THE CATCH CLUB.

In spite of the political excitement which prevailed, and the clouds which overshadowed the whole political hemisphere, the Catch Club mustered in large numbers on Tuesday last, which was the day fixed for the decision of the Prize Catches. Mr. Fitzherbert was in the chair, and Mr. Macleod was the Vice on the occasion. The number of Catches sent in as claimants for the prize was six-but the grand struggle was between the two for five voices, No. 3, 66 Hark, heard ye not that strange tumultuous sound," and No. 5, "Ode to Joy," and the prize was eventually allotted to the latter. Tom Cooke was the fortunate composer; but Goss, who proved to be his antagonist, would no doubt have carried off the victory, but for the extreme length of his glee. He may, however, console himself by the assurance of the acknowledged superiority of the compo sition, which was a fine specimen of glee writing. That this was the general opinion of the professional members present, may, we think, be asserted from the enthusiasm with which The he was greeted by them on his entrance into the room. other unsuccessful candidates were Elliott, Walmisley, and Linley, all of whom have signalized themselves too nobly in former contests, to regard the present defeat.

We cannot close this notice, without adverting in terms of high praise to the manner in which the members selected to sing the glees, executed the task allotted to them. Whatever fate befell their compositions, the candidates must have been satisfied that they received every justice at the hands of Messrs. Terrail, Vaughan, Hobbs, Bellamy, and Sale.

NEW MUSIC.

Echo, hither come to me. The words by Henry W. Parker, Esq., the music by J. F. Dannely. London: Danneley.

An unpretending, but pleasing little song, which, if unmarked by any great attempt at originality, is at the same time utterly devoid of any of those glaring violations of good taste, with which many of the modern compositions are chargeable..

My Cottage near the Rhine. Ballad, composed by G. H Rodwell. Duff and Co.

A light and pretty little composition, imitative of the Swiss style, and lying within the range of all moderate players and singers The tact and grace which are Mr. Rodwell's principal qualifications, are agreeably shown in productions of this class.

As for the words, why" verbum sat.”
They are

comme tant d' autres"-no worse than that.

Pacini is no favorite of ours, but we think the Opera Seria of his composition, which was produced at this theatre on Saturday last, under the title of Gli Arabi nelle Galie, evinces greater talent than we had hitherto given him credit for. To be sure, more than ordinary attention appears to have been paid to the getting up of it-the choruses were both strengthened and improved, and it had, moreover, the good fortune to be entrusted to two new and successful debutantes. Madame Mariani, who sustained the character of Leodate, is possessed of a voice of great power and beauty. Her talents as a vocalist are moreover very considerable, while she displayed histrionic abilities that frequently reminded us of the grand and impassioned acting of Madame Pasta. After this statement, it is scarcely necessary to add, that her exertions were received with loud applause by the audience, and that some of her efforts were encored as vehemently as deservedly. Signora Grisi was the heroine of the piece; but her voice would not bear comparison with Mariani's, except in that important

qualification, flexibility. She also displayed greater energy in her representation of the fair Ezilda than prime donne generally are wont to exhibit; and was, indeed, in many parts highly effective. Winter and V. Galli were the princi pal male performers, and contributed in a great degree to the success which attended the representation of this production of Signor Pacini.

DRURY LANE.

Mr. Kean made his first appearance for the season at this theatre, on Wednesday night, and we regret to say, that in the character of Shylock, which was the one selected by him, he betrayed evident signs of that debility incidental to continued indisposition. Throughout the whole performance he exhibited but few of those surprising flashes of genius which for merly distinguished his representation of this character, and if any particular circumstance were wanted to prove the physical weakness of the actor upon this occasion, we think it might be found, in the fact of his inability, after whetting his knife to take the forfeit, to rise without assistance. The whole play passed off tamely, and, we believe, all who were present, participated with us in a feeling of regret, that physical causes should have deprived us of the pleasure which we have always before derived from Mr. Kean's performance of Shylock. Miss Phillips played the part of Portia very effectively.

܀܀

SMALL NOTES, FOR CHANGE.

THE MAN IN THE MOON.

If it were now a-days the fashion to ascribe as formerly all earthly commotions to lunar influences, we should be inclined to suspect that Lord Melbourne's vigilance had discovered that the oft-named Man in the Moon had had a hand in the broils and troubles of the last week or two, and that he had issued a Secretary of State's warrant for his capture. At least it may be supposed that it was some such motive that prompted Mr. Armstrong, the active and well-known Worship Street officer, to accompany Mr. Green in his aerial trip on Monday last. We have not heard whether the worthy gentleman who proved himself above being taken by Daniel O'Rourke and the host of conjurors, ancient and modern, who have taken flights of fancy to his abode, fell a victim to the captivating manner or strong arm of the worshipful policeman. We hope Mr. Armstrong is not a member of a Temperance Society, for if so he must doubtless have violated its regulations by being something more than a little elevated on the

occasion.

THE APPETITE OF A CABINET MINISTER.

Our worthy and facetious contemporary, the John Bull, in venting a little of its spleen against Lords Brougham and Grey, on Sunday last, made us acquainted with the average scale of appetite of a Cabinet Minister. This appears to have been four mutton chops per head at each discussion of such matters. On the occasion in question, which was their Lordships dinner at Hounslow, after tendering their resignations to the King, Lord Grey is reported to have demolished only one, while the Chancellor, as if to prove his great capacity for all matters, whether chops or Chancery, is said to have finished the remaining seven. The John Bull ought to have added, that on the Premier complaining that, the chops were not eatable ones, being what good housewives call cut off the neck, he was consoled for their inferiority by Lord Brougham's observing"Never mind, my Lord, never mind, it is, you see, quite a neck or nothing day with us."

THE SPEAKER'S GUAGE.

At a parliamentary dinner Mr. Plunkett was once asked if Mr. Hume did not annoy him by his broad speeches? "No;" replied he, "it is the length of his speeches, not the breadth, that we complain of in the house."

BRAVITIES AND LEVITIES.

Rose, Private Secretary to Louis XIV., having married his daughter to M. Portail, President of the Parliament, was constantly receiving from his son-in-law complaints of his daughter's ill-temper. To one of those complaints he at length answered, that he was fully convinced of her misconduct, and was resolved to punish it: in short, that if he heard any more of it, he would disinherit her. He heard no more.

At a party once, playing at Quadrille, a lady who was next the dealer, but remote from grammatical nicety, said, “I ax” (meaning to say "I ask leave," which is a term used at that game when you wish to name the trump)-upon which a gentleman who sat beside her, said, “Madam, I have a very excellent hand myself, but unfortunately your are has cut it all to pieces."

A lady of fashion, utterly ignorant of City localities, recently asked the lady Mayoress Pray my lady, who is Alderman Bury?”

JOHN BULL VERSUS WILLIAM KING.

Great differences of opinion have existed among the high legal authorities on the subject of this cause-which was an action brought by the plaintiff, for the recovery of a certain Bill, accepted some time since in his favour by the defendant. In the opinion, of the Chief Baron of the Exchequer, the Bill was obtained under fraudulent representations, and without due value being given for it. The Chancellor, however, took a different view of the subject, and has recommended the defendant to honour the Bill whenever it may be presented to him for that purpose.

COALHEAVERS CONSERVATIVE AND CRITICAL.

The worthy heroes of the sack and shovel, appear to have been distinguishing themselves this week for critical acumen and conservative politics. One of them on reading a notice in a shop, that no taxes would be paid at that house until the Reform Bill was passed, expressed his opinion-that he supposed-"they hadn't got no money at that house, and that they hoped as how the Bill never would pass." Another, being interrogated by a brother of the flap-hat school, on the subject of the new statue in Palace-yard, with-" I say, Jem, who is that there image meant for, he looks like a green un? -displayed his knowledge of the arts by replying, “They say as how its meant for Mister Canning, him that's dead; but I thinks it a precious sight more like a bedlamite in a blanket.

LORD NORBURY

H. H.

A clergyman complaining to the late Lord Norbury, that he had failed in an experiment to feed his horses upon whins, although, as he declared, for the purpose of bruising the thorns he had pounded them for twenty-four hours. "Not eat the whins!" said his Lordship in reply," then take my advice, and instead of the whins, the next time pound your horses for twenty-four hours, and I'll be bound they won't leave a stalk."

It is a pity that political enthusiasm, with however honest intentions, should intrude itself into the precincts of the grave, and that the ground which is hallowed by departed

191

mortality, should be made the arena of disputation or invec tive. These comments are extorted from us by the Newspaper report of a meeting held at St. Paul's, Covent Garden, at which one of the parties present moved an adjournment to the church-yard, for the purpose of giving "three cheers for Reform," and "three groans for the Bishops, "-a proceeding which accordingly took place. The report adds, that there were also given three groans for the German Queen." We should hope that even the parties themselves, on cooler reflection, will have seen cause to regret an ebullition so unseemly, with reference to the place at least where it was indulged in.

INDIFFERENT SUCCESS; OR, THE MEDIUM OF ILL LUCK.
It might have been worse!-Old Saw.

Just drawn for the army, a countryman raw,
Was sent into quarters, where breaking the law,
His life for his folly he bartered.

If his fate appear hard, the reverse were still worse,
For he was but drawn, quartered, and hanged, Sirs—a curse
Inferior to hanged, drawn, and quartered!

PARTY AND PATRIOTISM.

D.

Men of all parties call themselves patriots; and all honest men, of whatever party, are so. Professions of zeal in the cause of their country, are the outward sign of such feeling-the inward, is a devotion to some work, where the profit bears no proportion to the labour. Goropius Becanus to wit, is a model of a patriot, who devoted years to the composition of a book, in which he sought to prove that Adam and Eve spoke high Dutch.

AN EPIGRAM.

Two friends, on the Thames, to the Tower were going,
When one asked the other, as matter of fun,

What countryman's he-the chap that is rowing?
"A Roman"-was answered-'twas a wherry good pun.
G. H. T.

CIVILIZATION AND SODA WATER.

Daily observation will soon convince an attentive observer, that Civilization and Soda Water, go, as the old women say, hand in hand, for the placards announcing the sale of Soda Water are only visible in such parts of the metropolis as are frequented by the richer classes, it being an article which never enters the heads of unideal people, either in the way of commerce or consumption.

EPIGRAM.

(FROM AN OLD MS.)

Sextus upon a spleen, did rashly sweare, That noe new fashion he would ever weare. He was forsworne, for see what did ensue, He wore the old until the old was new.

JOE MILLER'S GHOST.

similar mistake. "Oh, then," said Brougham, "I scarcely need apologize for my blunder, for you will admit I have very high legal authority for what I have done."

Our Devil has put the following into our hands, and pledges his honour to the truth of the circumstance related:-In type, Old English, German Text, &c. go by the name of black. A Printer, being short of letter, sent to a brother craftsman this message-" If you please, my master will be obliged if you will give me two black 2'8," which he immediately received in true Old English style.

SOUND LOGIC.

A Papist once asked his holy Father how he might have a part in the body of Christ. The Priest said-"Crede quod habeas, et habes!" (Believe that you have it, and you do have it.) Some time after this the Papist asked the Priest to lend him his horse; he did, but told him he should ride out himself next day; when, however, he sent for it, the Papist sent him a note, containing the following verses, instead of the horse :

Nonne tu mem'nisti,

Quod mihi dixisti,
De corpore Christi ?

Crede quod habeas, et habes.

Hoc tibi rescribo,

De tuo palfrido,

Crede quod habeas, et habes.

Which may be translated as follows:

You must know very well,

What you chose me to tell,

Of the body of Him who shall save us from hell:
Believe that you have it, you have it.

This being agreed,

'Tis the same of your steed;

Believe that you have it, you have it.

JOHN BULL'S REPLY.

Says the stern tax-collector, "I think, Sir, you know me,
And I'll thank you to pay that small trifle you owe me."
"By all means, Sir," John answers, "if such be your will,
I'll pay you at once-only pass me THE BILL."

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

The Stanzas of D. C. H. are under consideration. The article in verse by our Hereford correspondent, does not suit our pages, and is therefore declined with thanks. We should thank the Editor of "The Casket," and some other little borrowing friends, if they would acknowledge what they take from us.

"The promising Lad" will not do for us. He shows too little development as yet.

The mythological Parody, entitled "Jupiter and the tight'uns," is good in design, but not adequately treated. The "Console-a-tory Stanzas” will not suit us. The "Slap at the Temperance Society" is too coarse, has no point.

and

Want of room has obliged us to omit several articles-among others, A Paper on Mr. Bulwer's Poem of " Milton."

The gentleman who wrote to us on the subject of the Disciplina Clericalis, will find a letter at our publisher's after Saturday.

Alpha's poetry is the reverse of his name-it's so meagre (omega).

Complete in I vol. neatly bound and illustrated, price 6s. SELF-CONTROL. BY MRS. BRUNTGN.

Forming the 15th volume of "THE STANDARD NOVELS." Among others, the following have already appeared in The Standard Novels-The Pilot-The Spy-The Last of the Mohicans and The Pioneers, by Cooper-Caleb Williams and St. Leon, by Godwin-Thaddeus of Warsaw and the Scottish Chiefs, by Miss Jane Porter-Frankenstein, by Miss Shelley -and Lee's Canterbury Tales.

Most of the above, revised by their respective authors, are complete in a single volume, price 6s. Also just ready,

OUR SECOND COLLOQUY WITH THE PUBLIC.

[SCENE-the same Editorial Snuggery as that described in our Seventh Number, with a heaped sufficiency of books, pamphlets, and papers in the fore-ground, some on the table and some on the tapis, and an enlivening prospect of coffee, ham, and toast, in the distance, near the further window. Enter, as before, the respectable Gentleman forming the embodied constituent of THE PUBLIC, and the Editor of "THE ORIGINAL."]

EDITOR. Good morning, Mr. Public. Happy to see you looking so well, after the very harassing and exciting business you have lately had on your hands.

PUBLIC. Why, yes the treatment I had undergone for the last eighteen months was well calculated not only to exhaust my patience, but to impair my Constitution; and I was, in fact, latterly arrived at so feverish a state as might have driven me mad;-but I now feel myself wonderfully improved, not only in health, but in spirits and temper thanks to the unwearied assiduity of my venerable physician, Doctor Grey, and to the anxious attentions of my friends and, I may add, to the native vigour of my own stamina.

EDITOR. Health and long life to you, Sir! May you live, not a thousand years merely, as the Spanish proverb expresses it, but to the end of time!

PUBLIC. Thank you. Indeed I feel that I am of an enduring nature, in more senses than one.

EDITOR. Well, Sir, now that you are in so pleasant a mood-(Aside: More engaging and less engaged!)-I should like much to be honoured with a little further chat with you touching our hopeful little venture, "THE ORIGINAL."

PUBLIC. Ah, "THE ORIGINAL!" I have not forgotten it, although so many other claims and pretensions and interests have been at work with all the powers of the multiplication

Price 3d.

table, and have beset me with ceaseless pertinacity. I told you before that I liked the novelty and fairness of your prin ciple, and I now repeat it.

EDITOR. You are very obliging. Our sale has borne festimony to a somewhat augmented share in your notice; but I must confess that it is not quite in the proportion which our own sense of honest endeavour had led us to expect.

PUBLIC. Recollect, my good friend, how Gulliver was embarrassed by the Lilliputians. I have been so assailed by the little, that I have been able to do little for those of perhaps higher merits. Recollect also what I have been reminded of before now a thousand times-that Rome was not built in a day. Be not premature in your expectations; my solid favour is not lightly won, albeit I may accord a brief and capricious bounty to impudence and cunning. I am beginning, at present, to be sick of these; for I find that my indulgence towards the host of supplicants for "only one penny" has led to much abuse of my benevolence, besides proving in the end somewhat of a tax. Opportunity and importunity have so emboldened these petitionary people, that solicitation has begun to be changed into determined acquisitiveness, and I am now actually exposed to the practices of a "Thief."

EDITOR. I know whom you mean.

PUBLIC. I mean a big fellow with an imposing and saucy exterior, that belongs, I suspect, to the "Swell Mob." He has the audacity to exult in his very name of "Thief."

EDITOR. An appropriate name, you must admit, for a professor of appropriation!

PUBLIC. He has picked my pocket already, I know, to

some tune.

EDITOR. That is because you are too careless-not sufficiently on your guard.

PUBLIC. Then there are the Figaros, and Devils, &c., amusing enough at first, while the whirl of the political waters caught up such light and struggling little bodies, and kept them on its surface: but the storm is now subsiding, and soon you will find they are only apparent

EDITOR. "Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto!" But

yet there are some of these little obolaries not built on the sands of political turmoil, and therefore, as well as for some positive merits, likely to enjoy a longer date of existence. I speak of the "Penny Magazine," respectable for the plain sense and utility of its contents-and the "National Omnibus," diverting by means of the dash and sprightliness with which it treats the literary and miscellaneous topics of the day, not, however, without some little admixture of coarseness-and I might include perhaps one or two others.

PUBLIC. I certainly shall no longer tolerate such a legion of these contentious minors. Their little calls force my hand to my pocket more constantly than those of courtesy impelled the late Duke of York's hand to his hat!

EDITOR. Nay, you need scarcely trouble yourself. Some of them are already tending, like the two Kilkenny cats, to mutual annihilation-but will probably not so far imitate those fierce competitors as to leave a bit of their Tales behind!

PUBLIC. You're a bit of a wag.

EDITOR. It's a way I have, to keep up my spirits. PUBLIC. Well, my boy, I shall give you a strong turn by and by. Only hold on: stick fast, and you'll do.

EDITOR. A comfortable promise! But there's a story in Gil Blas about that, which I need not remind you of. PUBLIC. "I catch the idea," as my entertaining friend Mathews has it.

EDITOR. As you speak of a friend, I will quote you the words of a warm and worthy friend of mine, conveyed in a recent letter. (Reads) “I feel convinced that time and perseverance will ultimately effect your object. Nine-tenths of the cheap publications in circulation at present do not and will not repay their proprietors: they must therefore in a short time become defunct, and the survivors will obtain," &c. &c.

PUBLIC. Prophetic and propulsive! This squares with what I was telling you-" Push along and keep moving.'

EDITOR. That has been our motto and practice; but "perpetual motion," you know, has not yet been found feasible. If, however, "THE ORIGINAL" should be constrained to stop in its course, it will do so with the conscientious and classical consolation of

"Magnis tamen excidit ausis !"

PUBLIC. Don't give me too much Latin. The London University, remember, has not yet been very long established.

EDITOR. Well, I only mean to re-assert the honest claims which our undertaking, with the principle and title of Origi nality, has all along modestly preferred. We conceived, in the best exercise of our judgment, that although there were various sources of cheap literary entertainment open to you, these were for the most part of too borrowed, and reflected, and transfused, and insipid a character, to satisfy your better taste; and that there was fit occasion and ample room for a Weekly Offering of fresh flowers, however wild and simple, from the verdant fields of mind; in short, for a cheap periodical supply of Original Contributions. If it should prove that we have erred in a design for your benefit, it is not from you that we shall expect reproof.

PUBLIC. I like virtuous enthusiasm, damme! But now, c'on't be in a hurry. You know I don't find out people's good points all at once: "Slow and sure" is my way; stick o it, and I'll bring you through. I do like Originality, after all, whatever people may say.

EDITOR. I always thought so; but some folks strangely misunderstand you, then. The good people of "The Literary Guadian," for instance, are mistaken enough to assume a

merit for the "strict exclusion of Original Articles of an inventive character."'

PUBLIC. Yes, but quantity, perhaps, is their aim-the supply of what is called a low Article. Can one expect to find in mackarel the flavour of sturgeon?

EDITOR. Well, Sir, the offer of your gradual encouragement is gratifying, at all events. I may add with pride the mention of the flattering commendations received ab initio from various individual friends, and of the increasing amount of Contributions cheerfully accorded on principle to our little Paper. Besides our London circulation, our share of provincial favour is "looking up;" nay, we might even cite the favourable opinion of an intelligent American, who approbates our plan, and desiderates our further acquaintance We are not too humble to be proud of the kindly opinions bestowed from many quarters on our object and exertions, although we are not desirous of "a silver tea-pot" in testimony thereof, like a certain house in Oxford-street. Whatever may be the result, we feel that we shall, in our small "have done the State some service," if it be but sphere, through the attempt only to supply an existing deficiency. PUBLIC. Without pretending to the sagacity of the doublesighted Highland youth, I will predict and promise your success, if you do but rub on with all your mettle.

EDITOR. Never fear that. "Tu modo," etc.-l'il spare you the rest, as you're shy of Latin.

PUBLIC. Ay, ay-another time for that. But I must be going; I've got to watch "the Bill" in Committee, and things multifarious besides. Good morning, Mr. Editor.

EDITOR. Many thanks, Sir, for the obliging devotion of so much of your invaluable time to our humble concerns. Good morning.

[The Public Personator and the Editorial Dignitary

exchange obeisances, and the formér, assuming the hat and stick of departure, bustles away, leaving the Editor to his original cogitations and custom. ary quiet.]