The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-12 00:00:00

CROSBY HALL.

MISS CLARA SEYTON'S LECTURE ON
ENGLISH COMIC _ OPERA.

Miss Clara Seyton delivered, for the first time, her
new entertainment on English comic opera, on Tues-
day evening, at Crosby Hall. This new lecture, like
her former one on comedy, is distinguished by its
accuracy, its research, and the delicacy and discrimi-
nation of its criticism. It embodies an immense mass
of useful information in a small compass, and is
copiously illustrated by anecdote and song. As a
literary composition it reflects the highest credit on
this very talented young lady, and as an effort of
memory it is perfectly marvellous. The lecture
occupies about two hours in its delivery, and she
recited the whole of it without having recourse to a
single note. After giving a rapid sketch of the
history of music, and of English opera in particular,
up to the time of Handel, she dwelt somewhat at
length on the compositions of that divine master, and
gave as a specimen, " Heart, thou seat of soft delight,"
from the Acis and Galatea. Her next illustration
was " Can love be controlled by advice," from the
Beggar's Opera, and after relating several most
amusing anecdotes connected with the production of
that opera, she sang " Cease your funning" In ex-
cellent style, and was encored. After paying an ele-
gant and well merited tribute of eulogy to Bishop
Percy, who was the first to revive a taste for genuine
English poetry in an age corrupted and spoiled by
the imitators of Pope, and who may be considered as
the literary parent of Walter Scott, she
gave us the exquisite old ballad, " Oh, Nanny,"
as a specimen of Percy's poetical powers. This ballad
was certainly the gem of the evening—nothing could
into this exquisite old air—there was no attempt at
t exceedhe
introductiong
of
misplaced ornament for the mere
sake of display—all was simple, all was beautiful
Since the days of Miss Stephens we have never heard
any of our delightful old English ballads so exqui-
sitely given. This part concluded with the song of
the Country Wedding," composed expressly for the
fair lecturer by Mr. Masters, and which was given
with a degree of espieglerie, which told admirably.
The second part commenced with a rapid review of
whomtsye
e oovu
ehr Bsebtdel ooartnuyhdt
the
1 lion-hearted
haYeof the ancient minstrels, among
Ladle fair,"
in
was not forgotten, and his song,
the song
g cbapytivwiht3ic.,hwhase
the illustration. The words have been preserved by
Dr. Burney ; the air has unfortunately been lost. Miss
Seyton sang the words to a very expressive and beau-
tiful air, composed for the occasion by Tom Cooke,
in which she accompanied herself on the harp. She
then gave a history of the Court Masques, the original
of the English Opera, which was brought to perfec-
tion by Arne, as a specimen of whose style she gave
us " Pray Goody,. in which she was rapturously en-
cored. "Lullaby," which was also encored, was given
as a specimen of the compositions of one who, had he
lived, would have founded a school of English opera
worthy of the character of England Stephen
Storace. "Love among the Roses,' by Doyle, and
"I once was a maiden; by Jackson, of Exeter, were
given as illustrations of The Lord of the Manor,
one of our best comic operas, on the author of which,
General Burgoyne, Miss Seyton passed a high and
merited eulogium for his literary talents, which have
scarcely had that justice rendered to them which they
deserve. His military failures have been chronicled,
whilst his literary triumphs—more worthy of being
held in remembrance—have been forgotten. He was one
of the most accomplished men of his day, and his works
are those of a gentleman and a scholar. His Lord of
the Manor is one of the pleasantest of our ballad
operas ; and his Heiress is the best of our sentimen-
tal comedies. How comes it that this delightful co-
medy has never been revived ? After some interesting
anecdotes of Sheridan and the Linleys, the lecturer
concluded with a sketch of the career of Charles Dib-
den, the beautiful old song, " Wapping Old Stairs,"
being given as the finale. This is a most difficult
song for a lady to sing—it is literally steering be-
tween Sylla and Charybdis—for if the.singer seeks on
the one hand to avoid maudlin sentimentality, there
is danger on the other of degenerating into
vulgarity. If, however, the
happy medium
is hit, " Wapping Old Stairs" is one of the most
beautiful, one of the most truly poetical, of nautical
ballads, and such was the case last evening. *hiss
Seyton exhibited exquisite taste and great judgment
and discrimination in her manner of giving this beau-
tiful ballad, and was rapturously applauded. At the
conclusion bouquets were showered upon her from all
parts of the room, which was crowded to excess, not a
unoccupied.
single seat being

Theaccounts Hull
of papers give encouraging
shipping
interest.
PARSONS AND WIDOWS, BY TIIE AUTHOR OF " PETER
to
PRIGGINS."—We would not forego the enjoyment of
three volumes from our facetious friend PeterPriggins—
thaen prosperity Gatesheadspry f the
no, not even for an unlimited draught from thatdelicious
claret cup, the concoction of which he so eloquently de-
scribes in one of his chapters. Peter's good humour is
unfailing, and his wit, like the bright bubbles in a glass
of champagne, rises creaming and sparkling to the sur-
face of his subject. In the volumes before us he has
taken fur his models two classes of persons in society,
who have by common prescription been devoted to the
shafts of ridicule, namely, Parsons and Widows, and
has illustrated, in a series of episodes full of deep obser-
vation and overflowing with kindly and truly Christian
feeling, the characters of several individuals in both
these stations or states of life. As a whole, we can re-
commend " Parscni and Widows" as the most gosially
cheerful, the most observant, and the most right-
minded w&rk of fiction (if fiction it can be to seem so
truth-like) that has fallen into our hands for a long
while.—Sunday Times.
A respectable woman, of the department of the
Vaucluse, being found in a copse wood carrying a gun,
was brought a few days ago before the Correctional
Tribunal of Avignon, upon a charge of breaking the
game-laws. Although she urged in her defence that she
merely followed her husband, who went out to catch a
rabbit, and that she carried the gun- for him, without
having any idea of firing it, the Court fined her 16f.