The Sun.
London, England, 1838-01-27 00:00:00

BAIL COUItT-(THIS DAY.)

Earl Somers took the customary oaths this morning before Mr. Jus-
tice Matteson, as Lord Lieutenant and Custos llotutorum of the county
of Hereford.

EXCHEQUER COURT.-(THIS DAY.)

The COURT was engaged the whole morning with a case of legacy
duty—as no result had taken place there was nothing of public interest.

BUSY-STREET.-(THIS DAY.)

M. Davis, a servant, was charged with obtaining two pints of gin,
under a false representation. .

John Croydon, proprietor of the King's Head public-house, White
Don-street, Seven Dials, stated that during his absence the prisoner
Cane to his bar-maid, and obtained:from her a pint of the best gin for the
LW. of a lady with whom sh.? was in service in the neighbourhood, but
en making inquiry it was ascertained that she had not lived with the
ly in question for the last six months. The complainant had only
just looked over his day-book, when the prisoner again made her ep-
pearance, saying that the liquor she had got in the morning was of such
excellent flavour, that her mistress sent her for another pint, which she
would settle for during the week. She was served with what she asked foe
but after leaving the shop she was followed, and, as she avoided going
to the residence of her late mistress, she was given into custody.
The prisoner admitted her guilt, and was sent to hard labour for a
month.

Frederic Morton and Win. Plaise, alias Hart, who were identified
by a City officer as being notorious thieves, were sent to hard labour for
ten weeks each, and to be kept separate in prison, on the testimony of
Mr. Joseph Gibbins, by whom they were detected attempting to pick the
pocket of an elderly gentleman, at eight o'clock last night, in Hollywell-
street, Strand.

PRIVATE BILLS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—The very able, well-timed, and pertinent remarks lately
made in your most excellent Journal on the important subject
of Private Bills, has led ma to address you and to solicit your
indulgence for speaking of a Bill of a local nature, in confirma-
tion of the abuses you so properly endeavour to expose. The
Bill I allude to is that for the " Improving the Navigation of
the River Severn." I will not dwell upon the merits of the
Bill, as it is foreign to my purpose, but only curprily ob-
serve that the benefits of facilitating and expediting the con-
veyance of tnerchandize forty- two miles further into the interior
of the Kingdom was admitted to be a national object in the
discussion which took place on the Bill last Session in the
House of Commons. But will it be believed, Sir, that a Bill
of this importance was, after the promoters of it had spent
12,000/., thrown out by a party who canvassed Members to
vote against the second reading of the Bill, fearing their selfish
views would suffer merited exposure if sent to a Committee.
But even this would nut have succeeded, had not a Nobleman
been possessed of influence sufficient with certain Members of
Parliament to swamp the Bill at the eleventh hour. lam
sorry to see that these mal-practices are allowed and
.winked
at in a British House of Commons ; and I believe that the
only remedy is, that a separate, responsible, and independent
tribunal should be appointed to examine the merits of all Pri-
vate Bills, before they go before Parliament, for it is highly
improper that private business should be mixed up with public
affairs.

I am, your's, &c.

COURT CIRCULAR.

The Queen honoured the performance of Mr. Kcan in
Hamlet, at Drury-lane Theatre, last evening, with her pre-
sence. Her Majesty was attended by the Duchess of Suther-
land, Lady Portman, the Hon. Miss Pitt, the Lord Chamber-
lain, the Marquis of Headfort, and Colonel Buckley, who ar-
rived at the theatre at half-past seven o'clock.
Viscount Melbourne had an audience of her Majesty yes-

terday.
A Cabinet Council was held yesterday at the Foreign-office.
It was attended by Viscount Melbourne, the Marquis of Lans-
downe, Viscount Duncannon, Lord John Russell, Viscount
Palmerston, Lord Glcnelg, the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
Ecarl of Minto, Sir John Hobhouse, Mr. Poulett Thomson,
and. Viscount Howick. The Council sat two hours.
Count Sebastiani, the French Ambassador, transacted busi-
ness yesterday at the Foreign-office.

M. PILATI'S PROMENADE

CONCERTS.

The second of the above series took place last night at the
St. James's Theatre. M. Pilati has been peculiarly unfortu-
nate. About ,a month since these concerts were announced to
commence at the Collosseum, where a handsome suite of
rooms were fitted up to enable the auditory to lounge or walk
about at their leisure during the performance. The intense
severity of the frost, however, alarmed the projectors, and after
several " puts-off," the first concert was announced to take
place on Monday evening last, at the elegant little theatre
already mentioned. The pit was boarded over for the oc-
casion, so as to form in connexion with the stage, a spa-
cious promenade, a back scene and side wings being so
arranged as to convey an idea of considerable extent, and to
present a brilliant and imposing appearance. The house,
however, on the first performance was almost deserted, and
last night, although the auditory was much larger in amount,
and formed what in theatrical parlance might be termed a re-
spectable house, was anything but adequate to remunerate a
speculation, to carry which into effect a band consisting of
about seventy of (according to the bills) the " first performers
in Europe !" Such of the audience as ventured to emerge
from the shelter of the box partitions stood in listless groups
upon the stage, and the effect of this part of the affair conveyed
any notion but that of a promenade. In fact, the project, if
suited to the habits of an English audience, of which we en-
tertain some doubt, certainly did not appear to meet a con-
genial atmosphere within the walls of a theatre. It is
probable that at the Colloseum it may wear a different aspect,
where we understand the concerts are to be continued next
week. The concert was preceded by a common-place affair,
called the Assignation, very indifferently played, and concluded
by A Day in Paris, equally common-place, although en-
livened by the versatility of talent of that favourite of the town,
Mrs. Stirling. The principal pieces performed by the band
were the overtures " Le Dieu et le Bayadere," of Auber,
" Les Etats de Blois," of Onslow, Rossini's " Semiramide,"
Balfe's Joan of Arc," and several sets of quadrilles, beauti-
fully arranged for the purpose of displaying the powers of the
several principal instruments in solos. With the exception
of " Semiramide," which went off with immense spirit and
perfect accuracy, the overtures were rather indifferently
performed, that is to say, we have them much better played at
the Opera and the several metropolitan concerts. Of the
quadrilles, however, we are bound to speak in unalloyed terms
of approbation. The solo variations introduced were most de-
liciously given, by Mr. Barret, on the oboe; Mr. Dean, the
clarionet; Mr. C. Laurent, the cornet a piston; and a gentle-
man with an unpronounceable name ( Strfather), the flageolet.
In addition,
we may mention that Mr. Harper and Mr.
Platt gave effect to their respective instruments as mem-
bers of this splendid orchestra. The stringed instruments,
however, were not equal to the wind. The conductor,
Pilati, appeared to want energy; and the leader,
M. Peyriville, as leaders have become in the present
age of improvement, was a mere cypher. The whole of the
quadrilles were rapturously applauded, and one in particular
seemed to give unusual satisfaction. It was an arrangement
in which the solo instruments, in alternate variations, were
echoed, by their " doubles" placed in a private box on the left
of the stage. Although, however, the auditory were so much
delighted, vvemust confess the piece did not -convey unmiti-
gated satisfaction to our fastidious ears. The gentlemen who
played the echoes (with the exception of the horns and the
clarionet,
.which echoed their principals very delicately and
accurately) seemed rather to study showing off their own abi-
lities, than giving effect to the intentions of the composer. They
were all too loud, and the echoes they gave were somewhat of the
Irish sort, " How do ye do ? Pretty well I thank ye." We do
not, however, wish to derogate from the general effect, or to
throw cold water on this experiment on English taste. We
are obliged to M. Pilati for the introduction, and from the
satisfaction we enjoyed, and above all, the delight which that
small portion of the public who were present seemed to enjoy,
we sincerely hope he may be more successful in his next ap-
plication to their sympathies. Quadrilles were certainly never
beard in this country played on so extensive a scale, and with
so much brilliancy and accuracy, and if his experiment does
nut, it certainly deserves to succeed.

On Friday, at Marylebone-office, 187 summonses
were granted against housekeepers, for not complying with
the regulations for having th,, foot pavement swept and
cleansed before eleven o'clock in fhe forenoon, of the scow
and ice. The penalty is 40s. and costs.