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Leader (1850-1860), 2nd April 1859, Edition 2 of 2, Page 22, THE REVENUE RETURNS. The Returns exhibit...

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      Rulnokss's Theatre, A .Worthy And Enduri...

      the play does not otherwise supply , of participating in this , the concluding revival of her husband ^ s management . " To the seige of Harfleur , in the second act ; which was one . of the great features of the play at Islington , the same prominence was given in Oxford-street , and with an excess in illusory , splendour proportionate to the difference between the resources of the two establishments . Amidst a hurricane of trumpet-calls ( which are , by the way , too liberally laid on through the play , in accordance with ancient custom and the directions of the text ) , a most imposing and numerous array of knights arid men-atarms , as correctly costumed and as perfectly grouped as the skill of all the talents concerned could

      contrive , enact the ascent of a breach in the embattlec walls . Warlike engines , of whose power the cool old chroniclers themselves spoke fearsomely , hurl fiery carcasses into the place . The walls crumble and the breach enlarges under a fire of artillery , Trhich we are even now not prepared to call imitative . The glittering host of bill men and archers surge upon the defences ,. which the active French repair with gabions . King Harry , in a superb harness and embroidered surcoat , animates his men in person , among the heaps of dead and dying that strew the slopes of this mediaeval Malakhof . At last , as the excitement of the delighted audience is beginning to yield to an . undeniably real atmosphere

      of gunpowder , the white flag is hung out , and the English , enter the town as the act-drop falls . A more vivid sensation we never saw produced by scenic illusion ; and the most vociferous call for the manager—who , doubtless weary , by no means courted the compliment—was , of course , the result . The next marvel of the night is a beautiful pair of tableaux , depicting the Occupations of the rival hosts on the battle eve ; but here the interference ¦ with 'the ' text is open to exception . The next scene is a well - painted moonlight view of the English position . Then follows the famous address of the monarch to . his worn and weary host , which produced , its usual electrifying effect

      upon the audience , and evoked the most accurately fictitious enthusiasm from the troops , Trhose grouping and demonstrations were wonders of stage drilling and artistieal arrangement . And now we come to the greatest wonder of the night—the reception of Henry by the citizens of Xoridon on his return . The scene represents the embattled gatehouse on the Surrey side of old London Bridge ; and the authority for much of . the scenic detail is a Latin chronicle now in the British Museum , written by a monkish field-chaplain who ¦ was with the army from its embarkation to its triumphal return . We are here indebted to Mr . Kean and his assistants for even a more perfect

      commentary upon the quaint old iUuminatecJ , and other drawings of such pageants , with which all are familiar , than they gave us in King Richard II . "A greater assembly , " says the chronicler , " or a nobler spectacle , was not recollected to have been ever before in London ; " and we may add that since the days of Thespis , a more noble spectacle lias never been seen upon the stage . The iirnple scene is alive , with a busy , curious mob , the broad colouring of whose holiday gear is so chosen and disposed as to comfort and support the eye of the spectator against the blaze of gaslight . The vails of the adjacent buildings and the rigging of the vessels bristle with spectators , and each turret and

      hearers no less by his polished delineation of the lion in love , than he did by his martial bearing on the scene of warlike action . We need hardly say , that a crowded and . fashionable company , numbering many known for their devotion to the art and their admiration of the artist in his private and public relations , were collected to do him honour . And here , as we may not perhaps have occasion to ^ report another of his managerial ovations , let us join in what is , no doubt , the universal expression of sympathy with the closing paragraphs of Mr . Ivean ' s address on the occasion , which run as follows : —

      " As the term of my management is now drawing to a close , I may , perhaps , be permitted , in a few words , to express my thanks for the support and encouragement I have received . While endeavouring , to the best of my ability and judgment , to uphold the interests of the drama in its most exalted form , I may conscientiously assert , that I have beenanimated by no selfish or commercial spirit . An enthusiast in the art to which my life has been devoted , I have always entertained a deeply - ^ rooted conviction that the plan I have pursued for many seasons , might , in

      due time , under fostering care , render the stage productive of much benefit to society at large . Impressed with a belief that the genius of Shakespeare soars above all rivalry , that he is the most marvellous writer the world has ever known , and that'his works contain stores of wisdom , intellectual ¦ - and moral , I cannot but hope that one who has toiled-for so niany years , in admiring sincerity , to spread abroad amongst the multitude these invaluable gems , rnay , at least , be considered as an honest labourer , adding ' his mite to the great cause of civilisation and educational progress .

      " After nine years of unremitting exertion as actor and director , the constant strain of mind and body warns me to retreat from a combined duty which I find beyond my strength , and in the exercise of which neither zeal , nor devotion , nor consequent success , can continue to beguile me into a belief that the end will compensate for the many attendant troubles arid anxieties . It would have been impossible , on my part , to gratify my enthusiastic wishes in the illustration of Shakespeare , had not my previous career as an actor placed tne in a position of

      Comparative independence with regard to speculative disappointment . Wonderful as have been the ye . arly receipts , yet the vast sums expended- ^ sums , I have every reason to believe , not to be paralleled in any theatre of the same capability throughout the world— -make it advisable that I should now retire from the self-imposed responsibility of management , involving such a perilous outlay ; arid the more especially , as a building so restricted in size as the Princess ' s renders any adequate return utterly hopeless .

      " My earnest aim has been to promote the wellbeing of my profession ; and if , in any degree , I have- attained so desirable an object , I trust I may not be deemed presumptuous in cherishing the belief , that my arduous struggle has won for me the honourable reward of public approval . " We were never of the hyperbolical crew who have lavished their indiscriminate but seemingly not auriferous praise upon Mr . Kean , till the very well of plain English has run dry ; but we do believe , that as actor and stage director , on the grounds he puts forward , as well as on others which he does not , Mr . Kean is well entitled to the boon he asks with so much grace and modesty .

      On Saturday , April 9 th , Miss Edith Heraud will read , in conjunction with Mr . Henry Nicholls , the Mendelssohn vereon of " Antigone , " at the ; Crystal Palace . She will support the part of the heroine , The great succes which attended the performance of Mendelssohn ' s " Ave Maria , " by the Vocal Association , lias rendered it again necessary to repeat the work , with the . whole of the Finale to the Opera of" Loreley , " on Wednesday evening next , April pth , " Two Marches , " composed for a military

      band at JJusseldorf by Mendelssohn , and a new Cantata , «« The Birth-day , " by Mr . Lindsay Sloper ( both for the first time in public" ) , will be the additional attractions of the evening ' s performance . The band and choir , under the direction of M . Benedict , - will number 400 performers . Mr . Jj \ Penny the very accommodating keeper of the free list at the Lyceum Theatre , takes his benefit on Tuesday next , the Oth instant , when we trust his numerous friends will respond to his claims on their support . 1

      PooicexCubss AND Draughts , — -A simple' and useful combination of these games has been submitted to us . A flat box , four inches square , contains a folding board j also flat chessmen , the characters stamped in gold on dark purplo and white grounds , the reverse forming draughts . It goes easily in the pocket } will servo in lieu of bettor apparatus , or aid the working out of problems , while playing , by duplication of sots . Any address can be reached , p « r book poet } ana the whole requires but seven stamps . So that it to not . surprising that its success is great .

      bartizan of the edifice on the bridge is peopled with a host of angel-children clothed in white , intoning Tbeautiful strains of welcome , composed by old trouvtres of the fourteenth century . Iforth from the Bridge-house come the corporation with keys and their insignia . Then a company of droll little angels ( their white gowns all abput their heels ) , bearing toughs of olive and laurel ; then a troop of dusky Eastern pandours ; then a Ibevy of winged gleemaidens , beating tambourines . The troops arrive , and are forced by their friends in the crowd to break

      their ranks , borne groups are formed by happy meetings , and some by sorrowing relatives of those ¦ wh o will never come back . At length Henry himself appears ; and the delight of the people knows no hounds . They rend the air with welcome ; surround the King ; and those who cannot kiss his hand content themselves with the housing of the steed . A splendid petti of bells , no puny carillonado , but a full grown , "triple bob , " forms a running bass to the shouts of the commons , and alternate with a beautiful old carol well-known to the readers of

      Chappell and wekorlin . At last , as the press permits the monarch and his steed to near the archway , a golden shower falls around him , and the limits of . theatrical invention being hero set for the present , tho drop scene falls , the audience take up the shouts , and the dismounted sovereign , after much boisterous invitation , comes simply forward to jecpivo the frenzied applause of the modern x-WMloners . Tho wooing of Catherine in Act V . oners , of course , the best of opportunities for tho < usplay of Mr . Charles Kean ' s powers ,, and lie availed Wmoelf of it with great success , delighting his

      438 The Leader. [No-Jttl ^ Ap Ril 2, 185...

      438 THE LEADER . [ No-jtTl ^ Ap ril 2 , 1859 .

      . " - . . ¦ . - Chips. Miss Victoria Bal...

      . " - . . ¦ . - CHIPS . Miss Victoria Balfe has , it is reported , been engaged by Mr . E . T . Smith for his Italian Opera . The part chosen for her first appearance at . Drury Lane is that of '" La Sonnambula ; " the Elvino will be Signor Mongini . Meyerbeer ' s new opera is , on dit to be produced at Paris this evening . It has been thoroughly rehearsed and has been ready for representation for some day s ^ It is called " Le Pardon de Ploer mel . " The Breton "Pardon" is a countryside festival of a character partly religious and partly secular . We learn from a well-informed contemporary that the libretto of Messrs . Carre and Jules Barbier is rich in the devotional , legendary , fanciful , and fantastic attributes . The ¦ overture which- is an echo of the current events in the work ' is interwoven with a Hymn to the Virgin , sung behind the scenes , which is again repeated in the

      last act . A " bergeuse" for the heroine , a grand intrata for the tenor Hoel , and the trio finale with " clochette" accompaniment , are the items of the first act . In the second act the " Shadow" air , based on a delicious waltz movement , will alone make the fortune of the opera . A buffa aria , sung by Corentin ; a fine duo between the latter and Hoel ; arid the trio finale amidst the storm , are the attractions in the second act . In the last division of the " Pardon " are songs of the hunter , of the mower * a paternoster as a quatuor , a romance by HoGl , and a duo between him and Dinorah , and finally the chorus of the " Pardon , " terminating , the work . The Imperial Theatre de l'Opera Comique will find another "Etoile dp . Norde" in . the " Pardon de Ploormel , ' * and musical Europe another masterpiece from Meyerbeer .

      Mr . Howard Paul has left for Paris , there to seek materials for a new entertainment . We have reason to . know that such apparently flimsy [ though from their vitality they may not be called ephemeral ] productions as Woodin ' s Carpet Bag , Albert Smith ' s Overland and China , Howard Paul ' s Patchwork , and the German Reed ' s entertainment give much more trouble to authors than many a heavy drama and light comedy , that the few men of admitted fitness to compose them are very shy indeed of commissions . There is no reason why the French market , which so copiously supplies the dramatic character market , should not yield treasures also to the caricaturist . Mrs . Howard Paul is , we hear , about to appear in her favourite part of Sims Reeve , at the'Britannia Theatre , where the great tenor having triumphed in person , his " double" is sure * to be appreciated .

      Mr . Lemon has just sold an elaborate line-engraving of Webster s picture , " Punch , " to the Glasgow Art-Union , which will be a sure source of gratification to the numberless subscribers of that body . ; ¦

      The Revenue Returns. The Returns Exhibit...

      THE REVENUE RETURNS . The Returns exhibit a net decrease of 809 , 712 * ., on the quarter , arid of 2 , 404 , 229 / ., on the year ending March 31 , Tor the quarter , the Customs show an increase of 25 , 943 ? ., which arises on ten , wine , and tobacco . In the Excise there is a decrease ot 64 , 0002 ., attributable to diminished receipts lor spirits in England and Ireland . Stamps exhibit an improvement of 9 , 426 Z . In Taxes , the small increase of 3 , 907 ? ., is owing to the number of new houses . The decrease of 907 , 0017 ., in Property and I ^ orae Tax , arises entirely from the reduced rates ot duty . The Post-office shows an increase of 12 . > , oou « Under the head of Crown Lands there is an increase of 2 , 0 OOZ . ; and under Miscellaneous , a decrease ox

      o , u */ f . . ,, For the year , we find in Customs an increase or 1 , 008 , 839 * ., owing to a largo increase in tho receipts of duty ' upon sugar and tobacco ; also an i"creftS ^ upon corn , currants , silk manufactures , ami ptnor articles . In Excise , there is an increase of 77 , ouw , decrease of 4 , 902 , 528 ^ in tho Property and Income Tax necessarily results from the reduce a r "; * . ^ 280 , 000 . The increase of 3 , 380 / . in Crown J , anus , and of 529 , 057 * . under the head Miscellaneous , aie casual variations . The Times remarks : — " Where taxes have boon removed and others laid on it is impossible to cuw any conclusion from the whole year ' s rovu . nuo » ow , taking those branches which have not boon nuectou bv recent legislation , wo may say that tho

      cxponuitureoftho country on luxuries hus increased , »»" consequently the peoplo may bo supposed to do prosperous . The large increaaod recoints on sugun tobacco , and other articles of foreign production » r more than compensate tho decline Jn the consumption of spirits . Trade nifty not have that feverish oxojwmont of throe years since , but tho national pnjspwjj seems to bo on a firmer basis j tho industrial classes are well employed , and the present political apfttnyv in spite of a groat question and tho most stimulating oratory , is a proof that our laws arc just , ana w * commercial system a , sound ono . "

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 2, 1859, page 22, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_02041859/page/22/