The Theatres, &C.

THE THEATRES , & c .

— : o : — BELLE VUE GARDENS . MANCHESTER

IN some fashion Hello Vuo may bo said , like some of its strange zoological occupants , to hibernate . Tho marmots thero went to sleep last November , having us u preparatory step got themselves into a line condition of fatness . Thoy have jtu-t wakened up for the summer . It cannot bo truly said that the great institution which Btrotches from Gorton to Lougsight ever goes to sleep in that seur-e . It has phases of active , prosperous , and huulthy lifo which are

always throbbing Bnd which supply much rjuiet pleasure for those observers who have thf curiosity to explore tho Ziologieal Gardens any time from Wnii-w . oek to tho fifth of November . But the wonderful establishment begins a now life for tho publio ou the Whit-week Bank Holiday evory year . For that renewed existence special efforts aro always mado by tho tkilful hands und heads of its

clever conductors . The Gardens now aro at their very best . The spring season for occe has goto right . Its lateness bus given trees , shrubs , and flowers a chance , nnd they havo triumphantly emerged from tho winter fight with hostile surroundings ia an unusual st-Ue of freshness and beauty , which wonld have delighted the eyos of the first Mr . Jennison , to wnoso foresight the long avennes of trees and

the greenage generally may be said to owe their earliest existence . It goes without saying that whilst nature has beeu doing her share , art and industry , directed by the Jennison brothers , havo contributed their quota . The general result is an appearance of complete preparedness for the new season which , to the innumerable people who wish well to Belle Vue GardenB and its proprietors , is iu the highest

degree pleasant to notice . It is natural that Messrs . Danson ' s remarkable production , in the form of the great outdoor picture , should first attract the visitor ' s attention . In size it is nnique . But it is not a mere question of bulk . As a downright and < -traightforward piece of scene painting such a picture as that which faces the spectator who sits on the

stand has surely no rival in this or any other country , nnd never have the gifted brothers done a cleverer piece of work . It will be seen in two very different aspects . In the daylight and with the snn on it , it is wonderfully beautiful . In the centre is the Bay of Cadiz . The bay itself stretches from the border of tbe lake for miles inland , till it is lost amongst the Andalusian hills , which show themselves

in the far off distance as a background . As wc sat on the stand the other day , thanks to a particularly ratified air , our own Peak range in adjoining Derbyshire was clearly visible . Previously we had thought respectfully of the Peak . But we can seriously assure tbe readers of this description that its loftiest and most striking heightB do not stand the ghost of a chance with these same Andalusian hills

as pictured by Messrs . DanBon . That old difficulty of perspective is to the public as unsolved as ever . How this perfect idea of far-off distance can be got out of the few feet of space , which explorers of the little island on whioh the picture stnnds know is alone available , is a secret which only a great scenic artist could explaio . Here one can see its results with a perfection which would be incredible if it

wero not stretched out before onr eyes . The left of the picture is taken np by a great mass of lighting ships , which are crowded together . Their grim port-holes suggest direful things , whioh we know will happen at night . On the right aro the rugged promontories of San Sebastian , with its forts and lighthouse . About tbe bay move tho native ships , which sail to and

fro with an easy natural motion which most be seen to be believed , and the whole effect of the picture is most striking , aud what is even more remarkable , most original . We congratulate the Dansons very heartily on it . At night the peaceful aspect of things is changed to something much more Inrid and dreadful . The Brothers Danson have , from time immemorial , more or less , made history for untold

thousands , and they will this year nightly unfold some very exciting chaptors in onr " rough island Btory " for tho benefit of visitors to BolleVue . The action which takes place includes no fewer than three episodes in the life of Nelson . In the first place the grim line of battleships fight out the battle of St . Vincent ; then our fleet attacks and bombards Cadiz , and then that memorable scene in the cockpit of the Victory , the death of Nelson , is faithfully reproduced .

Last of all , whilst shells rattle and rockets and fiery serpens fill the air , the whole front of the picture works out with a trio of portraits —Nelson , Collingwood , and Jervis , and iu the full glory of their appearance the curtain is , so to speak , rung down . This part of the great show is very brilliant , and it will be surprising indeed if the picture and the moving stories it tells do not surpass tho splendid record which the Dansons havo established for themselves in theso

matters . The difficulty in briefly noticing the other attractions of the Gardons is to know in tho first place where to begin , and in the second what to leave out . We suppose no ono has ever been bold enough to attempt to count the number of zoological specimens to which Mr . James Jennison devotes so much tenderness and care . Of

course one s old friends iu tho ferocity department one always recognizes again with pleasure . The elephants now number three , and thoy are ns cnte as ever . Apparently tnnir appetite for small biscuits is insatiable . To see the way in which they will scornfnlly reject a halfpenny or a sixpence , which they generally throw at ihe practical joker who gives it to them with no amiable intent , is

the founiesfc thing in the world . The wihness , too , with which if thoy receive three or four pennies at once , they put all but ono away and uso them in turn so as to get a biscuit for each , is quite irresistible . The few people who wero fortuuato enough to seo the hippopotamus and tho rhinoceros arrive in tho gardens sixteeu or

seventeen years ago as delicate babies would surely not , recognise them now . So critical wus tho state of health of tho interesting iufants then that it was necessary to sit up with and to coddle thorn , and even then tho naturalists of tho establishment had to " give thorn up" as hopjlosa . But uow there iu

The Theatres, &C.

no reed to bother about tbeir hoalth . Grown altogetbor beyoi d recognition , they are obviously rejoicing in their strength una ugliness . For they aro assuredly tho ugliest creatures iu the gardens or anywhere olse . Tho hippopotamus iB now not unlike a huge black pig , with a vast cavernous mouth aud hugo

tusky teeth . He is not on the whole good tempered in these days , but tie is propared to open his mouth to allow Mr . Jennison to throw a hnudful of raisins therein . Then lis shuts it np again with a groafc click and his little eyes twinkle with pleasure . The rhinoceros never coudesconds to look pleased , and the boldest , civo him a wide bortb .

lhe original road-maksr , naturalists say ho is , for with his armouri . lated body and legs unit hii rippitg mouth and hpad ho can go anywhere una tramplo on or tear up obstacles which others wholly declino to face . Altogether he is a fearsome-looking creature and attractive accordingly . What need is there to speak of the largest monkey honso in the

world . Its attractions never fail . This year it promises to be particularly fascinating , for it is full of tho most varied and curious specimens of tho strange species . Amongst the newost and oddest occupants is a chimpanzee , whioh has recently been brought fiom the West Coast of Africa . Tho chimpauzeo " has views of its own superiority , which it never forgets . It will have nothing to do with

buboons or ordinary monkeys , which it apparently regards as common trash . It will neither eat nor play with them . But its existence is perhaps none the happier for tliat " Certainly it makes in its efforts to talk , which are very remarkable efforts , well worth tho scientist ' s attention , some of tho oddest and saddest sounds which ears have ever listened to . Pnt a raisin jnst out of the reach of its long armB ,

and it raises such a pathetic complaint , such a heart-breaking wail , that thero is no resisting it . The Chacma , the Hamadryde , and the Anulus Baboons , which live in adjoining cages , are troubled with no compunctions as to gentility , and they aro fiendishly clever . Their latest achievement in the matter of accomplishments is in connection with the notorious penny-iu-the-slot arrangement . ' They havo found

ont that a penny inserted in a mechanical contrivance which they find in their cages will produce satisfactory results in the shape either of a biscuit or a tiny bottle of milk , and the energy and earnestness with which they devote themselves to their task are quite irresistible . They are certainl y the cleverest of creatures , and

with an infinite variety of movement and trick which explains their never-failing popularity . We are glad to congratulate the female Mandrill , who for eighteen years has ruled the fortunes of the big cage in the centre of the house , on her continued and prosperous existence . One has only to watch the proceedings in her little king , dom for a very brief period to realise that her rule is as absolute and as cruel as ever .

We wonder how many thousands of people there are in the north of England who havo learnt their only object lessons in natural history at Belle Vne ? Certainl y it would be difficult to find a better place for such studies . We are told that the closing of the Soudan by rebellious tribesmen has cut off tho most fruitful source of supply for the zoological department . Certainly nobody would suspect that

from the appearance of the cages , and whatever the difficulty , the Brothers ^ Jennison have evidently surmouuted it . The mere enumeration of tho strange croatures— birds , beasts , and reptileswhich fill the placo would be a gigantic task . Who but a trained naturalist , for instance , could give us any details off hand of tho Leucorvx , tho Aondad , the Axis Deer , the Gnn , the Jubirus , the

Curassows , the Millvago ? Tho Kangaroos havo a big colony all to themselves . The Penguins remain as they always were , the most brilliant of eccentric comedians . The individual occupants of tho sea-lion house may change , but the performing ability of thoso occupants never . Lion 3 , tigers , leopards , bears of every colour , size , and nationality , hytonas , and hideous snakes , and in fact every one

of the other countless members of this vast menagerie are apparently just as ready and eager for visitors as the proprietors themselves . The lakes , and the steamers and boats which sail thereon , aro quite worth a paper to themselves . Belle Vue is the only school of rowing with which certain sections of Lancashire folk are familiar , and a wonderful school it is , in which there is ncthing bat harmless

fun aud no chance cf danger . The mazes , the electric lighting , which is developing by leaps aud bonndp , the music and the dancing , and above all the unique refreshment arrangements are all in their way just as remarkable as the excitements to which we havo drawn special attention . Each of the great departments is in its fullest condition of rendiness , and with that most inadequate reference wo

shall have to leave them . Rival attractions come and go with tho gliding years , but no permanent impression is ever made on the public mind which in any way threateus Belle Vue . The Messrs . Jennison and the great institution they rule so ably havo gained a placo in tho affection and regard of the masses from which they are never likely to bo displaced . —Manchester . City News .

Horticultural Exhibition . —The splendid weather that linn been experienced since the opening of this charming exhibition , has contributed tha one thing needful to ensure its success . The grounds have been crowded each day with delighted visitors , and tho jaded Londoner depressed by the burden aud heat of the day may enjoy n few hours of peaceful enjoyment listening to the stirring music of

Lieut . Dan Godfrey ' s fine band , and the no less artistic orohostra of " Le Garde llepublieuico " from Paris . Tho attractions of Colonel Cody ' s " Wild West Show" bnvo been enhanced by the arrival of it U'oup of Cossacks , under the command of Princo Ivan Mnkharad / . o who , so far as horsemanship is concerned , will cause tho Gow Boys to look to their laurels . Tho entertainment is highly excitiug , aud is thoroughly well worth aeoin ; ' .

At the la 3 t momer . t tho production , at tho Princess ' s , of tho t . ow phi } - , " Strathlognn , " announced for Monday evening , WHS postpone I until Thursday , the 9 th inst ., owing to the elaborate nature of th's scenery , which was found not to be in working order at Saturday ' s dreuu rchcarual . We hopo to jjivc a notice oi the pieou next week .