The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-21 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

Lord Byron's tragedy of Marino Faliero was performed at
this theatre last night, for the benefit of Mr. Macready. The
impression it made upon a thronged audience may be regarded
as the completion of that tribute which, though late, has now
been fully rendered to a poet who has been so unduly depre-
ciated since his death as he was, perhaps, in some respects,
overpraised during his life-time.
There is no occasion for criticism on a drama so well known
as this of Marino Faliero. The dialogue has been very ju-
diciously cut down, giving increased rapidity to the action of
the piece, but leaving unimpaired the poetry of its passion.
It was pleasant, ever and anon, by some magnificent burst of
emotion or splendour of imagery, to feel revived, as from the
dead, sensations of long passed years, when Lord Byron
first, by " thoughts that breathe and words that burn,"
commanded the world to acknowledge him for a poet.
Such an instance is that of the passage, in the scene be-
tween the Doge and Angiolina, commencing "where
is honour, innate and precept-strengthened," of which
Mr. Macreadv's superb recitation produced an effect
only surpassed by the sustained grandeur of his delivery of
the prophecy at the close of the drama. The Doge is nicely
discriminated by Mr. Macready from other characters in some
respects similar, in which he has so often and so powerfully
wrought upon the feelings of the audience. This is a fine, full-
blooded old man. His irritability is that of the heart and not
of the nerves. There is no dotage in his tenderness. There is
no imbecility in his wrath. Our homage is always rendered to
the reality and intensity of his expression. The air of reality
imparted by the almost continuing presence of Mr. Macready
in the scene, is aided by those accessories which he so well
knows how to direct when numbers are required; as in the
gathering of the conspirators, and the sitting of the council. In
her appeal to the senators, and her parting scene with the Doge,
the skilful acting of Miss H. Faucit preserved all the dignity
and sweetness of the character of Angiolina. Mr. Phelps and
Mr. Elton, as Israel Bertuccio and Bertram, were thoroughly
efficient. Mr. Macready was called for, after the play, to be
greeted with enthusiastic acclamations.

IMPORTANT EXPERIMENT AT
THE ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.

Dr. Payerne, yesterday, in the presence of many scien-
tific men of undoubted skill and great reputation, descended
below the surface of the great well in the Royal Polytechnic
Institution, and remained there for the space of three hours,
shut up within the diving bell, and totally excluded from all
possibility of obtaining external air, inasmuch as the only
aperture by means of which air is supplied to the ordinary
tenants of this diving apparatus was completely and effectually
closed up. The sole apparatus with which Dr. Payerne pro-
vided himself was a small square box, which he carried down
with him, and in which it must be presumed were kept con-
tained the magical ingredients by means of which he kept life
in himself during his prolonged sojourn under water. A
lighted candle was also, for the convenience more of the spec-
tators than of the experimentalist, taken down with him, and
on his return to the surface, after three hours s' ay, Dr.
Payerne protested that it had given him as much trouble to
keep the flame burning as it would have done to have supplied
the means of breathing below the surface of the water to seven
ordinary men.
It was arranged previous to his descent, that Dr. Payerne
should give a signal to the observers of his being still alive
every five minutes during his stay under water, an engage-
ment which he punctually fulfilled to the great gratification
of the spectators, who sat wondering what the experimentalist
could be about, and how he contrived to get his supply of air.
At the expiration of the three hours Dr. Payerne made his
appearance again, without seeming in the slightest degree ex-
hausted or inconvenienced, but, on the contrary, expressing an
earnest desire to renew the experiment if any person present
remained incredulous as to what he had witnessed. On inquiry,
Dr. Payerne stated that the mode by which he sustained life
beneath the surface of the water was so simple that a child
might practice it successfully. and that there was no danger
that the materials would be exhausted however pro-
longed the stay, or whatever might be the number of
persons dependent upon them for the means of breathing; as a
proof of the perfect calmness with which the experiment was
conducted, Dr. Payerne registered the variations of the ther-
mometer which he carried down with him every 10 or 12 mi-
nutes, the result showing a difference only of 14 degrees, the
two extremes being 594 to 61 degrees. The experimentalist
further stated, that he had first essayed the efficacy of his pro-
cess in a chamber hermetically sealed, and that he had never
had an opportunity afforded him of making a trial under water
before the occasion at present referred to.
The results were perfectly satisfactory, though at the same
time they appeared very surprising to the persons assembled to
witness the experiment, and there will be little or no doubt
felt as to the reality of the whole proceeding, when we state
that amongst the most attentive and watchful observers of the
process were General Pasley, of the Royal Engineers, Profes-
sor Faraday, Sir W. Baynes, Bart., Captain Kerr, Mr. Vi-
gors, and other scientific persons.