The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-21 00:00:00

AILWAYS

LITERATURE.

Ice
Christ Church Pulpit, New-road, Brighton.
Containing Sermons ' delivered by the Rev.
Robert Ainsl;e, William Freeman,-
Fleet-street,
London; Observer Office, King-street, Brighton.
The Church nook. Compiled by the Rev Robert
Ainslie for the use of the Congregation,* Christ
Church; Now-road, Brighton ; Observer
er Office,
King-street, Brighton.
Perhaps there are no more effective and imme-
diate means of extending and establishing the in-
fluence of real religion, than by the regular
preaching of intelligent and tolerant sermons. We
may respect the learning of the scholar in divinity
who can challenge the Old Fathers, and go back to
the speculations of heathen philosophy and apostoli-
cal dignitaries with profound analysis. We may
listen with attention to the man who can expound
ecclesiastical ordinances, and pronounce on the
obscure texts of Hebrew prophets with glib
dogmatism. We may lend our Sunday ears to
the loud-voiced orators who mingle rhapsodical
enthusiasm with colloquial coarseness, and cle-
verly, but irreverently, interpolate the leaves of
Holy Writ with storifs from Joe Miller's endless
pages. But these are not the sermons which make
men and women feel and think as Christian men I
and women ought to feel and think. These are '
not the sermons that make " those who came to
scoff remain to pray." These are not the sermons
that bring the human heart to the feet of its
Creator in humble trust and broadening love. No!
—it is the plain, unpretentious discourse that advo-

cates daily Christian duty in conjunction with pro-
fessing Christian faith ; that tells us no ceremonial
of creed, no mere form of doctrine, can elevate our
spirits into communion with God unless the
practical conduct is in unison with God's
universal laws of benevolence and truth. Give
us the honest warning and kindly expostu-
lation that bring our errors and wilfulness
under the stern rebuke of our own consciences.
Give us the warm appeal and rational exhortation
which strengthens our desire to be wiser and better
than we are. Let us have the light of religion
placed before us in its glowing, simple beauty, to
attract, inspire, and fortify ; not in the mystic blaze
of selfish ?gnus fatuus vapour, that either supinely
fascinates or dangerously bewilders. Give us plain
sermons that we can hold fast by in thought and
deed, and that will help us to walk through life
with endurance, hope, and sterling piety, piety that
in its every day development, embodies the words
" Lord, thou knowest I love thee."
It is seldom we hear or meet 'with such sermons,
and, therefore, we greet with a welcomeAhose now
being issued in "The Christ Church Pulpit," each
monthly number giving two discourses. Those
before us contain, amongst others, two Funeral
Sermons on the deaths of the Duchess of Kent and
the Prince Consort, and both of them are admirable
specimens of this order of composition. They suc-
cinctly and freely set forth the characteristics °Lae
Royal dead, without indulging in any of the usual
inflated eulogy which, to a thinking hearer is offen-
swe and wearisome. They are just, sensible, and
apposite to the purpose, and present a wholesome
contrast to the outpourings of sickly adulation
which have marked so many of our pulpit addresses
on the melancholy subjects.
A Discourse on "The Hidden' Life" contains much
simple and beautiful truth; well calculated to
arouse the sluggard and quicken the worker.
It blends earnest teaching with forcible and im-
pressive diction, and gives assurance that 54 The
Christ Church Pulpit" will contain matter of
eonsolation and instruction, alike gratifying
to the enlightened student and untaught disciple.
e are induced to give the following extract from
the discourse on " The Hidden Life" :
"There is, and there can be, a hidden life in man known
chiefly to God, and to himself. It may be a wicked life,
concealed. Society may know nothing of it. There may
be the guilt of murder on a man's soul ; or he may have
defiled himself with perjury.
He
poor—he
unfair dealing; of oppressing the may
be
in
theay bhea tof
inhe-
rently covetous ; or known to himself as may be
feel.
There is no access to his innermost thoughts
and
ings • and no knowledge can be acquired a his pri-
vate 'habits, and the workings of his soul. On the other
hand, the hidden life may be marked 133., humility, love,
integrity, devoutness, an intense desire to be con-
formed to the likeness of Jesus, and the cultivation of
all that is truly great and grand in human character.
The nobility of title may not be possessed, but the nobleness
of a large, ever active, Christian heart is cultivated and
enjoyed. . .It is this hidden life, sincerely devout
within a man, and benevolent, just, loving and merciful in
conduct, that isogerable to any other, and is indispensable
to happiness, and "cartutent with' usefulness. It embraces
both worlds. it is for this life, to make its possessor a
kinder, more moral, and more holy man before God. To
make him a loveable,' and loved man in his family. To
make him a generous, charitable, humane man in society,
truthful, just, upright, honourable and honoured, conside-
rate as to every other human being, and compassionate over
all the sorrows, woes, and sufferings of our afflicted race."
The Church Service " is, in our opinion, a most
excellent and valuable work, and evidently been
the subject of great care and labour. We believe
the most prejudiced, Evangelical followers will con-
fess that there is much in our " Prayer Book"
which is useless and obsolete ; much that is totally
ignored in our usual ritual; and much, even of
what is employed, consisting of mere tautological
platitude.
Mr. AINSLIE has judiciously extirpated all the
superfluous matter, and compiled a powerful and
available compendium of " Prayers, Thanksgivings,
and Ceremonials," from strictly, scriptural resource,
and has given eight distinct forms of services ; four
for the morning, and four for the evening; which
excludes that monotony and rote utterance which
many join in rather from habit than feeling. The
whole book is so wisely abridged, arranged, and
revised, that the thanks of all sensible Christians
are due to Mr. AINSLIE for the much-needed volume
which he has produced. Some of the Prayers,
which he has gathered from ancient and
legitimate ecclesiastical text, are exceedingly
touching and impressive; exciting a serious atten-
tion and devout sympathy, which at once testify to
their worth.

A collection of hymns, anthems, and chaunts is ap-
pended, exhibiting good taste and judgment in the
selector. The quaint old style of " Sternhold and
Hopkins" is not repudiated where popular association
is in favour of its retention, but we find the names of
Milton, Montgomery, Barbould, Hemans, Milman,
and numerous others in the list, whose piety of
thought is exquisitely united with poetic writing.
The Rev. ROBEItT AINSLIE appears to be a hard
toiler in a sound cause, and merits the warm
thanks of all who would like to see true Christianity
advanced by plain Christian doctrine.

History of the Opera, from its Origin in Italy to
the present time, with Anecdotes.. By
Edwards, author of "Russians at Sutherland
Home, &c.
&c.
2 vols. Allen and Co., Waterloo-place.
These very animated and entertaining volumes
give us an outline of the rise and progress of the
operatic consaution, tracing its different develop-
ment in the several European nations; comparing
the merits of antagonistic schools and rival com-
posers, and interspersing the whole with anecdote,
epigram, and incident connected with the lumina-
ries of the musical world. Italy was, as is well
known, the first country in which opera was
brought to any degree of perfection, and all other
countries readily followed the lead of a nation
more gifted than themselves, with the exception of
France, whose obstinate opposition to the Italian
school long impeded her artistic advance. The
earliest musical drama with choruses, recitatives,
airs, and instrumental preludes was, we learn from
these pages, performed for the first time at the
Corsi Palace, at Florence, in 1597. It was
entitled "Dante," and was composed by Peri and
Caccini, two of the principal musicians of
the day, under the auspices of two Florentine noble-
men, one of whom was Giacomo Corsi. The libretto
was by Rinuccini, an Italian poet. The opera was not
.
then looked upon with the same severity with which
some conscientious persons now regard it, for Popes
and Cardinals took it under their special
tion, and it was introduced into France bYaprotec-
was
not
established Cardinal
Masarin. In England the Italian op
established until the early years of the eighteenth
century. It was under the management
g ment of Handel
that it soon reached a high
d been in existence
curious that it wasegre of excellence.
English opera had, however,
many years previously, and it
is
during the stern g
William Davonantrei b reign
of the Puritans that Sir
d permission from the
Protector to open a
largeota room for the performance
of operas. Cromwell himself had a great love of
the divine art, and often rewarded musicians. In
1690-91, Purcell composed his celebrated music for
the" Tempest," and
his finest
work "King Arthur."
The war song of
the Britons in the latter, " Come
if you dare," still
excites the enthusiasm of concert
rooms when sung by mr.Sims Reeves. In the middle
ages kings and
celebrities by no means shared the
old Roman idea of the degradation of appearing on
the stage. We have many instances of members
family joining in the Court per-
of the royal
formances.
The Grand 11Ionarque himself was
a great actor in his day, and frequently sung
and danced in the Court ballets. The heartless-
ness of his successor, Louis XV., was forcibly
shown in his own theatre in the Louvre, when
an ensign in the palace guard fell from a box
and was transfixed through the neck. The theatre
was stained with bleod, and the unfortunate officer
was removed a corpse. Just then the King made
his appearance and gave the sign to commence as

_ .
if nothing had happened. Mr. Edwards inquires
into`the origin of "Godsave the King," and examine
the several rival claims to the composition of our
national anthem. It is remarked that Handel, if
not the composer, had at least good rerson to join in
the song, considering the steady patronage he re-
' ceived from the three first Georges. The contro-
versies between the partisans of Handel and Buo-
uencini, Gluck and Piecini, and many other har-
monious wars are, of course, duiy chronicled.
More amusement, however, is to be found in the
Personal anecdotes of celebrities, of which we cite
a few specimens :

CIMAROSA.

Cimarosa, though he may have possessed a more digni-
fied sense than Paisiello of what was due to himself, had
less vanity. A story is told of a painter wishing to flatter
the composer of " Il Matrimonio Segretto," and saying that
he looked upon him as superior to Mozart.
"Superior to Mozart I' exclaimed Cimarosa. "What
should you think, sir, of a musician who told you that you
were a greater painter than Raphael ?"
AN EXCHANGE OF PROFESSIONS.
A curious dispute between a violinist and a dancer
was settled in a satisfactory way for both parties.
The dancer was on the stage rehearsing a new step.
The violinist was in the orchestra performing the neces-
sary musical accompaniment.
" Your scr iping is enough to drive a man mad," said the
dancer.
" Very likely," said the musician, " and your jumping
is only worthy of a clown. Perhaps as you have such a
very delicate ear," he added, " and nature has refused you
the slightest grace, you would like to take my place in the
orchestra ?"
" Your awkwardness with the bow makes me doubt
whether your most useful limbs may not be your legs,"
replied the dancer. " You will never do any good where
you are. Why do you not try your fortune in the ballet?
Give me your violin," he continued, " and come up on to
the stage. I know the scale already. You can teach me
to play minuets, and I will show you how to dance them.
The proposed interchange of good offices took place, and
with the happiest results. The unmusical fiddler, whose
name was Dupree, acquired great celebrity in the ballot,
and ',eclair, the awkward dancer, became the chief of the
French school of violin playing.
The Reign of Terror was a sad time for art and.
artists. Although the number of play-houses in-
creased, the actors were ill-paid, and lived with
the sword of Damocles suspended over their heads.
Hebert drew up a list of suspected persons, which
he used to show every now and then to the happy
individuals named in it. Lefevre, a sixth rate tenor,
but a fervid republican, insisted on being promoted
to first characters, and threatened his rivals with
denunciations and the guillotine if they objected
to make way for him. This had the desired effect,
but he did not gain much, for the tasteful Parisians,
compelled to submit to his tyranny, as one of
the twelve chiefs of the National Guards, revenged
themselves by hissing his bad singing. The opera
was transferred to the Rue de la Loi in 1794, a
building exactly opposite to the National Library,
with the praiseworthy hope that the Library
right be burned in case the Opera-house should
again take fire. It is not surprising that men of
such intelligence should be outwitted by the bril-
liant Sophie Arnould, who, when accused of aristo-
cratic sympathies, pointed to a bust of the composer
Gluck in her room, anti' asked if it were likely she
would. keep the bust of Marat were she not a good
Republican; The following is an interesting anec-
dote connected with ttfe Revolution :