Notes On Music And The Drama.

NOTES ON MUSIC AND THE DRAMA .

Dr . AVylde announces his intention of resuming his concerts in the early spring . There will be eight Philharmonic Concerts next year . There must also , we imagine , be an entirely new orchestra , owing to the measures decided on by the opera-managers some time since . " L'Eventail , " a comic operetta in one act , has just been produced at the Opera Comique of Paris . The music is "b y M . Boulanger . The performance of Madame Faure-Lefebvre is

commended as excellent . " Stefanias , "an opera lately produced at the Teatro Apollo , Rome , gives us the name of a young composer , Signor Gentili , which is new to us . Some of the foreign journals announce that Hen- Ernst has finished an opera which may , possibly , be produced at Aleuiia . M . Rubinstein ' s new opera should now bo forthcoming . The prize Cantata by young Paladillie , whose promise has been mentioned more than once , was the other evening performed at the Grand Opera of Paris .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COUET . —Her Majesty and the Royal Family still remain at AVindsor , where they have been enjoying the usual Christinas festivities , the whole of its members being happily in the enjoyment of excellent health . GENEBAL HOME NEWS . —From the north and from the south reports come of snow storms , hail , thunder , and lightning , foretelling a good old-fashioned whiter , ancl something more . On some

of the railways traffic was very much obstructed , trains beingdetained for several hours in the course of a short journey . In Cornwall a poor woman was struck dead by lightning , and a portion of the spire of Kenwyn Church was thrown to the ground . —— . A slight increase in the rate of mortality among the metropolitan population is exhibited by the returns for the week ending Saturday last , as compared with the two preceding weeks . The deaths registered were 1269 ; while the births were 1780—877 boys and

90 S girls . The City of London , never behind in recognising and acknowledging services rendered by individuals to the nation , has honoured itself by inscribing on its roll of honorary citizens the names of two men well worthy to rank with tbe most distinguished in the list . The freedom of the City , and a sword valued at a hundred guineas , has been presented to Lord Clyde and Sir James Outram . The presentation took place in the Guildhall before a large assemblage of spectators , whose enthusiastic reception of

the two gallant soldiers testified the admiration felt for their late glorious career in India . A grand banquet was given in the evening to Lord Clyde and Sir James at the Mansion House . On AVednesday morning , at an early hour , a sad catastrophe occurred , causing the death of three persons . Between two and three o ' clock a fire broke out in the dwelling-house of a cabinet maker , named Hopps , at Backcburch-lane , AVhitechapel , when the

premises were completely destroyed , and three of his children , aged respectively twelve , eight , and six years , were burnt to death . Another fire , more destructive of property , but happily unattended with loss of life , took place in a large toy factory near Gray ' s-innlane , Holbom , which burnt from the forenoon till a late hour in the evening . Twelfth cakes may bo very nice things , and a " Grand Distribution" of them is a matter likely to attract some attention . And so it happens that M . Louis Dethier , who holds au

office for that purpose in the Hanover-square Rooms , has attained , as lie desired , some degree of publicity . But one may have more than enough even of a good thing , and that is tho case also with M . Dethier ; for Government has stepped in , and decided that if the public want twelfth cakes the public must purchase them , and not possess themselves of such delicacies in the manner proposed , and termed a "distribution "—that is to say , by way of au illegal lottery . All this has been notified to M . Dethier at the Bow-street

police-court , when the " director " was directed by the magistrate to close his office , under the penalty of being imprisoned for a , period not exceeding three months . —¦—The aggregate number of patients relieved at the Metropolitan Free Hospital , Devonshiresquare , City , during the week ending December 22 , was—Medical , 84 G ; surgical 351 ; total , 1200 ; of which 272 were new cases . FOEEIG-N INTELLIGENCE . —The weather seems to be more severe at Paris than with us . 1 'iie fall of snow has been very heavy , and

the quantity in tbe streets is so great as to render all attempts to clear paths for carriages or pedestrians unavailing . The bombardment of Gaeta , in consequence of the failure of the negocius tions , recommenced on the 19 th inst .- — -AA e are not informed ^ any particulars except that the Sardinian batteries on the hemfe of Tortola reply to the fire of the city , ancl that some of th j Wdlot fell into tbe garden of the palace were the King and Queerjisvere

The Week.

dining . The latest accounts from Italy represent Naples as tranquil , and the state of the provinces to be more satisfactory . The insurrectionary bands had retreated to the mountains , where they have entrenched themselves , hut are not likely to hold out any length of time . Rome presents a very troubled state . The Roman patriots on the one hand are openly and undisturbedly exhibiting their desire for annexation to Sardinia ; and on the other , a reactionary conspiracy , organised in the city , has just been

discovered . The authorities in the Roman States are evidently - very apprehensive of some movement . Two vessels , the Kennardand the Ball-eras , which arrived at Civita Veechia from Naples , were not allowed to land their passengers , under the pretext that there were Garibaldians on board . Mr . Odo Russell protested against the prohibition , Baron Von Scimierling , the new Austrian Minister , has issued a circular explaining the leading principles of his policy . In the first placehe says he

, shall carry out fully and effectively the intentions of the Emperor as expressed in his manifesto of 20 th October . The freedom of religious worship is to be preserved against encroachment , and the relations of the different confejsions are to be based on the principle of love for one ' s neighbour . Public instruction will be promoted , free development accorded to the nationalities , aud the public press relieved from interference . In the provincial states the principle of representation of different interests by direct electionand

ex-, tension of electoral rights ; also the right of initiative and the publicity of debates will be introduced . The Council of the Empire will be composed of members elected by the Provincial Diets , and the suppressed Provincial Governments of the minor Crown lands are to be restored . England and France have -, come to an understanding , and a joint communication will shortly be sent to A 1 enna , urging the cession of Venetia without compensation ; to which is added [ the most improbable report that the British

Government has promised to co-operate with France in the event of a war with Austria . Another rumour is , that an attempt will be made to assemble a congress for the purpose of inducing Austria voluntarily to cede Venetia , and sobsequently to receive an

indemnity . Everything seems to prove the low state of the nuances of Turkey . The Levant Herald announces that the Treasury Bonds have been renewed for three years , and that , in consequence , a great fall had taken place in those securities . AA'ith the view of effecting some improvement a reform in the Customs was contemplated and a new tithe law was in preparation . AMEBICA . —The American papers brought by the Arabia , though reporting a less exasperated state of feeling among contending

politicians , yet clearly indicate an increase of disunion sentiments on the part of the Southerners . Mr . Buchanan had received the assurance o f the South Carolina authorities that during his presidentship no resistance will be made to the collection of duties or to the possession of the forts guarding Charlestown harbour . It is not improbable , therefore , that until March , when Mr . Lincoln will enter on the presidency , the war will be oue of words , and that then the disunionists will disclose their real intentions .

INDIA AND CHINA .. —The news brought by the Overland Bombay Mail , which comes down to the 23 rd ult ., is not of an encouraging character . The agitation against the income-tax had not diminished ; and , deprived of their complaint against the complicated nature of the first form by the issue of simpler ones , the malcontents had shown a disposition to resist the tax altogether , though many of the wealthier natives had set a good example of loyalty by sending in their returns . Business in the import market was at

a complete stand-still , the native traders persisting in their " incometax strike . " The state of the armyis far from satisfactory . The last mail informed us that the 5 th Bengal Europeans had been disbanded on account of its mutinous conduct , and ' that one of the mutineers was shot . The determination of Sir Hugh Rose to distribute the disbanded 5 th amongst the other regiments of the Indian army is looked upon with alarm , as exposing the latter to the disloyal machinations of convicted mutineers . The mail

contains one good piece of new . , especially for our cotton merchantsnamely , the cession to us by the Nizam of all the rich cotton-producing countries , incliuiivg Behar , on the left bank of the Godavery .

To Correspondents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS .

HONOEABY ( Newcastle ) . —Try another lodge . You surely must be able to find one nearer than you state . AN OLD P . M . should know his privileges better than to ask such a ridiculous question . T ^ ^ J ^ GBATTAN .- —If you do as you threaten , you may get yourself --irrfttAitfK It is Christmas time ; never mind who gave the first Q ^ fcnceVoffer him your hand and begin the new year in friendship . ufflTEK ^ KKELTEB . —The numbers you have mislaid have long ¦ ^ b © 2 ] j >; ou . t ! $ f- ( print . AVe have none of them . Or , . ' r ~ l