The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-27

or the standard. AL present thought OF the prob
ability Of England being involved H. the war
would have beon abandoned 10y tie general
public.
This ia evident from the Idsses-d1er with
which London has given it-elf up t. the enjoy
mont Of the season. Regent street. Bond street.
and piccadily seem to be blocked all day long.
Rotten Row f. crowded even at the early hours
of tile morning ride. not to speak Of the hours
of the afternoon drive The art exhibitions at
the Royal Academy and at the Grosyenor Gnl-
lery have become almost inaccessible from the
thrones Of people crowding the halls. The two
operas and the theatres generally are patron-
izcd with u lberality indicating that no political
or business troub,sarc approhcndcd. Wagner
himself. though lac did not prove particularly
great success financially. obtained much more
patronage than was anticipated at the outset. or
than could BE- expected. to Judge from the hos
tile attitude OF the London press toward him.
From the moment. however. that members Of
the royal family attended his concerts, every
body else wanted to do the same. aud the enter
prise w.s saved from failure. The Indifference
Of the ENGLISH public 10 Wagncrs music is not
only matter OF Est'. but also matt.rof prciu-
dice Outside Of orat1rus aud church music
generally. the mnss of the English people arc
utterly unable to understand ANYTHING in tho
way 0i music. Even the wcalthyand educated
classes paironiza the opera more from fashion
then from inclination. Tho horrible plnying
and singing encouraged in every rocrriion
room throughout III. country is the best indica-
ton of Jic thorough want Of musical DISPOSE
ton in the milton. The success Of individual
artists n England is n question of fully rstab-
lishcd celebrity abroad. People vino can to.r-
ate 4 ems boy the side OF Patti or Nilsson. or
Sims Eocvcs hy the side of Capoul and Nicolini.
have said their last word in matters Of musical
UNDERSTANDING
In addition totiis want Of taste. the English
are fun Of prcjudioos. They imagine that they
have musicians and artists Of their own, and
prefer them to everything foreign. Had wag-
nor produced his works with the aid of Titiens
Sims Reeves. Santloy. Costa. and similar viz
tuosos he would have had crowded houses
from thn start His drawback was that bee had
to impogt his art ista. Hence the jealousy Of the
local artistic world and the hostility Of the
rrnss. Tothi.nld the hoayinoss Of thcmusic.
thc unlnt,lliohrtv Of tho foreign lilr,tto. and
tio ahsenee Of stag, effects all of which were
sunriont 10 deter the mass Of the public. and
We can understand the failure Of Wagner to
cxc,t. any POPULAR enthusiasm in London.
The c<hllilfon nj the Royal Academy. Ike tho
Paris Salon. docs not seem 10 Boz particularly
brilliant this year. though the number II works
exhibited is in both cls.- considerably over the
usual average Tho critics seem to forget.
however, that no annual exhibition has over
produced In any country more than ton or
Tvs I've really good pictures The general pub
liz ov, rN,vhcre has had It's taste and knowledge
Of art Developed within the last years. hu, tho
number of great artists and their working "a
ractics have not Increased in the same proper
ton. No exhibition Of this kind can CONF
pare with a museum or Il select private colc..-