The Sun.
London, England, 1852-11-27 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

After a histrionic career of just half-a-century's
duration, the veteran Bartley is on the eve of bidding
a final farewell to the stage. His last engagement, one
of twelve nights, commenced at this theatre on Monday
last, and it may be safely said of this old and favourite
friend of the public, although " spectatv.m. (non) satin,
et donatum, jam, rude," that he still personates the im-
mortal Falstaff with all the freshness and vigorous jovi-
ality of former years. Where are we now to turn for a
worthy successor to Bartley in this difficult and
knight of
pecu-
liar role, descrying as yet no sack-fed
vr knigharles
girth " looming in the future ? " —TT,' ~., ..
well as the tasteful splendour with which
boards of the
of Henry the Fourth, is brought out on the
Mr Walter Lacy was
Princess's, demand no comment. ...rin, was, as might
ICean.'s
L'lnrah"w"'"'"-br""ur'
"I.
41"'
4-''-r--the ii First Part
the Prince of Wales; and the politic
rn c,
i and action. On Thursday
mheedluiedsi:
be expected emxpre. cßte:dfrero, from tlhooeka,ble artist,i y finely represented.
the Merry Wives of
was presented, and all the chara
himself, were e xcellently sustained.
crously sinful old man
alous Ford to absolute perfection,
Mr. Kean gave
Wives,th2.. ~
Win c7soeie.,einc'toesrtsd,
ienliadghdtfituiloonft coot
were assuredly never better
and the "Merry
represented than by Mrs. Kean and Mrs. Winstanley.
the i
n littleo r (
bcuaittr e
neverlb vas estog
rwaetduy
ibyn theg unimportant)
to generalitywitnesscharacters t
ho ef
in Shakespere s plays,. the irascible
significance with which the irascible Doctor Gains was
Consideringtoractors
oi thela
invested by Mr.Leclercq, who deserves credit for as artis-
i
ic and telling a bit of acting as we could wish to behold ;
and like praise is due to Mr. Addison 's Host of the Garter
and Mr. Meadows's Sir Hugh. The only conceivable
improvement and it were decided one—would have
been an interchange of parts between Messrs. Harley
and Meadows, the former taking the Welsh par-
son, and the latter Master Slender. Ann Page
was prettily played by Miss Desborough • and Mrs.
Daly's Dame Quickly was very good. The amiable
trio of hangers-on was capitally made up ; Mr. Ryder's
aspect as Pistol was that of a seedy Mephistopheles.
The picturesque propriety of all the costumes serves to
attest the pains bestowed on the production of the
comedy in a worthy spirit of completeness.
Mondays,
Mr. Bartley is announced to appear on
Thursdays, and Saturdays ; Saturday, Decemberbin (the 50th anniversary of his debut in London) g des-
tined to witness his final retirement from the stale.

MYSTERIOUS DEATH OE A CUSTOM-ROUSE OFFICER,—
During yesterday and Thursday considerable sensation
was caused among the various officials of the London
Docks in consequence of the sudden disappearance of
Mr. Thomas Pitcher, aged 36 years, a tide-waiter and
Custom-house officer connectod with the Excise and
Revenue-office, who had been missing since Wednesday
night last. It appears that the deceased had been di-
rected to go on board a foreign ship called the Pepita,
a Spanish vessel whick had been towed into North
Quay of the London Docks, a few days since, from the
river. There are various rumours prevalent, and one
is, that the deceased must have quarrelled with the fo-
reign sailors during the night, and by some means have
fallen overboard. He was a steady officer, and much
respected.
Tour. LIVES LOST BY THE UPSETTING OF A BOAT.—
A shocking accident occurred yesterday morning on the
Humber, opposite Hull, which has cast a shade of gloom
over all. By the upsetting of a boat, four poor fellows
have been launched suddenly into eternity.