The Sun.
London, England, 1844-06-17 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

Donizetti's opera of Lucrezia Borgia was played on Satur-
day for the first time this season. This opera remains a fa-
vourite of the second rank, and occasionally played chiefly
pleases by the excellent opportunities it affords to Grisi and
also to Mario, who, by the way, first appeared before the
London public in the character of Gennaro. The drama
having the advantage of the strong situations created by
Victor Hugo, there is room for histrionic power given to the
artists which is often denied them in works of amuch higher
calibre in a musical point of view. Such situations as the
finale to the first act (called the " prologue"), the goblet
scene, and the death of Gennaro at the end, could not be
otherwise than effective in the grasp of such an impassioned
vocalist as Grisi, and it is said that Lucrezia is one of the
characters she most loves to play. There is, perhaps, no in-
stance of an opera in which so much is done by the construe •
tion of the drama, and therefore, when we read that on the
first production of this Italian work at Paris, Victor Hugo
brought his action as the author of the original, French tra-
gedy, we cannot doubt that he felt the value of the part of the
work that proceeded from himself. There are, however, mu-
sical beauties in Lucrezia Borgiiz in spite of its common-
places. The finale to the "prologue" is well conceived and
dramatic. There is a fine trio by Grisi, Mario, and Lablache
in the goblet scene; and the song by Orsini, " 11 segreto per
esser felice," is one of the most " taking" of the modern Ita-
lian stage.
Grisi, as Lucrezia, of course sings and acts magnificently.
Mario sang "II mio tesoro" as charmingly as it could be sung,
and was admirable as Gennaro. For Alfonso we have the
unrivalled basso Lablache, who, in former days, when the
character was sustained by Tamburini, generally took the
little no-character of Petrucci. Orsini was played by Fa-
vanti. This young lady gains much in confidence, and im-
proves greatly as an actress. At the end of the " first"
(really the second) act Grisi and Mario came before the cur-
tain, as well as at the conclusion of the entire opera.

THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA. AND THE POLISH BALL.
—A misstatement on this subject having appeared last week
in the Standard, and been copied by several other papers, we
think proper to contradict it. It has been stated that the
Emperor of Russia offered a donation of 5001. to the Committee
of the Polish Ball, and that this donation was declined. Upon
inquiry we' find that the story is without foundation. The
simple truth is, that the RuSsian Minister took tickets from
the Ladies Patronesses, as any other private individual might
have done, considering the Polish Ball as given merely for a
charitable purpose.—Post.
FRANCE AND MOROCCO.—Orders were received at
Woolwich Dockyard from the Admiralty, on the night of
Friday, requiring the Firefly steam- vessel, Captain Beechy;
to be got ready for immediate particular service. The Firefly
had not been reported ready for sea, and in the ordinary
course would not have been ready for a Week ; but by dint of
great exertions of the officers, crew, and the dockyard men,
she was stored, provisioned, and actually sailed out of port
on Saturday noon. She is ordered to Spithead,, at which
place she will receive on board dis Patches omitted to be sent
by the last mail-packet, instructing the British Consul at.
Tangiers what course to pursue in the rupture between France
and Morocco. After conveying them to Tangiers she is to
return home, or be otherwise disposed of, according to cir-
cumstances. Great credit is due to the Commodore Superin-
tendent of Woolwich Dockyard, Sir F. Collier, K.C.8., who
was on board the Firefly at four A.M. on Saturday, and per-
sonally superintended her preparations for sea.
PUBLIC PETITIONS.—The 29th Report of the Com-
mittee on Public Petitions has just made its appearance. We
find the gross total number of petitions to the House of
Commons on various important public measures to be as
follow, viz. :—Against the Dissenters' Chapels Bill, 2,403
petitions, signed by no less than 290,496 persons ; in favour
of the same Bill, 601 petitions, signed by 136,644 persons;
for an alteration of the measure, 864 petitioners; legalizing
marriages in Ireland by Presbyterian ministers, 412 peti-
tions, signed by 159,245 persons; against the union of the
episcopal dioceses of Bangor and St. Asaph, 274 peti-
tions, signed be 13,613 persons; against a repeal of the
corn-laws, 1,878 petitions, signed by 128,093 persons ; for
a repeal of the differential duties on sugar, four petitions,
signed by 66,434 persons; for the encouragement of art-
unions, 13 petitions, signed by 704 persons ; in favour of the
County Courts Bills, 13 petitions, signed by 1,049 persons;
for an alteration of the Poor-law Amendment Act, 70 peti-
tions, signed by 3,218 persons ; for an alteration of the
Poor-law Am.endment Bill, 30 petitions, signed by 10,392
persons.
SIR ROBERT AND LADY PEEL'S ENTERTAINMENT
TO THE KING OF SAXONY.—Sir Robert and Lady Peel gave
a grand entertainment. on 'Saturday evening to his'Majesty
the King of Saxony. We believe the following is an accu-
rate list of those persons eminent in science or literature who, -
together with the members of the corps diplomatique, had the
honour of meeting his Majesty:—The Marquis of -North-
ampton, President of. the -Royal Society ; Mr. Murchison,
President of the Geographichl Society; Mr. Warburton, Pre-
sident of the Geological Society;
.Lord Prudhoe, President of
the Royal Institution ; the Bishcip of Norwich ; Rev. Dr.
Buckland, PrOfessor of Mineralogy 'and Geology, Oxford ;
Rev. • Dr. Whewell, Master of Trinity College, Cam-
bridge; Profeslsor Henslow, PrOfesSor of Botany, Cam-
bridge; Dr: Daubeny, Professor of Chemistry,-4Dxford ;
Mr. Airey, the Astronomer Royal; Sir John Hers-
chel' ; - Professor Owen, College of Surgeons ; Professor Lind-
ley, Professors Braude and Faraday; Dr. Paris, President of
the College of Physicians ; Sir B. Brodie ; Edward Forbes, Esq.,
Professor of Botany, King's College; Dr. Royle, King's Col-
lege;' Sir Wm. Hooker • Sir M. A; Slice, President of the
Royal Academy; Mr. COplev Fielding, Mr. Edwin Landseer,
Mr. Eastlake, Mr. Walker, President. of Civil Engineers; Sir
John Rennie, Sir Richard Westinacott, Sir Henry de la
Beche, G. B. Greenough, Esq., F.R.S. ;• Sir Phi 4 Egerton,
W. R. Hamilton, Esq; H. Hallam' Esq., F.R.b., Robert
Browne, Esq., F.R.S.; Sir Henry Ellis,' Librarian of the
British Museum ; Rev. T. Forshall, Secretary of the British
Museum ; Edward Hawkins, Esq., Keeper of Antiquities in the
British Museum ;. W. Yarrel, Esq., C. Lyell, Esq. F.R.S., Mr.
Mantell, C. Barry, Esq., R.A., W. Wyon, Esq., C. R. Cocke-
rell, Esq. R.A. Dr. D. B. Reid, James Sniitb, Esq. of Dean-
ston;Samuel Rogers, Esq., Rev. Sydney Smith, Lord Mahon,
Sir I. Brunel, I. K. Brunel, Esq., Sir W.= Symonds, J. R.
M'Culloch, Esq., J. APGregor,.Esq., Sir R. H Inglis.
.FIRE AT lIICIIMOND.—Yesterday morning, between
the hours of two and three, the neighbourhood of Richmond,
Surrey, was thrown into a state of considerable excitement
and confusion, in consequence of a fire of a very destructive
character breaking out in the premises belonging to Mr. Ed-
wards, a pawnbroker, carrying on an extensive business in
George-street,-Richmond. The police constable in going his
rounds,. perceived a great body of, smoke break through one
Of the upper windows in the eastern portion of. the building.
He raised an alarm, and succeeded in arousing the initiates,
consisting of Mr. Edwards and his shopboy. On the former
'.getting up, he found that the door of his bed-room was in
flames, and had but a few more minutes elapsed Mr. Ed-
wards would probably have perished. Engines of the neigh-
bouring parishes were early at the scene of conflagration,
and afterwards 'from. London. The flames were eventually
so far subduedtas to allay f.ll apprehension of further exten-
sion. The damage done is considerable. Nothing remains
of Mr. Edwards' premises save the bare outer walls, and
they are in a very dangerous state. The premises of Mr.
Tolley, harness-maker to her Majesty, were partially injured.
MEETING. OF THE TWOPENNY POSTMEN.—Yester-
day (Sunday) afternoon ; meeting of the twopenny post-
men took place in • the Assembly-roOms, Turnagain-lane,
Snow-hill, for the. purpose of taking into consideration the
propriety of petitioning,the Postmaster-General with respect
to the 'losses sustained since the alteration of the " extra"
diity; its also an increase in the amount of superannuation
money. 'Thee were nearly 400 persons present. Mr. Rich-
mond was called to the chair. Several of the body addressed
the meeting at great length, and a petition, it was agreed,
should be presented to the Earl of Lonsdale, to which will
be attached an abstract, showing the actual amount of pay
received by each person; before and since the extra deliveries.
REMOVAL OF DALMAS, THE CONVICTED MUR-
DERER.—On Saturday. Mr. Cope, the Governor of Newgate,
accompanied by one -of the principal turnkeys, conveyed
Dalnmas, the convicted murderer, in a cab from Newgate to
Horsemonger-lane goal, in pursuance of the directions- re-
ceived by the Governor from Mr. Baron Gurney. He was
delivered over to the custody of Mr. Keene. His execution
on the flat roof of Horsemonger-lane gaol will take place, it
is understood, on Monday fortnight.

THE GOWN OF PORTSOKEN WARD.--The name of
Thomas Johnson, Alderman of Portsoken Ward, having ap-
peared in the Gazette, in the list of bankrupts, the citizens of
London expect that the gown will .be. immediately resigned
into the hands of the constituency. • They are led to this ex-
pectation by the fact -that at the last election Alderman
Thomaslohnsen promised, in the event of a failure in busi-
ness, or otluir incapacity; to-retire from the duties-of Alder-
man. • •The worthy old gentleman labours now, 'we regret to
say, under a cloublOricapecity, .for his bank at Roinford will
not only be'ilable to pay two shillings in the pound of. the
liabilities of 'the 'concern,. but' he is unable himself, in conse,
quence of herdaise of4Yearing,ta.perforin the duties of Alder-
Mall'AithArlfthini. like efficiency. Already the following
gentlemen.heve,deplared.their intention to: offer themselves
fOr, the -oflice, gin event* of the resignation of Alderman
ir lacimas Johnson i—z Mr. David Salomon; kr. Sheriff Moon,
Mr. Filcher-(one of the 'late Sheriffs), Mr. Bishop, of America-
square; and Mr. Daniel Whittle Harvey, the Commissioner
of•the City.police. •

: SYMPATHY FOR IRELAND.—In the course of three
days thirty-three Aldermen sand Councillors of the borough
of 'Birmngham signed a requisition to the May along with
acont 700 burgesses and other inhabitants, to call a town
-meeting, to address the Crown in reference tb the sentence of
Mr. O'Connell and his fellow martyrs in rieland. This
spirited example *ill, we trnstite'speedilyfollowedthrough-
out England. The meeting is to. be held this day, under the
presidency of the Mayor.