The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-11-18 00:00:00

THEATRES.

Last night the overt of Caey Maras/ring was per.
formed at this Theatre to a crowded and very splen-
did house. 4!r. BRAHAM sustained the part of
Harry Bertram with his usual success. lie was
-erred in many Of his songs. particularly in ri Scott
aria hue te Wallace bled," which he sang three
r,:ues, •mid the rapturous •p;rlaose of the house.
Jerked this animating song has always an almost
electric eff-et rims the feelings of the audience,—
it it a spirited and sublime piece of poetry.
:aid is execute,) by Mr. Ia►HAM with richness.
psth•*, snit p4o*e.r ; hut it is, we helieve, indebted
for its noprecelhcia.ll success, less to the genius of
the poet, or the taste of the performer, than to
the generous noble sentiments of patriotism
which breathe through it, which are felt with so
MOO SyMpathy at this moment by • London so.
dunce. Were we to notice the exertions of the
different ethe► characters in the opera last night, we
should only repeat our former expressions of well-
tuented praise.

COVENT-GARDEN.

MILMAN'S simple, but chaste and elegant
tragedy of Fazio. was acted last night. Mr. C.
Koine swarmed the principal m Ile character
io a style of superlative excellence. His dress, his
step, his deportment, admirably leaurtrayed the
ambitious and noble-minded Fazio—the opposite
workings of passion and duty expressed in his coun-
tensuce, in the scene where the wanton Aldabella
wheedles him into her snares-4nd the well•coun-
terfdted stupor and despair with which he abandons
the ss.ertion of his innocence before the Judges, on
thecovering Bianca to be his accuser, were as per-
fectly characteristic of his weakness and irresolu-
too. He delivered the sublime reproach of the Ins-
prorisatoris If attery, " Fie, Sir, oh fie ! 'tie ful-
some,' with such commanding toaes and scorn-
ful glances as b-came the elevation of the mind
which could conceive it. But it would he an endless
task to particularize the beauties of the performance.
Mrs. BuSll acted the mild, the loving, the jealous,
and repentant Bianca. if we are not mistaken, it was
iu this past she made her Milt at Covent Gorden,
and we have before had occasion to notice her very
extraordinary merits is it. Last night she was as
effective as we have ever observed her, and was de-
servedly honoured with repeated and rapturous
marks of approbation. Mr. COMER (Philario)
pronounced the only speech allotted to him in the
representation in such a mouthing manner ai if he
wished to caricature " the fluent vein, the rapid
rush" of the Improvisatore. However, with per•
haps this exception only, the play was acted exceed-
ingly well.
After the play a new musical interlude, called
Helpless was produced for the first time.
Its overture, the composition and selection of Mr.
PARRY, possessed considerable softness, sprightli-
ness. and elegance ; but the pretensions of the piece
itself, are toil humble to call for severity of cri-
ncism. The story is brief and slight in the extreme ;
—tier materials and incidents something whimsical. '
The object is to represent the helplessness of man,
Let& of the society and assistance of woman. To
illustrate tiny plain truth, a testy old innkeeper. ita
• tit of poseion, turns out every female in his
house. and among the rest his own niece, resolving
henceforth to disprove entirely with the services of
heir sex. The niece assumes the dress and dialect
of a Yorkshire youth. and obtains a place from
her uncle 'soder the character of " u man of
all wink." The first opportunity given her to
sheer the value of her acquirements, is to dress
supper for a club of old bachelors, particular in
every thing, but above all, in having supper on
the table precisely at nine o'clock. To retaliate on
)ter uncle. soil convince bins of his eerier (which was
she motive of her returning), the new cook keeps
epee old Get. lemon waiting an immoderate length of
lime, and theta sends up the petit-toes smothered in
mita, the tripe boiled in vinegar, and the pig boiled
instesil of roasted. The old bachelors storm—the
.Lady's lover tells her uncle that nothing will go right
till he recovers that " who make a palace of a
cottage." He acknowledges it. His niece discovers
herself receives her fortune, which had hitherto
been held from her knowledge and possession. and
bestows her h•nil MI her 'Wilmer. Mrs. DAVISON
sustained the part of Letitia, the niece, with great
spirit mid humour. Mr. BLANCHARD'S reprove°.
tenon of the uncle was sensible and correct ; Mr. J.
It MILL gave an excellent imitation of the roguery
yid tricks of a knavish servant ; and Mr. ABBOTT
poortrayed the waywardness and inconstancy of the
lover with much ability. A song, begiuniug with
the words, Ikre's adieu to all the lasses," was
encored. On the conclusion a few hisses were beard,
but the sotto& of applause had greatly the predu.
intuairce.
The revived musical drama of Richard (War de
Lion followed. The overture and music, by
Galvin, were extremely fine; and the scenery
'soy beautiful. The piece was performed its the
best style, and received unbounded applause.