The Express.
London, England, 1860-02-03 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

OU Loam : Gadorod from BiluisAad Woril
By W. HANSA WILLS. C4prq 004 HAIL

Wise Mr. Charles Dteksme bed hie polisatis•
of "Esemehold Words," it was with ea evidestky
skier sad elegised purpose of giving tits "gessral
realer " meetly what he wasted. To bays, in
my at dairy, assisted in forming this " general
resdeg '—that is to say, by tusking thoolands read
who never had read, and Dever would have read bat
for sacra human appeals to their common sympathies
sad expansion as are found in every page of Mr.
Dickens's writings—was no slight qualification to
decide what really was wanted in popular literature.
Mr. Wills, the author of these "Old Leaves," was,
from the brat number, associated with the founder
of " Household Words" in the editing of that jout-
sal ; and we have now some Mane of estimating the
ahlue which the rabordreate hand has hod in the
work. All the " leaves" is this well-tilled volume
are se fresh as if they had been hare pet forth, in-
stead of being gathered from an eight year"' growth
sad fall. A goodly heap it is that Mr. Wtas ham
sollected. 'Pee parent stem is not one sod the same,
as le vary fairly indicates by a mark affixed to
ehapten which have been re-touched by " another
band." Femmes of the ttairtreeven excerpts have
been so re-toesieed,sad it is not difficult to detect the
artist; though we are bound to say that where Mr.
Wills has wrought alone he hes displayed a re-
markable power of captivating an audience drawn
together by has great name. For example, the
papers no "The Modern Science of Thief-Taking,"
en "Bank-note Forgeries," on "The Private His-
tory of the Palace of Glass," on "The Lambeth
Marsh Mulcibers," and on " The Annular Eclipse,"
which were all in turn reputed to be from some well-
known pen, if not from that of Mr. Dickens himself,
ass at last claimed by Mr. Wills, after a long senior
of anonymous contributership. The account of •
visit t, Mr. Copeland's potteries, under the title "A
Piatrd Article, is enough to stamp his reputation
as an observer and a kassariat.

roam

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN.

ins new °prone, entitled Howsinice, the joist
wok of Mr. !Wires. Simpson sad Mr. Rom Leal* we
produord last eight with ocutplete sad wet, ateurvid /MOM
It is a chemist tittle Vete, waded* as, la Ms clews
*maim construction, the lightens and piety of the 'abject,
end the character of the music, of the French condo open
kiseded with the old Eaglet% borlette, two things which are
were skis than ought he at dist supposed. The 'abject is
ihmadod as the history of the renowned ftlettard Turpin, the
held highways's* amid gelleet cavalier, whose courage,
ineerelty, glarefid beagess, sad transoms behaviour
mete him the tit of the &mob world of fashion of
11s day. Eki perehalis porumege, larked, is really
re bore of the prim dirge be as,., appear
es the N. Ho re, however, ea important
share is re &remount, while th. person who, throughout
the pre, lo sappomd to a Disk Turpis, tarn out to be a
gesthrea by whom ha is poverallsa. Ho sr not gerg to
arrow the plot, se mrsthiteisty preemdiag at all times,
sad up tidily Y the case of • piles has the pretest, which
&nese its aid der lb gay and sprightly tons more that
M anything dada( la Ito Whirr

It is i;utict;nt to sey that Lady Au mints Arabesque is •
la Sy of quelity, ter like many of her sisterhood, ham had
bar heed half tuner by the Morles„curient about the bran
sod gam' higherayers, which bar made • strong rpm-
Mo• epos her Lary, if re her beam A gentleman who
erre to her had, and who, though as yet personally
rrows to bac, is a friend of her brother, is advised by this
✓uts brother, who has an Italia( of his slater's warner. Is
attempt t..) gala her by per arathig her favourite highwayman.
Tbie be doss ; and the result is tar, la the coarse of tonna
agreeable mousilag menet, the supposed highwayman
mare bimwu r agessalisto trimly that Isar remark fancy
loicors a serious attechosst Is this situation she .oci-
datttalb the truth, a discovery Of which she takes
the oirsilige by my rifyisg her lover eery pleassatly, ; and
Um story hr the oidtaary cower or. —merrier. The plot
is priby flailvired by the iotrodactiao of the Mayo, of York
(is which city the seer is laid), • trey, self-impartar
tilleliallAry, whose rut is beat apes railing boom seid
story by armory the famous Dick Tarpis, and ea whoa
the real Tar* (who, ea wo bun said, saver appears on dm
stop) plays ewes atertifyter trier, These chambers,
together wish the misysir's lady, Mrs. Paddlsas, a lively
tromea, mil Petty Pry* a prying soetfotto, make up
lie dremede pereear.
The rode to Yr. Ldis'e amp if mai as a drama* com-
poser, thengh we rod lordly say that his reputation is
@beady arblisteld Is wine of the highest teasers of hie
rt. by this work, meal as it wield be If meeterea by its
lerigth (Isr it is only • sleet piece la as. act), he has fairly
We. he .pars la the anus of tits oleo. The music is
beasotel—freih, isekohees, expreielvt, roomed of •
mask el uoltrldrhty of style, sad 'visors r arch skill la
his !remora of th. ries.. as of all the isatruesers of the
seeirtirs. le the accompsubseate there is • total siures of
WI
the frhieseble seises of the day, a nessilleat, daboacy,
ad rich's.. of °millibars which give the etar • ylosurs
railer to that whott it demos fres disdains lastremes.
trios of ht /An.

The perturessace wee admirstle he every reepest, Tb•
aerie to Mae Lore Ppm'. pmt is set ea the whale as
arid red briniest me that adds\ bass ben gmaseally allotted
es this ao sit acemespileied Oa the sinewy, Oa
hart p.ruces of it are in • aimple meg& ayle; like the
Malta aelodM. of the hat salary ; bet she
showed that she excelled Is t..t style as mach
se is the bemire. Her radar hale ballad, " Poor
silly heart," in the style we beet Jar described,
wee the gra of the train. But she wee by so
mesa* without opportunities of aridity*, her delightful
tiescatios. la the duet, " Yes, I have dared to rare seise
epee," and is tbe dear, la whisk she wee accompanied by
the elbow., elt • showed her easel powers la all their Metal-
pa/4r tnlli.scy. She acted, 1111111 never, with her marl
Esc., sprigbtiiseis, sad leteneg. Mr. Harrier appeared to
very gnat edema's*. His poresesdanef the gallant der heray.
men was perfect ; red hie Friel* air, " Look forth, look
forth, Weald meld." • lesetthl ernerte, wee sung with
the utmost madam sad delicacy. Mr. Hooey °attributed
area to the sesame of the pito., aot only by Us
issaarouse wimp of Mr. Mayor, which created treatetat bits
ray, but by Me enraged sad toneiciaalite engine; lead
Mir Thirlwoll, its. Mayorer, was peony happy both
he bar Pitting and her sedan. The concerted pear, which
see oflocreble in coarruotion sad full of dramatic • dem,
mare perfectly well roan sad the estsliset orcertre, wader
Mr. Islaliou's able dirwtiva, imalatelard its deserved :s-
-pat it ice.

The rye...titian of the pise was in the bigheet degree
fles.iurat.le. The prlnclp.l soap were monied, a. erste a
ebsremee pet-roar. •• Wetooree sprang," ming, without es
enemosniaret, 112 a manner which did Mhos* credit to the
ebeires. When the curtain fell, the principal singers, mad
then t Le composer, were ...fled for aid applauded to the echo.

:N.M.': Pt RLIAMMIITAIT COMPANION PO* 18G0
orw .411t)..1 ul alto Mondani work of nohow% sow it
lb,. ,e,,,,iy•eigtoth 'Per ~f its socool potilkothoe, lower
boblio:o.i. Tao impeadieg dieett.eiow of a aose Migiono
00.1 of bogy tioonciol chooses oomeellof wit\
lb. .leGpr, of the country, will seta the volume
fee tip. 7cor ftfiriortusoble to oil Milean of sower
wets. Since the loot edition sonsphie amp of taisagery
Ls taken view.. eaumeg a variety of slherwelewe he every port
of the T&NITW. Is that part of the book tratitlol " Cow
fitituce7.- the poonlaiion end nilpotent electors otology
county aid beltegigh are derived from oho Wog returns, lei
me pulls tr.as the ri'it id threlar etout. ciom•truniraied by tits
ar vaunting Mikan% I. recording the politics of rob
arab., the 'haat words of the number hinged have beo•
parlor, to any other otatersont of Ns diticel *stow.
The entire welt Iwo loteet tenet! trout the sent artkle to the
krt.

—toolociscaL heal= OF Lodi:am:At th•
math!, senora wetted kad petterdity, at the esekty's
boon is kLiemetee-equorr, the BALM Hoe. fir George Clerk
V.P., ha the ces.f. hie -Hiotratee the htoltarajell
IttiletP Wash, CaBeB, Dlr. B. Haigh Allen,
aed Kr.. North were ekclal Mout; Preform duces, F.
Ward, Dr. P. 11. Trorrhrl. and Dr. Pews were 'WIWI
1.4,76 n ,•mbies; and Mr. T. J. Meat% at the Derby
um. Liverpool, • rearsepasiteg laraher of the setarty ;
the H. a. Gerald C. Talbot. Ceotaie A. W.lliiasem, sad
Mr. F•iwol4 ht. Jane wen proptoed e. evadidatee far the
fellogiohip. named treat the emarti ruled that the
somber of vbitorr to the pine i January Cu 8.778,
bras se iliervarr of 833 r e altered with J•Dtlari of ASP.
Sorrn KENSINGTON MClllC3l.—Dering the week
toubsic Joe. 28, toe visitors bare loose me follows :-00
Howl .f, Tuesday, sad boards?, free dor, 11.400 , MOO.
day aaA Tends, (free 'vamp), 6.194; ea the theta
etwiroto* daps (etbeiorios to the yobbo. NI. 1.231; ego
stadeat-' reads: tWedsisday). 641', total, 12,638. lees
opozoog of the Iliptate, 1,253,210.