The National Register.
London, England, 1822-02-17 00:00:00

COVENT GARDEN THEATRE.

—sow—
We have recorded our regret that the perverted taste of the
town will allow the performance of the best of Shakspeam's
plays to take place before empty-benches, while a Melo Draw,
or any splendid exhibition, will fill thehouse to a certainty—such,
however, being the case the Proprietors are right in conforming
their arrangements to the vitiation, and on Thursday night they
produced a new Operatic Drama, in three acts, called llfoitThac
or the Children of the Mist, for the first time. It is founded
upon one of the celebrated Scotch novels. The principal interest
of the piece arises front the famous contests in which the Earl of
Montrose and the Marquis of Argyle are enraged to opi.usition
to each other. The Earl is induced to send eneCoptain Dap fly,
to request a truce. The Captain, instead of being rec.:lied-as an
ambassador, is confined in d dungeon, where he falls over another
I prisoner, and finds that his fellow lolger is one of the boldett
partisans of his master. While they are engaged in conversation
toe Min vii* of Argyle enters in disguise at a private door, aael
afters both liberty upon vile contlitioas. The Captain knows
through his disguise, and seising him by the throat, swears that
death shall be the consequence of resistance. The Marquis attee
having given the two prisoners the means of escaping efatuany,
is stripped of his cloak by them and double ironed in the prig ri,
where he is left. As soon as the Marquis is relea-sed from the
awkward situation, a pursuit is commenced, anti a desperate bat •
tie is fought which ends in the defeuat of the pureuers. :he
piece dramatised adheres as closely as possible to the text of 7:to
the novel. Sonic of the scenes arc so amusing as almost to make
us regret that the action should be interrupted by a song; bat
taking the drama altogether, mus.c may be said to be ;ntlispen-
sably necessary. Captain y, a character played by Liston,
was by far the most effective in the piece. and it was played with
mach humour by that admirable comedian. who was particularly
successful in the scene with the Mud-pis of.-Irgylt• in the prison,
as well as hi that in which he is a•oureel tnat he shall be hang:.l
by the neck and decapitated. Abbot, Connor, and Yates, were
allotted parts in which they had opportunities of chewing their
skiU ; and Mrs. Faucit shone in a sort of Amazon, the wire of
the fellow prisoner of the Captain. Miss Stephens had more to
sing than to say, and she did so to the delight of the house. 1 t
is but justice to say that in the first song she astonished the dt.i.
thence with one of the most enchanting pieces of titeLxiy we have
ever heard. It is, like most of the tones, set to a Scotch air,
but it is more simple, and better adapted to the charming laboars
of this exquisite singer, than any of the rest. So decided was
the success of this piece, aided Ls it is by the beamiral smcl
of horses, that the Theatre has overti 'wed every night sime, e:::1
the bills announce that 6* it will be acted every everalg
further no..ce."

A petition, signed by upwards of 130 respectable
householders, having been
.presented Ito the magic.
trates of the town of Hertford, complaining ut the
bad quality of the beer vended by most of the pub-
lieans in that town, the mayor called a meetitig of
the aldermen, on Wednesday last, to take the mat•
ter into consideration, when samplcs of beer from
several public-houses were prudaced, which fully
sustained the prayer of the pt:titioa. After a great
deal of conversation between the corporate bud)• and
some of the petitioners, the mayor (le.:bind am:
wished it to be underFtoA by all the publicans ri
the town, that if they were :tot in future A:1 ppliCa
by their landlords, the brewers. with good whole-
some beer, according to the present ptu-e of malt
and hap, such as their customers approved o,rat y
(themagistntte) would grant the inn ttepers liet h;cs
to free houses in any part of the town wUure tuLy
could get the same. •

Several distressing eases of typhlic 11;ver.have
cuffed iateiy in Perth ;—in ui,e Ninny the lads; r,'
mother, and e;deq son, have fallen victims 1,, it,
and lour ciinrcn, yet ~te ail danger:Ll ly

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