The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-29 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

A most numerous and fashionable audience assembled on
Saturday evening to witness the first performance in this
country of Mercadante's Giuramento, which, reckoning
Torquata Tasso, Beatrice di Tenda, Ines de Castro,
and the ballets La Tarentule, Le Lac des Fees, and
L'Ombre, is the seventh novelty which the management
of her Majesty's Theatre have this season presented to the
public. II Giuramento was originally brought out at
Milan some three or four years ago with much success;
but, till now, has not made its way across the Alps. It
has been performed here without having, as usual, been
first produced at Paris. As a musical work, however, it
is not unknown in England; one of our principal pub-
lishers having a considerable time ago ventured to pub-
lish not only the opera complete, but its principal pieces
separately, without its having been previously heard on the
stage. Some of these pieces have met with favourable ac-
.eeptance and have been much sung in the fashionable mu-
sical circles ; and accordingly they have undergone the
usual manufactures to which favourite opera music is sub-
jected—arrangements for the pianoforte as solos and duets ;
fantasias by Czerny, Diabelli, and other such composers ;
sod even sets of quadrilles. The success of these publica-
tions, unaided by the prestige of previous transmission to
the public ear through the lips of Grisi and Rubini, leads
to the inference that the music must be melodious, pleasing,
and popular. And so it is. But music may be very pretty
and pleasing, and yet, in a dramatic sense, perfectly
worthless.,

The libretto is the work of Signor Rossi. .It is of the
average value of such productions—improbable, confused,
and absurd in its incidents, but containing what are caled
strong situations; while, in its diction, it is simple even to
au extremity ( f baldness, so that the composer may bay(
sin sort of embarrassment in setting it to music. The fol-
sowing is an outline cf the plot :—There is aruthless tyrant,
Count Manfred, who is jealous of his wife, whom he consigns
to death on suspicion of infidelity, while he himself is in love
with another wcman. There is Bianca, his wife, forced to
marry him years before, and pining for the loss of a former
lover. Then there is that lover, Viscardo, whose love is as
strong as ever ; and, lastly, there is Eloise, the lady who if.,
beloved by Manfred, while she nourishes an utvcquitcd pas-
aMn for Viscardo. And these elements of love, jealousy,
and hatred, produce as tragic an imbroglio as can be de-
sired. The morality of the personages is not very
caramplary.
With such a drama, and such music, powerful and na-
tural action is out. of the question. What can the actor
make of the most impassioned phrase in the world, if it is
frittered away into a king tissue of unmeaning vocal pret-
finesses ; or what can he do in the most Striking situation,,
if his very limbs arc chained by
-the necessity of cxe
cuting a string of elaborate floulidies? The assumed
character disappears, and we have only Madame
Grisi or Signor Rubini entertaining us with a
song. And yet it is wonderful what these gifted
-performers sometimes contrive to do, when they can
get rid of their musical trammels and use the tones, ges-
tures, and movements of genuine passion. In the last
scene they trampled upon the stumbling-blocks of Met-
crdante, and exhibited a tragic picture of great power
d beauty, But it is rarely indeed that such oprortu-
nities occur on the modern Italian stage.
. Notwithstanding all these defects, one cannot but feel
the beauty of many pieces in this opera. Among these
were the air " Bella adorata incognita," in the first scene.
sun.. by Rubini ; the quartet°, "11/La:;=o a chi s',adora,"
in the next scene ; the air Or W onda," sung by
Madlle. Tosi ; the elle:, " Di Viscardo io sono amante,"
sung by Mad. Grisi and Madlie. Tosi ; and the duct,
" Dolce conforto al micro." cur g by the same per.
r.oriners ; whisk last is the gem of the opera, being net
cnly exquisitely graceful ansi e )(now, but just and ap-
rropriate in expression. The eho ucs are poor and com-
monplace.
The performance was excellent. The acting was
very good where good acting was possible, and
s.inging was admirable throughout. Mademoiselle
Te.si,' who has appeared too seldom, sang beau-
tifully, and was gteatly applauded. Coletti's part ( Man-
fred) is an unpleasng one, but he did it ample justice.
Grisi and Rubini never performed better. The piece
wvas decidedly succes,ful ; the curtain having fallen amidst
the general applause of a very crowded audience.
After the opera the ballet of L'Ombre was repeated.
The theatre, whit h was densely crowded in all parts, was

graced with the presence of her Majesty and Prince A

bent, who arrived just as the overture commenced. 11-:1
Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady
Fanny Howard, Lady Anna Maria Dawson, and Colonel
iCouper, occupied the Queen Dowager's box ; and their
Royal Highnesses the Duchess, Prince George, and
Princess Augusta of Cambridge attended the eveniug'h
entertairunsrrs.

Among the distinguished audience we also observed the
Duke and Dechea; of Montrose, the Duke of Wellington,
the Duchess of Cannizzaro, the Earl and Countess of
Wilton, the Marquis and Marchioness of Ailesbury, the
Countess of Blessington, Lady Fitzroy Somerset, Lord
and Lady Ernest Bruce, Lady Pembroke, the Marchioness
•ot Ab:•rcorn, Lady Burghersb, Lord Burghersh, Lord St.
Vincent, &e.

MERCHANT SEAMEN'S INSTITU

TION.

A plan for the krmation of a great institution for aged
decn3cd, or disabled seamen in the mercantile service
has been brought to cur notice by a circular which 1,
now being issued among the shipowners, merclants,
and others interested in the subject. The circular 's
beaded by a very fine sketch of the intended building,
svbich seems to us exactly fitted to be the centre oi
the two wings by which Greenwich Hospital is cern
posed. Good, however, as is the plan of the built'.
ing, better, much better, is the plan, or rather the
object cf the institution. We can see vast national
advantages as likely to arise from the success of this great
undertaking. The author of the circular considers that
may be calculated to win back our sailors from the Ame-
rican service. This may eventually be the case, but w,
look for more immediate benefits in leading the sailor tk
prudent habits, and protecting him from the crimps b)
whom he is beset and besieged from the very moment he
arrives until the moment he (or rather his money) departs,
require strong energy and much perseverance to
accomplish this great work ; but we have reason to be-
lieve th&t energy and perseverance are no strangers to tilt
mind that has conceived it, and to the hands that will can)
it out.

The following is the circular alluded to :-
PRI:LIMINART PROSPECTUS OF THE MERCANTILE MARINERS
HOME AND HOSPITAL, TO BE ERECTED AND PRCVIDED FOR
IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, BY A CAPITAL OF 500,0001., SUS-
CEPTIBLE OF A PERPETUAL INCREASE, BOTH BY PROPRIE
TORS AND DONORS, OWNERS AND SAILORS.
Sift,—The great leading objects of this national under-
taking are, to provide a Se. ond Greenwich lb pital
Seamen not in the Royal Service—to erect a species 0,
Insurance in Life against Age, Illness, or Accident—to i
offer an inducement, unparalleled in any other country, to
war Comrrt9Lgial Mariners, not to be tempted to enter into the
!Service of -7nuerica or other States, where no such provision
is or can be made for British subjects—and, in an especia]
degree, to cultivate habits of prudence in those who hither('
have been proverbially imprudent, by offering them, for a
very small portion of those earnings (generally sacrificed
as intemperance or to trickery,) a noble Institution, Food,
'Clothing, and Lodging, or an adequate Income to enjoy
each; and the whole conferred, not as a matter of charity,
but as a matter of property, being at once " The Ssaman's
Refuge and Right."
All these things are of easy accompli.hment. The
Sailor, should he live to be fifty years of age, and have
paid his quota of the Insurance, may calculate on reed's.
ing at least ten times the value of the amount he has
partly by the accumulations of compound interests; partly by
the deaths of those who pay, but do not live to enjoy ;
partly by the joint subscriptions of owners and merchants;
partly by the contributions of the patriotic and philan-
thropic, many of whom are ardently dispos-d to assist this
Institution ; and, generally, from the nationality of its cha-
racter and objects.
In addition to these sources of Income and objects of
utility, it is contemplated to add to the profits, and at the
same time protect the Mercantile Seamen from those whom
he most emphatically and most truly calls" Land Sharks,"
by uniting the benefits of a Saving Bank and a Loan In-
stitution to the other, and more important, features of
the plan.
It is proposed that a large proportion of the original
vaa,pi*.al shaft be devoted to the erection of the builciino,
sat;on same site near the Thames; and that the whole of
lee proprietary capital, amounting to 500,000/., shall be
mist d by the axle of terminable annuities for sixty years,
at seven per cent, per annum interest, redeemable at the
market price, when above par, by the Trustees of the In-
stitution, at their option ; and when the whole are re-
deemed, or have expired, the entire property to belong to
British Mercantile Nlatiners, and their successors, as a
Home and an Horiptt al for ever.
It It will be necessary- in the construction of the boil i'ng
to divitit!it into classes; hence, under the sanction and
suvrintendence of the ablest and the best practical me o
alt ditorcler will be avoided; and station and position in
Society will be preserved to meet the views as well as to
conduce to t c comforts of the occupants.
Parliamei . will be applied to for an Aet, or the Govern.
meat for a Royal Charter, to limit the responsibility of
those who may take Shares as Proprietors. Of course,
Bequests, Donations, or Annual Subscriptions, create no
risk, and hence require no protection—the latter, it is
hoped, will furnish a very large and constantly inerettiiiig
proportion of the Funds of the Institution, which, in addi-
tion to the small payments by the sailors themselves, who
shall, in all cases, have a latitude of at least two years, to
make up their deficiencies, will, in time, dispense with the
necessity of proprietorship altogether. In the year 1,900, it
not before, the Institution will belong to the nation.
These general views arc thrown out for consideration
end advice. The only grand principle which can never be
departed from is, a home and its comforts, for aged, de-
ca.:ed, or disabled Seamen, not otherwise provided f
With thankfulness, will any suggestion he received, and
- wrtli eheerfulneas adopted, to alter and amend any part
of the plan. A'.ready individual of distinction have ex-
pressed their determination to support the object by every
meaus in their power. WLen a sufficient number to form a
Genera Committee have signified their adhesion to that ob-
ject, without kiting expected to adhc-e to the plan, as
sketched our,
the will be called together, and asked to
elect a Counel or Board of management, from among
themselves, of qualified members. Such Committee, and
such Council, if entirely approving of each other, but not
otherwise, will have their names published. It is hoped
that this may bis effected during the present Session of
Parliament, and nothing but a want of sufficient consider-
of its great: public and
ation private bent fits, can impede
or reterd its speedy completion.

Ever}' suggestion or anhcsion is requested to ba made in
wr:ting, and will he forthwith acknowledged by,
Sir, ncr most obedient humble servant,
w. ItiORTHHOUSE, Temporary Manager,
At sho Office of the Sllicitors to the Institution, Messrs.
Willtinscn and Pair., Guildha`l-yard, London.
JI2:4C, 1840.