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    184 THE L.EADEB;. T^o. 463, FEBittJAKY 5...

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    BOOKS RECEIVED. Russia. By a Recent Trav...

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    Coteni Gibden Opeea.House. We Have Durin...

    cess was artistically managed , in conformity with the best traditions of the stage ; and she missed no point of the nieatly finished dialogue in which Tobin has clothed the action of his piece . It has been our fortune to see so many Julias that we have no difficultyin recognising thorough competence when it presents itself , and have no hesitation in pronouncing Mrs . Forbes an accomplished representative of the part . She was ably assisted by Mr . Howe , whom it was refreshing to see in some other line than that of the . modern society business . We are not wont to be enthusiastic about Mr , Howe in the latter , but we were . much pleased . with the refinement he displayed as the Duke . He delivered the opening lines excellently , his performance : being also effective in the subsequent scenes . Mr . Cpmpton made much of

    the nice bit of character in Lampedo , the barbersurge 6 n ; Mr . Farren was most agreeable and gentlemanlike as the misogynistic Rolando ; and Miss E . Ternan spoke and looked prettily as Zamora . The great scene of the play was , of course , Buckstone's , who , as the mock Duke , hears the matrimonial cause in an extemporised court of divorce , with all the gravity of Gresswell and the facetiousness of Knight Bruce ; The piece is so familiar to the public that we should not have noticed its casual representation but for our desire to do justice to our fair American visitor , whose excellence in the part , of the heroine is unquestionable , and was acknowledged by the discriminating applause of a full and fashionable audience .

    Rip Van Winkle , ; reported to contain a good deal of agreeable and original music , is in active rehearsal at Covent Garden , and will be . produced as soon as time has been allowed for the influx immi gration attendant upon Parliament to have made themselves acquainted with Satanella .- — -The management of live Princess ' s Theatre passes , as has frequentl y been stated , to Mr . Augustus . Harris , on the approaching termination of Mr . Kean ' s tenancy . Tlie new lessee lias already made spine engagements of importance , among which are those of the favourite actress Mrs

    Charles Youngs and Mr . Walter Montgomery , an actor well known at Manchesterl—The Pyne arid Harrison season at Covent Garden terminates on the 19 th of March , when Mr . Gye , of course ,, will take the field against the various competing opera houses . Apropos of music , we observe in the columns of a contemporary , that the official diapason will be promulgated in the beginning of April . The musical world , says UEnlr ' acte , awaits the report of M . Halevy , which we understand recommends the simple reduction of a quarter of a tone in the present pitch .

    OPERJL COMIQ 0 E , ST . JASIES ' S THEATRE . . HerokFs charming-Pre aux Clercs , which is gener rally admitted to be one of the best specimens of the French Opera Comique , was performed here on Monday last for the benefit of Madame Faure , who has been hitherto the mainstay of the troupe , and whose industry and intelligence have never failed to meet with that recognition they deserve ; although weakly supported as she has been by her fellow artists , she has of cpurse not been able to attract any great amount of public attention t 6 the enterprise . The brilliant airs allotted to the part of

    Isabella were well given by the beheficiaire , who procured an encore for the popular trio in Act III :, and was well seconded by the Nicette , Madame Celine Mathieu , who , in the previous operas of the season , has had little chance pf taking a prominent position . The orchestra , including a talented soloist , M . Po ^ litzey , wasi as usual , praiseworthy , and the male singers , as usual , the reverse .. The opera was followed by a concert , of which the most noticeable feature was the fluent execution , by Madame Faure , of the famous " Oarnaval de Venise , " which was earnestly and deservedly applauded .

    st . james ' s halI / . The " Monday Evening" " Popular" Concerts have proved so attractive , that they are now announced to continue until further notice . That of Monday last was of similar character to those which have made the reputation . of the series . The leading vocalists were Mesdames Hayes and Bishop , the former of whom sang Rpssini ' s ?• Sombres forets , " " The Harp that once through Tara ' s Halls , " and " The Last Rose of Summer ; " and the latter Giuglini ' s famous " Gratia agimus , " Bishop ' s " Home , sweet Home , " and " Oft in the stilly Night . " Miss Popie gave ^ My mother bids me bind my hair , " and Miss . Stabbach a song by Mendelssohn , with great effect . A beautiful song , called Lily Lye , " by Macfarren , was exceedingly

    well sung by Miss Lascelles . we have not space to recite the entire programme , which , composed as it was throughout of known and popular music , it would , again , be superfluous to criticise . It is not too much to say that the numerous audience M'ere delighted with the selection as it stood ; and , airthough musical fanatic * will forthwith proceed to urge classicaUty upon the management , their obvious , interest w | U be to let well alone . They have now occupied a safe and profitable ground ; if they stray from it into the boundaries of the high class " . Musical Society of London , " whose prospectus appeals to high legitimists , they will dp so at their peril . Mr . Wieniawski , the mechanical marvel of M . Jullien ' s concerts , is announced for the next soiree , and a detection from Mendelssohn may be expected at the next but one ,

    Aldridge surpassed himself in Othello . Real artists ate more than ever liable to be inspired in the moments of their triumph , when the love and respect of the public reveals itself in a more accurate and defined form . Our public manifested these , sentiments , towards Mr . Ira Aldridge , who , moreover , may boast of the unfeigned and truly brotherly sympathy of his Russian fellowartists . The elder Tosnitchky , when Othello was over , descended into the orchestra and presented Mr . Aldridge with a bracelet of massive gold , inscribed "The Russian Artists to Ira Aldridge , the . great interpreter of Shakspeare . " He handed also an illustrated scroll of cloth of gold , headed "Thou hast , with the help of thy genius , talent , and labour , revealed to the Russians the spirit of the immortal Shakspeare ; and henceforth we

    shall never forget Othello , Shylock , and Lear . To Ira Aldridge , from the Russian Dramatic Artists . 1858 . " Had these gifts been offered by the general public , they would not have had the hundredth part of their present value and significance . Among thousands it would not be difficult to find thirty apprecrators of art in general , and of Mr . Aldridge ' s exceptional talent , but where thirty artists belonging to the same body unanimously and publicly acknowledge their unbounded sympathy for the talent and personal character of a stranger actor , that promises a great harvest for art . For such as these Shakspeare ' s works translated into our native tongue have charms indeed . They evinced their true nature also at the last performances of King Lear at the Alexander Theatre .

    With the bracelet were showered on the stage nosegays , verses , and garlands of different shapes and quality . Having had the opportunity io look attentively overall these , I selected the following anonymous verses , which are written on a handsomely painted paper : " Let us go altogether , carrying our Russian * Thank you' to him who has made us a gift of Shakspeare with combined nature , feeling , and sense . His Othello , like a jealous tiger , affectionately and passionately frightened us ; his Shylockj a dreadful usurer , sharpening his knife , rent our very heart ; his . Lear was a king from head to foot . Following him with oiir best wishes , and offering him a wreath of laurels , we will say , ' Such visitors as thou are rare . Aldridge , we greet thee heartily , and beg thee to return With thy family the Jew , the Moor , and the King , '" These verses , apparently from the pen of a youthful student , make

    me also add a conclusion : " And if not in winter , at least in summer , return to Petersburg in haste , and acquaint us with Macbethj thy favourite part . " Othello was followed by a remodelled play of Beecher Stowe , The Padlock , in the way of a Spanish vaudeville , in one act , where Mr . Ira Aldridge not only showed that astonishing natural vis coinica which we fancied had been buried with Lablache , but also acquainted us with the type of a silly , naively-cunning negro slave . Conceive at one and the same time a character like Figaro , Bariolo , Diego , Count Almaviva , Lear , . Basilio ,. and you have Mr . Aldridge ' s Mungo . Among the songs sung by him was that favourite song of the American slaves , " Opossum up a gum-tree , " to the general satisfaction ; but the character of Mungo , most beautifully created by our highly-gifted guest ,. produced on me , notwithstanding all his careless mirth , a mournful impression , reminding me of the many distressing scenes in Uncle Tom ' s Cabin ,

    Chips . —A story appeared in print last week to which we were reluctant to give further currency until assured of its truth . We have learnt , however , that the sum of 100 J . recently changed hands at St . James ' s Hall under amusing circumstances . A Russian gentleman , who was present at the Howard Paul ' s entertainment , on being informed by his friend and cicerone that the ballad " Who shall be Fairest ? " with which the admirers of Mrs . Paul are familiar , was a lady ' s imitation of a celebrated tenor artist , at once resented what he conceived to be an attempted imposition upon his credulity , and backed his . opinion tlmt the person and voice , as well as dress of the singer he had just heard , were those of a

    male , by a bet to the above amount . The party waited , of course , till the close of the performance ; an introduction was procured to the fair artist : her repetition then and there , and in her ordinary dress , of Mori ' s ballad could hardly convince the illustrious foreigner out of his opinion and his money , but when the vocalist followed up the imitation by a Russian troika in her natural voice , he cheerfully resigned both , admitting that for once ho had found French aptitude , bo much appreciated by his countrymen , more than equalled by a daughter of Britain . —A new threa-act comedy , by Mr . Stirling Coyne , is

    understood to be in course of preparation at the Haymarket , and will bo produced early in March . Mr . Falconer , of the Lyceum , is engaged upon a new comedy . The favourite theatre of the Prtf Catalan , at Paris , was very severely damaged by fire last week . It burnt for four hours , and the whole of the decorations , & o ., were consumed , -r-Mr . Slpua ' s play , The Borgia Ring , seems hardly destined to hold the stage permanently , being now played on alternate nights only , Its entire withdrawal may be looked for at no distant period . We are not officially authorised to announce , but we have reason to suppose , that the American opera of

    THEATRICALS IN RUSSIA . . The subjoined paragraph has been handed to us as a pretty literal translation from a Russian theatrical criticism . Admiring as we do Mr . Ira Aldridge , the African actor , we are glad to note the enthusiasm with which ho has been received , by the artists and amateurs of the northern capital :- — On Saturday loot , the 20 th of December , took place one of the most splendid representations over remembered at Petersburg , on the occasion of the benefit of Mr . Ira Aldridge , who played Othello , and the comic part of the slave Mungo in the farco of the Padlock When the b < Jnc * floIoiro appeared , ho was hailed by a triple ealvp of enthusiasm . Such a deafening hurricane I have not heard elnce the last visit of Madame Vlnrdot . Mr .

    184 The L.Eadeb;. T^O. 463, Febittjaky 5...

    184 THE L . EADEB ; . T ^ o . 463 , FEBittJAKY 5 , 1859

    Books Received. Russia. By A Recent Trav...

    BOOKS RECEIVED . Russia . By a Recent Traveller . W .. F . Graham . A Critical Dictionary of English Literature , and British and American Authors . By Austin Allibone . Philadelphia : Childs and Peterson . The , North American Review . No . CLXXXIL Jan ., 1859 . Boston : Crosby , Nicholls , and Co . ; London : ' Sampson Low and Co . . . ' . ¦ . ; The Christian Examiner . - " No . CCXI . Jan ., 1855 ) . Boston : Crosby , Nicholls , and Co . ; London .: E . T . Whitfield . Redress of National Grievances , Sec . By Charles Enderley , F . R . S . Richardson Brothers . Behind the Scenes in Paris : a Tale of the Clubs and the Secret Police . 2 vols . James Hogg and Sons . CasseWs Illustrated Family ' Paper . Part XIV ., Vol . III . Cassell , Petter , and Galphii Half-hour with the Microscope , Illustrated from Nature . By . Tuffen West . R / Hardwick . Parliamentary Representation . By David Chadwick . W . F . Jackson and Son . . . Spray . Cambridge : M'Millan and Co . Plan for Collecting Sewage in London . By a Ratepayer . Effingham Wilson . , The Trade of Russia . By B . A . Kokoreff . Wertheimer and Co . ¦ ' ¦ ' .

    Extracts from the Works of Jean Paul Richter . By Georgiana Lady Chatterton . J . W . Parker and Son . The Welcome Guest . Part IX . The Irish Quarterly Review . No . XXXII . Dublin : W , B . Kelly . Nothing to Eat . By N . Sunnyside . Journal of the Dublin Statistical Society . Tart XIII January , 1859 . , The Parents' Cabinet of Amusement and I / istruction Smith , Elder , and Co . New Zealand and its Colonisation . By William S wanton Smith , Elder , and Co . Unica : a Story for a Sunday Afternoon ., Smith , Elder ,

    and Co . The Fixed and the Voluntary Principles . By E . Mioll . Ward and Co . Lettres sur VEnseignement des Colleges en France . Par M . C . Clavel . Paris : Guillaunjin et C . The Eclectic Review . February , 1859 . Ward and Co . The Works of ( he Rev . Sydney Smith . Part II . Longman and Co . Revue JBritannique . No . I . Janvier , 1859 . Paris s nu Bureau do la Revue , 60 , Rue Neuve-Saint-Augustin . Church of England Monthly Review . No . XXXH . Bell and Daldy , Blnckvooil

    Adam Bade . By George Eliot . 3 vols . W . and Sons . The Year-Book of Facts in Science and Art . By John Timbe , F . S , A . W . Kent and Co . On Liberty . By John Stewart Mill . J . W . Parker . The Life of James Deacon Hume . By Charles Badhuro , M . A . Smith , Elder , and Co . Proceedings of the Society of Antiquarians of tendon . Vol . IV , No . XLIX . That ' s It . No . I . Houlston and Wright . Dictionary of Useful Knowledge . Ports L and II . Huston and Wright . , Dictionary of Daily Wants . Vol . I . Houlston and

    Wright . T A Letter to the Working Classes . By Henry Druinmond . Boaworth and Harrison . Ernest the Pilgrim . A Dramatic Poem . By J . W . M » £ - Partridge and Co . _ „ ,, . „ Veterinary Medicines- , their Actions and Uses . Z $ yFi » ' « y Dun , V . S . Simpkln and Marshall . . , Our Brothers and Cousins t a Summer Tour in Ganam and the States . By John Maogrogor , M . A . & o « ' ° /» Jackson , and Hftlliday . , The North British Review . No . LIX . Edinbura h .

    W . P . Kennedy . „ _ . ,,, i »> Constable ' s Educational Scries : « History of Englan" . " Elemonta of Musical Analvsio . "

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 5, 1859, page 24, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_05021859/page/24/