The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-06 00:00:00

IRELAND.

GENERAL ELECTION PREPARATIONS.
DUBLIN, Ai ONDA Y. —The Thant Herald states that
the Hon. Robert Daly, brother of Lord Dusardle,
and son-in-law of Lord Heytesbury, has commenced
a canvass of the constituency of the county of Gal-
way for their suffrages at the next general election.
Besides Mr. Daly, there are several other candidates
in the field ; among them Lord Dunkellin, with all
the influence of his noble father, the Postmaster-Ge-
neral, at his back, and Mr. W. H. Gregory, of Coole,
the ex-Member for the city of Dublin.
Mr. Frederick Hughes, of Ely House, has issued
an address to the electors of the borough of Wexford,
soliciting their suffrages, in the event of the retire-
ment of the present Member (Mr. James Devereux).
Mr. Hughes is an advocate of general and financial
reform, an equitable adjustment of the land question,
and every otner measure calculated to alleviate the
condition of the people.
Mr. John O'Brien, M.P. for the city of Limerick,
means to offer his services to the electors of the county
of Clare, on tenant-right principles. The " Lord
Bishop of Killaloe," Dr. Vaughan, has, it seems,
" promised that he and his clergy will return the
Hon. Gentleman free of expense."

MR. E. LAURENT' .S PRIZE QUADRILLE.
A musical performance, of a somewhat novel
nature, took place yesterday in the Argyll Rooms, in
Windmill-street. Mr. Laurent having offered,a prize
of ten guineas for the best original quadrille, six of
our leading writers of dancing music came forward as
competitors :—Mr. Charles Coote, Mr. F. G. Tinney,
Mr. J. 8.. Tutton, Mr. J. G. Calcott, Mr. W. H.
Montgomery, and Mr. Henry Laurent. Each sent
in his composition sealed, and marked only by a letter.
A jury of about thirty gentlemen, professors and
amateurs, and that class of West-end habitues whose
judgment would, perhaps, be of no great value as to
a symphony, but who perfectly understand a quadrille,
had been duly empanelled, and were placed at the
upper end of the room nearest the orchestra. A
tolerably miscellaneous audience occupied the
galleries :and the body of the ball. The
quadrilles were performed, after each had been so far
identified by the display of its letter, under the con-
ductorship of Mr. E. Laurent. Each quadrille,
eared to us to be very much
ac-
cording to the condition of competition, was preceded
by an introduction, and each subject was a distinct
instrumentation, and
and original melody. As a whole, the compositions
were, without an exception, capitally adapted for
of style,
dance music; and the merits of several—of A, F,
here and there no
piquant ori-
ginality of treatment, were the best qualities of the
Their faults were over
compositions.
an occasional meagreness and common
littleoa and
d aßl;airn.
ingenuityspiroitf particular—spyan ci dash
commonplace of mlody
very far however from being unredeemed by scat-
tered melodic passages at once original and pretty.
Several of the introductions were very creditable
pieces of writing. One of the best was the F quadrille.
The instrumental treatment of A. was musicianlike and
effective ; and B Was
distinguished by graceful
solos, and a general briskness and happiness of
. style.
The band was perfect. W
ehave very rarely, if over,
beard more consummate playing of dance music.
The subjects were tt k
a ac ed with an energy and
aplomb which were delightful—every effect was
brought thoroughly
given
to out, and the light and shade
perfection. At the close of the performance
the votes of the jury were taken. Each gentleman
wrote the letter to attached the quadrille he most ap-
proved of, and flung it into a hat, when there sp-
peared—B, 9 ; A, 6; F, 6; S, 4 ; M, 2 ; and 0, 2.
The quadrilles had been played in the following
order :—A, S, F, 0, M, B. The latter letter was
then, of course, declared the winner ; and the enve-
lope attached to B having been opened, the successful
competitor was found to be Mr. J. R. Tutton, to
whom the premium was at once banded over, amid
the applause of the audience. We may add that the
worst composition of the six forms a brisk and ex-
cellent dancing set of quadrilles.