The Sun.
London, England, 1825-08-20 00:00:00

YORKSHIRE MUSICAL FESTIVAL!

The preparations for this now rapidly-approaching Festival
are continued with activity, and it may be reasonably expected
to surpass every thing of the kind that has hitherto taken place.
The whole of the audience part of the Minster is now enclosed,
and this, week the exterior arrangements for the comfort and
accommodation of the,company, and to render their access to
the doors as commodious as possible have been begun. The ar-
rangement of the orchestra differs from that of the last Fes-
tival; it projects 15 feet more into the nave, and the chorus
singers are placed under the first arch on each side adjoining
the tower, the sound of their voices being prevented from dis-
persion by the roof of the' aisles. The effect of the choruses
must be superb ; the increased number of the bass performers,
both.vocal and instrumental, will add materially to the gran-
deur of their execution. The centre will contain about 1,600
persons ; the west gallery, having the passages to it thrown
behind the pillars, will accommodate 1,400: the side aisles
will hold 800, and the galleries erected under the four arches
next to the orchestra on each side, 1,500 ; so that .there
will be seats for at least 5,300 persons, and, with standing-
room, space for about 6,000 in the whole, with an orchestra of
600 performers.—The Concert-room will be finished, it is said,
within the course of a month, and is a truly splendid edifice.—
It will accommodate nearly two, thousand persons, and the
orchestra will hold one 'hundred and forty to one hundred and
fifty performers.. The walls are of pale straw colour, the
pilasters of the lonic order, in imitation of yellow marble ; be-
tween the capitals and the cornice, is a frieze of above three
feet in depth, representing appropriate figures in renew, from
the designs of C. Rossi, Esq. R.A. There are two dome-lights
in the roof, the rest of which is painted in compartments. The
door opening into the Assembly-Room, through which is the
approach of the company, is 191 feet high. The Assembly_
Room itself will be thoroughly cleaned, and freed from the seats
which impair the effect of its magnificent ranges of columns.—
The whole suite will be thrown open for the Fancy Dress Ball,
on the Friday evening, when the scene will doubtless be as
striking for its brilliancy and splendour, as that in the Cathe-
dral will be for its grandeur and sublimity. The cost of the
new room, which is vested in the Archbishop, the Dean, and
the Lord Mayor of York for the four hospitals, will exceed
6,0001. The expellee of the Festival, independent of that sum,
will probably exceed 11,0001. ; being 2,000/. more than that of
the last meeting. The guarantee fund amounts to about 10,0001.
A great many lodgings are already engaged, at what may be
considered fair and reasonable rates; the Marquis of Ailesbury,
one of the greatest patrons of the art, and an active Vice-Presi-
dent of the Royal Academy of Music, has engaged lodgings.

The Princess Sophia Matilda entertained the Duchess of
Kent, the Duchess of Coburg, Prince Leopold, the Princess
Feodore, and a select party to dinner yesterday, at her residence
at Blackheath.

The Duchess of Kent, the Duchess of Coburg, Prince Leo.
pold, and the Prince,Feodore honoured the Haymarket. Theatre
with their presence on Thursday evening.
The Earl of Westmoreland, and the Lords Nugent and
Rochfort visited the French living skeleton yesterday, and con-
versed with him for sometime in French.
The Duke of Brunswick arrived at Lancaster on Monday
evening last, and proceeded on Tuesday morning, at ten
o'clock, to see the lakes of Westmoreland and Cumberland.—
It was stated that he was on a tour to the Highlands of Scot-
land.
Thursday.; the Lord Mayor gave a splendid entertainment to
the Gentlemen composing the Trustees and Committee of the
Commercial Travellers' Society. The commny was numerous,
and they were entertained with every delicacy which the metro-
polis could afford. The Lord Mayor was supported by the
Sheriff's Brown and Key, and Benjamin Barnard, Esq. ; the
Under Sheriffs were also present: The Lord Mayor is the
President of the Commercial Travellers' Society.
Sir Thomas and Lady Acland arrived at Devonport, on
Monday evening, on a visit to his brother, Capt. :lcland, of his
majesty's ship Helicon, fitting for the West Indies.
Sir 1% alter Scott arrived in Dublin. on Sunday, from his
southern tour. The worthy Baronet intended leaving Ireland
on Monday last= to proceed by Holyhead to Waleo.