The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-07 00:00:00

A lITGEIST,

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.
Covent garden Theatre was opened last evening for
dramatic, or rather for operatic performances, under the
direction of Monsieur Laurent. It appears that tha
Grand Opera House at Brussels is undergoing repairs,
and during the time that it is closed, the whole. operatic
company, orchestra, chorus singers, corps de ballet, and
all have been engaged to give twenty representations of
the most popular French operas at Covent-garden.
Messrs. Charles Hanssens and Van Caneghem are the
managers of the company, Mr. Charles Hanssens offi-
ciating also as leader of the orchestra. The opera
chosen for the opening was Rossini's Guillaume Tell,
and the following was the cast:—
Guillaume Tell Mons. Laurent Quilleveri.
Arnold
Gesler
Rodolph
Walter Furst
Ruodi Mons. Descambon.
Melcthal
Lent hold
G emmy (Tell's Sou) Made. Guichard.
Mathilde „ Made. Laborde.
Ld wrige
In noticing the fact, some days since, that this theatre
was about to be opened by a Belgian operatic c,mpany,
we ventured to express a hope that, as the Germans had
given us Staudigl, s r the Br igians might introduce to u;
some accomplished a•ti 41.3, with whose merits we had
not been previously acquainted. Our hopes have beta
more than realised—that a. titre is M. Laborde, a tenor
in whose presence Duprcz may tremble for his supre-
macy. It In as als Id a:tempt, on the part of M. La-
borde, to appear in the part of Arnold, while the recol-
lection of Duprez was fresh in the minds of all lovers of
opera ; the attempt, however, was as successful as it
was bold, and if we are not greatly mistaken, the ap-
plause of last night is but a small foretaste of the harvest
of fame which M. Laborde is destined to reap in
this country. His voice is a tenore di forza—
clear, rich, flexible—of great power and of great
compass ; and his falsetto notes, to which he
very rarely has recourse, are introduced with
great taste. In the management of his falsetto, he
reminded us occasionally of Rubini, although the
quality of his voice approaches nearer to that of Duprez.
Ills opening scene, Le mien dit il-jamais, was given with
great effect, and in the duet which follows with Tell
nothing could exceed the pathos which he threw into the
beautitul passage, " Ali Mathilde." The aueience at
once perceived at they had a true artist before
them, and were rapturous in their applause. The
seecaulset introduces us to Madame Laborde,__thextima
-donna of the company,- -who sustained the character 4-192311011.1.
Mathilde. Her voice is a high soprano of considerable
power, and is well managed. She gave the beautiful
romance, "Sombre foret," with exquisite expression ;
and the duet with Arnold which follows, "Oui, yeas
l'arrach, z >i son nine," was delightfully given by Monsieur
and Madame Laborde. The ensemble at the conclusion
of the duet was a perfect gem. The trio between
Arnold, Tell, and Walter Furst, towards the conclusion
of this act, was very finely given by Laborde, Laurent,
Quilleveri, and Zelger. The two latter gentlemen pos-
sess good bass voices, and are accomplished musicians,
and supported Laborde admirably ; indeed we have
never heard this superb trio more effectively given.
Laborde's great triumph, however, was the last scene of
the opera. The far-famed recitative, "Ne m' aban-
donnez point," and the air, " Asile hereditaire," were
given with most exquisite taste and feeling. We con-
sider that in power, pathos, and expression, M. Laborde
in this exquisite air quite equals Duprez ; while in the
magnificent bravura which follows, " Amis, Arnie,
secondez ma vengeance," he was much superior
in power to Duprez—at least to Duprez as he
is known to the English public—and quite equal
to what Duprez was, some eight years back, when
he drove the Parisian dilettanti mad with his
famous "Ut en poitrine." The fact is, M. Laborde is
the legitimate successor of Duprez, and the day is not
far distant when he will be known and appreciated on
every operatic stage in Europe. The chorus singers are
admirable, and the concerted music throughout was given
with great accuracy. There was no harsh jarring on the
ear. The orchestra too is excellent. We never heard
the fine overture to this opera more carefully played.
Guillaume Tellwas preceded by Adolphe Adams' one-
act opera, Le Chalet (a piece familiar to English play-
goers, as the Swiss Cottage, under which title it was per-
formed'at the Lyceum last season), in which M. Couch re
as the gawky lover (Keeley's character), and Madame
Guichard, as the village coquette, kept the audience in
a roar, by the humorous manner in which they sus-
tained their respective parts. At the -conclusion of
Guillaume Tell, M. Laborde was loudly called fur,
and appeared, leading in Madame Laborde. They were
both loudly applauded.

'ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.
The school for instruction of naval officers and
others in the economy and uses of steam-engines at the
above Institution is, we arc glad to find, in a flourishing
condition. It is, indeed, a sign of the times, that so
many of our distinguished naval men should devote
their leisure moments to the study of steam navigation,
and that the Admiralty should insist upon such a step
prior to granting an appointment to a steamer. We find
also, that the spread of railway locomotion has aroused
among all classes a desire to understand the powers of
the steam engine, and, therefore, not only are the private
courses of instruction given by Professor Ryan numer-
ously attended, but also his public lectures on the
steam .e ,gine:are crowded by ladies and gentlemen, who
anxiously listen to his popular explanatiois cf its won-
drous powers. It is not generally kn iwn, that Dr.
Ryan's courses include practical instruction on the
Croydon Railway and also on the river.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
ASCOT HEATH RACES.

The two classes of the Ascot Stakes will be run on Tuesday,
instead of Monday, as inadvertently mentioned in our return of
the betting at Tatt.rsall's in yesterday's paper.
HA NI P.TON, 1845.
The Surrey and Middlesex Handicap Stakes of 20 sovs. each,
10 ft, and 5 only if declared on Monday next.
Pine Apple, 5 yrs, Bst 101b—Inberitress, 5 yrs, Bst 101 b
Millepede, aged, Bst 101b—Poussin, 5 yrs, Bst 31b—The Odd
Mixture, 4 yrs, Bst 31b—Misdeal, 6 yrs, Bst 31b—Ajax, aged,
Sit 11b—lUorpeth, 4 yrs, Bst 11b—ch g by Mundig, Dam by
C,,mus, 5 yrs, Bst—Johnny, aged, Bst—Porto Bello, 5 yrs, eat
—What, 5 yrs, Bst—Croton Oil, 4 yrs, 7st 131b—Orion, Fiyrs,
7st 131b—Subduer, 6 yrs, 7st 101b—Satyr, 4 yrs, 7st 81b—
Pergularia, 4 yrs, 7st Slb—Dalesman, 4 yrs, 7st 81b—Rat-
catcher colt, 4 yrs, 7st 81b—Cockantaroo, 4 yrs, 7st 81b—Old
George, 4 yrs, 7st 81b—Ninety-ore, 4 yrs, 7st 61b— Best
Bower, 4 yrs, 7st 51b— Blackstockings, 4 yrs, 7st 31b—Europa,
5 yrs, Tat 51b—Toni Tough, 5 yrs, 7st Ilb—Lydia Languish,
4 yrs, Est 131b—Elemi, 4 yrs, 6st 131b—Devil-among-the-
Tailors, 6 yrs, 6st 131b—Zelinda filly, 4 yrs, 6st 101b—Flight
colt, 3 yrs, Est 51b—Liverman, 3 yrs, 6st slb—Gwalior, 3 yrs,
sst 111b--Deodora, 3 yrs, Sat 51b— Velox, 3 yrs, sst—Jew Boy,
3 yrs, 4st 81b—Corinthian T0m,.3 yrs, 4st 81b.

The Grand Duke Constantine of Russia is EX-
pected here on the 17th of the present month ; great preparations
have been made by the Russian Embassy for his reception.
TRINITY TERM BANQUETS.—Trinity Term, in eC
cordance with ancient usage, being that in the course of which the
benchers of the inns of Court assemble in their respective halls to
celebrate the long.established custom of observing their " Great
Grand Day," as it is called, the different inns of Court have this
week given splendid dinners, which have been attended by the
equity and common law judges, and other eminent individuals con.
netted with the profession. The Inner Temple meeting took
place on Tuesday, Lincoln's-inn on Wednesday, and the Middle
Temple yesterday. Amongst the guests at the latter there were
the Lord Chief Baron, Mr. Justice Coleridge, Mr. Justice Ede,
and the Rev. Dr. Robinson, the Master of the Temple.
THE NEW MODEL l'ElsoN.—
Aninquest was held
on Monday before at the New Model Prison, in Pen-
leprisoner who died from natural causes,
tonyil, on t
during which several facts were elicited respecting the manage.
e body Mr.
of Wakley,a
ment of the prison. Some of the prisoners were examined in the
all agreed in speaking well of
almtheeirnee of thetreatment.eTheerOnse of and
ththemeysaid he had been in the prison
nearly two years, and he did not know the names of any of the
persons there, nor was he aware that any one had died there lately.
The silent system has been relaxed in the cases of invalids. The
system of ventilating and warming the cells was stated to be very
good, and Mr. Wakley took occasion to contrast it with that of
the House of Commons, where, he said, the temperature is kept so
high, that it is sowing the seeds of bronchial disease, and the Mem.
bers Lust seriously suffer from it.

LONGEVITY IN THE WEST HIGHLANDS.—A few
days ago Duncan M'Calman died at Dell, in the parish of Kil-
many, at the advanced age of 109 years. He retained all
his faculties to the last, and was only ill for a few days.
He walked six miles across a rough moor last summer,
and could take his glass of whisky with any young
man of the parish. In the village of Bowmorc,
Alexander Macdonald died last March, aged 95—in the same
month, Margaret M'Vicar died in the parish of Kilchoman,
aged 98. Donald Orr died at Stravnish, in the parish of
Kildalton, last February, at the still more extraordinary age
of I 1 1 years—this old patriarch bad never been out of the
Island of Islay during his long life. Three years ago, Thomas
Spalding died in the village of Bowmore, at the age of 108 years;
he was hale and healthy to the last hour of his life. In this same
villaget here is now alive John Brown, a very handsome old
man, who is i❑ his 104th year. There are many others of great age
in the island, though John Brown is now believed to be the oldest
living—this speaks much for the salubrity of the western islands.
Inverness Courier. - _

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BARE VERSUS MAN.—DOUBLE PUNBLIMENT.--
some months ago, John Grantham, of Gawcott, was committed
to Buckingham borough gaol, for non-payment of a fine of
W. 16s. inflicted on him, on the information of one of the Duke
of Buckingham's keepers, for snaring a hare. After a fortnight's im-
prisonment the fine was paid, and the man liberated. But game.
keeping JUSTICE had not done with John Grantham. He was sur-
charged to the amount of 81. Is. Bd. for killing game,—to wit, the
same identical hare, without a license, and his goods not realizing
this amount, sent back to the borough gaol, there to remain during
her Majesty's pleasure,—Liverpool Mercury.
ESCAPE or A. CONVICT.—On Monday morning
four convicts were removed from the Lewes House of Correction
in custody of two turnkeys, by way of the London and Brighton
Railway. On arriving at the London-bridge terminus three of
them asked permission to retire for a few minutes, in order to
which, one of them was unhandcuffed from his companion and left
in charge of one turnkey, while the other three were absent with
the other turnkey. The convict thus left behind was named
Biddle. He had, when a youth, enlisted in the 12th Lancers,
from which he deserted, and on being afterwards captured and em-
barked for Ireland to join the regiment, when the vessel was nearly
two miles from shore, he jumped overboard and swam back. 1$
months ago be was tried at Lewes, and sentenced to 12 months'
hard labour, for obtaining goods under false pretences. The im.
prisonment had Just expired, when he called on his mother, who
was acting as monthly nurse to the lady of the Rev. Mr. Morgan,
of Piecomb, and carried off four of the Rev. Gentleman's spoons ;
for this offence he was tried at the East Sussex quarter sessions a
fortnight ago, and sentenced to seven years' transportation. During
his stay in Lewes gaol, we understand that he has feigned illness,
and in consequence of this, it appears, the turnkey might have
been rather less careful of him than he would otherwise have been.
The turnkeyand himself
that
o n
againtates lookingthat he
round
dt utrhn.edprihsiosnehrealsb but
nfeer
a second,.
the
He had seized the opportunity of mixing with crowd, and
effected his escape. The handcuffs were still on one of his wrists
when he slipped off. •