The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-28 00:00:00

HAYMARKET THEATRE.

A new, one-act farce, entitled The Miseries of Human
Life, was produced here last evening. The hero, or
victim—mem chose—is a certain Mr. Ally Croaker (ad-
mirably personated by Webster). He is a housekeeper
and a single man, possessed of an invaluable servant in
Margaret (Mrs. Humby), a worthy friend, Mr. Mildmay
(Tilbury), and a good property. But Mr. Ally Croaker
is not content; he wishes to purchase certain houses in
Texas-terrace to round his property, and also to take
unto himself a wife in the person of a widow, Mrs.
Courtney (Mrs. L. S. Buckingham). He wishes for a
new coat, in which to appear before the widow, and he
orders it accordingly ; and he wishes to comfort his
inner man by devouring a roast partridge for breakfast,
which partridge is duly prepared by Margaret. Now
Mr. Croaker hateth flattery, and accordingly, having
roundly rated Margaret for being eloquent in his
praises, she, to please her master, describes him as an
avaricious, violent brute, to Mrs. Courtney, and sends her
away disgusted. Proud of what she thinks her triumph,
she relates what she has dope to her master, who has just
come in wet through, and splashed up to his eyes, for
the rain is falling in torrents. He calls for his new coat—
it has been taken off by Mr. Mildmay, and he has nothing
but a monkey jacket in which to make his appearance
before the lady. Hungry and tired, he calls fur break-
fast—it is not ready; in a towering rage he discharges
Margaret, and quits the house. Mr. Mildmay, who has
been asked to breakfast, arrives true to his time, having
previously purchased the houses in Texas-terrace. Find-
ing Margaret in tears, he inquires the cause, and imme-
diately engages her as his own housekeeper, while
he is devouring the partridge; and when Croaker returns
he finds himself minus houses, breakfast, and servaer.
Mrs. Courtney arrives, and has an interview with him.
She drops her handkerchief ; in stooping to pick it up
Croaker bursts a brace-button, and stands a figure of
awkwardness until, by a hitch in a buckle, he is enabled
Ito remedy the mischief. He unwittingly offends her by
abusing her kith and kin ; and he, in an agony,
sits down on her bonnet, and upsets a table full
of china. Mildmay now enters, and being left alone
with the lady, offers and is accepted, and Croaker,
deprived of coat, breakfast, houses, and wife, by his evil
genius, Mildmay, orders them all to quit the house,
determining to shut himself up alone, and brood over his
miseries. But his cup is not yet full. lie is arrested
by a policeman for an assault on a cabman, who, having
been desired to drive him to the Stock Exchange, sets
him down at Bedlam. Thus far all went well. The dia-
logue, which is written with great piquancy,
went trippingly off, and the incidents followed
each other with such a rapidity, that the
house was kept in a continual roar. But the piece
ends with a dangerous tag. Margaret whispers some..
thing to Croaker, who, therefore, comes forward, and,
addressing the audience, says that he has learned that
certain friends who promised to support him are absent,
but that he trusts the audience will do what they pro-
mised to do, and that thus they may enjoy, for many even-
ings to come, a hearty laugh at The Miseries of Human
Life. This tag was received with unequivocal symptoms
of disapprobation ; the opposition were, however, out-
voted, and when Webster, after the fall of the curtain,
announced that, favoured by the approbation of his
friends, the piece would be repeated, there can be no
doubt that the ayes had it. The house was crowded in
every part.