The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-15 00:00:00

FRANCE.

The Mirseilles journals announce the arrival in
that city of the Prince and Princess Callimaki
from Constantinople; likewise the departure of the
Said steamer, Captain Dupre of the Fiench navy,
recently appointed Governor of Reunion Island, in
the room of Baron Darrieau.
BOURSE, Dec. 14.—Tee market has been more
buoyant, and the business done shows an improve.
ment. Threes, for the Account, have advanced to
66f. 30c., and Mobilier to 945 f. Railway Market
firm, with higher prices for some of the lines. The
market continued firm to the close, and left off as
follows :

4t per Cents. 93 50 ' Italian Loan 65 80
Do. end month.... Do. end month 65 80
3 per Cents
Do. end month.... 66 301 New Mexican .... 50 50

Credit Mobilier..., 940

,ussian

Do, end month 910
Bank Shares 3595
Credit Fonder 1235
Roman

Austrian
Spanish Threes., ,
Home Debt
Deferred

AATL WAYS.
Cash. Account.
855 857 50
996 25 ..
875 ~ 880
bB5 .. 555
517 60 .. 516 25
490 .. 492 50
316 59 320
438 75 .. 438 57
507 50 .. 508 75
370 373 60
442 50 .. 440 ---
195 .. 192 60

0r1ean5.......
Northern
Lyons and kiediterrenean
Southern
Western
Eastern ....
Sardinian
~..
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain . • • •
Sm-agossa
Ditto to Barcelona

National Choral Society,

"Elijah" is, after all, the work by which Men-
delssohn will be best known to posterity, Surely
and steadily it progresses in public estimation, and
the crowded state of Exeter Hall last night on the
occasion of its performance by the National Choral
Society, under the direction of Mr. G. W. Martin,
may be taken as an indication that the composer
ranks only second toHandel. Of the Oratorio itself,
its peculiar character, its grandeur and dramatic
power, it is not necessary to say one word ; all that
is required is to record the fact, that in every re•
spect Mr. Martin achieved a great success.- In the
first place he was more lucky than Mr. Costa in
the case of a recent performance of an Oratorio by
the same composer, in having the presence of Mr.
Sims Reeves, who, though evidently still suffering
from the effec's of his recent indisposition, sang the
music allotted to the principal tenor as none but he
can sing it. In the next place Mr. Lewis Thomas,
who took the part of Elijah, is unquestionably only
second to Mr. Weiss in the character, and hie splen-
did declamation, close adherence to the text, and
dramatic power, made it a question whether he is
second or not. Miss Pyne, who took the principal
soprano part, admirably sustained her character
as au artiste of the first rank. Miss Palmer, as
the tprineipal contralto, was throughout magnifi-
cent, and the audience enthusiastically and irretsita
tibly demanded a, repetition of the beautiful air,
" 0 rest in the Lord," v.hich was never rendered
with greater delicacy of expression and tendermsa
The trio, "Lq't thine eyes, by Miss Pyne, Miss
Annie Cox, and Miss Palmer was also redernanded,
and given on the second occasion with even in-
creased effect. Miss P. Lisle, Mr. F. Walker, and
Mr. E. Murray were the other principal singers.
Tne choir was throughout unexceptionable in point
of precision, steadiness, and delicacy of light and
shade ; and the whole performance proved that the
Sacred Harmonic Society has a forroidablo rivsl
in
the National Choral Society.

Our One English Vaudeville.
(Now REVIVED AT THE HAYMARKET.)
"No Song, no Supper," was written, says the
Times, critic, by Prince Roars, an author who,
originally educated as a painter, abandoned his
profession on account of ill health, and afterwards
devoted himself to dramatic writing. The pieces
on which his reputation depends were operas of the
same kind as the one now under consideration, and
the owners of the old-fashioned music books already
referred to will remember the names, if not the
choicest morceaux of " My Grandmother," " The
Prize," " Three and the Deuce," and the " Lock
and Key." Signor Storace was the composer with
whose music his words were generally as,zociated.
The plot of "No Song, no Supper," is not only
extremely simple, but of a character so thorouglly
conventional that one is constantly reminded of
those speaking Harlequins and Pierrots who at one
period were conspicuous on the French stage under
an Italian influence. To many among a modern
audience, accustomed to refer all stege delineations
to something like a real standard, the gestures of
Mr Compton, as
.Mr Lawyer Endless, must seem
wholly unaccountable. The complacent " Hobe.
ho" by which he shows his admiration of his own
small jokes, and the jumping jerk of the leg by
which the ejaculation is followed, are not explic-
able by any human motive, but there is no doubt
that Mr Compton presents the audience with the
faithful traditions of the part, as derived from
Dickey &Lett, by whom it was originally acted.
When O'Keefe and his contemporaries wrote,
a certain grotesqueness which was not even an
exaggerated copy of actuality, was deemed proper
to farce. They worked in a day, be it remembered,
when popular caricaturists were not after the man-
ner of John Leech.

Round this Lawyer Endless, who does not sing,
circulate all the vocal personages. D.Jrothy, the
wife of Crop, a cs.uatry farmer, entertains for the
legal fascinator a feeling which, if it is no; precisely
to be °Ailed guilty, strangely prompts her to invite
him to supper when her husband is absent, and en-
tertain him with all the delicacics of the season.
Once, however, when one of these Platonic symposia
is about to take place, Mistress Dorothy and her
zealous servant Nelly roughly refuse shelter to
Margaretta, apparently en itinerant ballad-singer,
but really the child of opulent parents, who has fled
from home to avoid a distasteful matct. Margaretta
vows vengeance, and watching the premises she is
forbidden to enter sees enough to warrant her con-
jectures that something wrong is going on, a myste-
rious arrival of wine being the most suspicious cir.
cumstance. Moreover, she detects in Lawyer End.
less the vile pettifogger who has so narrowed the
means of her true lover Robin as to cause the un-
fortunate young gentleman to " go to sea."

Even a Platonic attachment to a third party does
not favour the growth of connubial felicity, and we
find Crop and hia wife leading a grumpy sort of
existence. Thus there is a dispute between them
as to which shall shut the street door, and then
a still more angry agreement that the one who
speaks first shall perform the humiliating office.
The wedded pair accordingly seat themselves
back to back, in defiant taciturnity, and though
Robin, who is Crop's brother, having returned
from sea, comes unexpectedly upon them, he
cannot move them to speak. After na.lny efforts,
he hazards the surmise that a cat-o'.nine-tails
might be fittingly applied to his brother's back, and
so completely does the wife enter into this view that
she unwittingly expresses her admiration, thus
giving victory to her husband. This incident is to
be found in the old Scotch ballad, " Get up and bar
the door," with this difference, that according to
the northern poet the gudewife gets the best of the
contest. Ia "No Song, no Supper," it is worked
out with much humour, the anxiety of the farmer
to show his delight at his brother's return by dumb
motions, the sulkiness of the wife, and the amused
stonishment of the young sailor, blending into an
amusing situation, in which ample justice is done by
Miss Nelly Moore, Mr W. Farren, and Mr Arthur.
The hour of supper, and with it the lawyer, at
last arrives. And it is worthy of remark that, ac-
cording to an old bylaw of the English stage, ex-
tending all over the country, and still recognised,
we are happy to find, at the Haymarket, the boiled
leg of lamb served on this occasion must be real.
Other plays are not Equally honoured. Macbeth
may express his hearty wishes with respect to the
appetite and good digestion of friends whom he
entertains with a boar's head of papier macho, but
it is a special privilege of the actors in "No Song,
no Supper," that they are actually to be nourished
with succulent fare.

The leg of lamb is not only served, but carved,
and Botany, the lawyer, and Nelly, the first two
at the table, the last on an adjoining stool, are all
advancing with the meal, when a knock is heard at
the door. The farmer, Crop, has unexpectedly
come home, as Neily as.certains through the me-
dium of the keyhole, and everything must be cone
cealed—the lamb in a cupboard, the lawyer in a
sack. Crop meeting Margaretta on the road has
brought her home out of charity, and is soon joined
by Robin, who has snatc!-.Ed a fortune from the
Spaniards, and bears a keg fitled with coins.
Now comes the moment of vengeance. Apparently
there is no supper wherewith to greet the sailor's
return ; but Margaretta sings a song about a wolf,
a lamb, and a shepherd boy, each verse of which
indicates some hidden treasure, and the joint and a
large cake are respectively drawn out of their
nooks. The last verse betrays the presence of the
lawyer in the sack, and, the covering removed, the
sinner stands a wofut figare, almost smothered with
flour. Of course he is ignominiously driven from
the house, while the husband and wife shake hands;
Robin embraces Margaretta, and all join in a merry
finale, expressing universal gratification.
Although upwai ds of 70 years have elapsed since
the first production of "No Sang, no Supper," it is
much more in the nature of an opera than the
"Castle of Andalusia," brought out a few years be-
fore- The action of the story is in a groat measure
carried on by music, and in the situations not only
dramatic but musical effect is considered. Storace,
the composer, did not rely alone upon pleasing me•
lodies, but in one or two of the concerted pieces
there is an approach to the elabozation which be-
longs to the lyrical stage of a later epoch,

THE ACTOR AND THE REFUOEB,—A writer in
the Grand Journal, after giving an account of Bouffe's late
benefit at the Grand Opera, which produced him a clear
profit of 17,0001, states that he had the curiosity to ask
Bouffe by what extraordinary means he had obtained the
signal favour of giving his last performance in that theatre.
Bouffe explained the mystery in the following. terms In
the summer of 1847 I was performing at London with con
siderable success, and among the pieces which found most
favour were the "Gamin de Paris" and "Michel Perrin."
One evening I had got thruugh the former, and had retired
to my dressing room, when I heard a knock at the door.
Come in,' I exclaimed with some impatience, for I had
to transform myself into Michel Perrin, and I was
afraid the intruder would hinder me, as I had no
time to spare. I was pleasantly surprised by the entrance
of Coun:-, D'Orsay, who had al way s been nay good friend, ac-
companied by a gentleman unknown to rue. 'My dear
artist,' said the Count, I have taken the liberty to bring
with me one of my friends, a Frenchman, who never saw
you play till this evening, and ho wishes to thank you for
the gratification you have afforded him.' The stranger then
Eulogised my performance, and said, ' Were I not afraid of
incommoding you, I would ask permission to remain here
while you dress. I have just applauded you iu the character
of a youth, I know you aro now about to appear as an old
man, and should much like to witness the mysteries of your
wonderful transformation.' Count D'Orsay having added
his request to the stranger's I consented, and my metamor-
phosis was completed iu less than a quarter of au hour, just
as a signal summoned me on the stage. I then turned to
my visitors and said, 'Gentlemen, INliellel Perrin salutes
you.' Count D'Orsay's friend then thanked me heartily for
having Satisfied his curiosity and we went downstairs toge-
ther. Before we parted Count D'Orsay said in a whisper,
' Should you like to know the name of your visitor ?' and
on ray replying in the affirmative he said, ' Well it is Prince
Louia Bonaparte,' 'The late prisoner at llam ?' I inquired,
Himself,' said the Count, About two months since, when
I preparing for my benefit, a friend asked me whether it
was to tal=.e place at the (spouse's, and I replied that I in-
tended to obtain permission for the Grand Opera. The
Opera!' ho exclaimed, ' are you mad ?' In order to realise
my design I addressed a petition to the Emperor, and took
the liberty of reminding Napoleon 111. of the v:sits paid to
me in London by Prince Louis Napoleon. xt day but
one my petition was sent to tho proper parties, with the
words, 'For M. Bouffoi, yes 1 yen I yes!' written on the
margin in the Emperor's own hand. And thin is how
my benefit took place at the Opera instead of at the
Gyntnase,''.