The National Register.
London, England, 1819-04-05 00:00:00

THE IiALLINS.

.
DRURY-LANE THEATRE.--MO great is the scarcity of
dramatic genius in the present day, that the atinnuciation
of a new Play Ilebions excites any considerable 'Portion of
anxiety. lit the Augustan age of English literature. snub
an event generally attracted the attention not only of the
wits and scholars, but even of the well informed part of
the public at large, and indeed it was natural that those
who had once been delighted with the smightly sallies of
Pas getter and Congreve, should hail with pleasure a sig-
nal, which promised new streams of enjoyment from
springs already tasted; but in recent times, so tew good
Plays have been produced, that our expectations are ne-
ver raised very high, nor do we often enjoy the agreeable
surprise of finding the Piece better than we expected.
some correspondence W 14111141 in the Public Journals
had, however, procured ter the Tragedy of The Italians a
murk greater share of attention than has been anticipated
by any ails modern competitors; the author had imputed
to a celebrated Tragedian of the Jay the illiberal desire of
preventing the pee forinance of any Tragedy, in which the
whole interrat ttf fin, Piece stunild not critter in the clia-
raeter to be allotted to Himself: the Actor repelled the
charge with a 'Mild, which the public thought coarse and
acrimonious ; the subject was discussed in that plieml Seal
el criticism. the Pit, dud the clinical was tesusinated by
an apology flout the Tragedian.
Last @rostra the pc riot-mance of The Italians was ar-
ranged for, the music composed, and the scrum y painted,
when the GREAT LITTLE MAN interposed his Yele agniunt
its production ; but as considerable anxiety had store
been raised with regard to it, and the friends of the amber
exclaimed loudly, that it possessed great merit, and that
he bad not been fairly treated, the managing pow ess ut
Drury-Lane Theatre very 'amiably determined that tl.e
Play should lie performed, and the Cl4lllll Of the author
submitted to the test of public examination : it we, ac-
cordingly put into rehearsal witu great alacrity, and last
night the audience had an opportunity of judging of its
merits.

The plot, as far as its erndeness will allow its to call it
so, is briefly that /11//smso,King of Naples, by the haekiiied
means of a forged letter purporting to be hum 1.1.1401140,
nobleman of great influence, is deceived into the belief of
his treasonable intentions. This deception originates
with Manfrrdi (another nobleman jealous of Pontano's vir•
Nee, and mortified at the refusal of his slaughter, whom
he demanded in marriage) and Claudia, the • tress of
al (Tense, vs hose inveterate bate is raised by the seornfird
refusal of the lute she had proffered to Eva:ann. Under
this undeserved displeasure of his SOVel eigu, Pentane is
deprived of his right by a chemical "mailer which is
thrown into his eves by rtlaafrerti, and is thin consigned to
the care of a peasant boy, aeipia, a. hi. guide, .41banio,
another nobleman, has been banished from Naples under
the suspicion of mottle' hie his °an wife, a ho bad, in fact,
been puiguarded by Manfredi; and this gentleman talks
a great deal in the style ut a minor Coriolis/rs. There is.
an ander or love plot between "twin and Angelina; of
the former'a aneestois nothing is said, andlie thereby es-
capes the char& of degeneration, fur certainly a flatter
lover cannot be found; of the latter (the daughter of
Fantasia), we can only say, that if any merit belong to the
character, it must originate in time acts ess who wills
" Genius which, Ilse Poet left behind,
Creates an excellence it did sot find."
Its the last Art the Kiug is sondeceivi d, and earusequent•
ly embrates Fontana, Manfredi is killed by dlaanio,
who afterwards despatches Isimsdf, and we suppose the
lovers are to be made happy.
Suds is the plot, and as to the arrangement and language,
we have not been able to discover any beauty in the poetry,
yet the nut her has ex eitedsume interest in the fate of Maki'',
and arranged the plot bunch a manner as to keep alive limit
concern mail the conchs f the l'icce: the wounded feel-
ings of a noble heart small r iag under a sense of unmerited
infamy, and goaded into partial insanity by long conflated
misery, are tuletahly described; several of the incidents are
well calculated for stage elect, but there lino originality of
character if we except the youth Scipio an improvisutore,
ho is welbelieve the first of these ex temporaneuuripuets that
has been exhibited to a Ilritishaudience, and it must he con-
fessed that his poetical elusions, and his attentive kindness
to the will: wiry foetano' are likely to procure fur him a
favourable reception. In the 4th Act some generous senti-
ments of pat, iotisiii are uttered t y rtatlaue. 1 here is nothing
rental kable in the female characters...

Of the casting of the Play it would be cruelty to say any
thing—the Theatre groans under such a poverty cf. talent
that the Manager might not be to blame, but certainly the
public voice was ton itneqeivneally expressed upon Mr.
Henry Kenible's subject last night, so permit his father's
thinning hint tiny bleary, to the tniu of the Theatre, into
the lion business.
Justice demands oar eulogy of Mr. Rae—lead Ids exist
sure depended on the success of the Puree, he toned
not have done mite; bis pat t is heavy and bail, but he
worked through it must heroically. At the cone:tisk/it r
the Play a tremendous row took place, which appeared to
be in its zenith when we left the house, at past 11 o'clock;
hnt we believe tt,e Tragedy will he withdrawn—We are
sure it ought to be sir in deference to the public opinian.
Fur Mr. Kean it is a most fortunate circumstance that the
Ploy is what it is—had it hems better or feel runs 'need that
his conduct, inflated ns be is by ephemeral popularity,
would have been tile rime, and that p•trt of the piddie trho
tire" pleased they knots lint why and earestut a heft-foie.'
will find his excuse in the mediocrity of the 'fragrds ; this
i• nut•even a palliation in our estimation. The play mice
having been accepted, we must protest, on the part of the
rigain.t any servant of the Turatre interpo.inz. lit,
ideal voice, aided by his arrogance of opinion, 1111
subject 111 cheek perhaps Is s judgment was practically less
ea ancient titan it is mild have been on a Pantomime. 11 e
would in perfei I friendship remind It►. KB/411 that he stands
inn a pintiar 1., which he 11.. s reached with unequalled rapi-
dits, ;81111111;11 i. 1.10,1 ben is an abyss to which a very triae
may can i,u him for ever.

A genevalreduction in the Stafl'of the Militia is now effecting.
An order has been receives! in Bury, for the disbanding of 4
sergesnts, 4 corporals, and 4 drummers.---By this means per.
hapswintethirig may be witred towards paying the in,oont. coed
to the great Cotntuaatla-in•CllAf fie doing Lis duty to his viac,
T4bl4 falba.

109

An account of the total import of foreign and coloniai
corn, grain, meal, and flour, in real value, in each year,
from the year IBIY to the year ISIS, Loth incluaive,
into Great Britain :--

Value, as calculated at the average
near►et prices its England and Wales
Year 181‘' L.1.267,330 3 1
1813 .,192,541 3 6
lbl4 2.815,3111 4 0
181 S 793443 8 II
941,497 19 I
1811 6.403,M93 10 6
......1818 10,908.140 0 :1

A comparison of the Bulge', just presented by tht
French MiniAer of Finance, with the amount of pub—
lic burdens in this country, presents a very serious
contrast. The amount required for the service of the
year iBl9, in France, is 37.000,01)0t. Mein:ling all
etarges—the public debt, sinking fund, and support.
of the clergy. Now, assuming the population to be
f25,u04000, and the number of houses, 6,000,000,
the taxation upon every man, woman, and child, will
be f. 17 shillings, and upon every lionsel.eeper 6!. The
stun demanded in England for the service of the year,
will plobahly be 00,000,000/. which, 'opposing the
population of the United Kingdom to be 15,004000,
and the number of houses 6,000,000, produces taxation
to the amount of 41. los. upon every man, woman,
and child, and 221. upon every housekeeper. This is
an alarming and .li,heartening contrast.

Three foreigners of distinguished rank, Princes—
Dalgorneky, and Volkorisky, trout Russia, and Connt
Poniarowske, from Poland. have been on a visit to Mr.
Coke. at HOlkham, dinitnr the last week. Coming in
pursuit of agricultiiral knowledge they paid particular
attention to the llolkham farming, and were highly
itified by witnessing the superior made ia which n
conducted there under the auspices of Mr. Coke.
The public feeling has been nnnecessarily excited by a
statement entirely fonnded in falsehnod, reireeting a •
Maniac in the Kings Bench hating nearly killed a -
fellow-prisoner, liv attempting, to force a retldtot poker
down his throat.—The Maniac I • - sell' is since dead;
and the following are the particulars of the Coronet's
inquest in the King's Bench Prison :—An inquest •
was taken on Tuesday evening before Gude,
Esq. Coroner, nn the body of Thomas Foster Gunter,
described as a maniac, who died on Monday. The
Inquest afforded much interest, from the contra-
dictory reports on the so),jeet. Mr. Daniels, ar
Clergyman, proved, that being sent for, the deceased
was labouring under great remorse of conscience, 204 -
asked if he could hope for forgiveness in another
world for offences, and he was replied to in the
affirmative. Ile said he should die on being, made a
bankrupt. This Gentleman and another Clergyman
believed the prisoner to be labouring tinder a dreadful
compunction, anti that he was not insane. Steele, .
the matt WIIO sal up with the deceased, stated thk•
runner in which he laid violent hands upon himself
with the poker. Ile first told him that if he would re-
main quiet he would not kill him, hut he would kill
himself, as if he lived he should be sure to be hung. -
This witness presenter{ hint killing himself, when he
turned upon him, but did not injure bun. At cleeen
o'clock the :tire delivered the following verdict— •
" Died by the Visitation of God, front a violent af-
fection of the nervous system."
SHOCKING CIRCUMSTANCY.--•-At Bromley, Middle- •
sex, on IVednesday evening last, a labueing man, .
having a quarrel with his wile, was cutting some bread, .
when he threatened to throw the knife at her. Site
dared him to do so, anti lie put the knife down; but in •
a moment alter, irritated by some expression which
escaped her, lie threw the loaf at her with great violence.
It struck their infMit child, which was sticking at the
mother's breast, and calsad as instant death. Tne fa-
ther was taken into custody, to abide the result of a
coroner's inquest.
•

Pigeon • ;hitch —A match for •a•suni of 84:1 gui-
neas, a sweepstakes between Messrs.• Hollis, Snitch,
and George, took place on Cobham Commint, at 11
birds each. Mr.' George won the stake by killing
to birds; Messrs. Hollis and Smith killed 9 and .
Shocking Calusirophe.—Friday monting,' ;:tilx) sat
nine o'clock, the following dreadful aceititut hap..
pened to the son of Mr. Richardson, butcher, Spar-
row-corner, Rosemary-lane, a lad about 12 years of
age, having employment at the New Mint, Towor-
hill ; —going too near the steam-engine, a wheel •
belonging to some part of the machinery, drew him
in, whereby his head was so shockingly crushed that
his brains protruded, and caused instant death.—lle
now lies fur the Coroner's Inquest.
FooTr.tn BonnEuv....-On Wednesday evening, •
as Mr tNingleton, of Meard-street, Water lane, was •
returning to town, from Footscray, and having oc-
casion to call at Blackheath on his way home, he
was stopped near the end et' the lane leading out of
the Maidstone road, by three fellows, two of whom
had on sailor's jackets ; such was their audacity nt
day-light, and where the road is public. One of
them placed himself ut the head of the horse, and
the others robbed Mr. S. of his watch and .41. ROM: •
in money. The next took a bundle from the•head
of the chaise, cut the horse from the harness, and
m:vle off acrd-s the fields threatening to shout Mr. ..
S. if ae attempted to fellow.

r

1143

SURREY LENT aSSIZES.
KINGSTON. Area. t.
CROWN SIDE—NI ULMER.

Rohert I),•ati was pot to the liar this oyiritity;, cliart:rd
Mich the wilful thortlet of glary Anti Albert, a. little
girl, between four and lire yeats old, oh the !hilt eat
sober lasi, in St. George's-firtik, lay Calltillg nil. throat
with a case.kitie. The trial of this ease excited twit-cr.
sal interest, and attracted ittonetwe crowd.; at an early
hour of the morning to gain adotitt nee to the Cones,
but not tow-twentieth of the anxious throng could find
atco.nuuulauon.

The eirctons.aitees of this singular transaction having
been fully lam befine the public in th., puulication of
the Coroner's Inquest, it is not now nee, to enter
into much detail. fidlowing, tio,vever, are the
leadusg cireullislaile3 of the case :-0., Friday evening,
the I 6in day of (knitter last, in-toren 6 and o'clock,
the prisoner, who was a watch•engraver, went, as lie
had been in the habit of doing, to visit the mother of
the child, who lives near the Elephant and Castle, St.
George's-fields, and site asked hint to take tea ; whit • he
seas there he nursed and played with the child until
about :Ix or Seven, Wh: II he went away with Mrs.
Albert's brother, Williams, with whoin he was inti-
mately acquainted, and had been Id low apprentices.—
They ',weeded as fir as the Obe'isk when they sepa-
rited,and he inisoner returmll and took tut' multi :no in
into his lap, and pot his hand in his pocket to get some
halfpence,. rid sand he would Itti and buy some apples
for hit little Mary ; he then took the could up in his
arms, and asked her if she would have an apple, and
many (V tier trillithi questions, such as, tin you lose me?
du you know who lam t &c. Ile then went not with
the child, but neing absent rather long, and the her
iodingalarni,d, went out wave after went, and on going
into a court near the horse, she met the child, who
reeled towards her, and on her taking her in her arms
the blood gushed from her throat, and the child ap-
peared as in she was expitin2 ; a surgeon was sent for,
but hu tiorli were fruitless, and in about an hour it
died. flue prisoner wandered about for three or (oar
tills, and altlintegh every diligence was used to find hint,
it was illiSliCte•si'ol. At length on the morning of
Tuesday billowing, at about five o'clock, he rapped at
the door of the watch-house of Si. Andrew, Holborn,
and said his haute was Dean, and idiot he was the mur-
derer, and he was of course detained, and taken to
Giltsput-atreet Compter.
Mrs. Mary Albeit, the mother of the little girl, was
examined iu support of the above statement. When
she beheld the prisoner at the bar, she (mist into an
hysteric scream of horror, and was for a time incapable
of giving her et 'deuce, until she was relieved by a flood
of tears. The prisoner seemed es idently affected by the
agony in which she appeared to be. On her cross-ex-
amination she gave a very favourable representation of
the temper and disposition of the prisoner, and that he
was extremely find of children, and partiendirly of the
unfortunate infant who had lost her life by his act. On
the evening in question, she observed the prisoner to he
very uneasy in his mind, on account of the want of chi-
' ployment, but he spoke in a rational and collected
.1 wanner.

111 rs. Sarah Williams, the mother of the last witness,
on her cross-examination described the conduct of the
-prisoner, on the evening in question, as indicative of an
uneasy mind, arising from his distressed circumstances.
She gave the prisoner the highest character for kindness
tmher grand-daughter, and said that he had always been
on the most friendly terms with her family.
Joseph %Valiant', the brother of Mrs. Albert, deposed
to the circumstances connected scith the -dinve outline of

site case. ()it his cross-examination, he said he had
bcca fellow-apprentice with the prisoner, who had al-
ays conducted himself its 0 most filendly Manner
t,•%vartis him and his family. ores and the prisoner
had lodged together for a long time; he knew the pri-
cuter was unhappy in his mind on acemint of a young
woman with whom lie kepi company, whose father had
forbidden any further intercourse.
Jospeh Myatt, the watch-house peeper of the parish
or St. Holborn, proved, that early on the
I.orising of the 20thi October, the prisoner surrendered
himself to justice at the watch-himse. Ile appe.ared in
It state of great agitation, meting that he hail been in-
Alt;ced to surrender himself, iu consequence of his hating
heard a sermon at the Tabernacle, in Nloortields ; that
he had wandered about ever since he committed the
horrid deed. and was finable in hold out any longer.—
The prisoner was after.v..rds taken to Giltsptir-street
Cotorer, where tie begged tie initiht be allowed a Bible.
Tlse witne4s's description of the prisoner's deineannor
:at watch-lioase was strongly indicative of remorse,
Lut of amnia Intellect.
John May, a .I.olite officer of Union-hall, proved that
removed the prisoner Irmo Gil:spur-street Coniuter,
at:d, lsy• the direcsion•of the magistrate of Union-hall,
took him on the 20th of October before tile corona's
Liven, which was then s:ltisig on the body of the de-
ceased Chad. When the of in the place of sitting, the
.prisoner requested to sprat; with the witness 111 private ;
and being left itness, at the prisoner's request,
toil down the following statement in writing, as he
~pre it in his awn w(:riis:—
•-" On !Mtiy tseinnit last I.me‘ a young Mdu.named
Joseph Williams, with whoial had long been intiiiiate,
ar.3lts. Alb:rt's house, in Jacques-court, Thomas-street.
I had long been acquainted with a young woman-named
Ninth Longman, daughter of Mr. L. at the Grapes,
Church-row. Aidgate; my affection for her was ex.
(remedy great ; I had for soma title corresponded with
her. A dispute unhappily anise ; 1 wrote to her upon
'dm so, jrci, exinebsing my rivet at the uulirtuitate