The New York herald., 1844-12-12

meals has passed into provers, after afordng
abundant mirth 10 European travellers and critics.
Il is, in truth, l1dicrous sight to parcel OF
hungry Americans at the dinner table. Heaven
help their innocent stomachs for any knowledge Of
the sublime science Of cookery "All is fish that
comes into their net''-every thing is first rate"
that can be easily swallowed and quickly disposed
of. The agonizpg labors Of the most eminent
gastromome in Paris would be ingloIiousy lost
upon them. The calm and exquisite delights Of
dIgnihed dining they know not Of; and that
delicious dilletantism in the harmony Of favors,
which creates corresponding harmony and be.
nightly of feeling, and makes epicurism a virtue, is
to them lost grace, an inaccessible endowment.
II has struck us that the same remark is particu-
larly true in regard to our national enjoyment of
music. We hurry to the opera as if life depended
on our speed; we hustle about to obtain the most
eligible seats for the display of our gaudy 6nery;
we drum an accompaniment of restless annoyance
to ourselves and every body else during the entire
performance; and then rush home at the same
railroad speed with which We went, thoroughly
bored and Disguised.
Another PECULIARLY OF American opera going is,
that we can never bear to hear The same opera
more than once, however grand or magnificent il
may be, or however intricate and diversified the
melodles-impossbe to be even separated Or in
dvidualized ny the incest ear al a single hearing
But our "codf 81 aristocracy," demand succession
Of "novelties So true 1t is that the soul which
derstands nothing is satisfied with nothing To
the apprecative spirit, music is divine voice that
penetrates the inmost sense, with thrill most
extatc pleasure, and great opera is kind OF ex-
ated romance, in whose bewitching mazes the
soul delights TO linger and lose ltself-a world of
ever-shifting and ever-beautful pictures which the
divine voice OF harmony endows with life, and
thought, and passion.
We remember TO have listened to this very opera
OF Cencrentotd-perhaps the very flower Of Ros-
sini's lavish genus-thirty nights in succession
and we can conscentousy assert that the wierd and
mystic meanings Of its wltching melody, as they
fell from the impassioned lips OF Grisi spoke to us
more eoquenty on the last night than IN the first
and as for the hrtieth time the queen Of song
heart-ihnlling strains Of Non PHI mesta we felt as
if we could have sat still and listened forever.
The iragmentary and heterogeneous ola podrida
of Cinderella" Is quite familiar to us in this coun
sent season, been performed here, except by Mali
bran, who played it eleven times, about fifteen
years ago, and Fanii, (of the Montressor troupe)
The opera Of Cenerentoa, like the Barber OF Sc
vile, and Rossni's other best works, is peculiar
for the great range OF characters introduced and
the completeness with which each is wrought up.
The principal parsonage, however, both in regard
to the musical part and the dramatic interest, is
La CenerentOiG herself. The composer sc ems 10
have here fairly reveed In the gorgeous and many
colored inspirations of his glorious genius On the
whole there IS no opera extant that leaves so many
brilliant remembrances IN the heart ds CenerentO-
la. The performances Of this beautiful piece by
the present company is very respectable, and de-
serves some notice In detail
Immediately after the overture, which, by the
way, was never better played in this country,
young gentleman with sandy moustache and curly
locks, stepped before the curtain, and introduced
briet recttGtiv0 to the effect that Miss Moss who
was 10 play Clornda, had refused to appear, "be-
cause her name was not announced in the bills lii
as big type as that Of Sgnora Pico" (Large pico
type, we suppcse.) He added:-But Mrs Phillips
had been induced to sustain the character, and
threw herself on the indug gence of the house (and
very well she sung too, much better than the indig
nant Miss Moss, whose head has probably been
turned BY. silly critic in the Morning
with very good humoredly, the curtain went
up, and Madame Poo sang with steady, clear,
and deep voice accompanied with much archpess oi
acton and expression, the celebrated una Uolta
c'era un Re" h was well done, and exhibited a
voice .f.iae quality, splendid accuracy, and per
fectly uadeT control. As the opera pr0ce eded our
opinion was strsnsihe ned IN these Particulars, aad
we slso found that her emb -lishmens were intro
duced IN excellent taste, and executed smoothly
aud without fort. Her IN mio corr was well
gwen and loudly applauded as were also the Duet
story of her situation In her tathers family The
exquisite gem, sun' ora, un ora sola;' was sung
with thrilling effect.
Tonlasi, spite OF every thing. carried the piece
the most magnificent voice ever heard in this
country, with the exception OF Fornasari and Sal
vatorl, and his presence IS commanding. His act
ing is somewhat stiff and ungainly, but the golden
depths Of that rich voice more than repay for all
Sanquirlco even improves upon acquaintance.
He ID ripe scholar in music, and has at perfect
command all the graces. OF his profession. His
performance OF the absurd and ludcrous old Don
Magnlfico is quite inimitable
The audience was very large and fashionable,
although the evening set In with bitter snow
storm, which had driited BY ten O'Clock to the
depth of several inches We hope this charming
opera will be frequently repeated.
SAILoR's HoME.-We have received communi-
cation from several sailors, utterng complaints
against this institution and its management. These
sailors, who appear to have gone through good
deal of hard service, ought to be treated with kind
ness and consideration. We have nothing to say
against the Sailors Home - we have always
looked upon 1t as one OF the most useful institu.
tions IN the country But if it should be badly
managed, and the poor sailor made TO suffer- il will
very soon become nuisance Sailors suffer suffi-
ciently sea, and they do not therefore, merit to
be skinned alive when on shore. The Sailors
Home was established for their protection, and we
hope that it will continue to afford them all that
is necessary.
The GREAT FooTRAcK ON MONDAY NRxT.--The
entries for the four mile race to come off over the
Beacon course, Hoboken, on Monday next, closes
this evening at Mr.. Smiths, Park Row. Glider
sieve and Greenhalgh, the two principal men, who
are entered for the twelve mile race, are in active
training, and are said to be in finer condition and
doing better than ever they did; with the excep-
ton Of Greenhalgh this last day or two, who is
said to have slightly strained his ancle while train
ing on Tuesday, but it is generally considered it
will not at all affect him by Monday. Gildersleve,
it is stated, has reduced his weight since his last
race some two or three pounds. Some bets have
been made at evens that the twelve miles are per-
formed in seventy minutes; two to one is taken
that it is done in sxty-seven minutes. Greenhalgh,
if anything, is the favorlte against the field; Jack
son is the favorte in the four mile race; two to one