The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-27 00:00:00

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA,

On Saturday Madlle. Patti appeared in Doni-
zetti's well-known opera, "Lucia di Lammermoor,"
for the first time on the London stage, and again
achieved extraordinary success. The house was
crowded to the ceiling—the applause given to the
young lady immense as when she made her first and
second appearances at the Royal Italian Opera as
Amino. in "La Sonnambula." Madlle. Patti again
exhibited the remarkable qualities as a vocalist to
which on former occasions we have endeavoured to
do justice. In her personation of the character
she showed the same intelligence, sensibility, and
grace; and her performance of the music was
distinguished by the same surprising amount of
vocal power, the same artistic purity of style,
finished execution, truth and force of expression,
and richness and variety of embellishment. Her
renderings of the cabaletta, " Perche non ho," and
the florid part of the scena the " mad scene") begin-
ning" dolce suono," were characterised by refined
taste and extraordinary brilliancy. The scene of
the signing of the contract and the unexpected
arrival of Edgardo was done to perfectiori.
Mental anguish and utter prostration of
spirit could hardly be portrayed with intenser
earnestness. That Mademoiselle Patti pos-
sesses the dramatic instinct as well as extraordi-
nary musical talent this one situation is quite
enough to prove. The crowning triumph of the
yoang singer is obtained, however, in the famous
mad-scene. Here, as in the final act of the " Son-
nambula," Mademoiselle Patti puts forth all her
energy, and succeeds in rivetting attention from
the first note to the last, the audience being
gradually wound up to a pitch of enthusiasm. Her
conception of the part of " Lucia" is as original as
the execution is brilliant, and the one as strikingly
picturesque as the other is surprising. The applause
with which Mdlle. Patti was received at the ter-
mination of the opera was tremendous. This even-
ing the opera of " Lucia" is to be repeated.

We (Court Journal) believe that her Majesty and
the Court will return to Buckingham Palace on the 31st
inst., to remain in town until the close of the season.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge,
attended by Gen. Airey, Col. Bingham, Col. Jervoise, and
Col. Charteris, visited the Pavilion Hotel, Folkestone, after
the review at Shornecliff, on Friday.

Their Serene Highneses Prince and Princess
Victor of Hohenlohe, who are at present in Germany, are
not expected to return to London before August.

Prince Louis of Hesse has been attacked by
measles, the symptoms of which first appeared on the 23d
inst. The eruption is disappearing.

ARRIVAL OF THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR AT
PEKIN.—Mr. Bruce arrived at Pekin on the 26th of

March.

The Earl Granville arrived at his residence in
Bruton-street last night from Paris, in which capital the
noble Lord President has been passing the Whitsun holi-

days.

The Earl and Countess de Grey and Ripon arrived
in Carlton Gtrdens on Saturday, from visiting Lady Mary
Vyner, at Newby Park, Yorkshire.

Viscount Castlerosie has returned to Eaton-
place from his seat, Killarney, Ireland, where his lordship
has passed the Whitsuntide recess.

The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P., will
arrive at his official residence in Downing-street this after.
noon from Flintshire.

Lord and Lady Blantyre, who have been passing
the holidays at St. Leonards-on-Sea, returned to Grosvenor-
place on Saturday last.

Sir Robert Peel, Bart., M.P., and Lady Emily
Peel return to town to-day from Drayton Manor, Stafford-
shire.

Captain W. J. Dorehill, 43d Light Infantry, has
been appointed Staff• Officer of Pensioners at Clonmel.—
Army and Navy Gazelle.

JURIDICAL SOCIETY.—This evening a paper will
b ) read before this society by Mr. Edward Webster, on the
system of promotion at the bar, and its influence on the
profession.
DINNER TO THE ROYAL SOCIETY AND THE
ROYAL ACADEMY.—On Saturday evening the Right Hon.
the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress entertained at
dinner in the Egyptian Hall, IVlansion'House, the Vice-
President and Council of the Royal Society, and the Presi•
dent and Council of the Royal Academy, and a distin-
guished company of guests numbering between 250 and
300 persons.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—SUNDAY, May 26.—Admis-
sions of members of Crystal Palace:share clubs and their
friends, 40,047; admissions for the six week days, 74,063 ;
total visitors during the week, 114,110. This gives a total
of upwards of ten millions of visitors to the Crystal Palace
since the opening on the 10th of June, 1854, a period of
nearly seven' years.

The CROPS TN YORKSHIRE.—The crops are look-
ing well in many parts of Yorkshire. A little more rain
would be very acceptable to farmers. The chief part of the
mangold crop has been got into the ground. Wheat is
much better than it was expected to be, and it is coming up
very nicely, though in some places this favourable report is
not borne out. The late severe frosts have somewhat inter-
fered with potatoes, but present appearances indicate an
abundant crop. On the whole, the prospects of the agri-
culturist may in this district be regarded as cheering.
THE MALTA HARBoun. EXTENSION.—Mr. An-
tonio Gabrielli, the contractor for the dredging works, and
Mr. Richard Barnes, of the firm of Tredwell and Barnes,
the contractors for the wharves and masonry, have both
arrived at Maltz, and are prosecuting with all possible de-
spatch their great undertakings with the Admiralty for the
extension of the harbour of La Valetta, which will, it is
hoped, be eventually joined to that of Marsaumsetto by a
navigable canal. Captain Wilford Brett, assistant mil'tary
secretary, and private secretary to his Excellency the Gover-
nor of Malta, has obtained leave of absence to proceed to
England. We understand that he is charged to give some
explanations on Points on which the governor and com-
manding engineer are at variance, more especially in regard
to the projected canal to join the two harbours.

The last New York advices tend to support the
expectation that the requirements for the war will soon
begin to make up for the falling.of in the demand for the
ordinary supplies of manufactured goods from Europe.
Thus in the week preceding the departure of the mail,
although the importation of the class of manufactures
termed "dry goods" showed a diminution of £65,000, or 30
per cent. compared even with the poor total of the corre-
sponding week of 1860, that of "general mercandise" pre-
sented an increase of £68,000, or 16 per cent. So that the
aggregate imports of the week were about £3,000 in excess.
The imports since Jan. 1 have been only £12,800,0002
against £17,000,000 in the saame period of 1860, and'
£17,600,000 in 1859,
THE PAPER DIITTES.—The Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer has put upon the order book of the House of Com-
mons the following notice of motion :—" Schedule (D),—
Specifying the ai tides upon which customs duties are to
cease by this act. The duties of customs chargeable upon
the goods, wares, and merchandise next hereafter men-
tioned, imported into Great Britain and Ireland, shall
cease and determine on and after the Ist day of October,
1861, (that is to say) :—Paper, viz.: frown paper, made of ,
old rope or cordage only, without separating or extracting
the pitch or tar therefrom, and without any mixture of other
materials therewith ; printed, painted, or stained pal erhang-
ings, or flock paper ; for printing or writing ; gilt, stained,
coloured, embossed, and all fancy kinds, not being paper
hangings, or paper fit for printing or writing; waste paper,
or paper of any other sort not particularly enumerated or
described, not otherwise charged with duty; millboards
pasteboard; books : viz , being of editions printed in or
since the year 1801, bound or unbound, admitted under
treaties of international copyright, or if of or from any
British possession. Prints and drawings : viz., plain or
coloured, admitted under treaties of international copyright,
on and at tha option of the importer ; single ; bound."
A CHILD EATEN BY BLACK BEETLES.-0a
Saturday Mr. Brent hold an inquest on the remains of a
child which had been found secreted up the flue of a cop-
per by a labourer at work on the premises at 22, Perk,
crescent, Regent's Park. The house had been empty 11
months, and its previous occupant was an admiral. Mr. F.
Clarke, surgeon, said he examined the body, which ap-
peared to be that cf the remains of a male child about three
months old. The skull was completely bare, and the flesh
had been entirely eaten away by black beetles, the musc'es
and skin remaining looking like tanned leather. The jury
returned an open verdict—" That the remains of a male
child had been found in the flue of a certain copper, but by
whom placed there there was no evidence before them to
determizio,"