The National Register. — London, England, 1813-01-31 00:00:00

1 76 DRA _VATIC REGISTER: DRURY LANE. JAN. 81. One of the inconsisiencies• we alluded to is as fellows : Mrs. GLOVER and Miss Satrr t, as Teresa and the Moresco woman, come forward for the express purpose of warning Akar, disguised as a Moor, of his danger in wearing the prohibited apparel ; but they seem afterwards entirely to have forgotten their errand as neither in ilmat scene, nor in any other part of the Play is the edict again mentioned. And it seems as it' the interest his appeatauce had occasion ed in the breast of Tures°, by a certain undefined likeness to her lover, instead of making her more aiivc to his welfare, had completely driven all thoughts of his peril from her me mory. The other is in a very fine scene, in which Akar, personating a wizard, is probing the conscience of his bro ther Ordanio; after having roused the feelings of the latter even to madness, by sliming him that he was acquainted with many parts of his hidden guilt, he learns suddenly from the remorse•strickcn wretch, that Teresa refuses still to be his wife, and remains faithful to her former lover, and is so overpowered by the delight the intelligence conveys, that he sinks do .-11 on a seat, exclaiming, in the utmost emotion, tt She is not your wife !" So far is well, but is it not very extraordinary that this strong emotion, that this loud excla mation, should not strike Ordonio with surprise, or lead him to suspect that the sorcerer was not what he appeafed me , ely to be. But nothing of all this is the case. The villain pur sues his scheme of engaging the wizard, by a simulated spell, to assure Teresa of the death of Atear, and he at length suc ceeds in gaining his promise to do so. The third and fourth acts, excepting some fine passages in the scene in which Ordonio assassinates Isidore, and in which the fortner com pares mankind to bubbles, of which, when they come in contact, the stronger naturally makes the weaker burst, and "It is but a bubble lost at last." The third and fourth acts are heavy anti uninteresting. especially the spell scene at the commencement of the third, which is not only unusually long, but by far too meld-dramatic. In the • fifth act the interest revives, and is carried through the play, excepting what is perhaps the fault of the property managers. Miss SMITH and Et LIS CON plaving at bo-peep with each othdll in a dungeon, which, no doubt, ought to be dark, but is illu minated by two or three Grecian lamps. The scenery at;d dresses are appropriate and beautiful. Et.LISTON and Mrs. C LOVER were unusually happy and energetic in the deli neation of their respective characters ; we could wish, how ever, that the former learnt the art of weeping better, as he rather bellows than sobs. As to Miss SMITH and Mr. AL's just conception of their parts, we join our voice to that of the applauding multitu - de, and think that the fs.rtner is very suc cessful in the portraiturre of the tender passions, Immo in general she whines and rants ten much and though time latter gave, at times, a new but just picture of Remorse, yet there was upon the whole too much sameness in the ex pression of his countenance, and we are very much surprized at perceiving that the very critics who could not abide Mr., BETTY'S performance, because he ranted, praise Mr. Re who certainly in the ranting art out Ilerods Ilerod. Poe E, as usual, bellowed, stretched out his arms, and whined, most manfully, continually, and pathetically. As to DE CAMP'S acting, we have no fault to find but with his hoarse and in flexible voice ; his conception of the character was correct, and could his tones have accorded with his action, we could have bad nothing to wish for. The play still continues, not withstanding the many blemishes we have pointed out, on account of its many and really superior beauties to hold its ground, and mve must add, that we are inclined to give it our humble support, not only on account of its merits as a play, . t 76 . , THE NATIONAL REGISTER. JAN. SI . . , .1 .7. DRA 3f A TIC REGISTER: t One of the inconsisiencies• we alluded to is as fellows:— . .. a .............- 1 Mrs. GLOVER and Miss SmIT 1, as Teresa and the Moresco DRURY LANE. woman, come forward for the express purpose of warning . s • ' REMORSE. Akar, disguised as a Moor, of his danger in wearing the i As the appearance of a new legitimate Tragedy is in prohibited apparel ; but they seem afterwards entirely to modern days an exhibition of an interesting nature, both On y have forgotten their errand as neither in that scene, nor in 3 account of its nov( ltv, and, of what to the literary world is any other part of the . Play is the edict again mentioned. of still greater importance, a sign that Managers are desirous And it seems as it' the interest his appeatance had occasion- of restoring to the stage its lost splendour and conseriutlnee, I eel in the breast of Tures°, by a certain undefined likeness we have been induced to add the snip:Nut:tit rental ks to to her lover, instead of making her more alive to hi 4 welfare, stir very succinct account of Mr. Cot.ER IDG es Tragedy. had completely driven all thoughts of his peril from her me- called " Remorse." and that those remarks should be the mory. The other is in a very fine scene, in which Altar, better understood we s h a l probin g th e conscience of his bro. tailed account of the ;llut. they Ordonis; after having roused the feelings of the latter n.: 170.4.1 TS eF•osos:x.. t even to madness, by sliming him that he was acquainted Valdez - - . - Mr. Porr. ; I with many parts of his hidden guilt, he learns suddenly from Alvar .. 0 •• . .. 111 i• ELL I STO X ; Ch-donio - " Mr. II 1 . 1 ; the remorse•strickcn wretch, that Teresa refuses still to be Isidore_ - M r . D E C A M P . .1 his wife, and remains faithful to her former lover, and is •- . - ;' TVI.PATI ' - • . 111 , S SMIIII ; so overpowered by the delight the intelligence conveys, that Alitadrd - - - - - ,11r , . GLyvEn- he sinks do .11 on a seat, exclaiming, in the utmost emotion, S..ene—Spain. " She is not your wife !" So far is well, hut is it not very :... Dm .1/tar, cleft st snn of Dfas ruidel, retorns, alter a six year's al). extraordinary that this strong t.l no tion, that this loud excla- . settee, to his !wive Lod, (Spain,) and to the inheritance of his lober's . illation, should not strike Ordonio with surprise, or lead him dinnains. Ile fiatif..ut his art ival, Don Oolonio, his younfrer brother, uodea , owing to,supplout hint in the favor of 1 ere , .o, has mistress ; a to suspect that the sorcerer was not ‘shat he appeafed met ely ‘ki: a Vat is even set ~n toot, by ordmio, to assassinate him, but isid-re,a to be. But nothing of all this is the case. The villain par- ..i. 0 .,,, Moor, who is ehi,i• or the assassins, spares his life. .Itpur learns sues his scheme of engaging the wizard, by a simulated spell, f:ont Isidore that Teies.q. %%as an accomplice in the intended murder ; to assure Teresa of the death of :Ileac, and he at length sue_ and, in his ra r.e, tears her picture from his breast, of which Isidore reeds in gaining his promise to do so. The thi r d and foot th possesses himself, its order to prove to Ordonio that Alm. has been i murdered. Altar diseuke , hintsell as a Sorce'er. and is antdied to by f acts, excepting some fine passages in the scene in which R EI'4ORSE. As the appearance of a new legitimate Tragedy is in modern clays an eNHbition of an interesting nature, both on account of its nov( ltv, and, of what to the literary world is of still greater importance, a sign that Managers arc desirous of restoring to the ta , .;e its lost splendour and consequcoce, ve have been induced to add the snip:Nut:lit reinai ks to our very succinct account of Mr. COLERIDGE's Tragedy. called " Remorse." and that those remarks should be the better understood we shall give in the first place a more de tailed account of the ;lot. Al TS pF it so x.r.. Valdez Al% ar Mr. Porr. ; ELLlsrox ; Mr. II 1 . 1.1 ; Mr. -D r: mr ;. Sari n ; GLyvEit. j31~~~)''l. Tt.P.Na Alhadrd S,cne—Svain. Don .111:ar, cleft st !inn of Don roldel, returns, after a six year's ab• settee, to his !wive Lod, (Spain,) and to the inheritance of his loher's domains. lie finds, on his an ival, Don Ordonio, his younger brother, ender* , owing to,supplant him in the favor of lere , .a, Ins mistress ; a a pot is even set rat toot, Ordioiio, to assassioate him, but Isid-re, a Moor, who is chief of the assussios, spares his life. .purer learns f :um Isidore that Teies.u, te as an accomplice in the intended murder ; and, in his ra . re, tears her picture from his breast, of which Isidore possesses himself, in order to prove to °Mimi° that Altar has been murdered. Alyce disguise , himself as a Sorcerer, and is applied to by Orrionio in that capacity. By this means he discovers Teresa's inno cence, and 0:-/onio's black Olt. A picture oldie intended murder of his brother is next unexpectedly thrust before the view of °Mania, upon which the supposed Sorcerer is thrown nee a dungeon of the castle, and the guilty br• ther, imagining that Isidore has betrayed hire, determines to mut !E him first mid the Sorcerer afterwards. The Cost of these purposes he accomplishes ; and /Minden (the wife of Isidore) having discovered the murder of her husband, collects the Moors together, in order to avenge it. Teresa, proceeds into the duit geon by a secret p:;•sage, in order to release the sopposed Sr.rueler, and in a pa hetie dialoutte which follows, Afrar discovers himself to her. A noise of uhbarriatu bolts is heard, and Ordonin resters with poison, intending to compel the Sorcerer to drii,k it. A most affect log sceues fdlows between the two brothers, in which Alm?. oiseovers 'himself. Remorse now semen Ordonio, as well for the conspiracy Nga iitst Altar as for the murder of /14/ore. Ti. avenue the latter, the Moors now rash in, headed by Alhadra, and, in spite of all the efforts of Akar, hilt Oreonio. Such is the ontEne of the fable, and we must confess that we think it of rather too intricate a nature for the Emits of a drama, and that it would much better suit the pages of a romance. To this defect, no doubt, is OWing the tardy, sluggish, and heavy march that characterizes Fcve ra I scenes, not to say whole acts of the Play, which, from its high poeti cal mei its, we should su , p3ct would be far better Cued for the closet titan the stage : for it is an acknowlecLed fact that the must pOctical pieces are very seldom, if ever, the most dramatic. The great lux oriancy both in laGguage and imagery of the former by making the speeches long, gene impedes Ow , warmth of the dialogue, and causes it to drag so as to decrease the interest greatly ; he-ides, vely few are the ac:of s, even of the first respectability, who can give due effe( t to those highly poetical and de , criptive declamations. With the exception of one or two slight in consistencies, the first two ac:s are excellent : nothing can be finer than the Moresco woman's account of her sufferings in the Inqu4ition ; they are drawn with an exquisite adher ence to nature, and at the same time tune abound with force and energy ; and, with much pleasure we add, that they lost uone of their. beauties in the mouth of that always interest- _ . -- lag, but is this play very superior actress Mrs. Gt.() but heca , .ise.we hail Vs being brou;trt and its strcess, as• _ . .. • THE NATIONAL REGISTER.