The National Register. — London, England, 1809-07-16 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL tIEGISITR. 46! who persists in seclusion, and yields up his soul to the mad ness of remembrance, during eighteen years of-the prime of his life, may be a very goo d modern dramatk character, but is scarcely a human being-. Should same perstins d. sirous of detracting from the merit of our author, asser. that they have known real instances of this grief, we an swer that we have also known many individuals subject weaknesses and deformities of 'character, who have affect ed us a ith pity or disgnst, but we know not how to ex press our admiration of the boldness of the modern drama tist who eudeavours to raise our esteem for imhecillsys and to interest our sensibility for unmeaning- extravagance. roar Young who performs this high-finished character, is sometimes driven to contortions and wildness of gesture, sts truly contradictory to every natural emotion, that we 'really felt for the man. whose powers of expression might suit the obsolete dramas of .v•lzakesisear or but are far tn?neath the romantic theatricals of the present (lAN. We advise him not to dispute the palm of superiority irt this hue with Jones, gyre, lnd Farley, who are wonderfully improving in this species of sublimity, and do not meal% " tear a passim to rags," but throw the very fragment.i of a passion above the clouds. The grotaal work of this drama is for the first two acts aimplicity iiself. The end is seen at the beginninaa . modern dramatist never depend.; on the gradual trufoldiags of a plot b p s natural incidents for the interest he means to sustain in the expectation of his audience. No, if he can not keep up a more powerful interest by romantic and im possible incidents and situations, he must neeesatrily be damned fur a mere mortal. The :lather of %he of the Forest 13 a man of .Modern Genius, and therefore as far above mortality as modern romance is above common sense. With a skill that excels even the most curious of his cotemporary competitors, he terminates all the common interest of his plot at the end ef the second act, and by coup de Thca!re begirs a fresh—hangs on a third act, like a kettle to a cur's tale, and keeps his actors ratting hroua.l: all the shifts and tricks of a perplexed pantomiraa There , were some human beings with common feelings roip plat'- understandiags who ventured to sheaf co:oink - a-able dissatisfaction at this. But. the sense of the hoosa was :le cidedly against them. The romance refuters hid and this foundb*ng of modern genius was supported a ash re iterated applause. Mr. Dimond is the author of this successful ;iiece. (ler readers will perceive what: sort of merit it possess;, froia what we have already said. A slight survey of the 0,1 and characters s vita shew that we have riot proisrd it too highly. The Count de Valmont (Mr. Youag), had entrusted his nephew the Baron Longuerilic (Mr. Eyre), with the protection of his wife and infant son, on his ieparte re from Langutiloc during the Iltyaenot-wars. This nepia... is one of the mast consummate villains that the stage ever di-all veli. He is actuated by avarice; arid. in hopes of Rectally); the sessions of his uncle, he suborns Bertram (Mr.. tar ha') to fire his uncle's chateau in Languedoc, and to murder the Countess and her child. The Coont returns tliaing that dreadful transaction, and witnesses the apparent destruction of all which he held dear in the world. In a neighboariva forest, through which he wanders in his daspair, he fiads an infant. This child he rears to manhood, and then &termitic, to marry to ;,his neiee Geraldine (Mrs. Gibbs). H o t; Geraldine and not the Baron is to inherit his es•ates the author has not informed us; but it was necessary that vie should see a little more Villainy, and therefore'that the Baron should have a new impalsa. Love' and avarice together instigate him to 41cstrub Florian, the Tow!d!ing (Mr. Jones). It happens that norianis returning from the wars where he has gained great reputation. Strange as it may appear, the protege of the Count de Valmont returns alone and unarmed. A French soldier in the six.; teenth cen; ury, without a sword, was rather an tineo - aimaa animal. But the modern drama delights in areozim o on anus ; and we should not be surprised at hearieg that Ir. Harris 40 made an cagagehient with rideock as . • ' JULY lg. a'ell as with Calalani for the new unrivalled national theatre. The murderers employed by the Baron traced the l'oundliag to a cottage in the forest, where he has lakett refuge from a tremendous storm. The Cottager (Mrs. Davenport) has afforded shelter to a wretched fe male maniac for many year; past. This mai:lac rushes be tween the murderers and Florian : among the murderers !s Bertram, who is startled at her appearance ; and, repen tant before, now desists from his purpo : ie, for he recog nizes in the maniac, the Cou'utess elc Valmont (Mrs. Glover. It is now apparent that Florian is the ,on of his preserver, and R th ri Vern a ins but the natural termination of the piece, ! vile suggestion ! A natural termination to a ?nor:ern drama !—No.—Mr. Dimond knows better the ta....te of the public. From Nature he flies as if he was afraid of her, lad, as we have said before, contrives to tack a truly PIO -- icor third act, without the least trait of natnral interest in . :s composition. Of the actors, we thought YonnT and Mrs. Waver much too natural for their parts. If they continue to act in that chaste and elegant manner, panning Theodore will absolutely set them down for naturals. Farley is a line 7.49tiern actor : he ranted out the ravings of rcintr..c in th; - - iTwest st‘ To of impassioned "Npression. Jones :;t,zret: throegb tha ranndii..:g as if he ima g ined it syns ri,...rc.ssary to ...s lac found :d za v.! Hni the idea of Peter theWild-Bo; and 'e really lo:•ked that character extremely well. Lis!pa's i‘nrt was a very sli:!ht sninalc of the modern comic and Al i - r;. Liston's stilt /egg, ifwe r:-:rept some expressiens bordering upon bald, ; flash. ',qrs. Davenport's pail was played with too much nature for the ir.. - *rn drama though she certainly poasessas some squr:r!s iii !ler tonei r,f e.:clamation, which human tialcre Iris cell aHiy nothing to do with. Tho music by Kelly -,-as exactly conformable to the character of the piece. 51'01? 111.1'C. o.' Wct7nrsla.v Cs rt . %IN C t he pedestrian. won ?tic wrier 17 7nin!:tes past three o'clnek, in a much b-tter 'late could hate been expected, and iu• the pte,enct nt =t•frr:st then.uands of spectators. tiv arter sett a bAth. The Captain next psi; on Ili:. flauntlQ, b 7 thead siee of hi . : surßeon. - ard went to bed, and %vas not ealied nazii eles-Pn o'cloc!: at ;.;21tt. li^ felt no inennveniente th• marl, trt;il the filtirtit week, w hen he becatne rather lame in the_ back s'ituewE• a:t:1 caif of his right whirl' never ccnld he cfrectually reinnyee, aititottzli the pedestrian was much better a. the terininati.:n than at the end of the 'ont th week. lie ar rived in town on Friday ni.4%t, fru:to Newmarket. He is con si.lerah:y ret:orrd and s:tmewinit butt he is rer.)veriog ev:•ry '11)::r. Ca:;tain iil feser and head-ache hon-:s hcf o re the e::neltvion t,f thf. :nate!). and his Icere ut?tler tik:l7,r•eable aperehensons; but the attack was rne: - rit.. te!r: , orary, he won ease and cood bodily treat t.-,:itleettan in the city basing , ina;e:ied cu.:. *1 do the same ta-k, nest" ts:k heard or•but by the writer of the raragrnph.--The Cap.... in has won about and the aggregate of betting may be computed at C7.ntain 13nrclay's groom k mntchei to go one hundred miles io !:0 hourq, for VO guineas; he starts at Newarket Ito Mont..)' next. LEG.I r 1 ItEPoRn,.. COURT 01' KING'S Br:CII, FrtIDAY, JULY 13. SALE OF PLACES UN DEAL GOVi;RNMENT. THE KING V. I'OI.I.MAN AND OTI/ERS. This was an inform::tion ti1 , .(1 by his Niajesty's A ttornev-Ge ooral.azilinl/4t four p-r , ons of. the name of Pullman, keylock, Wat‘on, and Anne Hervey, for a conspiracy, to procure by un- , doe influence, I se , place of a Coast-waiter in the CuAmns for IleAse, Esq. in consideration of "2000/. 'a he paid by him to Polltnam, Keylock, and Hervey for the ••rune. Mr. A itorticy:Cetteral having stated the circumstances of the else, the facts were proved by Mr. Ile se, who wa-; a (jerk t.) the Solicitor of the Treasury, to the following eXect : Mr. ilesbc, who was bred a barrister, but bad retired from the pro- I • I. • '•• k