The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 14, 1863

delight; but who would have expected that the
great motive power of trade and manufacture would
be found offering its services to the time-honoured
but rival profession of agriculture. Yet so it is, and
the farmer, proverbially cautious and careful, slow to
follow new schemes and suspicious of modern inno-
vations is likely in future to be as anxious to "get
the steam up" as any of his more ambitious and
energetic fellows. Some years ago an agricultural
society offered a prize for an implement worked by
steam, which should turn up and till the land, and
prepare it for the reception of seed. The idea, as
might be supposed, was ridiculed in many quarters,
but there is no room far laughter now, for it has
been amply demonstrated that a 10-horse steam
engine can do the work of cultivation better and
cheaper than it can be done by horses; and this,
too, in hard clay land, where the task of ploughing
is both laborious and unsatisfactory. An interest-
ing letter from the Right Hon. E. DENISON to
General PEEL gives an account of his experience in
steam farming. It is curious and amusing to find
the grave President of the Lower House coming
forward as an authority on such points. He speaks,
however, from personal experience, and therefore
commands attention. He says that he had long
been watching with interest the application of
steam to the purposes of agriculture, but it was not
until the spring of this year that he made any ex-
periment with it. At that time a fine farm of 600
or 700 acres of clay land was left in a bad state by
a careless tenant, and he resolved to try the aid of
steam in reducing it to order. He procured a
10-horse steam engine, and worked it dur-
ing the month of May last. " When the
land was baked as hard as a brick, and
when no implement, moved by horses, could make
any impression, my ten-horse power steam engine
began its work, smashing and breaking up the land
in a manner which was quite surprising." The
neighbouring farmers who came to look on at once
perceived the great advantages of the system, and
many of them declared they would gladly pay Ll
or Ll 10e. per acre to have heavy clay land so
broken up. The first outlay on the machinery,
says Mr. DENISON, is £5OO ; the cost of working,
when the ground is very hard, is 6d. per acre the
first time, and 3d. the second. The exact daily ex-
penses were £1 ls. 4d.; and Mr. DENISON justly
observes Um t the question is well worth the consi-
deration of farmers, especially those who have
strong clay lands to work upon. He suggests that
the heavy preliminary expenses might be met by
the combination of several neighbours, or by an
arrangement with some persons who would make it
their business to let out the machinery on hire,
charging so much per acre for the work. We have
little doubt that when once our large farmers have
fully realised the advantages of steam cultivation
they will find some means to avail themselves of
them, and that steam, which, as Mr. DENISON says,
" has brought Edinburgh within ten hours of Lon-
don, and America within ten days of England,''
will perform no less valuable, though humbler,
services in the cause of that old-fashioned tilling of
the soil to which, after all, we are all indebted
for bread.

Very general regret will be felt at the total de-
struction of a graceful and popular building. The
gay and brilliant Bazaar in Langham-place, so long
a favourite resort for fashionable idlers willing to
spend time and money alike at its fascinating stalls,
is now transformed into a heap of blackened ruins,
surrounded by a few tottering walls. The loss is
something greater than mere stocks of fancy goods,
inany valuable paintings having unfortunately been
in one portion of the Bazaar, among them a famous
Titian. The large and valuable collection of a well-
known naturalist, Mr. W., HITAKER, has also been
almost entirely destroyed; the poor little birds who
had been brought from all parts of the globe being
found dead in their cages. Mr. WHITAKER'S de-
partment was just by the entrance in Langham-
place, and consequently was entered before the
flames had reached, but the work of destruction was
unfortunately done by the smoke. A beautiful
cockatoo of great value, left in Mr. WHITAKER'S
charge, was among the victims, and his own collec-
tion of birds, insects, &c., are roughly estimated at
£6OO. A fortunate exception to the devastation
was the escape of the lizards, who, with singular
sagacity, crept under the hay in their cages as the
smoke came in, and thus escaped unhurt. One of
the most painful features in the case is the number
of honest and industrious persons that will be thrown
out of employment by the catastrophe. Forty or
fifty young females presided over the stalls, and
many of these rented the stalls themselves, having
stocked them with the proceeds of their own in-
dustry. All their little property is thus suddenly
swept away, and the promising investment has
proved an utter failure. This is surely a case to
call for some help from the public, and we cannot
doubt that those who have often lingered at the
e
pleasant counters, and purchased elegantwidllingly
trifles
from these poor stall keepers, w
contri-
bute to their assistance in this sudden and lament-
able catastrophe.

IMPROBABLE I.—A rumour is afloat to the Effect
that an interview has been managed between Napoleon 111.
and Garibaldi, who has been ordered to Neris, the great
waters for rheumatism and neuralgia, and that already
several messages had been conveyed to and fro between the
great hero and the hero-factor before the departure of the
latter floor Fontainebleau.

LIEUT.- COLONEL HENDERSON, late Controller-
General of the Convict Department of Western Australia,
and now recently appointed Chief of the Convict Depart-
ment here in England, is said to be the officer Sir Joshua
Jebb always hoped for as his successor. This selection,
therefore, must be a source of gratification to Sir Joshua's
family, as it seems to mark Government's appreciation of
their lamented relative's judgment and opinion in so im-
portant a matter as the appointment of his successor.

Mlle. Boucourt, a charitable lady well known at
Saint-Quentin, and who has just died in that town,
has bequeathed a capital of 17,000 f. and the income arising
from an inscription of 450 f. rente, to assist in the construc-
tion and repairs of a church in the Faubourg d'lsle; to the
civil hospitals a sum of 20,000 f. for the foundation of two
beds for incurable patients; to the establishment of the
Petites-SrAurs•des Fauvres, 15,000 f,; and 5,0001. among
other institutions.

A " FAIR" PUN.—I remember (says Lord Eldon)
I was coming away from the Queen's Drawing-room in my
full dress as Bing's Counsel (Lord Clarendon, then Mr.
Villiers, was with me), and we came into the rooms where
milliners were collected to see the fashions. Said I, " Why,
Villiers, I think all the prettiest women are here." One
of the girls, and a most amazingly beautiful creature she
wae, stood up and said to another, " I am sure that gentle-
man is a judge."

A correspondent of the Toronto Leader, writing
from Vicksburg, says the Confederates have a gun
which dominc era over the river, and is a pestilent bother to
the Fedorals.. They call him " Whistling Dick." No gun-
boat has ar&y business where this terrible gun can get a shot
at it. It, shoots a ball two and cne-half feet long, steel
pointed, weighing 2501 b., can tear through our best iron •
dads and is thought to be the best gun of the war.

THE EXHIBITION B UILDIN G.—Negotiations are,
it is said, now going on between the Alexandra Park Com-
pany and the contractors for the purchase of every part of
the Exhibition building except the picture galleries. This
Alexandra Park Company was some time ago formed for
the purpose of establishing a North London Crystal Palace
at Muswell .hill. The work of demolition is therefore for a
time suspended.

RAILWAY AND PUBLIC COMPANIES IN PARLIA-
MENT.—Yesterday in committee of the Lords the
bills of the London and North-Westorn Railway Company
for new branch lines and additional powers were passed.
The company, however, elected to withdraw the bill for the
PraP,sed transfer to them of the Lancaster Canal, on the
ground of certain clauses proposed to be inserted. Mr.
Hope Scott, Q C.,
Central to the Edinburgh, Dunfermline, and Perth, and the
opened the opposition of the Scottish
clauses of the North Eastern, Hull, and Doncaster Exten-
sion were settled.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE,

NlA:'
of the power
No greater testi‘ Mij
could be demanded
cocsilcudpeldaythoef pAr
el fis
ee
nr it,
twe ir tmh
ofw h ce hr
a e t infuseevening
the
she
h e
es
of Madame Ristori than the interest she is able to
performances. We can compare it to
nothing but
the ardour of Pygmalion, which sufficed to endow
a statue with vitality. A greater triumph of
the unities could scarcely be instanced
than " Rosmunda." A play of a single
movement—for its five acts are but momentary divi-
sions of one action—of a single scene,• 1 a single
incident, and, in all creative respects, a single pas-
sion—carries unity to a point that is almost a pun
upon the term. Nothing, objectively at least, could
be closer to its Greek original, and nothing,
modern sympathies, could be more monotonous and
dull. Our belief in the Shhkeperean method,
which presents man as a complex being,
and insists on incident as the great means
of developing and contrasting character, will
not permit us to subscribe to a rescusci-
tation of the ancient theory, which presented man
as a purely ideal, and not as an actual being, be-
cause he was always associated with some great re-
ligious or historic lesson.
The story of Rosmunda needs but to be detailed
to exhibit a rigid simplicity that entirely unfits it
for the modern stage, unless sustained by an ele-
ment to which it makes not the least pretension—an
extraordinary amount and force of character. The
heroine—widow of Alboin king of the Lombards,
whom she had treacherously put to death in revenge
of his murder of her father, and by means of a chief,
Almachilde, whom she had rewarded for his crime
by raising to a share of her throne—is shown as no
sooner possessed of the great end of her vengeance,
than she is unexpectedly punished by it. Sae dis-
covers that her new husband, to whom she is passion-
ately attached, not only regrets the service he
has done her—which he now denounces as the basest
treachery—but that he also loves the daughter of
the murdered king, Romilda, who is detained
at the court a prisoner. The most terrible
revulsion of feeling is the instant and
natural result and revenge, which is the
master passion, becomes the solo tenant of her
heart. Learning that Romilda has a lover in
Ildovaldo, a Lombard general, she tempts
the latter with the hand of the Princess if he
will head his troops and arrest her husband,
He eagerly consents, but in the struggle that ensues
Almachilde gains the advantage, and the two
lovers of the Princess rushing in co her presence with
their followers she sees but one way to defeat them
both and perfect her revenge—which is to destroy
their unhappy idol. Dragging her victim to the
summit of the staircase, which is surrounded by
the contending troops, she compels their leaders to
dismiss them, and recall her own guards to
the palace. This is no sooner done, and she is once
more reinstated in her power, than she buries her
dagger in her victim, and brandishing it above her,
tells her husband that its next blow is reserved for
himself.

Such a subject it will be seen, however capable
if rightly treated— of being sublimed by a
great tragedian—when spread over five acts, and
only sustained by a single incident, could scarcely
fail to become wearying even to the most ideal of
spectators. It affords but three opportunities to
the powers of Madame Ristori. First, the discovery
of her husband's falsehood—and after its outburst of
dismay and fury, the terrible acknowledgment of
vengeance, as the only passion of her soul—next, her
fierce enjoyment of the first step to it on Romilda
indignant rejection in her presence of Almachilde's
passion and confession of her love for another, and
lastly the closing scene which sates her
vengeance with the destruction of her rival.
Of the manner in which Madame Ristori
deals with these positions, no words of ours could
convey an adequate idea. An intensity as deep iu
feeling as it is poetic in expression, sweeps from
a subtlety the most keen to a grandeur the most
impressive, and leaves but the one conviction
in
the mind of the spectator of a tragic genius wholly
unequalled on the modern stage of Europe. Terri-
ble indeed is the condensed passion with which she
murmurs the invocation to revenge to return and
fill her breast as its sole di
sole
etTu
Riedi, o 'Vendetta; riedi, e me riempi
Tutta di tutto nome tuo, s' io sempre
Per prima e sole Data mix t' ebbi.
Fearful the exultation of her smile and gesture as
Romilda repays the confession of Almachilde--by
avowing her own love for another—and still more
Costei, di me, nel petto
" Donna
appalling is the fury with which she grasps Romilda
ownahvienagrinhger daggerher over her, presents her as her
proclaimed as the future Queen, and
Own ViCtitll—•
I() quesdi meto sat gia gia le immerge."
Above all, however, is the mad ferocity with which
she drags her victim up the staircase, folding her
as in the coils of some infuriated serpent, and then
having secured exultingly destroys her, and bran-
dishes her dagger as the impending doom of a
perjured husband.
"Ho it ferro ancor, trema, or principle appena,
La vendetta che, comp Lire in to glare."
Other passages were marked by a power which we
find only in herself, but these rose in their terrible
ardour to something higher than her usual level.
It is needless to say they were thoroughly
appre-
ciated by her refined and excited audience, who
were raised to enthusiasm repeatedly, and sum-
moned her before them with the loudest demonstra-
tions at the end of the third act and also of the
play. Madame Ristori, it is right to add, was very
ably supported on this occasion by the talents of
Madame Glech in Romilda, who acted with great
spirit, and signori Pezzina and Ciotti in the
characters of the husband and the lover.
We cannot take leave of these performances,
which have avowedly been a source of such high
enjoyment to the pub ic, without expressing a wish
that we know to be the echo of a general feeling,
that they way be speedily repeated, and without
also tendering our thanks to the spirit and taste of
Mr. mapleson, in becoming the means of
such a gratification within our reach.

HAYMARKET ThEATRE.—The annual benefit of
Mr. Buckstone takes place tomorrow evening, and
with
it closes his second season, which has now extended
to
iiaunusual length of five years. The attractions are of
delivered
atorr-emnogrermowenetvsenfoinrgthtehefuetvuernet,swoiftlthbee
a very. variedivdre.scßriupetktoBnte.neTeheengnrueaalt
efdeadttuereee;ofentdheinevethne-
ing will be .
'described in the manager's most agreeable and witty style.
The entertainments commence with the very pretty ballet,
"The Star of Andalusia ;" then follows the celebrated
Charles the Twelfth," in which Mr. Buckatone
drama
sustains the part of Adam Brock, and Miss Louise Keeley
"The Bengal Tiger," Mrs. Howard Paul
that of li•diga. Mr. and Mrs Wigan next appear in the
oneeet,teoe
capital farce
eelebrated imitation of Sims Reeves, and the
ballgives
8d
her
44 Goodbye, Sweetheart." The whole concludes
with the old but excellent farce "Deaf as a Post," for Mr.
bweeldlelaws
Compton, Mr. W. Farren, and Mrs. E. Fitzwilliam. It is
a source of great satisfaction to know that the season has
been one of a very prosperous description, and Mr. Buck-
s our best wishes for a continuance of that good
fortune which he most richly deserves.
S
JAMES'Sa THEATRE.—A grand amateur per-
formance wsnce is to be given at this theatre on Wednes-
dfn
raoyniT. h
athe 24th inst., for the benefit of Madam Celli, the
widow of the late Baron Fillippo Celli, the distinguished
professor of music—the instructor of Grid, Albertazzi,
Doceabadati, Signor Poggi Ivanhoff, the famous Zucchelli,
and Mdrn. Lemaire, who is at the present time giving proof
of the Baron's excellent method of teaching in Italy, showing
that age, which had deprived him of his voice, had not
robbed him of the power of developing that of others. The
performance will be one of no ordinary description, as Mr.
Tom Taylor appears in the part of Oppenhardt, in his own
original comedy "The Lesson for Life," in which the
characters will be sustained by the members of the Civil
Service Rifle Volunteers, assisted by Mrs. Stirling and Miss
E. Ferry. We are also to have other entertainments of a
very attractive nature, but we feel certain the simple fact
that the widow of the late talented maestro stands in need
of help, will be sufficient to ensure an overflowing audience.
The honorary secretary has made arrangements by which
0 lna
tickets for the performance can be obtained at Mitchell's
Library, Old Bond-street.
THBEoar LdATo
Et
TRrAtdILeWIAnYspAecCtCoIrD, EhNaTs.
Cioi Yodlilg a
n d,
the
been l
private inquiry as to the state of the permanent way from
decision, Pontypool-road to Newport, and upon his d••yn, to a
greater extent will depend the question as to whether the
West Midland or the Monmouthshi,e is the responsible
company tor .he accident. The damage to the railway and
plant and the compensation to be paid to sufferers will, it is
expected, amount to from £B,OOO to £lO,OOO.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.

PRUSSIA.

BERLIN, JULY 14.

Private letters received here from St. Petersburg
state, on good authority, that the intended journey
of the Empress has been postponed for political

reasons.

Her Majesty, it is said, will await the result of
the Russian reply to the notes of the three Powers.

WARSAW, JULY 14.

In consequence of the absence of Marquis Wielo-
poski on leave, General Berg has convoked the
Administrative Council, at the sittings of which
he will preside until the return of the Governor.

THE WEST INDIA MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, JULY 14.

The royal mail steamer La Plata, with the above
mails, arrived off the Needles at 12.10 p.m. to-day.

FRANCE.

PARIS, Jun. 14.
The King of Portugal has sent his congratula-
tions to the Emperor on the taking of Mexico.
It is officially stated that the rumour of M.
Hubert Delisle having been entrusted with a mis-
sion to Mexico is unfounded.

" If we are well informed," says the Parte, " the
French Government, justly preoccupied with the
events which have recently taken place at Mada-
gascar, and anxious to provide in all cases for the
interests as well as the security of French residents,
proposes to send out a naval forge to that part of
the Indian seas. The vessels designated for that
mission will sail from Toulon."

BOURSE, July 11.—The market continues heavy,
and prices have slightly declined. Threes, for the
Account, are now at 68f. 50c. Mobilier have
been offered, and are also lower. The same may be
said of Railway Shares, which all show lower quo-
tations. The market closed as follows:
It per Cents .. 96 95 Italian Loan 7l 75
Do. end month.... Do. end month 7l 80
3 per Cents ...... 68 55 New ditto
Do. endilmonth.... 68 50 Do, end month.... 72 30
Credit M0bi1ier....1165 Russian
00. end m0nth....1165 Austrian
Bank Shares ...... 3405 Spanish Threes.n
Credit koncier ....1295 Home Debt

BAIL'

rA.YI3.

Account.
Orleans ....... ........ Cash.
1015 .. 1015
Northern ............ 992 50 .. 987 So
New ditto ............ . -
Lyons and Mediterranean 1020 1021 25
Geneva ................ 472 50 .. 473 70
Southern .............. 615
• • 647 50
Western .............. 530 627 50
Eastern . .......... 501 25 500
5ardinian..,.......... 413 75 415 Austrian ......... 452 50 451 25
..
Lombard ............ 566 25 • • 570
North of Spain ...... 533 75 .. 540
Saragossa ....... ......... 700 695
Ditto to Barcelona .... 365
--.. 367 50

RUSSIA.
Warsaw letters agree in representing the retire-
ment of the Grand Duke Constantine as imminent,
and those advices seem to look upon that fact as a
triumph of the old Russian party. If the Press of
Vienna is to be believed, the position occupied by
the Grand Duke has become untenable. That jour-
nal publishes the following :—" The position of the
Grand Duke Constantine is really deserving of pity.
Attacked on both aides at the same time, and sub
jected to the mistrust of the old Russian
party, of which he was formerly the hope,
and to the hatred of the Poles, he finds
his life menaced, although thus far the
National Government has exercised all its efforts
until recently, to protect his personal security. He
has been warned from that quarter that he would
do well to discontinue his rides outside the city, as
there were people who wished to carry him off. He
had at length found existence unbearable, being
obliged to remain constantly in the palace and gar-
den surrounded by a guard, and had recommenced
making excursions—under a strong escort, it is
true. In consequence of this notice, the Grand
Duke now remains in his apartments, and hardly
dares to eat to the satisfaction of his appetite."