The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-05 00:00:00

HAY MARKET THEATRE.

Poole's drama, entitled Past and Pfesett, was revived
at this the:.tre last evening, and was received with that
enthusiasm which its representation never fails to elicit
when Farren acts the part of Larose.- This was one of
the r arliest of those dramas founded on the French Re-
volutien, which are divided irto epochs, and, ce. tes, it Is
one of the best—as an tc.ing play, perhaps the very best.
If we mistake nut, this was also the earliest drama in
which Farren delineated the various phases of old age.
In the first act (1789) he is a hearty, well-formed man
of 53, the faithful steward of the Mai quis St. Victor
(Mr. tuart), a iering his master and his family,
the friend and playfellow of young Julian
de St. Victor (Miss Julia Bennett), the Mar-
quis's san. In the second act, 1793, he is disguised as a.
wood-cutter, the friend and safeguard of his master, then
a prisoner in the Conciergerie. A casket of treasure
has been entrusted to his care, and religiously does he
keep his trust. In the third act, 1829, he is an old man
of upwards of 90. St. Victor has been murdered in the
Revolution, Julian has been killed at the head of his
regiment, and old Larose is living near the chateau
de St. Victor, in Normandy. The son of Julian,
the heir to the St. Victor property, arrives there.
The old man recognises him, and, napkin on arm, serves
him at table as be bad been wont of yore to serve his
grandfather. lie tells the boy of the hidden casket of
treasure, takes him to the chateau, and endeavours to
revive his own recollections as to where he had secreted
the precious treasure. The sight of the various rooms
revives former recollections. He sees his old master
being dragged away by the revolutionary officers—he
hears the sounds of horror of that dreadful night. The
boy endeavours to bring him back to the casket. lie tot.
tees round and round th room—he has forgotten the spot
where it is hidden. At length a casual word brings back
his memory ; the casket is found hidden behind a grate ;
it is brought forward ; the old man joins together the
hands of the youth and of his lady-love, blesses them,
and dies. Nothing can be more beautiful, more pathetic,
more true to nature, more artist-like, in the highest
sense of the term, than the performance of Farren in
this last act. It is impossible to describe it. It must he
seen—it must be felt to be appreciated. We say feet ad-
visedly, for it goes at once to the heart, and that so
completely, that it is impossible to criticise it until,
by secng it frequently, one has become casehardened.
Miss Julia Bennett's young St. Victor was a very spi-
rited performance ; it is, perhaps, the best she has yet
done. She gave the laughing joyousness of the brave,
gay, high-spirited youth—the votary of love, and wit,
and war—sans souci a sans six sous—to the life. Mr.
H. Hull's Cunt de Florviile was very gond. In the two
first acts, as the polished, empty-headed, careless fop,
he was very pod ; but, in the last act, as the
old beau—the man of sixty-three, the ci-devailt
jeune homn.c, he was more than good—he was
artistical—tEe distinction between the young
fop and the old fop was beautifully discriminated, and
was admirably preserved. Mr. Stuart, as the Marquis
St. Victor, made mort of the character than we ever
remember to have seen made of it. There is • a
power and an intensity in Stuart's acting which inva-
riably tells in such characters as this. Farren was called
for at the fall of the curtain, and it is not often that a
call is so well deserved. The house was crowded ; and
no doubt Past and P, escrt will draw crowded houses for
many nights to came.