Sir J. P. Wood's
caution fur the abolition of the gates.—Esser Herald.
FAIRER MATHEW IN AMERICA.—TILE TEMPER'
ANt I. Cat es.—Father Mathew was to leave Cleveland an
the 12th inst. en his way to the sea-board. Singe his arrival
is this city, 4th July, 1849, it is estimated that he hisen-
rolled over half-a-million persons ander the banner of total
abstinence ; in Pittsburg, 8,000; in Cincinnati, 12,000.
purp.ae‘ to return to Europe during the coming month.
fl,atber M. intends to visit Sandusky City this week, and
wiLt *top at Erie on kis way to Buffalo. The ekr•land
The apostle of temperance commenced his
17.-w Sit work of reform by the establishment of the
..n•h Total Abstinence Society, on the 10th of April. 1838.
low seeeessfully he has laboured, under the blesnug of
mirlee Providence, may be judged from the fact that a
fledge emblems issued so Cleveland, Aug. Bth, 1651, bears
the amber 06,064,251 '."