The National Register.
London, England, 1809-11-26 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

MRS. SIDDONS.
--.61.-

A Pamphlet, under the title of " Mrs. Galindo's Letter
to Mrs. Siddons, being a circumstantial Detail of Mrs. Sid-
dons's Life for the last Seven Years, with several of, her
Letters," has been just published.—The authoress, who was
formerly a Miss Gough, and who would seem to be ani-
mated by a spirit of jealousy, has made a very extraor-
dinary attack on the character of Mrs. Siddons. Sic ha
asserted that an improper attachment subsisted between
Mrs. Siddons and Mr. Galindo. She has also subjoined to
her statement a number of letters from Mrs. Siddons to
herself and Mr. Galindo. There is, however, nothing in
these letters that gives the slightest colour to the scandal
which Mrs. Galindo wishes to propogate. We subjoin one
of them, omitting the Notes which Mrs. Galindo has at-
tached to it.

CHELTENHAM, JUNE 12.

MY DEAR Mits. G.--I hope long before this you have re-
ceived the account of my brother's visit to me, and that the as-
surance of an engagement for three years at five pounds a week,
commencing the season after the next, has put you all into a
more comfortable frame of mind, than Mr. Harris's letter was
.likely to produce; I was unwilling to send it, but I thought it
right to tell you precisely how the business stood, especially as I
it wns a thing of too much consequence with respect to your ar-
rangements in the interim. This letter is to serve as an mistier
to Mr. G.'s, and I most sincerely hope I may never receive such .
another; for alas! the pressure of my own affliction has not yet
hardened me into an insensibility to the sorrows and mishaps of
my friends; my friends too should know this ; but I say no
more; I sincerely wish his spirits may be again restored ; he
tells Me, I have taken too much trouble about this engagement, and
that " happiness is purchased at two dear a price." 1 will own,
in answer to the first assertion, that it has cost me much and va-
rious and very bitter contention ; hut I have gained the victory
at last, and it depends on the moderation of the wishes and ex-
. pectations of us all, whether the conflict is ended peaceably and
honourably. I pray, God, it may, for to live in a state of con-
tention with a brother I so tenderly love, and a husband with
whom I am to spend what remains of life, would be more that)
my subdued spirit and almost broken heart would be able to
endu re.

In answer to the second, I can only say, that the testimony of
the wiAout of all ages, from the fouudation of the world to this
day, is childishness and folly, if happiness be any thing more
than a name, and I am assured our own experience will not en-
able us to refute the opinion. No, no, it is the inhabitant of a
better world, Content, the offspring of moderation, is all we
ought to aspiro to here, and moderation • will be our best and
surest guide to that happiness to which she will most assuredly
conduct us. Forgive this preaching, I have a most sincere and
affectionate regard for him and I wish for your sake as well as
his own, he would endeavour to correct that avidity of Imagina-
tion, that at one time hurries hint into what he mistakes for hap-
piness, but which is inded no other than intoxication; a sort
of drunkenness of the mind, and the next moment plunges him
into despondency. Indeed, indeed, 1 wish you would tell him
it is my most earnest request that he would, and that by making
this exertion, :tad in. the effects it will produce on your mutual
comforts, I shall be richly overpaid for all I have done ; if he
thinks himself unfortunate, let him look on me and be silent

" the inscrutable ways of Providence."—Two lovely creatures

gone, and an other is just arrived from scAool, with all the daz-
zling, frightful sort of beauty that irradiated the countenance of
Maria, and makes me shudder when I. Inok at her. I feet my!

self like poor Niobe, grasping to her bosom the last and youn-
ger of her children; and like her look every moment for the
vengeful arrow of destruction. Alas! my dear friend, can it.
be wondered at, that I long for the land where they are gone
to prepare their mother's place.—What have I here ? Yet
here, even here, I could be content to linger still in peace and
CIIIIIIIIeSS : content is all I wish; bot I must again enter into the
bustle of the world : for fame and fortune have given me all I
wish; yet while my presence and my exertions here may he useful
to others, I do not think myself at liberty to give myself up to
my own selfish gratifications. The second great commandment
is,love thy neighbour as thyself, and in this way I shall most
probably best make my way to heaven. Give my love to dear
little Johnny, he will seem pleased at least, if he has not forgot-
ten to laugh at the name of Siddons. God bless you all. lam
unalterably, your sincere friend, _

" S. SIDDONS."

LAIV REPORTS.
--Rms.:—

COURT OF EXCHEQUER, WEDNESDAY, Nov.??.

The body of Elizabeih. Moorhouse was brought up, by the
writ of Habeas Corpus which had been directed to Captain
Sheldon, at Manctiester Barracks, who stated, in the return of
the writ, that she came to him voluntarily, and continued with.
him without compulsion.
Lord Ellenborough directed that she should he restored to
her father, who received her with tears in his eyes; and tug
Lordship intimated the peril in which a►ny person would stand,
Who shoidd attempt to take her fcom the natural protection in
which the Court placed her.
Elizabeth Aloorhouse was brought into Court by Captain
Sheldon himself, who remained in Court some time after her
father had taken her away. She is a most beautiful little
girl, of a very genteel appearance. Her age was stated to be
15; but she looks somewhat older than that.

•
COURT OF KING'S BENCH, MONDAY, NOV.- 20.
COVENT GARDEN TJIC4TRE.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL, Oil the part Of the Proprietors of
Covent Garden Theatre, moved for a Rule to shetv cause vs-by a
criminal information should not be filed against certain persons
whom he afterwards named, fora conspiracy to oblige the pro-
prietors to reduce the prices of admission to their 'Theatre.
Tois conspiracy, the Attorney General stated, had given rise to
the greatest riots that had ever disgraced the Metropolis. He
made the present motion upon several affidavi:s, two of which
he read to the Court. The first was that of Mr. John Philip
Kemble, which stated that the old T4eatre Royal, Covent Gar-
den, having been destroyed by kre, the Prow-aruta erected a new
one at so great an expence, that they had been obliged to ad-
vance the prices to its boxeo and pit. The second affidavit was
made by Mr. Glassington, Prompter to the•Theat re, anti slated,
that on theOlSth day of last September, the New Theatre Royal,
Covent Garden, opened with tile advanced prices, w hick had
been previously advertised;—that at the same time other adver-
tisements had appeared in some of the newspapers, calling upon,
the public to resist the iolvaileed prices, by clamour and riot I—
' that upon the opening of the doors of the Theatre, a great num-,
ber of persons forced their way in a disorderly and tomultuous
manner into the House, where they pulled some of the doors.
from their hinges, tore the covering oil' the seats, cut the lining
oil the outer doors, and committed other depredations, and ex.
claimed, " Off! off! OLT!" " Old Prices fur ever !" sktuted,
hooted,. harked like dogs, hissed, blew horns, trumpets, etc. and
sprung rattles, so that little or none 1;f the stage-perrormance
could he heard ;—that in consequeuoe of thocootinuance of these
riots for.six successive nights, the Theatre was shut up, and ao
investigation. of the accounts of the Theatre was entered into
by several moat respectable persons appointed fur that purpose,
in order to satisfy the public of the Justice of the a.ivaoce of
prices, to which the Proprietors were compelled to have re.
course .—That opou the re-opening of the Theatre, On the 4th
day of o,ciober last, the same riots were renewed, beginning for
the first three or fonr nights with the commencement of • the
stage-perfoimances, but afterwards pot until those persons who