The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-06 00:00:00

SURREY THEATRE.

Last night, after the interesting and effective drama
of Stella Rittersdorf, the Captiee of Silesia, a new
CofhrDistinzackesncs'arol,or piece much-
admired in
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the Miser's Warning, waa.:4)layed to a numerous
audience. This attempt to blend' the gay with the
serious was altogether a novelty, and the house was
filled with curious and eager spectators. Although
the construction of the drama is in some respects at
variance with the usual business of the stage, in con-
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ce
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audience in a roar of. laughter. The design is to
eulogise Christmas hospitality, and expose the selfish-
ness of the niggardly persons vyhO, from mercenary,
motives, would check, and even annihilate, the hap-
piness which Christmas festivities bring to all classes.
The first act opens with the miser, Ebenezer Scrooge's,
counting-house in the City, on Christmas Eve. He
refuses the invitation of his nephew to dine on
Christmas-day, and with difficulty pays his clerk
Bob Cratchet (Vale) his week's salary of fifteen shil-
lings. Spurning all sorts ofseasonable happiness, which
he calls humbug, he falls asleep by a miserable
expiring fire. His dream then begins. The Ghost
of Old Christmas (Lewis) rises clad in holly, and
directs his attention to several splendid tableaux of
Christmas enjoyments in years pist. The Miser is
led by a second spirit to scenes of a more serious
character : he is conducted to his own chamber of
death. He sees his own wretched apparel sold after
his decease ; his body laid out for interment, and the
tomb where he is buried, with a stone bearing his
name. This deplorable prospect of the fate which
awaits him is productive of horror. He is terrified
by a knowledge of the bad use he has made of his
riches. He- promises the conducting spirit to reform,
if permitted to live, and become a better man. In
the agony occasioned by the dream he awakes, and
to. compensate for past avarice, relieves his nephew,
who has been ruined by misfortune, settles all his pro-
perty upon him, and is disposed to make every one
happy. All this seems very heavy, and it is rendered
more so by the appearance of a dead body, laid out
upon the stage, something like the symbol of Chris-
tianity. To make up for this sombre cast, there is
the excellent comic acting of Vale, who gives to per-
fection all the life fun, and spirit of a Christmas
dinner, with family plum-pudding. The several
characters were ably sustained, and the curtain
dropped amidst applause. IVith some judicious cur-
tailment, this bagatelle will continue attractive.

MR.WILSON'S ENTERTAINMENTS
Mr. Wilson, having recovered from his hoarseness,
repeated his new entertainment, entitled " Mary
Queen of Scots," last night, at the Store-street Rooms.
The interest manifested by the audience (not by any
means a small one) was of the strongest kind; and no
doubt this new undertaking will become, as in other
cases, extremely popular. Mr. Wilson gives a
pleasant historical sketch of the unfortunate Mary ;
he runs rapidly through the principal events of her
chequered existence from her birth at Linlithgow to
her death on the scaffold. He tells of her education
in France, of her domestic pursuits and marriage
there—of her coronation as Queen of. Scotland—of
her connexion with Darnley—of her imprisonment at
Lochleven—of her abdication of the throne—of her
fruitless appeal to Elizabeth—of her trial, condemna-
tion, and execution. The episodes of the insane
passion of Chatelard, the murder of the in-
veterate opposition of John Knox, and other familiar
topics ore alluded to in their proper place; so that
the lecture is a complete historiette of the ill-starred
Queen. The musical illustrations which are adopted
have not been obtained under such favourable cir-
cumstances as in the case of Burns or Prince
Charlie. The poetry and the tunes of the period
exist only in name ; but there, is abundant proof
on record that the time was prolific in warm-hearted
effusions in tribute to the beauty and sorrows of the
hapless monarch. Mr. Wilson states the difficulty in
which he has been placed; but, beyond joining with
him in the general regret that these interesting bursts
of loyalty and gallantry are lost for ever, we have no
reason to be dissatisfied with the alternative he has
resorted to.. He has made a selection of popular
Scottish melodies, and has adapted to them a series
of verses written expressly, for the purpose by Mr.
Ballantine, a young gentleman ,of Edinburgh, who
displays in them much fancy, as' well as a nationality
of style becoming a Scotchman. Some of these lyrics
are eminently good, particularly those having a grave
or sentimental cast.

The music chosen generally is of that minor air pe-
culiar to the old Scottish taste, and which, when sung
with neatness and expression, becomes exquisitely
touching and beautiful. " The Veteran's Welcome,"
"Mary's Lament to France," "The Death-bed La-
ment of Kips. James," "Mary's Lament to Loch-