The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-08-31 00:00:00

TIIFATRF:S.

nOgrisEhßAsoug-H°, Br:in:ants The great mEasStec"olBl El
his benefit at this Theatre last, evening. The principal
piece selected fur the entertainment of the evening re
Der Freirehutz, in which Mr. Braham appeared fur the
thirtieth or fortieth time. Whether it be owing to plea
merit of the music, or to the merit of the performer, or,
as we think, to the combined merit of both, certainly' nr:
piece has been so attractive, and so deservedly so, as that
of Drr Feriae/4st%. On each night of its
the Theatre has beat crowded to excess. Those wi,a
were judges of music, u well as those who affected
to be judges, thronged numerously to Fite it the
weed of their approbation. Hitherto Rossini eajoyed, as it
were, a monopoly of popularity; but Von Web r, by
the composition of Dr,- Frcischrtz, has certainly '414.4
in to divide the laurel of musical superiority
the favoured Italian. Unquestionably there has Caen no
opera by Rossini so popular in this country as that of
%Veber. The compositions of Rossini are, as it w,r,
standard productions and perfect models ; but an iitrkr:
tial observer would, we think, find more real musical in,„it
and science in the gay, joyous, and sparkling combination,
of the German composer, than in the productions of tie
southern rival. Mr. Braham, who is in this country will,.
out the shadow of a rival in the profession of which he i, a
distinguished ornament, gave all the exquisite songs of tin:
opera with that powerful effect which extorts mira: and
defies competition. A Mr. Beral, from the !lumps. of Lr P.
den and lioningsberg, appeared as Caspar last eve MHz. pe
has bren hut Mr three months a resident in this country
he performed the part originally in Gcruntay, and, with due
allowance for a foreign accent, and a few forein mu.
fiarities, his performance was highly creditable. By a little
more attention to English pronunciation, to English
manners, and English style of tinging, he may, we think,
become a very available a< quisiti .n to the English stage:
but we should deceive him egregiously, if we did not in:.
press on his mind, that lie has many things to 1 sms, as
well as to unlearn, before he arrives at that station in Its
profeesion to which his talents entitle him.—A cogent fol-
lowed the opera. Broadhurst gave "To Lacs' cc
around,- as lie gives everything—with exquisit.: ferling
and delirhtfull effect. But the merit of the conc:rt 54i,
Braliam's " Santa who hoe ": lie was encored, and on
both occasions he heaved the loud torrent likes load from
his breast. Brabant requires to have the sweetness of hit
voice sustained by its depth and power ; and in this, n
well as in the songs of the opera, he has equal mans-
nit it s of sustaining himself in each respective esepariinentef
his fascinating profession. Mr. Braham had a Gamper for
his benefit ; and if we measure merit by the edifies
which a performer contributes to the entertainment and
delight of the public, certainly there is no perfonmr ulu
presents claims more unquestionable, or merits suprier to
those of Mr. Almham.
C 01317120 TIIE AT Rt.

The audience were presented last night with a new piece
' called George the Third, the Father of his People. The
extreme and unreasonable length of the performance, and
various delays respecting the stage machinery, &c. in-
parable from a first exhibition, render it impossible lor
to give snore than a brief outline of a production which
tan I.nast, at least, the merits of perfect originality. Ms
scene is laid principally at Windsor, in the neighbourboA
of which Mr. Harlotry, once moving in the highest Link
of commercial opulence, but now reduced to indigene wad
beggary, resides, accompanied by his three children, two
slaughters and an infant son. These constitute his entire
family, and form his only consolation under the double
calamity of the sleuth of his wife and the loss of his
fortune. His eldest daughter, Rose, is attachtd to the young
Lieutenant Goryi•ey, and is sines rely loved by hint iu rettins
The officer is ordered to London, and his betrothed, us-
able to witness the distress and sutihring of her father,
which she is unable to alleviate, forms the rcwlut of
following him to the capital. She leaves a letter for '!er
father, informing him of hl r departure. The mascot
overwhelms him with anguish, and as hilst he is lainenire
his own misfortunes and the supposed loss of his child, 111
'is informed by Lord Adamant (a coarse imitation of L-1
Ogilby), then on his way to the Castle of Windsor, !hit
the companion of his daughter's flight, and the caoe of
his unhappiness, could be no other than the Prime. cf
Wales, his present Majesty, then an inmate of the Itqld
abode at Windsor. .

Such-is, as far as we can collect, the main incident or ths
performance, and upon this, as a foundation, our "that
thinks proper to exhibit the domestic intercourse and pri-
vate habits of their late Nlajtsties, and of various men-
bets of the present Royal Family. It seems he is
not satisfied with the industry of the biographer, w
the research of the historian. lie is determined the
labours of the dramatist must be also employed urea the
subjects to which we have alluded. Ile perhaps thfils
with the critic of antiquity—
fiegnies irritant ataimos demissa per amcm,
Quam quo aunt °cults subjects lideltimv—
and h: has availed himself of the precept, in our e±ei is
'in a manner neither consistent with propriety nor gn.l tve.
It surely was unnecessary to represent his late Illicit!,
pen; noted by his humble subject, Mr. Bengutih, as en-
gaged in the avocation of gathering the turnips and t..;.1 of
a farmer's wife, who meets with an accident on her troy
to market, stilt less was it necessary to describe Vie at
he entered into familiar intercourse with the groom
and helpers of the Mews. Amiable and benevolent se it
must be admitted George the 'Chin! was, his manner was
not imposing, nor was his appearance impressive; hs
was distinguished by many peculiarities of speech, which
arc faithfully retained in this curious perfenenex ; yrs
this trifling and unimportant infirmity the pohlie wss
formed, even to satiety, by the humour of the election
Peter Pindar, to whom, as well as to unother liteutiss
poet,. may be applied the line of Pore--
lle wanted grare, who never wanted wit."
In this respect, the • ation is stupid as wi !I ss nr-
verent. The political events of our late revere: Menseh'i
reign, are also represented. Margaret Xi di ,Le struts
her h..ur upon the stage. Our author has, ity a pretical
licences clothed the character of this wretched maniac se:i
something like interest. Ile describes her a. '.'rerzird fn:vst
the loss of her lover, and the King is saved from her knee
by the coolness and intiepitlitv of Lieutenant aulfrey. then
en duty at the Palace. In aeldition to all these incidents
our author has undertaken a snore difficult Lei:: lie hes
introduced us to those attic feasts at which the P:ineo
of
Wales presided, surrounded by all th. axial wit, tatent,ard
literature of the empire. Amongst the list of his High-
ness's company we find the names of Mr. Fos, Lord Erskioe,
Mr. Sheridan, Mr. iVilberforce, &c. If the names of
these distinguished ornaments of the Senate and social
hoard were not mentioned in the bills, we should not sus-
pect them to be of the party. We cents my hadno intense'
evidence to warrant the supposition that they were rams,
for Mr. Fox was without wisdom, Lonl Erskine was pa.
featly silent, and a single gleam of wit was net emitted by
the author of the Sehoot jar Seautra. The wpm-tentative
of poor Sheridan was in our opinion guilty of one ruw
propriety at the banquet ; Le was actually the tiret
to rr
Illiquid, the glass. This was, ii we mistake not, out of IIL
keeping, and would have been snore becoming in Mr.
Crumpton, a demure-looking person, who eras Moo
this occasion the representative of Mr. ilberforce. 'roe
were various other attempts made at shinier &hail'
tioas ; but we believe the number selec:e I will satiny_
the curiosity of our resident. There was also a
Episode. of a jealous fanner's wife, who had the honour It
coquetting with his present Majesty. All partit s are u
happy by the benevolence and philanthropj of err I"
Monarch, who recognizes in the young officer his r•
server (ruin assassination, 'twain' him acoriliao.
and enables him to marry the object of his attacionr!.
These are but a few of the incidents of which this piece
composed ; the inside was p:easing, and tb-lut
excellent dancing, particularly a minuet by Mr. end •
Lecletti, of the lady it reriXlMUled we wen:
et
able to judge as accurately as we could wide, on aaaltn.
of the immensity of her gown and the lesibeth of tur!!...,
pery. We presume she adopted this unbecoming
s fiats
dress to gratify the prejudice of Queers C4arL.i:e
when the is SU ppuled to rrform who was known
extremely scrupulous in every thing relating to feeue,i
attire. The audience seemed to like the perfortraerw,
it was announced for repetition, with curteilnieets.
kind ed.
loud applause. The B;ind Begaue 4f 6•Arris 7"
•
' lowed. The I ouse was well attended.
Tl.e Holyhead Triumphant Arai, in honour of hl' Ml.:
jesty's visit to Wales, was publicly opened on the oth :
aunt by the Marquis of .Anglesea.