The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-14 00:00:00

THE “ LEGITIMATE" DRAMA.

Definitions arc generally allowed to be difficult things ; and
definers as well as doctors frequently differ. But, perhaps, no
term has puzzled and perplexed more in this way than that of
the " legitimate" or " regular" drama, as will appear by the
following extracts from the evidence taken befure the Select
Committee on Dramatic Literature :

Mr. JAMES WINSTON (formerly of the Haymarket)—The
regular drama I consider to be tragedy and comedy, and every
thing on the stage. I consider burletta to be the regular drama,
because Tom Thumb was played in the regular theatres, and
is printed and called a burletta; regular drama includes
every thing. Pantomine is the regular drama, but certainly
not lions.

Mr. J. PAYNE COLLIER-4 call the regular drama any
drama which has good dialogue, good characters, and good
morals. I make the word " legitimate" depend on the nature
of the plot, characters, and dialogue. I do not think the
legitimate drama depends on any number of acts ; I think
harlequinade is not part of the legitimate drama.
Mr. MACREADY—I know no other way of defining the legi-
timate drama, than by taking what has been considered as the
rule hitherto, by appropriating the five-act plays as belonging
to the large theatres.
Mr. VORRIS (late of the Haymarket)—By the regular
drama I understand all the plays of Shakspeare, and all other
classical authors—all plays that are licensed by the Lord
Chamberlain. It is not necessary that it should be in five acts
to be a regular :drama ; you may have the regular drama in
three acts. I consider Torn Thumb a legitimate drama, be-
cause it was written by a classical author, and produced at a
regular theatre.
Mr. Douotas JERROLD-1 describe the legitimate drama to
be where the interest of the piece is mental ; where the situa-
tion of the piece is rather mental than physical. Torn Thumb
is not a legitimate drama, but a burlesque.
Mr. C. MaTirEws—l should define the regular drama to
be decidedly the works of our greatest dramatists or poets—
Shakspeare, Otway, Rowe ; and, in modern times, in come-
dies, Sheridan, Colman, and others. Regular drama does not
consist of any number of acts ; it is the legitimate tragedy,
comedy, and farce. Tragedy and comedy are legitimate
drama, because they were at one time the legitimate property
of the patent theatres.
Mr. W. T. MONCRIEFF—I consider a legitimate drama to
be a drama that represents fairly the manners of the time and
the minds of men, divested entirely of all that melo-dramatic
nonsense which we see.
Mr. POOLE—I would say that comedy and tragedy, without
any musical accompaniment, would be regular drama. It would
not depend on the number of acts : I think you might have as
good a comedy in one act as five.
Many other equally inconsistent definitions were given be-
fore the Committee in question, not only as respects the
" legitimate," but the " illegitimate," drama. On burletta, for
example, scarcely two of the many witnesses who were exa-
mined could agree.

" TIIE SUN" NEWSPAPER.---It is but an act 01

ustice to offer our humble meed of praise to the exertions of
our talented Contemporary, The Sun, for its extraordinary
exertions to supply the public craving fur late news. On
Wednesday last it contained the whole of the proceedings at
the Anti-Slavery Meeting at Exeter Hall (comprising eight
columns of :mien type), together with the Election Committees'
proceedings, &c. To provincial newspapers it is invaluable.
—Leicestershire Mercury.
ERRATUIN.—In a leading article in The Sun of
yesterday, for " are still labouring as slaves," read " are still
to labour for two years as slaves."
SERMON AT NEWGATE (YESTERDAY.)—At
half-past ten the jury who have to decide upon the case of
Mr. Williams were conducted by the officers of the Court
who have them in charge (Mr. S. Warren and Mr. Miller)
to the chapel of Newgate, and were placed in the Sheriffs and
Govercor's pews. Directly they had taken their places the
male prisoners were brought into the body of the chapel from
the different wards, many of whom already know their doom.
There were some who await an awful judgment, but only one
was placed in the "condemned pew," as it is called, and that
was the boa Allison, convicted of murder. Mr. Williams,
whose trial is pending, sat in the Ordinary's pew, in view of
those who will have to decide upon his guilt or innocence.
The Rev. Mr. Cotton read the liturgy, lessons, and psalms
appointed for Good Friday in his usual impressive manner,
and during the service the greatest solemnity prevailed. Per-
haps there is not a sanctuary in London where more decorum
prevails than in the chapel of Newgate ; and among the motley
groups (or classes) of worshippers there were, doubtless, many
sincere ones. The sermon preached was an impressive one.
The text was Hebrews, chap. xiii., verses Id and 14, •` Let
us ga forth, therefore, unto Him without the camp bearing
his reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we
seek one to come." To give even an outline of the excellent
discourse would occupy too much space. His concluding re-
marks upon the " fragility of human life, and the consequent
necessity for preparing to take a journey to a snore enduring
inheritance—an habitation not made with hands," were honour-
able to the lips of the preacher, and from appearances made a
suitable impression on the hearts of those who heard his voice.
In a spot, near Caixas, in the Pyrenees Orientates,
as we learn from a Perpignan paper, there used to be a re-
markable rock, called the Roc de Jalere, standing 60 feet
high, and having at its base a copious spring. It was the fa-
vourite rendezvous for parties from the environs, and an
object of curiosity to strangers. But a short time since sounds
were heard in its vicinity, resembling an earthquake, followed
by a powerful explosion. Some of the inhabitants, on going
to the rock, found it shivered into innumerable calcined frag-
ments, and the spring totally gone.
At St. Omer many of the windows are still grated
like prisons w;th iron bars. A few days ago, as a female ser- '
vent was cleaning the panes of one of these windows, placed
rather high in a ground-floor room, her attention was attracted
by a dispute in the street, and she put her head out from be-
tween the bars to see what was going on, but, leaning too far
forwards, the chair on which she was standing slipped from
under her, and sic was left suspended by the neck. Stran-
gulation was nearly produced, and her senses were entirely
gone before she could be relieved from this painful position.
CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES.—Last Tuesday some
sensation was excited in the Chamber of Deputies by M.
Jaubert, who in the course of a speech censuring M. Mole for
having spoken somewhat slightingly of France, incidentally
made some remarks—according to La National in a spirit of
culpable levity—on the subject of the French possessions in
Africa : these remarks were made in the presence of Ben
Aracht. In vain did M. Dupin whisper to the impassioned
Member the propriety of a little reserve in the presence of
the Ambassador of Abd-el-Kader. The angry Deputy heeded
not the admonition of the Minister of War, nor was his friend,
M. Piscatory, more discreet, who refusing to be put down by
the President, left the Chamber in high dudgeon. The
Ministers had a majority on the question (Army Supply) out
of which the above narrated little episode arose.

Some Statesmen pretend that Holland and Belgium
are upon the point of agreeing about the 24 Articles; it is
very difficult for two people to understand each other, when
one speaks French and the other answers in Russian.—Paris
Corsaire,