Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-10-08 00:00:00

AMUSEMENTS, &e.

TDB ITALIAN Omega IN PARIS.—The echoes of the
enthusiastic acclamations which followed the last perform-
ance of Salvini in Paris had scarcely died away in this
theatre when they were re-awakened by the plaudits
bestowed on the favourite artistes who appeared on Thurs-
day, the opening night of the season, in the universally
popular teTrovatore." The cast was in all respects, save
one important role, the same as we had frequently beard it
last season. Mario was moot warmly received on his
entree as Maurice, and Graeani still more fervidly on his
appearance as the Count. The voices of both were in
perfect order, and the principal moree.tux produced all
their wonted t ffect. We have, however, so very frequently
commented on the execution of all the airs in the opera, by
these exce'lent vocalists, that detail is unnecessary at,
present. The two ladies, Mule. Steffenone and dime.
Nantler Didiee, stand in a different position, for, though
neither is quite a stranger, they can scarcely be said to
have taken their proper position until Thursday night,
Mme, A boni sang 'the part as she sings everything, If the
season only continues as it hes begun, we shall have only
reason for congratuletios.—Galignani.
A GALA OPERA AT WEIMAR.— riliS evening (Oct. 1)
there was, as usual on these occasions, a gala opera, for
which all the great world of Weimer and the neighbouring
towns and principalities have been straggling for some
days past to get tickets. It was the same sceae over again
that I lately described to you at Stuttgardt, only on a
smaller scale, and with a less ext€nt of county pretension,
and was only in a very sma'l degree to be called splendid.
The ho•ise, small as it is, was toe large to be occupied by
the court only, and even the first tier of b.mea c•eutained
a number of persons not attached to the court, and not even
in full dress. The Empress of Russia sat in the centre
with the Dowager Queen of Holland and the Dowage;
Grand Duchess of Weimar, her husband's aunts on eithe r
hand, one of whom was if inked on the right by the Em-
peror of Austria and the Grand Duke of Weimar ; and the
other on the left by the Emperor of Russia, the Grana
Duchess of Weimar, and Prince Alexander of Hesse.
There was nothing of that beauty of toilet and splendour
of ornament that was visible at Stuttgardt ; but, on the
other hand, there was a total absence of that restraint oa
the part of the Russian Imperial couple which was evident
at Stuttgardt in the presence of Louis Napoleon. We had the
renowned Liszt toconduct,an 1 the much talked of opera by
Richard Wagner, Tannlsauser, to listen to. The great folks
bore this for two acts, probably on account of their
curiosity to hear this dawn of a new school of music, and
to see the very splendid manner is which it has been put.
en the stage. The story of the contest of the singers co
the Wartburg being one of historical and local interest to
this Grand Duchy, the opera has nowhere been treated so
well as here. Nevertheless, no amount of care and splen-
dour in the getting up can save such a production as a
dramatic composition, constructed on the principle of anti.
climax, like an inverted pyramid, with the apex of interest
vested in the beginning, and languishing rapidly into
insipidity as it proceeds. As a musical work, possessing
stray claims to admiration by sporadic passages of beauty,
but on the whole a wild screaming jumble of inharmonious
instrumentation, snatches of melody that never amount to
a tune, and a constantly recurring a recession of forced
modulations, interrupted c adences, diminished sevenths,
and fearfully impressive passages for the whole orchestra
in unison, all about nothing—it may be true that this is
the rnu,ie of the future, but the more remote we calculate
that future the more correct will be our judgment ; and
it may also be true, as Wagner's admirers say, that this
music will be heard with delight when that of Mozart and
Beethoven is forgotten, bat it certainly will not be before.
Tee Cemmittee of the Theatre Frarc tin, Paris, unani-
mously received on Saturday a five act comedy in proses
by MM. Scribe and E. Logoave, entitled " Les Deights
de F 6 a"

The Marseilles journals state that an improvement
has taken place in the health of Mdlle. ',Rachel. Her
relatives, who had been summoned to see her, have found
so great difference in her atate that they have not hesitated
to take their departurf., M. Raphael Felix, her brjther'
who was p'aying in the "Fits de la Nuit," at Toulouse'
has returned to his post. The Nouvelliate announces that
Prince Napoleon paid a visit to Mdle. Rachel.

The Revue des Theatres publishes a letter from M.
Gustave Matz, which gives some curious detail. concerning
the fourth act of the music of the " Favorite," by Deni-
zetti—" M. Alphonse Royer and myself were charged to
prepare the libretto, and being naturallj anxious to come
to an understanding with Dmizatti on the subject, we
asked him what his views were on the point. 41 have

written,' said he, the sore of many an opera in Italy,
but, on account of the censorship, I never was
able to carry out an idea which formerly occurred
t 3 me, bat which I can do now. Write me any libretto
you like, provided you place in the last act a nunnery
religions chants, and great affliction' This last act, con-
sequently was our starting point, and in place of seeking
for the denouement of a story, we had to invent a story to
suit the denonemeat named to tv. I may add, that the
admirable music of the fourth act was almost an impro-
visation on the Tart of Danizetti, for the whole of it was
written by him in a single night. M. Royer and I
delivered him the words of the fourth act one evening,
and the next moraing th 3 composer gave the whole of the
music to be copied—choruses, scenes of recitative, romance
duo, and finale, all were c ,mposed during the single night "
Already we hear some gossip about the London Op era
Season of 1858. Mr. Oye's new and splendid temple of
the lyric drama will be reedy in April, when the sea-
son will commence with a renewal of those grand perfortri,-
ances, which made the Royal Italian Opera the great lyric
theatre of Euro?e. There is some talk of Her Majesty' s
Theatre opening in January, instead of the regular time
and Mr. Lumley is said to have engaged, as conductor, in
place of Signor Binetti, Signor Arliti; who, the Musical
World tells us, is well known is Constantinople and New
York. From the same authority, we learn that Drury-
lane will be the scene of Jullien'e series of concerts this
winter.

EnRATI7II.—The name of Captain Stouffer, in our
report of the launch at Preston, shoul I have been G. C.,
and not J. C., as it appeared in Monday's paper.
Tun lina.n OF RUGBY SCHOOL.—Amorg
the-essadidates for this office are found the name of the
Rev. Dawson W. Turner, M.A., head master of the R .yal
Institution School, Liverpool.
CHAYGE RINGIvG.—LIVERPOOL.-03 Tuesday, the 6th
inst., the United Societies of St. Luke's and St. Peter's,
ascended the tower of St. Luke's aLd rang in a masterly
s yle Mr. Thursto.i's peal of Steadman Triples, consisting
a' 5,040 changes in three hours and two minute*. The
ringers were placed as follows, viz : Robert Thomas,
trebly ; John Heron, jun., second ; James Heron, third ;
George Kelsby, fourth; George Crute, fifth ; Richard
Williams, sixth; William Worthington, seventh. John
Pearson, tenor. Conducted by John Heron, jun. Weight
of tenor 16 cwt.; in the key of F.
PASSINGER9 per Scraw Steamer Indian, Captain Thomas
Jones, from Quebec to Liverpool.—Captain Wardell, Mrs.
Wardell and two children, Messre. M'Callum, David
Thomson, Cruise, Cornish, Simpson, Miss Steele, Mrs.
Travers and child, Messrs. Kippen, G. Leighton, Thomas
Reeki', Watts, Captain M‘Gliie, Mr. T eacy, Mrs. Wil-
t liams, child, and servant, Messrs. S. S. Thomson, C owley,
Henry T. Dawson, John stone, W. R. Pym, Gognon,
Shuter, Bally, Mrs. Pa'terso i and two children, Mr. and
Mrs. Rothwell, Messrs. John Curly, G. H. Smith, John
Cerro', F. Ford, Mr. and Mrs. Barlow and three children,
M. R Gimrie and daughter, Messrs. F. Salmon, W.
Parse, John Wilson, II- nry Flood-50 cabin and 115
steerage pat e gers.
IMBULA MRS IN mg STREETS —Several complaints
have been made of the abuse of perambulators in the
streets, and we have received some letters on the subject
from persons who have been subj,cted not only to incon-
venience but injury, in consequence of the manner these
vehicles are driven by servant mails in Church, Lord,
Bold, and other streets, where the flag-ways are not
wide enough to afford room for pedestrians, without
being blocked up by "blessed babies" and their little
carriages. If parents knew the risk their children
run, whilst strapped up in these silly inventions,
they would certainly not trust the lives of their
offspring either in the machine nor the keeping of the
nurse, for the "little darlings" too often rue the chance of
being momentarily made the subj_ct of coroner's inquests.
One cJrr,sp.mdent suggests the necessity of putting the law
in force as it was at Bath, where, he says, they fined the
drivers of such vehicles, which put a s'op to them in that
town. We should not like to see such stringent measures
reearted to in Liverpool, but something ought to be done
to avoid the danger to which the public and the children
are exposed. Wheelbarrows and trucks should be, by the
police, at once prevented from obstructing the foo:paths, as
allowed to do at present.

The Belgian free-traders have commercsd their winter
campaign under the most favourable auspices. They held
in Brussels two meetings last week, which were followed
by a banquet. All these gatherings were attended by
great numbere, comprising delegates from almost every
important town on the evitinint, and the -epresentatives
of the various Chambers of Commerea throughout Bel-
gium.

AGAINST TOBACCO.—Oae of the elargyrne) at a recent
camp-meeting in Tolland County, Connecticut, according
to the Rockville Gazette, was opposed to the use of tobacco
as incompatible with true piety. Speakieg of the raising
of tob cco in the Connecticut River Valley, as eonnec' d
with the worship of mammln, ho " wished that God
Almighty would send a hail-storm and destroy the whole
crop on the river."

THE RaPUBLICAN CAPITOL—The capitol at Washington
when completed, will have cost ten millions of dollars.
Originally the grounds and the old building—and a very
il-contrived and poorly built one it is—cost about three
millions. The extension now in progress will cost five
and a half millions ; and the new dome to the old building
a million and a half more at least. Congress has already
appropriated 4,325,000 doll. to the extension, and,it is
estimated that about 21,200,000 more will be necessa-y
CASE OF BONA FIDE INS &NIT T. —Q BEN VICTORIA
CHARGED WITLt BREACH OF PRO MISR. —An insane man
has been, lately, in the habit of annoying a certain firm
in this city by presenting to them for payment bills f r
two an 1 three hundred thousand dollars, semi-weekly.
A. man who would do an act like that, in the present
crisis, deserves a straight jacket and bread and ,va'er.
We saw the poor unfortunate this morning, and had a
conversation with him. He alleges that Queen Victoria
promised to marry him, but broke off the en6agement.
A MYSTERY OF PARIS —The bodies., of a young man
and a young female tied together rou-d the waist were
the day before yesterday taken out of the Marne, at a place
called Le Mailloret. From the advanced state of decain-
pisition of the bodies, it is supposed that they must have
ben in the water for some time. Every inquiry has been
made in the neighbourhood, but as no intelligence of any
missing parties has been obtained, it is supposed that they
must have come from a distance to effect their purpose, or
tat the bodies have been brought down by the current to
the p'ace where they were fours'.
Some time ago a very large sum,.m.ore than £lO.OOO,
was subscribed for the establishment of a commercial
academy in Vienna; but the whole affair is likely to fall to
the ground because the Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs
insists on apaointing a Roman Catholic director and pro-
fes-ors. The principal subscribers were Jews and
Protestants, an I, as they mide it a condition sine qua non
that Jews and Protestants should enjoy the same privileges
as Roman Catholics, they are abo it to withdraw their
subscriptions. Whenever the Austrians attempt to do
anything they invariably feel the Concordat galling their
withers.

SCENE AT AN ExEcumN —A horrible scene (says the
Weser Cafette) took place at Hanover a few days ago, on
the occasion of an execution. Not only did a large crowd,
many of them carrying bottles of brandy, assemble and
compel gross excesses, but a number of individuals sub-
ject to epilepsy rushed to the scaffold at the moment the
criminal's head felt to drink the blood, the popular belief
being that it is a cure for epilepsy, and the cx.-:eutdmer
readily gave it to them ! This frightful scene has caused
an immense sensation in Hanover, and petitions to the
government praying that executions may no longer be
public have boon numerously signed.
JOLLY Jinn-at .—The hotel bill of the jury impan-
nelled in the recant trial of Gentles and Reid at the S irlinr
Circuit Court of Justiciary was within a trifle of £7O.
This fact may help to dispel the popular belief that jury_
man, during the process of a trial, are doomed to subsist
on such commonplace fare as bread and water. Considering
the number of days over which the trial ex' ended, perhaps
t le score run up at the Golden Lion is not very unreasona-
ble—which is more than can be said for a jury at Aberdeen,
who run up a bill of £l7 between the hours of seven in
the evening and ten in the morning following—or of a
jury at Inverness, whose bill for toddy alone, for one night,
was .£B.—Alloy Advertiser.
A GREEK SAILOR IN A. SQUALL.— We were here over-
taken by a severe equal'. At this time we were towing
the Greek boat, one of the crew being in it, and the other
on board the Ariel. The former was much surprised
when the storm came on, and after staring about in an
idiotic manner, for some time, threw himself on his knees,
and prayed fervently for same minutes ; fi .ding, however,
that things were not looking much better, he disconti ied
his devotions, and commenc,d cursing and swearing till he
foamed at the mouth ; and on perceiving that this also was
of no material advantage, he threw himself down in the
boat and subbed like a child. His companion, who was
comfortably settled on board the yacht, and who had been
watching the proceedings of his comrade with placid
satisfaction, now took compassion on him, clambered
down into the boat and cut her adrift. They soon dis-
appeared itt the driving mist.—Fraser') Magaaine, for
October,

THE DAY OF HUMILIATION
AND PRAYER.

Yesterday being appointed as the day of general fast,
prayer, and humiliation, by a proclamation of the Queen,
all business was suspended. Divine service was per-
formed in the several churches through town, and the
congregations were large and respectable, such as are in
the habit of attending on Sabbath days. In
THE TOWN,
the shops were all closed, but so far as the appearance of
the streets went, it seemed more a holiday for amusement
than of prayer and humiliation, The docks were all
closed, as well as the banks, the Custom-house, and all
public and private offices. The suburban 'buses were
crowded to excess during the forenoon, by well•dressed
persons, going to the country. Both the landing stages
were crowded by all sorts of people in holiday attire, and
the ferry boats were quite plethoric during the day with
people rushing into Cheshire to " shake off the dus'.'t
Public-houses were closed, the same as on Sundays. By
the trains that came in at the different stations, consi.
derable numbers of country people came to town.
THE MILITIA,

tilw in town, and doing duty at the Islington Barracks,
attended Divine worship yesterday at St. Simon's
Church, Gloucester-street.