The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 11, 1868.

when once fairly in existence crushed down free
thought, free speech, and free action under one re-
lentless Reign of Terror, and which, starting in the
lofty names of Liberty, Fraternity, and Equality,
speedily established in their stead " le droit du plus
fort.."

The ;Conservative candidates at Devonport have
been setting forward their claims, and the meeting
was well attended and orderly, which is saying
something nowadays. Mr. FERRAND spent some
time in referring to the subject of the last election,
and then addressed himself to general politics in
his usual decided way. As to the expenditure
question he said that if Mr. GLADSTONE'S Govern-
ment had not spent the same if they had been in
power they would have been " traitors." It is
satisfactory to find any one speak as does Mr.
FERRAND does, and he more than met the assail-
ants half way by saying that more would be re-
quired for the expenditure of the country, and not
less. The spread of education, sanitary improve-
ments, the extension of the Factory Acts, and other
matters would require it. Theßadicals, he believes,
wish to disestablish the dockyards, and for
years they have been making attacks upon
the artizans and officers. The Conservatives
have restored the franchise, which their
opponents took away. Mr. FERRAND argued
very ingeniously that " the least the new electors can
do is to recognise the noble act." Major PALISSIER
laid great stress upon the Reform Bill which his
party had passed, and expressed his full confidence
in the extension of the suffrage. He knew the
working men, " he had worked alongside of them
in the fitting shop, the turning shop, at forges and
foundries,and knew what a clever,honest,respectable,
and thorough Conservative set of men they were."
He had also met among the men of talent whose
want of means had alone precluded them taking up
their right position. The effect of the Reform Bill,
Major PALISSIER said, was to " smash up the Radi-
cal party." It was so split up that Mr. GLADSTONE
was quite at fault for a " cry " until he took up
Ireland. The complete success of that, however,
was becoming a little more doubtful, and so we
have the question of retrenchment put before us
with all the addenda and improvements that the
wit and imagination of the candidates can supply.
Lord HARTINGTON'S dashing attack had been so
completely met that the noble lord was compelled
to beat a retreat, and leave it to Mr. GLADSTONE
or Mr. CIIILDERS, at a future day, to reply to the
answer he had received. As for the year
1865, which these wiseacres thinkly so lightly of,
that, it is well known, was a year in which nothing
was done, and a sort of lapse took place, while
arrangements were made for experiments, &c. The
Conservative Government came in the next year,
land found the work waiting to be done, and pushed
it forward, as in duty bound, with spirit and energy.
I The works on the Continent showed the ne-

cessity for having recourse to the breech-
loader, and that' was another source of expense,
but who will venture to say that it was not needed,
and that the Administration which refused to do
so would have had confidence reposed in them by
either Parliament or people. Let there then be a
stop put to these accusations or insinuations
about expense, for they are as idle as they are
unfair, and quite unworthy of being made
the standing point of attack. Why does
not Mr. GLADSTONE give a direct answer
to the statement of the CHANCELLOR. of the Ex-
CHEQUER, and contradict it if he can ? The reason
is very obvious—he is afraid to try. He will wait

until he makes another long speech, and then, amid
the multiplicity of his words, slip in some other charge
against the Ministry, and leave the stray shot to take
effect or not as chance directs. His followers may
keep it up, but in all probability the expenditure
has done its work so far as he is concerned, and

he will seek fresh fields and pastures new. It can-
not be said that the last effort has been a success,
for he has been contradicted in the most direct way
by the figures he loves so well, but which have been
turned against him, since they show he is himself
responsible for the results he lays to the charge of
others.

The late King LEOPOLD was distinguished for
his wisdom, and he rendered many most important
services to the other crowned heads of Europe by
his timely hints and judicious counsel. It is there-
fore interesting to notice some of his opinions on
the ;project of a tr2aty between France and Bel-

gium relating to a Customs' Union. Two letters,
taken from the forthcoming biography of the late
KING, by M. JUSTE, appear in the Standard

of to-day, and they are the more inte-
resting as the lapse of years since their
date has not got rid of the notion to
which they refer, for of late we have heard a good
deal of the scheme in one quarter awl another. ,
The first letter was written in November, 1840,
and is addressed by King LEOPOLD to M. LE
HON. In this he declares that his first im-
pression was against it, for the Belgians were sus-
ceptible. Tie lays particular stress upon the im-
portance of giving the treaty a " character purely
commercial, to take away from it every clause
which would be of an administrative nature."
On the whole the prevailing opinion throughout
this letter is evidently one of doubt respecting the
advisability of the proposal, and while its advan-
tages are admitted its difficulties are more manifest.
The KING states very plainly that unless the French
Government are willing to conform to his advice
and warning it will be of no. use to attempt the
task. The second letter, which bears date January,
1841, is much more decisive on the point. The
KING bids the Minister to rest assured that it has be-
come impossible for them to make anything more than
a " differential treaty" with France. There must
be a " palpable proof" to the rest of Europe that
there is no " incorporation." The other Powers
were against a union of Custom-houses, declaring
that the neutrality of Belgium would thereby cease,
and that it would, in fact, become a province of
France, which the other Powers could not respect.
Further on King LEOPOLD maintains that a different
treaty with France would be quite as well as a union
of Custom-houses. Finally, M. LE HON is charged in

the most impressive manner to be careful how he
acts in this important affair, and not to forget the
impossibility of a Union of Custom-houses. A
differential treaty would be another affair, and
might offer advantages without presenting such
dangers. Surely the statesmen of this day may
learn something from this record of the last
generation. King LEOPOLD was one who
was well acquainted with such matters,
and could speak what he knew on all
affairs of national interest. What he said then
may be equa']y applicable now, and it would be
ruinous for Belgium to adopt any course which
would result in her sinking down into a French

province. The tried sagacity of IzoroLD may
well serve the country he ruled with such success

even now that he has departed from among us, and
the more his advice is dwelt upon, the more sound
will it appear and the more worthy of attention by
all who have the interest of the little kingdom at
heart.

EXECUTIONS AGAINST RAILWAYS.—By one of the
fait Acts exo:...utions a,gaiast railway cemptinio:3 are re-
btrieted to the Ist of September, 1070, from the Ist of
sopterabor root.

LATEST INTELLCGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

PRUSSIA.

BERLIN, Sept. 11.

The Queen and the Crown Prince and Crown
Princess of Prussia will pay a visit to the King of
Saxony, at Dresden, on the Bth October.
The Crown Princess, with her children, leaves
for England on the 20th proximo. The Crown
Prince will join the Princess early in November.

INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN
(HEAVY) MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, Sept. 11.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Nyanza, with the above mails, has arrived here,
with 69 passengers, £26,157 in specie, and a large
cargo, including silk to the value of £200,000.
On the Bth the Nyanza spoke the steamer Pera,
and on the 10th the steamer Oneida.

GIBRALTAR, Sept. 6.
News from Barbary continues satifactory.
The public health at Tangiers was rapidly im-

proving.
Exchange.—On London, 49 9-16 ; Paris, 5.22 ;
Madrid, 1 prem.

FRANCE.

PARIS, Sept. 11.

The announcement of the departure of the Em-
peror yesterday for Fontainbleau was premature.
The Moniteur says his Majesty will only leave the
Camp of Chalons to-day.
The Afoniteur of this morning contains an ac-
count of the review of the troops in the camp of
Chalons held by the Emperor yesterday. His
Majesty expressed to General Lebceuf his satisfae-
tion at the precision with which the evolutions of
the troops had been executed.
The Illoniteur in its bulletin also says that the
resignation of Signor Cadorna, and his temporary
replacement by Signor Cautelli, Minister of Public
Works, do not indicate any notable change in the
interior policy of the Italian Cabinet.
BOURSE, Sept. 10.—Three o'clock.—The market
closed as follows :

Bank Shares 3170
Ital'au Loan
End of month._
Mexican Loan
Do. Bonds
Spanish Threes
Homo Debt
Deferred —
Cash
Orleans
N orthern
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern.....
Western
Eastern

11 per Cent.
End of month —
3 per Cent
End of month 7O 55
Credit Mobilier
End of month 2BB
Credit Foncier 1137
End of month

RAILWA•

45
552
415
51
80
30
.........
...............
. ..........

Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa
Roman..

BANK OF FRANCE.

PARIS, Sept. 10.
The following is the return of the Bank of France
for the week ending to-day, together with the cor-
responding figures of the previous account :

DEBTOR.
Sept. 10.

Sept. 3.
fr.

Capital of the Bank.... 182,500,000
Profits in addition to

182,500,000 -

capital (Art. 8, Law,
June 9, 1837) 7,014,776 02 7,014,776 0::
Reserve of the Bank
and its branches
Reserve of landed pro-
perty 4 000 000 4,000,000
Notes in circulation 1,222,454,600:, 1,238,919,430
Banknotes to order and
receipts payable at

22,105,750 1.1 22,105,750 1►

377917,834 86 35,860,933 89

sight - -
Treasury account cur-
rent creditor 189,329,211 83 159,166,836 09
Current accounts, Paris 403,960,942 9 415,0 ,i,,02 52
Do. branch banks 49,171,593 —55,313,55 ii
Dividends payable 1,437,508 1,503,264
Discounts and sundry

interests
Rediscounted tho last

3,37,119 91 3,121,849 55

six months
Surplus of receipts not
distributed
Sundries

703,152 42

703,152 42

6,817,076 64 11,637,316 60

Total
CUE DITO It.
Sept. 10. Sept. 1
Cash in hand and in Ir. c, fr. c
Branch banks
Commercial bills over-

133,362 90

369,G88 65

duo
Commercial bills dis-
counted,
not yet due 259,727,195, 62 263,540,682 92
Do. branch banks 20'0,720,070 223,706;167
Idvances on deposit of
bullion
Do. branch banks 9,138,300
Do. on French Public
Securities 11,484,100
Do. by branch banks 6,771,310
Do. on railway shares
and debentures
Do. branch banks
Do. on Credit Foncier

32,316,500 -

8;754,400 -

11,785,200 -

7,399;110 -

36,555,500 -
28,051,500 -

1,036,100 -
862,190 -

Bonds
Do. branches
Do. to the State (Con-
vention, June 10,
1837) 60,000,000 —.
Government Stock re-

1,040,100 -

85090 -

60,000,000 -

12,980,750 11 12,980,750 14
40,636,419 66 40,636,419 66

serve
Do. disposable
Routes Immobalisees
(Law, June 2 1857) 11,0,000,000 100 000 000
Hotel and furniture of
the 13t.nli and landed
propel ty branches
Expenses of manage-

8,725,679 -

tilent
Sundries

1,153,168 08 1,122,503 63
14,856,8i0 63 14,856,870 63

Total
Certified by the Senator-Governor of the Bank
of France.

(Signed) RUTLAND.

NEW LINE OF MAIL STEAMERS.

Yof the steamers constructed
forthe Yesterday e r
way
London,h
Belgium, Brazil, and River
endet e largest
Plate Royal Mail Steamship Company was formally
inaugurated at the Victoria Docks. More than
ordinary interest attached to the occasion owing to
the fact that the Belgian Government has granted
a subsidy to the line for the carriage of mails to the
countries of South America. The vessel inspected
for the first time yesterday is called the City de Rio
de Janeiro. She is 285 feet long, 33 feet 6 inches
broad, and 26 feet deep. Her engines are 300-
horse power, and her registered tonnage is
1,600 tons. After the inspection of the steamer
a luncheon was served in the grand saloon, at
which Mr. Alderman Tait,
Mayor of Limerick, and
chairman of the company, presided. The usual and
patriotic toasts having been duly honoured, the
chairman proposed " Prosperity to Ireland." He
said that, although the sentiment was one which
was not ordinarily included in the list in England,
he was sure those he was addressing would find his
apology in the fact that the ship iu which they had
met was the offspring, so to speak, of Irish enter-
prise. He trusted that the day was not far distant
when all distinctions of race and name would be
forgotten, and when all the inhabitants of
these islands would unite with one accord, with-
out jealousy or prejudice, to sustain the honour
and dignity of the empire. In proposing the toast
of " Success to the Company," he dwelt at length
on the interest which the King of the Belgians and
his Government had evinced in the progress of the
enterprise. Though the countries of Southern
America were at present in a state of convulsion,
he hoped that the thus was near when the plough-
share would pass over what was now the battlefield.
The proceedings throughout were of a very enthu-
siastic character, and the visitors comprised a con-
siderable number of members of Parliament and
other gentlemen interested in the success of the
mercantile marine of Great Britain.

TIIE LATE EIRE AT SOUTIIAMPTON.--The da-
mage done by the late extensive fire in the Southampton
Dock's is now estimated at £lO,OOO. The patterns of the
Royal Mail ships and machinery which were destroyed by
the tire were worth upwards of £20,000. The damage
douo to the sugar refinery will cost nearly £6,000 to
repair. The Royal Mail Company's premises, with
plant, were insured fcr £ll,OOO. A subscription has been
started to remunerate the pattern makers for the loss of
their tools. immediately after the fire the work of re-
conbtruction commenced.

CORRESPONDENCE PROM PAM.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, THURSDAY, September 10.

The evacuation of the Pontifical States by the French
troops has again taken rank as the first diplomatic ques-
tion of the day. It is alleged by those who claim to know
what diplomatic communications are on foot, that the
Chevalier Nigra had an interview with the Marquis de
Moustier on Monday, and that he informed the French
Foreign Minister of the receipt of a despatch, in which
the Italian Government demands the withdrawal of
the French troops, on the ground that all the
stipulations of the September Convention have been ful-
filled by Italy. There seems to be no doubt that this
attitude has been taken up by the Italian Government,
either voluntarily or at the instance of the nation. Unfor
tunately, the Emperor does not take the same view of the
situation. Whatever may be the truth respecting the
" communications " alleged to have been sent from Italy,
it is generally agreed that there are no signs of an evacua-
tion of Rome.

The Moniteur de l'Armje gives an account of the
manoeuvres at the camp of Chalons; but the most inte-
resting part of the programme relates to the experiments
with the new engines of destruction. At the rifle practice
fifty-six marksmen hit the target six times with their six
bullets at a tolerably long range, fifteen hit it five times
out of six, and the remainder four times. The
results which have been attained by the mitrailleuses
are also highly spoken of. I see, however, that
the Prussians have invented a machine which they
intend to oppose to the mitrailleuses. But for the esta-
blished fact that the mortality in war has not increased
with the perfection of warlike engines, it might be appre-
hended that the next war would be merely extermination
pure and simple. At all events, the science of war is
rapidly becoming a question of mechanics and pyro-
technics.

The " difficulty " between Prussia and Holland rela-
tive to the navigation of the Rhine was brought about in this
wise. The plenipotentiaries were unanimously agreed
upon all the terms except one, and this was a clause esta-
blishing that the Dutch Government should take care that
navigation should not be impeded on any the rivers and
canals which join the Rhine with the sea by way of Dor-
drecht, Rotterdam, and Helvoetsluys. The Dutch Govern-
ment feared that in accepting a responsibility of this kind
the Powers which adjoin the Rhine might find pretexts for
interference.
The strike at Marseilles has not yet given way, but the
newspapers have managed to get together a half-sheet.

The official papers have suddenly become silent on the
subject of the Var election, M. niers is reported to have
said, " If M. Dufaure be elected, we shall decidedly create
a third party." _ _

It is stated that Count von Goltz has resigned, and that
Prince Reuss, now the Prussian Ambassador at St,
Petersburg, will be his successor. _ _

The Arenir Algerien has got into trouble. This
journal had twice accused the French Government of
disregarding the warnings of last year's terrible calamity,
and the signs of a renewal of the famine this winter. The
second article declared that the Government was " deaf to
advice, and blind or refractory to all information." The
journal has been twice warned for exciting to hatred and
contempt. _

I hardly need say that Paris and all the region round
about resounds with the blast of war. One of the most

noticeable on dits is that M. de Moustier was very angry

both with the warlike article in the Constitutionnel and
the effusion of the France entitled the " Three Treaties,"
in which it was laid down that Prussia must not cross the
Main, Italy must not go to Rome, and Russia must not

seize Constantinople. v The latter article was, indeed,
absurd enough to anger any Minister, but then these
journalists would not write what they might fear would
be unacceptable to their patrons. One writer says
the expressions of the Emperor are very reassuring.
Who hears such expressions, and of what kind are they?
I can see no pretext for war ; but everything here points to
doubt and uncertainty.
The French Government is purchasing large quantities

of horses in Styria.
It is extremely difficult to interpret the state of the
Bourse at present, but it may be said that to-day there is a
shade of improvement.

THE WEATHER TABLE.-THIS DAY.

METEOROLOGICAL REPORTS.

Friday,
Sept. 11,
8 a.m.

Nairn

Aterdeen '
Leith
Shields
Scarborough
Yarmouth
Helder
Cuxhaven
Skudesmes
Ardrossan
Greencastle
Holyhead
Liverpool
Valentia..
Cape Clear
Roche's Pt.'
Penzance
Plymouth
Weymo uth
Portsmouth
London ..
C'peGrisNez
Brest ....
L'Orient
Rochefort
Biarritz ..
Corunna
Brussels
Paris
Strasbourg
Lyons
Toulon
heart's Con-,
tent (6 a.m•l
local time)

33'17r.
?301.7r.
30'14r.
30'13r.
30111.
30-08 f,

N.W.

N.E.
z.
N.E.

Extreme

W. S. W,
E. N. E.
S.W.
S.W.
S.
E. N. E.

N.E.
N.N.E.
E.N.E.
S.E.
N.N.E.
E.
N.W.

S.E.
S. S. W.
N. W.
S.E
S.E.
S.S. E.

cmo
b.O.
C.0.b.0.
b.f.

s . K_
E. N . E.
E. N. E.
E. N. E.
E. S. E.
E.
N .W.

R. It;
9

-11.

-- 21

,'67 I
;?0191-

'o'lsl 2
!o'o4, 2

-ii

N.E.

Barometer correcte

13

r., rising; f., falling

Hi

zi:iv,

The letter

GLOUCES7ER MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

GLOUCESTER, Sept. 10.
To-day the longest of all conceivable programmes

of sacred music was gone through at the Cathedral,
to the apparent satisfaction of those whose un-
flinching endurance enabled them to remain till the
very last note. Nevertheless, that programmes
chiefly composed of excerpts from various works,
which have little or nothing in common, are by no
means so generally attractive as programmes de-
voted to a single and complete oratorio, as happened

yesterday and is to be the case to-morrow, was evi-

dent, the attendance being not nearly so large as
on the day of Elijah. And yet the tows is so full

bat it is difficult for new-comers to find suitable

accommodation, while the weather continues superb.
The performances commenced with a short but

interesting selection of pieces from Spohr's third
oratorio, Des land's letzte Stunden (" Calvary,"
or " The Crucifixion," as we in England are
variously accustomed to entitle it). Fi❑ished in
1835 (the &tine year as the historical Symphony,
and a year before Me❑delssohn's Paulus), this
oratorio was produced at lies.se Cassel, Spohr's

labitual residence, when Couceit-tneistcr to the

Elector. It was first performed in England iu Sep-
tember, 1839, at the Festival of Norwich, where his
other great oratorio, Die letzten Dinge,—or The
Last Judgment, as christenul by the late Professor
Taylor, who is also answerable for calling Die
Weihe der Tone symphony, the "Power of Sound"
—was already well known. Despite its great

beauties and its lofty tone of sentiment, Calvary,
like The Fall of Babylon, has not retained its hold
upon the musical puolic of England, with whom
The Last Judgment alone among Spohr's oratorios

preserves iu some degree its popularity. The reason

of this is not, as some are inclined to argue, that

the peculiar charm of Mendelssohn's music has for

a time cast that of his predecessor, contemporary,
and survivor into the shade ; it is to be sought for
and found in the oratorios of Spohr themselves.
Yesterday's selection, though made up of some of
the most admired pieces in Calvary, was quite

enough for the purpose. True, every one of the
five " numbers" chosen by Dr. Wesley was in slow
time ; but the monotony thus created would hardly

have been neutralised by the intermixture of just as
many of the quicker movements, which for the
greater part exhibit the same signs of labour
and the same lack of spontaneity. Indeed

Spohr never seems to have written with so
little genial freedom as when engaged in the
composition of his oratorios allowing, of
course, for exceptions to the contrary in each,
and for many and striking exceptions in The Last
Judgment. Among those exceptions must in fair-
ness be cited the lovely and reposeful chorus,
" Gentle night," interspersed with solos for soprano
and bass (Mdlle. Titiens and Mr. Lewis Thomas),
and the still more lovely soprano air, with chorus,
" Though all thy friends prove faithless"—both of
which formed part of the selection from Calvary,
and the execution of the solo part, in the last of
which by Mdlle. Titiens was absolutely perfect.
So also, and perhaps in a scarcely less degree, the
trio for women's voices, " Jesus, heavenly master"
a smooth and masterly piece of vocal harmony, the
delicate effect of which is enhanced by the violins
having the mutes applied throughout the accompa-

niment. This trio was admirably given by the same
lady, in association with _Wile. Drasdil and Mde.
Saiuton-Dolby. The other pieces from Calvary were
the overture in C minor, as solemn and at the
same time as uninteresting a piece of fugal writing
as could readily be named, and the ingeniously
worked out chorus, " Beloved Lord, Thine eyes we
close," which brought the selection to an end. The
effect of the whole, admitting that almost every one
of the pieces is beautiful per se, was, nevertheless,
a thought soporific. Dr. Wesley held the
" baton."

To the music from Ca/vary succeeded a very long
selection from Herr Joseph 'Rodolph Schachner's
oratorio, Israel's Return from Babylon, consisting
of several choruses, airs, recitatives, &c., for soprano,
contralto, tenor, and base, a duet for soprano and
tenor, and two quartets with chorus, the last of
which is also the last piece in the oratorio. That
Israel's Return from Babylon has been twice given
in London (at Exeter-hall), and once at the Wor-
cester Festival, those who are in the habit of watch-
ing the progress of musical vents can hardly have
forgotten ; nor will they fail to bear iu mind
the opinions with regard to its claims to consider-
ation as a work of art which were pronounced with
singular unanimity on each occasion. A fourth
Gearing of a considerable portion of the oratorio
merely strengthened the impression left by the third,
just as the third had strengthened the impression
left by the second, and the second had strength-
ened the impression left by the first ; nor is it at
all probable that any number of hearings, under
whatever circumstances administered, would serve
to reverse, or even to modify, the opinions
formed in the beginning. To enter upon any
new critical examination of Herr Schachner's
music would, therefore, be supererogatory. Enough
to add that he himself wielded the conductor's
stick ; that the greatest pains were taken alike
by the members of the chorus and of the orchestra
to do him all possible justice ; and that the four
leading singers —Mdlles. Titiens and Drasdil,
Messrs. Vernon Rigby and Lewis Thomas—ac-
complished the tasks respectively assigned to
them in a manner that would have given entire
satisfaction to any composer, however difficult to
satisfy. Mdlle. Titiens had more than enough to
do, besides three long solos in immediate succession,
a share both in the duet (the duet in canon,"
Hark ! 'tis the breeze") and in the two quaroats
being assigned to her ; but, like her companions,
she passed triumphantly through the ordeal.
The second part began with the splendid Lobye-
sang, or liymn of Praise, which would have been
listened to with even more undivided satisfaction
nad there not been already two hours and a half of
music, very much of it by no means of the lightest
or most exhilarating. Dr. Wesley here once more
sat in the conductor's chair, and on the whole
may be complimented on a performance of Men-
delssohn's sinfonia cantanta— one of three works of
the kind which he had projected, and unhappily
the only one he lived to accomplish—very far
beyond the average. The four instrumental move-
ments, monuments of the great musician's genius
as an orchestral writer, were admirably played, and
in the cantata that ensues the members of the
ehorus, one and all, seemed to take real delight in
eheir tasks, singing with a vigour, precision, and
good will that brought the happiest results. The
magnificent chorus, "The night is departing," the
richly harmonised chorale, first in harmony, then in
anison, with elaborate orchestral interludes, and the
inspiriting final chorus, " Ye nations offer to the
Lord glory and might," with its glorious sequel,
" 0 give thanks to the Lord," the worthy climax to
a noble work, were almost everything that could be
desired. The solos were allotted to Aline. Liebhart,
Miss Edith Wynne, and Mr. S. Reeves. Mdlle. Lieb-
nart gave the utmost satisfaction, alike in the air,
" Praise thou the Lord" (tit pendant to " Jeru-
salem ! Jerusalem !" in St. Paul), the melodious
duet,. with chorus, "I waited for the Lord," one of
the most beautiful things in a work that is beautiful
from end to end, the duet with tenor, " My song
shall alway be Thy mercy," and the unaccompa-
nied sentence, "The night is departing," which
ushers in with such marvellous effect the grand
chorus already named. In the first duet Mdlle.
Liebhart was associated with Miss Edith Wynne,
whose genuine and rare ability was entitled to
a more important share than has been con-
tided to her in the week's proceedings, and
in the second with Mr. Sims Reeves, whose
singing, as usual with him in the Lobgesang,
was of the highest order. Not to dwell upon
the plaintive recitative and air, " He counteth all
your sorrows," for which it would be impossible
;.o conceive a more pathetic reading. It must suffice
ro refer to the air, " The sorrows of death had
closed all around me," and the wonderfully sugges-
tive recitative to which it leads-- " We called
through the darkness, Watchman, will the night
soon pass ?' "—as unrivalled examples of vocal de-
clamation. Mendelssohn has imagined nothing
finer than this passage, nothing, if the phrase be
not irrelevant iu speaking of 11111.-iiC allied to a sacred

theme, more dramatic"; and he might have searched
Europe in vain for a singer able, like Mr. Reeves,
so thoroughly to grasp his idea, so eloquently and
sympathetically to realise it.
The Lobesang was followed by a selection from
Handel's oratorio, Samson, including so many pieces
that it was nearly half-past five before the day's
performances were over. Nearly six hours of music
at one sitting is too much even for a musical
fanatic—and this, too, with the prospect of three
hours more, if a different sort of entertainment, it
is true, but still again of music, in the evening !
The singers and players were to be pitie 1, and their
hearers quite as much. Whether the extreme
length of the programme may have ruffled the
tempers of many of the benevolently inclined is a
question worth considering, the more especially in-
asmuch as the whole collection at the doors of the
Cathedral to-day amounted to no larger a sum than
£BB ss. 7d.
The miscellaneous concert in the Shire-hall 0-
night, the Messiah to-morrow, and the dress ball
to-morrow evening will bring to an end a festival
the results of which promise to be more harmless t)
the stewards than beneficial to the charity.

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