The National Register.
London, England, 1819-03-15 00:00:00

THEATUES.

Drury-lane Therstre.—A new piece, entitled The
Dwarf e. Nap/a, was ushered into life last night, and
while the present vitiation of taste hangs on the town,
it is exactly of the kind that may safely look for tem-
porary success. The language is above mediocrity, and
sonic sitnilies of such delicacy and excellence are in-
' troduced as ought to have belonged to a better piece;
but the misfortune of our stage at the present moment
• is, that there is an inversion of system ; instead of a
play being written first, and cast afterwards, it is cast
first and then written ; or, in other words, our great
actors are studied by the author, instead of the author
being studied by the actor. The author of The Dwarf
of Xaplcs has written the character for Kean, and has
availed himself not only of all the admirable points of
his man, bin of all the pauses, starts, and trickeries,
which have increased by being tolerated. The story is
shortly, that The Dwarf, (Kean) is soured by his del-cc'
of person, becomes jealous of his brother's favour with
his Sovereign—procures his banishment under suspi-
cion of treason—during his absence employs bravos to
murder him—and in the last scene, being to in his
eiempts, rushes on the king to end his crimes by regi-
eitle; he is here too defeated, and he leaves the stage in
violence, Mad a k Sir Gila Overreach. The piece was
received with great applause, and the epilogue, which
contained some very apposite, witty, and good allusions
to the last election, pleased so much, that an encore was
generally called for, but such repetition is, we believe,
contrary to etiquette. _ _

Coy ear-GAKDFN.—The performance of the Marriage
of 11,Tari) wa• merely nientione I to ilii• Palter la,t week, a i b
a l'n,ll4iit• of notice. It is SO e%actly our old fn.
vourilr the q'a Day, interaiiersed with a •Itga, that it is
utinecearary to give the story ; ne therefore content our•elvca
with chitin, the fitilowiax ;wit of theDerroistis Pt

, ...
.I.lle CO;11: , M... J flit, ; Fiorello, Mr. Darop.et ; F,garo,
Mr. Lwon; the Gardener. Mr. l'4%cett ; the Mtge. Mi.%
Bea ttttt mit ; the t!uteaters, Mrb. Dickunt ; awl Susanna, Miss
Stephen=,

It max be supposed that the union of suet talent produced
an electrical effect. Ali.. I)ickuns, aho has so rarely been
before the public since lu•r return to her native ciuitr‘, has
certainly not lost any thing in voice, and has most surely
added lo her science. Miss Stephens appeared to he oar the
alert, letermined anxiously to emulate Me excellencies of
her senior—she sneeeciled admirably, particuiarly in those
parts alure her characteristic 61% Ctiliesti hall an opportunity
of ili.plity..

The music, is Icicle k composed, arranged, and adapted by
Bishop, is good —in some instances excellent. We have
orals time to notice in the first uct a duet, between Durtnet
and Miss Stepla•tis, and a song by Mrs. Mesons tieautVully
executed, each of is hick was eaLured. la the second act,
duet between Mrs. Dickuns and Miss Stephens—Mrs. I).
dictating a letter to \lissS. was more cipturoady encored
than any thing else, and it weltdosersed it—lt was enough in
muck" an Englishman proud of his country, to hear such
native talent. lit the third net, Dtirusct ship, Lose is not
pleasure is lint pain," very creditably to himself, and Mr..
Mekong a dravura, in which she astonished the house with
her powers.
Toe haute iii the third ilct was admirably arranged by
N •hle, and the pa. de deux era Espagauf between himself
and Lopiiiim exqui.ite beyond deictipti ~,, . The Piece i 4
.I.lets.ii.lle got ul., ail.' will have a rust,. It was amitaaticed
for Tile •tia acunt repeated cheer.-- We eauuot close this
without MOtug lite iihatiioate.l palace by ninon-light,
which, we think, the finest effort of serer-paiuting we ever s.
saw.

On Sunday the following bulletin v. as exhibited:
of the state of the health:—

" tactle, \larch 6.

" tlis \1 iiesty has been general.), ch,•eritil .tistow4ll the
hest month, but eaiihuut any abatement of his disurder.
Iln Nl.Ocst)'s bodily health continues gond."
Ude .4sswilt and ..Biripipt at liabery.—Mmut twelve
o'clock on Nlooday :light six or seve.i armed own ent,red
the Ito:Ise of Nlajor Quin, Valetta, in the comity of
Kilketto), within two miles of Waterford, by the kit-
chen window, and liron4ht liAlited candles wish them.
•l'he Major, ott hearing the noise, stood on the head of
the stairs with a double barrelled gun, and repeatedly
desired the cowardly villains to come tap, that lie was
prepared I r them if they were twenty in number. and
for ,mite time kept them at bay. They tired two shins
at him, which ma his attemptiii,r to tenon lii Larrels
missed, which on their perceiving they rushed up stairs,
knocked hint down, and cut hint on the head .sith the
hint-end of a gnu. tell ng him to cliscoser whole lie had
his money —Wade they were engaged with the Major,
a servant girl, name I Johtlillta Sionot, gilt out ()fa win-
dow unperceived, proceeded to the house of Patrick
Dalton, piddle:ln, to give the alarm, who, with his bro-
ther .1111111 Dalton, Thomas Ityati, a tythe proctor, his
assistant William Caulfield, anti 'Michael Caslim, pro-
ceeded instantly to die place of action just in time to
save the lives Ms 'Minor and Mrs. Quin, which they re-
peatedly and vehemently threatened; Caulfield being the
first who entered tired a pi-mil, which he thinks hail
effect, as it iii inciliaiely dispersed them. Patrick Dalton,,
ss ho rent:tilted OW side of the house to SeeUre the passage
at the window, by which the robbers enteral, with a
shovel in his hand, seized one of them armed with a
gun, wrested it front him, and oar his making off made
blow at him with it, by which he broke it on his head.
They were so alarmed they took nothing with thew,
hut left behind a pair ofskoes, an old hat, two guns, a
sledge hammer, and the coulter of a plough, with
which they had I token the garden door Mill the kitelti. n
window. One of the robbers has since been appre-
hended, and hilly identified by William ('anltit
There is no doubt had 1)alton and his harts aims, they
would have apprehended some, if not ill the ruit)her, ;
they had but one pistol between them, which Caulfield
discharged on entering the house.—lfwvkid 31irryr.

ASSIZE IS TFLUGEA CL

LENT ASSILLS.-110NIE CIRCUIT.
Hertford, March B.
INFAMOUS CASE Of ARSON.
James Head, aaed 40, and Martha, his wife, were in-
xlicted for having set fire to it ham in the occupation of
Jahn Os erell, of Wakely, and burning thereby an im-
mense qoantity of corn, his property, on the 27th of
August last.
ssr. Walford opened thecase for the prosecution, and
proceeded to call evidence.
John Ot err •aid, he kept an extensive farm, and re-
sided in the hamlet of Wakely. The prisoner had been
in his employment, and he discharged him on the Itith
of Mae last. His barn was set on fire on the :'7th of
August following, and completely burnt down. The
harts was separate sonic distance front his dwelling-
house. In the year 1817 Ilia premises were set fire tons
a similar way.
J. Turtle said, he resided at Buntingford. On the
uialit of the 27th of August he was alarmed by informa-
nm uof a fire at the premises of Mr. Overell. He rose
front bed, and rode to the spot. The fire, which was
Id:labia, appeared to have commenced at one corner.
In about two bouts after he had been there, Jas. Head
appeared upon the premises, and kept walking about,
and talking very much of the former fire at his master's,
in 1817. He talked also much of the then fire, and wit-
ness was induced to observe him closely. The prisoner
caught his eye, appeared embarrassed, and shuffled
away, to break off the conversation.
George•Mickley said he also went to the premises of
Islr. ()vela the night of the fire. He saw the prisoner
there, who spoke to hint, and said it was a sad job that
a tire should thus happen again on his master's premises.
His wife, he added, was unuell, and had got out of bed
in the night, when he (the prisoner) said he thought
theft was a fire. His wile replied it was nothing but
moon-shine, but lie thoaght it was ,1 contiguous farm
which was on lire. The prisoner appeared to the wit-
ness to he confused and agitated. Ile lived shout a mile
front the place whew the fire took place. Winless did
not think it possible, from the situation of Head's
dwellina, that he could see a fire while he lay on his
bed; but Admitted that the atmosphere might be illu-
minated by a blaze where the fire was not directly oppo-
site to the view.
Thomas Britton resided at Minden, close to the pri-
soner's house. Tice latter called hint up out the night of
the nth of August from bed, by an alarm of fire. Wit.
nest arose, and accompanied him to ihe premises of Mr.
erell. The prisonet told him on the way, that Mien
he first called hint up he was naked, and :hat his wife
threw his clothes to him out of the window, when he
pot them on by the time he(the witness) had got dressed.
lliahard Tew (an interesting boy) said he was the son-
in-la aof James Head. Martha Head was his own mo-
ther, and he lived in the house with them. lie slept up
stairs in a room outside his farmer's, and through which
the I liter Must have conie to go down stairs. On the
Main of the .;;;;th of August he was awoke by a person,
whom he knew to be Ins father, and who went clown
staits and out of the house., He returned in about a (par-
ter or hall an hour. He knew his voice well, and heard
.Lim distinctly say, " 1 have left a brave light behind
me." Witness soon after this went to. sleep, but was
again, in a short time, aroused by hi: mother, s, 110 called
out, " Dat, get ; your master's (Mr. Overell's) farm
is on fire." Witness threw Iris father's smock-frock out
of the eiirviow to him.
AUR Bo‘‘Ver ,aid, that her husband was in the em•
ployment of 'Mr. Ovarell iu August last. her husband
• had money tai pay t':e prisoner alter his discharge front
the prosecutor in May last. Ile accordingly came to
their house, hut her husband was not at honor. NVitness
asked him ii' he came for his tit nu v; he said, yes; lint
it would not be notch when he had it. \Vi!ill'SS us id it
would be some for him, as it was fir thum ; when he
immediately replied, " 1.)11 hit old bluud (meaning
Overell), Ire wants my knife in his throat, and another
or two want a knife as well as he." Ile also added,
" he cl—d to bell if they don't have it, and he (Ove-
rell) must not live. Ile wants amither light over his
head, and he must look sharp if he does not have
it." WiIIICSS 3,ked hint if her husband ever heard him
use such expressions, when the prisoner replied, " No;
,1 bit; the ks% yllll* husband knows, the litter it
milli be fur hint.- \' had known Ilead and his
wire for s or 9 years, butt haul no immediate intercourse
or aerraintance with dam. She never had angry words
or quarrelled with either in her life.
Flair: the diteelloll 0f the learbed dodge, the prose-
cution as iialina; etc woman was here totall) abandoned.
Stephen Lit eirler, the Bow-street officer, said he laid
down on the bed from whence the prisoner said he had
seen the light of the foe, and thought it impossible he
could his e seen it from thence.
The prisoner, in the most solemn manner, protested
his innocence.
NI a Justice Pak add; es•-ed the Jure, who, ;trier a
coitsulaa ion of atimit tea 1110011111W' .116 aupil-
tat as to llar•his ara, Inn hound tile prisoner James
Ile ul—Gwall.
•tiis Lora,Lip proceeded immediately to pass tipfill
him the awhii sun:cute of death; and in tile most so-
h:lnn thatmer implorid brut not to indoiae any hope of
mercy in this world, but hue a imiMeat iu seeking
Los peace in the World of eternity, to uhleit he MUst
ehortly be consigned.

VITID:CHKF R, S ,TURDAY, MARCH 6.
civil. min:.

Ihe Assizes of t,iis l ussitu.: Lossisseettrusl just Tsicisloy,
before the lion. Ch;orgc Sosvltylth)(l, hut. :hat the
Born. Ww.l./r.yer, Best.

-Jo.;

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