The Sun.
London, England, 1829-09-17 00:00:00

THE FRENCH DRAMA.

Considerable interest has been excited in the
French theatrical circles by a decision of the Tri-
bune du Commerce, compelling one of their princi-
pal actors to undertake a part assigned to him by
the manager of his theatre, or to pay a considerable
penalty in case of his non-compliance. It appears, from
the statement of the case given in the Gazette des
Tribunaux, that M. Frederic Lemaitre was called upon
to act the part of Marino Faliero in M. Casimir
Pelavigne's tragedy, at the theatre of La Porte St.
Martin. He undertook the part, and entered into it
with such feeling as to give the greatest satisfaction
at the rehearsal, both to M. Caruel Maredo, the
manager of the theatre, and to M. Casimir Dela.
vigne, the author. About the time when the piece
was to be brought out, M. Lemaitre was flattered
with hopes of becoming stage-manager at the new
theatre of L'Ambigu Comique. Under these cir-
cumstances, it became necessary for the people of
the theatre of La Porte St. Martin to be certain
that M. Lemaitre would be ready to perform in
Marino Faliero on the first night of its representa-
tion. A letter was in consequence written to that
person, but his answer was not satisfactory. The
manager of the theatre of La Porte St. Martin hired
in consequence aM. Ligier to perform the part. As
soon as the contract with M. Ligier was completed,
M. Lemaitre became quite eager to perform the part
assigned to him, and indignant that it should be
assigned to another. Bet the " Telma of the melt).
drame," says the French Journal, " recovered his
senses too late, the part was kept for M. Ligier." M.
Lemaitre then summoned his manager before the Tri-
bunal du Commerce, in order to obtain a judicial
order that he should have the part of Marino Faliero
restored to him. The tribunal decided that his claim
was inadmissible. Since that decision M. Lemaitre
has not appeared on the boards of the theatre of La
Porte San Martin, though he has regularly drawn
his salary every month. At the close of M. Ligier's
engagement, the manager of the theatre called upon
M. Lemaitre to undertake the part of the Doge: but
that actor declined, alleging as his reason that he was
afraid that he could not succeed in the part after M.
Ligier. It therefore became necessary to make a
second appeal to the Tribunal du Commerce, rt.
specting the performance of the part of the Doge in
the tragedy of Marino Faliero, and the manager
demanded of the Court that M. Lemaitre be con-
demned to assist within twenty-four hours in the re-
hearsal of Marino Faliero, and to play the part of
the Doge within five days, or to pay the sum of
500 francs for every day on which he refuses, with-
out injury to the claim of the plaintiff to recover a
more ample compensation in damages, in case of his
persisting to refuse it. The actor contended that
the claim of the manager was inadmissible, as it was
nothing more than an attempt to get the sentence, of
which he had before availed himself to the actor's in-
jury, rescinded for his own benefit. The Court was
of a different opinion, and granted the motion of
the plaintiff, with this limitation,—that he should
not pay more than the sum of 100 francs for every
day on which he should refuse to act the part of
Marino Faliero.

Yesterday the London Grand Jury found a
true bill against the Proprietor and Printer of the
Standard, for a libel on the Duke of WELLINGTON.

The improvements to be made on the estate
of Earl Gitosvawou, near Belgrave Wharf, on the banks
of the Thames, will consist of streets running from Cheisci
to the river side.

Mr. KEAN.—A Rothesay correspondent in-
forms us that this gentleman is now restored to almost
perfect health, and left Bute lately to fulfil an engagement
for a month's performances to Mr. SEYMOUR. He was
to play first of all in Paisley, afterwards in Greenock, and
then in Kilmarnock and Ayr, closing the campaign with
six nights in Glasgow. Our correspondent adds, that
Mr. KEAN has not yet been able to obtain any arrange-
ment with the Irish manager, under his late engagement,
who, according to the great actor's own account, most
have used him very ill. He not only withheld from him
the stipulated sum due every morning after each per-
formance, but refused to receive the report of a physician
as to the state of his health, and forced him to play with
a company, besides, who knew nothing whatever of their
business. "Lady Macbeth," says KEAN, knew about
one line out of seven, and the very Ghosts were de-
ficient !" The Manager's principal objection to payment
was founded on KEAN's refusal to die, on certain occa-
sions, with becoming spirit, and, in particular, to show
proper fight, with his own son, while he acted Macduff.
How far pleas like these may be good in law, remains to
be decided in Court ; and as an action has been brought
for 3501., it is expected that the proceedings altogether
will afford some scope for the waggery of the gentlemen
of the long robe.—Scots Times.

NEW QUESTION OF DIVORCE.—A young
painter fell in love with a young lady belonging to a dis-
tinguished
marriage,waansdwas
cele-
brated, had been pregnant nearly nine months. After
the wedding, the husband was not slow in discovering that
successful.
But
the
the in
ceremony
ldneggatTanhldh sedhh
board,
us
caaistrbvadsaoinwodnoeidam,
tthaahkena
idtguorgi
ground
uhfoknerrirdmosolef,dinanlg)tsilemiier.
he had been deceived, and the wife was brought to bed
about eight days after the nuptial benediction. The
painter was violently angry ; the lady began by denying
aa:hviceohkrsuoensgpowtoai:
nvirfalitseur:diirhoggywenimirhte
un Thisohtn
tdnae oft
rbi seducer.
hee
scandalouse r cn du c conduct,
suit a p owl ii edi l
bring
roi
nt
gh the Courtsn e w
ques-
tion
such facts as will be proved constituted the serious injury
which the law means as the grounre stparatifin- -A
young Don Juan of 17, it is said, ittgq! a.Wtiodl,rol-
- to be entitled to the honotu7!otViktimitytri#:;:.
Paper. /...-4-;" ,""--,..,-->7:- :'. ." ' "1-11.1
.
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RECOLLECTIONS IN QUARTERS.

I. ADVENTURES IN THE WOODS.

It was after General Proctor's unfortunate de-
feat, and whilst retreating from the frontier of
Niagara, I found myself with another subaltern
and a small party of men, winding along the
shore of Lake Ontario in a large open boat.
We came up with some ladies and invalids who
had been left behind, and I was introduced by
the wife of an officer to an interesting French
lady, young and unmarried. I was requested to
take her under my care, and escort her to her
destination, as our boats afforded the only means
by which she might join her friends. As may
well be conceived, I was not sorry to undertake
the office of guardian, and placing Mademoiselle
with all care in our boat, we continued our
voyage. When the shades of evening were
dosing around us, a lowering sky proclaimed
that a storm was at hand, and whilst rounding
a bluff point of rock, rising high in precipi-
tous cliffs above the heaving waters of the
lake, severe gusts of wind, accompanied with
rain, beat directly in our faces, and conti-
nuing to increase, obliged us to pull into
a tretk for shelter. We found a miserable
hut at the head of the creek, and the
fisherman who occupied it, after assisting us to
haul our boat on shore, to secure it from the
eFeets of the storm, informed us, that three
miles further in the woods there was a comfort-
able house where the lady might be accommo-
dated. Leaving the men in possession of the
hut, my brother subaltern and myself set out
with Mademoiselle; we easily found the way to
the farm-house, as it was not quite dark when
we arrived, and found it occupied by a young
female, left in charge of it by the owners. A
romfottable fire and good cheer rewarded our
toils ; and we sat up till a late hour, loth to
leave ; but feeling it our duty to the men, and
tlie impropriety of spending the night in a house
occupied by two defenceless females, we were
compelled to return to our party. At last we
tore ourselves from the farm-house, and bearing
each a torch of split pine, we proceeded on our
way towards the shores of the lake. The wind
1314vc in mournful gusts through the dark woods,
'the path was intricate : unskilled in the manage-
ment of our torches, they were speedily extin-
guished ; and stumbling over the fallen trees,
we soon lost all traces of the path. I
urged my companion, who was greatly
bewildered by our disagreeable situation, to
quicken his steps ; but we had not advanced far
before we found ourselves entangled in the thick
brush-wood. What was now to be done we
knew not—uncertain where the farm-house lay
which we had just quitted, we could not retrace
our steps. If we wandered farther we might
either perish in a morass, or be 'lost for ever in the
boundless forest which surrounded us. The
prowling wolf or bear were not forgotten by us
----at last a thought struck me. Finding our-
selves- under a large tree, we got up into it, and
exerted our lungs to the utmost, we roared out
conjointly, and at intervals, " We're lost in the
woods! We are lost in the w-o-o-d-s 7" After
continuing this exercise for some time, a faint
halloo answered us, which gradually became
stronger, until the barking of the fisherman's
dog, and a light glimmer through the trees set
our minds at rest. The fisherman soon joined
us, and conducted us in safety to his hut. He
told us, that happening to go out for wood to re-
plenish his fire, he had heard our cries, which the
wind bore towards him, and judging from whom
they proceeded, he lost no time in search of us