Star.
London, England, 1813-04-23 00:00:00

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ailigewkwr.
DRURT-LANE THEATRE.

1
••••

Last night a new Comedy was produced at this 1
Theatre, called Recrimination, or, A Curtain Lecture.
Its author is understood to be a Mr. (7-_LAttss, who
wrote, or rather put inch' a new form, with a new
name, the piece called Ihe Kiss. As it was doomed,
like so many other modern Plays, to a most unfa-
vourable reception,
.it is unnecessary to dwell much
upon its merits or its dt fects. An old Baronet, Sir
Philip Dovercourt (Dowrobt), is desirous to espouse
Melissa (Nils. DAvisoN), the beautiful young niece of
his friend Freeland, she being at the same time in
IGve with a Captain Dovercourt (Etusrott), the said
Sir Philip's nephew, a circumstance with which the
~Itl onet was not acqaainted. The Captain, who
lidd been abroad, finds his way, by certain common-
pia cestaee contrivances, to Melissa, who has attracted
the attentions of Sir James Willmore (RAs), married
to the daughter of Freeland (Mrs. GLOVER), but some-
what coiled in his attachment to his wife. Melissa
enters into some flirtations with Willmore, with the
view of ultimately reconciling him to his Lady. This
is communicated to the Captain, who vows to set off
for India, and then writes a submissive letter to his
uncle ; but alter sending it by post, he receives a
n ,•e fr m his fair Melissa, promising him a full ex-
plan aim, which accordingly, in pro ter time, ensues.
A kind of Buck, named Winnis{gton DEcAmP), is in-
troduced, who at last runs off in a state of disappoint-
ment. The rest of the business consists in bringing
about the reconciliation of the Willmores, the union of
the Gafriain and Melissa, and the resignation of old
Sir Philip to the hopelessness of his passion—all which
is compassed by very obvious means. The plot was
meagre. There was no trait of novelty or origi-
nality ,n any of the characters. The dialogue was
very indifferent in every attempt at wit or comic
humour, though in the more sentimental parts, it
might lay claim to considerable neatness of lan-
guage, sometimes bordering a little upon affecta-
tion. What passed in the two last acts was almost
entirely inaudible. It seemed, as far as we were
permitted to hear it, one of those light things which,
Without merits to command applause, or such gross
defects as to be past all correction, might have
found merciful treatment in a Summer Theatre.—
Dis.,pprobation manifested itself very early—too
early to be pleasing to an impartial spectator. At
the end of the third act, Mr. RAYMOND came forth,
and addressed th,. house as follows :

" GINTLEMEN..—I most respectfully appeal to every impartial
Auditor in this Theatre, whether it he possible, under the cir-
cumstances of the early oppooition to the Play that has been ma-
nifested this evening, that the Performers can do their duty to
you, or justice to the Author. Gentlemen, their efforts are de-
pressed d unless yoi enforce a fair hearing, you must fed it to
be Impossible that a fair judgment ;An be formed of the merits or
a-merits of the Comtdy."

This speech received great applause, and the re-
quest of the speaker seemed to be conceded. The
fourth act opened with great eclat, and the performance
proceeded for some time without opposition; but at
the end of the act hostilities were resumed, and the
cry of " Off, off !" rose louder than ever. Many
voices were raised against this violation of the com-
pact, which it was understood had been made, but
tta.-se had only the effect of defeating their own object
b.: trip king the tumult greater than it would other.
wise have been, and of more effectually overpowering
the exertions of the Actors. The opposition was
continued almost without intermission to the end of
the Play, so that it was impossible to do more than
guess at • he denouement.
In the two first acts, which we were permitted to
hear, we cannot say there appeared any thing to
make the failure cf the Comedy a subject of regret.
They were neither distinguished by humour nor in-
genuity ; nor did any thing that we heard at inter-
s, Is, %%hen the house was still, strongly excite any
such fecong. There appeared throughout a lament-
able want of novelty, and a dearth of incident, which
would have precluded it from success with a more
induly -nt a, hence. In this, however, we must ac-
knowltdge we cannot speak with certainty, as great
allowances are t, be made for the circumstances
Pu:rder which it was performed, and under which it
was partial,: heard. Its merits did not appear great,
but the into eruptions it met with probably made them
seem lez than they really were. Of whatever mag-
nitude its demerits may ultimately prove, we must
contend that as yet it has not had a fair hearing.—
The curtain descended amidst a tumult of disappro-
bation. Mr. RAYMOND came forward to address the
audience, when he himself was unexpectedly addressed
by a person in the Boxes, who accosted him in the
following manner :
" Mr. RAYMOND—I CA on you, if you have any regard for
your character a Gentleman, and any wish to support the
respectability of the profession to which you belong, now to
issplain why you insulted the 'Town and disgraced this Theatre.
by introducing on those boards that most execrable wretch
IL:CATES."

This speech threw the audience for some moments
into great confusion, which filially resolved itself into
indignation. The unknown ,rator was hissed, and a
cl.y of " Turn him out," was heard for several
to feel, that however ridicu-
ted had made himself, that ;he
lave Leen brought forward at
with all his absurdities, the
wretch" ought not to have

no answer to the question put
iproar had subsided, " begged
k if the audience were of opi-
had a fair hearing r' A va-
ivert of an opposite nature.—
to preponderate, but not so
'en expected from what had
Mr. RAYMOND then said—
xtfully ask if it may have a
iw ?"
luch opposition, but applause
‘IOND bowed and withdrew.
than could have been expec.
aich circumstances ; DowTON
1 the satisfaction of checking
L)ace, and Mrs. GLOVER, in a
igne, in which the rage for
lied, reamed the and:mice to
tliGugh she appeared before
ttion WAS at its height. ELLI•
aver of a military lover with
ie audience did not seem lib.
icter.

•••
EDINBURGH, .IPAILHL

, • ,
A few days ago, on thi farm of Torry, near
Elton, in a field over which the plough has gene
for many years, perhaps for centuries, a slab stonq
waa discovered by the spade, when turning up the,
ground, striking on it, which seemed of conside-
rable size, and when raised, discovered an angular
winding cavity of about four feet wide, and nearly
the same or greater in height.; the sides and top
regularly built of slab stones. The length is not yet
known, but from what we have heard, there can be no
doubt, that it is one of those subterraneous dwellings
of remote antiquity, once common among the bar-
barous nations of Europe, and from time to time dis-
covered in Scotland and Ireland, as well as on the
Continent. These houses are noticed by Tacitus, in
his Tract "• De Moribus Germanornm." In this,
as in all other receptacles of the same kind, remains
of the bones of animals are discovered ; and charcoal
is frequently found of different kinds of wood.

DR. Rans's NEW CYCLOPEDIA.—The Editor and
Proprietors have lately announced, that this valuable
Work will be completed in three years, forming 36-
volumes, 24 of which are already published. Of all
the Encyclopedias to which the original and cele-
brated Dictionary of Chambers has given birth, the
Cyclopedia of Dr. Rus is the most comprehensive.
The long life of the learned and indefatigable Edisor
has been devoted to its improvement, aided by his
numerous able co-adjutors. The elegant and accu-
rate Engravings of Lowry, Milton, and Scott, which
illustrate this Publication, are in themselves of supe-
rior utility and value, And render tbeWork absolutely
unique in this popular class of publ;- ,ns.
A man of decent appearance was observed last
Monday very active in distributing papers to the
sailors on board the different men of war in the Downs,
when a Lieutenant on duty, suspecting they might be
of a seditious tendency, ordered the fellow into his
cabin, who, on being interrogated, declared, that as
he knew the sailors were fond of Prizes, and the ene-
my had none to part with, he was giving thenra list
of the Prize Money to be got by adventuring in the
State Lottery, containing not only more Prizes than
Blanks, with several Twenty Thousand and Ten
Thousand Powders, but so arranged by Government,
that all the Tickets drawn on 6th of MAT will be
Prizes.

It appears from some of the Halifax papers, that it
was the Indian warrior Roundhead who took General
WINCHESTER prisoner. The Indian, according to
his notions of the law of nations, and the courtesy due
to prisoners of war, first stripped the American Com-
mander of his fine coat and waistcoat, and then ap-
plied a covering of paint over his bare skin. In this
ludicrous &tate, having dressed himself in the regi-
mental trappings of his prisoner, he presented the latter
to Colonel Puocron, who with much difficulty suc-
ceeded in recovering for the discomfited General his
coat and sword.

Wednesday se'nnight, about ten o'clock in the
evening, the side wall of Mr. Barton's fllur ware-
house in London-road, Liverpool, fell with a dreadful
crash. Every floor broke down, destroying all the
property on the premises. The persons in the house
were Mr. and Mrs. Barton and one daughter, who
had retired to bed on the first floor, ar►d who were
precipitated into the cellar. Mrs. Barton miracu-
lously escaped unhurt. The daughter, a young girl
of 13. was considerably injured, but not dangerously.
Mr. Barton was unfortunately killed.
DVIZI.—A duel was fought on Tuesday, on Ep-
ping Forest, between two gentlemen, of the names
of Adkinson and Cuthbert, in consequence of a dis-
pute at dinner after the Epping-hunt. The latter was
wounded in the shoulder, but not dangerously.
Bo:m(1.—A tremendous battle, for 10 guineas a
side, was fought at Dresden Common, Oxon, on
Monday between Palmer and George, two powerful
countrymen, who had disagreed at a backsword
match. They fought an hour and 20 minutes, every
round closed with a knock-down blow, and both were
at length so disabled, they had not power to stand,
and stakes were drawn. Some of the rounds were of
eight minutes duration.
The battle betwixt Oliver, the gardener, and Cooper,
will take place on Saturday the Ist of May.
Penesratatersst.—Thursday last, at Newcastle,
George Wilson, a celebrated pedestrian, undertook,
for a trifling wager, to walk .50 miles in 12 successive
hours in the Debtor's-yard of Newgate, being 53 feet
by 25k, which, to the great astonishment of the spec-
tators, he performed five minutes within the time,
having walked the last six miles in one hour, 20 mi-
nutes, 46 seconds—an effort in so circumscribed a
situation unparalleled in pedestrianism.
The race between Captain Barclay's groom and
the Kentith man, the former of whom receives an
hour in 100 miles, will take place in the middle of
May, for 400 guineas.
BOW-STREET.—Yesterday a man was brought from
the Sugar-loaf public-house, in Drury-lane, charged
with an assault upon a woman at that house, under
the following circumstances:—lt appeared that the
woman resides on Wimbledon Common, and keeps
fowls, and had found an egg in one of her hens' nests,
on which she described an inscription to appear—
,4 Bonoparte will die this year." She concluded this
was a supernatural circumstance, and brought it to
London to shew to her sister, who keeps the Sugar-
loaf public-house as above ; she called her friends
and customers together to see the marvellous act of
nature. Among them was the man charged with the
assault, who, it seems, had been attracted to view the
extraordinary act of nature, and, it appeared, while
she was exhibiting the egg, gave her a blow on her
arm by design, which knocked the egg out of her hand
and broke it. The witnesses who attended admitted
and confirmed that an inscription to the above effect
did appear on the egg in question, but whether it was
an act of nature, or of art or artifice, they could not
certify. Mr. NARES, the Sitting Magistrate, advised
the man to make the matter up with the woman, and
they retired for that purpose. On their return with
the officer, the man stated, that the woman had de-
manded £lO as a i emnneeation for the loss of her egg.
The Magistrate considering the demand extravagant
and exorbitant, dismissed the complaint.
The following convicts were left for eteeetion at
Lancaster :—T. Dwyer, J. Davies, T. O'Brien, T.
Toole, J. Rogers, and R. Barber. The five first weie
convicted of highway rol) eries, and ►ht .last named
of uttering forged bank notes. Twenty-one convicts
were condemned at there A ssiaes.

int ;,111,...•

'PRZSANT ST,l77stocalwillGHLANDS OF

The following is a statement of the relative value of
land in thi North Highlands of Scotland, within the
last forty years :
The estate of Glengary, the property of A. M,Dor.:-
Nat., Esq. situated in the County of Inverness, was
not many years ago considered to produce more than
from seven to nine hundred pounds a-year. At pre.
sent, it is Understood to produce 17000 per annum
by sheep farming. The Caledonian Canal runs
through this estate.
This estate contained 'a very numerous peasantry,
who, on the alteration of the system of husbandry
taking place in IEO3, all emigrated to Canada. They
were recently formed into a Battalion there by Sir
GEORGE PREVOST, under the name of Glengary Fen-
cibles, and I hive no doubt will greatly distinguish
themselves *. _

It may not be aimportant nor inapplicable at this
time to remark, that the entire population of this
estate was Romaii-Cathofic : and it is highly honour-
able to them that, notwithstanding those feelings of
deep regret which was inseparable from their removal
from localities very dear to them, when the proper
moment presented itself, all these gave place to the
paramount feeling of Loyalty.' • ' '
The estate of Rosehall, in the County of Suther-
land, was, about 18 years ago, purchased by the late
WILLIAM BAILUR, Esq. of ICnockbreck, for .C3OOO,
which sum included a very commodious Mansion ;
and it was deemed at that time, rather a dear bargain.
This estate descended to Mr. BAILLIBIS eldest son by
a second marriage, the late Lieutenant Gtneral
MACKAY H. BAILLIE, who dying in 1805, by his will
it was directed to be sold for the benefit of his family
,at large ; by which means the present Lord ASHBUR•
TON became the purchaser of it in 1806, for 826,500;
ani his' Lordship is understood to be quite satisfied
with his bargain. Rosehall, though limited in ex-
tent, is, perhaps, one of the best sporting estates in the
North Highlands ; which, indeed, may be inferred
from the circumstance of Lord ASHBURTON'S having
made the purchase from the description given of it in
the sale advertisements, without at all seing it:
The estate of Mlian, also in the county of Suther-
land, was purchased by the late Colonel J. SUTHER•
LAND, for £l5OO, about twenty-eight years ago, and
perhaps he might have laid out a like sum in enlarg-
ing the house, and in inclosures. It was lately sold
for 811,000.

The estate of Carrol, in the same county, the pro-
perty of JOSEPH GORDON, Esq. of Edinburgh, though
containing a numerous peasantry who occupy small
farmsiperhaps in no year produced to the proprietor
4200 a year. It was recently sold for 818,000, be-
sides the boon customary in such cases, in Scotland,
to the lairds wife.
The Marchioness of STAFFORD was the purchaser
of these latter estates, which are situated in the centre
of her extensive properties in Sutherlandshire.

indignation. The unknown
lou.: ell. of " Turn him out,
aninutes. All appeared to fe
lous the person mentioned ha
subject ought not to have t
this time ; and that, with
• 'words " most execrable wre
been applied to him.
Mr. RAYMOND gave no am
to him ; but when the uproar
Most respectfully to ask if ti
Ilion the new Play had had
siety of answers were givett
Disapprobation seemed to p
much as might have been e
previously taken place. M:
.6 May I then most respectfc
•
• second hearing to-morrow ?"
This called forth much 1
was also loud, and Mr. Itaysc
The actors did more than
• ted from diem under such <
• and Mrs. DAVISON had the
the storm more than once,
leleasing sprightly Epilogue,
cturing is ne•Lly ridiculed,
perfect good humour, thou
' them when their indignation
'R liTt•N , ertui mcd the di:racier
-great judgment, but the aui
po.cd to Lemur the cbaxacte,
• • -