The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-15 00:00:00

OLYMPIC THEATRE.

A new melodrama, of the genuine old dagger, dun-
geon, and red fire school, was produced at this little
theatre last evening, under the title of the
Magician.
The bills style it an " historical drama," and inform us
that the scene is laid at Palermo, in the palace of King
Charles, " the time being during the Easter-eve and
Easter-day, A.D. 1282," the day of slaughter, commemo-
rated in history as " the Sicilian Vespers." The principal
characters are—Charles of Anjou, a tyrant of the deepest
dye, pourtrayed in " bold relief" by Mr. Norton ;
Gismondi, a pretended " magician," but in reality
Pedro of Arragon in disguise, mysteriously impersonated
by Mr. Emery; Count Albert d'Anglade (Mr. Leigh
Murray), a knight and a crusader, who falls in love, at
first sight, with Emilie Brandini (Mrs. Leigh Murray),
the magician's ward, but who in reality turns out to be
a Princess of Arragon. Then there are a court physi-
cian and a cardinal, respectively enacted by Mr. Younge
and Mr. Bender, and who intrigue and devise the mur-
der of the King in the most open and barefaced manner.
The incidents are of the usual " harrowing" description,
including a duel, a torturing scene, an apparition scene,
a poisoning scene, and last of all, a general massacre ;
the whole of which afforded the most unbounded delight
to a numerous audience. The piece, which was credita•
bly put upon the stage, was completely successful, and
at its close the author, Mr. Shirley Brooks, was called
before the curtain and loudly applauded.

EXECUTION OF MARY MAY.—CIIELMSFOED, MON•
DAY.—This morning Mary May, who was convicted at
the last Essex assiiee of the murdei of Ler brother, at,
Wix, by poisoning him with arsenic, for the purpose of
obtaining the allowance from a burial club at Harwich'
in which she had entered his name without his know.
ledge, was executed in front of the county gaol in this
town. An immense multitude assembled intront of the
gaol, including, as usual on these occasions, a large
number of females. The prisoner, being a large, heavy
woman, died with a slight struggle.
TUB ORGAN BUILDERS' BENEYOLENT IrtsTiru-
TlON.—Letst evening the sixth annual meeting of the
members and friends of the above institution was hold
at the Freemasons' Tavern ; Mr. G. Bishop in the
.lapeared that
chair. From the report, as read by Mr. E. wood, the
secretary, and unanimously adopted, it a
the importance of the institution was daily more
ap-
preciated, and was in consequence progressively ad-
vancing, and additional support was particularly given
to the benefit fund. Thesubscriptions,tio, it was expected,
would shortly be doubled. The institution combined
benevolent institution, a friendly society, and
an as-
surance society. The receipts of the past year were
66/. 135. 3d., and after defraying the necessary expenses
there remained a balance in the treasurer's hands of
354 103. Old., exclusive of the funded stock, amounting
to 5471. 55. I ld. Thanks having been awarded to the
chairman, &c., the meeting broke up.
[ADTERTISEMENT.I—W ounds in a Leg, after more
than Three Years' Suffering, Cured by Holloway's (mot•
ment and Pills.—The wife of Mr. James P. springle
schoolmaster, of the town of St. Patrick, Grenada, had
been suffering with an ulcerated leg for more than three
years, which- was so bad that it baffled the skill of all
the professional practitioners in the island, who could
not possibly heal it: after every other remedy had failed,
Holloway's Ointment and Pills were resorted to, and by
their powerful efficacy the wounds wore soon healed,
and a perfectly sound cure effected.. These medicines
excel all others in the cure of scrofula and king's evil,
glandular or other unnatural swellings. Sold by all
Druggists, and at Professor Holloway's Establishment,
244, Strand, London.
LIR ALLEGED AFFRAY AT ABBEYFEALE ON
FRIDA.Y.—We yesterday, in our second edition, contra-
dicted, on the best authority, the report which appeared
in .Saunders, of a collision between the insurgents and
the police, that terminated in the death of some persons
and the wounding of others. The reports from the
county inspector of the Limerick constabulary. received
this morning, state that all was quiet in the city and
county—no mention is made of an affray which he would
have been among the first to hear of if it had occurred—
and it is added that the police are on the trail of Mr.
Richard O'Gorman, whose arrest may be daily exWected.
—From a Third Edition of the Dublin World. •

MAGAZINES--(CONTINUED).
I DUBLIN UNIVERSITY.
The Irish magazine well maintains its character for
the present month. Notwithstanding the stirring
events that have taken place, our talented contempo-
rary maintains the even tenor of its way, and if not
in an original article, at least in the able reviews on
works relating to Ireland, for which it has so deserv-
edly been distinguished, advocates the cause of Irish
nationality. It is true, that cause has been deeply in •
jured by the unwise and most injudicious conduct of
men whose errors have been ever exposed in its
• columns, and with whom it had little in common,
but still its own views are supported with
a strength and power which, although we cannot
quite agree with the deductions drawn from passing
events, compel us to respect the opinions for which
so much may be urged. " What has Religion to do
with Politics," a notice of the able letters from Mr.
D. R. Morier to his Son (recently published), " The
Gap of Barnesmore," and " The Condition of Ire-
land," on the text of Mr. Jonathan Pim's late
publication, are those to which we especially allude.
" The Repeal of the Union in Brittany " presents
a parallel to the events that are actually occurring
at the present moment in the sister kingdom.
Who can peruse the following extract with-
out being struck with the extraordinary re-
semblance to the "open and advised speaking"
and also to the subsequent panic amongst the conspi-
rators, and betrayal of the confidence reposed in them
by some of those most trusted by the party. Might
not the following extract, with a few slight alterations
of names, be considered strikingly appropriate to the
late proceedings in Ireland :
" Their plan was, to form insurrectionary clubs in
every parish, and to unite them into a powerful League,
by a secret act of federation. Every one who refused to
join in. the movement was to forfeit his arms, his titles,
and his nationality; trusty emissaries carried the articles
of federation from castle to castle; the peasants were as-
sembled in the woods, to hear itinerant orators make
Ossianic speeches about nationality; the ancient inde-
pendence of the country was pledged in copious libations
of cider, and some enthusiasts were found to volunteer
their services as ambassadors to the court of Spain. The
chosen chiefs of the insurgents were, the Alarquis de
Pontcalec, a young man who had not reached his twenty-
third year; the Baron do Alountlouis, who had served
with distinction in the wars of the Succession; and the
Chevaliers Talhonet and Coedic, said to be descended
from the ancient kings of Armories.
" The proceedings of the conspirators were so open
and incautious, as almost to assume the air of braggart
defiance; they knew that the parliament of Brittany,
before which, if accused, they should in due course be
tried, shared their sentiments, and they felt certain that
the regent would never obtain a conviction. Sedition
openly challenged power, and declared itself certain of a
triumph, whether in a field of battle or a court of justice.
No one was more vehement in his speeches and exhorta-
tions than the young and enthusiastic Marquis de
Pontcalec; ho was most popular among the Bretons of
every class; admiring crowds followed him wherever
he went abroad ; and he was serenaded at night
by old chaunts and ballads devoted to the praise of
nationality. Youthful vanity was thus flattered into the
wildest rashness; he rushed madly into treason; but,
before insurrection could be organised, the regent occu-
pied the cities and fortresses of Brittany with strong
garrisons; large bodies of cavalry and light troops were
stationed in various parts of the province, and the juris-
diction of the parliament was suspended by an edict,
which created special tribunals for the trial of treason
and sedition.
"'A panic seized the great body of the conspirators;
traitors were found in every club, and informers in every
association. There was a painful superabundance of
evidence and information tendered to the government;
the confederation was dissolved, almost as soon as it had
been completed. There were a few isolated revolts at
remote points, but these were soon suppressed by mili-
tary force; the Breton peasants, though the bravest in
Etirope, were unable to contend with regular troops,
especially as most or those who had proffered to act as
leaders, were not to be found on the day of battle, but
had provided (for their personal safety by escaping to
Spain. The only insurgents who made anything like a
stand, were some bands of smugglers, wbo fought a sharp
action with one of the royal regiments, but were in the
end cut to pieces."
Might we not easily conceive that the " braggart
defiance of John Mitchel and his coadjutors of the
" Treason press" were here recorded? Did not
" sedition openly challenge power," and declare itself
certain of a triumph, whether in a field of battle or a
court of justice ? And if " the jurisdiction of
Parliament was not suspended by an edict, have
we not seen at least the suspension —the
necessary suspension—of the Act which was looked
upon as the palladium of the national liberties ? Has
not " a panic seized the conspirators ?" and have not
" traitors been found in every club, and informers in
every association ?" and, finally, have we not found
that " the Breton (Irish) peasantry, though the
bravest in Europe, were unable to contend with re-
gular troops, especially as most of those who had prof-
fered to act as leaders were not to be found on the day
of battle .9" Let us hope that the parallel may end
here, and that we may have no subsequent ex-
ecutions to make the victims heroes, and
matyrs embal.ned in the memories and con-
secrated in the melodies of their countrymen.
We cannot devote much space to the other contents
of the number, although well worthy of a prolong, d
notice. " The Angel of Toil," by Mr. D. F.
M'Carthy, is a beautiful allegory, in which the great
necessity of constant labour is powerfully impressed.
" China and the Chinese" i 3 continued with unabated
interest, and the manners and customs of the inhabi-
tants of the Celestial Empire most graphically de-
lienated. " The Knightly Tale of Sir Guy of Nor-
:nandye," a ballad, by the late William Motherwell,
which had not been included in the published edition
of his works, will be received with a cordial greeting
by all the admirers (and how numerous are they)
of that gifted poet. " A few words on Poems,
Poetry, and Poets," contains notices of, and
many beautiful extracts from, the works of Dr.
Charles Mackay, Mrs.: Frances Brown, and David
Herbison. " A house and its Three Tenants " is
concluded, the stories of the second and of the last
tenant are given ; the latter especially is one of deep
and painful interest. We had almost omitted men-
tionof " The Random Records of a Rambler." The
readers of the Dublin fnivcrsily (in whom it will ex-
cite many a joyous smile) will not, however, we ven-
ture to predict, treat it with similar negligence, but
will bestow on it that attention which our space does
not permit us to afford.

COLBURIY'S UNITED SERVICE.
The present number opens with an admirable ac-
count
of the transactions at Paris during the 23d,
24th, 26th, and 26th of June, given by an eye-
witness, who is manifestly well acquainted with mili-
tary affairs, and competent to explain clearly the
various movements that took place on the occasion.
Tristram comments with powerful effect on " La-
marche's Algeria," and exposes the fallacies of M.
IliPPolyte Lamarche with the same force and effi-
ciency that he displayed when overhauling the
pamphlet of the Prince de Joinville. " Re-
cent Revolutions considered in a Military
Point of "View," is a most interesting professional
paper from the pen of Lieut.-Colonel Wilkie. " The
African Cruiser ;" " A True Tale of the Rebellion of
Forty-five ;'' " Shots from an Old Six-pounder ;"
" Perils of the Past ;" " A Tale of the Old Guards ;"
and " Reminiscences of a Subaltern," are all well
worthy of perusal, and will help to beguile the tedium
of a gloomy day at country quarters.
We regret to be obliged to express our most un-
qualified disapprobation of the tone and sentiments
put forward in the paper on "Corporal Punishments,"
by a medical staff officer. Thanks be to God, a spirit
has gone abroad through all classes in society, that will
no longer tolerate the indiscriminate and frequent
use of the brutalizing and degrading cat. And when
we find the hero of Meanee and Hyderabad recording
his deliberate opinion against not merely the abuse,
but, except in rare instances indeed, the use of that
atrocious instrument of torture, we can well afford to
disregard the querulous murmurs of the medical
staff officer, who calumniates our gallant soldiers by
contending that discipline cannot be preserved by
any other means, that terror alone can enforce proper
attention to their duty. The writer not only wishes
that corporal punishment should he freely resorted to
in the army, but also desires to extend its use to a
" multitude of offences of daily occurrence in civil
life." We trust that many persons cannot now be
found to agree with the opinions put forward by this
misanthropical martinet. In all other respects the
number is well worthy of the established reputation
of our contemporary.