Star.
London, England, 1819-03-27 00:00:00

DWURY-LANE THEATRICAL FUND.

Yesterday the Second Anniversary Dinner of the
Drury-lane Theatrical Fund " For the Relief of lndi-
gent Persons belonging to his Majesty's Company of
Comedians," was given at the City of London Tavern,
his Royal Highness the Duke of YORK in the Chair.
The company assembled was not so great as had
been expected, not more than about 250 persons
being present. His Royal Highness entered the room
a few minutes before seven o'clock, accompanied by
the Marquis of AsoLuin, the Earl of YARMOUTIi,
the ATTORNEY and SOLICITOR-GENERAL, Sir BEN.
JAKIN BLOOMIPIRLD, Sir GEORGE &PINSON, Sir
CHARLES FLOWER, Mr. LAHBTON, Mr. BYNG, Hon.
GEoRGE LAbIR, Hon. DOUGLAS KINNAIRD,
WHITBREAD, Mr. Serie:lilt LENS. acc.r—The corn•
pany immediately sat down to dinner, add afterwards
Yon Robis Doming was sung most feelingly by Messrs.
INCLEDON, TAILOR, BROADHURST, LIETE, SCC.
The toasts of " The King,' and " The Prince Re-
gent," were drank amidst very great applause.
The Marquis of ANGLESEY then proposed—
" Thirhealth of their lihietrimas Chairman:
After the applause, which was long and enthu-
siastic, had subsided, s'

The Duke of YORK rose and said, he felt exceed-
ingly proud and highly gratified in presiding do an
occasion like the present, connected as it was with
the future comforts of those from whom the publit.
derived so much instruction, blended with so great a
rirtion of amusement. He regretted estrenselytpuit
the Meeting was not more numerous—butte hived
that ample amends would be made for the paucity,
of numbers, by the munificence with which the Sew
times present would subscribe. when the stewards
went round.--(Laud applause.)

"Cost—" The Army." Tune—a The Duke of York's Ato:cis."
Glee—." How merrily we live, that soldiers be !"
Tout—P' The Navy." FeVig—u Rule Britatioia." is parts.'
Our old favourite, Iszotanos, gave one of the verses
is great style; and was much applauded.

His RoyAt! HIOUNiSS. said he need not assure the
present company, that his heart accompanied 'the
sentiments he was ahotiCto prppose-
" 'The Drury-luso 'Theatrics', Taut:add its worthy Master,
Itlf. Kean."—llrce liras tht::e. '; '

Mr. KEAN felt proud of the honour 'that had been
conferred on him in the presence of the special guar-
dian of the interests of the Drurydane Fund, which
was placed so peculiarly under the protection of their
Royal Chairman, whose exertions had been most
liberally seconded by a geacrous public. Ile hoped
the company would allow him to offer his grateful
thanks, in bzhalf of those unfortunates who had al-
ready derived essential service from their fostering
kindness—and sure he was, that the voice of the uu-
fixtunates, crop!oyed in blessing their benefactors,
never con:d distress the ears of the benevolent. Placed
his present situation. it was his ‘haty to offer the
tilsrks of these whom their bon:lty had relieved, to
6: at generous public, whose good deeds had conse-
crated the spot where they met at that moment.—
where the tiro.- clieerin,:z ray of light, of hope, of ani-
mation, broke in on their withering prospects. For
t'-.ese who llnd been assisted by the humane interfe-
rerce of the lovers of the Drama, he had to express
the most humble thanks to their benefactors. It was',
rather extraordinary (led might perhaps be an ob-
ject of inquiry), that some Members of his own pro-
fession were not subscribers to such an Institution—
pirticularly when chitin on the fund had beentegu-
larly paid for forty years. One of the most encou-
raging examples of the utility of the Drurv4ane
Fund was to be seen in the history of Mr. Re'ddith,
once an actor of great power—and whose genius, in•
depicting the mimic madness of Edgar, was second
miry, the mighty efforts of Mr. Garrick, in the
character of Lear. He bad enrolled his name among
the early subscribers to this Fund, .which afterwards
supported, educated, and introduced to respectability,
the family of that individual, when other resources
failed them. Perhaps the diminished amount of pen-
sions, which‘of late years. the Fund Was enabled to
afford, might deter some persons from coming for-
ward. But it was clear. that withholding assistanee
was not the best way of .increasing their annu:Lies.
They had again assembled in the City of London;
. where so much success attended their previous effort
—and they were anxious that their thanks should be
now recorded. whore former benefits were received.
Gentlemen. he was sure, could net but feel an addi-
tional pleasure in witnessing an anniversary which
brought within their walls a member of the Royal Fa-
mily. who neve:T.:cr.:fled amongst his fellow-subjects
without creating attachment to his person, and
inspiring brighter loyalty towardshisHouse—(lfear.).
'that 4sts. Colleagues should have continued to him
the.hotiourable distinction of placing him, a second
time.infore his Royal Highness, as the advocate of
the unfortinate. was. he feared, an honour which he
owed-Tether to.the warmth of their friendship, than
to the severe exercise of their judgment. He felt it
to be his duty to obey their call—and-to discharge,
with his best powers, the duty with which they in-
•trustel him. He looked to public patronage for the
growth of this institution—he acknowledged, in his
own pawn, the extent of public kindness—and he
si)ould feel most happy, if any portion of public sup-
port. drawn from him, lighted, " with angel wings,
on the ladder of this sacred Institution," of which it
was his first pride and boast to be selected as the chief
ofii-eiadog minister. •
This Address was loudly applauded.

The health •of the Vice-Presidents was then drank,
and Lord YAnmourir returned thanks.

Poeulxm Elevatunt followed by Mr. TARTS, and
Chorus by all the musical strength present in an
intmitable style, And was loudly and most deservedly
ercnred.

..Tbe health of Mr. Stephen I:emble, and the Pro-
prietors of Drury-lane, was then drank.
Mr. d. gEMBLE said, he was unaccustomed to
se-41c iii pnblic, except front the pen of some able
writer. ..and be wOuld therefore reply to the 1:onour
*tiny had done him in an appropriate quotation
4‘ Yoga. Royal Highness, and Gentlemen all, I am not a man
°rem., *Ode, hitt I have at least sincerity, and I thank you."
• The next toast given by his Royal Highness was,
"..btr.4l.auris. And the other Proprietors of the sister!
Meaner .

13,9fal Osamu* then proposed the Health
of ism lam 'Liable, and said, his was a came which,

must always live in their memayjeg.— The toast was'
drank with loud expoesions gint plaese.
Mr.T. Dibdin was now called epos for a song, and
began a most appropriate one of his own writing, iri
which the following verses were loudly applauded:
--- The Drama% :swig Seetaki.
The drama's patrons give,
Andlolks, 'tie said, should live to please,
Who wily please, to live.
" Then thinkof them
,whose hours must be
nevaVa stM took,
,
• elud.wbo, while here you're sow anti,
• Vrhapa are am sir sow !
Shone village Hamlet went may bow,
Oiturn &he& pale ;
• Some mute inglorious, Sirrel now
• . Mai tell an Mumble tale ;
; O'er Richard's woes a balm pray shed,
Let gold enrich the tear,
t• give Jani Shore a loaf of bread,
' Antilurnish into/ bier!

May timely Prudence, heavlsly mag,
Impart her cautious power,
'And let our Brethren and a shade
Against a stormy hour;
And every blessing rest with you
Whose Otte our cares dispel,
Till Prompter Time shall take the cur
To ring life's curtain bell!
Mr. lEzio: again rose, and said he had the satis-
faction to announce, by permission of his Royal High-
ness, that the Subscriptions of the day amounted to
upwards of £l2oo.—(Great applause.)—Arong the
donations was one from 'the -Prince Regent of HO
guineas, the Duke of York 52 guineas, the Earl
Yarmouth £2O, Marquis of Tavistock £2O, Earl of
Derby D2O, Marquis of Anglesey as, Ihsconnt Dud-
ley and Ward-d:2O, lion. Georget.,Lainb £2O, W.J.,
Denison, Esq. £25, Sir Benjamin Bloomfield ,ClO.
Hon. Douglas Xinnaird ElO, the Right Hon. George,
Canning E.. 5. &e &c.
'The remainder of the evening was spent with the
most cordial conviviality, to which the affability of
his Royal Highness contributed not a little. Mr. T.
Cooke preside,/ at the piano-forte, and the vocal de-
partment was 'sustained with admirable spirit. Ati
eles4ss o'clock his Royal Highness left the Chair, and
was followed by most of the Nobility; but a large
part of the company remained in enjoyment of the
festal scene till a late hour.

.•
LORD Ilvacm—Public curiosity As a good deal ex-
cited by the announcement of a prose :Tale by thior'
celebrated writer, entitled a The Venire," which
will appear in the next number of the N2W MONTHLY
Maoazttos. The origin of this production is rather
Curious. It was proposed in a literary circle that each
of the company present should write a tale depend-
ing .upon some supernatural agency, which was un-
dertaken by Lord IlyroN, the daughter of the cele-
brated Mr. Gonwis, and a certain Physician. The
tale of Miss GODWIN has already appeared under the
title of Frankenstin.

The beautiful Circassian, in the possession of the
Persian Ambassador, about to visit England, and who
is so closely confined at this time from the inspection
of the Parisians, is expected to be imported here with
the same secret restraint ; but whether the vigilance
of our Custom-house thr,cets will be dispcn;ed with
on se critical an affair as a Lady locked up in a ca-
binet, is an ordeal which the proprietor of the fair
stranger has to hazard.

AnofUci4l account laid before the Howe of Com•
mons, states the total aggte,;:itt. value of corn, grain,
meal, and flour imported Tito Great Britain Born
foreign countries, in the year 1818, at the immense
sum of L 18,471,629 3s. of which £2,368,369 111.10 d.
is from Ireland and the Isle of M*n. The. total value
of the tame exported in said year is £312,600 Ss. sd.

A letter, dated Batavia, the 28th November says,
'' The Pirates have become most daring on the North
Coast of Java ; and in the Straits, to the Eastward,
73 pirates were hung on the 6th Of November. They
had made an attack on a Government brig, sent in
pursuit of them, but she being of more -force than
they expected. 'they were all captured. A French
brig had been boarded by the pirates, near to Carl-
sson, Java, in the Java Seas t this ammander was
taken towards the Island. and before he was put out
of the pow, he was told that if he went on shore and
procured a number of balls of opium, and returned
within three quarters of as bout, he should have his
brig and crew agaip. H. was obliged to swim on
shore, and succeeded in,procuring the opium ; but
I unkrtunately for his crew, his stAy somewhat ex-
ceeded the stipulated time. They all in consequence
fell a sacrifice in his absence. nepirates, however, I
told Mai, as he had ftilfilled his part of the engage-,
meat, they Sould spare his life. and so released him'
from captivity: Batavia still continues sickly, and
all kinds of business were at a ecutoplete stand. Great,
discontent prevailed among the troops and other in-1
habitants towards the Dutch Authorities."
Monday se'nnight, John. Patani lit 'years of age,
'the son of a poor old fisher is Than. was unfortu-
nately loft at sea, about four Stiles off that village.l
He went in company with his brother and three pi-1
lots to bring back the boat, after putting tale pilots
on board of different vessels bOund for Montrose ; I
land had left the man on board of a smirk, Sind
just swung away with a rope fast to the vessel, whin
Ithe boat swamped, and the young man eras drowned.'
On Monday night, as a man named John Apps, of
Waning, was fishing up tubs of contraband spirits
near the Sluice at Pevensey., Sussex, he was shot by a'
sailer stationed at one of the Monello towers through
the body, the ball having entered his breast, and
passed out at his back. He died in twenty-four hours
after he received the wound, when an inquest was
held on view of the body, and the Jury, after iirting:
two days, returned a verdict of "-Wilful Murdes:
against some person or persons unknown ;" but we
hear that the offender has been since identified, and
a warrant issued for his apprehension. • •
levatr.—An Inquest was hold day ft the Pei-hen, hi.,
I luggin-lane, Thames-street, CM tile • yOf Mrs. Mary) iatt. '
Tiw deceased was an elderly Lady.. Tuesday night i Walls'
tr
attendant had left her about in hour, and on bee return found.
the room in which she left the deceased enveloped in 1,4
With assistance the fire was eatingitisked. Ilhe'rOoM toor si
much burnt, and the deceased wag foetid lying oa hin. back, ill
her clothes burnt off her gody, and she was Mt, dead. his
supposed that a spark front the' adly set tic • • tektites
on lire, which communimad to the apartinint.-.Verdlctit-
eldental Death. •

Mat. sion-Hooor.—Yolterdifi Ineeefris_rfillais 4"i
Palliser, were again euntiN the amigo of oisolluem
&e. and abseiling and it the llaisisoipilrit
' %der, in Angel-easy. The
ditch, also came forward, and dings& olettly WI& dolma
hero( property to the 11111041111 t OWL omeethaiddlioe,
himself to have els Imo so lime odotits:-,TioMittley and
wore remanded, and linry. his .

•

AitiSSIZSE• .. '
• ' 4.
SUSSEX.; ' WIC as. " •
Aftris Guts, ' *bolt 18,
as
ialdictixtlintier
Lord EllenborOug 'C.Act, lb feloniously and mali-.
ciousty stabbing and.catting:Geoege.Gibbs, with in-
' tent to mursiler sir do hiss ',erne- grievous bodily.
• harm, on the 15th instant, at the parish of Storring-,
ton, in this eassity.:-;-:. -,.. . _ ..:
George Gibbs,. Gibber a youtkabout 16, the unfortunate
victim of the prisoner's ferocity, appeared in the
box, dreadfull emaciated, and still labouring under
the effeCts of tie outrage Which he had suffered, his
wounds being_ yet green, and gave the following
statement :—His father was park-keeper to LOrd De
la Zouch, who lived at Parham Park. In the even-
ing of the 15th of March, about eight o'clock, his
father sent him with a message to the Crown public-
house, a abort distance from Parham, when he met
the prisoner, near die end of his father's garden.
The prisoner had a stick over his shoulder, and al-
though the night was rather dark, he could see him
by the light of a lantern which he carried in his
hand. The prisoner was then alone, but appeared
to have parted from another young man, named
Duke. When the prisoner approached him, he was
about to wish him good night, when the former
struck him over the liead and face with the stick
which he carried. He was nearly stunned byabe
,blow, which being repeated, he was knocked down,
and from the violence of the blow the stick was bro.
keit* The witness immediately cried out—a Oh!
'Jemmy Gibbs, don't murder me;" and begged for
mercy: , The prisoner then went round him, and im-
mediately pulling out a pocket knife, cut him twice
under the chin ; but his sanguinary design having
failed by these means, he stabbed him behind the
right ear with the same weapon. Witness smuggled
to get from him, and in doing so, disarmed him of
the knife, and in the scuffle the prisoner drew it
through his hand, and wounded several of his fingers.
The prisoner then took him round the waist, and,
dragged him to a gate-post, and endeavoured to
swing his bead against it. Witness cried out for
mercy, and called ~ Murder !" upon which the pri-
soner caught-hold of him by the throat, which he
griped with both his hands, in order to prevent his
making any noise. He immediately afterwards let
go, but seized his throat a second time, and then the
witness lost his senses, and remembered nothing af-
terwards ; when he recovered he found himself with
his friends. He swore positively that he never had
any quarrel in his life with the prisoner ; that they
were namesakes ; they were not related ; that he had
known the prisoner as a passing acquaintance, and
had seen him occasionally; but he was by r.o means
intimate with him. He could in no manner account
for the prisoner's attack upon him.
The evidence of the prosecutor was corrolsointed
by several witnesses. •
Mr. Justice BAYLEY asked the prisoner what he
had to say in his defence?—The prisoner said, a 1
don't know that I can say any thing."
John Gibbs, the father of the prisoner, came for-
ward, in a state of pitiable agitation, so much so,
that he could not stand, and stated, that he was a
,labouring man ; that his son and he teem in the habit
of working for Mr. Emery, a farmer at Parham.
On the day mentioned in the indictment, after he and
his son had performed their daily labour for their
empitlyer, they came home to do some work in their'
own garden. He observed that there was soinething
singular in the behaviour of the prisoner, who d
not seem to work with his usual cheerfulness. At
supper time, in the evening about seven o'clock, the
prisoner seemed low-spirited, and ate very little food.
He kept back from the fire, instead of coming fin-
ward as usual on such occasioas. to join in the-hum-
We cheerfulness of their meal. About half-past 1
seven the prisoner went Out and never returned. He
did not know of any quarrel between the prosecutor
and his son.—That mother and aunt of the prisoner
gave similar testimony.
Kr. R. Emery, a respectable farmer at Parham,
stated, that the prisoner bad worked for him three or
four years. He was an extremely good workman,
and a very industrious, attentive lad : he always bore
the character of a civil, kind4hearted young man,
and was never ltoowp to quarrel with anybody.
Mr. Justice $.tyL;Z thee summed up the whole of
the case with great minuteness, and, adverting to
the defence which had been set up, told the Jury,
that if they were of opinion that the prisoner, at the
time he committed the dreadful offence imputed to
him, was possessed of patient reason to distinguish
right from wrong, he was answerable to the law for
the act he bad committed, *and the penal consequen-
ces which must follbw-a conviction for that act must
be visited upon his him&
The Jury, after a few Moments deliberation, found
the grisonar.-Gailty.
The Learned Juidge immediately, pronounced the
,awful sentence of W•ath in a manner so impressive
and pathetic its to draw tears from all present ; hold-
ing eta to the prisoner no hopes of mercy.
The prisoner, during the whole of the trial, was
teesibly agitated by remorse and apparently unaf-
fected sensibility. ' ,
After he was removed from the bar, the prosecu-
tor and his father appeared in the• witnesses box, and
earnestly implored the Learned Judge to spare his
life, and mitigate the soptence .of the law to trans-
. ~ lc* byt Vt. Jastice BAYLEY said, that his
mete 7, was smporatirr, and that if he dared to relax
sexerityuf the law, he should want no suggestion
F.,
fel 611- din, pen of the prosecutor to prompt
Vs': r *At
,t, whido:' he was naturally impelled by
.41119 P 4 ik.teoP, t.,coliaOseration for the unhappy
maaviet,„: But datednot,.for the sake of the pub,
fe;suspelni that perdshment. if mercy could be
,iektelideclio the ptisoneYi.it-cOuld only be attained by
hk-aliplicidoi in 416-060e07 of State.
'4.- Frlffiiy.senmsh. tVifilfle'hiii4la Orthe day, a most
dreliberate M urder. Wn pcoMnitted ,an the road near
•Criait tills, County of Tipperary. A. man of the
imme of Sheehan, was lately married in.that county,
and having formerly had an amour with a woman of
'rte of Clintey, he was suet on the road by her
bintlier, who tired a Musket and bli hini through
;he 14szt An impost, withal& yon the'
body, aid a verdict of Writ lift:Mar. returned
1141Et_921.Reni tr . , a4s c_Pg 0 ed:
is
.. oi
• •fo P.!'llto MI ft .. ! . sat Wallamkistir-reatd,i
tatua,!. laansealoatittede, woad, was attacked
!Our the •Depludst tad brthitt-feltowr). who
'!asacktsl higneown, snatched hi swatch, and ran off,

•dl.