The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-13 00:00:00

SURREY.

This theatre has always been noted for the character
of its holiday entertainments, and in the hands of its
present lessee, Mr. Kerschner, we venture to predict
it will maintain the popularity it has hitherto enter-
tained with the public. For the amusement of the
IVhi.suntide holiday folks the lessee last night pro-
duced no less than three novelties. The tragedy of
Don Carlos, written by the present Prime Minister
of England'; Black Eyed Susan, and an entirely new
piece, in three acts, called Kennyngton Crosse; or,
the Old Farm•house on the Common. Of the
beauties of the first piece all our readers are doubtless
aware : the following is the plot:—Carlos was the only
son of Philip 11. in Spain, under whose bigotted and in-
tolerant sway the cruelties of the Inquisition were
practised with full impunity. At the congress of
Chateau Cambresis, in 1559, the marriage of Don Carlos
with Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry 11. of
France, was proposed : but the uxorious Philip, hav-
ing been a second time left a widower by the death of
Mary of England, took the place of his son, and
married Elizabeth. Don Carlos never could forgive
his father this offence. On the breaking out of the
rebellion in the Low Countries Don Carlos espoused
the cause of the insurgents, being touched by their
sufferings, and an avowed enemy to the Inquisition.
Philip's growing dislike to his son having been con-
firmed by being informed that Don Carlos meditated
his murder, this jealous husband—this gloomy and
suspicious king and unfortunate father, resolved
upon
the destruction of his only son. Don Carlos was
ultimately arrested by the King's orders, and sus-
pecting the fate that was marked out for him, he
tried to destroy himself by various means. Philip
referred the case to the council of state, then under
the direction of the Grand Inquisitor, who was also
the president of the Junta of Castile. Don Carlos
was condemned to death, but anticipated the sentence
by dying of a malignant fever in the year 1568. The
melancholy fate of Don Carlos has served as a subject
for several tragedies, amongst the rest the one we are
at present noticing, from the pen of Lord John Russell.
The tragedy served to introduce Mr. Ryder to a
Surrey audience in the character of Don Carlos,
which he sustained with great ability. Of Black
Eyed Susan it is unnecessary for us to say much
more than that it again brought before the Surrey
playgoers an old friend and favourite, that very pro-
totype of an English sailor, T. P. Cooke. We were
happy to see him in such excellent health and spirits.
He is a most wonderful man considering his age, and
the easy manner in which he went through the
sailor's hornpipe struck us with astonishment. He
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evening's entertainments concluded with the newlocal
drama called Kennyngton Crosse, which was com-
pletely successful, and by proper curtailment is likely
to become a favourite on this side of the water. The
house, notwithstanding the weather, was crowded in
every part.