of day. Before the world, before the King, and before the Empire, I disclose my secret. Listen, therefore, and answer, whether I am not equal in nobility to yourselves!

upon him!

ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN. What surprising confession must I now learn! O would that he could be spared the disclosure that is forced LOHENGRIN. (Gazing abstractedly with deep and ecstatic enthusiasm.) In a distant land, not to be reached by your steps, there is a castle named Monsalvat; an airy temple stands in the midst of it, more gorgeous than anything known on earth; inside the temple, a blessed and miraculous vessel is preserved as the most holy and precious treasure; it was brought down by a host of angels, in order that the purest among men might guard it; every year a dove descends from Heaven to add fresh strength to its miraculous gifts. It is called the Gral, and the most blessed and pure belief is conferred upon its knights. Now, whoever is selected to serve the Gral is endowed with superhuman power; the wiles of the wicked are of no avail against him, and even death beholds him without power. If any one is despatched by it into a distant land, as the appointed champion of Virtue's rights, its holy influence is not withdrawn so long as he is not known to be its knight; of a nature so sublime, however, is the Gral's blessing, that should the person in question be discovered-he must avoid the eye of the Profane; therefore must you not entertain doubts of the Knight, Sire; if you recognize him, he must depart from among you. Now, hear how I reward the forbidden question! I was despatched by the Gral to you; my father Parzival is wearer of its crown. I am its Knight, and my name is Lohengrin.

ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN. (Greatly astonished, and gazing on him with emotion.) When I hear him thus declare his most noble origin, my eye glows with holy tears of joy!

ELSA. (As if annihilated.) How does the earth stagger! What darkness! O, air! air for me, unhappy! (She is about to sink down, when LOHENGRIN catches her in his arms.)

LOHENGRIN. (Painfully moved.) O, Elsa! what hast thou done! When my eyes first beheld thee, I felt myself glow towards thee with love, and quickly had I experienced a new kind of happiness: the sublime power, the wonderful nature of my race; the might conferred on me by my secret-all, all I wished to dedicate to the service of the purest heart;-why didst thou rend the veil asunder? Now, alas! I must be torn from thee!

KING AND ALL THE MEN. Woe! Woe! must thou depart from us? Thou awful Heaven-sent man! If the blessing of Heaven desert us, where shall we find consolation?

ELSA. (Bursting into a paroxysm of despair.) My husband! No! I will not let thee go! Remain as witness of my repentance! Thou must not evade my bitter remorse; I lie before thee, that thou mayest chastise me!

LOHENGRIN. I must! I must! I must, my sweet wife! The Gral is already angry at my absence.

ELSA. Do not repudiate me, though my sin be great.
LOHENGRIN. Oh, be silent! I must avenge it on myself.

ELSA. If thou art as godlike as I acknowledge thee to be, let not God's mercy be banished from thy breast! If the poor wretch expiates her fault with grief, let not the grace of thy presence avoid her!

LOHENGRIN. There is but one punishment for thy offence-ah! its cruel anguish strikes me as well as thee! We must be separated-parted from each other-this is the punishment, this the atonement. [ELSA sinks, with a shriek, to the ground. KING AND NOBLES. (Surrounding LOHENGRIN.) Oh, remain! oh, do not leave us! Thy vassals await their leader!

LOHENGRIN. Listen, O King! I must not accompany thee! If the Gral's Knight, now recognised, were to wish, in disobedience, to share the contest with you, he would be deprived of all his manly strength! But, great King, let me prophecy! For thee, thou Pure One, a great triumph is in store! Even in the remotest times, the hordes of the East shall never advance victorious to Germany!

[A cry is raised from the back ground-"The Swan! the Swan!" The Swan is seen approaching on the stream, with the skiff, in the same manner as at LOHENGRIN'S first appearance.

THE MEN AND WOMEN. The Swan! the Swan! where he comes!

Look yonder

ELSA. Horror! Ah, the Swan! the Swan! LOHENGRIN. The Gral already sends for the Tardy One! (Amidst the most anxious curiosity on the part of all the personages present, LOHENGRIN approaches the bank, and sorrowfully contemplates the Swan.) My dear Swan! Ah! how willingly weld I have spared thee this last sad voyage! In a year, when thy time of service would have

been at an end, then had I hoped to see thee, through the Gral's power, set free! (He comes with the most overpowering anguish to ELSA in the foreground.) O, Elsa! I would have only wished for a year of happiness at thy side! Then, under the conduct of the Gral, would thy brother have returned, whom thou believest dead. If he comes home, when I am far distant from him in life, give him this horn, this sword, this ring! This horn shall procure him assistance when in danger; in the savage fight, this sword assure him victory; at the sight of the ring, however, let him think of me, who onced saved thee from shame and misery. (Kisses ELSA repeatedly.) Farewell! farewell! farewell! my sweet wife, farewell! If I stay longer, the Gral will be wrath with me!

[ELSA clings to him convulsively: at last, however, her strength fails her, and she sinks into the arms of her women, to whose care LOHENGRIN confides her. He then proceeds rapidly to the bank.

KING, MEN, AND WOMEN. (Stretching out their hands towards LOHENGRIN.) Woe! woe! thou noble, gracious man! What piercing grief thou dost occasion us!

ORTRUD. (Advancing to the right of the foreground, and thrusting herself with a wild air of triumphant joy before ELSA.) Seek thy home! Seek thy home, thou proud hero! Let me rejoicingly tell this foolish maid who it was that drew thee in the skiff! I easily recognised the chain, with which I turned the child into a Swan. It was the Heir of

Brabant!

ALL. Ha!

ORTRUD. (TO ELSA.) Thanks to thee for driving the Knight hence! The Swan must now accompany him home; had the hero remained for a longer period he would have also freed thy brother!

ALL. Terrible woman! Ah! what a crime hast thou confessed in thy shameless contempt!

ORTRUD. Learn how the gods, from whose homage you have turned, avenge themselves.

[LOHENGRIN, on the point of stepping into the skiff, has stopt short on hearing ORTRUD's voice, and listened attentively from the bank. He then sinks solemnly on one knee, close to the water's edge, as if engaged in silent prayer. Suddenly he perceives a white Dove descending towards the skiff; with eager joy he springs up and loosens the chain, when the Swan immediately dives under the water, and a youth, GOTTFRIED, appears in its stead.] LOHENGRIN. Behold the Duke of Brabant! Let him be appointed your leader!

[He leaps quickly into the skiff, which the Dove, by means of the chain, immediately drags away. On seeing GOTTFRIED's release from the spell, ORTRUD falls, with a scream, to the ground. ELSA's face brightens up with one last look of joy as she gazes upon GOTTFRIED, who advances towards the front, and bows to the KING. All the BRABANT NOBLES kneel before him. ELSA then turns her glance once more to

the river.

ELSA. My husband! my husband!

[She perceives LOHENGRIN, already in the distance, as he is drawn along by the Dove. At this sight, all break out into a sudden cry of woe. ELSA falls lifeless into GOTTFRIED'S arms, and thence slowly to the ground. The curtain falls.

THE END.

COLOGNE.

(From our own Correspondent.)

BEETHOVEN'S "Missa in D" was repeated on Tuesday the 17th ult. by general request, for the benefit of the sorrowing family of the late Concertmeister Hartmann. Three additional rehearsals did much towards attaining a still more complete performance than the last. At the same time was given Beethoven's symphony Eroica, which, under Ferdinand Hiller's masterly direction, went better than 1 think I ever heard it. The first movement he took at a pace which could not have failed to satisfy even the "ubiquitous" correspondent of the New York Musical Gazette, had his "ubiquity" extended so far as Cologne. On the following Tuesday was the "Prüfungs Concert" of the Rheinische Musik-Schule, which, to those who enjoy a variety of styles, must have proved one of the most interesting of the season. The programme was a long one, and served to show the proficiency of the pupils-not by the exhibition of a talented few

but by the performance of a great many. This was highly creditable both to themselves and their teachers, as appeared in the compositions of C. A. Barry, of Cambridge, (Lieder), of Fraulein Mann, of Luxemburg, (Lieder), of Gert. Trier, of Urbah, (Scherzo for pianoforte), of Wilh. Schauseil, of Düsseldorf, (Andante and Minuet for violin quartet, and Impromptu for pianoforte); further, the singing of the Fraulein Danneman, Sausset, Mann, Garthe, and Pels-Leusten; lastly, the pianoforte playing of Fr. Garthe, Herr Trier, and especially that of W. Schauseil and W. Weingärtner, the violin playing of Oskar Jöckel, Nestor Hagen, (Concerto of De Beriot), and above all, of Ferdinand Bach, of Bonn, (Vieuxtemps Fantaisie Caprice), who promises well. Ferdinand Hiller has commenced a course of lectures on instrumental music, which are numerously attended. Herr Carl Rheinthaler's Oratorio of Jepthah und seine Tochter, the first part of which has twice been given in Cologne, is to be performed complete on Saturday the 5th inst. at Elberfeld, under the direction of the composer, for which occasion a large number of the Cologne Choir have promised their assistance.

A great deal of sympathy has been excited by the death of the Concertmeister, F. Hartmann. A proof of the high estimation in which the deceased artist was held is furnished by the alacrity with which his fellow-townsmen have come forward to provide for his widow and family of eleven children, the eldest only of whom is able to maintain himself. Three thousand six hundred thalers were subscribed within a very few days.

VIENNA.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Ar the Imperial Operahouse, Linda di Chamouni has been revived, but with no success. Mdlle. Lesniewska is unequal to the principal part, and the other characters were not much better. Ernani has also been given. Those amateurs of the pianoforte who were fortunate enough to receive invitations are in ecstacies with Miss Arabella Goddard. The reality has exceeded all expectations, although these were very high. There is but one opinion as to Miss Goddard's merit, and that opinion coincides with the verdict of every other city in Germany where she has been heard. I subjoin one or two extracts from the local papers. The Neue Wiener Musik-Zeitung says:

"This young pianist (Miss Arabella Goddard) from the art-loving island, has, during the winter just past, been giving a number of concerts, which were so many triumphs, in the principal capitals of Germany. All the critical organs of the day were unanimous in placing her among the greatest artists of her speciality, and she was every where overwhelmed by the public with marks of approbation. It was not until now, when the end of the concert-season is close at hand,

that her artistic tour conducted her within our walls, and, unfortunately for all true lovers of art, there is scarcely the slightest hope that the young and amiable artist will be prevailed on to give public concerts, as the invitations issued for the musical Soirée in Streicher's Saloon, auf der Landstrasse,' distinctly stated that Miss Goddard did not intend giving concerts here, and had only con sented to play at this private soirée in compliance with the urgent entreaties of a great many admirers of art. She performed, with Herren Joseph Hellmesberger and Schlesinger, Mendelssohn's trio in D minor, for piano, violin, and violoncello; Stephen Heller's transcription of Schubert's Forelle;' a concert-study by Pauer, called 'La Cascade ;' and another concert-study by Kullak. Her execution of these pieces proved Miss Arabella Goddard to be an artist having no cause to dread the ordeal of an artistically educated public, for her talent is of equal birth with that of the most gifted artists. The correctness of her style is perfect; it is impossible to render with greater distinctness the most varied forms of pianoforte passages in every degree of strength and tenderness; her touch is wonderful, the keys absolutely singing under her fingers; her expression is simple and instinct with good taste, free from anything like exaggeration.

"By her performance of Mendelssohn's trio, Miss Goddard especially declared her power of rightly conceiving the highest class of musical compositions. Each of the pieces she played was followed by the most enthusiastic applause on the part of the audience. Streicher's beautiful

saloon was brilliantly lighted up on the occasion; and among the persons present was the élite of the fashionable world."

The following is the opinion of the critic who contributes to the Oesterreichish Kaiserliche Wiener Zeitung (Sunday, the 22nd ult.):

"Miss Arabella Goddard, pianist, from London, who has been in Vienna for the last few days, and in whose praise all the critics of the German capitals where she has given concerts during the winter just passed, were unanimous-played at a soirée musicale in Streicher's Saloon 'auf der Landstrasse,' on the 20th inst. On the invitation cards was printed a notice that Miss Goddard does not intend giving concerts in Vienna, and only performed at the above soirée in compliance with the ardently expressed wishes of a great number of amateurs of music. The room was crammed to suffocation, and Miss Goddard fully justified the reputation which had preceded her. It would be a real loss for the friends of art, in Vienna, if the amiable artist allowed herself-by the late period of the concert season, and by the diminished interest felt by the public-to be frightened out of giving public concerts. When a Berlin critic, speaking of Miss Goddard, says that he 'feels inclined to believe the art of tender song, which singers are losing more and more every day, has sought refuge in the piano, in itself the most unsingable of all instruments,' his words forcibly direct our attention to one great charm of this young lady's style: but she also possesses strength-real manly strength-of touch and expression, when such is necessary. Her clearness, a quality so rare with pianists, is perfect; not a note is lost, and both right and left hand are equal in the pearl-like purity and loveliness of her performance. Her execution of Mendelssohn's trio gave evidence of her penetrating understanding, perfect taste, and clear perception of the limits requisite in the expression of beauty and feeling."

Madame Tuczek-Herrenburg gave her first concert on the evening of the 23rd ult., in the rooms of the Gesellschaft der Musik-Freunde. It is now a long time since she appeared at the Kärnthnerthor-Theater, when she was a very young and inexperienced débutante. She has since become prima donna in Berlin, and all the critics of that capital concur in assigning her a high position. The public here were naturally anxious to hear her once more. The result was satisfactory both to audience and singer. Mad. Tuczek sang delightfully, and the audience were loud and frequent in their manifestations of approval. The room was well attended.

FOREIGN MISCELLANEOUS.

BERLIN.-Mad. Köster has appeared at the Royal Opera House, in M. Halévy's Juive, with Herr Theodor Formes as Eleazer, and Malle. Trietsch as the Princess.-At the Quartet Soirée of Herren Oertling, Rehbaum, Wend, and Birnbach, a new quartet, by Herr Wend, was produced so successfully, that it was repeated at the next soirée.

DANTSIC.-M. Roger, the French tenor, has again been playing here. Herr Tichatscheck has thrown up his engagement.

DUSSELDORF.-The thirty-third Niederrheinisches Musikfest is fixed for the 27th, 28th, and 29th, of this month, under the direction of Herr Ferdinand Hiller. Mad. Jenny-Lind-Goldschmidt has promised her assistance. On the first day, the programme will consist of Herr Ferdinand Hiller's symphony with the motto: "Es muss doch Frühling werden," and Haydn's Creation; and on the second, of the overture: "Meerestille und Glückliche Fahrt," by Mendelssohn, “Paradies und die Peri," by R. Schumann, and the Symphony in C minor, by Beethoven. The programme for the third day will be miscellaneous.

also at a concert given by himself. DRESDEN.-Herr Schulhoff, the pianist, has played at Court, and

BLANKENBERG.-The organist of this little village in the Harz Mountains has forwarded a circular to all the musical unions, art institutions, academies, musicians, music-teachers, music publishers, and amateurs of Germany. This circular contains a proposal that, in commemoration of the hundredth anniversary of Mozart's birthday, a universal German artistic institution should be founded, under the name of the " Mozartverein," the object of which should be to lend a helping hand to young beginners, and to assist struggling artists of talent, especially such veterans as have grown grey in the exercise of their art. The idea has already found a great many advocates, and will, very likely, be carried out.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

THE MUSICAL WORLD.

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 5TH, 1855.

THE departure from this life of one so eminent in the musical art as Sir Henry Bishop-although hopes of his recovery from a long and painful illness had for some time been abandoned-demands more than a passing notice. His death has left a gap which we look in vain at present to see filled up-since, though he had ceased to exercise any active influence as a composer, his best works remained as models of what the inventive genius of England had been able to produce in an art so universally esteemed and popular as music is with us. That we have had and have more accomplished and learned musicians than Bishop is unquestionable; but that we ever could boast, with the single exception of Purcell, a composer so individual and so indentified with the sentiment of English national melody, is equally doubtful. Dibdin was a melodist only; while Arne did so little which can last, that we only remember him as the author of "Rule Britannia," "Where the bee sucks," some of the airs in Midas, aud an opera after the manner of the Italians in his day*an imitation and not a very good one. But Bishop was not merely genuiue; he was prolific, and produced a great many things that are likely to endure as long as the art itself, which, after all, can only be said of a few composers. Because, then, he was one of the few, quite as much as because he was one of ourselves, he was entitled to the honour and consideration a grateful country never refuses to pay to its most favoured children. The melody of Bishop was a pure flowing sprin that had its source in nature, and was, therefore, a

* Artaxerxes.

added to the stores of wealth which are heaped in Music's granaries, and among the minstrels of his time his harp was ever of the sweetest and most silvery. His tune was varied and abundant. Now gay, now sad, now grave, now humorous, it ever flowed spontaneously. His vein of melody, as in the instance of far greater masters than himself, seems to open without an effort. Nothing forced, exaggerated, square cut, or otherwise ungenial, was to be traced in his productions-we allude, of course, to his best, not the mere chaff of his labours, but the good grain from which time has sifted it. The death of such a man as Bishop, though in the natural course of things and at an age exceeding the allotment of the sacred writer, is an event to be regarded seriously. It is no common man that has been taken from us, but one of the elect, to whom was entrusted a gift to be employed for the benefit and happiness of mankind. That gift was not abused, although with wiser economy it might have been rendered more productive. Its possessor was an industrious man, though without system and with too little forethought; an earnest one, though not given to enthuHe was, however, a benefactor, and his name must always be associated with some of the most beautiful inspirations of the art which he professed and over the secrets of which he obtained a more than average control. Bishop has been the means of making merry many a heart that was depressed, of enlivening many a social circle. In these times of blood, and tyranny, and selfishness, when the engines of destruction are esteemed at so dear a price, and those who wield them successfully most honoured in high places, the followers of an innocent and humanising art like music should be cherished with affection, as obstacles to the utter degrada tion of our species. It was the minstrel's task of old to sing of war and carnage, to glorify the arm that struck to the earth a fellow-creature, to make gods of kings and demigods of captains. Then music was false to itself, and the minstrels were prophets of Dagon-mendacious prophets. The time will come, let us all hope, when love and friendship shall be the chief themes of harmony and melody, and minstrels courted in the halls of regal potentates, as of oldyet not as liars, flatterers, and blasphemers against the law of divine mercy, which denounces as unholy the strife of man against his brother, but as the poets of feeling, and the messengers of peace. In such times will Bishop be remembered. He has gone from us, and we have a man the less to oppose the gentle appeal of melody to the violent strife of imaginary human interests. Better for the world to lose fifty warlike despots than one minstrel; better if all the cannon in the wars could be melted down to be recast in Jew's harps. The death of a man of peace in this dreadful time of battle, a man who lived to soothe and delight, while the names of those whose office it is to destroy are uppermost in men's minds, suggests reflections that cannot be subdued in the minds of those who think war a sin, and statesmen impotent who lack the means of proving to all nations that it is not-as it has been termed by sophists-a necessary evil.

One word more. Bishop died in straitened circumstences-in want-why should we mince the matter? He

has left three children by his second wife, and others, who have grown to adults, by his first. Two of the first-named are twins, and penniless. The other (a daughter) is married -well married, we hope. To provide for the twins, to save them from utter destitution, a committee of gentlemen, connected in some way with music and its interests, has been formed, with the hope of raising a fund by subscription. It is unnecessary to say how much we sympathise with the object proposed, and that all the aid we can afford is at the service of the committee. At present, we cannot do better than make a direct appeal to our subscribers, and to the musical profession generally. A circular has been issued from the library of Mr. Mitchell of Bond-street, who, not to speak of the concerts organised at the Hanover-square Rooms and Exeter Hall, has been in other ways indefatigable for the cause of the lamented gentleman and his distressed family.

It is as follows:

"SIR HENRY BISHOP.

"April, 1855. "The friends of Sir Henry Bishop feel a painful but unavoidable necessity for announcing that this estimable composer is at this moment labouring under pecuniary embarrassment: they feel deeper regret in stating, that he is also suffering from acute bodily infirmity, without the slightest means for meeting his own immediate necessities, or for making any provision for his two youngest children, a son and "It is, therefore, proposed to open a subscription for raising a Fund that shall enable his friends to clear off his difficulties, and to make certain economical arrangements that shall insure a moderate degree of comfort to his remaining days-thereby affording to him, on the bed of sickness, the consoling assurance that his sufferings meet with the deepest sympathy, and that his great abilities, as a genuine English composer, are universally allowed, and warmly appreciated.

daughter.

"Subscriptions will be received by the following gentlemen, who will act as a committee:-Sir George Smart, 91, Great Portland-street; Dr. Henry Daniel, 36, Clarges-street; Mr. Addison, 210 Regent street; and Mr. Mitchell, Royal Library, Old Bond-street. Subscriptions may be also paid to the Union Bank of London (Regent-street Branch)."

To the above is appended an article from the columns of a morning contemporary, which appeared some time before Sir Henry's death, and exhibits on the part of the writer a strong feeling on the subject. We therefore subjoin

it also:

"SIR HENRY BISHOP.

"That one to whom the musical art is so much indebted, should, in his declining years, be reduced to the extremity of need and it is useless to conceal the fact that bodily infirmity is not his only affliction-has given great and just concern to the friends and admirers of Sir Henry Bishop. Under these circumstances, the concerts in Hanover-square and Exeter Hall were projected by Mr. Mitchell, who has exerted himself with the utmost zeal, and now pro poses to organise a series of performances, not only in the metropolis, but in the principal towns of England, with the same praiseworthy end. Other means will be devised by a committee of gentlemen connected with the musical profession, of appealing to public benevolence. The main object, we may state without reserve, is to provide a fund sufficiently considerable to enable Sir Henry to pass the remaining days of his life, should he recover from the prostrate condition to which he has been reduced by a painful and dangerous operation, in comparative ease, and to furnish the means of educating and placing bis children out of the reach of immediate want. That men of genius in the vigour and prime of life are too often apt to forget that a time must come when the winds whistle cold,' and the world-no longer urged to enthusiasm by the genial influence of social contact, or the constant exhibition of rare accomplishments-becomes as bleak as the winds, though a painful fact, is a true one. We are not among those who defend this mental aberration-for it is nothing less-on the pretext that men of genius are to be judged otherwise than their less-gifted brethren, since we have too many illustrious examples to prove that a want of thrift and a lax

morality are not the indispensable adjuncts of uncommon endowments. Yet, when one who, as in the present instance, once thriving and well his fellows by the promulgation of an innocent and beautiful art, considered, for nearly half a century has laboured to refine and delight through the industrious and unremitting exercise of those faculties which God had granted him, at the close of a long career finds himself stretched on a bed of sickness, forsaken by the butterflies that fluttered around him in the sunshine of his prosperity, and wholly destitute of means to summon the comfortable leech, or scare the clamorous creditor, the world, which, after all, is not so heartless, becomes less curious to pry into the secret causes that have banished plenty and brought about such misery. Whatever may be surmised, it cannot be asserted that Bishop was an idle man, or that he did not work hard to Prodigal he may-nay, must have been, for few have earned so much; communicate all he possessed which placed him apart from others. but never slothful, nor inconsiderate of the fact that his genius was given him, not for himself, but for the world. That he fulfilled his mission is evident. It is enough to point to his works, which are posed so much-few so well, as Henry Bishop; and probably none has numerous almost without precedent. No English musician has comproduced so many things that are likely to endure. In every house where music, more especially vocal music, is a welcome guest, the name of Bishop has long been and must long remain a household word. For these reasons we feel it a strong duty to plead his cause, and to proclaim him among those who are entitled to consideration for the benefits they have conferred. Who that has been soothed by the sweet melody of Blow, gentle gales,' charmed by the measures of 'Lo! here the gentle lark,' enlivened by the animated strains of Foresters, sound the cheerful horn,' touched by the sadder music of 'The winds whistle cold' heart,' Under the greenwood tree,' or 'Where the wind blows,' which -who that has been haunted by the insinuating tunes of Tell me, my Rossini, the minstrel of the south, was wont to love so well-who that has felt sympathy with 'As it fell, upon a day,

In the merry month of May,'

admired that masterpiece of glee and chorus, "The chough and crow, or been moved to jollity at some convivial feast by 'Mynheer Van Dunck,' the most original and genial of comic glees, will not be grieved to hear that the inventor of them all-and they were all included in Monday night's programme, with so many more of equal merit and beauty-is in sickness and distress, without money, and no longer able to toil for it, deprived indeed of ALL that should accompany old age?' Not one, we are sure, who has a regard for genuine English music, and knows the most purely and thoroughly ENGLISH, will learn without emotion that, among our composers, Bishop is not only the most prolific, but that this is actually the case, or refuse to lend such aid as he can afford to Mr. Mitchell and the committee in their generous and praiseworthy undertaking,"-From the "Times," of Wednesday, April 8th, 1855.

From what we know of musical professors, we do not think the appeal of Mr. Mitchell and his coadjutors, will be without effect.

For ourselves, we are ready to do anything that may be considered most advisable under the circumstances. Shall we institute a fund, and call it "THE MUSICAL WORLD FUND, in aid of the Children of BISHOP?" Some of our kind subscribers may advise us. Meanwhile we are ready to contribute our own mite, to receive and acknowledge donations from town or country, and to publish the names of the donors, from week to week. Let all who feel inclined to offer their assistance do so without delay, according to their means. No sum will be considered too trifling, since every little will help, and the musician who gives five shillings, with good heart, will show as true a sympathy with the cause, and as genuine a respect for the memory of our great English composer, as the wealthier amateur who contributes twenty times as much.

cites a passage from Schlegel's Dramatic Literature, which, if In his last "Record," the Director of the Musical Union understood as it was apparently intended (by Mr. Ella, not by Schlegel), must convey a significant hint to gentlemen

"CRITICISM.

"Ordinarily men entertain a very erroneous notion of criticism, and understand in it nothing more than a certain shrewdness in detecting and exposing the faults of a work of art. We see numbers of men, and even whole nations, so fettered by the conventions of education and habits of life, that even in the appreciation of the fine arts, they cannot shake them off. Nothing to them appears natural, appropriate, or beautiful, which is alien to their own language, manners, and social relations. With this exclusive mode of seeing and feeling, it is, no doubt, possible to attain, by means of cultivation, to greater nicety of discrimination within the narrow circle to which it limits and circumscribes them. But no man can be a true critic or connoisseur without universality of mind, without that flexibility which enables him, by renouncing all personal predilections and blind habits, to adapt himself to the peculiarities of other ages and nations; to feel them, as it were, from their proper central point, and what enables human nature to recognise and duly appreciate whatever is beautiful and grand, under the external accessories which were necessary to its embodying, even though occasionally they may seem to disguise and distort it."

Now, without denying that there is truth in the above, we are inclined to question the policy of Mr. Ella in thrusting it immediately under the noses of " newspaper reporters," who, being summoned to the "sittings," enjoy the precious privilege of standing within eye-shot of the Directorial sofa, and while their ears are eagerly stretched to the caresses of harmonious sounds, snuff perfumes from the handkerchiefs and scent-bottles of aristocracy. The smell of Schlegel's musty admonition will hardly sort pleasantly with the exhalations of rank and fashion, or the discord of his protest with the cunning strokes of fiddlers and piano-players.

The exhortation of the German critic can only be translated by the favoured aristarchi as follows:-"If you detect and expose faults in anything you hear at the sittings of the Musical Union, you have no universality of mind, no flexibility; nor can you reno'ance personal predilections and blind habits; you are therefore: neither critics nor connoisseurs, and have no moral weight as historians and philosophers. Praise everything, quand mêrne; or here is a hammer from Schlegel, to administer the coup-de-grace, and reduce you to your normal condition of penny-a-liners. All is perfect at the Musical Union-from Haberbier to Arthur Napoleon. An edict. J. ELLA, DIRECTOR." If not in this way, how are we to interpret the Schlegelite apostrophe! Possessing only "a certain shrewdness in detecting and exposing" errors, if we have failed to "detect and expose" the occult reasoning of Mr. Ella, in launching: this thunderbolt at our heads, we must be excused on that account. Had we the "universality of mind" to enable us to shake off "conventions of education and habits of life," we should, perhaps, be able to dive to the bottom of the profound director's esoterics, and, separating them from his exoterics, to declare plainly before the world what he means and what he don't. But, alas!-to use the words of Voltaire-." Nous ne sommes que de pauvres gens de lettres!" Our position. is one of less preposterous impor

tance.

OUR clever contemporary, The Leader, whose musical contributor is a stanch adherent of Herr Wagner and Signor Verdi, has the following ingenious apology for the last-named composer, in its number of the 28th ult. :

"We confess to a weakness for the abused operas of Verdi, who, whatever may be the verdict of those severer critics whose purism denounces equally the music of the future' and the music of the day, has at least this rare merit: his operas beat with the pulses of Italy.

invoking despotism as a cure for the difficulties of freedom, to ask for more enervating strains. For the Italy of our day, Art itself is an aspiration after independence, a menace to tyrants, a call to arms. And such is the music of Verdi."

If the heart of Italy beats to the strains of Verdi, there is danger of convulsions. So far, good. But, to be told that the inefficiency of certain musicians to master the rules of counterpoint is like to the longing for freedom, which is the right and should be the happiness of every people on the face of earth, is really too much. Because Verdi is a bad harmonist, his music is a menace to tyrants !-because his unisons are What next? boisterous and shrill, it is a call to arms! Cannot The Leader perceive a difference between those wholesome laws which regulate the science of harmony and the edicts of despotism. To offend the first is to be illiterate, nothing more; to set the last at defiance the mission of a patriot. Is there a shadow of resemblance? No.

To oppose unjust governments is one thing, to make war admire it; Herr Wagner and Signor Verdi, with weapons against art is another. The Leader does the first, and we that bear no resemblance to each other, do the last, and we should be with instead of against us. oppose them. The Leader, with its enlightened notions, Be assured that the mission of composers, who writhe under good rules because they cannot learn how to obey them, is not to set the art of music at liberty, but to degrade it.

MISS ARABELLA GODDARD has left Vienna for Trieste, and thence to Venice. She will give a concert at both cities. From Venice, in July, she will visit Carlsbad, Toplitz, and other German baths. In November she returns to Vienna, where she will remain during the winter. She is not expected to return to London until next March, and it is her intention to pay a short visit to Paris en route home.

MDLLE. JETTY DE TREFFZ.-This very popular and talented singer has arrived in Paris for the season of the Exposition.

MADAME ALBONI.-This renowned vocalist arrived in London on Tuesday, and left on Wednesday morning with Herr Ernst of Mr. Willert Beale. Madame Alboni will be in the provinces and other artists, on a provincial tournée, under the management about two months, and then return to London-whether to remain or to depart, being dependant on the directors of the Royal Italian Opera.

MR. H. HILL, the eminent performer on the viola, has resigned his position in Her Majesty's Private Band. This is the third resignation since the dismissal of Mr. Edmund Chipp. Dublin, in the course of the present Beale-tour in the provinces. HERR REICHARDT is engaged to sing in operas with Alboni, at RONCONI." It was hoped at one time," says the Messager des Théâtres, "that Ronconi would come to Paris, for the purpose of singing at our Italian Opera towards the close of the season. W learn, however, with regret, that the celebrated artist does not intend to leave Warsaw, where he has been for some time, until the re-opening of the Imperial Theatre of St. Petersburgh, in the Royal Italian Opera this season? September next." If this be true, who is to replace Ronconi at

MR. JOHN THOMAS, the well-known harpist, has returned to London for the season. During his stay at Rome, Mr. Thomas was elected Honorary Member of the Académie St. Cécile.

ROSSINI.-Letters from the Continent inform us, that Rossini having much improved in health, will be in Paris shortly, and remain there during the Exposition, of which, or we are beside ourselves, he will be the brightest star.

SIR HENRY BISHOP died on Monday evening, at the advanced age of 75. The immediate cause of his decease was internal cancer, for which no operation could possibly have been successful. This was not to be wondered at, considering the weakly state of body and the mental depression (caused by circumstances well known) under which he had been so long labouring.