The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-10 00:00:00

STRAND T HEATRE.

The Reigning Favourite is the title of a new
drama which was produced here last evening with a
success as triumphant as it was des:rvEd ; the title of
this new drama, like that of Hearts are Trumps, is
of happy omen, and we predict for the Reigning
Favourite of the Strand a reign long awl prospui ous.
This new drama is an adaptation of Scribe's popular
drama Adrienne Lecouvreur, the production of
which at the Theatre Franc iis, at th 2 com-
mend- merit of the present year, with Rachel
as the heroine, resc tit d that establishment
from impending bankruptcy. Adrienne I.ccuvrettr
was a distinguished French actress in the last cen-
tury, and it is an historical fact that she wcs attached
to the celebrated Marshal Saxe In the play she np-
peals as the rival of Mdlle. Duclos, another celebrity
of the day, and the fashi,mable circle s of Paris a e
divided as to the comparative merit of the two stars.
Maurice, Count de Saxe, is in love with Adrienne,
and his paisim is returned ; but, unfortunately, the
wife of the Prince de Bouillon is also fascinated by
the gallant young warrior, and he is forced to treat
her with some degree of management to secure her 1
influence with Cardinal de Fleury. Mdlle. Doleos, the
mistress of the Prince, is likewise the confident of
the Princess, who, being a most profligate woman,
turns her position to account. The latter has had an
interview with Maurice in the house of Duclos, the
letter which brings them thither being written by
Duclos herself to prevent her friend from being dis-
covered. This letter is seen by the Prince, who,
never dreaming of the schemes of his wife,
suspects that his mistress is unfaithful to him,
and, at the instigation of an abbe galant, his
associate, invites the w hole of the company of
the Comedie Francaise to a supper in the house
of Duclos, thus intending to mar the interview of
the lovers. The arrival of the Prince causes the
Princess to conceal herself in a boudoir, and she
can only escape in the dark with the assistance of
Adrienne, who has come as one of the guests. Each
of the ladies perceives that the other is her rival, but
darkness prevents her from knowing who that rival
really is. The Princess on reaching home is tor.
tured with jealousy. She recollects the voice of her

hated protectress, and purposes to use that recollec•
tion as a means of discovery. Adrienne is invited to
her house to recite, something after the fashion of a
" Shakesperian reading." Her voice is soon recog-
nised by the Princess, and two or three other tests
convince her that the tragic actress is
her rival. At the same time Adrienne,
who detects the mysterious lady in the Princess,
and is nettled at the coldness with which
the Count is compelled to treat her, contrives that
the speech which she delivers from Racine's Phedre
shall expose the disreputable conduct of the Princess
before the guests. The illustrious sinner is, however,
not to be insulted with impunity. She sends Adri-
enne a bouquet impregnated with a subtle poison,
and the doomed actress, having inhaled the noxious
fume, goes into a state of madness, in which she
recalls various incidents connected with her
attachment to the Count, and illustrates her
emotions by citations from the plays in
which she ha 3 been accustomed to act. At
last she dies in the arms of her lover, and of
Michonnet, the prompter of the theatre, who has
ever regarded her with a feeling something between
the affection of a father and the devotion of a lover.
The great parts of tle drama are those of Adrienne
Lecouvreur herself, on whom the whole of the in-
terest turns, and of Michonnet, the old prompter, the
latter being made of importance in the English
version by the admirable acting of Mr. W. Farren.
Mrs. Stirling was the Adrienne Lecouvreur, and
never have we seen that most gifted lady to greeter
advantage than in this character. Adrienne Lecouvreur
has been educated for the stage, and brought forward
by Michonnet, who, with a childish simplicity,
revels in her artistic triumphs, and loves her also,
aye ! loves her, alb: it he is aware of the absurdity of
his pretensions, and never tells his love; his attempts,
however, to make a declaration are most amusing.
In the earlier scenes of the play the acting of
Mr. W. Farren and Mrs. Stirling is genuine high
comedy, even of the highest class. The scene in
which Adrienne aids in the escape of the
Princess was admirably given ; but the grand
scene of the earlier portion of the play
is that in which Adrienne appaar3 as an actress
engaged by the Princess de Bouillon to amuse her
company by recitations. The Princess and Adrienne
here recognize each other as rivals for the love of
Maurice; the Princess abuses her rank by insulting
the actress, while the latter takes" her revenge by
reciting certain passages from the Phedre of Racine
with such point and such emphasis that the application
of them cannot he mistaken. Mrs. Stirling in
this scene showed herself a true artist.
Never has the effort to suppress passion, and the ex-
ternal appearance of coolness, contrasting with the
volcano-like inward working of the passion within,
which is the consequence of such effort, been more
truthfully represented ; and the sarcasm with which
the quotation from Phedre was given Was withering.
The last scene, from the moment she sniffs the poi-
soned bouquet to the moment of her death is,
as a specimen of artistic acting, perfect ; full of power,
yet, at the same time, full of grace and beauty; heart-
rending in its pathos, and yet in its effect artistic in
the extreme. This scene is perhaps, as it was repro
sented last night, one of the most perfect in the whole
range of the drama. The effect of Mrs. Stirling's
performance was heightened greatly by the perfect
acting of Farren. He, the old prompter, who has loved
her, and triumphed in her, and been a father to her, he
sees her cl;eing, and in his agony he sobs aloud and
acts as Farren only can act such a character ;
those who have seen him will at once understand our
meaning, to those who have not we despair of being
able to convey any idea by words of the perfection to
which he has carried this branch of the histrionic
art. Mr. Leigh Murray, who has now ripened into
a true artist, was the Maurice, and worthily
supported Mrs. Stirling and Mr. Farren.
The other characters were all well performed,
and the piece is admirably put on the
stage. The adapter, is Mr. John Oxenford, who has
performed his part to admiration. He has judi-'
ciously condensed his original, and the English ver-
sion consequently acts much closer than the French
play, which is a great improvement. At the conclu-
sion the applause was enthusiastic, and the actors
having been honoured with the usual ovation,
there were loud calls for the author, whereupon
Mr. John Oxenford bowed his acknowledgments from
a side box; this, however, by no means satisfied the
gods, who continued their vociferations until Mr.
Leigh Murray appeared on the stage, leading on Mr.
John Oxenford, upon which the anger of Olympus
was appeeaed. The house was very well attended.

MAGAZINES, &c.--( CON TINUED.)

BENTLEY.
Mr. Robert Bell, the pleasantest of travelling com-
panions, after having given us a series of delightful
" Wayside Pictures in France and Belgium," favours
us in the present number of Bentley with an amusing
glance at "Holland and the Dutch." Mr. Warren
continues his " Scenes and Adventures on the Banks
of the Amazon," and Sylvanus his " Bye-Lanes and
Downs of England." In the biographical department
we have a well-written memoir of Miss Pardoe, illus-
trated by a portrait, and in the historical the " Private
Correspondence of George 111. and the Royal Family
with Bishop Hurd, from 1776 to 1805."
This correspondence places George 111. in a very
amiable light both as a man and as a scholar. Ills
constant endeavours to promote the cause of national
education reflect the greatest credit on him; and his
criticism on the latinity of the allocution of Pius VI.,
of the 19th of April, 1782, is acute and smart, yet
gentlemanlike withal. "I believe," says George
" Cicero would not have acknowledged him for a dis-
ciple—an opinion in which every scholar who reads
the production must concur. " The Note-book of a
Coroner's Clerk" is continued, and is, as usual
illustrated. Alfred Croy; quill gives us some most
amusing gossip about " London," and the authcr of
Melton de Mowbray," a well-told tale of " A Modern
Miracle." We have, moveover, the usual review of
the Literature of the Month, besides several pieces of
poetry.

ST. JAMES'S MAGAZINE. Edited by J.
Bernard Burke, Esq.
The present is an excellent number of this monthly
repertory of genealogy and heraldry. The coats of
arms which illustrate the Heraldic Register are very
neatly engraved, and the number is further illustrated
by, a view of Stisted Hall, Essex. We are delighted
to learn from so excellent an authority as Mr. Burke
that the present Imperial Famil of Austria " has no
more claim to be regardedas 'the house of Haps-
burg' than the Bourbon Kings of Spain." The
memory of honest old Rodolph is not therefore dis-
graced by the disgusting conduct of the present ruler
of. Austria, who is a lineal descendant of the brutal,
bigotted, and ruthless Dakes of Guise, the organizers
of the League, and of the /vlassacre of 3t. Barthole-
mew. Their descendants appear to have inherited all
their qualities, except their talent.

CON CREGA.N. Part X.
Fortune at length has favoured Con; he has
discovered a treasure of gold and jewels in
Mexico which makes him on a rank with princes, and
We are anxious to see how he sustains the character in
which he has all his life long had such a desire to
figure—that of a man of wealth and consequently of
independence.

DEMISE OF TIIE METROPILITAN SEWERS COMMIS-.
ElON.—Ye,torday notice was given to the late Com-
mis3ion of Sewers for the metropolitan dislict,, that
the supersedeas had reached the Secretary, from the
Lord Chancellor, declaring the Commisiion to be die-
solyed.

Mr. Charles Barry had an interview with Lord
John Russell yesterday, at his official residence in
DoWning•street.