490 THEATRICAr, INTEtLIGENCE. 



who humbly follow in your train. The drama of the last week's pro* 

 duce, Don Juan of Austria, is compounded of situations that elicit 

 sympathy, indignation, and regret, and afford extensive scope for the 

 acting of Bennet, Pritchard, and , the afore-named membersjof the 

 corps. Its success is demonstrated by its nightly repetition. In the 

 musical division, the little that is apportioned is well executed. 

 Ellen Romer and Miss Turpin are severally too w ell established in pub- 

 lic favour to require any thing beyond announcement. In the prosperity 

 of this theatre, one fact is evident, that Englishmen are still a play- 

 going race, that they still possess tastes for exhibitions of mental 

 feelings as well as scenic display, and that, suit but the same to the 

 purse-strings of theyearner thereof, there will be no dearth of listeners 

 and beholders. The fireside has charms, books may allure, but 

 glooms like the coiling smoke will sometimes obscure the blaze, and 

 knowledge will tire unless relieved by intellectual and corporeal 

 relaxation. — " Go to the Play !" 



English Opera House. — This elegant little theatre hath drawn 

 up its green baize and nightly caters to amuse the votaries of 

 Melpomene. Its title would have impHed Terpsichore; but albeit, as 

 theobject is to please, and, in theatrical language, to draw full houses, 

 whichever muse be worshipped, the managers need care not, be the 

 adoration but devout and sincere, and the devotees leave not a bench 

 unoccupied. The theatre has been well attended since the com- 

 mencement of the season ; the company are effective, but, to remove 

 all doubt, suffice it to say that Searle,the most unassuming, modest, 

 and gentlemanly actor of the day, leads the business, — that Mrs. 

 Keeley.with whom in her own line of characters — the Jealous Wife, 

 the Trusting Maiden, or the Scolding Shrew — none can compete 

 (her personation of Lucille in the new drama of that name being a 

 master piece of excellence), stands foremost in the list of the lady 

 part of the establishment, — that it also includes Miss P. Horton, one 

 of the most promising hoydens of the day, Mrs. Nisbett (comment 

 unnecessary), her sister and train-bearer. Miss Mordaunt, Wrench, 

 Oxberry, M'lan. Shall we go on ? Many novelties are promised, 

 that the play-wight need not hanker in vain for amusement. 



Astley's. — Reader, roe are a "family man,^' and we will suppose 

 •vno great stretch of the imagination so to do — that, if thou art one 

 of our fourth readers, thou art one too. We know of no pleasure so 

 great as watching 'he intense wonderment of our little ones at a play 

 — the subject some fairy tale, some goblin history, or antique revelry 

 — or to feel their twittering sides shake with laughter at master mer- 

 riman's drolleries, or the comicalities of a kicking horse. We remem- 

 ber our first essay, full three ten years ago,'to this preparatory school 

 of wonders and extravagancies, and the relish is to this day not many 

 jots less than it was wont to be. We never go alone. We enlist as 

 many in our juvenile gang as our neighbours or friends can part 

 with, including our own, and [take care to be in good time ; and no 

 visit of the kind is recorded with an appendix of disappointment. 

 Misapply not the hint, but go and do likewise. The present perform- 



