The Sun.
London, England, 1826-03-28 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.

DRURY-LANE. •
Tim Public, last night, bad their tali, -we ,pre.
same, of show and sentimental* After the operatic play of
Benyowsky, a new fairy tale, entitled Oberon, or The Charmed
Horn, was performed- for the first time. The Se-who are at the
head of this establishment, knowing that the .Covent-garden
Proprietors were about to produce NVE111:1118 _Oberon, deter-
mined to forestall them, and their laudable anxiety had pro-
duced one of the most tiresome, nieces of splendid nonsense
that ever was representedon this or any other stage. The plot,
which was most unmercifully attenuated, which was stretched
through two tong acts with a persevering industry that would do.
credit to the most laborious of the spider race, may be described,
Marvellous, es it is, in a very few words. Sir Hnon of Guyesine,
a brave crusader, his, as the destinies decreed, slain in single
combat, S!'iarlot, the son of the renowned Charkmar'e• The
enraged father, instead of :.skin;; the life of the victor, sentencei
him, somewhat whimsically, to proceed to the Holy bind on
a pilgrimage. Ile moreover enacts, .that this unfortunate
sight shall bind himself, by a sacred oath, to visit Bagdad;
that he shall there enter the Caliph's palace, murder the Ca-
liph's- most honoured guest, marry and convert the Caliph's
daughter, and cut front the old monarch's beard a lock of
silver hair. If he fail in performing these extraordinary ex..
ploits within a twelvemonth, he is to be deprived of his
honours and estates. Supernatural agency is of course. called
in to aid him. It has fortunate:lT happened, that Oberon,
the fairy king, anti his spouse, Titania, have had a quarrel
on that never-to-be.ttettled point, whether man or woman
possess the greater constancy in love. The consequenncea
is a matrimonial tiff, and a temporary separatio
,uensa a Moro, while the firmness of Amanda, the daughter
of the
thehe Caliphlady fiVen a
Bagdad,
dream, and the truth of Sir linen, who has
seen
are put to the test. Otcrongift to a
and
befriendsbe oe enamoured
NoyfarariStl,lril:lsol%;(l,
presorts hint with charmed horn, (rather an ominous
laiTridi
aboutetin a to enter
it
tilliientineurp,tial state); which upon being
~rorut
or sleep, or fixes them like stattlinesa
tr
Thus powerfully succoured, Sir Hums overcomes every diffi-
katileie spot auditors
wher
where they
l s laughtn.
culty. He kills his rival Prince Bobekon,- elopes with Amanda,
clips his father-in-law's venerable beard, anti arrives tine
enough at the Court of eitadeintigne to claim his honours and
estates. The two fairies are rejoiced to discover that constancy
may sometimes, however seldom, be found in both man and
woman. Like Fetichism and Lockit, they own that they were
both 10 the wrong ; anti the pica entis (a consummation
which we devoutly wished for a full hour before the
curtain fell) with a general dance. Ridiculous as all this is, a
man of ordinary cleverness might have formed an amusing
trifle out of such materials. But the author, whoever he may
he, has no idea either of sentiment or humour. lie proves
himself, in the serious pert of. this drama, to be a must bom-
bastic personage; and in that of a more lively charaeter, an
inveterate, but very bad punster. Describing a combat, the
hero says, " our swords, like two impatient lovers, kissed
and an old fellow, astonished at meeting his master, exelairns,
" Lie still, thumping heart, and leave my ribs untracked !"
Surely, to use the common expresSion, the brain of him who
could write such fustian must be cracked. The audiences, at
this time of the year, are in general pretty placable : 'bet the
nauseous stuff which was served up to them last night,
accompanied thought it was by some exquisite scenery, the pro-
duction of Stanfield and Roberts, soured their temper com-
pletely, and, in the course of the performanee,.and on the fall-
ing of the curtain, they. declared their displeasure, very une-
quivocally. It is- a pity that so much money has been .thrown
away on so miserable an affair. Much of the scenery is entitled
to the highest commendation. The' Banks of the I'igres, and
the panoramic -view of the harbour of Tunis, by Stantieltl, are
vely beautiful and effcctisie pictures, elaborately drawn anti,
brilliantly coloured. The distant view of Bagdad, by.
Roberts, is excellent. Amongst the performers, Miss Vincent,
who appeared as Oberon, was 4y far the best; andnext to' her was
the dog, who performed? the part of a raging Tiger ; and by his
cleverness, put some of his bipedal companions to the
The music, which is selecttal by Mr.T. Cooke, has nothing very
attractive in it. The,eathor has dedicated this precious rnerceau
to " The Performers, the Manager, Acting Managerz and Corn',
poser; and the .unrivalled artists of. Drui v -lane heatre.
The honour _wits certainly.sierthy of the merits Of Messrs.
Wallack and T. Cooke; hut 'truly the artists, Messrs. Stan.
field and Roberts, hate some reason to be dissatisfied with such
a paltry compliment. The curtain did not drop until half-pant
l o'clock. If the Manager will not profit by this hint, we
hope that 'those who were predisposed to take their children to
the Theatre will..

COVENT-OA IMEN.
Covent-garden 'Theatre podt3tvil no novelty
last night, but waits until M. WEnga is prepared with the
music of his " Oberon." Independently of the music, the
dramatic story of this Opera is said to he different front that
of the after-piece at Drury-lane. The performances at Co-
vent-garden Inst night were The Tempest am' The Miller and
his Men, which went oti with considerable Mal. The houtie
was well attended.

ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE.
M TII MS' 46 Invitations'" at his 44 At Home,"
last night were honoured by a numerous and brilliant audience,
and the. whole entertainment es cited the utmost merriment, and
was received with repeated bursts of applause. We noticed
Mr. Secretary Peel, Sir Andrew Barnard Lady Countdss
do salis, and tither parties of the first rank, in the dress and
private boxes.

TIIE SUMMER' THEADIEs.
SAD T. ER'S NV EL 111 P It OAf. A ht I'll 1 Tli EA TR E
(Astley's) —the NEW trllltE'r TDEAt It E --and the Co.
utißGil TB EAT nr—all opened last night, with very amusing
pieces ; and the whole are likely to prove or greAt AtllCl‘lloll.

. Letters from Madrid, dated the 15th instant,
were received yesterday. The agent for the
British claims on Spain, it is stated, was pursuing
his object, in which he was strongly supported
by Mr. ',Amu, our Ambassador at Madrid; and
an opinion was therefore entertained that the
negociations would be brought to a speedy issue.
Whether, when the !-laints are admitted, the
money is. likely to bo forthCOMing, is another
ulfair.—( Times.)
Died, on Thursday, the 9.311 instant, in the
74th year of his age, Was. Panwst, Esq., a Rear-Admiral
in the Royal. Navy, anti a Companion of the Most lion. Order
of the Ilath. This distinguished Officer catered into his Ma-
jesty's service in the year 1771, and being almost constantly
employed during the war, was engaged in most of the general
actions with the enemy's
.fieets, nanicty—Under Lord llowe,
on the Ist of June, 1794; Lord Duncan, off Camperdown
Admiral Cornwallis ; the Earl of St. Vincent, on the 14th of
February, 1797 ; Sir Robert Calder ; and at the memorable
battle at Trafalgar; besides numerous actions of minor im,
portance, in all which lie acquitted himself in a manner, to
reflect lustre on his profession, and add to the,glory of his
country.
Ni ELANCHOLY ACC/DENT ON THE'GRP:INWICH
116.tp.—A very sad accident occurred about
seven o'clock this morning on the Greenwieh
rend, close to New Cross heavy waggon,
laden by about 410 persons returning from the
fair, and drawn by three horses, by some acci•
dent broke down,and the living cargo were (lung
itttotlterond in every direction, and with' the
following
lamentable consequences to nine of
them, who sank under the crashing vehicle :
two had each both their thighs broken, another
the skull dreadfully fractured, and three, so se•
riously injured that they were removed lifeless.
Indeed but few escaped injury ; and among
those were a number of women. The whole
party were nearly intoxicated, and were of The
lowest class of persons. Twelve individuals
were carried to the hospital and to some houses
in the neighbourhood.
CHILD POISONM—A distressing accident oc-
curred here a few days ago, by which u fine
child, in the third year of its age was deprived
of life. The mother of the child was preparing
some shoe-blacking, and a quantity of vitriol
which she was using in the compound was stand-
ing beside her, when the infant accidentally got
possession of it and drank a portion of the burn-
ing liquid. The usual remedies were tried with-
out effect; it survived two days in a state of
greatdlstress, whets death terminated its sutler.
in
s;•••-tntuefries Courier.)