Star.
London, England, 1829-11-06 00:00:00

VENICE PRESERVED.

We were present last evening at Drury Lane Theatre,
at the performance of Venice Preserved, and were highly
gratified to witness a Tragedy, in which an adequate
distribution of talent gave full and impressive effect to
bold and tender varieties. As we are free from all
theatrical partialities, yet sensibly alive to the interests
of the drama, we gladly embrace an occasion of com-
mending that liberal and judicious system of diffusing
throughout its exhibition the ample powers of a com-
pany ; the only system by which a management
can hope to attach popularity to its undertaking;
and, one, which if steadily pursued must super-
sede all the inducements of favour or affection;
and command, by its intrinsic merit, what it last night
ensured, a crowded audience full of animated and expres-
sive satisfaction. Nothing can more effectually destroy
the illusion of this scene than the unnatural and intole-
rable habit, of late years too grossly obtruded on the
public, of confiding the total interest of plays to a soli-
tary instance of isolated talent, and of withholding
front it the support and indispensable co-operation
of kindred ability. We are indeed averse from the exhi-
bition of all prodigies, in which so much is sacrificed to
augment the marvellous, and to lessen the dimensions of
the natural objects around it. A due distribution of ability,
graduated by just and professional rules, is all that we
require to give effect to the excellent productions of ow
Drama ; and of this the exhibition at Drury-Lane, where
Comedies are incomparably sustained, hasbeen given in
liberal succession; and the performance of last night.
supplies sufficient evidence.
The Pierre of Mr. YouHc was marked with all its
well-known excellence. The Jaffier of Mr. IVA LLacs;
was a masterly display of the alternation of the wild and
the pathetic passions. The Belvidera of Miss PHIL-
LIPS was a highly chaste and elegant performance,
though somewhat diminished in effect by occa-
sional precipitation, and an apparent diffidence
of employing, to their full extent, the very splendid
powers which she abundantly professes and manifests
with so much judgment, modesty, and taste. We
imagine it would be a kind of critical misprision, in ad-
verting to Miss PHILLIPS'S personation of the lovely
Belvidera, to be silent on her beauty, which so es-
sentially upholds the probabilities of her potent in-
fluence and distressful implications; but, admitting
the full effect of such impressions, (and we know
they are very generally felt) it becomes a secondary ob-
ject when associated with the accomplished tenderness,
the calm and touching sorrow, which she poured
I with such exuberant profusion into all the food
extremes of her pathetic infelicity. Especial praise
is due to Miss PICILI.Ies for the exquisite discretion
she evinces in the scene of her distraction ; a more af-
fecting exhibition of the passion we have not beheld; it
is fearfully infected with insane emotion, and yet entirely
free from the extravagance, by which it is so frequently
converted into maudlin and unnatural absurdity.

The tragedy was announced for repetition with clamo-
rous approbation ; and we must say—though the applause
of managers is at present an uncanonical act of justice,
that if Mr. PRICE continues to afford such exhibitions at
his Theatre, he will find his judgment and liberality
very indisputably attested and rewarded at the same time,
by an unerring criterion—the abundant returns of the
Theatrical treasury.

The Don John ship-of-the-line, which arrived at Lis-
bon from Terceira, brought in two English ships as
prizes ! A vessel is preparing at Lisbon for Angola, to
take on board a number of Constitutionalists, transported
to that Island.

This day, as usual on the first day of Michaelmas
Term, the Judges breakfasted with the Lord Chancellor,
and proceeded to open the Courts at Westminster, ac-
cerding to customary form.
Accounts from Paris state that General Saldanl a
arrived on the 27th October at Hede, the depot of the
Portuguese refugees. He was met on the road by several
of the Officers, who received him with every mark of
distinction.

Policies have for some time been opened at Lloyd's of
£2O to return £lOO, in the event of Consols touching 92
before the termination of the present Account, and there
is now some prospect of their being decided in favour of
those who gave the premium. It may be expected that
a powerful effort will be made to prevent the advance of
per cent. further in consols, which will decide these
policies.
The accounts from Barnsley this day are very unfa-
vourable. Workmen, who are willing to take work at
reduced prices, are intimidated front doing so by the
threats of the turn outs, who have not only destroyed
some of the workmens furniture, but have actually
fired into the houses of those who are obnoxious to
them.

We understand that East India Sugars were selling at
the last India House sale at the reduced price of 20s. to
20s. 6d.

ST. PETERS BU RGU, OCT. 15.—Within three days up-
wards of 1,500 casks of tallow have been sold ; the first qua-
lity fetched 98 to 99 roubles ; the second ditto, 95 to 96.
The exportation of tallow to this day amounts to 144,000
casks. Flax and hemp are both flat. The first quality of
Cazan potash brought yesterday 84 roubles, and 86 are
now demanded for thesmall stock remaining on band. The
exportation of potash amounts to 14,700 casks. Linseed
oil fetches six roubles 80 copecks per pud. Wheat and
rye are rather flat; 4,000 tachetwerts of Kuban wheat
have been sold at 19 roubles. Linseed is sought after;
22 roubles have been offered for good qualities; but, as
last year's stock is insignificant, the holders keep aloof,
and lie by for a further improvement.
NEWARK POLITENESS.OR Friday last, as some
gentlemen, who had been dining together at Newark,
were returning home, one of them, either by accident or
• from being heavier in the head than in the heels, fell,
and rolled in the kennel. He called to a friend for as—
sistance to raise him up; his friend came, but all his
attempts were useless, when he exclaimed, " D—me, I
can't get you out; but I'll not leave you ; so I'll do the
next best thing—l'll lie down by the side of you
which he actually did.
FEMALE COU RAG E.—A few days since, the widow of
the late John Gibbs, gamekeeper to P. Methuen, Esq. of
Corsham House, secured a man while in the act of poach-
ing ! This makes the third poacher which this heroine
has taken.

One of the most recent on dits of the French capital
is, that the Ministry is to have a liberal infusion in the
persons of Count de la Ferronays and M. Roy, who are
to replace De Bourmont and La Bourdonnaye. We
know not what truth there is for this report, but we now
submit a query to the French Liberals, which, eager as
they have been to discover topics of outcry against one of
these Ministers, may, notwithstanding, open a new geld
for declamation :---Did M. De Bourmont, or did he not,
from time to time furnish the Duke of Wellington, at the
lines of Torres Vedras, with information respecting the
movements of the French army, which proved exceed-
ingly useful to his Grace ?—Brighton Gazette.

LITERATURE.

TRAVELS IN THE INTERIOR OF MEXICO: BY

LIEUT. R. W. H. HARDY, R.N.

COLUft AND 11/NTLIT.

This is a very handsome octavo volume, of nearly six
hundred pages, replete with information, amusemeut,anec-
dote, and descript►on of every conceivable kind.—Lieut.
HARDY wrote under peculiar advantages ; for he was en-
gaged by the General Pearl and Coral Fishery Association
of London, in the capacity of Commissioner, to superintend
their interests and operations in the Mexican Fisheries.
The Commission embraced a period of three years, during
which—partly in the manner of a journal, partly by less
superficial compilations—he produced the varied volume
before us. It is embellished with eight illustrative plates
of very superior execution, exhibiting—in different sin-
gular groupings—the costumes, games, habits, and man-
ners of the Mexicans. There is also this peculiar recom-
mendation in the work of Lieut. HA RD Y —that, numerous
as have been of late years the publications in England
concerning Mexico—Mr. HARDY'S account is confined
entirely to a portion of the country never yet visited by
European travellers, and may consequently be regarded
as a maiden narrative. The freshness which it derives
from this circumstance, and the familiarity with which

the incidents and anecdotes are narrated, enable us to re-
commend it as a treat to all the lovers of adventure and
travel. We think the following extract—which affords
at once a fair specimen of the author's easy style, and
charming power of description—will be perused with so
much pleasure and interest, that it cannot fail to excite an
eagerness in many to see the whole of these very curious
relations :

DEBUT OF LIEUT. HARDY. AB A PEARL DIVER :
If it be difficult to learn to swim, it is infinitely more so to dive.
In my first attempts I could only descend about six feet, and was
immediately obliged to rise again to the surface, but by degrees I
got down to three or four fathoms; at which depth the pressure of
the water upon the ears is so great, that I can only Compare it to a
sharp-pointed iron instrument being violently forced into that
organ. My stay under water, therefore, at this depth was ex-
tremely short; but as I had been assured, that so soon as the ears
should burst, as it is technically called by the divers, there would
be no difficulty in descending any depth ; and wishing to become
an accomplished diver, I determined to brave the excessive pain,
tiU the bursting should, as it were, liberate me from a kind of cord
which limited my range downwards, in the same way that the
ropes of a balloon confine the progress of that machine upwards.
Accordingly, taking a leap from the bows of the boat, full of
hope and resolution, with my fingers knit together over my bead,
the elbows straight, and keeping myself steadily in the inverse or.
der of nature, namely, with my feet perpendicularly upwards, the
impetus carried me down about four fathoms, when it became ne-
cessary to assist the descent by means of the hands and legs; but,
alas! who can count upon the firmness of his resolution? The
change of temperature from warm to cold is most sensibly felt.
Every fathom fills the imagination with some new idea of the dan-
gerous folly of penetrating farther into the silent dominions of
reckless monsters, where the skulls of the dead make perpetual
grimaces, and the yawning jaws of sharks and tintereros, or the
death embrace of the manta, lie in wait for us. These impres-
sions were augmented by the impossibility of the vision penetrating
the twilight by which I was surrounded, together with the excru-
ciating pain that I felt in my ears and eyes; in short, my mind
being assailed by a thousand incomprehensible images, I ceased
striking with my hands and legs; I felt myself receding from the
bottom; the delightful thought of once more beholding the blue
heavens above me got the better of every other reflection; I invo-
luntarily changed the position of my body, and, in the next instant,
found myself once more on the surface. How did my bosom in-
flate with the rapid inspirations of my natural atmosphere, and a
sensation of indescribable pleasure spread over every part of the
body, as though the spirit was rejoicing at its liberty from its
watery peril!
In fact, it was a new sensation which I cannot describe. I did
not suffer it, however, to be of long duration,—once more I
essayed with a more fixed determination. Again I felt myself
gliding through the slippery water, which, from its density, gave
one the idea of swimming through a thick jelly. Again I expe-
rienced the same change of temperature in the water as I
descended ; and again the agonising sensation in my ears and eyes
made me waver. But now, reason and resolution urged me on,
although every instant the pain increased as I descended; and at
the depth of six or seven fathoms, I felt a sensation in my ears like
that produced by the explosion of a gun ; at the same moment I
lost all seine of pain, and afterwards reached the bottom, which I
explored with a facility which I bad thought unattainable. Unfor-
tunately, I met with no oysters to repay me for my perseverance;
and as I found myself exhausted for want of air, I seized bold of a
stone to prove that I had reached the bottom at eight fathoms wa-
ter, and rose to the top with a triumph as great as if I had obtained
a treasure.

I no sooner found myself on the surface than I became sensible
of what had happened to my ears, eyes, and mouth ; I was literally
bleeding from each of these, though wholly unconscious of it. But
now was the greatest danger in diving, as the 'hark., mantas, and
tintereros, have an astonishingly quick scent for blood. However,
I was too much pleased with my success to attend to the advice of
the diver, and I continued the practice till I had collected a cons!.
derabk number of shells. out of which I hoped to reap a rich har.
vest. But although constancy has a great deal to do with success,
it will not command it ! Six very small pearls were all that the
large number of shells produced, although many of the oysters were
large, and evidently of considerable age ; but, like myself, they
were "quite old enough to be better."
The oyster secures itself so firmly to the rocks by its beard, that
it requires no little force to tear it away; and as its external sur-
face is full of sharp points, the hands are soon severely cut by them.
The effect of the buoyancy of the water is also curious. At the
depth of seven or eight fathoms it requires exertion to keep down ;
and if you then attempt to lay hold of a rock with the hands, you
find yourself as it were suspended, so that if you let go your hold
you will immediately tumble upwards! I remember the first oys-
ter I ever met with was at the depth of four fathoms only ; my
head was almost touching It; and forgetting. In my pleasure, to
strike out with my legs, as I stretched forward my hand to catch
hold of the prize, to my astonishment, the oyster slipped from my
grasp, and I found myself nearly at the surface of the water the
next instant, so that I had all my labour for nothing. •
So firmly does the oyster fix himself to the rock, that, in order
to tear him away, it is necessary to get " a purchase" upon him,
by placing the feet on the bottom. The excessive difficulty of
doing this is incredible : it requires the muscular strength of the
whole body to overcome the resistance of the water's buoyancy.
I have no doubt that, by means of its long beard, the oyster has
the power of locomotion, and that it changes its situation according
to its pleasure or convenience.
Our principal object of inquiry, however, was obtained; namely,
the true situation of the shells under the water. I found that I
had been. in a complete error in supposing them formed in beds—
that is, in heaps, as the word " bed" would seem to indicate. With
this impression I left Ragland, and continued in it till I had now
convinced myself, by actual Investigation, of the error into which
I had been led by every body with whom I had conversed on the
subject. Indeed, a moment's reflection would have pointed the
impossibility of the oysters being piled in heaps together in this
gulf. This fish always seeks for tranquillity, which it could never
find in situations exposed to currents, and motion occasioned by
the undulations of the water. I always found them in sheltered
bays, the bottoms of which were covered with large rocks. •


This brings me to consider the reason, why a diving-bell, at
least in the gulf of California, can never be profitably employed.
After reaching the bottom, if the greater surface be considered
bottom, there are frequently found chasms in the rock below, which
extend to one or two, or even three fathoms lower. It is down
these apertures that the diver may most generally expect to meet
with oysters, which even here conceal themselves in the cavities of
the rock ; and as the power of vision fails in so dense a medium,
particularly if the depth be considerable, and the surface rough,
the diver is obliged to insert not his band only, but even his
head, into every hole and corner, like a person groping about in
the dark ; holding on, the while, by the points of the rock, to pre-
vent his rising to the top, in consequence of the water's buoyancy,
at the depth, for example, of seven or eight fathom., beyond hich
I cannot speak from experience.
The perception of objects under water at this depth is very in-
distinct, and their magnitude is augmented, so that a very small
shell appears, of large dimensions, and the diver is frequently mor-
tified by the discovery of the mistake when he rises. It is strange
that tie detection should not be detected by the touch; but it
would appear, that in the same way that the eyes mes•ure the
capacity of the stomach, so also do they convey to the hands a sort
of conviction that the apparenS is the true size; so that these organs
take pleasure in mutually deluding each other!

The fissures in the rocks, in these sub-marine situations, do not
frequently exceed ten inches or a foot ; so that, in descending, the
back, chest, knees, and heels, are sometimes dreadfully lacerated.
If, then, not even a shark could follow a diver in these situations,
how is it possible that a diving-bell, which is considerably broader,
should be able to do so? The idea that it could, is only to be
entertained by a person as grossly ignorant of the circumstance as
I was before I convinced myself of the truth. In fact, it might
be said, that the men in a diving-bell would remain suspended,
half-way between hope and realization, and would feel, as I some-
times did when I was crawling about the bottom, " like a fish
out of water,"—an odd expression, by the by, for a fellow eight
fathoms deep !
I am convinced that there is no stimulant mu great as hope.
Under its influence the diver is insensible to danger, although be
see himself surrounded by sharks of prodigious magnitude. Armed
with his short stick (1), be considers the 'ovular] of so formidable
an enemy's domains u unworthy of a moment's hesitation. Anxious
to grasp the prize, he pays little regard to the price of its attain-
ment, which he no sooner possesses than he is ready to fight the
stoutest of the finny race. I have myself descended when the ho-
rizon was filled with the projecting fins of sharks rising above the
surface of the water ; and though armed only in the way I have
described, I thought myself perfectly secure from molestation;
notwithstanding they were swimming round me in all directions,
at not a greater distance than a few fathoms, I continued my pur-
suits with the greatest sangfroid. I should no more be capable,
in my cool moments of reflection, of braving this inconceivably hor-
rible danger, where 1 might have been mangle/ and torn to pieces
by one of these implacable monsters, than of entering the tiger's
den before his breakfast, at Exeter 'Change. But when the pas-
sions are concentrated into one point, though that point be on the
verge of eternity, hope still attends us. On these occasions bow
sensibly have I felt, and bow often repeated, the words of the en-
raptured poet:

•••• Methinks it were an easy leap
To pluck bright honour from the pale-faced deep."

(1) This stick is about nine inches long, and is pointed at both
ends. The diver grasps it in the middle, and when attacked by a
@bark, be thrusts it into the monster's expanded jaws, in such a
position, that, in attempting to seize his victim, the jaws close upon
the two sharp points ; thus secured, he can do no mischief, but
swims away with his martyrdom ; the diver rises, and seeks a new
weapon of defence.

The East India Company's ship Inglis arrived at Saugor
on the sth of June.

Thursday se'nnight, while the sloop Eden of Carlisle,
was in the act of being attached to one of the steam tow-
ing vessels, off Dumbarton Castle, the hawser coiled
round the foot of the Captain, and before it could be dis-
engaged, by a sudden jerk of the rope his foot was
snapped off under the ancle. He was taken immediately
to Dumbarton, and his leg amputated the same afternoon,
a little below he knee. He is now slowly recovering.
THE GuN row nett PLOT.—The anniversary of the
horrible plot of CATESBY,FAWKES, DIG Br, and others, of
" Having framed this chaos of confusion,
This seven-fold heated furnace of proud Rome ;
The fifth dew •#' November for conclusion
They now expect, of England's fatal doom"—
was yesterday celebrated, as we mentioned, by the ringing
of bells, and firing the Tower and Park guns. One
solitary illumination, in memory of the escape of our
Nobility, was displayed—that one being at the office of
the Morning Journal. The Star of Brunswick decorated
the front of the house in variegated lights ; and the cause
which that Journal has so furiously advocated was made
manifest to the passer-by, by the burning exhibition of
the words " No Popery."
THE TWO LATE DUELS IN DUBLIN.—Our account
of the affairs of honour at Portobello, on Sunday morn-
ing, although correct in the main, was inaccurate in two
particulars. It was stated that Mr. Robert Browne had
been present at the origin of the affair in the tavern at
Duke-street. We are authorized to say that this was a
mistake, Mr. Browne not having heard of the rencontre
until six o'clock on Saturday morning. The second
mistake consisted in the dubbing of Mr. Grady a " re-
verend." We understand the gentleman is not so fortu-
nate as to be entitled to this epithet—that he is a
simple laic.—Freentan's Journal.
EDINBURGH, OCT. 31.—DEPRECIATION OF NEWS-
PAPER PROPERTY..—On Saturday the copyrights, or
right of publication of three periodical works in this city
were exposed to sale by public auction—viz. of the Edin-
burgh Weekly Chronicle and Evening Post Newspapers,
and Edinburgh Literary Gazette. They were first
offered at the upset price of 1,7501. for the three, inclu-
ding printing materials, estimated to be worth not less than
5001. but no offers were made. They were then tried
apart at various reduced upset prices, beginning at 600/.
for each of the Newspapers, and 1001. for the Gazette ;
but still there were no offers. They were then further
tried at 4001. and 3001. successively without effect—and
finally, at 1501. each (the Gazette being coupled with the
Post), and were purchased without a single offer above
the upset price, by the printer in the late establishment
for their publication. The copyright of the Chronicle
was bought a year ago at the cost of 7501.
The acknowledgment of Don Miguel as King of Por-
tugal by the Pope, is considered in the City as a prelude
to the recognition of this Potentate by the European
Powers in general. In fact, there appears to be no doubt
that Miguel will be so acknowledged. If this should
turn out to be the case, it will certainly be a direct and
naked recognition of revolutionary principles; for the
right of this King to the Throne of Portugal rests only
upon the supposed sovereignty of the people. He has no
other claim to the throne than that of being the choice
of the nation. It would be a strange thing if the powers
should make an exception to the rule which they have
laid down in favour of such a Prince as Don Miguel,
particularly as they have one and all acknowledged the
rights of Donna Maria. We live, however, in strange
times. So many anomalies in politics are daily taking
place, that acts in accordance with established principles
would be more surprising than those of an opposite de-
scription.—Morning Paper.

FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE.