The Arkansas banner., 1849-12-11
lfrom the Louisville Journal. Foreign COfrespOadeHee.-NO. l9.
LONDON June. IS,


 GENTLEMEN: The English, the mos, untnasical people ID the world. have run opera mad. Fashion has deeTeed that it IS excessively geneel 10 admire scientific music, and, m obedience 10 hts edle,s these cold, selfish Eugshmen, ~bo can appreciate nothing but pudding and roast beet. affect all the admiration and enthusiasm for the opera winch IS felt by the sons of the music slowing South. The two largest theatres in London, Coyeat Gatden and her MAl~siy's. have long been regularly changed into opera houses. wbilst the other aIge one. DTDy LaBe where The legitimate drama Is still occasion ally performed, has been closed for want of patron age.
 Upon grand opera nights. the Queen indulges in slight friction oi her two tore fingers. Lords ADd ladies applaud as violshily their white kds il permit, wblist the pit and Amphithea,er go iato as great ecstseies of noise, ' bravos." and dumping as II they really appreciated the beauty of the music and understood ths language In which II was sHBg The hrst tenor IS regularly called before the cHgain al the end oi each act, The prlma donna Is peited with bouquets and ieaiensd by shouts, and the whole world oi tasaon roll then eyes and cry out '' now eEqusite,' whilst poor Shakespeare Is wholly forgotten. Immense sums are squandered on these fortunate favoIltes ot the opeTagOing public, sho after ." tuning their pipes" for several years and greatly ihinlging n diamonds and contempt for the English. return 10 theIr country to enjoy theI' fortunes and to iAa sh al the hl1ckheaus wbo made ihem Whilst the sacces4ui delInesiofs oi Shsks- PesSe's great chsracters--men Of real genus and "oFta-dre left 10 struggle in poverty and neglect, because tls raigar to go anywhere but 10 the opera Thus ia shoh rules the void and Indgces people to overlook theI count ymen o true mert to after worthless foreigners because they happen 10 be lo~ comotlSe hsBdorgAns or self ihhntnx bAgpipes. The fact is that no young Ensiishmsn ""i bIrth " IS ceHsIderea perfect m his pae.s nll he IS tToa- ted through most oi the countries of the continent where he acquires all sorts of fancy notions wllh regard to mesIc and the Aae arts, and returns win no gait in particular, but ridiculous mixture ot them all. fIs their voice that has b4nished the shade Of Shaksreate ifon. 1" the boards" where be hss so i"hg rrigned supreme. oF the fAsbona- Die, but ho~ maen less intellectual enjoyment of the opera Il the English hal been gailty of no other Fldtcuoas exeess--Ii they had never commit ed aDy breach oi good breeding or good taste, snd were not seih,h and arrogant, l could not totgve them oF ths shameful set O injustice to The memory ol their liinsliious poet.
 II the same selhshness iuh haenced their cpinions ss nation, which distinguishes their coadnct as in. dIs'dusi,. al classes would ahite in tnsin,aInIhg ShakspeaIe in ms lofmsr proad PesltioL For sure Y nothing possesses greater tendency io increase the kn0wierge-etilafge the under landing And refine the taste oi the people than his plays Where ea1 E"gilshtpen better study tas history of lhsif county, where can they eara more oi human tnre, find greater inceatiyss Co ru ate the deeds oi tbeir iofeiathefs than the historical plays of shsksPesfef Aad yet these noble vol ks oi gpains are banlsed from rhe stage for ths usre sensasi ea- Joy msnt of the opera.
 The possession of fine voiee is gift that never isiis io charm. BBi usually, u very dist sgshed sasers. all native sweetness voice hss SO entirely disappeared benssth skcesssse cultivation thai they pfodoes upon Be the eaeet of The clipped and train. ed trees a, Versa'iIes compared wi,h the rich lux Hiiahcs oi the natural forest. They astoaisa bu, they rarely please. must confess t1ai love bet. ter The nntaaghi melody of the wid warbler ol tie woods hsn tae notes oi the eaged songsier trained "t'h b'rd-orgsn With most psoGe ssionsI person ages, ssnglng IL merely tnsehaaseai operation. and theif success doss Bot esBce sors tairat than me- enah'eai. skiii 10 anything else. But man must possess genias to conceive and polished education to portray the great characters of Shakespeare And in witnessing the persosa,ioa ol one of his heroes v s0e actor, ~e derive 30 less bsneit ihsn amusement from the performance. tbereinrs thak us ioi'y 50 tar to yield 10 fashion as 10 safrendst nhat con oiEes both pieAsufe aud improy espent os mat which only Pisasss in a much aors limited degree.
 bas esados eempeAs me to confess that listening. nisht after aigh, to such nighingsies as Psrsiaa, Gfls', ahd Aisoni hes produced ia s.y mind some thihg approaching tclssstion for the cpsrs Aad