The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-17 00:00:00

OLYMPIC.

The Olympic last night produced a comedy, in
five acts, which, however, went off but lamely.
There is the old story of a guilty son, afterwards re-
pentent; of a love sick maiden at first indignant, and
afterwards indulgent. A plot partly compiled from
Douglas Jerrold's " St. James's and St. Giles's," and
partly from less noted sources. The dialogue might
be termed smart, if common places may be in-
cluded in the category of cleverness. The piece
was received with audible expressions •of dis-
approbation. We hope that Mr. Bolton will see the ne-
cessity to "cut down" the interminable scenes, and in
some degree at least to elevate the language ; this he
must do if the piece is to enjoy even a short existence.
The ballet was received' with the utmost applause, and
the afterpiece, The Two Gregories, was received with
roars of laughter.

LYCEUM.
A series of vocal and instrumental Promenade Con-
certs were commenced at this theatre last evening by
Mr. Allcroft, of New Bond-street and Regent-street,
According to the programme, these concerts, which are
now becoming so fashionable and such favourites with
the public since their introduction by Julien, are to
extend over only one short month at this theatre. How-
ever, if we are to judge from the bill of fare and per-
formances of the first night, Allcroft is determined that
the period, though short, shall be well employed, and a
rich treat given to those lieges who are partial to good
music and singing, in addition to rambling not on the
boards of old Drury or Covent Gardeii' but on the
hitherto; except to those who are members of the thea-
trical profession, untrodden boards of the Lyceum, The
stage of this theatre has been most tastefully fitted up, and
decorated as a promenade and orchestra by Mr. P. Phillips,
No less than eighty native performers have been en-
gaged for the orchestra, in addition to which Aileron
has secured the valuable assistance of the Distin family ;
that of Mr. Henry Russell, the deservedly celebrated
and popular vocalist ; our old friend Sinclair, and Carte,
Grattan Cooke, Badderley, King, Thirlwall,
Thomas, Handley, and, though last not least, Master
Thirlwall, a young gentleman about fourteen years of
age, a promising scion of the Thirlwall stock, and an
aspirant to the fame of the great violinst
Paganini himself. With such workmen as these
Allcroft cannot fail of succeeding in his short
campaign. The programme for this evening (and it
is, we understand, to be changed every evening)
was a rich treat for the lovers of vocal and instrumental
music. The overture to William Tell, by Rossini, was
admirably performed ; its wild and melodious parts were
given in the true beauty and simplicity. of its composer,
and its performance was most enthusiastically received
by a house crowded in every part. The " Witches
Dance," by Paginini, never before played except by the
composer himself, was executed with. great taste and
much artistic skill on the violin, by Master Thir wall.
As many of our readers are.probably not aware of
.th.e
cause which led that great master of the violin (Pagannu)
to compose this fantasia, we may state "that on a h-autiful
summer evening, Paganini fell asleep under the" Haunted
Walnut Trees of Benevento." He dreamed that a host
of witches, headed by goblin musicians, appeared to him,
dancing, laughing, screaming, i
ing, and performing indiscri-
bable gambols. For some tune after, the melody of the
goblin minstrels, and the cries of the witches, were ever
present to his mind. and thus haunted be wrote the
humourous various on contra danza, " Dello Streghe ; or
The Comic Dance of the Witches round the Walnut
Tree of Benevento," as descriptive of the scene. Among
the other entertainments of the evening was a new polka,
called the "Victoria and Albert," composed expressly
for these concerts by Pugrii, the "Royal Hunt," a new
quadrille, by Callcott, a selection from Don Quixote,
which afforded an opportunity to Mr. Montara to dis-
play his talents on the bassoon, Mr. Handley on the
cornet a-piston, and Mr. Wright on the ophicleide. Mr.
Henry Distin performed several solos on the Sax-
' tronsba and the alto Saxon horn, in his best style ;
and Mr. Distin was most deservedly encored in his
wonderful performance of a fantasia on the trum-
pet, in which he introduces the whole of the voice
part of " The Soldier Tired," by Dr. Arne. Mr.
Henry Russell enlivened the amusements of the
evening by several of his popular descriptive songs,
and his negro melodies, in many of which he was
most enthusiastically encored. The whole of the concert
was most ably conducted by Mr. Negri, and led by
[ Messrs. Thirlwall and W. Thomas. We had almost

forgotten to say that our old friend Sinclair, in the
course of the evening, sang with great taste and feeling
a new Scotch ballad, called " Come sit the down," in
which he was most deservedly encored. Altogether,
the whole of the performances of the evening went off
with great eclat, and we predict for Allcroft, though it be
a short, a profitable season. He has our best wishes
for his success, and he heartily deserves them.

WORKING MEN'S CHESS Cum.—On Saturday-
evening a meeting of working men was held in Bunhill-
row, for the purpose of forming a chess club.

DON CARLOS:—A. correspondent writes on:the 4th
from Genoa:—"lt is said that Don Carlos, who lives re
tired in this town with the Princess of Beira.and a very
small establishment of servants, intends to remove to
Venice. It is said that his two sons, who have been in
the service of the King of Sardinia, have been made
Generals in the Austrian army. They have neither of
them any great experience, in the art of war."
NEW AFFLICATION OF THE ELECTRIC T ELE-
GRAPIL—On Thursday a workman, named John 11L ttam,
left the Chesterfield station in a railway carriage, taking
his day'& dinner with him, but on reaching his destina-
tion he left his beef, potatoes, and cabbage in the car-
riage. Having communicated his loss to the qation
clerk, the telegraph was set to work, and tho answer
quickly obtained, stating that the dinner was found, and
that it would be sent back by `the next train.
A letter from Metz states that the conferences
which were to be held between the agents of the French
and Prussian Governments, to regulate the conditions
for a prolongation of the railroad frsm Metz to Saar-
buck, are postponed.
M. Leverrier, the discoverer of the new planet, is
appointed to the new chair of mathematics, applied to
astronomy, in France ; and M. Charles, professor at the
Polytechnic School, to the chair for the higher branches
of geometry.
GRAND POLISH BALL AND CONCERT AT GUILDHALL
TO-MORROW, WEDNESI;AY.—We are informed that the
prospects of this entertainment are most cheering, and
that no ball, at this time of the year, could exhibit so
much splendour, or ;offer so much pleasure and amuse-
ment. We congratulate those who have already se-
cured th.ir admission to this scene of brilliancy, and we

w. old exhort othurs, whose benevolent feelings for this
praiAeworthy obj,et, or a wish of enjoying a rare and
,eautiful sight, who have not yet determined, to pro-
cure tickets, which are still at their original price,

,her, by, they whl please themselves and coutribute to
a cause, which enjoys a deserving sympathy at the hands
of the British public,