The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-24 00:00:00

EXETER-HALL.

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The second performance of Elijah, under the direction of
Dr. Mendelssohn, took place last night, in the presence of
her Majesty and Prince Albert. The hall was crowded to
suffocation. The royal party occupied the gallery at the left
wing, near the orchestra. (For her Majesty's suite, see the
Court Circular.) _ _

Her Majesty'and Prince Albert, on taking their places,
were received with tumultuous greetings, which they cour-
teously acknowledged by repeated salutations to the crowd.
The band and chorus then performed the national anthem. al
It would seem that good counsel is not altogether thrown
away upon the Sacred Harmonic Society, to judge by the
difference between last night's performance and that which
preceded it. Although much more than was done might
have been done in strengthening and purifying the band and
chorus by adding and subtracting where it was necessary,
yet the evidence of painstaking in the general performance
was manifested most agreeably. The choruses, for the
most part, if they did not go perfectly, went far better
than there was reason to anticipate from the unfinished
and clumsy exhibition of Friday week, and the orchestral
accompaniments demonstrated an amount of extra training
that could only have resulted from a complete and satis-
factory rehearsal. This, we believe, took place yesterday
morning, under the composer's direction. Most of the faults
we noted in our report of the first performance were rectified
last night. The overture was played with spirit and accuracy.
The refrain of the duette and chorus," Lord, bow down thine
ear to our prayer," was highly satisfactory, although there
was still some unsteadiness in the starting of the solo voices.
The passages for the stringed instruments in the magnificent
choruses of the Baalite priests, were now given with the
proper force, and the effect was doubled in consequence. The
corale (quartette), " Cast thy burthen upon the Lord," went
smoothly, and the grand chorus at the end of the first part,
" 'Thanks be to God," was much more correctly and ener-
getically delivered, though still not up to the mark, owing
to the want of sufficient power in the stringed instruments.
The mistake we mentioned last time in the chorus " Be not
afraid," where the time and measure change, was entirely set
right: the point was taken up admirably. The unaccom-
panied trio, for female voices, " Lift thine eyes to the moun-
tains," produced the same effect as last time, and was sung,
much better, the soprano voices being, on this occasion, per-
fectly in tune. As Miss Kirkhsm is a very young artist,
we are glad to have the opportunity of encouraging
h°r by a word of approval. The most perfect of all the
choral. performances were " He watching over Israel," a strain
of soothing and enchanting melody, and " Behold, God the
Lord passeth by !" one of the grandest pieces of descriptive
music ever composed. The manner in which the gradations
of force, from loud to soft and the converse, were accom-

plished,' in the first, demands unequivocal praise ; and the
power and enthusiasm with which the last was rendered are
equally worthy of admiration. In short, the entire perform-
ance was one likely to advance the reputation of the Sacred
Harmonic Society, which has not been always the case of
late. The principal vocalists were Misses Birch, Dolby,
Kirkham, and Duval, Messrs. Lockey, Phillips, Novello, Peek,
and Smythson. As in the presence of Majesty encores are
not the etiquette, there were not many; but on three occa-
sions the performance was so excellent, and the music so ab-
sorbing, that the audience forgot their etiquette in
their enthusiasm, and loudly called for the repeti-
tion of the pieces. These were the chorus, " Baal, we
cry to thee;" the trio of angels, " Lift thine eyes to
the mountains," sung by Misses Kirkham, Dolby, and
Duval ; and the beautiful air, " 0 rest in the Lord," sung by
Miss Dolby. Miss Birch gave the air, " Hear ye, Israel,''
very finely; and Mr. Lockey's style was chaste and pure in
"Then shall the righteous." Mr. Phillips's first song was
spoiled by the indecision of the orchestra ; but in his second,
" It is enough," he made amends by his pathos and expres-
sioa. The violoncello points in the song were beautifully
played.
At the end of the performance her Majesty and Prince
Albert, rising to depart, were loudly and repeatedly cheered ;
and, subsequently, a tremendous cheer was given for Dr.
Mendelssohn, whose great work had just been performed.
The nuisance of persons rising to leave before the oratorio is
concluded, and thereby seriously annoying those who are
anxious to hear the whole, was obviated last night by keep •
ing the doors closed until the royal party had taken their de-
parture. Thus the masterpiece of Mendelssohn was listened
to, undisturbed. till the very last note was played. The third
performance will take place next Wednesday.

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
LIVERPOOL, APRIL 23.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Ambergate, Notting-
ham, Boston, and Eastern Junction; yki dis.—Birkenhead,
Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction, lii dis.—Birmingham and
Oxford Junction, 81/9 p.—East Lancashire, New, par—Ditto,
New (scrip), 14:p.—Edinburgh and Glasgow, Halves, 8% p.—
Edinburgh and Perth (New Co. ), 'xi p.—Leeds and Thirsk,
4% dis.—London and North-Western, 172—Ditto, Quarters,
1534 p.—Ditto, New Quarters, 934 p.—London and South-
Western (scrip), 1/2 dis..—Manchester and Leeds, 32/. Shares
(late Extension), '36 p.—Ditto, Halves ( late L. and B.), 21/2
p.—Ditto, Fifths (late W. R. U.), 1/2 p.—Manchester, Shef-
field, and Lincolnshire, Quarters, 2 dis.—Blanchester and
Southampton, 1 dis.—Midland, New, 21/2 p.—North Stafford-
shire, 2 p.--Shrewsbury and Chester, (late N. W. M.), 51/2
p.— Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester, 2 dis.—Shrewsbury
and Birmingham (8),% dis.
MANCHESTER, Aran. 23.
__STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Birkenhead, Lance-
Junction, 7%—b1a,....b....tinn. I—Birmingham and Oxford
—East Lancashire (late B. and r.), .0 -22, pnrircreaattl.4
(scrip), 3-16—Fleetwood, Preston, and h West
and
Cantionli,ls-1-16D—iruzddTehrsirtll
—Liverpool,l47Alanc tellrlanßcahielswtaeyr,
Newcastle Junction, 31s. 3d.—Manchester and Leeds, Fifths,
414—Ditto, 321. Shares (late Extension), % —Ditto, Fifths
(late West Riding Union), %—Manchester and Southamp-
ton, I—Midland, 501. Shares, 2 3-16—North Staffordshire,
1 15-I6—Oldham Alliance, 14—Preston and Wyre, Halves
(B), 7-16—Shropshire Union, 1% c.—South-Eastern and
Dover, 36 c.—Ditto, No. 2, 1/s.—Ditto, No. 4, 1-16 dis.—
South Staffordshite, 1/2 c.—South Yorkshire, Doncaster, and
Goole, %—Wharfdale Junction, % c.—York and Newcastle,
Preference, 3.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE ME DITE RRAIsI EAN

- SQUADRON.
MALTA, APRIL 14.—At Lisuon—The fiber nia, 104,
bearing the Harz of Vice-Admiral Sir W. Pal :leer, tl.a
Commander-in-Chief; and the America, 50.
At Gibraltar—The Virago war-steamer.
At Barcelona—The Amazon, 26.
At Malta—The Ceylon, 12 (receiving-ship', bearing
the flag of Sir L. Curtis, second in command, and Su-
perintendent of Malta Dockyard; the Belleisle, 74; the
Spartan, 26; the Mutine, 10; the Research (surveying-
cutter), the Locust steam-sloop, and Wee Pet steam-tug.
At Corfu—The Meteor steam-sloop.
At the Pincus of Athens—The Albion, 90; the Rod-
ney, 90; the Vanguard, 84; the Fantome, 16; and the
Bonctta (surveying-vessel).
At Constantinople—The Hecla war-steamer.
At Beyrout—The Harlequin, 16.
MAIL STEAM-PACKETS.
At Malta—The Spitfire, Ardent, and Flamer; and on
her way thither from Marseilles, the Volcano.
PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL COMPANY'S
MEDITERRANEAN PACKETS.
At Malta, the Ariel and the Ripon. On her way tO
Malta from Southampton and Gibraltar, the Tagus. On
her way from the ports of the continent of Italy to
Southampton, the Tiger. Between Trebisond anci Con-
stantinople, the Erin. At Southampton, the Indus,
Pottinger, Oriental, Achilles, Montrose, Royal Tar, and
Iberia. _ _ .

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MOVEMENTS AT THE PORT OF MALTA SINCE
THE STH OF APRIL.
The Belleisle arrived from Corfu on the 8•1), and is
loading Indian meal for Cork, with which, and. some mili-
tary invalids, she will t,,ke her departure this week.
The Bonetta sailed on the Bth to resume her surveying
labours in the Archipelago, in the waters of Skyrna,
where the Volage (hourly expected from England) will
immediately join her.
The Locust returned from the Piraeus of Athens on
the 13th, but brings no intelligence of importance touch-
ing the Turco-Greek question. In all probability the
Sultan will detain all Greek vessels at the Dardanelles
until the required satisfaction be given to him, which
will tend to distress the ports of the continent of Italy
and France requiring corn, of which the vessels of
Greece are the chief carriers from the Danube and the
Black Sea.

The Ariel returned from Alexandria at ten o'clock last
night, bringing the India passengers and mail, with the
heavy portion of which the Ripon (whose defects have
been made good) will be dispatched this evening to
Southampton; whilst the Spitpire will carry on to Mar-
seilles this morning the mails for England by the over-
land route.

The Flamer arrived last night from Patras and the
lonian Islands; and the Tagus, from Southampton, and
the Volcano, with the overland mail from Marseilles, are
hourly looked for. The Arid will carry on the latter to
Alexandria.

The Louisa cutter yacht sailed yesterday for the Levant.
The Mutine will probably be ordered to Smyrna,
where, for some time past, there has been no British
ship• of-war stationed.
A line-of-battle ship, supposed to be French, passed
Malta for the eastward on the 1 1 th.