The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-06 00:00:00

EVENING SUN

COVENT GARDEN THEATRE.

Mrs. Inchbad's comedy of Wives as they Were, and
Maids- as they Are, was produced last night at
this theatre ; and its tardy production —years after
the accomplished authoress has been consigned to
her last home—is a proof how much justice those
have to reckon on who turn their attention, to
the drama. Mrs. Inchbald was well-known and highly
.esteemed in her day, yet her first play, notwithstanding
its acknowledged ability, was allowed to rest for three
years unnoticed on the Manager's shelves; and now, up-
wards of fourteen years after her death, it is discovered
that her comedy of Wives as they Were,and Maids as
they Are, is well worth a trial an the boards of Covent
Garden. Such is theatrical caprice or prejudice, which,
aggravated by the star-system, has reduced the stage to
its present state, of all but extinction.—Airs..lnchbal
as
comedy was produced last evening with perhaps'
strong a cast as could now be mustered from the corps
dramatique of this country. The severe, though some-
what lachrymose husband, Lord Priory, (in which
character Mrs. Inchbald drew that of a very remarable
man of her own (lay) was pourtraycd by Mr. Far-
ren; Bronzely was represented by Mr. C. Mathews ;
Sir George Evelyn, by Mr. George Vandenhoff ; and the
part of the respectable Sir William Dorrillon, was as-
sumed by Mr. Cooper. The ladies were equally well
represented in the persons of Mrs. Nisbett (Miss Dor-
rillon), Miss Faucit (Lady Priory), and Mrs. Glover
(Lady Mary Ratile), the latter of whom, by her spright-
liness, made us almost forget that she might have per-
formed the same character with the same effect, and the
same youthful appearance, wherk the play originally
came out. It is not necessary to detail the plot of a co-
medy which must be familiar to most of our play-going
readers. The incidents, as well as the language gene-
rally, are conceived in the sentimental style of that
school of which the fair and amiable authoress was so
eminent a prop ; and, notwithstanding that the school
has long since given way before a more rugged, and per-
haps a more healthy state of feeling, still the elegance
and real sensibility, as well as fun and humour, which
pervade the whole performance, are such as to render
this comedy, even now, a great and a deserved favourite
with the public. We have seldom seen less of mannerism.
in Mr: Farren's .acting than was observable last night
in - his representation of the rigid, confident
Lord Priory. Mr. Charles Mattleows elicited
great and deserved applause by the happy ease
and tact which he displayed in assuming the character of
the flutteriag fool, Bronzely. Mr. Vandenhoff deserves
also a passing mention, as having made considerable pro-
gress in his performance of light comedy ; and it is no-
thing new for us to state that Mr. Meadows played old
Oliver, the steward, with his accustomed care and pre-
cision both of dress and utterance. The respectable Mr.
Cooper sustained with tolerable effect the equally re-
spectable part of Sir William Dorrillon, affording an-
other proof, if any were needed, that the old proverb,
which says " Poeta naseitur, non fit," is not applicable to
the stage, but that the very reverse is often observed—
namely, that, by dint of arduous study and long prac-
tice., an indifferent actor may at length become an en-
durable one. Mrs. Nisbett in the headlong, obstinate,
extravagant, though tender-hearted and not unprincipled.
Miss Dorrillon, was all liveliness and grace ; and Miss
Faucit (who appeared for the first time at this theatre)
gave an expression and dignity to the character of the sub-
missive and virtuous Lady Priory, which few besides her-
self could have done. The house was well attended.
HAYMARKET THEATRE.

Sheridan Knowles' beautiful play of The Hunchback
was performed at this theatre last evening, Mr. Stuart
sustaining the part of Master Walter. This gentleman
has now completely got over the nervousness under which
every actor lab Ours more or less on making his first ap-
pearance on the metropolitan boards, and we are conse-
quently better enabled to form a judgment of the posi-
tion he is likely to maintain in the dramatic world, and
that that position Kill be, if not the first, certainly
in the very first rank, we have no hesitation in 'as-
serting. His Master Walter is the best we have
ever seen, the only one which preserves that ner-
vous sensitiveness which is the never failing accom-
paniment of bodily deformity. Master Walter has,
from the innate kindness of his heart, succeeded, in a
great degree, in overcoming his natural irritability of
temperament, but still it forms the basis of his character,
and will at times burst forth in spite of all his efforts to
restrain it, efforts, however, ►which are generally success-
ful at once, and . which ultimately always succeed in
checking his temper sufficiently to prevent any disastrous
consequences ensuing from its outbreaks. This feature
of the character of Master Walter was most correctly
conceived byMr. Stuart, and developed in the most artist-
like manner. Natural irritability of temper, chastened
and subdued by kindly benevolence of feeling, has never
been more correctly delineated. In his scenes with Julia
it was evident that the fond father, while assuming the
severity of the harsh guardian, suffered pangs quite as
acute as those by which the heart of the impassioned g►irl
herself was racked ; and into the last scenes of the
play he infused a tenderness and a pathos of ►which we
never before thought the part of Master Walter capable.
Mr. Stuart has thrown more energy and ►warmth into the
part of Master Walter than any of his predecessors have
done, and to this is owing his pre-eminent success of last
evening. In his hands Master Walter is not a mare
eloquent declaimer—he is a living, moving, feeling man,
►rho, though acutely sensible of the injustice with ►which
he has been treated, is yet.too noble-minded to resist it,
even in thought. He was loudly applauded throughout,
and at the fall of the curtain he was called for, and led
on Helen Faucit, who ►was the Julia of the evening.•

MARYLEBONE VESTRY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR—May I be allowed, through the medium of
your valuable Journal, to suggest to Vestrymen the
propriety of furnishing the public Press with reports of
parochial proceedings when the regular reporters are
excluded from Vestry meetings ? This plan has been
acted upon in the parish in which I reside, and it
proved an effectual remedy, inasmuch as the old parish
jobb?rp, finding that they could not perpetrate with im-
punity their jobs as before, gradually dropped off front
attending for such dark purposes, and the affairs of the
parish are now conducted on the open, honest principle,
of fair and honourable competition,

Yours, &c.,
January 4, 1842.

TOLAUS.

THE EMIGRATION EXPEDlENT.—lndirectly
adverting to this subject, thus speaketh the Westminster
Review :—" Emigration is proposed. It may meet for
the moment many pressing evils, but it is an empedient,
not a cure. The evil lies deep in the very heart of our
present slate of social regulations and institutions, and no
palliatives will be permanently beneficial."
During the last French war, a fellow in London
who hawked the daily papers about the strgets, on find-
ing them lie on his hands towards the latter end of the
day, while he only cried " Great news," suddenly•be-
thought himself to change his tune ; and by roaring out
" Bad news" he sold more in one hour than he had been
able to do during the whole of the day before.
A mail leaving Antwerp a few clays ago for
Holland was passini, over one of the bridges of the for.
tifications, when the leading horses shied, and leaped
over the parapet. Here they were suspended fur some
time by the traces ; but, on being cut, they fell into the
ditch, and were drowned. The vehicle was held back
by the other horses and by the stone-work of the bridge,
so that no further accident took place.
The Municipal Council of Metz has voted
500,000 f. towards the Paris and Strasburg Railroad,
but on the following express conditions ; viz., That the
branch to Metz shall be carried on to the German fron-
tier, near Sarrebruch ; that the branch from Frouard to
Sarrebruck, by Metz, shall be executed simultaneously
with that from Frouard to Strasburg, by Nancy ; and
that, the above-mentioned grant shall be exclusively de-
voted to that portion of the road which runs bet Ween
Metz and the German frontier. The Council has also
expressed a wish that negotiations should be opened
with the neighbouring German States, to induce them to
bring railroads up to the frontier, to join the Metz roads.
Some days ago a woodman, named Michel, while
employed on the woods of Mailley, near Courboux,
in
the Haute Saone, was assailed by a wolf, which tore him
in several places and would have killed him, had not an-
other woodman, named Mites, come to his relief, and
scared the animal away. Having, with some other men,
placed Michel, in safety, Huot and his companions went
to hunt up the wolf, resolved to destroy him. Having
discovered him, a terrible conflict ensued ; Jollivet, one
of the men, was severely wounded and bitten in the arm
and body. The beast was diverted from him by the as-
saults of the other men, and in his rage sprang upon
the wife of one of them, and was tearing her with teeth
and claws, when the husband, a man of unusual strength,
seize4the creature by the ears, turned it on its back,
and there held it until his companions killed it with
their hatchets.
The Toulon papers state that the christening of
Mme. Allard took place, as it was announced would bo
the case, at St. Tropez, with much splendour. A
great number of ladies were present on the occasion,
and Alma. Allard, who was splendidly attired, was re
ceived by the Cure of the church under a dais of
velvet. She had given to the church a handsome set
of ornaments, cloths for the altar, and habits for the
priests in red velvet and gold. After the ceremony
was concluded, a grand gala and ball took place. This
lady, who is stated to be of small stature and delicate
form, with a complexion • quite of the Hindoo taut, is
much beloved at St. Tropez.
The Memorial of Pau relates that in the even-
ing of the 18th ult., as a band of smugglers were
coming down the mountain of Itsatsou, laden with
packets of sugar and salt, they fell into an ambush which
had been laid for them by a party of Custom-house
officers. A contest ensued, the smugglers fighting despe-
rately with their bludgeons. The Brigadier of the Cus-
tom-house officers was driven into a ditch, was severely
beaten, and would, in all probability, have been mur-
dered, had he not levelled his carbine, at one of the
most powerful, Jose Maria, a Spaniard, and killed hi:u.
It was feared that this occurrence would excite the
people of the villav against the Custom-house post,
but it being made known that the shot was notired
the inhabitants
till the brigadiers life was at stake,
siluvepr-,
were satisfied, and remained quiet.
y
qc,oi
annt i
onp
}yards IR
oE fA ts7uo /R. iEn •Lol°d,stTog7thAer wbiotXh, a
was lost from the
Indianian, on Monday
blincliinghamshire outward-bound East
evening. la,sot.
Gravesend, F,a
is going out to Bombay, isl3llffefM • i. d the
money in question, the property Messrs. lanoles
9
of Broad-street, was a
Om remitted to pay the seamen their et:N-
ow shipowners
Price,poi,tportion
na
on
fd
the C o .
s,
tomary advance of wages. before proceeding to sea. 'A
, reward of la is promped to tlie under,