Star.
London, England, 1820-05-23 00:00:00

THE.47'RES.

COVENT-GARDEN.—After the performan:e of the
new Tragedy of Virginias, which again pissed off
v..ith unmixed approbation, a new Afterpiece, entitled
Pie Batik of Bothwe.7 Litigg, was produced at this
T!icatre. This ?.lelc-dtalre., which is also called in
the bills, " A .S6,tch Itorna%ce," is founded, as indeed
it is atoned be, or the well known story of Old
,llortclity, in the "!ales of ,ay I,a;allord, attributed
to that great genius, Sir W.-ti.TEtt SCOTT. To give,
therefore, a de;:ail of the story of the Piece, would
he to abridv! the Tale itself, tthich the repre-
fxl-tation closely IC.ilow, as far as the latter goes.—
followiag a:e the Drat,lais Persome :
Lord Ev.kai:a:e - - - Mr. Dcausr.T.
Cor•nitl ClavLitiouse - !Ur. CoNsoit.
7.lajor 11-11e;:der. - - - \!r. BLANCI:3ItI).
!!:•,•tj,;:r.r. not:Iw.:11 - - - COMER.
Iteory -.%!c.rton - - - Mr. Ausorr.
Cudyil! the - - Mr. Cii.‘r):Ax.
1) vie (the W.trdcr) - - Mr. ItAeNk:.
Cudt:k I:rddri3 - - Emi;f: V.
Lady Marg:lret 11•21cri3en - - 1:s. PORT.
Et: it :I tii,ce) - - Mit.s M. TKEI:.
Deind,on - - - Mrs. T. ELL!.

ccwr
John Ilatimir (af Bulky) - - Mr. F:ALF.I'.
- - JEFFLRIES.
- - - - Mrs. CONNOI:.
JIA!OIILIC Of this Piece is, in a great degree,
Leinowed from the eriginal tale; and, where it de-
vix.es from it, :lad be,:omes the property of the per-
soa who Ihe pet the Piece together, it fOrnis a strong
ceet:ast tai :l• o (t the author of Old Mertality.—
The neisic is by llt,ner, d exhibits nathine parti-
It eonsi,t, p:incipally of selections
e-oei Seotti•l. with here and time a chorus
er eir by !liaised. Miss Teee gave sweetly a
sere.; Lo tee air of Tfe: Soblii.r's Baton, in which and
eeeene , also to 4n old Scotch Z.UIIO, she was loudly
ceeereg (Jet.' cirrus, in wl,ich was introdeced the
eh- el if 7a;,:e t'i'e yr been a' d.7v, my bonnie High-
d wa, greatly applauded. DURUsET
ha..l bat a Atare in a duet with Miss M. Titre:, in
which the: e vis nothing jeirticolarly pleaing. The
peefe:.ner, :heir dety by the Piece. LNII:IZY, as
Cue' ehe-k:rig, t.epicresi the cautious cunning of
that etiec:ienete Scatzli peasnEt ; and Mrs. CONNOR
was rX 'ot,r persee.eion of the old and de-
crepia far.aCc, .1./nr,se. The gallant and warm-
I.ea:!ea vezeran, t Eeeadee, retied a true re-
preseiernive 11:..xe.eee..D; aid Fettleee
boi,terou, cltarlzter of the red:ln-
f. ieed Ci f: eciom, '4 of Bur'ey. The
seenet y it uly grend and beauthul, especial y' a
vie e of Cie Clyde, %Yid' 1 di,tant prospect
L.fadod-hill, wit;) the Cove-
Leearnpment ; .tiro another view of the
Clyde.. :lie.' a raerrer pros pea o: the celebrated bridge,
parrie attricted the atte.e.iet: and applause of
the eu.ii:e,e. Ato, sce.he, in which takes place the
Latta: Llezi‘e;:n 1.1.4r!cy, a: the head or the Coveeant-
yrs, •• .f. .e t.r.-ccs wider the once celebrated
.?". lioase (who I; only mentioned in
the title of his es;,ite), hinslies the Melo-
are.:. Oa that memorable dry the Covenanters
e. Le,: at fi.sz. suctess,ul, owieg I iincipaily to the na-
da:Le:el orevery and enthusiastic example of Bat-
ji,ur, but they were at la,t repul,•ed by the King's
tape wleer: Giallo», rallied. This is closely fol-
hexed in the rept eelitaLion, and the Covenanters,
titer having sue ceede,i in driving the King's army
across the bridge, are themselves fo:ced back to the
mid .!le of it, wheie they find themselves hemmed in by
Graham's party on the one side, and on the other by a
Division e hich Lord floss timely brought up to his as-
sistance. In this situation two field-pieces are brought
upon the Stage, and after playing for a short time on
:he bridge, the centre arch gives way, and the whole
hcdy of the Covenantee:, with the fragments of the
broken structure, al c precipitated into the river. In
this abrupt way the Piece terminates, leaving the
:teectators to their mvp conjectures, whether Henry
.11o;ton or Lord Evandale is successful in his pas-
sion (which they both, of course, have eagerly ex-
Tressed dui ir,7, the progress of the Piece), for the
Edith 11,:denden, the heiress of the Tower of
Tiliitudlum. Aeother error k, that we are mid
cf the nee:l6cm of the furious Ba/Aur and his as-
seciates to attack the aforesaid tower, together with
Major Bellenden's plans to oppose them; but we
nether see nor hear any thieg of the attack itself,
'Mach preceded the celebrated battle of Bothwell
B-igg. It was also entirely out of character to make
Elea pious and austere *Covenanters sing a profane
c•-:onus after their success on the Hill of Lnudon.—
This may, however, be considered as applying too
svereiy the critical scale to a Drama of this particu-
I a nature and construction ; and we are very ready
to adroit that, with a few judicicus alterations, this
Vece may become an entertaining favourite with
fee Pehlic.—At the fall of the curtain, when Mr. AB-
::o=r came forward to announce the Melo-drame for
r.:.2e.ition this evening, the disapprobation and ap-
-, eese were so nearly divided, that it is impossible
.ay which predominated. lie waited for a con-
s,de:able time in the hope of obtaining a hearing,
r'inding that was not likely to be attained, he
leee:ed out that the Piece would be repeated this
eleeeg, and withdrew. The audience then retired
peaceehly.
Deuee House was exceedingly well
..ceded yesterday evening, and the performance of
Lear, and 1;:e Lady and the Devil, went off
v:ee, neinite celet. During the representation of the
e,ece, oceideet happened which for a moment
:yes rateer GATVE and Miss KELLY, as
a:el lintacl, were in the middle of their
sce':e iti tee first tee:, v.hen an unusual blaze was
easerved tr, procced from one or the lamps in front
Sta:s. Miss Kre.t.y directed the attention of
(;.with to the circumstance, and both forgot
air assumed characters, and advanced to ascertain
The blaze increased, and seemed to have
reeemueicated itcell to the boards. Miss KELLY at-
te.r,rictl to blow it out, but without success, and the
nele pert of the audience were beginning to mani-
Let some alarm, .yhen the gas was nearly Wined off,
erd the letups suddenly lowered. This dismissed
r.': epprehension, and a loud burst of applause re-
ed the promptitude displayed. aad the perform-
zect, was lesume..l. The wood, hoe ever, continued
to smCs:e tor five or ten minutes, till one of the see-
vents can.e forward with a bucket of water, and dis-
cnarged tl.e ccnaent) on that pert of tl.e Stage from
wea,h the sm Ice proceeded, a:id so comialetely ex-
ttny,:ttshed whatever rernan.-:zi cit:te fire, that it was
zeeeght of ne more shning eniee

T

T4HE CORONATION.

WESTMINSTER HALL.
The preparations for the approaching Coronation
are actively proceeding. Some considerable im-
provements in Westminster Hall arc nearly com-
pleted, and further alterations of an extensive naturt
are contemplated. The restoration of the Oind win-
dow at that end of the Hall facing New Palace-yard,
is almost finished : the completion of the jambs and
the recesses which used to be occupied with full-
length figures of our ancient Kings, ticc. remains to
he dose. It is known possibly but to few, that there
is at the opposite end of the Hall, behind the Courts
of Chancery and King's Bench, and between which
there are steps and a passage leading to the Houses
of Parliament, a window as large and grand as that
facing New Palace-yard, made in fact to corre.pond
%I-lit it. This window is now almost wholly hidden
by those irregular and confined C:•urts raised for the
King's 13?nch and Chancery ; Courts, too, that re-
mained oaten to the view of the spectators is the Hall,
till the commencement of GEORGE the Third's reign.
These two Courts are to be entirely removed, by
which means the other grand window will be once
-Imre in fail view ; and the workmen have begun to
repair t!-.ai part of the window which appears above
the Courts. This will greatly improve the appear-
ance of that fine Hall, which is the largest ip Europe
unsupported by pillars. The finely coloured and
curious figures of ancient Kings, which are now sta-
tion,A! over the heads of the Lord Chancellor and

the King's Bench Judges, will be restored to the
niches remaining in the jambs on either side of this
window. This end of the Hall will then present an
appearance exactly similar to what it was in " olden
time," in Ilicuaeo the Second's reign. That Mo.
much, in 1397, repaired the Hall, which was then In
a very ruinous condition ; he had the walls raised
two feet, altered the windows, and added anew roof,
as well as the stately porch and other buildings.
The Courts of Chancery and King's Bench are not,
it is stated, to be restored to the places that they now
occupy, but new Courts are to be erected, acccrkhng
to the plan of the late Mr. NVYATT, who was Sur-
veyor-General and Architect to GEORGE 111. in a line
with the Common Pleas and the Cout t of Exchequer.
They will thus be built on tile space between the
walls of Westminster hail and the stone-buildings
which (rent St. Margaret's Church. There is room
surfieicut for most commodines Courts. The en-
tiances, however, will be in Westminster Hall, and
be uniform with that which already exists into the
Court of Common Picas. This improvement is most
desirable, and has been long wanted.
These are six large new windaws in progress, on
each side of the roof of the Hai!. They are about
ten feet in height, and six feet six inches wide, and
are of Gothic structure, so as to accord exactly
w;th the windows underneath, the workmanship of
the roof', &c. and of Bierman the Second's reign.
Heretofore, there were only three cr four windows
in the roof, introduced since the great repairs, and
which were of a small and mean structure; and as
to their use, they only tended to make " darkness'
visible." The roof, as is known, consists chiefly of
chesnut-wood, most curiously constructed, and of a
fine species of Gothic. The projections are every-
where adorned with angels supporting the arms of
RICHARD IL or those of EDWARD the Confessor; as
is the stone moulding that runs round the Hall, with
the hart couchant under a tree, and other devices of
RICHARD 11. Time ant alterations have occasioned
many mutilations; and those are to be repaired, espe-
cially those in the roof, made more obvious by the
large new Gothic windows. Numbers of workmen
are daily employed in the Hall, as well as in large
workshops stationed on the space between the Ferry
and the Exchequer. The grand dour of the Hall is
constantly closed to strangers; the only entrances to
the Hall are along the Exchequer Coffee-house-pas-
sage, and by the House of Commons, from Old Pa-
lace. yard.