The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-27 00:00:00

" On this bleak shore for ever we ordain
As black and towering mountains ye remain;
And woe betide the helpless bark that e're
The shelter of your treacherous sides shall dare.

* _*
* •
And in a future age, a fairy town
Shall bid the tourists welcome from your crown."

Signor Vilderini, who assumes the part of a "frog" in the
opening, afterwards appears as the " sprite." The scenery
is painted by Mr. John Wright, Mr. Liver, and assistants,
and is beautiful in the extreme—Snowdon by moonlight—
Vale of Llangollen—the Floral Home of the Skylarks—
and the Welsh Coast in a Storm—are views to which we
would particularly draw the attention of our readers.
The music is on a novel principle, and arranged chiefly,
from old Welsh airs, by Mr. Hope, who has likewise in-
troduced some clever original pieces.
AT THE ADELPIII THEATRE—" The Vale of Gems, Or
Harlequin and Sinbad the Sailor," is the pantomime.
The opening is written by Mr. J. Courtney, author of
some of the standard dramas of the day. In the first scene
wg find Queen Aquarina and her water nymphs sleeping in
her coral palace. Naubella, her first fairy in waiting,
appears, and awakes them from their slumbers, informing
them at the same time that the Queen will arrive by ex-
press that day. In the midst of the fairy joy at the news,
a sea imp suddenly appears through the Marine Telegraph-
office, with the message that the Queen will shortly join
them. A fairy ballet is performed, at the end of which
the Queen Aquarina arrives with The News of the World.
A dialogue here ensues, in which are hits at all the topics
and subjects of the day, not forgetting the Emperor of
Russia and the Turks. Then, as fairy Queens mostly do,
she proposes to protect young Sinbad the Sailor, who. has
been wrecked upon the neighbouring shore, and who loves
the fair Diamanta, Princess of the Island of Gulnare ; but
whose island the great He-ko-kum-it, King of the Golden
Land, has invaded, and made her prisoner. The Queen
sends her water nymphs with Naubella to seek Sinbad,
while she herself departs, attended by her fairies and sea
imps, to watch the safety of Diamanta. In the second
scene we find Sinbad the Sailor in a deep cavern in He-ko-
kum-it's dominions, who, having lost his way, and fancy-
ing it a railway tunnel, does not feel quite at ease. When
about to seek his way out, he is obstructed by two enor-
mous serpents, and, on boldly vanquishing them, finds
another danger in the appearance of the Guardian Sprite
of the Demon of the Valley, but in his distress he is timely
saved by the appearance of Naubella and the fairies. We
now have a peep at King He-ko-kum-it's palace and army.
He enters, attended by his ministers, in a great rage at the
discontents of his people. His people want reform ; but he,
like a good monarch of the olden time, sees no fun in it ;
he boasts of his last budget and new tariff. However, poli-
tics dismissed, we have news that the Princess Diamanta has
nearly escaped, by the instrumentality of Sinbad ; but
unfortunately they have both been recaptured, and are
brought before the King. Here we again hear some
strong and pungent jokes upon " the living manners as
they rise," and Diamanta is again borne off to confine-
ment. Sinbad being told by the King that, though a fast
youth, he would make him a faster, Sinbad defies him,
as sailing under the British flag. We have in good telling
rhyme a switch of the British lion's tail and a shake of
his mane at invaders and in defence of the oppressed.
Sinbad departs, telling the King and his ministers how
the British lion "licks 'em." Sinbad is now upon the
world, and in search of the means to save or ransom
Diamanta. He falls asleep, and on awaking finds himself
in the Vale of Gems—a magnificent scene indeed. He is
there told by the fairy Naubella to gather gems (with
which the whole vale is studded) and enrich himself. He
does so, but is interrupted by the Demon of the Valley
calling upon his protecting Imp. A phantom fight ensues
between Sinbad and the sprite, who is aided by other
demons of the valley. Sinbad, being in danger, is again
protected by Naubella and fairies ; while the demons of
the valley are attacked and defeated by the sea sprites
smart, active, little, fishy (soles), trident in hand. Sinbad,
now enriched, flies to the King, who is in a fix, and a
ministerial crisis ensues, for the allies of Diamanta are in
his seas with belligerent threat. With war and love per-
plexed, he encounters Diamanta. She sues in vain ; he
offers marriage, which she refuses.. Sinbad entering,
proffers him the jewels for her freedom, which the King
grasping gives to his chancellor of the exchequer, who has
a pocket that holds anything and swallows everything.
The King informs Sinbad that he will keep the jewels and
the lady into the bargain, upon which the fairy Naubella
appears, and for his avarice stays his selfish career. His
kingdom is lost to him for ever. A beautiful and magni-
ficent change takes place from the palace gardens to the
abode of the Fairy Queen, dazzling and brilliant in effect,
in which the characters are . transformed—the King,
He-ko-kum-it, to Clown. (Herr Teasdale); his chancellor,
Ben-lam-ba, to Pantaloon ; Sinbad to Harlequin (Mr. C.
Brown) ; Diamanta to Columbine (Miss E. Gibbs); and
the Imp of the Demon of the Valley to Sprite; and onward
goes the work of fun and frolic.
CONCERT HALL, LORD NELSON-STREET.—At this esta-
blishment, Miss Greenfield, " the Black Swan," gives her
second concert to-morrow (Wednesday). She will: be
assisted by Mrs. Alexander Newton, Miss Ward, Mr.
Charles Cotton, Mr. Augustus Braham, (son of the veteran
Braham,) and Mr. Distin, sen., who will play his celebrated
solo, " The Soldier Tired." Altogether, the programme
is very attractive.
__

PniLuA.Rmonc HALL.—This evening, the eighth sub-
scription concert of the Philharmonic Society will be given.
The principal vocalists are Miss Lowe, Miss Eyles, Mad'lle
Contarini, Mr. Haigh, Mr. Henry Dray-ton ; solo violoncello,
Mr. Lidel ; conductor, Mr. J. Z. Herrmann. A grand selec-
tion of music will be performed. On Monday, at the same
place, when and where Mr. Thomas will commence another
series of his Shilling Concerts. The band will consist of
sixty performers, including Mr. Lazarus, Mr. Streather,
Mr. H. Blagrove, and Mr. T. Harper. The vocalist is
Miss 44thleen Fitzwilliam. These concerts will continue
everyWening for one month, and on Saturdays there will
be a day performanee at two o'clock.
Music HALL, BOLD-STREET.—At this favourite place
of amusement Mr. Coleman, the polyphonist, commenced
an engagement, yesterday, to perform his celebrated
entertainment of "Masks and Faces." Mr. Coleman's
performance is highly amusing, and well worthy of a visit.
On Saturday's there will be a day representation.
QUEEN'S HALL, BOLD-STREET.—Mr. Hamilton's grand
movingEncyclorama ofthe Mississipi still continues attrac-
tive, and we recommend our readers to pay it a visit. It
is open everyday athalf-past two andhalf-past seven o'clock.

VINDICATION OF SCOTTISH .RIGHTS.

SINCE we last adverted to the " Scottish Rights"
question, another great meeting has been held for the
purpose of giving expression to the feelings of the Scottish
people on this, to them, important national subject. The
meeting was held in the City-hall, Glasgow, on Thursday,
the 16th instant, and, says the Glasgow Herald : " In
point of numbers, intelligence, wealth, and commercial
and manufacturing status, we have not on any previous
occasion seen an assemblage in Glasgow, or the west of.
Scotland, to • excel, or, perhaps, to rival it." As was
befitting in the commercial and manufacturing metropolis
of Scotland, the chair was occupied by the senior magis-
trate of the city. On the platform was a gathered array
of gentlemen representing the hereditary aristocracy and
landowners of Scotland, headed by the Earl of EGLINTON,
who wore the appropriate insignia of the order of the
Thistle ; numbers of various Scottish learned bodies, and
of the commercial and manufacturing classes ; while the
body of the hall contained upwards of three thousand
individuals of all ranks and classes of society, and in that
assembly only one feeling was manifested, that of ardent
and enthusiastic approbation of the movement. Letters
of apology for absence from the meeting, but expressive
of sympathy in its proceedings, and approval of its objects,
were read from one duke, one marquis, one earl, and one
baronet, from two members of parliament, from two pro-
vosts of burghs, from one sheriff, and one university
professor ; and deputations from various counties and
burghs were present on the occasion. In a brief but
spirited and manly address, the Chairman emphatically
repudiated, in his own name and in that of the association,
any wish to attempt, by word or deed, to disturb the
harmony and good feeling which exist between the
inhabitants of England and Scotland, the earnest desire
of that body being to promote, to extend, and to perpe-
tuate the union of interests and feeling between the
inhabitants of the two kingdoms, by securing a bond fide
fulfilment of the solemn engagements entered into between
them. This has been so plainly and repeatedly stated by
members of the association, and by that body officially
through its officers, that one is at a loss to understand
why a certain portion of the press should refuse to accept
from men of sense and of honour a statement from their
own lips, and under their own signature, of their views and
purposes ; yet so it is, that a portion of the English press,
led on by The Times, perseveringly attributes to this
movement motives widely different from those promul-
gated by the association.
One of the resolutions adopted at the Glasgow meeting
referred in condemnatory terms to the abolition of the
Scottish Boards of Customs and Excise, and the transfer
of their business to London, by which the transaction of
Scottish business connected with these departments is
materially impeded. This is no new complaint, but pre-
ceded that in reference to the armorial question, although
the Times continues to assert that the armorial grievance
was that first complained of. Among other evidences of
this truth, in a history of Edinburgh, written by Mr.
John Willox, and published in, that city by Mr. W. H.
Lizars, so long ago as 1845, we find the following remarks :
" For a good many years, Bellevue House was occupied
by the Customs Board, until that Board was reduced, as it
was called at the time ; but, in reality, as a Scottish institu-
tion it was abolished, and the business transferred to Lon-
don. On the accomplishment of this change, it was made
to accommodate the Scottish Board of Excise, which con-
tinued to occupy it till the end of 1843, at which time this
department of the executive shared the fate of the Customs
Board ; the house was sold by Government, and the Excise
Board was likewise swallowed up in the leviathan maw of
the English metropolis. It is not a little curious to note,
in these two instances, as well as in many others which
might be adduced, the gradual progress of innovation ;
first comes a nominal re-modelling, which is invariably
followed by abolition of the institution, and a transference
of its duties to another and a distant locality ; neither is it
less curious to observe the apathy with which the Scottish
population generally, and the inhabitants of Edinburgh
in particular, have looked on, and beheld the removal, one
after another, of the institutions which were carefully
guarded by statute at the Union with England, as being
essential to the nationality of Scotland, and indispensable
to prevent her becoming a mere provincial appanage of
her wealthier ally. That benefits numberless, and of great
value, have accrued to Scotland, by her junction with
England, it would be uncandid, and is impossible to deny;
but it ought to be borne in mind, that these advantages
are in every respect compatible with a strict maintenance