The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-09-26 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN 711E.47'RE.

Last evening this theatre commenced its season, under
auspices which, it is to be bored, will continue to its close,
viz. that of a bumper, the boxes, pit, and galleries, hav-
ing been completely filled before the termination of the
first act of the play. The performances chosen for the oc-
casion were, Sheridan'a Pizarro, and Charles the gerand.
We have said Sheridan% Cizairo, and we are bound to
state our authority, recollecting the ;:laint that was made to
it by Mrs. Inchitald, and we believe by one thousand and
one persona besides. To come to the point at once, our au-
thority is Michael Kelly, who says, in his Reminiscences,
that Richard Itr;itsley was positively writing the last part
of the fifth act at the time that the third was perfortning,he
being then iti his private room at the Theatre, attended by
messengers who from time to time bronght down slips con-
taining the part allimcd to each performer. Now as Mi-
chael Kelly remembers this circumstance we arc satisfied,
because he cannot be charged, as he was on a late occasion
by the Judge of the Prerogative Court, when he could not
recollect where Madame Storace was married, though he

was present when it took place, with having forgot his
Reminiscences. Perhaps, after all, there was a little
quackery in this proceeding of Sheridan's, which, if we
may compare small things with great, is much of the
same charmer with his 'llse at AVarren Hastings' trial
of forgetting his bag of papers, in order that he might
make a hit by aid of his wonderful memory. After
all, Pizarro can add nothing to his fame as an au-
thor ; indeed we almost doubt if It would if it had been
I produced at this day have had a very long life: it has,
however, come down to the present period. sanctioned by
recollections of the Kemble family that can never be
overlooked by an admiring public. John Kemble's
Mrs. Siddons s Elvin:, and Charles Kemble'a Alonzo, can
never be forgotten by those who witnessed them ; and,
thought last not least—Barrymore, who strode through
Pivirto. We say strode, because, after him, we can never
endure any man in Pi7:arrn who does not, at every stride,
cover five feet at least. Mrs. Jordan, too, was the Cura.
But enough of the past ; let us come to the present.
On this occasion Mr. Young, after an absence of two years,
came forward in Rollo, and most ably did he sustain the
Peruvian General. The address to the soldiers was the
least effective ; but having said that, we are bound to de-
clare that in all the more trying scenes he was second slot e
to the great master spirit who first delineated the character
on the stage. It is impassible to conceive a more hearty
welcome than that with which Mr. Young was greeted, and

certainly, to the admirers of this school of actin', his return
to these boards is matter of sincere gratulation. Cooper's
Alonzo was a strong and forcible delineation of the part, but
somewhat coarser than Me Alonzo we have seen : there is
a harshneAt and cohltuss of manner about this gentleman,

• • which it is not likely he will now get over; however, upon
the whole, it wu a very respectable performance. 'F he
Pizarro of Mr. Serie, independent of the objection we
have to his being unable to step five feet at every stride,
like poor Barryinore, was the most ineffective part in the
whole play ; his voice is lost in the house, and his apparent
total inability to express any thing like passion, on several
occasions tended to excite a feeling of risibility in his audi-
ence. This character, at least, is not suited to Mr. Serie.
We cannot conclude our notice of the male performers in
this piece without strongly mentioning Mr. Evans in Las
Cesar, and Mr. Fitzliarris in the Sentinel: little as there
is to do in these parts, on this occasion a proof was given
of what by judicious acting may be made of that little,
and reflects in no small degree upon performers of
a higher grade, when placed in characters they think
beneath their dignity. Mrs. Faucit was the Elvira ;
she is a charming woman, and looks a little—a very
little—like Mrs. Sidaons in this character, and for that
we honour her. She played the part very respect-
ably, hut she is wanting in physical power for the higher
walk of Tragedy; not that we should think of placing
Lleira in such a situation, but that the acting of a Siddons
had made li.r so. Mrs. Sloman, in Cora, was very effec-
tive' and the child under her management was fully pre-
pared for all necessary purposes of the play. The vocal
parts were well filled—the orchestra effective; and the cur-
tain fell at Rolla's obsequies amongst tumultuous applause.
During the evening the gods were very unruly, and they
hail become so boisterous during the fourth act as wholly
to interrupt the performance; die consequence was, that
in the middle of the scene where Efeira tries to induce
to stiletto Pizarro, Young and Mrs. Faucit were
compelled to leave the stage. The tumult continued to
increase, and there were loud calls for the manage from
various parts'of the house. A gentleman in the dress circle
was particularly conspicuous in his demand for " The
Manager—Mr. Fawcett, I've paid my money—l did not
cane in with an order—who says they will turn me out ?
Manager—Fawcett—Manager !" At length Mr. Young
came forward, and said that Mr. Fawcett would have had
great pleasure in appearing before them, as was his duty, at
their commands, but the fact was he was not in a fit
state to present himself (laughter), in consequence of' his
being in preparation for the part he had to perform
in the farce; be was, however, directed by Mr.
Fawcett to state, that persons bad been sent round
to endeavour to quell the disturbance. This address was
very favourably received. The gentleman who had dined
was satisfied, the gods were arpeased without any one of
them being propelled into a lower region, as was frequimtly
threatened; and the play proceeded to its successful termi-
nation, as we have statetl4'harks eke Second, or the Meru
Monarch, succeeded, and it is impossible to conceive a
piece better acted. On this occasion there was a new can-
didate for public favour in the person of Miss M. Glover,'
one of the daughters of Mrs. Glover, who has so long done
credit to the various London Theatres Royal. This young
lady--for certainly very young she is, at least judging by
her appearance—is rather short, but particularly well
termed, amid her face quite of the innoccnte character. lier
voice is beautifully mellow, her compass very great, and
in character bears a nearer resemblance to that of alis.s
Paton than any we immediately recollect; there is in-
deed that about it which gives sufficient indication that its
possessor at no distant period will, under good tuition,
prove a powerful rival to more than one of the favourite
singers of the present day. Sic was rapturously encored in
"0 then I will think of thee ;" and indeed both her singing
and acting throughout met with great and most deserved
applause. Charles Kemble looks well after his trip, and
played the merry monarch, if possible, with increased
effect. Fawcett, in Capp, was nature from stem to stern;
while Jones was Rochester himatlf. Duruset was upon
the alert in the Pale; and Mrs. Faucit, in Lady aira,
appeared indeed a mature worthy of a situation in the
gallery of beauties of any monarch in Europe. Previous
to the play, " God save the King" was very effec-
tively given by the vocal choir, and formed a striking con-
trast to that which we were doomed to hear at the sister
theatre on Saturday. The second verse by Phillips was
most effective; and the thiril as a duet, by Miss 11. Cawse
rod Miss Gowerd, elicited considerable applause. Pear-
man took the lead, but was very hoarse ; however, the
whole had the striking merit of' being " God save the
King ;" and not that frippery shadow of reality which too
often disgraces the execution of this air at our national
theatres. A wellolescrvei encore was the consequence. The
holm:has undergone the burnisher in all its ornamental de-
corations • and the whole has that appearance of comfort,
combined with elegance, that is so desirable for the true en-
loyinent of dramatic art and scenic representation.

.We perceive by the bills that Mr. Dayers, Treasurer of
the Sadler' Well's theatre, takes his benefit to-morrow
night, on which occasion the whole corps of the theatre
have kindly offered their services. he amusments will
commence, as usual, with pony-racing, &c.
The approaching Birmingham Musical Festival pro-
mises a high treat to the lovers of music, from the great
number of choice and novel piec,:s in the different selec-
tions, to be performed by the most eminent performers,
both native and foreign, at present in this country.
"SEDUCTION AND SUICIDE:" A FA maw toN.—The
account which has appeared in several of the London Jour-
nals of a young lady, the slaughter of a farmer near Hamp-
stead, named Hinde having been seduced by an (Vicer of
Magoons—and of 'her having subsequently committed
suicide--twether with the inquest held on her body at the'
Crown at Hampstead, &c. &c.—is from b. ginning to end
a wicked fabrication. There is no public-house of the
sign of the Crown at Hampstead; and the dramatis pee.
moat/ of thin tracheal narrative telvt:r existed. except in the
I•itt:agiiative brain o' ef he ariele.

Ti d,.. liiiITISII PRE:Sg.

NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICAN COFFEE-110USE •

DISCOVERY OF ?DE FORGERY OF THE I.F.TTF.R PORTF.II UP
ON SATURDAY.-REWARD 01 ONE HUNDRED POUNDS.
The great anxiety es imed during the whole of
Saturday as to the authenticity of the above letter,
which purported to have been written by a gentleman
just landed at Portsmouth from New York, and which
was published as having been received from this Coffee-
house on Saturday, increased to such a height in the
evening, that the lemse was crowded to excess by Mexi-
can Bondholders, in addition to the Subscribers, to as-
certain whether 111r.Davies, the proprietor, bad received any
confirmation of its contents. Mr. Davies, whose exertions
to obtain the earliest and most authentic intelligence are
well ktiown, despatched, about six o'clock, his bead waiter
(Charles Mansfield) to Portsmouth, in order that he might
learn if any such passenger had landed there from New
York. Yesterday morning, at an early hour, Mansfield
returned to London, and gave the following detail of his
proceedings :—On his arrival at Portsmouth he went to the
Custom House and searched the books ; he then went to
the " watelthouse," and to every inn in the town,
but could gain no iertirmation as to the arrival of any
such vessel or passitizer ; consequently the letter re-
ceived at the Coffeehouse on Saturday is doubtless
a forgery. Mansfield aseertaibed that a person had land-
ed at Portsmouth frotn a packet from Havre, who break-
fasted at one of the inns, and afterwards put a letter into
the Post-office, and proceeded to London. The Com-
mittee of the North and South American Corree-house
have authorised Mr. Davies to offer are ward of loot, for the
detection of the party.

SOUTH OF IRELAND.

(FROM OUR CoItarePONDERT.)
This part of the United Kingdom, which was the hotbed
of insurrection and disturbance only a few years ago. at
present enjoys the most uninterrupted tranquillity. The
excitement anti effervescence producAl by the general
election have completely subsided, and the public attention
is absorbed by considetations connected with the high price
of provisions, and other subjects of immediate interest to
all classes of the community. That the lower orders are
suffering generally and severely is but too true; but, for-
tunately, they seem to have learned to attribute their dis-
tresses to the real causes, and no longer lay them to the
account of tictititeas grievances. I deem it a peculiarly for-
tunate accident that Ireland was never less political than it
is at the present moment—an assertion which will be borne
out by the observation of all who are resident in it. No
doubt, the firm anti judicious measures adopted by his Ma-
jesty's Government contributed mainly to suppress that
spirit of insubordination, which, it is now pretty evident,
had its origin in local irritation, rather titan in an extended
disposition to resist the laws. Subordinate circumstances
have also tended to produce a change in the feelings of all
classes, and amongst those I am inclined to ascribe some-
thing to the increased facility of communication between
the two countries, by means of steam-packets, which have
brought Ireland, as it were, so much closer to England, and
give the inhabitants of both countries an opportunity of '
learning that their interests are thoroughly identified, and
that whatever proves advantageous to the one must neces-
sarily be beneficial to the other. The difficulties and perils
of a voyage between England and the South of Ireland,
only a few years ago, were almost insurmountable. Before
he took his passage, the traveller regularly sent for a notary
to make his testamentary disposition. A stock of sea store
was provided, which, in our days, would be sufficient to
victual a passenger who intended to fellow the track of
Anson round the world. 'fire voyage was always tedious,
never certain, and the undertaking altogether one of that
description which was supposed to require something like
the intrepidity of a Parry, or the perseverance of a Belzoni.
Now-a-days, however, not less than six steamers ply every
week from Cork and IVaterford to Bristol, Milford, and
Liverpool. The longest passage is made in about thirty
hours, and I have been informed that, during the summer
months, each steamer, on an average, brings above one hun-
dred passengers. When the subject of the Union was under
discussion in the Irish Parliament, the late Mr. Curran is
reported to have said, that no friend to his country should
consent to the meaaure, unlade Ireland eoeid be made •
second Yorkshire to England. At that period it was trot
foreseen how nearly this apparent impossibility might be
achieved by the miraculous powers of steam. But, Ln.
portant as are the advantages derived from a facilitated com-
munication between the two countries, it seems futile to ex-
pect any effectual amelioration of the condition of the
lower orders, in this part of the kingdom, until local manu-
factures are established. At present there is a superabun-
dant population dependent almost exclusively on agricul-
ture, for there is little commerce, and nothing worthy of,
the name of manufactures. The importance and utility of
agricultural pursuits can never be disputed ; but agricultural
industry is from its nature more circumscribed than almost
any other species of industry ; and when the market for
agricultural labour is once supplied, a very small addition
is found toloverstock it.
It is impossible not to perceive that the vast power of
production which is unemployed, or but imperfectly em-
ployed, in Ireland, has acted like an incubus on the energies
of that country, and generated many of the evils under
which it has suffered, and continues to suffer. To the su-
perabundance of labourers may be chiefly ascribed the
ruinous practice of subdividing and re-letting farms, which
has tended considerably to aggravate pauperism and misery
amongst the peasantry of Ireland ; and amongst the many
other evils which it has produced, it is not the least that
it lids taught the lover classes to be satisfied with the
means of mere subsistence, and to evince no propelling
anxiety to procure and enjoy the comforts of life. This is
an evil of great magnitude, and one which should not be
overlooked in considering the expediency of importing
the poor-laws into Ireland, which it is now the fashion to
hold out as the grand panacea for all evils. It would
seem, however, that more unequivocal practical advantages
might be derived from multiplying the sources of employ-
ment, and opening new channels for national industry, than
by quartering the many who are incapable of procuring
employment tipon the few who are engaged in industry.
Theorists and declaimers are naturally seduced into the
discussion of abstract questions; and the public mind is
too often diverted by that which is ingenious from that
which is useful.
At the cotnmencement of the Session of Parliament every
publisher's shop between Leadenhail-street and Piccadilly
will send forth a brochure for or against Catholic Emanci-
pation ; but the probability is, that we shall find no one
undertaking to remove the ungrounded fears which pre.
vail as to the security of property fitlreland, or to point
the attention of the English capitalist to the many pal-
pable advantages to be derived from the investment of
money in that country in manufacturing industry. Yet,
until something of this kind shall be effected, practical men
on this side of the Channel seem decidedly of opinion
that human wisdom can do nothing effectual for the re-
:lel of Ireland.

MANCHESTER, SATURDAY EvENIKG.-WC have not'
observed any new feature in our market, since our nixie
of Tuesday last, as to demand. Prices, in almost every
description of goods, are some little Improved; and should
the demand continue equal to what it has been for the last
fortnight, there is every probability that a further advance
will be realized. Yarns continue in good request, both for
the home trade and for exportation. In heavy goods a
fair business has been done, and the country trade may be
considered much improved.—The demand in cotton has,
fur the last ten days, been spirited, and sales to a consider-
able extent have been effected, at advanced prices; a cir-
cumstance that has given a powerful stimulus to our ma-
nufacturers.

AeitIVAT. OF TOE SHANNON STEAM-VESSEL—At one
o'clock this day, this magnificent vessel arrived at the
North-wall, from London. We believe the Shannon is
the first steam-veasel that has made the voyage direct from
London ; and although, in the present instance, she has'
not performed the passae in anything near the time that
the proprietors calculate(' upon, yet the delay may be fairly
accounted for by the inclemency of the weather since Sun-
day last, on which day the Shannon left the Thames for
Dublin. and since when it has blown a severe gale of wind,
quite adverse to her course.—D Er::e Juurna!,
‘23,