The Sun.
London, England, 1826-01-30 00:00:00

THEATRES.

THE ITALIAN OPIIIA.—There was a good at-
tendance at the Opera on Saturday. The number of distin-
guished persons present indicated the near approach of fashion's
season, and the crowd altogether was as great as the house
could accommodate. One of Rossi xi's Operas seemed like
the return of au old friend, and the Donna del La go had the
further charm of bringing with it the. return of-that mil-
venal public favourite, the interesting CARADOILL She was
the representative of Ekna, and her entree was greeted by
the whole audience with signal marks of welcome. Her
predecessor in the part, Madame Ronzt lox BEGNIS, made
a deep impression in it, by the accomplished beauty of
her singing, and particularly by its admirable expression.
—The same may neatly be said of Madame CARADOUI.
With either of these Ladies some additional power would have
increased the effect of a performance which lett nothing but that
to be wished. Illadaftl CARADORI Was highly applauded in
her beautiful execution of the last scene. Madame COItNEGIIA,
who played Malcolm, was again taken ill, hut acquitted herself
more to the satisfaction of the audience than upon either of her
' previous performances. Totter was well received iu Rodrigo,
and sustained the part with as much effect as his limited powers
would permit. PoitTo and CURIONI were in their places in
the Opera, and the " Aurora" of the latter called forth an em-
phatic encore. The choruses were not done in the style of
those in the Crociato. In fact, the splendid finale of the first
act was greatly injured by the bad time of the voices. They
were sometimes a bar before the instruments.

DRUR Y-LANE TUEATR .—Wh at the bills denominated a
new national " Ballad Opera," taken from Ossian, was pro.
duced here on Saturday evening. Ilere there are two small
mistakes in one line. The new piece entitled Maltifla is no
more a Ballad Opera than Dr. Arne's .4riaserxes, and it would
puzzle Ossian himself, or his paraphrastic successor, James
Macpherson, (who, as Goldsmith has it,
" Wrote bombast, and can'd it a style,")

. •
to find out any story amongst the tales of the ancient bard re.
ambling that on which the author ufNina has founded his
romantic drama. He has, indeed, borrowed the names of
Ossian'a heroes, and made the most liberal use of the wild poet's
" vapours, and clouds, and storms ;" but, beyond this, we could
perceive no trace of " the warrior bard."
-The Piece commences with preparations for the marriage of
Maltiun, the daughter of Toscar, with Oscar, the son of
Pinged, King of Scotland. The latter, determined to
honour the nuptial ceremony with his presence, is received at
the castle of Tosear with a splendour worthy of his high rank.
At this interesting moment, CaMallia, the Lord of Ulster,
accompanied by his chiefs Illarvci: and Conlath, and their
followers, who have been thrown on the coast by a violent
tempest, solicit the hospitality of Toscar. The old chief,
delighted to succour a warrior so renowned as 041111411 in,
willingly accedes to the request. Cathrillin incontinently falls
in love with ifalvina, and calls on .;llorreri and Conlath to
assist in carrying her off. The former at once consents, but the
latter, whose mind is deeply imbued with the principles of
honour, stedfastly refuses, until he is reminded, that some
years before, his young and lovely bride, Marna, had been
forcibly carried away by a patty of the followers of Fingal,
who had landed on the Irish coast, and were mast hospitably
received by the chieftain of the district. Fired with the recol-
lection of the wrongs he has sustained, Cmdath becomes a
party to the conspiracy. 41fa/vina is curried ofr, and hur-
ried, ibr security, to a cavern. In this cave, " dug by no
mortal hand," Moron, the wife of Conlath, had long re-
sided. The vessel to which her betrayers had hurried her, "
was, it appears, wrecked ; and she alone had the good for-
tune to escape destruction. ller misfortunes, however, un-
settle her mind ; she wanders about in a state of semi-die.
traction, and is comforted and relieved by Malvirta. Good
deeds are never ill bestowed. The care in which Malvina is

uprisoncd, under the surveillance of Conlath, is attacked by
a party of Toscaria adherents. Catlinilia and his forces resist
them. Conhith, who is directed to destroy Ma!vino If the
battle should be unfavourable to his chief, is won upon
by the entreaties of MaNina, but still more by the sudden ap.
pearance of his long-lost wife, or as he supposes, her spirit, to
disobey his murderous commands, and to protect the fair
sufferer. The scene now rapidly hastens to a close. Morna's
senses are restored, the smiles of her beloved (to use the words
of Ossian) chase the mists of unhappines from her mind, and
Atalvina, who, in endeavouring to escape from her perse-
cutors, has arrived at a dangerous mountain pass, where she
is exposed to the most imminent danger, is rescued front her
perilous situation by Morita, who, in her wanderings, had be.
come intimately acquainted with all the mountain paths.
Oscar and itlalvina are of course, united, arid the long-lost
Mania is restored to her delighted husband. The author has
endeavoured to imitate, in his dialogue, the style of the poems
attributed to Onion. In the composition of the songs, the
author has imitated Mr. Moore very industriously and very
unsuccessfully. Soft breezes—smoothly-flowing streams—
odorous flowers " and such like dulcet diseases," abound in
every stanza. Irhe materials are there—but Moore's arrange-
ment and masonry are absent. When we read the verses, we
exclaimed with Llamkt," Words, words, words I" The prin-
cipal characters were very well supported. Mulvina, the black.
eyed maid of " Strearny Lutha,' was represented with interest.
mg simplicity by Miss Stephens. She sung in her usual beau-
tifully-expressive style. Miss Kelly perforated the part of
Marna. She does not occupy a prominent situation in
the drama ; hut the scene in winch she recognizes her husband
was exquisitely performed. The tardy breaking of the rays
of sense on a long:bewildered mind, was finely
n
finely expressed. Mr. Wallack is worthy. of much praise
and
tnr
his performance of the character of Coulath• It is, through.
out, melodramatic,. and Mr. Wallack is certainly the
greatest master of „this species of acting on the stage at pre-
sent. It is well to be at the head of a particular department;
and Mr. Wallack ought to ha content with this, although he
he stage.munager. Oscar, the lover and the hero, was repre.
sented by Mr. Sinclair. He was a Banda hero, and his songs par.
took of the dadyism of his appearance. The spectacle part of
well managed. 'l'he marshalling
the entertainment is extremely
of the troops in the first act would do honour ut the most vete.
ran ballet-master. In the second act there is a ballet, wholly
inappropriate. The idea of Mr. anti Mrs. Noble pironettine
before a party of rough mountain soldiers is perfectly absurtL
The introduction of the Highland fling would have been more•
""germane to the matter." We now come to the scenery, and
here we must use the terms of unequivocal praise. Roberts is
very successful in several scenes ; but there is a fine scene by
Stanfield, a part of Ben Lomond, which is highly honour.
able to his abilities. The house rang with applause when it
was exhibited. The piece was, for the greater part, well re-
ceived ; but the light beetles in which Mr. Harley was the prin.
cipal actor (and as far as the part admitted, acted well) met with
much resistance. With sonic curtailment, we think this drama
will have a considerable run. The music, selected with much
judgment by Mr. T. Cooke, consisting almost entirely of Scotch
and Irish sire, the scenery, the well-conduced processions, and
the splendid dresses will, doubtless, attract public attention and
patronage.

NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICAN
SUBSCRIPTION `ROOM, JAN. 30.
Charlestou Papers of the 30th of December
have arrived.
Cummrswor Dra. 28, 1825--Arrtved an Monday, the
brig Boumlaus, Webb, from Liverpool 46 . (ts ; ebg
Miller, Palmer, from the litty of Honduras, Jerky and ihn diria.,
tress, bound to New. York; and yeaterday, die ship Majestic,
Page, from Liverpool 42 days.
DEC. 29.—French ship Jupiter, Nethel, front Martinique, in
28 days.
COWES, JAN. 29.--Wind S.W. strong gales—The Dorothy
Foster, from London, sailed for Barbadoes on Friday evening,
and put back this day through contrary winds and blowing
hard ; the Finn, Doughtss, and the Melpomene, Johnston.
front Galway. for London ; Hoff/lung, Jun en:, from Bahia
98 days, for Harribu.rgh, spoke 16th Jan, the ithip Packet, front
London to Rio Janeiro ; Surrey, Goble, front St. John's, New
Brunswick, 35 days, sailed for Pottsmouth; spoke 30th Dec.
the American ship Edward Keiling, front Liverpool to New
York, in let. 42.5. N., long. 58. 55., or, the 2,1 Jan. the Ante,
rican ship Columbia, 34 days front Liverpool to Boston, In Ist.
43. 4., long. 84.49., and on the 12th Jan. the American ship
Herald, front New Orleans to llayre, in lot 4i. 30., long. 60.4.
the Helena Catharine, Bengvild, front Havannah 41 days, for
Amsterdam ; Agenoria, Windsor, from Charleston 34 days,
with the loss of fore,topernast ; Thomas Fyson, Stockdale,
from Galway, for Southampton ; and the Merger, Kuhn, from
Havannah for Bremen off the Wight.
CaLndivleAr,u rfr000: ,
Charleston,a s I. . ni
it le —d
18At rtjlvneutlfttrlyie!itheneryjapTpeikey:
Crooker, and Perfect, were to sail in a few days ; Herald,
Graham, from Savannah, sailed 2d January; Mount Vernon.
I from Savannah ; Griper, Hugh Johnson, and Earl Morin
Allison, from St. John'e, New Brunswick; Grampian, Ashley,
from Pictou.
DEAL, Jaw. 28 and 29.—Arrived the Circassian Douth,
Waite, from London for Madras and Bengal proceeded for
Portsmouth early in the morning of the 2lith. Lady Harewood,
Thompson, from St. John's, New Brunswick, for Lon.
don—proceeded to the River ; Flora de Beira, de Paris, from
London, for Oporto, remains in the Downs ; Lady Arabella,
Burke, from London, for Bristol, remains in the Downs;
Nimble, Hill, from Seville, for Loudon, proceeded to the
River; Juliana, Richardson, from Guernsey, for London, pro.
carded to the River.

[FROM LLOYD'S.]
DEAL, JAN. 29.—Wind S.—Arrived yesterday the Lady
Harwood, Thomson, from St. John's, N. B. ; his Alajesty's
ship Liffey, from Portsmouth ; Lady Arabella, from Vera Cruz; Harriet, Liddel, from London for St. Michael's;
Elizabeth, ------ fra'"

PORTSMOUTR, JAN'. 29. Wind S.S.F.—Arrived the
surry, Goble, from St. John's, N. B. in 30 days; Wilhelmina,
Weybonrg, from Rio Janeiro for Harnburgh ; Alelpomone,
Johnson, from Honduras, last from Cowes ; Circassian, DautlN
Waite, from London for India ; Eclipse Bedwell, from the
Downs;
and his Majesty's ship Telbot, 'from Chatham ; his Majesty's ship Warspite, for the East India station, went ohs
of harbour, and remains At Spithead,
FALMOUTH, JAN. 28.—Wind S.—Arrived yesterday the
Magnet Packet, from Lisbon, sailed the 17th inst. ; Dolphin,
Dunby, from Barcelona, leaky ; Maria, Tessier, from Denia ;
Cork Packet, Pryor, from Cork. sailed the Duke of Marlbo-
rough Packet, for Lisbon.
CowEs, JAN. 29.—Wind S.W. strong gales.—Arrived the
Hoff-hung, Sergent, from Bahia; Helen Catherine, Borgveld,
from Havannah ; and Agenoriu, Windsor, from Charleston.
DOVEII, kirkan, front Havanna' to
Bremen, has put in here, apprehensive of meeting with ice in
the Weser.
LivEarbooL, Jaw. 28.—Wind S.—Arrived the Henry
Tuke, Bliss, from Charleston; Herald, Graham, from Savan-
nah in 25 days ; on the 224 inst„ in lat. 47. 40. long. 18. fell in
with the Albion, of Hull, water-logged • Mount Vernon,
, Savannah ; Griper, ---- ' • HenryGrattons,
Earl Moira Allison ; Huntley, Seivright, from St. John's,
N. IL ; Colonist, llP.Mitster, from St. Andrew's, N. B.
Lisbon Packet, Hunter, front Paraiba; Mariettel Wilson, frona
Charleston ; Lord Exmouth, Taylor, from Newfoundland;
Henry Johnson, Brown, from St. John's, N. B.
NASSAU, N. P., Nov. 30.—The ship Zepher, Arrowsmitb,
sailed from Honduras the '2lst of October, and on the night or
the 19th inst. was run foul of' by a large ship, which stove in
part of her bows, carried away her bowsprit, cuthead, anchor,
and did other serious injury, and caused her to make so much
water, that it was with difficulty she reached this Port.