The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1803-02-26 00:00:00

SIrEDISII COURT. sroCKHoI.M, JAN. 31. The ceremony of churching her MAJEST V, is just ended. It has bcen generally remarkable for shew and elegance; the f..'te of yesterday, which terminated the public rejoicings for the birth of his lioyal Highness the Grand Duke of FINLAND, was distinguished by the greatest ma;mificence. It con sisted of a ball, which took place in the great hall •" des Gra/4" in the castle ; this building, of an im mense size, and most superb architeattre, was il luminated with upwards of 3100 lamps. The lay ing out, embellishments, order, and execution, de- ' servedly conferred high encomiums on the ma nager, (M. le Compte de FErtsxN, the King's Grand Chamberlain.) Immediately after the en trance of their Majesties, with a numerous and reti•hue, the ball was opened, by Madame the Duchess of Su DER MANIA and the Prince Wit t.' AeS of G tout E•TER, who danced a minuet, which was followed by four other minuets. After these, there was a grand poknaise, or dance, after the Polish fashion, performed by the following per sonages : The King and Queen, The Duke of St:Q.:maul; with Michnre the Conite.se de 15rah", Plince of Gloucester, with Madame the Duchess of Sudermania. and a great number of Lords and Ladies belonging to the Court. After this, the hall becoming gene ral, was kept up till ten o'clock, and ended with a splendid supper, served up on seven great tables, including that at which his Majesty sat. LIDY CAVE .411110A"S VOl7. The Countess of CARIIAMPTON gave her first Rout this season, on Thursday evening, at her house in Bruton-street ; among the assemblage of 400 persons of beauty and fashion, were the fol lowing, viz. lii- Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Baron Lenthe. hL rquisies—Downshlte, Hertford, and Waterford. Ear/s—Westrnoreland, Can Mgron, NlacJestield, Mount- Dtgby, Gosfovi, aial Stair. unr,—Wentworth, Bulkelcy, and Sydncy. Largis—Sodley, Ossulaton, St. Ilalc.i a, Kingston, Bing ham, and Afßeck, J. Blackwood, J. Riddle, \V. Clare, and Gcneeds—Lenot and Taylor. Mesers.—Olinces, Balfour, Capell, Bennett, W. Town. sheod, Cad ion, Bruce, Morton Pitt, Peacham, Robinson, Vaitiout, Acheaun, Latouche, Stanhope, Fremantle, and Taylor. Alarchionesscs—llcadfort, S tlisbury, and Alsercorn • Crnontristaw-Clare, King.•ton ' Cork, Leitrim, Carrngton, Liverpool, Dowager of Essex, Macclesfield , &aux, and Gos- Bard. Wiseorintesses—Wonworth, Bulkeley, Castlereagh, Sydney, Sind Nlelborie. I.aaies--C.lermont, Harr-mot, C Lennox., . solo Howard, A. Castpeotor, Ciffistd, Detrintrst, Hagursfield, Bwood, L. eurry. Tarim, Somerton, Kingston, two Clements, Wa ving, C Jctliinsent, Emig am, G. Cecil, F. Beresford, An dover, S. Fane, Raeliam, Crofton, C. Thornbys, Townsend, tie; Hamiiton. Niercsses--Jones, Walpole, kloraLt, Loyd, Egerton, 01- wear., Gas-olgne, Meynell, Coleman, Fitaherhert, Robinson, Peach= Caulder, Montagu-, Malcolm, reeinatilles, Mor, ton Fitt, Bouverie, Thompson, Byng, Orby Hunter, Egiqton- Bankcc, Misses—Sidley, two Coventry'', Coleman, Brut;, Peaeliam, Lee,B.ermett, Smith, Harvest, Thompson, Beresiord, Luston, Cro:ton, llennikcr, Villiers. We are happy in being able to say, that her MA' JESTY was so far recovered from her indisposition on Thursday, a• to be able to take an airing for the first time since her MAJErrv's arrival at Wind sor, in a coach and four. Her MAJESTY was ac companied by the Princess Atriusta, Lady CA aoL,NE. DORMER and Mrs. Sratvnorz. The same morning their Royal Highnesses the Princesses AUGUSTA and Soriti A, attended by Lady CAROLINE Do RMLIt and Miss VYSE, took an airing to Holly Grove. His MAJESTY did not arrive at Wind'or on Thursday evening from London till Seven o'Clock. Yesterday her Royal Highness the Princess Msay's cold was considered much better. Doc tors 're rrr o's and MII.LstAN still attend her Royal flighne z. The long talked of installation of the KNIGHTS of the BA Ia is at 1 , n17,h finally fixed on. It is to take place on the i9th cf next May in Westminster On Thursday his Royal Highness the Duke of Ca.stsititua completed his '29th year. On Wednesday morning his MAJLST V attended by Generals G irrit and N 1 aNNEas, and Major ettow, rode in Winch•or Park, and in the neigh bunrhood of Windsor, for several hours. A new Drama, call :I Hugo Grothu, written by KOTZLIIVE, was brought out at Berlin, on the 10th ult. and well received. M. KoTzsses: himself per formed Grothar, the principal charafter. General Cv An. ocic left town last night, as Com mander in-Chief in Ireland. Lord KENSINGTON gave yesterday a dinner large party of friends, at his house in Welbeck- street. Lord L•MER'CK commences his dinner parties next week, at his house in Mansfield-street. Mrs. Astir tus gave, On Thursday evening, a • ball and supper, to a seled and fashionable party of friends, at her house in Cumberland-street ; the . music was conduc'led by the celebrated MACKIN. TOSII. At one o'clock, the two Miss ABERTHIES played several airs and duets, with great skill and satisfaction. Earl TEMPLE is still confined at his house in Lower Grosvenor -street. General MEY RICK is so ill with the gout, at his house in Hertford-street, that it will detain him, fur a few weeks, from setting off to Ireland. Mr. GORDON, of Theepe Castle, Banffshire, had a sclat party of musk last night, at his house in Lower Brook-street. A son of Mrs. SIDDONS proceeds to Bengal this season as a Writer, vice a nephew of Sir JOHN LADE's who had obtained the appointment through the in terest of a distinguished fet.onage, but, in conse quence of his uncle's earnest intercession, relinquish ed the nomination. P 01:7121^. iv; IN PAR \DISE. Beneath tholouth-side of a stack of haulm, A PI, hztf-fatten'd, made himself a bed ; No doubt the happiest creature uu the farm, And with the thickest covering o'er his head. Fer he had work'd his way into th^ stark, And mad • 14'11411in truth the beat styes, Where, with a load of pea-straw on his bark, lie sh2wl his Itca.!, and willed his little eyes. Oh ! he ! thought I, and is it thus, pit bcast, You laugh at down-beds, b4sters, and such gere ? Upon my conscience, I respeet yuur taste, Audi respea that slit that's in your car! For you, no doubt, were only seeking food When the dog came and straight began the fray : When you, as wiie as man—perhaps as good, Madc all the noise you could—and gut away. In one. good quality ihd -ed you beat lig, You bear no malice to the dog that be iid you ; You value not the feuds and strifes that heat us, And the world's itoirease yet have never teaid you. No Bailiff with a writ e'er made yon shake ; You for your rights were never forc'd to sue ; At n About such thing: a great uproar make, Do you mind writs and baitiff> ? No, not yJu. Then well done pig ! thy calin philosophy, And thy Warm birth, at times 1 w:sli to sham; For when the sharp wind drives along the sky, Methinks I should be comfortable tin re. Or when, as itow, the Sprim7 k peeping forth, I should feel joy, I verily suppose, If I with you was shetteed from the North, And felt the morning Sun upon my no.:e. You sleep...let pig-nuts tremble when you rise ! Rout deep in earth, nor envy chiefs and kings e Fur be assured that men, so mreat and wise, Act their pasts worse, and root up better thing:. MIDGE. BRANDENBOURG-HOUSE. TIll•: M•\RGRAVE's AIRTII-DAY. Thursday being the birth-day of his Serene High ness the Margrave of ANseacit, preparations were made by his amiable consort, her Serene Highness, to celebrate it in a style of truly noble magnificence. In the morning, a flag was displayed, flying on the top of the church, Hammersmith, over which was exhibited an Imperial Coronet. The company invited for the day were splendid, and The company at dinner consisted of only 32 persons. It was served in the dining-parlour, and not in three rooms, as announced in a Morning Paper of yes terday. At the upper end of the table we observed the Swedish, Russian, and Prussian Ambassadors, Baron JACOBI, Mons. de GI,- aLst, Charge d'Affaires, de S. M. DANOISE ; and at the lower end of the table, General and Lady C. LENNOX, Count and Lady MAUSANCOURIi, who seemed charmed with the winning affability of their ami able hostess. At night the play of Nourjai, (the fable of which we gave yesterday,) was performed. For this purpose the drawing-room, (or what her Highness calls the gallery,) was converted into a theatre, with a stage erested at the upper end of the room, 22 feet by 20, and about three feet six inches high from the floor, with a small orchestra in front. The music was under the diration of Mr. G. AstiLEV, partly composed by her Highness, and some by CORM ; Mr. Mown:Lica presided at the piano forte, and Mr. Asn try, jun. at the violincel lo. The scenery consisted of only two change of curtains ; the first representing the entrance of a hall, with fire-board, flower-pots, a cluck, &c.--Second, the interior of a palace, forming a dome, with shaded pillars and columns. The piece was admi rably performed, and her Serene Highness was en cored in the following sung. Tilt. MARGRAVINE's SONG. WRITTEN TO SIRDEI.E. D. ALry'S MUSIC. The Laurel immortal, Apollo, be thins Let Iliechus ti vineyards for ever resort, I envy him not the encircling vine, But fly to those shades, where Love keeps hit court: The Graces have silver'd with many a tear, And raised with her smiles this my favourite tree, The Myrtle alone shall receive all my care; It blossoms for Venus, for Love, and for Thee. The two Italian young ladies, Mademoiselles MoNrELL eel, were universally admired in their Italian airs. Mr. ANozco, whose comic powers are universally allowed, we are concerned to say, laboured trader a severe cold, which prevented him from acquitting himself with his usual ability. Young CIIATTERL v executed a pal stul in excel lent style. The dresses were splendid and appro priate. The whole. of the company • who attended this play, admitted by tickets, &c. did not amount to more than 97 persons. Amongst them were, The Earl and Countess of Yarmonth, Lord Keith, Lady and the three Miss Welbys, Sir William and Mrs. Jerninghare, Mr. Robed Welby, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Diamond, Mr. Hobbouse, Mr. Sheffield, Mr. and Mrs. Baker,_Mr. Banfield, the Hon. ' Col. Anstnither, Mr. and Mrs. Simpson, Mrs. Swinbunie, Captain Fleming, the three Miss Bnlkteys, Mr. Speadwell, Mr. Nbron, Mr. Stretfield, Vicountos Hamden, Captain and Mrs. Campbell, Mrs. Meyrick, Mr. Swinbuni*, Mr. Heueage, and Miss Hickman. Lady 'rya AWLEY has taken up her winter resi dence in St. James's-street. The large theatre at Brandenbourg-house will not be open until the return of the Hon. KLPPEI. Calk vEN from Paris. Her Serene Highness intends to give her future plays in the gallery. Mr. Coo? ER, the Aaor, who lately came from America, and is engaged at Drury-Lane Theatre, has been unfortunately deprived by death of an ami able sister, since his arrival in this country; an evetit that will, of course, retard his appearance un thea trical boards. The Chevalier ANOVA C A, who is appointed Am bassador from Spain to this country, had his audi ence *of leave of the Dutch Government on the 15th. His Secretary remains in Holland as Charge d'Affaires till the new Minister, Mr. De BOULIGNY arrives. - LAW 1N77 LL 16 Lll CE. VING% DFNCIT, GUlT.ntuLt., Ft.. 25. ItDv V. JONES. This WAS an aetion of assault. The Plaintiff was a milliner at Deptford, and the Defendant a lighter man at the same place. The Plaintif hack been , employed by the Defendant's wife, in way of her profession. W/ien she took home the articles of dress she had made, Mrs. Jones Was not altoge ther pleased H ith them, and the two ladies com menced an altercation, which they did not condua upon the principles of reciprocal politeness. In the interim, the Defendant came in, and espousingY, the cause of his wife, took Miss Runs by the shoulders, and turned her out of the room in a most ungal lant and uncourteous way.—The Jury gave a verdict fur the Plaintiff—Damages 51. FRIMLING C. CHILDS. This was also an aaion for an assault: The Plaintiff was a Publican at Shooter's-hill, and the Defendant was in the same line of business at North fleet. They both let out horses, which occasionally put up at each other's stables. The Defendant con ceived, that the Plaintiff had not taken proper care of those belonging to him, he therefore went to his house, with a determination to insult and quarrel with him. He aggravated the Plaintiff to that de gree, that he gave him the lie, upon which he struck I.irn so violent a blow, that it knocked him against the chimney-piece. ft was clearly proved, the De fendant was the wilful aggressor ; wherefore the Jury gave a verdict for the Plaintiff, damages SUL CIITERII)GL V. REIM: This was an adion upon a Bill of Exchange for 1501. The defence was, that it had been altered to 1:;01. from Md. after it had been drawn ; but the Defendant admitted that it was a valid security for 1001. dccordingl y the Plaintiff had a verdict for that sum. A number of common Jury causes were. tried ; but flit y were all of a very trilling natUre: COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. DoE (ex Dern.) COLVEL DAv molt. This was an action of ejearnent, to recover a cer tain piece of land attached to a public-house, known by the sign of the Star, in Maidenhead-court, Al dersgate-street. Several documents were produced, none of which authenticated the title of the Plaintiff to the land in question. A number of witnesses were also ex amined, to prove the former possession of the pre mises by the heirs of Colvel ; their testimony, how ever, did not go to :inn the present possessor. The Jury, therefore, after having sat upon this cause during the greater part of tire day, returned a ver dict for the liefendant. ADDRESS OF IHE HOUSE OF LORDS. Most Gracious Sot—rein, We, your Majesty's must dutlful and loyal subjeßni the Lord, Spiritual and Temilur.kl, in Parliament assembled, hum l4 beg leave to approach your Majesty with our warmest con gratulations upon the disco.ery and failure of a wicked and treasonable conspiracy funned against your Majesty's sacred Pe1.40:, and Government. We beg leave to express to your Majesty our horror and de testatiot. of s ., atrocious and unnatural a design to destroy our tree and hippy Constitution, by an attempt against your Ma jesty's most sacred life; a life endeared to us by your Majesty's uniform and constant endeavours to preserve that Constitution inviolate, and by the manifold blegings derived to' all your peoi.le from your Islajesty's naiad and beneficent reign; an at tempt which furnishes a fresh proof of those flagitioti; princi ples which are alike subversive' of all the duties of private of legitimate authority, of public order, and or civil liberty. Whilst we trust that the punishment which has been in flicted upon the conspirators 'will have the etfeet of preventing traitorous machinations in future, we acknowledge, with the ❑tnnust thankfulness and humility, the interposition of Al mighty God, who, in daeftting and deLiatiug these wicked de signs, has affordthi your Majesty a fresh instance of that Aa : powerful Protezliou upon which your Majesty has invariably placed your reliance. Your Majesty may be asturc7d that it is our fixed resolution, as it is our sacred duty, to defend and protei your Majesty's person, to second your Majeqy's uniform endeavours to main tain and preserve that excelhilit Constitution under which this kii.gduin has so long tlounslied, and to transmit it unimpaired to our patterity. Ills MAJESTY's NIUT GRACIOUS ANSWER. lily Lords, I receive, with peculiar satisfaelion, this dutiful and loyal Address, in addition to the many signal proofs which you have given Me of your cordial attachment to my Pcrson and Go vernment. The strong and just sentiments of hatred and indignation, which you hay.! expressed alailist this conspiracy, will, 1 doubt not, produce the most salutary ctfeCts, in prevcmting the re newal of such desperate and wicked attempts against our cwrii mon interests. The warm, steady, and unshaken loyalty of my people, will, I t:ust, through the continuation of the Divine Prote:liou hi therto vouchis . ed to Me, tender ett.ttuat my endeavours to maintain, and to transmit to the latest postenty, that fremloin, sectuity, and happiness, which experience has hew n u• insepa-ahly connected with the pfziervation of vur established Constitution. On Saturday last was held the Anniversary Meet. ing of the Governors of the British Lying-in Hos pital, in Brownlow-street, at F'reemasons'-tavern, Eafi. SP escut in the Chair. The Noble Earl presided, with his usual affability, and after many charming glees, and many loyal toasts, the company broke up in high spirits and good-humour, at a seasonable hour. This last will not be wondered at, when a donation a one thou sand pounds, three per cents. appropriated by the worthy Trustees named in the will of the late Mr. ll.kw;tiNs, to this most laudable charity, together with oilier legacies and benefaEtions, were an nounced, amounting, with what was collated after dinner, to not less than 930/. Through the kindness of such friends, the cir cumstances of the Hospital, which, from an over exertion of benevolence, had been on the decline, are now so far restored, as to enable the Governors to exercise their full power of recommending two ()Net% in a year, fur every Subscription of Five Guineas per ann. or one annually for Three Gui. ' neas. Ompayment of Forty Guineas, the full privi- . lege is vested for life. This respeCtable Hospital is honoured with the Patronage of her Royal Highness the Duchess of YORK, and with the notice of many Ladies of dis tinetion, whose names, as well as those of the No , bility and Gentry on its List of Governors, are presented to any benevolent character disposed to assist that deserving class of the Community " Poor -Pregnant Married Women, the Wives of Seamen, Soldiers, and Artisans in Distress." Messages, or enquiries at the Hospital, are pro perly attended to, and letters, being addressed to the Secretary, respeafully answered. N. B. In the course of the last year were delivered 358 Wortlen.—Sine the first institution, `27';U:l7. LETTERS ON THE FRENCH STAGE. LETTER TEE TITIP.D. Motive,: is allowed on all hands to be the first of comic poets, and yet 1 fat very heavy the other night at a representation of the Mi:ent4rop:. Dist I grow dull cr Motizee? 'The fat is, I am afraid, that in the general wreck of pure taste at home, mine has foundered too;—or, at least, has not quite . escaped. Mirth has been extorted from me by situ> ations of forced absurdity; ridiculous groupings of ridiculous personages have been imposed upon me for natural incident; pun and slang for dialogue of wit and humour; a succession of pantomimic bustle for the spirit and vivacity of genius; charaaers of contrivance, made up of fanciful trick and jargon, fin portraits of truth and nature; and even with the unqualified title of Comedy, castles and merderers, mysterious chambers and bloody knives, with the whole addenda of puerile romance, have foolishly awakened that attention which is justly due only to an interesting combination of the events of Life as it is. Yet I suspea I must not altogether acquit MOLIERE. Something more is requisite for the stage than wholesome sarcaam or elegant dialogue, or Ttirocarres might claim the title of Dramatist for his pastorals—Pert and licatact for their cols loquial satires. Mot:tar s upon the whole, is raj ther too sparing of incidents, in this pity of the Misanthrope particularly. The rhyme also is - here again a subjea of complaint—though in comedy, and especially in MOL !ERR'S style of comedy, it is less offensive than in any other kind of drama. To give force to common sentiment, and to point epi , gram, arc certainly the best purposes of rhyme. One night I was present at a new piece, written in very l,bre, as it is called ; that is to say, lines of irregular length, and rhyming at such distances as may be most convenient to the poet. This I thought not very rational, as being neither one thing nor the other : for the rhyme is sufficiently obvious to have all the disadvantage of unnatural effe& and of en feebling the language of passion when it occurs, and yet, from being placed at such long and uncertain intervals, is often so imperceptible as to fail of im parting to an epigrammatic thought that force which it is capable of adding: All I have seen of the French comic meting firms the favourable opinion I gave of it in my first letter—though BarrisTt was a little extravagant in the Maant4rope. Sr. FAt e in the new piece I above allude to, presented a most forcible and im pressive pinure of an arrant-hourru; within the verge of Netwe's modesty, he exhibited the utmost vio lence of unpolished and undisguised passion, with irresistible effect. Mademoiselle MARS is a very pretty woman, and an elegant aitress. Dazes. COURT is a chaste and lively Figaro, but praflice should have made him perfea, for he seems to have grown grey in his vagaries : and LA P.OOHiLI E, in the siltelscin malgre hii, mikes as ridiculous a Doctor as his author could have desired. The French passion for the drama is very strong. A new play, or a new actor; or novelty of any kind, never fails to fill the house with the opening of the doors—even to the orchestra, which the niti , sicians, on those occasions, consequently vacate. I attended the first appearance, this season, of TALMA and Mademoiselle RALTOCRT, (their Sineoes) and though the House had not been open five minutes when I arrived there, I could only find a place in the upper gallery, which is, however, a Much bets ter and a much more respeaable situation (the house being upon a very different construCtion) than that place in the London Theatres. They applaud with the greatest enthusiasm. TALMAi and Mademoi selle Reecouer were received with loud acclama tions ; and, after the play, they were called for to appear on the stage, and dismissed with similar et , pressions. GL . :(fris was the play, and some of its sentiments seemed much to augment the general satisfaCtion. The . following passages were distilll guished with reiterated bursts.— Un pretre quelcin'il son, quelque Dieu qui ! inspir^, butt prier pour sei rois, Lt non pa; le: inau di r e KW ;ratter ne soot pas ce cu'un rain pevple pens!, Notre credulite fait route lent science. And the reply made by Jocasta to the question of (Edipur, why the late King Laius was without guards when he was assassinated ? (1 matcliiiii sans crainte, et it emit sans defence. TALMA is, in my mind, decidedly their best tra gedian: he has more discrimination and less rant than LAFOND, though there are not wanting those who deem the fatter his equal; and even in certain charafters, his superior. Indeed,- party-spirit is carried to a great height about them, arid the friends . Of LAFOND Kent so far, OD a late occasion, as to hiss Tat ma's performance of Aeh;llu ih Ipkgrjnie, a . charaCter which they considered the rightful pro perty of LAFOND. LAFOND, it mU be owned, has most of the warrior about him. Refined taste appears to be much Ative getteral here than with you: At a trifling false expression by Madame Du CutsNors, a eery promising de butante, I heard• a general murmur of disapproba tion. And every body Atho attends the theatre seems to lay claim to criticism. 1 have noticed very shabby, and apparently humble-minded audit for turn up his nose upon Yesi small provocatim . M IN 7 M!ig "IV , • - I