The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-07 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

The School for Scandal was given last night, with Mr.
Ranger as Sir Peter Teazle. This gentleman appeared, if
we mistake not, some seasons ago at the Haymarket, princi-
pally in French character parts, and his provincial•reputation
is extensive and extending. Upon the whole' the represen-
tation of Sir Peter last night was successful. Mr. Ranger
plays with great care,_neatness,- and considerable flexibility
of power. The picture, .however, was a miniature one,
showing mechanical finish and neatness of manipulation, but
destitute of bold free touches and bright and vivid colouring.
There was a hardness and a scratchiness about the delinea-
tion which was unsatisfactory. It wanted strong features,
and breadth, substance, and unction; while occasionally
there appeared a strong relish of provincialism in the awk-
ward movements of Sir Peter, particularly in his animated
scenes, and in the want of artistic pose in the more level por-
tions of the play. Still, however, the performance was de-
cidedly clever and individualised, and Mr. Ranger will be an
accession to the Drury-lane company. Mr. Anderson played
Charles Surface with vigour, and more refinement and polish
than we had expected. It was a dashing and artistic per-
formance. Mrs. Nisbett was the Lady Teazle, and Mr. John
Cooper the Joseph. We observe that Miss Horton, who has
seceded from the Haymarket, replaces Mr. Anderson this
evening in Azad. The experiment is bold, and may not be
an unsuccessful one.

ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL
GARDENS.

The summer season at this popular place of amusement
commenced en Monday last, ane we can but congratulate
the proprietor on the success of all his arrangeinents. The
zoological collection is excellent, the giraffes are the finest
we have seen, and the elephants, with their triumphal car
and decorated houdah, were quite an attraction. But
the grand feature was another of those annual modelled
pictures, which can only be seen at this establish-
ment. The subject of the present one is the Temple of
Janus in the Eternal City. Most of our readers are aware
that, during the sway of the Roman Emperors, the Temple
of Janus, which was open during the time of war, was
closed in peace ; the idea was a happy one, when peace is
in the land and all the world at our gates, to illustrate the
time, as emblematic of the grand re-union of 1851 We es-
teem this the happiest of Mr. Danson's efforts, for composi-
tion, for detail, and colouring; and when the enormous ex-
tent (upwards of 300,000 square feet) is considered, It cer-
tainly reflects the highest credit on the artist. The band
was, as usual, in great force, and executed a variety of
popular pieces with precision and effect. Mr. Godfrey con-
ducted, with firnmes3 and judgment ; and, in a short time,
Mons. Jullien will weild the baton. There is another por-
tion of the amusements we find some difficulty
in describing. It is called in the bills " Diaphonic Panop-
ticon." We thought the mania fur panoramas had left
nothing new in that department, but there is no limit to the
invention of genius. It is described as 200 feet long, with
figures 15 feet in height, and we have no reason to doubt
the truth. It represents the horrors of war, and leads on to
ail exhibition of one of the most superb transparencies we
ever beheld, representing the Queen on her throne, with his
Royal Highness Prince Albert on her left, with Britannia and
Peace introducing the arts and sciences of the world. We
have hitherto only known transparencies as the daubs which
we witness on illumination nights, but this is the production
of an artist, and womuch mistake if it opens not a new era
in transparencies. We have faintly described it, but we
advise a visit to do it justice. Souihby followed with a
display of fireworks, which he alone can produce. As we
said at the commencement, we congratulate the proprietor
on the success of his efforts, and wish him a prosperous
season.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—Her Royal Highness
the Duchess of Kent, accompanied by her Royal Highness
the Princess Mary of Cambridge, honoured the performances
at her Majesty's Theatre yesterday evening with tier pre-
sence. In attendance upon her Royal Highness the Duchess
of Kent and her Royal Highness the Princess Mary were—
Lady Georgina Bathurst, Lord James Murray, and Colonel
Little. The Queen's box was occupied by the Marchioness of
Waterford, Viscount and Viscountess Canning, Lady Stuart
de Rothesay, and party. Amongst the ,Lady
tart
dis-
tinguished individuals also honouring the theatre with their
presence on this occasion, were the Duke of Wellington, the
Duke of Cleveland, the Marquis of Clanricarde, Marquis of
Huntly, Marquis of Abercorn, Marquis of Worcester, the
Russian Minister, the Swedish Minister, the Earl of LODS-
dale, M. do Berg, the Earl of Cardigan, Earl Gifford, Coun-
tess of Hsrewood, Earl Mountcharles, Earl of Falmouth,
Earl Granville, Count de Duke Visount Dupplin, Viscount
Clifden, Lord Gardner, Lord Adolphus Pitzclarence, &c.

ROYAL ITALIAN OrENA.—Hf r Majesty the Queen
and hii Royal Highness Prince Albert honoured the per-
formances at the Royal Italian Opera with their presence last
evening. The Queen and the Prince were accompanied by
their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Prussia,
and his Royal Highness Prince Frederick William of Prussia.
In attendance upon her Majesty and the Prince Consort were
Lord Waterpark, Colonel the Lion. Charles Grey, Lieutenant-
Colonel Francis H. Seymour, the Hon. Eleanor Stanley, and
en, Count Von
the Hon. Beatrice Byng. The suite of the Prince and
al‘ttleanjodranßceaYupon his
Princess of Prussia included the Countess Harke, the
eansedoLriioelula,tenCoanutn
CGOtil tnat, Royal
Highness Prince Frederick William. Among the fashionable
company who attended the theatre we remarked the Mar-
Llt leiunctzk,leinr'
chioness of Aylesbury. the Sardinian Minister, the Earl of
Liverpool and party, Earl Cawdor, the Countess of Mahnes-
buty, the Countess of Glengall and Lady Margaret Butler,
the Earl and Countess Beauchamp, the Earl of Malmesbury,
the Earl of Besberough, Viscount Exmouth, Viscount Cran-
bourne, . the Earl Bruce, Lord and Lady Carington and the
lion. Miss Carington, Lord Broughton and the Hon. Misses
Hobhouse, Lord Adolphus Vane, Viscount Anson, M.P.,
Lady Adelaide Paget and Lady Alfred Paget, Lord George
Paget, M.P., Viscountess Villiers and party, Lady Caroline
maxse and Miss Massa, Lady Suffield, Lord Arthur Hay,
Baron de Steinberg, Dowager Lady Wharncliffe and party,
Viscountess Melgund, Lady Charlotte Elliot, Lady Heslop,
and Miss Elliot, Lord and Lady Ernest Bruce, &c., &c.
INQUEST ON THE BODY OF THE MURDERED Po-
tacrnAn.--Lsat evening, at six o'clock, a jury was em-
panelled at Guy's Hospital, before Mr. W. Payne, the City
coroner, to inquire into the circumstances attendant on the
death of Henry James Chaplin, the police- constable 77 L,
who died at that institution, from the effects of extensive
injuries inflicted on him on the morning of the preceding
day, in V auxhall-walk. The first witness called was police-
constable Edward Newton, 219 L, and his testimony was a
mere repetition of the evidence given by him on the day
before. The next witness, Thomas Streams, was also exa-
mined at some length, and his evidence was in a great mea-
sure a repetition of what he had stated before Mr. Elliott, at
Lambeth Police-court. Ultimately the coroner adjourned
the further investigation until Monday next.
HARWICH ELECTION PETITION.--Yesterday the
Committee were occupied from ten o'clock until four in the
scrutiny of votes, only two being disposed of at its rising,
the Committee declaring them to be valid votes. They were
in both instances cases of non-residence, the first case being
that of Mr. Anthony Runnacles, in the office of Messrs.
Rickards and Walker, and the second that of Mr. Tyrell, of
Boulsted Hall, Essex, whose son-in-law, Major Bowness,
proved that the house in question was occasionally. resorted
to by Mr. Tyrell as a marine residence at Harwich. In-
cluding the labours of yesterday and the day before, one
vote only out of the four as yet taken has been declared void.
The Committee adjourned to eleven o'clock this day.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE NEAR THE HOUSE OF COR•
uncyrron, CLERKENWELL.—Yesterday afternoon, about half-
past three o'clock, another destructive fire, making the third
that had occurred within a few hours in the metropolis,
broke out in the manufacturing premises belonging to Mr.
W. Ashrield, a builder and carpenter, carrying on a large bu-
siness in Red Lion-yard, Great Warner -street, Clerkenwell,
opposite the House of Correction. The flames commenced in
one of the upper workshops, and before they could be con-
quered the whole of Mr. Ashfield's stock in trade in the
building in which the misfortune commenced was destroyed,
and serious damage cone to the adjoining premises. The
cause of the fire is unknown. The soberer was insured.
THE CHARGE AGAINST THE MASTER OF ST. PAN..
CRAS Wengttousr.—Yesterday a numerous meeting of the
board of directors of the poor of St. Pancras was held at
Camden-town, with reference to the conduct of the master of
the workhouse, W. Eaton, who has been charged with
having violated Eliza Smith, a pauper inmate of the work-
house. A letter trom Mr. Ballantine, addressed to Mr. Cook.
clerk of the board, having been read, a resolution, "That the
prosecutionagainst Mr. Eaton be abandoned, and that Mr.
Ballan' iue be requested to make such . a statement as may
place Mr. Eaton and the directors in a proper position with
the public,' was carried by a majority of 17 to 4. Mr. Billett,
in• a powerful address, stated that he viewed this as tanta-
mount to an acquitbal, and hoping the board Would sympa.
thize with Mr. Eaton, be moved that he be requested to send
his account in of law charges, and that a cheque be given by
the board. The motion was negatived as premature, and Ott
board separated.