The Sun.
London, England, 1832-11-06 00:00:00

CO VENT- GARDEN.

A melo-dratne, in three act-, was played here for the
first time last night, under the title of the Dark Dia-
mond. The story is one of those which have been, tine
nut of mind, familiar to all the minor theatres. The
Dark Diamond (Mr. BUTLER), is the condottiero (the
condottieri the ladies and gentlemen on the stage call
him), of a troop of mercenaries, who have done good ser-
vice to Francis I. in one of his early Italian campaigns.
He loves and is loved by Vittoria Cabana (Miss TREE),
whom the ingenious dramatist has placed at Fontainebleau,
in the French King's palace. Thither comes the con-
tlottiero to claim her. Francis, who is his rival, rejects
his suit. The Dark Diamond determines to bear her
mistress off, with her full consent, and as he is about to
effect this enterprlse, he discovers the Monarch in her
eh amber. His jealousy is awakened, but his passion pre-
vails, and having disarmed the King, and rated him in the
true style of a hero of romance, he carries off the lady to
his mountain fortress. He then turns his arms against
France, sends his troops to the assistance of the Emperor,
and, his love having by this time somewhat cooled, hints
his dissatisfaction at his lady's explanation of the cir-
cumstance of Francis having been found in her chamber.
At this critical period a certain outlaw, one Zingano
(Mr. WARDE), who has some private reason for hating
t: .e chieftain, m Ikea his appearance, anti con•rives, with
the assistance of Checco (Mr. KEELEY), a melancholy
moralizing goatherd, who has been kid-napped by the
Dark Diamond, and who is so much dissatisfied with
his condition that he contemplates mending it by hanging
himself, to have a forged letter dropped in the condottiero's
way, which induces him to think that Vittoria has
played him false with the King. His suspicions thus
confirmed, he breaks out in a transport of jealous rage,
orders his lady info close confinement, anti hurries to the
field of Pavia, where he encounters the King, makes him
prisoner, and is about to kill him with his own sword,
when the Monarch's assurance that Vittoria's fame is
spotless at once c .nvincea the sensitive cut-throat, and the
entrance of the Marquis Pescara, to whom the King
yields himself prisoner, puts an end to the scene. An em-
bassy from Signor Zinyano then invites the condottiero
to an interview in the outlaw's haunt, for the purpose of
renewing their former friendship and uniting their forces.
He resolves to accept this proposal, and thus falls into the
trap which his enemy has laid for him. At about the
same time Vittoria, with her cousin Laurina, (Miss
SHIREFF), who accompanied her in her fight from
Fontainebleau, and their attendant, Zanetta (Miss H.
CAwsz), Laving escaped in the disguise of boys,
are encountered in the mountains by some of Zingano's
party, and are brought to the cavern. Zingano
who knows that the Dark Diamond carries
at his girdle a bugle with which he summons his fol-
lowers, employs Vittoria to steal it from him. This
feat performed, Zingano throws off the mask, avows that
be has invited the chief for his destruction, the band is
about to overpower him, when Vittoria sounds the bugle !
The condottiero's followers appear in numbers sufficient
to defeat the outlaw's band. The Zingano rushes on
his intended victim, who has been disarmed, but is stopped
by Vittoria, whose d .gger intercepts Isis blow. The
dying outlaw confesses that the chief's suspicions have
been groundless, and dies exulting in the torments to
which his contrivances and the Diamond's jealousy have
doomed him. The latter turns to thank his preserver,
and finds in the seeming boy that Vittoria whom he
thought he had lost for ever. Miss TREE played with
great talent and spirit, and perhaps saved the piece. Miss
Cawsz sang very delightfully the music which was al-
lotted to her, and which, it should be observed, was of a
very pleasing character. Mr. BUTLER by no means kept
up the impression which his performance of Hamlet had
created. He displayed much bad taste, an inclination to
rant (for which, indeed, the part held out great tempta-
tions), and a larger portion of the defects common to
man Mr. WARDS
p wArßov2Encial wasacctaolrlsedthuapnonwteohpaidaylota,kedo
part
tfbr in him.
elt,w
his
pretensions, and his undertaking which, was a great proof
of good-nature. The play may be endured for some time
if reduced to an afterpiece, but is wholly unworthy of the
pretensions it puts forward to being called " an original
drama."