The Sun.
London, England, 1833-12-17 00:00:00

VICTORIA THEATRE.

Macbeth was performed at this theatre last night, the
principal part having been taken, for the first time, by
SHERIDAN KtiowLEs. Let him do what he will as an
actor, his character as a dramatic poet must always be
superior to it ; and as his excellence in the latter capacity
is undisputed, people will be slow to admit his pre emi-
nence in the former. However, by some perverseness of
disposition, his ambition is to be a great actor as well as a
great author, and certain it is that be can do nothing that
has not about it strong indications of mind. Such, of
course, was the case with his Macbeth last night ; every
syllable was uttered with a true understanding of the full
meaning of the author ; but the fault lay in not being able
to give effect to his own conceptions. We dare say that
he is not at all aware of his deficiencies, but that they
exist cannot be denied, and they will probably prevent his
ever attaining the station to which he aspires, and which,
high as it may be, is very low in comparison with the place
he fills in our st tge literature. The greatest actor that ever
played Macbeth would, at any time, have given all his fame
to be the author of that single passage describing " the
temple-haunting martlet." While, however, we blame
Know LEs for thus, as it were, going out of his way—for
the utmost success as an actor would add nothing to his
reputation as a dramatist—we are very willing to allow
that we would much rather see his Macbeth than sit out
that of any mere performer but one of absolutely first rate
excellence. KNOWLES always keeps the mind employed,
by showing that his own fine understanding is at work in
what be undertakes. This of itself is excitement, and
pleasurable excitement. The great point in which he
succeeded was that which depends least upon the physical
qualifications of the performer. Through the two first acts
he seemed fully possessed by the prediction of the witches,
and it filled him with that abstraction which drew him
aside from all other purposes. This was very well con-
ceived, and we must also warmly praise the scene where
Lady Macbeth takes the daggers, and that in which
Banquo appears at the feast. The soliloquies were well
pronounced, but the pauses were sometimes too long—an
error observable during the vision of the air drawn dagger,
although great latitude ought in this respect to be given to
the performer. The tragedy went off with much appro-
bation ; and on the whole it was very well cast. Mrs.
EGERTON was certainly not equal to Lady Macbeth, but
more competent than any other female member of the
company. Ansorr was Macduff, and EGERTON had his
usual part of Ban quo.

We understand that Major-General Sir John
Milley Doyle has left town for France, on a special
mission.
The late Sir John Malcolm was so close an
observer of all that he heard and read, that he is said to
have ama.eed not less than from 60 to 70 volumes of
individual and national anecdote.
At a battue, last week, at Lord Lichfield's,
upwards of 1,700 head of game were bagged in five days.
The party consisted of the Duke of Sussex, Lord Lich-
field, G. Anson, Esq., the Earl of Denbigh, Lord Ux-
bridge, and G. Payne, Esq.—Northampton Herald.
DEATH OF CAPTAIN NPCLINTOCK, 74TH
REGISIENT.-It is with sincere sorrow we announce the
death of Captain Charles M'Clintock, of the 74th Regi-
ment, son of John M.Ciincock, Esq., and Lady Elizabeth
Nl‘Clintock. This melancholy event took place on
Monday morning, the 9th inst. at Drumcar, after a
abort illness of five days, of malignant acarlitina. Capt.
M'Clintock only arrived at Drumcar on Wednesday last,
on leave of absence from his regiment, and was taken ill
on the following day. He was in his 27th year. —D rog-
hula Journal.
ANCIENT THEATRICALS.—The Roman
circus held 400,000 and the performers amounted to
6,000. What would Bunn say to such an audience ?
EXCISE COMMISSION.—The Excise Com-
mission now sitting in Dublin have given the most entire
satisfaction to the merchants and traders who have had
occasion to wait on them, and we have no doubt that many
of the grievances of which they complain, particularly
those touching the Excise laws with regard to malt, will
be remedied immediately on the reassembling of Pal lia-
urent in February. Again, with regard to illicit distilla-
tion, which was never mere prevalent than at this too-
ment, and of which it is difficult to say whether it is more
injurious to the revenue or to the fair dealer, steps will be

taken to suppress it, as well as as the systematic smuggling
which prevails to such an unparalleled extent. The dis
tillers, the malsters, the brewers, and all the classes of
trades connected with the Excise, have the most entire
confidence in Sir H. Parnell and his fellow-commissioners,
and look for the most beneficial result from ther labours.
—Dublin Mercantile Adveraset.
FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE. RIVER.—Last
night as an ancbor-boat belonging to Mr. John Moore, of
Redcross-street, was getting up an anchor belonging to an
American ship, she was run down by a brig, and two
hands perished.—Liiyerpool Chronicle.
SINGULAR CAUSE Or DEATII.—On Satur-
day last, John Armstrong, about five years old, son of
William Armstrong, of Church-lane, cooper, in company
of four other boys, went into the brewery yard of Mr.
Richard Anderson, of Knox's-street, where they unfortu-
nately discovered a leaking cask of whisky, a portion of
which they were tempted to lap off the ground ; shortly
after they became affected, and after getting home melted
butter was administered to them by their parents, which
caused a considerable quantity of gravel to be emitted from
their stomachs. A I the children recovered hut one,

John Armstrong, who died at one o'clock on Sunday

morning.—Sligo Journal.
DIED.—On Sunday afternoon, in his 28th
year, Mr. T. NV. Guinan, proprietor and editor of the Wol-
verhampton Chronicle. The death of Mr. Guinan will
he a source of lasting and deep regret. In him were com-
bined high intellectual powers with the most virtuous
principles, and all the actions of his life were regulated by
the strictest regard to religion and truth. His illness,
which was brought on by the rupture of a blood vessel,
was of two months' duration, and he bore his suffering,
and the almost certain prospect of a speedy separation
from his affectionate family and friends, with that pious
fortitude and meek resignation which christian faith and

christian hope can alone inspire. Thus fixing his firm re-
liance on the merits and mediation of Christ, his end was
peaceful and happy,—affording to those who witnessed his
last moments the surest grounds for hope that his soul had
aicended to the bosom of his God, to receive that crown of
justice which is the promised reward of all who place their
trust in him.

EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE.—AS the
mail was proceeding from Okebampton to Launceston, on
Sunday night, when within four miles of the latter place,
the driver and guard got down to allow an outside pas-
senger to alight; the guard was placed at the head of the
leaders, whilst the driver attended to the passengers; when
the horses, one of which was blind, became impatient and
started off, throwing down the guard. There were at this
time four inside passengers, who were unconscious of what
had happened, but finding they were proceeding at an un-
usually rapid pace, one of them looked out, when per-
ceiving their situation, he communicated it to his com-
panions, and opening the door, climbed to the guard's
stand at the back of the coach, whence he slid down, and
running forward, seized the head of one of the wheelers,
but could not atop it, and was compelled to let go. By
this time another of the passengers followed the example
of his companion, but was not 5, fortunate, as he received
some contusions. Meantime the horses continued to
proceed at a gallop, and the other two inside passengers,
one of whom was an elderly gentleman, resolved to sit still
and take their chance. The horses dashed forward, passed
the bridge across the Tamer, near Launceston, and actually
stopped at the door of the White Hart Inn, without ac-
cident.— West Briton.
A few days since, as a respectable young
farmer was returning from Frome to his residence at
—, Somerset, he overtook a female on the road, who
was crying bitterly, and, asking her the cause of her dis-
tress, she told him that her father bad married a second
wife, and that her mother-in-law had used her ill ; that
she (the young female having a good property of her own,
was determined not to live at home any longer ; she further
stated that she had 7001. in the Warminster Bank. The
farmer took compassion on her, conveyed her to the house
of his father, fell violently in love with her, and in about
a fortnight after they were married. On this occasion
such a scene of rejoicing was witnessed at —, as had
not been known before for many years. A few days sub-
sequently, the father of the bridegroom intimated to the
lady that it would be desirable to withdraw the 7001. from
the bank, to which she consented, and off they went to-
gether in a gig to Warminster for that purpose. On their
arrival in that town, the old gentleman waited at the
London inn while the lady, as she stated, went to the bank
for the cash, to which place she returned in a few minutes,
stating that she had got it in her pocket. After taking an
extra glass, to which he was prompted by the fancied
success of his journey, the old farmer, with his daughter-
in-law, returned home in high spirits. It subsequently,
however, turned out that the lady's story about the cash
was altogether a fabrication, and what was still worse, that
she had been, for a long time, a common prostitute at
Bath. The young couple have since parted.—Bristol
Mercury.
THUNDER STORNI.—LOSS OF LIFE.—An
awful and very disastrous thunder storm occurred in this
neighbourhood, at an advanced hour, on Wednesday
night last. The earliest account we have of it, dates its
commencement at Kilcummin, a few miles below Killala'
from which it proceeded with the direction of the wind,
which then had risen to a smart breeze from the north
west, towards the Coolcarney mountains, traversing a
large section of the intermediate country, and filling the
inhabitants, in every part of its progress, with affright
and dismay. A highly respectable inhabitant of Killala
states, that the storm, when passing over that town, was
terrific in the extreme, the electric fluid being so vivid
and continuous as to render the smallest object in his bed
room, where the windows were but partially closed, dis-
tinctly visible for several seconds, and the thunder roaring
in such deafening peals, as might indicate " the convul-
sive throes of nature's agony." Happily neither the town
nor the inhabitants sustained any injury. Far different,
however, were its effects at Mallahowny, a village about
three miles from this town. The lightning entered the
house of Patrick Kilbride of that place, killed his daughter,
a young woman twenty-four years of age, and so severely
injured two other members of his family, as to deprive one
(a son) of the sense of hearing, and a second daughter
of all power in one side. It also killed his pig. In the
house of Andrew Lynne, adjoining the former dwelling,
it killed four cows, a horse, two pigs, and a quantity of
poultry. Two other cows belonging to the Widow
Naughten and Henry Willis, were also destroyed during
this awful visitation, in the same neighbourhood, by the
electric fluid. We are glad to find that subscriptions have
been commence,' for the relief of the principal sufferers in
this case. Any contributions, we are requested to add,
for the benefit of Lynne, who has a numerous family,
now reduced to a state of great destitution, which may be
left at our office, will be thankfully acknowledged.--
Ballina Impartial.
HAY.—SINGULAR HOAX.—A short time
ago a person came to the Red Lion Inn, in this town, and
sent for a surgeon to meet him there. The surgeon duly
arrived. The stranger introduced himself by stating that
he was a steward of the Friendly Society held at the New
Inn, Eardisley, and that be was deputed by them to en-
gage a surgeon to attend the site members; he, the
steward, had the pleasure of informing the gentleman
whom he was addressing, that the Society had elected
him, and he had been deputed to settle with him as to
terms. After some discussion, the steward proposed to
give 40 guineas per annum for the gentleman's profes-
sional services; the offer was accepted. Immediately an
attorney's clerk was called in, and instructions given to
draw up an agreement ; this was goickly done, and as
quickly signed by the surgeon, and by the steward in
behalf of the society. The medical gentleman was so
highly pleased with this nen acquisition to his practice,
that be not only paid the attorney's clerk for his trouble,
but also treated the Society's modest deputy with the most
delicious viands, and the best liqueurs the inn could
afford. When it grew late, the surgeon insisted upon his
friend accompanying him home to take supper and a bed
at his house. After long and pressing invitation the
steward consented. To the private house both parties
repaired, and after partaking of a very handsome cenalory
entertainment, both the engager and the engagee retired
to rest, higbly gratified with the events of the day. On
the following morning the steward found himself a wel-
come guest
that at the
he hadbreakfasthe ioigtaobtlete;n heto
hhriinntgedantyo
cash
kind host
with him ; whereupon the surgeon generously handed
to his guest all the silver be then had in his
pocket. And now " they talked of this thing and of
that," when the conversation chanced to turn upon horse
flesh ; the steward told a long tale of a sick horse which
he had at home, and minutely described the symptoms of
the suffering animal. The medical gentleman lost no time
in preparing a ball, which he presented to the steward,
who now departed. The ball he forthwith carried to a
clergyman in the town; in offering it for sale to the
reverend gentleman, he described it as an infallible nostrum
for innumerable diseases incident to the horse; but the
clergyman incredulously shook his head and turned upon
his heel from the charlatan. t few days afterwards, the
surgeon had occasion to go to Eardisley, in the course of
his professional duties, when, to his utter dismay, he found
that he had been hoaxed—his forty guineas per annum
proved, like Mr. Henry Ossulton Bennet's domains in
Canada, things, alas! not tangible.

VISIT OF THE RIGHT liGN. C. P.' HOM-
SON, M.P., TO MANCHESTEk,

The Hon. Vice Presijaent r;f the,Board of Trade arrived
among his constituents from London .41 Tuesday evening.
His presence hail long been anxiously expected, as dell by ,
those who were more immediately instrumental in securing
his election for the borough as by the larger remaining
portion d the inhabitants over whose interests he had been
deputed to watch. lint the important mission in which
the Right Hon: Gentlernan has for some time been engaged,
combined with the other heavy official Calls lipoid his at-
tention, have hitherto preitented his appearance among us,
and his sudden illness on his return from France frustrated
fors time the plans which had been formed for his reeeP•
tion and entertainmeilt. For these reasons the dinner
appointed to be given by tae Viiectors of the Bank of
Manchester to their chairman, Mr. Thomas _Potter, has
been repeatedly deferred, it being the especial wish of the
conductGra of that establishment that th:;se Members of
Parliament in the district who have assisted in promoting
their views during the late Parliamentary discussions upon
the banking affairs of the country; should he of the party.
On Wednesday the dinner took place at the Royal Hotel.
It was of a strictly private thatactet, the representatives
of the press being therefore excluded. About 3 gentle-
men sat down, every Director having the power td
duce a friend. Mr. J. C. Dyer presided, and the vice-
chair was tilled by Mr. E. Baxter. The guests consisted
,:f Poulett Thomson and Mark Phillips, Esqrs., our
representatives, Mr. Richard Potter, Member for Wigan,
and Mr. Brotherton, Member for Salford, the Directors
and a few friends, Mr. A. Kay, Mr. V. Burdekin, &c.
&c. Due honour was of course paid to Mr. Thos. Potter,
the chief guest of the evening. At an early period of the
proceedings, Mr. P. Thomson waa called upon to address
the meeting. After touching lightly on the question of
banking, the Right Hon. Gentleman expounded his views
upon the subject which, of late years, has mainly occu-
pied his attention,—namely, the system of free trade. He
spoke at some length and very ably upon this topic, and
was followed by Mr. Mark Phillips, Mr. Richard Potter,
and other gentlemen.
In the course of the evening the principal officers of the
bank presented to Mr. Thomas Potter a beautiful gold
snuff box, bearing the following inscription :
"Presented

The principal officers of the
Bank of Manchester

Thomas Potter, Esquire,
On his retiring from the office of
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Of that Establishment,
Which he held during the
Four first years of its existence,
In testimony
Of their high esteem and regard,
And of their gratitude
For the kindness and zeal with which
He invariably promoted
Their Interest and Happiness.
Dec. 11, 18.33."
The party broke up at an early hour.
On Thursd sy morning Mr. Thomson breakfasted with
Richard Potter, Esq., at his residence near Kersal Moor.
The party, although by many considered as a " public
breakfast," was strictly private, and was composed chiefly
of the most active members of the two committees of
Messrs. Thomson and Phillips, at the late election. Be-
tween 30 and 40 persons sat down. An opportunity Was
taken to elicit from Mr. Thomson some explanations in
reference to his votes and proceedings during the last session
of Parliament. The Right Hon. Gentleman spoke upon
the several points to which his attention was drawn in a
familiar and friendly way, and, as we are informed to the
complete satisfaction of his auditors. On Thursday evening
Mr. Thomson, Mr. Mark Phillips, Mr. Richard Potter,
and Mr. Brotherton (all of whom were present at the
breakfast) dined with a party of eighteen (chiefly consisting
of other active members of the two committees who had
not been among the morning guests of Mr. R. Potter) at
the house of Mr. T. Potter, and here again, we believe,
the explanations were given.
Yesterday morning, a deputation, headed by Mr. Bro-
therton, Mr. Phillips, and Mr. Potter, and comprising,
among others, the Reverends Dr. Fletcher, Birt,
and M'Kerrow (successor to Dr. Jacks) with Messrs.
Hadfield, Harbottle, Samuel Fletcher, Heron, sen., Mr.
Hulme (attorney), Mr. Roberts, &c. &c., waited upon
Mr. Thomson, at the house of Mr. T. Potter, for the
purpose of laying before the Right Hon. Gentleman the
complaints and demands of the body of Dissenters in
Manchester and Salford. The deputation breakfasted with
Mr. Potter. They stated, that on behalf of the Dissenters
they required to be freed from the compulsory payment of
church rates—to have the power of marrying at their own
places of worship, and of interring in parochial burial
grounds, their own Ministers officiating—and to have a
general registration of births, marriages, and deaths
throughout the country. Mr. Thomson attended carefully
to all that the deputation thought fit to urge ; but ab-
stained from stating his own views or pledging himself to
any course.
Yesterday Mr. Thomson dined with Mark Phillips,
Esq., at his residence near Stand. He will continue the
when
t cl he
re e becomesrn t.
n.
ignumesatteof
ofh ismr. colleagueay ouondt,isl "filaonnsdiazn,
Wednesday he visits Mr. 13axter. —Manchester Chronicle
of Saturday.

HINT TO REFRACTORY CORPORATO.RS.-
" Bijazet," says a Sunday paper, " had a short method of
dealing with bodies when he suspected anything wrong in
them. One of his grooms being suspected by a widow of
drinking her children's milk, he forthwith ordered the
man's stomach to be opened to ascertain the fact."

THE IRISH UNION.—The Memoirs on the
Union, just published by Sir Jonah Barrington, are at-
tracting, it appears, very considerable attention. In
treating of the public events which made that measure
necessary, and the secret contrivances by which it was
effected, no writer of his period could possess greater
advantages than Sir Jonah Barrington. He was of ne-
cessity, through the position which he occupied, informed
of the views and objects of Government, and of the occult
means by which they were to be accomplished. The
private agents of the executive were known to him. He
was familiar with the great leading men of parties,
and his natural shrewdness allowed nothing in the Houses
of Parliament, or in the political coteries and cabals, to
escape bis vigilance. His work, therefore, undoubtedly
claims estimation as one of standard value.

SALMON POACHT.INIG.—On Tuesday, Mar-
garet Taylor, the datighter of a farmer in Logiealmond,
was brought before the justices at Perth, on a charge of
salmon poaching. By the evidence it appeared that this
fascinating young lass despised taking fish by spears or any
other mode usually practised by poachers, but actually
bunted the salmon with dogs, a way of catching fish hi-
therto unknown. Her plan was both novel and simple ;
she, set her two dogs into the Shilligan fishing dam, a little
below the spawning bed, while she sat several yards above
it, in a narrow part of the burn, in the enjoyment of a cold
bath, with her apron stretched out under the water. On
a signal the dogs rushed up the burn, sending the fish be-
fore them, and the moment they entered the apron the fair
dame drew it to her and secured the fish. The justices
rewarded the lass's invention, by ordaining her to pay a
fine of 11., besides expenses, or, failing payment, one
month's imprisonment i❑ Perth gaol.—Edinburgh Cou-
rant.

SALMON FISHERIES OF SCOTLAND.—It iS
in contemplation, we understand, and arrangements are
in progress to bring in a Bill next Session of Parliament
to supersede or rectify the present law, usually denomi-
nated Mr. Home Drummond's Act, for regulating the
Scottish Salmon fisheries. One striking anomaly in the
present Act is the clause making it imperative that all
the rivers in Scotland shall be fished at the same time.
By this regulation the Ness and other early rivers, which
produced more weight of the best and richest salmon from
St. Andrew's day to the Ist of February than they pro-
duce throughout the whole of the rest of the season, were
cut off from the chief advantage they possessed, and
denuded of more than two thirds of their value. Salmon
in December would be worth two shillings a pound in
Billingsgate market ; but after February, when the pro-
duce of all the Scottish streams is brought in together, it
is scarcely worth sixpence. Why, then, pass a law pro.
hibiting any river from being fished previous to February?
We can prove that these are undoubted facts, and that
the salmon caught in November, December, and January
used to be of the best quality ; and it is not a little hard
that a legislator like Mr. Home Drummond should step
in and with a dash of his pen, aided by the omnipotence,
or rather the dulness of Parliament, blot out this source of
national emolument and gratification. The enactment of
such a regulation is happily described (see Mr. Fraser of
Dochnalurg's excellent treatise on the Salmon) as about
as sensible a plan as it would be to prohibit the farmers
of England
from cutting their crops till the harvest was
ready in the Highlands. However, we know that some
things were thrust into the Bill without Mr. Home
Drummond's knowledge or consent, and the Act was so
far beneficial that it tended in some degree to repress
poaching. We anticipate far higher and better things
from its intended successor.--Inverness Courier.