Science and Invention [pp. 350-351]

350
SCiEWCE AATi) I~V~XiioN.. L-~- ARCH
and this opera is said to be one of its most peculiar and ebaracteristic results. Tile musical
school of tile composer seems to be that of aggravated \Yagnerism tbe Slavonic spirit of
Oriental exaggeration baving been infused
into the art-forms of tile great German, witbout a retention of ilis essential beauties. The
iYeue ~~rbi'eer ~~si'kzeit~a~ speaks of tlie work
as an interesting and ilistoricallyAnstructive
dramatic performance, but as not entitled to
the denon~uation of opera, except that it has
one good solo and two or tilree effective choruses. Of operatic or melodic style there is
no trace, even in the recitative, and, in ilie instnn~entation, tbe composer is said to wrfte
in dissonances, just as others write in consonances.
One of the causes of tile misunderstanding
of the purpose and value of the Wagner music,
has been that musicians have measured him
by the ease with whicil ills methods snay be
abused by weak imitators. This has come to
be so much the case in Russia, that the critics
of that distant region now begin to claim
that Wagner stole ills ideas from hints in Russian music. Poor Wagner this is the last
feather of insult to break tile camel's back.
now, to an ordinary musician, more than Beethoven
receiven for all of his immortal nine symphonies!
At the composer's death, two hundred numbers of
MSS. music only brought seven hundred fiorins.
The great choral symphony was knocked down at
six hundred fiorins. The whole product of the
auction sale, exclush'e of the ninth symphony,
amounted to twelve hundred doria S, a considerable
portion of which was absorbed by the expenses.
Sir Julius Benedict, in a late lecture before the
Ruyal Institution, claims for Carl Maria von Weber,
whose pupil he was, the essential reforms in modern operatic music. Weber was the first to conceive the idea of basing national opera upon popular legends; and, it is stated, curiously enough,
that among the subjects originally chosen for treatment was the legend of the "Tanahliuser," which
Fate reserved for (according to Sir Julius) the less
capable hands of Richard Wagner. It was Weber
who chiefly relieved German opera from the stupid
fetters still worn by Italian opera. In Weber we
see the natural illustration of dramatic ideas and
situations, all the forms of active, sentient life,
without the absolute subordination of music to
poetry. Unless for Der Freiscbfltz," "Robert le
Diable" would never have been written by Meyerbeer; nor could Wagner's "Tanabliuser" ever
have seen the light without Weber's "Euryanthe."
~ir Julius Benedict also considers the same comp.ser's sonatas as the rival of Beethoven's; his
"Concertstflck" as the progenitor ot' Mendelssohn's concertos; and his songs as the rivals of
Schubert's. According to the enthusiastic lecturer,
there is no form in which his hero has not rivaled
the most alonous, eacb in his specialty. It is a
beautiful sight to see such hero-worship in one
who is himself a distinguished musician and composer.
A new drama, in Paris, entitled "Les Deux
Orphelines," by MM. Dennery and Cormun, is
spoken of as a success. although the story in some
particulars is commonplace. Two girls, erroneously supposed by the spectators to be sisters, arrive in Paris, and are separated by the agency of a
libertine marquis, who has cast his eyes upon cite
of them. From this danger ll~nrn'ette escapes. She
is, however, sent by the Comte d!e SeniSres. the lieutenant of police, whose nephew has fallen in love
with her. to the Salpetnere, whence she is to be
dispatched, like ffcnore Lescaut, to Guiana. From
this peril, also, she is freed by the devotion of a
girl, who takes her place, and she is, in time, united
to the man she loves. Louise, her companion,
meanwhile, who is blind, becomes subject to an
atrocious couple, who send her out to beg, and
live upon her earnings. Ultimately, she is proved
to he the daughter of a countess. This rather oldfashioned story made a strong impression on the
spectators, principally, however, it is said, mi account of the admirable manner in which it was
acted.
The composers of the present day would indignantly refuse the prices for their works which Beethoven gladly accepted for his. John Milton received but five pounds sterling for the MS. of
"Paradise Lost," and the musical Milton of Germany had a similar experience. An operetta brings
A stage-version of the Lady-Dedlock story, in
Dickens's "Bleak House," has been produced at
Booth's Theatre, under the title of" ChesneyWold,"
with the famous tragedienne Janauschek, both as
Lady i)edtock and as Hortense. the French waitingmaid. The contrast in the two delineations-the
repressed suffering aiid dignified repose of Lady
Dedtock, with the cajolery, the spite. the shrugs,
the cynicism of Hortense-all of which are given by
the actress with remarkable fidelity to Dickens's
portrait, give the representation great interest.
Like all dramatized versions of novels, the play is
far from being satisfactory; but the vivid characterization of some of the parts largely compensates
for other deficiencies.
M. Petit, a French basso, has recently made
some innovation on the conventional metltod of
"doing" Mephistopheles in "Faust." He acts the
part with the slight limp with which the idea of the
devil, when he aired himself on his little playground of earth, was always associated. The Italisas were at 10;946;953;962]first emphatic in their condemnation
of the fancy; but, with repeated presentations, became so much enraptured with M Petit's reading,
rendering, and dressing of the part, that they are
likely to exact it in future of all others.
M. Gounod's latest work, "Jeanne d'Arc," has
been produced in England, under his direction, as
a cantata; that is, a drama with music alone, the
sister arts of poetry and painting being excluded.
For a strictly draaiatic composer, this is a critical
test. The novelty, originality, and calibre of the
music, are said to be extraordinary, as effects of all
kinds are to be produced in illustrating human passions and emotions without any background of artistic illusion.
~ci~fl~~`~n~ ~n~ntxon.
IN CE the earliest application of steam as
tlie source of mechanical motion, inventors have been in search of methods for
directing this new force without the intervention of complex mechanical devices. When
tile power is needed for tile running of maclihiery-that is, in tile form of mach anical motiontile present improved forms of steam-engines
doubtless represent tile most economical and
satisfactory method of applying it; but there
is a certain class of results which can doubtless
be attained in a more direct way than that of
tile drive-wheel of the engine; and among
these are the elevation of fluids, and tile compression of gases. Of these, the former is by
far the most important; and hence any simple
yet etlicient device that may compass this important end deserves mention. In adopting,
as a feature of these notes, tile illustrated description of recent mechanical devices and discoveries, we would briefly state that the sole
purpose is to keep our readers informed as to
all advances made in the more important departments of applied science. Hence it should
be distinctly understood that tlte presentation
of these illustrated descriptions does not imply
our indorsement of their claims, which indortement must be sought for from headquarters
only. Although these notices are given solely
in the interest of the reader, it is but justice to
the ingenious inventors to state that only snob
inventions as involve some new pn'aciple, or
novel application of an old one, shall lind a
place in these columns. With this brief explanation, which is designed to cover all future
as well as present action, we would direct attention to a new device, here illustrated, and
for which letters-patent have recently been
granted. The pulsotneter is the appropriate
name given by tile inventor to a compact and
simple combination of valves and air-chambers, by means of which the expansive power
of steam is at once utilized, and its tremendous
force applied to the elevation and distribution
of fluids, water in particular A reference to
tile illustrations will render but a brief explanation necessary. In Fig. 1 we have a sectional view of tile whole contrivance, n-bile
Fig. ~ represents the closed vessel ready for
action. Referring to the first figure, we notice
two chambers with long necks, which join at
S. Immediately above this point of union the
steam is admitted from an adjoining boiler.
Directly beneath, and resting upon the lower
projecting edge formed by the union of the
two neclcs, is a rubber ball-valve, which rests
so loosely as to be readily transferred from one
side to the other, thus closing first one and
then the opposite air-chamber. At the lower
ends of the two chambers are separate ballvalves, arranged as shown in the figure; while
beneath there is the supply-pipe 1), which terminates in the reservoir from which tile water
is to be drawn. B represents an ordinary airchamber, designed to regulate the flow; while
the pipe projecting from the chamber ~ (Fig.
l)is that through which the water finds vent.
In applying this magic pump, it is only needed
to attach tile pipe D to tile supply-pipe, and
then introduce the steam by means of a valve.
The manner in which the suction is obtained
is thus described: The top hall - valve, at S
(Fig. 1), is sent to one side; il~e steam presses
down the water through the valve to and into
the delivery-pipe. When the water-level is
depressed to a certain line in A (Fig. 1), the
whole of the steam is condensed, as well by
impulsion as by admixture with the rushing
water. An instant vacuum is the result, reversing the valves. Tile steam takes to the
other cli amber, A, while tile vacuum caused in
tile first chamber fills. This filling and emptylug of tile chambers continues as long as the
steam is applied, the water being expelled with
considerable force, and in a series of pulsations which are suggested by the name chosen
for the device.
Mysterious as was the physical organism
of the now departed Siamese twins, it was
simple in comparison with that of the double
girl known as the "Two4~eaded Nightingale."
A detailed account of this strange creature u-as
recently furnished, by M. Paul Bert, to the Society of Anthropology, Paris. From3;14]a report
of this paper we condense as follows: Instead
of a union effected by means of a short connecting link of muscular tissue, the bodies of
these girls are united at tile level of tile last
Fig. i. Fig. 2.