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Ho. 465, February 19, 1859] THE LEADER. ...
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been superseded by " Satanella." The gen...
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BOOKS. HECKIV.KD. Two Journeys to Japan,...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
The British Institution. (Spconp Noxipn....
nature an 3 unpleasant in contrast with the brick Sf Mr . ¦¦ W . H- Ward ' s " Fruit , & c . " ( 411 ) , must fee noticed for tlie artist ' s usijal high finish , though the colouring is somewhat dark ; while on the other hand Mr . Knight ' s pretty little " Sketch on the Thames" < 416 ) almost startles by its' brightness . " Little Carry , " a regular "Ma ' s Darling , ' in stiff petticoats and flounces , by Mr . Houston ( 415 ) , will arrest many a sympathetic parent on the way to M . r . Hemsley ' s " Birdcatching" ( 427 ) , which tells its story so well , that it deserves especial mention . It shows the interruption of a bird-trapping party of country lads at a critical moment , by another bearing in his arms a crying infant ; their wrath at the offenceand the humility of the hapless culprit , are
, excellently depicted . The texture of the barked ash , and the aerial perspective of the sea view in Mr . H . Moore ' s " Oak Coppice , Coast of Devon" ( 428 ) , are charming ; and not less excellent in its minute finish is the old door in the " Welsh Shed " . ( 431 ) , by Mr . G . Cole , who has also a delicious little " English Landscape" ( 492 ) . Mr . A . Gilbert ' s Scotch lake scene , " Evening—the Alarm , " has an admirable effect . " The Blind Girl of Castcl Cuille" ( 495 ) , by Mr . J- Ritchie , is an elaborate piece of prse-Eapluielism , which it would be cowardice to pass over in deference to the popular prejudice against the school . This work , though the figure of the unfortunate maiden is at first repulsive , has much that is good
about it in drawing , but the painter must be-warned against paleness and crudity in colour . Mr . E . Hopley , who has i > ainfully devoted time , taste , paint , and superior manual dexterity to "The Birth of a Pyramid—an attempt to realise an Egyptian Tradition" ( 458 ) , has , it may be , nerved himself to brave all manner of derision and censure so he make hiiiieelf known . Appreciating this not uncommon calculation , we regard his work less as an outburst of enthusiasm than as a challenge to criticism . But let the industrious - painter beware of often repeating such costly advertisements . The careless world can afford to laugh , ' and the malignant to seofly perhaps , longer than lie would wish to paint unmarketable
eccentricities . By 456 , "An Old Welsh Mill , " see there is another Pettitt in the field , a younger master still of a lengthy line , who shows signs of treading presently upon the heels of the seniors . Mr . Mogibrd ' s "Guernsey Peasant at the Well " ( 47-i ) is pleasing ; and his " Watery Lane" ( 527 ) ,. Guernsey , is very natural , though a little too opaque in the shadows . Mr . Haven has a very clever sketch ( 482 ) evidently painted from nature , with .-a good bold sky ; the subject worthy of a more finished picture . " The Hard Word" ( 483 ) , by . Mr . E . Hughes , is delicately painted , and the exj > ression of the child reading is admirably true . The same applies to No . 491 , " The Mother ' s Hope , " a pretty
domestic scene by Mr . J . W . liaynes . Mr . E . Gill ' s " Ruined Mill on the Usk , South Wales , " is good and very Welsh indeed . Mr . C . J . Lewis ' s "Punch " ( 525 ) , at first glaring , repays farther inspection , liaving much expression and good drawing . Sir George Hayter ' s thousand guinea " Christening of the Prince of Wales" ( 538 ) , may be admired by those who like pictures of the kind . It is as good as such generally are , but the interesting subject having attained his majority , or , at least , his colonelcy , the excitement about his christening has so far subsided , that the Thousand Guinea quotation may be regarded as prohibitory . The little Prai-Raphaelite work , " Minstrel Love" ( 539 ) , is worth a
look , for its nice painting and general lnoffensiveness . The " She" of the pair of woodland lovers is soft and inexpressive ; and the artist , having been puzzled about her dress , has given her a modern riding habit of grey . The "Ho" tells . no tale , sings no song , tunes . no lute , and is vacant . The " Castle of Angeria—Lngo Maggiore , '" by J . B . Pyne ( 545 ) , is a fair specimen of this artist ' s stylo , and a very poetical and charming work , though the air all n-flro has frizzled tip the vegetation into what has been fucotiQusly callod " a state of Iceland nioss . " " Tho Enemy" ( 554 ) . by W . W . Morris , is very
remark-Able for vivid pourtrayal of action in tho annuals . In Mr . E . J . Cobbott ' s " Breton Interior" ( 555 ) , his only work hero , thin master has somowhat diverged from his old ground . He is bold and brilliant in colourj and Mr . W . W . Dcano , who lias also turned to Brittany for subjects , has given charming specimens of his colouring in tha placid " Breton M 6 nage " ( 559 ) , and tho " Scono at Morlaix" ( 84 ) . Our remarks on this oxcollont pair of painters—¦ who , whether in , so called , Morry England , or in more shockingly simple Bretagno , delight to draw tneir inspirations from tho lowly hearth—must < Closo our notice of this exhibition .
Ho. 465, February 19, 1859] The Leader. ...
Ho . 465 , February 19 , 1859 ] THE LEADER . __ ggg _
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Been Superseded By " Satanella." The Gen...
been superseded by " Satanella . " The general effect of the work seems to us to be immensely heightened by the change of theatre . We last heard it at Drury Lane , where the orchestra being placed below the usual level , it is possible that some effects are lost which the more open situation of the band in the Covent Garden House brings forcibly out . But ( however to be accounted for ) it is a treat to hear " the Rose" as it is here presented with Miss Louisa Pyne , our native pritna donna as the Queen of Leon , arid the finest band ever heard in this country , marshalled and headed by a native conductor . The vast stage , decorated with excellent hew paintings , works of consummate art in their way , and covered with well-disciplined masses of dancers and choristers—all , or nearly all , in new and picturesque rememberedThe
costumes—is a thing to be . perfection of the soloists , choruses , and band , again , noticeable under this management , is something not to be expected under the regular Italian Opera direction , whose select subscribers could not be expected to endure the same opera for fifty nights ; the comparison we cannot help drawing is therefore not odious . Mr . Harrison and Miss Pyne , the latter of whom we found Was labouring under a cold , now achieve the customary successes of the opera with an off-hand facility , the result of continued practice . The marvellous fioriture of the Scherzo , and the second act finale flow delicious ! y as ever from our gifted soprano ; and the Muleteer ' s song and other of Mr . Harrison ' s ballads , he seems , if possible , to handle better for the change of opera-house . The trio of the malcontent lords is much enforced by the aid of Mr . Weiss , ' s resonant and . powerful voice . This artist is an addition of great value to the cast . The groundlings who seem utterly indifferent to tlie outrage , upon taste involved in continu
notice in our last . number of Mr . S . C . Hall ' s soir & es at Willis ' s rooms . The veteran author and journalist may indeed feel flattered at tlie numerous and elegant assemblies—comprising many well known in the literary and fine-art circles—whom the magic of his name in the first instance gathered about liini , and at the no less imposing . audiences whom common good-report of his entertainment has sent on subsequent occasions to hear , his reminiscences of people he lias chanced to meet upon the great world ' s stage . In his time Mr . Hall has been on terms of acquaintance , and in some cases of intimacy , with ' injury a fine spirit ; and thus historical pictures , with the dim outlines of which the public are familiar , are occasionally brought out sharp and clear by the bright rays his memory enables him to project upon them . He gossips with his hearers in the funnest , pleasantest of ways about the admirable Sydney Smith , the renowned James and Horace Smith , Lord Byron , Moore , Southey , Lamb , Rogers , Crabh , Hook , Campand old
bell , Maginn , Miss Edgeworth , L . E . L . Too a member of our craft not to have observed that biography too often runs to mischievous panegyric , Mr . Hall does not fall into the blunder of canonizing all whose acquaintance he has enjoyed ; he does not ignore , though it were needless to say he does not unnecessarily deepen , the shadows of their humanity—and this is a part of bis secret . A night with a determinately eulogistical lecturer of this kind would be a desperately cloying affair to any given section of that " Vanity Fair" which likes nothing better , when ' all is said and done , than passing ; an occasional evening d d ' echirer set amis . But oun lecturer skilfully avoids the temptation to indulge in indiscriminate hero-worship , and flavours his dainty olla with just enough of delicate suggestive censure to satisfy , and pique withal , the intellectual palate of his hearers . We understand it to be Mr . Hall ' s intention to compress into one lecture , with a view to a country tour , the substance of the two delivered at Willis ' s Rooms , and to
break provincial ground at Oxford . ST . JAMES ' S THEATRE . There , is something very pleasant—all shortcomings notwithstanding—in an evening at this Opera Coinique de Londres . Howevei * defective ( within reason ) the executants-, there is something about Auber ' s effervescent compositions that seems particularly suited to French voices and French fingers . CteteHs ¦ jparihus , we believe a French opera company would "be helped by mere nationality to excel ' -by a trifle any-rival one in j T sscoriello the
interpreting the Domino Soir , Ma , or Dlamansdisln , Couronnc . We have now once or twice heard the latter opera ,- under M . Remusat ' s direction , at the St . James ' s , and , though no one could be . blind to tiie defects , w . v found the balance of comfort on the right side . The band , is excellent , and gives the overture as lightly and smoothly as may be expected of a French ' orchestra" playing a stock French overture . The bandit queen , Ca . taHna , is most pleasingly acted by the prima donna , Madaijie Faure , whose thin but pretty voice has now become acclimatized , and is in ifs best tovm . Tlie
music of this part is of a difficult character , but Madame Faure is perfectly mistress of it . In the air known here as > - " The Queen of Night , " the expressive couplet d ' adieu , in the duo with Diana , and in the finale to the opera , she was loudly applauded . M . Fougeres , tlie tenor , is conscientious ; lie wanders not from his allotted part—¦ he has not force to carry him far if he did . But marvellous is the good-natured self-possession of this gentleman , who , while , as he must be , conscious that he is exciting alternately smiles and compassion , sings and ; acts ' with the imperturbable sangfroid of a Rubihi sure pf his ovation in good time . In the breakfast scene of Act I ., ( where Madnme Faure , by the way , experiences and demonstrates the difficulty of sitting gracefully in a crinolined dress barely knee deep , ho is moat correct , ana " only misses being very pleasing through the failure of his falsetto . We understand that engagements are pending with singers of talent , and that the cntrvpvnaws intend to carry their season to Easter .
making a pantaloon out of a Spanish Hidalgo , e to enjoy the facetice upon which Mr . Honey—whose voice and acting are worth higher aims—is building a biscuit reputation . It is , however , no fault of his , poor man ! He takes the part , 'tis likely enough , as he found it set down by the librettist ; and funny enough he is , in a way ; but we should like to make the latter sacrilegious wight pay damages to the shade of Cervantes . Never to have been to Spain is not unpardonable , but never to have read " Don Quixote , " or to have read him arid then written the part of Don Florio , is an abomination . Why , the Governor of Barataria was a gentleman , a scholar , and a philosopher to this Florio ! The Opera of " Rip van Winkle , " by an American composer named Bristow , who studied , we . believe , under Mr . Maefarren , is very shortly to be produced here . It is rich in effects , and particularly strong in choruses . The management have been so well assured that liberality begets liberality , that no expense will be spared to ensure a perfect ensemble .
LYCEUM THEATRE . On the occasion of Madame Celeste ' s benefit on Wednesday last , Mr . John Oxenlbrd , whose " Porter ' s Kiiot , " as borne by Mr . Robson , is still drawing smiles and tears at the Olympic , lias again made a hit in adapting from the French play Los Amours Maudits , art English one in three acts called The Last Hope . The first scene is a fete in the gardens of one Blancjini ( Mr . Barrett ) , a benevolent doctor ^ , the good g enius of the piece . Among the visitors are Maddtite Antoine ( Mrs . Wallis ) , her daughter Marie ( Madame Celeste ) , Alfred Warnford ( Mr . G . Muiray ) , and Michali , an adventurer of awfully bad character ( Mr . Fitzjames ) . These twp gentl « n > en are in love with Marie , who prefers Alfred . To mar the happiness he cannot share , therefore , T \ . Tin 1 inli mol .-ou lrnnnn thnfr tllfi lfldv's hrot . lier PitirTO .
( Mr . Emory ) , is n convicted forger . A duel is the result ; Alfred is wounded ; Madame Antoine dies of shame and grief ; and the act-drop falls . Seven years are supposed to havfc elapswl when , on its rising , we find that Alfred hr » s married Marie , and incurred the wrath o * f his father , Sir William Warnford ( Mr . J . Neville ) . This wicked old man finds juat the tools to help him to coerce his disobedient child in Michali , and tlie forger Pierre . He engages them to tear Alfred from his wife , in hopes that he may thus bo worked upon to ajyree to a legal separation . Tho plot succeeds . Michali , carries ofF the hero ; Mane and her chilil remain in the hands of l ^ ierre . These worthies , however , cannot agree upon , the disposnl of their prey ; and poor Marie , with . womanly tact , employs hov little one successfully to aid her in softening tli ' q hourt of the villain brnlhtnv In the situation thus opened to them the grunt talent of thq actor and nctress had full scone , ana were most telling ; nor enn we forget tho intolltaence of tho little girl , which , contributed to . tho ctfecf orthu tablonu . The ond of it ia
that mother nnil . chifrl so liir huninulzo Pierre that lie oonicfl to blows with his comrade Michali , and kills hiin . Marie at tills juncture nearly brings about a traa'iconding finale hy tasting a poisonous iiarcoHc which had boon prupared for her brother . She contrives , however , to wrestle with hui * agony and to suck her husband in liis fatlior ' s presence , Whou tho «\ ulience' have seen such a wondrouH olinnge operated in the desporato forgot Pierre , they are of coureu not sui-priaeu thnt Sir William should at last relent , Ilu does bo , well and wisely , and tho piece ends happily i ' ov nil . Numoroun eplundld openings occur In its course for tho display , of Mndanio Celeste ' s puaullar talents , and she availed hersolf of all . of them so us poworfully to agitato a numerous audience . She wan very warmly received , as was her able rJaht-linnd In tho pioce —Mr , Jimery . Tlw dollcato bhading by this actor ol Pierre ' s transition from villany to affeotSou was very nicely managed , and deserved the plaudits of . the
assoinbiy-— - —i ^ . POYBNT GAKDMN OPKRA HOUSH . inls magnificent house was filled on Wednesday by the admirers of Balfe ' s " Roso of Castllle , " on tho occasion of the revival of tlmt work , which imd for a time
wxhua ' a rooms . —mil & . o . uam / o i . eoxuuks on I'lHJ AUTHORS Ot ? Til 15 AC . 1 W . We were compelled by press of matter to omit all
Books. Heckiv.Kd. Two Journeys To Japan,...
BOOKS . HECKIV . KD . Two Journeys to Japan , 185 ( 5—7 . By Kinahnn Cornwnllis . In * 2 vols . Thomas Cautlcy Nowliy . Classic Records ItvvliiweU and Deciphered . Thomas X > o QuJiicev . James H < Krg and Son * . Essays *—liibyraphical , Critical , and Miscellaneous . By Peter'Uuynu , A . M . James II » ijrg and Sous . Localised Movement ; or Muscular ¦ JH . vorchvs . By Henry Iiei \ tlior lJitfgs . John Churchill . A Pluafor tho Constitution . By John Austin , Esq . John Murray . The Earth we Inhabit . By Captain A . W , Drayson , R . A . A . \ V . JUonnctt . La Plata , tha Argentina Confederation , and Paraguay , lly Thomas J . Pago , U . S . N . Triibmir and Co . Poems . By Frederick W . Wyon . . Smith , Elder , and Co Logic in Theology , and other JEmmy * . - By Isaac Taylor . Bull and Dnlby . JYeio Zealand and its Colonisation . By William Swahison . Hmith , Elder , and Co . Holy Places , and other Poems . By Itobocca Hoy . Hntclianl mid Co . , ' Mackintosh ' s System of" National Dtfei \ ce ; or . Now Strategies in Warfare , " &> o . W . Clowes and Sons-Facts , Failures , and Frauds . By V . Moriur Evans . Groombildffo and ( rions . My Journal ; with an Account of General Have * looh ' s March from Allahabad to . JLuoknow * By A Volunteer . Calcutta ; C . B . Lewis . State Pronoun ( ions of tha Press at tho Instigation QJ a Forviyn Government . By Henry J , Slack , liarrlstmvnt-JLaw . . .. . ,. „ Hand Booh of tho Court andPoeragc , and thofloum of Commons , 185 P , P . 9 . K , lJ » g .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 19, 1859, page 15, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_19021859/page/15/
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