The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-22 00:00:00

Drury Lane Theatre.

One of the greatest features in the programme
issued by Mr. Chatterton, on his assuming the sole
management and direction of Drury-lane Theatre, !
was the announcement that amongst the novelties
in preparation was a new adaptation of Goethe's
great work " Faust ;" and on Sturday the promise
was fulfilled by its production ; a circumstance
which drew together one of the largest audiences
that ever assembled in the National Theatre.
Every stall had been let for more than a week
in advance, and places in the stalls were,
therefore, unobtainable at a premium of three
or four times their ordinary price. The boxes
were completely occupied ; the pit and galleries
were filled to an overflow, and hundreds had to
leave the theatre, unable to gain admission. So
much for the audience. With respect to the great
autumnal attraction " Faust," it must be almost
as well known in England as it is in Germany. We
have already had many versions of it produced at
our principal theatres, the most notable amongst
them being its representation at both of the Italian
Operas and at the Princess's Theatre, whilst under
the management of Mr. Charles Kean. In the
present instance the version differs materially from
those which have preceded it, as in the operas we
had only a portion of the plot without the words
of Goethe ; and in the drama the original words
were very sparingly used by Mr. Boucicault. To
Mr. Bayle Bernard, an author of great judgment
and experience, was confided the work of adapting
" Faust" for representation at Drury-lane Theatre,
and thus he modestly explains his task :
"In the first place, the circumstance that Faust'
is a poem in two parts, and that it is the first part
alone, containing the love storyof Margaret, that is
known to the English public, serves to divest that
portion of all that unity of plan and development of
character which are essential to a play. In the next
place, the character of Faust--being one of pure
intellect, which only becomes emotional when it
passes into sensuality--mustbe allowed to constitute
no ordinary difficulty. As the abstract philosopher
he would be unintelligible on the English stage ;
and as the mere creature of animal desire he would
be necessarily repulsive. His moral sense only
awakens in his desire to betray Margaret, and dies
oat when it should become strongest—on his learn-
ing how much she loves him. Goethe's aim, which
was to show the struggle of good and evil in Faust's
nature, is only completed in the second part, when
age arrives and spiritual influences take their share in
his conversion. Again, in the second part of the
poem it is Margaret and not Faust who awakens the
sympathies of the reader, and who it is manifest there-
fore must become the central interest of the drama.
All the unity and sequence which are demanded
by a play must, on the ground of the roused emo-
tions, refer to her fate rather than to his. These
are reasons which convinced the adapter—whose
task was limited to the opening portion—that
the utmost he could do was to give a general
idea of its contents, and find some principle of
unity in the love and fate of the heroine. For-
tunately such a principle is supplied by Goethe
himself. At the conclusion of the second part he
makes the spirit of Margaret become the consolation
of Faust, as well as one of the agencies in his moral
restoration. This idea the adapter has employed
in making the sufferings of Margaret awaken a peni-
tence in Faust, which ultimately redeems him from
the power of his tempter. To carry out this scheme,
it was found necessary to abridge considerably the
philosophic and descriptive passages, which, how-
ever essential to the plan of the poem, would
retard the action of the play—to transpose por-
tions of the text, as in giving to Mephistopheles
the description of the city's holiday—to omit the
birth of Margaret's child as creating a chasm in
the action—and, lastly, by way of supplying con-
necting links and explanations, to make some ad-
ditions to the text, which formed the only draw-
back to the enjoyment of the task. No one can be
more sensible than the adapter of how unworthy are
any words of his to be repeated with those of Goethe,
and how entirely their excuse must depend on the
degree in which they serve to preserve and introduce
the noble language of the poet. He trusts it will be
considered some offset that they have enabled him
to present entire the various scenes of Margaret—
from her quitting the cathedral, and the growth of
her love in Martha's garden, to the terrible penalty
she pays in the misery and madness of her dungeon
—the scene of Mephistopheles with the scholars, and
also with Martha and Margaret—that of the roy-
sterers in the tavern cellar, and also of the witches'
revel on the Brocken. In conclusion, he has only
to say that stage necessities compelled him to throw
his version into blank verse, and lose—even if he
could have imitated—the wonderful variety of
Goethe's rhythm ; that the musical illustrations have
been chiefly selected from Spohr, as being considered
in Germany Goethe's best interpreter ; and that the
words of the songs and choruses are mostly taken
from the second part of the poem."
The version of Faust produced at Drury-lane
is altered from the poem, but it is the nearest
approach to the great original that has yet been per-
formed in England, and, therefore, the enthu-
siastic success it met with last night was
an event that might almost have been looked
upon before hand as a perfect certainty. After
Spohr's splendid overture had been admirably
performed by the band the curtain rose, and dis-
covered the philosopher in his study, as in Gounod's
opera, and so the play went on, differing in action
but little front the operatic. version. The great
novelty, however, occurred in the fourth act,
there it is we have one of Mr. Beverley's wonderful
scenic productions " The summit of the Brocken,"
with the orgies of the Walpurgis Night. The effects
L introduced here are extraordinary; witches of every
size and shape creep, descend, arise from and run

down the huge and ragged rocks in the pale moon-
light, and with their torches of many-coloured
fires illuminate the scene, amidst which takes place
a wild orgie that, taken as a spectacle, must be pro-
nounced one of the most effective ever put upon
the stage.

The part of Mephistopheles was performed by
Mr. Phelps with the greatest excellence ; it was a
perfect study from beginning to end, as not a single
word lost its sarcasm and diabolical bonhommie,
and not an attitude was taken that was not a study
for an artist. Mr. Edmund Phelps as Faust wanted
warmth and tenderness; yet, withal, hewentthrough
the part with much ability. Mr. llarrison made a
portly Valentine, and sang one of the many war
songs composed by Weber. The other male parts
are of little importance, but each one was well re-
presented. Mrs. Vezin, as Margaret, of course,
acted with the utmost finish and grace ; and all that
was wanted to make the impersonation perfect was
a little more girlishness in the opening lines of her
part ; however, it was a very chaste performance,
the great beauties of it being in the garden and
dungeon scenes. Miss Poole had a trifling part,
but, with the assistance of a very beautiful song, it
became one of the important features in the piece.
The chorus and incidental ballets were well and effec-
tively performed—in fact, the whole thing was splen-
didly done from beginning to end.
The scenery, by Mr. Beverley, is of remarkable
beauty, the Grand Platz, Margaret's chamber,
Margaret's garden, the city fountain, and the splen-
did closing tableau, each called forth the greatest
applause.
We must compliment Mr. Tully ou the great
taste he has exercised in the selection of the music,
and the excellent manner in which it was per-
formed.
At the fall of the curtain the applause was uni-
versal; und although Mr. Chatterton, Mr. Phelps,
and Mrs. Vezin had been called for at the close of
each act, yet the audience demanded their reappear-
ance at the termination of the play in order to
testify their delight and appreciation of the per-
formance.
For Mr. Bayle Bernard we have nothing but the
warmest praise for the admirable manner in which
he has adapted the magnificent poem. He has per-
formed his task with the reverence of a poet and
the taste and genius of a skilful dramatist and a
refined scholar.
The success that attended the representation on
Saturday was extraordinary, and the fact is the
more to be rejoiced at as Mr. Chatterton, in the
production of the piece, has spared nothing that
could tend to lighten the beauty of so great a work.
That it will carry him on triumphantly until
Christmas is quite certain.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day.

MANSION-HOUSE.

THE STRANGE DISCOVERY OF A LARGE QUANTITY OP
JEWELLERY SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN STOLEN. MOSes
Moses, a dealer in metal and miscellaneous articles,
at 10, Gravel-lane, I.lounsditch, was brought up on re-
mand, on suspicion of having a large quantity of jewellery,
&c., in his possession, knowing the same to have been
feloniously obtained.

The facts of the case are rather curious. It appeared
that the prisoner missed a piece of cloth from his premises,
and two men named Spencer and Peters were taken into
custody on suspicion of having been concerned in the
robbery. In the meantime the police desired to inspect the
prisoner's stores in Black Horse-yard, Aldgate, in order to
ascertain by what means an entry had been effected, and

there discovered a watch and some valuable jewellery im-
perfectly concealed under some sacks. The prisoner not
giving a satisfactory account of how the property came
into his possession, Police-c3nstable Moss took him into
custody, charging him with having come by them impro-
perly. Several other articles of jewellery, elephants' tusks,
Ste., were found concealed in sacks.
There was no evidence to convict Peters and Spencer
of the robbery of the cloth, and they were discharged on
Monday.

The prisoner was defended by Mr. Lewis, senior, of
Ely-place, and was remanded till this day in order to en-
able Moss, who has charge of the case, to make inquiries
respecting the ownership of the property discovered.
The following evidence was adduced this morning be-
fore Mr. Alderman Finnis.

Mr. David Samuel Farraday said he was a wholesale
jeweller, in business at 37, Hatton-garden. One of the
articles produced, a round turquoise ring, he could swear
as belonging to his stock, as it was made to order. Hs
believed the other articles, consisting of rings, brooches,
gold pins, &c., were his property. The whole value of the
articles, which he believed belonged to him, was £3OO, and
they were in a leather bag, which one of the travellers
of the firm lost after the 21st instant. The goods
were safe on his premises a short time before they had
been taken away by the traveller. The leather bag was
extensively :advertised, but there was no clue discovered
to it.

In cross-examination by Mr., Lewis, the witness said
that although he believed all the articles produced were
his, still he did not wish to swear positively to anything
but the turquoise ring in question.
Mr. Wontner, junior, said he was instructed by llessrs.
Joyce, lightermen, to prosecute the prisoner on a charge of
having in his possession 17 elephants' tusks, their property.
In July last they received an order to remove a largo quantity
of tusks from a vessel lying at Horsleydown. The tusks
were a very peculiar article, and the merchandise in them
was confined to three or four brokers, so that the prisoner
having them in his possession was prima facie evidence
that he had come by them feloniously. The value of the
tusks was about £l3O. Although they were broken up
when they were found on the prisoner's premises, they
were identified by having a B marked on them all,
which was plainly visible, and corresponded with the same
mark on the other tusks. Tho things were in a barge in
the case of a man who unfortunately neglected his duty
and left the barge, but the loss was discovered early the
next morning. Ho believed he could not carry the case
any further, but he would ask for a remand, in order to
some further enquiries being made.
Mr. Alfred William Joyce said he was a member of the
firm of Joyce, brokers, lightermen, at 13, Water-lane,
Tower-street. On the 26th July last ho re-
ceived an order from the St. Katherine Docks
Company to unload some elephants' tusks from the Fairy
Vision, which was lying at Horslydown. Seventy of
these tusks were taken on board a barge, which
was left in the care of a man named Redding, and
ho had strict instructions not to leave the barge. On the
28th of July the tusks were missed.
Joseph Redding proved t') having been left in charge of
the barge, and to having neglected his duty, for which he
was dismissed. There was no charge against him of being
concerned in the robbery.
Mr. James Hamilton Calder said that ho had charge of
the ivory department at the London and St. Katherine's
Docks, and remembered in July last a consignment of
elephants' tusks had been received at the latter docks from
Lisbon. Ho was unable to swear to the tusks in question
being a part of that consignment.
Mr. Lewis Peat, of the Jinn of Peat and Co., brokers, 11,
Mincing-lane, gave evidence tending to identify the tusks
as forming a portion of the consignment from Lisbon, and
ho said that in addition to the letter B some of the tusk's
amongst those discovered had, like the other parts of the
stock, the meight marked on them. There were 13 vvilel
tusks, and four others broken up in a clumsy manner, found
on the premises of the prisoner, and he was positive as to
those being the same as the remaining portion of the ele-
phant tusks. The purchasers of these tusks were regular
dealers, and most respectable persons. They did not find
their way into the market like other articles.

Cross-examined—These tusks had certainly been in his
possession, and he could not say whether these tusks
formed a portion of any other shipment; but he was quite
satisfied that they were the same as those consigned
through the Fairy Vision.
Another case was then entered into relative to some lead
which was found on the prisoner's premises, and after soma
evidence the hearing of the case was adjourned.