The National Register. — London, England, 1819-02-21 00:00:00

FED. el' ether respects injudiciouely cast : Rae, who is certainly a respectable performer in his line, and a tlivourite with the Puhlic, had only the task aesigned to him of speak ing the prologue ; while Mr. 11. Kemble was thrust into a character he could very ill sustain. Mrs. West exerted herself to the utmost, but received a fell por tion of the disapprobation of the audience ; who, how ever, by the applause they bestowed upon her when she entered to speak the Epilogue, sheaved that the ilieapprohation was not intended for her, but flu the chmeeter she had to sipport.The curtain MI at length, amidst the most marked disapprobation. There was a general cry for the Manager; .\lr. 11. Johnston, how ever, came fie-ward to announce the piece for repetiti m, but was obliged to retire ; and the cry for the Manager was repeated,but no Manager appeared. The overture of the force was played, the curtain rose, and the force of ' High Nigiatis commenced. MN. Bland and Knight appeared; but the cry for the Manager became still loader, and they retired. The stage remained unoccu pied fur 10 minutes, when Mrs. Bland and Knight again appeared, and another attempt was made to pro ceed with the fltree ; this excited the indignation of the audience ; the performers were assailed with a shower of oranges and apples, and &Aged to retire •a second time. The tumult and cry of " Shame, Manager arose still higher, and Mr. S. Kemble at length op peered. He was saluted with a shower of oranges, and apples, and other missiles, and we were sorry to olizerve a piece of orange strike him on the face with considerable force, As soou as he could obtain a hear ing he addressed ehe audience ,is follows—" Ladies and (*sidemen, It is your province to give the low, and ours to submit "—[Cries of ‘• Why did you not come forward when you were called for ?"j—"Though I cannot but regret the failure of the Piece to.night s may perhaps be allowed to make one observation. We have produced several new Pieces this season, all of which have fortunately met with your approbatien.— (Applause.)—Lalies and Gentlemen—l have only to aide, that, in compliance with your command, this Piece has been withdrawn." Mr. Kemble bowed and retired, amidst loud applause; quiet was restored, and the Face of High Notions procoelett and restored good humour. COVENT GARDEN. A new tragedy was onWelnesday week pranced at this Theatre, under the title of Evader, or, the Statue- The plot is as follows : Ludorico (Mr. Macready), Chief Minister and fa vourite of a of Naples (Mr. Abbott), conceives the design of destroying his master's life, and raising himself to the throne. With this view he begins by racking in the King a guilty passion for fralic Miss ()'Neill), sister of Colima (Mr. Young), a Nobleman of Naples ; and engages hit promise that the brother hmself shall consent to the sister's shame. The trai tor himself has no intention of sacrificing &ado!, 'whom he secretly loves, to the king; but sets tre plot in movement to destroy the King, by Cothaa's hand. It is further necessary that, to obtain Evadne, her lover, Vincentio (Mr. C. Kenthle), should be disposed of, by marriage, to Olivia (Mrs. Faucit), 4dovico's ktnswoman, who loves him. lincentio is recalled from threign emba.ssay ; and, upon his return, is told by La hive° that Et;arbre was 615 e, aid had become the taistrets of the Ke'n.T. l'inecntio is persuaded to be- ' sieve his mistress thit'hless, on the evidence of a letter wriuen by Evadne, containing the most passionate avowal of tenderness, really intended for Vineentio but, by the change of name, contrived by Ludovico to appear addressed to the King. Vincentio meets I &ruble ; reproaches her with her falsehood ; iv half persuaded by her protestations of her innocence ; asks, as the last moans of removin„ ,, his suspi cions, that she should let him soe whether she still wore round her neck this picture, whi'h he had given aer at his departure. She is overjoyed ; produces the i:;:ture, and gives it to him : it proves, lowever, to be the picture of the King.. Vineentio now becomes to rums and inexarahle,. Colonna enters, insults, and - ..htdlenges Vinectitio, and they go out to fight. Olivia r , mes in, and confesses to Evalne, that she had eon :r.ved the Em se letter, and sobstitoted the pi. lure of the . !(ing for tints, of Vintxtitio round Evadne's neck, at the .astgation of I.udovico, who eng a ged to reward her by nr:ting Vincentio her husband. .Colonna and Viacentio tight ; the latter is supoo,sail dead, and the sorrier con.: fumed in a • dungeon. f.iolcwiro visits him, gives him his freedom—telly him that the King do ounaed his Tiger's shame, and his own nequieseenee, as the price of his pardon—and perstiatles :tim, by arttuily working °ll his feolings, to give a seeming consent ; to :nvite the King to his Palace, and at the montcnt when he expects the • brother's base sacrifice of the shi'rr's ho• nour, to murder hiM. The King is invited and teat. ed by Colons The'hour of rest approaches, and .he King retires to his chamber. Colouna enters an adjoining apartment, and proceeds to the doer of that -n which he was waiting the coming of Evadne. He 4 n 6 henths the dagger, and is about to open the door when he hears a voice. It is Evadtie—+he knew Purpose, and persuades him to Jet her meet the THE NATIONAL REGISTER. King. He consents ; but, suspecting her weakness, conceals himself so as to overhear what passes. The King enters, and fiats Evadne--she evades his disho nourable propositions, by calling his attention, with mysterious and solemn pathos, to the statues of her fa mily, which stood in the chamber. At length she comes to one statue, ani asks the King Wile knew it. t was her father's, who had been the King's tutor, and did by a strike aimed at the King in battle. She embraces the statue, and invokes the spirit of her father. The King is moved, abandons his base wishes—Co/ow:a comes forth, embraces his sitcor, and is reconciled to the King. Ludovico is approachim , —Colonna places the King behind the statues, and Cvnine retires. Ludovico enters, and is told by Colonna that the King is dead. II is joy and ambition burst forth' tumultuously. He tells Colonna he shall die the death of a murderer, and orders his guards to advance and seize him ; when sud. denly the King appears before him ; Ludovico is con thunded—recovers himself—and tries the success of hy pocrisy. Ho is spurned by the K g—is roused to the vengeance of despair, makes an attempt to kill the King, and is himself killed by Colmina, and the Play concludes. The seene is at Naples ; and the time, without any ex press historic fact in the text, appears to have been about the 16th century, from the tone of character and sentiment of the Piece. Such are the materials which constitute this bantling of the Poet's fancy. The author is, we unders'and Mr. Shell, a Gentleman of the sister kingdom, well known in the theatrical world as the author of the .•Ipostale, Be!bemire!, and some other pieces. The production of last night, like every former production of this author, abounds is situations of of horror : his style is lofty, ant: ab.)uads in imagery, studied comparisons, and similie► His allusions to the person and charms of his heroine are, in more than one instance, too glowing and warns to be consistent with that delicacy which suits the fe male part of the audience. In this, a••d in all the for mer productions of Mr. Shiel's pen, the scenes of horror are worke.l up to such a pitch as to become painful in the extreme to the audience. The reiterated acts of diabolical villainy on the part of Ludovic.), and the ag gravatcd misery which they draw down on the heads of his devoted victims, Ey:dee, her brother, and Lcr lover, follow each other so rapidly that they leave no point on which the attention of the a - idience can rest a m:Enent or to relax and refresh tself. The performers exerted themselves to the utmost for their author. Of the acting of Miss O'Neill, Messrs, Mac.ceavy and C. Ke - inble, too much cannot be said. Mrs. Faucit. as Olivia and air. Abbott as tie King, made as much of the characters, as the characters themselves admitted of. The Prologue and Epilogue contain some good paints ; and the la:ter, in particu lar, was well delivered by Mrs. Faucit. The House was extremely full ; and the Piece was given out for repetition to night, mast gem:rid approbation. A new Farce, in one act, entitled Pllce-hunlers, was produced on Friday week, and rather favourably receive.l. The principal character, indeed the only acne of any importance, .was given to Mr. Liston ; to whose exertions, full as much as to any merit of its own, the piece was indebted fer its success. The scene lies in raft of the public offices, to which a Mr. Fortin bras I lopestock, a descendant of some Norway King, • resorts, among other applicants, with his petition ; the obiect.of which is to get a place under Government. His expedients to obtain an audience create the chief interest. Having succeeded in pact by taling up the breakfast of the Secretary, he accomplishes the rest by personating an old man, who had previously talked himself' to sleep, and who was to be admitted to an audience. Hopesaock makes free with his • wig and cloak, is introduced into the presence of the great men to Is boat he presents what he suppcncs to he his own petition. It turns out, however, to be the petition of a young clerk in the ofEce, a very trifling personage, and (pate unworthy of the powers of Mr. Abbot, to whom it was assigned. The petition succeeds ; but poor Hopestock soon discovers his error, and is disapp,intecl. A Mrs. Oroonoko is also introduced, bat with so little pretensions to effect, that Mrs. Davenport could ituike nothing of the character. The whole thing was evident.. ly intended for Liston alone ; but even all his exertions were insufficient to save Cie piece.. The tea3ult and dimpprobation grew so loud ut its terrninatio.n.. that . the announcement for repetition could not be heard.—. The Farce, howcver, in the bills o£ . !. , :aturday was an nounced as completely soccessfal ; and porfcrined, or attempted to be performed, n seam .1 time on Saturday night. The hissiug.commetteed with the sceoad act; the players walked through their respectire pacts : but scarceley a wordof the dial'gnc nulled the eurs of the audience ; and when the curtain fell, an eti,:e.:.t tle tem:nation appeared to crush the piece, tied extinguish the hopes of the author. At least half the company kept their places ; the tumult grew ouiversal; and the Manager was culled for to rece-ve the sentence of. the house. After a few minutes, Mr. Abbot came forts ard, and hariog with difficulty procured attention, begged most repecifillly to annoirnee, that the Farce, on the first ni e ;!at. had been completely successful. This as-. section was jeually . contradicted (we cannot, intked, 1., ; ;t feel a.;rrtisci that it should have been tu.olc),. anti 61 tha call for the Manager became every moment louder and more impetuous. Mr. Abbot then explained, that the Manager, relying on the success of the piece, had left the house; but that he could venture to assure the' company, if their objections were insurnsountable, that the proprietors, whose most anxious wkh, as well as interest, it was to bow to the opinion of the roblie, would withdraw it. This declaration satisfied the mal contents, and all separated peaceably. It has since been modelled anew, and was on Tuesday brought forward as an interlude, under the title of How to get Place. The principal alteration consists in taking out the character played by Miss Beaumont, in shortening the second and last scenes, and in snaking Liston sus cesZul in his object. In this form the piece passed off without opposition, but does not appear likely to Lewin, a lasting attraction. STATE OF THE POLL. Al THE CLOSE IaST4DAT. lamb. Hobhouse Cartwright ** .••• ••• • 00000 •• 97 POETRY: EPIGBAMS. (imols Tine !RENCK.) Yon ssy, wheneer abroad you roam, You meet with none but fools and asses; ►►'ould you avoid them, keep at home; But, hark ye—break your looking-poses. TILE BOOK. A poring wight, wM, t^,rin , g wed. Was always mailing in his bed. Ilia wife adilress'il with gentle look, And said, " I would I were a book !" " Why a), good (Lune ?" die sage replied, " Because you'd love sae then," she cried. " Why, that might be," he straight rej oi n " But 'twouldri.pcnd upon the kind— " An Al nanack. for instance, dcir, To have ri new one every year." Charlotte Hill was, or, Tue3tlav, convicted at th • Middlesex Sessions, of having drewlfullv abused her niece, Prunelia, a child not five years of age. The evidence -detailed a series of shocking cruelties. One of tha Jury was so much affected at the repztition offs by the Chairman. as to be obliged . to leave the Court for some minutes. The chili died soon after the scenes described took place ; aad a bill fur made: was pre sented, but thrown out by the Grand Jury.. The • cruelty exercised towards the child was, drenAing it with water, making it stand in the yard naked, and beating it severely. The Chairman sentenced ber to • six months imprisonment. DARING RODIICRY.-Mr. CornLy, of Beddinoon, Surry was attacked by a gang of seven or eight pc:- • sous, early on Thursday evening, on the Eastern side of Bhttkfriars read ; between Rowland Hill's Chapel and Dover street, and robbed of 171. his watch, and his hat. He was attacked by a violent blow upon the neck, whiJh levelled him, and his property was gone in a few seconds. These ruffians are part of a desperate gang, who turn not from their vile haunts in St. George's-tields, nightly, and parade the upper past of Blackfriars road, in defiance of the watchmen. C. Smith, a teacher of fencng in Carrabber's Close, Edinburgh, was lately charged as being the miscreant, whose conduct has for some time back been so grossly shocking and annoying to numerous femal s in various places in the vicinity of that city. He was clearly iden tified by a number ofynung Ladies, as the pez..an wlto had behaved Wear& them in •a manner too indecent to describe ; and the Sitting Magistrate, Considering it a case desetring of more severe punis'ament than he was warranted to inflict, set - Mut:l it tg the Sherid: Sante doubts have arisen as to the best situation in which to place the ina.sterly .east of the fine Colossal Statue, by l hldias, sent as a present from Rome to the Teince Regent. Waterloo,placa was at first fixed upon ; - bat it has since been suggested, .hat the centre of the new Circus, is wilL4litTlay this alnltirsUL, work of art to the best advantage. NVednekalay a Couat of Directors was h e ld e t l i ze Fas iudia house, when the following ships were tiles stu timed and timed, viz. the Bridgewate., Marquis of Fir, and Larkins, for St. Helona Bud China; a 4 . el}r alo e Cornwall, and Nlaildo,• for China ditect, a . .he ?Rod en the ‘23d inst.; sail to Critvesend on the- Ist of March; stay there $) daps ; au! be in the • Dawns oh the 10. h of April. INDEN.LNDENcE.—IiateIIiAI the richest of Abe Arabiw:. and at the same thee Or most librral ; he every day wade large donations to those who applied at the gate for rilirf. °nee( his friends praising his liberality ...aid, I think . mere neser eras a 61.,•1 of 50 !milk a spit rt." " I beg 'soar pa. dVri'eaid plait ull tat ** I nut inalg flirt a poor IcGaw - staggering under a bundle of thoi ua which lie haul Levu remit,: (au fin wood. Seri;q: ki• poverty, I Liked hint nay instead 'of labaniiiig so bald, he did poi go th e Ilaienstai for tenet . . Ile entwined, the 'nen that ear trill/ a • tnersel-uf nread by his nwn lahonr. has no . nerd to be oteigeal I al Miteintai. men's in ail :V•l4 Ifdiy 11051 C.