The Sun.
London, England, 1824-01-27 00:00:00

FASHIONABLE PARTIES.

His Royal Highness the Puke of Sussex gave a grand din-
ner on Sunday, at Kensington Palace.
Sir George Warrender, Bart. gave a grand dinner on Sun-
day last, in Whitehall-place.
Alr. Henry Traill gave his first dinner for the season, on
Saturday, at his house, in Lower Brook-street.
Arr. Stratford Canning gave a grand dinner, yesterday, at his
}louse in Berkeley-square.

- The entertainments at the Theatre-Royal, Newcastle-upon-
Tyne, on Friday evening last, were under the patronage of Mrs.
MAYontss, which occasioned the congregation of a great part
of the beau inont.'e, in that quarter. The play was SHERIDAN'S
admirable Comedy of the "Schoolfirr Scandal." The part of
Sir Peter Teazle was on the whole performed in a very respect-
able way by Mr. 3. CRISP, as was the gay, light-headed Lady
Teazle, by Mrs. R. W. HALL. Charles had a pretty fair re-
presentative in Mr. CARTER; but 'Alr. MunEs's delinea-
tion of the hypocritical Joseph, was in the general estimation
a fair portraiture of what the Author intended that charecter
should be. Family jars followed, and the whole went off
briskly, and with that eclat that usually attends a crowded
house.

( From the Are:wattle Courant, Jan. 24.)
• On the 16th inst. the bells at Chester-le-Street church were
rung during the day, being the birth-day of Charles William,
the son and heir of J. G. Larnbton Esq., M.P. At noon the
masons and joiners, about 80 in number, working at Lambton-
hell, got each a bumper of strong ale to drink his health. In the
evening they were all regaled at Mr. Cuthbertson's, Lambton
Arms, Chester-le-street, with an excellent supper, by order of
their employer. The bells of several churches in the city of
Durham were also rung in honour of the day.
The Concert, at the Assembly Room, Dockwray-square, for
the benefit of the North Shields and Tynemouth Dispensary,
on the 15th instant was attended by upwards of three hundred
and twenty persons. The band was numerous and select,
and particularly full and rich in the bass instruments ; and it
I was universally admitted by all the musical judges present,
that the overtures to " II Barbiere di " Prometheus,"
and " I 1 Flauto Magico," all of them difficult to accomplish,
Weregiven with a precision and fire never excelled and rarely
equalled in the North of England. For their brilliancy, the band
•
vas, in a great degree, indebted to the accuracy of the wind in..
'4llll:lents selected from the Scots Greys. The vocal part was
4vdmirably sustained by Mrs. Hammond, Messrs. Huckel,
Takes, Service, Oxley, &c. Great effect was produced in one
ee+ of Sir John Sevenson, " See our Oars with feather'd
Dray," by a judicious and extremely well played accompani-
m
rent of two French horns. The fine old song, by Dr. Boyce,
('i Softly rise, 0 Southern Breeze," was sang in a tasteful,
iii°eningatyle, by Mr. Noakes, and the bassoon accompani-
efanb by one of the Scots Greys, shewed promise, under
ioWinstruction, of a first-rate performer. The chorus, fol-
voielen, the air, was given with great effect both by the
school and band. An instrumental piece, of the old
attendonwal. introduced, one of Corelli's Concertos ; and the
left inwith which it was received, proves that there is yet
the older masters, sufficient to please a great portion of a
mixed audience. Mose'helles' difficult air of The Fall of
was executed on the piano-forte, with surprising neat-
ne3s and • • e
•ge rap digit of finger, by Master Brown, only 13 ears of
„rs, who, judging by this early specimen, bids fair to} become
'lfillsiet-rwate performer on that instrument. the whole, the
:e same t
,' • l t
as well selimbli c ected,
have it is grathyiand ng
tio
to earn, la a
time the had a rich rat amuse.
fent, a most upwards of 30/.f to its fun useul charityds. has received a seasonable addition
0
L. 0.11 Friday week, the Mayor, Aldermen, and other Members
°., the Corporation of Stockton, including several of the resi-
'4tant Gentlemen and a great majority of the merchants and
I,4!tesmen, with' a large party of Ladies, assembled at the
4."? a Hall, to present Leonard Raisbeck, Esq. with a piece
u,l_ Plate, in the shape of an Epergne value upwards of 1001.,
. the a mark of their esteem for his various services. Above
tins base of the pedestal are the arms of the corporation on one side those of Mr.nor
Raisbeck most y
. executed in chased, frosted, and polished, silver; thetastefull oppo-
side bears the following inscription :—" Presented to Leo-
Raisbeck, Esq. by the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses
ie„1111e Borough of Stockton, whose names are inscribed, as a
4.4"cinPony of the high esteem they entertain for his independent
1,) Judicious conduct in the discharge of his official duties as
,"`Jc!corder of the Corporation—for his constant attendance on all re4ions of public business—for the zeal and exertions he die-
tlaeY7l in Promoting the general interests of the town—and for
in iirlar'k ind gentlemanly demeanour invariably manifested
The „Public capacity, as well as towards private individuals."
ipeeellP!rgne. was presented by the Mayor in an appropriate
l!e"yo Which Mr. Raisbeck made a suitable reply. About
Towl,lerrien celebrated the day by dining together, at the
bells op the Mayor in the chair. Throughout the day, the
the river C! church were rung, and the flags of the vessels on
honourt;filild of the different public bodies, were displayed in
e occasion.

INDIAN FETE.
;a Monda
CALcurrA, JULY
3.
There was a superb Nautch given
t, the 30th ult. by Hurrymohun Tagore and
z)
,adley nighYinohun Tagore, at the garden residence of the latter in
eerparah
Upper Circular Road ; and notwithstanding the
Per formidable distance of the festive scene from Calcutta,
ere Was a brilliant and numerous assemblage of beauty and
41110 ii.
The idea usually associated, by up-country sojour-
'ell
in Particular' with the word Nautch, would a priori im-
Prez
them with the notion of a large dull chamber and two or
tit'tee"
Bqualling figurantes on the floor, exhibiting before a few
trtNla44Y Mofussulites, lulled to taciturnity by the murmuring
atlli°t°llY of their own hookas. It was a different thing quite
"441eY Alohun Togore's House of Mirth. There no drow-

siness or heaviness was to be seen ; though we must confess,
that the length of the drive had rather a soporific tendency.
That, however, began gradually to disappear, as the lights
that fringed the road side which led to the mansion, promised
that the journey would soon have a happy end. We shall not
detain our readers at the gate of splendour through which we
passed into the grounds, nor overpower them with a description
of the illuminated arch that surmounted it, much less describe
f
the features of arcadian landscape that reposed beyond, nor o
the groupes which -wandered through the light besprinked
groves. No—we drive up at once to the terrace, and enter the
mansion. Within, all was effulgence, and had the author of
Lallah Rnokh been present, we doubt not but we should have
several rosy paragraphs, some of which would attribute the
burst of splendour, which dazzled the spectator, not to the in-
fluence of such common-place things as lamps and tapers, but
to the glorious illumination of the star-bright eyes which beam-
ed their witchery around.
The company reclined on couches, or seated upon chairs,
viewed the minstrels that ravished the senses in the midst of
the grand area of the hall, or else promenaded round, visiting
the adjoining rooms in the pauses of the music. To describe
the mellifluous strains that flowed from the ruby lips of the
daughters of Cecilia, who exhibited their personal and vocal
charms. nothing loath' is impossible. We know not the
names of the Sirens, but doubt not they stand high in the roll
of Bengalee warblers. When we use the term Sirens, let us
not be misunderstood. Let it not be supposed by the courteous
and albeit credulous reader, that three absolute Mer-
maids exhibited their pretty faces, sported their fishy
tails, and gave expression to the most enchanting notes
of piscatory melody, at the Beerparah Nautch. • It is
very necessary for us to enter this caveat, for we live in an
age teeming with marvellous exhibitions ; and so familiarized
have we become with nymphs of the sea and monsters from
Olraga, that one is almost afraid of trampling by accident
upon the tail of a fair daughter of the ocean at a Ball, just

as an absent man does sometimes upon the train of a young
beauty of terra firma. Whether the day is near when
a Dandy may flirt in a corner with a Mermaid, with-
out incurring the risk of that veracious gentleman Ulys-
ses, is not for us to say ; but sure we are, that were the
Aimee who exhibited the other night at the Nautch, and the
three Sirens who of old rendered vocal the rocks on the Sicilian
coast, to appear together on the stage of the opera-house in
London, that John Bull would stare astonished as much at the
Hindoostannee Sirens as the Sicilian ones. We have heard of
a gentleman, who on hearing the bagpipes for the first time, de-
clared it to be most awful music.' If we know any thing of
physiognomy, we could perceive something like the same
declaration in the eloquent faces of some of the fair visitors
at Beerparrah, not merely at the appearance of the fair
vocalists, and their accompanying minstrels, but at their
Performance. We have been always of opinion, that there
is something peculiarly exquisite in the music of Hindoos-
tan ; nor were our pleasing anticipations
of its ravishing
powers in the least disappointed on Monday evening.—
Three charming daughters ef Song performed alternately. We
regret that we omitted to inquire after their names, for the
purpose of gracing our columns with them. Suffice it, that
the indescribable sweetness of their strains, could only be equal-
led by the soft charms of their beautiful forms, and the ex-
treme gracefulness of their movements. A Nautch girl is a
fine study for the Painter ! Such language in the eye__
such poetry of action--such a treasure of drapery ! ! The Indian
Miss Stephens was, we regret to say,not there. Miss Nickie will
forgive us for this allusion to her, hut really after having once
heard her, it will not be deemed surprising that an expression
of regret should drop from us at not hearing her again. Why
was not Nickie there ? We dare not answer this momentous
question—we dare not raise the curtain which flimsily veils
the musical world of Calcutta, and the harmony that prevails
among the children of Apollo, so creditable to themselves--
so delightful in its effects on the sphere of social recreation. It
is whispered that Nickie declines performing in the same
nautch with Begum John. We feel quite alarmed at this re-
port, and would willingly volunteer our services as Mediator
betwixt the fair 6 Tweedledum,' and the no less fair Tweedle-
dee •' but we need not—the force of example, we trust, will be
sufficient, and all that need be said, is, fie now ye stars of In-
dian melody, let there be no transits betwixt you—no divious
eclipsing—no retrograde evolutions in your orbits. Look at
moniously brilliant ! No discord there—tie all
our galaxy of European musical talent in Calcutta, how har-
t= • mony, and long may it continue so. harmony to
In the
inspau attendance the Indian melodies, a ball-room band,
which was , struck up a lively country dance or
quadrille tune. A billiard-room was also provided for such as
chose to amuse themselves at that agreeable game, and as we
occasionally passed and repassed, we observed the balls knock-
ed about with activity and skill. Among the spectators, it
was interesting to observe, the children of the host picturesque-
ly decked in rich native dresses, garnished with brillants.—
The masters of the festive mansion themselves went round
among their guests, and successfully strove to render the
situation of every one as agreeable as possible. The fire-works
being announced to be in readinees for exhibition, the com-
pany rushed in to the front verandah, before which was a tank, '
flanked by a lawn on each side. The fiery spectacle commenced
with the discharge of small pieces of ordnance at short inter-
vals. To delicate female nerves this was rather a startling
portion of the entertainments of the evening, and perhaps it is
a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance.—
Noise often causes headache, headache brings low spirits. We
would suggest, then, to our native friends, in future to have
no cannonading, for though sounds give pleasure, yet there is
a material difference between music and noise.
The fire-works defy panegyric. In viewing them, one felt
as if all the tales about magicians and enchantments had been
realised. The most beautiful rockets rose instaneously, with a
curved ascent towards the clouds—dropt at a vast height bells
of sappliiae light, and then vanished into darkness. Serpents
of fire clove the bosom of night, and after attaining a great
elevation, became hydras of light, and then disappeared. had
Dr. Tytler been there, the sight of these " accursed" corrus-
cations undoubtedly would have afforded him a new illustra-
tion of his peculiar doctrine of the snake. Arabia-Felix, in the
best days of her enchantment, could not have furnished more
exquisitely beautiful groves of oriental bloom than the admir-
ing spectators beheld on Monday night from the terrace of
Ladleyhohun Tagore's residence. Glorious prismatic boughs,
with the most dazzling golden foliage, waved for a minute or
two, and then ceased to be. Wheels upon wheels, and wheels
within wheels, revolved with astonishing rapidity, flashing forth
spangles of evanescent fire. In short, the eye almost became
weary with the matchless beauties that revelled before it, and
half longed for darkness. All at once the waters of the tank,
which had appeared hitherto a placid mirror, that occasionally
reflected the fitful pageantry of fleeting brilliance, that shot
athwart the air above, became, as it were, convulsed ; and
fiery monsters appeared to thrust forth their indomitable
jaws vomiting flames. The element of water, now appa-
rently jealous of the admiration so monopolized by its rival
element, interfered most enviously and rudely, and absolutely
shed tears of vexation. In plain English, a shower of rain be-
gan to drizzle, which sent the ladies back to the spacious cham-
ber whence the fire-works had tempted them. An excellent
supper anti a variety of good wines had been prepared for the
occasion, under the skilful superintendence of our celebrated
Amphityrons, Gunter and Hooper. After supper the band
played some quadrille tunes. The sympathy between these
and the heels of some of the company was irresistible. The
room by this time was not near so crouded as it had been
in the early part of the evening, as the Native spectators had
retired. Indeed, the fireworks were still going on without,
which detained them willingly denizens of the lawn.
Some short time afterwards the fashionables began to depart,
and, if we might judge from what we saw, and from a few cur-
sory observations made in our hearing, all appeared highly
pleased with the politeness and hospitality of their kind and
courteous native entertainers—Hurrymohun Tagore and Lad.
leymohun Tagore. The festive scene had the boast of what
may be called an unique feature in a native entertainment -
a quadrille set, which had various interesting attractions to re-
cenimend it besides the charm of novelty.