The Sun.
London, England, 1831-10-18 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

After the performance of that bombastic tragedy Jane Shore, a
new oriental spectacle entitled Ryder Ali, or the Lions of Mysore,
was brought out at this theatre. In the course of this piece,
which, in justice to the proprietor we must observe was remark.
ably splendid, a lion and lioness, a tiger, a baboon, a pelican,
and, above all, too boa constrictors, were introduced, and played
their parts, under the superintendence of M. MARTIN, with asto-
nishing docility. The audience was particularly delighted with
the sagacity of these animals, and whenever the lion or the tiger
ventured on a roar, cried out, " Throw him a fat Bishop," which
produced infinite merriment. The plot of the piece is something
to the following effect :—Hyder Ali is at war with the Parkas, of
whom Sadhusing (MARTIN) IS the chief, and is called also Nabob
of Bangalore; Mora (Mrs. FAUCIT) is the Nabobess ; and they
have a lovely daughter, named Delhi, who has fallen into the
hands of Ryder. He endeavours to persuade her to love him,
while he is pursuing her defeated father with unrelenting ven-
geance. Ihe first view we have of M. MARTIN, in connection
with his beasts, is when he is a fugitive, and is found in a forest
asleep—not upon the ground, but upon a lion—no very easy pos-
ture nor natural resting-place, but so it is. Then he saves his
children from two boa-constrictors, who enfold them, and he and
the infants group themselves like the Laocoon. The seepents are
not very large, and seem as innocent as our English blind-worms.
He is afterwards defended by a couple of lions from an attack
of the troops of Ryder Ali, but why they take such a peculiar
fancy to him we are not informed, and cannot guess.
A pelican of the desert steals HARLEY'S dinner, of which
bird, in allusion to his huge beak, HARLEY observes that
he is " for the Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing but the Bill."
This of course excited laughter, and the subsequent entrance of
Ryder Ali on his state elephant, admiration. After a tiger hunt,
of the execution of which we cannot say much, as we did not see
much, Sadhusing is taken prisoner, and condem Lied to be destroyed
by an untameable lion in what is termed the Arena of Mysore.
His daughter, Delhi (Miss KENNETH, who by the way, is consider-
ably older than we fancied when we first saw her), in vain pleads
for her father's life, but he saves it himself by overcoming the
wild beast. This scene is the best managed of any, and the combat,
although in a cage, had really something terrific about it ; we
take for granted that the lion had had all his teeth drawn or filed,
or M. MARTIN would be afraid of infuriating the animal as he
appears to do by his attacks with a spear. Ryder All has made it
a condition that if Sadhusing were victorious he should be for-
given : he is victorious, and all matters in difference are arranged,
and Delhi gi z es her hand to Ryder, which, after a fine procession,
including two elephants, one large and one small,
antl MARTIN
and the beast he had conquered, close the performance. The
piece is a remarkably showy one, and being got up with every at.
decorations, was received with much ap-
plause.teutio to scenery,

ACCELERATION of the LONDON MAIL.

(From the Glasgow Evening Post.)
While Mr. M'Queen has been labouring to exone.ate
the old Tory stager, Sir Francis Freeling, and to fix upon
the Whig Ministry the charge of neglecting the wishes of
the people of the West of Scotland for the acceleration of
the London mail, Mr. Maxwell has brought the question
to a direct issue by a letter to Earl Grey. It will be seen
b • the answer, which we are now enabled to publish, that
his Lordship is happy to meet the wishes of the people;
and will not sanction any delay which can be traced to
sub-official prepossessions, either to persons or districts
or to (what is equally inexcusable) indolence and inability.

Downing-street, Oct. 11, 1831.
DEAR AfaxwELL,—Lord Grev desires me to say that he
has forwarded your letter and its enclosure to the Duke of
Richmond, who will, he trusts, be able to adopt such
measures, consistently with other arrangements for the
service of the Mails, as will satisfy your friends of Glasgow
that the Government are not inattentive to the reasonable
wishes of the people, when it is in their power to attend
to them. Your's very truly, C. Wool).
J. Maxwell, Esq,, Polloc, Glasgow.