The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-05 00:00:00

OLYMPIC THEATRE

That sorry compound of bad meledrame and worse
farce, which, in Mr. Morton's days, people were con-
tent to applaud as a comedy—and which still usurps
the title—we mean the School of Reform—was played
last night, in order to introduce to the London stage
a new Tyke, in the person-of Mr. Lysander S.
Thompson, an actor of high provincial repute.
To a really intelligent actor, and such, from his
performance last night, we believe Mr. Thompson to
be, the task of working up the whining sentimentality
and turgid clap-trap with which the character is
filled, into a really effective and powerful part, must
be anything but a pleasant one. Mr. Thompson, how-
ever, 'overcame the difficulty. His make-up and
bearing on his entrance showed him at once an artist.
He played his first scene with 'a breadth and power,
and at the same time with a great deal of quiet natural
truth. The interview with Lord Avondale, in which
Tyke recounts the history of his backsliding, Mr.
Thompson managed with a naive cleverness which
told well ; and in the succeeding passionate passages
he came out with a degree of power and artistic
energy which rose far above the level of ordinary
melodramatic acting. After the third act Mr. Thomp-
son fell off, but it was simply because the part fell off
too. The fault was Mr. Morton's, not his. A more
intolerably insipid gentleman than Tyke becomes after
he is well washed, and shaved, and reformed, and
purified, it is not easy to imagine. Talk of Mr.
Morton inculcating a good moral 1 Why, Tyke is
quite interesting so long as he is a scamp, but he
becomes perfectly unbearable as soon as he turns into
a respectable and virtuous personage. In the early
part of the play, however, Mr. Thompson gave us a
very sufficing taste of his quality. He is decidedly a
clever actor, intelligent in conception and skilful and
plastic in the execution of a part. He is perfectly
at home upon the stage, possesses a good face and
figure, and will altogether be a most decided acqui-
sition to our boards His success was complete.

POCLAMATION or OUTLAWRY.—At the sitting of
the Sheriffs' Court on Thursday Mr. Hemp made the
usual proclamation, and called upon the following per-
sons to surrender or bo outlawed :—Edward Ruaselt,
commonly known as and styled Lord E. Ruasell ; the
Hon. William Frederick Byng (at the several suits of
Abraham Josephs and Leon Solomon); the Honourable
Henry Thomas Stanley (at the several suits of E. Levy
and Charles Lewis); James Hasting, Jasper Byng Creag,
Robert Peel, W. Kingdon, Richard Norman, Walter
Shairp, Charles Henry Burgess, John Bird, Rev. W.
Cuthbert, clerk; William Platt, Henry Bromley, Stephen
Bradley, Henry Arundell, Eric Baker, Michael Greaves,
Edward William Cobb, Samuel Henry Page, George
Fitch Titt Rose, Henry Stanley, and Edward Kent
Bayard.
DEATH Or MAIOR-GENERAL CAILO J. DOYLI.-
The above gallant officer, who not long since returned
to this country from administering the Government of
one of the Leeward I►lands, died on Thursday, at his
residence in Regent- street, in his 62d year. He was
promoted to the rank of Lieutenant• Colonel in 1837,
and was further advanced to the rank of Major-General.
Signor Marras, the popular vocalist, has arrived
in London for the season.

DEATH OF A StORTING CHARACTER.—Mr Tho-
mas Ferguson, who gained some celebrity in this country
as owner of the celebrated rape-horse Harkaway, ez-
piri d on the 2d instant, at his residence, Rossmore
Lodge, Curragh, of Kildare, Ireland, in the 54th year of
his age. The immediate cause of his death was, it ap-
pears, an attack of paralysis. Mr. Ferguson was for
many years a crack steeple chase rider, and during his
career possessed many valuable horses. He was of a
kind, benevolent disposition, and his house was ever
characterised by the most genuine hospitality.
DEATH OF ANOTHER ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIM.
—We are sorry to learn that another clergyman has
fallen a victim to the discharge of his duties in minis-
tering to the sick and dying. The Rev. Edward Uns-
worth, of Granby-row Chapel, Manchester, died cm
Wednesday last, of typhus fever. The deceased was in
Liverpool about a fortnight ago, apparently in good
health and spirits. The day after his return home he
was taken ill, and soon confined to his bed, from which
he was never more to rise. He was a young man re-
cently ordained, and received his education at Valls-
dolid.—Leverpeol Mercury.
BORNEO.—We regard as a compliment to the press
the appointment of Mr. Spenser St. John, one of the
numerous sons of Mr. James Augustus St. John, who
has long been connected with eastern polities, to be the
private secretary of Mr. Brook, of Sarawak, who now
proceeds to Asia as her Majesty's Commissioner to the
Indian Archipelago and Governor of Lubnan.
IVINDson, FRIDAY EVENING.—Her Royal High-
ness the Duchess of Kent is somewhat indisposed at her
residence at Frogmore. An evening party bad been
announced for this evening at Frogmore Lodge, which
party her Majesty and the Prince had signified their
intention of honouring with their presence, attended by
the principal members of the Court at Windsor Castle ;
but unfortunately the indispoLition of the Royal Duchess
increased so much during the latter part of yesterday,
and also to-day, that the intended party has been post-
poned, without any other day being named. The pre-
parations for the removal of the Court to Buckingham
Palace, on Tuesday next, are still actively going on.
The first of the royal luggage vans left the Castle to-day
for Buckingham Palace ; it will be succeeded by ethers
to-morrow and Monday ; and, on Tuesday, after lun-
cheon, the royal family and suite will finally quit the
Castle for the London season.

WAIST WIT.—A poor corset-maker, out of work
and starving, thus vented her miserable complaint :
" Shame that I should be without bread—l that have
stayed the stomachs of thousands."
Woomvicn. The apprehension of a gang of
burglars, well known to the police of the various divi-
sions, took place on Thursday, at Woolwich, under very
singular circumstances. Some three weeks since Mr.
Colvill, of the Albion Tavern, Woolwich, was robbed of
nearly 170/. by three men, who, under the pretence of
writing a private letter in one of the rooms up stairs,
contrived to break open the drawers, and escape with
the money, the whole of which, with the exception of
about 301., was in sovereigns. The police used every
exertion to detect the offenders, but up to yesterday not
the slightest clue was obtained that could lead to their
detection. Yesterday, however, it was communicated to
the police that the gang intended to rob the house of
Mr. Mould, of the Powerful, Warwick street. Tour
policemen were accordingly stationed in the house, and
on the arrival of the parties, who were recognised by
their suspicious practices, the whole party were taken
into custody, together with a man named Brunton, re-
siding in Woolwich, who was charged with inciting the
rest to commit the robbery. They gave the names of
John Flowers, William Johnson, and William Mayhew,
of Brighton. They were remanded for further.th-
quiries.

THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.—Returni of
the aggregate amount already paid, :or agreed to be
paid, to contractors and other persona for the purchase
of lands and houses for the erection of the palace as
Westminster (or new houses of Parliament) were or-
dered by the House of Commons to be printed on the
20th of December. They were yesterday issued to the
public. It appears that the aggregate amount of all
sums paid by the Woods and Forests on account of the
new houses, including all allowances for house-rent, for
the use of the officers or offices of the two houses,
from 1834 to the present period, and of the sums paid
since the destruction of the houses of Parliament by fire,
for temporary buildings and repairs for the accommo-
dation of Parliament, is 1,066,561!. The amount of the
original estimate (1837) was 707,104!.
" POPPING THE QUESTION," AND " SHIFTING Tgt
QUESTION."—On one occasion Lord Eldon and the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury (Sutton), and many other lords
were with George 111., when his Majesty exclaimed—
"l dare say I am the first King whose Archbishop of
Canterbury, and whose Chancellor, had both run away
with their wives—was it not so Chancellor?" " May it
please your Majesty, will you ask the Archbishop that
question first?" answered his Lordship.—Poynder's Li-
terary Ertrctcts (f%ew Series).

BIRTHS.
On the 31st ult., at Ockley, Surrey, the lady of Lieutenant-
Colonel Walter Smelt, of the Bombay Army, of a daughter.
On the 3d inst., in Hamilton-place, Piccadilly, the Hon.
Mrs. Richard Boyle, of a son.