The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-12-16 00:00:00

DRURY-LANP. THEATRE.

The tragedy of Hamlet was performed at this Thea-
tre on Saturday evening to a very crowded audience.
Of all the productions of that immortal genius which
has fixed the admiration of ages, perhaps there is not
one which communicates more pure delight, whether
in the closet or on the stage. It is an universal fa-
vourite, replete with the sublimest precepts, clothed
is the most chaste and elegant diction. aho..nding
with' sentiments to refine the understanding and
improve the heart. Hamlet is a character of the first
order, endued with every quality, both mental and
external, to win our affections and excite our sympa-
thies—" The observed of all observers." To convey
to the mind a full representation of such a character,
requires no small degree of ability. The genius of
KEAN is by some considered sufficient to cover all
personal deficiencies. Whether the genius of any man
that ever lived could work such a wonder, is extremely
problematical : but his warmest admirers must admit
that, in his last rrformance of Hamlet. there was
nothing whatever to justify such a conclusion. It was,
in fact, much inferior to any of his performances this
season—cold, tame, and uninteresting, even mire-
hewed by any of those occasional bursts for which his
acting Is retwarkable, the brilliancy of which some-
times compensates for the &Ines' of a whole act. The
philosophic musin.4s of Hanalei possessed none of that
melancholy grandeur from which his character derives
its principal interest, nor could the most willing ima-
gination for one moment fancy it beheld " the glass of
fashfon and the mould of form." But, while candour
and impartiality call for these remarks, it must not be
forgotten that, in the very same character, KEAN has
sometimes produced an amazing effect. So true it is,

" Aliqusodo bonus dorm' tat Hotserus."

Madame V LST I s Was the Ophelia ; she looked ex-
tremely interesting, but the " lilies and roses," which
her cheeks disclose, badly accorded with the griefs of
the child •of sorrow whom she represented. Mu--
DEN'S Polonius may justly rank amongst the first per-
formances of this distinguished favourite.

The Countess of Sv nu EY was safely delivered of a
daughter, on Ftiday, at Norfolk-house, St. James's-
square. We are happy to add that her Ladyship
and her infant daughter are both as well as can be
expected.

The famous Duke of Noarot.c was much addicted
to the bottle. On a iwasquerade night, he asked
FooTa what character he should go in. "Go so-
ber!" said FooTE.

" I wonder," said a woman of humour, " why my
husband and I quarrel so often, for we agree uniformly
in one grand point: he wishes to be master, and so do I."
Cll A R LES 11. once said to the celebrated Earl of
SuArrcsau ay, " Odds fish, man, thou art the wit-
tiest and wickedest fellow in my dominions." To this
compliment the other replied with a bow, " Except
yew Majesty, I believe I am."
Ax EC DOT E.- -Upon its being remarked in a sarcaktic
manner to a Lady (a friend of Mr. Pst.n• ), that Mr.
P. wore a shabby coat, the Lady promptly quoted the
Re*. C. C. Co urns 's remark as follows :—" It is not
every man that can afford to wear a shabby coat.
Worldly wisdom dictates to her disciples the propriety
of dressing somewhat beyond their means, but of hy-
ing somewhat within them, for every one sees how we
dress, but none see how we live, except we choose to
lea them. But the truly great are by universal suf-
frage exempted from those trammels, and may live
and dress as they please." . . .

Bow MOT.—A gentleman expressing his satisfaction
that Lord Lox pox Drany would be at no more state
meetings in Europe—" You arc mistaken (replied his
friend), for his Lordship is gone to the Diet of
Worms."
An Irish soldier once returning from battle in the
night, marching a little way behind his companion,
caned out to him, " Iloilo., Pat ! I have taken a pri-
soner r-" Bring him along then r—" Aye, but he
won't come."—" Why, then, come away without
him."—" By Jasus! but he won't let me."
CLawatmes PICTURES.—We understand those fine
pictures, painted by HOG A RTII, ZUFFAN Y, and the
other popular artists of the day, together with the
akakspeare chair, and whatever else of the furniture
was entailed by GARRICK, the house on the Add-
phi-terrace, and the mansion, gardens, mausoleum
and other property at Hampton, will not be sold
until the new year. It is reported to us that these
valuables are consigned to the hammer of Mr.
CHRISTIE.
k still remains a matter of doubt whether the fine
library and the prints at Foothill will be sold. Mr.
atilii• a and his attendant advisors are still there.
Should it be the determination of Mr. FA RQVHA R to
dispose of this unequalled collection of literature by
section, we press upon that Gentleman's excellent
uadaestaading the appointment of an experienced bib-
liographer to prepare the catalogue, which may or
my net be a work of reference for ‘ll time.

ON TILE EFFECTS OF
PARLIA.VENTA RI commirrEß

FOR INQUIRING INTO TIIE EXPEDIENCY 07 AD-
JUSTING CONTRACTS ACCORDING TO TUE AL-
TLIILD VALUE OF THE CURRENCY.

The first point to he settled would be, the meaning of the
word depreciation; for on this a Committe of the House
ss ould he by no means agreed. Its true meaning is, the
renee between the value of gold and Bank of England notes.
the depreciation of Bank of England Daft commenced in
11403. Between that period and Woo the price of standard
gold fluctuated between the mint price of al. 170. told. and
41. ♦s.

The highest and lowest price of standard gold in the subse-
quent years was as follows, viz.—
Highest. Lowest.
1810. 24 10 0 24 4 6
1811 4 19 6 4 7 6
ISIS 5 7 0 4 15 0
1813 5 10 0 6 2 6
1814 '1 8 0 ..... .... 4 8 0
1815 5 7 0 4 2 0
1816 4 2 0 3 18 6
1817 4 0 0 .... 3 18 6
1818
MO 4 2 0 3 17 10i
1820
1821 23 17 101
1822

The depreciation of the bank-note was as the difference be-
tween the mint price of gold, and the market price in Bank
paper. Mr. Ricardo says, that in 1415.13 the bank-note was
worth no more than 14a. in gold. We will suppose the Com-
mittee to have agreed on this point, as we have stated it.
The next step most be to ascertain the rate of depreciation
of the bank-nuts for every day, from the first moment of its
depreciation to its coming again to par with gold. Having
done this, an Act of Parliament must be proposed to com-
pel every holder of "mortgages, every receiver and payer
of annuities, jointures, younger children's portions, rent,
taxes, interest of borrowed eapital, commuted tithes, and
holders of stock,- and otherixed payments," to conform at
once to the rate of depreciation as ascertained by the Com-
mittee as the day of the date of the contract. how to this
we have two prime objections. First, that it would be gross
injustice; and second, that it would be impossible. It will
not, we presume, be contended by any man, that because I
made a contract, granted a lease, for instance, in this, when
a Rank note was worth only Its., and that lease should have
been assigned subsequently, when the Rank note was worth
sea., that the person to whom the assignment was made, and
who engaged with my consent to pay sits., of the present mo-
ney should pay only les., that I should lose and heshould gain
the difference. Neither would it be easy for the Committee
te decide as to what should be done, were the lease assigned
without my consent. This would be one class of exceptions.
Another would be mortgages and annuities granted on bond or
by deed. Mnst these be paid in the value of the depreciated
currency, in whose hands Griever they might be, and notwith-
standing they had passed through several hands, while the
value orate currency was falling, and since it begun to rise
again up to the present time? Suppose I granted an annuity
in money of I4s. value, and sold the deed when the snowy was
worth les., and the buyer sold it again when money was worth
tea., is the last purchaser, in whose hands it remains, to be eon-
pact( to take 14s. in the poundfor what be actually paid tot.?
On the faith of an existing law, is every such person to be
defrauded and punished by an ex pest-fade law Surely,''
this would be a base robbery. Whatever may be 'mid as to
the annuitant in the case supposed, is equally applicable to
the fundleelder, and to all persons holding negoetable secu-
rities. if any man si ill take a little time to reflect on cense-
quenees, here is surely empieli to make him d. tide against
any attempt to " regulate rant rails Jiff Ara payeleide "
We take it fir granted that no attempt could possibly be
made to compel me, who bought stock yesterilly, in money
worth sio. to take fur it mosey north 11S. lieesUse some per-
son, years ago, !nought it in money worth Its. Quite impos-
sible it tumid Ise, and quite ridiculous beyond rokpressioss, to
say that tends of the persons through whose heeds it came
from (i.e original pun-baser sheets! pay the differences. But
it is useless to push this point any further.
We hare brought the matter then to this, that those only
who 11-111 securities for fixed payments, which halve not been
transferred, should be liable to he pegged back. A proposi-
tion of this kind could be made by no man in his senses
kir who would bold such a contract I no one, certainly.
Transfers and ro-transfers would be made by every body hold
ing securities, and every such security would, long before the
committee reported, hare been legally purchased with monev
worth res. Let us slip a element, and contemplate the end.
less amount of expense, the titivation, the perjury, and the
fraud which all this would occasion, and we shall again see
reason enough, and more than enough, to discountenance the
proposal of a committee.
We come then to the ease of landlord and tenant. In a vast
many cases the proposed law would apply here, and the gasp-
ing, greedy. law •making landosvuer, the brie I.r for a commit-
tee to legatee, would he nearly the only one whom the law
would reach. It would he the intereat °revert one who had a
lease which was granted Mum bank-notes were depreciated
to keep it fast, and no one email hike an assignment, even if
offered ; these might be pegged hack, and then the land-
holders would be punishing themselves, %hick is the last thing
they intend; to be sure,l he y would,in some cases, meet a partial
compensation, in such annuities charged upon their estates
as could nut be transferred, thus the) and their class would
be the only sufferers,
lint, we ask, why should contracts be regulated pmspec-
tsvely only ? and silty, if that be advisable, it would not also
tie advisable to ga a little retrospectively, and make the re•
(-risers ni rent and annuities refund both principal and inter-
est in einsformity to the scale of depreciation formed by the
COMIIIII tee? tis by should the inquiry go no farther hack than the
period alien the bank note begun to be deprecia led,why not go
back to the period when contracts were made in money, worth
ass before I he drpreeinti gggg ?Tin% would ben pretty counter-ae-
count. It would be fowl(' that nut only those who paid ens. for
their contracts,as a ell as those who acre to receive stn. of into.
rem, got only 145. in 1511, 1513, but that the Innillords, who
are the legislators, missed a law lu compel them to receive
the depreciated money, as hsr money of SUS. value. These
lords of the suil did more, they pissed laws to make rum
produce a mutinied v, and they let their lands al the monopoly
price; end now when they hose by their own acts made
the burden so heavy that their tenants can carry it n:• longer,
and it is falling upon their toes, they affect to commisserate
those they base a...lured, and call, most absurdly, for assist-
ance. to rouble them to mint inlay their injustice. They have
had all the power in their owe hands, both as lords of the soil,
and legislators, and if their want of knuo ledge and want of
justice have led them to he uarcles. or the interest of others,
until the consequences begin ill fall upon themselves, they,
and they only, have been to blame. Wise men, having siteli
a nation as 1114 bi manage, would have made it any thing but
what it is. Oive them their Committee of Inquiry, and they
will make it worse.
We have, we think, proved that the contracts cannot he
adjusted 01 the depredation of the Bank nide at the time
they were, and that the calling fur a Committee, with a view
to any such adjustment, is au act of folly.

CONJUGAL Fr ticivv.—Two gentlemen, of first-rate Back-
gatninec celebriety, were in the habit of meeting every
night at a coffee-house, where they continued playing their
favourite game to a very late hour. Upon one of these occa-
sions they obsc.rved a gentleman, who sat in an opposite box,
rise front his seat, and approach their table for the purpose of
looking on. Having played for several hours, during the whole
of which time the stranger's atte .tion was steadily fixed upon
the play, the parties retired. On the following night, however,
(and fur the four succeeding), they found the unknown still at
his post watching the progress of each game, but withott ut-
tering a word. At length, a dispute having arisen about a
more, the stranger was appealed to, to decide the question :
when to the amazement of the disputants he declared himself
wholly unacquainted with the gam•. •' Why, Sir," said one
of them, I think 1 have observed you here, paying extraordi-
nary attention to our play el ery night for the last week.
" true," replied the stranger. " And is it possible." rejoined
the other, "that you could find no more agreeable way of
passing your time than looking on. night after night, at a
game which you do not understand?" "It may seem odd,
no doubt," said the stranger; " but the fact is, I am a wor-
ried man, and there's no one at home but my 'rife."

Last Friday week was the Fourth Day of Drawing.
when No. 16,522, drawn a Prize of Twenty Thousand
Pounds, was sold in Shares by Carrul, 19, Cornbill, anil
Oxford-street. This is a continuation of that good fortune
which has for so many scars distinguished Carrot's Offices.
Tbn above is the only ftrize above 4,0001. yet drawn ; there
are but two days more, and the weer! contains 91 capitals, in-
cluding Two or so,oool. two of twu of 3,0001. and 81
others of 2,0001. I,unol. 411101. &C. &e. To-noanow is the last
day ofdrawing but one.

A correspondent informs us. " that less than a cen-
tury ago, there was a period of fourteen years during
which but one instance was knowmin this parish of
any one of the fair sex having anticipated the bridal
night." We wish we could say as much of the morals
of the present day. At the period above alluded to,
the population of Brighton was between 1,500 and
2,ooo.—(Brighton Herald.)

The number of accidents that occur from incautious
driviug are truly distressing. On Saturday a poor
woman, a laundress, was run over in Newport-street,
Newport-market, by a hackney-coach. She had two
of her ribs broken, and her ankle dislocated. She was
taken to the hospital, and, it is said, that should she
ever recover, which is doubtful, she can never follow
ber occupation.

SPOETLVG INTELLIGENCE.

HUNTING APPOINTMENTS.

Sir Jacob Astlev's fox hounds meet to-morrow at Brislon
Ornvo; Wednesdiy at Entree ; and Friday at Barhani—at
ten.

The Quorndon tomorrow at Kihworth Keanel; Wednesday
at Widmer pool ; Friday at Orimston ; and Saturday at Fred-
a old—at Het...13.

....
Lord Anson's, this day at Lindley; to-morrow at Newbold
Clete; Thursday at Burbage ; and Friday at Oopsal—at
past ten.
Lord Middleton's, this day at Radcliffe Town ; Wednesday
at Clifton ; and Friday at Kirk Hallam—at half-past ten.
Mr Dewing's, this day, at Winburgh ; IVedneaday, at
Field Hafting, to run a buck ; and Fridav at Pudding Norton.
Lord Scarborough's, this day, at Sandbeck Park ; Wednes-
day at Wadworth; and Friday at Orose—at half•past len.
The Earl of Harowond's. this day, at Sickling; Wednes-
day. at Hook Moor; and Friday, al Adde—at ten.
The Pnckeridge, this day, at Hasse's ; Wednesday, at
Calls Hill; and Saturday, at Barking,