The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-05-23 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.
Last night, after the pls. of Ike Text pest, was
procitsced a new farce, called The Grand Tom. ; or,
Stopped rat Rochester! We believe it is net usual
to exec' of an author in due line a very rigid ad-
' hereoce, to regularity or probability of plot or inci-
dent, aed it would perhaps be ton muse li to de-
:.
mend th.t the whole of either should be entirely
, _new. Those who expected either in the instance
• of last iiieht mast have been grievously disap-
pointed; and yet we have seldom witnessed an ea_
dience, I. most crowded one too, we will not say
so completely indulgent and good humoured, but
so highly entertained and so perfect!), gratified. if
we are to judge from perhaps the best criteria on
such an occasion, the continued laughter and the
repeated plaudits from almost every part of the
holm. Three young fellows, a waggish artist,
Sebright by name (Mr. Jou es), a air:sleet music-
master, Bluskinon (Mr. DORUSKT), and a French
dancing master, whose name, in spite of the variety
of its pronunciation by the several persons to whom
it fell to mention, we were enable to c•tch, bus
who was personated by Mr. Yeres. having jousted
in the pereharre of a share of a lottery ticker,
which is drawn • prize, become entitled to two
thousand pouuda betweeo them, which they agree
to.spend in making The Grand Tour together.
But arriving at Rochester, they atop there some
time, till their fonds bring nearly exhausted, they
are rather at a loos whether to proceed further or re-
turu. Blushington, liowever, having contrived,
during their stay to win the heart of Lefty (Mica
BEAUMONT), the doughter of Venture, a general
dealer at Rochester (Mr. BLANCHARD), who has
fixed the next day for her marriage with Violet,
a Cockney oil and eolourman in High Holborn
(Mr. Latreon), whom he hint never seen, Sebright
usdertakes to secure the noun of his friend with the
young lady, which, after one complete defeat,
he at length succeeds ia bringing about, and
oat of his contrivances for that purpose, the inci-
dents of the piece, some of them ludicrous enough,
and sufficiently removed from probability, es we have
before hinted, arise. The dialogue is smart and
sprightly, and profusely seasoned with puns, equr-
Toques, and jokes, both new and old. We under.
stood it is from the pen cif Mr. Monroe. The
exertions of the performers were such as to.reflect
• touch credit on themselves, and to impart the
highest satisfaction to the audience. Mr. JONts
sustained nearly the whole burden of she piece,
being hardly a moment absent from the scene, and
keeping up to the last, without flagging in the
least, that constant active bustling volatility
which characterises his acting, and which has
seldom been displayed to more advantage. Mr.
LISTON we never saw with an little to do, but of
that ' little he made the most. Mr. Emetic per-
sonated a drunken Yorkshireman, servant to Violet,
end made the part entirely his own Mr. YATES
spluttered his French-English with inimitable drol-
lery. Mr. BLANCHARD was an excellent represen-
tative of the wily old tradesman, and Mr. CHAP-
MAN, of a usurer, lees repulsive titan the character
is generally drawn. Miss ItteensioNT imparted all
its tuterest to the trilliag (.Imtnefer allotted to her,
and executed a pretty little song of Mr. W•ne's,
we believe, with much taste, which procured her
the merited honour of an encore. Mr.. DATEN-
PONT pourtruyed, with her arcustorted excellence,
the character of an elderly maiden, sister to Venture,
attached to
:poetics, anti riot disinclined to main-
inony, who is finally wedded to Violet. Through-
out
the whole of the first act the attention
of the audience was kept continually awake and
constantly gratified. In some scenes of the second
act theaction lingered too much, and the dialogue
became rather heavy. But with roans judicious
curtailments in those parts which were marked by
the audience, the whole may be rendered suffi-
ciently entertaining to secure it a run. It was an-
trounced for repetition amidst general applause,
the dissentients being but few. surd their opposi-
mu, if possible, more feeble than their number.

King HENRY. VII. was crowned alone, being
unmarried at the time, on the 30111 October, 1185.
lie subsequently married the Princess EuzAserti,
da►Rhter of EDWARD IV. on the 18th January,
1486; but from jealousy of her title, she being the
rightful heir to the throne, he postponed her coro-
nation until the 25th of November, 1487.
Mr. Citosii*xt.t., of Cbeshunt, has ►mw in his
possession the hat of his ancestor, Ot.tvea Crtom-
'scut., by which the skull, supposed to be the Pro-
tector's, which. with two others, were, after the
Restoration, affixed over the entrance to Westmin-
ster Hall, until the feign of Q►►een Arctic, has
been tried, and uo doubt is now entertained of its
identity.

Lally HBATHCOTB, we are concerned to state,
still continues very much indisposed at her house
iu GrOsvetior-square.
A statue in honour of the late Mr. WEST is to be
erected in St. Paul's.
DUEL PREVENTED.—A duel was to have taken
piece early on Mooday morainic in Copenhagen-
fields, between Mr. F---a and Mr. S—lr—R, hal f-
pay officers, but in consequence of infintnatiuti re-
eetved, they were surprised to find en enemy at the
place of meeting ; they however escaped.
FRAUD IX SOVERFlGNs.—Government has lately
detected a must extraordinary fraud, which threat-
ens great loss to the currency. Sovereigns to a
great extent I:iise beer) counterfeited. by easing
plalithi with gold, the specific gravity of the two
metalafining linearly equal. In melting down •nine
sovereign., the plutina was detected at ilie bottom
of the crucible.
The Board of Eiteise have issued orders, direct-
ing 110 table beer to be liencefiirili sold at a higher
rate than 18s. per barrel exclusive of duty. Re-
tailer, charging more than one penny halfpenny per
quart are therefore liable to a ',rushy of 50/.
Wednesday se'rinight a fine S.nlair goose dropped
ta a wino! near Issued, Cormirthenshire ; it wire
inund by the workineu, who took it to the garden,
when.., slier living for two days, it died.
Aceouints have been received through France
"It (ithtaltar, aniontliciong the tinpledsnrit
e of tile plague having appeared at Malta.
It was communicated by a vessel from Alexandria.
Fool- persons, we understand., had fallen victims
to the malady. 111 the lexetnito.