The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-12 00:00:00

APRIL 12, 1859

OLYMPIC THEATRE.

lOn a very simple basis Mr. Tom Taylor has con-
structed a very pleasant little comedy, enti*fl
" Nine Points of the Law." Mrs. Smylie (Mrs.
Stirling), one of those fair, clever widows who have
broken many hearts in real life, and still more on
the stage, is the occupant of a genteel messuage or
tenement, to which Mr. Edmund Ironside, a burly
northern manufacturer (Mr. Addison), has the legal
right. Woman's fascination is to prove more power-
ful than the law, and when Mr. Ironside arrives,
swelling with his sense of right, and expecting a
shrewd disputant, he finds such a perfectly unre•
sisting creature that he don't know what to make
of his position. He came for a verbal fight, but
there is nothing to hit, and when Mrs. Smylie asks
for a week to settle her affairs he grants the delay
without hesitation, and intrusts further negotiations
to his lawyer, Mr. Cunninghame (Mr. H. Wigan).
With the "professional gentleman" Mrs. Smylie
becomes the type of a strong-minded woman, and
by the blaze of her charms and the depth of her
legal knowledge so utterly overwhelms the doomed
pettifogger that he loses not only his heart but his
sense of rectitude, and betrays certain weak points
of his client's case. The end of the contest, as
might be expected, is brought about by a mar-
riage between Ironside and the widow, this
catastrophe being preceded by a skirmish
of generosity, in which Mrs. Smylie refuses
to take advantage of the weak points revealed
by the treacherous lawyer, -while Ironside resigns
his pretensions to the estate by means of a deed of
gift. A filibustering gentleman of Central Ameri-
can experiences, who aspires to the hand of the
widow, and is played by Mr. G. Vining, is intro-
duced as a contrast to the more disinterested manu-
facturer, but he rather adds to the length than
increases the strength of the piece.
Mrs. Stirling has long been renowned as an
admirable representative of those fascinating ladies
who, when the charm of girlhood has passed, rule
' the world, partly by the force of developed beauty,
partly by tact ; and she did herself full justice as
the lady exulting in the " tine points of the law."
Mr. Addison, whose worth has been known in a
much shorter time, probably surprised many of
the audience by the perfect manner in which he
played Ironside. Nothing could be better done.
There was the downright blunt man, sound at heart,
uncouth in manner, forced, in spite of himself, to
bring his best side outwards, and fidgetting not a
little with hands, legs, and fingers while the pro-
gress of conversation was going on. Thte2 little
grotesque lawyer, by Mr. H. Wigan, was an excel-
lent "bit" of character.

For a very pretty drawing-room, garnished with
pictures, and backed by an extensive country view,
the audience are indebted to the pencil of Mr.
Telbin. In this elegant apartment the dramatis
persona fought their battles, and a complete suc-
cess was attained.

During Passion-week the theatre will become the
site of Mr. and Mrs. T. G. Reed's popular enter-
tainment.

_HERR OTTO GOLDSCHMIDT'S

CONCERT.

Herr Otto Goldschmidt, a pianist of remarkable
talent, and an excellent musician—husband, more-
over, of the famous Jenny Lind—gave the first of
an announced series of matinees musicales, affillis's
rooms, yesterday afternoon. Herr Goldschmidt
played Mendlessohn's " Variatitms S6rieuses " as a
solo piece, and took part with Messrs. Sainton,
Schreurs, and Piatti in Mozart's pianoforte quartet
in E flat ; with Signor Piatti in Beethoven's sonata
in G minor, op. 5 ; and with Messrs. S. Pratten,
Crozier, C. Harper, Schreurs, Piatti, and Ho well
in Huimnell's septuor in I) minor, op. 74. In each
and every one of these Herr Golds chmidt displayed
executive talent of a high order, informed by such
pure and classic musical sentiments as can only be
acquired through careful study, and a sympathetic
appreciation of the best models. Herr Goldschmidt
was warmly applauded in all his efforts by a nume-
rous and fashionable audience, amongst whom, our
readers will not be at all surprised to hear, was the
great Swedish Nightingale herself.

CHRISTY'S MINSTRELS.

The public willbe happy to learn that this vocal
troupe of Ethiopians, after a successful tour through
the provinces and part of the Continent, have again
returned to London, under the auspices of Mr.
Mitchell, of Old Bond-street. Their first concert
took place last night at the St. James's Hall, to a
crowded and fashionable audience. While Dr.
Wylde and his cohorts, instrumental and vocal,
were performing the overture to " Medea," and
the other pieces comprising the second concert
of the New Philharmonic Society, in one part
of the St. James's Hall, another portion of
that magnificent building resounded with the
strains of ," Hoop de doodum doo" and similar ele-
gant compositions of the same school. But, after
all, " Hoop de doodum doo" has some sort of merit.
Certainly it cannot be charged with that want of
form which is the chief accusation brought against
Schubert's recently-produced Symphony in C.
The form " Hoop do doodum doo" is exceedingly
siMple, and might at once be understood by those
who find Schubert quite unintelligible. It com-
mences with a prelude for the banjo solud,
formed on the motive of the air itself. The theme
—like the principal melody in the second move-
ment of the Symphony in C —is repeated over
and over again, until at last we almost
feel inclined to accuse the nigger composer
of paucity of ideas. Suddenly, however, the singer
begins. He utters words worthy of an original
English opera, for they are utterly destitute of
meaning. The same curious tune which we have
already heard fifteen times on the banjo is heard
fifteen times more from the lips and throat of the
sable vocalist. The audience is delighted, and when
the song is at an end the captivating air is
heard once more on the banjo by way of
finale. The exeeutant is a true comic artist ; of
this there can be no doubt. It is as certain as
that the succession of sounds which he pro-
duces has no resemblance to music. Neverthe-
less, the so-called " melodies" of the niggers are
infinitely preferable to the vapid sentimentalities
furnished to the Ethiopians by Yankee composers.
There is something peculiar and characteristic
about the yelping of a nigger with which any one
may be amused fora short time ;. but feeble love
songs, sung by black men, are uninteresting, and,
if intended to be serious, laughable. The pro.
gramme of last night included all the best known
pieces of the. Christy Minstrel repertoire.

The arrangements wore admirable under the care
of Mr. Mitchell's active superintendent, Mr.
Nimmo.

LIEUTENANTS AND MASTERS IN THE NAVY.—A
Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, in a letter to a contempt)
rary, says---" According to your journal of the Bth, Sir
Charles Napier is reported to have said that he trusted
the house would do nothing more in the shape of retire-
ment for naval officers, as it had done enough ahead-Y.'
Sir Charles is in the receipt of £1,066 per annum in the
shape of half-pay and good service pension, he can there-
fore conscientiously say that the country has done enough
for him. So may the remaining flag-officers and captains
say. But what is the 'position of the lieutenants ? The
greatest prize -those on the half-pay list can possibly look
for is that at the age of seventy-six they may obtain the
sum of £156 per annum. Before the house does anything
more in the shape of retirement for the flag and captains'
list, it will be well for them to see what ought to be done
for the lieutenants and masters." .
It appears that the question of postal communi-
cation between the mother country and the Australian
colonies was discussed by the Legislative Council of New
South Wales on the 3d and 10th of February. Mr. Monte-
fiore, the alive supporter of the Panama route, moved that
the News South Wales Legislature should decline to enter-
tain any postal arrangement which did not include that line
of communication as a part of the general scheme, and ex-
plaintd the reasons for expecting it to prove the quickest,
while from Sydney, being the nearest port of arrival, it
would bo especially favourable to the interests of that place.
In the course of the debate it was again elicited that New
South Wales would contribute largely to a second, or bi-
monthly mail 'via Panama, in addition to the contribution
she now gives of £50,000 yearly towards the monthly mail
via Suez ; and several speakers dwelt on the fact of the lino
via Sues having been rendered less adequate than ever for
the requirements of New South Wales since the alteration
of the route by the substitution of Mauritius for Ceylon ;
so that the colony neither had that which they consider
would be the most speedy communication with Grrsit Bri-
tain, nor the rapid intercourse with India which had partly
made up for till) want of it. Mr. Montefiore's motion, mo-
dified in farm, was carried ; and the proceedings of the
Home Government, not then known in Sydney, seem to
promise the eventual realization of the desired plan.

LATEST NEWS.

TILE CAT curl' \ CHINA

MAILS.

MARSEILLES, TUESDAY MORNING.
The Nenaul, with the mails from Calcutta and
China, arrived at Marseilles yesterday at 8 p.m.
The mails left for London at 10.30 p.m.

Passengers are to remain in quarantine 15

hours.
The Indus left Malta for Southampton at 4 p.m.
on the Bth inst.

The following telegrams have been received at
Mr. Reuter's office :

BERLIN, MONDAY.

The official Prussian Gazette (Preussische Zei-
tuna) publishes a leading article, of which the
following is a summary :
During the last few days uneasiness has taken
possession of the public mind at the news that the
assembling of the Congress has again become doubt-
ful. The anticipation of a near and dangerous
crisis, which that news arouses, has increased public
fears. Without wishing to maintain the ground-
leisness of the intelligence, we nevertheless believe
ourselves permitted to assume that in spite of the
serious turn affairs have taken, the efforts of the
mediating Powers are not yet to be regarded as
terminated ; and, indeed, a step of a mediatorial
nature has just been taken by the Prussian Govern-
ment. Keeping in view the rep eated declarations
of France, of a peaceful tendency, the hope still
remains that mediation in the impending diffi-
cult questions may possibly be proceeded with.
In the meantime the country, with provident
regard for coming emergencies, may be strong in
the consciousness that, above all things, its Govern-
ment has, during the negociatic.ns for mediation,
neglected no steps which could enable Prussia to
fulfil the duties imposed upon her by her position
towards Germany and Europe. Government may
hope to meet with the confidsence of the coun-
try, and may entertain the expectation of find-
ing, on the part of her German federal allies, a
similar confidence, animated by ,similar endeavours.

PARIS, MONDAY.

The Pays of this evening states that, if the in-
formation it has received be correct, the difficulties
which obstructed the assembling of the Congress
are definitively removed. The ;Powers are said to
have agreed upon the conditions under which they
will disarm simultaneously, and thereupon Austria
had given in her adhesion to tb.e Congress, which
would meet in a few days.

The Pays publishes this news under reservation
but believes it correct.

VIENNA, APRIL 12.

The official Austrian Correspondence (Oestrein't-
ische Correspondent) publishes em arficle, of which
the following is a summary .

Austria has given undeniable proof of her love of
peace by the manner in which kthe met Lord Cow-
ley's mission, and afterwards by accepting the pro-
posals for a Congress. Willingly would Austria
make sacrifices in order to presterve peace, but she
cannot do so merely to grant others delay before
the commencement of war. The disarming of Pied-
mont has been stated as a preliminary condition,
which condition was supported Ly England ; whilst
Austria, on the other hand, proposed a general dis-
arming as the first act of the Convess, thereby adding
a fifth preliminary point to those already proposed.
France did not think it possible: to make Piedmont
disarm alone, and Austria, therefore, proposed a
general disarming before the Congress began, in
order to ensure essential guarc; ntees for the main-
tenance of peace.

, The article concludes thug :--" How could it be
thought possible that Austria 'would join the Con-
gress unless substantial proofs were given that the
spirit which actuates her premils also in all the
other Cabinets."

BERLIN, MESDAY, April 12.

The Archduke Albrecht, jf Austria, arrived
here this morning, at
.a guar ter-past past five
o'clock, from Vienna. His suite is composed of
four superior officers. He wEts received at the
railway terminus by the civil :authorities and the
Commander-in-Chief of the army of Berlin.

The Archduke afterwards re paired to the royal
palace; one wing of which was
.put in readiness for
his Imperial Highness.