The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-03 00:00:00

56, Greek-otreet, Soho.

Yesterday the Duke of York gave a grand dinner to a
numerous party, to meet the Duke and Duchess of Glou-
cester.

The Duke of York inspected the buildings, erecting for
his future resilience near the King's Palace, St. James's, on
Thursday afternoon.
Yesterday morning the Princess Augusta took en airing
through the Parks, &c.
The Princess Augusta has accommodated her Royal
brother, the Duke of York, with the loan of her Royal
Highness's mansion-house, at Frogmore, during the en-
suing Ascot Races.
The Duchess of Gloucestkr visited the King yesterday.
Yesterdar the Duke of Gloucester visited Mr. Secretary
Canning.
The Earl of Liverpool transacted business yesterday with
Mr. Secretary Peel.
Yesterday Mr. Secretary Canning had an audience of
his Majesty.
The Rondinini Fawn, an antique statue, which attracted
great admiration whilst in the Gallery. of the Egyptian
Hall, Piccadilly, has we learn been just transferred to the
national collection at the British Museum. The purchase
is highly creditable to the judgment and taste of the trustees
of that establishment.

Critss.-.—The two games, which have been for some
time pest pending, between Liverpool and Manchester,
have been decided as followat—ln the first it was a drawn
game; and the second terminated in favour of Manchester.
Marshall's National Panorama continues; and deservedly
so, to receive the public patronage. Panoramic painting is
now carried to such a degree of perfection, that the prin-
cipal distinctions between exhibitions of this kind, at pre-
sent, arises solely from the interest belonging to the sub-
Joe', and what subject can be more interesting than the
scene of one of our most glorious victories, achieved in the
muse of humanity? A new painting was yesterday ex-
hibited, the subject of which is the bombardment of
Algiers by the British fleet, under the command of Lord
Exmouth. The scene is extremely well represented, and
many parts of the picture are executed with considerable
boldness and spirit. The exhibition must, we think, prove
peculiarly attractive, and we trust that the proprietor will
be repaid for the expense to which he must obviously have
been put in preparing it.
New Maps of Bedford and Leicester, distinguishing the
bridle road and fox coverts, on a scale of an inch to a
mile, with vignette views of the Lords Lieutenant's seats,
from surveys by Greenwood, Pringle, and Co., of Regent-
street, are just published.
As a proof of the high estimation in which the admired
and scientific compositions of Mr. John Barnett we held by the
Public,. the new song of " Yes, I'll leave the festive scene,"
(which was composed expressly by that gentleman foe Miss Paton.
and sang by that delightful female vocalist in tilt comedy of
Chalice the Seethed, at Covent Garden Theatre, on Tuesday last,)
was most enthusiastically applauded and unanimously
_encored.
Mr. Barnett's very popular song of the " Light Guitar," which
has been held in such high estimation by all musical judges, has
met with that reception front the public, which its merits so justly
entitle it to experience. Thelbteeir song Yes, lease the
festive scene.") to which we have jest referred, was composed by
, this eminent musical genius, in answer to the celebrated serenade,
" The Light Guitar ; ' and we hive no hesitation in say • g that,
from the manner in which the task has been performed, fresh
laurel's will be added to those already so justly acquired by this
very tasteful and scientific compose,. .
NIONK LA ND AND KIIIXINTILLOCII RAILWAY.---This
important and useful undertaking,'the object of which, as our
readers may be aware, is to connect the great Monkland coal fields
with the Forth and Clyde Canal, and consequently, by means of
the Union ('anal, with Edinburgh, approaches to its completion;
and an %Yednesday last, a slight trial of its performance was mauls
by Mr. Grainger of this city, who superintends the works, which,
considering that the rails are not Tot perfectly udjusted, and what
parts of the work and machinery incomplete, was highly satisfac-
tory. A single horse was attached to a train of eight waggons%
containing. each forty-two cwt. of coals, and weighing besides
of itself eighteen cwt. making in all IS 4-6th tons of coal, and
seven one-tiftli toss in the waggons. With this accumulated load
of no less than 2i tons, the animal started from GartshetTy col-
liery, and arrived at the depot near Kirkintilloch, a distance of six
and three quarter Mlet, in two hours. Owing to a mistake, how..
ever, one of the guides which direct thi waggons into the passing
places, was turned the wrong way, and by this oversight the train was
stopped folly eight minutes, so that in reality the time employed in
the sit and three quarter miles, was only one hour and fifty-two
minutes, or fully better than at theist.' of three and a half miles
per hour. The first two miles of the railwap is on a level, and it
afterwards descends widi vicious rata of dechnation from sero
down to I foot in 1211, which forms the greatest descent in the !ine,
and where It is important to remark the waggons were observed to
move with their own weight, and to require a drag to chock their
WO rapid descent.— Caledonian Illererry.
Mr. Aldridge's Repository was offered for sale on Thera-
day, in consequence of his retiring from business. The first offer
was 2,00 guineas; it gradually proceeded to 4.000 guineas when
Mr. Price (the Proprietor of the American Theatres) became a
competitor as far tut 6,000 guineas. lie then retired ; and Mr.
Smith, of Curzon-street, and NIT. Minis were engaged, in a neck.
and-neck race, until it reached 5,70 Mem, when the latter won
it by a head oaly • the Mai bidding sal al from the head.—
land TherAter is the asosigable t of Northumber-

I 7

.

LITRRATURE.
MR. REYNOLDS'S NEW WORK.

Mr. Reynolds, the dramatist, has just pubtiehed a biographical
account, in two volumes. 'milled Tim iffe arid Times of Frede-
rick Ileywdels, written by Idkrueff. It la dedicated by panda-
ohm to his :Majesty.
Having spent forty years as a writer frr the stage, and produced
in the course of that period almost fifty successful dramas, this
gentleman may surely advance the claim of old acquaintance, ar
well as of industrious authorship, to challenge the attention of the
public.
That the public will be wilting to grant him their attention, Is a
circumstance of which we can have no doubt, whether we consider
I the author himself, or the times in which he has lived, cat the theatres
I for which he has written, or the multitude of celebrated persons to
I whom he has made allusion in the course of his page,: But what-
ever reception the work may experiehee, it is our business to notice
both Its merits and defects, as they appear to our candid judgment,
without regard to any other eonsideration.
Some Lives, like that of Sava e, which we take to be the very
master-piece of biography, at. less important, even for the extra.
ordinary nature of the events they'record, than for the profound
and eloquent observations elicited by such events from the proclue-
dye energies of genius. Other Lives, like that of Boswell's John-
son, being more in the nature of journals than of histories, depend
fm their effect rather on the talents of the persons and the tendency
of the facts described, than on anything peculiar to the narrator by
whose industry they hue been amassed and communicated. The
former class will be recognized at once, is constituting a very high
depertment of literature, while the latter may bee-girded as a sort
of elegant relaxation, with amusement for its principal, if not its
only object, as in the volumes now before us.
Ale. Reynolds commenced author so soon, and glided so imper-
ceptibly into the business, and continued the pursuit with so little
interruption, that adversity, the great substitute for enterprise in
the lives of literary. men, most happily for himself, but unfortu,
nately for his narrative, abaiatoned him to the smooth waters, and
green meadows, and level walks, of an unvaried and uninteresting
success. No man can wish to encounter difficulties for the sake of
being spoken of, but it is always after the stormy voyage that we
receive the most impis4oped welcome, even from those who love
us best.
Aware that even a damnation or two could nos havet,albrded
sufficient relief to the dry eentinersition of plays regUlarly produced
and paid for, the madam shad recourse to entertaining anecdotes,
boa roots. and characteristic descriptions, connected witty some of
the most distinguished individuals. For ins -*nee, in the early part
we are introduced to Lord Chatham, Dr. Johnson, Vs likes, Borne
Tooke, he. ; and in the latter part to Pitt, Fox, Sheridan, and the
whole of that illustrious band whose names rush involuntarily
hrough the mind as soon as one of them is mentioned. It is to be
regretted, however, that the highest names are not those upon
which he dwells, either for the longest period or with the hest in-
formation, and we were especially disappointed to find that, though
Lord Erskine appears to have been once intimate with the family,
the mention of him is so trifling, while so many papa are devoted
to the injudicious and vain attempt of attaching consequence to
other characters, which they never can possess with the general
reader. We allude to Major Tophant, and Messrs. Andrews and
Merry, who, though personal friends of the author, are not even
upon such distant terms of acquaintance with the public es to insure
that they shall be recognised as they pass.
But besides the celebrated statesmen, orators, and philosophers,
to whom we have alluded before, there is a large assortment of per-
formers, dramatic and operatic, male and female, legitimism and
illegitimate, vocal and instrumental. In short, the whole work is
a kind of moving parorama, where you get a passing view of
every thing and every one, but a view upon which it is neither de-
sirable nor practicable that you should dwell for any length of time.
We may notice, as two of the beat drawn-portraits with which
the author presents us, those of his Father and his Brother Jack.
The family likeness is well preserved in their features without con-
founding their individuality ; for though Jack laughs and jokes,
arid neglects business as well as his father, he does it after his own
manner, and not because his father had done so before him. It is
also creditable to the feelings of the painter that he hag not denied
a few touches of his brush to the humble figure of the Old Nurse,
whose disinterested attachment no change of circumstances could
subdue. The night adventure of his brother, and the love-tale of
Olivia, are stories dramatically and pleasingly told. Indeed, there
occurs every where in the work an ahundance of that light matter
which prevents the attention from becoming wearied, though it is
curious to observe how grave the writer's tone grows towards the
end, and what a sombre hue the incidents themselves assume as
the evening of life close; in upon the gay narration.
But as there are some of Itl r. Reynolds's opinions against whit!)
we are desirous to enter our protest, the sooner we begin todo so
the truer. As for the political sentiments of a dramatist, they
signify nothing until he becomes siege-licenser. Apart front
polities, however, there are many points upon which his authority
is entitled to consideration, and one of those wa take to be the great
question of education, respecting which OUT author has expressed
himself in the following manner. After alluding to Westminster
School, where he was brought up himself, he thus proceeds
" This subject leads me to the consideration of a gaestion that
has been frequently discussed, viz.—Whether a public or private
education be the more beneficial to youth ? Having repeatedly
witnessed the effects of each, I can speak with some experience on
the subject.
" For boys who have little property, and to whom an intimacy
with the great may lead to friendship, and possibly to preferment
in their professions, public education us peculiarly adapted, and may
well merit the additional expenditure, as in their circumstances
their motto must be—' Neck or nothing.'
" For boys, heirs to tine and property, s public education gives
that confidence and general frnowledge, that prepare* them for
their entry into the world, and obviate:, the necessity of exposing
them to the dangerous compliances of an obsequious private tutor,
which excite the.r vanity, and repress all emidatinn.
" But for a young man with a small income, yet large enough to
remove the obstacles of poverty from his studies, a public educes.
tion is apt to engender habits above hit station, and in the prime of
life he finds himself in the world with to profession, slender ac-
quirements, and a fortune totally inadequate to the views and pur-
suits he lias conteactedfroth his Ariatcreratie associates."

" To boys of great fortune, therefore, and boys of no fortune, a
public education may be the more fitting. To those in the middle
stations of life, in my opinion, it cannot be otherwise than in-
jurious."
We have not quoted these remarks for the purpose of discussing
a question that would occupy more space than we Can devote to it.
The subject, however. is too important to be passed over altogether.
In the first place we would ask 31r. Reynolds, whether, upon reflec-
tion, he does_not think that " neck or nothing" is rather a dan-
gerous' motto for any class of his Majesty's subjects to adopt, in
school or out of it. But supposing it for a moment to be correct.
supposing that the poor scholar has no triter alternative, that there
is nothing to be expected from honest industry, nothing from de-
serving talent, nothing from those golden dreams which lift him,
in his sleep at least, to en equality with the proudest of his titled
I opponents, still, should it nut operate rather as a check than as
inducement on the father of melt • son, to think that, in the work-
ings of his despair he may fall into that servility which it has ever
been the noblest triumph of education to eradicate from the heart
of man. We do not mean to say or to insinuate that Mr.
Reynolds would recommend any d:shonourable compromise,
even to the desperate scholar for whom he has selected
the motto. But we do mean to say that he is not aware
of the consequences of his own principle; for let it once be
established, that to hunt for patronage or advarcemeot is a justifi-
able motive for preferring a public school to a private one, and
from that moment you contaminate the very springs of human im-
provement. It is strange enough, that after recommending public
education to the neck-or-nothing boys, the same author should
conclude by denying it to " those in the middle stations of life."
Now, if the notice and patronage of the great be really worth risk-
ing a man's neck for, it peons rather a hardship to determine that
" those in the middle classes" shall not have the' • chance as well
as the rest. But we suppose it is on the old principle,' that extremes
meet, that he is desirous of bringing the high and the low together,
as the companions most adapted to each other by a law of nature
herself.

Having already exceeded the limits we had prescribed to our ob.
serrations, we shall pass oYer the remaining points, and hasten to
extract a story told4kiltit Grimaldi about Ttooy.Shlgida‘Ashoac
tricks smell strre to 01W. Ttats extracTwe gave, a an instance
of characteristic story-te ling, which none but a dramatlesuthor
would be likely to hazud or to succeed in. It runs thus—
" I was walking one day with Tom King in Pall-mall, when we
met the celebrated clown, Grimaldi, father to the present Joe Gni.
maid'. Approaching us with a face of the most ludicrous asto-
nishment and delight, he exclaimed—' 0 vat a elevate fellow that
Sheridan is I tell yeu—Oni, yea I rill.—Dien dour_( could
no never see him at de theatre, so je twit chez lad to his house in
Iletiforrhoureet, muffled in greit ccat, and I say Dumerlique, you
hear ? Yes. Veil, you tell your master dat !If —de Mayor of
Stafford be below. Domeetique fly—and on de instant Ibe shown
into de drawing-room. In von more minute Sheridan leave his
dinner party, enter de room hastily, stop suddenly, stare and say,
flow dare you, Grim, play me such a trick ? Then putting him.
self In a passion, he go on—Go, Sare, get out. of my house. Ile_
gar, say I, placing my back against the door, not till you pay me
my furty pounds ; and den I point to de pen, ink, and paper on
von small table in de corner, and say, I). re write me de check, and
the Mayor shall go ailment, entendes ions. If not, morbleu,
I rill.
" Oh,' i.,:errupted die elevate man, if I must, Grim, T must ;'
and, as if he were trt pressi—very hurry, he write de draft,-and
pushing it into my hand, he squeeze it, and I push it into my
pocket. Veil den, Ido make haste to de banker's, and giving it to
de clerks, I say, ' Vour tens, if you please Save.' • Four tens,'
he say, with much surprise, de draft be only for four pounds.'
0, vat a elevate fellow du Sheridan is ! Next day I meet de Ma.
nager in de Street, and I say,' Mistare Sheridan, hay you forgot•'
and den he laugh and say, Yy, (trim,. I recollected afterwards,
left out de 0. 0, vat a elevate fellow dat Sheridan is !"
We cannot conclude more pertinently than by repeating the
opinion we advanced before, that the publication which tau drawn
us into this examination of its merits, is of that light agreeable
texture, which, especially when combined with the authors name,
cannot fall to attract a great variety of readers.

iVe understand that the Minister of Stourpaine refused
a few days since to bury a child who had died of that ravaging dia.
order the smati.poz. because the child had been baptised by a Me.
thodiat preacher. The ifitieted father produced a copy of the re.
glitter, which was unavailing. The father immediately waited on
the Rev. John Willis, wius with the greatest promptitude despatch.
ed a lotto. to the Clergyman, threatening legal nettesedings, which,
it is Wend, hod the daindAlet.. 4111frow Comfy Ch Un k4S.
.4 • .61, 41 tut 41Pin.
osleissecr4) UM_). teem se* al writ