The Sun.
London, England, 1837-09-11 00:00:00

THEATRES.

It was a bold, but at the same time a very judicious, step
in the lessee of Drury-lane Theatre to engage C. Kean
upon his own terms, viz., fifty pounds a night, besides a be-
nefit, and the nights to extend to the number of 40. Thus
it is pretty certain, if nothing untoward should occur, that
C. Kean will receive at least two thousand five hundred
pounds for his exertions. This experiment is a dangerous
one in some respects on the part of the actor, who, we are
told, has been realising during the period of his retirement
from London between 4,000/. and 5,0001. a-year. This, of
course, he risks to a certain extent ; but supposing the pos-
sibility of his failure in the metropolis, a contingency we own
we do not at all contemplate, his reputation is so firmly
established in such places as Dublin, Edinburgh, Liver-
pool, Manchester, Birmingham, &c., that it is not a little
that will damage it. The Edinburgh and Dublin critics
have always claimed and exercised a judgment of their
own, not at all dependent upon the opinions of a London
audience: The part in which Charles Kean means to make
his re-debut (if we may use the word) among us is Hamlet,
one object being that he may avoid the charge of direct
imitation of his father, whom we are confidently assured he
never saw in that character. Resemblances from blood
and habit cannot be avoided ; nor,
,considering the great
pleasure we formerly derived from the father's performances,
wo would wish them to be avoided. It is a fact that ought
to be known, , that during one of Mr. C. Kean's recent en-
gagements at Edinburgh' for 25 nights, he played Hamlet
nine times, and Richard the Third eleven times.
The period for the opening of the minors, the Olympic
and the Adelphi, draws near, and all is activity in tho,e
places of amusement. W. Farren succeeds Liston, as we
have already stated, but it seems doubtful whether the lat-
ter has yet finally and completely retired from the profes-
sion. Mr. and Mrs. Keeley will also be at the Olympic,
supported as usual by inferior but well-chosen members of
the company. Everything here is done with the utmost
completeness, and the nicest taste and discrimination.
Power, as we mentioned some weeks ago, opens the Adel-
phi ; Yates will find himself well repaid by the receipts.
Macready has made overtures to Hammond, to engage his
services for the ensuing season at Covent-garden theatre.
Mr. W. H. Wills, the author of The Law of the Land,
has been engaged by Webster to furnish a new three act
comedy for the Haymarket Theatre. There is much pro-
mise about this young writer, and at all events his produc-
tion will be an original one. _ _ _

Jerrold's sin:ular story, Perditus Mutton, the Mau who
bought a, Caul, which appeared in the last New Monthly
MagSziie, is being dramatised, for Harley to appear in at
the opening of the St. James's.—Observer.

THE PRINCE OF AUCTIONEERS.

The following portrait of the greatest hero of the
hammer now living—that has ever lived—or probably
that ever will live—is copied from the last Number of
Blackwood's Magazine:—
" There is still something like character left in this
level world. The London auctioneers are characters.
The celebrated Christie, who flourished about half a cen-
tury ago, still figures in the records of auctioneer elo-
quence. The hammer in his band was his thunderbolt ;
with it he knocked down more oaks, hills, palaces, tied
parks, than he of Olympus ever smote with his fires. His
tongue was the cestus that embellished, graced, and co-
loured all that it touched. It was he who rounded a de-
scription of a hut in view of Tyburn by pronouncing that
it had the advantage of a hanging wood in view, and talked
of a running stream in the neighbourhood of a mansion—
the mansion being a warehouse, and the stream Fleet
Ditch. It was he who found the perfumes of Arabia in
the neighbourhood of a coffee-shop, and promised the beau-
ties of a tropical landscape in a field planted half with pota-
toes and half with tobacco. But if he was eloquent, de-
scriptive, and Irish, he was, notwithstanding, an honest
man. To expect him to be a man of his word was out of
the question, yet he was faithful to his engagements, and
though estates slipped through his fingers as fast as through
those of Lord Barrymore or Hughes Ball, he made mo-
ney. George Robins is now the successor to the fame of
this celebrated personage. George Robins is now by far
the most eloquent man of his own profession. . The fa-
mous Maugraby, who now figures in Alexandria, to the
astonishment of the Quarterly Review and of all the
loungers of the Mediterranean, is a bungler compared with
the dextrous touch, the quick prediction, and the unhesi-
tating dexterity of George Robins' skill in the ideal. His
fame is, like Mr. Green's, above the earth ; like Mr. In-
gilby, he is the prince of conjurors ; and, like the late George
Canning, for fancy, figure, and fiction, is unsurpassable.
As an evidence that our panegyric is not ill-founded we
shall give three examples of his eloquence which have met
our eye in one column of a newspaper. The first is a cot-
tage in Devon, which he offers for public competition,'
the word sale being altogether below the subject. He de-
clares that this cottage is situated in a spot which even
those accustomed to the varied loveliness of this beautiful
county, universally admit to be the Garden of South De-
von ; that it is completely embedded in its own wild, luxu-
rious grounds ;—it stands,' sits s George Robins,' in need
of no auxiliary beauties, for Nature bath most liberally
gifted it ; it is inaccessible to the sight, save only from the
sea, upon which it peeps, and obtains a view of the limpid
Bay of Babbicombe, which has, with great truth and jus-
tice, been likened to the Bay of Naples.' This is pretty
well for a cottage.
" We now come to something of a higher order—an
estate in the same county. This property,' says George,
needs not the artificial aid of ornament throughout the
county, for it is too well known to require panegyric ; but
the following concise and imperfect statement is intended
with a view to illumine only those at a distance :—lt is
seated in a luxuriant valley ; protected during the incle-
ment season by an amphitheatre of hills ; surrounded by
park scenery of surpassing beauty, with a never-ending
combination of hill and dale ; adorned by majestic woods,
the constant undulation of the grounds combining to form
a perfect Claude scene. The abundance of fish caught
within sight of the drawing-room would render the voca-
tion of a neighbouring fishmonger a work of supereroga-
tion. The winter appears a stranger to the estate, and
the climate is so congenial to longevity, that even an East
Indian valetudinarian, who in despair had resigned himself
to a very limited period of years, may here fid a solace,
arising out of the salubrity of the air, that will awaken to
him the cheering prospect of a renewed lease of health
and vigour.'
" The pastures come in for a share of the panegyric, and
are described as possessing the facility of fattening cattle
with great quickness ; it being further declared that
Smithfield owes to them a heavy debt of gratitude.' The
estate has another treasure in A Magnificent Rock of
'Marble, which appears interminable ; and if profit be in the
mind's eye of a purchaser, he will find the rock capable
of erecting a second city of Bath.' This we look upon as
a showy specimen of his grand style ; the next and last
exhibits his genius in the picturesque and poetic.
"This is the delineation of a third estate, the mansion
of which is described as being seated, or rather nestling
under the brow of a hill.' We are told that the ma-
jestic timbcr which ornaments the hanging woods includes
the monarch of the forest, with pines of stately growth ;
the rising grounds afford shelter from the wintry wind,
while the valley, teeming with wild fertility, refreshes and
aids the delightful illusion. The mansion is of stone, of
modern elevation, avoiding all the faults of the present
school ; within there is that which passeth show, for com-
fort in its most intelligible form prevails throughout.'
" All this is very clever, and must be very tempting, but
George Robins has another bait for the purchaser, a bait
for his ambition—and if any man, with a few thousands to
throw away, has a desire to figure at a county election, the
auctioneer has found out the spot for him. It may not
be amiss,' says he, to allude to the forthcoming contest for ,
this district, when the possessor of this estate will put in
very strong claims to be one of the representatives of the
county.' * * * All this we think irresistible ;
and after this varied display of his talent, who shall venture
to deny that George Robins is the-Prince of Orators and
Auctioneers ? -
" The question
has been disputed whether a man of ge-
nius is, or is not, ignorant of his own powers. We contend
that he is not, and quote our celebrated auctioneer as an
example. The newspapers mention that, some time since,
he met a professional brother, of provincial fame, of the
name of Watkins. Sir,' said the London luminary, I
am happy to recognize in you the George Robins of the
West.' 'Sir,' said- the Man of the West, I reciprocate
the compliment, and am proud to see in you the Watkins
of the Metropolis.'
" There have been hints that he has made large collec-
tions for his history ; and in en age when every man writes
his memoirs, when no great man dies without being in-
stantly pounced upon by a host, that, like the kites or vul-
tures, blacken round his dying hours to pick up all that they
can lay hold of, we hope that George Robins will tic!., the
great man ; make his fame secure ; write his own biogra-
phy, for fear of accidents ; and let what will t:o-iise of pla-
cards, harangues, and hammers, make himsejf the Shak-
speare of all auctioneers to come."

TILE DISSENTERS' INSURA:‘,TeE
This great and important undertAing, we understand, is
proceeding most prosperously in, spite of the attacks of
the Tory press. The prinei;oles set forth are so sound,
and at the same time, so valpable, that we marvel they
have never been adopted before. No doubt moral and
religious habits contribute greatly to tbir duration of human
life, and the benevolent object of makiin,.; a provision for
the widows and children of deceased dissenting ministers
(for whom there is no existing fund) is lkpyond all praise.—
Brishtun herald,