The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-06 00:00:00

LYCEUM THEATRE.

The clearing away of heavy clouds and the revelation of a
bright and sunny landscape are not more charming in
nature than the change which was manifest on the boards
of the Lyceum last night. In place of the gloomy revivals
of ancient oorridorsf which up to the present time have
occupied almost exclusively this stage, the performance
opened with the well known Adelphi drama of the " Wept
of the Wish-ton-Wish," the story of which is too well
known to justify a recapitulatiOn even of the principal in-
cidents. However, the part of the " Wept" one, which is
one of Madame Celeste's most charming impersonations,
was sustained by that graceful and impassioned actress,
and drew tears from many who "knew not tears before."
The character of Naramattah, as represented by Madame
Celeste, is indeed a great triumph of art ; for the
piece itself is in point of construction but meagre.
The great novelty of the evening was a composition, by
Mr. Stirling Coyne, entitled, " The Pets of the Parterre ;
or, Love in a Garden," the music composed by Mr. Loder,
and the scenery by Mr. Calcott.
The dominant idea of this pretty composition is the re-
animation of flowers in a human form—the impersonation,
in short, of the most graceful and beautiful objects in nature
in their most appropriate type. The idea is not a new one,
and many a love-sick swain has, in thought, ag.soeiated the
purity and the odour of sanctity of his " dear one." with
the softness and unobtrusive delicacy of the prettiest ". pets
of the parterre." Mr. Coyne has carried out this though:
with marked success, and in the present piece
has adopted the dramatic machinery of a Coun-
tess de Hainville (Miss Maria Ternan), a young
widow, lamenting the loss, not of her late lord, but of
an early love, yields to a morbid melancholy in a pretty
chateau in Brittany. A pretty waiting-maid (Miss Lydia
Thompson) and an old gardener (Mr. Morris) are her sole
attendants. The opening scene introduces us to this de-
lightful
recluse, and to a bevy of young Parisiennes, her
friends, who have determined to bring her back to that fair
city, where " the air's so pure, the wine so light." These
young ladies are a very graceful assemblage indeed, and
constitute a deputation of influence not to be withstood
—the heart of the young widow expands under such
influence, she enters into their gaiety, and yields to
their fascinating association. At this moment a
certain Leon Dorville (Mr. Neville), the same early
love of whom we have before spoken, appears on the
scene, a half-witted lover, who has given the reins to a
kinder imagination (a sort of Rousseau in miniature), and
who, seeking to distract thought, has become himself dis-
tracted. This young gentleman wanders into Brittany (of
course in the neighbourhood .of the chateau of the pretty
widow), accompanied by his gA'oom (Mr. Rouse). Leon
Dorville is " all sentiment," and Jriven by a storm into
the grounds of the Countess he throws himself upon a
bank and dreams of the beautiful flowers which surround
him. Our young Parisiennes hear of this Xlventure, and
recognising in the gentleman the " lost love" g their wi-
dowed friend, determine, very intelligent girls as they are,
to make the most of him.

They design a charming fete, for May night, when the
flowers of the garden are supposed, by a pretty conceit,
" to assume a human impersonation," and invite our young
Leon to the enchanting entertainment I This is the grand
scene of the piece, and it must be admitted by all who wit-
ness it that a more beautiful realization could scarcely be
achieved I A more graceful and well-formed group of
beautiful young ladies is not to be found in any other theatre
in London, The Rose (Miss Neville), The Camelia (Miss
Hudspeth), The Violet (Miss Stuart), The Lily of the
Valley (Miss Annie Collinson), The Poppy (Miss Turner),
The Convolvolvus (Miss Douglas), and a beautiful Zephyr
(Miss Lydia Thompson) I Such a combination of beauty,
grace, and art have certainly never been associated
in producing a more artistic ballet. The costumes, the
grouping, and the general pose and tong of this
scene are beyond all praise. It realises Moore's elegant
thought in Lelia Rookh, as though the fruits and flowers
" were all set dancing."
The effect of such a scene of enchantment may be safely
concluded. Leon and the (Heartsease) Countess de Stain-
villa of course are re-united, and we have every reason to
believe they, with their young friends and their delightful
little Fanchette, will spend a gay season in Paris. Hap-
piness to their shadows I for even these have a pleasant
remembrance !
The curtain fell amid shouts of approbation from a
crowded and most fashionable audience, who insisted on
its being again drawn up, which was done amid the warmest
demonstrations of applause, after which the amiable Dame
Directrice was called for, and presented herself to receive
the congratulations of her friends. In fact, it must be re-
corded as a most triumphant success.