Dec. 23. The Manager, according to annual custom, prefented the town with a new pantomime entitled Friar Bacon, or Harlequin's Adventures in Lilliput, Brobdignag, &c.

This pantomime commences with Friars Facon and Bungy, who are difcovered in the study, watching the brazen head they had made, and from the fpeech of which, according to the well-known legendary tale, they were to acquire the power of encircling England with a wall of brafs. A chorus of impatient enquirers without, vocifercully demand to know if it has fpoke; when they are filenced, the friars, unable from inceffant watching to keep awake any longer, call on Harlequin (who appears in the capacity of Bacon's fervant) and charging him to wake them on the leaft fymptoms of the head's being about to fpeak, they both fall into a profound fleep. Harlequin, inftead of following the directions he had received, amufes himself with the words that iffue from the epening mouth. It firft articulates, Time is next, Time was-and laftly, Time is paft, when it falls to the ground, and breaks to pieces. Friar Bacon awakes with the noife, denounces vengeance against Harlequin for his difobedience, condemns him to perpetual filence, and goes off in a rage. Friar Bungy then rifes from his flumber, laments the fad accident which has happened, but pity fuperfedes his refentment, and he gives Harlequin the hat and fword to direct his future fteps, and to protect him again the implacable revenge of Friar Bacon. At this

period the pantomimical bufinefs commences with Harlequin's taking Columbine from a nunnery, and bargaining with a failor for a paffage; to appeafe her father's anger, Friar Bacon engages to raise a ftorm; this paves the way for the difcovery of Harlequin, who is next feen faft afleep in the vicinity of Mildendo, the capital of Lilliput. A countryman affifts a milkmaid over a ftile, drives her cow out of the field, and when he has done milking he drives the cow back, helps her pail up, and is going off, when the fight of Harlequin (whofe figure compared to their's is truly gigantic) operates very powerfully on his features, he throws down his fcythe, and the her pail, they knock at a cottage, and call down an old man to behold the wonderful fight. A failor enters, and is at firft a little frightened, but foon recovers himself, lays hold of Harlequin's nofe, afks "What cheer,” at this the motley ftranger fnores, the peafantry run away, but the failor draws his hanger, and ftands on his guard; perceiving Harlequin fecure again in a found fleep, he goes off with an air of contempt. A country 'fquire with two blacks come on, and Harlequin rifes; the 'fquire calls on a conftable and two foldiers to arreft him; after fome hesitation he fubmits, and is guarded off. The whole hunt now appear, to whom the 'fquire describes what has happened, and offers to lead them to a fight of the wonderful object, but the found of the horn calls them the oppofite way, and all go off with a view hallo. This fcene is followed by a proceffion of officers of ftate and magiftracy to the council-chamber, where Harlequin, after fentence of condemnation is paft upon him, lifts one of the council on his head, and takes one under each arm, and runs off pursued by the reft of the court and the guards. After fome very humourous bufiness in a ftreet scene, between an old barrowwoman and fome chairmen, &c. Harlequin, with his three prifoners, is purfucd acrofs by the magiftrates, &c. and the fcene changes to the front of a bagnio in Brobdignag. A Brobdignagian watchman having fallen asleep,

remains

remains in his box till two children are paffing by in the morning to fchool; after they have fung a very humourous and characteristic duet, one of them tears a leaf out of his book, and lights it at the watchman's candle, and fets it on his toe; he fnores out an oath or two, cries the hour, and falls afleep again. Harlequin and Columbine, alarmed at the gigantic appearance of the figures, hide themfelves in a pair of boots that are ftanding at the door. An officer and his girl, who were before feen to walk into the bagnio, are, with others, frightened by the watchman's cry of fire, and appear at the windows in great confufion, which finishes the firit act of the piece.

The fecond act prefents Harlequin and Columbine returned home again a variety of perplexities, which are always expected to form part of a pantomime, fucceed each other. Bacon and Bungy oppofe each other's efforts to accomplish the fate of Harlequin, which at laft depends on his fuccefs in a hall of combat, where Columbine is

AS this department of our Magazine is intended to record public entertainments in general, we cannot conclude the bufinefs of the month without mentioning the opening of the Opera Houfe for the feafon. Under the aufpices of Signor Gallini the houfe was opened on the 29th of November, when a ferious opera called Silla was reprefented for the first time-We fhall not trouble our readers with the plot nor the poetry of this ferious piece, which, to confefs the truth, deferves rather the appellation of Silly than of Silla. It was originally written about fix years ago at Milan, by one Signor Gamera, a difciple of Metatalio, but whofe poetical talents are not much fuperior to thofe of the famous poet of Matera, who was fent to the gallies-alla galera-by Pope Sext. V. for the fake of the rhyme. Silla in the Hay-market has been dished up in the form of a etician harmonical pudding, made up of various tunes, introduced ad litum by the performers-It is not a little frange that the fole objection

pronounced to be the reward of the victor. In this laft fcene a variety of feats are performed by groupes of combatants, chevaliers, and Amazons, &c. The conqueror throws off his disguise, proves to be Harlequin, receives Columbine for his reward, and the piece concludes with a grand chorus by the priests of Hymen.

It is

The fcenery of this pantomime is equal and in fome refpects fuperior to any thing ever produced in any theatre. The view of the Lilliputian country is truely an excellent painting, and the whole pantomime forms an affemblage of fine fights, fuch as cannot fail to recommend it to the town. impoffible for the graveft to avoid laughing, and when we are tempted to do fo throughout the piece, and that at the expence neither of virtue or decency, it abates fomewhat of that averfion which we fometimes entertain against this fpecies of entertainment.

The mufic is the production of Mr. Shields, but unless in the overture, we did not difcover the hand of a mafter.

which can be urged against this opera, with regard to the mufic, lies in its fuperlative excellence. When the author of Paftor fido fubmitted his poem to the opinion of Cardinal Gonzago, he compared it to a feaft, where the viands were entirely of fugar, and thereby became difguftful. The obfervation of his eminence is applicable to all the operatical pafticcios in general, where the fingers, regardlefs of the neceffary interpofition of the fhades, the chiarofcuro, have no other aim but to elevate and furprize, not knowing that achanfon à boire will fooner gain the favour of an audience, than all the elaborate divifions and fub-divifions of their arie di bravura. As to the particular merit of the fingers that appeared laft Saturday night, the mufical accomplishments of Signora Lufini, the first woman, deferve the highest encomiums, and do great credit to the mufical taste of Signor Gallini, who engaged her in Italy. She is a good stage figure, and not only a moft delightful warbler, but alfo an excellent actress: fhe was univerfally

enc

encored in the rondeau in the fecond act. The vocal powers of Signor Uttini, the tenor, feemed rather deficient, though evidently directed by the precepts of the beft fchool. Signora Catenacci is very well for a fecond part. As to Signor Pacchierotti, and Bartolini, their musical fame is too well cftablished to need any panegyric at our hands. The ballets confifted of two light but interefting divertjements compofed by M. Dauberval, and executed in a fuperior file, as ufual, by Le Picq, Slingby, and Madame Roffi. It is

worth obferving, that no theatre in Europe ever matered at once fuch a fet of capital dancers as the Opera-houfe this feafon; for, befides the three we have juit mentioned, fince that time Monf. Veftis, jun, has appeared, and been received with the most encouraging congratulations. The decorations were, for the greatest part new, and produced a ftriking effect. We certainly do not mean this as any compliment adequate to the deferts of Mr. Novofigliki, the triumphs of his genius having fhone forth in objects of much greater confequence.

SATURDAY, Nov. 22.

MR. Remoridge, late accomptant to the

Pay-Orice, was brought before the Judges in the Court of King's Bench, when Mr. Bearcroft, on the part of Mr. Bembridge, addretted himself to the court in a long and able speech, playing for a new trial. This application, however, though fupported with very powerful arguments, the court did not think proper to comply with, and Mr. Bembridge being then in the Gotedy and prefence of the court, their lordfhips declared their intention of taking that opportu

to proceed to judgement. Mr. Juftice Willes, as fenior puifne Judge, proceeded to a full and elaborate revifion of the circumftances that had tranfpired in the evidence adduced against Mr. B. in his trial; and after commenting upon fome of them, with much point and feverity, concluded with pronouncing the judgement of the court, which was to this effect:--"That he should be fined in the fum of two thoufand fix hundred and hitty pounds, and be

confined in his Majefty's Court of King's-Bench for fix months, and until the fine was paid." He was accordingly configned to the custody of the marthal, and conveyed to that prifon. MONDAY, 24.

This morning carly, on a fudden diffolution of the fnow in the high lands, which had fallen in a very great quantity the latter end of the preceding week, the river Wear role very fudde aly, overflowed its banks, and covered all the lo ground in the vale between Stanhope and Buhops Aukland, and in diff rest places has done great damage to the lands bordering upon the river: many acres have been entirely wathed away, and many more greatly injured by the gravel and fand lodged upon them. Except the dreadful inundation in 1771, on the fame day of the month, the oldest perfon living does not remember to high a flood as the prefent, which, from its long continuance, has done more damage to the adjacent hands than that of 1771. The break-work on the fouth fide of the river adjoin

verfally expected as the first act of the new cabinet. His Majefty returned for anfwer, that he would not exercife his prerogative to interrupt their meeting, either by prorogation or diffolution. On Tuesday Lord Thurlow accepted the great feal, the Duke of Rutland the Privy Seal, and the Marquis of Caermarthen and Lord Sydney were fworn into their offices as Secretaries of State. Lord Howe is to prefide at the Admiralty board, and the Duke of Richmond at the board of Ordnance; Earl Temple to go to Ireland, and Mr. Kenyon and Mr. Arden to be Attorney and Sollicitor-General. As it is confidently afferted that this arrangement cannot laft beyond the holidays, we fhall not enter into a more minute detail. His Majesty's allurance to the House of Commons is conceived by many to extend no farther than the prefent feffion, and that it will be the limit of the prefent parliament's duration. As a document to pofterity of the notorious and barefaced corruption practifed in the reign of George the Third, we shall fubjoin an advertisement copied from the Morning Chronicle of Monday the 22d of December, while the belief of a diffolution was prevalent and univerfal:

"A certain diffolution approaching, a gentleman repeatedly fuccefsful in accommodating thofe who laudably afpire to public confequence, and who, at the prefent juncture, has it in his power to accommodate, upon terms peculiarly eligible, offers his fervice to any qualified gentleman, of the above inclination, to whom, on an interview, he will be as communicative as the nature of the cafe will admit, and manage the bufinefs with fuch fcrupulous delicacy and honour, as cannot fail of enfuring approbation. Letters from principals (only) of a ferious, candid, and liberal complexion, directed to J. Brent, at Young Slaughter's coffee-houfe, St. Martin's-lane, will be refpectfully noticed."

IN

SCOTLAND.

N an ifland on the Coul of Strathnaver, fhire of Sutherland, called Iland Na Roan, which ftands on a rock fome hundred yards in height, and is about a mile in length and breadth, a picce of earth, fome hundred yards in circumference, has lately funk in, and formed a large pit near the centre of the island, fo deep that the bottom of it cannot be feen. There are four families living on the illand, who were not fenfible of any tremor or thaking of the earth when this happened.

lin, where he had been altered from a fchoont to a brig, about eight o'clock in the evening a few miles from the Ifle of Man, ftopped on th fudden, and began to fink; fhe funk foʻlow that th the water was entering her ports; all hands were called on deck, and expected every moment t go to the bottom. The boat was then hoifter" out, which inftantly went down; nothing wat now expected but fudden diffolution, when t luckily the righted, and pursued her voyage. She arrived at Beifaft the 18th. No perfon on board can poffibly account for this extraordinary * circumstance, nor was a fimilar inftance ever known, except in the year 1759, when a veffel-fo bound from Lifbon for Belfaft, under full fail, was stopped in the fame manner, and nearly covered with water, after which the righted, and on that very day and hour there happened a mot dreadful earthquake at Lifbon.

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.

On Friday the 28th of November, the grand national convention, confifting of five delegates from every county, and three from every city in the kingdom, which affembled by appointment, at the Royal Exchange in Dublin, on the 11th of November, agreed to fixteen refolutions, on the fubject of parliamentary reform.

On Saturday the 29th, in the House of Commons, Mr. Flood, feconded by Mr. Brownlow, moved for leave to bring in a bill grounded on thefe refolutions; the motion was negatived,

Noes Ayes

157

77

Majority 85

The Houfe then voted on the motion of the Attorney-General, "That it is now abfolutely neceflary to declare, that this Houfe will fupport the rights and privileges of parliament against all encroachments whatever."

Dec. 2. The convention broke up after agreeing to an addrefs expreffive of their zeal for his Majefty's perfon and government, and imploring that their humble wish to have certain manifeft perverfions of parliamentary representation remedied by the legislature, might be imputed folely to a laudable defire to uphold the fpirit of the conftitution, to confirm the minds of their fellow-tubjects, and to perpetuate the cordial union of both kingdoms.

EAST-INDIES.

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