The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-07 00:00:00

DRAMATIC INTELLIGENCE.

The alterations in progress at Covent-garden Theatre,
in anticipation of the new operatic experiment, are upon
the most extensive and novel scale, so that if that noble
edifice is ever again to be adapted to the purposes of the
national drama, it will cost a large sum to restore it to
its propriety. It may be remembered by some few of
our older play-goers that as the house was first con-
structed under the orders of Sir R. Smirke, by means of
certain recesses and apertures (which obtained the name
ot• pigeon•holes), it was capable of holding many more
spectators (auditors they could hardly be called) than
afterwards ; the area was reduced for the benefit of
hearing the actors, but it is now to be enlarged even be-
yond the original size, so as to afford much more room
than was ever before contemplated. For musical pur-
poses this may not be so objectionable ; and as there is
to be a ballet (which we prophesied some months ago,
for without it there was not, in our opinion, the remotest
chance of success), it signifies comparatively little how
far the persons are removed, as long as they can get a
sight of the stage.
It is the present intention of the lessee of Drury-lane
to produce Balfe's new opera, " The Bondsman," on
Monday, 14th inst. We have not heard who is the
author of the words, but we believe that they will be
found to be by the same managerial dramatist, who haz
of late years furnished the librettos of most of the new
musical productions at this theatre. The pantomime,
now in active preparation, has been invented and written
by one of the sons of the late Thomas Morton, in his
day so successful a dramatist. Young Morton was the
author of both the last pantomimes at this house ; and,
if we are not mistaken, of one at Covent Garden, while
it was in the hands of Madame Vestris, all of which had
an extraordinary run.
Wallace has composed a new opera, which has been
accepted at Drury -lane, and which will follow Balfe's
unless the success of the latter should render any other
novelty this season unnecessary. We hope that it may
be so.

The Keeleys have recently renewed their term at the
Lyceum at an advanced rent, and a building, which two or
three years ago, instead of yielding a profit was a charge to
the proprietors, is now let by them at a very remunerating
price. This beneficial change has been accomplished by
the skill and talents of the present lessees, who this sea-
son are about to try the, to them, new experiment of a
pantomime ; but, as may be imagined, very unlike the
common-place performances usually given elsewhere at
Christmas.

We need scarcely say that Planche is the writer and
compounder of the new fairy tale in prep-tration at the
Haymarket to gratify the younger (and indeed older)
visitors of our theatres at the approaching merry sewon.
No man produces this species of exhibition with so much
tact, and evinces such nice discrimination in his burlesque
between wit and the approaches to vulgarity. The
boundary is narrow, and, as most of our authors of this
class are aware, is easily overstepped.—Sunday Paper.

EXCLUSIVE DEALING AT HONITON.—We regret to
have to report a case of exclusive dealing, which shows
that a remarkable spirit of bigotry still lingers in this
fair county. A Mr. Joseph Lang has lately taken off
the grocery business, formerly and for many years con-
ducted by Mr. Pidgeon. Mr. Lang is a very respectable
man, and the quality of his goods is said to be of the
highest crder. Among those people in the neighbour-
hood who used to deal with him, was Mrs. Simcoe, of
Wolford Lodge, wide w of the late General Simcoe, and
mother of the excellent young ladies whose zeal and
talent as stonemasons were recently noticed in the
Western Times and have since been duly eulogised by
Punch. Mrs. Simcoe dealt with Mr. Lang tome weeks ;
but the week before last, she sent her bailiff to him to
say "she could not deal with him again, and she the
more regretted this because his goods were of such excel-
lent quality, that she had never been better served in her
life, but her conscience would not allow her to support
schismatics. This is a very painful instance of mis-
taken duty. We have no doubt that the gentlewoman,
in issuing this cruel mandate, felt that she was doing an
act of service to Heaven, and setting a worthy example
to the neighbours, who in some measure look up to her,
from her position and profession of piety. But if the
upper class has learnt so little of the spirit of Christianity
as to entertain such views and to be animated by such
feelings as are displayed here, we hope that any Govern-
ment measure of education which shall be proposed,
will have a special reference to their benighted and
pitiable condition ; as their example may have such a
pernicious effect upon the poor, who habitually in this
country look up to the rich—but who, we are quite satis-
fied, are, generally speaking, far beyond the influence of
such degrading notions. We shall have to reverse the
order of society, and speak of poverty as being the state
of the higher orders, if many such instances of ignorance
of Christian duties be found among the upper classes.—
Western Times.
THE WEATHER.—The weather during the past
week has been particularly fine and open for the ad-
vanced period of the year. On Sunday se'nnight a frost
set in, which continued up to Saturday evening. During
Saturday the frost was not so severe as on the previous
days, but the roads round town were rendered most
slippery and dangerous by the large quantity
.of rhimy
frost that had settled on them during Friday night, and
which was not dissolved in the shade. At eight o'clock
on Saturday morning, the thermometer, which on the
previous evening was down to 26 degrees, had risen to
31 degrees, showing only 1 degree of frost; and at
twelve o'clock at noon it was up to freezing point (32 de-
grees); but at six o'clock on Saturday evening it had
fallen 2 degrees, with the wind S.S. W. The ice on the
ornamental waters in the Regent's and St. James's Parks,
as well as on the Serpentine and the Long Water and
Round Pond in Kensington Gardens, not being more
than an inch thick, is still most dangerous, so that skat-
ing has not yet commenced. Late on Saturday night a
6thaw took place, with a inizzling rain.