The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-19 00:00:00

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.
FRENCH PLAYS.
M. Melesville's most clever and amusing comedic vaude-
ville, in five acts, entitled La Fille de Figaro, was produced
for the first time before an English audience, at this theatre,
last evening, with the most complete success. When this
comedy was originally brought out in Paris, it had a run of
upwards of a hundred nights. We are not surprised at this, for
La Fille de Figaro is certainly one of the most lively of modern
French plays. Madame Albert sustained the character
of the heroine, Aspasie, a revendeuse a la toilette,
that is to say, a milliner, who, from her lively wit, her fas-
cinating manners, and her talents for intrigue, has acquired
the sobriquet of La Fille de Figaro. The scene is laid in
Paris at the commencement of the Consulate, and when the
curtain rises we are introduced to the shop of Aspasie, where
Pamela, Louise, Julie, and several others of the employes of
Aspasie, are at work. An unknown individual, enveloped in
a large cloak, enters, calls Pamela aside, and in a very mys-
terious manner delivers to her a note, charging her to give
it to Aspasie. Victor D'Heigny (M. Gaston), a lieutenant
of the army of Italy, then enters to purchase a cashmere shawl,
and, while he is so doing, Aspasie arrives, and lets him have
a superb one on credit, to be paid for when he shall be pro-
moted to the rank of captain. Pamela then delivers to her
the note, which it appears is from Celene, a young lady, whose
mother had prevented Aspasie from committing suicide—
had enabled her to start in business in Paris, and had, on
her death-bed, commended Celene to her care. The note
states that M. St. Reant—a rich army contractor, and herguar-
dian, was determined on marrying her—that he had endea-
voured to ruin his younger brother Edouard, to whom she
was attached—and that she claimed the protection of
Aspasie, in whose house she intended to take
refuge. Shortly afterwards St. Reant (M. Barqui), the
very beau ideal of a rich and vulgar fop, arrives and in-
sists on searching theliouse for Celene. Whilst he is making
his search Celene arrives, and, by the ingenuity of Aspasie,
manages to elude him. The second act takes place in the
barrack-room of a cavalry regiment. Edouard (M. Basin)
sits, in a melancholy mood, apart from his brother officers,
who are carousing. Aspasie enters; they all greet her, and
insist on her singing a Spanish song. She then gives Edouard
a note from Celene, appointing a meeting for the evening;
but, alas the officers are all under orders not to quit their
barracks. The indefatigable Aspasie, however, by the timely
present of a cap to the Colonel's wife, procures for Edouard
leave of absence for two hours. While she has left the room
on this mission, Madame Duperron (Madame Couturier), the
wife of the sous-directeur a la guerre, and the lady for whom
Victor had purchased the cachemere, enters, but hearing As-
pasie approaching on her return, she is obliged to hide her-
self in Victor's chamber. Aspasie arrives with the leave, and
is immediately followed by Pamela, who states that M. St.
Rant has discovered Celene, has taken her away, and has,
as her guardian, declared that unless Edouard obtains his
promotion to a captaincy before night, and as a captain
claims her hand, he will marry her himself. Aspasie
bids her not despair, for she, La Fille de Figaro,
will procure for him his commission and his bride
before night. The trumpet, which announces that the
adjutant is on his rounds of inspection, is heard, and As-
pasie and Pamela are hurried into different rooms, and, while
the adjutant is inspecting the troops, Aspasie, Pamela,
and Madame Duperron, all veiled, are very adroitly conducted
to the door, not however until Aspasie has recognisd the
cachemere. The third act takes plaee in the cabinet of
M. Duperron (M. Cartigny), the sous-directeur ala guerre.
St. Remit calls on him, and urges him by no means to con-
sent to recommend Edouard for promotion, while Duperron,
a weak-minded, self-sufficient old man (admirably acted by
M. Cartigny), always forming irrevocable resolutions
only to break them, promises to conform to St.
Reant's desires. When St. Reant leaves him, Aspasie
enters, and at once tells him that he must recommend
Edouard for promotion. He says that the only vacant
captain's commission had been promised, through the inte-
rest of a high and powerful lady, to Victor, and that he must
keep his promise. The stranger who had brought the note
to Aspasie, now enters in the same mysterious manner, and
implores protection from his pursuers. Duperron, who enters
into the joke of a man escaping from bailiffs, gives the
stranger his own dress and his wig and hat, and thus dis-
guised he escapes. As soon as he is gone Duperron asks
Aspasie who he is. " George Cadoudal," is the reply—
" and if he is taken it will be found that I have
lent him even to my very wig," exclaims the old man in an
agony of terror. " I will save you if I have the commission,"
says Aspasie, and Duperron sits down to prepare the neces-
sary documents, when his wife enters, and insists that the
commission shall be given to Victor. Duperron is called away
to the Minister at War, and the ladies are left alone. "Quit
the room," exclaims Madame. " Not until I have the com-
mission, Madame," answers Aspasie, "and have it through
your interest. M. Victor bought the cachmere you wear at
my shop this morning. Three women, veiled, left the bar-
racks this afternoon—l was one of them, and a lady who
wore the eachmere was another. Now shall I have the commis-
sion ?" At this juncture Duperron returns, and announcing that
the Minister had informed him that Cadoudal had been taken
in the morning, and that he was out of the power of Aspasie,
sits down to fill up the commission, but, to the surprise of
the old man, his wife now insists on the commission being
given to Edouard, and Aspasie goes off in triumph. The
fourth act introduces us to the boudoir of Josephine, in the
Tuileries. Aspasie manages to introduce herself here, and by
her address and tact induces Josephine to promise her inte-
rest in Edouard's behalf with the First Consul. Acting on
the superstition of Josephine with regard to the future,
Aspasie undertakes to tell her fortune. They are inter-
rupted by the announcement of the arrival of the
Emperor. " Al►! if he should find you here," ex-
claims Josephine. "La File de Figaro is prepared
for every emergency," answers Aspasie, and, closing the
doors for an instant, she throws off her female costume, and
appears attired as a young cavalry officer. Taking a letter
from the hand of Josephine, " Room for the bearer of dis-
patches for the First Consul," exclaims Aspasie, and the
guards salute her as she struts out. The scene of the fifth
act is laid in the gardens of the Hotel St. Want, which are
illuminated for a fete given by the owner in honour of his ap-
proaching nuptials. Maskers are seen parading the grounds ;
Duperron is among them, and having heard that Cadoudal
was still at large, is full of fears. The Marchioness of
Miremont i 3 announced, and Saint Want starts.
Aspasie enters masked, and demands a few minutes' conversa-
tion with him ; at first, he treats the matter as a joke, but
hearing the name of a certain Father Dominic, he becomes
alarmed and grants her the interview. She at once tells him
that he cannot marry Celene, as he has a wife already living
whom he had deserted, and driven to attempt suicide. ",Oh,
that was a sham marriage," exclaims St Want. " What if,
thanks to the care of Dominic, it should prove a real one,"
replies Aspasie, "and what if I have the evidence of it in my
possession at this moment, which shall only be given up t o
you when your brother is married to Celene ?" Reluctantly
he consents, and in the presence of the company states his
willingness to give Celene to Edouard, but adds, that unfor-
tunately the condition required by the First Consul has not
been complied with, as Edouard is not a captain. Madame
Dnperron presents him with the commission. He publicly
joins their hands, and then the espiegle Aspasie delivers up the
certificate, the more willingly she says, as there is no-
thing in it to compromise him. It is too late to recal his consent,
and he is almost suffocated with rage and disappointment,
when Duperron enters, dragging in the supposed George Cadou-
dal attired in his own coat, hat, and wig; but this is only an-
other trick of Aspasie. The supposed George was a gentle-
man well known to all present, who was actually escaping
from bailiffs at the time that Duperron aided him. Nothing
could exceed the admirable manlier in which Madame Albert
sustained this character; her transitions from grave to gay
and from gay to grave, were very frequent, and always appro
palate, and we scarcely know which to admire the most—her
delightful light-heartedness and fascinating gaiety, or her
exquisitely touching pathos ; both were beautiful exceedingly,
and La Fills de Figaro is one of the greatest triumphs which
even this accomplished artiste ever achieved. She was
called for at the fall of the curtain, and received with most
rapturous applause. The house was exceedingly wel
attended, all the elite of the beau monde being present.
w

. ILSON'S SCOTTISH ENTERTAINMENTS. Last
week Mr. Wilson visited Edinburgh and Glasgow, and gave
two Entertainments in each place with great success, the
rooms on every occasion being crowded to excess. Last
night he was at his post again in Store-street, was never in
better voice or spirits, and delighted a very numerous audi-
tory, every private box being filled, and the area crowded.
The entertainment was " Anither Nicht wi' Burns," in
which Mr. Wilson recited the humorous poem of " Tam o'
Shanter" with great point.
The Right Hon. the Speaker of the House of
Commons held his third and last sessional levee on Saturday
evening, at his residence in Eaton-square. The Marquis of
Lansdowne, Sir 'William Gossett, and Sir H. Duckinfield
were among the visitors ; and large numbers of Members of
the House of Commons attended to pay their respects to their
Right Hon. President.
In a few days (says the Commerce) Marshal Soult
will enter his 80th year, having been born on the 29th of
March, 1765.
At the meeting of the Glasgow and Greenock Rail-
way held last week, a dividend of ss, per share on the 251.
shares, and a dividend of 2s. 6d. on the 121. l Os. shares, were
declared, the net profits divisible for the half-year, after de-
ductingexpenses, &c., being 6,1681. The number of passen-
gers carried on the line during the last six months was
424,779. The Directors are exercising much economy to increase
the revenue of the company, and the idea of an extension of
traffic by steam-boats appears to meet general eoncurrenee.
—Times.
THE MURDER AT BRIGHTON.----In consequence of
the lamentable occurrence at Brighton, the superintendent
of the E division of the metropolitan police has issued orders
that no officer shall under any pretence leave his charge
until he is secured in safe custody in the cell. This will, it
is expected, lead to a new general order to the same effect
from the head-quarters at Scotland-yard.
HIGH TIDE.—On Sunday afternoon at high water
(16 minutes past one), there was an unusually high tide, the
depth at the outer lock of the St. Katharine's Dock, being 29
feet. Both above and below London-bridge, many low lying
situations on both sides of the Thames were partially flooded,
and in Wapping, Shadwell, and other places on the banks of
the river, the cellars of several licensed victuallers, and the
kitchens of a few householders, were inundated : but the pro-
gress in the rise of the tide being narrowly watched, little or
no damage was done to property. Fortunately none of the
wharfs along shore were flooded. The high tide is attributed
to the late violent westerly gales. As the spring tides are
still making, there is reason to apprehend a partial overflow
of the Thames, and parties having property on its embank-
ments will doubtless adopt every necessary precaution to pre-
vent loss or damage.

SUSPECTED MURDER AT LAMBETH.—Much ex-
citement was created in the neighbourhood of Lambeth by a
paragraph which appeared in some of the Sunday papers,
stating that some arm and leg bones, part of the trunk and
the skull of a human body, had been found under suspicious
T
circumstan, in a dust bin at a house in Stangate-street,
that the police surgeon had discovered a large fracture in the
skull, which were supposed to have been the remains of an
old man who was suddenly and mysteriously missed about
14 years since, and further ;tilting that the house had been
closed some time. From inquiries made by the reporter,
the following particulars, which may be relied upon,
were obtained :—On Friday afternoon some men in the em-
ploy of Mr. Kitchiner, the dust-contractor, went to the
house No. 21, Stangate-street, which has only been occupied
about a week by a Mr. Warren. The men went for the pur,
pose of clearing the dust-bin, which having nearly accom-
plished, they discovered part of a human skull, two arm
bones and a small bone, and on calling Mrs. 'Warren's
attention to the subject, she was shocked at the sight, and
begged they might be removed, and they were accordingly
taken away in the cart, and shot with the dust inMr.
Kitchiner's yard. On Mr. Warren returning home in the
evening he was informed of the circumstance, when he at
once repaired to the L police-station, in Tower-street, and
gave information, and in consequence William Guest L,
went to Mr. Kitchiner's, but could not find the arm bones
he, however, brought away the piece of skull and a small
piece of a leg-bone ; the piece of skull is the lower half, evi-
dently sawn by the practised hand of a surgeon, and has no
fracture as erroneously stated, No old man has been missing
for fourteen years, nor has the house been closed for more
than a few weeks, having been previously occupied, by a
draper's shopman, and the skull, &c., is supposedtu WI been
used by some surgeon or student, 144 whether occupying or
lodging in the house, by whom or when placed in the dust
bin, or whedwr with the knowledge of the former occupant,
is at present involved in mystery.