The National Register.
London, England, 1820-12-10 00:00:00

COVENT GARDEN THEATRE.

Last evening the I'lay of King Lear was revived
at this Theatre, 'iv the purpose of introducing a Mr.
A'an(lenlff to a Metropolitan •audience, in the cha-
racter of Lear. This gentleman has occupied the
first line in several Provincial Theatres, and has, at
Liverpool particularly, been an especial favourite.—
In selecting the character of Lear for his debut,
Mr. Vandenhoff was only shewn a just estimate of
his own qualifications, for although it has long been
esteemed the bow of Ulysses, he appLars to be one
of those masters of the art, who possess the power of
bending it. .
Mr. Yandenhoff's person seems to be of the middle
heighth, and his features are capable of much ex.
pression ; his voice is clear, and possesses considerabe
compass and variety. In pourtraying the wounded
feeling of the insulted and indignant parent, he was
eminently happy, but we thought him not quite so
succossrul in depicting the dignity of the Monarch ;
the refection which he displays for his daughter
Cordelia, when experience has taught hint her true
character, was in the highest degree natural and
affecting.
Still, however, we cannot but conceive, that the
drama affords many characters much better adapted
than Lear, for notwithstanding the many touches of
genuine pathos and beautiful poetry which it con-
tains, it cannot be denied that this tragedy is, upon
the whole, somewhat heavy ; a circumstance which
is certainly unfavourable to a delndant, and we think
there are many others plays in which Mr Vandenhoff
might have produced a much greater effect, for his
reception, even under this disadvantage (for such
we really think it) was of a very fluttering descrip-
tion ; and at the conclusion of the piece, when Mr.
C. Ketnlde appeared to anne nee the pertimitance, a
loud and general call was made 'fin. Mr. Vandenhoff,
who immediately came forward, and informed tho
audience that the tragedy would be repeated on
Monday; this intimation was hailed with repeated
shouts by 'die majority of a numerous and respecta-
ble audience.

Mr. C. Kemble, in Edgar, fully sustained his re-
putation, awl all the other prformers acquatul
themselves respectably : Mrs. Foca having been
attacked by a sudden indisposition, her character
was read by Mrs. T. Hill.

To such parents, teachers, and °then as are at a
loss for a suitable Christmas Present for young peo.
ple, we hare much pleasure in recommending a
work announced in our last page ; which promises
much rational amusement and intonnatio•. We
sincerely wish success to the plan of the publisher,
which, to judge from the execution of the volumes
in question, will futnish a most valuable, interesting,
and entertaining m:niature library.
WARD or FARR' NODON tviour.—;-A meeting
of this Ward wi,s held yesterday at the Globe
Tavern; Alderman Waithman in the Chair, ILr the
purpose of voting an Address of congratulation to
the Queen. and a Petition L 0 the King for 01,2 dis-
misuil of Ministers, which wcre ivth passed una-
nitaous:y.

997

POLICE COURT EDINDI/EGll.—qt case Of a vetY
unusual nature came befure the Court on Tuesday
se'nnight. Some sailors, who had been discharged
from the llli►ulea, at Portsmouth, having reached
Edinburgh a few days ago, agreed to take a tri;)
aluug some of .the principal streets in a hackney-
coach. They accordingly embatesed, anti had pro.
ceeded so far that the coachman decnt:•d it necessary
to descend, for the purpose of receiving fresh in-
structions. His seat, however, was immediately
supplied by one of the passengers, who darted
through one of the windows, when the horses was
made to fly like lightning from before the eyes of
the wondering coachman. -Having proceeded with
the greatest possible speed after his vehicle, he was
in time to discover it at a distance, overstit, in the
endeavour to lead it up the fine broad flag stones to
Picardy-place. He was also fortunate enyugh, soon
after, to seize one cf the sailors with his whip in
his hand, and this m.at was now brought to the bar
of the Court. He had little to say fur himself—
he had merely, he said, sprung out at the hatch-
way, when he found the vessel oversetting. He
Was fined 20s. fir the share he had taken in this
affair. It was resolved, however, to remit the fine,.
on account of some circumstances, and he was called
back to the bar, but it was discovered that the
money had been at once paid, and he gone.
STEEPLE CRAM-1'11i:: system of horsemanship,
dangerous in the extreme, has become a favourite
amusement with the young fox hunters of the day
anti amongst the most enterprising is one we are
about to record. Two members of the new Farley
hunt, arabitious to excel in man and horse, made a
match at the steward's table after the race, to ride
over a given spot of l(i miles, for '2OO guineas. The
ground was front Mr. Chase's manor, near Hartford-
Bridge, to that of a gentleman, at Mortimer, between
which the Doke of 11.ellington's Park liesin a direct
line, us a carrying pig.sm would fly, anti the match
was, that StrathfiAdsay Park should be skirted, as
the sportsmen say, but in English it was not to be
touched upon. Mr. Price stalled upon his favourite
mare Bet the Spy, and Mr. Connor rode his gelding
Gormandizer, and betting was heavy up.m the event,
'fhe guides of each party having taken their stations,
off they went, taking the direction of Heckfield-
heath, by the seat of Mr. Lefevre, M. P. and cross-
ing the enclosures towards Swallowfield, rode
through a cover to Motley Farm, and there he had
his work to do. After taking some tremendous
leaps, the mare refused a rivulet of 12 feet, and
made a dead stop. "1' he horse, not so fast its speed,
took the direction of Turgis, and skirted Strathfields
say Park on the west, breaking through the enclo-
sures, and clearing all his leaps. The horse was
never at Emit, and did the ground in one hour and
ten minutes. The mare was dead beat.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester
passed through Wellingborough about one o'clock
on Sunday last, on his way to Nliiton-park, the sea
of Earl Fitxwilliant. Atier/changing horses at the
Hind Inn, the post-boys drove off at too weat
speed, and unti,rtunately overturned the carriage at
the corner of East end-street. Na person huppened
to be near the spot at. the time, but in a few minutes
hundreds run to the assistance of his Royal High-
ness, and extricated him from the carriage which.
was uppermost, and were happy to find that neither.
his Royal Highness nor the gentleman inside with
him received the least injury. Two of his retinue,
who were outside, were thrown to a considerable
distance, and also escaped unhurt ; this is the more
surprising, as the carriage was literally desired to
pieces. Mr. Morton's (the banker) carriage was
immediately offered to his Royal Highness. His
Royal Highness, after being detained about two
hours in Wellingborough, proceeded on his journey
to Milton-park.
It is gratifying to find that the British subjects
in the United States felt as deep an interest in the
iniquitous proceedings against the Queen as their
countrymen at home. A meeting of this class of
inhabitants is advertised in the Pniladelebia papers,
to propose an address of condolence to her Majesty.
Intelligence of the übandcnmeitt of the obnoxious
Bill of Pains and Penalties will reach them in a
few days, and their Address of Condolence will, no
doubt, be followed by one of Congratulation on bee
Majesty's deliverance from the hands of het pet-
seeutors.

Another fact, such as never before occurred in
Natural History. is now decided at t►►e iloyai
nagerie, Exeter Change, respecting Leopards, as is
five Male Cub was produced there on Saturday
morning, Avliich is extremely lively. Nothing can
exceed the tinniness displayed by this beauty of the
fittest over its spotted offspring. It has already lx•ett
visited by many great naturalists, and atliirds the
highest gratification to the numberless visitors fe
that grand national depot of animated nature. We
understand that a noble Lioness and n Panther also
are exi•ected to bring forth iu a tew d tys. .I.le
liAday visitors will this year find ample coutensple"
dots.

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LAW INTELLIGENCE.
S
COURT OF RUNG'S BENCH,
TUESDAY, DECESHIER 5.
LISEL...—CLEARY V. COESETT.
This was an action brought by. the plaintiff against
IVilliam Cobbett, for the publication of several
_papers !
alleged to be libels and slanders " Cobbett's Weekly
. Registers" of the 28th of November, the sth of De-
cember, the .12th of December, and the 26th of Dec..
1819.
Mr. Chitty opened the pleadings, and Mr. Brougham
then addressed the Jury at great length.
Mr. John Wright being called, produced a bundle of
letters—he said he knew the defendant's hand-writing.
lie received a letter from him, dated April 11, 1808.—
Examined by Mr. Cobbett. He said he never was the
defendant's clerk—he was his agent. He received the
:ever which Mr. Cleary read in 1808. lit 1818, the
witness took it to NIT. Place of Charing Cross, one of
Sir Franciss Burdett's Committee, in consequence of
some praise which Mr. Cobbett had bestowed on Mr.
Hunt in his Register. He considered it necessary to
phew that committee what sort of a person the defendant
was. There were twenty or thirty persons in the room
when he gave the letter. He was present upon a stand
opposite the hustings when the letter was read by Mr.
Cleary, but he only heard part of it.
Mr. William Adams was one of the Westminster
committee in the election of 1819. He remembered a
letter was read on the hustings by Mr. Cleary. lie had
no doubt it was the letter produced. He did not know
Mr. Cobbett's hand-writing.
Cross-examined by Mr. Cobbett.—He was one of the
rump committee. He was one who advised the letter
to be read. The witness said he did out consider the
letter read by Mr. Cleary a private letter. The com-
mittee, in his opinion, were not testrained from making
-any use of it.
che letter was then lead. It was in substance:—
" Dear send by the Gosport mail a parcel of
copy—go to the committee. Let us suffer no little slights
to interfere with our public duty. 1 will be in town on
Saturday night, and if I find all good men and true, we
shall make such a stand as has not for some time been
made. All the gentlemen I meet speak in Sir Francis
Burdett's praise. So determined am I for calling a pur-
gatiOn of that
petition myself. There is one Hunt, a Bristol man,
beware of him. He rides about the country with a
w Have nothing to do with him, &c.
Mr. William Jackson published the farewell address,
and continued publishing. The first he published was
N 0.15, of volume 32, on the 12th of July, I/417. He
continued publishing till January, 1819, and accounted
for the profits to Mr. Cobbett and his son for his use.—
The first was the New York letter bearing date, the 5111
of December, 1818 ; it declared the letter read by
Cleary to be a forgery. Secondly, the attack on Cleary.
which accused hint of forging the letter, to obtain re-
ward from Sir F. Burdett. Thirdly, the libel stating
remarks on Cleary, mounted on a white charger. The
libel in verse, &c.
Mr. Cobbett then

lined Air Jackson.—He

had sat down with him in a room in London. lie. did
nut know whether Lord Cochrane was present. lie did
not know where he first saw him, but believed it was in

the King's Bench.
Mr. Molyneux, the defendant's printer, stated, that
the manuscript of the libels remained in his possession
a considerable time. It was then given wp to Mr. ‘V.
Cohhett.
Cross-examined by Nlr. Cobbett —lle said he knew
Mr. Cobbett's writing; had seen him write an order to
Tipper and Fry, stationers, for paper. lie believed the
. manuscript was in the writing of Mr. Cobbett.
The defendant then addressed the Jury, and con
tended that the plaintiff was the aggressor, and not
emitted to one farthing damages, he concluded without
calling any witness.
After a most impartial and able charge from the
Chief' Justice, the Jury retired from the box one hour
and a half. On their return they pronounced a verdict
for the plaintiff.—Damages 40s.
'WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER G.
PHILBY S. BALL.

This action was brought for slanderous words spoken
by the defendant.
Mr. Gurney stated, that the plaintiff was a respectable
fanner in Essex. The defendant had been employed as
bailiff. In a conversation he had with a Mr. Heath, he
said, "There is as much difference between Hogg arid
Philby as between a Christian and a Savage. Miny a
poor man has been sent out of the country for less than
Philby has dine, for he caught. a sheep in the lane and
asked me to kill it, but I refused. lie is a thief, and I
can prove it. Mr. Sahlirass sent three rams and three
ewes, and he took one of the ranis and placed it with
his own sheep. I saw one r..tit in l'inlby's premises, and
I am ready now to swear it tit.f.orc a Magistrate."
Noah Heath pro►ed the words the deiendaut used in
his presence.
Mr. Adolphus addressed the Jury for the defendant in
mitigation of damages, doer bin the expressions to be
made by an angry man. He had not the least intention
to justify the words. The Jury found a verdict for the
plaintill—Damages 40s.
LIAIIILITY UP AN A'TORNL's.—REES V. RICH!.

'fins action was brought by Dr. Rees, assignee of
Burgess, a bankrupt, apinst the defendant, all attorney,
to recover a loss sustained by alleged misconduct on his
part, in omitting to withdraw the record of a trial, and
permitting the cause to be called on at Nisi Prius, in the
absence of a material witness. The question the Jury
haul to try was, whether the defendant had exercised a
catnion in permitting the cause to come on.
It appeared from the evidence that a person, named
Burney, residing at Colchester, was necessary to prove
an act of bankruptcy. It turned out not to be the duty
of the defendant to procure the attendance of Burney.
IN. Reel ilati nudattakett to bring tout ti!). t)❑ the

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Monday preceding the trial the defendant called on Dr.
Rees, and it appeared that Burney had not come to town.
Ile then consulted with his client as to what was best
to be done. Dr. Rees asked if ;he trial could not he put
off? and said he would run no hazard. They finally
agreed to bring op Burney from Colchester, thinking it
possible to haee hint in town to be present at the trial.
Under the expectation that the witness would be in
town, the defendant brought down his witnesses to
Westminster Hall; he then found the cause stood first
on the list; he asked as 'wilier Burney was come, and
was told that they supposed he was at one of the coffee-
houses getting his breakfast. The defendant relied on
that statement, and allowed the cause to come on. Bur-
ney did not appear, and the plaintiff was non-suited. 11
was contended that the defendant had not exercised rea-
sonable care, in neglecting to send to the coffee-house,
in order to ascertain whether the witness had arrived or
not. If he hail withdrawn the record, part of the cx-
pence sustained by the plaintiff might have been avoided.
Mr. Scar lett, on the part of the attorney, attributed
the inconvenience sustained, not to any want of caution
on the part of his client, but the fault of the plaintiff in
not having the witness ready.
The Chief Just ice said, if an attorney undertook to use
all tcasonable skill in bringing a cause to trial, and
afterwards omitted to use due caution.the plaintiff had a
right to recover any loss occasioned by negligence or
misconduct. The question for the Jury to consider was,
whether its this case there was a want of reasonable
caution
The Jiffy found for the plaintiff—Damages 301.
The Chief Justice said, after the verdict had been
given, " This is a verdict likely to do a great deal of
good. I ant clearly of opinion it is the duty of an attor-
ney to see with his own eyes the witnesses he meant to
call. L that duty is not unposed on him, the greatest
inconvenience may constantly arise."
THURSDAY, DEC. 7.
DONALDSON, V. PATTERSON AND ANOTHER.
This action was brought by George Daniel Donaldson,
formerly Collecting Clerk to a Distiller, against two of
the Proprietors of the Mortatig Advertiser, in consequence
of an alledged libel on the plaintiff's character, which
appeared in that Paper on the loth of April, 1819. The
damages were laid at 5001.
Mr. Scarlett addressed the Jury. The first witness
called was a Gentleman from the Slarop-office, who pro-
duced an affidavit, proving that the defendants were pro-
prietors of the Morning Advertiser.
Mr. James Mallison from the Stamp Office, produced
the Morning Advertiser of the 10th of April, 1819,
which contained the alleged libel. It was read,—" Ott
Thursday, Donaldson, late collecting clerk to Mr. John
Woodhead, a distiller of Drury-lane, was committed
front Bow-street for embezzling various sums of money
to a considerable amount."
Mr. Gurney then addressed the Jury for the defence.
The paragraph was copied from another Newspaper,
which the defendant well knew before he brought we
action. The plaintiff had already hail his remedy
against another paper CI he Aew Times) for the same
article. He obtained ample damages in that instance,
and lie ought not to have brought this action. The
iflaintill waited on the editor of the paper, to make his
complaint. The editor chewed hint the paragraph in
another paper, and expressed his regret that he had
taken a false report. The plaintiff asked to have it con-
tradicted, and the gentleman who conducted the ddva-
liscr mort willingly undertook to tcoirect any error, mid
repair any injury he might have sustained. On the
of April he Ciljed at the office, and on the 12th the Edi-
tor published this contradiction :—" The statement
published in some of the papers, of Mr. Donaldson
having been committed on a charge of embezzlement, is
totally erroneous."
The paper of the bath of April, containing the con-
tradiction, was then put in and read.
The Chief Justice, after reading the libel to the Jany,
observed, that it was au erroneous statement. The
plaintiff was examined before a magistrate, and dis-
charged immediately. It was said the defendants ought
to pay only reduced damages; and Mr. Mills was called
to prove the paragraph was taken from another paper.
Whether it was copied or not, e‘cry conductor of a
newspaper was liable for his own misconduct.—
The plaintiff said, it the contradiction was inserted he
should be satisfied. The contradiction was made, and it
was for the Jury to say, whether it was a fair and honest
contradiction. They had also to consider what damages
the plaimiffought to receive at their hands.
The Jury consulted a few minutes, and returned a
verdict for the pinintiff, damages 501.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.
SATURDAY, DEC. 2.
THE HACILSIEItt OACii ES V. 171 E STAGE COACHES.

Just before the Count rose this day Sergeant Pell
.rose and said there was a case in which lie was concerned
which would only occupy a moment of tmle, and perhaps
the Court would now hear it. Ile meant the paper on
of Cloud against Fi ippery and Abbott.
Mr. Shepherd said that lie was in the case at the other
side with the Solicitor General, who was now engaged in
the Court of King's Bench, and whose presence he thought
most especial. The case was not trivial, but of great pub-
lic importance.
Mr. Sergeant Pell was sure his Learned Friend would
see the cause lay in a nutshell. (The hackney coaches
and stage coaches!! ) He would state the facts, on which
uo dispute could arise, in one minute. Mr. Cloud, the
plaintiff, was the proprietor of a Hammersmith stage-
coach, which hourly plied to St, Paul's. In the course of
last month a gentleman castle on two successive days, to
Si. Paul's Church-yard, and had his place to Kensington
booked in the plaintiff 's coach. He went in it 'accord-
ingly, but had himself on each day set down at Hyde
Park Corner, shill paying the full fare as if' lie had one
on to Kennington. This was considered a breach of the
Hackney Coach Act by the commissioners, under whi.se
warrant Mr. Cloud's stage and horses wcse seized by
Frippery, and lodged in Abbott's yard, out of which they
were not iteliveted back to the plaintiff mail he had paid

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