The Commissioners of Woods and Forests have
received possession of Marlborough-house, from the
officers of the late Queen Dowager's household; and it is
understood that the Vernon Collection of pictures will
be removed thither almost immediately.

In the Art-Journal for April is published the following
statement of the number of Pictures Imported into
the United Kingdom in the year 1849. From Prussia,
34; Germany, 1066; Holland, 1946; Belgium, 2420;
France, 3498; Spain and Portugal, 326; Italy, 1723;
other countries, 1678; total, 12691.

The New Society of Water Colours has opened its
exhibition for this season. Miss Setchel, the painter of
the well-known "Momentous Question," has another
picture of the same class, "Jesse and Colin," the subject
taken from Crabbe. Mr. Haghe's principal work is an
eastern subject, a public reservoir attached to a mosque;
but he has two pieces illustrating war in the
seventeenth century, which attracted much notice. M.
Vacher has a picture of the Bazaar of Algiers, with
numerous groups of figures. Mr. E. H. Corbould has a
number of pieces, of which the most remarkable is the
"Country Girl." Mr. Absolom has depicted Joan of
Arc in her prison. There are some excellent animal
subjects by Mr. W. Harrison Weir; and landscapes by
Mr. W. Bennett, Mr. Davidson, Mr. Penby, and others.
Mr. Bennett's excited very considerable interest on the
day of the private view. The exhibition, on the whole,
is interesting.

A provincial paper mentions the discovery of the
Original Portrait of Charles the First by Vandyck, lost
in the time of the Commonwealth, and which has been
found at Barnstaple in Devonshire. It had been for
many years in the possession of a furniture-broker in that
town, from whom it was lately purchased by a
gentleman of the name of Taylor, for two shillings. Mr.
Taylor, the account adds, has since required £2000 for it.

Mr. Layard and his party are still carrying on their
Excavations at Nineveh. A large number of copper
vessels beautifully engraved have been found, and a
large assortment of fine slabs, illustrative of the rule,
conquests, domestic life, and arts of the ancient
Assyrians, are daily coming to light, and are committed to
paper by the able artist, Mr. Cooper, one of the expedition.
Mr. Layard intends to make a trip to Chaboor,
the Chaboras of the Romans, and to visit Reish Aina,
the Resen of Scripture, where he hopes to find a treasure
of Assyrian remains.

The principal MUSICAL EVENTS of the month have
been the concerts of the Philharmonic Society, on
the 8th and 22nd. At the former the orchestral
pieces (always the chief features of these concerts)
were Spohr's third and Beethoven's fourth symphonies,
Weber's overture to The Ruler of the Spirits,
and Ries's overture to Don Carlos. Mr. Cooper played
Mendelssohn's violin concerto with extraordinary vigour
and effect. The singers were the Misses Williams, Mr.
Benson, and Mr. Bodda. At the latter there was a
greater display than usual of "native talent" both
in composition and performance. Of the two
symphonies one was by Haydn, and the other by Mr.
Cipriani Potter, a work of great merit. Mr. Sterndale
Bennett's fine "Caprice," for the pianoforte,
with orchestral accompaniments, was played in a
masterly style by Miss Kate Loder. The singers were
Miss Catherine Hayes and Mr. Whitworth, who were
greatly applauded, the one in the famous scena
from Der Freischutz, and the other in Mozart's
beautiful cantata "L'Addio." The Philharmonic Society
is at present in a most flourishing condition. At the
beginning of the season the subscription was almost
filled up the day it was opened, and many persons have
been unsuccessful in obtaining tickets.

The only Oratorio performed during the month by
the "Sacred Harmonic Society," at Exeter Hall, has
been Mendelssohn Elijah.

The "Beethoven Quartet Society," established seven
or eight years ago by the late Mr. Alsager, to do honour
to the composer's memory by the perfect performance
of his works, commenced its meetings for this season on
Wednesday evening the 17th, under the direction, as
formerly, of M. Rousselot, the eminent violoncellist.
Herr Ernst has been engaged as principal violin for the
whole season,—an improvement of the plan, as unity and
finish of execution can be obtained only by means of a
permanent leader.

The "Musical Union," a society similar to the above,
but wider in its range, has had two meetings this season,
on the 9th and 23rd, under the direction of Mr. Ella.
At its meetings, which are attended by very fashionable
company, classical chamber compositions are performed
by the most eminent instrumentalists of the day.

The benefit concerts are by far too numerous for
separate mention; not infrequently, at this season,
there are three or four in a single evening.

Amongst the THEATRES the two Italian Operas put
forth their strength on re-opening after Easter. Her
Majesty's commenced on the 2nd with Lucia di
Lammermoor. Miss Catherine Hayes was the Lucia, and
Mr. Sims Reeves the Edgardo; both native artistes,
and both triumphantly successful—an unprecedented
coincidence since the days of Billington and Braham.—
On the 4th Sontag re-appeared, as Norina in Don
Pasquale, and received an enthusiastic welcome.—
On Tuesday, the 9th, Sontag performed Rosina in the
Barbiere di Seviglia; on the Thursday following, Zerlina
in Don Giovanni; and on Thursday the 18th, Susanna,
in the Nozze di Figaro.

The Royal Italian Opera opened on Thursday, 4th,
with Masaniello, an Italian version of Auber's Muette
de Portici, in which the principal character was sustained
by Signor Tamberlik, a tenor new to this country, who
was successful.—On the 9th, the old favourites Grisi,
Mario, and Tamburini made their re-entrée to Lucrezia
Borgia, and were received with acclamations.

On Easter Monday the English Theatres were attended
by holiday crowds, to enjoy the expected entertainments
—extravagant parodies or burlesques of classical and
heroic subjects. At the Haymarket there was a travestie
of "Ivanhoe," in which Cedric, the Saxon, is a fine old
English gentleman, a foe to railways and all new-fangled
improvements; Isaac of York, an advertising clothier;
Locksley, a leader of a "swell mob;" Richard, a
swaggering man about town; John, a sort of ancient
Widdicombe, or master of the tournaments; and Sir Brian,
a minister of young France. The dramatic version of
"The Vicar of Wakefield," by Stirling Coyne, was well
produced at this theatre.— At Drury Lane came out
an Eastern spectacle called "The Devil's Ring," full of
diablerie and stage enchantment. Subsequently a
melodramatic piece by Mr. Bernard, called "A Passing
Cloud," was produced.—At the Lyceum there was a
burlesque of "Cymon and Iphigenia," after Garrick,
a charming jeu-d'esprit, in which some delicious old
and now forgotten music of the Arne school is
introduced.—At the Princess's "The Queen of the Roses"
was a version of Hallevy's new opera La Fée aux Roses
—without the music.—The Adelphi entertainment, called
"Playing First Fiddle," is founded on the history of
Lulli, the famous violinist, who, from being a cook-boy,
became the leader of Louis XlVth's memorable band—
the "four and twenty fiddlers" of the old ballad. The
other theatre had entertainments of a similar cast.—
Another piece, by Mr. Tom Taylor, founded on
Goldsmith's novel, and previously produced at the Strand
Theatre, continues to be performed there; also an
interesting sketch, called "Poor Cousin Walter," in which
Mrs. Stirling and Mr. Leigh Murray have the principal
parts.

The St. James's, after a pleasant series of French
comic operas, was re-opened after Easter with an
excellent company for light French comedy and vaudeville.
Two stars have appeared, M. Samson and Mdlle Denain,
both of the Théatre Française. M. Samson is not only
a first-rate comedian, but a distinguished dramatic
author. He has appeared in two of his own pieces,
"Un Veuvage," and "La Belle Mère et le Gendre," the
original of our farce, "My Wife's Mother." Mdlle.
Denain's acting is a fine specimen of French "genteel
comedy," evincing grace and good breeding,—her
principal performance, the "Marquise de Lenneterre," in
the comedy of that name.