The New York Herald Newspaper, November 23, 1873, Page 7

AIDA. ’ VERDI'S LATEST OPERA. yank Bt aL Hts Production Here Prior to Its Rendi- tion in London and Paris. The Music, the Plot, the Scenery, . the Roles and the Cast. The production of “AYda,” by Verdi, will form the chief novelty during the forthcoming season of Healian opera at the Academy of Music. It has as yet been heard in neither London nor Paris, bat only ina few of the secondary cities of Europe. At La Scala, Milan, tributea:— the parts were thus dis- ‘Teresina Stolz oppe eancellr sna Waldinan co Pantalfing OT ‘In Cairo the cust was as follow Aida. Radames: Amneris.. Amonasro. - Rainfs, ‘Milsson in the cast at the Academy of Muste; but since the opera is presented on its own m would be »:aniiestly uniair to impose any advice on the management. The cast is as follows:— Aida.. Mile. Osiova Torriant * Radames: mor Campanini amneris..... ‘Anni y + Amonasro. uvet Bamtis.... Signor Nanneiti The opera is in four acts, The libretto, by A, Ghislenzoni, has heen very poorly translated into Raglish by Mrs. G, G. Lawrence. The action takes Placaat Memphis and at Thebes during the period When the Pharaohs were in power, There 1s a change of scene in every act excepting the third, fm which the banks of the Nile are represented. ‘Fhe opera opens ina hall in the King’s palace at » Memphis. Yo the ngit and left are colonnades With stacues ana flowering shrubs, At the back is @ Marge gate, through which are to be seen the Pyramids and the temples and plains @fMempiis. The story is about as foolis! as most “ operatic stories are, and, were the actors tobe eontemplated simply as the actors in a drama, it ‘Would be impossible to have much respect for any of them. Egypt and Ethiopia are at war with each other. The Egyptian King has a daughter mamed Amneris and the Ethiopian King has one mamed Aida, AYda has been captured, however, and is slave to Amneris, Radamés is the Captain ofthe Egyptian hosts, and with him both Amneris and Ajda are in love. He returns the ove of Aida, @nd thereby directs the jealousy of Amneris against her and redoubles the Princess’ passion for him- self. In one of the contests between the two na- thons Amonasro, AYda’s father, is taken captive; but his captors do not know that he is the Ethi- opian King. In common with ali the rest of the % Bthiopian captives he is granted his life and “ Mberty, and the first use he makes of them ie to induce Aida to persnade Radames to give her such information as wil) enable the Ethi- pians to gain the upper hand. She does so, Misplaced confidence of Kadamées (ior he intended Bo treachery) 1s overheard by Rainfis, the chief priest, and Radameés is condemned to be buried aire. Amneris, whose hand has meanwhile been ‘bestowed by her father upoa Radames tu reward for his valor, tries to save him, but in vain, AYda, Who has mysteriously disappeared, secretes herself ‘% the tomb, beneath the altar of Osiris, in which Radames is immured, and here the two hapiess * Severs die togetiier. Certainly, the final impres- sion is not a pleasant one. There 18 room for much good acting in this @pera, as well as tor effective scenery. The first sRcene of the firstact we heve already described, “The second represents the intertor of the Temple of Vulcan, at Memphis, titled with mysterious light, » Long rows ofcolumns are lost in darkness. Statues of deities abound. In the middle of the scene, above a carpeted platiorm, rises an altar, mounted by sacred emblems, and irom numer ds rises ancense, The gong of the pristesses, + accompanied by harps, 1s beard from the interior. ‘The first scene Of the secoud act shows a ball in the Senne of Amneris, who is being adorned for triumpbal fest.val, The second scene portrays the entrance to the city of Thebes, @ group of palms, Ammon. To the left 13 a throne, surmounted by a rple canopy. At the back is a triumpunal gate. yptian troops and chariots of war file in, and ensigns, sacred vases, statues of the guds, and Gancing girls, bearing the treasures ot the deteated, contribute to the ensemble, ‘The third act consists of but one scene, which delineates the banks of the Mile. Rocks of granite are seen among the palm trees. The Teinple of Isis gleams amid tohage upon which starlight and moonlight shine, A boat approaches whence Amneris and her maids descend, he first scene of the fourth and last act presents & hall in the Egyptian King’s palace. To the left a fate opens into the subterranean Hall of judgment. A passage to the left conducts to the ‘prison, where Racdamés is confined. The last Scene is rather peculiar. It is divided into two foors. The upper fioor represents the intertor of « stme Temple of Vulcan, respiendeut with light and gold; the lower floor a subterrancau hall, Long Tows of arcades are lost in the darkness. A colos gal statue of Osiris, with the hands crossed, s| tains the pilasters of the vault. In the subte: ranean hall Radames is confined. The priests are Just closing the stone over the living tomb, As they do so Alda and Radamés embrace, and, W ing to each+otner in the darkness, the sougs @nd dances of the priestesses in the glittering temple above contrast with the lovers’ agony and In the front is jespair. In “Aida” the soprano has two solos, one L'Insana Parola,” at tie end of the first act, in Which she adjures tie gods to forget the insanity of the moment which had made her wish her lover ‘would return victorious agaiust the hosts led by her father; the other, “) cieli azzuri’’ (O azure heavens”), at the beginning of the* third act, whete she indulges in a rapture apostrophe to her native countr, The tenor has one solo, “Celeste AYda” (“Celestial Aida’), at the be- ginning of the first act, devoted to a lover's wonate praise of his mistress. There are six juettos, two between the soprano and tenor, two between the contrairo and tenor, one between the Soprano and contralto and one between the so- no and barytone. a } Ormond Maini | | | | | | The | To the right is the Temple of | M ‘the only terzetto occurs in | «the middle of the third act, between the soprano, | contralto and tenor, “Vieni, 0 diletta” (Come, sweet one”). O! the duettos one ocenrs in each Of the first two acts and two in each o! the Jast. In the first act we have the duqt between Amneris aud Rodames, “Fors? Varcuno amore” (Perhaps the Ridden love’); in the second that be en Alda and Amneris, ‘Amore! amore |” (Love! iove!"). In the third act Aida and Amonasro interpret the net “Revedral le joreste iinba ate? (“1 shall gee again tite balmy forests”), and Aida and Ra- Games the ‘Pur te rivegio, mia dolce AYda? (“1 Bee thee again, my sweet Aida”), In the last act cour the duet “Gia { sacerdoti adnnanst” ("A1 ready the priests assemble”), between An Radamés, and that netween Aida and Na “Morir si pura e bella’ (“To die, so pure Deautiial.” Then comes the srtle, with Aida, An. neris, Radames and choruy, and the curtain fy In the general treatment of the compos Verdi has endeavored to rid himself of seve; i=} ‘al of those old conyentionalities which have hampered | gome of his best efforts not less than those of equally powerful and popular composers, He has endeavored introdnes the various melodies upon a Jess stilted and formal plan, and what we have heard of the operg icads us to think tis aspiration has not been unsue: ful. “Aida? will be pro. @uced at the Academy on yovening, Tue part for the contralto ts very strong, but the so- oO has opportuuities which vo prima donna pra assoluta need despise, The pub expecting an interesting novelty. ‘THE LONDON THEATRES, is Warranted in ———— “The Road to Ruin’—An Artistic amph—Exit Magger, Redtvivas—(harites Reade Has Another Chance—Grandmamma on the Boards Agaiu—A Revival at the Vaudeville. Lonvon, Nov, 4, 1875. ‘fhe managers of the Vaudeville Theatre having played “The School for Scandal’ upwards of 400 Enter Buckatone | | ‘times, and being actors, and therefore considerably j ‘ess sensible than other people, naturaily think that they are certain of prosperity if tuey only go on reviving the standard old comedies. A greater mistake conld not possibly be made. The réportoire is extremely limited, and, uniike ‘The School for Scandal,” which plays itself, no matter what doits May undertake its representation, the pieces in- eluded in it require far better acting than can be found at the Vandevilio Theatre, Halcrofts {Road to Ruin’ was the revival on last Saturday night. it isa thorongiily oid fashioned comedy, unnatural in construction, its characters mnintelligibie to modern playgocrs, its dialogue Miod with oaths and bygone slang. It is impos- -@ible 10 foal tha amaliess avmmathy with the quate j who, during the | acWess, 18 going to open the Quee | produc! NEW YORK HUA), -UNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1873—QUADRUPLE rela between the old city merchant and his son, or to lnugh at the ca disi vagaries of Goldfinch, the gporting snow, or tw take any interest in tie senti- micubal platitudes vl Sophia, As usual, the house was packe i with aduiring friends, tae appliuse was torrulc, and the pewspapers teem With praise, But the mor mout wilt not get 400 nights out of tie revival, nor, Lshonld say, 100, although Mr. Farren’s per ormance of Ula Dornton, earefuily modelica upon his (atuer, is Worth seeing in these days, and Mr, Charies Warner's iarry Dornton 18 full of promise, ‘The other parts were very poorly acted, MADAME RISTORI. I missed seeing Mine. Ristori play Lady Macbeth In Eugiish ou the lust night of her perlormance in Londun, which 4 iuch regret, as those who were nu say that her conception and execution aike wonderiully artistic, Nor was there tue faintest trace of toreio accent in her pronun- ciation of English, Sae mace au immense effect by playing the sieep-walking ne—the only one, by the way, In Wich she appeared—with a he stertorous breathing Which ia peculiar co sonnam- bulisin, Wille the pervous action of her hands m the endeavor to crise the “damned spot” and the weird wiite-eiad igure seemed to remain, fire- branded as 3% were, Upon the minds of those who had tne good luck to be present at the periorm- ance, 2 WAYMARKET. ce, the American comedian, urunn, has been drawing mir houses at this theatre, now gracefully reures, and Mr. Buckstone aud tie regular yany return to their old quarters, Such novelties as “Phe seliool lor scandal” .nd “the Overland Route” are prom- ised, But then Mr. Buckston® always was an en- terprising young dog, at least :o he tells us in lis annual venetit speeci Tits ROUSE OF IL1, OMEN, Mrs. Seymour, kuown to playgoers of 100 years id and upwards as Misa Allison, @ pretty, vacuous s—which has nd to by Charles he Wander- ulation bs Mr. John 8, ince it was built had one suc there a dramatic versio! Reaue of his desperate'y dull story, ins Heir? The one chance of the’ sp nevi | that tbe part of the heroine is to be played by Mrs. John Wood, » THE SEMPIVERNAL That dear old lady Mime. Celeste 1s actually com- ing back again, and to the Adeiphi, it is saia, to bound about the stage as Miami, the Huntress of the Mississippi, ana to inquire “Ware is my oss- band,” and to chuck the little girl under the chin and say, “Ah, pare snail!” and ait the rest of what is vuigarly culled the ‘gk 2meat.”? ‘They say that the Adelphi Tueatre, which in its manuvenient bas had some really good names actuched to it—quorum pars parva firi—is about to fail ito the bands oi Messrs. Joyce and Fieid, MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC NOTES, A good deal of discussion has been provoked by the HeraLp's stricvures WPonl the conception of tue two knights in “Tue Wicked World,” as it was! presented on the boards of the Union Square Theatre last week. hese remarks were miid in tone—doubts intended as suggestions ratier than as strictures, 1t has since been claimed, however, that Mr. Thorne and Mr, Rankin have acted only the dramatist’s own conception of the parts. To this we answer that Mr. Gilbert can have no ideal of bis creations different from that revealed in his work, Let ussee how this 13? We are told that there are rude barons of the Mediwval Age; but the only evidence we have of this is in the glimpse of a mediwval city in the background of the stage scenery, The poem is apoem not of any age, but oi human nature. Mr. Thorne 13 rude in speech, but his speeches are highly polished. Tnroughout the lines are elegant and the words such as would be uttered only by gentiemen. Tlius it is seen that the rude conception of the male parts rests only in the uicta of the dramatist and that he has ateeble and foolish ide&l tor the embodiment of his own creations. His mortals should, in tact, be geutlemen—men of the world—and not monsters or biackguards, except in tile imagination of the fairies, Mr. Daly has fixed upon Wednesday evening, December 3, a8 the opening night of his new theatre, This will be the beginning of the flith regular comedy season by the Fifth Avenue coms pany. An original opening address, in the witty and characteristic vein ef the author, has been written jor the occasion by Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes. This address will precede the play on the opening night.. The opentng piece has been writ- ten expressiy for the Firth Avenue company, Itis acta, entitled “Fortune.” Unlike the distinguished actor, now deceased, who began his career a8 amanager with “The Road to Ruin”? and ended with “fhe Spendthrift” and ‘fhe Vie- tim,” Mr, Daly begins with a piece called by a most suspicious title, The new play is by Mr. James y, the well known dramatist and the aufhor of “fwo Roses” and other pieces, The regniar company eagaged for the season at the Filth Ave- nue Theatre 13 as follows :— LADIBS. GENTLEMEN. Miss Ada Dy Mr, Charles Fisher. Miss Fanny 20 Clark Miss u Miss Fauny fi Chapman, r. W. H. Boekmam Mr. D. H. Uarkins. Miss Ada Dyas is from the Princess’ Theatre, London, and holds equal rank on the English stage with Madge Kob nm and Ada Cavendish, Itis expected that she wiil arrive in this city in a short time. Mr. Harvey Dodworth will conduct the orchestra, Mr. John Moore will hold his familiar and tried post of prompter, Mr. J. W. Morrissey will be treasurer and Mr. A. Appleton business agent, The scenic artists are James and Meyrick Roberts and Louis Dufocq. Thus equipped we may expect some brilliant work in the pew theatre—certainly among the most beautaiul in any city—before the season is over. Mme. Nilsson cherisneg a love for her native country, and expresses it by benevolence toward her countrymen, who are in an evikstate and dis- tant irom home. She will sing at aconcert to be given at the Academy of Music on Tuesday, De- cember 2, for the Leneflt of the Scandinavian Emi- grant Protection Society. Mr. Strakosch aiso con- tributes other members of bis company. Owen Marlowe will appear as @ reader at Robin. son Hall on uext Friday evening. The Strakosch troupe will sing “La Traviata” at the Acagemy of Music on Monday night and at the Park Theatre, in Brooklyn, on ‘Tuesday. Mme. Nilsson will be the Violetta at both periormances, “Phe Geneva Cross” is to be brought out at Mrs, Conway's Brooklyn Theatre to-morrow night, when Miss Lilllan Conway will make her second appearance, AYda” is to be sung, for the first time, at the Academy of Music on Wednesday bight. Verdi's latest will be interpreted by the strength of the company, excepting Mme, Nilsson. Mule. Torriani is to sing in the Utle réle, This 4 the last week of Mr. Edwin Booth’s en- gagement at Booth’s Theatre. It is a pity that arenitectural fates should be per- mitted to mar good music at the Lyceum Theatre, It cannot be denied with good reason, however, that the principa! parts of “Il Trovatore” are Siled better by Di Murska, Lacea and Tamberitk, taken together, than by any other combination of artists that lias ever sung the opera in this city, Hartz continues to bepuzzie the peopie with the Indian Box Trick, at the Cooper tustitute, Humpty Dampty has been abroad, and has had some strange haps. Of t they are he desires to inform us, and Mr. Daly has given him the Grand Opera House wherein to re-enact them, Further, this obliging manager has given Humpty Dumpty every uccessery to enadle him to do this success. fully. Perfect scenery has been providea, and when Unompty shall become somewhat fatigued in ‘the repetition—-for some of his adventures abroad were hazardous and boy weartng—there will be three corps de ballet to occupy the time in which he is recaperating, Humpty Dumpty, in re- hearsing his adventures abroad, will certainly be amusing, and, unlike “the schoolmaster abroad,” will, probably, be instructive, If we understand correctly, his changes of scene are made by means of a movable balloon, ‘ Mr, Edwin Adams begins an engagement at the Olympic on Monday night, Mr. Adams must be counted among our beat actors. All of bis expres- sious of character have the merit of consistency, and some of his tragic representations are not ex- celled, The part of Enoch Arden, of which he seems to be the sole exponent on our stage, Will be his tirat performance at the Olympic. ‘The readiness of our local dramatists to take ad- vantage ofevery new object presenting a dramatic phase t# tltustrated by the speed with whicd they have appropriated the Cuban matter. They are seemingly prophetic in these instances, for the Gramug t@ be preseuted at tho Theaire Comiane ‘ } see how the lian | and the Metropolitan Theatre to-morrow evening both present war aad final success to our arms, as | following upen the popular indignation at Spanish | atrocities. The Bowery also comes in with 1,009 Young Ladies jor Cuba.” Asx these young ladies are in the corps de balict we may be sure they will be dressed in rrop‘cat habiliments, the Havanese costume being gencrally a pair of shoes aud 4 somn- brero, LITERATURE. JOHN ADAM3," eMedia The Life of John Adams, begun by hia son, John Qui Adams, and completed by his grandson, Charles Francis Adam: 4 been revised and corrected aud is now publi-hed in one volume by J.B. Lippincott & Co, In its present shape it is practically a new work, and it will find many read- | ers not on.y among those whoare desircus of form- | | | ing correct notions of tke men and motives ot the Revolution, Sut wath tress aiso who are curioas to oO aflection hag painted te thrs ofagreatiamity Ofali american families none ts as thorougbly typical and represeutatve of the Repndlic as the Adams family, Ds nmded irom the old Puritan stock, poor but rosvectabie, taught yn all the learniog of New England of the iast cen- “tury, and trained especially for theological ¢. ntro- versy, Mr. Adams was stow io making the determination to pursue the law instead of divinity. This is not muc to be won- dered at when it Ig remembered that pre- vious to the Revolution the divine was held in the hivhest esteem, while the lawyer re- ceived neitier countenance nor favor, Under the circumstances tt would have been only natural that aman of Jolin Adams! cast and character of mind should have pre erred the pulpit to the forum, and, in tact, the country would have lost his vaiua- bie services beiore, during and afier the Revolu- tion, had it not been for the harsh and cruel dog- mas 01 Calvini: It was only through the doc- trine o! predestination that Joun Adams was fore- ordained to becom+ au American patriot and statesman, But the religious clement was a very strong one in his charact-r, and throuzh his whole | lie it mellowed his statesmanship, even when it failed to modily his polities, Indeed, it was through this element that he becaine the erudite lawyer that he was, for ina province like Massa- chusetts there were few ur no inducements toward the acquisition of tegai leuraing, Mr. Adams found tnat mental occupation in the study of the abstruse principles of the law which he would otherwise have soughtin the controversial books of divinity. lt was fortunate that this was so, for | from the beginning ot his public life his station was | such that 16 required him to be a great constitu- tional and international lawyer, and his studies had exactly fitted ium for his career. Mr, Adams? public ie may De said to have begun with lis services in the Congress at Philadeiptia in 1774. He was also a member of the Continental Congress of the next year, and assisted in pro- moting and framing the Declaration of Independ- ence. Toward the c.ose of 1777 le was appointed a commissioner to France, and, except at intervals, contnued to serve Wis country abroad till after the | the close of the war. While Mr. Adams was in the Continental Consress he spoke often, besides con- | tributing irequently to tue pabue press. Abroad | his labors were incessant, and his services were always pure and unsellish. As often happens in troublous times, he did uot escape the tongue of malice, siander and jea ousy. Even wien the Con- | gress was deuberatins on the measures which led to the Declaration of Invependence and the separa- tion from Great Britain the publication of two of his private letvers, which ietlinto tue hands of Gen- | eral Gage, at Boston, exposea him to both the ridicule and hatred of his compcers, He was denounced as favoring independence, while Jonathan Dickinson and others still ciung to the hope of accommodation, In France his efforts were paralyzed to some extent on ac- count of the distrust manilested toward him by | Vergennes, the French Minister of Foreign At- fairs, aud his success, especially in negotiating the Duten loan, was accomplished in spite of this un- friendly feeling. In 1785 Mr. Adams was sent as Minister to England, where he remained until 1783, Upon the adoption o1 the federal constitntion, when Washington became President, Mr, Adams was chosen Vice President, and, at the close of the first President's second term, he was elected as Washington’s successor. During their service in the Continental Congress Adams and Jeterson were united in their political opinions, but while the former was President of the Senate ne sup- ported the organic measures of Washington's ad. ministration, frequently by nis casting vote, and | he especially differed with Jefferson m favoring | American neutrality during the French Revolu+ thonary period, These diferences made Adams tne Jeader of the federal party, previously championed by Hamilton, and gave Jetlerson his great politica; prominence as the founder of the orgauization which has 80 long existey under the name or the demoeracy, So Mitter did this rivalry become that there were doubts, or affected Coubts, in the public | mind as to whether Adams would yield up the Obie Magistracy at the expiration of his Prest- dential term, Mr. Adams left Washington in a “hui? several hours before Jefferson's imaugura- tion. He lived in retirement at Quincy the rest of his li.e, dying on tue 4th of July, 1826, within a few hours of the death of Thomas Jefferson, His last words, “Jefferson still survives,” show how deep were te feelings with which he regarded the rival statesman, Only a smali part of this work is fromthe pen of Joun Quincy Adains, For the balk of it the country | ig indebted to the present representative of the family, Charles Francis Adams, In style it is strong and vigorous without being either ornate or captivating, Jolin Adams himself generally united in his writings both force and strength, but he was tooaptto display learning and pnilosophy that were painfully sophomoric, The same quali- ties appear in the writings of his son and o1 Ins grandson, John Quincy Adams parades a leeble letter written by Joun Adams to his frieud and kinsman, Nathan Webb, while he was yet under twenty, a3 “characteristic of the head and heart of its writer,’? and continues :—'Had the political part of it been written by the Minister of State of a European monarchy at the close of along life spent in the government of nations, it would have been pronounced worthy 0. the uuited penetration ofa Burleigh, @ Sully, or an Oxenstiern, Mad the Ministers who guided the destinies of Great Britain, had Chatham himself veen gifted with the intuitive foresight of distant futurity which marks the composition o1 this letter, Chatham would have foreseen that his conquest of Canada in the felds | of Germany was after all but a shallow policy, aud that divided colonies and the turoutent Gallics were the only eifectual guardians of the British Empire in America.” Wine we cannot agree with praise so partial we can warmly endorse the | sentence which follows:—‘lt was the letter o! an original, meditative wind; a mind as yet aided only by the acquisitions then attainable at Harvard College, but formed by nature Jor statesmanship of the highest order.’ The letters of John Adams are, however, the most interesting things in the work, and give us an insight into the man and the times not otherwise attainable. If the present volume, extremely valuabie in the shape in wutch tt is now presented, was issued fur the first time, a most instructive chapter might have been gleaned from the letters of Joun Adams to bis wife, and we may anticipate a paper not less interesting wien Mr, Charles Francis Adams shall have completed the biography of lis father now in ceurse of pre- paration and soon to be published, * The Late of Jobn Adams, Bewun by John Quincy Adams, completed by Charles Francis Adams Kevised and corrected, Two volumes in one, Parladeiphia: J. B. Lippincott & Od, THE BRADDON NOVEL.’ ae Miss Braddon is a ciever writer, She belongs to that class.oi novelists who have something of the industry and audacity of the late Alexandre Dumas, without his volaptuousness, his wit or the demi-semi historical glamour with which he con- trived to invest so many of his fictions. She would soon be lost if she endeavored to pick her way among the throng of dukes and princes, generals. captains, pretty pages and powdered marquises that gleam and gutter among the French nevelist'a } that advanta re, | ana, | Emperor called forth by his death. It comprises 7 votuminous chapters, But she 1s undoubtedly at home im that hurmbler sphere which concerns itself with the adventures of vicars’ daughters, heroic curates, reiuced gentlemen, queens of s0- ciety and ‘disappointed painters, who obtain re- nown just in time to jndicionsly hasten the e:imax- Without an oMeial statement frou: her publishers it would searcely be safe to assert how many novels Miss Braddon lias presensed to the world since “Aurora Floyd” first enshrined her among the household gods of Mudle, She has struck While the iron is hot. She has made hay while the sun shone, She will plainly have nosi- ing to reprwach herseil with when her popularity begins to wane and the reviews unanimously late, “This writer is not what she once was.” paces like the horse whose hind feet con- One novel is not completed ere another ie began, She does not loosep her grip upon (ie public tor amoment, She will not give her readeis time to ether. She repiens her laurels, but never reposes on them, Her literary oars kuoW no rest. With tne last chapter of “Strangers and Pilgrims” we have the first of “Publicans and Sinuers,” Ere the blue-black coils of Aurora Moyd coase to dazzle you, you are called to admiy ady Aud- ley’s .inglets of feathery gold. There is no break in the procession. You lave to make a dictionary ol her characters in order to remember them; a concordance of events to insure exactituae of ref ererice, Her creations come gliding by In monthiy regiments, ike a geutle phantasmagoria, which threarens to grow paiilut from its very continuity. Miss Braddon is, therctore, we say, clever, and has not committed tae fault of so many ciever people in letting her tacuities run to seed, Her ambition piainiy is to wiite a bigger number of novels than any other living authoress—and to write them hersel!, without depending, Dumas-like, upon a literary manufactory, Nothing else could account Jor such remorseless Jecundity. Doubtless those who live long enough will see ier going down to extreme o!d age, modiying her plots and characters to suit the idiosyncrasies of the twen- tieth century, and filling in odd moments with legitimate dramas in Miltomian verse, It is in- credible that such a writer will ever descend from tie Aterary locomotive and travel for a little way in staye coach. And yet we things tue stage coacn progress would by inucn the more suitabie, and much the better wm the end The Woman who ten years ago coud write as good a novel as ‘Aurora Floyd’? ought to be able tu write @ much better one to-day. Miss Braddon’s fault is the iault of almost every one who has reached popularity only. after many slrugg e8 along the Bt and Luormy patio! Lrera- ture. For years she wrod tue stony byways of nou- success, ilaving become known at last she couid NOt resist (he L-Inpla:1on to mnake 2 Sordid use of it 13 lair Co muier, therefore, that she could never have pussessed tne arristic in- Stinct, pare aud simple, or she would have pre ierred muking alittle less money and composing infinitely better booss, Misa Braddou's sin Is the au 04 the age, the grand churacteristic o! the nine- | teenth century of Curistianity, She writes three or .our novels in the same space 0. time she ought to devote to one, consequently none of her vooks will live, and to posterity her name will have the mistiness of the’ comet’s tat! Without its - giltter. Her twenty novels (there must surely be as Many as that altogether) have pad as much labor spent on thei as might have produced five ov six really worth reading. “strangers and Pilgritns,”’ thoush it is one or the best she has recently written, 1s a painiul stance oi this. Itisa salient illustration of lioness of the author’s pen, ‘the style is a$ tree as an uns dulating landscape, without the picturesqueness and richuess 01 oue, There is no beauty o1 Luoucht, No wise or apposite retlections, no reproductions oO} human chars no Vital dese 1ptions of nature, no wholesome moral vertebranng tue plot and giving backbone to thought, feeiing aud taney; but there is a superabundauce o} that smvoth an Neecy verbiage which fluent writers, capabie of better things, so olten command. ‘There 1s a large supply Of that animal adimration of masculine and leminine bevuty to which tue un- disciplined school girl and the imbecile matrou can sive such hearty sympathy, ‘The herome, iizabeth Luctret!, the — pel tion of female beauty, is one of those fascinating and irregular beings who have the angel inthem if you ouly dig deep enough. ‘fhe digging in tuis case is done by Maicoim Ford, a cura Who agsisis her lather, tie yicar of Hawleigh pa: He managed to interest her in the salvation o soul, and, Waal is more, in the souls of the poor amoug nis parishioners, Under nis direction the tamed St. Paul beside’ Mrs. Jones’ wasntuo coal and flannel to the w.dowed and atieriess. Finally she engages hersell to Maicolia Ford to the disinay of her aunt Chevenix, @ Uriliant worldling, who hada far higher maten an view, At this jancture she 1s whisked otf to Lon- don oy Mrs, Chevenix, to catch a@ glimpse of tne great world beloregpuutting her eyes to if iorever aud setuiug gown to the humd.um duties of a curate’s Wile, Intoxicated with m6velty she be- she stautly cover the tracks made by his fore. comes & social success and endures with equability the attentions of Lord Paulyn, wuom Mrs. Chevenix destines to be her future husband, Tne movuug after her great triumph, wnen she has electrified the circle in which sue woves by playing Peg Wolington at a private theatrical enteitaimment ior tue beneft of the widows of indigent stockbrokers, Malcoim Yord breaks in upon her unexpectediy, oraads her’ with anfidehiy to ber eugagement vow without giving her an opportunity wo eXpiain, bids her farewell forever. The sequel may casily be guessed. Hears broken at Malcom’s desertion she accepis Lord Paulyn and plunges into a whirt of fasuionabie dissipa- tion, Her extravagance soon disgusts her ius- band, who removes her to Slogh-na-Dyack, m Argsieshire, a secluded estate, where she mopes her sne away und advances to the vrink of insanity, Without ioowing out all the details of a plot, which is interesting neither in te development 01 character nor incident, we will merely add that she is removed by her nasband to a private insane hospital, that Lurd Paulyn dies in time to admit of Eliz. beth and Malcoim having several spirituat love scenes at Elizabeth's dying bed, and that just belore the herome dies she imiorms her lover that sue leaves him half her fortune (£35,000), and he iniorms her in turn that in every islind of the sea, which he visits as & missionary, (nere shail be an Engiish church dedicated to “st. Hlizabeth.” People woose tastes are worth gratiying admire Wiikie Collins because his literary style 1s pure aud his plots Wondertully iateresting pieces of mechan- ism. They admire Charies Keade because he is a brusque satirist Of social foibles, und because, tn sprite of bis egotism and animatism, there is the | brea h of life—human tesh and blood and bone—in many or lis characters, They admire George Eliot, because ner genius is siernly cultured and couscicntiousiy apolied, and sue not only paints human lite but valuably philosopiizes upon it. And some of them admire Miss Braddon, not for anything sue has yet done, but because, amid ali the ruck and harry and unhappy lacility of her exe- cution, they recognize several trails” which, ployed m hines of rectitude and leisure, might ac- pomplish # Work worthy lo be snatcued irom the circulating librarie: * “Strangers and Pilrims,.” a novel, by Miss M. E. Brad- don. Published by Harper & Brothers. LITERARY CHIT-CHAT, THE SECOND VOLUME of Colonel G. V. Henry's “Military Record of Army and Civilian Appoint- ments in the United States Army” is avout to be issued from the press of D, Van Nostrand, The first portion of this highly useful work of reference was published in 1870. Amone forthcoming publications is a new “Life and Ccnversations of Dr, Samuel Johnson,” by Mr. Alexander Matin, with a preface by Mr. G. Hy Lewes. ‘The life, although, of course, founded chiefly upon Boswell's work, has been entirely re- written, with the view of meeting the wants of a new time, Masses. DoLav have formed, under the title of “Napoleon IL devant la Presse Contemporatne,” @ collection of the vartous notices of the ex- articles from papers and magazines published in Engiand, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and other countries, A NEW NOVEL has just been finished by Berthold Auerbach, The plot of the story belongs to the | period of the late great war, and the scene is in Alsace and the Black Forest. THs POSTHUMOUS WORK of the German dramatist Benedix, catled “Shakespearomanie,” which is directed against the admiration for Shakespeare prevalent in Germany, will soon appear. Dr HRIE’S autobiography will be published on this side the Atlantig, under arrangements with the family. by Robert Carter Bros. ‘Ti INTERNATIONAL Review, of ‘A. S. Barnes & Co., of Which the first number is to be published in December, will be issued every two months, in- stead of querer a fa x ‘ ’ Tae “Art Tour id fig. thorn Capitals of alse 1 ks ge Europe,” by Mr. J, Atkinson, pi Jightiul beok, It is written from notes tnken by the author on the spot, and describes irom an artist’s point of view the cities of Copenhagen, Stockholm, St. Petersburg, Moscow, &c., giving an. account of all the art treasures with which they abound, a MEssns, NeLeon will publish, about Christmas, an iilustrated volume, by the Rev, Dr, Andrew Thomson, of Edinburgh. its title will be “In the Holy Land." Tue beat partof Mill's Antobiograpby, besides the remarkable and masterly sketch of his father, Mr. James Mili, if the account of the growttr of his plilosephic erced as to Political Economy and Logic. Mi, WALTER THORNBURY’s “Criss-Cross Jour- neys,” just out in Loudon, has an admirable ae- seription of the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky. There are also Rocky Mountain and Texas sketehes, and some adventures im the United States during the war period, Mi. NAS#a0 MOLeEswortn’s “History of England Since 1830" is a carefully written work in three volumes, the last volume, just ont, bringing the history of modern Engiand down to 1870, “InisH Wirs AND Worries,” by Dr. W. J. Pitz. patrick, isan amusing book just publisued by Duty, of Dublin, Mr. James Panton has jnst put the finishing touches oa his “Life of Jefferson” for publication in book jorm, ConrEprtare G JoseeH F, Jounsron’s “Narrative of Military Operations Directed by Him During the Late War Between the States’? is in press at Appicton’s. It {a satd to be written in terse, incisive aud vivid style, and will be sold by subscription. Tue Vicomre ALFRED De CasToN, the weil known Orleutai publicist, is about to bring out # new work wnder the titie of “La Turqnie en 1873: Constantinople—bucharest—Belgrade—Le Caire— Tunis." Tae ENoLisn Publishers’ Circular says that “there seems to be no good reagon Wuy the perlod Of copyright and property in good sound literary work should not be made perpetual.” “A MemortaL VOLUM‘ OF SacRED PorTRy,” by the late Sir John Bowring, to which is prefixed & Memorial of the author, by Lady Bowrimg, is iv press. . Tus Saturday Revie tells of a Scottish clergy- man who quoted a text of Scripture In hts prayer, and added, for the Instruction of his audience, “For that, 0 Lord, is the correct translation oj the passage.” ‘Tux British Royal Commission on unscaworthy ships have }ublished their first report in a big blue book. During the present year, irom January to June, 128 ships have been lost. ‘The dangerous character oi many passenger vessels 18 fully estab, lished. NEW PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. Philadelphia :—*"Poems of From Porter & Coates, Charles Fenuo Hoifman, From D, & J. Sadtier & Co:—"The Irish on the Prairies and Otuer Poems.” By Rey. Tuomas Am- brose Butler. “ From P. 0’Sliea:—The Baron of Hertz.” From the French of Albert de Labadye. From Claxton, Remsen & Hatelfinger, Philadel- phia:—"Uncle Grandésir’s Matches.’ From the French of the Baroness Martineau des Chesnez. From Dodd & Mead:—“Tne Cumberstone Con- test.’? From Sheldon & Co:—“The Rose of Disentis.’? Transiated from the German of Weinrich’Zschokke by James J. D. Trenor, From '. B, Peterson & Brothers, Philadeiphia:— “Chemistry in its Application to Agriculture and Physiology.” By Baron Justis Liebig. From Harper & Brothers:—“Little Dorritt.* Charles Dickens, (Household edition). From Catuolic Publication Society : the Most Rev. M, J. Spalding, D. D., Archbishop of Baltimore.” By J. L. Spalding, From James &. Osgood & Co., Boston:—‘ The Story of Goethe's Lite.” By George Henry Lewes. From T, P, James, Brattleboro, Vt.:—‘Tue Mys- tery of Edwin Drood’’ (complete). By Charles Dickens, From DP, Appleton & Co.:—“The American Cycio- piedia” (vol. 3, of revised edition). From Hurd & Houghton :—“Bianca Cappello.” A tragedy. By Etizabet C. Kinvey. “The Egypuan Sketch Book.” By Cuarles G. Leland, WHERE IS SHARKEY ? By Two New Witnesses Who Saw the Escape— What Was Seen by Mrs. Delia Broderick. and the Witness Levine- Maggie Jour- dan Wants Warm Bed Clothes and Is Refused by the Warden. The vicinity of the Tomos was the scene of quite an excitement early yesterday morning. Maggie Jourdan, Sarah Allen and Keeper Lawrence Philips were brongit out of the 4 mn in charge of three officers, to be taken before Judge Davis, in the Court of Hyer and Terminer. Was standing outside the gate, rusied forward and shook Maggie sourdan’s hand warmly and entered into a subdued conversation with ber. He tol- Jowed her out on the sidewalk and waiked with her to the court room. This young man was William J. Sharkey's brother, and was recognized by several persons standing near, In an hour alterwards the prisoners returned, the argument on the writ of habeas corpus having been ad journed till Monday, Commissioners Laimbeer, Bowen and Stern were on hand shortly aiter,and they had a long con- sultation, as usual, with Warden Johnson, and two new witnesses were produced before them—Mrs, Delia Broderick, of No. 52 Vandam street, aud Pate rick Levine, at present confined in the prison, on the third tier. These persons, after being thor- oughly examined by the Commissicuers, were brought upstairs and their afiidavits were taken by Judge Bixby. MRS. DELIA BRODERICK said she was a visitor to the Tombs on the 19th of November, and was staucing on the second ter, | about one o'clock, when she saw a person in woman’s clothes come out of cell No, 40 (Sharkey’s), and saw Maggie Jourdan standing in front of it and remain there gome time, Mrs, Broderick also said she saw this person go up to the door and siand among a crowd ol three or four waiting for it to be unlocked. Patrick Levine, @ prisoner on the third tier, saw two women standing at Sharkey’s cell door at one o’clock ou tae 19th Of November, and tdentifics them as Maggie Jourdan and Sarat Alien. Keeper Edward Falconer aiso made an affidavit, stating that he called Keeper Richard Finnan’s at- tenuon when Sharkey made his exit, saying, “Dick, that. Woman looks like a man.” Vinnan esterday afternvon was committed to the Tombs for examination ana will be held like the rest of the prisoners in this case, to await the action of the Grand Jury. The brother of Maggie Jourdan and also the brother of Wiliiam J. Sharkey called on Warden Johnson yesterday and stated to him that Maggie complained that she could not sleep in her cell on account of the cold, and requested that the bedclothes belonging to Sharkey should be given to her, The Warden deciined to accede to this proposition. Warden Johnson, it Is understood, is about to be removed by the Commissioners of Charities and Correction. The Habeas Corpus Writs. It was expected that the writs of habeas corpus granted by Judge Barrettin the cases of Mrs. “Wes!” Allen, Maggie Jourdan and Lawrence Philips, one of the Tombs keepers, and made returnable yesterday before Judge Davis, in the Court of Oyer and Terminer, would have been argued at length yesterday in the Jat. tercourt. Mr, William F. Rowe, counsel for the prisoners, was promptly on hand at the opening of the Court to show by competent legal authorities that the prisoners ore entitled to their liberty, Assistant District Attorney Lyons was also equally prepared to show that no possible fin existed for restoring these parties to liberty, As the Court bad a Case of rather more stirring magnitade on hand—the Tweed case—the discus- sion of the writs was laid over till to-morrow morn. ing. Meantime Mr. Lyons intimated his line of proceedure in the premises by moving # dismissal of the wiits, on the ground that the Grand Jury had already acted in the matter. To this Mr. Howe very seriously objected, and accordingly th Writs were laid over as stated, A SHARKEY IN JERSEY. A convict named James Farwell, who committed SSvergl robberies and was sentenced two weeks ago to six ie hag en in the Hudson County Penitentiary, escdped from that institation yesterday afternoon, He had béen set to work with some brother criminals on the prison grounds, and, seeing a favorable opportunity arise, took ef his heels across the country and has not Mag hn since, There was, of course, a terrible hag among the Vigilant oiicials, several of whom ae : PUt oD his track, but it 1s probavle that they ‘ Me seen the last of the culprit Who bears the sign! cant pame 'Far-well.”? ‘he Life of | As soon as | the trio made thelr appearance a young man, who | THE MONSTARY SITUATION, Statement of the Condition of the Banks Now, Last Week and Before the Panic. The War in the Gold Room an@ urrent Results. ——— 110 1-2. GOLD The feature of freshest interest in the attuation yesterday was the publication ofa bank statement by the associated banks showing their average condition during the past we with a comparison of thelr condition during the previous week, as fol- lows :— THR BANK STATE MENT, Nov. 1. Nov. 22, Loans, $055,900 SI a 938,300; Circnlation.. 57,500; Deposits. + 6,122,400 Legal ten. + 4,804,200 This presents the following as the relative strength of the banks yesterday and the week pree vious Deposits. Cireulation. Totals Specie ........ Legal tenders. 348,468,500 48,816,750 Deficiency... ie 4,025 $343,250 —Being a gain in reserve this week of $4,226,375, NOW AND THEN, The following tables show the condition of the banks now as compared with that oi September 20, at the inception of the panic:— Sept. 30. Nov. 75,421,7 188 Totals........ aes ax % per cent jiabiliues re- quired reser £14,200 114,400 198,040,100 167,987,200 Dec. 30,072,900 Deposits. Legal ten. 307,900 30,399,800 Dec, 3,408,100 —And their relative strength then and now. LIABILITIES. Sept. 20, Nov, 22, Deposits... $198,040, 100 $167,967, 200° Circolation 27,414,200 299, ) Totals......... 225, 454,300 $195,267,000 Specie.. .. $17,568, 700- Legal tenders.. 30,899,300 Totals. $53,152,500 $45,468,500: 25 per cent liabilities re- quireu reserve......... $56,383,575 $48,816,750 Deficiency..........+0- $3,211,075 $343,250 —Showing a rejative advantage at the present ; time over the initial week of the panic of $2,862,845. 18 statement, which, in @ period preeediug the | recent panic, wouid be regarded as most unfavor- able, exhibits at this juncture A VERY FAYORASLE OONDITION; far more so (han was anticipated by the bear ele~ Ment on the street, or, in fact, generally expected, It likewise proves the purpose that has prevented its earlier pulication, and presents a farther are guiment in Javor of such a reformed system as shall require such statements to be made regularly on cerram jason the demand of any de- posicor or stockholder: and not be subject to the mere inclination of either bank president, commit- tee ov clearing house. This is a reform Worth ail the so-called safeguards sought to be imposed by some of the banks now in the ass®ciation upom others, which are, after all, but as a ratl fence about a cow pasture—very easily broken through. It can ony come, bowever,, with free vanktng, where the open ledger to those interested will be the best guarantee agaist undue expansion, mismanagement or de- faication. Itistuken for granced, of course, that ‘iree banking”? in this connection tuctudes the | same or egual provision as a security for circula- { ton as that offered now, ‘The eect of the states | ment was most marked, notwithstanding that at- | tention was quickly called to the fact that the banks had made no exhtbit in their statement to THE OUTSTANDING LOAN CERTIFICATES, estimated at from $15,000,000 to fut then these are only loans, well | } ! | variously $20,000,000. | secured, too, its to be presumed, by proper col- | lateral, and woald not enter into the analysis of the statement showing the strength of the banks relatively in respect to thetr liabilliies and res sources. Lit hese certiticates aro he they must be sougnt for i i As added to yesterday as t would, ab their bigaest estimute » account of undue expansion $1 400 less than it was september 20. tn either case, then, whether regarded as loans not inciuded i yestorday’s statement or as deposits, when they would neces- sarily be included, they do uot detract from the favorable character of the statement, which shows that we ha peed across the dreadtul chasin of impending run and universal baukruptey we were (daily taught to iook for ever since the failure | of Jay Couke & until now, and stand safely again on rm ground. The stock market showed Its appreciation of this IMPROVEMENT [MME SITUATION by a quick rally in ali the Jeading stocks, and & more buoyant, coudident tone among dewiers, only the bears being distressed at the interruption to | their schemes. To help themseives out they sought to imitate Old Provabilities in his prognos- tications, aud hinted thata warm rain would soon | melt the ice on the cauals and rejease the ireight bow trozen in, Lt may result so, Wi would. of course, delay the winter profits of the later, but thus iar we have had no of it. However, this would not oe the the weather had come in to help out a be: lation, NeXt to the bauk statement . THE WAR ISSUE was that most in favor with the street, and, tm deed, iu the Gold Room transcended every other | issue. Jt was the same oid story, towever, of battles inthe air, and the premiam ste vanced upon tie aginary view of our piandered ‘ed navy, and hecatombs of The despatches from Washing Witch came with @ rapidity that must have Sstied the boldest operator, furnis: the basi of an active bull movement, the premium being advanced to livs, at whick Mzure it closed. One does not, however, look to the gentlemen who shout themselves hoarse around the central railing in tue Gold Room for aa expression of tee! ing in respect to the possibility or cestrability war or its yrstidcation, Thetr business 1s apy to buy and sell gold, and if they are long of gol aninsultto the flag presents to them only the | chauce of a good market to unload on. If they are Short, on the contrary, it ls to be deprecated and regarded as no insult, or explained away because too much indignation is likely to spoul their specu. lation, One 18 tempted to ask in this connection 13 THE GOVERNMENT SHORT OF COLD now, With a $20,000,000 debt maturing January 1, 1874, besides the heavy coin interesi to be pro- vided for at the same time? Has the wonderiul policy of the past few years supported by the doml- nant party in drawing the resources of the coun- try to make a pale jor a stainp speech by the reduction of the public deot lett our finances im the same crippled condition with respect to war measures as this unbrogiio found oar wavy? It ie to be hoped not. Yet tf not why thia temporiz- ing poiicyy Why the effort on the part of the gove ernment to check fhe growth of public indiyna- tion in such & crisis by deprecatory assurances that it will do no good? Will if not, and if not, why not? These are questions that are asked on Wail atreet by meu who take’ little heed of idle rumors, yet feel disappointed at the pacific spirit evinced, in words, by the govern~ Ment, 80 strangely in contrast with that of the people, and who pay littie heed to the fuotnations, of gold, other than aa they give token of some Unw deriying cuuse. o DENIAL OF A KEPORTRD FAMLURB. Inquiry having been made at tue ottice of Mrs David Salomon, agentot the Pennsylvania, Raltroa iu this city, as to the truth of the ramor previously re; ng the so-called personal failure, published regarding of J. Edgar Thomson, President of the road, th following telegram Was sown in reply. It wi received in respouse toa stuitlar inquiry made by Mr. Salomon of Mr. Thomson himself :— i Toh I ne: I never have been protested, and { hope] At sat. THE CELEBRATION OF 87, OEOILIA’S DAY,. A magnificent ‘musical programme has been arw ranged for this evening at Ferrero’s Assembly, Rooms, Tammany Hall Mile. Maresi, Miss Cary, Campanini, Del Puente and others of the troupe will A} 5 aa th ful Proheatre, ae eds are je ney Chui Brrcecitia, corner af Soth néreet and Recona aves nue, of which Rev, Hugh Flattery is the talented pastor, The concert has been arranged under bi management, and, go doubs will be @ ere _ SUCCESS,