The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-09-26 00:00:00

ST. GEORGE'S-HALL

Tnn great local event of the past week has been the
inauguration of St. George's-Hall, and that event has been
in all respects worthy of attention. Since its opening, the
question of the utility of the Hall has been put to
severe practical tests, and the result has more than
answered expectation. Its general elegance and beauty
were fully admitted by all who enjoyed the opportunity of
inspecting it during the progress of its erection ; many
there were, however,-who entertained grave doubts as to
its fitness for some of the purposes to which it was meant
to be applied. Much dubiety was entertained as to the
acoustic capabilities of the Great Hall, and not a few
ventured to predict that its numerous broken lines, deep
recesses, and intersecting arches would prove seriously
detrimental to it as a concert-room, by causing repeating
echoes and breaking-up the mass of sound. These doubts
were thoroughly dispelled by the first few bars of the
National Anthem, in which the clear, sonorous, and melo-
dious voice of Mr. Sims REEVES rang in truthfulness
and beauty throughout the spacious and lofty vault,
the homogenousness being in no way disturbed by
the full orchestral and choral effects. The good
impression created by the first piece was fully
sustained by the succeeding Orator* and throughout the
whole six concerts which constituted the opening, as well as
by the testing ceremonial of its excellence. If the sounding
qualities of this magnificent hall have more than answered
expectation, its comfort as a place for the meeting of large
assemblies has been not less satisfactorily demonstrated.
On Wednesday evening, when every creek and cranny of
it were crammed, no inconvenience was experienced by any
of the multitudinous audience, from over-heat or antago-
nistic currents of conflicting temperature. Its vast area
was pervaded by an atmosphere at once temperate and
pure. Similar effects of well-regulated ventilation were
conspicuous, when the audience was less numerous and
the spectacle less exciting; and these were largely expe-
rienced and freely admitted at the soiree of the British
Association on Thursday night.

The meeting of this body of learned and distinguished
individuals, for the second time, in Liverpool, has afforded
another test of the practical value of such an edifice-
Here all the numerous sections of the British Association,
and their still more numerous and complicated committees,
have found ample and elegant accommodation in one spot,
and under one:roof, for probably the first time during the
Association's now somewhat prolonged existence.
The admirable adaptation of the law courts in St.
George's-Hall have formed a theme of gratifying remark
to the members of both bench and bar, ever since their
opening three years ago. If other evidence of that ex-
cellence were wanting, it would be amply furnished by the
regal emeute in which the gentlemen of the long-robe
threatened to resist their temporary exclusion from its
uxurious and seductive comforts. Viewed, then, in every
light, as to usefulness and elegance, the structure is a
triumph, and one which Liverpool is justly entitled to
be proud of.

While expressing satisfaction and experiencing just
pride in possession of the structure, can a high-minded,
not to say generous, community refuse a weed of honour-
able praise to those gentlemen to whose care and manage-
ment the arduous undertaking of superintending its con-
struction was committed, and by whom it was successfully
carried through ? True, several parties, forgetting the

injunction,

Let those teach others who themselves excel,

have censured very freely the proceedings of those whose
motives and exigencies in the case they could but imper-
fectly understand. To find fault is an office at all times as
easy as it is ungracious,—it is one, however, from which a
generous mind recoils with natural aversion; and those
who judge of others as they would be judged, are slow in
the application of their censure. That the arrangements
for opening the hall would not give universal satisfaction,
never admitted of a doubt; but that the mode in which
those arrangements were carried out afforded just grounds
for complaint, is far indeed from certain. All are familiar
with the futile efforts of the old man and his son, who,
endeavouring to please everybody, pleased nobody, and lost
their ass into the bargain. Had the St. George's-Hall
committee emulated those obliging and good-natured indi-
viduals, such a course of proceeding would have gone only
a short way in infusing honey among the gall of their
Some stress has been laid on an alleged precipi-
tancy in the ultimate opening of the hall. Those who
raise this objection must hare been unacquainted with, or
regardless of,

censors.

the murmurs against the presumed delay in
its opening, and which found vent in sarcasms as to the pro-
bability of its never being opened at all. Early in the year,
-and up to the very moment of opening, the meeting of
the British Association in Liverpool was urged oby all
classes as a reason for having it opened, without fail, for
the reception of that body. Expedition was used, and the
Hall way

Ipened, and, 1,

precipitancy is charged against

is of the public will

What advantages may accrue to the local charities from
the musical performances cannot at present be well stated,
although there seems reason for believing that the
amount will be but small. If a handsome sum be not
handed over to the funds of those charities, as was confi-
dently anticipated, it will cast a shade of discredit on the
inauguration, and throw a slur on those in whose hands
the management was vested. This, it is to be hoped, will
be avoided. The merchant princes of Liverpool are proud
of the noble hall which has been raised among them, and
they will not permit it to be said that apathetic attend-
ance at its inauguration kept back expected succour and
relief *ow the poor and the afflicted.

ST. GEORGE'S HALL-THE MUSICAL

PERFORMANCES,

ON Tuesday, the morning performance consisted of
Mendelssohn's famous and favourite oratorio, " Elijah;"
the principal vocalists being Mesdames Clara Novello, Cas-
tellan, Weiss, Viardot Garcia, and Miss Dolby; Mr. Sims
Reeves, Signor Gardoni, and Herr Formes. All the solo
parts were well given, and the concerted pieces generally
in a style worthy of the reputation acquired by the dis-
tinguished vocalists. Among the former, Madame Viar-
dot's magnificent rendering of the beautiful air, " 0, rest in
the Lord," was a gem of delicacy and tenderness of
expression; it was rapturously encored, and repeated with
equally devotional sweetness as on the first occasion. The
flute obligato, in this instance, was most artistically and
effectually managed, contributing in no small degree to
the general excellence of the performance. Mr. Sims
Reeves, having to all appearance made himself familiar
with the full magnitude and requirements of the •noble
hall, sang with more certainty and even more precision
than on the preceding day, and gave the pieces allotted to
him with his usual energy and sweetness. Madame Clara
Novello was also in fine voice, and had full scope for the
exercise of her " most miraculous organ" in several pieces,
and was particularly effective in the air, "Hear ye, Israel."
Signor Gardoni sang charmingly, and gave most of his reci-
tatives and parts in concert with much artistic grace and
polish. Herr Formes was, as usual, grand, forcible,
effective. His rendering of the air, "Is not his word like
a fire 9" was overwhelmingly powerful in expression. In
the trios and quartets, Miss Dolby proved herself a musi-
cian of high culture, and her solos were generally excellent,
the plaintive " Woe unto them," in particular, being
beautifully rendered. In this, as in the preceding oratorio,
the band and chorus acquitted themselves admirably, full
effect being given to various and often complicated choruses.

In the evening, a miscellaneous concert was givexi-WY
the same artistes, who severally acquitted themselves in
an admirable manner. The attendance in the morning
was of a highly fashionable character ; but not by any
means so numerous as that of the previous day. In the
evening the audience was very scanty.
The performances of Wednesday morning were devoted
to the first two parts of Haydn's " Creation" and Spohr's
" Last Judgment," the music of both composers being
rendered with fidelity and power. Haydn's splendid reci-
tative and air, "In native worth," was given by Mr. Sims
Reeves with much beauty and sweetness of intonation;
the air was executed as if by a perfect instrument, and its
melodious execution secured for it an enthusiastic encore ;
still there was a defect in the performance, and a marked
one,—it was very defective in articulation.
On Wednesday evening, " a people's concert," that is,
one the charge for entrance to hear which is moderate
enough to be within reach of the humbler as well as the
middle and upper classes. On this occasion the charge
for admission was half-a-crown, and the attendance was
such as to crowd the hall. This appears to have been the
most popular portion of the proceedings. The principal
vocalists were Madame Viardot Garcia, who kindly volun-
teered her valuable services on this occasion, Madame
Weiss, Mrs. Lockey, Mrs. G. Holden, Mrs. Millar,
Miss Stott, and Miss Dolby; Mr. Lockey, Mr. Millar,
Mr. Armstrong, and Mr. Weiss; together with a
chorus of three hundred voices. The programme in-
cluded a selection of pieces from the works of Mozart,
Stevens, J. L. Hatton, Romer, Handel, Auber, A. Lee,
C. Festa, Bishop, Beethoven, Haydn, Land, Purcell, Weber,
Horsley, and Mendelssohn ; the whole concluding with
" The National Anthem," by the principal vocalists and
chorus.

In reference to the performance, a correspondent, who
signs himself "One of the Masses," writes :—"Not being
one of the guinea or fourteen shilling subjects of our
good Queen Victoria, I attended St. George's-hall, for the
first time, on Wednesday evening last, the half-crown
being mere to my taste than the higher figures. I have
no doubt you have had plenty of the higher description of
critics, but as I doubt your having one of my stamp, I
therefore trouble you with a few remarks on the Hall and
concert, which I trust you will receive kindly from one of
the masses. When I entered the hall, I found it crammed
from "stem to stern," but I soon crammed myself into a
good berth ; and when I looked upward, downward, and
all around, I was quite electrified with the grandeur of
the scene: above, the beautiful roof, with the elegant chan-
deliers, like diamonds hung in air, dispensing the softest
and brightest light ; the massive and elegant polished
granite pillars, seeming as if each had the whole weight
of the building resting on them; and when all was looked
at together, filled as the hall was with such a mass of hying
beings, and with so many pretty bonnets with pretty faces

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2G, 1854'

under them, and many with the bonnet onli ww‘c 9
gave them—truly it realised some of those telftrof 100°
which used to delight us in the most deligh • gtolLfs
gout
"The Arabian Nights' Entertainments." f ttebtitl
of the eye, now to the ear. The cap
the conveyance of sound appeared to rae exc.' this's A
was dis • in ..1 1 • bat Ad'
appointed those who tried 1 , fay a-- ~to
peculiar to this performance—it is the gelle" colony
English concert-singers (and our worth?' 00 cka
could not trust us with any others, ola 001 ''''s
greatest foreign singers having broken thranerooo
orders and volunteered her services, which, being
Omo
lady, they could not well refuse) ; all our flgris. 01(503
seem to think they are to come on as automat° ,Irost
out their notes as coolly aspossible. What a e°'. ori
, rit.thia, , r
abilities opgA. 0
presented in the manner —I don't speak 01 3 J. go,
of Madame Viardot Garcia and all the oth.erdisaleot4
we, of the masses, appreciated it, although v, e 4.00 golf' it
stand a word of her songs. The chorus was `d frielltd
heaven keep us from ever again hearing our ol t. ye;
" Chough and Crow" with an organ accomPaniraerofOtli
Weiss sang the "Minstrel Boy," oneof they fines`f 0 e I°,, g
Moore's melodies. She sang the first Prt ° begr'
i irt s .4'
simply and expressively, but in the second 1,,,t, o,oli, 0
one of those stupid pieces of what it is tiemetit''tt,
call vocalization, destroying the entire foied. ,Il
thatsong ourin Ea nrgelickshlessflouris' h to show on ..-,ice,flD4
singers would but take au‘ nliCkg*
our pretty, pretty ballads iall their native sialckhorl:
n
bring back to us the palmy days of the oiu lie 0.4.
We have the music, we have the sentimentToro9oll
voices, but we want more mind and less lit 1,015 sceife
hLaevteuesquhaolpley suchnthobaltewEitnhoishsinngobinleg rlag:Lis
iy ,gottle!:4l
wexiflrbesesifoeillt. ...,1 013, ! ,
being
ho
p given,to
havethe inpowerany fie, fr .
_l, : ; t 4.rs' e''''r
leaso"-;,1it.1
St. George's-hall ; and, although I On", ; ye0;1(1.
been better managed as regards the ePer"nrlbeY c° tee
feel that our Councillors have done the beecht liss 0
do not think they deserve all the abuse re 0'0,4,
heaped on them. They have plenty of tiale It as".
steps and treat us, the shilling folks, better De
Ili

- 0
THE CHOLERA.-NAYLOR-STRO
T
COURTS.

t.
TO THE LIVERPOOL BOARD 0' aced
GENTLEI'EN)—FmcIing that my personal rltor cet
respecting the neglected state of this street onstrllloi
courts, were unattended to, I addressed ref9v see°,lsl
you through the Mail of Saturday lasi' it Tons; i
deferential to wait the result of your delibera tescLtr
haps you may imagine that to do anything in but,
comports with the dignity of a public board; ingto,i;
nately, the cholera tarries not. It is still nunlber;d' tiro' t
amongst us. Yet the courts remain uneleall_Aed t-beltre,fet
washed ; the watermen have not yet scss7ii 5 *ldl
alleys ; nuisances remain unaltered. The gu-
weel kov,
exception of one that was repaired during the
which the men are working at today, stillierrn'tte
poisonous stench ; and I now charge you, be.,c'e ,041
with the consequence of your culpable negle%. r
On the 18th instant your visitin medical °"tie '
nuisance which required the promptest stten.::,c,,i?'
Saturday last I saw, in the adjoining base' e
and in the opposite house a child ill; and ill 'd'ic,iol'
where a similar nuisance exists, I saw in tbe,9bj der,e'°'
a woman dead, and in the opposite house s;t,'ll-e.'
I have just this moment heard of the denateli"- bir
healthy, and respectable man, who was unalt°-.5 lOC r"
to reside in the infected locality ; and a Oni,;l'l6l fo
in an opposite cellar, that is not a fit habits`iiiistti'ff
wliircery
dog. Do not think to avert the obloquy
yourselves, by shifting the blame upon your 1101f,be.
department of my business is ill managed, `, o'
loss, and disgrace of incapacity ; and, by a oi-fiofl.l t118°!
ing, the public will condemn you individss"nd u)
and neglect complained of; and you maY
in this district it shall not be overlooked. ,hittbe
I may take this opportunity of mentioning, bit 0;;;
medical officer is assiduous, and that the CO' 'fOOlPl
some of the delay in obtaining medicine, 'lBlelvdifi.
apply to the Burlington-street Dispensary.-4
Your obedient servsrit,,' OGf •
Gso
Sept. 25, 185-0-

Naylor-street, Monday,

~........-
COUNTY COURT.—YsTSO

roorrill
Tins court resumed its sittings, Ye9tercl3' f tliebr
ten o'clock. In the unavoidable absenced°oor,
Joseph Pollock, Esq., the court was pref3ide, tbe
Raffles, Esq., barrister. The following 3r;',.0:-'1
ments of the business for the ensuing 5e5!..-
Sept. 26, 100 cases; Wednesday, 100 catf,l
„,309,,6
cases, above 210; Friday, 122 ca ses ;
102 cases ; Tuesday, 100 cases ; Wedne;
Thursday, 25 cases, above £10; Friday 0 tip
cases. Total, 676 cases for hearing. s,
Yesterday, the court was occupied I,_"
fraud summonses and insolvencies. °PPet,
the committals for non-compliance With the p
ders of the court :—Thomas T. Pattiasgioiso.lll
boat, 120, Burlington-street, 30 days; " revei
Lime-street, 30 days ; John Waring,
Catherine-street, 30 days ; Thomas Cottet'or, re;
place, 30 days ; Kitwood, master ni3rorei_lt
street, 30 days; William C. Clare, 17S, povinli
street, watch-dial maker, 30 days ; lo" °mos
gFl9eer,n-clerk,
clerk,rdl Waterloo-sroad, daysia3yiOttsm; fia
re ri31.53,11)
stern—C r 61°
ton-street, 30 days.
ti

James Stroyan, Sti.?7,ls7tLinveEsx'-sCeeSet, 04e;:jelljetirAji
up on his protection, supported by Zol crittir)
opposed by Mr. Campbell. The " the e
granted, his Honour being of opinion that
whom Mr. Campbell appeared had failed
new evidence. cool
Jonathan Beckett, late of Mill-street, be . Geri
pa
Heerss his final examination srf?
d mann Christian Myer,. late of Rensibif;:lie
keeper, was called, but not appearing ° ipe
journed sine die. 01 0 d
Emma Ayres, Adelaide-place, tobacconist' 40'
final order.
Owen Owens, journeyman tailor and Prl9ciii
St. John's Market, obtained his final order•ro44
James Brockenbridge, late of LondelMt,P,4ll.,
mason : a dividend of 78. 6d. in the Polocoleelvd
George Francis, watch jeweller and t 0 nd,:„
wick-road: a dividend of 2s. Bd. in the P0:1-01'" e '
Alexander Craig, Bold-place, cabinet o'ol6eo
holsterer, passed his first examination, nte 015 a,
October was appointed for the final ordenorto
done in the case of John Porson Pritej .1°„,1
soo
West Derby, plumber and glazier, nillier PA, le'
Pritchard, Fairfield, West Derby, plural ocediP
Thomas Williams and Richard Lobld of
until the 9th of October, their petition
advertised.

th 4
POLICE COURT.—ysTiofr

son.)
(Before Mr. Ander og
STREET GA3IBLIN G.—A dashing' Yge: )/ $
tecto e
fsr%
Henry Fearon, was charged by de .O
exhibiting a " merry-go-round table tv
on Saturday night, for the purpose
" flats

He was fined ss. and costs. , AtiC,'4Pr!
(Before Mr. StewarivV.l4c,p
ROBBERY BY A FORE3IA.N.-31artiaooeA,e01
man at Mr. Roch's boot and shoe ware of co' 0,
who had been remanded on charges at th•
master's property, was again examined' 41,
' ieSs, P
Of which he was committed for trial.stis P'
TRADING IN CART SPRINGS.---0-"-illti;
• brought up for stealing a cart-spriug;iag .;11°1,9
yard in Great Howard-street, and one.itoPil'e'ratit'y°
the low price of 7s. 6d. at a broker's s,eisg„,lo4slo
The fellow told a long story aboutall thutsssej, •,0
another party to sell the cart-spring ;ea it bel4,
hard that the broker to whom he oi.V. apPrefor
figure should have caused him to ve.,titig A fOr
was fined 20s. for not properly accou".,,,dtte"
of the property, and in default coni,,j- i•O
days. (Before Mr. 1300,17cosg`,111°
NEW STYLE OP PORTERAGE.--4°'i %cid' rote'
with a loose character, was charged Pellao t°
PI
manner becoming his designation!, been
parcels of woollen cloth, which had for 40;
him by Mr. O'Brien, of Dale-street, go oft k 4?,
customers. Instead of delivering theoodlolwell''',ite,,
them for drink. The prisoner was giliaisb,tere
STEALING FOUR COWS.—John -""" the
ton, and Henry James, three buteslieo 0),
8,1,
with stealing four valuable cows,fr; Joole:,;(eti
of Mr. Farrell, butcher, London-road' t 'forgo
Low-hill. Detective Scott stated that' lieldt‘d
he received, he proceeded to WolveLigeode ,1
apprehended Latham, who acknon:sf;
and said " I was brought into this To/ do 'Fad,
Jack Atherton,. they wanted sue 'bad 01,/sOccepei;
months ago ; they said the old mall„ atfoat tot
,e,
would not miss them from the fia the the 444):
up the cows to Scott and Mr. Farrell too (,),4,041.,,
Mr. Farrell £B6. Mr. Gorse, secrentfaa lotilftiet',os
association, said that a systematic the irceeti te. et
this description had been carried on, ooroo 00, ouej
The prisoners were remanded until tn •
rote fr,vtet)
Ax OLD HAND.—Mary StOizrof 3131iftYi 1004,1
picking about 13s. from the pocke sato
a public-house in 'James'-street, tors, Dec
ejico
robot pulled a very long face, burst ,"
t Otero° ro
her innocence in a long s
"apeech hand" io te lee •O'
she was discovered to be n old
and she was committed for trial. Roberts,: frec.'sp,V,,i
A FREE NEIGUBOUR.----Ellen
_,,,,1;j0e4„004,10;
dressed female, was charged with
,1
and some clothes, belonging to MaDiJaria.s 00.. a ooppprif
bour, in Frank-street. The husboat, bero,o9,
were employed on board a steals): Ile the "14.19
they went to the' vessel, vthen
drink, which, added to a few gwind. ose,
made her "three slrets in the _O.O
iiilst sbe r so Id
hkeinrdtloyretoopoksetohne
the bed,
stio, her_aught(eyfur=cosio.,tolve„aotP
„r!t.
out for some chips. Prisoners "r'etorn.,:tro.
at the time. On Mrs. Lowe s with 1.01105,,,d,
together
ere ftre baa, pTio!,
bed and other articles,
actually vanished; and they !r.. said sn,,a got le,
Mrs. Roberts's house. Prisenet, owe the_ Orrof
reign, which nniglictlhi shejontrhnoenyghhotm3 COs el;7;ior ft-bdurts %eel ItiP/44,6
herself. She Wa9
010'.500 00:11
ArSl. I P 8 • <1 eito de
TEE LIGIITNINO, Pon
a,g t ,010 ;
every prospect of this shipamdr23
her ps el
under 70 days, notwithst ri
_.oot eih
light winds. The Malcolm
..I,sne ° c 4,0,5
letters from her, dated latita" h
date °- elol 0:P1
to that and
west, June 16. Up so, tbe lit
smooth
light winds ° rreL.
. to 0 .
studding sail withand maina ski's d
peed The 1f,11,,t4
pi a ell
lox e, 111 E
l re
of tr'
fmfrreooemthfreortmhaensdictlcuhngie.lsds,Awoenrbeeirmstdhoeinisul
„Jo
tiLt.
plag
naszesenvgoyersag,ealslooffawrhohmadapbpeees;.l.l:: spea-
Forbgs, his facers, and the W'r