The Sun.
London, England, 1837-09-05 00:00:00

LYCEUM.

An opera was produced last night under the title of the
Exile of Genoa. The plot is neither tedious to narrate or
read. Anselmo Lancia (Seguin) a Genoese nobleman, is
exiled by the machinations of the Doge (S. Jones) and
with his daughter, Florentine (Miss Rainforth) takes refuge
in Corsica. Fernando (Fraser) son of the Doge, being
captivated with Florentine, disguises himself as a fisher-
man, forms a friendship with Anselmo, who is pursuing the
same humble avocation, and is (being unknown to the old
gentleman, known to the young lady) betrothed to his
daughter. All this is supposed to have happened before
the curtain is drawn up, and indeed it is a great deal more
than what happens afterwards. In the first act a party of
Genoese come in search of Anselmo, who curses the
Doge, and requires his future son-in-law to do the same ;
but that young gentleman, confessing that the Doge is his
own father, objects to the- ceremony as indecorous. An-
selmo is very angry, but the pious youth satisfies him by
leading a band of fishermen in opposition to his father's
troops, and a general scuffle ensues, ►n which poor Anselmo
is wounded. In the second act a ship is coming to the
island, bearing the Doge himself. It is wrecked, but the
life of the old Doge is saved by the magnanimous Flo-
rentine, who goes out to sea in an open boat. When she
brings him ashore, he runs a tolerable risk of being mur-
dered by her father, but she reconciles all parties, who de-
clare they are the best friends in the world, and sing a
chorus as the curtain falls. We will not remark on this
plot ; it carries its own critique with it. The dialogue is
unfortunately written in blank verse, which, where there
is no poetry in the language, conveys to the ear a most
rumbling and unpleasant effect ; and when in the hands
of one who is not thoroughly master of it (and who is?)
gives rise to the most uncouth transpositions. The music
was selected from various composers, and, though generally
good, was not very striking, unless, indeed, we except the
chorus of Weber, about which, some time since, there was
a paper war, as being the origin of " nye le Roi." Miss
Rainforth and Seguin sang very fairly throughout. A duet
in the first act was particularly good. Frazer was about
the same as usual. The first scene did great credit to
the management ; it was somewhat elaborate and highly pic-
turesque. As an act of justice to the author, as well as to
the nation, we should remark that the libretto is translated
from the German, and hence its faults have a transmariwe
source. If we are not mistaken, this opera was produced
some time ago at the Surrey Theatre.

The French army consists, at the present momen
of 67 regiments of infantry of the line, 21 of light in-
fantry, two of carabineers (cavalry), 10 of curassiers, 12 of
dragoons, 11 of chasseurs, eight of lancers, six of hussars,
and 14 of artillery. Of these 151 regiments, 12 are quar-
tered in Paris, and 23 in the different towns within 20
leagues of the capital ; Lyons is guarded by seven re-
giments, and Strasburg by three ; eight regiments are
kept under arms in front of the Pyrenees, nine are in
Africa, and half a regiment is in Italy.
A greater number of partridges have been observed
in the neighbourhood of Ramsgate this season than on any
former occasion, and capital sport is anticipated.
A flock of sea-gulls made their appearance on the
Thames below Caversharn-bridge on Wednesday morning,
and one of them was shot : it is rather unusual for these
birds to be so far inland at this time of the year, and de-
notes stormy and cold weather on the coast.—OxPrd
Gazette.
A reward of 1001. has been offered to any individual
who will give information respecting the person who struck
the unfortunate Mr. Carter on the day of the West Riding
nomination at Wakefield.—Doncaster Gazette.
The American frigate Independence arrived at Co-
penhagen on the 26th ult., on her return from St. Peters-
burgh.
In the Bavarian budget just laid before the Chain-
burs the appanage of King Otho of Greece, as a Bavarian
Prince, appears as an item of 80,000 florins.
Letters from Trieste to the 19th ult. say that the
quarantine for vessels from Naples had been reduced to
fourteen days. In Trieste itself there had been seven or
eight cases resembling cholera, which were mentioned in the
bills of health.
A County Reform Association was established, at
a meeting held at Trentham Inn last week. The Earl of
Shrewsbury, Sir C. Wolsaley, Bart., Sir T. C. Sheppard,
Bart., George Toilet, Esq., M. A. Whyte, Esq., and other
leading Reformers of North Staffordshire, were preset.
On Saturday the neighbourhood of the Commercial-
road was thrown into a state of great alarm by a dog of the
terrier species, which ran about snapping at every thing that
came in its way. A boy, about seven years of age, who
was playing in a field near to Vinegar-lane, was severely
bitten in the leg by the little furious animal, which exhibited
all the appearance of being in a rabid state. The poor
child was taken to Mr. Brand's, a surgeon in the Commer-
cial-road, where the wound was cauterized : meantime the
dog made dreadful havoc amongst the pigs, ducks, and
geese, which fatten in the purlieus of Vinegar-lane, and
several of these creatures were bitten, but immediately de-
stroyed by their owners. At length the cause of all the
mischief, the worthless cur, met his fate from the hands of
police-serjeant Daly, No. 23 R, who with that masterly use
of the truncheon, for which his corps are famous, n.flicted a
blow on the skull of the cur, which deprived him of existence.