The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-07 00:00:00

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.

The new opera, called The Village Coquettes, which has
been a good while in preparation, was performed for the
first time yesterday evening. The drama is from the pen
of Mr. Charles Dickens (so well-known by his soubriquet
of Buz) and the music is by Mr. John Hullah, a young
composer, hitherto unkuown to the public: Wlasthar cos
sidered with regard to its dramatic or musical qualities, this
opera is of a very uncommon character, and has no tinCiii
blence to the musical pieces to which for many years we
have been accustomed. It is a light and elegant eethedyf
in which a great deal of gaiety and humour are blended
with scenes of great interest, and many sweet and natural
touches of tenderness and feeling. The music is admirably
in accordance with the subject ; simple, unaffected, and
full of beautiful, expressive, English melody. Mr. Hullah
has received his education in the Royal Academy of Mu-
sic, and does honour to his alma mater. The scene of
The Village Coquettes is laid in an EnOjai% Viiiage, and
the incidents are supposed to have happened about a cens
tury ago. The piece opens with the -representation of
a farmer's rick-yard, in which a number of work peo-
ple arc engaged in the concluding labours of the harvest,
and welcoming the harvest-home with a gay rowed and
chorus. From a dialogue which ensues hetwssen John
Madox, farmer Benson's principal servant, stud Mr. Mar-
tin Stokes, a small farmer, full of self-importance and
bustle, with a wondrous skill in discovering when there is
c. something wrong" in the concerns of his neighbours, it
appears that there is something wrong in the attentions
paid to farmer Benson's daughter Lucy and his niece
Rose by Squire Norton, the lord of the manor, and his
friend the Hon. Mr. Sparkins. The Squire and his friend
enter from shooting. Mr. Norton contrives to have a few
moments' conversation with ,Lucy ; from which it appears
that, though her heart remains full of affection for her rus-
tic lover, she is dazzled by the, addresses of the Squire.
The Squire joins the farmer and his friends in drinking a
glass to the harvest-home, and the scene concludes with
an
animated drinking song, sung by him, with a chorus. George
Edmonds, the lover of Lucy, then appears in the fields,
musing on his unhappiness. He is lingering in hopes to
meet with Lucy, when Rose makes her appearance. This
damsel, on her part, is expectingto meet her admirer, Mr.
While he
Flam, and is anxious to get Edmonds away,
is earnestly inquiring about Lucy, Madox enters, and soon
afterwards Flam. Flam plays the bully, and attenipece ;ts to
strike Madox with the butt end of his fowling-pi
but the blow is parried by Edmonds, who departs with
Madox, after contemptuously reproving Flam for his
treachery and cowardice. Flam vows revenge ; and then
succeeds in persuading his simple mistress that the affair
was all a joke. The scene ends with a lively and clever
duet between them. The old farmer, at last, becomes ac-
quainted with the intimacy between the Squire and his
daughter, 'oy means of the busy Mr. Stokes, who no less
eagerly gives the same information to young Benson, the
fariner's son. The Squire arrives at the farm, and is per-
suadines Lucy to elope with him, when they are surprised
by old Benson. The Squire at first endeavours to conci-
liate him, but stung by the bitterness of his language, tells
him his lease is expired, and orders him to quit 'his farm.
The farmer's friends and servants crowd slime, the stage,
and the first act is terminated by a well-wroii.ght and agi-
tated finale. In the second act, Mr. Mean is lounging
over his breakfast, when a letter is put into his hands frinn
a London attorney, demanding inimedisite restitution of a
sum of money which he had unfaia:ly won at play. Dis-
mayed at this communication, he •eesolves on exerting him-
self to aid the accomplishment. of the Squire's designs on
Lucy, in order to obtain such a recompence as may relieve
him from his dilemma. Ha determines to carry off Lucy
during the harvest-home. entertainment :to be given at
the hall that night'; and sits down to apprise Norton of
his design, and to write to his London correspondent
promising immediate payment of the money demanded
of him. He writes the note to Norton, but is pre-
vented from writing the other, and hastily `,ncloses in
an envelope the letter he has received from London in-
stead of that which he has just written to Norton,
putting his note to Norton in his pocket. Martin
Stokes, who has learned that Flam has been in-
quiring for a trusty person to do a piece of' secret service
for him, presents himself as that person, and is engaged, by
a promise of reward, to have a chaise and four waiting at
ten o'clock. The conversation being carried on in hints
and inuendocs, Stokes naturally enough supposes that Rose
is to be the victim of this intended abduction, and hastens
away to paralyse her and her lover John Madox by this
tremendous disclosure. After some scenes, in the course
of which everything is put to rights between the Squire
and the farmer's family, and the lovers are reconciled to
their repentant fair ones, all parties ate assembled 'in, the
ball-room at the hall, with a large concourse of country
people. While a merry country dance is going forward a
scream is heard from the garden, and all is confusion. In
a few moments Edmonds enters, from the window, bearing
Lucy insensible in his arms ; and Plant, with his clothes
torn and his face disfigured, ix led in by Madox and Stokes.'
Suspicion immediately fads on the Squire as the prompter
of the deed, which he indignantly disclaims. Flam, finding
himself given up, asserts that he acted under the Squire's
instructions, and appeals for the truth of his charge to a
letter in the Squire's own pocket. Mr. Norton produces •
the letter of the London Attotney, from which he has just
learned the base character of his friend ; and Flam retires in
confusion and disgrace, leasing the Squire and his guests in
harmony and happiness. The festivities arc resumed ; and
the piece is rounded (IX by a repetition of the jovial chorus
with which it opene•;t. The drama is worths, of being judge 4
by stricter rules of criticism than are usually applied to mu-
sical pieces. The plot is clear and well conducted.
characters varied, the dialogue lively and vigorous, and lus
musical part of it contains some poetry such as opera cols-
posers seldom meet with. The following song, sung ;),
Norton, may be taken as a specimen :
" Dear father, what can honour be,
Of which I hear men rave.
Field, cell, and cloister, land and sea,
The tempest and the grave,
It lives in all, 'tis sought in each,
'Tis never heard or seen:
Now tell me, father, I beseech,
What can this honour mean?"
The author has treated the character of Lucy with 114'01,
skill and delicacy. Miss Rainsforth was an excellent repre7
sentative of this interesting character. Her song, ha the
second act, " How beautiful at even. tide," is an impass?oned
composition, and enabled her to (airplay not only the extent
of4her vocal attainments, but the strength of her exiirsession.
Miss Julia Smith gave full cfr.cet to the light-hearted sim-
plicity of Rose, and sane- °se song, " Some folks who have
grown old and ands ad the flirting duet with Dam, with
a most amusing playfulricPs, and great beauty of voice, and
execution. This yosinss lady is full of promise.' She has
great taste and skill, as a vocalist, and an archness and Ave-
linesa of manner truly fascinating. Brahain gave to the part
of the Squire the easy good humour that belongs to it.
His song, or rather soliloquy, " The Child and the Old
Man," dirt,layed his matchless power of making mus;c he
language of deep and passionate thought. Bennet, as Ed-
monds, acted with great propriety, and sang heatitifully:
especially in the ballad, " Autumn leaves, autumn icaves,
which speaks the very language of grief. Barnett's Flam
was, perhaps, a little too studie'd and formal ; though, on
the whole, a clever performance. Harley, in Martin Stokes,
kept the audience in an unceasing roar of laughter. The_
f this Opera does the highest limos to Mr..
getting up o
Braham's management. The scenery and decorations
were singularly beautiful, and the whole of the
?essermers
were accurately attired in the costumes of the lass
century.
It is almost unnecessary to say that the succsss of such a
piece .as this was, as it must have been, t:iiimpliikut. At
its conclusion Mr. Hullah, being loudly sailed forsappearcd
e in which
j
before the curtain amidst thunders s' applause,
Mr. Braham, at one of the wings- warmly oine& A cry
which instantly resounded
was then commenced of " Bo
from every part of the hous and was continued >ill Mr-
Dickens also came forward ud was received with equal
cordiality. The princip erformers were also called for,
and Mr. Harley annou d the piece for repetition, every
evening.

IA M M.P.--The Lectures en the
are announced for delivery by this :entle-
I4IY Rooms, about the middle of this,uonth,
• to attract the largest audiences that tie largest .
orns/n, lin
TO
and S the several towns of Wilts Dorset,
erset, in which they have been, and are still colt
tinujto be, delivered. At Warminster, about 4a,9 per.
og
no attended the closing lecture of the course, and some
ofismilics, who came from a distance of several mikq, as well
as some of the inhabitants of the town, were vn4thle to ob-
tain admission for want of room. At the town-
hall was scarcely sufficient to contain the number of the
attendants ; and at Shaftesbury, where Mr. Puckingliam
concluded his course on Thursday last, the lectures were
obliged to be adjourned from the town-hall, for' want of ade-
quate room, and given in the large assembly room of that
town. Mr. Bitokingbam is now at Wineanton; and, after
visiting TArchester, Blandford, and Bridport, (to the two
last 9f 'which places he has been invited to return and rept.at
course,) he may be expected positively in Bath, to com-
mence his morning lectures in the Assembly Rooms, and at
Bristol a few days after, to give the same course at the Hot-
wells. From the universal satisfaction which his lectures
appear to have given everywhere throughout the route, we
anticipate much pleasure from his lectures licre.—Bathe
Journal.
Yesterday a witness in the Central Criminal Court
was called upon to testify concerning the reputation of
another witness for veracity. Why," said
he, I
hardly know what to tell you. She sometimes jests and
jokes, and then I don't believe her ; but when she under-
takes to tell anything far a fact, I believe her, as much as I
do the rest of ray ueighbours!"

MR. BUCKI
Holy Land, w
man in our '

arc contini