The National Register. — London, England, 1815-07-30 00:00:00

et r. ' 4 4474' ►-~1r... -~,..~y.. p- A jiILY 30. DRAMATIC REGISTER. HAYMARKET THEATRE. Mr. Meggett, who lately made his debut in Richard, and w ho was certainly treated in an illiberal and unfair manner, made a second attempt on Monday night in Octavio', and w e were much gratified to find that the audience were not inclined to depress the energies and talent of this Gentleman, by a repetition of such conduct, which is certainly not at all consonant to the generous and manly character of a British public. It is not our intention to flatter Mr. Meggett, by bestow. ing on him unqualified applause, which his representation of Octavian does not merit, but to state our opinion briefly, in a fair and impartial manner. His performance throughout was respe' table, and in many parts he rose to excellence; it was evident hat he felt emboldened by the applause he received and so well deserved. He was most successful in the scene where he is unable to recognize Rogue, and in his interview w ith Flueanthe; in the former, the gradual and natural man ner in which he appears to remember the faithful domestic be lied been accustomed to behold with such joyful sensations ; and in the latter, the extacy with which he is convinced of the presence of his long-lost mistress, gained him loud and re peated applause. Mr. Megeett's action is at times redundant mod even awkward; but, upon the whole, this Gentleman cannot fail of proving a great acquisiton to the Theatre, and a favourite in tht estimation of the public. It was an nounced for repetition on Thursday amidst shouts of" Bravo, Bravo " A new Comedy in three Acts, was produced. at this Theatre on Tuesday, with the extraordinary title of " My Wife! what Wife''' The following is a blief sketch of the plot. St. Erman( (Terry) who is supposed to have deserted Const4ntia (Mrs. Hayward), the dmighter of Governor Hurricane, and married another, pursued by bailiffs. takes shelter in a house which proves to be that of Co:Wan:ids father, where he meets with the fiirmer Mis tress Of his affections. They mutually -charge each other with in constancy, and he by the as4istance of a rival, is liandini user to the care of his pursuers. Thus ends the first act. In the second lie discovers a friend in a spnitehiv, house, who restot es him to liberty, and this friend in the thiril.proves to be the husband of the woman St. Ernsont hail married. St Ermovt and Conslantia, find that each had been misrepresented to the oilier, and Are united by the Governor to the great martifieatir►n of a clownish rival. The incidents of this piece are . numerous, and what is much better, they are in general novel; the dialogue is replete with point, and the denouement is carried on with much bustle and humour. It was announced for represen tation with considerable applause, and we have no doubt but that ••.My Wife," will be well attended, at least for the season The performers supported their respcctivA parts admirabl►• ; particularly Tokely, as an Irish servant (of St. Ermont); he depicted the native impudence and blunt ho. nests of an Irishman with considerable humour, and a strict adherence to Nature. Matthews was all bustle in Governor Hurricane, and gained the applause of the audience by ;form. Mts. Gibbs as the fortunate female with two husbands, gave to the part, as much pertness, wantonness, and spit it as the Author could possibly whh. It .is the production of the author of Th e Hcr,ine. EXECUTION. The 5r ace in the front of Newgate was crowded to excess Wedtiesda,. tnorning, at an early hour, to witness the exe ("lion of Eliz. Penning, for admistering poison to the family d+f I r. Turner, law-stationer in Chance" y-tane, in which she h►cd as servant; IV. 014eld, for violatk!g the chattily of au ~~ •••• THT: NATIONA L REG I I infant; and A. Adams, for an indescribable crime. The fate of the former bad excited extraordinary interest, and the at tention of the multitude was pat ticularly direc ted lowa:4s her. A quarter past eight the unfoi tunate objects ase e . fi a4 the scaffold; Elie. Fenning first. ()Weld appealed not merely resigned to his fate, but filled with the haves of hap piness hereafter; be exhibited a much Brea - er degree of cheerfulness and animatiam than the individnals by wh,oni be was surrounded. He exhorted his fellow prisoner Adams, to trust with confidence in the boundless mercy (-) the Almighty. di pray Adams," he exclaimed, " play to the Lnid of Urravert, and Saviour of the world, to receive your soul into ever lasting bliss." lie shook hands mast affectionately with.the persons who ‘vere near him. particularly with ones of the turn keys, to whom lie said, " God grant you were as happy as I am ; for why soul will be in bliss everlasting in an hour:" Adams seemed almost insensible to what was paSsing arround him; he made no observalon ; but when the Rev. Mr. Cor- Tow inquired how he felt his mind, he answered, " that he put his whole trust in the merits of Christ !" Fermin} be haved with a much greater degree of calmness than ws ex _ pected ; for, during the condemned Sermon on Sunday, the intensity of her feelings brought on a violent hysteric affec tion, which continued for the greater part of the day. She was neatly dressed, in a white muslin; gown, and a li anisome worked cap. A few minutes before she ascended the scaff old, the Rev. Dr. Cotton naked her whether she had any communication to make; site paused for a very short tin e. and then said, with strong emphasis. " before the just and Almighty Cod, and by the faith of the Holy Sacrament I have taken, I am innocent of the offence with which I am charged." She afterwards made, in an indistinct tone of voice, what seemed to the bveastanders to he a declaration— " that the truth of the business would be disclosed in the course of the day." '' The Rev. Dr. Cotton anxious to leave precisely what she uttered, requested her to tepeat her words. She then said, " I am innocent, and I hope in God, the truth may be disclosed in th.* course of the day." The necessary preparations having been made, the mill:tory malefactors wqre, at half past eight . o'clock, lAnnelied into eternity. .After hanging for the usual time, the bodies. mei e cut down, and were in the afternoon delivered to their friends. At the request of Elizabeth Fenning, her master and mii. tress called upon her on Monday afternoon, when she calve:. sed to them her desire of reconciliation; and took •t!..aa opportunity of declaring to . them. in the presence o f ( - ;„,i s her entire innocence of the charge for which she was 1,1,,, ; 1 6 to stiffer. The same declaration was made as her (101 1 words, to her mother, upon taking leave of her on T aa. a . ,,. night. Her thus persisting in ber innocence to the last, le, I caused considerable sensation ire the public mind. Tht. 1 .. e ,: 3 CHANCELLOR and the 11J:comas:a of Lenden Wein. !,() the Secretary of State's Oflire (upon the subject en Tuc: , •/ay, an investigation having taking place in New, : ate tirgan it hy solve Gentlemen. The execution, was delay ed Ail half an hour. - in consequence of ;lack Kelch, only just arriving by the coach. having he'll the ci.enit, to hang a wow:ln:at Ipswici , . nn Monday, for a similar olTence for sviiich Chit. Fent,;ll, 7 , sitfTered, liv sending a cake to her Uncle vii:: ar':el!::' ill it, wit s did not eat of it ; those who did weir illii:.)!)' . 'd• As the recent blameable at...et - arts ta ieotate the i.a!e4., mind by circulating a detilit of the . - aiilt of tne lately rk.:- ! Cll it'd convict, Elizabeth r c i t i;!‘g, 7*'" , ,s S(.leiy WI tlt , r,, !.‘,.... 1 circumstance of her asseryvion of 'her int;oeenea, tea fc c ! ;, :. I ' be (mi. diity to, give publicity to the fillo , virg affidavit, ~ “ I , will . f,n ' abie every well-regulated mind to dia..v a coney: c 4,, Lc%Rion Viit)— .51,4 tilrljtr . :?AY. , ), lir.' 0. •:.4r., I+i , ~x NM Mal . ...... I 4SII =