Star.
London, England, 1826-11-20 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

• FRIENDSHIPS OFFERING,
An : annual publication, which has, during the last
three years, engaged a very considerable share of public
approbation, is this year dedicated by permission to the
KING ; and a perusal of its contents will evince, that on
the present occasion, neither' pains nor expense have
been spared, to render it in every •way worthy of the
patronageto whist) it aspires : the engravings, which are
all in the line manner, will secure its success with the
lovers of the arts ; while its general decorations, and lite-
rary gems, in prose and verse, are well calculated to
make it an attractive and acceptable present for the
approaching Christmas and New Year. The following
sweet morceau is a specimen of the poetry :
TO MY DAUGHTER, ON HER BIRTH-DAY.
aT 1111RNAR/1 BARTOW, M.

My Child, this h thy natal day;
And might a Father's prayer
For thee, inspire his votive lay,
What blessings should'a thou share !
Shall wit, or wealth, or beauty, nave
Thy Sire to bend his knee ?
I ►old tbee far too dear, my love,
To ask these things for thee!
If wish of mine might prove of worth,
Be this thy porde. given ;
Thy Mother's blameless life on earth!
Thy Mother's lot in Heav'n!

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

The celebrated French comedian LAPORTE, well
known in London for his humourous and spirited per-
formances at the Regency Theatre, undertook on
Saturday night the bolder task of playing an English
part on the English stage. His appearance was pre-
ceded by a Prologue, in which the audience were re-
minded that the Piece produced for his introduction,
Amphitryos, had made the delights of Rome since
PLasuros, those of France since MOWER; and those of
England since DRYDEN, from whose translation the
present was constructed, with the omission of some
witty indecencies of his age. Indulgence was then so-
licited for the new performer, whose countrymen had
given a triumphant reception to one of our own, and.
this appeal was answered by long and universal ap.
plause. LaranTea appearance produced a similar
greetint, and the distinct and able manner in which he
spoke English, excited both approbation and surprise.
To those who recollect the pleasing and correct utter-
ance Lf Mons. ALEXANDRE, the ventriloquist, it will
not be necessary to offer any Other point of comparison.
LAPORTE, if any thing,' was a little more fluent, and
whenever he could discird the feeling timidity under
which he laboured, Was highly comic and expressive.
Hi acting 'is 'very like HA RLEY'S, and there is also a
decided resemblatice in features and person, Ihrtugh
HattLay has the advantage of selierior height:: la
every part his'esertions were rewarded with unanimous
;•pphase, but the piece was so long, that it was attended
by occasional niarks of disapprobation. na RUM
played with great animation, and. Mi. Coorra in Ju-
piter, arid Mr. ARCHER* in Amphitryon, were highly
effective, as well as' Mrs.. West in Alcmena, and Mrs.
DAVISON ih Phadra. Some of thifasenely ii new, and
very. beautiful.' At the close of the Piece, HARLEY and
LAPORTE announced it together for a second. repre-
tentation.

COVENT,GAIIDEN.
The splendid Upera of 'Oberon was en Saturday n;ght
re-produced for the first time this season, and with all
I,the strength of the operatic department. The Overture
was deservedly encored, and we do not recollect ever
hearing it better. performed. Madame Varrata made
her first appearance at this House for the present season,
in her old character of Fatima, and was greeted on her
entrance with the warmest applause; she received it
with her accustomed excellence. Miss PATON per-
formed the part of Keiser, and sang her songs with her
usual sweetness and taste. Mr. SAPIO appeared for the
first time in Sir Hume, and was well received; his per-
formance throughout merited the applause he received.
The Quartet in the second act, by Miss PATO* Madame Via.
vast, Sara, and Powers, was moored. The Housei was fully and
fashionably attended.

Friday evening, as an elderly man, a miller, was lean.
ing on the rails at the Abbey Mill, Stratford, the railing
gave way, and he fell in the river and was drowned.
Saturday was a memorable day in the history of
Mexico. On that day 308 years iv, Cortez set sail
from Cuba, with about 600 followers, mostly Gent
men, for the reduction of the kingdom.
S iturday night,
.the coachman of the Marchioness of
Westmeath, while driving with too much speed near
Drury-lane Theatre, for the purpose of obtaining a place
near the door, to take up her Ladyship, who was at the
Theatre, was thrown from his seat between the horses,
in consequence ef the fore wheel having come suddenly
in contact with the curb stone. Both the wheels on one
side of the coach passed over his chest, by which he has
been considerably injured.
The unprecedented number of 109 vessels reported at
the Custom-house at Liverpool on the 18th ult. was
126 foreign, 46 Ireland, and 37 coastwise.
SUDDICH DIATH.-.Saturday morning, about eleven
o'clock, o respectable man, passing along Chancery.
lane, suddenly staggered,_ and fell against the door of,
Symond's Inn Coffee-house. He was immediately taken
up, and surgical assistance procured, but the vital spark
had fled. It has been ascertained, that be was a clerk
in the house of Messrs. Adlington and Co. Solicitors,
Bedford- row, and his name was Daniel Branaa.
Yesterday asorniug a fire brake out in the bakehouse
of Mr. Brown, in filtionet-street,. Somers Town, and
in a few minutes the whole house was in flames. It
originated by a spark from the mouth of the oven fall-
tog among some shavings, and so rapid was it that two
men bad great difficulty in preserving themselves. Mrs.
Brown, in her anxiety for the preservation of her five
children, got her face severely scorched, and the whole
of her hair burnt. To add to the distress, Mr. B. is at
present in the King's Bench Filson, and every particle
of their property destroyed, without insurance, which
expired only a few days ago, and it was her intention
to renew it this day.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH-(THIS DAY).
11,111-11112 .101111itittcoawanwenes v, a. snasommta
Mr. gliemiLirrr prayed the judgritent of the Court on thcieleadv
ant for a libel.
This was an information. preferred it the *stance of Ole Mole
plaintiff against the Ain Bull Newspaper.; far'seoda and
defaming his character. The lihel in queen* • was pebliklied
in that Journal on the Sth of February WOG a inter ma:deed
from a correspondent, which attickr purported to mane his
Lordship with having discharged one of his faithful screams
for refusing to embrace the Roman Catholic religion against
his inclination; The report stated that the correspondence was
received from good authority, and called on his Lordship to repel
it if untrue, or other articles would follow • and in a su
at
paper the defendant denied the correspondent, and 4...ber
n
anonymous letter.
The defendant made no defence.
Mr. Justice BAYLEY then addressed him on the nature of the of
fence, and sentenced the defendant to pay a fine of &i s, to the King,
and be kept in the custody of the Marshal till sock fine was paid.