The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-14 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.

Last night Grisi appeared in the character of Leonora,
in La Favorita, for the first time this season. It is one of
her finest parts, and she never performed it more beauti-
fully. In the character there are no displays of force,
no violent bursts of passion. All is quiet and subdued,
full of deep feeling and melting tenderness ; and
nothing can be more beautiful than the manner in
which the music is adapted to the character. There are
no brilliant bravura passages ; the phrases are uniformly
simple, but indescribably plaintive and pathetic. This
is not one of the parts in which Grisi, as it were, takes
the audience by storm ; but there is none in which she
makes a stronger impression on their feelings—an im-
pression which is more eloquently expressed by profound
silence and breathless attention than by the loudest
bursts of applause. ➢lario was equally happy in his per-
formance of the part of Fernando. His voice had all
its power, and all its exquisite sweetness ; and, both in
his acting and his singing, we never heard him exert
himself with greater success. The great scene, where
Fernando, in a transport of passion, spurns the tokens
of honour conferred on him by the king, was electrical
in its effect ; and the closing scene, in which the hapless
levers meet to part for ever, was pathos itself. The
tears of many of the audience were the best testimony
to its power.

The novel feature of the performance was the appear-
ance for the first time of Lablache in the character of the
monk Baldassare. It is a character similar to that of
Oroveso, in Norma ; stern and unbending as a priest,
full of feeling as a man. The character is more strongly
developed than that of Oroveso, and the music is of
greater power. Lablache brought out every phase of
the character, and the music displayed most admirably
all the grandeur of his mighty voice.
The theatre was crowded to excess, as it always is on
Grisi's farewell nights. The Queen and Prince Albert,
with several illustrious visitors, occupied the royal box.

STATE OF TRADE—NOTTINGHAM.—The revival of the
lace and hosiery home trade extended into the early
part. of this week, and only received a sort of check from
ttr..l unprecedented fall in the funds and the disappointed
expectation of money becoming easier. The general
houses in London, &c., having just completed their an-
nual stocktaking, find their stocks low, and they have
consequently come down with their orders. Materials,
especially silks, continue firm, and an advance of Dd. has
lately been conceded by caut;ous buyers. Hosiery still
exhibits an improvement in the home trade. The Ca-
nadians, who are amongst our best colonial customers,
are purchasing at present for the winter season —but
more of Leicester than Nottingham produce.—iYotting-
ham Guardian.

STATE OF THE CROPS IN LEICESTERSHIRE.—The steep
ing rains which have fallen during the last four days,
while proving very beneficial to the pastures, have done
no harm to the growing crops. Wheat in this county
never looked better, some of the spring sown has come
up thinly, but its appearance is now healthy and even
luxuriant. Should the weather now clear up, the
quality of the wheat will be much superior to that of
last year's growth. Barley is looking better, but will
hardly reach an average crop. Accounts are favourable
respecting oats and beans. Potatoes are looking well,
and as yet there is very little appearance of disease. The
late rains have interfered with the hay harvest ; the
crops of grass are thin.
IsNdtGaoi ay.
d; la3ayf
THE COAL AND IRON TRADE.—The demand for sheets
and plates is unabated, and the mills and forges are in
constant and active operation. The puddlers are very
peaceable, and do not, it appears, intend to agitate for
an advance, as their wages have remained unaltered dur-
ing the reduction of manufactured iron-21. per ton at
separate times. The coal trade is still good, and prices
are firmly maianttainthede.
pißt,eastmle3isi.t,h.cfmwoonivelrillsa.nt,
patnozd
lumps 109.,
Herald.
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Birmingham
ime
in consequence of the resolutions adopted by the
t
ironinasters at Stewpony the week before last, created
Wolverhampton, yesterday,
unusually little. interest, and the attendance has been
ljiauvlye, 13.—The
comparatively limited. No attempt has been made to
disturb settled prices, although the great demand for
manufactured iron, and the scarcity of pig would ap-
pear to justify an advance. The men in some districts
of South Staffordshire have exhibited symptoms of un-
easiness, and have talked of seeking for a rise of wages
—the colliers more especially—but as yet no absolute .
demand has been made, nor do we think, from all we '
hear, that it is probable. At the Stourbridge meeting,
which, will be held to-morow, the question with regard
1 to wages is more likely to arise than at any other of the
meetings. It is the great market for coal and limestone,
and the' getters" are usually more importunate as to
remuneration than the other workmen of the iron dis-
tricts. The prices of iron may be taken to be the same
as announced a few days ago, but rates may be more
certainly stated after the meeting which takes place at
Dudley on Saturday, the closing meeting of the quarter.
The tinplate trade continues depressed. The settlements
for the quarter, so far as they have proceeded, are said •
to have been met satisfactorily,
L 1