privilege of addressing you in their own praise, on the last night of performance in every season, to boast of the exertions that have been used to merit your favors, and to enlarge on the varieties that have been produced for your amusement. It were of little avail, however, to remind you of these facts, if they did not speak for themselves: but we trust that when the struggling efforts of this Theatre under every disadvantage of a limited season and powerful opponents, are remembered, it will not be forgotten that, in the short period of four months, no less than three full Operas, and six Musical Entertainments and Operettas have been submitted to your approval -and what is still more extraordinary than this exertion in your service, and which, we believe, we may venture to state to be unprecedented, that out of all this number, not one single instance of failure has occurred. In addition to these novelties we may, perhaps, be allowed to remind you, that no fewer than twelve revivals, or pieces new to this theatre, have been brought forward. Many complaints reached the ear of the Proprietor concerning the want of accommodation for the numerous visitors to the boxes at the second price. To remedy this inconvenience, he promptly devised the plan of opening the Grand Saloon as a shrubbery, and, which, we have every reason to suppose, afforded universal satisfaction, unless we except a celebrated critic, no less remarkable for his severity than for his talents. The last novelty of the season is so directly before you, that a few words on that subject will suffice-I need not recapitulate what has been so fully.

stated before respecting the new plan of opening the Theatre twice in one evening; many have thought it highly beneficial to the public, and many have condemned it, as lowering the consequence of a regular Theatre. We cannot consider any thing degrading, that without injuring the interests of the drama, contributes to your accomodation; but the inauspicious moment at which the experiment has been tried, with the overwhelming force of the winter or patent Theatres in terrible array against us, have hardly given us a fair chance of estimating its success: so far as we can judge it has succeeded-for during the last ten nights, compared with the ten preceding, an addition of at least one third, has been made to the number of visitors in the Theatre. Still, however, as it has been found subject to objections, the proprietor does not at present feel justified in pledging himself to continue it on a future season. Thus far, however, he pledges himself without reserve: that during the long interval for which he is compelled to close his Theatre, every effort shall be used to merit a continuance of that patronage for which I have now the honor to tender you his grateful thanks; and in my own name, and that of all the Performormers, 1 respectfully bid you farewell."

This speech was received with great applause; -and the points alluded to, particularly where he stated that the new plan had met with public approbation, were hailed as vociferously as if the audience themselves were partners, and were about to divide the encreased receipts at the Treasury.

The success of Don Giovanni has induced the performers to take it severally for their benefits-and the principal characters have been changed

THEATRE. almost with every evening's entertain ment-The Ghost has played the Libertine-Mrs. Orger aud Mrs. Brookes have also played the amorous spark

THE PEARL ISLAND.

A FRAGMENT.

HE sun looks from his tent of gold

Ton Caspia's waters calm and cold,

And on that glitt'ring bark that greets The south-gale with its store of sweets, Like the gay raft to ocean's king Maldivia's fragrant offering:

----

Alone it comes-a fragrant boat, Rich with a thousand painted flow'rs From the sweet depths of Persian bow'rs, And that most precious amber kept From tears by faithful sea-doves wept. Slowly and safe its treasures float, Tho' helmless and without a guide It skims along the sparkling tide, As the bright taper fed with balm, That maids send when the sea is calm, Glides in a cocoa's perfum ́d shell, With sweets (as Georgian legends tell), To trace a wand'ring lover's track, And tempt the waves to urge him back.

But in that floating cradle lies A maid, whose blue half-opening eyes Might seem the buds of Paradise, Whence guardian Peris come to cull The dews that virgin-sleepers lull.She smiles, and where her cheek reposes A blush steals o'er the silver roses; And the soft clinging jasmine keeps Her balmy breathing while she sleeps. It is the Spirit of Peace !-and where Will this sweet bark its treasure bear? It rests not in the golden bay Where Caspia's secret treasures lay,

Nor where the laughing sea-maids light With insect-lamps the glowing waves That glide above their diamond caves,

Till the rich surface burns more bright Than that fam'd crystal pavement spread O'er gems, for Saba's queen to tread. But Peace, a spirit pure and fair, Finds not her promis'd haven there; The demon of the death-mine dwells In that false bay of floating gold; And Pleasure's syren daughters hold

Their revel in those glassy cells.-
There is a city dimly seen

Beneath the deep sea's mirror green,
Where spiry roofs and treillis'd walls,
And the long pomp of pillared halls,

Seem like some eastern forest's pride,
By emeralds mock'd, below the tide;
Or like Formosa's kindred isle,
Stol'n by an envious sea-maid's guile,
With gems in many a column'd heap,
To tempt the diver to the deep.

But the mild Spirit rests not there,
For that sunk city is the wreck
Of glorious pomp, which war-fiends deck
The fearless venturer to snare,
Who 'midst those glitt'ring wrecks shall
perish,

Where only mimic palm-trees flourish,
Or snatch ambition's prize to gem
His thankless monarch's diadem.

Far, far from thence the mild waves curl,
Where softly swells the Isle of Pearl,
The white isle of the blissful west,
The home of spirits pure and blest.
Nor gold, nor incense, nor the flow'rs
That tempt fond Sloth in fading bow'rs,
Dwell on that shore; but all things fair,
Gentle, and pure, are treasur'd there.

The hearts of mothers, and the dreams
Of Innocence when life is young;

The first rich radiant hope that gleams
On the proud bard whose harp is strung
In honor's praise; and that sweet thought
That longest, deepest, richest lies
In souls whose secret sacrifice

Is by the shining world unbought:-
And sisters' loves, and those dear cares
That give paternal Age repose;
And the bland charities that close

The silver veil weak Nature wears,
All shrin'd within this holy bound,
Pure in eternal light are found.

The boat is moor'd-the Seraph-maid
On this blest isle has found a shade
Beneath the bow'r of Charity,
That like the balsam-raining tree
Sheds life and freshness on what-e'er
Blooms its ambrosisl shadow near:
And there to mortal eyes unknown
Peace builds her everlasting throne-
But often o'er that summer-tide,
Without a helm, without a guide,
Youth's boat of flow`rs returns again
To seek the Isle of Pearl* in vain.

V.

The Islet once known to mariners by this name is said to have disappeared.

Thus sang the shepherds, with delight;

But who shall tell the fate

That soon befel the hapless knight?
Who the sad tale relate?
The faithless page had long desired
His master's virtuous wife;
And, with unhallow'd passion fired,
Was bent against his life.
'Twas at the silent hour of rest,

Unto his couch he crept,
And plunged a dagger in his breast,
As fearlessly he slept.

Th' assassin then, with wicked speed,
His widow'd mistress sought,
And thus disguised the horrid deed
His murd rous hand had wrought.
"Oh! Lady fair! a dismal tale,
Alas! I'm bound to tell;
And much it grieves me to reveal
What fate your lord befel.
"Beneath a hellish monster's grasp

The knight resigned his breath;
Your slave received his latest gasp,
And well revenged his death.
"Now, lady, hear the solemn 'hest
Of your expiring lord ;

Oh! bear,' he cried.-' this last request
To her my soul adored.

"Tell her, the fiend you nobly slew

That robbed me of my life;

And 'tis but to your valour due

That she become your wife.""
What terror and surprise now fill'd
The wretched widow's breast!
Her blood became with horror chill'd,
But nought her lips express d.
At length arrived the fated time,
The nuptial garlands bloom;
Her husband, to avert the crime,
Forth issued from the tomb.

On her accustomed hour of rest
The grisly spectre broke:
And, pointing to his wounded breast,
These awful accents spoke.

"Oh! wife, the damned treacherous slave
That would thine honour stain,
Thy husband did of life bereave,
His wicked ends to gain."

He said, and vanished from her sight,
Like mists of morning grey;
But Justice with a heavenly light
Beamed forth upon the day
Which saw the wicked traitor seized,
And to the scaffold borne,
His master's restless shade appeased,
His mistress saved from scorn.
Beneath yon consecrated mound,
Raised by his weeping spouse,
The knight was laid in depth profound,
Within the narrow house.
Which ceaseless from the coast opposed
She viewed with aching sight;
Till Death at last her eye-lids closed
In everlasting night,

Now, here, released from earthly care,
Entombed together, rest

The fondest,-bravest,-gentlest pair,
That ever true love blest,
Full oft by shepherd passing by
Along the silent vale,

A mournful sound is heard to sigh
In murmurs on the gale.

And often, to this very day,

The simple swains believe
Their Bitting ghosts are seen to stray
On the green turf at eve,

A SOLILOQUY.
THOU! all-powerful, holy, just, and
wise,

Creator and Preserver of the world!
Look down on me !-a poor dejected worm,
Part of thy work; my form thy hand be-
stow'd;

My soul, my being, and my health thy gifts!
Desert me not, nor leave me to myself,
Forlorn, to wander through life's dreary
waste,

Unskilful where to tread; but let thy light Conduct me through each puzzling labyrinth

And thwarting stream, that haply I may

gain

To Mount Parnassus, and enjoy her skies; Whence, as thou tell'st me, aëry deities Hold o'er the passions a benignant reign. Is't hard the harmonious summit to attain,

Is't hard to hear the Muses' silver voice? Did ever mortal mount the steep in vain,

Did ever mortal hear and not rejoice? Yet talk not of the Muses' mild controul.The blessings lavish'd on the girl I love, Her youth, her beauty, and her unstain'd soul,

Impart to me a blessedness above The song, the lyre,-the voice of fame,

the whole

Of thy enjoyments in the Muses' grove.

G. F. M.

throne;

BANK NOTES.

The aggregate amount of Bank of England notes in circulation on the 30th December, 1816, of five pound notes and upwards, was 15,221,420.-Bank post bills, 1,139,340-Bank notes under five pounds, 8,293,390,- Aggregate amount of the whole 24,654,150.

Some inaccuracies having been stated. relative to the Financial statement for the last quarter, and its comparison with former quarters, the following official account is published of the Net Produce of the Revenue of Great Britain in the years ending the 10th of October, 1816, and the 10th of October, 1817, distinguishing the quarters; and also the total produce of the Consolidated Fund, the Annual Duties, and the War Taxes.

By the abstract it will be seen, that those who took the total produce of the Customs for the last quarter at 1,880,1807, have been guilty of a mistake, for though that is the actual sum applicable to the Consolidated Fund, there is a sum of 1,241,7701, received under the head of Customs, and applicable, among the Annual Duties, to pay off bills. Europ. Mag. Vol. LXXII. Oct. 1817.

Now deducting from The sum of

......

958,540

2,457,828

3,121,950

2,457,828

There remain £664,112

which is the real excess of the Customs produce last quarter beyond the corresponding quarter last year, But this is not all. If our readers will compare the four quarters of the Customs ending the 10th of October, 1817, (both consolidated customs and annual duty to pay off bills) with the four quarters ending the 10th of October, 1816, they will find an improvement in each of the four last quarters as compared with the corresponding quarter last year.

The Excise comparison presents a different result; but the cause is one over which human power had no control, but which is not likely to be permanent.

The Stamps in the two last quarters, particularly the last, afford an excess beyond the corresponding quarters.

The Post-office revenue might be expected to fall off, but the diminution is very trifling, and the last quarter is higher than either of the three preceding quarters.

The Assessed Taxes for the three last quarters exceed the Assessed Taxes in the three corresponding ones; a result which few, we believe, were prepared to ex pect.

The Land Taxes are more productive in each of the four last quarters than in the four corresponding quarters.

3 A