The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-05-18 00:00:00

COBURG THEATRE.

This theatre has been famous for the production of historical
pieces, which have generally, to use a green-room phrase, " told
well." The Management of the present season has continued the
practice, and last night brought out a melo-drame of a more than
ordinarily splendid descriptioa, touter the title of William Site
Conqueror, or the Days if Me Curfew Itch. Saxon and Norman
blood have been so longionsed together, that the epochs in English
history, familiarly denominated " the Conquest," has for many
centuries ceased to excite heart-burnings ; but still it is not a
period that calls forth the national pride of our countrymen, like
the chivalrous deeds of "the henries and the Edwards ttf
our isle ;" and on that account we do not think it the best
subject connected with the history of England that could have
been selected for melo-dramatic representation. It is, how.
ever, a point of history which laid the foundation of many of our
laws, customs, and Institutions, and in that view is a period of
deep interest. To give a history of the plot of this piece would he
only to give s well-selected epitome of the various circumstances
connected with that eventful transaction; and the author has,
with great address, shown up Bunk, as • usurper, and Edgar
Allirliug, the rightful heir to the throne, as the supporter of
William's views, and anxious for his acceptance of the crown ;
nay in the last scene he is even made to place it on his bead.
No opportunity is lost of putting into the Norman's mouth
such s.niences as this--" If I were to act unjustly I should not be
a lit king to rule over Britons." So that the awkward word con-
quest is never used ; and every circumstance in allusion to it is so
completely softeried down, that if pure Saxon blood should by possi.
bility How in the veins of any of our contemporaries of the nineteenth
century, it could not be inflamed in witnessing the representation
of this piece. The scenery of the melo-drame would du credit to
either of the national theatres ; but our limits will not allow us
to notice a small part of it. At the er.d of the first act there was a
niaguilicent banquet scene, which we really thought could riot
have been surpassed even at the finale, when we know managers
and scene painters endeavour to make a favourable impression on
their audience, but it was only the first of a series of scenes of
extreme splendor. In the second act there was a fine 'cereal a
storm, a view of the Forest of Itotherwood, and the entrance of
William and his equipage, a very exellent representation of Ely
Cathedral, with a general attack of Normans on the monastery at-
tached to it. In the third act there was • very beautiful view of the
interior of Westminster Abbey ; and the whole concluded with the
ceremony of Wit/tunes coronation. We have never seen • piece
that excited more powerful interest. The costume of the penal
was strictly attended to, and the properties were equally as splendid
as the scenery. The house was crowded, and the meio-dranie was
announced for repetition this evening amidst universal applause.
The music, by Mr. T. Hughes, we had nearly to:gotten to nodes
it was very beautitaL

Yesterday, at two o'clock, the Duchess of Clarence, the
Duchots of Gloucester, the Princess Augusta, the Duchess
of Kent., Prince Leopold, and Prince Leiningen, attended
by the Baroness Despaedth and Captain Conroy, honoured
the British Gallery in Pall-mall with their presence, to
view the exhibition of ancient Masters, together with some
paintings of deceased British artist*, for which one room
was set apart. The Royal party continued their inspection
for about an hour. They were attended by some of the
Directors of the Institution, the Secretary, and the Keepers,
Lord Napier is appointed to command the Diamond, of
♦6 guns, fitting at Chatham for foreign service.
Captain Parry left Mr. Graham's, Regent-street, at nine
o'clock, on Sunday morning, in a coach and four, accom-
panied by his brother, Dr. Parry, of Bath, and Josh. Mar-
tineau, EM. of Stamford-hill, to join the discovery ships at
the Nore. _ _ _

THE LATE LURE WHITE, ESQ.—The night before the
death of this highly-gifted and truly patriotic gentleman,
he took up a pen, and wrote on a slip of paper the following
words :—Catholic Emancipation must be grantA —there is
nothing else by which Ireland can be tranquillized."—
This memorandum he placed upon the chimney-piece,
where it was found the next morning.—Dublia .3fmrn-
img
lIUNTINcnox ELECTION.—FinaI state of the poll, in-
eluding disputed votes, to be 'ruled by a Committee of
the !louse of Commons :

Mr. Stuart
Mr. Wellm

Majority for Mr. '.ells - —1
The works at Eaton-house, the seat of the Emil Gros-
venor, are now nearly completed. The north wing is en-
tirely finished and occupied ; and the workmen are putting
the stained glass into the windows of the south wing, and
finishing the gilding of the roof. One room in this wing,
nearly one hundred and forty feet in length, is to be the
library ; a number of fine paintings, by the old masters,
will, we understand, ornament this noble apartment.—
Chester Chronicle. _ _ _

The Literary Gazette says that Mr. Macready, the actor,
speaks of changing his profession.
SoNB or THE CIE no y.-11n congequence of his Majesty's
Drawing Room being fixed for Thursday the 20th instant,
the Music advertised to be performed before this Society at
St. Paul's on thLt day, and the dinner at Merchant Taylors'
are unavoidably postponed till Friday the 21st inst.
The Rehearsal of the Music will take place at S!. Paul's,
this day, as mentioned in former advertisements. Dinner
Tickets for Thursday the 20th instant, will be admitted on
Friday the '2l st instant. The doors of the Cathedral will
be opened at 11 o'clock ; but no person can be admitted
without first contributing to the ('harity, and all persons
contributing thereto will be admitted without tickets.
The Duke of Gloucester intends dining with the Uni-
versity Club to-morrow, and the Duchess has an-
nounced her intention of visiting the Club (louse un the
same evening ; on which occasion the rooms are to be bril-
liantly lighted up, and a large assembly of the members
and their friends are expected to meet their Royal High-
nesses.

Si PAY VESSELL—From an artitle in the last number of
the Supplement to the rowyelnpadia Britanxica, just pub-
lished, we learn that the number of steam veaseli now em-
ployed in Great Britain is 160. Tlv largest in size are the
packets which ply between Leith and London, and next to
those are the packets which sail between Liverpool and
Greenock, and between Liverpool and Dublin.
_ .

At the a ithg of the Institute, Academy des Sciences, on Alorilay
the 10th, M. Cinder read a treatise, which, though rather too long,
was very interesting, on the anatomy of the brain. A second trea-
tise was read, which, with the fiwitier, occupied nearly the whole
' sitting ; the writer (and orator) proved by his own experience that
since the cessation of the ■lave trade in a part of the United States,
the yellow by wholly disappeared, which fact justifies the
conjectures of M. Andouard, and almost proves that the slave
ships are the original reuse of this dreadful scourge to Europeans—
Ll:stitt juatiliain ~via! What a lesson for the merchants of bu-
ms blood 1 !--Paris Paper.