The Sun.
London, England, 1840-12-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDONr, MONDAY, DECEMBER 28,1810.

A circumstance of a most fatal and horrifying nature
took place on the morning of Christmas Day, in the
Catholic Church of St. Nicholas Without, Francis-street,
Dublin. At the first mass, which was celebrated, accord-
ing to custom on that festival, at six o'clock in the morn-
ing, an alarm was given by some ruffian or ruffians that
the gallery was falling ; and the inhuman miscreant who
originated the cry at the same instant broke a stick, which
he had concealed about him, to make it appear that one of
the beams had cracked. This took place at the most so
lertin period of the sacrifice—the church being at the
time densely crowded—and in a moment a scene
of indescribable confusion ensued, Some unfortunate
people jumped from the gallery, and a dreadful rush
was made by all towards the doors ; a great number
,Pre trampled under foot and severely injured, and we
1 ..r with pain that five or six persons have actually been
killed on the spot, or have since died of their bruises. A
flight of three or four steps being at the approach was the
principal cause of the loss of life, for when the front ranks
were prostrated the persons following fell or trampled upon
those down, and thus a heap of more than a hundred per-
sons were lying together. The police were promptly on
the spot, and rendered the most effectual assistance in
relieving the unfortunate people who were thrown down
and being trampled upon; but no efforts of theirs could
stay the rushing of the crowds from within. The cries
and screeches of women and children, the horror-stricken
appearance of the entire mass of people, each apprehen-
sive that some relative or friend was amongst the killed or
wounded, presented a spectacle of the most horrifying
nature.
The following is an account of the cases in the County
Dublin Hospital :—Ellen Savage, aged 68 —dead—from
contusion and suffocation ; James Culligan, aged 15—
dead—from the same causes—the imprint of the nails cf
the shoes with which he was trampled are on his chest ;
Mary Murphy, aged 72—dangerously contused, but likely
to recover ; Eliza Keegan, aged 23—a comminuted frac-
ture of the leg. and otherwise much bruised ; a girl, name
unknown—suffering from internal bleeding in the brain—
no likelihood of recovery ; Anne Brian, aged 10—very
much contused, but likely to recover.
In the Coombe Hospital—A woman named Claxton,
wi.e of a shoemaker in New-street--dead from contusions.
She has left a husband and two children.
Tire County Coroner, Mr. M`Carthy, held an inquest
at which John Mooney deposed to having been in the gal
lery of the chapel at the time. He heard the shouting
an rying, and the words, " the gallery is falling," but
did not stir from his place, though numbers did rush out.
The confusion was below in the body of the chapel. He
heard it vim caused by the breaking, of one of the boards at
the back of the seats on which the people kneel in the
body of the chapel. A man near the place where it oc-
curred held up the broken plank to try and show the
people the groundlessness of the alarm. He communi-
cated the name of his informant, a collector at the chapel
qitucisst usiLttiledTtuheastday, .sorne
door.
The Coroner adjournedlteltiteelin,
In Saunders's News
malignant ruffians endeavoured to give the unfortunate
business a party colouring, but for the honour of human
nature the people were generally unwilling to attribute such
.44". demoniac villainy to any man, and the unchristian effort
failed in its purpose. There was not a particle of evidence
bearing such a construction transpired."

CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES.—SITTING of DEC. 24'
The President took the Chair at Two o'Clock.
The order of the day was the discussion on the Factory

Bill.
M. Renouard, the reporter of the Committee on the
Bill , stated that the Committee had assembled conformably
with the instructions of the Chamber, to consider the va-
rious amendments which had been proposed on article I
of the Bill, and had come to a resolution to propose to
the Chamber that the article should he presented as
follows:
" In future children could only be employed under the
conditions fixed by the present law.
" 1. In manufactories, workshops, &.c., with mechani-
cal locomotive power, or feu confirm, and in their depen-
dencies.
" 2. In dangerous or insalubrious manufactories, de-
clared so by Royal ordonnance.
" 3. In all manufactories, workshops, &c., where more
than forty persons are employed."
M. Dietrich proposed that the following should be
added :
" 4. le all spinning and weaving establishments, and
in those for printing cottons, linens, &c."
The President put the two first paragraphs to the vote,
and they were car:icd.
M. Lebeuf proposed to substitute " twenty" for " forty"
in paragraph 3.
This amendment being put to the vote was carried.
Par. 3 was then adopted, with the above modification.
" Art. 2. In order for children to be admitted in facto-
ries, &c., they must be at least eight years of age.
" From the age of eight to twelve they can only be em-
ployed in labour eight hours out of the twenty-four, in
which eight hours there is to be a period of repose.
" From the ages of twelve to sixteen they can only be
employed twelve hours out of the twenty-four, in which
twelve beers there arc two periods of repose.
" Z he hours of labour must be between five in the morn-
ing and nine in the evening.
Special decisions of the prefect or sub-prefect mny
authorise different periods of the day for the labour of
children from eight to twelve years of age, provided the
same child be not employed during the week for more than
forty-eight hours altogether, and never mere than nine
hours in one day."
The first paragraph of Art. 2 of this Bill, as proposed
by the Committee, was put to the vote and carried.
should stand
now agreed by the Chamber that the discussion
stand adjourned to Saturday, and that the orders of
the day which stood for Saturday should be transferred to
Monday.
The Charnb-r adjourned at half-past five.
In the Chamber of Deputies ox Saturday, Articles 2,3,
and 4 were separately discussed and voted by the Chamber.
Article 5 was under discussion when our reporter left the

ustom

Messrs. Devoy and Co., shipping
to 63 agents, of Thames-street, have issurdd:lClrcular,
%yawn contains a new and most useful feature, in the shape
of s oncise tariff of the duties levied at the Custom-
ti :uch articles as travellers are likely to be pos-
svt-sed On the second page is a list of Messrs, Dewy
and to.'s correspondents in various parts of the globe, in-
lasing the Australian Colonies, with a notice that the cir-
cular is forwarded gratis to those who apply for it. It
may b) considered a species of ditectory on a small scale,
extremely useful to the traveller, or to these who have
friends abroad. The list of custom duties payable on fo-
reign goods imported into England will be found very
conver.
as it enables Englishmen
abroad to ascertain
'he additional price every foreign article costs on reaching
ibis country. Under the article " Books," for instance,
we have the following account of the different duties
charged Books printed prior to 1808. the cwt., 14;
ditto, Foreign Languages, printed in, or since 1801, ditto,
21. 10s. ; dead, or English Languager (printed out lot
r,. glad) ;n, nor since 1801, the cwt., 61. Pirated ed-
uons e: ,English works prohibited.

House.
We call on the Government not to lose sight of the
c: utinuance of the armaments of England. It is not only
in the three kingdoms that it is levying seamen—it ap-
me„sione by accounts from Cork that the Lord High Com-
ssr has offered advantageous terms to fresh seamen
who will enter the British naval service.
A letter fror?, SGteunttegraalrdHoefsDs,eweehmobehrasl9airnrivtheed/ilhaeyreencise
Gazette says,
going to ratify, in the name of his Government, as Col.
Von Radowsky has done in the name of Prussia, the mea-
sures which the State; of the C,nfecleration have taken
in cowmen by way of precaution ag.,ihst the chances of war.
" The greatest activity prevails in the arsenal of Lud.
wigsburgb. Our manufactories, notwithstanding all their

FRANCE. exertions, are not able to furnish all the grey cloth that.
is required of them for the great coats. The preparation
(From the Paris Papers of Friday and Saturday.)
of all other articles for the equipment of the troops are.
On Wednesday evening their Majesties received the , making with the same promptitude.
Austrian, Russian, and Spanish Ambassadors, the Minister " Furloughs are at length going to be given to the men.
of Foreign Affairs, the Keeper of the Seals, and the Pre- 1 who are sufficiently trained, but part are to rejoin in Feb-
sident of the Chamber of Peers. ruary and part in April."—Le Commerce.
The Sentinelle de l' Armee states that the troops which
BOURSE.—Pertis, SATURDAY, DEC. 26.
have been ordered on Paris to form a division under f irst Highest Lowest Last
General Schneider for the works of the fortifications have Price Price. Frio, Price
stopped at one day's march from the capital, the temporary Frerch ,per Cents
96 (50 ... 110 ... 110 IC
4 per Cents 96 0 60 ... 96 60 .. C 6
barracks destined for their reception not being ready. This 3 per Cents 7C 50 -76 50 ... 76 50 76 50
explains the assertion of some of our Contemporaries that 8 ink et erance
orders had been sent to suspend the march of the troops. "IP" rank
5 Fer
The Gazette des Deux Mondes states that the contras- 3 per Cents
tors of works for the fortifications of Paris have informed Spanish Active `23,4 235, ... 2.314 231,
their men that the continuous wall and ditch round the city
nortiesuPen'peer Cents
20Si ... 2iW 20
will be put off for three years, and the detached forts alone Vcatntitsn
proceeded with. [Oman 9 i!ei 99
IfAiLWAY SHARES.
The Moniteur declares itself authorised to give a formal st CerA,ain
contradiction to the report of M. Humann's resignation. Ve-swilc,,R. E 3An ...360 ..
means ..
The Commerce says, " M. Hamann had hoped to frighten
the Chamber by his table of extra-expenditure, amountieg
to 839 millions, for the end of 1842, into an abandon-
ment of the armsmente ; but so far from this having been
the case, all the Committees appointed by the Chamber
have been chosen from among the partisans of the arma•
ments and fortifications."
The Qnotidienne states that a great number of sailors
have been paid of, and rent home from the ships of the
Levant squadron, now at Toulon.
The Journal (lie 'Lyre states that the naval carpen-
ters and other workmen, who had been drafted from va-
rious Channel ports to Brest. have been dismissed.
The Siecle quotes a letter from Milan, which asserts that
a secret convention has been made between Austria and
Sardinia, in virtue of which the troops of the ferrner
Power would occupy Piedmont, and enter Svii•zerland in
ease of a war with France.
'The Zurich Gazette states that the Swiss Vorort has
addressed a circular to the Cantonal Gov.rnmente con-
taining the following diplomatic note, which it has re-
ceived from his Excellency Mr. D. R. Moricr, British
'Ambassador :
" The undersienerl, Ambassador from her Majesty the
Queen of Great Britain, has communicated to his Govern-
ment an account of the measures adopteu by the Vorort
fcr maintaining the independence and neutrality of Swit-
zerland in ease of a war. On the 30th of November, Vis-
count Palmerston, Secretary of Sate for Foreign Affairs,
charged the undersigned to notify to their Excellencies
the Burgomaster and Council of State of the Canton of
Zurich, as Vorort of the Helvetic Confederation, the
satisfaction experienced by her Britannic Majesty's Govern-
ment an learning the resolution of the Helvetic Confe-
deration to maintain intact the rights which tbe Confe-
ration has acquired. by acceding to the declaration drawn
up at Vienna in 1815, and that too, by faithfully fulfilling
the ditties imposed on ,it. The undersigned is further
charged to assure the Vorett that her Britannic Majesty's
Government, although there is now no longer any proba-
bility of a rupture between France and the Powers which
signed the Treaty of London, fully appreciates the resolu-
tion of the Confederation to maintain the order of things
gueranteed by Great Britain. The undersigned 9eiz.l on
this occasion-of renewing to their Excellencies the Bie6se-
master and Council of State of Zurich the assurance of
his high consideration. " D. R. MO R I ER.
" Berne, Dec. 7."
'The Swiss Directory has published a notice that
kirsch-wesser, beine considered as a simple liqueur, might
be imported into England and Ireland, paying only a duty
of twenty-two shillings a gallon, being the same as that
imposed upon brandy, the thirty shilling duty having been
hitherto demanded on the supposition that kirsch-wassur
was a mixed liqueur.
The Federal of Geneva states that several accidents have
occurred in the Grisons in consequence of the immense
quantity of snow which has fallen from the Rhetian Alps.
A vrturino with his carriage and horses had been buried
under an avalanche from Mount Albula.
" The Bavarian Government," says the Indeoendant of
Brussels, " is so satisfied with the heavy pieces of cannon
recently cast for it at the Liege foundry that scarcely have
the first 150 guns been delivered than a new contract has
been entered into by it for 240 mortars, part of which arc
for throwing stone balls, and part upon Cohorn's principle.
We learn that many foreign artillery officers have passed
the highest culogiums en the beauty and solidity of the
heavy pieces alluded to. This new contract will not give
employment to a great number of hands, but will heighten
the repute in which the foundry is so justly held."
" The Friendland three-decker," says a Cherbourg
letter, " waits only fur orders from the Minister of the
Marine to be towed out into the roadstead, and in a week
after will be ready to go round to Brest, to take in her
guns and stores. The Reine Blanche, 60-gua frigate, is
nearly as forward."
On Thursday evening their Majesties received the
Turkish and Spanish Ambassadors, the Wurtembcrg Mi-
nister, the Swiss Charge d'Affrirs, Count Mole, Generals
Pajol and Tre zel.
The Moniteur Parisien states that on Tuesday neat
M. Hamann, Minister of Finance, will lay before the
Chamber of Deputies the Budget for 1842, and with it a
Bill fur authorising a loan of 16,000,000 f. Three per
Cent Rentes. This, at the present price, is equivalent to
a capital of 410 millions of francs.
Marshal Soult has revived at the offices of the Ministry
of War, with regard to persons entering them, the regula-
tions established in 1831 and 1832. The chefs de division
alone are to be allowed to present Peers, Deputies, Ge-
nerals, and other persons requesting an audience by let-
ter. Any person belonging to the offices introducing any
ono without permission will be immediately discharged.
The Paris Correspondent of the Obseruatcur of Brussels
says, that an official offer has been already made by Great
Britain of her mediation between Spain and Portugal.
A letter from Algiers of the 14th instant states, that a
small vessel in the service of the French navy has just been
lost dear Djigelly, and that the crew and passatigers have
been taken prisoners by the Arabs. The crew of the ship
which was wrecked off Bugia have got safely into that
town.
The King is this day to pass in review the officers and
seamen of the Belle Poule frigate and the Favourite cor-
vette. The review will take place in the Salle des Ma-
rcchaux of the Tuileries or the Galerie du Louvre. On
Tuesday the officers and crews are to leave, on their re-
turn to Cherbourg, in steamers, if the state of the river
should permit.
The Commerce says—" There is a report in the political
circles of a correspondence between our Cabinet and the
Swiss Directory on the subject of the armaments of the
Confederation. The contingents are estimated at 80,000
men, and of this number one-half are destined to ob-
serve the German frontier. But as the French frontier
presents only a comparatively small extent of line, it re-
sults that the troops placed in front of France will form a
very concentrated and almost hostile army. Such, we are
assurer], has been the subject of the communications made
to the Swiss Directory, which is said to have persisted in
maintaining the dispositions decided upon without offering
a satisfactory explanation."
A letter of the 20th instant, from Neuchatel, in Switzer-
land, quoted by the Constitutionnel, says—" A man named
Bore!, a native of Val de Travient, who had been exiled
as a participator in this disturbances of 1831, but has
lately been allowed to return to his own country, was a
few days ago denounced by the French Government to
the Swiss authorities as having furnished Darmes with the
carbine by which he made the attempt to shoot the King.
Borel has in consequence been imprisoned at Neuchatel,
and it is belived will be sent to France to take his trial."
The Droit mentions that the day before yesterday, a
journeyman dyer was arrested as an accomplice of Darmes,
and that some republican pamphlets found at his lodgings
were seized.
A new Constitution, drawn up by the Radical party in
the Swiss canton of Argau, has just been voted in the
States of that canton by a majority of 130 to 30.

BELGIUM.

(35
3:0
46j

BRESS ELS' DEC, 26.—Inthe sitting of the 24th of
December, the Senate agreed to the project of law fixing
the amount of the army for 1841, at 80,000, and the pro-
visional credit of five mllions, for the war department.
We learn that the Committee of the S mato appointed
to examine the project of law relative to the imposition
of an import duty, on ,foreign thread, is favourable to the
proposal. A duty of twelve or fiurtcen francs per 100
klogrammes is spoken of.

THEATRES.

DRURY-LANE.
The Concerts d'Hivcr attracted a crowded audience
on Saturday night, despite the absence of that
pantomimic fun, for which the holiday-makers at this
merry season of the year have generally so great a
craving. Every part of the house—boxes, pit, and
even the gallery, which, with the present performances,
is only visited from a want of room elsewhere—had its
occupants ; and the increased comfort of the arrar,ge-
ments,and the excellence of the programme, well repaid
them for the desertion of those places of amusement in
which harlequin is for the present allowed to reign tri•
umphant. There was no disorder or confusion (luring
an y part of the evening, and the deep attention pail to
the music generally, and the perfect quiet produced by
the performance of some sweet air or touching melody,
formed a striking, though indead a pleasing contrast to
the uproarious mirth and boisterousness which for ages
tins run riot on boxing night. During the close of the
-theatre for the last few days, several alterations have
been made in Os internal arrangements, which
,will add much both to the elegance of the house
(Lid the comfort of the audience. \Varm carpeting has
he.'m laid down both in the entrances and lobbies of the
boxes, and the whole area of the pit, has been covered ;
new- stoves have been erected, and curtains have been
hung Across the doors, to keep out the inclemency of
this roAlly winter weather, SO fatal to the personal
comfort of those within its reach. \Vreaths, festoons,
and bouquets, formed of holly, misletoe, and the other
plants which the season affords, are scattered here and
there, an,: give an agreeable variety to the general
eff,:et of the decorations, So much for the improve-
ments to Which the enterprising manager has made in
the fittings up of the theatre. Of the programme of
the niOft we .need saw but little. It included the ,}ven-
tures to Tencrcdi, Fee Diuvolo, Masanicllo—sevLral
favourite quadrilles, waltzes, and galops—a solo by
Harr Koenig on the cornet-a-pison, and on the con-
certina by Mr. E. Case ; and the performances were
wound up with God save the Queen. All of these were
admirably played, and were much applauded.

HAYMARKET.

The character of the entertainment provided for the
holiday visitors on Saturday night differed somewhat
from that prescribed by established usage at this merry
season of the year. The Christmas gambols of Clown
and Pantaloon arc wanting, the magic wand of Harle-
quin was not there, nor the graceful (lancing of Colur.3-
bine ; but, in the place of those old favourites, whose
faces have been familiar to us from our childhood,
stood the good King Arthur, with his Queen Dolla-
lolla, his daughter Huncamunca, and that diminutive
hero of romance Thomas Thumb, the Giant-killer.
Considering the shortness of the period during which
this house can remain open, it is not surprising that the
manager was reluctant to incur the expense which must
attend the prodh: :ion of a genuine pantomime ; nor is
it, on the other hand, more surprising that the au-
dience should have felt some disappointment at the
absence of their old friends. From whatever cause it
proceeded, the fact certainly is, that even Fiehling%Tom
Thumb, incomparably tine finest burlesque ever written,
passed off heavily, and was upon the whole unfavourably •
received. Great pains appeared to have been bestowed
upon the “ getting up ;" the dresses, in the style of
the time of George 1., were tasteful and correct, and
the new scenery was excellent ; but perhaps the want
of success which has attended this revival is mainly to
he attributed to inefficiency in the performers generally.
Tnere were unquestionably several exceptions to that
. remark ; Strickland threw all the rich humour of whic'a
be is capable into King Arthur ; Mrs. Stanley's Hon-
, eamunea was a glorious tragedy princess ; and Master
. George Webster's Tom Thumb was unev_Tptionable.

This clever child, about seven years old, strutted about
the st 44e, and talked of love and war with all the dig-
nity of a real hero. He entered most completely into
the spirit of the character, and almost monopolized
the applause ; out unless every character is sustained
with spirit, a burlesque Ike " Tom Thumb," witty anti
amusing in itself, must infallibly become tedious on the
stage ; and so it proved on Saturday niht. More
than half the point was lost upon the audience by the
mumblieg of the actors, whom we would venture to
remind, for their future guidance, that in order to ap-
preciate Tom Tb tont), it is exceedingly necessary to
hear the words, not of the dialogue merely, but of the
songs and catches, with which it is copiously inter-
spersed. Sir E. L. Malwer's new comedy, _Money,
continues to increase in attraction. It was received
throughout with very great applause, and at the fall of
the curtain M. Macrcady was loudly called for ; but
be did not make his appearance. The farce of the
Ladies' Club, with a few alterations by the author, suc-
ceeded the comedy, and with the valuable aid of Mrs.
Glover, passed off well.

COVENT-GARDEN.
From time immemorial old Father Christmas has
inseparably connected among his well-deserved and
highly prized festive enjoyments, the delicious-
ness of plum-pudding with the delectability of that
schooi•boy wonder of wonders—Pantomine. Accord-
ing to modern usages, not fuller of raisins, almonds, cur•
rants, and all sorts of spices, is the cake, the Panto-
mime, than of wit, repartee, and of local corrective allusion.
We never witness the approach of Christmas without
being prepared to sing in the chorus of the old Frecch
canticle, thus freely translated in " Hone's Every-day
Book," the following touching lines :
" flail Father Christmas ! hail to thee !
Honoured ever shalt thcu be I
All the sweets that love bestows,
Endless pleasures wait on those
Who, like Vassals brave and true,
Give to Christmas homage due."
And " homage due," it is no less the duty than the
del ght of our Pantomimists to render to Father Christ-
mas. This, at least, we may attest, that after the
" Spanish Curate," the Pantomime produced on Satur-
day night at Covent-Gardsn might fairly lay claim to a
more intellectual origin than many of its brethren ; and
if magnificence of scenery and dresses were to he the
test of merit, we do not know where a piece has been
brought before the public which could compete with it.
The title was The Castle of Otranto, a name dear to
all lovers of romance, the first specimen of the Gothic
romance, that prolific parent of the school of mysterious
yolumss filled with spectres, dungeons, subtcrraneous
passages, bleeding nuns, and skeleton warriors, which
deluged all the circulating libraries in the kingdom, until
the Great Wizard of the North with one dash of his pen
drove the whole brood into their original darkness. The
opening scene of the piece, which owes its name and origin
to this popular tale, is laid in the regions of romance, in
which the Spirit of Romance (Miss M. Glover) is
discovered lamenting the decline of her empire and the
destruction of the " reign of terror," by modern parody.
She summons up her attendant spirits, and the heroes
and heroines of romance, amongst whom are the re-
doubted seven champions of Christendom, Amadis de
Gaul, Robert the Devil, the Monk, the Bleeding Nun,
Faust, the Bravo of Venice, Ivanhoe, &c. She charges
these, her faithful followers, to repel the inroads of Bur-
lesque, and to regain their ancient power. The scene
then changes to a view of the Castle of Otranto as seen
through the medium of romance, an ancient struc-
ture, with castellated walls, moat, tower, and donjon,
in every respect a fit residence for a grim baron of the
feudal time. The Spirit of Burlesque (S. Smith) now
'appears bearing a large fool's bauble, sand attended by a
band of pretty little female Follies, and a large troop of
Burlesque Cavalry, with basket chargers. The heroes
and heroines of Burlesque join their leader ; in their
ranks we recognised our old friends TomaThurnb, Don
Ferolo, \Vhiskcrandos, Don Quixote, the Three Kings
of Brentford, and other celebrated characters. By
the direction of the Burlesque chief, his forces make
an assault on the Castle of Otranto, which, after a faint
resistance, is taken, and Romance and her followers
driven out from their strong hold to seek shelter else-
where. The scene then shifts to the Court-yard in
the Castle, in which stands the gigantic helmet, which,
in a chaunt sung by the spirit of Burlesque, is described as
" The helmet so awfully big,
That fell from the sky,
Nobody knew why ;
And pitched itself hard
In the Castle-yard
Of the Castle of O-tran-to l"
Manfred, the usurpiug Prince of Otranto, is represented
by an irascible mad red-haired old gentleman, who
thumps his wife and kicks his vassals in a truly inde-
pendent and princely fashion. The unexpected appear-
anoe of the Helmet causes the Prince considerable un-
easiness, and he causes Theodore, the true heir, to be
placed under it ; but the Helmet, indignant at being
converted into a lockup-house for disorderly persons,
begins to wave its tremendous black plumes in a mys-
terious manner, encloses its huge vizor slowly, and dis-
covers the features of Alphonse the Good, to the great
alarm castle, which is not at all
dispelled of the
the appearance of a gigantic hand, issuing
from the ground, and applying the end of the thumb to
tbhye inmates of the
the tip of the nose, in the " Don't you wish you may
get it" style. After this dreadful vision, we are intro-
duced to a vault in the castle .into which the youthful
Theodore has fallen through a hole which had been
broken through the pavement by the gigantic helmet.
Then we have a grand staircase and gallery—in which
a couple of gigantic arms and fists encased in armour,
play shuttlecock with Manfred and his domestics pitch-
ing them up to the ceiling and pummelling them with
an energy and determination that would make Deaf
Burke expire with envy. The knight of the gigantic
sabre next arrives, and a challenge is blown by a very
small pa;e on a very large horn at the castle gate, and
after a long parley with a venerable monk, the gigantic
sabre is borne into the castle. We have, finally, what
architects call a front elevation of the monstrous helmet.
" With the tomb of Alphonse the Good,
Who lived in the castle as long as he could."
—Theodore is discovered to be the rightful heir, the
helmet opens gradually and discovers a very beautiful
and effective grouping. The Spirit of Romance appears
surrounded by a star radiating into golden spear heads ;
on either hand are drawn up a pile of mounted knights
in complete panoply. The entire group is supported on
a gilt platform, adorned with armorial devices, escut-
cheons, B,:e.
Nothing could be more gracefully conceived and exe-
cuted than this charming device, which drew down ge-
neral applause.
Some of the pantomime scenes were exceedingly good
and told well, while a great many others of them were
:sufficiently,ientie dull. Of the latter class was the Show of
Fruits
and Flowers, with the melancholy joke of
converting the clown into a Gooseberry Fool, a
a huge goose being on his head ; and " The Furnished
Lodgings"
scene, where the hackneyed trick of making
the chairs, tables, sofas, and every article of furniture dis-
appear, one after another, until the room is completely
dismantled, and;becomcs " Unfurnished Lodgings" in the
strictest meaning of the word. The scene, however,
aided by aju.licious smash of glass ware, and a comic
cracker attached to the clown's rear, provoked a good
deal of laughter among
galleries. T the holiday folks of the pit and
The best scene, by far, was",theTemple of the
Drama," a beautiful classical building, but, evidently in
such a tottering condition, that it, is obliged to he sup-
ported by two
'
wooden props called " spectacle" and
rnelo•drarna."
rho Temple is offered for sale, " a
great
at 100,0001. for the season. Musard
and
his bargain,"
bandrg ain
0, "f
foreign musicians rise from the stage,
and take possession of it ; the scene then changes, and
we find an orchestra on the stage, while the statues of
Shakspere, Lope de Vega, Molicre, Racine, and other
dramatists, Ore represented playing upon a iolins, &c.
The results of this musical mania arc shown by a num-
ber of placards, borne across the stage, in which is
shown the gradual and natural descent from overflow•
ing houses to bankruptcy and the treadmill. The
scene of John Bull in the china shop was very well re-
ceived ; indeed, all the. allusions to England's glory.
and the valour of her troops by land and sea, were
loudly applauded. Trafalgar-square, with its broadside
of placards was made a vehicle for some good lids—the
change and discovery of Nelson's Monument, and the
well-managed appearance of the Victory in full sail,
was rapturously received, as was the national-flag
dance of sailors and their lasses, though we must say we
never saw such fair weather sailors at Portsmouth or
Plymouth; we rather think they were different to those
hearty fellows who opened Mehemet Ali's eyes.
The panorama, which is beautifully painted by the
Messrs. Grieves, embraced some of the places ren-
dered remarkable by striking events within the past
year. There was a charming view of St. Helena,
with the removal of Napoleon's remains on board the
Belle Poule frigate by night—there was a storm off
the Cape, fearfully natural, .vith Admiral Elliot's
fleet tossed upon the mighty billows. Then we hld
picturesque views in China—the city of Canton—
with its at jocks Cr(! fan!!•tie Pl7.o'l•l', 'n'l b`t-
lain's, auu tile British troops scalieg the walls of
I:chusan ; and thee the glorious capture of Acre, con-

eluding with a grand allegorical picture, which, it is procures the aid of the dwarf of the " palace of many
sufficient to say, was not excelled by any other scene in gates" and succeeds in putting her to sleep for a number
the piece. As a whole, the pantomime, with a little of years, and consequently her appearance is changed to
curtailment, is extremely clever, it is got up with a that of an old woman, which has the effect of inducing
liberality highly creditable to the management, and her to acknowledge his addresses. The transformatio❑
cannot fail to attract large audiences for some weeks to then takes place, and Mr. J. W. Collier sustains the
come. The house was crammed to the ceiling. part of the Harlequin, Mr. Grammani, Pantaloon, Mr.
Jeff-rani, Clown, Mr. Stilt, Harlequin's Tiger, and Mrs.
J. W. Collier, that of Columbine. The tricks, trans-
formations, and mechanical scenes are humourous and
wed executed. A burlesque on the " black bottle"
scene between Lord Cardigan and Captain Reynolds
was introduced, and excited great laughter. The last
scene, " The Hall of History," illustrating Great.
Britaih's triumphs in the annals of time, was well
painted. It includes Alfred's Victory • over the Danes
in 891; Magna Charta, 1815 ; the Battle of Cressy,
1:346 ; the Battle of Poictiers, 1356 ; Henry the Fifth
at Agincourt ; the destruction of the Spanish Armada,
1588 ; the restoration, 1660 ; the battle of Blenheim,
1704 ; the battle of the Nile, 1799 ; the battle of Tra-
lalgo.r, 1805 ; the siege of Badajoz, 1813 ; and the
battle of Waterloo, 1815. The characters were well
sustained.

ADELPHI THEATRE.
The pantomime at this theatre is entitled Hanle
(juin and the Enchanted Fisk ! or the Geni (query
Genius) of the Brazen Bottle, is produced by that
Prince of grotesque Pantornimists Wieland, who en-
acts the part of Clown. The introductory porti.in is
a burlesque version of the story of the Fisherman from
" The Arabian Nights." The opening scene, a view
of the Palace and Dominions of the Sultan Fattah-
Fool-All Gobble All Ah is exceedingly beautiful—a
calm lake,its placid surface gemmed with boats, whos
light sails glitter in the sun, constitutes the foreground,
while in the back appears the " city of the Sultan"
with its doilies and minarets towering into the blue and
cloudless sky. It is scarcely necessary to say that this
exquisite specimen of Eastern scenery is from the pencil
of Telbin. Mustapha, the Fisherman (Mr. Maynard),
after having in vain cast his nets into this lake, hies
him to the enchanted lake of the four mountains, whore
he brings to land a brazen bottle in which is impri-
soned an Efreet. He opens the bottle and the Efreet
appears, but instead of evincing gratitude he threatens
to take the life of his deliverer, but first of all to gra-
tify his curiosity gets again into the brazen bottle, where-
upon Mustapha shuts him up, and only releases him on
his promise to put him in a way of making his fortune,
when the Effreet directs him to cast his net into the lake,
and proceed with certain fish which he will catch, to the-
palace of the Sultan. On his arrival at the Royal resi-
dence, he finds the Sultan in a peck of troubles, first, on
account of the sudden disappearance of his son Prince
Floridore ; next on account of the equally afflicting cir-
cutnstance of the scarcity of fish, in consequence of
which the Royal table had for some time been unsup-
plied with this luxury. The arrival of the fisherman is
of course hailed with delight, and leaving the Officers of
State to conduct the Government, and the search after
the lost hair, as to them may seem meet, his Majesty,
accompanied by his cook, proceeds to the kitchen to as-
sist in doing the honours of the frying-pan, to the illus-
trious strangers who have been thus presented at
Court by Mustapha. Wieland acted the Sultan,
and an excellent piece of rich humour he made
of it. His dress and making-up were admirable.
He locked like a walking plum-pudding, and seemed
in a constant stew of fussiness. The enchanted
fish hops about in the pan to the great astonishment of
his Majesty, and in obedience to the orders of the Fairy
of the Myrtle Rod, at length hops out of it. The ap-
pearance of the Fairy is excellently managed, and
pretty Mrs. Nailer dressed and looked the Fairy to
perfection. A second supply of fish play the same
pranks in obedience to the orders of the black slave of
the green baton, and then the Sultan is informed that
these fish are servants of his . son, who have been en-
chanted by a magician, who keeps Prince Floridore
and the Princess Amanda prisoners in his enchanted
castle, from which the Sultan himself can alone free
them. The Sultan immediately undertakes the adven-
ture, and on his arrival at the enchanter's, the usual
transformations take place, Prince Floridore being the
Harlequin (Ellar), the Princess, the Columbine (Miss
Bullen), the Sultan, the Clown (Wieland), and the
Magician, Pantaloon (King). Ellar, notwithstanding
his age, is still as active as ever, he is indeed a Harle-
quin, not a mere dancer in a Harlequin's dress, and we
are delighted to sec him once more in his proper sphere.
He can boast of having played Harlequin to the two best
Clowns of modern times, Grimaldi and Wieland,on whose
shoulders the mantle of Grimaldi has most worthily
faller.. Wieland's Clown is not that of a face-making
posture master, but is a rich and unctuous piece of
genuine humour. He does not go through his tricks
sedately and solemnly as some of your clowns do, but
he seems to enjoy them himself ; entering into them
with the genuine school-boy relish for mischief. His
wink and chuckle are most knowing; and his laugh
is quite contagious. Miss Bullen made a graceful
Columbine ; and Mr. King, as Pantaloon, bore his
mishaps with becoming resignation. The pantomime
was like one of the olden time, one continued scene
of bustle ; depending more upon the harlequin for its
success than upon the adventitious aids of scenery, &c.
" An old friend with a new face," was one of the best
of the transformations. The scene representing the old
front of the Adelphi, is, by a touch of Harlequin's wand,
transformed into a view of the present front. The
events of the past year come in for their share of panto-
mimical illustration, and divers hits at the Earl of Car-
digan were received with loud applause. One of the
best tricks was the arrival of a packing-case, directed
to John Bull, Esq. When opened, it was discovered
to contain five volumes of Annuals, 1840 to 1844, and
from each volume walked forth an infant Prince or
Princess. Their Royal Highnesses were loudly cheered.
The concluding scene—a grand allegorical tableau of,
the Ocean Queen and her tributaries, was very effectives
and elicited loud applause. Although some of the tricks
hung fire, the pantomime on the whole went off very
well. At the fall of the curtain there were some
slight manifestations of disapprobation, which were
speedily overwhelmed by a tumult of applause, in the
midst of which Wieland appeared, and announced the
pantomime for repetition every evening.

SADLER' S WELLS.
The admirers of Christmas theatricals at the northern
district of the metropolis were last night well enter-
tained at this theatre by Mr. Honncr, the lessee. The
bill of fare was attractive, and the house was filled
soon after the doors were opened. The juvenile, which
was by no means the smallest portion of the audience,
appeared to he as happy as usual upon such occasions.
The performances commenced with a romantic domes-
tic drama, in three acts, called The Outcast Mother ; or
Mc IVild Woman of the Village. The piece appeared
to please ; but, is consequence of the general noire,
little was heard. The principal characters were sus-
Williams, Elvin,
tained by Messrs. Henry Marston,
Dry, and J. W. Collier, and Mesdames Richardson,
Morgan, and Barnett. This was followed by a new,
grand, comic Christmas pantomime, entitled Harlequin
at:d Poor Richard ; or, Ohl ,Father Time and the Al-
manacle Maker. Of the pantomime, we must say that
the scenery is beautiful, the decorations are good, the mu-
sic middling, and the dancing tolerable. Those, however,
whose fancy it is sought most to please at this
particular season were not slow in bestowing upon it
their hearty approbation. The rapture of the children
appeared to be without bounds ; ready to leap out of
the box, they joycd in the mischief of the clown, and
exhibited no small portion of contempt for his ignorance
in not knowing that hot water would scald and gun-
powder explode. The first scene is " the abode of
Old Father Time, overlooking the great globe itself',"
and the changes of Time, with a dioramic illustration of
the flight of the hours—sunrise and noon, sunset and
night—which is admirably executed and elicited consi-
derable applause. A very beautiful view of the Palace
of Pleasure in the Realm of Laughter followed, in which
an amusing scene takes place between Gaity (the God-
dess of Pleasure), Miss Cooke, and her usual attendants,
Mirth, Levity, and Folly, Giddiness, Extravaance, and
Dissipation. The exterior of poor Richard's dwelling
at the Golden Clock,in which poor Richard (Mr. W.
Collier, afterwards Harlequin), endeavours to win the
lifiN;tions of Mirroonerte Rompektilsken, ".7 .e en of Maury
kNiadlie.kantly t cutoll) wiiu has a great contempt for the
men fellows, and consequently rejects his suit. He then

SURREY THEATRE.
The first piece performed on Saturday evening was a
domestic drama, by the author of Black-eyed Susan,
entiled Martha 117iiis, the Maid Servant. It has a
good moral. Some of the acting was excellent, par-
ticularly that of Mr. Saville and Mrs. 11. Vining, and
went off much better than a new piece generally does
at this season of boisterous merriment. A lively pan-
tomime followed, entitled Harlequin and My Lady
Lee ; or, Goosy Gander and the Spit-bound Goslings,
and it was most amusing to see how like geese boys
and men can make themselves at times. Goosey
Gander was a most sup2rb animal, surpassing
any of the spcies in St. James's Park ; and the
little goslings, with their pretty legs and violet-coloured
wings, which they moved very gracefully, attracted
universal attention. The story of the pantomime ap-
pears to be this :—Eghart, Lord of Lincoln (Mr. John-
son), is deeply attached to Swauhilda, or in other
words to the redoubtable Lady Lec (Miss Chartley).
who is disguised as a goose girl ; but his views arc in-
„terfered with by maid Margery (Mr. France), who
havlng assumed the title, vows that she will wed
no other than Lincoln's lord. Now, maid Margery,
i being aided and assisted by Malachi Muniblemass, corn-
moldy called Humpty Dumpty (the old man who could
not kneel down to say his prayers for fear of not being
able to get up again), in these her wily schemes, is nearly
getting the better of justice, when another personage
is called into action, Michael Pascal, the wizard of the
fens of Lincolnshire, commonly called Goosey Gander,
having some time previously been transformed into
stone by a mighty fairy, and having remained in that
cold condition until this particular juncture, is re-
leased by Swanhilda. Michael testifies his gratitude
by uniting in the holy bonds of wedlock Lord Egbart
and Swauhilda, upon the one condition of their doing
their very best towards the evening's fun, and by the
influence of his power they are transformed into Harle-
quin and Columbine, Mr. Rochez taking the former,
and Miss Sharpe the latter character, with Mr.
Southby as Clown, Mr. Lehman as Pantaloon, Mr.
Huline as Hobbynob, and though last not least, Signor
Felix Carlo is a kind of medium character, or, as he
is called in the bills, Jack-o'-both-sides. The genius
of these respective gentlemen was now called into ac-
tive requisition, for scene succeeded scene with the
rapidity of magic, and the tricks and transformations
followed in quick succession. A booking-office, a
doctor's shop, and an undertaker's, were before the
audience at the same time, when the scene changed to
Gravesend (not in Kent), and afterwards to the new
cemetery—rather a short way to the end of all things
human. Next came the Clown with the others, dressed
up as royal academicians, giving their opinions of the
various works of art brought for admission. All those
in the style of Turner were passed with acclamations,
whilst some, having no other claim than that of being
true to nature, were daubed over, or passed by alto-
gether. Nelson's Monument sprung up from the ruins
of a man-of-war, in Trafalgar-square, amidst a full
chorus singing " Rule Britannia." Pantaloon jumped
into the shop-window of a grocer, when a paper an-
nounced that he was gone to tea. A Royal cradle, with
attendant pages, was marched into a shop of one
Master John Bull, dealer in roast beef, amidst the
cheers of the whole house. Clown told John Bull that
he would have to keep her, upon which he answered
earnestly, " Ay, that I will." A military depot was
then introduced with three dashing officers of Prince
Albert's Own. On opening a hamper the black
bottle gave rise to a hearty laugh, and more especially
when the aforesaid officers declared it to be most un-
gentlemanly to have it upon the table. A boarding-
school on fire gave the audience an opportunity of be-
holding several damsels in their night gear. The most
effective scene in the whole pantomime was the Rail.•
way Station, comprising the station for accidents and
offences. Upon the engine blowing up, which it is
made to do as a matter of course, legs, arms, and other
portions of man's mortal frame, aro scattered about like
hailstones. They arc put together and steam applied
, to them, when, strange to say, they unite again, and as-
sume part of their original character. A claims of B
his leg, and B claims of C his arm ; they each insist
upon the other returning their own particular extre-
mity. This scene is heightened considerably by the
resuscitated individuals being dressed in party-coloured
clothes. A grand synopsis of Syria, or diorama of por-
tions of Asiatic Turkey, Asia Minor, and the Holy
Land, with the fortress of St. Jean d'Acre, is presented
to illustrate the victories of the Allies in the East,
which does credit to the scene-painters of the theatre.
j The pantomime, altogether, was very successful.

VICTORIA.
After the tragedy of Jane Shore, which was wit.
nessed with sonic impatience by the numberless visitors
to this theatre, a pantomime written by Mr. Moncrieff,
and under the superintendence of Mr. Howell, who had
been for some time at Drury-lane theatre, was produced.
It was entitled Harlequin Jack (f .Newbury; or, 13aa,
Baa, Black Sheep, and the Old Woman of Berkley. The
pantomime was got up with great splendour, and the
changes of scene and tricks, of which there was great
abundance, were managed with adroitness but seldom
witnessed upon the first night of so complicated a display,
There were, as might be expected, several hits made at
some of the remarkable events of recant occurrence.
The famous court-martial at Brighton, and the general
conduct of the officer who figured upon that occasion,
supplied Mr. Moncrietf with opportunities of passing
some very pointed and humorous practical jokes
upon the vexatious discipline carried into effect '
in one particular regiment. The accouchement of her
Majesty was another theme upon which his comical
imagination was exercised with success ; and the ra-
pidity with which the baby was stripped naked, when
there was a question about its sex, drew down peals of
laughter wad applause from men, women, and children.
The imitation of the performances at Richardson's show,
iAt Bartholomew Fair, was so perfect as so convince
many in the theatre that the imitators must have prac-
tised in the very spot. The Clown, who is, we under•
stand, the son of Blanchard, of Surrey celebrity, is a
decided acquisition. He has genuine humour, and a
great deal of activity too. Tho Harlequin, by Mr.
Howell, was a very neat performance, and a young
lady of the name of Gooderham gave very great satis-
faction as Columbine. Indeed, it seemed quite impos-
sible to fatigue her, for she appeared every instant on
the boards, and at the conclusion had as much elasticity
as she displayed upon the rising of the curtain. The
Pantaloon was carefully performed by Mr. Asbury, and
the piece terminated amidst ;peat applause.