JENNY LIND.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 161, 15 December 1847, Page 3

JENNY LIND.

We take the following from the notes of a gentleman of Liverpool, who, on his arrival in London a few days since, did— what all the world now doei— went to hear this celebrated lady :— " After the exciting reports which h<ul reached England respectine this extraordinary actre«s ami singer, I was prepared for some degree of disappointment. My imagination had not bren a little wrought up by the numerous puffs preliminary which had heralded this young lady's advent to her majesty's theatre ; but having now seen her in all the chsracter-s in which she h«8 hitherto appeared, I am compelled to join in tha general acclamation of admiring applause which is showered upon her nightly by persons of all ranks and tastes in the metropolis. Six weeks ago she first appeared in A lice, Meyerbeer's splendid opera of "Robert |le Diable " Her next character was Amina, in the i'• Sonnambula." She hiw since appeared in the charm - in? role of Maria, in " La Figlia del Reggimente," of Donizetti ; and on Tuesday night, by special command ot the Queen, she crowned all these varied efforts by the most triumphant exhibition of the part of Nor. mil, in Bellina's grand heroic opera. It is gui c impossible to convey to you any idea of the extraordinary powers of this exquisite singer. lam old enough to remember Catalini, and have listened to' Stephens, i Paton, Pasta, Malibran, and all the great vocalists who have appeared here these last thirty years ; but this incomparable singer excels them all so immeasurably, that it is impossible to speak of her with justice without the language of apparent exaggeration. I perfectly agree with one of the best critics of the day, who has •aid, and it is impossible to say other vrise, " that her voice is beyond all comparison, or approach, the most lovely and perfect soprano that we have ever heard or can conceive to have been heard by any one in any time." It is, indeed, perfection itself. Its intonaton, capacity, and sweetness, surpass anything that can be described by mere words ; and the exquisite t»ste and feeling which governs eveiy note she utters, supcradded to the most finished acting of the part in which she appears, renders her performances the most exciting which perhaps have ever been exhibited to an astonished and delighted audience. The rapid execution of passages expressive of the wildest and most terriffic energy of uncontrolled pass on, as in Norma, is achieved by her with the tame felicity as the moat exquisitely tender emotions which penetrate and fasteti on the BouKn Amina ; whilst in the joyous plages of Maria ehe appears so radiant with happiness, such womanly modesty and puiity pervade the whole character, that unlesß you could wituess her perfect triumph in all these varied parts, you could not conceive the incomparable excellence of her acting and singing ; I indeed, it is not acting— it is nature itself. If I mi^Ut select one especial btauty in her singing, where all is faultless, I should dwell with rapture on the txtraordU dinary effect she produces, when, from a low note, her voice rushes upwards, sparkling 1-ke a rocket to the highest pitch— alraot to the very confines of human hearing — and then by sonata marvellous power she throws out one note, and then another, and another, at intervals, " in a dying, dying fall," so as to produce a cadence of unspeakable softness, not unlike the effect produced by falling meteors of dazzling brilliancy, which expire in silence, letving us nmnzed ana almost disappointed that such heavenly melody and beauty should have a termination. 1 shnlt naver forget the scene on Tnesdoy night. The Queen attended t)ie theatre in state, and the crush to obtain admittance was the most tremeudouu I ever experienced, I have been obliged to keep my bed thess two days from the effects ol the pressure, and have suffered a good deal from bruises, but I was amply repaid for the inconvenience I have experienced. On the entrance of the Queen who was dressed in a splendid robe of blttti satin, looped with diamonds, and who appealed in excellent health and spirits, the national anthem was «ung by the whole company. The audiemce, which was packed to the very ceiling, immediately rose, and at that moment the whole coup*d'oeil with the magnificence of the drc^es, and the beauty of the women present, ren. drred the scene one of the highest splendour. In the first few passages which preceded the beautiful aria of " Casta Diva," Jenny Lind exhibited all her astonishing powers. Having elevated her voice to a high note, she maintained a soslenuto of such unrivalled sweetness that the house was enchanted, and her " Caita Diva" completed the charm. '1 he whole was raptur. ously encored. In the final scene, when she pours out a torrent of reproach against Pollio, she seemed to be endowed with superhuman energy, and her voice exprcned in volumes of impassioned note* all the anguuh and misery of her soul. Upon the conclusion of the opera, showers of garlands and bouquets were thrown upon the stage, and this accomplished vocalist was called before the curtain by the audience four times. Every person present seemed wrought up to the highest pitch of enthusiasm and admiration ; and the Queen joined cordially in the applause, which almost rent the foundations of the house. Her Majesty and Prince Albert retired after the two first acts of the ballet, the national anthem having been repeated before their departure.

New Coinage.— The new Crown Piece has been issued from the Mint. It it so elaborate a work of art, that the bs. would probably be worlh 10s. were it issued from any other die stamper's shop than her Majesty's. On the observe is a portrait of Queen , Victoria, with a crown on her head j her hair plaited and banded ; her robo worked with loses, shamrocks, and thistles, and other ornaments. The legend is — " ficloria Dei gratia Diitamiiarfrcg :ftd." On the

levcrse, the arms of the the threo kingdoms are represent, not qiiiut^rly but on sopurateescoclieoit", lunged base to base, in the form of a cross , an arrangement not obierved on our coin, we believc,Jsince the Union 3rlhe time of William 111. In the intervals is an elaborate fret-work, wi'h rose, thistle, nnd shamrock, The legend is — "tueater unita Di'itsinfiuo done mdcccxlvii " On the edge we read— " decusettuttt' mvnfanni rcgni undecimo ;'' a ron* between each two word», a crown between the sentences. All these legends are in tlte old black letter, and the style of ornaments is mediaeval. From the Reparation of thi coat of arms, this piece might be called the " repeal dollar." The execution iv very beautiful, but too fine and minute for a coin. It is better tuitcd to u medal, which is alwuyn kept in a dinwer, in a laatlier ease, or under giasi. Tim embroidery of the robe, the legend at the ed^e, nnd the ornamental parts generally, will soon be rubbed down under this friction of general circulation. The requisites of a coin are these: — 1. Beauty of execution; for that ia the best of all checks against imitative forgery ; ami in this reipect nothing can be fluid against any of the coins that notr emenate for the English Mint . 2. Simplicity and diitinctiveness of design ; so that the coin may retain its main charac 1 eristics through itll iißtubs. 3. Such deiign ai ii conducive to the utmost rapidity in process of striking the coin ; so that no hindrance may arise at time* of sudden pressure. 4. Perfect plainness of value j in order to which it is best that the coih should bear iti namo r>r value legibly inscribed as " One Shilling," or the iikc. In all these rejects Napoleon's coin? of the kingdom of Italy were models, model* which the present, designer of our Mint has followed in a conge. ii;il and original spirit. But, considered as a coin, the dtown-piece before us it a falling oS,— Spectator.