The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-15 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

The performances at her Majesty's Theatre on Satur-
day evening were 1l Barbiere di Seraglia, La Gitana, and
a pas de trois between the first and second acts of the
former. Il Fir ata had been advertised, but owing to the
sudden illness of Madame Persiani it was changed, and 11
Barbiere substituted in its place, to the no small delight of
all honest lovers of good music. The cast was'as before,
Grisi playing Rosina, Rubini 11 Conte d'Almaviva, La-
blache Bartolo, and Tamburini Figaro, and nothing
could exceed the spirit, the case, and the effect with
which they performed these several parts. Taglioni danced
in the pas de trois with Signor Guerra and Mademoiselle
Pierson, and also in La Gitana, which followed the opera,
and Mademoiselle Cerito likewise danced in the same

Idiot. The manifest rivalry between these two admirable 1
artistes produced a performance that is not often equalled
in this theatre. The great feature of the night, however,
was the presence of her Majesty during the opera. She
entered the house attended by her illustrious consort,
Prince Albert, about eight o'clock, and never, perhaps,
was the reception of any Sovereign more enthusiastic than
that which she received from that portion of her subjects
present on the occasion. The theatre was crowded nearly
to suffocation ; there was not a single spot unoccupied.
On the entrance of the royal pair, the whole house rose,
and such a scene ensued as beggars description. A suc-
cession of the most deafening cheers was the first greeting
they met with, then followed a waving of hats and hand-
kerchiefs from all parts of the theatre, and finally the
whole vocal strength of the company came on the stage
and sung the national anthem, in a most effective manner.
Another hurricane of cheering and waving of hats and
handkerchiefs st. ceeeded ; then came a third for Prince
Albert. The Queen, the Prince, and their suite, left at
half-past ten o'clock. tier Majesty appeared to feel very
deeply these affectionate demonstrations of loyalty and
attachment on the part of her subjects.
The following interesting particulars of the stirring
scene have been communicated by a Correspondent :
" Language is inadequate to picture the thrilling en-
thusiasm excited by her Majesty's appearance at the
opera on Saturday night. The opera had for some timeH
been proceeding, when her Majesty appeared. Grisi and
Lablache were instantly interrupted by the most tre-
mendous and overwhelming bursts of cheering—all the im-
mense audience rising instantaneously—its mighty masses
struck by one common feeling of heartfelt joy and deep-
seated loyalty—apparently utterly at a loss how adequately
to express it ;—every voice raised—every hat waved—the
fair occupants of the boxes streaming their handkerchiefs
—the cheering repeated, and reiterated again and again,
till the noble edifice seemed to tremble, till at last the
shout became universal for God Save the Queen. The
singers, with willing alacrity, appeared, the band struck
[ up the sublime strains of our national anthem, and Grisi's
electrifying voice poured into them all its matchless me-
i lody, scow aided by the harmony, alike so fine and powerful,
of her illustrious companions, and the congregated
thousands (fog• the house was crowded) joining in the
chorus pith an evident energy never surpassed; every
verse, indeed, especially the lines " Scatter her enemies,"
and " Long may she reign," being drowned by their over-
powering cheers. Her Majesty was deeply affected."

THE GREAT WIZARD OF THE

NORTH.

This extraordinary being from the North, with his
mysterious satellites, have shaped their course towards
the West. His performances having proved so univer-
sally attractive throughout the provinces of all England
and Scotland, and which, as it were, took the metropolis
by surprise when he made his debut in London, it would
appear he has been induced to prolong his stay for a
time, and to change the locality of his field of action.
H' has left the Strand Theatre, where he was more
conveniently situated for citizen audiences, and where,
during his lengthy season, he commanded crowded com-
panies, and has sought for himself the more aristocratic
air of St. James's. We visited this exhibition last week,
at his new temple of magic in the St. James's Bazaar,
St. James's-street, where we found he had fitted up a
place in a princely style of magnificence. Grand as the
display which his paraphernalia made on the
stage of the Theatre; it fell far short of that which it
produces in its new disposition. The interior of the
vast room has been inclosed with a screen of varied
tapestry work of pink and white, forming a superb
marquee, unique and tastefully done up with festoon-
ing. The furniture of the place has all the air of draw-
ing-room niceties. The chairs, the carpeting, the chan-
delier, and candlebra have more the appearance of the
auxiliaries of the private residence of nobility, than to
be used for a place of public amusement. The stage is
formed of a silk fabric of fashionable manufacture,
appropriated to the purposes of the higher departments
of the craft of the upholsterer, ornamented with heavy
fringing and cording ; the front and canopy are
composed of deep red velvet, relieved by scroll work,
the Royal arms and other designs are made from yellow
cut velvet, aided by the assistance of the velvet painter,
and yet with all this profusion of rich material, the
whole is preserved within that which may be described
as being neatly elegant. The place being more circum-
scribed is consequently much better adapted for wit-
nessing the operations of the performer than a theatre,
and his stage appointments when thus viewed more
closely, are much enhanced in value to the eye. They
really look like the property of a gentleman, and indeed
the whole structure, as it is, exceeds any idea that
usually may be formed of a casual exhibition room. He
must have gone to an enormous expence, and we pre-
sume his object was to make the morning performances
and accommodation suitable to the higher circles at
the West End. Adjoining the theatre he has fitted
up a saloon in excellent taste, and has spared no papas
in endeavouring to attract the public to witness the
most extraordinary illusions and sleight-of-hand exhi-
bitions that were ever exhibited in London.

On Friday last the body of Mr. John Speechley,
a respectable farmer at Sutton St. Edmund's, near Wisbeach,
was found by his daughter suspended from a beam in a shed, a
short distance from his house. The daughter immediately gave
the alarm, and a man who was working a short distance off ran
to the slot, and he not having sufficient courage to cut the
11 body down, ran about half a mile for assistance. When cut
down, the deceased was not quite dead, and there is not the
least doubt that hail he been cut down when first discovered
he would have recovered.+Noncich Mircury,