The New York Herald Newspaper, November 17, 1872, Page 7

BUCCA AND THE CELEBRATED WARGUE- RITES IN “FAUST.” ‘Yo rue Eprror ov THe HERALD Mme. Lucea’s great reputation, acquired in Eu- Wepe, has been fuily endorsed by the American public. Her transcendent genius has made her at @hee a general favorite here. The mass of the New York dilettanti and the whole enlightened, straightforward, artistic part of the press have signed the European verdict. If one discordant mote in an orchestra makes itself heard on ac- @ount of the incapacity of tne fiddler, or because be has taken into his head to single himself out by his unartistic, uneducated manner, that cannot @isturd the harmony and distinguished value of the whole band as a body or of the score as @ work Of art, no more than a statue could be depreciated Deeause two street boys threw mud on it; that @isgraces the low boys and not the work of art. wait der Dummhelt Kiimpfen Gitter selbst verge- Dens,” says Schiller. When Stanley found Living- stone were there not among the numberiess ad- mirers one or two dissentient voices throw- Wg thelr venomous doubt on the greatest enterprise of modern journalism? Did not Herostrat burn the temple of Diana at Ephesus ‘te obtain some notoriety any how, and isit nota meatier of dally occurrence that any respectable man may be attacked at night from very unartistic Potives ? The question simply is whether in a ‘@ivilized country the proper authority 1s not strong enough to take care of and handcuff these way- laying gentlemen, who say, of course, that they mest live, like that mdifierent painter who wished to sell a bad picture to the Duke of Richelieu for 1,000 francs, which the Duke, of course, refused to, pay for such mediocre work. “Why,” said the painter, “I must live.” “I don't sec the neces- ity,” replied the Duke, quietly; aud that is all we have to@ay to the author of such unworthy, ut- terly indifferent work of criticism, He belongs to Bhat incurable class of gossips of whom Ovid says ‘Wat even— Sub aqua, sub aqua maledicere tentant. Wt would be barely worth while even to mention geek efforts as impotent, as they are outrageous; Dut the worst of it is that an otherwise very de- werving artist is dragged into the row, got up seemingly in her interest, and whether conscious eof it or not. She has, with certain people, to bear the brunt of he responsibility, and it would not be at all aston- Bhing that the demonstration of the pnblic to avoid going to the Academy whenever that clever artist sings alone would find no other explanation than this. Lord, save me from my friends, is an o!d adage. Mme. Lucca, who simply by the power of her genius, without intriguing or other efforts than those legitimate means at the disposal of first-class artists, has taken the New York public by storm at _ ence, and keeping firm hold on them, has certainly made her first and moss decided mark as Mar- qguerite In Gounod’s “Faust.” Her success was striking, crushing, the supe- Tierity of her performance was universally ad- mitted; but comparisons, which it was but natural to expect, Were at once established, Having seen every Marguerite of some note since the opera of Counod has first been bronght out in the ThcAtre Lyrique in Paris,+I may perhaps be allowed to ray a word or two on the subject. Four Margucrites stand out of the bulk of performers of this part; four Marguerites of diferent nationali- tes. ‘ When ‘Faust was first. to be given noone be- Meved in its success so firmly as Carvalho, then director of the Théatre Lyrique, and the nusband of the first French singer then jiving. Gounod himself was not absolutely confident, and he toid me one day, “Operas are not born like men, brains first, but the feet first. You will see the march in ‘Faust,’ the waltz, the chornses take the public at first. Will that last long enough to give the whole work time to be appreciated?” Little did Gounod then dream when he sold the copyright of the Beore in England to Messrs, Chappell, of London, for sixty pounds, of the immens» pooularity which ‘the work, played at both opera houses at tac same time, would acquire, and the fortune which it would bring. Madame Curvatjo is the first rreat Marguerite to be mentioned—‘“a ye meuse,” a3 Gonnod calls her. Tremember that at one of the first orchestral re- hearsals of “Faust,”’ when Madame Carvalho was at ‘the top of the ladder and Gounod was not yet the velebrated man he is to-day, he took the liberty of making an obscrvation on ‘Madame Carvatho’s cold acting when, to his amazement the hot-headed lady took the written part of Marguerite, which she heli in her hand, and throwing it at Geunod’s feet exclaimed, “La v'li votre sale musique (there, take your dirty mus:c), and off she went. Nothing could stay the ire o! the excited goddess, and there ‘Was an endon that day of all rehearsing. The haughtiness of singers was always the despair of composers—irom Mozart to Meyerbeer, trom Mey- erbeer to our days. however, Madame Carvalho took the part of Mar- guerite up with all the power of her admirable od, and the lasting impression which her pare voice and her unapproachable vocalization made, the facility with which she overcomes the atest dificulty—well tobe distinguished from hat bogus facility with which naturaland not sum- ciently trained singers risk a difficult task, and after succeeding in some sadly fail on othors—her performance, equally distingué in her style and the timbre of her voice, will never be forgotten by those who have heard her siug this part, in appear- ance so grateful and in reality so covered wit dif- fievitics. Strange to say, Madame Carvaiho’s into- nation was always a trifle sharp—au accident which wo o!ten happeus to otherwise excellent singers— whereas only inditferent singers sing too flat, Mad- ame Carvailo’s acting, moreover, was tar behind the Sxpottence of her singing, and marred the general effec Madame Adelina Patti is the second Marguerite who created a great sensation as Marguerite. The fact that Ary Scheifer painted Marguerite witn fair hair was taken as a conditio sine qua non by many singers, and Adelina Patti, like Madame Car- valho, wore a fair wig when she sung Marguerite in Covent Garden. 1t was rather funny to see her on two consecutive Thursdays as 2 lair Marguerite, end on the third Tharsday—tie one ,iol- lowing the Monday on which Lucca made her début Maryuerite—with her natural as t-biack hair, behoid Mlle. Patti came out dlack- aired too. It is not necessary to say that tin traordinary, brilliant, sympathetic voice of Ad Patti; her astounding evecution, though, perhaps, Ot so cocrect and irreproachable as Madame Car- valho’s; the intellect and charm ofher periormance, distinguished her Marguerite from the crowd of other singers, though it must be admitted that she Jacked tenderness in the garden seene, passion and dramatic power in the churci scene, and teat cachet of grandeur which puts @ performance of a inger beyond the level attainable vy any other, even a very accomplished sinzer, Adelina Pattt was and is and remains a prodigy child; she will always trip of the stage with two hundred little steps; her conception will always be clever, graceful an charming as long as it remains within a frame which does not require greatness, Her espiégierie in the “Barbier de Séville,” “ktizir d’Amore” and similar operas is perfectly enchanting, Great dra- matic parts are beyond her reach, apd since she has chosen to these in preference to all others the want of grandeur has become patent. She has stroined her medium, fatigued her upper notes, and the once so pure intonation has much suffered from the injudicious proceeding. Nilsson is the third famous singer who undertook to sing Marguerite, but never in Europe couid she make anything like a decided hit with it. I appeai to those who have seen her in Mer Majesty’s Thea- tre, wien she performed the part for the first time, Whether she was not ajl but a failure, though it ‘was perfectiy wonderful to see how conscientiously she took to heart the judicious remarks made on her performance ani how great was the improve- ment on the second evening. Mile. Nilsson owes the first foundation of her celebrity to the unusually high notes of her flexi- ble, impressive, though thin, voice, which, like other Swedish voices, has something strange in the timbre which cannot fail to impress the hear She gradually formed and worked that voice, und the guidance of Wartel (not Wachtel) to what it has become; but See cuee aed certain carefully developed specialties—like extraordinary stac- catas, shakes, &c,—she lacks the greatness of con- ception, the dramatic superiority which .made Lacca’s Marguerite so immense a success in Rus- sia, Germany, England end America. It has been asked here by Nilsson’s numerous friends whether her ladylike, quiet deimeanor as Marguerite is not more moral and preterable to the tmpassioned, though simple-minded Marguerite of Lucca, it seems to me tiat just the reverse is the case. 3s it not more moral, or, if We must put it exactly in right words, may not @ girl rather pioad attenu- ating circumstances, if she 18 (as Goethe :nade her) ‘® poor, Wretched creature, having hard to work, no one to take the slightest notice of her, without any education, religious or otherwise, for going vo chnren is only a Py gare habit, and not a religi- ous principle? “I ask if such a girl, negiected and miserable, but noprinctpled, inexperienced and passionate, meets a handsome young man, and naturally or by Satan's influence jalis in love with Bim, is she not rather to be excused if she comes t grief than a cold, haughty, “ladyhke girl who bas no other reagon to plead’ than the astounding impression of trinkets she receives—the one aban- @ouing herself to the impassionate influence of Oret love and satanic influence. the other #tinply, or nearly 86, Belling herself? Which is she more rites ki of her. a8 of Talma, she 3 all the eyes fixed on ) From the saucy in- nocence in the second act to the loving tenderness in the third, the thi and eae led despair im the fourth act, up to the crow: triumph of her majestic singing in the prison, she has no rival. Mme. Li in the e: n of her inspired feelings sometimes to the utmost limit of dramatic effect. further, indeed, and she would touch the ridiculous; but that hairsharp limit she never eversteps, and she remains sublime, Her wonderful voice, which extended from /to Ta full, even octaves—has, by Meyerbeer’s advice, been concentrated to two oc- taves and a half, and it has gatned in richness, in ougaprike fulness, what has been sacrificed in ex- ent. She has shown what she can doas a singer and as an actress, and her immediate reward was the most rapidly increasing popularity with the New York pubiie in such parts which require the greatest dramatic earnestness, like “Africaine,” ‘*Margne- rite,’? “Favorita,’”? as well as in those graceful exlilbi- tions of her buoyant a Prete i to Zeriina in “Fra Diavolo” and “Don Giovanni.” Her so long- continued success in Berlin, where she was jer ten consecutive years the idol of the people, shows thateven tne “ propheta in patria” could not touch her, and the most inexorable of argu- iuente—gures showing that the public erams the house whenever Lucca pi ys, to the exception of all other performances, is the most evident proof that the mightiest dMettanté of this city have adopted her as the “favorite,” thereby confirming what cannot be dounted, that Lucca certainly is the greatest singer and actress combined in one Person that ever came to these shores, MUSICUS. A TRUTH SPOKEN HERE ABOUT MUSIC? _——— To THe Epiror OF THE HERAL! Inthe Heravp’s editorial! comments upon the epidemic of operatic criticism which broke out with great virulence in its columns on Sunday tast, the attack of “Free Lance’ was spoken‘of as “angry.” Now, my dear sir, permit me, as one who heartily sympathizes with his opinious, to thank you for giving them publicity, and to thank him jor writing in the igterests, solely, of art, He evidently had no axes to grind, cured no more for one artist than for anotner;in fact, held the dogma that personality has nothing whatever to do with merit. Work well done is well done; work badly done is badly done; and there’s an end ont. Friendship lias no right toenter into the demain of criticism, and until American critics turn a deaf ear to its appeals and conduct their business on the sound basis of incorruptible integrity artists will resort to ig- noble means for the furthering of ambition, art will be demoralized and the aneducated people led hither and thither by designing ‘will o’ the wisps.”” I confess that I love humanity too well and hate humbug too cordially to tranquilly assist at so ag- gravating a spectacle, Hence— This is the curse. Write. First, then, let me ask, in all good nature, why a critic should be branded as “angry” when b> dares to censure? True criticism means apprecia- tion. To appreciate means to estimate justly. What jnst estimation of art is there when good, bad and indifferent receive equal attention—when praise and blame are administered inodiscrimi- nately, when the worse is made the better cause ? To unveil the imperfections of a temporary popu- lar idol is no pleasant task; but the critic should love truth “better than Plato and Plato's country, better than Dante and Dante's country, better than Shakspeare and Shakspeare’s country;” bet- ter, I will add, than Hawthorne and Hawthorne's country. What is truth? Unfortunately art is not as exact a science as mathematics, or none but experts would touch it; but it has its laws, its rules, its schools, which cannot be violated with | impunity, and which it is the critic's duty to up- hoid, If he does not know more than the general public, why does he give an opinion? His judgment should be as sound in his sphere as that of the lawyer to whom we go for legal advice. For my- felf, ldo not pretend to represent a majority of the public, but being a disinterested musician, paying for every seat I occupy, and anxious to see New York as great s«methetically | as it is commercially, I do pretend to represent the verdict of educated artists, profes- sional and amateur, who are not in league with managers or favorites, I merely transfer to paper the language of cuitivated drawing rooms. As the representation of minorities is becoming 9 part of our political system, why should not it be made equaily potent in art? The most enthusiastic advocate of universal suffrage does not for one mo- ment claim that the majority are right in matters oftaste. If they were, what would be the use of culture? Americans are strange chiels. Though we bray about our country, there is no peuple so ready to embrace what is foreign. We have not outitved the colonial period, and in art are entirely dependent upon Europe. This is inevitable in a young country, still going to school, and too busy to think for itself; yet sucl status cannot but offend a minority, who are as able to do without Europe as Europe is able to do without them, and who unwillingly behold our public bowing down before imported gods and god- desses not nearly as clever as deities home-made, English eriticiam on American works has more weight than that which is native, yet tue majority of ing) critics are no more clothed with divine authority, nor are tley more impar. tial. Talent being equal, a European artist is preferred toan American. Let this be said to our shame, Cleve] ‘tists, ungble to sell picturcs in New York, ready purchasers among their countrymen when thelr studios are transferred to London, Paris or Rome. The American actor or singer ‘who receives royal approbation is more heartily wetcomed than the eleverer artist whose destiny it nas been to stay at home. ‘This is rank injustice, and because of it and the tonden biindly accept whatever Kurope sends us, musicians are ready to dissect Madame Lucca. She comes to nis With &great reputation. She needs no friends; her position is established. Why, tuen, should sie not be subjected to kecn criticism? | If she fails to realize expectations why should th fact be concealed ? And why shouid one artist extolied at the expense of another ? I hav been an ardent admirer of Miss Kellogg, on of the absence of dramatic inspiration ta both her singing and acting, especially in the latter, but when T hear her underrated—when the HERALD is told by “Mausicu that “her method is defective, that she cuts her phrases and frequently takes her notes en dessous, & dreadiul habit”—and wien this sare “Musicus” has not one word of criticism for Lucca, I find myself, to my own astonishrent, becoming “Miss Kellogg's champion. [i this young American is to be coinme: Mt tor anything it is tor ber excelicat method, her correct phrasing and the remarkable trueness of her ve Almosy every artist at times sings out of tune. Niisson olten sang false), I never heard Miss Xellogg err in this respect, and 1 have heard her many times; consequently 80 adful a habit? cannot be hers. Had a defective method and imperiect phrasing been attributed to Lucca, “Musi hd woul! have told the unvarnisheé truth; but if faults are systematically fastened ‘upon wrong shoulders what incentive has an artist to aim at real excellence? Miss Kellogg, however, mode a great mistake in becom- ing @ member of the present opera troupe. She should have remembered that people will not pay $t tor what they have heard for half that price, and that this commercial fact, combined with her being no longer what Americans most desire —a novelty—would render the attendance at her representations exceedingly smail. Had the manageinent engaged = Santley, as could casily have been done, and brought him out on Kellogg nights, the combina- tion would have extracted money froin the public urse; but no such wise plan was adopted, Tence ucca is the only artist that attracts. j holders of the ‘ality with BR ae pear, ie uy é manner, as though he rform. and intended to give ‘of their money, he makes an vale, his are-cut hair falling the ears of a King Charles spaumic fall, and then faving his shagey Indian head a shake, he quictly surprises us into enthusiag There is no kid glove dilettanteism about it. Weare in the presence of a muster and feel pe almost Oriental bay 1s Co as his power the Shoment his fihgers touch tire keys, or rhay T ought to say the moment the keys touch hig fingers, for Rubinstein seems to attract them toward him as a magnet attracts steel filings, His etfort to shake olf the keys produces the music we listen to with delight. Though this be fancy, yet to ereate such An efiect is factenough; that he does create it is absolutely true, Foree one expects. It ism delicate passages that Rubinstein most astonisies, His touch is velvet; the very heart of his instrument beats beneath his fingers, and the listener isas much moved as at the sight of a strong man so!tened by anoble passion, His staccato is like the dropping of crystal, while his accompaniment in concerted mnsie, without obtruding, is 80 sympathetic as to rival the melody. Assurediy Rubinstein is as great as his fame, and he is worthilty supported by Wieniawski, whose tone and execuiion are fine ; but why, why, does Mr, Grau, aiter giving us ‘ood for the . Insist upon putting betore us unpalatable dishes? In otner words, why, after Rubinstein and Wieniawski, must our ears endure such singing a3 is more honored in the breach than in the observance’ In vain does the programme assure us that both voices are fine and one lady is beautiinl, Having ears, we hear: hav- ing eyes, we soe; and both senses convict tl ¢ pro- gramme of advertising what Mr. Grau can never delude anybody into liking. One good vocalist 18 worth two that are bad, and tie Lapa pee Manager who brought Ristori to America ough’ to realize this quite as forcibly as an audience that pays $2aticket. Rubinstein and Wi Wwoki cover & multitudes of ains, but why should tiey Le required to do more than theirs legitimate business? Last, but not least, comes Thomas’ orchestra, which, to know ‘or our own, is au unspeakavie com/ort. Beethoven himself would have noddet! approval at the revent rendering of bis Seventh Sympony ;bat why must two ivexpiicavle inexplicasiues ke Wagner's ‘“Woten’s Abschied” and Listz’s Me- histo Waltz be given on the same evening, one 1 ete Ae, otuer so rapidly as to prodnee musical dyspepsia und send thinking people nome ia a ena- otic frame of mind? ‘fhe human head can bear no more than the human stomach; not as much; and though clever Mr. Thomas and his admirable orchestra be equal to the wildest eccentricities of Wagner and Liszt “at one fell swoop,” it ought to be remembered that, like tomatoes and olives, “the music of the futnre” requires much cultiva- tien to be adoved. An overdose ts likely to per- anently injure if not kill the patient. ‘The pro- ‘amnme for December 28 is quite as indigesiible a8 that of Noverber v, Lista and Wagner being pi ceded by Berlioz, We shalt do our best to “dear up agin such a reglar knockdown of intel- lect,” but really Mr. Thomas stiowld be mereital. Beethoven's pastoral may fortify us. We siali, however, be relieved from the incompetent sing- ing of M*. Osgood, whose interpretation of German music is such as to irritate the knowang and so the the ignorant into a nodding nightmare. Were sing: ing dependent upon capillary attraction, Mr. Us- 00d Would draw an audience by more thin asin- wie hair; but, unlike Kottom, we cannot rey voice.” FALR PLAY, DIFFICULTIES AND iMP@SSIBELITIES OPERATIC MANAGEMENT. + To The Eprrok or tue Heratp:— ‘The letter you did me the honor to insert on San- day last was not an appeal ad misericoraiam, neither did it contain one word about the share- ademy of Music, a3 an editorial of the same date assumes. It was simply a plain statement of inexorable facts and opinions derived froma long experience in operatic matters; and if any portion of it really struck the writer of the said editorial as being “pathetic,” 1 can only pray for his speedy recovery trom a dangerous state of morbid sensibilit in my last letter I dectar@d the excellence of ensemile which distingu‘shed the Ang'o-ltalian operatic stage to be unattainable in New York under existing circumstances, and, this being the case, Lask Why au operatic manager who adopts the star system which prevails in nearly every dvamatic theatre in America should be abused for not having au Astral company while all his dra- matic conjréres are excused ? We have all heard of the “naughty boy who cried for the moon,” but some of our critical Endymions want not only moon but “each bright particular star’’—all the planets, with their satellites, the twelve constellations, the milky way, the entire musical firmament—in short, “fretted with golden fires’—perhaps a “young comet with its playiul tail’ thrown into the bargain—and = all for the small charge of $4 currency, or “delundaest Carthago.” I have said that the star system predominates all over the United States, and may arid that it pre- vails more in New York city than anywhere else, Mr. Forrest, Mr. Sothern, Mr. Charles Mathews, Mr. Fechter, Mr. and Mrs, Boucicault, Mr. John Brougham, Mr. James Wallack, Miss Lydia Thomp- son, Miss Lotta, Miss Maggie Mitchell, Miss Agnes el, Mr. and Mre, Barney Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Florence, Mine. Janausenek, Mile, Aiinée, not to speak of others, are ail “stars,” and almost in- variably appear as such; and that the star system, so much abused by some critics, is an absotute ne- cessity to managers, for the public imperatively demanis it. When there is no star people 1 not attend tue theatre, It was so with hime. Tepa-ose, Mlle, Nilsson, Herr Wachtel, and I might give many other mstances. Even the man agers of two leading New York theatres—Mr, Les- ter Waliack and Mr. win Bouth—withdraw tiem- selves from their own stages during the greater part of the year inorder that when they do come forward it may be as “stars.” And, with the single exception, perhaps, of Yack’s Theatre, what theatrical Ww establishment is there where t tourage cond stand any comparison with the chie: be f attraction o v the outrageously severe tone of “criticism” which has been applied to nearly every member of the prosent Academy tronpe, excepting Mine. Pauline Lucca’ And when has such a tone of criticism ever been applied elsewhere ? Neverin my recollection, with all the woefully bad acting occasionally brought forward in “support” of the central figure; and yetan operatic manager, who has twenty times more difftcuity to contend with in forming a company evenly good throughout and very much more expense to incur than any dra- maticdirector, meets with no consideration, but each individual member of his troupe, if not equal to its “stars,” is mangled in reputation and in- sulted by epithets which coald only apply to persons guilty of heinous crimes. Tremember having recently seen, on the occa- sion of a very fair house at the Academy, one with which I have every reason to belleve the direction was satisficd, a compte rendu stating that there was an “ominous display What “Free Lance” says of Lucca in “La Fa- vorita’’ and Cherubino 18 correct. Her Zerlina. in “Fra Diavolo,” however, is a taking perform- ance; and her Marguerite—whici I witnessed this afternoon for the first time in America—is less | open to criticism than certain other characters. In her appearance and conception of Goethe's heroine meca is assuredly superior to a cold Diana-like Nilsson or a New York society giri like Miss Kellogg. She is flesh and blood, which is something, and in the third act she gives evidence of the existence of passion; but so far as singing 19 concerned—and singing I believe 18 the first re- quisite m a prima donna—to-day she never star- tied, and at times displeased, The jewel song, shorn of its jewels of ornamentation and its final ©, was totally devoid of brilliancy, and re- ceived not the faintest murmur of ‘applause. Lucca may have been suffering from indis- position, but I remember that in London remarking the same absence of brillancy and effect. The music is tuo high for her. As the church scene was entirely omitted, and as Valen- tine and Stebel did not sing the aria aud romanza especially promised by Mr, Maretzek on the bills, everybody must have had colds, Still, colds have nothing to do with acting, and the total absence of Pantomime on the part of Lucca in the last act, a situation admitting superb action and facial ex- pression, convinced me that she is nota great artist. Now some of us in America have seen Marguerite. Marte Seebach, the German actress, showed us wat could be done with a master- piece, and JT am _ too rateful to her gold. to accept .the pinchbeck of another. Ot course it is, a8 @ rule, useless to expect real act- tng from a lyric artist; but if tt be wanting do not let ns declare that we sce it, On the whole “iaugi’? is better done than most of the operas giveu this season, Nobody breaks down, everybody gets of empty benches."’ Was this, may I ask, criticism or malevolence? But performances are sometimes condemned even before they take place, and peo- ple inferentially advised not to go to the opera, as may be seen by the following paragraph, clipped from @ morning journal: “The painful want of talent in Mr. Maretzek's company will be even more apparent in the singing of ‘Don Giovanni’ this evening than on its previous production, for the feebleness so apparent before will be emphasized by repetition, and Lncea more than ever will be compelled to sustain the per- formance.” ‘This was, of course, nothing less than an attempt to injure the manager by keeping the public away from his theatre. Now, what would be said in this commercial com: munity if a newspaper reporter were to go to store and state next morning in his journal that there was “an ominous absence of customers ?” or if he were to tell the public that the said store- keeper was going to reopen hie establishment for the sale of “painfully bad goods?’ Would not the trading classes say thet an inquisition was placed over them, and try to shake off the incubus + Cotte qui coate? it were absurd to call such arti- cles criticism; but they cannot even be justided upon the principle of guarding the pub- lic against imposition; they have no basis in fact or science or conscience; and, if not the result of a capricious reise of power, the offspring of whim and conceit, then they are prompted by personal animosity, written to cause even | | as it might be “run”? in eo EI sS sates ‘Dad, the witoeexeorabie ‘To whicl @ the vot “Faust” adds a tod den n Guba ted Sou eeensent parr at ‘Round dead! that te a critic | Such senseless attacks as I have alluded to may not do ali the misehief intended, but the i them ought not to inform a we ticles which are Heable in motive expressi¢ Ms jeasant turn to an ‘written, ‘discriminating and gentlemanly ‘Motice winch graces columas of the HERALD October 15, apropos of the first performance of “IL ‘The wrt ‘Trovatore.”” iter cam be severe when he thinks Qt, but he strikes with a kid glove, not with a knuckle-duster. The fortiter in re and suaviter in modo are equally observed, and the force of hid repr’ o{s 18 inereased by the decency of its mani. festation, whule praise is freely bestowed, though not laid on with the reckless brush of a white- washer, Such articles inspire respect althongh we differ from their dicta in certain poimts, and certainly tend to elevate the artistic character of the joarnal in which they appear. But an uniortunate operatic manager nere has not only to deai with the ignorance and hostility of proicssional writers; there are amatcur critics arrayed against him who are, if possible, worse. Dr, Johnson, the severest as he was the great- @8t Of viitics, was still modest enougi: to say, “That whicn pleased long and pieased many must have some merit’? (1 qnoete from memory), and, consequentiy, the individual who unreservedly condemns what may be termed a univerrally ad- mured work or artistic creation verders himself more remarkable tor audacity than for any other quality tat | cup call to mind at this moment. There is, doubtless, some.hing inexpressibly gratifying to s.nall personal vanity in the idea Of opposing received opinions. There are icono- clasts of musical as ot monumental art, ‘There are sympathiseis with Mephistopholes when he asserts: that “Alles was enstent Ist werth uiss es 2u grunde gent! The youth that fired the Ephesian dome,’ the man who succeeded in nearly burning down tue splendid York Miaster iu kngland, the ostra- ciser of Aristides the Jast, were foubtless all bent upon doing something extraordinary, and more or less bereit of their senses. But a Mephistopheles without wit to carry out his projects is inconceiv- able, and the destroyera I have alluded to were at least prout of their misdeeds, and did not seck to hide themselves behind the anonymous, lke Madame — Paniine Lucea’s detractor whose abusive letter, signed “Free Lance,” wes allowed to appear in your col- unas On Sunsday last, ‘This flerce individual may be a disippointed music proiesser without the money to pay lor aseatat the opera—a negiected genius, izuored by the world at largo thongh per- jeotly weil known toa small clique, and anxtous to achieve importance amoung them a lout prée, or he may not: he might perhaps bave been an “in- spiration.” die calls himseli “Vree Lance,” which, according to tue general ptation of the term, Means a soldier of fortune; end so T presume this gentieman to be u kind of musical Captain Dalgetty Whose cuts and thrusts are at the service of any- body, There are assassins of reputations as of bodies, One thing is certzin, the letter of “Free Lance” was not written tor the sak of art, but = obviously for the purpose or making a bratal attack upen Madame Pauline Lucea; for what does it prove beyond the auttor’s ignorant malevolence ? ‘The precise Manner in which the page Cherubino should be played cannot be rigorously debnoed. Some scope mst be leit for the performers, idio- syucracy. Mozart certainly le t no directions on the suoject beyond what may ve inferred irom the internal evideuce o1 the drama and music; but Beaumarehais, who created the character in his celebrated co.vedy, “Le Marriage de Figaro,” has loft us the ivilowitg in Ms preg-ce to the original edition oF his work, “Cherubin:”—Ce role ne peut etre joul comme @ a ti eue par une jeune et trés j0lte somme, Nous niavous point nos thidirs de jeunes hommes. pour en vin sent'r des finess Ti reinent; en fre av sond an cour von rai Nis quaiqueeie dit beaneoup ‘see Lace’? (o ponder over Da itest’ee (nw peut Ptre (rue ven Twill not tr y terally, it may fie, Panline Lucca’s version of tie norous. and fauciiil interpretation athor's 1 stepplug: rounds of the syoiled boy shouwid b aul and the expression oftend “ears p be stated th gives eit questioned tat one sive and boisterou: Within the limits of a gen oom must always b for vie play ot fancy son of erivinality, Ideiy “Kee Lance’? al Mme. Pauline Lacea’s Cherubino 13 ul to Hacure, oF that her po.nt of view isa wg one. 1 defy him to show way the petted page should not covous im man. her, or wity tue boy, Who joins in the jun of the peve—muecit’ ot wick should novbe hum A assertions th ie ily just concepuon, (tor this he s . taken jor What the y te New York public, who idolize » and will kuow how to appreciate such coarse insults not only to the reining lavorite of the day but to their own taste aud sjuigment. Paving spoken in a previous levter Of tie diMeu'ties of oporetic Management at over Europe, ! will now add a sew words with respect to the pecuiiar troubles wiich environ operatic enter- prise in New Yo iow thateven with tae so-called high prices (winch after aii are lower than ne) the chances of gain scarcely ex- inte Managers Whose Tne cost Of artists is at least douvle what nrOpe. Second—i\ a troupe of first class performers could be procurded the public wouid not attend if the pet prima donna were absent, 8o deeply has the star aystewn taken root in America; the most re- cent proof of which appears in the deplorable fadt that when Mme. Lucea not sung ¢ the receipts bave greatly decreased, despite the un- Gonbtod ability of Misa Clara Louise Ki 4 Third—The obstar to loeomotion, especially in bad weaiher, owing to tne preposicrousiy exorbit- ant prices demanded by tie drivers of public vehi- cles, which increase the expenses ol & visit to the opeta to such an extent as might scare even a wealthy pvler familias, Fourti—The necessity of @ frequent change of opera, the brevity of Lie seasons rendermy tt im- possible to “rin” any one Work tor several nighis, Europe, and as dramatic productions are continued here ® period of many months. for instance, was consta two years at Nibto of even tle most | more than a few iimes in a seaso, | Kith—i he difficulty of dealing with ore formers, who, boing protecte: wrety, 4, send subeticntes when ited action Might at Without a band as you sf ean make their o ever they choose, and who by « any moment | and thus clogs ‘he theatre. Ye the opert hoa i, annoyance and injury, and should be ti accordingly P. Goethe, once director of the Wei- mar Theatre, speakilg of surly critics, says some- thing to this effect:—“f invite a man to dinne give him the choicest fare 1 cam find: he partake York requies a better op the director may surely, on his part, ask for reform ia many things, 1 will now, with your permission, jurnish a lew fnancit! details, by which you my judge of the comparative © taining to ti a yenses and chance cal specniations i the very iirst nightly éxpenses ars, of goin this city. class, J mean are ut this not inclnding Mrs ut, At the age expenses per representation Is of twenty-lve huniired dovars, without * the management thus risking at least three times 28 much a8 any dramatic manager, not to speak of tle greater probability of joss to which he is constantly exposed (hrough the impossibility of singers, even when atfected by slight hoarseness, being able to fuifll their duties, We are frequently reminaed of the “vast sue- cess” which attended the operatic undertakings of last year. The first was the Nilsson season, which lasted ten weeks, 1 learn pper- At of the ut eieht hundred dc theatre Mr. towards the end the rec as low as $1,557 69, and on the occasion of a concert given about the same time at Steinway Hall, and at which tne whole of the Nilsson troupe appeared, the returns only amonntedgto $1,337, proving that the company hed outlived the Epa of the New York public. The great ‘‘com- ination season,”’ with Parepa-l.oea, santiey and Wachtel, was for jour weeks only. Ii has frequently been made to appedr that the average receipts during this briei campaign were $8,000 per night, but the trath is that omly on two or three occasions did they reach this large amount, and were sometimes $4,000 and even luss. The profits of that seasun, pronounced to be the greatest ever known in New York, amounted to about tweive thousand dollars, and the genera: impression was that it could not have been extended with anything like an equaily good chance of success, VIATOR. Fiendish Attempt to Wreck Passenger Trains in Westchester County. Within the past few weeks several attempts have been made to throw passenger trains off the track on the Harlem Rajiroad in the vicinity of Morrisania, Westchester county, by placing ob- structions on the rails. The latest of these dia- bolical efforts was perpetrated last Friday night, when three heavy croxs-ties were deposited on the track near Williamsbridge. This infernal barricade was encountered by the Boston express, which left New York at nine o'clock P. M., and while trayel- ling at a en of nearly forty miles per honr. For- tunately, however, the parties who endeavored to ea Skee anappalling catastrophe failed to fix the tles securely, and the obstruction gave way be- jore the fying locomotive, which knocked two of the timbers into splinters and carried the third on ‘the rail, underneath the cowcatcher, a distance of several hundred yards, No motive can be assigned for the dastardly outrages indicated. The Harlem Railroad Company has offered a reward of $1,000 for the detection of the guilty parties, in addition to placing detectives on the road whose duties are to watch the suspected localities day and night. It is sald that the bey balal if caught, will not have to undergo the formality Of ® triak HS POE Eide kien 2 Web tedldemat 4 4e79- Qeanrerus she says: “his correspondence (which was volumi- | men LITERARY CHIT-CHAT. _ “REMINISCENGES OP PUBLIO MEN IN ALABAMA FOR THiety YrAns,! by William Gartett, late Secre- tary Of State, te the title of @ large octavo volume of over eight hundred pages, just published at the “Plantation Publishing Company’s Press,” at At- lanta, The book is extremely discursive in style and preponderantly political in substance. As it deals with the personal history of nearly all Alabama's public men and is accompanied by a good index it will be valuable for references. Maurice SAND, the son of the great French novelist, has entered the convent of La Trappe. A GREAT INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL is about to be established by the ultramontanes of Switzcriand. It ia said that it will be under the direction of M. Mermillod and will bear the name of the Courrier Suisse, A GENEVA PAPER says that Dr. Merle d'Aubigné has left two volumes, almost completed, on the Reformation, in whieh the history 18 carried down to the death of Luther, CouoNneL J. W. De Forrest's now serial is to be called “The Wetherel Affair.” Tus 33 THE Dirty the Alsatians arc said to sing ‘When no Prussian 18 near by:— ‘Tra BES pitive nit lang pi uns, it any Vor dam khauvegesinde) ischt ans nit bang! Nit bang! nit bang! nit beng! And the tree translation is: - ‘The Teutons shal not stay here long, Not they! Just wait until we French are strong, Wott elear em out where they beiong! ‘The bullies 'l be ztad to cut and rn, When is again take up the gun, Rees ores! ‘- Mrs. Rosk Cuuncn, Captain Marryat’s daughter, 1s obliged to make a mournful apology tor the meagreness of her narrative, which she explains as being caused by the scautiness of her materials. ‘His contemporaries are either dead or scattered,” nous and well worth preserving) is westly lost or destroyed, and the account of his public services, with a (ew private letters and vague remembrances, are all the materials | have had.” Tuls is to be re- gretted, because certain traditions about the Cxp- tain’s relations to Mr. N. P. Willis and to another English naval novelist of that generation led us to the hope of some piquant anecdotes. ‘Tne Last NUMBER of the Atheneum, in a highiy favorable review of an Anierican book which ought to be better known, Baldwin’e “Ancient America,” says that the author has given the best compres hensive view Of the archiology of our country that exists, Mk. WinLtAM BLACK’s last beok, “Fhe Strange Adventures of a Phactou,” is nov a novel, but a pieture of travel through some of the English counties, taken by a party of four persons ina phacton. ‘The striking features of the landscape, | the bits of scenery enlivened by lovely girls, are charmingly described, though there ix a plentiful lack of incident, and the town life Gedneated wants sprightliness, ‘The Lprror or rite Nation, in correcting a funny blunder of the New York correspondent of the | Messager de Paris, makes a still funvier one, The | | works to | | As we gro y } material wa | in this direction cannot be better Hinstrated than The Derby-Evrard Collection at the Academy of Design. One of the largest and best sclected collection® of, paintings ever brought together in America is at present on exhibition at the Academy of De- sign. Itis a perfect treat to enter that curiously composed structure and find the walls absolutely laden down with pictures which we can look apor with pleasure and satisfaction, There is, of course, great inequality of merit; but in a collectton murm~ bering some four handred works this is unavoide able, On the other hand, not alone is THE AVERAGE MERIT . far above what we ordinarily see in American exhibitions, but it would be considered very high in any of the capitals of Europe. This fact is very creditable to the enterprise of Messrs, Derby and Evrard, and displays a contidence in the growing taste of Atnerica for art, which we hope will be justified by the event, 11 is net necessary to say anything to tie American pubite about Mr, Derby, who is well known in art cueles, but Mr, Eyrard comes among us for the first time, and itis of im- portance that the publle should know with wiom they are dealing, Mr, Evrard ts one i ‘i of the most extensive picture dealers in Europe, his operations extending over the Continent. It ia almost needless to add that every picture in the collection is geunine—that is to say, is the work of the artist from whose easel it purports to come. tunately this is not always the se. In the past art purchasers have been sadly victimized by dishonest dealers; but, thongh the evil exists to some extent still, it has been considerably lessened by the influeuce of the prominent art dealers of the city, Indecd, this evil in a measure brought its own cure, by throwing the whole picture trade of the into the hands of a few respectable firms, where the people felt they could buy with safety... There is in this collection an admirable repre. sentation of the chief European schools. France, Baty, Gi ay and Belgium have contributea works iv most PROMINENT LIVING ARTISTS, and some few by artists who have already passed away. For the chief part the works are of the most modern class, tudeed, we might almost say they’ are fresh from the studio, Tt is rather surptying When We stop before same of tae most.mportan yn that it figured in the salon of one of the Evropean capitals, and wou mor and dis- linetion rom atl ors, Itis a strong proof of what we tay 1 New York wil in the not fa distant (uta EF C OF ART. alth our fastos become more bare utilities of life no longer nd we lay the work ander contribution to our testhetic, as weil ag to our Hts. ne progress that we are making culbivitbed, satisty u to mhniste by pointing to the value and yank of the works which I been brought into fe Amarican i ers Who owrht to be eonversant + state | business to cater for, | attracted much attenti though of vemarkable value, and we have no les tion of has ever been hrot Continent. in the south room Muchot's « Doge of Venice” forms one of the } ron the American rease of th e {pal attrac correspondent, it seems, criticised M, Laboulaye’s ignorance of American politics as displayed in his | writings on our constitntion, and when proceeded | to tilustrate his own Intelligence by the stute- | “Previous to 1826 the choice of President | was made by the Sonate and House of Kepresenta- | tives in convention,” ‘his the Nation aivily sets right 28 follows ! M. Laboulaye will doubtless not have to look into | the United States consiitution to inform hte critic | that Congress ebed any President, and that | Joli Quiney Adams was the only one whom, frou DL the people to Make a choter, He Hoevse ot failure th fatives had an opportuni; 16 « forgotten (it woud be uncharitable to he never knew) about Mr. Jette the House in 1801, HERE IS WHAT THE Saturday Review thinks of M { Froud ayings and doings in Amen’ Mr. Froude is going to make an popular trijunal, and the things thet are Likely to tell with Kuen a tribunal agatass England ina sur vey of ivish history are painiully When a fair-minded Englishman has © coh tO & 1 uppose that tr explain the sae reasous which made the norihern States | coerce the Southern States into rennion, and that | there is no grievance which the trish now have of akind tat will bear serious discussion, as muci has been done, probably, to put American opinion straight as can be. | | | JUDY IS AnouT to produce a hook of comicalities, | | five huudred humorous pictures, with descriptive letter press, selected from her earlier volumes. THE MISSOURI MISHAP. The Caase of the Fire—What « Pantry- man Knows About the Lockers and | What Was in Them, The investigation into the burning of tne Atiantic | Mail line’s steamer Missouri was continued yestor- | day morning at the oMice of the Inspectors of Steamers, No. 23 Pine street. The first witness examined was Louis Bolune, a | pantryman on the Missouri. His evidence substantially the same as that of Patrick who gave bis testimony before the inspe Friday, and which was papiished in yesterday's | Hexaip. Re repeated the story oi THE LAUNCHING OF THR LUCKY HOAT, of the swamping of the boat with the nine men in it and of being picked up by the schooner Spy, &e. one of the lockers of the pantry, which ran fore and ait athwart ships; at the forward end of the pantry was a store room, and forware of the store room was the bnikhead; a littie abult the pantry there was the engine room: the lockers extended across the alt end of the pan amt in one of these—the port locker, in which we kept the dishes, | &e.—the fire was first discovered; there were no | matches to my knowledge stored in (ie locker; 1 | noticed that THE LOOKER WAS ON FIRE HIRST? j and [knew it was a demijoin of aguadiente that | was wurning; this demijohn vaust have been | broken by the’ rotling of the slip: im about filteen | minntes after the fre was « wi; the en- ped and an order to launch the | en; all hands obeyed y | ard was ver! THE OFFICERS WERE and all endeavored to do all they could to get the | boats launched safely; when Lt got into the boat that was saved (here Were sume passengers i her, together with William Jones and Samuel Cone, seamen on the ship; £ sot in by going down the | ainter by which she was attached to the ship; | he crew were not stationed at fire qnarters embark so many women and children as we had on | board, for there was no means of saving them un- | jess they jumped overboard: and they were afraid to do that, umd consequently perished in the flames; THE PLAMES SP with great rapidity for twe the fire broke out in th broken through the hurri ne deck; We dt the | liquid in the demijouns for warming the dishes. | lt was furnistied as part of the ship's stores, and was kept in demijohns of four or five gallons, whieh were bot fastened in any way, and so when the ship turched they fell aronnd and, in my opinion, broke; one of the waiters dis- covered the fire on opening the locker to get out some dishes; there may have been matches in the locker, but I donot kuow of any having been kept there; all THE OFFICERS OF THE SHIP were lost with her, William Jones, one of the seamen who was saved, was tcalied. He deposed as follows:—We left New York on the sth of October; at twenty min- utes to nine on the morning of the 22d 1 was on the fore-top yard and heard the cry of fire; 1 hurried down to the deck on the starboard side, and when I got there the fire was coming through THE GRATING OF THE FiREROOM on the main deck; there was one stream of water playing on the fire and that was irom a hand pu p; [heard the Captain give orders to get the $ Over; I went to the hurricane deck and got one of the boats over; next 1 went to the star. board side and got the starboard aft boat#ut, but When she was gotten down there were NO OARS oranything cise in her; f got three oars out of an- other boat wnd pat them in her; this was the boat that was saved; when we got away from the | ‘We saw a boas with two men on her keel; we trie to save them, but the sea was too high, and we lost sight of them. The rest of Jones’ story is the same of that given by McGovern, Inspector Matthews says that witnesses will be examined who will show that the engine was on the same deck as the pantry, and also that there are many ships that are built im that way, and that these ships.jeave New York, The investigation be continued at ten o'clock op Monday, ‘minded American that we keep lrelund under | |. te same government with England for precisely | * } tion ts reanar | as well as In speaking of the fire he said that it orizinated tn | during the voyage; [think it was impossible to | } tions. It represents t main the sixteonth century des se or the Doge, and so atrik the Hinsion ¢t the is . thems ci tie ato turesque ¢ seOpe tO THN COLOR TRRATMEST rtist, and he tie i t extent, ‘The en uuder th wealth at 69. unconsciously recalled Venetian school this picinyve of Ven if were, the f note to tlt Veronese. The condition yunded the Venetian pamter we L gull of sors fh «be only t his easel th cxvout hint th their ord ‘ s that lay everywhere ary yarh, without ‘any need raining (is i vi moths artist whose i nt “sun no sath ol si known, Inet be SCHOOL 0) Advi hh inan: » ii compost wittt such hav & sense of motion pervades the pie- ture which ja striking); fie chiel triumph, | however, bas been remontous biendit of 80. US ut color’ shis has bo“ the bril rmony. to produce plished with 2 AND MISFORTUND si dramatic compositions of the movlern tis irom the easel or B.A. Cot, who known ju this, country ‘by his’ poet ies of Jemale heads © and my tenuous works, “Mirocence p and Misfortune’ is the most important work that Cot has ever painted. Jt was exhibited in last sdon in Paris, and obtained the meédcilie. inject Is a touching one and was meant as an iynto the sorrows that jell so thickly on luring the last disastrous years. [ repre- | wicow with her two young children at the | grave of ber husband. The widew ts shending be- bind a sinall ero: with ler injant son inher arms, Ww! Fs advanced years is in the act of lighting @ lamp attactied to thé cross. ‘The figure of the woman is PULL OF GR dl quiet, dignified sorrow xpreeston of the face Is unspe noble in her act of placing and the feeling of wo She is in the Wreati of Nowors on the cross, nly sorrow which the ur: ust has drawn contrasts with melancholy torce with the innocent, happy eXpression ofthe infant | reposing on tus mocuer's br fous of Ul sad duty his seators are pe told with great dramat able for UsiTy cause. | is the title ofa artist, Louis | grace: This is 3 t's works, | the sadder phases of in | with something like by the great is tr sweetness and unusual characteristic of 4 to prejer to lok on n iile, wnd even to dwell ion on ite most repul- It 18, ther velief to gee hi requailed powers as a draughtsn lineation of subject + Dillens, the Beleian, Duteh scenes, i re the the artist ex: cols in the + had fuil oppor- tunity to display tas 7 r ttlent to the best advaninge. There is of Inesa about the group In the man is fastening on a woman's skates, a the tgures w ty ‘The principal rte tta the ig re & Lalso in are moving about on the lee. est will, kowever, be concen- res in the seen in the y are the portraits of the actist fud his frieud Schampfer, 2 brother painter, The transparence of the ice las been ADMIRABLY PAINTED, and we seo even the relection of the’ gkating figures on the ice suriace. In this oom are works by Melssonier, Wilhelms, Hugh tle, Casa- ova, Tasalowles, Von schende ris, Ste- is, Tademas and & rising American artist, Re Wylie, THE COLCHICUM POIRONING ASR, Covong Schirmer’s Investigation=& Citi« zen Consured for Piaying the Doetor. Yesterday morning Coroner Schirmer held an inquest at the City Tall in vase of Mra, Catharine G. Boden, late of 27 Orchard streét, who died trom the effects of an overdose of decoction of coichicum seeds, Which had been prescribed as A CURE FOR RUFUMATISN by one Bray, a distant relative of Mrs. Boden, Her husband procured aad prepared the medicine as directed, and gave his wife two ounces on two dif ferent occasions, it making her sick cach time. The last dose created such intense inflammation of the stomaca that death resulted, The medicine, when sold, wo Pea labelled and the messen- ger cautioned about its use, although the prescrip- ton did not come under the head o. the sale of whieh is prohibited by law. The testimony being alt in Coroner Schirmer submitted the case to the jury, who rendered the following ive poisons, VERDICT. “That Catharine G, Boden came to her death on the 13th day of November, 1572, from inflammation of the stomach, caused by taking an overdose of the decoction of colchicum seeds, and we severely censure —— Bray for recommending the deceased to take sald mixture, not uncerstanding the dap ger attending it.” Search has since been made for Mr. Bray, but he cannot as yet be found, and nothing seems to be known concerning him. PROBABLY FATAL KICKING. On Tharsday last Henry McGinness became en- @aged in an altercation with Mrs. Ann Mullner, of 193 First avenue, during which he kicked her several times in the abdomen, inflicting severe and probably dangerous internal injartes. MeGinnesa ‘Was arrested yeperiey, by an officer of the Sevens teenth precinct and taken to Essex Market Policg Court, where he was ted for Wridi,