The Sun.
London, England, 1835-03-17 00:00:00

PROFESSOR AIRY.

The following is the Letter to Professor Airy, referred to
last night by Mr. Spring Rice, in the House of Commons :
" Downing-street, August 25, 1834.
"MY DEAR Sea,-It is highly probable that a vacancy may
take place very shortly in the office of Astronomer Royal. If
this event occur, it will be of course the duty and the object of
the Government to make such a selection as shall be most
conducive to the interests of science, and as shall secure to our
national astronomical establishment and its observations, the
greatest respect and authority throughout Europe.
" On these principles it is no more than natural that the Go-
vernment should be desirous of knowing whether the appoint-
ment is one which you would accept ; as it would be most
gratifying to us all to have an opportunity of marking the ad-
miration which we feel for your eminent attainments, and the
respect which is justly due to your character as an individual.
As a Cambridge man, I am fully aware that to our University
the loss of one of its greatest ornaments cannot but be felt as
irreparable; but we ought not to be selfish, we should think of
England as well as of Cambridge ; and I trust there is not one
of our scientific friends who will not feel that in "selecting a
new Astronomer Royal, it is towards you that the earliest at-
tention of his Majesty's Government should be directed, not
less in justice to science, than to the credit and character of
the country.
" Pray let me hear from you at your earliest convenience,
and believe me, &c. "T. SPRING RICE.
" To Rev. Professor Airy, Cambridge."

THE VOCAL SOCIETY.

FIFTH CONCERT.

The presence of their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of
Kent and Princess Victoria, who were attended by a nume-
rous suite, attracted a large and brilliant audience to the
Fifth Meeting of this Society, held yesterday evening at the
Hanover-square Rooms. The scheme, which included many
compositions of acknowledged excellence, contained no less
than seventeen pieces, selected, in the old school, from the
works of Creighton, Orlando di Lasso, Ford, Wylbye, and
Purcel ; in the more modern, from Haydn, Paer, and Mozart ;
and to these were added specimens from the writings of our
own countrymen, Arne, Jackson, Webbe, Stevens, Elliott,
Horsley, and Barnett. The principal vocal ',performers were
Mesdames Bishop, Seguin, Masson, and Hawes ; Masters
Howe and Coward; Messrs. Braham, Hobbs, Vaughan, Horn-
castle, Hawkins, King, Terrail, Bennett, Bellamy, Sale, and
Atkins. Webb's elegant Cavatina, " Soft zephyr on thy
balmy wing," sung by Mr. Hobbs; the Glees of Ford and
Stevens, and the magnificent Quintet, " Sento, oh Dio," from
Mozart's " Cosi fau Tutte," were inserted in the pro-
gramme by command of their Royal Highnesses, a meritorious
compliment, proceeding from so high a quarter, which must
have been very gratifying to the members of the association.
The madrigals of Wylbye and Orlando di Lasso, were sung
with delicacy and correctness, and were repeated at the unani-
mous desire of the audience. The Ancient Concert performers
may learn a lesson from this Society, in the art of singing,
with proper expression, these exquisite specimens of pure
vocal writing. Braham sang the grand scena, " Let the
dreadful engines," from Purcell's opera of Don Quixote, with
great spirit and effect, and appeared to enter into the feelings
of the raving misogynist, Cardenio, to which character the
composer has allotted this original and highly descriptive music.
Miss Masson's physical power seemed scarcely equal to her
conception of Mozart's " Non piu di fiori," from " La Clemenza
di Tito," the obligato accompaniment to which, for the " corno
di bassetto," was played by Willman, with his usual skill.
" Tu di grazia," from Haydn's most elaborate and grand ora-
torio, " Die Worte des Erlosers am Kreuze," is a noble speci-
men of high imagination, and replete with dramatic effect. The
whole oratorio more resembles the sublime majesty of Mozart,
than the quiet eloquence, which is the ordinary characteristic
of its author. The introductory chorale required the accom-
paniment of the trombones. The novelties of the evening were
a Concerto for the oboe by G. Cooke, Grand Scena by Bar-
nett, and a Dirge by Horsley. Mr. Cooke's performance on
his instrument is beyond all praise ; of his composition, com-
pared with his playing, it may truly and sorrowfully be re-
marked, " matenem superabat opus." The difference between
a practical and scientific acquaintance with the art is very
wide. Barnett; selected fur his Scena, Byron's celebrated
poem " Darkness," which commences " I had a Dream that
was not all a Dream." This composer evinces great ability,
and he has improved his natural taste and strength of imagina-
tion by earnest study of the great modern writers of Germany.
There are faults in his instrumentation, and his transitions are
occasionally harsh and ineffective ; but the beauties which ever
and anon shine forth more than counterbalance these minor de-
fects. Tho climax at the close deserves commendation, and a
good point was made of the words
The world was void,
Seasonless, herbless, treeless, manless, lifeless."

Mr. Horsley's elegy is a lament on the decease of a young
lady, who in spite of divers warnings of dread import, would
take the water in order to visit her papa's castle, with the filial
design of replenishing his wine-cups. The omens dire are of
course fulfilled ; the fair adventuress drowned ; and her dirge
sung, with all the honours, by the wild waves and coral rocks,
who have, from time immemorial, by a fiction of poets of
every gradation in talent, celebrated the funeral obsegnies of
their victims ; a practice, to say the least of it, which is very
civil. The poetry is unworthy of Walter Scott ; nor will the
music add to its reputation. The duet of Ferdinand Paer was
taken from his celebrated opera, " Agnese," the libretto of
which is founded on Mrs. Opie's affecting tale, " The Fa-
ther and Daughter." This composition occurs early in the
first [act, where the unhappy maniac meets his penitent
child at her supposed place of sepulture. Is is a perfect
specimen of dramatic effect—sweetness contrasted, in alter-
nate light and shade, with power—Mr. and Mrs. Seguin
sung it with taste and discrimination. Mr. T. Cooke led
the orchestra, and Mr. Tunic conducted on this occasion;
and the Concert gave great satisfaction to the assembled
hearers.

THE WEATHER.—We have still'very stormy and
variable weather. In some districts the snow is deeper than
has been witnessed for twer.iy years, and the sheep are suffer-
ing. Heavy rains and tempestuous winds have also prevailed,
and been very injurious. In Aberdeen and Banffshires the
snow storm has been deep and protracted, and on the heights
of Perthshire it has been felt with equal severity.—lnverness
Courier.

We have had a week of tempestuous weather, but
we are happy to state, without having caused any wreck along
our coasts. The vessels in Falmouth harbour rode out the
gales without accident. The Pantaloon and Lapwing pac-
kets, which sailed on Friday last, were driven to the eastward,
by the violence of the wind ; the former re-appeared off the
harbour on Monday, on her way westward, and the latter put
into the Dartmouth.— West Briton.