The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-18 00:00:00

CYMBELINE.

Last evening a brilliant audience assembled to
welcome the return of Miss Helen Faucit (Mrs.
Theodore Martin) to that profession of which she is
so great an ornament ; the play was " Cymbeline,"
and the part selected that of Imogen, one of Shak-
spere's loveliest heroines. It would be downright
noeeense and needless wa:te both of time and epee
to enter into a long disquisition on the early tn.
arnphs of this highly accomplished lady for the
purpose of adequately conveying an idea of the per-
formance of last evening, yet a practice has of late
sprung up, that before an opinion on certain matters
Jan be vouchsafed a long parade of rhodomontade
must be exhausted, written more for the purpose of
,elf-glorificatien than for enabling a reader to arrive
at the information required,viz., the amount of praise
or censure such and such a performance deserved.
Therefore, without waiting to make comparisons,
reflections, &c., &a., we come at once to the point,
viz., the reception and performance of Miss Faucit
After a long and much-regretted absence from the
stage. Immediately the lady made her appearance
in the first scene of the play the sight presented
was one of unusual enthusiasm, and although Miss
Faucit was doubtless prepared for a warm and
hearty greeting, the reception given her cer-
tainly must have exceeded all imagination. For
some moments she stood, supported by Mr. Phelps,
ePparently overcome by the cordial welcome, but,
recovering from her surprise, she gracefully
acknowledged the compliment, which, however,
ned only the (ffect, if that be possible, of increas-
ing the applause. At length the cheering subsided
d the action of the play proceeded. The Imogen
of Miss Faucit has lost none of its historic
beauty. Time has not impaired her powers, as the
entire character was given with all that exquisite
tenderress which has already rendered it remark-
ble. her action is grace itself, her elocution per.
feotion. Every word is uttered either with in.
tensity or emotion ; in fact the character receives
such elaboration at her hands that we should stand
in fear of being thought fulsome flatterers did we
write down and comment separately on each of the
many beauties of her performance. From first to
last it was a perfect masterpiece of high art; and,
having said thus much, we leave the subject, but
not without again offering our sincere congratula-
tions to Mss Helen Faucit on her return to that
stage from which she has been too long absent.
Mr Phelps sustained the ptirt of Leonatus Post-
humus with the highest artistic finish, and
Mr Creswick as lachimo acted with great
skill and judgment. Mr Walter Lacy as
Cloten is entitled to unqualified praise, be-
cause he rescued the part from that low standard
to which it has hitherto been consigned. Mr Henry
Marston gave the vigorous lines of old Belarius
with energy and. effect; and Mr Edmund Phelps,
as Pisanio, unmistakably showed that he is making
rapid strides of improvement in his profession.
The rest of the characters, more especially those
of C 5 mbeline, Guiderius, and Arviragus, by Mr A
Rayner, Mr Neville, and Mr Warde, were well
sustained, The scenery was exceedingly picturesque
and effective; indeed the play was mounted in a
manner the most complete since the memorable
Macready management.

The applause- at the conclusion of the play was
renewed again and again, and it was not before Miss
Faucit and Mr Phelps had made their reappearance
before the green curtain that the audience would
consent to leave the theatre.

We congratulate Messrs Falconer and Chatterten
on the SUCCJE3B that has attended their exertions in
providing the public with such admirable entertain-
ments.

The vessels sent from Dunkirk to the fishery on
the coast of Iceland have all returned except one, but tLe
season has not been satitf.otory. The most fortunate
vessels have only had one-half of an ordinary amount, and
the others only a third or a quarter.
The Council of State," says the Union, "is at
present engaged in examining the draught of a decree de-
claring of public utility the works necessary for reclaiming
60,000 hectares o: cultivable land in the Camargue, a marshy
island in the Delta of the Rhone. This enterprise will re-
quire the construction of 24 kilometres of canals for drain-
4ge and irrigation, and 90 kilometres of roads to facilitate
the conveyance of manure, etc. For the execution of these
works it is proposed to insert a credit of two millions of
francs in the Budget of the Ministry of Public Works,"

Several Italilln journals announce that at the
Ministry of War in Turin measures are in preparation for
effecting a reduction in the army. Numerous furloughs
nave already been accorded,