There is one truth that, it seems, will never force
itself upon the ma- nagerial mind,—we mean, the truth that a comic opera, deprived of its music can rarely or never make an effective drama. La Dame de Pique, written by M. Scribe and composed by M. Halevy, was brought out with great success at Paris about three months ago; and this good fortune was doubtless the result of a happy union of music and libretto. But why Mr. Anderson should attempt to fill Drury Lane Theatre (that big edifice !) with a piece that does not present one situation or character of dramatic interest—that takes place for the most part in Russia, proverbially cele- brated as the country in Europe least provocative of mirth—and that does not even offer a bait to the actor's vanity—we cannot conceive. The plot, turning on the belief that a certain lady has a secret, which secures victory at the faro-table, and the consequent influence which she is able to exercise on the other dramatis persons., is ingenious almost to a morbid degree ; but mere ingenuity, sans characters, sans passion, sans interest, sans everything, will not do as d staple commodity for Drury Lane.
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