Public Amusements

who incurs the grave displeasure of her uncle , the King of Castile , by refusing to give her hand in marriage to the King of Arragon , whom she has never seen , and who woos her through the medium of an envoy—a vicarious sort of courtship which does not suit the taste of the high-spirited girl , who has a lofty ideal of what a lover should be . At a critical period of her fortunes , when she is at war with all her family , a masked figure is found lurking in the balcony of her chamber , and vanishes

like a phantom on being addressed . This untoward discovery , which she cannot herself account for , aggravates the anger of the King , who , believing her honour to be compromised , sends her to prison , and even threatens to take her life . She escapes from captivity mainly through the instrumentality of a cynical cousin , who is a better fellow than he looks , and makes the best of her way to the village of St . Lucia , where she is reduced to the humiliation of serving as a waitress at an inn . While

engaged in this lowly occupation , she attracts the notice of a noble-looking stranger , who is supposed to be a wealthy goldsmith of Saragossa , and who , observing that she is in trouble , offers to conduct her to a nei ghbouring convent , where she may find a suitable refuge . She trustfully accepts the proffered escort , but on the road is encountered by a detachment of soldiers sent in search of her by the King , who , penitently sensible of the harshness of his former conduct , now longs for the return

of the wanderer . Orella , however , views tbe question in another light , and , that she may baffle her pursuers , walks into an adjoining church in company with her mysterious protector and there goes through what she intends and believes to be a mock ceremony of marriage with him . The marriage , however , proves to be a valid one , and she finds herself the wife of the goldsmith , whom , however , she soon learns to esteem and even to lovemechanic though he befor his noble qualitiesOn

, , . her return to Castile , however , a delightful surprise awaits her , for her husband turns out to be no goldsmith after all , but the veritable King of Aragon , who , anxious to be loved for himself alone , bas laid this plot to win her . This story , which reminds one of the opera of The Rose of Castile , and of tbe melodrama called the Muleteer of Toledo , also recalls to memory the little narrative about one of . the Earls of Exeter , which

William Hazlitt has told so charmingly . Miss Amy Sedgwick plays the part of tbe Princess with spirit and vigour . Mr . Marston deserves high praise for the impressive air of manly resolve and native dignity which he imparts to the character of the King . Mrs . Marston , as the israscible but kind-hearted , landlady of a country inn , is exceedingly effective ; and Mr . Belmore , in the character of a droll roguish waiter , who delights in playing tricks upon his mother's customers , deserves honourable mention .

ADELPHI THEATRE . Two new pieces have been produced at this house , and both perfect success . Tbe first is presented in the form of a one-act comedietta , adapted from the French by Mr . Benjamin Webster , jun ., and entitled A Grey Mare . It is a light and trifling affair , designed to exhibit ( with a due regard to liveliness of course , and with a corresponding disregard to truth ) the ingenious artifices by which a girldetermined to be marriedsucceeds in

, , gaining tbe hand of a man who has no disposition to love , eleven to take the slightest notice of her . The scene is laid at the country house of Mr . Joe Marshall ( Mr . Toole ) , a gentleman of an impetuous and dogmatic temperment , who lias written a book upon " universal brotherhood , " and is ready to quarrel and fight with any one who disputes the peaceful doctrines he has propounded . At this house Mr . Robert Smith ( Mr . Billingtou ) ,

a surveyor , engaged in making plans for a projected railway which is to run through the neighbouring property , has been invited to take up his residence , and though staying there for some weeks is so sedulously employed in prosecuting his work as to take no notice either of his irritable host or of his host ' s youthful and pretty niece , Alice ( Miss Marie Wilton ) . Both , however , are resolved to engage his attention—the one for the sake of

winning his admiration for tbe pamphlet on universal brotherhood , the other for the sake of winning his hand as a husband . The processes by which the two work to accomplish their ends , constitute the whole amusement of the piece , and must be confessed that iu the hands of two suob accomplished operators as Mr . Toole ancl Miss Marie Wilton , they were made as diverting as the loudest of Adelphi screamers could desire . The success of the piece must be ascribed entirely to the skill with which it is played . Miss Marie Wilton fills the part of Alice with all her customary vivacity and grace , and is laughably

Public Amusements

supported by Mr . Toole , as the irascible uncle , and by Mr . Billington as tbe slowly awakened lover . The second novelty ofthe week is what the bill calls " a compliment ofthe season , " under the title of A Valentine . It is one of those apropos sketches which Messrs . W . Brough and Halliday have for some time been in the habit of producing , and the burden of which is made to rest almost exclusively upon tbe shoulders of Mr . Toole . It involves no plot , but creates an endless roar of

laughter from tbe preposterous embarrassments and troubles which befall Mr . Toddles ( Mr . Toole ) , the district postmaster of a country town , from the pressure of his social duties on St . Valentine's Day . The piece , which is as extravagant as can weft be conceived , is put upon the stage in a capital form , and is well sustained by Mr . Toole , with the valuable aid of Mr . Paul Bedford , Miss Kate Kelly , and Miss A . Seaman . It was received with the loudest demonstrations of deli ght .

HAYMARKET THEATRE . Tbe 359 th representation of Our American Cousin took place on Monday evening , on which occasion Mr . Buckstone—ever alive to the exigencies of responsibility and success—seized the opportunity of strengthening the attraction by introducing new scenery , dresses , and decorations . The cast of characters was the same as it bas been for some time pastand it is needless to

, say one word in reference to the merits of the artists , except that they really appeared to derive fresh vigour and zest from the fact that everything about them and around them bore the semblance of renewed vitality . It would be no great compliment to Mr . Sotbern to describe the changes he has effected in his costume , as he depends upon much more weighty considerations for his successful portraiture . Tbe new scenerybMessrs .

, y O'Connor and Morris , is well worthy the high reputation of those gentlemen , and it may be truly said that Lord Dundreary has a very fair chance of increasing in popularity ( if it be possible ) through the revivifying adjuncts by which he is now surrounded .

The Week.

THE WEEK .

THE COURT . —Her Majesty and the younger members of the Royal Family continue at Windsor . Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Prussia , accompanied by her youthful son , arrived at Gravesend at twelve o ' clock on Tuesday , and immediately proceeded to Windsor . Both her Royal Highness and the boy looked remarkably well . The Princess Alexandra was to leave Copenhagen , en route for England , on Thursday . The Prince of Wales bas been on a visit to tbe Earl and Countess of

Spencer at Altborp Park . His Royal Highness held a levee at St . James ' s Palace on Wednesday . It was very numerously attended . A telegram from Malta of the 24 th ( evening ) states that Prince Alfred , who has been suffering from fever , improves daily . His Royal Highness had been just removed from the St . George to the Naval Hospital . IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . —In the HOUSE OE LORDS , on Thursdaytbe 19 th inst . Lord Carnarvonwho has devoted much

, , , attention to the subject of prison discipline , entered into an elaborate statement as to tbe increase of crime and the nature of the . punishment dealt out to criminals . Comparing the returns of the years 1860 and 1861 , the noble earl showed that a large increase had taken place in offences of almost every description , ancl be attributed this state of things to the leniency with which prisoners were treated in Houses of Correction , and

the excellent diet on which they were placed . He contended that our prison discipline was , most defective ; that the various kinds of punishment had been deprived of all power of striking terror into the breast of tbe criminal classes ; and that , as things now stood , the cell of a gaol was rather a desirable retreat for certain classes of the population . He concluded by expressing a hope that this subject would engage the serious attention of her Majesty's Government . —Lord Granville said the subject had

not been neglected by the . Government , but there were serious practical difficulties in the way of carrying out an extensive reform such as that suggested by Lord Carnarvon's speech . He recommended that the question should be referred to a Committee , and Lord Carnarvon , thereupon , announced his intention of moving for a committee to-night . On Friday , Lord Ellenborough , referring to the Polish insurrection , strongly condemned the conduct of tbe Russian agents . The rebellion had been provoked , and the Poles , who , according to common report , were threatened by the Prussian , as well as the Russian , Government