The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-12-09 00:00:00

MR. KEAN'S RECEPTION AT NEW YORK.

(From the New York Daily Adoreliser of Nov. 16] .
RIOT AT THE PARK THEATRE.
On Monday evening, agreeably to public notice, Mr.
Kean made his first appearance at the Park Theatre. The
boxes on the first and st cowl row had been previously
taken by his friends, Ind early on Monday all the pit
tickets were disposed of, and notice placed on the outside
of the doors that no tickets could be had. About an hour
before the time of perfounince all the avenues leading to
the doors were choked up, and the rush to obtain admit-
tance was very great. All parts of the house were cram-
med lung before the curtain rose, and it was evident that
it was composed of materials which would not remain quiet.
At the commencement of the second scene Mr. Kean ap-
peared, when the shouts of his friends Ind the hooting% of
those unfriendly were almost deafening. He bowed, and pp-
prated anxious toaddressthe audience; but the tumult was so
great dist nothing could beheard. Mr. Simpson, the manager,
came forward, and with great difficulty was heard to say that
Mr. Kean wished to he heard, and that lie hoped an Anne-
, gican public would not condemn him without a hearing.
When he retired the uproar was renewed, and continued
throughout the whole five acts to such a degree that Mr.
Kean's voice was not heard during the whole performance.
He frequently attempted, by his gestures, to address the
house, but it was impossible for his friends to obtain for
him a hearing. During the piece he was pelted with
oranges, apples, &c. At the close of the play he was an-
nounced for Wednesday evening, in the character of Othello,
amid uproar and tumult.

TO TILE EDITOR OT THE DAILY ADVERTISER.
Mr. Editor,—With oppressed feelings, heartrending to my
friends and triumphant to my enemies, I make an appeal to that
' country famed for hospitality to the stranger, and mercy to the
conquered. Allow me to lay, Sir, whatever are my offences, I dia.
claim any intention of offering anv thing in the shape of disrespect
toward* the inhabitants of New York. They received me from the
first with an enthusiasm, grateful in those hours to my pride—in the
?front to my memory. I cannot recal to my mind any act or
tbanght that did not prompt rite to an unfeigned acknowledgment of
their favours as a public. and profound admirati in of the private
worth of those tildes in which I had the honour of moving.
That I have committed an error, appears too evident from the
all-decisive voice of the public ; but, surely. i: is but justice to the
delinquent (whatever may be his enormities) to be allowed to
make reparation where the offences were committed. ikly misun-
derstanding* took place in Boston. To Boston I shall assuredly
go. to apologise for my indiscretions.
I visit this country now, under different feelings and auspices
than on a former occasion. Then I was an ambitious man, and
the proud representative of Shakapease's heroes ; —the spark of am-
bition is extinct ;—and I merely ask a shelter in which to close my
professional and mortal career.

I give the weapon intOdiehamis of my enemies; if they are
brave, they will not turn it against the defenceics..

EDMUND KEAN.

Washington-Hall, Nov. 15, 1825.

We received the foregoing note last evening, accompa-
nied by a request from the manager of the Park Theatre
that it might be inserted in our paper this morning.
If by the remark, that he has committed an error ap-
pears too evident from the decisive voice of the public,"
Mr. Kean alludes to his conduct at Boston, and supposes
that to be the ground of the unfavourable reception he has
met with here, we have no doubt he labours under a very
serious mistake. It is primarily his moral conduct which
excites the opposition of so large a portion of the citizens
of New York to his appearance on the stage. How far this
apology will satisfy the public, we pretend not to say.

I From the New York Garrtte of November IS.]
Mr. Kean made his first appearance, since his return
from England, last evening, in the character of Richard.
Great crowds had collected in front of the Theatre pre-
vious to the hour of admission ; on the opening of the doors
they poured in in streams, and in a very few minutes the
house was filled throughout. On the ringing of the bell
for the commencement of the performance, the clamor and
shouting amongst the friends and foes of this individual
began. The curtain rose, and two of the minor characters
of the play appeared and commenced reciting their parts,
but the confusion was too great to allow them to be heard.
Kean was loudly called for, who speedily appeared, bowed,
and prepared to address the audience.
The noise, however, did not abate, and after standing
upon the stage full a quarter of an hour, finding that
the audience were unwilling to listen to him, he re-
tired, when Mr. Simpson, the Manager, presented him-
self, and claimed to be heard. He respectfully re-
quested that the audience would grant Mr. Kean the li-
berty of addressing them ; he was sure that it was
not the practice of Americans to condemn without a
hearing, and he trusted that what Mr. Kean had to say was
such as would prove perfectly satisfactory. On his leaving
the stage, Mr. Kean re-entered and intimated, by gesture,
his wish to be heard, but the uproar was renewed, and he
was refused the liberty. After waiting upon the stage
about 'ten minutes he again retired, and the play was re-
sumed, the first three acts of which were intirely panto-
mimic—not a word could be heard. In the fourth and
fifth acts, in some of the scenes where Kean was not on
the stage, some passages were audible, but the part of
Richard was, throughout, conducted in dumb show.
fluting the wooing scene, in the second act, one of the
many missiles that were thrown upon the stage passed directly
over the heads of Mrs. Hilson (who represented Lady Anne)
and Mr. K., nearly striking the latter. Mr. Hilson,who was in
one of the boxes in front of the pit, being alarmed for the
safety of his wife, immediately leaped upon the stage, and
conducted her off. Mr. Simpson then appeared, and, with
an expression of countenance indicative of sorrow and indig-
nation, seemed to implore that the audience would act with
more decorum, and display a little more respect for them-
selves. After some delay, Mrs. Hilson again appeared, end
the piece proceeded; but, as before, the din of mingled ap-
plause and hisses rendered the dialogue inaudible. In the
following act, an orange, thrown from the gallery, struck
Mr. Kean upon the breast. He immediately picked it up,
displayed it to the audience a few minutes with looks of in-
dignation, and finally threw it behind the scenes. After
this, there were few intermissions of the uproar; and the
falling of the curtain was attended with the same tumult
that accompanied its rising.
After the termination of the play Mr. Kean was an-
nounced to perform Othello, to-morrow evening, which
annunciation had the effect of renewing the confusion.
On the conclusion of the afterpiece Kean was loudly
called for, when Mr. Simpson appeared and stated that be
had left the house, and that it was not known where he
was to be found. On the receipt of this information, a
part of the audience displayed a disposition to commit
violence, and we understand some damage was done to the
benches, fixtures, &c.

The street in front of the Theatre, during the whole of
the evening, was thronged with a number of turbulent
individuals, who betrayed much anxiety to make a forcible
entiance into the building, and at one time had nearly
effected their object, but were prevented by the active ex-
ertions of a E:rotig police.

LANGE AtASA OP AMBER FOUND IN TILE ISLAND OF
NEW PEOVIDLNCE.—About the middle of last year a sailor
being fat;gued, sat down near the sea, on a block, which
he supposed to be a stone. After having slept some time,
in attempting to rise, he found himself glued to his scat.
When he reached the vessel, one of his comrades remarked
that he appeared to be scented with a very strong odour ;
and when he learned how it happened he invited him tore-
turn and bring an-ay the stone. The former had at first no
inclination to comply in consequence of its bring too
heavy; so much the better replies the other, you will make
your fortune the sooner, for I believe it to be a large piece
of amber which will sell for a large sum. He immedi-
ately mounted a horse, crossed the island, and brought away
the atone. He showed it at fist to a Jew, who offered
him only the tenth part of its value. The circumstance
soon spread, and the Captain of a merchant vessel then in
port, purchased it of the sailor ; and after passing through
several hands, it was finally sold in England for 12,300/.
sterling, at the rate of eighty-shillings per ounce.—New
England Paper.

tont.testrx HOSPITA L. —The following tr the Monthly
Return of Patients from the lit to the 30th Nor. :
In Patients admitted by letters -11 l
Ditto ..Accidents - 23-140
Oat-Patients admitted by letters - 110
Ditto Ace:dents - 124-243

Total . 393
in-Patients discharged. . - 139
Remaining in the Hosyna. . • 179

THE: BRITISH PRESS.

4, .44;

OLT Y BUSINI:SS.

Yesterday the Lord Mayor proceeded in state front the Mansion
House to Guildhall, to hold his first Court of Common Council,
which, when formed, his Lordship shortly addressed.
The Thanks or the Court were unanimously voted to the Right
Hon. John Gamut, late Lord Mayor, for his conduct during his
'nlyoralty (for which set advertisement), and the same were order.d
to be ornamentally written. on vellum, signed by the Town Clerk,
properly emblazoned, framed and glazed. aed presented to him.
A purse of fifty guineas was unanimously agreed to be presented
to the Rev. Jaeob George Wrench, D.C.L. F.S.A. Chaplain to
the late Lord Mayor. as a testimony of the esteem and approba-
don of the Court, for .he several sermons preached by him before
Lord Mayor, Judges, Aldermen, Sheriffs, Members of the Court
and City Officers, during the late mayoralty.
A petitioa was presented from Mr. Thomas Jonathan Wooler,
relative to his having been refused to be admitted as a Student of
the lion. Society of Lincoln's Inn, and praying the Court to peti-
tion the Legislature to procure an amendment of the Law in that
respect, which being read, Mr. NVooler addressed the Court in
support of his petition, and it was referred to the Committee for
General Purposes to consider the saute and report their opinion
thereon.
A petition was presented from sundry Freemen, inhabitants of
the Ward of Cnpplegate Without, praying the Court to apply to
Parliament for an Act to repeal the disqualifying claims of the
Act relative to Elections in London ; which being read, was re-
ferred to the General Purpose Committee tp consider and report.
Two petitions were present d from the inhabitants of the 'Ward
of %%airy and Dowgete, !pr improvements at Brick-hill-lane,
Lipper Thames-street, and Greenwich-street, which were read, and
referred to the City Lands Committee to consider and report.
The Court unanimously resolved to request Richard Clark, Esq.,
Chamberlain, to sit to an artist of his own nomination for his por-
trait, to be placed in the Common Council-room, as a mark of the
respect this Court entertain for his personal character, and for the
services rendered by him to the City, not only in the office of Cham-
berlain, but in the high and important offices of Aldermen, Sheriff,
and Lord mayor. The resolution was ordered to be advertised;
and it wu referred to the City Lands Committee to superintend the
carrying the resolution into execution. The Lord Illeyor was re-
quested to communicate the request of die Court to the Chamber-
lain.
Mr. Favexx, after a speech of considerable length, moved are.
solution upon the subject of the Slave Track., which was agreed to
by a great majority ; and petitions, founded on the resolutions, were
adopted, and ordered to be presented to both Houses of Parlia-
ment.

The resolution was directed to be advertised.
The Chamberlain was ordered to subscribe letel, u the gift of
the Court to the Fund annually distributed to the Widows of Free-
men on st. Thomas's-dny.
The Committee of City Lands and of Control over the Coal and
Corn Aletets presented *Reports of their proceedings wales the
Act of Parliament for the uniformity of Weights and Measures.