The Sun. — London, England, 1825-01-01 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICE. The LOVE LETTERS of MARY QUEEN of SCOTS, to JAMES Earl of BOTHWELL, with his Love Sonnets and Marriage Contracts, being the long .missing originals, explained by State Papers, and the Writings of Buc hanan, &c. &C. &c., and a host of authors, forming a complete History of the or i g i n o f t h e S c ottish' Queen's Woes and Trials before Queen Elizabeth. —By 111 GII CA 31 PBEL L.D. F.A.S., Illustratorof Ossian s Poems. TiliS is a curious and really interesting volume. Mr. CAMPBELL, in a well-written Preface and Introduction, states how he became possessed of the Love Letters in AIS., and gives a brief his tory of all that have written on the subject since I:Pe days of BUCHANAN and of LEsi,v, Bishop of Ross, the unfortunate NIARY's best friend. - There is no portion of History that excites so Much sympathy as that which paints the suffer logs of Malay Queen of Scots. The very mention of her name brings with it deep and unaffected ,antniseration ; so that all which we can conceive of Oe.,uty, gracefulness, and virtue, rises up to our ioniginations, clothed in the deep garb of woes, - which proceed from female jealously, and cruel ties are consequently exercised in a tyrannical manner by a woman, a Queen, and a near kins sman, who is represented by the best writers of the age as having been her equal in rank only, but her inferior in all the nobler qualities of the mind; and her superior in dissimulation, intrigue, plots, and treacheries, by which she brought the lovely Queen of Scots into her snares, and, after • tile torture of a series of years, basely murdered -her! This being the generally accredited, and in a • great measure the true story, it follows as a mat •ter of course that any Work which appears to alter the face of the position, will instantly find opponents in all classes of Readers who have im plicitly put their faith in prejudiced vindications, -and renounced the historians who really tad no -object in their description but a love of truth. -tioctoßeaders are likely to oppose the Volume • before-us, and , the-Compileuseems to have anti • cipated the- consequence, and does all that inge nuity could dictate to conciliate the angry • - Reader, by an honest declaration that he •itt sware•thenkure of the subject treated of will place hint before' the subject in a prima fuck point of view as an opponent of MARY ; but the contrary really is the case ; and to prove the fact, we understand that Mr. - CAMPBELL has collated and prepared for the Press a Second Volume from the best Historians • and State Papers, which clearly and undeniably ' implicate Queen ELIZABETH, through her Am bassadors, in all the plots and plans that led to Alaity's ruin and murder. To effect this im portant object with the least possible evil, Mr. CAMPBELL has truly and 'faithfafly given the Ac • e esation and Defence—and with that the marrow or substance of all which the best advocates pro and • con have advanced on her guilt or innocence This curious and really interesting advocacy, being the essence of an immense number of massy tomes, is introduced and finished by the some ••times friendly, sometimes severe, hut always-im partial, narrative of England's greatest and best historians. The facts are borne out by a host of State Papers, from the Cotton Lib., from those of ll.eyseies, MURDIN, Sir RALPH SADLER, and rom the entries of the Duke of Noarorr.K ; • forming on the whole one large closely printed Volume (which would make two), containiog a • true history of the Scottish Queen's woes, and of • her trials before Queen Er.izAßETn. The Por trait of MARY, which fronts the title-page, is from an old Painting of 1580, formerly in St. James's Palace, and now at Hatfield, the•seat of -the Marquis SALISBURY. We hope that the Public will liberally encourage Mr. C., not only as far as -a reimbursement for his expellees goes, but, as a fair- and generous reward for the labours and talents exercised by him upon the Voluate,.whieh •we presume will be taken up at all times with '-interest by both parties, and gratify by its sim plicity even the most curious and fastidious- reader. The Volume is neatly and liberally got up, and Mr. CAMPBELL has given the world another ingenious proof of a laborious and industrious -.mind, well qualified for deep research, pleasing statements, and well versed antiquarian lore. THEtPROPOED SHIP CANAL. (Trans the London Mechanic': Register. ) • We have noticed the mania for public Corn panics, and have marked with merited censure some of the nu amorous attempts of unprincipled projectors to deceive the pub lic. At this moment there are not less than ten new schemes, requiring an investment of 15 millions of capital, which were not projected aolong ago as a fortnight, and many of theshares atre,at a premium. On one Mining Company, the Coronas we think it is called, of which nobody knows the merits, the-shares are actually at a premium of 300 guineas each, even before they are allotted to the subscribers, and of all the new plans, not one came out at a discount or at par, except the very best in the market—the Ship Canal. Now, it is a shameful thing that -se national and humane an undertaking as a canal for ships to pass through, between the English and Bristol channels, with nut going round the Land's End, should be treated with dis dain, whilst so many humbug contrivances to enrich a few ad venturers are allowed to succeed. This -Ship Canal would be not only a public benefit, but certainly a lucrative investment of money ; yet the shares are not sought after, because the pro - jectors are honest men, and do not impose upon the public by telling them that they will find large lumps of gold in the mud when they dig their canal. What are all the Mexican mines, compared with 'the mine of industry and commerce? What • will gold and silver, dug out in masses from the earth, avail us, if we possess not commerce and industry ? Letstheprecious metals become too plentiful, and the rulers of the earth will cordially unite to tax its production, for if they do not, there will be no proper circulating medium. The mines and wealth of an Englishman are, and ought to be, commerce ; and we therefore trust that all the ridiculous schemes for becoming suddenly rich will be soon exploded. The-Ship Canal is an object dear to us as natives of a country which owes its dignity to the brave adventurers of the ocean ; we would save their lives, and the property of those who embark in a pursuit so honourahie-butperilous. " For the last three months," says a • sailor, who writes in support of this undertaking, " there have been almost uninterrupted gales from the westward, many of them very fatal in their .tffects ; and during that time our - western ports, from Portsmouth downwards, have been crowded for a change of wind ,to g et roun d-th e l an d.— by veasels waiting Now if this great Ship Canal was made, all th e vesse l s bo u nd for Ireland, the west coast of England, and the Bristol Chan • nel, would pass through it to the northward free from delays or danger, and vessels would also come along it to the southward in their passage from thence. The detention in these ports is bathe lull as great as what Captain Nicholls has estimated to be, at the ports in the Bristol Channel, whets weasels .are some times wind-bound for 13 weeks together, .while the danger to • life and property is greater; anti the Ship Canal will alike re " - medY the evils of each." The s of St. James's- Pneious site at the top street, is to I) , e a Club House for the Officers of -the Household troops, 1. e. the Horse 'Guards (Blues), the Life Quards, and. thellst, 2d, and :J.LI Foot Guards. THE BURMESE WAIL. (Front the Asiatic' Journal.) The latest official advises of the progress of the Burmese war are contained in a dispatch from Sir A. Camp bell, dated .July 11, which appears in the Calcutta Government Gazette of July 29. Absolute want of space obliges us to defer its publication till.next month. This dispatch states, that the Rangoon army was.attacked on the Ist of July .by about 12,000 Burmese from Dallah (in obedience to positive orders received by the chiefs from their court) who were defeated with the greatest ease by three weak companies of sepoys, and two pieces of artillery. On the Bth, an attack was tuade, on the enemy (who had received considerable reinforcements) by the British force, formed into two columns ; one under the com mand of Brigadier-General 31‘Bean, advanced by land ; the other, under Sir A. Campbell, proceeded by water. Both were successful. Ten stockades were taken ; 3B pieces of ar tillery, 40 swivels, and 300 mus k e t s; 800 o f the enemy's best troops were killed. Our loss has been comparatively small.— The list of killed and wounded in the Rangoon army, between the pith June and 12th July, includes Capt. C. H. Isaack, 2d bat. Bth N. 1., killed ; Brevet Capt. Knox Barratt, and Capt. Johnson, his Majesty's 13th Light Infitary, both severely, the latter dange.r.aisly wounded. We have not space to notice the various rumours which pre vail in .India respecting this contest. Considerable reinforce ments are proceeding to the scene of operations ; and Sir Edw. .Paget is expected to take the command. A large addition to the Bengal army is intended. An attempt has been made, it is said. by the Burmese, to. incite Runjeet Sing against us.--- We are sorry tutind that sickness continues among*the troops employed. A report is mentioned at Rangoon of an embassy front Ava to treatfor peace. 'The-.following are a few particu lars collected from the India papers (and compressed into a small compass) of the occurrences at the.different points of _attack. SYLHET FRONTIEIL—CoIoneI Innes was on the 27th of June near Juttrapore. The.enemy's fort at Telayn.was,recon noitred by Lieut-4. Fisher and Craigie, who found it strongly stockaded, and the enemy in force there. A Calcutta Paper of July Li, refers to a report that Telayn had been attacked by Col. Innes. Sonic information had been obtained from a Burmese pri soner, taken by Gumbheer Sing, the Rajah of Cachar ; the prisoner belonged to the force at Doodpatlee : he stated that the enemy's intention was to remain at Docdpatlee and Telayn till the rains ,were over, and to advance in the Airy season. The plunder is at Rungpore, and the captive women and children at Jypore. A SSAM.—AII is quiet here. The force undes. Col. Richards returned to Gowabatti on the 10th July. Some difference be tween the Singfohs and the Burmese has produced a decidedly hostile feeling on the part of the former, who have blocked up the roads against the Burmese, and killed one of their Phookuro, Capt. florsburgh, at llauthur, had a gallant affair with a party of the enemy on the 24th May. CiirrT.sooNG.—The messenger sent to the Rajah of A rra can, by the acting lAagistrate, respecting ►ome prisoners sup posed to he in the Rainoo stockade, was told that 8,00 men . were at Rantoo, Rutnapulling, and Cox's bazar, and that the Bundoola was expected with 9,000 more. Colonel Morrison - , C. 8., of the 44th Foot (who distinguished himself klaring the war in Upper Canada), is to he appointed a Brigadier-Cener,d, and to the command of the Chittagong frontier, which is severed from the eastern division. NA.U. llivEn.--A brilliant afiiair took place on the 4th of June between the Honourable Company's cruiser Vestal, in company with some gun-boats, under Me-srs. Laughton and Boyce, and a fleet of Butmese war-boats, about 100 in number, near Shapurce. When the enemy's boats first appeared. they required the surrender of the sht,p, or all on board would be put to death. Vellies of grape and cannister answered this intima tion. About fourteen boats were destroyed, and 150 of the enemy killed and wolnded. RANGOON.—During the operations against Kemmendine, on the 3d of June, the pinnaces of his Majesty's ships Larne and Sophie had a smart action with some stockades, and suf fered severely. Capt. Ityves speaks highly of the conduct of Mr. George Goldfinch, acting master of the Sophie, Lieuenant Fraser, and Mr. Charles Scott. The following is a list of the killed and wounded : His Majesty's ship Larne—Peter Knox, quarter-master, killed ; Mr. liatherton, purser, slightly wounded. His Majesty's ship Sophie-3ln Geo. Goldfinch, acting. master, severely wounded; 'Thos. Nugget, quarter-master, severely ; Mr. Charles Scott, master's mate, slightly.; John Burrows, seaman, slightly ; H. Seble, private marine. drowned. Honourable Company's cruizer Thetis—Mr. Middleton, commander, severely wounded; one European seaman, slightly; one lascar, ditto. Ship Robarts—Mr. Nelson, chief officer, killed.; Burrah Tindal, ditto ; two lascars, ditto ; one lascar, wounded. Total.—Killed, s—Drowned, I—Wounded, 9. Our army is animated with the hope of speedily reaching; Amerapoora, the plunder of which is expected to prove (fins men.:e value. The same fever which has visited Calcutta, is said to be pre vailing very generally at Ran g oon ; but few ..deaths are occa sioned- by it. We arc happy to find by the last advice, that at. the former place the disorder was 'disappearing, though it still gains ground at Baerackpore. THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT - BRITAIN AND IRELAND. .The Royal Asiatic Society recommenced its Meetings for the season at their House in Grafton-street, Bond street, in November last. Among the distinguished individuals.) elected this season are the Earl of Guildford ; Gen. Sir 1). Ochterlony ; Gen. Hardwicke ; Baron A. D'Humboldt, the celebrated traveller, and his broth er , &c. &c. On the last day of meeting (December 18th) the Chair was filled by the Prcsi-, dent, the Right Bon. C. W. WI - is-N.—The following days , are appointed for the. Gene ra l M eet i ngs o f t h e S oc i e ty for the year 1825: January -- 15 April - - lf; November . - February 5 31ay 7 19 - - 21 December -.- 5 June - - 4 I - 19 ..- 13 March.- - - THE ARMY. MEMORANDUM. By the Act of 49 Gco. 111. cap. 126, for the further preven tion of the Sale and Brokerage of Offices (Clauses IV. awl V.), it is enacted, that persons receiving, or paying money, for soliciting offices, and entering into any negociations, or pre tended negociations, relating thereto, will he guilty of a mis. demeanour; and that persons opening, or advertising houses l tbr transacting business relating to the sale of offices, will be guilty of a misdemeanour. By Clause VIII. it is further enacted, " That any Officer in his Majesty's forces, who shall take, accept, or receive, or pay, or agree to pay, any larger sum of money, directly or indirectly, than what is al lowed by any regulations made by his Majesty in relation to the purchase, sal e , or exc h ange o f comm i ss i ons i n hi s forces, or who shall pay, or cause to be paid, any sum of money, to any agent or broker, or other person, for negotiating the pur chase, or sale, or exchange of any such commission, shall, on being convicted thereof by a General Court :Martial, forfeit his commission, and be cashiered ; and as an encouragement for the detection of such practices, such commission so forfeited shall be sold, and half the regulated value (not exceeding five hundred pounds) shall be paid to the Informer, and the other half', or the remainder, if more than five hundred pounds, shall go, and be applied, as his Majesty shall order and direct by any 1(e -gulations from time to time made in that behalf: provided also, that every person who shall sell his Commission in his Majesty's forties, and not continue to hold any Commission in his Majesty's forc-s, and shall, upon, or in relation to, such :sale, take, accept, or receive, directly or indirectly, any money, tee, gratuity, loan of money, reward, or profit, or any promise, agreement, covenant, contract, bond, or assurance, or shall by .any device, or means, contract, or agree to receive, or have any tee, gratuity, loan of money, reward or profit, beyond the re gulated price or value of the Commission sold, and also every person who shall wilfully or knowingly aid, abet, or assist such person therein, shall be deemed, and adjudged, guilty of a misdemeanour, within the provisions of this Act." This is further enforced by the CXXXIVtIi Clause of the Mutiny Act, as follows " And whereas great• inconvenience has arisen to his Ma jesty's service front persons not being authorised Agents of Regiments, Troops, or Companies, negotiating for the pur chase, sale, and exchange of commissions in his Majesty's forces, and much larger stems than are allowed by his Majesty's regulations are often given and received for commissions, and great frauds committed; be it therefore enacted that every person, not being an authorized Agent to some Regiment, Troop, or Company, of his Majesty's forces, who shall nego tiate, or act as Agent, for and in relation to the purchase, sale, or exchange of any commission in his Majesty's forces, shall forfeit for every such offence the sum of 1001.: and every per son, whether authorised or not, as Agent to some Regiment, Troop, or Company, who shall take, accept, or receive any commission, sum of money or reward, or any negotiation re lative to the purchase, sale, or exchange of any commission in his Majesty's forces, or who shall negotiate, bargain for or receive for his own use, or for the use of any other person or persons, any sum of money, or other consideration, above the amount of the price allowed by his Majesty's regulations for the purchase, sale, or exchange of any such commission, or any sum of money, or other consideration, where no price shall he allowed by his Majesty's regulations, shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds, and treble the value of such sum of money, or other consideration, as he shall negotiate, bargain for, or receive, atove the .amount of the price allowed by his Majesty's regulations for such corn mission, in such eases where any price shall be allowed by his Majesty's regulations, or treble the value of the sum, or other consideration, negotiated, bargained for, or taken and re ceived, in such cases in which no price shall be allowed by his Majesty's regulations." War-Office, Dec. 9, 1824. *I am directed by the Secretary at War to acquaint you that his Lordship has decided that the allowance of Bed Money heretofore granted in Ireland to Commissioned and Warrant Officers shall cease from the 24th , instant.—l am, &c. (Signed) LAU. SULIVAN. To Officers commanding Regiments, and Agents, in Ireland. MONTHLY MILITARY OBITUARY. G;:neral—lion. J. Leslie Cuniing, late of Gren. Guards, Edinburgh. Lieut.-General—Williams, late of It. Mar. Iffujor-General—Rowley, It. Eng. Dep. Inspector-Gen. of Fortifications, Essex ; Thomas, East Ind. Comp. Service. Colonel—Desbarres, l a t e . of 60th F. Lieut.-Culonels—Lines, sth F. Dominica ; Deschambault, h. p. 109th F. Montreal, Canada.; Scott, East India Comp. Service ; Kerin, do.-; ill acmorine, do. ; Mackintosh, do. ; Frith, do.; Paton, do. Major:-Fletcher, sth F. Barbadoe.s ; Champion, 21st F., shot by a sentinal of the regiment at Fort Charlotte, St. Vin cent ; Pierce; R. Art. Jamaica ; Guildford, late of Roy. Mar. ;. Adlam, h. p. R. Mar. ; Fynmore, do.; Butler, East Ind. Comp. Serv. ; Owen, do.; Ferris, do. Captains—. Barlow, 4th Dr. Kaira, Bombay ; Sale, 4th Dr. do. ; Duhigg, 27th F. lost a t sea on. p assage from Gibraltar; Lett, h. p. 26th F. Canada; Chapman, Inval. Art. ; J. Grant, h. p. R. Art. Jersey ; Defferd, R. Mar. ; Reding, h. p. do. ; Priag, Adjut. 2d Warwickshire Local Militia. Lieutenants—Hamilton, 77th F. Hamilton, N.B. ; Marsh, 81st F. ; Durand, h. p. 95th F. Islington, Middlesex ; Wat son, Ceylon Regt. Kandy, Ceylon; Murray, h. p. 101st Foot, Norham, Durham; Forster, IL p. Ist Gar. Bat. ; Fisker, late Art. Driv. ; D'Autume, h. p. Foreign Art. ; Pollock, R. Mar. drowned ; J. James, R. Mar. Art.; Lewis, do. ; Paxton, h. p. R. Mar. ; W. Thompson , do.; Balgrave, do.; D. Ro bertson, do. 2d Lieutenants—Wilson, Inv. Art. ; Mitchell, R. .Mar. ; Getty, h. p. R.• Mar. ; R. Smith, do. ; Woore, do. Ensigns—Heurmann, h. p. Rifle Brigade, Minden, Prussia; Parker. So. Lincoln ; 13eeby, Dublin Co. Mil. Quarter-Allirsters—Allan, 4th Dr. Bairn, Bombay ; Walsh, late 10th Vet. Bat. Chelsea; Henery, h. p. 15th Dr. Cork; Whettley, h. p. 28th Dr. Veterinary Suigeoc—Bird, 4th Dr. Kaira, Bombay. Commissariat Department.—Dep. Com. Gen. Thompson, i. p. ; Dep. Corn. Gen. Freeman, h. p. ; Dep. Com. Gen. M'Kenzie, h. p. ; Assist. Corn. Gen.'Bowle, h. p.; Dep. Assist. Corn. Gen. Ilotlley ; Ditto, Thornton, h. p. Medical Department.—Sur. Dr. Harrison, oth F. Cape of Good Hope ; Sur. Dent, 2lst F. lost on passage from West Indies ; Sur. 11PLachlan, 49th F. Cape of Good Hope ; Sur. O'Beirne, 2d W. I. R.; Hosp. Assist. Mawry, Kandy, Ceylon. • Vide, the Sun, 12, 13, 17, Nov. and Dec. 4, 1824. 1- The Reader will be pleased to bear in mind, that I am still seated at my writing table, with Lacy on my right, and the other gentleman on the left. .t* Fourth Letter to the " Dramatists of the Day." would not be that SJIAKSPIARE who wrote in tli days of ELIZABETH and Of JAMES. Shall we turn, with better prospects of succns from the dead to the living ?—Will the author I " Jr:met-kr risk his laurels in a foreign soil or, satisfied with the renown he has acquired, b content 44 To trust the stage to less important hands." —The author of " Fazio," in no subsequent prt duction, .;has'lrpproaci . 7d so near to the " sacre spring." Why does not he become more dramati and with Fazio for his ground-work, and SHA/C PEAR E in vie W, ascend to progressive improvt ment .? Praise has been bestowed (and justly toc on the author of the " Bride's Tragedy." I then, the young Mr. BE:Doors, Sir, to be it deed the tragedist of the 19th century ?"—Tli dramas of of Lord BvitoN (I write the name wit a sigh) have added nothing to his former fain' Gifted with talents that command the admirt tion of the world, he was yet obstinate and pet verse in error beyond all forbearance. A acute writer*, in a loud and viident philippic has impeached his Lordship then living) the patron and propagator of prose prg try—of adulterating our tragic verse, and it' troducing his abominations into the , ittc.tuat, of our Tragic Muse—of setting a copy prose poetry to our rising Tragedists,.and nato ralizing that detestable thing amongst our Dr• matists. This charge against the later produt tions of Lord BintoN, though uttered in "angr phrase," impartiality must allow, however harshl; it may sound to the ears of his admirers, to lY founded in truth. Lord BynoN, accused of being prosaic ! Lott ilynoN a water-poet !—llis Lordship, was no/a water-poet, when he swam across the Ilent . spoilt in •1810, and wrote his ' Bride of Abydus, (I believe) on the spot— Know ye the land where the cypress and myrtle Arc emblems of deeds that are done in their clime, Where the rage of the vulture—the love of the turtle-- Now melt into sorrow—now madden to crime ? Know ye the land of the cedar and vine ? Where the flowers ever blossom, the beams ever shine, Where the light wings of Zephyr, oppressed with perfume! Wax faint o'er the gardens of Gul in her bloom ; Where the citron and olive are fairest of fruit, And the voice of the nightingale never is mute ; Where the tints of the earth, and the hues of the sky, In colour though varied, in beauty may vie, And the purple of Ocean is deepest in die; There the virgins are soft as the roses they twine, And all, save the spirit of man is divine--f How our hearts responsive to the music of th verse !—Our eyes, too, experience the suffusil of delight, as they trace the following : " But lo! from high Hymettus to the plain, The queen of night asserts her silent reign, No murky vapour, herald of the storm, Hides her lair face, nor girds her glowing form With cornice glimmering as the moon-beams play, There the white column greets her grateful ray, And bright around with quivering beams beset, Her emblem sparkles o'er the minaret : The groves of olive scattered dark and wide Where meek Cephisus pours his scanty tide, The cypress saddening by the sacred mosque, The gleaming turret of the gay Kiosk, Anti, dun and sombre 'mid the holy calm, Near Theseus' fane, yon solitary palm, All tinged with varied hues arrest the eye— And dull were his that pass'd them heedless by. 4: But, hear ! when the Noble Lord changes tone, and assumes his dramatic dress--- 'Tis he ! lam taken in the toils. Before I quitted Hamburg!), Giulio, his steward, Informed me, that he had obtained an order From Brandenburgh's elector for the arrest Of Kruitzner (such the name I then bore), when .1 came upon the frontier ; the free city Alone preserved my freedom—till I left Its walls," &c. § Fob !—lt grates harsh thunder on the ear! Away with it! Lord 131-ttoN, is now no more ! and the fi l l' that burst forth in so many strains of the pure' inspiration, is extinguished for ever ! Silent, within the marble tomb he sleeps, hut his faults and his fame will long survive ! i As a poet, England was p rou d of her son ; and Iq the fond hope of receiving a work worthy of Author—another, and a nobler momorial of h i ' genius, the redeeming pledge of many errors—P r with his capricious and wayward humours 0 11 A the partiality of a mother. No writers of t 1 1:: or any other country ever commenced their terary career with brighter or better founde r hopes of success. The effects of his earlier work on the public, and his contemporaries, was 0 gical. It pl ace d hi m a t once at t h e head of tosli (which he turned into a new channel), and of h ,i host of ad xi i rers an d imitators eager to echo merits, and copy th e manner o f t h e i r leader).l Happy for his fam e h a d hi s li terary existell,/ closed with the last Canto of his Childe But, intoxicated with praise, giddy at his ele c t . tion, or, led by th e p r id e an d perversity disposition spurning the shackles of restraint, controul, he forgot, at the last, what was due,, his reputation. H e se i ze d hi s pen, c h ose ) subjects as caprices, or the whim of the day rected, seemingly assured, that whatever wrote was certain of exacting the usual tribe.. of attention and admiration.—" lieu prim custodia est" Expectation was at its height, when his Tragedy was announced for publication. came—but the style of the Noble Author - ‘ 4 now formed, which he could not change. ture, to preserve the .equilibrium of her laws, !lied, even-to this favoured son, the possession a plurality of gifts. Had MELPOMENE embra 6 him with the ardour of CALLIOPE, or Enwro, world—the" subject world," would have 1 1 at his feet. B u t hi s P oetry b e l onge d , d ec ide, to the caste Epic, distinct from Dramatic. " I this material he wrought—the prevailing er rot i the fatal rock—on which so many of our gedists have already been shipwrecked. 1 Dramatist he failed ; and, from that hour, Muse produced nothing worthy of the nato e BYttox. PltoTl3 l ' l ' • AIL Lacy. (See sth Letter to the " Dramatists ° I Day."--(London.Magazine, November, 1823.) -I- Bride of Abydos. + Corsair. Werner.—l take this quotation, second hand, from / Letter to the Dramatists of the Day," for two reasorl;, have not, at this mom en t, a copy o f hi s Lordship's (10,0 works beside me :—lf I had, I could not select a passage/ pertinent to the subject in hand than the above. INDIA. MIPS TRADING to INDIA and to the EASTWARD of the CAPE of GOOD HOPE. . . 1 -Z3 2/p- Where . Destination. , pointed Shipe Names. L.- Owners or •Cortraces. Captains. References. to-Sail. 1 - % . ~ _ — — 1 Jan." 1825. 0 I ~ Cape & Madras 5 ( tlsGeneral Palmer s d ol George Truscott Geo. Truscott E.l. Docks Captain T., Bi rc hin-lane I 1 1 *l9 Gledstane k ' iite-lion se (,o. W 1 Madras - 1 25 :Hope 556 john T. E. Flint J. T. E. Flint E. I. Docks { Cape, Madras 1 t 1 1 court R. J. & Bengal . . ' Mar . I,Enterprise 500 . R. J. Saunders, Agent .I.H.Johnston Deptford {• • Saun d ers , Agent, 1 1 South Sea House Jan. 7 , Coromandel 643 George Joad Thomas Boyes W I.Docles John Lyney, jun. Birchin-lane '25 .Lady Flora ;50 Cockerlll, Trail, & Co. T.MacDonnell Blackwell John S. Brinley, Bi rc hin-lane 30 Maitland 694 Thomas Ferguson Mich. O'Brien City Canal Edmund Read [ Sea House 10John 4 6 4 Adw. Loughan, & Co. T. Poppleweß A City Canal nstice & Thornhill,OldSouth • Feb. 28 Thalia '7OO Francis Robinson W. 11. Biden City Canal It. F. Wade, London-street Mar. 10, Malcolm 650 Watts and Heath rJames Eyles Deptford John S. Brinley Madras and 30 ('as a r 500 Johnston & Meaburn Thos. A. Watt City Canal W. Abercrombie, Birchin-lane Bengal - - . 311 Eliza 682 David Sutton David Sutton E. I. Docks Barber & Neate, Birchin-lane April 10 Orient 597 S. Marjoribanks & Co. Thos. White E. I. Docks S. Marjoribanks &Co., King's —Royal George 550 Joseph Soames Wm. Reynolds W.l.Docks Edmund Read (Arms Yd. 151 Neptune 556.1. Cumberlege, jun. J. Cumberlege E. I. I)ocks John Lyney, jun. 301Woodford 444 Alfred Chapman • May 11William Miles 581 Samuel Beadle Alf. Chapman E. 1. Docks J.Chapinan&Co.Leadenhall-st. Samuel Beadle E. I. Docks Capt.B.Jerusalein-coffee-house [ 10 1 Kingston 500 Wm. Atkins Bowen W. A. Bowen City Canal Cockerell,Trail,&Co.Austin-fr. Bengal - 'Jan. 20 Gilmore 405 Hunter and Co. R. W. Laws B. I. Dock Hunter & Co. Old Broad-street 'slAmity 300 John Chapman & Co. John Gray W.l.Docks John S. Brinley -Royal George 477 John Barry S. Ellerby City Canal John Lyney, jun. [street Bombay -311 Norfolk 536 Alexander Greig Alex. Greig City Canal Isbister & Horsley,Leadenhall -1 Mar. 5 Britannia 450 George Wiggins Wm. Luke City Canal Edmund Read Lpril 5 James Sibbald U 47 Henry Blanshard Jas. K. Forbes E.I. Docks 11. Blanchard, Old Broad-st. Ceylon - Jan. 25 - Tiger 330 Buckles and Co. H e nry Kent City Canal Buckles a nd Co. Mark-lane Mauritius and f &Africa • 350 William Tindall John Skelton W.l.Docks John Lyney, jun. - Ceylon . t —Nero 189 William Rutter Wm. Rutter City Canal Edmund Read 25' Belzoni 250 Robert Granger f ß o d ; Alc r l n e w rs n on Ci ty Canal anal and Itt: at ) . Batavia & Sin- 1 .5 Waodlark 198 Buckles-and. Co. C ity C Maria 351 Thorntons and West James Moffatt City Canal Edmund Read gapore - 15 Batavia 402 Thorntons and West Robert Blair City Canal Edmund Read Singapore -25 1 Rosella 220 Smith and Co. T. Atkinson City Canal John Pirie & Co. Freeman's-ct. ) Bencoolen, Pe -1 Leornhill nang, & Sin- '- 10 Spring 236 Richard Drew J.P. Hackman City Canal Edmund Read gapore - 1 Cape - - 5 6 Borneo 420 .Toseph Hare J. C. Ross City Canal Isbister and Horsley' 1. 15 Margaret 220 Alexander Robertson J. Henderson LondonDs. Cooke and Horsley New S. Wales h i 31arinee - f 440 John Chapman & Co. 'l'. Welbank Dep&Cork John Chapm a n a nd C o . 10 1 WilliamShand 296 John lumsden Alex. Kenn hondonDs.i Buckles and Co. Van Dierna New Land & w 5 15 Mountaineer 487 John Chapman & Co. John Herbert LondonDs.iJohn Chapman and Co. South Wales. t Feb. 1 Medina 168,John Hayman John Brown LondonDsOsbister and Long Andromeda 1931 William Stoveld James Muddle LondonDs.Anstice and Thornhill * From Gravesend. + From Portsmouth. - 4." Convict Ship. FOR THE SUN. THE DRAMA. -(LETTER V.) Mu. EIIITOR—In my former Letters *, I in stanced the system of Management of our Metro politan Theatres, in regard to Authors, as one cause of the long 7 complaiue,d-of degeneracy of the Modern Drama. I charged Managers with blaine,- 7 -not for actual refusal of many of the pieces offered them for the Stage, but for want of discrimination, of taste, and of the proper dis charge .of their official duties, in couching their answers of non -acceptance in much the saine laconic, undistinguishing, repulsive style, whe ther addressed to Authors of the highest promise, or to the imbecile class of writers of no promise at all; so as almost to generate a suspicion (when many rejected Plays are compared and contrasted with some that are accepted), that something like Stage Secrets, have to be acted behind the scenes, in the mysteries of which it is necessary the fortunate Author should previously be in structed. I have also censured Managers for the unreasonable length of time the productions of Authors are detained by them under examination, —thereby proving the general neglect and want of regularity and method, that exists in this de partment of the Theatre. But I have also unequivocally allowed, that Managers, in the discharge of this branch of their duty, have often a painful, delicate, and em barassing task to execute ; and I ventured to propose a remedy, in the shape of a Committee, which, acting gratuitously, might tend to direct and controul, not only the choice and judgment of Managers, but, eventually, to influence and improve the national taste.—Until the evil complained of, therefore, is remedied, of what use is it, Sir, to ring the everlasting charges of abuses and complaint against Modern Dra matists."—" Silence, that dreadful bell !" Strike at the root of the evil ; for, if you do not this, it is worse than idle to talk about gi re vivifying the sleeping MELPOMENE," or think of recovering from her vapourous insensibility, the afflicted and offended sister Tn4Ll 4. Indeed, for so long a period has mismanage ment prevailed, i in the quarter complained of, that no alteration of system, however liberal, could suddenly be expected to effect a favou..- able change. So heavy has been the pressure, Sir, so deadening the weight that Managers have now lost the power. and are unable to rouse the dormant sparks of Genius, or remove the deep stain of mediocrity from the history of the modern Theatre. It is time, however, to turn our Critics,i - in this dilermna, for advice and instruction. One of them, (Mr. LACY) has divided our national Drama, into three distinct and separate schools ; " branding each, with a name, indica tive of its character."l viz.—The Dramatic pro per; Comprizing the aera of SHAKSeEARE and his contemporaries : The Rhetoric, including that of YOUNG, RoWg, ADDISON, &c.: And, the Poetic pure,—being the present, third, last, and worst— which embraces the living generation of writers; or, as Mr. LACY chooses to designate then:l D/yin/oasts of the day. To this classification, nor to the treatment, as far as it goes, by which Mr. LACY proposes to restore his patient—(the present, third, last, and worst school of Drama) to pristine vigour • and health, I have no serious objection. Mr. LACY, rightly judging, that the general debility, accompanied by alarming lethargic symptoms was first to be attended to, has recommended 'aud prescribed to the patient, the liberal use of the old and celebrated tonic of action, with an occasional mixture of running dialogue ; great abstinence from pretty imagery, lusciousness of language, _and the exercise of spinning at the eternal Wheel of Verse. He has also enforced the necessity of attention to plot-work, together with daily and regular employment in the study and irnitatiou of the works of the great Drama tist, with peremptory orders to the patient, strictly to avoid p rose p oetry, and the regular system of j oinery. Fired, already, On imagina tion) with the fancied success of his prescrip tions, he exultingly exclaims— " 'Tis I, John L acy , h ave re f orm ed t h e stage ." ,fo be sure, this (unlucky) " note of triumph" savours more of the boastings of the Solomons and the Brodums, than of the grave, graduated, regular, and decreed practitioner. Six letters , (with a postscript), addressed to the " Drama tists of the day," and published in a Monthly Magazine, is just as likely to " reform the stage," as the pill of the Emperic to restore the shattered nerves and debilitated constitution of the con sumptive invalid. Reforms, whether of the Stage or the State, to be lasting, must be gradual. The reforming Dramatist, therefore, must go hand in hand with the times, and the taste of the age; neither extending his stride too much bef or e, n or yet lagging too far behind. Let him follow the prescriptions and regimen, in part, or in whole_. (and safe they are, as far as they reach), of Mr. .LAcy. Let him summon to his aid all his powers, and 64 screw his courage to the sticking place ;" Ire w ill yet discover—though warmed and urg e d oi hasi by " Proethean heat" within—that Ire n n the m any difficulties to overcome—a many an Alp" to cross, before the desideratum is found_ before the summit of his wishes is attained. To what quarter, then, shall we look, Sir, for the reformation and improvement of the Stage ? —Not to the imitation of the French school of Tragedy, founded on the models of ancient Greece, with the rigid preservation of all the unities—cold, monstrous, and declamatory. Not to the simplicity of plot, and meagre dramatis persona' of the .1 talian Alfieri, also founded on the same seminary. Most assuredly not to the supernatural terrors—the questionable morality —the hideous fatalism of the German school. " Imitate SIIAKSPEA RE," exclaims the sanguine critic, " and regenerate the Drama !"—But, alas! SHAKSPEARE is illimitable !—Were SIIAKSPE:IItE again to be called to existence, himself could not imitate his former self. He would, indeed, be great in any country, or at any period ; but he