The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-28 00:00:00

Belvoir Castle,from a visit to the Marquis and Mar-
chionesi of Exeter at Burghley House, near Staniford.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex and the
Duchess of Inverness leave. Castle Howard, the seat
of the Earl of Carlisle, early in the ensuing week, for
Woburn Abbey, to honour the Duke and Duchess of
Bedford with their company. •
The Marquis and Marchioness of Abercorn haire, a
select party assembled at Barons Court, County
Tyrone.
Lord A. St. Maur has joined the hunt at Melton
Mowbray.

Lord William Lennox has left town for Goodwood,
to join the party assembled there for the Christmas
holidays.

IVITSCELLANEOTTS.
Upwards of 30,001' persons visited the British
Museum on Monday, being twice as many as came the
last Boxing-day, when the numbers were 14,600.
The Royal Polytechnic Institution was visited by not
less than 5,000 holiday-folks.

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.
Arne's opera of Artaxerxes was performed at this
theatre last evening, for the purpose of giving A
A. Shaw an opportunity of appearing in a thoroughlY
English opera. Her Artaxerxes must have convinced
the musical public that her claim to be considered
the English prima donna, par excellence, rests not
Irs.
alone upon her proficiency in the modern Italian
school of music, but upon her thorough knowledge
of her art, a knowledge not confined to the compo-
sitions of any single school, for she has shown that
she is as capable of appreciating and elaborating the
beauties of Arne and the older composers as those ot
Rossini and the moderni. Her Artaxerxes is, with-
out comparison, the finest On the stage. She threw
an energy and a dignity into the part to which we
have hitherto "been unaccustomed ; the words als°
were articulated with a distinctness of enun-
ciation which rendered every syllable distinctly
audible ; while, at the same time the intonation 'Nas
rich, and the music given with the most perfect
taste, feeling, and correctness. Until last evefl ,intirls
had no idea of the capabilities of the part '-:1.4-
taxerxes. The exquisite feeling and mellifluous
ness of tone with which she gave the air:." I arc
Semira, lovely maid," was most deservedly aPPlau7he
The great triumph of the night, however, was
beautiful melody "In infancy our hopeilitid,ife,26:f
Mrs. Alfred Shaw entered thoroughly intolit7.l-Titir
the composer, and in this beautifully f
exhibited a tenderness of feeling and a correctness
taste which have never been surpassed. There vit/3
no straining after effect, no endeavour to introdacef,
ornaments, no attempt at showing off the powers °f
the singer at the expense of the music, but the tide °
melody was suffered to flow on uninterruptedly elle
and rich, and full. The audience listened
enraptured silence until the conclusion of the air'
and then there was one loud and enthusiastic,
call for its repetition. Mrs. Alfred Shaw ha u
added immensely to her already high fame by
her performance of Artaxerxes. She is not only the
most mellifluous contralto, and the most accomplishe
singer, but also the most finished musician of the
day. Miss Rainforth was the Mandane, and her's VVASr
a Mandane every way worthy of the Artaxerxes e'
Mrs. Alfred Shaw. We recollect seeing Miss
Rainforth in this character some two year
since, and cannot but congratulate her ",
the marked improvement which she exhibited lint
night. Her Mandane is now one of the best on
with
the stage, and not only did she sing the music
taste, feeling, and correctness, but she acted the part
admirably. In the celebrated bravura, " 31°114e
away," her acting was of a very high order. -iith
song of the part, " The soldier tired," was given with
great power, chastened and controlled by exquisite
taste and judgment. Let Miss Rainforth go on ~.
she has begun, and she will achieve for herseu
a name and a fame equal to that of fly.
compeers. Harrison, as Artabanes, wasi:ptvh-e's
unequal; he gave the air, " Behold e°
uite
dismal strand," excellently well ; the music was q but
within his compass, and he did full justice to it' he.
in " Thy father! away,' renounce the soft claim,
failed, manifestly from want of power. in Brabat3Tir,
quartett, Mild as the moonbeams," he and red
Mai:vers, who was the Arbaces rendered
most efficient support to Mrs. Alfred ShllNiv
and Miss Rainforth, but to the ladies ale"' is
due the credit of having made the opera g°,1,1,,,,
with the eclat with which it went off last mght•
mise en scene was faultless. At the fall of the curtalne-
Mrs. Alfred Shaw was loudly called for, and sh
made her appearance, leading on Miss Rainforth
.th
share the honours. Both ladies were 'greeted %whilr
that applause which their exertions had De rs
merited. Bunn's pleasant interlude of My Neighbour
Wife followed, and Punch's glorious pantomime °°11;
eluded the evening's entertainments. The house vv7
crammed before the rising-of the curtain •
• . .v.vrf