The National Register.
London, England, 1816-08-11 00:00:00

ENGLISH OPERA,

A new Operetta, in one Act (another Plant from that
productive soil the French Stage), was on Monday
night produced at this Theatre, under the English title
of Old Customs ; or, Nem Year's GO.

- -
The plot is very trifling, and yet forms the basis of a very pleasing
superstructure. Mr. Mel: ilk, a rich uncle (Mr. BARTLE Y), has
fallen in love with Miss Velour, his nephew's mistress (M iss L.
KELLY), and has obtained the consent of her father (Mr. W. S. ('II AY.
TERLY) to marry her. In order to secure the execution of his pur-
pose, he banishes his nephew (Mr. WRLNTB) from his presence, and
enters into an engagement with the young lady's father; by which, who-
soever retracts, is to forfeit sisal Such is the -tare of affairs when the
Rieee opens, on a Christmas morning, by tile solicitations of the Uncle's
footman to obtain Christmas boxes. The nephew steals in and leaves a
Comedy of his own composition. as an offering to his irritated relative ;
with a letter from his mistress to the same Gentleman, informing hint,
that lie will find in a basket containing presents of the season, which she
has prepared for him, a secret packet which she entrusts to his care, and
on which the happiness of her life depends. This, it is explained, is
the correspondence which has taken place between her and her lover,
and which she hopes will induce 3 r. 3Liville not to press his own
suit. The basket is brought during his absence; and immediately
after, the servant's mother talrs.Guovrsuximes to see her son, bring-
ing his little sister, a baby, with her. She leaves the child in his arms,
while she makes some other call. In a short time, it falls asleep, and
the embarrassed footman can tind no other bed for it than Miss Bekaa r's
basket, which remains still unvisited. His toaster returns; and having
read the young lady's letter, hastens to the basket to examine the packet
which it announces. Ile finds the child, and naturally conceives that
it is the important trust which she commits to his care. After some
contention with himself, he resolves to make the lovers ultimately
happy ; and when the young. Ldy arrives with her father, a conver-
sation occurs between them,filled with equivoques, which convulsed the
audience with laughter, but approached rather clJser to indelicacy than
any which modern authors have ventured to introduce on our stage;
the nephew forces his way into the house, and a new series of cquivoptes
arises from the questions which he puts respecting the " banding of his
brains," which the Uncle finds too substantial for an intellectual pro-
duction. At last, however, he gives up the lady, to whom he r, nuts
the bond, conveying the penalty ; her h alter fidlows his example, and
all seems likely to conclude happily, when he reveals the pretended se-
cret of the lov, ra, and produces tha child. The Nephew is thunder-
Finnic, the young Lady indignant, and her Father furious. Bat the
real mother Mrtunately returns, and all is explained and amicably
.settled.

Out of these materials the Translator (Mr. Beasely)
has produced a piece highly laughable. The Performers
exerted themselves to tile utmost, and were well received
throughout. There is some pretty music hi it, composed
by Mr. M Ci;rri ; and the piece was gik en out for repe-
tition without a single dissentient voice.
During the periiirmance of Old Cqstmns at this Theatre
last Thursday night, the aucheule were annoyed by a
single individual in the Pit, who dose to express his dis-
approbation in a noi,y manner. At the close of the
piece, Mr. Hartley (at whom the :rreatest portion of abuse
was levelled) pointed out to a friend the person who had
amused himself and disturbed the house. This being
noticed by a party around the young Gentleman, Mr. B.
was assailed on his re-appearance in the Maid and the
Magpie, With a peremptory call for an apology. Mr.
Hartley immediately male forward, and said—
" That if an apoi .gry was eal;,d for by the aur:eure, sit aced
as he was, in the .;sable capacits of Stace A.rnager and Per-
former, be should cheerfully iezkrowledec any error in 4 1)(11i.
We to their coin..:Ands ; bai be.ng called try a an:., c

AUGUST

person, who had only distinguished himself by his annoyance to
the puulic, must decidedly against what might be other iseicalltd
unanimMts approbation, he ft It, that if any apology vas due, it
was trout the person who Low called upon him : that it snore
was required, he should he most happy to meet the tientlemon,
or any rated of his, at the con.:lnsion of the entertainment ;and
endrd by saying Further than this no man can a Farther
than this no ma:, ought Ingo—Further than this will not go !"
The Address was frequently intemtpted by cries of
"r turn hint out," " name Lim:" and shouts of " bravo ;"
and on making his bow to the audience, Mr. Bartley was
cheered repeatedly by their unanimous applause.

The l)ul:e and Duchess of Gloucester honoured this
Theatre on Friday night with their presence, to witness
the performances of T 1 a Siege of _Belgrade, and The
Maid and the Magpie. On their entree they were
greeted w►th rapturous and reiterated bursts of applause,
which they returned in a manner the most of able,
elegant, and gratifying. The house boasted an elegant
display of fashion:ll)les. At the conclusion of the Play.
as well as at the entrance of the Royal Pair, " God sane
the Kilg" was sung bp the vocal strength of the Cont.
puny, and loudly chortissed by the whole of the auditory.
The tollowing additional verse, written by Mr. Arnold,.
was greatly applauded:—

Lung may the Royal Line,
Proud Star of Brunswick shine;
While thus we sine,
Joy may the Daughter share.
Bless'd by a Nation's pro) es-,
Bless'd be the Royal Pair;
God save the King.

It was announced that Mr. Incicdon was engaged for
a few nights at this Theatre, previous to his quitting the
country tin- America; and that he would make his first
appearance on Tuesday next, in the charactez of Artaba-
nes, in the Opera of Artaxerxes.

Miss Merry has been engaged for three years at Drury.
lane Theatre, as thiprincipal singer.
Miss S. Booth, while pertiaming the character of .4n.
wile, in The Maid and the Magpie, tbr her own benefit,
at the Plymouth Theatre, overcome by her feelings,
fainted in reality, and was removed senseless from the
stage, and the curtain dropped amidst shouts of approba-
tion and regret.
Ineledon, whom some of the London Papers have fixed
at Paris, performed on Thursday at the Birmingham
Theatre; and, after singing a number of his most popular
songs, addressed the audience, stating, that in all proba•
bility it would be the last time he would ever appear be-
fore them, as he was about to proceed to America ; as it
was impossible for him to obtain employment at either of
the London NVinter Theatres, without submitting to " a
species of degradation unworthy a man, and disgraceful
to a Briton."

The Duke of Wellington is making the most of his
short stay in this country : he goes about from place to
place with his characteristic activity. On Thursday
se'nnight he came to town from Cheltenham ; un Friday
he went to Hatfield; on Saturday he returned to Lon-
don; Tuesday he proceeded again to Hatfield, to be at a
ball given by the Marchioness of Salisbury ; NVedausday,
his Grace went to Wanstead House, to be present at the
christening of Mr. Long Wellesley's second son, on which
occasion a grand entertainment was given.—The Duke
and Duchess arrived at eleven, and at twelve o'clock the
ceremony of baptism was performed by the Rev. Mr.
Gilley, Rector of Wanstead. The sponsors were Lord
Fitzroy Somerset and the Marquis of Worcester. Tho
former being absent, Mr. Wellesley stood for his Lordship.
At one o'clock waltzing and country dances commenced,
and at half-past two the company sat down to the ban-
quet. Every cover was of massive silver. Two rooms
were appropriatd—in the grand hall 144 sat down, in
the saloon adjoining '2BO. The Duke of Wellington re-
tired before supper ; his Grace set off post for town.
Dancing re-commenced at three, and did not conclude
till nearly seven in the morning. The Duches of Wel-
lington stayed until the party broke up. A great number
of fashionubles from London, and all the genteel fa-
milies for twenty miles round, were present.— Thurs-
day the Lord Mayor gave a grand dinner to the Duke
of Wellington, for the purpose of presenting to
him the resolutions unanimously voted by the Court
of Common Council for the victory of Waterloo.
There were present, on this occasion, amongst other
distinguished persons, the Dukes of Kent taut Sussex,
Earl Darnley, Lord Erskine, and Lord Clifton, Alder-
men, &c. &c.
The following incidents, which occurred to the Duke
of Wellington, on his recent visit to Bristol, hear ho-
nourable testimony to the benevolence cf his disposition:
A Mr. Tripp, a respectable butelier, with his sou, a lad
about nine yea's of age, were both on one horse; the son, in
the hurry and coutashin of the moment, was apparently in
great hazard of being thrown. when the Duke starting up,
caught the child in his arms, took him into ills no n enrriage,
and shitiug the remainder of the procession rntieied him to
stand behind with his valet. A soldier had pre.st-1 tin ough
the crowd, and ut the doOr of the carriage begged permission
to slial,e hands the limo, a pri% liege he claimed flout
having been his companion in arms. " A Imtil day you mid
Me had of it, your honour, this day seven y ears!"—" Wltree
was that my lad ?"--" At Talavera, your hommr."---Ah! I bud
gime forgotten; it was the of July awl to whot rep-
went did you belongs" asked the Doke. •"lit the td et..trdk,''
replied the soldier. " And aby are yen absent tout dr"—
. ok at my shoulder, your honour," said the seldic r-• 6e hod
his arm in his country's cause. The Dukr ic.medtately
i;;.‘c Lou a pound mac.

ATTGUST 11.

CONSP/ RAMS.

The Commissioners appointed by the Secretary of State for
the Department, to investigate the charges of conspiracy,
are, Mr. Ileck,ttt, the Under Si cretary of State for the Home
Department. Sir N. Conant, Mr. Nitres, and Mr. Baker, one
of the Magistrates belonging to Marlborough-street. They
have sat daily since Tuesday. at the Secretary of State's Office.
We understand the case which has occurred to the Commis.
'loners as the most serious, is that of Ben Johnsou, who, it ap-
pears, prompted and assisted young Baxter in breaking oleo
the boast. of Mr. Snowsbill, in Gray's Inn lane, on the Sunday
afternoon, two years since : and fur which Baxter was trans-
ported A considerable light has been thrown upon this trans-
action, and what will tend very materially to confirm anything
that may have bean said upon the subject by the companions of
Ben Johnson in the transaction.
An anonymous communication sent to Bow•street, and sight
ed " Justitia," has le•.; to a discovery of a connection of II fs
Johnson, in urrrespect connected with the Public Other, Bow-
street, ur the Police Officers. This man turns out to babe
b- en Emmert./ employed as a porter in the warehouse of a re-
spectable army-accoutrement maker in Piccadilly, previous to
his getting emoloyed as a path i After he Irad accomplished
this engagement, he was in Oh of calling at the ware
house, sad relating to his tat" fellow servants his different ad
ventures in his pursuit of and apprehension of robbers and
other offenders. Some of them appeared very marvellous;
but that which seemed the most so, was the breaking (Teo
and robbery of Mr. Snowabill's house, la Gray's Inn-lane;
wherein he avowed his sending hack into the house Baxter to
procure property, and that he actually furnished Baxter with
false keys to open the drawers and poxes, pretending to be a
thief till lie got the property, and then told Baxter he was his
prisoner. This a armed to be such an extraordinary Liam'
tive, that Messrs. Lades and Nettleton, the two foremen in
Messrs. Hawkcs anti Co's manufactory, paid partie!ilar atteu
thin to it ; and it made such it:l impression upon eteir minds,
that it is perfectly in their recollection, and they are enabled to
relate the whole in a very particular and minute manner; yet,
extraordinary to relate, this very else is that which gained
Ben Johnson the ap clause and aiiprobation of the Court at th-•
Old Bailey, his conduct appeariug in a very different light
then.

ESCAPE AND RECAPTURE OF BROCK, AN ACCOMPLICE WITH
VAUGHAN, TIIE OFFICE“.—HrOcE, whose name in••st be fresh
in the rccollectim of -IR ftraders as an accomdice witn
Vaughan, the 139%5-street Officer, made his escape from an
upper window on Thursday morning, in front of Ginvur-
strect Compter. Ili% Ili::lit was observed by a butcher's (my,
who immediately rang the alarm bell at the prison door, and
commuaicated the circumstance ; on which information was
without loss of time given to the City and other Officers ; when,
fortunately, one of the former traced the fugitive to the iodg-
ings of his %vire, in Unary-lane, where he apprehended tam,
and safely conducted isi:u back to hi: oil quartt-:s.
. _

The Lord Mayor was on Friday se'nnight not a little surprised at a
new circumstance whi At occurred in the course of a private examination,
held at Mr. Newman's house is the Old Bailey, upon the subject of the
Conspiracy. When the two Barrys were confronted with the three
Irishmen, Quin, Donnelly, and Reardon, the three latter refused to
make any statement of what took place between them and the conspira-
tors. Such a refusal naturally excited great astonishment and confu-
sion. The Irish interpreter was called, in order that his Lordship might
be put in possession of the cams of their silence, when they were soli-
cited to disclose all they knew upon oath. At length it was ascertained,
that they had sworn not to reveal a word of what they were directed to
do upon the day they were set to work at the pieces of metal. It was
in vain that they were assured of the invalidity of the oath. They told
the interpreter, that it was in black and white against them ; and that
they never would say a word about the men who employed them, ex-
cept they received absolution from the Priest. The elder Barry here
interfered, and said, that when the three Irishmen were brought into
the room where they were apprehended, one of his companions, named
Power, produced a Roman Catholic Prayerbonk, and administered an
oath to each of them, by which they were pledged to keep secret the
circumstance of their employment, and every thing connected with it.—
He added, that they said that they sat down to work without appearing
to have the slightest knowledge of any thing criminal being attached to
their labour ; they began to rub away with as much effort, hut as little
apprehension, as if they had been at their usual occupation of paving.—
Power obliged them to put their mark to a piece of paper, which, he
said, was their affidavit before the Virgin M'ary. As soon as the cere-
mony of the oath was over, Barry and his son went forsome coffee ; and,
us the three poor fellows frequently complained of hunger and thirst,
brought them two twopenny loaves, and five quarts of coffee, which
they disposed of in a very short time.—Barry's son corroborated most of
this statement, having been present when the oath was administered,
and observed the activity with which the Irishmen set to work when
they were told that their bellies should be filled. The Lord Mayor
ordered the attendance of the Roman Catholic Priest on a future day.
The Rev. Mr. Devereux next day attended; when, according to the
firms of the Romish Church, they were absolved. So eager were they
then to clear themselves from any criminal intention, that they all
spoke at once. Ibis Lordship patiently heard them for four or five
hours, and then ordered the two Barrys to be brought in. This excited
considerable alarm in the Irishmen, who imagined they were again to
be loaded with the heavy convict-irons ; but this alarm totally subsided
on the two Barrys being removed. We learn they made a full disclo-
ewe to his Lordship ot many interesting particulars in this nefarious
business.
Mr. Newman informed the Lord Mavor. that lie hail received many
letters emit:lining inclosures to defray the ex erases of the prosecution
ugainst the conspirators, and directions that the overplus of each share
should be given to the three Irishmen.
The following is the final examination of Brock and Pelham.
The two Barrys were admitted as King's evidence. Brock was
asked whether his solicitor was ready, to which an answer in the nega-
tive was given. Iv wished much for the presence of the solicitor of
the Mint; but when his object was inquired, it amounted to nothing.
The Lord Mayor expressed a wish that be would have som? advice,
'f it was for no other purpose than that at preventing his askieg ques-
tions end to eking admissions cal:ulated to injure him. Ile men in-
fonned the two pawners, that the charge against them was that of
•• aiding and abetting in coining."
Mr. Nobler, Chief Clerk, read the depositions of all the witnesses
who had been publicly and privately examined upon this case; from
which it appeared that the two Barrys were induced by the original
eonspir.uors to give th:•ir assistance in the plan against the Irishmen.
The elder Barry was in the deepest poverty, when he met a man called
Power, who told him there was a way of making money that would do
for them both. Under the impression of getting something to satiety
nature, Earry went with the parties to a public-house, where they
drank gin preparatory to the divulgement of the secret. It was then
proposed to Barry to try to find any one who could he prevailed upon
to break a pane of glass. Barry said that lie senuld have nothing to do
with that kind of profit. Not discomfited by this refusal, they :eke"
Barry whether he could not get somebody to flash 3s. pieces. After
nue prevailing arguments. Barry became an accomplice in the plot.
'they immediately set to work, and faund at the corner ot a street two per..
sons who 'warned just fit for their operations. Quin and Reardon were
iooking about for a lob; Power and Barry were selected to hire them
for the job. The poor Irishmen instantly bounced at the invitation to
work, and followed their employers to a public-house, by their com-
mand, where porter was given them to keep up their spirits. Power
then administered an oath, which he told Barmy would be binding
upon them. He made them kiss a printed paper, and cross them-
Ulm, and then (Wary that they would itOYCI say a word of villat they