The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-19 00:00:00

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.

One of the most artistically-constructed dramas that
has been represented for years, was last night produced
at this theatre, under the title of The Viola. A young
lady, too, made her debiit in the character of Blanche,
the heroine, " her first appearance on the stage ;" and
unlike most young ladies who make their " first appear-
ance on the stage," the young lady in question is a most
accomplished at tiste, possessing every requisite for the
stage—a good person, a powerful well-modulated voice,
graceful action, and a thorough knowledge of stage
business—indeed, it is with great difficulty that we can
persuade ourselves that this is " her first appearance on
the stage." If it be so, hers is certainly the most
promising debiit since the days of Fanny Kemble.
The plot is very simple. Andre, a working jeweller
(Mr. Wallack), has brought up two girls as his
daughters, Blanche (the young debutante), and Blan-
chette (Mrs. Stirling). He is an old soldier of the
Empire, and the two girls were born in 1815.
One of them is the daughter of his 4general,
confided 'to his wife to nurse. The general is killed
at Waterloo, his wife having died a short time pre-
viously in giving birth to this daughter. On • his re-
turn from Waterloo' Andre receives a letter ,from his
wife, stating that she will join him in Paris'on a certain
day. Night comes, she arrives not ; morning
still she comes not. Andre sets off in search of her.
At an auberge be finds the corpse of his wife, who has
been murdered by a marauding band of Cossacks, and
the two infants. He knows not which is his.own child,
and therefore he adopts them both. They grow up to
womanhood. Blanche falls in love with Armand (Mr.
Leigh Murray) the son of Trenquet (Mr. Granby), a rich
jeweller ; the other falls in love with the Due de Lauzac.
The Marchioness D'Orville (Mrs. Fosbroke), who, during
the revolution has emigrated to Russia, arrives in Paris
to be present at the marriage of the Due de Lauzac.
Her daughter had married Andre's general, and one of
these girls is her grandchild. She demands that the
grandchild should be delivered up to her, and it is at
this juncture that the action of the play commences.
She calls upon Andre and questions him ; he is out-
rageous in his denunciationof the unfeeling Marchioness,
who had left her daughter to perish because she had
formed a niesalliance with the soldier of the revolution.
She demands her grandchild. Andre claims them both
as his ; and Wallack's acting in this scene was very
fine. He knows not which to give up—he loves
them both alike—they are both his children. In
the meantime Trenquet has got some inkling
of the real state of affairs, and he at once endeavours to
hasten the marriage between his son and Blanche,
believing that she is the heiress. The Due is about to
contract a marriage for money, and poor Blanchette is
au desespoir. Trenquet hastens the marriage between
Blanche and his son ; but the Marchioness, in the
meantime, gets a legal injunction against the mar-
riage proceeding, and poor Andre tis obliged to make
the girls acquainted with the real state of affairs. He
leaves it to them to decide who shall quit him. Neither
will consent ; they leave it to him. He is equally un-
able to decide ; he loves them both. The Marchioness
threatens to have him arrested, and Blanchette writes to
the Due de Lauzac, demanding his protection for her
father and her sister. Andre takes this letter to the
Due, who immediately breaks off his intended marriage,
and promises to protect Andre and his two girls.
In the meantime the Marchioness discovers a ltter
from her daughter to her husband, stating that
her child is marked with a violet, the emblem
of Napoleon. Thus she is enabled to recognise
Blanchette as her grand-daughter. Blanchette gives
Blanche a rich portion, which enables her to be
united to Armand, and with Blanche and Armand
Andre is for the future to live, Blanchette, who is mar-
ried to the Due, promising to visit Andre every day,
but, as Andre pathetically says, "It is not like living
with me." The Andre of Wallack is perfect. Never
has the kindheartedness, the jovial carelessness, the
utter abnegation of self, the pure, the pathetic affection
which distinguishes the old moustache.from every other
created being, been more beautifully, more feelingly de-
lineated. The domestic drama is Wallack's forte, and
his Andre is certainly his greatest character in
that line—it is superior to his Martin Heywood.
The debutante was admirable as Blanche. Mrs.
Yates, in her palmy days, could not have acted the
character better; indeed, we know of no one on the
stage who could have surpassed this young lady. She
has a bright and brilliant career before her. Her suc-
cess was complete ; not only complete as regards this
one character, but it must have been evident to every
one who saw her last evening, that she possesses talents
which only require an opportunity of development to
secure the highest position in her profession. Mrs.
Stirling, too, was excellent. Indeed, the play was ad-
mirably cast throughout; and it will not only draw
crowded houses for the season, but become a stock piece.

DRURY.LANE THEATRE.---The new opera of
Montana bids fair to become as popular as we had predicted. •
The principal singers have acquired smoothness and an im-
proved knowledge of the nuances of their characters, and the
chorus and orchestra have attained unity and precision. The
dramatic action has been brought closer together, and the
third act excised of its super-abundance and quick succession
of ballads.. A second hearing has convinced us that Mr.
u'zllace possesses a rich vein of original melody, poetical
imagn-:ation, and an intimate knowledge of orchestral treat-
ment. Hj seizes with vigour the dramatic points of his cha-
racters,and ersi.es out the thought by picturesque harmonies.
Last night the tit:atre was crowded at an early hour—the
were numerb-ns, and the applause vigorous. The
encores
principal performers were called for—and the successful com-
irtain to receive the loud grata-
poser summoned before the c;
lations of the audience.
;TSB CANTERBURY.—
DEATH OF THE VISCOUN
The Viscountess Canterbury, widow of the late Lord Can-
terbury, who for so many years filled. the office of Speaker
of the House of Commons, expired at Rodney"-Place, Clifton,
near Bristol, on Sunday evening, at half-past eight o'clock.
Her Ladyship had been for a long time suffering under a
complication of painful disorders. Latterly, by the a,:!'"ico
of her sister, the Countess of Blessington (whose attention'
during her illness have been unremitting), Dr. Storer, of
Bath, attended the deceased Countess, and treated her mes-
merically, rather, we believe, with a view of alleviating her
Ladyship's present suffering, than with any hope 6f effecting
a cure. The Countess of Blessington left Clifton, for London,
on Saturday forenoon, under the impression that her sister
was somewhat better. In the course of the day, however
an
,
Lady Canterbury's symptoms became more urgent, and
express messenger was dispatched to the Countess o
of
Band
les-
sington, who returned by the day mail on Sundy,
arrived at Bristol at about half-past two o'clock. A post-
mortem examination of the deceased Viscountess's remains
was made yesterday by Mr. Mortimr, surgeon, . and Dr.
Bernard, of Clifton, who discovered. the mortal disease to
have been abscesses formed in the live Main ady Canterbury
was ir. her 55th year. Her son, Ca Purvis, of the
Guards, was in attendance on his mother, and still remains
at Clifton. Her Ladyship's remains will be conveyed to
o
Lndon, ad from thence to the family vault at Addington,
in Surrey.n It is understood that the funeral will be strictly
priyate.