The Sun.
London, England, 1816-11-13 00:00:00

Fl ItktitZ.

COVENT-GARDE 11.—Last night a Nov Piece,
from the pen of Mr. Moirrort, and of a mixed de-
sc►ip`iun, entitled The Slave, was produced at
this House.

" The scene is Surinam, and opens at the period
an insurrection among the African_ slaves:
Captain Clifton, having left in the settlement .a
slave named Zelinda, whom be loved, and by
whom he had :a child (both the property of
a Colonel Linderhurg), returns from England
and marries her ; having obtained froth the
mother of the absent Lindenburg her promise
for the freedom of his wife and son, on the ex-
pected arrival of their master from Europe. Clif-
ton (Dyer. irr) is appointed by the Governor
(TEnay) ‘""Nommand the expedition against the
Gambia, once art African Chief-
tain, lovntla with the ardour of a savage 5
and with .sasage violence swears to revenge upon
her husbaud the rejection of his own attachment.
The Governor; touched by the animation and
elognetsee with which Gambia relates his history,
sod describes the humiliation entailed upon him
by his servile. condition, disregards the remon-
strances of Clifton, who requires that Gambia
shall be secured, and iiitrusts the slave with a sword
that he may join a'ae detachment and defend. the
colony. Clifton, at the moment of parting with his
wife, is surrounded by itinne negroes lying in
mhush, and carried away a prisoner ; but Gambia
entering at the same moment, and exulting in the
tweet aelepf his rival's destruction, is prevailed upon
by the tears of Zelinda---flies to
.his rescue, and
brings hint back itt safety. Grateful for this bene-
fit, Clifton, who returns triumphant from his expe-
dition, is promoted by the Governor, and is au-
thorised to deinand the liberty of some single
siave. Love points out Zelinda ; but honour and
v,rmirtide declare for. Gambia, with whose •naine
the British Officer fills up the blank manumission.
'[be lofty spirit of Gambia breaks out into excess
of transport at the recovery of the freedom for
which he so long had sighed ; and throwing him-
self at the feet of his liberator, he dedicates his ge-
rerons and 'fiery soul to the service of hiti be-.
refactor, and to Zelinda's welfare. In the
mean time Lindenburg arrives. This man had
borne another name in Europe, under which
he had unfairly won at play the entire pro-
perty of Cliaon, and had received a public clos-
tisement at 'his hands. Lindenburg learning the
girmustances under trhich his dupe and ccanfueror
now remains in the colony, finds his. long threats
vied vengeance at length in his own power. 1-le
resolves to detain Clifton's wife and child in slit-.
very, and has his person arrested for a debt in
which he had gone, security for a fellow orthe.
mine of Sharpset. Gambia sells his newly ac-
er.d freedom to the overseer of Lindenburg for
the amount of Clifton`S debt ;. pays it. for him,
and liberates his benefactor. Lindenburg, having
refused 'every offer for Zelinda and her boy, offcrs
to treat leer with unmanly outrage. Gambia inter-
rupts, opposes him, snatches his sword, and, in
defence of hiS own life, wounds hint. He then
flies to hasten the retreat' of Zelinda, whont Le
finds already near a mountain bridge, and in the
arms of her husbanda,a.vhO,.ou recovering his li
berty, had come in search of her. lie speeds them
over the bridge, whiclehe then cuts down, 'and
snatching the child from the hands of his own
pursuers, throws it across the stream to its flying
parents. Lintlenburg is converted by an inter-
view with Gambia, whom , he bad ordered for a
death of lingering torture, but who throws, the
culprit into a tremor by. speaking of a bread of
infamy, which he had discovered, on his breast
during their scuffle. The reformed villain transmits
her freedom to Zelinda, and the happiness of .this
couple is completed. Such is the rosin plot ; and.
there is also an underplot ofihe loves of Mr.
liethew Sharpset (Jases), and .Miss Von Frump,
(Mrs. DareNeowr,), together with the fruitless
aoheates and foolish enterprises of .a Mr. Fogruot
(LisTlax), and his Yorkshire companion Sam
Jtibarpset (Estear), as likewise with the reciprocal
etitleasrtnentir of a Scotch NaVal Officer (Mr. Sttu-
ct.nO) , and Stella, Clifton'S sister, (Miss MA.
s)."
Triere is so much tact in the management 'ot
Covent-Garden, so much skill and splendour
the getting up of Dramas like this, that it is bare-
ly possible they shOuld fail. It they are untoFi-
ously bad they will 'Ultimately sink, but to a cer.
tain extent they arc sure of success. With such
merits, however, as The Slave possesses, there is
`little
of the former alternative. In addition to
she ',Teases, decorations,- and scenery of spec-
tacles it boasts the charms of music, anti an
interest of dialogue anti action, relieved by comic
Character and incident, which must establish it
us high iu public favour as any preceding ,)roduc-
tion of the same class. -

It would be a sacrifice of judgment to enter
into a consideration of the probabilities and im-
probabilities of a work of this sort, which does
not aspire to tried by the canons'of regular
straina., Otherwise, .we might think that the
Yorkshire companion, of the Cockney was rattier
too far front hoMe at Surinam—that the power
awl means of the Governor were only limited by
the Author for the purpose of keeping his slaves
from easy emancipation—and that our ignorance
/of Anglo-Dutch Colonial laws and customs was
too strongly taxed to induce us to enter into the
difiicultiel of Clifton, Zelinda, and Gambia. In
truth, they are entirely Stage circumstances, and
do not exist in the real world.

Gambia is the hero of the piece, and compounded
between Oronooko and Rollo. Mr. MAcRBADY
Sustrtined the pisrt with great discrimination and
force. Some of his scenes were highly wraught
and impassioned ; and all the sentiments inn into
his month were delivered with energy and effect.
Of sentiment, possion, there is rather too lunch.
The Slaves are very sentimental—the old Gover-
nor is a Commander of feeling=--Clifton, as a lover,
is of right a deelaimer in that war--but. even
Many Sharpset, a Yorkshire bite, is infected with
the endemic, and against this last only do we
protest as an inconsistency of character.

- Miss STErHgNS, the rarwo of the Play, per-
formed with her accustomed grace and'sweetness,
and sung divinely. We would further compliment
her on her pleasing countenanee and complexion,
but that this must be done
.at the expellee of ex-
posing an incongruity, videlicet, that all the Male

Airtean Slatiei" ate Wile's, and all the Femsde
African Slaves,' of sufficient note to attract
attention, fair and fresh as British actresses ought
to be, A little more japanning might, indeed, look
less fascinating, but would suit Quadroous and
Ashantees somewhat bearer. N'lmporte! nobody
can find in their heart to utter one, syllable of dis-
praise against Miss SrsruaNs after they have
seen and heard her. The other musical parts arc
rather insignificant. SINCLAIR has two Scottish
airs, which be gave very melodiously, lnit with
too much ornament for the native simplicity of such
compositions as " The Quaker's Wife." Mr.
DURUSET had a recitative and song, founded on
the Duke of WELLINGTON'S brief exhortation at
Waterloo " Ups Lads and at 'em," which
he executed with spirit, and was encored.
Miss AlArnEws had also a song about marrying
a So/dier—her character required' it to have beea
Sailor, and, indeed' it might well be Omitted.—
EMERY introduced an old comic song which be is
in the habit of singing at public entertainments :
it was much applauded and encored with the oath
at the curl of it, of which we advise the omission,
both 'on first sineing and repetition. The comic
department is well filled by this able Actor, JONES
Whn is admirable, LISTON, who is absurd, and
Mrs. DAVENPORT, whose rotundity and tat/mama
are the source of some rather Scurvy jests, but
whO may well be called a tower of strength. Au-
BOTT played the last scenes excellently. Among
the Singers the ought to have particularized the
flute full-totted little BARNETT, whose share in
,a very beautiful opening Qaintette with Miss
M'ALriNe, TAYLOR, TINNLY, BTI.I COMER, .justly
obtained for it unanimous plaudits and nn encore.
All that now remains of our critical notice to
perform is to
.state generally, that the Slave
will be still more pleasing when curtailed, which
it will of course be to-night—that the Mu4ic was
select from being well selected rather than origi-
nal—that the Dresses were appropriate, with
some exceptions—arid that the Scenery, especially
the first scene,, the Moon-light, the Bridge, and
the last Scene, whieh are from the charging; pallet
of Mr. GRIO/E, are inimitably fine, they
gratify the eye
`,and delight in so much that we
must attribute no incont,idet alde• share of ap-
plause besto'wed to their beauty, and effect.—
We mentioned exceptions to the Dresses : this
is but, a whior matter, but coitume. ig well
Worth the attention of Managers, fur it greatly
promotes the end of all theatrical repreaeitation,
that of deceiving us into belief of the reality of
what is going on. Officers and th.ir men, for
example, should wear the same imi.orm, awl not
appear in yellow and blue. Thick Yorkshire
cloathes are again not fit for Surinsm, and there-
fore Messrs. EMERY and ABBOTT were improperly
dressed.

The Hotise was crowded, and the repetition of
the piece for to-night announced with acclama-
tion.

We understand the arrangement for the Sub-
Committee of Drury-lane Theatre is not yet se •-
tled. Mr. Ewcs, who was elected in his ab-
sence, keying declined to act.
itutc.ttTot,t, Nov. 12,—Mr. KEar plays Sir
Giles Overreach here to-night, for the benefit of
Mr. POWELL. and Shylock, for the benefit at Mr.
KNIGHT,-to-olorrow evening.--There ate no ar-,
rivals from France to-day ; indeed, the weather
is too boisterous, were any packet unfortunately
off the place, for the landing of passengers.
A kind of O. P. row took place a few days ago
in the Theatre of Havre de Grace, in consequence
of one of the actresses having appeared on the
stage in such a state as rendered her unable to
perform her allotted character in the drama of the
evening, from the effect of the 'noyeau She hail
previonsly taken. For ibis offence she had been
imprisoned by the Commissary for fourteen days.
On the evening alter re-appearance, she w►ts led
on the stage by the M'bnager, to apologise to the
audience, who loudly hissed her off; she was
brought on a second time by the Commissary,
but with no better success. A file of soldiers was
then introduced with fixed bayonets 'into the pit.
The whole audience took the alarm at this arbi
trary measure, and a general 'cry of « Shame,
shame ! withdraw the guard ! turn them out !"
took place. This was at lengTt done ; the lady
-was agaia introduced by the Commissary, an►i
was suffered to express her sorrow for the offence
which she bad publicly committed, and peace was
restored. 4,

The finest Gold, that above the standard, is
now at 3/. I 8 s. Gd. per ounce; standard silver,
at five shillings.
. _
At,'Stirling, on Sunday, the 27th tilt. the Rev.
WILLIAM SKINNER, late of %%Wham 'College,
Oxford, was consecrated a Bishop of the Scots
Episcopal Church, in the room of his liite wor-
thy father, the Right Reverend Bishop of ABER-
DEEN.

VICKERY was yesterday dispatched to Belvoir
Castle, upon some Police, business.
On the night of Sunday, the 27th ultimo,
the Camphleton packet, Henrietta, Wat.Laoe
Captain, in going from Campbledon to the
Isle of -Salida, to receive Sir Wuctax CON-
NINGIIAM 'on board, for the purpose of land.
lug at Troon, was- unfortunately roil, with three
men (the crew), Sir W. CUNNINGHAM'S servant,
and another man, a passenger to which list we
are sorry to add Captain WALLACE,. who, is de-
scribed as a steady man,,and zealous in rendeting
assistance to shipping perilously situated, even at
the hazard of his life. On Monday following
part of the wreck of the packet was discovered on
shore at Sheep Isle, Salida.
Reduction of House Servants' Wages. -A redue.
tion in the wages of House -Servants certainly
furnishes` very proper expedient for retrench-
ment in domestic economy, an expedient rising
out of tke nature of the times, when it is consi-
dered that they have uniformly telt less of the
general pressure than any of the lower classes of
society. An AbatemeOt of one fourth part would,
not be more than equal to the advantage they now
have in the purchase of wearing apparel at the
present low prices. The writer of this paragraph
hag- acted upon this -conduct in his own family,
and recommends it to the consideration and prac-
tice of others.

. J E*UITS.

rProw.a Correspondent.)

ATwork bits just appeared, entitled historyof the,Jeseils, to-Whiehis.prefixed a Reply to Mr.
DitliaS‘S Defence oft hat Order," the object of which.
is to establish .the danger of the revival of the
Jesuits to the world at large, and to the United
-Kingdom in particular. The plan embraces', in the
first place, a full answer to a defence of the Jesuits,
recently published by a respectable writer.,,who has
beeniong known to the public; and secondly, a col--
lection of the various evidences against the Jesuits,
drawn•front the history of other nations. and our
own. The priticiptl object of the author
,appears
to he to show; that notwithstanding the preten-
sions of the Jesaits to superior learning'aad ta-
lents, their order is only a corrupt modification of
the papal system, and -that its members have been
at all times the most ardent and active members
of the Romish Church, having been by no means
scrupulous in the employment of all the means it;
their power (not .excepting PLUISRCUTION in every
form) to swell. the triumphs and enlarge the pas-
sessions of that Church ; that the .constitution
and rules of the Society oblige its members to it
practice at once opposed to the plainest dictates
of religion aud good conscience,. and at the Same,
time hostile to the safety of Sovereign Princes,
Governments, and States ; that in .the two cen-
turies of their existence, the Jesuits were the an-
dims of almost all the catatonics which .desolat-
ed the world at large, and Europe • ire partienlaG
especially the notestant parr of it ; that .to
doctrines of the most poi oicioas tendency, both in
morals rand politics, they have added practices in
each of a nature utterly indefensible; that the
agents employed by them in the prosecution .of
their objectS:have been almost exclusively mem-
bers of the (....ohoLc communion, who have ever
been their willing lostrometos, and. that inas-
much as the conce,.sions of the present reign (es-
pecially the grant of the ,elective franchise) have
greatly increased the untoberand inflaenee of Ca-
tholics both in Eaglatol otalrelantl, the connexion
which lass ever subsisted between the Jesuits
and themselves assumes the more importance,
and threatens the greater danger to a Protestant
nation and government ; that. the circumstance of
the Jesnita • having now established themselves
both in England Rodin:laud, (*). in spite of laws
which have .never•been abro.gatetl, is part of
the sys, eat .of achieving by fraud what ..cannot
be effected by force ; that numerous converts from
the Protestaut to the Catholic communino have
been alretoly made .in: our own country, through
the irtlefatiLythle. activity. of, these agents, ittol
that the work of conversion is ptoceeding With
remarkable lIIICUSS at this moment, More partiett-
larly the inland cOuniie's-1 that the.present.Pupei
in reviving an order which AV a S abolished by Pope
Clement XI V. 'about -forty years since, loom the
petition of the whole of Hurope (both Catholic and
l'rotestant)', and-in assigning to it, :at the same
time, the nid of the Inquisition (its oldest and, best
ally)., has himself acted upon the great principle of
Jesuitism, viz. that the end to be accomplished will
sanction the means which may be used, and has.ef-
reef u*IlY providell for the revival of all those w
tin dpolitical evils inseparable from the employment
'of such agents ; finally, that the united Parlia•
meht owes it to its own safety, and to the interests
of the nation at large, immediately to dismiss the
Jesuits who have already established themselves in
England and Ireland, and to prevent the landing
of others of the same profession.

(49 The extensive collegiate establishment of Stonyhutst,
near Preston, belongs principally to the Jesuits; and a.close
connexion subsists between that College and the largaesta-
blishment of Jesuits at Castle Browne, in Ireland.