The National Register.
London, England, 1817-10-13 00:00:00

CONSPIRATORS OF THE BLACK PIN.

The trial of the conspirators °retie Black Pin, was proceded
in on Tuesday the 30th alt, before the Assize Court at Paris.
About nine o'clock the Clerk delivered in the list of witnesses
for the Crown, with the list of those, amounting to 20 or 30,
that were cited by the prisoners. Charles Sionnier was ad-
mitted an evidence for the prosecution, and confirmed the
testimony he originally gave against Com retrioulio who did not
deny the declaration of Monier, exceptiug as to his adhering
to the plan lie received from the latter on the 12th of May, on
which he had consulted his bosom friend M. F. Onfresene,
who rejected it, and he himself Insult it the following day,
and destroyed the directions for the attack on Vincennes.—
The principal witness now produced for the prosecution was
are Grimaldi, a police agent, who contrived to get introduced
by Beaunder to the Loose of Bonnet, its the Rae de Renspart,
where the conspirators met, and discussed the propriety of
forming a society to liberate Preece from a foreign yoke. Bon-
net and Crouzet, two of the accused, protested with vehe-
mence against lb testimony of Grimaldi. Vie proceedingswere
resumed on Wednesday, and after a further examination of
witnesses on mutters of hiding importance, the Advocate
General addressed the Jury on the part of the prosecution.—
He entered at some length into a detail of the circuinst
which legally constituted a p,ot, and which he defined to be
a wicked design against the Government between two or
more persons. This he contended had been fully brought
home to the accused. He next reviewed the evidence as it
affected each of the prisoners, but at the same time recapitu-
lated those parts of it which he allowed to he calculated to
make a favourable impression upon the Jury.
On Thursday the Advocates of Contreinceilia and the bro-
thers Dnelos were examined ow behalf of the former. The
defence of Croutet and pusses was postponed to the fol-
lowing morning, when M. Mocand, a youug Advocate of
promising talents made a most able defence for Bonner, in
which lie contended that no circumstances had been stated to
lead any one to believe in the existence of a plot. He ana-
madverted with great severity on the conduct of Grimaldi,
the informer, whose bad moral character, he argued rendered
him a Most suspicious winess unsupported as his evidence
was by any other testimony.
M. Maiiguin, advocate of Croazet, took a rapid sketch of
the political etnithied of his client, which he asserted had been
most harmless, and successively impugned the testimony of
Grimaldi and the Commissioner ofPolice of Thoulonse, whom
lee contended hail been influenced by prejudice and hatred
against the prisoner, whose son, a lad of only 16 years of age
lie hail arrested, and sentenced to 3 months imprisonment,
because lie had traced the fuo lib of a bird upon the salad.
M. the Presideut.—What was the bird, the fusni of which
was traced un tLe floor ?

M. Mauguin.—They pretended it was an eagle. (A laugh in
Court.)
The President asked the accused and their advocates whe-
ther they had any thing to add in their defence % They an-
swered in the negative, on which the Court adjourned to the
following day.
Ou the 4th the Court met again, when the Jury after a de-
libel anion of seven hours returned a verdict of—Not °witty,

An artiele in the Hamburgh papers under date,
Switaerland Sept. 2e, says :

" A negotiation hail been commenced, and was nearly
concluded, with Mr. Planta, of the Bi 3litsenno, respect-
ing the purchase of a very fire cabinet of nattiraLlistory at
Schaffhausen, which consists of rare petreftetions, conchilia,
minerali,&e. and la the property of Mr. Amount. These ne-
gociations ate, however, brokun off, beranse the Excherpser
(or the Treasu►y) refused its• coment, and that for a reason
whirl is very strange for England, because its finances were
not in a condition to allow of such a purchase."

NAVAL AIICIUTECTURE.--.-The Eden, lately sunk u
an experiment for the cure of the dry-rot, has been
minutely surveyed to ascertain the result, which ap-
pears to answer every expectation. The. Mersey is to
undergo the MIK tretitMellt.,

DRURY-LANE.

An attempt was made by the managers of this house
two seasons ago, to revive the 06scenity of the last age.
and the attempt met with the deserved reprobation of
the public. They have now changed their ground, and
brought forward the Dulness of the same period. This
last attempt is certainly the most harmless of the two,
but we have our doubts whether it will be any jot
more productive to the treasury. The Cobkr of Pres-
ton has been followed by Cibber's Refusal: a play which
never possessed anypowerful attractions, even at the pe-
riod at which it was written, and which being Nairn:-
ed upon a subject of a wholly temporary nature, maid
not be expected to improve as it grew older,
Mr. Kean made his first appearance for the season on
Monday, in his, favourite part of Richard. Some flail-
ish friend threw a wreath upon the stage to him,
which appeared to have paralysed his efforts, for his
perfonnance throughout was tame and feeble.
The performance on Thursday evening of Otway's
deeply affectiag tragedy, Venice Preserved, laid claim
to more than ordiaary interest as it returned to the
London stage, an actor of acknowledged worth, and
gave us a debutante, in the highest department of the
drama. Mr. H. Johnston as Pierre, and Miss Camp—
bell from the Dublin theatre, were the novelties of the
night. In the play before us the poet has drawn his
characters less from fancy, than from reality. His own
breast and knowledge of human kind, added to the fire
of his genius, have marked every feature and operation
with the most perfect verisimiltude, and consequently
produced resistless effect. His principal personages.
afford, a felicitous display of the contrarieties of our
nature. The inflexible and haughty Pierre, thirsting
for vengeance against the oppressors of his country, yet
heedless of the consequences as regards the oppressed,
obdurate in his hate, daring in his caeiduet but boundless
in his confideneeand tender in his friendship. The gene-
zoos but vacillating Jaffier, bound by the most so-
lemn ties to the cause of liberty, yet seduced through
the ardour of his affection, to betray his sacred trust,
and signalizing his repentance, by self immolation ; the
virtuous and all-lovingßdoederolostbufinherhusband's
smiles, dignified,yet not superior to cunning, indignant
resentful, yet melting into kindness, and existing only
with the life of her soul's idol, presents *combination of
merits and defects of perfections and infirmities, blen-
ded with such exquisite skill and force, that to affix an
adequate idea of the author's excellence, arank next on.
ly to Shakespeare must be ascribed. It would indeed
mere that the mantle of our immortal bard, bee been
left in the hands of Otway, that his soul had participa-
ted of that fire, which gave birth tothe formeesinspira-
floe.

Mr Johnston's effort as Pierre was distinguished by
many excellencies. His look, gestures, and action,
fully identified the self-described, fine gay and bold-
faced villain," and not unfrequently reminded us of
the late Mr. Cook. Still, it must be admitted, his per-
formance was nut wholly perfect ; his action was some-
what redundant, and more equanimity in the manage-.
men of his voice had been highly desirable. Thep;
however, are merely corrigible faults sal ich may be
traced to the erroneously elevated standard of pro-
vincial requisites to which hie exertions have been so
long submitted. He is evidently a valuable acquisi—
tion to the strength of the company.
Of Mies Campbell's qualifications, we do not hesitate
to pronounce them of the first order.' She is well
formal, her countenance if not soft is interesting, and
although apparently incapable of much variety of ex-
pression, i• nevertheless intelligible and highly succes-
ful in giving effect to the delineation of strong feeling.
Her voice is powerful and naturally melodious ; but,
which, from its unacquaintance with its due regu-
lation applicable to the arena of the house, frequently
burst beyond its stieugth ; she is evidently conversant
with the business of the stage, and detailed the woes
and sufferings concomitant on Belvedere's wayward
tate with a poignancy and truth that awakened the
most lively sympathies, and found access to every
aperture of our heart. Her expostulation with Jaffler,
and reference to if, ates's conduct to Portia, united the
fullest weight of dignity and energy, and every prin-
ciple of offended and wounded pride. Her distractiou
and death were also conspicuous for the excellence of
her acting. In the tender attributes of the part, she
was .not altogether suceessfill ; her assumption, as re-
ganls these, was more demonstrative than natural.
Upon the whole, her effort is one of the must extra-
ordinary promise, and if inferior to that of Miss O'Neill,
is only so in a general sense. The romance of Regan-
tiao followed, in which, Mr. H Johnston represented
the Bravo with terrific effect.

COVENT-0 ARD RN- TriEATIE:
On Wedr.enluy Miss %Intros attempted the eharac.
ter of Piolatde, in the-Woader., If she did not come
up to that standard of 'excellence which a London au- -
diem.% expects in their part, it.must be attributed rt-
ther toles lack of /cars than lack of talent. She is a
girl of amazing promise, and only requires age to per-
ftet those lessons. which she has learnt in an excellent
school.

Pgs
THE Dltdilg;':'