A GUIDE TO THE EXHIBITION OF THE ROYAL | the result is, indeed, most gratifying. But before ACADEMY. Price One Shilling. (4, Trafalgar- we tell our readers what has been done, it will be square, and 21, Paternoster-row.)-A most excel- right to premise what the Society aims at doing. lent idea, admirably carried out. This Guide, the In the first place, it comes forward with ready and same price as the ordinary catalogue, answers the delicate kindness to assist those ladies who may additional purpose of presenting against the name be in temporary difficulty, to aid them in obtaining and number of each picture worthy of note, two or change of air after long sickness, or in procuring three criticisms extracted from the most popular suitable apparel for taking a situation, when the newspapers and periodicals; thus directing taste, want of employment or family claims have exand comparing opinions. A work by the same hausted their resources; or in procuring that more publishers has also reached us, entitled, "The generous diet during convalescence, the want of Unjust Suppression of Art-Unions." But as this which too often retards recovery, and lays the is a subject on which there is considerable foundation of long and incapacitating debility. difference of opinion, we need only refer our "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth," readers to this pamphlet for a statement of many says the wisest of men; and we learn from the interesting facts. Report, that within three months of the reverend Secretary's undertaking his most kind and gratuitous labours, the Ladies' Committee met to practise this heavenly wisdom, and that in six months they had the pleasure of assisting fiftysix. "The assistance rendered in many instances," says the Report," was too little to do all that was needed"-and far less, doubtless, than will be done when the more extended funds of the Institution will allow of more extended usefulness —but still, something was done; the word of kindness and sympathy was spoken when the reluctantly limited assistance was rendered, and hope and "light sprang up where all before seemed We would warmly recommend our readers to obtain a Report, and read the "extract from the case-book :" it is given without one word of exaggeration, almost without comment, and in his words of wisdom, shed abundantly his blessing truth it needs none. May He who gave Solomon on the work! The next object of this Society, is dividends as annuities to those who have borne to invest donations in the funds, and give the the burden and heat of the day, and are now growing old, and unfit for their former duties; and here we gather the striking and affecting fact,

FRANCOIS DE BONNIVARD; OR, THE PRISONER OF CHILLON. An historical work thus entitled, from the pen of Percy B. St. John, has commenced in the columns of the Brighton Guardian. We shall allude to it more fully in our next; meanwhile we mention the fact, as, from the known talent of the author and extreme interest of the subject, great things may be expected.

in

OCEAN THOUGHTS. HOMEWARD BOUND FROM INDIA. By a young Officer. (J. Hatchard and Son.)-This pleasing and interesting little volume is evidently the production of an enthusiastic and right-minded man-seeing God's saving power all things, and "holding fast that which is good under all circumstances. He evidently loves his profession and his country with a sailor's earnestness and truth, and is most anxious that those who go forth in the great waters," should have the same faith in a protecting Providence which has comforted and supported him. Those who seek for excitement, will be disappointed in this simple journal; but those who can enjoy a Christian Sailor's "Log," without exaggeration or false sentiment, must derive pleasure from a perusal of "Ocean Thoughts.”

GOVERN ESSES' BENEVOLENT INSTI

TUTION.

We are very desirous to introduce this Institution to such of our readers as may be unacquainted with it, and to excite an increased interest in those who may have heard of it, but who as yet hardly appreciate all its claims to public favour. It is about twelve months since we first had a prospectus put into our hands, shewing that such a society was being established, and we said, as we perused it-"Here are the seeds of a noble institution, if properly conducted and encouraged." Now we have lying before us the first Report, and behold, the seeds have already sprung up into a goodly tree, yielding fruit to moisten the parched lip of sickness, and to strengthen the weak and weary, and even spreading a shade for the repose and comfort of old age. In fact, the subject has awakened the interest it so well deserved; the public has responded to the appeal as fully as could have been looked for in one short year, and

dark."

that the candidates are eligible ten years earlier at this than (we believe) at any other institution granting pensions, from the conviction that the anxieties and mental labour of the governess anticipate by TEN YEARS the usual inroads of advancing age. We are glad to see that these annuities do not depend on annual subscriptions (though we cannot doubt they will annually increase), but that the money once invested for this purpose is so devoted for ever; and that already an annuity has been given, and two more will be given in November. The annuities are indeed painfully small, but again we recognize the eagerness to do something, where so much is needed; and truly says the homely proverb, that "half a loaf is better than no bread." Doubtless, the managing parties would have been glad to have allotted a larger sum, and we confidently hope the public will enable them scou to do so. The last object of the Society is, to encourage ladies to put by their earnings in their own names in Government funds, and to put them in the way of doing it, by an arrangement which offers this undoubted security, and other great advantages; and it appears that its usefulness has been gladly recognized, £2,351 9s. 9d. having been paid in this first year

of the Institution's existence for that purpose: nor can we be surprised that the assistance thus offered should be eagerly accepted. Every lady knows the difficulty of placing out her money, particularly in small sums-a difficulty which has led many to entrust their little savings to private hands, by which they have often lost all, or to spend them in the recklessness of not knowing where and how to dispose of their earnings; but we refer those who feel an interest in this branch to the printed tables. We have dwelt thus long on the subject, for it is especially a subject of interest to us; nor can we dismiss it without noticing that, in all the papers put forth by, and in the Report of this Institution, there is a most distinguishing propriety. It is too much the custom to befriend one party by speaking against another; but we observe that every remark is confined to the necessary evils of a governess's life, and all allusion to their position in families is carefully avoided; there is no assertion that they are unworthily treated, or too poorly paid-no question why a governess should be less a friend in England than she is in France or Germany-nothing more than a simple statement of their important and anxious duties, how liule they can save, and why they can save so little. Doubtless we do wish that there was a better understanding between the parent and the governess, and that while we every day hear that the services of "that respectable person," the fond and faithful nurse, can never be forgotten, we should not see that the claims of the lady, the kind and faithful governess, are considered to end when her last quarter's salary is paid-doubtless we do feel it to be a miserable mistake of the parents, who inquire whether the governess, to whom they are about to entrust the minds, manners, and morals of their children, “ expects to be asked to take wine at her dinner;" or who inform her that "she will never be asked into the drawing-room;" or request she will " traverse the back stairs of the house;" or forbid more than a solitary letter now and then to be delivered at the door, because her thoughts should not be "divided from her pupils"--or servants have the trouble of carrying her letters to her! Our womanly feelings rise within us as we think how little she can lose in such companionship, and how sad it is thus to alienate affection and dis

courage duty; but yet, as every family has its own complicated and delicate machinery, we respect the propriety of feeling thus strongly evidenced, and truly such aggravation is unnecessary. The governess may or may not be well treated; she may or she may not deserve more consideration; but she must claim our sympathy for her many sacrifices. She goes at the season when life is brightest, and the spirits dance most gaily, to devote her spring-tide to a school-room; she leaves home at the time when the young heart is all tendrils, and yearns for something to cling to, to dwell amongst strangers. We are too apt to talk of the governess giving up her time, but that were little; the day labourer gives his time, and goes home to his wife and children; but the

* Fact-May, 1844.

governess gives up home, and youth, and love,
and hope! Let us come forward, heart and hand,
to do something for her in return. Let us hail
and support an institution that gives her a friend in
her need. Let us help her to provide for herself.
Let us soothe her in her sickness. Let us take
care that she shall not want in her old age.
May, 1844.

LA REVUE MUSICALE.

THE FLOWER GIRL. The Poetry by C. H. Hitchings, Esq.: the Music by A. J. Rexford, (Cramer, Addison and Beale.)-This is a charming ballad in E flat, major; with far more originality in the melody than we find from an ordinary composer; for which reason it must be heard twice or thrice before it is at all appreciated, and then it will grow in favour on every repetition. The words are by a true poet; a few lines shall speak for themselves:

I come from the woods, where the summer's light rain,

Had just wetted the flowers that were fainting

with heat;

And they scarce had recovered their freshness again,
When they first heard the tread of my light little

feet.

THE SINGLE MAN. Comic Song, inscribed to Mr. John Parry, by Mrs. F. B. Pearce. (Johan|ning and Co., Newman-street.)-Lively words to a lively and appropriate air; an effusion belonging to the reformed order of comic songs, which, by the way, make up in genuine wit all they dispense with of coarseness, when compared with some olden productions, which were equally vulgar in words and in spirit. A balance in favour of the "new generation," to which, perhaps, we are in no small degree indebted to the taste and talent of the inimitable Parry. We hope he will "take up" the Single Man, and then its popularity will be rapid as well as certain.

AMUSEMENTS OF THE MONTH. pantomime, both from herself and Perrot. On her

ITALIAN OPEra.

first entrance she was rapturously received; though in the ballet itself there is but little dancing, the pas being reserved for the divertisement with which it concludes. The pas de deux is, perhaps, the most graceful thing in the ballet, although, in the Spanish dance which she performs with Perrot, her spirited and finished movements won for her a no less enthusiastic encore. Only the first portion, however, was repeated. We should not forget to mention, that Scheffer Plunkett and St. Leon met with their share of applause on the same occasion. HAYMARKET THEATRE.

The event of the month may of course be considered the production of the prize comedy, and its failure! After all the columns that have been written about it, and all the gossip it has occasioned, wonderment must resolve itself into two questions. What were the judges about? Or, if this is the best, what could the other ninetysix be? We must own we expected a different result; not that we by any means looked for an immortal work among these plays, because, in the first place, an author of known and appreciated powers would be very unlikely to condescend to run a sort of school-boy race for a "prize," when the labour of his brain could at all times command a golden return. Thus tried competitors removed from the field-the lists were opened to Young England-and feeling a strong persuasion that, with rare exceptions, talent does find its just level, we are somewhat devoid of veneration for that mighty body, the Great Unknown. All editors know that they are flooded with mediocrity-that it is the vice of the day, and that high and available talent is the rarest of things-and we suspect that managers are in the same predicament. Consequently, what we did expect was something soaring to the highest limit of mediocrity, or per

Saturday, the 8th of June, will be long remembered as the occasion of Her Majesty's visit, accompanied by her illustrious guests, the Emperor of Russia and the King of Saxony. Indeed, for a sight-loving people-and crowned heads are always reckoned" sights"-it was no ordinary treat to behold such an assemblage of royalty. Consequently, the most extraordinary endeavours were made to obtain either a seat or standing-room on that eventful night, by the multitude, whose opportunities for such gratification are rare; while, from etiquette, or out of respect to the august individuals who were expected, most of the habitués of the Opera were present. As might have been expected, the scene was most brilliant and interesting. The opera selected was the famous and favourite Barbiere; and though Grisi, Lablache, and the gifted corps, exerted themselves to delight and surprise even more than usual, we suspect that, "for that night only," they were, with the mass, a secondary consideration. The Queen and her guests did not arrive until a quarter past eight, at which time the house had been literally crammed for an hour-even the fair leaders of fashion having deigned, for once, to be punctual. It was a most imposing sight to witness the loyal greeting with which the royal party was received; when the profound silence of expectation was succeeded by enthusiastic cheering, and the stillness of the dense mass gave way to the waving of handkerchiefs. The visit not having been formally announced as one of state, there seemed some little indecision about the propriety of singing the national Anthem. Doubtless the company behind the scenes were all prepared, awaiting only the demonstration of the audience There was a disposition to call for it at first, al-haps scintillating somewhat above it. And lo! though, after a little while, the overture proceeded, and the opera commenced. At the conclusion, however, of the first act, the notion that "God save the Queen" should be sung revived and now the "ayes" had it. The solo parts were deliciously given by Grisi and Favanti; and, immediately afterwards, the band struck up the national Russian anthem, playing it, as we hear, at sight, but certainly playing it with the feeling and precision to be expected from such an orchestra. The anthem was followed by Cerito's Spanish dance, the Manola, and then the opera proceeded; at the conclusion of which the royal visitors departed. We hope the strangers carried away a favourable impression of their reception; certainly, as far as could be judged from appearances, they were highly gratified. Lablache elicited many a laugh by his strange antics, and the odd bits of French with which he interlarded the libretto. The Queen especially laughed at his humour with downright heartiness.

More recently, the established favourite, Fanny Ellsler, has made her first appearance for the season, in the graceful ballet of Le Délire d'un Peintre, which we think was brought out last year. It is one which affords ample scope for some admirable

instead of this is presented a play-and we grieve
to say from a lady's pen-which is allowed on all
hands to be vulgar where it is not inane, a play
in which the attempts at wit entirely consist of
slang words, or the constant repetition of set
phrases, supposed to suit particular characters.
And this is a picture of manners in the fifth decade
of the nineteenth century! We are sorry for the
heavy draft upon Mr. Webster's purse, for his
offer was both liberal and well intentioned.
are also extremely sorry for the disappointment of
the public; but it seems to us that a deeper cause
of regret than all is the hopeless state of the drama.
And yet we would make a few remarks, with all
the deference of those who ask questions desiring
information.

We

The Drama is no longer a mirror to reflect the form and pressure of the time. Do managers strive to make it so? Do they not rather encourage only the worn-out stage effects and stage tricks-which are repeated through every variety of flimsy plot, dependent upon stock characters? In reality they are afraid of novelty, yet something new is the only thing that can save them. have a Literature of the day, but we have no Drama- nothing to be the voices of the many,

We