The National Register. — London, England, 1808-05-08 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. punished; for we do not believe that there were as many spec tators on Thursday night as would pay the charges of the House. He is by no means sparing of expence; hut what is the use of bestowing expence on such Tragedies as Donduca, such Operas as The Travellers in Switzerland, and such Afterpicces as Boni facia and . Dridgetina, We are happy to find that Mr. Cooke is shortly to play Kent to Mr. Kemble's Lear, with Mr. C. Kemble for the Edgar. Then we may hope to see a play well acted. Mrs. C. Ketnblex Benefit Is fixed for Tuesday the 20th inst. when will be represented a New Comedy, called " Match Malin o • or, 'Tis a J%'ise Child that knows its own FaM.A.," with :favourite Interlude, and a Musical Entertainment. We sincerely wish that the Golden Fleece, or more properly the classical story taken from that celebrated poet Valerius Flan's, called " Jason and Medea," may prove a golden tleece to the Proprietors of the Minor Theatre, Catherine-street, Strand ; the machinery, scenery, decorations, &c. are very pleasing, and we are informed ‘ere invented by Mr. Johnston, late of Drury Lane Theatre. MAY S. same hand to have produced both. This picture abounds %jib Mr. West's worst faults; and the whole has a hard, dry, diva• greeable erect, which disappointed us the more in proportion to the interest of the subject, and the celebrity of the artist. CITY. BREA n.—On Tuesday the Lord Mayor ordered the price of bread to be continued as before, viz. the quartern loaf, wheaten, to he sold for I Id. and the household sid. Friday a Court of Common Council was held at Guildhall, and after a long desultory conversation thanks were voted to the Rev. C. J. baynes, for his sermon preached at St. Paul's, on the Fast nab•. A Report was presented from the Committee of City Lands, concerning Smithfield Market, recommending the adoption of a plan suggested by Mr. Joshua Trimmer, as to the regulations cf the said Market, and recommending a remuneration of 4001, a year for the same, which was negatived by the Court. A Report was read from the Committee of General Purposes, as to the income of the City, which was stated to be 10,792/. Lis. 4d. chargeable to the Property Tax, which was ordered to he returned. A Letter from Captain Rogers and one from Admiral Stirling. in return to the votes of thanks of the Court, were laid by the Lord Alayor before the Court, and ordered to be entered on the Journals. The Chamberlain presented his account of receipts and ex penditure for the year 1807. The Clerk of the Comptroller also his charge upon the Chamberlain; and the Clerk of the Bridge house his accounts, which were severally ordered to be printed, and a copy thereof sent to every Member of the Court. The Committee of City Lands were ordered to stay proceed ings in a Bill presented to the House of Commons concerning Smithfield 'Market, they having exceeded their instructions. Admiral Sir T. Louis having died before the sword voted him by the Court, could have been presented, the same was ordered to be presented to his son, now Sir John Louis, a Post Captain, as a testimony of the esteem his father was held in by the Court, The Itemembrancer laid before the Court a Bill for the Lcta blishment of a Local Militia; also the Leather Cutters' Bill, which was referred to the Committee of City Laude. EAST INDIA AFFAIRS. -•■•••■-•. Monday, an account was received at the East India House. that the undermentioned outward-bound ships were oil' the Cape de Verd Islands, the 7th of March last :—Elphinstone, W in chelsea, Widmer Castle, Phoenix, and Essex. Wednesday, a Court of Directors was held at the East India House, when Captains Hawes and Young, of the Monarch and Lord Fidon, took leave previous to departing, the former for Madeira, Coast and Bay, the latter for Bombay.—Adjourned. REGULATION OF ASSESSED TAXES. The Bill now befv - e Parliament repeals the present duties rif assessed taxes, grants new duties in lieu thereof, and remain ad ditional duties to he consolidated therewith; it also appeals the stamp duties on game certificates, and grants new duties in lied thereof. The duties are specified in schedules which oecupi thirty pages. The following are the principal : WINDOWS. 6 to pay £o 0 6 13 to pay ses 6 6 7 8 9 19 11 . 312 0 1 19 12 The Scale ascends to 180 windows, wl:1,:h are to pay 93 '2 6 Lights in whatever way constructed, whether in the exterior or interior of houses, to be deemed windows. Those in out houses, whether contiguous to, or disjointed from the dwelliii howe, to be charged. Every window giving light to more rooms or landings than one, to he charged as two windows. Windows exceeding 12 feet in height, or in hreadlh 4 feel 9 inches, the height not being less than 3 feet 6 incites, to te charged as two windows. IN DA DITED DWELLING-ROUSES. 51. and under £Ol. by the year, Is. 6d. in the Pound. 20 and under 40 2 3 40 and upwards . 2 10 FINE ARTS. The fortieth exhibition of the Royal Academy at cornerset- House has now appeared, and continues to attract all those with whom the love of the arts. of fashion, or of a lounge, is a mo tive powerful enough to vanquish the horrors of heat. Two of the artists who formerly drew the greatest admiration, are not recognised in this exhibition; one has been snatched from public attention by an untimely death, and the other by his own diffi dence. The last exhibition contained several of the works of Mr Opie: Mr. Opie is now no more. The last exhibition con tained several works of Mr. lloppiter ; but Mr. lloppner, con ceiving that none of his most recent paintings are worthy of his i•wt reputation, has now, with a self-command and coolness of aatimation exceedingly uunsual among men of genius, refused to lend any of his paintings to the exhibition. Having thus paid -tat tribute of respect to the artists who are absent, we pro ceed to speak of the merits of those who are present. The Royal Academicians, as may be always expected, have furnished the greatest number of striking pictures. 35. A Portrait.-11. Tnom SO R. A. " Lo, the poor Indian, whose untutor'd mind. " Sees God in clouds, and hears him in the wind !" This picture is the portrait of an Indian female, kneeling and adoring the deity that manifests himself amid the storm. The e•srpt - ession of the upper part of her face has a mixture of se eet- ! oess and sublimity, that we scarcely haired ever to see united. The management of the light which a tempestuous sky throws ispun a break 'of the sea that sweeps in the back ground, is ex tofu itely conducted ; the colouring is chaste, and at the same that: harmonious ; and Mr. Thomson seems to have completely tiamed that power, which, in painting, as well as in poetry, is se. ;;pt to escape the careless, ignorant, or indolent minds of infe ti,,r artists, the power of subjecting imagination vt ithout depres sitig it, of preserving vigour without neglecting elegance, and of ' begetting a temperance even in the whirlwind of passion." . 71. Lavinia.—M. A. Ssit e., R. A. This is the best picture which we have ever seen of Mr. Slice's. The figure of Lavinia is single; and the attitude in which she sits is natural and simple. The face and neck are extremely meri torious in colouring, and the picure could scarcely fail to pLa:se even an unpractised eye. If there he any fault in it, we are in clined to think that fault exists in the representation of the turf on which Lavinia sits. The ground has too square an effect for a natural bank—it looks as if it were chisseled stone. 75. Portrait of Lady Heathcote.—W . OW EN, R. A. The genius of this admirable artist continues to expand itself, and appears at length to have called forth that applause which is so justly its due. The best judges of the art, and the unettiti ated spectators who gaze but for a show, have all concurred in extolling this portrait. Mr. Owen is an artist of real genius ; end as it is the property of real genius to place no hounds to its progress of improvement, we doubt not that his future works will give us many opportunities of repeating, and even increasing the high praise which we are bound to bestow uron this picture. 112. The Death of Lord Nelson in the Cockpit of the Ship Victory.—B. WEST, R. A. 93'great a fame has been acquired by this artist for his Death of General Wolfe, that any stranger who looks at the Death of Lord Nelson now id the liahibition, will scarcely-believe the • • -- lir -- ,