The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-30 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S TBEATRE.

The "Merchant of Venice" continues its successfel
career at this house, and such a wonderful production
deserves more than a passing notice. 'We haVe again
visited the Princess's Theatre, and it would be impossible
to convey to our readers the impressions made upon us
by Mr, C. Kean's last crowning triumph. The "Mer-
chant of Venice" has one great advantage over Mr. Kean's
other brilliant revival', namely, that it unites to a spec-
tacle as varied, glowing, and effective as that of "Henry
VIII.," an opportunity in the principal character,
Shylock (which " Henry VIII." did not equally afford),
for the display.of all the marvellous powcrs of Mr. C.
Kean's mind. The grand, bold, Michael Angelo out-
line—the minute, exquisite, Watteau-like finish—the
passions in all their intensity ; the burning, galling
sense of long arrears of wrong ; the deadly hate, the
withering scorn, the bitter sarcasm, the thirsty ven-
geance, the ravenous cruelty, and those beautiful touches
of pathos which makes Mr. Kean's Shylock hueadn. Alt
these elements were never before so finely combined
into such a gorgeous 'aim en scene, such a succession of
exquisite, brilliant, and accurate scenes and tableaux
vhans. "Henry VIII." and the "Winter's Tale"
may vie in spectacular effect with the " Meechant of
-Vence," but the. characters of Cardinal Wol :ay, or
Leontea—perfeet as Mr, C. Kean's Woleey and Leontes
were—in not afford the same scope for his singular and
most effleent genius that Shylock does, "Hamlet,"
which is divested of all show and splendoar, and "Lear,"
to which there is comparatively but little, at-e the only
other characters in Mr. Keeled Shake.perian reviver,
in which his astonishing powers and energies, mental
and physical, have full play.. Oi all She ke-pere'e plays
the " Merchant of Venice" is one of the most agreeable,
and cornett° us as a relief after the grand and solemn
trage iy ot(„eLeiter" Suspense, (meld the greatest secrets
dramat,ipintereet, wlas never Ao ably managed as in
the Calketacene, an-i in the court of justice. The heart-
strings of the audience are strained almost to cracking
their tension is as great as if the scene were a reality then
going on in cur Central Criminal Court. When Shy-
lock. whets his knife, an involuntary shudder passes
through every frame. People who know the play by
heart forget they know it, or rather forget that it is
a play at all—for the time it is reality. Mr. Kean is
Shylock just as he is Hamlet, and al he is Lear. Even
in Hamlet his declamation is nut finer than in that
noble speech, " Hach not a Jew eyes I' &c. Tne pathos
of that appeal is so finely contrasted with the passior,
the concentrated es,ence of revenge, hate, sarcasm, and
cruelty with which the bond is chime I. The expression
of couctenance, and the fire of Mr. Kean's wonderful
eye, makes us feel that this, indeed,

"Is the Jew
Which Shakespere drew."
Nothing more fini•hed than Mr: Kean's Shylock has
been witnessed upon the stage, and it is only the faighe:t
art, the most skalted genius, that can present so perfect
a portrait. Fcr the lime being, Mr. Kean is the character
he imperronates, and how distinct is each character in
his hands. Look upon the astonishing change that
comes over Shylock when from the triumph of antici-
pated, ball glutted vengeance, he, as it were, collapses
into a baffled, bau',ked, spirit-broken bankrupt: What
a study•for a painter or a poet, when Mr. Kean is about
to leave the court--wen•al and bodily paralysis suc-
ceeding to the proud conscioeseeee of power, and to the
dignity which force of character lends even to a bad mac.
Mrs. C. Keati's performance of Portia ,is the most
perfect we have ever seen, replete with arch grace and
feminine tenderness. The famous speech of " Mercy"
was beautifully delivered, and excited the warmest ap-
probation. Miss Chapman, as the pretty Jessica, was
graceful, gentle, and modest. We saw in her the real
lady, fresh, innocent, and young. The general cast of
the play is most creditable to the performers engaged.
A. new farce entitled " Dying for Love," was pro-
duced on Monday. night. It
.is from the pen of Mr.
Morton, and consequently very amusing. Miss Murray,
Miss Heath, Mr. Meadows, and Mr. D. Fisher played
with great spirit, and succeeded in bringing the piece to
a hapn termination.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—Tne Queen's box was last
evening occupied by the Viscountess Forbee, Lady Cod-
riogton, and party. Amongst the numerous illustrious,
noble, and distinguished visitors also honouring the
theatre with their presence were the Duke of C'eveland,
K.G., and Lady Augusta Paulett, the Russian Am-
bassador and the Baroness do Brunnow, the Marquis of
Clanricarde, the Merquie of Harrington, Frances Couutess
Waldegrave, Maria C,untess of Harrington, acconi•
panied by the Marchioness of Conyngbarn; the Countess
of Mounteharles, Louisa Countess of &afield, the Countess
of Wilton, Lady Citherine Grey Egertoe, Lady Alice
Magdalen Gr-y. Eserton, Lady Elizabeth Grey Fitz
gerald DJ 11,09 and the Hon. C. F. al Res, Countess of
Durham, Cratontese'of Sefton, and Ladies Molyneux, M.
Da Tolatoi-tarl of Sefton, Earl of Wilton, E al of Hope.-
tuna, Eerl4'Westmoreland, Earl of Durham, Earl of
Niloulatcharlao. the Count Pahleu, Viscount Exmouth,
Viscount P4attf3rscourt, Viscount G,ey de Wilton, Vis-
o nut Ingesilee, the Count Aloys, Karoly, Visoounte-s
Ingestre. M. 0. Delapierre, Lord Li. Vane, Lord E.
Thynne, toiet W. Lennox, Lord Burgbersh, Lat 4 Harry
Vane, L'ady Wallecourt, Lady Howard, Lady Burg-
hersh, the lion. Otway Toler, Gen. H. Cavendish, Sir
G. Laneton the Hon. Percy D.lle, Sir Ralph Howard,
Bart., Sir Re Deck worth King, Bart., Sir G. Wombwell,
Bart., Mr. Hubert Do Burgb, Sir George Bowles,
Colonel Sir Proby Cautley, Admiral Ryder Burton,
Mr. J. N. Astley, Colonel Wigram, Colonel Bigge,
Colonel Watson and Mrs. Watson, Colonel Plunkett
Burton and Mrs:Berton, Mr. Oetavius Morgan, M.P.,
Mr Verner, Mr. A. Campbell, Mr. Sibthorpe, Mr. E.
Cutler, Mr. F. Cucper, Mr. Alptane C. Billings, Mr.
Thomas. Baring, M.P., Mr. B loamy Dabree, (te.
STRAND THEATRE.—MISS STANBOROUGEI'S BENEFIT.
—The fair managerees of this elegant little theatre (Miss
Swankrirough) takes her benefit this evening, on which
oecaeion She appears, foi the first time, as Constance, in
Sheri,lan Knowles' celebrated comedy of " The Love.
Chase." A variety of tither attractive entertainmerte
are announced, and it is to be boped that an overflowing
house will testify the appreciation estimated by the
public of the laudable ondeevours of Miss Swanborough
to render this theatre worthy of the patronage of all
lovers of genuine acting.
Her Majesty the Q teen and his Royal Highness the
Prince Cowen loft Buckingham 'Palace at 10 minutes
past 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon for Fr. gneore. The
august patty travelled by.the South-Western. Railway.
Lady Churchill has succeeded the Duchess of Athol'
as the Lady-in-Waiting to the Queen. The Earl of
Verularn and Lieut.-C:1. F. Cavendish bare succeeded
Lord Crofton and Major General Berkeley Drummond
as the Lord and Groom in Waiting to her Majesty.
Prince Hecry XII., of Reuse, four days ago married
at Stonsderff, in that principality, the Countess de
Hochberg, sole daughter ef.the late Prir.ce of Piers.
Trite VINE IN SPAIN.---I:, tt.e clietricte of Urge', in
Spain, the harvest is. drawing x.4,ar its close,. and the
results are most eatisfac%ory. Tll3 appearance of the
vines is also highlkpromis ng, and there is every reason
to anticipates very Abundant crop.
Pities. OF Gor,D.,-;—Thl quotation of gold at Paris is
about 2 per 'male discount, and the short exc'2.ange cn
Lerviou is 2'5.024 for 1/. sterling. Oa comparing thee()
rates with tte English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 104 d. per
ounce for standard geld, it appears that gold is
nearly 4-10,113 per caita dearer •in Paris than in Lon-
don. By adv!e3a fr na Hamburg the price of gold
is 424 net mark, and the short f-xobauge on London
is 13 -n per 1/. sterling. Standard gold at the
English Mint price is therefore about 1-10th per cent.
dearer in London than in Hamburg. The ceurr.e of
exchange at New York on London for bills at 60 days'
sight is 109 t 3 109. f per cent., which, when compared
with the Mint par between the two countries, shows that
the exchange is slightly agaitn-t England. And after
making alb wanes fur charges of tramport and difference
of interest, the preseiikrate would here no profit on the I
importation of gold from the United Statee.

A teleeiatn from , Lisbon to-day states the arrival of
the Twiner with the Brezilan mails, and that she was
to leave— for Struthrempton last evening. She brings
43,0001. in gold, Her (Wee from Rio are to the 74h of
Juhe. The exchange was' 25i. Coffee 4.700 to 4,800
reis. The shipments since the departure if the previous
mail had been 93;000 bags, of which 70,000 were to the
Unit. .d States, and the stock now on hand was 100,000
bage. Leo very serious failures are announced by this
arrival—one of them for an amount little short. of
700,0001. ; but the irrsgalarities of the telegraph between
Lisbon and London are such that it is necessary for the
present to withhdd the narnee.
THE. CEYLON, AUSTRALIAN, AND NEW ZEALAND
MAILS. —The Tetiot arrived at Malta from Southampton
and Gibraltar, onthe 22.1 inet.ebringing, for Alexandria,
Lieut.-WI, Broughton, R.E., and the Rev. Dr, Steele,
for Alexandria, ter which port she proceeded on the
same morning, wOen the Wye, with the overland mail,
arrived from Marseiq ce. Tee Celia aohooner, with naval
aictealling etorea, arrived at Malta from Deptford on
th, 19th just., .ai,l on the 2let inet. the brigantine Isis,
with a general ergo, from London for Malta, a,nd Go-
vernaitut 6tores for Corfu.
,THE INDIA All) CHINA athr.a.—ro Rininsular and
Oriental Couapary's steamer Euxineeartived at Malta
from Marseilles fn the llth inst., bringing, among other
passengers fir Malta, Dr. Ed irarde, and for Alexandria
Lieut. Thornp4. The latter went on in the Indus
steamer belonging to the same company on the 1.4,.b,
shortly after, her arrival from Southampton and Gib-,
raltar, bringing'ior Malta the Hon. Mr. R. L. P. Trend',
Captain and Mrs. Fairelougb, and the Rev. Mr. 84l
0. Wrench, and for Alexandria the Hon. W. N.
Jocelyn, the Ron. Captain Thesiger, Major Calluart,
Captain Bird, and. Ensign James; . the Hon. Mr
French and the Rev. Mr, Wrench...left Malta for
Messina and Corfu in tee Auitriae Lloyd's eteenecr
Vora teats on the 1445, which vessel returned on the
22d. The PeeinSular and Oriental C nupany's new
sttam'packet the Salsette arrived at Malta froth Seuth-
apepton and Gibraltar en the 21-t, bringing among other
passeegers M,lta, Ensign Corbett, and for Alex-
andria, for which port she took her departnre.on the
same afttirooe,":Majer Andreas, Major Rey,• wife, and
child,. Captain Teerke, and Captain Smi:b, Toe Panther
beloegidg-t5 th'smne'compan3f,.with the overland mail,
arrived at blahs. from Marseilles on the same evening,
bringing .for Alexandria Captains Briston and Busk,
the Rev. E. N. Dickenson, and Commander Western, '
appointed Admira!ty Agent in charge of mike on
board tae European and Australian Royal mail steamer
ColumWau; running on the line bet,ween Sydney and ,
Sue ,'vice M Comander Frederick Hildebrand Steatne, '
R.N., app.Anttd C:.'ltllauziEr in-the Ccantguard.

0
Li'''" A.I,QT NEWS.

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