438 
5th. The grand musical festival 
annually celebrated in Winchester, 
began on this day, with a concert at 
St. John’s house, where it was nu- 
merously and brilliantly attended. 
Mrs. Billington exerted, with the ut- 
most success, those unrivalled vocal 
powers for which she is so eminent ; 
and Miss Tenant was much admired 
and applauded. On Thursday 
‘morning, at 11 o’clock, the doors 
of the cathedral were thrown open, 
and, as was expected, the perform- 
ance of ‘¢ The Messiah,” in which 
Mrs. Billington took a principal 
part, attracted all the beauty and 
fashion of Hampshire and the neigh- 
bouring counties. At the miscella- 
neous concert in the evening, Mrs. 
Billington sung, ‘¢ Sweet Bird,”’ in so 
_ superior and exquisite a style, as to 
delight and enrapture all the audi- 
ence. On Friday morning the first 
act of ‘“¢ Judas Maccabaeus,” with 
a selection from the best pieces of 
Handel, Haydn, &c. was executed 
with much taste at the cathedral. 
This selection did great credit to Mr. 
Chard, the conductor, as nothing 
could, at this time, tend more to in- 
flame the breasts of Britons with pa- 
triotic ardour, than the sublime sen- 
timents, and animating strains which 
abound in the oratorios of Handel. 
Mrs. Billington, in the songs of 
<¢ Pious Orgies,” and, ‘+ Angels ever 
Bright and Fair,” was, beyond ex- 
pression, charming and great. Miss 
Tennant was particularly happy in 
*¢ Awake, thou Lute and Harp,” 
from Martini; and Denman gave 
the following appropriate air, with 
great energy, feeling, and effect. 
Arm, arm, ye brave! a noble 
cause, i 
The cause of heaven your zeal 
+temands, 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1803. 
In defence of your nation, reli- 
gion, and laws, 
The almighty Jehovah will 
strengthen your hands. 
6th. Ona rope being thrown out 
to fasten to the Jettyy, from a vessel 
in the harbour of Hull, it caught 
the captain by the leg, just below the 
knee, stripped the muscles and flesh 
from the bone, and tore his foot en- 
tirely off. ‘The captain died soon after. 
A clerk of Messrs. Bennett, 
brewers, at Enfield, fell into a vessel 
of wort, and was suffocated. 
7th. This day arrived in London, 
on a diplomatic mission, Mehmet 
Bey Elfi Murad, one of the Mame- 
luke chiefs, who fought so bravely 
at Alexandria. He was wounded in 
the side by a musket-ball, and con- 
cealed it fortwo days, lest, if known, 
his danger should produce a cabal 
among the other rival chiefs, and 
dismay among his troops. His life 
was saved by the valour of the Eng- 
lish. . His suite at present consists of 
17 persons; but the most valuable 
part of it, fo the number of 13, has 
not yet arrived. It includes three 
beautiful females; one a favourite 
Georgian, to whom he is much at- 
tached : the other two are Circas- 
sians ; one remarkable for dancing, 
the other for singing. While at 
dinner, he is waited upon by four 
pages, and a secretary, who acts al- 
ways.as interpreter. \ He does not 
help himself at table; but, when he 
signifies a liking to any particular 
dish, one of the pages helps him: he 
is a great epicure, and drinks two 
bottles of champagne or burgundy 
after dinner. He is also very fond 
of spruce-beer, but drinks no malt- 
liquor. He appears to be fascinated 
with the customs of this country. 
Of the English ladies he speaks in 
terms 
