The National Register.
London, England, 1818-01-19 00:00:00

T

JAN. 19

THE DRAMA.

KIAG•3 THEATRE.

This elegant house opened for the season nn Satur•
atty week, with Pact's Opera of Griidda, to which KU.
ceded a new ballet called Mims el Fahie. Several
changes have taken place in the corps de ballet, but not
of a nature to demand particular notice. The new tue-
thod of lighting the house by gas has greatly added to
its beauty. Every part is illuminated with such bril-
liancy as to vie with the brightest sunshine. A beauti-
ful cut-glass lustre, in the form of a bell, is suspended
front the ceiling, which pr. duces an effulgence est:cc:ling
every thing► yet witnessed By the removal of the chan-
delier front the boxes, the elegant form of the interior
is more distinctly seen, whilst, unless wa look upward,
we arc unconscious from whence the additional lustre
proceeds.
COVENT-GARDEN.

A one act piece called Three miles from Paris was
produced here on Thursday. The plot turns on the
delivering of a letter, by the servant of un English
Colonel, who is in love with a niece of a poor widow,
who keeps an Inn three miles from the French capital.
The servant to effect this purpose, assumes successively
the dress du French Courier, an English Grenadier, a
Tourist, and a Sailor. This part was very respectfully
played by Denning, a provincial acwr of some ►elebrity,
who is engaged m the rooe► of Mathews. Money
saved, in the case of such actors as Matthews, is not
always money got. Denning would have been to him
a valuable second, but to stand in his place, is a bald
and even hazardous attempt.—The reception of the
farce was not the most favourable.
SURREY THEATRE.

There are not many things in which we could wish
to become imitators of our neighbours, the French ;
neither their laws their religion, nor their politics
are much to our taste ; but in some things con-
nected with literature, the arts, and those public am•ase-
ments which, if not abused, refine Society, they are our
superiors. We will not say they have more brilliant
scholars than we have, or that their artists in any de-
gree excel us, but we mean that there is a general feel-
ing is a French public, that the illustrious scholar, or
the skilful artist is a sort of public man,—an object of
national patronage and pre tection. Their public amuse-
ments, too, derive a consequence from the countenance
of,the government, which lots a material influence with
the public. That which the Academy meets gravely
to deliberate upon, cannot but obtain a consequence in
the eyes of the people, and whether it be the Theatre
Francais, or humble Vaudeville, the applauding voice of
the public, and the critical pen of the Journalist, pre-
serves them from obscurity The penchant of our neigh-
bours fix the care-killing occupations of life, may be
assigned as the cause of the high estimation in which
every species of scenic representation is held; but there
is another, and, if the minor theatres of this city would
.wish tuprosper, they must take a lesson from the French,
not partially, as tLey now do, but learn to the very let.
ter. Every theatre in Paris has its peculiar feature—
its peculiar description olperformanees ; regulated in-
deed, by law, but not contrary to the taste of the peo-
ple. The perfo:mances at the Opera are strictly ope-
ratio ; the Theatre Francais presents what its name im-
ports—the ligitimate productions of the French Drama;
the Cirque Olvmpique confines itself to feats of agility;
and the Vaudeville gives its " little pieces interspersed
tvith little songs." They never, us in this country,
violate each others territory, and every man, therefore
knows where to gratify his peculiar taste. Something
Me an attention to his plan is, at length, beginning to
make its appearance among our iniuur theatres. Lin-
happily, those which we c►ll /?(y/al, are slow to set the
example. Tragedy, Comedy, Farce, and Opera, tale
their turn ; horstmanship, slack rope, and tight rope,
veal fire, and real water, all are impressed into their
service ; so that a man, unused to the stage, would
sometimes be at a lox; to know whether h►+ had found
his way to Covent Garden, or Astley's Amphitheatre.
Among the first to break down the system, we are hap-
py to observe Mr. T. Dibdin, who, in his performances
at the Surrey Theatre, is endeavouring to confine him-
. self to that class of performances which, cramped as a
minor theatre it by law, is best calculate) to please.
At this tle:atre, we find a strict attention paid to the
pantomimic and burh.mue species of performance ;
we are not disgusted by Macbeth in dumb-shew, nor
hamlet without the soliloquies; we know, when we visit
this house what entertainment we are to expect, and if
the viands be not of the most costly sort, we are pleated
to find them so well cooked. Added to a correct testa,
the manage: appears to possess all those business-like
habits which eminently tit a man for the regulation of
a dramatic establislunent : indeed a talent fix theatrical
management appear to be the characteristic of all the
Dibdin

We can now state that Mr. Sergeant Best has been
appainted Chief Justice of Chester, and has resigned the
appointment of Attorney-General of the Prince as Duke
of Cornwall, in consequence of the Lord Chancellor
having deco.rel that the two situations were incompati-
ble. Our readers cannot forget that Mr. Justice Gar-
row held the place along with that of Attorney.GeUc•
ill to the King.

THE NATIONAL 111:G1ST/tn.

UNITIRD STATES SHIP FRANICLINI.The arrival of
this vessel ham excited much attention and curiosity in
our shipwrights and seamen, some of whom embraced
the opportunity, while she lay at ;pithead, of inspecting
her ctmstruction and equipment. Nothing, we have
been credibly assured, can exceed the manner in which
the Franklin is fitted out, both below and above the
gun-whale. Her rigging is neat, and adroitly Managed
by one of the finest crews that ever navigated a ship.
Her hull is a perfect model of ship-building, and the
interior combines every possible accommodation and coat-
fort, with the most excellent arrangements fir the
deposit of stores; in which respect she is stated to be
decidedly superior to any one of our ships of war. Her
means of annoyance arc on a similar scale of perfection.
Oa all her decks she carries 3'2-pounders ; u wise pre-
caution, by which the possibility only of a single mis-
take in the quantum of powder and shot is avoided.—
The guns, however, of the dith:rent decks, although
of the saute calibre, vary in length, and the uppermost
tier, or those on the quarter deck and threcastle, are car-
ronades, the whole being evidently planned fbr power-
fill and decisive close combat. Around the masts are
hung sharpened axes, ready for cutting away in cases of
emergency. At sea, the Americans constantly habi-
tuate their crews to sailing round u barrel, and tiring
at it with heavy shot, ur to practising with musketry at
a bottle suspended from one of the yard arms. The
men fire by turns, and to him who strikes either the
barrel or the bottle, a double allowance of grog is
awarded.—The crews are likewise employed, at every
opportunity, in exercising the great guns; and in con-
sequence of all these preparatory measures, they natu-
rally go into action, not ouly devoid of fear, but with
that ardour which is the almost certain presage of
victory. _ _

acoo SIENT.A letter from Boulogne states, tha
on Tuesday se'nnight, between the hours of 10 and
11 in the tbrenoon, notwithstanding the vigilance of
the French police, who, it was understood, were directed
to be on the alert, to prevent the circumstance being
carried into effect, a gallant young officer of Dragoon
Guards, can toned in the vicinity of Calais, eloped with
a lovely and accomplished young lady, niece to a worthy
Baronet well known in the west of England, both in
the disguise of domestics, to some friends who acompa-
nied them.- On the following morning they were seen
prosecuting their journey to the north of England, and
probably ere this the indisoluble knot is tied.
ITALIAN BANDlTTL—Lieutenant Colonel Herries
and Captain Gordon, R. N. were attacked on their way
to Naples, between Terracina and Foluii, by a banditti,
on the evening of the 12th December. The first act
of the villains was to fire upon toe postilion without
previous warning. He fell mortally wounded. They
then proceeded to rifle the travellers, and took from
them their watches, money, &c. The banditti were
divided into two parties, one of which was immediately
active in the attack and robbery, while the other re-
mained in reserve at a short distance ; and their number
was so considerable, that Lieutenant Colonel Herries
and his companion must be considered as owing their
lives to their being unprepared to offer any reaustance.
They suffered little personal violence, and were allowed
when the plunder was finished, to proceed on their
journey ; their servant taking the place of the postilion,
who was conveyed to Fottdi in the carriage. Lieute-
nant Colonel Herries was on his way to join the Bri-
tish head quarters in the Mediterraneau as Deputy
Quarter Master General.
FORUEHY.-At the Old Bailey yesterday, William
Kelly, only 15 years of age, was indicted capitally, for
forging and uttering a 51. note, knowing it to be tbrg-
ed with intend to defraud the Governor and Company
of the Bank of England. The prisoner was brought
up to plead on Friday, and he persisted in pleading
Guilty, although told it could not in the remotest de-
gree avail him. He was accordingly put by and brought
up this morning to amend his plea. Still, however, he
persisted iu his former plea, by observing, " how can
I plead not guilty when I know myself to be guilty."
He was then put to the bar, and charged, with another
buy, aged 17, named Thomas Spencer, with having
forged and uttered a 51. note, knowing it to have been
forged.
The short circumstances of the case were these :
On the evening of the '26th November, the prisoner
Kelly, dressed as a plasterer, went to the shop of Mr.
13ruidley, a pork-butcher of St. Martin's-lane, and say-
ing he came from his master, Mr. Crete, a plaisterer in
Long-acre, asked for change of a 51. note ; he obtained
the change in four one pound notes, and the remainder
in silver. Both prisoners were shortly afterwards ap-
prehended, and upon the person of Spencer were found
four one pound notes, two of which Mr. 13raidley idea-
' tilted to be those he gave Kelly iu change, and upon
Kelly were found 18s. in silver. The 51. note was
proved to have been forged, and Mr. Croce proved that
he never authorized the prisoner to get him change of
the 51. note.
Mr. Justice Abbot summed up, and the Jury found
both the prisoners Guilty—Death.
The Earl of Dalhousie is appointed Governor and
Commander in Chief of Canada, in the room of Sir
John Sherbroke, who retires. Sir James Kcmpt, it is
said, is to Netted Lord Dalhousie at lialifsz.

EAST FLORIDA.—One of the latest American ps.
pent contain a description of East Florida. The whole
number of Blacks inhabiting this portion of the Spanish
territory is estimated at only 3,000, and the number
of Whites at St. Augustine, the seat of Government.
amounts only to 1,000, so that the extent ofthe popuht.
don is evidently small ; but it remain!: to show what
the :intrinsic worth of this territory is. Bordered on
every side by the Atlantic, or intecbected by navigable
waters in connexion with those of the United States,
its timber, in the fist place, exneding in quality any
that grows northerly, consists in forests of live oat,
cedar, cypress, and pine, all of inexhaustible cxt‘nt.---.
Next may be mentioned the fertile lands which derive
from the climate such qualities as are no were else to he
finind. Amongst these arc, a large tract near Aligns•
tine and St. John's, called Twelve Mile Swamp, con-
Mining 14,000 acres ; with another, extending to Mos-
quito, of GO miles long ; and a third, between Bowleg
and Pampa, more than GO miles in length, and suppesed
to contain some hundred thousand of acres. All above
Alatchawa, fin: several days' ride, is excellent live oak
and hickory land ; and the interior of the country, full
of pleasant orange groves, stocked with wild cattle, and
fertile and healthy, is still unexplored by the Whites.
TtlE STRATHFIELDSAY EtiTATE.--WC apprehend
that the Duke of Wellington has still to look for an es-
tate. It is reported, upon respectable authority, that
the negotiation for the purchase of this property of
Lord Rivers is broken oft: All the chief points of in
had been settled some weeks since; but at question
arose in the making of some valuations, whether certain
cottages were or were not to be included. By this the
completion of the bargain was prevented. There was
an actual difference between the parties as to terms.--.
The purchase-money was to have been about 180,0001.
but Lord Rivers has only occasion for two-thirds of it ;
and that stun has now been tendered to him on mood-
gage, so that he is not disposed to sell. Such was the
rumour on Thursday.

Mn. ELLISTON, the comedian, appeared at Bow.
street on Friday, to answer a charge of assault made
against him by Mr. Moncreef, the author of Don
Giovanni in London, &c. The maltreated bard said,
he had for the last three years supp7ied all the pieces
performed at the Olympic Theatre at a stipulated sum
for each piece, and it was on the refusal of Mr. Ellis.
ton, as manager, to pay for a new piece forthcoming,
and likewise his stopping some of the plaintiff's orders,
that the dispute and assault originated. The poet ex-
pressed his indignation at the conduct of the manager
in " high sounding phrase and lofty sentence," inveigh-
ing with Shakspeare, against " man's ingratitude,"
and " benefits forgot !" The manager, not being able
to parry the argurnentum ad hominem, of the poet, had
resorted to the argumentum baculinwm, in which, from
the stature of his adv.rsary, he was more successful,
paying the astonished bard in notes qt fist. The de.
fendant, not being able to gainsay the charge, was
obliged to give bail fur his appearance at the sessions.
_ _

In the Court of King's EWnch on Friday, Mr.. Mist,
late proprietor of the 13azaar in Fleet-street, obtained
4,8001. damages of the Eagle Assurance Company as
a compensation for his loss by the burning of that
building. His demand of 30001. had been resisted ors
the ground that the plaintiff had no interest, and next
that he wilfully caused the premises to be distroyed by
fire. Mr. Justice Bayley, in charging the jury distinctly
acquitted Mr. Mist of any improper conduct in the af.
fair.

The new process of the winter parish employment,
by two pair of Messrs. Hill and Bun.dy's patent ma-
chines, procuring work fbr from eighty to ninety peo-
ple, has begun at her Royal Highness the Princess Eli-
zabeth's cottage. In this useful and benevolent trial
her Majesty joins their Royal Highnesses the Prin-
cesses Augusta and Elizabeth. The process of pre.
paring a ton of stem of flat is divided into twenty-one
different parts. The plan is to confine, if pos.sible, the
machinery to parishes, and is so arranged as not to in.
terfere with any branch of trade, but to prepare mate.
rials fir manufactures.

Mr. Contts has engaged a gentleman of professional
eminence, and of extensive practice, to resign his
general patients, and confine his skill to him alone.—
The consideration fir this sacrifice is stated to be an
annuity of SOOOl. for life. The veteran banker seems
already to have benefitted by this liberal arrangement,
and actually looks as if he had taken a new lease of his
existence. The gentleman lived in Greek-street, Soho,
where he practised very extensively as a surgeon and
accoucher. He is succeeded by Mr. Fisher, who was
many years his assistant.
Mr. Dillon, the author of the new tragedy of u Pe.
tribution," has published a very modest preface to it,
in which he mentions a fact relative to the Managers
of Covent Garden, which is so honourable to them and
so useful to the interest of dramatic literature, that we
think it right to circulate it : he says, that tl:e manu-
script was sent to them willuml i 'frothy:64m or personal
interest, yet it received their immediate notice, and
that the utmost exertions were instantly made to give
the most striking effect to his uopatronized rein.
The German Gazette has revived the report, that
a kingdom of Armenia will be created, with the cob.
Rat of liwsia, Turkq, and Persia.