The Press. — London, England, 1858-01-23 00:00:00

stt grama. THE LYCEUM—LOVERS' AMAZEMENTS. THE play which was brought out under the above title at the Lyceum on Wednesday last, though never before acted, was, if we rightly remember, published a few years since in a periodical of which Mr. Leigh Hunt was the editor. Although the scenery and characters bear French names, we are not aware that the author is under any obligation to French sources ; and should this prove to be the case, the English drama will have reason—in these borrowing days— to be proud of a piece, which in addition to the literary merit naturally to be expected from its writer, possesses the additional qualifications of rapid movement, well-sustained interest, and extreme neatness of construction. The plot, though simple enough as regards its motives, is worked out by certain intricacies of detail perfectly clear on the stage, but calculated to as sume a very perplexing appearance on paper. It may suffice to say that the four principal characters consist of two pair of lovers—the Chevalier de Torsey (Mr..l. U. Shore), engaged to Madame de Montalais (Miss Woolgar), and Captain de la Rousse (Mr. Charles Dillon), engaged to no one, but with a general tendency to flirtation and haunted by the remembrance of a solitary sincere attachment to Louise Lamotte ( Mrs. C. Dillon). De Torsey has on a former occasion unsuccessfully wooed Louise, and she has his letters to testify to the fact. Madame de Montalais has also, but without serious intentions, corresponded with La Rousse, under his previous name of Delorme, and their mutual recogni tion in De Torsey's presence gives rise to a duel, the result of which is a wound to La Rousse, and the re jection of De Torsey for having doubted his fiancée's assurance that he was her first love. When we add that Louise visits her wounded lover disguised as a Sister of Charity—and that the ladies, having been schoolfellows, compare notes respecting their correspondents—it will be easy to imagine that a very pretty embranglement is the result. The acting was throughout of great merit, if we except a slight stiffness of which Mr. Shore has not been entirely able to divest himself, and a certain harshness of utterance which Mrs. C. Dillon sometimes falls into in her laudable desire for clear enunciation. De Torsey, who belongs to the sentimental class of lovers, is balanced by La Rousse, who is rather of the D'Artagnan type, but of a more open, foppish, and rollicking disposition. He is excellently represented by Mr. C. Dillon, whose acting in the scene where he has been wounded was fresh and original, and who was not less amusing in the subsequent scene with the Sister of Charity—with whom he attempts to flirt after the manner of the Black Mousquetaire in Ingoldsby'e legend. The moral of the play—if so airy a pro duction can be said to have a moral—is conceived in a similar spirit to that which pervades the " answers to correspondents " in some of our contemporaries, where the parity of obligation between the sexes in respect of amatory matters is occasionally insisted upon in a very strongminded fashion. In Mr. Leigh Hunt's drama the masculine characters decidedly play second fiddle, and are treated to an amount of persiflage and objurgation sure to prove highly satisfactory to a chivalrous British audience. Louise assails ber lover with light banter; Madame de Montalais confounds hers with severe reproof. As the latter, Miss Woolgar was dignified and lady like, and evidently commanded the entire sympathies of her hearers. We have seldom seen her in a character in which she appeared to more advan tage. A crowded house seethed thoroughly to enjoy and appreciate the pointed repartee with which the dialogue abounds, and after the actors had received their well deserved ovation, uninterrupted by the slightest appearance of disapproval, loud calls for " the author" summoned the literary veteran on the stage. It was interesting to see a man who appeared in print before the commence ment of the present century, who has gone through such a variety of experiences, who has outlived his contemporaries, the great literary lights of the last generation, and who still retains the freshness of feeling and versatility of mind necessary for the composition of this pleasant and amusing comedy. And although his anissis ineohmses non redeunt yens, the general air and lineaments remain essen tially the same as those which figure in the excellent portrait prefixed to an early edition of the " Indica tor." We cordially congratulate Mr. Hunt on the very efficient embodiment which his ideas have received at the Lyceum, and on the unequivocal success which bas attended what we sincerely hope is not to be his last appearance in public. THE ROYAL ACADEMY.-Mr. John Henry Foley, the sculptor of the well-known group, " Ino and Bacchus," and of "The Houselesa Wanderer," "Youth at a Stream," and the statue of Hampden erected in St. Stephen's-hall, has been elected &Royal Academician in the room of Mr. T. Tll E 11 FS S, JANUARY 23, 1858. Obituarz Tim DritE OF DEVONSHIRE died suddenly last Sunday night at his seat, Hardwick-hall, Derbyshire. His grace bad been in rather good health for some weeks past, and up to a few hours before his demise there was no reason whatever for anticipating the sad event. The deceased, William Spencer Caven dish, was the only son of William, fifth duke, by his first wife, the lady Georgina Spencer, eldest daughter of John, first Earl Spencer. He was born in 1790, and succeeded to the family honours in 1811. He was the ambassador representing England at the coronation of the Emperor Nicholas of Russia, and the magnificence of his embasy is an historical fact. During the many years that he was Duke of Devon shire, his name was closely associated with the ac complished appreciation and munificent patronage of the fine arts, and in every respect be most worthily discharged the duties of the high social position in which he was placed. By the death of the duke many noble families will be placed in mourning, and several changes will take place. The Earl of Bur lington, his grace's cousin, born in 1808, becomes Duke of Devonshire, his eldest son, Lord Cavendish, M.P. for North Lancashire, will assume the higher courtesy title of Marquis of Hartington, and his younger sons become respectively Lords Frederick and Edward Cavendish. It is also probable that his brother, Mr. George H. Cavendish, and his uncle, General Cavendish, will obtain the precedence of the younger sons of dukes, as if their parents had lived to acquire the highest grade of nobility. The late duke was a Knight of the Garter, a Knight of the Russian Order of St. Andrew, Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, President of the Horticultural Society, and High Steward of Derby. THE RIGHT HON. SIR WILLIAM HENRY MAUVE, the eminent lawyer and able judge, died on Satur day morning last, in the seventy-third year of his age, at his residence, 22, Hyde-park Gardens, from the effect of bronchitis, with which he was seized on Monday week. The deceased was a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, senior wrangler and first Smith's izeman in 1810, led the Oxford Circuit for many years; was M.P. for Carlow from 1837 to 1839, was appointed a Baron of the Exchequer in the latter year and a justice of the Court of Common Plea in 1840, which position he resigned in 1858, and was succeeded by Mr. Justice Willes. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1855. LADY BOOTHBY, better known as the accomplished actress, Mrs. Nisbett, died on Saturday last at her residence, Rose Mount, St. Leonard's. Louisa Crans town Booth by, born at Ball's-pond, Islington, on let April, 1812, and at the time of her death in her forty-sixth year, was eldest daughter of Lieutenant Frederick Hayes Macnamara, 52nd Regiment, and Jane Elizabeth Williams, his wife. Early in life this lady was obliged by family misfortunes to make the stage her profession, and, appearing in the pro vinces at the early age of thirteen, laid the founda tion of her career as a comic actress, in which she was subsequently unrivalled. After a short engage ment in London, and being then scarcely nineteen, she married Captain John Alexander Nisbett, of the Life Guards, in January, 1831, who shortly after lost his life in trying a horse not thoroughly broken in. Captain Nisbett being under age at the time of his death, and his widow not being then allowed any of his property, she was again induced to appear on the stage, where she again obtained fresh fame and added new laurels to her great name as an artiste. About the age of thirty she married Sir William Boothby, ninth baronet of that name. Retiring with her husband, Sir William, to Ashbourne-hall, Der • hyshire, she was allowed but short domestic peace. Sir William dying shortly afterwards left her again a widow. She again returned to the stage, but ill health shortly after obliged her to retire, since which time she has resided with her mother and brother in great retirement. Repeated shocks, caused by the almost sudden deaths of three of her nearest and dearest relations, so preyed upon her already overworked and overtasked frame, that she was unable to bear up against them, and on Thursday week she was attacked with an illness from which she never after rallied, and died on the Saturday fol lowing, deeply regretted by her family, by whom she was dearly beloved, and lamented by a numerous circle of friends, who feel greatly the Ipss they have sustained. ARCHDEACON VENABLE% Archdeacon of Carmar then, died last week in his eighty- ourth year. The appointment, to which is attached a prebendal stall in the cathedral church of the diocese, is in the gift of the Bishop of St. David's. By the death of Dr. Venables the Nicarage of Nantmel, Radnorshire, also becomes vacant. It is worth about 4001. a year, and is in the gift of the Bishop of St. David's. Snt WILLIAX Ross.—We regret to hear of the very serious illness of this most amiable and estimable gentleman and accomplished miniature painter. His numerous friends and admirers can scarcely venture to hope that he will ever be able to resume the prat• Lice of his exquisite branch of art again. along Blarktt gab Cltg 3ittriligent—t, FRIDAY EVENING. Tna return of the Eank of England for the week ending Wednesday last, the 20th inst., shows the following changes compared with that for the week preceding : Increase in Circulation ae355,802 Decrease in Public Deposits Decrease in Other Deposits 738,035 Decrease in Private Securities 1,599003 Increase in Bullion Increase in Rest Increase in Reserve Bullion in both Departments Circulation, including Bank Post Bills This comparison is essentially favourable. The Private Securities are rapidly falling in, while the unemployed notes now exceed eight millions. The Bullion has very largely increased, and it promises to attain a very high amount. Money is rapidly axumulating in the bands of all the banks and dealers, so that in the present corn paratively inactive state of the demand the supply is far in excess of the requirements of the public. The ordinary terms of discount in the open market have consequently fallen from four per cent., at which they stood last week, to three per cent., while loans on Government securities can be bad in the Stock Exchange, for limited periods, at two per cent. Yet, notwithstanding these indications of excessive reserves waiting employment—indications confirmed by the small reduction in the amount of the Private Deposits at the Bank of England—the Bank Directors, contrary to expectation, have not lowered their minimum rate. That consequently remains at five per cent.; and in the present condition of the open market of courbe it effectually prevents any bills being sent there. A difference of from one and a half to two per cent. against the Bank must neces sarily attract the chief discount business of the City to Lombard-street. The Bank, under these circum. stances, and especially as their Private Securi ties are rapidly running off, will probably not delay the reduction beyond next Thursday, and the minimum rate will most likely then be fixed at four per cent. There is no doubt that the stock of bullion, the reserve of notes, and the present state of the exchanges, wonld have justi fied an immediate reduction of one per cent., nor is there much reason to doubt that in a short time the Bank will fix the rate at three and a half per cent. But it was considered prudent to delay the reduction, we presume, lest the rapid decline in the value of money might induce sudden and dangerous specula tions; and to facilitate the development of safe and legitimate commerce by following, rather than lead ing, the obvious tendencies of trade. Acting upon a policy of this character, we may anticipate that the Bank prefers to suffer some temporary loss of business rather than lead the public to infer that money may safely be engaged in speculative under takings at borne and abroad, merely because the trade of the country is not yet sufficiently revived profitably to employ the capital now in the market. The Bank, we conceive, is now indicating to the public that the present condition of the Money Market is not quite so healthy as it looks. About 500,0001. in specie has arrived from the United States, South America, and the West Indies since our last, the whole of which has been absorbed by the Bank. The principal export has been to the East Indies and China, which have taken a fraction more than 300,0001. According to the returns pub lished in this evening's Gazette, the imports of specie up to Wednesday were, of gold, 1,011,9591., and of silver, 133,719/. ; making a total of 1,145,6781. The exports were, of gold, 37,8781., and of silver, 416,4261. ; total, 451,3041. Deducting the ex ports from the imports, there remains a balance in the country of 691,3741. . Consols have been steady, and rather firm all the week. The atrocious attack upon the Emperor and Empress of the French had no effect in weakening the tone, the opinion being that the attempt itself has consolidated his power; and that, notwithstand ing the intimations of repressive measures, the moral securities for the tranquillity of Europe are now greater than ever. The closing price last Friday was 94j exactly. The lowest in the present week has been 941 to 95. The general quotation has been about 95. Yesterday they left off at 95 to 1. To-day they advanced to 951 to and closed firm. Foreign Securities are rather lower, but the de cline is inconsiderable, and it is attributable to the want of business. The holders of stock have not been anxious to part with it. A partial reaction has taken place in Railway Shares, with the exception of London and North- Western and a few other stocks, which have main tamed an advance. The market is in a very satisfactory state, though the traffics upon some of the great lines running through the busiest of the manufacturing districts are still feeling the effects of