The National Register. — London, England, 1816-02-25 00:00:00

FER. e 5., DRAMATIC REGISTER. Measare Jbr Measure is got up this season at Covent Garden, with great attention to costieme, and a general propriety in the performance of all the actors, svhieli ren. ders it Justly it very attractive piece, and entitles us to scy, that in the total effect of the play there is scarcely say thing further to bo desired. But we have seen it in other times, whenilnge/o was played by PALMER instead of TERRY ; the Duke by Jolts; KEMBLE;und Isabella by Mrs. SIDDONS. We wish not to detract from the Merit of our modern actors, by comparing them with those that are gone by; but we hardly knew the value of those who delighted us ffinnerly, till by comparison with what we must still call the excellence of modern times, we had found how much their actual merit would transcend our praise. With a better voice than KEMBLE, YOUNG is still a mannerist, and his manner is borrowed from ano ther. He has studied in the school of his predecessor, and only follows in his steps ; but the artificial tunes of KEMBLE, in passages of level speaking, was more than endurable ; it became habitually respectable —rmy, satisfactory, because we felt that it was, necessary— that it was natural to him. In Mr. YOUNG, who has nu defect of voice to conceal, we look fur inure of ease, and expect him to speak on the stage us he would at his table. Whenever, therefore, we catch the faintest note of Mr. KEMBLE'S intonation, our ear rejects it as Malty, because it not only gives a stiff unwieldy manner Lis dechunation, but we condemn it us unnecessary. Mr. Yoe so and Mr. BARRVMORE possess the finest voices fur declamation on the stage, and yet they do not produce an effect equal to the thick muffled tone of KEAN. Youso is certainly not to be compared with BARRYMORE in any thing else, but we caught u mixture of both his voice and that of KEMBLE in many of the sermons of the Monk. This character is not one in which an actor run exhibit much pathos, nor are there any scenes which give scope fir theatrical cflivt in point of situation. It is one of calm dignity, and imposing grandeur. In this, KEatBLR was unrivalled; and though we would not call Mr. Youxo deficient, yet he fell short of his great master. When the cowl was torn from his shoulders by Lori°, we thought that a part of his dignity was removed. The grave habit, the sententious manner, the bald head, and ample beard of the Monk, had an awe and solemnity, which we sought in vain among the gildad taggs and silken tassels, of the white Hussar dress of the Duke—brilliant, rich, and glittering as it was. The fool, it was said, had made a Duke; but by unstripping the Monk, we did not feel that he had pro duced any thing much above his own foppery ; and if we regretted any part of Mr. YOUNG'S delivery, it was the vehemence with which he imposed silence upon Lucia Mr. TERRY also performed his part well, speaking with due consideration of his actual powers ; for with his small figure, and harsh, unwieldy voice, he has many difficulties to encounter. There is a hardness about his manner, which suits well enough with characters of blunt honesty, or of low cunning; but which does not become the lofty mind, yet frail character, of Angelo. Miss O'NEILL was the great star of 01 night„to whom all eyes were attracted, and round whom all the rest of the actors seemed to move as mere satellites about a planet of the first order. She is an actress of such great merit, that it requires the coldness and the experience of a critic to discover her defects ; and if she compares our judgment with the plaudits which she received, and in many of which we joined, it may happen probably that she will appeal from our sentence. But on this head, we would have all ac tors understand, that mere ap plause is not the test of positive excellence, and that it is as often bestowed on the poet as on the actor. The cha racter allotted to Miss O'NEILL was evidently the favourite one of SHAKESPEARE in this play; but it is of a peculiar east, and one not within the fork of' Miss O'Netu.'s powers. In person she is fascinating, rather than grand; in voice,powerful and impressive ; but in wind, truly fe minine, and not metaphysical or poetic. In characters of feminine sweetness and affection, she is irresistible ; she looks and speaks, and seems to think and feel, as a wife would, at the distress of a beloved husband; and we think it more than probable that many of her audience have said mentally—. would that !leaven had made Me such a wife!' Isabella is an affectionate sister, but a cold nun. The pride of maiden purity animates her with a philosophic dignity, a commanding enthusiasm, a haughty inspiration, which belongs only to a mind of the highest intellectual vigour. She is a philosopher; a female Hamlet, a me taphysician in petticoats; a Made. Dc Sind in veil. This the charming Miss O'NEILL is not ; but this, the awfid and the majestic SIDDONS, upon the stage at least, could be, and was with a superiority which defies all rivalahip, and leaves room only for imitation. In the beautiful passages of poetic enthusiasm, and lofty declamation, Mrs. Sinnovs exhibited a skill which was justly charac teriscsl by the deputation of the English lair, When they thanked her for the lessons they hal received in eloquenee. She delivered them with a grace and dignity which we have never seen equalled by any orator, living or dead, in the senate, at the bar, or in the pulpit. In her voice. the tragic muse seemed to speak with all the enthusiasm of poetic inspiration. if we say, then, that in these pas sages we beheld Miss O'Nen.a. with other feelings than we have done in listening to Mrs. StnnoNs, we only say. that below the highest degree of excellence in this cast of TILE NATIOAL REGISTER. character, Miss O'NEILL stands at, perhaps, not a very distant interval. We forbear to particularise where we have not to praise most highly, and shall prefer an oppor tunity in which we may point out particular beauties, rather than deficiencies. The comic characters were well cast. Lucio was, perhaps, too frivolous; but Pompey, was really Poster.v the Great ; for nu actor could have so little set down for him by the author, and make so much of it witout tres passing beyond the limits of sound discretion. LISToN if in such characters nature itself, and yet his delineation of nature arises from a strong sense of truth, aml a just feeling of humour; with a genius, which, while it seems merely to copy, actually creates. Had nature given to this actor the figure of K Emius., with us strong a sense of the sublime as of the ridiculous, what would he not have effected? At present, we never see him, without a renewed satisfaction, and an acknowledgment, that he is, perhaps, the first of comic actors in an age which alxmnds with so much excellence in Comedy, that it puts our utmost skill to the trial, when we endeavour to ascertain on where to fix the laurel which is to mark the superiority. The whole play, we repeat, is well got up, and so well acted, that none but a critic would find leisure, perhaps, to discover faults. A new Pantomine, or rather a selection of the best 'danto mimic scenes, was performed GU Monday night at the chose Theatre with great snee‘ss. It is called Iles Iriptin's Olio, and a more pleasing Or diverting olio has seldom been witnessed. 'Coward the close of the performance, an Italian lady, who had previously exhibited at the fenving-room of Mr. Angelo, in Road-street, made a trial of skill 's It h twit competitors. She is rather a muscular, hut still a graceful tigiire; and to an ap parently perfect knowledge of the art, she added an extraor dinary degree of strength, precision, and agility, Her exer tions were loudly applauded. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF KINGS BENCH, FED. 22. LORI) ♦oI7IRANE'r. SMETHUR“. This was an action to recover namages against the defendant, for violating a patent obtained by the plaintiff for a neuly-iii vented lamp, for illumioating all cities, team, and villages. The case occupied the whole day. It appeared, that the chief novelty of the invention consisted in increasing the intensity of light in Haps ; by an ingenious mode of bringing the at mospheric air to bear upon the wick of the burner. After a considerable number of witnesses were examined, it turned out that the plaintiffs specification was larger than his pa tent; the latter stating, that the invention was adapted for lighting "all cities, towns, and villages," whereas the tld mer su p era ,w, -• fight-houses, theatres, churches, chapels, &c." This decided the case ; for the Learned Judge immediately directed the plaintiff to be nomartied. In the. King's Beach on Friday sennight, Mr. Wild, a ship broker in the city, obtained a verdict, with 001. damages, against the GAS light Company; being the value of a horse killed through defendants' servants negligently leaving a titian tity,of rubbish in the Strand, where they bud been laying down pipes for tne gas, and by which the animal was thrown down, Mr. Wild thrown out and bruised, and the gig much injured. OLD .B.IILEY. Saturday, John Cutler was indicted for feloniously stealing a letter, containing a certain protnissozy note for IOL the property of Elizabeth Garnett Gale, of Richmond, Surety, on the tict of August last. The prisoner had been out upon hail since the last Sossion, and nbw surre.ndert d himself to abide his trial. Mr. Reynolds stated the ease on the part of the prosecution; and the facts of the case, which were adduced in its support by nearly ‘ , O witnesses, were briefly the v':—lt appeared that a parson named Gale. residing near Bridport, had, on the loth of August last, procured a promissory note, fur 101., from the Donhister Rank. payable at the house of Cox. Merle, and Co. of Little Britain. This note he enclosed in a letter on the 21st of August last, to Mrs. E. Garnett Jones, of Kew, near Itiehniond,direetM to the care of Mr. John Bell. of Charles street, in the latter place. This letter. it appeared, was n:ver received by Mrs-Gale or Mr. Wilson; but, on the s.zd of August. the day on which it should have arrived, a person calling himself Wilson. pre sented the promissory note in question, at the house of Cox, Merle. and Cn, for payment, where a clerk, of the name of Fletcher, gave in lieu ten corresponding notes of the value of 11. each. These, with vari otu other notes, were also proved to have been received on the same day by the house of Cox and Co. from the Bank of England. The prisoner, who was a stamper of letters in the General Putt Office, had also the duty of delivering such letters as he stamped over to the sortet. It further appeared, that the prisoner was employed on the duty de scribed at a table marked P. where the Bridport letters were stamped. The arrival of the Rritlport bag of letters was proved to have been re. gularly received on the 2•M of August, when the letter and note in (111(Ati011 were missing from non-delivery. In consequence of some of the Bank notes which had been paid in exchange for the 101. promis sory note at the house of Cox and Co. being traced to the prisoner. the was taken into cusualv. and underwent an examination at Bow-street here the notes which had been so traced to him, and endorsed in his writing, were produced by Mr. Perkin. jun. the Solicitor to the Past Office. when the prisoner acknowledged them to be so endorsed by him but stated elistinctly toe name and address of each 1/050/3 lion whom he received them. The trial occupied the attention of the Court for several hours, and Mr. Justice I.e Blanc, lasing aumined up the evidence at great length, the Jury. without the slivlitest hesitation, found the prisoner Guilty— Death ; but recommended him to mercy, on account of his previous good character. Tuestlav triiiam White alias Kinikee Beau, was indicted for steal ing. on the Ithlt of October last, a paper parcel. containing hank notes amounting to 19001. the property of Messrs. Henry Brown, and Jaoves Cootnbs, of Windsor. Bober( Rats" tr, who was indicted with the prisoner as an accomplice, was called upon his recognizince. but did not appear. The circumstances of this ease have been so fully and so frequently before the public in our Paper, that we feel it unnecessary to detail the evidence. An alibi was attempted to he proved by at !rag six persons ; hut the Judge having summed tip the evidence, the Jury, without the slightest hesitation. found the prisoner---Guilty. Wednesday George Barnett. for attempting the life of Miss Kelly, by firing lan her in Drury Lane Theatre, was put to the bar; but the Grand Jury having been discharged, his trial was postponed until the next Sessions. The IlEcoanra. after some trials of no public interest, proceeded to pass sentence of Death upon the following 25 convicts:— John Eencut. for stca:ing goods amounting to 5101. in a dwelling louse( Jahn Cutler for secreting a letter containing a 101. note; - Daniel Halliday. Thanes Weatherstom, alias Anderson. Robert Cat ver. John Oates. alas Wild. Jelin Marsltell, James DAL Richard Gillmor, W. Thomas, W. Smith, J. Clow. I). Jobe... alias Bl'md. j aws s m i t h, Thomas Tumor, Arthur Allingham. and James Wood. for liiieglalr; Robert Exelby, alias Wilson, G. Frecitolie l Janes Miles, W. Rose, and Charles Toinkinsun, for stealing 4.,-onds awl mon-v in dwell:r.T. houses; Thomas Cooper, for cutting and maiming with intent to kill; Ann Smith, for privately stealing in a shop; and J B.trn.tt, • boy only ten years of age, for stealing privately in a 8 1 10 ? , thuralay after hearing a few cases of a petty nature, e ) !e Ea dt ns terminated, and the Recorder proceeded to pass ser.tence upon th, vend con rims; when Captain George Harrower. for tigarny. being I in to Ow bar. and asked what he had to say why the judgment of tla.c..t.rt should not he prenonnced against hint ? repli,d, that I.uwever cheer fully he would submit to the punishment wnich the laws of his country ir.Tosed, he felt himself again bound, as an injured and p.mecute inuividual, to declare his innocence of the crime with which he was ro foully charged by his prosecutors; he w'ts then santonceul to be cor.finsid iii months in Ncwgate. 'flue Captain bowed respectfully to the Court, and retired. .1. Flt4...hes, to he transported for lifi.; T. Read. J. Bowers, J Dent. J. NVntkins, and L. Croruar, for 14 years; J. Hunts, G. Lewis ' W. Evans, .1. Raxworthy, .1 Paxman, T. Berry, ./. Stillivan. Jane Eng hid, C. Lander alias Harris, Ann Harding, Ann Brewer. J. Wils. n. Ann alias Mary Bunt, T. Harris. M. Donovan. W. White. .1. Robin win, Charlotte Davey. G. Burton, 11. Perry. 11. Johnson..l. Button, Martha Galagun, T. Perron, W. Austin, and C. King, fur seven years Four were ordered to be imprison...a in the House of Correction for one year; ten tier six months; tour tor three mouths; and four for one month encb ; nine for imprisonment in the House of Correction for the City of London. and four in Newgate for various periods ; four were fined Is. each and diseharg.xl ; seven w. re privately whipped ; ono judevnent was nspited ; and twelve were discharged by proclamation. —Sessions adjourned to April 3. MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT, Pritay. in a venffle between Mr. Brookes, the ownerof a menagerie, and Mr. Thompson, in which a p:stol was used, the latter w as s h ot i 3 the head, and little or no hopes are entertained of his recovery. 'fits affair having taken place in the City, Mr. B. was brought befoat the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House to explain the traneution. vend witnesses also attended, who were present on the melancholy re ca,ion. The following particulars transpired before his Lordship:-.- Mr. B. had been acquaint, d with Sarah Tookey for six years, during which period they had lived t sgefier as man and wily, but were not married. Ilaving business in Scotland, he left the female under pin tection of his friends, residing at Westmorland-place, with a suitable provision for her maintenance u oil his return. Ilia friends being in the habit of visiting an aequainance with whom Mr. l'hompsort lodged, the latter, in consequence, became acquainted with Sarah Tookey ; and two days prior to Mr. B.'s return from Scotland, pre vailed upon her to quit Westmorland-place, and to reside with him at his Miring.; in the City-mad Mr. B. was much grieved at the loss of the lady, and consulted with a hair-dresser, the brother of the fugitive, as to the best means of recovering her. They both pots:ceded together to Thompson's lodgings, and during his absence induced Sm Tookey us return with them, but not without considerable relicts lee. Three days had elapsed, when Mr. T. had endeavoured in vain to taco the woman; and it was not until yesterday that they met. In the fore. noon, M. T. called at the bmther's and left word that lie was desirous of an opportunity of speaking with Mr. B. on business rela:ive to the possession of Sarah Tookey, and that in the hope of meeting him there in the evening, he should look in. In leas than an hour and a half however, he called again, and in the interval Mr. R. anti Sarah Too. key had seen the brother, and been told of Mr. Thompe.m's intention. Thompson, finding Mr. B. end the obaret of hi: search together in Ball-alley, desired to come to an explanation with the former. On the parties meeting, a quarrel ensued, and Toompesn. totaist , to ... ea wsth B. in point of strength, had prepared himself with a pistol which lie dee-v front hie pocket. The sereaming and fears of the women, however, intim-is! Thump-on to replace it again in his pocket. B. tan op stairs and armed himself with a praker, and. en corning down, a fresh scuffle ensued. B. had given Thompson a violent blow or. the bead with Olt poker, who finding himself again overmatched, had re mora: to the pistol. B. on perceiving his danger, got nil of the poker, and dosed with Thompson, in order to wrest from his liar.ds dudes* weapon : but B. states that in this he did not succeed, and finding that Thompson was endeavouring to discharge the pistol, he turned u aside, when the contents tattered the head of the untortunate man, and he in stantly Veil, and bled profusely. Mr. Ambrose, of the Post-odic, hearing the shrieks of the woman, entered the house, and was endea vouring to separate the parties when the pistol went off close to his ear, and his fare and neck-handerchief were bespattered all over with blood, but he fortunately escaped without injury. The poor wretch was assist, d into a chair, and endeavoured, but in on incoherent manner, to artitu late an answer to some questions. It was thought that he was desirot to defend hitioself front the charge of suicide, tot he was understood to repeat, it was taken front nit, it was taken front me." meaning tl e pistol. lie was ininiediately conveyed to St. Thomas's hospital, but, as we before stated, with little or no hones of recovery, as it appeared impossible to extract the ball. or give him relief. The young woman attended Thompson to the hospital, whilst B. was conveyed to the Mansion-house The Lord Mayor, on hearing all the evidence brought forward, and learning that more could be produced, ordered the prisoner B. to be remanded until Monday next. BOW : STREET. OUTRAGE AT DRIIIIR-ITANETHiiTne:--en Saturday sennight,at the opening scene of the farce called Modern Antique, or The Merry Mourners, in which Miss Kelly impearcd in the character of Nan, a country girl, and Mr. Knight. as Joem, a eowitry lad ; while these twit performers were, *minting to their parts, embracing, a pistol was Gus.. charged from about the centre of the pit. Great consternation was ex cited on the stage and aiming the audience ; and it was not ascertained whether any person was shot, or what mischief was done, It was not known then whether the deadly attack was intended to be against Mi. Kelly or Mr. Knight; but a subsequent investigation proved that it was rimed at Miss Kelly. Baker and Diekons, the constanies belonging to the theatre. were upon the alert, and soon had the ass:win in candy he at tirst denied that hr was the man who discharged the pistol, bus the °freers, being supported by a cloud of witneases. coir.'nged their hold of the man originally pointed out, and hatidcuttid The prisoner was convevial to the above office, and underwent a lon/ examination befime Mr. Ifirnie, at which Mr. Rae and Mr. Dibdin, the manegers of the theatre, attended. _ The prisoner appeared to be about 21 years of age. lie was decently and plainly drtsed, like a tradesman, but with no appeararce of tiiity. He gave the name of George Barnett; said - he was a law sta. donee by business, and lived at No. 72, Princes-street. Tuesday he was hmught from Tothillields for final examirafoi. The evidence was again read to the respective witnesses. who swore to their depositions; in addition to the former evidence is the following : Mr. George Hauer, Hos-Mite Keeper, raid, he had twanined the !amps, and other parts of the stags, which were exposed to the lirin; of the shot. None of the donnas were broken ; but the sheet of tin bent for the purpose of reflecting the light upon the stew, had several marks upon it, as if sonic shots had been repelled. A tow pert - ow:tins were in one of the wings, and also in the hack. scene. Witness produced a few shot, which he had picked up upon the stage. BIHNIE asked the prisoner if he wished to say any thing in his defence? He replied, that he had fired off the pistol in the Theatre, hut not with the intention to injure any ore: what else remained for him to say, he should do upon another omaaion, and in a different tuation. _ _ .... Ile was elm fully committed for trial, and the parties were bound over to proseettte.—Miss Kelly did not attend ; hut the *hole dramatic corps were present, besides Lord Montfurd. Mr. Coatta, Sze. The sudden and regretted separation between an amiable Lade and her Lord is said to have arisen from his Lord,hip !mettle introduced 4 fascinating Actress to their table, w he presions knowledge or approbation of her ladyship, Mho deemed the t kit an indecoronv int: nsion on her domestic con tint•. The Lady. it seems, was unite•) to her ItiOt Hone , • al.k. Partner, without a previous ma tiJ7e •.ttlememt, although her fortnat and expectancies are very great.