Star.
London, England, 1823-09-02 00:00:00

EICGLISH OPERA HOUSE.

Last night an Operetta, founded on Mrs. C/LNY*
Linda Comedy of A Bold Stroke fora Wife, was
performed at this Theatre. It affords Mr. MATHRWS
the opportunity of very effectively displaying his ver-
satile talents in four different characters—as Feign-
sell, a fop; as Van Jan Timtamterelereletta fieer
Feignwell, a Dutchman ; as Pillage, a steward ; and
as Simon Pure, a Quaker. He assumes those charac-
ters to gain the good will of the four guardians of Ann
Lovely (Miss KaLLY), their consent being requisite
before she could marry. It may scarcely be requi-
site to remark, that Mr. NIATIIRWS was highly enter-
taining in the several disguises; but he made a vast
deal of the old Steward. Amongst all his excellen-
cies, we have seldom witnessed anything more excel-
lent. It was a fine cg,mic picture ; the effect was pro-
clued without any violence or grimace, and it was
admirable. He represents that his old Master is dead;
that his like will not be seen in a hurry ; that tears
would flow ; and that though old, he could not forget
his old Mister. It convulsed the Ho-use with laughter
Mr. CANNING h 7--

sir. LdA“._ .has arrived at StorrWall, on the banks
of Windermere Lake, on a visit to JOHN BOLTON, Esq.
We understand that the house occupied by the
Mind of Trade, adjoining the Treasury Passage,
Whitehall, is to be immediately pulled down, and a
new and more convenient building erected on its scite.
As the new offices are not expected to be finished
in less than two or three years, the Lords Commis-,
sioners will, in the meantime, meet at the new pre-
mises in Great George-street.
The competition among the steam-boats on the
Clyde is at present So great, that some of them .carry passengers
ham Glasgow to Camphellown' a distance of upwards of one
hundred miles, fur the charge of half-a-clown.
The Glasgow Clarogide of Thursday last announces
that a public dinner will be given in that town, on the 12th of
this month, to Messrs. Baoutar All and DCTYAN.
• A farmer, who has a rookery on his farm, adverti-
vs to sell prmisslons to London sportsmen to shoot on his land,
where, he states, there is plenty of back gone.
CAUTION.—Ladies are seriously advised to unship
their feathers till the shooting season in town ends (to-morrowN
as the London Shots invariably shoot with their eyes shut, andl
they may be pounced upon as a class of the feathered race unpro-
tected by she Game Laws.
There is at present in a gatden in the immediate
n.ighbourhood of Kirkaldy, en apple tree in. full blossom, with
the first crop of fruit nearly ripe.
A number of base sovereigns are now in circula-
tion. They are easily detected, as sounding like a button, and
by their lightness.
A shopket per having an empty cask, which he
wished to tliTose of, placed it before his door, and with chalk
wrote upon it " for sail." A waggish schoolboy passing that
way shortly after, aid perceiving the mistake •of the " vender of
wares," immediately wrote underneath, " for freight or passage
apply at the bung-hole !"
ISO4ING.—A battle took place on Monday evening'
last, at Woolwich, between two men of light weight, of the
tames of Cummins and Iload ; the former being seconded by
Barry Robinson, the Big Navigator who fought lent Burke
some time since, at the Marsh-house ; and a man of the name of
Torn Stevens, who was defeated by Page, officiated for the latter.
The battle lasted one hour and twenty-five minutes; and, after
a tremendous mill, was won by Cummins; who was offered to
be backed by a resident sporting character, to fight any man of
h.s weight, beh'g 8 stone, for any sum not eacurding £5O a side.
A Gentleman who arrived in town this morning
from Buckinghamshire says, the alteration in the
wheats-in that county, within these few days, is really
surprising. It is the general opinion of the growers'
chat the produce will be abundant if the present wea-
ther
continues.
Yesterday a true hill was found by the Grand
Jury, at the Sessions House, Horsentouger-lane,
against John Wharton, who a few days since robbed
a Mr. Jones of a 1:20 note, in Vauxhall Gardens, and
who afterwards pretended to swallow the note.
'I he Lotto MAYOR, in older to-preserve the peace
of the City, during the ensuing Bartholomew Fair,
has, within the last few days, sworn in a great sum-
ber of stout able young men, to the amount of some
'hunch eds, as Special Constables, to assist the regular
Police of the City.
The harvest is most luxuriant in every part of Port-
ika Island. The principal part of it has been caeried
within the last few days.

CEREMONIES oN rss DEATH or 4 POPE.

_ I'
.

As soon as the Holy Father 142 expired, the Car-
dinal Chamberlain, 't a a •iolet &cis, :presents, bi tn-
self at the door of-his Chamber, at which he knocks
three times with a golden hammer-, and each time, in'
a loud voice, calls upon the Pope' by his Christian
name, his surname, and his title of Pope. -
After a short time has elapsed, hc says, in the'. pre-
sence of the clerks of the chamber and the apostolical
notaries who accompany him, and who are to take
cognizance of this ceremony, 4 Then he is dead.' The
fisherman's ring is then brought to him, and he 'steaks'
it with the same hammer. The pieces belong to the
Ma:ter of the Ceremonies. He then proceeds to take,
possession of the Vatican, in the name of the Aposto-
lical Chamber, accompanied by the clerks of the
Chamber in black dras'es.

As soon as he has e.tablished his autho.rity in the
palace, he sends his guards to seize upon the gates
of the city, of the Castle of St. Angelo, and the other
gates; and when he has provided for the safety of
the city, he sets out for the Vatican in his carriage,
preceded by the Captain of. the Pope's guards, and
accompanied by the Swiss, who' are the usual attend-
' ants of his Holiness. When this procession com-
mences, the great bell of the capitol, the sound of
which is never heard but upon this occasion, announce,
to the whole city the death of the Sovereign Pontiff.
Meanwhile the Penitentiaries of St. Peter, with the
Chaplains of the deceased Pope, take care to have his
body emfrilmed. They then clOthe -it in pontifical
habits, with the mitre on its head, and lay it out for
three days, or. abed of state, previous to interment.
After the expiration of the three days, the body is
taken, at night, to the Church of St. Peter, the burial-
place of the Popes- with the customary funeral pomp.
—ln this church the body is exposed for nine days,
to the view of the people. Then it is put into a coffin
of cypress, that is inclosed in a leadexrcoffin, and that
again in a coffin of fir, and remains in the depot of
the chef:el until a mausoleum is erected, or it can be
removed to the place that may be considered suitable.
During this interval the Cardinals hold seseral
congregations, for the purpose of giving orders re-
specting the necessary services; and, on the ninth
day, a Enamel oration is pronounced in the church of
St. Peter.

Diary-Lane Theatre will open on the Ist of Octo-
ber. A new Piece, founded on the romance of Kenilworth, is to
be produced, and will comprise the stiength of the company.
ANOTHER WATER-SPOUT.—The 26d1 of A ugust,
the sudden and extreme heat announced a storm,
which took the direction from the S.E. in the village
of Bancourt (in the south of France). Near this
place appeared a water-spout, the trate resting on the
ground, and the top was lost' among the clouds. It
was formed of a thick vapour, in the midst of which
appeared flames in different directions. It took the
direction of the storm, and tore up or broke, in the
space of about a league, 7 or 800 trees of different
sizes, and then broke upon the village of Marchefroy,
where it destroyed half the houses in an instant. The
walls were thrown down on all sides, and the ruins
carried half a league by the force of the aerial tor-
rent. The peasants in the fields.were. knocked down
or carried away. Several animals were killed, and
men were wounded by the stones which the course
of the torrent removed from their bed. Vehicles
heavily laden were broken in pieces. Machinery of
the strongest workmanship gave way to its force.
Several hamlets and villages sustained a good deal
of dams e.
THE NEW SHERIFFS* STATE LIVERIES.—The beau-
tiful costumes that are to be worn by the servants of
the Sheriffs elect, Messrs. WHITTAEER and LAURIE,
are said to be the most superb that have ever been
made on any former occasion. That of Mr. WHIT-
TAKER, the senior Sheriff,consists of a coat of super-
fine rich Turkey blue cloth, the breast exquisitely
figured with sprigs of laurel in gold, the skirts em-
bellished with two-inch, one-inch, and half-inch gold
lace, so that the whole skirts appear to be entirely of
gold. The sleeves are superbly ornamented in a
manner corresponding with the breast. The shoulder-1
knots are emblazoned with the arms or the crest of
the family. The waistcoat and small-clothes are of
beautiful white kerseymere, richly laced with gold,
corresponding with that of the coat. That of Mr.
Sheriff LAURIE is precisely of tLe same magnificent
description, excepting the colour, which is rich su-
perfine emerald green, with scarlet tollar, cuffs, and
flaps. The waistcoat and small-clothes are of scarlet:
BEN JoNsoo.—The remains of " Rare BEN" have
been disturbed in Westminster Abbey,. though not
perhaps in a way to call forth either the blessing or
the curse of his great contemporary—

" Illess'd be the man that spares these stones,
And curet be he who moves my bones." •
It was as the workmen were last week excavating• a
vault, to receive the remains of the Lady of Sir
ROBERT WILSON, in the north aisle of Westminster
Abbey, that they discovered at the head of it a leaden
coffin placed in the ground perpendicularly, with the'
head downwards, in a hole about two feet square. At
the top of the hole was a square stone, about eighteen
inches wide, on which were the initials " B. J." cut
in characters rather illegible. On inquiry among the
old men of the Abbey, they state, that when BEN
Joxsou was seriously ill, he was asked where he
would be buried ? He said, 44 If I can get foot-
around in Westminster Abbey, I will be interred
1 there :" and the Dean of Westminster being applied

to, he gave sufficient ground to admit the corpse in
a perpendicular position, as it was found. The ske-
leton of the deceased poet, upon inspection, was en-
tire, and in a singular state of preservation, though,
on being exposed to the air, it crumbled into dust.
These interesting remains, it is hardly necessary to
say, were carefully replaced in their oiiginal deposi-
tory, which is close at the foot of the grave alluded
to, and near the monument of the late Mr. Naga.
vm.. The position in which our old dramatist was
discovered,' eminds us of the joke attributed to CAS-
TRUCCIO CASTRACANI (as well as to many others),
who, when asked how he would be buried, replied,
" with my head ch:iweiwards; for when I go hence,
this country will be turned upside down," (scan-supra).
It is not unlikely that " surly BEN" may have been
of the same opinion. The position of the buttons
upon the doublet of his figure, in Poet's Corner, which
are placed the reverse way, has been often remarked,
and gave occasion to the observation made by a wag
of after times, in a well-known epigram,
" Another age may set thy buttons right."

RAMSGATE. AUGUST 29.

T

Prince LEOPOLD and the Duchess of KENT still
continue bete. We have likewise the Lord Chief'
Justice ABBOT; Sir Was. CURTIS, &C. &C.
Some few days ago the American schooner Echo,
Captain JOHNSON, caught fire, in consequence of the"
leakage of a considerable quantity of sulphuric acid,
forming part of her cargo. The Captain and some
of the crew, in endeavouring to save the cargo from
destruction, remained so long in the hold as to be
nearly suffocated by the deleterious gal emitted by
the action of the acid upon the articles in the hold,
mostly piece-goods. All 'the crew have recovered,
after suffering extremely from rts noxious effects, but
the Captain fell a victim to his zeal for the interest
of his owners.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

The Spencer, KEITH, arrived at Montrose, from the Green-
land Seas, on 'Tuesday last, with five small fish and one hun-
dred and fifty seals, supposed to boil fifty tuns of oil. Captain
Kam( and the crew describe the season as very unfavourable.
They saw many whales, but the high winds and great quantities
of ice rendered fishing in many instances impossible. There has
net been so much ice in Greenland for the last twenty years.
Passengers by the Triumph, Captain Caossr, from Bombay,
arrived at Gravesend on Saturday last :—Mr. John Saudwith,
Mrs. and Master ditto; Major, Mrs. and Miss Onslow, 4th
dragoons; Captain Kerr, 53r1 regiment, and Mrs. Kerr ; Capt.
Goldfrap, his Majesty's 65;h regiment, Mrs. Goldfrap, and three
children ; Lieutenant Kennett, I lth regiment Native Infantry ;
Lieutenant Billamore, 9th regiment, ditto; Ensign I. Beaky,
sth regiment, ditto; Brevet-Major Falls, coth regiment; Lieut.
Law, Madras Establishment ; Lieut. Arbuthnot, ditto; Miss
Catherine Hickes.
FALMOUTH, AUGUST 31.—Wind variable.—Sailed the Sir God-
frey Webster, for New South Wales; and Belina, Wu.nooosx,
for Demerara.
Pzymoortr, Aucusr 31.—Wind variable.—Arrived the Ran-
ger, Paaaoti, from Riga; Sappho, Ilreezzsrasz, from Leghorn:
°lthe Port, the Henry, PALESS , from Hamburgh ; Lien, from
Havre • and Diadem, from London : also the Tobago, LSADLZIL,
from Quebec, who reports that on the 3d of July, the Com-
merce, of and from Bristol, was, wrecked, and the Master ar-
rived at Quebec.
Portzsuours, Szrr. I.—Wind W.S.W.— Arrivedthe Grecian,
Hountow, from Hamburgh for Valparaiso; his Majesty's ship
SPASTIATE, from the Downs for South America; and, Juno,
HUTCHINSOg, from Riga.
DEAL, SEPT. I.—Wind W.S.W.—Arrived, the Henry Cerf,
HILLARY, from Pictou ; George and James, DOLAND, from St.
Mary's, River Gambia ; Laing, CLARK, from Grenada; and Rio
packet, from Rio Janeiro. Came down from the River, the
Hope, Parrzason, for Malta; and Phenix, KERR, for Port
au Prince.
WATERFWM, AUGUST 30.—The vessel that run foul of the
George the Fourth, arrived here this day, was the ship Hannah,
timber laden, which also lost her fore and main-mast.
Coax, AUGUST 29.—Arrived his Majesty's brigs ARAI and
Pazonvs.
Cusxon-Housz, &m i.—Ships Entered Inwards : The Rise-
brough, from Pernambuco; Sisters and James, from Stangate
Creek; Jonge Camille, from Ghent; Robert, Ant, and Nelson,
from Hamburgh atffort Branch, and Ceres, from Petersburgh ;
Gertrude, from Rotterlarrr; Aurora and Cerei, from Memel;
Gent ode, frcm Amsterdam; Doris, from Naples; Fame, from
Palermo; Henrick, from Dantzie ; John, from Quebec; Dour-
Alm, from St. Joint's - Orpheus, from Ceylon; and John, from
Jamaica.—Entered Outwards: The Active, for Havre; Prince
Regent, for Tobago; Francis and Glasgow, `or Tentriffe ; He-
roine, for Madeira; Leander, for Jamaica; .Jilo, for Elsineur ;
and Commerce, for Calais.
ARRIVED. •••••• At Pernambuco, the Melina, Icing; and the
Alexander, Demingos, from Lisbon • Rambler, —; and Ann,
Cordiner, from Londoa ; John and William, Roberts; and
Courier, Clover, from Liverpool ; Christiana, —, from Hull ;
Drake, Silly, from Newfoundland ; Mary Russel, Willis; Mi-
nerva, —; Alice, Eden ; and Argo, Brown, from Rio. At
St. Übe's, Maria Louisa, —, from London; and P011.,x,
Hoiste, front Plymouth. At Gibraltar, Ranger, Tinn, from
Newcastle ; flon, Rands, from Portsmouth; Washington, Davis,
front Philadelphia ; and Prudent, Ellis, from Bremen. At Ca-
diz, Leopold, Hunter, from Gibraltar; Enterprise, Chevalier;
and the Juuo, Le Bas, front Jersey. At Marseilles, James
Munro, --, from Charleston • and the Remittance, Champ-
lin, from Newport. At Lisbon, Esther, Remorino, from Bahia ;
Palmyra, 'Bastard, from the Havannah ; Squid, Warren, from
Bristol; Voador, Gomes, from Cork ; and the Lancashire Witch,
--, from Liverpool. At Oporto, Mitchell, Irvin, from Lon-
don ; Perseverance, Hines, from Newcastle
_; James, Smith, from
Newport; Cambrian, Ford, from Liverpool; and Dove,Worth,
front Newfoundland. At Faro, Triumvirate, Green, from
Gibraltar.