Star.
London, England, 1829-07-30 00:00:00

THE DRAMA.

" We understand that nothing has yet been settled as to
the re-opening of Covent-garden theatre. Several persons have
offered to take it for the nest season, and amongst them is Mr.
Laurent, the manager of the Italian Theatre in Park, who is said
to have offered 8,0001. per annum, but there are difficulties in the
way which will not easily be removed. It is understood that if
Mr. Laurent should take the theatre. in addition to the usual dra-
matic entertainments, moat of the operas of Rossini and other emi-
nent composers of the Italian and German schools, will be brought
out in an English drew, and that the singers will be chiefly, if not
exclusively, natives of this country. Considering that it is impos-
sible for both of the patent theatres to play tragedy and comedy
well, it is very desirable to see one of them strong in the operatic
department. A numerous corps de ballet would, it is rumoured,
also be attached to the theatre if under the management of Lau-
rent."—.4ll the Papers.
Thus we have a prospect at last of possessing a respectable na-
tional opera, and after throwing every obstacle in the way of Mr.
Arnold, proprietor of the Lyceum, who was the first to conceive
the laudable project of establishing a regular theatre of this kind,
we talk with the greatest indifieresice of bestowing one of London's
eyes (Covent-garden) on a foreigner, for the very purpose the
Lord Chamberlain and an apathetic public have continued to
thwart in Arnold. Sensible of out' deficiency in this branch of the
Drama, so warmly encouraged by the rest of Europe—conscious
that the population of London could afford to support a theatre of
this description—calculating that national pride would promote his
efforts, and that the republic of letters would cheer him on, that
gentleman built the present theatre in the &rand--enctsuraged
writers and musicians to try their skill in the composition of Eng-
lish Opera—engaged actors at the highest salaries, and first taught
our theatrical vocalists that something more is expected from
them on the stage, than the mere warbling of the throat—
What has been his recompense? Authority leaguing against the
Improvement of national, mudcal, and dramatic composition, has
illiberally upheld monopoly in the great Theatres, and rejected
every prayer be has made to obtain a patent for his house! Con-
fined to a mere license, at the pleasure of the ,Chamberlain, which
restricts him in the representation of regular opera to three months
of the dead season,—that is to say, when the fashionable people
have kit town ;—and thus unencuuraged, he Is doomed to fight his
way with this infant drama, at the manifest risk of his fonuae !
Would it nut rather be for the honour of the nation to reward
the long persevering enterprise of this gentleman, by build-
ing him a butte that would do credit to the capital of
Great &Ude, instead of condemning English opera to ob-
ocurity,..ond then making a pretext of Ibis very obscurity to
patronise exclusively the rapacious strangers of the Italian
House,—the success of whose establishment is so great a dete-
rioradon to British poetry sad music? We say it is scanda-
lous so liberally to support Italian and French Theatres, while our
own English Opera is allowed to languish In its rely commence-
ment,—crushed even by the authority whose duty it is to promote
the arts amongst us. If Tragedy and Comedy alone are not au&
dent to support two Theatres in a metropolis like this, then let us
at once admit our inferiority in dramatic taste, and dramatic talent.
Are the Youngs, the Keana, and the Kemhies--the Listons and
the Keekys; not enough for lhsry lane and Covent-garden, that
they must also have the &shams, the &pits, the Plaillires, and
the rest ? It is really as absurd as unconacionable.Pantomine,
melodrama, and ballet, holding a place in the dramatic class the
nearest to Opera, might not inconsistently be represented on a
stage devoted particularly to this description of drama. But your
Grimaldi, your Mathews and Yates, your Brabam and ballet-
dancer., are a disgrace to theatres that should be sacred to the
genius of Shakspeare did his school.

THE CURATE OF THE VILLAGE.
U. P. da Costa. living in a country house belonging to hltn near
Guintaraes in the province of Minim, received last month at his
hews DI. J. da Costs, his brother, who having spent six months in
the mountains de Morse to evade peraecution from the sanguinary
kliguclites. fell at kngth dangerously ill.
Id. P. da Costa seeing that his brother's life was in imminent
danger, went himself to the Curate of the parish to give an account
of it, requesting spiritual assistance and the Holy Sacrament for
the sick. The Curate, thunderstruck at this intelligence. answered,
I that he could not, in his holy capacity, attend a Fret Mum I ex.
comnittuicated by the Church, and whose soul ought to be a prey
to all the devils !!!
In fact, the poor man died in the mane of a few days without
being confessed. His brother addressed himself again to the Cu-
rate,requesting the body might be interred, but he refused.
" ory your brother yourself, where you think proper," said the
Curate ;" he cannot repot tio consecrated ground : the soul if the

deceased is gene to the devil, and the body will go the same way.
He will come and disinter it, and carry it away—be sore of that."
In short, the body was interred under a tree, in an inclosure not
far front the house ; but LH. da Costa, suspecting some underhand
work no the part of the Curate, related this adventure to one of his
friends, a simpleton, but a good natured fellow, who offered to ac-
company bins to defend the body of his brother front the grasp of the
devil during the three first Nights. They armed themselves with
fowling-pieces, and concealed themselves behind VIMe hushes—at
the distance of a gun-shot. The Devil did not tarry loog before
be arrived. The Curate, travestied in the character of the demon,
with two large horns on his head, and covered with a goat-skin,
approached with a faithful servant, both armed with spades. in
order to disinter the body, and with a view to propagate the
rumour the neat day that " the devil had got hold of the free-
mason." But Fate, which disposes, in its own way, of poor mor-
tals as well as of priests, ordained otherwise. The peasant who
accompanied N. de Costa knew the beast by his mark, and sud-
denly panic-struck crossed himself, invoked his guardian angel,
and in GOD'S name fired away at the Devil, who fell dead on the
spot. The infernal servant had the good luck to escape; but a
great number of people arrived, and the assassin was taken along
with his friend. The good nun boasted at having killed a large
devil with large horns : tapers are lighted,—an investigation takes
place,—the servant of the devil, who had been arrested, confesses
every thing ; but the two prisoners were sent to the, prison at
Oporto. However, the imprudence of the Ministers of Aligutl is
such that a judgment has been pronounced, :o the effect that the
assassins of the devil are to be sent to Angola. not as ins, but
as disturbers of the peace ; and it was strialy ordered that the
particulars of the trial should not transpire, and that all the paters
relative thereto should be sent to Lisbon, to be kept a profound
secret.