The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-07 00:00:00

STRAND THEA TRE.

Net to be Done is the title of a new farce, which
was produced here last evening, and which, thanks to
the excellent acting of Mr. Leigh Murray, Mr. H.
Farren, and Miss H. Marshall, achieved a great suc-
cess. The scene takes place at a certain New Year's-
day party, and the plot turns on an agreement en-
tered into between two young men, that whichever of
them remained single on the day of the party should
pay to the other 1001., if the other had, in the mean-
time, married. One of them, represented by Mr.
Leigh Murray, is really married, and the other, re-
presented by Mr. H. Farren, in order to avoid pay-
ment of the bet, introduces a servant girl (admirably
acted by Miss M. Marshall) as his wife • who, by her
intense vulgarity, soon arouses the suspicions
of his opponent, who, retiring shortly afterwards, re-
turns as a drunken old cobbler, who pretends to be
the father of the pretended wife, having sufficiently
disgusted the pretended husband, and roused the ire of
his uncle at this mesalliance, he retires, but only to
return as a snuffy old woman, the mother of the
damsel ; the advent of the mother is too much, the
pretended husband repudiates his wife, confesses the
trick, and pays the one hundred pounds to his oppo-
nent, who was " not to be done." The acting of Mr.
Leigh Murray in these different disguises exhibited a
versatility for the possession of which the world had
not previously given bins credit. Mr. H. Farren was
excessively amusing, and the vulgarity of Miss M.
Marshall was gloriously rich. At the fall of the
curtain the applause was general. The house
was crowded.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE HIGHLAND SMALL TE-
NANTRY.—PORTREE, SKYE, APRIL 29.—Last week a
numerous and influential meeting was held in the Court
House here, for the purpose of establishing a Hebridean
Branch of the Royal Patriotic Society of Scotland. At the
instance and through the medium of the Perthshire Ladies'
Relief Association, the secretary of the former institution has
been employed during the past month in selecting industrious
small tenants, putting them upon an improved system of
husbandry, whereby their produce may bolargely increased,
obtaining leases for them of the various proprietors,
advancing seed corn, guano, &c., and making arrangements
for further advances or small loans, to enable them to con-
struct improved cottages, after the models of the above so-
ciety. The poor Highlanders have hailed such truly judi-
cious and patriotic efforts for their amelioration with un-
feigned gratitude, and at the meeting at Portree, on the
25th instant, which was attended by ministers of various
religious denominations, and by tho influential inhabitants
of the island, expressions of approval of the principles of
the Royal Patriotic Society were unanimously made, and
thanks were voted to the Perthshire Ladies' Highland Re-
lief Association for the carrying out of those principles, and
the commencement of an enlightened and an efficient sys-
tem of permanent amelioration, and the only source of
regret are that it was not earlier commenced and is not co-
extensive with the destitution with which it is requisite to
grapple.

- -
EXTRAORDINARY BLAST OF ROCK.—At the Silver
Mine Lime Works, Linlithgowshire, the property of Robert
Aitken, Esq., 3,700 tons of stones were recently raised at
one blast. The quantity of powder used to detach this im-
mense weight of stone was 5 cwt. This, we believe, is the
most extraordinary blast of rock which has ever been
effected in Scotland.—Glasgow Mail.
LONDON SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF YOUNG
FEMALES.—The anniversary dinner of this most excellent,
most meritorious, but comparatively ill-supported institution,
took place yesterday at the London Tavern. Lord Robert
Grosvenor, in the absence of Sir Culling Eardley, Bart., took
the chair. Want of space compels us merely to announce,
that Lord Robert Grosvenor, M.P., was compelled to retire
at an early hour, and that his place was filled by Mr. Digby
Seymour, barrister-at-law. Suffice it to say, that seventy
young females, under fifteen years of age, are now fed,
clothed, religiously educated, and fitted for respectable servi-
tude in the asylum at Tottenham. The asylum will accom-
modate at least thirty additional inmates. Many are now
waiting, and if not soon admitted must return to a vicious
course of life. Numerous applications are also continually
being made, but no more can be received for want of funds.
Shall these young creatures continue in sin? or shall the
committee be encouraged by liberal contributions to rescue
from ruin those who are asking day after day for admission ?
The dinner was provided with a profusion and taste Worthy
of the fame of Messrs. Bathe and Co.

RICHMOND THEATIM—During the past week the
performances at this theatre have been under the direction
of Mr. F. Butler, late of the Olympic. The pieces performed
were not the best that could have been selected, but what
was done was well done. The only exception to the fore-
going remark, with respect to selection, was She Stoops to
Conquer and The Eton Boy, for which Miss J. Coleman (late
one of the Ve3tris troupe) was engaged to sustain the part of
the sporting hero, Tom; which she did with much comic
power and success.
_ _

[ADVEATISEMENT.]—A Wonderful Cure of Wounds
and a Debilitated Constitution Renovated by Holloway's Oint-
ment and Pills.—Mr. Male, storekeeper, of Gundagai, New
South Wales, states that these medicines have effected a most
astonishing cure on a settler in his vicinity, who was dreadfully
afflicted with wounds on various parts of his body—his consti-
tution was so debilitated that his death was considered certain,
but the application of Holloway's Ointment and Pills have per-
formed wonders, for this young man has been completely
cured, and so extraordinary is the case that the Editor of the
Sydney Morning Herald has given publicity to it in his paper
of January 4, 1848.—Sold by all Druggists and at Professor
Holloway's Establishment, 2.44, Strand, London.
PRINCESS'S THEATRE.—Contrary to general ex-
pectation, the management of this theatre is to continue in
the hands of Mr. Maddox, who has obtained a renewed lease,
having out-generalled Mr. C. Kean, on the eve of the com-
pletion of all necessary arrangements by the latter gentle-
man for entering into possession. Those, therefore, who
looked forward to the enjoyment next season of an efficient
company, elegant -decorations, and all those attractions which
might confidently be anticipated under the auspices of the
Keans and Keeley s, must cantinuet o regale themselves with
thq perpetuation of that operatic brilliancy in all its origi-
nality which has so long and deeply fascinated the fre-
quenters of this dazzling house.

NEW QUALIFICATIONS FOR CUSTOM-HOUSE
CLERKS.—The Commissioners of the Board of Customs have
just issued an order that no person can be appointed to fill a
clerkship in the Customs hereafter who has not a knowledge
of the French and German languages, and of arithmetic and
algebra.
IMPROVEMENTS AT KENSINGTON.—The houses
directly opposite the Queen's-road, in High-street, will bo
thrown down, and a road to Brompton will be carried on
from that particular point. The barracks which at present
adjoin Kensington will also be removed, and a new pile
erected in another position.