The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-30 00:00:00

SOUTHAMPTON THEATRE.

SATURDAY, Auc. 24.—The play-goers have this week
had a great treat in the engagement of Mr. Webster,
lessee of the Haymarket, and Madlle. Celeste, for four
nights. The engagement commenced on Monday last,
when the pieces forming the bill of fare, were St. Mary's
Eve, a domestic drama, of an interesting plot, and a well-
written dialogue ; the Woman Hater ; and the Trum-
peter's Daughter. In the first piece Mademoiselle
Celeste performed the part of Madeline, a French girl.
Her pretty foreign accent suited the character well, and
her acting in the more serious portions of the piece was
no less feeling and impassioned than it was piquant and
agreeable in the lighter and comic situations. The effect
on the audience fully bears out this remark, for we ob-
served the sympathy of many of the fair sex excited even
to tears. It was a beautiful and touching performance.
The Woman Hater followed, in which both Celeste
and Webster appeared. This is a very slight interlude
with nothing but the good acting of the two " stars" to
make it attractive. The pith of it consisted merely in
the reformation of the Woman Hater's misanthropic ten-
dency by the irresistible effect of the charms of Madlle.
Celeste,.as Leila.—The Trumpeter's Daughter is a lively
and amusing farce from the pen of that prolific author,
Mr. Coyne, written to introduce the Polha, which was
danced by Mr. Webster and Celeste in a very graceful
style. This was loudly and unanimously encored. The
house was crowded.

On Wednesday night the pieces were Victor and Hor-
tense, the Trumpeter's Daughter, and St. Mary's Eve.
The plot of the first piece was interesting and gave full
scope for the abilities of both Madlle. Celeste and Mr.
Webster, who played the two principal characters.
On Thursday the first piece was a lively and well got
up farce, which was very popular at the Haymarket
two or three seasons back—The Pretty Girls of Stilberg.
A number of Cadets, headed by Ernest (Mr. Webster),
who in the part gives an extraordinary personation of
the Emperor Napoleon, play trick upon the village
girls, of whom Margot (Madlle. Celeste) is the chief.
They discover the plot and revenge themselves by adopt-
ing the uniform of Prussian troops and surprising the
Cadets, in a slumber into which they fall after a riotous
jollification, and make them prisoners. This scene was
excellently got up. The dresses, arms, and accoutrements
of the fair campaigners were complete, and they were
put through their exercise by Mademoiselle Celeste in a
very clever manner. This was loudly and deservedly
applauded. Mr. Webster looked the fac-simile of Napo-
leon, and his personation of the Great Captain excited
the greatest admiration.
Last night Mr. Webster and Madlle. Celeste made their
last appearance, and took their benefit, when the house
was well filled. The pieces were Maria Ducange, The
Pretty Girls of Slithery, and the Trumpeter's Daughter.
This engagement has given great satisfaction.
They opened at Ryde, Isle of Wight, last evening
(Tuesday) to a most fashionable audience and are re-
engaged for four nights in the ensuing week here.

METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS.—Between Hol-
born and Oxford-street the line of the new street is in a
state of considerable forwardness. The vaults for the
houses on either side of the way are completed, and the
width of the thoroughfare is now marked out ; through
the whole distance a sewer about fifteen feet below the
surface is being formed, and is nearly half completed.
When the whole length is finished (which is now ex-
pected to be in the course of three or four weeks), there
will be a direct communication between Holborn and
Oxford-street, for foot passengers. Many now take this
course, avoiding the circuitous way by St. Giles's
Church. While digging the ground for the vault on the
site which was formerly the area of the Rookery the
workmen met with some curious remains. Outside the
walls, where stood the hospital for lepers, was found the
root of a vine, which is stated to have been celebrated
for its fruit, and which was in good condition. Several
pieces of marble slabs were also taken out of the ruins of
the above hospital, as also a marble slab with the follow-
ing inscription on it:—" Buckeridge-street, 1688." It
is not generally known that this Street was built shortly
after the fire of London, and out of some of the materials,
which were publicly sold after that disastrous calamity.
A quantity of wood excavated here (some of which is
oak) was discovered to be in a charred state. Several
of the above articles are in the possession of the landlord
of the Buckeridge Arms, which is the only house re-
maining of that neighbourhood.
DEATH OF SIR CHARLES WATSON.—We have to
record the death of the above venerable Baronet, who
died on Monday last at Wratting Park, Cambridgeshire,
at the advanced age of 93 years, having been born in
1751. He was eldest son of Admiral Charles Watson,
the gallant naval officer, who so ably distinguisheicil hsit-
self in the action of the 3d of May, I747,eand •? u
rendered to his country, George 11. conferred a baronetcy
sseqtatnioenn.tlylnheclodnstihdeerantaivoanl
on him, but before the patent of the creation was com-
pleted he died, and that dignity was eventually conferred
oci.omthmeangdreoaft
stehrvicEeaswshe di shadn
daughter of the late Sir Joshua Copley, by whom
he leaves issue the .present Baronet, Mr. Charles
and six daughters. Sir Charles W.
Wager Watson, a
on
late h i3s 3ar son,
o n e
t the
married, deceased,
n then in
Misshis ninth
Juliana )•ea r
Copley,. The
Watson was born in 1800, .and married, in 1827, Miss
eldestof Haines B
daurks. te r oflt Mis a
r.CchuarriusloesGaerirtchuCmosltlaentocne:
worthy of rrecord, that the late venerable Baronet en-
joyed his baronetage under five Sovereigns (having re-
received the dignity from George 11., in 1760), viz.,
George
eslvneTalw' and
relates eedl
eotuht °bre nar raes
AN UNEXPECTED LOAD.—It is the custom on the
Victoria.
AN George 111., George IV.,
bcoyarsterosfonNsofrrmomandb:',lnwne.arTCuhtpaeheatntjh,
from the shore to the land by means of a crane, with
endt h
ofi it
ry
oe
nand t
hp
au
tl
town,e y s t
fho haul d
that a few days ago some men thus employed at Benou-
atss filled
edt
h ewi
their line a much greater weight than usual, and were
terror-struck when at last they found not a load of weed,
but the wife of one of them. In a very few minutes she
was safely placed on terra firma, and able to relate that
when the men above began to haul, the hook caught her
petticoats, instead of the basket, and she became unable
to release herself. Preserving her presence of mind, she
caught the rope with her hands, and, though big with
child, held a firm grasp, keeping herself from striking the
abutments of the cliff with her feet, and thus made her
ascent to upwards of 200 yards above the sea, without
any material injury.