Star.
London, England, 1819-08-07 00:00:00

DRINKING.

A vine-dresser, from the neighbourhood of llsrlf le Roi, in
France, laid a wager some days bazk with another vine-dresser,
that he would drink half a hogshead of wine in 24 hours. After
the lapse of :1:7 hours there remained only three quarts to be
drank, and be easily won the wager, which was 100 francs.

The late Captain KELLY, who was killed in a duel
at Paris, was brother to Mr. KELLY the composer,
and uncle to the celebrated Miss Kw.y. .I-Ie was
fbritcrly a member of the Dublin Theatre when Mr.
Davy was fhe Manager, and was afterwards appoint-
ed Paymaster of the 32d Regiment. At the time of
his death he was a Cornet of Dragoons upon half-
pay, and said to be the best convivial singer in Europe.
Mr. ELLISTON, we understand, is the successful
bidder for Drury-lane Theatre, and he is expected to
be put into full possession of the Theatre on Monday
next. The offers were as follow :

Tzurro:f
ThisnlN
KLA :1 . - .. .. - 1 0,1. 00
It appear; that Mr. El Limas securities are unde-
niable, and that already £7OOO or-i.:8000 deposit has
been made.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of
KENT, attended by Mademoiselle de SPADIIT, Gene-
ral WETURRALL, and Captain CONROY, visited the
Surrey Theatre last night, to witness the popular
Melo-drama of The Heart of Mid-Lothian.
ENGLISH OPERA HOUSE.—A delightful trifle from
the Trench was iast night most successfully pro-
duced, under the title of Belles without Beaux ; or,
The Ladies among themselves.' In this amusing pro-
duction the whole of the Dramatis Persona arc La-
dies. Virginia (VICS. CHATTEILLEY) is a maiden Lady
and a prude, exceedingly careful of her younger
sisters, and solicitous that they should never permit
the advances of " deceptions mau ;" but who yields
at once herself when the offer is made, and proves as
aufait at excuse to shelter herself from detection, or,
when detected, from punishment or loss of character,
as the coquette Mrs. Dashington (Miss KELLY), whose
conduct she had hitherto so much censured. Mrs,
Dashington, disguised as her own brother, succeeds
in ascending, at rather a late hour in the evening,
to the balcony of Virginia's window. Here ne makes
love rather diffidently at first, but as he proceeds, be-
comes more impassioned, and will not consent to leave
her until she ( Virginia) receives irons him a note en-
closed in a ballad, and a ring, in token of their mutual
love. Virginia receives them, though not without a
struggle, and he is about to depart, when a difficulty '
occurs as to the manner in which it can be best effected.s:
After various devices, it is at length agreed that 115
shall dress himself in some of the clothes of Virginia,
and thus effect that escape which would otherwise
have been impossible. This is quickly done, but the
escape is still not practicable—an alarm is made at
the gate of the mansion, which awakens the-young
ladies, who have been safely locked up by Virginia.
The bat and coat of a man are found in her apart-
ment, but this is explained to their satisfaction, or
apparently so (two of theta being mainly concerned
in Mrs. Dashington's plot), and the lover quietly goes,
out. Scarcely, however, is he gone, when Mrs.
Dashinp,ton arrives—the innocent cheat is then ex-
plained, and the Piece ends with the consent of Vir-
ginia to the marriage of Eliza, her sister, with Young
Gr.i.r/ace, who had for a length of time in vain soli-
cited her consent. Miss KELLY'S acting was charm-
ingly varied; and the other Ladies acquitted them-
selves so mach to the satisfaction of the audiences
that really (with all humility we say it) no male ac=
tor was wanting to give the Piece interest and effect.
The Piece was announced for repetition this evening
with universal and reiterated bursts of applause. The
' House was filled with elegant and genteel company.