The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-28 00:00:00

HAYMARKET THEATRE.

Time works Wonders is the title of a new five-scbt
comedy, from the pen of Douglas Jerrold,produceisi
this theatre on Saturday evening, with the ni°so
triumphant success. The title is a happy cne, and nd
less true than happy. Time has indeed work °,
wonders, for time has in this comedy given nis,
sterling drama—one that will become StoCk Ptkier'
which will last not only for a season, but for all tins.
Douglas Jerrold has given us a work
world will not willingly let die," and that
Webster has produced the very best Play e -this
has been produced at the Haymarket; and
we say, with the full recollection that CTer,
was. once managerof the theatre, and producer' t
hi. John Ball and his Iron Chest, and that The „
chase and Money have been produced there &Winans
the reign of the present enterprising lessee. 1; so
works Wonders is in every respect a sterling' an the
original comedy. The author " holds as %were his
mirror up to nature." From nature he drnwsdge
characters, and every one will at once acknowle
_as
the truth of the porteaiture. His plot is cum.
e that the
ceived and admirably developed ; the interest is Vino
pletely sustained through the five acts, and the ell use,
comes at the conclusion—not as is too often the nThe
in these degenerate times, in the middle of the play' sia
underplot is so skilfully interwoven with the and
plot, that it in fact becomes part of it, assisting .g.
sustaining it throughout. The incidents arisenaturNen:
and each act concludes with an interesting sitne jive
so that curiosity is excited and completely kept a env
in the intervals between the acts. The develqinsed
of' the plot and the management of the situations eably
incidents prove that the author is one who thortnigthe
understands his craft. To speak artistically of
drawing is perfect. It is the work
000
an accomplished artist. But when we ineesie
to consider the character, and the alterhs;
we must award Mr. Jerrold much I::tee
praise. It is a work of genius—of genius, 1- the
highest sense of the word—of one who possesses
ch,
power of creation—that divine gift which is Vierit
safed to but few. The dialogue sparkles with of
and brilliancy, but it is not a mere sheep encondeep
of keen wits ; ' there is an under-current o,_:f b is
thought (of that species of thought wnfine),
the best of all, because it makes others t";,eje
of kindly feeling, and of warm-hearted Phil°s°Lids
which proves that the author is not a mere, faults
bleoded Voltarian ridiculer of the follies and r-apd
of poor human nature, but one who can feel Toed
with his fellowmen—that he has not merely 55,f the
head, but better still a good heart. The scene boa
first act is laid at a country inn, in the neighh°„n'
oF Oxford, where we find Felix Goldthumb (I,a
Mathews) the son of a trunkmaker o%lbretra',
Professor Trufies (Strickland), a gentleman I,sr"„- deal
vels about the country with the solar syste friends"for
box, domiciled for atime. They are excellentiidoe
the time ; for Felix, who has stolen away for airve, to
has money to spend, and the Professor, who into es,'
dine at other people's expense, is very svillinges
sist him in spending it. Their dinner of eggs the
bacon, the only fare the hostelry affords, is, in
up,
course of preparation, when a carriage ail eeriest
which attracts the attention of Felix. The Dung
contains Clarence Norman (Mr. H. Holly, Ie)
a
Oxford student ; Florentine ( ac alias
Fortesca,
baker's daughter, young, rich, and aliss
plished, with whom he has eloped fr°llsisS
Tucker's boarding-school, and her Menu or
Bessy Tulip (Madame Vestris), :allied
hearted, giddy, thoughtless girl, whohas secoe-Pes ore
Florentine for the fun of the thing. The 11°riell% 1,5 g
jaded and the post-boy refuses to proceed, boll
an old playmate of Florentine. Clarence asks yelis
he can procure horses for their journey, an alibis
having ascertained that his intentions are h°ll°st
and his purpose marriage, promises to asss' s goal
The young men go off to seek horses. Truffle
into the kitchen to look after his dinner, the
are left alone. A chaise drives up containingfeiead
Tucker (Mrs. Glover), Olive (Tilbury), the
rev),
of Florentine's father, and old Goldthumb (Filiteank,"
the father of Felix (who has in his capacity °
maker sold trunks to Florentine for the eloperci; sis§
pursuit of the runaways. The character .01.0 she
Tucker is admirably drawn ; professing burn t° teach
is the most despotic of tyrants ; pretending noceiser•
virtue she inculcates meanness and lleYr- elf;
She is the very incarnation °' ess. ee"."
blooded propriety, worshipping selfishnlt. dal;
appears that there have been in for°l'd
Pips 013 :oda
sundry love passages between True---,
Tucker, and the unexpected sight of tilt;s. wort
interrupts an eloquent oration, which iropriety
governess was pronouncing en the inVantiee, en
marriage—Olive remonstrates with FM.: re that
endeavours to persuade her to return. She
-hef tb7
she loves Clarence ; but when Olive 00, epeden'
Clarence's uncle, on whom be is entirely uer„,eser
will send him forth a beggar, should he forll3s AvseDt
hence—the very intensity of her love makes her,C-()Iife•
to sacrifice her happiness, and she retires with - 0
A lapse of five years takes place between the
and second acts. The scene of the second act_nse f'
in the neighbourhood of the seat of Sir Gilbert oe •
man (Mr. Stuart), the ari,tocratic uncle of Clare. b,
Florentine, whose father is dead, resides is the veto
bourhood, and Miss Tucker, whose school has over'
broken up, is living with her, as tyrannical any eyed
bearing as ever, humoured by Florentine in tog
whim, is the pest of the neighbourhood, yet conervellf
complaining of her state of dependance, and Itewhops
dinning into the ears of every one with gait*
she comes in contact " that she le &pia':
aware that people that live in other P,jos.
houses have no right to say or do anYwo of
The fastidious Baronet, disappointed in his 11°!judecl
making a figure in Parliament, is leading a „Se,, been
life at his Country teat, and Clarence, who 0-
of re'
for five years on the Continent, is on the eve,oe.fite
turning to his uncle, completely cured of his 'vvissloal
and thoroughly imbued with that worldly
which sees but two objects in life, rank and 'clre and
Old Goldthumb, who has inherited a fortil%
who, since he lined his trunks with the 1112Roanii;
tory, has considered himself as a paragon °f
virtue, has taken a place in the neigt.r,.-1 lee;
and offended at sundry peccadilloes of s „Aa thew
sent him to Batavia, thoroughly consinc,7e the
Felix is a " wonderful boy," and that, "'oessi
sent es sun, he will rise in the East. Allisse bliss
Tulip, who had been originaly
Tucker, from Trincomalee, for the
education, having been "finished" by the %wail jjri7ets
has returned to the East. Sir Gilbert Norrly 'Oro
seen Florentine, has admired her, and at f°resti.sos
years of age is desperately in love. Clarence 1.4 eor,
unexpectedly, and is received by his uncle 91°';i0e is
dially. Suddenly Sir Gilbert perceives Floret' „the
the park sketching. A thunder storm ari4so Jet
Baronet takes advantage of the opportunity hie
Florentine a shelter in his mansion—she enutpeteseeke
library and meets Clarence. No words pas,s_e"- each
them, but they have met and recogni'v-d
other, and with this most effective an 00
teresting situation the second act concludes; cot'
remainder of the play passes in Florentine sabot
tags.. The scene is a beautiful one. It is r ever
the most chase and elaborately elegant interior be;
represented on the stsge. After a lively se.„enot
tween Patty (Mrs. Humby) the quondam)se' '-gsfse
Miss Tucker and Bantam (Mr. Buekstone
cock, purveyor to the Univerrity of Oxford an"peet'
valet to old Goldthumh, Felix and Bessy 11°, heel CePe„
edly appear upon the scene. Having met at
of Good Hope on their voyage out, they have the' reflK
vied and returned to England, and have taken break
with Florentine until means can be found 0, tor
the affair to old Goldthumb. Truffles ,Ile.:0001:
naged, on the strength of his learning ancle-eeinlii"
plishments, to domicile himself with Old Gel"' lip
in order to teach him how to spend his roneltill
gentleman, and has met Miss Tucker, who rri toe .
dulges in the hope of becoming one day' Mrs' i-„r erss3•
Clarence and Florentine have met and c°-..evinar-
He gives himself tie airs of a mere worldly minded
man of fashion. She, too proud to confess heir free
tion, talks of her former attachment as the siliYd
of a giddy girl, who once had the side-ache, a°
enters'
tied it was love. They part. Sir Gilbert e
theC
and offers Florentine his hand. He knows not CO'
she is Clarence's old love. She asks himlooo
rence. He tells her of Clarence's former sea° e he
and sneers at the baker's
daughter.
11iancei
says, is about to form a noble and rich 2 " 100'
and in a moment of indinant pride she accePi- the
haYe of
The fourth act is all
broad comedy, we iche
loves of Truffles and Miss Tucker, and the trvessyr
Feiix, Mrs. Goldthumb, (Mrs.W. Clifford) and tisioSe
assisted by Truffles, to work upon the suPers fat
and fears of old Goldthumb to make him svasf *64
the return of his son. The dialogue is °tied"
the situations are most humorous, and most heart
tally has Jerrold managed by the force of leer 17f
to bring out into stronger relief the serious orftb set,
the preceding and succeeding acts. In the: befit
we find nature asserting her supremacy in 'reed-e'he°
Clarenc
of Clarence Norman. His old love has rel`vth-e
seeks his uncle and remonstrates with him on ;0 put
ere, d in which he hits taught him d the;
faith. Sir Gilbert himself has discovere no
ek
there are better things in nature than retie tbs
wealth. He has found out that even s- end
apostle of the calculating school, has a hear" ek oat
the enthusiasm of the moment bids Clarence 5e..., hoe
his early love, and if she still remains true, in time for
Sir Gilbert meets Florentine, she has had thie feels
reflection, she had mistaken pride for love,
tells
birD
she cannot give him her heart, she at once Loa hi
Overpowered that she can never wed him. 0
emotion he listens to her. He tells her
sought a wife and not a victim, andrexclar
her from her vows. This is one of the 10,5,e" atioa ie
sitely pathetic scenes ever penned. The su'llta t° tee
a most effective one, and the language is ecis,%etescn'i
sitita': in The acting of' Stuart and Miss ntieti °f
was beautiful—it completely rivetted the Att.ece to the
the audience—they listened In breathless bile°

.4 S,

.....t
N'Air
Jwia
.....•( s
t 47
A ,
Bat

thE
•D
•Lor:
11%
t Lyc
Etta
A pr

The'",

The Btu
three
Stallic

v+inne
%buk,
to°
rd Ad
Cam,
%Flee
0!,(1
6a

-*G.
arr
1..
"ales; 4
The oni

The 1,,e,