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

ASTLEY'S AMPHITHEATRE.

A new grand equestrian spectacle, entitled The
Knight of the Eagle Crest; or, the Tourney of Love,
was produced here last evening with the most tri-
umphant success. To all admirers of medieval
manners and sports, The Knight of the Eagle Crest
will be most welcome; it is one of the most complete,
one of the most perfect, and one of the most mag-
nificent illustrations of the sports, pastimes, and wars
of the days of chivalry that has ever been presented.
There is a hawking party, which is a living illus.
tration of the descriptions of Strutt and Walter
Scott, and in which my Lord John Manners
and the other " Young Englanders" would
revel ;
.and the Tourney of Love is a
vivid representation of a tournament equal in magni-
ficence to the display at Eglinton, and superior to it
in other respects, inasmuch as the amateurs at Eglin-
ton committed divers mistakes which the actors at
Astley's avoided. This grand spectacle was bailed
throughout with repeated cheers, and was announced
for repetition amidst the most enthusiastic applause.
It was followed by scenes in the circle, in the course
of which Mdlle. Codone appeared on the tight rope,
and by her brilliant, elegant, and most graceful
performances elicited thunders of applause. This
young lady is far and away the finest tight rope
dancer of the day. Since the time of Plege there
has been no person who could be compared to her.
The house was very well attended,

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.—Mr. Anderson has made
public his lists of the artists who, according to his present
arrangements, will form his company. The ordinary
difficulties of so- gigantic an undertaking are, no doubt,
enhanced by the almost impossibility of collecting in one
establishment a sufficiently powerful force of histrionic
talent at a time when the most valuable members of the
profession are distributed at the different theatres. This
consideration allowed for, Mr. Anderson appears to have
collected together an effective company. This list in-
cludes Mrs. Glover, Mrs. Nisbett, Miss Vandenhoff, Miss
Phillips, Mrs. Ternan, Miss F. fluddart; Mr. Vanden-
hoff, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Basil Baker, Mr. F. Vining, Mr.
Emery, &c. The season opens on the 26th December.
with The Merchant of Venice and a new pantomime; and
report speaks of novelties in preparation for production
when the attraction of the latter shall have decline].

INCENDIARY FIRE NEAR OXFORD.—AbotiC five
o'clock in the afternoon of Saturday last the inhabitants
of Beckley, a village four miles from Oxford, were
alarmed by the appearance of a volume of smoke, which
was discovered issuing from the farm-yard of the Rev.
George Theophilus Cook, the perpetual curate of
Beckley. An t xpress was immediately sent to Oxford,
and several engines from that city were soon on the
spot, and having a good supply of water, the fire was
confined to a hayrick and an outhouse; which were
nearly destroyed. Fortunately the wind was favourob'e,
otherwise there must have been a great destruction of
property, as much valuable agricultural produce, imple-
ments, and buildings were standing in a yard contiguous
to where the fire bloke out. Strong suspicion attaches
to a labourer formerly► in the employ of the Reverend
Gentleman, and who is now in custody.
Papers from the Cape of Good Hope to the 28th of
Octet), r have arrived. The colonists were yet resolute
in their resistance to the admission of convicts, and meet-
ings continued to be held on the subject. The shops and
stores at Cap Town remained closed, but business was
not altogether suspended.
MAN DROWNED IN BED.-011 Monday last
sailor named W. Lathom, o s beard the sloop Turner,
lying on Duddon Sands, took out a plug in the vessel's
bottom, in order to allow the leakage water to escape.
He neglected to replace the plug, and went to bed.
During the night, as the tide rose, the vessel filled with
water, and drowned the poor fellow in his bed.—Car-
lisle Journal.