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DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

knowledge than it does of originality; the
whole is executed with great power of
hand and a command of the brush, and
is tolerably well coloured: but the prin-
cipal figure, Christ, is a literal copy from
Vandycke. The etching from which it is
taken is by Vandycke's own hand, and is
very rare.
Does the artist presume upon

its rarity to escape detection?

The choice of this subject is, perhaps, not the most judicious; for, notwithstanding its frequent representation by inferior painters, which has rendered it too familiar to us, to prevent that forcible impression which a picture should give upon first view, it has been handled by one of the greatest masters, Titian, whose picture (now in the Louvre) ranks among the first in the world. To the ignorance of the English public of this truly grand composition, Mr. Hilton is in a great measure indebted for the reputation which his picture at present possesses.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

WILLIAM TELL.

In this historical play, the production of MR. KNOWLES, author of the successful tragedies of Virginius and Gracchus, the free principles, and bold, unyielding spirit of the Swiss patriot, William Tell, whose story is so well known, are skilfully and forcibly portrayed; and though we do not admire an admixture of the effusions of Melpomene and the comic muse, we are inclined to think, that in the present case of a singular paucity of materials, some imaginative and playful aid might be

necessary.

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trance to her chamber; the next exhibits a prisoner in the hands of Gesler's guards, who are conducting him to a dungeon. Tell then appears; whose transient feelings addressed to Michael, manifest his spirit and designs. The two friends enter the castle in disguise, when the lover's seasonable assistant becomes enamoured of the seneschal's niece, as the former had already been of his daughter. Tell, accompanied by his wife and son, are then seen in front of his cottage. The son is practising with his bow at a target, under the instruction of his father, who gives him an animating lecture in archery and patriotism. Suppose it," says Tell, suppose it to be a wolf-suppose it to be Gesler."-The boy instantly sends the arrow to the very centre. The father exults. At that instant enters old Melchtal, whom the tyrant had just caused to be deprived of his eyes. His piteous appearance exasperates Tell beyond endurance, and he instantly despatches Albert with a poniard, (the concerted signal of revolt,) to the son of the sightless sufferer. On his way among the mountains, he falls in with Gesler, who, in a chase, had been accidentally separated from his party, and guides the wearied, fainting tyrant to Altorf. Gesler naturally inquires his name, which Albert refusing to divulge, his suspicions are awakened, and he detains him. In the mean time, Tell having rescued his friend Michael, who had been imprisoned for not doing homage to the governor's bonnet, is himself seized, put in chains, and brought before him.

Gesler, feeling some secret intimation that the boy is his prisoner's son, confronts them, and extorts their confession of the fact, which they for some time deny, The principal characters (among the by condemning them both to instant death. Austrians) are Gesler, governor of Wald- But the relationship no sooner avowed, stetten; Struth, his seneschal; Anneli, than the despot decrees, as the price of step-daughter to the seneschal; and their freedom, that Tell, with an arrow, Agnes, her cousin. Among the Swiss, shall divide an apple placed on his son's William Tell; Albert, his son; Erai, a head. The parental struggle in the breast patriot; Melchtal, his father; Michael, of Tell is long and violent; but at length son of a burgher of Altorf; and Emma, he accepts the proffered terms, hard as Tell's wife. The cruel tyranny of the they are; and, by his skill as a marksman, Austrian governor -the Swiss league splits the apple without touching the boy. against his barbarous rule-the patriot's Gesler, however, true to his cruel and refusal of homage to his bonnet suspended revengeful character, detains both father in the market-place-Gesler's dooming and son; the people intantly fly to arms him to the unnatural punishment of shoot--Tell regains his personal freedom-deing at an apple placed upon the head of his child-Tell's successful effort, and the ultimate death of the tyrant and tyranny itself these, and some inferior incidents, constitute the business of the piece.

The first scene presents us with a lover serenading his mistress, and the suggestion of a stratagem by his friend to gain en

stroys Gesler-and hastens to the assault of Altorf castle. The attack proceeds; Albert is released, and the union of the lovers, and triumph of liberty and public virtue, conclude the piece.

There are in this production, the display of much dramatic skill, a considerable developement of stage experience, and

many distinguished manifestations of just and intense feeling; but we are inclined to think, that were there still somewhat more of these requisites, and fewer declamations-more energy, and less prolixity of expression-the piece would be superior to what it now is. Tell was a man of strong mental stamen, and vigorous corporeal activity, but ill qualified for eloquence. All he says should be short and impassioned, as every thing he does is prompt and determined. His faculties are rude and uncultivated, but his sensations are fervent, and by consequence, his words will be energetic; but always as few as we find them when he stands in chains before his country's oppressor.

The conduct of the plot, considering how spare it is in itself, reflects much credit on the author's contrivance and resources; and under the restraint he imposed on his powers, by his, we must repeat, not very judiciously chosen subject, he has acquitted himself in a style that commands our deliberate commendation. MACREADY, in Tell, gives some of the hero's bursts of passion with a force and feeling that must have highly gratified the author; MISS C. FISHER, as Albert, both in her direct and side action, is extremely natural; WALLACK, as a gay young villager, and KNIGHT, as a foolish servant, are quite as comic as their situations will fairly permit them to be; and MRS. BUNN, MISS POVEY, and MRS. YATES, in Emma, Anneli, and Agnes, are far above mediocrity.

TUTBURY CASTLE, STAFFORD

SHIRE.

THIS interesting relic of feudal sway is of great antiquity. Some have supposed that it was founded before the Conquest; but it is generally said to have been erected by Henry de Ferrers, who was one of William's Norman followers, and who had a large grant of lands in Staffordshire and Derbyshire, given him by his sovereign for his fidelity and assistance. It remained in the possession of the Ferrers' family till the time of Henry III., when Richard of that name was attainted, and his property confiscated to the crown. His castle was given by Henry to his son Edmund, earl of Lancaster; in consequence of the rebellion of Thomas, one of his successors, during the reign of Edward II., it was almost demolished; but the magnanimous John of Gaunt had it rebuilt in 1351, and under him it sprung, phoenix-like, from its ruins, being one of his most favourite residences, where at his table war's bold

sons and beauty's blushing daughters enlivened it with their feats and smiles, their tales and loveliness. Among the various sports devised for the entertainment of the company, there was one custom kept up even till almost the end of the last century, annually observed. A bull was turned out on the 16th of August in the court-yard, and the people, divided into two parties, contended with cudgels striving against each other to drive it to a certain appointed place. Bands of minstrels from all quarters assembled on this occasion, and a king, gifted with peculiar authority, was chosen to direct and preside over them.

In after time Mary Stuart was twice confined in this castle, and this circumstance renders the remains most interesting to the visitor. Whatever were her failings, however great were her indiscretions, she has been universally pitied and admired-pitied for the misfortunes that she suffered-admired for her personal charms and mental acquirements. Whilst strolling amid these ruins and musing on the precariousness of our mortal statewhilst thinking "what shadows we are, and what shadows we pursue," we forget her faults, if those laid to her charge be true, and only execrate her base persecutors, and lament her own untimely end.

To return, however, to the castle. During the civil wars it suffered severely, and at length in 1646 was dismantled by order of the Parliament. From that period it has by degrees fallen away, and sunk into its present desolate appearance. The remains are not remarkable for extent or grandeur, but from their beautiful situation form an object highly picturesque and attractive. To say nothing of the associations connected with it, for they will bosoms, the prospect alone will repay any be easily excited in feeling or imaginative time spent at the spot. The edifice was built on a hill of alabaster, and on three sides the view is uninterrupted by the intervention of any near object. Two rivers,

-"that earth-born giant," the Trent, and the "silvery Dove" wind along the meadows beneath. Villages, seats, and woods diversify the scene; and on a clear day thirteen church towers, or spires, may be sketch, by saying, that if any admirer of counted. I shall conclude this rambling antiquity, any lover of nature's softer Jandscapes, any child of fancy, pass near, he would do well to visit Tutbury castle. J. E. S.

Diary of Occurrences.

May 11.-I was happy to hear Mr. M'Culloch say this morning we had got

WEEKLY CALENDAR.

through the most knotty parts of the science, and that our future progress would be comparatively easy. The late lectures have been very trying to the understand ing certainly; and I verily think there is nothing more difficult, even in metaphysics, than the new theory of rent, and the laws which regulate profits and wages. The whole depends on a chain of definitions, principles, and corollaries, through which it requires as much logical power to accompany the lecturer, as to comprehend the demonstration of a theorem of Euclid. No wonder the audience is attentive, for the whole chain of reasoning would be lost by dropping a single link.

Went in the afternoon to see Mr. Graham ascend in his balloon. Of all the marvellous discoveries of science, that of aerostation seems the most astonishing; to see a huge machine borne aloft through the air by an invisible power must be wonderful indeed, at first sight, to the unscientific beholder.

It is said that Dr. Burgess is to be translated to the vacant see of Salisbury, and that he will be succeeded by Dr. Jenkinson, the present Dean of Worcester.

14. What curious coincidence: to

day the Duke of York narrowly escaped breaking the ridge of his nose by his horse falling under him, when passing through Hill-street. A few days preceding the Lord Chancellor was precipitated into the street by the breaking down of his carriage: as both these high personages are known to be the leading anti-catholics, these ominous accidents excite divers feelings, and are variously interpreted.

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Great pressure of business in St. Stephens; no fewer than eight committees on private bills sat in one room (the smoking room) of the House of Commons.

It is certainly an extraordinary fact that common ashes are sent from Newcastle to London in such quantities, for the purpose of making bricks, that it is not unusual for twenty ships to be freighted with them in a week. And what renders the circumstance more remarkable is, that a greater sum is paid for the transit of ashes than of coals.Mr. Cundy, architect and engineer, has invented a machine for moulding two hundred bricks in a minute.

Went to see The Iron Chest. Miss Foote played Helen with her usual sweetness and grace; notwithstanding the severe trials of this young lady, she looks as sprightly and maidenly as ever. Miss Faton, I am sorry to observe, the vicissitudes of the times have left a deeper impression.

On

A prospectus has been circulated under the auspices of sir Humphry Davy, the

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object of which is the formation of a society for the promotion of zoology, on a similar plan to the Horticultural Society for the improvement of gardening. It is rather a curious project, and proposes to have all the fish of the waters, all the birds of the air, and all the beasts of the field, naturalized in and about London.

Weekly Calendar.

May XXI.-Saturday. High Water, Morn. IV. 16 m.—Even. IV. 35 m. Sun rises, IV. 6 m.; sets, VII. 54 m. Oxford Term ends.

Samuel Baldwin, Esq. was, in compliance CHRONOLOGY.-In 1736, the body of with an injunction in his will, immersed Hants. His motive for this singular mode sans cérémonie in the sea, at Lymington of entombment was to prevent his wife from " this modern Xanthippe had frequently 'dancing over his grave," which threatened to do, in case she survived

him.

The Sun enters the constellation Gemini

at thirteen minutes after two in the morning of this day.

May XXII.-Whit-Sunday.' High Water, Morn. IV. 55 m.-Even. V. 15 m. Sunday Lessons, Morn. Deut. 16, Acts 10; Even, Isaiah 11, Acts 19.

CUSTOMS.

On Whit-Sunday, ** or White Sunday, the catechumens who were then baptized, as well as those who had been baptized before at Easter, appeared in the ancient church in white garments.

One of the most strange customs time has handed down to us,is observed on this day at St. Briavels, in Gloucestershire. On WhitSunday, several baskets full of bread and cheese, cut into small squares of about an inch each, are brought into the church; and immediately after divine service is ended, the churchwardens, or some other persons, take them into the galleries, from whence their contents are thrown among the congregation, who have a graud scramble for them in the body of the church, which occasions as great a tumult and uproar as the amusements of a village wake, the inhabitants being always extremely anxious in their attendance on worship on this day.

This custom is held for the purpose of preserving to the poor of St. Bríavels and Hewelfield the right of cutting and carrying away wood from three thousand acres of coppice land, in Hind-Knolls and the Meends; and for which every housekeeper

is assessed twopence to buy the bread and cheese given away.

May XXIII.—Whit-Monday. High Water, Morn. V. 58 m.-Even. VI. 2 m.

CUSTOMS. This day and Whit-Tuesday, are observed as festivals for the same reason as Monday and Tuesday in Easter. Their religious character, however, is almost obsolete, and they are now kept as holidays, for amusement and diversion.

CHRONOLOGY.-The birth of Linnæus is celebrated among naturalists by an anniversary dinner this day. The Linnæan Society of London strictly observe this annual custom to dine together.

May XXIV-Whit-Tuesday.

High Water, Morn. VI. 28 m.-Even. VI. 55 m.

CHRONOLOGY. On this day, 1543, died Nicholas, Copernicus, a celebrated philosopher and physician. The chamber in which he drew breath is still religiously preserved. He was buried in the most ancient church of Thorn, his native place; in Prussia. His father was a stranger, from what part of Europe is not known; nor was it till lately that Lalande was able to ascertain correctly the time of the death of this great man. The genius of Copernicus led him to astronomy, and he travelled to teach his system at Rome, which was that of Pythagoras revived. It is now universally received, confirmed by phenomena, and to be explained by the law of gravitation. The " Copernican Hypothesis "makes the sun the centre of the system, and the earth to move not only round the sun, but round its own axis also.

May XXV.-Wednesday.

High Water, Morn. VII. 24 m.-Even. VII, 52 m. Oxford Term begins.

CHRONOLOGY.-1660. Charles II. arrived at Dover, from his exile.

1805. Expired, in the sixty-third year of his age, Dr. William Paley, a learned divine, and elegant writer on ethics, born at Peterborough, and educated at Cambridge.

May XXVI.-Thursday. High Water, Morn. VIII. 24 m.-Even. VIII.

56 m.

Constant twilight now commences in the latitude of London, and continues till the 18th of July.

CHRONOLOGY, 1824. Died Capel Lofft, an admired poet, and the friend of Bloomfield; a distinguished writer in the law department, as well as in defence of liberty, and an amiable and benevolent

man,

Map XXVII.—Friday.

High Water, Morn. IX. 31 m.—Even. X. 6 m.

CHRONOLOGY.-The venerable Margaret, countess of Salisbury, beheaded in the Tower. She was the last of the regal line of Plantagenet, and this seems to have been the only crime, except that of being mother to cardinal Pole, to whom the tyrant, Henry VIII., bore the most inveterate hatred.

1556. John Calvin, reformer, died at Geneva.

GARDEN. Sow cardoons; water strawberries and new planted crops; examine new grafted trees; transplant perennial and biennial flowers; and sow cucumbers in the natural ground.

LIST OF WORKS PUBLISHED

The Foresters, crown 8vo. 10s. 6d. -Bay4to. 37. 3.s.; imp. 51. 5s.-Ainslie on Cholera ley's History of the Tower, part 2, royal Morbus of India, fc. 8vo. 3s. 6d. Price's Journal of the British Embassy to Persia, plates, oblong 4to. 21. 2s. Gray's Travels in Western Africa, Svo. 18s.-Hints, to Churchwardens, 8vo. 10s. 6d.-Goldicutt's ancient Decorations from Pompeii, No. 1. imp. 8vo. 12s.; proofs royal 4to. 11. 1s.-Hewlett's Sermons, vol. 4, 10s. 6d.-London in the Olden Time, 8vo. 10s. Jones's Latin Analogies, 12mo. 3s. 6d.—Village Pastor, 12mo. 8s.— Cunningham's Six Sermons, 12mo. 3s. 6d. The Traveller, a Tale, 3 vols. 8vo. 18.s.—History of Epsom, 8vo. 8s.-Harp of Zion by Knox, 18mo. 5s.-Howison's Foreign Scenes, 2 vols. 8vo. 15s.—Whiter's Etymological Dictionary, vol. 2, 4to. 21. 2s.

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NOTWITHSTANDING the violent and imperious disposition of Henry VIII., it must be allowed that he proceeded with great temper and policy in the suppression of religious houses. Popular feeling was decidedly opposed to this great innovation in a long established system. By means of pretended miracles, by their hospitality, and by sundry good offices, the priesthood had obtained an unbounded influence over, and were much endeared to, the common people; and they looked upon the confiscation of the possessions of their ancient teachers, as nothing better than a shameless and unjustifiable robbery. Henry, therefore, had to proceed with great caution in his reformatory movements. In order to reconcile the people to the change, they were told that the king would never thenceforth have occasion to levy taxes, but would be able from the abbey lands alone to bear du ring war, as well as peace, the whole charges of government. While such topics were employed to appease the populace, Henry took an effectual method of inter

VOL. I.

esting the nobility and gentry in the success of his scheme. He either made a gift of the revenues of convents to his favourites and courtier or sold them at low prices, or exchanged them for other lands on very disadvantageous terms. He was so profuse in his liberalities, that he is said to have given a woman the whole revenue of a convent, as a reward for making a pudding, which happened to gratify the royal palate. Neiter were the clergy neglected. He settled pensions on the abbots and priors proportioned to their former revenues or to their merits; and gave each monk a yearly pension of eight marks: he erected six new bishoprics, all of which, except Westminster, subsist at this day. these largesses and appropriations, the profit which the king finally reaped by the seizure of the church lands was very trifling and much below popular opinion.

By

The work of suppression was carried on at two different periods; the lesser monasteries were suppressed in 1538, the greater two years afterwards. In the

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