The Sun. — London, England, 1852-04-13 00:00:00

XiDerby ... Sia•rar. Won by a leng The LirliEb' nate. Child of the Mist The WeltEr &Alit 6. Miss West Count ... ••• ••• Fo..;r ran. ... 9 LITERATURE. A NEW GAZETTEER of the BRITISH ISLES. By James A. Sharp. Parts I, 11, 111. Longman and Co. A really.wonderiul enterprise is, in these three in stalments lying before us, commenced. If completed with corresponding accuracy and minuteness it will immeasurably surpass in value any one of our previous and in many respects excellent national gazetteers. The editor or compiler, Mr. Sharp—a gentleman admi rably qualified to carry out the undertaking with ability—intim a t es on th e ver y title.page that the work will be concluded in twenty monthly parts altogether, while he announces in his Preface that these twenty parts will comprise the names of all the cities, towns, villages, and hamlets in the British Isles mentioned in the censuses of 1821, 1831, and 1841 besides all the rivers, lakes, mountains, hills, passes, waterfalls, points of view, all the bays, ports, head lands, heights, islands, shoals, all the Roman stations, camps, and ways, all the British roads, Saxon towns, Druid stones, Danish raths, Picts houses, castles, abbeys, round towers, and cromlechs, all the seats of manufactures, mines, railroads, canals, rail way s t at i ons, election places, polling places, coast guard and police stations, even down to the minute particularity of specifying each among the various hunting "fixtures." From this it will be evident how much more practical and really useful information will be comprised in the gazetteer of Mr. Sharp than in the writings of Mogg, Black, Cliffe, Frazer, Potr, Carlisle , Garton, Chambers, Hall, and Fullerton. This pro duction,:when completed, will be to all other English gazetteers what Craig's work dictionaries. NEW . I MEET HER ON MY MUSIC MOUNTAIN WAY. Written by Frederick Enoch. The Music by Stephen Glover The opening words of this song, which, as we are told in the introduction, is that of " The Milk Carrier of the Alps," are characterised by a certain freshness and power of colouring that proclaim their author as much the artist as he is the poet. He paints with his Pen, and, what is more, he paints well. The first verse will sufficiently attest the truth of our asser tion :-- . "Rise o'er the hills, oh happy sun! Awake the blue flow'rs in the snow, Oh! bid the glaciers torrent run, And laugh and shout beneath thy glow, ThoU art not happier than she, • The blue flow'rs are not half so sweet, The torrent's stream is not so free, Or joyful as her bounding feet. I meet her on my mountain way Singing many a mountain lay, Where the merry goat-bells ring, Yi-be-O Of the Hie-la-ho !" music it is enough to say that we recognise in e verY bar the grace, vigour, and originality of style, which 80 peculiarly distinguish the compositions of Stephen Glover. ' ll -E EXHIBITION CHIMES POLKA. By Miss Maria W. Hawkes. F or many reasons we give a cordial welcome to Ipia candidate for f avo ur among mo d ern p o lkas. Lwrie first pl ace i ts very name prepossesses us, see i ng itsis associated with the great and memorable Ye s ar 451, with reminiscences of which the world :411113ever weary ; in the next because it appears niong/the class of illustrative music, a class which r4llientially requires the tw o f o ld exerc i se o f s kill an d c 7; 'and l ast l y b ecause i n t h e name o f t h e composer ~. discover one already a favourite with the public. The. Chime s Polka is ingenious in its construction, c A l e " - timed, an d h as muc h nove l ty o f c h aracter to re wninaend it. UvEßcßowniNG STEam-nowrs.--Orders have been of tit. f rom the Bo ar d o f Trade, pursuant to the p rov i s i ons s4etac e nded Steam Navigation Act, for the prevention of hoilA cr°v Ning on board river steamers during the Easter t h..-qa, and efficient officers have been appointed to see Will''' the provisions of the enactment are complied with. he 12th section, the owner, master, or person in charge e c arnened 201., and also ss. for every additional passenger 1 .. 1 ., s beyond the numberwhich he is certified. orersons forcing their way on board when the vessel is full, be i l fu n d ing to quit, having their fare tendered them, are to Pess n oe e : 4°3 * , and for travelling beyond distance paid ss. t am "" ,comMitting these offences refusing to give their e lin g lined 20/. address, or giving a false name and address, to be ALARMING A SsiE FF A CCIDENT ON THE MANCHESTER, bight 114 .)p AIM LLNCOLNSHIRE RAILWAY.—On Saturday a serious accident occurred to . the five o'clock train Holland e short branch of this company's railway, from New 'a..„_ to the market town of Barton, on the south bank isthe Humber. A new engine, the Apollo, was drawing B , f . . train, and had, with one stoppage, brought it in riving the th ree - and-a.half miles to Barton; but, on ar rsiino s h a re, from some cause at present unknown, the eitvcer and guard were unable to make their breaks act f * IVY, and the engine went at the rate of twelve or Of miles an hour through a thick wall at the end r ei the line into the station-house, the internal fittings In ti g . completely smashed. Mr. Taylor, the station hitater, wai writing at a desk at the time, and or th e very narrow escape. Hearing the loud shouts Re s,' 1 "e people outside, he ran out, and had not been eo „ . _* 4 a second when the bu ff ers of the engine smashed the b•mAter h -e was sitting at into splinters. The engine -driver, 0 Old 'Vince, and the stoker saved themtheselves by leaping at„„ t° the platform, when they found train could not be f o - PPeds The former went back to New Holland, gave in- , B:mation of the accident, and has not been heard of since. h„ / ,t,ral of the passengers were injured; Mrs. Morley, of .", vraa most severely cut and bruised about the legs, and . 1 0 - Lend others are now under medical treatment for the in inges received. The train consisted of five carriages and a I,rage van ; and it is somewhat singular that the persons 0 were riding in the carriage immediately behind t h e en- Irand which was, so to speak, "doubled up by the con on:'.escaped without the slightest injury, while those tr-io Were hurt were travelling in the last carriage of the ~ '"n• •The wreck was cleared away in a very short time, .Inder the superintendence of Mr. Hibberd, the manager of ._"le district, and the tra ffi c was resumed; as usual, next "Wiling, PR T.l • -MALE EMIGRATION FUND. —On Saturday (mother party of female emigrants, 50 in number, making ! a.. t otal of ab ou t 8 5 0 , who have been sent out by this in ntutien, sailed from Gravesend on board the Tartar for Sydney. The emigrants arrived at the London station of the Blackwell Railway from the " Home" in Hatton-garden t,t, half-past nine o'clock, where they were met by the Right 1 . 1 : 1 -' an. Sidney H er b ert and Mrs. Herbert, the Rev. Thomas eackson late Bishop Designate of Lyttelton, Mr. H. Her bert, M.P., the Rev. Mr. Brown, the Rev. Mr. Quekett, Several ladies and gentlemen of the committee, Captain Lean, the Go vernment emigration agent, and Mr.Hely, the secretary to the instit u ti on. The party proceeded by railway to Blackwell, where they embarked on board a steamer :h, carved them alongside of the Tartar at Gravesend, ilea' Encouraging add resses were delivered to the emi the ker. T. J acks,. visitors lelter Herbert, the Rev. Mr. Quekett, and committee and some time spent on board the emigrants, and the seametrittehoship amidst the cheers of the whole party of erni grant „ manned the rigging. The well-conducted youn g women.. er e exceeding respectable and - Ms' AUSTRALIAN STEAMER CLAILENcE —The fol a an ext_ract of ~.a letter fro m ' m y a i n officer on board the lowing i d P orto Grande, St Clarence, date d give you a fews:sitartieulars regarding our Vincent March 1, '1851; --" I shall then put . the vessel under canvass, losing Passage to th n is ow port. The day of img included, we steamed tour days, and hours in doing so, havin g th wesutrteweriinddisys. We II fifteen spread our ca e boom to get out and masts to get up We had a very light trade wind, but we arrived fo‘4l". with a 'la very' strong west and west north .confused sea, until we arrived in 34 degrees north 'latitude. myselfand Psi steamer Clarence has surpris ed every one on uoard, in her sailing qualit_under canvass, keeping way us, had With large American liners; in fac . t, nothing passed either going free or close-hauled. At times w e two reefs in the in fact, I cannot say Varata steamer touched here, • e t opsail. She is a splendid sea boat; 10 much in her praise. The % all the way, and w as 11 4%0* 231 tons of coal, after steaming tons.. .men days on her passage. "—L iv erpool PI The Commissioners of ~ L wei poo/ Albion. NGISTRY OF VESSEL 4 . --- are made in the G usto..nis have issued orders to all the por d ts in the kingdom, r te ting that in all cases in which recor s first entry pis , . ef registry directed to be kept by the 1 0th section of me Act Bth and 9th Victoria, cap. 89, whet her . bill • b. 4 of Sale, or transfer, the names of the registering o ffi cers - " 6 11 1' Asserted therein. 1 ... , ,_ . ~ ,OLLIER . in 'Ulu C s —Several influential men, inte comPanY C o ‘e.l in the coal trade have formed a large , t i tOnn to build i ron screw co lli ers , to e n a ble them to corn- N" _, with the railwas. Thesessels are to run between the reweaatle and Lond o n, and it e is v expected will superse de a r , e "ht sailing colliers.' Messrs. Grantham and Bull, are artihted engineers to the company, and have already de of4t7 two similar vessels, now building at Messrs. Vernon's,_ ~..lia town, for a private party at liartlepooL— Liverpool 4tio_ton. ... P la st o 411 3/UTE RECOVERY. —On Sunday evening vie betwee n t h e hours of s i x and seven, Mrs. Couchman, e n :: °f Mr. Couchman, of Lewisham, dropped her purse, sig,,tning five and a half ' sovereigns, and ten shillings and biliVtee in silver, whilst passing near Lee Church. Hand a r th e next day were issued, stating the loss, and offering ( 39 eward for the restoration. On Monday evening Mr. ll, l l e , h inAn received the welcome intelligence from Lieutenant pi e Ceni of the Royal Marines, stationed at Woolwich,that he te 0 „ 4 , 4 tip the purse and its contents, and en a call the next riggPF he would be happy to hand the same over to the ie v ." 4 ' owner. Mr. Couchman, of course, attended to the ina itati n _ n o, and received the " valuables." Lieutenant Hol it t - ' as a gentleman, declined accepting any reward, leaving t h a ° Mr. Couchman to give something to some public th 4 .. ti tY, slid readily assented to Mr. Coachman's suggestion, a e ,,` , lle should present the Kent Dispensary with a half ,ereigh•—lientisle Mercury. lirA, h 'I-E PRAT Ido not see that any of your lIERs. 84111111a!rous oorreipondents have mentioned the common belief 4 us. t he Poor in thi' t ' (Sussex), that a person . con -ot. die if his bed ' ' Cowl 3 . tedne, a little t* is stuffed with pine feathers. A friend of t b d't time back, was talking to a• .i labourer on the _r i not such a belief • but he failed to convince the sumV_, who, as a proof of the correctness of his belief, Sledforward the case of a poor man who ' l ed after l' - R a ingering illness. Muster ii i " - -- e _ , how hard he were a dy' n had lately "Look at poor t k u u s '' t Y Way, till neighbour Put a dk found out how it were 4101 3, er 8.--- ' , ' ays he, 'Ye be lng on poor soul, he could no geame feathers, lai d , l urely ;' and so he wa r . n on the So we , 41 , floor; and he pretty soon died then! ~,...Nptes 4 Queries. le6. took'n out o'bed, and TT-TB EASTER AMUSEMENTS. DRURY LANE THEATRE. The only novelty which Mr. Bunn produced for the gratification and amusement of his patrons lest night, was a short ballet divertissement, in which Madlle. D. Autonie Adele, and a host of other cele brities took part, and in which the graceful and elegant dancing of each was exhibited to .great ad vantage. It was perfectly successful; and a, " Pac de 'Polichinel," Mr. H." Marshall, yvas•vhciferbusly iii 3- .- plauded; and although it must have been very fatiguing to the dancer he was obliged to re peat it. The ballet was preceded by Meyerbeer's Robert the Devil, which was exceedingly well given, Mr.H. Dray ton, in his diabolical character, having played, if' possible, with increased powers and dramatic intensity.' At the conclusion all the principal vocalists were called:- before the curtain. The new season which commenced _ last night has P been inaugurated by a reduction 'of: prices of admission to all parts of the house,: anti considerin g the excellent eperatic company engaged by the lessee and the daily growing taste for the t ivation of music, we are sure the house will be well supported. In addition to the ever fresh and delight ful opera of the Bohemian Girl, several others . are to be produced speedily. On Friday a continental star of the first magnitude, Madame Falconi, makes her appearance in Beethoven's Fidelio, and a new opera (probably Mr. M'Farren's) is in " active preps ration," and will soon be presented to , the public. , Perhaps we cannot do better than quote from Mr.. Bunn's manifests, in endeavouring to give our readers an idea of the principles on which he is in future to conduct the affairs of Old Drury : " The perlorniances recently terminated at this theatre, were, from circumstances beyond the control of the. lessee, of a general character, which tended materially to retard the progress of any specific object; but his efforts henceforth will be directed to the furtherance of such entertainments as are exclusively of an operatic nature. By the diminution of expenditure on the one " hand, he will be enabled to strengthen, even beyond their present limits, the musical resources of this Estab lishment, and thereby give a more perfect representa tion of such productions than has hitherto been the case." If he acts up to his present professions, and produces sterling works, we can have no fears of his being un successful; and although the theatre was not quite so well attended last night as we could have wished to have seen it, yet, when his intentions have become fully known to the public, we are sure his benches will be nightly filled to overflowing. HAYMARKET THEATRE. The Easter novelty at this theatre is the joint. pro duction, as we learn from the bill, of " two members of the Amalgamated Society of Dramatic Engineers." Ir bears the title of 0, Gemini; or, the Brothers al Co(u)rse, and is a burlesque on the melodrama of the Corsican Brothers, now playing with great success at the Princess's and other theatres. There is but one step, we are told, from the sublime to the ridiculous, and in this instance, though the distance be a five minutes' walk from Oxford-street to the Haymarket, we certainly think that a more complete transition from one extreme to the other has seldom been wit nessed. The plot and personages of the melodrama have been preserved, but the travestier have so skill fully brought down the harrowing incidents and spectral situations of the original into an every- day, not to say burlesque, interest, that M. Dumas himself would be puzzled to recognise his own , progeny. The weight of the piece falls on Mr. Buckstone, the representative of the two "De Franchi's," who, we need scarcely say, made the most of the points en trusted to him. In the first act, or 'rather the act which is played first, we find him as the Corsican country gentleman, using the " influence of his posi tion" to put an end to. a Corsican vendetta, which has existed between two families for the last .500 years, the original cause of which appears to have been the laying of an egg. at a neighbour's door by a vagrant hen, and the subsequent strangling of the progeny in the dispute as to its ownership. In the execution of this amiable office, he utters so many vile pun., that even the litigants are compelled to groan with horror. Next we see him, as in the ori ginal, under the influence of the sympathetic cord which binds the brothers ; but in place of the vague, undefined feelings of fear and foreboding, Mr. Buck stone is only affected by se violent fit of sneezing, from which be infers that his brother Louis,. at Paris, has caught the prevailing epidemic, and d ir e ctly after a violent pain between the eyes, convinces him that his brother has got into some row and received one for his nob, ala modette boxe. Then be sits down to in a letter to his brother, and we have the ghost scene, in which an illuminated turnip lantern and a sheet are substituted for the spectre of the murdered, and the scene opening out displays the Parisian just floored in a street row outside the Grand Opera, and not able to come up to time. In the next scene we are carried off to Paris, and find Mr. Backstone, as Fabian, in the broad-breeched, narrow-waisted, and large-hatted Frenchman of the Boulevards ' in love with a pretty modeste, Emile (Miss Collins), of the Rue St An toine, from whom, by way of striking up an acquain tance, he has purchased twenty " cheap summer straws." The Chateau Renaud of the original is en acted by Mr.. L. S. Buckingham, who displays the Parisian roue and dandy to the life, and by him Emile is decoyed to the bat masque at the Grand Opera, where we have Louis in an outrageous Roman toga, helmet, and nose; and then follows the encounter, where in stead of being run through, he meets with the more satisfactory, though less dignified, misfortune of being • polished off with a " black eye." In the next scene Fabian arrives in Paris, " regard less of expense," by an express train, seeking revenge for the said " black eye," of which 'we have seen him - informed by the mysterious electric telegraph. The duel then follows, first with single sticks and then with fists, when Chateau Renaud being vanquished and polished off in his turn, the family honour is avenged, and we are carried off to the Grand Opera, where, still as the representative of the two brothers, Mr. Buckstone exhibits, to us a solution of the " two single gentlemen rolled into one" problem, and after singing a song in front as the Corsican, jumps round, and discovers the Parisian brother fastened on be hind. The subject is a difficult one to burlesque, at least while following the original so closely as has been done in this instance, and we are bound to say; that however creditably and cleverly the travestie has been carried out, the piece of itself pos sesses too few points of wit and humour to have succeeded on its own merits.. The dialogue is extremely flat in parts, and we looked in vain for any of the smart hits which we had ex pected from the opportunities which the piece itself affords, and which the acknowledged talents of the • authors could have well supplied. We might almost fancy that the censorship had been busy' at work, for with one exception there is not a political allusion in the whole piece, and the only. fun attempted in the dialogue was a series of plays upon words, such as we bad fancied had been long ago consigned to the tomb of all the Millers. Mr. Buckstone 's vivacity, how ever, made the most of what there was, and his skilful imitations of Mr. Charles Kean, the original repre sentative of the Brothers in this country, and the admirable manner in which he seized- upon and burlesqued the little peculiarities of that gentleman's acting in the part, were a real treat, 'and contributed very much to the success of the piece. Mr. James Bleed had also a double part to play, and :acted with his usual spirit. The piece throughout is admirably put upon the stage, the scenery is excellent, and the scenic effects ex ceedingly well managed. The bat masque scenes were given with great fidelity, and so real did the racket, almo s t sh t a h v e e glitter , masqueraders on the stage appear, that we could fancied ourselves spectators at the Grand Eh, O pens. aevvepi id.see( i nee but T yot h abn e t dresses, ioheinetnsnt ex ' expense e were hasbeen ny spared `tasteful;` f u t , and place i t the the stage with full effect. On the whole, though t e b a e n a s tr t e h , e w b e e b st av b e ur n l b esq d u o e ub w t h t ic h h at es o 'e , Gemini will, with a pretty fair share of success. At this p o p P E LPHI THEATRE . of menu entertainment the amuse- li:w drama called the Queen of ments opened Nv i h a ir t pl ace . • ,:ile bill as full of" Adelphi the Market, describpd ustedattotraction that the prin-' effects," with the addition atr A e lrs. Keeley, being wh i c h I s French through cipal character was intrusted her first appearance at this the Out The plot of the II tiu rn . ay be briefly Ptoielde.e' Maurice Durand (Air, known parentage, marries in early li foi ! 0 ") , of um- Keeley), daughter of Leonard 13 rionn e , Syndic of his position, the te St. Domingo, u Paris. ig o i: o w h better p w r a o t c e e r e c d a s r r t i:r s s for fi ve Count de Salnalle her par4cts. years, During his absence the. killed leaving his wife and child e w r i e th lnaius , 7 a wealthy the fall of a nobleman (Mr. Worrell), beam from a burning hous-, leaving a will in which he is by bequeaths his title and fortune . oily. hisfa The nature of istence was wholly unknown CO . to an only son, whose ex i, and, (Mr. 0. Smith), he contrives to purloin this will becoming known to a villain named Lorrain cricking his way to St. Domingo, lotuses into mind of Maurice Durand the belief that he is the son and heir of the deceased Count, and ultimately suc ceeds in puttinz him in possession of the inheritance, under the promise of a munificent reward. To effect this the usual amount of forgeries and villanies of every kind are practised by him, and in due time the new Count enters Paris in grand styk, but is seen and recognized by his wife, who, by industry and perseverance, has gained the position of fruit and flower merchant to the Ring, and is recognized as " Queen of the Market." The usurping Count, though innocent of the forgeries that have been committed, finds himself so mixed up with the pro ceedings of his agent, Lorrain, that he becomes the virtual slave of the latter, who, to serve his own pecuniary purposes, insists upon his renouncing his wife, the humble flower woman, and marrying a N s lady of rank and 'opulence, At this point the deep interest of the drama commences. The so-called Count, fearful of the gallecs'ou the one hand ,and re taining _all ,his. old affection for his wife on the — other,,, is snbjected to a severe mental struggle—at one time denying all knowledge of his wiet and at .another resolved at all hazards to AO her justice. In the meantime she is made the object of persecution, and, through the in strumentality of I.orrajn backed ,by the Duchess de Cerny (Miss Emma 11(n:ding), - an, excel:lo4 specimen the old French noblpssejs,arreStea the Officers of the Bastile, withlhe view of frightening her into: a renunciation 'of _tier—marriage. Some - stir-, ring incidents occur, but at length the better nature _of ,the:pseudo, 7 Cotint_prevails ; be acknow ledges't 414:43, his *ire",and in the, end is relieved of all dangeffroria thEi law_ by the appearance of the real son of the deceased Count de Salnalles, who for years has been the friend of Louise and her parenta, and who, on discovering his birth and rank, freely absolves Maurice Purand, who now returns to .his true position in life, fxona_all ,blarne, Such is the 'main plot of the piece,. but .there are besides a variety of telling Alia-wel-sustained incidents which throw an attractive interest over the whole drame, and from first to last tlfe'attention"of the audience is never per mitted to flag. Mr. Paul Bedford as Blaise Le fort, Syndic of the; rortefOs the source- of no small amusement-throughout, from his grotesque mode of courtship towards' Louise, whose husband he assumes, from his long absence, to be dead ; and some of the minor characters also are ~ b rought in with consider able effect, 'sp. as to lighten the play. The character of the " Queen of the Market" was hit off with great force kid ski f bMrs.'Keel4,' and the same compli ment might fattly be applied to all the leading actors. The new Nrde of .Who Stole the Pocketbook r and the comic opera - 4 Good Night, Signor Pantalon, fol lowed, and thus closed a series of excellent Easter en tertainments. _ LYCEUM THEATRE. An eight act pieci.; extending over the entire even ing, was the potent attraction at this elegant theatre. La 'Dame 'de ' Halle, the original drama, by M. Annicet Bourgeois and a collciborateur, was in six acts. The two additional acts added by the Lyceum adapters, , 111 , 4 Slingaby LEtvitence - and Mr. Charles Mathews, seem intended prinCiPally for the introduc tion of a shipiireek scene, excellently managed—better, indeed, than anything of 'the kind since the famous shipwreck in Mr.'Kemble's - last revival of the Tem pest, at Covent,garden. As a medium for displaying the entire j etOurces of te Lyceum,` both in regard to company Ilia scenic effect, it serves its purpose well. Mr. Charles Mathews was 'scoundrel of the first water, With a viiolness, ease; and imperturbable effron tery that were:l : exquisite,. and occasionally made 'the audience roar in the midst of the' gravest passages of villany. MadamerVestris acted with fine pathos in the scene where the lass of the.2oo louis d'nrs is disco vered, and was efficiently seconded by the rough and hearty earnestness 'of Mr; *Frank Matthews, who made the most,of the part of Pere Bonneau. Mr. Roxby exhibited a great deal of vigour as Alcide le Fort, and Mr. itter was quietly humorous as Brididi, the accepted laver of Javotte, which person age was played by . Miss Julia St. George with charming sprightliness and ease. Mrs. Frank Mat thews was es genial andmitural as she always is in Madeleine Richard, one of the chiefs of the lialle,— and Mrs. Maolahmara'S etiffness and dignity as the Marchidniits .:*ere thoroughly characteristic. Miss Laura Keene made her firstappearance at this theatre in the character of lierese, and her (labia must be pronounced decidedly successful. There is a vast deal of promise in this young lady, who only , wants more familiarity with the 'stage to be come an actress of more than conimon pretensions, particularly in melodrania and. domestic plays. She has ,youth and everyt4ing i n Eiei favour. The other characters call' for no special remark—except that every one, including Mr. - Belton, another' debutante (in the part pf,,George Michel), did his very beat, whatever thit alight amount to, to secure a good en semble. The scenery brought out. the admirable talent of Mr. Beverley:- in-a tiew light, and showed him as happy in the treatment of real as of faery subjects. The moonlight scene of the Market of the Innocents was a masterpiece of picturesque design. One of the most striking effects we have ever wit nessed on the 'stage was the 'shipwreck on the rocks of St. Domingo;! the reality was 'most appalling. The ballet was ;appropriate, 'and the dancing of Miss Rosina Wright extremely sinitnated. One of the dances, entitled La Fricassee, by a troupe of pois sardes, was quaint' and spirited, and elicited au uproarious encore. Mr.' Tully-has been very suc cessful in the innsic and -introduced • more than one pretty song. -The I• an of the curtain was the signal for an unanimous recall for Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mathews—then for Miss Laura Keene—and, lastly, for the author ; ; in response to which Mr. C. Mathews came forward and candidly 'owned that the piece was an adaptation from the' French, by himself and another gentlppann (named above). The Chain of Events adds another to the chain of Lyceum suc cesses. - PRINCESS'S THEATRE. The extraordinary run which the Easter piece en joyed at this theatre last year was less attributeble to any peculiar humour in the dialogue than to some very piCturesque-scenery„ to 'the extraordinary and inimitable personation of a monkey by Flesmore, and to the convulsing exploit's , -of _Keeley and Wigan as " the bounding bricks of Babylon. " Not that the dialogue was, as regards fun, • much below the average of that employed in fairy burlesques, but the fact is, that the profusion of puns, old and new, good and indifferent, which has signalised_ productions of this nature for several seasons past at divers of the Lon don theatres, has so jaded the public that the speaking partslave become in their estimation completely sub servient to the effects Of scenery, costume, and ballet. People go more to, see than to hear a burlesque. In the entertainment,, however, produced last evening at the Princess's Theatre under the title of Wittikind and his BrothrS; or, The Seven Swan Princes and the Fair Melusine this Stale trick of punning has been wisely .- abandoned -by its author. The dialogue is smooth and unpretentious, not thetitute of huinour, but free from pointed absurdities. The story of Wittikind and his Brothers is founded on this German fairy tale, yclept " The Seven Swans," which, if we recollect right, has been also handled by Andersen. Esel, Kitig of Miirchen land, the father ;;of seven - sons and one daughter, Melusine, by a first wife, is, married to a sorceress Queen, Mandragore, who persuades her henpecked spouse to send Melusine, when a child, to be reared by the shepherds of Miirchenland. The opening scene of the fairy tale Ands her celebrating her birth day among the peasants. Their rustic merriment is broken in upon by the arrival of Adelmann, the mayor of the palace to Ting Esel, with a summons of Melusine to the court, on the occasion of the knighting of Wittikind and his brothers. Melusine leaves her shepherd friends with regret, and one of them, Ulf, 'her foster: brother, contrives to fol low her to the court. Here, by the spells of Queen Mandragore, who poisons her bath, Me lusine is transfoemed'into hideousness, and is driven from the coudAS an impostor. • Ulf alone recognises her, and proffets her from the blows and the insults of the lacqueys. With - . him she wanders away into the woods; and there, by the intervention of the fay Rinnilde is restored to her original beauty. Mean while, the Queen, anxious to' obtain the sole power, transforms the King into •an owl, and the seven princes into wild swans, who fly forth incontinently. At nightfall, however; the spell is suspended, and the princes resume their htiMan forms. During the night they discover their sister. Anxious to escape from pursuit of their step-mother, they weave a net of rushes, end fly with Melusine over the sea to Avalon, leaving Ulf behind to follow as he can; and this flight closes the first act. The second act discovers Melusine sheltering in a cave overlooking the plains of Avalon. The fay .Rinnilde, in a vision, points out to her that . she may restore her brothers to their human shapes by spinning shirts of thistledown, during.: the 'iiieening and weaving of which she is neither, to epeak' nor smile. Ulf' arrives, having some how crossed the sea and is perplexed to find Melusine dumb-and-sad. She • sends him to gather thistles for her, and while he is absent Lothaire, Lord of Avalon, entering the cave in pursuit of his hawk, is charmed by her beauty and Silence,—he happening to be blessed with seven sisters who are inveterate chatterers. Melusine- is taken to court, and there Lotbaire weds her with great splendour. Meanwhile Mandragore, who has been driven from Miirchenland by the revolt ]of.her people has arrived in Avalon to n p ask Loth a i re 's a id aga i ns t th e re b e l s , a tt en d e d b y er in his Ahdelm ann , delmann, an d b ea ri ng h e r wre t c h e d h us b an d w i t h she e w sehraspuetid oowe is a witch, l.Recogn andizing a es th the horned King sh induces him to follow - her to one of her nocturnal visits to the churchyard , whither she goes to gather thistles fore h • witch, er spinni ng . Th e Ki ng, b e li ev i ng h er a charters consents,er to her exe cut i on . I n pr i son s h e en ge c of beothers, who have been arrested on a whom, during tigning.the princess (with interviews in theirpiece,s human forms). Melusine Ulf, succeeds in ce e e n O le n e. and, distrusted by all but about to fire the pii,,J l ; 3 l ? i g ch the shirts as they are a sorceress. The princes, who s i e l ie is to be burnt as the pile as swans, are 'restored to atvt,e, flown down to King Esel having previously been their human forms, the presence of mind of wi t.tikin e d, adudeni‘cihanted by having' 136eb, i n her turn, changed into an han.dragore of her owe spells. The prince recog n i ses I the w faith one and innocence of Alelustne, and the seven r . Wittikind the 'Wise, and his giddy.pated brethren,ince" Ottocar the Obstreperous, Rudiger the Rough ,Iva libald the Wavering,Eginhard the Energetic Hilde brand the Headstrong, and Luitprand the 'L oving, wed the yoluhle.tongueel Princesses of Avalo n , Clo .. • ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. The performances at this house were resumed last evening, and, despite the popular: festivities of the day, were attended by a numerous and fashionable audience. Two pieces were acted, both new, we be lieve, in this country, and both were most favourably received, particularly the second, entitled Maclemoi. selle de la Siegliere, something between a domestic drama and a genteel comedy, which for some time has bad a great run at the Tedatre Francais in Paris. The incidents and the story generally being altoge ther French may, in some respects, -be deemed less natural than we might wish it, hut the acting is so good, the audience seemed so determined to enter fully into the spirit of the scene., that the whole went off with grea t é c l a t, and th e ac t o r s , so me o f whom are o ld f avour it es , th e o th ers new to the British public, all shared and shared alike in the general applause, and may pride themselves upon having won the genuine sympathy of all present; but a few words or details may be acceptable to our readers, and currente calaino we will try to give a rude sketch of our first impressions of Le Cacliemire Vert. A gallant naval officer is on his return from the West Indier, .and meets as a fellow-passenger, a ledy, who at once wins his good opinion and his heart. He, having improved his opportunity, on landing, informs against this very lady, and she loser, in consequence, a valuable Cashmere shawl; great is her anger, o f course. They go to the same hotel and meet; a good d eal of sprightly wrangl i ng ensues—the gentleman admits his crime, and coolly declares that by so acting he has succeeded in turning away suspicions from himself, and saved a goodly number of shawl s , i ntended as presents to h i s lady friends. The n f o ll ows a declaration of hi s sentiments ; then the lady gets into trouble because she lost her passport ; then the gentleman discovers that his ow n contains the name of his future wife (who has in the meantime become another's), and the curtain falls upon .a happy couple, but not so as to screen from a p p l ause Monsieur St. Maria, Madame Roger Solid, and our old friend Tourillon, who makes a capital thing of the gendarme. Of the the second piece, Mademoiselle de la Siegliere, the plot may be thus briefly stated : D e n ig ri i n ie g re th h e as Fr e emnicghratßezt!lution the Marquis de la Hi s proper t y h as b e en Seigliere sold to one of his old farmers, who has by dint of in dustry and labour much improved it, and, in fact, be come a rich agriculturist. The Marquis has a daughter, the farmer a son. Mdlle. de la Seigliere returns to France at the restoration, with her family; t a o v e be died dead, i is n i n duced Russia. the farmer's son, who h as joined th e army un d er Na poleon, , to :1 1 1 1 point i is believing eu pes his ed 0 of death, to mak e a donation of his estate to the farmer, eo former owner, the Ma rqu i s, at the who believes the money is merely restored to him. The son re turns to claim his father's estate, under Frenchclaw encounters I Vidlle.de l a S e i g lie re, an d f a ll s the charm—he had come an opponent, an enemy, he becomes a friend, a benefactor (unknown). A conflict of generosity tak es place between certain o f the parties, of craft and deep d es i gn between others ; a certain lawyer does, partly out of ambition, partly for the sake of revenge, a great deal of good ; and once more, at the critical moment, we congratulate a happy couple upon the termination of their troubles, and ourselves upon a delightful evening. Monsieur Regnier, who played the Marquis, is a first-rate actor, and acted the light-hearted stubborn old noble to the life. Bernard, the farmer's son, was ably de lineated by Lafont, and Monsieur Roger, imparted great spirit to an ungrateful part—that of the lawyer. The crafty Baroness was a cted by Mdlle. Devin, who looked and dressed the part admirably. But the whole interest centred at last upon Mdlle. MarqUet, who elicited much sympathy an d applause in the character of Mdlle. de la SslgnOre. At the fall of the curtain the actors were all called for, when a little incident occurred which added, if possible, to the in terest already excited by theb f c er-ormance. Monsieur Lafont came forward, than kedf the audience for their ,kind patronage, and in a ew words, feelingly spoken, intimated the anxiety fe l t b y himself and brother performers that the audience should know that Mon.; sieur Regnier, the talente of the of the Marquis de la Sighere, was a l so one • Of course cr. , . piece. ;es many, loud, and imperative, onsieur Regnie r of "L'auteur" forced M to re-appear, and he once more acknowledged the gratifying plau dits of the audience. OLYMPIC s ls ' THEATRE. at this place 0 f amusement Last were the presented,E a s t Laster B, h n l o o iftdo.ifiraeyrthfok Mr. Ch arles Selby,e first time, with a en n ti e t x le tr a av T ag b a e nz c a a f m ro b m eri t t h v e ll it ; or, the Mystic ithlkinan. The author takes his idea from the C'r.. sican Brothers; the successful dramatic romance at the Princess's Theatre ; but, availing hi mself of the privileges of his fraternity, he works out that idea by means of the most heterogeneous material s . H e has forgotten, however, that even in the most outrageous burlesques some little connexion of i nc id ent i s desirable, and that an audience never s o we ll appreciates the ludicrous a nd co mical as when exhibited in the development of Some intelli gible plot. Mr. Compton, who is w o th e mainstay of the piece, represents the twi n brothers, Funky Frenky and Fighting Franky, the sons of Mrs. Save loy Franky, the renowned pro prietess of a m ilk esta blishment in Cow-lane, Camberwell.; A somewhat wide stretch of the imagination Is required to recon cile the singular unity and yet se p ar at ion, but the inventive genius of Mr. Selby clears up the mystery by a novel device. The two brothers were born lik e that almost f a b u l ous s p e cies of humanity which we are told h as t wo distinct bodies united in o ne - ; but Guy's Hospital was had recourse to to cut them asun der, an operation which h a ppily succeeded without destroying the life of either. .here the m ystery comme,nces, and continues without intermission ; for, to confess the truth, the fliwle WO more explains mat- EVRNTIN 7 C;)r, APRIL 13, ISg2. tilde, Ysonde, Yolande, , Odette, Renne, Blanche, and Mazhilde. The fair Melusine, the leading character in the piece was represented by Miss Carlotta Leclercq, of whom we may at once say that no artiste on the boards could possibly have acted the part better, or have looked it so well. In addition to her personal attractions,. the brilliant lightness of her dancing, her expressive pantomime and clear delivery, and the bedoming elegance _of , her _ several dresses, reedered - 'Miss Leclercq the . mest 'delightful em bodiment'ithaginable of an enchanted and enchant; iog heroine. of , fairy romance. If any thi ng were wanting to constitute her an established favourite, it was fully supplied by her performance of last even ing, and - we feel much satisfaction in coutributiog Mir giatulations to the triumph achieved by a v er y charming and meritorious young actress. In. Ulf, the faithful and disinterested foster-brother of Melusine, Miss Robertson displayed not merely a singularly' pretty figure, b u t a f ee li ng an d energy in her acting Which eli c i te d frequent applause. (T hese are' the two ladi es of whose " manifest insuffi ciency" a certain profound critic writeth!) The u te l r ti r m ib a le tely M c a o n n d si r g ag n:r i s trayed with imp os i ng malignity by Mrs. Winstanley et o' e w t e h r o n in a l ow r g h o h o t e d e) , ug aZ e n o e u e r i Miss Marshall (a recent and valuable acquisition to the establishment) did the part of Wittikind cleverly, as she does everything, and Miss Murray was the happy King of Avalon, who, if poetical justice were rigidly carried our, ought to have found less favour in the eyes of Melusine than the affectionate and gentle Ulf. Harley had a part that precisely fitted this favourite and rejuvenescent comedian; a swag gering, consequential maj or -d omo faithfully holding discretion to be the b e tt er part of valour, cring i ng t o the mighty and bullyin g the mean ; and Meadows's make-up as the hapless Ki ng of M arc h e nland was admirable. The enchant e d owl fell to t h e l o t o f , Flexmore, who looked a very grave and reverend fowl, blinking and hissing with ornithological pro priety,the p rover bi a l gravity of the bird of Pallas by gettin g h elplessly ine b r i a t e d at feeding time, to the great en j oyment, h owe ver, of but sadly belying the spectators. Flexmore's genuine talent was a small part so promi nent, for in any other hands it wou ld have b een all, but lost. A most agreeable surpr i se was afforded (there having been an inadvert ent om i ss i on i n the strongly evinced in making bills) by a ballet in the fete scene in the second act, in which Madlle. Auriol executed a pas with a vigour, grace, precision, and firmness, that brought down most deservedly cordial plaudits. We Save rarely, if ever, seen this admirable danseuse to greater advan tage than in this scene, in which she contributed one of the brightest gems of the entire entertainment. The scene-painters have done themselves infinite cre dit,scene, which we hold to be unequalled especially in exquisite a e l ffect , even with the fear of Beverley before our eyes ; and i n th e fli g h t .o f Melusine over the sea, in which Miss L ec l ercq i s th e for prominent form of beauty. The innumerable cos tumes, on which the outlay must have been enormous, are not merely rich and varied, but superlatively tasteful; Miss Marshall's attire is the perfection of stage dress. The orchestra, which is considerably increased, was led by Mr. Robert Stopel, who furnished the music of the piece, which is generally good. A chorus by Melusine and in the Seven Princes,' in the first act, is.a very pleasing composition, and was unanimouslY encored. There may be a little pruning, especially in the earlier por tions of the piece and in the music, but we trust no paring to the quick. The re-appearance of Mr. Charles Kean, after his recent illness, was greeted with the vehement cor diality due on such an occasion to the best of managers and actors. Mr. Kean bore no traces of indisposition in his unrivalled performance of the twins of Corsica, " within which circle none dare walk but he." The house was crowded to the ceiling, and the boxes filled with fashion. The success of the magnificent after piece (which by the way is '" a fairy tale," not a burle,que," and written by Mr. Tom Taylor) was, it is unnecessary to say, unequivocal. MAR ters than a Ministerial reply gives an explicit answer to the interrogirory of an opponent. Funky Franky, with whom the audience is most immediately con ' cerned, labours under the impression that his half brother will be his own, and that a kind of mesmeric or electric telegraphic sympathy or communication exists between them. The cleverly -arranged. super natural appearance of Fighting Franky, and a tableau or vision, in which he is having a " mill" with an antagonist, strengthens_ the -fears o f F un k y, _ and leads to the expectation;that an interesting., it not extraordinary, denouement will follow. At the close, however, of, the first act Mr. Albany Brown, of Marionette reputation, is drawn forward on a string, and, after a dissertation on the aucient and modern drama; apologises alike for what has preceded and what is to come, and asks his good-humoured bearers to fill up all gem blanks, and incongruitiee by the aid of their imagination --a request as necessary as it was modest. This bit at the _Marionettes was one of the most amusing events of the evening. The living actor dressed ass doll to perfection, and his movements appeared to he entirely at the mercy of the string above, which of course was not so skil fully managed as at the Adelaide Gallery. The se cond act consisted chiefly of a series of adventures by a few swells at Cremorne-gardens. Fighting Franky, the supposed severed half of Funky, forms one of the notable body, and the only perceptible reference to the pathetic opening is the fulfilment of the pre diction in the fighting tableaux, by his en gaging in a prolonged contest with a boast ing and belligerent Irishman rejoicing in the name of Pat O'Runo, and whom he uitimately spiflicates. Mr. Shalders enacted the part of the Irishman with great humour and genuine Tippe rary brogue. The other characters were well sus tained ; but, notwithstanding the exertions of the actors and actresses, the production was rather dull, and its success questionable. Too much praise cannot be awarded to the scenery and dresses, which were extremely beautiful. The view of Cremorne-gardens by night on the occasion of a bal masque, with innu merable variegated lamps, was as fine a piece of scenic design as we have seen at any theatre. The extravaganza wound up with a Terpsichorean display, illuminated byfiarames de Bengale. The Merchant of Veniceommenced the performances, but the only noticeable part in the was that of Portia, which was taken by Mrs. Walter Lacy for the first time at the Olympic. Her acting throughout was charac terised by considerable taste and feeling, and easy and graceful action. STRAND THEATRE. A new piece, by Mr. C. Reade, described as " an illustration of our country homes," and bearing the title of a Village Tale, was the opening performance here last evening. The Village Tale is in three acts, and the scene laid in Berkshire. The incidents all occur in the house of Farmer Hathorn (Mr. IV. Att wood). In the reaping season, Corporal Patrick (Mr. E. Stirling) and his daughter Rachel' (Miss Maskell) are employed by the farmer to assist in getting in the harvest. When the reaping is all over, and the cor poral and his daughter are about to quit the farm, the latter suddenly encounters Richard Hickman (Mr. Moreland), a young farmer of somewhat idle and roving habits, and between the two there appears to be some mysterious connexion, of which all that is learnt at first is, that Rachel had some four years before become the mother of a child, of which Hickman was the father. In the mean time the farmer's son, Robert Hathorn (Mr. J. Rogers), becomes enamoured of Rachel, whose conduct while reaping had pointed her out as a person supe rior to her occupation, and makes several overtures to her, which she treats very slightingly. This at tachment is viewed with great dislike by the farmer, but his wife, won by Rachel's behaviour (Mrs. Charles Selby), is not so averse to it. In the development of the plot appear two other characters, Mrs. Rose Mayfield, a widow (M rs . W. R. Copeland), and Mr. A. Priori (Mr. Moore), a retired tradesman. The former of these is a sort of village flirt, being alter nately courted by Mr. Priori, by Richard Hickman, and for his son, by Farmer Hathorn. Hickman appears to have the best chance of winning her, but she at length begins to look upon him with distrust, and he, to spite Rachel for a supposed disclosure to the widow of his real character, hastens the denouement by aspersions on the latter. Such being the relative positions of the several parties, the corporal and his daughter are taunted by the farmer, in order to break off the attachment of his son, with • a reference to Rachel's past history and implied mis conduct; when the corporal admits the birth of a child, but defends his daughter's character by stating that Hickman had married her, that she subsequently discovered that he had a wife living at the time, and that in order to save him from the consequences, she had consented to conceal the fact. The widow now generously renounces her pretensions ; to Robert Hathorn, who had all along clung to the notion of Rachel's innocence, and becomes a mediator for him to his father; Rachel rejects an offer of marriage from Hickman, now a widower, and, to re move the lingering repugnance of old fathom, in the very nick of time the maligned and virtuous suf ferer is discovered to be the owner under the will of an aunt of 3,0001., and the very farm occupied by HiCkman. To complete the retributive lesson, the self-denyitig Mrs. Mayfield becomes Mrs. Priori. The piece was well received, and will doubtless have a good run. It was succeeded by the rattling extra vaganza, Antony and Cleopatra, by a ballet diver tissement entitled La Vivandiere, and finally, by The Ragged School, all of which met with a cordial re ception. YLEB JNE THEATRE. The entertainments at this theatre last night were The Tempest, a grand national ballet divertissement, under the title of Britannia, the Gem of the Ocean, and Plancbe's burletta The Loan of a Lover. In the Tempest, which was well cast, Miss Lavine, of the Theatres Royal Edinburgh and Newcastle, made her first appearance in London, in the character:of Ariel, and indicates that she will prove an acquisition to the company in other lines of theatrical character. Caliban lost nothing of his glory, growl, or power of cursing in the hands of Mr. E. Laws; Prospero was well sustained in those of Mr. Cowie ; and Miranda, his daughter, had an admirable representative in Miss Grosvenor. Britannia, the Gem of the Ocean, the Easter novelty, is an attractive ballet, in which the nations of the world, in a grand allegorical tableau, pay tribute to " the. Queen of the Waves." It is a light production of Mr. W. H. Harvey (of the Italian Opera), whose dancing was admirably supported by the exquisite pas of Mdlles. Louise Blanche, Julie, and Kate Kirby. The Loan of a Lover was a good wind up, and was well received by " the gods," whose fancy it tinkled very happily, and who departed, well pleased with the evening's entertainments. and the throng of indulgent spectators seemed very ready to make allowances for the contretemps of a first presentation, and before leaving joined in con tinued rounds of applause. ASTLEY'S THEATRE. The introductory piece at this most popular theatre was a grand historical, equestrian, and mili tary spectacle, which has been eminently successful in Paris, entitled Bonaparte in Egypt, and it is scarcely necessary to say that it was got up with all the arts and appliances for which the Royal Amphi theatre is go famous. The spectacle, which is full of bustle and incident, consists of a series of picturesque tableaux—amongst the most effective of which we may notice the storming of the city of Alexandria, and the flight of its defenders before the im petuous attack of the grand army. Another scene which told remarkably well was the grand entree of Bonaparte through the golden gates of Cairo, accompanied by his cortege, sufficient in number to occupy almost the entire stage. The battle of Aboukir was manfully contested on both sides, but of course in the end the Mamelukes got terribly threshed, and were obliged to succumb to the " infidels." In addition to the general company, Mr. Frazer made his debut as the great general, and was ably assisted by Mr. Widdicomb, who enacted the part of Kleber, and Mr. Craddock, who sustained that of Colonel Victor. Miss Lydia Pearce, who personated the character of a servant, promises to be a considerable acquisition to the company ; and Master Arthur Leclerq, the son of the stage manager and ballet master, was well received in a Pas Grecque, assisted by the corps de ballet. The scenes in the arena were admirably gone through by Mdlle. Louise Massolta, M. Franconi, Miss Barraud, Mr. Bridges, and Tom Thumb the Great; and the evening's amuse ment was concluded with the amusing farce of the Lottery Ticket. ROYAL MARIONETTE THEATRE. We had two novelties here last night, the one being a piece of apropos called Now in Rehearsal; or Confi dential Revelation Strictly Public, and the other an old Easter favourite, Aladdin, and the Wonderful Lamp, newly trimmed and burnished for the Marionettes. The audience must, indeed, have been bard to please that could find much fault with either performance, for apart from one or two little gaucheries incidental to first performances, everything was excellent. We have not space to criticise either piece at length, ncr is it necessary, as the performances more than sus tained the already good name of the Marionette Theatre. The story of Aladdin was well told, the libretto was entirely new, and the introduced songs and duets gave opportunities for displaying the very creditable vocal talent engaged here. In the intrdnc tory brochure, Now in Rehearsal, we had something after the style of the Critic, with a good-natured exposure of some of the bickerings and jealousies of green-room life. We cannot refrain from speaking in the very highest terms of the scenery and costumes in the spectacle, for they were tr u ly ma g nific en t, a n d this little theatre may successfully vie with its proudest rivals in the admirable scenic effects pro duced. The audience was very numerous, and of the highest f as hi on , an d were evidently delighted with their evening's entertainment. MISCE- a n L lT L ie tNE m O n lj an S um E ...... X T /I h l e ßlT ch l i o ef N o S b , j e & e c te . of THE B attraction for the numerous visitors to this establish mentgigantic yesterday were the sculptures lately arrived from Nineveh, and only deposited in the Mu seum a few weeks ago. These works consist of two winged human headed lions, and two bulls, likewise winged and human-headed, which formed the portals to the temples of the Assyrians. The bulls are of enormous size, being no less than 14 feet 5 inches in height, and of proportionate bulk. These objects are placed in the Ga lery of Antiquities, near the en trance, in a species of transept, which, though spa cious and lofty, is scarcely sufficiently so to allow of their being seen to proper advantage. They are such extraordinary productions of the art of sculpture and of such extreme antiquity that it is no wonder they excited the admiration of all who looked upon them. PICTURE GALLERIES.—The National Gallery, Trafalgar-square and the Vernon Collection of pic tures, at Marlborough House, received, as usual, a great accession of company yesterday. The different exhibitions of paintings now open also received their share of public patronage :—That of the Society of British Artists, in Suffolk-street, which, though not first-rate, is still particularly interesting on account of the variety it displays both in the selection of sub• jects and in style of execution ; that of the Britis Institution in Pall-Mall, which includes among its contents some creditable historical pictures and some fine landscapes ; and Mr. Grundy's Winter Exhibi tion of Water-Colour Paintings and Sketches in oil, in which are to be found several excellent works by the leading artists of the day. THE COLOSSEUM.—This old-established and popular haunt comes forth this Easter with a new face. For some time past it has been in the hands of the im prover and decorator. The principal change is in the Glyptotheca, the inner walls of which are now lined with mirrors, set in elaborately gilt frames which reflect the statuary on the opposite side. By this devise the hall seems to have increased in size, while the figures appear to be multiplied upon the same principle. The whole of the embellishments have experienced renewal, and the ensemble is now lustrously and delicately beautiful. The other at tractions of the place remain unaltered, though they have all undergone the process of revivification. The conservatories, the stalactite cavern, the Roman anti quities, the aviaries, &c., are replete with interest, as they always must be, for the cost which they have occasioned in forming, and the grace and beauty of the several effects, are too obvious and remarkable ever to be overlooked. The Colosseum, in a word, with its two elaborate panoramas of London and Paris, is a sight among sights, in which the best con trivances of art have been associated with the highest refinements of taste. As a refuge for the idler, and a repast for the sight-seeker, it surely can have no equal. The Cyclorama will re-open shortly, with a moving diorama of the Crystal Palace. MR ALBERT SMITH'S ASCENT OF MONT BLANC. —One of the most attractive of the Easter exhibitions is this, which not only contains a series of charming paintings by Mr. William Beverly, illustrative of an excursion between Paris and Chamouni, but is further enriched by the viva voce descriptions of Mr. Albert Smith himself—a tourist of great observation, and a lecturer of the most agreeable vivacity. His narra tive of a journey to the foot of the celebrated Mont Blanc is replete with comic gaiety, while his sketches of the personages whom he has met with are given with an apt sense of the ludicrous, and with much versatility and address. We need not remind our readers that Mr. Smith actually accomplished the_shs-e• in a pleasacinhticompa" cent of Mont Blanc in the autumn of last year. = 1 : second part of his lecture deals solely with adven ture.this He tells the spectator, conversa tional manner, of the difficulties thin a practical nions encountered while prosecuting ba a undertaking; and his descriptions receive._ Mr. Beverly, reality from the several portraitures of f stage, and by which sink perpendicularly his hazardous s is n n u n np m re o c r e e de t n h t a ed n hatsholaugeothowlyihtihisustructive, but ex eaTiunifisou entertainment t r e a r d t u a i i i n l m a e s n ce t n s t in u c p e tthheis sides saossr the e gg m e n s a t n t t h a e in ic . l it has been opened amount of patronage ,,s A n a;YLLE Rooms.—The public was predicted, for it quisitely amusing. proprietors of LAURENT'S CASINO, ..-- . this esta blishmentt? the admirab le ' manner in owe no slight thanks for the adnur, which they have raised it to one of the recognised public amuse us, Propriety and meats of the nietropo.•decorum, SO suc h places, are hereshown • easily violated in with to be in ' accordance enjoyment and perfect pleasure • and, from the if we may judg e the crowds which nightly fill public ap • this elegant room,appreciate to the full the very excellent manner in which the arrangements here are carried out. The orchestra is one of the most nu merous and best conducted in the metropolis, and as the music played is of the newest and most select description the musical dilettante, as well as t h e lover of the mazy dance, - will find a treat here which will well repay him for a stroll into Windmill street. Sr. GEORGE'S GALLERY.—The diorama of Jeru salem, painted under the superintendence of Mr. William Beverly, from sketches made by Mr. Bart lett during his long sojourn in the East, has been one of the most popular of the picture exhibitions. In solemnity of interest it has no rival, for the scenes which it depicts are thoso of grave and momentous peculiarity. The scale upon which these views are painted is vast in comparison with other works of the same class with which the metropolis abounds, the measurement being the same as that required in a full-sized theatre. This great extent of surface adds considerable grandeur to the pictorial effect, inasmuch as it has enabled the artists to embrace wider ensem bles, and treat the most remarkable localities with a breadth due to their individual importance. The diorama contains views of the Mount of Olives, Mount Hor, Mount Sinai, Bethiekem, Nazareth, and other places of like holy suggestiveness. Dionsmi. OP THE HOT..y LAND.—Tbis diorama, exhibiting at the Egyptian Hall, is similar in plan and purport to the foregoing, though not painted upon so magnificent a scale or so elaborately. The views professedly illustrate the same localities, which, it is said, were " daguerreotyped" for the purpose. Most of the scenes are, however, taken from different points of view to those which are to be met with. at the St. Georg e ' s G a ll er y, an d h ence th e two ,__ ramas, although dealing with the same therri to es,"inve separate specialities, and can scarcely be said terfere with each other. ; Ens of Hin- DIORAMA OF HINDOSTAN.—The Dotical Air. Louis dostan, painted by Mr. Philip Phili t i l s : been on ex- Haghe, w hich f or s o m e months P e hibition at Madame Tussaud's es isloalishrnent in Baker street, affords an instructi ve g limpse of the external _~ ~ character of Indian scenery. Derived fro :401,4f0V-7 4. 'l *. taken on the spot by Colonel Luard, lon a :re-sicretiP-4 '''otrc.4 g o , in those districts of the vast cou n t ry w b b t . l' § ' , *'. V. 1 4t-tili norania undertakes to illustrate, the 4- .. ..*.v i "4: , , ..1--.. , ' fifty views which pass successively b l'ilit i fi r s 4. eye may be accepted as authentic. mencing at Fort William, the traveller ascends Ganges, the principal localities of which are depicted with great great and striking effect, while the customs, costumes, and public and private ceremonials of the natives are incidentally delineated. The artists to whom the town is indebted for this interesting tran script of scenes, in which we may be said to feel a national interest, have amplified the original drawings of Colonel Luard very ably, while perfect vraisem blance has been secured by the personal supervision of the colonel himself. HUNGERFORD HALL. - The well-known diorama of the Chev a li e r B o uton, that of St. Mark' s Ch urc h, has b een t ransporte d to t h e ex hibiti on -r oom o f Hun gerford H a ll, where it is 1.10 071 view with a variety of contrasted efrect2, the re3Ult of the dit;ramic W pro cess, which it illustrates as beautifully, probably es any of the numerous pictures which have at various times been submitted to the public at the old esta blishment in the Regent's Park. The ecomomical rate of admission established at Hungerford Hill places, it may be observed, this wonder of pictorial ingenuity within the inspection of all classes of so ciety. MADAME TIISSALTD'S.--Tfle gallery of Madan-3O Tussaud does not seem to abate one jot of its cele brity. It has outrivalled, and consequently outlived, many other collections of a similar kind, simply by its great superiority in the facts of portraiture and by its brilliancy and gentility as a promenade. Among th 3 most recent additions, a figure of Kos' suth is the most prominent, besides a Bloomer or t in proper brevity of costume. A model of the Rua- Sian giant, Loushkin, is now on view—a worthy be tween eight and ni n e f ee t high, a downright Brobdig nagian, a man, indeed, of most fabulous proportions; But there he is, in his dress as drum-major in the Imperial Regiment of Guards, of which he must be a monstrously conspicuous member. GREENWICH FAIR. Yesterday's sun shone forth in earnest, and chal lenged the votaries of rural delights to join the joyous groups that rushed to the railway or the river in search of health and recreation. Great was the throng even on the highway of carts, gigs, carriages, and pedestrians. The fair mi g ht b e sa id to b eg i n at th e Bricklayers' Arms, where for a mile the road was a perfect m art , of toys, g i nger b rea d , and other " com bustibles, ' as Mrs. Malaprop bath it. Thousands of pedestrians footed all th e way t o G reenwich, nor felt the way tedious. Indeed, it is many y ears s i nce so many people passed down the road to an Easter fair. All were agog for fun, and the cry resounded on all sides, " What's your game ?" To which the ex pected reply was promptly given, " All serene." For the origin of this military or civil sign and countersign, we confess we have con sulted the authorities in vain. Every one knows the story of the statesman, who said " Give me the songs of the mob on my side, and I shall laugh at opposition speeches in Parliament." The temper of the times showed itself in pictorial allusions to in vasion, caricatures of John Bull waiting for the as sault of a long .visaged grim personage in uniform ; caricatures of the condition of Englishmen and Frenchmen, the latter sabred, shot, or deported to the colonies. Groups were collected to hear a song, which was popular all day, a verse of which runs thus : Arouse up, Britannia, or coon wo shall rue; The French are all coming to beat us quite blue. In France there's been lately the devil to pay; Come, rouse up, Old Nosey, and show us the way; - We'll not be conquered, boys, don't be afraid; John Bull will protect his women and maid, And if we get wounded whilst blazing away, f, Queen Victoria will give us three halfpence a day. With sounds and sights like these, we beguiled the way to the great scene of action, and struck into the glorious park to gaze:upon the vast landscape that pre sents itself, into four counties, and a circuit of some 70 or 80 miles, from the summit of the Observatory hill, now called Flamstesd House, and devoted to as tronomical and scientific observation and research. During the dynasty of the warrior kings of England, when the crown sought by all means to strengthen itself against rivals and the turbulent insolence of powerful nobles, who had each a little standing army of his own at command, the present site of the Observatory in the park was selected on account of its lofty and commanding situation as a fit spot to be fortified. The famous Humphery, Duke of Gloster, raised upon the summit of this hill a castle which had in those times, when parallels of approach and battering trains of heavy artillery were unknown, the character of being a place of great strength. The extensive chase of Black heath then extended far beyond Eltham Palace, which the Norman race of monarchs, including Richard Coeur de Lion, his son, and his brother King John, cherished as the stronghold of Royalty, as well as the secluded retreat where they could, unobserved, indulge in wild wassail feasting, and every excess. There was under the protection of the fortress on the hill, and close to the river side, another palace. On its ruins the Merry Monarch Charles IL raised that w ing of Greenwich Hospital which has often been the scene of his pleasant orgies, and upon which every gala-day now floats, in imperial pomp, the Royal standard. ______ The fair street, terminating at Deptford-bridge, presented nearly the same aspect as usual, and its at tractions is the way of shows were the never-failing gorgeous glories of Richardson, who still, after the manner of the early Greek players, carries all his attractions in a waggon or two. lie has this year polished off a Warren's jet black band for the occa sion, and well and " gently they do their spiriting," impostors though these sable minstrels be. rho far famed Wombwell and his splendid men agerie,we regret to say, are not amongst the attractions. Indeed, there were no wild beasts to be seen, whether biped or quadruped, at the fair—an improvement which will, doubtless, encourage timid mothers to bring their tender nurslings to-day to witness the gilded glories of gingerbread-row. There were not wanting lures for allg aclasses—rifles d for our future volunteers—slwaminbgss, fhoerahaisg_bflsaynedrs—dloiEkgse. gullible ' b • allo ' s s , o r lotteries, ts o f preternatural and tti w r n wi a t ti b lt o hf u soi t gr s eu , i t f es o e for the otrhl like e tkhee Russian terriers, with t .,i h iskt e he fo r r e e z p l art of their bodies mo • se ii Nrl 3 ‘ attract Fives a wonderfulPipigs--cats hcatcsol with io l eagle's claws, m handsons airorshnsareonoftphaetirrolniesagdse. Atloai .i fromt l u ordes c aei kstpmt mons trosities, South g huseko—ni r t epr c typ y daaA:::t h naig i rc: u e:Aoa l o l acroi ( I : kit s :so: t Court has established a fashion stripped and belaboured until their where some would-be sprigs of tinguish d ba e t i h y i booth for sparring, . each other about the h n u os m e b a l n e The e induced great These s . : a e s et a hea g r r t e s at c e o r u n id um n b e e t r dis e i admission,e-erinso.oms, at two and threepence per head than usual, and the keen bracing air f bal o ela r inutc.. numbers, even at an early hour, to sport a fantastic o t f o A e to l not-indifferent music. The endless those at man n ball-room of for its vast . area, its excel lent occupies its usual place, and defies y en o t f s, ou or r a L b on a a nd on o t f h en ea u t s r : e c s i . ans, superior to There is in every popular meeting something pecue liarly in vogue. The crowds that entered the pretty little studios of the portrait-painters betrayed the prevailing feeling, and might with propriety license us in naming this spot " Vanity Fair," there seemed to he so general a rage "to be taken from life," or rather we should call it, to live after death in a flat tering resemblance. These varied agremens occa sioned the fair to be crowded to excess all day, al though the town itself was thronged with thousands of visitors. The park, too, though divested of foliage and even of verdure, through the long-continued drought and perishing north -east winds, was well frequented, and there was a great profusion of at tractive goods spread alone the gravel walks which have been laid down since last year, with good discre tion, by Prince Albert's order, as well es a fine wide carriage-drive from the river-gate to that at Black heath. The racing down the hill was carried on with great spirit, notwithstanding the interference of the police, who got mobbed and pelted with oranges and apples for their pains. " Kiss in the ring"—a time honoured sport—had its votaries in a remoter part of the park ; where, also, there was a frequent cowed* tation held by simple swains and lasses with t 139 weird sisters, the tawny daughters of Egypt, who deal with fate and fortune, and— " Like foul and midnight hap, Do a deed without a name. "n the dig. The Heath, with its surrounding hill" •- tance and handsome villas grouped arou nd margin and embosomed in groves of ev ergreens, cannot quite itswh rs within turesque wildness awakens those the human breast that even a long durance vile" sure to be a source of general gaetntriaacl,t?eo_ealinglsts pied ewithinrad Naturam expellss (urea, tamen usque recurret, with a friend, or his Et mala perrumpet fattym fastidie, Victrix. The presence of these kindlyl eradicate. Naturam e dread bills of mortality feelings does not render greensward on a Jerusalem e a donkey cart. li e pony, or ' . , can join here in a match at criceet, emulate the a • ohdesiffrte,reanctrtoossa the e cia ride practice for the future defence ancient archers of Kent Or r i fle ishnwimderealwing the long bow, prepare himself by . ence of his country, with out dread of ridicule, or feelin of rnauvoisc saturnalia—thehon in his yearly t o il , a momentary zestwLich renews his energy and giv The tent of sport to a life of severe labour. s were active when we left break and interval.edi ly progressing the scene, and preparations made, and the excellent arrange.. meat and dispatch from the aspect of the place, the exee cate, that as the weather promises well, this fair will be the best E of the trains, we must prognostie aster ilk on record. SURREY THEATRE. The entertainments provided for Easter at this house were on a scale of enterprise and liberality which the success that has attended the present ma nagement gave its patrons a right to expect. They comprised a three act drama, a comediettu, and a burlesque extravaganza. The drama, we need hardly state, is the Corsican Brothers, for, though it con tains many bad features of the French, from which it is a translation, there are yet in it such well-wrought passages, and so wide a scope for effects, that it pro mises to become as universal throughout this country as the vendetta which it illustrates was interminable in Corsica. The present adaptation is one of the best yet produced, and owes its quasi paternity to the bro thers Sala. The principal characters were sustained by Mr. Creswick and Mr. Mead in an energetic and artistical style. The comedy of the Young Couple introduced the Bateman children to this side of the water. Their performances were characterised by the same taste which has from the first distinguished them; and their arch and winning manner elicited the warmest approval. The burlesque is from the pen of Mr. E. L. Blanchard, the author of the Christmas pantomime produced on the same boards, under the title of .Harlequin Prince Blue Cap, and, is entitled the Three Perils of Illan; or, the Knights of the Round Table. It is founded upon a portion of the history, fabulous or otherwise, of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, the id passage selected being that in which La Belle Isetrede is stolen from her father by Sir Tristram, in Castle Dolorous, and subsequently, after r io u ne l moving accidents, rescued thence Prince Arthur himself forms a subord b i y i t S e ir ''' feature in the burlesque. Of his trusty w( his magic lance Rou, we hear snot)hrd Cal ib urn , and nothing, . but in the n or do we even see the fair and beauteous Guinever i Welch place of all this there are lots of enchanting fairies with hats and leeks, Druids and devils, good spirits and elves, and the whole the the knignts in most lot is more closely gallant: array. The tenor of t of the allied to some of the French verseiopDs chan_any and th e pions English with which we are acquainted, what knights, as a whole, are represented as a somewhat licentious set of gallants, albeit _strong champions of the Christian faith. The whole . story . hi nges upon the one point which we hav a e T a d y l e c , ataedWelch whilst Sir Lionel seeks the aid of Morgana L enchanter. fairy, to rescue the beautifullsohde, Sir Tristram enlists on his behalf Merlin ti'e These latter subject Sir Lionel to all sorts of trials in the shape of wine, women, and , finally, an accommo guidance of th e good fairy he dation bill. Under t he resists all with success, and signalises hi s victory over the last by a duel with a veritable kite. Clothed in these alight vestments the dialogue is smart and racy. Numerous sparkling hits are i nterepersed,and some clever parodies upon popli ar airs. The scenery is good, but not startling. The burlesque will enjoy, as it deserves, a good reputation, and a long and pros perous career a waits. Miss Julia Harland made a charming Sir Lionel , singing and ac ti n g with im mense spirit. Mr. Widdicombe was Au admirable Sir Tristram, and Mr. Wynn au effective Merlin It, only r e mains to add that the house was crowded,. TUESDAY