The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-02-12 00:00:00

COIENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

Haring said little yesterday of the plot of the opera of
Native Land, we said quite sufficient Though its inci-
dents are few, their detail would be tedious, because with-
out interest or novelty; and to have gone into the minutia.
of the language and manners, would have been to dwell
on the qualities of a strain of dialogue, arid a mode or
tone of demeanor, the varied cast of which exhibits a
c mmon-plsce meanness of style, scorning every ap-
proach to neatness and elegance, and a vulgar aim at
wit through the medium of a breadth of balderdash,
the utterance of which, with much less eilhantery
than that with which it Is given by Miss Love, woukt
disgrace the lips of the most wanton and indelicate
chambermaid in Christendom. But if the music of an
opera is so far the principal anti predominant ingre-
dient iu that specks of the drama, that the whole lite-
rary composition is of little comparative importance, of
still less consequence are its constituent parts. For this
reason, in our yesterday's critique, we more decidedly de-
voted 'our observations to the music ; and,, fot this
manse • mum. shall congas slum So the musk to-day.
To go a little more particularly into the merits of Mr.
Bishop's share In this ream spectacle, we will trace
his genies through the most flowery of its paths, in a
parterre in which he appears to have meant to give a loose
to the impulse of his imagination. The opening chorus at
citizens is spirited and exulting, though the harmony is
neither so richly nor correctly embodied as we should haws
expected from this composer's science: its resumption.
after an agreeable, if not striking, duo, by Lavinia and
&mina, and a solo by Marcella is of the same description ;
and if deficient in fullness, is not in ktuluess. The see-
ceeding ballad of Zanina is sprightly and characteristic in
its melody ; and Calio's song, which followed, with the
tervention of a beautiful eavatina, in triple time, by Rossini,
is piquant and animating, though not very original. The
duo, by Callas and Zanina in the second act, is both lively
and pretty, and conveys the sentiment of the with
force as indicative of talent as its truth is reeraL forcetery of
judgment. Peregrino's song of Oh ! brave rub-a-dab,
bold, but destitute of that identity of character, that sin-
gularity of air, necessary to give it currency as a popular
song, even among those whose uncultivated taste seeks
gratification from the impetuous coarseness of a soldier's
song. Of the ballad, Julio told me, sung by Clymande
(Miss Paton) and of which we are sure much wu intended
to be made, we cannot speak in very commentlabletertos :
whether we allude to the melody or to the harp accom-
paniment committed to the hands of the fair vocalist her-
self, or to both, we must not be understood as allowing
the composition any merit above that of mediocrity. The
air is insipid, and the harp part meagre and ineffective: Ca
a word, the whole is one of the few of Mr. Bishop's alms-
fleas. The Romance, by Aurelio, possesses some elegant
turns of thought, but wants pathos. The ear is pleas-
ingly engaged by its detached but the heart
does not feel, because there is nothing to move or
reach it. The same remarks will apply to the solo, Saints
defend me, by lymemte. The accompaniment to Aurelio's,
recitative, Fe Silent Stara is appropriate, and ingeniously
conceived; but the air to which it is introductory, au:
nounces poverty of invention, and has for ita predo-
minant characteristic that cold and passive tameness.
which is too distant from felicitous or passionate eon.-
ception to awaken a single amatory sensation. The duo,
Set the Dells ringing, by Prrrgiino and Zaninn, in .be
quavers in a bar, is pleasingly gay, and sufficiently pretty
to win and carry with it the feelings of its hearers. If we
say nothing more of Rossini's tributary strains in this
piece, it is because our remarks on his style and talents'
have already been given so much at length, on this and an-
other occasion. Of the performance we shall, at present,
only say generally, that it is too frittered, too Italianized,
that the art of flourish, and the desire to set the compass
and volatility of the voice above the more precious power
of touching the bosom and awakening the passions, is made
too evident in the execution of almost every air. Mr.
Sin-
clair's, Miss l'aton's, and Miss Tree's accomplishments.,
as melodious, elegant, and finished singers, we shall
always willingly acknowledge, because we shall never
be insensible to the influence of those qualities, as far
u that influence ought to go ; but with the extra-
vagant flights and roulades of these ladies (generally most
indulged when least in place) we never shall he pleased ;
and of that gentleman's gratuitous and lavish employment
of his, falsetto it is impossible we should ever approve, be-
cause in a man we abhor every species of effeminacy.
The opera was again favourably received by a crowded
and respectable audience ; and, as we have already said,
it will enjoy, though not a long, a brilliant career.

A lady who lived alone at l'ortreeins, on the Upper
Engadine, has been assassinated by an Austrian deserter,
whom she had harboured for six months. This wretch
then stole 1,000 florins. He is arrested.

The main pipes have been laying down for several thiye •
past for lighting all the open spaces in Somerset House with.
gas, with about forty large lamps.

COAL MARKET, Fr 11.

Ships at Market. Ships sold. Rice.
36j Newcastle - . 131 - - ib 04 to IN N. :
8 Sunderland . . 7.. Us. Od to Ma dd. g
2 &deb Oval . . I . . —a 04 to 34a bd.
1 Wash Coal - --a id to —a N.