The National Register.
London, England, 1818-10-19 00:00:00

41X-LA-CHAPELLE.

OCT. 10 —Though a little indisposed, the Emperor
Alexander has not been for a day prevented from
attending to bushiest'. He last night honoured Mr.
Clarkson, the zealous and indefatigable friend of the
abolition of the slave trade, with' un audience of up-
wares of an hour. This honour was the more striking,
as Mr. Clarkson, we understand, appears here without
any commission from the African Institution, or from
any other body of men whatever, and without any
connexion with the English Government, but merely
as an individual using his personal efforts to promote a
cause to which the best part of his valuable life has
been devoted. Being peronally known to the Emperor
Alexander, and having a fall confidence in his openly
expressed zeal to .secure tlte abolition, he6anticipated
some advantage to the cause, from a personal interview,
and a kind of frit:tally communication ; although he
' had no doubt of the dispositicn of the British Minister
at Congress, to exert his beat official endeavours to
promote the object which he has so much at heart. The
present state of the slave trade question is generally
known. All the Powers of Europe have already ego.
limbed it, except Spain and Portugal. The firmer has
already abolished it north of the line, and has entered
into a convention to uholiih it south of the line in May
1810; the latter has abolished it north of the line, but
has as vet fixed no definitive period for its abolition
south of the fine. The object of the abolitionists, and
that which Mr. Clarkson wished particultrly to im-
press upon the Emperor Alexander, is to procure from.
the latter power, a' limitation of the trade in point of
time similar to that agreed tpon by the former. In
addition to the universal prohibition of the trade, they
are anxious that, fear its more complete preventicn, it
should be declared piracy. These two objects Mr.
Clarkson represented to Alexander, and we are assured
that the result of the interview was highly gratifying
to all the friends of humanity; his Imperial Majesty
having listened to the details with the most sympa-
thising interest, having fully entered into the policy
recommended, and promised his most cordial and effica-
cious support.

The price of provisions at Aix-la-Chapelle, consider-
ing the great influx of strangers, is very reasonable.—
Bear, mutton, and veal, 6d. per lb.; fish is bad and
very dear ; butter, 22d. ; bread, lid. per lb. ; chic Lena,
2s. 6d. a couple ; vegetables, excepting onions, very
cheap ; cheese bad and dear ; eggs, 8d per dozen ;
hares, &. 6d. each ; partridges, 4s. a brace ; ducks, Ss.
4d. a couple ; thrushes, 3d. each : turkeys, 3s. Bd. ;
coals, 15s. a ton ; candles, 10d. per lb.
On Wednesday a Court of Directors was held at the
East India House, when the following Captains were
sworn into the command of their respective ships, viz.
Captain T. Larkins to the Marquis Camden; and
Cain. 11. Scott, to the Charles Grant, for Bombay and
China; Capt. C. Graham,,to.the William Pitt, for St.
Helena, Belcoolen, and China.
CITY BUSINESS.—On Tuesday the Lord Mayor held
a Court of Aldermen at Guildhall, for the general
dispatch of public business. 17,2001. Orphan Stoek
was drawn off and annihilated : and the Chamberlain
was directed to give the usual notice in the public
papers, for the respective parties to attend, and be paid
the sante. The customary precepts were ordered to be
issued for the ensuing Lord Mayor's day..

•
On Monday evening sc'nnight, the Earl of Derby,
the Lord Lieutenant of the county of Lancaster, gave
a most splendid ball and supper to about two hundred
persons, consisting of the Nobility and Gentry of Lan-
cashire and Cheshire in the vicinity of his noble man-
sion, nt Knowsley. Among the company were observ-
ed, Lord Wilton, Lord Bel wave. the Earl•and Count-
ess of Sefton, Lord Mulynettx, Lord Cholmondeley, &c.
&c. The festivities of the evening were kept up till a
late hour, and the plats departed to their respective
homes highly delighted with the urbanity and attention
of the noble host and hostess. _ _ _

In a field belonging to Wm. Helvar, Esq. of Coker-
Court, near Yeovil, Somerset, there have been lately
discovered some very fine specimens of Roman pave-
ment, with figures in also relievo, representing two
warriors bearing a stag, suspended on a pole across their
shoulders, and a dog underneath, together with some
Roman coins of Tetricus, Crispinus, an l Vespasian.—
Tesselated pavements were found in three fields, one
of which formed the floor of a rood 14 feet wide, and
30 long.
The Prince Regent has generally a select party but
by no means numerous, at Carlton House when he
does not dine out, which is seldom, in consequence of
his daily visit to Kew Palace. It was the intention of
of his Royal Highness to have sojourned the greater
part of the present month at the Pavilion, Brighton,
but all his arrangements for the autumn and summer
have been deranged, in consequence of the Queen's
illness.
It is said that some of our countrymen who were in-
veigled into the service of the republic of Veito.uels,
us
officers, with splendid promises or military rank and
honours, are actually working their passage home as
common sailors on board merchant ships.

OCT 19

TILE DRAMA.

DIIURY JANE •I'IIEATRE.

Novelty seems to be the order of the day—and if we
are not gratified by old thces, the present Management
scents determined to supply their deficiency by a succes-
eion of variety. On Monday, The Provo4o! Husband,
One of the best comedies in the old range of the drama,
was produced for the purpose, of introducing Mr. D.
Fisher in the diameter of Lord Townley, and Mrs.
West in that of My Lady. The comic humour is
exquisite ; the characters true to nature , and the
pathetic scenes touching and affecting,. [le dandies
of the present day have almost superseded the polished
air and deportment of well-bred gentlemen—though
we mav still boast of many in the higher circles who
preserve the characteristic of true dignity. Few actors,
indeed, can succeed in giving due effect to Lord Town-
ley—therefore, in stating our opinien that Mr. Fisher
was not eat:needy successfitl, may, perhaps, not derogate
touch from his general merits. The comedy itself
is not so attractive as it deserves Of Mrs. West,
we are gratified to say she acquitted herself with ton-
s: lerable ability—her milk scenes were marked by ease
nail polished gaiety—and although allured by the plea-
sures of fashionable life, she gave hopes of future
rei.ei elation ; and in the reconciliation scene, she com-
pletely toak possession of the feelings of the audience.
On toe whole, she displayed much versatility of talent,
and was frequently interrupted by testimonies of ap-
probation. Mrs. Orger, in Lady Grace, looked cap-
tivating ; and Mrs. Alsop rendered the part of Jenny
very amusing.
11-ednesslay.—Cumberland's comedy of The Fashion-
ablr Lover was revived this evening. It is one of those
piece; which may produce some interest in the closet on
account of the. benevolent sentimente and sensible ob-
servations upon life and character which occasion-
ally occur : but there are very few revivals that re-
plenish eve treasury ;—and, this instance, it requires
talents sof the highcst order to render it even tolerable.
We do not wish to discourage the Manager in his
selection, but certainly the comedy " went off" very
languid. Mr. H. Johnstone spoke the Scotch dialect
with great fluency in Colic M'Lcod. Mrs. West, in
Augusta Aubrey, was interesing ; and Mrs. Orger
exerted herself to overcome the odious and repulsive.
aspect of Miss Bridgcmore. Dibdin's farce of'Mq Spouse
and I followed ; in which a Mr. Yarnold made his
first bew te.a London audience in the character of .Vcd.
Wregret he had not a fuller house to witness his debut,
as he certainly pessesses talent, which, though nut of
the first order, may, by practice in a metropolitan
theatre, produce " good jruit." Hy met with a fa-
vourable reception, and was deservedly encored in one
of the songs.
The tragedy of Macbeth was performed on Thursday
night. Mr. Kean wag, of coureo, the hero of the scene,
but there was a new heroine. Mrs. West, who had
already acquired no small degree of reputation in
claracters of a very diflisrent cast, appeared for the first
time as Ludo Macbeth. The consequence was such as
night have been ea-Hy anticipated An actress, whose
ellief distinction was ft:asinine tenderness, ail:irded
very imperfect sketch .of the aspiring wonatn whom
ambition had unsexed. We do Dot, however, insinuate
that the attempt was altogether a failure. It contained
Some good peints, and displayed, upon the whole, so
Latch intellect, that it may be said to have lost the
neeessary impression rather from physical than mental
disability. It is to be considered in extenuation of any
defkiency with which it might be fairly charged, that
among the host of aspirants to the same part since the
time of Mrs. Siddons, not one can be said tu have suc-
ceeded. It will be collected from what we have
ready stated, that in working up her husband's mind
to merder—in reproaching him for his visitations of
conseience—and in wresting the daggers from hint with
indignation, to visit the scene of death herse:f—the
recolketion of that awful energy of lvilich the stage is
now deprived, prevented her from taking a strong hold
of the feelings ; her best scenes were, probably, that of
the banquet, and that in which she displayed the
borreis of a guilty sleep. Mr. H. Kemble was the
ellue&S, and acquitted himself respectably.