The Sun.
London, England, 1836-06-01 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THE A T RE.

THE MAID OF ARTOIS.
of hearing a a second
We have purposely delayed an extended no.tiee 0. r this new
oi,era until we had the opportunity
composer, who had sud-
lime, and we have done so for many good reasons. In the
first place it will. th.:, work, of a rlrt.ivetchorannl
eclat almost
of the
burst upon the rnus:nl
ride the object of the
cedented, and he had been as su;,!:!.
n Y.
11'
-.11 night after night
world:‘
,grossest vituperation and slander ! A ItlioYc 9 • ,„,1;,.,,,,,,„,Q,
the Siege of Rochelle attracted the most crowded . •.4. t,r,
vet the 'malice of Mr. Balfe's enemies would not permit atm
any merit, the whole of that successful Opera was declared to
ty.F, without one redeeming portion, a mass of plagiarism. As
a matter of course a second Opera from Mr. Balfo was likely
to excite the greatest curiosity and anxiety of all lovers ofmusic,
because it afforded him the opportunity of an appeal to the
public on the merits of the question at issue.
The first performance of any tea' OpO!'a is always entitled
to indulgence, as all the parts of that work, which is to be
judged of as an entire production, must of neeosaity be un-
known to the great majority of the aulienee. The story -"
Opera is also in embryo, and is only- A rivi..." ~. the
durinir the eveniog.
...4ppressioi,..: • ...,,my developed
:Lterefor
as to the eailier- portions of an opera, the s'vrirluaey be formed
I.i
depends entirely upon what remains, or Upon the, rovodnicG-1
c.ltion the imeresiAoritt may unlemo when the whole Work
has lei ptoacuted to the Mind. .The first performance is en-
titlel alio to injnigortOo on other very important e•rounds the
andieace may be comporml of injudicious friends, and also of
as injudieioni unitnlial--...rival establishments may con.--
tirla rieeri lu f.titenA thiti atyliotioe, and, if poasibl- ...note
p ~
success of arty new PrOchigtin piiiutli di, I • ~ to mar the
0i1y.)., IlatrO44 All 4 viattlioe, often ,o their interests-
-
the atirliew.o---the - contribute their portions of
and %vitt' each or
. -
rerr"l"-es also find their situations novel,
which oftk• t.. " -
thero is an anxiety as to the result
n ends inem
to provotkt the most successful exertions of
their powct•
~.

WO IMO not made these observations with a view of solicit-
Ina public indulgence for the opera of Mr. Balfe, but as sub-
stantial reasons why a first performance of any opera is not a
safe criterion whereby the merits or demerits of the work may
Uo ,lunged, Notwithstanding all these disadvantages, we con-
fess, the first performance of the Maid of Artois excited in us,
as it did ono of the most crowded audiences we ever wit-
nessed, an enthusiasm in its favour which we seldom haw:
soon, or before experienced ; and we think that Mr. Balf- has
established a fame as one of the greatest operat3.o writers
which this country has as yet produced. What Is the great
drawback on moist (af the modern musical productions, native
as well 4* Are they not; in many eases, deficient in
04 lost difficult of all the. varied requisites for a musical
writer--,alinowlodge of tin powers which are to exhibit the
campositiosi to the world ? Do they wit fail in calling into
()lONIA° the nraltifarious power; which a well-organized in-
strumental band can display, and in allotting to the various
instruments that portion, or the composer's ideas which, because
best suitod to display those ideas, at once fascinate the au-
dience it is in' this important knowledge that the great
masters so eminently excel. The works of Beethoven, of
Moue, of Haydn, and Weber, aro proofs of the fact, and
this is an important test to apply to any modern musical corn
position ; but Mr. Balfe need not fear the ordeal--he is a
perfect master of instrumentation ; he at once, in his over-
ture to the /1104/ of Artois, throws down the gauntlet to his
Imam., and the paltry opponents which always attempt to
petard a rising genius, and while he .tiles at their malignant
efforts bid them defiance.

We think the el;ertt;e a most charming production; and
when it has been is as we hope to hear it, by a band of
great power than the Drury-lane orchestra possesses, and
which, by the way, is very deficient in the stringed instru-
mon% we have no doubt but that it will be established as a
production of the very highest order of dramatic composition.
In justice .to a native composer, the Philharmonic Society
should, at their concluding concert, ou Monday next, give
their subscribers the advantage of hearing this beautiful
overture with the powers which they alone possess : it would
be an honour to the Directors, as well as a duty to the public,.
thus to lend their assistance in support of British talent.'
On the second representation of this opera it was much
curtailed: we are not sure that this has been an advantage to
the composer. The beautiful song of -bonne, " Yon moon
o'er the Mountains," was transferred from the first act to the
second, and was sung in the most charming manner by the
gifted Malibran, immediately after the air of Syroielet ; but
we think that the scenery might also have been transferred,
and the introduction of the moon in the scene would evidenti-
be an improvement ; in other respects the transposition ;
„ojt
an unhappy one._ .; _

The cavatina in the opening scene, by Ginbele:„ " What in
this World can . sadden," was remarkably -sell given. The
scena by Phillips, " 11' rosy hours," ":as sung superbly, and
the exquisite melody the concluding'
~art of the scena, "Then
silly is the Heart that grieve.th.," would alane stamp the fame
of' any modern composer. The very joyous chorus, " Then
with Glory o'er us heaminr,;__,..
delicious mel?cly is beautifully blended with the
'of this scena. The recivitive "Oh I if at
Times," and fr.e cavatina which follows, " My Soul in one un-
brokenB'.ih," sung by Mr. Templeton on the first representa-
tin, were omitted on the second performance of the opera.
The trio by Jules de Montangun, Sans Regret, and Coralie,
was also omitted. The chorus, " Come folluw with us," de-
lighted, the audience, and was encored. But the opening scene,
where Malibran is first seen, is a great triumph for the com-
poser. " The Chorus of Maidens" is one of thee‘ gems of
composition which true genius alone can elicit. ~
Thus far does this beautiful opera proceed successfully with-
out the ail of Malibran. This scene introduces her, with the
recitative—.

" My thoughts, which forth had wandered on some forgotten
track,
Like truants chid by memory, at length are welcomed back ;
For they are but as fragments, which the sudden tempest cast
Upon the shore whereon the wreck of happiness bath passed;"
which is ono of the most pathetic pieces of music declamation
we have ever heard ; and the scena which is connected with it
partakes of the same exquisite pathos--;
" The heart that one., has fondlF teemed. '
With hopes which it the loudest deemed,
Should keep them treasured, gem by gem,
For love to deck its diadem-_
From the first springs of feeling drawn,
When our beliefs are in their dawn,
Before the nipping touch of Care
Hath pressed his icy finger there—.
They are so pure, that in the range
Of our affections' afterchange,
No hope so free front sorrow's stain
Can ever wake the: heart again." '"
The concluding part of this scena Ob, could I but that peace regain
sl prized LAeyond a crown,
E'en though its circle clasped my brain
I'd dash the bauble down."
The last line was given by Malibran in a manner worthy of the
greatest effort of the histrionic art. We think that in the
whole of this superb scene, all the parties, Mr. Bunn as the
author of the words, Mr. Balfe as the composer of the music,
and Madame Malibran, who exhibits both to the audience, aro
entitled to the well-deserved applause which it received.

It would too much extend on. r remarks, were we to particu-
larize the many beauties as yet unfolded—we say us yet, be-
cause we feel quite confident that, at each succeeding perform-
ance, fresh beauties will beveleped. The duet of Isoline and
the Marquis de Chateaux-Vieux, on the second performance,
is in point. We had, probably from inattention, or from the
mind wandering at the moment to some other object, at the
first performance of the opera, passed over one of these beau-
ties which, we maintain, will be successively developed in suc-
ceeding performances. We here allude particularly to the-
words of Isoline in the duet—
" Oh feel for one who nc'er
Caused you a sorrow."
In these words Malibran exhibits the outpourings of a breaking
heart with the most painful fidelity.
We find the crowded state of our columns will not permit us
to devote more of our space to the consideration of this opera
to4'if r and we must, therefore, conclude, until other repre-
sentations have afforded us additional opportunities of exami-
nation.

In the mean time we hope that the public will rally round
Mr. Balfe, and uphold him amidst the malice and envy by
which he is assailed; and that when, at length, we have a native
composer, whose talent has been so successfully devoted to the
study of one of the most delightful of the arts, that he may
receive that encouragement which will give at, impetus to him,
and through his example elevate the depressed hopes of the
whole rising school of British musicians.

MONEY MARKET.—It iS understood that the
Bank have made advances to-day to one of the leading dis-
count housCS, to the extent of about .00,0001., and that the
Director': have undergone some question why they have given
such h preference to one house over the rest of the public,
who «ill have to wait for the issuing of the periodical notice,
before they can receive any accommodation of the same na-
ture. Their answer, it is said, has been that the transaction
was essentially the same as an absolute discount of bills, for
those presented and lodged for security were all of that class
which would have been accepted for that purpose without he-
sitation, and the difference in principle being so immaterial, it.
was not a departure by the Bank from the usual course. This
reasoning appears far from satisfactory, because a discount of
bills and an advance on a deposit of bills have always been
held to be distinct transactions, and we arc not informed in
this case what difference there was, if any, in the rate of inte-
rest charged. ' The transaction has given, however, a very
sensible relief to the money-market, the sum in question be-
ing, without doubt, diffused through innumerable smaller
channels into the general circulation. This was very percep-
tilde 1n the latter part of the day, though the cause of it was
per laps far from being generally known.—Morning Paper.
TIIL EISTEDDVOD.—Yesterday an Eisteddvod
and concert was held at the Freemasons' Hall. It is a
meeting of great interest, not merely to Ancient Britons, but
to all antiquaries. The Hall was Crowded, the company
consisting, for the far greater part, of elegantly-dressed
females. The Right Hon. W. W. Wynn was to have taken
the chair at twelve o'clock, but was prevented from attend-
ing so early, in consequenou of a joyful event in the family,
the marriage of hit daughter in the course of the morning. In
the absence of the Right lion. Gentleman the concert pro-
ceeded, Ito entered the ball, attended by Miss Wynn, about
t o,sciock, and was enthusiastically received by the audience.
THE DUTCH NELSON.--Every Dutchman, espe-
oially every native of Zealand, will hear with sleasure that
there is ()Teat reason to believe that a statue of the celebrated
Admiral de Ruyter will be erected at Flushing, where that
hero was born, on the 24th of March, 1607. We are happy
to say that Prince Frederick not only approves of this plan,
but has already subscribed a considerable sum towards the
accomplishment of so desirable an object.

SPORTIN

LIGE'Aai:

ASCOT HEATH 111±;El'ING"—YRIfTEP
The subjoined return of the first dat's sport does e- - P'
-'"4 Y•
~
roll the meeting, nor do the nature of the entrie.• ...t augur well
sre igth of the racing stab:es in the vicinit- ~ or the numerical
;t W.ll go off with so much eclat as lead us to expect that
fliitt r:ii; how this falling off —' - aslal.. It is, perhaps, worth
given :aim the fund she-'' ...ses and how. the amount actually
...nually at Liverpool, of w:t it is given --
)001, Chester, Manchester, Mid
t7th ;lir etb7o fs tml I
ate small—viz.,
;01iel.:lar 3.d odcioi )tloni.6insogaretnotcnhi one-fourth
finaufarne 1
and only two-:
plyroliveilndßattlißeecigavlter.s2, The expenses f' police officers?
nDir, ?to, ,
k e ell'olgg tia.ede rinint
dcubtl eta, considerable; still the money reeemd the shape Of
iiubt:c..intimis, rents from the starls, boogtleisn. (musti,ntereit,b
°liar:ill:1
enough to afford at least double the amount now ;riven. Wsgr' ipii not be mare conducive to sport and the genera, meeting if the ground was 10 hy tendor, as at E
places? VPi3:° and other
It as each idno •
small astonishment that the 8..,"1i 1, i •
have heased to '
create any f:Capctition amongst rise .00t shuo.ct
the meinbert of the
Jockev 1'... • i ••
. ..ab, who, with plenty of good hor
.s, and a perfect know.
I-,. ,
—se that Mr. Batson hail nothing In Ms stable to Otyble hi M tq
retain it, suffered it to pal witli,.:ll6 a challenge, etlit.isting even tlyo
2001. Led out as an inducement. It looks, indo,:,, as if the abr_n-
tionasent
th f the g 000 y
Club distnd old cu
at om obs
theervedl: th
bv
George the Four', of
haying e Jocke,*.
dactive of sport), had engendered glace (it was clays pro..
a coolness towards 0-. e races, for
it is obvious that those wbe,',.
N
'will run horses at v.vmarket for a
fifty pound plate woe"
notobject. to -tart for 3 foot so temptingly
-.a
elided w itho'"
notb h , .... adquate cause. That his Majesty's intentions should
- ° ...o.feated, it has been suggested by some well-wishers to the.
races that as the challenge prize proves so unattractive the 200 a.
should be altogether withdrawn from it and added to the once po-
pular, but now extinct, Portland Stakes—it could not fail to triple
a sporting race. These matters arc deserving of consideratior, , and
LottlErroll, who, in his double capacity of Steward and raster of
the Buckhounds;has invarirbly shown the utmost anxiel7, to contri-
bute to the amusement of the public, will doubtless ',urn hi: atten-
tion to them at the proper season.
The above remarks are intended to apple only to the racing, as
flemeeting. iu other respects, is likels- to go off extremely well.
The company yesterday, attracted• %to doubt, by the fineness of the
weather, and the anticipated ''sit of the Royal Family, was scarcely
inferior, either in numl)'r or fashion, to whit we have been accus-
tomed to se.e o! On first day. The general arrangements *ere on.
the same ez,•alent plan as usual; the police, headed by Sir F.
Roes Co''.,prised those efficient. officers, Messrs. Gardner, Lead-
bitfrer, Ruthven, and Capes. It is scarcely necessary to add that
in such hands the most perfect order was preserved.
Agreeable to their custom of visiting the races on the first and
third days, their Majesties arrived on the Heath a little before two
o'clock, accompanied by their illustrious visitors, and a numerous
suite. The cortege consisted of eight carriages and four, and three
pony phaetons. In the first carriage were the King and Queen,
his Itoyal Highness the Prince of Orange, and the Duke of Bruns-
wick ; in the second were Prince William of the Netherlands,
Prince Ernest of llesse Phillipsthal, the Duchess of Buccleuch and
the Countess of Brownlow ; those were followed by a pony phae-
ton, driven by his Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge,
who was accompanied by Prince Alexander of the Netherlands.
In the other carriages were the Duke of Buccleuch, the Duke of
Grafton, the Counts Stirum (two),..Earl Brownlow, Earl of Al-
bemarle, Earl Denbigh, Earl Howe,' Lord and Lady De Lisle,
Lord Elphiustone, Lord I:3lirghersh, M. de Dedel, Lord and Lady
Frederick Fitzclarence, Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Ashley, Hon. Cap-
tain Curzon, Sir Jeffrey Wyatville, Sir A. Barnard, Sir Charles.
Thornton, Miss Mitchell, General Bagelaar, Miss Wilson, Cap-.
tain Bause, Colonel Bowater, .11r. Wood, Mr. Shifiner, &c.

The Royal party left, on the termination of the races, arAidst
general expressions of loyalty ani attachment.
Besides the above distinguished characters there were present
the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, Duke of Rutland, ?iarquis of
Granby, Marquis and Marchioness of Exeter, Earl arid Countess
of Uxbridge, Earl Stradbroke, Earl Jersey, Lord Suffield, Lord
Gardiner, Lord and Lady Chesterfield, Lord Albe..t conyngharii,
Sir S. and Lady Graham, Hon. A. Villiers, Host, Bung, Co_
lone Peel, Sir L. Glyn, Captain Martyn, Car.'cairt Gardner, Mr.
Shakerley, Mr. Payne, Mr. July, Mr. F. riarlton, Mr. Hawkes,,
Mr. S. Stanley, and many others whose lames time did not per-
mit us to ascertain.

The following are the returns of every scanty day's sport
His Majesty's Plate of 100 gs. ; three yrs, I st. 21b. ; four, 9st, 21b ;
five, 10st. ; six and aged, lOst, Mt.. To start at the New Mile
Post, go once round and in.
_ _

...Davis 1

Colonel Peels Jacob Faithka, 3 yrs ..
Lord Exeter's Luck's All, 4 yrs
Sir G. Heatheote's Ir.itesden, 3 yr,'
The betting varied fr,in 6 to 4 on Luck's Ail, and 2 to 1 awl
Jacob, to 6 to sou ede latter, and 6 to 4 agst the grew, at whirls
prices it finished. Luck's All made strong running, followed the
distance by cob Faithful, where the latter went a head, and won
e"'Ybv two lengths. Willesden was beaten about as much from
the
e,tey.
Tne Ascot Derby Stakes of 50 sows. each, h. ft., for three vrs
olds; colts, Bst. 61b. ; fillies, Bst. 31b. To start at the Switiley
Post, and in ;.the winner of the Derby or Oaks to carry 51b. ex—
tra. 16 Subs.
Sir F. Collier's b. e. Lieutenant, by The Colonel... Nat 1
Lord Exeter's Muezzin, by Sultan 2
The following also started, but were not placed :
Lord Chesterfield's c. by Zinganee—Babel
Lord Verulam's c. by liedlamite, out of Manille
-Col. Peel's b. c. by -Lamplizlitcr—Sister to Sperma:mti
Mr. Wreford's hr. e. Freeholder

Betting-5 to 4 asst Muezzin, and 3tol KO Babel.
Freeholder took the lead and made 1-urtning for about half a mile,
followed by Muezzin and the Mani% colt ; these two then took it
up, with the Lieutenant waiting at their heels ; on coming into
straight running Manille dropped c,tf, and the Lieutenant took se,
cond place, keeping it till half-way up the distance, where he cEal-
lengenfuezzin, and defeated him by a head, after a very lima race.
Sweepstakes of 100 sovs. each, for three yrs old killif3s that

never won Bst. 51b. Old ,
Mr. Greville's Marmalade, sister to Preserve, waist-it over,
E2TTING ON TOE CVP TO-M(11(.110W.

6 to 4 agst Mr. Theobald's
7 to 4 agst Lord Westminster's Toubstoae_txken

4 to I agst Mr. Cooke's'Sheet Anchor--ta;Gn
6 to 1 agst Mr. Robertson's Lucifer--cal,en

FROM LAST NIGHT'S, GAZETTE.

ST. JAMES'S-PALAU,. MAY 28, 1836.
The King has been pleased to ur,point Thomas Newley Reere,
Standard Bearer to his 111•ijestv's Hon. Corps of Gentlemen
at Arms, rice Sir George 1,10e,„k.

OFFICE OF ORDNANCt?,• MAY 27.
Royal Regiment of Artillery.—Captain and Brevet Major T.
Cubitt, to be Lieir.cr.ant-Colonel v:ce Coffin. placed on the Re-
tired List ; Sceor.4"Japtain W. E. Lock, to be Captain, vice Cubit t ;
First Lieut. T. P.esbrisay to be Second Captain, vice Lock; Se-
cond Lieut. W. F. Crofton to be First Lieutenant, vice Dosbrisar,
May 25.

W HITEII ALL, MAY 27.
•~1 he *Lord Chancellor has appointed W. Owen, jun., of Wem
Shrtypshire, Gent., to be a Master Extraordinary in the high
Cr.,urt of Chancery.

The Lord Chacieellor has appointed W. Untvin, of Sheffield,
Yorkshire, Gent., to be a Master Extraordinary in the High Conrt
of Chancery.

Commission by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Salop.
South Salopian Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry.—D,
ford, Gent., to be Surgeon, vice Humphreys, resigned, May 24.

DECLARATIONS OF INSOLVENCY.
JOHN HOLFORD, tailor, Clapham, Surrey.
JOHN SELLER, tailor, Pulbol oug,,,h: Sussex.

JOHN \VADE, stationer, Lynn 11-e'gis, Norfolk
BANKRUPTS.

JEAIIMA YEOL AND, straw-hat maker, Oxford-street, Mid-
dlesex, June 7, at half-past two, and July 12, at twelve, at the
Court of Bankruptcy. Belcher, official assignee ; Richardson,
Walbrook. _ .

JOIIN EWEN, shopkeeper, East Knoyle, Wiltshire, June 6
aml July 12, at eleven, at the Bath Arms Inn, Warminster.
kenning and Naylor, Tokenhouse-Yard, Lothbury ; Chitty,
Shaftesbury.
EDWARD FINLAYSON GRANT, chemist., Clarendon-
square, Somers'-town, Juile 8 and July 12, at twelve, at the
Court of Bankruptcy. Pope, Raymond-buildings, Gray's-inn ;
Johnson. Basingball-street. official assignee.

ROBERT Ii;OYLY, scrivener, MOreton in the Marsh, Glou-
ceitershirc, June 21, at the White Hart Inn, Moreton, and .luly
12, at the Crown Inn, Eveslian, Worcestershire, at eleven. King
ann Son, solicitors, Serjeant's Inn, Fleet-street ; Price, solicitor,
Burford.