The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-10-26 00:00:00

BRIGHTON, OCTOBER ‘25.

Sir Charles Paget left 31arlhorniuhrrow for
Portsmouth, oil Friday morning. Sir WI
Knighton arrived there on niftily, but departed to
return to town early on Saturday morineg.
The Prince Regent at present belug here so it
were, as a private gentleman of fortune isirtely, li:s
dinner parties have been principally ciadiaril to las
immediate wit ; but the scene, in all probability,
will be different, when the Palace is in due ruder
for his reception and winter residence. His Royal
Highness, it is expected, will leave us for about
a fortnight, on this day or ta-morrow.

THEATRES.

corihT•OAIDEN.

We last night witnessed a performance of find-
Sate merit at this theatres Mr. MACREADY as.
soniefi the character of Richard tho Third—a clam.
meter iu itself extremely difficult, but rendered
infinitely more so by the prejudices which have
been engendered in the minds of thole who judge
of an ector, not according to his intrinsic merits,
bat in proporrion as he approaches their standsrd of
excellence, whether it be Kamissit. CODA, or
KSts• The Richard of last night is quite an ori-
ginal...le n " himself alone!" He enters deeply
into the character of the tyrant whom lie repre-
sents. He is now sarcastically-joculdr—now flaming
with the fire of ambitionliOW, for a inoinriit,
chilled by the upbraiding% of thst spirit within,
which Richard affects to deeptse, but to the in-
fluence of *lnch, in his hours of thought, he is
obliged to how. We did not observe, in Mr. M AC-
READY's performance. any strained efforts at new
',ridings; lie did not re-point the text, nor en-
deavour. by a vicious refinemetit, to alter the sense
land, .of many
of passages, the sprinting of which
a year, been andisputed. His opening soliloquy
we did not adinite. The connnencement was too
cold and tams—but„ ere he had finished it, his
genius burst forth with a most brilliant radiance.
When he descalited on his own deformity. and de-
termined, that, as his body was miii•slisp en. his
mind should " be made crook'd to answer it," he
crowed a passionate maligiiity, which, while it
was *polo able to the feeling of the moment, af-
forded a perfect key to the character of Richard.
In the early part of the scene with Lady Amite
there was, perhaps. too much bluntness—too little
or the tongue that could " wheedle with the devil."
nut, when he solicited, on his knees—when he im-
plored the lady to kill him, and yet, by his vehe-
ment Knives of her beauty, stayed her vengeful
hand—his assumed eagerness of feeling was so na-
thrill, that is might have deceived a ler more sus-
lamas being than Lady Anne appears to have
hero. Almost to the cud of the third act, Richard
is a courtier, painfully, but sedulously feeling his
way to power—dissembling with all—inakiug tools
of all—even of those who deem themselves the be-
loved of hilts, who, as the chronicler and the dra-
matist have exhibited lain, had no heart for kindly
affections. The dream of ambition is at length
realised. Heaven lies disposed of one brother—he
has taken care of another—his protection has also
herb emended to his nephews—and he becomes
King I In delivering the soliloquy, immediately
precediug the accomplishment of Richard's views,
Mr. MACREADY was very great. SHALSPEARE has
foroislied the language of an ambitious mind, on the
point of achieving its dearest object—MACREADY
hos caught a spank of the poet's genius, and his man-
ner is a perfect exemplificatiou of the poet's idea.
If he interview with Typed, immediately after the
:murder of the Princes, was a noble scene. It has
hitherto been rather neglected. That which pre-
ceded, and that which was to follow it, have getter-
idly swallowed up the actor's attention. Here au
opportunity wits given to make a new and a pow-
ettul impression. Mr. MACREADY saw the 'van-
Ne-groutid—lie ti;2!ked the rich, but neglected
spot—he s-ized it, and ;is has made it his own.
The trembling breathless impatience with which he
questions the agent of his crime—the hysteric joy
with which he learns that his nephews are destroyed
—the warlike spirit which inspires him, when, un-
prepared for such intelligence, lie hears of Dorset's
defection, arid Buckingham's rebellion, all these
variations of passion and treling were delineated
with amazing force by Mr. MACREADY. We can.
out go through all his scenes, but we will say, that
his perforininice was a great display of genius. He
supported the character finely. and his exertion is
entitled to the greater prairie. because he depended
tin his own mind—he scorned to borrow from any
pilau°. His tent scene was very great. We know
pot whether by chance or design, in the paroxysm
of his fear, the sleeve of his robe was thrown up mid
displayed his slaked arm. It had an excellent ef.
Get at the moment, and operated still more power-
fully when he rushed forward at the head of Iris
troops. His dying scene equalled any thing
Inch the modern stage has witnessed. Shouts
of applause accompanied Mr. MACREADY'S
forts during the evening. When the curtain
dropped,- Mr. CON NOR, who performed the part
of Tress., extremely well, came forward to au-
totimer a repetition of the tragedy—but the cry for
Mr. MACREADY was general. After a short pause,
lie appeared in his regal robes. The plaudits were
redoubled--and silence was with difficulty obtained.
At length Mr. MACREADY, who appeared brambly
atrected•by the kindness of the audience, stated,
that, •• with their permission, the tragedy would be
repeated on Thursday next," which notification
was received with thunders of applause.
The house was extremely full.
ADELPHE THEATRE.
Last night was presented, for the first time at
this theatre, the burletta of The Actress of All
Work. The heroine of the piece, on whose utire-
/totted exertious its success, from beginning to end,
sit-petals, was most felicitously personated by Mrs.
In order to secure the approbation of a
manager, to whose son she feels a tender
tit, and with whom she, therefore, is de-
ibtaiii a professional engagement, but who
I to approve none but a lady that can be
a variety of departments. the Actress
oak is called upon to represent the various
Toone characters of Maria (a celebrated
Bridget (a country gawkey). Flourish (a
. Loudon actress), Goody Stebbins (a deat;
s old lady of 80), Lounge (a literary fop),
lademoiselle Josephine (au opera-singer from
Mrs. A I.SuP acquitted herself of this try-
with admirable address, ingenuity, sod
She framed her countenance, carriage,
and dress, to suit the many strange
imitated, with infinite judgment and
minion and vivacity are Mrs. ALSOP'S
and hereditary qualities ; iu addition
her performance of last nignt display-
itility of genius the most fertile, and
ithscriminating and delineating the finer
kindred characters the most exact.—
she acted the amorous old maiden, or the
poppy, who in fancy can decide the fate
and players, or figured as the vain, ans.
ivaricious French singer, cameleon.like, she

still seemed to reflect nnhorrowed native colours. The
applause was loud and unanimous throughout; but
In the last scene, where the "Actress" rapidly runs
through her repeated imitations to open the eyes of
the Manager, the strong diversities mid contrasts
were so qiiickly and pointedly exhibited as to pro-
duce rapturous plaudits, reiterated for some time
from every part of the house. Mrs. ALSOP intro-
duced, in the character of Mademoiselle Josephine,
accompanied by herself on the guitar, a new sung,
composed by Mr. MADDISON, winch she executed
very pleasingly, and was called on to repeat ;t—
-ithe also sang very neatly and spiritedly a mock
Italian bravura. The Nanager was respectably
iterformed by Mr. CAMPBELL. and Frederick, by
Mr. J. JONES. The piece experienced every mark
of admi►ationr from a crowded and fathiottable
audience.

The other entertainments, The Green Dragon,
and (for the first , at this theatre), the bor.
letta of Whe►e shall I Dine? passed off with eclat.
The new chandelier, suspended from the dome,
and lighted with gas, •nd the decorations of the
house, continue to he the theme of null I pane-
gyric. The three Misses DaPi 14 IiTT had need ad-
vertised to perform the celebrated Shawl Dance.
At the end, however, of the second entertaintnent,
the Stage Manager, Mr. LEE, cattle forward, mud
addre..eil the audience us follows :
" I.ADIrs AMID G•NTLINCN-1 am sorry to be obliged to
state that Mom permit has, ia the course of her profes-
sional exertions on these boa►ds, experienced so violent •
sprain, that her Medical attendant has •Ireland, that the
consequence of her etideavoitring to undertake what she
has been annosisseed for in the bolls of this evening, would
be to incapacitate her from •ppesriug !wrote the public for
a considerable list. The two young.-- Mimes Den.
nett will, with your permission •nd approbation, dance
■ Spanish bolero; and I have to hope and request that you
will, under the circumstanres, excuse the absence of their
sister, and receive with indulgence a disappointment which
is unavoidable."

This Address was receiver' with the warmest ex-
pressions of indulgence, and the bolero was imme-
diately after danced by the tau lathes with their
well-known superior grace and elegance. It met
with a corresponding meet) of arliniration.

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