muzzles of her guns "run out," as if she were going into action. The hulls and rigging are, considering the small size of the picture, capitally drawn.

them the merit-mark of the Academy. We think that merit-mark, so far from being ungenerously withheld, is most injudiciously lavished upon at least 700 out of the 1,200 and odd works of art, which Although rather coarse, the colour of Mr. F. H. annually produce, according to their quality, good Potter's Laziness (31) is commendable.-Mr. F. or bad effects on the taste of the public in Burling- Smallfield has a capital little sketch of a country ton House. Five hundred good works of art were hedge, with cottages: on the former hang some never yet produced in any country in a single year: large pieces of linen: Autolycus (36) is a little it will be long before so many are to be had in flimsy, but is bright, broad, and very pleasing England which will gratify ordinary good taste, in colour. Evening's Veil (178), by the same,much less satisfy critical requirements. If the trees, distant houses, an undulating meadow, Academical standard were raised, so as to exclude over the surface of which striae of evening all works that are only tolerable and not excellent, vapours, not a mist, float and seem to drift the materials for the minor exhibitions would, on the wind, lacks solidity, such as is derivmuch to the advantage of their visitors, be richer in able from elaboration, but it evinces delicate merit than they are. There is, say the public and taste and great feeling for nature; it has brightthe critics, an evil, which is only too apparent ness and skilful painting, but is only too rich in all gatherings of the class represented by the in the results of dexterity rather than learning. present: an evil that seems to work thus:-there-One of the most attractive painters of merely are always, so far as our experience goes, one or effective, unsound pictures is Mr. W. L. Wyllie, two really capable painters whose abilities sustain whose works are legion. He has a certain sense and give character to these gatherings; the other of the pathos of a landscape, a sense which was, contributors are, generally speaking, absolutely and perhaps, originally fine, but is now perverted by abjectly incapable of anything better than forming eagerness to produce the look of much, at the price a sort of pitiful court for these capables, who, hav- of little labour, and degraded by coarse efforts to ing the standard of their adulators for ever, and in seem more powerful than nature permits the painter time exclusively, before their eyes, often sink step to be; nevertheless, so much remains that ought by step, until they are hardly to be distinguished to be restrained, chastened and cultivated, that from their worshippers. Some excellent artists have one cannot refrain from regretting the faithlessbeen thus ruined. In a reverse direction, exhibi- ness of the painter to himself. Napoleon's Ruined tions with low standards are injurious to young Harbour at Ambleteuse (52) shows Mr. Wyllie's men, who not only reap small and immediate pathos, tact in expression, considerable technical profits from crude works and juvenile efforts, but skill, and ability to be effectively suggestive, pause when their studies are immature, and remain in a dashing and taking way. The scene is a tyros until their time is fled, all for the want of narrow creek in a sandy coast, flanked at one place the spurs of emulation and necessity. by stark and grey lines of tumbling piles which lean at all angles to the shore; the tide is out; a few dingy fishing-boats lie aground, and look as if they will hardly float, even when the sea returns to the wasted creek. The South Foreland (152), the high chalk rampart rising perpendicularly to the sea, the lighthouse with its lantern peering over the edges like the eye of a watchful giant, the sky of a wild evening. All here is flimsy, yet well conceived; crude, coarsely wrought; and so far vicious as it is pretentious.-On the Conway (68), by Mr. H. Dawson, the vista of a wide and winding valley, with a richly broken sky and many veils of shadow falling from it, is admirably painted, and only not quite worthy of the author as it exceeds in paint, and is imperfect in handling. Nevertheless, this is an artist's work, although it should have been adapted to a higher standard. By the same, but rather inferior, is Conway Castle (30). Better than the last is Fir Trees at Thorpe (211); least excellent is Morecambe Bay (210).-A very interesting but excessively hard picture is Mr. W. Shoubridge's excessively hard picture is Mr. W. Shoubridge's Ancient Rome (155), moonlight, with the most opaque of black shadows on the Forum.-Mr. T. Dalziel's Feeding Pigeons (200), with some uncouthness of drawing, has much good colour, and is highly commendable for tone.-The modern master of humour, as expressed in animal grotesques, that is, Mr. E. Griset, is, fortunately for us, fairly represented here by The Rat-Catchers (209), prowling owls; most laughably suggestive of night-watchers of no good character.-With large demerits in respect to execution and composition, feeble painting and a generally weak aspect, Miss Jane Edwards's Sending a Reply (213), a consultation about a letter, is worthy of a glance, on account of the painter's success in giving quiet, homely and genial expressions to the faces of a very commonplace production. Mr. F. M. Alldridge will do well to put his undeniable abilities to more severe tests, and aim at less pretentious results than those of Gladys (266)—the head and bust of a (supposed) British youth. This artist seems to aim at beginning exactly where he should seek to end, a by no means promising course of practice.

The aspect of this collection is poor: the works are generally crude and tame, yet there is less vulgarity and less downright stupidity here than on former occasions; decadence is, in more than one case, marked on the works of those abler painters who need the stimulus of competition, such as they have not here. Of all things else, and this is the ruling, almost constantly present incident of such shows, no one seems to improve. Nothing can be more significant, few things more disappointing than this.

We note the more attractive pictures in this Exhibition in their order on the walls, grouping each artist's works. In Travelling in the Winter: Scene in the West Highlands (9), by Mr. C. Jones, cattle and sheep in snow are represented with much spirit and skill, which are marred to the eye by excess of paint and the consequent opacity and crudity of the workmanship. With added refinement a much better picture would have been produced.-Mr. C. Lidderdale is a very clever painter, endowed with unusual pathetic power, considerable sense of beauty in nature, and a large share of taste in treating his subjects. He has done better than in A Gleaner (27),—a prettily treated female figure, which recalls the manner of Mr. Hook. Although the sentiment of this design is rather trite, it was worthy of greater care than the painter has vouchsafed. The same artist contributes several sketches-we cannot give them a higher title-with like qualities to those of the above.-The Pallas Refitting at Devonport (28) is one of Mr. H. T. Dawson's numerous harbour scenes. This artist has what we think, referring to his father's rare faculty in that respect, great skill in dealing with skies; but care would greatly benefit his contributions here and elsewhere he is felicitous in composing the elements of his designs and in treating the natural effects of his subjects, and thus never fails to produce pleasant pictures, which would be more valuable than they are if they did not exceed in paintiness. See Cremel, Dorsetshire (33), and The Guard Ship at Devonport (60), by the same. The last-named work is probably the best of the three-Having less to lose, Miss E. Alldridge, who is in question: it looks, with all its brilliancy, a little blackish in the shadows. This may be allowed, to a great extent, on our recognizing the atmospheric effect which is aimed at. The whole is full of light and variety of incidents; we do not understand why a war-ship in port is represented with the

evidently inspired by the author of 'Gladys,' requires a less stringent warning than the latter. Zosine (342), by the lady, is very nearly as good as Gladys': so much the worse, one must say, for the painter of 'Gladys.'

A finely-drawn cartoon of an Ancient Bard,

by Maclise, hangs in the entrance-room here. It is a study for part of one of the great artist's bestknown pictures.

THE WOOD BURN SALE.

WE have received a letter from Mr. J. C. Robinson, that is too long for us to print. We have endeavoured to extract Mr. Robinson's complaints from the midst of much irrelevant matter.

"Having been absent from London, I have only just seen the review of my work on the Oxford drawings of Michel Angelo and Raffaello, in the Athenæum of Aug. 27. Your reviewer has therein impugned the correctness of my account of the dispersion of the residue of the Lawrence Collections at the Woodburn sale in 1860. He says that in order to supply a 'sensational climax,' I have made assertions in reference to the acquisitions made at that sale for the British Museum, 'which affect living as well as deceased public servants, and yet are liable to dispute both as to their letter and spirit.'... Your reviewer gives what he considers to be a detailed list of the authentic drawings of Raffaello and Michel Angelo, purchased by the British Museum at the Woodburn sale.... This short list of fourteen drawings is quite untrustworthy; it includes drawings, which were not purchased by the British Museum at the Woodburn sale, and others of dubious authenticity.... "The first idea of the Massacre of the Innocents, by Raffaello, formed no part of the Woodburn sale collections, but it was purchased by the Museum at an earlier period,-at the sale of Professor Johnston, of Oxford'!

"In the next place, respecting the No. 6,drawings by Michel Angelo,- Study for the figure of Lazarus in the picture of Sebastian del Piombo:' this drawing again was not acquired by the British Museum authorities at the Woodburn sale; it was, in fact, together with another study of equal value for the same great work, purchased a short time afterwards, from the late Mr. Faber, the well-known dealer, who did, for a very small sum, acquire both of them at the sale; and I have to inform your reviewer, that I myself was the cause of these two drawings having been ultimately purchased by the Museum from Mr. Faber; and I say moreover, that they were paid for out of the unexpended balance of the special grant of 2,500l.... The Noble Head of Timoteo della Vite,' from the Antaldi collection, your reviewer describes as 'a most superb cartoon, rather larger than the life, and probably the finest of its kind in existence.' This was thought by the Museum authorities to be the chief treasure of the Woodburn collection, and they paid a higher price for it than for any other specimen, namely, the respectable sum of 3361. Nevertheless, in spite of the undoubted excellence of this drawing as a work of art, I had at the time serious doubts as to its authenticity: in other words, I was unable to perceive in it sufficient evidence of the hand of Raffaello, and I did not keep those doubts to myself. I have now to offer conclusive proof of the correctness of my impression. If your reviewer will refer to the ancient catalogue of the Antaldi collection, printed for the first time in the appendix to my work (p. 344, No. 14), he will there find this drawing circumstantially, and without doubt correctly, described as the portrait of Timoteo, by himself.... In regard to the 'sensational climax' in his article, in which he states in direct contradiction to me,' that no money-not a farthing-was returned to the Treasury as an unexpended balance,' if he means by this to assert that the entire sum of 2,500l. was actually expended, to the last farthing at the sale, I reply that such was not the case. If, on the other hand, his assertion is to be construed only in its strictly literal sense, it is a mere quibble. Whether the balance which remained was returned to the Treasury or otherwise appropriated, is entirely immaterial to the issue. Official rule usually requires the return of such balances, and I have presumed that the rule was followed in this instance."

from those among purchases for the British Museum which we named, in order to show that the authorities of that institution were not so black as he

painted them in a book on Drawings at Oxford. He says nothing about 130 other examples which many think desirable acquisitions to the Museum. Having gone out of his way to attack others, his letter shows that he is angry when his own assertions are questioned. Speaking of purchases for the nation on a very important occasion, he omitted to state how narrow were the means of those whom he assailed, because they did not act according to his lights. 2,500l., the sum of the "special grant," could not go far when dealers as acute as Mr. Robinson were contesting for prizes as eagerly as, probably, he was contesting. The difficulty was, we suppose, to buy only what was required, a difficulty immensely increased by the limited means at command, and the impossibility of knowing beforehand what the examples that were wished for would fetch. No one better than our Correspondent can tell what consideration is due in such cases even to dealers, how much more to officials, who cannot sell again! Apart, nevertheless, from his assertions, we do not think the late Keeper of the Prints needs many apologies in this matter.

Of the three cases here cited against us, we stand corrected as to The Massacre of the Innocents': noting it in a list of Museum purchases in 1860, and knowing that, like other Woodburn drawings, it belonged to Lawrence, we overlooked the fact that it had intermediately been in the hands of Prof. Johnston. Our Correspondent is however in error in positively asserting that the Lazarus' was "paid for out of the unexpended balance of the 'special grant';" it was bought, as the records of the British Museum attest, with part of the annual grant for 1860. As to the portrait of T. Della Vite, Mr. Robinson's complaint is beside the question. The opinions of Lawrence, Woodburn and others of the present and past times deserve high consideration, notwithstanding the Catalogue quoted by our Correspondent. Until that Catalogue, whatever it may be worth, was produced, he had no better than a personal opinion, not accepted at the time, and hard to receive now, as to the authorship of this superb drawing, which differs vastly from works ordinarily attributed to T. Della Vite. Universally accepted as a Raphael, the representatives of the Museum did well to buy this treasure; and although it stood on its own merits alone, might wisely have given twice the price they gave for it.

In the climax to Mr. Robinson's introduction, referred to above, he declared, "a large proportion of incomparable drawings of (sic) M. Angelo and Raffaello (specimens equal, if not superior, in importance to those actually acquired) passed into the hands of private collectors at little more than nominal prices, whilst after the sale a sum of several hundred pounds, sufficient to have purchased them twice over, was actually returned to the Treasury as an unexpended balance." The Italics are ours: the facts are these. Of the 2,500l. in question, 2,2731. 10s. 6d. was spent for the Museum at the Woodburn sale. As the difference between these sums was never drawn from the Treasury it could not be returned. One cannot tell what is meant above by "a large proportion"; but the reader may how far the 200 and odd pounds would have guess in the purchase of those "incomparable drawgone ings" which Mr. Robinson so much, and doubtless so wisely, laments. How far the bald fact that Mr. Carpenter, late Keeper of the Prints, did not spend this sum in the performance of a very difficult task justifies the stringent and sensational climax of Mr. Robinson's introduction to a book on another subject we leave to our Correspondent's cooler and more kindly thoughts.

verse.

:

"Salisbury, October 11, 1870. "I have two portraits-the heads four inches in length-so cleverly drawn in hard coloured chalks, that for some time I took them to be early drawings by Sir Thomas Lawrence. But, on taking the frames down to be cleaned, I found on the backboard the inscription, W. Lane, delt. 1799. Hamilton St., Piccadilly.' I should be obliged if any of your readers could give me information respecting

this artist.

WALTER F. TIFFIN."

--William Lane, of 130, Pall Mall, afterwards of 16, Hamilton Street, and 29, Duke Street, Piccadilly, was, for many years, a very fashionable and popular artist of portraits, who contributed to the Royal Academy Exhibition during a period of not fewer than thirty-five years, the greater part of his professional life from 1780 to 1815; he died, we believe, about 1820. In the year to which Mr. Tiffin refers this artist exhibited portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Walpole; in 1801 so many as six works. Primarily, his productions were cameos, next, portraits in crayons, &c.

MUSIC

THE BEETHOVEN CONCERTS.

AFTER the Symphonies in c (No. 1, Op. 21) and in D (No. 2, Op. 36), the Eroica,' in E flat (No. 3, Op. 55,) comes upon the ear with a force and grandeur which show that Beethoven is himself in might and majesty. In the second work is foreshadowed the emancipation from all previous schools and conventions; in the third is the evidence of the stately presence of the giant of the orchestra. It

is of little moment in these days to know that the composer's conception of this Heroic Symphony was to celebrate the advent of a Republican Consul of France: Beethoven lived long enough to regret the dedication to the First Napoleon. The third symphony will stand as the real starting-point of originality from a musical master-mind. He was no longer an imitator; he ceased to be a servile copyist of composers before him; he asserted his individuality; he developed his characteristics; he became the original tone-master for all ages in the sound-world of picturesque and powerful instrumentation. In this funeral oration - for such it is the profound pathos of the themes, and their melodious imagery, move the heart; the colossal combinations of the harmonies with the varied surprises in each movement are soulstirring. In the opening (the allegro con brio) there is restless energy and almost wild excitement, as if the composer had been bursting the bonds of long self-restraint by rigid adherence to the previously accepted canons of symphonic writing. Then, having, in the opening movement, shown that he had abandoned previous models,-that he was beyond the routine of finality as declared by previous purists,the composer gave vent to his impulses, and, in the death-march, infused that gloomy grandeur and deep despair, the traces of which are to be found in all his after-productions. The Scherzo, if the term be accepted in its ordinary sense-that of vivacious notation-would be a misnomer for

the third movement of the 'Eroica'; for amidst the most eccentric evolutions of the instruments, there is a sadness which dominates. The finale of this wondrous work is a glorification of the hero who has been interred. Elevated in its eulogistic strains, it is touching and poetic in turn, and yet irresistible in its fiery impetuosity. Herr Manns' phalanx of executants seemed to be exhausted with their efforts to do justice to the Symphony; for the execution of the accompaniments to the subsequent pieces was but slovenly, the dreary 'Genoveva' Overture excepted, as Schumann is always well nursed at the Crystal Palace. The programme opened with the brilliant 'Prometheus,' a ballet overture (Op. 43) of Beethoven, which, although one of his earliest written preludes, preserves a position in concert-schemes. Signor Bottesini's re-appearance was warmly welcomed, and he played, with marvellous ease and finish, on his unwieldy instrument his 'Lucia' Fantasia. There were the returns of two singers to this country, in Madame Fiorentini, formerly prima donna at Her Majesty's Theatre, and Signor Delle Sedie, the baritone. The latter, with little voice, has a perfect method of singing; and the former, with much voice, has a very defective style.

Musical Gossip.

THE programme for a subscription for twentyfour nights of operatic performances at Covent Garden Theatre, to commence on the 31st inst., promises that "in addition to the usual repertoire," four of Meyerbeer's works ('Roberto,' the Hugue nots,' the Prophète' and 'Dinorah'), three by Mozart (Il Flauto Magico,' 'Nozze di Figaro' and 'Don Giovanni'), Beethoven's Fidelio,' Cherubini's Medea,' Weber's 'Oberon,' Rossini's 'Semiramide,' Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia,' and Verdi's

Macbeth' will be performed. The novelty for London in the list is the last-mentioned opera, which has been promised for years by divers impresarios. 'Macbeth' has been given in the provinces, with Madame Viardot as Lady Macbeth; and Mdlle. Tietjens, with Signor Cotogni as the Thane, will be the principals in the cast. Besides these two artists, Mr. Mapleson, who is the impre sario of the short season, supplies the names of Fräulein Murska, Signora Sinico and Madame Trebelli Bettini, singers in the front rank, besides Signora Scalchi, the contralto, and Mdlle. Bauermeister. The débuts of two vocalists new to this country are specified as one French and the other German, the former Mdlle. Léon Duval of the Lyrique' and Opéra Comique, now closed, of

Paris, and the latter Mdlle. Rosa Hannenberg, whose antecedents are not mentioned. The tenors mentioned are Signor Fancelli, who sang formerly at the Royal Italian Opera, and has been since practising in Italy, Signori Bettini and Rinaldini, from Drury Lane, and Mr. W. Morgan, the English tenor. The basses and baritones comprise Signori Foli, Ciampi, Caravoglia, Casaboni, Tagliafico, Antonucci, Cotogni. It is intimated that the troupe may be further strengthened by important additions. There will be four representations each week, to direct which the services of two conductors, Signori Arditi and Bevignani, have been secured, who, assuming there is a fair division of the duty, will have twelve nights each of arduous labours. The stage management, the ballets, the band, and the chorus, will be, according to the prospectus, the Royal Italian Opera staff of last season. WALLACE'S 'Maritana' was revived at the Crystal Palace this week; the chief characters being sustained by Miss Edith Wynne, Miss M. Leslie, Messrs. Perren, Connell, Cotte, Fox, Brittain Wright, &c. The best work of the composer, 'The Amber Witch,' might be exhumed with a fair chance of popular favour, if well executed.

THE Concerts for the Workmen's International Exhibition, at the Islington Agricultural Hall, change from sacred to secular music very rapidly: one day one of Handel's oratorios is given; the next, Rossini's 'Stabat Mater'; but the primary attraction is evidently what is announced as "The Miserere, or Prison and Tower-scene from "The Gipsy's Vengeance' (Il Trovatore")," which is presented in a quasi-theatrical form, accompanied by a pianoforte and band of harps.

THE Russian gentleman, erroneously described in the newspapers by the name of Foda, and as having acted as steward to Mr. Strode, the owner of Camden Place, Chislehurst, where the Empress of the French is now residing, who was killed last Saturday by a fall from his phaeton, was a tenor of note some years since. He had sung on the lyric stage in many countries, and was for a short time engaged at Drury Lane Theatre during the opera days of Mr. Bunn. Signor Foedor-for such is the right name-had a fine chest voice, and was a good musician. Although he acted as agent for Mr. Strode at Chislehurst, he was regarded as a friend, and gave lessons in singing in the neighbourhood of Chislehurst. His untimely death will be much regretted by a large circle of friends and admirers of his talents; for he was an artist of varied attainments.

AT the Königliches Operahaus, Berlin, a new three-act occasional opera, called the "ZietenHusaren,' has been produced; the libretto by T. Rehbaum and Bernhard Scholz, and the music by the latter. It is a comic opera; the period about 1762, during the Seven Years' War. Frau Mallingen had the chief character, and Frau HarriersWippern, Fräulein Lehmann, Herr Woronsky (tenor), Herr Fricke and Herr Salamon (bassi), and Herr Betz (baritone) were included in the cast. The music is of a martial character-somewhat noisy; but Scholz's score is not likely to travel beyond the Prussian capital. Offenbach's 'Banditen' is attracting audiences to the FriedrichWilhelmstädtischen Theatre.

MADAME KRAUSS, of the Italian Opera House in Paris, has been engaged for La Scala, at Milan. THE Leipzig Gewandhaus Concerts were commenced on the 7th inst. with Haydn's Oxford Symphony and Beethoven's in A (No. 7). Herr Kapellmeister Reinecke played Mozart's Pianoforte Concerto in A. Frau Peschka-Leutner was the vocalist.

FRAU WILT, who sang at the Royal Italian Opera as Madame Vilda, is prima donna at Vienna. Herr Von Doppler's new four-act opera Judith' will be produced next month. The part of the heroine to be sung by Frau Friedrich-Materna; Holofernes, by Herr Beck; Joakim, by Dr. Schmidt; Ossias, by Herr Strauss; and Athaniel, by Herr Müller.

MADAME ADELINA PATTI, on her way to St. Petersburg, gave three concerts in Holland: one at

Amsterdam, the second at the Hague, and the other at Rotterdam.

IT seems not unlike

Waking wild laughter in the throat of death to speak of any new music in Germany, at the present time, save that of the camp, or such songs as a Körner redivivus, were such a one to be found, might write for a Weber to set,--had only Germany a second Weber, in place of a Wagner; yet the Signale of the 11th ult. is not barren of such promises. A new opera, Dornröschen,' by Herr Langret, is announced as finished. At Berlin, they are to have a new opera by Herr Hopfer, on a story from the 'Frithiof's Saga.' But the programme of the coming concerts of the King's Chapel in Dresden takes the lead in announcement. For the coming season are advertised a symphony, 'An des Vaterland,' by Herr Raff; another by Herr Svendsen; a third, by Herr Altrich; a fourth, by Herr Dietrich; a fifth, by Herr Rietz, "for the first time" (how many of these are first performances we cannot undertake to say); also overtures by Herren Reinecke and Bargiel.

THE Abbé Liszt would seem not to have found in Rome that rest or field for occupation which he had expected, since it is now stated that, for the present at least, he intends to divide his year betwixt Weimar and his native country, Hungary.

WE were told the other day that one of Madame Grisi's younger daughters promises to take high rank as a singer, in right of her remarkable natural gifts.

THE original Florestan of Beethoven's 'Fidelio,' Herr Roeckel, died only a few days ago, among his own people, at a very advanced age. He was a better musician than singer or actor, but considering the German requisitions of late years, during which charn has been dispensed with on the part of tenors (Herr Niemann making the best recent exception that occurs to recollection), Herr Roeckel was up to the mark"-not more ungraceful and throaty than the first Florestan heard in London, Herr Haitzinger. What a musical period does a life so protracted represent, almost the greatest operatic period that the world has ever seen! The day of great composers seems all but passed; for those, at least, who do not bow to and worship Herr Wagner. The only two left who may be said now to make a European stand are Signor Verdi and M. Gounod: and where are to be found the tenors who can sing such music as Mozart gave to his Don Ottavio and Belmonte? The prospect, as regards men, is at best somwhat dreary.

THE Italian Opera season has commenced in Moscow. The company comprises Madame ArtótPadilla, the Sisters Marchisio, Madame Volpini, Mdlle. Murska, Madame Trebelli, Madame Witce; Signori Tamberlik, Stanji, Bettini, Marini Rota, Padilla, Steller, Belval, Bossi and Bagagiolo. Signor Gula is conductor.

DRAMA

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.

FROM one of the most intractable of M. Sardou's dramas, Mr. Sutherland Edwards has constructed a play that interests the sympathies of an English audience, without shocking its prejudices. Where a task so difficult has been accomplished, too close scrutiny into the means employed appears ungenerous. In the case of Fernande' however, the sacrifice that has been made, is too great to be justified even by success.

The version

of this play produced on Saturday at the St. James's Theatre, is an amusing piece, resting on a basis of absurdity and incoherency. Only on the supposition that the author wilfully misleads his audience and misrepresents his characters, is any form of belief in the story possible. The spectator is compelled to disregard all that is said, to fall back upon the supposition that motives are different from what they appear, and to frame for himself a new theory of the dispositions and relation of the characters. Those who are unable to do this, must regard with bewilderment the vagaries of a

crowd of people, who deny at one moment what they affirm the next, re-affirm and re-deny, until the limits of incomprehensibility are reached. Such is the price of satisfying the requirements of English prudery. Few stories have undergone such vicissitudes as have befallen the tale on which 'Fernande' is based. In its original form, it appears in the Jaques le Fataliste' of Diderot, and is the most amusing of the many anecdotes narrated by the most predestinarian of valets, to the most curious of masters. Diderot's work shows how Madame de La Pommeraye, a rich widow, commences to suspect the fidelity of her lover, the Marquis des Arcis. To test him she asks him for a relief from bonds, which she avows are no longer acceptable to her. Her weariness she deplores, though she cannot conquer it. The Marquis, it is needless to say, falls into the trap so ingeniously laid. He accepts his dismissal with unconcealed delight, and candidly avows he has been long sighing for freedom. In order the more readily to work out her schemes of vengeance, Madame de La Pommeraye professes to maintain towards her late lover sentiments of strong friendship and profound respect. She even offers to take charge of his future, and find him a wife worthy of his chamatured, the result being that on the morning racter and position. Her plans are carefully after the marriage of the Marquis to a young and beautiful girl, whose pursuit has occupied him many months, he is waited upon by Madame de La Pommeraye, who informs him her vengeance is complete. He has rejected and despised her love, and has now sullied his ancestral name by marrying a woman who has for years been a courtesan. The relentless manner in which this grim revenge is carried out is most striking; the girl and her mother are put for months through a course of training and education, which leaves the poor Marquis no opportunity of discovering any sign of their antecedents. M. Ancelot, the prolific dramatist and Academician, was the first to see the dramatic value of this story. He founded upon it a play which preserved a fair measure of the spirit of the original, a task thoroughly congenial to a writer whose principal occupation was suiting the obscenities of the Regency to the taste of the Restoration. The drama he wrote shared the fate of most of M. Ancelot's productions, and had lapsed into obscurity, when a little attention was recalled to it by the appearance of 'Fernande.' M. Sardou, not more scopulous than his wont, used the labour of both he predecessors. He, however, altered greatly the motive of the story by making of his heroine a reclained character, who believes before her marriage that her husband has known and pardoned her past history. The catastrophe hinges upon a letter she has written to her husband previous to marriage, in which she avows her former shame. This letter, suppessed by Madame de La Pommeraye, re-christened Maame de La Roseraie, becomes in the end the means of obtaining for the young wife a reconciliation with her husband. Tricks of this rather commonplace kind are effective in the hands of M. Sardou, who is indeed exceedingly fond of such devices. In the present instance, the treatment is telling, but the drama with all its force shows a great falling off in breadth and power from the original story. Shortly after its production Fernande' was translated by an American, Mr. Daly, who reduced its freedoms within the limits suitable to New York refinement. Mr. Sutherland Edwards has come last, and acting, we are told, under a little pressure from the Censorship, has made the whole as harmless, silly and unmeaning as it can be. Fernande becomes an angel of purity, who has contrived among most dishonouring associations to preserve nobility and virtue that should make her a prie any husband will be fortunate to draw in the mutrimonial lottery. Her outcries about her own shame are accordingly so meaningless that the audience is compelled to believe her false or mad, and to assume that her purity is pretended, or her regrets are ravings. The affection of the Marquis for his former mistress becomes, too, a matrimonial engagement, from which he recedes. All meaning is

taken from the vengeance and all sense from the dialogue. No protest against such treatment of a work of art can be too strong. If the subject is unsuited to English tastes let it be altogether thrown aside. But to castrate and dishonour thus a piece in the interest of some supposed morality, reflects discredit upon all concerned with it. That a play like M. Sardou's 'Fernande' should be meddled with by the Censure shows that some strange misinterpretation prevails as to what is immorality in a play, and what are the duties of a censor. "Fernande' in the French version is not

more immoral than The Lady of Lyons.' Immorality is not involved in the recognition by a dramatist that intrigues not sanctioned by law have at times been seen, or that a penitent woman may make a wife to an honest man. The English version leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, suggesting uncleannesses which are found not in the piece but in the mind of those who scrutinize it. It is time that this puling prudery should be done away with. Many subjects are treated upon the French stage which we do not wish to see brought before an English public; but the plays in which such subjects are dealt with can at least be left unmolested. This exception being taken, it may be said that the play is still, in a sense, effective. It has strong situations, the force of which was felt, and amusing intrigue, in the progress of which the sympathies of the audience became enlisted. It was tastefully mounted and well acted, and obtained a distinct success. As Clotilde, or Madame de La Roseraie, Mrs. Vezin had a part eminently suited to her abilities. Finer or more intelligent acting than Mrs. Vezin supplied is indeed rare upon the stage. In the scene in which the woman, half mad with rage, draws from the lips of her traitorous lover a jaunty avowal of his perfidy, her performance could not easily be surpassed. The manner in which the passion revealed itself behind the smiling visage, the temporary abandonment to a rage of mortification when the Marquis had left the room, and the immediate resumption of courteous, friendly, and interested bearing upon his unexpected return, were so many triumphs of intellectual interpretation. No side of the character was lost, and the entire impersonation was admirable. Mrs. Wood gave a clever and amusing representation of a woman causelessly jealous of her husband, a role in which, in Paris, Mdlle. Massin obtained much applause. Mrs. Wood was scarcely a faithful representative of a Parisian lady of rank and breeding, but she was very amusing, and quite natural. Miss Fanny Brough made a pleasing début as Fernande; Mr. William Farren's picture of M. Pomerol, a middle-aged lawyer of considerable astuteness, was effective, and Mr. Lionel Brough gave a highly-coloured representation of an American officer. Other parts were but indifferently supported, Mr. Lin Rayne making an especially weak representative of the Marquis des

Aros.

Dramatic Gossip.

THE Adelphi Theatre will re-open this evening with 'The Green Bushes,' in which Madame Celeste will take her farewell of the stage. Madame Celeste will resume her original impersonation of Miami.

A NEW burlesque, by Mr. Arthur Wood, has . been produced at the Olympic Theatre. Its subject is the story of 'Paul and Virginia,' which is not very funnily treated. 'Little Em'ly,' Mr. Halliday's version of David Copperfield,' has replaced Mr. Tom Taylor's Handsome is that Handsome Does,' at the same theatre.

A PLAY bearing the curious title of 'A Rolling Stone sometimes gathers Moss' has been produced the Victoria Theatre. Its story shows how, and the varied opportunities of life in the New Word, men who have been in England mere outcasts of society may acquire habits of honesty and independence, and even obtain a certain amount of chivalry. The author, Mr. F. Marchant, plays an important part in the piece.

THE Prince of Wales Theatre, Liverpool, will shortly re-open under the management of Mr.

Leslie, the author of The Orange Girl,' with a new comedy, in four acts, by Mr. James Albery. The title of this is, we believe, 'Coquettes.'

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MARIE SEEBACH's performance of Schiller's 'Marie Stuart,' at the Fourteenth Street Theatre, New York, appears to be a complete success. A portion Strange to say, the entertainment is not largely The GENTLE LIFE. Essays in Aid of the of the American press goes into extasies over it. patronized by the German population of New York. Wallack's Theatre has opened with "The Rivals,' Mr. John Brougham playing Sir Lucius O'Trigger. From America we hear also that a version of 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' has been prepared by Mr. Daly, the translator of 'Fernande'; that Mr. Davenport is the new manager of the Cheshunt Street Theatre; and that Mr. Dominick Murray is still playing in the United States, and made his last appearance in St. Louis.

A NEW tragedy, by Signor Stanislas Morelli, the author of Arduino d'Ivrea,' which lately received a prize of a thousand lire from the Minister of Public Instruction, will shortly be brought out at

Florence.

ANTIQUARIAN NOTES.

'Hamlet,' act iv. sc. 1.-In this passage we read: Let Hercules himself do what he may,

The cat will mew, and dog will have his day.

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The latter line has become a popular saying, but TENT-LIFE in SIBERIA, and ADVENwe are naturally inclined to ask what it means. Why should a dog have a day all to himself, any more than any other four-footed creature? Is not the passage a piece of silly slang, and ought it not to be suppressed, like any other cant phrase that is born in the streets? To harmonize the verse with sense and Shakspeare, a friend has suggested to me that the last word ought to be altered to bay. We should then read

G. J. DE WILDE.

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