The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-07 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

Lest week a " new grand romantic opera," entitled
or the Love Test, was produced at this theatre with
complete success. The fellowing is the hie:lily-interesting
story an which al admirable display of musical composition
end performance is roweled :—A mah'en cf Tyrol, Amille
Vernet (Miss Seirreff), is beloved by a foendling youth ( An-
deal), who, to procure a decent competence for both, has (six
months previous to the commencement of the drains) quitted
the valley of the Eysach, and enlisted in the :lustrlan service,
assuming- the name of Lavigne (that of his nurse, long since
(read), in the hope that it may lead to the discovery of his pa-
rents. Jose Speckbacher (Wilson), the celebrated brigand
hunter, afterwa.ds so distingui-led as the friend and confede-
rate of Hofer, during the rolean struggle for freedom, is
also a suitor for the love of Amilie; rejected by her, he
employs two hunters, Jean and Paul, (Bedford and Stretton),
to carry her off to their rendezvous in the mountains; he
is to be apprised of their success by a signal fire. Amilie
and Jose subsequently meet at the grave of her mo-
tiler. The ruffians missing their intended victim, fire her cot-
tage, and she is for a time rescued from Jose by the interposi-
tion of the reiigieux of the neightouring monastery. The
Count der Tierner (Phillips), who has purchased an estate in
the valley, arrives during the festival of the vin•age to take
possession of it. He becomes the friend and protector of
Amilie. A letter is delivered to the orphan containing money,
which she supposes comes from her absent lover : in reality, it
is a fabrication of Jose's, and the money an off,. ing of com-
punction for the destruction of her home. She is all joy, and
the first act terminates with the congratulations of the pea-
santry. Six months is again supposed to elapse. Amilie has
been induced to give a laughing promise that if Awlerl claims
her not, she will choose among her other admirers. Jose is
discovered writing a letter, falsely informing her of her absent
lever's marriage to wealth and rank. Pierre (Manvers), a
tipsy wandering through the mountains, encount rs hint, and
,aartts him of the hopelessness of his passim. Ile deter-
mines, however, to rely on the power of his forged epistle.
Amilie has become mistress of the village inn. The Count
der Tierner, for some mysterious reason, still continues her
friend, but she is unhappy, and begins to doubt her neglectful
Anderl, The letter is delivered ; its effect is such as for
a time to bereave her of her senses. Six months again elapse
—she has resided in the castle. Ceaseless study has greatly
_improved the unhappy orphan. The hour arrives for her de-
ciding- on Jose's claims ; she resolves to take the veil. The
hunter, rather than lose her, rest its to an act of violence. His
hand seize her ; at this instant the gipsy Pierre is discovered
to be her faithful Anderl, and the Count der Tierner's son,
who, to prove if she be worthy of that son, and the rank be
bear, has put her to so severe a " love test." The composi-
Sleet is the work of Mr. W. M. Rooke, long known amongst
the highest class of professors, to whom Mr. Macready has
afforded an opportunity (it is said to be too long denied by
- others) of presenting his performance to the public, and of
receiving their unqualified approbation. The chorusses in ge-
neral were full of spirit; sonic of them were splendid compo-
sitions. " The Yagers' Mountain Chorus" produced bursts
of enthusiastic applause, and a universal call for its repetition,
which was given with, if possible, increased eff.ct. Several
of the duets and songs were also rapturously encored. The
opera has been got up in magnificent style, and the performers
exerted- themselves to do justice to their respective parts with
an ardour and spirit that met their appropriate reward in the
repeated, or rather continuous plaudits of the audience. On
the fall of the curtain the audience called for the appearance
• of the composer, of Miss Shirreff and Phillips, with a vehe-
mence that was quite irresistible, and on their appearance they
were received with rapturous applause.

Abraham Greenslade, of Totness, who had been ex-
cavating a gutter in a field in Berry Pomeroy, not returning
home the night of the 17th instant, his wife became alarmed,
and, with a neighbour, went in search of him in the morning,
when he was found buried beneath a quantity of earth fallen
into the gutter. Assistance was soon procured, and on dig-
ging they found him perfectly upright, his head about two
feet under the top of the earth; his hat prevented his being
suffocated. After much labour and difficulty he was released,
but how long he had been there, it is impossible to say, as he
spoke but two or three sentences after his release; the night
was extremely cold.—Exeter Paper.

Amongst the latest of the curious and capricious
interferences of authority in the dominions of the Czar, is the
ukase which prohibits, under a punishment, the wearing of
spectacles for the eyes. The order has been enforced, and, it
would appear, with painful harshness towards persons whose
sight really requires this artificial aid. It would appear that
the authorities have at last felt the cruelty and harshness of
this absurd piece of legislation, and, accordingly, those who
could prove that they were really short-sight,d had been in-
dulged with the permission to wear spectacles, but with square
glasses I—French Paper.
Quarters in Ireland seem to produce a theatrical
effect on some regiments. The 93d, at present stationed in
Belfast, have got up amateur plays ; essaying, in their drama-
tic career, and with some success, even Hamlet. In Limerick,
too, the officers in garrison are thespianising, to some advan-
tage, to the charities of the city.
In reference to a meeting held on Monday evening►
relative to the case of the imprisoned cotton-spinners, the
Glasgow Chronicle observes—" Without entering upon the
charges brought by the speakers en this occasion against the
law authorities, we may remark that the violence of language
in which some of them indulged is deeply to be regretted.
The prisoners themselves may have cause to regret it. It will
furnish the Crown Counsel with a fertile source of declama-
tion, and it may even produce an unfavourable impression on
the minds of the jury.
The Tories, we understand, are much vexed with
Lord Stanley for forcing oa the division on Monday evening.
They complained of the prudencs,? of Sir R. Peel; but now
they can contrast his prudence with the rashness of their new
leader.

On Wednesday afternoon a man named Francis
Cleave, in the employ of Mr. Cracknell, a patent ship's
pump-maker and anchor-smith, of Wapping-street, St.
George's, was about to pass over the swivel-bridge at the
London.dock at Wapping, as it was about to close, after se-
veral vessels had passed through the lock, with some bars of
iron on his shoulder, when the lever of the eastern half of the
bridge caught his leg as he was stepping on the bridge, and
crushed it between the lever and the iron curb separating the
horseway from the footpath. As the bridge closed his leg
was shattered in a shocking manner, so that it is feared re-
course must be had to amputation.
• On Thursday night a fire was discovered at Swaby,
Jlear Louth, on the farm of Mr. Robm-t Sharpley, of Carle-
tin, by which seven of Lis cora stacks were completely de-
stroyed. Not the slightest doubt exists but that it was the act
of an incendiary.—Lincolnshire Chronicle.