The National Register. — London, England, 1812-02-09 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL RF,CISTF,II.. 91 We were induced on Thursday eveuing to visit tilt! Theatre, to wit ness the performance of SHERIDAN'S Pizarro. A celebrated Amami's' of Fashion was announced to pity; and many went in the expectation of seeing Mr. Coek-a-doodleddoo. It was not hint, however, but a Spark to the full as ridiculous; he attempted to speak (we say attempted; for the audience would not endure the whole) Bucks hare at ye all ; and was as successful as his predecessor, the great Mr. COAT Es, would have been. The play was most miserably performed, with the exception o( Las Casa:, Oresembo, and Rolla; the gentleman who played the latter character we have often beheld on these boards; he appears to possess abilities of the first order; he delineated the Peruvian Hero in a most masterly style. Elvira wanted figure and dignity, but she spoke and acted with much good sense. Miss SYDN ET played Cora; there is a beauty, and sweetness of manner in this young Lady, that, aided by experience and industry, gives hope of much future excellence. DRA ATIC REGISTER. COVENT GARDEN. HAYMARKEI"fkiI FASHIONS FOR FEBRUARY.. EreNitio Co STUM E.—An amber crape dress over white sarsnet, trim. med with pearls or white beads, with a demi-train ; a light short jacket. rather scanty, with two separate fancy folds, depending about three quarters down the front of the skirt, forming in appearance a kind of Sicilian tunic, and trimmed down each division like the bottom of the dress, with a single row of pearls; short sleeves, not very high above the elbow, fitting close to the arm, and ornamented at the top with dis tinct points of satin, the same colour as the dress, relived by pearls; two rows of the tame costly material or of beads, according as the robe is ornamented, form a girdle. The hair dressed in the antique Roman style, with tresses brought together, and confined at the back of the head, terminating either in ringlets, or in two tight . knots; a braid of plaited bait drawn over a demi-turban formed of Liain amber satin. with an elegantly embroidered stripe of whit e sac in , Teparaled by rows of pearl, and a superb sprig of pearls in front. Necklace of oue single row of large pearls, with ear-rings of the Maltese fashion to corres pond. Ridicule nut gclons of slate colour, shot with pink; the lino base secured by a covering of pink stamped velvet, with pink tassels. Italtlot slippers of amber, fringed with silver. or ornatoevted round the ankle with a row of pearls or beads. White kid gloves. A WINTER WALKING DRESS.—A scarlet Merino cloth pelisse, lined with straw coloured sarsnet, trimmed with light coloured potted fur, and attached with loops of black silk cordon and rich frog tassels ; the broad fur in front, forming a tippet, pointed at the back. A narrow fur passes from the top of the sleeve, is brought down the side seatris, and relieved by fastenings of black silk cordon ; four loop with frogs orna ment the shoulders and cuffs; plain standing up collar tied with cordon t a fine cashemire shawl, with brown ground, and richly varieg4ted bor der, is' generally thrown over the dress, in which is oohed both com fort and elegance. A Swedish hat of the same materials as the pritsw., lined with straw colour, and fastened up one side; the crown trim Tiled with two rows of narrow spotted fur, and one still not rower at the edge of the hat; a bunch of the Christmas holly in front, Ard tv..4 tassels falling from the summit of the crown, of black, to anm.er the pelisse, which is worn over a white round tires-, ether of plain ( corded cambric. Beaver gloves, and demi-brogains of scarlet Morocco, faced with black, and lined with fur,complete the dress. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. ACCEPTANCES FOR THE 1 3 NEWI2. MARKET. FREE HANDI CAPS, FIRST SPRING MEETING. Mor)Air.---Sweepstakes of 100 s. each, h. ft. T. M. M. Sir F. Standish's c. by Mr. Teazle, Bst.'2lb. Mr. Astle . y's Five, Sst. Mr. Dundas's Witch of Endor, let. fitlb. -Colonel Morgan's Oporto, 7st. 111 b. Lord Oxford's Morgiana, Tst. Mb. TrumpAv.—Sweepstakes of 1000 f each., b. ft. Across the Flat. Lord Foley's Soothsayer, 9st. 41b. Duke ot Rutland's Grimalkin, Bst. 91b. Mr. Mellish's Beverley, Fist 71b. Lord C. H. S , elerset.'; Camerton, Bst. 71b. Lord Darlington's.l - lit.or-Miss, Bst. 61b. Mr. Lad broke's Hamlet, Bst. 111). Mr. Glovees Cross-bow, Bdt. lib. Mr. Blake's Sprightly, lit. 141). Mr. Lake's b. c. by Sorcerer, out of sister to Oatlandd, 7st. 911). SECnND SPRING MEETING. M O NDAY. —Sweepstakes of 1007 s. each, h. ft. 13. C: Lord Oxford's Victoria, 9st 21b. Lord Lowthcr's Eaten, 9sr. Mr. Jones's Poulton, 9st. Mr. Wyndharn's Electien, Sot. 131 b. Mr. l'igot's York, Bst. Rib Mr. Lake's Britannia, Sit. 21h. Mr. Dundas's Ron•Lo, :?sc. 21b. Mr. Shakespcar's Chester, 7st. :ilb. l'UESDAY.—Sweepstakes of 50gs. each, h. fc. Two-year oil Course. Mr. Astley's Magic, 9:1. Lord G. li. Cavendidi's 13arros.i, 41!). Lord Darlinuton's Timuur. 7st. 101 h. Sir kiwibury . 6 btothr-r se Agnes, 7st. 41b. I I FEW 9 A new play from the prolific pen of Mr. REYNOLDS, has been produced at this Theatre, founded on the Incas of MARMON r xi., and the Death of Rolla, by KoTzeaue. The play which Mr. REYNOLDS has furnished from these sources, is called the Virgin of ths Sun. Its subject is the adventures of Cora and Alonzo, preceding those which ate given in the play of Pizarro. The whole plot may be given in a few words: Cora, who Lad previously rejected Rolla, to dedicate her days to the service of the Peruvian Deity, as a Virgin of the Temple of the Sun, happens to see Alonzo, and falls in love with him. He comes to her assistance at a moment, when the Temple of the Sun, rent by the shock of an earthquake, and partly fallen, seems on the eve of becoming nothing more than a mighty ruin-. She accepts of his. protection, and is soon persuaded to become hie wife. In consequence of this, not wily her own life, and the life of Alonzo are forfeited to the laws of Peru, but also the lives of her father and brother. Alonzo and Tel .1 SCO (her father) are sentenced to be burnt, and Cora to be buried alive. The sentence is about to be carried into effect, when Rolla, who had become the friend of Cora and of Alonzo, comes forward with an armed force to save them from destruction, and succeeds in getting the law which doomed them to death abolished. This play has been said to be the best produced this season, and so perhaps it is, but this, by the bye, is not saying a great deal in its favour. 1 must confess, that to me it appears more bearable 'in representation, than any piece recently produced ; with the single exceigion of the " White Cat." The splendour of the scenery, the pleasing effect of the music, the great exertions of Mr. YOUNG and Miss SMITH, and the vocal powers of Mr. SINCLAIR, make it pass off very well, and seem likely to bestow on it a transient popularity. But little of the praise it pine, hoWever, belongs of right to Mr. REYNOLDS. The persons employed to light the lamps of the Theatre on the nights of its performance, have almost as great a claim to the plaudits which the representation of " The Virgin of the Sun" calls forth, as it is possible for Mr. REYNOLDS rationally to advance. Strip this drama of its music and scenery, and from the sum total of applause bestowed, deduct that proportion, which is due to Messrs. MARMON TEL and KOTZ SHOE, and Mr. REYNOLDS, I fancy, will have little reason to be proud of that which falls to his share. It is not, however, my wish - to deprive him of that which he really has a right to take to himself. in several of the serious scenes he ac quitted himself in a tolerably creditable manner, and here some applause wit due to him. Still, however, the general arrangement of the play is bed. The comic scenes are very poor, and a want of interest is gene rally complained of in its progress. Of the songs I can hardly bring myself to speak at all, as they are so eminently wretched, that bet to mention them must be to wound the feelings of the Author's friends. If I were at all the enemy of Mr. REY N 0 Los, - I would gratify my spleen on the present occasion by quoting several songs from the Virgin of the San. Without any feeling of this sort, I must, however,• say of them that they are so silly, and so miserably pointless, that they seem more like the incoherent strains of a lunatic, tharrthe sober productions of a favourite dramatist. The following four lines may give some idea of the general merits of the poetry— " Banish now gloomy days, Age rejoice as well as youth, Cura's love let us praise, Rolla's and inoiras truth." There's sense !—here's harmony! one would almost imagine the Au thor was lost in a fig, when he made his characters propose to barlAi gloomy days. What is such rhitne better, I would ask, than the dog grel used by children in their plays? such as-- " Dockery, dickery, dock, A mouse ran up the clock," Or—" 0, U, T, spells out, • With a black hand and a white snout." The lines of Mr. REYNOLDS have almost as little meaning and little conneelon as either of the couplets above Tiered. He appears to have Ear down to write every song in his piece without knowing what to write about, and without power to generate an idea worth embody in; even in poetry like his. In taking leave of this Play it would be illiberal not to observe that the scenery of it is unprecedentedly splendid. The earthquake, in the early part of the performance is finely managed; :Ind the dec ...ratioie throughout are executed with ability well correspont:tiiii; with the mac lificence of the design. G. .-...,•..- - 1 w r+ aL