The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-23 00:00:00

-LYCEUM T.HEA TRE.

Utterly unknown to the London public WI
within the last 12 months, Mr; Dillon has so fa!,
established himself as a popular favourite that 1313
assumption of a new character is now a matter of
interest among play-goers.
Although Mr. Dillon first introduced himself t?,
the London public as an actor of " drama," he has
ever been ambitious to display his talents in impar
sonations of the so-called "legitimate" kind. .111
first Shakspearian experiment was " Othello,
which proved most fortunate ; his second, wade
just now, amid every demonstration of public Bade'
faction, is " Hamlet."
From what has been seen of Mr. Dillon's Pre'
vious characters, it vas not difficult to foresee
which side of Hamlet's character he would make
prominent—to foresee that the emotional rather
than the intellectual element in the Danish prince
would be uppermost in his thoughts. To take up
a speech as a thing external, and to displayingenVitp
by carrying it through infinite varieties of emplies,ld
and expression, would obviously be foreign to
theory of histrionic art. You do not listen to Du'
to study his "readings," but to discover how see,.„
11
his emotions will be identified with those of tu`
character—and we may truly siy that the greater
the warmth required the more he " warms 11P.
Thus, in " Hamlet," although the first two acts are
carefully and conscientiously performed, it is not tilt
the third that Mr. Dillon's peculiarity is revealed'
The tenderness with which be surveys Ophelia
the midst of his ravings about the "nunnery," 50'
to which he gives extreme expression by dropPini
on his knee and fondly kissing her hand, is natural
from its spontaneous appearance, and his welcome
to Horatio, on the entrance of the latter, has a
frankness about it that is singularly touching.,
Nothing of great moment occurs at this meeting or
the two friends, but the notion is conveyed that
kindly heart, long placed amid uncongenial spirits,
has at length found a sympathetic being on which
it can repose. The watching of the King during the
play scene is carried out through all its details with
immense earnestness, and the burst of triumph in
which it results is most powerful. In the " c.oset
arrangement is made, which leads
histwrionic effect. The ghost does not cross
tos ce
a ne''
new ane
the front of the stage, but the lower part of the
side and back becomes transparent, and the spectre
is seen pissing from behind the
picture of the de-
ceased king to the point where it vanishes. Its
steps are followed by
-Hamlet
i who thus leads hia
mother round the apartment n a state of rapt at-
tention,. and the explosion with which he utters the
words " Out at the portal," and sinks in a chair,
exhausted with the mental strain, is terrific.
Throughout the whole of this act the actor has mei°,
and more entered into the spirit of the scene, and
here is his climax. He has gained his audience,
and now
he may fearlessly pursue his victor"
through the two remaining acts, even though
Laertes does not allow him to display his fencing to
the best advantage.

We understand that the assignees of Mr. Edward
Baldwin are prepared to receive tenders for the sale ( f the
Morning Herald, Standard, and St. James's Chronicle,
up to 12 o'clock to-morrow. We hear that several gen'
tlemen have joined themselves into a rpecies of Joint
Stock Company, and have offered 20,0001. for this verf
valuable property. On the other band we are ale°
credibly informed that another party has made an offer
of 21,0001., and is even prepared to go to a larger
amount. This intelligence will be satisfactory to the
general body of unsecured creditors, as the assignees
will be bound not to sacrifice the estate, as they have a ,
duty to perform which they must not shrink from earl'
ing through.