The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-13 00:00:00

_ROYAL SURREY GARDENS.

The second season could not have commenced under
more auspicious circumstances than on Monday night.
The weather being highly favourable, the attractions of
the music-hall and gardens were doubled, and an enor-
mous crowd assembled. The hail-storm which fell not
long before the hour for commencing had a most bene-
ficial effect, since there was just time for the grounds,
to dry, and the air, which had been sultry and oppres-
sive in the afternoon, assumed a pleasant and salubrious
freshness. Everything seemed to smile upon the under-
taking, and the result was quite as brilliant as at the
festival which conferred such eclat upon the opening of
the Royal Surrey Gardens last season. At an early
hour crowds were making their way from all points of
the compass to the place which the univereaily popu-
lar M. Jullien has now adopted permanently as his
summer home, and with unexampled rapidity every cor-
ner of the vast music-hall, whether private boxes, gal-
leries, or area, was filled. A spectacle more stirring and
animated has rarely been witnessed, and the many
hundreds who were unavoidably denied admittance lost
a treat which it would have been well for them had
they arrived early enough to make sure of.
But, to those who think seriously and wish well to
the community at large, the must gratifying circum-
stance of all was that the thousands upon thousands
who thronged the ball and gardens had been enticed
there by music—and not simply by music in the ab-
stract, lent music of the very loftiest description. The
attraction of the evening was neither more nor less
than Mendelssohn's oratorio of "Elijah." The incidents
that make up the repertory of the Surrey Gardens
proper were most of them in abeyance. There
were no fireworks, ,and the grounds were not even
illuminated. So that the music-hall, and what was
advertised to take place in it, lured the people with•
out the aid of adventitious temptations. M. Jullien
had announced a grand performance of Mendel-
ssohn's immortal - work with an orchestra, vccal
and instrumental, 1,000 strong, supported by principal
singers of the first rank. M. Jullien, who is notorious
for redeeming his promises, and has won the great pub
lie reputation he enjoys as much by his honesty as by
his singular energy and talent, as usual kept his word to
the letter. Although only as late as Friday night he
concluded a flying tour in Holland with a brilliant and
successful concert at Rotterdam, he was at his post on
Monday night, punctual and diligent as his wont, with
an army of musicians under his control of such formid-
able proportions as none know better than himself how
to marshal and conduct. The first sight of Jullien sets
the minds of the audience at ease, and he was welcomed
with a roar of applause. When he waved his baton to
begin the plaudits were renewed ; and after Mr. Weiss
bad pronounced,the terrible denunciation of the prophet,
a magnificent performance of the overture, which so
graphically describes the misery and sufferings of the
drought-afflicted people, at once declared that M. Jet-
lien had summoned as fine a band together as London
could afford. The first chorus—" Help, Lord"—into
which the overture leads, proved beyond further ques-
tion that the multitude of singers was formed of not less
efficient materials ; and from this point onward the ora-
torio proceeded with always augmenting success.
It is unnecessary to describe, step by step, the per-
formance so well known. Suffice it that the general
effect was imposing to the last degree, and the execution
admirable both for attention to detail, and the combina-
tion of masses. The choruses of the Baalite priets, and
the overpowering " Thanks be to God" (which was fol-
lowed by vociferous and long-continued plaudits), were
the most striking features of the first part. In the se-
cond, as examples of splendid choral singing, may be
mentioned " Be not afraid ;" " Woe to him, he shall pe-
rish" (which ends with terrible earnestness the scene
where Jezebel excites the infuriated mob against Elijah)
—" Behold the Lord God passed by ;" the sublime
and simple sanetus—" Holy, holy, holy is God the Lord,
the Lrsri of Sabaoth ;" and last, not least, one of the
most difficult and rarely successful of the whole—" Then
did Elijah the prophet break forth like a fire," which
concludes with the translation of the prophet to
heaven, in a " fiery chariot drawn by fiery horses."
Every one of these was worthy of unqualified commen-
dation, and did equal credit to M. Jullien and the vocal
and instrumental forces under his direction.
The solo singers—Miss Louisa Vinning, Madame
Weiss, Mrs. Lockey (who appeared in consequence of
the indisposition of Miss Dolby, and was a worthy sub-
stitute for that eminent sacred singer), Mr. Weiss
(Elijah), and Mr. Sims Reeves—all sang their very best;
and tended in no small measure to produce the satisfac-
tory issue we have recorded. It is unnecessary for us
to particularise their various merits after this general
commendation, more especially since at Exeter-hall the
successes of the same artists in the same oratorio have
se frequently been stated and commented on. Unani-
mous encores were awarded to the unaccompanied trio,
"Lift thine eyes" (Miss Vinning, Maclaine Weiss, and
Mrs. Lockey) ; to the tranquil air, "0, rest in the Lord"
(Mrs. Lockey) ; and to the second song for the tenor,
" Then shall the righteous shine forth" (Mr. Sims Reeves).
It was also the general wish to hear Miss Vinning re-
peat the air, " Hoar ye, Israel," at the beginning of Part
11. ; but as that piece, instead of terminating upon a
full close, passes by a striking transition of harmony into
the chorus, "Be not afraid," M. Jullien properly and
judiciously went on with the performance, and declined
to frustrate the intention of
i the composer by interrupt-
ing one of the finest points n the oratorio. Other con-
ductors (at our great provincial festivals, for instance)
might imitate his example with advantage.
The oratorio was listened to throughout by the im-
mense multitude with undeviating attention, and the
applause was not less discriminating than it was fre-
quent and enthusiastic. At the conclusion M Jullien
was again loudly cheered. Such an opening of so popu-
lar a place of amusement was nothing less than a triumph
for the cause of good music, and for this reason we have
more than ordinary gratification itereporting it.
It was stated that nearly 1,000 persons obtained ad-
mission into the gardens without payment. We can
scarcely credit this ; but if it be true, we can only say
that there must be some very defective management in
certain departments.

The marriage of Mr. Archibald Peel, son of Gen. Peel,
M.P., and Lady Alice Peel, with Miss Palmer, only
daughter of Sir Roger Palmer, Bart.; is fixed to take

place on Monday, the 25th of May.
BANK OF FRANCS.—The Paris advices state that the
stock of bullion in the Bank of Franca baa not expe-
rienced any very material variation sioce the publication
of the last return on the 9th of April. The total was
about 9,400.0001., and two or three days back it was
about 9,200,0001.
LABOUR SAVING MACHINE.—At a recent practical
trial of one of Moore's Patent American Floating Ball
Washing Machines, from 133, High Holborn, now be-
(riming so common in mo.,t families, the following were
the iesults of the whole laundry. The machine had
never been before acted upea, and the operators were
two servants who bad the bare instructions that accom-
panied the patent. The " wash" consisted of what is in
domerettc phraseology termed large and email pieda, of
which there were upwards of 300. The water being
hot, the whole time oo did not reach four hours ;
and this was all effected in the small room of a cottage,
in which the heads of the family, until it was over, were
not aware that so formidable and much dreaded a pro-
ceeding as a " wash" was in course of operation.