The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-19 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

,ever from the day un which it was first produced at
the Teatro de la Fenice, at Venice, during the Carnival
of 1823, up to the present hour, has llossineschefd'ceuvre,
the Semiramide, been so perfectly represented as a whole
as it was last evening at her Majesty's Theatre. The
following was the cast :
Semiramide
Arsace Mdlle. Favanti
Assur
Idreno Signor Corelli
Oroe Signor Lablache.
When it is recollected that, in addition .to this strong
cast, the orchestra, perhaps the finest in the world, was
conducted by Signor Costa, and that the choruses were
full, complete, and excellently drilled, we think that our
musical readers will be inclined to agree with us in
opinion that the opera of Semiramide has never before
been so perfectly represented. It is a work of supero-
gation to praise the Semiramide of Grisi. Who
that has ever seen her in the character can
forget the dignified majesty with which she first enters
on the scene, who can forget the expression of inward
dread with which she utters the words, " E porde
tremi e palpiti misero cor cosi," and the efforts which
she makes to hide from her subjects her own feelings.
But she is a doomed and fated victim. Then again,
what can be more beautiful than her expression of joy
at the return of Arsace? And then, in the last scene of
the first act, what can be finer than her expres-
si in of the utter despair with which she is
overwhelmed at the appearance of the shade of
her murdered husband? What a magnificent scene,
too, is the opening of the second act, in which Assur
threatens Semiramide, the partner of his crime. How
majestically doess he express her contempt for his threats,
and with what dignity does she bid him respect in
Arsace his sovereign—yet, while she affects to contemn
Assur, she dreads him, and this feeling of fear is ren-
dered still more manifest by her uncontrollable
exclamations of joy at hearing the shouts with-
out, which proclaim the triumph of Arsace.
Then what can be finer than her acting in the beautiful
scene with Arsace, in which she discovers that he
is her own son, commissioned by the gods to
avenge his father's murder. With what an expres-
sion of utter despair does she utter the words " quale
orror," its she covers her face with her hands
on making the horrible discovery ; and then when
she has recovered her self-possession, with what calm
dignity and firmness does she offer herself as a victim
to appease the menes of her murdered husband, and
call upon her son to avenge his father by punishing his
guilty mother. In this scene she was admirably sup-
ported by Favanti, who threw into the part of Arsace an
exquisite pathos and feeling which contrasted admirably
with the unbending dignity of Semiramide. At length
the haughty soul of Smiramide yields ; with the most
imploring accents she exclaims,
" La tua bell' anima
Ha ancor di me pie*"
and, throwing herself into the arms of her son,
gives way to all the feelings of a mother. This
scene concludes with the beautiful duet " Giorno
d'orrore," and never has this exquisite morceau
been more exquisitely and feelingly given than it was
last night by Grisi and Favanti, and we say this with the
full recollection of Pasta and Pisaroni in the same cha-
racters. It was, of course, rapturously encored. Taken
altogether, Semiramide is, perhaps, Grisi's most mag-
nificent impersonation. She was never in finer voioe
than she was last evening, and never sang or
acted better. Our young countrywoman, Favanti, ap-
peared to great advantage in the part of Arsace.
Her opening scene was given with great power, and,
what is more to the purpose, with great accuracy of in-
tonation. The aria "Ah ! quel giorno" was beautifully
given, and afforded many opportunities of exhibiting
the wonderful power and compass of her voice, of which
she availed herself freely, always exhibiting, however,
the most admirable taste in the embellishments which
she introduced. Her fine rich contralto tones told with
great effect in the concerted parts, and harmonized deli-
ciously with Grisi's fine soprano in the beautiful duet
to which we have before alluded. Her expressive, but
somewhat pensive cast of countenance, and her fine and
commanding person, were admirably suited to the part.
Her costume was rich, elegant, and appropriate. She
looked completely the boy-hero. Fornasari, who has
quite recovered his voice and his health, threw himself
with all his accustomed energy completely into`the part of
Assur. His Assur of last season was a glorious sketch
—his Assur of last night was a finished picture. He
is now completely at home in the part, and
consequently gives us those lights and shadows and mi-
nute tones of colouring which last season he could only
faintly indicate. Lablache made a character of Oroe.
This part has usually been entrusted to inferior artists,
so that we were not aware of its capabilities until last
evening. In the scenes with the Queen nothing could
be finer than the quiet dignity which he infused into
the character. As compared with the dignity of
Semiramide, it was the dignity of repose con-
trasted with the dignity of action. Very fine
was he in the scene in which he invests Arsace
with the symbols of royalty, and when he informs
Arsace of the secret of his birth, and bids him avenge
his lather's death, he seemed an impersonation of the
spirit of justice, majestic, implacable, calm, yet terrible
from its very calmness. Corelli as Idreno was infinitely
superior to Oonti, who sustained the part last season. He
had but little to do, but that little he did well, and sang the
music of the part with great taste and sweetness.
Signor Corelli is evidently making his way with the
habitues of the Opera, and bids fair, at no very distant
day, to become a great favourite with the Opera audience.
At the fall of the curtain, Grisi, Favanti, and Fornasari,
were called for, and received with the usual honours.
Between the acts of the opera the Polka was danced by
Carlotta Grisi and Perrot ; and after it the beautiful
ballet of Giselle was revived, in which the fair Carlotta
resumed her oricinal character. The house was crowded
to auffocation long before the commencement of the
opera. The boxes presented a most brilliant appearance,
as they were almost all occupied by ladies attired in the
maenificent costumes in which they had attended her
Majesty's Drawing-room in the morning. The display
of diamonds was quite dazzling.

THE TEN HOURS' BILL.
It is quite clear that, however much Lord Ashley and
some other advocates of a diminution in the hours of
labour may be influenced by feelings of humanity, a very
large number of those who support a Ten Hours' Bill do
so from very different motives. Amongst these motives
we believe one of the most prominent is a motion,—
which, however absurd, is very sincere,—that the Legis-
lature can so regulate the hours of labour, and the con-
sequent production of manufactures, as to raise prices,
and consequently advance the interests both of manu-
facturers and workmen. This is evidently the opinion
not only of parties who take a prominent part in the ten
hours' agitation, but also of the great body of work-
people who join in it, who flatter themselves that the di-
minution of the hours of labour will cause an increased
demand for their services, which will bring them all into
full employment, at advanced wages. Of course, if this
opinion is well founded with respect to factory labour, it
must be equally so in reference to all other employments;
and, consequently, if the present attempt should be suc-
cessful, we may look for an interference on similar
grounds, with the labour of artisans and workmen of all
descriptions, and especially in those branches of em-
ployment in which, from any cause whatever, there
happens to be a superabundance of labourers. If these
cannot be all profitably employed for twelve hours a day,
the new philosophers will say that they ought to work
ten, or eight, or six, or such other reduced number of
hours as may be found adequate to the desired end of
furnishing the whole with employment ; and we may ex-
pect that the Legislature will be, if not very profitably,
at all events very fully, engaged in regulating the hours
during which tinkers and tailors, and shoemakers, and
all other handicraftsmen and workmen, may be per-
mitted to labour in their respective vocations, con-
sistently with the new principle of interference.
Amongst the parties who would be likely to set up ur-
gent claims for the interference of the Legislature in this
respect, we know of none who could make out so good a
case as the agricultural labourers ; whose numbers, it is
well known, are more in excess than those of persons
engaged in any other employment. If the condition of
cotton-spinners and power-loom weavers can be im-
proved by shortening their hours of labour, and increas-
ing the number of persons required to perform a given
quantity of work, why not try the experiment upon
labourers in husbandry ? It is clear that, with their
present term of labour, there is not work for all ; and
therefore we would recommend to the Hon. Member for
Oldham, or some other Member of Parliament, who
takes the same view of the question, to consider the pro-
priety of bringing in a Bill to restrict them to eight, or
to six, or to tour hours a day, with the view of trying
how far such a change would tend to improve their con-
dition. If diminution of labour is a good thing, let
them have plenty of it.
We are aware that some of the farmers would be dis-
posed to allege, that they could hardly afford to pay
their present rate of wages for ten or twelve hours'
labour ; and that, if restricted to six or even to eight
hours, they must either diminish wages in the same pro-
portion, or give up their farms. We do not, however,
see any difference in this respect between them and
cotton spinners ; and, if the restriction of labour in the
one case will prove generally beneficial, it can hardly
fail in the other.

Perhaps, however, as a diminution in the produce of
labour is to be the great panacea for national distress,
the bost plan would be to pass an Act of Parliament for
tying up the left hand of every labourer, for fear he
should perform too much work ; and, if that should not
be sufficient, let him labour with both hands tied to-
gether, which will surely answer the purpose.
We recommend this plan to the serious consideration
of those gentlemen who advocate the Tcn Hours' Bill on
grounds of commercial advantage.—Manchester Guardian.

THE LATE FIRE IN CLEREENIVELL —Wednesday
morning a fire broke out at No. 5, Upper Rosoman-street,
Clerkenwell, which was attended with circumstances of a
very distressing character, no less than fifteen persons, who
resided in the house, having been deprived of every article
of furniture and clothing, and reduced to a state of total des-
titution. A subscription has since been opened for their re-
lief; and it is to be hoped that the public will not be back-
ward in rendering assistance, and that such a sum will be
raised as will enable these poor people to obtain both a home
and clothing. Mr. Drayton and Mr. Tidmarsh, of 30, Upper
Rosoman-street, will receive subscriptions, and afford every
information relative to this very distressing case.
THE PEER AND THE TAlLOR.—TheßefOrine states,
that the Marquis de Louvois, who died a short time since,
passed at his estate all the time that he could spare from pub-
lic affairs. One day a travelling carriage arrived at the
village of —. The traveller, who was ill-tempered, found
fault with the postillions, and insisted on seeing the post-
master. A man appeared at the post-house, modestly attired ;
he addressed the traveller as follows :—" I shall wait on you
instantly, I only require time to put on my full dress coat as
a Peer of France." The postmaster was the Marquis de
Louvois, and the troublesome traveller his tA;lor, who had
realised a large fortune,

THE QUEEN'S DRAWING-ROOM.

The Queen held a drawing-room, the second this
season, yesterday afternoon, at St. James's Palace. Her
Majesty and Prince Albert and the Royal suite arrived
from Buckingham Palace in four of the Royal carriages
at two o'clock, escorted by a party of the Life Guards.
The Lord Chamberlain and the Lord Steward received
her Majesty and his Royal Highness, and conducted
them to the Royal closet.
His Majesty, the King of the Belgians arrived, accom-
panied by his Serene Highness the Prince of Leiningen,
and attended by Count Mercy d'Argenteau and Major
A. d'Hanins de Mqerkerke. His Majesty was received
at St. James's Palace by the Vice Chamberlain, who
conducted his Majesty to the Royal closet.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent attended
the drawing-room. Her Royal Highness was attended
by Lady Anna Maria Dawson and Colonel Sir George
Couper, Bart.
In the Royal suite were the Mistress of the Robes,
the Countess of Charlemont, Lady in Waiting ; and
other Ladies of the Bedchamber ; Hon. Miss Stanley,
Hon. Miss Hamilton, Maids of Honour in Waiting, and
the other Maids of Honour ; Hon. Mrs. Anson, Mrs.
Brand, Lady Gardiner, and other Women of the Bed-
chamber ; the Earl of Morton, Lord in Waiting ; Hon.
Captain Duncombe, Groom in Waiting ; Col. Buckley,
Equerry in Waiting ; Marquis of Granby, Lord in
Waiting on Prince Albert ; General Sir George Anson,
Groom in Waiting ; and Colonel Bouverie, Equerry in
Waiting on his Royal Highness.
Her Majesty's Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at
Arms were on duty in the State Rooms, commanded by
their standard-bearer, Mr. Henry Robinson.
In the Foreign Diplomatic circle, the following pre-
sentations to the Queen took place
Le General Baron Stjernerona, by Count Bjornstjerna,
the Swedish Minister.

Le Baron C. de Bjornstjerna, Officier d'Ordonnance de
S. M. le Roi de Suede et de Norwege, by Count Bjorn-
stjerna the Swedish Minister.
The Count de Farrobo, a Peer of Portugal, by Baron
de Moncorvo, the Portuguese Minister.
Le Prince Zurlo, Gentilhomme de la Chambre; and le
Prince San Severn, Officier de la Garde d'Honneur de sa
Majesti Sicilienne, by Prince Castelcicala the Sicilian
Minister.

Le Colonel Comte Koutousoff, and le Capitaine de la
Marine Imperiale, Monsieur de Glasenapp, Aides-de-
Camp de sa Majest‘lmperiale de Russie, by the Baron
de Neumann, the Austrian Minister. _ _

The Foreign Diplomatic circle was attended by the
French Ambassador and the Countess de St. Aulaire,
and Baron de Talleyrand, Attache to the Embassy ; the
Swedish Minister and Countess Bjornstjerna, and Baron
de Bjornstjerna, Secretary of Legation ; the Belgian
Minister and Madame Van de Weyer ; Baron de Cetto,
Bavarian Minister ; Count de Pollan, Sardinian Minis-
ter, and Count Revel, Secretary of Legation ; the Por-
tuguese Minister and Baroness de Moncorvo, M. Lobo
de Moira, Secretary of Legation, and le Baron de Lagos;
M. Alejo Fortique, Venezuelan Minister ' • General
'
Prince Castelcicala, Neapolitan Minister, and M. G. Ca-
nofari, Secretary of Legation ; Count Kielmannsegge,
the Hanoverian Minister ; Baron de Hugel, Wurtem-
berg Minister ; and le Baron de Linden; Madame
Bunsen, lady of the Prussian Minister ' • the United
States Minister and Mrs. Everett, Miss Everett,
and Mr. Rives, Secretary of Legation ; the Da-
nish Minister and Countess Reventlow, and
Baron Brockdorff, Secretary of Legation ; Baron
de Nieumann, Austrian Minister, and M. de Hurnmelauer,
and Count Esterhazy ; the Mexican Minister and Ma-
dame Murphy, Mr. Joseph Murphy, Secretary, and Mr.
B. Muriel, second Secretary of Legation ; M. M. Mos-
quera, New Grenada Chargé d'Affaires, and M. Raphael
de Ayala, Secretary to the Mission; Baron Thile, Prus-
sian Charge d'Affaires, and Baron Witzleben. Captain in
the Prussian Royal Guards ; M. Stratenus, Netherlands
Charge d'Affaires ; Chevalier de Ribas, Spanish Chard
d'Affaires, and Victoriano de Pedrorena, second Secre-
tary to the Mission.
The general company present at the Drawing-room
included the Lord Steward, the Lord Chamberlain,
the Captain of the Hon. Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms,
Viscount Combermere, Gold Stick in Waiting ; the
Vice-Chamberlain, the Treasurer of the Household, the
Lord Chief Baron, Sir Edward Disbrowe, her Ma-
jesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipoten-
tiary to the King of the Netherlands ; Mr. Turner, late
her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pleni-
potentiary to the Republic of Colombia ; the Lord
Justice Clerk of Scotland; Sir George Philip Lee, Lieu-
tenant of the Yeoman Guard ; the Master of the Cere-
monies; Mr. Henry Robinson, Standard bearer of the
Hon. Corps of Gentlemen at Arms ; Mr. S. March
Phillips, Under Secretary of State of the Home Offiee ;
Hon. and Rev. Edward Keppel, Deputy Clerk of the
Closet ; Mr. Ralph Gore, Groom in Waiting to her Ma-
jesty ; Captain Francis Seymour, Scots Fusilier Guards,
Groom of the Bed Chamber to his Royal Highness
Prince Albert ; Captain Sir Andrew Green, Naval
A.D.C. ; Colonel Dyneley, C.B. ' • Colonel H. Ben-
thick, and Colonel Oldfield, Royal Engineers, A.D.C.
to the Queen ; Colonel Sir George Couper, Bart.,
First Equerry and Comptroller of the House-
hold to her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent ;
Major-General Sir E. Bowater, Equerry in Waiting to
Prince Albert ; Colonel Richardson, Royal Horse
Guards, Silver Stick in Waiting ; Rev. Montagu Wyn-
yard, Chaplain in Ordinary in Waiting ; Mr. James
13unce Curling, Clerk of the Cheque of the Honour-
able Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms ; Mr. Ellerthorpe,
Clerk of the Cheque of the Yeoman Guard ; Captain S.
Sadler, Exon in Waiting ; Sir Samuel Hancock, Exon of
the Yeoman Guard ' • Sir Benjamin Smith, C.S. ; Mr.
Colquhoun, Agent for the Hanse Towns ; Chevalier
Hebeler, his Prussian Majesty's Consul-General ; Mr.
Frederic Peel Round, Gentleman Usher of the Green
Rod ; Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Frederic Smith and Cap-
tain Courtenay Boyle, R.N., Gentlemen Ushers of the
Privy Chamber in Waiting ; Mr. Alfred Montgomery.
Gentleman Usher to her Majesty ; Colonel Goodwin,
C. 8., Gentleman Usher to his Royal Highness Prince
Albert in Waiting ; Colonel W. Drummond, Scots Fu-
silier Guards, Field Officer in Brigade Waiting ; and the
following Ladies :
DUCHESSES—NorfoIk, Dowager Bedford.

MARCHIONESs—WeII e slay.
COUNTESSES —Norbury, Arundel and Surrey, Pem-
broke, March, De La Warr, Leicester, Dowager Win-
terton, De Salis, Mortoti, Wicklow, Granville, 'Lidding-
ton, Clarendon, Clanwilliam, Jersey, Nelson, Dowager
Carnwath, Dowager Somers.
VISCOUNTESSES—Dowager Galway, Mare, Emlyn,
Ashbrook, Barrington.
LADIES—Yarde Buller, Sondes, Ellen Douglas, Geor-
giana Toler, Byron, Disbrowe, Jemima Eliot, Pollock,
Macdonald, Mary Sackville West, Gardner, Maria Kep-
pel, Mosley, Frances Nelson, Trimleston, Aberdour,
Howard Douglas, Adeliza Manners, Worsley, Elizabeth
A. Smyth, Gore Booth, John Russell, Emily Cavendish,
Mary Ross, Rivers, Denman, Harriet Moore, Bouchier,
Walsingham, Caroline Bathurst, Teynham' G. Stuart
Wortley, Harriet Paget, Frances Howard, Mary Monck,
Grace Vandeleur, Montresor, Palmer, Cremorne, James
Ross, Frances Hotham,i H. Durham, Rachel Russell,
Clementina Villiers, Viharncliffe, Mary Lambton, Kin-
naird, Francis ,Egerton, Stanley, Georgians. Fullerton,
Frederic Smith, Louisa Cavendish, Frankland Russell,
Fremantle, Maria West, Elizabeth Villiers, Champagne,
Mary Phipps, Charles Beauclerk, Green, Carew, Far-
quhar, Cornewall, Alderson, Mary Stephenson, Laura
Money, John Somerset, Mary Stanley, Howard de
Walden, Jane Howard, Frances Cole.
HONOURABLES—Mrs. Richard Denman, Miss Den-
man, Louisa Eliot, Miss Milks, Mrs. Kenyon, J. Albinia
Irby, Mrs. Thomas Erskine, Mrs. Percy Davison, Mrs.
Hely Hutchinson, C. Maria Barrington, Lady Cockbuty,
Mrs. Leicester Stanhope, Miss Flower, Miss Carew,
Mrs. Hubbard, Mrs. R. H. Wrightson, Mrs. Ramsden.

MADAME—ilebeler.
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itchhoanryd
edief,
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Rothschildp .
Alex-
,
ander, Edward Buller, S. Martin, J. Abel Smith, Charles
Lushington, Vivian, Beresford Taylor, Williamson,
Roberts, Robert Allfrey, Matheson, Denistoun, Torrens,
Brereton Trelawney, Robert Bagshaw, Colonel Parkin-
son, Grant, Thoyts, Kingsmill, Heys, Henry Beauclerk,
Mercer, Guy L'Estrange, Ashworth, Longford Brooke,
Garth, William Turner, Packe Reading, Champagne,
Harry Barr, Bagshaw, Edward Mayne, Douglas Hal-
ford, J. N. Talfourd, Pemberton, Whitelock, Reginald
Curteis, H. Elphinstone, Weld, Chester Master, Ed-
ward Horsman, Long, George Wyse, T. Somers Cocks,
Senior, Beauchamp St. John, Dodd, G. Wilkinson, Her-
bert, Ireland Blackburne, C. G. Wynne.
MISSES—Grant, Yarde Buller, Pollock, Grace Pollock,
Mary Monk, Letitia Mosley, Julia Grant, Catherine
Backhouse, Jane Backhouse, Ellen Alexander, Fanny
Alexander, Erskine, Julia Erskine, Disbrowe, Smyth,
Fanny Smyth, Long, De Salis, Douglas, Horatia San-
ford, Katharine Colquhoun, Colquhoun, Ross, Maria
Farquhar, Tennent, Wynne, Chaytor, Louisa Fitzgibbon,
Shuckburgh, Caroline Bellew, Emily Bingham, Tre-
lawney, H. E. Blackburne, Bingham, Torrens, Geraldine
Perceval, Alderson, Rosa Ravenshaw, Georgians West,
Fitzgibbon, Garth, Anne Fane Parry, Cole, Heys, Mow-
bray, Weld, Lucy Heys, Mercer, E. Avena Blackburne,
llely Hutchinson, Mary Anne Weld, Ellen Jane Carew,
Julia Frankland, Selina Garth, Fanny West, Campbell,
Henrietta Heys, Turner, Mactavish, A. March, Phillipps,
Edith Mercer, Senior, Caroline Paget, Trafford, Jane A.
' Streatfeild, M. G. Wilkinson, Fanny Cole, Dorothy
Streatfeild, Mathews, Wyse, Whitbread, Cornewall,
Louisa Hubbard, Marion Ely, Charlotte St. John, Mon-
tresor, Freemantle, Green Wilkinson, Bathurst, Cathe-
rine Bathurst, Halford, Webb, Bae.shaw, Farquhar,
Antiinetta Reynolds, M. Storer, Madeline Alexander,
March Phillipps, Juliana Somerset.
The following. Lathes had the honour of being pre
sented to her Majesty :
Mrs. Grant, by the Countess of Morton.
Mrs. Richard Jelf, by the Countess of Morton.
Mrs. J. D. Alexander, by Lady Pollock.
Mrs. S. Martin, by Lady Pollock.
The Countess of Arundel and Surrey, by the Duchess
of Norfolk.
The Countess of March, by the Duchess of Richmond.
The Countess of Leicester on her marriage, by the
Duchess of Bedford.
Lady Francis Nelson. by the Countess Nelson.
Lady Aberdour, on her marriage, by the Countess of
Morton.
Hon. Mrs. Richard Denman, by Lady Denman.
The Hon. Louisa Eliot, by Lady Jemima Eliot.
The Hon. Georgiana Albinia Irby, by the Hon. Mrs.
Wrightson.
Miss Grant, by the Countess of Morton.
Miss Letitia Mosley, by Lady Mosley.
Miss Mary Monk, by the Hon. Lady Cockburn.
Miss Grace Pollock, by Lady Pollock.
Miss Fanny Alexander, by her mother, Mrs. J. D.
Alexander.
Miss Ellen Alexander, by her mother, Mrs. J. D.
Alexander.
Miss Julia Grant, by Lady Denman.
Lady Walsingham, on her marriage, by her mother,
Lady Frankland Russell.
I Lady Teynham, on her return from the Continent, by
Mrs. Wynn. Yorke,