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    /ftf U ^ (Tf ffrs lebijt ^li iJa,

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    Bathed in the magic moons transparent beams . I never shall forget how far he flew O ' er Caucasus , and rested en its peak . Then swept sheer down upon the plain , as though He meant to plunge me in Euphrates deep . A tall three-decker flew before the gale Upon the chafing sea;—thither he sped , And , resting with his toe upon the mast , He , like a pillar , poised himself in air , And there , secure as though he trod the ground , He held me in one hand aloft to heaven . Then when the moon , as pale as any ghost , Vanished before the earliest flush of dawn , Straightway he changed into a purple cloud , And dropped down with me , softly as the dew , 'Mongstthe small flowers , close by the city gate . This done , transformed again , he soared , a lark , And vanish'd twittering in the azure air .

    Before parting company with Mr . Martin ' s volume , we cannot forbear from protesting against the translator ' s fondness for slang phrases , such as—4 All right ! ' ' Rather , sir ! ' ' wide-awake , ' ' spick-and-span , ' ' precious little , ' look alive , ' ' pluck , ' &c . Persia very likely has its slang ; but these phrases are irreconcilable with our notions of Ispahan , and drag us back into the London mud .

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    THE BOHEMIAN GIliL A L'lTALIKNNE . Tub appearance of the . Bohemian Girl in an Italian drcsa , as L-i Zinyara , haa created a perfect furore among the middle classes , to whom a truly . ' ' ballad , delivered with n fino nasal expression ( and the mouth halt shut ) , is mo richest of all tuneful treats . The admirers of British Tenors and ^ ''W " ^ have rushed in mobs to the Old Ophiia Mouse in the Hnyinarkut to s . i utc t o shades of UAitniBoa and Borrani , who were ( invisibly ) present ¦ . ^ ^ "'"" Italian , successors , Giuolini and Belleim . Without undue eavillmtf . "' 7 ,, the lot us confess that Mr . Balfe ' s facile and fluent airs wore wuleomou \ u it enthusiasm of old days , and that Mr . BuN «' a ' pottery' was frui" * J ° ™ A , " ^ ¦ intelligible in a foreign language than in the vernacular ot 1 >« uky i ^ » MaMlS ^ iocoMMMU ^ toukeO ^^ " •" . £ „ Zinffara ; Giuglini , Belletti , and the wiCTr ^ I « HJf ; lrnliuii ^ words , and an Italian method of singing , forcibly , too torcibly , rociiUod to inui » 7 their British predecessors , and this waa Jolt by the audusnuu to bo thoir « nw praise . There is something glutinous in the cloying sweetness « l «»» »* V i 3 this opera that cannot be dissolved even in Italian , throats . Novcrtholess , £ only just to add that The Bohemian Girl , fllnce its first production in L . ou «» U more than fourtoon years ago , hua boon applauded in Germany and » ' » J » ; ' barrol-organed over Europe , Jf wo scorn to bo grudging m our iccog > imu » its merits and beauties , the skilful and successful composer may proudly say , « When Baker-street is eatlafled , Europe is content . "

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    been for some years , in the hands ot a gentleman who possesses the greatest of all faculties—that of making money . His season , commencing on Boxing-night is inaugurated with a lever du rideau and a grand pantomime . The lever du rideaunmy be anything , and is generally nothing .. The people must be ' played in , ' and whether the performance consist of tragedy , comedy , farce , or vaud eville , is but little matter . For the last few years he has retained the services of Mr . Charles Mat-hews , unquestionably the greatest living light comedian . But upon what have Mr . Mathews ' s talents been expended ? The impersonation of rechauffe farce characters , worn threadbare in former seasons , and the whole point and idea of which have long since been used up . Since Mr . Mathews has served under the banner of Mr . K . T . Smith , what single piece can be pointed out in which he has created a sensation ? He hammers a hoarse laugh from a coarse throng , truly , but of what avail is his finesse , his delicate appreciation of the light and shade of character ? The audience are all agog for the pantomime , and when it comes , what do they get ? Fun ? Heaven

    forfend that that glorious word should be so miserably misapplied ! The opening is generally a bad burlesque ' with a purpose . ' Gone are the bijj heads , the hollow unintelligible voices , the thwacks and kicks ! Gone is the riot and the row , and in their stead we have halting rhyme hitting vaguely at what are called the ' topics of the day , ' but in reality tamely joking upon the events of the previous September ! The nonsense climaxes in a scene upon which the entire fortune of the pantomime depends , the transformation scene , and to the glorification of this is brought the rarest talent that has ever illumined the scenic artist ' s pencil within the memory of modern playgoers . As the little Cheapside gent vainly endeavours to rival the Pall-mall ' swell '—for by the time that he has acquired a bad imitation of the cravat and the gait a new phase of folly has commenced with his prototype—so do other theatrical painters always fail in their attempts at emulating William Bevekley . They can imitate his bending palm-leaves , his pendant female figures , his successive gradations of' effect , ' each following the other in rapid succession until the mind fancies no further elaborations are possible , but they

    can never accomplish that wonderful mingling of colour , that exact blending of light and shade , that harmonized arrangement of drapery , which more strongly than anything indicate artistic conception ! Shout , applaud , roar , people in boxes , pit , and gallery—come forth and bow , stout man in the red velvet waistcoat We who know what is what believe not in you ! As well might we honour the esteemed publishers for the satisfaction we derived from the perusal of Pjckwick , or the man who takes the shilling at the Academy door for the gratification we have experienced from the sight of Millais ' s picture ! The comic business is simply nonsense . There are two of all the comic characters , each striving to outvie the other in agility , bad joke and attempt at political allusion , but as to general fun , there is none . The pantomime , however , as a -whole , is sufficient attraction to draw crowded houses until Easter . The lessee has paid his rent , cleared his expenses , and pocketed a neat little sum to boot ; and then the * temple of the drama' is let , at intervals , during the remainder of the year , to any miserable people who may be misguided enough to risk the hardearned provincial gains for the sake of acquiring what they vainly hope may be tlie prestige of a London reputation .

    THE THEATRES OF LONDON . We take advantage of the occurrence of a week in which no particular theatrical novelty has been produced , to offer some remarks upon the general condition of the- theatres of London , of the style of entertainment which they offer , and of the causes of the success or failure popularly attributed to them . In the ' ' decline of the drama , ' that wall so popular with old gentlemen who no longer go to the play , and third-rate actors— -the Macbetha of the provincial , the bloody Qfllceru * of the London boards—we have an utter disbelief . Some comedies have been produced within the laat few years which , in their truth to nature ^ and-tho-scopq . airQrdedJ ^ yJiliG ^^ of real every-day character , are immeasurably superior cothe fitandard''drarn ~ aTwh ! ch"have'llvod-for a century and are still occasionally performed to a « well-ordered' audience . It is heresy , but it is simple truth , to aver that such characters as Bob Aores and Mrs . Malaprop , were they now produced for the first time , would be hooted from the stage . But , at the same time , "we are perfectly conscious of the shortcomings of the various managers , and , tjie different stylo of entertainment produced , and we will endeavour to comment upon them with impartiality and Take , for instance , Duunv Lanm , the largest theatre in London , and one capable , from its mere size , of affording greater opportunities for a certain display than any other . The management of D » a » v Lane is at present , and haa

    The Princess ' s , under the management of Mr . KEAN , can easily be reckoned up . Finding that the production of modern comedies drew no money , the lessee conceived the notion of the- Shakspearean revivals , which he has since carried out with an accuracy , liberality , and taste which have made them world-famous . An occasional romantic drame finds its way into Mr . Mean ' s repertoire , but he generally confines himself to the Shakespearean revivals , two or three very slight farces , and the Christmas Pantomime . Tlie pieces are invariably placed upon the stage with the greatest care , and the company , though by no means powerfill , is above mediocrity . Mr . Kean sadly wants a new Jeuiie premier , a . young man of good appearance and address , and no knowledge of the traditions of the stage . ' . ... . __

    Perhaps no theatre is more legitimately ruled than the Haymarkkt , which is essentially devoted to comedy and farce . Go in when you will you are tolerably certain of a laugh , for though the matter provided may not be always first-rate , the manner in which it is set before you is invariably excellent , With the exception of Mr . Buckstone , there is no artist of note in the entire company , and yet it would be difficult to lind a better jeune premier than Mr . JTarren , a more thoroughly artistic comedian than Mr . ( Jompton , a more useful assistant than Mr . Clark . Mr . Buckstone himself is a perfect master of his craft , is an unexampled favourite with tlie public , and knows so well the weak portions of a drama , and works so hard when he sees the audience are beginning to discover them , that the success of si piece has often been entirely owing to his exertions . It is in what linendrupors call the ' female department ' that the Haymarket company is weakest , and the caste of the MvaU , so far as the ladies is concerned , is lamentable indeed . And when wo recollect Mrs . Glover , Mrs . Nisbett , Madame Vjsstkis , and others who once adorned the Haymakkbt stage , we more deeply regret tliat taste in dress has superseded artistic talent , and that a lady is more valued for the breadth of her crinoline and the brilliancy of her toilette than the depth ol'her understanding and the brilliancy of her appreciation . We purpose extending our comments to the smaller theatres next week .

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    - w THE MUSICAL TTNTON SOIREES . Me . Ella has commenced a sixth series of evening concerts , conducted on the principle of the famous Matinees of the Musical Union , with the occasional introduction of chamber-music , choral and solo . The present winter series is given at the Hanover-square Rooms , to the equal comfort and advantage of audience and executants . On Tuesday evening there was a brilliant gathering , not only of the elite of the resident aristocracy of the Musical Union , but of many more of that Athenian public which has a discreet horror of monster and miscellaneous concerts , and a fine ear for the best music of the best masters , played con amove by tlie best executants , under happy auspices , in all the comfort and serenity of a private drawing-room . On Tuesday evening the Programme was as follows : — - Quintet . G minor -.. Mozart . Quintet . E flat . Op . 44 . Pianoforte , &c Schumann . Quartet brilliant , in G . Op .... Maysedeb . Glee ¦ . . ' SummerEve' J . L . Hatton . Part Song . 'B anish , O maiden ' ...: Lorenz . Executants . Violins MM . Sainton and Goffrie . Violas . .... Hekbj' and Richard Blaguove . Violoncello M . Paqub . Pianist Herr Pauer . Vocalists ... Messrs . Lester , Taylor , Harrington , and Henry . The Quartet Glee Union .

    Mozart ' s exquisitely pathetic Quintet gave great delight , but the most interesting selection in this Programme was undoubtedly the Quintet by Schumann . This composition was played in 1853 . and we well remember with what a tender grace the piano was touched by Mdlle . Clauss ; but Mr . Ella tells us he was not satisfied with the ' imperfect performance' on that occasion , and certainly the Quintet was not then so effective as it proved on Tuesday , with the aid of the brilliant energy and complete mastery of Herr Paubh , who played with such an entire devotion and abandonment , you might almost have supposed he was the executor of poor Robert Schumann , and was carrying out the Music of the Future like a last will and testament ! Schuheretic in musical art

    mann , we believe , is reckoned by orthodox critics as a , though not so bad as Richard Waoner , who is gaining ground in Europe daily . All we can say is , that if his Quintet in IS flat is the Music of the Future , we are very glad to have a taate of it in the Present . Every movement is rich , flowing , c lear , and full of genius and beauty , and if it is harmonious madness , ' it is a madness infinitely preferable to , much dull sanity It was admirably played , with a truly contagious enthusiam , by Messrs . Sainton , Blagrove , Goffrie , and Paqub , as well as by Herr 1 ' auer , of whom wo have already spoken , to an audience listening in rapturous silence . Tno Glee and Part Song were charmingly given by the gentlemen of Mr . Henry Leslie ' s Choirand narrowly escaped an encore .

    , We are glad to learn that the Summer Matindes of the Musical Union are to be given in the new St . James ' s Musical Hall , a noble edifice , which has been rising like enchantment under the inngic Wand of that Moorish Prospero , Mr . Owen Jon us . Rubinstein , who has been ] dividing the laurels of Vienna with Piatti , will once more be the lion of Mr . Ella ' s summer season .

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    164 THE LEADER . [ No . . 412 , February 13 , 1858 .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 13, 1858, page 164, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2230/page/20/