" Shameful " is the fitting word to apply to the attendance of the public nt the per formance of this oratorio yesterday even ing ia Sloan's Theatre. There may have been doubts as to its financial success on the part' of tl^e promoters ; but thoy could scarcely be prepared to meet an audience so meagre as not to equaj in numbers those who occupied the stage and took pant in the oratorio. The circumstances were most depressing ; in fact, sufficiently so to liavejustified the- abandonment of tlie performance altogether, yet the company bravely faced the chilling influence of c empty benches and gave the oratorio in a unanner^thal, throughout, reflected credit on themselves, and their new conductor Mr Jlacleod Smith.. The audience was too thiu fur much show of enthusiasm, but i|<3UMis Uipyjvero^Uiey evidently appre uiatecTllie efforts macfe" to" render tfie solo and pact uiuaicadeeptably. - The com •pany, including the orchestra, numbered upwards of 50, mostly iladies ani gentle men who have successfully borue their share of this noble production on previous occasions, so that it is almost superfluous to criticise the various numbers rendered. The orchestral portions of the work were carried through. with verve, ia some easosj perhaps a little too much so, taking into

evident, however, that the instrumentalists had generally applied themselves diligently to practice. The soloists were Mrs Ross and Mrs Clifton, ami Misses Kingsland, Thomson,, and Perkins , Messrs H. Feld wick, Dunsford, Price, and J. Kings laud, sea. The first- named ladies are so well known as superior vocalists that we need sny little more than that both were in good voice, and were ( ap- .. ,,. pbiude'd for Their efforts. Miss Kingsland has not taken so prominent a^art -in ; such, , - performances before, and lacked confidence 'f in her singing of "Behold, a virgin." This defect, ti me wi 1 1 -mend. lVMr"'Efc PelcfSriclr - -~ rJ3 icll the lion's share of tha aolos^and recita tives for male voices. AtfiV^he showed want of energy, but in. his later numbers warmed to the work and was japplauded. Mr Price is another of our stand- by aTin;. matters musical, aud can generally llbe ' ' rolled on to give good account of/himself, <^ ; Yesterday evening he-gang well ; Vis ren- '& deribg of " Comfort ye my people " being J most pleasing. Mr Kipgsland. 