New-York tribune. [volume], December 26, 1883, Page 4, Image 4

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-\mn8cnifnl8 <E0--vigI)i.
"^TctntaT or Mcsic-2?" Mcnsish."
OO-BOBII ot D_tKW?Art Loan Kxlubltlon.
Buou Oceiia Hoctt?B?"Orpheus and Kurydice.**
Casino?8-" The Bcgtar Stmieiit." _
fm,-*- TllKATKK-'- nnd H-"Hcveii-Tvvoiity-K!ght."
tJKAM) ockka Hopbb 8 - Hotel Kirke."
Haveblv'sSan Fkvmisco Minhthi;i.s?-s?Minstrels.
tlAiiisos Sot Alte TiuiATRK?Hi.'io-" liajah."
NKW I'AKK TB-ATBB?8?" i'nssion's Slave."
"NibiaVs tiAKiii ?< _ and 8?"Tbe Pavements of Purls.
Utah Tiikatkk?8?"Othello."
Thalia Tiikathe?'_?"Lilijnitl.ins"; 8?"The Beggar
Ht mle I."
TheatkkCoMiofE-8?"Cordelia's Aspirations."
Darno Soi AUK Thkatrk?8?"Htorm l'eateu."
Wallack's Tmi:\tkk-x?" An American Wife."
.'in ah ni k Theatkk?8?*'Hnni'l ot i'oscn."
Mn Avt.nira TiiEtritK?8?"The (llass of Fashion.'-'
14TH Htkkkt Tiikatkk?8?" Pop."
index to *\0t)-.ti8.mciiie.
Pete. Co!/ I'sre. (.'ol.
Atntisemi-nr..7 ii I-etal Notice.. 0 ll
Announcement.. t) .'. Marriuj't-s anti Desths ?*> Ti
Bankin. Mouses anti Mi.crllHIicou.. 8 .1
Bsnkers. 7 S Milong . 7 4
Business Nonces._ 4 1 New I'lihlicatmns_ 6 .'*
?aa*- still Koota.. 7 6 Ocean steamers. 7 4
Bankrupt Notices_ tl ti Proiiossls.(i (>
Corpnrauon Nntlces.. 7 1 Heal Kilato. 0 0
Ptncmt Academic*.. ?! ft llootn. sntl Flat.. 7 6
Divitteuii Notice.. 7 ;i in huui.iui*.. 7 '1
Plnanclal. 7 neales by Auction. 8 0
Orate, anti Kinder* . ti IS situation* Wanted.... 7 ft
Hotels. 7 1 s.,c,ial Notice.. 5 H
Help Wanted. 7 .". Hteamtioais and Il.B. 7 1
lr* (ream. (J 6 reacher.. 6 o~
Instruction. 0 0 U inter Kesorts. 7 2
JDnamras JCoticea.
M______atKT Brand"
Bar tlwtys_t'QSPBXSKP MILK.
Dksks.
Tablks,
BOOKCASES,
(TlAII1S. AC.,
Oaltabl. for TtounAr I'ujwknts,
Manufactured bv T. O. R-??KW.
ill Kulloust.
OrFICK niUllUai lt (-_K_T VAITlETV.
TRIBUNE TEKMS TO MAIL SUBSCRIBERS.
Pottaj/e free in the Cnited State*.
1 Year. 6 Month*). 3 Months
BiHsYs with Srunlay.- ?8 50 $4 20 ,*_ 15
DAILY, without Snndty.... 7 00 3 50 175
bl Nil*., trihi \i:. 150
Remit by Postal Note. Money Order, or Re-Utered Lettnr.
By Postal Note, the remitter will please write ou the Note
?Tor Tun Nkw-Youri Taiiii'st."
BKANCII OFFICES OF THK TRIHITNK.
Advertl.t*mt?nt? for publication in Tup TwiirxR. sm! orJ>r?
Icrrennlar ileliverv of the dally itapur, will be recolvedat the
s-llowinir branch (lillee* in New-York City:
Main l'|itnwB Uftlce, 1,-HS Hroartway,!) a- m. to 0 p. m.
Jfo. lids West Twenty thiril-.t., 10 a. m. to s n. m.
No. "CO Thlrd-Avc, near Korty-sevontli-st., 10? m. to S n. ta.
No. 1.007 Thiri-ave., near sixtletti-rit., in a. ni. to 8 p. m.
No. 'JOH Kant ()np.li:ini!r,-d.a!ii'-tvMiity-!iftli-st., 1 to 8 i>. m.
I'uii'U Square, No. Ml East Kourteenth-st.. lu _.m tu 8 p. ia.
IN OTU Hi l'l Tl KS.
Washington?1.322 F-st. I Lo-rr-o-i?20 Bedford-.!.. Strand.
Jfettr-JJerk -Oailfi SxiUnt,
-m.-1
TOUNDED BY HORACE GREELEY
NEW-YORK, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26.
TUE SEWS TU IS M0ES1SG.
FoukKiV.?The International Exhibition was
Opened in lfkttjrolttdBJ =_= Tho steamer France
met with aa Boeidenl on Thoitday. ami ona towed
into Halifax. ~-- Thc Chinese ;ire maklug prep?
rint urns fae the dei.enrc. ol' thc Bed Ivivcr delta.
- KiiiR Humbert bas accepted nu
iuiuvita'iini to visit Germany.
DuviKsric?J. J. McBride, nu Irish Invincible of
Bufl'alo, deelarea that a riot haa heeoforated to
Wow up Canadian oove-nmool buildings, to avoafe
O'DoDiicll's death. == C. H. lfeC-onnell, of CU
gogo,haviilg leased Havcrly'a Theatre, is to mmodel
it after thc New-York I'n.siiio. _= There were foot
races in thc storm iu Philadelphia.__.- St. Louis
had two large fires. . - Time white BM ni" Tobo.
City were riddled arith buckshot by BBgroea la BB
affray. ? An eastward-bound Pullinan train on
tbe Eastern road waa partially wrecked Monday
nii-'ht, bul no passengers were bur-.
City and St ntitBAX.?Further proofs are Riven
to-ilav of Mr. Thompson's violations and evasions
ol law aud of overpayments on contracts. "
Congressman O. B. Patter writes a letter opposing
Mr. Thompson's 6clicuie of a huge dam at Qua?
kier Bridge. -_r__-_ About six inches of snow fell
yesterday. ?? C'liristinns was observed in the
?na! way. .?*.? A yoong German took pointa he
taust- his betrothed bud been ((impelled bj bi I
parents to irive him up. = A mun wat found t's
have shut himself on the i'm vc ni his Jiitlc buy iii
ttroonweod. _____ A polltiomaiiaim! and norkmaly
wounded a rutliaii.
Tiik Wi-.aiiii-.ic.?Tiiii.rxr local observations in
dicate cloudy and fair weather, with slight
cliau.es in temperature and chances nf light
enow early in tho day. Ttaaprawtoae jestotdajr:
Highest, _3C; lowest. 20-""; average, 31".
The shooting of Thoanaa Fitzpatrick by n
patrolman, George Smith, in Ninth-ave.
early yesterday moviiiiiur, aeoam to have
boen a case of self-defence. Tho affair
thould be carefully examined Into, how
ever. Policemen aro always moro or
less iu danger of bard blows in attempting to
make an arrest. They have to make up their
minds to that when they join tbe force. Only
thc most imminent danger justities the uso of a
pistol. But there is one man concerned in this
ca*e who is clearly within the grip 0f the
authorities, and be ought to bal it. Eb is thc
owner of tbe liquor store in which the trouble
began. His place was open at 2:4r> a. m., an
hour and a quarter later than tho law allows
It will be interesting to see if be is properly
punished.
?
The story of the disgraceful nriamanagsiB-linl
Of the l'ublic Works Department is cont inned
in to-day's TRSVOWU, with many addi!ional par*
tieulars. In 1H80 the Legislature passed a law
requiring a reduction of ten pet cent la the ag
gNf-rta compensation paid persons employed
in thc department. Instead of com?
plying with tbe intent of tho law
Mr. Thompson bas swelled bis pay-rolls
and increased tho aggregate compensation 27
per cent. He bas increased tbe cost of suppjio
for and cleaning of public offices 40 per cent,
nnd ha l_M iin reined the travelling expenses Of
bis department over 100 per cent. In fact
wherever there is a fund that oilers opportun
iti< I for waste and fraud, tho expenditures
under it havi been enormously increased. Tbe
ii regularities of this kind aro scarcely sec?
ondary to the unbalanced bid frauds or tho
$?.U?:> system of evading tho statute iu regard to
contracts.
Christmas in this city was observed, yester
toid.iy, ninth an it haa been ia peal penny bal
perhaps iooic widely nnd more heartily. The
severe snow-storm was not unwelcome, although
it interfere 1 with the out-of-doors aniii-emeuf-:.
which immy people now crowd into every holi?
day when it is possible. If tho weather had
been clear tho avenues and tho Park would
have been bi illi.mt with tho beautiful aieighl
mid sleds, for which this city is now remarka?
ble. In all the charitable instit utions theie wa
unlimited good cheer for the needy. It is pain -
ful lo note, however, that tbe police record con?
tains more deeds of violence than _MH_L The
rougher element in the city seems to have felt
the good iniliHiiee of the day very little. Rut,
to do him justice, the average New-York ruflian
on most holidays pauses in his pursuit of crime
and devotes himself to enjoyment, more or less
decent, much like a respectable man.
-?
A physician in Mt. Vernon calls tho attention
of Tiik Tribune to certain dangers which lurk
in the milk supplied to this city aud ita suburbs,
and states his belief that the Board of Health
wattes its strength in looking ufter skim-milk
while neglecting that which is more harmful to
ase. The facts mentioned in the letter referred
to are worth sci iona a_fegition; but we fail to
eec that tbe blame rests entirely, or chiefly, on
tbe health authorities. There is no test that
we know of which will disclose the presence of
germs of disease in milk which collies ap to thc
requisite standard of richness mid in (very way
.-(?eins pore. It would be more reasonable to
say that the responsibility rests on the dairymen
who do uot feed aud water theiratoek properly;
and even then, in most cases, it is IgaorOJMO <>l
sanitary principles rather than intent ional
in ?gleet' which is at the boltom of the trouble.
Only through some smh plan as th.- Mt Vernon
physician suggests, in connection with the Bu?
reau of Vital .Statistics, does there seem to be a
chance of tracing the source of dangerous milk.
Theta is no goora important question now
before tho people of thia city than that in re?
gard to building a stupendous dani at Quaker
Illidge, as propoaod by Commissioner Thomp?
son. The merits of the question arc little un?
derstood; hence the letter of Congressman 0.
B. Potter OH this subject, printed in to-day's
TniiitNK, is timely as well as forcible. It is
clear that it would be most unfortunate for the
(itv to undertake at this time the construction
ol tin-dam. If ever built it can bo done ns
cheaply, as Mr. Potter shows, after the new
aqueduct has been .constructed to Croton Lake.
It would be worse than folly to place the ad?
ditional Water supply ol' the city at the mercy of
a flume for many years, while a dani without
pieccdcnt as to height and cost is being erected.
Hut it seems even more strange, when a di tie i -
oat ooaree aaa lie so easily followed, tha! any
sensible person should propose to draw the
water supply of the city from an enormous stag?
nant pond which can never be cleaned. If nu?
ll' i taken it is safe to say thal the propoaod (bun
will be even mora costly than the Brooklyn
Illidge. It will require the city to build in ad?
dition to thc dam, and forever maintain, several
bridges, one of which would be 1,200 feet long
and 125 feet high, and two others of which
would be neiii ly M long. Ths would opella
wonderful field for politicians aad unbalanced
bid contractors, l.nt it would be at an enormous
t'ost to tho city.
-IR THE SADDLE AG A IS."
Twenty-live States are going to govern this
country, so far as it is governed bj the Dem?
ocratic House. There are fifty-three com?
mittees, which control all action. The first and
-cciiinl places OB Ihese committees arc parcelled
Ottl te fourteen Southern and eleven Northern
State-;?nu average ol more than four places to
each ol these Nates. Meanwhile, thirteen States
Im ve no anare In cont rollin,- legialation in the
House through the leadership ot its coimnittisea,
and only twelve Southern Stat:-s and nine
Northern Slates have chairmanships.
Bul tho committees differ Tery widely in impor?
tance. The chairmanship gives a member the
control ol a room, and a private secretary at
public expense,and various other perquisites,
but does not Oeceaaarily give him any ii al
control over legialation. The ten committees
drat named io the offlcia] lists oontoo] a large
share of the legislation w hich affects the B hole
country, namely j the Committees OH Flections,
of which GrC-orgia baa the chairmanship; Way*
and imans, illinois; Appropriations, Penn
sylvania; Judiciary, Virginia; Banking and
Currency, Missouri; Coinage, Mi mon ri. Com?
merce, Texas, Rivera and Harbors, Kentucky ;
Agriculture, Missouri, and Foreign Ailaira, Penn?
sylvania, lillis, out of these ten impoi lani
places, seven goto Boothera and owly thrjee to
Northern Slates. Second to the chaiiiinn on
these ten committees nie eight members from
the South and only two from the North. < if
these twenty places of the luigi st influence,
Missouri al,me has live, Gtoigi.i mid Texas two
each, and Kentucky, Virginia, 8onth Carolina,
Nm th Carolina, Alabama and I.oiii-i.ma one
each, in all fifteen for the South; while Penn
sylvania gets three, and Illinsii- and New-Yori.
each one, in all live for the Northern State-.
The it mailling committees, forty-three in
Bamber, may Ix* divided into two rlawtm.
About linnie, n control legislation on special
subjects ol permanent Importance, and of these
the Committee on Military Ati.ui- has a Cali?
fornia chairman; Naval Allairs, New-York:
Poatal) Miasiaaippi; Railways and Canals,
Florida; Public Lands, Indiana; Indiana,
Texas; Territories, South Carolina; Mississippi
River, Louisiana; Patents, North Carolina;
Education, South Carolina; Pensions,
Alabama; Claims, Tenneseee; Revision of
Laws, Alabama ; and Rules, Kentucky. Tims
eleven of tin se second-class chairmnnahipa ga
to the South, and only three to the North. Of
the members standing second on these com?
mittees, the division is just the same : eleven to
the South ami three to the North. All thc other
si.Hiding committees arc practically impotent;
they control BO legislation of any general in?
terest, and might abott! as well be abolished,
but fol the convenience ol the chaiimen, or the
service a hich some of them lender in facilit.il -
ing routine business. For all general purposes,
the twenty-four oommittoet named will govern
the country BO far as the.Hoiise COU govern it,
and eighteen of these havo chairmen from
twelve Southern States, while only six have
chairmen from live Northern Stales. Less than
half ol'the States will thus virtually control all
legislation on subjects of permanent and gem ml
interest. The loyal soldiers who seek pensions
must go to Hewitt ol Alabama for a hearing,
or to his second, Tillman of South Carolina.
The loyal soldiers who have sitt'cd in the
Territories must look for legislation to Erina
of South Carolina or Pryor of Alabama. The
intoreate of railways and canals, mainly at the
North, will be cared for by Davidson of Florida.
The formen of the Northwest who have legiala?
tion to propose will address Hatch of Ifiaeonri
or Aiken of Booth Carolina; our harbora aad
livers are mulct the can* of Willis ol'Kentucky
and Blanchard of Louisiana ; our National cum?
in- rea la latroatod to Reagan of Texas and
Clarity of IMissouri, ;ind contested election-(o
Tinner of Georgia or Davis of Missouri.
lim questions which affect the industry and
business of the country lno-t closely will be
passed iijuui hythe Committees on Ways and
Means, Hanking and Coinage. The Ways gad
Means has a chairman from Illinois, but five of
bisasaoeiateaare from the South, and seven of
the thirteen are Free Traders. The Banking and
Currency Committee goes to Mr. Buckner of
Missouri, whOM hostility tothe National bank?
ing system has been proved by voles and
speeches without number. Finally, the ques?
tion of Coinage goes to Mr. Uland of Missouri,
author of the intolerable silver bill whichpro
vitleil, not for limited silver coinage?that we
havo found bad enough?but for unlimited
coinage of silver. From such committees, what
Lope is there of wiso ami honorable legislation 7
Including all tho committees, standing and
select, important and unimportant, then a ie
twenty-eight chairmen from twelve Southern
States, and twenty-five from niuo Northern
States, but nineteen of the Northern chair?
manships are of standing committees that have
uo power, or of select committees. Of tho
fifty-three men who stand second on com?
mittees, thirty-five aro from tho South. Thus
tho whole number of persons who have first or
second places is sixty-threo from tho South and
forty-throe lioiii tho North. It ia said, uo ] \
doubt with truth, that. Mr. Carlisle did nc
desire to make a selection that would expos,
his party to this censure. Rut be could no
help it. He was obliged to place Democrats ii
charge of his committees. And he could no
inti list them to DeggOOratg without giving t?
tin South aa altogether undue share of powe
in the (iovcTiiincnt. If be sought for men o
bruins and experience for important places, In
had to lake m.isl of them from the South. Sr
it conies io pam that, undera Democratic ma
jotit.v, the South is of necessity placed ia con?
doi ol' Ute (.oveiTiliietit, empowered to fiann
oar tariffs, to pay the war debt, to jin sup,.!
claims and pensions, to provide for Noitheri
commerce and trade and agriculture, and tc
frame the laws apon whieh Northern indaatr]
depends. Thal ia exactly whal Democrat i<
rlctOiy means? *? the South in thc saddlt
again.'1 ______________________
MEETISG Tin: TEST.
Tiik Triiunk took occasion, the other day,
IO remind the Democratic State ofliccrs-elecl
that ga excellent oppotlnaily would soon be af?
forded them to demonstrate their Mal convic?
tions touching practical Civil Service Reform,
We pointed out that there could be no doubt of
tbe nature of thoso convictions, when it WM
seen what disposition the Controller, Attorney
(.cneral and State Knginei r made of the subor?
dinate places of their respective departments.
Well, unless the burden of thc news that BOOMI
from Alhany is strangely nt fault, the great
cause of Civil Service Reform is not to ieccive
?ach encouragement from these gentlemen.
The Democratic Treasurer retains the present
deputy of his department. The present deputy
isa Democrat. On the other hand, the Demo?
cratic Attorney-ftcneral and State Engineer re?
move tbe preaenl deputies of their depart incuts.
The preaenl deputies are Republicans. Bo there
would seem to be warrant for sining that the
Deputy Treasurer is retained because he is a
Democrat, and tha other deputies are removed
beeaaaa they are RepobUoana. As to the Con?
troller-elect, it is now given out that he will re
lain the present Hepiiblican deputy of his
b p.iitiiient. Wctrust thercport is well founded.
md if it proves to be we shall not be backward
ia awarding Mr. Chapin the full recognition due
lim g| a Civil Servite Reformer in the concrete,
gad we beg te remind him thal it isDOtthil
jajiei.but Botroatworthyaaoxpooeol of Democ
nev g| Tat ("'/((/ Ohscncr, that feels prompted
to ask the question t" Did Mr. Chapin make thia
"decision Ito retain ii BepnbUcan deputy] be
"cause he thought it waa right, or ecanse the
"Republican organs have boen loudly blow
?log of late about Civil Service Refoim J" Does
Tin -tfotnrrarcail thia backing ita lib nil-? Why
diould it insinuate thal Mr. Cl.apiti ia capable of
leting in a public relation fi om any Othci than
i purely patriotic reason '
The fate of the clerks of the d' p n t mints
vhose depatiea are to he superseded, or of the
'oiitrollei's Department, (hus aot yet appear.
[t la possible thal the Attorney-Qeneral-elecl
uni the Slate Engineer-olect are emu
mi v iee Ile 11 niin 1 s, Imt In In ve ia drawing the
inc at depatiea. A few dayl will detenaiae
dst how il i-.
THE ESTIMATE FOE PARS EXPEN8R8.
the Board of Estimate and Appor
ion mi nt cloaca it- work it should well conaider
ts lespiiii-ibilitie- as tu the Budge! ol the Park
)i ?paitincnt. The Voice of the (itv jin-s has
iiianiinoii-ly pronounced this Dep.u tun nt the
rrotesque caricature of a municipal machine.
(lustering now and cringing m \t week* it ia
inadvised, Inefficient, and misdirected alwaya,
nd no mail vv imse opinion is worth quoting baa
et declared thal he considci * it woi thy of con
[dence. Mayoi Edton hos ventured to sn] tbnl
i i* not 10 b ni a- il bal b < n. ami BO doiiht this
iidgciiicnt wa- bast il npon the tad thal be had
elected hill nt it. Rut looking li.n k OVCI B
cai ol maladministration the people candis
over no ground for encouragcmenl <>r hope
rom the Mayors iippoiutees. D they did not
lilute the intelligence and executive rigor of
be Board* il waa because these qualities were
hin before tiny entered* No art ol tha
tar can be pointed to a* showing ps ti?
tration or purpose to be commended. And
mw if remains for the Board of Apportionment
oaay win tint they gre in accord *;ith the
nilpie or with the Falk Department. The
loard of Apportionment will beheld BCCOUnt
ble for the expenditures of the Deportment
rn the coming year, and if the demand for i .
ravnganl giants ol Btoney for questionable
inrpoaeola yielded to, the responsibility will
uroly prove an oppressive one.
Hire, for example, ia that .-,."10,oho fo_ propa
?ating-lioiises. This money will easily corer
i0t000 -spiaie feel with glans, and an establish
inm of such proportlona would furnish, If well
iianageil. b0,000 plants a week through all the
-rowing leaaoo. Aside from the fad thal tin si?
ll.mts could he iniiu'iit inure cheaply from com
uncial growers than they will be raised under
mik imiiiageineiit, then is thc danger thtt!
he Park lawns which ba ve escaped tho monia
or formal bedding will break out next sum?
ner with blotches of coleus ami geranium. It
ias come to our know ledge thal (his scheme of
decorationn ia contemplated. The artiati
mw in charge of the Park do aol understand
hat while lormal beds ol Mowers aad foliage
nay have a place in c(.-lion with architect
ral lines ami rigid boundaries, (hey are as
linly artifieal a-any ?tructare of masoni; or
arpentry gad can only mar a natur..1 landscape.
'hen is BO danger ol having too many Mowers
Rho right kind in tin* right place. Oaths
link of brooks, hy the w av side, in -In ubini;
orders, the Mowers which choOOO their BOB-M in
uch places are always attractive. How beauti
ui our perennial wild Mowers are winn Batar*
Hy disposed caa be seen by any one next
pring whowill visit the u unimproved mound "
hich General Viole selected for hie wild beaea
I root and wallow in. Bal enough of tin-e
lodcst natives ol'wood and lit lil (the Mowers,
nit is, and not thc bcaatal can be had wilhoiit
II acre ;md a half of greenhouse.
Again, consider the toBgof thousandsa-ked
ir Riverside Park. As designed bj Mr.
Imstead tliis was a most dignified work, ami il
roperiy completed it will be one of tbe city _
mst cherished possessions. Last year Mi.
aux made .-onie earefal studies for developing
in the line of its original conception. All tins
as been brushed aside, however, for noone can
allara thal the dirt hauling and heaping at the
millern end of tim drive ha, been sanctioned
y a man of Mr. Vaux's tanto, Whose plan is
ie alleged engineer followiofl Is lhere utiy
lani What has been done with the money,
B5?000orgOs spent on tho work thia year 1
? is is a hoard which has forfeited pul.lie con
ilence, and yet without making any statement
i justify past, expenditures tiny come to
(Miiand more money without any explanation
f what they propose to do with if. The only
?rliiinty is thal if left to their own devising the
ork will not bc cieiliti.bleand the stiling prob
JiMtv is that il will be defacement uti ruin.
A big appropriation for Riverside Drive will
-ure a long pay-toll with thc employment of
any unskilled hihorers and thoioughly tiained
Jtera. But a New-Year.-, p% sent of this sort
is not what this swindled and tax-ridden city ia
just now hankering after._
THE VBBISTMAS FEAST*
Tl;- Christmas festival originally marked a
reaction agaiust worldliness aud riotous rev?
elry. Tiie early Christians had no fixed day for
celebrating the birth ol thc Messiah. The tra?
ditions of various Churches differed in regard
to the dates although there was a general con
cm renee of opinion respecting the midnight
hour. Several days in December were nieii
tiOBM d as the date of the Nativity, and in some
communities no distinction was made between
tt and the Epiphany; and there was a disposi?
tion in some quarters of the miniature Chris?
tian world to deprecate the observance
of special days, and to commemorate
every day in thc 5'ear the birth, life, death and
resiincction of the Hedeemer. The impulse to
determine a precise date and to convert the
day of the Nativity into a sacred festival came
from the early Church of Home. TheSnturiialia,
a religions feast in the days of the Republic, had
degenerated under the Kmpire into a carnival
ot revelry, intemperance nnd crime. For the
bettor part Of a wank in mid-December, ordi?
nary business was suspended and the populace
of Home abandoned themselves to holiday in?
dulgence, street parades and brawls, gluttonous
feasts and err linal excesses. These
were the red-letter days of a Pagan?
ism that had abandoned Rclf-restraint,
renounced morality, and ceased to have faith in
anything higher than ignoble pleasures and de?
grading passions. It was to emphasize their
contempt for this brutal and riotous festival
that the Christians at Home established their
religious feast. It was simply a Christ-mass?a
apodal service of prayer, praise and com?
munion, held iu the lonely watches of the night
when thc Divine Child was reputed to bara
been born.
While Christmas was originally a religious
holiday, consecrated lo secret prayer and mid?
night worship, af a aeasoa when the pagan
world was abandoning itself to worldliness and
sensuality, it has retained many of the ('harne?
tt ri-lic features of the ancient festival of the
Saturnalia. The Roama children under the
IN-public as well as the Empire were accustomed
to receive preseata in ihe joyous days of De?
cember?cheap, tawdry ami clumsy in compar?
ison with the jewelled, gold-laced dolls and
thoii-and-anil-oiie mechanical devices and in?
genious toys of to-day, but none the less tokens
? it affection in the household. There was an
immense attendance at the gladiatorial combata
;inil town shows, precisely as the theatres of
ih ila; do their larges! business in Christmas
week, ihe dinners during the Saturnalia were
the moat aamptaoai of the year, Jual as the
Christmas dinner now holds the highest calen?
dar raak in Qermnny, England and America.
Indeed, il we go hat I. only a little way toward
the Middle Age, it will lie to lind algna of the
Pagan Saturnalia in iteworsl estate-?the -'
que tollies, t he inordinate li .isling, ||?. ribaldry
a ml lice n! ion sm-ss and the wanlon clime, against
which the Chriatnms-msstwssa solemn protea!
;uiil wainini:. Bul the day hat never ceased to
hiive its ii ligioua fervor and significance, even
when gnat, re and bigoted Protestants bara iel
their fate* sternly against it. Not one of the
(in i-t ia n centuries bas lost the leaaoo of-.be fee
tit al, even when mea had io preach it to them
... Ive- w it lu nit a Hilde whicl, thc.; were al di' to
nad. ami with onlv a little child in thc I.Be?
hold to remind tin m of th" innocence of the
Cli.ist-Cldlil.
There is no reason to lu lleve that in Amii i' a
tin- religion fervor baa depart* d. A- tin- preja
iii i - of Puritaa ancestry have been
gradually overcome, the festival year
by year i- more generally celebrated
in churches of all denominations. Baptist col
legra h.' ' ned their holiday recess item
Thanks, Day i" Christmass Christmai
sermons aie beard fromCoagregational pulpits;
iimi Chrittmss ennis arc Bong in Methodist
schools. Practical beneficence goes hanil-in
hand with Christian charity. Nowhere '-in
Christendom are the poor remembered io geo
trims); a- in American cities, The genuine
Christmas spiri: of good-will to men shines
through the matter-of-fact Yankee holiday.
Originality may be lacking in the customs, but
neither fervor in the worship nor kindly fit ling
for the poor. Americans have certainly a char
arteri-tic way of observing Christiaas, bvoh il
they have no distinctive traditioaa or associa?
tions. They keep the feast with (tue Yankee
energy, exhausting themselves, body and mind,
with tin press ;iuil nish of holiday hallie, en?
larging year hy year tin* number, it" not adding
to the coats of their Christmas gifts, and incur?
ring the risk of sacrificing tin* serene restful?
ness ol' the day by undue preparation and Over?
work. Bal they abo keep thc feast with sln
cerity and truth?the best characteristics of the
Chi i-t i.in Saturnalia of all ages.
Thc* ancient and boooroble fondly of Grady is
largely represented on Hie poy-colla of tin* Deport*
incut of i'ni>tis- Works, b it pomibla that any of
til.*., worthy gentlemen ure kin to tho Tammany
Senator wno bo suddenly stopped iii** highly prom
ising Investigation-! the doportmont la Moy,18tt. i
The iron in.T'iufiK tiinn of Pittsbarg, aeeording
!,, -! itementa by Mr. Week-, eecrotary of tin* West?
ern Association, feel very gloomy bO-SOM Mr. Car?
lisle haaf.mi precisely such a Ways and Means
Com mit tee BB was to In* ex pet ted. Bal it wuilld 1)0
well for them to remember that Mr. If orriaon wsa
chairman of this committee obob before. Then, aa
now, it was said Bj free-trade journals win n lie WM
appointed, "tba -peaker has thrown down the
gauntlet of irraeoneilabla BMtiiity to protection?
ists.1* Then, ns bow, we wen told thal Deeto*
eratic "dodgem were to be driven into a corner,"
neil thal tba BoUSO WOttld BBSS Sbill and " throw
tba rssponalblllty of deiVatiug it npon tbe Ben*
ate. 'llien Mr. David A. Wells and Mr. "Par."
M.Cramed a Tanti hill at Mr. Merris.,n's reqneeti
and them wa* a great fuss made nlmtit it until
shoat the and oi' april, 'l hen Presidential speeuls
nuns bogan t*' oeenpy the minds of patriots, a
m i i,ni i niili-ii lire vv Bl hehl. and Mt. 1 Udell's; nomi?
nation was determined upon SSS necessity. -OOM
mysterious atrophy wised the Tai itt bill, sod Mr.
Morrison, with nnntteroble diagoet, formally aban?
doned hi- elim ts to screw Dcinoi rats up to tin* pitch
af voting far Iii Hythe adddleof Jane, the bbbm
tree-trade organ which had hailed Mr. Morrison's
sppolntment was pabilabiog biliooa editorials
shoat " 1 he Free Trade Corpse,'' and other kindred
topics, and things were made ready for another i*v
pablicsn victory in November, lt u not entirely
Impossible that biatory may repeat itself, lhere is
Mr* Carlisle, to be sure, hut lie is nut more honest
nor Baore anoompromlaina taaa Mr. Kerr was la
ls7?|. E Presidential election looms np In thc dis
tain a, Bl it did then. Wo suspect that Mr* Morri?
son is hooked for another lit of iinspoakahle dis
gagg, Hut if he ahoald .sm-,-ci batter tin-ti.,
even so fur us tn past through tin* HOBMa Turill
hill nf the kind desired hy him and Messrs, Wills
mid Mi'i'i'-, there is aBegubliOOBSenate. And ni?
ter that, if necessary, tioga isa Republican Presi?
dent. Tnt ibarg need uot sit down in sackcloth and
a.shes gatti yet.
A contractor wh'i liss obtained a Bombora! city
contracts on unbalanced bids, in talk iii. ahmif the
matter u day or two ago, saul vv ith a laugh, " Oh,
we Jost went for sllthe mom; waaaaldgah Kv
crybody does that when it is city money." There ls
a great deal of troth la thatiaaaarki Ami ii is es?
pecially true of Mr. Thompson's mont intimate
friend- and u-sociutcs? Maurice li. Flynn, ltichurd j iu
A. Cunningham and the rest. But the day of rec?
oiling thaws near.
PERSONAL.
Levy David Cerf, for forty years leader of th
elope at the Opt^ra, in Paris, is dead. He wasbor
on the day of Mario Antoinette's execution (1793]
was present at the battles of Lutzen and Leipzig
was a {St. Helena medallist, and retired form th
Opera on tho accession of the present managor. Hi
operations nre described by the Figaro: 'Scated il
tho front row of tho pit, having a part of his force
around bim, while tho others were placed in tb
second gallery, he directed from his scat, by hi
st ilk, the intensity aud tho duration of tho ap
pla aie, A short, sharp rap on the floor meant tha
the cliuiiie was to contine itself to a moderate clap
liing of bunds; but when he gave a rapid and pro
longed movement of rotation to bis stick, his fol
lowers knew that they wen* to indulge in an out
burst of enthusiasm, recall the actor ou the stage
and give bim an 'ovation..'"
Benjamin F. Butler, who is soon tobo ox-Oovornoi
of Massachusetts for the remainder ol' his natara'
life, was in Washington the other day, aud, accord
ing to The Chronicle of that city, tried to get iutotht
Senate Chamber by a door the keeper of whicli
didn't or wouldn't recognize him. " Voil can't gc
iu there, sir," said the doorkeeper, " the Senate if
in session." Butler morely growled out, "I'm But?
ler," and persisted in his effort to enter. "Oh, no,
my antiquated masher," said the other, with a
wink at n bystander, "you can't plav me for a
sucker. Senator butler has just gone IB through this
door. Mush Vin from the gallery, my dandy."
General fintler tras paralyzed: for a moment, and
thou wheeling inion the astonished door-koeikcr, ho
fairly yelled: " butler of South Carolina bo d?d, I
MD Bauer of Massachusetts. Governor Butler, you
impudent fool," und amid tho profuse apologies of
the doorkeeper he entered the Chamber.
Mr. John S.irtain recently wrote of his view of Mr.
Hanisch's mudd of tho statue of Calhoun which is
to bc placed on tho Calhoun monument in Charles?
ton, .*-. C.: "My first impression was pleasurable
surprise; surprise at tho magnitude of tho work
nnd pleasure at the style and t-hanieter of its execu?
tion. The action of thc right hand and tho expres
don of the face convoy tho Idea of a man reasoning
-lonely. Ho appears to havo risen from his chair
md to be iu the act of addressing an audience. Tho
weight of his body is thrown chielly on tho right
leg. and the left is advanced forward in an easy
position nnd bent at tbe knee, of course. The face
is w rouirht to an artistic finish, and I judge must be
t good li'kern's* from tin* conception I have formed
[ruin portraits said to be good. The drapery is
-rr.fully disposed, and with a free and bold cxt
niioti. ao Important for offset,especially in largo
ivoik."
A writer in Tin1 Touton Courier cays of hisexpe
rlence with the Rev. Joeepb Cook and bia leetaree:
? I bini freqm utiy looked over, bat bad never boob
iblc to mako much out of them. One night, when
[ felt particularly wakeful, I front down-stairs tc
Ihe sitting-room, with two dictionaries (Webster
md Worcester1, a 'Thesaurus of Kt* gi ith Worda/aod
i copy of Tin- I hilly Adrertinri; with a full report of
lis latest lecture. Thoa equipped I aet to work ol
he discourse and went through il steadily from
ic-iniiing to end. Tba result was that I fouud
hat I had Boeotbly idea what the reverend orator
uni lu cn talking about, ami I had a list of niuo
.?. ords which be had slung at hit audience arith
great coolatai, bat which were not to be found tn
my of the dictionaries. Determined not to be
h.lieu, i vv rote to the Messrs, Merriam, thepab
i-li'i-i of .Winter, mid it-kcil what tin* words
neant. They replied they did not know and I
ii know iedged Biyaelf floored. As Mr. Lincoln once
mid, apropos of something else, 'foi mom oho
ike that surf of thing I -hould think it world be
us! the -orr of thing that they Would like,' but
ia for me, l have really bo bbb for it.''
TALES ABOUT lows.
A NF.W AJfERIi INC >MF"!)Y
Sheridoo Slunk, Cai,ot S./oaie. ?We have not fixlly de
ermined lo produce Bartley OampbtBfr mw play, but
viii probably sin *s> attar ttic run at '"Sturm neaten." It
i i'i. el 1.1 the i.,i!ip;itiy nu Mnuilay, hut notJilnir wn<
tier data-ad. it I* ? eamedy of American fashionable
ile li.im il aa tin* nitre of society women to n? ou thc ataga
11. iijo_tliy i omit .il lu iiio*t of Um Beaosa?biU Uloatrotss
um the Berhma troabtaa aiMag (ram tha Stain or a erttm
li Ile BtBgt agB-BBt ber llilsl'.lllii'S wishes.
MOBS lT.llH'I.ATiO.YS OP AX AUTHOR.
Julije Fredrrte U. O'-iitr y, gig Dmtr.it Court^-l object.
l fa Jn-tlce Min ray, lo betUgfOOted vvln-n t:il_lug ott tile
is-p.. Ti. You .'i'i'! he ir tltc i !"t, aii'l ui i-i , I..', of "Th"
'ulprit Fay " If I have to ir. t tin* wbohi CoreemtFOUea
i to bold yeo la a arat That play win .miro
im fit ir i empty the county Trtaaary, sj la Thompson, to
lott. _
I'llt: SINDAY OI'KNIN*. tSBTJE.
r. UUIoan MkhorAaan, ArttmtrJTmo crowd in attend.mc
ci. not nf ike slam ot labertag bbcb asd wemeotBr
sicuni! was argued the LOBB Exhibition sh,mid hr openeil
ii s,uni,iv. lt was a failure iii flint MOM 'Hie Loan Ki
iii.it it .ii en other days has nat boan a mea ?', gaoarstty
Pie. li Ul *,'.
/?. Uopklmaon ttitth. Art Vbotlm. -Bait w,ic 3,ooo
?heil* sm .-millay. I .aw artisans sketching ob
,i* BB exhlt'ltlnii, luclinilBgthe rare gold work, furniture,
hui." *. eic ; ll,ey wcie persons I uni sure who are weed
arrara, lawaDera, glam workers soi moulder-. And one
nm wsnkei Interested a gruiiii around bim In tim room
Mien* tbe armor 1. displayed by describlm. llle process of
OamoaTaetare. The museums ami libraries of this titi
ught to boopaaen Bnodsya lu winter as much eatha
?inks and Ouioy Island are in summer, and itt ut ehSBg
reheaparrataa than tha latter ure. a .mail fee aaght
i lu- iliiirgitl tn keep out tho class willi li woiiltl luaf In
ticre merely to keej) warm and who would drive away
lie sober sud Industrious poor.
Ex-Senator " Tom " Creamer, Counsel lo the B wirriof Ei
\te.? The ll'juor bOal-Om In thin city ls becoming a iiioihi
nly. Tin* I*lg brewon pick up smart barkt*ei**irs, BBtab
*h them OB ii corner,take a BBtrtg-Ot ou Iheirstoek
ml tlitur"., BOSttW tbt-lr ready au ado signs through the
Uv* by tliini.aiuli, and practically control tho business,
me of these lire wet', s.iltl lo me tin* other day, "Voil are
..iiu.-, ie,! trim the Excise Hoard, are you not I" I told
lin I w.n. " You fellows are mighty slow," he sahl
Kr.tiitlui- UM?SSS tlnwn there." Said I, "Where uro
on ultu going tn .topi I'n OBBt!y JOB will ask foran
ooedttOttO carry Bear down tho llowery and want a
mivinr liuilt In Central I'ark." I think Hie BOtBBSl
oalcr*; ought to organize Ht th-lr own protection.
C. ES Eh Ah NOTES.
Firs! appearances and a dispatch founded
pun Hiein desert-tag ihe arrest of Dr. J. O. Hyne, of
Icvelaud, Ohio, OB the charge of stci'.in-,'a diamond ring
?om Mrs. ida Beaten did lajBatleeto that gentleman,
a-. Clyne baajprored that he lost the Hag, for whleb be
in icil a recompense, snd tbe Judge baa dlamlaaed tba
riii'ii, pronouncingll pnposterooa.
An BBttlyaia of matrimonial, advertisements
I (orin.hiv ihOWa thut lillee Hines a* m.my u,m.en a*
,, utieis in ih.it inauncr; that woman are tat
-s imt tit ular abott! age t lum men, lint far mme partlcti
iriitsout family position \ aud that religious faith la of
?loiiilary import.mic vv Itu most advertisers of bott
\. ?
A model loap-house has just been established
i chicago. A we_-cooked tntrttanttal neal la furntshed
a-io cents, aadlagtvaa gtotoltooalj to thoae who maj
i unaiiii* to pay ttut sum. Charitable people buy a
amber of soup-tickets whleh they distribute sotong
lose whom they know to be'deservlag. The enterprise
-,i mu ii i ssful that tiaro la talk ut i'?tali.i.sliiit.g other
ml ,u Institutions.
Meetings have been recently held in London
\ the Council of the National Boelotj for Proser ring tha
em,.nils or ila-Heel. Among tba mbtoeta dlaoueaed
en- Uta axtenaloB of the.work ot "copying tba fast
?caving iiiiiiiuiiiciit.il iiiscilptiniM at Norwich, tin* lr*
rn,ii iou nf Hie tomi) of Morant tbe Essex historian, al
lilliiim. uinl t -C ri'l'l.u-enieiit nf Deaii.t'aiiiiuu's m.-iiiinit-ut
i Uesliiilustcr Abbey. Btepa Were also taken loll.ne
iii,,' in,pint.mt m.ii,nu.cut.ii InacrlpUona lu England
. opted.
A few months ano % man mysteriously
mppoamd feen OeorgetoWO, Ki. I'M immy weeks
ter his dtaapptaroora ins dog neat dully to aloaely
>ot and kept up a fm lons barking. A female chilr
i>ant wink callie Into the neighborhood explained thc
i_'r* iisiiiliu t liv tclihig of a horrible minder committed
ere. Tba spot whs searched, find tim i cumins of the
ni who baa disappeared were found. Tiio dog baa
nee been iiccldelitlv shot, but the clall viii ant hus lui ii
il-ett to the pinn.i' ie of fame in the in-h-iibntTuiod.
Iii thc Colnmbia Veterinary College Hospita]
l'liilailelphla le u lively tittle ^scotch tel lier whleh re
?,ii,is to the Baata of-Bnaisa** a alagalaraa-wte
i^'s in gaoatal bal not for thia parttaularoag, tot his
cst nt vocattoii ls to nit as h medium for BBttlBga
i'pnratlon whleh lt ls hoped moy provo to lie an imtl
ito for the vt norn of snakes. Various experiments
ive alie.illy buen minto SB other animals Imt they wert!
isailnfiietiiry for ono reason or iinother. " tinnkes " has
ri Iv ed tba bite of a largB ruttier, which, however, hud
cilously been Nllfleletl to Ute Uliotflor dog, mid there
It* mny not havo retained a fatul uiuuuut or vcuoni tn
? fangs.
MUSIC.
THE ITALIAN OPERA SEASON.
Tho adjournment of operatic plea-tires Li to be
only long enough to enable our people to devote
themselves to tho enjoyments of Christmas week.
Mr. Maploaon's supplemental season of nine nights
is announced to begin on next Monday, and Mr.
Abbey will return from Boston week after ne^t to
supply two evenings of tho thirty subscribed for by
bis patrons. His nights will be Wednesday and
Friday and as he has made the strongest seleotioo
of operas possible for him, and will throw in a
matinee, with " Carmen" as the attraction, Mr.
Mapleson will bo only partly successful in his efforts
to escape from the aggressive rivalry that has pur?
sued him thus far.
We are still living under the old operatic dispen?
sation, and, as things go, Mr. Abbey's first season,
which was ended practically on Monday evening,
can be called brilliant. An equal degree of merit
has not marked all his efforts, and some of the fea?
tures of the season have scarcely been worthy of
his proud establishment; but, on the whole, he has
made a heroic effort to galvanize into vitality tho
decaying body of Italian opera. He has shown aa
honest desire to keep tho promises which he made
when be asked public support for his enterprise,
and altogether his administration hos displayed vir?
tues which too frequently are absent from the mana?
ger's oflice. His stage sets havo been uniformly
handsome, and some of them have shown greater
sumptuousness than we have scon for many years
at least; bis orchestra, though open to criticism on
the score of its composition as well as style of piay,
has done admirable work; his chorus has been
prompt, vigorous ami generally tuneful; his en?
sembles have beeu carefully composed, and his se?
lection of operas has lieen judicious from a man?
ager's point of view. Besides those things he has
given to New-York the strougest combination of
woiiicu singers that the city has ever known. Such
a galaxy aw Mesdames Nilsson, Scmluich, Trebelli,
.Scalchi, Furscli-Madi and Vulleria could not Iso
matched if the two most brilliant companies of
Europe should be combined. Without exception
tho principal women's parts in the operas
have beeu brilliantly filled. Mme. Nilsson's Iragie
power has seemed riper and move effective than ou
her Hr-<t visit, and what she has lost during the
de,mle in freshness and range of voice sho has
ina.le op in Beeper dramatic intelligence ami
lltaodl- of action. In Minc. S inhrn li ive havo
BB ai Hst with B rare combination of gifts?a
voice of lovely quality; vocal skill of a
high order; keen dramatic itistiuets, and a tlioi
ouglily musical nature. If the men have been lest
satisfactory, tin-leasDii j. loiiinl at once m the ex?
pensiveness of sm li a woman's department. lu
this onilliteration Of the factors with which Mr.
Abbey has aroa a eoanaondible degree af artistic
sue, i ss. the BOW BOOM ought not ti) be forgotten.
Appreciation of its exeelleneiea of architecture,
decoration, arrangement an<l acoustics, has grown
sieatlily since opening night.
Mr. Abbey has yet theapriog Boonoo before him t ?
prove whether or aol ha was too aaaarooa la his
pitiinis.es ton-hil:--' his repertory. When he issued
Ins prospect is i,e Besetted that he aroa-! give
twenty-four operas, which BS namcu. I'p to date
ha has perfoiTiietl fourteen, which is BO average of
B chango every secoii'l evening. lu the
rcinaii.iler of the list, however, there aro
operas like "Il I'rofela," "GU Ugnotti,"
"Amleto," "Otello," Rossini's' "Le Hogge
di Figaro" and " (.'arinon," anil tn bring thl se out ia
addition to "Lucretia Bor-ia," " I.nula iii C'liuiiou
ni," "Tra Dial "Io" and "Marta." will tax Mr,
Abbey's resources severely. The greater number
of his list of given operas are of tlie light order, and
the severest worn remains ta BO done; but after
sin ii aa exhibition of energy as accompanied ths
production of'"La Otoeooda," tre bis Inelined te
think th.it Mr. Abbey cm fultill Ins promise to the
letter. Tho following list shows tho operas given
daring the aaeasa in the esta af their first \><t
fornianee:
l'i i-t, TtsBonnsiiil'lilli,
i.a, 11 di Laaunanaaetf BoBerto il Dtsvoto,
UTrovator-', ltlgob-ilo,
I i'liiit-id, ll Harbiera di sivifflU,
Mignon. I-"ii liisiviinnl,
I.a Travia*... M.tlstofcle,
LoJic-tpiu, Lu (..lo. olid.
It was not without significance to tho imittiiding
question coneerning tin* future of opera in Kew*
Voile that ihe operas of -featest artistic worth at
traeted tin' most aaaairoaa anrUeaeeo to sat thae_s
llit) nights ou which "Lohengrin." "Don (iio
vanni'' and " III listofcle" were -inn shared their
brilliancy only with the Bight which marked the
ennuination of the season by the production of o
brand new work, l'onchielli's "Gioconda." The
profound impression made by this apara we are in?
clined to look upon nit'i-e as au iudn.i
tion of the popular hanger for something
new than as ? trib ito to the tirari* tt if and
musical merits of the joint production of .Signori
BoltoOOd Poucliielli. These merits are unmistak?
able, but tliey do BO* entitle the opera to a place in
the first rank. In the list of eaeeeaafal BOW pro
duel ions within the last few years "Gioconda" Brett
yield precedence t" "Ania," " Melistnfcle" and
"tan.icu." lt thies no', sliovv its composer to lie
either a melodist of really high type, or a fertile,
originator of musical elicits. Its score is full of
ingeniously applied hOW-OB-Cal and orrhestral de
. i. cs, but they are all, or nearly all, such as havo
beeu learned from Sig. Ponehielli's grail?<?? -i**"i -.
Sig. roncliiclli is less original than Sig. Bolto, and
both oantJBBM to Sig. Verdi's example thanto tin-.i*
own eroHrVa ability. There is besides so mm li
dramatic vigor iu th** ploy of tho opera, and so
quick a co-operation of the music iu the
critical moments, the aud listeners are swept nlong
on such a tide of excitement that they aro not gi
sensible as they might b.> of the obviousness of tin*
un-ins employed bv the au'h r-. It isa hi-h order
ol constructive skill toot has pot u Gioconda *
together, and tin* -le???ol of eoatra-t has selil.un s.i
completely snd bo effectively been mode to dominate
an art work, ft makes every climax and is Bsed
with almost tiresome iteration. In the Irs! ai I
la i ieext'i prayer is put ngainst a background BOO**
posetl of a gambling ehoroo, sod the/Wtsao (a wild
dance ith the ineeaaant movement of a tarootelle)
endasbmptly with organ poola aad a pi oaeoatielei
in tin* secoiul act Within two bars AlmMTO, hi
Gioconda ia transformed from a marderoos devil to
a protceiing saint ; In the third act Laura* BCOeota
of mortal ooo ooauaingle with theeoandsol s
serenade in the distance, and tho disclosure of
tim supposed murder is made in the mids' of a bali;
in ihe fourth set ths calla of Dooring gpndoliera
break In upon La f*looraafl,i Bolfloqaiet, that havo
for tlieir subject suicide, murder, self-sacritice, slid
the highest Ol eharilles. 1 bene ilevices are of COUTSe
tissue, uinl we are not surprised that they hara
Bolto for their author nu rather adapter), notwith?
standing " Metisttilcle." The i?l* alii; in that opera
has been great Iv o\ orptt iniateil. "(iisicsiuda" ill
live, a valuable addition to tho operatic repeitorj
ss) bing sa we depend upon thc pceotat Italian
tem.
Un. spectacle thai opera has presented this ? .,
ba* I,i,ui one of extremely great interest in retort1
respects than one. li bsa bsa sa great significant*
for London as for New-York, and it has )>?
witched quite a-* closely there aa hire, ami with
perhaps, better knowledge of the roo! stake thal >?
being played for. Opera in New-York has f,,r a
long time been merely a weak refection
of opera in Laodoo. the tew* new
operas which have BOOB brought out
li.n- within ado7i*n vears have been brough!
primarih because they had been previously pro?
duced in London. The reason is not because An.". ?
iffect to follow Knglishineii in musical taste,
but because tbe purcheee from aa Italioo, rreoch
or Qerman composer of tho rigid to perform hit
work in England has carried arith ii the legal runt
at least t" produce it herc aa troll. Having tho
Booro there wat nothing to prevent. But the spur
th it I- ai iv av s in I lie llank of au ri fiiyii :?: ir 111 Lon*
don.haa beeu want Inghcre. Thecommunity ofknou
iugnfntic lovers is iniieh smaller; il is drawn fl
u population Dot morethonone-flftha large as that
ofLondon. Our operatic traditions aro vague, our
ideals shadowy, aad the palely social ntotive haa
been stronger in determining the degree of aUBport
t,i he given to the uiaiiiiger. than the chur.uteroi
bia cutcitainineiil. Hen..' we have alwaya sun
from the extremest phase of the 'star system.
Royal italian Opera Company. ? un. pw
an end to the riv airy between Mr. Oyo an ju.
Mapleson, th.- appearance on the Jeldol Jfr-^D?g
with a stronger equipment than has beenaseaJ*
decodes, the presence ni an American city ? i**m