Where Phoebus sighing o'er the shepherd's tomb
Bade the sweet flower of Hyacinthus bloom;
Where with young Zephyr Flora lov'd to play,
And hid her blushes in the lap of May:
Where Dian nightly woo'd a blooming boy,
And, veil'd by darkness was no longer coy;
Where erst when winter's stormy reign began
A purple fountain changed Adonis ran,
Her annual tears desponding Venus shed
And the wave redden'd as the hunter bled.

PROVINCIAL MUSICALS.

YORK.-Provincial concerts are very odd affairs: there is always sure to be something to make them appear ridiculous. The end aimed at, is far above what can be attained by the means at command; the compositions are ill-assorted, the singers take songs beyond their compass or power of voice, and the band undertake pieces which they can no more perform than they can fly. One or more of these incidents happen to a certainty. During the late assizes a hash of this description was got up at York by Mrs. Atkinson, who is the resident prima donna of the county, and was formerly known in London as a singer of some pretensions, under the name of Miss Goodall. The room in which the concert took place is one of the finest we ever saw-an oblong square of ample dimensions admirably built for sound, though we had augured otherwise on seeing a line of beautiful Corinthian columns which extend along each side of the room. But to the concert. Of the heterogeneous nature of the selection we can convey no adequate idea, except by giving a list of the composers' names: here it is,-Gyrowitz, Webbe, Rossini, Dr. Boyce, Beethoven, Röhner, Bishop, Mozart, Boieldieu, Bridgewater, Dr. Cooke, Niedermeyer, and Piatamida. Here was variety enough at any rate, but how was it with regard to performers? Out of twelve vocal pieces Mrs. Atkinson's name appears to seven of them, three out of the remaining five being glees. The other two songs were sung by Mr. Horncastle. The compass of Mrs. Atkinson's voice is not so extensive as it was, added to which her execution from want of practice, if from no other cause, has wofully fallen off: and yet she had the folly, for we can call it nothing else, to attempt "Ah perfido spergiuro' (Beethoven). Such a hotchpotch we never witnessed, Mrs. A. and the band, appeared to emulate each other in setting time, tune, and expression at utter defiance. In the midst of the confusion we detected the lady, burlesquing a chromatic descent: it was for all the world like an audible yawn, and if she intended it as a piece of humour, it was one of the best things effected in the course of the evening. Having completely exhausted herself after her sixth performance, the seventh was omitted.

The ludicrous vagaries of the band are not to be described: many of them laboured in vain to get their instruments in tune. We espied a double-bass player in sad perplexity, as to which way he was to turn his pegs, and anxiously watching his principal on the other side of the orchestra to set him right in this particular. The first trombone who was blaring away at a great rate, suddenly appeared to be very ill at his ease, and no wonder, for his partner every now and then thrust the long shifting movement of his instrument into the other's side. After this was remedied the second trombone could not get on at all, and finding he had been playing out of the wrong copy, wandered about the back of the orchestra, looking over several vacant stands, till he fixed upon one on which was lying a copy which he fancied would suit him better. A young lad with a bassoon as long as himself, grunted out a few notes as the humour of the moment might suggest sometimes he put the other wind instruments out, but that mattered little, as they in their turn put out the stringed instruments, and they again, the singers, so that a persevering uniformity in this respect was pretty well maintained from beginning to end. Mozart's Overture to Figaro afforded a fine illustration of orchestral scrambling it was an alternation and occasional combination of scratching and groaning.

VOL. II.

I

6

Horncastle finding he had no rival near the throne, bawled away most gloriously, which accounts for the remark of a York critic which appeared a day or two afterwards: "Mr. H." says he, " has a considerable portion of the splendid execution of Braham!" This is a piece of news we think our London friends should know of, for if Braham really has transferred his gallery roaring to Mr. Horncastle, they will certainly be gainers by it. The same paper, in reference to a bassoon player, speaks of "thunders of astonished applause.'

Dr. Camidge, who, we believe, is a clever man, led the band; he must have had a hearty laugh in his sleeve.

Miss Byfield has been starring it at the theatre, and is certainly improved since we heard her in London; she has some rich tones in her voice, but it still wants considerable cultivation. In the concerted pieces she can hardly keep her counte nance, owing to the discordant noise produced by the other singers, assisted by the fiddlers.

The cathedral service is very well performed during the reparation of the minster, in the Belfry Church, so called because it has no belfry. The Dean, who is a man of refined taste, takes care that the musical service shall not be neglected. A young lad belonging to the choir, bearing the distinguishing name of John Smith, has one of the finest voices we ever heard, and sings well in tune.

ITALIAN OPERA.

THE audiences at this place have been very thin of late, owing, no doubt, in some degree, to the exhibitions which are going forward on the political stage. It cannot have been caused by any want of novelty, for we have to record the appearance of another new opera, from the pen of Donizetti. The title of it is Anna Boleyn, and the story consists in a version of the history of that unhappy lady after she had become the wife of that paragon of kings and husbands, Henry the VIIIth. There are divers inconsistencies in the incidents and situations, as there generally are in all operas: for instance, the king is at times on the stage, when it is quite clear, that the other personages would never have said what they are now made to say, except in his absence. But what is to be done when the composer requires the aid of the primo basso? whether he be king or cobbler it matters not, he must be brought before the lamps. The part of the Queen was of course sustained by Pasta, for whom it is said to have been written by the composer, as well as that of Lord Percy for Rubini. The Eighth Harry is personated by Lablache, and a more able representative, both as regards the vocale and the personnel, could not have been found. A Madaine Gay filled the part of Jane Seymour.

The music of Anna Boleyn is of a very mediocre kind; it indicates a very limited knowledge of harmony, or at least of the

grand effects which it is capable of producing,-effects which the action of the latter part of the opera certainly demanded. If Signor Donizetti is a young man, better things may be expected from him; if not, he will merely rank with that host of composers who are unacquainted with the resources of their art. The great proportion of the airs, particularly in the first act, will assimilate well with the swarms of moonlight songs which swell out the portfolios of young ladies. The choruses and other coucerted pieces lack design, and are, consequently, confused and heavy: some are undoubtedly better than others, and we would particularize a chorus of women, in the second act, as being among the best specimens of the opera; also a chorus, with a good bass subject, admirably led off, in the introductory symphony, by Dragonetti.

After what we have often said of Madame Pasta, it would be useless even if it were possible, to add fresh encomiums on her all-surpassing powers. Her performance of Anna is like all her performances, perfect; by turns dignified, tender, resentful, and humble: at one time striking terror into all by her looks and the almost awful grandeur of her action, and at another awakening the liveliest sympathies, by the sweet and enchanting expression of her countenance when, overwhelmed with her mismisfortunes, her wandering imagination

English Fashions.

of form and texture, at once rich and graceful. Bonnets for morning and carriage dress are mostly of the cottage shape, than which none is more becoming to an English face; though some of our belles seem to prefer those of the gipsy form; but whatever be the shape of the bonnet, the trimming of it is very moderate. Blonde caps, of a simple form, are favourites for morning wear. Dinner dresses are much worn of rich British silks. They are generally much trimmed, both bodies and skirts; and, with the splendid coiffures worn with them, present a magnificent tout ensemble. For evening and ball costume, there is an almost endless variety of forms and materials, but richly embroidered crape or tulle is the general favourite. The hair, for evening dress, is always dressed so as to rise very high on the crown of the head, and is almost invariably ornamented with a high comb at the back. Very young ladies have their hair simply braided across the forehead, and finished with two or more coques at the top. Flowers, for head-dress, are not so much in favour as in our last; those worn are of the most lively colours, and form the most striking contrast with the luxuriant tresses they adorn. Since the introduction of that lion of violinists, Paganini, we have been expecting some striking changes in opera dress, but there is really less of novelty in this than in any other resort of the beau monde. The eternal opera head-dress, so unreasonable in its dimensions, seems determined to make a stand here, in despite of all that good taste, not to say good nature, would do to replace it with something more moderate, and, perhaps, as graceful, at all events more pleasing. But we think another opera season will exhibit a great alteration. The most admired colours are celestial blue, lilac, pink, bright green, and white. Jewellery is extremely rich and massive, and among the gems worn by our belles, the beautiful chrysoprase holds a pre-eminent place.

PLATE 1, FIG. 1.

Promenade dress of English chintz. muslin. The skirt is made without trimming, but very ample in dimensions, and set in full entirely round the waist. Sleeve very full at the top, and not quite so close at the lower part as they have been worn for some time past. The cor

sage is plain at top, and slightly full at bottom. An elegant canezou of moirée, colour, the evening primrose, and edged with a rich silk fringe is worn with this dress. Collerette of tulle, interspersed with rays of gauze ribbon, the same colour as the canezou. Chapeau à la reine of primrose-coloured moirée. The hair is open, and of moderate size, with rayons and mentonnières of blonde, and gauze ribbon. The crown is low on the right side, and ornamented with pointed feuilles of moirée, bound with satin, and edged with blonde: small sprigs of purple heath-flowers are mixed with the trimming of the crown. Agraffe and bracelets of gold and amethysts; gloves and boots of lilac kid.

FIG. 2.

Evening dress of celestial blue crape, superbly embroidered in white floss silk, worn over white satin. The sleeve short and very full, finished with a band of embroidery. The corsage is cut quite plain, and is richly worked at the upper part of the bust. A brace of worked crape crosses the bust, and terminates in an acute point, a little below the ceinture. The skirt is very full, and has a splendid border of work at some distance from the bottom, but not so high up the skirt as in our last. The hair is parted in front, and arranged in full curls on each temple. The back hair is disposed in four coques, and a broad Grecian plaid, on the crown of the head. A comb of tortoiseshell inlaid with gold, is placed at the back, and a double row of pearls, with an agraffe of pearls and rubies crosses the fore part of the head. Ear-rings, necklace, and bracelets, of pearls and rubies; shoes of white satin. PLATE 2, FIG. 1.

Ball dress of pink gauze over a pink satin slip. Corsage à la Donna Maria, with a full tucker of blonde net, headed by a narrow trimming of blonde, and a small rouleau of pink satin. Sleeve of blonde, set in a band of satin, and finished with a fall of blonde. An epaulette cut in double scallops, reaches halfway down the sleeve. Three nœuds of satin ribbon are placed on the epaulette, and from each descends a band of ribbon which meet at the bottom of the sleeve. The skirt is of the usual width, and has a light and graceful garniture running round the top of the hem, which is moderately deep; it is composed of deeply

ARCHIVES OF THE COURT OF ST. JAMES'S,

AND FASHIONABLE NOTICES.