Star.
London, England, 1829-01-02 00:00:00

DRAMATIC LI fERA I'URE.

• Tar STEPMOTHER—A TRAGEDY. IN FITS ACTS.
IT JACOI JONES, !SQ. Or TON MMES MIMI.
Mr. JONES is already known to the Public by various
works which he has published, the latest and most
porulAr of which is his Hist, rival Play of Longinus
• That there is considerable difference in the style of
, thought and execution between the present Tragedy and
that to which we have just alluded, will be be,t ex-
plainest in the following words of the Pieface to this
new producti•in of Mr. Jones's pen.
" The Reader will perceive, on a perusal of the 'Tragedy of The
Sig/mother. that it is, throughout (even to the very title of the
Dukedom in which the supposed scene of action is laid), founded
on Fiction. The Tragedy of Longinus, on the contrary, as more
fully stated in the Preface which is attached to it, was mainly con-
structed from the historic materials of one among the most inter-
esting eras in the annals of the world." Mr. Jones proceeds to
observe, " Whether I have succeeded best in the former, or the
latter attempt—in the more classic, or the more romantic cha-
racters, circumstances, and delineations of the respective dramas,
the public will be be competent to decide."
After this explicit invitation from their author to a
comparative estimation of the two Dramas, we may be
excused for say ing, that we consider the classical pre-
• tensi. ns of the Tragedy of Longinus are better in ac-
cordance with the general tact: f r dramatic literature
than the mote romantic peculiarities of The Stepmother.
We would by n.s means wish to beundeistood as sir-ek-
ing this disparagingly of the latter work, but only com-
pat (rarely, and in conscienscious acceptance of the
ai:thor's own challenge to compate his two Dramas.
To our judgment, both Traged;es are well wort' y of
• the p tblic peiusal and regard. We have not space to
ewer into any analysis or detail of the plot and cha-
racter of The Stepmother, but in justice to the met its of
this Drama we subjoin the follow ing extiaci
Julia.—Where am I? what am I? is it a dream?
Or the drear ali.mbrr of the peopled tomb?
Ate recollections inmates of the deed.
And a confused sense of fearful things?
1 have woke here before, and slept again !
Is it a vault, a bleak, damp, wormy grave,
And I, great Goo! horridly buried alive?—
Is it the resumed tttt of the dead 1—
[Stores around tenth a look rf horrid &certitude.
Ant I not chill? I heard theni 1.. y, " be died."
Then he is here— Where have they laid my Bertram?
[Searching the dungeon.
Wet lay him here? Not lay him by me? No?
Where shall I crawl to lay me down beside him,
Pressing my cold lips upon his cold lips.
Smoothing his pillow on my perishing breast,
And locking him fur ever in my arms?
If I do live, and breathe the vital air,
And be not the wan shade of hapless Julia,
Living, I miserably feel he's dead,
Solely alive to this, that he Is not—
If I be dead, I am not wholly dead,
But the tormenting faculty to know
Bertram is dead, di.tracting, has a being.
Perhaps I am mad, and this is still my chamber?
I am not ma 1, and here is not my chamber.
This is true substance; it is flesh and blood;
Poor flesh and blood thy stay is taken from sheet
Cann thine break thro' these wall.? nu, thou mast not;
They will starve oat the life that thou bast left,
Away from him, thine own devoted Herron.
Oh ! this is hideous—it Is korrible—hortible !
There is a characteristic Chorus of BrnJitti, which
We also psi, vie extract ng at a totisre period, and for
the many other poetical and dramatic singularities
which characteri.e Mr.J ;nes% new production thn ugh.
our, we tele, the iteadet to the Drama of T'he Step-
mother it ,elf.

Monday an Inquest was held at No ton, before W.
PATESH 4LL,'Esq. Coroner of Hereford, on the body of
Mr. Powell, who, on the preceding Thursday, whilst
returning to his house, it is supposed, s 1 pped in getting
over a stile, and not being able to recover his inn ing,
fell headforemost into a well about four feet thee, neat
the spot, in which he was found dead some time after-
wards. The deceased was a respect..ble man, and 69
years old. Verdict, Accidental Death.
A short time since Lord and Lady W .-- were
soj u ring atiFlorence. A young and spirited Eng.
li.f.man of f.shion, Mr. H. s—, lost one night to her
Lss:yship 5001. at icarti. Mr. S. vet y properly paid
the money, but mentioned the circumstance to a tient' -
man. who suggested the possibility that there might
have been something unfair in the matter. but which.
hoseser, Mr. S. would not permit himself to belii.v
It was. nevertheless. reported to Lady W. shortly alter
Mr. S's departure for England, as if said by himself.
Lady W. in consequence, and very naturally, telt hint.
but was soot) ed by her L ru's kind promise to shoot
Mr. S. through the head on the first possible convenient
opportunity; and this presented itself last Wednesday,
when (all the parties having reached Paris) Lord W.
met Mr. S. in the Rue de la Pais (I believe). A meet-
ing was immediately proposed and arranged, and took
place yesterday morning in the Bois de Bolugne. His
Lorship attended by Colonel C. and Mr. S. by Captain
W. on the half-pay of one of your dr igoon regiments.
The patties having taken their ground, the word
I. Fire!: was given rapidly, and fortunately neither
shot took effect. The seconds then very properly in-
terfereit. The real facts of the case were disclosed, and
the parties, of course, immediately shook hands.—
" Now," said Mr. S. " that the affair has tea minated,
let me confess that I fired purposely wide, and suffer
me to show you what I can do. Place this hat on that
bramble, give me the other pistol, and " the word, as
quickly as you please." All this was done, and slap
went the ball throli the hat, to the satisfaction, no
doubt, f all parties—Paris I eller,
.A man of the name of Aimedieu was recently at
the Assizes at Draguignain in France, for shooting a
young man of the name of Augustin Pellegrin, on the
night of the 28th of September last. The prisoner a a
the keeper of a public house in a small hamlet near the
town of Grasse, and on the night in question several
young man belonging to the neighbourhood had met at
his hi use for the purpose of making a subscription lot
t e payment of the musicians which they had employed
at their village dances from the spring to that time They
also had a subscription for the payment of the prisoner
for she wine and refreshments furnished to them at their
dirties. A dispute arose between them respecting the
amount of the bill, whii.h at last ended in the pri-
soner being knocked down and beaten. Aimedieu, on
getting tio, went into an adj..ininp closet, and took up a
mud/4r, which one of the wiinesses slated that he braid
lom load. Two brothers, Augustin and Anthony Pel-
ot team. kably mild disposition-, and who had
iu.t taken part in the quarrel, entered the closet and en-
Liras, wed to appease Aimedieu. Anthony Pellegrin
enale4vl wed to take posse sion of the nio,ket, but the,
prisoner seised its fired, and extended Pelleg•in at his
feet a. cori•se. Ile ;btu seized a large stick, and knocked
Anthony Pellegi in down with it. He was immediately
arrested. Ott his trial, he stated that the brothers Pe!.
and himself were in the closet in the dark, and
wilily he was struggling with Anthony for the possession
of Ahie musket, it accidentally went off, and shot the de-
ceased; that he hod merely taken it up in self defence,
and with no intention of hurting any human being, and
espgeialll the deceased, who was his intimate friend,
'lls4lumboirever, found bias guiltyt.and he was sec-
terned.to the galliesior life.

The Act of the 9iti Go. IV. chap. 14, entitled 4' An
Act for rendering a written Memorandum necessary to
the Validity of certain Prr.mises and Engagements,'
came into operation yesterday. By the first section it is
provided. that no acknowledgment or promise shall be
deemed sufficient to take a case out of the Statute rit
Limitations, unless it be in' writing or by pan pay-
ment ; and by the third section it is enacted, that no
endorsement or nieinorandum of any payment, writ-
ten or made upon any pr. missory now, bill of ez-
change, or other writing, by or on belia4 of the party
to whom such payment shall be made, shell be deemed
sofficietit proof of such payment. This enactment isof
great impoi lance, especially to commercial meii. It is well
twits n, that by the Statute of Limitations ('2l James I
C. 16 ) action can be brought upon a promissory note,
unless commenced within siz years from its date, or
within six sears after an acknowledgment of the rust.
ewe of the debt; but with respect to bills and notes
bearing interept, it has been held that the successive in.
dossemeirts of the receipt of intete.t. mete sufficient to
take the case out of the Statute, although signed by the
payee only, provided the last indorsement appeared to
have been made within six years preceding the action.
It will, however, now be incumbent on the holder
every promissory note. to obtain a new one within six
years from the date of the last indorsement. or an se-
knowledgment sired by the debtor (by indorsement or
otherwise) that the money is still unpaid.
The Act contains several other important clauses,
rendering written memoranda necessary in several cases
where verbal acknos ledgments or engagements wets
heretofore held sufficient; among other things, it enacts
that airy promi-e made after full age to pay a debt coo.
tracted doting minority, or any other confir matron alter
21 of a simple contract or promi.e. while under age;
or any representation concerning the character or eta&
of another person. made in order that he may obtain
credit, money. or.goods upon it, must. to render the
party liable, be in writing. There is also another im-
portant provision, deserving particular notice—namely.
no c :Intact for the sale of goods, to the value of la
or epwards, is to be allowed to be good except the buyer
shall accept pan of the goods, or give something is
eat nest to bind the bargain, or in past payment, or some
written memorandum of the bargain shall be made,
notwithstanding the goods may be intended to be de.
livered at some future time, or mar nor, at the time of
the cot tract, be fit or ready for delivery.
By the Bth section, the written memoranda required
by the Act are exempt from stamp duty.

LORD TENTERDENT ACT.

AFFRAY BETWEEN A GANG OF POACIIERS
AND TILE DUKE OF BEDFORD'S GAMEKEEPERS.

The grounds orthe Duke r f Bedford, situated in the
par ish of Ledington, in Beufnd,hire, having lately been
fr quested by a numerous and determined gang of
poachers, who committeJ peat havoc among hi,
Grace's phearan• s, notwithstanding the utmost vigilance
of the gamekeepers, the latter received directions to
traverse the grounds in large parties at night, for the
purpose, if possible, of itltercepting the marauders, and
taking them into custody. Accordingly, one night in the
la,st a eek a party [.(gamekeeper s came up with the whole
gengof poachers, consisting nt 13 ible-bodied men, eight
of a horn were well provided with guns,and the remaining
five a ith swinge!s or a weapon of a very desperate
description. Tie gamekeeper s, although ii ferior in point
of numbers, compared with the poachers, desired them
to stand and deliver up their arms. The latter, depending
upon their numerical strength, swore they would not
resign a single gun. A general conflict was the conse-
quence; shots were fired, and several desperate blows
given on br tb sides. The swingel used by the poachers
did dreadful execution, knocking down a man at every
blow. The gamekeepers, after a desperate hut ineffectual
resi-tance, were obliged to retrea•, one t f them having
his leg broken by a blow from the butt-end of a gun,
and ali of them exhibiting cuts and' gashes as evi-
dence of the furious encounter in which they had been
engaged. The contest took place in an enclosure,
and the ground, which was marked by the struggle,
•vas discovered next morning almost covered wit'r blood.
Favoured by the darkness of the night, and their ad-
versaries not being in a situation is pursue them, the
poachers retreated with ea-e and safety, culling with
them more than twenty brace of pheasants, which they
bad previously killed in his Grace's preserves. Assist-
ance having been obtained, it was fund necessary to
convey two of the wounded gamekeepers to the Ampt-
hill Infirmary, where they now lie in a very precati.ius
state. The affray was so sudden, and the night so dark,
that the gamekeepers the next morning could not un-
Jertake to swear to the persons r f those by wham they
had been encountered ; and the assailants would pro-
bably have escaped with impunity, but fur the arrival
of Gardner, a Bow-street officer, Mho was sent down to
investigate the affair. He immediately piocceJed to
the scene of action, and took the dimensions of the se-
veral shoe-marks that were still visib.e on the s; ot. It
happened that one of these impresei.ins was that of a
shoe of more than ordinary size, and the t (liter re-
marked that two of the hoh nails in the heel acre
wanting. Proceeding upon this apparently slight ell-
dence,Gardner immedia•ely examined the she e, of some
men who had previously been taken into custody upon
supicion. This examination finally led to the discover y
that the shoe of a man named John Axham rime)
corresponded with the impressi•sn which Gardi.er had
noticed. Axham, le.iring for his personal safety, was
in uced to become Rpo over. lie info' mad against the
whole of his associates. amongst whom was i•is own
br. ther. They were all, t*elve in number. taken into
custody and brought before the Rev. George Catdell
and Thomas Bake,. E.q. two of the Magistrates of the
county, who sat ir. petty sessi.rns last Friday, at the
King's Arms Inn, A wrpthill. The name. of the prisoner.
are—Fran cis ileums, brother to the approver ; Oliver
and John Leech, brothers also; John and William Bur-
ton; Leonard Curtis. Richard Hines, 'Thomas Beard,
Thomas Saunders, Thomas Miller, and. John and Thos.
Maynard. The facts detailed abOve having been deposed
to upon oath, the prisoners were fully committed to Bed-
ford gac.l to take their trial at the next assizes.

Of the number of sick its 04 public hospitals at
Paris, some idea may be formed front the consumption of • bread
in those institutions, which amounts to 15,000165. per diem.
IMPONTANT TO MAIL COACH THAVELLRIOL—A re.
gulation made by the Pos.-office, and of coubiderable
importance to travellers. came into ol•eratinn yesterday
morning. It is to the following effect: "No luggage
can be allowed on ;he roof, which interferes with the
proper packiag and safety of any sacks of letters wl.ich
the mails are obliged to carry these. No luggage to
be placed on the roof till after the boot is full, and then
only that luggage which belongs to passengers. No
more than three articles, being portmanteaus, or carpet.
bags, are nn any pretence to be allowed to any one pas.
singer, whether .they be large or small; and the largest
portmanteau is not to exceed two feet tour inches in
length, and one foot six inches in height, and ate never
to be placed on each othetis

WINTER ASSIZES.

KINGSTON. Ira. I.
Dann Sly. 1131'011 •
Richard Lawrence and Henry Lawrence were inclimel
fir burglariously entering the dwelling hnu,e of MI.
Thornton, Bennet-street, ::tsarford.street, and stralin
therefrom bumf: y articles of plate, value up sat ds (.151.
and two hats. on the llth of August last.
1 he evidence against the prisoners consisted of a cha'n
of circumstances. Ou the night of the 17th of August,
cis days alter the robbery, the two prisoners were seen
to conceal themselves behind a cart, in a stonemssrm's
yard, (To-he the prosecutot's house; the watchrnati
on the spot seized one of them, the other re •ped, but
ve es taken the following morning. On the • pot where
the prisoners had stood was found a set of househre k-
ing implen.er ts, which fitted exactly the marks left
in the prosecutor's house; in particular two centre
bits and •a Irmg screw driver, which was proved :o
have been in Richard Lawrence's possession previous to
the satyr!. 0 I the head of the prisoner was one el the
hats stolen from the prosecutor. Orr the engirt of the
robbery, a watchman • saw three men coming from
Bennet-street, and after they had proc. cde a short dis.
tame, he observed a hat apparently thrown away by
one of them. This hat was proved to have been worn
by the ether prisoner, henry Lawrence, when he lets'
Brixton, in which be had been confined.
Richard Lawrence protested his Mr ocence, and de-
clared he had bought the hat sworn to by the prosecutor
in April last. The tither prisoner made no defence.
The Jury, after a abort consultation, found both the
prisoners Guilty.
The JUDGE, in directing sentence of death to be re•
corded, remarked, that the crime of burglary had
reached to such an extent in this country, that it must
be punished severely. It was only is consideration of
the absence of personal violence in this case that he
should recommend his Majesty to spare the prisoners
Imes ; but they would have no opportunity to commit
a similar offes.ce in this country at least.
The prisoners are notorious offenders.
The Assizes concluded this day.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.