FIGARO IN LONDON. Satire should, like a polish'd razor keen, Wound with a touch that's scarcely felt or seen.— LADY MONTAGUE. " Political Pasquinades and Political Caricatures are parts ( though humble ones,) of Political history. They supply information as to the personal habits, and often as to the motives and objects of public men, which cannot be found elsewhere."— CnoKEn's NEW WHIG GUIDE. H o . 7 . ] SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 1831. [ Price One P e n n y . A VERY SPECIAL COMMISSION. The Bristol Special Commission, by which a number of miserable wretches have been found guilty of riotous assembling and other serious offences, has suggested to us a recent case which will he found in many respects similar. If in the one instance the criminals deserve to be put on their trial, the same course should be adopted with regard to those concerned in the other, and we therefore take the liberty of arraigning them ourselves at the bar of public opinion. We do but follow a late example in making the presiding judge a personal friend to the party who had caused the riot; and we therefore assign that office to Lord Brougham, who was always known to be strongly attached to a certain Bill, which the following report will show to have been the primary cause of the tumult. His Lordship opened the proceedings with the following charge to the public, which, on this occasion, stood in the situation of grand jury :—" Gentlemen, there is not one of you but must be well acquainted with the events which have this day brought us together. 1 need scarcely tell you that we have assembled here to enquire into, hear, and determine charges founded on certain acts of tumultuous outrage and violence, committed in the Chapel of St. Stephen's, hy a set of the most disorderly vagabonds that ever disgraced even that place, in which rogues and reprobates have long been known to congregate. It appears that the rascals entered the place with the determination of treating with insult and violence a certain Bill bearing the stamp of his Majesty's high approval, and sent here by his authority to carry into effect ( which it would have done had it been allowed to pass unmolested) various wholesome objects contemplated by the King for the benefit of his subjects. I t is not for me to enter too nicely into the causes of the riotous conduct of the prisoners, nor to insinuate that any course might have been adopted at an early stage of the proceedings to have checked their malicious rage as soon as it became evident. It is not for me to say that I think much mischief might have been averted by an early and judicious application to certain measures of defence, which may and ought to be resorted to in times of emergency. Far be it from me to charge the authority in whom alone the power is vested with a backwardness in exercising his prerogative of swearing in a number of special safeguards of the public peace, who, by having heen created in time to prevent molestation being offered to the Bill, would certainly have ensured the public tranquility. Iu all times it has been customary, when their aid has been considered necessary, to call into the place where the tumult occurred a number of persons sufficient for carrying into effect any measure which might at any time be considered expedient. In conclusion let me beg of you to listen attentively to the evidence which will be adduced both for and against the prisoners, and I entreat of you to let your verdict be unbiassed either by passion or prejucice." After the able charge of the learned Chancellor, the trial was proceeded with. Sir Charles Wetherell, Lords Londonderry and Wharncliffe, the Dukes of Cumberland and Wellington, Lord Eldon, Mr. Hunt, and others, were then brought to the bar, charged with violently assaulting the before- mentioned Bill, and other counts in the indictment arraigned them for endeavouring to demolish a fabric known as the English Constitution, described as the property of the whole community. 26/ FIGARO IN LONDON. Tbe Rioters being: conveyed to Justice. The learned Counsel who opened the prosecution observed, that his simple task would be to enquire whether the individuals now at the bar could be proved by satisfactory evidence to have taken part in the late outrages and acts of violence to which the aforesaid Bill and Constitution had been unhappilysubjected. I t would be proved that the prisoner Wethercll had been seen at the head of the miscreants, using the most violent and inflammatory language, in which it will be found, from the evidence, he had been joined by the other prisoners. He was also heard, subsequently to the transaction, to boast of what he had done, and to rejoice in the confusion which his obstinacy had occasioned. The prisoner Wellington was of a superior caste, and one from whom such conduct was not to be expected. It was the more to be lamented that an individual thus raised above the despicable crew who acted with him should have demeaned himself in so disgraceful a manner: he would be found, from first to last, conducting himself as the leader of the Test,— inciting them to deeds of outrage 011 the Constitution, and doing himself all the mischief he had the power of effecting. The rest, though acting as subordinates to the others, he did not doubt, would be found guilty, and he hoped the Grand Jury would do their duty firmly and honestly, for the benefit of the country at large, and with due attention to the people's interests. In conclusion, he called particular attention to the case of the prisoner Wharncliffe ; who was exceedingly riotous but principally from the effects of intoxication, produced by indulging in a beverage called half- and- half, to which,, for some time past, he had been particularly addicted. The first witness deposed, that he was in St. Stephens' the day when the riot took place, was present at the entrance of the B i l l , and heard outside a great noise from the cheering of the people. He knew the prisoner Wetherell, and saw him in a s t a t e of either madness or inebriety, outrageously abusing the Bill and assailing it in every possible manner.— He was assisted by the prisoner Hunt, and both manifested a very violent disposition towards the Constitution, which they attacked with singular asperity. The Bill, however, at length got out of the power of the two last mentioned prisoners, and passed into that division of St. Stephens' where the other culprits at the bar were waiting its arrival. The next witness bore testimony to the violence offered to the Bill, by the prisoners Cumberland, Wellington, and Eldon. On the case for the prosecution being closed, the defence was entered on, but it was only as far as concerned the prisoner Wetherell that any systematic exculpation was attempted. Witnesses were called to prove that the unhappy criminal had, for a long time, laboured under a mental disorganization, while suffering from which, he had frequently been known to commit acts of a most insane character. This malady, had lately been considerably increased, by a fall from a very high office ; the contusion he had received from which, had ever since thrown him into a state of the most painful irritation. Though there could be no doubt that the poor creature's senses were impaired, he was found guilty in conjunction with the other prisoners. Wc may, probably, make the passing of the sentence the subject of another article. THE OPENING Or FAALUMEHT, We hail with peculiar pleasure the re- assembling of Parliament, because its proceedings invariably afford us ample materials for the columns of Figaro. Our leaders, our interpreters, and our brevities, will spring up like mushroons from the seeds scattered about in the speeches of honourable members ; and if we were not piohibited by act of parliament, from giving news, we should certainly often amuse our readers with a report of their transactions. We shall in this place furnish a few of the first lines of speeches spoken on Tuesday evening, which will be found to contain much more pith, truth and character, than if we were to print at full length the whole harangue of each speaker to the great expenseiof the patience of oui readers. SIR CHARLES WETHERF. LL said he was not s e n s i b le MR. HUNT was entirely ignorant — LORD ASHLEY said he should take the earliest opportunity of moving- Mr. PERCEVAL presented apetition, praying COLONEL SIRTHORPE never could understand We shall perhaps resume this subjcct from time to time, when opportunity offers. THE INTERPRETER. Tbe Special Commissions. On Saturday three men were tried, at Nottingham, for the burning of Burton Mill j Ihe chief witnesses against them being one Dodsley, who had himself been among the rioters, and a lad named Slater, a notorious thief and liar, who had been turned away, in succession, from four places for his misconduct. One of the prisoners, named Hearson, produced five witnesses, who clearly established an alibi, nor was their direct testimony at all shaken upon crossexamination. The prosecutor for the Crown then called evidence to show, that in his first examination Hearson had given a different account of himself from that which he then sought to establish, and the jury, apparently on this evidence, found him as well as his companions guilty.— Spectator. We always understood it to be one of the first principles of English law, that mercy should weigh down the scale, where doubt should have left equal the balance between condemnation and acquittal. Our special commissioners seem, however, to be of a very contrary opinion, and some judges, we fear, 27/ FIGARO IN LONDON. from the unbecoming rigour they exhibit in summing up against the prisoners they are called upon to try, consider it their duty to the public to sentence a man to death wherever there is the remotest pretext for such severity. Did we not know the extreme rapacity of men iu office, which hardens their hearts and brutalises their natures, we should bo ashamed of imputing any thing to the human species so horrible as is implied in the question, " Are there any more fees in a case where a man is condemned, than there would be if tbe individual tried were to be acquitted ?" The above paragraph, forming part of a report in tbe Spectator newspaper, is, if true, a frightful instance of the sanguinary character of our criminal law, and an example of the heartless indifference with which it is administered. It shows us that life is in the power of any abandoned villain, whose only claim to belong to the human race, is that be has the faculty of giving utterance to the lie, which he uses, under the legal name of evidence, as his instrument of murder. But are not those who condemn others to death, under such circumstances, equally bloodthirsty in act, if not in purpose ? We are astonished that any set of jurymen could be found to bring in a verdict of guilty against the prisoners alluded to in the paragraph which wo have quoted. Two witnesses of notoriously bad character, are allowed to prevail, in a case of life and death, against five, who, without any imputation on their veracity, give their testimony on the side of mercy. Surely we need not comment on the proceeding itself; we, however, wish that abler pens than our own would advocate the immediate abolition of the system under which such revolting circumstances can by any possibility transpire. Perceval's Wisdom. MR. PERCEVAL recommended that the mere possession of dead bodies should be held to be a felony. The knowledge of surgery could not be lost in the space of two years, and if they were to try an experiment for t h a t time, he was sure that medical men would then resort to the dissection of animals, and obtain, while conducted under proper regulations, all the knowledge necessary for their professions. — Morning Chronicle.— Report of the Parliamentary Debates, January, 17. Mr. Perceval, forming as he does a component part of the legislative wisdon of this country, certainly is not ( poor man) such a specimen of it as will tend to exalt its character. His recommendation that the mere possession of a dead body should be held to be a felony, is a lamentable specimen of folly, which makes us rejoice that all the fr, liners of our laws are not of the same mind with the right honourable and downright nonsensical member whose name we have mentioned. Suppose Mr. Peceval's good lady, or one of his children were to die, does the poor silly mau wish to make himself guilty of felony for having the dead body in his possession, when, morally, he would not be one jot more of a rascal than he is at present. The latter part of the paragraph from bis speech is equally remarkable for its absurdity. He gives it as his opinion that the knowledge of surgery could not be lost in two years, if, during that period, its study were discontinued. The honourable member's opinion on this point is, we fear, the result of self- examination. He, perhaps, finds his own stock of knowledge remains the same whether he studies or not— he discovers, perhaps, that he knows not one jot more about government than he did many years ago, wheu he first entered on the office of a legislator, lie argues that as he has gained nothing by study, there is nothing to be lost by not studying; but we fear he is as much mistaken in this particular as in the very new view which he seems to have taken of humanity. Dissection of dead bodies lie opposes as a matter merely of feeling, and at the same time expresses a hope that the sui'geons will take to cutting up animals, by the torture © f wl^ ch Mr. P. trusts science will be equally advanced, without resorting to the revolting practice of human dissection. Putting out of the question the savageness of this proposition, how would it work in other respects to the end proposed by Mr. Perceval. It would, ho says, provide all the necessary anatomical knowledge— that is, a dissection of a beast would teach one all that is wanted for the treatment of man's diseases. Here again we see the danger of judging by one's self. Mr. Perceval fancies a beast is as useful as a man any day ; the honourable member consequently regards the one in about the same light as he does the other. Alas ! the consciousness of his own true value, has made him exceedingly libellous upon the rest of the race, to which he has the honour of belonging. BREVITIES. " Brevity is the soul of wit."— Shakspeare. Venerable Ruins. We understand that the Society of Antiquarians, with the view of making an interesting addition to the Museum of Antiquities, is in treaty with Sir Charles Wetherell's valet for his master's left- off wearing apparel. Wot i'the Vein for Reform. Lord Londonderry says, that if reform is granted, revolution and massacre will follow. For our parts, we have too good an opinion of the people to expect bloodshed— nor do we suspect that they will even think of opening a Vane ( vein). Any thing but laud- a- tory. Some of the anti- reformers make a boast that the English constitution is matchless. As far as the Tory Lords are concerned, it would be well if it were Peerless also. Rather purse- onal. When Lord Lyndhurst from prudential motives accepted an office lower than that he had previously filled, he disappointed the general expectation that he would have gone into the King's Bench. At all events, every one must have been astonished at his appointment to the Chief Justiceship of the court in which he now presides, for he was always considered to be particularly low in tlie Exchequer. Reasoning ln Vane. Lord Londondcriy's coals have more influence with ministers than his arguments. His speeches against reform they have always lightly treated, but to his coals they allow weight, and even consent to abandon the measure. Advantages of Thick Beads. It is fortunate for some of the Tory faction that obstinacy is one of their principal attributes ; for, as Sir Charles Wetherell can testify, a few of them would have had broken skulls, if they had not been most confoundedly headstrong. An Evil Counsellor. It is lucky for some of those who employ Sir James Scarlett, that he has not leisure to make himself acquainted with th contents of all his briefs; his clients are better off when he. pays them least attention— for, when he gets all the facts into t is head, they are in a much worse case than ever. A Comic Vane. Lord Londonderry said a good thing the other day, which, if only on account of its rarity, deserves to be chronicled. He remarked to some one with whom he was conversing, that those who advocated liberal opinions generally considered those sentiments the most liberal by which they were enabled to get the most money. TIIEATRZCAXS. We are extremely happy to find that Mr. Osbaldiston, the proprietor, has, with a spirit that does him credit, brought forward the legitimate Drama, at the Surrey Theatre. The company at this house is so good, that we were sorry to see its 28 FIGARO IN LONDON. talents employed about a week since, on a trashy affair called The Vesper Bell; a tissue, from beginning to end, of inflated bombast, and the most contemptibile clap- trap. It is we believe founded on a poem by Mrs. Hemans, a lady who has got a reputation for writing sonnets in the periodicals. The Vesper Bell is worthy of a magazine poet, and will doubtless pass for sublime, among the readers of the monthlies. It would, we think, amuse the readers of the Figaro, but in auother way, and we shall therefore favour them with a specimen of the language. One of the characters who is full of the consciousness of his own innocence, burst sont wi th the following piece of self gratulation on the occasion:—" Oh yes indeed, it is a glorious thing to look up boldly into heaven's face, and say I've done my duty." Surely the prelude to this bit of rant, deserves a better climax. In another place some one confessed to having aimed a blow at a princess, whom he met in battle, ( what did she do there,) and is rebuked in the following terms, " Good gracious heavens, try to strike a woman," " Oh then you brute, you're fit for any thing." This reminds us of an epic poem, published some years ago, hy a young friend of ours, who thus delivered himself on the subject of cruelty to the soft s e x :— This was the villain who had kill'd his wife, Who like a coward— took a woman's life, And who to consummate his hellish part, Stabbed a defenceless female to the heart. Oh ! than a man, he surely must be less, Who'd not assist a woman in distress. Of such kind of stuff is the Vesper Bell, and we were therefore glad to perceive, that, as no better original pieces can be found, we were to have the benefit of the great talents of the company, in some of Shakspeare's Tragedies. We went on Monday, to witness Othello, played in 3 acts, and interspersed with melo dramatic music, in order to render it legitimately illegitimate. Elton acted the Moor with considerable power. His famous scenes in the third, act with Iago, were sustained with considerable merit on both sides, though we must admit, that Cobham, who personated the latter character, was somewhat thrown into the shade by his competitor ; both performers however proved themselves well worthy of the parts in which they appeared, and the piece was in other respects very efficiently represented. Mrs. W. West's Desdemona is per- TO CORRESPONDENTS. We are obliged to A. B. C. for his communication, but he must be aware that we could not insert in out own paper, the very complimentary effusion with which he has honoured us. S. S. will perceive his suggestion has been in part attended to. CAUTION TO THE R E A D E R S OF THE F I G A R O . We have just seen the announcement of a threepenny work which has audaciously pirated our name of FIGARO. We here beg of the Public most distinctly to observe, that we have no connection whatever with such publication, and that the plagiarism is only a paltry attempt to gain a few subscribers upon the high reputation which our name of FIGARO has acquired. It will be seen that the work to which we allude calls itself critical, and as we have already advertised a publication devoted to literature, we think it due to our numerous subscribers, in order to prevent their being imposed on by base counterfeits, to change the title of our promised critical work, which will accordingly be called FIGARO'S REVIEW, as will be seen in the advertisement. I n consequence of the great success of this publication, several spurious imitations of it have already sprung up, but we are secure in the sagacity of our haps the best of the present day, and the cliasteness of her acting was duly appreciated by her audience. The only deficiencies in the caste, arose from Vale and Miss Scott being entrusted with the parts of Roderigo and Emilia. This Gentleman is always humorous enough when he can act and talk ad libitum, but when, as in this case, he is chained to the authors' language, he ceases to be entertaining. Of Miss Scott we do not wish to say anything ungallant, but she must exense us for telling her, that she cannot play Emilia. The house we were glad to find crouded. Lord Leveson Gower's long promised tragedy of Catherine of Cleves, was at length produced on AYednesday at Covent Garden Theatre. From what we knew of his Loidship's former writings, we did not anticipate any considerable success for his new production ; and with the opinion we entertain of Miss Fanny Kemble's acting, we augured but little addition to her fame from her appearance in a new character. We are happy to say that in both cases we were agreeably surprised, and that Catherine of Cleves, as well as Miss Fanny Kemble, both turned out highly satisfactory. The plot of the tragedy is not very intricate and possesses some interest. There are some absurdities in the language, and indeed on the whole Catherine of Cleves has but little pretensions to merit as a poetical composition. There is a Young Prince, ( wretchedly acted by Mr. Mason), who, like George the 4th, delights in the amusements of the fancy ; he loves to set his nobles quarrelling that he may have the satisfaction of seeing them fight it out, and he even elevates one to the rank of another in order to set them on an equality in the encounter ; Kemble who acts one of the intended combatants talks about stripping for the occasion to the waist, a mode of fighting we thought better suited to a couple of St. Giles's blackguards, than to a pair of noblemen. This gentleman was also exceedingly imperfect in his part, a defect for which there can be but little excuse, considering tlie time that has elapsed since the first announcement of the tragedy. Most of the performers played well, aud Miss Fanny Kemble, with the exception of her old faults, whining and striking attitudes, threw some feeling and nature into the part of Catherine ; Miss Taylor playeda page with a greatdeal of her wonted affectation, not however, unrelieved by vivacity, and some other redeeming qualities. The piece was very well received, and being only in three acts we did not find it tedious. own readers, who, we are convinced, must be too shrewd to be imposed upon by an inferior article, and we rely on their taking cate to be served with the original Figaro in London. The Trade should be very particularin this respect, and they will please to observe that Mr. STRANGE, 21, Paternoster Row, is our sole publisher. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. A little book has been sent to us, called the Book of the Church, which we have perused with a great deal of satisfaction, The matter is made up of a concentration of several very strong truths, relative to clerical abuses, and it is enlivened by numerous little wood- cuts of much spirit and pleasantry. On Saturday, February : ii, 1832, will be published, No. I. price one penny, of A N EW WEEKLY PERIODICAL, CALLED F I G A R O ' S R E V I E W: ( By the Editor of Figaro in London.} It will be devoted to Reviews, Literary Squibs, Original Articles, and Notices of the Drama. Each Number to be embellished with a Caricature by SEYMOUR. Prospectuses may be had of the publisher, W. STRANGK, 21, Paternoster Row, where all communications for the Editor are to be addressed. NEW WORK FOR THE NEW YEAR, This dny is published, No. 4, with an Engraving, by B; STBILL, Paternoster Row, and Sold by all Booksellers, A New LIBERAL, MORAL, and INDEP E N D E N T WEEKLY R E V I E W of BOOKS, the STAGE, and the F I N E ARTS, entitled, THE L I T E R A R Y T E S T; Price only Two- Pence !!! FINE ARTS.— In February, or the beginning of March, 1832, will be published,' No. I. of a New Work, ( to be continued Weekly, price three- pence) under the title of L O S T U D I O, To be solely dedicated to the purposes, and honestly devoted to the interests of the Fine Arts. In announcing this work for publication the Proprietors strongly deprecate the idea of its being started in opposition to, or rivalry or competition with any other periodical devoted to the same pursuits. It has been projected with a view to counteract the mischievous effects produced upon the public mind, by the narrow, short- sighted, and illiberal mode of criticism Jupon art usually adopted at the present day. Eachnumber will contain sixteen pages octavo, consisting ofreviews ofivorks on or relating to a r t ; critiques upon public exhibitions, or private collections ; original papers j and a variety of miscellaneous matter, interesting alike to the artist and amateur. All advertisements will be printed separate, and stitched inside the wrapper. N. B. The proprietors will feel obliged by any suggestions respecting the work, addressed by letter, post paid to tbe Editor, at Mr. Richardson's, 245, High Holborn. Prin ted by W. Molineux, 13, Bolls Buildings, Fetter Lane. PUBLISHED BY W. STRANGE, 21, PATERNOSTER ROW.