The Express.
London, England, 1861-03-21 00:00:00

LONDON. THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 21. 1861.

DRAMA.

PRINCESS'S.

The announcement that Mr. Fechter had been for
some time engaged in studying the character of Hamlet,
with a view to its representation at the Princess's Theatre,
created a great sensation when, some weeks since, it was
made public in London. Granted that the accomplished
Frenchman was the beet melodramatic artist that fur years'
hail been seen among us ; granted that his youth, his figure.
his manner and bearing qualified him entirely for the part;
was there nut his accent, slight though it might be?—and
would not a British public, full of prejudice as it has always
shown itself, regard a Frenchman's attempting the pour.
trayal of a Shakesperian character as an act of sacrilege
Men talked, but time rimmed ; the rumour grew into an
advertisement, the advertisement into a certainty ; the cer-
tainty was last night elaborated into a fact.
Last night, before an audience comprising nearly all the
literary and fashionable world who take interest in theatri-
cals, and many of our well.k Down English actors, Mr. Fechter
played Hamlet with the most decided success. He created
an enthusiasm which has been rarely seen within the walls
of a theatre, and be fully deserved the thunders of applause
which greeted him from his entrance until the fall of the
curtain.

Mr. Fechter has achieved one of the most genuine triumphs
of modern times, and ha has given • new reading to
one d Shakespeare's greatest plays—a realm wooderfldly
lifelike and thoroughly free from any traditional conven•
tionalities of the stage.

SADLER'S WELLS.

That histrionic talent runs in the blood and is
frequently transmitted from parent to child has been con-
stantly asserted and as constantly denied. Supporters of
the argument point to Messrs. Charles Mathews sixd Charles
Keen ; opponents urge that these are but exceptions to the
general rule, sod ask where are the descendants of that
glorious band of actors which delighted theatrical audiences
half a century ago. Much is to be said on either side of
the question ; but probably one great reason why we do
not find the sons of great actors attempting to tread in
their fathers' steps is the alteration in the state of the stage
and in the position of its professors. Be this as it may,
it is pleasant to record that the sae of one of the first
tragedians of the present day has enlisted in his father's
troop, and under the skilled guidance of the veteran pro-
mises speedily to attain to the first rank.
Mr. Edmund Phelps, who during the last season has
been playing at fladler's Wells, is a really valuable ac-
quisition to the English stage. Young, well-looking, of
good figure, clear voice, and excellent address, be comes
before us as the representative of what is technically called
"juvenile tragedy," as the fitting delineator of those cha-
racters in which Charles Kemble (and after him Macready)
was so groat, and all novice as he is, it is evident that be
bee bra thoroughly grounded in the rudiments of his pro-
&iron, and that he has in him that stuff from which ex-
periesce fashions first-class actors.
His principal character has been Ulric, in Werner, but
on Monday last, for his benefit, he played Claude Melnotte
with great spirit, delicacy, and artier') finish.

ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

A meeting of this society was held on Tuesday
evenieg, in St. Mirtin's•plaos, the President, Jour CIAW-
FORD, Eq., in the chair.
A paper, communicated by Dr. Knox., was reed by Dr.
Hem, me of the hoirary seeretaries, 'On some Ancient
Forms of Civiliestioo. In this paper the author brought
nadir review four forms of civilise/Mee in the early history
of mankind among races of men remote from each other,
and all remarkably different from the Western races
who now play such an impanel= part is history. Those
regions of early civilisation were app t, India, China, and
the Valleys of the Enpluatee and Tigris. Dr.
Knox, referring to the sculptured and pictorial
remains of the Copts, the Heagele, the AnYilePee
and the Hindoos, in the noun elan elaborate paper pointed
out the =rims forma of civilisation which they had ori-
ginated. Is walking the pictorial reaise=kions ef the
ancient Egyptians, he remarked on the of the gores
of elephants, from which he inferred that those people were
not acquainted with the interior of Africa. An animated
discuamen took place, in which Hr. Amenney, an Ambles,
Dr. Latham, the President, and Dr. Knox took part.
A second paper, entitled, " A few Reemate us the Wild
Tribes of Tierra del Fuego," was reed by Captaia W.
Parker Snow. His object ro visiting those tribes was to
discoverJemroy Button, a native, who was brought to Keg-
hind to be educated, and after remaining here three years
was seat back again about twenty-three years ago. In the
fuse came that came alongside the vessel wag Jemmy
Button himself, who retained a knowledge of English words
i though be bore little marks of English civilisation. Like the
other men of his tribe he was perfectly asked, but he re-
tained sufficient sense of propriety to request to have
clothes on before he went into the cabin to see Mr. Snow.
He inquired after several persons who had been kind to him
is Ragland, sad tsars came into his eyes when he spoke el
the pretties= of English Ladies. His civilisation in this
country has bad no Mauna, on his tribe, who are the
wet reeve( all the Fuegians, and Jemmy Button him.
self was, some time after Captain Snow's visit, charged
with being implicated in the massacre of a whole ship's
mew. Captain Snow, notwithstanding the rough character
and appearance of the Fuegians generally, said be was
fnvoesady impressed by them. He felt assured that they
possessed the conmonfeelingsof humanity,andthat if kindly
treated they would not be hostile. The women seemed par-
ticularly attached to their children. He admitted that they
were cannibals, but he thought that it was from necessity
and sot from choice. They greatly resented having their
children taken from them by the Europeans, as had out
*infrequently been practised, with the view of making them
Christians. There is a missionary station at the Falkland
Islands for that purpose._

Dr. Larson ;ad the Pataporr soprano] surprise that
the kidnapping of the children of these savages should be
allowed.

Theneeethei adjourned to the 3rd ot April.

THE GRAVE OF L E. L-MRS. M'LEAN.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—WzmniDAY, MAica 20.

(Continued from yesterday's Erprws .)

Sir G. LEWIS remarked that the proposition that taxa-
tion and representation were coincident in local institutions
was subject to exceptions. Originally the only rate into
the imposition of which the popular element entered was
the church-rate. He admitted that it was desirable to con-
vect taxation with representation in county-rates, and if
nothing more was involved in the principle of the bill he
would vote for the second reading. There was this obvious
objection to the hill, that it would change the functions
of the board of guardians, making the board as electoral
body, who were chosen for • different purpose ; and
the proposal that one-half of the financial boards should
consist of members having • particular qualification wan 1
open to criticism. He pointed out other objectionable
features in the bill. There were, he observed, two main
questions—first, did any mismanagement exist under tho
present system? He thought the county-rates not immo-
derate, and that there was no proved mismanagement.
Secondly, was there any general discontent with the so s-
tem? He believed that in the rural counties it worked
well, but that in other counties there was •
jealousy of and dissatisfaction with the power of
the magistracy. Nevertheless he did not consider that
there was such a pressing demand for legislation on this
subject at present as to induce him to promise to introduce
a bal. He should vote for the principle, and for the se-
ceod radii* of this bill.
Colonel PATTEN said there wu one glaring difficulty in
the bill which could not be overcome ---ss4y that it
would Istroduce into counties • esoilliof of jetildliCtibin. .111
wait, in his opinion, the duty of the government to take the
matter into their own hands. The bill, as it stood, could
not be worked.

Mr. BARROW, whose name was on the back of the bill,
"Mu) in favour of its principle.
Mr. OSBORNE complained of the course taken by Sir G.
Lewis as most extraordinary, and asserted that, iu the
counties of Cornwall and Worcester especially, the tenant
farmers were greatly discontented with the manner in which
the county rates were managed. He called upon the house
to put ► pressure upon the government to compel them to
bring in ► bill upon the subject.
Mr. DEEDHI expressed his surprise at the conclusion of
Sir G. Lewis's speech, every one of hie arguments, he re-
marked, being against the bill, which, he contended, it
would be impossible to work.
Sir J. PAKINGTON hoped that the bill would be
withdrawn. He had never known ► bill, he rid, so power-
fully opposed and so feebly supported. He likewise
avowed his astonishment, aa well as regret, at the conclu-
sion at which Sir G. Lewis had arrived, whose speech,
from beginning to end, had been condemnatory of the bill
—a course, he thought, unworthy of a member of the
government. The proposed change would be, he said, a
most unwise one, and he showed what, iu his view, would
be the resulted a revolution in the mode of managing the
Whirs of counties.

lii.ii.7.7;;;arks by Mr. WTLD in support of the
essiond reading of the bill,
Mr. HENLEY expressed his regret at the declaration of
Sir G. Lewis, that he declined to talus up a question which
could not be properly handled by any private member. No
one, be observed, had supported mere than the principle of
the bill, which was said to be local representative govern-
ment ; but, under its provisions, the power would be really
vested in the Home Secretary. The whole scheme disclosed
an absence of necessary knowledge of the subject.
The debate was continned by Sir H. Verney, Mr. Parker,
and Mr. Relater-Rooth.
Mr J. TRELAWNY, in reply, said, if the house sanc-
tioned the second reading, all the objections which bad
been pointed out would be removed in committee.
The bones divided

For the mooed reading 125
Against it 163-38
THE PUBLIC CHABITIBI BILL.

HAiDCAiTan;oveliiii7seeentr reading of this
bilL The hoe. member said he proposed by this measure
to avoid the great expenses at present inadeot to convey-
ances of charity rotates of small value. and to provide a
more see) method for the appointment of fresh trustees of
pub& charitiei, in cases where tremolo had left the king-
dom or refused to act.

The ATTORNEY•GENERAL said the provisions of this
bill were quite unneosseery, and the objects *ought to be
MM ined were amply provided for by existing enactment*.
If be bad found anything in the bill which was not objec-
tionable be should sot have opposed the second reading, but
ae he believed the measure was wholly uncalled for, that the
preent state of the law did not require this mode of inter-
femme, and that the provisions of the bill were highly ob.
he must do so. The boo. and learned gentleman
wing Stied out the particular objections which he en-
tertained to the provisions of the bill, concluded by reoom-
meoding its withdrawaL
Mr. HARDCASTLE was understood to say that, as the
hon. and learned gentlemao had expressed Ito decidedly
strong an opinion against the bill, be would withdraw it.
Mr. HENLEY thought the bill was exosediugly objec-
tionable, and felt thankful to the Attorney-Geueral for
h►ving pointed out that she provisions of it would not
work.

The bill wan thou withdrawn.
THE VOLUNTEER. TOLLS EXEMPTION BILL.

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The second reading of this bill was, on the motion of BT.
BRISTOW, postponed to the 16th May.
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THE GREENWICH HOSPITAL WORKS BILL.
Oa the motion id Mr. HIM, this bill wee reed a second
time. - -