28 JANUARY 1860, Page 19

PARISIAN THEATRICALS.

The 15th instant, being the 240th anniversary of Moliere's birthday, was celebrated with the traditional honours at the two "legitimate" houses, the Theatre Francais and the Odeon, and also by the Moliere- Banquet, over which, as usual, Baron Taylor presided. At the Theatre Francais, Tartrtfe was followed by Le Malade Imaginaire, played with all the intermides and ceremonies, which are familiar to every reader of French dramatic literature, but are omitted in ordinary representations.

At the Palais Royal two short pieces, somewhat novel in idea, have been produced. One, written by MM. E. Martin and de Najac, and en- titled jeune de Cwur, shows the fortunes of an old provincial notary, who pursuing a singular system of ethics has passed a virtuous youth that he may accumulate sufficient wealth to be vicious in his old age. When the happy day arrives that liberates him from the fetters of propriety he comes to Paris, resolved to plunge into every sort of dissipation, but he is soon involved i n scrapes so serious and so numerous that he is only too glad to return to the dull respectability of his country town. The would-be sinner is played by M. Arnal. The other piece which is-by MM. La- biehe and Marc Michel, is called J'invite Is Colonel, the declaration of which the title consists being the words tittered by a pretty woman in order to terrify into subjection an erratic husband, played by M. Ravel. The Colonel in question is the most harmless of men ; nevertheless the lady does not scruple to pretend that he pursues her with protestations of love, and if ever the unhappy husband endeavours to procure a little liberty, the threat to invite the Colonel to dinner at once reduces him to silence. Like all governments founded on illusion, the tyranny of Ma- dame Carbonnel at last crumbles to pieces through her husband's dis- covery of the dreaded Colonel's true character. At the Theatre Imperial du Cirque there is a military spectacle by M. Dennerv, entitled I' Histoire d'un Drapeau, illustrating the career of the elder Mapoleon. M. Grassot, the celebrated comedian of the Palais Royal, died on the 18th instant, after an illness which, for two months, confined him to his bed. Another recent death of great importance to the musical world is that of the composer M. Girard, who expired almost suddenly, a few days before. Since 1846 he had held the post of conductor at the Opera, and the illness which proved fatal attacked him in the middle of a re- hearsal.

The aggregate receipts of the places of public amusement at Paris, in- cluding theatres, café-concerts, balls, and miscellanies, amounted for the whole year 1859 to 13,969,533 francs 13 cents., being an increase of 91,033 francs 53 cents. on those of 1858. This increase is produced by the theatres alone, in the face of a decrease in the other items. Indeed, during the six years from 1854 inclusive the aggregate receipts of the theatres have steadily increased—allowance being of course made for the effect of the exceptional year 1855, when the Exposition brought an -unusual multitude to Paris—while there has been considerable fluctuations in the profits of the -other amusements. A comparison between the receipts of the two months, November and December 1859, shows an increase in those of the latter.