The Sun.
London, England, 1860-04-26 00:00:00

CANTERBURY HALL.

' The lovers of classical music enjoyed a rich treat last
evening at this highly popular place of entertainment, in
listening to delightful selections from Gounod's charming
opera of " Faust," which was produced, for the first time
in this country, on the occasion; and we may, in passing,
observe that, whether wo regard the pleasing solos with
which the opera is interspersed, or the effective choral com-
binations which it contains, it fully justifies the encomiums
which have been bestowed upon the composition by the
highest Continental musical critics. The interpretations of
the solos were assigned to Miss Russell, who sustained tie
interesting character of Marguerite, to Mrs. Anderson, who
appeared as Siobel, to Mr. H. Herbert, who represented
Faust, and to Mr. C. Bernard, as Mephistopheles.
The first piece selected to illustrate the opera was the
grand chorus, "Wine or beer," which was given with
such stirring effect by the whole of the artists as at once
to establish the high character of M. Gounod's composi-
tion. This was followed by the delightful cavatina, " Oh,
sacred home," which Mr. Herbert sang with great taste
and feeling, and was rewarded for his highly effective vocali-
sation by the A-:.rm approval of the audience. The beautiful
recitative and air, " In solitude I'm lonely," and " I laugh as
I pass," was rendered in a charming manner by Miss Russell,
whose rich, full, and (lowing soprano voice was admirably
suited to the recitative and air in question. She was equally
effective in the duets, Yes, oh yes, I love thee," and " Holy
Angels in Heaven blest," which she sang with Mr. Herbert,
who sustained throughout in these duets his well-earned
reputation as a first-class tenor singer. The fine charac-
teristic chorus of soldiers, " Ah 'tis a pleasure of such scenes
to tell," was given with great power and finish, and the
opera, as a whole, went off with the greatest éclat.
The band was full and complete, and under the able di-
rection of Monsieur Jonghmans, the conductor, did good
service in ensuring for the opera the great success which it
achieved.

The hall was crowded in every part, and the audience
were evidently highly gratified with this new effort on the
part of Mr. Morton, the proprietor of Canterbury Hall, to
afford to the frequenters of his establishment a fresh oppor-
tunity of listening to another of the chef d'ceuvres of our
modern musical masters.
The other entertainments of the evening consisted of se-
lections from " Dinorah," " Tiovatore," " Macbeth," and
some admirable comic singing, which brought forth fully
the musical resources of the company.
In the course of the evening the Fine Arts Gallery of the
establishment, which contains a large assortment of admi-
rable specimens of pictorial art, was visited by the com-
pany, who were thus afforded an additional source of en-
joyment, and the general arrangements reflected the highest
credit on the proprietor in catering for the enjoyment of the
public.

THE FRAUDS ON THE UNION BANK.—APPRE-
TIENSION OF A CLERK.—Edward John -Lyttleton, aged
thirty-three, clerk in the Union Bank, was brought
this day before the Lord Mayor, charged with
stealing the sum of £1,240, the property of his
employers. John Arthur Barton, deputy-nranager, said on
Saturday last he examined the prisoner's balance, and found
a deficiency of £1,240 4s. 6d., and from information he re-
ceived he believed he had appropriated that sum to his
own use. The prisoner was remanded for a week.
THE SWISS RIFLEMAN.—With the exception of
America there is no nation which owes more to the indi-
vidual skill of its citizens in the use of the rifle than Swit •
zerlaid. The respect which a true Swiss has for that wea-
pon dates from his youth. He puts aside his holidays to
public exhibition of his skill in its use, and devotes many a
leisure hour to private practice with it. By the borders of
his lakes—behind the wooden village-houses—in the thick
soft pasturage at the foot of the hills in which the dun
cows browse, fetlock deep, you catch sight of his rifle-tar-
get ; indeed, his chief social fault is, that he is a little too
prone to the use of his favourite weapon in his Cantona
disputes, and that he is not always content to wait for the
blue or white coat, against which he may sooner or later
legitimately level it.—Once a Week.
A WORD TO THE SCHOOLMASTER.--Brighton
would, no doubt, look aghast at Dr. Swych, if that worthy
pedagogue should propose to lead out for a few summer
days' martial training upon the downs those young gentle-
men whose exercise in dreary file has so often excited our
sympathy, and it is to be feared, contempt. But we feel
sure that Dr. Swyeh's young gentlemen would gain im-
mensely, if only by becoming English boys for one week in
the year, aid they would return to their Plutarch and
Euripides with a zest and freshness which would sur-
prise Dr. S. beyond measure. Conceive, too, with what
novel and unbounded delight a week under canvas
in the Windsor Home Park would be received by
Eton. Why, it would more than compensate it
for the loss of its Montem. And we believe it
would not be long before such an example would spread,
and our English greens and commons would witness a
wholesome revival of that manly pastime of peace which
has fitted Englishmen so well for the stern exercise of war.
—Once a Week.
THE COLLECTION FOR SAYERS IN LIVERPOOL.—
Sayers up to yesterday had sent no communication to the
gentlemen who in Liverpool have been instrumental in
raising a testimonial subscription to the champion. He has
been frequently informed of the course pursued by the gen-
tlemen at Liverpool, but has never 'answered any of their
communications, and it is now proposed to return the.money
already collected to those who subscribed it. Under the
present circumstances, it is the only course left open to
those who were desirous of marking the courage of Sayers
in a substantial manner.