The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-20 00:00:00

CRYSTAL PALACE CONCERTS.

The Crystal Palace company gave their 23d con-
cert on Saturday, which was more fully attended
than many of the former concerts, owing most pro-
bably to the fineness of the weather. The new
features were Spohr's descriptive symphony, "The
power of sound," which was admirably played by
the orchestra; a manuscript overture to the Tem-
plar, by H. Leslie, was also played by the orchestra,
and proved to be a composition of very great
merit. The solo performers on this occasion
were Mr. Hallett Sheppard and Mr. Pape, the
former playing Menclelssohn's Rondo Brillant in
E minor, with orchestral accompaniment, which
produced but little effect, it being but a very
mediocre performance ; but Mr. Papo's air, by
Weber (concertante for the clarionet and piano)
was played with a delicacy of tone and justness of
execution rarely equalled on this instrument. Miss
Louisa Vitining was the only vocalist. She sang
Mozart's " Voi the Sapete" with great purity of
voice and chasteness of style. " The Siren Song,"
by F. Mori, is of a very different character, and
obliged this young lady to depart from her naturally
elegant and finished manner, to execute the com-
mon-place passages of this composition. She sang
" Howe, sweet home," with a feeling that charmed
all her hearers, and on the call for its repetition
substituted " Coming through the rye," with great
naivete. It will be seen from the official return
that nearly 6,000 persons were present.

SACRED HARMONIC SocIETY.-•rMendelssohn's "Eli-
jah" will be performed at Exeter-hall on Wednesday,
May 6. Witb. the exception of a performance of Mr.
Costa's " Eli" on the evening of Wednesday, June 17,
to which all the provincial performers at the Great
Handel Festival at the Crystal Palace will be invited,
this will be the last and only other performance of this
season. This course is induced by tho necessity of
lengthened rehearsals for the festival, the issue of tickets
for which commences in the Lower Hall, Exeter-hall,
this (Monday) morning; as 10 o'clock.
A collectio❑ of essays, by Sir J. F. W. Herschel, from
the Edinburgh and other Reviews, is announced for pub-
lication. _ _

WILLS AND CHARITABLE BEQUESTS.—Probate of the
will of the Right Hon. the Earl of Ellesmere has just
been granted by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
—Lieut.-General Nathaniel Thorn, K.H., 35,0001. per-
sonally, and has left several charitable bequests ; George
Donee, Esq., of Shaekerley, 120,0001., and has bequeathed
1,0001. to the South Staffordshire Hospital ; Lady
Brown, of Chester, 5,0001. within the province of Can-
terbury ; Mrs. Sophia Cuthbert, of Berkeley-square,
50,000/. ; James Lyon, Esq., of Clapham-rise, 12,0001.,
and has left bequests to several charitable institutions.
The late Mrs. Jane Davies, of Ciapharn, has left the fol-
lowing bequests :—Society for Promoting Christian
Knowledge, 2001 ; for the Propagation of the Gospel in
Foreign Parts, 2001. ; National Benevolent, 2001. ; Deaf
and Dumb, 2001.; St. Ann's School, 2001 ; Sons of the
Clergy, 2001. ; Zio❑ College, 2001. ; Blind Asylum,
2001. ; Orphan Asylum, Clapham, 2001. ; Church Build-
ing, 1001. ; Houseless Poor, 100/. ; Shipwrecked Mari-
ners, 1001. ; Life-boat Fund, 1001. —lllustrated London
Now.
TREMENDOUS FIRES AND GREAT LOSS OF PRO-
PERTY.—Yeaterday (Sunday) mornirg, between the
hours of twelve and one o'clock, a fire, involving a
serious destruction of property, took place in the ex-
tensive range of premises belonging to Mr. J. Newson,
builder and steam saw-mill proprietor, situate in West-
bourne-street, Pimlico. The mischief done is thus offi-
cially reported by Mr. Braidwood :—Westbourne-street,
Pimlico—Mr. J. Newson, budder and saw-mill pro-
prietor ; contents and buildings insured in the Lanca-
shire fire-office ; the whole of the saw-mills, workshops,
stables, and lofts were destroyed by fire and water ;
cause of fire unknown. No. 53, in the same street—Mr.
Thomas Smith (private) ; back front and back premises
damaged by fire and breakage ; contents not insured.
No. 63, ditto—Belonging to Mr. J. Newson ; back
front and sheds damaged by fire and breakage ; insur-
ance unknown. No. 54, ditto—Mr. John Cock, car-
penter, &c. ; premises and contents damaged by fire,
&c. ; insurance unknown. No. 56, in the same street
—Mr. W. Chapman (private) ; similar damage to front
premises, and palings at the back broken ; insurance
unknown at present. No. 57, ditto—Mr. John Wil-
liams ; similar damage ; insurance unknown at present.
No. 1, Park's-cottages—Let out in tenements to several
persons ; the building, the furniture, and back windows
damaged by breakage and removal ; insurance unknown
at present. No. 2, ditto—Similar damage ; premises
lot ont in tenements ; inmates uninsured. No. 4,
Gresham-street, West—Mr. W. Vickers, cowkeeper ;
roof of cowsheds and contents damaged ; insured in the
Yemoix office. No. 37, Grosvenor-row--Mr. J. Carter
back premises damaged by breakage , insured in the
Pbcenix office.