The Express.
London, England, 1860-10-30 00:00:00

VI;MAY

LITERATURE.
Odd Journeys to and out of London. By dorm
Homasoanase. Groombridge.
There are, we imagine, not many popular and
prolific authors of Mr. Hoßingshead's chimed whom
it could truly be said that they would have been
the same had the two novelista of our time
never lived. It is • great deed to say, but we meY
say it of Mr. Holliaphead. Her not altogether
free from the tricks of • style which, to adopt one
of his favourite tommonplaiies übeys the law Of
demand and supply ; but in writing avowedly for a
market he is never guilty of palming off second-
hand thoughts and phrases for new. Further, it is
noticeable that, whatever his style may be, it is
entirely at his command. Neither by pretence of
singularity, nor by habit of imitation—two vices,
by the bye, which are not so incompatibles at a
hasty irlanoe they may appear to be—has he evaded
for his own discomfiture a strange awaits'
of mannerism, at whose chimey beck be may
Many time be oumpelled to abandon a meaning.
We dwell somewhat upon the fact of Mr. Hul-
lingshead's exemption from a common ova of
popular authondup, because the evil is
I apace, and the exemptions are becoming rafer7l4
we attribute his apparent disregard of the 11101iff
rhetorical fashion of saying nothing partly to • hip
generally haviag soassaising b WI and Puldr-Aaa a
attain independence of mind u hich iu these days
is equivalent to • more than moral honesty, Two
previous books of Mr. Hollingshead's have shown
him to possess valuably distinct and resolved ideas
on questions of political and social importance,
joined with hearty human sympathies, a fertile
imagination, and considerable bunkum,. Those
possessions miOt be deemed enough to keep an
author from fling into the bondage of oonven •
tional style; but in truth they have not always
been found so. There mint, we maintain, be a i
native and characteristic honesty in the writer
who, amid the vast second rank of literature, con-
trives to be thoroughly original.
These " odd journeys" relate to various subjects
in which the public take an interest, and about
which they have read in the pages of "Household
Words" and "All the Year Round." Ina collected
form, the descriptive accounts written from time to
time by Mr. Hdlinphead will be found very enter-
taining. We accompany him first in a canal boat
from London to Birmingham, and then, for the
sake of contrast, on the engine of the Dover express.
Down in a diving-bell in the English Channel is
our next odd journey ; and, by a lees startling
trao-
sitiun, we are introduced to the oyster-dredgers and
the divers of Whitstable. In turn we make ac-
quaintance with Alderehott town and camp; with the'
Royal Mint ; with London-bridge and all ita immense
variety of traffic • with cabs, cab-drivers, cabmen's
clubs, and cab statietice generally • with Newgate-
market, with the Rotunda of the Bank of England
at dividend-paying time • with the house-top tele
' - 1
graph • with railway postal arrangements ; with
braes band contests in the manufacturing districts
of the north of England ; with a coal mine ; with
the works of the new Covent-garden Opera-house
when in a state of program far from completion ;
with the stage of the same theatre during a perfor-
moues of the Huguenot.; with the Great Eastern
steamship ; and with the last stage-coach. All
these things are discoursed of shrewdly and plea-
santly, the author seeming to be equally at home
in the most opposite situations.

DRA VA.

AT. JAM A.

An audience numbering many distinguished
member of the fashionable world aasembled last night to
do honour to the opening of Mr. Alfred Wigan's managerial
nfyine at this house, and warmly welcomed him and Mrs.
Wigan on their appearance. A " new and original comedy
of Indian life." by Mr. Tom Taylor, called Up at the Hills,
was the opening piece; mid revoking mit did certain curious
phases of society among the British military resident in the
East, written with smartness and filled with allusions to
the topics of the day couched in the slang of the hour, it
was perfectly suocemfuL

Mr. Wigan is thinner than when last before the public,
and is not looking over well, but he played with his usual
artistic teat and talent. The honours of the evening rest
with Mrs. Wipn, whose performance was most excellent.
Miss Herbert looked very pretty, and thoroogbly lady-
like, and mead with great Mate and feelin& Mira Kate
Tarry made the best of a tether ungrateful part ; and in his
two norferra—Nr. Ashley, from Glasgow, and Mr. Dewar,
from Brightou—Mr. Wipe has found two good.looking
young men, of thoroughly gentlemanly bearing and kuow-
leafs GI society.

After the owned, the National Anthem wan sang, and the
weals essehadad with the revival of Mr. Ilinacha's cad -
Inneed lotteam beelestple of the hump of as Petvorlo, in
whisk*, primdpal parte were played by Mrs. Buckingham
Vale. Wee 84. thine, Mr. C. Yam& ad Mr. Emery.

MUSIC.

ROYAL REGLISH OPERA, 00YENT-GIARDEN.

Balfe's Rose of Cash& was produced last night
for the first time this Demon. It drowse excellent hove.,
the performance was very animated, and received with
much applause. The Roo of Cash —excepting perhaps
the Bohemian Girl—ice Belle's happied effort. The subject
is exceedingly gay, with a pleasant infusion of romantic in-
terest, and the music has the lightness and much of the
sparkling brilliancy of Auber. Harrison's impersonation of
the princely muleteer is a piece of genuine comedy, and we
have never heard Lim sing better. His " a ample
muleteer," was magnificent. Miss Louisa Pyse has a chs•
tarter very similar to that of Catarina in the Croar*
Diumwtolt, and her performanee of it is a similar mixture
of (careful playfulness ►od regal dignity. Last night the
displayed all the charm of her beautiful voice end de-
lightful execution. The pleasant pert of Deana Llaremn
was nicely acted and sung by Miss TWriwall, whose singing,
moreover, was most effective in the concerted music. The
favourite laughing trio, " not the Queen, ha 1 hal"
wee as lively end pleasing as ever. The performance, in
its emsenbk, erases careful ►nd complete as if the opera had
been predueedfer the ant time.
We observe with pleasure that Edward Loder's rementie
opera the Night Dancers, a work of the highest meg*, as
about to be produced. It will have all the effect of m..
'lefty ; for, when originally brought forward, its perform-
ance wes not, such as to give the public any ids of its greet
excellence.

Sorts K WISINITOIF Yoamt the week
eating Oat. 27 the Mateo have hem as Mwe ;--Os
Mouday, Tuesday, sad keturdey, free dam 5,148; as Nee.
day and Tuesday, free evewp, 5,470; se the three in-
dents' days (aenimias to the public 6d.), 1,355 ; one
student' moist; (Wedwiday), 245: total, 12,216. has
the opening of the mosem, 1,75,U1115.
LONOWT Vleeni IN THU WOZLI:o. —We lialre
just received as Glacial report of the performance of a river
steani.vemel, or articulated tole of harps, belooging bike
hiemal Island Stew Comps y, and intended to navigate
the shallow rivers of the East, which weemen pemiliar
scieotiflc interest from the fact of this composite venal
bring the longest vowel *vet yet twelreeted, being nearly
half as long spas es the Geese &soma. It appears that oft
trial this pest rem' or train wee lewd to be wily sea.
paltethla, and attained a satisfactory rate of speed ; sad its
success solves the importentsft 01 low Jg= si=
large canto on a vast' meet of whir,
eireem. The wain weeiewei a weerwer est die
the initiate, heath 100 Gatlate these
el beiog towed ameader like wawa bmges
we an Aheir by circular joints like a h s that
stains ow long fiesible vessel, with oa eis Wm lades*
stem The purpose of this ernagivelat U to obtain the
arsessaly displacement with en& seekansim, and without
Use elk at. deauge, ahead the awl an
wiliTtirterieVrgetwat.."77araliesTrlre
At • We& wain of 3 lees h ;sllhvirri, stood 3,500
el serge. gosh a meet is petal neededpresent:
nemesia le wry up railway ne ladle, and Wiring.
Mw sew apihisuCluniulpara produce