The Statesman. — London, England, 1812-11-13 00:00:00

20 THE EDITOR OF THE STATESMAN. g r t,—Whea 1501. for every performance is be. • s owed on a single actor, at one of our National Worts, it cannot be a subject unworthy of en dinity, whether such a sum, expended from the fund which the public creates for its amusement, be not illogether disproportionate to the merit of the per. former, and consequently injurious to the interest of• tbe Public. Ia entering upon such an enquiry, I feel it neces sity to declare, that Ido not by any means intend to violate that freedom and independence with which every individual, engaged in any concern with a view to profit, ought to employ the capital embarked in .such concern ; but the situation of the Proprietors of our National Theatres is essentially different from that of any other trader, or body of traders, inas ouch as they possess, by charter, a monopoly, which is, in itself, an injustice towards the Public; if considered in any other view than as the necessary p.ode to consolidate such a capital as exalted and magnificent, aid attractive representation requires. The Proprietors then, of these Theatres, are to be considered as the stewards of the Public, for the proper distribution of those funda•which the liberality et the Public 'applies ; and after deducting a fair and equitable profit for the capital they employ, and a proper remuneration for their superintendence, the whole residue of the annual receipts ought, in justice towards the Public, to be so expended as to provide the be.t possible entertainment, and when this is not done, it is as much the right of the Public to con. plain, and, if necessary, to resist, as it is the right of an individual to remonstrate against, and to over rule the misconduct of as unjust or improvident agent. With these introductory obserittioni, I would tow beg leave to ask, whether Mr. Barry be really worth 501. a night—whether 501. per night Wight , , not be disbursed in I manner more conducive to ilsa Public gratifieation and advantage ? And, in eau' =veering this questiofi, I will not degrade thii pet% tanner from the rank to which, in our Theatres, hi is justly entitled. He is a pelfetuter who positing not those rare and exquisite qualifications, which are necessary to draw forth the latent feelings of the foul,—to subdue the mind to tenderness Ind pity, to excite the glow of virtuous indignation against successful villantr4r amidst the great Variety and numetous turns ad gradations of passion, which' every leading character displays, to .cOnduct thit. audience through the delightful vicissitudes of synte pathetic emotion; these qualities he &Sea not possess, but he possesses othet qualificitions, which, though not sufficient to qualify hint, for the first character is Tragedy, fully entitle him to be placed high on the list of second rate actors. He possessei coma notions of propriety, he pronounces well, his esti fringe is easy, his appearance . pleasing. Upon. Sib whole of his merits I Cannot forbear to express mj► , apprehenSion and my regret, that the fortune which• his juvenile exertions realised for him, will be the means of (I.2priving the public of his services it -the only vine in which he has abilities to be useful, f. shall conclude these desultory and rapid obseria•' Cons, with a brief summary of those evils which . appear to me to be connected with his present ez•' traragent engagement. 1. Including salary and benefits, a sum not less than 20001. is expended, which might have been more advantageously employed In drawing genie, front obscority) or in adding to the salaries of sere.' rat performers of the middle or inferior class, manf• of whom (especially the female performers) are net, rewarded in a manner proportioned to their services, nor to the approbation with which the public has honoured their talents and exertions. 2. It makes an invidious and unjust distinction between the young actor and many old and approved Servants of the public, which cannot fail to hurt the feelings of the latter, who, though engaged at infer rior salaries, are not only equal but superior In gee nius and talent to their more youthful and fortunate competitor. 3. It is calculated to mislead the judgment, I will. not say of the public, but at least of a very name,. ous class of individuals, who, unskilled to estimate the intrinsic value of objects, are inclined to consi der the price which any thing will fetch, as the pro per and infallible criterion of Its worth. • JI 4. It has a tendency to impose a permanent tax upon the Proprietors, in becoming the standard by which future actors of acknowledged or imaginary merit may deem it fit that the value of their services should be computed. And it is sufficiently evident, that no considerable addition cau be made to theatri cal expeudit l ire which will not ultimately fall upon the public, ther by an increase to the magnitude of our Theatre s , which are already too large, or an ad dition to the prices of admission, which are already sufficiently high. These, Sir, are my sentiments on a subject of con siderable interest to tile.publie; and the high charac.l ter which your Journal deservedly bears for inde pendence and intpartielity, forbids me to doubt that the benefit of its extensive circulation will be-afford ed me, in laying them before the public. " • Nov. 9. DAASIATICUS. _ . The French Papers contain the following laugh able paragraph, under the head of English news:— " The elections for the new Krliament are strongly contested : Alderman Wood, General Grosvenor. Colonel •t lbars, Sir T. Staloff, Sir Calvert, and many other Members of • the •11 parliament, seem certain of being sfs.i ; ected.” ' tea.._ ..-~.:~ ~c THE • COVENT.G.IRDSN THEATItg. .e . The toirn were partially delighted yesterdayetmf ing, with the representation of the Tragedy of Douglas, in which Mr. Beret appeared in the youthful and ardent character of Young Norval As Mr. BETTI. derived a sort of ratification to Isis early fame from his performance of Young Norval, :in the Edinburgh Theatre, by the warm praises of its Author, Mr. Jon:v Home, who was seated in a chair by the Prompter, during the performance, and who is said to have exclaimed, at its termination, 46 I never saw the pith of Doug's, se ably acted before this night !" we are disposed to dwell somewhat longer than usual on this personification : although we cannot admit such a panegyric to pass current for truth, hut rather consider it as the strained enlogium of superannuated greatness, when a constitutional goodnature urns superseding the ministry of fallen ' faculties. Had Mr. Hour talked of Mr. Battey, in Douglas, when he was young, or of Mr. Krminx ill later times, he would not, perhaps, have delivered an opinion so flippant and so unauthorised. In delineating the character of Douglas, Mr. . Brrry proved himself a better artist than his enemies are willing to allow ; notwithstanding that he would be unequal to range himself, with credit, by the side of either the Hector or Achilles, of the modern Theitres ; we mean, of course, Mr. Yours and Mr. Kastat,E. In delivering his opening speech, as ex• placatory of his name and qualities— . I , My name is Norval; oat,* Grampian billy My father feeds Isis docks ; ' &c. he was rather too whining for the chivalrous de. scendant of the high house of Douglas, whose Tallest bearing is so conspicuous through the consequent parts of this drama. In his warm conflict with GIe. II saloon, he was more at home ; yet it wet notO wholly, significant of thatilerte, and disdain of con• troll!, which should, systematically, characterise him, !'when the Douglas is animated by a resentment is !suing from his wounded honour. In his gdture he was more graceful than his compeers; but as that is a compliment which is scarcely worth his ac ceptance, we will not enforce it in extenuation of his ; errors. The part of The Stranger, or Old Norval, was played by Mr. YOUNG, and most ably it was played. We never saw humau decrepitude better expressed upon the Stage, than it was by him; palsied, Isis head covered with a few straggling white hairs, his tottering paces, his bending vertebra, and the tout ensemble was such, as fulfilled all the required por poses of an efficient actor, which is, to deceive the I sight, without offending the understanding; nor would it be facile to surpass the interesting manner in which be related the following descriptive frag ment of a tale, which is truly poetical though truly ; simple : _ •••••••-••••ig Wight thus we poorly tied 41 One stormy might, is I remember welt, The wind and rasa bent bard upon oar roof ; Red cane the river down, and load, and oft The angry spirit of the water marl." When this estimable act6r first appeared, he was received with a burst of plaudits which he coed& scended to acknowledge, though he ought net.— Every actor should feel those tokens of public re spect, but no actor, with Mr. YOUNG'S good sense, should seem to feel them. Those who have not.lived long enough to have seen the late Mrs. CRAWFORD enact Lady Randolph, can have but a very imperfect notion of what may be done, and what magic may be wrought, in that cha. taster; as Mr. SIODONs, in the'very meridian of her professional brilliancy, could never equal that Lady in this particular Instance I That tone of maternal tenderness which Mrs. CRAWFORD could assume at *ill, vibrated In the chords of the most insensible I heart; We never shall forget her renswnea exclamation, " Was be alive ?" Mrs. Po we'd.. exerted herself peculiarly upon this obcasion, in this character, and though she was not all that we could desire, yet she was always to be re spected, and sometimes to be admired. The Tragedy of Douglas is, incontestibly, the most perfect that hath been produced during this reign, although it is very far removed, in its con struction and business, from that perfection which is required in the formation and agency of a classical Tragedy ; that is a Poem, io action, or dramatic composition, whose main feature is woe—whose same are copied from the presentation of natural example—whose argument is neither inflated with the fustian of a toorheated imagination, nor debased with low images and vulgar colloquy ; and, above all, whose catastrophe is made obedient, either in adirect• or a collateral sense, to the purposes of virtue; for though it may be sometimes n ecessary, for the lows and ends of art, that guilt shoidd triomph over goodness ; yetit should be so managed by the Author, that the writhings and compunction, and horror of death, manifested by the parracide, or assassin, sheeld impress every auditor with the morel knew. ledge, that it Is impossible to deviate from the com mandments of Heaven without incurring perdition! —How justly, hew effectually, and how nobly, this duty is enforced by SRARSPEARE, id his animated picture of Cardinal Beaufort on the bed of death! " Ohl torture use oo usore. I will coatis— Alive again? Tben thew Ake where he b : He bath no eyes, the dust lath blinded them: Comb down his hair; look, look, it stands upright, Like lime-twigs set to catch my winged soul. ' Now the faults that we ascribe to this Tragedy RS a composition, are, that the denouement is not suffi ciently tributary to social virtue, because the inno cent agents are equally destroyed with the atrocious, without the due and required accompaniment of re morse being exhibited upon the part of the . latter.— Many of the scenes become languid from trifling too long with the sentiment of passion. Many of the descriptions are superfluous, though they are, ge nerally, beautiful, which is a rare property of think ing not to be often found in Mr. Home's competi tors, such u MVRPIIT and FitANKLItt, the first of whom dishonoured VOLTA IKE, and the latter the an cient Poets, by giving a British Public the form, and the outline, and the meaning, of each, without being enabled to transfuse the spirit of either into the abject imitations. They eve us an idea of the! osteology and royology of the . originals, bat were unequal to the task of giving us their nerves, and lineaments, and graces. But MURptIY was, as a Dramatist, what ELLISTQM is. as an Actor ; a liege subject and servant of Thalia, but apparently con temptible, when etruttins in lbs livery of the melee. choly Muse! - ..+~~wrr'T~l4 NAN I .‘,. NR. CANNING'S CIRCULAR NOTE. ~. W W fore e have a letter of 'Air, Canning to fay . be the public; which, in a style of no littl e ambignity,-enn tains-some curious points, and cannot fail of Ring • equially interesting to the friends of the Right 110.. nourable Statesman, and. to his opposers. It Is, ad. dressed to a Freeman Of Liverpool; a 'Person who, undoubtedly, had his redrons for 'ping Mr. Can. ning his tote. The letter is in a circulatory form, and the copy from which we transcribe, is signed by the Right Honourable Gentleman himself. TO Nit. " Sitt,—l thank you for the support you have done t h e the honour to give to me :I em conscious that on the present occasion, I can only have .been , recommended to your choice by th agreement of out public principle, and by the goal' offices of those Gentlemen, at whose invitation I carne to Liverpool. Those titles to your kindness I hope Peter to forget ; but moat happy shall I be, if, in addition to them, I may be allowed to Sitter myself that on any fagot* oddsion, I shall also have the benefit of your per/001610ml opinion in my favour. " I am, Sir, 44 Your obliged and faithful servant, Ott. 27. GEORGr. CANNING." i This Is truly a curious political document. Mr. Canniug is able to write sense but iu this extraordi nary epistle the seam is ambigeously enveloped in supettlamerary words. In the last Pitrismarn says to the worthy freeman, " I flatter myself that en any future occasion, I shall also have the lietnerit of your personal good opinion in rnsfaeotsr."—A Agin reader Inlay not know how any opinion can be other than personal; but those who have attended tie late' election can guess bow opinion, In favour of Mr. Canning were neither good soy personal. If we confider the weight and authority of influence we shall easily' understand Mr. Canning's meaning.— The opinion was not good, because it was not just —it was not persenel, because it was the opinion of Mr. or Mr. —, or of any other employer, ra ther than the opinion of the poor voter. This expla nation, without which the sentence differs very mach from that close terseness of style, which Mr. Can. ning has used on diplomatic occasions, is very much strengthened by a phrase in the former part of the letter, where the Right Hots. Gentleman talks of " the good offices of those Gentlemen at whose In vitation I came to Liverpool." . What were these good traces ?—lnfluence—downright influence !—an influence which prevented the opinion of any voter in favour of Mr. Canning from being personal— which made the voter's opinion not his own !—What an acknowledgment of undue influence—what& taunt- ing insultAseeb, indeed, as Mr. Canning might have used unreproied at Newport or at liastings) is here thrown in the teeth of the Electors of Liverpool ? If they can bear this, they can bear any thing. A man may, perhaps, quietly sin against his cowl- j ence—the wants of Its family, and his own fears of a loss of work Amy reconcile him ter a sullen sur render of his free ant, indepeorket rights into the hands of his master or etnYloyer ; but can any man , bear to be told of this shbornatlon of his principles 10 his wants, by the very man who has been bens fitted by his compromise with his conscience ?—lt was too much to submit—but is an Englishman to be tauntingly told of his submission ? We rejoice that a plan is now on foot, and has hitherto been attended, throughout malty districts of the town, with 'endless. It is the orginization of clubs, for the protection of the freemen against those inconveniences, which they may experience ,from giving their votes contrary to the wishes of their ma , ployers. that Mr. Canning will, by accepting of fice, specilly vacate his seat in Parliament, is an I occurrence to be expected, and to this he probably I alludes in the expression of " wry tenure occasion. With this interpretation, the letter may be considered as the commencement of a fresh canvass, and it be hoves those freemen, who deserie the name of Elea tors ' to assist, with all speed, the formation of those clubs which may take the representation of the town out of the hands of a knot of petty tyrants, who make a man's necessities so many burthens upon his understanding and his conscience. We therefore , hope, whenever Mr. Canning is to renew his seat in Parliament, he will be opposed by some handredi of freemen, who, without ale, without ribbons, with out solicitation, will coma forward to the bar of any , staunch supporter of Peace, Commerce, and Reform in Parliament, who may be offered to them. Nay, they can name for themselves' a Candidate, who, I without any expence to himself, will be secure of I their support !--(Liocryfool Mercury.) - PROTECTroiI OF .LIBBITS hY CAME. LAWS. - As malty of our . Headers, no doubt, are onac tPsaioted with the nature ttf the present Game Laws, we have, tor their ioformation, subjoined - the follow ing particulars :—Formerly rabbits were deemed vermin, and any man might kilt a rabbit as he now may a rat or a rook. At present a man must be qualified, and have a game certificate, which costs three guineas, to enable him to kill a rabbit with the aid of both dog and gun. An unqualified man may kill a rabbit with-the help of a dog without a gun, or with-the kelp of a gun without a dog ; but he cannot use both, without subjecting himself to the same pe nalty as if ho *tilled a here. A fanner, not be ing qualifieti, may kill a rabbit with either 'dog or gun singly, but not,.wittboth, on his own ground; Or he may give any other unqualified person a power to kill rabbits with either gun or dog singly, on his land ; bat if that person hai no such authority from the occupier, he is liable .to punishment, though he should kilt conies in.the i sray above mentioned, With a gun or a dog si ng lt but this is of little effi- Cary to farmers in enabliug,llsem to defend their pro. perty - it is like telling a maxi that he may defend himself with his right hand; his left being tied up, or with his left On, his right being tied up, whichever he chuses ; bit that be shall not defend himself with both togettek; lest he should be able entirely to sub due his enemy. The full produce of which the land is sum:l)HW., will never be brought to market unless the farmers are allowed to protect their property with both guns and dogs, and that too, either io their own persons or by proxy. Is a widow to have her erops destroyed because she atoned use a gun and a dog? er an old farmer that can ho longer toil about, or one that is lame; or blind, or incapable to use a gun so u to hit his mark? Are all these people to be injured, and the public to be denied of the full enjoy ment . of the produce that bounteous Heaven has rendered the land capilA• of yielding, which is in the occupation Af all those persons under such different descriptions? .: 3 Ta 1 , „ , . 4 4 I 1 • . • i . • 1 i . : • I f ;r 4 1 i 11 • 41 i A . .(. , I o v • t ef i 1 1 ii EA I . 1,1, , i :, fi 1 e 4 , 4 lic t 4 , 1 I r, i i • ' ' l ki , It t LI ~,,, . A • . .„ , ,-, , , • , , • • , . , , 1 ~ • ' NAVAL INTELLIC*NCS. DEAL, Nov. It—Sailed his Majesty's ship Asia, to join Admiral Scott's squadron, off the 'fezel. Arrived his Majesty's ship Prospero, from off tho Scheldt ; Cordelia, from Portsmouth, after seeing her convoy safe in ; Echo, from Sheerness ; and two ships front the River. The Anna Maria, Just, bound to Madeira, has proved leaky, and has sailed on her return for Gravesend. Fssmouset, Nov. 10.— Arrived Ms Majesty's ship Saracen, to take the ships assembled here for Gibraltar, Malta, and the other ports of the Medi. terranean ; also the Castilian, from a cruise. The Areph packet, for the West Indiy, has ;one tato the Roads. PLYMOUTH ) Nov. 11.—Arrived the brig Stag, in amebas days, from Gibraltar; several vessels from the 'named; and a. gun.brig, with a convoy of coasters from Wales. • Sailed the Russian ship Neptune, for Petersburgh. Hirwscu, Nor. 19..—Arrived the Beaufoy packet, Capt. Morris, from Heligoland, with a Mall ; also the Friendship, Patterson, with hemp, fiat, and tallow * from Petersburgh ; she parted her convoy at sea; his Majesty's ship Espiegle, who hid charge of it, is supposed to have passed this harbour with about four sail of them. The IfingGeorge packet, for Gottenburgh, put back by contrary winds. T0D.11114, Nov. 11.—Arrived the sloop Provi dour, of Hull, Cowtbnrp, Master, having sprung a leek on her passage from London to Lisbon. She Ras one of the Niensen's convoy, and parted 13 leagues south-west of the Berryhcadl and, as the wind continued to the east of south for . some time after the Providence parted, the convoy, ere this, must be clear of the land. llitraonn, Nov. 9.—Yesterday the men at the light-house, on the Smalls, wore taken from their pc.. ' rilous situation. It appears that the cause of the lights being extinguished, was the heavy sea, during the late pies, breaking the windows where the re jectors were, and which were ultimately washed away. There is some daniage done to two or three of the stays belonging to the pillars, but the pillars themselves are firm is thesock, and the large house -but little damaged; little as it is, however, it is not I , supposed it can be repaired until next winter. --- STIRLING DISTRICT Or abIIOSIGIDie-•-The Candi. dates for this district of Bonk wore General CANI/ReiL, of Monzie, and General __MarrLArve ; bat that Gentlentait being elected for the Hadditigtou district, his friends proposed IL BILOVIIIIAM, Esq. ] —.Tie delegates bolding sealed commissions for Dum.l A few days ago, immediately after the late high tide, was discorered under the cliffs between Lyme. fermline, Queensferry, and Stirling (the returning . Regis and Charmouth, the complete petrifaction of 11 IRITgh), voted for General Cametarti, who was ac crocodile, 17 feet its length, in an imperfect state. cording returned as duly elected. 'rhe delegate for It was dug out of the cliffs nearly on a level with 'Cairo, voted for Mr. BROUDUANI. General MAST the sea, about 100 feet below the surface of the Lapp, the delegate for Inverkeithiug, was unavoid. , earth. ably absent.—We understand the friends of Mr. th ' Baottemax objected to the rote of Stirling, alleging soldW fereceadlialißilitillVlVNh2l•llcov.Pedn that it was in his favour, as one of the votes for the consideralk vitality remaining mould l o ll s) that thisT ' art bi l l e t i a e delegate was illegal, which gave him the majority, edeeeday's prices. Marley mast be goosed with. and therefore that Stirling being the returning burgh, any to ait era ' reesoamtli arc •Beett =tett leek. old priers. decided theeleetion for him. The merits if the eke- 6010 IMie Rae alteration, it is thought before c tr; Ala it Lion will be tried before the House of Commons. gi t i l t i ti on is article will fall 2s. per queriero—ln other article s ao J.tmes MACDONALD ESC/. eldest SOD of the Lone I Wheat (Eislisb) .... 118 158' CHIMP Balm, is ele cted M. P. for the comoty of Dlig° (l.4)fe lP) • 3011 SO 114 Rye 7 8 Sutherland. Batty 7 • 58 70 At length we conceive the author of Assiut will 1‘,2 be brought to light. A splendid edition of his Let- iiWte Peas . um do Sirs is just finished by Mr-Wooorm,a, ton of the ni,ttolboilets; ISO lies 'original pu blisher , with every other letter, note and , g` re w y `it t io n "• • ••••• ` 7 7 I memorandum connected with those celebrated r New ditto.. . 00 00 and with fec signifier of the writing originally came to the press. There 'frtNies of the It:tad...writing of all the eti—of Mr. MIRES, •of Mr. HAI BoYD, of Mr. WILICts, of Mr. n sixa, together with impressive* end an • infinite number of letters never -tithed i all which must, we should t' tea author to light. Beata Tick do. BB 1U Old. • Oats 54 56 Fine ditto Poland do. Feed ditty 44 48 Pawned°, ...,.. 54 16 Fine Floor Second> •.. . . 1001116 Raps Seed 41.141 ._-.~-~. se celebrated MOTS, Nei Oleo ' OO 00 1 Rape Seed .. -- ICAO AVY itiig in witish 60 1 , suMIFTItI4) MARKET.—Nov. 9. • c i 'here are shofar st. Tom& Hie Met per Male or Mb. r the person% suspect- Ike , ....14. at. s• 6.. oi. Heed or Caul( isle day t I „ HA/110011 s Or bit. I to llas ...:::: L i ' r 6. . I. so - , • 11011‘Z To" 14 of perk :::.e.. 04: : 4, - . ' • 0,1: co.& .... - - - • , i inipressiens of seals, iamb •,• • -01• 04 is Or. ad. Pkt 4 L ;, ,r , . ! ' s never before pub. NAY - MARKET: I, ,i ... or flay Myer aid think ; bring the 'Straw s , - • i ti l • • 1 ... .... . • • . .. , . .., - ' i I . ' ,-• ad'. r P