The Sun.
London, England, 1870-02-04 00:00:00

MR. HENRY LESLIE'S CONCERT.

The first concert of the spring series took place
last evening at St. James's Hall, and resulted in a
most triumphant success. The spacious hall was
densely filled in every part previous to the com-
mencement of the programme, a fact that showed
that really good music well executed has always a
charm sqfficient to attract the largest audiences.
The programme contained some of the most cele-
brated solo compositions of the old English masters
and a variety of part songs and glees by Mr.
Leslie, Sir H. Bishop, Henry Smart, Calcott,
Wilbye, and Benedict ; the former were sung by
Mr. Sims Reeves, the glees by Mdme. Poole, bliss
Fosbrooke, Messrs. Hillier, Mellor, and Osborne.
The part songs were given in an admirable man-
ner by Mr. Henry Leslie's choir, which
showed an amount of training that won
the most enthusiastic applause. Mr. Sims
Reeves' songs were " Adelaide," " The Pilgrim of
Love," and " Tom Bowling," and never has this
accomplished artiste rendered the celebrated com-
positions with greater power and effect than last
evening. The applause ;at the end of each vas
loud, long, and unanimous. The instrumental
pieces, by Mozart and Beethoven, were rendered in
the most finished and complete manner by Messrs.
E. Howell, Shakespeare, Crozier, Lazurus, Harper,
and Wotton, and produced the greatest delight.
Altogether the concert was a great and deserved
success—a result that was as pleasant for the int-
mence audience as it was for Mr. Leslie, and we
congratulate that gentleman on the brilliant pros-
pect it affords of the prosperous realisation of the
whole of his future arrangements.

Col. G. Rotton, 11th Brigade Royal Artillery,
at Woolwich, has obtained leave of absence from
the Ist to the 24th inst, Capt. and Adjt. F. Dun-
can, 11th Brigade Royal Artillery, has left Wool-
wich on leave to the 14th of next month.
From remote antiquity wine has been the chief
enlivener of mankind, and has inspired poets to hymn its
praise in worthy and immortal verse. Through the efforts
of Mr. Gladstone this precious liquor is becoming a national
drink, and the period is fast approaching when every
middle-class residence will contain its cellar of wine. The
happy owner of 100 dozen of choice wine may esteem his
cellar as a shrine wherein is gathered the odorous fruitage
of 20 summer suns. With the pride of a general he may
review his phalanxed bins, confident that his veteran
battalions faithfully asnit his bidding to expel invading
care. But the first concern with persons desiring fully
to enjoy the important fiscal boon recently conferred on
the community is where they may obtain pure wino at a
reasonable price, their perplexity being further aggravated
by importunate advertisers, who put forth meretricious
descriptions of vintages and attractive prices to deceive
and allure. It seems scarcely fair to name ono house in
pith:War, but it would be unjust to withhol 1 from the
public the names of th se firms.who for years past and at pre-
sent are supplying really pure wines at a fair and reasonable
price. Foremost amongst them ranks the firm of Phythian
and Sons, of 432, West Strand, whose sherry at 215.,
Amontillado at 425., and Manzanilla at 3Gs. per dozen can-
not be surpassed, unless, indeed, it is by their port at 2-15.
and 365., of Sandernan's shipping (1663 vintage), their
claret (yin de Medoc) at 125., or their champagne at 365.
per dozen, guaranteed pure. Spa N 3 will. not p3rtnit a re-
view of all the wines imported by this old-established firm
—suffice to say that every wine in existence is kept by
them iu stock, and at equally moderate prices. In cases
like this, where a leading house honestly offers the publio
the full advantage accruing from recent wise
it becomes a duty which the public owe themselves to give
that patronage anti support which such efforts deserve.--
Observer.