Public Amusements.

one , as the bill rather oddly states , " at the end of the opening , and tlie other at the conclusion . " As nothing is so new as what lias been forgotten , a return to ancient usage at Astley ' s introduces a novelty . There is no dialogue in the introduction , except a few words for the rival fairies . The mortals are all mutes—masked grotesques—who express themselves by action alone . Lord Dundreary ( Mr . Huline ) was a capital exaggeration of the Haymarket original , minus his lordship ' s peculiar parts of speech . A portentous James ( Mr . Leeson ) is another excellent make-up . Both are rivals in the love of

Buttercup , a rustic beauty ; the peer is assisted by the fairy Goldiva , or Wealth ; Lady Bird protects Buttercup against him , and—that is the whole store . Lady Bird ' s means of offence are a swarm of insect plagues that she lets loose on Dundreary , among them a most irritating little imp of a Mosquito , very maliciously rendered by Master Huline . The transformation scene at the end of the opening is very brilliant , as is also that at the close of the performance . Everybody should see it .

PRINCESS'S . Biqiict with the T-iift : or , Harlequin and Ifolhcr Sliipion , " is the production of Mr . E . L . Blaucliard . Around the slender plot M . Blanchard has contrived to twine some smart dialogue , anil to introduce some mirth-provoking jokas . Around it also Mr . W . Beverley , assisted by Mr . F . Lloyd , has shed the grace of some tasteful scenery , a grace particularly apparent in the senee entitled , " The Lake of the Lilies , " in which the Gossamer Genie of the piece , supported by attendant gossamers , performs in a grand ballet with

considerable effect . More picturesque , though less gorgeous , is the scene in the " Enchanted Wood , " in which the love of the Prince and Princess is told , and in which a wedding breakfast , looking rarely tempting , is , under the auspices of " Gunter the Great , " prepared . Then follows the transformation scene , which is sufficiently brilliant and pretty to procure for Mr . Beverley the honour of a call before the curtain ; and in which Clown , Mr . II . Power , Harlequin , Mr . Milano , Columbine , Miss Annie Collinson , ancl Pantaloon , Mr . Halford , make their first appearance on the boards to run their noisy and eccentric , but by no means novel course , amidst the applause of the audience .

OLYMPIC . Bohiti Hood ; or , the Foresters' Fate , is written by Mr . F . C . Burnand . It is not a pantomime , but an extravaganza , and a good one of its kind . It is smoothly and smartly written ; the songs arc admirably adapted to the music , which comprises the most popular and telling melodies of the day . and the puns and " plays upon words" are neither coarse nor riir-fetched . There are several truly picturesque and well-designed scenes . The fairy gambols , at the opening of the extravaganzatake place round a huge mushroom

, , glistening in the moonlight , and enlivened by the presence of gigantic insects constructed with notable ingenuity . " Sherwood Forest" is a picture of refreshing sylvan life ,- and the final tableau , in which Robin Hood and Maid Marian revel in illuminated beatitude , with the addition of Cupid and coloured fires , is a most appropriate scenic denouement .

STRAND THEATRE . "Ivanhoe , according to the Spirit of the Times" is one of those burlesque extravanzas of which Mr . II . J . Byron is so prodigal a producer . Ii is , of course , founded upon the Ivanhoe of Walter Scott , and in the main follows tbe plot of that story with tolerable fidelity , but the details are egregiously perverted from their original romantic turn , and male to serve the purpose of the most preposterous burlesque . The dialogue is profusely studded with those extraordinary lingual conceitsfor which the author has acquired so peculiar a

, reputation . The prominent parts in the piece are allotted to Messrs , J . Clarke and J . Rogers , who sustain them with the irresistible humour peculiar to each . Miss Ada Swanborough makes a charming flaxen-haired llowena . The other characters are judiciously distributed , and cleverly supported . Altogether this burlesque must be held to be highly successful .

CRYSTAL PALACE . The crowd on Boxing Day at the great public haunt was immense , some thirty or fprty thousand persons being present . The entertainments were devised with an accurate knowledge of holiday tastes . There was Blondin , who went through his principal performances in his best manner , and there was a Christmas tree , whose magnificent head , towering above everything , and loaded with a profusion of glittering toys , became an object of conspicuous interest . Unsworth , the notorious stump oratorwas thereand fclso the Bianchi Family .

, , Acrobats of course , were not wanting—one Barnes , a vaulter of credit aud renown , performing wonders in the art of somersaulting . The pantomime , sustained solely by Mr . E . Marshall , was likewise a great curiosity in its way . We may mention that the Palace is now very prettily and completely lighted .

CHRISTY MINSTRELS . This "Band of Brothers , " who are performing at the St . James ' s Hall , seem determined to maintain their popularity among the various recreations of the season . They have added a burlesque act ,

Public Amusements.

by which they imitate the feats of the leading acrobats , and have achieved great success with the now ballad , " Dream of Other Days , " whichis sung by Mr . Wambold . Another feature of this -entertainment is " Annie Lisle , " an old ballad sung by the same vocalist . Mr . Burton ' s " Lady Moon " is greatly admired . GALLERY OF ILLUSTRATION . Mr . and Mrs . T . G . Reed resumed their entertainment on Monday last . Mr . Tom Taylor ' s FamilLegend is still to occupy tlie greater

y part of the evening and is enriched with a fresh character by Mrs . Reed , while new situations are contrived for the butler Pilkington , tho whole being most effective , whilst Mr . Taylor ' s description of Mrs . Roseleaf's evening party is peculiarly diverting . The scenery has been entirely renovated .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COUET . —Her Majesty and the younger branches of the Royal Family are still at Osborne . H . R . II . the Prince of Wales , is at his shooting seat in Norfolk . It is officially announced that the marriage of the Prince will take place early iu March . It is arranged that ; the Princess Alexandra will come to her adopted country on board the Queen's own yacht , aud will land at Gravesend , where she will be met by her royal bridegroom . The Prince and

Princess will then make a public entry into London , and with their suite will proceed in her Majesty's carriages with military escort through the metropolis to Windsor . It is also announced that soon after the marriage the Prince anil Princess will hold au evening reception at St . James ' s Palace , where ladies aud gentlemen with invitations from the Lord Chamberlain will have an opportunity of presenting their congratulations to the newly-wedded pair . Several

leevos and drawing-rooms will be held throughout the year , where the Prince of Wales or one or other of the Royal Princesses will represent her Majesty . It will be seen that two accidents of a somesimilar kind have occurred almost simultaneously in Berlin and the Isle of Wight to the Crown Princess of Prussia and to the Princess Alice , by the upsetting of their carriages . Happily neither accident has had any very serious result , the ladies escaping with a few

bruises . The accident occurred to the Princess of Prussia on the 29 th ult , and to tbe Princess of Hesse on the 31 st . GENERAL HOME NEWS . —The deaths in London registered in the week ending last Saturday exhibit an increase on the returns of three previous weeks . The number was 1553 . The average number of deaths derived from the returns of the first week of the year in ten years , 1853-62 , becomes , with a correction for increase of

population , 1454 . It appears from this statement that almost 100 persons died in the week above the number that would have been recorded if the average rate of mortality had ruled . Five nonogenarians died in the week . The two oldest were a man and a woman , aged severally 91- j-ears . Last week the births of 1099 boys and 1047 girls , in all 2146 children , were registered in London . In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1853-62 the average number (

corrected ) was 1918 . Mr . William Brown , of Liverpool , Mr . Frank Crossley , M . P , Mr . David Baxter , of Dundee , Mr . Henry Rich , late member for Richmond , Sir D . Cooper , the first speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales , and Mr . Thomas Davies Lloyd , of Broivwyldd , " a Welsh gentlemen of ancient lineage , " have been created baronets . The Royal Commissioners have handed over the exhibition building at South Kensington to Messrs . Kelk

and Lucas , the contractors . Nothing , it seems , has yet been decided with respect to the future destiny of the structure , but a proposal , which has not so far , it is said , received much encouragement , has been made to the more influential of the guarantors to assist in a project for preserving the building as a place of resort for the general public . " Tlie English navy on tho 1 st instant , numbered 1104 ships of all classes , including a numerous fleet of gunboats . At the

same date there were 43 vessels on the stocks at the Government and various private yards . There is a Labourers' Encouragement Society at Bomsey , and on Wednesday the prizes awarded by it to deserving labourers were distributed by Lord Palmerston . His lordship , before bestowing the prizes , said a few words in commendation of the system of giving such awards , and exhorted the labourers to be temperate and industrious , —Lord Palmerston lias promised to attend