The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-07 00:00:00

Drury Lane Theatre.

Shakesper&t4 " King John" has been produced
at the National Theatre with a splendour and com-
pleteness of scenic illustration beyond anything the
management have achieved. The representation of the
tragedy," in a style worthy of its grandeur, has been
anticipated with great interest ; and it must now be
generally confessed that the manner in which
the Messrs. Falconer and Chatterton have
performed the work is worthy of the most
unreserved praise. The cast of characters
embraces the whole strength of the com-
pany. Mr. Phelps sustains the part of the
King ; Mr. Anderson, that of Falconbridge ; Mr.
Swinbourne, Hubert ; Mr. Raynor, the French
King ; Master Percy Roselle, Prince Arthur ; Miss
Atkinson, Constance ; and Mrs. Vandenhoff, the
Queen Mother. It is quite unnecessary to speak
of the acting of Mr. Phelps in the tragedy, as it is
too widely known and highly estimated to
need additional commendation ; so, with the
passing remark that it was of the usual high
order, we proceed at once in regard to the
other characters to award them that praise which
they richly deserved. Mr. Anderson, as Falcon-
bridge, of course stood out conspicuously, and we
congratulate him upon his spirited rendering of the
part; it is certainly one of his best impersonations. Mr.
Swinbourne as Hubert was highly effective, and in
the celebrated prison scene with the little prince he
drew down immense applause, as it was a true
Shaksperian performance. Miss Atkinson's Con-
stance was exceedingly good. We cannot close our
brief notice without awarding high praise to little
Master,Roselle, who played Prince Arthur to perfec-
tion.

What "Macbeth" was last season "King John"
will certainly be this, and thus a brilliant run is
destined for the tragedy, as a more gorgeous dra-
matic illusion has never been placed on the stage.

A LIBERAL RECTOR.—Dr. Close, the Dean of
Carlisle, has presented himself to the incumbency of St.
Mary's, in that city, and read himself in on Sunday. He
has nominated as his senior curate the Rev. William
Pettitt, M.A., of Trinity College, Cambridge, formerly
curate of Sr. Martin's, Birmingham, assigning to him the
whole proceeds of the living as his income, amounting to
about £3OO a year, in addition to the parsonage house. A
second curate will be provided by the Church Pastoral Aid
Society.
SIR HENRY RAWLINSON has been giving a lecture
at the Mechanics' Institution at Frome, differing very
widely indeed from tho kind of lecture the worthy me-
chanics usually get. It was on life in Bagdad, and Sir
Henry told them, among other curious facts, that he had
frequently had his rooms carpeted a foot deep in roses,
supplied gratuitously to be crushed before boiling for atta.
Antelopes were as common as sparrows in England, and
during his residence Sir Henry was rarely without a tame
loin. He had tamed a leopard so perfectly that it followed
him about the streets of London, and its only weakness
was a belief that babies were meant for it. Ono of the
Persian princes tamed a pair of wolves with which ho used
to hunt, the mungoose was kept instead of the cat to
catch snakes, and the favourite amusement )f little boys in
Bagdad is to get on the backs of ostriches and run races,
and the birds would stretch out their necks and enjoy the
thing as much as English race-horses would. Does Sir
Henry Rawlinson mean that last assertion for a fact, or
was he gently chaffing an audience, which, after the roses
and the wolves, must have been ready for anything ?
Spectator.

THE EASTERN FISHERIES.—The herring fishery
has been a good deal interrupted by the late stormy weather.
Some boats, however, have done well, as their catches have
realised 7s. to Bs. per 100. During the last few days the
weather has become more favourable,