The Express.
London, England, 1861-06-10 00:00:00

SURREY GARDENS.

A series of Wednesday evening concerts was
commenced here oo Wednesday night. These pleasant gar.
dens and the fine hall in the °entre of them have recently been
greatly neglected, at least as far as regards the more legiti-
mate forms of public entertainm ent,and it is gratifying to see
them once more made nes of in so good a manner as they were
on this occasion. The list of performers engaged to appear in
the course of the twelve concerts that tux, announced is a strong
one, and includes—with many others of canons grade*, all
however excellent in their different walks of art--Madame
Catharine Hayes, Mdlle. Parepa, Miss Lascelles, Signor Gar.
doni, Herr Forms, MM. Wieniawski end Ole Bull, and Miss
AtabellaGoddard. Commencing with a symphonyof Haydn's
and concluding with a galop, the programme embraced &peat
variety of popular pieces, amongst which " The Wanderer"
(Herr Formes); " Qui la voce" (Madame Catherine Hayes) ;
Balfe's "Annie, dear, good bye" (Mr. Tennant); and "O
ruddier than cherry" (Herr Formes), wore encored. H.
Ole Hull'. violin concerto was also loudly applauded, as was
Mr. Tennant's rendering of " Weeper tulle Tombs."
Prince George Galitain, so wall known by his enthusiasm io
the cause of his national music, was the conductor, and the
concert altogether proved highly satisfactory to the au•
dience. Next Wednesday is to be a "Mozart night," when
Miss Arabella Goddard, Mdlle. Parepa, Signors Gardoni
and Dane Sedie, Herr Formes, and M. Ole Bull, will
appear.

SACRLD HAMMONIC SOCIETY, Exwria HALL.—
on Friday next, the 14th iust., Costa's Eli will be per.
formed, being the last concert this season. Principal vo-
calists : Madame Itudendurff, Madame :Winton Dolby,
Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr. Santley, and Signor Belletti.

DRAMA.

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

Mr. Phelps' engsgemest has led to the produc-
tion of Shakespeare's Merry Wises of Windsor, and the
=moment is to be congratulated on the liberal and care-
ful manioc in which the comedy has been revived. The
scenery inappropriate and the costumes are new and well-
chosen. Moreover there is an air of briskness and elasticity
about the performance which seldom socompanies the
truncated glories of an " off night." It is curious, too, to
observe the difference in the audience : except fur the tint
few nights of his Hamlet, M. Pechter has not attracted any-
thing beyond the usual average to the pit and gallery,
while the stalls and dress circle have been full to overflow-
ing, whereas Mr. Phelps' principal supporters are to be
found in the pit, and that pleasant but warm locality is
nightly crammed with devotees to the great English expo-
nent of Shakespearian art.
Mr. Phelps' Falstaff is, however, by no means one al his
best impersonations. There is an angularity of rna•ner, •
hard dryness of voice, a quaint eccentricity of pose which
but ill accord with our conception of " Fat Jack,' that
prince of easy-going content. The reading is good,
but it is inadequately supported, by the physique. A good
bit of acting in the piece is Mr. WiddicomVs Master
Slender, is which this gentleman shows an appreciation al
genuine art which ought to do him great service in hie pro-
fession. The Merry Wives are played with spirit by Mir
C. Leclercq and Mon Atkinson, and Mr. Meadows es
Sir Hugh Evans, Mr. F. Matthews as Justice Shallow, and
Mr. Garden as Dr. WWI make up a very good coats

MfDDLL Clan IDucmols.—A public meeting
was held on Saturday at St. James's Hall, for the purpose
of improving middle clan education in the oountryndLgt-
motiag the isteneeta of St. Nicolaa College. Lord
presided and was immortal. amongst others, by The 7=
bishop ef York, Loki Rednsdale. lord Eytteiton, Lord R.
CeMl, LP., Sir W. Page Wood, Mr. wither M.P., Mr.
A. B. Hope, Lord W. Lennox, /co. Itseolutione were
adopted deco story of the great national want of cheap and
sedvapportieg boarding schools for the education of the
lover middle glasses, and that St. Nicolas College, which
WA founded in 1848, was deserving of public support for the
extessios of its operations.
CiTRAL YALACZ. HAL.F•A-CROWN DAY.
SATURDAY, Jan B.—Adedmioes on payment, 9,342 ; ditto
by muse *bets, 7,087 ; Wel, 16,429.