The National Register. — London, England, 1816-04-22 00:00:00

AM!, 91. POLITIC.Vi. DISQUISITION. INSTABILITY OF EUROPEAN ARRANGEMENTS. ENTIRE LY wrapped up in the importance ofour omes iic concerns; we have fin. some time neglected to glance beyond the limits of the British Empire, to follow the course of foreign policy, and to study the vacillations of the-Continental mind. Released from the consideration of nearer interests, we may now look at that world tilled with the monuments of our power and glory, and seek to ascertain whether the exertions which we have made, the triumphs which we have achieved, and the , dynasties that we have restored, have been made, achieve& and restored in vain. Confidence is the natural offspring, of success. At the sudden termination of a contest which placed our greatest enemy in our hands, and enabled us to re-seat the Bour bons on the throne of their ancestors, apprehension would have appeared unreasonable, if not criminal. Every . heart then opened to joy, and no thoughts were enter tained, but thoughts of lasting and universal peace. To secure that object, treaties were signed, alliances formed, countries partitioned, and the power ref monarchies ba lanced. Who could then refuse to share in the general intoxication ? The rapidity with which an edifice is raised, and the magnitude of its mass, often command in voluntary admiration. It is only whon that feeling has subsided, that we can soberly and justly appreciate the beauty of its proportions, and the solidity of its nava cence. This was the case with the political fabrics on the Ci'mitinent. They rose as through the force of magic, and astonished us by theinvaddennt.‘ss and their grandeur. But we have now attained that settled state of mind, when judgment takes the place of feeling ; and it' our opinion of their greatness and durability should be less favoura ble and sanguine, it is because it will spring from dis passionate investigation. Were the voice of the press unchained on the Conti nent, inquiry would be less laborious, rind less liable to error ; every country would then proclaim its wants, its losses, its regrets, its apprehensions, and its perils. The authority of a few individuals would not stifle the sense of a whole nation ; exaggerated representations would be corrected by the impartial and the well-informed ; and danger and security would drop that doubtful existence which they hold in the imaginations of men, to assume a real body and a shape. Utitietmately, the policy of the most liberal Sovereigns on the Continent becomes nar rowed and selfish as soon as the press is concerned. They do not perceive, that where danger exists, the silence of the press, like thedarkness that accompanies astorm,lry render ing it more indistinct, increases its awfulness and terrors. Where danger is not, it creates its semblance, and fre quently its reality. This, to a great extent, may be the case in France. The mockery of which the goVernment of that country has been guilty towards its subjects, now recoils upon itself. Had it not annihilated the liberty of the press, after plighting its faith in the charter to maintain its integrity, we should have safer grounds to ascertain the real state of that kingdom, than the pri vate communications of individuals ; often unconnected, because some of them have been intercepted and sup pressed before they could reach our shores. The public papers would then be entitled to credit, and the term offi cial would not have acquired the significfiti:.ln of suspi cious. The protestations of attachment, the a.ssurances of gener.l obedience and satisfaction, on the part of the people, would be considered sincere. Instead of being thought endangered by the rgacks of party writers, the stability of the dynasty would be proved by their violence and their inefficiency. The national mind would display itself to the world ; and perils, which may after all prove imaginary, would no longer be apprehended from France, and cause her to be regarded with distrust, and treated with hostility. Instead of this, her system of conceal ment has mode her an object of tenfold terror. The facts which she endeavours to hide from all neighbouring !states, reach them in perhaps a magnified condition, and appear still more alarming when contrasted with the efforts of her government to suppress their knowledge. Her internal dissentious, the increasing dislike of the people towards the Royal nuttily, the cabals of the different members of that family against each other, their total want of faith to the nation, and the awkward imbecility of their measures, thus asuine a still more threatening aspect. The days of revolutions seem returning. The scene of so many convulsions appears not to have attained its final rest,—but, like a disturbed grave, sends forth horri ble visions to appal the world. With such a state of rest lessness and dissatisfitction in France, can it be expected that the repose of Europe should remain untroubled, un less the Allied Powers themselves should make such al terations in their system as will dispel the gathering dun- MTS. THE NATIONAL REGISTER. ROYAL FAMILY. We have the pleasure of communicating the very con siderable improvement which has taken place in the Prince Regent's health. His Royal Highness on Thursday, accompanied by the Duke of York, rode on horseback through the three Parks, crossed into Mary-le-Bonne to the Regent's Park, viewed the improvements, &c. and returned to Carlton House. They were out WO hours. On Saturday, at three o'aock, the Prince Regent held a court at Carlton-house. The Duke de Chatre had an audience of his Royal Highness, resigned his mission from Louis XVIII. to the British court, and took his formal leave. lie leaves London on his return to Fru►ce, on Wedaesilay. The Marquis de Osmond, the successor to the Duke de Chatre, was afterwards introduced to the Regent by Lord Castlereagh ; as were also Baron Just, the Saxon Minister, and Count Berolbingen, the Wertemberg Ministers. Their Excelenries had private audiences, de livered their credentials, and were most graciously re ceived. The Prince Castlecicala, the Minister for the Two Sicilies, had 4111 audience in the Royal Closet ; and in the name and in the behalf of his royal master the King, in vested the Regent with the principal Sicilian Order. Sir Charles Tyler was invested with the insignia of a Knight CouPmander of the Order of the Bath. Colonel Sir Robert Barclay and Captain Sir Miehiel Seymour were introduced in like manner by Sir G. hauler, and similar honours were conferred upon them by the Regent. Postponements of Royal Marriages arc not at all out of the common course of things, nor can they excite wonder with any, who consider in how many departments pre parations are to be made, and how many forms are to be gone through. The Prince of Orange, previous to his marriage with the Princess Mary, daughter of George IL past..d more than four months in England. It is reported, that Crown Prisoners will be liberated, in honour of the marriage of the Princess Charlotte and Prince Leopold of Cobourg. The Marquis of Hertford's rental, upon his Irish estates has fallen off no less than twenty-five thousand pounds in the receipts of tile preceding year. A French officer, subpcenaed on trial at Rennes was dis covered to have an eagle on the button of his coat—for this offence he was immediately tried, and sentenced to three months imprisonment, and the forfeiture of half his half-pay for Live years!!! Letters front Cadiz mention the apprehension of great mercantile failures in that city. Sonic houses are known to have already failed. Madrid, 1w the last accounts, is perfectly tranquil. The affair of the conspiracy is no longer talked of; mercantile distresses absorb every other consideration for the present. A late decision of the Pope relative to the furm of pro ceedings in the Inquisition, has forbiddentheapplication of the tenure to the accused. This decision has been officially communicated to the Court of Spain, as a hint to follow the example. By a Jamaica Mail we learn from St. Thomas's, that a vessel from Baltimore had brought an account of an American squadron, of two 74's, and other ships, prepar ing to sail tar St. Domingo, to blockade Christophe, the King of Hayti, for having hanged some American seamen at the Cape. The following explanation of the dispute between the French Ministers and the majority in the House of De puties hasbeen given. The King on his last arrivalwith the Allies, promised amendment of the errors of his Govern ment: and by way of a popular concession, M. de Taney rand suggested the Ordonnanees of the 13th and 21st of July, enacting that 14 articles of the Charter should be subjected to the revision of the legislature. By virtue of these Ordonnances, the House of Deputies lately under took the revision of that Article, among the 11., which relates to the renewal of the Representative Body ; and they passed a resolution for its entire and simultaneous renewal at the expiration of the fifth year. This resolu tion was sent up to the House of Peers, and rejected. Upon this rejection, the majority, alarmed at hints of diisolntion, caused M. de Villele to make his motion upon the perilous stale of the nation; which motion was after wards withdrawn, in consequence of M. de Vaublanc's coming down to the House the next day with an Ordon fiance of the King, enacting that the Ordematnees of the 13th and 21st of July were maintained in their.disposi thins relating to the present composition of the Electoral Colleges. This Ordonnancr, by its silence on the• other enactments of those two former ones, abrogates them all; the faculty of revising the 14 Articles of the Charter is thus withdrawn from the Legislature, and all things arc restored upon their original tinting established by the Charter; that is, the House is renewed by one fifth of its Mcinbets yearly going out of it. EPIGRAM—BV A CURATE. For the Rector in vain thro' the parish you'll search, But the Curate you'll Boil v ING HARD by the Church. A NEW INSTITUTION SUGGESTED. " Fire hundred and vreniy-f lir" Maidens fair, To wait on the Princess their wishes declare: — Say, chat other Court throughout Europe can boat Ot'%iigins so noble and nuarons a host? If, all in a hotly, they could wait upon her, No deubt they'll be sty I'd the Fair " I (rim of honour I" DRAMATIC REGISTER. DRURY-LA N E. Wednesday night the performance of Love in a Vil lage, was followed by a new romantic Operatic Ballet Spectacle, founded on the recent discovery of a numerous ' colony, formed by, and descending from, the mutineers of the Bounty frigate called Pitcairn's Island. The story is simple in the extreme, and contained in what we have already stated. It is in fact, intended only as a vehicle for the introduction of the dances, music, and scenery; the former of which are got up wider the direction of Mr. Byrne, and are as splendid as any thing of the kind which we have yet witnessed on the English Stage. A Mon. sieur Dupree made his first appearance on this occa sion: his dancing displayed considerable science, and was deservedly applauded. The performance of Mr. Oscar Byrne and Miss Smith, however, exhibited a spe cimen of the art which would not have disgraced the boards of the Italian Opera. The scenery is beautiful, and the music, which is the composition and compilatinn of Corti, is pretty. The dialogue is, we understand, the offspring of the prolific pen of Mr. T. Dibdin, and is ap propriate. The last scene is beautiful in the extreme : and the announcement of the Piece for repetition was re ceived with approbation by every part of the house. Miss Munn ty played Angela, in The Castle Spectre, here on the same evening. We have already given an opinion of the general merits of this lady, in which the performance that we now notice does not suggest any ma terial correction. She played the character respixtably, and is, we think, an improving actress; she has, however. yet to learn to tread the boards with ease and elegance. Mr. RAE'S Osmolul was much applauded. COVENT-GARDEN. Monday night, Mr. COBHAM, welt known at the Minor Theatres, and in several provincial towns, where he has for some time past been performing with consider able success, made his first appearance at this Theatre in the character of Richard. The attempt was by no means a successful one ; not that the performance was entirely devoid of merit, but its defects very far indeed outweighed its beauties. Mr. COBHAM posts - melt a good stage face and figure, his voice is also powerful ; but in general he seemed entirely to have misconceived the cha racter he had undertaken to support. Instead of the deep, dissimulating, political, and aspiring Duke if (Mis ter drawn by our immortal Poet, we were presented with the picture of a ferocious villain, and bare-laced murderous ruffian; and in the place of kingly dignity, we were in general amused with starts, and attitudes of Melo-drama and Pantomime, The curtain ultimately dropped amidst a mixture of applause and disapproba tion. It is impossible that this actor, in- his present condition, can succeed with a respectable London audi ence ; but he is not destitute of talent, and therefore not hopeless of improvement. Among the novelties of this Theatre, on Tuesday even ing, the first in point of importance was the debut of a Mr. HMV, in the character of Sir Pertinas Mae Syco phant. His entree was very warmly greeted; but indi cations of party feeling scented to embarrass hint in his progress, until, in the fourth act, the tumult became so violent as to excite the indignation of the better judging portion of the audience, who, with one accord rose, waved their hats, and uttered shouts of encouragement for hint to proceed. The order restored by this interpo sition enabled us to hear distinctly, and to discover the ' most encouraging indications of the debutant's powers. His performance was certainly cold and stiff; but a little more discipline may warm him into considerable excel lence. lie retired amid loud demonstrations of ap plause. A new melo-dramatic Arabian Romance, called Who Wants a Wife? or, The Law of Ike Land, created laughter, and charmed the eye, without leaving any de cided impression on the mind. The humour of it turns on a sort of nondescript Cockney, from Beatbinder-lane (Les roe), who, on his voyage to Bombay, has been ship wrecked on some part of the Arabian coast It seems, a stranger had once saved the life of the Ruler over that part of the country where the Cockney finds himself; who, in gratitude, had proclaimed u law, that on every anniversary of that day, whatever stranger might chance to be in the kingdom should have the privilege of claim ing, as a bride, the first of the train of females resorting to pay their court on the occasion, at the palace. who might chance to be unmarried. The Cockney avails himself of the privilege, and his good luck gives him a Princess, who, Mier putting his fidelity to vanous at length decides in his favour. Though the plot is flimsy anti extravagant, yet, by the aid of scenery most gorgeously magnificent, and the dresses and dancing, worthy ()fa better vehicle, it was received well, and will probably be many times repeated to good houses. Mr. PococK is said to be the author of it.—The music, by litstior, was excellent. The Tragedy forthcoming at Drury Lane Theatre, on Mr. Kea* return t s rom Scotland, is, we understand from the pen of Mr. Mathurin, an Irish Gentleman, the author of a Novel, The Family of Montorio, and a friend of Mr. Mnlier Scutt, to whom he has dedicated it in the following few butt emphatic words—" To Walter Scott, the .Reetsman—the only friend of the Irish Author."--Mr. Bartley, of Drury-lane Theatre, has re linquished his engagement at that 'theatre, to he Stage M.ina• ger to Mr. Arnold.—Fawcett is reported to have resigned the management of Covent-garden Theatre to Farley.—Mr. Ray mond is about the porchuse,-it is said, of Vanikliall Gai dom.