THE THEATRES.
THE only novelty of the week has been a well-constructed and effective melodrame at the Victoria. The Corsican Bride is founded on a custom in the island, of trying faithless wives at a domestic tribunal called a Vendetta, composed of the kinsmen of I the two families, and of executing summary justice upon the cri- minal. In this ease, the accused has only broken her pledge of betrothment, not violated the marriage vow ; and her offence is brought within the jurisdiction of this sanguinary court, owing to the Malignity of the father of the betrothed bridegroom, who is desirous of wreaking his vengeance upon the girl's father, by sacri- ficing his daughter. She is condemned, and about to be shot, when a party of French soldiers burst in; at the bead of them is the girl's lover, who turns out to be her betrothed. He had courted his intended wife incognito, in order to assure himself of her affection; fearing that the deadly animosity that had long ex- isted between the two families, and which was to be stifled by their marriage, should have given her an instinctive dislike to him. We heard a lady named as the dramatist. The acting was com- monplace. We had likewise an opportunity of seeing MONCRIEFF'S comie drama, the Court of Queen Anne: in three acts—which is one too many—and not in one, as we had understood. It is a very amusing trifle, the lengthiness and some prurieneies in the dialogue excepted. LATH AM, as the Breechesmaker, was more pleasantly droll than we have seen him. Mrs. EGERTON gave an Elizabethan version of the good fat and jolly Queen Anne.
Miss P. HORTON, who enacts the heroines here, is a very arch and lively actress in comic characters; and sings well—indeed, with too pure a taste to be appreciated. Mrs. GARRICK, t00, is a pleasing actress, though her powers are limited: she always seems in earnest. J. Wensma is a good-looking young fellow, and evinces perceptions of nature and feeling, that promise, if matured by study and experience, to render him an agreeable and useful actor: we hope he won't be spoiled by the example of FORESTER, who is become a mere automaton.
The Spanish Dancers appear here to-night and on Monday. The theatre then closes till the 23d, when it will reopen under the sole management of Aimore,—we hope with a better auspices; but that depends upon past experience being turned to good ac- count.
CARL RAPPO, after tumbling to empty benches at the " /sTa- tional Theatre," has found a fitting stage for his extraordinary feats at Astley's; where Rookwood has been dramatized, and Turpin's ride is repeated nightly to delighted audiences. The Haymarket season commences on Monday. MORRIS has at last mustered courage to open; but he has not had the heart to engage a good company. Mrs. GLOVER, to be sure, is there: but WEBSTER is a substitute for FARREN ! Mr. VANDENHOFF, a vete- ran tiagedian of provincial fame, is announced; but who is there to support him?
ARNOLD'S new theatre is advancing rapidly to completion : the pillars of the portico are already visible from the Strand. The English Opera Leason may commence at Midsummer at this rate.
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