The Sun.
London, England, 1824-04-10 00:00:00

FAF.HIONABLE PARTIES.

The Countess Dowager Poulett gave a grand Banquet last
week to a select circle, at her beautiful resilience at Hyde Park
Corner.

Miss Mellish entertained the Duke and Duchess of Leeds
and a distinguished 'party to dinner yesterday, at her house,
Great Stanhope-street, 2lay-fair.
g The Earl and Countess of Wicklow entertained Emily
Marchioness of Londonderry, and a large party of distinction,
at dinner yesterday, at their house in Upper Brook-street.
Lord Bexley had a Grand Dinner Party yesterday, at his
house, in Great George-street, Westminster.
Lady Humphrey Davy gave a Rout last night, at her house,
in Grosvenor-street, which was very fashionably attended.
The DaWager :Marchioness of Salisbury entertained a Select
Circle of Pashionables yesterday evening, at her house, in Ar-
lington-street.
(;n Tuesday last Dixon Brown, Esq. (Captain of th s New-
castle Troop of the Northumerland Volunteer Cavalry) gave 'a
splendid dinner to the Gentlemen who compose the Troop, at
his house in Wesgate-street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. At 6 o'clock
the party (about 50) sat down to dinner in the drawing-room,
which was very tastefully arranged as a' dining-saloon for the
occasion. With regard to the dinner, it comprised &I the
delicacies of the season, and included, in fact, every thing
which the most liberal hospitality and refined taste might
be supposed capable of supplying. The wines were of a
I superb order; and being artificially refrigerated (the tempe attire
I of the Room, from the number of lamps, &c., being summer
heat) produced a delectable effect upon the palate. It was a
rare treat to the connoisseur,--and all present were cannois-
seurs. It is scarcely necessary to observe, that the worthy
Donor of the Feast filled the Chair with his wont s:1 ur-
banity and politeness, the influence of which was rrongly
and pleasingly felt by the assembled eircl Indeed it
as a sort of natural consequence, that, when the President is
jocund and lively, a kindred flow of spirits animates the sur-
rounding party ; it was pre-eminently so in the present occasion.
—Never, in fact, did a convivial party enjoy themselves more
heartily. The toasts were of an admirable complexion,—they
breathed nothing but joy and satisfaction. Held together by
so many attractions, it is unnecessary to remark it was at a
late hour before the party separated. The recollections asso-
ciated with this noble entertainment will doubtless long survive
in the memory of all who had the happiness of being par-
takers on the very gratifying occasion.

Mr. THELwALL.—The concluding Lecture, or
the Course took place last night at the Haymarket
Theatre, and was attended by a far more numer-
ous audience than had previously appeared. The
main subject was the Tragedy of Hamlet. Mr.
THELWALL, by adduction of cogent instances,
appeared satisfactorily to settle the question,
whether SHAKSPEARE intended to represent
Hamlet as really insane. Mr. Tner.wAt.r. de-
cided the point in the affirmative. He touched
upon the characters of the King, Queen, Pclunius,
Luertes and Ophelia. He paid high compli-
ments to the talents of the late Mr. KEMBGE in
the representation of Hamlet, and slightly ad-
verted to that of Messrs. KEAN, MACI:EADY,
YOUNG, and C. KEMBLE. He recited two of the
soliloquies of Hamlet, and portions of other parts.

His general analysis of the character appeared to
be judicious and correct. After a very elaborate
investigation of this singular character, he recited
a Comic Tale, the subject of which was a
Grocer's Wife, whose pride had a fall, in conse-
equence of the discipline of a cudgel. The
Piece itself was humorous, and lost nothing in
the delivery. The conclusive part of the Lec-
ture, consisting of a FAREWELL AoottEss, incul-
cated the principles essential to public speaking,
and pointed out the analogy between public ora-
tory and dramatic recitation. Mr. THELWALL
bestowed due eulogiums on the English language,
and maintained that it was fully as competent to
all the purposes of life, the ornaments of poetry,
and the developement of science; as that of
Greek, though so loudly celebrated by scholars
and by pedauts. On the whole, be displa ved
great critical knowledge, and also proved his
qualifications for assuming the office of instruct-
ing those who are destined for situations which
require PUBLIC SPEAKING, and preparing
them for a due exercise of the talents which
Nature may have bestowed. He was very much
applauded.

Died, on the 1.3t1i ult. at St. Petersburgh, to
the great grief of the Imperial House of Russia, her Royal
Highness the Duchess ANTOINETTF. Of WIRTEMBERG,
consort of his Royal highness Alexander Duke of Wirtem-
berg, Director-General of the communications by land and by
water at St. Petersbugh. The deceased Princess was 45 years
of age, and of the House of Saxe-Coburg, Saalfield. The
qualities both of head and heart are described in the St. Peters-
burgh Papers as being of a very superior order, which occa-
sions her demise to be sincerely lamented by the whole of the
Russian Court..