The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-09-06 00:00:00

THEATRE-ROYAL.

Last evening Mr. Clarke, the acting-manager of this theatre,
took his benefit, and introduced to the public a most attractive
bill of fare. Tile first piece performed was a new tragedy, enti-
tled " The Provost of Bruges." After which followed an over-
ture composed by Signor De Val of this town, and the laughable
farce of "The Scope Goat;" concluding with a travesty on
Shakspeare's tragedy of " Romeo and Juliet," called " Master
Romeo and Miss Juliet," by a gentleman of this town, the
author of the " Othello Travesty," which has had a-run of 150
successive nights. in Loudon. We need fhardly add that this
attractive announcement, and the benefit_ for whom it was in-
tended, ,was _the. means of drawing a very crowded house,
notwithstanding the -exhibition at the Zoological Gardens,
tending to thin it. We regret that we were unable to witness
the first part of the performances, but we understand that Mr.
Cooper, of the Theatre Royal, Duury-lane, who has been en-
gaged for a fortnight, played well as Bouchard, in the "Provost
of Bruges," and that Mr. Stuart. signalized himself with his
usual ability as Bertalphe, the provost. In the travesty on
"Romeo and J uli et," Baker took the part of Master Romeo, and
came on to the stage dressed as a lubberly boy: whilst Miss
-Stanley played as Miss Juliet dressed, as all little Misses should
be, ,in f'rock and trowsers. The wit of the piece lies in a close
but burlesque imitation of the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, and
the grave acting of qhese parts by Baker and Miss Stanley
were irresistibly comic. Their conception and reading of their
characters throughout was admirable. It is perhaps hardly fair
severely to criticise the piece itself, this being its first produc-
tioti, and ii*lssiiev'e.tlittvit has been got up entirely in the short'
space of three days. A few excrescences require pruning.
These alterations, (which we think the author will understand,)
and such improvements as time amid a little care will suggest,
will, we doubt not, render this travesty an equal favourite with
its predecessor ky the same author. One or two of the scenes
(especially the balcony scene) were exceeding rich. The songs
introduced, too, were admirable burlesques. The song, by Mi.
G. Horncastle, as Lawrence Couple'em, the Gretna Green Black-
smith, (a new character by the way,) when presenting the bottle
of gin to Julia, (poison,) "-Here's a Bottle of Gin," set as a
parody on the." Mislefoe Bough," was the best song of the night,
and was excellent and well sung. The characters, with-the above
exceptions, did not, perhaps, enter sufficiently into the serio-
comic part of the piece, forgetting that the more serious such a
piece is represented the greater the absurdity. Miss R. Stan-
ley was hardly fit for the Nurse. We have given, of necessity,
but a very cursory sketch of the travesty, and may perhaps re-
turn to it again. We have been favoured with a copy of one of
the parodies, but, on reading it over, we think it would hardly
be appreciated without the association of the music, though
with it it is excellent.

THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—Last evening the long an-
nounced fete "came off," and, we are sorry to add, with some
degree of disappointment to the visitors. As is always the case,
when expectation is raised high, and long deferred, when the
occasion of satisfying it arrives it seldom bears out those ex-
pectations. So, partly from that cause, and partly from accident,
was it last evening. The night was rather wild and windy, and
kept blowing out the lamps, or shaking them so as to drown the
light, and'thus, in a great measure, destroying the eff:ct ; whilst
the company was not quite so numerous, there being only about
3000 persons present, and the bustle and excitement consequently
not so great ; and, poor Napoleon: " the burden of the song,"
sa soon as the tomb burst, he, like an obedient Napoleon,
rose his head through the embrasure, had his cocked•liat so
rudely blown by the broadside of an nglish whirlwind that it
effected a complete capzise; Boone in his fall kicking over a
lamp in the interior of the tomb with his foot, which set fire to
it, and effectually prevented his aerial walk to the clouds. In
other respects the entertainments were good. The tableaux
charales of Mr. Yates were very beautiful, and the fire works
what there were of them, were splendid. We believe none felt
more disappointment at the incomplete success of the entertain-
ments than Mr. Atkins, the proprietor, and we make no doubt
but he will endeavour to remedy the fault as far as possible on
the next evening (Wednesday.)
The Rev. William John Purdon, late curate of St. Marv's,
Dublin, has been appointed, by the trustees, to the incumbency
of the new church of St. Anne's, Aigburth.
INTERVIEW BETWEEN A DEPUTATION FROM THE BANK OF
LIVERPOOL. AND THE GOVERNOR, &c. OF THE BANK OF ENG-
LAND.—We learn that the measures pursued by the Bank of
England, in throwing out the paper of some leading American
houses, was beginning to excite alarm in Lancashire; in con-
sequence of which the Bank of Liverpool deemed it necessary
to send a deputation to wait on the Governor and Directors to
confer with them on a measure of so much importance to the
commercial interest of the country, particularly as the Bank of
Liverpool deemed the steps taken by the Bank of England now
unnecessary, inasmuch as specie had ceased to be exported to
the United States, which was the alleged cause of declining to
discount American bills. The deputation arrived on Tuesday
at the Bank, about twelve o'clock, where they remained about
two hours in conference with the Governor, Deputv.GovernOr,
and Mr. Horsley Palmer, and after a very full discussion on all
points bearing on the-question at issue, it was understood that
now no obstacle wouldAoe thrown in the way of discounting.
American bills arising out of, fair business transactions; but
there was a wish on the part of the Bank to check such foreign
State negotiations as would have a tendency to drain the coun-
try of specie. We understand there was the most distinct assur-
ance given on the part of the Bank, that the bills which they de-
clined discounting did not arise from the least doubt of their
respectability, but, on the other hand, they confined their re-
jections to the paper of houses of known wealth, respectability,
and resources, to prevent inconvenience and alarm.—Corre-
spondent of the Morning Chronicle.
GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY MEETING.—On Wednesday
last, the 31st ult., the annual meeting of the proprietors of this
railway company was held at the Cotton Sales-room, Exchange,
John Moss, Esq., in the chair. A very able report of the pro-
ceedings of the company since their last meeting was read by
their secretary, Mr. Charley, which gave general satisfaction.
The whole of the line is in so forward a state, that it is expected
it will be open for travelling early in the summer of 1837.
Fourteen of the twenty arches of the splendid viaduct across
the Weaver are finished; it, as well as the viaduct near Bir-
mingham, will be completed next spring. There are several
parts of the line ready for the iron rails being laid down All
the carriages are in i forward state, and 25 locomotive engines
will be ready for action in March. The contracts for the rails
and chairs were made at a fortunate period, being at 15 per
scent. less than they could now be obtained for. The income
derivable from the Warrington and Newton railway, now form-
ing part of the general line, yields a surplus after paying the
recent proprietors the sum of four per cent. per annum, as
agreed upon to be paid to theni until the opening of the whole
line. l'he proprietor-. were unanimous in their desire to sup-
port the line between Manchester and Crewe, and to assist the
inhabitants of the Potteries to form a branch line to the grand
junction railway near Newcastle. Messrs. John Moss, James
Heyworth, and Joseph Sandars, the directins that had to go
out of office by rotation, were re-elected.

Mae. GRAHAM.—This lady is progressively improving. She
now talks most rationally, although it is not considered ad-
visable that her late sad disaster should be at all discussed in
her presence.
STEAM-BOAT ACCIDENT.-011 Saturday last, about 5 o'clock
o'clock in the morning, the steam-vessel Clyde, which sailed
from this port for Douglas, was struck by a heavy sea, which
shattered her engine to pieces. In consequence of this accident
the Queen of the bile, mail-packet, from this to the Isle of Man,
which happened to be a little a-head, upon a signal of distress
being hoisted in the Clyde, took her in tow, and carried her
safely to Douglas. She was very seriously damaged, and Can-
not be repaired, we believe. in the island. It will he at least
two months before she will be fit for service. The greatest
praise is due to Capt. Gill for the prompt assistance which he
rendered on the Occasion-. It•is impossible to sty what might
have been the consequences, but for his timeiy intefferetie-e.'