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    Apr»* 2Q, 1850.] f£ !>£ 3&$&fr*t+ 93

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    CREED AND CONDUCT. To make speculative b...

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    COUNT PBPOLFS PICTURES. A -tvorBTHT desc...

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    THE MISERIES OF MUSIC. I am not musical ...

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    SCRAPS OF THOUGHT. ^ XIII To know the hi...

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    •»• The Initiation ok Love (being the Se...

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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.

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    The Drama. French Plays.—This World Is A...

    Et c ' est a qui viendra d ' un zSle sans < 5 gal , Me vanter les douceurs du lien conjugal . On me poursuit cbez moi , dans la rue on m * arr * 5 te : Fourquci ? pour me jeter une feume i la tfite . On m'invite il diner , c'est pour me faire voir Une beautu sans dot que Ton voudrait pourvoir . Suis-je au bal 2 e ' e 3 tbien pis : a ma droite se place Une tille un peu mflre , une Agn & s est en face 1 " In fact , he is pursued by one terror in a thousand shapes ^ : —wherever he goes , Marriage is -written in letters of fire on the wall . Worn out by this persecution he quits Paris for ever , and has come into the provinces to breathe the tranquil life of a widower in the house of his old friend Damon , There is a proverb about frying-pans and fires which we are not vulgar enough to soil our pages with ; whether it is in any way applicable to poor Menard you will judge , on learning that no sooner has the news of his intended visit reached the town than all the Unmarried Happiness of the town is alert to captivate him . There is a certain Madame Beaufort of whose verses the department is proud , whose " Ose s ' y reveler en des vers plein de flamme , On y voit ses combats , ses regrets , ses dCsirs ; I / ouvrage , au lieu de chants , se divise en soupirs . " Madame is a widow , whose unhappy experience of marriage has by no means disgusted her : perhaps she wishes to avenge on another husband what she suffered from her first : who knows ? Besides the poetess there is the daughter of Jolibois , the bailiff—a young person full of perfections , but not yet appreciated . Why ? People do say she squints—but then people are so malicious ! And " Elle ne se tient pas assez droite en marchant : De la vient sur son compte une imposture atroce Et de son dos voutG l ' on a fait une bosse !" Her father determines that Menard shall marry her . Nay more , even Dumon , the old friend to whom Menard is coming in all confidence to seek refuge from proposals of marriage , he , too , has a plot to catch the widower ! His daughter is only sixteen ; she loves M . Artur it is true , but Artur is politely bowed out , and she is told to captivate Menard . The poor fellow arrives , and is instantly treated as ActEeon was treated by his own pointers . To his horror , he finds in Madame Beaufort the Muse whom he deserted at Bordeaux , and she now claims , with peremptory tenderness , fulfilment of his vows . How Menard is harassed , and how finally Artur obtains the hand of Cecile ,. and Menard quits the town to seek elsewhere for widowhood and peace , you may easily imagine ; all we have to tell you is that Menard was played by Samson with great naturalness , ( but the part requires an Arnal or aKeeley ) ; that the piece is called Un Veuvage , " and is written by Samson himself . It contains some admirable writing , and its airy gaiety pleasantly carried it through . Marivaux ' s comedy , " Le Jeu de 1 'Amour et du Hazard , " which came after it , flagged , and seemed heavy in comparison . But these old writers labour under a double disadvantage , which only genius can rise superior to , namely , that of reflecting a society no longer existing , and that of having had all their situations " used up" by farce-writers . What was reasonably new in Marivaux ' s day has become unreasonably old in ours .

    Haymaeket . —A course of Socialist study would do managers no harm . They might learn at least two lessons : the false principle of Competition , and the law of chacun selon ses oeuvres , d chacun selon sa capacity . At present the rage for Competition is suicidal . No sooner does one manager bring out a piece which sueseeds than , quick ! another manager must bring out another version of it . If the original be French , we have four or five translations of one farce instead of five new farces . The other day four theatres were all playing •« Charles XII . " This week the " Vicar of Wakefield ' * is played at three—the Strand ,, where it first ar > r » eared—the Haymarket , and one of the minor theatres . Its success

    suggested rivalry . Is not this a false and foolish system ? Why could not the Haymarket suffer the Strand to enjoy its success in peace ? Or if Mr . Webster wanted to show how much better he thought he could represent the piece , why not wait till the ** run " was over at the Strand Theatre ? The system brings its own punishment , as all false systems must . Meanwhile we may say that the Haymarket version of the " Vicar of Wakefield" is unlike that of the Strand , and is better as a drama , though not so pleasant a piece . The Strand Theatre will lose , perhaps , some visitors ; but the Haymarket will hardly gain enough to make it worthy of the rivalry .

    On Monday Macready begins his farewell performances . Duury-i . ane . — Wednesday evening was devoted to a complimentary benefit f iven to Mr . Anderson , for his courage in undertaking so vast and ruinous a speculation . The Duke of Cambridge " patronized" this benefit . Princess ' s Theatre . — " Gustavus III . " has been revived here , with Miss Pyne as Oscar , and Mr . Harrison as Gustavus . Miss Pyne is a great favourite ; and Mr . Harrison ' s well-known charms of style and legs—his graceful acting , and careful avoidance of nasality in singing , together with his truly British phrasing though they effectively keep some sensitive people away from the theatre—are yet appreciated by a certain class . Mr . Weiss also lends the opera the aid of his intense and passionate style , so coloured , and so full of Southern impulse ! O Native Talent , what platitudes are committed in thy name I

    Strand Theatre . — Compton has a new part in " Friend Wraggles , which keeps the house in a roar ; but we speak only by report , not having found an opportunity of enjoying the fun .

    Apr»* 2q, 1850.] F£ !>£ 3&$&Fr*T+ 93

    Apr »* 2 Q , 1850 . ] f £ !> £ 3 & $ & fr * t + 93

    Creed And Conduct. To Make Speculative B...

    CREED AND CONDUCT . To make speculative belief the rule absolute of conduct is not easy . The « : floah " rebels and Sverpowers us . Yet even in defeat the intellect vindicates »^ ~ perionty , and finds the best possible reasons for its defeat A Spanish priest , once exhorting the soldiers to fight like lions , added , in the ardour of enthusiasm « ^ ct » my brethren , that whoever falls to-day in battle sups to-night in Paradise . . Jhuj dCTs of applause saluted the sentiment . The fight began , the ranks y »^ ' ° {« * J « P"J ! 1 J ? S to his heels , when a soldier stopping him referred reproachfully to ^ omwed suDDor in Paradise . » True , my son , true , " said the priest— " but I never eat supold

    PC ' y b ' e ^ ve ^ S *^ SL »* . An American paper revives an anecdote under this head . "Do you believe in predestination ? " said the capta n of a Mississipi steamer to a clergyman who happened to be travelling . ^^ him . OJ « ° ™ I do " « Well I ' m clad to hear it . " " Why ? " " Because I intend to pass that boat ahead in fifteen' consKive minutes , if there be any virtue ^^^ " ^^ J ^ safety valves . So don ' t be alarmed , for if the boilers ain ' t to ^ urst they won t . Here tho divine began putting on his hat , and looking very much like bao kiny ° * f » * " 5 $ M \ . ^ ^ v ^^ r ^ S j ^^ i ^^^ f ^^^ ^ ^^^ i treadmill . "

    Count Pbpolfs Pictures. A -Tvorbtht Desc...

    COUNT PBPOLFS PICTURES . A -tvorBTHT descendant of a noble house , Count Carlo Pepoli , is about to quit England , where he has long resided , and before quitting it offers for sale the magnificent collection of pictures which once adorned the , walls of the Pepoli Palace , and have since been known to all his English friends . The first point necessary to mention is the undoubted authenticity of these works . We call that the first necessa * y point , because in Eng land pictures are valued , not so much for their own intrinsic beauty ( witness the new Moore Kaffaelle , the surpassing excellence of which was undiscovered so long as it was believed to to beIt is of

    be a Mantegna , ) as for their being the originals " they profess . the utmost importance therefore that this collection is not a picture-dealer s collection , but the heir-loom of a princely family . Most of these pictures are firstrate in their several styles ; and some of them are " things ot beauty , which will be "joys for ever . " The Correggio— " Madonna and Child —was a great favourite with Wilkie , and the painters will prize it for certain Correggiosities to which the public are indifferent ; but the same subject treated by Gmido surpasses in exquisite beauty and tenderness almost everything we have seen by him . There are two Carraccis , also of great power , a fine Baroccio , and several pictures by various masters of lesser note worthy to find a place in any collection .

    The Miseries Of Music. I Am Not Musical ...

    THE MISERIES OF MUSIC . I am not musical myself ; at least ' not particularly so . I play , indeed , on the German flute , —Julia thinks with taste . Though her sister Sophy did once spitefully declare that she " hated to hear me slobber away at those horrid variations , h do not believe she meant what she said . But it is not of my musical talents I would speak , for I am modest on that score ,, and trouble nobody with them . Would I could say as much for my neighbours ! _ I have already been driven from thtfee houses , persecuted by young ladies thumping for hours upon tinkling pianos , and aim here placed between the Joneses who play harp as well as piano , and the Grograms Who add singing to the din . How can my Epopas proceed > Early in the morning Sarah Jones flogs with remorseless hand her with inability thinle

    tuneless harp . Every day she plays the sarnVpiece hopeless . I instead of improving she gets Worse . Day after'day , hour after hour , she goes through . the same piece ( and such a piece ! written I'fehould think by Signor Infelice , her master , a man all moustachios and garlic ) , end plays over the same passages , stumblingalways in the same places . This continues till * her breakfast time . I am awakened by her noise and fakly driven put of bed by * it , for lie there and listen I cannot . Peace descends at last , and I begin to shave . If you are of a thoughtful turn you will know how meditative a process shaving is . I get splendid lines while lathering , and often suspend my razor to write down a simile . In fact I should say my Hipoote when nroduced will have mainly been conceived during that delicate operation . You cart understand , therefore , the importance I attribute to it , —I mean the shaving , not the ; I 7 . nnn » - and vou cati estimate the amount of n } y satisfaction when I hear , as I mostly has loud

    doTliear , that conceited Grogram ftegin , his matutinal bawlings . Program a ^ barvtone voice , of which he is proud , and he frequents the opera , I believe solely for the purpose of giving representations in his bedroom while getting up ; for he sings LablachVs parfc , Jenny JLindVparts , Maria ' s parts , and brayuras away , filling up the accompaniments with loud Bom , boms ! If Grogiam only knew the impression he ' creates ! If he only knew how I hale-Ft' ravviso , the Rataplan , A teo cara , Suoni la tromba , and the SJuponFire ! There is one falsetto note upon which he dwells witlr evident satisfaction : it drills my ear till I feel like a maniac . But the worst of it all is that Grogram only sings snatches , never songs ; for he interrupts himself every minute to adjust some portion of his toilet , or to swear at the little Grograms who bounce in and out of the room . Houses are so thin that one hears everything next door as if in ' your own room . Thus I hear G . begin" Vi ravviso o luojrhi ameni aereni

    In cui , cm — « John , ho quiet , sir I do you hoar what I say ? Mary , take that boy away . ' _ ' This creates a diversion in Grogram ' s ideas ; there is a pause for a moment , but ' tis only a lull in the tempest . He strikes off again into «• Robert , Robert toi que . j ' aime 1 . Et quire ^ us , re < jus ma foi "—« Where are my boots , Mary ? ( bawling ) Mary ! where are my boots ? Under the bed ? Oh , very well ! . ' ' La mia letizia infondere '—™ Zifc & £ 3 % ? £ 2 Sl * Yet , . wouU . you believe it , Gro « am -w ^ -rf s & sz & l ritex *^ ^ S ^ ZX Stt ^ tt ^ detains nil six

    omnibus to Chiswell-street , where his office mm . x-eru * » yuu < . » . «» . iTav now have an hour ' s peace ? Error ! Anastasia Jones opens her piano about irSHutt i ± » Xttt ^ AM ! SSiSilHS ^^^^ e ^^ ^

    SU ^^ SA ^^ singers wnonowi . in uiwiiuuu » c a crown and consummation of horror , those %£ ^ BSS ^ £ ^^' d ^ S £ E ^& t U B " aSi !? -ho »™ » -. to a nation S &^ S ^ Hss ^^ ^^ JSS ^ sffi tagmy eirs . ' Yelpeople wonder that „„„ poetry i . not wntten nowaday ., 1 '

    Scraps Of Thought. ^ Xiii To Know The Hi...

    SCRAPS OF THOUGHT . ^ XIII To know the hirtory of man we must know the history of his gods : mytho-1 O £ lV U min 7 o ° f " anoi ' ent . was conjoined with a few grand and simple id ™ . ; J ^ aS ^^^^ v . nnntir h «« more of rine and masculine strength . » .,,. ,. i XVf The mocking Sirds , unsurpassed , it is said , for power of voice , but not excel-Una in swclt aiw ofnwlo are peculiar to America . Thus our loudest and mosc flSent bluar from our wisest and divinest talkers and teachers are Yankees .

    •»• The Initiation Ok Love (Being The Se...

    •»• The Initiation ok Love ( being the Second Episode of [ the * Apprenticeship of Ufa ) will be commenced in our next number .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 20, 1850, page 21, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_20041850/page/21/