The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-22 00:00:00

Drury Lane Theatre.

Mr. Falconer's benefit closed the deservedly suc-
cessful season at this theatre on Saturday. The
performances consisted of " The O'Flaherties," the
play of " Cymbeline," and the masque of " Comus."
In the course of the evening Mr. Falconer, who
was loudly called for, and enthusiastically received,
delivered the following address :
" Pray do not suppose that I step out of my place and
come before the curtain in a spirit of vainglory, or with
the mere hope of obtaining from your kindness that cla-
morous welcome which is so dear to the actor's heart ; but
as this is the last night of the season, and as the per-
formances are for my benefit, I think it my duty to per-
sonally thank you for your immediate kindness and
patronage to myself, and, looking upon you as the repre-
sentative assemblage of the British public, to thank
you, on the part of my partner and myself, and the
professional ladies and gentlemen attached to the
theatre, for the generous support bestowed upon us during
the past season. We, speaking for my partner and my-
self, were fortunate in the selection of a company equal
to the performance of the legitimate drama ; a company,
the principal member of which may be said to be the
representative chief performer of the legitimate drama
—Mr. Phelps ; a company which fortunately numbers
amongst its ranks such popular performers as Mr. Walter
Lacy, Mr. Robert Itoxby, Mrs. Herman Vezin, and others
with whose names you are familiar. We deem ourselves
also most fortunate in having obtained the occasional aid
of a natural genius, whose cultivated graco and skill give
prominence to her art—Miss Helen Faucit. We have also
been aided by that professional celebrity, my good friend
and old Drury-lane favourite, Mr. J. Anderson ; likewise
by Messrs. Creswick and Walter Montgomery; and in the
musical department by Mr. Henri Drayton, Mr. Wilbye
Cooper, Miss Poole, and Miss Augusta Thomson. Again,
aided by the brush of Mr. William Beverley, we have
happily been enabled to disprove the assumption which
had grown into a modern cant, that the drama was on
the decline, and the public taste in a state of degene-
racy. The success of the performances at Drury-lane
during the last season has established the fact that the
relish of the public for good plays, when well acted, is as
great as it ever was, and that the legitimate drama is no
more likely to be put aside or compelled to give place to
a spasmodic and sensational sister than our wholesome and
home fireside amusements, dance, song, piano, quiet game
of chess, or it may be of whist, are likely to be superseded
by unwholesome mesmeric and spiritual seances. As our
interests during the past season have gone hand in hand
with our inclinations, it is a safe pledge, ladies and gentle-
men, to promise you that we shall pursue the same course
in our next, until the commencement of which, some time
in September, we bog to wish you, sincerely and gratefully,
farewell."

Several of the journals publish a paragraph stat-
ing that a Russian lady has just presented to the Pope a
pair of slippers, in_which were placed 160,000 f. in- bank
notes.

An excursion round the world is being organised
at Antwerp. The voyage will last two years, and the
principal ports in both hemispheres will be successively
visited. It is chiefly intended as a means of educational
travel for young men.

THE DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT.—Some young
journalists—like young birds—take erratic flights ; but old
birds, like ourselves, are not so easily led astray. Wo are
informed gravely from the "best authority," that the dis-
solution of Parliament cannot take place before tie 20th of
July. Now this is a question of the future, and one upon
which the " best authority" aforesaid would be slow to
give an opinion. As to the cannot, we entirely withhold
our assent—for we believe, on the contrary, that it can,
and that it will.—The Observer.

AN HONOURABLE ACT.—One of those circum-
stances which throw a lustre upon English commer-
cial transactions, and take the sting out of the reproach, " a
nation of shopkeepers, " has just transpired. In 1852, Mr
J. Passmore Edwards was, through reverses, obliged to
compound with his creditors, paying them ss. in the pound
and he received, with one unimportant exception, a
receipt in full of all demands. Legally, of course, they
had no further claim upon him ; morally, however,
Mr. Edwards thought they had ; for it seems that he
formed an inward resolve to pay all, to the fullest ex-
tent, should the opportunity ever occur. Mr. Edward
started anew:; and by dint of great energy and perseve-
ance he has been enabled to carry out his cherished resolve
—that is to say, ho has paid to each person who had a
claim upon him the remaining 15s. in the pound, and so dis-
charged his liabilities, to the extent of several thousand
pounds, to the uttermost farthing.—City Pros.