Drury-Lane Theatre.
One of the most expensive, and at the same time the most incffi- cient dramaB which we have for years witnessed, was last night pro- duced at this house, under the title of Thc Enchanted Courser, or The Sultan ef Cuzrdiitan. The piece is founded on. and adheres very closely to, the tale of " the Enchanted Horse," wlhich occurs in The Arabian Nights' Entertainments. The principal departure from the original consists in investing the sorcerer, to whom the en- chanted courser belongs, with the character of Sultan of Curdistan. an elevation at which he Is supposed to have arrived by the murder of his brother. Feeling the insecurity ot' his power, he hopes to strengthen it by an alliance with the Piincess of Cacremrire, who is aready betrothed to the Prince of Persia ; and he offers the enchanted courser, a complete Pegasus, which has the rare quality of travelling through the air, as a purchase for lier hand. His suit is rejected. But, with the assistance of the en- chanted courser, he forcibly seizes the Princess, and takes her to his mountain fortress. Tlhither he is pursued by the Prince ofPersia -his strong hold is seized-he is himself slain-and the Princess is restored to her lover. Thc materials of this story, if skilfully wrought, nmight be formed into a pleasant entertasnment; but they were handle(d in a very bungling manner. The incidents were not Trominently brouglht forward-and the characters possessed little of that spirit and marking by which they are distinguished in the original narrative. The attempts at humour in the- character of' Babotic, a slave of the Sultan of Curdistan. are o0 the most trite dcscription; and thic passion of the Sultan himnself is mere boni- bast. INr. Ellistoni seems to think that the display of somc fine scenery, and several well-arranged processiorns, together with the ex- hiibition of M1r. Ducrow's stu(d of horscs, would carry this or any other nonsense triumphantly through the ordeal of public opinion. Last night, however, afforded a very convincing proof to the contrary. The audience were not propitiatedl by the inimitable scenes of Roberts and Starnfield,nor by the activity pi' Alr. Ducrow, nor bv the spleudour of the dresses which sparkled in every scene. In pure pantomime, those would have achieved a victory. But tlh6 plublic were invited to witncss a drama-to attend to a pcrforiiiance, in wlick the plot should he regularly and uncon. fusedly developed-in which the cbief claracters should be drawn with still and spirit; they were disappointed; and, during the pro. grass of the piece, mnuch disp probation was manif'sted. WKten the curtain fell, andl Mr. Wallack, who sustair.ed the part of the Salta, cCdMe out to announce the second performance, the uproaT between the friends and foes of die piece was so intense, that lie retired without being able to procurc a hearing. Thc Rev. G. Croly was spoken of as the auithor. DRURY-LANR THEATRE.