28 DECEMBER 1844, Page 9

CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINMENTS.

WHAT with Exhibitions and Theatres the preparations for feasting the eyes this Christmas keep pace with those for entertainment of a more substantial kind. Not that the sights and shows are of a trivial charac- ter: they are mostly intellectual, and supply food for the mind as solid as Christmas fare itself. Even the Royal Institution opens its

theatre to a juvenile audience, for whom Professor BRANDE has devised a course of chemical lectures; and Dr. RYAN, in the more popular region of the Polytechnic Institution, amazes the unscientific visiters with the wonders of chemistry.

Mr. BURFORD has brought within the magic circle of his Panorama the most magnificent sight in nature—an "Eruption of Vesuvius, with a View of the City and Bay of Naples by Moonlight." The coup-

d'ceil is extraordinary. On emerging from the dim passage into the -little round balcony whence the scene is beheld, a strange admixture of

light and darkness startles the sight: the sky is dark, the stars shine brightly, lights glimmer in the windows of the houses, and the most pro- minent object, Castel dell' Uovo, reflects a glare in which moonlight and

the lurid brilliancy of fire are blended. On looking round, the cause of this singular and beautiful effect is apparent : Vesuvius sends up a vast column of fire, which, spreading as it descends, illumines that quarter of

the heavens with coruscations of flame and jets of red-hot stones; while, just beyond the influence of this burning cataract of lava, the full moon sheds around a flood of silvery light, as soft and pure as if her effulgence alone were visible. One sweep of the land, encircling the bay as far as Pausilippo, is in dark shadow relieved only by glimpses of moon- light ; the other, stretching towards the Appenines, glows with fiery radiance ; the shipping and craft in the bay and the placid waves being brightened alternately by gleams of silver and gold. The moonlight and the reflections of the flames seem actually luminous ; and the aerial effect is no less perfect than the linear perspective. In a word, it is a triumph of panoramic painting, and Mr. BURFORD'S chef-d'ceavre. The Panorama of Hong-kong, in the large circle, glows with sun- light; and its rich mellow tones are soothing to the sense after the daz- zling brilliancy of the fiery effects. Wherever the scene may be, and un- der whatever aspect it may be viewed, Mr. BURFORD'S panoramic pic- tures always combine local exactness of detail with fine atmospheric effects.

Captain SIBORNE'S new Model of the Battle of Waterloo, just opened at the Egyptian Hall, is worth seeing, as presenting a more distinct and vivid idea of a military engagement than can be conveyed by any other means. It is on a much larger scale than the former, though if em- braces only a portion of the field ; and, the points being fewer and more strongly brought out, it is more impressive and quickly understood than the first. It represents the centre and left wing of the British line when it repulsed the grand attack made by Napoleon between one and two o'clock on the 18th June. The famous charge of British Cavalry led by the Marquis of Anglesey, and of the Infantry by Sir Thomas Picton, in which the French Cuirassiers and Imperial Guard were routed, forms the principal feature of the scene ; the attack and defence of the farm of La Haye Sainte being a prominent episode. The numerical disproportion of the two forces engaged—the British numbering only 3,000, while the French mustered 13,000 troops—is at once apparent. The British line of two-deep shows like a scarlet thread against the dense dark masses of the French columns : the preponderance of inert

force and momentum on the French side appears at first sight irresist- ible ; but the confusion produced by the wavering and recoiling of the bead of an attacking column, and the melee of a retreat, visibly demon- strate the influence of order and moral firmness in giving superiority to a small force over a large one.

The Chinese Exhibition offers the additional attraction of a band of music and extra illuminations in the evening ; the Dragon Fête being scarcely inferior in splendour to the Feast of Lanterns. But the mul- titude of interesting and beautiful objects contained in this epitome of Chinese costumes, arts, manufactures., and natural productions, should need neither dragons nor music to invite public attention.

The scientific experiments at the Polytechnic Institution are too well known to require enumeration ; but the Physioscope, one of the latest marvels of the oxyhydrogen microscope, which exhibits the human face twelve feet in diameter, is at once so curious and beautiful a sight that it deserves especial mention. The Diorama and Cosmorama are almost as familiar to the public as Madame Tussaud's Waxwork and Tom Thumb ; whose carriage — almost literally a pill-box--is a better (and much prettier) advertise- ment than the placard vans announcing his posturings at the Suffolk Street Gallery. The National Gallery and British Museum are staple attractions, like the Tower and Thames Tunnel.

At the Theatres, Burlesque and Pantomime contend for public favour; and this year Burlesque bears the bell—yet it also shows symptoms of exhaustion. Harlequin and Clown make desperate efforts to keep their hold on popularity ; but, though old usage helps them, the want of humour on the part of both authors and actors is fatal to fun : tricks and transformations cease to astonish ; and leaps, thumps, thefts, and tum- bles, fail to amuse, for want of meaning. Of the six principal theatres, one-half have produced burlesques, the other half pantomimes. Of the three burlesques, that of the popular fairy-tale Valentine and Orson, at the Lyceum, appears to have been most successful ; as indeed it ought, since we are told it has exercised the wits of a triad of authors—Messrs. ALBERT SMITH, KENNY, and TAYLOR I the last a young dramatist whose maiden effort was the amusing Trip to Kissingen. The incidents of the well-remembered story are travestied very cleverly ; and the couplets of the dialogue not only jingle with the play on words, but sparkle with epigrammatic point and satirical allusions. Mrs. KEELEY as Valentine is resplendent in armour of silver sheen—being the shortest knight on the stage, she is sure to have the longest day ; and KEELEY makes Orson a picturesque and facetious savage, wielding a club and singing a stave with equal gusto. The bear, too, is anything but a bore as played by Mr. COLLIER : he climbs a pole, coquets with a leg of mutton, dances a Bruindaise with Orson, and takes part in a duet, in so affable a manner that his death from intoxication is matter of regret. King Pippin is deposed from the pinnacle of pro- priety to which the spelling-books raised him, and reduced to a state of twaddling imbecility : but Mr. F. Marrnews makes him amusing; and Mr. A. WIGAN, as his nephew, jealous of Valentine's promotion, is tastefully dressed, and gives a capital imitation of MACREADY. The spectacle is splendid ; and a ludicrous effect is given to the pageantry, by exaggerating some characteristic points of old French costume, with- out diminishing its glittering effect : a boarding-school of Norman girls, wearing the conical foolscap head-dress with streaming veils, is almost as pretty in its drollery as the corps of female warriors in gilded helmets, led by Miss FAIRBROTHER as the Princess Eglantine; and much more pertinent to the occasion. The Lyceum has also brought out a version of The Chimes : but, though Mr. and Mrs. KEELEY played Toby Veck and his daughter, the bells sounded lugubriously, and provoked some sibilant responses. The feature of the performance is Mr. EMERY'S Will Fern ; who looks, acts, and speaks like a labourer driven by des- peration to evil courses : his personation was powerful and pathetic. Of the other Christmas pieces we can only speak from report at pre- sent ; but there seems little difference of opinion as to their merits. The Haymarket burlesque of Madame D'ANcos'a fairy-tale Graciosa and Pereinet, is by Mr. PLANCEIC the originator of this popular kind of entertainment ; who, if he is less happy and brilliant this year than on some former occasions, may be allowed to nod under the cover of his laurels. The neatness of the dialogue and the finish and elegance of the costumes and scenic accessories, however, with the attractions of Miss P. HowroN as Prince Percinet, Miss JULIA BENNETT as Princess Graciosa, contrasted by J. BLAND as King Uxorious, and Mrs. STANLEY as the gorgon Dutchess, produce a very agreeable spectacle ; and the merriment may not be less pleasant to many for its falling short of broad fun. A diorama of scenery in Switzerland, by Mr. Putturs, serves as a pictorial interlude. The title of the extravaganza at the Princess's, Joe Miller and his Men—a parody of the favourite operatic melodrama—raises expecta- tions of fun, that, we understand, are not realized. Mr. A'IlscxErr ap- pears to have relied too much on puns and verbal pleasantries ; and as the drollery of the comic business could only be enjoyed by those who remember the original piece, the effect of the whole was wearisome. The scenery, by Mr. BEVERLEY, is highly spoken of. The pantomimes, as usual, are destitute of originality, and deficient in drollery. The Drury Lane appears to he the most elaborate produc- tion; and its subject, Robinson Crusoe, affords scope for such comic pan- tomimists as PAYNE and WIELAND, who play Crusoe and Friday: but they can do little more than what is set down for them. They dance the Polka with savages, pitch over-board boxes of Parr's pills and bottles of British brandy, catch a shark with "two insides," and commit other similar absurdities : but the main points of the story have not been turned to account. The harlequinade is duller than. common ; and the change of the Fleet Prison into baths and wash- houses elicited hisses instead of laughter. The Queen's visit to the Royal Exchange is the grand finale. Covent Garden, which opened on Thursday for a limited season of thirty nights, revived the custom that we hoped had become obsolete— of prefacing a pantomime with George Barnwell; and in this instance the dismal tragedy caused more laughter than thedrolleries that followed. Harlequin Crotchet and Quaver, or Music for the Million, is the title of the pantomime; and the defeat of the Dm 'non of Discord by Apollo forms the subject of the introduction ; which is lively, and displays some pretty scenery : the cottage of Demisemiquaver, with notes for bricks and trumpets for chimnies, is conspicuous. The harlequinade boasts of a double set of actots ; and a new Clown, Mr. MARSH, unlike his brethren, shows some humour : but for all this, the feats of gym- nasts and posturers outvie the exploits of the pantomimists, aud though there is plenty of bustle the fun never comes. The Adelphi Cat's Castle, or Harlequin King of Rats, is an edifice of drollery that was undermined by an accidental defection of its main prop, the machinist ; and there were other tumbles besides those of Clown and Pantaloon : but the Clown, C. J. SMITH, of Guy Faux cele- brity, will by this time have found more congenial occupation than apo- logizing for disasters. Astley's has hit upon a good subject in John Gilpin 's Ride; and ca- pitally it has been managed: in fact, this seems to be one of the best of the pantomimes. Sadler's Wells has revived Robin Hood; and contrasts Old and Young England: but the point failed to tell with the many, and the affair went off heavily. The Surrey, which reopened on " boxing-night," and was crammed as is customary, rings the changes on Pounds, Shillings, and Pence.