The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-15 00:00:00

GLOUCESTER MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

GLOUCESTER, WEDNESDAY.
For three consecutive hours the bells of St. Mary,
the crypt church, rang a muffled peal last evening,
by way of prelude to the first secular concert of the
festival—rather a lugubrious welcome for the visi-
tors, The occasion was the funeral of a veteran
musician and banker of Gloucester, Thos. Turner,
Esq., who at the ripe age of VT has just been
gathered to his fathers. Mr. Turner was an ardent
supporter of these meetings, and his presence was
looked for as regularly as the festivals came round.
He was in a manner a perennial steward, and his
venerable person is much missed. The weather
continued last night most uninviting, but neverthe-
less the attendance at the concert was fully an
average one for a first evening. The following was
the programme:—
PART I.

Overture and selection from "Don Giovanni" Mozart.
Aria, Signor Belletti, " Madamina"
Duet, Madame Clara Novello and "Signor
Vialetti, " La ci derem"
Aria, Signor Giuglini, "Il mio tesoro"
Trio, Mdlle. Titiens, Signor Vialetti, and
Signor Belletti, " Ah taci"
Aria, Madame Clara Novello, "Gatti, batti"
Aria, Signor Badiali, "Deb. vieni"
Quartet, Mdlle. Titiens, Madame Clara No-
vello, Signor Giuglini, and Signor Badiali,
" Non ti fidar"
Aria, Signor Badiali, "Fin ch'han dal Vino"
Aria, Mdlle. Titiens, "Non mi dir
geode!, Mdlle. Miens, Madame Clara No-

vello, Miss Dolby, Signor Giuglini, Signor
Badialdi, and Signor Belletti, " Safi, Sola"
Choral Fantasia, pianoforte, Mies Summer-
hay es
PART 11.

Overture (Zampa)
Song, Mrs. Clare Hepworth, " The Merry
bells,"
Grand Mr. S' • " Th:

Herold.

scena, iims Reeves,
the Forests " (Dor Freischutz)
Ballad, Miss Dolby, " Many a time and oft," Duggan.
Duet, Madame. Clara Novello and Mr. Sims

Lrougl

Reeves, " E it sol del anima" (Rigoletto).. Verdi
Trio, Mrs. Clare Ile worth, Miss Laseelles
and Mr. Montem Smith, "Memory,".... Leslie.
Duet, Madame Titiens and Signor Giuglini,
" Parigi o cara" (Traviata)
Quartet, Mrs. Clare Hepworth, Miss Dolby,
Mr. Montem Smith, and Mr. Thomas,
" May Song"
Song, Mr. Thomas, " J'm a roamer" Mendelssohn.
Quartet, Madame Clara Novello, Miss Dolby,
Mr. Sims Reeves, and Signor Belletti,
"L'Aspo" (Martha)
God save the Queen.
The vroFramme, although not a very lengthy
ono, nor inordinately extended by encores, was
s'hortened of its fair proportions by the omission of
three pieces for which Mr. Sims Reeves had been
set down, viz., the air "Through the forests," from
Der Freischutz ; a duet with Clara Novelle, from
Rigoletto ; and a quartett by Flotow. His absence
caused great disappointment, and no explanation
being given to the audience, a cry was raised for
the absentee, on which Mr. Dent, high sheriff, and
one of the stewards, ascended the orchestra, and an-
nounced that Mr. Reeves had written to express his
regret that he was unable to appear in his place in
consequence of a severe cold. This, however, did
not appear to satisfy the audience, who refused to
hear any other of the performers until Mr. Dent
again appeared and read the letter itself, in which
the first tenor said he had hoped when he left him
to be able to sing that night, but that the wet
journey had increased his cold, and he regretted
his inability to appear in public that night, but
hoped to be sufficiently recovered to sing next morn-
ing. This was received with hisses and disappro-
bation, but the audience appeared reconciled, and
that there was no help for the disappointment,
though some of them had travelled out of South
Wales entirely to hear him.
The selection from "Don Giovanni," which formed
the first part of the concert, was a well chosen one,
consisting of the choicest morceaux of that great
masterpiece. The first noticeable feature was the
duet " La ci darem," by Madame Clara Novello and
Signor Vialetti, which was immediately followed
by the delightful air, " Il mio tesore," by Signor
Giuglini, in which his brilliant upper notes told
with astounding effect, although in the lighter
and more florid passages he lacked power and
purity of intonation. This is his first appearance
at Gloucester for some years, and perhaps he
hardly sustained the favourable impression which
he created here in the first instance ; never-
theless he was encored. The trio, "Ah tace,"
introduced to the Gloucester people the prima donna
of the evening concerts, Mdlle. Titiens, and the
primo basso, Belletti. The sensation created by
the lady among the dilettanti was great, though
perhaps hardly equal to the merits of an artiste
who bids fair to be a worthy successor to Grisi.
The " Batti, batti," by Madame Novello, was per-
fect, and was enthusiastically encored, but the lady
declined to repeat it. Signor Badiali's artistic de-
livery of the rattling air, "Fin ch'han dal vino,"
took his audience by storm, and drew down an
unanimous encore. In the air, "Non me dir,"
Mdlle. Titiens ravished her audience, who appeared
now more fully to appreciate the talent and won-
derful gifts of the fair cantatrice. The concluding
sestet of the Mozart selection, " Sola' sola," brought
together " all the talents" of the Italian Opera,
besides Madame Novello and Miss Dolby. Beeth-
oven's choral fantasia followed the selection, and
introduced to notice a youthful pianiste, Miss Cecilia
Summerhayes, who, under the tutelage of her
patron saint, has accomplished wonderful things on
her stubborn instrument. The task was, however,
too great for so young an aspirant, but she acquit-
ted herself in a highly creditable manner. The
beautiful composition had also full justice done to
it by the choral body.
The second part of the concert having been cur-
tailed by the absence of Mr. Sims Reeves, the prin-
cipal noticeable features in it were the English
songs—Miss Dolby's pathetic delivery of Duggan's
ballad, "When the music is still," which greatly
pleased, and Mr. Thomas's song " I'm a roamer."
This was capitally rendered, but the accompani-
ments were too loud, so that the voice was barely
distinguishable in the lower parts at the end of the
room. The concert was brought to a close with
the National Anthem at eleven o'clock, and about
one half of the company remained for two or three
hours longer to participate in the dances which
always follow the first concert at Gloucester.
This morning, although the weather was still
cold, there was no rain, and the doors of the cathe-
dral were besieged nearly an hour before the time
appointed for opening them. The attraction this
morning was Mendelssohn's masterpiece—" Elijah,"
which, as was anticipated, drew a large attendance.
The floor of the nave was again very quickly filled,
as also were the e• isles, the gallery being more than
theee .parts full. The oratorio commenced punc-
tually at half-past eleven, and a great feature in it
we; that, with the exception of the usual interval
of twenty minutes, there was no break in the
whole performance. It has been customary to
encore some of the principal airs, such as the
tenor song, " If with all your hearts," and the
contralto " Oh, rest in the Lord." The trio,
"Lift thine eyes," has always had a sort of pre-
scriptive• right to an encore, but in this morn-
ing's performance the continuity of dramatic
interest in the oratorio was unbroken. This is
an example of good faith which we could wish to
see more generally followed. Usually it has been
the custom for the bishop, the dean, or the chair-
man of the stewards to rise in his seat after one of
these morceaux and signal to the conductor to re-
peat it, but to their credit be it said, the officials,
both lay and clerical, allowed of no interruption to
the steady progress of the oratorio, which was al-

together one of the most finished performances of
the great composition perhaps ever accomplished.
Trineipals and chorus were all. thoroughly up to
their work, there was no noticeable hitch from be-
ginning to end, and the result was, as already
stated, a most satisfactory finish. After the open-
ing recitative and overture the first chorus of
Israelites, " Help, Lord," was delivered with a
power and feeling which attested the efficiency of
the choral body. The appearance in the prchestra
of Sims Reeves gave satisfaction to many of his
admirers who had feared lest he should have been
unable to take his important share in the oratorio.
Whatever may have been. the extent of sickness
under which he laboured last night; it is certain
that he had quite recovered. His first song,
"If with all your hearts," fully attested
this, and he was equally effective in
" Then shall the." righteous shine forth." The
double quartett, " Lift thine Eyes," was done ample
justice xo by Mme. Novello, Mrs. Hepworth, Miss
Dolby, Miss Lasceiles, Mr. Montem Smith, Mr.
Hunt (of the Cathedral choir), Mr. Thomas, and
Signor Belletti. In the recitative, "Now Cherib's
brook," Miss Dolby's delivery of the words, " And
the barrel of meal," to the end, " The Lord sendeth
rain upon the earth," was most impressive. Then
followed the great Novello—the prop of the orato-
rios at these festivals—who rendered the recitative
of the widow, " Help me, man of God," in the most
dramatic style. Belletti declaimed the prayer,
"Turn unto her," better than any fot:eigner ever
gave it before him ; but still, with all his acknow-
ledged talent,.he wants the English feeling which
Weiss gives- to this . and the rest of the. Prophet
music. Belletti's reading, however, was very care-
ful, and the paisages between the widow and " The
prophet of the Lord " were given with won-
derful effect, so that the rising of the widow's
son was pictured to the mind's eye through
the other senses by the wonderful power of
musical description, as conceived by the corn.
poser and carried out by the talent of the ar-
tists to v:ilom was entrusted their interpretation.
The ielicions quartett, "Cast thy burden," was
mowed by want of the bass part, which was allotted
to Belletti, who did not seem aware of this at first.
His enunciation of the spirit-stirring air, " Is not
his word like a fire," was fine, but wanted the fire
which we have been wont to see infused 'into it.
Miss Lascelles had little to do in the oratorio, but
this little was done well. Her " Woe, woe unto
them who forsake him," was chastely rendered. In
the duet between the youth and the prophet, "Go
up now, child," Mrs .Clare Hepivorth sang her part
correctly; and the concluding chorus of the first
part, " Thanks be to God," was sung amidst an ill-
timed but very general moveamongst the audience,
who although they had only been sitting an hour
and a half, appeared over-anxious for luncheon.
The opening air in the second part, ".Hear ye,
Israel," was delivered by Clara Novello with all her
old ravishment, and the succeeding chorus," Be not
afraid," was grand in the extreme. Miss Dolby was
highly effective in her delivery of the queen's de-
nunciation, " The gods do so to me ; ' and the
answer of the people, "He shall perish," with
the succeeding chorus, " Woe to him," were
highly dramatic. The angelic trio, " Lift
thine eyes," was perfect in the hands of Ma-
dame Novello, Mrs. Hepworth, and Miss Dolby,
the three voices blending together in di-
vine harmony ; nor was the effect marred by
. .

the repetition- of the trio according to common cus•
torn, but ,was followed without intermission by
the next chorus, .‘ We watching over Israel." Miss
Dolby sang the lovely air, " 0 rest in the Lord," in ,
that perfect good taste which is peculiar to her,
and in a voice to which there is no equal. In the
quartet, and chorus " Holy, holy," the magnificent
voice of Novello pealed out above the rest like a
clarion. This was a most impressive performance,
and evidently told upon the audience, who remained
standing while it was being ,sung. In the chorus
descriptive of the prophet's ascent to heaven, the
ascent was musically and faithfully depicted; and
the concluding words, "He went by a whirlwind

to heaven." were ovepowering. Of the choruses
generally we may speak in unqualified terms of
praise. We may especially ,cite the Baal choruses,
and the choruses descriptive of the rushing of the
"mighty wind," the appearances of the sea, the.
earthquake, and the fire, with the beautifully
plac:!d passages coming in immediate contrast,
"And after the fire came a. still small voice." In
fine, the performance was one of the grandest and
most perfect we have ever listened to, and gave
unqualifid satisfaction to all who had the privilege
of hearing it.
The collection at the doors in aid of the charity
amounted to £157 lls. 11d. The sum received
yesterday included the munificent gift of 150 by
J. C. Dent, high sheriff of the county.

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

SOUTH SHROPSHIRE.

Yesterday the vacancy in this division, occasioned
by the death of the Hon. Robert Windsor Clive,
was filled by the election of Sir Baldwin Leighton,
who was returned unopposed. The proceedings
took place at Church Siretton.
The usual preliminaries having been observed,
The HIGH SHERIFF (Mr. C. 0. C. Pemberton)
called upon any one who had a candidate to pro-
pose to do so.
Mr. R. BURTON, of Longner, proposed Sir B.
Leighton as a fit and proper person to represent
the Southern Division of Salop in Parliament.
(Loud cheers.)
Sir C. ROUSE BROUGHTON said he seconded the
nomination of Sir Baldwin in the full belief that,
in the words of the address he had issued to the
electors, he was " a thorough Conservative." Some
little doubt having been expressed upon that point
by certain electors in hi? (Sir Charles's) hearing, he
felt it to be his duty to lay some stress upon it, be-
cause he knew that no other than a Conservative
would fitly represent the views of the constituency
in Parliament. (Applause.) It was satisfactory to
think that Sir B ildwin was a thorough Conserva-
tive, for they all highly valued those public exer-
tions of his extending over many years, and which
had resulted to the great advantage of the county.
He was sure it was the earnest wish of all that Sir
Baldwin Leighton should prove as good a member
of Parliament as the one he had succeeded. The
electors would send him to Parliament unpledged
and unshackled, hoping that he would use his best
exertions to serve his country in the difficult pro-
blems of domestic as well as foreign policy, which
the unsettled state of our representative system at
home and the complicated state of European poli-
tics demanded. Judging by Sir Baldwin's antece-
dents, if they were any criterion for the future, he,
could not but congratulate the electors on the choice
they were about to make. (Great cheering.)
No other candidate being proposed, the HIGH
SHERIFF declared Sir Baldwin Leighton duly
elected. The new member, then, amid great cheer-
ing, was invested with the sword and cocked hat.
SirißALDwist LEIGHTON, in returning thanks for
the honour done him, expressed his warm obliga-
tions to his prOposer and seconder for the kind terms
in which they had spoken of him. With regard to
what Sir Charles Rouse Broughton had said about
his being sent to Parliament unfettered, he certainly
pledged himself to do the best in his power to pro-
mote the interests of those who sent him to Parlia-
ment. It was desirable that his opinions on two or
three matters of policy should be known. In the
first place, there was a good deal of anxiety as to
the intentions of our neighbours across the Channel
with regard to this country. Many people thought
that the French would like to return the visit which
our soldiers paid to Paris some years ago. He con-
sidered it was most desirable that the defences of
this country should be placed in as efficient a state
as possible, and he thought our fleet should be so
powerful as to prevent any attempt at invasion tak-
ing place. (Great cheering.) But, if ever the enemy
succeeded in landing here, his forces should be able
to penetrate but a short distance. To use a phrase
perhaps more common than classical, we ought to
." put our trust in Providence, and keep our powder
dry." (Cheers.) He would now allude to Parlia-
mentary Reform—a subject which had caused the
defeat of more Ministries than one, and which be-
fore it was finally settled would probably cause the
defeat of others. Almost every person bad a differ-
ent opinion with regard to reform. For his part he
thought that agricultural districts should return
agricultural members, and that manufacturing
towns should return those who more especially re-
presented those interests. He thought, for instance,
that he would but imperfebtly represent Birming-
ham, and he also thought a Birmingham man would
inadequately represent Shropshire. An advertise.
ment had appeared in the newspapers inquiring if
he would support the ballot. It struck him that the
advocates of the ballot ought to go further, and see
if members of Parliament ought not to vote in the
House of Commons by ballot. The " screw," as
it was called, might sometimes be put on elec-
tors, but did not constituencies sometimes insist
upon their representatives voting a certain way,
very much against their consciences If the bal-
lot were established in the House of Commons, it
might happen that many who now openly voted in
such a way as enabled them to keep their places,
might vote in a different manner. He very much
regretted that coercion was ever used with electors;
for himself he could sincerely say that it would
never make any difference in his conduct to a ten-
ant whether that tenant voted for or against his
wishes. Sir Baldwin having again thanked the
electors for the confidence they had placed in him,
proposed a vote of thanks to the High Sheriff for
his conduct that day.
This was seconded by Mr. BURTON, carried, and
duly acknowledged.

T HI HiD

EDIT I ON.

SEW OFFICE, Seven o' Clock.

DONCASTER RACES.-(THIS DAY).

Qui Vive ...

[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.]
ZETIAND STAKES.

Btistion
Knuckle Du,lcr

.Mixture

SWEEPSTAKES OF 10 SON'S.

Prologue
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Spoffprtli Maid

Eleveu ran.

CLEVELAND HANDICAP.

Comforter.
Ditto,
"W'oodburp

Nino ran.
EGLINTON STAK ES.

North Lincoln
Mixture
Lady Trespass
Cheesecake ..

SWEEPSTAKES OF 10 SOVS.

High- Treason
Sweetsauce

Lady Trespass

Six ran.
J VEN ILE STAKES.

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Wentliez:bound
Pomona
Jenny Longlegs,

LATEST BEETING
' CESAREWITCH.
20 to g;t Polestar (taken)

lIIXDOO MORALITY.

The Bombay papers received by the last mail
report a case of female infanticide, attended with
circumstances of such peculiar atrocity that it
becemeS our painful duty to give it a pla.ee in these
columns. A woman named Muckty, a Marathi
Hindoo, deposed before, a coroner's inquest that she
was a widow cohabiting with a Purdesee name&
Gungaram Chittoo. On the 29th July, on her way
to a wool warehouse where she was daily employed,
she stopped. at the house of Suckoo, a midwife, the
door of which was opened to her by Gunnoo
Narayan, a lad standing in the yerandah, and
evidently stationed there to keep away all ab-
noxious intruders. Entering the house she ob-
served, as well as the darkness of the room would
.
permit, a woman lying on a mat; and on
the point, of beino• delivered, " Having obtained
some water to drink the witness wished to proceed
to her work, but was told by Suckoo to sit down
and stay where she was. Whether through inti-
midation or a womanly love Of gossip she did as she
was desired, and about three in the afternoon the
Rukma,Suckoo
theng at
took up
toa ram
zfoe
rm; aalne child.
a
sickT monster woman,
hav-
ing first deliberately cut off the left arm of the new-
born babe at the shoulder-blade, severed- the head
from thetrunk. This horrible crime was perpetrated
in silence, which was only broken When Seckoo
told the wretched mother 'f pot to cry out,'9 for she
" appeared to be in great pain." The marks of blood
on the mat were next removed by ashes being
sprinkled over thern, and the remains of the mur-
dered infant were placed in a basket and covered
over with a" cloth. The door was then opened,
and Gunnoo walked ;.n. ."Is it done ?" he asked.
" Yes," replied Suckoo ; and she gave him the
basket, which he carried away with him, merely
remarking, " I'll take it to a room in my house
which is empty." , This Gunnoo, it may be here
stated, has no occupation, but lives on the wages
of his sister's infamy. The witness further deposed
that she was so frightened at what she had seen
that she did 'not mention a word on the subject to
anyone until the police officer went to her house.
Govind Suttoo was next examined, and stated
that Gunnoo Narayan lived' with him, and
had desired him on the day' above named to
prepare dinner for five or six persons. In the
early part of the day Gunnoo drank freely,
and became partially intoxicated, and a little
after three came in from the street with a
basket on his arm, covered with a blood-stained
cloth. The guests soon after assembled. There
were present the two women Suckoo and Muckty,
Gunnoo, Dowluttia, an intimate friend, and
Krishna Dunajee, the barber from whom the razor
had been purchased. The dinner occupied two or
three hours, for a good deal of liquor was drank,
and finally Gunnoo became quarrelsome, and
accused the witness of stealing some pots. A row
ensued and the police interfered. On his way to
the station-house Govind told the officer what he
had seen, and the remains of the child were accord-
ingly dug up in a room on the ground floor. A
verdict of wilful murder was of course returned
against Suckoo as the principal, and against
Rukma and Gunnoo as " being feloniously pre-
sent aiding and assisting." Strangely enough,
nothing is said about the woman Muckty, who was
also present both at the murder and at the subse-
quent debauch. The crime was clearly premedi-
dated, and was perpetrated with a r.old-blooded de-
termination that could only proceed from an utter
disregard of human life. There is little doubt that
all the persons present at the orgie were cognisant
of the circumstances, but not one of them would
ever have given notice to the police had it not been
for the drunken trawl between Gunnoo and Govind.
Truly a pleasant picture of civilisation, and not to
be matched in the very worst purlieus of London.
The mild Hindoo appears in his true colours,
Capable of any atrocity, and steeled against the
natural feelings of humanity.—Allen's Indian Mali.

THE LATE EMPEROR OF MOROCCO.

The following biographical sketch of the late
Emperor of Morocco is by the Pays :—" Mulev
Abder Rahman was born in November, 1778, ana
was consequently 81 years of age. He was only
sixteen when his father died, but his uncle, Mulei-
Soleiman, seized the throne, and occupied it until
1822, when he died, and the nephew succeeded.
Mulei-Soleiman was so dreadfully cruel that he in-
vented tortures never before heard of. Amongst
other things he was accustomed on getting on his
horse to pull a pistol from his holster and blow out
the brains of the slave who had held the
bridle. He was accustomed also at times
to take a number of poor wretches, and
have walls built around them up to their
heads ; then he had their heads and faces covered
with honey to attract flies and other insects, and
he took pleast.re in witnessing the torture which
the unfortunate men endured. Muley Abder
Rahman did not imitate this monster, and conse-
quently acquired a reputation for humanity. He
was possessed of political talent, and was able to
neutralise, one against the other, the hostile factions
of his empire. In his old age ho was often
engaged in disputes with France and other Euro-
pean Powers. He perfectly understood the neces-
sity of reducing to subjection the insurgent tribes
of his empire who caused these conflicts ; but he
considered himself too old to undertake such a
task. Muley Abder Rahman had 17 children. The
eldest of his sons and his successor, Sidi Mohamed,
was born in 1803, and is consequently 56 years of
age. He is of an energetic character. Several of the
governors of provinces are his enemies, and some
large tribes on the west are hostile to him, so that
he will have great difficulties.to encounter in ascend-
ing the throne. Five years ago he went on a pil-
grimage to Mecca and Medina, and his eldest son,
by his orders, is now making a pilgrimage to those
holy places. An aunt of the present Emperor, who
enjoyed a great reputation for sanctity, died last
year in returning from Mecca, and was buried in
the mosque at Djeddah."