The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-06 00:00:00

APPOINTMENTS.

WOOLWICH, JULY s.—Commander—William R. Mends
(18.6) to the Vengeance, 84, at Portsmouth, recently re-
turned from the Mediterranean, to be paid off, and recom-
missioned by Captain Sir Henry Blackwood, and to have a
crew of 330 men.

Lieutenants—William H. Bridge (1841), and William C.
Grierson (1845) to the Vengeance; Arthur Sansum (1839),
F. J. Partridge (1845), J. J. S. Josling (1847), and Francis
Peel (1841) to the Thetis, 40, re-commissioned at Devonport
by Captain Augustus L. Kuper, C.B.
Masters—Joseph K. Martyn (1831) to the Impregnable
flag-Ship, at Devonport ; John Robert Aylen (1838) to the
Fisgard flag-ship at Woolwich ; J. F. Rees (1841) to the
Vengeance, and George Mom e (1843) to the Thetis.
Paymasters and Pursers—Frank Harger (1811) to the
Vengeance, and Johne Bell (1821) to the Thetis.
Masters' Assistants—William Hewlett to the Thetis, and
Hugh Dyer to the Victory flag-ship at Portsmouth.
Second Master Nathaniel B. Herbert (1849) to the Thetis.
Naval Cadet J. W. D. G. Darner, to the Scourge steam-
sloop on the Mediterranean station.
Gunners—James Warren to the Vengeance, and John
Prindiville to the Thetis.
Boatswains—George Lane to the Vengeance, and Henry
Tong to the Thetis.

FRENCH PLAYS.—ST. JAMES'S
THEATRE.
Mademoiselle Rachel gave the third of her series
of representations here last evening. The scruples of the
Lord Chamberlain, or rather of the Licenser of Plays,
against the production of a martyr play having been,
overcome, the Polyeucte of Corneille was produced.
Mademoiselle Rachel sustained the character of Pauline,
and by a single scene, or rather, we might say, by a
single word in that scene Mademoiselle Rachel
achieved a triumph even surpassing those she had al-
ready achieved in her Pt ilre and Roxane. The Polyeucte
of Pierre Corneille, written in 1640, is termed a
" Christian tragedy," and is founded on the martyrdom
of a young Armenian noble in the persecution of the
Emperor Decius. During previous engagements of
Mademoiselle Rachel Mr. Mitchell has attempted to
produce this celebrated work, but has been unable to
do so on account of objections made by authorities to the
nature of the subject. These objections have been over•
ruled, and the result was the performance of last night.
Into the question whether or not the tragedy is fitted
for representation on a London stage we shall not enter
under this head. Considered as a literary work, its plot
and its tone are not only completely unobjectionable,
but the whole is animated by such a spirit of exalted
piety that as a work to be perused in the closet it will
probably find favour with many persons to whom produc-
tions in a dramatic form are generally repugnant.son the
other hand, with those who lay it down as a principle that
allusions to sacred subjects should not be made in a
theatre, it is impossible to justify the performance of
Polyeucte, for with such allusions the piece abounds.
Waving the broad question as to the propriety of pro-
ducing Polyeucte, we confine ourselves to the acting of
Mdlle. Rachel. Pauline, whom she represents, is the
daughter of Felix, the Roman governor of Armenia, in
obedience to whom she has married Polyeucte, though
her heart was previously engaged to Severus, a Roman
knight. Her ruling characteristic is a strong sense of
duty; and though she has been united to Polyeuct*
without love, she firmly resists every temptation that is
offered when Severus reappears in Armenia. Polyeucte
becomes a Christian, and incurs the extreme penalty of
the law by insulting the Pagan gods, while Severus has
risen in worldly rnk, and, consequently, Felix would be
but too glad to dispatch his son-in-law, in order to maks
way for a more advantageous successor. Pauline abhors
Christianity, but still her sense of duty prompts her to
use every exertion to gm, tin 'thy de ilas- ;di in_
&A, • 1.0 U 1 p tib •
rainy he is put to death, but the sight of his con-
stancy causes her to adopt the Christian faith, and with
the conversion of her and her father the piece termi-
nates. The aspect and manner which Mdlle. Rachel
assumes in this character are precisely the reverse of
those which she assumes in Roxane. There we had a
restless, impassioned nature, regulated by no principle,
and ready to commit any act which inclination might
prompt. Here every feeling is controlled by the sense
of duty, and Pauline appears as a tranquil being, in-
capable of wrong—mild, but firm in pursuing the course
she has fixed upon as right. Her air is calm, and the
simplicity of her costume is in keeping with the nature
of her character. Through the earlier part of the piece
scarcely anything occurs that may be called a " point."
She has an interview with Severus is which she avows
her former love, she has to employ her powers of per-
suasion with her father and her husband, she has to
exhibit intense suffering and even aversion, but every
feeling is under control, and all is expressed by a re-
fined declamation with that unity of colouring which
Mdlle. Rachel alone can give. By a performance so
exquisitely delicate and truthful the audience are
charmed, but they are not electrified till the fifth act,
when Madame Rachel makes one of the most brilliant
displays of histrionic power ever seen on any stage. She
has seen the martyrdom of her husband, and at once
she is transformed from a quiet sufferer to a sublime
enthusiast. Her first impulse is that of grief fur her
loss and indignation against her father, but the sense
of her conversion rushes upon her to the exclusion of
every feeling but that of faith and hope, and in the
short avowal "Je croie" she becomes for the moment a
being raised beyond the possibility of earthly conflict.
The pallid face, the fleshing eyes, the uplifted arms give
the most perfect notion of actual inspiration that can
be conceived. A thrill of admiration passed through
the audience at this marvellous point, and then
came a long steady roll of applause. We do not re-
collect an instance of a strong impression being so
suddenly and so universally made. A word of praise
should be given to M. Raphael, who played the part of
Polyeucte, and showed much feeling and judgment in
giving it a sort of supernatural elevation. A long speech,
written in stanzas, and in itself a fine specimen of French
I) neat poetry, was delivered in a solemn impressive
style that produced considerable effect. A classical trifle
entitled Le Moincau de Leslie followed Polyeucte. It is
founded, as may be supposed, on the charming little ode
by Catullus on the death of Lesbia's sparrow, but the
grief of Lesbia is occasioned less by the loss of the bird
than the inconstancy of the lover. The character of the
fascinating beauty is charmingly played by Mdlle. Ra-
chel, who tells the story of the sparrow's fate with the
nicest pathos, but nevertheless the little drama, which is
not very pointed, comes in as an anti-climax after the
absorbing grandeur of Pauline.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sia,—l fully concur in your observations (in your
leader of Saturday last) that we may consider the
majority of forty-six in the division of the House of
Commons on the foreign policy of England a decided
and triumphant victory for Lord Palmerston,
when we look at the deep-planned conspiracy
formed by the Protectionists and Peelites, and the
support given them by some of the servile organs of
our venial press. The enthusiastic cheers which
greeted the Noble Lord on his entering the House of
Commons on each evening during the debate is a
convincing proof of the high estimation in which his
liberal policy is held by the people.
But the plan I beg to submit to you, Sir, is, that
a testimonial should be got up to present to Lori
Palmerston as a lasting memento of the people's
regard. A subscription list opened at The Jun
office would be immediately signed by thousands, and
it would not only be paying a just tribute to the
Noble Lord, but would be a convincing proof to the
House of Lords, and all foreign despots, that no
conspiracy, however well organized, can be brought
to crush the Foreign Minister who represents the
feelings of the British people.
I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
Bloomsbury. ANDREW CONWAY lIINRICH.

FALMOUTIF, JULY 3.—The Royal Thames yacht
Nancy Dawson (the property of the late Mr. Robert Shed-
den) arrived here to day, in command cf Mr. Hill, R.N.,
late of her Majesty's ship Herald. This vessel left Behring's
Straits on the 2d of October; Mazatlan, 16th of December;
Valparaiso, 13th of March ; and Bahia, 17th of May. She
reports the arrival on the 10th of April at the eastern en-
trance of the Straits of Magellan of the Enterprise discovery
vessel, commanded by Capt.in Collinson, C. B. The Inves-
tigator, which sailed from England with her, had parted
company in the channel. By this vessel we learn that the
sickness at Bahia had wholly disappeared, and the Nancy
Dawson has brought a clean bill of health from that port.
She spoke the United States man-of-war Polk, from New
York for California, out 27 days, and on the 12th of June the
Chieftain, from Canton for Cowes, out 102 days.
A SCApE Goitz.—A person in Largo, who had
heard it affirmed that rats would disinhabit premises where
a goat was kept, had the curiosity to try the experiment.
though with ,but little faith in the recommended antidote.
Accordingly ' one of these long-bearded mountaineers was
procured, and lodged in the premises, when, unexpectedly,
the long-tailed, ugly, devouring vermin suddenly decamped-
The goat has been kept for many months, and nothing in the
shape of a rat is now seen near the premises. Some alsY be
apt to class this affair among the ridicelous, but we have
been told it is a reality; and surely this mode of making
;std lilt i 4 as siwpis as a a sagulare4forthem Warder.