Notes On Music And The Drama.

NOTES ON MUSIC AND THE DRAMA .

Tamberlik is at present in Paris in full possession of his " ufc de poitrine . " A \ hether he has lost or added a high note to his " voix d'airain , " we shall soon be in a position to know , since he was shortly to make his " rentree" at tho Italian Opera as Othello . Madame Charton-Demeur , who , it will be remembered , many years ago belonged to the company at St . James ' s Theatre ,

under the management of Mr . Mitchell , ancl was the chief attraction of the Opera Comique , will fill the part of Desdemona . Verdi has passed through Paris , on his return from St . Petersburgh , where " La forza del destino " has beeu compelled to await its trial till next season . The Gazette Musicals announces that the Darmstadt Opera ,

in a body , intends to come to London during the Exhibition , to give performances to which Herren Ander , and Nieman ( it is said ) will contribute . The Miinner-gesang Verein , of Vienna , too , ive are told by the same authority , will visit England during the same time , and give three concerts . M . Berlioz writes in a high strain concerning the pianoforte

music and playing of M . Dupont , a Belgian artist who has been just giving a concert at Paris . Mr . Gye will commence his Opera season earlier than has been stated—on the Sth of April . Miss Pyne ' s benefit closed the English Opera season on Saturday . It is said that the company will transfer itself to Drury Lane during the

Exhibition season , ancl will commence its operations with the new opera by Mr . AVallace . Mr . Feehter is preparing for representation a play of which he is the author , entitled The Golden Dagger .. It will be produced at the Princess's Theatre , in a few days , M . Feehter in the leading part .

The numerous friends of Mr . Howard Paul will regret to learn that he has been confined to his room in Glasgow for the past fortnight with au attack of scarlatina and bronchial derangements .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . —In the House of Lords on Thursday , March 20 , the Bishop of Oxford inquired whether it was intended in the new minutes of education to provide that the scholars in night schools should be examined with the scholars in clay schools . He observed that he regarded evening schools as the most important part of a system of national education ,

for they supplied instruction to a class of children who , without them , would receive none , and also enabled children that were taken away from day schools afc an early age to keep up the benefits of their early training . The class who attended them did so of their own accord , and the necessity for examining them , did not exist lo any great degree ; but if they were

examined With the other children , a sense of degradation might drive them away from the schools altogether . Earl Granville said that there would probably be separate examinations for evening schools , ancl he thought that in the revised minute the Council of Education hacl shown a dispositiou to afford greater assistance to this important class of schools . On Friday , a

number of petitions against the " revised code" were presented . Amongst the peers entrusted with these protests , was the Earl of Ellenborough , who , however , took the opportunity of stating that , instead of sympathising with the remonstrants , he heartily wished the Government success in their effort to keep the grants for educational purposes within reasonable limits . On Monday , the Lord Chancellor's Lunacy Bill passed through

Committee , without any important alteration . Lord Chelmsford attacked one of the clauses , but on a division , Lord AVestbury had the satisfaction of seeing his rival in a minorit y of twelve . On Tuesday , the Earl of Carnarvon called the attention of their Lordships to the state of affairs in Poland . His Lordship spoke in a tone very friendly to the Polish nation

and ho expressed especial regret that the circular of Prhice-Gortchakoff , issued in the early stages of the recent troubles , which was believed to offer important concessions to the Poles , hacl not been acted upon . He thought the present time opportune for friendly representations to Russia on behalf of the Poles . Earl Russell , in reply , intimated that ifc

would not be possible for the Government to interfere in this question ; but he indulged a hope that considerable concessions would be granted by Russia , and that the condition of Poland would improve with that of the governing country . On Thursday , the 20 th , the House of Commons went into Committee on the Fairs and Markets ( Ireland ) Sill , and on resuming

went through the other orders of the day . OnFriday another long discussion took place on the question of colonial defence . Mr . Baxter moved "that the multiplication of fortified places in distant possessions involves a useless expenditure , and that the cost of maintaining fortifications at places not being great naval stations , in self-governed colonies , is not a proper charge on the

imperial treasury . " The resolution was supported by Mr . Childers ancl Mr . Adderley , and opposed by Sir G . C . Lewis and other members ; and ultimately , tbe member for Montrose withdrew his motion . Sir John Hay moved that an address be presented to the Queen , praying her Majesty to take into her most gracious consideration the case of the naval captains on the reserved list . The Hon . Baronet alleged that those officers had been very unfairly treated by the Admiralty , while Lord Clarence

Paget denied that they had any just cause for complaint . A debate followed , and on a division the motion of the member for Wakefield was rejected by a majority of 6 . On Monday , the Attorney-General stated , in reply to a question from Mr . Vance , that it was not the intention of the Government this session to propose an amendment of the New Bankruptcy Bill . Mr . Layard , in answer to a question from Mr . Gregory , said the

capture of the British ship Labnan by a Federal cruiser hacl been brought under the notice of the Government , and Lord Lyons would communicate with Mr . Seward on the subject . On Tuesday , after some not very important questions on foreign affairs had been replied to by Mr . Layard , Mr . AValpole rose to > bring forward his motion that the House " resolve itself into a

Committee to consider the best mode of distributing the parliamentary grants for education , " in order to introduce certain resolutions . The right- hon . gentleman acknowledged considerable defects in the present system of State education , but contended that these would not be in any way remedied by the proposed changes . All the discipline and management ofthe

school , he said , would go for nothing under the revised code if circumstances were unfavourable on the clay of examination . Sir George Grey , on behalf of the Government , acceded to the proposition that the House should go into Committee , and hoped the discussion of tlie principles involved would be taken at that stage . He proceeded , however , to defend in general terms the

course of the Government . After speeches from Mr . Banks Stanhope , Mr . Buxton , and Lord R . Cecil , Mr . AV . E . Forster described the effect which he believed the changes proposed by Government would have in such a town as Leeds . There , be thought , the middle-class schools , and those of the rich millowners , would be fostered ; whilst the poorer schools , which re . quired assistance the most would be neg lected . On the motion of Mr . AVhiteside , the debate was adjourned . On AVednesday