The National Register. — London, England, 1808-01-04 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. pointed style. We shall criticise new plays with as much can dour as old ones, and endeavour to recommend our observations on the actors, by pointing out the beauties of their conceptions, and explaining the principles in which they may fail, rather than by the ptiffs of personal partiality, or the vulgarity of per sonal abuse. While other critics write to obtain fame for their own ingenuity, we shall labour to exhibit truth for our readers ; and as truth, in theatrical affairs, has so long been a stranger to the public, we have no doubt that the public will receive her with all the hospitality vvihich a stranger should claim! JAN. 4 gaity was, therefore, well pourtrayed by him ; but Btnedick is a man of more than surface, a wit who has as much of reason as of jest. These features of the character were neutralized by Mr. Lewis ; and that colour of character, which ought to have been a mixture, was renflered one brilliant scarlet. Mr. Mundeu was too shrewd in Dogberry, for Dogberry is not like the Si ork shi reman of the modern stage, a clever fool, but a mere super annuated simpleton. Mr. C. Kemble is placed beneath his merit, in so wretched a character as Claudio ; but he did as much as possible for the part; and Miss Bolton, in Hero, dis played great sweetness and feeling. DRURY LINE. On Monday the 6 28th of December a Pantomime was produced at Drury-lane, called Furibond, or Harlequin Negro. This piece was so exceedingly defective iu its machinery, that on the first night it very narrowly escaped a total condemnation. Nor can we discover that, independently of the awkwardness of work men and the rottenness of ropes, the plot of this pantomime is de serving of commendation. It difficult to comprehend the mo tive or use of the tricks or scenic exhibitions: and the piece has accordingly been little successful. Mr. Dartland is a graceful harlequin, and Mrs. Sharp is assuredly the best dancer who has fur some years represented the Columbine. Nor can we allow the well-earned popularity of Mr. (lrimaldi, the Clown of Co vent (iarden, to obstruct our praises of Mr. Laurent, Who acts the blunderer at Drury Lane. Mr. Ciimaldi is famous for put ting all his limbs most ingeniously out of joint. Mr. Laurent deserves to he at least as much admired for employing his joints with the greatest possible agility. The one has had the glory of turning bodily nature from her common course, the other merits the praise of having cultivated her to her highest perfection. The Music is by Mr. Condell. COVENT G., iiDEN. At Covent Garden, on the same evening, was acted, for the first time, a Pantomime, entitled Harlequin in his Element, or Fire, Water, Earth, anti Air. The Fable is the composition of Mr. Dibdin, who in his Mother Goose displayed so great a know ledge of pantomimic effect. But in this piece Mr. Dibdin has by no means equalled his former effort ; and although the ma chinery is much more adroitly managed here than at Drury Lane, yet both Pantomimes deserve equal censure for a want of appa rent connection in the fable and tramformations. There is, how ever, a stroke of satire here, w hick merits some praise, and which is levelled against the parochial system of employing aged and drowsy watchmen. We cannot help wishing that pantomime, as formerly was the case, entered with greater freedom on the fiel.l of satire. Miss Adams made her first appearance in this Theatre as Columbine, and was favourably receive,L—Her sis ters performed a pas de trois extremely well ; but the dancing at C.ivent Garden is still on the whote inferior to the dancing at Drury Lane. Mr. Bologna was the Hari: qu;n, and Mr. Gri maldi the Clcwn. They obtained great applause. The Iliusic is the work of Mr. Wear, the leader of the baud, who cuinpostA the Music of Mother Goose. On the following Wednesday, Mrs. ll—Johnston, who has far some time been assent from the London Boards, presented herself at Beatrice, in Shakespeare's Much Ado usoait .Nsothin4. Her private history had naturally created her some enemies who, during the early part of the play, were exceedingly boisterous ; their murmur gradually fell away, and rs. Johnston is now, in all probability, engaged at Covent garden Theatre. Mrs. H. Johnston is certainly a very pretty u ()man, Jand so far she is qualified for the representation of Beutrice ; but Beatrice is a wit as well as a beauty, and the character requires intellectual powers far beyond any which Mrs. H. Johnston has within our recollectian evinced. She spoke in a silver toile, and walked in a delicate march : she displayed all the requisites that we expect in the Lady Caroline of John Bull, but did not convey that light, yet poignant satire, that keen good nature•, that sparkling but energetic mind, which should animate the Beatrice of Much Ado. Mr. Lew is played Benedick with infi nite spirit and whim ; the character that he represented was highly diverting, but it was a Benedick rather of Mr. Lewis's conception, than of Shakespeare's. In the lightest parts of all these characters, Mr. Lewis Is inimitable : solos of licnedick's MIIIIMIW HINTS TO COMMERCIAL SPECULATORS. The enterprize of our countrymen is as surprising as their capital is inexhaustible. They only require to know where a market can be opened, and what articles can be sold ; and, with a celerity unknown and impracticable Us other countries, vessels are immediately chartered, goods embarked, and the market stocked with every vendible commodity. We account it a laudable undertaking to second this energetic spirit of our countrymen by the com munication or every information in our power ; and to point out to them every outlet for their enterprize i at a period when our active enemy has resolved, if he can, to raise insuperable barriers against it in every direction. The eyes of our mercantile adventurers, arc, of course, at present turned on the Brazils, as the most desirable field which has lately opened for their speculations. It is therefore of the utmost consequence to ascertain the extent of this new market, as well as the articles which will be chiefly in demand : Without this information, the embar rassments of the adventurers to Buenos Ayres might be re newed, the market be overstocked, the commodities be unsuited to it, and the result to our commerce be, at first, distressing instead of profitable. The extent of the Brazils is nearly thirteen times greater than that of Great Britain : but its boundless plains are as yet almost wholly uncultivated, and its population does not exceed above one million. Of these not above three hun dred thousand are ‘N bites and freemen : the rest consist of the natives, who have survived the oppression of their Portuguese masters, and of negroes imported from Africa to dig their mines. It thus appears, both from the extent and nature of the population, that the market of the Brazils must, in its present state, be limited. We are, however, to take into the account that a large number of emigrants will now ac company and follow the Court from Portugal ; and that these new settlers ar:! much more accustomed to the con veniencies of the old world, and will consequently have a much greater propos tional demand for its productions. We may also take it for granted, that the whole supply of the flrazils will be in our owa hands, since the Americans, the only other nation that can at present be permitted to trade there, are in want of almost exactly the same articles as the Braziliaes. The commodities which, at present, will be chietiv wanted, are all articles of dress. Cotton, both coarse and hue, will be in great demand, but woollens will also be much required, as the more southern parts of the Brazik, and even the higher ground of the more northern, are subject to colds and damps at particular seasons of the year. Hats, shoes, boots, and every manufactured ar ticle of dress will be equally in requisition. Here, as in North America, every article of furniture, both iron and wood, is imported, owing to the total want of internal manufaetnres. Hardware of every description, jewellery, saddlery, all utensils both for the mines and for husbandry, must also be supplied from this country. The consumption of these latter articles must rapidly increase with the progress of cultivation, and we may in a few 14 ■