Public Amusements

with the same gentleman affords ample gratification to a good and laughter-loving audience every evening . FEDERALS AND CONFEDERATES Mr . Henri Drayton , at the Polygraphic Hall , has no reason to complain of a want of patronage to his highly-interesting pictorial and musical entertainment upon the position of Confederates and | Federals of America , which conveys a great deal of amusement ancl instruction at the same time ; and the more it is heard the more popular will it become .

GAL 1 ERY OF I 11 USTRATION . Among the Easter offerings none are likely to prove more acceptable than the Charming Cottage of that well-assorted trio , Mr . aud Mrs . German Reed aud Mr . John Parry , in their own persons , undertake to find a " charming cottage " for some friends ( Mr . and Mrs . Crotchet ) , who in clue time arrive , to find ont the very superficial nature of the charms of their newabode—sofas with , ruptured springs , chairs with fractured legs ,

bell-ropes susceptiblle of instant dislocation , and a host of minor disagreeables , call forth the domestic othesis of the newlyarrived pair ; who , by the bye , have a very pretty quarrel " on their own hook , " and which is added to by the criticisms of their various friends as they arrive . The music , composed by Mr . Reed , is throughout lively . A very pretty seence has heen prepared for the occasion , and the whole has been produced with great care and finish under the immediate supervision of Mr . Reed .

EGYPTIAN HAIL . The Evening Party has been replaced by clever and highly amusing sketches of some of the people who attended it , furnished by two of the company , personated by Mr . Power and Mr . Yates , whose unsparing criticism is not the less enjoyable that everybody knows somebody who is or might be in the mind's eye of the critic . The dialogue is smartly written , and abounds in reflections on " absent friends , " the uncharitable nature of which does not prevent their being keenly relished by the audience .

QUEEN'S CONCERT ROOM HANOVER SQUARE . The already numerous tribe of entertainers has received a new accession in the person of Mr . David Fisher , iu whom the playgoing public will recognise a clever actor , who , both at the Princess ' s and at the Adelphi , displayed a more than average aptitude for the ordinary business of light comedy , and a decided [ speciality for clerical fops ancl Abbes gallants . His entertainment , entitled Fisher ' s Facts and Fancies , is a

collection of musical ancl dramatic sketches . The introductory observations of Mr . Gabriel Gag might be advantageously abbreviated ; ancl a lyrical travestie of The Two Gentlemen of Verona would also be improved by undergoing a judicious process of compression ; but the other parts of the entertainment have a conciseness of plan ancl execution which adds not a little to their general effect . Mr . Fisher is assisted in the musical parts of his entertainment bMiss Kilpaekwho

pery , forms brilliantly on the piano , and by Miss Kate Mellon , a young vocalist of some promise , who sings a few legendary ballads in a melodious voice , though scarcely with the distinctness of articulation which that kind of composition especially requires . . MRS . FANNY KEMBLE'S READINGS OF SHAKSPERE . After an absence of six years , Mrs . Fanny Kemble has

resumed her Shaksperian readings in London . The choice of " As You Like It , " to open the series of readings with , must be considered a very good one . Essentially a pastoral drama , devoid of rude action , full of contemplative truths , it stands in less need of the adjuncts of acting , scenery , and dresses to make its beauties apparent than any other of Shakspere ' s plays . From first to last " As You Like It" was given in a conscientious manner ; not a speech was slurred over , not a character received scant justice . The readings are to be continued every Monday , Wednesday , and Friday evenings .

MADAME TUSSAUD'S . Iu the days when we were young Mrs . Salmon ' s exhibition was one of the lions of the day , and not to have seen it would have been deemed as showing a want of taste on the part of the person making the avowal ; but Madame Tussaucl's collection is as much superior to that of our old friend Mrs . Salmon as the railway to the old stage coach . Easter always brings its crowd of visitors , and who could refuse to go , now that there

Public Amusements

has been added to the other attractions a beautiful group representing the marriage of their B . oyal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of AVales by the Archbishop of Canterbury , in which certainly the likenesses are extremely good ; and , moreover , ladies may be glad to learn that " Her royal highness is represented in a costly white and silver moire antique dress , trimmed with Honitonlace and choice flowers , in strict imitation of the one worn ou the occasion .

ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS . Either the early date at which Easter has fallen in the present year , or the somewhat gloomy appearance of the morning , checked the large flow of visitors which usually takes place towards the Gardens of the Zoological Society in the Regent ' spark on an Easter Monday . Nevertheless , before the close of the day no less than 17063 persons entered the gardens—a

, number which , although not so large as in 1862 , has been but twice exceeded in previous years . The most recent addition to the society ' s stock of animals are three American bisons , and some pairs of the remarkable pheasants from India , known as the Tragossan or horned pheasant . These , as well as the old established favourites—the hippopotamus , the ratels , and the lions ancl tigers—all drew their share of spectators .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COURT . —The Queen and other members of the Royal Family still continue at Windsor—the Prince and Princess of AVales remaining in Norfolk . There is a report in Paris that the Prince and Princess will visit the Emperor , at Fontainebleau , towards the middle of May . IMPERIAL PARMAME -N ' . —The HOUSE or LORDS re-assembled after the Easter holiday on Tuesday , when Lord Derby and

Lord St . Leonards urged various objections to the Bill , introduced by Lord AVestbury , for the augmentation of the benefices at present in the gift of the Lord Chancellor . After a brief reply from the Lord Chancellor , the measure was referred to a Select Committee . Their lordships then adjourned . The HOUSE or Coinioss re-assembled on Monday , after the recess ,

but no business of importance was transacted . Mr . F . Peel proposed to go on with classes 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , and 7 of the Civil Service Estimates ; but Mr . A . Smith moved that class 1— "Public AVorks and Buildings "—should-be referred to a Select Committee . This proposition was opposed by the Government , but it was ultimately agreed to postpone the consideration of this class . Class 3— "Law and Justice "—was then taken , and several of the votes under this head were agreed to . The

House assembled as usual at four o ' clock on Tuesday , but soon afterwards adjourned , as a mark of respect to the memory of Sir G . C . Lewis , who died at his seat in Radnorshire , on Monday . The adjournment was moved by Mr . AValpole , who dwelt upon the great loss the House ancl the country had sustained in the death of the Secretary for AA ar . Lord Palmerston , who appeared to be deeply affected , did little more than second the

motion . Mr . Disraeli followed the noble lord , ancl in a few happy sentences summed up the virtues of the deceased statesman and scholar . On AVednesday , Sir George Grey stated that the Government proposed to fix the 27 th inst . for the discussion of the question concerning the distress in the cottonnumufactuving districts . —A debate took place upon the motion

for the second reading of Sir Morton Peto ' s Burial Bill , the object of which is to allow dissenting ministers to officiate at funerals in parish churchyards , lord Robert Cecil moved the rejection of the bill , which had the support of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the opposition of Mr . Disraeli . On a division , the bill was refected by 221 votes to 96 . GENERAL HOME NEWS . —AVe record , with sincere regret , that the Right Hon . Sir G . C . Lewis , Secretary of State for AVar , died on Tuesday afternoon , at his seat in Radnorshire , in his 57 th