The Express. — London, England, 1853-12-27 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, 1853. an the trees rhymes to Captions, whlth she, like Rosa lina, Bads sad reads ; 1111111 her reeding of sae et these aft dem is probably the nicest bit of hams is the piece. The 1 assessment we mentiosed yesterday. The retreat of the legitimate king sad his family is discovered by the usurp ism prince. They ere seised, and abet to be burst alive in the public square, when they are saved by the interpo sition of the protecting fairy, while the usurper is punished after the fashion of "Don Giovanni." A piece of this kind requires as good noting as a regular drama. On the pert of the performers 'here must be ho appearance of intentional extravagance. To make beelines really effective, it must have all the semblance of being en• tirely in earnest: and, to do justice to humour each as Mr. Planeld's, great refinement and discrimination are de manded. Of this the Lyceum actors seem to be fully aware —they have learned it by long experience. The characters of the good-natured, cohtented, King Placid, and his genial helpmate—at ones the queen and the notable housewife—as represented by Freak Matthews and Vestris, were full of genuine comedy. The fair manageress, who appeared for the first time this season, was welcomed with enthusiasm. She looked well, and sang with the rich mellow voice and playful grace which have always distin guished her. In the character of Prince Brutes Mr Wright was r ally " Wright at let"—mach more at home I. it than in anything be Ism done sines he came to this theatre. Miss St. George was charming as the herniae, and showed greater vusal powers than we had previously given her credit for. But, after all, the most remarkable feature of this piece is probably its wonderful splendour and beauty as a spec tacle. In the scenery Mr. Beverley has really outdone all hes previous outdoing". Every Mine deserves • separate description ; but we can only mention particularly the closing scenes of each act. The first is the interior of a grotto running under • rocky "ea-shore, with the sealit water seen entering its mouth, the " ocean home " of the fairy Aquamarine, and her sea-nymphs, whose gay dances ao its smooth sands form • beautiful finale to the net. The ',Goodie** great square of the city, where the catastrophe is ugly effected by the power et the fairy. The somesaiire *Ammar, abeolately magical ; and though the seam almost aches at the *oars of light, yet the extreme beauty of the coxp-ifonl is even more remarkable this its brilliancy. The piece was completely enecesafial, being most warmly applauded by a crowded house. We think, however, that some curtailment, especially in the emend act, would be advantageous. within a few magnates after the opening of the doors, and there went all the visible and audible signs of that expec tant excitement which usually attends the production of a pantomime on Boxing-night. The entertainments com menced with Mr. Mark Lemon's drama of Gestrusigh VaugAcui, the simple domestic interest of which, however, failed to arrest the attention of the audience, whose noisy impatience converted Gwynneth Vaughan into a mere piece of dumb show. The farce of Delie , ta Ground, which follo.cd, met with even were* fortune, the curtain being dropped in the middle of the piece in accordance with the loudly expressed wish of the audience. This was unfortunate, and somewhat hard upon the lady and gentleman who made their first ap. penance on the occasion ; and of whose acting it would be unfair to offer an opinion, as scarcely a syllable of what they uttered could be heard through the running acoompaainient kept up by the excited occupants of the galleries. A lull, however, took place as the great event of the evening approached—the production of thn panto. _ __. . . . . _ . mime of King Hwnning-lop ; o►, Harlequin and as Land of Toys. The spelling scene introduces us to the abode of Novelty (personated by Miss Featherstone), whence we are transported to the Palace of a certain Prince Chameleon, who, it appears, is in search of happiness, which hi is led to expect in the Gar den of Childhood and the Territory of Toys. Panto mime introductions are seldom remarkable for intelligible or coherent action, and it will be suflUent to say that after wandering through the Labyrinth of Love to the Bower of Beauty, we arrive at the Haven of Happiness, where the usual transformations take place, and the barlequinade commences. This portion of the pantomime is certainly superior to the introduction, and is sust►ined by ►n excel lest group of pantomimists. M. Milano is a nimble and agile harlequin, and Miss Annie Cushnie a graceful colum bise, while everybody knows that Tom Matthews is one of the best clowns since Grimaldi. Mr. Mallard made a good pantaloon, taking the usual amount of bumps and thumps with the traditioaal meekness attached to the character• There was also a Harlequias, in the person of Miss Marie Charles, who formed ea agreeable coadjutor to the Columbine. Moreover, we had an episodical same with a juvenile party of pantomimists, and some very elever per forename by the Ethair family (in the style of the Risleys). There was a fsir sprinkling of joky on the current topics of the day, and some clever tricks sad transformations, tope- Melly the change from the dead wall in Farringdon-street to a bosy market with butchers' ahops sad &Wag gar lights. Oa the whole, the Drary•lane pantomime is a good speci osa of its class, and it will be all the better for some con• demstioa of the introductory portion. There were the anal episodes of a Boxing night—mu or two forcible ex. pulalus—sundry practical jokes, such u mimic snow storm formed by multitudinous fragments of paper showered from the upper regions on the heads of the pa cks., and a frequent tendency to add a choral accompani ment to the stars music. and that his influence has been overrated. And we are sure that this opinion is that held by the majority of the nation. What then must the public think of the daring disregard of all political consistency which is exhibited by political writers, who do not hesitate to make a monster or a saint of a man who is neither the one nor the other, to suit each change of the compass of party? Does our contemporary believe that the public memory cannot take cogni sance of any longer space than ten days ? Does it think that after that time what was described as black may, without danger of detection, be described as white ? Whatever may be the reason for these veering@ of the political weathercock, the effect upon the public will be an utter contempt for the low state of morality which such proceedings exhibit, and a future distrust of all estimates of character proceeding from so suspicious a quarter. gt)r court. WINDSOR, Dsc. 26. The Queen, with the Princess Royal and Princes. Alice, walked in the grounds adjolaiag the Castle this morning. Piinee Albert, accompanied by Prince Leopold of Bale Coboarg, went out shooting this forenoon, attended by the Bail of Listomel, Lord Alfred Paget, Col. the Hon. C. B. Phipps, and Capt. Hon D. Bee. The Duke arid Duchess of Neuman visited her Majesty to-day. The Duke of Neweeetle his left tows for his out, Clam ber Perk, Notts. Despatches were received at t►e Celosial•ofdos yesterday from t►e °oversees of Hoag Haug, West Australia, Malts, and Gibraltar, sad also from the Lord Rig It Commissioner of t►e leaks Wm& PESCI ADAM C2ARTOSTBKI.—The Polish exiles is Leeds. aseeetbled nismerously on the 21st iost., et desess-eltssibers, Deke-etreet, St. James's, to reed the speeds of Pintos Adam Csartoryski, delivered by his high ness at Paz* as the 29th allies*, and voted to hies at aillasess imade ve et eeedisees. rfrepass e sad gratitude for the wasistee amid ipiededse with which hen his dope. mil desist( a lees and unblemished career, diet ileelsteee patriot has bees wateides over the tatter, desdhise et Pained ; that th i l e metal upset of Bata Issas peddle sew MI Ms Need be dialed. mei t h at Ile weedy One M el t sewer duds, his semis wed his milieu, the noised twosome tin la fertilge leads it the rights of his eseatry is aloe as dealable. The eiteses was signed, cm the part of these ea smbled, by Liestseeet Charles fleulesewski. who occupied the &air es the exissioe, sad by dr. N. F. Zaba. There is a story in circulation of an satire partisan of Lord Derby's party, who was personally attached to Mr. Disraeli, whoa Chancellor of the Exchequer, and now acts as an eztra " whip when pest 'zaniese are necessary to divide respectably, having eisest/y in Paris paid such =asked attentions to a dosed= of Queue Christina, as to bare received a request Ilion that careful end anions Prin ce= to knew WINK the seMatiesie mesa; assempaying the =lre on foamed= IbM,_ in son of leek being of a oltertister, a oesidesslie see=d insane would at aft be settled 's lb, pamtlady, with •a• Mara of a smith Inapt helnno asmsener. The yeasst soolemsa's reply hi = sommienbatises of the inviability of an alli esm bobs masts the Chart of Maiyat the reply wee that the Nifirlsa of the linplahniss to be an effec ted bee to soy sash areempeesesa ; Me etoordii,gly , " oiled tarring=" films w=eld=ed at Madrid 1 11 1 = 9 :raver atomse than inthedos THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. Yesterday was a Christmas holiday, and something more. The Maims of religion, is respect of the math, having been satisfied on Sunday, the day was unreservedly dedicated by the majority to enjoyment. An imperious order, Wising from the borne of a despot, could hardly have seemed a more uniform suspension of business than that whisk yesterday took place by the voluntary deference of our trading public to an unaided expression of opinion. The weather might be called fine. Thresibeut the early part of the day the roads were kept ►erd and dry by a brisk frost. There was just fog enough to be noticeable, and to give the steseshtut people a decent moue for not plying on the Thames. --- Tllll sun had not long been up when the streets began to All with crowds of well-dressed people, for the most part in family groups, not loitering about as as boning day, but hieing ato same predetermined rendezvous ; some to the country, some to the parks, others to the public Institutions and exhibitions, and very many t• the railway stations and the booking Moss of the long stage omnibuses. The street convenable* were exceedingly well loaded, mad the omnibus proprieton mast ban found it • very profitable day. At every corner on this line of the gnat thoroughfares, knots of panniers were to be seen waiting far the " bus," in most mom te find that, for want of room, some owe must be left behind. The public-houses stood open wide, and doubtlem did • good sucks of bsuittese ; yet an intoxicated perms eras hardly to be seen in the streets. As tbe day wore en the moving population slowly disappeared, doubt- less to meet in those bons circles where the Teutonic TIP in all parts of the world is accustomed to seek its highest and beet delight. In the evening the theatres produced their long promised novelties; to inspect which let us proceed. THEATRES AND PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENTS LYCEUM. The Christmas entertainment at this theatre was, as mai. from the skilful pea of Kr. Planolid, who memeds, better then say one else has ever doae, is Magda( the old, graceful fairy tales which he takes for his snidest, with a dress at once quaint and eleven, and I. preeerriag their romatic interest while MMus it up with grotesque sutra vegans'. Thiele's' hie pima is fostaded as the Costumes d'Asous' story of "La Primes' Caryllkm," sad is sailed Once moo a Tim teen mere Teo KM'S. It is certainly sae of the prettiest things of the kind that sea be hussies& a delightful miaow of massing inaideat, dialogue sparkling with wit end hammy, agreeable mein sad brilliant sad !mashie' spotted*. The testamee are exactly taken hem those of the !mak stags of the period what Madame D'Ausis wrote the original story; the male performers, in their Rowing periwigs sad laced snits, and the lemeles in their rick but elegant overt dresses, giving a prudes idea of the style in which the spleadid romantic sad fairy_ dramas of the age of Louie Quatoree were seriously represented. - - The pies opens with s beautiful view •f the port of sa.upar, the capital city of the islaad of ; the king, Peniwigulos the Proud, is remising with great pomp his sea sad Guiana Prison Brater, returned from eon quest. The Wag is masted by Mr. J. Stead; mad Mr. Wright makes a capita burlesque of the warlike pricer who • 110111101184 stied, sad wants to get rid of his papa, and dm to tibiae forcible pommies of a snag damsel named Corpuses, who has been brought up at the court of Perriwiseths. This king is an usurper who has dedirceed his asemiii, King Sublimes, and driven Ida from his kingdom. The fugitive Kiss end Queen eoliths with their family to • secluded place celled the Verdant Islands, where they live is the disguise of pinnate ; but in their flight they have lest ono of their children, who, bevies fallen lab a lake, is saved by • bene volent fairy, who gives the child the name of Carpilona, and carries her to the court of King Perriwigulus, by whom (es we have said) she has been brought up. Flying fres t►e 'Wines of Prince Brutus, she fl•ds so asylum is the Verdant Islands,where her royal papa sad wisairs,with their two other daaghten, and a foundling youth whom they have adopted, Dave their humble abode. By certain tokens the King and Queen die• cover, that the stranger girl is their own daughter, and an affectionate family recognitios takes place. She takes young Cerin fur her brother, but is told that he , is so relative, but only • shepherd lad, brought up out of chatity. Of course this young couple fall in loth, and there I is something sweet and pretty in these scenes, netwithstacd lag the burlesque tone, which is laid aside. King Placid is Mr. Frank Matthews, his Queen is Madame Vas tris, Carpilona is Min Julia St. George, and two very clever little girls, Miss Mason and Ulu Foote, are Chloe and Phillis, her sisters. There are hers some exceedingly pleasant musical parodies, particularly • leve•duct between Curio and Carpilona, to the music of "La ci diem Is I, mane ;" and the following little song, sung delightfully by Madame Vairis, as the Peasaut•Queen, to the tune of " Our Polly is a sad slat" : Oar polity is upset Completely by our daughter; I almost wish the fishermen Had left her in the water' For she Las told about us all We told her not to say— And on a bumpkin all but gone And flung herself away. Coria (about Mr. F. Robinson makes very ainusieg) goes about, like Orlando s the "Forest of Ardis," hasiliall HAYMARKET. As the How* of the Family, with which the performance. commenced yesterday evening at the Haymarket, he. already proved a hope fulfilled both to author and manager, it will be enough to say of it that it went off with wen more than usual eclat, and that Mr. Backstow's impersonsitieu of Joe Wadd gave no intimation that be had exhausted ell his fun in inventing jokes for the pantomime. The pro duction of the latter was an event in Haymarket annals— the present being the first Christmas in which the modern innovation, burlesque, liss been made to give place to the legitimate absurdity. The experiment was quite suc cessful. The audience, old and young, were quite glad to see their friends, Harlequin and Crowe, to hear the merry pantomime music, and, as weal, were ready to explode at every old substantial joke, that owed its fan, not to the writer, but to the stage carpenter. The manager, who in Jr. Wadd in the play recommends every we to be his own father, in order to ensure a respectable pedigree, has by a parity of reasoning thought fit to be his own pantomime writer, and has justified the course taken by the produstion of a good one. He has chosen for his theme Bouthey's fairy tale of Little Silvorhair mod the Three Bears. The harlequinede that follows the cowhides of Silverhair's psanks is of the old orthodox pattern. The orchestra plays en everlasting jig, the Clown and Pasta loon pick every one's pockets, and quarrel over the spoil, and the scenery changes at the bidding of the Halle• quits from railway stations to Chobhsm Camp, and thence to Virginia Water, with all that magic celerity which is generally observable on the first night of the Christmas pantomime. There is excel lent dancing, plenty of fun, and, is conclusion, a grand tableau in which the naval review at Spithead is re presented with mach spirit and fidelity. On the whole, Mr. Backstone's first attempt at pantomime has fairly earned the &Towable verdict of the public. The fable chosen as a groundwork is graceful and childlike, the dia logue (in the introduction) is intelligible, and the mencery and properties are beautiful and gorgeous. The rained abbey by moonlight, changing into the Lotus Lake and waterfall, was greatly cheered ; and the fairy raft might bear cam park= with some of the best Lycra tableaux. In the acting some new strength has been added to the oompany, the parts of Silverfish. and Lotwilia being taken by Mdlies. Thompson and Morris, two young ladies from her Majesty's Theatre, both of whom did their spiriting gratefully and well. Miss Thompson, in addition to being a pressure dassmume, is a very promising settees, and Miss Morris, who relies almost exclusively on her saltatory feats, dances with I great agility and aplomb. Mr. Marshall as Clown, Miss Mary Brown as Columbine, sad Mr. Harass as Palatal/toe, passed with unanimous approval. and will, no doubt, make the pantomime run long; and well, provided it be a little compressed in dimension, so as to allow the yeas' folks to get home and to bed at a reasonable hour. PRINCESS'S. Whether it were eying to the novelcirmunstence that all the world au free for enjoyment, or to an increasing app.- tita for pantosainse, nothing could exceed the eagerness ex. hibited yesterday evening to obtain n commanding position in this theatre. Long before 6 o'clock, nil the inlets were choked up with good-hatnoared crowds, the waggish part of which anticipated the evening's entertainment with an impromptu, one of their owe ; and whet the doses at length opened, somewhat earlier then usual, the crash was lose sad fearful. The performance commenced with the Corsi can BrotArro, too established a (gement' not to have pleased a Christmas auditory ; the Daly drawback is this iambuses being the occasional isterraptioes incidental to the 0.11114014 Of the pantomimic piece Marketing and the Miller end Me Mom ; or, Kay piece, and the Fairy of the Amore Lobe, an outline having been given yesterday, it snot be aseessary to ingodses it again. When the mill had disappeared, as already men tioned, through the agency of "The Fairy," the natal transformation warred, the ',Toni parts being thus &aligned—Harlequin (Mr. Coruna), Clown (Mr. Haliae). Patalooa (Mr. Paulo), Columbine (Kiss Dseborongh), After the ball bad been opened, the Clown went through some capital pastures on a ladder. First he stood on his head at the top of ass aide of the ladder, than revolved es his bead in the same position, then dismay/la glees of wise, and finally lit a cigar and smoked it is the like antipodean attitude. A barrel of " Wan] shiny " was next eon s 'lifted into a beehive, from which emerged a number of exaggerated be es; and another barrel, labelled " Sayer's Elixir of Love " yielded a young cupid. The Baker-street Poultry Show was made the occasion of intro ducing a pair of gigantic carkactures of the Cochin China fowl, the upper part of the legs being most ladierously padded in imitation of the real bird. The " diggings,' ' though now rather stale, wars not quite forgotten. A box, marked with that coveted domination, emitted what was termed a fancy portrait of Marco Spada, being, In fact, a ghost-like form of spades, which were strung together and perambulated the stage. After several minor tricks, which were geaerally well received, came a washing establish . . seat—indicated by the letters " A. Soapsuds, laundress." This formed the basis of • series of very boisterous incidents, in which the whole paraphernalia of the laundry was turned to good account. Clown having at last killed • postman and stuffed him in the copper is visited by a number of apparitions, whose mouths make • clicking sort of noise, which, in some degree, bears out the appellation given to them of " spirit tappers." The Camp at Chobham was very prettily worked up. After • sentinel had been disposed of in the summary fashion of a pantomime, and his box had been made to do things which Cbobhain dreamt of, there was introduced a proces sion of British Grenadiers, in the Lilliputian shape of forty or fifty children, well trained and got up for the occasion, as was evinced by the formed square, and went through a field day. The bellige rent Russians and Turks, too, were not wanting ; the former being represented by three capering bears, and the latter by a number of imitation turkeys' bodies, surmounted by the Turkish fez; and when the bears wire charged by the birds there was an unmistakeab!e expression of sympathy and encouragement. The final scene, described as the Fairy Temple of Happy Land, scarcely came up to the ge of each tableatia; find, as if conscious that it would not bear iaspection, those in charge dropped the curtain with unusual suddenness. It was midnight when the perform ance concluded; the interval between the openia4 piece and the pantomime having been protracted much too long. DRURY-LANE. Seldom have the walls of Old Drury contained a larger audience (and it might be added, • noisier one) than was assembled last sight. Every available space was occupied ♦ . ADELPHI. Number Nip and the spirit Bride, a magic spectacle in two acts, was produced as the Christmas piece at this theatre. The tale is founded on the relations of the spirit kingdom with the human race, as characterised in the magic and romantic philosophy of Paracelaus end ROPi• *mins. King Nip is the chief of the gnomes—spirits of earth who have power over the sylphs—spirits of the air, who are in general friendly to poor mortal,. The Gnome King has been overcome in former tames by one of the barons of Wolfenstein, and has continued the obedient imp of the descendants of the conqueror. Count Rudolph, one of these, a gay and dissipated youth, having lost his for tune, and ignorant of the talisman that exists amongst the records of his family, comes to one of his dilapidated castles to spend the remainder of • bankrupt life. In going to kindle a fire in his chamber, he fishes up an old book from the family lumber for that purpose, but his fellow-student, Baron Herman, before applying the volume to the intended object, reads from a slip of paper contained in it a few cabalistic words, when the Gnome King suddenly appears, and proposes to his hie choice of ample gifts. Gold to pay his debts, and a servant to do his bidding, are the requests of Rudolph. The Gnome King determines to make use of the latter to achieve his own freedom, which depends upon the recovery of the talisman, and for this purpose sends him Estella, a sylph, with strict injunctions to become pos sessed of the charm by which he is bound to the will of Rudolph. Instead, however, of executing her orders, she falls in love with Rudolph, and be friends him in every way except in that of promotiag his love for Ida, a fellow mortal and foster sister, who has taken possession of his whole soul. A magnificent festival has been prepared for the celebration of the marriage be tween Ida and Rudolph, which is prevented by the op posing influences of the Gnome King and Estella, now naked for this objoos, .Hsi im no &wall degree by We terrific appearance of Pirate Lambro (Mr. Paul Bedford), who takes Ida and several of the village girls to the slave market of Tunis. In obedience I. the usual theatrical laws in this case made sad provided, all the parties meet in the slave market, and Ida becomes the slave of the Bey, notwithstanding • very spirited adverse bidding by Rudolph. All hope seems over when Estella proposes to Rudolph to save Ida but, on the condition that he accepts betself as his bride instead. Rudolph, la the last resort, consents, whereupon Estella appears before the Bey, is a dazzling dress, and acts with such inimitable grew, that he is won at once, and resigns, as he says, " silver, which is good, for gold, which is better." Oa going, however, to look for Estella, he finds she has fled as 'pain of the air only can. She goes beak to the old castle, and exacts from Rudolph, who i• again going to be united with Ida, the performance of his promise ; but finding that the love of the two mortals is stronger than that between a mortal and spirit, abs foregoes the vow and floats away amidst a lovely concluding scene, all blue and bright, azure and astral, to rejoin the spirits of the upper sky, sad the Gnome King becomes free. Such is the plot of the Adelphi Christmas piece, and those on whom the chief burden of the perform ance lay did everything that could be expected to give it effect and eclat. Miss Woolgar, as Rudolph, " made up" for th►t part with a perfection and spirit which few bat Mir Woolgar can ; and Mrs. Keeley, as the Gnome King, made a most threatening demon of the earth, only, perhaps, a little too emboinpoisi for a spirit. We must say, however, the piece was only partially successful, and that it by no means created that enthusiasm and excitement with which one generally expects the Christmas piece to be accom panied. The machinery was by no means " free and easy," and the scenery, with the exception of the freak, was not of the gorgeous description. The house was very well filled. SADLER'S WELLS. The piece chows at this temple of dramatic " high art" as a foil to the holiday portion of the entertainment was The Lady of Lyons. All things considered the piece obtained as fair • hearing se it is in the nature of things for a first piece to receive on boxing night. The " gods," indeed, whose warmth of sentiment so peculiarly and appro priately marks their heavenly character, did not fail to in quire after the health of friends and generally to wish each other the compliments of the season, without paying any particular regard to the distance which separated the indi viduals exchanging these mutual civilities. Beyond this and as occasional end ,on the past of an originalgenius, to ascertain whether some fellow occupant of the gallery felt wholly placid, generally followed by an at tempt to disturb that serenity by pelting& of orange peel, there was nothing material to charge against any portion of the audience on the more of ill-behaviour. The morrows and joys of Claude Malnotts and Pauline Deechappellee being ended " to the satisfaction of all parties concerned," the curtain rose and brought to view the first scene of that which the playbill tells us—per haps with an intention of coaciliating as well the more re forming portion of the community as those who think with • well known noble lord, that the " Old old hate" are better than the " old hate"—is a " new" grand " old" English pantomime, entitled, Harlequin Tens Thumb ; or, Gog and Magog and Mother Goose's Golden Goslings. Prior, however, to the first scene the overture, in which were inserted " The Low-backed Car," and " Pop Goes the Weasel," gave immense satisfaction ; a large portion of the audience aiding with their voices, the by no means over extensive orchestra, while their favourite melodies were played. Upon the rising of the curtain, Gog and Magog are " discovered, " lamenting something, apparently the progress of modern improvement, and "speak of somebody and you'll see his tail" being always literally true in a pantomime, Progress appears and changes the scene to the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. After a little more bewsilmeat, Gog and Magog depart—why they ever came is a secret best known to themselves and the inventor of the pantomime. In an equally mysterious manner Mother Goose appears upon the stage, and the subject of • pantomime is broached ; whereupon the golden I trading, also appear, each bearing in his mouth a letter, These letters, when duly placed, form the words " Tom Thumb." The subject of the pantomime being resolved upon, a dance, of course, takes place to celebrate that event. This dance was by children, and was very neatly executed. The dance being concluded, and the clouds in which it took place " cleared away," we are introduced to the interior of Gaffer Thumb's cottage, as well as to that personage him self sad Mrs.Thusab. The antics then goes forward according to the programme given in yesterday's Daily New, until the transformations take place. The Columbine was Miss Caro line Parkas ; Mr. C. Pentoa was Harlequin ; Clown, Pan taloon, and an ambiguous iadividual called Whirligig, were respectively represented by Mr. N. Deulin, Mr. Naylor, sad Herr W. Moleno. The harlequinade then followed. Th• hits upon events passed and passing were tolerably fre quent. The most telling appeared to be those in which the City testimonial to Prince Albert, the moustache move meat, and the rate of hotel charges, were touched upon- In one instance, a direct reference was made to the cabinet and the Russian difficulty. A cue was brought in labelled "A new weapon of war from Aberdeen"; t►is wu trans formed, by the Harlequin, into "Government stationary." One feature in the piece was somewhat remarkable. It oc curred in some clever slack-rope work by Herr Moleno. After performing various evolutions with much skill, the Herr simulated the operation of hanging by means of • padded rope, on which he rested the back of his head. This is certaialy a feature which may well be dispensed with on future occasions; for not only is at an ungainly and dan gerous operation, but the only notice it met with was the hisses of several of the audience. Having thus briefly sketched the outline of the evening's entertainment, the reader may be left to fill in the details at his leisure. There is no need to tell how butter-boys were robbed, how policemen were waylaid, or how there was • general melee, arising in the meet unexpected manner. Suffice it to say that the clown, after sowing his wild oats as clowns are accustomed to do; that pantaloon, after bearing those ills bellied " with true pantomimic composure, and that harlequin and columbine, after making desperate love, found themselves at last, with their attendant sprites, in those bright realms where it is happiness to inhale the fumes of red fire, and, literally as figuratively, the very tip-top of bliss, to spin heels uppermost upon a pole. OLYMPIC. The drama of Plot and Passion, with which the IMMO of this theatre opened in September, has continued so popular, that it keeps its place at the head of the bills, and preceded the Christmas entertainment last night. It is an. deratood that one of the authors of that drama has not thought it unworthy of him to devote his acknowledged abilities to the construction of the pantomime which was last night produced, under the title of Harlequin Columbus. The plan of the piece, as detailed in yesterday's Daily News, was most amusingly wrought out, after which the accustomed transformation takes place, Mr. Moreland being . . - . _ _ Harlequin, Mr. M. Roche: Clown, Mr. W. Roche. Pasta. loon, aid Miss Wyndham Columbine. The tricks, trans formations, and the hurly-burly of the pantomime proper is t►en proceeded with with great energy. This runs through the Arctic Regions, Model Farms, Russia and Turkey. Hydropathy, and all the prominent topics of the day, with • fair admixture of tricks and transformation, and con. eludes with a very rich and hindsome tableau of the Gorgeous Gallery of Progress." Great pains appeared to have been taken with the getting up, and u soon as the hitches almost Inseparable from a first night are remedied, the pantomime will deserve • run. SURREY. A very crowded house, principally composed of "children of larger growth," last night witnessed the performance of Alfred Crowquill's pantomime at this theatre. The title of Mr. Crowquill's production is King Munfos ; or, Seth. gain Hearteake and the Fairies of the Glow-worm Glade ; and, successful as the previous efforts of the author have been in the pantomimic drama, the present promises to command at least as hugs an amount of public favour as any of them. The btulesque introduction is of more than ordinary length, and of course is as much more than ordi narily difficult to unravel. It introduces ns to a King Muffin, who seems to have as little chance of handing down his sovereignty to the heir apparent of the kingdom of genuine gunpowder as the illustrious Brother of the Moon has to preserve to his race the celestial empire ; • Prince Crumpet, his son, who would form a uaio• with Miss Bri.leitake, but cannot obtain the one thing need ful via., the lady's consent ; a Prince Hurt. cake, the favoured lover; and the usual fol lowers, allies, and assistants, terrestrial, celestial, and infernal, of the rivals. The abode of the Tea Witches —Bobea Shee, Howqu• Shee, and Souchong Slute—afforde an opportunity of introducing a laughable parody on the witches' scene in Macbeth, King Muffin burlesquing the Thane, and • teapot the cauldron; and a laugh at the ex pense of the Agapemone is raised in • scene entitled the Agapeminous abode of love. The harlequinade was . 1 101111aelatled, laco:des aue yes, graceful dancing by M. Alexandre (the Harlequin), and the Misses Gunnies, who Ailed the partsof Columbine and Harlequins,' much larger number of pantomimic tricks than we have been accur tomed to see. Mr. Doughty, as the Clown, and Mr. Bradbury, as Pantaloon, well sustained their esta blished reputation. The seeenery was exceedingly welt executed. Two scenes in the introduction, the Valley of • Thousand Streams and the Glowworm Glade, both by Phillips, are beautiful specimens of scent's art. The other entertainments were the melodrama of the Sailor of France and the farce of the IVaiter at Cremorne, and, es they took precedence of the pantomime, they were judiciously curtailed to meet the impatience of the audience. MARYLEBONE. The performances commenced with a new drama, called Broken Toys, which, as is not unusual on Boxing-nights, wee played in dumb show. The pantomime is the produc tion of Mr. Nelson Lee, and is entitled Harlequin King Ugly Mug and My Lady Lee of Old London-bridge. It opens with a view of Stonehenge by moonlight, the abode of fitoneybatter, • hard-hearted demon monarch, who is attended by his sprite., Granite, Flint, Sc. They deter mine to ruin t►e Christmas sport. They take their depar ture for earth, and the scene changes to the crystallised grotto of the Fairy Queen, who promises her protection to Beauty, who is in love with Prince Prettyfellow, the son of King Ugly Mug. The setae changes to Old London bridge, and Old King Ugly Mug is introduced riding on his charger and attended by his troop. Part of the bridge falls in, and King Ugly Mug falls in also, but with much ado is lifted out again. Stoneybatter appears attended by Granite, who builds up the bridge never more to fall. The two lovers meet at the Verdant Cot• tags of Beauty, where the Demon Chief arrives, who 'vises them, but they escape, and the chief is shut up in the box of a atone jag. Lady Lee arrives next and dances a pat de seed with King Ugly Mug, who intro duces her to his son as the wife that he has amen for him. The Prince is indignant, she being more ugly than Ugly Mug himself, and contentions arise which are quelled by the intervention of the Fairy Queen, who transforms Prince Prettyfellow into Harlequin, King Ugly Mug into Clown, Lady Lee into Pantaloon, and Mer cury into the Sprite. Then the fun commences, and some good jokes are hit off in the usual way by the help of Har lequin's potent wand. Three performing dogs were also introduced, and they erected some; extraordinary feats, such as wheeling barrows and jumping through hoops set on fire. The scenery was exceedingly well got up, and drew forth the deserved applause of • very crowded house. STRAND. A German tale by Dr. Hoffman, cast by Mr. Manche into the skimp' of a pantomime entitled Harkquin and King Nutcracker ; or, the World of Top, was the Christmas piece produced at this theatre. The very limited dimen sions of the stage rendered it a task of some difficulty to complete an entertainment of this description ; but the engagement of Flexmore as Clown was considered amply sufficient to compensate for any defects there might be in the mechanical arrangements. Mr. Flex more was. iadeed, the great attraction of the evening, and the performers in the opening scenes are all fresh from the nursery, with the exception of a Brobdignag King (of Toy's land), who!. voice, however, is so peculiarly small that it might well have been borrowed from one of his juvenile subjects. The standing army of this mighty monarch are all picked men from the best toy boxes in the Lowther Arcade, and other equally celebrated military I depots , and the dwelling-houses in his dominions are painted and decorated in those peculiar tints of white, green, and vermillion with which our childhood made us familiar. This part of the exhibition lacked the important ingredient —" fun," and it was not until the harlequinatle commenced that the risible faculties of the audience began to be excited. The business of the scene moves pleasantly enough, and the merriment was never allowed to flag. The absurdities and popular movements of the day were, of course, exposed and ridiculed after the usual fashion. Mr. Flexmore was well supported by Mr. Bologna as Harlequin, Mr. Griffiths as Pantaloon, and Misr Coward as Columbine, and the g I performance afforded ample ground for believing that the pantomime of King Nutcracker—though this style of entertainment is unusual at this little house—will prove a source of attraction and aranmentent for many nights to come. Every avenue to this favourite plate of amusement wee Crowded at an early hour, and as soon as the doors were opened, the rush was tremendous. We never remember t o have seen so overflowing an audience, even on a boxing night. During the performance of the first piece, The Elephants of the East, in which the wonderful feats of those sagacious animals surprised and delighted the sight seer; the circus was filled by that part of the audience coristita ling the pit. Upon the commencement of the s tens , of the circle," they were transferred to the stage, every pin of which was crowded, and presented an animated and ult. usual spectacle. The equestrian performances were go o d ; ' Barry was missing, but his comic duties were, however, well sustained by Mr. C. Adams. Widdicomb was as witty and dignified as ever, and showed, th at although there may be two clowns, there can be ►ut °es Widdicomb. The pantomime, which was from the pen of Mr. N e l son Lee, was entitled Billy Button's Journey Brantford, a subject well known to the numerous little folks whose merry faces were radiant with delight. The curtain rose and discovered the abode of the Demon Chief Steekap, Guardian of the Magic Needle. Gold Eye, Silver Eye, Short Stump, Whiteehapel, Knitting, Farling, and Darning, nine sprites, are occupied in making the magic needle, and singing a chorus. The demon Steelcap makes his appearance, and Informs the sprites that the fairy Qu een Industry, of whom he is the enemy, is about to invent a pantomime. To thwart her design, Steeleap sends the needle to earth, d ' ' g Gold Eye to follow it, with a view to discover the hero chosen for the proposed pantomime. He employs his rusty needles to base the designs of the Fairy Queen. When the sprites depart on their several missions, we are introduced to the Romantic Garden of Industry in the Land of Perseverance," with in bumming bees, golden windmill, fairy court, Day-dawn appear., and a dance ensues. The sports are interrupted by the transformation of the beehive into a fairy car, and the Fairy Queen Industry (the friend of labour, but not the enemy of mirth) ls d ie . covered. Miss Fashion, the younger, next appears; and the Queen announces that she intends to have a Christmas pantomime. Young Fashion is asked to name a hero, when Dane Fashion comes forth, and declares that the old pantomimes were the best. The shade of John Gilpin is thereupon made to appear; but he is refused by the Queen, who states that be— " has pined much pelf, But with due honoun, must stay upon the shelf." Dame Fashion's wand then calls up Billy Button, who is accepted, and we are introduced to the hero's spartm•at. His servant Timothy has been discharged, and is succeeded by Btitch'em ; Billy receises a letter enclosing a 101. note, and asking for his vote at the Brantford election. Our hero makes many vain attempts t..) get a quiet nag ; and at last he starts, followed by Stitch's= on a donkey. We ars next introduced to a tailor's shop, into which Billy dashes, to the dismay of the wretched tailors and himself, Who little thought, when he set out, Of running such a rig." We next meet our hero on the Brentford-road, which is thronged by people going to the election. Billy dashes on, and we then find ourselves at the hustings, where head breaking and speechifying are the order of the day. Billy presently appears, clinging to the neck of his frightened steed, who deposits his bur !en in the mud. The Fairy Queen hers transforms Billy, a maid servant of Billy's, and Timothy, the predecessor of Stitch'em, who had gone off with her to be married, and who had been partly the object of Billy's pursuit, into Harlequin and Columbine ; Stitch'em becomes Pantaloon, and Billy Button is the Clown. The pantomime was received with the loudest demonstrations of applause, and is likely to be very successful. Marian MUSEUM.—On no former occasion has this immense establishment been visited in so short a space of time by such a concourse of visitors as on yesterday. Every room and lobby leading to the several departments was crowded with moving thousands of well-dressed per sons, curiously inspecting the immense collection of spe cimens from all the kingdoms of nature and realms of art which abound throughout t►e establishment. It is calculated that not lees than 40,000 persons visited the Museum. NATIONAL GALLERY.—Soon after the doors were opened, and during the entire morning, thousands upon thousands of well-dressed persons continued to crowd every room throughout this truly national establishment; and notwithstanding there could sot have been less than 2,000 persons in various rooms at one time, the strictest order and regularity were observed. THY VERNON COLLECTION OF PAINTINGS, THE Muezuel or ORNAMENTAL ART, and the Wat.t.veoene FUNERAL CAR, at Msrlborough.house, Pall-mall, had during the day 27,430 visitors. The Museum of Ornamental Art will be open to the public free every day this week, Saturday excepted. BURFORD'S PANORAMA OF CONSTANTINOPLE.— This recently opened picture (which is exhibited so appro priately at the present juncture of affairs) was visited by a large number of persons. The painting is worth seeing u a work of art alone ; but the interest which attends an authentic representation of a spot on which the public mind is now so much fixed, rendered it one of the most popular exhibitions of the day. THE GALLERY OF ILLUSTRATION.—The addition of the Illustrated Lecture on the North-west Passage to the existing attractions of this Gallery, is another proof of the tact of the management. The Arctic Re gions, St. Petenburgb, and Constantinople, are the topics of the day ; and when they are brought together visibly before the eye as in this beautiful series of pictures, in the short space of time which they embrace as a prelude to the diorama of the Ocean Mail, it can hardly be woa dared at that space at the gallery is becoming a question of Interest, and the anxiety to secure seats decided. The most recent addition to the exhibition has been lately fully described in the Daily News, and it will suffice here to say that the holiday of yesterday was duly honoured in this place. WYLD'S GLOBE, LEICESTER-BQUARE. The re. cent additions te Mr. Wyld's geographical exhibition appeared to be appreciated by the public. The " Great Globe" was yesterday visited by a great number of sight seers. COLOSSEUM, REGENT'S PARK.— The Coloateum, where one may see adumbrated the nascent glories of the Crystal Palace, attracted many hundred vi.iton. The varied objects of interest had each its circle of admirers ; but the great " lions " were, of course, the panorama of London and the cyclorama representation of the Earthquake at Lisbon. These old favourites wan to have lost none of their charms, and they certainly well deserve the popularity they have achieved; for who would be at the trouble of climbing St. Paul's or the Monument to obtain a view of the great metropolis, or who would run the risk of being present at an earthquake, when he may see both so vividly portrayed, and at the cost of so little inconvenience and danger in Regent's-park ? MADAME TUSSAI/D'B.—This exhibition, which is almost as old as the street in which it stands, and which its presence has made famous, seems to lose nothing of its attraction for the holiday public. Yesterday it was thronged to excess, and much interest was exhibited about a melancholy addition made since last year—the Great Hake as he lay in state at Widmer Castle. The group of tke royal family had also crowds of loyal admirers, and truth compels us to add that the " Chamber of Horrors' was "second to none" in the number of its visitants. The whole exhibition is highly instructive as well as amusing, and being a day as well as night spectacle, has peculiar re commendations for the more juvenile holiday makers. POLYTECHNIC.—Bueinesa began at the Polytechnic yesterday at II a.m., sad from that time until 11 p.m. the public poured steadily in to see magnified photographic pictures, or go down in the diving bell, or bear a courageous lecturer disproving the fact of Krook's death by sponty neon, combustion, the authorities quoted by Mr. Dickens notwithstanding. There was also a musical lecture which was well worth hearing, and the usual variety of scientific and philosophical experiments. A similar bill of fare will be presented all through the holidays. HATCH'S IRISH TOURIST TICKET.—This place of amusement was well attended yesterday, and to time who have travelled from Euston.square to the Lakes of Kil larney—and thanks to railroads and kinder feelings their name is now legion—many striking scenes will be brought to their recollection. Two new scenes, representing Con stantinople and St. Petersburg, have been introduced, end Miss Julia Blesden continues to sing some of her pleasant Irish songs. STAGE ACCIDENT.—An accident, a hich WBB for- tunately not attended with sty serious consequences, oc curred the evening before last at the Gaii6 during the re• presentation of the Cosaques. A trap-door on the stage mud dent, gave way, and bait a dozen of the combatants suddenly disappeared. After some moments of confusion, they assisted each other in scrambling up to their original position to the great satisfaction of the audience, who were fearful of unpleasant consequences from their tall. gite erin'efilS• TO CORRESPONDENTS. A Aused Editl6ll,F - i;;;lrpesso, --- • 7 6•4. same ntalas's "Oasstta," is published isywry Tugela, awl Yr:day ni M, ta time hr past. ialvt4timarato Intended Ar "7fe Espirem." Lowden ?yaws, paw. carrot be at Uae flaw. 10. 61111.460.1/1118t, by Two o'clualt ow the day of pabliestasa. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Ti.n Dar —tilanisi, L lb. Afteraiwn. Itl. 3su. Twasoluter —*waft. Ob. OM .A Ramos. Gg. 7 a. I.O.VDON, TUESDAY, DECE.VBER 27. YeirmertAv it wu announced that Lord PALMER' nox bad retracted his resignation, and yesterday the Tines celebrated the event by turning its coat once more. Oa Friday, the 16th of December, the Times, in communicating to the public the intelligence that Lord PALYEILSTON had tendered hit resignation of his 011109 as Secretary of State for the Home Depart ment, observed that " no motives short of the most imperious dictates of conscience and of duty would justify a Minister of the Crown in retiring from its service at a moment of so much importance to the interests of the nation and the world." This was the mildest form of reproach with which the vagaries of his lordship were wilted. In a second article the Times poured out the vials of its wrath to the very dregs upon the unfortunate ex-Minister. The public were asked to believe that Lord PAL iimurrox's motives were little better than mere ca price—that there was something in the month of December which seemed to make Lord Pm.reinarron snmanagcable—th‘t the cocstellation which presides over the winter solstice must predominate in his ho rosoope—that December, 1831, saw him abandon the eollesgues with whom he had acted five years—that Demobs; 1832, saw him unite himselfagain with his old friends and that Deoember,lB33, beholds another breach of the friendship which had been re-established a year ago. In other words, Lord PALMERSTON had no better reason for his conduct than lunatics have for the alleged exaggeration of their disease at the period of the fall mnoo. "The dims", of breaking up Cabinets," said the candid Tintes,"Deenla to have assumed with him a chronic form." In short the evident design of our contemporary was to insinuate that his lordship had little ether motive for bringing a Ministry to a dead-lock than a mischievous propensity for indulging his malice, which developed itself in fall force annually somewhere about Christ mas time. Tho article then went on to state that Lord Pntatrusxon had acted on anti-liberal prin ciples—that he separated on one occasion from his colleagues on account of his sympathy with the abso lutist revolution in France—that he separates from them now " because he cannot make up his mind to reform in any shape—to or di._ any extension of the suf frage, or any removal of thaw small and corrupt boroughs which still disgrace our constitution. Like the Duke of WELLINGTON in 18:30, Lord PALMERSTON "is against all reform, and resigns his place because he will not form part of a Reforming Ministry." After this we were told that, by Lord PALMERSTON'S resignation, the Liberal cause had lost nothing—that he was a "Tory of the Old School," and that, however his loss might be re• gretted, it would hare been still worse to " keep Mai at his own terms." A statesman who can give no better reasons for breaking up a Ministry than wantonness and caprice, who goes poli- deafly mad every winter, who detests Liberal principles, who is a representative of a school of poli ticians whom Englishmen in general would hate were they not too weak to attract any feeling strati., than contempt, who is not worth buying at his own price, is better out of an administration than ie it, and this was the evident conclusion to which the Times wished to lead the public mind. There Was a palpable desire to show that the Inas of Lord PALMERSTON was a " good riddance." This was on the 16th of December,ll days ago. Yesterday, 10days after the "damaging" remarks on the Holm SECRETARY% character, Lord PALMERSTON is represented by the nows in a totally different light. Reformed, we suppose, by the castigation administered to him by our contemporary, his lordship appears in its columns with a coat of whitewash. He comes for ward as a pearl of price. Nothing is too dear to be offered in exchange for such a valuable item in the composition of the Cabinet as Lord Paurazavort. lie has come back not as a repentant inner, bet as an invaluable friend. " The zealous mediation of the Duke of NEWCASTLE, the sagacious and patriotic advice of the Marquis of LANSDOWNE, and, we must add, the excellent temper and public spirit shown by the Ministers mat nearly engaged in this diecussioa, have led to this satisfactory result." The " mediation " of a Duke, the "patriotism" of a Mar quis, the " public spirit " of Ministers all set in motion to obtain the " satisfactory remelt" of gaining beck to their sides a colleague who leaves them in the lurch at a moment's notice, who has a "chronic" tendency to break up Ministries every December, who is en anti-Liberal, an old Tory, who is not worth the price he sets on himself! Who would imagine that the Peerage and the Ministry would have bid so much for so miserable an object? How are we to aceennt for each fatuity P The only way to get over the difficulty is to for get the character written out, ten days ago, for the servant who gave warning, and read the new cha- Meter given to the servant who consents to return to hie place. Yesterday, the news, "turning its book upon itself," is pleased to aware the public that Iced PALMERSTON on the 16th, and Lord Pautcarron on the 26th, are two very different peruses. It affirms that "Lord PALMERSTON and the colleagues with whom he is spin united have been actuated by higher motives of public duty" than those which have been ascribed to them. The political lunatic of the 16th is said on the 26th to be a great master of diplomatic subjects, bringing to them an extraordinary amount of political experi ence, combined with great fertility of resources and natural energy. " Ile contributes," we are told "to the service of the Crown, not only the advice he may tender in the Cabinet, but his eloquence and popularly in Parliament, and the confidence he has obtained from the nation." The man sot worth the price he asks for himself is suddenly found out to be invaluable. The break up in the Cabinet would have been the most distressing event for the nation, the reoonsolidation of it is a national blessing. " Lord PALMERSTON'S return to office is not the triumph of one section of the Cabinet over another, nor has it been purchased by concessions or arrangements which can produce any alterations in the course of public policy ; but it is the triumph of union and public spirit over a partial dissension, and it gives a fresh security for the duration of a Govern ment which is identified with the best interest of the country." So much for Lord PALMERSTON, who must chuckle amazingly at the extraordinary rapidity in which, for party purposes, he is metamorphosed from a sin ner to 'saint. We believe we indicated the true esti• !nation in which the intelligence of the nation held Lord P LMERI,TON, by a reference to the thermo meter of the pocket. We pointed out to our rtaders the fact that the effect upon the funds of the auaouncement of the Holt: SEcat.r.tat'a resignation was—half•a•crowo. We asserted also, what is well understood in the political world, that Lord l'aLmusiust has scarcely any •' following," 16t1 the mot ;pd on 1 oft] Poi ono hay pros Ad I hot th fun