s comic relief is "poor
relief," and would go for nothing at all, were it not in the hands
of Mr. DALE, who played and sang so well in _Miss Decima_ at the
Criterion, and of the vivacious Miss CLARA JECKS.

Mr. W. DENNIS, as the _Earl of Arlington_, is own brother to the
old Peer in _The Bauble Shop_. Perhaps this is a tribute to the
representative of the aristocracy at the Criterion, or it indicates
with great subtlety that, like Members of Parliament, "Peers are,
after all, human--very human," and that one old Peer is uncommonly
like another old Peer. Miss EVELYN MILLARD, as the soprano heroine,
and Mrs. PATRICK CAMPBELL as the base heroine, look handsome, and act
excellently. They take the audience with them as far as the audience
will go. As good as they possibly can be in such conventional
puppet-parts are Messrs. GLENNY and ABINGDON, the first as the
well-intentioned but weak-willed _Lord Dashwood_, and the second as
that old-fashioned scoundrel, _Captain Greville_. Mr. ARTHUR WILLIAMS
rather suggests Mr. BLAKELEY as the oily, scoundrelly lawyer, _Joshua
Honybun_; and Mr. LE HAY gives variety to the entertainment (which is
his special line) in the entirely new and original character part
of _an Irish Major_, with nothing particularly humorous to say, and
nothing at all, humorous, or otherwise, to do.

[Illustration: GOOD OLD MELODRAMA MODERNISED.

_Lord Glenny Dashwood_ (_to Captain Abingdon Greville._) "Liar and
slave!"

[_Strikes him. They fight with fists._]

Something new in Melodrama is wanted, and Melodrama "all of the modern
time" is played out, unless a genius can hit on a new sensation.
The Adelphi piece, however, has its advantages, and among these its
chiefest is, that it necessitates the taking of light refreshment
immediately afterwards. Fortunately, the Adelphi is close to our old
friend RULE'S in Maiden Lane, and for this hospitable shelter
our party made in haste; and, before the arrival of the crowd
of supper-numeraries, gained a table, on which were soon placed
appetising and drinkatising oysters, followed by the grateful stout.
"Pretty to see," as PEPYS hath it, at the very next table to us, the
good hero of the drama welcoming the double-dyed villain, chiding
him for being a few minutes late, and then drowning all past dramatic
animosities in the flowing bowl. "See how these players love one
another!" So have I seen politicians, mortal enemies in the House,
hob-nobbing together at the di