The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-13 00:00:00

EXPECTED DISTURBANCES IN

ITALY.

(Taken from the Journal de r Ain, of Jan. 7, 1848.)
It is announced that the entry of the Austrian
troops into Modena and the Duchy of Parma has
created a great degree of exasperation amongst the
Italian populations. There have been some risings at
Livourne and Florence, and the Government, not
being sufficiently strong to constrain this movement,
has been obliged to deliver up the arms which were
in the arsenals.

Serious events are, therefore, momentarily expected
to take place in Italy, and attract the attentive consi-
deration of the great Powers, principally concerning
the Duchy of Parma, which, by the death of Maria
Louisa, puts forward all the rights of the family of
Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, and Gunstalla, of whom
there exist descendants who have retired to England.
The London papers, and amongst others The Sun,
have already published from the Alba of Florence,
the reclamations of Prince Alexander de Gonzaga
Mantua, and have declared his rights to be well
founded and acknowledged by the Duchy of Mantua,
as possessions of his ancestors. According to the
Italian journal, the restoration of this Prince, who
served in the armies of the empire, and adheres
frankly to the reforms inaugurated by Pius IX.,
would be a great blessing to the populations of Parma,
Placentia, &c. They would then progress more
wisely and more expeditiously towards the policy of
Pius IX., which is the policy most suited to the Italian
States, than towards that of Austria, whose weight is
difnoult to bear.
DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

An English version of Linda di Chamouni was
produced here last evening, for the purpose of intro-
ducing three new aspirants for the public favour, in
the persons of Mrs. J. Lea, Mr. J. Lea, and Mr.
Gregg. Mrs. J. Lea, who sustained the part of
Linda, has been, we believe, for some time past,
favouralby known to concert-goers as Miss Hobbs.
Her voice is a pure soprano, rather thin in quality
and somewhat deficient in power, but very flexible,
cultivated up to. the very highest pitch of ex-
cellence, and with an intonation absolutely
faultless. She was last night evidently labouring
under great nervousness, which somewhat marred
her histrionic efforts, but never once did she sing
out of tune. Her figure is good though slight, and
her features pretty and expressive. Mr. J. Lea
possesses a good baritone voice, which has been well
cultivated, and Mr. Gregg has a good bass voice, but
was so nervous that he scarcely did himself justice.
All the debutante are evidently unused to the stage,
and would do well to take some lesions in acting.
M. Santiago made his second appearance in
the character of Carlo, and sang and acted
with great tenderness and feeling. Weiss as the
' Marquis was very good, but the great hit of the
evening was the Pierotto of Miss Miran. Fier fine,
rich contralto tones told most effectively. The house
WAS very well and fashionably attended. There were
present his Highness the Conde de Montemolin, and
the gentlemen of his suite, the Earl of Cardigan, the
Viscount Clifden, Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, Lord
and Lady Sandwich, Lady Suffield, Lady Charle.
mont and party, Lady Brougham, with Mr. R. and
Mrs. Eden and party, Lady Tankerville, Lord Alex-
ander Gordon Lennox, Lord Henry Lennox, Miss
Burdett Coutts and party, Sir John and Lady Har-
rington, Sir IV. Ross; Sir Thomas Horne, Sir F,
Thesiger, Sir Randulph Routh, Right lion. T. B.
Macaulay, Right Hon. Fox Maule, &c.

PRINCESS'S • THEATRE.
The great test of a true dramatic artiste is Shak-
spere. Many an actor or actress who has acquired
a fair portion of fame in the ordinary, run of charac-
ters, fails in the attempt to embody the creations of
Shakspere, whereas, on the contrary, the artist who
can act Shakspere can act anything else with ease
and success. Mrs. Mowatt was last night tried by
the Shaksperian test, and was not found wanting; she
is an artiste there is no mistake about it.
She has the ring of the gen'Ane metal—she can act
Shakespere. The play was MuohJ!4o
about Nothing,
and Mrs.. Mowatt sustained the part of I.),eatrice. She
loolacharmingly, and thoroughly entered
into the
spirit of her part. Nothing could exceed the 1;2.7 fu!
espisigleirie with which she bantered Benediek, anti
the thorough gusto with which she gave the re-
partees; her ringing, tinkling, laugh, too, was
fascinating exceedingly—it was the laugh of
genuine enjoyment. In the more serious scenes,
too, although perhaps she exhibited here and there
a tendency to over-acting, which appears to
be the great fault of the American school of tragedy,
she was very fine. " One touch of feeling makes
the ;whole world kin ;" and who that witnessed
her ist.ignant denunciations of the wrongers
of Hero did not feel the truth of the line P
The forte of Mrs. Mowatt is evidently high
comedy. Her Beatrice is a proof of it : her suc-
cess was complete. She was well supported by
Mr. Davenport, whose •Benediek, albeit perhaps
scarcely sufficiently rollicking in the earlier scenes,
was a well-studied gentlemanly line of acting.
Compton's Dogberry was glorious, and Miss Susan
Cushman's Here very interesting. The house was
very well attended.