The National Register. — London, England, 1811-05-05 00:00:00

THE_NATIONAL TIF()ISTER. and on each side of them there a gallery filled with musicians' superbly dressed. The gates open, and a Maguificent chariot drawn by three Horses abreast, enters, and makes the tour of the Stage. Tiriour, the Queen, and Ladies, descend from the chariot, and take possession of the seats prepared fur them. The gates open again, the chariot retires, and the combat coin , men es. I do not pretend to be very intimately acquainted with the tnanner in which tournaments are regulated in 'Fartary, but it struck me as rather odd, that the combatants, instead of putting their lances in their rests, and running at each other, should knock them together with their hands as if they were playing at single stick. I believe, when warriors fight with lances, they do not merely try to break a head, like the heroes at a country fair, when contending for a gold laced hat. This battle, I think, might be managed better. If the combatants cannot run at each other in the regular way, to fight with swords only would have a less ridiculous tifect. To describe the whole of the scenery would be to trespass too long on the Reader's patience, if I have not done so already. I roust, however, in justice to the artists concerned, bay, the manner in which it is executed, redounds greatly to their credit. The lover of spectacle cannot desire a greater treat than is here afforded, and it he is not offended at the introduction of horses. he will derive considerable gratification from their exertions, Good music and good acting combine to add to the attractions of this piece, which if nut entitled to great praise from the critic,. as a literary production, will yet be found to possess nu incon sidarable claim to popular applause as a dramatic performance. :,~ *.qy , . . Amertecins, a n d this at once set his mind at resti as-it provtli that the piece was condemned, not for its want of merit, hut i for the keenness of its satire; There is however, another dais of persons, he appears rather disposed to conciliate, I mean the respectable body of Critics. Originally " the Americans" con tained some remarks on them, which were exceedingly witty, if the Intention and opinion of the author may be depended on. These he has thought proper to cut away :—perhaps though he did it on account if the praise bestowed on the good Critic. The genural censure which has been poured on " The Ameri cans," may have convinced the author no such being is in ex istence. • With respect to the merits of the piece, as it now stanch, I must confess that it is better than it was, because it is shorter. If Mr. ARNO LI) had done by his own Play as Dean Swift did by that of another author, that is, had be crossed out every other line, I am of opinion it would have had but half the faultsi it originally contained. The new comic opera is now, as we are told I/y the bills, received with the most unbounded and undi vided applause, and will be repeated every evening till further notice. This lam inclined to give st.me credit to, from the ad mirable manner in which the company of clappers' pWormed their parts, on Tuesday. The energy with which they vocife rated " turn him out," when.any man had so little taste as to hiss, proved the piece likely to have a run.' Full houses arc of minor importance, when thy credit of a manager is at stake. It may be, however, that " The Amt.rican" will bring fed houses; but, with the itnpressian made on my mind, I would advise the proprietors not to give a night for the benefit of the English prisoners in France, while that is performing, eele...s, by exposing the poverty of their receipts, they wish to gi.t a sub scription set on foot for thorselves. LYCEUM. Badly as 1 noticed " The ilinericans" in my last, from the intrinsic worthlessness of the piece, and its consequent dainna ti4n, I did think I had dismissed it for ever. Circumstances, however, induce me again to take up the subject, though it is not my intention to dwell 'on it long. The Opera was not re peated on Monday, and on Tuesday it was announced for a se cond representation. At the same time the public were must respectfully informed that the parts which had been objected to were entirely taken away, and the author solemnly assurt d that respectable body of people, c:dled Quakers, that no injui iuus re flection was intended to be cast upon them. I was really surprized to read that the parts disapproved of were entirely taken away, while the piece was announced for the evening as a Comic Opera, in three acts. According to my ideas on the subject, had the parts objected to been entirely expunged, two-thirds of the piece, at least, would have been cut away. With this feeling I visited the Theatre, panting with curiosity to see the wonderful alterations which had been made. The changes principally relate to the characters which were originally drawn As Quakers. These, I ought to obs - erve, are made by the actoks, and not by the author. From this circumstance a tiderable idea may be formed of the strength and accuracy the delineations of character originally boasted, as it must be seen that the language which Mr. A ics oLD puts into the mouth of one personage of his drama is so excellent that It will do for any other quite as well as for that to which it was first given. Thus those passages in The 4,nericans which were at first intended to be drawled out with all the ordinary delibe ration of stage Quakers, are now found most admirably adapted to a sprightly girl, an impetuous old man (not a Quaker) a Jerry Ble.isom from. Yorkshire, and a neat unadulterated Mango from The Padlock. I cannot but admire the adroit manner in which Mr. AR NO LID accounted for the danutation of his piece. On the first night of its performance, I lo , ,ked round at the audirnce, as I usually do on the night of a new play, and saw the F101:5C WAS to:erably well packed, but I did not observe an unusual show of Broad brims in the pit. He, no doubt, from the bole in the curtain, Perceived a most formidable phalanx of quakers opposed to the d. •~ ~~. 1 " . " 1" "" 0.019 .p. esiOre4oo-0100411111111sw o~u RELIEF OF THE PORTUGUESE. A numerous and respectable meeting wag on Wednesday held at WiLits's Rocrns, for the purpose of co-operating with the measures adopted in the city, and calling forth the subicriptions of all rank in furtherance of the above benevolent object. ills Royal Highness the DUKE or Yonx was called to the l'he Marquis of LANSDOWNY then addresicd the meeting in a short speech.-1 - le. observed, that 1w could not anticipate any possible objection or difficulty in the way of the R. solutiqns which iie had to propose, and there could not be found in that assembly one feeling that was at variance .with their o jeet, which was to atitilinister relief to the sufferip of the Portuguese. The Noble Marquis then read the Res()lu His Royal Highness the DuKr of You them from the Chair severally, and they were unanimously aireed to. I-Us Royal nighties then submitted to the Company the pro priety of putting down their names without delay. On this suggestion, Mr. FULLER M. P. for StlgccX, immediately said, in his usual honest ingenuous manner, " Well then ! I will put down at once 1601.—put down John Fuller in the book—John Fidler, of Rose Hill. if you pleats." "1 his simple hut forcible appeal, proceeding, as it evidently did, from the impulse of national feeling, produced much ap plause. A variety of sums (mostly of 10014 were subscribed instalitcr, by the Noble Persons present. The Marquis of I,AtsepowNt then proposed the Thanks of the Meeeting to his Royal Highness the Duke of York, for iris condescension in having taken the Citair.—(ifitgauses.) His Royal Highness the DUI( F. of YORK, in a few words, (ex pressed his acknowledgments fur the flattering opinion which the company entertained of him ; and assured them, that in a cause like the present it was his greatest pride to step forward to promote the pelletal interests of humanity, which could not he better evinced than by affording aid and succour to our allies— the brave and gallant, though unfortunately oppressed, inhabi tants of l'.‘rttigal. His Royal Highness then quitted the Chair, amidst the general plaudits of the room. The Earl of BerexiNunistasnistz then moved thanks to the Marquis of Lansdowne tor moving the Resolutions; and the Noble Marquis assured the company that the honour cf their thanks was ill bestowed on such as busuble individual as liana- WO- . Gi~iii3a~ ~,.r r.. s L►'"= 3 ~r ~ .~. "oMMM A. 4tv :