The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-13 00:00:00

THEATRES.

RING'S THEATRE.
On Saturday evening Roasini's opera of II finrhiere di
Slaglia was performed, for the purpose of introducing
Signor Pellegrini from the Italian Opera at Paris. This
opera has been so long before the public, that it
is unnecesasry to way much in respect to it. It has
all the beauties and all the defects of the Italian
Maestro. It is, however, necessary to say, that it was
preferred in Italy to that of Paesiello on the same subject,
and was composed in something less than a fortnight. It
has often been remarked that Rossini is distinguished for
his plagiarisms, hut under circumstances of particular sin-
gularity, via. that his plagiarisms are principally from his
own works, and not from those of others. la the II Bar-
biere di Siviglia we trace many subjects adopted in his
more recent works, and that without the least " remorse
or dread." This is to be accounted for to a certain extent
from the haste, under which he has always written, and
from an unfortunate system of procrastination—whether
natural or affected it is not fur us to say. Some composers
have thought it no small merit to compose against time,
and therefore, like Sheridan and his Pizarro, have allowed
little or no time to elapse between the completion of the
work and the representation of the piece, not to say a word
on the subject of the rehearsal of it. Such has been the
conduct of Rossini ; and therefore it is not perhaps so re-
markable :t circumstance, that ideas previously used should,
on the pressing urgency of the moment, be again re-
sorted to.
Of Signor Pellegrini's voice we cannot say very much,
at least from what we heard of it iu Figaro, a character
certainly not the most calculated for the display of it ; at
the same time it is but justice to observe that in the ma-
nagement of it he is very successful. His acting *as full
of animation, life, and bustle; and we alibi: he will he a
considerable accrisition to the opera bun of this establish-
ment. Curioni s forte pea not lie in comoly, and we can-
not say that he was more than respectable in tie Count.
De Begni'e Bario/o, and Porto's Boritio were very ff. c-
tive ; but the Itosina of Madame Caraduri was tier charm
of the evening, and certainly we have never seen the cha-
racter more ably sustained. In " lo sotto docile," %edit) the
duet with Figaro beginning " Dunque io son," she was
eminently successful, as was Pellegrini ; the latter piece
was encored. The chorusses were very judic;ously dene,
particularly that of " Mille grazie," and " Nii par esser
eon la testa." The trio between Figaro, the Count, and
Rosina, by Pcllegrini, Curioni, and Caraduri, " Zitti, Zitti,"
drew down wit-merited applause.
Self-approbation is a very proper feeling, if kept within
its proper bounds. If Rossini, however, was to be pur-
chased at his own valuation, he would sell at a very 1.01
price indeed, for at a conversazione at the Marchioness of
S.'s., be observed Lady L. leaning on the arm of the
"great Captain of the Age," upon which Rossini placed
himself on the other side of her Ladyship, and said that
her situation was a most happy one, she being the betwet
the two greatest men in Europe !! ! It is said the Duke of
Wellington thought it no joke.

ENGLISH OPERA 11013 SE.
On Saturday evening Mr. Mathews epened his annna.
budget of wit and cotrucality. His appearance was warmly
greeted by a very numerous audience, whom he proceeded
to address "in his old way." He returned thanks to his
friends, who had never yet refused his Invitations. Seven
years had elapsed since they had first met under that roof,
and their acquaintance had been since continued without
any abatement of cordiality on either side. lie had served
his apprenticeship to them, and had found them induleent
masters ; insomuch, that although his time was expired
he would not give up his indentures. Ile hoped that if
he had ever succeeded in Macadamizing the road to
mirth, or in throwing a bridge over the gulf of sorrow, he
might still continue to experience their patronage. In his
exertions to entertain his friends, he said, lie was less em-
barrassed by the paucity than by the redundancy of his ma-
terials. He had ransacked for their amusement every corner
of the earth, from Little Britain to Great Britain, from
France to Petty France, from York to New York, and thus
round the Globe from east to west, by a few fear de nuts.
While musing one morning on the extent of his peregri-
nations and researches through earth, air, water, and—
no, not through fire, lie began to meditate a trip " down
below," as his last year's song hail it, through the regions of
this last element, when lie was suddenly roused from his
reveries by the knock of the twopenny postman ; the post-
age paid, he opens some dozens of invitations, and thus we
are introduced to the frame-work of his entertainment. In
short, Mr. Mathews determines to accept the invitations of
his friends, as his ftietels had always accepted his, although
he feels convinced, as is frequently the case, that many of
those invitations were any thing rather than inviting. The
result is, that Mr. Mathews very soon makes us acquainted
with his hosts and their company, the description of whose
whim-whams and peculiarities opens, it will easily be con-
ceived, a rich Feld to his tact and versatility. Among those
persons, the most original are Mr. Shakely, a nervous vale-
tudinarian, "who lives a life of factitious age ;" Sir Hurry
Shelter, who, having learned his philosophy from the De-
mon of Ennui, complains that he is always disappointed,
and can never see any thing as other people see it; and Sir
Archibald Maelthombuid, an actual Scotehinan, and a sei-
disanf philosopher, who is mathematically exact in re;ect-
ing every thing which dOes not suit with the measu eof
his own apprehension, At the conclusion of the Se. ond
Part, Mr. Mathews depicts the interior of a gaming-house.
The story is simple : a young Yorkshire Gentleman, happy
in the enjoyment of health, family, and fortune, becomes
attached to play ; he wins at first, anti ie thus led on to his
total ruin ; his own degradation he is able to endure, but
the misery he has brought upon his family preys on his
mind, amid madness is the consequence. Mr. Mathews,
who possesses the deep feelings which usually accom-
pany genius, gives full effect to this plain but awful tale;
he makes it, we might say, perhaps, painfully impressive,
but our feelings. are soon relieved by a scene on the hus-
tings, where the speech of an Irish Counsel, and another
specimen of, mob oratory, completely. recruit our spirits.
By far the best part of Mr. Mathews 's entertainment, in
respect to vivacity and genuine humour, is Cat which is
wholly his own ; we mean the recitations which belong to
the songs. We may instance the scene on the hustings,
and the rival speeches to which we before alluded ; " Lou-
don at five in the morning," a humorous and spirited
sketch ; and " The visit to the Italian Opera ;" in which
the imitations are admirable, with the exception, perhaps,
of the soprano singing, which, as an imitation of an indivi-
dual, had no merit, and, considered merely. as soprano sing-
ing, is not ludicrous. The entertainment closed with a
Monopolylogite, styled the " City Barge." The rival
loves of Mr. Gibletts and Mr. Sassafras for the fair Mrs.
Georgina Grius, constitute the plot of this piece. It has no
merit but that of affording Mr. Mathews an opportunity of
appearing in eight different characters successively.
It would not bespeak either our prudence or good taste
to attempt a minute account of Mr. Methews's entertain-
ment. The flowers plucked in his garden would lose their
fragrance when transported elsewhere. Ile is himself the
source of laughter—the funs ipsej,,corum. Ile is the le-
gitimate descoidant of the Comic Muse. To purloin and
'hear away his good things would be to invade the property
of which he was " born sele heir and single."
The praise of those critics who scrupulously withhold
their censure is of vtry little value ; and no one who
feels that he has a legitimate title to praise will ever dis-
courage the free discussion of his merits. Then remarks
apply, we conceive, with peculiar force to Charles Mathews,
for that extraordinary man has littl • to fear from criticism.
He is without a rival, nay, lie is the very beau ideal of a
Monopolylogist ; he has all the powers of Proteus:
" Omnia transformat sexe in miracola rerun)."
To ascertain his excellence we must compare him with
himself ; and if we ever find him wanting it is only be-
cause he has been once superior.
it is no small obligation which humen nature owes to
Mr. Mathews, that lie tickles it, as it were, into the enjoy-
molt of its infirmities; it is not merely that he snakes us
laugh, but he never abuses our propensity to laughter.
No one could " hold the mirror up to nature" with more
fidelity, or with better effect ; he knows the due hounds of
ridicule and good humour, and has the art which few
have of entertaining the public without descending to
pruriency or personality. Good feeling and good sense
direct the light shafts of his satire, which plays as harm-
ieel.ly among us as the flames round the head of lulus.
Baying premised so much in the general praise of Mr.