The Express.
London, England, 1847-07-15 00:00:00

MONSMUTHMIRE.

.... .....
DISCOVERY or ANCIENT REMAIN4.—The railway eXCA-
vaton upon the Monmouth and Hereford line, now engaged
near the old Raman city, or " Isca Silurium," known to
moderns as Caerleon, in the neighbourhood of Newport,
have dug out from their ancient graves two massive coffins of
stone, in which were found the remains of two human
bodies, and, in one, an antique stone bottle containing a
thick liquid, upon which village practitioners in ctemistry
and medicine have not yet pronounced. The coffins resem-
bled huge and rudely-fashioned troughs, with lids of stone
almost as large as the coffins. From the fact that a stone
coffin was found near the same place by excavators some
time since, it is conjectured that the field was at one time
used as a general burying-place for the inhabitants of
Caerleon, whose boundaries, some 500 years ago, extended
near to the spot where the coffins have been discovered.

iffne arts.
THE WELLINGTON STATUE.—Sir,—Yon, at least,
have done your part to save us from the solecism at Hyde-
park-corner, which it seems is to remain a warning of the
danger attending the first false step ("ee n'est que le premier
pas qui mile"), and one more praof of the irresolution per-
vading the measures of the present government. I trust this
is their worst sin on the present occasion, and that they have
not been parties in the duplicity evident throughout the pro-
ceedings of the committee. If after the promises repeated so
often by that moot excellent min, but most inefficient first
commissioner, we are to be told to-morrow that the statue
most remain, in compliance with the unfounded prejudices
of the Duke of Wellington the duke has, in my opinion
struck a blow from which art will not soon recover. To thii
he may perhaps be indifferent—be may not value the culti-
vation of art as contributing to the glory and morality of a
people ; or ho may place confidence in the assertions of his
flatterer in the House of Lords, and of that economist in the
Commons (who so severely criticises the mural doled out by
the government to museums), that the prejudices of the
public have been overcome, and that they now glory in both
statue and site. But what are we to think of that House of
Commons which has so often allowed such a libel to pus =-
contradicted 1 Yet out of them are committees of taste
formed ! And one of the mischievous effects produced by the
continuance of this abomination is, that the uninformed, seeing
the principles of taste acted upon for ages thus violated, may
be led to consider all rules as naught, and that every crude
designer may safely venture " to snatch a gram beyond the
reach of art." You and all those who hive made due in-
quiries are aware of the deep feeling of disgust which the
success of the cabal will cause in those who are exerting
themselves in behalf of art generally, and who have quietly
left the declaim( in this matter to the ordeal so faithfully
promised so a final one. Such is the end of their hopes. It
may be vain for the present purpose, but you will still, I
trust, record your protest against this most " untoward
event."—A LtveuAL, /Ad constituent of Lords J. Russell
and Morpeth.

Aufsic.

THE MIIBICAL WORLD CONCERT.—The Musical
World, following the example of the two leading Parisian
musical journals, La Gazelle Musicale and La France Musi-
cale, gives an annual concert, to which its subscriben have
the privilege of a gratuitous admission, while the public
generally are admitted on the usual terms. The " Musical
World Concert" of this season was given yesterday morning
in the Hanover-square Rooms. It was very well attended,
and a great number of the musical " notabilites " of the
season were present, either among the performers or among
the audience. Among the latter we observed the illustrious
and venerable Spohr, who sat in a front yew before the
orchestra, and listened with great apparent pleasure to the
whole performances—not excepting, of course, that of a
quartet of his own, for two violins, viola, and violoncello,
which, after all, was no quartet at all, but a mere violin
solo with accompaniments, exhibiting the brilliancy
of Sainton's execution, and the artist-like self-denial
of such men as Joachim, Hill, and Rousselot. A quartet
ought to be a conversation ; but this one was like the after-
dinner talk of some squire, expatiating on his horses, clop,
aid game-preserves, to two or three toadies, who swallow his
talk and his wine with equal complacency, chiming in occa-
sionally with " Ali, very good indeed! Ha! ha! ha' You
don't say so!"—and so forth. It was not in this way that
Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, carried on the conversation
of a quartet ; nor has Spohr himself always done so ; and
we think the Musical World paid him a poor compliment
by treating him with one of the moat frivolous of his own
compositions. This quartet began the first part of the con-
cert. The trio by Macfarrea, for the pianoforte, violin, and
violoncello, played by Lindsay Sloper, Sainton, and Piatti,
which commenced the second part, was en entertainment of
• much higher order. It is • beautiful work, equally re-
markable for sweet melody, vigour, originality, and richness
of combination—a work which ought to stand side by side
with the trios of Beethoven and Hummel in the library of
evert amateur. M. Oodefroid performed some of his own
studies for the harp, with the beauty and finish for which he
is distinguished. Beethoven's famous sonata in C minor,
for the pianoforte and violin, was played by Sterndale
Bennett in a manner that could not be surpassed. The
adagio (which the composer afterwards used as a tenor song
in his music to Giiethe's " Egmont ") was expressed with
exquisite reelinit. Among the vocal pieces we were especi-
ally pleased with a duet by Mr. Henry Smart, " Summer to
coming," sung by the Miwea Williams; a charming compo-
sition, which ought to find its way into every drawing-room
where it can be sung by two young ladies who have sweet
voices and a cultivated taste. On the whole we have to
thank the proprietors of tho Musical World for a very In- T.
treating ooneert. ;.....si ' ~,,_ .e
llt
HULLAH'S CHORAL MEETINGS. The last pnt!,,e
...
performance for this season of Mr. Hu 'ii tipper Singing. -
Schools took place last evening in Ex r Hall, which, ea -lii.
usual, was crowded by a most latent and delighted
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audience. The performance, ma on the previous occasions,
was divided into two parts, the first consisting of specimens
of the works of the great ecclesiastical composer,; the
second, of a selection of madrigals, glees, and part-song of
the greatest masters. The performance was uniformly ex-
cellent ; and we have no hesitation in saying that Mr. Hut-
lah'a Upper Classes exhibit, in their choral harmony, an ac-
curacy and precision, a smoothness and delicacy, an atten-
tion to all the gradations of musical light and shade, which
we have never found equalled in England, and which bear
un,quivocal testimony to the efficacy of his method of
tuition.

THE FUNDS OF A CHARITY, St. Mary's Hospital,
Paddington, seek addition by means of a concert, to be given
at the Hanover.square Rooms next week. Grief, Alboni,
Tambnrini, and Mario, are among the singers who are to
help the cause of the sick poor.

TCbe Eicama.
FRENCII PLATS.—ST. J.tNIES'4.—Tho part selected
by Mdlle. Rachel yesterday evening 1•23 Agrippine, in
Racine's Britennicus," a part admirably calculated to dis-
play that grandeur which so pre.mninently characterises her
style, and which communicates dignity, scenically, to a per-
sonage, who, historically, possessed no dignity whatever but
in her death. Rachel WII,I excellently supported by her
brother, who, an equivocal compliment perhaps, looked Nero
to the life. The vaudeville which preceded the tragedy in-
troduced a ekbulante Mdlle. Clemens Ccisdeau, an artiste'
of considerable merit. On Wrdne,day next Rachel appears
in comedy, and will play the part of Celimene, in MoUrc's
" Misanthrope," a play strongly cast in the other leading
parts, with Madame Orassau, al. Brevanne, M. Dumerg,
and M. Rhotevil. The novelty of Rachel in comedy is alone
matter of attraction with the general public.