The National Register.
London, England, 1817-05-05 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE -NEW COMEDY.

A new Comely entitled the Touchstone, or the
World as it goes, said to be from the pen of Mr.
Kenny,wiks Satin(lay night put-loud at this theatre.
The story of this piece, as far as we could collect it,
is nearly as fi)liows:—

Paragon (Harley), a country schoolmaster, and a
man of genius, in the ludicrous sense of the word, is
an intimate acqaaintance of Probe s (Dowton), who
happens to reside in the same village as an exhibitor
of Phantasmagoria. The piece opens with a view of
Paragon's house—Paragon and Probe drinking., and
talking over various schemes of Paragon's, who boasts
of his superior talent and intellect on all subjects.
Dinah Cropley (Miss Kelly), is the cousin and
sweetheart of Paragon, who obtains her father's (Ox-
berry) consent to marry, provided that squire Finesse
(Holland) to whom he and Dinah are tenants, or ser-
vants, it does nut appear which, has eo objection to
the match.

For this purpose (Ad Cropley and his daughter in-
troduce themselves so the Squire, who resides with his
sister (Mrs. Flarlotw ), a proud and extravagant widow lady
of fashion. They both peremptorily Muse their appro.
imtion ; and speak of Paragon as a poor despicable
wretch of no worth, and 43 WC whoa they wish to
get rid of as a 1166141)0UL

Finesse is described as a sanguine mercantile &liven.
Curer; which character he mixes up with that of a fine
gentleman. His sister, Mrs. Fairweather (Harlowe), is
fed with the most flattering expectations of increased
splendour in the stile of her living. Charles, her bre-
ther, tells her he has made a most successful xpeculatien
on the Continent, and is hourly in expectation of a let.
ter announcing the agreeable intelligence; but, alas !
the letter informs him that the person to whom he had
entrusted his all in this adventure had failed, and it
turns out that he is completely ruined. Mutual re-
proaches from these relations follow this ecelaircissement.
Almost at the same time, arrives an attorney of the
name of Circuit (Hughes), with information that Pen.
wise, a relation was dead, and had left Paragon a for-
tune of £BO,OOO. This intelligence nearly turns the
brain of the already shallow Paragon.
The second act introduces Mr. Garnish (Wallach)
an artful insinuating rascal, who, it seems, had re-
ceived, on some former occasion, certain pecuniary at-
tentions from Mrs. Fairweather; but is now somewhat
improved iu his circumstances. He, not knowing of
Finesse's reverses of fortune, makes indirect overtures
to his sister ; but Cropley, who enters in a state of in..
toxication, lets out the damning fact; and Garnish seeks
how to escape the net in which he had nearly entangled
himself This affair is, of course, managed. Plots are
then laid to get Paragon to purchase the estate of Fi.
nesse; and he, like many others suddenly raised to
opulence, easily falls into the snare. All now is obse-
quiousness towards Paragon; and a great portion of
the piece is occupied inthose sort of flatteries, delusions,
&c. which follow reverses of this nature. Garnish,
thinking this a good opportunity to serve himself, in..
troduces his sister Betty (Mrs. Alsop) to Paragon. She
has very little to do—a circumstance we regret, so
what little she had to do, was performed admirably.
The same remark will apply to the character of Probe
(Dow ton 1. Stich actors should have much to perform.
Paragon takes their flatteries for friendship, and
foolishly pardons their former insults and neglect ; but
he also, for a moment, &Not poor Dinah, who,
not having tho moat distant idea, he would prove faith.
less, reckoned herself as mistress of the Squire's man,
sion. Her disappointment may very naturally be
imagined. No character, however, suited to the talents
of Miss Kelly, should have in it any ingredients of -
despair; and it had none. Dinalehit upon the plissa,
of exciting in Paragon a feeling of jealousy; alt
writes a letter to him to this effect, and it operates ait
she intended, and as was likely it would, on sack es
mind as Paragon's.
In the mean time it is discovered by Circuit and
Probe, that a new will of Penwise's had bequeathed,
the chief part of his property to Dinah Cropley, who
was as nearly related to him as Paragon. The whole
scene again changes: and the reader will very readily
imagine the sequel. Dinah, however, remains faithful
to Paragon ; and the rest of the Dramatis Personae, not
her friends, sink into deserved contempt.
We have no room, and'atill less inclination, to enter
into any criticising on the play itself —lt has little of what
is called plot and no " under-plot" whatever. We have
mentioned the names of the :trineipal performers, and
that we think is a sufficient ealogiutn : we will not
particularize any where ; all were excellent. The piece/
was announced for repetition on Tuesday, with louder
bursts of applause than we have often heard.
Mr. Penley spoke the Prologue, and Mrs. Alsop the
Epilogue with suitable spirit. An allusion to the late
Nis. Jordan, in the latter brought tears from Mrs. A.
and unbounded approbation from the house.

COVENT-GARDEN.
A new tragedy called the .posh*, was represented=
Saturday-night at thisTheat,e. It is from the pen of Mr.
Stttet the author of Adelaide, who. bi 4 surpassed ma
this, the hopes which his first tragedy Ead awakened.
The plot of the A postale possesaed the double merit of
originality and interest. It is skilfully unravelled;
and the anxiety of the spectators kept on the rack of
su►pense, to the very last moment. The style is al-
ways appropriate, frequently energetic and enriched
with a sufficient number of highly poetical figures.
The opening of the piece rather resembles a melo-
drama, but it rises as it proceeds and becomes a legiti-
mate tragedy. Miss O'Neet's part is one, which
affords as wide a field for the exercise of her unrivalled
abilities, as any with which the works of our ancient
tragic writers lune yet supplied her. She was rest
beyond description. At the end of the finirth act, the
effect of her exertions were so powerful, that the pit
rose admist the shouts of the whole audience, and the
waving of huts, to testify their admiration. Young,
C. Keinble, and M'Cready, were equally well treated
by the author and amply repaid his kindness. Their
characters boast nearly equal prominence, and were
sustained with the most exquisite skill and the most
penverful effect. The success of this tragedy WAS de-
From the first scone to the last, it was a
uinp 'al march fur the author, and its announcement
for next Monday, was attended with a renewal of all
those enthusiastic marks of approbation, which had
been prolus.dy but justly lavished n pen ikin its course.
The Prologue and Epilogu;.', w ere ably spoken by.
Mr. Connor and Miss Booth

14^

kunitap Anutocincuto.

lIINDOO SU]

IT is become fashionable, among certain classes of
persons, who affect great liberality of sentiment on the
subject of Religious Liberty, to decry all attempts at
converting the Hiadoo Pagans to the Christian doc-
trine and practice. We are told that we have no right
to meddle with the " religious institutions," as they
.

are called, of the Hindoos ; and that we shall only
endanger our East Indian possessions by any inter-
ference with their long-established superstitions.
• We would recommend all such monxtrousty liberal-
- minded Christians to read with seriousness and candour
of mind a work recently published, entitled, " A View
of the History, Literature, and Religion of the Hin-
dus : including a minute description of their Manners
and Customs, and Translations from their principal
Works. In two volumes. By the Rev. W. Ward,
'one of the Baptist Missionaries at Serampore, Bengal."
We have often read the horrid descriptions which
have, from time to time, appeared of widows dying on
Ithe funeral piles of their deceased husbands ; the fol-
lowing is an account of a widow who perished in the
same grave with her husband: a practice, it seems, also
Very prevalent among these superstitious heathens.
"The following cirennistance took place at Gondul-para,
About 20 miles N. of Calcutta, on the 181 h of March, 1813,
and thscommunicated to the author, by Capt. Kemp, an ey e-
withess. The description is nearly in his own words On
Thursday last, at nine in the morning, Visliwitnatlin, one of
our best workmen, who had been sick bat a short time, was
brought down to ie river side to expire : fie was placed, as
is customary, on the bank, and a consultation held respecting
the the. he would die; the astrologer predicted, that his dis-
signiori was near at hand. The sick mall then immersed up
to the middle in the river, and there kept for some time ; but
death not being so near as was predicted, he was again placed
on the beach, extended at full length, and exposed to a hot
Ann, where he continued the whole of the day; excepting at
those intervals when it was supposed he was dying, whea he '
was again immersed in the sacred stream. I visited him in
the evening.; he was sensible, but had not the power of utter-
ance ; be however was able to make signs with his hand, that
he did not wish to dell* (Maim water, which they kept al- ,
most coatiinelly pouring into his mouth by means of a small
-shell. He remained in this Situation during the night : In the
!nothing the immersions commenced, and were continued at
intervals till about five in the evening, when be expired, or
was literally murdered. His wife, a young woman about six-
. tees years of age, hearing of his death,eatue to the deeper-
ate resolution of being buried alive with the corpse. She wan"'
accompanied by her •feronds down to the beads, where the
body lay, where a small blench of Mango tree was presented
to her, which (sal understood) was setting a seal to her de-
terniaatien ; from which, after haying accepted the branch,
she could not retreat. I went to her. aid quistioned her
with respect to the horrid act she was about to perform,
whether it was voluntary or from persuasion : nothing of the
'sate appeared; it was entirely her own desire. I spoke to
her relations on the heinonsaess of the crime they were guilty
of, In allowing the young cremate thus to precipitate herself
late the presence of her Creator trundled for. Mrs. K. spoke
both to the mother and the daughter a good deal, but all to nu
purpose. The mother declared. that it was her dastelitees
elmice ;alto added, that she was determined " to go the road
her husband had gone." There. ass not the least appearance
of regret observable in the mother's countenance, or conthiet.
• woman, thriven " forget her sucking child, and forsake
the child of her womb:" the prophet seemed to think it only
possible that there might .exist such a monster, but here it
was realized ; here was a uneasier of a mother, that could re-
sign her child, the fitter a gracious Providence, and design-
, ed to be the comfort and support of her old age ;—could,
without the least apparent emotion, cousign this child alive to
tube tomb; and herself continue au unmoved spectator of the
horrid decd. At eight I'. M. the corpse, accompanied by
ibis self-devoted victim, was conveyed to a place a little be-
Jow tier greands, where I repaired, to behold the perpetra•
tics of a•cri Ile which I could scarcely believe possible to
.be counnitted by any himum being. The corpse mos bid on
t seearth by the river till a circular grave of about fifteen
lest iteeircureference, and five or six feet deep was prepay
-id; and was then (after some formulas had been read)
:placed at the bottom of the gnaw in a sitting posture. with
the face to the N. the nearest citation applying a lighted
wisp of straw to the top of the bead. Ihe young widow now
came forward, and haviug eircurnamisidated the grave seven
times, calling eat Hume Ruh! /three OW! in which she was
joined by the surrounding crowd, descended into it. I then
approached within a foot of the grave. to observe•if any re-
luctance appeared in her countenance, or sorrow in that of
her relations: in hers no alteration was perceptib:e ; iu
theirs, there was the appearance of exultation. She placed
herself in a sitting posture, with her face to the back of her
husband, embracing the corpse. with her helm arm, and
reclin-
Ing her bead on his shoulders; the other hand she placed
over her head, with her forefinger erect, which she moved in
as circular direction. The earth was then deliberately put
• round them, two rues being in the grave for the purpose of
stamping it round the living and the dead, which they did as
a gardener does around a plant newly.Sransplanted, till the
earth rose to a level With" the surface, or two air three feet
above the held: of the entombed. As her head was covered
Seine time before the finger ofker right hand, I had an oppor-
tunity of oh...erring whether any regret was manifested ; but
the finger moved routed is the same manner as at first, till the
earth closed the scene. Not a parting tear was observed to
be shed by env of her relations, till the crowd began to dis-
perse, when the usual thurentatious and lambi asommeuced,
without sorrow:

It is difficult, nays Mr. Ward, to form an estimate of
the anntad number of FEndoos who peril& annually,
the victims of superstition. He offers, as a conjecture,
as correct as possible, the following statement :
" Widows hnrnt alive on the inner:ll pile
" Pilgrims perishing on the roads, and at sacred
places 4OOO
" Persons drowning thetwelres in the Ganges, or
burled or Limit aiiic.. .