The Express.
London, England, 1859-11-03 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S.

The truth of thedoctnne; that vaulting ambition
is occasionally given to overleaping itself received another
example last MO, in the production of a nxosntic drama
(honestly confessed in the playbill as altered and adapted
tlO4ll the French), under the title of TAs Master Passion ; or,
Ms Outlaws of the Adriatic. The French pleas from which
this dramatise been adapted is celled Les Poem VraiIOWISS, and
I pommies the materials kr • very good two hours melodrama,
and had the English " doctor " cozened himself to the pro-
&action of such a style of pies*, the knowledge of stage re-
quirinnemts which he undoubtedly postmen would probably
ham enabled him to bring forth a very succreeful work. But
vaulting ambition has Induced him to tell hie story in blank
Term, which like a dandy suit attrecte attenUon, end if it be
of the very best commands respect, but if it be not merely
provokes ridicule. The blank verse in question is not of the
very best, and it has a bed effect in hindering the action of
the piece, and aiming it to drag in the very part where It
should go quickest.
The plot is not very subtle. Giovanni °mole (Mr.
Ryden, the most isdiessetial of the Venetian Council of
Ten, has a vendetta hatred against the family of
the Falter!, the last surviving member of which, Gelleno
Felten (Mr. G. Melville), Is a victorious general whose stio-

owes against the enemies of the state have made him a pope-
ler idol and entitled him to the highest rewards el the Senate.
All these, howevtr, he deacissa, claiming in their stead alone,
that the curtain which in the hall of audience at St. blerk's
covers the portrait of his famous ancestor Marino Falkro
shall be removed, end the blot upon the family name thereby
obliterated. This is refused him at the instigation of Orseolo,
end, is a rage, be quits Venice and allies liberal with the
celebrated band of the I:scoques, whose chief he becomes.
In the second art we find him in the unthaws' stronghold at
Segni, on the Adriatic, to which place be ham been ammo-
ponied by Momenta (Mrs. Charles Young), &Venetian lady,
who at first merely sought him in order to spy upon his
actions and report them to Orseolo, but who has since be-
come desperately enamoured of him. Hie success as brigand
chief has bean immense; he has just returned from a sortie,
and valuable plunder and captives have falls& into his hands.
Among these laver I. Olympia (Kies C. Leclercq), the
only daughter of old Orseolo, who has previously mt t Gallen°,
and has fallen in love with him. The jealousy of Moronism,
is aroused against tha new corner, and she would fain compel
her to become the prey of one of the most ferocious of the
bead, but Gallen interferes and sets her free. She returns
to Venice, and Oldies° watches her retreating form with
admiring eyes, thaw seeks forgetfulness from his feelings In
the excitement of "the Zinged revel," a very pretty wild
dance, which concludes the mooed act.

The third act passes at Venice. Megoeica has returned,
intending to denounce Oaßono as the captain of the Usoo-
quest, but when sent for by Ones& her love is nnewed, and
she breves torture sooner then confess. Her refusal is over-
heard by Galin°, who ia also in Venice, and hidden In an
sate-chamber; be rallies forth, proclaims himself as the
outlaw chief, and is condemned to death. Bat Olympia has
also heard her lover's condemnation, and,ttunwing hewed at
her father's feet, confesses her secret. Oreeolo, who is the
embodiment of the penny-romance notion of the hard-
hearted Venetian father, sternly refuses, and when as length
melted into pardoning the young 1111112 and agreeing to hie
marriage, cannot make up his mind to witness the results of
his own magnanimity, and dies on the stage—Morceina going
into a convent, and leaving the coast clear for universal
felicity.
. _

The piece was most elaborately placed upon the stage, and
evtrything hoe been done for it in the way of scenery and
appointments, but it will require a considerable amount of
cutting iu the last act before it has much chance of becoming
popular. It was on the whole well acted ; Indeed, Mrs.
Yung and Mr. Melville were excellent in their respective
ports. Onr professoriat= of Mr. Melville is confirmed; the
thistle has In hiss ajesmispresuir of good ability and appear-
core, but cur who has hitherto certainly not shown the
qualifications for a first-rate artist. Kill Lading played
a little part prettily, but with scarcely sufficient foece; but her
deficiency wee amply atoned for by Mr. Ryder, who groaned
sad raved in a ornate that gent oommanded the appraise
but fierily led to the WOW, of the gallery.