The Sun.
London, England, 1838-08-14 00:00:00

ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE.

The new opera called The Devil's Opera was produced
here last night. The libretto and music are the joint pro-
duction of Messrs. Macfarren, father and son. The following
is a brief outline of the plot :—Marquis Posillipo ( Seguin) is
a believer in the occult sciences, which he has studied under
Herman (Burnett), a German student, to whom he promises
the hand of his daughter, Medora (;Mrs. Seguin), in the event
of success in re-animating; a corpse which has been brought to
him for that purpose. The body, which is submitted to a va-
riety of experiments, disappears, but a little devil ( Diavoletto)
springs up in its place. Herman accordingly leads Medora an
unwilling victim to the altar, affections having been pre-
viously bestowed upon Count Vallardi ( Frazer). The ceremony
is interrupted by Diavoletto, who carries off the bride, and the
unfortunate Marquis is conveyed to a dungeon, where he is ar-
raigned before the " Council of Ten," who condemn hire to
the rack, from which he is rescued by the fiend, who bears him
off triumphantly amidst a blaze of fireworks. The Marquis is
next found at the Palace of Vallardi, who assumes to be a con-
juror. He places the Marquis within the magic circle, and
conjures up a host of elves and spirits, and lastly, a picture of
Hebe becomes animated, his lost daughter Medora appearing
as the figure. The whole, as it appears afterwards, is a trick to
cure the Marquis of his fantasy, Diavoletto being no other
than a black slave in disguise, and the spirits, &c., being per-
sonated by his own domestics. Pepino, his page (;Miss Rain.
forth), also turns out to be a female in disguise, who is in love
with Herman, to whom she is eventually to be married. Dia-
voletto ( Wieland) receives the hand of Signora Giovanina, a
gouvernante (Miss Poole), and filially the constancy of Mc-
dora and Vallardi is rewarded in their union. Such is the
plot. The music was far better than is usually attached to
vehicles of this description, and, if not 'quite effective as a
whole, possesses many compositions which cannot fail to strike
th

_ .
e most unaccustomed car. The overture held out lair pro-
mise, which the opening chorus followed up, and the beauti-
ful terzetta in the first act, " Good night ! may slumber lend
its balm," fully sustained. It was well sung by Miss Rain-
forth, Mrs. Seguin, and Miss Poole, and received a hearty
encore, a compliment which was paid to Mr. Burnett's ballad,
"Oh blame me not that I have strayed." The piece was, on
the whole, very favourably received, and was given out for re-
petition amidst great applause, mingled, however, with some
dissent. There was a very good house.

DEATH OF J. JERVIS, SEN., ESQ. Q.C.-WC
regret to announce the death of this distinguished lawyer, formerly
Chief Justice of Chester, who expired oil Wednesday last, at the resi-
dence of his son, J. Jervis, Esq., M.P., at Beaumari,, at a very advanced
age.

COPENIIAGEX, AUG. 4 —M. Mac Eiday a planter,
probably the richest private person in the capital; died lately. His pro-
perty is estimated at 2m00,000 of r.x d, liars.
The adjourned inquest on the nine persons killed by
the explosion of the boiler on board the Victoria atezum.boat, in June
last, was resumed today, the only survivnj engineer, having sufficiently
recovered to giva t videire.

A number of scientific and influential gentlemen
were gratified on Wednesday last, by a visit to the works of the South
British Cotton Company, who, as most of our readers are aware, have
fixed on Coventry for their first establishment, and whose doors have
for some time past been closed against all applicants, during the progress
of bringing to perfection their machinery, invented by the Company's
engineer, Mr. Rayner and his sons, for spinning cotton. The pa-
tents being now complete, and the machinery in perfect working
order, we were invited to be present at its first starting into full opera-
tion ; and we confess our surprise and delight at its elegance, sim-
plicity, and astonishing facility in performing the object for which it
is intended, and with perfect confidence we assure our numerous friends
that great as has been the expectation on the subject of this valuable
improvement in one of the most important branches of British minis.
facture, it is in this instance snore than fully realised by its very scien-
tific inventors. We are assured, and from our own observations have
no doubt, that its productive powers are fifty per cent, greater than any
other spinning machine at present in use; and the yarns full thirty per
cent. better than those spun on the old machine; in fact, this hive:)_
tion,..under the auspices of the South British Cotton Company, is at the
present time what Mr. Arkwright's was when he invented his improve_
ments. It firms completely a new era in the important branch of cot-
ton spinning —Coventry Herold

SAVINGS BANKS.—Au account of the cumber of
depositors, and of the sums deposited in savings banks—divided into
classes at the close of the last quarter of each of the years from 1830 to
1837, both inclusive, has just been officially published. The details are
extracted from official returns. They show the increase or decrease in
each of the above years, to which is subjoined a statement of the secu-
rities or stocks in which such deposits were invested at the end of the
last quarter of each year. From this it appears that the number of de-
positors during the foregoing series of years has increased from 421,129
to 624,560; that the deposits have increased in gross amount to
4,763,9551. This document fluffier suppli2s the number of pers3ns to
whom dividends were payable out of the before-nanyd public securities
on the 10,11 of October, 1837, and sth of January, 1836. From this
it appears that there were 81i,927 nut exceeding 5/. ; 25,963 not ex.
ceedin3 100/.; and 1,363-not exceeding 2001.
Mrs. Gharlus Mathews (late Madame Vestris) and
her husband, Charles Mathews, who departed for America on board
the Great Western strainer, were expected to arrive at New York un
Sunday, the sth instant. They do net, however, commence their en-
gagements at the Park Theatre until Saturday, the 15th of September
It is the intention of Mr. and sirs. Mathews to employ the internie-
tllate time in • ;!iEing if Lpv,
'country.

°'HE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 18N.

THE CROPS,

„ ..'",- 1,-,n grow, WOFS
.ITiii*tamo. . „,,,_
_. eand worse. Mr. Adami,
of (Warden, an earrieis.-Ln raWnter, era; disured tts that the
appearance of the hcp yards witl;',n !''he la`.(f foi tnight, in the
ns
t,i
ili s, a morete
d d uut;pfroormoils!(;\,"'y
it
)Ir,
caens
thee,: e;jea-r
tn4,eii
e!giti
el4(sbloneudrvilp,ii.ier.ofie,,,diir
i.oi
3fl c Ml,r
tretdete'f
erd is Pneladcd, by which, contra(•;•
to logic and common cerise, thC smaller terrn cOmpfehendtP the
larger, the Hereford heing so very much more ,extensive than
the Wareeiter li'oo,distriet), has fallen to 6,0001. The wheats
have been mall !aid b'y tye h'eavy rains, and are hat alow,ly
maturing, the weather in the illet 1.4e4 having been remark.
ably cold for the season.—Hereford Tinier
L.,,,,,,(45na.......Raia has fallen every day during' 5.1!.-.., last
vrecdi, .g!iCci't 1-t,..,.e.!:,.:.,rdtty ( Wedneschy), when a very large_
of 114 tuts ilbikeci; Sksft !n a Very had condition. In
cut the ino.ving of which is delayed daj tifie'z' eiti);„ the
tqhue'finteiitgyhbourhood of Lalcatei mach lit.ly-gfarts terrains un.
fl It r:-.,tlwr will change for the bettef...,filerc'tri:y
weather is most clla-"!trct!s'for the farmer, and the rapid
growth of we'd in the gardens is eiffeanely troublesome and
advaneing: upon it,: 111orit11 ;To we gave our readers notice
Stealthily atid 51,....w1y, hut with constant step, is Scafeify
%I:co:P.:hit:I el !e— Ha bfa x Express.
of hiP; cdiiiiil ;----we had espied his sild.:lciw in the distance;—
now the form df flit tholistef hims€lf is visible to the dullest
eye. From that period, when rtiard, ahliled at shat they were
plea7ed to term our foolish fears, corn liar lietri gte'adily rising
In price, Until it 11,.s reached a quotation higher than an; i. has
known for yeal2 past, It is still on the advance. There is
little corn in the country—flip. Mitre Muter, the cutting winds
of spring, the cold wet summer, the still edritint)Cd chilliness
and dampness of the atmosphere, have combined to 1311glit all
lopes of an tibindant harvest.—Somerset County Gazette.
TAUNTON. —Tht harVsit has begun in our neighbourhood.
In sheltered grounds the crops afe remarkably heavy, the ears
being full and the straw fine. But in exposed looalities, which
were much visited by the north winds of the winter and spring,
the stalks are very thin. Taking all the lands together, the
crops will fall considerably below the average.—lbid.
PRESTON.—The low lands in the vale of Ribble are flooded.
A large quantity of hay that had been cut Many days ago is
either greatly deteriorated, or nearly destfoyed by the con-
tinued wet, and a large breadth remains umitif, and is daily
suffering in quality. The wheat, excepting on fine land, i,
backward and ill.fed, and we fear that a much longer continu•
ance of wet weather will, the season having far advanced, ren-
der it irretrievable. Six weeks of warm sun would ido '
much
to redeem the past ; but present appearances are
somewhat
alarming. In the Fylde the crops are said to be luxuriant.
BA NFFS HIRE. The crops here, as everywhere else, are con-
siderably later than last year. Hay is a heavy crop, but has
got a very bad season, most of it being in bout at the break of
the weather ; and, though the rains have been heavy and
almost unremitting, oats have not, from the nature of the soil,
suffered so much, but are looking extremely well ; barley and
bear are also presenting a healthy and fragrant appearance ;
and we have not heard of a single instance worth mentioning
of the failure of either the potato or turnip crop. Everything,
inliajounrsltot, bears a most promising appearance, and we are happy
to say that the weather, for the last few days, has changed
much for the better.—Keith, July, 1838.
Aberdeenshire,lv9onepffionrimonast
icoeoinsfl..i....ln.bm experiencede.
toeret hfoiastunhrde,
districtrsetffaaar personaldtroememroestfrhsta:hs
are
( From the Aberdeen Herald of Saturday last.)
We had lately occasion to visit the more important districts
prepared
s pre esnp.observation
yt
oaa
grif
form
mt
muchhae
rr
ceo willcrops.
are very late. Corn
is an average crop. The same may be said of
barley,
unless
on very low-lying 'farms where it has
been much injured by
the late rains. Potatoes .
will turn out well, but fears arc en-
tertained for the quality. The turni •ps have made rapid pro-
gress, and do not appear to have suffered much from the cold
spring weather. Hay scarcely
an average crop and not
very rich in quality. It is mostly 11 '
and a good deal,
hand
perhaps the half of it, in the y a cut '
coll. Pastures generally
excellent.
MAR.—In the Mar district the crops are about three weeks
late, perhaps rather more. Corn has a good appearance, and
promises to weigh well, and givegood
however, straw. Turnips were
fair. We observed some fields,
blanks, but we did not hear this o
mentionedever, i n which
as any thing like a
general complaint. Potatoes have an excellent appearance.
flay is but middling—it will be very lightin some districts
where it was checked by the unseasonable weather in spring.
Barley is beatitiful, especially
in the nei •
ghbourhood of
Monymusk.

SKENE.—The crops are farther advanced in this district
than in any other, we dare say, in the county. One field of
barley, on Mr. Valentine's farm, is already turned, and we
noticed a field of oats, on the same farm, beginning to colour.
Harvest will be little past the usual time in Skene. Potatoes
here did not appear so promising as in some of the other dis-
tricts ; and, on some fields, the hay is very thin and little of it
celled. Turnips looked well upon the whole.
ALFORD.—The late rains have been much against the crops
in the Vale of Alford, particularly on marshy soils. Corn
looks well ; barley fair; but hay is under an average crop,
and very little of it gathered, though mostly all cut. Turnips
have a good appearance, and paqure is abundant.
BUCHAN.—The crops in Buchan suffered a good deal from
the cold spring. Some fields of corn and barley have been
blasted ; but, speaking generally, an average crop is pro-
mised. There have been but few failures of potatoes in
Buchan—a circumstance which is singular, when compared
with the last two years.
It is evident, from the foregoing facts, that, if warm weather
do not set in soon, not only will harvest he late, but the, crops
will be reaped and housed in bad condition. We have little
encouragement to hope for a favourable change of weather, if
w e judge-from - from present appearance. The experience of last
season, however. is encouraging; and, if genial warmth set
in soon, there will be abundance in the land for man and beast.