The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-06 00:00:00

STRAND.

Henry Russell, an old and established friend of the
public, re-opened this theatre yesterday evening,
for the Easter season. The attendance was not alone
numerous, but select. In the course of the enter-
tainment Mr. Russell introduced several new songs,
one of which, the "Demon Ship," the composition
of the lamented Hood, met with marked and deserved
applause. Few persons who have ever heard Mr.
Russell do not desire to hear him again and again.
His style is simple, not in the least ornate, a fioriture
being never attempted; yet he has a magic power over
his hearers, he understands the secret of establishing a
communication between himself and his audience,
which renders his success certain. To this end he
has chosen subjects calculated strongly to arouse
the passions, and awaken the tenderer emotions of
the soul, and clothing them in simple yet beautiful
language, h. gives them utterance with a fervour
and pathos which completely wins the sympathies of
his audience. The " Gambler's Wife," the " Maniac,"
and the " Ship on Fire," are striking illustrations of
this talent. Although most of his songs come under
this standard, yet there are many which are excep-
tions to the rule, and which owe their whole popu-
larity to his power of voice as a singer, and his
accompaniment as a musician. To this class belong
" A life on the Ocean Wave," " I'm Afloat," " And a
life in the West." As a comic singer, Mr. Russell
possesses no mean powers ; he is the composer as well
as the author of most of the negro melodies, which
are so popular, and he sings them with a great deal
of effect. It would be an injustice should we close
this brief notice, if we omitted to advert to his sin-
gular skill as a pianist, his style and execution on the
pianoforte is most brilliant, many prefer him to
Thalberg, but his chief merit consists in the sweet-
ness, and withal, the clearness of his notes.

ROYAL POLYTECHNIC 11VSTITUTION.
The visitors to the institution yesterday were
exceedingly numerous. Every part of its spacious
area—the Great Hall, galleries, and theatres—was
crowded ; and we suppose that not less than 3,000
persons enjoyed the treasures of science and art which
are presented to the curious of every class, the old
and the young, the learned and the untaught, in its
varied lectures and its replete and matchless collection
of mechanical, artistic, and natural wonders. The
principal novelties of the season now commenced are
—a splendid pair of the Cymnotus Electricus, or
Electrical Eel, and a most interesting course of
lectures upon " Animal Mechanism," by T. Rymer
Jones, Esq., P.R.S., the eminent Professor of Natural
History to King's College. To these we may add a
new series of very beautiful dissolving views, the
interest of which is greatly heightened by the intro-
duction of new and appropriate music, which does
the highest credit to the very able musical director
of the institution, Dr. 'Wallis, whose compositions and
performances have repeatedly been the subject of high
commendation in the columns of The Sun, as well as of
the other metropolitan journals, and on no occasion more
deservedly than on the present. Dr. Baehoffner's
lectures on Armstrong's Hydro-electric Machine
continue to form one of the most attractive features
of the day's entertainment; but we cannot help re-
peating our regret that this learned and eloquent pro-
fessor does not continue the whole year round his
charming lectures on astronomy, which, illustrated
by his admirable dissolving orrery, are by far the most
instructive and popular we ever heard upon the sub-
ject. The value of his discourses is enhanced as much
by the simplicity of his manner as by the clearness
and unstudied elegance of his diction. Our good-
humoured friend, who submits his classical, and, at
the same time, extremely merry countenance, to ex-
hibition in the Physioscope, adds very much, by the
rich and varied play of his expressive features, to the
amusement afforded by this curious invention of the
ingenious Secretary, Mr. Longbottom. Space will
not allow us to go into further detail of the match-
less variety of combined entertainment and instruc-
tion to be enjoyed in a day's promenade through the
wonders of the " Polytechnic ;" but the public are
already so much influenced by their attractiveness,
that all who have a zest for the choicest possible
combination of the useful with the delightful, will
crowd to the Institution, without any need of our
exhortation to that purpose.

COLOSSEUM.
The doors of this splendid establishment were yes-
terday opened to the public at a reduced price of ad-
mission, arid the new system appeared to be rewarded
with deserved success, upwards of 1,000 visitors
having been present in the course of the day and
evening. The entertainments comprised the pano-
ramas of London, by night and day; the exhibition
of sculpture, stalactite caverns, prize cartoons,
&c., which have already acquired their meed of po-
pularity among the sight-seers from town and
country.

• BRITISH MUSEUM.
No less than 19,170 persons passed yesterday
through the collections of this institution. As an in-
stance of the increasing interest which the public
takes in this national collection, we may state that on
Easter Monday, 1845, the number of visitors was
15,316; whereas yesterday there were 19,170. Dur-
ing the year 1841 there were 319,374, whilst during
last year there were 750,601. An effective body of
police was dispersed throughout the rooms, superin-
tended by Sergeant Neale. The magnificent hall
leading into the building was expected to be thrown
open ; but, in consequence of the works not being
sufficiently advanced, the public was unfortunately
deprived of a sight of that splendid piece of archi-
tecture.