... THE DUTCH PLAYERS About three years and a half have elapsed sinc a ensation ariingfrot plitcalexpetations that were doomed to dis- appointment, was caused in the gay capital by the produc- bion at the Frsnais of L'Amei Fritz, a new three-act comedy by MNll. Erckmann-Chatrian, the famous novelists, who have ever been the most determined opponents of that spirit of militarism in France to ...

... IT is not a pleasant task to criticise the inferior work of a man who has once given promise of good things; but truth compels us to state that Songs of the Spring-tide, by Algernon Charles Swin- brnme (Chatto and Windus}, is very bad indeed. Apart from the unintelligibility, whlich is quite a new feature in the author's verse, the sense of melody seems to be failing him. The volume is ...

... &IS. (FROM OURi OWN OO1BRESPON DENTS.) ABERDEEN. ?? Cutecrs is thle only place of amusement opets lire this week, and is doing good business. Thle chief item of thce programme is the production of the fairy spectacle Cinderella, whnich is %wonderfully performed by a host of little children, headed by young members of the Cooke Brothers' fam ilies. The properties no~d dresses are of a unique ...

... MESSRS. ASH DOWN AND PARRY.---Two patheticand sentimental ballads for the drawing-room are A Life s Regret, written and composed by Herman Merivale and Miss Bliss Wainwright, the compass from F first space to the octave above; and Oh ! Lay Me down to Rest, Mother ! the somewhat morbid words by Augusta Woodley sad the music by J. Pridham.-The admirers of Sidney Smith's florid school will ...

... [ ('he fO ov2iggJ appeared in our Towzi EPIm.oN of Last Wer-c.T At largely increased prices of admission there was a numerous Mad fashionable audience assembled here ?? afternoon to witnessa performance of Shakespeare's charming ?? Ado About Nothing, and of a new and original comedietta entitled Mad, from the p1)0 of Mr E. Rose. In the Shakespearian work the chief interest appeared to be ...

... WE are pleased to hear that arrangements have been made for a speelal perlormanee by the Duteh company on Wednes- day next at Drury-lane Theatre. This will be their final appearances in London. The programme will embrace selec- tions fuly illustrating Dutch costumes and manners, and we would recommend those of our readers who have not yet seen thislingularly clever troupe to take advantage of ...

... There was assembled at St. George's Hall, on the evening of Thursdaylast, a large and fashionable audience interested in the welfare of St. Matthias Schools, Earl's-court, and in the his- trionic efforts of the members of the above Society, the said efforts being intended to enhance the funds of the said Schools, and, of course, to air the acting ability of the amateurs. The ladies and ...

... JFAY-MARIE AT THE GAIETY. Although there are actors and actresses on the Englisn stage quite as good as if not better than the French comedians, concerning whom so much has been written, still there is a lesson to be learned from the visit of the foreigners to the Gaiety. But it is not a lesson in acting or in stage arrange- ments. We do not need to copy a system which gives such an ...

... MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Verdi's Forza del Destino was revived here Saturday. The opera was promised in Mr. Mapleson's prospectus of his oil-season in November and December last, but the success of other performances then given caused the postponement of the revival until now. The work was first brought out at St. Petersburg iu 1862, and was produced by Mr. Maplesonin June, 1867, at Her Majesty's ...

... Mr. G. J. Ilolycake :— Brantwocd, Conis on, Lancashire, April 12.—Dear Mr. Hotyoake, I am very glad that you arc safe back in England, and am not little grateful for your kind reference m i while in America, and for your letter about Sheffield Museum. But let pray for another interpretation former letter than mere Utopiauism. The one calrraity which I pcrceive or dread for an Englishman is ...

... THE THEA TRES. Tml second and last fortnight of Mdlle. Bernhardt's engagement was rot distinguished by the production of any important novelty. Coppee's l'ttty little one-act, Le Passant (i869), was announced, but was not al)(, and during the whole of the week before last Mdlle. Bernhardt IIOPlITcrd in but one new part, the Th&rhse of Andre Theuriet's Jean- Marie (IS,7) Last Wednesday, ...

... HANDEL'S OPERA SONGS.I IT has been suggested elsewhere that the revival of one of Handel's operas, in spite of practical difficulties attending it, would be an experiment worth making. The publication of a volume of selected songs from these now forgotten works may enable many persons to form a better idea than at present exists of the amount of fine vocal music which they contain, and - ...