The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-30 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

A new maaical Romance, entitled the Knights of the
Cross; or, the Hermit's Pre.phre.y, was last night per.
formed at this theatre. The piece is entirely taken from
the Talisman, one of the tales of the Crusaders, which is
condensed within the narrow limits of three short acts.

The history, or plot of the Romance, commences with a quarrel
which takes place between Richard Cteur-de-Lion (Mr. AVallack),
and Leopold, Archduke of Austria (Mr. Mercer), in consequence
of the latter having placed the standard of Austria on St. George's
Mount, in juxtaposition with thin of England. Richard, who has
been cured of a dangerous distemper by the physician of Saladin,
(who in the sequel is discovered to be Saladin himself, in disguise)
goes from his sick chamber to the Mount, and, tired with indiums.
non at the insult offered to his country, with Ids own hand tears
down the rival standard, and places Sir Kenneth of Scotland
(Mr. Bennett) to guard it. The force of love, however, is
more predominant with the gallant Scot than the calls of duty.
By means of a ring, which he knows to be that of his mistreats,
Edith Plantagsnet (Miss Stephens), lie is seduced from his post.
He has an interview with Edith, in which he discovers that he hail
lost his 1110TIOUT, and the lady her heart. During his absence the
English standard ineets the fate from the Alumna of Monisetrat
(Mr Howell) which that of Austria did from Richard. Though
the Knight bad deserted his station, the post was net entirely un-
guarded ; ter a mastiff of Sir Kenneth's seizes the Marquis in the
act, who with difficulty escapee the vengeance of this dog of a
Chriwirat. The animal is badly wounded in the encounter, and
afterwards cured by the Infidel physician (Saladin). Richard visits
the post next morning. and consigns the Knight to death. The
Queen, Edith, and the Dennis of Engaddi, intercede in vain fur the
!ilea the recreant Knight, hot what is denied to women and priest
is conceded to the unbelieving physician, to whom Richard owed
his recovery. Sir Kenneth afterwards finds means, in the disguise
of a mute, to reconcile himself to Richard, whose life lie saves
from the dagger of an assassin, at the peril of his own. At the
ceremonial of the standard, the Marquis of Montserrat is seized by
the faithful mastiff, which was taken to the pageant to produce the
discovery of the person who had torn down the English standard.
He and Sir Kenneth fight ; the former is vanquished in the duel,
ant confesses his guilt. In Sir Kenne.th is discovered the Earl of
Huntingdon, Prince of Scotland, who marries Edith Plantage-
ns and in the physician, Saladin, WIID becomes the friend of
Richard. And so is the prophesy of the Emir of the Desert veri-
, tied, that Edith should marry a Christian, and make fur Richard a
powerful enemy a steadfast friend.
The plot of this piece has no merit; the dialogue is
common-place, and entirely void of interest. We find
Richard Me Lion-hearted address his fair cousin, Edith,

in such terms as these: " You would, no doubt, prefer a
living Turk to a false Scot;" and when the lady says she
will leave until their sentiments arc more in unison, he
says, " Well, these women will bare the last word." The
music is, on the whole, pleasing; and some of the airs
possess much merit ; the following, sung by Miss Stephens,
we selett as the hest:—

Memory, thou bane or blessing,
As our path of life is cross'd
A bliss, while blisses still possessing,
A bane, when happiness is lost.
Deep in his tablets, misery
Is writ with steady hand ;
But, ah ! our pleasures—memory
But traces in the sand.
The sweets of love, the joys of youth,
The bloom of health, and beauty's pow'r,
And manly faith, and maiden truth,
Live in memory but an hour.
But hatred, with I-. er frowning brow,
And falsehoods, that the truest sever;
The heart-ache, or a moment's woe,
In memory live for ever.
The soldiers' glee, " We soldiers think," is pretty,
and was encored. Miss Stephens also sung, with ad-
mirable taste and execution, what appeared to us an old
air, "0 say, what is the soldier's doom. The actiug of
Mr. Wallack was good, the singing of Miss Stephens excel-
lent ; and after, these two individuals, the performance of
the Mastiff' outstripped that of his biped competitors.
The piece was announced, amidst loud applause, for re-
petition on Wednesday next ; notwithstanding, it does not
require the withcraft of a wizard, nor even of the Emir
the Desert, to prognosticate that it will not have, to speak
technically, a run.