The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-24 00:00:00

CHELTENHAM THEA TRE.

The operatic company, who made their debfit on
Tuesday evening last week at the Royal Old Wells,
have performed on several subaequent evenings,.anti
their engagement continues during the present and a
portion of the coming week. On Thursday the
splendid opera of La Sonnambula was performed, and
rep-ated on Friday, and last evening the Bohemian
Girl was played for the second time. This evening
will be presented Donizetti's opera of La Figlia del
Reggimento, and to-morrow Lucia di Lammermoor.
Ot the manner in which these operas have been
put upon the stage and of the talents of the
principal singers, it would be difficult to speak
too highly. Since the first evening, when the
effect was marred by an unavoidable irregularity on
the part of the orchestra, everything has gone on
smoothly and to the perfect satisfaction of the au-
dience. On each evening Miss Isaacs, Mr. Travers,
and ;Signor Borrani have been warmly encored,
and their appearance demanded not only at the close
of the opera, but between the acts, a compliment
which they richly deserved. Miss Isaacs in particular
possesses a voice of great power and sweetness, and
she possesses also the happy art of so managing it that
her most impassioned passages are given without
any apparent effort. As an actress, too, she has very
high claims on our admiration ; easy, natural, and
graceful, yet full of power and truthfulness,
her delineations of character are always pleasing
and never overstrained. Of Borrani it is unnecessary
to speak at any length; his splendid voice must be
heard to be appreciated. Mr. Travers is, in truth, a
magnificent singer ; from the first moment that he
opened his lips on the Cheltenham stage he became
an established favourite with his audience. In some
of his arias, as well as in the concerted scenes with
Miss Isaacs, the effect was equal to anything we
have ever listened to—it was the very perfection of
vocal harmony. We strongly advise every one of
our musical readers not to neglect the opportunity of
witnessing these operas. This evening and on Thurs-
day the performance will be under the patronage of
the Right Hon. Lord Northwick, the Right Hon.
Lord de Saumarez, Sir Archibald and Lady Mac-
laine, and Colonel and Mrs. Cox.—Cheltenham
Examiner.

THE GRAND BALL AT THE
PAVILION.
(From the Brighton Gazette.)
The principal suite of rooms at the Pavilion has
been the scene of great and brilliant assemblages in
the times of the late monarchs George IV. and Wil-
liam IV., but we quesrion whether at any time
during their reigns there was so large and brilliant a
gathering as was witnessed on Tuesday night, the
time chosen for the inauguration of the newly. deco-
rated apartments.

It is.now several years since Queen Victoria gave
up the Pavilion as a royal residence. As soon as it
became known that it was not her Majesty's intention
any longer to visit this unique marine abode, the di-
lapidation: of the beautiful rooms commenced, and in
a short space of time various ornaments were literally
torn down, and so recklessly was this work of spoila-
tion carried on that the great chandelier in the music-
room was smashed to atoms in the endeavour to re-
move it. Our townspeople will remember the dilapi-
dated state of these rooms, which only a few short
months previously were admired by every observer
for the elegance and extraordinary taste displayed
throughout the whole range.
To restore these rooms to anything like their for-
mer state appeared to be impossible, but that they
have been so far renovated—not, it is true, with such
costly materials as before—as to astonish those who
were previously well acquainted with them is a fact,
and the similarity in many respects is so great that it
will require the nicest eye to discover the difference.
The pleasing reminiscence of the gay scene on
Tuesday night will not easily be effaced. Mr. Pen-
ley, we hear, has already a painting in preparation on
this attractive subject, and many distinguished fami-
lies, we understand, have condescended to honour him
by sitting for their portraits.

THE POPISH MOVEMENT.--THE LORD-LIEUTE•
NANT OF IRELAND.—A correspondent of the Morning
Herald writes as follows :—" I have tome reason for saying'
that you were right in your statement this morning, that
Lord Clarendon had tendered his resignation. The real truth
I believe to be this. It was originally intended that Ireland
should be excluded from the Bill to obviate Popish aggres-
sion, and the heads of such a Bill were actually placed before
the Cabinet some days ago. For some reason or another it
was subsequently determined that Ireland should be included,
and the heads of an amended Bill to that effect were sent
over to Lord Clarendon, who on seeing it immediately ten-
dered his resignotion. I think you have been premature in
stating that the Lord-Lieutenancy had been offered to the
Duke of Devonshire. How the matter has.been patched up
time will, no doubt, disclose."
CARDINAL WISEMAN THE DFSCENDANT OF A
SCOTCH CHEESEMONGER.—The Falkirk Herald says : —Our
readers may perhaps be astonished to learn that this cele-
brated cardinal, according to current report, is a regular de-
scendant of the Wisemane cheesedealers, &c., in the town of
Strathaven. It is generally reported in the middle ward of
Lanarkshire—with what truth we know not—that one of the
Wisemans adventured as far as Cork, about the middle of the
last century, to try his fortune in Ireland ; that the said Mr.
Wiseman took up a cheese and a provision store in Cork ;
that, by a subsequent marriage. he became entangled with a
Roman Catholic wife; and that the mother, thinking she
was ruling the fate of the boy, sent him to Spain, whence
we have received Cardinal Wiseman. There can be no doubt
but that Wiseman is nearly a local name, and that it is
peculiar to Strathaven. Many of the name are yet cheese-
dealers there.

THE LAW LECTURESHIPS, INNER TEMPLE.--Pre-
vious to the lecture in the ball of the Inner Temple on Tues-
day last, the treasurer of the society,
the Right Hon. S.
Lushington, presented a set of Coke's Institutes and Reports
to Mr. Henry James, of the Middle Temple, who had ob-
tained the society's prize at the first annual examination
(1850) of the students attending the lectures on common
law.

CHESS.—We have to record the death of another
eminent chess player, H.
Filson, Esq., of Spring Vale, Isle
of Wight, one of the last surviving veterans of the transi-
tion school, betwee❑ those of Phil►dor and De La Bourdon-
nais. He was distinguished amongst the champions of the
board by imperturbable amenity and courtesy. For these
harpy qualities, not less than for his mastery of the noble
game, be was selected as marshal of the lists for England,
in the memorable contest at Paris, between Staunton and St.
Amant—Halifax Guardian.

CABINET OF CURIOSITIES.—A plate of butter from
the cream of a " joke." A small quantity of tar, supposed
to have been left where the Israelites " pitched" their tents.
The original brush used in painting the " Signs of the
Times." The apple of the " eye of faith." A bucket of
water from " All's well." Some small coins in the change
of the moon. Soap with which a man was " washed" over-
board. The loaf from which the " crumbs of comfort" fall.
The strop which is used to sharpen the water's edge. The
rope with which " Jacob lifted up his voice." A tooth from
the mouth of the Mississippi. Part of the tail of the striped
pig. A brick from the house th 4 Jack built. A spoke
from the wheel of fortune. The pencil with which Britannia
ruled the waves A portion of the yeast used in raising the
wind. A portion of the sugar used in the sling with which
David slew Goliath. A sheaf from the shock of an earth-
quake. The saucer belonging to the cup of sorrow. The
handle from Jonah's gourd. The ear of the wrong tow very
much pulled.

CAPE or GOOD HOPE—Letters and papers have
been received from this colony to the 4th December. The
information furnished is far from satisfactory. Matters on
the frontier had again become unsettled, and required the
presence of his Excellency Sir Harry Smith, who, with his
suite, and two companies of the 73d regiment. would leave
Cape Town on the sth for that purpose. The remaining
forces, consisting of two companies, under Colonel Eyre,
would join his Excellency immediately. The accounts from
Natal represent that colony to be steadily advancing in pros-
perity. Upwards of one thousand emigrants had arrived out
in the space of a fortnight, and towns and villages were ra-
pidly rising. Agricultural pursuits were being carried on with
spirit and Ames&