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    Untitled Article

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    LETTER FROM ITALY.

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    LETTER FROM GERMANY.

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    Untitled Article

    and St Martin . Popular selections at vast music-rooms in Holborn , Lambeth , Somers Town , and elsewhere . Oratorio , as usual , m the Strand , Truly , if we are not yet a musical peoplci we are . tending fast that way . : This year will , it is clear , be remarkable , from a musical point of view for a revived—or say strengthened—feeling : for old ballad music . Messrs . Beale and Chappell have repnblished a fine collection of some hundred and fifty " Old English Ditties . " Mr . ; Cluippell , the musical antiquarian , is lecturing upon them every where . Miss PnnVfi and Mr . Ramsden . who have them inliand as singers , are

    dehjr-htin " hearts and inspiring hands in city and suburb . We may fairly predict that this revival will be extensively felt . The " Popular Concert " directoi-s at St . James's ' Hall , who have been unflinchingly administering hfeh-class chamber music , perfectly executed , to audiences not altogether prepared for such strong meat , will ,-we expect , see their way clearer in . 1860 than in ' 58 and ' 5 U . Mr . -h . T . Smith , with his renewed lease of Di-my Lane , will again , this year , open its doors to . Italian Opera subscribers ( the old house still i loscd ) , and has already made several of his engagements . Hie fcliill of our native executants has risen , and will continue to rise , m compliance with requisitions of improved public taste ; and , to conclude , while the dullest can see the steady development of music . in England , the most penetrating can discern ahead no symptom of check or unhealthy pi-ogress .

    Untitled Article

    Rome , 31 st December , 18 o 9 . I WAS present on Christmas at the High Mass in St . Peter ' s . The ceremony in itself was much as such ceremonies usually arc—pompous and wearisome . There were fewer strangers and more cardinals present than usual ( Wiseman and Antonelli , by the way , among the number of the latter ) . About the religious aspect of these pageants there may be , and are , two sides to the question . About the artistic aspect there can be but one , in my opinion . They are * after ally poor pageants , poorly produced , A Sbsikesperiau revival at the old Princess ' s was decidedly a . more gorgeous and imposing . sight , and Charles Kean looked as good a cardiual as the Pope looks a pontiff . It is rather difficult to say what one ' s feelings might be at these great " spectacles" of the Roman Church , if one could manufacture the requisite amount of faith .

    encored or repeated at any time , unless the previous permission of the Government inspector has been obtained ; and no spectator if , on any pretence whatever , to take a stick or umbrella into the pit , under pain of being tried by a military tribunal . - However , if a man has to sit upon a' pbwder-baiTeV . J'ou' can hardl y wonder at / hi . , entertaining a reasonable prejudice against smoking ; and on the principle the Pontifical Government may bo excused for a little uneasiness about popular demonstrations ; ¦ . ,, We have had a new opera produced here by a composer " Pen , unknown to English fame , and who , if " Carlo Pisani" be a sample of his powers , is likely to remain so . The opera , indeed , is a poor imitation of Verdi , and has barely managed to live out the first week of its existence . On the other hand , our new ballet , the "Sylphido in Pekin , " has created a perfect furore ; arid Miss Plunkctt , the chief dunseme , wins applause from all , even from the stouv-hearted inspector , who , with doubtful kindness , /¦ ¦ permits her " pas seuls " to be encored . We have a new tenor , too—Bettini , who , I think , will , before long , make a sensation across the Alps ,-and we are promised a new opera ,, written expressly for the Apollo Opera House by Pacin g . perhaps * next to Verdi , the . most celebrated in his own country of living Italian composers .

    The only fact from which an indifferent and unbelieving spectator can draw any inferences as to his possible sentiments under a hypothetical state of belief , is , that the-native-worshippers appear to pay as little attention to the service as an English pew-opener does to his incumbent ' s sermons , or household . servants to family prayers . In the midst of the gaping , staring , snuff-taking , whispering crowd , the English converts are always conspicuous by the fervour of their devotion ; but then ,, after all , they aro new brooins- ^ and every one knows the proverb . I own , however , that the reflection , which struck me most during the whole performance , was the curious one , that upon the hidden resolutions of the Emperor of the French depended the question , whether or not this . Christmas pageant wag

    to be repeated next year within the walls of St . Peter ' s . The Emperor has only to issue his commands for the French armies to quit Borne , and forthwith the Pope must leave his throne with what linste he can . The position of poor Pio Nono is neither a dignified nor a pkasant one , and I believe he feels his troubles acutely . I nave been told his Holiness says that all ' this Worry will be the death of him . His health too is said to have been much affected of late , though I saw little change , if any , in his appearance * beyond perhaps an increased air of good-natured feebleness . I hear too lliufc thero is great agitntion in tho Pupal conclaves , and general

    anxiety about the Congress . Antonelli , as of course you have heard lon ^ eve tin s , is to be the representative » f Koine It was first iirnmguri that he should nail to France in the , one Papal frigate , the " Immaculate Conception ; " but with a wisdom which savours somewhat of this . world , the Cardinal expressed u decided preference for u passage on board the Neapolitan war-steamer which is to convey tho envoy from the Coui't of Naples . Antonelli is to bo accompanied by his secretary , Signor Burili j and this fact jguvo rise to the following pasquinade , which was found inscribed the other day on the statue of Payquin : — -

    " Andern , con Kuvili , " JRitomuru con Jinaoo . " > the point of which is obvious to uny one who recollects thut " iiuaco " means a Husk in Italian , and also boars our . anglicised sense of u failure . Everything 1 here is so dull , and dead , and quiet , tlnvt there is little news of any kind to comment on ; and it is only by stray indications thut one learns thut thero existw anything 1 of life or

    agitation beneath the surface . The theatres are dotted- during 1 Advent , and Boxing 1 Njgrht is tho commencement of ( ho shprt Koman dramatic season , which ends with the Carnival . : A printed »<) tieo was in consequence posted in all the btroetfl , containing" different ' mutilations , to bo observed by . the nmlienco and actors tit the various theatres . Amongst other * , there occurred the iull ^ wjng extraordinary clauses : —No person is to distinguish , himself by vociferous applause or chipping " , under a penalty of quo month's imprisonment if the offence iu committed at an ordinary theatre , arid three months if afc tlio opera . No piece or vorso or phrnHO is to be

    Untitled Article

    HanovkU , January 2 , 1800 THE AHegmcine Zeituitg states , that the elite of the Austrian nobility have resolved to place their salaries and other , emoluments at the disposal of the Emperor , with a view to ease the ti'easury and enable the Emperor to pension off and assist those who have suffered in their persons or property in consequence of the late war . Prince Wiudisch-Gratz is the originator of the idea , and the following high personages have already subscribed to the project : the three Princes Liehtenstem , Edmund Schwavt / . tmberg-Lobkowitz ,

    Clam-Gallas , Wimpflen , Gi imuey Reischach— -all wealthy families ; added to this , it is said , that all the Archdukes who possess private property have proposed to dispense with the incomes they derive from the State , for the space of live years . To such straits has despotism brought one of the best situated and most fruitful countries of Europe . - While . the Government of Austria , has been offering in vain high bounties , and even political privileges , for Colonists to people the vast uncultivated fertile tracts of Hungary , Bohemia , and Transylvania , thousands upon thousands are every year departing to fever-raging shores , or to lamls the soil and climate of which has rendered ah inter

    are of uncertain nature . This preference - ference on the part of the authorities absolutely necessary . The Vienna Official Gazette publishes / the following Imperial letter , addressed to Count Golu . chski , the Minister of tlie Interior - — " Dear Count Gpluchski , —The patriotism of my people has been strikingly displayed during the late war , when thousands ranged themselves voluntarily under my banner , and since by remaining in the service ! By these volunteers and the conscripts of the year 1859 on hand , the Avar establishment of the army is nearly complete , and I am therefore induced ' to-countermand , the -Impressment ordered for I 860 . Fu . vxz Joski'h . "

    The Imperial letter contains the term " rck-rittcn , " i . e . rcciuits ; but to render this term by the English word recruit would tend to mislead the reader Tinacquaiiitcd with the continental system of raising soldiers . The despots of the Continent have adopted words which in English signify free actions and things , to express actions and things appertaining to a state of political and personal slavery .. Your readers have a specimen in the word " recruit , " employed for conscript , or man impressed by lottery . Another is the term volunteers ( JFreiwittigen ) for those who , by entering the army before their time has arrived , or without risking tho lottery , enjoy a certain advantage , and serve a much shorter period . It would bo difficult , and occupy too inuch space , to explain tile intricacies of the system followed by the different

    states ; and what may be quite correct of one state , is , in a greater or less degree , incorrect of another , or all the rest—a circumstance which affords German journals , now and then , opportunity pt declaiming against the . ignorance evinced by foreigners , witli regard to the affairs of the confederated States of Germany . Sometimes , however , " it causes German journalists to fall to loggerheads with one . another . Here is an instance . The Times lately contained an article upon the prosout state o \ ' Germany . Tito article was , of course , translated and criticised by the German journals ; among others , by tho TVcser SSeitung , wliieh introduced it with the following remarks : < ' After a long 1 interval , tlie Times once more finds loisure to vent some general reflections upon German uflairs . Tho article in question contains much rocnjntulation , and a great deal of silly tttull ( loiimfvrlio / ii'n % uu < j ) . " In the next number of the

    TVbser Xaitung , wo find its London correspondent , a German , passing judgment thus upon tlie sumo article : " The leading artielp ot tho Timos upon the wtiito of Germany' is written with considerably greater cleunic . su than ia usually the case with tho emanations from Printing 1 Houhc Square , and is , in gencrul , bathed upon a very thorough knowledge mid appreciation of Gonimn affairs , although the writer admits that it is impossible for a foreigner ( he should have mud an Englishman ) t . ^ nmstor all the details of German politics , " When the doctors ' diwiyroo , who shall save £ ho patientsP Tho quantum of tho fortification of tho coasts of tho Baltic and North Sua irt likely Io lead to u wider suparution butwetm I ' rusaiu and Hanover ; the latter , whoso tendencies aro very decidedly in favour of AiiHtriau policy , allowing-no disposition to gohand-in-haMd with the other states intonated in the matter ,

    Untitled Article

    16 The Leader and Saturday Analyst . [ Jan . 7 , I 860 .

    Letter From Italy.

    LETTER FROM ITALY .

    Letter From Germany.

    LETTER FKOM GERMANY .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 7, 1860, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2328/page/16/