The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-24 00:00:00

A QUESTIONABLE COMPLIMENT.

"Poor Weber's disappointments and mortifications were
to find no end. Towards the close of the year—a year
during which he bad employed his artistic activity almost
exclusively in giving testimonies of his attachment and
homage, to the royal house—another bitter mortifica-
tion had to be endured by him. Encouraged by the
many evidences of kindly disposition shown to him by
certain members of the royal family, Weber ventured to
express the desire that the King and Queen would gra-
ciously consent to allow their names to be recorded as
godfather and godmother to the child about to be born to
him. His petition was granted with every appearance of
the best will. On such occasions, which were of no
rare occurrence in the Catholic countries of Germany at
the time, it was the custom of royal personages to com-
mand their places to be taken at the ceremony by certain
officers of state, and to evince their consideration for the
parents by the rank of the official proxies. The 'arrange-
ment of the affair was placed by the King in the hands of
tie master of the household. It had thus been confided
to a principal member of the Italian court coterie, in which
the depreciation and degradation of the presumptuous
German capellmeister were looked upon as articles of
faith. On the 22d Dec., 1818, Weber's first child, a little
girl, was born. The mother suffered 'greatly ; and Weber's
agony for his beloved wife was overwhelming. On the 26th
Doe. the ceremony of baptism took place. As a noble by birth,
an official entitled to his reception at court, and a cele-
brated man, Weber had every right to expect that a cham-
berlain and lady of honour of the Queen, at least, would
have appeared as representatives of their Majesties. To
the speechless astonishment of all present, the proxies who
entered were Schmiedel, the King's valet, and one of the
Queen's women of the chamber. That this degradation in
no way arose from any intention of the royal godfather
and godmother Weber was fully aware ; and though sick
to the heart with anger and vexation, he returned thanks
to their Majesties on New-Year's Eve for the honour they
had done him, without the slightest mention of the humilia-
tion be had undergone. He knew the hand that sm6te
him. .But never, during all his service at the Ccurt of
Saxony, did he feel any humiliation as cruelly as he felt
this one. Tho child received the names of Mario Caroline
Frederike Auguste."

As an extract of a different character, let us give--
THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF " DER FREISCHUTZ."

"The moment of the decisive conflict is at hand; but
ono little episodical anecdote, which has its interest for all
lovers of music, must be permitted first • to have its place.
One day, after rehearsal, Weber was strolling with Bene-
dict "Tinter den Linden," when a bright charming boy, of
aboufl2 years of age, sprang to greet them, with sparkling
eyes and fluttering locks. 'Felix Mendelssohn V exclaimed
Weber, pressing his hand warmly. The boy strolled on
with them ; and, when they parted, carried off Benedict to
his home, and presented Wm to his mother, with the words,
Mother, here is Benedict, \Veber's pupil ; he can play us
something out of the new opera.' And so Benedict had to
sit down to the piano and sketch out all his memory
would permit him of Der Freischutz.' A few dayS after-
wards the boy played him, in return, all ho had heard,
and explained all the instrumental effects, with almost
unfailing correctneFs, as if he had invented them himself.

" The moment of trial was come. Four hours before
the opening of the Schauspielhaus, crowds were beleaguer-
ing every entrance. To the excellent arrangements of the
police, it may bo thanked that, when the doors were
opened, clothes alone were torn, and only a few smart
bruises given in the fearful rush. The pit was immediately
filled to suffocation by a compact mass of students, young
men of science, artists, officials, and men who, eight years
before, had borne arms against the invader—the youthful
intelligence, the patriotic fire, the enlightened opposition
to the foreigner. Under Caroline's box stood Benedict, the
long slim figure of Heinrich Heine, sarcastically remarking
upon the poetry of Kind Ca child' in German), and a
little broad-chested student with mighty lungs and spank-
ing hands. Stalls and boxes were filled by members of the
high society of Berlin, and the literary, mnsical, and scien-
tific authorities of the day. The Government officials were
few, and scarcely a uniform was visible. Little by little
the orchestra filled—the musicians began to tune their in-
struments—the hoarse murmur of the packed crowd, swel-
tering in the overheated housel grew louder and louder.
All at once came applause from the orchestra. Weber had
entered it. And now the whole house, with its thousand
upon thousand hands, took up the sound, and thundered
forth its echo. Three times was Weber obliged to let fall
his baton and to bow, before ho could give the signal to
begin. In the midst of the storm came suddenly a solemn
silence. The magic musical pictures of the overture were
now spread forth in all their fulness. The impression was
unmistakable. When, at last, the triumphant finale had
blazed forth in all its glory, such a tempest of applause
broke forth, such a universal shout da cape, that the entire
overture had to be repeated, with still greater enthusiasm
if possible. The first scene, admirably grouped, and re-
presented with life and animation, produced a great effect ;
but Kilian's air and the laughing chorus, although sung
with great intelligence, seemed, from a want of apprecia-
tion of its musical audacity, to miss fire. Not so the pas-
sage in the following trio, 'O, lass Hoffnung dich beleben,'
which went immediately to the hearts of all, and 'drew
down another storm of applause. The original melodious
waltz had gone by. The stage grew dark ; and the ex-
citement created by the scena of Max, 'Nein, langer trag'
ich nicht die Qualen,' was so intense that, in spite of
Stumer's artistic yet simple delivery, the beautiful ' arioso,'
Durch die Walder, durch die Auen,' went by with-
out its tribute. On the appearance of Zamiel, a shud-
der ran through the agitated house. After the gleam
of light in 'Jetzt ist weld ihr Fensteroffen,' came again the
same impression on the reappearance of the demon ; and
the conclusion of the air was crowned with tumultuous
applause. Caspar's drinking-song, conceived so differently
from all the well-established forms, was evidently not
understood, The curtain fell upon the anticlimax : the
applause was scanty, And now animated and even tumul-
tuous discussions arose on every side.. Tho Spontini-ites
rubbed their hands, and said with scorn, ' Is this the music
which is to throw the Vestale, Cortez, and Olympia into
the shade ? A mere melodrama! What monotony too !
A whole act without a female voice.' A storm of angry
murmur filled the house. During the tumult once more
appeared the maestro. /he curtain. rose. A salvo of ap-
plause greeted the pleasant forms of the two favourite
singers as Agathe and Aennchen. They appeared to the
eager youth of the day like forms of brightness and light
after the dark scenes which had gone by. Tho opening
duett, so magical in effect, and so new in form and treat-
ment, and still more the air of Aennchen Kommet ein
achlanker Bursch gegangen,' told admirably on the house.
But the brightest gem of the first representation was un-
questionably the great scena of Frau Seidler, `Vie nahte
mir der Schlummer." At this point the opposition surren-
dered its arms. Surprised, carried away, wholly overcome,
Weber's bitterest adversaries succumbed to the general
and irresistible torrent of applause. Stalls, boxes, pit, and
gallery, felt the summer air floating around them, prayed
loise, leise,' with Agathe, listened to the rustling of the
trees, felt the approach of the expected lover, and with the
maiden's joy burst forth into one great sympathetic jubilee
in honour of the creator of the magic strains. It was long
before the shouting could be stilled. From this moment
the fate of the opera was decided. The following trio
found the liveliest appreciation. The scene of the Wolf's
Glen, with its wonderful instrumental effects, never before
attempted, and so true to the composer's own peculiar
genius, its supernatural accessories, and its romantic
scenery, brough the second act triumphantly to a close
' He's a devil of a fellow—that little Weber !' cried the
lusty student beneath Caroline's box, as he blew upon his
burning and blistered hands ; but it is deuced hard work
to do him justice.' If the storm of voices growled heavily
at the end of the first act, it was perfectly overpowering
now. But how different was the nature of the tempest !
The Italian party was struck dumb. Expressions of ad-
miration and ravished delight were to be heard on every
side. And where was the maestro ? Sitting in a dark
corner in his wife's box, holding her trembling hands, and
kissing away her tears of joy. After the entre acte, given
with life and energy by the orchestra, Agathe's prayer,
and Aennchen's air, half-tender and half-bantering, were

admirably received. The Bridesmaids' song, with chorus,
so popular in the best sense of the word, so thoroughly
German in its spirit, was stormily encored, although sung
with trembling voice by its nervous executant. The Hunts-
man's Chorus,although greatly applauded, did not, strange
to say, win its way fully with the public until about
the eighth or tenth representation. Its melody was among
the few, in the Der Freischutz,' that were not sung at
once at every street corner. The finale, although its rather
too greatly prolonged form produced a comparative ten-
dency to coolness in the audience, brought the opera glo-
riously to its close. The curtain fell : but no soul left the
house. Thunders of applause and thousands of voices
summoned the composbr beforo his enraptured audience,
At last he appeared, leading Madame Seidler and Fraulein
Eunicke by the hand. Amidst the deafening shouting,
flowers and verses were flung from all directions. The
success of ' Der Freischutz' had been immense—unparal-
leled ! Critics, artists, and dilettanti appeared intoxicated;
and all with one accord—for that night at least—had no
words but of delight, and joy, and praise."

Very sad and touching are the closing
scenes " the end of all." In the early part of 1826
the great artist visited London. Here with the
hand of death upon him, tortured by mortal suffer-
ing, the untiring spirit toiled and struggled with
intermittent glimpses of sunshine. Here he received
an ovation in Covent Garden Theatre, and here he
was welcomed by some of the highest in the land :

"Although Weber had no bettor fortune in pleasing the
'nobility and gentry' of England than he had in winning
the favour of the German nobles great or small, and de-
rived none of the profits ho had hoped from them, yet in
some of the very highest circles he was received with ho-
mage and delight. To the Duchess of Kent, Prince
Leopold (the present King of the Belgians), and the Duke
of Clarence, ho had brought letters from his amiable patron
Prince Friedrich of Saxony; and by these royal personages
he was welcomed with the honours elsewhere bestowed
on a great artist. In the house of the Duchess of Kent,
on two occasions, he could have fancied himself once more
in the highest German society, where artists sat with
princes round the tea-table in unreserved and enlightened
conversation. Here a charming child, about seven years
of age, laughed and played with the royal personages : it
was the daughter of the Duchess, Victoria, now the Sove-
reign of one of the mightiest kingdoms of the earth. Ger-
man was here spoken around Weber; and his bosom heaved
once more so pleasantly at all the tokens of regard and
sympathy which were lavished on him, that when asked
by the Duchess of Kent to accompany her in some of his
own songs, which she sang to perfection, he almost forgot
that death was already gnawing so cruelly at his last
sources of life within. At a dinner given for him by tho
Duke of Clarence, in the country, he again found strength
to revive for a space. He saw, for the first time, with as
much surprise as delight, the best type of that inimitable
English comfort which was the ideal of all his dreams, as
the highest state of enjoyment of existence."

At last, on the 3d of June, while he was still de-
Wing himself with the prospect of returning to his
beloved family, the summons came, and the artist
expired—or rather, we should say, according to the
happy phrase of Longfellow,

"Dead ho is not—but departed,

For the artist never dies."
The description of Weber's death, and its effect on
the London public, is given in rather extravagant
terms, but we must remember that the record is
written by the hand of a son who, at that time a
child, still remembers his mother's agony when she
received the news of her bereavement. "Beit as
God will" was the beautiful motto of Weber's life,
and with this sublime epitaph the work is brought
to a conclusion.

Moliere Characters. By Charles Cowden Clarke,
author of " Shakspere Characters." One vol.
Pp. 266. Nimmo.
" A marvellous witty fellow, I assure you," says
Shakspere very appropriately on the title-page.
Mr. Cowden Clarke, rightly believing Moliere to
be the greatest Comic Dramatist, after Shakspere,
that the world has yet produced, has been anxious
toafford the privilege of the great author's acquaint-
ance to those readers who are not familiar with the
French language. To such his work will prove
indeed a rich treat, and even the lovers of Moliere
in the original may take pleasure in turning over
Mr. Clarke's well-selected extracts, or in following
the criticisms of so genial and enthusiastic an
appreciater of the great French Dramatist, In com-
menting upon the character of Moliere's writings,
Mr. Clarke observes that " naturalness" is his most
peculiar quality. In his slight biographical sketch
of his favourite author, Mr. Cowden Clarke records
with great zest the fact of Moliere, having been ob-
liged to exchange his family name of Paquelin for that
of Moliere," in order to spare his relations the oppro -
brium which the strong prejudices of the time attached
to the theatrical profession." But family resentment
was not appeased ; they not only abjured him, but,
upon mounting their genealogical tree, he was ex-
cluded ! " Droll enough !" exclaims the biographer.
" The Poquelins repudiating the contamination of
tho play-actor Moliere ! The brightness of the
Poquelins scorning the blot of play-scribbling
Moliere !—whore now would be the name o 4

Poquelin, unless visible to posterity by the reflected
light from that of Moliere ?" After studying the
Moliere characters, it is interesting to contemplate
the individual character of Moliere himself, and in
this Mr. Clarke gives us very pleasalit and judicious
assistance. Among other peculiarities of the man
of genius he was methodical to excess. It is even
said that a book or paper displaced in his study
would prevent his writing for days! Very probably
we are indebted to his renowned housekeeper not
only for her discrimination in commenting upon
the comedies when written, but for her care in
preserving for her master sufficient peace of mind
to enable him to compose them !

The Wedgwoods: Being a Life of Josiah Wedgwood.
By Llewellyeu Jewitt, F.S.A. With numerous

Illustrations. One Vol., pp. 426. Virtue Brothers:
Like Miss Metcyard's kindred work, upon which
we have already commented, this life of the great
Potter is dedicated to the Right Hon. Wm. Ewart
Gladstone, " from the prominent and praiseworthy
part he took in furtherance of the Wedgwood Me-
morial Institute." Mr. Gladstone having remarked
on the occasion of laying the foundation-stone of
that memorial that it was strange that the life of
Wedgwood should remain unwritten, Mr. Jewitt
has endeavoured to supply the want, and to fill up
the gap in English literature thus alluded to.
The very handsome and elaborate work now before
us is the result of this endeavour, and although it has
been, the author tells us, a task of serious labour,
fully commensurate with that labour has been the
pleasure of the task. " It is but small merit," says Mr.
Jewitt, "to compile a work from data and materials
ready cut and dried to one's hand. It is the get-
ting together of those materials that constitutes the
credit, and brings with it a gratifying renown." Such
credit arid such gratification have certainly been
earned by the indefatigable author of this very com-
plete and compendious history, which, beginning
with an account of the early potteries of Stafford-
shire, gives a complete history of the life and doings
of Josiah Wedgwood, with notices of his works and
their productions, together with memoirs of the
Wedgwoods and other.. families connected with
them and their noble art. Some idea of the.compre-
hensive character of this work may be formed when
we mention that the illustrations of the various de-
signs and works of art amount to no less than 145,
among which are many curious and interesting me-
morials. Although little is known of the early life of
Josiah Wedgwood, it is pleasant to find that his
name was familiar in his native place as an
example of emulation held up by parents to their
children, not so much for his great abilities as for
his good qualities. His devotion to art and
his pertinacity of purpose were forcibly evidenced
on the occasion of the sale of the Duchess
of Portland's treasures of art in April, 1786, when
Josiah Wedgwood resolved to purchase the cele-
brated Barberini (or Portland) vase, in order "that
he might examine, study, and, if possible, reproduce
it in all its exquisite beauty." The D uke of Portland,
anxious to retain possession of the family art trea-
sure, competed for the purchase, but Wedgwood,
with his characteristic determination, bid on
to £l,OOO and upwards, "until, it is related, the
duke, stepping across the room to him, asked his ob-
ject in wishing to possess the vase." On learn-
ing the object the duke offered to entrust the vase
to Wedgwood for as long a period as he might
require it if he would withdraw from a competi-
tion in its purchase. The artist willingly
agreed, and the duke entrusted the vase to his care
for more than a twelvemonth, during which period
Wedgwood succeeded in producing a satisfactory
copy.. Very happily does Mr. Jewitt conclude his
history of the marvels of the Potteries with the fol-

lowing appropriate quotation from a poem by Sir
Charles Hanbury Williams :
" To please the noble dame, the country squire
Produced a tea-pot made in Staffordshire!
So Venus looked, and with such longing eyes,
When Paris first produced the golden prize.
Such works as this,' she cries can England do ?
It equals Dresden, and excels St. Cloud.
All modern China now shall hide its head,
And e'en Chantilly must give o'er her trade.
For lace let Flanders bear away the bell,
In finest linen let the Dutch excel ;
For prettiest stuffs let Ireland first be named,
And for best fancied silk let France be famed ;
But thou, thrice happy England, still prepare,
Thy clay, and build thy fame on Earthenware."

The Business of Pleasure. By Edmund Yates,
author of " Broken to Harness." 2 vols. Chap-
man and• Hall.
" All is not gold that glitters!" To administer to
the " Pleasure" of the few is the " Business," too
often the arduous ill-remunerated " Business," of

the many. Such is the argument which has induced
Mr. Edmund Yates to devote his lively pen to the
delineation of some of the under work of society—
the clock-work which keeps the brilliant machine
in motion—the ravelled ends of the tapestry which
more than the gorgeous pictures on the other side
are the amazement of all visitors of the Gobelins.
" It may," says Mr. Yates very gracefully in his
introduction, " arise from the fact that I spring
from parents who, by profession, were, according
to a generous act of Parliament only recently re-
pealed, set forth among their fellow-men as 'rogues
and vagabonds ;' but one of whom certainly used
up his life, and died at an early age, from his un-
ceasing labour in a popular, an honest, an intellec-
tual, but a Parliamentary-despised calling. It may
be that in my own career I have seen that those
who made it their business to amuse men in their
leisure had very often a much more difficult and
always a more thankless task than those who coped
with men in their active work." From some such
causes Mr. Yates tells us he has long felt that the
" butterfly" notion in regard to the ministrants of
our Pleasure is a mistake ; and, in pursuance of
this idea, he determined to give specimens of
the inner life of some of those establishments
where Pleasure is carried on as a regular Business.
Among these sketches are animated descriptions of
" Cremorne Gardens," " The Greenwich Dinner,"
" Riding London "—Cabs, Omnibuses, Parcels
Deliveries, and Pickford's ; "My Newspaper,"
giving full details of the working of a newspaper
office, with sundry sketches of London men and
manners, written in that pleasant lively style fami-
liar to all admirers of the brilliant author of
" Broken to Harness."

A Walk Across Africa ; or, Domestic Scenes from
my Nile Journal. By James Augustus Grant.
Vol. 1. Pp. 447. Blackwood.
This volume is appropriately dedicated to the me-
mory of John Hanning Speke, as a record " of many
happy days spent together" by his fellow traveller
and friend, Captain Grant. Having contributed
botanical drawings and meteorological registers
to Captain Speke, the author of this volume
never dreamt of any separate publication of
his notes. His friends, however, having
wisely judged that:his descriptions of domestic
scenes in Central Africa might be acceptable
to the public, have induced him to bring forward
this very interesting volume, which relates chiefly
to the ordinary life and pursuits, the habits and
feelings of the natives, and the products of the
country. Captain Speke himself urged upon his
friend the advantage of publishinghis experiences—
his letter to that effect being here introduced, and the
readers of this " Journal," with its very original
and surprising incidents and adventures descriptive
of places hitherto unmentioned and people hitherto
unknown, will have cause to rejoice that the author
followed the advice so judiciously given.

Cornwall and its Coasts. By Alphonse Esquiros,
author of " The English at Home." 1 Vol. pp.
304. Chapman and Hall.
While inquiring into the wonders of foreign
scenery, we must not forget the beauties of our
own land. All who wish for a pleasant summer
excursion should follow Mr. Esquiros in his
agreeable examination of the south-western coast
of England. The descriptions are lively and
animated, and the chapter on Lighthouses full of
considerable interest.

R , . 4,
Clllll4 LClll,llllat

IiER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, July 22.
The Queen, accompanied by Princess Helena,
drove out yesterday afternoon.
The Countess of Gainsborough was in attend-
ance.

JULY 23.
The Queen drove out yesterday, accompanied by
Princess Helena and Prince Albert Victor.

Divine service was performed at Osborne this
morning by the Rev. W. L. Onslow, chaplain of
H.M.S. Racoon, before her Majesty, their Royal
Highnesses Prince Leopold and Princess Beatrice,
and the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting. Princess
Helena and Princess Louise attended the service at
"Whippiugham Church.

- s -

The Prince and Princess of Wales.
• PENZANCE, July 24.

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess
of Wales, after spending Sunday at St. Michael's
Mount, landed here to-day, and received an address
from the corporation. They will proceed to the
Botallack Mine, which the Prince desires to inspect,
and will then visit the Land's End, leaving to-morrow
for Falmouth. Their Royal Highnesses are expected
to visit Perranporth.

_,... -._.--.

Departure of the Queen of the Nether-
lands.

On Saturday afternoon the Queen of the Nether-
lands left London on her return to Rotterdam, after
a visit to England of nearly a month's duration.
Before leaving Claridge's Hotel, where her Majesty
has resided during her lengthened stay in London,
many of the nobility called to take leave, and on
passing to her carriage—an open barouche drawn
by four greys—the Marchioness of Ely and Lord
Llanover bade adieu to the Queen, and the noble
marchioness presented a beautiful bouquet. Having
thanked Mr. Claridge for the comfort experienced
and the attentions received during her stay, her
Majesty, who was accompanied by the Prince of
Orange and the Netherlands Minister, was quickly
conveyed to Woolwich, where the Cyclops, a stoutly-
built Dutch steam frigate, commanded by Captain
Casembroot, was lying alongside the river wall of
the arsenal.

Although it was understood that her Majesty was
travelling incognito, preparations but little short of
those made for our own Queen on similar occasions
had been made to receive the royal traveller. There
was no guard of honour, but scarlet cloth was laid
down at the approach to the pier, and the gangway
leading to the vessel was decorated with the usual
profusion and variety of flags. Commodore Dun-
lop, C. 13., commander of the Woolwich Dockyard,
Commander Towsey, and Commander Biddlecombef
masters-attendant of the yard, with Mr. Parkyn,
acting superintendent of stores, were in atten-
dance, wearing their full uniforms. Her
Majesty was conducted down the gangway
by Commodore Dunlop, and on reaching the deck
of her vessel a party of Dutch sailors drawn up on
deck, armed with muskets and fixed bayonets, pre-
sented arms, and the officers saluted. As soon as
the Queen was on board preparations were made to
start the vessel. Her Majesty thanked the commo-
dore for the attentions shown her, graciously ac-
cepted a bouquet from Mrs. Claridge, took an affec-
tionate leave of the Prince of Orange, and, having
bowed repeatedly to the demonstrations of farewell
made by those who were present, the Cyclops was
towed into the stream by the Monkey, and in a few
minutes was on her way down the river. It was
anticipated by Captain Casembroot that Helvoet-
sluys would be reached about 2 a.m. yesterday.