1 AUGUST 1829, Page 13

GLEANINGS.

A NEW ORATORIO, DT NEURONINI.—The most interesting circumstance attend- ing his visit (M. Neukomm's late visit to Edinburgh), was his allowing some of his friends to see the MS. of a great oratorio which he has lately written, anti of the effect of which we obtained, front his splendid piano-forte playing, aided by two or three of our voices, a very vivid idea. Its subject is the delivery of the Ten Commandments from Mount Sinai. The words, which consist entirely of passages from Scripture, are selected and arranged with great skill and judgment, and form a beautiful poem, affordirig the finest scope for variety of musical eflect and expression. The tremendous manifestations of divine power and majesty—the thunders and Iightniugs—the. thick clouds and darkness—and the sound of the trumpet, louder and louder, so that all the people trembled— form a magnificent piece of descriptive music, introductory to the delivery of the first commandment, which, given in a passage of canto fermo, in four parts, and accompanied by the brass instruments, is grand and awful in the extreme. This is followed by an aria fur a tenor voice, expressive of the greatness of the Al- mighty, in which devout solemnity is mingled with the utmost grace and beauty of melody. In a similar manner the other commandments are treated ; the an hut ecclesiastical tones in which the divine precepts are conveyed, being mingled with the most Hoeing, rich, and melodious music, in the free style, consisting of airs, duets, trios, and choruses, expressive of die human feelings amid sentiments to which each of the commandments gives rise. Both of the two parts are ter- minated by a chorus of prodigious grandeur and magnificence; and the con- chiding chorus is wound up by a most masterly and noble fugue. This great work is dedicated to the King of -Prussia. It has, not yet been performed ; but, when brought out, will be found a worthy companion to l'he cssinh, The Cre- ation, and The 'Muni of Olives.—Correspondent nj the liarmoni, is, fbr eche Editor of the liarmonicon subjoins the following note. " iii. Sigistnond Nenkomm, a native of Salsbourg,h, the city which gave birth to Mozart, was a dis- ciple of Haydn, why treated him like a son, and at whose recommendation he was

appointed Maestro di Capella at St. Petersburgh in 1804, but in which situation the climate did not long allow him to remain. He enjoys independence, and is jpurneying through England and Scotland for the sole purpose of enlarging his stock of general knowledge. M. Neukomm was an intimate friend of Dr. Spurz- beim, and is a warm advocate of the doctrines taught by the phrenologists."

THE PAPAL GLARDS.-I stood the other day on Monte Cavallo while the Papal

Guards were drilled by a young officer, who took a world of pains, and gave the word of command with great vehemence of tone and gesture. At length his per- severance exhausted the patience of his men, one of whom, stepping forward from the ranks, thus questioned his commander.-" Ma quando finisce sta storia P" (When will this story be finished ?) " Have a moment's patience, my son! " replied his officer ; " we shall soon have done." The soldier fell back into his place, the exercise proceeded for a few seconds, and the men were dismissed. On another occasion, I saw a soldier arrive on the ground and fall into the ranks when the drill was nearly over. " Why do you come so late, my son ?" in- quired the officer. " I have been hearing mass," replied the soldier. " Very well, my son ! " rejoined his commander, and proceeded to drill his men. In Rome, a soldier is styled " Signor Soldato," by the lower classes. The situation of a private in the Papal Guard is esteemed a desirable provision, and candidates for the appointment address petitions to tile Pope.-Shetehes of Italy and the Italians, in Blackwood's Magazine.

FANCY PICTURE OF THE MARQUIS OF 1-km0m-ft would have been im- possible for the most casual observer, on entering a room, to have overlooked the Duke of Ulsdale. It was not exactly the features of this nobleman which were peculiarly striking-for, although tall and well-proportioned, there was nothing graceful in his figure, nor handsome in his countenance; hut there was a com- manding dignity in his look, a tone of lofty breeding in his expression, and an air of superiority in his deportment, which bespoke him to be a man of high birth and exalted situation. Amongst his own sex, he was proverbial for his extensive information, his shrewd, calculating knowledge of human nature, and his intimacy with the weakness and passions of mankind ; few men also were better scholars, possessed more unlimited resources of mind, or were more admirably calculated to converse upon every subject, whether it was connected with the abstruseness of philosophy, the intricacies of diplomacy, or the more lively frivolities of the day. Having attained that age when the passions are blunted by enjoyment, and the finer feelings corrupted by habitual collision with the world, his Grace was con- sequently dangerous in his intercourse with the fair sex, and the more so, since there was nothing redoubtable in his exterior ; but to the charms of a conversation replete with wit, grace, and anecdote, he united an inaccessible heart and cool head, the most refined gallantry, and the utmost fascination of manner. He did not march boldly to the attack, or attempt to gratify his own vanity by the ex- posure of his own strength, and his fair adversaries' weakness ; but stealing quietly and imperceptibly to the edge of the fortress, he often established a lodgement on the glacis, ere the lady was aware of his approach ; thus, more than one unfor- tunate had found herself invested, and unable to escape without the surrender of her honour or peace of mind. In addition to these qualifications, his Grace was a 4raud cordon of magnificence and display. He was Archcorypheus of town ati country splendour. His dinner would have created envy in the heart of Grimoq.tie la.Reynii!re himself ; whilst his fetes, dejeuners, parties, and suppers, deflatbe criticism of the most perfect epicure, or most fastidious votary of fashion. His immense fortune, the extreme regularity of his affairs, and con- sequent command of money, gave him great advantages over all other competitors for the prize of pleasure; whilst his exquisite taste, his princely profusion, and admirable knowledge of the sruvoiv vivre, placed him at an immeasurable distance /beyond all his rivals. Invitations to his fetes were coveted with a degree of in- conceivable eagerness ; not to be asked there, was declaring oneself to be no one ; and thus, no meanness, no trick, no abasement, was considered displaced, if em- ployed in obtaining an entry to Ulsdale House; and his Grace must not unfre- qnently have stared at the daring attempts which were made by people, even of the highest class, to force themselves into his drawing-room. The world accused the Duke of a too great fondness for money, and even ascribed the possession of a portion of his vast wealth to successful play. However, if true, that he had ac- cumulated any large sums hy this process-not altogether improbable, from his coolness of temper, his skill in calculation, and, above all, from his immense com- mand of capital,-his character as a player, and a man of unblemished honour, was beyond the reach of calumny. That his Grace, in despite of his magnificence, was careful to increase his wealth, was certain ; this did not, however, proceed from that base and sordid attachment to the precious metals which gnaws the heart of the iriser, but from his great inclination to all the most costly luxuries and enjoyments of life, of which no man more thoroughly understood the refinements. Although he did not ostentatiously exhibit his name, and nothing but his name, in every paper, as a species of decoy to charitable subscriptions, yet, unknown to the public, he had performed actions of the most princely benevolence if he did not expend large sums either in disseminating tracts or for the support of field-preachers, the families of the artist, the manufacturer, and industrious me- chanic, reaped the advantage of his wealth, and he the finest fruits of their labours. Engrossed by the pursuits of pleasure and luxuries, and abhorring the intrigues and cabaleof political life, the Duke had taken little share, at least avowedly, in politics : whatever influence he possessed, which was not trifling, was employed ci sortrde main, and excited little observation ; but whenever he did exert himself, his talents and influence were acknowledged in the highest quarters. Pleasure was, in fact, the idol of his speculations ; and it must be confessed, that if his talents were in a great measure lost to his country at large, his perfect knowledge and profuse deployment of all the good things of life, were of inestimable value to his friends and satellites, of whom it may be supposed few men had a larger circle.-Adventures o,f a King's Page.