1223 
THE FIELD. 
might be — intended for the delectation of the holiday-folk 
on Boxing-night. A brief glance at the titles, and a few of 
the features, in the Christmas novelties may not be out of 
place in this dearth of theatrical novelty. Drury Lane com- 
mences its campaign on Tuesday, the management having 
wisely abandoned tho old system of playing to empty 
benches ten or twenty nights before Christmas. Mr. E. L. 
Blanchard, as heretofore, supplies the opening portion of the 
pantomime, which he has founded, we believe, upon the old 
familiar nursery jingle of “ Jack and Gill.” Mild Tom Mat- 
thews, the best humoured of clowns, has here been supplanted 
by Harry Boleno, of whom, as the King of Pantomime, we 
know little. Two columbines, a host of sprites and fairies, 
called the Allies, figure in the Christmas bill of fare, which, 
through the indefatigable research of the lessee, goes to 
establish the fact, that our Allies in the Crimea are the 
Dutch, for, in an emblem of the allied arms, the Hollanders’ 
unable to obtain admission. The principal singers were Mr. 
and Mrs. Sims Reeves, Miss Palmer, Miss Bleaden, and Mr. 
Thomas. 
Lecture on Sacred Music. — Mr. John Wass, a gentleman 
well known in the musical world as a composer of consider- 
able merit, gave a lecture upon sacred music at Kensington 
on Tuesday eveuing, which was numerously and fashionably 
attended. Mr. Wass, in introducing the subject, said it hod 
long been to him a source of surprise and regret that expres- 
sion, which is the soul of music, should be so much neglected 
by vocal performers, both amateur and professional. He, 
therefore, begged to draw particular attention to tho culti- 
vation of this important part of vocalisation, and He would 
endeavour to point out the most essential requisites to effect 
so desirable au improvement. The lecturer adverted to the 
present advanced state of music, the principles of the art, the 
learning of the words, &c., which, by tho bye, is certainly a 
flag stands boldly forth. Mr. Nelson Lee, of pantomime desideratum, for the words of a song are of the least conside- 
celebrity, has supplied several of the comic scenes ; and, from 1 — ‘ ’ ' ’ 
his experience in 6uch matters, we may be certain that they 
will not contain the usual amount of dreary fun put forward 
as “comic" business. The last scene is to be a “blaze of 
triumph ” in honour of our brave soldiers and sailors now at 
the seat of war. Mr. M. Morton has stepped into the lists 
to break a lance at pantomime, and has produced “ Harlequin 
Bluebeard" for the novelty at the Princess's on the 2Gtb. 
The subject affords capital opportunities for display, and Mr. 
Charles Kean has spared neither paius'nor pounds in aiding, 
the author availing himself of them.jThe tricks and transforma- 
tions are new and striking — some imported from Paris, others 
manufactured in the theatre itself. Buckstone writes his own 
pantomime for the Haymarket, founded on “ Little Bo-peep." 
The principal character in it will be sustained by Miss Lydia 
Thompson, a charming actress aud danseuse, who danced 
herself into the public favour in "Silver Hair,” last year. Mr. 
Planch<5 has removed himself and his pen from the Lyceum 
to the Olympic ; and (Wigan eschewing harlequinade for the 
nonce) has written the Christmas piece for that house — a 
burlesque on the well known necromantic and romantic tale, 
“ The Yellow Dwarf au improvement on his late 
emanations, which were principally remarkable for 
brilliant costumes aud dull dialogue. Mr. William 
Brough is the author of the Lyceum burlesque this year, 
which is compiled from the story of “ Prince Pretty-pet and 
the Butterfly." The St. James’s, as we have before mentioned, 
has enlisted the witty pen of Mr. F. Talfourd, who has con- 
cocted a sparkling burlesque out of “ Abon Hassan." The 
Adelphi is not behind-hand, although working away quietly. 
Mr. Mark Lemon is the author of the Christmas burlesque, 
which is entitled, “ Zigzag Travels of Messrs. Danube 
and Pruth, to leam the Truth.” One of the most 
remarkable incidents in the burlesque will be the 
appearance "of an army of fairies, each with a perfectly 
modelled and fully-rigged ship upon her head. At the east- 
end of the metropolis, the City of London takes the lead, 
Nelson Lee having been actively engaged for months in 
getting up a pantomime, written by himself, called, “ Birds, 
Beasts, and Fishes, or Harlequin Natural History." At 
ration with not ouly many amateurs but a vast number of 
professionals, who think the more production of sound suffi- 
cient, the poor poet being of no importance at all, thus 
reducing the human voice to a mere instrument. The lec- 
ture was illustrated by a very tasteful selection from the 
works of Handel, Haydn, N. H. Callert, Wass, &c.. the 
executants being Mrs. F. Inman, Mrs. Pyne Galton, and Mr. 
E. Uosenthall. Mrs. Galton sang her share of the music very 
artistically, aud when we say she is a sister of the celebrated 
Louisa Pyne, it will easily be understood the school in which 
shehas studied. Mr. Rosenthall possesses a good voice, aud 
saug the music allotted to him carefully ; but a vast amount 
of study is necessary to arrive at anything like perfection in 
vocalisation, more particularly with sacred music. The great 
feature of the evening, however, was the singing of Mrs. 
Inman, whose rendering of “Angels ever bright and fair," 
left nothing to be desired. The absouce of unnecessary 
ornament, which is so often used to the detriment of this 
class of music, showed the lady’s good taste ; she also sang a 
charming composition of Mr. John Wass, “ The Lord is 
Great,” in a manner to occasion its being re-demanded. Mr. 
Wass's lecture was carefully written and well delivered. 
The Crystal Palace during the Holidays. — Just now 
the Christinas tree, which occupies the centre of the tran- 
sept, is the feature which most absorbs attention. It rises 
to the height of nearly fifty feet, aud stands upon a pedestal 
appearing to be one solid mass of evergreeus. The branches 
are weighed down with gilt toys of every description, many 
of them of evident costliness, while here and there lauterns 
are visible, reflecting coloured lights, which contribute 
materially to the gaiety aud beauty of the ensemble. The 
exhibition of Christmas trees, has been, we believe, con- 
structed under thedirectiou of Mr. Lewis Solomon, of Covent 
garden. At the root of the tree animals, the size of life, sym 
bolisethe several seasous, such as the boar, the fawn, the hind 
and the reindeer, besides which there is a variety of dead game 
the handywork of Mr. Bartlett, the taxidermist, whose skill 
in this ingenious art is here strikingly demonstrated. The 
effect altogether of this Christmas tree is highly imposing, aud 
during the vacation it will doubtless be examined with 
the son of Herbert, the son of Simmons. The Irish used 0, 
as O’Neal, tho sou of Neal; the Scotch Highlanders em- 
ployed Mac, as Macdonald, the sou of Donald; and the 
Norseman added the word son to tho end of the father’s 
name, as Williamson. Surnames were not used in France be- 
fore the year 987, when the lords began to assume the names 
of their demesnes ; in England they were taken up a little 
before the Conquest, under Edward the Confessor ; but they 
were not fully established among tho common people until 
Edward the Second’s time. In Sweden, it is said, they were 
unknown until tho year 1514. They were introduced into 
Scotland in the time of William tho Conqueror by the Eng- 
lish who fled into that country. It was long before any sur- 
names were used in Wales except that of son, Evan ap Rice, 
Evan the son of Rice. Names were significant of quality of 
the mind or tho body, ns Bold, Hardy, Meek; others ex- 
pressive of the trade or profession followed, such ns Baker, 
Smith, Wright, Butler, Page, Mnrshall. The greater number 
were derived from tho name ot places, and Camden says, 
" There is not a village in Normandy but has given a name 
o some family in England ." — My M.S. Note Bool . 
Beasts, ana risues, or nunequm eauunu . ° . ., , - .. ., „ i tu 
Astlcys, the same pen has been called into requisition, cunous wonder by the juveniles who vLsit the Palace. Tl* 
for the purpose of transforming Swift’s inimitable satire, entire distnct is, however, dedicated to a similar species ot 
"ttnlliWA Travels " into nautomime. In this novelty, decoration. The transept everywhere abounds in Christmas 
‘ Gulliver’s Travels,” into pantomime. In this novelty. 
The Lilliputians are the Turks, the Emperor Blefesin is the 
Czar, and Gulliver, as a matter of course, the Allies. The 
introduction of Mr. Cooke’s highly-trained stud — always a 
feature in the Christmas festivities here — will be most appro- 
trees of smaller growth, it is true, than the monster which 
overhangs them, but nevertheless grateful to the eyes of 
young people. We have the trees in all sorts of form, and 
laden with all sorts of toys and sweetmeats. The district 
in question is therefore likely to be much frequented during 
the holidays. The weather was anything but favourable for 
MariiUbone — and “Young Norval on tho Owmpum W | the mUitoy concert TheTvo 
or Harlequin aud Lord Ullin’s Daughter ’’ will, on Tuesday place on Thursday morning in the Ciystal Palace. I he five 
oi, nanequm ana l.oiu umu a xj bands, however, were m attendance, and performed a 
t“^:en o <£ ** 
forthcoming reveliy a hit. The stage , ^1, ' a three weeks' engagement. Among the principal actresses 
aud new machinery added. Fro”’ +.b,n burned dance at a 1 a tnree wemu eu b b _ b _t _i 
few of the forthcoming novelties, 
sent eventful year will close “ rig 
The Westminster Plat. — The play this year is tfie “Eunu- 
chus,” which Terence compounded of two separate plays of 
THE COURT AND WORLD OF FASHION. 
♦ 
Her Majesty during the week has been at the Castle, 
Windsor. The Royal dinner parties havo had the usual 
select circle of visit ore, amongst whom have been the Duke 
of Newcastle, the Duchess of Kent, tho Earl of Aberdeen, 
the Marquis of Lansdowne, Viscount aud Viscountess 
Palmerston, Major-General aud Mrs. Rentinck, &c. 
Tho Queen and Prince visited tho Duchess of Cambridge, 
at Kew, on Tuesday afternoon, and returned to tho Castle at 
quarter past five o’clock. Her Majesty aud his Royal 
Highness, attended by the Ladies and Gentlemen iu Waiting, 
dined with the Duoheas of Kent in the eveuing at Frogmoro 
House. 
On Monday his Royal Highness Princo Albert went to 
London by special train, to preside at a meeting of the Royal 
Commission for the Patriotic Fund. His Royal Highness 
was attended by Major-General the Hon. diaries' Grey and 
Captain the Hon. D. de Ros. The Duke of Newcastle and 
Viscount Palmerston accompanied the Prince to Loudon. 
On Wednesday, his Royal Highness went to London, by a 
special train of the South-Western Railway, to preside at 
the meeting of a committee of tho governors of the Welling- 
ton College. 
Generosity of the Prince of Wales.— Last week Lord 
H. Rokeby, Lieut. -Colonel of tho Scots Fusilier Guards, who 
is about to leave England for the Crimen, was sent for by the 
Prince. His Royal Highness informed the officer that ho 
wished him to be the bearer of a fur cloak, os a present to 
Sergeant-Major Edwards, of the first battalion of Scots F usiliev 
Guards, who, when in England, was his Royal Highness’s 
gymnastic preceptor. His Royal Highness, just after the 
route was received, sent for Edwards, aud presented him with 
a gold-headed cane, as a token of tho manner in which his 
services as his Royal Highness’s tutor had been appreciated by 
the youthful Prince. 
Numerous aristocratic families have during the week left 
their town residences for their country seats, for the Christ- 
mas holidays. 
Tfie French Ambassador visited tho Earl of Clarendon on 
Monday. 
Accident to the Marchioness of Hastings. — The 
Llewellyn packet, from Kingstown to Holyhead, had a very 
rough passage on Wednesday. The Marchioness of Hastings 
and her daughter, the Lady Bertha Hastings, wore among 
the passengers, and had seated themselves on dock to wind- 
aid. The sea struck the ship just, where tho Marchioness 
Menander — the “Eunuchus,” aud the “ Colax and thus 
secured a double amount of amusement ; for, while the 
former piece supplied him with that notable exploit ot 
Cheerea’s which used to elicit indignant letters from British 
“ fathers of families,” till the scene with Antipho was 
omitted, the latter gave him the Bobadil and the 
who are perhaps the most diverting personages in the play. 
The “ Eunuchus” was always a favourite work with both the 
audience aud the actors at St. Peter’s College. The attack 
on the courtesan’s house, by Thraso and his strange band, is 
a good piece of burlesque “ fun," that produces an effect 
like that caused by the army of Bombasus Furtoso. 
The appearance of a Queen's scholar iu female attire 
is always greeted with roars of laughter, and, hence 
Thais has, at St. Peter's College, a popularity of a kind 
which the author did not exactly intend. Endowed as it 
is with so many stimulants for the promotion of hilarity, 
we cannot wonder that the “ Eunuchus ’ has been brought 
forward this year a little out of its turn. The acting ot the 
young gentlemen is of the kind which has long been familial 
to the audiences of Westminster plays, consisting rather ot a 
careful adoption of prescribed interpretations than of jen 
tuvous attempts in new paths. The prologue, after allu g 
to the death of two “ Westminsters -one, Mr. Clinton, tfie 
author of the “Fasti Hellenic!, " the other unnamed but 
supposed to be Mr. Vaughan Williams-passed on to matters 
of public interest, and the mention of “Aim® piiedare dies 
and “ Balaklav® tristis gloria" elicited applause, which was 
even exceeded by the shout which arose when the captam, 
Mr. Dickson, uttered a line contrasting the British soldier 
with the Thraso of the comedy : 
Non noster est file miles mercenorius. 
The line was evidently taken ns ft “ slap ” at the Foreign 
Enlistment Bill, and was applauded accordingly, althougfi, : 
appears, it was written before the bill was brougl^forw^ffi 
Madame Tussaud’s Exhibition, has its ^tmos “ovel 
ties iu several figures of a most inter^ting charartu. 
They consist of portrait models of Lord Raglan, .’ 
and other distinguished men serving m the P 
They are dressed in military costume, and reflect gieat 
credit on the artists employed. j nn 
St. Martin’s HALL.-The “Messiah’ wi^ p^formed on 
Wednesday evening at St. Martin s-hnll, un e aav that 
of Mr. Huilah. Of its performance it 
it was .me of the best and most successful that Mi . Hul* 
has given. The hall was crowded, and many persons 
From what I had seen of the previous efforts of this lady, 
I deemed her entitled to an exalted position as a spirited 
and sparkling comedy actress ; but her impersonations, of 
late, have added another wreath to her fame as an artist 
possessing no ordinary degree of tragic ability ; added to a 
fine figure aud expressive face, she has a charming metallic 
and ringing voice. 
Curious Epitaph.— The following singular epitaph is 
copied from a tombstone in Chard churchyard. 
Beneath the Verdure of this earthen chest 
Are laid the Garments of a Soul undrest : 
Here 'tis decreed that they awhile must lie. 
’Till Time shall end, and Death itself shall die; 
Then wifi tlu> Saviour model them afresh, 
And change this tattered raiment of the Flesh 
Like His own, for that’s an heavenly mode. 
For to enrobe u favourite of God. 
Name and Fame of an Irish Hero.— T here was once 
in Ireland a thirsty old soul 
His name was a terrible name indeed— 
•Twas Timothy Thinly Mullagin ; 
And whenever ho emptied a tumbler of punch, 
He always wanted it full agin. 
Origin of Names.— The liret imposition of names was 
founded on different views among different people. I he 
most common was to mark the good wishes of the parents, 
or to entitle the children to the good fortune a happy name 
seemed to promise. Hence Victor, Castor, Faustus, 1 rebus, 
&c Originally every person had but one name, as amongst 
the Jews, Adam; among the Egyptians, Busins ; mnong the 
Chaldees, Ninas ; among tho Modes, Astyoges ; the ’ 
Diomedes ; the Germans, Ariovistus; the Romans, Romulus. 
Some writers, among whom waa Camden contend that 
names in all nations aud languages were significative of some 
peculiar meaning or quality. This holds out not ^yarnong 
the Jews, Greeks. Latins, &<-•„ but also among tho l b, 
with, whom Abdallah means servant ot God, Julian, 
peaceable; Mahomet, glorified, &c. Ihe ancient Britons 
usually took their names from colours, because they painted 
themselves They subsequently took Roman, unit Damsb, 
Si (the latter at the Conquest 1 .ringing with them 
their German names,) such as W.lhiun R-^ert ltenry, Hugh, 
&c Subsequently Hebrew names, such as Matthew. Wd, 
Samson were engrafted upon the language, and have con- 
tS ta much use down* the preaout 
used Fits, which signifies son, as Fitzherbert, Fltzeun 
was seated, and with such force that both ladies were thrown 
with great violence off their seats aud carried across the deck 
under the bow of the long-boat to leeward. Tho Marchioness 
was completely stuuued, having sustained a severe blow on 
the temple, and some injury to her back. On assistance 
arriving the Marchioness was found completely wedged iu 
under the long-boat, from which position she waa removed 
with difficulty. The Lady Bertha escaped comparatively 
unhurt, but on the Llewellyn arriving at Holyhead, the 
Marchioness was so ill that it was found necessary to remove 
her ladyship to the Royal Hotel, where she received the 
assiduous attentions required by tho severity of the injuries 
she had sustained. 
THE COUNTRY GENTLEMA N'S JOURNAL. 
Festivities at East Markham, Notts.— On Saturday 
last, the village of East Markham was the scene of consider- 
able excitement, it being the day on which John Henry 
Kirke Esq., attained his majority. This young officer haung 
been called to join his regiment for tho Crimea some ten days 
previously, gave additional interest to the occasion. Al- 
though his absence was therefore inevitable, it was 
determined that a sumptuous dinner should be given 
to the tenantry and a few select friends on that day. • ir 
Thomas Wollaston White, Bart., uncle of tho young gentle- 
man. supplied abundance of game, and at two o clock tho 
tenantry and friends surrounded a table richly spread vutli 
every variety of substantial and luxunous fare. Amongst 
the guests were Sir Thomas Wollaston \V Into, Bart., J‘**eph 
Denman, Esq. (chairman), Rev. W. H. Brameld (vicai ut the 
parish), Rev. B. Ash. and John Thos. Rose, Esq. (vice-chair- 
man). A series of loyal aud appropriate toasts were pro- 
posed and responded to, aud it may be justly stated, that an 
intelligent aud intellectual treat, instructed aud entertained 
the company. j . n.m.™ 
Lord John Russfli. has purchased Bure H>nw. re- 
seat of Sir John Littlcr, at Christchurch, m Hants. 
The Baron Vidbl has left the Clarendon, on . •»:> 0 
Sir Richard Sutton, ut Lyuford Hall, near Brandon bufto k. 
The Rev. A. Peyton has left the Clarendon for Doddington 
*fe^l2SS:nw». ofChevct.-TI,. death of 
“Tlf JomT I-oighton Hall. Moot«omc,7.hiM, 
lent »m valuable painting) to grace tjl “I*™ 11 ® ,' ho 
sasr » i— *> 
,; ‘rs T 0 o n — Monday 1* Wot. 
