The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-30 00:00:00

Mr. Lumley's Benefit Performances.

List evening an " extra night" was given for Mr.
Lumley, under the immediate patronage of the
Prince and Princess of Wales, who honoured the
performance with their presence. The entertain-
ments consisted of Donizetti's " La Figlia del Reg.
gimento," with Madlle. Piccolomini, Signor Bartigli,
and Signor Vialetti in the principal characters; and
the last act of Donizetti's " La Favorita," in which
the parts of Leonara and Fernando were supported
by Madlle. Piccolomini and Signor Giuglini. The
brilliant success achieved by Madlle. Piccolomini
some years back, as the popular vivandire, was re-
newed on this occasion, and she certainly never
played the character with greater vivacity or more
fascinating grace. All her principal solos were
redemanded, though not repeated, in consequence,
we presume, of the fatigue she had to undergo dar-
ing the evening, and the fair artiste was as fre-
quently complimented by recalls and floral tributes.
In one piece the substitution of " Viva !" for
" Viva la Francia !" which revealed Madlle. Piccolo-
mini's patriotism, however questionable the change,
regarded with reference to dramatic propriety, was
taken sympathetically by the house, and enthusias-
tically cheered. At the termination of " La F:glia,"
Mr. Lumley was unanimously called for, and made
his appearance to receive the hearty congratulations
of his numerous patrons. The exquisitely beautiful
singing of Signor Giuglini rendered the last act of
"La Favorita" particularly interesting, while it
seemed to incite Madlle. Piccolomini to still more
strenuous efforts than she had been called upon to
make in the light music of the preceding comic

opera.
The high patronage bestowed upon this benefit
performance can only be considered as a pert:ono
compliment to Mr. Lumley, and one to which, We
are happy to add, he was well entitled.

THALLIUM.—II the spectroscope had not been in.
vented, asks the Atheneum, would thallium have
been discovered ? is a question with which savants enter-
tain themselves. Certain it is that somewhat more than
two years ago Mr. Crookes saw the ghost of a metal in a
spectrum, and was thereby incited to search for the sub-
stance, and discovered it existing in minute quantities in
iron pyrites. The new metal figured as a few grains of
black powder in the International Exhibition; at the begin-
ning of the present year it was shown in very small ingots
and in the form of wire; since then Messrs. Bell Brothers,
of Newcastle dm-Tyne, have succeeded in producing it in
comparatively large masses. One of their ingots, weighing
nearly 6,000 grains, and more than 10 inches in length,
was exhibited at General Sabine's Conversazzone. The use-
ful applications of thallium have yet to be ascertained ; but
we hebr that an eminent manufacturing firm has taken the
question in hand.

TRANSFORMATION OF THE DRAGON•FLY, as de-
cribed by the Rev. Charles Kingsley, in his new
book of " The Water Babies :"—Then he went on sulky
and lonely, as he deserved to be; and under a bank he
saw a very ugly dirty creature sitting, about half as big as
himself ; which had six legs and a big stomach, and a most
ridiculous head with two great eyes and a face just like a
donkey's. " Oh," said Tom, " you are an ugly fellow to
be sure 1" and he began making faces at him; and put
his nose close to him, and hallowed at him, like a very rude
boy. When, hey, presto ! all the thing's donkey-face
came off in a moment, and out popped a long aim with a
pair of pincers at the end of it, and caught Tom by the
nose. It did not hurt him much; but it held him quite
tight. " Yah, ah 1 Ob, let me go 1" cried Tom. " Then
let me go," said the creature. "I want to be quiet, I want
to split." Tom promised to let him alone, and he let
go. " Why do you want to split ?" said Tom.
" Because my brothers and sisters have all split, and
turned into beautiful creatures with wings; and I want to
split too. Don't speak to me. lam sure I shall split. I
will split 1" Torn stood still, and watched him. And he
ralikotel
swelled himself and puffed, and stretched himself cut
still,
and at last—crack, puff, bang—he opened all down his
back, and then up to the top of his head. And out of his
aaslist°tliet iannsdi decam
smoothe tahseTmooms t;
bslender,utver y elegant,p al ansoft creature,ea k t
like
child who has been ill a long time in a dark room. It
and then it began walking slowly up a grass stem to the top
eeadmgi tiorilltewiihsveveniey:itc'ele, feebly ;
forand
theleolikr:itl
timeabou t
intoit h aal fb ashamed,ball-room;
roo
m ;
ozortithe,wisate.re.
stared
was. so astonished that he never said a
tit:rot::
l:
rice rtheciwitlhoet all his eyes. And he went up to
napixm:'' ‘41113,e •dtvater too, and peeped out to see what would
a W°ll,lorha change
the mature sat in the warm, bright sun,
came over it. It grew strong and firm;
yellow and black, :" began to show on its body, blue and
rose four great iiinevl:s and bars and rings; out of its back
height brown gauze; and its eyes
ton thousand diamond, 1111°4 'll its head, and shone like

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

- -i--

RUSSIA.
ST. PETERSBURG, MAY 30.

The Journal de St. Petersbourg reprints the pro-
clamation which the Czas attributed to the Empe-
ror of Russia, ordering the peasants to massacre
all Roman Catholics, and adds—" This is what a
newspaper prints which pretends to be a serious
publication."

MEXICO.

PARIS, MAY 30.

Official despatches received here announce that
the siege of Peubla continues with vigour. General
Forey writes on the 19th April that blocks of
houses fall successively into the hands of the French
after regular attacks.

The Mexicans who endeavoured to interrupt the
French convoys had been completely routed in
different engagements. The health of the army
was very good.

AUSTRALIA.

PENZANCE, MAY 30.

The Agincourt, Captain Symons, 115 days from
Melbourne, has arrived off Scilly, with £lOO,OOO
in gold. She landed five passengers.