most crowded house seen here these many years, and greatly to the regret of the amateurs of the drama,

June 20, 1804.

JOHN BLUNT,

MANCHESTER THEATRICALS!

"The Fiend again,

with "His Flames and Firebrands*."

The town of Manchester has not, like London and its vicinity, been troubled with ghosts; but it has been terribly haunted by a FIEND! (to use his own quotation), and a most contemptible, lying one it is. He had lain dormant for some weeks past, but has once again rushed forth, with his poisonous dart (or sting) squirting his venom all around him! Poor Ideot!!!! the fumes of some deadly drugs, I doubt, have turned his few brains! The theatre is his constant topic, and with the exception of a few of his favourites, his enmity is rather increased than abated,-Like a child with a rattle, he cries for it one moment and throws it by the next. Why do not some of the London grandees come down here, to gratify this complaining pill-monger? this wonderful genius; and most astonishing critic!! We have had (as he terms them) three country stars, this season; viz. Mr. Cooper, the American Roscius; Mr. Young, of Liverpool, and Mr. Stephen Kemble, (three nights) in Falstaff, The Roscius, nor the "waggon-load of flesh" from Newcastle, cannot satisfy his gorge: the latter, in summing up his evidence, he calls a very uneven performance, and not equal to the idea he had formed of Mr. Kemble's talents, from what he had heard of his celebrity in the character! Oh, ye London critics, how could ye be so imposed upon by the Fat Knight. Had Glauber Glisterpipe been with you, he would have discovered your lack of taste and judgment, pointed out your errors, and "reformed you altogether!" He would have "admired the lightness of a dress, noted the time it would take to put it on, how many farthings would have been expended in candles, during a waste of fifteen minutes!" and many other wonderful occurrences of equal magnitude! However, his silly, futile, absurd, childish nonsense, might easily be passed over; but I cannot so readily pardon his villainous falsehoods! The following are his own words, in speaking of the benefit receipts, and even in those he is not correct!

Mr. Bengough---" This useful actor had a very successful benefit, though he had not The Soldier's Daughter,' for his play. I have been told that this piece was put up by auction, for performers' nights, after its attraction was chiefly over, at the moderate sum of twelve guineas extraordinary!! and that Mr. Bengough, in consequence of Mr. Ward's friendship for him, might have been favoured with it for nine." (A most abominable falshood.) "If this rumour be founded in fact, Mr. B. is much to be commended for discouraging so singular a species of prostitution. The Soldier's Daughter' has her charms; but Mr. B. is a modest, as well as a married man!" What he means by his last sentence, we cannot well tell at present; but he will have to answer the whole charge more seriously than he imagines.

He accuses Mr. White of a publication in the Mirror of April last, with an exposition of his (the Townsman's demerits); heaven knows, they are too nu→ merous to be related! But what will he answer when he is assured that Mr. W. *The motto, a little varied, of the 18th Number of the Townsman.

is not the author of it! He refers his readers to a publication of Mr. White's, (an appeal to the Town), which he calls a twopenny lamentation! It has, at least, one merit in it: (would so much could be said for the Twopenny Townsman) it contains nothing but truth! and as good a twopenny-worth, on that score alone, as any of the lying Twopenny Townsman.

When, in the list of the benefits, he speaks of the one for the Patriotic Fund, where he marks it with five notes of admiration: why does he not mention the profits given by him from his publication?

The benefit profits of the Theatre

The profits of the Townsman was six pounds some odd shillings, say

Deficit

£12440

640

£118 0 0

"Oh shame, where is thy blush?" But if he meets with that wonderful sale he did at first, he may soon make up the balance!

The following quotation, with a little alteration, I think will suit him to a T; and likewise some of his party.

"A man so various, that he seems to be

Not one, but all mankind's epitome;
Stiff in's opinions, always in the wrong,
He's ev'ry thing by starts, and nothing long;
For in the course of one revolving moon,
He's druggist, would-be-critic, and buffoon.
Blest madman! who can ev'ry wish enjoy;

With something new to wish, and to destroy."

Adieu to Pestle and Mortar; I shall dose him again when called upon.

The season closes here on Monday, July the 25th: it has been very productive. The following are the list of the benefits:

Mrs. Bland and Family

Monday, June 25.

Chambers and Moorhead. 55 12 Q
Mr. Corrinor, Box Book-

Keeper.

Mr. Worrall, Pit Office-
Keeper.

Messrs. Horrocks and Hea-
ly, Door-Keepers

Last night a gratis benefit for Mrs. Hatton and Bland. Most of the principals return next year---Hot work, I doubt; 'tis there where the change is chiefly wanted.---But what must you think of our critics here, when I tell you, the head of them is nothing more than a farthing apothecary, whose whole property would not purchase a pedestrian quack's portmanteau ; a spouter of the lowest class; and such are his few assistants, lumps of ignorance, and yet this town at present is guided by them ; but it will not last long.

Those marked with a were bespoke.
Bespoke by Prince William of Gloucester.

н

2

DOMESTIC EVENTS,

MURDER OF MISS BELL, AT SCARBOROUGH.A most horrid and singularly atrocious murder was committed on Cayton Sands, near Scarborough, in the night between the 11th and 12th of May; on the body of Miss Bell, a fine young woman, about sixteen years of age, eldest daughter of Mr. Bell, confectioner, of Scarborough. The following detail of the circumstances we have been favoured with by a person upon the spot, and who has had every opportunity of acquainting himself with the whole of what is known respecting this melancholy event.-On the afternoon preceding the murder, Miss Bell was accosted in the street by a private in the York Volunteers, (with whom she had some previous acquaintance), who pressed her to take a walk with him in the evening, and to this she unfortunately assented: about nine o'clock in the evening she left her father's house, and, to avoid the notice of the family, went out at a back door, through a neighbour's house, who, when apprised of her intention, attempted to dissuade her from it, by assuring her that her pretended lover was a married man. She discredited this information, and joined him in the street, according to appointment; she was soon missed by the family, who enquired anxiously for her in the neighbourhood; as the night advanced, they extended their search through the town, but without success. About eleven in the morning, information was received that this unfortunate young woman was found dead on Cayton Sand, about two miles and a half from Scarborough, laying about two yards within the high water mark, her head towards the sea, and in a position which left no doubt of the most brutal attempt having been made upon her chastity. Many shocking bruises appearing on various parts of her body, particularly on her left temple; her nose was greatly swelled, and her chin scratched, apparently with finger-nails; her cloaths were much torn, and upon the whole, exhibited every appearance of a dreadful struggle having taken place. A great number of feet marks were discerned on the sands near the body, but which did not extend either way along the beach. Upon opening the body, two surgeons, who attended the Coroner's Inquest, were decidedly of opinion that Miss Bell's death was occasioned by strangulation, a great quantity of clotted blood being found in her throat. The Coroner's Jury sat on the body on Saturday, and brought in a verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown, A private in the York Volunteers (whose name we decline mentioning) was apprehended at Molton, and examined by two of the county magistrates at Scarborough. On the examination, Miss Bell, sister to the deceased, deposed, that the prisoner was the same person that addressed her sister in the street, requesting her to walk with him. The brother to the deceased deposed to his having seen him on the Monday preceding conversing with his sister at his father's door. Mrs. Brown, a person in the neighbourhood, also swore that the prisoner was the person who walked away with the deceased on the preceding evening. To lessen the weight of this last evidence, another woman, who was with her at the time, allowed she could not, owing to the advanced hour of the evening, clearly distinguish his person. The prisoner totally denied having any acquaintance with, or ever being in company with the deceased, except having once 3 H-VOL. XVII.

spoken to her on the Saturday after the arrival of the corps in Scarborough. An alibi was also set up and established to the satisfaction of the Magistrates; the prisoner was in consequence discharged.

The unfortunate fate of this young woman having excited general commiseration and sympathy, it is with much concern we have to observe that the above account falls very short in describing the real extent of the atrocity of the deed. It appears that she died in consequence of some dreadful wounds received in resisting an attempt upon her virtue. Her face was covered with deep scars and marks of blows; the flesh of her left arm was literally torn from the bone; and her legs and thighs exhibited evidence of the most deliberate cruelty in gaining their detestable purpose. Delicacy prevents us from describing more; but the whole Jury, and medical men who attended, were shocked at the cruelties which had been perpetrated on her body. A malicious report has been propagated that she was with child, and that she had thrown herself over the cliff; but the imputation on her chastity was completely disproved by the medical men who attended the Coroner's Inquest, whose evidence, and the opinion of the Jury, will, we understand, be published.

The mayor of a country town (who a few months ago received the honour of knighthood), lately issued the following mandate to one of the inferior officers of the corporation :-" I desires you will order the Widder Jenkins to pere befour me at Toun all to morroh at A lavin, has I maye egsammon hur, and pars hur hoam, has she is likerlye to be true balsam hear."

Public Office, Bow-Street,-Mrs. Siddons has, for upwards of two months past, been extremely annoyed by applications by letters, as well as personal addresses of a young gentleman. He began with writing letters to her, informing her of his strong affection for her. He paid daily visits at her house in Marlborough-street, but the servants had orders not to admit him. He continued, however, to write letters to her, but she did not answer them till he informed her he had something of the utmost importance to communicate, and earnestly requested an interview, Mrs. S. replied, that she must decline a private interview with a gentleman of whom she had not any knowledge; but if he had any thing to communicate, she begged he would do it to either of her brothers, or her son. This having no effect, Mr. Kemble applied to Mr. Graham, the magistrate, who advised, that when the person called again the servant should behave kindly to him, and say, Mrs. Siddons had agreed to see him, and desired he would fix a time for that purpose. On Monday evening he called; when the servant informed him, that Mrs. S. had agreed to see him, and appointed ten o'clock on Tuesday morning for the interview; when Mr. Graham sent Atkins the officer to take him into custody. At the appointed time the gentleman arrived, and on insisting on seeing Mrs. S. the officer took him into custody, and they, accompanied by Mr. Kemble, went to the Public Office, where he underwent a long private examination, the result of which was, that after the magistrates had pointed out to him the folly of his conduct, in making advances of love to a married woman, he was liberated, on his promising not to be troublesome any more. He proves to be a native of Ireland, and is a student of Lincoln'sInn: he resides in Salisbury-square, and is about twenty-three years of age. The following extract may afford a specimen of the epistolary talents of this most ardent lover.

Loveliest of Women,

"In Belvidera, Isabella, Juliet, and Calista, I have admired you until my fancy threatened to burst, and the strings of my imagination were ready to crack to pieces; but, as Mrs. Siddons, I love you to madness, and until my heart and soul are overwhelmed with fondness and desire---say not that time has placed any difference in years between you and me. The youths of her day saw no wrinkles upon the brow of Ninon De L'Enclos. It is for vulgar souls alone to grow old; but you shall flourish in eternal youth, amidst the war of elements and the crush of worlds."

66

May 2, Barley Mow, Salisbury-square.”

A letter from Calais, of the 30th of May, has the following particulars in allusion to the Invasion :-

"We are ready, as soon as Buonaparte shall command us. We will not even wait for winds to waft us over. Achilles, and fifty Grecian Kings, might have such patience; but we have greater designs, which we will accomplish in spite of winds and waves, and 50,000 English Militia. To prove this, look at our hussars with oars in their hands, defying the English vessels; while sailors on the beach learn the use of arms! It seems as if they had changed profes sions! By this metamorphose we have doubled our forces by sea and land. The army and fleet, electrified by the genius of one great man, have lost all distinctions. You see a dragoon at the top-mast head, while a sailor is cleaning pistols below!"

TITLES OF THE NEW EMPEROR-Napoleone Buonaparte, Native of Corsica, Member of the National Institute, a Christian in Europe, and Maho`medan in Africa; Murderer of Turks in Prison, and Frenchmen in Hospitals; Locum Tenens of the injured Sovereign of France, Duke of Brabant, King of Lombardy, Dictator to the German Princes, President of Switzerland, Stadtholder of Holland, Tutor to the King of Spain, and the Terror of all good men, &c. &c.

In the Tribunate, besides Carnot, are twenty-two other regicides, who have voted a throne for Buonaparte, after voting a scaffold for Louis XVI. In the Senate, besides Sieyes, Gregoire, and Fouché, are sixteen other regicides, who have exalted Bonaparte to a throne, after murdering Louis XVI. upon a seaffold; who have banished as a criminal the most virtuous of Sovereigns, and who have taken home, as a Sovereign, the most criminal of foreigners.

SINGULAR BURIAL.-The simple burial ceremony of the Duke of Saxe Gotha, took place on the night of the 25th of April, according to the wish he expressed in his will. The grave was dug on the island, in the English garden, at the foot of those of his two deceased children. The false glitter so ill-becoming such an occasion, was entirely laid aside. The reigning Duchess, with her child on her arm, had the evening before strewed flowers in and round the grave. The midnight hour struck, when the body entered the garden, carried by the servants of the late Duke. The walk to the island was laid with black cloth, with the boat that carried it over. A dark but quiet night favoured this melancholy performance. The ceremony was only interrupted by the sighs and by the tears of all present, which ran in abundance on the coffin. The grave had been dug by the late Duke's courtiers, and was filled by the hands of the members