The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-18 00:00:00

t.
MAY 18, 1849.

LITERATURE.

THE SEA LIONS;;7HEI:6ST SEALERS.
By J. F. Co: per. 3 Vols.
A nautical romance, by the author of the " Red
Rover" and the " Pilot," will be warmly welcomed
by a vast majority of readers. Mr. Cooper has of
late years wandered so far into the labyrinthine
mazes of the America's forest, that his sailor friends
had cause to fear that he had for ever abandoned the
blue waters. Still the change was not generally re-
gretted. The forest scenes and characters were so
vigorously, and yet 1;0 simply described in his pages,
that the denizens of London were fur the time trans-
ported into
" Some wild Savannah where man had never beer,"
as effectually as Mr. Banvard can transport them to
the banks of the Mississippi. Change of scene is as
beneficial to the mental as it is to the bodily energies
and for this very refreshing and delightful change the
readers of modern fashionable novels and political
pamphlets were greatly indebted to Mr. Cooper.
We listened with interest while he narrated to us the
history of " Satanstoe," we learned with pleased
curiosity the mysteries of " chain-bearing," with de•
light and wonder we followed on the footsteps, and
watched the marvellous cunning,of the " Bee-hunter"
as he led us through the " oak-openings" in pursuit
of the honey-makers, and now leaving fur awhile
(only for awhile, for Mr. Cooper cannot long remain
absent from that beloved spot) the forest-scene, we
gladly embark in the " Sea Lion," and set sail for
some islands as mysterious almost as the unknown
region of Mardi. In order to give an inkling of the
nature of this romance, be it observed that a dying
sailor has made known to a very avaricious man the
existence of some seal-islands, where the fish are so
plentiful as to make the fortune of any ship who
may happen to visit them ; and, moreover, he has
told him of a pirate's treasure buried in some neigh-
bouring island, with which he alone is acquainted.
The sailor dies, leaving the chart of these treasure-
islands in the hands of the aforesaid avaricious man,
who forthwith fits out a ship, the Sea Lion, and en-
gages an expert captain—Rosvil Gardner, the hero
of the book—and entrusts to him the chart and the
secret, after making him swear that he. will divulge it
to no one. Gardner sets out on his difficult mission,
which is rendered yet more difficult by the unwel-
come and very tenacious companionship of another
Sea Lion, in all respects the fac simile of his own
vessel. The nephew and heir of the dead sailor having
learned that Gardner's expedition is undertaken in
consequence of some revelation of his departed
relative, and justly considering that he him-
self—his kinsman and heir—is entitled to
some share of the good-fortune, if good-fortune it be,
and unable to get a clue as to the destination of the
Sea-Lion, has fitted out another vessel of the same
name, and forces himself into the companionship of
Gardner, resolved to share his fortunes, good or bad.
He has more of the latter than he bargained for.
How Gardner vainly endeavoured to free himself
from his unwelcome "consort," how both vessels
were surrounded by ice and verified the second title
of the book " The Lost Sealers ;" how Gardner ulti-
mately succeeded in his expedition, and how, espe-
cially, the end of the miser—clutching his newly-
found treasure only to feel his grasp relaxed by the
paralysis of death—teaches a forceful lesson on the
vanity of riches, we leave our readers to learn in the
interesting chapters of Mr. Cooper's romance.

THE BATTLE OF THE OPERA.
(From Punch.)
(After Byron's Description of the Battle of Waterloo.)
There was a sound—" 'Tis Jenny Lind's last night!"
And England's capital had gathered then
Her beauty, rank, fashion, and wealth—and bright
The gas shone o'er fair women and spruce men.
A thousand heels kick'd anxiously, and when
A cry arose from some half fainting swell,
Soft laughter rose—then kicks were heard again'
The door which had no knocker, nor a bell.
But hush!—harkl—a deep sound strikes halt.way down
Pell 11/c/1.

Did ye not hear? Was it the bolt behind,
Or the cabs rattling o'er the stony street?
Open the door—the crowd is too confined;
It seems an age to wait. Oh, what a treat
To count the flying hours upon one's feet!
But bark! that heavy sound comes forth once more;
The crowd appears its echo to repeat,
And pres<, s nearer, denselier than before:
Push! push,: it is! it is! the Opera's opefling door.
Within a little niche of that throng'd hall
Sate Linnley's money- taker; he did hear
That union of sounds, the shriek, the squall.
Which fell with sound familiar on his ear;
And then he smiled when a clenched hand drew near
With hal!...a-guinea, which he knew full well
R.quired a check the barriers to clear—
A privilege which he alone could sell,
And many, to be foremost, struggling, gasping fell.
Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro,
And gathering shawls, or fragments of a dress;
And skirts all torn, which but an hour ago
Might well be called the pink of tidiness.
And there were sudden partings in the press
Of ladies from their beaux, and opera ties
Were rudely torn asunder—snore or less;
No longer fit to meet fastidious eyes,
Which on so grand a night are sure to criticise.
And there was mounting in hot haste the stairs
Of towering Gallery and up-raised Pit,
And pouring forward to the Stalls—those chairs

In which subscribing dilettanti sit,
And show their connoisevership and their wit.
A tuning's heard of violins and drums,
Balfe comes—of perfect Band conductor fit.
Some ill-bred persons point with upraised thumbs;
A whisper runs around—" The Queen ! she always comes ."
And now the balm waves above the leaves
Of Meyerbeer's grand music—at each pass
Grieving, if aught inanimate e'er grieves,
Over the unreturning Lind—alasl
Before the morning cut away like grass.
The crowd on every side, above, below,
Packed close in one enthusiastic mass
Of expectation, cannot bear to know,
The idol they have raised, wills her own overthrow.
Last Season saw her full of artist life,
Last week saw her La Figlia proudly gay:
Rumour announced her au intended wife,
A wedding fixed fur a too early day,
On which she would be spirited away.
The curtain's cloud is dropp'd—the air is rent—
The stage is covered thick with a display
Of bouquets, as from a Briareus sent ;
Gallery, pit, box, stall, in one loud " bravo " blent.
Their shouts are heard in louder tones than mine ;
Yet, ere I part from that tumultuous throng,
The Nightingale Pll trouble with one line,
Because I think her resolution wrong.
The pure can hallow operatic song,
And she was of the purest :—virtne rare is
In a profession, now debased too long.
A vicious atmosphere will oft embarrass ;
It could not taint a breast like thine, young Jenny—
Harris.

[After all—Mrs. Harris may prove a myth! Events
may demonstrate the veracity of that mPmorable decla-
ration that there is "no rich a person!" Jenny Lied
may, as far as her voice is concerned, still continue the
Jenny Lind of the three last glorious seasons in the
Haymarket. If public enthusiasm can, at least yet
awhile, preserve the prima donna of the world to the
lyric stage—it will. Then, fur once, our pensive friend
Mr. Punch will have chaunted the dirge of a reputation
precipitately. Whatever betide, Mademoiselle will
doubtless appreciate to the full the sentiment of this
most felicitous parody. In the words of the good old
song—Jenny Lind, "though lost to sight," must still,
with the people of England, ever be "to memory
dear."—ED. Sun.]

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—His Royal Highness
the Prince Leopold of Naples (Count of Syracuse), at-
tended by the Chevalier Culonna, honoured the perform-
anceat her Majesty's Theatre yesterday (Thursday)
evening with his presence. Her Majesty's box was oc-
cupied by the Earl and Countess of Morley, Lady Vir-
ginia Young, Lady John Taylor and party. Amongst
the visitors were his Excellency the Russian Minister,
the Baroness Brunnow, Mademoiselle Olga de Lechner
and Mademoiselle do Brunnow, the Duchess of Leeds
and Miss Lane Fox, the Swedish Minister and the Ba-
roness Rehausen, the Neapolitan Ambassador, the Aus-
trian Minister and the Countess Colloredo, the Marquis
of Clanricarde, the Marquis of Worcester, ihe Marquis
of Donegal, the Earl of Belfast, the Earl and Countess
of Bective, the Earl of Lonsdale, Earl Granville, Vis-
count Anson, Prince Petrola, Count and Countess do
liorsen, Lord G. Paget, Lady Suffield, Lord Harry
Vane, Lady Antrum Gordon ar.d the Hon. Miss Ers-
kine, M. de Berg, Lady Quentin, Lady Alicia Powlott,
Lord W. Lennox, Lord Gerald Fitzgerald, Lady Talbot,
Baron de Gulache, Count Vielowsky, Baron de Cazey,
Sir Thomas Barrett Lennaid and Lady Barrett Leonard,
Richard King, Sir George and Lady Carroll, Sir J.
Bayley and Lady Bayley, Sir Bellingham Graham and
Bon.
Lady Graham, General the
on. Arthur Upton.yptn. ten-
tenant- General Sir Alexander Woodford, Lady, and
the Misses Woodford; Lieutenant-General Sir Alexander
Barnard, General the Hon. H. Cavendish, Lady Green,
General Sir Richard Armstrong, General Buller, Sir
Cornwallis Ricketts, Sir G. Wombwell, Lady Flower,
Lady and Miss Colebrooke, Lady Lesford, Sir Henry
Blackwood and the Misses Blackwood,Colonel Crumble,
M. C. Koudriaffsky, Captain the Hon. James Macdo-
nald, &c.
None are more to be pitied than those who have
the means of gratifying their
. desires before they have
learned to govern theta,—Eliza Cook's Journal,

[PRICE SD.

HER. MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

The glories of " the I,ng Thursdays" are revived.
Last bight, which was the first " long Thursday" of
the present season, may vie with any of its predeces-
sors of any former season in the variety and the ex-
cellence of its attractions. First we had the ever-
charming opera of the Cenertntola, with Alboni,
Calzolsri, Lablache, and Beletti; then we had the
principal scenes of the ballet of Fiorito, in which
Carolina Rosati was inure marvellous and more
graceful than ever; then the magnificent
per forma nee of _Norma by Parodi, followed
by the ballet of Electra with Carlotta Grisi and
Mgrie Taglioni. '1 he house was crowded to excess.
Alhoni and all the old favourites were much ap-
plauded, and we were delighted to see that a mixed
audience, such as that of last night, could fully ap-
preci.ite the superb acting and singing of Parodi.
e expect a great treat here on Saturday, when
Madeinuisello Parodi will appear as St-miramide for
the first time, supported by Alboni as Arsace, and by
Coletti as Assur, while, to render the cast as complete
as possible, Lablache will appear as the High Priest.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.
The opera of Don Giovanni was performed here
last evening, being the first of six farewell perform-
ances by Madame Yersiani, previous to her retire-
tnent from the stage. She last night appeared in her
favourite character of Zerlina. On her entrance, the
fair vocalist received the most enthusiastic greeting.
She appeared in much better health than when she
last performed here, and not so thin. Of the beauties
of her Zerlina it is needless to speak. It is an unique
performance, eclipsing all contemporary representa-
tions of the character, not more by the exquisite finish
and true feeling of the vocal portion, than by the
simplicity and arch coquettishness of the acting. It
wa3 never more perfectly rendered by the actress than
last night. She was encored in the charming
" Batti, batti," and in the duet " La ci darem"
with Tamburini. She was called before the curtain
at the close of each act, and covered with applause.
The rest of the characters were sustained in the
style to which the audience of this theatre have been
accustomed. The Giovanni of Tamburini is one of
the most artistic even of his impersonations, so gen-
tlemanly, so gay and vivacious, and with such a fasci-
nating wickedness. Corbari was the Elvira, and
Grisi the Donna Anna, a part to which her tragic
genius gives a marvellous force and individuality.
Mario also strengthened the cast by his performance of
Ottavio, and was, as usual, rapturously encored in the
"11 mio Tesoro." The trio, at the close of the first
act, sung by these three artists, was enthusiastically
encored. Marini made his first appearance as Lepo-
rello. Though wanting vivacity and mobility, he
nevertheless gave a very artistic embodiment of the
character, and proved the versatility of his powers,
and by the geniality of his whole performance kept
the audience in good humour throughout the piece.
As a whole, the Don Giovanni, as rendered at this
theatre, with the fine cast of the chief characters and
the perfection of the orchestral accompaniments, is a
musical treat of the highest order.