Mr. J. P. Watts ; entirely new scenery by Mr. Lightyvood. The entertainments yvere to be a source of moral and intellectual amusement for all classes ;" and any person "smoking, or using bad language" would be immediately expelled. There yvas a grand neyv drop-scene, "View near Rome," and as the " Separation" rejoicings yvere at hand, the theatre yvas to be opened every night. M a d a m e Veilburn, the runayvay danseuse, returned, and yvas received back into the fold. Mr. Ward, an actor of some ability, yvas also engaged. A n d so the limited theatrical yvorld went on syvimmingly and remuneratively, playing the old year out and the new year in. In February, 1851, tyvo rival acrobats performed every night, and it yvas amusing to yvitness how each tried " B y holding out to tire the other down."
They yvere knoyvn respectively as Mr. R. Lin, "a famous Chinese acrobat," and Mr. Clarkson, an Englishman. About this time neyvs of Coppin's success in Adelaide had reached Melbourne, and prompted thus, no doubt, King and Young made up their minds to seek their fortunes in South Australia, King to get into the hotel business, and Young to join a neyv theatre erected in Adelaide, under the auspices of Messrs. Coppin and Lazarus. King consequently made, yvhat he then believed would be, his last appearance on the 19th February, in the character of Shy lock, and was enthusiastically received. The theatre, as such, yvas now closed for a short time, and during the interval Mr. W . S. Gibbons, who had been giving at the Mechanics' Institute an exhibition of the hydrogen gas microscope, dissolving vieyvs, and the chromatrope, transferred his apparatus and operations hither. King went his yvay, but Young, on second thought, remained as manager. T h e theatre was shortly re-opened, and had a good run during the race month of March. Some new blood had been introduced, including Messrs. Shearcroft and Gordon, a M a d a m Dias, Mrs. W . Evans, from the Theatre Royal, Adelaide, and Mr. Roche, a singer and dancer. During this month intelligence yvas received of the suicide, in San Francisco, of Mrs. Hambleton, a former associate of the theatre. She contracted an intimacy with a Mr. S. Croad, of which her husband did not approve, and on his telling her he would bloyv out Croad's brains, she, to save him any further trouble, on the 14th January bleyv out her own. In April, Mr. C. Young became sole lessee, and the theatre yvas now propelled by a fair share of steam, there being a good many attractions which pleased the public so yvell that the place was liberally supported. But then there yvas no other mart where amusement could be purchased. There yvas a grand concert occasionally at the Mechanics' Institute, but the prices were high, the snobbishness rampant, and the carte often more select than attractive. The Queen's Theatre yvas essentially the only popular establishment in existence, and to it the multitude bent their steps and took their half-croyvns. M a d a m e Jaubert, "from the Haymarket Theatre, London," arrived in Melbourne, and made a favourable impression in " T h e Soldier's Daughter." She was followed by a Mrs. Wheeler, and a Mr. Burton, an untiring spouter of comic songs; whilst Mrs. Young's lively, graceful, and artistic dancing established her a special favourite. " T h e Dream of Life," then recently played in London, was brought out, in yvhich Mr. and Mrs. Young, and Messrs. Burton and Ward scored honours. Mr. Meadows, from the Victoria Theatre, Hobart Toyvn, also made a mark.
A MASQUERADE BALL.
Port Phillip was on the eve of its emancipation from the thraldom of New South Wales, the " union" yvas about to be repealed, and the c o m m o n belief was that a few weeks more would see the province "Great, glorious and free, Firstfloyverofthe earth, andfirstg e m ofthe sea."
Loyalty to the Queen, who had given her name to the young colony, was also in a state of gush. It was therefore considered by the Theatrical Executive that it would be a great hit to get up a grand
