The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-02 00:00:00

HAYiIIARKET THEATRE.

On Saturday evening a new farce, entitled A Due
in the Dark, was produced at the above theatre, with
complete success. The plot, although remarkablyslight, serves to display advantageously the inimit able
drolleries of Buckstone. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam, who
personate the chief characters, a Mr. and Mrs. Gr een-
fincb, of Peckham Rye. Greenfinch, who is travel-
ling en garcon through France, is seized with a :sad-
den and irresistible desire for what he terms an
"aristocratic flirtation" with some French lady of
rank ; but his fond wife, who has secretly followed
him, having been apprised by a prying waiting-maid
of her lord's anti-conjugal aspiration, determines to
punish him, and to accomplish this purpose she d is-
guises herself now as as a French countess—now- as
a fast who publicly
declares himself the
y successfulou n
Greenfinch, and even-
tually forces the deluded husband into a duel, which
young
lover m an
of Mrs.
the latter, however, only accepts on condition that it
takes place in the dark, for he dreads to look up on
the deadly instrument which may possibly deprive
the female Greenfinch of her legal mate. In obe-
dience, therefore,
to his wish, the candles are eat an-
guished, and the terrified husband having ensconced
himself carefully behind a large stove, fires his p;istol,
when lo! a horrid groan is heard from the di sho-
nourer of the Greenfinches, who falls mortally
wounded into the arms of his antagonist. Here as a
supreme moment for Greenfinch—a dead body in. his
arms, people approaching, no escape, and the damning
evidence of bis guilt at hand ! Vainly would he
recall the innocent hours when a cheerful inhabit ant
of Peckham Rye—he thought only of his " Ms xis
Jane." Vainly would he draw upon the past for
means of present consolation. He rather feels, 'pith
Dante, that nothing is more bitter than the re col-
lection of past joys in the hour of misery ; and, : after
many heartrending expressions of mental anga dsh,
he deposits the remains of his supposed victim, in
an adjoining chamber. We need scarcely any that
Buckstone made the most of this situation. ;Ens
comic horror, which elicited roars of laughter, wau of
that highly ridiculous character which Napoleon p ro-
nounced to be but one step from the sublime and
his admirable acting, when subsequently relieved
from intolerable sufferings by the discovery that he
has been forgiven as well as imposed upon by his wife,
was worthy of all the praise which we can bestow.,
Mrs. Fitzwilliam's Mrs. Greenfinch was also a perfec t
specimen of farsical acting of the best kind; the sawn
character of the waiting-maid was most efficiently sus-
tained by Mrs. Caulfield, and the curtain fell timid
hearty applause. The piece, we think, is dentin ed to
enjoy a " run ;" but we must suggest a little culatail-
meat of the dialogue in the opening portion of it—
which, being unaided by incidents, moved somewhat
slowly. We understand that Mr. Stirling Coyne is
the author.

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR, SATURDAY.
The Queen and Pricce Albert did not go out this
morning, owing to the unfavourable stateof the weather,
The Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred took exercise
in the Riding-house._

The Lord Cbancellcr and Lady Truro, Lord and Lady
John Russell, the Earl of Carlisle, the Earl of Aber-
deen, Field-Marshal Count Nugent, Viscount Hardinge,
the Countess of Shelburne, the Right Hon. Fox Mauls
and the Hon. Mrs. Manic, Colonel Count A. Nugent,
and Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Seymour left the Castle
to-day.
Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert
dined with her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent this
evening, at Frogmore. The following formed the dinner
circle:—Her Majesty the Queen, his Royal Highness
Prince Albert, her Royal Highness the Duchess of
Kent, Viscountess Canning, the Hon. Matilda Paget,
Hon. Mary Seymour, Lady Augusta Bruce, Lady A nna
Maria Dawson, Baroness de Speth, Lord Byron, Lord
Alfred Paget. Sir Edward Bowater, Sir James Clark,
the Hon, and Rev. G. Wellesley, Lieutenant-Colonel the
Hon. A. Gordon, Colonel Biudulph, and Sir George
Couper.
The Tyrolese Minstrels attended in the evening at
Frogmore-house, and for the fourth time had the honour
of performing before her Majesty and the Court. This
talented troup gave one of their admirable performances,
and Mr. W. G. Cusins had the honour of playing two
fantasias on the pianoforte.

SUNDAY, FEB. 1.
This morning the Queen and Prince Albert, with the
Royal children, walked in the Home-park.
Divine service was performed in the private chapel of
the Castle this morning by the Hon. and Rev. G.
Wellesley.
Lieut.-Colonel Hon A. Gordon has relieved Colonel
F. H. Seymour in his duties of Equerry in Waiting to
his Royal Highness Prince Albert.

The Queen will hold a Privy Council this (Monday)
afternoon, at Buckingham Palace. Summonses were
issued on Saturday to the Ministers and officers of State
from the Privy Council-office.
A deputation from Hull, consisting of the Right Hon.
T. Baines, M.P., Mr. James Clay, M.P., Mr. Bannister
(Mayor of Hull), Mr. Harrison (Sheriff of Hull), Mr.
Blundell (Chairman of the Hull Town's Committee),
and Messrs. Pearson, Middleton, and Holden, had an in
terview with the Right Hon. Henry Lebow:lll43re on Sa
turday at the Board of Trade.
The City Remembrancer had an interview with Sir
George Grey on Saturday at the Home-office.
Dispatches wore received from the Governor of the
Cape of Good Hope at the Colonial•office on Saturday.
Dispatches were sent off to the Governors of the West
India Islands.
dinner on Saturday
' The Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord President of the
Majesty's Househ old.
at rims-
Pdorwivnye-Choouuneec,ili3ga;-square, to the Cabinet Minis tern
fsuerttbleydthaet
ypearirckweads
age the
roll Officers c e r a
.of State of her
sheriffs for the present
the meeting, preparatory to its being
QuTehene in
m Council.inistersand Officers present were, the Lord
Chancellor, the Earl of Minto Sir George Grey, Earl
Granville, Earl Grey,
Sir darles Wood, the Earl of
Carlisle, the Right Hon. Henry Labouchore, the Rights
Hon. Fox. Maule, the
M
a
r
Seymour, the Marquis of W quis of Clanricarde, Lord
Norfolk. estminster, and the Duke of
The Clerks of the Privy Council, Mr. C. C. Greville
Noble Marquis. am Bathurst, also dined with the
Dispatches were -
•
office from the L
received yesterday at the Colonial-
Islands. ord High Commissioner of tht lonian

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
CHESTER CUP.
The following are the scratchings at Chester alp to
this morning:—
Chief Justice, Maid of Team Valley, Doubt, G by
Young Priam, out of Sister to Genius, Theltalian, Wild
Flower, Dolly's Brae, Constellation, Tragedian, The
Ebor, Aaron Smith, Mrs. Birch, Paquette, Tancred,
Timid Fawn, Finesse, Trousseau, Paddy Bird, The
Niece, Bushbury, Thunder, Tom Moody, St. Michael,
Sledmere, Daniel O'Rourke, Prince Patrick, Con-
sultation.
ASHDOWN PARK MEETING—SATURDAY.
The Craven Stakes were won by Mr. Brown's Bed,
lamite, beating Mr. Brown's Falsetto in the run up.
The Lambourn Stakes were won by Mr. Lawrence's
Lopez, beating Mr. Barnett's Beam in the run up.
The Consolation Stakes were won by Captain Bea-
sant's Bentinek, beating Mr. Etwall's Exiling Lass in the
ran up.
The Berkshire Stakes were won by Captain VirYcd-
ham's Whiff, beating Mr. Morant's Merryman in the
run up.
The Ashdown Cup was won by Mr. Brown's B
Bess, beating Mr. Davies's Motley in the run up edlant
ALTCAR COURSING MEETING.
The Cup was won by Mr. G. Cooke's Ceritc, beating
Mr.,Deakins's Director in the run up.
The Sutton Plate was won by Mr. George's Exche-
quer, beating Mr. S. P. Hope's Rtnneaing Bird in the
run up.
The Croxteth Purse was won by Mr. Randall's
Rhoda, Mr. Jebb's Daffodil being drawn.
The Altcar Stakes were won by Mr. George's
Celeste, beating Mr. Jones's Jenner in the run up.
The Molyneux Stakes were won by Mr. Randall's
Raven beating Mr. Jefferson's John Bull.
The West Derby Stakes were won by Mr. Swaiiie,
Soda Ash, beating Mr. PleStoll'l3 Precaution.

gWaseSztir‘noen,gsi
upon it.
r__--__--- ------
thofetshoeldiCeraseticea=nTuinchthaelakremapeydarbz
FIRE IN DOVER CASTLB.—On the 30th ult., at
the chimney of the tap-room, which
noon, the inhabliiretanbetts
r winde
h e
twhheicrhepoprrotvoefdato
nsbieing strong from
burnt furiously for some time, and tears were entertained that
the roof would becocamuseeidgnfietaerfd.ul Tahpep
situated in the on also for the
wall of the keep, and but a
few yards from the burning chimney,
tpho
we
dseorumthag-
the smoke of which
The troops were called out,
and the barrack engine was soon brought to the spot by the
depot of the 30th Regiment, under the command of their
Gallant Major, and brought to
was beating
bear with great effect upon
the furious element, which was
speedily
got under and en-
tirely extinguished in about an hour. Great praise is due to
Major Hoey and his active men for their very seasonable and
prompt assistance. Do
ver Chronicle,.
___

FIRST BUSINESS OF THE -
SESSION.-It is confi-
dently stated that an Lion. Baronet, Member for one of the
metropolitan boroughs, has announced his intention, at the
earliest possible moment after the debate on the Address, to
pat questions to her Majesty's Government, in reference to
the causes which have led to the removal of Lord Palmeratoa
from the direction of Foreign Affairs.