The Sun.
London, England, 1839-05-30 00:00:00

THEATRES.

01,YilY1C.

At this favourite resort of the laughter loving Cockneys
the popular piece of Meet me by Moonlight ; A Dream of the
Future; Dr. Dilworth; and One Hour, or The Carnival
Ball, were perbrmed last night to a very crowded house.
Madame Vestra, who appeared in the second and last
pieces, was in cr:cllent voice and spirits, and went through
her parts with that grace and vivacity so peculiarly her
own. Mrs. Orger and Miss Murray, in their respective
parts, elicited and deserved marked applause; while Far-
ren and Keely kept the House in one continued roar of
laughter. In Dr. Dilworth they were inimitable, and we
had almost said excelled themselves; for from the rising
of the curtain to its the whole house was convulsed
with laughter without a moment's intermission. Mr.
Charles Mathews, in A Dream of the Future, and One
J.;:ur. or The Carnival Ball, performed with his usual
^seas,
as did also Mr. Brougham, who personated an
crisp tommo in both these pieces. The other actors and
actresses, may, poicularly Mr. Vining, went through their
parts very creclifeW, and at the conclusion of the even-
ing's amusements, the aniOtence appeared in the best possi
ble humour with the performances, themselves, and the
world at large. Those who are ill-tempered and morose
should visit the Olympic before jt closes, which will be in
a few nights, and they would expeictice the same happy
results.

SURREY.
An English version, by Mr. T. H. Rey nolbon, of Do-
nizetti's cheild'auvre, the Elisir d'Amore, which it will he
in the recollection of most of our readers had a
run of upwards of a hundred nights at the Opera
Buffs, was produced at this theatre last evening, under the
title of the Love Spell; or, the Mountebank of Ravenna.
the plot is very simple. Adina ( Miss Romer) who pos-
sesses a farm near Ravenna, is beloved by Nemorino ( Mr.
Templeton,) and by Sergeant Belcore ( Mr. T. H. Rey-
noldson. ) Nemnrino is a bashful man, and having heard
of the Elixir of Love which causes the possessor to be
beloved by all whom he approaches, wishes to procure it.
Dulcamara, a mountebank doctor ( Mr. Balfe) arrives at
the village, and is applied to by Nemorino to furnish him
with this wonderful Elixir. Dulcamare of course has a
supply of this, as well as of every other infallible
specific, and under the name of the " Elixer of Love"
sells him at an enormous price a bottle of Bordeaux wine,
with very particular directions as to the manner of using
it, at the same time informing him that four-and-twenty
hours must elapse before it will produce its effect. Ne -
niorino drinks of the Elixir, and elated by the effects of
the wine, and his faith in the specific, gives himself sundry
airs of nonchalance, on meeting Adinu, which
so irritates her that she consents to marry Bel-
core the next day. Even this fails to produce any
effect on Nemorino, who places implicit faith in the virtue
of the Elixir, but when, in consequence of an order arriving
for Belcore's regiment to march immediately, Adina con-
sents to sign the contract that very day, Nemo-
rino is in despair, and urges her to defer the
marriage. He applies to Dulcamara, who has
been invited to the wedding feast for a supply of
an elixir of a more potent nature, but being pennyless is
of course refused. In his despair he enlists as a soldier,
in order to procure the necessary supply to effect
this invaluable purchase. In the mean time the vil-
lage girls have gained intelligence of the death of
Nemorino's rich uncle, of which fact Nemorino is
ignorant, and as he is heir to all his property of course he
is considered a prize. The instant he appears in the
market-place, they all approach him with smiles and
caresses, which he attributes entirely to the effect of the
Elixir. Dulcamara who is present, is as much surprised at
thid as Nemorino, but determines to take advantage of the
circumstance, and explains to Adins that it is all the con-
sequence of the wonderful Elixir, which he had sold to
Nemorino, and endeavours to persuade her to purchase
a supply, but she sees through his arts, and refuses.
She, however, who has all along loved Nemorino, at the
moment of signing the contract with Belcore, faulters,
refuses, purchases the release of Nemorino, to whom she
gives her hand, and all ends happily, Dulcamara taking
credit to himself for the whole. The production of this
opera has been delayed in consequence of the indis-
position of Miss Romer, but we arc happy to see that she
is completely recovered. Her Adina is a beautiful piece
of acting, and her powerful voice did full justice to the
music. Her romanza in the first act " Beautiful but cruel
'sena " with the chorus " Ah,'Elixir most divine," was rap-
turously encored, as was the barcarolle " I have riches, thou
hast beauty," which she sings with Balfe the second act.
Balfe's Dulcamara, both in acting and singing, is as nearly
perfect as can be. English opera in this gentleman .Las that
which, until now, has never been its good fortune to Pos-
sess, a perfect and legitimate buffo—one who feels ansi
understands that there exists a most essential difference
between a buffo and a buffoon. His duet with Templeton,
" Sir, I wish for that elixir," was the very beau-ideal of
buffo performance. Templeton made a very feeling Ne-
morino, and exhibited powers of acting for which we had
not previously given him credit. We know of no one who
has of late years improved so much as Templeton, who now
undoubtedly stands at the head of English tenor singers.
In the allegro which was introduced from the opera
of " Betly," and which he sang with Reyneldson,
he was deservedly encored, but we admired him most in
in the romaozetta " In her dark eye," which he gave with
exquisite taste and feeling. The opera was introduced
by the overture to Ii Turco in Italia, and although we
are not disposed to find fault with any arrangement in con-
sequence of which we hear that overture in the style in
which we heard it last night, yet we trust this sub-
stitution of one overture for another, will not
be drawn into a precedent, because the overture
is as much an integral part of ac opera as the pre-
face is of a book, and it would not be quite the thing
for au edition of the Waverley novels to be preceded by
the preface to "Johnson's Dictionary." The manner in
which this opera was produced reflects the highest credit
on all concerned, and was properly appreciated by a
crowded audience, who, on Miss Homer being
led on, after the fall of the curtain, by Balfe and
Templeton, rose en masse and cheered them. Mr.
Davidge is entitled to the gratitude of every lover of
music for his exertions in the cause of the English Opera.
We wouldstronglyrecommend our readers to go and take a
dose of "the Elixir of Love" at the Surrey, if we are not
much mistaken they would feel inclined to repeat the same at
intervals. We need scarcely add that the Opera was given
out for repetition every evening until further notice.

NATIONAL EDUCATION IN THE
PRINCIPLES of the ESTABLISHED CHURCH.

On Tuesday a meeting of the members and friends
of the National Society for the purpose of carrying out
the system of National education in the Principles of
the Established Church, was held at Willis's Rooms,
King-street, St. James's.

The Chair was announced to be taken by his Grace
the Archbishop of Canterbury, at two o'clock, but long
ere that hour, or indeed one o'clock, had arrived, the
street was literally crammed with carriages, and crowds
of fashionably-dressed ladies, of Nobility as well as com-
moners, formed an almost impenetrable phalanx on the
footway leading from St. James's-square and St. James's-
street. Among the fairer sex, too, were to be seen many
of the Right Reverend Prelates and numerous mem-
bers of both branches of the Legislature, sup-
ported by others of high consideration in the coun,
try. Within a very few minutes of the doors
having been opened, the large room was filled
in every corner, and it was only with the greatest
difficulty, and by the use of the most persuasive argu-
ments which could be advanced, that those who at-
tended for the Press were enabled to reach the upper
part of the room. The same obstruction, of course,
presented itself when the most Rev. Chairman, followed
by the other Prelates and the Members of the Com-
mittee, attempted to reach the platform, and it was not
until several minutes had elapsed that that end was ac-
complished,

Around his Grace we observed the Archbishops of
York and Armagh ; the Bishops of London, Winches-
ter, Bangor, Gloucester and Bristol, Chester, Chiches-
ter, Hereford, Lincoln, Llandaff, Norwich, Rochester,
Salisbury, St. Asaph, and St. David's ; Bishops of
Elphin, Nova Scotia, and Vermont, United States ;
Lord Ashley, M.P., the Marquis Chohnondeley, Vis-
count Stormont, M.P., Sir C. Wetherell, Lord Sandon,
M.P., Mr. H. C. Sturt, M.P., Sir H. Smyth, Bart.,
M.P., Colonel Sibthorp, M.P., the Knight of Kerry,
and a great many Noblemen and Gentlemen whose
names fill a column in the Times.
Appropriate resolutions were passed, and the report
of the National Society received.