The Press. — London, England, 1858-10-16 00:00:00

v ma i n ly hinges. And now for the plot itself. Ts laid at Frankfort, and the curtain rises play action i on the interior of the house of Isaac Rodenherg, a Jewish merchant of that city. Seated at a table in this apartment are his partner, Max Keller, and the Wid o w Berg man n —the latter having on :he death of her husband, a celebrated physician, been compelled by the vicissitudes of fortune to accept the situation of housekeeper to the wealthy bourgeois. The subject of this fete-a.ietc was the union of Max Keller's son Karl with the widow's fair daughter, Ninna. Max Keller is neither an ambitious nor an avaricious man, but ho has a certain degree of pride in his composi tion. With him mercantile honour holds a high place in the list of virtues, and in the wife whom his son has selected he must see the representative of a family which he can respect even in its fallen for tunes, but which must be sans reproche in his mind —untainted by debt. Keller is satisfied that this his sole condition is complied with, and the marriage is fixed to take place on the 3rd of June, six months from the date of the conversation. It is at this stage of the drama that we are introduced to Hans G r imm, who had been in his youth reduced to a state of idiocy, and had been thrown into a mad house, from which he had been rescued by the humane Rodenberg, in whose service he now was. Holding little communion with those amongst whom be dwelt, he ever becomes eloquent on one theme. He loved to dwell on his master and his master's goodness, and in the barren waste of his once strong mind but one idea was paramount—the thought that even he might repay the deep debt of gratitild which he owed to his protector. That was the mission of Hans Grimm,and the strength of his deep seated gratitude is disclosed in language which certainly forms the best portions of the drama. Such was the part written for Mr. Robson, and which he portrayed with a fine conception of the leading trait in the character of the man reduced almost to the level of a brute, and with all a brute's fidelity. His description of his cell, of the agony which he en dured in his dark solitude, and of his release, and his sensations when the light of day again shone upon him, were given with great ower, as occasional gleams of intelligence played through his clouded mind, and rescued from oblivion the dark passages of his life. Between him thus stricken and impotent, and be tween a woman strong in purpose and willing to run every hazard in a career of crime to which she was impelled by devotion for her child, the battle was waged from the outset. The Widow Bergmann, dreading exposure, when threatened by her late hus band's creditors, had robbed her kind and generous protector of 5,000 francs. Rodenberg has discovered the loss, and, to shield herself, the widow points out the probable thief in Hans Grimm. His master taxes him with the crime, and he is hurried from his presence. protesting his innocence, and still blessing him by whom he was wronged. Bat unjust suspicion did not long rest on the poor servant. Rodenberg was taken ill, and Ninna on being sent by her mother for a restorative brought the wrong bottle. The label told its own tale, and betrayed the widow's secret. It was a preparation for removing ink--the preparation which had been used by his housekeeper to erase the figures in the ledger, so that the entry might tally with the amount left in his strong-box. He accuses her of the robbery, and she implores pardon that detection may not ruin the brilliant prospects of her child. It is granted on one condition, that the money shall be restored within a stated period, and the day named is the 4th of June, one day later than that fixed for the wedding of Karl Keller and Ninna Bergmann. The wretched woman rises triumphant from her agony—she is "saved by a day," and the curtain falls on the first act. So far the drama plays well, and holds out good promise for the future. In the second act we have a view of two rooms. In the one the Jew merchant is stretched on a bed of sickness, and the other is the ap artment o f hi s housekeeper. A death has caused the postponement of the marriage, and on the next day the money is to be repaid, or the revelation which is to consign her daughter to shame and misery is to be made. Again does she seek a respite, and is refus e d. Th e merchant feels he may die, and a sense of justice towards his partner overcomes his pity for the innocent victim of her mother's crime. As in life, so in this drama, easy is the descent in from its first steps to its lowest depths. The Widow Bergmann resolves that the discovery never shall be made, and that can alone be averted by the merchant's death. From the medicine chest of her late husband she selects the instrument— a deadly poison contained in The Red Vial. Her actions have been _ watched, unseen, by the faithful Hans Grimm, and from the same chest ho takes the an tidote. Uncerta in whether his master has drank the poison, artfully placed so that it s i ! ould be friom thehis taken i ister unsuspecting hand lhe still Lad m remedy. The Widow Bergmanr. dis covers in her room a handkerchief which Bans Grimm has dropped. She calls him to her presence, and he stands before her th e avowe d w i tness o f p r emeditated that her saf e t y .111 d et. The modern Brinvilliers feels in jeopardy, and she presses on the THE PRESS, OCTOBER 16, 1858. acceptance of Hans Grimm the fatal vial as a revivi. fyiug potion in the hour of need. So ends the second act. In act iii. the artist's pencil serves to heighten dramatic effects, and the result is we are introduced to " a chamber of horrors" rarely por trayed on any stage. Some good citizen of Frankfort had in bygone days found free scope for posthumous charity in founding, not an hospital for the cure of the sick, or a mausoleum for their interment when dead, but a kind of resting-place between the death. bed and the grave. The testator had taken into his head that it was just possible that a man might be buried alive ; and he accordingly willed that every citizen of Frankfort should, on his passage to the sepulchre, lie for a stated period in one of the cells of this dismal hall, in order that he might, in such a conjectural event, recover from a trance. Over each cell there was an alarum clock with a dial and a hammer, attached by a cord to the wrist of each inanimate body in its strang e receptacle. Hero Hans Grimm, who had, by means of a paper which he had discovered in the chest, become impressed with the idea that when the effects of the antidote had passed away his master would return to life, kept watch and ward. Here, too, was the Widow Bergmann, drawn to the spot by uncontrollable desire, and locked in a prisoner with the maniac. Terrible indeed was the scene at first, but it became absolutely repulsive to a refined audience when the clock struck and Isaac Rodenberg clad in the vestments Of death emerges from the cell. Pre pared as they were for such a denouement it still came upon the audience with an unmistakeable shock, and not less unmistakeable was the expression of dis approbation which succeeded the first moment of breathless surprise. Justice, however, still claimed its victim, and when Hans Grimm administered to the fainting woman the fatal draught which she had bestowed upon him, as an elixir, and she passed into the cell from which her intended viotim had just escaped, the sacrifice was completed. Replete as it is with fine passages, this drama is founded on a plot which could not render it successful even with the careful treatment which has evidently been bestowed upon it by the author. The dramatic effects have been strongly worked out, and in aiming at striking situations Mr. Wilkie Collins has shot beyond the mark. A kindly feeling of indulgence towards the author, and a just appreciation of Mr. Robson's talents as an actor, the audience came prepared to evince ; but it was to Mrs. Stirling's admirable delineation of the character of the Widow Bergmann is attributable the fact that The Red Vial did not receive a much less equivocal condemnation on the first night of its representa tion. All the other parts, which were meroly subor dinate, were well tilled, and the piece was carefully put on the stage. The new scenery, which was beauti fully painted, was by Mr. J. Gray and Mr. Craven. THE HAYMARKET.—Mr. Charles Mathews made his first appearance, after his return from America, in this theatre on Monday, and was received with an enthusiastic welcome, which was the best proof of his enduring popularity. The house was crowded in every part, and numbers who had not secured seats were unable to obtain admission. Mr. Charles Mathews appeared in his original character, as Dazzle, in London Assurance, and Mrs. Charles Mathews made her debut before a British public as Lady Gay Spanker. The lady is prepossessing in appearance, and played the part with sprightliness, but another role will afford a better opportunity of forming a just estimate of her histrionic powers. THE STRAND.—The Maid and the Magpie, or the Fatal Spoon, is the title of a capital burlesque from the pen of Mr. Byron, produced at this theatre for the first time on Monday. It is founded on the opera of La Mazza Ladra, and abounds in sparkling humour and palpable hits on some of the passing events of the day. Miss Marie Wilton acted the part of Pippo with considerable) spirit, Miss Oliver was as usual pleasing as Ninette, Miss M. Ternan was an admirable Gianetto, Mr. Bland was an able repre sentative of Fernando, and Mr. Clarke was particu larly racy as the Jew Pedlar. The piece, which was put on the stage with great care, was decidedly suc cessful, and the curtain fell amidst the loud plaudits of the audience. In obedience to the general wish, the author came on the stage and bowed his acknow ledgments. - - ASTLEY'S, completely redecorated, reopened for the season on the same evening with a grand equestrian melodrama, called The Covenanters, or the Battle of Bothwell Brig, founded on Sir Walter Scott's beautiful tale "Old Mortality." The piece abounds in striking passages, amongst which are the famous battle, from which the melodrama derives its second title, and the terrible leap of Morton across the raging torrent. Both bipeds and quad rupeds played their part to perfection, and with the aid of new scenery and dresses the piece was as successful as both author and manager could have wished. The scenes in the circle, in which several new candidates for popular favour arpeared for the first time, were as exciting as usual. Amongst them were Mme. Blanche, a very graceful rider with a 1013 perfect command over her steed, and an equilibrist who delights in the poetic soubriquet of the " Crystal Sprite." THE AJDELPHI progresses so slowly in rebuilding that it is probable the doors will not be opered be fore Boxing night. The new theatre will be much larger than the old one, holding double the number of spec►etors, and from the plans it appears light, airy, and commodious. THE PRINCESS'S will, on the termination of Mr. Charles Kean's farewell season, come under the management of Mr. Augustus Harris, the stage director of the Covent•garden Opera.—Mß. ALFRED WIGAN has so far recovered from his late indisposi tion that he will shortly appear at several leading provincial theatres, accompanied by Mrs. Wigan. qincl 11:lariat anb (Sttg puttugence. FRIDAY EVENING. THE return of the Bank of England for the week ending Wednesday last, the 13th inst., shows the following changes compared with that for the week preceding:— Increase in Circulation . Decrease in Public Deposits 9,084,552 Dimas.. in Other Deposits Decrease in Uoverntnent Secuitios 322,202 Decrease in Other Securities Decrease in Bullion Decrease in Rest Decrease in Reserve Bullion in both Departments 19,496,991 Circulation, including Bank Post Bills 22,028,392 The effect of the payment of the dividends, though the process had only run one day, is shown by the reduced amount of the Public Deposits, and the addition to the " ether deposits." The payment of the Bank dividends has aiso largely reduced the Rest. Mainly in consequence of these payments there is a large falling off in the Reserve, and a trifling diminution in the Bullion; but, on the other hand, it appears that although the Bank has received considerable repayments, as shown by the " other securities," it has been found necessary to effect rather considerable sales of Stock. On the whole, the return is not particularly satisfactory, especially in the present state of the Continental Exchanges. The monthly debtor and creditor account of the Bank of France, made up to yesterday, was pub lished in the Moniteur of this morning. It is, gene rally, of a favourable character, inasmuch as it bears unquestionable evidence of a revival of activity in commerce and a return of general confidence. The circulation has increased 1,800,530/., and it now amounts to 27,619,6951., the whole of the increase having been caused by loans and advances. The discounts are 15,128,7031., being an increase of 344,158/. The Bullion has been reduced no less than 1,775,142/., owing to the demand from Austria and Germany, but the aggregate stock is still 21,975,0171., or 2,478,026/. more than in the Bank of England on the evening of Wednesday last. There is also a decrease in the private deposits, and the public deposits have fallen off. In fact, the whole return is indicative of a demand for money and of increased commercial activity. Notwithstanding the payment of the dividends, which commenced on Wednesday, and the consequent enlargement of the supplies of capital, the Bank Directors have, as we anticipated, maintained their minimum rate of discount at three per cent. At the present moment money is a complete drug. In the open market the best bills have been done as low as two per cent ; and the highest terms are only about two and a quarter. Yet the Bank, with a very large reserve, and an enormous stock of bullion, and a gradual decline in the amount of its discounts and advances, adheres to a rate which, in the present state of the market, is practically prohibitory•. This policy has excited amazement in some quarters, and, as may be expected, a good deal of disappointment to many parties, who were preparing for the opening of a period of speculative inflation. It is obvious, however, that the cour se of the Directors is founded upon sound principle ; and already events are par tially justifying their policy. With an enormously increased abundance of capital, until, literally, the banks and the discounters do not know what to do with it, it is obvious that some warning or regulating power is needed to prevent in time, or to retard, the approach of the evil which all profess to dread. This is the position of the Bank. While they affix a certain value to money, and after all not an unnatural value, it is certain that their policy will regulate the transactions of most houses that are safe and steady ; and it will require persons of th►s character to depart from their reserve before any dangerous inflation can occur. Then, have no circumstances occurred even this very week to justify the refusal to reduce? Certainly there have, and very important ones too. The Continental E xchanges, in consequence of a