The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-02-11 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

This Theatre presented the town last night with a new
Opera, in three acts, under the title of Active Land, or
the Return from Slavery. The scene of this piece lies in
Genoa, and the music is partly composed by Mr. Bishop
and partly selected from Rossini.
The drumai:s 'Persona' and their representatives were as
follow :
Aurelio di Montalto (s noble Genoese) Mr. Si

Ituiseppo (a Senator) - Mr. FARNEN.
Tanrredi (a Naval Uouinlander) - Mr. toorr R.
31arcelk Mr. DURVVIET.

......._... -......-.......
Prrogritto (Valet to Aurelio) - Mr. FAwetzTr.
Jacomo - - . Air. ItAlums.
Plerro - - Mr. M [AIM .
Pantocchl - - - . Mr. EVANS.
Boom° - - - - Dlr. ATLINS.

I xidru .
Luigi
Rocco

- Mr. litinaEllow.
M►. HENRY.
M►. HYALS.

bl yrtillo (Pace to ('lymante) - bih;si: Wu; Ew.
nyinante ()014)111rd to Aurelio) - bliss l'awon.
Iliondina (disguised under the name of
(:/elio) - - - bliss TREE.
Lavinia (Sitter to Aurelio) - bliss Brat; mowT.
Zonina ( her woman) . - Alin LAVE.
Britlemaid - - - bliss HENRY.

In the 'scenes of this production separately considered, there is
• good deal of really dramatis and truly diective merit, though
its plot presents, on the whole, little that materially differs front
the generality of our operatics' pieces. Single ladies and wives
lore for a time the presentee of their lovers and husbands, by the
necessity and results of a foreign war. Though hostilities, carried
by the Genoese into the Turkish territories, are ultimately success.
ful, a 'minion of the consequences is, the capture and slavery of a
part of the Christian army ; and the principal of these, who being
afterwards released, return home in safety, are .barlio' Mur.
ello, and Po...grim,. Of the former attachment of Aurelio and
etystoste the author makes an interesting use by creating
in the mind of Aurelio an ill-grounded jealousy of Cceile,
who in the end is discovered to be i OHM= ' • and he also
turns to very good account the return of Peeereido, the hus-
band of Zambia, who, after yielding to the flirtation of Riomdiaa,
as a man, and learning that Peregri NO is so seriously wounded as to
have become only the tetunant of a husband, iapotOW* alkeinind
' at Ms ten-appearance ; and ii very slowly reconciled to his return.
As considerable interesting pathos is extracted from the situa-
tions in which Aurelia and Clyritanle are thrown, so • good
deal of wit that is nut very new, and of humour that we
have often witnessed before, is drawn from the character of
who is a lively copy of the numerous ladies' women,
by whom she has long since been preceded. It is almost
needless to say, that after a variety of incidents suitable to the
several characters, and natural to the occasion Out of which they
are made to grow, the jealousy of Amer& is pardoned, and a union
follows between hint and eimatautc, while Zamfira, on finding that
I'ercgt iso's wounds and mutilations have been feigned, by way of
trying her sincerity and constancy, feels the mews! of all her past
affection, forgets the attractions of ('a lio, and rushes into his arms.
On these events the opera of Native Lard is founded ; and
; I t'iough, without the aid of excellent music, it would perhaps have
had -but a slender chance of success, Mr. Bishop's talents have
thrown over its materials a gloss, which, aided by much truly ex-
quisite singing, has procured it a highly favoureble reception.
tilany of the airs are of tint-rate description, both In point
of melody and character. The accompaniments are arranged with
no trivial degree of skill, and in mad instances are productive of
all the intended effect. The selections from Rossini are judicious,
and were executed by Sinclair and Miss Paton (to whom they
were exclusively assigned) with a taste and an expression particu-
larly adapted to the style of the compositions. Miss Tree gave
the air, let art, I pray, or wataire? with great freedom and sim-
plicity, and was deservedly encored. Fawcett sang, Oh brave rub.
u-dub! with all his accustomed humour and spirit. Miss Paton de-
livered Julio told try ?rhea rue ported, in her sweetest style, and
accompanied herself on the harp in a manner that evinced
her proficiency as a practitioner on that instrument. The
castanet dance, with which the first act closed, was performed with
agility, grace, and elegance, and its repetition vehemently de-
mended. The ballad, Yes blur, beauteous sky is with tears
sparklitie o'er, called forth Sinclair's best powers ; its performance
was chaste, impressive, and sweet; as was the succeeding trio,
Miss Paton, Sinclair, and Miss Tree. The bravura, Ilai
joyous day, from Rossini, was executed with striking spirit,
almost wonderful flexibility, by Miss Paton; and Miss Tree threw
great beauty of style and tone into There's as Isle clasped by
waves. The overture, though we really discovered in it little else
than the address of sprinkling between loud burets of the combined
instruments, certain little galas, the subject-matter of which was but
feebly conceived. anti which greatly tailed in originality, was fa-
vourably received by the audience, and encored by the composer's
friends. That this opera will, foe sonic time, maintain itself on
the boards, we have no doubt ; but we question whether, notwith-
standing its various claims to the kindness and candour with which
it has been received on its first appearance, it is of a cast to grow
on the public taste. In our opinion, it fails in that singleness and
strength of character on which continued favour depends, and with-
out which no piece can edited to lose the support of that novelty to
which, in Its infancy, it owed no inconsiderable portion of its
success.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRENCH PAPERS.

Last night we received by express the Paris journals of
Sunday, with the Flab of Monday's date:—
I From the /:'hfrife of Monday.]
MADRID, PER. 2.
The King of Spain has signed an Act, by which he acknow-
ledges a debt to France of 34 millions, and he assigns as a security
the Salt Factories of .trragon, and the Customs of Aliranda. The
departure of the Body Guard is sus nded.
Government has published the following official article in an
Exfranrilinury Gazette of to-day:—
" Ideutenant-Coloncl Ramada, who was despatched to Cuba to
carry intelligence of the deliverance of the King. and to re-establish
the authority of his 3iajesty, has returned, having completely sue-
(welled in his mission ; and from the Bay of Cadiz, where he per-
forms quarantine, he has sent to the First Secretary of State the
following communication
" I arrived at Ilavanna the 9th December, and I immediately
transmitted my dispatches to the Captain-Oeneral. Ile coni-
menced by dissolving the Revolutionary Assembly, and broke
the Constitutional Stone. The following day 7e Dram was sung.
I must give great praise to the justice and loyalty of the Captain.
General."
To this dispatch is annexed a proclamation of the Captain-Ge-
neral of the Islc of I Ih3n Francis Vises:—
" The castle of St. Juan I'lloa, it is said, continues to brave all
the efforts of the Insurgents, and reliance can be placed on the zealr
of General Piece. His artillery is immense."
A Royal Decree announces that his Majesty has recommended
to all his Ministers, and particularly to the II ar Minister, to ob-
serve the strictest economy is their respective departments.
PARIS, FEM. R.
llis Majesty heard mass in his apartments. After mass his
Majesty received the Ambassadors, Peers of France, Minis-
ters, &c.

It is said that the opening of the Chambers is fixed for the 7th
of April, the day on which the Ititiaasoa was pasaed.
On the Nth, in the morning, General Sarsfield made his entry
into Barcelona.

From the lifoniteur of Sunday, Feb. 8.1
The non-official part contains an extract from the register, of the
deliberations of the Royal Council of Public Instruction, relative
to the late disturbances in the College of Louis le (irand, which
states that the Council, considering that it is necessary to take a
decisive resolution respecting the pupils who have been sent home;
that the shortness of the time does not admit of collecting infor-
mation to determine the tierce of culpability of each of the ex-
cluded individuals; that it is impossible to allow them to return to
the College; that it is necessary to take front the pupils, in the
Colleges of the capital, the idea of considering an exclusion merely
as • means of removal to another establishment, decrees what

Ist. None of the pupils of the Royal College of Louis le Grand,
sent hack to their families on account of the bate disorders, can
be admitted as an inmate, or as an out-boarder in that college.
fld. The list of the royal pupils comprehended in the preceding
article, shall be sent to his Excellency the Minister of the Interior,
with the notes of the Administrateur of the College.
3d. That the pupils belonging to the Communes shall be sent
to the Prefect of the Seine, with the notes concerning them.
Ith. The free boarders may be admitted into the establish-
ments of Paris, if, conformably to the existing regulations, the
chiefs of those establishments consent to receive them.
sth. In future, no pupil excluded from our college in Paris on
account of revolt or preconcerted disobedience, can be admitted as
a house-hoarder or an out-boarder in any public or private esta-
blishment in this city.
The Grand Muter,
(Signed) I). Bishop of Ilermopolis.
The t'oubsellor ierretary General,
(Signed) PETITOT.

[Front the ConstiltifieetteL]
COURT OF ASSIZES. _

_ •
PALMS, FIGIL 7.
Madame Chauret was this day tried for being concerned, as the
act of accusation states, in the late conspiracy against the French
I iovernment. the actors of which were Sicur Sauguaire Soulive,
31. 31erilhon, M. Phillips, the Spanish Revolutionists, the Radi-
cals of England, and the French Refugees in London, where Mr.
Mitring is represented to have acted as agent in all their intrigues,
which were concerted at l'aris, at the house of M. D'Oliveira, the
Portuguese Ambassador.
The accused, upon being interrogated, denied all knowledge of
the contents of the treasonable letters found in her possession, and
which were addressed to differ.:nt suspicious persons resident at
London, to whom she had been cominisaioneal to deliver them.
And, after the exar lination of six witnes•es on the part of the
Crown. amongst whom were M. de Lafayette, the father, and M.
de Lafayette the son, Madame Chauvet was acquitted.
The six other persons who were accused, were condemned to
death for contumacy.

There is no foundation whatever for the paragraph in a
Sunday Paper, stating that Mr. Rowland Stephenson is to
be united to Miss Stephens.