The Express.
London, England, 1868-07-31 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.

A QUARTER of a century ago most of the more
important London theatres closed their doors about
the end of May, the actors either proceeding on
starring tours in the oountry, known professionally
as the " provinces," or playing at some east-end
or transpontino theatre which had a summer
season. The general use of railways, however, has
changed all this ; an audience comprised of Lon-
doners proper is scarcely ever seen except upon
first nights or other special occasions, the large
majority of persons attending the theatres being
excursionists brought from all parts of the king-
dom, who are constantly varying, and to whom
the fact of a piece being at its two-hundredth re-
presentation, as they have never seen it, is
attractive rather than otherwise. Now-a-days,
a theatrical season in London usually consists
of ten or eleven months, the house being only
closed for necessary cleaning and repairs, but the
excessive heat of the weather has compulsorily
restored the old practice of early closing. The
Covent-garden opera is closed, its Drury-lane
rival has its last performance to-morrow night,
the Olympic, the Lyceum, the Princess's, the
Prince of Wales's, the Royalty, and the Surrey, are
all closed, and to-morrow is the last night of per-
formance at the Holborn. Nevertheless, those
who are heat-proof can yet find theatrical amuse-
ment at the Haymarket, deserted by its regular
denizens, but occupied by a " scratch" company ;
at the Adelphi, whither Mr. GEoaez BELleoae
has brought his horse " Flying Scud," which
he rides with all his old energy ; at the
New Queen's, where Mr. BYRON'S clever
mixture of sensation and realism is deservedly
successful ; and at the Strand, a little bandbox,
crammed every night with audiences delighting in
Mr. Beotrea's burlesque, and the softened can-can
recently imported. By the time holiday-makers
are back in London the theatres will be opened
again with excellent promise of a capital season.
Mr. t3onren.rt returns to the Haymarket with a
new play by Dr. WYSTLAND MARSTON. Mr. Bort-
Met= furnishes the Princess's with a sensation
drama, " After Dark." Mr. FecirrEE comes back
to the Adelphi with a new version of " Monte
" Chnsto." The management of the Prince of
Wales's produce a new comedy, by the author of
" Black Sheep." Mr. BYRON contributes a drama
to the Holborn, and there are the two and hitherto
unfinished theatres, the Gaiety and the Globe, of
the arrangements for which wo know nothing save
that Mr. ALIBIED WIGAN is engaged at the former.
With fresh blood in management and authorship
the season of 1866-69 should be specially success-
ful. •

IT Mr. DISRAELI has failed to increase the
numbers of the House of Commons he meets with
no difficulty in adding to the House of Peers.
By an ingenious mode of adjustment, fresh
nobles being insinuated at intervals instead
of being thrust up in a batch, public opinion is not
awakened, and nothing worse than a few sar-
casms takes place. We have had half-a-dozen
new hereditary legislators created this year already;
six more are expected in a few days, and
another group will of course be made when the
Ministers go out. This effective mode of bribery
does not, we fear, come under the new Election
Petitions Act, but it is fully as scandalous
as any of the practices which the judges are to
be called upon to detect and to punish. No one
pretends that these gentlemen are placed in the
House of Lords, and their children after them, for
any services rendered to the country. They are
paid for their votes and nothing more. The fact
that the responsible authorities are in a Parlia-
mentary minority of 85, and that the time chosen
is the lapse between the prorogation and the
general election, adds to the conspicuousness if
not to the gravity of the offence.

the Court.

OSI3ORNE, JULY 30.

The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon, ac-
companied by Princess Louise, the Marchioness of Ely
being in attendance, and her Majesty drove in the grounds
this morning, accompanied by Princess Louis of Hesse,
The Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Louis of Heise
went to Goodwood to-day to be present at the races.
The Hon. Eliot York* and Baron Babenais went in at-
tendance upon their royal highness...
The Queen held a council at Osborne at one o'etoek to-
day, at which were present the Bight Hon. Benjamin
Disraeli, the Duke of Buckingham and Chandoe, the Earl
of Br►dford, and Bin Stafford Northoote.
Mr. Masai, the Duke of Buckingham, and Sir Stafford
Northoote had audiences of her Majesty.
Mr. Helps was Clerk of the Council

The Princess of Wales, accompanied by Prins Albert
Victor, Prince George, and the Princess of Teck, drove
out yesterday.

M-r. Alderinan Lusk, M.P., Mr. Wyld, M.P., Mr. C.. 7.
Cottingham, and Mr. Saul Isaac had an interview with
Lord Stanley at the Foreign-office,: yesterday, with
reference to the screw steamer Tornado.

Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-
of ce from the Governor-General of Canada. Despatches
were sent to the Governor-General of Canada.

Ms Excellency the Spanish Minister and Countess
de Vistabermoss. and Madlle. Owens have left the Spanish
Legation in Mazudleld-street, to paw a few weeks at St.

The Countess of Cardigan will leave Hose
Lodge, West Cowes, on Monday next, for a crabs to
the Channel Islands in her steam-yacht, the Sea Hons.
The Chelmsford Chresside understands that Mr.
C. Du Cams M.P., has purchased the anted the late Sir
W. B. Rust, Bart., which, with the aitsonnwonssaur, sad
extant at land cad w=ill ken la importing oddities
to the Manted Pock