Notes On Music And The Drama.

NOTES ON MUSIC AND THE DRAMA .

Tbe Orchestra says that Mr . W . Harrison , tbe tenor singer , has been suffering from a severe attack of brain fever . The Morning Advertiser is requested , on behalf of Miss Adab Isaacs Menken , to contradict a report which has gone the round of tbe papers , both in England and America , to tbe effect that she had married one of the

Davenport brothers . Miss Menken declares that she never even spoke to either of the brothers . Liszt is said to be composing a new oratoria , entitled " St . Etienne , " for the coronation of the Emperor of Austria as King of Hungary . Mr . Costa ' s "Naaman , " produced so successfully at the Birmingham Festival last year , is to be performed under

the direction of tbe composer at Mr . Charles Halle ' s Concerts , Manchester , to-night . At tbe Worcester Musical Association Sir John Pakington aA'owed that , like Sir F . Ouseley , be " detested " Gregorian music . He was seconded iu his anathemas by Lord Lyttelton . Miss Amy Sedgwick reappeared on tbe stage at

Manchester after an absence of many years , and has been playing Julia in " The Hunchback , " Hester Grazebrooh in " An Unequal Match , " and Paulina in " Tbe Lady of Lyons . " Charles Matthews is playing at tbe Vaudeville Theatre , Paris , "Used Up "—in "French " L'Homme Blase "—

before thin houses , but with unequivocal success . In such hot weather people in Paris do not go to tbe play if they cau help it . A young lady , who bears tbe name of Miss Caroline Duvernay , made her debut at the Marylebono Theatre as Juliet . Miss Duvernay is said to be of good family , and though she does not again appear this season she Avill

probably be heard of at one of the West-end bouses before many months have passed . Mr . Martin Tuppor ' s five act play of " Alfred " Avas not produced at the Haymarket Theatre according to promise , "in consequence of the difficulties attending its proper production in so short a space of time . " Tho Aihemetim says it was produced at Manchester five or six years ago .

The Atheuicam , announces that the project of uniting Her Majesty ' s Theatre and tbe Royal Italian Opera" tbe results of which would have been fatal to art in every sense of tbe word " —has come to nothing . Mr . Walter Montgomery ' s short season at tbe Tlaymarket Theatre has come to an end . Ho has become lessee of tbe new Nottingham Theatrewhich lias just

, been built at a cost of £ 15 , 000 , and will open it on Monday , tho 25 th inst . The company Avill include several members of the company who have been performing at the Haymarket during his brief management , among them being Miss Madge Robertson , whose latest character in London has been JSferissa in the " Merchant of Venice . " The Reader calls ber an actress of much intelligence .

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AsmiAii SAG-ACITT . —Dr . Bree , of Colchester , writes to the Field : — " Mr . Higgs , the present Mayor of Sudbury , related to me that he had a horse which used to pump his own water . ' I once ( he saicl ) had a young horse , six years old , which used to pump his own water by taking the handle of the pump in his mouth , and working it like a human being . Tho other horses would take advantage of this , and when they were thirsty would bite and teaze him to go and pump for them , in which they were

generally successful . He would walk up gravely , and take hold of the handle and work away . Directly , however , tbe water began to flow he would pop down his own head and drink . I have often seen him do this . ' Mentioning this to Cresswell , the owner and driver of the omnibus between AValton and Colchester , he told me the following instances of feline intelligence . Two cats , living in different parts of the town of AValton-on-tbe-Naze , adopt the following mode of opening the cottage door of their habitations when shut out . No . 1 takes a jump ancl strikes the handle of the latch with her foot in the middle of her

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spring . She generally manages to open tlie door this way the first time , but if unsuccessful , she repeats her springs till her object is effected . In the case of No . 2 there happens to be a post close to the handle of the latch , and pussy springs on the top of this , and then deliberately presses down the handle with her foot , and , tbe door opening , she jumps down and walks in . "

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COTJET . —The Prince ancl Princess of AVales , and Prince and Princess Louis of Hesse , with their children , accompanied by the Princess Hilda of Anhalt , left Marlborough House on the evening of the 15 th , for Abergeldie . Their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Louis ot Hesse , with tbe Princesses Victoria and Elizabeth , arrived at Balmoral Castle at five o'clock on Saturday last , on a visit to her Majesty . . . Her Majesty the

Queen , with the younger members of the Royal Family , is expected to remain at Balmoral till about tbe first week in November , when the Court will be removed to AVindsor . GENERAL HOME NEWS . —The mortality of the country continues to be on a low scale . In the eleven principal towns in the country the deaths amounted to 2 , 526 , which was at the rate of

23 in 1 , 000 . Of these towns Dublin alone was on the average line ; London was 2 below it . The lowest in the list was Bristo ] , with an average of 12 ; the highest Liverpool and Leeds , with an average of 32 each . Of the whole number of deaths , 1 , 201 took place in London , which was as nearly as

possible the average mortality for that particular week during the last tan years , ancl allowing for the increase of population . There were altogether cf-, 007 births registered , of which 2 , 0 S 9 took place in London—considerably above the average . The Foreign Office have received a communication from Rotterdam that the authorities , there are so alarmed at the

progress of the cattle plague that , with a view to stop it , they have determined on closing the market altogether for the present . -The Cork magistrates held a private meeting on the 1-lth inst . on the subject of Fenianism , at which tiie Lord Lieutenant was memorialised to increase the police and military force in the county in order to quell the sedition ? movement .

Tbe parishioners of Hawanlen presented on Wednesday , the 13 th inst ., an address to Mr . W . II . Gladstone , the grandson of their landlord , Sir Stephen Glyune , congratulating bim ou his entrance into public life by his election for the borough of Chester . The young gentleman made a suitable reply , and his father , the Chancellor of the Exchequer , also delivered an address . A Court of Common Council was held on the 11-th

inst ., at which it was unanimously agreed to recognise the long and valuable services of the Rev . Dr . Mortimer , who has just retired from the head mastership of the City school , by awarding him a retiring allowance of £ 500 a year . Some conversation took place on the overcrowded state of the City streets , and it was agreed to refer the matter to the

police committee to consider whether any remedy could be suggested , whether by application to Parliament or otherwise . William . John Storer , the young man who stands charged with the murder of a young lady named Blake , at Salisbury , by giving her pills containing strychnine , was brought before the Salisbury magistrates on Thursday morning ,

the llth inst . The prisoner insisted on making a statement , in which he admitted that he and the young lady were attached to each other ancl that her father refused his consent to their engagement . He admitted also that at her request he had given her pills for some trifling complaint , but he indignantly denied that the had administered strychnine , or that he had ever had the poinson in his possession . He was remanded-