Star.
London, England, 1824-07-26 00:00:00

the Czar, an ilistorimi -Tragedy. BY JOlll2/1
Cai-
DOCK, alb M.A. F.S.A.
The publication of the C,tar forms a sort of pheno-
menon in literature. It was Written for another age,
and after slumbering in MS. for half a century, is now
first given to the Public by its venerable author. That
Mr. Cradock is a Gentleman of fortune will be inferred
from this circumstance alone; and that he 6 a modest
author will be readily conceded, when it is known, that
he delayed for nearly fifty years publishing a play
which met with the approbation of Garrick and
Sheridan, and which was so gratifying to the Empress
Catherine of Russia that she invited the author to the
Court of St. Petersburgh. That the Tragedy was not
brought out on the stage under the direction of Garrick
was owing to an accidental circumstance, but the author
might afterwards have had it produced at either Drury-
Lane or Covent-Garden, under the management of Mr.
Sheridan or Mr. Harris, which he declined, owing per-
haps to the difficulty of getting two Ladies able to sus-
tain the two principal female characters.
The characters in the Tragedy of the Czar are well
drawn, and the language, which is always correct, is
often highly poetical and vigorous. The story, which
in many particulars adheres to history, is interesting;
the incidents and situations are natural, and the catas-
trophe is well worked up and impressive.
The Wonders of Elora. By Captain SIRLY.

We have already spoken favourably of this work, and
think the public much indebted to Captain SEELY for
unveiling those stupendous works of art at Elora; his
woik is not confined to this, but contains much interest-
ing matter relative to India, as will be perceived by one
or two extracts:
"Dancing Girls.—The vocalists and dancers have the
accompaniments of small noisy harsh drums, beaten
with the fingers and a small hard stick : the drum is
suspended from the neck, and rests in the vest of the
player. They have a kind of guitar, played either with
a bow or the fingers. To produce " :eft sounds" in
accordance with the step or whirl of the dancing girl,
the musicians distort their countenances by the most
hideous grimaces. The whole face and neck appear
convulsed, the mouth wide open, and the player roaring
out with might and main a symphony to his own music.
Their violent motions evince exertion and the utmost
enthusiasm in gesture, torturing, as it were, some dulcet
sounds (as they think) from their rude and inharmonious
instruments. These performers are neriously alive to
their calling, and so desirous of improving the dancing
and singing, that they get into a profuse sweat, and ap-
pear as if bewitched with the wish to please and the
ravishing effects of their own noise, than which nothing
can be more discordant or frightful, equally devoid df
sweetness in the instrument and of taste in the per-
formers. When you can prevail on the girls to sing
mithout the execrable accompaniment of tam-tams, the
guitar, and cymbals, it is a great treat. Their voices are
often very mellifluous, their persons graceful, their
countenances soft and expressive, their motions and atti-
tudes classically elegant; but when these obstreperous
sons of Orpheus step in, farewell to all harmony.
" The girls sing strains on the old subject—love and
mar; and in relating the delights of the former, do not
fail to "suit the action to the word:" but they seldom
_ overstep the " modesty of nature," except urged on by
imprudent and volatile young men. This is very re-
prehensible in-the young and gay; but it is well known
e cannot expect " old heads on young shoulders."
Spencer sings—
, flow great a toil to stein the raging flood,
When beauty stirs the mass of youthful blood !'
" Round the ankles of the girls are placed rows of
very small silver bells ; these they move in cadence, I
quickly or not, according to the step or figure they are
engaged in. There are generally three or four per-
formers at a time, who alternately take a part in the
dancing or singing, as one or other recedes or gets ex-
hausted. The quick movements of the loins and hips,
the whirling motions they take (in which our figure-
dancers are mere novices), and both hands playing cas-
tanets, and flourishing them over the head, must be
fatiguing."
The following are anecdotes of the Bheels, a horde of
banditti, who are considered by Captain Seely as the
aborigines of India :
" Their haunts are in the wildest parts of India, where
neither civilisation nor the Brahminical creed have ever
penetrated ; and they hold both in great contempt. They
are generally of short stature, sometimes with curly
hair and a thickness of the lower lip ; of very dark com-
plexion, and more masculine in form than the Hindoos.
Their habits are migratory; but wherever extensive
forests or mountainous woody tracks are formed, par-
ties of Bheels reside, and only quit their strong holds
for plunder, or to engage as auxiliaries in a foray, to
devastate and destroy that which contending chiefs can-
not themselves accomplish.
" A nefineraent in the vengeance of sanguinary war-
fare was always had recourse to in the employment of
Bheels ; and of late years likewise in those desultoiy
vindictive inroads of petty chiefs, the Bheel became a
willing and useful ally, and the work of destruction was
incomplete without his demoniacal aid, in poisoning the
wells, burning the villages, murdering the inhabitants,
destroying the crops, and driving off the cattle. Fifty
theels could be more useful than five hundred troops,
approaching by paths through the deep forests known
only to themselves. Their appearance was as sudden
as unexpected, and the visit fatal to the devoted spot.
To find treasure, the most horrid and refined cruelties
were practised, the like of which we have not in history.
Their retreats were unknown ; the jungle and mountains
were impenetrable to all but themselves; and woe to
the individual who opposed a Bheel, or was marked
out by them for vengeance. A journey of three hun-
dred miles would be a. mere walk to a Bheel. Wily,
hardy, and bold, no danger could arrest his progress,
and no security protect his victim, though years might
elapse of unavkiling puma; and if the Bheel did not
succeed at hst, he.would destroy himself.
" An Offger, a Captain had, by interrupting
and wounding a Bheel, while labouring in his vocation,
been masked. In consequence af this, he had a sentry
to his house; but from the neighbouring bank of the
river they had worked a, lakerraateas passage, for a
considerable distance, large enough for one man to
crawl along, and had begun to perforate the floor of
his bed-chamber, when he swat distivdred. We had at
the city where this took place, overly• two thmisand
Aroops, yet it was necessary, for the pacer's safety, to
remove him to Bombay. A Parscamismaa. who had

d'""gs4 ‹fk
1 Y k