The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-02-16 00:00:00

114 P, LIVERPOOL STANDARD

MR. GEORGE HOLDEN'S CONCERT.

_ attended with great advantages; it would show the gallantry
of the bridegroom and the taste of the bride. Mr. Winstan•
On Tuesday evening last, this concert, which has been for lev then proceeded to show the various styles of painting from
sonic time announced to the public, took place at the Theatre ' the twelfth century to the present time, amongst a very valuable
Royal. We have rarely attended a concert more bi illiantly at- and choke collection of old paintings. whit h /were hung in the
tea;led or which gave greater satisfaction. If we may forth any !rehire-room. lie also showed some specimens of illuminated
opinion from the cruelty of the audience in encoring almost missals, showing the gorgeous style in which the Itontan•missal
every piece, we should say it was much delighted. Every part was formerly got up. In conclusion, he said, he should be am-
of the house was quite full, and the boxes were lined with many I ply repaid if he had awakened any interest in the fine arts.
at the principal families of the town. The Mayor also, accam- He sat down amidst loud applause.
panted by a large party of fi iends, honoured the performance 'the PaEstnENT said they owed a debt of gratitude to Mr.
in to his presence. The concert opened with a grcind symphony Winstanley for the instruction he had afforded them. Ile an-
in C, from Beethoven, which went toff rather tamely. The ticipated great public benefit from essays of this kind. He
myliony, though distinguished by a cantinuaus succession of trusted that the soirees had done away with the feeling which
sweet melodies, has in it few striking, passages. The piece hail formerly existed ayainst the Royal Institution and that a
which succeeded, a madrigal by Benet, quite enchanted the has now no longer a kind of terra incognita. He believed that
audience, and put it into a good humour for the evening. The previously to the introduction of these soirees 99 out of 100 per-
chorus singers of Liverpool, under the able superintendence of sons did not know what the institution contained, and were
George Holden, have fang been noted. In the present totally ignorant of its various rich stores of information. He
piece, the effect which they produced by their great precision as hoped that parents would send their children to avail themselves
to time, and the beautiful chords they struck, was charming,. of the varimis specimens of art which the institution contained
The lines and thus cherish the rising spark of genius. After the mental
recreation which they had haul Dr. Reynolds proposed -to give
them a little bodily excitement, and galvanize any who wished
it, gratis. It was a most delightful sensation, to those who liked
it; for his own part he did not. (A laugh.)
Du. It Kyrvoins then proceeded to explain the mode afcharg-
ing and the action of the galvanic battery. A new kind of the
galvanic apparatus had been invented which was much
superior to the old one. The galvanic fluid, in the old appa-
ratus. became exhausted after the battery hail been charged
about four hours from the action of the acid dissolving the
zinc plates and depositing the zinc upon the surface of
the copper plates, and thus rendering them in eff,ct, also, zinc.
In the new battery this was avoided. A number of distinct
troughs of copper were made, and then charged with acid, in
these were placed bags made of skin, which were charged, also,
with acid..and in these hags were placed bars of zinc; thus. the
zinc, and the copper had each a distinct, and separate, finid of
their own. The galvanic current was then united at the top.
This kind of battery would continue in full force till the acid
was quite exhausted. He then threw a current of the galvanic
fluid from this battery into a bottle of water, the water in which.
MIS thereby decomposed intuits elements, oxygen, and hydrogen
gas. This gas, when collected, and forced through a small
tube, on a light being applied to it, produced a most brilliant
light. and a very intense heat. A project had been mooted of
applying this mode .of heat to steam boilers to generate steam.
He little doubted it would be found to succeed ; anti if applied to
marine boilers would do away with the necessity ofcarrying Net
All that would be necessary, would be a proper galvanic. bat-
tery of sufficient power, and a few battles of acid; the sea wa-
ter would supply the fuel. He exhibited a number of other
interesting experiments; after which, the company took tea
and coffee, at the different refreshment rooms promenading wcys
resumed till ten o'clock. when the assemblage began to dis-
perse, apparently highly delighted with the evening's entertain-
ment.

" With sug'red doses among these roses,
Fa la la la, fa la la la,
was given with strikingly beautiful effect. The next piece, a
recitative and aria, by Mozart, from the opera of 'The Mar-
riage of Fig:n.o," introduced Miss Bruce. This lady possesses
a voice of great sweetness, but not of much power, and she is'
greatly deficient in articulation. It is rarely that we ever ad.
mired an titian song when sung by an Englishwoman; it is
out t.f their proper province, and their voices ill accord with
the style of music, winch is better adapted to brilliant vivacity
of style and manner and the shriller voice of the Italians. This
piece passed off rathet tamely Mr. Machin next was intro-
duced, and sang a scena, "The Battle of Hohenlinden," by C.
Smith. It is almost unnecessary to add our lured of approba-
tion to the lung list of aomirers of Mr. Machin's singing. He
is possessed of a splendid bass voice, which be knows well how
to use. lie is rising rapidly in reputation, and bids fair to ap-
proach die pinnacle of the vocalists of the kingdom. He sung.
this scena splendidly, At the commencement of the second verse j
''l3ut 'Linden saw another sight,
When the drum beat at dead of night,
Conittiecicing, files of death to light
The diki•kness of her scenery !"
The effect he produced was quite thrilling; and at the conclusion,
"And every turf beneath their feet
Shall be a soldier's sepulchre!"
he gave one of those splendid deep bass perorations for which he
is distinguished, and left the stage amidst tumultuous applause:
Mrs. Allred Shaw then appeared,-and sung a Recitative rd Aria,
by llussiui, front the opera of "Italiana in Algeiri." Site sang
it very sweetly, and her peculiar toned voice contrasted well
anti Miss Bruce's. Her articulation was beautifully distinct
Then billowed a &tett° from Hossini's opera of •` 11 Barbiere
di Siviglia," by Mr. Machin and Miss Bruce, which was spirit-
edly and well sung, and met with an encore. Miss Ponce im-
proved upon the audience touch in this piece. The next was a
song by Mr. Walton,
"Love unperceived, with cautious art,
Steals seductive o'er the heart—
Hangs on the sense with witching wiles, -
Deluding most, when most he smiles.
Then who would love?"
This pretty simple melody, he sang with great sweetness. It is
well fitted to Mr. Walton's voice, which is a tenor of much
sweetness, but not of great power. He was encored; and
limn this time, the audience, which appeared to have been
growing warm in musical enthusiasm, iu spite of the cold thea-
tre, would not suffer a song to pass without an encore. The next
piece was a trio by Cimarosa, from " 11 matrimonio segrettie,
which was to introduce Mrs. Hiles, along with Miss Bruce, and
Mrs. Alfred Shaw, Tkat lady, however, we understand, owing
a domestic afflictilllWKOlot. attend, and her place was sup-
siiikarsAirand. 7Thlsiffrce passed off very well, but Mrs.
rei'vous. Mr. Machin, next sang a beautiful ballad

PHRENOLOGY,

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STRND✓IRD.

Sta,—l shall now endeavour to answer the principal objec-
tions brought forward by my opponent, and, in doing so, as his
" facts" are derived (properly enough) from the experiments of
others, any severity of remark 1 may think tit to use cannot,
and is not intended to be personal to himself. The first objec-
tion is to inv physiognomical mode of proving phrenology; and
it is asserted, that phrenology and craniology are used synony-
mously by writers on the subject. If he had said by writers
against the subject, who are ignorant of its very elemen's, he
would have been correct. Phrenology means a discourse upon
the mind; craniology a discourse upon the skull; and although
it was through the physiognomy of the skull that phrenology was
discovered, yet the metaphysical knowledge of the constitution
of our minds is perfectly independent "of craniology, and nut
only professes to he the only true" mental science," but what
is strange, this the very corner stone of the building is seldom
attacked, or attacked by those who know so little of the subject
as to confound phrenology with craniology, and to ask, with
great simplicity, why phrenologists do not call judgment a pri-
mitive faculty e
The qu-stions as to the effect of size and quality are set at
rest by such parts of my lectures as you have .found room for;
and Ilse argument, that the convolutions at the base of the
skull, which, during life, we cannot examine, may develope fa-
culties opposed to those manifested by organs which we can ex-
amine, affects not phrenology.' Craniology is of course imper-
fect, and will remain so, as tong as the office of any one part of
the brain snail remain unknown; and although we cannot ma-
ntpulate the bottom of the brain during life, yet post modem
examinations, particularly of diseased functions, not attribut-
able to any known organ, will, I doubt not, eventually fill up the
chasm at present existing; but be it remembered, that the
seourate kn we function of each known pint of the brain is
" positive and not relative;" -and the discovery of an antago-
nizit4,, power to any one faculty would no more affect the exact
natute and value of the known faculty than the discovery of a
new island in :he southern part of the globe, peopled by a new
race, would alter the character and number of the individuals
inhabiting a place called " England," the effect would be, to
add a new fact to geography, and to render the "science of sta-
tistics" still more " unceitaio" than it is at present; but I
doubt whether this new discovery would (as my critic assumes)
destroy the `• science of statistics" or geography altogether. I
still should call them " sciences," although he would not; be-
cause, he says. that the weaning of the word sei-nce implies a
"find understanding of the a hole subject about which it treats,"
and gives an example from mathematics, which is no example
at all, and would not affect the'aigunient if it were. But, ac-
cording, to him, mathematics can be noscience, because we can-
not, as yet, square the circle: chetnistry is no science, because
►;e are ignorant of some of the laws which regulate natural com-
binations; and geography is nn worthy of the name, because it
hat h not yet mapped out the mountains of the moon, or given
a description of the subterranean caves which vomit forth their

ht,
" She wore a wreath of roses the night that first we met."

which he sang exquisitely, and met with a rapturous encore.
Mr. Brown next appeared, and played a grand fantasia on the
flute, introducing the Irish air •‘ Savournee❑ Deelish." His
execution, and modulation of tone on this sweet instrument, was
splendid ; the audience was quite delighted. The next piece in.
itoduced the audience to a new, and very beautiful itis,rument,
the cornet a piston, which has lately been invented, possessing
a very beautifully modulated mellow tone, very similar to the
French horn, which was played by Mr. Thompson, as an ac-
companiment to Mrs. A►fred Shaw, in the beautitul ballad
commencing

" The light of other days is faded,
Anti all their glory's past-"
This was enchantingly sung, and the instrumental accomPani-
went was listened to with breathless attention. We have no
iioubt, that when this beautiful instrument heroines more khown,
that it will get into very general use. Without the difficulty of
Producing, a tone, which is the great draw back on the bugle,
it possesses all its capabilities with a lintel) softer, and mellower
tone, and is a delighttul accompaniment to the piano forte. A
few of I lieu; are to be seen at the music shops, at Mr. Thomp-
son's, in London-road, and Mr. Smith's, iu Lord-sheet, &c.
A march and chorus, hem Beethoven, concluded the first part.
The second part opined with a grand overture from '`Zamba,"
b% Herold Miss Bince then exquisitely sang an Irish ballad,
" Kate Kearney," in which she was enciiicd. In the ballads,
anti pieces ali ch h.litosed, the most deserving of notice,
was a Scotch air, by Mrs. Alfred Shaw, " Saw ye Johnnie
oinin'," which was sung with much taste, though she cannot sing.
with a Scotch accent. Wiinst speaking of these ballads, ang
the evident satisfaction, and pleasure which they gave to all, we
cannot but regret that a vile fashion wid stick into the hands of
our English sweet iingstresses anytt lug but their native bal-
lads, in %%Inch only, they naturalty, as %veil as really excel. We
think the pleasure of heating an Dalian fine piece of music is,
with the greatest majority at least, fully countethallanced by
being deprived of its proper f,ccompaninient of ex piessiiin, and
feeling. A number of Italian liars, often barbarously pro-
nounced, and at best, understood but by a tithe of the audience,
and that imperfectly, add neither expression nor feeling to the
music, which is lett for effect tin its own unaided powers. We
imagine this is a part of that wretched taste, which, formerly,
was almost universal, but which, we trust. is DOW dying away, of
admiring everything but what was Ens,/i.ch, and despising every
thing that was so. In conclusion, we can only add, Iliat the
coneeit passed off extremely well, and appeared to give great,
and general satisfaction.

contents through the volcano's mouth.
114 opponent asserts, 1 hat "if the mind of a cobbler were so
directed, it is capable of attaining as much perfection in fiddling
as cobbling." I might well leave so absurd a proposit inn to the
universal ridicule every man's own personal experience will
attach to it. I will only ask him, if every good cobbler could
make an equally good lock ? The assertion merits no answer;
and as (his is almost the only metaphysical. objection to the
" plurality of our primitive powers," 1 refer to my lectures for
the positive proof's of their existence.
He says, that a Turk's head is round, therefore a "'l'urk's
character should lie perfect." Now, it so happens that a To; k's
head is nut a sphere, but very nearly a hemisphere. His "there-
fore," then, is a nun sequitur. But a craniologist would tell
you, that such a head would evidence a very large preponder-
ance of the animal passions, and knowing faculties, great firm-
ness and veneration, with small benevolence and teflective
powers. Perhaps some of your readers will tell me if the 'lurks
are such people.

TIIIHD SOIREE AT THE ROYAL INSTITUTION.

The third of these delightful and rational assemblages was
held on Wednesday evening last It has been our pleasing
task on the uccat,ious of the former ics, to speak lavourablv
of them, we feel it doubly incumbent upon us so to notice the
one held on Wednesday evening last; for a 'mire brilliant,
crowded, and fashionable assemblage, and a scene of more
complete and tat must enjoyment we have rarely witnessed.
The rub de was in eveay respect superior to those which have
preceded it; and that degree of tameness and approach to
ennui which, la a slight degree, was perceptible in, t he last. was
no where to be found in the present one. We have heard much
of " the Lancashire Wittlies"—perhaps more than we have
seen of them; the soirée of Wednesday evening, however, has
convolved us that this title of the lair daughters of Lancashire
has not taken its rise in poetic fancy only; fur never did we
behold of
lovelyand st n r
buen,,r
•eitTluristiga(
faces.()iiu ceiati; aa
proverb not
the less true for being somewhat musty ; and the committee
have evidently proilites much by the experience they have oh
tained from the former soirees.. The principal entrance and the

In Dr..ll.:slam's case, phrenology meets with unexpected
support, lithe critic will look at the Spot in the brain so loose-
ly described, he will find it marked No. 12. Her cautiousness,
then, and not her secretiveness, her fears and not her cunning,
would be,mocbidly aroused. She would, under such an affec-
tion, "he continually ten rifled ;" and as her madness was occa-
slimed " by religious enthusiasm," her eternal salvation would
be the subject or her terms. Really all the arguments as such,
support of the •' unity of the mind and the unity of the brain,"
are so futile, that I shall conclude this part of my subject by
asking him to account upon his theory for a difference of charac.
ter whatever, and then I shall be " satisfied." But whilst
neither he nor any one but a phrenologist car. tell how it hap-
pens, that in two given men, the one shall hare strong intellect
and weak passions, the other weak intellect and strong passions;
or, if he will enable us,
by any known docti life, to understand
" Monomania," how the mind shall be diseased upon one point
and healthy upon 01l others; why then 1 will acknowledge,
that
ay-now.eG
he places hiniself in a position which gives him some small in-
sight into human character; at present it is to him a sealed
book.
One remark more. Phrenology is not answerable for the
blunders of soi-disant professors. if a man choose to volunteer
an absurd theory of Thurtell's motives in murdering Weare,
phrenology is as little affected thereby as is religion,. because
there are mituy stupid professors of religion, and much false
doctrine.
Space will not allow me to examine the measurements of
Mr. Scott. Their value, and the force of the inferences dedu-
ced flout them, may be estimated from one. Ile measures the
amount of brain in front, by ascertaining the distance from the
opening of the ear on one side to the middle of the forehead
over the opposite eye. Now, it is evident, that this distance may
be great, either because the forehead is prominent, or because
the head is wide at the ears, and the difference will be merely,
that, in one case, intellectual power, in the other, animal pro-
pe.. u.ties will be develosped ; but this is a small matter to Your
thoi oughgoing anti phrenologist—ex uno disce ()miles.
111 lily next, which will be my last, I witl show some of the
absurdities into which Mr. Flourens and his disciples have
fallen.-1 am, Sir, your obedient servant,
1. Q. MT.:MALL.
[We shall await Mr. Rumbairs second letter, and may then,
if we e occasion, offer soave concloding rema. ks. Perhaps.
iu strictness, according to the rules observed in discussions, we
ought not to avail out selves of a reply upon a reply; but really
there is links to reply to. We way safely refer our readers
back to the articles wv have written. in answer to Mr. Rutnball
as a full and sufficient answer to the present letter.'

_ .
pass lees leading to the lecture room, were relieved from their
Former sombre appearance, by a brilliant light thrown through
stained glass placed over the statue. The museum was enriched
by numerous accessions; the most rematkabie and curious of
which were a- number of royal autographs. flour the tone of
Henry VIII. down to that of William 1 V., includlng also the
autographs of many of the Fiench reigning familie- during the
last two centuries, each autograph &raving a small engraved
likeness of the patty attached to it. The whole formed a very
curious and valuable col.ection. Suave of the nines beating
royal signatures, were very amusing. On another stand was
exhibited the jaw of a shark of immense size, finely preserved;
and near it a silver amulet, of most curious workmanship, in
which was enclosed a complete copy of time Koran. A number
of beautiful Mosaic.paintiag,s were also hung about. The room
upstairs was rendered tnore attractive by a large collection V
very splendid etchings, from many of the standard pictures of
the best masters. Another very rTleasing improvement consist-
ed in the swelling notes of a Seraphine, placed at the top of the
staircase, and which was played during the greater part of the
evening. Wm. Wallace Currie, Esq. acted as piesideitt of the
evening. The,Alayor, accompanied by a large party, honoured
the soiree with his presence ; and a number of that august body,
the Liverpool Town Council, were to be observed here and
there.

As eight o'clock arrived the company began to pour down to
the lecture-room, which was, with the exception of a few seats
in the gallery, soon tilted in every part.
The Pak:sink:NT in opening the philosophical part of the
evening's entertainment, said lie should nut be guilty of the
bad taste of describing the advantages of these soirees after
what his predecessors had stated, hot snouid at once introduce
Mr. Winstanley to them, who would read to them the essa), for
the evening, on the advantages of the cultivation of the hike
arts." Ink was a subject to which Mr. Wiustanley had de-
voted a great portion of his life, and in which he had attained
considerable proficiency and a highly cultivated taste (ap-
plause.)
. . . . _

On Sunday, the 11th instant, a cdlection was made in St.
Mark's Church. without any previous notice having been given,
when the sum of £l2 was collected on behalf of our suffering
poor, which is in rouse of distribution in coals, potatoes, and
bread.

Mr. WUNSTANLEY said in bringing forward the present
paper, it was °My his wish to make himself useful, and not
from any feeling of vanity. lie had watched the ttse anti pro-
ofthe r.tts in Lives pool fur the last quarter of a century, and he
was happy to say that they were now mote prospering than
they ever were. This was a sign of the advancing refinement
of the town. The refinement of the people had ever kept pace
with the progress of the arts. Ile was convinced that the
apathy which was generally found to exist inwards the hue
:tits, was to he traced to a want of knowledge of the history of
painting; and he was sure that any one who would sit down for
a lew hours to study the art, would feel delighted on rising, to
find that he had obtained a knowledge of what were the beau-
ties of paintings, and at being able to distinguish a fine paint-
ing from the spurious productions often placed before the pub-
lic. From the earliest ages of mankind the arts had been pro-
minent in the prionOtion of religion and morality. Could any
one view the terrific painting of " The Last Judgement," by
the divine Angelo, without being convinced of its powerfut
effects on the human mind. Nor was it possible to be blind to
its effects in producing morality by setting, forth the evils of
vice, nor of its influence on the affections, by handing down the
likeness of a parent or a child. The nits were of no parts*:
they were like the glorious silo of heaven, which d,ffused its
ligfit over al. Ile should cammence from the revival of paint-
ing in Italy—but first he would explain what was meant by the
revival of painting—On the it cline of the early powets of
Greece anti Route, the arts tlet lined also. Antiquarians, how-
ever, were of opinion that the art of painting was never lost;
that the light of time art was never wholly extinguished during
centuries of. dat kness and obscurity, but emitted a feeble ray.
About the sixth century the mosaic style of painting came into
vogue. There were to this day, in many parts of Italy, paintings
of the Madonas of a very early day, some of %%Inch were said to
possess miraculous power. The principal artists of that day
were the Greeks. Several of the paintings, to ehich noracn
lons power was attributed, were said to be painted by St.
Luke the Evangelist ; but thfs was incorrect, as they were
known to be the paintings of an artist of the. 10th century
named Lures, wbo, being of a devout turn of mind, became
a monk. and died in the odour of sanctity, and his works are
touch sought after. So late as the twelfth century, the Greek
aitists, assisted by those it ltu v, continued to ornament our
chuiches with mosaic work. Soon after this period, the Italians
emancipated theinselc es loon the hard dry style of the Greek
painters, and that has been termed the revival of the arts in
Italy. From this period, the graceful flowit, outline of the
Italian ,cloo!I began to be introduced. Mr. *instanley then
ti aced the progress of the art. step by step, from this its early
infancy down to its present fulness of power. Many of the
early paintings were of.peculiar shapes, which it was difficult to
account for, excepting from the fact of their being given as pre-
sents at marriages. Some of the old paintings cure marks of
ha viog been nailed to caskets. This custom arose amongst the
Greeks, and was followed even now in Switzerland; and were
such a custom prevalent in England at this 'time, it would be

Sam Scott, the celebrated American juniper, has now made
a most extraordinary jump from the house of Mr. Jones, at
Wan ington, viz.—to the tread-mill, at Kim kdale.

The Liverpool Anti-Slavery Society have determined to pub-
Mt- Blackburn's speech on the apprenticeship sy stein in the
form of a pamphlet, together with an of Lial report of the
speeches delivered at the anti-slavery meeting held on the 19th
and thh December.—[ We hope that in so doing the Anti.
Slavery Society will have the honesty to acknowledge its
gations to
the Liverpool Standard, that being the only news-
paper in which anything like a correct and full report of auy of
the speeches have appeared.]

MELANCHOLY EVENT —On Wednesday la=t, Mr. Dowling,
the active commissioner of police, was 'trived to by Mi. Green-
shield, merchant of this town, to take means for securing a
young Mall employed in his other, who was labouring under
symptoms of insanity, and who, he was afraid, would be injur-
ing some person pr other. The day before he had taken a loaded
pistol hum him, and he had reason to believe. that he still had
possession of tire-arms. Ile had threatened to do him an injury,
and his medical man had pronounced the unfortunate Noting
Man to be quite insane, and that it was not sate he should be at
large. Upon this representation, Mr. Dowling went himself to
seek out the young man, and discovered him in a state of great
excitement, parading up and down the Exchange News.room,.
with his hat compressed Hat into the shape of a cocked hat, and
creating witch alarm by his excited and wild appearance. Mr.
Dowling succeeded in persuading him, by quietly talking to
him, that be had some impoitant communication to make to
him, if he would step into his office. Mr. Dowling then told
him, that he was given to understand, that he had tire-arms in
his possession, and wished him to give them up. The young
man sail, Mr. Dowling had no authority to require them from
him, and he would not give them up; and that it they were
taken from him, it must be by' force. Mr. Dowling then told
him, that if he did not give them up, he must use (twee. The
Young man then said, he had a pistol, and Mr. Dowling should
have the contents of it.; Mr Dowling immediately seized him
by one atm, whilst Ainsworth, the officer, sprang behind him,
and seized his other hand as he was drawing it out of his pocket.,
In this hand he had a small double-barrelled pistol, which was
cricked, and was found to be rapped and loaded. Aker this had
been taken from him, he became very violent, rod it required
great 101(.0 to hold him. It was afterwards found necessary to
chain him, until the arrival of proper persons to take charge of
him ; lint he was so violent that he broke the chain, and tore
every thing. loose. In a short time, Dr. Squires arrived, and had
him convene Ito the asylum. Ile is described as being an ex
ceediugly fine and powerful soling man; and it is believed
that a disappointment of a tender uature has driven him into
his present melancholy slate.