The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-21 00:00:00

ER MAJESTY'S THEATRE

The news of the dastardly attempt upon the life of
her most Gracious Majesty, which Vok l.lace in the
coarse of the evening, was announced to the audience
from the wage by Mr. Lee in the following terms :
"Ladies and Gentlemen—Under the impression that
h portion of the audience may be labouring under
anxiety, and as loyalty is here paramount to all other
thoughts, I am commissioned by Mr. Lumley to inform
3M, that although her Gracious Msjt•sty and the R yal
children were shot at whilst returning to the palace,
they have (thank Heaven !) escaped unhurt."
The N. tional Anthem was of course sung, and repeated
twice during the evening, producing a series of those
emphatic displays of loyalty which special occasions of
this kind can alone draw forth. The audience responded
to the prayer of the anthem with heart and soul, and
!loved by their spontaneous and universal expression of
jeehhg the joy they felt at her Majesty's providential
deliverance.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA.
The opera of Lucretia Borgia was repeated on Stur-
dlY.night in the presence of a large and distinguished
audience. The fact of the attempt upon the Queen's life
reached the theatre before the performance began, and
the National Anthem was given under circumstances of
great interest. It was repeated after the opera, amid tes-
timonies of the most excited loyalty.

RURY-LANE THEATRE.
Fidelio was performed here on Saturday, by the Ger-
man troupe, with all the completeness and ensemble
with which a German troupe alone can render it.
Mademoiselle Walther, who undertook the arduous part
of Leonara (Fidelio), is a singer of considerable energy
and an actress of more than ordinary feeling. Her
voice is a soprano of considerable power and compass,
and of pleasing quality. Mademoiselle Walther enters
with enthusiasm into the spirit of her part, and car-
ries the audience with her throughout her performance.
The most successful effort of Mademoiselle Walther
was in the celebrated quartet, " Er sterbe" (with Pi-
xerro, Rucco, and Florestar), in which she rendered the
dramatic business of the scene unusually striking. In
the beautiful duet with Florestan, "0 namenclose Freudc,"
Mademoiselle Walther also sang with great feeling and
animation, and the curtain fell upon this most interesting
and exciting ecene amidst the loudest manifestations
Or satisfaction. Mademoiselle Walther's success was
decided. Herr Erl was the Florestan, and his
performance helped to confirm the opinion we have
already given of his capabilities. It would hardly
be fair to criticise Herr Stepan, who undertook
the part which was to have been played by Herr
Formes, a basso of great reputation, at a short notice.
Herr Stepan has a fine voice, but has yet to learn the
secret of using it to advantage. Herr Breuer, who
played Rocco, the gaoler, is not inefficient as an actor,
but his singing would be much more acceptable if his
intonation were less undecided. As on previous occa-
sions, the chief honours of the evening devolved
upon the ladies and gentlemen of the chorus.
The magnificent chorus of prisoners, in the second
act, one of the profoundest and most po, tied inspira-
tions of Beethoven, was encored with acclamations,
and the brilliant and irresistible finale was received with
the utmost enthusiasm. Among the other encores wa.
the pretty round " Mir ist, so wunderbar," in the first
act, which was effectively rendered by Mademoiselle
MademoLelle Babnigg, and Herr Breuer. The
band executed two of the four overtures written by
Beethoven for Fidelio, the first and by far the grandest
of which, the Leonora (in C), was played between the
second and third acts, and e armly applauded. The
Opera went off will great spirit, and was received with
unanimous favour, Mademoiselle Walther and the prin-
cipal performers being called before the footlights after
every act.

SOUTHAMPTON, :.7UNDAY, MAY 20 —The Halted
States mei'. steamer Hermann, Captain E. Crabtree,
sailed this morning with the American mails for New
York, 160 first and second class passengers, a Nll cargo,
and 1,5001. in specie on freight. The Peninsular and
Oriental Steam Navigation Company's ship Indus,
Captain J. Soy, also took her departure for Gibraltar,
Malta, and Alexandria with the East India and China
mails, 50 passengers, 230 tons measurement goods on
freight, and 4,0001. specie. Yesterday (Saturday, the
19th) being the day appointed for the celebration of her
Majesty's birthday, was kept here as a close holiday at
tne Custom house, &e. The docks looked very gay, all
the mail- packet steamers being handsomely decorated
with flags. The platform battery fired a royal salute at
noon, and at one P.m. the American frigate St. Lawrence,
44, Captain Hiram Paulding, hoisted the British ensign
at the fore, and gave a national salute from 21 of her
heaviest guns. This ship was moreover most beautifully
dressed with flags during the whole day, and was an ob-
ject of considerable admiration.
THE BRAZILS.—SOUTHAMPTON, SATURDAY, MAY
the Swedish brig Jenny, Captain Cruse, which
arrived off Cowes this morning, in 64 days from Rea de
Janeiro, we have received files of the Jornal do Comercio of
that city down to the 14th of Merch; but they bring no
Political news of importance, Exchange on London was
quoted 26; on Paris, nominal; Hamburgh, 680 to 685.
Six per Cent. Brazilian Stock was 861 to 87. Freights
to Antwerp, 30s. to 405.; British Channel, 35s ; United
States, 40s. to 60s. Ilemburgh, 30s. to 325. 6d.; Havre,
40f. to 45f.; London or Liverpool, 405.; Marseilles, 30s.
to 355.; Trieste, 355.
HER MAJESTY'S BIRTHDAY.—The Loyal Highland
Society of London held their court dinner at the Free-
masons' Tavern to celebrate her Majesty's birthday.
The Chisholm in the chair, supported by many of the
nobility in Highland costume or court dress. The royal
tradesmen celebrated her Majesty's birthday at the
Freemasons' Tavern on Saturday; upwards of 100 gen-
tlemen attended. The Queen's present of two bucks was
much appreciated, and the dinner, which was excellent,
went off with great eclat. Mr. W. Pierce in the chair.
SUDDEN DEATH OF SIR JOHN SMYTH, BART.—
BRISTOL, MAY 19. A considerable and painful sensa-
tion was felt throughout this city this morning by the
intelligence of the sudden death of Sir John Smyth,
Bart., of Long Ashton Park, which mournful event took
place at an early hour this morning, and was dis-
tressingly sudden. The deceased baronet was born in
February, 1776, and was in the 74th year of his age.
On Friday he was in his usual health, and in the after-
noon, having been particularly cheerful throughout the
day, proceeded to his Gloucestershire mansion, Stapleton
Court, where be dined, and up to the hour of his retiring
to rest nothing unusual was observed in his appearance
or manners. This morning, upon his valet going to his
room, he was alarmed to find his master speechless. The
household was immediately aroused, and expresses sent
for medical assistance. All efforts were, however, of no
avail, as in a few minutes Sir John breathed his last.
The late baronet was never married, and will be suc-
ceeded in the estates by a maternal nephew, we believe,
now in his minority.
One of our evening contemporaries favoured its
readers on Saturday with a list of Ministerial changes of
a very startling character. Those that we have to an-
nounce as being really about to take place are sadly infe-
rior in interest, ant will excite no surprise whatever.
Mr. J. Parker, who has been with Mr. Tufnell joint Se-
cretary of the Trea•ury, will succcd Mr. Ward as Secre-
tary of the Admiralty, Mr. Hay ter will replace Mr. Par-
ked at the Treasury, and Sir D. Dundas will become
ee-dvoe
to-day._friarnt The necessary writs will be moved fur
CRUELTy T'nt PaPer.
Hazelden, a
buiireaLs.—On Friday last Mr. Joseph
before the bench o- residing at Brighton, appeared
charged :by Mr. Tihnmagistrates at Uekfield, in Sussex,
for the Prevention oftn:`"' the Secretary of the S, ciety
.Cruelty to Animals, with wantonly
and cruelly ill
Read, a postumste at I,
re
rettns. mare, thu property f Mr.
Mr. Thomas called "es, of whom he had hired it.
conduct of the defendant as witness"'
who described
nbtrutal in the extreme, In
theln
consequence of the tretttroaess d the mare received, it was
unable to work fur some
drunk at the time, and had sea). narrow escapes from
s
leitr,olature of the animal
serious injury, owing to the docile
inizdcalallilcredd otnhefor
mare,his
he was wantonly torturing.
defence the defendant admitted having
he had no but denied denied using her crnelly, and
day mentioned
lection of being in Uclefield at all on the
by the witnesses, ahe must be mistaken,
witnesses to contradict their evidence. The beenhcandsallid
the case had been Cully and satisfactorilyprmovaerde;,
fhoer
had been guilty of wanton cruelty towards the
which he must pay 40s. in addition to Si,. for the
damage sustained by Mr. Read, the owner, and in default
of paying the 71. forthwith he would be sent to the House
of Correctioa for two months, and kept to hard labour.
The defendant not being proiridEd with the memeYl !aced IA custody.