Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1855-02-01
NEWPORT, January Is, 1855.

summer is gay; that we have no resour.
ces when the Beach and the rocky coast
sparkle in robe Of ice; when the hotels
are deserted, nay, almost uninhabited, and
the sweet strains of the Germanians give
way to the din OF the ocean and the sea-
news wild clang. 1t is true we have not
the excitement Of city life no concerts,
no opera-Grisi and Mario would smile If
desired to appear before the audience we
could gather-balls meet with little favor
and gaiety in the fullest sense we know
not, nor covet we the position that re-
quires
"A thousand cards day at doors to leave,
And IN return a thousand cards recievs."
But Newport, nevertheless, has many
charms, "though the birds are hushed and
closed the dropping flowers" )" and it mat
ters not how darkly Natures brow may
scowl, her winter evenings more than
equal the excitements of the season." that
"Like empt, shadows, pass and 81 do away"
The present winter has attractions sell
dom known in place so quiet and indiffer-
ent to The scenes enacted beyond the limits
of our little isle ) our circles are larger than
usual, many have been induced to forego
the pleasures and the mud of New York
for the society they meet here, the assem-
blies have been well attended, and while
the young charm US with their presence,
those Of ripper years, not unwisely, deem It
becoming in them to smile when Beauty
smiles and own the powers of the witchng
! elf
might entertain you with description
of the charades that have weekly been en-
acted with considerable success, and the
many hits-pointed but harmless-made on
these occasions would bear repeating, but
pass over these to speak more fully of the
performance, on Wednesday evening, of the
youthful Queen" by Chas. Sherman, at
Malbone Place, the hospitable mansion Of
Hon. j. Prescott Hall.
This was unquestionably the party of
i tllU scuSOn, anu dS Il buou III tnC opuCiouo
rooms of an edifice-one of the most impo-
sing on the Misunderstanding OH the site Of
house famous in the annals of Rhode Is
land, | could not suppress the satisfaction
it afforded me to know that these broad
| lands and ancient cedars had fallen into the
hands Of one so worthy to possess, and so
strongly attached to the spot. After the
lapse of a century, the garden has again
been eaborately laid out, the banks and
terraces have been restored, shrubbery and
groves of young trees have taken the place
of dead wood and tangled brush, and the
artificial ponds, supplied by tiny stream
"Sailing unseen, unheard,
Through the long grass ,aHd round the twisted roots
Or aye trees, discovering where it runs
By the fresh vcrdure"-
again swarm with gold and silver fish AMI
the spotted trout.
Mr. Hall has made this his permanon t
residence, and may he and his amiable lady
long enjoy the blessings that have fallen to
their lot.
The play of "The Youthful Queen" is
taken from the story of Sweden, and rep.
rescnts phase in the life Of Christina, who,
regardless of the counsel of Count D'Ox-
cnstiern, the chancellor of her iathcr, Gus
tavus, and the guide of her youth, bestows
iavors on ambitious favortes, and would
even in a rash moment elevate to the throne
an adventur,r, who renounced Emily to
gain her hand, and who would have accom-
plished this mad project, but for the SELL
sacrificing devotion of Count d. Oxenstiern
to the Queen. The princi al characters
are Count Orenstiern, the chancellor,
Frederick Berry, a soldier Of fortune. In
love with Emily, and in favor with the
Queen, he breaks with the former when
raised up the ladder by the latter, but thro'
the skilful maneuvres Of the chancellor he
is led to marry Emily, and for this step he
and his bride arc sent from Court. Count
Steinberg a courticr, and cousin to Berry,
| a conceiled fellow, who ascrbes his rapid
promotion to his own talents, rather than to
his connection with the Queens favorite.-
Christina, Queen of Sweden, aged severn
teen; Emily, niece to Count D'Oxensticrn,
and in love with Frederick, but thwarted
by the Queen and her uncle, (who have
vastly different objects in vicw,) she seeks
to leave the court, in which she succeeds
in the sequel, having first been married to
Frederick by her uncle's orders, to prevent
the Queen STOPPING to n subject.
These several characters were sustained
most admirably the parts we're well stu
died and were performed in manner that
elected the wurmcst sppluuse The ven
cradle appearance Of Count Oxensiiern
and his dignifed manner, contras ID strong
ly with tho airs of the coxcon.b, Count
Stenberg, and he impetrositv and vascilla.
ton Of Frederick while the spirit and FIRE
of the Queens ungovcrned will were hap
PLY balanced by the tindity and reserve 30
necessary on the parl u Emily. The cos
tunes prepared for the occasion were cost
ly and in perfect keeping, and the Queens