The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-01-06 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

It is rather a novel circumstance to find a production of
the humble Adelphi transplanted to the rich soil of Drury-
lane. Such was the case last night at this theatre, where
a new tragic play (so the play-bills call it) was performed,
after having been stamped with the approbation of the
Adelphi play-goers, and exhibited at various provincial
theatres. The drama is taken from the novel of Kenil-
worth, and has been brought forwatd, we presume, for
the purpose of introducing Mrs. Bunn to a London audi-
ence, as Queen Elizabeth, the lady having attained much
celebrity elsewhere iu the character. W'e do not, how-
ever, by any means, think it her best ; she had but little
of the majestic dignity of the Queen—occasionally ranted
too much ; and, withal, had a perpetual rocking of
the body, which was very ungraceful. Nevertheless
she performed her part with considerable ability. Mr.
Wallace was excellent as Leierster, Mr. Archer
as Richard Varney, and Mr. Penley as Tressilian ;
Mr. Terry sustained very ably the difficult character of
Tony Foster ; and we must not withhold our tribute of
praise from Mr. G. Smith, who gave great effect to the
part of &Ls Gosling. We never saw Mrs. West to
greater advantage than in her personification of the mild
and interesting Amy Rohsart. lier interview with
Queen Ethahelh, in the presence of Lord Leicester, was a
very finished piece of acting. Mr. Harley was Way/and
Smith: he was loudly encored, and as loudly hissed, in a
song about the Great Mogul and a blue-bottle fly. We must
observe, that the author of the drama is more attached
to poetical justice than the author of the novel; in
the play, l'arswy is made to take the place of Amy
Robsari, and fall through the trap-door. But after
the catastrophe, and the termination of the four
acts, another scene was added, quite to the taste of Mr.
Elliston, merely for the purpose of again introducing the
horses to the audience, and a splendid pageant was exhi-
bited before the Queen. The piece was given out for re-
petition this evening amid considerable applause, but by
no means umningled with expressions of strong disappro-
bation. The house was exceedingly full.

Madame Catalani performed at the concert at llull on
Tuesday night last with her usual success. The receipts of
the house amounted to 1601.
A new comic opera is M be produced next Saturday at
Drury-lane Theatre, in which the following performers will
appear :—Miss Stephens, Madame Vestris, Brahatn,
Liston, Derision, Terry, Harley, Knight, and others.
KING'd THEATM—This house is undergoing a
thorough repair and embellishment ; the first perform-
ance is expected to take place on the 17th of this month.
We understand that the appearance of the theatre is of the
most splendid description ; and, from the list of performers
already engaged, it is fair to anticipate a brilliant and sue-
ceasful season. Rossini is appointed the composer and
director of the music ; and a treaty is pending with Madame
Catalani for a li:aited number of nights. Madame Cothran
Rossini mak.s her first appearance this season, as do
Madame Monbelli, Signor Franceselti, Signor Remorini,
Signor Benetti, Signor Rosichi, and several of the most
distinguished dancers from Paris. Madame Pasta, from
the Opera Balla, Paris, who has not appeared in this
country these seven years, has also been engaged by the
sririted managers of the opera, and will appear before
Laster. We understand that there has been an unprece-
dented demand for boxes ; and, from the great exertions
made, there is evil, hope that the King's Theatre will be
restored to its original distinguished character.
JAN. 1.-111 S Majesty's steam-packet, the
Arrow, came in this afternoon, bringing Lord Gwvdyr and
suite. His Lordship being charged with despatches from
Paris, set off instantly for Condon. His Majesty's steam-
packet,
the Dasher, from Calais, and a steam-vessel from
Boulogne, arrived last evening, being the only arrivals (in
consequence of the boisterous state of the weather) for
some days previous.
Loki) LO SDA I.E.—Some time back a paper was esta-
blished under the patronage of this Lord, in order to sup-
port his own anti to oppose Mr. Brougham's interest in
IVestmoreland. lie scents, therefore, to set some value on
the influence of the press.* When Mr. Theodore Hook
was arrested the other clay, the BMWs /ire:, tells us that
this bewoughmongering Peer and Mr. Secretary Croker
offered themselves as hail for the peculator. Now Mr.
Hook is understood to he the principal writer in the John
BA and Mr. Brougham is almost weekly attacked in that
scurrilous yrint. It could have been ❑o common sympathy
that induced the Right Hon. the Earl of Lonsdale to oflifr
himself as bail fur a public defaulter. Had he any
band in establishing the John Ball?—The Examiner nj.

Sunday last.
The Caehester Gazette states, that Mr. D. Whittle'
Harvey has been black-balled by the Mahlon Whig Club.
The New Chief Justice of the Court of Common-Picas,
(Sir B. Gifford) and the now Chief Baron (Mr. Alex-
antler), ivill take their seats on the Bench next Tenn. The
vacant Solicitor-Generalship, we are told, still remains un-
filled.

EXTRAORDINARY PRECAUTION.—At the end of Dos
Juan there is an air sung by the 1)on, in embracing one of
his fair outs. In this air occur the words, " Vi►a la
Liberta !" not, of course, in the sense of politics, but in
the sense of gallantry. It was thought dangerous, how-
ever, by the dramatic censors at Paris, to allow a vim to
be raised to liberty, even in an Italian song; and the actor
' Was ordered to substitute the words, " Pea la !Marital"
against all the rules of sense and mezre. In this manlier it
is always now sung, to the great amusement of the sensi-
ble dilettanti, who know the liberty taken with the original.
—En:Miner.
We have before us a letter from a gentleman in Jamaica,
a Member of the Assembly, which states, that the slaves
in Jamaica hail as yet evinced no bad disposition, though
what had passed in the mother country was perfectly
known to them all. They conversed freely about it, and
several of the more intelligent made inquiries of the white'
people about the truth of the reports, and expressed their
astonishment that such measures should be agitated and
recommended in Great Britain, as these, if earritit into

effect, would be ruin to them all.—G/asgow Cm ricr.
Letters from Modes), dated the Nth of Octubtr, were
received on Saturday. The individuals implicated in the !
late conspiracy and revolt, to restore the former Govern-
ment under lturbide, chiefly compzs^d of the military,
had been tried by a Court Martial and several found guilty.
One Colonel and seven inferior officers had in consequence
been shot. Martial law had been proclaimed in the dis-
turbed district, and in Bios:, plac!•s infested with banditti.
Nothing additional had transpired rcsperting the loan of
twenty millions of dollars contracted for by Nlesirs. Barclay
soil Co.; but the Government had, in anticipation of its
being concluded, drawn bias to some went.