The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-14 00:00:00

IMPORTANT SALE OF ENGRAVINGS.

The large collection of the well-known print-
dealers, Messrs. Colnaghi and Co., is now being sold by
auction by Messrs. Christie and Manson, at their Rooms.
in King-street, St. James's, and the sale will continue over
several days, as the stock is one of the most extensive ever
submitted to the hammer. The engravings and drawings
by the old masters alone number above two thousand lots,
and the water-colour drawings, with a few oil paintings by
some of the best painters of the English and French
schools, will occupy one day in the sale. The opportunity
is one that rarely occurs, and the connoisseurs of engra-
vings may gratify their taste by acquiring some gems of
this very beautiful form of art, all but unique in their ex-
cellence.

The collection of portraits of many celebrities and per-
images of rank in the English aristocracy, as well as in the
French and other foreign nobility, is very extensive, and
forms a considerable part of each day's sale. Of these works
several of the plates are to be sold, as well as the steel of
impressions.

The water-colour drawings and modern pictures consist
of some good examples of Copley Fielding, David Cox,
Chambers, Turner, David Roberts, De Wint, W. Hunt,
Lewis, Bennett, Smallfield, Birket Foster, and some others
of the water-colour schools, with two singularly good
copies in watercolour of Landeeer'a " Peace" and "War,"
by Mr. Denning.

filustr.

MR. HENRY LEsurs CONCERT.

A second extra concert was given by Mr. Leslie
last night at St. James's-hall, with full orchestra and
chorus, at which Mendelssohn's Antigone was repeated,
together with a miscellaneous selection, instead of a pro-
gramme consisting exclusively of the same composer's
works, as on the first occasion, a month since. The miscel-
laneous selection included Cherubini's overture to Les
deux Aunties, and Weber's overture to Oberon. each alike
admirable in its respective style, the one fax a highly
finished specimen of constructive art, the other ass glowing
and impulsive 'piece of musical romanticism. Another
important item in the programme was Beethoven's
fourth pianoforte concerto (in G), played by Mr.
Charles Halle with all that careful manipula-
tion and refinement for which this distinguished
artist has long been renowneL The cadenzas introduced
by Mr. Halle in the first and last movements were
Beethoven's own. In the concluding Rondo of the work
some hesitancy in the orchestral accompaniments afforded
a severe test of the solo player's thorough readiness and
self-possession, and with an artist of less experience and
nerve than Mr. Halle might have led to confusion. The
great feature of the concert was the repetition of Men-
delssohn's noble music to Antigone, the first performance
of which was noticed by us a month since. On the pre-
vious occasion Mr. Bartholomew's imitative version of the
text, with some condensation, was read by Miss Kate
Saville—but last night merely a few narrative 'mange',
sufficient to link the musical pieces together, were read
by Mr. Wallworth. Although much time is gained, and
some impression of monotony avoided by this latter pro-
cess, it is even more objectionable in principle than the re-
citation of the whole text ; and it is questionable if there
be any medium between the stage performance of drama
and music entire, or concert-room performance of the
music alone. Finely as Antigone was given at Mr. Les-
lie's previous concert, its repetition last night was even
more satisfactory ; such music being capable of almost any
amount of that refinement in execution which
nothing but reiteration can give. The ode to Eros, for solo
voices, was encored—the effect with which it was given
being chiefly due to Mr. Cummings' admirable singing of
the first tenor part. The " Hymn to Bacchus," too, was
repeated, as at the former performance ; and the music
throughout, as is always the case with really great works,
gains on the hearer at each repetition. The vocal portion
of the miscellaneous selection included Mozart's " Vedrai
Carino," and Spobr's "Bird and the Maiden," sung by
Mini Ada Jackson with much freshness of voice and
genuine expression, accompanied in the latter song by Mr.
Charles Halle on the pianoforte, with the clarinet obbligato
of Mr. Lazarus. The remaining vocal solo was the elegant
serenade, "0 ma maitresee," from Felieien David's Lade
Rookie, given with much refinement by Mr. Cummings.
The Soldiers' Chorus, from Gounod's Pause, with the com-
bined effect of the numerous instrumentalists and cho-
risters assembled by Mr. Leslie, terminated the concert.