The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-05-23 00:00:00

COPENnoARDEN THEA7'R E.
Last night, after the play of The Tempest, was
prailuced a mew farce, called The Grand Tour ; or,
Slapped art Rochester! We believe it is not usual
to exec' of an author in this line a very rigid ad-
hereoce. t 4 regularity or probability of plot or inci-
dent, Red it would perhaps be too mu. it to de-
mand th.t the whole of either should he entirely
new. Those who expected either In the instance
of last trieht toast have been grievously disap-
pointed; and yet we have seldom witnessed an au-
dience, is most crowded one too, we will nut say
so completely indulgent and good humoured, but
so highly entertained and so perfectly gratified. if
we ere to judge from perhaps the best criteria on
sisal an occasion, the continued laughter and the
repeated plaudits from almost every part of the
house. Three young fellows, a weggish artist,
Sebright by mime (Mr. Jon z.). a modest music•
master, Blush nman (Mr. DORIART)„ and a French
dancing master, whose name, iu spite of the variety
of its pronunciation by the several persons to whom
it fell to mention, we were unable to catch, but
who was personated by Mr. YATES, hien% joined
in the parchaee of a share of a lottery ticket,
which is drawn a prize. become entitled to two
thousamf pound/ between them, winch they agree
to spend in making The Grand Tour together.
But arriving at Rochester, they stop there some
time, till their fonds being nearly exhausted, they
are rather at a loss whether to proceed further or re-
turu. Blushingion, however, having contrived,
during their Vey to win the heart of Lefty (Miss
Beaumont.), the daughter of Venture, a general
dealer at Rochester (Mr. BLANCHARD), who has
fixed the next day for her marriage with Violet,
a Cockney oil and colourman in High Holborn
(Mr. Ltrrou), whom he h..a never seen, &bright
midertakes to secure the onion of his friend with the
young lady, which, after one complete defeat,
he at length succeeds in bringing about, and
out of his contrivances for that purpose, the inci-
dents of the piece, some of them ludicrous enough,
and sufficiently removed from probability, es we have
before hinted, arise. The dialogue is smart and
sprightly, and profusely seasoned with puns, equr-
vogues, and jokes, both new anal old. We under-
stand it is from the pen of Mr. MORTON. The
exertions of the performers were such a* to ,reflect
much credit on themselves, and to impart the
highest satisfaction to the audience. Mr. JONES
sustained nearly the whole burden of the piece,
beiug hardly a moment absent from the scene. and
keeping up to the last, without flagging in the
least, that constant active hustling volatility
which characterises his aciiiig, and which has
seldom been displayed to more advantage. Mr.
LISTON we never saw with so- little to do, hut of
that ' tittle he made the most. Mr. EMERY per-
sonated a drunken Yorkshiremen, servant to Violet,
and made the part entirely his own Mr. YAT ES
spluttered his French-English with inimitable drol-
lery. Mr. BLANCHARD was an excellent represen-
tative of the wily old tradesman, and Mr. CHAP-
Inas, of a usurer, less repulsive titan the character
is generally drawn. Miss ltasosioarr imparted all
its iuterest to the trilling character allotted to het,
and executed a pretty little song of Mr. WARE'S,
we believe, with much taste. which procured her
the merited honour of an encore. Mrs. DAVEN-
PORT portrayed, with her sectistomeil excellence,
the character of an elderly maiden, sister to Venture,
attached to
:poetics. and nut disinclined to matri-
mony. who is finally wedded to Violet. Through-
out the whole of the first Act the attention
of the audience was kept continually awake and
constantly gratified. fn some scesies of the second
act the action lingered too much. and the dialogue
became rather heavy. But with tome judicious
curtailments in these parts which were marked try
the sudieuce, the whole may be rendered suffi-
ciently entertaining to secure it a run. It was an-
nounced for repetition amidst general applause,
the dissentients being hut few. arid their opposi-
tion, if possible, more feeble than their number.

King HENRY.VI(. was crowned alone, being
unmarried at the lime, on the 30th October, 1485.
lie subsequently married the Princess ELIZABETH,
daughter of EDWARD IV. on the 18th Immo),
1486 • but from lesions), of her title, she being lie
rightful heir to the throne, he postponed her core_
nation until the 25th of November, 1487.
Mm. CaoseviaLL, of Cheshunt, has now in his
possession the hat of Ota ancestor. OLIVER CROm-
wem„ by which the skull, supposed to be the Pio-
tector's, which. with two others, were, after the
Restoration, affixed over the entrance to Westmin-
ster Hall, until the feign of Queen ANNE, has
been tried, and uo doubt is now entertained of its
identity.

Lally HEATHCOTE, we are concerned to state,
still continues very much indisposed at her house
in Grhavenor-square.
A statue in honour of the late Mr. WEST is to be
erected in St. Paul's.
DUEL FRETENTIED.—A duel was to have taken
place early on Monday morning. in Copenhagen-
fields, between Mr. F---X and Mr. S—T— it, half-
pay officers, but in consequence of information re-
ceived, they were surprised to find an enemy at the
place of meeting ; they however escaped.
FRAUD 111 SOVERElONs.—Govertiorient has lately
detected a twat extraordinary fraud, which threat-
ens great loss to the currency. Sovereigns to a
great extenthast been couuterfeited. by easing
pistil a with geld, the specific gravity of the two
metals thing nearly equal. In melting down some
sovereigns, the plutina was detected at the bottom
of the crucible.
The Board of Excise have issued orders, direct-
ing no table beer to be henceforth sold at a higher
rate than 18s. per barrel exclusive of duly. Re-
tailers charging more than one penny halfpenny per
quart OW therefore liable to a penally of 50/.
IVednesday se'tinight a fine S..hin goille dropped
la a wood near hexed, Cartivirtheitallire ; it wee
found by the workmen, who took it in thie!.rerden,
*lint..., after living for two ilayA, it died.
Aerroutos have been rereived through France
hum Gibraltar, antiounciog the impleasint
Itgrnce u.f„Aiie itlague haring appeared at Make.
It lies coDlMUniesivil by x vessel from Alexandria.
FOll, perroile, we it,.desotaod, had fallen vietims•
It' the malady in the Issetetto.