The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-21 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

Schirra's opera Mina increases 'in ;popularity
every time it is represented, and notwithstanding the
growling of the pedants, is become what their
coldly correct compositions never can become—
a popular favourite. There is a rich current
of melody running through the whole of this opera,
which rivets the attention of the auditors, and best of
all, the melodies are such as are carried away by the
memory—persons when they quit the theatre, find
themselves almost unconsciously huinming the tunes,
the best teat of the beauty of a melody. The opera
was repeated last night and " went" beautifully, to
the great delight of a crowded audience.

ASTLEY'S AMpiIiTtiEATRE.
THE NEW PANTOMIME.

The following is a programme of the forthcoming
pantomime at Astley's, which will be entitled Harlequin
Yankee Doodle come to Town upon Ms Little Pony :
Scene Ist commences with the Fairy Hall of Plenty,
the fairy Peace requires the presence of Plenty, and
calls to her aid Mirth and Sport, who discover her
retreat. It being the Fairy Queen Britannia's inten-
tion to hold a court, they suddenly change the scene
where all the fays are assembled to do homage to their
Qneen, with their fairy palfreys and emblematic cars,
&c. Hope, too, joins them, and Britannia arriving,
and being at a-loss for a hero for her Christmas sports,
she is informed that Yankee Doodle would entrap
Miss Dinah from Young England, who is discovered
in a desponding state by one of the fairies, and being
brought before Britannia she bids him be of good
cheer, and seek out Old Sambo. He thanks her and
departs. Scene 2d—O:d Sambo's house at Bow.
Young England obtains an interview with Dinah, but
is interrupted by Old Sambo, who thrusts his
daughter in house and England from door. Young
England throws himself down in despair; Hope ap-
pears, and presents him with a silver pipe to aid
him ; he departs delighted. Yankee Doodle arrives
upon his little pony,; with a letter of introduction
from the Pre3ident to Old Sambo. Sam Slick follows,
who is ordered by Yankee Doodle to dispose of the
pony, and he takes him away for that purpose.
Yankee Doodle and Sambo meet under unfor-
tunate circumstances. Sambo apologises, and Sambo
introduces him to Miss Lucy Long (his other
daughter) as his intended son-in law. "The mar-
riage shall take place this very day." Scene 3d
Tattersall's Horse Sale, &c., going on. Yankee
Doodle and Sam Slick arrive to sell the pony, and
get sold in buying a horse. Scene 4th—Near Hyde-
park-corner. The purchase proves still more un-
satisfactory. Scene sth—Sambo's house,: withi pre-
parations for the wedding. Yankee Doodle's horse
having bolted, gallops in and throws him. The horse
is disposed of by Sam Slick. Miss Dinah is most
reluctant to become the bride of Yankee Doodle. All
are ready for the dance, but the village piper falls
dead drunk. What is to be done ? Fortunately one
is found near at hand, and is brought in. It is
Yourg England in disguise, and playing on his
magic pipe, all begin dancing involuntarily. During
this he manages to discover himself to Dinah. Other
sports are determined upon, among which Blind-
man's-buff. Yankee Doodle is blindfolded, and as
the game proceeds Young England and Dinah escape
together. Yankee Doodle catches Miss Lucy Long,
thinking it Dinah. Finding his mistake, a search
is made for her, when Dinah and Young England
return from the church married. Yankee Doodle's,
Sambo's, and Lucy Long's rage know no bounds ;
the bride and bridegroom are seized, and at this
moment the entire scene changes, Britannia appears,
and settles the dispute for the present by changing
Yankee Doodle to Clown, England to Harlequin,
Old Sambo to Pantaloon, and Miss Dinah to Co-
lumbine. Then follows the harlequinade, hits, &c.,
of past and passing events, &c.

POPULAR ERROR AS TO TUE NELSON COLUMN.—
The opponents of a columnar monument, it may be
recollected, urged the insecurity of Corinthian propor•
tions; and, in a consequent report by Sir Richard
Smirke and Mr. Walker, the engireer, it was recom-
mended that a considerable diminution in the proposed
height of the work should be made. This recommanda
Gorr was followed; but the impression that the clumsy
expedient of chopping the required length off the shalt,
and thereby violating the just proportion of the order,
was adopted, is entirely without foundation,—though up
to the present moment " going," as it is termed, " the
round of the papers." Thus, the Times of Thursday
last proncunces the "shaft too short for the pedestal, and
the capital too heavy and massive for the shaft." I have
gone to the best source for my information, and find the
height of the colum❑ as built, from the top of the pe
dental to the top of the abacus, to be 101 feet 6 inches;
the lower diameter 10i feet, and the upper diameter 9
fect. On referring to "Taylor and Cresy's Rome,"
where the Mars Ultor example is carefully given, the
height of the ancient example is 38 feet, and the upper
(Ham( ter a fraction less than 5 feet 2 inches, and as these
dimensions are in the exact ratio of 101 feet to 9 feet, i

is evident the classic proportion has been strictly main.
tair.ed. The capital was very skilfully modelled by Mr.
C. 11. Smith (afterwards engaged on those of the Royal
Exchange), whose ability is well known.—Correspondent
of the Builder.

PURCHASE or THE PAvimoN.—The agreement for
this purchase was executed in London on Wedr.esday by
the 'for. the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods,
Forests, arid Land Revenues, on behalf of the Govern-
ment, and by Mr. Slight, the clerk to the Commis-
sioners, on behalf of the inhabitants of Brighton.
We understand that Herr Staudigl, the celebrated
German vocalist, has recently purchased an estate near
Brunn, in Austria, for the sum of 80,000 florins (8,0001.),
and that he intends shortly to retire from the stage.