The Sun.
London, England, 1811-11-16 00:00:00

Attt

(FROM Tlti3 S ttt )
We continue to hear, with surprise Ind regret,
that the Riotheon` will be speedily completed, for the e
purpose ef establishing another Italian Opera in this
country, end we can hardly suppress our indigna-
tion when we reflect ,that au Englishman is the
founder of this establishment. Surely one foreign
theatre is enough 114.116 metropolis-,-oneltalian,Opera:
is sufficient in a country Where the people have by
nOmeans'a particular taste'or genius for music; and
even among the most enlightened L circles, who are
iii the constant habit of attending the Opera, the
genuine love of music, and the 'knowledge of the
science, are generally the last motives which induce
their attendance there. But there is another and a
more powerful reason` to be"urged- against the esta-
blishment ore new Italian vOeere, and which be-
longs, or ought to belong, to national teeling and to
national pride. The' number of • ltelinn. singers els,
'reedy in England, whose chief merit consists to hies,.
ing been born upon the shores of the_ Mediterrane-
an, posseas,, exclusiVely, the. patronage of the. No-
bility, to the total depreciatlen of the native talents.
of their, coisotry, which, if better feelings. actuated
them, it would be their pride and pleasure to protect
Sand support.
Why" Aessonia's softer sons" should have pecu-
liar claims to the patronage' of a British 'Peeress,, per-
leaps, we
.may not ask ; but why' a Peer of Great
Britain, a proud title in these dayi of continental
degredation, should submit to the insolent familiari-
ty of these obtrusive aliens, exert his influence, and
open; net only his houve, but' his purse, for their
supeorteis to us a mystery .we'seelt in vain to solve.
" Flattery is the key" which ".apes the wicket to
the human heart," enclitic Italians certainly knoW
how to apply it teeter than airy other' people; etad
perhaps we may look into the weakness of huinan
nature for the capseeif their success in 'hie country
—a degree ofsuccesa so. unbotinded, that ere long:
we shall expett to see them constituted the h9user
hold sods of the Engliah nobility ; yet so exereordis
nary isehe infatuation, that the very 'presumption
and impertinence with which they condutl them-
selves in the mansions of the great, if praaise'd by
an Englishoien,.in a similar situation, would probes-
bly' occasion him to be 'forbidden their presence,
A new opera at the Paptheon will open another
dooe fora fresh swarm of these Iteharedocusts; and
tittle chance 'as there now is for English' 'singers,
:there will then be still less: ' '
•
One lesilian Opera, with such perfortners as Ma;
dome Catalan' and Traniezzani, at the head of it, is
sufffeierit to satisfy, all all, those who are particularly
devoted to ftalian. music ; and had the projetior 'Of
the new,Opere founded an-English Opeta upon the
model .of the Italian,,and opened a field, fig theta-
, lents of the composer Las well as the singer, he
would have been entitled, to the utmost "support of
the public, and. the gratitude,. of the .ineny whose
talents are languishing,' for .want 'of- pr=oper ercou-
ragetnent, and a proper sphere of anion.
While we have eteeh an opera as Aria xerzes, we
want no proof of the capability of an Englishmanio
produce a grand serio:ie opera; and while we lisrep-
•ed the exquisite singing of Mrs. Billington,
thrcingbotit that opera, we felt but little disposed to
support Mafia:. shigei-s and o6erils. The language of
our country Must make its.way to the heart, in de-
spite of the prejudice of fashion, wide he' reit' desire
to appear even =rein possession of a foreign lans
priest than (-Airmen ;. and an 4pgJish Opera; founded
upon the plan of 'the grand, serious Opera of Italy,
must succeed vliile there are, any 'Etiglish hearts and'
English ears reMaining.
To write the panegyric of Mrs. Billington, is, per-.
haps to diverge from our subject'; but we feet it dice
to that perteetion we may ,never bear again : and all
those who have so often listened to her with rap- •
ture,,lnust remember to their lateit 'venire" those
strains ;which twee can imitate, and which
combine
,the utmost perfection of art titld- nature;
and it a decided proof of the superior excellence
of this accomplished singei, that no one ever
inti-
tated her; other great singers are fiequently brought'
to our recollectiiin by thetones or matiner.of iiiiarierr
perfermers bat she alone has placed thepoesibility
of imitation far beneath her. We• knots-she re-
rejeeted a eerie ,blanchs for the,elitelian_ Opera, :sled
has determined ne%er- 10 appear .in publiceagsin
she e.ovsesses both national pride and 'feeling, and.
perhaps eight he indticed to come fer Ward agent al
the head of the national opera, if upon a plan, sail-
' ciently grand to'be worthy of her talents. Such an.
opera; supported by the splendid-powers of Biahare,
and the inferior depertments tilled by the many good.
singers we have, wilt's pessiess both, talents and voice
(which we cannot say, of all the Italian Singeri)s
would constitute an Opera • that we shaald behold
with pride and pleasure, as far styes ier in perform-
eincteto the lialiane and while we. have composers
Att wood, Bishop, Hdrsley, and many others,
who have,studied in the' best schools of Germaily and
Italy, and who want nothing but an extensive field
wherein todisplay their abilities, we need not despair
of having. opti63, written that woold stand the test of
competit ipits, at remain,, like Artaxerxes; a laiting
proof olßsitish genius, • . ss .
Such an establialiment• is a 'desideratum, lung
• Waisted ir, tliis country, and, it is a disgrace to us as
a people pi ofeisedly the 173 runs of t lie genjusotevery
clime, except• our nVerie that we have not the first
` and most magnifecentOpera ie Eurepe

On .Wednesday the celebrated pedestrians...Toseph
Real and Abram Wood staled to run four milmfor'
guineas each, _over the racit-course, York.
Wood took thelead, and. kept it. a mile, wbert,Beal
passed him kept the lead,. and 'won it in peat
s`lyie, boating his' adversary
,about Qno yards; >Beal
won it in 21 niincil,A 12 secondi. This young man
is only 'l9 i'eara of age), about five feet se'ven inches
high,. weighs gst. 6.10. 'the betting at starting was
five. and six to' four on Wood. A cot course of peo-
ple were assembled to iNiiiiess this race froM all parts
of Yorkshire and Lancashire'. The ground was ex-
ceedingly heavy, and much against the pedestrifinti.
' On the gill of Sept,:mber last, tial. rtm Isaac guits-
. worth; -.4 Lancasohe man, two miles,nver the same
course, end 'be,it him considerablk. , -Mood 'is also
from 'LancaSkire, and some time .since` run aghinst
John lirowri, four miles, and beat hii antagonist too
yards. The time it W4l ruq. iq was !O minutes and
-‘2•2 secands... - •