The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-26 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

After an aLsence of three years, and with rather
a short announcement, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean
made their appearance at this theatre on Saturday
evening in the historic drama of " Louis the
Eleventh." The audience was a most brilliant and

fashionable one, and the reception that both artistes
received was something enormous. For some
minutes the acting of the play was entirely stopped
by the enthusiastic welcome given to Mr. Kean on
his entry in the second act, and whether it was
owing to the hearty reception or not, most certainly
he never gave a finer delineation of the hypocriti-
cal, remorseless, crafty, and treacherous French
monarch than on Saturday evening. The
character of Louis we have always looked
upon as one of Mr. Kean's most finished perform-
ances, as from first to last, the most intense study
is evident, without which it would be impos-
sible to depict, in all its hideousness, the super-
stitious monarch—so relentless in hatred—so un-
flinching in purpose— so profane in his appeals
for heavenly aid, even whilst plotting murder—
and so false in his professions, that what he
sought to accomplish by his cruel policy was his
people's good, and not his own aggrandisement.
The well-known scene, in the first act, in which
Nemours encounters Louis, the murderer of his
father, was wrought np to the highest pitch of
madness; but the culminating triumph was the
close of the drama—the death of the tyrant. It
was a performance that produced the most
startling effect, and that, too, without in the
slightest degree " o'erstepping the modesty of
nature." Who could behold the death of
that bad man without horror—a man who, even
in his death throes, forgets not that he is
a King, and commands his subjects'
prayers. The applause elicited was tremendous,
and certainly never was it better deserved.
Mrs. Charles Kean sustained the little part of
Martha, the miller's wife, but, with the true taste
of an artist, she made the part stand so nobly out,
that in her hands it became, after Louis, one of the
most prominent characters in the play. Miss
Chapman, as the Dauphin, and Miss N. Chap-
man as Marie, both acted with great taste and
excellence. The Due de Nemours was admirably
sustained by Mr. Cathcart, who certainly deserved
all the applause the excellence of his acting evoked.
The other parts in the play were well supported by
Messrs. Meadows, Shore, Basil, Potter, and Ray-
mond.

At the fall of the curtain the applause seemed
longer and louder than in the early part of the
evening. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kean had to acknow-
ledge " a call," of the enthusiasm of which they
may well be proud.

Tho Countess Apponyi's ball will take place on
Thursday the sth, instead of the 12tH of Jur, e,
The Marquis Camden entertained at dinner on
Saturday evening, at his residence in Grosvenor-square—
the Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry, the Earl
and Countess of Ashburnham and Lady Katherine Ash-
burnham, the Countess Cawdor and Hon. Victoria Camp-
bell, Viscount and Viscountess Falmouth, Lady Elizabeth
Cornwallis and Lady Julia Cornwallis, Lord and Lady
Pelham, Viscount Hamilton, Lord Charles Innes Ker,
Hon. Lionel Ashley, Capt. Stewart, Capt. Vaudeleur, &C.
The Countess of Craven has issued cards for an
assembly on Thursday next, at her residence in Charles-
street, Berkeley-square.
The Earl and Countess Poulett have arrived at
the family mansion in Hanover-square, from Hinton St.
George, Somersetshire.

The Earl of Cathcart bas left Iklaurigy's Hotel
for Thornton-le-Street, near Thirsk.
The Viscountess Guillamore has arrived at 19,
Eaton-place, for the season, from Rockbarton, her lady•
ship's residence in Ireland.

His Excellency the Count Pracontal, accom-
panied by Mons. de Blerzy, has arrived at Alaurigy's
Hotel, from Paris,