Star.
London, England, 1817-07-28 00:00:00

EVGLISH OPIUM.

A new Melo-Dramatic Romance, entitled, The
If ; or, The Brown Man of the Moor; was pro-
duced on Saturday evening. It is an adaptation to
the stage of the story of The Black Dwarf, one of the
recently-published Tales of My Landlord. The plot is
rather complicated—but The Tale: of My Landlord
having been very generally read, will say.: us the
fatigue of minutely detailing the Little. The follow-
ing are its principal features :
Vere, the Laird of-Ellieilaw, has unjustly taken possession of
the castle and estates of his deceased brother—at whose death he
caused his infant son to be stolen from the cradle, and reared in
an abject manner. He never ceased to persecute the unhappy
youth, while he remained within his power, in the hope that his
oppressions Would hurry his victim to the grave. Chance brings
the true Laird of Ellieslaw acquainted with Hubert Itatcl.ffe,
Laird of Earriscliffe, and they become strongly arached to each
other, Earnscliffe is apprised of the injustice which has been done
to his friend, and counsels hint bow to preceed,iii :order to recover
his patrimony. To attain this object, the young Ler.: of Elli..!aw
assumes a doub;e character—he sometimes personates Earns:: lie
(who, having been long abroad, is nut known), and, at iskers, he
appears as a wild and savage being, residing in a Line hovel, on
Mticklestane Moor, to the great terror and affright of the super-
, stitinus peasantry, who balite e that he posses les superhuman power
—ln his former character, he wins the affec:ions of Isabel Vere,
the daughter of his unnatural uncle—in his la:ser, he does little
more than terrify the country people by his oracahr givings out,
All the proceedings of Vere are narrowly was card by Ratcliffe,
who appears as the dependent of the supposed Earriscliffe. He
discovers that Ver., intends his daughter for Sir Frederick Lang-
ley, a rich being its pass& ssioe of /soon, secrets, re.
lattve to litre, which places him be.teath his c.)::trol. he forbids
the niarriaje, Langley, however, cott•l•lues to urge his suit,
which is hateful to isabei ; and, in order to force her to ann.
pliance, Vere agrees that she shad be carried off by Grange (the
Rest Reiverof Wes.burn-fia:), a notorious bandit, and tinptisonted
in Ins house, where c steins may be.saielj u.tal, to compel bet
acquiescence in the proposed marriage. ": lie plat is accordingly
tarried Into effect, and Isabel becotte:s the prisoner of tltacme.
—lista& has received secret intelligence of the proceeding,
and hastens to apprise his friend of the circunistaace. Mean
time Hobble Elliott, a stout farmer, witise loose had been
bunted by Grange's gang, and whose inistrew, Grace Arm.
strong, bad been carried off by the robber, had proceeded to
Westburn.flat, accompanied by his clansmen, in order to force
his intended bride Irvin the tangs of the border-inarauder.—
They are in the act of attacking the house, or rather radensm, of
the Red Reiver, when they are jo;oe.I by Ratcliffe and hi; friend,
with a body of armed men. o such numbers Grainy is forced
to submit, and be relactant:y gives up Isabel, to the utter asto •
nishment of pour I latbie Elliott, who imagined that he was
about to combat for his own mistress, not tur tne mistress of
another. Hobble is, however, pacified, when the supposed
Lar,..cliffe asstires l im, that, ere night, he shall embrace los fair
one—an assurat,ce which he could very safely give, since, in his
character of Wizard, Grznie had placed the damsel in his
custody, for secrecy and security. Isabel is. now T....tont! :o her I
father, who i, sincerely s..rry that he had acted so %%%%%%%% a
part. He declares that he will no longer Mint on her marriage
with Langley—hut, on her earnest entreaty, informs her, that
Langley had declared, unless the marriage be solemnised that
Men, he will give information of certain treasonabl designs, in
Which they were both engaged, and that his ignominious dea:h
must be the consequence. Isabel, alarmed for her parent's
safety, determines, after a dreadful struggle, to accept the hand of
Langley. 'I hey I roamed to the altar, but the ceremony is litter-
rupted by the sudden appearance of the supposed Wizard, who,
Ealing off his disguise, claims the Lairdship or liliieslaw. *Hie
demand is at tint resisted by Sir Frederick Langley, and the
usurping Laird, wko recognize, in the claimant, the ci-dovaa
Earnscliffe—but his tilted Ratcliffe soon expiates the mystery.
Langley then resents to violence, and cans toi the :Ittetmlatits 10
setae on Ratcliffe and the newly discovered heir. but at that
moment, Hobble Elliott and an armed force rash in, and the
cause of love and justice triumphs.
On comparing this Drama with the original story,
it will he seen that no trifling liberties have been taken
aid) the later, in order to adapt it to the Theatre.
The Black Dwarf is turned into a Brown Giant, and
the Wizard, instead of being driven at its close, like
the poor Black Dwarf, to hide his deformity in same
impervious retreat, is restored to the world and all
the blessings that power, opulence, and beauty can
bestow. The other alterations which have been made,
are not of sufficient importance to call for particulars.
They are for the mast part judicious, or unavoidable.
The character of limbers Reidy; is blended with that
of Atarnhal ; and one character of some importance
is produced, where, but for this arrangement, two
insignificant personages must have appeared on the
scene. It would be very ungallant to complain of
the number et interestinglemales who are presented
to us in this Opera ; but these divide the attention of
the spectator too much, and create some contusion in
the progress of the piece. But, notwithstanding these
and other objections that might be stated, " 14e II i.
zard" has certainly very superior claims to attention.
The incidents and situations are, for the most part,
highly interesting. The characters, particularly those
of The Wizard, Hobble El foie, Grave, and Isabel, are
drawn with great spirit. Bobbie is an excellent spe-
cimen of the brave, but half superstitious, Scotch
farmer—and the savage rudeness, the cool brutality
of Grime, are admirably descriptive of the fearless
and ferocious plunderer. The scenery is hai:dia ;
the dresses are sufficiently splendid—and the specta-
cle part of the romance is well arranged. The music
is by Mr. HORNE ; and, wonderful as his improve-
ment in riving has bcen, we are of opinion, that his
improvement in the art of composing, has been infi-
nitely greater. The overture is a tasteful and ele-
gant production. The opening glee is very beautiful,
and the airs and duets, with scarcely an exception,
deserve the same praise.
The characters are cast with judgment, and were
played with ability. Mr. H. JOHNSTONE, as Th.-
zird, performed the character with great energy, and
Mr. BARTLEY's 1116bie Elliott we place amongst his
most successful exertions. In the scene where he
discovers his cottage in flames, and learns that his
mistress is carried off, his performance was excellent.
Mr. J. Isaacs improves as an actor. His delia,:ation
of the character of Greme possessed coasiderable
merit. The part of /:abed Vere comes coropietely
within the scope of Miss KELLY'S powers, and s':e
never exerted those powers to greater advantige.—
Her songs were much applauded, and two of them
encored. Miss M. H. liumnas executed the tors at-
tached to the part of Grace dirmiirong, very sweetly.
Her first song (an imitation, in part, or Mr. BRAHMA'S
Echo Song) WAS encored, and a duet by her and her
sister, was honoured with the same mark of applause.
The, first Act of the Wizard was received with
general applause ; but the act:on rather languished
in one or two parts of the second Act, and some die.
al,probation was manifested. Some curtailment in
:he dialogue, we think, is necessary-rand greater at-
tention should be paid to the performance of the
cli irirstea. Ti.ese two points being properly attended
'o, the new Melo drar!atic Itantance will, we are
assured, have a long t ;:n Hoaa: WJA extremely
owdel.

1f1C,7 COURT OF JUSTICIARY.

EDINBURGH, JULY 2!.

Yesterday came on the trial of .I,,sepli Rre and
Robert Reid,. chimwey sweepers, charged with the
murder of John Fraser, dins Titomarin, a boy of I I
years of age, an appreu.tice to the s:tid Joseph ;
the indictment alto contained a charge, that the said
Joseph Rae did previously evince deadly ma:ic:• and
ill-will against John Fraser, alias Thomson, by mal-
treating him, and using► him harshly on different oc-
casions. The LORD ADVOCATE deserted the diet against
Reid, pro loco et iv:ogre, and he was committed upon
a new warrant.

James Thomson, chimney-sweeper.—One day in
the beginning of June witness and ptisoner had been
sweeping vents together.. About tour o'clock in the
afternoon, the prisoner proposed to go Albany-street,
wilere the piisoner's brother was cleaning a vent, with
the assistance of Fraser, whom he had hist rowed from
the prisoner for the occasion. When witness and
or isoner got to the house in Albany-street, they found
F: rser, whir had g:,ne up the vent between eleven
and teselee o'clock, not yet conic down. On entering
the house they riaind a mason making a hole in the
wall. ieisoner said. "What was he doing-1 sup-
pose he has t iken a lazy fit." The prisoner called to
the bay, " What are you doing ? es hat's keeping
you E" The boy answered that he could not come.
rite prisoner worked a long while, sometimes per
wading him, sometimes threatening and swealieg
at the boy to get Lim down. Prisoner then said,
",1 will go to a hardware shop, and get a barrel of
gunpowder, and blow you and the vent to the D-1,
ii you do not come down." Priaaner then beget' to
slap at the wall—witness then went up a ladder, and
spoke to the boy through a small bole in the wall,
previously made by the mason—but the bay did not
answer. Prisoner's brother told witness to come
down, as the boy's master knew best how to manage
him. Witness then threw of his jacket, and put a
handkerchief about his head. and said to the prisoner,
1" let me go up the chimney to see what's keeping
him." The prisoner made no answer, but pushed
witness away from the chimney, and continued bul-
lying the boy. At this time the prison, r was %Landing •
on tl^.e grate, so tnat the witness could not go up the
chimney ; witness then said to prisoner"; brother,
" there is no use fur me here," meaning that prisoner
would not permit hint to use his set vices. lie pre.
vented the mason making the hole larger, saying,
" Stop, and I'll bring him down in h..: minute's
time." Witness then put on his jacket, .std conti-
nued an hour in the room, during which tune the
prisoner continued bullying the boy. Prisoner then
desiteJ witness to go to Reid's house, to get the 1,1411
of his boy Alison. Witness went to Reul's Ileum:,
and siskt:tl Reid to come and speak to prisoner's bro-
ther. Witness and Reid went to Albany street, and
when they got into the room, prisoner took his head
out of the chimney, and asked Reid it be would lend
him his boy ? Reid agreed ; witness then returned to
Reid's house for his boy, and Reid called atter him,
"fetch down a set of ropes with you." 13y this time
witness had been ten nuautes in the room, during
1 which titre prisoner was swearing, and etking—
i " What's keeping yea, you scoundrel ?" When wit-
-1 ness returned with the boy and ropes, Reid took hold
of the lope, aed having lensed it, give Alison one
cad, and directed him to go op the chimney, saying,
I .4 Do Hot go farther than his leer, and when you get
I there, fasten it to his foot." hisoner said nothing
all this time. Alison went lip, and having fastened
the rope, Reid desired him to come down; Reid
took the rope and pulled, bin did not bring down
die boy, the rope broke ; Alison was seat up again
with the ce her end of the rope, which was fastened
to the boy's toot. When Reid was pul:iag the rope,
prisoner said, "Yon have not the stiength of a cat."
Betook the rope into his own hands, ;iding as mom;
as be could. Having pulled about a quarter of all
hour, prisoner and Reid fastened the ripe round a
crow bar, which they apsised to iIIV wall es a lever,
and both pulitd with all their strength he...slime a
quarter of an bout longer, when it broke. During this
time witness heard the boy cry and say, " My GI)
ALMIGHTY !" Prisoner said, .. ll I had you bete, I
would God Almighty you." The Cl ies were in agony.
The master of the Louse brought a new piece or rope,
and the prisoner's brother spliced an eye on it. Reid
expreesest a wish to have it fastened on both thiOte
to have greater tsurchase. Alison was sent op no
this purpose, but came down and said he could not
get it fastened. Prisoner then began to slap at the
wall ; atter striking a long while at the wan, he got
out a larger stone ; he then put in his heed and caned
to Fraser, " Do you hear, you, Sir i" but got ho
answer ; he then pot in Isis hands, and threw down
deceasco's breeches. He then came demo from the
ladder. At this time the prisoner was in a state ui
perspiiiition ; he sat down on a stool, and the master
of the house gave him a dram. Witness did not
bear prisoner make any remarks as to the situation,
of the boy Fraser. NVitness thinks, that, from mist'.
ner's appeal-mice, he knew the boy was dead. Reid')
wife Came to get her husband away to a job, and the
prisoner went with lam. This was between six and
seven o'clock. Prisoner's brother enlarged the hole,
but still could not get in. Witness then went in with
difficulty. He found Fraser lying on his belly, with,
his hands stretched above his head. He was lying
at a turn in the vent, and his head jammed at the
head of the turn ; had a towel about his head, and al
shit t all ablut his neck. Witness tore off the shirt,
bit by bit, and threw it on the floor, then brought
down the boy ; there was a little heat in the body—
got spirits and washed the boy's temples, but it' vain.
e'Citeess went for Doctor Poole, who came and ap
plied a bellows, but in vain. Witness knew the de-
ceased twelve months past in May—used to come to
witness's house. Witness always gave him a pie=
or a halfpenny; boy complained that his master
used to stove him, strike him, and use him badly.
Witness stopped in prisoner's house for some time in
May, 1t.1.i. One Saturday night heard prisoner's
wile say, " You are done now; there's your ladder
and materials away ?" whereupon prisoner made the
deceased strip himself—boy applied to witness to save
him. Witness asked prisoner to forgive him. Pri-
soner said, " If it were GCD ALMIGHTY himself speak-
ing from the Heavens, he would not forgive him."
The boy was told to strip himself perfectly naked—
prisoner beat him on the back with the single end oh
the sweep's ropes, apparently with all his strength—
"the boy cried much. About ten o'clock at night the
prisoner took the boy to a bask room. en i made him

go n !IA up and down the chimney till one o'cliset
on Sunday morniue Prisonei AIL' rwArds acknow.
'edged that the laddrr and matetiels were in ll e
os
Pious. all the time; the boy was a 6i,e boy; witncss
has stuck in a vent himself, bur never saw ropes
used ; did not temonstiate, because boy's rri,:ier %vas
r.. principal. The mason said, that prisoner w.ts
killing the boy, and that he could ft,et him aid, but
was hindered by the prisonet. Witness thinks that
the expressions used by the prisoner to the hot while
in the vent wile from tevenge ; pi.oner seemed in
anger at the boy ; did coL hear deceascd speak •atter
pri,oner had lrlt the house.

James Stalker, John Cameron, and .Tairec Steel,
corrchorated statementsol the preceding wi-rers
James nppreht•ce to Robert Reid, a Ivy nf
el,ven years t.l .:!ated that he had lasttn:•i t. c
rope to Fraser's leg by the directions of the priton.f.
Lr unined by the pritmer'u Counsel.—Has kn. wts
deceaseJ remain a long time in vents obeli be might
have come al.leyn.

Thomas Mawood lived in prisoner's hottee along
with deceased ; saw pris ,tisr tie the deceased to a
chest, ~at; hi.. month with a stick, and beat him with
ropes till the hi ald came, and than pot saltpetre 02
him ; has seen pris,,ner make &v .:mud eat 'he vilest

The I.onn Cuter JusTicr. Ci.rac having summed
up the evidence at considerable length,
The Jury retired fur about halt an hunt, and re—
turned a verdict, fiiidin7 by a Floridity et viices the
prisoner guilty of Culp•tble Homicide.
Ti,e Lotto Cuter Jt.iricit CLEW: then addressi-d
t!:e 1443011 r, a: 3cl told him that its ease approaci•ed
the nearest to murder of any case in which a verdict
of culpable homicide bad been returned. and the pri-
mer was mon need to be transported beyond seas Ix
the period of fourteen years.
rj- The pr..,,,neg it, perlral.s, a ease of as bonid atteactir,
as any teas ever maltil •Lat en!oruraie clam of b-m.rt
...the (Mimi:l, qwelvitiE Boys. so st.e ..ylispht'ls of the Put.liz;
and we cannot he p ihniking it somewhat rotiarkable, that it
should have h,rpersed b a City where the prayiet, of ssseeptlit
chininles without the aid of Clibtirg tiul s, has h-en so long ii
estalat;sbed use; and where, of courw, there czn be nothivg .o
pallier the et ...gating, in any in•tance, to a roethcd capable of
rliditst! i•I v. detLeiftsl an et vivify Si this case pre.etrg.—.
ht•loa:clai the Iriemis of humanity have lum2-rteired rejud•eet
to contend wilt in Owl:lab...art to per an rent to the practice of
employing Climbing boys. Its Edinburgh, no Ow cui.ti at y, it is
impossibk to div.over any itolueemcnt a hiss s •;tetti-t tad Viit
for allawitig loch z pr etTre to be resorted to, but what 11143t,ari..t
trove au lanoline 1,-ve w ctu•tty.

ekSrZES.

YORK, JULY 21. •
Jamor Shalt', aged 91, and Jaws Scoff, aged 21.
were indicted i.,r tweaking into the dweilii•g-house of
Mr. Hanson, of Bootbroyd, and stealing therefrom
a quantity of gold, silver, and silver pla•e.
Mies Hanson .tared, that on the night of the Gth
Deceniber, about eleven o'clock. she tas!ened the
doors and windows of the Loose, and went to bed.
In the course if the night s!.e heard a noise In the
kitchen ; ;tad presently after three men came in her
apartment, anJ carried away a quantity of gold and
silver belonging to her father. They th.n went to
her mother's room, broke op n her b a, and took
some silver oot of it. ' Mr. Hanson, the tatt.tr, said,
that he heard a noise .:1 bis wife's room . door. and
some person loudly corormineleJ her to tyrn th, door.
He called out 44 sr!-.ats., tl.e rnetwr :qui his w•:e • r
daughter answered that thete were several n•ea 2u
the house. They %eon aster came In his coon, aml
threateoed th blow his ',tains out unless he dis;:ovcr-
ed where lie bad mere 'matey depmiwd. He r-
ed that be had no :twee in the house. They thin
carried away !.k breeches. His loss in gold. Matt,
and pl.tle, Was abort hesidrs the breeches.
lit ord-r to chew thet:ths prisoafrs were in tLe
party which committed the burglary, Black. an ac.
comPlice, who i:cpt a eublie-house near Mr. Han.
place of reAdence, was called. He stated that
the tobbtry *as c..rcertret at his If ,use by a party of
thieves, some 01 v.hern fie•l been Lel ore consictedr—
The prisoners. were d ti:e party. He (the witness)
also went aire.g «ith them, b'tt re...retained at a little
distance final 73.1 r. kl.:nson's house, under a heeiveb
lentil the rest if the party re•ntited, and they then
went back to his hohse, where the Ip•uty was divoieJ.
The o!frer who isineel.endcel the witness. Black,
found a ,:tlatuity of slyer plate in aild near Black's
home, v hich wxs itittltitied by ?tr. H.nsuti as his pro.
pert y.—The Jory found tooth the pr•soner,—Guilty.
Clime 1.',41.0!: !two, with much solemnity,
passed the sentence r.f death.
The same day Jaz,: rrs, :9 gra 35, was convicted!
of a burglary, and stealing a 9uamity of linen-dra-
pery, the ptueerty of William Daay, and others.
Ai ivito ',..z-cfsrd, aged '2l-, was coavicied if stealing
a leather piwket hock ;•.1:1 some ptornissc: y notes;
and t I,:tin liodly and al! ary 10PI 7,:srre were con-
victed ct utte:ilig base mete)? (half crowns), know-
ing the same to he e-u-.teileit. The two last eon.
rioted pet sons were :ecortirn:ttled-to mercy.

J1:1.1( 22.
Jain May Lund wa; ind:ctcd for stealing, en the
Slit of May last, six ox n, the prepetty Qf Sir G.
Wok!, and others, from a ,:trtain common paittne,
called Baskill Jug CA:r, is T. 4. parish 01 BrAndesbur-
ton, in the East Riding.
A person of the nufie•of Wo.od, trholiad the care
et the cattle, prnvi:d t!:e tact (.4 their- having been
carried oil. bloom, a ;Ind betchi-r, whose
house is about three miles Kmbe, !moved that
the prisoner :Arit'l to hit :he cattle, on his
way to Libe fair. It v.•%s in ti•ealternoon, and the
xsold ...
them.as
witness sulszcl the prisoner whether he wished foe -
grass for his sip: cattle fil•• the . The Omer
replied, chat he :tost .pi:eocheead wit t d
tjte
iiney cattle
tu
market :hpt night, se uo

A Mr. Jvhrs:ll perch.ised acme of the cattle,
which were soon after recognized 'as those which had
heed titylen from 1314ndesburted. •

The prisoner in his %Hence stated, that he had
purchay.d the caul: from two rrietrat the Blue Boar
puhlic.house at Beverley ; and tt. prime this he celled
.4 vileness of the name tit Barr,sor Beni.* ho stated
ihat he was a labourer who hai conic trim, Linea.
*hire to Yorkshire tor work ; that it frw days nylons
Kabe fair he WAS at the Blue Boar pt.:lls-dovs.* at
wt.ere lie saw the priddor for the first
time. Two men came in and 5.0 ch.t.e to the how:
tier, and soon :diet sike,l bite-his nam.e, whictrhe
:.fated to in John May . Loud 1. ti,e'wr•litss 04 not
nutre than a yard and a halt from them. l'ary A' kvd
he prisoner wdether he would buy sonic sittte I Lund

1 li
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