The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-02-22 00:00:00

DRURY-LANZ THEATRE.

Last night, after the opera of Maloina, which has grows
more mellow wish 11,(C, but certainly has no intrinsic claim
to the continued success which has sustained it, a new
farce, with the unpromising title of John Brown, was
produced at this Theatre. There are two living repre-
sentatives of the title introduced, which make it as difficult
to point out the hero as to discover the humour of the
piece. One John Brown (Wallack) wears well-cut
clothes, sports a fashionable neckcloth, and signs Esquire
to his name. The other John Brown (Harley) is a
kind of male Makiprop, we presume of the Cockuc)
school. Au old gentleman, %lamed Project (Williams),
who, as his name denotes, is Infected with the modern
mania for speculation, is blessed with a pretty daughter
(Mrs. Yates), with Whom John Brown, G. is desirous
of doing the amiable. in furtherance of this project he
iiitrodu.es himself to her father's house, as Secretary to
nuinberltss bubble companies, and induces the old Gent.
under pretence of taking shares, to sign a consent
to his daughter's marriage. What was intended for the
w tof the piece consisted of a nninbte of stale, fiat, and
common-place jokes upon joint-stock companies, mining
►rciations, Hunt's blacking, macadamised roads, and
some dozen stitjects of a like character, which have gone
through the hands of all the professed punsters and wit-
lines, until they have grown threadbare. There were two
or three coarse allusions introduced, of which the audience
very becomingly manifested their disapprobation ; but on
the whole the piece was most indulgently received. Iral-
lack payed an ill-designed character, quite out of his line, 1,
with as much spirit as could be expected. Mrs. Yates (in
Fenny Prjrc!) wat, all that the writer permitted her to
be. As for Harley, his fooling is seldom disagreeable. Of
Mr. Williams and Mrs. Harlowe we cannot say much in
praise, and shall therefore say nothing. The piece was
announced for repetition this evening, amidst mingled
hisses and applause, of which justice obliges us to add the
Is^er predominated; but from the very moderate degree
of attraction which it poetesses, we do not anticipate that
its existence can be very long protracted. The house was
well fillet!.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRITISH PRESS.

feel somewhat diffident, at this period of the
year, in intruding my observations upon the subject of
cloth measure; but as our Legislature have recently regu-
lated other measures and weights, they would confer an
additional advantage on the public, by taking the former
into their consideration ,• and as your paper is devoted to
coininerciel interests, I hope you will nut deem this un-
• o-thz of a space in its columns.
It is a fact well known by purchasers of cotton goods,
linen.: and silks, that every year some diminution of width
creeps in, by which a trifling reduction of price imposes the
idea of cheapness on the credulous consumer. Ido not
wish to infer that all engage in such deceptive practices;
many respectable houses strongly discountenance them.
It appears to me as requisite that justice should be
dealt to those who buy a few yards of cloth as to those who
purchase a bushel of grain. For sonic years, yard-wide
limas have been imposed upon us for ell-wide, and those
ttrmed yard.wide measure little more than three-quarters.
I air inform, d there is a law respecting the width of Irish
linens ; if such is in existence, it ought to be enforced.
Why arc not thes... matters subjected to imperial regula-
tion

Hoping these hints may meet the eye of some Member
who may deem them not unworthy of Legishuite inter-
ft rev ce, I subscribe m,”21, yours, &c.,
A LAILOE CONSUMER.
Runeßegime, Feb. 20.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRITISH PRESS.

February 14, 1f12.6.
Ste,—The remarks made by " a Practitioner" on the
practice of the insolvent Debtors' Coon, which of late ap.
peered in your paper,* having excited a strung sensation,
net only in the profession but the public, I cannot but ad-
mit that the abuses bespeaks of, and many more, exist to a
very slanting extent, and that, by adopting the regulations
satiated, they might easily be corrected. His remarks
respecting the Attorneys' certificates have occasioned the
ettepension of many town and country practisers, whose'
genies and address may be seen in the proper departments
lir the public office ; anti were the Commissioners to tx-
denim the dates at which the certificates of others have',
been taken out, it must lead to the suspension of as many
more, without waiting for the delay and uncertainty ofl
particular applications to the Court. Why this has not
been done long since is truly astonishing, aware as the
etnntnissio-ere must have been of the time from and to
which a cettiticate is operative, and of the character of all
tire persons who attend the Court. His remarks respecting'
the retainer have compelled many of the agents to become
real clerks or• seek their living by other pursuits; but if,
instead of making this solitary rule, the Commissioners had
eonneed his suggestions with respect to the entry of the
alma of- the attorney and his (clerk with he date of his
.adtaiseioas and certificate in a hook to be kept al the office
.tor.pitidie inspection, the effect would be most striking,
and give an entire new feature to the practice. It would
tea to clear time avenues and wards of the prisons. f the
IseesOns called agents, and confine the clerk to the office of
the attorney, while the Commissioners of Taxes "veld see
vrbesiser the attorneys of this Court paid a proper ditty for
tio numerous persons they employ as their clerks, some
'empipping six sad even more in 'this branch of business
,Tiosting the Commissioners will at length see the ne-
ty of acting more ptimmtly, of using their influence
I
wit the footers to clear the prisons of those persons who
IN, coined year after year by friendly writs, expressly to
estyi
sin stet the Llisinees of attorneys, and that they will allow
Le attorneys the same privileges as the superior Courts,
I am, Sir, your very humble Servant,
AN ATTORNEY OF THE COURT.
~• .° See.the B•itiih l're.o of Dec. , 1826; and Jan. ti, 11, and
sr, Mild teb.'d. -

Henry B3r.es. Esq. has been returned to serve in
Portont4t for the county of Dorset, without opposition.
We are sorry to hear that the City Comptroller, J.
BuAmon, Esq. is ie.:Dully indispoied. '
The remains of B. 'A Goldsehmidt passed Finsbury-
%pare yesterday at twelve o'sisck, for the place of inter-
soot Aa usual with the persons of his nation, the burial
tat tu plate in forty eight bouts after death.
GoLeacat wine *so Co.—We have great plea-
awe is going, that the investigation into the extensive
affairs al drift house is brought to a satisfactory issue.
The circular to their creditors will be sent round, we un-
deCVll444 tlsia synths* It is represented to be very fa-
, Tisesameseof the establishment will be con-
y,. flia tiresassenialklpfrners, under the inspec-
Ive of the greatest os rtu et teeny.-.-Olskr.