The Sun.
London, England, 1823-12-27 00:00:00

institution;

That, in conformity with the resolution of Atio 'Society for
Promoting Christian -1(n ow which limits the contributioni
towards the .3forttunatzt " to the runoutit of each Members'
nual subscription to tie society," the contributions of the ./0 ezp,.
berm of the Matiras-District‘ Cottanittee be United to the sutra
which, at the exchange of the day, iv !II give one (Alines in
England, that sum being about equivaltmt to the proportion of
the local subscription, which is skirOpriated as a donatiotz by
the Society. . ,
That subscriptions be receivollay the 'Treasurer, Messrs.
Arbuthnot and Co. anti:by the'S'et4aary—and that the amount,
when collected,' be transmittetliVith a copy of these resolutions,
to the Board, in 3.0h(1011.• ' • !. •
That these resolutions be communicated to the Members of
the Committee resident in the Provinces; and to .thoSe at the
Presidency who have not attetyled this Meeting.
At the motion of the lionotarable ff :S. Otarne,
Agreed unanimously; that the thanks of the Meeting be
given to Sir Charles Grey for the excellent Address delivered
by him. _ _ _

Agreed unaninibusly, that the thanks of the Meeting be
given to the Venerable the Archdeacon, for having convened.
the Meeting, and for his obliging conduct in the Chair.
EDWARD VAUGHAN, CirantitAlt.
We are indebted to• yesterday's Government
Gazette for the report of the above Speech and
Itesolutionf.

ALESSANDRO STRADELLA.

(From 1W de STENDII4I2O Lift of Ronini.)

ALESSANDRO STRADELLA was itt 1650 the most
celebrated singer in Venice and in all Italy. At that time the
composition of music was very simple. The Maestro wrote.
little more than a eketch: the singer was much more of a
composer than he is at the present day, and was obliged to
have recourse to his own enius in almost all the paesages
which he executed. It was Rossini who first thought of writ-
ing with accuracy all the ornaments; all thejferitore which the'
singer was to execute. In PIO the system in Italy. was very
different. It followed, that the diem of the nitede was much
more inherent in the person of the singer; and of those singers
who were then in fashion no one approached Stradella. It was
proverbial, that he was the m:ater of the hearts of his auditors.
He went to enjoy his glory at Venice,. then the most brilliant
capital of Italy, and the city the moot tamoue tnr its pleasures
and for the gallantry, of its manner'. Straddle was received with
eagerness In the most distinguished houses, and ladies of the
first quality contended for the advantage of i taking his lessons.
He met in society Hertel:ale, a Roman lady, of high birth,
then a widow, and who was publicly courted by a noble Ve-
netian, of One of the most powerful families of the republic,
Stradella gained her heart. His portrait was shown us by
Madame 0 • • 'l, in the place of one of her friends, the
day after she had related to us his history : it was that of a
man of a superb figure, with a profound and pensive express
lion of countenance, and large black eyes full of that re-
strained fire which makes so much impression. The
.perfec-
tion to which the school of Titian and Georgione carried the
art of portrait painting in Venice, allows us even at the pre-
sent day to judge correctly of the phyilognomy of Stadella.
It is not difficult to believe that such a man, diAtinguisheil
also by great talents, should have been loved with passion,
and should have successfully rivalled a great Lord, although
himself without fortune He bore away Hortentia from the
noble Venetian. The two lovers thoughVonly of making a
rapid retreat from the territory of the republic. They retired
to Rome, where they passed themselves for man and wife.
But apprehensive of the vengeance of the Venetinn, they did
not repair to Hortensia's country. They made several de.:
tours, and, when they arrived, took an apartment in a deserted
part of Rome, and avoided appearing in • frequented places.•
rhe assassins whom the noble 'Venetian had sent iu pursuit,
were a long time in discovering, them.. After having in vain
searched the principal cities in Italy, they arrived at Rome
on an evening when there was to be a grand
.fanzieee:eccom.
panted by music, in the church of St. Jelin of Leteren. Erie
tering with the crowd, they saw Straddle. Delighted at
having at length found their victim, at the very moment at
which they almost deepaired of meeting with him, they resole.
ed to lose no time, but to execute -.the. commission for which
they were hired, whenever the congregation should leave the
church. They dim surveyed and ran liver the whole church,
to ascertain if Hortensia was not among the spectator& They
were occupied in, this search, when. after other pieces execut-
ed by common performers, Straddle at length began to sing.
They stopped in spite of themselves, they listened to hie sub.
lime tones assassins as they were they hail scarcely heard it
a few moments before they felt touched. There was in the
whole world but one such perfect winger, anti they were about
to extinguish' for ever so exquiaittea voice ! Remorse filled
their brains : they shed teen: and before Straddle's part
was finished, their otily. thought was 'how 'to save the lovers,
whose death, on receiving their fee, they had sworn on th;
Holy Evnngelists. 'the .ceremony over, they waited a.-long
time for Straddle outside the church. At least they saw
him come on by a private door, with Hortensia. They ap-
proecheti ; thanked liun for thepleesure he had just given them,
and corfessed to him that to the impression which it heel ex.
citel, he owed his life. They exploded to him the fearful me-
tive of their journey, and advised biro to qttit Route without
delay, in order that they might make the jealous 'Venetian
believe that they had arrived too hue.
Stradella and his fair friend, comprehending all the import-
ance of this advice, freighted a vessel, and embarked the same
night on the Tiber, for the purpose of going by sea to Spez-
ia, and reaching Turin by cross roads. The, noble Vene.
clan, en his part, having received the report of his Bali, became
more furiouerthan ever ; anti determined to take .into hie own
hands the execution of his revenge. Ile began by going to
Rome to Ifortinsia's father, and making the old man be-
lieve that his disgrace.could be washed away only, by the blood
of his daughter end that of her ravisher. In the republics of
the middle age there existed in Italian hearts that spirit of
vengeance So forgOtten in the present slay. It Was thehO.
moor of those ferocious limo; the solesopplement to the
laws, the sole defence Of personel safety, in a country in which
dnel would have appeared eidienious. The noble Venetian
and the old man 4144h:tea a search throughout all the cities
of Maly. When at length they heard from Turinehnt Stra-.
drill was these, the old Rennin, thelatherof Hortensia, took
with himiteeo bravoes, celebrated for' their .address, provided,
himself with letters of recommendation. to the Merquis de.
Villars, who was then Ambassador from France at the Court
of Turin, anti set off for Piedmont.

tatraelefkt, on his part, taught by his adventure at Rome had
taken steps at Turin to procure protection. His talents ob'ttiin.
eel for
.him that of the Duchess of Savoy, then Regent of the
State. This Princess undertook to shield the two lovers from
the fury of their enemy. She placed Hortensia in a convent,
and gave Stradella the title of her lint singer, as well as an
apartment in her palace. These precautions appeared Rufti.
'dent,• and " the lovers enjoyed for several months perfect.trau-
qUillity. They began to fancy • that after the adventure at
Rome the noble Venetian had become weary of pursuing them ;
when one el/min?, Stradellai while taking the air on the
ramparts at Turin, was attacked by three men, who left
him for dead, stabbed in the breast. They were, the old
father of 'Hortensia and his two assassins, who, as soon as
they had committed the crime, sought an asylum in the pa-
lace of the Preach Ambassador. M. tie 'Mars, not wishing
either to protect them after a murder which made a great
noise at Turin, or to deliver them to justice aftt.r they hattmade
an asylum of his pulaccoletermined on favouring their escape.
However, contrary to all appearances, Straticlia•was cured of
hit wound, which, however, spoiled his singing t and the Voile.
tip) saw his projects fail a second time, but without abandon.,
lag the desire of vengeance. Alone, and rendered prudent by
his want ofsuccess, he assumed an obscure name, and went to
reside at Turin, content, for the time, to watch the motions of
Hortensia. anti lutr lover. _ • _

Such watt the ferocity or those days' and such the notion., of
honour, that if the noble VeneArenhoil Abandoned his yen.
getince, he would have been despised.
A year passed in this manner. The Duchess of Savoy, more
and more interested in the fate of the two lovers, was pleassiko
render their union legitimate, and to consecrate it by marriage.
After the ceremony, flortensiai Wearied with her residence 'in
the convent, wished to see the river of Genoa.- ,Stradella ern-
ducted her thither : tmd the Morning oiler their arrival at
Genoa, they werefounditoignarded in their- bed." •