The Sun.
London, England, 1823-01-01 00:00:00

THE THEATRE.

Dauav LANE.—Notwithstanding the severity
of the weather a very elegant audience, and alto-
gether a more numerous one than could be
expected attended The Siege of Belgrade last
night. We have already noticed the performance
of this piece, one of the best of its regretted Au-
thor, Mr. Conn, during the present season.—
ile.tuAm, as usual, exerted himself ably in the
Seraskier. COOPER, who is a very respectable
general actor, gave sufficient importance to
Cohenburg. Miss Fortor, who, we are glad
to see, is -brought more forward, as she is a
spirited actress as well as a good singer, imparted
a strong interest to Katherine, and sung one bra-
vura so well that an encore was vehemently de-
manded, but the fatigue of the exertion prevented
the call from being universal. The only change
in the piece was the assignment of Lilla to Miss
CUBIT, in consequence of the sudden retreat of
Mrs. NrESTRIS. Miss CUBITT is one of the most
scientific singers on the English Stage, and pos-
sesses a good ear as well as a good voice, which
is far from being the case with several others.—
, Her performance of Dila, considering the short-
ness of the period in which she was obliged to
study the part, performing other characters tin
the mean time, was easy, humorous, and playful.
The Opera was followed by the sportive versati-
lity of Miss CLARA FISHER, and finally by the
whimsical Farce of Who's Who, which afforded
Bill scope for the humours of MUNDEN.
THE' ARTS.

We were yesterday much gratified by a pri-.
vate view of the beautiful Collection of Drawings
and Engravings in
„Soho-square. This Collection
comprehends a series of water-coloured Drawings
from former and present Artists, whose works
are highly honourable to British genius,—.There
are also Engravings from dead and living Artists,
which are equally honourable to this country.—
The gloominess of the weather yesterday- pre-
vented us from taking more than a general
view, except in a few particulars. Among these
is a beautiful Head of a Female, by Sir Tito-
MAS LAwnwicc—Dover, a large Drawing, just
finished for the Exhibition by Mr.' TUaNca—an
exquisite Drawing of a Rainbow, by the same
powerful Artist, introduced in one of the views
on the Rhine—some first-rate Draivings by CO-
ZENS, whose professional career was unhappily
terminated, by insanity—some Drawings also by
IRTIN, an Artist of great talents, who died al-
roost in the bloom of youth—MARTIN'S JOShI/U--
a beautiful Drawing of Contemplation, by R.
IVESTALL—Head of an old Woman, by WILKIE
--an admirable Drawing of Mrs. ORGER, the,
Actress, by Mr. JACKSON, R. A.—and some
excellent Drawings by SroTiiAan and other
eminent Artists:---There is a very. fine Mi-
niature copy of a Portrait of a Lady by Sir
JOSHUA REYNOLDS. This Miniature is the
work of .M.r. G. WARD,' son of the Royal
Academician, and who proves that he • pos-
sesses hereditary talents. The Exhibition is
fully equal to that of last year in the same
place, and the' whole is quite new, amount..
ing to nearly five hundred productions. We were
chiefly struck by the Drawings yesterday, but
we shall revisit this equisite collection, and then
endeavour to, give a due tribute to the merit of
the engravers. Sir JOHN SWINRUHNE, Bart. and
Sir Tilos. LAwttExcE, whose. genius confers suf-
ficient honours on his name, have contributed to
this collection some of the best works of GIItTIN
and COZENS. The whole is under the superin-
tendanco of Mr. W. B. CooKE, whose - own
merit as an engraver, and whose respectability
of character, will account for the liberal support
which he has experienced on this annual occasion.

THE LEWISHAM Munnzit.—ln consequence of
the recent murder, a meeting (which had been
convened by public notice) of the gentlemen resi-
dents of Blackheath, Lewisham, and the villages
adjacent, took place yesterday morning, at the
Green Man on the heath, for the pUrpose of
adopting necessary and efficient means for the
protection of the neighbourhood from depredations
of nightly marauders that have lately infested the
district, and for prdmoting every proper mea-
sure for the apprehension of the murderer of the
late Mr. SMITH. J. R. %VILI.I.tMs, Esq., the
Magistrate, was unanimously called.to the Chair.
After he had addressed the Meeting, explaining
the purposel for which they had been convened,
it was unanimously qgreed, that for the preserva-
tion of the lives'and property of the inhabitants of
this populous division of the County, from which
a large proportion of criminals is sure-to load the
Calendar at every Assize and Quarter Sessions,
a %vell-regulated and active Police should be es-
tablished.

THE THAMES.—The severity of the weather
has nearly clodded the surface of the river ; the police have
been obliged fin the last two nights to patrol the shores, and
confine their boats on the ebb, it being dangerous to ven-
ture out at night, for fear of being locked in the ice. Great
Lers of the vessels in the river have broken from their anchors,
and the shipping at large ha've been placed in danger. The
'bill of ice yesterday and the preceding day, was more than has
been known for a number of years ; so much :to, indeed,
that it rendered it quite impracticable for the watermen to ven-
ture from the shore. Many of the vessels that lie nearest the
shore, have dug pits for their anchors on the land, to which they
have confined the ship with ropes; those anchored in the centre
ot' the river have constituted a rope anti scale for conveyance,
first discovered by persons on board the convict ship ly-
ing off the Tower, by Which persons travel to and fro, it
being impossible for them to go on board any other way.
A large rope is confined strongly to something on the shore, the
other end of which hi fastened to the ship which they want to
go on board. This rope
truckle of the pulley is put through a pulley, so dint the
13assel backward and forward on the rope,
then a large scale is hung to it in which sits the person who is
either going on board or coming ashore, and by small ropes the
s i
cale s pulled from one to the other, and in this manner do they
substitute a scale for a boat so that in piiipt of getting things on
board, the severity.of the weather will not affect diemonly
inconvenience will be from cold and hindrancato commerce.

THE FROST.—Yestertlay morning, at eight
o'clock, the Mercury in the Thermometer stood at 29 degrees,
being six degrees higher than at the same hour on Monday.
Since the night before last, the Mercury in the barometer has
been gradually sinking, and in the forenoon of Monday as
well as yesterday, there has been sprinkling of light snow...—
The ice received by the confectioners yesterday was between
three and four inches thick. That which they had from Nor-
. .I,!tlY last winter, it appears turned out an indifferent specula.
inn for them. It was remarkably porous ; and containing an
4•llnite number of minute air bubles, became more suscepttble
b eat than ice usually is, and rapidly melted away.