The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-26 00:00:00

MR. ALFRED MELLON'S CONCERTS.

" FAUST" AND LOTTO.
A theatre crowded in every part soon after the
opening of the doors was the reply last evening to
the two great attractions of Mr. Mellon's bill—his
selection from the opera of " Faust," and the Polish
violinist, Mons. Lotto.

No better proof could be afforded of the deep im-
pression which has been made by Mons. Gounod's
late success than the public anxiety to hear its
music repeated in a purely instrumental form, after
the great justice that has been done to it by voice
as well as orchestra ; and this anxiety could scarcely
have been more entirely gratified than by the
manner in which Mr. Mallon has discharged the
pleasant task of its arrangement.
Selecting all its most characteristic as well as
melodious features, he has shown his taste and skill
in their allotment to the instruments best adapted
to convey them, affording successive solos to Messrs.
Levy, Pratten, Lazarus, Hughes, Nicholson, and
Hausser, and by the way in which he has completed
the effect of the soldiers' march and chorus, the most
original feature of the work ; in the engagement of
the band of the Coldstream Guards, whose union
with his own gives to this climax of the selection
a volume and force of sound that is as vigorous and
enkindling as anything of the kind that we re-
member. Its effect upon the audience was per-
fectly electrical. The immense crowd of beings,
loudly applauding as it proceeded, burst into a
cheering at its close that fairly shook the theatre,
and was only to be appeased by a repetition of the
forte movement.

The success of Mon. Lotto was equally decided.
He played a concerto by Viotti, and a fantasia by
Paganifli ; the latter of which, on being encored,
he replaced by variations on the " Carnival of
Venice," and in all of these exhibited a manipula-
tive mastery which ranks him among the most
wonderful violinists of the age. Whether he is
qualified to vie with Vieuxtemps or Joachim in the
higher regions of classic music he has yet got to
prove; but in the more impulsive romantic school,
which calla for a certain caprice that is only to be
answered by great dexterity, we doubt if he has any
superior.

EARL RUSSELL AND THE BAXTER PARK, DUN-
DEE.—Mr. Wm. Small visited Earl Russell on
Saturday, at Meikleour House, and officially invited his
lordship to take part in the proceedings On the 9th Septem-
ber, at the opening of the Baxter Park. Earl Russell at
once consented, and stated that it would give him great de-
light to do so, and requested that a place be reserved for
him.—Dundee Courier.

THE FLORIDA AGAIN.—CORN, Monday. —Nets.
terday, between two and three p.m., a long, rakish,
black-hulled steamer was seen some miles off the harbour.
She was steaming very fast down Channel towards the Old
Head of Kinsale, evidently on the track of Yankee vessels.
From her general appearance anal swiftness the mysterious
craft is supposed to have been the famous Florida of the
Confederate navy,

BRITISH ASSOCIATION.—The active proceedings
in connection with the Newcastle meeting of the
Association commenced on Monday, when the reception-
tion-room in the new savings bank, Westgate-street, was
opened. During the course of the day the number of tickets
issued to new members was 81; to old members, 13; new
life members, 9 ; old life members, 8 ; associates, 492 ;
ladies, 523. The various operations carried on in other
directions in connection with the meeting are also being
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