The Sun.
London, England, 1823-03-17 00:00:00

GRAND NAVAL • AND .MI.I.4ITAILY BALL'. AND
SUPPER..

BaTit.—On Monday evening, our Assembly Rooms, dis.
played one of those scenes of splendor, which, taken in the tout
ensemble, are. unrivalled in any other plate in the ttifigdditt.--.
They were opened, about 9 o'clock, to a company of about
600, comprising the liberal, gay, gallant, and gallant, of one
sex, and the lovely, elegant anefashionable, of the other.
The large Ball 1001 n was magnificently and appropriately
decorated; at the upper end was erected a superb canopy, at
the lower end .rich draperies,,sunuounted with mural anti naval
crowns. The length,of the room was enriched with handsome
slags and banners bearing inscriptions :-
4 God save the King."..." Peninsula."—" Ttafalgar."—
" aterloo."—" Algiers."_" Copenhagen."—" A salty e."—
." Seringapatarn."—" Cape St. Vincent."--" Camperdown."—
" Alexandria."—" Aire."."`" Nile."—" Algeciras."--" .Mar•
tinique."—Guathiloupe."—" Howe."--" Nel-
son."—" 's% elling rod."
The chalking of the floor, too, deserves especial notice—the
devices being appropriately selected and well executed.
Lord Northesk, the President of the evening, entered the
room, accompanied by Colonel Parry who officiated as Artiier
.Elegantiarstm, Captain Losack, anti 'Major . Sackville. After
a flourish of trumpets, the band played " God save the King,"
the company then stood up to a contre dance, led ()Irby Colonel
Parry and Lady Elizabeth Carnegie ; when the magnificence
of the scene was fully displayed, in the splendid and varied
uniforms and rt.ltimentalt of the Gentlemen, decorated with
honourable orders • and the matchless shew of brilliants, dia.
monds, and costly dresses of the Ladies, added to the radient
lustre of their native charma. Quadrilles succeeded,. and coma-
tinued with little intenniasion till past 12 when the. Supper
was anikatinced, and the Octagon, Tea, and Card-Roount were
throwtkopen, exhibiting-numerous well arranged tables in each,
hid outln a style, in which tutu and splendour were combined
in MI eminent degree. . Mr. eve,.to whom this department had
been sinsigned,teaunetl.tobtive attained the tie plus lelora of the
confectionary art, in the,numerous ornamental and appropriate
embellishmeats, which ertricheathe several tables. The culinary
department furnished a profusion of the choicest delicacies :
fruits, preserves, ices, jellies, antrevery delicious bonne douche
were supplied with unrestrained freedom : and the wines,
punch, liqueurs, &c. were of the rare=st vintage and finest fla-
vour. During the supper, as well as through the evening, the
utmost comfort revailed, owing to the admirable manage.
ment adOpted. the Bad of Northesk presided; with his ac-
customed urbanity anti gallant attention to the fair guests ; and
was ably supported by the Stewards, Generals, Jaelreon, Skin-
ner, and Burton; Colonel Jones Parry, Major Sackville, Cap.
talus Saumerez and Losack, and Lieutenant Crouther.
After supper the following toasts were given, interspersed
by-appropriate tunes from the baud, 'or glees from the profee.
*tonal Members of the Madrigal Club :
'" The King," three times three.—.." Duke of York anti the
Army."—" Duke of Clarence and the Navy."—" Duke of
Wellington."—" Earl St. Vincent—Father of the Fleet."--
" Eat) of Northesk."—" The Stewards."—" The Ladles."
On the fair guests retiring, the Band played " Fly not yet."
After a few glasses had circled briskly round enlivened by
the talent's 0114 vocalists, the Gentlemen soon reclaimed their
partners' hands, and the Ball again displayed a scene of ani.
illation anti delight till a late hour in the morning; when, after
partaking a comfortable breakfast, the Company departed,
highly gratified with every department of this magnificent en-
tertainment.
\ye cannot conclude without paying the due 'need of praise
to Mr. Barber for his admirable management, anti to Mr.
Pritchard far his very tasteful and appiopriate style of deco.
rating the Ball-room ; which gave an air Of Aplenditi novelty
to the fete ; and brought associationa to the,mind of amost in-
teresting and pleasing nature.---(Both .tieraldollarch lb.)

On Saturday the 15th inst. grpat rejoicings
took place at Strachum, in the County of Kent,
on the only son of Sir WALTEIL STIRLING, Bart.
coming of age. The morning Was ushered in by
the ringing of bells, At one o'clock twenty one
pieces of cannon were fired, ufter which the
whole population of that village, consisting of
oc2B persons, were entertained with beef, bread,
and.ale.

. _
The remain• of the late Dowager Countess of
Rosiatsany were removed on Saturday morning
from her house in Somerset-street, Portman-
square, for interment. The hearse was followed
by three mourning coaches and twelve private
carriages,

P 0 E T It Y .

PROLOGUE to;Ose NEB THAOEDY pf JULIAN.
SP-?KEY BY Mit. CONNOft.
They who in. Proloves for yotir favours ask, .
Find every season more perplex'd their task;
'Though doubts. and !lopes, and tremblings, do not fail--
The points fall flatly, and the rhymes grow stale.
Why should the Author find their fitting parts,
In all'the pomp of' verse, to " British hearts?".
Why to such minds es yours with ardour pray,
For.more than
spew
a first essay ?
What need to shew bow absolute your pow'r?:
What stake awaits the issue of an hour—.
How hangs thescale 'twist agony and joy,
What blisit you nourish,,or what hopes destroy ?
All these you feel—and yet we scarce can bring
A Prologue to " the poesy of a ring."
To 'what may we alltide ?—our,plot untold
-Is no great chapter fVom the times of old ;
On no august association rests,
But seeks its earliest home in kindly breasts.
Its scene, as inauspicious to our scram,
Is neither mournful Greece, nor kindling Spain,
But Sicily--where' no defiance horn!
At freedom's foes; may acre the attending world.
But since old forms forbid us to submit
it rlay without :a prologue to the pit ;
Lest this be miss'd by some true triend of plays,
Like the dull colleague of his earlier days ;
Then let me own how fearlessly we trust
That you will yet be mercifully just.

EPILOGUE,
SPOKEN BY MRS. EIIATTEM,E
Is not her lot intolerably bard,
Who does this pious office for the bard ?
Who comes, applauses not her own to win,
To pay the penance for another's sin !
To tack—lest gentle moralizars rail
A drawling comment to a doubtful tale;
'l'o break, with hollow mirth, the sacrespell,
Which the poor poet rarely weaves too well;
Or if his sorrows haplcsslrare laughed at,
, Look grave for wit to throw his closing shaft at.
Methinks our. author's sex you shrewdly guess—
" Is it a Lady's Drama ?"—frankly, " I es.
Yet-let no censure on her darling fall,
When all " Life's idle business" is—to scrawl ;
Our tender bosoms learn in song to melt,
And send their griefs to press—as soon as felt ;
No thought in lone obscurity decays,
But dies away in neatly published lays; . .
No tender hope can bloom and fade tlnsetn,
It leaves its fragrance—in a Magazine ;
The bashful heart, whom deep emotions bless,
Hides its soft secrets in the daily press
With hints of well-assuni'd despair beguiles,
And execrates mankind to win their smiles ;
A woman sure may claim no Tall compassion,
Who has this plea—she's only in the fashion.
0, if the fair's prerogative it be,
To watch supreme o'er calumny and tea ; •
To slay an author's hope's with daintiest sneers,
And change the fates of poets as of peers;
Regard not her unwomanly who seeks
To draw down sacred tears o'er beauty's cheeks,
Who for her sex, by artless scenes, would keep
Its dearest right—to weep with those that weep ;
Who, if to-night her humble muse huh brought
To some sad heart a train of gentle thought ;
On some worn spirit shed that blest relief,
A generous sympathy with kindred grief,
NVith joy returns to life's secluded ways,
And asks no recompense of noisier praise.