Public Amusements.

divest his characters of their entire humanity . His Jew is more than half a Christain . Certainly our sympathies are much oftener with him than with his enemies . He is lionesfc in his vices ; they are hypocrites in their virtues . In all his arguments and replies he has the advantage over them by taking them on their own ground . " True , he is passionate , rancorous , fiercely vindictive ; hut , be it remembered , he is the victim of opinion . He belongs to a race which for centuries has been robbed , maimed , banished ,

and most foully vilified ; but he is not all a demon , for with the resentments which his wrongs have inevitably generated are touchingly commingled reverential regard for his immemorial religion , devotion to his sacred nation , and tender love for his child . The social and sectarian antipathies to which Shylock , in common with all his tribe , were subject were unjust as ungenerous ; and there is manifest truth in the remark of an acute critic , that " The Merchant of Venice" while it seized upon the prejudices of the

multi-, tude , and dwelt with them as a foregone conclusion by which the whole dramatic action was to be governed , had the intention of making those prejudices as hateful as the reaction of cruelty and revenge of which they are the cause . In making this purpose apparent , and in bringing out whatever there is good in Shylock ' s character with as much distinctness as its evil qualities , Mr . Booth deserves well of his audience . Nor would it be difficult to mention passages of the play where he actsif not always with brilliant

, spirit and profound passion , at least with skill , care , and judgment ; as , for instance , the scene in which he bewails the loss of his daughter , that in which he warns Antonio to look to his bond , the interview with Tubal , and the close of the trial-scene , when his assumption of mental anguish and physical prostration is certainly striking . On the other hand , there are occasions , and these not few , where the effect of the performance is marred by exuberant gesture . Mr . Booth will prove , if not a first-rate , a useful addition

to our stock of legitimate actors . The other characters may be dismissed in a few words . Mrs . Charles Young , as Portia , acts with grace and dignity ; Miss Oliver , as Nerissa , with ease and gaiety ,- and Miss Lindley makes a pretty Jessica . Mr . Howe as Bassanio , and Mr . AV . Farren as Gratiano , perform their respective parts with spirit and effect ; and Mr . Buckstone , as Launcelot Gohbo , plays with a freshness and vivacity of humour delightful to behold .

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE . It is rarely that we are enabled to record a success so signal aud deserved as that which attended tho production of Mr . John Brougham ' s new and original comedy , " Playing with Fire , " at this theatre on Saturday evening . A crowded audience returned a verdict of enthusiastic approval , without a single dissentient voice . From the commencement of the first act to the end of the fifth the spectators were incessantly alternating between pleasant

expectancy and hearty mirth , and the critical judgment could conscientiously endorse the unmistakeably expressed opinion of the multitude . The construction is admirable ; in fact , we can scarcely call to mind a play in which the imbroglio is more ingenious , without the least deviation from that clearness of purpose which is essential to the enjoyment of the spectator . The threads of incident are so dexterously entangled that diverting situations are constantly cropping up ; hut amid all this amusing perplexitythe

, story inarches steadily on towaids the full development of its admirable moral . The entire comedy is one colossal equivoque , out of which spring most mirth-provoking scenes , and the skill with which the main plot and the under plot are interwoven , so as to incorporate the two elements into one unbroken story , is worthy of special commendation . The dialogue is throughout terse ,

natural , and effective ; in some passages sparkling into brilliant repartee and witty aphorisms , in others giving voice to more serious emotions with a happy combination of polished eleganceandnervous energy . The piece was in almost every respect capitally acted . The Mrs . Herbert AVaverly of Miss Rose Leclei-cq was a thoroughly charming impersonation . The graceful repose which pervaded her entire performance , the womanly tenderness of some passages , the winning

fascination of others , and her quiet but exquisitely beautiful interpretation of the grief of the heartbroken wife , were all alike admirable . Mrs . Weston was extremely artistic as AVidow Crabstick , and , as is her custom , gave the fullest possible effect to every point , though her costume appeared to us rather more extravagantly absurd than could have been desired . Mr . John Brougham , the author of the comedy , played Dr . Savage with a polished ease and dramatic power worthy of the warmest praise . As a thoroughl

y finished and effective performance , full of genial bonhommie and quiet humour , it left nothing to be desired , and we may cordially welcome the returned truant as filling a decided vacancy on our stage . Mr . George Jordan , an American actor , made his first appearance in England as Herbert AVaverly . He has an excellent appearance , and an . extremely musical voice , -which be uses well ,

and will , no doubt , use better when he has overcome some slight Transatlantic peculiarities of pronunciation . Mr . II . AViddicomb was eminently humorous as Pinchbeck , and manfully resisted all temptation to extravagance . The result was a delightfully artisticperformance , which cannot fail to add to his already high and wellearned reputation . Mr . Ryder had not much to do as Uncle-Timothy , but what little , w-as allotted to him he did most judiciously .. The piece has been faultlessly mounted , the new scenery hy Mr . H ..

Cuthbert being remarkably elegant and appropriate . The drawingroom in the second act , especially , was arranged with a taste whicb realised the palmy days of the Olympic under Madame Vestris ' srule . Mr . John Brougham was called for at the end of the ? first act ; Miss Rose Leclercq , Miss Carlotta Leclercq , and Mr .. George Jordan shared that compliment with him at the conclusion * of the third ; and when the curtain fell upon the fifth act , after all . tho principal performers had been summoned before the curtain , Mr . John Brougham was again brought forward to receive a special , ovation as author .

CRYSTAL PALACE . —BLONDIN . M . Blondhi's engagement at the Crystal Palace approaches its termination . Advantage will be taken of the fine open weather which so often prevails in England in October to give a few more of his extraordinary representations at the Palace , but as of course the chance of unfavourable days is now much greater than during the summer months , those desirous of witnessing his astonishing feats on the long rope should avail themselves of the first fine day at command .

Besides the twenty-six ascents which Blondin has made at the Crystal Palace during the four months he has been in England , he has made between fifty and sixty other ascents in various parts of the country . Ifc has been estimated that above a million and a half of persons have attended his representations , who have paid more than £ 50 , 000 for admission to the various places of puMieresort at which he has appeared . The enormous amount could not have been raised except for the facilities offorded in England

forrapid railway transit , as must be evident when it is stated that M . Blondin has travelled upwards of 6000 miles in England to enablehim to fulfil the numerous engagements made on his behalf . M . Blondin's benefit will take place at the Crystal Palace on Monday next , on Which occasion it is anticipated he will outdo < himself ; there will he two ascents , ono at three o ' clock in theE Centre Transept , and the second at dark over the fountains , thelong rope being brilliantlilluminated with various coloured fires

y , Blondin discharging from his Niagara wheelbarrow a brilliant , display of fireworks . Besides this novelty , Blondin will carry a man on his hack ovathe rope ; he will walk on stilts along it ; also , with his head and . body enveloped in a sack ; he will run a race on the rope against time ; and , above all , will show his independence of the ordinary habits of life by partaking of a meal at a table balanced b

y himself on the rope , sitting on a common four-legged chair , alsobalanced on the rope by himself . It needs no conjuror to predict that this most extraordinary representation of this most extraordinary man will be attended b y avast concourse of persons . The attendances generally at the Crystal Palace are considerabl y larger this year than in former years ; up to the end of September

they had exceeded one million and a-half in eleven months . The issue of half-guinea season tickets , admitting up to the lsfc May next , has already been attended with much success , and as , during the coming winter season , many unusual attractions arecontemplated , the sale of these tickets will doubtless be large . Tietjens , Giuglini , and other Italian vocalists , commence a series of concerts on Saturday , 12 th October .

MADAME TUSSAUD'S . The numerous groups of figures of which this old and amusing exhibition consists , and from which it has obtained a world-wide celebrity , have , within the last week , been increased by the addition , of an effigy of the Baron de Vidil , who now occupies a conspicuous place in the " Chamber of Horrors , " or , as it is at present called in deference to the admirers of euphonious titles , "The Chamber of Comparative Physiognomywherein the waxen of the living

, proxy original has taken its station with the proxies of the most notorious malefactors of the age , and is , from the novelty of the crime for which the Baron himself now picks oakum in his prison , the most attractive novelty of the season . According to those who can , or who pretend that they can , from the features of the face discern the temperament of the mind , the features of this figure are very characteristic of the recent acts of their proprietor , and significant of the crime which has led to his

disgraceful punishment . To a common observer the effigy of the Baron is certainly characteristic of a man of strong passions , and of one who has little in his composition of tbe milder virtues of humanit y .