The National Register. — London, England, 1817-07-14 00:00:00

JUL? 14 • meter the reproach of this trade, is a great step towards its final abolition; but it cannot be denied that, as yet, the interdiction of the trade to British subjects is at tended by no other advantage. We have only delivered up the Africans to foreign, and, perhaps, more cruel speculators ; but our own self-denial justifies our ap plication to the other Powers of Europe. In this oh ject we have partially succeeded; but while the trade is continued by those two Powers, which, from the state of their colonial possessions, are most interested in exten'ing it, our own sacrifices, and our }swill suc cesses with other nations, are nugatory. The sum of individual misery is not dimiaished—we may count as many tears, and groans, and chains, us formerly ; and while we exult in the reflection that we have not caused the one, or inflicted the other, it is galling to think that such sufferings are the work of the two most con temptible nations in the world, which have existed from our mercy, and, in fact, persists in outraging humanity at the sufferance of Great' Britain. It is time to turn our serious Intention to this consideration: no feeling of respect to national rights should prevent our interference. If Great Britain were justified in protecting Spain and Portugal from the gripe of France, no principle of national law can refuse to sanction simi lar exertions in favour of Africa, outraged by the null- Yidual cl Portuguese and Spaniards. Earl Percy succeeds, by the death of his father, the late Duke of Northumberland, to a property of upwards of 100,0001 per annum. His Grace has left 100,0001. to each of his younger children. The remains of the Right Hon. Gco. Ponsonby were removed yesterday morning, at six otelock, from his ' house in Curzon-street, May-fair, in a private manner for interment, in the vault at Kensington, where the retrains of the late Lord Ponsonby are deposited —A few of the deceased's particular friends attended the funeral ; among them was the Earl of Shannon, the. Earl of Besborough, and Lord G. H. Cavendish Two of the late ever-to-be-lamented Mr. Ponsonby's sisters survive him, viz.—Catherine, Countess of Shan.. non, mother to the present Earl of Shannon and to the late Countess of Bandon, and Frances, BiI7CMCSE Lis more, mother to the present Viscount Lismore. The failure of the late embassy to China has been ascribed to certain impositions practised by the Chinese Officers of State on the Emperor; and the fact is now placed beyond doubt, by an huperiel edict, published in the Pekin Gazette of the 4th September, 1816. The Emperor Alexander paid a distinguished com pliment to Lord Cutlicart, Jn. Ambassador, and the ' nation he represents, on the 4th June ; perceiving his Lordship on the parade at St. Petersburgh, dressed in his orders, he inquired the cause, and finding it was the birth-day of his Sovereign, his Imperial Majesty order ed a fee de joie to be fired, invited himself to a bail given at night by his Lordship, and appeared there dreseed in the English Order of the Garter. The public will be surprised to learn that a Bill has passed both Houses of Parliament, by the provisions of which, the great obstacle to the entry of Roman Ca tholics into the Army and Navy, and to their advance ment to the highest rank in the serviec, is compleatly withdrawn. They are not to be called on to take the oaths before entering the Army and Navy ;—and after they have entered the service, all further obligation of taking the oaths, or the sacrament, is done away by the auneal Act of Indemnity which is passed at the beg-hitting of each Session. All religious distinction, therefore, is removed us to the military and naval ser vice ;—and there can be in future no obstacle to a Roman Catholic rising to the command of an army— or to be the Lord High Admiral of Englund, if that office shneld cease to he in commission.—This Bill, which was introduced by Ministers, is said to be ex lastly similar in substance and cflect to the one intro-' dutaxl by the Administration of Lords Grenville and Grey, and which was the cruse, or pretended cause, of their dismissal front office. The Dublin Evening Post states, that it is resolved to re-embody the Catholic Board, and that its first. meeting was fixed for this day. The same paper acknowledges the receipt of letters from Rome, the tent tents of which are as disastrous as important to the in terest of Irish Catholics. The management of Eccle siastical aftltirs is, for the first time, tansferred from the Propaganda to a Council composed of Politicians. Mr. Parke, the Bsitish Consul, and Baron Omptcda, the Hanoverian Minister, have obtained a complete con troul. Mr. Hayes is lying ill of a fever in a convent, guardedhy two constables, and a Bens d' antler. All admittance is refused, except to his medical attendant, who though a British subject, is not allowed to address him in another language than Italian. The Waterloo Committee have sent to Marshal Blu cher an additional 10;0001. sterling to be applied to the use of the children of Prussian soldiers who fell in the campaign of 1815. The experiment of haulingsup a lino-of-battle ship, by means of ruffles, has fully succeeded at Plymouth Dock-yard. The Keot, of 74 guns, and 1964 tons, was, by the simple but most powerfal mechanical in strument, drawn out of the water and securely placed on a entitle, tin repeir.- The experiment -was never before tried with a ship of greater 10111144 than a 38 ' . gun frigate. THP. NATIONAL REGISTER._ THE DII.4MA. COVENT Gannr.x.—On Monday Miss O'Neill ap reared for the jai( time in the character of Desdemo ha, and in the afterpiece of Katharine aid Petruchia, she. for the second time, personified the termagant Ka tharine. It was understood that it would be her last appearance this season, anti this, tos.ether with the novelty of the pc:Mt-mance literaliy eramfwd the house. She will, however, appear again on Monday, and Thursday next, tho last night, we believe, of the company's performing. Dead/wpm is a character so entirely .composed of feminine softness that an actress of inferior taint will please us in it, provided she is possessed of a tolerable share of personal charms;. but to embody perfectly the ardent, yet pure love--the meltin, tenderness, the innocent passiveness Which Shakespeare has drawn, requires nothing less than the delicate ta.:te and per sonal beauty Hof Miss O'Neill. Familliar as the cha-• raoter is to the public, yet in her hands it becomes new. Since the decline of Mrs. Siddons " into the Yale of years." we have seen the character bet as an outline, in which nothing but the prominent features were defined—with Miss O'Neill, it is a kuished pic ture, perfect in all its parts. It has become so greatly the fashion of late to esti mate the talents of performers by their success in finding our original readings of the author's text ; by adopting some new emphases or attitude ; some new and violent transition that may startle and surprise, that we have more that once heard it oh ' jetted to MissO'Neill as a fault that she has inn-educed no new readings in her characters. If there were any truth in the axiom that there is nothing good but what is new, we might be inclined to hull in with this opin ion, and estimate the talents of Miss O'Neill somewhat lower than we do; but as we cannot forget that a great number of women of high reputation have for merly played this character, and that the text of Shakespeare has been pretty well understood for the last fifty years, at least, we arc disposed to forgive her the crime of having neglected the search atter new readings.; indeed we rather applaud her for having done so, for, to this childish taste for novelty may be attributed many of the absurdities which the stage at various times has exhibited ; anti on the stage of a theatre, as well as the stage of tha world there is no absurdity, however great, but will find some supporters. We have no doubt the fellow hvho once appeared in the part of Kart -in King Lear, dressed like a physician with a powdered wig, black suit and gold-headed cane, had his admirers : for he bad a sub- • atautial test to prove he was right. When the en raged King calls him " Vassal ! Miscreant!" and lays his hand upon his sword, Kent exclaims— 6' Kill thy physieino.stud thy fee bestow Upon the font digrame."— What argument cculd amv:nee a matter-of that Kent was not a doctor? _ But to return to Mis 3 O'Neill.—rfer performance of Desdemona possesses so much of excellence, that we arc surprised she has not played it before. We hope she did consider it betwath her talents, for, after her Julie,. we Inow but of one other character of the ten der kind in which we think she could delight us more —we mean Cordelia. In Deademona she Ina no un- equal part ; the moment she appears she takes the senses captive ; as her sorrows increane she seizes on our sympathies, and obtains so entire an ascendancy over us, that pity fa. the unfortunate Othello is sma. thcred in the contemplation of her suffering innocence. With a3.this was altogether u new feeling; with other Desdemon ''s, Othellu has shared our pay, but with Miss O'Neill we can admit him to no part. Fine as i was her whole performance, vet the chamber scene in the linirth act was so inimitably fine, that we can never hope to see it excelled :—as she sunk upon the ground, overwhelmed by his false accusations, she drew down our hearts along with her—we would not exchange our sensations during that single scene, fur a whole evening oftnirth. Mr. Youpg, as if feeling that the retreat of tremble had left him lord of the field, put forth all his ener gies to prove himself worthy of it. His correct decla mation has long bean admired, but we do not ,re member to have seen him so empessioned, as on this evening. Wednesday The !err rant o f Venice was perfl)rmed for the benefit of Mrs. l'awit and Mr. Tinney. It is not our usual practice to notice the performances on benefit nights, but those of this evening had a singularity which we cannot refrain from remarkin g ; on —A Mr. Sherenbeck, of Rochester, atiem remarkin g ; ptrd lock with the Jewish aceentl as the bills expressed it ; and, for the attempt, we wished him well cudgdilcd. ENGLISH OPERA Honsr.—On Monday evening, Mr. Pearman, who was announced from Bath, ma,le his first a, ,, pcaranm on t!.cse boark in the .part or Prince Orlando, in the Cabinet, which he sustained With considerable ability. He repeated the part on Wednesday, when the nervousness constantly attending a first appearun:•e was dissipated ; .and the charming airs of Fair Ellen, the l'eanfiful ;Void, and the eclo brated Polacca, wore loudly encored. On Thursday, Miss M. U. Bu gists was :gain the represtmtathve of Mandane, and our remarks of last week will accord with this her fourth.performance last ceptiug that the repeated applause stimulated her to greater exertion, consequently, to increased effect. Dilalin's ballad opera calle'l the Deserter, and the beet of the same title (t;wrierly performed at Covent Garden) hav;ng been united and revived, form a pleasing entertainment.—Mr. H. Johnston's know ledge of pantomime action, enabled him to express with vivacity the character of Henry. llavatntc;;r•.•r.—This comfortable little theatre open ed for its brief season, on Monday night, with Jame son's whimsical three-act Comedy of Exit Get Mistake. The company is nearly the same as last season. Mr. Butler, from the York theatre appeared in the part 0.. ,S'hcriqiire, in the farce of ne Village Lan , yer, and was favourably received. The celebrated Mrs. Billington has been surprised in her retirement at Fulham within these few days, by the appearance of her Trench husband, M. Fellison, whom she married some years ago in Italy, we believe. Although the visit was wholly unexpected, and euited no small surprise on the part of the lady and her friends, we understand that Mrs. B. and her taro sposo are upon the best terms. She retires to the Continent with him for life, it seems, the instant she can dispose of her - property in this country. The following is the pact Report of the Physicians, respecting the state of his Majesty's health Windsor Castle. July S. " His Majesty has been very composed during the last month. His Majesty's health is good. but his disorder continues unabated. " 11. iiALTORD, " .1. WILLIS, 4 ' M. BAILLIE. R. Wit .n." " W. HEBERDEPI, Lotters just received from Barbadoes mention, that several transports had arrived there with troops from England, and it was reported that a secret expedition was on foot. A society has been formed in the United - States for the encouragement of American manufactures, and already reckons among its members the leading indivi duals in the nation. Messrs. Jefferson, Adams, Ma dison, and recently Mr. Munroe himself; the Presi dent, have entered their name on the list of this soci ety ; the object of which is, to make the United States independent of foreign countries for the comforts and enjoyments that arise out of manufacturing industry. No name could be less British than that of Sovereign for the new twenty-shilling piece. The hat/ Sovereign has already got the nick-name of Regent. His Grace the Duke of Wellington, having had an audience of leave of the Prince Regent, has proceeded to Cambray. PEDFSTRIANISM.—Yesterday Wormwood Scrubs i hibited a very gay scene. Bets have taken a turn, and are now about two to one against Stevens At four o'clock yesterday he bad, since his commencement, gone 250 miles and a quarter, being a quarter of a mils above half the distance he undertook to perform. CLANDESTINE MARRIAGF.S.—A Bill now in Parlia ment for the further regulation of marriages to be so lemnized after publication of banns of matrimony, enacts, that no clergyman shall publish banns without sufficient notice in writing having been given ; •the parties to make uatk to the truth of the notice, and the clerk to enter the notice in a book. The notices are to contain the places of abode of' the pasties, and the Act is to be read in churches at certain firms. THE EVANeS bare seen a paper, tigned James Watson, Arthur Thistlewood, Thomas Preston, and John Hooper; by which those subscribers testify. thlt neither Thomas Evans, nor his son, was concercd or privy to, the calling of the meeting in Spar Ads nor were they ever consu:ted on any measure relative thereto. and this the subscribers offer to declare upon oath. wi'h The Tuvistoci C.annl, fortni/v a the Tamer, and which was commenced 4 years ago, having cost 70,0001. was opestcd on the 2tith silt. P. numerous company of betwccn 3 and 400 persons in boats constructed of shc.ct iron, proeccded.through the tunnel, at a distance of a mile and three quarters under ground, beneath a canopy of solid rock, at a depth of 430 feet from the sunanit of the hill, accom panied in their Jack passage 1w songs and music. The Duke of Bedford has vary contributed to this work. The Forest of Man, which i• now replanting, 11; orilc-i. the production of future oak trees for the , crsfice of Ow Stale has already landed three bountiful crop, which have•f•rina dimity been used in the erection at'" Brit best bobcat ks.' The last time of its plantation was in the reign of Chalks V. upwards of 150 years ago. Igth July, the Last I}v.—J. STVEWRIGHT, rontrareor for the i;nmsn Lot-rr.iim, which will finish Drawing SATURDAY. 1St!) July, any:flints those who Numbers were rot entitled tneuy of the noney Prize,: di: First Day, bot lu tbe.Prw. I:ge of being dr;twu again on tl,e shit they iu.iy re:vivo. r.t tl e rate of 11 . 1. par Ticket, by bringing tAnst tufo' P..) men: 0n..0r fore the uth of This Monett—it should, however, be charly nutter. stood, tlut those who thus accept P7e Money for their Illrecks, rein. quish all claim to any Prize tirtileh the mine Ntunhcrtnny aft-mares b , ,N.,oruc entitled to.—Al! the Pt flit ITIZ PS of tNl,coul. undecMoil. and the olds are very (cot 15 to 5) ar ai li .,, gr tre'. being gained by One Number; there remain also ( hllaor cap:tals. beide, Prise. OM. and 201. aid •GO6Ol. to be disked r..lcogrt the 1,010 First Drawn Blanks„—there .is no advance in Prices! !—J. SivrwatunT has Tickets and Shares on Sale at No. 57, co,r4iU, 38, Haymarket, 11, klolbom, ancl.l4l, Oxiine-strect