The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-21 00:00:00

SUN

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
The legend of the four sons of Aymon, who, by 1
their union, retrieve the fallen fortunes of the family,
is, perhaps, the most entertaining, certainly the most
dramatic illustration extant, of _tEsop's fahlo tot the
bundle of sticks. It has been the foundation of many
a drama which has strutted and fretted its hour
upon the stage, aid then been heard no more.
It seems now, however, destined to retain a
more lasting hold of the stage. M.M. Leu-
ven and Brunswick have made it the subject
of a lyrical drama of very considerable merit,
which .has been set to music by our countryman,
Balfe, and which, under the title of Les quatre
fils Aymon, was produced at the Opera Comique, in
Paris, in the latter part of the summer, with great
success. An adaptation of this opera, entitled the Castle
of Aymon, was produced here last evening, under the
superintendence of the talented composer himself,who
appeared in the orchestra, and conducted the music.
:Mademoiselle Helen Condell (or rather Miss Helen
Condell, for we believe the young lady herself is Eng-
lish, although her reputation is continental) also made
her first appearance on the English stage, as the he-
roine. With a new prima donna, and a new opera by
Balfe, it is not suprising that long before the rising
of the curtain every seat in the theatre
was occupied, and that even standing room where to
catch even an occasional glimpse of the stage was all
but impossible, should have been at a premium. The
appearance of Balfe in the orchestra was the signal
for most enthusiastic applause—it was, in the strictest
sense of the word, ." loud and long continued
cheering," and never was loud and long-con-
tinued cheering more appropriately bestowed
than on the man who seems destined to do for Eng-
lish music what Sir Joshua Reynolds did for Eng-
lish painting—revive an English school which shall he
known and appreciated beyond the limits of the four
seas. The overture, a light, pleasing, and airy com-
position over, the curtain rose, and we were intro-
duced to the Castle of Aymon, where we find
Ivon (Mr. Leffler), a very Caleb Balderstone
in fidelity, and the concoctor of stratagems
to conceal the poverty of his master, going his rounds
and shouting lustily to the sentinels to do their duty ;
albeit not a single sentinel is there, he and his wife
having been the whole garrison of the castle since
the death of the last Duke of Aymon, which had
occurred just twelve months before. On his death-
bed he had ordered his four sons to proceed by four
different routes on their travels for a year, at the end
of which time they were to return to the castle and
open a large chest, containing his last will and testa-
ment, and all his treasures. A horn is heard without,
and the four sons, Olivier (Mr. Allen), Allard (Mr.
C. Horn, jun.), Richard (Mr. lime), and Renaud
(Mr. Mattacks), enter. The orchestra plays
a joyous symphony, and here occurs the
gem of the opera—a quintetto deliciously given by
Allen, Leffler, Horn, llime, and Mattacks,
which was enthusiastically applauded, and most de-
servedly encored. This quintetto is one of the most
beautiful of Balfe's compositions—quite worthy of the
composer of the Vice le Roi chorus and the Gypsy
chorus, and which, with its popularity, will rival, if
not surpass, even those far-famed compositions.
They have all returned hungry and penniless,
and old Ivon, a la Caleb Balderstone, sallies forth
into the village to levy a breakfast for them from the
vassals. They have each, however, met with adven-
tures—each has fallen in love—and Olivier describes
his love adventure in a beautiful romance—" The
Shades of Night were gathering fast"—which was
given by Allen with exquisite taste and feeling, and
the repetition of which was called for as a matter of
course. The time has now arrived for opening
the box. It is found to contain a letter from the
late Duke to his children, informing them that
the only possessions he has to leave them are the
old chateau, a name without reproach, and his
ducal coronet, and recommending them to adhere
closely to each other, and share their mutual fortunes,
as the only way to restore their house to its pristine
splendour. This scene is made the subject of a con-
certed piece, and the concluding quartett, in which
the four brothers swear to obey the counsels of their
father, is one of the most effective pieces of dramatic
music we have ever heard. It was excellently given
by Messrs. Allen, Horn, Hime, and Mattacks. The
grouping, too, was beautifully managed; and, alto-
gether, the scene told admirably. Old Ivon is left
alone to his reflection, but is soon aroused by the
arrival of the Baron de Beaumanoir (Mr. Walton), a
rich and avaricious old Baron, who, with his daughter
Hermine (Madlle. Helen Condell), arrive and claim
hospitality. Rather than the fair fame of the castle
should suffer, Ivon produces the very breakfast which
he had experienced such difficulty in procuring for
his young masters, and then the object of the Baron in
paying this visit becomes apparent—he wants to secure
an advantageous match for his daughter—and begins
pumping Ivon as to the contents of the chest. "It
contained gold enough," replies the old domestic, " to
buy half Brittany." " But this sum, when separated
into four"-- says the Baron. " Oh," interrupts
Ivon, " there is but one—the other three are dead."
The Baron nibbles the bait, is hooked, and at once
commences scheming to catch Olivier for his daughter.
An unexpected obstacle arises : the lady positively
refuses to marry the Due d'Aymon, or indeed any
one else, until her three cousins, whom her father
destines for a convent, shall have been provided with
husbands, and has taken a vow to this effect. The
truth is, she has been captivated by a handsome ad-
venturer, whom her father had dismissed ignomi-
niously from the castle, but whom she had received
and entertained like a Prince. Olivier, to whom Ivon
had explained his stratagem, enters, and in him
both father and daughter recognise the adventurer,
while he recognises in Hermine his lady-love. he
Baron is all politeness, and invites him to his castle,
and while certain love passages are going on between
Olivier and Hermine, Ivon explains to the Baron that
his master is desirous of being loved for himself alone,
and therefore had wandered forth in disguise, lest,
had he appeared in his real character, he might have
been accepted solely on account of his enormous wealth.
The Baron and his daughter depart, well pleased with
their adventure; and Ivon arranges that the three
brothers of Olivier shall attend him to the Castle of
Beaumanoir as his minstrel, his equerry, and his
treasurer, and they group around him as they sing
the finale to the first act. The second opens in the
gardens of the chateau of Beaumanoir, where we find
the Baron preparing for the fete, and endeavouring,
like many other givers of fetes in more modern times,
to make the greatest possible show at the least
possible expense. Hermine overhears him plotting to
defraud her cousins by placing then} in a convent, and
sharing their possessions with a certain Baudriot, and
determines to circumvent him. The three young
ladies enter and surround Hermine, and the lively
quartett, "My darling sweet cousin," follows, which
was given with great spirit by Miss Condell, Miss
Bretnall, Miss E. Honner, and Miss O'Conner, and
was loudly encored. Hermine promises to provide
them all with husbands before midnight, and, on
the approach of the Baron, they all retire. The
Baron enters, followed by Ivon, whom he questions
minutely as to Olivier's riches ; and this is made the
subject of perhaps the very best buffo duet that has
ever been composed since the days of Rossini. It is
worthy of being ranked with Un segretto." It
was admirably given by Leffler and Walton, who
entered thoroughly into the spirit of it; the audience
enjoyed it, and altogether it was a perfect triumph.
To Mr. Balfe the honour is certainly due of being
the first English composer of " classically" buffo
music. We beseech him to give us many more
such compositions as this admirable buffo duet. Great
praise is due, too, to the author of the libretto. The
words go as trippingly to the music as if they were
the choicest Italian. Olivier and his brothers arrive,
and the brothers recognise in Hermine the lady
to whom each had vowed love, and to whom
each had at different times delivered his signet
in token of his knightly obedience to her behests.
Olivier and Hermine meet, and a romance and duet
are here introduced, which were beautifully given by
Allen and Miss Condell. Hermine sends to each of
the brothers his own signet, commanding him to
repair to the gardens of the chateau at midnight to
meet his lady-love, and wed her at a neighbouring
hermitage. The lovers are true to their appoint-
ment, and each takes off one of the cousins,
veiled, each believing that he is wedding Her-
mine, while Hermine herself, as they go off, gives
her hand to Olivier, who is kneeling at her feet. In the
third act we find Hermine anxiously awaiting the suc-
cess of her stratagem, but refuses to wed Olivier until
the bells of the hermitage shall give the signal that the
cousins are married. Olivier urges her in vain to con-
sent, in a beautiful aria—" In the chapel all
is ready," which was given with exquisite taste
and feeling by Allen, and was deservedly encored.
In vain her father urges her. She will not consent
until she hears the three bells from the three hermit-
ages sounding, and then she declares her readiness to
accompany Olivier to the chapel. The three cousins
enter, and receive from Hermine instructions as to
how they are to secure the affection of their husbands.
The three brothers enter, and each fancies that Her-
mine is his wife ; she, however, imposes silence on
them, and they are each ordered to retire. The
Baron enters to forward the wedding. He
is surprised by the announcement of an envoy with
a letter from his Sovereign, congratulating him on his
daughter's marriage, and expressing his approval of the
Baron's generosity in restoring the fortunes of a fallen
family. The Baron is astounded—he has not informed
his Sovereign of the projected marriage. Who could
have thought of it? " I did," says Ivon, " I sent it in
your name." The letter proceeds to express the
Sovereign's high approval of the Baron's conduct
in marrying his nieces to the three bro-
thers of Olivier. But how is his astonish-
ment increased when the nieces and their hus-
bands are introduced to him. The Sovereign further
expresses his satisfaction at the rejection by the
Baron of the infamous propositions of Baudriot for
immuring the nieces in a convent, and orders the

, t. C)

NO Iv;

Instant dismissal of .13aadriet, who overwhelms the
Baron with renrcaches. The Baron, stupified, de-
clares that he does not know where he is,
er what he is, or whether he It at
and while he declares that the. joy N more
than he can bear, the thoits raise the cry of
" Honour and glory to Aymon's four good sons !"
and the curtain falls. Mr. Balfe will add to his re-
putation by this opera. The music is throughout
perfectly characteristic--thoroughly and completely
dramatic—that is to say, illustrative of the incidents
and the situations. It is what the music of every
opera ought to be—a perfect translation into the uni-
versal language of music of the thoughts, sentiments,
and feelings, to which expression is given in the spe-
cial or verbal language in which the libretto rs
written. Nothing could exceed the enthusiasm with
which the opera was received throughout, and at its
conclusion Balfe was loudly called for, and rapturously
applauded. The corps operatique did full justice to
the composition of the maestro. It was the fiat ap-
. pearance of the heroine, Miss Helen Cordell, and she
was, of course, extremely nervous—so nervous,
that in her first song she hardly did her-
self justice. As the piece proceeded, however,
she acquired confidence. She sang the duet in the
second act with Allen very well, and the romance
with which it concludes, " Yes, I have sworn with true
affection," was given by her with a taste and pathos
which told admirably, and which promises great
things for the future. Her voice is a high soprano of
considerable power; her features are expressive and
pretty, and her figure is good. Sheis evidently young
upon the stage, and is undoubtedly ay ounglady of great
promise. Mr. Balfe is under the greatest obligations
to Allen for his personation of the character of
Olivier. It was perfect. All that the must perfect
science, guided by the most fastidious taste, could do
for a part, was done for the part of Olivier by Allen.
It was worthy of the Italian boards ; and had he but
power equal to his taste, Allen would be the first
tenor singer in the world. We never saw Leffler to
greater advantage. He was the very beau ideal of a
buffo,old man ; and Walton, as the pompous old Baron,
was excellent. The concerted pieces were given
admirably, and the raise en scene was every-
thing that could be desired. At the fall of the curtain
all the principal singers were honoured with the usual
ovation, and H. Wallack announced the opera for re-
petition four times a week until further notice, amidst
the loud and unanimous applause of perhaps the most
crowded house ever assembled within the walls of the
Princess's Theatre.

EXTRAORDINARY AND FATAL
EXPLOSION IN A COAL PIT.
TWO PERSONS KILLED, AND SEVEN

OTHERS MORE OR LESS INJURED.

On Monday afternoon, about half-past one o'clock,
a most extraordinary and unaccountable eruption of
water and foul air, followed by an explosion, oc-
curred in the coal-pit belonging to the trustees of
Mrs. Williams, situated immediately behind the Hare
and Hounds public-house, Pemberton, about a mile
and a half from Wigan, on the road to Billinge
The result of the accident is the death of two youths
about sixteen years of age, named Richard-Fair-
hurst and William Parkinson; the serious injury of
three boys and two men ; the slight injury of
two other boys ; and also a few casual bruises
to another workman in the mine. From infor-
mation collected on the spot, we are enabled to
lay the following particulars before our readers :
It appears, that there are two principal
mines in the colliery—namely, a five-foot
mine, eighty yards deep, and a four-foot
mine, twenty yards below it. From the
five-foot mine to the four-foot, there is an
air-shaft constructed, independently of the
main-shaft ; and immediately under this small
shaft, the proprietors had determined upon boring
for other beds of coal. The workmen had been en-
gaged in this for some time, and had got to a very
considerable depth; when, on Saturday evening last,
the boring rods broke—an accident which has
since given the men much trouble. On Monday
morning
.they commenced work, by preparing
instruments and tools to catch the broken
rods, and were thus engaged until the time
at which the accident occurred half-past
one. It is as well to state, that the boring
hole, which is three inches in diameter, has been
hitherto always full of water, and flowing over at the
top: the rods are about an inch square. At the time
stated, the men had just succeeded in catching the
rods, a great number of yards of which had been left
in the hole ; and, at the first attempt to pull them up,
an extraordinary eruption of air and water com-
menced, the latter being forced with a tremendous
rush to the top of the small shaft above. The work-
men at the bore-hole, as might be expected, were much
alarmed, and not only put out their own lights, but
instantly called to those in the mine above to do the
same. As far as they could be heard, this was done ;
and some of the men escaped just in time, by jumping
into the basket, which was about to ascend the main
shaft; but, unfortunately, two lads were bringing
a basket of coal, with their lights, along the main
drawing line (which is a hundred and sixty yards
long), in the five-foot mine, and were ,not within
hearing when the alarm was given. On'passing near
the mouth of the small air shaft, through which the
inflammable matter was rushing after the water had
subsided, the lights ignited, and an explosion was the
consequence. The inflammable matter being forced up-
wards through the small shaft, exploded near the mouth
of it, as the boys were moving down the tram road,
and passing the shaft. These boys were much in-
jured by the explosion; but the fatal cases oc-
curred in the five-foot mine, as the inflammable
air was making its way to the main shaft
for escape; indeed, no persons were injured except in
that particular part of the five-foot mine. Tho borers,
under-lookers, and other workmen in the four-foot
mine, and indeed all the hands in the mine above who
were removed from that part of it just mentioned,
escaped uninjured. The door was broken down by
the extraordinary rush of air in the pit, it is
thought, after the explosion. We are informed, and
certainly have no reason to doubt it, that the mine is
in a pure state of ventilation ; and that now, as
before a very strong current passes from the main
shaft through the five-foot mine, and from thence
down the small shaft into a mine below. The door
has already been refixed; the water is flowing over
the bore hole ; and the, rods having been taken hold
of, it is hoped the workmen will proceed again with-
out interruption. The following are the names
of the sufferers :—Richard Fairhurst and William
Parkinson, drawers, dead ; Henry Taylor, Thomas
Taylor (the two who carried the lights which caused
explosion), and John Parkinson, all drawers, seri-
ously injured; Thomas Topping and Edward Stock-
ley, two men, seriously bruised and burnt; James
Derbyshire and William Fishwick, drawers, slightly
injured. Twenty-three persons in the two mines
escaped without injury; one was slightly bruised by
the air forcing him about. All those we have men-
tioned are said to be more injured by bruises than by
the explosive matter. No accident from explosion
ever occurred in the pit before. Manchester Guar-
dian of yesterday.

SIR HENRY POTTINGER..--The dinner intended to
be given to this distinguished individual by the mer-
chants of this port, will probably take place in the course
of next week. It is most likely that it will be given in
the Royal Amphitheatre, there being no other place suf-
ficiently capacious to accommodate all who are desirous
of attending. All the arrangements, however, as to time,
depend upon the convenience of Sir Henry himself.—
Liverpocl paper.
The President and Fellows of Magdalene College,
Oxford, have determined on the erection, contiguous to
the College, of a new chorister? school and masters'
house attached. A beautiful design has been selected,
and the building will be formally opened in the ensuing
spring.
POSTAL ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN PARIS AND
HAVRE.—A meeting of the principal merchants at
Havre has just been held at the Bourse of that place, to
devise the best means of effecting a changein the present
mode of transmitting letters between that port and
Paris. After considerable discussion a committee was
appointed to draw up a petition to the Ministers of Com-
merce and Finance, urging the immediate necessity of
organising the Post-office service between the two places
in such a way as not to allow letters to be forestalled by
parcels tent by the railroad. The committee is also
charged to receive subscriptions, for the purpose of
carrying out this object, should the petition not be at-
tended to.

AGRICULTURAL SERVANTS' HIRINGS IN THE NORTH.
—Whitsuntide and Martinmas are the usual times of
hiring agricultural servants in the more northern
counties. At nearly all the hirings this Martinmas the
wages of servants of both sexes, taken altogether, have
been on the advance, and the engagements more nume-
rous. At Carlisle the attendance of servants was un-
usually large on Saturday week, and good men servants
were engaged, at wages ranging from 61. 10s., 81., to
91. 10s. for the half-year ; half-grown lads were engaged
for 41. 10s., 51., and 5/. 10s. each ; known women ser-
vants were hired at 41., 4/. 10s., to 6/. ;
,and the younger
girls got from 31. to 41. 10s. each who were hired.
The servants. get their victuals, and lodge and sleep in
their masters' houses in the northern counties. The
above quotation of wages, with very little variation, will
apply to the hirings which took place at Cockermouth,
Keswick, Wigton, Brampton, Penrith, Appleby, Kendal,
and other places.— Provincial Paper.
WRECK.—Last week, the smack Lord Nelson, from
Ipswich, was wrecked on entering Southwold Harbour.
The crew clung to the mast-head, and were saved by
ropes thrown from the shore.

A most daring burglary was committed on Thurs-
day night, in a shop at Bottisham, occupied by Mr. Car-
ter of Swaffham. The burglars entered by breaking a
hole through the back wall, and stole 201bs. of tea, a
quantity of wearing apparel, and other goods to the value
of 301. or 40/. Part of the latter was found by a labourer
on Saturday, concealed in a haulm-stack. The murder-
ous intentions of the burglars were evident by two club-
sticks which they left on the premises. They left also a
clue to their discovery: leaving behind in their haste a
macintosh, which has been sponged.—Cambridge Adver-
tiser.