The Express.
London, England, 1847-05-18 00:00:00

wounded at the Battle of Culloden. The field is admirably
grouped, sad the thrum of Dr. Cameron with the dead and
dying about him capitally managed. The sculptor is Mr. IL
L. Watson, well and deeervtilly known fur many designs full
of the tine poetry of his art.

Vibe arimt•

IlAymAßarr.—" That the happiness of year may
be perilled in a single moment by see fault of temper," the
concluding maxim and general theme of a new comedy
which, under the title of " Temper," was produced at this
theatre last night. The title of the new comedy suggested to
our minds • theme more pregnant than that which the
author has selected, end a treatment commensurately more
searching and didactic. In the first act we are introduced
t, Sir Charles and Lady Tempest, the youthful hero and
heroine of a love match scarcely five years old, yet spending
their lives in saying the bitterest personalities to one another;
to Mr. Hope Emerson, a friend of Sir Charles, a gentleman
who cannot say whether he keeps his cab et his
cab keeps him,—but who, by dint of keeping a
cab, gets asked out or alike himself out to dinner
every day, and lives in hopes of entrapping an
heiress; to Mr. Godfrey, an old gentleman of wealth and
proportionate testiness, " one of those rich people," toys the
author, " who are such dry wags," the friend of Sot Charles,
and, with him, trustee of the fortune of Florence Wilmot, a
young lady who has just come of age ; to that young lady
herself, to Sir diarmnduke Topple. en octogenarian friend
of M,ssWilatol t father; to Mrs. llerlsert, a vivacious chatty
sister of Sir Marmadukc ; and to Cyril Tempest, a senti-
mental student, the brother of Sir Charles. The trustees are
afraid lest Florence should be caught up by some fortune-
hunter; and she speedily puts them out of pain, for the
curtain drops as they come in at opposite doors, and behold
Cyril ia that attitude of genuflexion for which stage lovers
hove so uniform a predilection. In the second act, we find
Emerson half domesticated with Sir Jlarmaduke Topple,
and making love alternately to two ancient virgins who have
c nue to Landon on a visit to the baronet's steer, and are
petting monomaniacal on the subject of marriage.
The marriage articles are ready for signature at
the house of Sir Charles Tempest ; guardians
and lawyers are waiting ; so is the lady ; but
Cyril tarries. He emus at length, and tells her he has
been detained by endeavouring to rescue a lady whose'
horses had run away with her. Florence, however, is
piqued ; she will not admit the exenee ; she drops • hint
that if she were free she might alter her mind. The gen-
tlemau takes her at her word ; they part, he in grief, she
in anger, and she resolves to quit the house of Sir
Charles and take refuge with the old friend of her
father, Sir Marne:duke. In the third act Florence
is received by Sir Maresadefe; she has, however,
written a letter to Sir Charles, which tells him to follow
her to the home of Sir Ilarmaduke. This letter falls into the
hands of Lady Tempest, and substitutes jealously fur the '
trifles which theretofore had irritated her fretfulness. Up
to this point the series of incidents had been in-
teresting; and, it must be admitted, all the personages
actively contributing to the development of the plot are
at this point, in difficulties ingeniously brought about and
happily conceived. What with the jealousy of Lady Tem-
pest, and the elective affinity of Emerson for heiresses, it
was to be expected that the fourth act would present the
heroine involved in now and utmost hopeless discreet. Not
an the plot really terminates with the third act. The
fourth, though it contains some admirable passages be-
tween the fortune-hunter and the equally penniless
old maids, dens not at all advance the business
of the play; and, in the fifth, the swindler
is exposed, the termagant wife reformed, and the lovers re•
conciled, all in detail, without the interposition of same one
event common to all, and consequential on the fault which
it was the object of the dramatist to Mote it.. This fault
of construction, however, is redeemed by the admirable
matter which the author has introduced into the d'ia'logue; the
unexpected drollery of the situations into which he has placed
the more comic characters; and the vigorous originality with
which these characters are conceived. The scenes in which
Emerson and the old maids figured were the most successful
in the piece; and though they interfered with the develop-
ment of the story, they were by far the most interesting.
These parts were filled by Mr. Webster, Miss Horton,
and Mrs. Hereby, each of whom acted with • thorough
appreciation and lively enjoyment of the author's conception.
Mr. Farren as the octogenarian baronet exhibited one of
those pictures of old age, so true, so touching, and it mast
also be said, so painful, with whieb from his hand the public
is familiar. Mrs. Glover, ever natural, astonished the house
by the flow of her spirits, and the distinctness of her volubi-
lity. Mn. Seymour, as Lady Tempest, looked too amiable
for the cruel speeches put into her mouth; and Mies Fort-
escue, as Florence Wilmot, displayed the grace, intelligence,
and pathos that constitute the peculiar charms of all her
performances.
The piece, all deductions made for the partisanship
which, on such occasions is manifested, was perfectly success,
ful. As a literary work, it is of unequal merit, smart rather
than witty ; occasionally eloquent, never slovenly. As a
picture of the present times it will have an enduring worth,
from which no faults of construction can derogate. Mr. It.
Bell was named as the author, and received from his box
the congratulations of the audience.

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