The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-11 00:00:00

ADELPIII 211EAT.RE.

Undoubtedly one of the best and most interesting dramas
produced within the new theatre was that represented last
evening for the first time, entitled "The Colleen Bawn ;
or, the Brides of Garryowen." The drama is founded on
Gerald Griffin's popular tale " The Collegians," and has
been written by Mr. Dion Bourcicault for the purpose of in-
troducing himself and wife to the playgoing public of the
metropolis after an absence of seven years. Although the
main incident in the drama is by no means new—viz., an
Irish gentleman marrying a beautiful peasant girl, and
then regretting the step he has taken—the minor details
are so cleverly conceived and so admirably worked out that
the old idea is forgotten by the interest created by the dif-
ferent underplots, if we may so call them, of the piece. In the
opening scene we are introduced to Hardress Cregan,
the heir to a ruined Irish estate, which has fallen into the
clutches of a mortgagee, who is a villanous lawyer, has
secretly married Eily O'Connor, a beautiful peasant, known
as the " Colleen Bawn." The lawyer and mortgagee en-
tertains a passion for the mother of Cregan, and is willing
to cancel his mortgage as the price of her hand in mar-
riage. An alternative, however, exists in the circumstance
that it is possible that Anne Chute, an heiress, might be-
come the wife of Hardress but for the obstacle of his pre-
vious marriage. This becomes known to his mother at a
very critical moment, and everything seems lost but for the
intervention of Danny Man, the foster-brother of Hard-
ress, who offers to murder Eily. His proposal is rejected
with horror by Hardress, but Danny declares that any time
that he sends him his glove as a token that he consents, he
will perform the duty he had offered to undertake. Mrs.
Cregan contrives to send the glove to Danny, who, by
means of a feigned message from her husband, inveigles
Eily to accompany him in his boat to the Water Cave, in,
the Lakes of Killarney. There one Myles-na-Coppaleen,
a rejected lover of Eily's, who has established an illicit still,
happens to be on the spot when Danny throws the girl into
the lake ; although he does not see the deed itself. He only
fires at and wounds Danny, whom he takes in the doubtful
light for another ; but presently he sees the body of Eily in
the water, plunges in, and rescues her. Hardress, thinking
Eily dead, accepts the hand of Ann Chute ; but the
wounded Danny Man crawls back to his cabin, and there,
after suffering excruciating agony, he confesses the whole
of the plot to Father Tom, a priest. The confession is
overheard by the scheming lawyer, who instantly starts
for Chute Castle, in order to procure the arrest of Hardress
on the charge of murder. The. introduction of Eily by her
brave protector Myles, sets all matters right ; and Har •
dress, we need hardly say, receives from his proud but
loving mother the hand of " the Colleen Bawn."
The part of Eily, the Colleen Bawn, was very beauti-
fully sustained by Miss Agnes Robertson. i.e., Mrs Dion
Bourcicault, and the character of Myles could not bave
been better represented than it was by Mr. Bourcicault.
It was one of those finished performances now rarely seen
on the London stage, and forcibly reminded us of poor
Tyrone Power. Besides being finished actors, Mr.
and Mrs. Bourcicault are capital vocalists, and the
specimen given last evening of their powers perfectly
enchanted the audienee. Miss Woolgar has a capital
part in the play, which she portrays to perfection. Mr.
Falconer and Mr. Stephenson, the latter gentleman being
new to London, both acquitted themselves in admirable
style.

The piece has been put upon the stage with the greatest
taste and completeness, and the effects produced are really
wonderful. The rescue of Eily from drowning by Myles,
in the Water Cave, is perfectly astounding, from the natural
manner in which the courageous act is performed. The
Lakes of Killarney by Moonlight is also a very beautiful
specimen of scenic art, as also is the Cottage of the Colleen
B awn.

The applause bestowed on the drama was universal, and
a more successful reception has not taken place for

many years.

The house was crowded in every part long before the
rising of the curtain.

TIM CORI CASE.

The case of the family of Henry Cort—" the
father of the British iron trade," and therefore of
modern engineering—has been so frequently before
our readers that its merits and claims are well un-
derstood by them. Engineers above all others, and
particularly Mr. C. Manby, thew hon. sec., and
other officers of the Institution of Civil Engineers,
have cheerfully contributed both money and in-
fluence towards the support of Mr. Richard Cort
and his sisters (of the latter of whom but one now
survives) in their old age. Ore other appeal has,
however, become necessary, owing to the pre-
mature closing of the Manchester fund, which was
so nobly commenced by Mr. Fairbairn and pro-
moted by Mr. Cobden, Mr. Bazley, and others.
Into the causes of the closing of this fund it is un-
necessary to enter ; suffice it to say it was closed
prematurely, but not until it had resulted in fur-
nishing a small annuity to Mr. Richard Cort. Mr.
Cort is, however, still subject to certain liabilities,
which have been incurred in his unwearied prose-
cution of the family's claims, and these have been
augmented by the expenses of an unsuccessful
journey of his to Paris, undertaken under the
auspices of several English engineers, for the pur-s,
pose of bringing the subject to the notice of French'
engineers, in which object he has unfortunately, I
owing to accidental circumstances, failed. Before
leaving Paris the nature of his visit became known
to Mr. Cobden, who, with his wonted generosity,
at once forwarded to Mr. Cort a note, of which the
following is a copy :

" Paris, 25th August, 1860.
"My Dear Mr. Cort,—l am very sorry that your visit
here should have been so fruitless. But your friends must
not allow you to be a loser by the journey, and I beg you to
accept the enclosed. Wishing you a pleasant voyage,
" I remain, truly yours,

"R. COBDEN."
It has been felt that Mr. Cobden is right in
wishing to relieve Mr. Cort of these burdens,
which, though small in themselves, press heavily
on a man of seventy-six years of age ; and it has
been decided to raise, if possible, £lOO for the pur-
pose of setting Mr. Cort free from them. The
sum mentioned will suffice for the purpose,
and we sincerely hope it will speedily be sub-
scribed. In accordance with the desire of Mr.
Manby and the Committee, we have ourselves con-
sented to receive the subscriptions, and several of
our contemporaries have agreed to aid us iu pro-
moting the matter. The names of numerous sup-
porters of the " Cort claims," including sixty M.P.'s
and one hundred other eminent authorities, iron
manufacturers, and engineers, may be seen recorded
in the Library of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
We shall publish a statement of what is sent for
the.purpose. It will scarcely be necessary for any
to subscribe large sums, and we shall be happy to
receive contributions, however:small. Cheques and
post-office orders should be made payable to our
publisher, Mr. Bernard Luxton, 163, Strand,
London.—Engineer.

An Elberfeld paper says that it is the intention
of the Prince Regent of Prussia to confer on the Queen of
England the nominal command of the new 2d Regiment
of Dragoons of the Guard, as well as the order of the Black
Eagle. This decoration, the highest Prussian order, has
hitherto been conferred upon only two female sovereigns.
THE NATIONAL GALLEEY.—Yesterday the Na-
tional Gallery was closed to the public tntil further notice
for alterations. It is customary for the gallery to bo closed
at this period of the year for a six weeks' vacation, but
from the extensive nature of the alterations about to be
effected the reopening will be deferred beyond the custo-
mary period in October.