THE LATE M. JULLIEN. THE mental aberration of M. Jullien did not last very long, nor was he destined to survive more than a few hours the partial restoration of his faculties. On Tuesday he became sensible, and on Wednesday at 7 p.m. he expired, just a day too soon to see his wife, who had been summoned from London to attend him in his last moments. 66 New York Crystal Palace. In 1851 he was again in London, and the comparative dreariness of the preceding year (when some desolate entertainments at St. Martin's-hall had done more than could have been effected by the absence of all to remind the public of M. Jullien's value) was compensated by performances as brilliant as any he had ever directed. Thus he continued until he found himself involved in another unfortunate enterprise-the new Music-hall in the Surrey-gardens, the result In M. Jullien the British public have lost one who served of which must be fresh in the memory of our readers. Drurythem with ever increasing zeal during a more lengthened period lane Theatre having passed from the hands of Mr. Gye, M. than has ordinarily been given to entertainers of the class to Jullien's concerts were again transferred to the late Royal which he belonged, and of which he was the undisputed chief. Italian Opera, the destruction of which magnificent edifice by His career, though one of seemingly uncheckered success since fire entailed a loss from the results of which he never actually he first superintended the concerts which were wont to enliven recovered-viz.: the whole of his music, engraved and in manuthe dullest part of the winter in this metropolis, was by no means script, his own compositions and those which had formed the one of uncheckered prosperity. He was alternately rising and staple of his "Classical Nights," including even the parts and falling, not in popularity, but in the ways and means that helped score of his opera of Pietro il Grande, which had been prohim to his ends. When the Promenade Concerts, at one time a duced with great splendour under Mr. Gye's management in the joint concern among the members of the orchestra, became a year 1852-a proud and memorable epoch in M. Jullien's career. failure, M. Jullien boldly assumed the undivided responsibilities Thus the accumulation of many years, at an enormous expense, of speculation and command. What vogue he shortly obtained, was swept away in one unlucky night; and M. Jullien became and how rapidly his name became a household word, just as a sharer in the misfortunes, as he had been hitherto in the his face and figure and dress were familiar household shapes, is fortunes, of Mr. Gye. Compelled to seek a new home, or to remembered even now, although nearly twenty years have suspend his public avocations until a new Covent-garden should elapsed since he first waved his conductor's stick over the rise from the ashes of the old, M. Jullien choose the former enormous temporary structure that used to constitute his course, and entered into an arrangement with Mr. Lumley to orchestra alternately at Drury-lane and Covent-garden Theatres give his concerts at Her Majesty's Theatre, where they took place As the entertainment he had invented became more and more in 1857 and 1858. The year following, Her Majesty's Theatre the fashion, and the crowds that besieged the doors began to being inaccessible-for reasons unnecessary to enumerate-M. originate those Saturnalia which used to signalise the opening Jullien was consigned to the Lyceum, where he was by no means nights of his season, M. Jullien became more and more mag-in his element, want of space being a disadvantage against which nificent," more and more prodigal of numbers and "effects." it was not in his idiosyncracy to contend. This season, the Certainly no one responded to public favour with heartier incident of which was the introduction of M. Wienawski to the reciprocity than he, or with a keener ambition to merit the English public, was M. Jullien's "Song of the Swan." Beset support with which he was honoured. The more freely the with difficulties, he retired to Paris, spent four months in Clichy, public gave their money the more untiring were M. Jullien's appealed-being still a Frenchman-to the Bankruptcy Court, efforts to ensure his patrons a good bargain. Thus his concerts received his certificate, immediately laid plans for a new series of annually gained ground, until, encouraged by his successes and the concerts in various parts of the continent, to begin with the French increasing confidence attached to his undertakings, he resolved capital, and had already made considerable progress, when the to found a national English Opera, and, leasing Drury-lane unwonted excitement consequent on this renewal of physical Theatre for a series of years, at once set his project on foot. Few and mental activity brought on the malady which so speedily who were present can have forgotten the first night's performance terminated in his death at the age of 50. -Dec 6, 1847. The opera was an English version of Donizetti's When it is remembered that M. Jullien, previous to his Lucia, and, among other memorable incidents, brought forward arrival in England, had gone through a career of no small one who has since gained the championship of English singing activity and continually shifting fortunes, it must be owned Mr. Sims Reeves. The sort of establishment M. Jullien con- that he played his part in the world with a vigour not easily templated, and in a great measure had realized, was superior to repulsed. What he seriously did for the art of music in this anything recognised before in the shape of English opera, and country-how by his frequent performances of the music of has certainly not been equalled by any subsequent attempt. Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and other great masters, and All departments were managed on the most ravish scale- by the constant engagement of the most eminent performers, he orchestra, chorus, principal singers, officers before and behind elicited at first the unconscious attention and then the enthusithe curtain, vying one with another in efficiency and also in ex-astic appreciation of the vast multitudes that besieged his conpensiveness. The result might have been anticipated. The certs, accomplishing this not merely in London, but during his speculation was a failure, and M. Jullien in the end a bankrupt. winter and summer tours all over the provinces of Great With what untarnished reputation he left the court, however-how Britain-will probably tend to preserve his memory among us he not only abandoned everything, but shackled himself with even more than his unrivalled energy and talent, his unprecefuture responsibilities, which the majority under such circum- dented zeal and liberality as a public entertainer. To M. Jullien, stances would have regarded as unnecessary-is very generally moreover, is attributable in a large measure the immense known. The next winter (1848) saw him once again, with un-improvement which our orchestras have made during the diminished energies, at the head of his concerts in Drury-lane last twenty years, he having been the means not only of bringTheatre, which has now passed from his hands as lessee into ing over some of the greatest foreign instrumentalists, but of those of Mr. Gye. The public flocked to him as usual; and discovering and nurturing the promise of many English pereven in 1849-50, when a formidable opposition was instituted by formers, who through the publicity he placed at their disposal, a party of distinguished amateurs at Her Majesty's Theatre, and no less than through their own industry and ability, have since the greater number of his most famous instrumentalists were attained acknowledged eminence. What he was himself, as a lured away from him, M. Jullien, nothing daunted, formed a conductor, a composer, and an administrator (entrepreneur ?)— new band, which, under his control, soon showed itself in all together with that peculiar idiosyncracy, physical as well respects equal, if not, indeed, superior, to the other. In short he as moral, which gave him so marked an ascendancy, and enabled vanquished his opponents in a season. In the autumn of 1850 him to stand quite alone in his particular sphere-will, in all M. Jullien went to the United States with some of the principal likelihood, be forgotten when the present generation has passed members of his orchestra, and wound up his exploits in Trans- away; but as one who essentially promoted the advance of a Atlantic regions, after visiting every town and city of importance beautiful, refined, and civilizing art, M. Jullien is entitled to in the New World, by that gigantic meeting in conjunction with a niche in the Temple of Fame which the most hypercritical the speculative Mr. Barnum, which drew 40,000 persons to the would be cautious to refuse him. Apart altogether from his public capacity, the unanimous testimony of those who knew him speaks highly and unreservedly in M. Jullien's favour, citing in his person those best qualities of heart and intelligence that endear a man to his fellows, and, outweighing all petty faults and foibles, win for him a sympathy that lies deeper than mere popular esteem, and is of more genuine value than the loudest praises of the crowd. Now that he has gone-and we are not likely to see another like him soon-a keener sense of his long services, of his patience under adversity, and unswerving fidelity to the public will arise; and few, we think, will refrain from joining in the hope that the appeal but recently made on M. Jullien's behalf while he was living and there were hopes of his ultimate recovery may be yet productive of some benefit to the disconsolate wife and near relatives whom he has left behind-that the "Jullien Fund," in short, may not be relinquished because the one for whose benefit it was originally instituted is no longer able to derive any advantage from its success. LETTER TO THE EDITOR. UNCONSCIOUS PLAGIARISM. SIR,-Having seen your notice of my song, "Never, my child, forget to pray," I beg to say, in answer to the charge of plagiarism, that I, although a pupil of Dr. Sterndale Bennett, had never seen, heard, or even knew of the existence of the impromptu referred to, until I saw to-day's Musical World, when I procured the impromptu, and immediately found the section alluded to. This being the case, I can but feel highly flattered at your remarks on my song, and remain, Sir, Very respectfully yours, F. SCOTSON CLARK. THE OLDEST (INDIAN, CHINESE) FIVE-TONE SYSTEM. THIS system, which, according to the scale, is most clearly represented, as we know by the two and three upper keys (Obertasten) of the piano, is strangely enough, and as already mentioned in my notice in No. 32 of the Niederrheinische Musik-Zeitung, of last year, to be found in some of the national songs of Scotland (the Hebrides). In the number of the paper to which I allude, there were merely a Chinese hymn, and an "Air Chinois," from Rousseau's Dictionnaire de Musique. On which theme, by the way, C. M. Von Weber wrote an overture to Schiller's Turandot-I now append a Scotch song, contained in the arrangement of Scotch songs by Beethoven-for one voice, with accompaniment of violin and violoncello, Berlin, Schlesinger, Part 1, No. 5. It begins: "Dim, dim is my eye," &c. It is to be played in the bass key in F sharp major fern. present day, it appears defective and incomplete, affords, at any rate, quite sufficient scope for the foregoing beautiful national melody. Most probably this oldest tone-system was completed in the later Greek, that is to say, church modes. LOUIS KINDSCHER. Cöthen. This is now the fourth week of our Italian Opera season, and it EDINBURGH, 21st March—(From our own Correspondent).is time that I should give you some account of the company, which is entirely new to Britain, having been brought direct from Venice, where the opera-house was closed on account of political disturbances. The performers are best adapted for light and The soprano is Madame Lorini (wife of the tenor of that name) florid music, accordingly comic opera has been in the ascendant. who is possessed of a sweet fresh voice of pleasing quality, not very large in volume, but the tone telling, especially in the high notes, while her execution is very clear and brilliant. She has established herself as a great favourite. The contralto is Madame Vietti, of whom it is difficult to speak too highly. With the exception of Alboni, she is the best operatic contralto I ever heard. Her voice is rich and deep, and yet soft and flexible in a remarkable degree. Her style is pure and finished, and her acting of a high order, so that it is no wonder she has achieved an immense success. Her characters have been Isabella, in L'Italiana in Algeri, Rosina, in Il Barbiere, Orsini, in Lucrez ia Borgia, and Azucena, in Il Trovatore. As an interpreter of Rossini's florid music (i. e., in the original keys) she has few equals. The tenor is Signor Galvani, who has a sweet but not very powerful voice, with a flexibility which is quite unusual in a male singer. This enables him to do justice to the very florid music in Rossini's operas in a way few tenors can. His management of the breath, mode of joining the registers, &c., bespeak the finished artiste. Perhaps the great feature of the company, however, is Siguor Ciampi, the basso buffo, who is a singer and actor of the highest talent and originality. His voice is powerful and of good quality, which, joined to a most distinct enunciation, and an absence of all effort, renders his singing very satisfactory. His acting, however is most worthy of notice, being characterised by genuine humour, unflagging spirit, most admirable by-play, and a careful attention to the minutest details connected with the various parts he has to fill. He has appeared as Taddeo, Dr. Bartolo, and Don Pasquale, the latter being a most clever and original impersonation. Dulcamara is to be his next character. When it is mentioned that Signor Ciampi is apparently not above 24 or 25 years of age, it will be seen that he has the prospect of a great career. I should think he will soon be "wanted" in London. The basso profondo is Signor Taste; the seconda donna, Mdlle. Martini; and the minor artists are Signor and Madame Aglondi, &c., all efficient in their respective capacities, and assisting to render the company most complete. The chorus and orchestra are capable of much improvement, but, at the prices, better cannot be expected. Among the operas in rehearsal is Cimarosa's Matrimonio Segreto, which is exciting a lively interest by anticipation. The conductor is Signor Orsini, who resides here. Those who are accustomed to cry down Edinburgh in the matter of music, will at least admit that it does much for Italian opera, having for several seasons imported companies for itself, all of great talent. [Our worthy correspondent is slightly in error, when he says that the present Italian company in Edinburgh is "entirely new to Britain." Mad. Lorini and her husband formed part of the Company engaged by Mr. Willert Beale, when that enterprising gentleman gave Italian opera at the Surrey Theatre. Mad. Vietti has been heard at Her Majesty's Theatre. Signor Galvani was employed during a whole season at the Royal Italian Opera, and one of his parts was Nemorino in L' Elisir d' Amore.-ED.] William, mein Liebster, mein William ist There is, also, a pianoforte Etude (by Döhler ?) in which the right THE HE illness of M. Jullien having, with fatal rapidity, terminated in death, it has beeu resolved that the donations to the JULLIEN FUND shall be applied in the manner which would have been most in accordance with the wishes of the deceased, had it been permitted him to express them, viz, to the relief of his widow and family, who, by his loss, are left totally unprovided for. Committee for the distribution of the Jullien Fund. Honorary Treasurers. Mr. John Mitchell; Mr. Thomas Chappell; Mr. W. Sams. Bankers, Messrs. Coutts and Co., Strand; Heywood, Kennards, and Co., Lombard-street; London and County Bank, Hanover-square-who, as well as the Honorary Treasurers, have kindly consented to receive subscriptions A. Chappell, Esq. A. W. Hammond, Esq. Mowbray Morris, Esq. E. T. Smith. Esq. Sims Reeves, Esq. A Friend.. Miss Arabella Goddard W. R Sams, Esq. H. L. Bischoffsheim, Esq. F. Vilmet, Esq. R. Bowley, Esq. Mes-rs. Leader and Cock Albert Smith, Esq. Arthur Smith, Esq. M. Posno, Esq. . Charles Coote, Esq. Louis Ries, Esq. C. Doyle, Esq. W. Winterbottom, Esq. G. Metzler, Esq. John Leech, Esq. J. H. Dillon, Esq. Carl Keller, Esq. H. E. Tatham W. H. Weiss, Esq. T. H. H... A. E. D. (Pentonville) Subscriptions already received. s. d. Sir Francis Goldsmid ir Charles Decemar, Crosley 550 Rd. du Cane, Esq. 550 E. Buckley, Esq., Jun. 5 50 E. W. Garland 550 E. W. Martin, Esq. (Dublin) Horace Mayhew 5 50 550 Henry Greg 2 20 2 2 0 Henry Evell 2 20 F. Freeman, Esq. W. T. Doyne, Esq. 2 2,0 John Stone, Esq. 1 10 Evan Jones, Esq. 110 W. Godfrey (Coldstream Gds.) 110 G. Grove, Esq. (Crystal Palace) 1 10 G. Dillon, Esq. 110 Four Clerks (Austin Friars) 1 10 A. W. B... 110 J. Banks, Erq... 1 10 Samuel Bevington, Esq. 1 10 A Hater of Lawyers 100 E. C. M... .. 1 10 W. Francis, Esq. 1 10 John Brandard, Esq. 0 36 Messrs. Cramer and Co. Robert Clarke, Esq. 110 Messrs. Ad lison and Co. Mdle. Coulon E. Conion, Esq. 1 10 John Ella, Esq. 110 C. Gruneisen. Esq, Del Vecchio Charles Halle 2 2 0 Messrs. Parkins and Gotto ... 2 20H W. Goodban, Esq. 3 3 0 Miss Tod *** A second Subscription List will be advertised forthwith. DEATH. "SIR,-It is with feelings of deep regret that many of our country. men hear of the serious mental affliction and pecuniary difficulties poor Jullien is now suffering from in Paris. I think I may with certainty say, that the majority of those who visited his 'Promenade Concerts' are indebted to him for the particular class of music he introduced into this country. Now, sir, as your paper is, perhaps, the principal channel through which an appeal of the kind I am about to suggest will find publicity, let me propose, for the many hours of pleasant recreation Jullien afforded us, we should return him, in his day of tribu550lation, a donation raised by a shilling' subscription, to be received by some respectable music-seller (say Messrs. Chappell and Co., of Regentstreet), where Jullien first commenced his labours in this country. Those gentlemen, I feel confident, would aid in any way to further this 110 object, and I am sure Jullien would appreciate the motive that actuates us in this cause. Whatever his feelings towards our countrymen (especially lawyers) may be, he will find he has staunch supporters, in his hour of pain and trouble, amongst THE SHILLING PROMENADers. 1 10 Since the above appeared the idea has been acted upon 9100 by the Committee, and we hope shortly to be able to lay before our readers a general plan by which every lover of music, whatever his means, throughout the length and breadth of the country, may, by subscribing to the "JULLIEN Shil LING FUND," be enabled to express a sense of M. Jullien's exertions during a period of twenty years, and to evince 220 regret for the loss of so valuable and zealous a public servant. No one ever gave the English public such a substantial 110 shilling's worth as Jullien; and to bestow one additional 220 shilling, without the prospect of an evening's entertainment 110 in return, but with the sole object of providing a decent maintenance for Jullien's widow and family, would be doing that which Jullien would have enthusiastically urged his British patrons to do in a parallel case. All then, who believe with us, that to pay one shilling in to the "JULLIEN SHILLING FUND" is next door to an obligation on the part of those whom he loved to amuse just as much as they loved to be amused by him, will subscribe at cnce. The sum is small; but it is the moment and the cause that give signification to the deed; and here is an occasion when a trifling sacrifice may involve a graceful act-an act of simple gratitude. 110 On the 19th inst., at his residence, 67, Oakley-square, N.W., William Lovell Philips, Esq., R.A.M., aged 43, deeply regretted by his widow, family, and large circle of friends. 97 TO CORRESPONDENTS. In consequence of the unusual pressure on our columns this week, THE MUSICAL WORLD may be obtained direct from the Office, 28, tion of the first elegy of Propertius, Panurge was Having, with no small labour effected a metrical translathe room, repeating it from beginning to end at the very mightily taken with his work, that he walked up and down top of his voice : "Never did I love, till my Cynthia's eyes Woke within my heart a flame unknown, Through Parthenian caves madly he would rove, By the heavy club of Hylous struck, New or old, my plans are sure to fail; Or by aid of magic fire prevail, Touch my Cynthia's heart-grant this simple boon- You, my gentle friends, who would win me back, So that neither night nor day I rest; Oft you'll think of my unhappy case." "Overheard thee! Why all the Dials have been rocked to and fro with thy bawling." Now the Seven Dials, called for brevity's sake the "Dials," was the name given to the lovely spot where Pantagruel's palace was situated. "I presume," said Panurge, with a smile, "I presume from the exclamation with which thou hast entered the room, that thou art pleased with my work?" "I confess" said Epistemon, "that it hath surpassed my expectations; but I attribute that circumstance rather to the smallness of the expectations than to the worth of the performance. I give thee credit for some slight ingenuity in devising a metre that imperfectly enough, heaven knows→→→ may in some sort shadow forth the effect of the ancient distich, though by a strange inconsistency, that pause in the middle, which belongeth of right to the pentameter and constituteth its very essence, is transferred by thee to the longer line, corresponding to the hexameter, a metre whose life and soul is its continuity. There is also something very wooden and unmusical in the sound of thy numbers, so that I would liken them less to the sweep of the lyre, than to the noise of a policeman's rattle, somewhat carefully sprung." 1 cheque; but it is diametrically antagonistic to the whole spirit of the elegy. Look you, the poet, all for the sake of his Cynthia, has resolutely gone to the bad; he regardeth with envy that obscure blockhead Milanion, because he earned the love of his mistress by way of compensation for a smart tap on the head administered by a centaur-he is ready to endure any amount of surgery, cupping included, and to take any journey, however inconvenient, if he can only get rid of his pain; and in the face of all these striking facts, thou makest him regard the sympathy of Cynthia as a-(save the mark'simple boon' !" "Thy comment is ended?" asked Panurge, meekly. "Then how clumsily dost thou flounder in the last eight lines of thy work. Thou art bothered by the words 'Vos remanete,' and 'neque assueto mutet amore locum,' and canst not avoid a sneaking suspicion that the poet is telling his friends to stop at home, while he, like Lord Bateman, shippeth hisself a'board of a ship, some foreign country for to see. Know, thou wretched varlet, that the poet is not thinking in the least about change of place, but is recommending constancy to those who are fortunate in their love. Mend those last eight lines.". "Mend them thyself!" said Panurge, sturdily, and he thrust a pen into the hand of Epistemon. "Rather," bawled Epistemon, "will I see thee"brawlers," cried Pantagruel, stalking into the room with a "Cease your senseless wranglings, you couple of pothouse heads of Epistemon and Panurge with considerable violence, French newspaper under his arm, and knocking together the "and hear of this last atrocity committed in our native France. In the pleasant town of Amiens, Mdlle. Gautrot, a jeune première, was hissed by the audience, whereupon she curtsied and retired from the stage." "Anything more?" said Panurge, resignedly. "Had any one else been the writer," continued Epistemon, in a tone of great wisdom, "I should have remarked on the expressions 'had the luck,' 'sorry loon,' &c., and indicating an affectation of a familiar tone, which is extremely vulgar, without being in the slightest degree humorous. But seeing that thou art the poet, I refrain from the objection, satisfied that there is no affectation in the case, but that thou hast merely followed the dictates of thine own abject nature. In the same spirit do I lose sight of Propertius altogether, and fancy thou thyself art hymning some faded nymph of a vile corps de ballet; and that the wizards who conjure down the moon, are simply the dirty scene-shifters who manage the imitation of that luminary in some miserable gaff." "Anything else," asked Panurge, with decreasing anxiety for a reply. 6 "As for that interpolation, Grant this simple boon,' not only is it unwarranted by the original, therefore entitling thee to the contempt and abhorrence which is bestowed on one who fraudulently inserteth an additional cipher in a "Thereby showing her wisdom," said Epistemon. "Likewise her sensibility," whispered Panurge. don't be so cursedly fond of interrupting. For quitting the "Thy sentiments are correct," observed Pantagruel, "but boards in the manner I have described, Mdlle. Gautrot has for a whole day in a vile prison." been condemned not only to pay a fine, but has been locked if in despair-oh, Picardy! land with which I have nothing "Oh, Picardy!" exclaimed Panurge, folding his arms, as to do, and in which I do not take the slightest interest-oh, Picardy! art thou come to this? Doth the Picard require that youth and beauty should stand respectfully in his presence to receive his revilings? Is the Picard an avatar of Moloch, requiring the sacrifice of the young and the lovely? Would the Picard' mourn to find that Iphigenia was saved at Tauris, instead of remaining at Aulis, to have her throat comfortably cut? What are the attributes of the Picard?" Revue et Gazette des Théâtres," said Pantagruel, and he read "Gentle, but wise on this subject, is the editor of the hostiles, ont pu pousser une artiste à l'oubli du respect, as follows: Les spectateurs qui, par leurs démonstrations qu'elle devait au public, ont obtenu là un triste triomphe, et qu'ils doivent être les premiers à regretter, nous en sommes certains.'card.": There, thou seest he bewaileth the event, without not care a brass farthing for a young girl's feelings, and yet "But what is this Picard," said Panurge, "that he does is so mighty touchy with respect to his own? will study ethnology, that I may be able to understand the Of a truth, I nature of the Picard." In town and in the country, in art and in nature, the season of song is commencing. Look at the masons and plasterers at work under the Opera Colonnade, listen to the birds at halfpast five o'clock in the morning, or at six if you happen not to be an early riser or to be an unusually late goer-to-bed. Nor will those songsters, of whom nothing is heard just now, sing the less loudly, or the less sweetly, when their time comes. Mr. Gye, with the politeness of the French at Fontenoy, has allowed Mr. E. T. Smith to tirer le premier, but even before these lines meet the public eye, he may have replied to him in his own excellent fashion. Some of the first foreign singing-birds have not yet arrived in this country, and it is so difficult to catch the rarer specimens and bring them over, that to announce their appearance before they have actually crossed the Channel, is something like counting chickens before they are out of the egg. Our skilful birdcatchers have been at work with their nets and their lures, and, above all, with their bits of shining metal -so especially attractive to larks and to human singingbirds of all kinds-in every capital of Europe; and the public may rest assured that with one choice though numerous flock in the groves of the Garden, and another equally multitudinous in the grove of the Market, the public, we say, may rest assured that when the season is opened, and the birds begin to sing, then the vocalisation will be quite fine enough to set before Her Majesty the Queen and all the Royal Family. It was only the other day we were complaining that the musical months of the year were about to begin. We grieved, however, for this reason only, that the sooner they began the sooner also they must end. We were like Tiel Ulenspiegel, who, travelling along a mountainous road, was happy when he was climbing a steep hill, because he thought how pleasant it would be to walk down on the other side, and unhappy when he was walking down because he could not help reflecting how soon he would have to ascend again. To us the agreeable slope is the London season, that is to say, the Italian season; but it is scarcely in sight when we already begin to regret that in four short months it will be at an end. Have we not said that the birds are its natural harbingers and precursors? Did we not even publish, last week, a notice of a grand preliminary concert given by the vocalists of the air for the benefit of mankind? Several entertainments of the same description have since taken place, and, but for occasional bad weather, during which our aerial artists (who keep no carriages) are unable to appear, they would have been even more frequent. Allowing for the direct effect of storms and showers upon our rural singers, we are still of opinion that they disappoint the public less often than those of the town. In spite of their constant exposure to the atmosphere, they seem never to be troubled with sore throats and that formidable illness (especially formidable to managers,) the maladie de larynx is unknown among them. A few of these little vocalists, however, who have become domesticated and have acquired the manners of the theatre, are occasionally indisposed, when nothing is found to cure them so effectually as a certain yellow substance-not gold, but saffron. A rural concert, at which we were present last Thursday, took place in a vast amphitheatre of wood, admirably constructed as regards sonority. The entertainment commenced at daybreak; and as soon, in fact, as the performers, who all sing at sight, were able to see. The opening chorus was most effective, and as fine a thing of the kind as could possibly be heard. The theme was simple and grand, though far from novel, while the rich harmony, in spite of its undeniable antiquity, possessed a certain sublime originality which compensated for any lack of science and elaboration that might have struck the skilled musician. The subject was first given by the linnets and soprani, and afterwards taken up by the thrushes and baritones, who were finally supported by the blackbirds and basses, the united choristers vieing with one another in their endeavours to do justice to this remarkable composition, which has something of the character of an anthem. This introduction of the motive pianissimo for a few voices, and its repetition crescendo by a constantly increasing number of executants, until, at last, a magnificent fortissimo is attained, is imitated neither from Rossini, nor, still less, from Meyerbeer, nor, least of all, from Verdi; it stands by itself, and cannot be traced to any known procédé. As on the previous occasion, we heard several fine solo performances, and noticed a linnet who sang with as much fluency and grace as Madame Miolan-Carvalho. We were informed that the nightingale was expected every day, but that she would not make her appearance in public until the tenth of next month. By the way, as Philomela is so fond of performing at night, it is just possible that she would make an excellent Sonnambula. Unfortunately, there are a few members of the immense troupe occupying the amphitheatre at Turnham Green whose voices are not beautiful at all, but we must do them the justice to say that, as a rule, they never attempt to sing. The swallows have no vocal expression, but they are good at fugues, and have wonderful agility. The sparrows are utterly bad, but some of them, by the mere force of ambition, may one day reach the top of the tree. We regret to say that while some of the best of our aerial vocalists are not quite appreciated, a few of the more common birds, and even some who are not musical fowls at all, occasionally gain loud applause from the vulgar. Thus, while the linnets were singing most exquisitely, we observed a quadrupedal connoisseur, at no great distance from the amphitheatre, staring about him in his stall, and evidently paying no attention to the performance. A few minutes afterwards a cock crew, when a long-eared amateur at once uttered a bray of the most decided approbation. ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA. THE regular season was brought to a termination on Saturday, the performances being for the benefit of Mr. Harrison. The theatre was densely crowded, and people were sent away ceded by Henry Leslie's operetta of Romance. from every part of the house. The opera was Lurline, pre The theatre did not close on Saturday, notwithstanding. Nine extra nights were announced, to finish with Miss Louisa Pyne's benefit, on Wednesday next. Lurline increases in attraction. We visited the theatre twice during the week, beIt is a pity Miss Pyne and Mr. Harrison did not produce Mr. fore seven o'clock, and found every seat occupied, or disposed of. Wallace's opera earlier. No doubt they did not anticipate such success, or they would not have delayed its production. The fly-leaf of the programme contained the following valedictory address from the managers :"March 17, 1860. "Ladies and Gentlemen-The close of our third English Opera Season presents us an opportunity of again thanking you for the liberal support with which you have hitherto met our endeavours to please you-a support which it ever shall be our pride to merit, and constant endeavour to maintain. "Allow us to place before you a few of the statistics of our past pro |