The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-10 00:00:00

TAI T.

Tait, for May, is of more than average excellence.
The title of the first article " The Music, Poetry,
and Traditions of the Highlands" is a sufficient
indication of its pathetic and romantic character.
Douglas Jerrold's " Man made of Money,"
receives a deserved eulogium. "Strangely enough,"
says the writer of this review, " the idea has gone
abroad that Douglas Jerrold is a bitter writer, and a
bitterer man. But upon what is this notion founded?
If he puts forth a sting, is it to wound the good or the
bad ? is it to render the depressed and helpless still
more helpless and depressed, or to avenge them on
their oppressors ? For ourselves, we confess we love
him, because he can sting, and because ha never
does, save in the cause of suffering humanity." The
commendation is as genial as it is well-merited. Percy
St. John continues his interesting tale of the First
French Revolution. We are particularly pleased
with the generous and courteous humility of one of
the foot-notes. " Lamartine's admirable description"
exclaims Mr. St. Juhn, in the midst of describing one
of the scenes of the revolution, "renders all others
useless. I am constrained to copy him slavishly.
There is no such picture of the period of the re-
volution as "lhe Girondins.' It is unique." A story
entitled "The Modern Vassal" is commenced in this
number, and promises to become one of the most at-
tractive features of Tait. The subject is of most
enthralling interest. The scene is Poland, and the
terrible effects of the worst feudal laws, are made
painfully apparent. Leon, the hero, is as yet but a
child, spoiled and tyrannical, he is supposed to be the
son and heir of a very haughty noble, when on his
mother's death it is discovered that he has been
changed in his infancy—the proud and imperious boy
is, in fact, a serf, and as such his supposed father, the
incident
promises expels him from his roof. This
promises to give rise to a very interesting tale.
" The Colonial Question," " Life Assurance," and
" The Hudsonian Eclipse " are the more serious articles
of Tait.

SONG WRITTEN ON HEARING THAT JENNY
LIND WAS ABOUT TO RETIRE INTO
PRIVATE LIFE.

Oft I gaze on that beautiful Star of the West,
Whose effulgence so greatly excels all the rest ;
Yet beneath such a Planet a gloom will arise,
When I think that, ere long, 'twill be lost to our eyes.
But more dismal, by far, are the thoughts it awakes—
That a being, whose voice of an angel's partakes,
And who usos it oft in the cause of the poor,
Has decided to leave,:ere hor mission is o'er.
Many wonderful things will distinguish this age,
And the labours of painters and poets engage ;
But the theme the most worthy for these to make
choice,
Will be thou, gentle maid, and thy ravishing voice.
Sweden boasts of that King of whose deeds we all hear,
And whose memory her children will ever revere ;
Ne'urtheless, where he conquered by force of his arms,
A renown much more true has thou won by thy
charms.
Dire diseases and famines all came in his train,
For in warfare these follow e'en leaders humane ;
But with thee all was joy, and debate was confin'd
To the question of giving thee welcome most kind.
We have read of a shepherd's producing such tones
From his lyre, as to move e'en the forests and stones ;
This we know is a figure, employed by some bard
To depict music's conquest of breasts flinty hard.
Oh ! could he but have heard one short ditty from thee,
He might well have described it as calming the sea.
Then go on, thou enchantress, and cease not thy work,
Even till thou has conquered the Infidel Turk.

CIGAR MAYERS.—Last evening a meeting was
held at the Hall of Science, City-road, for the purpose
of considering the cessation of work by the cigar.
makers of Messrs. Newton, and Messrs. Jones and
Coronel, in consequence of a dispute having taken place
between them and their employers. Mr. Edwards oc-
cupied the chair. Mr. Brisk detailed the case of the
cigar-makers. From his statement it appeared that, in
order to cheapen labour, the parties complained of had
introduced the system of what is technically termed
"bunch-making" into the trade. Until lately that was
the work of the journeyman cigar-maker, or, in other
words, the men who made the cigars bunched them also.
But those gentlemen having found out that the journey-
man when he had to bunch the cigars could not make so
many of them per day, made an arrangement whereby
they employed a number of boys for that i pluuupdr
et purpose,
the
to e, a
an
dd
who now nut only bunched them, but mmasdae
heart-
ing of the cigar itself, so that the fir
as alleged, nearly dispensed with
These
labour of journey-
guanidemratkheersnanmhen penrentices, and of those Mr.
and thep otherwereefisremboaylsike
altogether.
em-
ployedmenei
tN
thesei
ot Newton
nghtalaiednms stenve
thishn at seventy, and
es
ot
system
pro
propor-
tion. or
the journeymen employed by
redress, had resolved otiPiain'-d' and
meeting with no
rmaying a stand against the
system. Resolutions, a
tthieesm interestedsupport,
were
et hpea puotevinhg of the manner the par-
ties
unanimously oauc
st
leyd , h andy th
e promising
meeting,
and, in conclusion, a vote of thanks was passed to the
chairman, and the meeting adjourned.
PREVALENT COMPLAINTS._ Ir. John O'Connell
complains of being badly reported. Tho same complaint_
exists with regard to his unfortunate country. Every
one is sick and tired of hearing nothing but bad reports
of Ireland,—Punch.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.
THE GERMAN Oi'ERA.
The German operatic corps of the Amsterdam
Theatre, follo wing the example of the Belgian artistes,
have emigrated en masse to London, and have taken
Drury-lane Theatre for twelve nights. Herr Roeder
is the director, and Herr Karl Auschautz the con-
ductor. The chorus and orchestra are, as the German
chorus and orchestra ever are, perfect. No nation, not
even the Italians, can approach the Germans in these
two important departments. The choruses last
night went like one mighty voice, and the orchestra
like one vast instrument. The prima donna is Madame
Marlow for the Darmstadt Opera. She is an exceed-
ingly fascinating little woman, with a beautiful clear
soprano voice of great power, sweetness, and compass
which has been most carefully cultivated. Her exe-
cution is wonderful, and her style is deliciously pure.
Herr Pischek, who has at length appeared in Eng-
land on the stage, is the barritone ; and Herr Joseph
Erl, from Vienna, the tenor. Herr Joseph Erl pos.
senses a clear and flexible voice, and is an accom-
plished musician. The opera selected for the opening
performance was Kreutzer's Nachtlager iu Granada ,
which was performed several times by the German
company who were here before, and which is well
known to all lovers of music. It was admirably sus-
tained by all concerned in its production, from the
prima donna down to the lowest of the chorus singers.
In fact, there was scarcely a chorus singer there who
could not, on emergency, have doubled a principal
part. It was what we so seldom meet
with, and never save in a German theatre
with a German company, a perfect operatic
representation. Pischek, was in excellent voice, and
sang his romanza, "Ein Schutz bin ich," in the first
act superbly. At the conclusion of the first act
Madame Marlow and Pischek were called on, and at
the conclusion of the opera they were again called on,
with Herr Joseph Erl. The National Anthem was
splendidly sung at the commencement of the evening.
We have never before heard this noble composition
nearly so effectively rendered. The house was very
well attended.