The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-09 00:00:00

ROYAL LYCEUM; THEATRE.

On Monday evening the performances at this charming
place of entertainment commenced with a new domestic
drama, written expressly for the celebrated Irish comedian,
Mr. John Drew, who has won " golden opinions from all
sorts of people." It is'entitled "The Irish Emigrant,"and
is from the pen of Mr. John Brougham, who has already
contributed several successful compositions to the
drama. The structure and design of " The Irish
Emigrant" is exceedingly simple; but this characteristic,
which might otherwise have endangered the success
of the piece, is, in truth, one of its chief recom-
mendations, since it affords ample opportunity for the pecu-
liar talent of the principal actor in those nice discrimina-
tions of humour and sentiment, which have stamped Mr.
John Drew as the very best Irish comedian of the day !
The piece turns upon the loss and recovery of a pocket-
book containing notes of the value of 5,000 dollars.
A young married couple, Harry Travers (Mr. Forrester),
and Mary, his wife (Miss Stuart), are lodging at a board-
ing-house in New York, just as their cash is exhausted,
and credit is gone, with no prospect before them but the
painful one of poverty, and the cruel process of ejection
from the boarding-house. At this time, however, an old
clerk (Mr. Lyon) in the office of a merchant (Mr. John-
stone), who is the uncle of young Travers, deeply moved
by the distress of the young couple, and animated by the
recollection of kind services rendered to him in his early
days by the father of Travers, prevails upon his employer,
the merchant, to write a cheque in favour of Travers for
5,000 dollars. The old man, overjoyed, rushes to the
boarding-house in all haste, to relieve the son of his
former benefactor. But, alas ! he has lost the
pocket-book containing the precious gift I The painful
trial was nigh unsettling the old man's reason ; and he,
supported by Travers, sets out in the almost hopeless search
of the missing book.

In the meantime we are introduced to the other person-
ages of the drama—Tom Bobalink, a New York carter
(Mr. George Vining), and his pretty little wi4 Mary (Miss
Rate Saville), are the happiest couple under the sun. Blest
with health and strength, and plenty of work, an affectionate
wife, a comfortable borne, and a heart full of generosity,
who so happy as Torn Bobalink the carter I His hot. dinner
and the clean cloth on the table waiting his coming, indicate
a happy home and a careful wife. But who is this that at
the helf•open door sniffs the fragrance of the pleasant
meal ? It is Patrick O'Brien, a poor half starved and
ragged Irish emigrant. There he stands, the very picture
of desolation in a far off country—not his own I He is
ashamed to put his head inside the door—but he is starving !
The acting of Mr. Drew in this situation exhibits the very
highest order of talent. We cannot call to mind a more
perfect impersonation. A few kind and encouraging words
from Torn, and a basin of soup handed to him by the good
hearted wife, have a marvellous effect on Patrick, and Mr.
Drew leaves us in little doubt that Christian charity is the
best flavour that can be given to a hungry men's meal.
Tom hires the Irishman, and Pat is soon at work. In the
course of the day Tom stumbles over the identical pocket •
book which has been dropped by the clerk, and upon open-
ing it, discovers the contents—a heap of wealth—the means
to render his Polly happy. But then the money
is not his ! But he overcomes his scruples—for
a time only, and conceals the book in his side pocket. He
goes home half drunk to his supper, but he can't eat He
calls for brandy, and sends his wife to bed; sleeps himself,
with his head on the table. The man is changed, but his
conscience is at work ; half distracted, he leaves home on
the morning carefully hiding the pocket-book in his
carter's frock, as he thinks, but he drops it on to the floor as
he rushes out of the house. Patrick having put the horse
to, comes into the room ; he has noticed the alteration in
his employer, he stumbles over the dropped pocket-book,
opens it, it contains notes ; they can't belong to his master.
With the quick apprehension of his countrymen, be
guesses the cause of the change in Tom.
He'll have nothing to do with the pocket-book.
Sure it is the devil in the form of a pocket-book I The act-
ing of Mr. Drew in this scene is also deserving of especial
remark. The wife enters : Pat won't allow her to touch
the accursed thing. " Sure an' it's the devil I" Nothing can
be finer than this. It is a perfect triumph of art.
Mary, however, secures the pocket-book, and having
ascertained from Pat that the "parties" at No. 44 have
lost it, and have been making diligent inquiries respecting
it, hastily puts on her bonnet and shawl and rushes to re-
store it. The denouement may be readily conceived. Mary
arrives in time to save the young people from being turned
out of house and home, just as Tom has been sent for
to cart off their few articles of furniture. All are
made happy, and Tom's conscience is appeased. A happy
home and an honest conscience are better than heaps of
ill-gotten wealth.
The piece was well acted throughout, although Mr.
George Vining is certainly not at home in the part of Tom
Bobalink, and Mr. Lyon somewhat exaggerates the charac-
ter of the Old Clerk. Mrs. John Rouse chattered through
the part of the landlady of the boarding-house with amus-
ing vivacity. On Mr. Drew, however, rests the weight of
the piece ; and as this gentleman's engagement is, as we
understand, fast drawing to a close, we earnestly advise all
lovers of good acting to pay an early visit to the Irish
emigrant. We need scarcely add that Mr. Drew was most
enthusiastically applauded when called before the curtain.
The house, we rejoice to say, was crowded, and the com-
pany most fashionable.

TALLOW SPECUL 4TION.

(PROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

The stock of P.Y.C., on the 31st of December, 1859
was 44,313 casks, price 575. 9d. per cwt., the stock being
much larger than it had been since 1852, when it wasi'
47,46 casks, price 455. _ _

The stock would have been much reduced in 1859 but
for the high prices then prevailing.
During part of last year prices were rather lower, and the
demand increased.

The present stock, 72,489 casks, is greater than at any
time since 1822. The price is now 15s. per cwt. higher
than it was in 1852, when the stock, though large, was not
two-thirds of the present stock.
Tho lowest stock during 38 years from 1822 was 16,797
casks, price 58s. per cwt ~ this on the 31st of December
185 G.

The usual eact of supply and demand is overruled by
speculators, or, more properly speaking, gamblers in
tallow, who purpose filling their own pockets at the expense
of other parties by purchasing from them for forward de-
livery. Intending, at the same time, to deprive them of
the means of fulfilling their contracts by buying all the
tallow and locking it up, so titat they may demand from
their dupes, when the time for delivery arrives, any sum
they may think proper.
If the speculators do not succeed in finding a sufficient
number of dupes the loss to them will be very considerable,
no doubt.

The injury to the trade is incalculable ; all parties inte-
rested will do well to keep their stocks as low as possible.
The heavy expenses on so large a stock of tallow may pos-
sibly tire the speculators and cause them to disgorge part
of their supply. It will be observed by the statement be-
low that the stock of tallow will probably be near GO,OOO
casks on the Ist of June.