The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-03 00:00:00

DRURY LANE 7IIEATRE.

On Saturday evening Buckerstaffe's celebrated
comedy, " The Hypocrite," was performed here
with the greatest success. The part Of Dr. Cant-
well, of course, was sustained by Mr. Phelps. The
comedy is an old-fashioned adaptation of Colly
Cibber's " N onjuror," which was formed on Moliere's
" Tartuffe," which was in the first instance taken
from the Italian. We have bad various represen-
tations of the part since the days of Dowton, but
within our recollection we have not seen a finer re-
presentation of the part than that of Mr. Phelps
on Saturday evening. Unlike many tragedians, Mr.
Phelps has not confined his abilities to one par-
ticular " line ;" he has given us some of the
best specimens of old legitimate comedy that have
been performed during the last five-and-twenty
years, the most notable of which decidedly is his
Sir Pertinax Macsycophant in the "Man of the
World." His Bailie Nichol Jarvie in " Rob Roy"
was an excellent performance, but not equal to the
first-mentioned part, and although his Dr. Cant-
well surpassed the Bailie, yet it is not equal to his
great impersonation of the grasping, money-loving
Scotch Knight. Mr. Phelp's conception of the oily,
smooth, and desperate knave was worked out with
the most elaborate detail, and the whole performance
evoked the loudest applause. MrJ .Rouse sustained the
part of Mawworm pretty well, but he was not quite
up to the mark in it, although he did all he could, as
far as dress more especially was, concerned, to bring
back to the recollection of many of those present
the acting of Mr. Liston. Mr. Edmund Phelps was
somewhat stiff as Colonel Lambert ; but Mrs. H.
Vandenhoff played the part of the Doctor's dupe,
old Lady Lambert, with the greatest ability. Mrs.
Hermann Vezin sustained the character of Charlotte
with a deal of spirit and vivacity, and Miss Harfieur,
as the young Lady Lambert, looked and acted the
part very nicely, and the result of the combined
exertion of the whole of the performers was to secure
for the revival an enthusiastic reception.
Mr. E. L. Blanchard's splendid pantomime of
" Jack the Giant Killer" still continues to go for-
ward with extraordinary success ; and from present
appearances it seems certain to keep its place in the
bills till the close of the season. The house, of
course, was crowded in every part.

THE CLERKENWELL EXPLOSION FUND.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—A letter from Mr. Paget has appeared
in several of this day's papers, which, if not ex-
plained, is calculated to greatly injure an effort now
being made to augment the fund now raising for
the relief of the sufferers by the late disastrous ex-
plosion at Clerkenwell. It is well known that the con-
tributions hitherto received by the Relief Committee
have fal:en lamentably short of the sum required,
and it having been suggested that a valuable addi-
tion might be made to the fund by means of a
public distribution of prizes, I consented, at
the solicitation of several gentlemen, to act as trea-
surer and hon. secretary. Several charitable institu-
tions having recently successfully adopted a similar
course, it was determined to carry out the sugges-
tion, and I have every hope that, about the 20th of
this month, I shall have the pleasure of handing
over to the Lord Mayor a handsome addition
to the fund, the entire profits being de-
voted to that purpose. The drawing will take
place in the presence of the subscribers on the 18th
inst., the postponement being necessary in conse-
quence of the weather having somewhat retarded
the operations of the photographers engaged in
preparing the views of the ruins, which will be
presented to every subscriber. These photographs
are alone worth the small subscription of one shil-
ling, and have involved considerable trouble in
preparation.
I shall be very sappy to receive the assistance of
Mr. Paget, or any other member of the Re-
lief Committee, in order to successfully carry
out the object we have in view. The hearty co-
operation is needed of all who desire to mitigate
the distress occasioned by the sad calamity, and the
hand of charity ought not to be stayed by
any statement wale unnecessarily. The cause
is one that ought to awaken. true sym-
pathy in the breast of every right-thinking
person, and secure the approval of every one who
has the welfare of the sufferers truly at heart.

Trusting you will have the kindness to insert
this explanation,—l am, Sir, your obedient servant,
J. S. SwEAsEv,
Hon. Sec. to Drawing Committee.
King's Arms, Hoxton-gate, Hoxton,

Feb. 1, 1868.