The National Register.
London, England, 1818-09-13 00:00:00

THE DRAMA.

COVENT•GAt2DEN.

This Theatre opened for the season on Monday night,
with the play of Macbeth, and the nfterpiece of Thc
Miller and his Mem. The only novelty of the evening
was Mrs. Yates, a lady from the Dublin Theatre, who
made her first appearance before a London audience in
the arduous character of Ludy Macbeth. • This lady
ressesses a good 'figure and expressive countenance,
and her conception of the character and reading of the
text, were good. • She throughout. however, discovered
a want of enerey, or a failing of power of voice to fill
•the extensive edifice, in which she, far the first time,
appeared onehis occasion. She failed to itupart to the
character'that boldness and decision which should mark
oad distinguish the character of the ambitious wife of
the tyrant. When Mrs. Yates shall have acquired
More emfidence in her own powers, she may, perhaps,
do mare atnple justice to the character. The audience
were most liberal; and although there was nothing in
her performance to illicit enthusiastic applause, she was
well received throughout. Mr. Young played Macbeth,
•ani was, on his appearance, received with an enthu-
siestic round of approbation, which did not subside for
several minutes. Mr. Charles Kemble played _Wacky;
sand was greeted on his appear ace as an old favoueite,
.and as his merits deserve. The rest of the performers-
.were also well received. Previous to the commence
ment of the piny the house was well filled ; and on the
rising of the curtain the whole vocal corps or the theatre,
smallest whom we observed Mr. Dstruset Mr. Taylor,
• Mr. 'Pinney, Mrs. Bishop, Mrs. Liston, Miee Math'ews,
Mrs. Sterling, &c, were discover:a ranged on the stage,
and the national anthem of "-Gtxl 'eve the King" was
eang, and received with the loudest applause. At the
hnlf-priee the house was crowded to excess, and the
first night of the season promised to the •proprietorset
most successful harvest.
O Wednesley the mesieel play of Gay Mannering
was pertitruted at this theatre, with some features of
novcky in the cast of its charactersr.uot to be passed
user without notice The meet conspicuous of these
was the appearance of Met Yatee, in the part of Meg
Nerr lies. The sudden desceat feom the sublime:a
heights of-tragedy, from the representation of a high-
sauled being like Lady Macbeth, to a character so far
removed in its nature and conception, is a dangerous •
experiment tore peethrmer to snake who eaters on a
theatrical career olio a strong notion of dignity • there

is something, however, so jacions in diht.•‘:overing the
,true suhcre ia which abilities may be exerted to effect,
anti so much magnanimity in at onLe subsiding to that

level which the public voice appears to•point Cut as the
.true one, that a new claim is set up by such a pro-
ceeding to our admiration and esteem. Mrs. Yates,
perceiving that the high school of tragedy is not her
forte, is therefore content to please by humbler efforts.
Her Meg Merrilles is a fine performance; and though
in a dillircnt style front that of Mrs. Egerton, the only
representative of that character in London, and from
whom tae town have formed their notions of the mys-
terious gipsey, is full of excellent and well-discrimi-
nated passages. The energy raid passion, with.. the
occasional burst of tenderness, were the touches of this
singular portrait where • the colouring was truest to
mature ; while the solemnity of mustier, and the awe
she is supposed to strike into the teholderi, were in a
great measure forgotten, or by not being marked with
-sufficient strength, failed to justify the effect produced,
and to rive the due reality to the scene. Mrs. Yates
will always rat:: a; a useful and judicious actress, and
her style must command . the attention, and occasion-
ally the admiratim of the public. - The part.of Henry
Bar:runt, was assigusd to Mr. Pync, being his first
appearance is that character. ; his gentleman's talents
as a vocal performer are by no means of the first class;
his voice is tolerable, and his execution is passable, but
in cll the higher requisites cf taste, style, and expres-
sion, he is far from being qualified to sosti.ia a le:.ding
part in our national operas. Our English school of
singing is already sufficiently low in the estimation of
hampers; but the introduction of Mr. Tyne in so
prominent a situation is likely to depress-it still lower.
Miss Mathews appeared in thu part oi. Lucy Berfren,
wad succeeded better thou v.,e expects:: ; simple airs,
lowever. sere not the style• of singing in which
tins lady most excels, ead• her expression is very in-
ferior to her.eseention. Miss Foote played Julia Man-
nerly in a manner not unplcasing. Liston- was as
atuusing as ever ; and Emery was nature itself. The •
house was well filled.

Sheritian'a master piece, The School for Scandal,
was pertintmed on Thursday night. A Mr. Farren,
from the Dublin Theatre, merle his debut befOra a Lon-
don auttience in the -Hl:tructcr of Sir Peter Teazle
He is a young man, posses-vs a good figure, an animated
• countenance, an easy depor•otent, a voice so remarkably
distinct and p4,weretil as to tit! this large Theatre with-
out the Least nimearance of ditficaley or effort ; and, ad-
ded to all this, he has a perfect acquaintance with the
stage. He so:laincd the character .with'an excellence
not witnessed .ince the dies of King the original Sir
l'eler.—lttu ploy was altogether most admirably per-
'formed, and WA: trt:uottah.;cl far repetition uu Wednesday.

Ttir. NATTONAT., Pr:MATER.

CHESHIRE ASSIZES, Aug. sl.

RIOTS AT STOt KPORT.

Jacob Hinebe for having, on the
14th July, and on divers other days, at Stockport, un-
lawfully, &c. endeavoured to 'raise and create insurrec-
tions, riots, and tumults, for disturbing the King's
peace, &c. and fur having unlawfully, wickedly, and
maliciously incited divers inhabitants of Stockport and
neighbourhood, unlawfully, riotously, and tumultuously
to assemble, to disturb the peace, &c. The second
count charged the defendant with unlawfully, mali
ciously, Bse. intending again to disturb the peace, &c.
and to cause other insurrections, &c. Two other
counts charged the offence in differeat ways.
he Attorney Galena addressed.the Jury on behalf
of the prosecution.
Mr. Cross, and Mr. Williams, were for the prisoners.
After the evidence had been gofte through to prove
the case, the substance of which is given in the Judges
charges,
The Chief Justice, in an able and impartial manner,
summed ,up the whole to the Jnry, saying, among other
thiogs,—" You find this lawless mob, proceeding to
break into a house, where some unprotected females had
fled for succour and shelter. God knows, Geotle:nen,
what might have been the result bud they succeeded
in their attempte ; the defenceless inmates w re shriek-
ing and calling fir assistaece,whilst the men who were
in the house were wpm. their knees, imploring the
protection of Heaven !--Tho object of• the mob is
clearly defined : it was to compel hlr. Gartside to-dis-
charge. his Sjzvaats, and intimidate tit on fetal working.
Gentlemen, it is impassible to look withoin apprehen-
sion at the coneequ ences Welt may resultfroln these con-
spiracies, if they he not speedily stopped. An shinning
riot has taken place, which might ,have terminated in
fetal consequences ifsthe aid of the military hail not
beca called in. Stones are brought from a distance by
boys, for the mete; to assist in the work of mischief ;
there is an union =west the wletle of • the matetfac-
tunes which is preserved by. ail.'
The Jure immediately &il the Priemer—Guilty.
Joseph baker was also fund guilty of havi 1g com-
mitted fhe same offhace, bat to a mach less degree of
Thee Chief Justice, in passing sentence, addressed the
pritemers, und observed, " there never was a case of
greater aggravation before a Court. Scarcely a year
has elapsed, when parsons in your situation, experienc-
ing distress from causes that were unavoidable, and
could not be controlled, received the prompt assistance
of the wealthy portion of the community ; and now,
when prosperity again begins to shine on the munuftte.
tures of the country, you avail yoursolf of its re-appear-
ance to extort from your masters such wages as are not
required by present. circumstances It appears from the
testimony of Mr. Gartside, that .even girls can earn
from twelve to fifteen shillinp per week—boys a so as
much, and men twenty-seven shillings per week. It
cannot be doubted, but what there is ample work for
all those inclined to honest industry ; so that a man
who has two or three children, may average a weekly
stun, far superior to what many families enjey placed:
in very different cirumstances in Ife, and infinitely
above that remuneration which is given to those who
hazard their lives in the defence of their conntry.• The
breaking into a dwelling house, with 4ntent to commit
an injury therein, is a capital ollerice, and this fact
has been proved to you. You, -I sin sorry to ohservee
have also proved, that an Englishman could be foend
base enough to threaten the seihty of a woman ; for,
at the moment when the women :mere rescued frutu their
deegtsr, they were praying tolleaven for protection
fivin your designs. Taking,. therciiee, all the cireutn
stances of your case into ceaeideration, the Court tel.
judge, that you be imprisoned nn the Common Gaol
for the Term of Three Years, and pay a Fine of One
Shilling. This sentence-is 'mercy to you;. for within
its walls you will have time to reflect and repent. on
your past depravity.
" With respect to you, Joseph Biker, there are fea.
tures in vour case not so aggravated as ire that of the
other vriemer ; but it may, perhaps, be a seasonable
caution to you, and.to others, -to know,-that in the riot
which disgraced the city of London in 1780, many
perems suffered the decadful sentence of the law, against
whom no other facts appearedi than that they wore the
cockade of the mob, or were heard shouting. If,
therefore, in the riots in which you have been engaged,
a capital offence had been conimittedon any of the days
specified, your life would now have been forfeited to the
offended laws ofyour country. The Court, dtatinguish:
ing between your case and that of the prisoner Hinch-
chile, sentence ycu to imprisonment in the Common
Gaol fbr the space of Ono Yeare and that may also
pay fine of one shilling."
On the sentence being passed, Hine-hell& appeared
deeply atfectel, and shed abundance of tears.
The Lord Biehop •of Chester, and the Viscount
Belgrave, were in Court tiering these imports ut

)uctit.

The number of foreigners who had arrived at Aix
la-Chapelle, up to the 27th August, was 1,918. The
garrison of the town is to coasiat, during the Cungres-,
of about I,OGO men.

I.IIE KING'S HcALTH.—On Sunday the following
Bulletin was exhibited at St. James's Palace:

Windsor Castle. Sept. S.
" Majesty has bxn exceedingly quiet and comfortable through
the lam month, but without any alteration in the state of Ws Ma-
jeaty's health." (Signed as usual.)

ANECDOTE OF CURRAN:" When Curren was call.
ietl to the bar he was without friends, without mimeo.
t ions, without fortune, conscious of talents far above
the mob by which he was elbowed, end cursed wits
sensibility which rendered him painfully alive to the
aturtitications he was fate,' to experience. Those who
hive risen to professional eminence, and recollect the
impediments of such s commencement—the neglect
abroad—the. power y perhaps at home—the frowns of
rivalry—the fear➢ of kiendship—the sneer at the first
essay—the prophecy that it will be the lust—iliscou.
ri.gements as to the present—forebodings' as to the fu.-
tareSD:ll3 who ere established endeavouring to crush
the chance of competition, an!! some who have Etilel
anxious fir the wretched consolation of companionship
—those who recollect the comforts of such an appren.
ticeship may duly appreciate poor Carran's situation.
After toiling for a very inadequate recompense at the
seinen, of Cork, and wearing, as he said himself, his
With almost to their stumps, he proceeded to the ma.
tro ?tills, taking for his wile anti youth• children, a mi..
ser Able lodging upon Hug Hill. Term after Term,
without either profit or pratiissional repotation; he paced
the hall of the Four Courts. Yet even thus he was
not altoge her undistinguished. If his p-icket was not
heavy, his heart was light ; he was pent; and ardent.
buoyed up not less by the consciousness of what ite felt
within, than by the encoureging'conip triian with those
who were successful anion I him, and he took his ste.

Lion among the crowl of idleits, whim) he anntsA with
his wit or Lonnzed by his el:locum Many even who
had emerged fro:n that crowd sliA not disltin occasion—
ally to glean from his amscersation the rich and yariod

treasures not fail to squatitler with the.
most unsparing prodigality ; and smile there were whi,

ilaservccl th brightncs of ilia infant luminary struz.
.gling through the obAcurity eita_cloutk.l_ its c:nninence-

Amongst t:u►? had the di%eliniination to
appraette, and tlra heart to feel fir hitu, luckily fJr

Curran, w.s Mr. Arthur Wolfe, afierward% the unfor.
tilawe bat reap .too Lord Kilward:n. The first fee
°fluty consequence which he rczei%ed was through Ms
recommendation ; and his recital of the in;:ident cannot
be without its interest to the young. 'wares innal aspic.
ant whom a temporary neglect way have sink int*
deivetiaa. I then lived,' said he, 'Ton Ilag.Hill ;
my wife and children were the chid' furniture of my

apartments ; and as to my rent, it stood pretty muchtthe
same chance of its liquidation with the national debt.
Mrs. Curran, however, was a barrister's lady, and what
was wante:l in wealth she was well determined should
be supplied by dignity. The land! may, nn the other
hand, had no idea of any gradation except that of
pounds, !, and pence. I walked out one
morning to avoid the perpetual 'altercations on the sub-
ject, with my mini, you may imagine. ia no very
•enviable temperament I fell into the Oman to whic!,
from my infancy I had been occasionally snlect.
had a family for -whom I had no dinner, and a land-
lady for whom I had no •rent. I had gene abroad in
despondence-4 returned home almost in desperation.
When i Opened the door of •my study, where Lavater
ahme could have found a library, the first object whic/It
presented itself was an immense folio brief, twenty
golden guineas wrapped up beside it, and the name of
Old Rob Lyons marked upon the back or it. I paid my
landlady—bought • a good- dinner—gave Bob Lyons a
share of it ; and that dinner was the date of my pros.
r ritvl' • Ruch-was his own exact account ofhis profes-
sional advancement. Life of Carron.

CLERILENWEI.I. ..SESSIONS.-Mr. limit Intended t1;..t..
Seasiona-hcntrg, at Clerlenwell, on Friday, in order to
try Mr. Dowling's indictment ; hut the practice of the
Court being, that if a bill is tbund, it cannot be tried
at the same Sessions, he pleaded, traversed, and entered
it first on ti to be tried the first day of next Ses-
sions, which begins the.26th -thy of Dauber.-
By a recent arrival'at Portsmouth from the river
Plate, we learn that his Majesty's ship Blossom, Capt.
Hickey, and his Majesty's ship Andromache, Captain
Shirriff, arrived at Valparaiso early in May; The
Cumberland,. mounting► 50 guns, and 4h3 men,. had
also arrived ut the above port for the Patriot service.

The following euriatts specimen of logical deduction '
misquoted by Mr. Poole, a Magistrate of Kent, at a
Maidstone meeting last week Mr. Mason boasted
that he lived in the best house in the world, and he
proved the fact thus:—he lived in England, whic4
was the best country in the world ; Kent was the best
county in England ; Maidstone wad the best town in
Knit; Stone-street. was the beat•street in Maidstone ; •
and his house was the hest house in Stone-street.

A Theatrical Fund, fur the support and relief of al
and infirm Actors and Actresses, is about -tube esta-
blished at Liverpool, upon a plan nearly similar to
those of Drory Lane and Covent Garden I hcatres.
The whole of the old cast front of the Thoatre •
is now taking down, and is to b.! re-erected, to corms-
with au: other pazt of the building.