The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-13 00:00:00

HA YMARKET THEATRE.

A. very lively and humorous piece of intrigue and
equivoque, by Mr. Palgrave Simpson, entitled Ranelagh.,
was produced here on Saturday evening, and met with a
degree of suocess by no means disproportionate to its
merits. The period is the time of George IL, when
Ranelagh was a fashionable place of resort, and the cha-
racters are attired in the perukes and swords, lace and
embroidery of that day. The principal personages are
two married couples, who are placed in contrast with
each other. Sir Robert Rovely loves his wife, but the
lady's affection is a little too engrossing, makes his home
something of a bore, and induces him to seek amusement
elsewhere& Dr. Coddlelove, on the other hand, is an
uxorious husband, who ties himself to his wife's apron-
strings, and teases and annoys her accordingly. Sir Robert
has an intrigue with a lady of easy virtue, whom he visits
clandestinely. Lady Rovely, at first uneasy, becomes
suspicious, and learning that her husband is going fur-
tively to anelagh, her jealousy impels her to follow
him thither. Mrs. Coddlelove, glad to escape for a little
from her husband's devoted attentions, agrees to go with
some friends to Ranelagh while the Doctor is otherwise
engaged. But Dr. Coddlelove goes to Ranelagh like-
wise ; for Lady Rovely, having resolved upon her
secret expedition to watch her husband, has taken the
Doctor as her escort. Thus they are all at Ranelagh ;
the knight with his inamorata (a personage who does not
appear) ' • Lady Rovely, attended by the doctor ; and
Mrs. Coddlelove all alone, having lost her friends in the
crowd. The ladies, of course, in masks and dominoes.
To increase the confusion, there are three gentlemen,
Colonel Crawfish, Mr. Bramble, and Sir Lorimer Lally,
each of whom has come in search of a lady belonging
to his family who. has made a stolen visit to Ranelagh.
There is now a perfect imbroglio of mistakes and per-
plexities ; and the upshot is, that after the two ladies
are thorougly frightened, the Doctor amusingly mys-
tified, and the libertine knight involved in three
challenges from the gentlemen who are in search of
their runaway fair ones, a general eclaircissement takes
home.place, and they all go home.
The acting was admirable ; Sir Robert and Lady
Rovely being personated by Mr. G. Vandenhoff and
Miss Reynolds, and Dr. and Mrs. Coddlelove by Mr.
Buckstone and Mrs. Fitzwilliam.

The piece was admirably put upon the stage. The
view of Ranelagh, with its rotunda and trees brilliantly
illuminated for a fete, was extremely beautiful, and eli-
cited loud applause. There was a loud call for the
author, but not being in the house he could not appear.
➢Zr. Buckstone was enthusiastically cheered, when he
came forward and announced the repetition of the
comedy, for so it is called, three times a week.

THE COURT.—Her Majesty and his Royal Highness
Prince Albert, with the junior branches of the Royal
family, and members of the Royal suite, have arrived at
Buckingham Palace. The Court will return to Windsor
at Easter as usual for a few days. The Royal stud was
conveyed to Paddington by the Great Western
Railway.
The Duchess of Inverness has issued invitations for a
select dinner and evening party on Wednesday next, at
Kensington Palace.
The Duchess Dowager of Hamilton is passing the
season in improved health in Portman-square.
The Marquis of Waterford has been appointed a
deputy lieutenant of the county of Waterford.
The Countess of Clarendon has issued cards for a
grand assembly at the official residence of the noble
Foreign Secretary, Downing-street, on the 22d inst.
The Countess of Ellesmere will have a soiree, to-
morrow, in Belg7ave-square.
The Earl and Countess of Ellesmere, and the Lady
Alice Egerton, returned to Belgrave-square on Satur-
day from a visit to the Queen at Windsor Castle.
The Earl and Countess of Harrington, who have been
entertaining visitors at Elvaston Hall, come to town
early next month for the season.
Lady Bloomfield, of Langhton, Moneyga,ll, has given
instructions for the erection of several comfortable
houses upon his lordship's estate for the widows and
orphans of respectable tenants who may require an
asyl
Sir Charles Henry Coots, M.P., Lady Coote, and
family, have arrived in Connaught-place for the season,
from Ballyfinn House, Ireland.
The Marquis of Londonderry ♦isited Sunderland on
Monday last, in his old family railway carriage, " the
Royal George," that conveyed the late Dukes of Cam-
bridge, Wellington, &c., over his lordship's railways on
their visits to Wynyard ; and which ran for the first
time on Monday last, on the splendid Londonderry,
Seaham, and Sunderland Railways.
ARRIVAL OF GENERAL GARIBALDI.—GeneraI Gari-
baldi, the valiant defender of Rome, arrived in London
on Saturday morning, from New York, on board of a
merchant ship, which he commands, as he has nobly
and modestly resumed, after the overthrow of Italian
liberty, his former profession of a mariner.
THE TURKISH EMBASSY.—Habeeb Risk Allah Effendi
left London on Saturday evening by the express train
for Paris en route to Vienna, with despatches for his
Government.