The National Register. — London, England, 1812-01-05 00:00:00

JAN. 5. Possessing many personal requisites for the pulpit, and gifted with no inconsiderable portion of eloquence, the present preacher should dili- , gently and devoutly aspire to true clerical utility and eminence. Yet he has much to learn,—perhaps to unlearn,—ere he can soar so high. He must yet get much of that knowledge for which Saint Paul said he counted all things else but as mere dross! This be may get; this let him get. 'Tis the one thing needful that he still wants. Independence of every thing human should form likewise the motto of clergymen. Let them neither fear the frowns, nor court the favours of man. Let youthful preachers, especially when fashionable, beware, above a'l errors, of giddily emulating the example held out to incau tious imitation by those pulpiteers, who -while many a studied pause Extorts the raptured dowager's applause — With tawdry metaphor, and meanless trope, Degrade the glories of the christian's hope ! Considerations like these are urged with deep regard to our church establishment. Really " the Church, like the Ark. of Noah, is," as 'Warburton said, gc worth saving!" Let her own sons, accordingly, strive to save her. " Garrick," Quin once said, " was a new religion; that Whitfield was followed for a ti:ne, but they would all come back to church again." Apply this remark. Quin was here " all in the wrong t"—they have not " come back to church." , Let her shepherds take care lest morn of her sheepfold still stray ! Admirable as the rites and ceremonies of our national church un questionably are, these cannot be expected to supply the absence of ca pability and assiduity on the part of her ministers. Personal dignity, assisted by cannonicals, certainly imposes. All this is well, but is not all. This is the shadow ; substance must he had. The rock of the ehuth is the creed of the church. Where this rock is not built on, invariably and inflexibly, no church can hope long to stand. This is also true of rites, and is true also of forms. Antiquity and authority afford, otherwise, neither security nor deference. The age of cere monial importance is now past. Our church knows this truth, and should feel its force. Ministers (lEstablishments must be the Ministers to Establishments. Those who live by the church, must now live for t the Church. January 1,1812. ONESIMUS. DRAMATIC REGISTER. COVENT'-GARDEN. Miss SMrrn has commenced her engagement at this theatre. She r. - ade her first appearance in Belvidere. She sustained the part in a very able manner ; ai.t her performance throughout was such, as in no small degree to console the audience for the loss of Mrs. SID DO 's . That ex quisito feeling and uniformly appropriate action, which n ade the cha racter important even where language was denied it, when in the hands of Mrs. SIDDONS, was not always given to it by Miss Smi fit. The per formance,however,viewed as awhole is entitled to greatpraise. Much is to be found in it to admire, and but little, very little to condemn. Under these circumstances he must have little pretensions to good nature who would make that which is in the main entitled to warm commendation, a sub ject of peevish criticism, and inVidiouttly descant on a few defects in a performance, to the many beauties of which his limits (however honest his intention), forbid him to do justice. It is but fair that just censure should be withheld, where merited praise cannot be bestowed. On Tuesday she sustained the character of Jane Shore in a very ex cellent style. Her youthful appearance will, in many characters, give her an advantage over Mrs. SIDDONs, as that Lady, however great her powers, cannot -ossibly look well those parts which are understood to be very young. This, though by some it may be considered as a m-re trifle, is of t.O small importance to keep up the illusion of tbe scene . I must, however, admit, that if in appearance Miss SML i u has in some instances an advantage over Mrs. SIDDONS, in many others Mrs. Sin- Dons has (in person even) a greater advantage over Miss Vllil ii, as the latter will be found greatly wanting in importance, whenever she attempts those higher parts in which Mrs. SIDDONS has so long been unrivalled, and on which Mr fame has found a solid basis. I,IL EUM. On Thursday, a new Comedy, called Right and Wrong, was per fowled, for the rust-time. Like moss of %he Producahho that have lat- THE NATIONAL 'REGISTER. 11 terly come out at this Theatre, this play was deficient in every thing that ought to distinguish the legitimate Drama. If less is said on this occasion than bas been said on others, it is only because the Critic, fatigued with the painful exercise of his duty, lets the lash fall in despair from his aching arm, with the conviction, that to exercise it with vigour, would be useless, as it has so often been in vain. Right and Wrong is a thing "of shreds and patches." It consists of • scenes stolen from other plays with so little taste, that, like the thefts of Sir Fretful, they are worse than useless to the compiler (it would nut be handsome to say the thief). The Pt ologue gives up all claim ta ori ,inality on the part or the Author, which it labours to prove is not to be expected now. To make up, however, for the absence of origmarty, we are promised something which the Author has Fot front nature. This certainly ought to satisfy reasonable things, but really, 1 for one, could discern nothing of the kind. When he spoke of act,!nre,,l nthat suppose he meant 6 ‘ Speed the Plough" and the " The Poor Gent'eman," as I can very plainly perceive that he has got something from them, though I sec no reason fur accusing him of having made too free with nature. Instead of endeavouring to make his piece bearable by what might be gained from nature, it appears to me that he has thought succeas might he ensured in a much easier manner, namely, by filling up hie scenes with a string of hackneyed sentiments, which any juvenil:- rebus scribbler might write, and any coal-porter collect in a tap.riorn, " free and easy." By thus displaying his regard for morality, and his attach ment to the Hood old laws, he appears to have hoped to gain applause if not fame. Though I cannot say this plan exactly hits my taste, yet to gratify those who may differ from me, and to prove tat I bear no per sonal animosity to this ingenious Gentleman, I will furni-h him with the means of enriching his Piay with something more strikingly novel than any any thing that happened to occur to him while en.ployed in manufacturing this Comedy. I trust he will give me credit for consider able liberality, not to say generosity, when I f-eely make him a present of the following collection of sentiments (which it is obvious 1 m;aht keep for my own use), and which I believe will be found to have mine elegance, morality, ingenuity, and novelty, than any at present to be found in his play. 44 May the honest heart never know distress.' " May we ne'er want a friend nor a bottle to give him." 44 May we never speak to deceive, nor listen to betray." " May a merry wench never wear a ragged petticoat." 66 He who do'nt like England, d—n him let him lave it. 6 ' May we have in our artus what we love in our heart-1." 46 May the tears of honesty in distress be all wiped away with the soft paper of Mr. Henry Hase." - " May the farmer who won't protect a pretty girl in di.itlyss be I beg the Author's pardon, but I believe he has rant !he lost or !::e above, or something so very like it, that he cannot well make that, at' least in the first Act. The others lam atm.:fit ceetain he, has forgot to make use of, and- I believe i hey are all as iu,od and as new ;ss any thing in his play. lie will observe . they are all vet linos, and, as his play, though damned the first night, is to he pet toi nu d every even ing till further notice, I think Mr.. DOWTON (who is 'Allured in the part of a sentimental farmer), may very well get them by rote hefare the middle of the w eek. In taking leave of this writer I think it hut justice to observe tlo.t he is no foul. This is evident II om his concealing lei: name HAYMARKWF lIEATRE. Mr. MARSHAL, who has unfortunately lost his sight, had a benefit here last Monday. The play was The Merchant of Yenice. .Sll9"Jcic lOLDILI :all awe representative in Mr. I'.ll WA RIM ; u nu s ually important by Mr. SIDNEY, and tile o; int gave new interest to Ponta, and the whole perfoimance was vei y re spectable. G. _ The 4 6 The 3OUR7 AND .IVOIILD OF • Ti 1E following Bulletin was is,ned on Sunday last :-- KING continues pearly in th s:alie :tax." i i s f.. h z u. •