The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-05 00:00:00

HAYMARKET THEATRE.

Mr. Bourcicault's new five act comedy, entitled The
School for Scheming, was produced here last evening.
The scene of the first act is laid in the lodging-house of
Mrs. Singleheart (Mrs. Humby), and we are introduced
to "my landlady and her lodgers." One of these
lodgers is the Mac Dunnum of Dunnum (Mr. Buck-
stone), a "capitalist," that is to say a schemer, who,
upon the strength of having 501. in the bank, starts all
sorts of joint-stock companies, and allots shares to un-
known persons, which he sells at a premium, and
gets up a testimonial to himself, to which, under
various aliases, he subscribes most liberally; in short,
a stag of the first head. The other lodger is
the Hon. Claude Plantagenet (Mr. W. Farren), a young
old man, fifty-nine according to the peerage, thirty-
nine according to his own representation. He has run
through three fortunes, and is deeply in debt to X. Y.,
the advertising money-lender; but he speculates upon
getting out of all his difficulties by marrying his
daughter to Lord Fipley (capitally acted by Selby), a
noble pigeon, but the heir to a dukedom. This
daughter, Helen (Miss Fortescue), has been educated
at the establishment of Mrs. Fox French (Mrs.
Glover), none of whose young ladies have married
any man below the rank of an earl ; indeed, one of them
was expelled for tolerating the attentions of an Irish
viscount. Helen, spoiled though sho has been by her
education, has a heart, and that heart she has bestowed
upon Craven Acton (Mr. Howe), a ruined man, as her
father tells her, for Craven, like himself, is deeply in-
debted to X.Y., the money-lender. We are then introduced
to X. Y., not the real usurer, but a certain Job Sykes
(Mr. Webster), who has borrowed the name of X. Y. for
a purpose. Sykes was originally a stable-boy
in the service of Plantagenet. By dint of industry be
accumulated wealth, and married a lady of noble family.
She, becoming ashamed of the mesalliance, separated
from him, taking with her their only chili. This child
took her name, and the father was never permitted to
hold any communication with it. She died during this
child's infancy, and the child was brought up by her
family. This child is Craven Acton ; and, in order to
watch over and guard him, the father has assumed the
character of X. Y., the money lender. He is aware of
the love of Craven for Helen, and, warned by his own
fate, is determined, if possible, to prevent their marry-
ing. Old Plantaganet, too, is desirous of getting
rid of Craven, and at last reproaches him with
being the son of his stable-boy. Ile persuades Helen
also to accept the suit of Lord Fipley, and he himself;
understanding that Mrs. Fox French has a fortune of
10,0004 makes love to the lady. Acton's heart, however,
yearns towards Helen, and she loves him still, although
she has promised her hand to Lord Fipley. His Lord-
ship, however, has a certain cousin, Lady Rose (Miss
Julia Bennett), to whom as a child he had been engaged,
and who, notwithstanding his folly, of which she is per-
fectly aware, is devotedly attached to him. There is a
ball at Mrs. Fox French's establishment, at which
all are assembled, and at which Lady Rose manages
tileei7o";lfeenEeThirV-1021 r renctf becomes
.Mrs. Claude
Plantaganet. and Mr. Claude Plantagenet finds, to his
cost, that he has married 10,0001. of debt instead of
10,000/. of fortune. He is arrested for 3,000/. In vain
does Helen apply to all her friends for the loan of a sum
to free her fa, her ; she is rejected even by the Mac Dun-
num of Dunnum, who has jilted Mrs. Singleheart, to
whom he had promised marriage, and to whom he
makes a present of 100 shares in one of his companies
as an alleviation of the. disappointment. At
length Craven borrows from Sykes the 3,0001.
(pledging with him the portrait of his mother, set in
jewels), and, giving it to Helen, releases her father and
*quits her for ever, disgusted at her heartlessness. On
examining the portrait, Sykes finds concealed a letter
from his wife to their son, informing him of his parent-
age, begging him to seek out his father, and to tell him
how bitterly, on her deathbed, she had . repented
of her treatment\ of him. The father and son recognise
each other, and atereconciled—with this ends the fourth
act. In the fifth act we find all the characters assem-
bled at Boulogne, Plantagenet and his wife
and daughter living on an annuity of 1801.,
a year. Helen, broken hearted for the love of Craven.
Lord Fipley, (now the Duke of Bungay,) a perfect
specimen of a tame man. The Mac Dunnum, now plain
John Perkins, an exiled provisional committee-man.
Sykes, an
M. P., with the offer of a Peerage, travel-
ling with his son, in search of health and consolation
and Mrs. Singleheart, a woman of fortune (the shares
which the Mao Dunnum had given her turn up trumps),
travelling in search of amusement. They meet, the re-
spective lovers are united, and the piece ends with
a lengthy, moral tag spoken by Miss Fortescue. The i
best character n the comedy is that of The Mac Dunnum
of Dunnum, and he is quite a hors d'oeuvre, for he has
nothing whatever to do with the plot of the piece. He
has some claims to originality, and the dialogue put
into his mouth is smart, and at times witty. In fact,
had it not been for the introduction of this character
the piece would not have survived at all, for,
in the fourth act, where there is a vast deal of letter
reading and "talkee-talkee":to no purpose, the audience
were very impatient. This impatience was audibly ma-
nifested at the commencement of the fifth act, and it
was only the appearance of Mac Dunnum that put them
into good humour. The first three acts are well written
and tolerably well constructed, but the last two drag.
In the fourth act there is a fault of construction, which
we were surprised to discover in any work pro-
ceeding from the pen of such a practiset.writer as
Mr. Bourcicault. Sykes, in a long and te-
dious speech, relates matters with which the
audience were previously acquainted by his soliloquy in
the first act, and by the action of the piece, thus delay-
ing the point which every body knew must come, viz.,
the mutual recognition of the father and the son, until
expectation had dullet; the edge of appetite, and the
point missed fire. Nothing but the consummate tact of
Webster saved the piece at this juncture. The whole of
this scene must be cut down, and the pruning-
knife must also be unsparingly applied to the fifth
act, and then the comedy will "gor The actors were
all called for at the conclusion, but when Webster
appeared to announce the comedy for repetition, there
were some disapprobation manifested. It was, however,
clear that the " Ayes" had it, and Webster's short ad-
dress," I feel justified," in announcing this piece for repe-
tition every evening until further notice," was received
with loud applause, which completely drowned
.the
voices of the dissentients. Mr. Bourcicault was atter •
wards called tor, and, on his appearance, loudly wel-
comed. The house was crowded to suffocation. Every
seat was occupied before the rising of the curtain.

REDUCTION IN THE PRICE OF BREAD AND COALS.—
Yesterday the 41b. loaf of wheaten bread was reduced to Bd.
on the Surrey side of the Thames, and by most of the cheap
bakers throughout the metropolis. Coals were also reduced
by the retail dealers 2d. per cwt.
THE ATRAPILATORY, op LIQUID HAIR DYE—the
only dye that really answer -`for all colours, and does not
require re-doing but as the hair grows, as it never fades or
acquires that unnatural red or purple tint commpn to all
other dyes. Botanic Water and Bear's Grease,—When the
hair is becoming thin, and falling off, the only effectual
remedy besides shaving the head is the use of the two above-
named articles, applii d alternately—the botanic water td
cleanse the roots from scurf, and as a stimulant, and the
bear's grease as a nourisher. The New Tooth-Pick Brush,
thoroughly cleansing between the teeth when used up and
down, and polishing the surface when used cross-ways. The
hair warranted never to come out. The Union and Triple
Hair Brushes. The Double Anti-Pressure Nail Brush.
The Medium Shaving Brush. The Railway Strop and
Powder. The above new and elegant articles, in addition
to a very extensive assortment of beautiful perfumes, are
She sole manufactures and inventions of Messrs. Ross and
tons, 119, and 120, Bishopsgate-street, London.
GENERAL MONTUOLON'S HISTORY OF THE CAP
FROM
-
TIVITY OF NAPOLEON AT ST. HELENA,
TRANSLATED
THE Atrrnon's ORIGINAL Maxusciurr.— its forming The third and
fourth volumes of this interesting work, com-
pletion, have just been published by Mr. Colburn
the . M
closing
uch of
what passed through Napoleon's thoughts, as
scene drew on, was communicated to Montly)lon alone, and
gives a striking and novel interest to these latter volumes.
Among the subjects comprised in them are—The Emperor's
intercourse with Sir Hudson Lowe and the English Govern-
ment, respecting his treatment -A full account of his suffer-
ings and death -Dictations by the Emperor on the return
from Elba—On the cases of Mai shal Ney and Count Laval-
latte, with a view of the French Revolution and its effects—
On the position of France with relation to Foreign Powers—
On the Expedition to Egypt—On the Campaigns of Austria,
Russia, and Prussia,' from 1805 to 1814—On recruiting,
weapons, and strategy, with observations on the plans and
mvieodwesrnoftimhees—groeantetshtemnailtiutareryofcosinovienraenigndertsy, opfopaunlcairenritgaal
taxation, liberty of the press, government . and colonization.
• The work is wound up with an account of the exhumation
1
and transport ofNapolecd4 remaia to Paris.