The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-03 00:00:00

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.

The reign of Philippe in the France of the Magicians
has ceased almost simultaneously with that of Louis
Philippe in the France of the Politicians—and what
Lamartine is to political France that is Robert Houdin
to France magical. He is the very chief of sorcerers, in
comparison with whom I)obler is a bungler, and even
Philippe must hide his diminished head. lie commenced
a short series of Soirees Fantastiques at this theatre last
evening, and for upwards cf three hours kept a delighted
and astonished audience un the qui vice. 'the enter.
taintnent consists of three parts—the first part being
tricks of sleight of hand, the second part tricks
mechanical, and the third part exhibiting the mar-
vels of second sight and ot aerial suspension. The.
eldt st son ot Robert Houdin exhibits the won-
ders of second sight. He is placed by his father in
a slaty of mesmeric trance, and then by second sight
describes the various objects which different persons put
into a hox closely locked. The etherial suspension is
even still more wonderful. The younger son of Robert
Houdin is the exhibiter of this wonderful phenomenon.
The child is supported in a recumbent position, his head
resting on his hand and his elbow supported on the erd
of a prop somewhat resembling a walking stick, and
placed upright on the ground. The father causes the
child to inhale a few sniffs of ether—the child becomes
apparently insensible; all supports are removed from the
legs and body, and the child remains resting only
by the elbows on the walking-stick, suspended in mid-
air in a reclining position, literally lying on nothing, and
remains thus until the curtain falls. This is certainly
the most extraordinary illusion—if it be an illusion—if
not an illu ion, then it is the most extraordinary tour de
force ever performed. Verily, Robert Houdin is the chief
of all the magicians. The house was well attended, and
the applause was enthusiastic.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—Her Royal Highness
the Duchess of Kent honoured the performances at her
Majesty's Theatre yesterday evening with her presence.
In her Royal Highness's suite were the Marquis and
Marchioness of Douglas, Lady Augusta Bruce, and Lord
James Murray. Her Majesty the Queen Adelaide's
box was occupied by Lady Augusta Hallyburton, Lady
Adelaide Erskine and party. There were also present
his Grace the Duke of Wellington, the Duke and
Duchess of Montrose, the Duchess of Leeds, Baroness
de Brunnow and Mademoiselle Olga do Lechner, his
Excellency the Swedish Minister and the Baroness
Rehausen, his Excellency the Hanoverian Minister, the
Marquis and Marchioness of Sligo and the Ladies
Brown, the Marquis of Iluntley, the Marquis of Clan-
ricarde, the Count de Berke, Baron Nicolay, the Earl of
Pembroke, the Earl of Cardigan, the Earl of Falmouth,
the Earl of Belfast, Lord Rendlesham and the Misses
Duff, Lord Elphinstone, Lord Warre, Lord Gardner,
the Marquis de Salvo, Viscount Somerton, Viscount
Clifden, Viscount Anson, Lady Ralph Howard, Lady
Coleborne, Lady Fremantle, M. de Cottu, Count
Arthur de Coarcy, the Honourable R. Curzon, Sir H.
Willoughby, &c.
ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, COVENT-GARDEN..--Her
Majesty's box was occupied last evening by the Duke
and Duchess of Norfolk and the Ladies Howard. There
were also present the Marquis and Marchioness of Wor-
cester and Lady Blanche Somerset, the Marquis and
Marquise St. Pierre, the Earl and Countess of Wilton,
Earl Grey, Earl of Munster, the Countess Dowager of
Essex and Miss Johnstone, Viscount Exmouth, Vis-
count Dupplin, Viscount Ebrington, Viscount Clifden,
Lady Harriet Baring, Lord Laseelles, Lord and the
Hon. Miss Foley, ;Lord and Lady Carrington and the
Hon. Miss Cotton, Lord and Lady Wodehonse, Lady
Suffield, Lady Webster, Baron and Baroness Goldsmid
and the Misses Goldsmid, Lady Quintin, Lady Holland,
Lady Scott, Lady Warneford, ;Lady Morgan, Lord and
Lady Trimlestone, the Dowager Lady Molesworth,
lion. G. Miles, lion. Charles and Mrs. Ash burnham,
Hon. Lawrance Parsons, lion. Thomas flonbury, Hon.
Cecil Forester, Sir W. Ross, Bart., Sir W. Molesworth,
Bart., Sir Henry Webb, Bart., Sir F. Booth, Bart.,
Sir William Abdy Bart., Baron de Sternberg, Sir
Charles Marshall, Sir C. Morgan, Mrs.
General d'Aguilar, Major-General Campbell,
_:nrow
M
Colonel Blane, Colonel Wingfield, Colon_ el "
ro
Knox, M.P , Mr. Henry Greville, -Ful'fe'rd'
Ewart, M P., Mr. H. Baring, ALE, MT. H. T. Hope,
M.P.. &c.
The Louisville and other Amery
favourably of the
in their
theatrical notices, are
epeaivneartniceadn
performances of an Englishman Hamlet, Ike. He is de-
clared ahpaerrlse's Dibdin
Pitt, as Sir Giles
real
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dared to have been
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