The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-12-17 00:00:00

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7HEAT3E. •

DISHIY.I. ANL.
Master Berta made his first appearance •Te
last night for the season, in th- charatter of ruling
Nome!, in the tragedy of Douglas. We do nut
think that the mei its, circumstances, and preten-
sions of Miss 'Moult, bear any afialogy to those of
this youthful favourite. The cases are totally dis-
Lind and deferent. It cannot, however, be dissem
bled, that the fate 4 that yoeng Lady had excited
set ions apprehensions its the friends of Master Brr r v.
However confident in Isis talents, they could nut
have heard, but with anxiety, that a pa.ty was
made against him. That the adverse rumour had
en effect upon them, the recent wetted of Mr.
BETTY. the father of the youth, has clearly evinced.
He refused iast season a request, pielerred in the
most respedful and Battering language. on behalf
of the decayed players. to permit his son to piny
one night for their benefit, and he lately made an
offer, unsolicited, of that very assistance which he
had so ungraciously refused. Th:s tardy offer of
service has heels considered not the voluntary
effusien of a generous mind, but is attributed to an
anxiety to conciliate the public, and avert that party-
spirit which was supposed to havebeen excited against
him.—The preparatory purchased puffs, which have
appeared in same of the daily prints, might also be
alleged in proof of the fears of Mr. Bet rv .
The expect Lilian of an opposition to a piece or a
player. is always attrailive. Upon the present oc-
casion, a hope of this kind conspired with the po-
pular talents of the boy to produce an audience.
The appearance of the house, however, did not be-
tray any extr tordinary degree of interest. There
WAS no great pressure for places, and the boxes
were not completely full until the third aft. Tire
curtain had scarcely risen, when the party so much
dreaded, began to sliew itself. As the several per-
formers presented themselves in the first al, t!ley
were gre:ted with the most enthusiastic plaudits.—
Mr. BA Ftli Y MOR 1., in Glenalvon, was, indeed, almost
overwhelmed with applause. This was evidently
done for the purpose of anticipating Master NETT is,
in Yowl Norris!, who does nut appear until the
second ad. The effect of this procee ling was to
lessen the first impression, and diminish the er'ss of
his first entre. When he presented himself in the
first scene of the second al, he was received with
acclamations. They were loud and general ; hut
hisses. and other expressions cf disapprobation
contended for superiority. The friends were no.
merous. loud, and zealous. The enemies com-
paratively few, but treacherous and persevering.
Milner BUTT v was greatly agitated ; he bowed fres
quently and gracefully ; but it was impossible, for
several minutes, to proceed in the business of the
stage. Friends and enemies contributed alike to
the noise and uproar. Hisses and acclamations
equally interrupted 'he performance. At length
the clamour subsided, and Mister Berry com-
menced with the celebrated speech, beginning
" My naarie is Norval r
The delivery of this speech did not display any
extraordinary beauties ; he excited ;n it hut little
interest, and it went off coldly. It se, med as it he
was not completely in possession of h.s nnwers, or
had bestowed upon it bat little came. 't he succeed-
ing passage, where his answer to Lod RemioOls
dbncludts with'
~ Nuryal ne'er will shame thy favour."—
used to excite the most Snthusiastic applause, by
the winning modesty and glace with which he used
to deliver it, but it had not, last night, any powerful
effed upon the feelings. Duriag no pa: t of the
scene did the opposition rernain.idle Te.latsrs ;
but, the moment he retired with Lord Pa,
delt'i they redoubled their efforts. Mrs. P:WELL,
In 1...:dy Randido ; Miss Bove', in Anna ; and Mr.
BARIVISI•RE, in Wedalcoo, were assailed with
hisses and hooting. The opposition appeared de-
termined to drive them off the stage, while the
friendly part of the audience exclaimed, "Shameful!"
' ''' Shameful !" " Taro him out I " " Tree him out !"
.Except a few hisses, we did not perceive any marks
.. of disapprobation in the boxes. The greatest op-
position proceeded from the pit. Tile principal
tty had stationed themselves is the back of it,
. . ere they cattle to blows with their neighbours.
e Constables then entered, and dragged out about
. meaty of them. This summary execution awed the
• test into silence, and order was established in the
brittle.-- Young Nor.;al appears next its the fourth
as i the party formed against him had been de-
feated, and Master BSI rr might expea to hear
once mote those bursts of applause which used to
eseconspany him. The passage where he says to
Lady i?endoloA,
Commend my sword, my life;
:Thsee am the sole p.taserwio.ta of pm IS.trv:11!"
, was thisfirst in which he excited any enthasiasm.
• the fire and spirit with which lie delivers the first
1 pert of ts'oe sentence, and the plaintive accents with
which he concludes it, male it extremely beauti-
ful. and gsodeced a strong sensation hi the house.
His scene with Ghanicoo, in the same all, was
.also .given with his usual excellence. The dying
scene, in the fifth sa, was given in a new way.—
He used, when in the very al if expiring, to at-
tempt to raise himself from the ground, to kiss his
mother, and, in the convulsive struggle, to fall
hack, lifeless, from her, while Lady R isodok4 threw
herself upon his bosom. Last night, he rolled ever
her, with his head towards the audience, and his
arms extended. There was more pain, more ut ug-
gling, in his mode of dying, last night, but it is
rot so graceful as his usual manner. Here, too,
'contrary to the text, and the author's intention,
the curtain dropped, and the remainder of the
scene was omitted, to give the more (dot to
the rail of rosily /Cooed. There are three
charaaers in which, in our opinion, this young
gentleman displayed, last season, uniform excel-
lence; we meats Stems, _roung ."..weal, and F•edrrirk,
in Laser's Vows. ifs triends very judiciously chose
one of them for his firs: appearance last night. That
he did not. excite the enthutiani which we used to
witness, even his mos: partial admirer, must adniit.
7 hat he did rot shine with his usual lustre, earldonr
will not deny. tie is grown in statute since lost
season, but he has not increased in
,grace and d g-
nity. He certainly is co: so interesting as valets
bis appearance was more boyish, although his lea-
ning are protsably more beautiful. When force
and enertlY are required, we perceived no failing
c. ; but it; scares tat t:ndeiness ha is still deficient

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