Star.
London, England, 1823-09-11 00:00:00

MARGATE, SEPTEMBER 9.

The concourse of Londoners to this place, during
the last ten days, is truly astonishing, owing to the
present fineness of the weather. Last Saturday; not
less than 500
persons were landed from steam-
packets. Scarcely a lodging is now to be had : even
single beds are let as high as 20s. a week each. What
a change has taken place here in the last sixty years!
—ln the year 1762 Margate was a mere village.
There was no daily post, and only one stage-coach
whicb went to meet the London coach at Canter.
bury, and bring in the passengers. A boy plied twice
a week between London and Margate; it contained
all sorts of passengers, huddled together, at half-a-
crown head :the passage was performed in eight
hours; sometimes me days. The same passage is
now run in six hours and a half to eight hours and a
half. It is understood that one Benjamin Beale, of
the Society of Friends, of this place, was the original
conniver, or improver, of the sea-bathing machines,
about the year 1750; that is to say, as they are now
generally used on our sea coasts, and lately at Calais
and Boulogne. Nothing excites the notice and ab-
horrence of the visitors at this place more than the
monstrous cruelties they see hourly inflicted upon the
poor donkeys, by the wanton and unfeeling donkey-
boys. A number of persons, actuated by a spirit of
sheer cupidity, intrust to cruel and mischievous boys
the care and management of donkeys, -and donkey-
carts, for the use of strangers: and, doubtless, it is a
great convenience to many. Indeed, at every water-
ing; place, donkeys are too much made the sport of
thoughtless and unprincipled boys. But at Mitrgate,
cruelty is exhibited on a larger scale. 111-fated don-
keys are consigned in hundreds to the creel hands of
boys: they are subjected to the torture of large and
cruelly knotted whips, kicks, and bruises, if they are
unable to accomplish the unrelenting wills and im-
practicable tasks of little tyrannical urchins of mas-
ters. All that the Magistrates of Margate have yet
clone for the relief of these suffering animals has been
hitherto ineffectual.

Another thing which excites the observation of
strangers is the unprotected state of the high per-
pendicular cliffs on the eta side of Margate. Some
years ago a servant girl fell over in a dark winter
night, going to visit a sick and aged mother. She
lay with a broken thigh in an insensible state till
miraculously discovered by a Jog, which contrived to
make known to his master, a boatman, the fate of
this young woman just as the flowing tide had begun
to reach her. Even this very summer, a child be-
longing to a visitor fell over into the water, and was
providentially saved by another boatman, who hap-
pened to be on the spot at the moment.

ENGLISH OPERA Hoesr.—A new Operetta, in one
act, called A Din: a Day, was performed for the first
time last night. It is a very lively little Piece. Young
Rokely (Mr. BAK ER) is in love ,with Caroline (Miss
CARR), who hesitates to give him her hand under an
apprehension that her father may withhold his con-
sent. The lover is of course in the greatest perplexity,
but his servant Mirk (Mr. CHAPMAN) has a head full
of expedients, and comes to his relief. But love is
not the sole perplexity of Rakely. His extravaganOe
having plunged him into debt, Irels provided with a
Dun for every day in• the week. ThO most pressing
of all is one Mr. Plush (Mr. BARTLEY), a tailor, who
gains admittance into the house, and !liaises to retire
until his bill is discharged. Shirk's wits-are set to
work in this extremity. As he cannot get rid of the
tailor, he resolves to make him useful, which he does
by persuading him to personate his master's father,
as the only chance of getting his bill discharged. An
interview takes place immediately between him and
the young Lady, and the most laughable scenes arise
out of the awkwardness he betrays in acting the Gen-
tleman. A perpetual recurrence to the technicalities
of his trade, arid a feverish anxiety for the payment
of his demand, constitute him an object of mirth from
the first moment of his appearance. But the arrival
of the real father interrupts the success of their pro-
ject. Mush takes him fur a lawyer, and consults him
on the marriage articles, which he has drawn up on
the back of a cognovit. Old Rakely tears the instru-
ment, and undertaking to discharge all his son's en-
gagements, the tailor lays down his title of father,
puts in his claim, but having lost his cognovit in the
manner already described, laughed at for his folly
and punished for his deception. The lovers are mar-
ried in the end. l'he Piece was well played ; and
when Plush asked leave to present his bill again, the
audience assented with unmixed applause.

VAUXHALL G AM:Mk:S.—These superb Gardens were
trowded last night with genteel company. The extra
amusements introduced at the Coronation Gala, and
in celebration of the Dukes of YORK and CLA RENCK'S
Birth-days, w ere repeated. The Gardens were lighted
with thirty thousand additional lamps, and the Chi-
nese Garden was illuminated also in the most bril-
liant manlier imaginable. The effulgence exceeded
anything ever seen it; this or any country, and the
whole had the air of enchantment. Inscriptions in
honour of the Coronation, of the Birth-day of his
MAJESTY, the Duke of YORK, and the Duke of CLA-
RENCE, and t,f the victory of Waterloo, • sparkled
everywhere in resplendent characters. The variety
of amusements was so great, they were scattered over
this magic domain with so unsparing a hand, that it
was not possible to turn the corner of a single walk,
without encountering somethiag to please and much
to admire. Vauxhall, in short, was last night a per-
ct inicroco,n). The volcanos of Italy, the pagodas
of China, the ballets of Venice, the mechanical auto-
mata of art, the living pupils, whose youthful grace
and agility reflected so much credit on their instruc-
tor—all solicited observation, and, being seen, at-
tracted the warmest applause. The Concert,
both vocal and instrumental, was on the most ex-
tensive scale, and while the eye was delighted with
the fairy scene. the ear was charmed with national
and popular airs. The ascent and descent of Mr.
Bcacemoita, enveloped in tite.works, had a very in-
teresting and fine effect. ,The company were highly
delighted with the entertainments, end nothing was
wanting to add to their pleasure and comfort ; though
a sigh of regict escaped some visitors, that this de-
lightful fan y laud would soon be closed from their
admiring eyes fur the seahon.
A Gentleitian, the other chiy, in a pal ty where one
or two As complained of their forgetfulness, said, " As
for me, my int:awry is MI despastely bad, that I lorget I have
A mercury !"