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but of scenery and pageant." His marvellous performance of Louis XI. in Mr. Dion Boucicault's version of M. Delavigne's play, went far towards silencing his detractors, for it proved that he could draw crowds by the force of unassisted acting. Judicious critics, too, began to reflect that his most sumptuous displays of stage-decoration were not mere empty show, but real practical lessons in archaology not to be found elsewhere.

A banquet, over which the Duke of Newcastle presided, and at which Mr. Gladstone spoke, in presenting a splendid testimonial from his old Etonian friends, signalized Mr. Kean's retirement from the management of the Princess's in 1859. In the autumn of that year Mr. and Mrs. Kean left London to fulfil a long round of provincial engagements, but returned again in 1861, and shortly afterwards appeared at Drury Lane, their last appearance at that theatre being on the 22nd of May, 1862. In 1863, they commenced their professional tour with a visit to Australia, which was followed by a series of performances through the United States. They came back to London in 1866, and again appeared at the Princess's Theatre. This performance was followed by another provincial engagement, and Mr. Charles Kean's last appearance upon any stage was on the evening of the 28th of May, 1867, at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Liverpool, in his celebrated character of Louis XI. On the following day he was seized with a lingering illness, which unhappily terminated in his death, on the 22nd of January.

SIR RICHARD MAYNE, K.C.B.

Sir Richard Mayne, Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, was a son of the Hon. Edward Mayne, who was one of the Judges of the Court of King's Bench in Ireland from 1817 to 1820, and who is said to have been a member of an old Kentish family which migrated into Ireland in the reign of Elizabeth, and established itself in the counties of Fermanagh and Monaghan. He was born in Dublin in 1796, and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and afterwards at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. degree in 1817, and proceeded M.A. in 1821. He was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn in the following year, and at one time went the Northern Circuit. He was nominated in 1829 by Sir Robert Peel, then Home Secretary, to the post of Chief Commissioner of Metropolitan Police, on the establishment of that force in lieu of the

antiquated and inefficient parish constables to whom previously the custody of our streets by night was entrusted. Sir Richard was nominated a Companion of the Bath in 1817, in recognition of his official services, and was advanced to the dignity of a K.C.B., civil division, at the time of the Great Exhibition of 1851. Sir Richard Mayne married, in 1831, Georgina, eldest daughter of Mr. Thomas Carvic, of Wyke, Yorkshire, and of Moat Mount, Highwood, Middlesex, by whom he had a family.

DR. MILMAN.

The Very Rev. Henry Hart Milman, D.D., Dean of St. Paul's, an eminent author and divine, who died on the 24th of September, at his residence, Queen's Hill Lodge, Ascot, was the third son of Sir Francis Milman, first Baronet, by his wife, Frances, daughter of William Hart, Esq. He was born in 1791, and was educated at Dr. Burney's school at Greenwich, and at Eton College. From Eton he went to Oxford, where he entered Brasenose College; he, in 1812, won the Newdigate prize for an English poem, and, in 1813, the Chancellor's prize for a Latin poem, in which year he also obtained his degree of B.A., taking a first class in classics. He about this time produced the tragedy of "Fazio," which was acted at Covent Garden, where Miss O'Neill played the part of Bianca, the heroine. It has continued to be a stock play. Dr. Milman was ordained in 1816, and the following year was appointed Vicar of St. Mary's, Reading-a prefer ment which he held for eighteen years. Continuing his literary labours, he sucsively brought out "Samor," an heroic poem ; "The Fall of Jerusalem," "The Martyr of Antioch," "Belshazzar," and "Anne Boleyn"-all dramatic poems. He became, in 1827, Bampton Lecturer; and he was, from 1821, for ten years Professor of Poetry at Oxford. He published a metrical version in English of a Sanscrit poem, entitled "Naba and Damayanta." Then came his most important works-"The History of the Jews," "The History of Christianity, from the Birth of Christ to the Abolition of Paganism in the Roman Empire;" and the "History of Latin Christianity to the Pontificate of Nicholas V." He was appointed, in 1835, Rector of St. Margaret's, and Canon of Westminster; and was promoted, in 1849, to the Deanery of St. Paul's. He wrote a Life of Keats; and a Life of Horace, which is prefixed to the beautiful illus trated edition of that poet published in

1849. He also prepared an edition, with copious notes, of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire."

Dr. Milman married Mary Anne, daughter of Lieutenant-General William Cockell, and had issue four sons. Dean Milman was much and justly beloved both in public and private life. His society had a charm about it that fascinated all within its influence. His knowledge on most subjects was wonderful, and its effect was enhanced by the honest earnestness and thorough amiability of his disposition.

ROSSINI.

Gioacchino Antonio Rossini, the illustrious Italian composer, who died in Paris on the 13th of November, was born in 1792 at Pesaro, where his parents were in poor circumstances, his father belonging to a strolling company of musicians. When about fifteen years of age, Rossini entered the Lyceum of Bologna, where he studied counterpoint and composition under Stanislao Mattei-himself a favourite pupil of the famous Padre Martini. The opera which first made him famous was Tancredi, brought out during the Carnival of Venice at the Teatro Fenice, in 1813; and this was followed, some months later, by L'Italiana in Algeri, at the Teatro San Benedetto, in the same city, and with a success in no degree inferior. By these two works the young composer had shown himself equally a master of opera seria and opera buffa. His style, too, was now thoroughly matured, and what has ever since been recognized as the school of Rossini-a school which has found more disciples, good, bad, and indifferent, than probably any other in any art-may be said from that moment to have declared itself. The vogue thus obtained by Rossini was, if possible, increased by Il Turco in Italia, composed for the Scala, in the autumn of 1814, and at once accepted as a worthy pendant to L'Italiana in Algeri. İl Turco was followed by Elisabetta Regina d'Inghilterra (Naples, 1815), which had an enormous success, and is especially remembered as the opera in which Rossini first set the example of writing his own ornaments and "fioriture," which previously, in accordance with long custom, used to be either prepared or extemporized by the singers themselves. The San Carlo, where it was produced, was at that time considered the first lyric theatre of Italy. Elisabetta was followed by Torvaldo e Dorliska (Rome, 1815), an opera seria, which failed, and Torvaldo e Dorliska by Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Rome, 1816-at the Teatro di

Torre Argentina), an opera buffa, which was hopelessly condemned on the first night, but now, more than half a century later, is perhaps the most popular of all operas except Mozart's Don Giovanni. Il Barbiere was successively followed by Otello (1816-Teatro del Fondo, Naples), Cenerentola (1817-Rome), and La Gazza Ladra (1817-the Scala, Milan). Happily each of these works, which materially increased their author's fame, endures and is likely to endure. To these succeeded several others, amongst which was Semiramide, which is popular to this day, and the last of Rossini's purely Italian operas (his last, indeed, composed for Italy) was first played at the Fenice, in Venice, February 23, 1823, with any thing but the success that has universally

attended it since.

After going to Vienna, and-much to the chagrin of Beethoven, who was nothing if not German-turning the heads of the fickle Viennese, Rossini visited London. The great Italian, who sang and played just as well as he composed, and was not less prepossessing as a man than gifted as a musician, was every where welcomed and fêted in the English capital. He then commenced his career as director of the Opéra Italien in Paris, where, after much opposition, both interested and disinterested, his music acquired extraordinary popularity. There, on the 3rd of August, 1829, he crowned the edifice of his glory with his immortal masterpiece, Guillaume Tell. It is unnecessary to say one word about the universally popular Stabat Mater, a masterpiece in another style.

In 1847 Rossini moved to Florence, and in 1855, his health being much impaired, by the advice of his doctor, quitted Florence for Paris, which he never afterwards left, dwelling during the summer in a villa he had built for himself at Passy, and during the winter in apartments in the Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin. At Paris, where, after a time, his health was completely restored, he was the object of attention and solicitude from high and low, for he was sought out and courted, not merely on account of his fame as a composer, but for his wit, his humour, his amiability, and general goodness. With him departed one of the most remarkable geniuses and one of the kindliest spirits of the nineteenth century.

MR. JUSTICE SHEE.

The Hon. Sir William Shee, one of the Justices of the Court of Queen's Bench, a distinguished lawyer, advocate, and Judge, who died on the 19th of February, was the

son of Joseph Shee, Esq., of Thomastown, in the county of Kilkenny. He was born at Finchley, Middlesex, in 1804; and was educated at the Roman Catholic foundation, St. Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, near Durham, and at the University of Edinburgh. He was called to the English Bar by the Hon. Society of Lincoln's Inn, June 19, 1828. He soon after his call politically distinguished himself by an eloquent speech on the Liberal side at the great Protestant meeting of "the Men of Kent," held on Pennenden-heath, November 24, 1828. He went the Home Circuit, and rose quickly into business and repute. His practice eventually so increased that it became at times very great indeed. He was made Serjeant-at-law in 1840, obtained a Patent of Precedence in 1846, and was appointed a Queen's Serjeant in 1857. He was, in 1847, an unsuccessful candidate at the general election for the borough of Marylebone; he, in 1852, was elected M.P. for the county of Kilkenny, and represented that county in Parliament till 1857. He subsequently unsuccessfully addressed the constituencies of the county of Kilkenny and of Marylebone. He was a moderate and consistent Liberal in politics; but he was of a high and independent spirit, which did not readily yield to the varying requirements of Parliamentary electors, and thus he did not always suit them. This elevated tone, however, combined with great talent and good sense, unbending honesty of purpose, a most amiable and benevolent disposition, and very genial manners, had made him so popular among all members of the law, that it was with the acclaim of the whole Bar, and of the profession generally, that he was at last raised to judicial rank in 1864, as a Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench. He was the first Roman Catholic Judge of the Superior Courts of Westminster since the Revolution, the last Catholic Judge before him having been Sir Richard Allybone, a Justice of the Court of King's Bench, who died in the summer of 1688. Mr. Justice Shee was knighted in 1864. His manly bearing and untiring energy, his sound knowledge, and his other excellent qualities were making him also conspicuous on the Bench, when, in the midst of apparent health, a sudden illness carried him off.

LORD WENSLEYDALE.

The Right Hon. Sir James Parke, P.C., Baron Wensleydale, who died on the 25th of February at his seat, Ampthill Park, Bedfordshire, was the son of Thomas Parke, Esq., of Highfield House, near

Liverpool, by his wife, Ann, daughter of William Preston, Esq. He was born March 22, 1782, and was educated at Macclesfield Grammar School, and at Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1799, at the age of seventeen, he obtained one of the highest distinctions in Cambridge-the Craven University Scholarship; in 1800 he was elected scholar of Trinity; he 1802 he obtained Sir William Browne's medal for his Alcaie ode, "Pompeii Columna;" and in 1803 he graduated as fifth Wrangler and senior Chancellor's (classical) medallist. He was elected Fellow of Trinity in 1804, and proceeded M.A. in 1806, and LL.D. in 1835. Having chosen the law as his profession, he, after serving his terms at the Temple, practised for many years, with great success, as a special pleader, and his intimate acquaintance with and relish for the technicalities of the science of pleading characterized his whole aftercareer at the Bar and on the Bench. He was called to the Bar by the Hon. Society of the Inner Temple in 1813. He went the Northern Circuit, and soon obtained there and at Westminster a good substantial practice, establishing for himselt the reputation of being one of the soundest common-lawyers of his day. He was, in 1828, raised to judicial rank as a Justice of the Court of King's Bench, and, in 1834, he was transferred to the Exchequer as a Baron of that court. He was knighted in 1828.

Sir James Parke, as a Judge, was distinguished for his vigorous intellect and his skill in comprehending facts and applying the law to them. He was, it is true, a great special pleader; but he was more he was not only an adept in mere legal preciseness, but he showed a powerful and master mind in dealing with all the bearings of the cases before him. Many were the instances of this; one memorable one may be cited, viz. the trial of John Tawell for the murder of Sarah Hart, at Slough, in the spring of 1845, when the learned Baron, who presided, was universally held to have earned high honour for his closely argumentative and exhaustive summing up, which completely baffled the vast ingenuity and splendid eloquence of Sir Fitzroy Kelly in Tawell's behalf. Tawell himself is said to have called his Lordship "a just, but severe judge." Sir James Parke retired from the Bench in 1856, and on January 16 of that year he was created Baron Wensleydale, of Walton, in the North Riding of Yorkshire," for the term of his natural life." This startling innovation of a life peerage, though not unprecedented, caused a great sensation. Lord Derby and Lord

Lyndhurst took the matter up in the House of Lords, and it was referred to a Committee of Privileges which brought in a report unfavourable to the Baron's taking his seat as a life peer. He nevertheless retained his title; but to secure him a seat in the House of Lords he obtained another patent, dated July 23, 1856, creating him Baron Wensleydale, of Walton, in the county palatine of Lancaster, with the usual remainder to the heirs male of his body. His Lordship as a law lord fully sustained in the House his great previous reputation.

Lord Wensleydale married, in 1817, Cecilia Arabella Frances, youngest daughter of Samuel Francis Barlow, Esq., of Middlethorpe, in the county of York, by whom he had issue three sons, all of whom died in infancy, and three daughters; so that, having left no male issue, all his honours became extinct with him.

Mr. Baron Martin, in court, thus

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gracefully alluded to the deceased Lord Wensleydale : Having," said the Baron, "sat for some years with that learned Judge, and having practised before him for a much longer period, I think it is but becoming in me to state that, in my opinion, the country has lost by his death one of the most learned lawyers and one of the ablest Judges who ever sat in Westminster Hall. No one who has not had the advantage of sitting with him on the Bench can thoroughly appreciate the qualities of his great mind, or his earnest wish at all times to do his duty. He never allowed any thing to interfere with the conscientious discharge of those duties which he imposed upon himself, or felt belonged to him in connexion with his position as a Judge. He was, without doubt, the ablest and best public servant I was personally acquainted with in the whole course of my life."

REMARKABLE TRIALS.

I.

THE FENIAN TRIALS.

On the 20th of April the six prisoners charged with murder in connexion with the gunpowder explosion at the Clerkenwell House of Detention in December last, were put upon their trial at a special Session of the Central Criminal Court, before Lord Chief Justice Cockburn and Mr. Baron Bramwell. Their names were William Desmond, Timothy Desmond, Nicholas English, John O'Keefe, Michael Barrett, and Ann Justice. As had been anticipated, the pressure for admission to the Court-house, the area of which is exceedingly limited, was very great. The Under-Sheriffs, however, had done their best to apportion the room at their disposal; and the Judges having assumed the seats assigned them, the prisoners were put forward, and formally told by the Clerk of Arraigns that they stood indicted for the murder of Sarah Ann Hodgkinson, feloniously, wilfully, and of their malice aforethought, on the 13th of December last, in the parish of St. James's, Clerkenwell, within the jurisdiction of that Court. They severally pleaded "Not Guilty."

The Attorney-General (Sir J. B. Karslake) and Solicitor-General (Sir Baliol Brett), with whom were Mr. Hardinge Giffard, Q.C., Mr. Poland, and Mr. Archibald, appeared to conduct the proscution on the part of the Crown; Mr. Montagu Williams and Mr. Edward Clarke were counsel for the prisoners Ann Justice and John O'Keefe; Mr. Warner Sleigh for William Desmond; Mr. Straight for Timothy Desmond; Mr. Keogh for Nicholas English; and Mr. J. B. Greene for the prisoner Barrett.

On the application of Mr. Montagu Williams, who had been but recently instructed, it was agreed, with the assent of the Counsel for the Crown, that the evidence, so far as it might affect the prisoner Ann Justice, whom he represented, should be postponed as far as possible, to enable him to conduct her defence satisfactorily.

The Attorney-General in opening the case said, On the 20th of November, 1867, a man named Richard Burke was arrested near Woburn-square, together with a man named Casey. They were conveyed before a magistrate and remanded-Burke on a charge of treason-felony, and Casey on a charge of assaulting a constable. They were brought up again on the 30th, remanded until the 7th of December, and again remanded until the 14th of December. At no very long period after the arrest of Burke, who was believed to be deeply

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