The National Register. — London, England, 1811-01-13 00:00:00

DRAMATIC REGISTER. LYCEUM THEATRE. •As the press of political information last week banished my Essays from these pages, it is but fair, that in renewing ac quaintance with my readers, I should not appear laden only with the past, which has now ceased to possess any interest for them. I shall, therefore, briefly state the merits or demerits of Lost and Found, of which I h ,d uselessly prepared a detailed account, without attempting to lead their curiosity through the mazes of the plot; as I have no doubt, they have all now had time to explore it. To call the sanity of an author's mind into question, would be only to imitate the conduct of the world, that has long since ceased to have any doubt on the subject. I shall therefore no tice no further the frequent theatrical reports that have reached toe, the more so as the fable, language, and characters of .1. , ”t end Found, reveal not only a 6ound,but a classical and elegant :nin d. This Comedy is founded on the model of our old pieces, but fteed from their impurities. It possesses interest and variety, the two great springs of the pleasure afforded by the Drama, znil although rather deficient in novelty of character, fully compensates for its absence, by the correct manlier in which those introduced are drawn. The outlines are not wry strong and decided. They display fevf of those striking touches which roaster's hand atone can produce ; but they are well filled up, and form a rich and animated picture. The language is un usually elegant. Some new thoughts are beautifully expressed, and what cannot fail to please every critic, not a single inodern pun is introduced among them to sully their lustre, Ile a down or sharper in genteel company. 'Vet, notwithstanding the purity of the dialogue, some objection may be made to the morality of the example given by Young Ledger, who,'to regain the affections of his mistress, a city Knight's daughter, alienated by the fascinations of a fashionable dasher of the west end of the town, assumes his habits and only triumphs by surpassing him in levity. • The author seems to have forgotten that it is not sufficient the end in view should be good, but that the means through which at is attained should be equally commendable. • Nearly the whole force of the house was employed to support this piece, and a richer display of theatrical excellence, I must own, had seldom been witnessed. But the multiplicity of chid characters as well as of eminent performers in some degree inspairs the general effect. It is impossible that so many per sons should have a sufficiently wide field opened for the exertion of their abilities, or that so many characters should be disposed of as advantageously as fewer could have been, unless the limits of the play be extended to ten, instead of five acts. Crowded as they are, they haite just time to glance on and off the Stage to make room ,for others; whilst fewer, by a longer stay, would nave collected the interest of the piece into a focus, as well as the admiration of the audience. To mention the •respective excellence of DOWTON, Miss DuscANomd Mrs. EDWIN in their parts, would not only cur.e their long established theatrical fame to smile, no doubt with supercilious consciousness of their own merits ; I shall, there f.ire, not heap useless praises upon them. But justice to a young performer, only known to the Metropolis, since the opening of the English Opera, Mr. OZSERR T, calls on me to ieport his rapid and incessant improvement since he first courted public notice. Always successful in representing the situate° iished .isty state of childishness, he has lately displayed erquisitsy n parts in which it was required; and as the cou Lo .and Found gave a burst of indigna tion :mood . with, and at last subdued by feeling, which rem &stay could not have surpassed. Every performer carted himselfs° the utmost of his, ability, and Mr. HOLLAND I 3 now brr,- - ' fx. - vard.nieze, than 4 . 'hat ir'• / 1:"!" • THE; Nl4ll ON - A I REG 1 STEP=._ 0.. r had stronger claims to public wironage than it had lathe:to been suspected. An epilogue replete with chaste Wit and point was spoicen by Mrs. EDWIN, in a manner which completely removed from soy mind every prejudice which .her occasionally vulgar tones, ri parts where she endeavours to imitate Mrs. JORDAV, had &e -duced. She then burst out in all her excellence, and herevery word, tone, look, and gesture tt.‘enied with appropriate ening and expression. The most complete success crowd this piece, and yet such is the taste of the times, it now but seldom draws a crowded house. Whenever Managers wish to procure an accession of visitors, they trust to the talismanic virtues Ai the Magic Bride. Meanwhile, they hold in store abundance of operas, comedies and after-pieces, which will soon astonish the public, by their variety as well as their names. The first, I believe, which will encounter the critics lash, conies armed with melody from the desk of Mr. Distown. It is an opera in three acts. The next, A " Crten-evcd Monster," springs I am told from Mr. l'o t.ooKE'S brains, and is harmoniied by Mr. Tuom.is Next follow two farces, authors yet unknown, and a commie appears in the distance, if report speak true, from the pal of MT. ARNOLD. COVP.NT-I.IARDEN. The re-appearance of Mr. KLmEr.r. in Richard the Third, et" posed him last week to tl:e insults of those who feelno sympa thy for the sufferings of others. Although almost nverpowerea by illness, he exerted himself in this arduous character, so as cce casionally to triumph over his bodily weakness, and burst in aft the splendour of superior excellence. In the full enjoyment of health, he could scarcely have surpassed his own performance during the two last acts. Several new scenes added to the mag nificence of this Tragedy. A new Opera, in three acts, enti:led The Lady of the Lake, written by MORTON, arid the music composed by BISHOP is, I understand, in rehearsal at this Theatre. Report boasts of the magnificence of its scenery, and the excellence of its music. Mrs. DR:Koss is to have a part in it. E. OLD BAILEY. Wednesday, the Sessions commenced at the Old Bailey, be fore Baron Macdonald, Mr. Justice Cbambre, and Mr. Justice Le Blanc.—Gustavus Lowe was capitally indicted for forging a draft tor 121. purporting to he drawn by Major Ramsay, of the 2d. Royals, ore the holee of Cox, Greenwood, and Co. The pri soner had been an Officer in the Queen's Royals. On the I,st of November last he was at the London Coffee-house; in Croat Surrey -street, and he employed a porter, named Harper, to take the draft fur paytreet. He told the man that he should wait for him until his return. N'ilien the draft was presented, it was discovered . to be a forgery. The Bow-street Of fi cers were sent for, and the porter was taken into custody. Te porter then conducted the officers to the prisoner, who was also apprt, hentied. At his examinatinn, he alleged that he had received it from Major Ramsay, and that it was a good draft. 't he -pri soner, on this occ:ision, repeated the same story in his defence, and said that he had written to Major :Ramsay, but had not received an answer, as he supposed, in consequence of the Ma, bor being on foreign service. The prisoner .was found ut recommended to mercy. He is a fine loo . king yoltriig man, about 25, and he burst into tears on hearing the verdict. THURSDAY, JAN. 10. CHAKGE OF RAPE. Edward Wynne was pu. a rape on the body of Sarah the particulars of hr.:r case, and modesty ; but in her cr facts as went to her Lord Chief Baron at leng that his patience was exhat the patience of the Jury, an, —Verdict Not Guilty, to ' heard it. Mr. Alley earnestly entrcate.d kis toti!ship to - allow Aim ''sti4ri :wo more .to rl-.4ll`.••••the. %KUL or is.nrr.. It to the Bar, charged With committing ah Howe. 'The Prosetutrix detailtd, with an appearance of retuctilite cross-exarainduon, she admitted such own complete crimination ;ii e gth interfered, arid told Olt £' tinsel Lusted, and so, he was Conf3ifge4;*sui and that they must acquit die prii 6rfer. the universal sets/action -"of ail :: ~.~...:_ 111111111