Public Amusements.

Rival Composers , " the former by Mr . Shirley Brooks , and the latter by Mr . AV . Brougb , was performed last night with as much spirit and success as ever . The only alteration of any importance that has been made in the representation consists in the introduction of a new character , Miss Dolly Chickabiddy , a full-grown and ambitious young woman , whom her jeajous mother will insist on treating as a child , and banishing to the misery . This amusing part is played in effective style by Mrs . German Reod , who details her grievances

with ludicrous pathos , and sings a new song absurdly descriptive of the sorrows of a young lady who longs for conquests , yet will not be allowed to " come out . " Mr . Reed gives with capital effect his musical recitation "The Hunt in Scamperdowu-park ; " aud the quaint , quiet humour of Mr . Parry is as usual displayed to excellent advantage in the characters of Mr . Bibhleton and Miss Rhadamantha Pry . " It were to be wished , however , that he would favour the audience with some of his famous comic songs . The gallery was filled in every part , and the applause of the spectators was hearty and general .

CRYSTAL PALACE SCHOOL OF ART , SCIENCE , AND LITERATURE . The establishment of classes and lectures , which should in a proper manner ultilize , for educational purposes , the vast and unequalled resources of the Crystal Palace , is now no longer a matter of conjecture , hut a tested fact . The school was commenced last year , and during the whole of last season progressed ; the result at

the close of the first term being highly satisfactory The classes developed were those for ladies , and all the plans were carefully laid accordingly ; but ifc is understood that the operation of the movement is not to be restricted to this , but to receive every practicable development . The services of professors of the highest rank in each study were retained , and in every feature of the organization the greatest care was exercised by the committee that the highest character should be maintained in the instruction , and

in the lectures ; and that the privacy and comfort of the studios and rooms provided , should be equal to the immense advantages in other respects ; the instruction being , indeed , more a system of private lessons , with the luxury of the drawing-room , than in the commonly received mode of holding classes . The result has been in every sense satisfactory . The first families in the surrounding and increasing neighbourhood of the Palace have warml y taken up the advantages offered , and families from all parts ofthe country have taken residences near , that their daughters might enjoy the advangtages of the masters as well as a pleasant visit . The

regulations and announcements for the new term , which commences on the 1 st of November next and continues till July 31 st , 1862 , has just been issued . The classes for AVater Colour Painting , & c , are taught hy Mr . E . A . Goodall ; those for Figure Drawing and Modelling , by Mr . W . K . Shenton , and for these the magnificent Art Collections of the Palace are all available . English is taught hy fche Rev . Philip Smith , B . A ., and Professor Marriette of King ' s College , London , takes the French . Dr . Kinkel instructs in

German , and no doubt will also give some of his famous lectures on the History of Art , delivered with such success at the South Kensington Museum . Italian is by Siguor A olpe , and Latin , as well as Histary , by the Rev . C . Boutell ; Herr A . Sonnenschein , is the Professor of Physical Geography ; Dr . Dresser , of Botany ; Dr . E . Lankester of Physiology , and Dr . D . S . Price , the Director of the Tecnological Museum , of Chemistry and its applications . For the Pianoforte , there are Messrs . Benedict , Lindsay Sloper , and Prout ;

Singing , the great Garcia , Mrs . Street , and Miss Whyte ; for Partsinging , Mr . Henry Leslie and Mr . J . G . Calcott , while M . Louis d'Egville teaching the Dancing . The lirst courses of Lectures will he by Dr . Dresser and Dr . Lankester , and will commence on the 17 th inst . Dr . Dresser's will be on the " Arts of Decorative Design and their relation to Botany , " and will be specially addressed to those who may be preparing to exhibit in competition in the International Exhibition of 1862 . Dr . Lankester's will be on the " Physiology of the Nervous System , in relation to Health and Education . "

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COUET . —Among the thousands of her subjects who have benefitted by the late splendid autumnal weather , perhaps no one has more thoroughly enjoyed it than her Most Gracious Majesty in the course of her Highland sojourn . A few days since her Majesty paid a visit to Blair Atholl Castle , where she resided for several weeks some seventeen years ago , which first gave her a taste for highland scenery and highland enjoyments . The young Prince Leopold , hi consequence of his delicate health , is to pass the

winter at Cannes , in France . The Prince of AVales has arrived at Clumber on a visit to our noble brother , the Duke 1 of Newcastle . His Royal Highness reached Crewe , from Scotland , on Tuesday , and passed the night at the Crewe Arms Hotel . On AVednesday morning , he made an excursion to Shrewsbury and Ludlow . In the evening , he left Crewe for Clumber . GENEEAD HOME INTELLIGENCE . —The weekly return of London mortality bthe Registrar-General shows that in this season of

y Indian summer the death rate is on the increase . The number of deaths in the week amounted to 1147 ; the corrected average for ten years gives a rate of 1139 . This is a singular concomitant of the fine weather we have been enjoying , which on Tuesday week was ten degrees above the mean temperature . The birth-rate during the week was also above the average . The inauguration of the Liverpool School of Science , took place last week , several distinguished , men assisting . Among the speakers were Earl Granville and Mr .

Gladstone . The institution , which has large educational and artistic resources , bids fair to have a successful career . At least ifc starts well . On Friday , the llth , Lord Palmerston distributed the usual certificates to the youths who passed with success through the recent Oxford local examinations , at Southampton . The ceremony of the day concluded , the noble lord delivered a speech , in which he strongly defended the system of competitive examinations . His address was entireldevoted to this subject . Baron Bunsen

y —son of the celebrated scholar and diplomatist—was " toasted" at a Norfolk agricultural dinner , the other day . In acknowledging the compliment , he said he was thankful that politics were excluded on such occasions , because " he was well aware that between Prussia and England there had not been of late quite that amount of cordiality which naturally belonged to the two countries . " He and his countrymen , however , could not believe that the perpetuation of such an estrangement was possible . His own hope was thafc

the Germans would be " the allies of England under all circumstances . " Two deaths have just occurred which will excite somepublic interest . The first is that of Sir AV . Cubitt , the eminent engineer , whose name is identified with many important public works , the greatest of them being the Crystal Palace of 1851 , the erection of which he superintended . Major Sihthorp died very suddenly on Monday . This melancholy event creates a vacancy in the representation of Lincoln , where the Sihthorp influence was supreme . The Major was only forty-six years of age . Earl Russell arrived at Sunderland on Friday , on a brief visit to his

uaugnter , Jjiiuy victoria vuuers , anu nis son-m-iaw , ivir . villiers , curate of Bishopwearmouth . His Lordship met with an enthusiastic reception at the railway station , and in the course of the day a special meeting of the town council was held , at which an address to the distinguished statesman was agreed to . This address was presented on Saturday , in the presence of a large concourse of the leading inhabitants of the town and district . The noble Earl briefly acknowledged the honour paid to himsumming the

, up advantages of free constitutional government , and congratulating himself upon the pari ; he had been privileged to take in the restoration of the principle of local self-government " in places where thafc principle had been neglected , suspended , or perverted . " Sunderland furnishes a considerable body of men to the Naval Reserve , and His Lordship took the opportunity of paying a compliment tothat force . " We have , " he said , " the army , the navy , tho militia ,

the volunteers , and other forces , hut upon no body can we rely more confidently than upon the Naval Reserve , which we can call to defend our shores , and to bear our flag unharmed and honoured throughout the world . " On Tuesday , His Lordship was presented with an address from the inhabitants of Newcastle , and in the evening attended the grand banquet in that town , in recognition of his eminent public services , by the Liberals of the North , the chairbeing occupied bthe Earl of Durham . In responding to the

y toast of his health , Earl Russell , after briefly alluding to the part he took in the great Reform agitation , and to the benefits which have resulted from the measure of 1831 and the adoption of freetrade , passed on to speak of Italy . He asserted that in his opinion , the spiritual power of the Pope would gain , rather than lose , hy separation from the existing temporal sovereignty . He alluded to the civil war in North America , expressing regret at the disaster which had befallen the great Republic , and remarking that he could

not see that harmony could be restored either by the surrenderor the subjugation of the South . The Manchester and Salford Volunteers were reviewed , with the 13 th Light Dragoonsand 1 st Royals , by Sir George Wetherall , on Saturday . Captain Baldry , of the Shantung , who is accused of having caused the death of one of his crew by excessive ^ flogging , has been again remanded . The evidence of cruelty is undoubtedly strong ,, but it seems to have been the impression of the witnesses

themselvei that the deceased was shirking his work by shamming illness , and one of them admitted he would have said nothing about the murder if his wages had been promptly paid . The execution of the wretched man Cogan for the murder of his .