The Sun.
London, England, 1844-01-01 00:00:00

f,'

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Donizetti's Grand Tragic Opera of Luere:zio
Borgia was produced at this theatre on Saturday
evening, with all that completeness and attention to
the business of scene for which the management of
the Princess's is celebrated. The story of this opera
must be already familiar to every playgoer. It has
been frequently represented at the Italian Opera, and
adaptations from Victor Hugo's tragedy, from which
the libretto of the opera is taken, have been brought
out at most of the minor theatres. The following
the cast at the Princess's :—Don Alfonso (Mr. Bur-
dini), Genarro (Mr. Allen), Maffio Orsini .(Mr. H. P.
'Grattan), and Lticrezia Borgia (Madame Eugenia
Garcia). The opening scene of the night festival •in
the gardens of the Palace of Barberigo, at-Venice,
was exceedingly beautiful. The stagerwas filled with
maskers attired in various magnificent costumes—in
the distance was a beautiful moonlight view of
Venice, while in the foreground gondolas were .seen
passing and repassing. The name of Lucrezia is ut-
tered by one o`
of
the revellers, and all are terror-struckat the name of the death-bringing beauty. The ro-
mance, "Hear me relate my.stery," was beautifully
given by Mrs. Grattan. The sound of music is beard
from the palaCe; and all enter it, except Genarro, Who
overcome with fatigue, sleeps upon one of the benches
in the garden;
.agondola arrives, and Luerezialands •
from it; she wears•her mask; turning, she perceives
Genarro ; she approaches him, and implores-the, bles-
sing of Heaven upon the sleeping youth, ani, in the
beautiful air, " In my breast what strange emotion,"
gives expression to her feelings of love for Ge-
narro, and tit: horror at the detestation, in which-, on
account of 11ihr crimes, she is held by all the world.
She leans over him fondly. Her husband, the Duke,
who has been watching, appears at the back of the
scene, and vows vengeance on Genaris. She again
approaches the sleeper, and kisses him on the fore-
head. He starts up and detains her, and in the im-
passioned air, " Pray, be content," declares his IOVe
for her. She listens to him enraptured. lie tells
her he came to seek a mother ‘viioni he knew not,
yet who had watched over him with the most anxious
care; whose letters he treasured up and wept over.
She is affected to tears by his story, nod bids
love that mother ever. The • revellers enter and in-
terrupt them. They beset her. She begs Genarro
to save her; but when he finds she is the Borgia, he
spurns her from him with horror. Theseeheof the se-
cond act is laid at Ferrara; we arc in the great square,
befors the great palace, which bears on its portico the
arms and name of Borgia. The Doke and hisSittens
(int enter; and in the cavatina, " Tremble, e'en. now
the tempest is gathering closely round thee," Ow
Duke declares that the morrow's sun shall be the
last that shall shine on Genarro. This cavatina was
carefully and effectively given by Burdini, he was
much and deservedly applauded._ The Duke and his
attendant retire, and Genarro and his companions
enter. He loudly expresses his hatred of Lucrezia,
and, with his sword, he erases the letter from the
name above the family arms, leaving the word "orgia."
They fly, alarmed at what may be the consequences
of this bitter jest, and Genarro retires to his house.
The scene changes to the Mike's palace. Lacrezia
demands vengeance against those who have insulted
her. The Duke promises that the culprit shall die,
and orders the prisoner to be brought -in. To.
her horror Lucrozia perceives Genarro. Her
lofty spirit is humbled to the dust-L.-she frames ex-
cuses for him. Genarro was not guilty of this
wrong. He boldly avows that the deed was his, and
his alone. She prays-the Duke to spare him—she
kneels to him in vain—the Duke taunts her with her
love for him, and gives her choice of whether he
shall die by poison or the sword. In this scene we
have the duet, " Tremble no more, I pray," which
was finely and expressively given by Madame Garcia
and Burdini. She chooses the poison. Ilia Duke
announces to Genarro that he is pardoeed, ani asks
him to drain a friendly cup, which the Duchess her-
self will present to him ; and then follows the ex •
quisite trio, " Ah, dare -not to save him !" which was
beautifully given by Madame Garcia, Allen, and
Burdini, and rapturously encored. Ile drinks. the
poison, and the Duke leaves them. Then conies the
finale, "Through veins cold hemlock juice is creep-
ing," adtiairably given by Allen and Madame Garcia.
She implores rim to swallow the antid:de which she
presents to him. He refuses, believing that she would
fain poison him. She conjures him, in the flane of his
mother, to believe her—he takes the antidote—aLe
shows a secret passage from the palace, anti implores
him to .leave Ferrara without delay. The acting of
Garcia throughout the whole of this very trying scene
was beyond all praise. It was evident that she was
suffering dreadfully from nervousness, but her very
apprehensions imparted a degree of impassioned reality IRELAND.
to her acting which carried her triumphantly through, TIIE STATE TRIALS.
Duns's, DEc. 29.—Although more than a fortnight
and she has added another laurel to her wreath by her
Lucretia Borgia. In the opening of the third act ws. j has yet to ela
pse st.'ore the commencement of term, the
note of active preparation for the forthcoming State
have the beautiful air, " The light of love," whic'i
was given by Allen in the most exquisitely tasteful trialk has been already sounded, and the public interest
in the result, which had br..gun to flag during the vaca-
manner ; nothing could exceed the pathos anti lender-
January
increases in proportion as the all important 15th of
ness which he infused into this delightful stirs-he
thr
tiary draws near. Yesterday notices were served on
was encored as a matter of course, and re ;eared it
tion
oTm.errsezlto_ the effect that, in pursuance of the rno-
with, if possible, greater feeling. Then came the ban- of counsel for the Crown, the special
quet scene with Orsini's spirited ballad, " What I jury -will be nominated at 12 o'clock on Wednesday next,
though she whom you love may deceive you." This when the High-High-Sheriff of the city and the Under-Sheriff
ballad, which is exactly suited to Mrs. Grattan's are to attend, and to bring with them the jurors' book
voice, was rapturously encored. Lucrezia enters—
and the special jurors' list, signed by the Sheriff er his
she has revenged herself for the ball at Are doe,
4. the deputy, and all the numbers written, according to the
supper at Ferrara. The revellers are all poisoned, Act ofrarliament, on distinct pieces of parchment or card,
in At the sitting of the Recorder's Court this day, Mr.
attendance to shrive them are heard without,
and the doleful chaunt of the priests, who are
lbClose applied to his Lordship to order that the clerks of
the peace should furnish Mr. Pierce Mahony, as agent
her horror she perceives Genarro among the guests. for the traversers, with a copy of the special jurors list
She orders all to retire, and is left alone with him. returned by his Lordship to the High Sheriff:
to
to
hE stateda jr athtlemet
on the
of the Court
She implores him to take the antidote—he refuses un-
im
pat
iless there is
ssufficent to save his friends also. lie had applied
morn-
draws his dagger, and rushes Oh her, reproaching her ing, and having carefully read the Acetsouljlee'at itaomceont,
e
with her crimes, " Hold, rash one," she cries, "it was unab!e to find any clause authorising hires
with the application made ; but as a matter of convinepnijf
is thy own blood that thou would'st shed." Horror-
ence for those concerned on both sides in the approach-
struck at finding that he too is a Borgia, the dagger
ing trials, which were matter of notoriety, he would
drops from his hand. She implores him, fur his mo-
advise them, if the Crown Solicitor and Mr. Mahony
ther's sake, to drink the antidote. He asks
concurred together in an application, that each party
his mother's name. •" My remorse, Ty do should be contemporaneously furnished with a copy.
exclaims the agonized Lnereaia
.t a subsequent period of tka afternoon an applies-
not tell her name ?" Staggering from trey
the Sheriff's-office fora copy of the
effects of the poison, he falls, and in his. dyingI lisutri* trslbtaleae.donerdaetr havingi stated that the only copy fur-
moments discovers that he is the son of Lucreziathe High Sheriff. The
Borgia, The Duke enters with his attendants, awl Sub-Saitr ho'aN'aesvetrol,attutdjvuenlalitole tove any information
taunts her with her love for Genarro. " lie my upon the subject be- referring the applicants to the
0011-A044---dcod—beforo my eyes," c,keli.tinni the High Sheriff, whose answer has not yet been made public,
agonized Lucrezia as she throws herself on.the life-
less body of her victim- Madame Garcia, Allen, Mrs. SnocisiNc an CABE —On-Friday last extraordinary
Grattan, and Burdini, were all called fur, and rezeived accident oeejrred at: Broinhain Bridge, whereby a farmer
with the loudest applause, bowitletS flud wrisatha rvsuling at Stagsden, of the name of Leaberry, came to
being showered on the ladles t and Walton announced i his death. It appears that he had been to Bedford,
the opera fur repetition four times a week, amidst the drinking freely, and at half-past six left the Bell inn,
and mounted his mare to return home. The mare was
unanimous applause of one of the moat • crowded
blind, and it is supposed that the deceased was too fresh
houses of the season. The choruses were a(huirahlv
given, thanks to the excellent drilling of Mr. W. I; to, guide her, the consequence was that she_ stumbled
(which is very low) and 11
.into
Phillips • and the orchestra, directed by Schirra, anti
led 19. y itexierl igstiep to the 111144iP, The - to'hi• work, and
tlrrits!leer Pa 101151eSat wtuarilday morning a wan named Harrison
saw the mare in the meadows
Mari'iage Clerdificak foll Owed I• h flits ;icing .
w 4te 10 • veleys below with a bridle and saddle on. By the river he saw
kept the house in a roar. The evening's am usement a hat, and this exoited some suspicions, and upon lookisst
concluded with the splendid speetaele of the ilfoisiQ into the river he saw a man lying at the bottom, ife
with
elswured assistance, and recovered the body, which he
Affs. Cirattasi as the Pfillee, !'rant lied- then found to be that of Mr. John Leaberry,— Cambridge
turd as the Premier, and pretty Bliss Floyd as the •
Chamicio. .
rfince“,

of the PUBLIC JeURNAI4I
7RoU TUE SioRIIINO PAPERS 07 TIM DAY.
TIJIES.—The prospects of the new year, although not um.
clue lens are as fair as those disclosed by any of its immediate
predecessors. We begin the year in peace with every Stateof
Europe; we are at peace with America; and we have every
reason for hoping that the partial war in India will soon be
brsught to a happy terminator). I-ut the peace which we en-
jos i net a hollow, treacherous piece, merely awaiting some
dp?, otatic pretext, Si me rel-tape sophistry, or some oppor-
tune weakness, to be changed into open war. Our relations
with all the Powers of Europe are those not only of tranquillity
but of amity. Not only is there no apparent cause of war to
alarm our suspicions, but there is no desire of war manifested
by the Sovereign or the cdizens of any foreign State. The
President of the United States joins with the King of the
French in the expression of an eat neat wish to perpetuate the
present harmony with Great Britons. The Ashburton treaty
has adjusted one awkward subject of dispute ; and we will do the
American people the justice to believe that they are not
anxious to find another in the indefinite boundaries of the
Oiesou territory. France is rip longer isolated; even
tee rabid fierceness esf the vident journalists against
anibitioo. the falsehood, at d the cunning of perfidious Al-
bion, has growled itself into silence. The people of the two
/must ies reciprocate those kindly feelings which thi ir Save-
,.
tarforsals
• have expressed to each other on their behalf. So nitwit
sur toi•eien affairs. At home the prospect is less cheerful;
5,111 it is tar ions di-hea, tening. f, indeed, we look to those
owe eel ~f prosperity which astract the SUIel tidal eye.
and satisfy the unreflscting mind, there is much to inspire both
hope and gratitude. A revenue now progressiiely increasing—
trade reviving to a degree at this season of the year almest un-
exampled—commercial speculation assuming a bolder and freer
tone in the great in its of the north—all these are signs of
returning ;stealth and circu ating capital. To many they are signs
of returning prosperity. May they prove so ! But let us not
forget, that while merchants and traders are investing
ir money more freely and more hopefully—while the
national Treasury is becoming richer—while cotton-spinners
are designing new mills, and contracting far fresh labour,
to meet the demands for expected markets —let us not
forg. t that those whose toil is tasked to enlarge the
power of wealth and multiply the enjoyments of luxury are
themselves the victims of indigence and destitution. Let us
not forget the revealed conditiou of the labourers in some of
our agricultural counties ; let us not forget the wretchedness of
our London isoor ; and let us not blind ourselves to the poverty
and misery which has already been shown to exist in our manu-
facturing districts, and which will assuredly spring up in a
frightful and fearful multiplicity, if, on every occasion of tempo-
rary prosperity, labour is crowded into new factories, only to be
turned adrift without ern; leyment as soon as the market is
glutted. In considering our domestic position, Ireland cannot
be overlooked. And yet what can we say of a country whose
evils are as undeniable as the remedies for them are venom's&
contradictory ? To say that Ireland offers no difficulties, or
even no dangers, were absurd. Still we do nut believe the
dangers to be nearly so great as is imagined. The Govern-
ment acted most toolialtly in delaying to suppress the Repeal
meetings. Their tardiness gave the semblance of earnestness to
an agitation essentially hollow, false, and hypoci itical. It drove
the timid to join the cause from cowardice, and the hypocritical
to persevere in it for the reputation of consistency. Had
they interfered earlier they would have conferred a great
boon on the Repeal gentry of Ireland, but a much greater en
the loyal and quiet Protestants. Now that they have evinced
a resolution to put down the agitation, backed as they are by
the 'mu ar feeling of the empire, and having only a simulated
zeal for nationality to contend against, they must succeed.
But when they have succeeded—when sedition is crushed, and
anti. Saxonism has perished—then come the labour and the
difficulty of governing her in the spirit of justice, moderation,
firmness, and kindness—of correcting her social evils, and en-
couraging her natural advantages. Yes; there is a great work
for Parliament end the Ministry to do. To conciliate the
affections of the Irish without conniving at faction, or playing
the fatal and Whiggish game of corruption—to give earnest
and diligent heed to the condition-of-England question—to
resist the strong effects of selfishness, whether in classes or
parties, agriculturists or manufacturers, and to correct the
present unnatural distribution of the means- of subsistence—
these are the duties and the labours which the new year offers
to those who have the courage and the heart to undertake
them; and which, undertaken with good heart. and honest
purpose, will repay the country and its representatives, if net
with entire success, at least with the blessing which never yet
was denied to good men working in a good cause.
HERALD.—The Morning Herald having lately changed
its proprietors and managers, we deem it right, at the com-
mencement of the present year, to announce to our readers the
principles upon which the parer will henceforth be conducted.
They will not essentially differ from those which have been
espoused by the Herald for tome time past, viz. the principles
of moderate Conservatism in Church and state. Deeply at-
tached to the doctrines of the Anglican Church. as contained
in her Articles and her Liturgy, and as expounded by the meat
body of her Divines from the time of Hooker to the present
day, we are unfavourable to those extreme High Church views,
which seem to approximate too nearly to the errors and super-
stitions of Romanism. Though we respect the private cha-
racter, and the motives, of many who are eminent among the
Tractariaa party, we think that their zeal has outrun their
discretion. We are anxious that the benefits of eau-
tion should be extended as widely as possible; but
we think there can be no beneficial education of
which religion is not the basis. If national schools are to
be established, as we ardently hope they will be, upon any com-
prehensive plan, they ought to be conducted upon the princi-
ples of the Established Church, and under the guidance of her
ministers. To uphold the laws which secure private property
is a duty not more imperative, and not more arduous, than
wisely t t administer those which protect' the rights and inte-
rests of the poor. The statute of Elizabeth established a sys-
tem of poor laws, under which England has reared up a more industrious aad efficient population of labourers, and risen to a
higher degree of prosperity, than any country in the worlds.
That abuses had, erept into the administration of these laws.
which renderecriome amendment desirable, we do not deny.
At the same time, when a system is introduced, which, in-
stead of recognising the right of the unhappy pauper to
relief, treats him as an intruder upon society, if not as
a criminal, we are disposed to look with doubt upon its
wis lom, and to watch its administration with the utmost
jealousy. The adjustment of the corn-laws upon the modified
sliding-scale of Sir It. Peel, is an experiment, to which we think
that a fair trial should be given. We deprecate frequent and
hasty changes in financial matters; but most strongly do we
cot:ileum that restless agitation which tenth) to disturb the
public mind, create prone in the commercial world, and destroy
all confidence in the security of the law. While we desire to
afford an adequate protection to the agriculturist, we are' not •
utimindful of that large and important manufacturing class;Tor
whoa(' real good so li.tle has been done by those whogrow rich;
he their labours, while they make the loudest outcries about
their distress. The laws which concern the relation
lieteeen workmen and their employers, the wages, time of la-
boar, health, morals, and general condition of our mechanics, are
subjects to which we snail front time to time invite the public
attention. At tit is moment, the state of Leland presents the
greatest difficulties to the British statesman. Our *pinion is,
. hat the people of that country. disorganised and demoralised,
partly by a h.iig c,ritinuarcc of poverty and ignorance, but in
great measure also by the agency of reckless and designing
demagogues, require to be ruled with a firm and vigorous
hand. That the union with Great Britain must be maintained
at all hazards, we, in common with most Englishmen, firmly
believe. But we also think, that for this, as well as for other
pureoses, it is indispensable to uphold the Irish Protestant
Church With the progress of the reformed religion is asso-
ciated, not only all the glory and happiness of our own
kingdom, but everything which is great in the his-
tory of man ; and that it will ultimately work its
way, for glory and for good, in Ireland, we entertain no
doubt. That, however, which Ireland more immediately re-
quire-, is the introduction of salutary economical measures, a
sound system of educat ion, and actrong and discreet administration
of the law. Ou the subject of law reform, we think that a good sys-
tem of local courts, such as may give cheap and speedy justice
to the humble suitor, is most desirable. We are averse to any
crude and hasty legislation en such matters; but are anxious
that sotne uniform plan, in accordance with the established
principles of our law, but extending its practical benefits, may
be introduced. With regard to our foreign relations, we need
hardly say, that the maintenance of peace, consistently with the
national honour, ought to be the primary object of our rulers.
For this purpose, we third: that all interference with the in-
ternal affairs of foreign nations, unless forced upon
us by themselves, ought to be especially avoided.
To preserve, but not to extend, the boundaries of
our empire ; to give due protection to our colonies; to
enforce, as, far as lies in our power, the existing laws for the
suppression of the slave trade ; to propagate the. Christian re-
ligion in the East, and other parts of the world where our
power anti influence extend ; to enlarge our commerce by
friendly negotiation, but at the same time to keep in view that
►eeiprocity of advantages without which no commercial treity
can be lung maintained—these are the general features of that
pshey which we approve. Such arc our views upon those topics
which appear to occupy most of the public attention at the
[resent time. They are, we are convinced, the opinions
watch are entertained by the great mass of the intelligent and
reflecting people of this country. Confiding in the honest in-
tentions of the present Government—knowing the difficulties
in %hick they are placed—and believing they are disposed, in
the main, to carry out the line of policy advocated by us, it is
our intention, as far as lies in our power, to give them a steady
but independeut support.