The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-09 00:00:00

CANTERBURY HALL,

Last night a very splendid entertainment was
produced at the Canterbury Hall, entitled " Prince
Blossom in the Land of Shadows." As will be
gathered from the title, Professor Pepper's dis-
covery, popularly known as " The Ghost," is the
means by which Mr. Charles Morton has been
enabled to entirely eclipse everything that has yet
been presented to the public through that clever and
very popular optical illusion. As president of the
" Ghost Club," Mr. Morton, we suppose, thought the
public looked to him for some very splendid pro-
duction, accordingly he set about his task with his
usual earnestness, and, in the marvellous entertain-
ment presented to his patrons last evening, he has
shown himself a first rate judge of what will please
the public in the shape of ghosts. It is no easy
task to describe the extreme beauty of the enter-
tainment, so, at the outset, we may as well candidly
admit that our efforts will certainly fall short—very
short of the actual reality. The curtain rises on a pretty
woodland scene—we beg pardon—a fairy glade,
with two beautiful fountains throwing up their
myriads of sparkling drops. Prince Blossom enters,
having separated himself from his hunting com-
panions, and after singing a capital cosmopolitan
medley, he drinks from one of the fountains, when
it instantly becomes illuminated, and the fairy
Queen Aquarius appears in the midst of its pris •
matic and sparkling shower to welcome the Prince
to her fairy dell. The Prince is then introduced to
the King of the Enchanted Dominion, who appears
in the other fountain, and under the same brilliant
aspect as that of his radiant lady. Finding " the
idol of his heart's fondest affection" is married, the
Prince accepts a general invitation from the King
to call upon them when he pleases, and
Fame is desired to summon the attendant fairies by
" blowing his own trumpet."
The kingly mandate
is obeyed, a ballet is performed, and the curtain
falls as the entire group, in the most wonderful man-
ner, appear to descend to their fairy home. The
whole of this brilliant entertainment, wish the ex-
ception of the character of Prince Blossom, which
was very archly sustained by Miss Townley, is
effected by the aid, as we have said before, of Pro-
fessor Pepper's optical illusion, and certainly that
clever personage could never have contemplated
such wonderful effects as those Mr. Morton has
produced. The flight of Fame through the
sparkling showers of the glittering fountains as
the Naiads seek their beds in the crystal waters,
forms a coup dceil of beauty unparalleled even in
fairy romance. The audience were in a perfect frenzy
of delight. Loud cries of "Bravo, bravo," and
calls of " Morton, Morton," came from all sides.
By the time that gentleman appeared to acknow-
ledge the applause, the cheering had swelled itself
into a perfect hurricane, and it was same time after
Mr. Morton had retired that the enthusiasm pro-
duced by the gorgeous spectacle subsided.
Those present last evening may congratulate
themselves upon their good fortune, for certainly
when the splendour of the new entertainment be-
comes known, and that will occupy but a very short
space of time, all London will be attracted to the
Canterbury Hall and then sitting accommodation
will be at a premium.

SLIP-SHOD EN GLISH.—A correspondent of the
Morning Post points out the following instance of
it in no less important an inscription than that on the tomb-
stone of the late Archbishop of Canterbury' :—" To the
memory of John Bird Sumner, D.D., Archbishop of Can-
terbury ; consecrated Bishop of Chester 1828 ; translated to
Canterbury 1848; died Sept. 6, 1862, in the 83d year of his
age." On what principle of syntax, the writer asks, is the
word " died" used here ?
RUSSIAN TELEGRAPHS.—The telegraphic line
between Omsk and Irkutzk is now finished. The first de-
spatches sent from the latter town on the 21st December,
at noon, were received at St. Petersburg the same day at
half-past Bin the evening, having traversed the enormous
distance of 5,750 versts (820 German miles). A letter
from Irkutzk takes 24 days to arrive at St. Petersburg.—
Invaltde Busse.