The fancy dress ball of the Right Worshipful the Mayor to the citizens of Sydney, took place in the Victoria Theatre on Wednesday evening, the 21st instant.

Since ever his Worship announced his intention of giving a fancy dress ball to the citizens, considerable excitement has prevailed.

All were anxious to be present, but as the Theatre could contain only a limited number, it is obvious that all could not be invited. That the invitations have given universal satisfaction it would be ridiculous to expect.

On all occasions of the kind many must be dissatisfied: but we must give the Mayor credit for doing all that prudence could accomplish to render the invitations as general in distribution as possible; and we are satisfied that we express the general feeling of the public, that His Worship is entirely exculpated from anything like partiality in the matter.

We know this to be the sentiment of several worthy and estimable individuals, and although we so not subscribe to their tenets, yet can we not altogether charge them with error of opinion. If for conscience sake they refrain from pleasure so apparently innocent, why should we cavil at the prejudices they have imbibed?

Nay, rather, why should we not applaud the resolution which, amid so great and glaring temptation, has enabled them to withhold their feet from following even the alleged appearance of evil.

For our own poor part, we are of the earth, earthy; we seek pleasure wherever she may be found with morality for her companion - whether it be in the busy and bustling town, or in the one quiet street of a country village - in the brilliant saloon, trembling beneath the feet of the dancers, or in the retired solitude of a sand-strewn parlour at some road-side inn.

All times, all places, are alike to us, so long as the legitimate end of pleasure is kept in view; and whilst hilarity of heart and enlargement of feeling are the results of such association, we most unquestionably do not know that we are infringing upon any divine law, by participating in that which so innocently invites us to dance and be merry.

The Victoria Theatre, we think, never looked more brilliant. Extensive preparations had been made to turn the capacious stage and pit into one ample ballroom. The pit was for this purpose boarded over - and the extent of area enclosed by this splendid room, from the back of the stage to the boxes, will be easily understood by any person who has visited the theatre.

The excellent band of the 99th regiment was stationed in the centre of the upper boxes, and the theatrical band at the back of the pit.

Tables for refreshment were spread at the extreme ends of the stage, which was lighted, in addition to the usual gas burners, with a brilliant chandelier.

From the proscenium to the back of the stage drapery of different colours, and tastefully arranged into folds and festoons, gave a very gay and imposing appearance to this part of the house.

Under the boxes the walls of the quondam pit were decorated with wreaths of evergreens, and on facing round from the back of the stage the appearance which the different tiers of boxes presented, so elegantly decorated and crowded with so many fair and happy faces and splendid dresses - was truly delightful.

The dress and upper circle of boxes were reserved for the accommodation of the company assembled on this gay occasion, and the entrance to both was the same.

The gallery was set apart for such of the citizens as could not be invited to the ball for want of room. They were accordingly mere spectators, instead of actors in the carnival, and were admitted by different cards, and by a separate entrance. Everything was done that could be done to render the accommodations complete; and of the success which crowned the exertions of the caterers for our comfort and amusement, we have heard but one opinion.

At the top of the grand staircase fronting the principal entrance to the Theatre, a Committee of the City Council, assisted by the Town Clerk, were stationed to receive the company and prevent imposition from unbidden guests: and they performed their delicate duties so well, that we have not heard that a single mistake occurred during the evening.

On delivering their cards, parties might be ushered into the ballroom at once to be introduced to his Worship the Mayor, or might retire to the dressing rooms provided for the occasion.

For the convenience of the ladies a door was opened from the lobby of the dress-circle into the saloon, which was reserved for their accommodation, while the cloak-rooms of the Theatre were reserved for the use of the gentlemen. On completing their toilet, the ladies and gentlemen returned by the same stair case, and were announced by the Town Clerk to a party who repeated their names when making their obeisance to the Mayor and Mayoress.

The ball was announced to commence at nine, the Mayor, with the Mayoress and maids of honour, several of the Aldermen and City Councillors, the Town Clerk, and Mayor's Secretary, who formally introduced the visitors, were in the ball room by eight, and soon after this hour the company began to press to the theatre.

Unwilling to keep the carriages waiting in the streets, and blocking up the passage, his Worship ordered the doors to be opened at half past eight, and the ball room was soon sprinkled with fancy dresses.

At about a quarter past nine, His Excellency the Governor, Lady Gipps, and suite, were announced, amidst the acclamations of all present, the bands playing "God save the Queen". The appearance which the ball room at this moment presented was very imposing, and His Excellency must have been allowed to flatter himself for one evening, into the belief that he was Governor of many nations.

There was a sound of revelry by night-
Australia's capital had gather'd then
Its beauty and its chivalry - and bright
The lamps shone on fair women and brave men.
A thousand hearts beat happily, and when
Music arose, with its voluptuous swell,
Soft eyes look'd love to eyes, which spake again;
And all went merry as a marriage bell.
"On with the dance" let joy be unconfined;
So sleep till morn when youth and pleasure meet,
To chase the glowing hours with flying feet.

The arrangements of the music and dancing were managed by the Mayor's Secretary, and the brother of his Worship, Mr. Thomas Wilshire, and in so large an assemblage, where at times there was scarcely walking room, it was astonishing to see what order and regularity were preserved.

The appearance of the ball room from the boxes was exceedingly picturesque and magnificent. The eye of the spectator wandered from object to object with ever-varying pleasure.

The splendour and diversity of the dresses - the correctness of the different costumes - the historical and dramatic, the fictitious and fanciful characters that figured beneath - exhibited a tableau vivant, a series of living pictures of different ages and countries, which could not well be surpassed.

It would be impossible to give a person who was not present any idea of the splendour and beauty and costliness of the dresses - and we must refer to the subjoined official list, taken from the cards, to show their variety.

Among the magnificent gaiety of Eastern dresses, glittering with Barbaric pearl and gold, there was a considerable number of complete and elegant Highland costumes, which afforded a cool, agreeable relief to the eye, and formed a pleasing contrast.

We are quite incompetent to the task of describing the dresses of the ladies: to say that they were all elegant, and many of them gorgeous, would be saying only the truth: but it would not be saying all the truth.

And there were some characters which had never appeared on any stage before, and could not well figure on any other stage than that of Australia; we allude to those representing the Aborigines of the colony. One of these sable heroes, arrayed in a tattered blanket, enlivened the audience vastly on one occasion, by bursting into the centre of a circle of waltzers, and giving a ludicrous fac simile of an Aboriginal dance.

One leading and most agreeable feature of the evening's entertainments was the total absence of all class feeling. This must have been perceptible to all - and can be attributed only to the excellent arrangements made on the occasion, which cannot be too much admired.

It was very gratifying to observe all classes mixing familiarly together: a more satisfactory proof could not have been given of our advancement as a community: and we are satisfied that meetings like the one under consideration are eminently calculated to produce good feeling among all classes

At the top of the table, one gilt pedestal, supporting a beautiful glass star; between the points was written with sugar "Victoria", around the border of the star was written in a similar style "Corporation", on each side of the star were two splendid pillars, supporting each a Prince of Wales feathers festooned with flowers.

We are only echoing the generally expressed sentiment - that it was impossible any party could go off more pleasantly; but it could not be otherwise; the arrangements were good, everybody went determined to be pleased and they were pleased accordingly.