Punch, Or The London Charivari | Page 4

and furious--not at all; the days of the Mohawks are over, and I am, therefore, in a position to declare, that the day when it is past and gone, will be appropriately called a dorcas meeting. And this I can say with the less hesitation as I rely on the power of a deemster. To everyone the occasion will be pleasant, both to wise men and persons of a simple sort; to adopt the words of the historical Pieman, "for this meeting fits Simon." And here let me remark, that I am an enthusiastic admirer of the perambulating gentleman who outwitted the pastie purchaser; in fact, "I go solid for the Simonian." If the field is dusty on the morning of the race, it will be following precedent. When I think of the Derby, I cannot help remembering HENRY THE EIGHTH, for it was to hold the Field of the Cloth of Gold that that eminent monarch had to raise the dust. Well might FRAN?OIS PREMIER have observed (as I do), "_Bravo, Gouverneur!"_ If DICKENS's naval hero, the Captain whose words were always worth "making a note of," were to use the belt of Orion as a support in a sea of trouble, I should applaud his wisdom. In fact, I should observe, that the occasion was worthy of the Cuttle's tone. And now to come to business. For after all, what I have written above is merely a hint to those who require no telling. A prophet to be believed must be mysterious. But that the simplest understanding may comprehend, I give my final tip. Here it is. This year's Derby will be won by one of two. It will either fall to the Favourite or--the Field!
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OPERATIC NOTES.
_Tuesday, May_ 19.--With pleasant recollections of MARIE ROZE and BARTON McGUCKIN, and, as I think, a Mr. SCOBELL playing the swaggering relative, I went to see _Manon_, at Covent Garden, Miss SIBYL SANDERSON being the Heroine, and M. VAN DYCK the Hero.
[Illustration: _M. Van Dyck des Grieux et Mlle. Manon Sanderson._
(_Ensemble._) "Nous irons au Guildhall!"
_M. Van D._ "Voilà la voiture du Lor' Maire, grace à M. Le Sheriff Druriolanus."
Manon. "Comme il est gentil! Je n'attendais qu'un 'Van.'"]
The new prima donna has everything in her favour, and very soon she was in favour with the audience, but not in such high favour as was the tenor with the artistic name, who, fairly taking the audience by assault, constituted himself, _pro tem._, the man in possession of the ear of the House. He is a success; as a young master bearing the name of so distinguished an Old Master should be. [_Query_, would it be rude to say to a really good Van Dyck, "You go and be hung!" Perhaps the learned Editor of Musical Notes and Queries will reply. Of course much depends on the frame.] As for the new soprano SIBYL--more power to her organ! Her acting was good, but not great, and what ought to be her song par excellence went for nothing, or, at least, it could have been bought very cheap. There is far more dialogue in Manon than a Covent Garden audience is accustomed to, and this superfluity is resented by those who come for the singing, and who, if any talking is to be done, like to do it themselves. The three young ladies who go about together as a perpetual trio, suggest the notion of a light and airy version, feminine gender, of the three Anabaptists in the _Prophète_. M. ISNARDON as _Des Grieux, père_, a character that might be operatically nearly related to _Germont, père_, in _La Traviata_, was impressively dramatic, but decidedly disappointing in his one great song, which ought to be a certain encore. It may be true that an opera intended for a small stage does not stand a fair chance of success on a large one, and _vice versa_, as no doubt the LORD MAYOR's coach provided by DRURIOLANUS SHERIFFUS for the occasion would look absurd on the stage of the Opéra Comique, while here when it comes round to the gate to fetch _Des Grieux_, it creates as great a sensation as ever it would do in the Strand on the Ninth of November, even with the Sheriff inside it.
[Illustration: Rehearsing for an amateur performance of the Christy Minstrels, under the direction of Count Four-in-a-bar. "Now then, Gentlemen, all together!"]
_Wednesday._--Speaking as an opera-goer of some thirty years' sitting, I am inclined to assert that the performance last Wednesday of Les Huguenots beats the record, as will be allowed by all whose memory runneth not to the contrary, "nevertheless" and "notwithstanding" being included. Except MARIO, as _Raoul_, and some add, except DORUS GRAS as the Queen, never was seen and heard so fine a performance as is