The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-07 00:00:00

ITALY.

THE POPE.
The intelligence from Italy gives us some interest-
ing particulars of the escape of Pio Norio from the
Bonapartists at Rome. It appears that his HOLINESS
disguised himself as a livery-servant of the Bavarian
Embassy, and escaped from the Quirinal on the box
of the coach of the Bavarian Ambassador, Count
Srnoa, the mob mistaking him for the foot-
man of the Ambassador. Count SPHOR, who had
suggested this disguise to the Pontiff, had, for-
tunately, three days before these occurrences,
taken out his: passports: for himself and suite for
Naples. Arrived at the Bavarian Embassy, the POPE
doffed his livery suit, and attiring himself in the garb
of the chaplain to the Ambassador, took his place in
the carriage by the side of Count SPHOR ; post horses
were procured, and early on the morning of the 25th
the POPE had arrived in safety at Gaeta, the fron-
tier town of the Neapolitan dominions. On the
arrival of the POPE at Gaeta, on Sunday morning,
the Commander of the Forces telegraphed the fact to
Naples, and asked " How are we to treat his Holi-
ness ?" " With every possible attention," was the
reply.

The KING and the Royal Family immediately set
out for Gaeta to pay their respects to the POPE. The
KING, having had an interview with his Holiness, re-
turned to Naples on the 27th. It was rumoured in
Naples that the PorE would take up his abode in that
city, and would occupy either the Palace of Portici
or that of Caserta.

The Pluton, French steamer, with Admiral TEE-
IIOUART on board, left Naples for Gaeta on the 27th,
All the foreign ambassadors except the Sardinian
have accompanied the POPE.
On the arrival of the French steamer at Gaeta, the
POPE refused to go on board, or to proceed to France.
His HOLINESS has ordered the Cardinals to repair to
Malta, there to hold a conclave in the event of his
demise.

The King of NAPLES has prorogued the meeting
of the Chambers to the Ist of February.
Prince CARIATI has apologised to the English Ad-
miral, Sir W. PARKER, for a note presented some
time since, charging the English with having landed
cannon and military stores in Sicily. The Admiral
had every ship's company mustered, and on finding
that the accusation was false, returned a very sharp
answer.

The Bellerophon has sailed from Naples for Pa
lermo.

The report of the flight of the Grand Duke of
TUSCANY from Florence is not confirmed. On the
contrary, GUERAZZI has pledged himself to the Grand
Duke to restore order, and has issued an address to
the inhabitants of Leghorn, in which he says, " It is
time that we return to order, and I shall compel those
who are disinclined."

The Corriere Mercantile of Genoa, of the 13th
ult., states the following from Milan, 28th :—" A
Russian Ambassador arrived here yesterday ; HA-
DETZKY immediately sent him an Austrian guard of
honour, but he refused, and accepted instead a piquet
of Municipal Guards, after having asked whether he
could have any National Guards, and being answered
in the negative." The emissaries of the Duke of
LEUCHTENDERG are actively canvassing Placentia and
Lombardy for adherents.
The Venice Gazette of the 23d ult. contains a de-
cree of the Provisional Government, imposing on the
communes, at present subject to the Venetian Go-

vernment, a new contribution of 12,000,000 f., pay-
able at the rate of 25 centimes a year on every franc
of estimated value, in quarterly payments, to begin
from March 31, 1849. A quantity of paper money,
equal to the amount, to be called " Money of the
Commune of Venice," is to be issued from the Ist
inst., in sums of not more than three millions a
month. Admiral ALBINI arrived at Venice on the
23d, and had an immediate conference with the
Government.

COVEN T GARDEN THEATRE.
Considerable interest was manifested last night at
:his fashionable resort of the monde musicale to hear a
new opera composed by Mr. Henri Laurent, a very
young man, scarcely of age. The opera was com-
posed before the new candidate for operatic honours
had attained his twentieth year; and indeed it does
him great credit. We understand Mr. Henri Lau-
rent studied under Mr. G. A Macfarren and Mr.
French Flowers. The new opera is called Quentin
_Durward, and is founded upon the brilliant romance
of the same title by Sir Walter Scott, and is drama-
tised with great shill and dramatic effect by
Mr. Fitzball, the author of a hundred and
one successful pieces, whose charming stanzas
in many of the sweet melodies in the opera will be
warbled by many a fair damsel in cottage, castle, hall,
and bower, before Christmas. The airs allotted to
Mr. Harrison, who personated Quentin Durward,
were exceedingly beautiful, and Mr. Harrison ap-
peared to great advantage in this role, the music of
which suits him to a nicety. "I come from the Land
of the Mountain" is a bold, broad melody, and was
encored. "Is she a Spirit ?" is a divine melody. A
beautiful effect is produced in the accompaniment, the
violins playing tremolo con surdissa. The encore to this
ballad was as enthusiastic as it was deserved. The
ballad in the last act, sung by Mr. Harrison, was one of
the best pieces in the opera,"Olsabelle, my love," and we
predict it will eventually be one of the most popular
in the opera. Mrs. Donald King as Isabelle has
added considerably to her reputation by the able
manner she sustained her role her singing through-
out the opera was remarkable for taste, judgment,
and sweetness. The beauteous melody, " Memory
returns to the days of my childhood!' is the gem of
the opera, and was deliciously rendered by her, and
encored; perhaps a slight improvement may be made
were she to sing a shade faster. The exquisite
morceau, "0, think not the feelings of
woman's heart," was sung by her with great
feeling, and the finale, " Like crystal
streams," with great brilliancy. Miss Messent
created quite a sensation by the earnest and highly
effective manner she sung "The merry dance is not
for me," which was enthusiastically and unanimously
encored. The judicious manner in which the young
composer has suited the poetry of the second part of
the ballad, where a religious strain is introduced, is
charmingly effective, and gives great promise of good
things. Mr. Borrani, as Louis XI., was excellent, he
was encored in the song "They call me Maitre
Pierre," and deservedly so, for he sang it well, and it
is a right good song, with a very pretty and ingenious
accompaniment. Want of space prevents us from
noticing at full length the various niarceaux of the
opera, but we must not omit the trios " Oh chide her
not" and "A moment from their joy," and the duets
"Ye skies of azure"—in which a sweet flute solo oc-
curs, which was exquisitely played by Signor Bru-
cialdi—and " Through the pale night." The opera
was got up in sp:endid style. The scenery and
dresses were gorgeous, picturesque, and appropriate.
The principal vocalists, and the youthful and
talented composer, were called before the curtain, to
receive the plaudits of a full and fashionable audience