Star.
London, England, 1827-09-11 00:00:00

ENGLISH THEATRE AT IJARIS•

FROM THE TRENCH JOURNALS OF SATURDAY.
TM§ RIVALS—FORTUNE'S FROLIC.
The perlormance of these English pieces, which it
was inlended, in the first instance, should take place at
the Favatt, and in which, in consequence of some low
intrigues, has been transferred to the Odeon, has me:
with complete success, although neither of the *asks at
the head of this article enj ty the greatest reputation.
The Manager of the English actors will, no doubt, soon
feel the neces icy of presenting our public with produc-
tions whose subjects are better known to us; those, for
example, which have been imitated and translated for
the French stage, such as Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, the
School for Scandal (the Tartuffe of manners). or some
of the shewy pieces, as the Tempest, or Midsummer
nights Dream, where magic and supernatural appari-
tions will compensate those who do not at all understand
the language of our neighbours. Nevertheless, the two
pieces in which the English actors last night made their
debut, were listened to with greater attentio t than might
have been expected. The first piece is SHERIDAN'S, and
contains some exceedingly comic situations, with
strongly drawn characters. Sir Anthony Absolute, the
restless Falkland. the coward Acres, and the hectoring
Lucius U'Trigger, are drawn with great skill. Mrs.
'Malaprop is a silly old woman, whose pretensions to
wit and learning are depicted with ease and spirit.—
Lydia Languish, a romantic and languishing girl, as
her name implies, is singularly fond of adventures. She
cannot put up with the common every-day manner is
which affairs are managed, but must be married at
Gretna Green; but the most delightful character in
the piece is that of Julia, st: young girl full of gritte,
candour, and simplicity. The second piece, Fortnnis
Frolic, did not go off quite so well.
According to the play-bill, the company consists of
the principal Actors of the Royal Theatres of London.
Did we not make great allowance for the style of a play
bill, the capital of England would be worthy of pity.
With the exception of LISTON, ABBOTT, CHIPPENDALE,
and POWER, not one of the list hut have had modesty
enough to silence the fame which might, no doubt, have
preceded them to France. If the Manager really wishes
to give the Parisian public an idea of the English
stage, and to ensure succes to his undertaking,
he must have some of the really principal actors
of London to begin with. Of the best actors, the
following is the best judgment we can venture to
come to upon so short an acquaintance. Power', in Sir
Lucius, sheaved himself perfectly at home; he possesses
great intelligence, with invaluable coolness. Ltarots
(Robert dcres) did not completely realise the idea w hich,
from the manner in which we had heard him praised,
we had been induced to form. LISTON is a consum-
mate actor, of imperturbable sang froid, with a perfect
command over the muscles of his face ; but he is a
decided mannerist, his voice is sluggish, and his jerking
pronunciation degenerates too often into huskiness.—
These defects are the more to be regretted, as LISTON
appears to have passed the age when they could have
been remedied. Altogether, this actor, although inferior
to Porten, to whom he has been compared, is very
amusing, and will be a useful member of the company.
Ansorr, the manager, has a noble appearance, and
wears the military costume with great advantage; his
utterance is exact, although rather cold.
The overture had been prepared for the orchestra
with great tact. The national air of" Vive Heory IV."
was first played ; afterwards that of " God save the
Bing." Both were received with great applause.—
Abbott then advanced, and pronounced the following
address, in French, in the course of which bis English
accent made itself felt. The address is said to be written
by a member of the French Academy, and it certainly
bears marks of the grace and delicacy with which al-
his works are impressed ;

epos as we are to represent the master.
pieces of our gransatk Merkur!re before an enlightened people, whose
stage possesses so large a number of excellent works, we cannot
help feeling a degree of uorasineis. The English Poets have not
obeyed the laws established and acknowledged by the authors
whom sou revere as the arbiters of taste; but ought a difference of
system and dieser to give us real ground for alarm ? No, Gentle-
men, to encourage us we have only to call to mind that we are in
France. Under the pacific influence of the fine arts national Pr"
indices are every day disappearing. A long rivalry will KM bees.
left in superior minds no other sentiment than one of a generous
emulation. When French actors obtain in London the no-
cepdon which is due to their incontestable merit, let us hope,
Gentlemen, that you will receive English actors with Indulgence.*
happy, if it hackbeen our fortune to have joined, to your approba-
tion that of the great tragedian you have lost, and who also, byhis
studies belonged to us? It cannot be that his tomb should be des-
tined to receive the expression of our regrets. It is not by the
pieces of an author altogether unknown to France that we propose
to open the course of our English performances. Sheridan has
cast too bright a lustre over his political and literary career for his
fame to be confined within narrow limits. May your goodness
make us forget that we have quitted our beloved country, whilst
our words will occasion a sweet illusion in the senses of our country-
men, drawn. in crowds to the bosom of this capital by the chasms
,of a beautiful country and your hospitable urbanity."
Assort' concluded these preliminaries by reciting
the following •erses composed by Mr. LAKE

With ariiicius hopes, and hearts that keenly feel,
To you, this night, we make our first appeal;
From fertile England, to your smiling shore,
We came as stranpers—attangere now no more,
Since you have deign'd,•with welcome, warm, and bland,
To make us free of France's fairy land;
Since beauty here has made her magic bower,
And bright eyes guard us with their peerless power ;
And lovely lips to plead the actor's cause,
Qiire sweet assures:ft of your kind applause:
Two noble Nations; fairest, first, and best
The Ocean Isle—stbe Garden of the West,
In genius, science, arts, and arms tenown'd,
With valour's and the Muses' laurels crowned,
*here Chivalry 'neath her own Lily glows,
And high-souled honour 'neath the rich red Rase,—.
Emblems of Bourbon's, and of Brunswick's sway,
To whom all hearts their willing homage pay,—
Form'd to be friends in glory and in fame,
In all that elevates the human name •
To spread the mutual intercourse of num',
To be the glorious beacons to mankind,
By generous deeds reciprocal to prove,
The god-like rivalry of peace and love
Two t edge Nations, where such virtues &fell,
United both, are both invincible I
Fain would our hearts prolong the grateful theme,
'Ti, yours to realise so fair a dream, •
'Tis ours to please—we wish not to Intrude—
Yet, one word more—that word is gratitude.
To English friends—we feel their kindness lave,*
And generous France receive our thanks sincere—.
To both we turn, as :the young Eaglet's eye
Turns to the Sen—to learn our &Willi
The curtain ruse at eight o'clock, and did not fall
until half-past eleven in the evening, which is much too
late.. The money received at the doors on the Writ
[light was very considerable, the Odeon being literally
crammed from top to bottom.
• Pointing to the Mart.

Dt:DLIN, Sirr. D.
NEW CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION—Ton Din
Mr; RONAYNE in the Chkir.

Mr. CowwAT rose upon his motion, postponed freed
last Saturday, of an Address to the People of Ireland,
,on the present posture of their affairs: He said that at
the time he gave notice of that motion, he was not
without apprehensions that a change unfavourable to
the Catholics was likely to occur in the Government
since then, however,. he had the satisfaction to find that
the change which, in common with every Gentleman
who heard him, and he might add, to the whole popu-
lation, had not taken place. He congratulated the
Meeting that the Marquis of Lansdown still held
the Seals of the Home Office, and his superintending
care would still be extended to Ireland.—(Cheers),—
Under these circumstances, the Gentleman to whom

the care of drawing up an address hid been delegated
agreed with him, that ft was not expedient or called fot
at present to putolish such an address. He would there-
fore, in pursuance, in fact, with the terms of his notices
by permission of the meeting, withdraw it—( Hear.)
But although it was not happily at present to persist in
the original intention of the Committee, he felt that it
was necessary that the Catholics of Ireland should
come to a strong resolution, as to the necessity of press-
ing their claims. lie did not place an undervalue upon
what appeared in the public prints, though recent cit.
cumstances might have taught him to receive with
confidence the statements relative to the last arrange-
ments concerning the Ministry, which appeared in
some of the public Journals. These statements were
found to he generally correct. Now arguing from
the facts we know to have been properly set forth
in those journals, to the claims which they have
in general, as shadowing out the opinions and the
wishes of the Administration, be owned that he was
not a little alarmed to see. in a Ministerial Paper,
he understood, of high authority, though not in eonnec-
lion with the Whig party of the Minists y.an adviCe to the
Catholics to abstain not only from agitation now, but
from petitioning during the next Sessions. He did not
like to see this ; he did not like that any organ of the
present Cabinet, and particularly a Journal which, he
believed, was not, on the abstract, unfavourable to the
Catholic claims, throw cold water upon their exertions.
But it was right thus early to tell the Cabinet, to assure
the people of England, that they deceived themselves
most lamentably, if they supposed that such advice
would be listened to. They owed it to Lord Lansdown,
they owed it to the Whigs, they owed it to the liberal To•
ries in the Cabinet to tell them, that persevere the Catho-
lics of Ireland would, under any possible combination of
circumstances. The petition, the numberless petitions
would be pressed from every quarter—(vehement cries
of bear). He concluded by giving notice of a motion to
this effect for nest Saturday. r _

Mr. U•DwTau proceeded on his motion for printing
the speech delivered by the Rev. Mr. Montgomery, at
the Synod of Ulster, and urged the advantage likely to
result from the measure.

After some observations from Mr. CONWAY, the mo..
'ion was finally withdrawn. The Meeting then ad-
journed—Dublin Evening Post, Sept. 8.

DRIADVUL Ftaa.--Aletween two and three o'clock
this wining, the horitort was illuminated by an exten-
sive Tice which broke out upon the premises of Mr. Jack-
son, grocer, John-street, Pimlico. The flames were first
discovered in the lower part of the house' but spread
with such fearful rapidity, that before any means to
check them could be adopted, the house was almost en-
tirely on fire. Mrs. Jackso• jumped from the second
floor window into the street, and fell upon the heads of
the people, and only received a few severe contusions.
Mr. Jackson was from home, but arrived
.just at the
moment his house was in one blase. The servant
woman, and two or three other persons escaped by the
roof. The house on the left hand adjoining, occupied
by Mr. Pierce, was soon included in the games, and was
nearly gutted. The fire raged with tremendous fury
for above two hours, when it was overcome, and the
roofs and walls falling in partially smothered it, and
before six o'clock it was entirely subdued. No lives
were lost, and the escape of Mrs. Jackson is considered
miraculous.

DARING OUTRAGR—Last night between ten and
eleven o'clock, a formidable and organised gang of
thieves stationed themselves at the end of St. Martin `-
court, St. Martin's-lane, and indiscriminately attacked
every respictable individual that happened to pass in
that direction, and even 'females did not escape the
violence of the gang, which consisted of some of the
well known thieves in London. One old Gentleman
was knocked down by a .violent blow, when he was
beaten dreadfully by the ruffians, until information
having reached the police, a party of officers arrived on
the spot. Groom and Ashley, two of the officers, rushed
through the crowd to apprehend one fellow who was
the leader, when they were surrounded by nearly 20
desperadoes, who kicked and beat them in a most in-
hurcan manner, and literally tore their garments to
pieces, and they narrowly escaped with their lives. They
were, however, soon assisted by an extra party of police,
and Ise populace, who were excessively incensed at the
daringly outrageous proceeding, and one only of the
party was apprehended and taken to the watehhouse
after a desperate resistance and an attempt at rescue.
He was this morning brought to Bow-street, where he
gave his name John Brookes. He was identified as a
notorious character' and was committed for one month
to the tread-mill. The gang has been committing de-
predations of this kind in the above neighbourhood for
some days past.
Friday last, a Gentleman alighted at the corner of
the Edgware and Harrow-road, and gave his horse to a
boy to take care of till his re urn. A few minutes after
a man stepped op 'with an apron on, and ordered the
boy to bring the horse to him, as he had been ordered
to put fresh holes in the stirrup riathers. The thief
took off the saddle and marched off, and on tbe Gen-
tleman's return he inquired for his saddle, when the
boy told him what had happened.
Saturday night, Webber, the boatswain'smate of the
Royal Sovereign yacht, and a sailor, belonging to the
same vessel, were drowned off the lower water-gate at
Deptford. Webber had been on shore during the day,
and wishing to return on board, he hailed the boat,
which was rowed ashore by Key more. Webber, his wife,
and another female got into the boat, but scarcely had
they been seated when Webber's wife made some obser-
vation which displeased him, and Fe raised his arm to
strike her, but Keyrnore arrested the blow; Webber
fiercely grappled him, and they both fell over board.—
The screams of the women brought suistance from
shore, and they were saved. Keymore's body was found
`some time after, but the body of Webber bas not
been discovered.