The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-29 00:00:00

warned is forearmed, and the fact of being at peace
is no reason for being unprepared for war ; and it is
difficult, indeed impossible, to foretell to what
lengths Federal braggadocio may go, The question
of the military defence of our colcny has long been
under discussion, and the colonies have, for the most
part, shown a readiness to undertake a fair share
of the burden and to contribute both in men and
money to the protection of their own frontier. In
the New Zealand war now raging every able-bodied
male has been called to bear arms, and we have no
reason for supposing that Canada would show any
deficiency in patriotism or courage, should a sudden
emergency arise. Still it is wise not to court dan-
ger, and therefore it should be a matter of careful
consideration how our troops are stationed on such
an exposed frontier. A great part of the boundary
line between the British and the North American
possessions consists of water, and the lake frontier,
as it is called, England is forbidden by treaty to
occapy, both nations being prohibited from main-
taining ships of war there in time of peace. But
there is no reason why Canada should not have a
navy of her own, and in these critical times such a
possession would be of incalcu:able advantage to
her. It would be a better protection than any forti-
fications, and would be ready to serve her interests
in any part with promptitude. The Canadians have
water enough around them to make them expert
seamen, even were they not o: English race, but
being for the greater part of fie old Anglo-Saxon
family, which finds a congenial element in the
waters, they would prove formidable antagonists
to the Americans themselves, had they the proper
force. Lord R. CECIL strongly urged upon the
Government the necessity for promptitude in
strengthening the defences of Canada, and pointed
out the dangers of delay. Inemies do not wait
to declare war until matters are arranged to re.
ceive them, although civil authorities too often
seem to act under this impreseion. The discussion
on the Recruiting for the Army followed Mr.
ADDERLEY'S motion appropriately enough, and
Colonel DUNNE did good service in bringing for-
ward some of the grievances of which the soldier
has to complain. It is very well for the Minister
of War to say that the soldier is better cared for
than any others of his class, and that the recruit-
ing sergeant can only compete with the rewards
of unskilled labour, but at least those rewards
which are promised by the recruiting sergeant
should ba fairly given, and in most instances they
are earned by the inevitable discomforts and some-
times the hardships of a soldier's life. The della'
ply is certainly not high for the risk of life and
limb; and if it is contended that all cannot be paid
on a scale suffieitntly liberal to remunerate those
who suffer, stilt there should be some liberality
shown in the matter of pensions, &e. A soldier
who is crippled or rendered infirm for life in the
prime of his days is no great object for envy ; and
when we remember that even in times of pe,ce our
troops are exposed to much suffering from the vicis-
situdes of climate and other injurious agencies, we
shall not be willing to begrudge them a fair pro
vision. It is satisfactory to find, from Lord
HARTINGTON'S statement, that our recruiting is
all that is required, but our authorities must show
a fair amount of consideretion for the recruit if they
hope to preserve the efficiency of our forces.

HER MAJESTY'S.

Titiens in Beethoven's '.Fidelio."

This evening will be repeated at her Majesty's
Theatre, according to announcement "for the last
time this season," but we trust sincerely not for the
last time this season, the magnificent revival of the
greatest lyrical drama ever composed, with Titiens
as the Leonora of Beethoven's masterpiece ! Not a
week has yet elapsed since this long preparing and
eagerly looked-for treat of the revival of" Fidelio,"
at length gladdened the senses of the frequenters
of Mr. Mapleson's noble establishment. Thursday
evening witnessed at last, this year, the first
performance at Her Majesty's of "Fidelio" redivints.
The attendance—possibly from the circumstance
of the first night of this most important opera
having been postponed at the eleventh hour, as it
was, from the Tuesday to the Thursday—the atten-
dance at Her Majesty's on Thursday, though in
itself excellent, was not very much above the
average. Yet, such Was the brilliant triumph
achieved by the effect of thia memorable perform-
ance as a whole, but especially by the more than
realisation of all our hope; as to what Madlle.
Titiens' Fidelio would turn out to be (the anticipa-
tions of even her most ardent admirers being, in
regard to this, immeasurably surpassed)—will
render that night of the 23d of June, 1864, hence"
forth very noteworthy indeed in the annals of Mr.
Mapleson's management. 'The result—it is worth
as a simple matter of fact—
mentioning this at once
was such that on Saturday ni;ht last, the evening set
apart for the repetition of tais glorious opera, with
Titiens as the heroine, witnessed such a throng at
the doors of Her Majesty's a; we have not for years
witnessed. Directly the Coors were opened on
Saturday the struggle, for several minutes among
those waiting for admission, to enter sufficiently
early to have a chance of scrambling for the best
places, partook somewhat unpleasantly of the cha-
racter of a crush on the Jenny Lind Nights of old,
a crush intolerable even then before the invention
of those terrible "sans flectim" steel ribbed pettie
coats that have supereeded, in all but name, the more
compressible crinoline. The stormily contested
barriers, however, once passed, and the opera-goers
quietly settled down at lest .n boxes, pit, stalls, and
amphitheatre—crowds pouring in until every avail-
able place, from which a sigat of the stage could be
obtained,was fully occupied—the audience on Satur-
day had reasons enow, all through the evening, to
congratulate themselves OE having, even through
the ordeal of the struggle through which they had
entered, secured to themselves theimmense gratifica •
tion resulting from their attendance. Even in the
days of the three renowned Fidelios who have pre-
ceded Madlle. Titiens—each in turn as " the" repre-
sentative or living incarnation of that wondrous
creation of the genius of Beethoven, among whom
henceforth, the great Hungarian Prima Donna may
now take her placesecurely upon the same high level
side by side with Malibran-de-Boriot, with Sophie
Cruvelli, and with the original among the Leonoras
of Beethoven, Schroeder Devrient—even in that
radiant earlier epoch, we doubt whether any
more genuine enthusiasm was ever excited by
one amongst those great impersonators of Fidelity,
otherwise of Leonora Florestan, than was excited
on Saturday night io that densely-crowded area of
Her Majesty's by Mademoiselle Titiens' noble per-
formance. It is not in the least to be wondered at,
however, for the:Fidelio of Titiens, in simple truth,
is more than an achievement—it is an inspiration.
Throughout, it gives evidence of the consummate
artist. But, beyond that, it gives evidence far more
welcome—of the true and unquestionable genius. It
ha 3 raised higher than ever the repute and the
popularity of Mademoiselle Titiens. Of this she
herself has now had ample demonstratior.
Greeted again and again during her performance
of some of the most difficult, as it
is also,
(who shall repel our words as partaking in any
degree of extravagance ?) seine of the divinest music
ever composed for the stage—greeted as Mdlle.
Titiens was repeatedly with thunders of applause
during the progress of the opera, she was thrice
summoned before the footlights; on the fall of the
curtain, upon the close of the great dungeon
scene—her third answer to the summons of the
audience being hailed with a perfect tumult of
acclamation. Even when that wonderful
finale—surely the most rapturous outpouring of
choral joy ever conceived by ttie imagination of a
composer—had brought the curtain down finally,
late on Saturday night, the excited audience ac-
tually then must needs tarry awhile, in spite of the
hour, again and again to call before them, in front
of the footlights, the fair Haugerian who hAci PO