The Express.
London, England, 1868-01-28 00:00:00

POLYGRAPHIC HALL.

A new " professor" of sleight of hand, named
Mr. Robert Helier, who, we believe, is very popular in
America, both as a player an the pianoforte and as • eon-
juror, made his Ant appearance in Ragland last night at
the above hall, with • fair amount of meow& As he ad-
mitted himself, several of Ms tricks were too iacomplete
to give his audienoe • true idea of his skill, but enough
was sees to prove that he is almost se seem-
plished • prestidigitateur as Prikell (villa is
saying • past deal), and more anoompliiited than
many professors who have lately appeared before a
London public. Mr. Heller is more winning than most
conjurors In the words he addresses to the andiesee, and
his manner appears to be • combination of the late Mr.
Artemis Ward and Mr. Alfred Wigan in .H Watery
Rue Deep. He has a love for pone whisk would even se-
toniab an English burlesque writer, sod some of these
puns are more mysterious thee his Wake. X he
dime is very nen* dam, taTlis iranint •
very elaborate and suoosedul attempt to ridicule the Da-
venport Brothers, sad • clever perfermaaoe at the same
tier, The musical part of hie entertainment is the least
satiefeeterp, simply because Mr. John Parry has et-
handed everything that can be done to make fun of beard-
Octal pianoforte playing.

MONDAY POPULAR CONCERTS.
Madame Schumann made her first appearance
this season at the domed of last night, the programme of

which was as follows :
PAST I.
Quartet, le A minor
„,...j" Sun of the el
84'4' " hear a smalcilrcalli" og." j
Sonata, In A major, Op. 101, pianoforte
PART 11.
Prelude, Allemande, and Coerante. violoncello Bach.
Old English Ditty, "The Oak and the Ash."
Trio, in C minor
We have, on many occasions, recorded our high estims-
tion of the great and exceptional merit of Madame
Sehu-
mann as an earnest and thoughtful interpreter of the
highest order of pianoforte music. Her executive powers
—great se they are, and equal to all the demands of con-
certo playing—arc, with her, but the means to an end—
the truthful interpretation of the spirit of the composers
whose works she performs. In the romantic Sonata
of Beethoven, belonging to the latest phase of
that composer's career, Madame Schumann again, last
night, displayed those high qualities which we have
already commended. In the dreamy and ideal first
" Allegretto" (doubtless present to Mendelssohn's mind
when he wrote the first movement of his solo sonata in
in the following vigorous martial movement, and in the
intricate and elaborate finak, with itscontrapuntal in-
volvements, Madame Schumann's performance was cha-
racterised by alternate refinement end energy, and that
rhythmical power without which the most accurate me-
chanical execution fails to fulfil the highest pur-
pose of musical art. In Mendelssohn's second trio, the
pianoforte part as intricately difficult as any con-
certo, Madame ficennuinn's reading and execution
were also alike admirable, and her performance
in bath instances was received with loud applause.
Schumann 's three quartets, sp. 41 (dedicated to Mendels-
sohn), belong to the middle and best period of hie career ;
but even in these, as in most of his larger works, there is
an occasional incompleteness of grasp and a strained
effort which will ever prevent him from ranking as a cam:
poser of the highest order, although the grandeur of his
aspirations and the frequent beauty and originality of his
idea would almost seem to have marked hies out for such
destination. The quartet now referred to, which has
been performed at these concerts on three previous occa-
sions, with many passages of power and beauty exhibits
also many instances of dressy effort. The scherzo and the
last movement are perhaps the best portions ; but the
whole quartet is, to our thinking, inferior to the
second (in F) of the same set. It was admirably,
played by Herr Straus, Mr. L. Ries, Mr. H.
Blagrove, and Signor Piatti. The last-named gen-
tleman repeated the solo movements of Bach, which
he played for the first time at the concert of three weeks
since, as noticed by us at the time, and was associated
with Herr Straus and Madame Schumann in the perform-
ance of Mendelssohn's trio. The same composer's exqui-
site lieder were sung with much refinement of expression
by Miss Julia Elton, who was encored in the charm-
ingly quaint old English air (date about 1590), one
of the specimens in Mr. W. Chappell's valua-
ble collection of old English songs and ballmls.
The song was given kst night with Mr. G. A. Macfarren's
cleverly written pianoforte accompaniment—Mr. Ilene•
diet being the accompanist in this as in the other vocal

pieces.
Mad&111117 Schumann, who was warmly welcomed on her
rv-appearance, is to play at the morning performanoe of
Saturday next Beethoven's " Waldstein" sonata, and
Schumann's pianoforte quintet ; and, at next Monday's
concert, Beethoven's " Sonata Appaasionata," and duet
sonata in A, with violoncello.

ENGLAND AND AIITRICA.—The Rev. Newman
Hall is =roamed to deliver to-morrow evening, at the
Metropolitan Tabernacle ;Mr. Spurgeon's), for the benefit
of a public institution, the lecture on the internatioeal
relations of the two countries which he delivered at Wash•
ington, before General Grant sad meet members of Con-
gresa, • and under the presidency of Chief Justice Chase.
Mr. Gilpin, MX., will take the chair. Some public action
is expected in referenee to the Alabama ease.
Gsuelar/ HOSPITAL, DALSTON. The annual
general court of the governors of this charity was held
yesterday at the London Tavern, under the presidency of
Mr. Preller. The minutes of the previous wan having
been read and confirmed, the report for the year ending
December 31, 1867, was read, which stated that the ex-
penditure had been 5,26 W. fie. 10d., end the receipts 4,650/.
17e. sd. ; 6381. tie. 10d. of the expenditure still remaining
unpaid. There was also a debt of 1,5501. on the new
building, which the committee were anxious should be
paid off. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge,
the president of the hospital, bad.gmeiously premised to
take the chair at the next anniversary festival, which
would take plsee at the London Tavern on the 25th of
March next. The report wee unanimously adopted, and
some formal business having been transacted the pro-
ceedings terminated in the usual manner.
LONDON llama( AsYLum.—The annual gene-
ral meeting and election of the above institution was hel&
yesterday at the Londe* Tavern ; Mr. James Capel in the
chair. Mr. Rogers, the secretary, read a report, which
stated that since the last meeting 76 children had been
admitted to the asylum, while during the same period 80
had left. With the number to be elected on the present
ociemion there would be 460 ehildren in the mien. The
present state of the asylum, both as regarded the health
of the children and their educational progress, was of a
highly satisfactory character. There wee en increase in the
annual sutecriptions daring the put year of about 6001.
The total income of the year bad been 13,726/. Is.,
and the expenditure had exceeded that amount by 318/.
The amount of invested stook was now about 40,0001. The
report was adopted, and the election of 35 children took

pace.
ADMIRALTY, JAN. 27. —APPOINTMENT& Staff
Commander Philip Going, to the Cumberland, for Bristol
Lieutenant John G. J. Hamer, to the Canopus ; Bub-
Lieutenant William A. D. Acland, to the Royalist ; Mid-
shipman H. D. C. Wynyani, to the Defence ; Assistant.
Surgeoa Dr. John T. Comerford, to the Beacom ; Assis-
tant Paymasters Ashley N. Tune., to the Impregnable,
and Chas. G. Angell, to the Fall's.
IMPORTATION OF CATTLE FROM BILGIIIII.—An
order of council has been issued to the effect that from and
after the Ist February next, all sheep, lambs, and goats
brought to Great Britain from Antwerp, or any other pees
in Belgium, are to be placed under the same restratioss se
to lending. movement, and slaughter as are app/mble to
foreign cattle under any orders of the sauna, whether
general, or relating to partieular ports and places.
BOOTH KINSINGTON MUSEEM.—Viaitas during
the week ending Jan. 25 :—On Monday, Tweeds',
and Saturday (free), fear 10 a.m. till 10 pp.m.,11,300 • in
Wednesday, Thursday. sad Friday ( GILL Irma
10 &ac 4 tin p.m. 1,300 total, 12,600; &mew 1151-
week in former years, 9,920 ; total ftum the
11604:11i41)."1:1 die MIVAMOIN 1,165,014.