The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-12 00:00:00

HER MAJEST VS THEATRE.
Last night will be an epoch in the choerographic
account of her Majesty's Theatre. It will be celebrated
as the night on which the most magnificent, and in every
respect the very best ballet that has ever been produced,
was first performed—as the eight on which Cerito
achieved her greatest triumph. She is great as Alma—
she is great as Ondine—but neither Alma nor Ondine can
compare with lalla Rookh, the ballet which was pro-
duced last night—a ballet in which the artistes of every
description, pictorial, musical, and cht,erogra.phic, have
vied with each other in realising the rich imaginings of
the most exquisite of living poet-, Thomas Moore. The
first scene represents the Hall of the Durbar, in the in-
rior of the Palace of Lahore—
" The imperial Selim held a feast
In his magnificent shalama.
In whose saloons when the first star
Of evening o'er the water trembled,
The valley's loveliest all assembled ;
All the bright creatures that, like dreams,
Glide through its foliage, and drink beams
Of beauty from its founts and streams ;
Here, too, the harem's inn-rites smile ;
Maids from the west, with sun-bright hair,
And from the garden of the Nile,
Delicate as the roses there;
Daughters of love from Cyprus' rockl
With Paphian diamonds in their leeks;
Light peri forms, such al there ate
On the gold meads of Candahar;
Everything young, everything fair,
From east and west is blushing there.
The board is spread with fruits and wine,
With grapes of geld, like those that shine
On Cusbin's hills ;—pomegranates full
Of melting sweetness, and the pears
And sunniest apples that Cabool
In all its thousaed gardens bears ;
Plaintains, the golden and the green ;
Malaya's nectar'd wangusteen

Everything young, everything fair,
} rem east to west is blushing there."
Such is the magnificent scene at Lahore, where the
Emperor Aurunz -be is holding his court. The King
of Bucharia, who is affianced to Lalla Rookh, sends a
brilliant suite to accompany her to Cushmere ; among
them is Feramoz, the Minstrel (M. St. Leon), whose
attentions to Lalla Rookh are anything but pleasing to
Fadladeen (M. Perrot), the fussy old Chamberlain.
They group round her, and, together with her Hindoo
attendants, dance a Hindoo dance, in which they form
into various groups, each more graceful than the pre-
ceding one. while the most fantastic pageantry is going
on around them, giving the whole the appearance of a
scene of enchantment Lalla Rookh, with her fair at-
tendants, executes a dance, in which, as is the fashion
in Hindostan, they imitate every imaginable figure.
The following are some of' the twenty figures repre-
sented by the Hindoo maids :
Hermes The Stars
The Shell The Pine Apples
The Kiosks The Car of the Rising Sun
The Cage The Butterflies
The Mirrors The Sun's Rays
The Harps The Living &Atte and its
The framed Picture of the Pedestal
Morning Breeze
The above description of this dance, which is denominated
the Pas Symbolique, is taken from the Scenario of the
ballet, and albeit the programme of a ballet is in general
a very exaggerated description of what takes place, such
is not the case in the present instance ; each group is
more graceful than the preceding one ; each group is a
study for a sculptor; and the living statue tied its pedesta
—ia which Cerito is the statue, and the corps de ballet
grouped around and hidden by their shawls, form
the pedestal —is without exception the most
graceful and beautiful group ever devised.
Perrot has accomplished what has been declared by
many to he an impossibility—he has actually devised a
perfectly original series of shawl dances and groupings
of the most exquisite description. The dancing of
Ccrito in this marvellous pas excelled anything she has
ever yet done. There was an ideality about her perform-
ance for the possession of which the little " realist " has
never before had credit given to her. This Pas Sym-
bolique is the greatest triumph that Cerito has yet
achieved. At the conclusion, bouquets and wreaths with-
out number were showered upon her, and the applause was
raptureus. Then comes the scene of the desert. In
the distance, over the sandy waste, the caravan attending
on Lalla Rookh is seen like a speck upon the horizon.
It gradually approaches, becoming more distinct every
moment ; at length the different figures become visible,
and presently the cavalcade enters in grand procession.
The gradual approach of the caravan is admirably
managed, the delusion is complete, and the processsion
itself is the most splendid ever seen on the stage. The
palanquin in which Lalla Rookh, and her attendant
ladies, is borne is magnificent. Suddenly the e'er' iwoomes
overcast, the whirlwind rises, the ieieeeet of sand
threatens to overwhelm the caravan, a eieperses in
every direction. Feramoz alone remains with Lalla
Rookh, who sinks fainting in his arms. He leaves her
to seek for water, and Fadladeen and some attendants
gather round the Princess, who remains without sense
or motion. The fury of the elements is gradually hushed
—a profound calm succeeds the storm. Whilst the
travellers are thanking Allah for their preservation, night
is gradually coming on. The caravan encamps on the
spot, and the attendants of the Princess erect her pavi-
lion. The moat exuberant gaiety succeeds to
'he alarm which had prevailed but a moment before
The scene now changes to the interior of Lalla Rookh's
tent. The Princess, grieved at the absence of Feramoz,
bees Fadladeen to send for him, but the latter evades the
request by saying that the Princess needs repose, rather
than listen to the frivolous fantastic nonsense of the
so-called bard. But the little Persian slave of the
Princess has slyly slipped out and warned the poet
of her mistres,es desire to see him ; he enters,
and Lallah Rookh expresses the wish that his sweet
minstrelsy should calm her mind after the agitation she
ha that day passed through. He complies, but Fadla-
deen, with his usual ill-natured spite, finds fault
with the poet and the performer, saying that, for his
cart, he prefers the sweet-scented chihouck. Feramor
hearing this, breaks forth the wild and joyous strain of
the chihouck song, and the Princess, inspired by these
enlivening sounds, dances to the tune. The fumes of
the opium he smoke= sends Fadladeen to sleep, and whilst
he dreams of Mehomet's paradise and the Houri, Leila
Rookh and Feramoz take advantage of the opportunity
to avow their mutual love.
In this scene Cerito achieved another triumph, The Pas
de Chibouck. There was a grace and an abandon about
her performance of the pea de chibouck which was per-
fectly bewitching. Her dancing seemed to proceed from
the vary exuberance of high spirits—to be the expres-
sion of overflowing happiness and joy, not unmingled
with a little love of innocent mischief—witness her ad-
mirable quiz upon the stupid intoxication of Fadladeen,
whose noddings over his pipe were of the most humour-
ous description. The Pas de Chibouck, will henceforth
rank with the pas de fascination, and the pas de l'ombre.
The scene then changes to the sandy desert—the sun
rises, and the caravan awakes, and proceeds on the
journey. Arrived on the confines of Cashmere, Lalla
Rookh is conducted to the kiosk prepared for her re-
ception. All around her is joy, but the
Princess is a prey to the deepest melancholy,
The rose-coloured bridal veil is flung over her head; the
ambassadors come to tea her that all is prepared for the
nuptial ceremony, and that the King awaits her. The
glance of Lalla Rookh falls upon the poet; she wishes to
refuse the hand of the proud Monarch, but Fadladeen
expostulates with her, reminding her of the dangers of
a refusal. She at length gives way, and is led forth like
a victim to the sacrifice. The last scene is the vale of
Cashmere and the feast of Roses. How shall we de-
scribe this most magnificent joyous scene, this chef-
dceuvre of painting, which Turner himself might have
been proud of ? Left to our unassisted efforts we de-
spair of being able to convey to the reader the remotest
idea of this most exquisite of landscapes, but Thomas
3loore will assist us:—
"Who has not heard of the vale of Cashmere,
With its roses the brightest that earth ever gave,
Its temple and grottos, and fountains as clear,
As the love-lighted eyes that hang over the wave?
Oh! to see it at sunset—when warm o'er the lake,
Its splendour at parting a summer eve throws,
Like a bride full of blushes, when ling'ring to take
A last look of her mirror at night ere she goes!
When the shrines through the foliage nre gleaming half
shown,
And each hallows the hour by some rites of its own.
Here the music of prayer from a minaret swells,
Here the Magian his urn, full of perfume, is swinging,
And here, at the altar a zone of sweet bells,
Hound the waist of some fair Indian dancer is ringing.
Or to see it by moonlight—when mellowly shines
The light o'er its palaces, gardens and shrines;
When the water-falls gleam, like a quick fall of stars,
And the nightingale's hymn from the isle of Chenars
Is breken by laughs ana light echoes of feet,
From the eool shining walks where the young people
meet.
Or at morn, when the magic of daylight awakes
A new wonder each minute, es slowly it breaks
Hills, cninlas. fountains, called forth every one
Out of darkness, as they were just born of the sun."
Such is the scene in which the King of Bucharia holds
his court, in which he is preparing to celebrate his
nuptials:—
t"Twae when the hour of evening came
Upon the lake serene and
.cool;.
All were abroad—tile hugest hive
On Bela's hill is less alive,
flower,
Than saffron beds are full
Than looked the valley in that hour.
A thousand restless touches played
Through every grove and island shade;
A thousand sparkline Limps are set
On every dome and minaret;
And fields and pathways, tar and near,
Were lighted by a blaze so clear,
That you could see in wandering round
dsomtahl lee stat
maids
se
andlea f
matronson the e.
leeoanvned.
And there wereorale,
Yet do
And cheeks that -alneing
Their veils at home, that brilliant eve;
but thought eyes about,
would not dare shine out
they might
In
Louofi en
lovelyda y 'then bec
flowers!ering.
And all were free andeu:ve tdwas night!
And what a wilderness of
It seemed as though from all the
And fairest fields of all the year, e bowers
The mingled spoil were scattered here.
The lake, too, like a garden breathes,
With the rich buds that o'er it lie—
As if a shower of fairy wreaths
Had fall'n upon it from the sky!"
Lallah Rookh, trembling with horror at her fate, is
led to the foot of the throne of her future husband
by Fadladeen, that husband admires her and removes her
veil, and in the King of Bacharia she recognises Fera-
moz, Joyfully does she join in the celebration of the

F cumstances of any nature-211 peers were found to vote for the"
adoption of a course which, by their silence, they had rejected-:- .. _
a few years ago. That the county was not universalli"lst
favour of this measure, was evident from the tact that /vilely '-....3::,
~.,• ~".I.'s . •• .. even the advocates of the League and its principles had is eta:!,-,-,%-;-,' ..t..i.,21. ;:::: 7, i...,
forward as candidates to represent the people, the else 4,,---i,:-7,.,-- - --_,-,..,-v-i.
every case where he had a choice, had given his suffra. , :q% -.1).T74
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favour of the candidate who was in favour of supporting
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corn-laws as they then existed. Try the result of the vet f '
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ballot in the House of Lords, and he was satisfied that t,041,3-00AA., -
twenty Lords would be found to vote for the measure. A partp '
had been formed for the agricultural body which IA as power-
fully unprecedented, because founded on public principle.—
(Hear, hear.) There was at the head of that party, in th.
other House, a Noble Lord who had distinguished himself in
the defence of the agricultural interest, and he would say of
that Noble Lord, that he deserved the thanks of the country
at large.—( Hear, hear.) It was the duty of Parliament to
reject this measure, as calculated to inflict a lasting injury on
the industry of the country. It was their duty to reject it, as
the beginning of an attempt to uproot the ancient institutions
of the land, and as one which would bring ruin and desolation -
on the agricultural body.
The Earl of ESSEX said he had a few words to address to
their Lordships upon the Noble Earl's concluding remarks.
The Noble Lord had said that if the question was tii,,sl
in that House by an appeal to the vote by ballot, that nut
more than twenty of their Lordships would be found to vote
for it. He would say there was not a vote given in favour .f.
the measure but what was an honest vote. The Noble Earl
had attributed base and sordid motives to those Noble Lords
who bad voted for it. Now, if they were to appeal to the
ballot upon this treasure, he would say for himself, that he
would, so held his God ! be one of the twenty who would vote
for the question.
The Earl of STANHOPE having explained, _ .