The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-04

characters were rendered Just aS we'll as thcy
could ne. the sccgrery was perfect, the lnlc-
rior of the house marvel Of good taste ana
iu,i,clotIs arrangement, the light good, ana
the audience coni posed Of clever, iashsonaoie
people. who knew how and when to ap'
MAUD. aud who did so with heartiness
which was in itself an inspiration 10 the
piayers. In fine, John Bull behaves we'll at
a theatre, not only at faShionaDlc resort,
but even ut these delightfully."- wicked places
the Aihsmbra and the Cremorne. Az
each OF these pleasant booths OF our Vanity
Fair there are saints and sinners, and
the latter behave quite as we'll and
are as demurc as the former. Nor
am l surprised at this. | have always
believed them to be the best people OF
the two. and l would not have to go
to New York or Brooklyn to demonstrate
my assertion. To man fond OF brlllant
| light and gay crowds, hallets. fireworks, and
whatnot, in an evening temperature OF 62
| 20 ca degrees. the Cremorne Gardens might
be iearfullv attractive. but it is hard to get up
an enthusiasm for these or other things at the
Cremorne when one is thinking all the time
| what a fool he was to leave his overcoat at
home. The ALEXANDRA is far warmer-more
genial. 1t is all indoors, and if you are
| caught, as was one night, by heavy rain,
! all YOU have to do is 10 jump into your ham
som and surprise your jehu 10y the liberal DO
| nation of two shilings when you get home.
| He is happy, and you are dry-tbat is TO say
your clothes are dry. As for the ballet ana
opera-boutic acting at the Alhambra, thDk
| it better than entertainments Of the same
| stvle in the United States, which vaunt them
selves far more loudly and charge you hve
or six times as much for admission. Bllt
| the distinguishing merit Of the Alhambra
| is not the acting, nor the actors, nor get the
audience. composed OF so many orders OF
architecture and Of morals. nor the very con-
vcnient bar q la americdtne, but the SIZE,
proportions. and style of the hall itself, SO
beautifully lighted. and the exquisite Stage
| scenery. Ii \ man has half an eye for the
| beautiful be can here have feast at & merely
| nominal price. The first time ] went there
| ! WAS alone, and did not stay for the after
| piece. Leaving three or four thousand peo'
pIc 10 enjoy il, and smiling my adicuS 10 the
| fair ones. who seemed to think they haG met
me before, sailed out for walk OF TWO
miles TO my hotel. / inquired the oest way
| of lad of some twenty years, VINO stooo
near the door, and after pointing II
| out he walked along as FAR as ON-
ford street, where was master OF the stu
alton aud did not need him. And on the way,
bv a question here and there, l had my
aftcrplece in the story OF real'llte drama.
When a mere child his father had deserted
his mother to take up with strange woman,
and the two were lett alone TO Il mt as Dest
they could the battle Of lie. He vas making
his twelve shilliugS IL week ss an crraud-boy
for some tailor: often had 10 90 without hi.
dinner: and generally counted two pence as
l fnrn
the theatre he could not afford, but it was an
exctcuent to him so he sait)to go down
there Of a night, stand near the door, and see
the people 20 in and out of the building. he
very often made TWO or three pence by open
ing the carriage-doors. That night he had
made some trint by going to get mug OF beer
for tue wIrl who sold CHARS III front OF The
theatre. All this was not said in complain
iug way. 1t vas the simple, natural nara
ton of 4 daily life. There was more OF 1t,
but mus pass Oh. And yet this is not the
>.ddrSt tate have heard in London. Other
/ stories | know where the element OF hope
does not even enter, and where the wish i
Simply to die if one were only prepared.
have teen lucky in respect TO the recep
ton OF orders to the g Strangers" aud the
"spcakrr'S" gallery of the House Of Com
mons. | had an order, too, to the Lords
but did not use it. / did not come here tt
be bored, if | know myself.
| There is no great question up. 10 mere
party strife there Is II truce not only IN TIT
trails OF Parliament, but in the press. Ever
before came over here knew that Mr.
GladS one had sulked out of Parliament ant
Was devoliny himself to theological cOntro
: vcrsy, and that Dlsracli was supposed to show
symptoms Of advancing age in the failure o
. his mental powers. had, therefore, given III
, any hope Of hearing great deblte in Parlla
meut, and thought only Of seeing some Q
these lions. Accustomed As | am to watcl
the daily proceedings OF Congress, | was, .
. course, bound TO see how they managed mat
ters in the House OF Commons, the body il
which touch Of life might most naturally bt
, expected. After bearing two or three rourip,
. sessions and very commonplace discussion
had what supposed to be the best oppor
tunity for this year at least. The Prince 0
| Wales, the heir apparent to the throne Of thi
mighty nation. was about 10 make forma
visit to the greatest dependency of tb,
British crown-to India, with its teemius
hundreds OF millions, with its many race
and distinct governments and princes
strange religions, traditions, mysteries, ciyisl
zatiop, produ It's, climate, scenery, history
aud future possibilities. And this visit
. was the business Of tue Prime Minister 0
England formally 10 announce to the uolls
OF Commons. Surely here was grand oppor
. ,unity for the eloquent author OF tue loun'
Duke and the wOndrous Tale Of Alr0y. Wha
would Blu Ike, or Putt, or u Clay not have don
, with such theme and such an opportunity
But though Mr.. DlSraei was received VIII
an air and attitude of elger interest that WA
/. calculated TO stir even the deadest, Hates
speaker into life, not once did he warm up
There vas the old stammer, hesitation, al
fected diilidence and Difference, bungling
mixing up OF sentences and seltc1rrectl0n
winch modern fashion has substituted II
| England for the nervous, impassoned ora
tory of Fox, Chatham, and Pitt. As for to-
matter OF Dlsraci's speech, it was guile a
much below the level OF a great OCCASION L
his manner. His labored dwelling on th'
figures and the expense OF the flslt wa
han div betles than the workingmen's orators
who Insisted that it was proper for the futur
/ King Of England TO bear his own chMges II
l making selE!-oticial visit TO the Indian pPo
/ pe. Probably, kswever, with Gladston'
before him to oppose and to critIc'se, Mi
.l.Disracli might have done vastly &eNer
Lord Harrington, the present Liberia
Header, might. perhaps, move thor
| ou.hbred horse 10 his best gan, bu
could hardly nroyoke to bis highest en-
aeavors the great, dark,browed, sluggish
leatec OF her Majes;y's Government. All
oaa say of Lord Harrington, who followed
Mr.. -Disraeli. is that Sac was, IT possible, uore
! gawty and insipid than when | saw hlm Gn
Richmond some twusFe Years ago, and that''s
putting 1t rather strong .evenan tuls island Gt
l4autogs, sober S,atement. Ike balls of The
tou.es are as muH too small Tor business ts
.t,,, how. arm ton lorua