The Express.
London, England, 1850-04-18 00:00:00

IRELAND.

Desire, AP/IL 17.
The Royal Dublin Society's spring exhibition of
cattle and agricultural implements was opened yes-
terday, and was attended by crowds of visitors. In
'he evening there was • meeting of the society for
the purpose of receiving the adjudication of premiums
awarded by the judges, and the Lord Lieutenant took
the chair. When the list of premiums had been
read, and also two interesting papers, one on "the
geographical dietribution of cereal productions used
as human food," by Profaner Allman ; and another
on the employment of female poor, by Mr. Sproule.
Mr. Foote, the hon. secretary, addressed his excel-
lency at some length, and the proceedings terminated
with a speech from the L2rd Lieutenant in reply.

MUSIC.
BEETHOVEN QUARTET SOCIETY.

This excellent society was founded (a. many of our
mimicsi readers will remember) by the late Mr. Alsager, an
enthusiastic admirer of Beethevea, to do honour to the great
composer's memory by the bat possible performance of his
quartets. Bina Mr. Alsager's death it has been under the
sole management of M. Rousselot. The meetings of the
society WWII suspended dealer the last 111111111100, bet have cow
bees resumed apparently vider very favourable auspices.
The plates of =alias has been thane, d from the Beethoven
Rama in flarlerstreett, to the new concert rooms in
Clem Ran-street, Cavadiab•sqnare, which were opened
hat evening for the steety's first perbroiases of this season.
The rooms anspacious, elegant, sad remarkably favourable
to musical souse; so that they will probably be much used
for converts of this description.
The entertainment consisted entirely of Beethoven's

semis. no warble were Me Ink WA% and *Meath
(posthumous), which fursishod @penmen of his earliest,
his middle, and his latest style. They were played by
AGSM. Ernst, Cooper, Dead°, and Roumelot. There wee
also his pianoforte Trio is D, Op. 70, played by Mean.
Stephen Heller, Ernst, and Ronsselot.
A remarkable feature of the performances of this society
ever since its establishment has been the groat painsitakin
by the executants: in studying sad rehearsing the
music together, the effect of which is a tempi. to mutual
undemanding ening them, and • closeness and unity of
performance very rarely met with. The nicest points of her-
Remy are taken up with such clearness, and every variety of
effect by swelling and diminishing the mends, pressing and
Mardis( the measure, is gives with seek delicacy, that the
mute Devise to primed from • single instrument. Ern,t,
tee, is unrivalled as • qsartet.player. His beautiful tones,
the facility and grace or his execution, his refinement of
Mete, and the glow of fancy and feeling whiek salmatos
him, give an inexpressible charm to every thing he dose.
BIL Heller is • pianist of the highest order; his execution of
the trio yea equally remarkable foe intelligence, expen-
ds% sal masterly meatless.

DRAMA.
DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

- - -
A painful impression has prevailed recently amongst
those who watch the progress of the drama, that Mr. Ander-
son's leaseeehip wan about to terminate, In consequence of his
not having hitherto received adequate support ; and this im-
pregame was strengthened by the fact that the petkrmancs
yesterday evening was announced as a complisaentary
benefit proffered by the performers to their manager, in
testimony of the enterproting spirit which stimulated hie
attempt to restore to this theatre the representation of the
Britieh drama. From what is subjoined, however, it will be
seen that, for the present at least, Drury -lane will not be closed.
Previous to the performance of the tint piece, " The Lady of
Lyons," an address, highly culogietic of Mr. Anacreon, woe
delivered by Mr. Vandenhoff. luntedirely after the cur-
tain had fallen on the closing some of the above play, Mr. An-
derson presented himself in treat of the stage, and spoke as
follows :

. •
Ladies and gentlemen—my kind friends and patrons,—
Buffer me for a few brief seconds to save your patience
roils I offer to you the glowing gratitude of a silicon heart
for the patronage and sympathy which you
have this night bestowed upon our efforts.
me also publicly express my warmest, my deepest thous
to my brother and sister artists, who have on this marsion
heaped upon me such an hoseurable compliment—(load
cheers from all parts of the how)—a compliment whom
true valor is to me greater than that of cheer and gold;
' a (*.phrasal which speaks of their esteem and affection
kr, and of their wanderers in, the leader who has thus fez
struggled la their cause. Much cheering.) This is a
reward te me for labour and for lose ; a reward the
remembrance of which most ever cheer and gladden
my heart. I will not detain you, ladies and
gestli seen, by dwelling upon the trouble we have
experienced—the losses we have sestained—once the
little gleams of sunshine which lightened us at Christmas
to future darkness. All this I leave untold. Bat let ms
mid • few words. Bad as our cause is we have still hope
—(cheers)—and the growing •ttrection of our Ess'er spec-
tacle, sad promises of support received hos many kind
friends, have induced me to make each arrangements as
supersede the necessity of inumostely closing. (A general
bunt of applause.) I sin not one who is easily given to
despair; end, confidently hoping that there le " a good tints
cosies," I ham determined to " wait a little longer."
(Laughter.) Let me ogee more offer you the slams thanks
of a grateful heart, and bid you good nSht.
Anderson retired amidst oungratartory plaudits.

REDURTION6 IN THE EXPENDITURE OF MIDDLE-
sax —A very important investigation into the general
expenditure of the county of Middlesex, with a view to any
practicable and b,iteficial reductiont that could safely be
made in the several county establishments, and in the
general disbursements of the county rate," has just been
brought to a termination by a committee of magistrates,
appointed specisPy to easeider the subject at the General
Quarter &Wong in May last. Tne committee recommend
the no fees should be paid to coronets in eases where the
ague of death may be under investigation by a magistratc,
sad that a modkal man with a salary be appointed to make
post esorlest t mutilations in cues of inquests. The com-
mittee state as their opinion that the s Jules of the (Meters
and servants of the e•maty prisons are on too blab a scale,
end ought to be reduced. 13everal kens of expenditure in
the C .Idbathi9elds Prison. the House of Corree!ioo of
Wes Waster, tto county lunatic asylums, Re., are pointed
oat, by a reelection of which • very large saving to the public
might Ito off -cud. The annual *snag by these rultrtl )ni,
if serried ear, tbe ereanituar atate would amount to 6,6001
TOW report au„,A.ata that by the reseite:reent of ccrtalu beta
of pentamete Lele set. ether. Itt of Chiller., • 'thriller gunnel
mei .4 of 13,6761 might be eff•teud witnoti. d trmehht to the
▪ eatab'iehest chi. The 14 p hrt we. up huimensie
adopted by the committee, who paw d a highly et logistic
resolution to tits chairman, Mr. Armstrong.