THE VICTORIAN CARNIVAL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1250, 18 January 1883, Page 2

THE VICTORIAN CARNIVAL.

[Bv A Voluntary Contributor], MELBOURNE, Jan. 3. The year of Grace 1883, has opened as its predecessor closed, namely, to find the Victorians in the full blaze of prosperity and sensual, combined with intellectual enjoyment. But that is rather the normal state of things than otherwise, for it can hardly be said that, taking one part of Victoria with another, there is any period of the year—certainly not a month elapses—without some kind of amusement to draw its votaries from their avocations, and, in a measure, to unhinge, and temporarily disarrange the machinery of business. Perfectly continental in its pleasurable proclivities, there is, probably, no other English speaking community so thoroughly European in the method of dovetailing business with amusement as that of Victoria, in general, and Melbourne in par-

tioular, W» are never thoroughly out of ft* vortex. Th* lessening eddies of our minor ■pert*, follow each other in rippling wav** of excitement, only to be succeeded by other* of a larger growth. Barely has th* effect of one passed away, before another take* its place, drawing multitudes hither and thither in a never-ending whirl of intoXlcUtlttg delight, and sensuous enjoyment. In Victoria, or rather in Melbourne, it ia no niere figure of speech to say that on the matter of meats alone (which, after all, are baaed the possible amount of profit to be made of it) there is no calm. The cycle* of visitation come round with unerring, periodic certainty, giving, in the interval*, Mtdly a sufficiency of rest, to create ah appetite for enjoyment of those that ar* to oom*: The (eaiotu, as they revolve, bring with them a whirl-a-gig of delight, from which there i* no escape, for all alike are engrossed with, and •wayed by, th* on* unctuous idea of parUoipating in it, and to do the nsople credit, they enter upon their festivities, a* a duty to be done, with a will, in which half-hearted-ness ie entirely absent. Pleasure, and recreation in their varied forms, are regarded a* rather defining portion* of th* buameas of life, the precepts of which, such a* they are, must be observed at all hazards—than a* exceptional epochs set apart for men and women to recuperate their flagging energies: brought about by th* performance of daily toil. With ths Mslbourne Cup, ths inauguration may be said to take place, and from that to the days just expiring there is po rest. The big events are those that are noticed more by the outer world, but it is the inner world, the localised inhabitants, that enjoy the smaller ones, with a greed of relish that makes the stranger wonder at, and, if possible, admire the courage with which the surfeiting* of pleasure are gone through. Horae racing, in ever-recurring events, forms links in the chain that joins the “Cup” of November to the “Cham-, pion" of the New Year. The former over, Christmas-tide is looked forward to with an interest—differing only in the question of means—equal to that of the denizens of the Old World; and Christmas without festivities, accompanied by a season of innocent dissipation, is as little thought of in Australia, as there. My object is not to remark on all the methods put forth by Victorians in their pursuit of pleasure. I am merely sending you a gossipy kind of letter, giving you my own opinion on such of pleasures as I have been able to partake of, g tor it must be known that ft is impossible for one person to participate in everything. My idea of seasonable enjoyment takes the more moderate form. Horse racing I care nothing for, per se, although I attend the meetings, partly from curiosity; partly because it ie the correct thing to do, and partly because, as “knowledge u power,” ons cannot know too much in Victoria. On the Whole I think I make division of my time in, at once, the most seneable way, while it contributes most to my personal gratification ; and as that was all I bad to consider, it was ons to which I gave myself up with most on thusissm. This was music and cricket—the representations of two of the most popular form* of indoor and outdoor amusement.

Chiefest amongst the former I shall name the 1 Grand Festival held in the Exhibition build--1 ing during Christmas week, where, after ani 1 absence of over 30 years, I was onoe more' entranced with the beauties of Oratorio > music, comprising the “ Messiah,” “Klii" , “ Israel in Egypt,” and others, ■ and when I say the soloists included such ■ singers as Mrs Palmer (Miss Roeina Carandini), Miss Alice Rees. Miss Christian, Armae Beaumont, and Gordon Gooch, you will easily understand ths treat we nave all ent . joyed. The choir consisted of over 500 : voices, and about 100 instrumentalists, which had the effect of drawing together audiences varying tn number from five to 10,000, but, large as these figures may appear to those unacquainted with the sice of the building, [ they only filled, and that not wholly, ths portion set apart for ths concerts. Each [ night presented a magnificent, sonl-inspiring sight; to see the multitude of upturned faces, and to hear the grand diapason swell of the voices and instruments, o’srtopped by the organ, whose thundering volumes shook ' the very fabric of the edifice. You can form 1 an idea of its size (the organ), when I s*y that its front is almost as wide as your > Trinity Chureh, and ia worked by machinery. ■ 1 The lady singers were dressed principally In 1 white—except the more matronly ones—i while they, sa well as the MM,, wore descriptive colours, to be more easily recognised by the conductor. Of course the “Messiah” waa most acceptable to the people, composed, as it is, of tunes whose sacred sweetness have become more familiar i to us than those of almost any other oratorio. ' Therefore it is not surprising that the i Festival choir gave a second rendition of it in its ebtirety, when it was sung more i evenly. Miss Christian's “He Shall Feed His Flock” and Mies Rees's “ Come unto me all ye that Labor” are treats to bo remembered i but for purity and excellence commend me to Miss Annis Montague's (Mrs Turner's) singing of “ I know that my Redeemer Li veth. ’’ This lady was not amongst the Festival Choir, her other engagements preventing her, and her husband, from singing ; but I had the pleasure of nearing her on Christmas Night In the Town Hall, when she delivered the above number moot divinely. The Festival proper was composed of 6 subscription concerts—faux evening, and two morning—but two extra ones were given, the last being a mixed programme of > sacred and secular music. When it waa \ started some three months, it was known to be expensive undertaking; but so enraptured were the musical leaders of society with the dea of initiating the first of the kind in thi* hemisphere, that in most cases their services have been given gratis, while non-sxecutants have expressed their enthusiasm by joining ing a guarantee against a money loss to the promoters. It wae wise so to do, for I think there will be a deficit, although, thanks to the two additional concerts, it may not be much. I believe the expenses tot up to something like £3OOO. That financial expectations have not been fulfilled is not surprising to one on the spot. In the first place the Festival undertook too much, and in the second, allowance was not made for counter attractions, and the many other ways the people had of spending their money. Large in number, and enjoyment-loving as the Melbournites are, there are limits to their patronage, the vast majority, 75 per cent at least, infinitely prefer the theatre as their stock place of amusement, while even up to 90 per cent—ladies included— . would rather witnesa a pageantry of half nude women, whose amply displayed legs do most of the execution, and form a far more lucrative attraction to the management. And all the theatres and concert halls produced something new for the Christmas week. Two Opera bouses put “Manola,” and “ Mascotte” on the boards. The “ Royal ” has a pantomime which draws crowds nightly to witness its gorgeousness (and legs), while the more legitimate opera is being performed by the Montague-Turner Company at the “ Bijou,” late the Academy of Music, and one of the prettiest places of amusement to be found. The halls, too, found their votaries by thousands, and still crowds remained away to attend to the business of the (then) forthcoming races. Enthusiasts seldom see things in the same light as those uninfluenced by the same cause ; and the prime movers in the 1882 Festival, carried theirs to an extent that will stand them in good stead at the coining Easter time, when it is propose:! to resume W its labors. But the wannest thanks of the • public are due to them for the unexampled

tmtjusi ended. I, for Wt of the great crowd whose soul* were lifted front earth to heaven, shall never forget it. The " very beauty 6< holiness ” seemed to be laid on one, during the too short period of enthralment, and for the time wafted the feelings to the spirit land far array. Of these are •• Unto us a child is born," grandly given and repeated ; the Hallelujah Chorus, and one frotn Israel in Egypt, the name of which I have not now before me. But the object of the Festival has been attained. It has discovered to the world that the people of Victoria are not behind in advancing the interests of music, and that the'possess they qualification WsceSssary to the development and organisation of institutions such as have made their Old Home famous—that they are the true ; scions of a noble race, which will never become degenerate, But, so as not to make my rambles too tedious let me say a word or two about the other source of amusement—cricket. I do not purpose remarking on the several matches , that have been played since the season began, although those of bigger magnitude were well worth seeing, for tune ana space at my command are not safieient. I ihtU, therefore, content myself with a notice of tie match, par excellence, UNITED AUSTRALIA AGAINST UNITED ENGLAND.

Of course long before you read this yon will have had the result of the play, and even while I write the flashing intelligence is on the wing to your shores conveying the glad tidings of victory to the Colonial noys. And such a victory ! That the Australians would sustain the laurels they had plucked from the Native soil of England, most peoIde hoped for; that they would prove themselves valorous and faithful, none doubted, but the most confidently expectant enthusiasts, amongst the vast crowds of their admirers, little dreamed that such a erushing defeat—such a glorious achievement—was possible. To beat, on merit alone, the pick and flower of the World’s Cricketers by nine wicket* and two rear, and for the second time, forms an epoch in the annale of that national game which is our pride, and decks the brows of the victors with garlands of honor, whose brightness will ever be reflected in the memory of their fellow colonists. Independent of the natural satisfaction victors evince, there fs a peculiar felicity over the result just achieved for the Australians. It will not be forgotten that at the reception banquet, givqp to the English team in the Town Hall here, on their arrival from England, the Hon. Ivo Bligh, remarked, good naturedly, of course, that they had come to "beard the lion in his den. ” Well, they came and saw but did not conquer ; and by this time are well assured that the noble animal, whole courage they inherit, has lost none of his pluck and powers of endurance by being transplanted to a sunnier, and more enervating clime. It is useless for me to waste time in attempting to word-paint a picture that is impossible of being pourtrayed to the mind of those not actual witnesses of its creation. The play on both sides was simply grand all round ; and I know of but two words in our language that can appropriately describe it otherwise, those are “perfection,” and “magnificent.” The open field defence against the hard hitters, like Bonnor, was good, but the truly beautiful points of the game was the concentration of the men, in clustering round batsman like Bannerman and Murdoch, who continually " block ” over after over until a weak ball comes; and then to see it slip through the net work of fingers for four, amidst ringing cheers from the crowd is a sight to be seen. Each man at hi* station moved, or rather sprang, with the celerity of an antelope, while collectively they worked together like a piece of machinery, the motion of one portion absolutely necessitating a corresponding action of the whole. Every nerve was strained by both teams, the one to do their best to win, the other to do best to prevent it, and so themselves win. As a batsman settled himself in preparation for the coming ball, some 9 of the 11 would poise themselves, a* cats do watching patiently, but nervously, for the mouse, when with a bound and a shout of excitement, the leather would be passed in, before an unpractised eye could detect its whereabouts. This is the kind of cricket that would stir up the blood and pride of your novices, who think they can ever become players by. lazily “slogging” a ball now and then. I am sorry I cannot individually describe these teams, for they are well worth jt, each man of the 25 possessing some prominent characteristic, not actually possessed by the other*. Of the Australians, Murdoch and Bannerman dre the “stonewallers, 1 ' who hang out the patience of bowlers one after another until the whole of them are tired, and never (or very seldom) strike unless they see a moral certainty of slipping the ball through the field. Thu is extremely monotonous to the spectator, but it is such men who (probably in playing billiards would " pot ” their adversary, ana play into baulk) win the games ; they are the Conservatives, on whose shoulder* principally depends the result. Bonnor, on the other hand, is the slogger, although the term, whilst familiarly applied to him, conveys no offence, for he is as brilliant a player as any in the field, and one whose judgment is based on a scientific knowledge of the game. But he is a free hitter, and creates diversion. He stands 6ft (Tin, and when he “opens his shoulders,” and raises himself some inches to “ welt ” at a tempting “ square-leg,” he does, indeed, rise as a giant refreshed, and the ball is seen whizzing its way, for four or five, at all points of the ground. Personally lam glad the Australian team have won, and more particularly, as having been witness of their performance, and noticed their play keenly, 1 am satisfied there has not been the slightest element of snobbishness or unfair dealing in their play. They have evinced a gentlemanlike demeanour throughout. They have behaved handsomely, not to say generously, to their opponent guests. They have beaten them by purely superior prowess (not that the Englishmen are to be underrated in consequence), and they are justly and fairly entitled to be called, as indeed they are, the Champion Cricketers of the World. I send you full files of the play, which you can use your own discretion in giving to your readers. Wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year, as our holidays are over for the preeent, we are settling down to begin the work of the year of grace 1883