The Sun.
London, England, 1832-10-04 00:00:00

CO VEIN T-GARDEN THEATRE.

-----„.-
SHERIDAN KxowLEs's play of The Hunchback, which
has been going the round of all the theatres in the etnpire
during the summer, and which has everywhere proved an
unprecedented attraction, drew a full audience last night,
and went off with nearly as much applause as ever. We
were glad to see that the performances of it at the Hay-
market, and the recent repetition of it, probably for the
last time, at Drury lane, bave not had the effect of weary-
ing the public. Independent of some novelties in the cast,
it came upon us with that freshness which always belongs
to the natural exhibition of passion and feeling, and which
renders the piece delightful in spite of certain inexplicable
incongruities in the plot. The principal changes were
Miss ELLEN TREE for Miss KEMBLE in the part of Julia,
and Mr. G. BENNETT for Mr. KEMBLE in the part of
Clifford ; and although, of course, we cannot say that in '
either case the alteration was for the better, yet the act-
ing was at least sufficient; and had it been much wors.,
the situations and sentiments would still have told. In
the scenes and passages of greatest force and character, no-
body knows better, or will acknowledge it more readily,
than ELLEN TREE, that she fell short of Miss KE3I BLE
but it is only just to add, that in the lighter parts of the
play she excelled her predecessor : nay, even in the scene
of conflicting pride and tenderness (in the second act, we
think,) where she resolves to marry Lord Rochdale to
revenge the slight of Sir Thomas Clifford, we are more
than inclined to give her the preference : all the way
through the strong tide of her affection was easily traced--
its set and power clearly visible, notwithstanding the
counter-ripple of anger on the surface. The latter scene
was most strongly marked by the approbation of the
heave, but it failed to draw the tears we saw shed so
abundantly when Miss KEatat.E sustained the character.
Miss E. TREE'S " Do it, nor leave the act to me !" we
are bound unwillingly to pronounce a failure, or, at all
events, a failure as regarded the latter words of the sentence,
to which, either from error or weakness, Miss E. TREE
did not give the tone of resolution in which they ought to
be delivered. On the whole, her personation was ex-
cellent; and we might have thought i: admirable, if we
had not seen the original representative of the part ; to
whom, let it be remembered, we are indebted for all the
great points, which none of her successors have been able
to improve. We are happy to have this opportunity of
paying a tribute to Miss KEMBLE, whose talents many,
now she is absent, are disposed to depreciate. We can
say no more of Mr. G. BENNETT than that he was re-
spectable, and that as far as his abilities allowed, he was a
discreet follower of C KEMBLE. Mr. FORRESTER had
`WRENCH'S part of Lord Tinsel, and was very defective
in the knowledge of his part ; the consequence of which
was, that he did not play it as well as he can, and perhaps
will, when the play is repeated. SHERIDAN KNOWLES was
very cordially greeted by the audience. We hope that
his employment as an actor will not interefere with his
higher duties as an author, and we look upon his engage-
ment by LAPORTE as a sort of retaining fee to secure the
pre-emption of his future plays. With some disadvan-
tages, his Master Walter has this strong recommenda-
tion—all he utters seems to come from the depths of his
understanding, and not to he poured out merely from the
mindless mouth of a sort of flesh an l blood automaton.

Air. LAPORTE yesterday took possession of
the King's Theatre, as lessee for the ensuing season, Mr.
M. MAsos having relinquished his claim to the esta-
blishment. The amount of the rental is stated at 12,0001.
per annum. Mr. Sec uirr, the active caterer under both
lessees, was to leave town last night for Paris, to raise
recruits for the ensuing campsign.
The name of Mr. JERROLD'S new play is the
Factory Girl, in which Mr. SERLE, the author of the
new tragedy, will make his first appearance at Drury-lane.
We also find that a new comic entertainment, to be called
Mr. and Mrs. Pringle, is in preparation for next week;
it is written by Don TRUEBA ; the principal characters to
be sustained by FA RREN, Mrs. GLOVER, and Mrs. HUMaY;
and Der Freischutz is to be revived, Mr. Bitarram
taking his original character of Adolph.
FROM A CORRESPONDENT.—A most sin-
gular correspondence is carrying on between the solicitor
of a Noble Earl and one of the Government Departments,
respecting a forged letter, purporting to come from a Mi-
nister of State, and sealed with a seal having a Viscount's
coronet, with the letter G below it. The act of forgery
has been fixed upon an individual whose honour has hitherto
been considered as spotless. The Noble Earl is about to
publish a full statement of the whole transaction.

" We have good news to announce," say the
French Papers of the 30th ult. ; " the price of bread,
which bad been fixed for the last fortnight of August at
Sid. for the loaf of four pounds, has been reduced to 71-d.
fo; the last fortnight of September, and a new reduction has
just taken place. The price of fine bread is fixed at 7d.
the four-pound loaf, for the first fortnight of October, and
that of Impel-Ad bread at 5,1,-d." There will be no tumults
in Paris, we predict, while bread is falling, or cuatinues
ehesp.

A singular meeting of a number of the non-
electors of Forfar was convened on Tuesday, by " tuck of
drum," in the School-park. The object of the meeting
was to pass resolutions expressive of their determination to
withhold all custom from those in business who are to vote
for Mr. Ross at the ensuing election.—lnverness Jour.

Among the deaths which occurred here last
week from the cholera was that of DONALD MACDONALD,
II Gaelic bard. illacnoNALn was supposed to be one of
the best Gaelic poets living. He had in view the pub-
lishing of a volume of poems and songs, when the pesti
hence quenched his enthusiasm, and deprived him of the
satisfaction of seeing his works honoured by the support
of his Celtic countrymen. IllacnoNALD was a surgeon as
well as a poet. His practice was extensive on the Merl:-
inch, particularly in curing the toothache, for which he
repeated some words, or used some spell, which generally
Rent the patient home satisfied, if not cured.—lnverness
Courier.

MARYLEBONE ELECTION.—A meeting of
the electors of this district was held yesterday at the
Horse Bazaar, in King-street, Portman-square, to decide
upon the pretensions of Mr. PORTMAN to represent them
in Parliament. The meeting was tumultuous, and the
result, as far as the issue of one meeting is concerned, was
unfavourable to the prospects of that gentleman. Several
questions were put by Dr. ELMOUR and others, to Mr.
PORTMA N, with a view to ascertain his political principles;
and from the answers they received it was evident that,
though he approved of an alteration in the Corn Laws and
t commutation of tithes, he did not approve of the total
abolition of either. The meeting decided that 11Ir. PaitT
..uAN was not a Reformer to their taste, and came to re.o.
lotions the very reverse of what he and his friends antici-
pated. They voted him unfit to be their representative,
but he declared his determination to go to the poll

It is well known that, of all the nations of
Europe, Russia alone enjoys the privilege of keeping up a
permanent establishment in the capital of the Chinese em-
pire. The right originated in the following manner :
During the latter half of the 17th century the Cossacks,
who subjected Siberia to the away of the Czir of Russia,
pushed their conquests to a considerable extent in the
East. The Sovereigns of China, considering the invaded
country as their rightful territory, required that the Rus-
sians should evacuate it without delay. Their peaceable
overtures to this effect being attended by no practical re-
sult, they resolved upon enforcing their claims by arms.
Several strong places erected by the Russians on the dis-
puted ground were surrendered by eapitu!ation, and the
Chinese took a great number of prisoners, who were
brought to Pekin, and distributed in its suburbs. At the
conclusion of the period of hostilities, and when peace was
made (which proved very beneficial to both parties), it
was stipulated between the two countries that the captive
Russians should be allowed to return to their own country
or remain where they were, accordingly as they were re-
spectively inclined. The greater portion of them had
married native women, and had formed establishments near
Pekin, and, not having it in their power to take
their wives home with them, they decided upon be-
coming subjects of the Emperor of CHINA. Upon tbia
the Court of Russia, conscientiously alarmed A the
peril to which so many Christian souls would be exposed
in a land of Paganism, required, under the treaty of com-
merce ratified in 1727, between Russia and China, per-
mission to build a convent and a church at Pekin, and to
send there four monks under the jurisdiction of an Archi-
manderite to watch over the salvation of the expatriated
Russians. The Emperor of Cum& constituted these men
into a regiment, to which he gave the name of Russian
Company, and which has been continued to this very day.
It was likewise agreed on that the monks should be ac-
companied by four young men, who were to study the lan-
guage, in order to fit themselves for interpreters on their
return. Since the establishment of the above convent,
the succession of monks and students from Russia, every
twelve years, has been unbroken, and it has been altogether
through this channel that the intercourse of the two coun-
tries has ihr so long kept up, The Russians in China
are paidcx tit/Mir/wintry, as well as by China; but
t..k aok a I a si4Dir-tgAt4d, no correspondence with their
........; if.o).exdeEtSkablic every five or six sears a
igisael , gcomes ilr ,
fit could not b: easily prom ed tre. ekin, bringing money and
"e'll* - our
could
to lb,. habits of the
PttioitidAS o- er
lils-i yti'-'--1- g
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LITERATURE.

ZOIJRAB THE HOSTAGE.
THREE VOLS. LONDON, 1832.
We will not compliment Mr. Morier by as-
suring him that this tale is equal to his " Hajji
Baba," for it is many, many degrees inferior ;
still, as a whole, it is pleasant and readable, and,
in detached passages, evidences considerable
vigour of description. The character of the
Shah of Persia is powerfully drawn ; but there
is too gratuitous an accumulation of atrocities
about it. Good taste would have dispensed
with, or, at least, briefly glanced at, one half of
the murders which this wretch is made to com-
mit. They do not assist or improve the por-
traiture ; they only tend to deface it. The
Shah's niece, Amima, is in a very different style
of colouring. She is very gracefully and natu-
rally drawn, as if the author had a vivid recollec-
tion of some model before him. As for Zohrab
the Hostage, he is a non-entity, occupying,
simply a certain number of pages. The land-
scape descriptions display more local knowledge
than graphic genius ; we, therefore, prefer
selecting as an extract an incident which Mr.
Morier has evidently worked up with great care.
Its energy is its only redeeming feature, for it is
defective in point of taste :
" As soon as the chief huntsman appeared before the
Shah, he made an awkward prostration of the body, and,
without taking off his boots, which in fact is etiquette
for men of his profession, began his speech before the
King had even deigned to look upon him.
" This want of respect put the match as were to the
still active combustion of the King's mind, and set fire to
a train of angry epithets, which burst forth in the follow-
ing manner :
" Who art thou dog? whose cur art thou ? why lost
thou stand before me with that head of thine, which ought
long ago to have keen fond for a bomb? Must the Stali
continue to partake of disrespect, as if he were a Jew or a
Frank ! Am Ino one in my own dominions ? bearded by
a Mazanderani boy—now butted at by a cow who would
call itself a man ! Speak, Merdiki, speak ! wherefore
standest thou there?' The rough forester, little expecting
such a reception, stood like one impaled, with his tongue
cleaving to the roof of his mouth, and at first could scarcely
utter beyond his aizi mi kunum,' until after various at-
tempts, fear having almost paralyzed his senses, he ex-
claimed, The pillar is ready to kiss your feet ; it is
ready ; the skulls have all been placed; there is only one
skull wanting at the top—only one skull, by the head of
the King ! only one skull.'
46 Whether acting under the influence of a eunuch's
waywardness, or whether the King was struck by the
coincidence of the chief huntsman's exposition, one skull,
by the head of the King,' is not to be explained, but certain
it is, that he yielded at once to the temptation of spilling
blood which was circulating in the fullest vigour through-
out his frame, and exclaimed, ' One head thou wantest?'
' Yes,' said the huntsman, 'yes, one bead, may it so please
your Majesty.' What head can be better than thine?'
roared the tyrant, in savage merriment. Here, off with
his head. Aye, Nasakchi, executioner,' he exclaimed to a
man of bloody deeds, who was always in attendance, 'here,
go complete the uninar."ritere was a hesitation among
the attending officers in the execution of this atrocious
deed. The man called upon to act went doggardly to
work, and innocence spoke so powerfully in favour of the
poor wretch, that every one present seemed to expect that
so barbarous a❑ order would be countermanded ; but, no !
the animal was rife for blood, and blood it was determined
to have. His horrid face broke into a demoniacal ex-
pression of fury when he saw that there was hesitation in
obeying his commands. The ragged skin which fell in
furrows down his cheeks began to bloat ; the eyes seemed
to roll in blood, and the whole frame, from which in gene-
ral all circulation seemed to fly, wore a purple hue ; he
would have darted from off his seat, and not only have
executed the fatal sentence on his victim himself, hot
would have extended his revengeful fury to those who had
refused to he the ministers of it, had not the Nasakchi
Bashi in person (worthy servant of such a master), who
had just reached the scene of action, with a light and cun-
ning step, crept behind the victim, and with one blow of
his deadly blick Khorassan blade, severed the unfortunate
man's head from his body. The heavy corpse fell with a
crash on one side, whilst the head bounded towards the
despot, the eyes glaring hortibly, the tongue protruded to
a frightful length, and streams of gore flowing and spout-
ing in all directions. The Vizir, who was upon the point
of again endeavouring to allay the passions of his dangerous
toaster, had bee❑ too late to stop the executioner's hand,
but well was it for him that he did delay, for nothing but
the appalling scene that now presented itself could have
counteracted the violence of the King. The moment he
saw blood he s.eetned at once to be soothed into quiet. In
the most wicked of our natures there must be a revulsion
from evil to good. Conscience will raise her voice, al-
though she may at first be refused a hearing. The lion
gorged with his spoil, at once is tamed. This was the
case with the Shah. He contemplated his work with a
thoughtful look, his features resumed their wonted dull
and leaden expression, and then, as if his wayward nature
was not satisfied with tormenting him, he turned with
asperity to the Nasakchi Bashi, and accused him in no
mea•ured terms with having officiously interposed in what
was no business of his. 'Dog and villain,' he exclaimed,
why did you slay my chief huntsman ? what demon im-
pelled your officious hand in this deed? well is it for you
that there is such a feeling as compassion, and that the
Shah can spare as well as he can spill ! Go, go ! clear up
your work, and finish it by wiping your own self front
our presence.' "