The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 27, 18M.

the fair pianist evaded by playing Thalberg's
fantasia on " Home, sweet Home." Encores
were now the order of the day. All were charmed
with the depth of feeling with which Mr.
Sims Reeves sang the beautiful air, "Blow,
blow, thou wintry wind," and the still more
beautiful "Sigh no more," and many faces indi-
cated a strong desire to join in the " Hey nonny
nonny," by way of chorus. Both these songs Mr.
Reeves was enthusiastically requested to sing over
again, and so completely had he overcome his known
dislike to repetition that he not only complied with
the request but seemed delighted to do so. A similar
compliment was paid to Madame Parepa's brilliant
execution of " Bid me discourse," Madame Baxter's
careful interpretation of " She never told her love,"
and Mr. Sautley's deeply impassioned singing of
" Take, oh take, those lips away." This last-
named song had been composed for the occasion by
Mr. Alfred Mellon, to whose talent as con-
ductor the visitors to the Festival are greatly
indebted. The air is of no commonplace kind,
but denotes a composer more than ordinarily pene-
trated with the words of the poet ; and where shall
we find words that in fervent intensity—in the very
sensuality of sentiment—can rival this lyrical effu-
sion of Shakspere's ? Mr. Mellon had also ro.ar-
ranged the Shaksperian overture of Allridge, which,
cocluding with the air, " Ye Warwickshire lads and
ye lasses," sent everybody home in good humour.
By the way, what is known of this fine old country
tune ? If I remember right, nothing is said about it
in Mr. W. Chappell's invaluable history of popular
English music, and when Chappell ignores an an-
cient tune a savant on the subject must be hard to
find.

The fact should not be left unrecorded that all the
artists who assist either,in the musical or the theatri-
cal entertainments of the Festival have given their
services gratuitously.

Many of the visitors occupied their time very de-
lightfully this morning with an excursion to Char-
lecote, the grounds and hall of which were thrown
open to the holders of tickets (obtained from
the committee) by Mr. H. Spencer Lucy. To the
student of Shaksperian biography Charlecote,
which is distant about four miles from Stratford, is
especially interesting as the scene of the poet's
reputed deer-stealing, although a pamphlet has been
lately written by Mr. Bracebridge to prove that
Shakspere hunted his venison without breach of
law. That he was apprehended by Sir Thomas
Lucy's deerkeepers (wrongfully, according to Mr.
Bracebridge's theory), there seems to be no doubt,
and the present proprietor of the estate has
shown great magnanimity in honouring, to the
best of his rower, the man by whom his ances-
stor was consigned to inglorious immortality as
Justice Shallow. Charlecote is a truly magnifi-
cent mansion in the Tudor style, having been built
at the very commencement of Queen Elizabeth's
reign, and it has a garden which makes every
lounger in modern attire look like a living anachro•
nism. A choice collection of pictures, chiefly of the
Dutch School, a superb table made of various
marbles, and many other articles of vertu adorn
the interior of the house, and among its most con-
spicuous ornaments is the wonderfully carved side-
board, with its symbols of eatables and drinkables,
that was to be see❑ at the International Exhibition
of the year before last.

Charlecote Church, which is close to the Hall, is
another object of interest. Here are to be seen the
tombs of the Lucy family, the satirised Sir Thomas,
his son, his grandson, and their respective wives.
The tombs of the grandfather and grandson are fine
specimen--; of monumental art, but the one that re-
presents the intermediate link is very rude and pri.
mitive,

By condoning old offences and inviting the public
to view his magnificent house and grounds, the pre-
sent Mr. Lucy has done all he could towards vindi-
cating the memory of his ancestor. The visitor who
learns that this truly noble mansion was built by
the prosecutor of Shakspgre, and sees the stalwart
figure of the old man in the church, clAd i❑ mail
armour and locking like an aristocratic giant, will
be inclined to doubt whether, in spite of the dozen
white "lutes" in Justice Shallow's coat of arms, he
could have been meant for old Sir Thomas Lucy
after all,