The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-20 00:00:00

AION DAY

PRINCESS'S THEATRE•
The season was inaugurated on Saturday evening
by the performance of a novelty, a favourite, and a
revival :—The Prima Donna, The Corsican Brothers,
and

A Boland for an Oliver.
The first named piece, a two act comedietta, is
from the ready pen of M. Bouciceult, the aptest
playwright of the present day. It is an
adaptation
irom the French theatre, interesting, buoyant, roman-
tic, and amusing. Stella, the Prima Donna, is an orphan
who has been adopted by Dr. Holbein, a benevolent
physician of Geneva, who brings her up with his
daughter Margaret, whom ahe loves with sisterly
affection. As Stella advances to womanhood it is
discovered that she has a fine voice, which she culti-
vates, and becomes the most renowned singer at the
Opera of Milan. She there forms an attachment for
Count Eric Von Mansfeldt, the son of the Austrian
Minister, who violently opposes the inclination of the
lovers, and obliges Stella to fly from Milan
to the
house of the good doctor, where she finds her adopted
sister, Margaret, apparently at the point of death. She
is, in fact, dying of love fer a young Austrian deicer,
who had raved her life from a fire, and she
now recognises her preserver in Count Eric, who
has followed Stella from Milan, forthe pur-
pose of being privately married to her. Stella,
with a generous consideration for her sister's
feelings, and in order that her parting moments may
be happy, induces Eric to feign that he
loves Mar-
garet, and even to ask her hand of her father in mar-
riage. The effect is almost magical ; the fleeting
spirit of the love-sick girl is arrested on the brink of
the grave, while Stella as compelled to return to Milan,
to fulfil a professional eagagement, leaving her affi-
anced lover with the unsuspecting Margaret. The re-
suit may easily be foreseen—Eric learns to love the
innocent and affectionate girl, and to forget Stella.
The second act lies in Milan, whither the Doctor, his
daughter, and Count Eric have come to celebrate the
marriage of the two latter. They meet at Stella's
hotel, and some scenes of great interest take place, in
which the truth gradually reveals itself to her; she
discovers that she is no longer loved by Eric, and, with
an unselfish generosity, she sacrifices her own
feelings
to make the lovers happy, and bestows her hand upon
Rouble, a young banker, who has most perseveringly
followed her, and has proved the sincerity of his love
by fighting a man who has insulted her, and leaving
her his whole fortune in the event of his death.
The part of the amorous Rouble, who is a goodhearted,
good-tempered, vulgar Crcesus, winning his object
by dint of coolness, perseverance, and pluck, was
played by Mr. Walter laacy. in admirable style. This
sterling and finished artist is an excellent acquisition
to the establishment, and his talents do not appear
likely to be let grow rusty for want of employment,
as he undertook prominent characters in all three
pieces of the evening. Miss Heath made her first
appearance on the public stage as" the Prima Donna,"
Stella, and we can safely speak of her with unquali-
fied commendation. She has the advantages of a
handsome face and tall, well-formed figure,
while her
acting is marked with an ease, refinement, and self-
possession that evinced excellent training (we should
say, from Miss Heath's style, under Mrs. Kean's
hands), as well as intelligence and competency. It
was an eminently successful debut. The pretty and
rather interesting part cf the marvellously suscep-
tbiyblme Missargßaorebterwtsaosn. veryAr
niea. ticathcart, as the doubley and carefully executed
lover and spoony subaltern Eric, had little more to do
than to sport an unexceptionably cut Austrian uniform
of white and blue. Mr. Addison gave the part of
the good old Doctor in his accustomed natural,
toth et
haeu
author,
nce
hearty, effective style. On the whole, the drama was
brought out and acted in a manner most creditable
die
to the management, most satisfactory to
and,wh(,, w
ine
compliance
pconvinced, mostwith
universal
gratifying
call, had to come
forward and bow his acknowledgments. The Prima
Donna will run for many an evening.
The unfading Corsican Brothers, which had run
last season for a succession of nights denoted by the
outside figures of " the number of the Beast," then
followed. Mr. Charles Kean, whose famous per-
formance it were altogether superfluous to eulogise,
experienced a thoroughly cordial reception on the
commencement of the new campaign. He was, as
usual, recalled at the conclusion, and a similar com-
pliment was deservedly paid to Mr. Walter Lacy,
who undertook, and filled all but as well, Mr. Wigan's
noted rule of Chateau Renaud. His acting and make
up were admirable, and it is, perhaps, through the
force of first impressions that we give the alight pre-
ference to his predecessor. A greeting was likewise
bestowed on two steady and judicious pillars of the
state dramatic, and established favourites at this
house, Mr. Ryder and Mr. Meadows, on their ap-
pearance as the respective leaders of the revengeful
factions.

The afterpiece of A Roland for an Oliver was capi-
tally played throughout. Our old friend Maria
Darlington found an adequate representative, artisti-
cally clever as well as personally charming, in Miss
Carlotta Le Clercq, who fairly aspires to become a no
less accomplished votaress of Thalia than she has
hitherto been of Terpisehore. Miss Le Clercq's perso-
nation of the vivacious Maria was faultlessly ele-
gant, spirited without exaggeration, and ladylike and
graceful as arch and animated. The well-known waltz
song was delightfully given and warmly applauded.
Alfred Highflyer is just one of the parts in which
Mr. Walter Lacy is thoroughly at home, and his
genuine light comedy was very audibly appreciated.
Mr. Addison played Sir Mark Chace as well as could
be expected—that is to say, better than any performer
in his line we know of; and Mr. Meadows was ex-
cellent as the jealous old rascal Fixture. The curtain
descended amidst much applause.
The house was fashionably attended, and every por-
tion completely filled. The interior has been taste-
fully decorated during the recess, and among other
,
alterations may be noticed the introduction of the
legitimate "green curtain " new box dra eries, and
an increase in the number and comfort of the stalls.
The same three pieces are to be repeated every
evening during the present week, offering a pro-
gramme eminently calculated to draw good houses.
Indeed, everything that is done at this theatre is in-
variably done so well, that were the attendance in
front ever to become scant, dramatic attraction Haight
be pronounced as utterly extinct,
managers ought wisely close their doors. The
Princess's is " the thermometer of public (theatrical)
opinion." and metropolitan

SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT
continent of Europe, every OF 1
Now that the cholera rapidlyextending over the ,
isso
CHOLERA,
ful modes of its treatment is extremely valuable. In
Germany and Austria the hot-air bath has been called
into requisition by some eminent medical gentleman
accounts published in the German newspapers,
when patients have become too weak for the administra-
tion of medicine internally, in the majority of cases
and
factconnected with success-
where this has boon done it appears, according to the
speedy recovery
has followed, even notwithstanding
symptoms of the worst character had presented themselves,
sufficient strength to act powerfully that a
and threatened a fatal termination. Of course the air
is previously impregnated with medicinal properties of
tem. There is, unfortunately, a great dis-
like amongst medical practitioners in this
country to travel out of the old beaten track, even
though new modes of treatment are proved to be both
efficacious, and, in skilful hands, free trompdanger; but
it is to be 'hoped that the above simple p will not be
on the sys-
lost sight of, if this frightful disease should once more
devastate our population. Already the hot-sir bath has
been successfully brought into requisition by Dr. Green,
of London, but at present he seems to be the only indi-
vidual connected with his profesaion in the metropolis
who practically advocates the system.
The Germans,
perhaps, claim the merit of the discovery, but the young
surgeon of an English vessel sailing to Calcutta and Java
as long ago as 1830, cured several sailors and passen.
gers, as well as the captain and himself, by hot baths
and friction; but he died about a twelvemonth after, be-
fore he had an opportunity of making known the won-
derful and potent effect of this valuable agency.

ELOPEMENT.—During the last week a strange
elopement has taken place from this town, the parties being
W. Whitfield and J. Wilson, master painters and glaiers,
who had been partners for some time past, and were doing a
respectable business. On Tuesday morning they eloped
with two women, one of whom is the wife of a ship captain.
On the day previous this lady went out into the roads, on
board of the vessel which her husband commands, and took
an affectionate farewell of hint. On her return home she
obtained all the money belonging to him, and set off for
Australia the next morning.
For som reparations ast the two
painters have been secretly making p for the
.elopenipnt. They have been seen sending a number of heavy
t,'unks away by rail, on pretenc anthat thoy were going to
North Shields, where they had engagement to paint the
tl metre. Previous to their departure they obtained a num
b, n 4 of articles on credit. One of them purchased a cottage
of a builder on credit, and being unable to sell it immediately,
he, purchased a share in a building society, mortgaged the
house, and pocketed the money. It is said that they have
taken upwards of 8001. in stock anOned
of them sent cash. They a
letter to
have each
left a wile and two children.
his, wife, stating that he had sailed from Liverpool to Aus-
tralia, and expressing a hope that she would take care of the
children until he came back. Search was made for the fu-
gitives at Liverpool without success; and it is now supposed
that they have sailed from Glasgow for Australia.— S under-
-1 zad Herald.
11EMOIRS OF TOE BARONESS D'OBERAIRCII.—A
11 ", work is announced for immediate publication which
r Tomises to possess unusual attractions for all readers who
t ake an interest M details of Court life and anecdotes con-
) iected with distinguished historical personages.
'dr:a b li.
The book
, glass beads,
I :43 which we allude is the" memoirs of the Baroness D'Ober-
gaishegdreaptosviitoiolenncoef,
athceonllsi
kirch, Countess de Montbrison." It is written by herself and
,'diced by her grandson the Count de Moutbrison, and is said
'to include a great number a curious particulars respecting
the secret history of the Courts of France, Russia, and Ger
et abled her to become acquainted with, and which have
b( •ver before transpired.
in any, which the distinguished
WEsTort-surER-MattE.—THE EXCAVATIONS ON
NA 'EsToN.oN_IIILL.—These excavations have been actively
rt sumed under the superintendence of the Rev. F. Warrey
T wo sculls, bearing marks of
, Ind a very large quantity of broken pottery, apparently a
'CilLantity of coarse ware, two iron spear-heads,
I T:tonian date, among which no less than 200 brass coins of
Qoustantine, Caransal/2 &c., were discovered.