The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-11-14 00:00:00

THEATRES.

DRURY-LANE.
Last night was revived the Comedy of Lore
Makes a Man or, The Fop's Fortune. The Se.
lectson of this play for revival was a very unfortu-
nate one, and we are miller at a loss to conceive
what motives could have led to it. It is certain
that it is devoid of almost every quality that can re-
commend a dramatic production. The story, frosn
beginning to end, is at variance with any appear-
once of probability ; the incidents are so strange,
and, coming so thickly, so far beyond the reach of
common experience. that the actors in such extra-
ordinary 'crises cease to excite any interest or
sympathy. in one play. and that a comedy, we
have a combat between a pair of brothers, a duel,
a threatened strangling. and a shipa reek —not to
mention the minor train of " hair-breath 'scopes
and moving accidents." This extravagance in the
plot is not redeemed by strength of colouring or
consistency in the character., wit in the language,
or humour in the dialogue; but, least of all, can
this play pretend to render its spectator's wiser or
better, or to leave one piece of moral iiistructiou
on the mind —on the contrary, it *hounds not only
with single words, but *hole sentences, calculated
to put modesty to the blush, and, in one at least of
its occurs, vice is dressed out in a bevy alluring
attire. The play, iu short, is a tissue of ienproba-
bility, insipidity, and (tenth obliges us to add) in-
delicacy. Its own flatness and dulness, however,
were helped out by some excellent acting. and it
was tolerably well received.
Mrs. WEST performed Angelina with great deli-
cacy mid feeling. Mr. PEN LEY rendered (Indio,
the fop. what lie certainly is not himself, a very
amusing personage. The perpetual motion" of
his limb., sod whiffling activity of his body, were
most appropriate accotnpaiiiments of that inanity of
intellect. and nothingness or character, which is the
most essential attribute of the respectable species
he represented. His constant attention to, and ad-
jostnieist of, the little parts of his dress, added to
the incessant affected use of Isis snuff-box sod eye-
glass, would in common life immediately point nut
a foolish and impertinent coxcomb. Mr. PEN LET
also delivered lets share of the dialogue with a
conceited air. and glib careless manner, perfectly
in character. His performance was deserving
of very high praise; and, with Mr. MUNDEN'S
Una Lewis. relieved the piece of much of its in-
trinsic heaviness. One could scarcely conceive that
the latter part was capable of no mulch importance,
oddity, and humour, as it assumed in. Mr. Aliqt-
DEN', hands. The honest, }food-natured tone of
Mr. MI:EDENS voice expressed all the warns kind-
ness of //on / saris. and the strength of Its Wee-
bon for his uepliew, while his hand* and atirtfcame
instinctively to the assistance of his easily irritated
temper. Ilia acting drew forth a continual laugh.
Mr. H. KENBLE delivered the sentimental speeches
of the book-worm Carlos with becoming gravity.
Mr. WATKINIMN was sufficiently positive and testy
iu Gharino. Sancho was played very judiciously by
Mr. COWELL.

COVENT-GARDCN.

The tragedy of Adelgitha was last night per-
formed... awl, excellently supported as it was, com-
moulded inueli praise.
.4 new afterpiece, entitled Si: Physicians, or
The Patient carried off, followed, and woe received
with shonte of dis-approbation. It is a very poor
attempt, to externd to three individuals that degree
of character, which had, in other dramas, been cor..
fined to one. Ili this piece a Gentleman is eni -
mewed of a yomig Lady. and the Lady is assailed
by her Guardian; the Guardian has, to accomplish
his purpose. endeavoured to make her believe she is
ill, for a considerable time. To carry on his scheme.
he orders three doctors to attend. They arrive;
but the lover, his servant, and his uncle, by means
of a cumiing servant, clothe the physicians in garbs
quite emulate to their profession, while they pro-
ceed to the Guardian. in the character of phy-
sicians. The Lady, of course. comes its contact
with her lorer, lie being disguised, and agrees to
all his prescriptions. The piece ends with a gene-
ral reconciliation of the parties. Under circum-
stances of success, we would willingly enter into a
full description and delineation of a drama. The
present was, however, so ill received, that it is
unlikely again to be brought before the public. We
may therefore be excused if we dignms it, tidying. that
the performers did their utmost to esippoi t it; but,
corkish as they were, they could not buoy up such
an iuimetise mass of brick and mortar!

From a late description of a fugitive young
lady. her friends hoped that they hid traced her to
11 certain house in the vicinity of Russell-squire;
hot. nn inquiry. it proved a mistake. and that the
presumed lair one was the master. a first-rate
Dandy, who was seen at the window lacing his
stays.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE is now on his way
to Ireland. The Noble Lord's rental in that coun•
try 14 little sl►ort of forty thousand pounds per
annum.

The dramatic veteran, " Gentleman SMITII,"
who is now in the 90th year of los age. is still
living at his hiemirlie rebideuce. near Bury, in Suf-
folk, and coin) s t..lerable health and good spirits,
hut has not visited the Theatre for some tune past.
Dining Miss O'NEILL', last professional trip to
Bury, he expressed a wish to be personally intro.
(timed to her, winch he was, by Mr. BELLANIY,
the Manager, and the iaterview was highly pleasing
to both parties.
The tine...tat/of Clierden. on the banks of the
Thames, on the road Irons Taplow to ilad.or, with
the site of the ancient mansion and two entire wings,
came under the hammer of Arr. Squints, on Thurs-
day, at his Great Room. in Savile-row, and was
knocked down for the 1111111 of thirty-Nine thousand
fire hundred pounds.
The regiment, winch has been quartered in
Wiiierfoid for seine time, is speedily to proceed to
Ginaitai.

DOWAGER COUNTESS OF DUNMORE.

Died on Wednesday. ate very advanced age, at
Southwood House, near Ramsgate, Charlotte,
Dowager Countess of Dunmore. Der Ladyship
was a daughter of Alexander. seventh Earl of Gal-
loway, and was married the 21st of February, 1759,
to John, fifth Esrl of Dunmore, who died in March,
1809, and by whom she had five sous nod four
daughters, itieltiklikkg George, the present Earl of
Dunmore ; Augusta, now ',Ay A ogittita D'Aineko,4l,
oicirric,l :it lt April 4, 1793, to Isis Royal
ness the I hike oil So.sex, and •, 1793,
at St. George's, Hanover-square, Loudon, hu•h
marriage was declared null and void, by the Prero-
gative Court, in I;94; and N'irl,,inka, born in V r.
Orris, told rimmed after it at the request of the
Counsel and Assembly of Virginia, of which his
Lordship, her father, was then Governor.

IFORCESTER3IIIIIE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The hireling of this S,eiett, usually held in October, took
place on Thursday last, at the Star and Garter Hotel, while
it capital dnn,er was provided, and at which Sir Autliony
Leehmere, flart. Lividly officiated as Chairman, in the mons
of Thomas llornyold, Esq. absent, we are sorry to learn,
from indispoaitiou. The animals brought for ambito' ion
were previonsly inspected in the field appropriated for
purpose, and the greater part of them attracted the sdmir.,.
tinn of a law party of agriculturists, After the removal
Mc cloth, Mr. JAW, Ashdown Mr. John Raysnabaw, and Mr.
Wm. Pratt, the Writ, awarded the prizes as follow :
The best yearling bull, the best two.year.old bull, the br-r
pair of yearliag heifers, the best two.year-old heifer, the best
pair of steers, the best fat cow, the beat boar under twelve
months old, and the best sow, all to Mr. John Prier TM,
lint hull above two years old to Mr. W. Walker, of Button.
The best pen of ten fine-woolled these's, and the hest pen of
five fine-swooned yearling wethent, each to Sir Anthony Lech.
mere, Bart. The best pen of five long-swooned theasea, the
best pen of five long-woolled washers, and the best hoar,
each to ?dr. Moore, of Colton. And the best gels, under
twelve months old, to Mr. John Masan.
The jades, in frisking their awards, expressed their ea-
, Winne gratification at Dyeing two four-yesr.olil oxen, bc.
longing to and bred by Mr. John Price, fed upon grass owl
vegetables only, which they considered the beat of their age
...Ter exhibited.

The premium for the best variety of the apple raised
from mitt, was awarded to William Law Phelps, EN9. of
Eyesham.
Earl Beauchamp Is the appointed Chairman for the next
meeting, to be held in Jame.

tilE OLYMPIC THEATRE.

boring the Improiements at this Theatre, in accident or:
rimed, which ■lthougb unattended by fatal consitieures, is
a very serious injury to the proprietor. dinongst other or
'temente, Mr. Elliston purchased an elegant cot-glass chan-
delier, value 3501. which was intended to he suspended front
the ceiling over the Pit. It was with great labour and care
put up, and all the men had withdrawn (Very fortunately!
to pursue their avocations in another part of the how*,
when from some defect in the ikon-wink by which the lis.tir
was suspended, the handle broke, and the whole fell into the
Pit with a dreadful crash. It is nnarcessary to mete, that
the chandelier was acuity all betoken to pieces. it tins Levu
since repaired, and every pretaution taken to prertut the
recurrence of such se accident.

PUtIILISM EXTRAORDINARY
OA, A TUATIr•UIi MILTWIEN RICIUKOND TIM BLACK, AND
CARTER, TKK LENCASKIRIE HERO.

Tilt latter boxer (who styles hitnaelf the Champion of
England) is lately 'climbed from My tour on the Continent,
and, it should seem, was so inflaftd and puffed op with
conceit from the applause be had met with from the great
melts at Aix.la-Chapelle, that he annoyed every company
he went into with his pelf-praise, and his challenge to fight
ney man is lb. world. This conduct, it appears, was carried
to such esteem en Thursday evening last, at a micel house
in the neighboarhood of Chancery-lame, where Richmond was
present, that some broad hints were given of putting bin,
out of the room. The bare thought of this sort of degrade-
lion raised Carter's choler to a great height, had being what
is shingly termed lathy, a tstru-up ultimately was the conse-
quence between him and the Man of Colour in the yard he.
lunging to the house.
lo the course of three or four rather bustling rounds, the
Lancashire hero could not make any play, hut bad the worst
of it ; and Richmond with one of his desperate right-handed
hits (for which he is so distinguished io the ring), planted
so successfully upon the upper works of Carter, which nut
only chanceried him, brought furtb the claret, bat floored
the milling hero of Aix.la.Chapelle, with all the cele-
rity of a abut. The skirmish was over, sod Carter
retired, not covered with glary, but something more
like scespisig over the stupidity of the frame, and the
folly of intemperance, while Richmond returned with all the
won-chaltume possible, to finish the evening over his sober
Aeavpsret. His right hand was rather damaged from the
force of the blow. The tmoversation for the night was mill-
int, and the heroes of the nog. The old champion, Cribb, it
is said, will fight the new one, but fur not his a sum than
SOO guineas aside.

A meeting of new Renters of Drury-lane Theatre
was held en Thursday, iu the Saloon, to receive the
Report of the Committee, appointed by a General
Meeting of their body, on the 14th June, 1816.
The Report having been read, the Meeting pro-
ceeded to elect Sir THOMAS TURTON and Mr. FAL-
LOWFIILD trustees, in the room of Messrs. Hour,
✓um and GRAHAM, resigned.—Mr. G. ROBINS, in
• speech of some length, dwelt upon the deinevved
state of the Theatre, the nightly receipts of which,
he said, did not at present cover the expenses.
Slit SAMUEL ROMILLT.The remains of this
distinguished and lamented man passed through
this city on Monday • the cavalcade consisted of
several outriders, a hearse and six, and a couch
and six, with the butler only • the body lay or
Bromyard on Monday night, and was expected Ito
reach Knill, near Presteign, yesterday evening.
The remains of Lady Romtl.LT arrived at Gloms,
ter on Wedueseay last, and next morning inncerdeil
for Kalil, but the interment has been delayrd 11,--
0 the arrival of Sir SAMUEL'S remains: the finienil
was expected to take place this day.—( flierrestrr
Jowled, Nov. IL)

The nautical instruments used in the voyage of
Captain BUCHAN towards the North Pole woe o❑
Thursday landed at Whitehall-stairs, and con-
veyed to the Admiralty-office.
It is pe►haps unknown even to the commercial
world, that two vessels at least are completely Wen
annually on the coast of Hampshire, near 1-yining
ton, with a fine red gravel, for the purpose of bop-
plying the metroplis with that article, to strew on
the bottom of bird-cages. This, like other Balder
of trade, has frequently had a considerable rise, of
consequence of the supply not equalling the col-
sumption.

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