Star.
London, England, 1826-10-06 00:00:00

ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE:

This Theatre closed last night, after a deservedly
prosperous season. Many novelties were produced
during the few months allotted to the performances
here ; and they were, in general, eminently successful.
In the serious department, the Opera of The Oracle,
supported by the splendid taleats of Miss PATON, proved
extremely attractive; and the comic department was
enlivened by the pleasant farce of Lying Made Easy,
aad the truly ludicrous entertainment of Before Break-
fast ; in the latter of which pieces the inimitable acting
of MATHEWS and BARTLEY was a source of infinite
mirth. The Vampire was last night performed, and
enabled Mr. T. P. Comm to exhibit to the best advan-
tage his melo-dramatic skill. This was followed by the
capital farce of Gretna Green, in which the combined
excellencies of Miss KELLY, WRENCH, and Powza ;
the two first, as the deceived and deceiving chamber-
maid and footman, and the last as the rapacioue
lord, kept the audience in almost continual shouts of
laughter. At the end of the farce, Mr. BARTLEY came
forward, and throwing aside the formality of a serious
address, bounced upon the audience in the character of
Sir William Beer, and bade them farewell with all the
fire and fury by which that 4g son of impulse" is distin-
guished. On the part of the Proprietor, of himself, and
of the performers in general, he thanked his good friends,
the public, for the liberal support which the Theatre
had received during the season; alluded to the exertions
which had been successfully made to propitiate the
town, and pledged himtelf that those exertions should
be redoubled next year. This burst, which was ♦ery
good•humou redly delivered, was received with energetic
applause. The House was crowded in every part. .

AGRICULTURAL PARISHES.
TISBUIIY, WILTS, Ovr. 4!

With the exception of the new manufactory at Font-
hill, this extensive parish is purely agricultural. Since
the spinning flax by hand has been disused, the people
have had nothing but farming labour to do. The parish
is seven miles in length, and comprises 8,000 acres of
rich arable and finely watered meadow land. It in.
eludes Wardour Castle and Pyt House, and part of
Fonthill. The population is rather more than 2,000.
The poor's rates last year (and they are nut increased
this year) amounted to 2,553 L or about ss. per acre.—
The number of persons participating in the parish pay
is 670, of whom 92 are old persons, and 86 constant
residents in the poor-house. The latter are farmed at
Ss. 6d. each per week, and the master has, in addition
to that sum, the benefit of their earnings. The an-
nual cost of supporting them is, therefore, 2491. 12s.
If to this be added, say 2s. 6d. per week each for the
ninety-two old persons, making 5981. in the year, and
2001. the sum paid for county rates, it will give the
fair amount of charge for poor's rate on 8,000 acres
of excellent land—viz. 1,0471. 12s. or a fraction more
than 2s. 6d. per acre, including the county rate. The dif-
ference between this :um and that actually paid, viz.
2,5632. is that which the farmer prefers paying as poor
rates, to wages. This 1,5051. is divided amongst 542
persons, all of whom are degraded in their own estima-
tion by receiving part of their support as alms instead of
the whole as fair recompense for their labours. This
par.ochial pay amounts to less than Is. 6d. per week for
each person. If the wages of the men were raised 2s. per
week, women Is. and the children 6d. all but the sick
and infirm would be taken at once from a state of de-
pendence on the property of others for support, and
placed in entire reliance on their own energies ; and a
spring would thus be given to the spirit of the people.—
There is scarcely an able bodied person in this parish
out of employ, and complaints are often heard of a
want of labourers, so that it cannot be through an excess
of population that this cause of dependence and degra-
dation is set at work. Indeed. it is obvious that the po-
pulation of this parish in former times must have been'
much greater than it is now.
The scale fixed by the Magistrates for the regulation,
of the Overseers, differs somewhat from those at Stur-
minster and Wincanton. The allowance here for a man
is 21. 2id. per week, women I s.7d. boys and girls above
twelve, Is. 7d. from eight to twelve, is. 4d. four to
eight, Is. 2d. under four, ls. I id. The average is 11.6 d.
per week each. The average allowance In the poor.
house is Ss. 6d. per week each, and in the latter case
•the contractor gets all the benefit of the labour of the
people; in the former, the earnings are taken out of the
allowance, and the house rent is paid by the labourer.
This is one of the most favoured parishes in the west
of England, and it may be taken as a sample of the
agricultural villages in general.
The people look healthy; their houses do not exhibit
broken windows, or other marks of extreme wretched-
ness, and ;here is nothing in the general aspect of the
labourers to excite regret, but the reeollection that even
the most industrious and excellent workmen, who have
families, are compelled to receive assistance from the
pay boLd, and that there are no means within their
power by which it is possible for them to escape this
degradation.

The Loan Cuter jUSTICC will sit in the Court of
King's Bench, Westminster Hail, on Tuesday next.
The Indigo sales at the East India House have at-
tracted considerable notice. The advance is from Is. 6d.
to 2s. 6d. per lb. according to quality.
Tile Loan MAYOR yesterday appointed Thursday the
19th inst. for holding a Common Hall, to take into con-
sideration the propriety of petitioning Parliament to re-
peal the Corn Laws.
PATRIOTIC ASSURANCE COMPANY OF IRELAND.--
E:tract of a letter from Glasgow, dated the 2d of Oc•
Lobel- "It is confidently reported,. that the agent here
tithe Patriotic Insurance Company, has received orders
not to cake any more marine risks ; And that similar di
rections have been given to all their agents; so that the
Marine Insurance business of this Company may, like
• the St. Patrick concern, be considered Si an sae

illtlGHTONiOcrossa 4.
The Earl of Harrington and the Hoe. Spencer Stanhope, with
the Duke and Duchess of Lelnster, leave us for town ou Friday.
The Duchess of Newcastle, the Earl's sister, will continue with us
some days longer.
Mrs. Fitzherbert, for a few weeks' absence, Is in the departure list.
Dr. L'Afan, with the two Ladies Grey, from the Isle of Wight,
after staying one night at the Royal York Hotel, set off this morn•
Mg for Tunbridge Wells, expecting to meet the father of tke Ladies
there, Earl Grey.
Lord Alias; Lord Teignmouth, the Dowager Lady and Miss
Ford, are arrived.

Tnuanar.—Lord and Lady Holland and family will be here
to-morrow; the &eyne Mansion, which the Earl of Harrington,
with the Dake and Duchess of Leinster, is about to vacate, is en-
gaged for them.

EARTHQUAKE AT BOGOTA.

By letters received from Bogota, we are informed
that the inhabitants of that city were, on Saturday the
17th of July, considerably alarmed by three new shocks,
of an earthquake, two of which were severe. They took
place about 11 o'clock in the forenoon, and there was
an interval of 15 or 20 seconds between the shocks. The
second was of longer duration, and much greater severity
than the first, and did considerable damage to the
public buildings and to several private houses. A small
Chapel, situate on the mountain of Guadaloupe, wasl
thrown down, several Convents and Churches, in-
cluding the Cathedral, received considerable in.
jury ; and a third shock followed about five o'clock
in the afternoon, by which much additional damage
was done. The inhabitants Bed to the squares and
gardens, where they passed the night in the greatest
consternation; very few persons, however, were injured,
and they suffered rather in consequence of their haste
to escape than from the falling of the buildings. Such,
convulsions of Nature are not frequent in this part °of,
the Cordilleras, and the present may be imputed to the
;long drought and succeeding heavy rains. The troops
were under arms,to be ready to counteract any disorders
among the populace, and the Government has adopted
every mode in its power to alleviate the distress occa-
sioned by the calamity.
COTTON AND CORN.--A Dawson'.
Said Cotton to Corn, t'other day,
As they met and exchang'd a salute—,
• (Squire Cora in his cabriolet,
Poor Cotton, half.famish'd, on foot) ;
o Great Squire, if it is n't uncivil
o To hint at starvation before you,
Look down upon a poor hungry devil,
" And give him some bread I implore your
Quoth Corn then, in answer to Cotton,
Perceiving be meant to make five,—
. o Lew fellow, you've surely forgotten
66 The distance between you and me I
o To expect that we, Peers of high birth,
" Should waste our illustrious acres,
o For no other purpose on earth
" Than to fatten cunt calico makers !-.
o That Bishops to bobbins should bench—.
Should stoop troll their Bench's sublimity,
O Great dealers in lava, to befriend
" Your contemptible dealers in dimity,!
64 No—vile manufacture ! ne'er harbour
" A hope to be fed at our boards
44 Bass offspring of Arkwright, the barber,
o What claim can'st Moss have upon Lords?
P No—thanks to the taxes and debt,
" And the triumph of paper o'er guineas,
" Our race of Lord Jensmys, as yet,
66 Alay defy your whole rabble of Jimmy. r
So saying—whip, crack, and away
Went Corn in his cab through the throng,
So madly, I beard them all say,
Squire Com would be stems before bog,

A private letter, dated Carthagena, August 7, says,
II By the last Chastes packet, we have advice, that Mr.
Dawkins was about leaving Panama for this port and
Jamaica, on board his Majesty's ship Harlequin, and
from thence to England, for further instructions in his
mission to Congress, as it is now to be held at Tam.
bays, near Mexico."
Rim-J.-The neighbourhood of Porter.street, New.
port-market, was yesterday, about twelve o'clock,
thrown into the greatest confusion by an alarm of fire,
the flames of whibh proceeded from the kitchen of a
house occupied by a person who sells 81 ready fried flat
fish." It appeared some children, who were left in the
under part of the house, set fire to a quantity of shav-
ings, which communicated with a bed, when it in-
stantly ignited; however, by the prompt assistance of
some of the neighbours, it was confined to the front
kitchen, where the bed and some furniture were burnt.

ADMIRALTY COURT, OCT. s.—The Court sat for
about an hour. Some reports of bills were made by the
Registrar, but oo business of public moment occurred.
Proclamation was made of the Semions for the criminal
jurisdiction of this Court (at which the trials of Capt.
Young, for slave-dealing, and that of Lieut. Kenny, for
the murder of Mr. Charlton, will take lace) to be held
at the Old Bailey on the 24th inst. Uls was the last
default-day before the ensuing term.
iVIEZTING 01 SILK WEAvicas.---Wednesday evening
a numerous meeting of the broad silk "weavers took place
at the Brunswick Chapel, Mile-end Road, for the par-
pose of bearing read the draft of a Petition to his Ma-
jesty, which had been agreed to at a previous meeting,
Mr. R. Bswrou in the Chair, when the Address, which
was very voluminous, was read; it set forth that they
were not forgetful of his Majesty's liberality, last winter,
in alleviating their distress; and that in the 13th year of
the reign of his late Majesty, an Act was passed, leaving
the rate of wages to be regulated by the Magistrates of
Middlesex, and that since that period, to the year 1824,
the weavers could, with industry, support themselves as
became English tradesmen; but that since the repeal
of the Spitalfields• Act, and the introduction of foreign
wrought silk, they have experienced the greatest distress,
being unable, even at full work, to support themselves
without the aid of parish relief. That in attachment to
his Majesty's person, his family, and Government, they
would not yield to any other class of subjects; and,
finally, they implored his Majesty to condescend to
patronize them, as the only means of saving them and
their families from inevitable destruction. A long de-
bate ensued, at the conclusion of which Mr. Fox moved
that the Address should be adopted, and the Comusittee
empowered to take proper means to have it presented,
which being passed unanimously, the meeting separated.
About 150 women and children, taken captive at
Missolonghi, and redeemed by remittances from the
Greek Committees in Europe, have arrived at Corfu,
where means were adopting to relieve and support
them, till they were restored to their country, not to
their funnies, for their familiesperishod with their city.