The Sun.
London, England, 1869-08-30 00:00:00

ART AIVD .LITERARY GOSSIP.

Lord Palmerston's Diary is said by the Athenaum to be
written in a hand only a little less firm and graceful than
Walpole's, but it is quite as legible. It is not a mere
record of facts, but a gal'ery of pictures and sketches, in
all of which are clearly to lid seen the style of an accom-
plished master. It is, besides, something more. A scene
between the writer and the Duke of Wellington, when
Mr. Huskisson's dismissal or his being retained was in
dispute, is of the very highest and finest style of serious
comedy—graphic, dramatic, and so life-lihe that the
actors seem bodily before us.—Mdlle. Pauline Lucca has
been engaged .by the Wiesbaden Kurba's Adusinistra-
Lion for one concert to sing three songs for 5,000 francs.—
Le FigarO announces the forthcoming marriage at Wies-
baden of Mdlle. Stella Collas to a M. Proukovskof.—
A letter from Homburg states that Madame Patti last
I week sang the part of Leonora in the " Trovatore " for
her fourth representation. The theatre was crowded,
and among the audience were the King of Prussia, the
Prince of Wales, the Grand Duke of Mecklenburgh-
Strelitz, the Duke of Cambridge, the Prince of
Nassau, and all applauding the vocalists just like sim-
ple mortals.—Viscountess Strangford has edited her
husband's social, political, and geographical writings.—
We are requested, says the Echo, to contradict a state-
ment respecting the health of Miss Braddon. That lady
is not dangerously ill, but is able to pursue to a large
extent her literary labours.—A Mr. Ossian E. Dodge, of
Minnesota, is said to have invented an" acoustic register,"
by means of which he tunes concert halls to the size of
the audience, and make a whisper audible whether
there be ten or ten thousand to hear.—Mr. Gilmore
of Boston Jubilee fame, has sailed for Europe in search
of materials for a still larger festival, to be held next year.
" Woe to his reputation," said an American paper, if he
does not give us a hall, holding 200,000 people, and an
orchestra of about 50,000."—Mr. Magniac, M.P., who
has just purchased Chesterfield House, Mayfair, is a
partner in the house of Messrs. Matheson, Jardine,
and Co. The Duke of Abercorn and his family have
received from the new owner notice to quit; but
whether Mr. Magniac will reside in his new purchase,
or pull it down and cut up the site for building
purposes, is probably known at present to no one but
himself.—Mr. J. F. Booth, brother of the slayer of
President Lincoln, has just closed a successful engagement
at the Queen's Theatre, Dublin. Mr. Booth, whose father
was the Lucius Junius Booth who, fora brief moment, shook
Edmund Kean's throne more than a half century ago, chiefly
played melodramatic characters. —The Milan Trovatore an-
nounces that the Princess de Solms (Countess Ratazzi) is
writing both words and music of a new opera, entitled
"Byron."—The Musical Standard says :—" M. Pasde-
loup, of the Th6.ltre Lyrique, Paris, Las purchased an
unpublished opera of Halevy's, from his family. The
work is entitled Nod.' The theatre will reopen with
Rienzi,' to be followed by Nydia,' by M. JonciZ.res."—
The last published vocal score of Rossini's Mass contains
an accompaniment both for the piano and harmonium.
The piano generally takes the string parts, and the har-
monium the wind. It would be well if composers of works
of this kind were to adopt such an arrangement ; for many
cantatas, masses, &c., would be snore acceptable to our
numerous choral societies were support and colour given
in a larger degree to accompaniments than can be the
case with the ordinary piano part.