The Press.
London, England, 1857-01-17 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.

THE Christmas entertainments having now settled
down into the positions they will respectively occupy
for the season, we shall not incur the risk of in-
juring any manager by giving a glance round the
theatrical world. The remarks we offered at
Christmas touching the puffing system of criticism,
the character of the playgoing public, and the
artistic demerits of certain members of the profes-
sion, have given great offence to many who have
reasons for defending the existing state of things,
and great satisfaction to a better class of persons.
While we have received both published and privately
forwarded abuse for daring to say that most thea-
trical notices were puffs secured by management,
that most theatrical audiences, by their impartial
attendance at good performances and vile ones, show
that they neither care for nor comprehend the dif-
ference, and that several actors and actresses are by
no means the marvels they allege themselves to be,
we have, per contra, been informed by actors of the
first class, by persons who love the drama, and by
members of literary and cultivated society, that we
" have hit the right nail on the head," and can do
much service to the stage and its professors by ex-
posing the humbug which surrounds them with a
false atmosphere. We are favoured, too, with a
variety of anecdotes and information illustrative of
our original propositions. We are apprised of
various ways in which different London managers
deal with critics, of the manner in which certain
managers and manageresses who " act themselves "
insist on the characters which they do not sustain
being subordinated to their own (and some recent
instances are given of this) ; and we are told how
and why handsome actresses are got rid of in an
establishment where there is a manageress, and
sought for in a theatre where there is not. A good
deal of this sort of communication is mere " green.
room gossip," and we shall certainly not retail it; but
of some of the facts which were previously within our
knowledge, and some of the information which is
being poured in upon us, we shall make such use as
is befitting, and as will promote the object we have in
view—the exposure of theatrical humbug.
Our present remarks, however, will be chiefly con-
fined to a glance at the entertainments of the season.
We trust to obtain credit from one of our most angry
assailants for having abstained from uny such criti-
cism until these performances had taken their place
in the popular estimation. We could not go quite so
far he does, and say that a critic ought to abstain
from doing his duty to the public in reference to a
pantomime, because its getting up costs a manager
so much trouble and expense, but we could hold our
tongues until the manager had got his production
into fair working order, a reticence of which the
puffers are incapable. We find, after visiting most
of the metropolitan theatres, that the anticipations
which we expressed as to the character of their
holiday novelties have been verified pretty com-
pletely.
The DRURY LANE pantomime is much too long, the
introduction occupying at least thrice the time which
should be devoted to it ; but the class who fill the
house, and fill it "chock-full," like plenty for their
money, and the production is a success. Some of
the scenery is very good, even taking the high stan-
dard which we are now accustomed to apply to such
work. What we must persist in calling the " foolery "
of doubling the number of performers, spoils the
pantomime, by making it fragmentary, and destroy.
ing the dramatic character of the affair. Bah the way,
there is a species of war between the tTeatre in
Windsor Castle and that in Drury lane ; and though
one would actually wish to pronounce the metropoli-
tan recalcitrant in the wrong, there are certainly two
ways of telling one story. We are perfectly aware of
what is said to have been the original coatis Belli,
and may have to refer to it hereafter, in connection
with certain new " improvements " in this establish-
ment ; but on the question avowedly at issue we
cannot say that Mr. Charles Kean, acting for Wind-
sor, is in the right.

THE PRESS.

To proceed to the HAYMARKET, where we said that
we expected to find a good pantomime, we meet with
the best one of the season. Taken as a whole, Mr.
Buckstone's production is the freshest, and prettiest,
and cheeriest of all, and certainly the only one which
it would be possible to sit out twice.
The PRINCESS'S pantomime is excessively (lull,
but got up with Mr. Kean's usual attention to (ac-
cessories. There is no single startling trick to maks
the town talk (like that imported from Paris a few
seasons ago, when a whole roomful( of furniture
berame human), but what is done is done neatly.
The LYCEUM presents, as its transformation scene,
the most cleverly contrived and beautifully executed
scenic display which we have witnessed in a quarter
of a century's theatrical recollections—let us name
Mr. Fenton, its inventor. Any London child to
whom this bit of enchantment is not shown, for the
enrichment of his dreams, will have a valid excuse
for any unfilial conduct in his riper years. The
dramatic setting of this gem is not exactly standard
metal, but may pass. The jokes are sadly finite.
At the ADELPIII we saw some very pretty scenery,
and saw Mme. Celeste in one exceedingly beau-
tiful dress, but as she was permitted to take the
principal character in the production, neither we
nor anybody else could form the least idea of its
meaning, fromfthe words she was mangling. " Gen-
tlemen learning to read are requested to take yester-
day's paper," was the quiche in the country inn.
" Actresses learning English are requested to study in
the provinces," might be a hint at the Adelphi. We
must postpone notice of a burlesque, which seemed
good, until the leading part is given to somebody
who will not massacre it; the subsequent panto-
mime is dull.

The OLYMPIC burlesque is the slightest and weak
est of Mr. Planche's recent productions, but it is too
brief to offend; and Mr. Robson, though he has not
lately been fitted with good parts (this is no excep-
tion), always makes an impression by his intensity.
We are exceedingly glad to find that after a long
illness Mr. Wigan has recovered sufficiently to play
at Windsor.

NVe did not stay much longer in the STRAND
Theatre than was necessary to see whether there
was anything very offensive in a lady's assumption
of clown, besides the idea, and found that in the
case in question there was not, but we continue our
protest against the impropriety.
Mr. Phelps's pantomime we have not had an op-
portunity of seeing, but juvenile reporters, who are
the most trustworthy in such matters, assert that it
is capital.
The general impression left by the Christmas
pieces is that English pantomime is being destroyed
at both ends, by burlesque writing, and by spectacle.
Between these two stools fun falls to the ground.
If Clown would do so a little more, adding a small
spice of rascality, there might yet be hopes for
pantomime.

LORD PANARTRE ON BIBLE REVISION.
LORD PANMURE, at the annual meeting last week of
the Edinburgh Bible Society, said, after referring
to the great number of bibles circulated by the
society, he thought that upon this occasion—when
they were living in times such as these—times when
every attempt was made, both by those who openly
opposed Protestant institutions, and by those who
tried in an underhand manner to undermine them—
they ought to encourage the dissemination of the
Word of God, as the best means of counteracting the
evils that were attempted to be put upon the
country :

They had heard talked of in this country, and seen put
into practice in the United States, a scheme for getting
what was called a new version of the Bible. Now, feeling
very strongly upon that subject, he took this opportunity of
stating publicly his own opinion—that such a scheme was
fraught with the utmost danger to the Protestant liberties
of this country ; nay, it was fraught, he believed, with
danger to the Protestant religion itself. When he looked
to America be was happy to find that the scheme was so
far, he might almost say utterly, abortive. It was quite
true, and every man must admit it, that there were perhaps
some slight things, some rnistranslations in our version of
the Scriptures—slight in themselves, and not affecting any
great principles—which might be corrected ; but these
were so slight, in comparison with the danger of letting in
those who would make alterations, partly from the criticisms
of erudition, and partly for the purpose of slipping in
dogmas of their own, that he thought it would be a most
dangerous thing—the most disastrous that could occur to
this country—if we allowed those words, which had been
household words in many a pious family for upwards of
three hundred years, and which he hoped would be house.
hold words to all the families in the world before other
three hundred years had passed—he believed that if we
allowed those words to be tampered with, there would be
the danger of shaking our Protestant institutions to their
foundation. There were certain landmarks which were
necessary to the existence of the Protestant religion, and
the Bible was one of them ; and rather titan risk the
obliteration of that landmark, he would submit to the
little discrepancies which were to be found in our present
version. Let it be left to the ministers of religion to study
the Holy Scriptures in the original tongues, and explain to
those who sit under them wherein those little differences

67

exiswd. He was quite ce►tain of this, that if we had not
had an authorised and confirmed version of the Holy
Scriptures, we should never have arrived at so pure and
substantial a system of Protestantism as existed at present
in this countr). Therefore he hoped that if any agitation
was made in this country for the purpose of disturbing our
present authorised version of the Bible, the Christian
community would rise as one man in its defence, and
would maintain that intact which he held it to be dangerous
to touch.

The noble lord concluded by saying that lie trusted
for the prosperity of this country, not so much to its
commerce or agriculture as to the spread of a pure
religious feeling amongst the inhabitants.

LORD STANLEY UPON TRANSPORTATION.
LORD STANLEY presided on Monday evening at a
meeting of the Law Amendment Society. The sub-
ject discussed was the treatment of criminals. The
report of the committee expressed an opinion de-
cidedly adverse to a return of transportation, on the
ground that the ticket of-leave system had not had a
fair trial.

Some discussion ensued between Mr. A. Pellatt,
Mr. F. Hill, Mr. Webster, Mr. Elliott, and other
members, when Lord STANLEY said he might perhaps,
as chairman, be allowed to make a few remarks. The
debate had, practically, turned on the subject of
transportation :

That subject divided itself into two distinct questions:
first, what they were to do with criminals while they were
under punishment; secondly, what they were to do with
them after their term of punishment had expired. As re-
garded the first of those luestions l►e believed there was a
very general agreement amongst all who bad well con-
sidered the matter, that while a criminal was actually
undergoing his sentence it was in all respects more
advantageous to detain him here than to send him abroad.
Under the former arrangement there was no possibility of
the criminal mixing with the home population, because he
was kept secluded ; there were plenty of public works upon
which he might be employed ; they saved the expense of
his passage ; they had a more effective superintendence
than could be obtained on the other side of the world, and
which was a consideration that ought not to be entirely
neglected ; there was a better climate here than in most
places abroad where public works could be usefully executed.
The real difficulty was met with when they came to con-
sider the other question—what they were to do with those
whose strictly penal term had expired.
It seemed to him that there were only three courses
which could possibly be adopted. The first was, to send
the criminals to colonies which were already occupied; the
second, to found new colonies expressly for the purpose of
receiving them; the third, to keep them in this country,
with tickets of leave, or without them. As to the propo-
sition to send them to colonies which were already peopled,
that was an expedient of which he altogether despaired. The
colonists would not consent to receive criminals, and no
sane man would entertain the idea of forcing them to do so.
It was often said that there were particu'ar settlements
which would receive a few convicts. The reception of a few
would not meet the case ; it would, at the utmost, only
postpone for two or three yeara the adoption of the remedy
which must be resorted to at last.

The alternative lay between founding a new colony for cri-
minals, and providing for them at home. As to the former,
it was surrounded with difficulties. In the first place, it
would be absolutely necessary to exclude free settlers from
any new penal colony. A new penal colony must be ex-
elusively penal ; otherwise the free Battlers would gradually
strengthen in influence till they became the majority, and
prevented any further importation of criminals. Even,
however, if free settlers were excluded, a similar result
would ultimately arise. The convicts who were sent out
would have children—for of course women would be
sent; and in thirty years there would be a new generation,
consisting of persons who, being themselves innocent,
would object to the importation of criminals as strongly as
settlers who had gone out from England. Besides, there
was the practical question, where were they to find such
a place of transportation as would be required? As to
selecting a small South Sea island, that was out of the
question. A large area would be required, for a very con•
siderable number• would have to be sent, and one. if not
the principal, object of sending out criminals would be to
put them in a place where there would be almost unlimited
space for all. Three situations had been named ; one, the
northern vart of Australia, another Vancouver's Island, th•
third Hudson's Bay. Now, to every one of those locations
there was some grave objection. As to North Australia,
there was, in the first place, the certainty that, whatever
the distance might be, the criminals who were lodged there
would, whan allowed a certain degree of liberty, find their
way sooner or later to the other Australian settlements. In
the next place, it mast be recollected that the whole of
Northern Australia was between the tropics, and that the
settlement of Port Essington, which was founded there,
was given up because the climate was found to be un•
healthy. In fact; all experience showed that in low-lying
lands thus situated the European race degenerated, and its
labour was unprofitable. With regard to Vancouver's
Island, he thought the neighbourhood V the Californian
diggings, and the feelings of the inhabitants of the United
States, were conclusive objections to its being selected.
The same objections did not, indeed, apply to Hudson's
Bay ; but, then, he believed it woule be found that a sub-
sistence was only to be obtained there by - the
climate offering insuperable objections to .
stock and the cultivation of land.

These considerations, as it seemed to him,
all the localities which had been mentioned

by hunting, the
the keeping of
tirn, disposed of
led as available.
AAI
7

68

In this state of things the only alternative left to them
was to try and make the best of detention at home. On
this subject he would remark, in the first place, that he
did not think the ticket-of leave systnn hail yet had a fair
trial, much less was responsible for the whole of tile out.
ragaous crimes winch had been recently perpetrated. A
large number of men had been discharged from the militia ;
regiments of the line which had returned home, on being
reduced, had naturally got rid of some of their worst cha-
racters; and, owing to those two causes, there was no
doubt a larger criminal population than there would have
been under other circumstances. But, in the next place, he

did not think the principle on which the ticket-of leave
system was framed had been fairly carried out. As he
understood that system, it was implied that the residence
and occupation of every loan having a ticket of leave
should be known, so that if there were merely a strong
suspicion that any such person was getting his living dis-
honestly, he should on that ground alone be called to
account. The principle of the ticket•of•leave system
should be applied with much greater strictness than it
had been.

Now, he would just point out one or two means by
which he thought the existing evil might be alleviated. It
struck him as a great misfortune that in their prison dis-
cipline there was no provision for an intermediate state
between actual seclusion in prison and absolute freedom
of life out of doors. The man who left prison was bewil-
dered by the new state of things in wiiiith he found himself.
Moreover, the men who were the best behaved in prison
were often the worst behaved out of prison—and for this
reason, that they were the men who were most sus-
ceptible to any influences, whether good or ball, which
were brought to bear upon them. The man who was
docile when subject to good influences was equally docile
perhaps when placed in contact with his old companions.
He thought, therefore, that one evil which required to be
corrected was the sudden transition from a state of abso-
lute prison seclusion to a state of absolute freedom. He
was also of opinion that more consideration ought to to
given to the recommendation of Captain Maconochie, that
the length of a man's imprisonment should be made to
depend to a certain extent on his own labours. Another
question arose. namely, whether, taking into consideration
the state of employment in this country, and the extreme
difficulty of sending criminals abroad, it would not be
practicable to provide continued employment for those
who were willing to accept it on public works, or other-
wise, after their discharge from gaol. It was, he thought,
a reproach to the state of the law that a ticket-of-leave man
should be compelled to come before a police magistrate, as
had been the case recently, and say—"lVliat am I to do ?
No one will give me employment." He would conclude
by saying that, though they did not pretend to see their
way out of all these difficulties, they should at least warn
the public against trying vain and fancied remedies. It
was better to know that the problem remained unsolved,
than to put trust in some imaginary solution, which was
sure to break down at last.