The Week.

gence is , that the allied troops had defeated the enemy In two engagements , in which they were assailedjby 30 , 000 Tartar cavalry , whom they completely routed with immense loss . The Allies were before tbe walls of Pekin , and the Chinese bad sent a flag of truce , ancl as soon as the above prisoners were restored negoc ' ations would be again opened , it Is hoped with a satisfactory result . AMERICA . —Advices have been received from New York to the 15 th nit . at which period the excitement in the Southern states

, relative to Mr . Lincoln's election continued very great , South Carolina still uttering threats of secession . The New A ' ork money market was , in consequence , very unsettled . The correspondence between the British and American naval commanders at Panama , relative to the arrest of Americans by British sentinels , had been referred to the tivo governments .

Public Amusements.

PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS .

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA . Miss Louisa Pyne has made her reappearance , after an illness that has kept her from the stage for some clays , in an operetta called " The Marriage of Georgette . " This piece is of a class that can scarcely be said to have become naturalised amongst us , perhaps from the fact that the short comic opera requires an admixture of acting and singing to which , from want of practice , our singers are not altogether equal . Slight as such pieces are in general" The

, Marriage of Georgette" is slighter tlian usual , the action being almost entirely confined to two characters , and the plot , which can hardly be called one , of the utmost simplicity . A young peasant has shrunk from marriage afc the very last moment when his bride is ready , and their mutual friends are assembled for the ceremony that is to bind them for life . In his ignoble retreat he is followed to his cottage by his rejected bride , who frightens him Into signing

a blank marriage contract , under the pretence that her injured honour demands that she should be able to produce it and then repudiate It . She , however , signs it also , and entrusts it now , because valid , to a relative . The knowledge of this fact enrages the peasant , who , moreover , has been revelling to an extent that is unpleasantly demonstrative , and he assumes great violence of manner in the hope that he shall terrify Georgette to give up the contract . After breaking the furniture and otherwise conducting himself

unpleasantly , he retires to the granary to sleep , whilst Georgette , who is really in love with him , takes advantage of his absence to replace the broken articles by new furniture of her own , and having prepared a dinner , so works upon his better feelings , tbat in tbe presence of the assembled villagers , whom he calls in for the purpose , he acknowledges her as his wife . The music to which this simple story is wedded is by M . A ictor Masse , and is of that agreeable class which is a characteristic of some modern French composer ? .

It is altogether a charming entertainment , and was done full justice to , not only by the exquisite vocalisation of Aliss Louisa Pyne and the care of Mr . H . Corn ' , but by the chorus , and particularly by the band , ivhich gave a perfect rendering of the sparkling accompaniments .

ST . JAMES'S THEATBE . Madlle . Albina di Khona , a new 'danseuse , made her first public appearance here in a little piece ivhich is a mixture of French and English . Madlle . di Rhona has , without doubt , established herself with the public as a danseuse of the most attractive class , and her engagement will probably prove most advantageous to the theatre in ivhich she has appeared .

LYCEUM . A version , not too long , of Lover's popular novel of " Handy Anily , " was produced at this house on Monday evening , for the purpose of introducing a new comedian , Mr . John Drew , to the public . Mr . Drew is an Irishman of the genuine school , droll , rollicking , and blundering , but far from vulgarity or coarseness . He has evidently a due appreciation of the ludicrousbut plays with a quiet

earnest-, ness that commands both sympathy ancl laughter . Air . Drew has . made a hit , and we feel assured will become a public favourite . Air . Lyon was admirable as Squire Egan ; and the other characters were generally well supported . Mr . Furlong , as played by Mr . Forrester , is an entire mistake . The character should be that of a too-confiding , simple lawyer's clerk , not a Bond-street swell of the last century . Such a character as that represented by Mr . Forrester was never

seen within an attorney ' s office , and never will be as a clerk . It is so ridiculous as to excite our wonder how any management could allow it to be introduced . There is a story that Charles Kean once told the late Mr . AA ' right , of truly comic memory , that a character _ might be eccentric and yet represented as a gentleman . In the

Public Amusements.

like spirit we would remind Mr . Forrester that Cockney lawyers ' clerks are not monkeys . Nance Nolan should be assigned to a lady more advanced in years and experience than Mrs . Rouse . Mrs . Keeley would make it a character . CRYSTAL PALACE . The great annual show of poultry will be held at the Crystal

Palace this year during the cattle show week , commencing on Wednesday , the 12 th , and continuing until Saturday , the 15 th December . The entries are very numerous , comprising nearly . 1000 pens of poultry of all kinds , with gold , silver , and other varieties of pheasants , nearly 400 pens of pigeons , ancl 100 pens of rabbits . A novel feature is added in the shape of a sweepstakes for game cocks , for ivhich a large number of entries are made . The object of holding the show this year at the same time as the cattle showis to afford

, io agriculturists ancl others the opportunity of inspecting during a single visit to the metropolis the progress of the various breeds of poultry as well as of cattle . The north wing of the Palace , adjoining the tropical department , has been refitted with hot water pipes for the purposes of the show , so that , however inclement the weather may be , an agreeable resort will be open to the public . Combined with the poultry show , there will be a great exhibition of roots , to which many of the most celebrated agriculturists will contribute .

Notes On Music And The Drama.

NOTES ON MUSIC AND THE DRAMA .

ihe prospectuses of the different musical societies for 1860-1 aro beginning to appear . That of the Sacred Harmonic Society mentions among works probably to he produced during the season , Beethoven ' s "Missa Solenni ' s , " and Handel ' s "Deborah . " There will be ten subscription nights , as usual , betwixt November and June , Seeing that the Bach Society appears to have quietly "dropped off , " we ( Athenamm ) fancy that the Sacred Harmonic Society might do worse than grapple with some of his musicif

, not the Mass in D minor , with its stupendous " Credo , " why not the "Christmas Oratorio ? " The Handel Festival choral meetings will , of course , be resumed . The Musical Society announces , for the public pleasure during its third season , besides trial nights , choral practices , fellows' meetings for discussion , two conversazioni , and four orchestral concerts—the last , as heretofore , under the able conduct of Air . A . Mellon . The Eighth Report of the Tonic Sol-Fa

Association announces that society to be in a flourishing state , as regards musical execution . AI . Labat , a new tenor , is about to adventure at the Grand Opera f Paris , in the arduous part of Eleasar in " Ua Juive . " Signor Pacini ' s last opera , " Gianni di Nisilda , " just produced at tiie Apollo Theatre at Rome , is said to be successful . The composer was called for not less than 20 times .

An interesting work is about to be commenced under tbe auspices of those who govern the Theatre Franoais : to wit , the publication of the archives of that establishment , ivhich are curious and amusing in no common degree . Schiller ' s birthday was this year celebrated at Vienna , at the Academy of Singing , by a performance ; also , by a morning concert in the Opera Houseat which other workshis " Hero and

, , among , Leander , " set to music by Lindpaintner , was executed . Air . Tom Taylor must look to his laurels . "Up in the Hills " has already gone down among the depths , even as " The Brigand and the Banker" did a few days earlier . Is he not trifling with his success as a dramatist ?—whatever be "the consideration" ( as old Trapbois put it ) . The new play of " 45 " having failed to take with the public

, even as it deserved , has been withdrawn from the bills of Drary Lane on the plea of Mr . AVebster ' s Illness . Mr . Charles Mathews is now the reigning star , but something more is required to obtain , a paying audience . " The Critic , " however admirable , is no longera noveltv .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

AV . H . —A Master of a lodge can call upon a brother , being only a Alaster Alason , to deliver the charge afc the initiation , or to explain the tracing boards ; and , being competent , there is no objection to his doing so . R . R . —A body cannot confer a right which it does not itself possess . BILSTON . —A our bookseller will best answer the question . A NEW-MADE MASON . —The brother who introduced you can surely give you all the necessary explanation . R . S . T . —AA e do not know the brother . P . G . S . B . —AVe cannot understand tlie question .