The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-17 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

comedy is a rare production in these times. Where it has
at all thriven it has been as an exotic. and in the summer
~t-houses. Introduced to the chilling airs of a winter
ee as a plant indigenous to the soil, it generally
'f.714 indeed, the attempts at its production have of late
,ears Wen few. and their success generally such as to in-
• an wish them fewer. Our old comedies are be-
-7 oKthrough -
obsolete, age or accidental circumstances,
c':„A n„ e,w ones appear in their place. It is not with re-
. 44et to tbain as it was with the golden branch of classical
ptltlaob6s~ •• thin avulse non deficit alter."
visbrugh, Fatquhsr, Congreve, and Siteritlan, have passed
awe •
ciihout leaving us their likes behind. On the stage
character has lost its individuality, humour has disappeared,
sad our wit is on the lees.
But a truce to lamentations. Last night witnessed the
vonsentation of a new piece, in five acts, entitled Lose's
ro„rs ; or, a Scheel fife Pride. It is the production of
atuAeman named Hyde, already favourably known to
a4e public as the author of a tragedy of considerable merit.
The subject of the comedy is one familiar to the stage in
various shapes, and, we believe, originally of Spanish
auction. It is the successful attempt of a lover to tame
than the hatighdness of his mistreu, and bring her to
code% a mutual affection, in spite of coquetry and an
ifastiog of stoicism on the part of the lady. The scene
i‘indfai Spain, in the province of Catalonia.
TO NAOMI Diana, personated by Miss Lacy, gives herself nut
kiwi enemy of marriage-love, and appears to be, in the strictest
fed inott limited sense of the word, a misanthrope. Her father,
Do Diego, Duke of Barcelona (Egerton), is anxious sne should
5,,, her hind to one of three suitors at present In his Court, but
ate frenins in her determination, and rejects the proffers of all
• spOn, though aecretly much smitten with one of them—Don
ponce of Naples (Kembie). Fluretta (Miss hove), a
rvis latting.wornati., and Penn (Jones), an equally roguish
asonee their mistress's secret attachment, and disclose
Zoliaisoaroi lover. Under their instructions he assumes an.
air of indifference to the Pt incess, rails at .• belle passion," and
mito bat aypecrisy with like dissimulation. Ilelom this he had
ago loot itl.esed and unprofitable
loser—
•• Sighing like furnace,"
but worm does he prove himself capable of " blowing cold " 0§
sell as " hot." titan the lady relents, and after a due course of in,
umlaute diffreuhrea, jealousies, and hysterics, jumps into the
wand ker inamorato. Apuanded to the above eventful history
win "(Intl of Don Pedro (Farm) a soi.disant amorist and
mho saiquated Acuson. He too pursues the chaste Diana, but
sinks his prosatypa, who, as every-body knows, was made dogs'
mar of, be escapes with a short confinement in the icehouse of the
piece, sod being married to his own valet. In conclusion. bow-
• mine ancient " is released from his double captivity, and
!lusts lacr. Lou, Jones, and Henry, are, all sail several, gratified
sick !unhands.
The plot of the Comedy, as will be seen, is extremely
simple, and yet, without being diversified by numerous in-
cidents, we cannot complain much on the score of defi-
cency of interest. The spectator sees his way to the ter-
motion throughout, without being able to say, when ar-
rived at it, that he experienced much fatigue in the
journey. If the denouement is before his eyes from the
commencement, a vista of flowers leads to it, and his feet
ate at least conducted over practicable paths. The dialogue
new, with an occasional sprinkling of poetical imagery,
mad considerable terseness and classical polish in the ex-
pression. Would that the humour were as abundant.
Some strong situations, and the best acting lately witnessed
on the stage, carried the piece triumphantly and unaiii-
meads through its ordeal. We wish it every success, and
dust dae promise of future excellence which it develops
may be soar and abundantly fulfilled.
lt would be injustice to the performers generally were
we to omit noticing their great and successful exertions;
and to Mr. C. Kemble in particular, if we did not make

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honourable mention of his representation of Don Crsar.
It was an admirable and perfect piece of acting. Messrs.
Jones, Parrett, and Blanchard, diAplayeti their usual ability
in the characters respectively allotted to them. The heroine
was ably sustained by Mils Lacy. Occasionally she was
somewhat loud and tragic. It should be remembered that

though
" lnterdum tollit Comcedia voeem,"
yet Comedy never lifts her voice to the pitch of a fishwife
hawking niackarel.
We occasionally noticed some anachronisms in the dia-
logue relative to joint-stock companies, mining shares, and
msiology.
The following is the prologue written for the new comedy
of !.ore's Victory, by the author of The Lollard:, &c., but
not Token :

Although of Giants ancient fables tell,
The fact has never been established well •,
hut many most undoubted proofs we find
That formerly men lived of giant mind ;
Potent to more, or with keen humour hit,
Resistless in the affluence of. their wit
Prom one a these, the Poet of toaday
Obtains a partial outline of his Play—
Prom one, whose gitnlnis yielded Spain delight,
Ere all trer glory set in hopeless night—
From one, born near that period dear to fame,
Which gave our Drama an immortal name,
When S H AILS PE A 11 E came to act his splendid part—
To elevate, delight, and storm the heart.
Flew to tame tyrant woman in a theme
Which oft has formed the pinywright's waking dream.
'Tu ours to.night ; but we shall not pursue
The hackney'd course for " Taming of a Shrew."
She is, ID Net, no shrew w:inin we pourtray ;
We purpose to exhibit in our play,
Beauty rebelling against nature's plan,
betamined weer to submit to man.
Then, sportively, we shall proceed to prove
The paradoxical caprice of hove—
love which repels In miler to invite,
I .halTni by coldness, end subdues by Right,
'Till the fair cheat is tortured to eoureis
ibt heel unblest—unless she lives to bless !
I)4r Author, if you sanction the design,
Would work with modern means a tong-closed nib,.
The object thus avowed, we may expect
Jth.tt.St*ek Cumpuiry will best et--
The Margery, while paying here their court,
Mope. as Directors, to receive support.
At for a Treasurer, none has yet been named;
Can this omission be severely blamed ?
That ejl:cr. too well, ou know, Cm sure,
Holds in some Companies a Si4CC/IFe.
tflicient Auditors we find in you—
Oh ! let us set yon down as Pat ruts too!
Jot us, &donors—wee,* but appear
Merely as humble nireratires here ;
Anxious to serve, yet, operativesslike,
Acmes have always a desire—to strike.
But harmony mod govern our affairs
If —Patroar— ad/tors—you grant our prayers,
And kindly coadesrend to purchase scans.
this, and every feat we drive afar,
N r doubt our Spiitilsli Ronde will be of per;
Touting of hoer-eat von will find no dearth,
But take a nightly dividcnd of mirth.

_ -
Mr. Linton, it is said, is to receive 151. per night for
four nights of each week. The engagement was coucuded
by NIL Ca:craft, on behalf the Committee.
Knight, of Drury-lane. is said to have written an opera
leer rummer, while residing in the Isle of Wight for the
recovery of his health, aryl which we believe will be pro-
!weal Si Drury during this season. A son of this deserv-
ing serur is treading in his father's steps, and is said to be
astain,hingly like him in person and %nice. He hes already
attained considerable fame at the rovincial theatres.
11414341. with MisaStephens and Miss Hallande, are
nos Pefunuisgin Dublin. Balsam has al ways been a fa-
%minty with the Irish. his first engsp,ement (for twelve
inghts) at the Dublin theatre this year, (even when un-
"lesi by Miss Stephens) netted t.) him 1,3001. being
liup_Portr the profits of the house.
Mazurka-, the Pnti./dirselln, at Covent-garden. is paid
14e enormous weekly salary of 1301., being at the rate of
'••••• per night. Previous to his treaty with Mr. C. liemble,
gatuncr was applied to on the part of Mr. Elliston, and
to take less than Col. per night, and sixty minds
`4d4l;e the vasks which he inlAt require! Those ititlis-
pensables are cert•iitilv masterpieces their way ; Mazu-
rat eyts Cone are all that can be seen of his own coun-
"Hulce. The mask is so firmly fitted to the face, as to lie
Pl'iceplible of the most m;eute coutractiost or expansion by
thL• 'notion of the actor's muscles.
Mr. Ebers has positively contradicted the statement that
oat of the walls of the Opera-house has been condemned as
ornate.

ruesilay night, on the arrival at the Bull, White-
cl•ap.:l, of the Phenomenon Norwich Coach, at half-past
"", it au discovered that the boot behind, for the con-
s:ince of luggage, had been forced open and the whole
contents stolen, co the value of one hundred and fifty
o'4llli. All wac ufe on the coach leaving Chatlwill, 14
inlet ;town London.

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