The Sun.
London, England, 1815-01-16 00:00:00

THE ITALIAN OPERA.

On Saturday the performances -a-
Theatre in the Haymarket were rerk:,.''
diversity of opinion has existed, d
Writers have espoused the opposite ide;
questlon„ whether an establishment 0
ought; or ought not, to be tolerated
vocates for toleration have enlarged
fined nature and elegance of the amuseithAfts
duced, 'as well as the'encouragement given
delightful science of
_Music. Their opp.o:::1t..
have, on the other hand, dwelt, not _only upon
the political, but upon the moral danger which
undoubtedly flows from the overwhelming influx
of foreign- principles and vices, of which sw.h a
seminary must be reckoned the hot-hed : they
have forcibly described the pernicious tendency of
these vices, patronized by the higher-orders, and
spreading their contagion through those, whose
example so prevails, to the humblest classes, and
from the metropolis to-the remotest provinces of
the -Empire. There is truth in the arguments of
both ; and, without leaning to the side ot' fana-
tical rigidity, we must express our conviction,
that twless such a concern is conducted with
the utmost circumspection,-Cho evils to be dread-
ed from it• a million -of times outweigh the
pleasures to which it can give birth. The
former are national,-of important consequences,
and whether politically, philosophically, -or reli-
giously considered, of suthpient
,magnitude to
awaken a lively interest in every thinking mind.
The latter are merely superficial, partial, and ot
no value to cause a- single reflection beyond the
insignificant question of an evening's fashionable
entertainment.

.

This is the state of the case, even when such
a Theatre as the Opera is most properly managed,
i. e. "!ben the Foreigners employed are of as de,
cent character as can be produced *in a profession
not over-burthened with virtuous members ; when
these parties are so intermingled with native -per-
formers as to be at least as likely to be restrained
.from•the indulgence of their worst propensities as
to infect the entire mass ; and when a rivalry of
prejudices serves as a check tipon total and un-
bridled depravity.
lint constitnted as the existing Company of the
Opera House is, there-is no admixture of this kind
to correct the general corruption. French li-
centiousness is kept in countenance by the (per-
-haps more) atrocious obscenity of Italian man-
ners—there is no British presence, the, shame of
being utterly guilty before which might at least
cause a covering to be thrown over the deformi-
ties of undefecated profligacy.
It is therefore that we enter our protest against
the Opera on its present plan—that we raise-our
voice. to say,that it is, in all points of view, Offen,
s'ilT to• every patriotic feeling. We cannot help
considering it to be 4 den of spies, politically in-
jurious, and of characters morally • dangerous
to our Country... Far, however, be it from
us to condemn individuallyit is the ge-
neral conformation that provokes .our censures.
France, from her abundance,- may have spared us
chaste Dancers, and Italy most virtuous singers ;
there may be respectable persons even among this
Corps of Suspicious fame. Such persons, when
we become acquainted with their rare merits,
shall have our wartnest,support ; but in the mean
time`we cannot approve .of the entire exclusion of
native taleut to make way even for them, nor can
we approve of the i\lanagers boast that his Per-
formers are " all Foreign."
With rept d to the Performances of Saturday, they
confirm the. opinion of the new people which we
expressed on Wednesday—Madame SESSI favoured
us with a few high notes; in addition to those she
attempted on her first .night, and certainly af-
forded us grounds to' expect ftirtflei progress in
the -dor-elopement of her powers. She is nehaste
and scientific singer ; and if we cannot forget that
MARA,- BANTI, BILLINGTON, and CATALAN' pre-
ceded her, it is still satisfactory to have a prisiea
donna so respectable in the art. GENI did not im-
prove upon us, He seems too much given to retard
Time, arid we often thought he would come to a
stop altogether, which perhaps would have been
the case, had the excellent Pianoforte not goaded
him on. But for this, .his' melody and the ac=
companituent would have been at opposite poles.
The Ballet was the same as before ; a beggarly
'account of empty Boxes; and the Pit so thin,
that the audience bad room to avoid the' rain of
wax, which, however, decked • some of their
shoulders till they resembled ermine-tippets.

THE THEATRE.—Ai Mr. KEAN wes too much
indisposed on. Saturday to resume. the part of
Romeo, at Drury-lane Theatre, it .was- assigned
to Mr. RAE, WO' exerted every nerve in the cause,
and displayed more ability in the performance than
we ever observed in any of his former, efforts.—
The audience were obviously of the same opinion,
for he received not only warm, but enthusiastic
applause in many passages, and particularly in
the scene in which Friar Lawrence informed him
.of " the Prince's (loon].'' Mr. RAE has certainly,
and deservedly, increased his reputation by his
performance on this 'occasion. Mr. CARE; on.
account of the illness of Mr. R. PHILLIPS, per-
formed the part of the Friar, and in a respectable
manner.—As we really wish well to Mr. KEAN,
and are, in effect, more his friends than the mass
of his more enthusiastic admirers, we take some
credit to ourselves in finding' that our opinion of
his Romeo has• been fully justified by that of the
public. We are also disposed to give much credit
to Mr. KEAN for having (as we hear), 'relinquish-
ed this character,. which did not afford due scope
for his peculiar talents, and which was not con-
genial with his powers. By returning to the
other parts in which he has been so successful,
and by his expected performance of Richard the
.Second there can be no doubt that his popularity
will be. revived, and efface frona the public mind
.the miscarriage of his Romeo. .
. The celebrated French tragedian; TALMA, is
daily expected in town. Madame
•QsoaoEs, the
selected mistress of BLIONAPARTE., is also reported
to he on the wing' to read .French tragedies in
London. DAVID, too, the 'celebrated painter,
intends us a visit

MAcaaanv, from Bath, is ,engaged at Co-
vent-garden, and will shortly make his first ap.
pear44ce in

RO:11.1.N CATHOLICK--PILTII'IQN.

MEETING AT LORD EINGAL'S.

TUESDAY, JAN. 10.—Mr- 'Shiel•ptesented a draft
of the Petition which he had.-drwn-up,•according
to th^ directions of the *Counnittee, and at the
same time suggested the propriety of post-.
poring the discussion of its. merits • until Saturday.
1-le said, that it had 'been ohjecteo to the Com-
mittee, that its meetings- were of a private
tn►e that it would be right,So rescue themselves
from such an imputation. • The members- were
exposed to much misrepreSentatiou, and a great
dedl of clamour had been excited. It were well,.
if t,e next meeting took place in a manner which
would euable every person who wished it, to attend,
Lord Fingal stated, that whoever Was anxious to
attend, might do so at his house, but thought it
more judicious that there should be no numerous
meetiu2.-- prior to the aggregate, as it would ob-
struct the business of the Committee.
i%!; O'Gorman was of the same opinion, and
thought that holding their meetings in a- different
place, and in a different manner from the usual •
one, would- amount to an acknowledgment that
they had hititerto acted with impropriety.
Mr. O'Connel thought it would- be better to
adopt Mr. Shiel's Suggestion.
Mr. Lube and Mr. Randal McDonnel disagreed
with Mr. Shiel. • .
It was finally agreed, that until the Petition
had passed through the scrutiny of the Cows
mittee, it would be - better that the meetings
•
should take place in the usual ,way.
- Mr. Shiel then read the draft of a Petition which
he had prepared. It was as -follows :
THE -HUMBLE PETITION, &c. &c.

" Shewettr,—That your Petitioners, in renewing:-their ap-
plicaliou to your Honourable House, for an equal extension
of colusitntional benefits and ble:siog", retain the rleettest
sett e of every relief 'already affort'eul, and are grateful' for
the libetal attention mhielt has been manifeitell, whenever
their circumstances have hecoinea subject of tliscussiou in the
imperial ParliamenU..,
That yuni- Petitioners come thus'repeatcdly before your
Itomotrable House with the greater coafidences ult,•,botig con-
scious of no otliylbotiye but that. which entitles them, not
merely to the indulgence, bat to the i.iqurobation of their
country; a r.esire which may be repelled butt never.
cal be extingnitlitel; of bring unre:;ervetlty ineorporatied
th?,t invaluable contitution, which has raised lull:Ilan' 644
raeter to um unexampleu,l height, atil.ha3
.onule, the British
Enipire the etivy,of.tbe ';rortd,

, _ •
-" That the ndrEeveratice of your-Petitioners
this happiness, cannot; in reason, -4susp_ected lieing,other
than upright .and honourable, as it is obrittuis, that in obtain
ing equal capability of ColiStitutional ilistine'tion;";.ttiey inuSt
proportionably co-me- within the -tiliere: tionstitutionat
influeneeand controul,and thus incur a multiplicity of:ntiraJ
restraikts, which would infinitely.tpure tltan ctuinteeloise the
utmost extent of power that could he attaiited'
duals of the Rennin Catholic holly.: • .
" That your Petitioners are, therefore,- so far iriikr, ng;
chargeable with a spirit of party aggranilizeinvit, in seckint;;
their share as'iddirjdnals in the full-privileges of the English '
Constitution, that they are, in truth; persuing only 14-
(Leal cure for those --elcutetits of turbulence and faction,
which, in the nature of thitigs, must always exist, and ti,b
frequently actlAtse, where any class, at mice distinct, riume-
rims, and activt• is -left without. those ties ahicti hind all:
other classes tel ti e State. It is fur the universal establishment of those ties that your Petitioners are now asking; and, in
urging their suit; they conceive they are pleading the cause
of the whole community. -They are imploring internal peace •
for Ireland, from that, ,1113tIo.in whizii has given peace to the
world. They are entreating that now, at length, after ages
of calar.-ity, the happiness of England may be communicated
to•the people, by extending' the same constitutional or-
ganization to every part of the Etupite ; awakening the same
home-felt interests in every description of its inhabitants,
and creating, every where, the same imbre,tight agents .of
goad, Government, the same wakeful goat kliau's of general
tranquillity.

" four Petitioners• presume to rem,ind ,this Honourable
Houie, that in thus Applying to the liberality and wisdom of
Parliament, they, seek to disturb no settled principle of the
English' Constitntion.• They rejoice, .that through the care
of over-ruling Providence, their cause is.at this day nit only
unimpeded by any established rule, hut countenanced and
s,:ictioned by generically- identical admissions and indul-•
};eaves ; for your 'Petitioners beg leave to *represent that they
ash nothing from your Hon. Home, 'but that they may be
permitted to enjoy the benefits and blessings of the Constitu-
tbm•, as they have been for a length •itf time, not only inifox-
ionsly hut. beneficially enjoyed by bthers, liable,. in point of
fact, to the same objections which have been. urged against
your Petitioners. Youi Petitioners, in truth, ask this one
thing, that they may be placed on the saute civil and political •
footing with others 'not of the established lteligion. They .
merely entreat, that a conscientious d;sagreenient with the
Church, as by law e,tablished,' may no longer diSqualify, iii
one solitary instanc,•—that privileges, never forfeited by
deserting the establishment, 'should not- In. withhekt. 11.6 m-•
those ;NEM only adhere to the religion of their ancestors. •
" Your Petitioners presqine to represeut, that this is a par-
tiality• unratified, and unacknOwledged by the ConstittitiOn
uf-Englaud. They humbly lies attention to ttic obvious fact
—that the constitutionally favoured form of government is
not Protestantism, as opposed 'to the Roman Catholic re- -
ligon t but the ripiscopal Church of 'England, as contra-dls--,
tioguished: to every other, religious description.—Your•
tioners-consequently,solicit nothing but what has been already
virtually_conceded--to share equally In' that tolm'ation which
the wisdoth of your predecessOrs adopted, and the experience •
of one hundred and thirty years, marked brwicissittides the
most peculiar, has So amply justified. '
Without murmuring at the pastior envying the hitherto
more favoured lot of their dissenting fellow-siihjects; on the
contrary, reflecting-with pleasure, that those special objec=
lions of a political nature, which alone prevented their parti-
cipation in the otherwise general benefit, have long_cease'tho"•:
exist, and are now passing from recollection, your yetitiolicrs
confine themselves to this respectful representation and ear-
nest prayer—that being, in the view of the-Constittition, age
admishilde, they may, through the beneficent wisdom of the
-Legislature, be alike admitted, to unite with their
jests in every exertion for the' establishment of internal quiet
-'-•the advancement of national happiness-the maintenance
of, British glory, and the transmission of the English Coniti-
t7,t;-in, unimpaired and unadulterated, to'the remotest pos-
terity.

i",eir Petitioners inalie these statements to your Honour-
able !louse, with retire conviction, as feeling that they
repeat the senthuetits of Statesmen, %%ton swayed the minds
of dolt• cotemporaries by their talents, and have astonished -
their
survivors by depth of fOresight, 'and justness of eaten-. lation.—Were even such a liberty allowat;le in addressing
Tour Honourable House, it-would be unnecessary to poitit
out advocates, whose deliberate support inspires con-
fidence not less than it excites gratitude." lint your Peti-
tioners trnst.they will be pardoned for'advertiug to the well-
known fact, that that rc-anion to the Constitution to which
your Petitioners aspire, was the one ineaSure,- and almost the
only ony, respecting which the three greatest politicztl
Dories that ever sat at once in the :atilt assembly; were
stain ially and cordially agi
‘, Your Petitioners, there fit e, snhinit these eft resentations
to the consideratioa of your flonourable .hoo,b;y"
trusting that the grounds. on which ttiel-zisl;, veil ilrld Vfeight
to the limner of their l'etition, and tilat ties shell obtain
from the wisdom and brotificerre of ..tio•l'Avislatlti'e, that (n-
-th, ritiranchixeme.izA, -which is alit,, t...autiog to identify Ire-,
,laud With the firitisli Laipire, and to gii43., his Majesty'.4 lerslc
suiijects an united, ttl
anc oappy.people,:'
fier Siiid had. re.rd d Petition, a variety-
.
of ())jections weye
L-ons olio rtii ii, r.iat tip' words " liberal
/mention- in tne urst 'paragraph, wc;.e not, per-
. „.
Rite iIC, veiy consistent ytii
•
Air. Shit! ssiih, -tis. the catholic
q,lestioti bail
Pnli.iinent, l\a-if 'been imam-114 conside.rea
• • wit!) Si) nincji••delyfier,tquo, that *the.ternis, which
thing .
could
No lie had einploVilii4Wril'-e''oppOsite.
he cr;iitied hv that sullenness which is oaten Luis
tokscrt f- ':*•• •
or,dignity: ••••: • .• •

AI r. 'COII II Slid; be rcgLordt.d

as the language of form=—be objected, however,
to- the assertion itt the second Paragraph, ,that
" the British Empire'was the glory of the world."
NOthing should be meMioned\which was not
strictly true. •
Mr. Slid said „as it -was his opinion that England
had leached a greater etninenee than
.any, other
Nation had ever attained, and as her glOry, her
power, and her late mighty efforts, by •which the
freedom
.of mankind had been achieved., ‘v.ere na-
turailv the envy of Europe, he thought it was, not
improper to embody •the thought in. the Petition.
It would have a cottei:iatory tenderieY—n e had
bech reproached with a hatred to England, and
it. was right to repel the charge. Such language:
would have the effect of reconciling anitimsities.,
and giving a general aspect of. modetition-to 'our
proceedings. ..
Mr. O'Gorman and Mr.O'Connell censured the:
word " influence," as being of an ambiguous na-
ture. It implied that we favoured the influence'
of the Crown; and 'sought for 'Lofting hat places,-
Shiel.Do you deny that we seek for_,
places what else. do we seek for ? NVe ask for
hooOnr—we are shut out ft Oat' Parliament—We 7
are incnpahle of reaching distinction—we.are
eluded from every situation, of rank, at the Bar,
in the Army, and in the Navy ; and what is the
meaning of Entancipatidn, but that we may be
permitted to attain them -•
Mc..o'oorinan said, A.:hatore Alarely;ao?d. for,
eligibility--that there Avere many who. did• not
wish for election, and not WisliTOr place,'
even if place could he attainedlli. Spiel.- It . ,
i_s a :sttiing.,.: tlistittcfion. 'Y'Oti"
wish to be cap:Ode-6f himottrahle-;'sitti'avion"; *but',
nut to he elected. 7rh'e one thedther,
Lord Fingal.—Perha:ps'-there is no use-in intro,
clueing thiS argument j'ati); tlid Pe(ftion.
Spiel.-1 think;: my Lord, • that • there is
. •
great use inintrodueing-itl' ir:is • 4." strotig argu-
ment ; it refutes the ass-ertion of those- who say
tic Catholics wish to subvert the Constitution.—
In niy Elttan&patioti'wonlil make theta
its stedfast friend, .because it would enlist.the
strongest feeling's. 'of: huntan:n4 ure iii its support.
'll., %void& infuse their reart;3 a tette' allegiance,
4:e"onnecting tliinterestt2iif-the intlitidual with
those of the .:COinniiiinveatill cen: said,
thaf-- the,Catholleg corpdrate
"eitAcity--.l.;:deny: it ; 4 wish tb'islievti- that
EinanCip-ation tOtictriiiy ari&d:disknboe.y.
the'sphere olcOnSiitutional -
infliteneeland - ••

• Lord Finuill'lNlr.:.llaVaal M. `Dtihnt},:llll Art,
totrilthiined• -the words `,` _ turbulence
and faCtion,'"inthe;fonttlgiarligraph; 4t-Was• an
that we wer.kiliicontetited/ lOakcd
• • .
likCA tlite4t;'
.• • - •
libt'i`threat a stti!eitce:is
belndj.;'ed by.the Colife7:r; and s will 'say tlift
the spirit of ibis Vetj't•idn is hot that :of modern-
tiOn ? It -approaches to.MeeknesS:' I assert that'
•
the elements of political disUnion•do this
unhappy country; and that such disitnionis causeil
bY:the political inequality of, its inhhhitants. 'Do
we not alt knoW, that the most dreadful scenes of
'turntilt and of-outrage, are frequently actedin the
North of Ireland ? Do they not spring-froM re
ligious antipathies, aml.is it not riht to call upon
the. Legislature to have pnercy on us ? It •is to
have mereY, to quench the fires of dissention, and
to permit us to love otir Country..
A conversation ensued' upon-'that Ott' cif-the'
Petition relating to the admission of Dissenters
into the privileges of the Constitution It was
said, that the Dissenters were subject to many
disqualitication, from Which the Catholics wished
to be pwancipated. • • - '
'Mr. Shiel.----The' Presbyterians of It are
subject' to no disqualification.' But in- '”rgitig the
athiiissiOn of DiSenters itn- the.' blessings -of the
CouStitution, I speak of .a'princijile only, without
entering into the dctail'orpelialty. Observe, that
at the conclusion, I haven•sedthe Win.fls." entire-
, enfranchisement,".: to yesene•ml irons the charge,
t hat 'I ask ed>motlung .111• it part fat: liberation Thi4
is iny*gument it `'s a're' elfgthle'
Petry- die- 'not tve-'y /114 wordsgenthically-itlenticqa,7lmply thliC It-As:Only ht.' •
principle of admission to which I meant to allude,
NvitJipu.t. referving;t4 tire Manner- in n'hich it may.
he 'Modified,. ; '7' •
O'Co ihere:tiraii a statethent '
• •
at
,the. close of Ibt4Petiliaii,.. which belieVe'd
not conipletely to 'Eft"obrd 'With fact----natuelr, 'that'
Mr. Pitt had - sitpp.Pttk.'44 theYcause- of die *otntn-
C4liotieS., lle•preikitthed,44liat •Slikernicant
to •,,Illtidelo him.'
.2-c ' '
Shiel.-44liaVe--.:4
gie4P.:.ti`tatesin4nl.ittliesadvocale fth Einancipationl ;;'
pletig3 niYself to pro‘ie,.,o) the'Satisfaction
Learned.:Briend; thatliCrtigarded -it as tli-e greatest.
.bc7tic6t. bauld froin:thi!.Unitila: Ale
1),, in as variety of speeches, argued thug clearly_
and. unegnivocallrin.its favour:' •
Lord 14'ingat —lt was denied 'lir -die'llouie of
Commoni. - •

•
Shiel.—Yes, my Lord, hut Lo.ll Castlereagh.
instantly'rdse and said; that he kneiv the send--
ments of Mr.-Pitt to hislatestbour, and was as-
atued, that he considered Catholic Emancipation
as:of vital.tiecessity. I state a fact which comes
Within mysowtt knowledge. '
Other remarks were wade "upO ttition,
and many concurred in the objection ions urged ;
they'
agreed that the Petition had been drawn op•in
admirahle
.language.
Mr. Shiel said, that he was sorry h could not
aceotd midi those who made the objece tions and
many persons disagreed with hint, it was,
pelhaps, better to withdraw the Petition.
O'Connell moved that it should lie for fur-
ther consideration.
- Mr. O'Gorman proposed that the COrk Petiticin
slrouid :be Adopted.
Another Petition was afterwards 'read, They
.were : all • lerred COmmittec 'Of Five. The
Meeting the adjourned.

- FATAL ACCID,ENT.—On Thursihay lag, as the.
Marquis of I.II)CiiINGIIAM and •Colonei BROWN-
"were entering'the town of 1-'l.lshury; from Stow,
to. attend the Quarttr Sessions, the carriage was
overturned; by xvhich his Lordship's servant, who
rode on the dickey,. was somptch injured that he.
died yesteriLly worming: llotb the „Marytk,,; and,
Colonel 13Rowtc were hurt, bitt not materially.