The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-27 00:00:00

NEW MUSIC.

-
THE NATIONAL PSALMIST. By Charles Dan-
vers Hackett. Consisting of Original Psalm and
*Min Tunes, Chants, Responses, Anthems, Parts
VI., VII., and VIII. Simphin, Marshall, and Co.,
London.

The continuation of the " National Psalmist" cor-
responds to the high opinion we entertained of the
work on noticing the former Numbers in our
Journal. Part VI. is enriched with four new
tunes, by Dr. Crotch, written in his usually
chaste style. They are beautiful specimens of that
pure and simple harmony which should always cha-
racterise the music of the Church. The Psalm by
the late Professor Thomson, of Edinburgh, in I)
minor, is a gem. It has a lovely melody, plaintive,
and devotional, and the descending scale in
the third part is sweetly. harmonized. ." Ipswich,"
by Goss, is a good specimen of a quiet and correct
style. " Chichester," by S. Wesley, is singularly
bright. " St. Bernard " has a fine melody, but Mr.
Gauntlett is frequently eccentric in his modulations ;
for instance, the introduction of the sixth in the last
chord but two, at the end of the second part of this
Psalm, is quite unnecessary; the plain chord would
have been more effective. Mr. Gauntlett has har-
monised, in the same manner, in the tune called
" Chatham," Part VII. We also object to the accom-
panying chords to the words " is our Redeemer," in
the Psalm " St. Bernard," as being overstrained.
The first part of the Choral Hymn in Part VII., by
Professor Walmisley, is very smoothly written, and
purely vocal ; there is however a sudden change to
the modern style in the last ten bars, which took us
rather by surprise. The Anthem, by Wesley, which
follows, exhibits a strong feeling for the Handelian
school, so much so, that in one part we fancied we
were listening to the exquisite duet, " Oh, lovely
Peace !" in Judas Maccabeus.

Part VIII., is a collection of Anthems, Collects, and
Responses, by ancient and modern writers. We find
among the former the names of Dr. Blow, Orlando
Gibbons, Richard Farrant, and Dr. Rogers. We
need not comment upon the writings of these
great masters; to all the lovers of Sacred music, their
works must be well known. Farrant's Anthem,

" Lord, for thy tender mercies' sake," when once
heard, must ever be remembered. Mr. Hackett is
entitled to great praise for the manner in which thin
work is compiled, and he displays considerable ability
in the compositions which bear his name, included in
these numbers.

HANOVER .SQUARE ROOMS.
A series of subscription concerts for the present
season commenced in these rooms last night. Their
arrangement is on a liberal scale, and the terms of
admission to them singularly moderate. The instru-
mental band mustered, under the difection of F.
forte and Willy, a for approaching very close
upon that of the Philharmonic, and including a large
portion of the artists from that body, and the orchestra
of the Italian Opera. ' They executed on this occasion
Beethoven's Pastoral Sinfonia, and the Overture to
William Tell, in admirable style, besides supporting
the choral portions of the vocal pieces. The pro-
gramme for the night was inordinately crowded.
The names connected with it were those of
Mrs. Alfred Shaw, Miss Birch, Miss Bassano,
Miss Rainforth ; Mr. Phillips, Mr. Manvers, Mr.
Bennett, Mr. Young, Mr. Weiss, and Mr. J. Parry.
The company was numerous and elegant. The con-
cert commenced with Grand Sinfonia (pastorale),
Beethoven, which was followed by the National An-
them, finely given by the vocalists. One ofthemorceaux
of the evening was a grand concerto, pianoforte by
Madame Dulck en, with full orchestral accompaniments.
Mrs. Alfred Shaw was in fine voice, and sang a pretty
cavatina from Gli Arabi; she likewise took part in
a duet with Miss Birch. The chief attractions of the
programme consisted in the performances of the band
and chorus; as examples, we may cite Handel's
grand double chorus from Israel in Egypt, " He gave
them Hailstones;' Storace's septet and chorus,
" Hear, 0 hear, the simple story;' and the overture
to Guillaume Tell. The, concert as a whole, went off
brilliantly. There can be do doubt that these sub-
scription concerts will attract large and fashionable
audiences.

MINING OPERATIONS AT CHATHAM.--Towards the
conclusion of the day, and after our reporter had left
the engine-ground on Tuesday last, one of the mines
which did not ignite during the operations in the
middle of the day, owing •to a slight defect in the
priming, was exploded, and produced a crater measur-
ing 40 feet in width. This explosion has proved that
2001bs. of gunpowder fired in one mass is capable of
producing'a greater effect than the same quantity of
powder divided into two charges, although fired simul-
taneously.
RESULTS OF Tin STAFFORD SPECIAL COMMISSION.
—Of the whole number of prisoners tried no fewer
than 54 have been transported. Out of these, 11
have been transported for life, 13 for 21 years
(among them William. Ellis, one of the most dan-
gerous men in the Pottertes), 9 for 15 years, 18 for
10 years, and 3 for the term of 7 years. A very
large proportion, of the remainder have been sen-
tenced to imprisonment and hard labour. There
are in all 146 prisoners who will have to undergo this
kind of punishment. Nine of them are sentenced
to imprisonment and hard labour for the term of 2
years, 1 for 20 calendar months, 9 for 18 calendar
months, 6 • for 15 calendar months, 33 for 1 year, 3
for 9 calendar months, 7 for 8 calendar months, 55
for 6 calendar months, 8 for 4 calendar months, 14
for 3 calendar months, 15 for 2 calendar months, 1
for 1 calendar month, 6 for 14 days, and 1 for 10
days. Eight have been sentenced to various terms of
imprisonment without hard labour, and among these
are Linney and Cappur, the Chartist agitators, the
former of whom will have to remain in prison two
years and three, months, and the latter two years.
55 prisoners were acquitted, 2 were discharged on
entering into recognisances, 6 were discharged by pro-
clamation. and 3 have traversed till the next assizes,
these three being O'Neil, Cooper, and Richards. The
whole number of prisoners for trial was 274.

INVENTION OF THE STEAM ENGINE.----A Madrid
letter states that there have been discovered, in the
archives of Salamanca, documents showing that experi-
ments on the application of steam to navigation were
made at Barcelona, as long ago as 1543, by a naval
officer named Blasco de Garray. Thete experiments
were made in • the presence of Charles V., who, al-
though the idea was not adopted by the Governinen t
made the inventor a present of a considerable sum of
money.
THE PORTENDIC AFFAIR.—M. Guizot, we are
glad to learn, has at length consented, on behalf of
Louis Philippe's "Government, to refer the claims of
British mershants on France, arising out of the illegal
of the King of
blockad e
Prussia;
ofan
dP or
LordtendAi c tb,
e or
dteheen decision
likewise
agreed to
such a reference. The terms of the reference are not
yet settled, but there are few difficulties, we hear, in
the way of the settlement.
THE LATE MARQUIS —The attach-
ment of Lord Wellesley to Eton was of so ardent a
nature, that, when in the course of conversation it
theAb Abbey
vsihceo uolfdhci
sr ocNounm
he expressed a decided pre-
WELLEsLET.
was suggested that a public funeral in Westminster
spent, as his had been, in
ference to have his remains placed in Eton College
Chapel. Shortly afterwards he wrote the following
lines ;—" Lord Wellesley wishes to be interred in the
chapel of Eton College, with the following lines en-
graved on his tomb :
" Fortuute, rcrumque vagis exercitus undis
In gremium redeo serus, Etona, tuutn
Magna sequi, et summae ratrari cumina farnze,
Et purum antique! lucis adire jubar,
Auspice te, didici Puer, atque in linaine vitae
Ingenuas verm laudis aware vias.
Si qua metun vitae decursu gloria nomen
.Auxerit, nut si quis nobilitaret hones,
Muneris, Alma, tui est : altrix da terra; sepulerum,
Suprentam lacrytnam da! memoremque mei !
" Kingston House, Jan. 5, 1842.
RE-OPENING of the ROCHDALE CANAL.—We are
glad to learn, that in consequence of tht, rain which
,has recently fallen, the Rochdale, Canal, which, as we
announced, had been stopped for want of water,;
Art ow
re-opened for traffic.,--Manchester :Paper.