The National Register. — London, England, 1808-01-10 00:00:00

11....11.11.111.11.11.11111.11.11.11.1.11111111.1.1.1111.111111 ,111 - -- . ''' ..7. , JAN. 10. , THE NATIONAL REGISTER. . ' c't qIIII __.-- - MINE■ \ WHIMNIM I SW MD. Duri' was pr Ow grra nWT e C W 1 I N 1 1 THE THEATRES. T DRURY LAN's, ie reigns of Mr. Garrick and Mr. Kembte, Tragedy ray cultivated at Drury Lane ; and the audiences, eneral they preferred Comedy, were induced by the 'the actors, to countenance a species of entertain they had a vanity in admiring, though, with d few they did not understand it. But the present Ma; •eiving that the town, unless led into another channel tmanding genius, inclines rather to Comedy than to nd having no Tragedian of sufficient powers to stand Ajax, and turn an overwhelming multitude, have Comic Muse 4o re-assume her reign. Comic actors to be found : both because Comedy is of all dramatic st encouraged, and because it does not require in its ives the same grand qualifications of nature and 'ad of this Theatre stands Mr. Elliston, a gentleman ;!I he acts in every thing, is most particularly cmi ant comedy ; and we have often regretted that lie, approach ►o near to perfection in one sphere, will weakening bis efforts by dividing his pursuits. As are adapted rather to charm in eqtabliihed Comedy, ipport the tottering pile of Tragedy, he would do andon the latter : for though, perhaps, the town w ill Tragedy at Drury Lane, once in a month, an actor llistun ought never to play but when he can be ad- • endeavoured to speak bold constitutional Inaguagat but * hat as we expect a plain vindication of popular rights, we find the Kiug and People makiog up matters in a good-humoured Way, and submission, as usual, walking quietly, arm in ann, with in justice. his is our general opinion of Mr. Elliston's genius, re two or three characters of Tragedy which he plays force : and among them is the Earl of Warwick, Tresented on Wednesday night. gedy of The Carl of 'Van:tick was written by a lin, %lift was Chaplains to His 1111;jesty : and is one ays a hich are never very likely to incur execration, ley never take the chance of delighting. When a v puts on his Parnassean wings, he may fall, like ny ::wing too high ; hut an author who creeps along ha , at leant the solitl satisfaction of considering that easily be lower. Dr. Franklin selected the safer constructed his play with great regularity, and, with (table respect for custom, abstained from introducing eters but those to which the stage had been long . • A Monarch amiable hut misled, a Nobleman the prople, a patriotic l'eer, and a cringing Courtier, pie of Ladies, one an angel and the other a del il, imf lig Persona , of " The . Furl of I.i'nru•iek." The• /Revel-, was evidently as honest a pa ins-taking poet ns -Chaplain who ever wrote : and by his labour• he t succeeded in obtaining some cold eulogies, as a mole way through earth to day-light. From this sample thy Doctor's genius, we cannot help conceiving that, in;; him to a Chaplaincy, his Majesty acted with imination than patrons usually evince in the business on : for hi;; reverence has brought his clerical taste !tore itself, and mar►ifcsted his veal for the church lig on the stage. NVe have in vain endeavoured to single poetical passage, or a siagle situation of real .ough the whole live acts of the play. Warteick, in chibited in various tempers ; but whether he be vexed, angry or affectionate, he inVariablY fails to emotion. An actor may create something from the and to hate git:•n an opportcnity for gond acting, is but it is only the merit of a raw outline ; the actor the picture. An author of real genius leaves nothing r but the business of traraishing, and the discretion of cw Enishing touches. The Doctor ha 4 O;ACC QC to ice We are happy to speak with unequivocal praise of Mr. Elb liaton's Warwick. Ilis magnificent voice gave apowerful 'Her+ gy to the vigorous scenes : and where affection for Elitahrth wits to be expressed, he evinced all that tenderness and feeling, which so particularly distinguish his representations of love. There is one passage which he delivered in a mantwr b 0 nobly accordant with the genius of his character, that we cannot deny ourselves the pleasure of pointing it out to our readers. War wick, having quarrelled w ith Edward the Ponrth, whom he justly considers as a creature of his own elevation, is ordered into custody by the enraged king. The guards are about to take his sword, when Warwick exclaims : " Slaves, stand oft ! " If I mu3t yield my sword, I'll give it bim " Whom it so long has served ; there's not a part " In this old faithful steel, that is not stained " With English blood in grateful Ed wa.rd's rause. " Give me my chains ! they are the hands of feiendthip-- " Of a King's friendship ! fur his sake, a while " I'll wear them." An actor of vulgar conception world have contented !limed( in this place, with preeenting the sword in mock humility to Ed►ccard. But Mr. Enjoin', it ho knew that the very iron,/ of so high-spirited a being as Warwick, was °prat!, contemptu ous, did not affect a reverence for Edward, but having spoken, with undisguised resentment, the line— r~ I • !_.,,:.,. " With English blood in grateful FArrard's cause," he stalked boldly to the King, and threw the weapon at the monarch's feet. The audience, thoogh perhaps they did not reason the question, felt the beauty, and their instinct produced a loud applause. Mr. and MN. ii. Sithlons were able representatives of Egfror4 and Elisabeth ; but Nt rs: Powell forgot that Margot et of alnjou . should exhibit a deep and deadly revenge, rather, tlikta a loud and unvarying passion. The rage of Margaret, though itt casual flashes are tremendous, yet burn, for the most part, like a subterraneous fire, and seems to be gat!tering strength for the great explosions. AU that should have been subtle was open: and lithe author had not taken care to let _Margaret acquaint the spectators with the villainy of her own c'taracter, probably, but few of last niglit's audience would have guessed her to he evil-minded, till site had actually murdered mirk. The Pantomime Iws been continued through the week, though without any powerful attraction. ()PERI. This fashionable Theatre, which has lately given occasion to such vigorous disputes betivec.n Manae-ers and nallet-Mastert, and such ungentle usage from a Loud Chancellor to a beautiful woman, was at length, ma Saturday, the 2d of January, opened, for the season, with the Opera of Setniebnide. T he histories of all the altercations to which we have alluded, are now a little out of date, and therefore we shall not m01t...A our refulers by in , troducing them into our columns. Of the Opera it is our Intention to give regular and ample accounts : but we shall make it a prin ciple to insert no observations, vamped in the !wry of a Newt day night ; lest the necessary speed of that agitating peeled should betray us into some inadvertences, which we ma}' Ist► late discover, and which our readers may too early regret. Madame Catalttni was warmly received on .her first appearance and seems likely to produce to the Theatre lama more than the sum fur which she has so firmly and so justly contended.