Star.
London, England, 1820-06-19 00:00:00

CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

The Caledonian Society for the Education of the
Sons of Scotch SoLtiers and Sailors, held its Annual'
Dinner, on Saturday last, at the Great Hall in the
-Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen-street. About six
o'clock a_ very numerous and respectable company
sat down to an excellent dinner. Lord SALTOUN in
the Chair.

After the cloth was removed, his Lordship proposed
" The King," which was drank with much enthusiasm.
The CHAIRMAN next proposed " The health of his
Royal Highness the Duke-of York." His Lordship
said, that nothing but pressing business prever.ted his
Royal HiOniess iroin being present, to give his sup-
port that evening to a Society for which he felt the
strongest interest—(.4pplunie).—The health of his
Royal Highness was-drank with three times three.
" His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence and the
Navy," was next ploposed, and drank with applause.
The Cu AMMAN next proposed •, the health of his
Royal'Highness the Duke of Sussex." The
which marked the announcement of this toast
was expressed by loud cheers from every corner of
the Hall,which were continued for several minutes.

The CHAMMAN again rose, and paid a high tri-
bute- to the virtues of the late Duke of Kent. The
memury of his Royal Highness was drank in mourn
ful silence.

Mr. MACGILLIVRAY proposed the health of the
Noble Chairman, and pronounced an eloquent eulo-
glum on his Lordship, as a Patron of the Caledonian
Society. His Lordship's health was drank with every
mark of respect. His Lordship returned thanks.
The health of his Grace the Duke of Wellington
was next proposed, and drank ith much enthusiasm:
The health of Admiral Frazer was next given.—
The gallant Officer returned thanks.
The children c f the Institution were now intro-
duced, and marched round the room. Their tine
appearance excited the utmost interest in the brea .ts
of all present.

The Secretary, at the request of the CHAIRNIAN,
then detailed, at considerable length, the rise and
progress of the Society, and the state of its present
funds. lie coach:Lied with an eloquent appeal to the
company to support the Institution. It rested with
them, he said, %The:her the number of those child:ea
who were at present receiving vapport and education
at their hands, should be increased or not.

The healths of the " Secretary," " the Chaplain of
the Society," and of " Dr. one of the
founders of the Institution," were next proposed.
These Gentlemen seveially icturned thanks.

Subscriptions to a very considerable amount were
entered into. After the subscriptions closed, the names
of the subscribers, and the amount a each sub.:crip-
tion, were read to the company.
&veral other toasts were given, amongst which.,
the gallant CriataNlAN proposed " The health of the
Ladies who graced the Gallery of the Hall by their
presence." We need scarcely add, this toast was re-
ceived with great applause.
About eleven o'clock his Lordship, accompanied
by several Gentlemen, retired. The evening was
spent in the greatest harmony. A number of Gentle-
men, dressed-in the Highland costume, attended, and
gave a truly national complexion to the Meeting.—
Several professional singers gave some tine songs, in
a style of great delicacy. To crown the entire, two
Highland minstrels poured forth, during the evening,
the animating strains of the national music.
Alter the Noble Presidcnt retired, Mr. Macon-
LIVRAY wai called to the Chair, and the company
protracted the scene of festivity to a late hour.

The Duke of DEVONSHIRE gave an elegant enter-
tainment on Saturday, at Devonshire House, to a
large party. of distinguished personages; amongst
whom were—

The Duke of Somerset, Earl Grosvenor, Lord Erskine, Sir
Robert Wilson, General Walpole, Mr. Brougham, Mr. Den-
man, Mr. H. Cavendilb, Bte. acc.

Tits Plia*-.—Hyde Park has not exhibited so gay
a feature for a long time as it did yesterday. The
Sunday Gala was most complete, although the lour-
ing state of the atmosphere threatened a storm, at
intervals. The cabriolet is becoming quite the ton;
the'tilbury is falling off every day. The beautiful
vis-a-vis increases in estimation. Nothing new in
costume; white satin bonnets, with a prodigious sweep
in front; feathers orliowers; pelisses and dresses of
garter blue, with silk boots of the same colour, are
more predominant than ever..

THEATRES.

OPIRA Hotrsa.u—Rosscut's Cesterextola attracted
a most brilliant audience on Saturday-evening.—
The following were among the persons of rank and
fashion present:
Her lkyid Highness the Duchess of Gloucester, Prince and
Princes' Esterhazy, Duchess of Dorset, Count and Countess
St. Antonio, Marquisses Salisbury and Anglesea, Countesses
Sefton and Wemys, Lady Wright Wilson, Lady Brownlow,
Lady Smith, Lord and Lady Scarborough, Lord and Lady
Fitzgerald, Lady Vernon, Lady S. Douglas, Lady and Sir
William Codrington, Lord and Lady G. Cavendish, Lord
Whitworth, Lady Templeton, General Bligh, Mr. Hobhouse,
M. P. Mr. Rigby, Hon. Mr. Bouverie, Sir W. Johnson, lion.
Mr. and Mrs. Stanhope, Mr. Wynn Belasyse, Mr. Coates, Mr.
Cavendish, Mrs. Orby Hunter, Miss Byng, Hon. Mrs. Leigh,
Mrs. Longdon, Lord and Lady A boyne, the Ladies Brudenell,
Lady Dudley and Ward, Lord Melbourn, Lady Warburton,
Lord Molineux Lady and Sir Francis Desoge', Lady and. Sir
Thomas Farquhar, the Vice Chancellor, Earls Longford and
Lonadale, Lords Arthur Hill and Dartmouth, Sir James Lang::
ham, Sir John Leach, Admin.. Sir John Wells, Admiral Sir
Thomas Lawrence, 'Lady Catharine Powlert, Lady Longford,
Lady Owen, and Lady Ann Beckett.

DRUitY-LANE.--A novelty to the English Stage, a
serious Opera,- was produced at this Theatre, on Sa-
turday last, under the title of David Rizzio, of which
Colonel HAMILTON, the author of other dramatic
pieces, is the avowed author.

DRAMATIS PERSONIE;
Henry Darnley, husband to Mary Queen of Scots Mr. ILtanitni,
Earl Ruthven, a Scottish ............... Mr. Raz.
David Rizzio Mr. Basusw.
George Douglas, his Attendant. Mr. BA RNA /D.
M'Wylie Mr. SMITN.
Mary, Queen of Scots Mrs. Wm?.
Lady Mary Livingston
Jessie Gowans Miss Povay.
Earl Ruthven is enamoured of Lady Mary Livingston, prin-
cipal Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen, but fails in his at-
tempt to pin her hand, sbe being stro!gly attached to Rizzio,
and upon the point of marn'age with him. Ruthven, disap-
pointed and vindictive, encourages an assassin to murder Rizzio;
but not succeeding in this attempt, he persuades Darnley that
the Queen-is secretly attached to her Italian Secretary and Mu-
sician. An endeavour to dispatch the supposed favourite in a
hunting party tailing, ltuthven and other oaurtit•rs attact him
at a banquet, given by his Royal Mistress, in celebration of his
marriage with Lady Mary, and, hurrying him into an adjoining
chamber, pierce him with their sword,. While this deadly act
is perpetrating, Darnley learns, too late, that Rizzio his just
been united to the only object f his affection, the Queen's chief
attendant, and at once discovers tint his Sovereign and wife Is
wholly innocent of the malignant charge insinuated against her
by Ituthven. Rizzio is brcught in again to expire on the Stage,
and his death, which is irnmediate and in silence, closes the scene.

We do not know any subject so well calculated for
an Opera as this interesting portion of the Scottish
history, because it affords such excellent situations
for the easy and natural intro3uction of music, which,
generally speaking, is brought in by main force, and
with very slight relation to the scene, or connexion
with the plot. Rizzio was, there seems to be but
'little doubt, a most accomplished man, and, in those
mental attainments which please and attach in civi-
lized society, far beyond the' ude Nobles of the North
who formed the Court of the Queen of Sco:land.
That he was a most finished musician, is agreed by
all; and he therefore, very properly, appears, in the
present instance,, entirely in that character, without
any admixture of the politician, which, it is reason-
able to believe, took plate in his real history ; " for,"
says the Author, in an advertisement prefixed to the
book of die songs, " the politics of the period alluded
to are studiously avoided, and such parts as may be
conducive to the Stage interest of the drama, are
alone preserved." The outline of the drama is well
formed, the characters are ably drawn, the language
often rises to great elegance, and many poetical
beauties may be pointed out in the principal scenes.
Rxthven, when he has determined upon the destruc-
tion of his rival, exclaims, in allusion to a Gaelic
superstition—

" 'Tis said, the minstrel's lyre is sympathetic ; •
" Rizzio's (methinks I hear it) sounds his requiem !"
Some ofthe situations are productive-of great effect;
one, for instance, where the assassin, M'lVylie, who
has secreted himself in Ri:zio's chamber, is about to.
strike, unseen, a dagger into him, while he is sing-
ing, but is deterred by the beauty of his voice and
song, and retires without effecting his purpose. This
scene, by the way, is the real story of STRADELLA, a
famous Italian musician, dramatized. The effect of
it, however, was nearly marred by the absurdity of
the murderer's representative. The following pas-
sage, delivered by Rizzio, was eagerly seized by the
audience:—

" If crime attach, denounce me to your Courts;
" Let my head answer it, on rroof of guilt;
' " But till there's proof, the laws maintain me innocent!"
—Four rounds of tumultuous applause, from all
quarters of the House, manifested the application
which the audience nude of lines that, most proba-
bly, were never written in allusion-to passing events.
The new music of this Opera is by BRAHAM, Art-
WOOD, T. Coolie, and REEVE; but many Scottish airs
are, with the utmost propriety, and the happiest ef-
fect, introduced—for where shall the minstrels of
Caledonia be matched in the exquisite beauty and
pathos of their melody Of the new compositions,
two songs and two duets, by BRAHAM, were received i
with unbounded applause. the air in which he. ac-
companies himself and sings, while the murderer is',
standing at his back particularly. A ballad, by ATT-
WOOD, " Ben Lomond, 0, soft at thy foot are the
breezes!" sung by Miss CAREW, in the second Act,
charmed us by the beauty of the air and the richness
of the accompaniments. A kind of recitative and
mottet, accompanied by an organ, at the commence-
ment of the third Act, by the same composer, pro-
duced considerable dramatic effect. 'The finale to
the second Act, a "concerted scene," by T. Coolie, is
very good, and " Letrie Gordon," harmonized for
four voices, delighted extremely. The performers
rendered every aid to the Piece that zeal, could sup-
ply. Mrs. Wesis and Mr. RAE'S efforts were very
successful. Miss CAREW, whose merits we are happy
to find are so well understood by the Public, not only
sung most delightfully, but acted her part with great
feeling and judgment. BRAHMA. went through an
arduous character with unabated spirit; he was in
fine voice, and gave the sweet Scettish melodies in
a deliciously simple style. The new scenes, dresses,
&c. do credit to the Manager's liberality, and the,
Opera was announced for to-morrow without one'
dissentient voice. Of the poetry, the following is a
short specimen:
SONG.—Rissie.
Freedom the hardy thistle sought,
In Settia's land she found it ; .
From Paphos' Isle the rose she brought, •
And planted guardian thistles round it ! •
*noon'.
Thus while Scotia's brave sons their palladium compose,
Their shields wear the thistle, their bosoms the rose!

• •