Star. — 1822-05-13 (London, England)

JONES. l'arbaya Mr. Yoexc. Pengoost Mr. LisTin:. Major Von } est% r Zaide Mite 31.Taie: Glozen Nourjadee Miss Srti nize. The plot combines a story founded upon the fabulous attautes of the Upaa, the superstitious accounts of which have ;seen so perfectly exploded by Sir T. flarrcrs. As is usual, we ode.: sketch of its chief incidents. A gang of pirates make a &Awl upon the habitation of Parbaya, an itli.:ider in the Indian seas murder his child, and 'carry off his beloved Zaide to the !lancet of the Emperor of Java, who purchases le.!. :Is a slave. Ike beauty captivates his heart, and be is, of course, a cruel and relentless lover. The faithful Indian repels his advances, and Ler husband at last discovers the place of her confinement, and in gaining the window of her apartment, is detected and conveyed before the Emperor. The punishment awarded to his olk•uce is that of fetching the poison of the Cpas from the tree. 'this, according to the table, was the manner in which the poison was obtained for the arrows of the soldiers. Criminals were doomed to make the attempt, and upon the state of the winds, and the degree of pestilential exhaled by the tree, depended their safety. About one in twenty was said to return uninjured. A corps of Dutek East Indian troops are at this period in possession of the island, and the protectors of the Native Government. They are commanded by Major Von Glozen, WII/Ve nephew, Hans Gayvelt, is entrusted with the custody of I a haya, previous to his journey in quest of the poison-tree. ZAL:e has been thrown into prison upon the discovery of her husband's attempt, but through the good offices of her friend Noulj Wee (another slave in the haarem), and the humanity of Hans 6.). vek, they obtain an interview before his dreadful sentence is to be carried into effect. Previous to this, Parbaya has lean,: th. 4 the Emperor intends to administer the poison to Zaide if he procures it, unless she yields to his love. This determines him to perish rather than to return from the tree. At the borders of the country, which is desolated by the Upas, a priest, Orzinga, is stationed to prepare criminals for their fatal journey. In this man Parbaya discovers his father: and having heard that rile Emperor has by a new decree condemned Zaide to death, in the madness of despair he determines to return to the palace all protect her with his last breath. Just at this moment, however, a criminal who had set out In search of the poison a before, appears with a cup of the poison in his hand, and dead from the effects of his journey. Parbaya and Orziqs immediately return and arrive at the moment when Zaide is going to the stake. Orzinga discovers a law in the ancient bass of the empire, by which, if the Emperor refuses to comply with its provisions, he loses his claim to the throne, The law is, that any one returning with the poison of the Upas shall receive any boon which he may demand. Of course the request of Parbaya is the release of Zaide, and the delivery of the two from their sufferings forms the termination of the pity. The Play, constructed upon those materials, rnssesses a much higher degree of interest than the above sketch can give any idea of, being contrived with the skill of a practised Dramatist to keep the attention awake to the last moment. The language and incidents are judiciously varied between serious and comic writing, and the characters, though not remarkable for originality, are well adapted to the purposes for which they are respectively introduced. Major Von Glozen, commandant of the troops in the service of the Dutch East India Company (the part assigned to Mr. FAWCETT), is a very amusing one. The Dutchman-like composure with which he received the intelligence of the death of his wife, produced an universal burst of laughter. Parbaya was admir:,blp supported by Mr.