The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-04 00:00:00

Drury Lane Theatre.

Last night Mr. E. Falconer's new five-act play,
entitled " Love's Ordeal ; or, the Old and New
Regim6," was produced with complete success. The
action of the play is supposed to take place on the
eve of, and during the period of the great French
Revolution in 1789 ; and the desire of the author
has been to give a larger and more truthful
picture than has hitherto been presented on the
stage, of the pre-existing social antagonisms and
rival class characteristics which in ferment produced
the great and startling change. He has also at-
tempted, as he tells us in the printed preface to his
play, to present, in the character of Robespierre, an
historical portrait, not altogether new, but very dif-
ferent to the generally accredited likeness of the
celebrated Triumvir and Dictator. He has repre-
sented him as having been, at leastAin his own belief,
a sincere reformer of abuses, a pure-minded philan-
thropist, having a horror of blood shed uselessly,
but hesitating not at any sacrifice of human life to
accomplish his Utopian dreams. He has made him
the Deus ex machina of the play, by whose beneficent
aid the hero and heroine of the love story escape
from imminent peril, and whose providential influ-
ence, indirectly exerted, produces the climax.
The plot, though somewhat intricate, is briefly as
follows. The Count D'Ostanges, in early life, has
permitted his daughter, Hortense, to make a play-
mate of the son of his steward, De Morny, a gentle-
man, although compelled by circumstances to take
service under the Count. Hortense, in the natural
order of things when she attains womanhood is re-
moved from the country seat of the Count to Paris,
and there she becomes one of the beauties of the
Court. Eugene succeds his father as steward, and
for his care and attention he is looked upon with the
greatest favour by the Count, but he is still re-
garded as one of the canaille by his aristocratic
patrons. He, of course, has formed a deep attach-
ment for Hortense, and on the arrival of the Count
and his daughter at Artois, after a round of pleasure
in Paris, Eugene discovers that the hand of Hor-
tense has been promised to the Due de Chartreux. This
leads to a desponding state of affairs, which is not at
all dispelled by the discovery by Eugene that the
Due is an accomplished roue. He abstains from
communicating his discovery to Hortense, feeling
that his doing so would be imputed to jealousy; but
matters are soon brought to a climax by the young
steward rescuing one of the village beauties from
the too fond embraces of the Duc. A duel takes
place, and at the instant he wounds the Due
Hortense and her father enter the garden. He is
dismissed the service by the Count, and contemptu-
ously repelled by Hortense, who still is in ignorance
of the true character of the Due, her betrothed hus-
band. A letter arrives from Paris for the Count,
informing him of the position of affairs in the
capital ; and Lavarennes, one of the creatures of
the revolution, arrives to communicate to
young De Morny, a firm friend of Robespierre, whose
life he has saved, the fall of the Bastille. The news
creates a feeling of amazement amongst the aristo-
crats, amidst which the act drop descends. In the
following portion of the play matters have greatly
changed. Robespierre has become all powerful, De
Morny has been elected one of the committee
of public safety, -and the Due de Chartreux, the
Count d'Ostanges, and Hortense are denounced and
condemned as aristocrats. Lavarennes, the public
denouncer, has in early life been a lover of Hortense,
and he, thinking she will accept him as her husband
rather than suffer death with her father and lover,
sees her in prison, and there makes overtures of love,
telling her all is arranged for the escape of herself,
father, and friend, provided she will become
his wife. De Morny overhears the communication,
and then, under threat of instant arrest and speedy
execution he compells Lavarennes to put his plot
for the escape of Hortense into execution, but
without the promise of her hand. De Morny still
madly loves Hortense, and in order to provide
safety for herself and friends he accompanies them
in their flight from prison, and takes them to the
house of his firm friend Robespierre. Eugene per-
suades him to passport the escaped prisoners to
Artois. He can only do so upon their renunciation
of rank, and agreeing to the celebration of the
form of civil marriage between Eugene and
Hortense, to which they consent. When they have
gone, a tumult ensues outside, which raises
Robespierre's fears for their safety ; but he
learns that it is caused by the supposed treason of
the gaoler who has been denounced by Laverennes.
Act IV. takes us to the residence of Eugene—a farm
house in. Artois, where the Count, his daughter, and
Duc are housed. Eugene reading a letter from
Robespierre, learns that Laverennes is coming,
armed with powers which their device can only foil
by firmness in behalf of two, and that the Due must
trust for safety to concealment. He seeks to obtain
this for him at the mill of his friend Joconde, who
has married Jeannette. Joconde, naturally jealous,
learning that his guest is young, good-looking, and
was once a noble, refuses. His young wife, how-
ever, quickly causes him to reverse his decision; and
it-is arranged that the Duc is to be concealed at the
mill. The Due is hurried off to the mill by Jean-
nette. Act V. commences in the same scene, and
quickly tells its own tale. Poetical justice requires
the death of Laverennes, and he is shot in a fit of
jealous rage by Joconde, who mistakes him for the
Duc, The ,D no's true character is discovered, Hortense
gives her hand to her first love Eugene, and the
Moral of the play is thus expressed by the heroine :
• - 'Mc test of love is suffering ; that ordeal past,
A second soul, 'twill life itself outlast ;
To Aare, perchance, that after-being bliss,
The immortal crown of patient truth in this.

Mr. Falconer seems to have taken great pains
with. the characters of Hortense and Eugene. The
former was sustained by Mrs. Hermann Vezin in a
truly artistic manner ; there was a depth of feeling
and pathos throughout her rendering of the
charactei, for which she has no equal on
*the, stage. Mr. Edmund Phelps acquitted
himselLexceedingly well as the young lover, Eugene ;
and although there were portions of the part that
would have told better than they did, had he
warmed up a little more, yet, withal, it was a
praiseworthy performance. Mr. Walter Lacy has
been fitted to a nicety as the Due de Chartreux ;
and Mr. Rayner's Lavarenne was truthful and
artistic. Mr. Belmore gave a good representation
of a jealous, old, head-strong miller; and Miss C.
*Weston, as his pretty young wife, was picquaint
and coquettish. With respect to the Maximilian
Robespierre of Mr. E. Falconer, we candidly admit
we have seen him to much greater advantage, but
We suppose the difficulty of finding an actor
suited to the part led to his assumption of it.
It is by no means the leading part in the play, and
therefore it would be refused by many as beneath
their talent. However, Mr. Falconer gave a very
vigorous reading of the character, which drew
down repeated rounds of applause.
The dresses were admirably correct, and we must
compliment one and all of the performers for the
care taken in what is professionally termed their
" make up."
The curtain fell amidst loud applause, and the
principal performers were honoured with a recall,
a special one being reserved for Mr. Falconer.

ATTEMPT TO DESERT FROM A FEDERAL WAR
VESSEL.—Yesterday morning a daring attempt to
desert from the American service was made by two seamen
of the Federal war-sloop Sacramento, lying off Dover.
The two men, whose names are Andrew Costella and John
James, concerted measures for escape while they were on
the "anchor watch," from two to four, and soon after two
yesterday morning they put'thcm in execution by dropping
over the side of the Sacramento, with their bundles tied to
their backs, into the water. They then commenced to
swim for the shore, a distance of about a mile, but a stiffish
swell rendered this no easy task. When the escapades had
reached about halfway to the shore Costella complained of
cramp, and almost immediately sank and was drowned.
James, with resolute determination, although exhausted,
continued to swim for the beach ; but when within a quar-
ter of a mile of it his strength failed, and he threw himself
upon his back to float, having only just power to call for
assistance. A coastguard named Woodgate, hearing his
cries, put off in a boat, and found the man floating, sense-
less and apparently dead. He at once rowed him to 'the
shore, whence the sailor was removed to the Dever
Sailors' Home, where, after two hours' labour, animation
was restored and the man's life saved. The body of the
other matt has not been recovered. The man, who suc-
ceeded in getting ashore, of course, is no longer in the
Federal service.

And as compared with the month ending the 2d of
April, 1864, the above returns show a decrease of
£722,638 in the circulation of notes in Bngland, and a
decrease of £511,235 in the circulation of the United
Kingdom.

On comparing the above with the fixed issues of the
several banks the following is the state of the circulation:—
The English private banks are below their
fixed issue £1,295,007
The English joint-stock banks are below their
fixed issue 470,152

Total below fixed issue in England ... £1,765,159
The Scotch banks are above their fixed issue... 1,223,361
The Irish banks are below their fixed issue ... 660,134
- - - - -

The average stock of bullion,held by the Bank of Eng-
land in both departments during the month ending the 29th
of March was £15,077,125, being an increase of £460,355
as compared with the previous month, and an increase of
£966,112 when compared with the same period last year.
The following are the amounts of specie held by the
Scotch and Irish banks during the month :
Gold and silver held by the Scotch banks ... £2,416,713
Gold and silver held by the Irish banks ~. 2,111,291

£4,528,004
Being an increase of £6,331 as compared with the pre-
vious return, and an increase of £268,807 when compared
with the corresponding period last year.

MARKETS—This Day.

METROPOLITAN CATTLE.

The total supply of beasts on sale hero to-day was tole-
rably large. For good and prime breeds there was a fair
demand, at full prices; otherwise, the beef trade ruled
quiet, at Monday's currency. Prime Scots, &c., realised
4s 10d per Blbs. As regards all good and 'prime sheep the
trade was firm, at full prices, the top figure being 6s per
81bs. Inferior sheep moved off slowly, at late rates.
There was a steady demand for good and prime Down and
half-bred lambs, at full quotations ; but the trade was de-
cidedly quiet for inferior qualities. The top price was 8s
for 81bs. Calves moved off steadily, at full prices. The
pork trade was quiet, on former terms.
Per 81b to sink the offal.

sd s d
Crse. & inf. beasts... 3 4 3 8
becond quality do ..3 10 4 2
Prime large oxen ..4 4 4 6
Prime Scuts, &e.... 4 8 4 10
Crse. and int. sheep. 4 0 4 8
second quality do ..4 0 5 2
-

8d s d
Pme crs-wool sheep 5 4 5 8
Prime a Ihdown a 0.5 10 6 0
Large coarse calvcs.4 4 4 8
Prime small d0......4 10 5 4
Large hogs ..3 6 4 4
Small porkers 4 6 5 0

Lambs....6s 8d to 8$ Od.
Stv:Ming calves, Hs to 225 ; and quarter-old store pigs, 20s
to 255 each. _ _

-- --- Head of stock on sale.
Total supply. Foreign supply.
Beasts 1,250 Beasts 670
Cows. • 132 Cows.
Sheep and lambs 8,370 Sheep and lambs 2 B9O
Calves 370 Ca ves 2lO
Vigs no Pigs '