THE ROYAL ACADEMY.-WINTER EXHIBITION. (First Notice.) AFTER actual inspection of the pictures and drawings brought together by the Council of the Royal Academy, we can say that our hopes of an attractive exhibition are more than ful filled. To be sure, of Italian paintings there are none-a thing unheard of except when the Landseers were exhibited and we confess to some disappointment with regard to the twentysix Watteaus and Lancrets. They do not make much of a show beside Rubens's Earl of Arundel (No. 169), from Warwick Castle, or the jovial pictures of Jan Steen lent by Lord Northbrook. Sir R. Wallace and Lord Northbrook have lent Claudes of which the charm is Italian rather than French. It might, indeed, be said that, excepting the four Claudes, the one Lely, one Phillip, one Newton, three Boningtons, and four Rubenses-hardly a dozen instances all told -this fine exhibition would still have been quite possible had Italian art never existed. Watteau, Lancret, Greuze, and the Dutch landscapists, Van de Capelle, Cuyp, Hobbema, and the rest, were not indebted to the Italians. Turner for a time owed to Claude as much as Claude owed to Elzheimer, but the fine 'Van Tromp' and Quillebœuf' and the enchanting 'Venice' are all his own, while the supremely noble 'Wave' is English, although something has been learnt from Ruysdael's ardent love for the sea, but even that something Turner corrected and dignified. In Constable's masterpiece, View on the Stour (177), the Italians had certainly no part. It is as difficult to discover anything Italian in the fine Romneys which give distinction to the west wall of Gallery III. There is only a very little of Italy in the Reynoldses in the same room, while in the British pictures with which Mr. T. H. Miller has happily furnished Gallery I. there is no trace of Italian art at all. The Romneys in Gallery III. are clear, solid, bright, and accomplished, but beside the Rembrandts and Turners they look comparatively raw, hard, and mannered. They are not, however, really so. The delightful Countess of Warwick and her Children (145) is excellent in every respect, and compares favourably with the somewhat flashy Gainsborough, the Duke of Gloucester (150), which has gained more than it has lost from the effects of time. Nevertheless, it was an ill fortune which placed the Romneys face to face with so many of the masterpieces of that wonderful artist who, had he produced only the Portrait of a Lady at a window (160), which the Queen has lent, would have ranked with the poets; had he painted nothing but The Shipbuilder and his Wife (167) would have held a distinguished position among the realists; and to whom, had he produced only The Burgomaster Pancras and his Wife (163), a chief place among great painters of portraits would have been due. obvious in this picture. Far otherwise was it when Rembrandt lingered over the fair complexion, soft eyes, and musing air of the lady depicted in No. 160, dated 1641, and Smith's 511, which, having been imported by Nieuwenhuys in 1814, did not fetch more at Christie's in that year than 790 guineas, but was afterwards sold for 1,000 guineas, and resold, in 1819, for 720 guineas, at which price it became the property of the Regent, who lent it to the British Institution in 1826 and 1827, when, to the best of our knowledge, it was last seen by the public. The lady, of whose history nothing is known-although there is a whole biography painted in her gentle features, her suave expression, and that soft golden hair-is obviously Dutch, the young bride of some rich burgess or burgomaster of Amsterdam, chosen for her beauty and the goodness which her sedate eyes and sweet air indicate. She has approached the window of her home, opened it to look out, and is quite unconscious of herself, and indifferent to the effect of the jewellery and sumptuous ornaments on which the light glitters, while the reflections from the priceless lace and lovely pearls upon her throat and shoulders play about her soft chin and cheeks. Dou, even Schalken Rembrandt, even more frequently than others of his school, adopted the device this work illustrates with exceptional good fortune of placing his sitter at a window, so that the fullest brilliancy of daylight (not sunlight, which this wise master, aware of the limits of his palette, rarely attempted) falls upon her flesh, dress, and ornaments, set, so to say, in the darkness of the room within and the frame proper of the picture. Some of the pupils of the master - such as Metsu, Flink, Maes, and not content with the forceful contrasts thus secured, painted (and, indeed, Rembrandt sometimes allowed himself to do the same) the actual window-opening and its architecture as a framework to the figure, in addition to the real frame of the picture. Of course neither Rembrandt nor any of his contemporaries, except occasionally, condescended to actual frames other than black, with or without narrow inner borders of gold. The invariable gilt frame is a modern offence to the chiaroscuro and coloration of the picture it surrounds, while its constant employment shows that pictures are nowadays regarded as pieces of furniture. Frames entirely gilt were never used by the Dutch School, which cultivated coloration and chiaroscuro as leading elements of art per se. The gilded frames of Italian altarpieces come under a different law, because in those paintings the coloration was adapted to quite other principles than the Dutch, and chiaroscuro of shadow was neglected for the chiaroscuro of light. Your true Briton, ignorant of such refinements, puts his Rembrandt into a gold frame which would suit the gay coloration of a Bellini. A It is somewhat bewildering to an amateur to curious survival of the Rembrandtish sense of be confronted with exhibitions so various and the fitness of things is observable in Kneller, to seemingly so self-contradictory of the powers of whom one last spark of the common sense of the a single artist, yet had the Academicians de- early gods was vouchsafed. He, the very latest sired to puzzle us it would have been easy for of the followers of Rembrandt, was accustomed them to procure pictures of earlier date which to paint his men and women in oval encadrewould have shown this great genius condescend- ments, or sham frames, to be enclosed by the ing to polish painfully the surface of a man's inevitable gold frames no barbarian could be skin, searchingly delineating the radial lines of expected to dispense with. We suppose these an old lady's ruff, and depicting, with a sort encadrements to be the archetypes of the oval of fervent joy, the mysteries of light absorbed frames proper, which before their time were very by golden embroideries or jewels. Nor was rarely indeed, if ever, used for pictures (although, the Portrait of the Painter (157), whose puffed of course, they were used for miniatures). A little form and swollen features betray the ravages later, when dulness "reassumed her reign," the of time, one of the last of Rembrandt's pic- encadrement of paint was left to take care of itself, tures. It is Smith's 225, dated 1658, and and the spandrels between it and the angles of therefore preceded 'The Syndics,' which is now the gilded frame were left unfilled, and the result at Amsterdam (Smith's 141), by three years. was very odd indeed. When Murillo and some Still the troubled eyes, the hurried strokes of the other artists employed, as they occasionally did, brush, the pervading marks of haste and a fevered painted encadrements, their sense of the fitness mind not able to consider its design, but com- of things compelled them to fill the spandrels. pelled to paint for dear life (Rembrandt had a bad The frame of Rembrandt's masterpiece has mortgage to redeem in that year), are painfully | led us far, but the subject has a modern appli cation of importance when we take account of the educational effects of the invaluable series of winter exhibitions which the Royal Academy has most generously taken on itself the task of forming. The lady's air of settled peace and happy domestic repose seems to indicate, and the lowness of the source of light falling upon her corroborates the idea, that she is standing in her boudoir after having adorned herself to await the return of her husband from his business in the early afternoon, when leisurely Dutch commerce allowed its votaries to return. It was in 1641, and only some twenty years later we know that Pepys went to his office between four and five o'clock in the morning, left the place at two, and "then home" to take his wife"poor wretch," as he fondly called her-out for a junketing such as our genteeler age knows not. Mrs. Pepys was not so wealthy as Rembrandt's patroness, nor was her face of such high breeding as to be distinguished by these clear golden and rosy undertints and sub- tones of grey, which are visible in the almost luminous carnations, while the light ripples on the tinsel of the fan, sparkles on the embroidery of her gown, its sleeves and gold ornament, and the shadow of the head upon the sumptuous collar and bertha of white shows in its clear depths a whole treasury of pearls in a carcanet worthy to be a king's ransom. NEW PRINTS. MM. BUFFA fils, of Amsterdam, have sent us, through Mr. Obach, their agent in England, a proof on vellum, with the remarque, two rhyming lines by F. V. Vondel in honour of the subject, from a plate etched by Heer Arendzen with extreme vigour and firmness, excelling in rendering the masculine qualities of the picture, which has been long in the Six Van Hillegrom collection at Amsterdam, and famous throughout the world as the 'Burgomaster Six.' It was painted by Rembrandt in 1656, when he was forty-nine years of age, the year of 'Jacob blessing the Children of Joseph,' which is at Cassel, and immediately following the year of Sir R. Wallace's 'Portrait of Rembrandt.' The etching made in 1647 by Rembrandt of his friend the burgomaster standing at a window is almost as fine as the oil portrait, of which, notwithstanding its reputation, no plate has been made equal to that before us. Etched by Desboutin and engraved by J. W. Kaiser, it is Smith's 329. Six is drawing on his glove and about to set out to walk. He wears a broad-rimmed black hat, a loose mantle of red with gold tabs, and a grey coat with gold buttons. It is probably Rembrandt's masterpiece in his freer style. The head is simply perfect. The thoughtful good nature and dignified gentleness of the man are excellently expressed. The withered features retain the energy, if not the freshness of youth, and nothing could be simpler or more spontaneous than the attitude. The face is much more finished than the rest of the figure and the dress, which are decidedly sketchy, yet as massive and powerful as they are true. It is no small triumph for Heer Arendzen to have succeeded thoroughly with this masterpiece. He has been nearly as fortunate with the plate (of which we have received a vellum proof from MM. Buffa fils, with the remarque, two rhyming lines by J. V. Vondel) reproducing the portrait in the above-named collection of Anna Wijmer, wife of Jan Six, and mother of Jan Six Van Vromade, Rembrandt's patron, which is signed and dated "1641." Consequently it belongs to a very different period of the master's skill from the burgomaster's likeness, and shows the high finish and thorough polish of the surface which belong to the portrait of Saskia, now at Dresden. Anne Wijmer is an elderly lady, and her comfortable plumpness and rosy colour remind one of winter fruit. Not in vain did Smith say that the picture is " finished throughout with the most scrupulous care, accompanied with extraordinary purity and brilliancy of colour-preservation it is all but perfect, like those of ing." She sits in a chair in three-quarters view to our right, and the eyes are to the front. On ber head is a close-fitting white cap; about her neck is a ruff of vast circumference, most wonderfully drawn and painted. ed. On her black dress is a fur trimming. As he succeeded with the full impasto, vigorous touch, and marvellous techmical shorthand of the burgomaster's portrait, so Heer Arendzen has studied with honourable care the scrupulous drawing, polished surface, and exhaustless modelling of the earlier piece. The features may be said to be stippled, while the ruff is, as an instance of drawing proper, quite as fine. We have received from Mr. E. G. Cundall, Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, two etchings by Herr G. L. Raab after pictures in the Old Pinacotheca, published by Herr P. Kaeser, of Munich-one of them an excellent representation of P. de Hooghe's (No. 530) Dutch interior of a woman seated with her back towards us, reading a book, and facing the windows, whence the sunlight pours into the room. The clearness and breadth of the etching are enjoyable. The same etcher produced the the ca capital plate before us after Rubens's 'Jesus Christ and the Four Repentant Sinners' (No. 261), which is best known by Val Green's mezzotint and the line print of Natalis (Smith, 190). The etching gives much of the brilliant and rich morbidezza of the Magdalen's flesh, but her drapery is rather too light. These prints belong to a series of fifty etchings from pictures in the gallery, some of which we have already noticed. The general effect of the works is well rendered. NOTES FROM ATHENS. British Archæological School, Athens. THE town of Athens, and especially the Acropolis, is now passing through a very remarkable period in its existence. It is with mixed feelings that even those who reside here, and whose chief interest is in archæology, look upon the sweeping alterations that have quite changed the character of its appearance. The tendency to demolish all monuments of mediæval or modern history has been allowed free play of late years; in a short time hardly anything will be left that does not go back at least to Roman times. The line will probably be drawn here, though, if one regards Bothing but the work of the great age of Athens as worthy of preservation, it is hard to see why (for instance) the pedestal of Agrippa deserves more respect than the "Frankish tower," which certainly was more picturesque and of higher historical interest. But now it is too late to regret what may have been lost. Only two or three insignificant fragments of later walls remain, and those of quite recent period: when they are removed the Acropolis will appear-but for the wear and accidents of ages-much as it did when the so-called "Beulé gate" was first built. This is an intelligible aim, and we imagine it will now be recognized by all as the best attainable. The Acropolis can never again present that picturesque medley of historical associations and monuments of all periods that delighted the visitor twenty or thirty years ago; but we may hope, when the ugliness of recent excavations and alterations has worn off, when a painfully exact appearance of order and arrangement has been avoided (as is promised), and, above all, when the old verdure and flowers have once more spread over the whole, that a new and more purely classical charm may be found to have resulted from the temporary loss of beauty. The excavations within the walls of the Acropolis are now all but completed; they have reserved their most precious treasure for the last -the head of Iris from the Parthenon frieze, joining on to the block with Zeus and Hera now in the British Museum. We understand that Dr. Waldstein intends to publish this fragment, and will not anticipate his publication by any description; here let it suffice to say that in the magnificent slab with three deities in Athens, As a topographical gain we may mention that To English readers a peculiar interest will attach itself to the fact that a marble head (with torso) has been found in Amorgos and brought to the National Museum at Athens, which decidedly resembles in type the well-known "Melian Zeus" in the British Museum. But since the right hand holds a snake, and the figure and face are very similar to one of the best statues of Asclepius from Epidaurus, there can hardly be a doubt that the statue from Amorgos is an Asclepius, and that we must call the Melian head Asclepius too, and not Zeus Meilichios. The Asclepius from Amorgos will probably be published by M. Cabbadias. Excavations of early tombs have been made at Epidaurus and Mycense. The problem of the Mycenæ pottery has been complicated by the discovery of a fibula with some vases of this type-a quite new conjunction. At Tanagra, too, many graves have been opened, with the usual yield of figurines and white lecythi; the most interesting vases are red-figured, one signed by Phintias, and another by Mys (possibly the great cælator). The new Acropolis Museum is completed, and is opened to students; it affords valuable space for the storage of as yet unmounted works and miscellaneous fragments. The Central Museum has changed its name to the National Museum, and is rapidly approaching completion. In the course of a year or two we may hope to see in it a properly exhibited antiquarium of smaller antiquities, vases, bronzes, &c., formerly stored in the offices of administration. The great Melian vases are now exhibited in the vase room of the Polytechnic, thus adding another feature to that magnificent collection. The inscriptions, too, are being gathered together in the National Museum; and we are glad to be able to record that they are now in charge of Dr. Lolling, long well known in connexion with the German Institute. For all this varied work, both in excavation and organization, scholars and archæologists cannot be too grateful to M. Cabbadias, the Ephor-general of antiquities. His untiring activity, often in the face of private and public opposition, deserves the highest praise; all students, and even all visitors to Athens, owe more to his administration than it is easy for them to realize. Considerable interest was excited in Athens last month by the representation of the 'Antigone' of Sophocles. Though it would be easy to criticize some details, the whole performance was decidedly good. The part of Creon was excel lently sustained; so too, on the whole, was that fine-Art Gossip. On the 23rd inst. the Royal Academicians and Associates will meet to elect two Associates in the place of Mr. Pickersgill (who has become a Retired Academician) and Mr. Thornycroft, who has been promoted. MR. GEORGE SCHARF, C.B., the Director of the National Portrait Gallery, is going to publish a mo monograph on 'The Authentic Portraits of Mary, Queen of Scots,' in which he attempts to distinguish those to be relied upon from others indiscriminately bearing her name, and to dispel the confused ideas that have so long prevailed respecting her personal appearance. Mr. Murray is the publisher. The volume will be illustrated with twelve photogravures and sundry woodcuts. THE approaching exhibition of a "Century of British Art," the second of the series held at the Grosvenor Gallery, and comprising a number of pastel pictures by J. Russell, F. Cotes, Romney, and Gardner, will consist of loans from the Queen, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord Burton, the Earl of Aylesford, Earl Spencer, the Marquis of Sligo, the Duchess of Northumberland, the Earl of Wharncliffe, the Duke of Leeds, Earl Howe, Lord Wantage, Sir J. Neeld, Sir G. Russell, Sir Peyton Skipwith, Mr. C. Quilter, Mr. L. Fry, Mr. Ashton, Mr. L. Huth, Mrs. Thwaites, and Mrs. Wollaston. The pictures thus lent include Reynolds's Sterne, the Masters Gawler, Admiral Keppel, Lady Dartmouth, Louisa, Countess of Aylesford, the Marquis of Granby, Lord Dartmouth, Lady Skipwith, and 'Crossing the Stream'; Gainsborough's Lady Suffolk when a Child, the Earl of Aylesford, Mrs. Lowndes-Stone, 'The Mall,' two Landscapes, and Admiral Howe; Romney's Lady Hamilton, Mrs. Jordan, Lady Sligo, Lord Burghersh, Master J. Fane, and 'The Brown Boy'; several good Opies; and Constable's 'The Lock,' which is the property of Mr. C. Morrison, who lends 'Pope's Villa,' by Turner, and Hogarth's 'Punch Club.' Sir Coutts Lindsay has also borrowed 'Calais Harbour' and 'The Avalanche in the Val d'Aosta,' by Turner. The Queen lends Wilkie's 'Penny Wedding' and 'Blind Man's Buff. In addition we hear of fine collec tions of Cromes, Wilsons, Cotmans, Vincents, Starks, Morlands, Chamberses, and other landscapes, as well as Hogarth's conversation pieces. The private view is appointed for the 19th inst.; the public will be admitted on the 21st. M. CLAITTE, a young friend and colleague of Mr. Legros, and a sculptor of high promise, has nearly completed a noteworthy group of figures, which is, we believe, to be offered to the next exhibition at the New Gallery. It represents, with immense energy and a sardonic humour suitable to the subject, Charon casting down a corpse. The figures are life size. Charon has, it is to be supposed, approached the cliff under which his wherry is moored, and bears upon his shoulder the half-rigid body wrapped in a shroud. The spontaneity of this sufficiently startling design is unquestionable, and it gains intensity from the surly passion of Charon's face, the spite of his attitude, and the contempt that both so vigorously represent. Kneeling with one knee upon the ground, he is jerking one shoulder to rid himself of the burden, which -gaunt and toothless, its jaw dropped and its eyes hollow, all the shroud awry upon the lean limbs-is thus ignominiously to be tumbled over. The same artist has produced an equally spirited and original bas-relief of a nearly man-size satyr playing on a reed. It would be hard to beat these works in their own line. M. LEGROS has just finished some finely designed and vigorously carved keystones for large arches, and capitals for pilasters, which serve to show not only only his power over the grotesque (after the fashion of French sculptors of the beginning of the last century), but also how much merit may be found in decorative works of that kind. THE exhibition recently opened at Wirral, Birkenhead, has been enriched by the remarkable collection of votive pictures formed in Asia Minor, Greece, the Islands, Russia, and Poland by Mr. Edward Rae, of Birkenhead, to which we referred in a recent paper upon one of "The Private Collections of England." These specimens of old and modern religious art, illustrating those Byzantine types of design which lasted for an immense period of time, are of high interest, and altogether refute the conclusions of ready writers who, because it was not easy to see a great number of them together, and because they are all of one type, hastily declared that the style to which they belong knew no variety, was the same in all times and all countries, and from all convents, ateliers, and the easels of all the artists. Nothing can be further from the truth, as the hundred and twenty pictures in question prove, which, from the Black Christ and the Black Virgin to examples of a less stern and more emotional kind, embrace specimens so pure, serene, and expressive that it is an education to look upon them, and which closely approach stately types of Cimabue, Gaddi, and Orcagna, to say nothing of the more human models of Giotto and Masaccio, that we are compelled to abandon a superstition (it is nothing better) which is mostly founded on some immortal lines of Dante. It is obvious that the great Florentine's feeling for design was a sort of family affair, like much of his politics. SO the MR. PHILIP H. NEWMAN, to whose mural pictures, painted in the spirit fresco process, we have referred at some length, has very bad news for those who are interested in the use of that process and in pictures for which it was employed. He writes: "It may interest you to know that the spirit fresco of mine which you described in the Atheneum, July 16th, 1881, is almost destroyed through the reckless burning of gas immediately under it, with absolutely no ventilation, the products of combustion being allowed to stream down the picture, the acidified moisture searing it, of course, as with hot irons. It is inconceivable that in these days of science, Board schools, and technical wisdom people having charge of works of art should be so im becile, cruel to the painters they employ, and abjectly stupid as to deal with them thus." "I sincerely trust," adds Mr. Newman, "that Mr. Madox Brown's works [in the Town Hall at Manchester) will escape a similar fate. Canon Lonsdale and myself have both lately shown that even stained-glass paintings, unless extreme care is used in the vitrification [of the colours], will not stand our modern atmosphere charged with sulphureous fumes." MR. P. H. NEWMAN is engaged on the preparation of cartoons for the series of windows in the new Law Courts at Birmingham. A SMALL but interesting hoard of silver coins has come to light in an old half-timbered cottage at the little village of West Shefford, near Newbury. It chiefly consists of shillings and sixpences of Elizabeth, James I., and Charles L.; they were found in a jug secreted in a hole under the stairs. The cottage is just opposite the manor house where Charles I. was quartered when on the march to Oxford in November, 1644, with his army. He had passed through the village the previous year, the day before the memorable battle of Newbury Wash. One of the shillings of Charles I. is of the rude type struck at the Tower of London after the king had fled from the capital, when the regular officers of the Mint were probably dispersed. THE Autumn Exhibition at the Manchester Art Gallery, which was brought to a close on Sunday last, has been a success, the attendance having nearly doubled that of last year. The sale of pictures has reached about 5,000l., which is considerably in excess of last year's sales. AT Rome clearances in the neighbourhood of the Forum are suggested which are estimated to cost about 16,000,000 francs, but the scheme has not yet been sanctioned. MUSIC Musical Memories. By William Spark. (Sonnenschein & Co.) -The contents of this volume mainly appeared for the first time in the Yorkshire Weekly Post, and are now issued in book form at the request of "many distinguished musicians and a large circle of private friends." Dr. Spark adds that if the work is successful it will be followed by others, and as the 'Musical Memories' must afford keen amusement to every musician who reads them, we hope the author will receive the necessary encouragement to proceed with his literary labours. The book con sists for the most part of reminiscences of eminent musicians, including Costa, Benedict, Mendelssohn, Spohr, Meyerbeer, Bennett, Balfe, Wallace, Thalberg, Grisi and Mario, Tietjens and Giuglini, Macfarren, and many others. Dr. Spark appears to have been on the most friendly footing with them all, and they seem to have held him in profound admiration. His modesty prevents him, for the most part, from stating boldly their opinions concerning himself, but his efforts to keep them in the background are not by any means successful. His gratitude displays itself on almost every page, and has led him to form estimates of some musicians far higher than those usually held. Sterndale Bennett's 'May Queen' is said to be "positively unsurpassed in the library of English musical productions." Of Thalberg's compositions it is foretold that the greater part of them will live. We were under the impression that with one or two exceptions they were already dead. Henry Smart is said to have been one of the finest composers England ever produced, and the effect of some of his music is described as "simply magnificent, if not overwhelming." But if Dr. Spark's opinions are frequently strange his statements of fact are sometimes amazing. Mozart's 'Ave Verum' is said to have been his last vocal production. Mario's death is twice given as in 1863; and Giuglini is said to have made a great sensation at Her Majesty's in 1875, which is not surprising as he died ten years previously. The writer's lack of information concerning Tietjens and Giuglini seriously affects his literary style: "Indeed, there is a paucity of information about them which I venture to think cannot be obtained from any of the usual sources." A vein of unconscious humour runs through the book which makes it very readable, though as a contribution to musical literature its value is slight indeed. Musical Gossip. F resumed on THE Popular Concerts were Monday with a familiar programme on which no comment is necessary so far as regards the works presented. Beethoven's Quartet in E flat, Op. 74, and Rubinstein's Sonata in D for pianoforte and violoncello, Op. 18, were the only concerted items; and Maile Janotha, the pianist of the evening, contented herself with Chopin's Barcarolle in sharp, Op. 60, her rendering of which would have been perfect but for a tendency to hurry the time. The persistent demands of the audience for an encore were not without reason, the pianoforte solo being regarded as one of the most important features of a Monday Popular Concert. Madame Néruda played Spohr's early Adagio in E, and Le Clair's ad captandum Tambourin in D; and Mr. Santley rendered two of Brahms's Lieder and Gounod's 'Le Nom de Marie' in his best manner. ANOTHER Patti concert was given at the Albert Hall on Tuesday evening, the programme being of the same miscellaneous character as usual, though it contained a larger infusion of highclass music. Madame Patti herself sang "From mighty kings" and the cleverly scored aria 'La Fille des Parias' from 'Lakmé.' Mrs. Henschel in Liszt's beautiful Lied 'Loreley,' and Mr. Henschel in Wolfram's Fantasy from Tannhäuser,' afforded perfect examples of vocal art. The violin playing of M. Tivadar Nachèz was nothing better than a display of virtuosity of the lowest class. The orchestra was heard in the overtures 'Ruy Blas' and 'Masaniello,' and in Benjamin Godard's 'Kermesse,' a brilliantly scored piece of little musical value. MISS DAMIAN gave a concert at the Princes' Hall on Wednesday evening, previous to her visit to America with Madame Albani and other artists for a concert tour. Her programme was chiefly made up of songs, and contained nothing worthy of serious criticism. Among the performers were Madame Larkcom, Messrs. Lawrence Kellie, Oswald, and Harley, M. Nachèz, and Signor Bisaccia. FRAU COSIMA WAGNER has given her special permission for the recital of 'Tristan und Isolde,' with pianoforte accompaniment by Mr. Armbruster, which we have already announced. The work will be given without any cuts. The full cast is as follows: Isolde, Miss Pauline Cramer; Tristan, Mr. W. Nicholl; Brangäne, Miss Marguerite Hoare; Kurwenal, Mr. Wilfred Cunliffe ; Marke, Mr. B. H. Grove; and Melot, herdsman and young sailor, Mr. H. Phillips. DISCOURAGING reports are to hand concerning the condition of the Imperial Opera in Vienna. The artists who have shed the chief lustre on the establishment in the past, such as Pauline Lucca, Materna, and Rosa Papier, are losing their powers, and there is no one of equal gifts to replace them. Verdi's 'Otello' is the only novelty during the past four years that has interested the public, and with a large subvention the theatre cannot be made to pay its way. ANOTHER infant pianist, Raoul Koczalski, only five years of age, has appeared at St. Petersburg. The Russian papers speak in extravagant terms of his rendering of a series of pieces by Chopin. It is hoped in Paris that Madame Patti may pay another visit to that city at an early date. A performance of 'Rigoletto' is mentioned, in which the artist would be supported by MM. restoring to the Haymarket its old character Jean de Reszké and Lassalle. THE revival at the Haymarket of 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' has more value and interest than ordinarily attend pieces given in a tentative fashion. This is in part owing to the fact that two repetitions at the Crystal Palace have rendered the actors familiar with their parts and enabled them to play into each other's hands. Mr. Tree has, however, exercised commendable judgment in his arrangement of the cast, and the general performance displays much thought and intelligence. Mr. Tree himself is a curiously good Falstaff. He fails to supply the sort of unction one likes to assign the graceless old reprobate. His voice has not the rich roll which unlimited potations of sack induce, nor has he the jovial delight in his own wit which goes far to palliate his atrocities. These things will not always come at call. None the less his Falstaff is the best that has been seen in recent years. It is earnest, convincing, comic, and picturesque. So unlike anything Mr. Tree has previously exhibited is it that it gives a new idea of his talents. The Falstaff who, in spite of his uncleanly ablutions and his sound cudgelling, will not forsake the pursuit of Mrs. Ford, has a keen conceit of himself, His wooing, though it proves repulsive. has eagerness and something that simulates passion, and his bearing under his difficulties has show of philosophy. It was probably out of regard to her vocal powers that Mrs. Tree took the part of Anne Page instead of one of the wives, which would have suited her better. The two matrons who somewhat dangerously sport with fire were safe in the hands of Miss Rose Leclercq and Miss Lingard. Mr. Brookfield's Slender had scarcely the right ring. The Host of the Garter of Mr. Lionel Brough, the Dr. Caius of Mr. Kemble, and the Sir Hugh Evans of Mr. E. Righton were ripe performances. Mr. Macklin played carefully as Ford, and Mr. F. Harrison bore himself excellently as Page. So good, indeed, was the entire representation that its transference to the regular bills may perhaps be intended. The piece has apparently been mounted with a view to & run. In the last act especially the scenery is worthy of all praise. Nothing can be prettier than the revels at the foot of Herne's Oak. Mrs. Tree sings in a delightfully impressive fashion the inserted song "Love laid his weary head," and of children, under the direction of Madame Lanner, constitutes a pleasing feature. Sir Arthur Sullivan's music is in keeping with the action, and, is well rendered. A revival such as this does something towards a a as a home of "classical comedy." MR. HALLIWELL-PHILLIPPS. THE last of the brilliant band of scholars who founded the Shakespeare Society has passed away at the age of sixty-eight. Dyce, Payne Collier, W. Harness, Thoms, all died before him-Dyce twenty years ago. Indeed, Halliwell was much the youngest of the company. He was born in Sloane Street in 1820, and as early as 1839, when he was a scholar of Jesus College, Cambridge, he had begun that long career as author and editor which he continued with unabated zeal till nearly the close of his life. When one looks over the list of his works one begins to recognize the amount of our indebtedness to him, for though the world was of late years apt to regard him as a student of Shakspeare and of nothing else, his range was wide, and nothing antiquarian was alien from him. In fact, his first publication was 'Rara Mathematica,' a collection of ancient treatises on mathematics, and he followed up this line of study with his 'Letters on the Progress of Science in England from Elizabeth to Charles II.' As early as 1839 he had been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Society of Antiquaries. He had also an uncommon taste for an undergraduate of those days-a habit of spending his time among the manuscripts of the university library and the college libraries, and the result was a volume, published by Rodd in 1841, on The Manuscript Rarities of the University of Cambridge.' In the same year he edited 'Naval Ballads' for the Percy Society; his first Shakspearean publication, an essay on the character of Falstaff, was due to the same year, and two years afterwards he began contributing to the publications of the Shakespeare Society. His pleasant 'Nursery Rhymes of England, which appeared in 1845, made his name known to a wide circle of readers, and his 'Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words' secured him the gratitude of all lovers of English literature. Halliwell was not a scientific philologist, and never pretended to be one, but this book and his edition of Nares's 'Glossary' were highly serviceable to students of our early literature for the wealth of material they contained in days long before the Dialect Society existed, and when such helps were few and scanty. In 1848 appeared The Life of Shakethan anything else the task of Halliwell's life. It was followed by the magnificent edition of Shakespeare in folio, which he published by subscription. This splendid work is a wonderful monument of the editor's industry, even if, as he himself said in later life, the execution was unequal and some plays were more thoroughly edited than others. Most men would have been contented with such a feat of labour, yet during the years when it was passing through the press heedited some Early English miscellanies, printed 'Handlists of Early English History in the Bodleian,' brought out his Dictionary of Old English Plays,' 'Notes of Excursions in North Wales,' and a similar volume on Cornwall, and busied himself about the purchase of his essay what was to be more New Place, and in the formation of the Shakspeare Museum. His growing interest in the life of Shakspeare led him to this latter undertaking. He lavished his time and his means on Stratford; he went through the town records, searched every private collection of papers he could get hold of, and toiled unremittingly for the slightest scrap of evidence that would throw light on the life of Shakspeare. As he himself ballet remarked, he fairly ransacked every corner where anything about Shakespeare could possibly be found. All this while, that is for some thirty years or so, Halliwell had had a wife and children to support by such income as a man who wrote rather for the few than the many could secure, and had had to endure over and over again the pang, bitter to one who possessed all the collector's instincts, of parting from time to time with the rarities his knowledge and indefatigable research had enabled him to acquire, but which he had not capital sufficient to retain. He lived quietly at Brixton, and subsequently at Brompton, himself doing the marketing for his household, and prudently adapting his expenditure to his means. It is characteristic of the man's unselfishness that much of his time was given to editing books gratuitously for the Shakespeare and other societies. But in 1872 a great change occurred in Halliwell's fortunes. Sir Thomas Phillipps died, and Mrs. Halliwell inherited her father's estates at Broadway. Halliwell, who now took the surname of Phillipps, ps. made a noble use of his wealth. He accumulated books and manuscripts relating to Shakspeare, but not for himself only, for he made large gifts to Stratford, to Edinburgh University, and to Birmingham. He had before employed an artist to sketch every nook in Stratford and every building on the road between Stratford and London which Shakespeare's eye could have rested on, and now he began a series of investigations of the records of the English boroughs, with a view of tracking the visits of companies of Elizabethan actors. From Ludlow in the west to Ipswich in the east he, during the course of years, carefully carried out his investigations; he travelled along almost the whole stretch of the south coast of England, and the Midland Counties were diligently visited to the same end. He spread notices far and wide expressing his readiness to buy Elizabethan documents, and he became so well known as a purchaser of rarities that he secured an astonishing number of most valuable manuscripts and books, although, of course, he had to pay the penalty of being offered tons of rubbish which he could not accept. Every catalogue of second-hand books, too, was steadily read through, and every second-hand bookseller sent his catalogues to Hollingbury Copse. The successive editions of his 'Outlines of the Life of Shakespeare'-a work he published at a loss in order to bring it within the reach of poor students-gave some idea, but far from an adequate one, of the variety and extent of the collections thus got together. On succeeding to the Broadway estates Halliwell-Phillipps spent considerable sums on their improvement, but he, fortunately for himself, disposed of the greater portion of them before in the value land took place, and he had thus ample means for his favourite pursuits. He removed to Brighton, where he purchased some acres on the Downs, intending to build a house, and in the mean time had a wooden hut erected on his land that he might superintend the operations; but he took such a fancy to his temporary dwelling that he gave up the idea of bricks and mortar, and put up a set of wooden buildings of curious appearance, but affording ample room for his working library and the ponderous safes in which his chief treasures were deposited. His wife, who had been his companion and chief assistant in his years of struggle, died after a long illness; but Halliwell-Phillipps was fortunate enough to find a second wife whose main pleasure it was to care for his comfort and welcome his friends, and in his quaint home at Hollingbury Copse he entertained a succession of visitors from England and America, who came to look at Warwickshire title-deeds or Elizabethan music books or Jacobean quartos, or simply for the pleasure of gossiping with one so full of knowledge and cordiality. HalliwellPhillipps had, with one single exception, no enemies; he had nothing of Dyce's caustic style in controversy; in fact, he shrank from anything resembling a quarrel, and he had a strong dislike to the slightest harshness of expression. He was hurt by the attitude assumed of recent years towards him by some of the people at Stratford-on-Avon-more hurt than SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO.'S NEW BOOKS. he need have been, for no one competent to in London, generally in Fetter Lane; and the rest of the year he was at Brighton, ordering, indexing, and arranging (his neatness was almost painful) his recent acquisitions. His work was mainly done in the early morning; the rest of ABRAHAM SHARP, the Yorkshire Mathematician and the day was given to spoiling with kindness The ILIAD of HOMER. Done into every one about him. Last spring his health began to fail, but as the summer advanced it improved, and in the autumn he seemed well and cheerful. On Christmas Day he became very ill, and on the 3rd of January he died. Halliwell-Phillipps had slight sympathy with æsthetic criticism of Shakespeare; his mind always hungered after facts; and even textual criticism did not seem to him to rest on a basis sufficiently secure. It was this fondness for English Verse. By ARTHUR 8. WAY, MA, Head Master The Atheneum says of Vol. I.:-"A work which we The HISTORY of PORTUGAL, from facts which led him to concentrate his attention ELEMENTARY HISTORY of ART: ARCHITECTURE and SCULPTURE. By N. D'ANVERS, THE YOUTH'S COMPANION. Established 1827. PERRY MASON & COMPANY, Publishers, BOSTON, MASS., U.S.A. PRIZES FOR SHORT STORIES. The YOUTH'S COMPANION is the oldest and most successful paper for young people in the world. It was established sixty-one years ago, and now has a circulation of over 400,000 copies weekly. The most famous authors of Great Britain, France, and the United States are among its original and paid contributors. for the last twenty years on the life of Shak- The EARL of LYTTON. Gramatic Gossip. LORD TENNYSON and the Earl of Lytton have joined the committee of the Marlowe memorial. PAINTING. By N. D'ANVERS. Third Edition, Revised **The two Books are also published in one volume with PROF. TYNDALL. To Authors. While the COMPANION engages the services of the most famous authors, the editors recognize the advantage of encouraging new unknown con STILL WATERS RUN DEEP' is to be produced METALLIC ALLOYS: a Practical tributors with this purpose indend at the Criterion on Saturday. During the earlier part of the week the theatre is to be closed for redecoration. 'THE POET' is the title of a lever de rideau by Mr. F. W. Broughton, produced on Friday in last week at the Vaudeville. It is written with some spirit, and though unequal is fairly entertaining. Mr. F. Thorne gives an amusing, Guide for the Manufacture of all kinds of Alloys, Amal- if conventional presentation of the poet whose The AMERICAN STEAM EN- Begum's Diamonds,' is announced for an after- TECHNOLOGY of TEXTILE DE- MRS. OSCAR BERINGER will shortly begin her management of the Opéra Comique, at which house, as an evening entertainment, her drama of 'Tares' will be given, 'Little Lord Fauntleroy' retaining its position in the afternoon bill. SIGN: being a Practical Treatise on the Construction IMPORTANT NEW ART WORK NOW 'LE VOYAGE DE MONSIEUR PERRICHON' of MM. Eugène Labiche and Édouard Martin is the latest production at the Royalty. The hero of this admirably cynical comedy, first played by Geoffroy at the Gymnase in 1860, is now taken by M. Dalbert. M. Schey is the commandant, A Series of Studies by the Greatest Living For FULL LIST of PLATES and PAINTERS see Prospectus, Artist's Proofs (signed by the Artists). Twenty-one In consequence of a throat attack Mr. Mansfield has withdrawn 'Prince Karl' from the Globe, at which 'She Stoops to Conquer' is given to-night, with Miss Kate Vaughan as Miss Hardcastle and Mr. Lionel Brough as Tony Lumpkin. Mr. Mansfield's next appearance principal Booksellers' in London, or of the Publishers. (Limited to 100 Copies for England and 50 for America. Each Plate will be signed by the Artist, and each Set numbered from [1] onwards.) will be as Richard III. TO CORRESPONDENTS.-W. A.-L. M.-K. Т. В.-J. J. F. A. E.-G. J. R.-N. C.-I. A.-received. No notice can be taken of anonymous communications. Impressions on 4to. columbier Plate Paper, 17 inches by 12 inches, bound on guards, with Descriptive Letterpress, in very handsome Persian morocco, gilt edges, £5 5s net. *** Specimens of the Illustrations can be seen at the London: St. Dunstan's House, Fetter-lane, Fleet-street, E.C. with a desire to stimulate more experienced authors by giving them an opportunity to compete for much more than the usual compensation, the publishers have several times offered and paid large sums for the best short stories submitted in an open competition. They now offer Nine Prizes in money, amounting in all to more than Five Thousand Dollars, 1,000 POUNDS, For the best short stories adapted to their use, to be divided as follows : FOR BOY'S STORIES. First Prize... ... .. £200 100 50 ... £200 100 50 |