The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-18 00:00:00

TUE'SDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 18, 1849

HA YMA RKET THEATRE. " HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
A re .v and original play, in three acts, entitled (From Eliza Cook's Journal.)
The Lovicg Woman, IA as produced here last evening "Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war," is i.o
with the most complete success. It is from the p- n unworthy expression of Shakspere, to intimate a
of Mr. Mail; Lemon, which is as much as to say • coining state of hurly-burly and disastrous confusion;
that it is well built, well writteat, and full of interest; ! but we have strong doubts whether mere mischief—
it is acted by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean, Mr. James albeit, less poetry—would not have been conveyed in
Wallack, Mr. Howe, and Air. Rogers—that is to I " Cry, 'Home for the holidays,' and let slip the girls
say, as perfectly cast, and as perfectly acted as possible; and boys."
and that it was therefore triumphantly sue- j Reader, have you ever been resident in a respect-
cessful follows as a matter of course. The I able and well-ordered mansion Lefo; e the arrival of
following is the plot of the piece :—Ottilia some half-dozen brambles—(we beg pardon, it should
have been "olive branches") ? Have you enjoyed
(Mrs. Charles Kean) is the ward of Wielfert
(Mr. Howe), an old usurer of Prague, who would cheerful, undisturbed converse with the host and
hostess over the breakfast-table ? Have you indulged
fain make her his wife ; she however rejects his suit
for that of the gay, the gallant, the accomplished in solitary luxury over a favourite volume in a little
Rosen (Mr. Charles Kean), the son of a widow who study ? Have you serenely dczed by the twilight
had brought him to Prague when he was a child, fire, with all around breathing propriety, and, blessed
and who had bequeathed to him all she possessed. word, peace P have you reposed in this balmy secu-
The usurer, before consenting to her marriage with rity, we ask, before the importation of "six under
Rosen, so ties up her property that not even fifteen," on or about the eighteenth of December? and
Ottilia herself can transfer it to Rosen have you managed to exist in the same abode after
without the consent of Wielfert. He also tl.e said importation ? What nerves, what resolution,
discovers that Rosen's mother had borrowed what endurance must be yours, if such ordeal can be
money on the security of her property, buys borne without flinching !
up her bonds, and on the wedding day enters Rosen's Unrestrained symptoms of an incipient excitement
house, accompanied by Hermann (Mr. Wallaele), a may be detected in mamma a clay or two betbre the
beggerinan clad in rugs, and, taking possession of all auspicious period, and important communications to
that it contains, would fain instal Hermann, in hisregs, the cook may be overheard touching the size of cakes
us lord of the feast. Hermann, who has caught a and the number of tarts. A deal of extra bustle and
glimpse of the portrait of Rosen's mother, refuses to I commotion in the general household may be observed,
lend himself to Wilfert's revenge. Hermann, extending from the scullery to the topmost bedroom,
it appears, had been, some three-and-twenty years and the increased pulse of domestic vitality indicates
previously, a rich and prosperous man, to whom the approach of the restless fever which is ever
Wielfert was largely indebted; in order to avoid pay- brought from school by girls and boys.
meat of this debt Wielfert had, in conjunction with Papa, mamma, anal perhaps a foolish aunt, go of
course to the "station" to meet the =' dear children ;"his. servant Groschen (Mr. Rogers), concocted an
accusation of treason against Hermann, and had sups and when the carriage doors open and the identified
ported it by forged documents, so that Hermann was }orals rush out, some strong delight and a little
nervous agitation are displayed, which: occasionally
forced to flee, and to become a beggar. In the course
cause a degee of difficulty in getting the right lug-
of his wanderings he had become acquainted with the
mother of Groschen, who when dying had informed
gage together; and we once saw a fond father, in his him of the conspirators in the plot of which he had , i
exuberant bewilderment, carry a huge cricket-playing
become the victim, and had likewise pointed buy of ten years date, from one end of the platform
out to him the spot in the house of Wielfert .to the other—hut then the little giant had curly hair,
in which the proofs of his innocence ' and soft, laughing, grey eyes, and was the youngest
might be found, and it is to obtain them that iof the family, and above ell "very like his mother."
Hermann has returned to Prague. Meanwhile Ottilia Home they rattle, their tongues going much faster
endeavours, by every means in her power, to console than the cab-wheels, with all sorts of spasmodic in-
Rosen, but in vain. He feels that he is dependent on terrogatories and replies, jostled together by impatient
her, and he becomes fretful, suspicious, and, at eagerness, that would perplex any but very partial
length, jealous. Wielfert hires persons to irritate auditors into confirmed lunacy,
and annoy him, and he is at length almost driven to For a few hours, perchance, some slight trace of
madness by a ballad, entitled "The Beggar's "boarding-school" manners may linger about the
"young ladies and gentlemen !" but full soon the
Wedding," of which he is the hero. Ottilie
proposes to sign a deed of divorce, to which he con- uproar begins; play-boxes are unpacked, prizes voci-
f cents. Hermann the beggar enters just as the divorce ferously displayed, ushers abused, masters mimicked,
is signed, and declares himself the father of Rosen, on governesses called "old frumps," and lady-like
which Wielfort denounces Hermann as a traitor, and
teachers stigmatised as "disagreeable things !" Oh !
haring degraded Rosen into the son of a criminal, and the vast change in the quiet house! Such tramping
deprived him of his wife, considers his revenge
. up-stairs, such sliding down balustrades, such hunt-
complete. Ottillia, however, having now become ing in attic cupboards, such invasions of the pantry,
free, tears to shreds the deed of settlement, such litters in the parlour, and such a gathering in
and then kneels at the feet of Rosen and beseeches the hall of caps, cloaks, comforters, beaver bonnets,
him to acoept her hand now, when by so doing her fur capes, and gloves, that one might mistake the
fortune will be his and he will be no longer depen- place for a superior sort of Rosemary lane ! Master
dent. Hermann, who has proved his innocence, Henry has been violently smitten during the " last
produces his accusation against Wielfert, who is led half" with an affection fur theatricals on a small scale, ,
off a prisoner by the city guard, and Hermann Rosen, and consequently every evening the whole table is
and Ottillia are made happy. The character of the occupied by a miniature stage, foot-lamps mest redo-
loving woman was most pathetically, most tenderly, lent of bad oil, saucers of paste, bottles of gum, boxes
most exquisitely delineated by Mrs. Charles Kean, who of colours, gold and silver' foil, spangles, brushes ;
threw a commanding dignity into the scenes with Mr. 0. Smith as somebody in The Fire King; Mr.
Wielfert, which contrasted beautifully with the ex- Van Auiburgh as somebody among four lions; and
quisite tenderness which she infused into her scenes the whole " properties" and " personages" essential to
with Rosen. Never had loving woman more fitting The Miller and his Men. Muster George insists on
having room for his magic-lantern, and Miss Ellen
representative than Mrs. Charles Kean. Mr. Charles
Kean's Rosen:was full of spirit and chivalrous bear- and Master Tom cannot see any just reason why there
should not be space for the draught-board. Jangling
ing, and the expression of nervous irritation in his
tone, his manner, and his bearing in the last act, ensues, and a quickly-brewed storm rages until papa
when he is writhing beneath the sense of dependence, is called upon to interfere. The surface of the waves
is one of,those gems of acting which genius, chastened is smoothed, but sundry kicks are carried on beneath
and subdued by the most accomplished knowledge of the mahogany, and acute whisperings relative to
art, can alone produce. Wallack's Hermann was "serving out" maw be distinctly heard.
perfect, and is worthy to rank with his Brigand, or " Home for the holidays !" Oh, words of übiqui-
his Don Cesar de Bluth, as one o; the most picturesque tons import !—we hear them in the everlasting duets
impersonations on the wage- Howe's Wielft
Lt. the best thin rt, is by the strummed to every visitor by two giggling girls, who
ghe has yet done—it is a great step do not think it at all necessary that bass should be in
in his professional career, and a step in the right unison with treble; we hear them in the slang school
direction. Groshen' the servant, was admirably phrases, blustered by gawky boys, in defiance of
acted by Rogers. At the conclusion Mr. and Mrs. mamma's entreaties that they will not be "so rude ;"
Charles Kean, Wallack, and Howe, were all called we see them printed in the "Polka" steps, with
for, and the piece was announced for repetition stampings and slidings, and hoppings and peelings,
amidst the unanimous applause of a crowded house. alike innumerable and mysterious ; we see them
The admirable comedy of the Serious Family fol- written on the jam puddings and marmalade tarts
lowed, and the performances concluded with spread far and wide. We note the syllables in the
Box and Cox, in which Buckstone and Keeley kept medallion pieces of card-board traced with flowers
the audience in a continual roar.
unrecognised by Linnaeus, and in Swiss cottages
that would have astonished the designing faculties of
Sir Christopher Wren ; they haunt us in the forms
of "fancy baskets," made to carry nothing; and
highly-coloured maps that would have puzzled Cap•
tain Cook and all other captains. We tumble over
them in the shape of bows and arrows, stray marbles,
miniature cannon, skipping-ropes, bats and balls, and
a variety of juvenile possessions left indiscriminately
wherever they might have been last used.
" Home for the Holidays" stares us in the face, as
we look round the boxes of Old Drury, and see a
grinning, rosy-faced regiment in white collars and
smart frocks. " Home for the Holidays" jostles us
in every highway, as the troops of independent
youngsters make a dead stop at some enticing shop
window, with various pulls at the maternal skirt, and
corresponding inquiries as to whether certain desired
articles cannot possibly be purchased. " Home for
the Holidays" is stamped on the tailor's bag, contain-
ing loosely-fitting suits of dark blue, and the dress-
maker's parcel, teeming with deeply-tucked dresses.
" Home for the Holidays" is detected in the piles of
new shoes, new stockings, new hats, new bonnets, new
everything, all coming in with the New Year.
" Home for the Holidays," pleasant joyous
words ! bringing to our hearts and firesides, health,
hope, cheerfulness, and light. Children are the
butterflies of our wordly wilderness, and we love
to have them come about us at all seasons, though
to confess the truth, they are very provoking
sometimes, and to our certain knowledge many a
doting sire who hastened with intenee exuberance of joy
to hail his progeny in the month of December, has
been heard to make particular inquiry towards the
end of January, as to " when school commenced,"
and a very truthful and genuine air has accompanied
his remark, that he was " glad the time was near."
Nay ! we once heard one of the best fathers in the
world declare that he would have a fiddler and a
bonfire the day after the departure of his cherished
brood, to celebrate the happy event; but, perhaps, it
is fair to mention that that this declaration was wrung
from him by the painful facts of two young gentle-
men having taken infinite trouble to precipitate them-
selves through a most remote skylight, and three
young ladies having indulged in preserves and sweet-
meats, to the extent necessary to insure a visit from
the family Esculepius.
We have noticed that depredations and enormities
generally increase as the vacation draws to a close.
Jackets and trowsers are damaged beyond reparation,
frocks discovered with gathers out, and pins in, and a
reckless apathy to all paternal discipline is often evi-
dent, exhibited, we suppose, on the desperate principle
of "a short life and a merry one." Serious lectures
are bestowed on "dear Tom," and sharp reprimands
lavished on "sweet little Emily." It is protested that
"such eating and drinking," "such running and
racing," "such mischief and rudeness," cannot be
"put up with," even by the proprietors of the crimi-
nals, and sorry are we in our charity and philosophy
to say it, but it does really appear that a most har-
dened audacity, and brazen character of rebellion
generally mark the conduct of very "young England"
when "Home for the Holidays."
And yet these few words are traced in illuminated
letters that we would not exterminate for the world.
They are the beacon-lights that guide many a tiny
craft through the stormy waters of "grammar,
geography, French, Latin, and history." Many a
small breast with large heart would sob itself to
death, were it not for this El Dorado ever kept in
sight. The frosty discipline of school duties, and
the sharp atmosphere of "classes' and "examina-
tions," would try many a susceptible constitution
severely, were it not for the six weeks of relaxing
climate found in the southern latitude of " dome for
the Holidays."
" Home for the Holidays"—oh, words of magic
might! Who does not recollect the time when they
had the power of sending the warm blood bounding
through the heart with quickened glow ? Who does
not remember the joyous thrill that prompted, as the
stage-coach whirled away from academic walls, and
visions grew stronger of fun, freedom, pantomime,
and plum cake? Midsummer was merry enough;
but Christmas, jolly, happy, glorious Christmas, was
the acme of delight, with its beef and pudding festi-
val, its Boxing-day, its New Year's-day, its Twelfth-
day, and all its appliances of clowns, columbines,
family feasts, juvenile parties, roasted chestnuts,
smoking flip, and " Blindman's Buff." Bright, warm
young spirits—rollicking and romping, as we once
rollicked and romped—we bless you from our inner-
most souls, although we are compelled now and then
to scold, and occasionally wish you back again at
Mr. Whackeni's and Mrs. Triintail's. Health and hap-
piness attend ye, and may the days to come never cause
ye to look back with a sigh on the days gone—when
ye shouted " Home for the Holidays !"

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
Mr. Mitchell has just published his programme for
the season, of French Plap, at this theatre;; and, in-
asmuch as Mr. Mitchell is noted for the scrupulous
fidelity with which he fulfils his pledges to the
public, we feel justified in asserting that the forth-
coming season will be the most brilliant season of
the French Plays that we have yet had in London.
The earlier seasons were all devoted to vaude-
villes, subsequently we had tragedy during the latter
portion of the season in addition to vaudevilles, and
last season we had the Opera Comique. In the season
of 1850, all these attractions will be combined. Mr. ,
Mitchell opens the theatre on the 7th of January for
the opera season. His company will compri►e Mdlle.
Charton, M. Chellet, M. Lac, M. Nathan, M. Quilly
Leroy, Mdile. Dehausen, and Mdlle. Guichard ; and
his first opera will be the Val d'Andorre of Halevy,
which has created so much sensation in Paris. This
will be followed by Herold's Zampa, in which M.
Chellet will sustain his ,original character, and by
several other popular operas, including the new work
by M. Thomas, Le Cold. The operatic season will
terminate before Easter, but on the Ist of April
the theatre will re-open for French comedy and
vaudeville, and M. Samson, Mdlle. Denain, M.
Regnier, Madlle. Nathalie, and Mdlle. Dejazet
successively make their appearance. When these
comic performances are ended, Mdlle. Rachel will
commence a series of tragic delineations, appearing in
four of the old tragedies, and in Dumas's Millie.
de Belle isle, a petite comedic. called Le Moineau
dc Lesbie, and Scribe's Adrienne Leoouvreur.
This is certainly one of the most brilliant pro-
grammes ever presented to the public, and we trust
that Mr. Mitchell will meet with that patronage and
encouragement to which his taste, his energy, and his
exertions so justly entitle him,

ELIZA Coox.

DIRECT LONDON AND EXETER RAILWAY.—Notice
of appeal against the decision of the Master in Chan-
cery, Brougham, rendering all parties who had signed
the deed, or paid the deposit, contributories to the
expenses of winding up the company, has been lodged
with the view on the ground of fraud, of rendering
the directors alone, liable, and compelling them to
return the deposit.
-ABERDEEN RAILWAY.—This line was opened for
goods' traffic on Thursday last to Portleshen, and will
be opened for passengers in a few days.

• LONDON AND BLACKWALL
RAILWAY COMPANY.
A special general meeting of the shareb Bets of this
company took place yesterday at the. London 'Tavern,
for the purpose of taking into consideration the report
from the committee of proprietors appointed at the
half-yearly meeting of the company, held in August
last.

J. N. DANIEL, Esq., the chairman of the company,
took the chair shortly after twelve o'clock, when
Mr. GOLDSMID, the chairman of the committee,
proceeded to draw the attention of the proprietors
to the report of the committee, and to the
observations made upon the several parts of that re-
port by the directors. From his statement and the
report it appeared that there had been great mis-
management in the conducting of the line in many
respects, ezpecially in persons being able to get into
the carriages of the company without paying ; the
inconveniences at the Brunswick Pier; the charging
too high for the transit of some goods and too low
for others; and that the interest of the
proprietors had been overlooked by the
directors in the course they had pursued. The
committee recommended that there should be one
g,neral manager of the line who should be well paid,
and the whole management of the ;railway should be
placed under his control ; and that, in order to effect
this, the salary of the directors should be reduced
from 1,000/ to 700/. a 3 ear. The report also recom-
mended that no officer of the company should hold
any office in any other company. Air. Goldsmid,
after adverting at considerable length to the statements
in the report, moved that the report, and the obser-
vations of the directors upon it, should be entered
upon the minutes.
The CHAIRMAN at some length defended the course
pursued by the directors, and the answer given by
them to the assertions in the report of the committee.
The motion for entering the report and observa-
tions on the minutes was then carried.
Mr. GOLDSMID moved a resolution to the effect
that none of the officers of the company be allowed
to hold office in the service of any other company.
Mr. HicKsox, one of the committee, seconded the
resolution, and in doing so said that he did not agree
the whole of the report, and he did not think the
committee had done their duty to the company. The
recommendation with regard to the appointment of
a general manager had not been discussed by the
committee at all, it emanated entirely from Mr.
Goldsmid, the chairman. Four out of five of the
committee voted for the adoption of the report, and
he (Mr. Hickson) was bound by the majority.
The CHAIRMAN said he would not oppose the
motion.
It was then put and carried unanimously.
Mr. GOLDSMID moved, that a manager be appointed
by the shareholders under the control of the direc-
tors, to superintend the whole of the affairs of the
company, and that his salary be contingent on a
small per-tentage of the profits, which was seconded
by Mr. COLEMAN.
Mr. TITE, surveyor to the company, explained
that the directors were not to blame with respect to
the carrying out of the agreement with the Eastern
Counties Company, who had been at great expense
with their station at Shoreditch, and they were un•
willing to give up part of that traffic to the Black-
wall Company; and, if they came on this line to
London-bridge, they would charge the same fare as
if they took the passenger to Shoreditch, without
making any allowance in favour of the Blackwell
Company. He knew that Mr. Hudson was extremely
adverse to any arrangement with this company.
With reference to a junction with the East and
West India Dock and Birmingham Junction Rail-
way, although the company were prevented by Lord
Shaftesbury's clause from joining the I3lackwall at
Poplar, on the level referred to the directors, they
had secured a junction with that line at another
point of the Bow and Stratford Junction Railway, he
had no doubt that in the course of six months they
would see traffic from Liverpool, by means of this
junction, pass over the line. It was to Mr. Wight-
roan, their superintendent of traffic, that they were
indebted for the change in the system of working
the line. He concluded by moving an amendment,
to the effect that the further recommendations in the
report of the committee be referred to the board of
directors, who are to report to the hext meeting
thereon, and adopt such of them as may be expedient.
Mr. J. WILSON seconded the amendment, and
complained that the, committee had not touched the
accounts ; being one of the auditors, he could say
that the accounts were kept in a most perfect manner.
Mr. Bostma was much disappointed with the report
of the committee. He did expect a detailed account
of the expenditure and other matters, so as to enable
the proprietors to form some opinion on the position
of their affairs.

The motion of Mr. Goldsmid was then withdrawn
and the amendment proposed by Mr. Tite was pui
and carried.

Resolutions were passed reducing the allowance of
the directors from 1,0001. to 7001. per annum, and
agreeing that all reports and accounts be sent to the
proprietors at least one week before the general
meetings.
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, a vote of thanks
was passed to Mr. Goldsmid, the chairman of the
committee ; and after a vote of thanks to the chair-
man the meeting separated.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
The Fire Queen iron steamer is ordered to be
fitted at Portsmouth fur the Holyhead packet station,
according to the plans suggested by her commander
Lieutenant Jones. She will be ready about the 28th
inst. She is to be payed over by Mr. Hay with his
compoEition.

The Birkenhead steamer was undocked on Friday
at Portsmouth, and taken into the basin. We omitted
to mention the state of her iron bottom when docked ;
there was not the slightest appearance of oxide on
the iron plates nor on the heads of the rivets, except
on a part where she had rubbed off the composition
when she grounded on a bank in Waterford river.
She has now received another coating of composition,
and will go to her moorings up the harbour. This
coating, it is said, is to be further tried in competition
with the Vulcan iron steamer, to be payed over by
Mr. Peacock. If sa, both vessels should lie in the
same water, and not be examined for a twelvemonth
at least, for the principal value of the business is the
durability of the composition.
The annual examinations are proceeding at the
Royal Naval College, Portsmouth, and at the Central
Mathematical School in the dockyard.
Some plans for ventilation and for protection against
fire, as suggested by Mr. Hay, the chemical assistant,
are now being carried on, on board the Malabar coal
depot, in Portsmouth Harbour.

On the occasion of the launch of the Argus at
Portsmouth, on Saturday last, John Fincham, Esq.,
the master builder, gave a sumptuous dleuner to his
officers and to a large party of friends, at his resi-
dence in the dockyard.
The Contest, 12, Commander the Hon. J. W.
Spencer, will have her compasses adjusted early this
week, and go to Spithead on Friday. So well and
so satisfactorily has this brig been turned out of
hand, both by the artificers and riggers of the yard,
that since the officers and crew have joined, not a
single alteration has been made nor required, nor
has any defect in either department been discovered.
It blew a hard westerly gale on Suuday night
at Portsmouth ; it moderated a little yesterday
morning, but the weather was still wild and stormy
last evening.
CHATHAM, DEC. 17.—The Crescy, 80 guns, build-
ing, had her figurehead, which is a bust of Edward
111., put in place on Saturday.
The Eliza transport, with convicts, embarked on
the 14th and 15th instant from Tilbury Fort, the first
company of pensioners recently formed to proceed to
Australia as a convict-guard. The strength of the
company consists of 5 sergeants, 1 drummer, 3 cor-
porals, and 67 privates, with 59 women and 105
children. On embarking, 60 rounds of ball cartridge
were furnisbed to each man. These pensioners are
under the command of Captain F. B. Russell, of the
22d Foot, appointed for the payment and organize-
ticn of the troops in that colony. These veterans
volunteered their services, in consequence of circu-
lars having been forwarded to the several staff dis-
tricts for returns of pensioners who are disposed
to volunteer their services for such duty; and Cap-
tain Tulloch, Inspector of Pensioners, is at Tilbury
Fort fur the express purpose of forming more com-
panies for the same duty, to escort convicts from this
country.

Mr. Thomas Laslatt, late purveyor of timber at
Moulmein, is appointed acting foreman at this yard.
Mr. Robert Vinning, supernumerary draughts-
man, now at Deptford, is appointed draughtsman at
this yard, vice Mr. James Barnaby, promoted to
measurer.

APPOINTMENTS.
Woomicu, DEC. 17.—Lieutenant Samuel G.
Cresswell (1849), to the Investigator, commibsioned
this day at Woolwich to proceed with the Enterprise
in search of Captain Sir John Franklin and his party.
Lieutenant Cresswell was mate of the Investigator on
her recent searching expedition to the Arctic regions,
and was promoted to Lieutenant for his services on
that occasion.

Second-Master Stephen Court (1842), to the In-
vestigator. This officer was Second• Master in the
Enterprise under Captain Sir James Ross in the
recent searching expedition.
Clerk in Charge--Joseph C. Paine (1842), to the
Investigator.
Mate—James J. 11. Groves (1848), to the Strom-
boli, at Portsmouth.

The Right lion:Sir Francis T. Baring, Bart., the
First Lord of the Admiralty, Rear-Admiral J. W.
Deans Dundas, C. 8., and Mr. Parker, First Secre-
tary, returned from Stratton Park to-day to their
official duties at the Admiralty.
The Archer steam-sloop was tried at the measured
mile in Long Reach, with her iron screw propeller,