The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-08-29 00:00:00

ENGLISH OPERA-501'SE.

OaSaturday, the new op Saturday, after era of Tare-are (which
from the crowded and elegant audience drawn togergher
to
witness it appears to have lost none of its attractionil by a
twelfth repetition), the musical drama of The ir giet
Snowdoun was performed for the purpose of int
our old friend, Cooper, of Covent-garden, to the boaedat-
the English Opera, in the character of Sir Itotie7.l-I:D4t.
Every body is aware—" /iptie et ton:or-41u nee„„,,,_that
The Knight qf S'nouylimn is neither more nor less 434
refacciamento of Sir IValter Scott's rhyming romance ,c
The Lady if the Lake, with some unimportant " edam.
tpito,i.itet,y" ;iansustilice
eared playwrightsdregses . peri ti
b rastle it
p;resent and a rood deal of
instance the
characters were judiciously cast and well supported, arid
we should think the piece, with the curtailment necesoie
to bring its termination within the. limits of the " coon.*
MOW would prove no unacceptable appendix to the ye,
agreeable evenings' entertainments usually provided
st
this house. James Fitz-James, the Knr;:,./d• Snetedues
was very respectably personated by T. P. Cooke, who has
a patent for all manner of bravoes, whether in blood or
ermine—errant Knights—wandering Jews—and unman.
tionable personages, such as Vampirea and the ationvinour
gentleman (* *•*) in Frankenstein. Mr. Salter was an
excellent " Highland creature," he looked quite ferocious
in 3fardock, and was Scotch in every thing but his English,
`which was rather too much of the Birmingham proem
for one who wore a kilt. Some of the audience appeared
to think the performer made too much of the " Highland
shentlemans, and hissed him accordingly ; but we think
very undeservedly. The lively Alice fell into good head,
(Miss Hamilton's) ; and little Miss Goward made as math
of Isabel as any lass of her inches could possibly dee{
When we have applied to Miss Gray, as Ellen, the molds
of the poet—
" Did ever Grecian chisel trace,
A Nymph, a Naiad, or a Grace,
Of finer form, or lovelier face ?"
we trust her admirers will be content. As we have inti.
mated, Mr. Cooper was the star of the evening; (no offnce
to Mr. Cooke, who was four stars (• • • *) the night he.
fore in " Presumption"—see the fiche' for that evening,)
and we are happy to congratulate that gentleman (Mr.
Cooper) on his brilliancy, and the pretty coterie of ast:ono.
mere that came to gaze on it. To say truth, and drop
all metaphor, Mr. Cooper is a pod actor—always respect-
able—sometimes excellent—and never inattentive. We
wish some of his brethren would condescend to imitate him
in this latter particular. His personation of the bold and out-
lawed " Vich Alpine" was spirited and effective throughout ;
and in the scene where RoJeriek rescues Earl Lk&slat
from present death by surrendering himself into the hands
of the auhtle Mare, and paying the ransom of the sged
prisoner with the reward offered and received in his own
person for his own delation, Mr. Cooper soared into some-
thing closely bordering upon the sublime, if his acting dots
not rather deserve to be characterized as that quality abso-
lutely and without reserve in this instance.•
We have only to add, that we look upon Mr. Cooper as
a very considerable accession to the strength of the already
excellent company assembled at this theatres, and are satis-
fied that his engagement will enable the or*sger to pro.
duce many favourite pieces with eclat anti' stieccits
might not otherwise attend them. Mr. Arnord. cat nee,
play " The Slave," possessing, as be does, tint meaus et
giving us a good "Gambia."
We shall only add, we feel extremely happy that the
advice we thought it right to give the tnanagenient at the
commencement of the season, relative to " the'engsgement
of old vocal favourites, and of new singers Hkslj.to become
favourites in their turn, and the liberal prodne•lop of new
pieces and music," has been taken ; and equal, gratified
that those measure! have, as we predicted, " insured a fu3
tide of success."

WINDSOR, SUNDAY, AUG. 2S.

The King heard divine service performed this mornin:
by the Rev. Dr. Sumner, in the new chapel attached to the
Royal Lodge.
The Princess Aitgpsta, accompanied by her Lad
Waiting, attended thrill, service this morning t the
church. The sermon watestieached by the • . Mr,
sett.
The Terrace was, as usual, crowded WI t colppany
afternoon. IP Ito

His Majesty, attended by his usual suite, took an
on Friday from the Royal Lodge to the Castle, and
spected the different works and improvements carryin,
A party from the Royal Lodge came yesterday tr
Castle in a coach and four, and viewed the whole r
preparation making, and afterwards returned to the
to dinner.

BOULOUGNE, AUG. 16.

The publicity given to every movement of the
guest here is, in some instances, a little at variance
English habits. The ceremony observed upon the
sion of her Royal Highness taking a bathe in the opet
yesterday, Is of this description. The Duchess wentA
to the port with great pomp, at eight in thy -mom
There was a multitude of spectators. whoie
them to follow the steps of her Royal. Higliness, eVeit
this errand, to the borders of the ocean.

The bathing machine honoured by the Royal presence
was gayly painted of a yellow colour, and variously --
inented with fanciful devices. A silk flag, with fix
de its worked in upon it, waived over the roof of the
cle. Her Royal Highness went out of the machine
considerable distance in the sea. Site was curiously at+
ed in this excursion by flute of the sturdy bathing we
who arc selected for this aquatic occupation front the
robust of the fish women. These fair nymph* joh
hands, formed a circle, and continued dancing and sir
in their native patois, round the object of their' attent
long as she continued in the water.

During this exhibition two boats, the one a 20-oared
ter, with a gaudy canopy, the other manned by 14
kept rowing round about the spot where her Royal
fleas ventured.
In the course of the day her Royal Highness wf
Courci to visit the celebrated botanic garden, with
she was much gratified. She afterwrilla visited the coin
of the Scours Gris and the Ursulines, where great prcpar
tions had been made to receive her.

This morning she went down to bathe with greater 1•
than yesterday, attended by a band of music and a prop
sion. She is afterwards to attend a grand breakfast
new English %siding-rooms erected on the bank
sea, in a most el bible situation. The concourse of
dees of all ncions here, and their splendid • equi
make this place unusually gay. The volatility
French character w seen in perfection. It is one consi
scene of revelry night and day, as the French call i'
temps trafirgresse. • •
Her Royal Highness has now a proper coinage t(
in, with leather hamar, drawn by four horses, and I
lions in sky blue jackets.
Church service, according to the forerfOof the Estald
Church of England, is now performed at our new el
built expressly. for the English. One 'of our Bislr
.said to be on Ins way from England, to confirm the
Protestants here.

Prince Leopold came to town on Prigarisnolornine
in
Claremit. His Royal niglmess kft 1 rough
in the afternoon, on his return to Ciarcinont:

The Prince of Leiningeu left Claremont, where
staying on a visit to Prince Leopold, on his return ti
many. -
The Earl and Countess of Liverpool, who are on
tour abroad, arrived at the Hague on ThursdaY•
Noble Earl and Countess travel vary privately, havit
two servants with them. The Noble Earl and Cot.
Ire only expected to be absent from England about ame
Great exertions are making in the alterations, rep
and additions to the house cr.' the late Sir Robert Pic,
in Downing-street, for the reception of Mr. and Mrs.
ping, the ensuing season. Same of the rooms
Foreign Office, which were newly fitted up last year
the tesidiace of Mr. and Mrs. Canning, are to be addend
this house.
We understand that the Prebendal Stall in our .
dral, vacant by the decease of the Rev. Charles Augugo
North, is to be filled by the Rev. Mr. Prettyman, seen'
son of the Lord Bishop of WinchestEr. The livim
Alverstoke and Havant, formerly belt' by Mr—
' have also been presented by his Lordship same genth'inan.•
Hampshire Paper.
The Rev. Justly Hill, Rector of Sbanklin, has been
pointed Archileacon of Bucks.

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Lin:T.:lir GLEANINGS.

No. XLC.

Heretofore, noblemen and gentlemen of fine estates had
their heralds, who wore their coats of arms at Christmas
and at other solemn times, and cried " Largesse" thrice.
A neat-built chapel and a spacious hall were all the'
roams of note ; the rest were small. At Tomarton, in
G:ouceneribire, anciently the seat of the Rivers, is a dun-
geon 13 or 1 t feet deep; about four feet high are iron
rings fastened in the wall, which were probably to tie of.
finding villans to. se all lords of manors had this power
over their villans (or swage tenants), and had all of them,
no doubt, such places for punishment.
It is well known all castles had dungeons, and so, I
believe, had monasteries; for they had often within them-
selves power of life and death.
Mr. Dugilale told me, that about Henry / IL's time, the
Pope gave a bull or patent to a company of Italian archi-
tects, to travel up and down Europe to build churches.
In days of yore, Lords and Gentlemen lived in the coun-
try like petty Kings, had juror regalia belonging to Seig-
series. had castles and boroughs, had gallows within their
liberties, where they could try, condemn, and execute ;
never went to London but in 'Parliament timo, or once a
rear to da their homage to the Ktng. They always eat in
their Gothic halls at the high table or °Thine (witich is a
little roots at the upper end of the hall, where stands a
table), with the folks at the side table. The meat was
raved up by watch-words. Jacks are but of late inven-
tion ; the poor boys did turn the spits, and licked the drip-
ping for their pains. The beds of the men servants and
teta:ncrs were in the hall, as now in the guard or privy
(briber here. In the hall, mumming, and loaf-stealing,
sad other Ciaistmas sporty were performed.
The hearth was commonly in the inidtL.:, whence the
wing, Rnund about nor coal fire.
'Every Baron and Gentleman of estate kept great horses
fer men at arms; some had their armories sufficient to
furnish out some hundreds of men. halls of the
Justice of 'Peace were dreadful to iehold. The skreen
was garnished with corslets and helmets, gaping with open
mouths, with coats of mail, limners, pikes, halberts, brown
bills, Welders.
Public inns were rare; travellers were entertained at
rzligions houses for Three days together, if occasion served
The meetings of the gentry were not at taverns. but in the
folds or forests, with their
,liawks and hounds, and their
laKle horns in silken hawiltyit s.
in the last age every gentleman-like man kept a spar-
row-hawke, and a 'priest kept a hobby, as Dame Julien
&niers teaches ns (who wrote a treatise on field sports in
Relay V lib's time).
I: was a diversion for young gentlemen to man sparrow-
hawks and tnorlines.

Before the Reformation there were no poor's rates, the
ebtritable doles given at the religious houses, and the
church ale in every parish, did the business.
In (very pixish there wa.t a church-house, to which be-
1311ze'l spits, pots, &c. for dressing provision. here the
Loulaccperi met, and were merry, and gave their charity.
'the young people came there too, and had dancing, bowl-
lac, shooting at butts, &c. Mr. A. Wood assures me
th-re were few or no almshouses before the time of Henry
VIII.; that at Oxon, opprsite Christ Chords, was one of
the most ancient in England.
la tray church was a poor's box, and the like at great
lkforr the wake or feast of the dedication of the church,
01,,s sat there all night, fasting and praying, via. on the eve
or :lie wake.

la Ike Eater Holidays was the clerk's ale for his benefit,
:nil the solace of the neighbourhood.
In these times, besides the jollity' above-mentioned, they
had their pilgrimages to several shrines, as to Walsingham,
lantetburf, Glastonbury, Bromholm. &c. Then the
trasatles to the holy Wall were magnificent and splendid,
abil gave rise to tit' adventures of knights-errant anti ro-
ttances. 'file solemnity attending processions in and
tirout churches, anti the perambulations in the fields, were
.test diversions al-o of those times.
Glum windows in churches and gentlemen's houses were
'el before the time of Henry VIII. In my own remelts-
lar.te before the civil wars, eopyholders and poor people
hliame. In Hertfordshire, Monmouthshire, anti Salop,
'tuto still. About 90 years ago, noblemen's anti gentle-
coats were of the fashion of the beadles and vize
gben of the guard, e. gathered at the middle.
Belches in the Inns of Court yet retain this fashion in the
coke of their gowns.
Ttain Sulu Taylor says, that in days of yore, when
el teh was to he built, they watched and prayed on the
''Sll of the dtsliestion, and took that part of the horizon
' tete the sun arose for the east, which makes that varia-
''', so that few stand true except those builtbetween the
43 er.tinoxe.
I hlTe experimented some churches, and found the line
' lane to the horizon where the sun rises on the day of
%iet to whom the church is dedicated.
In Saxland, especially among the Highlanders, the
inn make a curtsey to the new moon, and our Eng-
'omen in this country have a touch of this—some of
Ift astride on a gate or stile the first evening the
appears, and say, " A fine moon, God bless
like I observed in Hertfordshire.
ma received the knowledge of husbandry from
• The foot and the acre which We yet use is
to them. In our West Country, and I be-
North, they give no wages to the shepherd;
Ile keeping of so many sheep with his master's
hints at this in leis Asinsrian, iii. s. I,
&c.
;ormans brought with them into England civility
ing, which, though it wu Gothic, was yet mag-
Upon any occasion of bustling in those days,
Is sounded their trumpets, and summoned those
tinder them. Old Sir iValter Long, of Draycot,
trunlPeleritode with thirty servants, and retainers;

11rATI; OF 31.1N14-RTIT: ENGLAND, 16;11.
11031 • MS. Or AVIIIIEr.SI, IN lliZ •SUBIOLZ ssesErm.
'There were very few free schools in England before the
itfiertnation. Youth were generally taught Latin in the
looessteries ; and young women had their education not at
Hackney as now (1678), but in the nunneries, where they
!writ needle-work, confectionary, surgery, physic (apo-
g;:ecaries and surgeons being then rare), writing, drawing,
&c. Old Jackquor, now living, has often veil from his
itouse the nuns of St. Mary, Kingston, in Wilts, coining
ford, into the ny mph hay with their rocks and wheels to
Spin, sometimes to the number of 70 ; all whom were not
Furs, but young girls sent there for education. Anciently,
beige the Reformation, ordinary men's houses and copy-
balers, and the like, had no chimneys ; but flues like
buversholes ; some of 'cm were in Being when I was a
boy.
la the halls and parlours of great houses were wrote
tea's of scriptures on the painted cloths.
The Lawyers say, that before the time of Henry VIII.
ore shall hardly find. an action on the case, as fur slander,
&c.. once in a year; good note.
Before the last civil wars, in gentlemen's houses, at
Cullum', the first dish that was brought to table was a
kur's head, with a lemon in his mouth.
At Que:n's College, Oxon, they still retain this custom.,
ti.e bearer of it bringing it into the hall, singing to an old
tat an old Latinrhyine, " Apri caput defero," &c.
The first dish that was brought up to table on Easter-
do was a red herring riding away on horseback ; i. e. a
herring ordered by the cook something after the likeness
e/ a man on horseback pet in a corn sall+sil.
The custom of eating a gammon of bacon at Easter
{x::ichrs still kept up in many parts of England), was
f,Jundel on this, via. to show their abhorrence of Judaism,
at the solemn commemoration of the Lord's resurrection.
The use of your !tumble tervanl came first into England
on the easseiage of Queen Mary, daughter of-Henry IV.
of France, which is derived from Nit,. tres humble serri-
tear. The usual salutation before that time was, God
key) yes, G. be with you, and among the vulgar, How
dos! do ? with a thump on the shoulder.
Till this time the Court itself was unpolished and un-
mannered: King James's Court was so far from being
civil to women, that the ladies, nay, the Queen herself,
could hardly pass by the King's apartment without receiv-
ing same affront.
At the parish priests' houses in France, especially in
Languedoc, the table-cloths were on the board all the day
Ling, and ready for what there was in the house to be put
Clown, far strangers, travellers, friars, pilgrims ; so it
Wag, I have beard my grandfather say, in his grandfather's
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