Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

of the tragic department, and her Desdemona confirms my assertion: it was whining and uninteresting. Love a-la-mode, if possible, improved on repetition, and every one retired well pleased at the attention of the manager, and the extraordinary exertion of Mr. Cooke, on whose beauties I should have dweit longer, had not your valuable miscellany been beforehand with me in conferring encomium on desert.

[blocks in formation]

Theatre Royal WEYMOUTH.-His Majesty, unexpectedly to the manager here, arrived at Weymouth on Friday 2nd July. His company were then playing at Guernsey, with Bannister at their head; they were immediately recalled, and arrived here on Sunday evening, and, notwithstanding all hands were employed, the theatre could not be opened till Wednesday, 7th July, when the "Bold Stroke for a Wife," and " Village Lawyer" were acted, Feignwell and Scout by Mr. Bannister. Thursday, "Rivals" and " Devil to pay," Acres and Jobson. Friday," Heir at Law" and "Of Age to-morrow;" Panglos and Frederick. Saturday, (his last night) "Busy Body" and "Peeping Tom;" Marplot and Tom. Mr. B. left Weymouth on Sunday morning, in order to open at Plymouth on the Wednesday following. The theatre was not remarkably well attended on his nights. A Mr. Morton played Sir Lucius O' Trigger in a dirty scarlet frock coat, pink-spotted linen waistcoat, and dark grey loose pantaloons;-could any thing be more absurd? He played Hans Molkus, the following night, extremely well. A Mr. Weston played Sheepface very creditably, but in Zekiel he lost my good opinion. He has great natural requisites for the country boys, but wants much cultivation. Sheridan performs the old men, and he is reputed a good actor, but he certainly takes indecent liberties; for instance, in Old Dowlas, he said, "Why blood and guts, my Lady," &c. and again, to Stedfast, "hold your pluck." Mr. Wheatley, who was at Covent Garden some time back, played Faulkland very judiciously. Mr. Sandford, a good general actor, is our deputy manager here. Mrs. Bramwell, late of Drury-Lane, the Nelly of "No Song no Supper," is a deserved favourite in Nell, Maud, &c. Mrs. Aickin, Miss Hughes, the manager's daughter, a Mrs. Humphries (the old woman of the company), and a Miss Villars, make up the female department. The theatre is the neatest I have seen; the scenery beautiful; most part by the manager. Purser, who appeared at Drury-Lane in Old Philpot, is engaged here; he outdoes even Suett in grimace, and copies him as closely as possible, even to be troublesome. The company is much in want of females: Miss Grant, from Ply mouth, would set them up. Mr. Winston, who gained so much credit at Plymouth, made his appearance in Ralph, on Monday, July 12. The Royal Family were present, and seemed highly pleased with that gentleman's performance, On Wednesday he performed Gabriel Lackbrain, in " Life," and Lingo, with great spirit, and was much applauded. Mrs. Winston, on the same night, was the representative of Mrs. Belford, which she rendered very interesting. Miss C. Villars, sister of the lady before-mentioned, played Cowslip. She has more merit than her sister, and, considering her youth, acquitted herself with much respectability. Mr. Winston amused the audience, also, with two songs, Picknickery and Phantasmagoria.

Theatre PLYMOUTH.-A gentleman of the name of Winston made his appearance here on Monday, the 31st May, in Dr. Ollapod and Ralph (Lock and Key) and met with a most favourable reception. On the second night of his engagement he performed Pangloss and Motley with equal success. The applause he met with induced the managers to open the Dock Theatre on the Thursday, which is an unusual thing, unless the London actors are here, it being the winter house. Mr. Bannister is to be here directly on Mr. Winston's leaving, which will be about the end of June. Miss Dixon joins the company for the season. Mr. and Mrs. H. Johnston, Miss Mellon, and Mr. Cooke, are also expected here for a few nights. The Plymouth company, though small, is very respectable. Mr. Mills, brother to Miss Mills (late of Covent-Garden) plays Worthington, Vain, Harlequin, Oscar, dances in St. David's Day, and all creditably. Mr. Foote, the proprietor, is very little in the theatre; the management is vested in the hands of Mr. Smith, a gentleman well calculated to fill that office with credit to himself, benefit to the proprietor, and comfort to the performers. Mr. S. we are told, is of a reputable Irish family, and that, 4 or 5 years ago, he left the army and the countenance of his family, to embrace the professsion of an actor. Mr. Jefferson, who acted with Garrick, and was formerly proprietor of this theatre, lives next door to it. He has been laid up with the gout these 10 years. He was, notwithstanding, carried (for he cannot walk) behind the scenes, to see Mr. Winston play Caleb Quotem. He is a very pleasant old gentleman, about 70 years of age. Mr. Lovegrove and Mrs. Forbes, from Guernsey, are engaged, and will shortly join the company. A Mr. and Mrs. Westernly made their first appearance on Whit-Monday, in George Barnwell and Millwood. There is a clever young lady in the company, of the name of Grant, not seventeen years of age. In Cora, Phoebe Whitethorn, Malvina, Columbine, Cowslip, Cicely, &c. she has proved herself extremely useful.

June, 1802.

VAGUS.

DOMESTIC EVENTS.

GARNERIN'S BALLOON.

A considerable degree of disapprobation having been expressed by the multitude on Saturday, the 3d July, at M. Garnerin not ascending, he, on Sunday, publicly advertised that he would ascend on Monday, although the weather should not prove favourable, and although it might be impossible to attempt the descent by the parachute. It was likewise advertised that Captain Sowden would accompany him, but which proved to be a mistake on the part of M. Garnerin, as he misunderstood the Captain in the conversation he had with him on Saturday on the subject in the Cricket Ground. The Captain, however, on Monday morning, in the most handsome manner, told M. G. if he could not get any body to accompany him, sooner than he should be without a companion, he would go with him. In the course of the morning M. G. received a letter from a lady, offering to accompany him; to which he returned for answer, he I-VOL. XIV.

should wish to have an interview with her before he gave his consent; but the lady did not make her appearance. M. G. also had the offer of several gentleman to accompany him; among them were Mr. Carberry, the son of an artificial flower manufacturer and feather-seller, and a gentleman of the name of Locker; the latter was fixed upon by M. G. to accompany him.

About 12 o'clock the operation for filling the balloon commenced; at half past three M. Garnerin arrived on the ground, and inspected the operations, and assisted in filling the balloon. He did not appear in the least dismayed at the unfavourable appearance of the weather, although it rained very hard, and the wind blew a brisk gale.

About a quarter past four the Prince of Wales, with the Duchess of Devonshire on his right arm, and Lady Morpeth on his left, arrived on the ground. They were followed by Lord and Lady Besborough, Lord and and Lady Cathcart, Lord and Lady Cholmondeley, and Lord and Lady Wm. Russell, Lord Chatham, Lord Holland, Lady Melbourne, Mrs. Erskine, Mr. and Mrs. Hare, and a great number of other noblemen and gentlemen of distinction.

M. Garnerin and Captain Sowden having met with great difficulties in their late excursion from Ranelagh when they landed, the people supposing them to be impostors, M. Garnerin applied to the Prince to sign a certificate of his being the man who went in the balloon, &c. which his Royal Highness agreed to in the most condescending manner. His signature was followed by that of the Duchess of Devonshire, Lord Cathcart, and Sir Richard Ford.

During the preparation, the wind was so extremely boisterous, that it was with the greatest difficulty four ropes could support and a great number of men could keep it down; three men got into the car to endeavour to steady it, but without effect, and it was tried it it would rise with three men in it, but it was found to be impracticable. If it could have been managed, Mr. Carberry would have been the third man.

About half past four M. G. thought the balloon sufficiently filled, and in a proper state for rising, and Mr. Locker got into the car, M. G. then dressed himself in a jacket, in which he always makes his aerial excursions; he took a tumbler of rum and water, and took his seat. Just before he entered the car, Lord Cathcart and Lord Stanhope wished him a pleasant voyage; the latter shook hands with him,

All the cords being cut but one, the wind had such great power over the balloon, that it swung so much as to touch the ground several times. It resembled a ship at anchor in a tempestuous sea. About a quarter before five a signal gun was fired for their ascension, M. G. having intimated that every thing was ar ranged to his satisfaction. The last rope which held it was cut, and the balloon ascended in a most steady and majestic style, considering the heavy rain that fell, and the high wind; the balloon took its course towards Highgate, but was out of sight in two minutes. The voyagers were only observed to throw out ballast once; they had only two flags, which they waved with great spirit, all the rest having been lost on the excursion from Ranelagh; the populace gave them several huzzas as they ascended.

All the avenues leading to the Cricket Ground were so completely blocked up

with carriages, that the Prince and his party waited, in vain, till a quarter past five o'clock for their carriages to get up, but finding it impossible, they were obliged to walk through a pouring rain, the Prince conducting the Duchess of Devonshire, and they were obliged to walk a full quarter of a mile, to David Street, where their carriages were: Sometimes they were obliged to walk in the horse roads, at others through the mud.

[ocr errors]

Townsend and Sayers, the Bow-street officers, attended them in their walk; and a party of Lord Cathcart's regiment of Horse Guards, on foot, but it was with difficulty they could safely conduct them through the immense crowd, and between the carriages, but they arrived without meeting with any accident at their carriages, with no other injury than being wet through to the skin, and the addition of plenty of mud.

The concourse of people assembled was one of the largest ever known in this country. The fields appeared like one umbrella, and it reminded us of the scene in Hyde Park, on the 4th of June, 1800, when the Volunteer Corps were reviewed by his Majesty. Some classic spectators observed, that it might afford no inadequate idea of a Roman army forming the testudo. When the balloon was off, the umbrellas moving between the ground and the Jew's Harp House, had a most astonishing and wonderful effect. The crowd in the fields round the Jew's Harp House was so great, that they were full an hour in passing the gate leading into the New Road, and many ladies lost their shoes in the mud, and were forced on by the crowd without them. We are extremely concerned to state, in one of the passages leading from the fields, the crowd pressed so much upon a lady, that her arm was broke. The crowd was so immense, that their numbers cannot be correctly estimated. A gentleman who had his leg broke by the falling of the scaffold, was taken to the Buffalo's Head, in the New Road, where his leg was set: he is a tobacconist from Liverpool.

The streets and avenues leading into the New Road, below or east of the ground, continued blocked up with carriages for above two hours after the balloon went off.

About an hour before the balloon ascended, a scaffolding, which had been erected in a field at the north-east end of Lord's Cricket Ground, fell suddenly to the ground; about fifty persons were on it at the time, and scarcely one escaped unhurt; the following, who were most seriously injured, were carried immediately to the Middlesex Hospital:-A young woman with a dislocated shoulder; a boy about twelve years of age, a compound fracture of the thigh; another boy, a broken leg; a very decent man, about fifty years of age, a fracture of the vertebræ,; and a poor journeyman coachmaker, who was standing under the scaffolding, had his face dreadfully lacerated, and a fracture of the orbit of the eye, and the bridge of the nose; it is feared that surgical aid will not be sufficient to save the lives of the two last. It was said, near the spot where these dreadful accidents happened, that some mischievous and depraved persons out the ropes by which the stage was held together, to revenge themselves on the proprietor of the building, for obstructing their view of the balloon; we give this but as a report, but hope, for the sake of humanity, the report cannot be true. A report was industriously circulated, that a mad bull was approaching, which caused considerable confusion; but it did not appear there was any foundation

for the report, and there is no doubt but it was circulated by Connolly's daring gang of pick pockets, as numbers had their pockets picked at the time.

A most shocking, and almost unprecedented act of murder and suicide was committed at Birmingham, on Monday July 5, about eight o'clock at night, in a yard near the bottom of Cecil's Gullet, between Litchfield Street and StaffordStreet. During the servitude of her husband in the army, a woman of the name of Yeomans had cohabited with John Jee, a steel-grinder, who resided in the place abovementioned; and her husband having returned home about a month since, she left Jee, and went to live with him again, On Monday night the woman went to Jee's house, to settle, or justify herself from, a small debt, which he had reported she had left unpaid; but as soon as she entered the door, the monster, in a paroxysm of jealousy and resentment, seized her and cut her throat in two places, in the most dreadful manner, with a razor. The unfortunate creature gave a loud shriek, and ran into the yard, endeavouring to close the mortal wound with her hands. She fell almost directly. Jee followed her to the door, and seeing her fall, immediately, with the same instrument, cut his own throat so terribly, that he instantly dropped down near her, and they both died in a few minutes, with very little struggling or convulsion.

An account has lately been received from China, of an improved method of cutting glass. This process is the invention of an ingenious Mandarin, at Macao, and is performed by means of hot irons, which is represented to be far superior to the use of the diamond, and will always succeed when that jewel fails.

The foundation of a new school for the Charter-house has been laid, in the presence of Dr. Ramsden, Dr. Raine, the Assistant Masters, and the principal part of the Scholars. The building is to be on a very improved scale.

The following anecdote is given in a letter from Arras :-" A merchant of this place, Citizen St. Remy Carette, had purchased, in the year 1794, the house of the Ex-Count De Brandt, an Emigrant. As some of his workmen were demolishing a part of the house, they found a sum of 60,000 livres, in halfcrown pieces. When the unfortunate family returned, a few days ago, to France, the genercus St. Remy, attending only to the dictates of his heart, gave up both the money and the house to the former owner."

A few days ago Daniel McPhee, a bricklayer's labourer, fell from the top of a ladder, at Islington Terrace, by which accident he had a leg broke, and. was otherwise very much bruised. He was taken to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, ith little hopes of recovery.

An Italian writer has communicated the following particulars of the pedigree f Bonaparte:-His family had its origin at Sarzena, where a manuscript is found, in which the family name of Bonaparte is mentioned so early as the year 1300. there is, besides, a letter in being, from Antonio Ivani, Chancellor of Volterra, written to Cæsar Bonaparte, in 1756. Under the reign of Viscontis, in 1370, the families of Aldobrandi, Bonaparte, Piazzi, and several others, were expelled Sarzana, as adherents of the Gibellini. Some fled to Tuscany, others to Corsica, where the family of Bonaparte retired.

The Duke of Bedford, it is said, is going to the continent for three or four years, for the purpose of clearing the incumbrances left behind by the late duke,

« ПредишнаНапред »