The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-20 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JULY 20, 1863

him that he had given the estate to his son William, and
that he might do as he liked about enfranchising it, or he
might do as he liked with it. He also told him that he had
given witness's and Springhara's farm to his son, and now
they would have a lawyer for a landlord. (A laugh.) He
was aware that William was a lawyer, and he had never
heard of Richard or any other son. The conversation to
which he referred he believed took place in 1855. The wit-
ness then stated that when the action was brought against
him by the mortgagees, Mr. Linklater indemnified him
against costs on behalf of the Roupell family, and that he
only paid the amount of rent that was due.
Oa re-examination the witness said that old Mr Roupell
made the observations he had mentioned in quite a positive
manner, and he was laughing at the time.

Mr- Sharp, clerk to Messrs. Ring, the proctors, of Doc-
tors'-commons, proved that he was acquainted with the de-
ceased Richard Palmer Roupell, and that a will was made
for him in 1839, and another in 1840, and a third in 1850.
This last will was a very long one, and witness engrossed
it, but he did not remember whether be was present when
it was executed. He could not find a draft of that will in
the office, and he believed it was destroyed in 1860, when
their business was removed from one office to another. He
remembered the decea,cd coming to his office on the 30th of
August, 1856, and informing Mr. Ring that ho wished to
make a codicil to the will of 1850, and he at the same time
produced a paper of instructions. Witness prepared a codi-
cil while the deceased waited, and he took it away with
'him.

The codicil was read. It merely changed one of the exe-
cutors, and gave small legacies to different persons who were
in the service of the deceased. and confirmed the wi►l of
1850 in every other particular.
The witness then stated that he drew up several other
wills for the deceased besides those he had mentioned, but
he never heard of the one now alleged to be forged until it
was brought to the office of Messrs. Ring by William
Roupell. _ . .

Mr. Ring corroborated the testimony that had been given
by Mr. Sharp, and he explained that the draft of the will
of 1850 was not destroyed until after the will that was
alleged to be forged had been proved by Mr. William
Roupell as the last will and testament of the deceased.

Mr. Jas. Surriage, who had occupied a farm belonging to
the deceased, proved that he was on very intimate terms
with the deceased, and was well acquainted with his hand-
writing. The will that was alleged to be forged was placed
in the witness's hands, and he was asked his opinion as to
the signature, and, to the astonishment of the learned coun-
sel for the plaintiff, he said that in his opinion the signs.
ture was a genuine one. He was asked to put on his spec-
tacles and look at the signature attentively, and he aid so,
and then said that he was really unable to say whether the
signature was the handwriting of Mr. Richard Roupell or
that of Mr. William Roupell. The witness went on to say
that he remembered dining with the old gentleman on the
31st of August, 1856, a few days before his death, and the
deceased then told him that he had made his will, and that
he had appointed him one of his executors, and that he
would have £l5O for his trouble. The witness added that
he did not know that he was appointed as one of the exe-
cutors until William Roupell told him there was another
will, but he said he should have the £l6O just the same,
and he paid him that sum shortly afterwards. The witness
then produced several receipts that had been given him by
the deceased.

In cross-examination he said that he had given a great
many other receipts to Mr, Linklater, the solicitor to the
plaintiffs, betides those that had been produced.
Mr. Bovill said he should like the whole of those receipts
to be produced.

Mr. Lush said he had no objection to this being done.
Mr. W. Roupell was then re-called w:th a view to his
being examined as to how he was occupied on the 2d of
September, 1856, the day the forged will was alleged to
have been executed by the deceased, and to have been
attested by himself and Muggeridge, and he detailed how
he passed the day, and all the different places he went to.
His evidence, in this respect, was to the same effect as that
given by the witness Truman, who was represented to have
been with him the greater part of the day. He swore posi-
tively that he did not even see old Muggeridge on this day.
He detailed the particulars of the genuine will and the mode
in which the property was divided among the family.
Baron Channell inquired of Mr. Bovill whether he had
any questions to put to the witness.
Mr. Bovill said he should ask nothing of this person.
Mrs. Hunham, the housekeeper to the) deceased, was then
examined. She said she remembered lair. Surridge and his
son dining with the deceased at the end of August, 1856,
and that at this time he was very ill, and kept getting worse
until his death, and she said she did not think that he ever
went out again. She also said that Mr. W. Roupell was
very kind to his father during his illness, and he was con-
stantly with him, and used to help him upstairs.
Several witnesses were then examined with a view to
corroborate the statement made by Mr. W. Roupell as to
how he was occupied on the 2d of September, the date of
the alleged forged will.
The foreman of the jury interposed, and said that a state-
ment had been made by Mr. W. Roupell with regard to
this will which they should be glad to hear corroborated if
it was possible. The statement he referred to was that
after hie father's death he went into the bed-room and took
out the genuine will from the bureau, and put it into his
pocket, but finding it was too large to be concealed, he put
it into a small writing desk which he constantly carried
about with him, and that he did not see the will, and had
no opportunity to destroy it until a week afterwards. The
jury were very anxious to know whether this statement
could be confirmed by other testimony.
Baron Channell said that possibly Mrs. Hunham, the
housekeeper, might be able to give the court some informa-
tion upon the subject.
This witness was accordingly recalled, and in answer to
questions put to her she said that after the death of old Mr.
Roupell, Mr. William was constantly in the house until the
funeral. Mrs. Roupell used to come every morning at 8
o'clock, and she remained until 11 at night, but as there was
no accommodation for her to sleep, she would go back to her
own house at Brixton and Mr. Wm Roupell slept every
night in the house; and after his mother left there was no
one but him and witness on the premises. With regard to
the writing•desk, she said she knew he bad one, and when
he came to Cross•street in his own carriage it was brought
with him, but if he went out in a cab he left it at home.
Between the death of old Mr. Roupell and the funeral she
said she was certain that Wm. Roupell was frequently by
na'n where the deceased kept an account for
examined. He stated that he was
himself for many hours.
Mr. Francis Thompson, who had been clerk and cashier
at Messrs. esyseras.rsGiYa,
was
well acquainted with the deceased, and with his handwriting,
and upon being shown the forged will and the alleged deed
of gift, he expressed a confident belief that the signatures of
Richard Palmer Roupell to both these documents were for-
geries. He stated with very great clearness the grounds
that led him to form this conclusion, and said that he had
arrived at the above result for the reasons he mentioned,
and which he represented were quite satisfactory to his own
mind. _

The trial was then adjourned, the cross-examination of
the witness being postpon-d until Monday morning.

MURDER IN LAMBETH.

On Saturday afternoon Mr. William Carter, the
coroner for East Surrey, opened an inquiry at the
Old Barge-house tavern, Upper Ground-street,
Blackfriars-road, touching the death of Sarah Howes
aged 41, lately residing at 84) Upper Ground•stree,,
who it was alleged had been killed by her husband,
Joseph Howes, a porter, o❑ Thursday evening last,
Police-constable Mansfield, 70 L, said that from in-
formation he received on Thursday night, at 10
o'clock, he went to 84, Upper Ground-street, Black-
friars-road, and found a woman lying in the second
flocr back room quite dead. Several persons were
there. The witness was told the woman had been
murdered by Joseph Howes, her husband, and
from further information he went to the Windmill
publichouse, at the corner of Bennett-street,
and apprehended him. He said his wife
had been drinking all day, but that he
would not have touched a hair of her
head. Jane Chatfield, who lived at 84, Upper
Ground-street, gave evidence similar to that taken
before Mr. Combo at the Southwark Police-court on
Friday, to the effect that she heard the sound of
blows and screams in the deceased's room on Thurs-
day night, and that neither deceased nor her hus-
band were sober. She also stated that they were in
the habit of quarrelling, and that the husband had
frequently threatened deceased. From the evidence
of the police who examined the room where the
woman was killed, it appeared that there was a con-
siderable quantity of blood upon the floor and upon
the bed. The deceased had a black eye, and was
otherwise much bruised. The stockings of the hus-
band were found to be saturated with blood. The
wainscoting on one side of the room was battered in
as if some person bad fallen heavily against it. Mr.
Manley Coppin,No.l7, Mount-street, Lambeth, sur-
geon, said he was called in to the deceased on Thurs-
day night. She was quite dead. He had since
made a post mortem examination of the body. There
was considerable effusion of blood on the brain,
which he thought had been caused by external vio-
lence. There was no fracture. The cause of death
was rupture ofiblood vessels in the brain, caused by
blows or falls, or both conjointly. After deliberat-
ing for about 20 minutes the jury returned a ver-
dict of " Wilful murder against Joseph Howes."

Full benefit of reduced duty obtained by pur-
chasing Horniman's pure Tea; very choice at 3s 4d. and
4s. "High Standard "at 4s. 4d. (formerly 4s. Sd.), is the
strongest and most delicious imported. Agents in every
town supply it in packets,

SPIRIT OP TEE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

-

SATURDAY REVIEW.—It is quite clear that the
French Emperor did make some complaint Of the
treatment he had received from the English Minis-
try in reference to Confedeiatb reetognitiOn, for the
two members asserted it, and he has not denied it.
It is probable that the offence took place at some
time between January, 1862, when M. Thouvenel's
despatch upon the Trent affair proved that he was
was heartily with us, and NoVetnber, 1862, when
Count Ftabault's marked omission to observe the
ordinary form of leaving a copy of the despatch which
contained the proposal for an armistice indicated the
existence ofsome estrangement. It is probable, there
fore, that the communication upon American affairs
which Lord Russell is said to have betrayed to the
Americans was made in the spring or summer of last
year. From the scrupulous care with which Lord
Russell has refrained from making any de-
nials upon the subject, and the ostenta-
tious frankness with which Mr. Llyard has
been always ready to deny ever) long, it is
likely that the communication was made privately
to Lord Russell ; and from the zeal with which Mr.
Layard has searched the written archives of the Fo-
reign-office, it may be inferred that the communi-
cation was verbal. The secret diplomacy with
which Mr. Roebuck's disclosures are connected does
not probably end here. They appear to have caused
negotiations at least as important as those which
they revealed. It is not to be supposed that the.
Emperor abstained from confirming the statements
of the envoys he had selected, or that they them-
selves have been content to endure al; kinds of in-
sinuations in silence, except for a consideration of
some kind. It must have been shown to them that
the objeet they were seeking was more easily to be
attained by silence than by talking. We must
wait for the future policy of the English Go-
vernment to inform us whether any distinct un-
derstanding, as to the period of recognition,
was the price of their discretion. The
strongest feeling which this curious episode has left
behind it is a decided dislike to private diplomacy.
It is not merely that the channels of the Imperial
confidences to the House of Commons were not" re-
sponsible," as Lord Palmerston argued; for that
hackneyed word is now so bare of any shade of
meaning that it has almost ceased to be available
even as a constitutional fiction. Few people would
think of quarrelling with an official, self-constituted
or otherwise, for being destitute of so shadowy an at-
tribute. The real evil is the informal and ill-defined
functions which a private diplomatist fills. He never
has any authority to speak for anybody. When Mr.
ttoebuck gave to the Emperor an explanation of the
feelings of the House of Commons, he spoke without
any commission from that body, and probably misled
his Imperial friend very considerably. When he re-
versed the process, and came to tell the House of Com-
mons of the opinions of the Emperor, he was in a
difficulty scarcely less serious. He had a com-
mission, indeed, of some sort, to speak in the Em-
peror's name; but he was under the shelter of none
of the formalities with which those whose function
it is to deal with princes protect themselves against
wrong. He had no memorandum of the conversa-
tion, no despatch in which it was embodied, no com-
mission to reveal it that he could show. The result
was that he was wholly unprotected against any
trick the Empe-or might like to play him. It the
Emperor had chosen to disavow him, he could nave
done it with perfect ease. Ap rt from the infor-
mal oral evidence of M.. Lindsay, Mr. Roebuck
had nothing to which he could appeal—not even
the testimony of a past diplomatic career. Tne con
stitutional quoestion is, of course, large and grave.
For the House of Commons to rec:ive the messages
of foreign Sovereigns is, in effect, to assume execu-
tive authority. It might as well send out its own
orders to generals and admirals, and receive from
them direct reports. If it may keep up relations
with independent Powers, it becomes an in
dependent power itself. The whole reachieery of
Queen, Ministers, and diplomatists is entirely super-
fluous, if the functions which they perform can be
discharged by the employment of two travelling
members of Parliament as volunteer ti b tz,s wore.

SPECTATOR.—The uppermost phase of English
Conservatism which is that of Lori Robert Cecil,—
the Conservatism of what we may call aggressive
and almost cynical commonplace, which seems to be
Conservative at all only because it is so much more
easy to browbeat any novelty that is a candidate for
political existence than to browbeat that which is
actually in the field, and which ceases to be really
Conservative wherever the spirit of law and custom
puts unpleasant restraints on the policy of aris-
tocratic self-interest. There is no doubt that
Lord Robert Cecil represents this kind of
Conservatism with considerable ability. He lays
his finger on the very centre of disputed inte-
rests with unfailing accuracy and a harsh aggres-
sive touch. He always puts his case on the lowest
ground he can take with an unpleasant audacity
which looks exceedingly practical, and sometimes
is so, if the house is conscious of a large infusion of
low motives; which, however, is sometimes, again,
ineffective enough, and never persuasive, though it
encourages others to assert, where without this ex-
ample they would be ashamed of asserting, their
real motives or reasons. For example, when he was
debating the question of a wider religious inclusion
for the Universities, he said, " Now, he would not
put the matter on high religious grounds, he would
ask wnether that would pay." So again on the
question of recognition of the South, he studiously
selects the most tangibly selfish argument, and asks
how we can be so absurd as to "give way to the North
on sentimental grounds," when they are " our rivals
politically and rivals commercially," while every
interest must lead us to cultivate friendly relations
with the agricultural people of the South, our " na-
tural ally.' He always seems to seek to put his
Conservative case on a ground which may recom-
mend itself most of all to the most commonplace
minds in their hardest moods. Take his clever
speech last session on the bill to permit marriage
with a deceased wife's sister. What speech ever
entered less into the higher points at issue, or dealt
more aggressively with the selfish interests in-
volved ? His main thesis was that people wanted
eew opportunities of "giving way to their pas-
mions,' and found fault with the present law bre
cause it put obstacles in their way. His whole
argument was most characteristic, and consisted
simply in asserting that every reason alleged by the
mover for the repeal of the present restrictions
might also be urged by any one who favoured
bigamy or polygamy in favour of these.. institutions.
If they passed the bill they would set every one in
he kingdom thinking whom they might marry and
whom they migtV-, not." He did his best to persuade
the House that if you once touched the marriage
law, even on good grounds, the floodgates of un-
authorised passions would burst open, and we should
have men insisting on marrying their stepmothers.
It has often been noticed that the Tory orators are
more personal and more reckless than the Liberals.
The more memorable Conservative papers have ge-
nerally gained their reputation by satire or persona-
lities, like the Satirist the John Bull, Blackwood,
more recently, and, on its first start, our contempo-
rary the Press. The Standard, too, is the most
bitterly personal of the present daily papers, and
Mr. Disraeli certainly the happiest master of perso-
nal criticism, while Lord Derby is the most eager in
onset, and the most successful in taunts of all the
orators of the day. Teere is an obvious reason for
this in the nature of Conservatism. Those who are
in possession of the field, and whose position is, there-
fore, defensive, are Almost forced into discrediting
their opponents. Knowing that things are not per-
fect as they are, their only object is to shake faith in
the suggested remedies, which, as they have never
been tried, are more effectively shaken by under-
mining the authority of their opponents than by re-
futing their argument. The reformers have their
theme in the inequalities and evils of the existing
system of things. The Conservatives have to with-
draw attention from these, and cannot well do it
better than by personal attacks. Lord Robert Cecil
clearly shares the impulse for this kind of warfare.
But it is not his happiest line. He is apt to be too
little discriminating and too insolent in his person-
alities to be thoroughly effective. " Qui dit trop,
ne dit rich." The other day, when he was defending
the indiscriminate charities against Mr. Gladstone,
he accused that statesman, with probably less jus-
tice than was ever before shown in a personal at-
tack, of " a hard and material philosophy," and, in
still more elegant language, of "smearing the me-
mories of testators" by imputing to them principles
which were horrid to their feelings. Last ses-
sion he attributed the frequent count-outs "to the
wish to insult an enemy," which is not a likely mo-
tive in the House of Commons, Only last week he
launched against Mr. W. E. Forster the epithet of
a Federal Sinop, on the ground that he wished to
betray the Confederates into a defeat by urging Mr.
Roebuck to go on with the debate which he had
injudiciously begun. In truth, he almost always
hits rather wildly whenever he indulges in personal
hits at all. He has scarcely the delicacy and play
of mind which are requisite to catch skilful personal
characteristics, and would do well to leave that
branch of' debate to Mr. Disraeli. "There is a
hardness in his eye" which misses the point, as
though Lord Robert Cecil had used his culture to
barricade himself against the influence of others,
and had so ceased to understand them. What he
does best is to "put his foot down" heavily on liberal
impulses, sympathies, or hopes ; his literary sense
is not quick, for the same reason for which his
Conservatism is a kind of repellent common-place.
Mr. Disraeli cannot be said to have genuine sym-
pathy with any class of principles under the sun,
but then he has an active, pliant, even delicate in-
tellectual fancy, which obliges him to receive accu-
rate impressions of the images of character around
him. Lord Robert Cecil is essentially a "bard

shell" aristocrat, and as such is eminently suited to
express any bold Conservative aversion to change,
but 1)37 >4o means, we think, to fulfil the highest
functicn of a statesman by interpreting clearly the
indistinct wants of his time, and thoroughly under
standing even the opponents whom he cc; lutes.
LONDON REVIEW —lt is said that the Crowe
Prince intends to publish a protest against toe
recent measures of his father's Government, but he
will probably deem this superfluous after the full dis-
closure of his views which has now been made. Obvious
considerations render it inexpedient for the heir-ap-
parent to take a more prominent part than is ,bso
lutely necessary in opposition to the King. Al, hough
he might thus gain a momentary popularity, ee
would most likely incur a permanent loss of respect.
Besides It is scarcely desirable that he should, so to
speak, play all He cards at once. It is easy to fore
see contingencies in which such steps as the issue
of a forme( protest, and the resignation of his cow
missions, would produce an effect all the greater,
4rom their having been withheld as long as possible.
In the meantime the measures which the Prince na,,
taken must be regarded with the utmost satisfaction
both in Prussia and in England. We have a right
indeed to feel some little pride in them on our own
account, if it be true that his Royal Highness's
Liberalism is in no slight deg:ee due to the advice
of his English wife. But be that os it may, it is
'mpussible to read his letters IA ithoiZt imbib
ing considerable respect fo, hiz caerecitr, and a
corresponding confidence in his di ncerit j •
There is no affectation of a warmth, and
vehemence of political sentiment which the
Prince can hardly be expected to feel. He would,
no doubt, be well content to govern as an arbitrary
sovereign, if it were possible or were consistent with
the Constitution of his country. But he sees that, as
a matter of fact, this is impracticable ; and that
sound policy, as well as good faith, requires that the
spirit of the existing laws and institutions should
be faithfully adhered to by the monarch. Confining
himself to that point, his temperate but decided
language affords the best warrant for the reality
and depth of his convictions. His words are those
of a man who does not speak lightly, but of whom
we may feel assured that he:will act up to his pro-
fessions. If they produce that impression in Prus-
sia, they must very greatly diminish, even if they
do not entirely remove, any danger of a violent or
revolutionary collision between the king and the
people. With the assurance that the next sovereign
is willing and determined to respect the Constitu-
tion, it is scarcely worth while pushing matters to
extremity with an old man in failing health. If the
existing system Is likely to fall of itself, prudence
may well suggest that it is safer to bear even with
Von Bismark and his ways for a little longer, than
to incur the risks inseparable, not only from any
appeal to force, but even from any extraordinary
action on the part of the Legislature. Qn the other
hand, it is difficult to believe that the King and his
Ministers can be. so utterly lost to common-sense:: as
persevere in their present policy after this distinct
warning from the Crown Prince, that their success
must to so short-lived as to be absolutely worthless.
His Majesty has, we know, a superstitious respect
for the supposed duty of transmitting the Royal
power, which he received from Heaven, unimpaired,
to his successor. But one may almost venture to
hope that even his peculiar mind is not entirely proof
against practical demonstration that the contest he
is waging is entirely hopeless He can scarcely
think it worth while to sacrifice without any per-
manent results the popularity of which he is fond,
and which he might easily regain by a very mode
rate concession to the national wishes. '
EXAMINER —" We ask no more than nature
craves," whines the starved porter in Sheridan's
"Duenna," and so touchingly aver certain members
of Parliament, who want a few thousands of the
public money to be spent in altering the house, to
the end that they may obtain better dinners. Mr.
P. O'Brien affectingly pleads, " The expense was
small, and the house would not grudge it. A steak.
chop, cold meat, or such plain dinner as could h.
obtained under the Bellamy Administration A as all
that was required." It almost brings tears into
one's eyes to read this modest application for suste-
nance, but it strikee us there is a small error of the
press in the passage and that for the Bellamy Ad-
ministration should be read the Belly-my Adminis-
tration. Mr. Bass thought that dining advanced
business, but if the house would not increase the
allowance for the kitchen, he thought it would be
better to abolish it altogether, and for members to
go back to mutton chops. Think of that, good
people all. Think of your representatives return-
ing to mutton chops. It will next be proposed that
they shall return to painting their bodies blue, or
some such usage of ancient barbarism. Mr. Os-
borne followed, and lashed severely gentlemen not
satisfied with matton chops, and wanting to dine on
the fat of the Consolidated Fund. A fortiori, it
better order and attendance came of a mutton chop
dinner instead of French cookery, a still further
improvement would be the result of total absti-
nence, and ste really see no reason why the Com-
mons should not, like juries, be starved into right
conclusions and agreement. Of this we are certain,
that many dreary debates that now weary the
public would be spared if nothing to eat and drink
were to be had on the premises. " A full house"
has a nasty gluttinous sound. The Greek proverb
says that a fat stomach and a fine mind cannot
co-exist. In Mr. Dilworth's excellent spelling-
book of a century or so ago, there is an
edifying story of a papa who made it a condi
tion of eating apple pie that his little boys should
spell the word. Nuw in the various reports on the
important subject of the kitchen and refreshment
rooms we observe some English of so disorderly a
nature as to call for some condition like that which
Dilworth's father imposed upon his children in the
matter of the apple pie. Members should not have
what they ask for in the way of eatables and
drinkables until they can put their demands into
decent language. How abominable is such a sen-
tence as this, which we commend to the notice of
the Civil Service Examiners for a place in the rig-
marole to be done into English :—" Further, that
the £3OO per annum now allowed for servants had
its origin in the keeper of the refreshment rooms
having formerly been deputy housekeeper, when
the servants had to clean the house; and now that
the departments are separated, it is indirectly a
subsidy to the refreshment rooms, but is insufficient
for the direct purpose for which it is voted, as seen
by the table of amount of wages, paid by Mr.
Sreers,' appended to the first report." How in the
world could £3OO a year have its origin in the
kt.eper of the refreshment rooms having formerly
been deputy, &c.. &c., when the servants had to
clean the house ? A candidate for employment who
can disentangle the meaning, and put this rigma-
role into decent. English, must be an exceedingly
clever fellow. There is only one instance of money
originating in any living creature, and that is the
remarkable case of the goose that laid golden eggs,
and certainly we shall not be disposed to be scepti-
cal about that phehomenon if it can be well proved
that £3OO a year had its origin in a keeper of re-
freshment rooms. The thing is much more curious
than the source of the Nile, and we recommend it
to the immediate attention of the anatomists.

ATHENIEUM.—Some two or three years since the
depressed fortunes of our theatres experienced a
sudden reaction. It is true that, in the seasons
immediately preceding this period, an attractive
work now and then roused the town from its
apathy; but such an event was too rare to secure
the prosperity of the drama proper—burlesque, in-
deed, seeming the only form of entertainment which
could be counted on for profitable results. Had rank
been determined by success, the tiny house called
" The Strand" might then have been regarded as
the headquarters of theatrical London. Its walls
were nightly packed with a delighted pubic; while
audiences respectably numerous, but not sufficiently
so to defray the great expense of attracting them,
witnessed Mr. Charles Kean's scenic and archmolo-
gical revivals of Shakspeare at the Princess's, and
smaller gatherings lent a zealous but ineffectual
support to legitimacy at the Lyceum, then under
the control of Mr. Dillon. Drury Lane avowedly
relied for success upon the pantomime yearly fur-
nished by Mr. E. L. Blanchard, and the abatement
of its attraction was the invariable signal for closing
the theatre. Mr. Webster—who, like his successor
Mr. Buckstone, had been faithful to some sort of
legitimacy at. the Haymarket—provided, at the
New Adeiphi, fare as intellectual as his patrons
would tolerate. In proof of this we may instance
the dramas of "Janet Pride" and " The Dead
Heart." To the manager's credit it may be added,
that he had even produced the works of Shakspeare
and Moliere on a stage before devoted to melo-
drama. Mr. Robson's excellent acting in pieces of
which "The Porter's Knot" is the type,
had also
gained due appreciation. But it is scarcely doubt-
ful that at the theatres generally the pantomimes
and burlesques of Christmas and Easter brought
with them a financial success for which managers
would have looked in vain to works of higher ,
pre-
tensions. The production of " The Colleen Bawn,,
however, opened a new era in theatrical his-
tory. Here was a drama with a new stimulant,
and one so powerful that the star, of burlesque
itself paled before it. That "The Colleen Bawn'
was well written, and to some extent a drama of
character as well es of incident, is not to be denied;
out it is equally true that to the water-cave scene,
including the renowned " header," its marvbllota
success must chiefly be ascribed. This work, the
first formally distinguished by the epithet ". eensa
tion" was followed by another of the same class
from the pen of Mr. Falconer. " Peep 0' Day,"
without possessing the literary merit of its model,
was equal to it in spectacular effect and in the con-
trivance of one of those elaborate situations, during
which an audience is held breathless by a struggle
for physical 'ilk:. Mr. Falconer's drama proved a

rival in attraction to that Mr. Boucicault, and, aided
by the crowds that flocked to the International
Exhibition of 1862, achieved the longest run upon
record. Almost contemporaneously with the success
of sensation plays an improvement took place in the
prospects of the higher drama. Mr. Fechter, wha
passed at a bound from refined melo-drama to Shake:-
peare, appeared in Hamlet, and repeated the charac-
ter for nearly one hundred nights. As a pendant:
to this success in tragedy, and coincident with the
advanced run of the two sensation pieces, as Hamlet
had been with their commencement, came the Lord
Dundreary of Mr. Sothern. Thi! extraordinary
performence continued to delight the town, it we
seeps intervai of a few weeks, for about a year
and a quarter. Into the grourds of its attraction
and into those of Mr. Fechter's Hamlet, we may
kquire hereafter. It is enough now to state the
results or both performances in connexion with the
hopes to which they gave rise. As the best expres-
sion of the latter, ive may notice the fact that two,
commercial companies have been formed for the
ereci ion of es tn..iny theatres one of whichliss its
proposed site In the Haymarket, the other in Hol-
born, while rumours are afloat that a third company,
with a similar object, is in process of establishment.
Between the period however, which gave the im-
pulse to these undertakings and the present time,
signs h :ve occurred which can hardly be construed
svourably for new speculations. The tide of thea-
:Tien! success has now evidently declined from high
wiiter mark, and it wilt be welt it its ebb do not
i)rove as sudden and extreme as its rise.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

,i,-----

GRANTHAM-SATURDAY.

To-day wheat came slowly to hand, and trade was dull.
—New white wheat, 49s to 535; red, 45s to 47s per 368 t. ;
malting barley, —s to —s per qr ; grinding, 295.t0 30s;
oats, 24s to 26s ; beans, 38s to 408; peas, 36s to 38s.