The Sun.
London, England, 1870-12-22 00:00:00

•
THEATRE ROYAL, DRTJRY LANE.—
Sole Lessee and Manager, F. B. Chatterton.—Morning
Performances every Wednesday and Saturday, until Saturday,
February 25th, inclusive.—On MONDAY, December 28, will be
produced the Drury Lane Grand Comic CHRISTMAS ANNUAL
written by B. L. Blanchard, entitled the DRAGON OF
WANTLEY I and Harlequin Old Mother Shipton ! with New
and Characteristic Scenery by William Beverly, whose personal
services are now exclusively devoted to illustrating the produc-
tions of this Theatre. The general action of the Pantomime
arranged by, and the whole produced under, the direction of
Mr. Edward Stirling. Characters in the opening by Messrs.
Fred. Yokes, H. Moreland, Charles Steyne, Fawdon Yokes, H.
Naylor, Seymour, Firth, Meade, Webber, F. Wright, Master
Russell ; Misses Victoria Vokes, Jessie Vokes, Rosina Yokes,
Harriet Coveney, M. A. Basquerville, A. Hamilton, Hall,
Florence Harvey, De Grey, Ross, Timbrell, Elphinstone, Har-
court, Lee, Leslie, Mills, White, Burpitt, Rivers, Russell,
Hastings. The Harlequinade will include those popular Pan-
tomimists, forming a Double Company, F. Evans, and W. H.
Harvey, Clowns ; Paul Herring and J. Morris, Pantaloons ; W.
Fawdon Yokes and Stonette, Harlequins ; the Misses Rosins
and Jessie Vokes, Columbines ; Mite Lizzie Grosvenor, Har-
lequina. B. Slowman, Imitator of Birds, &c. Mr. H. Collard,
the Pocket Sims Reeves. Master Dassie, the Chickaleary Boy.
E. D. Lyon, the Short Footman. Lawson and Garton, the French
Pierrots. Master H. Rawlings, Clog Dancer. La Patrie, the
Baby Velocipedist. The Masks and Costumes from Designs by
Vandyke Brown. The Music Composed and Selected by Mr. W.
C. Levey. The Dances and Action of the Ballet, and the general
business of the Children's Scenes, Invented and Arranged by Mr.
John Cormack. The Comic Scenes and Tricks, &c., arranged by
Mr. John Cormack and Messrs. Evans and Harvey. Doors open
at Half-past Six ; commence at Seven. Box-offiee open from
Ten till Five daily. Private Boxes, 1,2, 3,4, and '5 Guineas.
Stalls, 7s. Dress Circle, Sc. First Circle, 4s. Balcony, 3s.
Pit, 2s. Lower Gallery, ls. Upper Gallery, ed.

THE DRAGON OF WANTLEY ; or, Harlequin
Old Mother Shipton, will be produced on MONDAY,
December 26, and positively withdrawn on Saturday, February
95. Places can be secured from the first until the last date.
MORNING PERFORMANCES every WEDNESDAY and
SAT U RDAY ; therefore to prevent disappointment, an early
application for seats is respectfully requested. Box-office
open from Ten till Five daIIy.—THEATRE ROYAL DRURY-
LANE.

lEORNING PERFORMANCES of the Grand
Pantomime, entitled the DRAGON OF WANTLEY,
every Wednesday and Saturday. Children and Schools at re-
duced prices to the following parts of the Theatre ;—First Circle,
Drees Circle, and Stalls. Box office open from 10 till 5 daily.—
THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE.

rpHEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.—Twenty-
X ninth Night of a NEW FAIRY COMEDY. THIS
EVENING (Thursday) and during the week, including Satur-
day (Christmas Eve) at Seven, the 11 OLF AND
THE LAMB. Messrs. Chippendale, Howe, W. Gorgon,
Madame E. Fitzwilllam ; after which, at a quarter to
Eight o'clock, a new Fairy Comedy, in Three Acts,
entitled THE PALACE OF TRUTH. Characters by
Mr. Bnekstone, Messrs. Kendal, EveriP, Clark Rogers.
Braid, Mesdames Robertson, Chippendale, C. Hill, Fanny
Wright, and Fanny Gwynne. After which 'UNCLE'S WILL—
Mr. Kendal and Miss Robertson. Concluding with FAMILY
JARS. Box office open daily from 10 LUIS.

ADELPHI THEATRE ROYAL.--Solo Pro-
prietor, Mr. BENJAMIN WEBSTIR ; Managers, Mr. R
WSBEITEN and Mr. F. B. CBATTERTott.—BOXING NIGHT,
Monday, December 26, a new Drama, in One Act, entitled
SMOKE. Mrs. Billington, Miss Furtado, Mr. Ashley, Mr. H.
Stephenson, and Mr. Billington. After which, a new Balladic
Burlesque, written by Mr. H. B. Farnie—THE MISTLETOE
BOUGH ; or, LORD LOVEL, LADY NANCY, or THE MILK
WHITE STEED. New Scenery, Costumes, Music, dm. Mrs. A.
Mellon, Miss Elise Holt, Mademoiselle Debreaux, Mdlle.
Camilla Dubois, Miss Bella Moore, Miss Bellew, Mi. Brittaln
Wright, Mr. Odell, and Mr. John Rouse. And THE MILLINER'S
HOLIDAY. Box-office open daily from Ten till Five.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE,
Sole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs. SWANBOROUGH.
This Evening, at 7, ON AND OFF, LIVING AT EASE.
Messrs. Crouch, Turner ; Mesdames Ada Swanborough,
E. Button, and F. Hughes. The New Hurly-Burly-Esque,
" THE IDLE 'PRENTICE." Messrs. Terry, Paulton, Fenton,
and Turner ; Mesdames Amy Sheridan, E. Button, Santley,
Lee, Goodall, &c.

VAUDEVILLE THEATRE, STRAND._
Lessees—Messrs. H. J. Montague, D. James, and T. Thorne.
THIS EVENING, at 7 CHISELLINeI, Mr. David James ; after
which TWO ROSES (I73rd night), by James Albcry. Conclude
with RLIZAI3ETH. Supported by Messrs. 11. J. Diontague,
David James. and T. Thorne, ; Mesdames Amy Fawsitt, A.
Newton, and Nelly Power, dtc.

T. JAMES'S T EA T R E.—Lessee and
Mageress, Mrs. JOHN WOOD. LAST WEEK
FNANDE. This Evening at 7.45 great play,
TERNANDE, Masers. Farren, Leeson, Lin Rayne, Murray,
and L. Brough ; Mrs. Hermann Vezin, Miss Larkin, Miss Fannie
',rough, Miss Turner, anti Mrs. John Wood.—Doors open at 6.30.
At 7, TO OBLIGE I3ENSON, by Tom Taylor, Esq. Messrs.
Harry Cox, Grainger, Mervin ; Misses Marian Inch and H.
Vtverard. At 7.45, FERNANDE. At 10.30, CHRISTMAS EVE,
lay C. 8. Cheltnman, Esq. Messrs. Harry Cox, Dan Leeson, and
Uenel Brough. On Boxing Night the Great Burlesque, 8031-
ffASTES FURIOBO.—Box-office 11 to 6. No fees.

OPERA COMIQUE, 299, Strand.—Lessees H.
Leslie, C. Steele, W. Nc:ton.—This most beautiful
Theatre in London will re-open for the English Dramatic Season
on Monday, December 26, at popular prices, from 6d. to 75. 6d.

OPERA COMIQUE.-Mr. G. F. ROWE will
make his re-appearance in Landon in a new and striking
Drama, founded on Charles Dickens's celebrated novel " Our
Mutual Friend."

OPERA C OMIQUE. —FOU N D DROWNED, or
OUR MUTUAL FRIEND. Supported by Messrs. S.
Emery, John Nelson, W. M'lntyre, Charles Warner (by permis-
sion of W. H. Liston, Esq.), Edwi❑ Stanley, Granville, and
Bell ; Mesdames Ernstone. Patti Josephs, Holston, Manders,
Tilly Earl, and Miss Rose Lisle.

LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1870,

THE resignation of his post in the Cabinet by
Mr. BRIGHT can hardly be matter for either regret
or astonishment. The only wonder is that it has
been deferred until now. During one of the two
years in which he has held high office as a member
of the Administration he has been only nominally
one of her MAJESTY'S Government. To a man like
Mr. BRIGHT an anomolous position like that must
from first to last have been simply intolerable. An
administrator and yet no administrator, a colleague
of the Premier and his associates,!rendered. by illness
entirely Incapable of aiding them in their councils
by one word of opinion from February to De-
cember, the member for Birmingham must
have smarted under the sense that he has been all
this while in the position of a mere stop-gap or
make-weight—he, the very salt and leaven of the
Administration. Long since, we doubt not, Mr.
BRIGHT himself has come to the conclusion that, in

taking office at all, he blundered, that his acceptance
of the Presidency of the Board of Trade was a
mistake from the outset. By taking office he
has certainly not enhanced his reputation. And yet,
while saying this, we feel perfectly confident
that Mr. BRIGHT, if he seriously regrets his assent to
the proposal made to him two years ago by Mr.
GLADSTONE that he should be sworn in, or, that he
should be affirmed in, as a Privy Councillor and
should kiss hands as a member of the new Liberal
Government, is the only man who does so in the
three kingdoms. Twice during Mr. COBDEN'S
splendid career, he declined to take his seat in the
Cabinet as a member of the QUEEN'S Govern-
ment. His refusal upon both those occasions was
matter for very genuine regret among all ranks and
classes of his countrymen. His acceptance of office,
it was felt, would not and could not in the least
degree have derogated from his position as a man
sprung from the people, and one whose peculiar
pride it was to maintain intact his honourable repu
tation for political independence. His solicitude on
this account lel him, it will felt at the time, and is