The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-27 00:00:00

SUN, LON DON, PRLOAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, 1850.

FINE ARTS.
PORTRAIT OF SIR ROBERT PEEL.
Painted by Sir •Thomas Lawrence, P.R.A.
Engraved by Mr. Samuel Cousing,A.R.A. •

The preparation of this splendid engraving has
been a subject of notoriety for some considerable time
past, its completion being looked forward to with no
little curiosity and eagerness. At length the fruits

of the artistic ability employed in its production are
lying before us in the shape of a proof impression.
We hasten, therefore, to express the estimate formed
by ourselves of a work in the execution of which the
entire public has been so long and profoundly inte-
rested. From an examination of the exquisite print
before us we are satisfied that the expectations of the
majority will be found to have been fully realized.
Those expectations have all along been naturally
of a very high character from the eminence of the
gentleman engagedin the transcript upon metal from the
famous painting by Sir Thomas Lawrence, one of the
most masterly portraits ever conveyed to canvass by
that illustrious Academician. Nor have those confi-
dent anticipations of the skill of Mr. Cousins been in

the faintest particular disappointed. The engraving
. _

now issued by the Messrs. Paul and Dominic Col-
naghi must be ranked among the most brilliant of his
achievements. It is effepted in the highest style of his
art, and displays in all its details the evidences of his
vigorous hand and the indications of his large and
perfecting experience. The history of the
plate and of its production, is in itself
especially interesting, from the peculiarity of the cir-
cumstances under which the engraving has been
matured. During the last twenty years, it must be
remembered, that the original has been rendered fami-
liar by the two preceding plates—both engraved by
Mr. Charles Turner—the first of the two having been
actually touched and retouched by the hand of the
great portrait painter himself—the hand of Sir Thomas
Lawrence. In consequence of the impressions of
both those engravings having been altogether ex-
hausted, and the plates themselves worn out, it be- I

came advisable to have another copy taken by some
one of competent ability, and the artist selected for
the purpose was Mr. Samuel Cousins, himself an as-
sociate of the Academy over which Sir Thomas
Lawrence had shed a lustre as its President. The
present engraving is consequently the third that has
been taken from the original picture, a circumstance
very unusual indeed, if not in a manner wholly un-
precedented. Added to the popularity possessed by
Mr. Cousins as an engraver, and the fame acquired
by Sir Thomas Lawrence as a portrait painter, is
another consideration investing the likeness in ques-
tion with a peculiar and irresistible attraction—we
mean the consideration that this was perhaps the
only portrait of the great statesman which could be
relied.upon for its accuracy, certainly the' only yenta -
hie semblance of his features, if we except thaintereit-'
ing group in the possession of her Majesty, painted in
obedience. to the royal command by-Winterhalter.
Setting that single work aside, the representation of
Sir Robert Peel, by Sir Thomas Lawrence, must be
unquestionably regarded as the only reliable delinea-
tion of his appearance. Insomuch was Sir Robert him-
self, satisfied with it as the only correct likeness, that
he resolutely refused of late years to sit to any other
artist, even when solicited to do so by his most inti-
mate ministerial colleagues. It is related of him that
a refusal of this kind was given as recently as last
year, when the Earl of Aberdeen, his friend and
former associate in: the Administration, expressed a
solicitude to obtain some memento of the like
description. All that could be elicited on the occa-
sion from the Right Hon. Baronet was permission to
an artist, selected by himself (Mr. Patten), to copy
the head from the picture by Sir Thomas Lawrence.
The entire portrait, which is a full length, life size,
he could not consent to, be thus completely trans-
cribed, and the consequence was, that last spring, the
artist above-mentioned, was allowed merely to repro•
duce upon canvass the head from the original. The re-
luctance evinced by the late Sir Robert to sit for a por-
trait by any other artist had, in all likelihood, been con-
firmed in consequence of the production by another ar-
tist (Mr. Lennill) of a picture of the most unsuccessful
and unsatisfactory character. The value set upon the
almost inestimable painting, by Sir Thomas Law-
rence, may be conjectured from the injunctions
accompanying the transmission of the original from
the gallery of Drayton Manor, when it was conveyed,
not long since, by Mr. Grundy, to Lancashire, having I
been previously insured by him against fire and
other injuries to the amount of no less than two thou-
sand guineas. Nor can th:: estimate formed of the
picture by the family of the• departed statesman be
regarded as in any degree excessive, considering the
glory of its subject and its own great merits as a
composition. It depicts Sir Robert Peel as he ap-
peared in 1829, when in the forty-second year
of his age in the maturity of his physical and intellec-
tual existence. A happier time could not possibly
have been selected for the representation of his ap-
pearance, a time more remarkable for the testi-
monies of his consummate powers in statesmanship,
or one in which he himself personally ap-
peared in any way to greater advantage
The painting has been cleverly described as follows :

—" The statesman is standing by a table, on which
his right hand lightly rests, his left pressing his hip—
a well-known and favourite attitude. Instead of the
somewhat portly figure of later years, Sir Robert,
twenty years ago, as the portrait shows, was somewhat
slim and slender in form, but the fine features are
there ; the keen eyes, flashing from beneath the
bushy eyebrows, the open and high forehead, the
look, the compressed lips, in short, the expression and
character of the man, which time has not effaced, and
which all can remember who knew him during
any considerable portion of his public career ;
these are all portray ed as only the
genius of a Lawrence could depict them.
The simplicity of the picture is one of its great
charms. There are no over-bright colours, or over-
brilliant or prominent accessories, to distract the at-
tention from the Point on which it should be concen-
trated—the head and face. Sir Robert is
represented as simply attired in dark blue coat
with velvet collar and gilt buttons ; black
velvet waistcoat and white singlet, white cravat,
and black trowsers. The only indication of his pur-
suits is a red box for papers, just visible on the table
all else is plain, and without ornament. The head
and features consequently attract and rivet the atten-
tion ; and so exquisitely natural is the quiet arrange-
ment of the whole, that it is not till after a time that
the consummate art of the painter is felt." Ac-
cording to an opinion pronounced upon the original
painting, as far back as the 7th of August, by the
Manchester Guardian, the: work must be viewed,
however, " much more than a mere portrait—it
is
provincial contemporary, "an idealiza-
tions says
y s
u as r
of the man in his highest possible condition and
mood; and we can no longer wonder that with this
hitherto unapproachable picture before him Sir
Robert should be chary of multiplying less elevated
likenesses of his person, uninformed by the soul,
breathing from the lips and eyes, as in this exquisite
panegyric thus pronounced upon the
picture." The
original painting now at Drayton Manor, might
be pronounced with equal correctness upon the
copy here taken from it by Mr. Samuel
Cousins, and now publishing at the distin-
guished house of the Messrs. Paul and Dominic
Colnaghi. Insomuch is this our opinion of the en-
graving, as formed from the proof impression sub-
mitted to our criticism, that we cannot conceive to
ourselves any more splendid or more satisfactory sou-
venir of one of the most patriotic and illustrious of
the statesmen of England.

CHILD MURDER IN MARTLERONE.—Yesterday Mr.
11. M. Wakley held an inquest in Marylebone workhouse on
the body of a fine full-grown male child. Police-constable
Beckett found the body lying on a dung-heap in Welbeck-
mews, wrapped in a napkin and the tkirt of an old gown,
having an outside covering of brown paper, which gave it the
appearance of a parcel-directed "Brown and Co., haber-
dashers, Oxford-street." -There were also lying on the body
artificial flowers and a window-ticket for a hosier's' shop.
Inspector Jackson said that he waited upon Messrs. Brown,
who gave him every facility for prosecuting the inquiry, and
desired him to examine the parcel-book, but without obtain-
ing any clue to the infant's parents. Mr. Brown recognised
the paper as having been sent round a parcel from his esta-
blishment in the City to Oxford-street. Dr. Allen gave his
opinion that deceased had been suffocated by hard pressure.
Verdict—" Wilful Murder against some person or persona un-
known."

BRISTOL, DEC. 26.—At our police-court this morn-
ing, a man, named William Gray, was charged with stab-
bing another man, named Cnard. The poor fellow was un-
able to appear, he being at the infirmary in a very preca-
rious condition. It appeared that in a pared at the Rose
public-house, Temple-street, Gray drew a " cheesetaster"
out of his pocket, and stabbed Chard with it several times in
the neck, inflicting serious wounds. He was remanded to
Aymit the result of time ittjurieti

HOLIDAY AMUSEMENTS

DRURY LANE THEATRE:

Mr. Anderson commenced his winter campaign
here last evening; his company is, with few excep-
tions, the same as last year. He has retained Mr.
and Miss Vandenhoff, Mrs. Ternar, Mr. Cooper, Mr.
R. Romer, and Mr. Emery, and has engaged Mrs.
Nesbitt and Mr. and Mrs. Walter Lacy. Miss F.
Vining and Mrs. Parker are also among the additions
to the company, as is that rising young vocalist Miss
Julia Bleaden. The play was Winter's Tule, with
Mr. James Anderson as Leontes and Miss Vanden-
hoff as Hermione. The statue scene was beautifully
acted, but throughout the play " the gods kept such
a dreadful pother o'er our heads" that it was, except
when Anderson or Cooper were speaking, impossible
to hear a syllable that was uttered. The play over,
and the Netional.Anthem sung the gods became,
comparatively speaking, tranquil, and the over-
ture to the pantomime commenced ; this overture
composed, adapted, and arranged by Mr. Henri
Laurent, is admirable. The pantomime is entitled
Harlequin and Humpty Duinpty ; or, Bobbin de
Bobbin and the First Lord Mayor of London, and is
from the pen of Mr. Fitzball. The scene is laid in
the time of King Richard the first Dickey, and the
pantomime opens with an exquisitely painted view of
Finsbury-fields by moonlight, in which are introduced
sundry dioramic effects, which are very beautiful.
The old woman of Finchley (Mr. R. Romer) arrives
in her patent aerial machine, and summons her court
of elves about her; and here is introduced a very
pretty fairy dance, which was much applauded. The
wicked old woman commands her elves to ,plan so as
to snatch the fair maid of Chepe from her lover Hal and
give her to Big Ben, a giant 13 feet high, whose suit she
favours; Humpty Dumpty, however, the most agile of
Sprites, who was admirably represented by Signor
Parkini, the most active and neatest of posturers, de-
clares himself the protector of the two lovers, and
follows the old woman to circumvent her machina-
tions. We are then introduced to the Lord Chan-
cellor's closet, and find his Lordship (Mr. Jonsin
Deulin) under the hands of his valet, who is making
for him a most elaborate toilet, in order to render
him " taking" in the eyes of the " fayre maid of
Chepe," for, whose hand his Lordship is also a suitor.
The toilet scene told effectively, thanks to the exer-
tions of Mr. J. Deulin, Mr. Romer, and their assist-
ants, who made a great deal of fun, and kept
the audience in good humour. The next
scene is a room behind the shop of Old
Bucklerabury, the father of the Fair Maid of Chepe,
who finds his daughter surreptitiously flirting with
his apprentice Hal, and thereupon follows all the
time-honoured business of the disobedient daughter
and the angry father of Pantomime. We have next
a beautiful view of the hills of Highgate, in which
Big Ben's band are introduced, stopping and plun-
dering travellers, and singing choruses according to
the wont of melodramatic robbers all over the world,
and then comes the grand spectacle which winds up
the introduction, and brings us to the harlequinade.
The scene is a splendid view of old London-bridge,
over which and „nFross the stage passes the
procession;
,of Riphard the First,
on his, return from Palestine...,,. This proces-
sion very - magnificent ; the dresses' are
gorgeous; the King sees and admires, the Fair Maid
of Chepe, and her father, preferring a royal son-in-law
to any other, is about to give her to the King, when
she is claimed by Big Ben, a giant thirteen feet high,
who challenges any one to single combat who shall
gainsay his right to her. Hal accepts the challenge,
and, receiving a magic sword from Humpty Dumpty,
severs with it the giant's head from his body. This
said Big Ben Is the original hero of the old nursery
rhyme—the very identical
" Bobbin the Bobbin, the big-bellied Ben,
of whom it is sting that

" He ate more meat than four-score men.
He ate a cow, he ate a calf;
He ate a butcher and a half;
He ate a church, he ate a steeple,
He ate the p!iest and allithe people..
And his body is rolled in, and from his stomach is
fished up the cow, the calf, the butcher, the church and
all its contents, and the steeple. This " fishing up,"
if rapidly done, might perhaps have told, but
it was very slowly managed last night, and nearly
risked the success of the pantomime. Hal is rewarded
with the hand of the Fayre Maid, but the old woman
of Finchley determined to interrupt the course of true
love, transforms the lovers into Harlequin (M. Deu-
lin) and Columbine (Madlle. Theodore), whereupon
the Fairy of the Well of Truth (Miss Julia Bleaden)
arises in a crystal fountain from the bottom of the
well, and transforms old Bucklersbury into Clown (Mr.
Seymour), the Chancellor into Pantaloon (Mr. Jon
-
sin Deulin), and Ilumpty Dumpty into Sprite
(Signor Parkini), and the harlequinade com-
mences. The first scene is the house of a nur-
sery and seedsman, which is transformed into
a sort of creche, full of crying babies.
We then have a magnificent view of the exterior of
the grand Crystal Palace in Hyde-park, and in this
scene is introduced a rare Chinese toy for the Exhi-
bition ; this toy is impersonated by Master Clarke,
who, standing on a rolling globe, performs some mar-
vellous feats of dexterity with balls, plates, sticks,
dishes, &c. The admirable performance of Master
Clarke excited the enthusiasm of what had been pre-
viously a somewhat cold audience, and may be said to
have gone far towards securing the success of the
pantomime. Immediately after Master Clarke's per-
formance the introduction of a novel trick set the
audience in a roar, and from that moment all
" went gaily as a marriage bell." It was the ap-
pearance from " a new thrashing machine"
of the redoubtable General llaynau, mustachios,
and all, followed by a crowd of Barclay and Perkins'
draymen ; the scene is brought to a climax by the
balloon ascent of clown and pantaloon on the Hippo-
potamus. The scenes of " a dairy and swt ep's es-
tablishment," and of the establishment of the " Humane
Society," follow. In those scenes we had the usual
tbumpings and bumpings of pantaloon and clown,
the usual graceful dancing and poses of Columbine,
and Mademoisell Theodore is one of the most grace-
ful and prettiest of Columbines, the usual agilities of
Harlequin, the usual calls for "Hot Codlings" (io
this instance not complied with) front the galleries, and.
the by no means usual, because original and admirable,
performances of the. Sprite ; then follows a scene of
Glen Tilt, excellent in its way and replete with sharp
hits at game preservers, but of which we cannot help
thinking a great deal more might have been made ;
and tben comes the concluding gorgeous scene " The
Fairy Abode of Britannia, Peace and Happiness, a
grand emblematical tableau illustrative of -England's
welcome to all Nations," -which- brought down the
curtain with great applause. The pantomimists are
all admirable, the scenery is exceedingly beautiful,
the procession of King Richard is gorgeous, but the
pantomime is too long : we would recommend, the
management to cut out the whole, or at all events
the greatest part of the
.dialogue which le drearily
dull, and then the pantomime will act closely and have
a run. The house was very
,well attended.

HAYMARKET THEATRE.
The Christmas attraction at the Haymarket was
an entirely new'burlesque, the production of the bro-
thers Brought entitled The Second Calendar of the
Queen of Beauty who had the Fight with the Cenie,
founded upon one of the finest stories of the " Arabian
Nights." The introductory scene is laid in a- desert
part of the Ebony Isles, shifting at the commence-
ment of the drama to a district several thousand
miles from any known locality, and subsequently fur-
ther still, toothe imaginary kingdom of Multigatawney.
Here Epitimarus the Great, King of the Ebony Isles
(Mr. J. Bland), accompanied by his beautiful daugh-
ter, the Princess Gulnare (Mrs. L. S. Buckingham)),
and surrounded by his Court, is seen carousing, al
fresco, during a journey in the desert. In the course of
the repast the' king pitches a date stone at one of his at-
tendants ; a tremendous roar is heard, and Jajarbees, the
son of the daughter of Eblia," as genie or phantam
captain (Mr. Charley Selby) makes his appearance
among the party, raging for the loss of his eye, put
out by the stone thrown by the king. The result is,
that the attendants scamper off, and the king is about
to be put to death by the genie when the beautiful
incess Gulnare rushes between them. The genie,
struck by her beauty, spares the life of her father on
condition of being married to her., The king con-
sents,
but not the daughter, who is thereupon carried
off by the genie in his "Hansom," driven by a juve.
nile cabman (Master Caulfield), " from the lowest
ranks." In the first act, Prince Agib, " a prince of
a fellow, afterwards an ape of the Dead Sea," (Miss
Annie Romer), is seen tied to a tree in an alnlost im-
penetrable forest, and bewailing her fate to Cadja,
" a more than ordinary virtuous wood-cutter" (Mr.
Buckstone), by whom she is eventually released.
In this scene
,Mr.. Buckstone sets the house
in a roar by his whimsical style of singing
the ballad " In my cottage near a wood," first atic-
cato, and then with certain original and florid varia-
tions. Here, too, he amuses the audience by a series
of exceedingly clever hits at the morbid sentimentali
ties to be found in works of fiction, about virtuous
labourers end noble-minded peasants. The destitute
Prince Agib afterwards enters into the service of the
woodman, in gratitude to him for effecting his re-
lease ; and in Lis first essay at wood- cutting, is set n
dealing blows with an axe at the trunk of the large tree
to which he had been previonsly chained, and which
eventually opens and discovers a stair, by which the
prince and woodman both disappear. This conducts them
to the subterranean palace of the genie, by whom the
Princess Gulnare is held in captivity, attended, how-
. ever, by Zabeydeh (Mrs. Fitzwilliam), an amusing
" maid of all work." The prince and the woodman
' fall into the genie's clutches, the former of whom is
ingeniously changed into an ape; but the princess,
the woodman, and the maid of all work make
their escape in a jolly-boat, manned by a

crew of British tars, not, however, before " the
more than ordinarily virtuous wood-cutter" makes a
beast of himself. The second act is principally occue
pied in exhibiting in exceedingly grotesque positions,
the fancied incidents of the forthcoming Exhibition.
The scene is laid in the public place of Curripowdab,
the capital of the Raja of Mulligatawney, a city in
a temporary state of Indian pickle, where an Exhibi-
tion of the Industry of all Nations is in preparation
under the auspices of the Princess Zaide, the Raja's
daughter (Miss P. Horton), surnamed the Queen of
Beauty, "in every sense of the word a charming wo-
man." Among the gathering of the denizens of all
nations at this Grand Exhibition, an old brgan.grinder,
with an ape and a female companion make their ap-
pearance, who turn cut to be "the virtuous woodman,"
Prince gib, and the genie's maid of all work. Here
Buckstone's performance on a street organ, whilst
Mrs. FitZwiniani sings " The M aid Of Llangollen,"
convulses the audience with laughter. Among the
various arrivals, the Princess Gulnare makes a descent
in an aerial machine, and claims the protection of the
Raja from the genie who pursues her; and then en.
sues a conflict between the genie and the magician
princess, who transfOrm themselves into a variety of
shapes, the genie being at last destroyed by the fire
thrown upon him by hisfair antagonist, who restores
Prince Agib, from the condition of an ape, to his own
human form and to the arms of the Princess Gulnare.
The whole spectacle concludes with a magnificent
representation of the interior of the Crystal Palace,
filled with an innumerable company and brilliantly
illuminated. The dialogue of the piece is interspersed
with a series of jukes aimed at the various follies of
the day, some of which were exceedingly pointed and
happy. The plot; however, would scarcely be intel-
ligible to a person unacquainted with the tale in the
Arabian Nights' on which it is founded. The acting
of Mr. James Bland was capital, as was also
that of Mr. Selby, the one as the Raja of
Mulligatawney, and the other as the Genie. Miss
P. Horton delighted the audience by the style in
which she sang a series of airs in the language of
every country in Europe, forming her " Musical con-
tributions of all nations to the. Exhibition." The
felicitous ease with which she adopted the language of
each foreign country, as she sang one song after
another, in rapid succession, was applauded with the
greatest enthusiasm, IVliss• Anne Homer, too, sang
several songs charmingly. The acting of Mrs. L. S.
Buckingham, as the Princess Gulnare, was exceed-
ingly graceful and effective. Mr. Bucketone, as
usual, rioted in broad merriment throughout the piece ;
whilst Mrs. F,itzwilliam's attempts to pourtray the
bardshipp of a servant of all work were singularly
felicitous. The scenery was occasionally striking, and
the dresses were magnificent in the extreme. It is
a disadvantage in the piece that it is too long.. It
was, nevertheless, favourably received by the audience,
and when the curtain tell there were loud calls for
the authors, one of whom appeared and bowed his
acknowledgments.

converted into a blue bird of paradise. Florins, in
the meantime elopes from her father's palace, and as-
. sumes the garb pC a
.peasant-girl, but is comforted
and consoled in her travels. and dangers by the dit-
ties of herr winged companion. The-result in the end
is, that after trials and reverses, the bird is changed,
by the intervention of Hocus-pocus, a magician,
friend, and 'physician-extraordinary to King Charm-
ing, into its original form, and the lovers, as all true
and good lovers should be, are united in the bonds of
mutual happiness. The part of King Charming was
allotted to Madame Vestris, who sustained it with her
usual fascination and grace, and without any diminu-
tion of that tact and cleverness which has for so long
a series of years entitled her to the reputation of
being one of the best actresses on the stage. Mrs.
Frank Matthews, as Queen Tyrana, and Miss Julia
St. George,-,tis Princess Florina, also acquitted them-
selves with great credit in their respective parts. The
scenery throughout the piece was extremely beautiful,
but the last scene of all, exhibiting the restoration of
King Charming to the throne of Fan-sea was almost
of itself sufficient to "draw" a large audience, and
drew forth uproarious and continued applause. Re-
presenting a magnified plant or enormous flower of
brilliant gold and silver, set with precious stones of
various hues, it gradually opens and expands so as to
cover nearly the whole of the stage, discovering to the
gaze female figures in elegant postures holding up
draperies and other ornamental decorations. When
the whole was illuminated by the aid of crimson
coloured lights, the splendid effect may be easily
imagined. On the fall of the curtain the principal
characters were called upon the stage. Loud calls
were also made for the author, but he did not make
his appearance. A dancing scene, in which an indus-
trious exhibition of the steps of all nations was given
by the corps de ballet, was introduced into the bur-
lesque, and this novelty was well received. The per-
formances concluded with Mr. Charles Mathews'
comic drama called the Ringdoves.