The Sun.
London, England, 1815-02-03 00:00:00

THE THEATRE.

COVENT-GARDEN. —We have to state, with,
much pleasure, that the sudden illness of -Miss'
O'NEILL, which arose from the excess of her sen-
sibility in entering too strongly into the woes of
Isabella, on Tuesday last, was not of such a na-
ture as to produce more than a tenyeraq indis-
position, and that she was able to. resume her
station at this theatre, last night, in the part of
Mrs. Beverley. As this character appears, on the
ascent of the curtain, the audience had a full
'opportunity of testifying the Pleasure which they
felt on the recovery of this interesting young
Actress, and they availed themselves of it with
such enthusiasm, that The reiterated applause was
hardly ever exceeded on r occasions. This
zealous and gratifying tribute of public regard,
drew forth a modest and truly interesting appear-
ance of grateful acknowleqineut oil the part of
Miss O'NeALL; and though towards the begin-
ning of the play, which indeed demands no great •
exertion, we.may ascribe-something to the lan-
guor naturally resulting from her recent illness,
and doubtless also to the agitation excited by so
flattering a reception, yet, as she • pi:jct-cited
the character, her strength And seif-possession
increased, and she as powerfully excited the sym-
pathy of the audience as on every -Curtner occasion.
The rest of the characters were supported Uy the
usual•peiformers, and call fur no particular cum-
mem.

The new Opera was repeated as an Afterpiece,
and, as we anticipated, with the increased JUCCe,S
"inch it tally merits, for in this humble class of
drainatick composition it is nOt often that ate have
so excellent a combinatton of a %Vett music, pretty
scenery, • entertaining, incident, and whimsical,
equivocation.—When we yesterday observed,
that the dialogue was not so sprightly and
humourous as it might bate been, we were
aware, that the Author Ifaving 'got Auto a dan-
gerous transposition of sex being ra-
ther a ticklish sti-Jeet, requiring all the pru-
dence of a writer to avow priiric:ncy and inueii-
cacy,weis very likely in avoiding CAI .rybdis to
split upon bcylla. It he has not,, there tore, de-
served all the Praise which wit uni;ht hate 'earn-
ed, he has esraped the condemnation which in-
decency would undoubtedly have brought down
upon his head more modest and . reserved•
than ripukius• Ass, like 'whom, he gut be-
hind the curtain wh!elt female caution draws
around female doings; if he has nor Oh-
played his bunioar, he has steered clear of his ii-
cenlionsuess, and the virtue ot abstinence is, in
our estimation, more !andante than would have
been the rosy crown ot victory in an opposite
course. The several Performers' exertud them-
selves with increased effect, anti, as is always the
case, enriched the cuinique %vitt; tuanv new and
laughable touches.—lhe iheatre was full,

FIN e,

BRITISH INSTITU fit ):%1,

We were this morning favoured with a view of
tltis Gallery, 'previous to its being opened for
public inspection on Monday ; and a 4 the era of
t'cace may well be reckoned an epoch in the His-
tory of the Fine Arts, -we avail ourselves of this
occasion to continence that more enlarged, yet
particular attention to those of our own Country,
to which we have pledged ourselves to devote-our
Columns.

There are 235.sobjects in the Exhibition, upon
which we shall offer such remarks as occur to' us
in a series of Striett:i es in the shape of.a Catalogue
Raisannie, noticing every picture, so that the se-
ries may be at least a compiete.record of these
productions- and the Artist's who have painted
them, s-,ould it fail in being useful as a critical
examination of their respective merits.
At present we shall only state geuerally, that
there is undeniable evidence of talent in many of
theSe works, and that several of them are of un-
usttally high promise. The Landscapedepartment
possesses, upon the whole, the largest share of
ability, but there are in the more elevated branch
of IliStorical and Poetical Composition some
performances which do honour to our -rising
School. Among the Candidates for fame it will
not be invidious here to specify Messrs. HAYTER
and EARLOW—the former, we believe, new io
the Public as an Oil Painter, though diStingnished
in miniature, and the latter also scarcely known as
an Exhibitor in the life size, though equally dis-
tinguished for exquisite pictures " to little." Be-
sides these Gentlemen, there are many established,
favourites in the Gallery, to whom we shall pay
doe respect as we proceed with our design ; and
conclude this introductory sketch with expressing
our satisfaction with the tout en,senOle of this Ex-
hibition, which, without possessing any extraor-
dinary feature, is yet altogether creditable to
British Art, and strongly indicative of Genius
which will,-hereafter, under the fostering protec-
tion of this admirable Institution, advance our na-
tional character, and assert our national superi-
ority-in this delicious art.

Last week; as some workmen were rooting out
a parcel of large trees' at Broughton-place (North
Britain), the property of It. D. MACQUEXN, Esq.
they found, deep in the earth, below the roots of
one of the trees, a silver coin Of CHARLES 1. about
an inch in diameter,- and of fliu thickness df a
shilling. It appears to have been struck in 1637
and must have lain a considerable tinie in tite
ground; as the trees are from 40 to 50 years old.