The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-02 00:00:00

DRURY LANE THEATRE.

The long-announced performance in aid of the fund
for erecting a national monument to Shakespeare
took place on NV ednesday evening, and attracted a
brilliant audience. It consisted of selections from
it
_Romeo and Juliet," "King John," "As You Like
It," " Henry IV*" " Much Ado About Nothing,"
"The Merchant of Venice," " Othello," " Hamlet,"
and " Midsummer Night's Dream." Mr. Adolphus
Francis must have had considerable labour in get-
ting such a variety of actors and actresses together,
and it was hardly to be expected that he could
accomplish the task without meeting with opposi-
tion in some quarters. The most interesting feature
in the lengthy programme was the reappearance of
Miss Helen Faucit, as Rosalind, in "As You Like It,'
and the spontaneous burst of applause that greeted
her must have been exceedingly gratifying, as it at
once proved the public had not forgotten the
brilliant talent of one who had long been absent
from them. The principal scenes in which Rosa•
link is engaged, in the /as' three acts, were given,
Miss Helen Faucit enchanting the audience with
tier deliciously feminine, graceful, piquant, and fer-
vent development of the heroine. Every word told,
and every syllable was rendered distinct wish life
and interest by this charming actress, who seems
❑ot to have lost one iota of her power. On the
fall of the curtain the applause was ex-
traordinary, and when Mr. Vandenhcff led the
lady forth to acknowledge the complimentary nail
the walls of Old Drury re echoed with the en
rhusiastic cheering. The other prominent 6.ature
In the programmee was the singing of the Nations

.athetn, the solo parts being sustained by Miss
Poole, Mrs. Howard Panl, and Mdlle. Parepa.
In organising the entertainment, Mr. Francis has
shown a zeal that deserves well of the public, and,
judging from the brilliant and fashionable audience,
the success he has struggled for will be achieved.

THE LATE SUICIDE IN A RAILWAY TRAIN.—In
The Sun of yesterday there appeared a brief account
of the suicide of a gentleman in a railway train near
Newark. We now publish further particulars. From papers
found in the possession of the unfortunate gentleman, it
appears that he was a Frenchman, and his name wa, Vis-
count des Maires. At the inquest held before Mr. Griffin,
the coroner, Mr. F. Douglas, surgeon in her Majesty's lu-
dian service, stated that he joined the Edinburgh expre:s
train at Berwick, having a through ticket to London. He
got into a compartment with the deceased and Dr. Lowe.
He had %ery slight conversation with the deceased, merely
an interchange of common civilities. Both gentlemen were
strangers to him. He asked them if they objected to his
smoking, and they replied in the negative. They all three
then lighted their cheroots, and afterwards dozed. When
the train got to York he asked the deceased, in French,
if he would get out for refreshment. He said, " No,
t so
very
Ido not wish to get out." Witness and Dr. Lowe
went into the coffee-room and had a cup of tea, and then
ha
returned to the carriage. After the train had proceeded
sildf t hae sthe ai 1e ,
wasdeceasedh lightedar
dhe
couldc iaheorto cheroot e
eapg.
The
sa i r: Lowe remarked that he could not sleep, and the deceased
time witness took particular notice of the deceased was
about G o'clock, when he offered him a light. shortly be-
fore the train reached Newark witness and Dr. Lowe were
dozing, being very tired. Suddenly ho heard a report or
crack, which caused him to start. His first impression was
that some part of the machinery was broken. Before he
had time to think the deceased fell on the bottom of the
carriage with his head on witness's knee, blood gushing
over the seat on which he was sitting. Witness exclaimed
" Good God, the Frenchman has shot himself." Dr. Lowe
immediately waved his hat to attract the attention of the
guard. Death was instantaneous, he never groaned or
rnovfd, and a small pistol was hanging on his finger. He
seemed to be perfectly collected all the way from Berwick,
and was smoking quietly. On arriving IA the Newark
station they called to the guard and the body was removed.
After o her evidence had been offered, the jury returned a
verdict to the effect " that the deceased took away his own
life, but there was no evidence to show the state of his
mind."