The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-18 00:00:00

HAYMARKET THEATRE.

Last evening Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean made
their first appearance in London since their return
from Americt, at this theatre, in a new play, entitled
the Wife's Secret, from the pen of Mr. Lovell, the
author of the Provost (If Bruges, Look before you
Leap, &c., &c. The WiP's Secret is one of the most
effective and interesting plays that has been pro-
duced for some years. It is in five acts, and is thus
divided, not merely in accordance with the rule
which says that a legitimate play should consist of
neither more nor less than that number of
acts, but because the subject naturally divides
itself into five portions. The interest is kept
up to the last ; and albeit the sources of that,
interest are discovered before the conclusion
of the first act, and the plot becomes; from
that moment apparent, yet so artistically has Mr.
Lovell managed, by the skilful introduction of inci-
dents, to delay the catastrophe, that the interest goes
on increasing in intensity scene by scene until, at the
conclusion of the play—and not until the conclusion
of the play—comes the climax. The scene is laid
in Dorsetshire, in the year 1655, in the mansion of
Sir Walter Amyot (Mr. Charles Kean), one of
Cromwell's generals, a type of the honest and consci-
entious Puritans of the period. Of the severe and
lofty nobleness of his nature we may form some idea
from the description he himself gives of the reasons
which urged him to take up arms :
" When I took arms there was no selfish thought
In my heart's purpose—no exciting dream
Of interest or glory urged me on,
I rose in answer to the holiest call
That ever sounded in a freeman's ear—
My faith, my country, asked their children's aid.
Such as I could, I gave. I would not boast,
But thou !twit something known that private wrong
Falls dully on my nature. To the foe
Who slanders me—at,uses my forbearance—
And und, mines the fabric of my peace,
I still can give—have given—the hand of pardon.
But should one, born and nursed my country's child,
Still plot against her freedom—should he, now
That she has won her liberty, still seek
To pour in poison to her yet green wounds—
Then I would reckon such my deadliest foe—
Would own no tie of kin—no link of lore."
He is wedded to the Lady Evelyn (Mrs. Charles
Kean), the sister of Lord Arden (Mr. Howe), an
exiled cavalier—a lady of gentle blood and of as gentle
nature—one of those exquisitely beautiful feminine
characters in the delineation of which Mrs. Charles
Kean is without a rival. At the time the action of
the play commences Sir Walter is absent from his
home. An ill. advised rising of Royalists has taken
place at Salisbury, which he has put down, and is ex-
pected hourly at his mansion on the coast of Dorset-
shire. During his absence the Lady Evelyn has
discovered divers peculations on the part of Jabez
Sneed (Mr. Webster), the dishonest Puritan
steward of Sir Walter, and Jabez of course is loud in
bearing his testimony against the " Amalekitish
woman," whom Walter has introduced into the tents
of the chosen people. The Lady Evelyn attended
by Maud (Mrs. Keeley) is in her bower chamber,
when a page enters and hands her a letter, apprizing
her of the immediate return of Sir Walter. She
exclaims--

" Atnyot returning ! Walter coming home !
Thou dear conveyancer of precious news,
A blessing on thine every character.
How kind, how tenderly he writes!—what love!
Oh! I am undeserving of such bliss!
What should Ido to merit it? And thou,
Dear paper, that hest sped so fast before,
Impatient to anticipate my joy,
What largess shall I give thee for thy pains?
Be will not grudge thee this kiss—'tis given to him—
Dear Walter! Dearest husband!"
These beautiful lines were exquisitely given by
!qrs. Charles Kean. There was an overflowing
of the heart, an intensity of love and devotedness in
her manner of rendering them, that drew down the
rapturous applause of the audience. It was the first
great hit of the night, and from that moment the
success of the play was certain. She hears a tap at
her window, and rushes forward to embrace, as she
thinks, her husband. It is not her husband, but her
brother, Lord Arden, the Cavalier, who has been en-
gaged in the unfortunate rising at Salisbury, and
now a fugitive, reeks shelter in his sister's holm
until he can escape to France. She promises him the
Interest and aid of her husband, which he indignantly
rejects, and, in so doing, throws additional light
upon the noble character of Sir Walter, Arden thus
replies to his sister's offers :

" Sister,
Rear what I say—and do not after think
To change my resolution. When I first
Learned you had wedded Walter Amyot,
My rage, that any prick-eared cur should dare
To marry with my sister, knew no bounds—
I heaped upon him insults—public—ones—
Challenged him—called his temper cowardice
That would not meet,me with as blind a hate—
Outraged him as I thought no man could bear,
Though for your sake he did endure it still ;
And having done this, think you I would now
Crouch down and ask for service from him ?—bid him
Who comes here in authority and trust
Give shelter to his master's enemy ?
Raise war between his pity and his duty?
Assault his constiesec.,—for these gentlemen,
You know, have very tender consciences—
Nay, do not interrupt me—Eveline,
Promise me—swear to me, no word, no hint,
Shall ever reach to Walter Amyot's ear
I am so much as debtor to hi. walls
For shelter from the sky—promise me this,
Or on the instant I'll resume my flight
And dare all consequence."
Mr. Lovell has shown himself a true master
of his craft, in thus artistically preparing
the way for the entrance of his hero. Scarcely
has Arden time to exact an oath of aecresy from his
!lister ere Sir Walter is heard approaching. Arden
Is hid behind some tapestry, and Sir Walter enters.
Lady Evelyn is in an agony of fear, and her trepida-
tion at length becomes so apparent, that Maud
interferes, and artfully declares that her mistress has
passed so many weary hours in the bower
chamber, waiting the return of her husband,
that the place has become hateful to her.
Walter immediately quits the chamber with Evelyn,
locks it up, and confides the key to his wife, directing
that the chamber shall never be opened until she wills
it. This same bower chamber is a source of great
anxiety to 'Tuber. Sneed. His accounts, which his
lady has suddenly demanded of him, are all in that
chamber, and to them he must get access to alter
certain figures before they are presented to Sir 'Walter.
To get possession of the key is, therefore, his great
Object. His suspicions are aroused, and he determines if
possible to create suspicions in the mind of Walter
also. He begins cunningly by puritanically bearing
his testimony against the idolatry of 'Walter in wor-
shipping an idol of frail clay. The answer of Walter.
is beautiful, and was given with a truthfulness and
feeling by Mr. Charles Kean, which left nothing to
be desired. " I worship not," he exclaitns—

" I worship not! I love!
A nearer, dearer word—whose human fondness
Encloses in its warm and holy clasp
Affection, tenderness, esteem, devotion
Whatever heaven has left its creatures free
Utiblamed to consecrate to one another!"
Jabez, however, urges him to demand the key, and
be sends fur the Lady Evelyn, but overcome
by her look of innocence and purity, instead
of asking for the key, he asks what she
has done to make that wretch (pointing to Jabez)
hate her. She has asked for his accounts, and Walter
at once sees the villany of Jabez, who, however, is
not yet foiled. As an act of justice to himself, Jabez
demands that the accounts shall at once be examined ;
to this Walter accedes, but the lady hesitates ; she
cannot part with the key until the morrow. Sir
Walter's trust is shaken but not destroyed. Jabez
seeks to break into the bower chamber by
the ;
window, but is seen by Maud. He
has, however, seen Lord Arden there, and
surrounds the house with watchers. He seeks
Sir Walter, brings him to the window of the bower
chamber. The unhappy husbAnd sees his wife close
locked in the embraces of another, and falls senseless,
uttering a thrilling shriek of despair. In the next
act we find Jahez endeavouring to arouse him to
revenge, but all passion is passed with him;
despair alone remains. For him there is no revenge.
" The bruised %% °nu may turn;
The crushed one suffers motionless."
With exquisite touching pathos were these words given
by Air. C. Kean. It was, indeed, the utterance of a
broken and crushed heart. Still he would fain think
he might have been deceived, and sends for his wife
to have from her own lips an avowal of her guilt or
innocence. She comes, and the true, trusting,
loving wife, is astounded at the intensely impas-
sioned agony of her lord. She deems him ill, and
says to him :
" 11,:t now
TbY head upon my heart."