... . THE COVENT GARDEN CONCERTS pursue the even tenour of their way with uninterrupted success. To give detailed accounts of the concerts which have taken place during the past week would occupy too much space, hut the programme of the (so-called) classical concert, given on Wednesday last, may he cited as an illustration of the judgment and good taste which prevail in the musical direction of ...

... . THE end of the dullest of the dull weeks at the theatres has come at last. The excessive heat which induced our manager to fear a frost if he kept his doors open has passed away. The middle-class holiday-makers are rapidly coming home again, and visits to the play will soon be made by others besides country cousins. Everything accordingly is ready prepared for giving success to the opening ...

... . BOTH as adapter and as actor Mr. Charles Coghlan is to be very warmly congratulated upon his share in the new play which has taken the place of Anne-Mie at the Prince of Wales's Theatre. That the drama itself has one radical fault likely to injure seriously its hold upon the public will become evident from the most cursory examination of the story. But the fault is none of the adapter's ...

... UNDER this title a new English adaptation, by Mr. Alfred Maltby, of Hervé's burlesque opera, Le Petit Faust, was produced at the Alhambra Theatre last Monday night with decided suc cess. With the exception of selections from Mendelssohn's Walpurgis Nacht music introduced in the finale of the second act, and a few connecting passages, skilfully written by Mr. Jacobi, the able conductor at the ...

... . p oems Grave and Gay. By Joseph Verey. London Tinsley Brothers, 8, Catherine-street, Strand. 1880. MR. VEREY'S poems have the rare merit of apparent spontaneity; he seems to right verse because the thoughts which occur to him shape themselves into metrical form, and not because he has reasons for wishing to spin out a set of rhymes. Many graceful fancies are gracefully expressed, though ...

... . On Duty. A Ride through Hostile Africa, by Parker Gilmore, Commandant of the native levee during the late Zulu War. London Chapman and Hall (Limited), 193, Piccadilly, W., 1880. Me. Pakkee Gilmore' s new hook will commend itself to readers who have followed his wanderings and adventures in many parts of the world. It cannot be said that the author has much literary skill or ease. His style ...

... . THE production of Signor Mattei's grand opera, Maria di Gand, has been a prominent event in recent musical history. Last week we were enabled to give an account of the plot-- founded on Sardou's Patrie-- and we are now able to record the fact that the new opera was received with enthusiastic applause, not only on the first night, but at every subsequent repetition. The people love melody, ...

... . Mr. GEORGE COLEMAN'S annual matinée was noteworthy this year for several features which distinguished it very favourably from the ordinary run of such benefit perfomanees. To begin with, the pieces presented were played much more smoothly, and therefore with better general effect than is usual in these scratch affairs. Thus The Love Chase was well cast and well acted all round, and was worth ...

... . I THINK I saw about the last of the old Princess's Theatre, for it was in such a condition one certain day when I met Mr. Walter Gooch in Oxford-street, and who asked me to look in and see the demolition, that I don't think with the removal of another brick you could have termed it a building at all. The gallant Jackson, thickly coated with dust and mortar, was trying to stage-manage a gang ...

... MUSIC. ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA. THE most important of recent events at the Royal Italian Opera has been the production of an Italian version of Hérold's swan-song, Le Pré aux Cleres. Considering how many feeble and ineffective works have been pro duced at our Italian opera-houses during the last half century, it seems strange that Hérold's bright and drama tically interesting work should wait ...

... . THE majority of watering places within reach of London are at present enjoying a fulness of visitors that has been rare to them during the moist seasons of the past few summers. Even the little town of Hyths-- one of the old Cinque ports-- which has heen slumbering for centuries on the site of its now dried-up harbour, has wakened up to look at a great Aladdin palace of a Hotel which the ...

... . The Racehorse in Training, with Hints on Racing and Racing Reforms. By William Day. London Chapman and Hall (Limited!. 193, Piccadilly. 1880. IN reading any book it is a great thing to feol that the author is thoroughly well acquainted with his subject, and probably there will be found very few who are rash enough to deny that Mr. William Day understands the art of training and managing a ...