The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-06-07 00:00:00

TIIEAT R ES.
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COVENT-GALitli:N.
StiAIOPEARE'S historical ploy of King flenry
flit Eighth was performed on Saturday earning,
the part of Queea Kathdrine by Miss O'NT PALE. in
which character she had appeared, for the first tune,
.ois the night of her benefit; Though there is I. rs
of bustle and incident in this pl.iy than in any other
of tho.e which SH A RSPI!A E founded on
ruble portions of English hi+u,t•t', y.t the chart'
personages who figure in it sire drawn with
so •h strength and Truth, ant! its principal
*relies combine, in so ciiiiiielit a degree, all that
is noble in poetry, with all that ill ii.teresting in
situation, that it must ever be read, and, when
properly represented, ever be two, with pleasure.
The part of Queen Katharine does not embrace so
extensive r scope of action as any of those chow-
ten which we had previously seen Miss O'Netilt.
delitieate. Katharine may he said, indeed, to live
but in one scene—but it is one of transcendent ex-
cellence—and transcendent must be the talents
that can place it before us, glowing its the vivid
colours of reality. We allude, of course, to the
scene in which the Quern is cited to bear the
(ton of her divorce solemnly argued. Notwith-
standing the smile of contempt winch our declara-
tion may elicit from the hiudatorrs tettipuris arta,
we are of opinion, that greater groins never was,
mid probably B:ever will be, disilsyed in this
scene, than glowed in the performance of Miss
O'Ntri.t.. There were, its her deportment, a
grace and dignity, which, however erroneously, the
mind generally associates with its idea of royalty.
She looked, indeed, every inch a Queen !" Per-
haps her countenance was not matronly enough for
the representative of one who had been twenty
years a wife—but this is a fault, which we are not
anxious to see corrected—we trust, on the contrary,
that it may be the subject of observation for many
years ! In the opening of this scene Katharine
appeals to the Kiag, as a forlorn women and a
strimger, to do her right and justice. It is a short,
but ■ most affecting appeal—and, as it was de-
livered by Miss O'Netu„ excited in every heart,
toot utterly destitute of sensibility, emotions of
the deepest commiseration. In the subsequent
of the scene, the atrur to sl the

part e, iggle cmicraL
wounded feelings of the woman, and to assert
the proud dignity of the sovereign, wan pour-
tined with incomparable excellence. It w.s pain-
fully true to nature. The rebuke of Wulsey par-
took of the fleeting, but passionate energy, which
usurps the place of grief, whets we encounter the
author or our wretchedness. Her words were
" slunk' of fire.," and produced as powerful mu effect
on the audience as any passage we ever heard recited
on the stage. The most fervent and unanimous ap-
plause attended Miss O'NEILL throughout her per-
formance.—Mr. Youstia's Cardinal IFolsey was a
fine specimen of sober, intelligent, and, in his last
scene, of pathetic acting. The beautiful soliloquy,
beginning " This is the state of man," was de-
livered in ■ most impressive style.—Mr. EGER-
TON'S representation of the passionate and lasci-
vious Henry, who may, not unaptly, hr denomi-
nated the English Blue Beard, was, as it ought
to he, bold, rough, and overbearing. Mr. EGER.
TON had evidently studied the character as it has
been drawn by the historian.
ENGLISH OPERA•HOUSE.
Mr. MATHEWS closed his Al Bowe on Saturday
night, after a must splendid and successful season,
on which occasion he spoke the following