The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-25 00:00:00

OPENING OF DRURY-LANE

THEATRE.

Mr. Bunn commences his campaign on Saturday week,
with the strongest corps, both for opera and ballet, that
has ever yet appeared in an English theatre. His prima
donna is Madame Arnie Bishop, whose fame is European,
and who for some seasons, at the San Carlos at Naples,
nobly sustained the honour of England as a musical
nation. She is the only English cerntatrice who since
the days of Storace has been acknowledged in Italy, the
native land of opera, as a prima donna assoluta. Madame
Viardot Garcia, the sister of Malibran, will, there is
little doubt, also appear during the course of the season,
and it appears that Mr. Bunn still holds the nightingale
of Germany, Jenny Lind, to her engagement with
him. Among the debutantes are Miss Messent (who has
won golden opinions as a concert singer), and Miss Re-
becca Isaacs, whose debut on the London boards, some
years since, was most promising, and who has of late
been practising most assiduously in the provinces. These
are in addition to Miss Romer, Miss Rainforth, Miss
Poole, and Messrs. Borrani, Burdini, Stretton,
and Harrison, and all the old favourites. Schira
will resume the baton of conductor, and Tully,
first of musical drill.sergeants, continues to be
chorus-master. Three new operas, one by Lavenu,
another by Balfe, and another by Wallace, are
already in preparation, and it is hoped that Meyerbeer
may be induced to visit England during the course of the
season, and produce and conduct his last and greatest
work, The Camp of Silesia. The Drury -lane corps de ballet
will also be excessively strong. The sylph-like Flora
lrabbri is engaged, as is the graceful Plunkett; and Car-
lotta Grisi, the first danseuse in Europe will, in all pro•
bability delight the I abitues of Drury-lane with her
majestic and intellectual interpretations of the inspira-
tions of Terpsichore. Several debutantes will also put in
their claire to the admiration of the English public.
Among them are Mademoiselle Sophie Fuoco, from the
Acad6mie of Paris, Mademoiselle Paderna, from La
Scala and San Carlos, Mademoiselle Benard and
Mademoiselle La Broderie, from the Acad6mie of
Paris. Judging from the keen tact of Mr.
Bunn, recollecting that he was the first to dis-
cover the genius of a Lucile Grahn, and of a
Flora Fabbri, and to introduce *them to the Eng-
lish public, we cannot but augur favourably of the
success of these debUtantes. Certain we are that Mr.
Bunn is not the manager who would tolerate medio-
crity in any department. Madame Guibelei, Made-
moiselle Louise, Mademoiselle Adele, and Les Scours
St. Louis still continue members of the regular corps
de ballet, and Messrs. Wieland and W. W. Payne as
grotesques, Mr. Risley and his sons as classical posists,
and Messrs. Theodore, Huguet, and Basis, also con-
tribute their services. Two new ballets are pre-
mised us one, Ersilie, composed expressly for
Flora Fabbri ; and another, Betty, which
is now turning the heads of all Paris.
Grieve undertakes the superintendence of the scenic de-
partment ; Harley is stage manager, and W. West is the
superintendent of spectacle. Mr. Bunn most assuredly
deserves success, and with such means there can be no
doubt but that he will do more—he will command it.

AFFAIRS OF SPAIN.
(From the Times.)
MADRID, SEPT. 17.—The following is the report of
the commission named by the Deputies to draw up the
reply to her Majesty's message :
" Senora,—The Congress of Deputies have heard, with
the most profound respect the communication your
Majesty has been pleased to address to them, through
the medium of your Ministers, informing them that your
Majesty has determined to contract matrimony with
your august cousin the Infante Don Francisco ..Assis de
Bourbon ; they congratulate your Majesty, because,
while regarding your own happiness, you have given
the strongest testimony that you know how to reconcile
it with the good and prosperity of the nation which
Divine Providence has recommended to your care.
" The Congress are no less pleased at learning that
your Majesty has deigned to give your consent to the
marriage of her Royal Highness Dona Luisa Fernanda
de Bourbon, your august sister, and the present imme-
diate successor to the Crown, with his Royal Highness
Prince Antoine Marie Philippe Louis of Orleans, Duke
de Montpensier.
" The Congress, who, on all occasions, have given
the most unequivocal proofs of their love for the Throne,
and of their respect and adhesion to representative in-
stitutions, cannot do less than congratulate your Majesty
on the judicious combination of marriages which satisfy
the desires of the Spanish people, who are deeply in-
terested in the domestic felicity of your Majesty and of
your august sister, and in the consolidation of the con-
stitutional monarchy.
"The Congress unite in this expression of the con-
soling hope, cherished in the magnanimous heart of your
Majesty, and trust that, with the assistance of the
Almighty, the decided will of your Majesty, the efforts
of the Government, and the co-operation of the Cortes,
the new era of peace and happiness, announced by your
Majesty, will be as enduring as the submission to the
laws will be profound; that the oblivion of past disorders
will be more complete, and the union of all Spaniards
will be men sincere.
" JUAN BRAVO MURILLO, President.
" LUIS JOSE SARTORIUS.
" ALEJANDRO OLIVAN.
" FERNANDO ALVAREZ.
" JOSE DE POSADA HERRERA.
" EMANUEL GALL ARDO.
" ANTONIO DE BENAVIDES, Secretary.
" Palace of the Congress. Sept. 16."
It would appear that the Opposition Deputies are as-
suming a more courageous tone than they have had for
the last two or three days. A meeting was held last
night to decide on what was to be done. It is said that
34—some say 44—have determined on voting against the
Government on the question of the Infanta's marriage.
It is rumoured that the Infante Don Enrique has
written to his father and brother a strong and severe
letter, reproaching them, and in particular the latter,
with not hay ng, kept faith with him in the circumstance
of the marriage.
Some sensation has been caused here by the fact of an
advertisement appearing yesterday in the Mario de
Avisos, announcing the sale of the furniture of the British
Minister. It is taken as an indication of his departure
from Madrid. I believe, however, that at present at
least there is no foundation for any such supposition.
The Gazette states that the Pope has granted the
necessary. dispensations for the marriages of the Queen
and her sister. It is expected here in the course of the
present week, so that I.trale time has been lost.
The Government has received, by telegraph, the news
of the disappearance from Paris of the Carlist General
Cabrera. The Liberals of Seville have addressed a
petition to the Queen against the marriage of the Infanta
with the Duke do Montpensier.
El Eco del Contereio was again seized by the police
this morning. There can be little doubt of the inten-
tions of the Government to completely annihilate the
press.
FOUR O'CLOCK, P.M.—The two Chambers met at the
usual hour; one, the Congress is still sitting, and will
probably sit for some time.
In the Congress, the President, Castro y Orozco, an-
nounced that he had a most important document put into
his hands for presentation to the House; nothing less
than a protest on the part of the Infante Don Enrique
against the marriage of the Infanta Luisa Fernanda with
the Duke de Montpensier. It was dated the 7th of Sep-
tember, at Ghent. Senor Isturitz, President of the
Council, stood up, and opposed the reading of the pro-
test, on the ground that he refused to recognise the right
of any subject, how high soever his rank, to oppose him-
self to the will of the Queen. The President of the
Congress declared that the document should follow the
usual course of papers presented to the House. It was
accordingly read.
The ad,Jress in reply to the message of the Queen was
then read, and put from the chair to be discussed. Pre-
viously, Senor Pacheco stood up, and asked the Minister
for Foreign Affairs as to the fact of any communications
having passed between him and a foreign Minister at
this Court on the subject of the Infanta's mar-
riage? Senor Isturitz replied, that between him and Mr.
Bulwer, the British Minister, no correspondence had
taken Place on the subject; he had received three notes
from Mr. Bulwer, the tenor of which was in opposition
to the marriage; but he thought it right to say that
these notes were written on Mr. Bulwer's own respon-
sibility, and without instructions from his Government.
In his last note, Mr. Bulwer stated that he should con-
sider it his duty to abstain from all further official com-
munication with him until he had received further
instructions from his Government. The subject then
dropped.
The discussion then commenced on the address to the
Queen. Senor Pastor Diaz stood up to oppose it. His
speech was long, and some passages of it were ap-
plauded in the public galleries, in spite of the efforts of
the President of the Chamber; one passage particularly,
where he said "that all parties could forget each other's
grievances, but there was one party that could never be
forgiven or forgotten in Spain, and that was the Afran-
cesado faction." This allusion produced much movement
in the House.
The address was supported by Donozo Cortes,.who
continued speaking up to the hour stated in the latter
part of this letter. His speech promises to last for some
time, as he is an orator of the most tedious kind. His
Ha
er e b generallyegan
with
the historical
history essays
and had arrived at the sixteenth century when four
o'clock struck. The division, in all probability, will not
of th the f
early immenseages,
length. Hare
take place to-night, as there are three or four yet to
speak on the same subject.
In the Senate, the President also announced the fact
of having received the protest. Armero, Minister of
Marine, opposed its being read, for the same reason
given by Isturitz in the Congress.
Several members, amongst them Serrano and the
Marquis of Vilma, demanded that it should be read.
The President then put it to the House, and it was de-
cided in the negative. The protest, consequently, was
not read.
Letters from Paris received here to-day state that
the journey of the French Princes to Madrid has been
suspended.
Other accounts mention that the representatives of
the Austrian and English Governments on the marriage
question have produced their effect on Louis Philippe.
The Opposition Members are much animated in conse-
quence of the reports.
The Three per Cents. have improved per cent.,
they were done at 36* ; Four per Cents., 22 ; Five per
Cents., 221 ; Debt without interest, 6i. Coupons, 201.
Exchange on London, 361. M.

MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIFE.—On Tuesday last, the
22d instant, the Hon. Edward Plunkett, son of the Right
Hon. Lord Dunsany, was married, by special license, to
the Hon. Miss Ann Constance Dutton, daughter of the
Right Hon. Lord Sherborne, and sister to the Countess
of Dude. Shortly after the ceremony the happy pair
left Sherborne 1341 for Donsany Gaslle, to pace the
howymoon.