The Sun. — London, England, 1829-09-15 00:00:00

lions and a half of young French do not learn either to read or write. The girls amount at least to a third of the number of children who attend public schools. Out of nearly 40,000 communes, there are not 24,000 which are pro vided with schools for boys ; the schools are in number nearly 27,000, of which perhaps 5 or 600 are coiiducted according to the method of ministerial instruction." M. Charles Dupin, in a comparisOn of popular instruction with the in dustry of the departments, according to the ex position of 1827, presented in the second Sit ting of bis Course of Geometry and Mechanics for the'Working Classes, the 25th December, 1827, contrasts in this way the north and south pf the kingdom :—" If I resume the facts indicated in this Sitting, to compare in 1827, as I did last year for another expo sition, the popular instruction and the industry of the north and south of the kingdom, I find as definite result :—Children ztt school in the thirty-two departments of the north, 740,846. • In the fifty-four departments of the south, • 375,931." Speaking of Paris, he says—" We must distinguish in Paris two populations : the population already enlightened, and the popula tion which still remains to be enlightened ; the former, which comprehends at most 100,000 souls, is, I will undertake to say, in the foremost rank among the civilized populations of Europe. It is this part of the citizens of the capital which produces all the chefs d'a?uvre of sciences, let ters, and the arts, which make Paris the Athens of modern nations. It is this part of the citi zens which gains the medals of industry, and which possesses, in short, an instruction which must be termed popular, when applied to 100,000 souls—an instruction, I say, more ele vated than is possessed by any other population condensed in a city. Let us labour to raise the 800,000, who are backward, to the rank of honour and instruction to which the hundred thousand Grenadiers of French civilization have with so much courage attained." There is a full account of the state of education in France in a work by Dr. Johnson, published by Messrs. Simpkin and Marshall, about two years ago, of which there is a very copious abstract in the Scotsman. In another article in the Scotsman for Oct. 27, 1827, when examining the Reports on the State of Education in Ireland, the state of education in the different countries of Europe is thus briefly described :—" If we estimate the population Of Ireland in 1824 at 7,500,000, the children at school will amount to nearly one thirteenth part of the inhabitants. In Scotland, the children at school form one-ninth part of the population ; in England they are only about one-sixteenth, in Holland one twelfth, in Prussia one-eighteenth, and in France one-thirtieth."— But if we deduct the north of France, the 32 de partments of which have 740,846 children at school, the remaining 54 departments, about two-thirds of the country, with only 375,931, must be pretty nearly on a level with Spain.— The north of France is greatly below the worst pans of England; but the south will not bear a comparison with any portion of the Empire. M. de Staei Holstein, who twice visited this coun try, and whose comparison of England and France has generally been allowed the praise of great fairness, observes, in his Letters published in 1825 : " Let not, however, a sentiment of national pride serve to deceive us. We should err if we were tu judge of the condition of the two nations, if we were to compare the intellectual summits. This point of comparison would give to France an appa r?nt advantage, which would be unfortunately con tradicted by an observation of the real state of the inaises. " I .in certain that there would be found in the moral elite of the French nation, more minds en dowed kk ith the faculty of generalizing their ideas, connecting them with philosophical principles, and expressing: them in a brilliant or original manner, both in books and in conversation. I believe also, that in descending to the other extremity of the scale, there would be found in the classes destitute of instruction more natural vivacity, more aptitude to seize new ideas, more of that instinctive spirit with which the sun inspires the inhabitants of the countries which he favours. But a few men of abi lity or even genius, a few bold thinkers, or a few ingenious theorists, do not constitute the moral and political force of a nation. This force consists in a Ittedium intelligence, in the general knowledge of the principles and practical institutions to which the direction of human affairs appertains, This medium intelligence makes the statesman, the jurisconsult, the manufacturer, the merchant, in a word, all the active memlegs of a well-organized community. And in this respect, there is no eountey in Europe Which (-In sustain a parallel with England. " Our GeOrnetricians are more profound, our en gineek s more learned; their mechanics, their manu facturers surpass ours in number and practicable ability. Jim some one of our departments primary instruction will be found more general than in some counties of Great Britain; Alsace is certainly very superior in this repeet to the provinces of the centre and south of England (for Westmorland and the i South of Scotland excel in this respect every other country of Europe, some portions of Switzerland excepted) ; but where should we find on the other side of the Channel a whole province where, as in Brittany, there is hardly for every 500 individuals .one child that goes to schogl ? Where should we 16nd populous towns, head places of departments, destitute of all intellectual resources, without any in stitution for education—without any bookseller's stop, except this name be given to a paltry place whore a few mass-books are to be found, with two or three bad novels ? Such is, however, the mise rable condition of the most (la phtpart) of our provinces, and such is the country where the Go verntnent, far from calling to its aid all possible means of intellectual culture, tar from encouraging with gratitude the efforts of particular philanthropy, seems to exert itself to discourage and restrain them." So much for the intelligence of the mass of the French nation. We may be mistaken in supposing it possible that the French Law of 1817, which made the qualification to vote the payment of 300 francs of taxes, gave an advan tage to the Liberals; but we observe that the Ultras objected to that law, that it was unfa vourable to the Royalists, as the class who paid S3O francs were opposed to the body of the na tion, wiiich was Royalist, and to the great pro prietors. The modification of that law allowed the 300 fraees to remain the qualification for the arrondissement, but took a certain number who paid 1,000 francs, and who voted, besides, in the arrondissements, to return a certain portion of the Representatives for the Departments. If our Contemporary wishes, we sll2ll quote abun dance of passages from the writings of AI. Fievee and other Ultras of the time, accusing the NO francs qualificators of favouring Libe ralism. Wherever the population was active and intelligent, the returns in 1827 were Liberal ; where it was otherwise, the returns were Mini vte.rial. In an article in the Revue Trimes trielle for January, 1828, on the Elections of 11527, the writer observes-- •" We shall offer a few general observations, in dependent of persons and relative to population. Paris, Lyons, Bourdeaux, Nantes, the departments bordering, on the Seine and the Loire; all these which are remaikable for much activity, industry, emulation in whatever way; all those where Capi als and persons circulate with rapidity and facility; all these made elections favourable to the opinions and interests which characterise our epoch and the new generation. Marseilles and Lille, where the Ministry obtained a smA majority, bad still impos ing minorities, which serve to confirm our observa tion. On the other hand, the departments which are mountainous, remote, inert, with bad commu nications, poor, gross in their habits, in their culti vation, in their industry, were not in a condition to resist the weight of ministerial influence. Such were Le Jura, Le Lot, Le Cantal, l'Aveyron, l'Ardeche, l'Arriego; les Hautes-Pyreness, les Landes. The quarters of Brittany where the Los Breton is spoken, where French is almost a learned 1 inguage, and consequently the action of a free press is almost paralysed, also elected Ministerial De puties." We thus see that the franchise is exercised more judiciously by an intelligent than by an ignorant population. If then it so happens that the great body of a people are so ignorant that only one million out of six can read at all, it is but reasonable to infer that the same ignorance which causes improper returns in the backward depart ments will be felt injuriously elsewhere. But we by no means wish to infer that universal suffrage would be as dangerous in England as in France. In England the population of towns is far greater, and even our villages are in constant communica tion with time great towns. The mechanics have in many places actually more leisure for reading than their masters; and in this metropolis we are inclined to believe many classes of workmen are little, if at all, inferior to the middle classes. It would be, in respect to England, merely a ques tion how far this character is applicable to the lower classes generally. So far then from think ing that injury has been done to the French by the comparison with England, we think that the English have most reason to complain. We have said enough, we think, to satisfy our contempo rary, that whatever may be thought (dour doubts as to the expediency of universal suffrage, his own assertions are more objectionable.—Morn ing Chronicle. The prosecutions for libel, which the Duke of Wellington has commenced against a Morn ing Paper, have surprised those who were in the habit of representing the Premier as indifferent to the praise or censure of the daily Press. We never thought that indifference to the voice of public opinion was consistent with the character of a great man ; on the contrary, superior minds have been always peculiarly sensitive on the sub- ject of their fame. Carelessness of reputation is not a quality to be admired in any man. It im plies, not dignity of spirit, but dulness of moral feeling. But, though a spotless fame has al ways been dear to men of noble ambition, we never knew they were remarkable for vindicating t by actions or indictments for libel. Such modes of supporting reputation, and of making opinion silent or submissive, they have generally left to beings of a lower element, who cannot trust to history for vindication, or to perso►►s of dubious character, whose " good name" always stands i►► need of artificial support. The cha racter of the Duke of Wellington belongs to history—his fame is under the protection of a higher tribunal than a Court of Criminal Jurisdiction. It is, like that of Marl borough, identified with the perils and the glories of I►is country, and, like his, inseparable from proud and splendid recollections. Political detraction assailed Marlborough in the evening of his days, but his fame has outlived it. He did not indict his calumniators. He did not attempt to silence opinion by a criminal prose. cution. He did not avail himself of the advan- tubes which the law of libel affords to an accuser, and which law is admirably framed for the sup pression, and not the elucidation, of truth.— Charged with an abandoned disregard of the in terests of his country, his defence was written in the records of her glory and the humiliation of her enemies. It was reserved for the Duke of Wellington to rival the fame of that great man, and he ought not to descend from the eminence to which his talents and fortune have raised him, to enter the arena of a Criminal Court with a political assailant in the daily Press. We never heard of Mr. Pitt, or Mr. Fox, or Mr. Perceval, or Mr. Canning, indicting a Journalist for the freest, the boldest, or even the most scurrilous attacks on their Ministerial skill or political mea sures.' Few Statesmen ever experienced more of the freedom, or even the licentious liberty of the Press than they did, more especially Mr. Canning, who obtained a much greater triumph for his character by resting it on its own nierits than he could have achieved by throwing over it the shield of criminal law. We differed from the policy of Mr. Canning—we were not among the number of those who offered to his brilliant, but erratic genius, the incense of adulation. We felt it our duty to point out the dangerous courses into which his seductive elo quence was likely to mislead the country. We exposed the errors of his Statesmanship with fearlessness, but, we trust, with decorum. There were others whose zeal carried them much far ther, and by whom he was stigmatized in terms not more agreeable to a mind solicitous of' ho nour than those which have been in some in stances applied to the Duke of Wellington. His disdaining to silence the more violent hostility of the Press was the best protection of the .faine that it assailed. This tribute we gladly render to his memory. Was not the Earl of Eldon exposed, during the greater part of his political and judicial life, to the severest, and, frequently, the most envenomed animadversion of what is called the " liberal" Press ? Did_he ever admit that his enemies were so successful in defam ing him as to cause him to fly for protec tion to the law? Did he ever drag a journa list into a Court of Justice when the phials of " liberal" detraction were poured out with out measure upon his head ? He has lived to find that detraction pass away, as unmerited censure always does, leaving his judicial charac ter spotless in the eyes of his country. We have supported the Duke of Wellington in his present high office when we thought him right ; we have as freely differed from him when we be lieved him wrong. It is matter of opinion whe ther the measures of a Statesman are conducive to the interests of the nation : every man has a right to his opinion on the subject—every jour nalist ought to have the privilege of discussing public measures, and criticising the conduct of public men, with fearless independence. If his views be false—if his language be intemperate or coarse, the good sense of the public will rectify the fallaciousness of the former, and its good taste will revolt from the scurrility of the latter. If political criticism be true, it ought to be in violable—if it be erroneous or malignant, it ought to be left to be despised or forgotten, as i t sure l y w ill. History, when sitting in judg_ ment on the memories of great men, will not search for the materials of her pure and final de cree in the records of a Criminal Court. Cer tainly she will never look there to obtain the means of rightly measuring the genius and esti mating the character of the modern Scipio, whose destiny has led him to the proud distinc tion of conquering the Hannibal of the age.— Monling Herald. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. A pauper named Smith, who has arrived at an advanced age, and was in the habit of taking-wives from different parishes for the sake of the fortunes given with them by the different overseers, in order to get rid of them, was again brought before the LORD MAYOR. The charge against him on this .oc casion was, that he had scaled the walls of the workhouse of Bishopsgate at right, for the purpose of keeping an appointment which he had made with a female pauper, to whom it is believed he intends to unite himself at the decease of his present wife, who is in a declining state of health, and whose fortune he had contrived to spend in three days in the tap-room of the Brown Bear public-house. The LORD MAYOR asked the defendant whether he was looking after another wife ? The defendant said that he was not seeking to make himself more miserable. Ile had had but few wives, and would not have any more. He was also willing to pledge himself not to overleap the walls of the workhouse again. The officers having expressed a willingness not to proceed further in the matter, the pauper was discharged. He was, while in the Justice-room, a great object of attention to several female paupers, who appeared against their respective parish officers. BOW-STREET. Yesterday Charles Stairs, who stands charged with having drawn a cheque upon the Petersfield Bank for 71. 13s. without having any effects to meet it, was brought up for re-examination. It appeared that the prisoner passed the cheque in question to Mr. Dutton, the shoe-maker, of St. Martin's-passage, on the evening of Saturday, the 6th instant, receiving 3/. on account, and promising to call on the Monday, for the balance. The cheque was made payable at the banking-hous: of Williams and Co., who are the town agents of the Petersfield Barak, and when it was presented them by Mr. Dutton's foreman, he was told that there were no effects,—that the blank cheque had been improperly obtained, and that the drawer was not known at the Petersfield Bank. The prisoner having called two or three times at Mr. Dutton's shop to receive the balance, was taken into custody on Thursday last, charged with the fraud. The prisoner denied the charge, and declared that he had no intention whatever to defraud any one.— He stated that a person, residing near Petersfield, wrote to him to say that he had received 71. 13s. on his account and wished to know how he should remit it to him. He (the prisoner) directed his agent to pay the money in his name into the Petersfield bank, and in the full belief that his desire had been complied with, he drew the cheque in question, having been accommodated with the blank by a respectable wine merchant in Mark-lane. He then prayed for further time, to enable him to write to the country, and Sir Richard Birnie remanded him until yesterday, when a solicitor appeared on his behalf, and after re stating the circumstances, urged that his client had acted perfectly fair, and without the slightest inten tion to commit a fraud. Sir RICHARD 13IRNIE asked if any proof to that effect could be brought forward ; if so, he %vas will ing to receive it.—The solicitor replied, that parties had been written to in the country, but their an swers had not us yet arrived. The prisoner was a gentleman of great respectability, and quite inca pable of committing a dishonest action. Sir R. BIRNIE—What business does he follow ? Solicitor—He lives upon his fortune. Prisoner—l am in the habit of drawing my in come by cheques upon the London agents of country bankers, and have never been even suspected until now, although it has sometimes happened that the sums which I expected. to receive had not been paid in until after my cheques had been presented. Sir R. BIRNIE—You have had time enough since last Thursday to have head from Petersfield. Pri soner—l have to complain of the treatment I met with in the House of Correction, where I have been confined since then. In the full persuasion that I could write to my friends to apprise them of my si tuation, I applied for pen, ink, and paper, but these were denied me, by order of the Governor, who even refused to allow me to send a letter to the post, which I had previously written. Sir R. BIRNIE said he could scarcely believe that the new Governor had acted in the arbitrary-man ner described. If he could be satisfied of the fact, he should certainly report his conduct to the proper quarter. The prisoner was then remanded at his own re quest until Thursday next. William Miles and James Hudson were charged with stealing upwards of -50 volumes of books in boards, the propdrty of Mr. Charles Taylor, the bookseller, of Fleet-street, and a young lad, named G4orge Robinson, employed by a stock-broker in the city, was charged with having received the same, knowing them to have been stolen. Mr. Taylor, although quite satisfied of the guilt of the parties, was unable to swear to a single volume of tlye books produced, and consequently the prisoners were discharged. QUEEN-SQUARE. Yesterday a very sanctified looking personage, named Thomas Morris Ellis, of Rupert-street, Hay market, was brought before Mr. GREGORIE, amongst the disorderlies from St. Margaret's watch-house, charged by Nicholson, one of the beadles of the parish, with being drunk and disorderly in the streets on Sunday morning, and creating a mob. Thomas Morris Ellis is an itinerant preacher of the gospel to the unconverted inhabitants of Tuthill-street, Duck-Line, the Almonry, and various other parts of Westminster, and on Sunday morn. ing last he was holding forth in the Broadway, in his usual manner, on the sinfulness of this wicked world, and comforting his flock by eternal damnation if they did not follow his pious example. He had, however, fouuil it necessary frequently to refresh " the inward man," and had taken such potent draughts of geneva at different gin shops between the intervals of his preaching, that the spirit at last overcame him. Nicholson, the beadle, having received informa tion of the doings of this pious man, followed him to disperse the mob which had assembled, and at last found him in Prince's -street, Broadway, totally ex hausted by his exertions arid sprawling upon all fours unable to utter another sentence for the edification of his followers, and so drunk that he could scarcely stand. With the assistance of another person, this very worthy divine was carried to the watch-house, his flock bewailing the misfortunes of the " dear good man." Nicholson here handed to the Magistrate a num ber of hymns and placards, the latter setting forth that divine worship would be holden on every Fri day evening, at seven o'clock, in Prince's-place, near Westminster Abbey. " What have you to say to the charge ?" in quired Mr. GREGORIE.—" Really," replied the preacher, lifting up his eyes to the ceiling, " I have no recollection whatever of the circumstance." • " But what do you say to being drunk and dis orderly ?" inquired the Magistrate. — " My memory fails me," responded the preacher, in a slow solemn tone of voice, " and I recollect not, neither do I re collect at all those papers which this man has pro duced against me." Mr. GREGORIE ordered the divine to pay ss. for being drunk, and not having so much money about him, he was locked up until he could send for his friends. LAMBETH-STREET. ayoung female, follow e d b y a Y th e i s s te o r ffi da c y e, in C a U g n r i e o a u t s b C us o t u le ß , T e sti nt i e P r . e — d grinning youth, and with wonderful volubility stated that about three weeks ago she met the young man promiscuously, who insisted upon seeing her home, and promising to meet her on a future evening. She consented, and the result of this meeting was a proposal of marriage, With prudent forecast she requested him to enter into an explanation of his means, which she found to be little enough, but thought that love might supply the deficiency. She agreed therefore to marry him, and he gave her thirty shillings, which she employed in the purchase of sundry requisites for the bridal day. Out of her own pocket she paid for chairs and other articles of household furniture; and the wedding was finally fixed to take place on Saturday. On the night previous, she asked hint what further preparation he had made, when to her great surprise she found that he had no more money, and expected she would pro vide any deficiency. Convinced that his ohjoct was only to obtain a home, and not a wife, she broke off the match. She was partly determined to do so from ha‘iag met a young man a day or two pre vious with whom she thought she would be more comfortable. • The young man now stepped forward, and said that he was Thomas 13roun, a journeyman glazier, and that it was true that he offered to marry Miss Mary Ann Reeves, the complainant; but he bad declined in consequence of making a mal apropos discovery. On Friday he had bought the ring, and a shoulder of mutton for the wedding din ner, with which he proceeded to the lodgings of his intended, when, to his great surprise, upon gaining admission, he "cotch'd" ).er in bed with another man. " So," said he, with a knowing grin, "I thought it time to cut my stick." • The Magistrate asked the complainant if the latter pat of the story was true, which she with some hesitation admitted ; but said that she was se duced by the gentleman, who had promised to marry her. All she wanted was the articles of furniture, which she purchased with her own money. The young man said that they were his property, and, the Magistrate declining to interfere, the damsel left the office much dissatisfied. UNION-HALL. Yesterday George Winter, the individual alleged to have fraudulently obtained piano -fortes, carpets, and other articles from several tradesmen, was brought up for final examination. Mr. Evans, a carpet-manufacturer, stated that on the 25th of July, the prisoner ordered a carpet at his shop, the price of which was .4/. is. Gd., saying, that he should pay cash on delivery of the article. It was sent to his house in Upper Stamford -street, and, al though the porter had strict injunctions not to leave it without the money, yet a female, who described herself as the prisoner's wife, by saying the money should be sent, persuaded him to give up the article. Mr. Evans added that he called several times for the money or his carpet, but could get neither, and on the last occasion he called the prisoner's wife slapped the door in Ins face, and with the greatest effrontery said that he should never have either money or carpet. Mr. HONE—You have proved no case against the prisoner to ju,tify me in punishing him. It is evident you have been defrauded of your carpet, but still no jury would convict in such a case, on the ground that due caution was not used on the occasion. Your ser vant having left the carpet in the prisoner's possession, saves the latter from the punishment he deserves. Mr. Evans said, that the prisoner was a regular customer in the trade. He had fleeced others in a similar manner, and it was hard on the respectable tradesman that he should lose his property in such a man►►er, and have no redress. There was no pro tection for tradesmen if that was the case. The Magistrate told him that he could not alter the law. As he had before remarked, due caution had not been used on the part of the tradesman, and the p i oner was therefore entitled to the benefit of it. Mr. Evans said, that he used all the caution that he thought was necessary. The prisoner, he recol lected, came to his shop dressed like a gentleman, and mentioned the names of several respectable tradesmen with whom he said he had dealings. In fact, his manners and address were unlike those of the gene. rality of swindlers about town, and the house he lived in was another circumstance which added consider ably to the success of his schemes on the tradesman to defraud him of his property. Mr. HONE again repeated, that he had no power to punish him. Upon which, Mr. Evans, who was evidently un acquainted with the law on the subject, exclaimed, " i hen he is allowed to go about the town again swindling. other tradesmen." Mr. HONE—To be sure : such simpletons as you, if they do not use the caution necessary, deserve to suffer. Mr. Evans again said, that no tradesman, however sharp, could guard himself against the designs of a man who came to him under such circumstances as the prisoner did. The prisoner was then charged with unlawfully pledging a pianoforte, value 1.5/., the property of Mr. Dean. Evidence having been adduced of the prisoner ordering the pianoforte of Mr. Dean on the 2d of June, on hire, and afterwards pawning it at the shop of Mr. Walmsley, in the London-road, on the 16th of the same month, for 51., he was convicted, and sentenced to pay the value of the instrument, and a fine of 51., making altogether 201.; and, in default of payment, was committed for three months to hard labour at Guildford Houle of Correction. The Magistrate, in passing the above sentence, read a clause in the Act which empowered Justices of the Peace to award the punishment of whipping in addition to the penalties for such offences. The case against the accused was of that aggravated na ture, that had another Magistrate been present, hel (Mr. Hone) should have added the whipping to the sentence of imprisonment. HISTORICAL PARTICULARS OF CO- VENT-GARDEN THEATRE. The present Covent-garden Theatre esta blishment owes its foundation and rise to Mr. John Rich, son and successor to Mr. Christo pher Rich, formerly patentee of the Theatre Royal, Drury-lane ; which Christopher Rich, having appropriated to himself a greater portion of the profits of that theatre than was thought proper by the actors under his management, the latter, headed by Wm. Collier, Esq., M.P., ob tained a lease and license of Drury-lane over his head, and forcibly ejected him from the pos session. Some time before this, Christopher Rich had taken a lease of Sir William Davenant's Theatre, in Portugal -street, Lincoln'slim-fields, and pos sessing his patent, which he bought of Charles DiVenant, began rebuilding that theatre on its old site ; but dying before it was finished, his eon , Mr. John Rich, opened it in the year 1714,# and continued his company there until their final removal to Covent-garden in 1733. Ri c h, who found the Portugal-street Theatre too small for pant om i mes, had long contem plated building a theatre on a larger scale ; and judging Covent-garden convenient for the pur pose, plans were drawn b y M r . Sh ep h er d , h is surveyor and architect, whi c h, on b e i ng submit inspection, gen era ll y met t h e appro b at i on of f d to the public, who subscribed considerable sums on being admitted renters or shareholders in the concern. Workmen were immediately employed to clear some old buildings, and Shepherd com pletely finished the b u ildi ng i n twenty-two mon ths, beginning February, 1731, and being r eady for the ope n i ng i n November, 1732, 4 ‘ This day the new playhouse in Lincoln's-Inn fields is to be opened, and a comedy acted there, called the .Recruiting Ofj!ce.r, by th e company that net under the though it a said th at some of the gentlemen, who he It the house in D rury -lane for that purpose, are orderedpatent, i nte to return to their colours, upon pain of not exer cising their lungs elsewhere; which may, in time, prove of ill service to the patentee, that has been at vast expense t o make this theatre as convenient for the reception of an audience as any one can possibly }ie."— Weekly Packet, Dec, IS, 1714. though the company did not remove from Por tugal-street till early the ensuing year (1733.) The buildings removed for the new house are thought to have been those of a former theatre on this spot, built by Sir William Davenant, and which was, probably, the same as was called the Phoenix, from the commemorative name of Phoenix-alley adjoining. We find Abel, the composer, advertising a concert and dancing at " Covent-garden Theatre " (probably this old playhouse), for Tuesday, Dec. 29, 1702, the perfbrmers, himself, Mons. l'Abbe, Mr. Isaac's scholar, and others. The galleries were let for the benefit of the proprietors of the playhouse. The St. James's Evening Post, of Sept. 10, 1732, has the ensuing paragraph relative to the new Covent-garden Theatre :—" We hear that Mr. Harvey and Mr. Lambert have been em ployed for some time in painting scenes for the new theatre in Covent-garden, and that Signor Amiconi, who painted the Lord Tankerville's excellent staircase, in St. James's-square, is to show his art in the ceiling of that theatre ; and in order thereto bath prepared a design in which Apollo is represented, in an assembly of the Muses, dignifying Shakspeare with the laurel. And, as the several hands employed require ,some farther time for completing 'their undertaking, we are informed the theatre in Lincoln's Inn fields will be opened in a few days, it being now determined not to act in that of Covent-garden till the decorations are quite finished." The pre sent magnificent arched entrance from the Piazzas, with columns and enrichments of the lonic order, was erected in the same year. The newspapers mention the theatre as completely finished in November, and that it was to be opened on the 27th of that month—when the following lines made their appearance : Thespis, the first of the dramatic race, Stroll'd in a cart, for gain, from place to place; His actors rude, his profits came but slow; The poet be, and master of the show; To raise attention, he employed his art To build another, and more costly, cart : New asses he procured to drag the load, And gain'd the shouts of boys upon the road. Awhile tl..t gay machine spectators drew, The people throng'd because the sight Was new ; Thither they hurried once, and went no more, For all his actors they bad seen before; And what it was they wish'd no snore to see : The application Lun is left to thee. On this removal of the Lincoln's Inn Com- pally to Drury-lane, Hogarth published a sati rical print, called Rich's Glory, or his 7rium phant Entry into Covent-garden. Amongst other figures in the procession, are the principals of the company, headed by Quin, in the character of the Old Bachelor. They consist of Ryas, \\Talker, Hall, ilippesley, Bullock, Spiller, Smith, Chapman, Milward, &c. properly charac terised ; Miss Warren, who succeeded Miss Fenton, in Polly; Mr. Eagleton, Mrs. Morceau, Mrs. Lacy, Miss Sally, &c. all in their stage paraphernalia. Two authors, who bring up the rear, are most obsequiously paying their respects to the manager Rich, as he passes, while a third is drawing a wheelbarrow full of his works to the theatre. From the death of Rich, which happened in December, 1762, to the 14th of September, 1767, Covent-garden Theatre was under the (1 1 - ' section of Mr. Beard, his son-in-law, by the ap pointment of the widow, and the rest of the par ties concerned. Mr. Rich leaving, besides his widow, four daughters, all then living and un married, who were to have an equal dividend in Covent-garden Theatre. Beard distinguished this theatre by musical performances, as his pre decessor had done by pantomimes. Garrick was in his zenith at Drury-lane Theatre, and drew the whole town, until the tide was turned through Baird's musical performances of Love in a Vil lage, Artaxerxes, the Maid of the Mill, &c. aided by the best singers and instrumental per formers, brought crowded houses for four suc cessive prosperous seasons, at the end of which Mr. Beard, who had long been troubled with incurable deafness, once more brought the pa tent forward, which was purchased for 60,0001. paid down in August, 1767, by Messrs. Col man, Harris, Rutherford, and Powell ; Mr. Col man undertaking the regulation of the stage de partment. This alliance, however, was of short duration, as in July, 1768, Messrs. Harris and utherford made a forcible entrance into the theatre, expelled by violence the housekeeper appointed by the acting managers, nor would quit possession until compelled by virtue of a warrant under the hand and seal of the High Sheriffs of London and Middlesex. This pro duced a paper war, which was carried to a con siderable extent, and the proceedings in which occupy a small 4to volume, now become scarce; it ended in an arrangement that left the patent and theatre in the possession of Messrs. Harris and Powell; and on the decease of the latter, Mr. Harris became sole patentee, under a cer tain obligation of paying a moiety of the profits of the theatre, to the daughters of Mr. Powell. Covent•garden Theatre, under the manage ment of Mr. Harris, was successively altered, enlarged, and embellished, in the years 1781, 1782, and 1785; and for the last time, in 1794, in order to keep pace with the newly-erected Drury-lane Theatre ; the whole interior of the theatre, on this occasion, being constructed anew, and decorated in the most elegant style. It was destroyed by fire, Sept. 20, 1808. The foundation -stone of the 'present magnifi cent structure was laid by his Majesty (then Prince of Wales) as Grand Master of the Free masons, Saturday, Dec. 31, 1808 ; the Duke of Sussex, Earl Moira, and other distinguished noblemen, with some hundreds of that order, at tending the procession. Considerable import ance and interest was given to the spectacle by the honour thus conferred upon it ; and all ne cessary arrangements having been admirably at tended to by the proprietors and architect, the whole ceremony passed with much eclat. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales arrived at one o'clock, and was received by Earl Moira and other superior members of the order ; a discharge of artillery and loud acclamations welcomed his approach, while all the bands uniting struck up " God save the King." His path from the en trance to the marquee was covered with green cloth. His Royal Highness being arrived at the marquee, Mr. Smirke, the architect, pre sented him with a plan of the building. His Royal Highness then advanced and deposited in the basement stone a brass box, containing two medals of bronze, on which was a portrait of his Royal Highness, and on the reverse an inscrip tion commemorative of the event, together with several gold, silver, and copper coins of the last coinage. Three masons then spread mortar over the lower stone ; and Earl Moira, Deputy Grand Master, having presented the Prince with a silver trowel, his Royal Highness, as Grand it, and th e s t one was slowly descent was proclaimed by iVlaste r i , e finished ton spreading ts a discharge of artillery. The plumb, the level, and the square, were then presented by the Acting Grand Master, with w hi c h the Prin ce tried the position of the stone, after which he finished the laying of it by three strokes with • mallet. He now poured over it the ancient offering of corn, win e , an d o il, f rom t h ree s il ve r . vases. His Royal Highness then returned the. plan into the hands of the architect, desiring hint to complete the edifice conformably to it ; and, addressing Messrs. Harris and Kemble, he ex' . pressed Iris wi s h es f or th e success an d prosper ity. of the undertaking. From the foregoing statement it appears that Covent-garden theatre does not act merely under licence or by sufferance, as has been asserted; but under the authority of Sir William Davenant's patent, purchased from his son Charles Dave hunt, by Christopher Rich, in 1698, and which was again sold (after having passed through the hands of John Rich, and his son-in-law, Beard) to Messrs. Harris, &c., for 60,0001., in 1764. This is the same patent under which the Duke's theatre was opened soon after the Restoration, the Kiug's (or Drury-lane) Company perform ing under a separate patent granted to Killigrew. On the union of the King's and Duke's Coin panics in 1682, the Duke's patent was suffered to lie dormant, and Drury-lane Theatre became and remained the only one in town, till the ejec tion of Rich, by Collier, when the former brought into use his dormant patent of Davenant ; and after rebuilding and acting eighteen years at the Lincoln's. inn Theatre under it, finally transferred it to Covent-garden in 1733 ; with those pro prietors it still remains. Indeed, it is not to be supposed that his present Majesty would have conferred the honour of laying the foniidation stone on any other than a Royal and patent theatre. LONDON MARKETS. PRICE OF BREAD. The highest price of Bread in the Metropolis is 10}4d. fin the 41b. Loaf. There are others who sell from }id. to I;4d. beltsw that price. PRICE OF SEEDS.-Sept. 14. New English Red Clover Seed (per Cwt.) 425. 525. fine 58e. 628. Old Ditto Ditto -s. -s. fine -S. New Foreign Ditto s2s. 62s five 675. 725. Old Ditto ... 30s. 40s. fine 50s. 655. New White Clover 40s. 60s. fine 70s. 80s. . 603. 70s. fine 80s. 84 8 . , 14s. 246. fine 30s. 324. -s. fine -a 401. . 16s. 295. fine -s. . -a. 40s. 463. fine -.46 -s. -4. -4. fine •••4 -s. 14s. fine -s. 20s. -s. -s. 16s. fine 218. , 15s. 445. new -8. -16 40s. 50s. new -s. -4. --s. 38s. fine --6. 40e. -s. 41s. 425. fine--e. -s. 40s. fine -s. 465. Ditto i)ld -s. -s. -s. fine -...e- White Mustard Seed -(per Bushel).,, ..Os. 6s, Os. od, fine Brown Ditto 'l'urnip SeedS, Rounds -s. --s. lOs. fine 12+. Green and Red Ditto 'fares, Old ..---. -e. 34a. 40s. fine -6. Ditto New -s. --s. fine 445. 495. Rape Seed, English, fine (per Last) 301. 34/.....,. Foreign 271. Old Ditto Ditl Rib Grass English Carraway Foreign Ditto Coriander. St. Foin Rye Grass Pacey Ditto -... Linseed, for feedin .(per Quarter)- itto, for crushin Canary Seed, Nei PRICES OF HOPS.--Sept. 14. Kent rockets 6‘ 14s. - 74 7s. to 71 ltls. SuEsex Ditto -61 10s. 81. 183. to 71. ss. Essex Ditto 6/. 123. 71. Os. to 71. 7s. Farnham Ditto, 0/. Os. 91. 9s. to 101 10s. Seconds 01. Os. 81. 8s to 9L 95. _ 5/. 15s. 61. 6s. to 61. 15s. 5/. ss. 51. 15s. to 61. 6s. 51. 10s. 61. OS. to 61. 103. Old Duty laid at £3d 000. Kent 8a55...., Essex Ditto., Sussex Ditto PRICE OF POTATOES.--Sept. 14. re PRICE OF OIL. Rape Oil, brown 444 Bs. Refined 47 0 Linseed Oil 10 10 5 5 Linseed Oil Cake at the Mill, per thousand Rape Cake, per ton ......".......*....".........,..............,... PRICES OF LEATHER. Per lb. d. to d. Per lb. d. to d. Butts 'io to 561 b.... 19 214 Tanned Horse Hides-. 17 21 Ditto.----60 to 661 b.-. 21 22 Spanish Ditto , 24 90 Dressing Hides 14 17 Per dozen. Fine Coach Hides 19 21 Calf Skins-36 to 44 %b. 18 2 4 Crop Hides, 35 to 401 b. 141 16 Ditto 50 to 701 b. 23 29 Ditto 45 to 5011). 16 19 Ditto 70 to 801 b. 20 22 Ditto lB 20i Small Seals, Greenland 19i 201 WHITECHAPEL HA Hay 36:.0d. to £oi. Od. YMARKET.—Sept. 12 . I lover 0,1, to 115 s. Oil. 38s. Od. to 445. Od. RAW HIDES. Per Stone. s. d. to s. (I. Per Stone. a. d. to B.& Best Heitcrs& Stoerl.3 4 3 8 Ordinary ....4............ 2 0 2 4 niddlingi 2 8 3 0 Market Ca1f.........—.. 6 0 each. SHEEP SKINS. Wool Os. Od. to Os. al. I Shearlings.,.... Os. Sil. to Is. dd. Lamb5,,,,,..W•00 Is. Od. to Is. 6d. GOA', 31 A li .1....... 295. Od. Adair'a EL—Sept. It Walls end Newmarch.. 32g. Ditto Heaton 32 9 Ditto Northumberland 30 6 Ditto Peareth 2B 0 Ditto Perkins and C 0... 31 0 Ditto Ithidt IP& .3E 0 Ditto Walker 3l 9 Eden Main 30 6 Beaumont " 26 31 t Hebburn Main 30 0 Holywell 29 3 Killtngworth 31 0 Shipcote 27 6 Tanfield Lea 28 6 Townley— 27 9 Walls End 33 6 Wylain - —29 0 Walls End 31 3 WallsEndßewicke&Co. 32 9 Walls End Stewart's ... 34 0 Walls End Boundary —26 9 Russell's Hetton's W.E. 33 9 Walls End Brown's —3O 6 Blackboy Main 2S 6 Ditto Brown's unser.-- 29 6 Cowpen 99 0 Ditto Burraton 31 3 Hartley 30 Ditto Clarke and C 0..., 29 0 Silk«tone Field and Co. 28 6 Ditto Carr and Co. 28 6 W. E. Old Etherley.,— 26 0 Ditto Cramlington.—..., 28 9 Hebburn small 16 3 Ditto Hilda Ships at market, 85►4—Ships sold, 42}4—Unsold, 42N. IRISH MARKETS. Wheat, Barley. Oats. I Flour, pei cwt. per barrel per barrel per barrel t . A 20 stone. 10 stone. 14 stone. I lit. 2d. s. d. a s. d. s.d. as. d. Cork 18 0-29 0 13 0-15 6 8 0-12 0 IS 6-22 0 60...;1 Limerick 133 4-35 0 10 6-20 0 10 4-13 0 14 0-21 0 0 0:15 0 Waterfordl26 0-29 0 12 0-15 0 9 6-1 I 0 18 0-21 0 10 0-1 5 0 Clonmel -130 0--31 C 10 6--16 0 12 8--I4 0 20 0 1 .45 0 12 0-46 0 Carlow-130 0--33 0 12 0-19 0 11 0-13 0 20 6-..21 0 0 0-• Beef, Mutton, Pork, Butter. per lb. per lb. per cwt. Ist. 4d. 3d. 4th. - - - - d. ad.d. a d. s.-d. as.d.s.d.s.d.s. d. s. d. s.„ 0 Cork ft:—.sl 4—6 22 0-24 0 650580530 4904e 0 Limerick,,, 4 —5 4 6 30 0-35 0,67 0 lit 055 049 0 43, 0 Waterford 41 —6 5—6 20 0-27 064 063 060 0 53'0 Clonmel 3—5 _6 27 0-28 064063 0 58 56 u 56 0 a Carlow-4 —5l _0 00— 00690660 56 0 46 0 " KILKENNY.—Butter 665. to cBB. per cwt. ; Wheat 275. to 3P L per barrel ; Flour 20s. to 445. per bag; Oats Ils. to 14s. per bar rel ; Barley Its. to 14s. ; Beef 4d. to 534.1. per lb. ; Mutton 411. to sd. ; Pota'oes 2d. per stone; Coats Is. 2d. per cwt.; Bac ° ' Pigs 28s. to 295. per cwt. A Venetian, terrified by the severity of a will' ter at Petersburgh, indulged in the most bitter and fruit less invectives against the climate. At the moment when his lamentation 4 were must dolorous. he was informed that a foreigner had just committed suicide at the public bath,-. The narrator of the story, commenting on the event, ex claimed, " How hortible ! no mercy can be extended to suicides !" " Excuse me, Sir," replied the Venetian; " God can never be so unjust as to punish suicides com mitted at Petersburgh." The British army at the present moment con sists of one hundred and forty thousand effective men, 41 which are included six Field Marshals, 110 Generals, 25 0 Lieutenant-Generals, 240 Major-Generals, 240 Coloneh's 2 78 ,3 8 Li 72L eu ie t u e t n e a n n a t-Colons, 10 1 1 , 1e 2 15, 30 Ei co 2O rn il e l ta ajo a r n s 1, 6 99 d , Ell2igns_ Cap i ta ,s i e l7 total number of officers. We have little to report this week on the harvest beyond the expression of our hope, that as fine weather has almost uninterruptedly attended the labours of the husbandman since our last, his task is nearly at a n end. We h ave h ear d not hi ng to alloy the anticieatioa that the speculators in foreign cqrn will be egregicitialYt ceived in their contemplated gains, and th3t be l3titu 3 " fanner will reap a much more plenteous crop than the try' ing season bad led him to expect.—County Chronicle. BIRTHS. On the 13th inst. Mrs. Cipriani Potter, of a daughter' On the 6th inst. at North Hurst Rectory, Devon, the lady of the Rev. P. Perring, of a daughter. On the 13th inst. in Grafton-street, the lady of Lieut. - Col. Horton, of a daughter. DIED. On the 11th inst. at D a l s t on , W. C as t er t on , Esq. We of the Stock Exchange. On the 14th inst. at Chelsea, Mary Amelia, eldest daughter of the late J. Bincraft, Esq. On the 14th inst. at Kennington, Richard Pariner, Esq., aged 79. + On the 13th inst., at Wi n d sor , Mi ss E.daile, daughter eldest and survivi n g c hild o f J ames E s d a ile, Es of Hoddesd o n. On the 13th inst. A n th on y, thi r d son o f J. Overhu r y , E4q. of Higlibury. On the 13th inst. at Shirland s , n ear Odibam, Hant s, Mrs. C ou lth ar d, w id ow o f th e IC o ate Thomas ulthard, Esq, for mer ly of B ur kh am H ouse , i n th a t county. late PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY MUiDo YOUNG, AT THE OFFICE, n 2, SmAHD, LONDON. i rz I