The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-17 00:00:00

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HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
It is with good operas as it is with good pictures. A rich
amateur will hang up a Cuyp or a Rembrandt in his studio,
and day after day he will contemplate it with fresh delight.
An operatic chef d'ceuvre produces the same effect, and no
lover of music could attend Don Pasquale, performed once
more last night, with any other feeling but that of seeking
new sources of pleasure, and of expectation of those choice
bits of singing and acting which our matchless artists bring
out with such zest and dramatic spirit. As regards the opera
itself, Romani, the first musical critic and librettist of Italy,
and who is besides a poet of no mean pretensions—Rotnoi
has given his opinion of Don Pasquale in the following
words :—" In its score, more than the wonted fire and spirit
of Donizetti are displayed; there is the same freshness of de-
sign and colouring which are so remarkable in his most im-
portant works. It abounds in graceful and original melo-
dies, well adapted accompaniments, and agreeable harmonic
combinations; add to all this some exquisite duets, a mag-
nificent finale, a delicious serenade, one single chorus, but
that of an entirely new creation ; in a word, a happy
blending of the parlante cantante styles, which forms
the type of all real and successful opera buffa." Romani's
opinion was free from the influence which ours must undergo.
He never witnessed the opera, as performed by the first artists
of Europe, on our Anglo-Italian stage ; but he saw it at
Turin, where the theatre; ranks after La Scala, San Carlos,
and La Fenice, whilst all Italy feels the paucity of artists.
Now we have seen this opera performed by Lablache. We
could never think it endurable with any other Don Pasquale.
Lablache's superiority as a comic actor arises from the cir-
cumstance that although a man naturally of a grave and re-
. flective turn of mind, he was compelled, at the first steps of
his career, to begin with a small theatre, the Carling at Naples,
where comic operas are the staple commodity. There are
many species of national Buffi—such as the Buffo Tescano,
Buffo Neapolitan, &c., and it was the latter, the most origi-
nal and most mercurial of all, which fell to the lot of
Lablache.
Amongst the most agreeable revivals on the point of taking
place, is that of Giselle, which is to be produced on Thursday.
This ballet, the dances, story, and scenery of which is so
beautiful, is the triumph of Carlotta Grisi, whose aerial style
of dancing enables her to produce so much illusion in the
moonlight dance of the spirits. With this ballet Semiramide
will be restored to us, and in fact we are reminded by the
exertions of the management of the concentration in town of
that beau monde, the most essential to please, since they are
the yearly patrons of this establishment.
The house was brilliantly attended. Amongst the com-
pany we remarked the Queen Dowager, who was accom-
panied by Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, and attended
by Earl Howe, Lord and Lady Barrington, Lady Georgians
Curzon, Hon. Miss Barrington, Hon. Miss Boyle, Hon. W.
Curzon, Hon. L. Curzon ; the Duke and Duchess of Cam-
bridge, who were attended by Baron Knesebeck and Col.
Keith ; the Dukes of Wellington, Devonshire, Beaufort,
Leeds, and de Buisson ; the Duchess of Beaufort ; the Mar-
quises of Ailesbury, Abercorn, Lansdowne, Salisbury, Nor •
manby, Worcester, and Huntley ; the Marchionesses (~f
Lansdowne, Douro, Abercorn, Wellesley, Westmeath ; Baron
Nieumann, Baron and Baroness de Cetto ; the Earls of
Pembroke, Wilton, Auckland, Shelburne, Liverpool, Bel-
fast; the Countesses of Wilton, Auckland, Shelburne, Ken-
mare ; Lords Duncannon, Templetown, Gardner, Aylmer ;
Ladies Fitzroy Somerset, Trimlestone, William Paulet,
Loftus Otway, Colborne, Fremantle, Shaw Stewart, Hen-
derson Durham, Eleanor Balfour, Wood, Seymour, Aylmer,
Rendlesham, Wombwell, Duff • Sirs Loftus Otway, 11.
Webb, H. Willoughby, A. Barnard, T. Hare, Edward Cole-
brooke, H. Bold Houghton, M. Shaw Stewart, William Fre-
mantle, C. Kent, Alexander Duff; Honourables R. Curzon,
H. Upton, Colonel Cavendish, Mrs. Fitzgibbon, Mrs. L.
Stanhope, &c.

SPORTING ATTRACTIONS.—BeII's Life in London
of Sunday next will contain the commencement of the
Alphabetical List of Winning Greyhounds in 1843-4—The
approaching First Spring Meeting at Newmarket, with anti-
cipatory remarks by Pegasus—Bath and other races—A
Glimpse at the forthcoming Derby, and position of the
" Cracks"—Steeple Chases—Angling Episode, No. 5, by
Ephemera Cricket Aquatics Pedestrianism Pigeon
Shooting—Chess—Regeneration of British Boxing, by Tom
Spring—Death of " the Cicero of the Ring," and the usual
variety of Sporting Events. Office of Bell's Life, 170, Strand.
On transmission of Sixpence or six Post office stamps to the
Office, papers will be forwarded as usual. On Sunday also
Bell's Life will contain full particulars of the " Doings at
Nermarket," and on the Sunday following copious details of
the Chester Races. Post-office Orders for 6s. 6d. will secure
the punctual transmission of the paper for a quarter, delivered
within 200 miles of London on the day of publication.
THE SOUTH LONDON WATER COMPANIES.—We
have heard that Government are taking active measures
touching the complaints of the inhabitants of the southern
districts of London of the impure and dear water with which
they are supplied. An eminent engineer has already been
called before the Commissioners for the Health of- Large
Towns, and examined as to the practicability of obtaining
the water from one of the smaller rivers ; and evidence has
been given before the same Committee as to the practicability
of filtering any quantity of water in a given number of hours.
A Noble Marquis has also promised the Lambeth petitioners
to keep the subject before Parliament until the existing evils
are entirely removed.—Standard. [We have reason to belieVe
that the engineer referred to by our Contemporary is Mr.
Easton, who is executing for GOvernment the fountains is
Trafalgar-square. The system of filtration is that of Mr.
Stuckey, a description of which appeared in The Sun of last
Friday, and the Noble Marquis is the Marquis of Normanbn
Music.—lt is rumoured in the best informed

musical circles, that a violinist—a lady forsooth !—is about
to appear upon the metropolitan boards, to whose name is
already attached a fame which few who have distinguished
themselves on the violin have surpassed.
The following is from a correspondent, dated
Munich, April 4 :—" Munich has suffered in an unusual de-
gree this winter from typhus and scarlet fever, which has been
fatal in most cases to children. The Prince of Saxe Alien-
burgh, the Queen's brother, has lost two, and many of the
first families have been put in mourning by this awful visita-
tion. A large school in the suburbs returned all its inmates
to their parents, and the influenza has followed close upon
this scourge, and much earlier than the usual period of its

appearance."
LEAGUE TRIUMPH AT lIUNTINGDON.—Saturday
night, one of the largest and most intelligent public meet-
ings ever witnessed in the town of Huntingdon met at the
discussion of the corn-laws, in the large room of the Hun-
tingdon Institution, between Dr. Sleigh, on the part of the
Huntingdonshire Agricultural Protection Society, and James
Acland, Esq., one of the lecturers of the Anti-Corn-law
League. Being the weekly market-oy, the town was
crowded by farmers and others from a distance, who, from
the probability of a speedy election for the borough, have
been lately visited by the agents both of the League and
Anti-League. Each party selected a chairman, and the two
chairmen chose an umpire. Downes Martin, Esq., presided
for the League, and David Veasey, Esq., for the Protec-
tionists; Dennis Herbert, Esq., the Mayor, was appointed
umpire. The discussion was commenced at four o'clock by
Dr. Sleigh, who spoke for an hour ; then Mr. Acland spike
for the same period. At six o'clock, time allowed to each
disputant, by the mutual arrangements which had teen
made, was limited to half an hour; and from eight to halt-
past eight each had a quarter of an hour. At half-past eight
the discussion closed, and a division took place, when the
large assembly, by a majority of nearly, if not quite, two to
one, voted—" That not only is the principle of protective
corn-laws unjust, but their abolition is indispensibly necessary
to the best interests of all classes in the kingdom !" This
decision was received with tremendous cheers, greatly to the
chagrin of the hitherto dominant faction of the town and
county, who, from the great number of farmers present,
looked for a different result.
TILE SURREY DISPENSARY.—The friends and s Up•
porters of this excellent institution assembled yesterday in
large numbers at the Bridge Hotel, Southwark, to celebrate
the usual anniversary festival which for many years past hae
been given, for
,the purpose of affording the charitably dis-
posed an opportunity of making an additional contribute n
the funds of the institution. The Duke of Cambridge, who
presided last year at the Surrey Dispensary festival, promised
to take the chair last evening; but in the absence of his
Royal Highness;the chair was taken by Mr. Holme Sumner,
High Sheriff for the county, who was supported by Mr.
Kemble, M.P., Mr. Antrobus, M.P., and several gentlemen
of high standing in the county of Surrey. On the removal
of the cloth, Mr. Sumner said that he had received a letter
from the secretary of the Duke of Cambridge, who had been
directed by his Royal Highness to forward a cheque for
20 guineas, and to express his regret at his being prevented
from attending at the dinner. Mr. Kemble proposed "'1 Le
health of the Chairman" who briefly returned thanks, and
proposed " The health of the Members for the county." By
the report, it appeared that the excess of expenditure over
the income of the preceding year, amounted to 5011., Lut
It
was hoped that the contributions would not only covet this
deficit, but leave a surplus fund at the disposal of the Dis-
pensary, in order to meet the increasing demands upon its
valuable assignee. During the past year the increase c 4
patients over the preceding year, amounted to 1,182, an 1 the
number of path nts who received relief during the past year
amounted to 7,137.
We are glad to hear that tonnage is in brisk de•
mand at Liverpool. The desirable change is attributed to
the success of the guano trade. The import of this new
article of commerce has given a large amount of employment
to shipping, which promises to continue and to increase.
Whole cargoes of the article are readily sold on arrival, and
it cannot be obtained in sufficient quantity to supply the
market. Shipping is said to have advanced within the last
month ten per cent.—Shipping.Gazette.
TIN CROFT MINING COMPANY.—Yesterday the
annual meeting of this Company was held at the office of
Mr. Stainsby, No. 44, Finsbury-square. The chair having
been taken by Joseph Grout, Esq., the report of the Direc-
tors was read by Mr. Stainsby, from which it appeared that
the stability of the mine in yielding an abundance of ore
was now fully proved, and that to an extent beyond expecta-
tion. The total debit for the year was 21,317/. 7s. 3d. The
balance in hand, in April, 1843, was 3,017/. ; the copper ore
sold in the year amounted to 24,0924 the tin 4,0591., and the
arsenic to 66/., which, after the reduction of the above debit
left a balance of 9,415/. 9s. 10d. ; from this the various divi-
dends being deducted, there remained an actual balance of
664/. 4s. 11d. The mine was free from incumbrance of any
description. It was proposed to abolish a regulation for
keeping up a reserve fund, which the Directors thought,
from the profitable state of the mine, was rendered quite
unnecessary for their protection, and if rescinded (the
amount now being 1,5001.), would admit of another dividend
over and above every liability. The report was adopted una-
nimously after a discussion, in which Mr. P. N. Johnson,
Mr. Smith, Mr. Birdsey, Mr. Lisedo, and others, took part,
when thanks were voted to the Directors and to Captain Paul,
the manager, and the meeting separated.
The Town Council of Inverness, at their meeting,
on Tuesday, by a majority of one, resolved not to send a
representative to the ensuing General Assembly.
We are led to believe that it is probable that her
Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, accompanied
by the Royal Family, will pay a visit to the Isle of Wight,
in the course of the month of May, for two or three weeks, in
order that her Majesty may have an opportunity of forming
a correct estimate of the conveniences of Osborne House,
and of the salubrity of its situation, previously to a more
lengthened sojourn of the Court in the months of August and
September next.
BRIGHTON, APRIL 16.—The ship Northumberland,
Captain Drew, which left Calcutta on the 12th of December,
and the Sandheads on the 14th, arrived in these roads yes-
terday, and landed the following passengers :—Major Chap-
man, 36th Bengal Native Infantry; Lieutenant Feirie,;lBth
Bengal Native Infantry ; Mr. Mayer, Mrs. Adams and fa-
mily, and Mrs. Captain Taylor and family. Among the
passengers on board were Captain Seaton, Lieutenant, Yelson,
2d Madras Native Infantry ; Mr. Bell, Mr. Brewer, Mrs.
Ballant and son, and Mrs.. Crisp. The Northumberland,
after putting the passengers on board a pilot boat, set sail
for the Downs. The ship Pauline Houghton, Captain Rotsay
laden with sugar, also arrived in our roads yesterday from
the Mauritius, and landed letters, which were dispatched
immediately, per railway, to London.
THE METROPOLITAN POLICE.—At the Surrey Sea:
sions, when the grand jury came into Court, the foreman saki
they could not part without complimenting the police on the
clearness and precision with which they gave their evidence ;
and the Chairman remarked that the Bench WM! well aware
of their valuable service..

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