The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-11 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.

HAYMARKET.

Madame Anna Thillon made her first appearance at
this theatre last evening, in the character of Juanita, in
Auber's celebrated opera of The Black Domino. The
English public is already familar with the plot of Le
Domino Noir, from the various dramatic versions of it
which have been produced at almost every theatre in
London, but no one can form the remotest idea of the
capabilities of the character of the heroine who
has not seen Madame Thillon in the part.
The Haymarket is the theatre for this fasci-
nating actress. The play of her expressive features,
and the delicate intonation of her delicious voice, can be
much better appreciated in a theatre like the Hay-
market than in the vast area of a large theatre. .It is
useless to disguise the fact, but our so-called national
theatres are too large, and the decline of the drama is
more to be attributed to the enormous size of our na-
tional theatres which overtaxes the energies of
artistes, and renders the delicacies, and consequently
the beauties of acting inappreciable to all who are at a
greater distance from the stage than the third row in the
pit, than to any other cause. It is impossible thoroughly
to enjoy a play in a theatre larger than the Haymarket.
In the first act, which may be entitled the Masquerade,
Madam Thillon gave us one solo and some delightfully
executed concerted music in conjunction with Miss P.
Horton and Mr. Hudson. Her burst at the conclusion
of the act, when the clock strikes twelve, and she dis-
covers that she cannot regain her convent for the
night, was magnificent, and drew down repeated rounds
of applause. Her Spanish masquerade costume became
her exceedingly, and she managed her mask in the most
coquetishly fascinating manner imaginable. The second
act passes at the residence of Don Alphonso (Mr. H.
Ho11)' to which Juanita in her distress, has been at-
tracted by a light, and where Bona (Mrs. Caulfield), Al-
phonso's housekeeper, gives her refuge, pass-
ing her off as her niece, a peasant girl,
from Arragon. Her acting as the pretty peasant, to
whom the rollicking roues assembled at Alphonso's
make love, was an exquisite mixture of naivete and
espeglerie, and the concerted scene was rapturously en-
cored. Her acting, too, when among the guests she re-
cognises Felix (Mr. Hudson), whose heart she had
captured, was admirable ; and then comes the castanet
song, which she sang with the greatest taste and beauty,
and acted most bewitchingly. This song created
quite a furore; its repetition was loudly called for. The
audience were completely carried away by it. Bouquets
were showered upon her, and from that moment to the
end of the opera every scene was for Madame Thillon a
triumph. The gem of the opera, however, was her
descriptive scena d'entree, in the third act. This
scena afforded her opportunities of which she well knew
how to avail herself. Irresistibly comic was her de-
scription of the adventures of the night, fascinatingly
espiegle ; her description of her adventure with the gal-
lant captain, who having been permitted, in return for
his defence of her from the rude insults of some ill• bred
boors, to take one kiss, took advantage of his situa-
tion by taking two ; and when at the conclusion she
sang the Gitana, her soft, sweet, clear, flute-like flexible
organ seemed to revel in the melody, and, like some
sweet bird, to shed an atmosphere of song around.
Her fioriture was marvellous. Rich beyond the powers
of description, yet most delicate and most tasteful, it
adorned the melody tc the utmost possible pitch,
without overlaying. Anything more graceful, more
exquisite, more perfect, than Madame Thillon's
execution of this scena it is impossible for
a musician to imagine, even in his happiest
dreams. At the conclusion the stage was a perfect
parterre, from the bouquets innumerable which were
thrown to her. At the fall of the curtain she was
called for, and led forward by Hudson, by whom,
as Felix, her lover, and by Miss P. Horton, as
Paquita, she had been most efficiently supported
throughout. The theatre was crammed, and will con-
tinue to be crammed every night of the, engagement of
Madame Thillon, if there be any taste for acting or
music extant.

VICI 0R144.
Another novelty, entitled Barnard, the 'Victim Pa-
triot ; or, the Double Fratricide, was produced at this
theatre on Monday. The author has founded his drama
on the " Glorious Revolution of July," at that period
when the stir- willed Charles the Tenth endeavour, d to
bring back the monarchie of seventeen hundred, which
had become obnoxious to the people. The hero of the
present drama is one Barnard Donay (Mr. E. F. Saville)
who is induced to join the insurgents. This he does, and
in the melee which moues he kills his brother; he is
by this means unnerved, and in the course of the action
is wounded. He appeals to the Chamber of Deputies for
his boni ; seated in the chair, and presiding over the
Chamber, he finds Francois Bardin (Mr. W. Searle) a
duelist and a coward, who insults the wounded patriot,
and they are about to fight, when the cowardice of Bar
din induces him to apologise ; this he does, but is obliged
to leave the Chamber. Alter a variety of vicissitudes,
hunger and the pain of his wound accelerates his death,
and he expires in the arms of his wife, within an hour of
the year, by which means she is entitled to the pension,
as ordained by the Chamber of Deputies. Mr.
Saville, as the enthusiastic patriot, acquitted him-
self in his usual style, and apparently much to the
gratification of the company present. Mr. Searle, it
is needless to say. was perfect in the delineation of the
ferocious revolutionist, who is at heart a coward and a
braggart. We have before spoke in terms of praise of
this gentleman's acting, which is, if possible, becoming
more successful every evening. The other principal
characters were sustained by Mr. T. Fredericks (Pierre
Donay), Mr. Ranoe (Valton), Mr. R. G. Burton (Theo
dosius John Butler), Mrs. G. Lee (Madame Donay),
Miss Treble (Marlette); &c., in a very creditable man-
ner. Some excellent scenery was also introduced,
among the chief of which were " Suburbs of Paris,
and Road to La Vendee, the Barrier, and distant coun-
try," " Hall of Deputies," &c. The house was well
attended.

FRENCH PLAYS—ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
Frequently as we have seen Dejazet in the character
of the young Duke, in Les Premieres armes de Richelieu,
never did we see her act the part with more spirit
than she did last evening. Every point told,
and her manner of giving the couplets was pefectly
epigrammatic. She was most efficiently supported by
Mademoiselle St. Marc, as the Duchess, who looked and
acted the part a merveille. Her Royal Highness the
Duchess of Cambridge, accompanied by Prince George,
and attended by the Baroness Ahlefeldt and Mr. Edmund
St. John Mildmay, honoured the performances with
their presence.

POST-OFFICE NOTICE.
THE FOREIGN MAILS.
The following notice relative to the foreign mails, was yea-
terday affixed at the chief office, St. Martin's le-Grand :
India, &c., via Southampton—The next mails for Gibraltar,
Malta, Greece, lonian Islands, Egypt, India, and China, via
Southampton, will be dispatched from hence on the 20th inst.
The Queen due 15th inst.
India, &c. (Overland) Mails—The next mails for the Me-
diterranean, India, China, &c., via Marseilles, will be dis-
patched from hence on the 25th inst.
The Peninsular, &c., Mails—The next mails for Lisbon,
Madeira, Oporto, Vigo, Cadiz, Gibraltar, &c., will he dis-
patched from hence on the 17th inst.
West Indies, &c.—The next mails will be dispatched on
the 17th inst. The Medway, for the above mails of the 17th
inst. The Clyde due 22d inst.
Madeira, Brazils, and Buenos Ayres—The next mails will
be dispatched on the 7th of July. Her Majesty's brig Pen-
guin arrived at Falmouth on the Bth inst., with the above
mails. Her Majesty's brig Seagull, sailed the Bth inst. from
Falmouth, with all letters posted in London up to the even-
ing of the 6th inst.
Sydney, New South Wales—The next mails dispatched
from hence on the 30th inst
America—The next mails for British North America, Ber-
muda, and the United States will be dispatched from hence
on the 18th inst. The Britannia, due on the 15th, will con-
vey the above to Liverpool.

NATIONAL TESTIMONIAL TO

MR. COBDEN.
The Times of Saturday contains a statement that a meet-
ing has been held in this town, for the purpose of setting
on foot a tee timonial to Mr. Cobden. This meeting wafe
strictly private, and it was wished that what passed should
not at present transpire through the press. But as the state-
ment alluded to is in some material points incorrect, we
have been supplied with the following particulars, which may
be relied upon. The following is the statement of the Times:
" Letters from Manchester state that the principal mem-
bers of the Anti-‘...orn-law League held a meeting on the
3d, and decided that in the event of the Bill for the importa-
tion of corn being passed by the Legislature, their staff
should be abandoned, a statement of their funds should be
rendered, the League paper should be disbanded, their
number should be reduced to six, and a subscription by the
general public should be set on foot, to raise 100,0001. for Mr.
Cobden.
The meeting in question had no connexion whatever with
the League, and consequently could not decide at all re-
specting the proceedings of that association. Indeed, there
is at present no committee or council competent to determine
on the course marked out by the Times, though it may pro-
bably be recommended for adoption. The object of the
meeting was simply to decide on the preliminary steps for a
national tribute to 3lr. Cobden. There was a small number
of gentlemen of this town present, who were met by a depu-
tation from Liverpool. An interchange of opinions took
place upon the subject. A committee was named, consisting
of gentlemen of all shades of political opinion,beinLludding
some of the leading Conservatives of thebtoeewtn,
. No ultimate
amount themselves favourable
btoe
rtahieseo,
d. jbb
tu the an
obtained i ofor a s
expres
expressed
eNdvatshnatamlesdo,o"ool.Bllonir 2100,0001.
Conservative as well as the Liberal par .
d from some of
this object, if it met generally with therahtlyge.artryrseumpipsoersteoffeethae.
tributions, it was announced, had been receive
Chester Guardian.
the most 'distinguished members of the Legislature.—Man"

THE MANUFACTURING
DISTRICTS.
(From the Manchester Guardian of yesterday.)
MANCHESTER, TUESDAY.—The market to-day was, on the.
whole, decidedly dull. Prices, however, remain unaltered
both for goods and yarn.
ROCHDALE, MONDAY.—On account of the holidays last
week, fewer goods were ()tiered for sale to-day. There has
also been a very thin attendance of buyers, and little busi-
ness has been done. There is no change in the wool market.
HUDDERSFIELD, TUESDAY.—Although we have several
buyers in the market, we cannot report much more favour-
ably than last week. In the foreign warehouses orders are
pretty plentiful, but there appears great caution in purchasers
for the home trade.
LEEDS, TUESDAY.—Our market to-day has been flat, and
will probably continue so for a few weeks longer, June being
' what is termed " betwixt the seasons," and generally a very
quiet month. At the German wool fairs now being held, the
raw material fetches rather higher prices than were antici-
pated, a circumstance which cannot fail to check the con_
stunt= of wool iu this district.