Kalliwoda's new symphony. The voices were certainly divided, and the

general opinion was by no means favorable.

The overtures performed at the subscription concerts were as follows : that to Oberon; to Der Vampyr, by Marschner; to Fingalshöhle ((Fingal's Cave); the Weihnacht's Overture (Christmas Overture), by Otto Nicolai; that to Iphigenia, by Gluck; to Fidelio; to the Schloss am Rhein (Castle on the Rhine), by Jul. Otto, this was new; to Coriolanus; to the Felsenmühle (Mill on the Rocks); and a new one by Reissiger, not to Furandot, as the bills misinformed us; the overture to Faust, by Lindpainter (new); a Jubel Overture; that to The Vestal; and to William Tell.

So much for the symphonies and overtures; the solo players who performed at these concerts were:-1. The organist from Breslaw, M. Adolph Hesse, who played a new concerto cf his own on the piano; a clever composition, though not brilliant; it was received with applause. 2. M. Matthai, who played a pleasant concerto for the violin, which he had composed with his usual ability. 3. M. Leonhard, who successfully played Beethoven's piano-concerto in a major; he has also played Mozart's concerto in c minor, which did not generally please. 4. M. Hager, the violinist, from Cassel; Beriot's variations, which he played, are not of the first order. 5. M. Inten, who distinguished himself, for the first time, as a fagottist, in a new concertino, by W. Haake. 6. M. Eisner, who most brilliantly displayed his masterly skill on the horn, in a new concertino, by Lindpaintner, and in an excessively difficult composition of his own, which was received with tumultuous applause. 7. M. Mehnert, a young artiste on the clarionet, who played an adagio with variations, by J. Beer (new), and met with approbation. 8. M. Ulrich, a member of the orchestra, who, in an introduction and varia\tions by Lubin (new), showed the great progress he had made, in his already distinguished violin play, which the audience acknowledged by their applause. 9. M. Cipriano Romberg, a pupil of his uncle, who showed himself in every way worthy of his master; he played a concerto and a fantasia of his own composition, and met with the most lively approbation. 10. M. Haake, who played a concerto Polonaise of his own on the flute, and was well received. 11. M. Winter, who gave a concerto on the violin by Kalliwoda. 12. Mademoiselle

Schmiedel from Dresden, a pianist, who played Moscheles' Souvenirs d'Irlande and Pixis's military fantasia with considerable skill and success. 13. M. Franz Poland, who gave, on the violin, some variations by Mayseder, with great tact, and with good, though somewhat Frenchified, taste. He also played, with his brother M. Johann Poland, a new divertimento for two violins by Wassermann, with equal success. This brother is not above sixteen years of age.

WARSAW.

'Lafont's concert was well attended here; the number of the audience was about nine hundred and eighty; they were chiefly delighted by his masterly variations in a Swiss air.

PARIS.

Meyerbeer's Margaret of Anjou has been performed with great applause at Besançon.

A concert was given, a short time since, at Toulon, for the benefit of the poor; at which Neukomm performed several of his sacred pieces. One of Grenie's organs was also heard there.

The name of Boieldieu is, as it seems, not altogether lost to the musical world. Adrian Boieldieu, the son of the deceased, played at Rouen an overture with full orchestra, and met with great approbation. He was called for at the end of the piece, and the great modesty which he testified redoubled the applause of the audience.

Mesdames Malibran and Taglioni divide between them the enthusiastic applause of the London public. The phlegmatic islanders have no breathing time. No sooner do they recover from the fits into which the roulades of Amina throw them, than they are raised to the third heaven by an entrechat from La Sylphide. It is said that Madle. Taglioni's engagement in London is at the rate of 6,000 francs a-night, independently of a benefit guaranteed at 25,000 francs. [We can assure the French editor, that, crazy as we must appear, and really are, in our engagements with foreign performers, we are not yet so raving mad as he thinks us. About one-third of the sum named is preposterous *enough, but nearer the truth.]

Donizetti is consoling himself for the rebuke he met with in Paris last winter, by the success of his new opera, Ugo, Conte di Parigi, at the theatre Dei Rivivati, at Paris. He was ably supported by Donzelli and Madle. Tacchinardi-Persiani.

A celebrated violoncellist, M. Werner, of Vienna, is arrived at Paris, and means to appear in our summer concerts.

We mention with pleasure a fresh proof of the progress making everywhere by music. Our western departments are rivalling those of the south in their musical festivals. A grand association is formed between the philharmonic societies of Niort, Poitiers, Rochelle, SaintJean d'Angely, Fontenay, Saintes, Rochefort, d'Augoulême, and Chatillerant. This association, almost colossal, commenced its proceedings at Niort by a grand solemnity, on Whitsun-eve. The band consisted of ninety-six performers, and the chorus of eighty. Eight hundred

Madame Malibran concluded her residence here with a charitable action. The proprietor of the Teatro Emeronittio had requested her to sing once at his theatre; 'I will,' answered she; but on this condition, that not a word is said about remuneration.' The poor man was saved from ruin. The character she took was Amina in La Sonnambula; she was visited by throngs. The applause lasted a full half-hour; enthusiasm arose almost to infatuation. When she had arrived home, a vast multitude assembled round her residence, who sent in delegates requesting a shoe and a glove; these were obtained, torn into small pieces, and distributed among the populace. The Teatro Emeronittio is now called the Teatro Garcia. (Alas! poor Venice!)

The Halliday-street Theatre opened on the 5th of January, with the play of the Tempest, the parts of Ariel and Ferdinand being sustained by Mrs. Austin and Mr. Walton. A succession of musical pieces followed; among which were, The Beggar's Opera, The Duenna, Abon Hassan, Music and Prejudice, &c.; the principal characters being sustained by these performers.

On the 19th of January, the opera of Cinderella was produced, for the benefit of Mrs. Austin, with the following cast of the principal characters: Cinderella, Mrs. Austin; Prince, Mr. Walton; Dandini, Mr. Still; the Baron, Mr. De Camp.

A Grand Oratorio took place on Thursday, the 15th of January, the following being the programme:—

A. Concert was given by the Philharmonic Society, on Tuesday evening, the 30th of December, in the Musical Fund Hall. It was numerously attended, and afforded universal gratification.

Another Concert took place on Tuesday evening, the 27th January. The Philadelphia Sacred Music Society announce a Concert for Thursday evening, the 29th January, at which the principal parts of Haydn's Oratorio of The Seasons is to be performed.

The Musical Fund Society announce a Concert for Thursday, February 5th.

Chestnut-street Theatre.-Mrs. Austin has produced the White Lady, Boieldieu's fine opera, at this house, with complete success. She took for her farewell benefit The Tempest. Cinderella, the White Lady, and Masaniello have all, in turn, been acted.

Handel and Haydn Society. This Society performed the whole of the Messiah, with the additional accompaniments of Mozart, on Sunday evening, December 28th; and again on Sunday evening, January 4th. Haydn's Creation was performed entire on Sunday evening, January 18th; and again on the 25th. As this Society has a powerful and welldisciplined chorus, and at its performance is assisted by the full band of the Tremont Theatre, the lovers of the majesty and grandeur of Handel, and of the grace and brilliancy of Haydn, were both afforded the highest gratification by these performances.

On Sunday evening, the 22nd February, Washington's birth-day, the Handel and Haydn Society gave an oratorio, and produced C. E. Horn's Ode to Washington, for the first part. The second part was composed of selections. There were three pieces selected from the oratorio of David, composed by Neukomm, instrumented by C. Zeuner, organist of the society, and very well done.

The managers deserve great credit for the care and liberality with which the piece is got up. The dresses are new, elegant, and appropriate. The scenery at this house has always been of a superior kind, and displays ingenuity, taste, and skill in workmanship. The scene in which the Greeks are seen on the citadel of Corinth is well managed, much better than in either London or Paris, we should imagine, from the accounts we read of the performance of this opera in their journals. The opera has, with the exception of two or three very stormy nights, been well attended; and on the 18th and 25th instant, when Miss Wheatley and Signor Ferrero had their benefits, the house was quite full. On the 24th ultimo, Mr. Young was announced at the Park Theatre, to perform a concerto, for the first time in America, on the keyed serpent. The instrument which Mr. Young professes is, in reference to a military band, exactly what the double-bass is to that of an orchestra. The serpent is the last instrument in the world we wish to hear figuring in a concerto within doors. Mr. Young really plays beautifully, and to the upper notes of his instrument he imparts the softness of a bassoon. We consider it a pity that a man of such decided talent should waste his time on so unprofitable a study.

The uncommon partiality our citizens manifest for the noisy part of the orchestra has been lately much commented upon by strangers. The trumpet and trombone occupy, in our concerts, the posts of honour. True it is, Mr. Norton and Mr. Gambati are excellent performers; but we hear them in concertos too often. In England, they have Harper, a first-rate trumpet; and Germany has Schmidt, the best trombone that ever existed. This gentleman visited England, and was heard occasionally; but, at Niblo's garden, we will undertake to say that more trumpet and trombone concertos were played last season, than have been heard in England or Germany for two years. If Mr. Young adds himself to this triumvirate next season, we may fairly expect that New York will be blown away.

As we are almost without any national music of our own, we regard it as of the utmost importance to our future musical career, that we should derive our ideas of musical excellence from the purest sources, and that we should become familiar with the best models of musical composition. For these we must principally look to Italy and Germany, the two countries that have made the greatest advances and contributed the largest share towards carrying this art to its present high state of perfection.

A portion of our citizens have built one of the neatest theatres on this side the Atlantic, and have devoted it exclusively to the purpose of operatic representations; these, with others, have gone still farther, and now, to ensure its permanent continuance, have guaranteed the payment of all expenses incurred.

If the present company is not so good as is desirable, still they form the nucleus of a better, and should therefore be kept together. Arrangements have been made to procure from the Havana, Pedrotti, Montressor, Fornasari, Orlandi, and the leader, Rapetti. To give more variety to the performances, the managers are about organizing a corps de ballet, under the direction of Mr. Bennee, late principal dancer at Covent Garden Theatre, London, who has been engaged as ballet master and first dancer. The orchestra is composed principally of the same per

formers as before, and now, with the leader, consists of seven violins, two violas, two violoncellos, two contra bassos, two flutes, one flute for the oboe, two clarionets, one bassoon, two horns, two trumpets, three trombones, and drums.

The house re-opened on Friday, the 21st of January, with L'Inganno Felice, and the second act of Edoardo e Cristina. These pieces were repeated on Monday the 26th; and on the 28th, L'Inganno Felice and the second act of La Straniera were performed. No performance took place on the 30th, the house being closed to give time for the preparations necessary to produce Rossini's opera L'Assedio di Corinto. Park Theatre.-Since our last report, opera has been the principal attraction at this house. On the 6th of January, Native Land was revived, and performed for the first time in seven years. Various other operas were given during the month, the principal of which were the Barber of Seville, with all the original music as arranged by Mr. Penson, and Cinderella.

Concerts. Mr. Boucher, leader of the Opera, gave a Concert on the 13th of January, which was full and fashionably attended.

Mr. H. J. Truss gave a Concert on Friday evening, the 16th inst., at Brooklyn.

Signor and Signora Maroncelli's Concert took place at the City Hotel, on the 22nd of January. Miss Watson, Signora Maroncelli, and Signor Ravaglia gave some of their best songs.

Mr. Gambati's Farewell Concert took place at the City Hotel, on the 27th of January.

A splendid vase, which was presented to Mr. Gambati, by some of his friends, after the Trumpet match at Niblo's last summer, was exhibited between the parts; for what purpose this was done, unless as a piece of humbug, we are at a loss to conjecture, as it was publicly exhibited previously at Mr. Atwill's store in Broadway and at Niblo's. Mr. Gambati denominates this a farewell concert, as he intends to be absent from the city two or three months.

Oratorio.-As we announced in our last, the New York Sacred Music Society gave an Oratorio on Thursday evening, January 15, the object of which was to raise funds towards the erection of a new organ.

THE DRAMA.

KING'S THEATRE.

SINCE our last, nothing new, either in the shape of opera or perevery night, and some benefits have been taken, all of them successful former, has been produced. The theatre has continued to fill abundantly

ones,-real benefits. The season will close the middle of this month, when forty-five nights will have been given, instead of sixty, the usual number; though no abatement whatever has been made in the subscription! But if the subscribers have a passion for paying exorbitant and unnecessary prices, M. Laporte shows his good breeding in indulging them.

ENGLISH OPERA-HOUSE.

Marschner's opera, Der Vampyr, produced at this house six years ago, has been revived, but not, we are persuaded, with the least chance of aiding the finances of the theatre. It is a laboured and by no means clever imitation of Weber, whose instrumentation he almost burlesques, stunning the audience with noise, and affording the tired ear scarcely any melody as a relief. A single chorus,-the idea borrowed from the composer of the Freischütz-saved the opera at its first performance in London, but being no longer new, will not now sustain so dead a weight. Besides which, the public are heartily sick of damsel-devouring heroes, and diablerie is losing all its attraction. Hence the Freischütz has been performed here twice or oftener during the last month, but to halffilled benches.

TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS.

We can assure An Amateur,' that vocal music is quite as much in request as instrumental. We think highly of the gentleman named, but believe that neither he, nor any one else, assisted the director in the instance alluded to. We thank H. W. for his hints concerning Handel's operas. The Hull Festival' was hardly a critique.'

We ought long since to have acknowledged, with many thanks, Sir G. S. M.'s suggestions.

One of the Subscribers to the Musical Library' is so exceedingly eccentric, that we really do not know how to answer him.

THE MARQUIS OF GRANBY'S MARCH-(Page 134). The name given to this March is familiar to all who are acquainted with English history. The music we found with words set to it, as a song, and in a very simple state; but the striking

* M. Beyle, who, under the assumed name of Bombet, published in 1814 Lettres sur Haydn, &c., which in 1817 appeared in an English garb, tells us that the uni versity sent him a doctor's diploma, (lui envoya le diplóme de docteur,) and that custom requiring him to produce an exercise, he presented a canon which might be sung backwards or forwards, or by turning it upside down,-statements as erroneous as many others that appear in the same work. The fact is, for an honorary degree no exercise is required, and it was a compliment paid by the university to Haydn, to request the performance of one of his works. The English translator of the Letters has sanctioned this error by printing the canon, which certainly was produced at Oxford, but not for the purpose stated. As a musical curiosity it is here inserted.

Page

Page

88

89

90 91

Review
Foreign Musical Report
Drama

96

character of the melody, and the spirit of the original, which was discernible, notwithstanding its vocal disguise, induced us to modernise the composition; or, rather, to restore it to what we imagine to have been its first form, which, doubtless, was instrumental. The few notes added for the flute are quite ad libitum ; and with a slight alteration, may be played by a third hand.

INTRODUCTION and ANDANTE-(Page 135).

From the eleventh of Handel's Twelve Grand Concertos, composed in 1737. We have taken a portion of the first movement as an introduction, together with the whole of the very melodious andante, as performed at the Concert of Ancient Music. Much of this is, in the original, written for two violini principali.

AIR with VARIATIONS-(Page 140).

The air is Non v' ha sguardo,' sung by Anna Bolena, in Act 1. Scene 3, of Donizetti's opera. The variations, by Plachy, are selected from several written by him on this subject.

CHORUS OF PEASANTS-(Page 125).

Come, gentle Spring! etherial mildness, come!
From out her wint'ry cave bid torpid nature rise.
Not yet hath Winter closed his reign,
But deadly frosts at his behest
Assail each shoot and leaf,

And strike with icy, killing hand.

Come, gentle spring! with zephyr in thy smiling train,
And cheer our drooping hearts. O come! come! come!

The opening chorus of HAYDN's Seasons. The Baron von Swieten, who wrote the text of The Creation, also compiled the words, partly from Thomson, of Die Jahrezeiten, or The Seasons, for his friend the composer, then translated them into English. As we feel authorised to differ from the Baron on certain points touching our own language, we have taken the liberty here to make alterations in his version which appeared to us to be absolutely called for, and can only express our astonishment that such mistakes-not at all surprising in a foreigner-should so long have been sanctioned at our concerts and music-meetings.

SONG (Page 132).

When I roved, a young Highlander, o'er the dark heath, And climb'd thy steep summit, O! Morven of snow,* To gaze on the torrent that thunder'd beneath,

Or the mist of the tempest that gather'd below; †

*Morven, a lofty mountain in Aberdeenshire. 'Gormal of snow,' is an expression frequently to be found in Ossian.-Byron.

This will not appear extraordinary to those who have been accustomed to the mountains. It is by no means uncommon on attaining the top of Ben e vis, Ben y bourd, &c., to perceive, between the summit and the valley, clouds pouring down rain, and, occasionally, accompanied by lightning, while the spectator, literally, looks down on the storm, perfectly secure from its effects.-Byron.

This is a part of the most interesting scene in the most charming and popular of Cimarosa's operas, Il Matrimonio Segreto, a drama taken from the Clandestine Marriage of Colman and Garrick. Paolino and Carolina answer to the characters of Lovewell and Fanny. The young couple, finding that their private marriage can no longer be concealed, are preparing to take flight from the lady's paternal roof, and when on the point of departure, sing the present duet, in which Paolino exhorts Carolina to have courage,

ADALBERT GYROWETZ,

a distinguished German composer, whose works have not obtained the notice out of his own country to which their merits entitle them. He was born at Budweis, in Bohemia, in 1765, and received his education in Vienna and in Naples. In about the year 1790 he came to England, but stayed only a short time. In 1804 he was appointed imperial kapellmeister; and was living in 1827, when he was a pall-bearer at the funeral of Beethoven. His compositions are numerous in every class, and show him to be an accomplished, ingenious musician.

GLEE (Page 134).

Go, happy heart! for thou shalt lie
Intomb'd in her for whom I die,
Example of her cruelty.

Tell her, if she chance to chide
Me for slowness, in her pride,
That it was for her I died.

From The Mad Lover, a tragi-comedy by Fletcher; or, according to some authorities, by Beaumont and Fletcher, jointly. The present are the first two stanzas of five, of which the brief poem-a piece of burlesque, by-the-by-consists, and are addressed by Polydor to Calis, in the third act of the drama. The music (composed for this work) is by Mr. Horsley.

SONG (Page 136).

Tell me, lovely shepherd, where
Thou feed'st at noon thy fleecy care?
Direct me to the sweet retreat

That guards thee from the mid-day heat.
Left by the flocks I lonely stray
Without a guide, and lose my way.
Gentle shepherd, tell me where
Rest at noon thy bleating care?

From the Serenata of Solomon, written by

EDWARD MOORE,

the son of a dissenting clergyman, and born at Abingdon in 1711. He was brought up to trade, as a wholesale linen-draper, but soon quitted business, and devoted himself wholly to the muses. In 1744 he published his well-known Fables for the Female Sex. After this appeared Selim, a poem, and two comedies now forgotten. But in 1753 he produced The Gamester, a drama which has long kept possession of the stage, and probably will never quit it while an audience can be found to listen to tragedy. In the same year he began his celebrated periodical paper, The World, which was continued in weekly numbers rather more than three years, and only terminated with his life. He died in 1757. The Serenata of Solomon was set to music by DR. BOYCE, and is alone sufficient to stamp his fame as a composer of the first rank.

a moment firmness is necessary. However, hearing a noise, they resolve to pause, and here the duet ends. They are discovereda dénouement takes place-the father's resentment evaporates in a few angry words, and all terminates according to the established rule of the comic opera.

The original is in the key of c, but as this carries the upper part beyond the compass of most voices, it is now transposed a third lower.

ROMANCE (Page 142).

Ah! lorsque la mort trop cruelle
Enleva ce fils bien aimé,
Jacob, dans sa douleur mortelle,
Vit son triste cœur consumé.
Afin, de consoler mon pere,

On m'offrit un jour à ses yeux,
Et Jacob, dans mes traits heureux,
Crut revoir les traits de mon frère.
Dans les beaux jours de mon enfance
Ce bon père m'accompagnoit,
Et de sa tendre bienveillance,
Comme Joseph, je fut l'objet.
Si sa tendresse me fut chère,

A mon tour je suis son appui,
Et je puis lui rendre aujourd'hui
Le cœur et l'amour de mon frère.

J'ai su de ma famille entière

Ce que de Joseph on disoit :

Il étoit pieux et sincère,

Aussi tout le monde l'aimoit.

Moi, pour consoler mon vieux père,
Pour qu'il me chérisse encor plus,
Je veux acquérir les vertus

Qu'il regrette encor dans mon frère.

From Joseph, ou Jacob et ses fils en Egypte, a sacred opera by MEHUL. These sentiments are uttered by Benjamin. The scriptural narrative is, of course, familiar to all our readers, and need not be repeated in our pages.

ENGLISH OPERAS.

To the Editor of the Supplement to the Musical Library. SIR, The English Opera House has been prematurely closed. As it is impossible not to connect this occurrence with the subject of the correspondence published in the "Supplement" for July, and there are, moreover, some circumstances which appear alike to have escaped the apprehension of Mr. Arnold and his adversaries, you will possibly allow me a word upon the subject. That musical genius, any more than genius of any other kind, requires monopoly and exclusion to ensure it fair play, is a doctrine so extremely repugnant to truth, and the very spirit of the fair play which it claims, that I surely need not waste a word in exposing its fallacy. Upon this monstrous proposition, however, does the present appeal of the British musicians to the public mainly rest; the case of these gentlemen being, in this respect, precisely that of the British silk-weaver: both have been driven from the field of competition by the foreigner, and both are in consequence calling out for "protective laws," that is, for monopoly of the market. For, let us ask the "native composers," in what other way they would compel people to listen to what they don't like, in preference to what they do. As long as the public choose to prefer foreign music to their own, it is not setting up national operas or exclusion societies that will make them do otherwise; the only method of effecting this, being the same as in the case of the silkweaver, or the monopolist of any other commodity, viz., a total prohibition of the foreign production. Here, therefore, in a word, we have the true nature of the question. "Let the foreign composers," exclaims Mr. Rodwell in his pamphlet on the Establishment of a National Opera, "Let the foreign composers keep to their own sphere, the Italian Opera House, &c. ;"—that is, let

them be confined to an establishment which, from the system that at present governs it, is about as accessible to the public at large as it is to the inhabitants of the moon. And again, I observe, by the "Correspondence," that Mr. Arnold is threatened with the loss of his licence if he produces operas by any but native composers. If such be the nature of his contract with the Lord Chamberlain, he may be said to be fairly placed between Scylla and Charybdis; for it must now, at least, be quite evident to what situation the native writers would bring him were he left at their mercy. The decency of such a threat in the teeth of the injury to the theatre from the repeated failures of the present season, must be manifest enough. In the mean time, why does not the selfstyled "popular composer," who writes thus, tell the public his name, that they may themselves judge of his claims to popularity? Well does Mr. Arnold exclaim that his "Appeal is neither graceful nor modest." We are further informed by this writer, that, even if successful, he can get nothing from the theatres for his music; but would he be called upon to share the loss in the event of a failure? I rather think not. Let Mr. Tutton, however, or Mr. Packer say if it be so. And again, we are told that, in the present state of the trade, no composer, however popular, can get a fair value for his copyright; but what is that state of the trade which prevents it? Surely a little more explicitness would be desirable, or the public will very naturally conclude that the only reason that publishers will not purchase "popular composers'" copyrights is, that they can get no returns upon them; in other words, that the composers are not popular, and therefore can get nothing for their music.

In comparing the condition of the "British musicians" with that of the British silk-weavers, I will, for the present, pass over the well-known fact of the silk-manufacture having improved ever since the opening of the foreign markets, although I hold such a fact to be closely applicable to the present question. But let me remind these exclusionists of some other things which, in their eagerness to obtain the public sympathy, and to make out a case against the proprietor of the English Opera, they seem to have completely overlooked.

This theatre was originally opened for the encouragement of native talent, and the truth is, that for nine years the native composers had exclusive possession of it, and what did they do? Why they kept it upon the verge of bankruptcy, from which the talents of Miss Kelly, not those of the "British musician," alone saved it during this long period. At length the proprietor, in order to save himself from impending ruin, is compelled to have recourse to foreign music; and forthwith the outery is raised that the native composer cannot obtain a hearing, which, to be sure, is true enough. In opening his theatre, however, to foreign competition, Mr. Arnold took the wisest step that could be devised for the ultimate and true interests of English music, as the comparative success of the renewed experiment of last season will alone abundantly testify; and it is remarkable that of the three justly successful composers of last year, two (Mr. Loder and Mr. Thomson) have declined identifying themselves with this self-betraying cry for monopoly; whilst of the three unsuccessful ones of the present season, two (Messrs. Tutton and Rodwell) have been among the noisiest in promoting it,—thus affording a most significant comment upon its nature and purposes.

In Mr. Rodwell's pamphlet there is an estimate of the average receipts to be expected at the proposed "Grand National Opera." These, it seems, are to be 2001. nightly. Now, as this is a statement upon the correctness of which the chances of success to the new establishment, and consequently to the cause generally, must mainly depend, what if Mr. Arnold were to publish an account of the sums actually received at the old theatre during the nine years above mentioned, at the performance of any of these gentlemen's "operas" that chanced to be unaided by the talents of Miss Kelly? This would be no more than justice to both parties, and would, I repeat, enable the public to come to a clear understanding upon the chances of success to the new theatre, which, it seems, is to be raised by public donations,—a circumstance that would render such an estimate particularly desirable; and one may express some surprise that Mr. Arnold has not, ere now, been challenged to produce it, as the paramount importance of establishing the correctness of Mr. Rodwell's statement must be obvious. But we shall doubtless be told to make our calculations upon this subject from the events of last season. But if the events of last season did something towards shaking the prevailing notion that there is not, at present, sufficient native talent to support,

unaided, an establishment of this kind, the transactions of the present season, thanks to Mr. Rodwell among others, have done at least as much to give the like opinion currency again. The fate of the "Grand National Opera," in short, may be very confidently surmised, without the aid of any further estimates than what people's common sense will help them to, with the facts already in their possession.

Mr. Arnold tells us that an endeavour was to have been made to crush his attempt to repair the effects of the recent failures by the reproduction of the Sonnambula. If so, it would be as well to know the authors of this scheme, or, at least, the quarter whence the threatened attack was expected. Had the Society of British Musicians anything to do with it? If it had, it has afforded the public another edifying comment upon its proceedings, seeing that the three lions, Messrs. Packer, Tutton, and Rodwell, who have brought Mr. Arnold's treasury to its present condition, are all picked men from this body, or, at least, notorious supporters of its principles. Wanton opposition to an institution from which the composer of moderate, or no talent, may at least obtain an occasional, and very pardonable indulgence, of his vanity, is a course from which good taste and feeling would alike recoil; it is only when he asserts that a society of this kind, set up upon a monstrous principle of exclusion, is alone necessary to give him a successful rivalry to the great writers of Italy and Germany, that he perforce renders himself an object of merriment.

From the facts to which I have thus briefly called your attention, it must, I think, be evident, that the present appeal of the "native composers" to the public, is merely a demand for the very monopoly which they affect to condemn, and which could only be granted them at the expense of the ultimate and true interests of music. The present musical degeneracy of this country has now become too generally acknowledged to need any formal demonstration. The speculations abroad, however, touching the causes of this phenomenon are, some of them, not a little remarkable. In a country which, in its works of imagination, and the gigantic cast of its intellectual achievements, in its courage, humanity, and spirit of enterprise, has ever been, and still remains, preeminent among modern nations, a deficiency of this sort, whatever be the reason of it, must certainly be referred to other causes than the climate, cold and phlegmatic temper of the people, &c., which may at once be dismissed among those gratuitous assertions by which vain and superficial people pretend to set questions at rest which they want the capacity to investigate. And again it is asked, "Does the country afford its most stimulating patronage to the native composer?-music will accommodate itself, like everything else, to the laws of demand and supply." "* Undoubtedly; but the logician here quoted appears to forget that there is a more stimulating thing than patronage, which is competition. Now, it is obvious that the "stimulating patronage," here called for, can only be obtained by prohibiting the foreign production, in other words, at the expense of the more stimulating competition; and hence, so far from being of any service, it must throw a direct obstacle in the way of improvement. We are further informed that the low ebb to which English dramatic music has at present fallen, is to be attributed to the admixture of music and dialogue which the English opera enjoins; in other words, to the want of the machinery of the legitimate Italian opera. Here the fact is wholly overlooked, that Winter, Beethoven, Weber, and, I believe, Mozart, all wrote under a difficulty similar to that which is thus said to have thrown such an insurmountable obstacle in the way of English genius; and that Mr. Barnett produced the Mountain Sylph at a similar disadvantage. I pass over what is intimated touching the probable immortality of Messrs. G. Reeve, Addison, Horn, Davy, and others, had their "operas" but been cast in an Italian frame-work, because my business is with the arguments of this ingenious logician, and not with his jokes. Presently after, we find him coupling his complaints of the prevailing Italianism with hints at the desirableness of a return to the primitive simplicities of Mr. Dibdin and the glee writers of the last age. Why, if the country wants medicining upon the Italian tastes, which I am far from denying, it were wiser to go back at once to Purcell, and Croft, and Gibbons, and the other old cathedral writers, and get better acquainted with the Gregorian hymns and chants,† and

*New Monthly Magazine.

Nothing can surpass many of these hymns and chants in depth and grandeur of conception. To whom are we indebted for their non-introduction into the established church? is it to the "British musicians," or the charity boys, or the clergy, or all of them together. Of the appropriateness of this music there cannot be two opinions.