THE THEATRES.
After devoting two evenings to regular "stock-pieces," Ur. Mitchell has brought out the first novelty of the season, called Le Bunhonime Richard. The subject, which is very simple, is the reformation of a dissipated young man by his old uncle; a respectable manufacturer, who cures him not by severe rebukes or moral discourses, but by affecting to plunge into the same career of extravagance from which he intends to rescue his nephew. This subject might have been treated sentimentally; but the authors (MM. Mdlesville and Carmouche) have chosen to regard it with a laugh- ing eye, and the piece is as light and amusing as can be desired—full of bustle and movement, and giving a lively picture of Parisian dissipation among a class not very high in the social scale. By having an ant in Berry, thus exhibiting the old manufacturer at home, and the other two at Paris in the midst of the "scatter-good" race, the striking effects of con- trast, so much desired by modern French dramatists, are attained.
A grisette, whose lawful calling is that of a plumassiore, furnishes an entirely new character for Mademoiselle Brohan. Previously she had acted soubrettes, in whose gayety there is always something of malice: but here is an unconstrained flow of joviality, without any reserve whatever A dinner-scene' in which the plumassiere, by words, gestures, and shrieks, expresses her delight at the entertainment, and at the " Bonhomme Richard" who seems to be smitten with her charms, is acted to perfection by Brohan and Cartigny; and it is hard to say which pleasure is most for- cibly expressed, that of the grisette at making a fool of the old man, or that of the old man at being befooled-
" Doubtless the pleasure is as great In being cheated as to cheat." A Parisian scamp, dressed in a very outrd style, is exceedingly well played by Dumery; an actor whom we have been accustomed to regard as nobody, but who this year seems to be striking out with some effect.
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