The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-12 00:00:00

ST. MARTIN'S HALL.

The inauguration of this new musical edifice
having been celebrated by song and supper on
Friday night, the portion of the large room in which
the festival was held was thrown open to the public
last night, a concert being given therein by Mr. Hul-
lah's pupils, conducted, like the former meetings of
a similar kind at Exeter Hall, by the popular master
himself.

The curiosity that has been awakened by the
promised opening of the building had its natural in-
fluence, and the ball was well filled. The orchestra,
which is constructed to hold a large body of per-
formers, was crowded with the instrumentalists and
the choristers ; and the experiment that was thus
made very satisfactorily proved the excellence of the
room for the delivery of the higher and broader
kinds of music. The programme commenced with
the Lauda Sion, of Mendelssohn, which
was performed by Mr. Hullah's upper
classes last season, when we adverted to it at
some length. It was afterwards done at the Liver-
pool Festival, and an interest in it has thus been in-
culcated which, no doubt, will by and bye lead to its
frequent repetition. It was carefully detailed last
night, the solos being rendered by Miss Birch, Mrs.
Noble, Messrs. Benson and Whitworth. The prin-
cipal feature of the evening, however, was the an-
them, founded on the 6Bth Psalm, written by Mr.
Henry Leslie, an amateur of more than ordinary
pretension. This composition consists of several
separate movements, solo and choral. The invention
and conduct of these pieces betray for the most part
an unusual degree of intelligence, as well as the in-
dications of a talent which may one day become con-
spicuous. In a case or two the outlines of the me-
lody and the orchestral treatment are referred by the
listeners to a discernible origin, but this imputation
does not extend very far. The tenor solo, " Thou,
0 God," is a charming air, framed certainly in
a Mendelssohnian spirit, but purely original. An
air for the soprano, "But let the righteous," and a
duet for the soprano and tenor, " Give thanks, 0
Israel," are also effusions of merit." The choruses
are bold and energetic, demonstrating, in Handelian
form, a power of voice-writing which might be hope-
fully employed upon a larger theme. Our opportu-
nities, however, at this moment do not permit us to
speak in other than hasty terms of this clever work,
and until we are better provided with time and apace,
a general commendation must suffice. The Anthem,
which was not too well performed by Miss Stewart,
Mr. Benson, and the choristers, was received with
approbation. We observed many of the most distin-
guished members of the profession among the
auditory. _ _

The second part of the concert was entirely " secu-
lar," consisting of a selection from Mozart's ldomeneo,
songs, &c., by Purcell, Weber, Gluck, and Spohr;
and one of Beethoven's violin and pianoforte sonatas,
played by Ernst and Sterndale Bennett.

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR MONDAY.
The unfavourable state of the weather ;his morning
prevented her Majesty and Prince Albert taking their
accustomed airings. The same cause prevented the
Royal Family taking their accustomed airings.
The royal dinner party at the Castle this evening
includes her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent,
Lady Fanny Howard, and Baroness de Speth.
Her Majesty's private band attend after dinner in the
Castle.

Sir J. Emerson Tennent had au interview with Lord
John Russell yesterday, at his official residence in
Downing-street.
Dr. Turner had an interview with Sir George Grey
yesterday. Mr. S. Fielden had also an interview yes-
erday with the Right Hon. Baronet at the llome-office.
Lady John Russell's party, fixed for Wednesday, 13th,
is postponed until Thursday. 14th.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat yes-
terday, and heard an application for art extension of the
term of Pettit Smith's Patent Screw Propeller. The
Lords present NI ere the Matt ,r of the Rolls, Lord
Brougham, Lord Campbell, the Chancellor of the Duchy
`of Cornwall ,and the Judge of the Admiralty Court.

" What do you mean by that?"
" Why, that you are calculating to make all your
children gentlemen and ladies."
"May I ask you what you mean by making them
gentlemen and ladies?"
"It is plain enough what I mean—lawyers, doctors,
and ministers, and wives for such gentlefolks."
"I shad be governed by circumstances; I do not in-
tend, nor wish, Anthon, to crowd my boys into the
learned professions. If any among them have a parti-
cular talent or taste for them, they may follow them.
They must decide for themselves in a matter more im-
portant to them than to any one else. But my boys
know that I should be mortified if they selected these
pr( f 'salons, from the vulgar notion that they were more
genteel—a vulgar word that, that ought to be banished
from an American's vocabulary—more genteel than
agriculture and the mechanic arts. I have laboured to
convince any boys, that there is nothing vulgar in the
mechanic professions—no particular reason for envying
the lawyer or the doctor. They, as much as the farmer
and the mechanic, are working men. And I should like
to know what there is particularly elevating in sitting
over a table and writing prescribed forms, or in inquir-
ing into the particulars of diseases, and doling cut
physic for them. It is certainly a false notion in a de-
mocratic republic, that a lawyer has any higher claim
to respectability—gentility, if you please—than a tar-
Der, a goldsmith, a printer, or a builder. It is the fault
of the mechanic, if he tskes a place not assigned to him
by the government and institutions of his country. He
is of the lower orders only when he is silf-degraded by
the ignorance and coarse manner:, which are associated
with manual labour in couutrifs where society is di-
vided into castes, and have therefore come to be con-
,idered inseparable flan Rely upon it, it is not so.
The old barriers are doan. The time is come when
being mechanical' we may appe,..r on • labouring days'
as well as holidays, without the. sign of our profession.'
Talent and worth are the only eternal grounds of dis-
tinction. To these the Almighty has affixed his ever-
lasting patent of nobility, and these it is which make
the bright, the immortal names,' to which our children
may aspire, as well as others. It will be our own fault,
Anthon, if, in our hind, society as well as government is
not organized upon a new foundation. But we must
secure, by our own efforts, the elevations that are now
accessible to all. There is ne thing that tends more to
the separation into classes than difference of manners.
This is a badge that all can see. I cannot blame a geli-
d( man for not asking a clown to his table, who will spit
over his carpet, and mortify himself and annoy every-
body else with his awkwardness."

Many other passages we might extract in evidence
of the interesting character of this most charming
" Home." We will, however, leave its interest un•
diminished. Every one wbo has a sixpence to spare
can hardly do better than invest it in the purchase of
a book, which, amusing as it is, and trifling as it may
appear, is likely to produce much and lasting happi-
ness—exhibiting as it does in the pleasing form of a
pleasing example the powerful good that may be
effected by the right influence of Home. A few
words more we are tempted to quote—a tribute to the
mother and mistress of the home :

Ah, Harry it is not tt e superior capacity that ac-
complishes most, but seting out with a firm purpose to
attain a certain object. Your mother, Alice, began life
with a &germination to make a happy hou.e. As she
is not present, I may say cif her what she would not
permit me to say if she were here."
„ .

" 0 let me speak of her, sir," interrupted Harry
Norton.
" Let me sreik of her," said the modest Emily.
" 0, I greis w•e all lovet o speak of mother, if speak-
ing means piaising," cried little Effie.
Grandmama's tremulous voice hushed all others.
" Her children arise up and call her bleved,' " she said;
" her husband also, and he praiseth her.' "
" Yes, ma'am," said Harry ; " that and every other
verse in Scripture that describes a virtuous woman might
be applied to her: and those who have not the natural
rights of children might rise up too and call her blessed,
—those on whom she has bestowed a mother's care and
tenderness. And what, that woman should do, has. she
left undone? How faithfully she has performed all the
duties of her lot ; how generously undertaken those
that were not impose' on her. What sense she has
manifested, what beautiful order and neatnees in her
domestic economy. and in a higher moral economy,
how she excels all others. how she sees and foresees,
and proviees against all wants, avoids irritations and
jealousies, economizes happiness, saving those little odds
and ends that others waste. How she employs the
faculties of all, brings the virtue of each into operation,
and if she cannot cure, shelters faults. She shows each
in the best light, and is herself the light that shines on
all—the sun of bar home."
" Do not flatter, Harry," said Mr. Barclay, in a voice,
however, which proved that he felt this was no flattery.
0, Mr. Barclay," said Emily, " we must sometimes
speak out our hearty, or they would burst?"
" It is testimony, not flattery," added Harry.

NEW MUSIC
THE ORIENTALNUADRILLES.
A very pretty set of quadrilles, bearing this
" Eastern" title, has just been published. They
are composed by bliss Ellen L. Glascock, daughter of
the late Captain Glascock, R.N., and are lively and
" fast," just calculated to suit the taste of this age
of telegraphs and dancing. We venture to predict
that the " Orientals" will be favourites during the
ensuing season.

LET'S HOPE FOR BRIGHTER DAYS.
Written, composed, and dedicated to Arthur
Fletcher, Esq. The Poetry and Music by Malcolm.
A sweet pretty air, and the words simple and ex-
pressive. They will find a response in many a breast,
and, wedded to the flowing and melodious music, be-
come a favourite with the lovers of the gentle and
feeling style of ballads.

MANCHESTER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.—The
stilchheel
held
t an-
nualeyresCtehradmay-
ber meeting
Ceeotminmgeorfcethe members
Manufactures
and
oI the
M
wa
morning in the rooms of the association, King-suet
t;
Thomas Bazley, Esq., the president, in the chair. In
opening the proceedings, tile chaiiman adverted to the
importance of obtaining a larger supply of.: ) tton, and
expressed his opinion that our own colonies could fur-
nish it, if their resources were properly developed by
the Government. He reiterated the satisfaction felt by
the Chamber at the working of the great principles of
flee trade, aLd at the prospect of the whole of our fiscal
policy being placed on a free and unshackled basia.
Mr. 'Thomas Boothman, the secretary, then read thu an-
nual report of the directors, which, on the motion of Mr.
James AP Conahan, seconded by Mr. J. Heginbottom, of
Ashton-under-Lyne, was carried unanimously. Audi-
tors of the accounts were appointed, and also the board
of direction for the ensuing year. Mr. Alderman W. B.
Watkins proposed a vote of thanks to the chair-
man, Mr. Henry Ashworth seconded the motion,
which was ccrdlally responded to and th. 10001141
terminated.