The National Register. — London, England, 1817-12-15 00:00:00

Pre. IS. THE DRAMA. DRURY-LANE. Mr. Fisher snprared on Wednesday night in the character of dandet. We do nut hesitate to pro nounce Ibis performance far superior both to his Itfach , fh and his Richard; and that, in a degree, which could nut, we think, havebeen augured from Lis manner of representing either of those characters. That calm, subdued manner, into which he has so na tural a tendency to sink, and which accords but indif ferently with the tyrant and the bold usurper of a throne, harmonised admirably with the philosophic con templative Prince of Denmark Mr. Fisher possesses the stork, we think of having studied the character closely, and of having forums' his own conception of it, without any distinguishable imitation of any of hi. predecessors ; and though we should be inclined in some passages and scenes to object to his manner of giving them, the parts cohere well together, and are in good keeping and contrast with each other. We were particularly struck with the passages expressive of pure feeling. " He was a mats, take him for all n all, " I snail not look upon his like again," was delivered with the perfect tone of a man who sud denly calls to mind a great anti irreparable loss. His scene with the Ghost, in which are some similar points, was well sustained throughout : his attitude and his gestures were appropriate; he seemed absorbed in his attention to the terrible•story, and moved with pity and indignation as it proceeded. His turning round to prevent Horatio front following him, was marked by a firm but dignified urbanity, and a manner pecu liarly graceful, which he maintained in other vitae tions of the same kind. The Soliloquy of " To be or not to be," was somewhat too vehement for its tenour, and the situation of the speaker; but with that allowance, had a good stage effect, and pro- ' bably told the better to the distant parts of the house. The speech to the players was delivered in an easy colloquial manner, without ostentation, and with the least possible gesture, and was, we think, judiciously given; the truth of his emphasis, which we be fore noticed, there told admirably. He was least suc cessful in the closet scene, and those with Po/reties and with the courtiers llosencraniz and Cutihlernstern; he wanted that indescribable power, that mai,ie by which strong minds awe, search into, and control weak sacs; but we see no reason, from the progress he has already made, why he should despair of acquiring in time even this faculty. This is certainly his weak side, indeed it may be stated of him generally, that in all eases where the effect is to be produced by the internal workings of his own mind, he is least strong ; but where a direct impression is to be made by an exterior action or event, he is always, in his Hamlet at least, prompt and efficient. We regret that Mr. Fisher did slot appear first in this character; we have no doubt he would have made far greater progress is the publie estimation. Munden, who has been long confined by indisposition, took the part of Polonius, and was re ceived at his appearance with a warns greeting. Miss Kelly is throughout un admirable Ophelia; the atti tude and look with which she quitted the stage would Lave formed a model feu• an artist. On the same' evening, Garrick a musical - entertain ment, entitled Li'hind, was revived at this theatre. This piece was first perfinmed fur Woodward's bene fit, in 1757 ; and trifling as it is, the critics of that slay gave the author credit fin- his talents in having executed it in a month ! It is probable the idea of bringing children on the stage was suggested to Gar rick by :al event in the early years of his favourite. Miss Woffington. When only in the tenth year of her age, living with her mother, a poor woman iu u French woman named Violante, who paid , occasional visits to that city, exhibiting feats of agility on the tight rope, concerted the plan of getting up the Beggars Opera, which was then the rage in all the three kingdoms, with a compuny of children, or as they were called in the bills of the day, "Lilliputian Ac tors." Woflington having been remarked by the French woman for the jauntiness of her manner, though a mere child, was fixed ou to play Maclieath, and such was her success, that the Lilliputian theatre was crowded every night, .and the foundation seas laid of that floue which will last as long us the stage lux ta nkers. Since its first appearance, Lilliput has been present ed in various shapes ut MOM ut' the theatres, without -at any time giving much amusement to the public, or sanding, we believe, any extraordinary bencrit to the proprietors. Pieces of. this description arc soldom worth the trouble and expense of their pnalnetion, and we are runrised to see men of talent waste any portirm of time • al trifles when it might be sa mucli better employed, in endeavours to improve the character of the legitimate drama. We do not mean by thi-: to say, that we are averse to the representation of every thing hat tragedy and comedy, but we must ut all times ex press our avwsion to the great importance which is too commonly attached to these ih;nys. Lilleput has evidently been revived for the purpose of introducing to public notice a Miss Clara Fishtr, a TIT? NATIONAL ItEG/STEIt. child who excited a considerable degree of' interest from its nppear a nce in th e charaeter of' Lord Hannah a Nobleman in the King of Lillipufs Court, whose jealousies are increased - Ito the highest pitch, at the supposed incorrect condukt of his lady with the enormous Gulliver. This gives rise to the expression of feeliirti that might miturally enough exist in the breast of - :t man so situated„ and, if uttered by Gulliver to others of ,his race, would excite no par ticular attention, But to hear such pigmies speaking of their wives, their fitmilies, and their honour, and seeking satisfaction for the injury it h sustained, put the audience in great good !lumen; who in their mirth forgot all defects, and highly applanded every edisrt of the Lilliputian actors. The,second act commences with to entertainment given by the King of Lilliput to Gulliver, which con sists of a dramatic representation, in which the chief part of the fifth act of Richard the Third is performed wholly by Lilliputians. In this Miss Fisher, whose stature is of the most diminutive dOscription, hi ply gratified the audience, in her personification of the tyrant, as well by the correctness of her speaking and varied tones, as by the propriety of her attitudes. She was dressed magnificently, and in syiet conformity to the present usage of the stage. For . our own parts, we view this only as another of those successful efforts (of which we hayc seen several), of drilling children into a seemingly correct manner of giving that which they can neither feel or understand, and which even their riper years will, frequently, not allow them to imagine or ponrtray. Those who saw Master Betty in the " day of success," and have duce witnessed him in characters in which he was left to the free exercise of his own judgment, are best able to form an opinion on this subject. Muster Betty's first days were marked with an attention, and an almost frantic enthusiasm, on the part of the public, that would have subjected to some linger any individual whose temerity would have prompted him to resist it in the theatre ; but he had no sooner attained an age and stature that ought to have given increased effect to his perfonnances, than he was found to be unable to maintain his former cele brity, even for one season, on those boards that were only a few years before considered to be honoured by his tread. However, among this class of juvenile ac tors Miss Clara Fisher may justly be ranked, if not quite, at least one of the most eminent we liave seen. Much praise was also due to several other characters, but we must particularly notice Miss Margaret Dunn, as Minerva, in the Masque, in which she introduced " The Soldier Tired " in a manner that reflects much credit on her tutor ; the sweetness of her voice, and her style of execution, equally enchanted and surprised her hearers, and called forth a most rapturous end merited encore. We could have wished that her sister, as Bacchus, had had mere to do, as she displayed a richness of voice truly melodious. Higman seemed to be awkwardly situated as Gxll;ver, but sung " The Wolf" in a masterly style. The piece has since been repeated with much ap plause. SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHOW. Thursday morning, at nine o'clock, the cattle, sheep, and pigs, all arrived, which were intended to be ex hibited for the Premiums this year, generou•ly given by his Grace the Duke of Bedford, the President, at the time when the Club, from the disordered state ()I its funds, was unable, as the bill states, to offer any pre miums of its own. _ It gives us pleasure to state, that notwithstanding the amount of premiums now to be distributed is less than halt' what has been given in several years pist, that a Show of uncommon excellence bas been preparel : some of the cattle therein being esteemed, by those who have seen them, superior in excellence to any shewn funner years, particularly a short-herned .ox, belough, to th e Hou..John Simpson. The three Judges who hare been selected for award ing the premiums, are— Mr. Tbnit l ii% Ad.rm, b ocher of Wind.or, At rk% . . 11r. To 0.11. th R.irkrr. giAticr..T Keer , 1.• Elpitlck, E.ist!mo lie. ; who were occupied the, whole day, with the gntes of the yard shut, in examining the animals, and in dis cussing their merits; which last were, it seems, so nearly balanced, that they were unable to decide on the premiums before dark LOSS OF TIM MA DTI N SLOOP 'OF WAR --Ex tract of a letter from the Agent to Lloyd's at Xilrush, dated Dec. B.—" It is with regret I have to billirm you, that the Martin sh >op of war was last night driven on shore, in a desperate gale at Mull Bay. The ship is totally lost, but I um happy to add, that the greater part of the crew and the officers are safe. The wizen mast being cut awe, Laily fell with the mast-head in u rock, which sermed as u gangway for them, and enabled . hem to reach the shore. Immediately -me rv c;:iving this intelligence, I dispatched curs with refresh ments to the crew, who, 1 a mt . tined, are in a most deplorable state." The Gazette of Saturday contains 81 Addresses of Condeknce to thelegent, four Prince Leopold. THE QUEEN. We are happy to state; that Sir Henry llalford presses his opinion that her Majesty's health is ' , la.. - !idly improve. by the tonic virtues of the waters.— • The Queen it precise in her mode of drinking them ; being carried inn sedan chair to the pump room punt. tually at nine o'clock: during her stay there, numerous introd tetions take place, as at a levee. Her Majesty, with the Duke of Clarence and Prin cess Elizabeth, and a select party of Nobility and Gen. try, honoured the Upper Asrembly Rooms with their presence on Monday at half past one o'clock. The Royal Party expressed their admiration of the rooms ; and upon the Queen's suggesting that the appearance of the Great Ball-room must be extremely magnificent when lighted up, Mr. Barber immediately ordered the room to be prepared in the same manner as on ball The band of the 38th regiment, and the MIA belonging to the room, were in attendance. An elegant cold lation was unexpectedly served, at which her Majesty expressed her surprise, but most condescendingly took some refreshment. The illustrious visit rs having in.. spected the entire of this extensive and superior este. blishment, departed with the wannest expression of their high sense of the very admirable manner in which the whole is conducted. d Wednesday her Majesty and the Princess Elizabeth, . in their travelling chariot, preceded by a carriage and.; four, containing Colonel Disbrowe (the Queen's Vitas. • Chamberlain , Colonel Stevenson, Sir H. Campbell, and Colonel Murray, and followed by another carriage and four, containing the Duke of Clarence, Lord John Thynne, and the Countesses of Ilchester and Melville, left Sydney-place at nine o'clock, for a visit to the city of Bristol. At their entrance into the city, the Mayor, Sheriffs, and Town Clerk were introduced to her Ma. jesty, and afterwards conducted the Royal Visitors to the 'Mansion House, where they arrived at half past ten o'clock The Illustrious Personages alighted, and were conducted into the banquetting room ly the worthy Mayor, where an elegant dejeune was served. The Mayor then welcomed her Majesty to the city. The Mayor, Sheriffs, the Town Clerk, the Ladies of the Mayor, Sheriffs, Aldermen Amis and Vaughan, were formaly presented to the Queen, and had the honoar of kissing her Majest)'s hand. The Royal Visitors and suite, on returning to their respective carriages pro.. ceeded round the Quays ; viewed Iledcliff Church, and, passed over the bridge in Prince's street, along the course of the river, to the Hotwells and Clifton. The Royal Party took refreshments at Colonel Huglaßailie's mansion in Park-row: It is impossible to give en ade quate description of the enthusiastic applause of the citizens, a countless .multitude of whom followed the route of the Royal Party. At three o'eiock her Majesty; &c. returned to Bath. COMMON COUNCIL. Thursday a Court of Common Council was held at Guildhall, when Mr. Pearsall presented a memorial from Mr. Payne, clerk of the Justice room at Guildhall, stating the immense number of vagrants which crowded the streets and jails of the city, in h. wretchedness, and disease, without having any fixed !duce of settle ment in this country ; and hoping that the Court would take into its earliest consideration, the propriety of pro viding for this unfortunate class of people. The me. morial was referred to a ommittee. SPECIAL JURrES.—Mr. Pearsall aid, he was charged by the Committee to lay before the Court a Report on this subject, Yhich yielded to none in point of import anae. It was important to the country, as it related to the great palladium of Our liberty, Trial by Jury, of which Judge Blackstone had said, " that as long as it remained, the Constitution coul ' not be attacked, unless it were frittered au ay by the n.ani nation of Jurors." He trusted the City would exert the power it possessed of returning such wen to serve on Juries us were not likely to be influence:l. The Resort was then read, aided ,tatel!, that it ap peared toi he the practice to nominate Juries t•ont a book 'Ailed up according to the. carri..e or direction of the Sdcondary; who took on hinielf the• ptylw of re moving any one front the list: he pleased. That thus aster of the Crown Office nominated and selected Juries from that without unv authority by law. That out of 435 tunics containe.: ia it, 2.?5 were not householders itr l.nndrn. Th.. report Kilted, .cn the dying declaritinn of Walker, who had been a •clerk in the So.c:m•lary'l 0.r...e:!, that a . :o!ici:or • to a high department Gf , rernment, hati•tit-pliecd•orsea at the Smontlary's know the political s.•nti aunts of a Jury, bet n the Crown and a per: • r libel. It stated the q•: , ,lisiections regnired by law tio• r. Special inrynam, satmeiv. beint a housekC..p,..r ; City, I•!!SSes,sing ; redotnuended tit:it of all such should !sa retsary. l to the SLezitts, - •,1, hook to he kept by thrt-m. Mr..l3eArs;ilt_then si that the Court should :!gree with the C.. this Report. Atli' r c• nisulorabl, sall's motion was agreed to by a consilda:de Some magnificent arti,•ic.:, in Seer p r i ve d f rom - as psesotts to the Queen Inc oasette of , aturaug 13/111,411113 J a .acaaaa,..mm 4 . 3 vra ..... • I Condolence to the - Regent, gad four to Prince Leopold. rived from Vienna, us presents to the Queen < • 8%7