The Sun. — 1829-09-10 (London, England)

ENGLISH OPERA-HOUSE.  Last night a new musical drama, entitled 21e.44; Recruit, was brought out at this theatre. The plot w —which by the way is ingenious and ably wrought out—is something to the following effect :—Albert Ritzier (Mr. J. 'VINING) has long been the terror of the invaders, but after many victories, he is at length bereft of almost the whole of his brave supporters, and, in order to secure the safety and cornfort of his wife, Agnes (Miss KELLY), he presents 17, himself at the French out-posts, and agrees to accept of the terms offered to him in the proclama- .0 tion of the French commander,—namely, to enrol himself in the army of the tyrant who had devastated his country. His proposition is joyfully accepted, and he is allowed to proceed to the habitation of his wife, under his promise, as a soldier, that he will return by sun-rise on the morrow. He proceeds to his mountain cottage, and is received with delight by Agnes; but she is a Spartan wife, and when she learns that her once patriotic husband has sold himself to slavery, as she calls it, though it was her melancholy situation which urged him to take a step which he detested, she immediately determines to send him back to his old trade of mountain skirmishing and starvation. For this purpose, she drugs his wine so liberally, that, instead of sleeping for a night, his nap extends to two nights, and a considerable portion of the third morning. The lady takes this step, in the belief that her husband, finding himself likely to be proceeded against as a renegade, will at once betake himself to his ancient haunts. When Ritzier is awaked, he is gratified by the agreeable intelligence that a company of French soldiers are advancing to seize him as a deserter. His lady now becomes sensible of the folly of her conduct, and pathetically beseeches Ritzier to save himself by flight. He, however, patiently awaits the arrival of the detachment, until Agnes, looking from the casement, exclaims that it is headed by Pierre Petard (Mr. 0. SMITH), a French grenadier, who had endeavoured in Ritzler's absence to corrupt her virtue. Of course the feelings of the mountain chief are excited to madness, and he fires, and apparently brings down the assailer of his honour. But it afterwards turns out that Pierre Petard has brought himself down. By some intuition, and just as Ritzier's rifle is discharged, a lucky thought enters his head to tumble down a precipice, to conceal himself in a cave, to wait until Ritzier is shot for his supposed murder, and then start forth and woo the widow !.! This scheme is, however, defeated by one Hans Frankhausen (Mr. KEELEY), a village pedagogue, one whom the gods will not make poetical, much as he desires it. This wight is deeply enamoured of Elise the sister of Agnes, and having, through the trickery of Picrra Petard being led to believe that the lady is false to him, he enlists for a soldier. The Colonel, however, wants long measure, and as he is short measure, he is, to his great comfort, for he finds that his mistress has been calumniated, sent about his business. But his connexion with Ritzier leads him into a fresh scrape, and to escape from danger he retires to a certain cavern. To this cavern Pierre Petard also resorts for concealment, and, charged with the news that the intriguing serjeant still lives, Frankhausen hastens to his friends, and the drama ends, as most dramas do, to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. Mr. KEELEY'S performance of Hans Frankhausen was lively and amusing; and the little part of Elise found an efficient representative in Mrs.