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Leader (1850-1860), 29th January 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 151, Untitled Article

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      nd also fools for fun . Both classes together , our Yankee Sosopber thinks , would more than fill the largest hall be could hire in London . MADAME TUSSAUD ' S . Time-honoured Madame Tussaud ! She must by this rime be ripe for a centenary , though she is yet , we * prebend , short of the mysterious antiquity achieved by the renowned Miss Linwood , of . Leicester-square . We always go ourselves once a year , to call back and refresh our recollections of merry young days at Madame Tussaud ' s , just as the old maid will dust and rearrange her china , her keepsakes , her relics , and possibly her old love-letters . ^ Jut when we go we can hardl y invite jlaterfamilias and her treasures to bear us company ; for as we combine busiues 3 with pleasure-r ^ if the truth

      must be toldr—and work off the tallow-show and the wax-wprkm one journey to Baker-street , our pleasure in the latter exhibition is materially interfered with by the intrusion of sights , sounds , and company unfavourable to sentime nt or contemplation . Now it is a different thing , and with the' catalogue of 1859 before us-we can safely commend the collection to the public notice . It has of late years been carefully weeded , as well as , to use nurserymen ' s phraseology , new planted , and btars , after all , so little resemblance to the Wax-work of our childhood , that we admit it to be a new exhibition , and well remembering what it used to be , we now pronounce it—with liberality unusual in persons of our age even more interesting than it used to be .

      st . maktin ' s halu—lkslie ' s ciidm . Polyhymnia is opening her floodgates , and a deluge of lyre and song is at hand . To chronicle the music meetings at St . James ' s would well employ one reporter , . and there are signs that St . Martin ' s Hall will , during the season , demand the whole time of another . A host of choral amateurs met on Thursday at the first of Mr-Leslie ' s choral soirees , when a beautiful motet by that gentleman , sung by Miss Annie Cox . ( soprano ) , Miss Lefller ( contralto ) , and the chorus , with harp and organ accompaniment , was well siing , and very much adtniretl . As mueh . may hot be said of a new part-song for male voices , by Frank Mori , the failure of which , through imperfect study , seriously damped the energies and efficiency / of the executants for the rest of the evening . , We have an impression , at present subject to .

      correction , that our composers and conductors are losing sight of the charms of harmony and the power of sound over their audiences in attempting feats of choral contort ion . Pizzicato passages of " part-songs" a la mode Germnnorum , have been . over-vulgarised under . the 'impression that they favour the expression of light and shade . For ourselves , we now begin to turn for refreshment to the resonant breves and majestic progressions of the ¦ middle-age writers . We had rather bo dull with the composers of the Oriana madrigals , than sit and hear harmonies scientifically shivered , and singers worried by musical tetariisms , which it is a mistake to think are always agreeable to the paying publib . Uenet ' s madrigal 4 i Take heed , ye shepherd strains , beware ! " was perhaps the most successful piece in the whole programme on Thursdav evening .

      THE GRECIAN THEATRE . A new drama called Catherine Hotoard ] < w , Womarfs Ambition , has been played during the week at this popular theatre . It appears to have been adapted by Mr . Conquest from an older work , and abounds with those full-flavoured situations and effects which arc Appreciated by the audiences of the N . E . and S . districts . But whatever the standard of their dramatic taste , the north-easterners have at " The Grecian " a most convenient and well-ordered theatre , and a strong , permanent company of no small intelligence . The lending artist ,

      Mr . Mead , who plays the JJvkfi ofEthdwold in Catherine Jlotoard , is one who grusps nil the deeper sentiments of his various , characters , has a fine sense of tho picturesque in bearing and costume , and has diligently studied to modulate a powerful voice , which we can remember was once apparently beyond control . In Catherine Jlbtoard , tho broad touches with which tho author lias dashed iu tho worst characteristics of " the bluff king , " and several tolling situations which occur in the course of tho piece , wore received , 011 tho occasion , of our visit , with much favour by a full house .

      SAOBED HAUS 1 OKI 0 SOCIJETV , EXETJ 3 R , HALL . Ojs Wednesday this society gave thoJtfcsd / u / i usoxcellently « b usual . Mr . Surman conducted admirably . Tho band was led by Mr , Tolboeque , and the choruses wore executed effectively . If any tiling , tho volume of sound was too full ana powerful for tho hall , Tho singers were Mr . Dyson , and Mr . Thomas , whoso deep rioh voice is fust enabling him to rank high as a basso . Missli . Hughes nn& Mrs . Dixon sang with their usual taste and ability ,

      but the honours of tho evening woro awarded to Miss Lllza 4 .. Haok , who then made her llrst appearance before a London aiuUonco , This lady ' s voice is mo » ao soprano , singularly aweot anil clear . It is of grqat range , full in quality and porfeot in intonation . lior style is « b . aa , tQ , and she haa ovidontly boon educatoU in tho traditions , of the claaslo school of music . Diaduining thoso artlflcoa by which Borne soek to win applause , Mies * | Uok ««* g Handel ' s music wUh a AdolUy and correctness tUftt ftjppea , roa to surprise aa much aa it gratified tho

      audience . Her articulation was extremely distinct , and each note was sounded with studied care . Possessing a fine organ , which has evidently been studiously and artistically cultivated , we are glad to hail Miss Hack as an acquisition to the London musical world . Chips . —The dramatic news market is flat . Satanella at Coverit Garden , and the pantomime at Drury Lane , draw crowds nightly , and most of the smaller houses , now that town is filling , seem to be doing well also . The Sister ' s / Sacrifice , and Mr . Brough ' s extremely witty burlesque , are together filling the Lyceum . The Haymarket has a staunch public of its own , faithful as the renowned Dog Tray , whom , according to the song , even " grief could not drive away ; " and it has the popular

      manager ' s own . successful pantomime . The . recent outrage upon Mrs . Selby , to whom , while she was acting , a party of stylish " gents" threw a funereal chaplet of immortelles , has contributed to swell the tide which the attractive Maid : and Magpie and Kenilworth have caused to set in strongly , upon the little Strand . A heavy melodrama , overweighted by injudicious attempts to lighten it , has appeared at tfce Adelphi , on which head the least said the soonest mended . The annual meeting of the Drury Lane shareholders took place on Thursday , when it appeared from the accounts that the estate is solvent . A proprietor or two urged that the theatre was underlet at 4000 £ . a year , and a further sum of 1557 . for . extra performances . They referred to a former tenant at the rate of 10 , 000 / ., but without stating whether said tenant had paid it , or for how long . The majority thought they were well off in having one who

      paid his rent punctually , kept the playhouse open and the property undepreciated , and stood fair before the world , through good and evil fortune , like Mr . E . T . Smith . They therefore voted that gentleman their thanks , and carried the report of the committee . A new and enlarged edition of the correspondence relating to the Dramatic College and Mr . H . Dodd has been forwarded to us , and will find its way , we hope , to the subscribers . We have , just before going to press , witnessed a part of the performance by Mrs . Forbesi of Jvlia , in the Hunch back , arid the very pleasing impression we have received induces us to regret that she did not select that play for her first appearance instead of the Soldier ' s Daughter , in KnowlesV fine play her fine presence , professional aptitude , and admirablejjcostume tell most advantageously , and were thoroughly appreciated . Miss Reynolds was a most pleasing Helen , and won much applause in the favourite scene with Modus .

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      THE BURNS CENTENARY . THE CRYSTAL PAl ^ ACE . The project of the Directors of the Crystal Palace , for celebrating with all due solemnity the hundredth anniversary of the birthday of the great Scottish poet , met on Tuesday all the response that could have been expected from the compatriots of the deceased bard . The London-bridge station of the railway was besieged from an early hour by an eager company , and at an unusually early hour the interior of the Palace presented all the

      crowd and bustle of a fair , the illusion being further strengthened by the stalls with which the nave was lined , and all of which offered for sale appropriate little souvenirs of the poet . Mr . Hayes , the superintendent of the Fine Arts department , had extemporised immediately under the groat orchestra a , n exceedingly chaste and handsome " court of tho poets , " all the decorations of which had more or less reference to the business of the day . The court took the form of a semicircular architectural screen of classical design . At one extremity the sharp features of Voltaire peered forward , at the other the mild features of AUIeri presented themselves iu marked contrast . Within was a goodly row , including the largo massive features of Wordsworth , as Wordsworth was in his prime , the head of Campbell , tho features of Moore , and . the Phidian lineaments of Byron .

      There wove also . Coleridge and , tocott , Cowper and Sholloy , a goodly catalogue of illustrious men but yesterday , ns it were , ulivo and practising their divine art amongst us . In the centre was tho bust of Burns himself , of horoic proportions , and having a column and a pedestal to itself . This bust , tho work of Mr . CaHler Marshall , wns much admired , and was strikingly like tho well-known Nasmyth portrait , which is admitted to bo the most correct likeness of the poet extant . In tho wall of tho court wore a groat number of little panels framed and glazed , and within thorn were arranged such relics of tho bard as tho enterprise of the directors of the company , aided by tho kindness of contributors , had enabled them to bring together . There was also the Kasmyth portrait itself , boaring on its front tho impress of truth .

      At twelve o ' clock the groat organ poaled forth a strain of appropriate musio , and a curtain being suddenly let fall , tho wliolo of tho poets' court and its procfoua contents wore at once disclosed to tho company . A loud ohoor resounded through tho building , and immediately tho boy a' band of tho Caledonian Asylum played an inspiriting Soottiau air . From that moment , until two o ' clock , there woro relays of pipers , and < i military band . In tho concert which , followed , a Mr . M'DaviU made a

      creditable first appearance , and Misses .: Dolby , Lizzy Stuart , Ransford , and Madame Porna ^ were enthusiastically applauded in their ball ads . After the first portion of the concert , Mr . Grove appeared upon the platform holding a mysterious packet , and received a distinct round of applause . Then the workmen proceeded to cover the front rail with scarlet Cloth , which , when properly extended , showed in the centre the word " Silencej " printed in large , white letters . This hint was at once taken and obeyed . Mr . Phelps came forward and had a hearty recognition , which was succeeded by a deathlike silence aa he proceeded to open the large letter , which had been with due form , handed to him by Mr . Grove ; Another moment and he raises his voice—he has been

      requested to announce that the author of the successful poem is "Isa . Craig , of Ranelagh-street , Pimlico . " Now there is a general buzz and universal exclamation of "Who is Esau Craig ? " Mr . Phelps * s reading left nothing to be desired . Accustomed to speak to large audiences , he pitched his voice so that it reached the extremities of . his immense circle , and his slow , measured accents gave its full value to every , separate word . The reading was loudly cheered . At its termination , a loud call was raised for the author ^ who , however , did not come forward . .

      After a short interval the concert was resumed , two or three well-known Scottish airs were sung , the whole audience joining in the chorus with excellent effect , and shortly afterwards the company began rapidly to disperse . We were informed that the second poem , which , narrowly escaped being first , was the work of a youth named Myers , who is not more than fifteen years old-

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      The Caledonian Society of London . —A very large party of Iadie 3 and gentlemen connected with this association of Scottishmen in the metropolis , dined in the evening at the London Tavern . The chair , was occupied by Mr . R . Marshall , president of the society , supported by Mr . Charles Knight , Mr . William Chambers , Professor Masson , I > r . Hodgson , Mr . D . Roberta , R . A ., Mr . Calder Marshall , R . A ., Mr . Hepwprth Dixon , Major Adair , Mr . Robert Hepburn , &c . &c . The dinner was most elegant , and comprised several national dishes . After the usual loyal toasts , '" The Undying Memory of Robert Burns " was proposed by Mr . Robert Hepburn , in a speech of great eloquence , which we regret the crowded state of our columns prevents our giving at full length ; at its conclusion the speaker was loudly cheered . A var iety of other appropriate toasts were done honour , to , and altogether a very delightful evening was spent . . "

      Dinner at the Guildhall CoFFBE-jerousE . —Upwards of 100 gentlemen , chiefly from the land of the poet , dined together on this occasion at the Guildhall Coffee-house ; Mr . Hannay in the chair . The customaryloyal toasts haying been given , enlivened with appropriate songs , the chairman proposed , in a very able speech , " The Memory of Robert Burns , " whose many sterling qualities and few failings he compared to a rich field of corn—wherein a few weeds had grown up , standing out the more conspicuously from the golden hue of the grain , and the gaudy show of the poppies with which it was here and there dotted . He believed

      that posterity would yet dp justice to the memory of a man who , living at a day when men and manners were much less refined than now , was one of nature ' s true nobility , for his poetical works formed only one of the phases in which his character might be viewed with advantage . Many other toasts followed , and the party separated at a late hour . . PnoviNCXAL CELKnBATiONS .- ^ -The proceedings of the day were marked by the greatest enthusiasm at Dublin , Manchester , Liverpool , Bristol , Southampton , Shields , Cheltenham , Suuderlandj Newcastle , and other great towns .

      Scotland .- —The centenary was celebrated , on Tuesday , in almost every city , town , and village north of the Tweed , with the greatest enthusiasm . It is utterly impossible to give the merest outline of tho speeches at the various banquets and festivals . The Scotch newspapers are lillod from end to end with accounts of tho demonstrations . At Edinburgh the speech of the evening at ono grand banquet was delivered by Lord Ardmillan , and at the other by tho Lord Provost . Ono of Burns ' s eons was present at Dumfries , and tho other at Glasgoyr . Glasgow . —At the festival hold in this city Sir Archibald Alison presided , and proposed the toast of the night to tho memory of tho poet in an admirable address . Mr . Monckton Milnos was present , and

      respondedto the health of " The Poets of England . " Colonel Jamea Gloncairn Burns , the son of tho bard , made a short , manly speech , and the toaafc of " The Press" was with much delicacy left to a London editor to acknowledge , Mr . Lowe , of the Critic . In tho course of his speech tbia gentleman remarked that , had journalism existed in Burna ' a time as it now exists , it would not have been to tho " noblemon and gentlemen of tho Caledonian Hunt " that he would have had to look for patronage , Borne upon tho winga of tho press , his name would have gone forth to wherever , tho English language was known , nod it might have been that , with a bettor appreciation of his genius , his grateful country would have found some occupation for his genius moro congenial than that of aa exoisoman .

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      No . 462 , J anuary 29 , 1859 . } THE LEADER . ^

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 29, 1859, page 151, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2279/page/23/