The National Register. — London, England, 1812-04-12 00:00:00

- C:l4 log death, paleness, emaciation, langour, laxity of limbs, and depression of muscles ; vet it offers nothing disgusting to the eye, and is seen with compassion and without horror ; the other actors of this most in teresting drama, have also their individual merit, and contribute to the harmony of the whole; but the person of Christ surpasses the rest—it ss truly astonishing, and baffles the power of description ; it must be seen, and when seen, it cannot fail of being admired. This country, which boasts, with justice, of possessing the famous cartoons of Raphael, will always have reason to be proud of having produced such a performance as this, and the liberality of the Gover nors of the British Institution, who have purchased it, deserves the sincere thanks, not only of all men of taste, but of every one whose mind is warmed with the least spark of patriotic feeling. The Artist looks at it with emulation ; the religious, with respect ; the healthy, with gratitude ; the languid, with hope ; and, indeed, the approbation is so unrestricted, and so general, that it seems as if Envy, struck blind, were not able to find the doors of the British Gallery. No man is born without a certain share of discrimination and judg ment, yet every one is not always ready to feel, as they ought to be felt, the beauties contained in the productions of the Fine Arts. Conse quently it has been thought proper, that a description should be per mitted in be sold at the place, and by a perusal of it; we are enabled to assert, that the author has deeply entered into the merits of this grand effect of genius. It points nut harmonies and contrasts, which, although they produce their intended effect upon the mind, are not immediately guessed at by the most intelligent beholder; it tells us why, and bow we are pleased e ancl it is a received axiom, that we'double our pleasure by ascertaining the cause of it. We shall terminate these observations by a few lines from the de scription itself, not only as a specimen of the style in which it is writ ten, but also because it seems to concentrate in one single idea ell what has been said already on the subject " The mantel powers of the Artist breathe in every feature, in every attitude, and with such energy, that after two minutes of steady in spection, we forget the canvas and muse on the transaction as if it were real, with astonishment and respect. Indeed, the personages represented here are so intent upon their respective objects, so animated, so much like life, and the visitors standing before the Picture seem so struck with awe, so still, that when the whole is seen at a distance, the eye is at a loss to determine where the livine groups end, and where the painted ones begin. This observation has been made by several persons of taste sax' feeling, and is, perhaps, the best encomium that can be passed upon the extraordinary merit of this Picture." DRAMATIC REGIS:II,7. LYCEUM. `,‘‘'ere we to judge of the teste and liberality of the Managers of the Lyceum, by the number of new productions, which, within the two last years, they have venter.. d to bring forward at this theatre, there would not, we are convioced, be found any men within any period of Fogiish theatric history more profuse of patronage, and more tasteful iu selection. But quantity, in toetters of this kind, would be a;i im propor grruoul upon which to found a decision. It would be judging Busch in the same spirit as that Rennin Emperor who formerly col lected his opinion of the greatness, and extent of the metropolis of his ' Empire, by the quantity of cobwebs collected in it, amounting, if we recollect rightly, to letke.:.l). avoirdupois. We would not, by any means (because we have a fell.ltv feeling for authors) be understood, by this allusion, to !n , .irtuate that all the farces and operas, and plays, which have stared 1:2;:n us for t!,e last two years, have any likeness at all to this very Itrittle mater:ai, we very much apprehend, notwith sta”eliite, that no one of :aria, if it were reme::;:;ered, could, like the ~ , e rses of it; attc;ont en:ne the source either of fwd or 'raiment to our shipwrecked marietrs ; we greatly apprehend that recollection wi:l n give itself much troohle about, them, and that " Like the baseless fdarie of a vision," &c. &c. If we are not mistaken, the talents of certain performers, however they may contribute to the amusement of the public, have not contributed much to the useful ex ertiln of whatever little dramatic genius the country at present pos -seese% We would litinihy recotruilt . nd to those who turn their thoughts (~,Inp of this kind, Lot k.-ep the mind exclusively fixed upon co:r.c with rn , •-t. ~ -;!. t .zr. from the ntutals of Me. Do wroN, geot:ermui or out to ii se, like the autluar of tht. pre: , 4 AlYIi, sosomeseseasessses•e6 sent pace, above every humble consideration of this kind, and to write not for a player, but for mankind. Our limits, and the lateness of the hour will not allow us to spend much remark upon the Comedy that has been rep eesente d with an enthusiasm of reception which, at least within our memory, has not been exceeded. We feel, indeed, a sincere pleasure in having witneSsed a production which formorality of intention, fur generosity of sentionent, and even, what we are seldom troubled with in those later days, for ingenuity of plot, is equally honourable to the heart and to the head of its author. The principal design of the writer (who, we are informed, is the sister of Mr. Sheridan) seems to have been to contribute to the removal of those en worth) prejudices which many in this country, who hive no acquaintance with Irish character, but what they derive from a walk thruuz,h St. Giles's, or a story in a jest book, are apt to entertain. Mr. litzedward (an Irish gentleman), after having for some time unsuccessfully courted his relation, Lail/ Aim Loved, at length joins himself in matrimony to Miss Rivers, without the knowledge of her friends, all of whom vow im moveable enmity to her and her husband. FTh.ed ve soon expends his fortune in expensive living, and returns to London leaving his w fe in Ireland. His distresses, and the interference of the lady to whom he had formerly paid his addresses, bri%s him into the situation of ama nuensis to Miss Rivers, the aunt of his wife, a superannuated ma'clen, who puzzles herself andber acquaintance with chemistry and quotations. in this place be succeeds in attaching to her the affections of every per son who) had before been prejudiced against himself and his country. Mr. 0:11y (Mr. DOWTON) who entertabed the tenderest ; ffection for his deceased sister, the mother of Mrs. Fil - xcluNrd. On coming to London, he finds his brotto r-in-law, •Mr. Riv-w, married to a second wife, a young dashing" lady, who, under the name of friend ship, zelmits the addressees of a fop, who is equally careless of her affection and her character. Men Fitzedtwre, in the mean time, comes to London in search of her husband, and takes an obscure lodeng in the same house where her wide Mr. Odly hap pened to reside. They meet ; she is received by him into fa vour; and, after a variety of well-chasen embarrassment ; oiler a tender and highly touching display of conjugal fidelity, and zeelous fondmass lions Miss Boyce in the char:cter of Mrs. Fiteedwarri ; -after Mrs. Rit.:rs discovers, and despises the folly of the ateltesiuk; fop, and is reconciled to her husband, the piece ends in the reconcilement of ad who had before vowed enmity to each other. The dialogue in the first Act appeared to us a little heavy, but it was received throushoat with that applause to which it has very just cleims. We cannot soar remark upon the exertions o f the different performers. The Peblia are before acquainted with their respective merits, and it is useless to re peat what every person knows. After the piece was terminated, Mr. Doc .t see came forward, and said, that as the name which it here, and the hill was imposed without the knowledge of the lady who wrote is, she wished to have it now announced for representation under tans name of the " Brys cf Erin." Although we would have been fully satisfa d with the first name, we will admit that it is not unusual to change at confirmation what was im posed at baptism. Tnn NATIONAL I' J .41;;;0P•re.t,•1•... THE COURT AND IVORLD OF FASHION. Thur-iday tic PitINCE RECENT held a Levee at Carlton House, which was attended by the Dukes of Vorh, Clarence, Kent, Cumberland, and Bruns wick ; the Foreign Minister.; ; the Archbishop of Cashel; the Lord Chant-eller, and tne re:,: of the Ministers and great Officers of State; the Chit fJJF tice; .the f 13.:r0n ; the Lord Nlay)r; the Sheriffs; the Dukes of Gordon, iviatichesttx, &.c. Among the presentations were the • Lord .1% iayor, ;;I:erift4, and Remernbranci‘r, who presented the Reso 1. lutions el t::e Lor:1 Chliord, the Hon. Mr. Stotcti m, EngleliLl.l. ;led :;ir J. Thr.Aktnor;on, who presented ;.n cm the Roman Catholics of Engiand ; Viscount Milton, and Mr. force, with a Petition from Yorkshire; the new Spanish Ambassador and suite; M. Navarre, Chargc d'Affaires from Portwral; the Duke of Manchester, on his return flow.' the Government. of Jamaica; Captain Eyre, who received the honour of Xnig hthood ; and a number of Mili tary and Naval ()Ulcers, on promotion, and on returning from, or pre vious to dvparture for, various foreign stations. The PRINCE itt:GE.:T has giver. Lord WELLINGTOIs: per mission to assume the-title cf Duke of CI UP AD RODRIGO, Wilieh !)AS 1)11.:3 cuafei rr.i oa him by the Cortes of Spain.