The Sun.
London, England, 1818-02-06 00:00:00

FABLE.

Selim, a young Prince, brought up as the son of Gialler,
the Paella of Abydos, is in love with Zulieka, the beauteous
daughter of Giaffier, and his own presumed sister. The Pa-
cha destines her for the wife of Osman, a powerful Chief,
who comes in great pomp to receive the hand of his intended
bride. In the mean time Selim Is apprised by Hassan, the
keeper of the Harain, that he is only the nephew of Giailier,
who has assassinated his elder brother Abdallah, the father
of Senn), and usurped his rights. Under these circumstances
the lovers meet, and Zulieka rows that no power shall
ever compel her to become the wife of Osman. Selim
is next put in possession of his whole story. In an
interview with Mirza, the Pirate of the Isles, he discovers
that this Pirate is Abdallah, his injured father, and a plan is
laid to attack Abydos, restore the -place to its legitimate
owner, and preserve Zulieka for her lover. In the mean
time Zulieka flies, and joins Selim on the shore; but, being
closely pursued, they are overtaken by Giallier, whose forces
come up and overpower Selim, and Zulieka, to save his life,
consents to wed Osman. Selim is now sent to a dungeon, and
preparations are made for the marriage of Zulieka to his hated
rival. Selim, by the assistance of his friend Hassan, escapes
from prison in the disguise of a Dervis, but is intercepted
on suspicion of being a spy, and brought before Giatlier at
the wedding entertainment for examinatior. By this time the
plan of attack is matured ; the castle of Abydos is attacked

Selim throws off his disguise, and a furious combat ensues
between him and Giatlier, which is interrupted by the arrival
of the assailants with the legitimate Paella, Abdallab; at
their head. Struck with horror at the presence of a brothel
whom he thought dead by his hand, Giather falls senseless
on the floor, and Selim rescues his beauteous Zulieka from
the flames.

The Poem was thus converted into a dramatic
form by Mr. DIMOND, of Bath, and as it is always
gratifying to find that poetical justice is main-
tained, we do not disapprove of the change in the
catastrophe, because the Poem will continue to be

• the delight of the closet, while useful morals may
be impressed, and amiable feelings be inculcated,
,on the stage. The play was well performed, and
brought forward with beauty and magnificence of
scenery. Some pleasing music composed by the
veteran KELLY, who chiefly :excels ip dramatic
compositions, accompanied passages in the play,
and afforded Mrs. BLAND an opportunity of
pleasing the audience by an interesting song.—
Mrs. BELLCHAMBEHE also gave a fine specimen of
her taste in an air peculiarly adapted to her ad-
mirable contralto voice, as well as in a duet with
Mr. T. COOKE. KEAN, in Sehm ; H. JOHN-
STOW, iU Gioffzer ; Popa, in. Mirza ; and Mrs.
MASDYN, in Zulieka, all exerted themselVes very
successfully, and the play was very well received by
a crowded audience. When, however, POPE came
forward to announce it for repetition, a great part
of the audience had the senseless folly to insult
him by clamours for KEAN to perform this cere-
mony. • H. JOHNSTON then appeared for the same
purpose, but was also outrageously rejected. At
' length KEAN came forth, was received with en-
thusiastn, and performed that office which had been
assigned to POPE in the first instance. It is difficult
to say whetherfollyor illiberality marked this treat-
ment of an actor whose previous merits, in the
very play, independently of his lOng and respect-
able standing on the Stage, ought to have exempted
him from such contemptible hostility. Let Mr.
KEAN receive due support for his theatrical me-
rits, but let not a bigoted partiality be suffered
to outrage the feelings of other meritorious Per-
formers. It would be difficult to describe the
mortification which Pore oust have endured in
waiting to perform the office allotted to him,
amidst such turbulent opposition, as at length
obliged him to retire front such a scene of illi-
beral uprbar, confusion, and unmerited humilia-
tion.

COVENT-GARDEN.—The poetical merits which
appear in a printed tragedy, entitled Fazio, writ-
ten by Mr. H. H. MILMAN, B. A. Fellow -of
Brazenose College, a son of the respectable Phy-
sician, Sir FRANCIS MILMAN, Bart.; and which
• by its literary excellence has already reached a
third Edition, induced the Manager of the Bath
Theatre to introduce it upon the Stage, and that
example has been followed by the Manager of
Covent-garden Theatre, who presented it to the
poblic last night. We are sorry, however, to
find, by the advertisement prefixed to the last
Edition, that on both occasions the Managers
had not the courtesy, or indeed the com-
mon civility, to ask permission of the author,
or to consult him at all on the subject. This
we deem a gross and inexcusable liberty. Surely
the sanction of an author, who holds so re-
spectable a situation of lite, and who is distin-
guished for learning and genius, ought to have
been required and obtained before any use had
been made of his composition. We cannot ac-
count for so reprehensible a want of the common
forms of politeness and liberality. Surely
too, whatever alterations were deemed neces-
sary for stage representation ought to have been
made by the Author himself. We shall not,
however, dwell upon thZ latter point, because
there do not appear to have been any iiverpola-
dons, the changes chiefly consisting of omis-
sions and transpositions. The case is different
with The Iron Chest and The Bride of Abydos, be-
cause neither of these Works were taken from
Plays, but one from a Novel and the other from a
Poem ; but if they had both been published in a
dramatic form, Mr. CoLMAN, we are sure,
and Mr. DIMOND, we presume, would not
have availed themselves of the Work without the
full permisSion of the original authors. But to
the Play,—as the publisher (Mr. MusaAY), has,
doubtless, with his usual liberality, purchased
the copy-right, we not detail the plot, but