The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-17 00:00:00

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.

Mr. Batty has shown his usualtact in producing just
at this time a new grand hippoiramatic performance,
the scene of which is laid in the good old days of good
Queen Bess, of pious and Protestant memory, and in
which the Queen herself is introduced and sustains a
principal character. Kenilworth ; or, the Golden
Days of England's Elizabeth, is the title of the
gorgeous hippodrarnatic spectacle produced here last
evening ; and, considering the historical character of
the spectacle, the excellence of the dialogue and of
the plot, both of which are in a great measure Sir
Walter Scott's, the sagacity of the wonderfully trained
horses, and the magnificence of the appointments,
we doubt not but that, if the pantomime be at all after
the rate, Astley's will, during the ensuing Christmas,
be the favourite of the children who are " home for
the holidays," and who will delight to know what the
play is about before they Nisit the theatre ; and as
every body knows what " Kenilworth" is about,
Kenilworth will no doubt be the pet play. The plot
of the novel is closely followed, the only alteration of
importance being that Amy Robsart is saved, and ac-
knowledged as Countess of Leicester by the Queen,
instead of falling into the trap, a denouement more in
consonance with poetical justice than with the truth
of history. " The grand progress of Queen Elizabeth to
Kenilworth" is one of the most gorgeous displays of
scenery and costume ever exhibited, even at Astley's ;
and " the chivalrous scenes of July, 157.5," brought
out the capabilities of Mr. Batty's extensive and ad-
mirably trained stud in a manner which drew down
thunders of applause. Mr. N. T. Hicks was Leices•
ter, and right gallantly did he go through the part.
Queen Bess herself, the old original Queen Bess, was
never in her life more energetic, no not even when
she threatened to " unfrock" the " proud prelate" of
Ely, than was her representative, Mrs. Moreton
Brooks, last evening. Miss Penton made an interest-
ing Amy Robsart, and Mr. T. Barry a
most amusing Michael Lambourne. The audience
were delighted with the splendour and magnificence
of this superbly gorgeous drama, and the curtain fell
amidst a perfect hurricane of applause. The scenes
of the circle followed, and a more graceful exhibition
of the equestrian art than they afforded it would be
difficult to imagine

DISREGARDED HOICOURS.—It is a good sign of the
advancing intelligence of the times when man can afford to
stand upon their own merits, and to disregard titles and ad-
ventitious distinctions. It is a shadow of the coming time
when the highest nobility will be the nobility of nature;
and men shall pay greater regard to industry and ability,
than to the coronet upon the brow, or the star upon the
breast. Her Majesty, on her recent visit to Scotland, had
her attention attracted to that splendid railway viaduct
which connects• England and Scotland, more securely than
Adrian's wall ever shut them out from each other; and it is
said that she expressed her highest admiration of the skill
and perseverance which had sufficed to produce such a monu-
ment of engineering skill; and as a means of showing her
appreciation of the engineer, the Queen offered to confer the
honour of knighthood upon Mr. Stephenson, but that gen-
tleman respectfully declined the title. We tio not pretend to
know the motives under which Mr. Stephenson acted, but,
at all events, the incident is a gratifying one, because it
shows that usefulness is climbing up the steep of station, and
feels so secure, that it can afford to dispense with conven-
tional aids. While the offer reflects honour upon her Ma-
jesty, Mr. Stephenson, independently of any private con-
sideration, was right. We know Wren as the builder of St.
Paul's, not as Sir Christopher. Watt's reputation rests more
securely upon the steam-engine than upon an Earldom. New-
ton's name would not be more revered if it had been handed
down with a patent of nobility, and Mr. Stephenson will be
better appreciated as the constructor of the Border Bridge,
than as " Sir George." The time is coming, and that quickly,
when great men, instead of having honours bestowed upon
them, will make for themselves an order of merit, the noblest
in the world— and the truth of Bluff King Hal's remark, that
out of seven ploughmen he could make seven Earls, but out
of seventy Earls he could not make one Holbein, will be more
generally felt by Sovereigns and people.—Eliza Cook's
Journal.