The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-11 00:00:00

FASIIIONiaLE INTELLIGENCF.

The Dowager Duchess of Richmond entertained a distinguished
party at dinner yesterday, at her house, Waterloo-plaee.
The Marchioness of Hertford entertained a large circle of
distinguished fashionables yesterday evening, at her house in Man-
chester-square.
The Marquis of Hertford has issued cards of Invitation for an
etpertainment on the MI inst. at his house, Piccadilly.
Mrs. 'fighe has issued cards of invitation for an evening party on
Sunday next, at her house in St. James's-place.
Sir Watkin Williams Wynne, Bart. had a grand dinner party
yesterday, at his house in St. James's-square.
Lady Gwydir liaa issued cards of invitation for a rout on Wed-
nesday. the 16th inst. at her house in Piccadilly.
The Duke and Duchess of Bedford and family have left town for
their seat, Tavistock House, Devonshire.
The Marquis of Huntley has arrived In town, from a tour.
Lord IVrottesley Russell has arrived in town, from Cambridge.
Lord and Lady George Lennox left town yesterday, for their
seat, Melcombe, Sussex.
Lord Sussex Lennox left town yesterday, for Colonel Berkeley's
scat in Gloucestershire.

lord and Lady Eliot left town yesterday, for the Duke of Beau-
fort's seat, 'Worcester bodge, Gloucester.
Arrivals at Reed's Hotel, Lower Grosvenor-street :—Mrs. and
Miss Hill. from New Forest, Southampton ' • Hon. A. Windsor,
Grams tiarthampaoat W. Deeds, Es st. frasnfilandlyn Hall t J. F.
:lull, Earl. and W. Hull, Esq. from a tour; Thomas Aubery,
Esq. from his seat, Orveli House, Bucks; J. Hopkins, Esq. from
Newmarket. . _ _

James Strattleworth, Esq. has arrived at Kirkliam's Hotel,
Lower Brook-street, from his seat in Lancashire; and Captain
Parkins, from Ireland. Departures:—A. Wright, Esq. for Cam-
bridge; Montague Cholmondeley. for Lancashire; Mr. and Miss
Burroughs, on a tour; and Wm. Christie, Esq. for Paris.

CATALANIS SECOND GRAND CONCERT.

ARGYLL ROOMS.

Madame CATAL.\XI's
Second Concert, of yesterday
evening, was nothing inferior, in effect or attraction,
to the former. The introductory grand symphony was ad-
mirably executed, and proclaimed the genius and skill of
the composer.—The ballad of " Smile again," was ex-
tremely well sung by Mr. SAFI° ; but, upon the whole,
was not worthy of his powers.
Luther's celebrated Hymn was given, by Madame
CA TALANI, with as grand an effect as a single voice is
capable of giving it ; but it wanted the parts—it is one of
those compositions which requirt to be heard with all the
richness of its harmony, without which it is somewhat
dull, in spite of its instrumental accompaniments. Even
the trumnet nbliguto failed of its effect. In the Abbey,
or in St. Paul's, no volume of sound can be more soul-
stirring, or more magnificent than that drawn from the
trumpet by Mr. llarper. Those who have not heard it
can have no conception of the excessive and intense enthu-
siasm which this instrument is capable of exciting in the
hands of this extraordinary performer. But its effect is
too overpowering for a room ; it loses the advantage of
being mellowed by distance, and its tones meet the car
too immediately.
" Rhode's Variations" were given by MADAME CA-I-A-
LA:et with surprising effect. When it is considered that these
variations were written for the violin, to execute them
with the voice is a most extraordinary effort, and one which
only this distinguished singer could attempt with success.
The Overture at the beginning of the second part dis-
played great science, and contained many passages of
great power and sweetness. Why is the name of the
composer, both of the airs and the instrumental music, re-
gularly omitted in the bills ? This is an omission which
we hope will be supplied in future. The present overture,
if we mistake not, was BEETHOVEN'S. The Terzetto of
" Cruda•Sorte," which followed it, we recognised as Ito.-
SINI'S ; but why are we to be left to conjecture?
Mr. NICHOLSON'S concerto was an admirable perform-
ance,
and would have been still more admirable had he
given some of its finer passages with less flourishing ; a
performer who, on any instrument, is capable of playing to
the heart, should never content himself with playing only
to the ear. Mr. Nicholson has no occasion to resort to this

legerdemain.
" The Triumph or Freedom" was sung by Mr. SAPIO
with great animation. It is manifest that this delightful
vocalist has subjected his voice to great elocutionary dis-
cipline ; he has by so doing acquired the substantive branch
of the art ; be excels in what has been very aptly and ex-
pressively termed oratorical singing; every word is heard ;
he sings in articulate and intelligible language; his voice
does not—as is the case with too many of our public singers
—warble out its indistinct and uniinpressive tones upon our
ear, and then die away in an elaborate and long-sustained
ad libitum. We consider all this as the pintomime of song.
It is as if a speaker should have a fine figure graceful atti-
tude, and animated action, but with all this an utterance
that dues not enable you to catch two words out of ten.
Why, may we be permitted to ask, does not Madame
CAT•LIxt occasionally introduce an English duet or trio
into her *election ? Compositions of this kind may be
found in the English School of Music that develop all the
beauties of the art, and to an English audience would be
infinitely more attractive and more satisfying than even
the] Italian productions, which from fashion rather than
from feeling they are accustomed so loudly to applaud.
We have no national prejudices on this subject. We can ad-
mire the Italian composers, and can tlojustice to their mira-
culous manifestations of science; but there is a certain
domestic charm about our national glee music, and a cer-
tain familiar sweetness that is in accord with all our best
sympathies—we by no means contend for its exclusive pre-
ference, but we are dissatisf'ed with its total exclusion.