The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-04 00:00:00

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inatitutiou, haieribed velltut, we vita .*Ji S
miral Ryder, in acknowledgment of his cordisl t.na
valuable co-operation whilst occupying the office of
Con trollor- General of Coast Guard, which he recently
vacated on promotion. A contribution of £3lO
had been received from the working men of -
Edinburgh, to defray the cost of a lifeboat; also •
£435 collectedfor the same purpose from the grocers
in England, through the indefatigable exer-
tions of Mr. William Read. £2OO has also been
received on account of the Civil Service lifeboat,
promoted by Mr. J. A. Dow and Mr. Malcolm
Goldsmith. Various other lifeboat funds bad also
been recently received by the institution. During
the past month new lifeboats had been sent by the
institution to Hayle, on the Cornish coast, and to
Braunton, near Barnstaple; both boats were the
gifts of benevolent persons to the Society. The
Hanseatic Government had applied to the institu-
tion, through the Board of Trade, for information
to. enable them to establish a lifeboat society in that
country, on the plan of the National Lifeboat In-
stitution of England. It was reported that the in-
stitution had now eighteen lifeboats building for it.
The boats contributed by the people of Hudders-
field and Leicester were to be exhibited in those
towns on Whit-Monday on the way of the boats
to their stations. The institution had now nearly
one hundred and seventy lifeboats under its charge,
and their number was gradually increasing. Re-
ports were.read from the inspector and assistant-in-
spector of lifeboats of the institution on their recent
visits to the different lifeboat stations of the Society
on the coast. The proceedings then terminated.

Liverpool Theatre Royal.

(From the Liverpool Daily Courier)

The reception that Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kean
met with at the Theatre Royal is a good earnest of
the substantial popularity they enjoy. The theatre
t he
their
r
return has
been
has not for many a day presented such a spectacle
roundretu the
of animation and pleasure as was-witnessed at the
first appearance of these artists after their three
whichyears' tour
world,
welcomedand the e
sg ea r ngeos sn
dwit
in-
dicationh
of the vacuum •
which their approaching
retirement from prof • •
professional life will occasion on
the English stage. The public are asking who- will
take their places when Mr. and Mrs. Kean retire,
and in the apprehension that their ' like is not again
to be met with for some time, playgoers are natu-
rally anxious to see as much of the old favourites as
conveniently may , be. This feeling, coupled no
doubt with the personal merits of the performers,
was probably the secret. of the large and inte-
rested audience of last night. Every seat in the
house had its occupant, the place being crowded
from floor to ceiling, and the dress circle was
thronged by the beauty and fashion of the town.
The play was " The Merchant of Venice," of course
with Mr. Kean as Shylock and Mrs. Kean as Por-
tia, parts with which their names are already asso-
ciated in the highest fame. When they came upon
the stage each received a generous welconie—not a
mere formal recognition of talent, but a hearty greet-
ing as of friends returned after long absence. Mr.
and Mrs. Kean divided the honours, each being
applauded with equal cordiality, and of course each
acknowledging the kindness of the audience with
evident fervour. Surely it is not needful at this
time to say anything either in commendation or de-
scription of the acting which for more than thirty
years has maintained an uninterrupted and in-
creasing popularity, and we shall therefore not
attempt to perform this unprofitable task. We may
say, however, that increasing years bring about no
apparent diminution of their histrionic powers, and
after their long and arduous tour both return to
England with all their former artistic polish and elo-
cutionary ability, and with unimpaired physical
strength. Indeed, in watching the performance of last
night, with its vigour, force, and precision, it was
almost inconceivable that one was listening to the
same voices, and watching the same acting,
as took the public favour by storm in Covent-
garden in 1833, and subsequently in Mr. Charles
Kean's first grand provincial tour. Passing years
have only added refinement and experience to the
natural endowments of both, and these popular
favourites, who are now about to enter upon the last
scene of their professional life, still retain all the
powers which first won them fame. Mr. Kean's
consummate skill was soondisplayed last night, and
in the first interview with Bassanio, and still more
conspicuously when -he recapitulates to Antonio the
reproaches heaped upon him, he showed that he has
lost none of his former carefulness in acting, effec-
tiveness in delivery, and extraordinaryfacial powers.
Never perhaps was the depth of passion and despair
more terribly rendered than when the usurer disco-
vers the loss of his money and his daughter ; and
the gleam of malignant satisfaction assumed in the
fourth act, when Portia decrees the judgment of the
bond, is a magnificent dramatic contrast to the blank
amazement and horror which seize him when thwarted
in his vengeful purpose. These are, of course, mere
salient points in a well-drawn stage picture, full of
beauties and adroit passes of skill, and all itadiverse
parts, combining to form one complete and effective
whole. So also with regard to Portia, the actingwas
everything that good taste, happy disposition, and
great talent could secure. Mrs. Kean was blithesome
and genial as she always is, vivacious and animated
without being giddy or indecorous, and giving a
perfect realisation in tone and bearing to Shakspere's
conception of his heroine. All her speeches, and
they are neither few nor unimportant, were de-
livered by Mrs. Kean with the force of an accom-
plished elocutionist, and the author's beautitul
description of the quality of mercy was spoken in a
way that earned the loudest applause of the audi-
ence. In addition to the cheers which greeted them
while the curtain was up, Mr. and Mrs. Kean were
several times called to the front between the acts to
receive the congratulations of the company. The
reception altogether was a flattering one, and is at
once a high complement to the artists and to the
appreciative tastes of the audience. The other
characters were generally well filled, Bassanio and
Nerissa being deserving of special commendation,
and the stage accessories were also creditably
managed.
To-night the chief item in the programme will be
" Louis X 1.," in which Mr. and Mrs. Kean will take
their old parts of Louis and Martha respectively.
To-morrow they take their benefit, when they will
appear in two pieces, " Henry VIII." and the
" Jealous Wife." • We need not tell the public to
go—they are sure to do that ; but those who wish
to get in should go early, else they will stand a poor
chance of seeing even the doors.