The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-12-03 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

Hamlet has ever been a puzzle to the players and t:,e
philosophers. The latter, item " Wilhelm Meister..ar.
prentiee" to " William Farren, comedian," have
gone to
loggerheads, and spilt much ink on the subject, without
elucidatin, it; and the former are generally as wide of thl
mark. Kemble (John) played the character like a scholar,
and Young continues to represent it like a schoolmaster.
Such are the effects of systems and Itateliness upon- the
best performers. For our part, we had rather reel
Hamlet than see it represer,ted, inadequate as every such
representation must be, and incapable of conveying a just
notion of tkis most wonderful effort of the most wonderful
genius the world ever saw. Mr. Serle cannot expect to ac.
complish what greater men have failed to perform: In
shall not condemn him for not executing an impossibility.
Our readers are already aware of our estimate of this
gentleman's powers, physical and intellectual; and at se
see no reason to modify or retract, we shall not repeat it,
The "reading" of the character, was the same as on the
former night, but the execution (as was to be expected)
better. Of both the most favourable thing we can say is,
that if unmarked by fervid genius, the were generally
correct—that is, so far as they went. The imitations el
John Kettible were not so apparent as on Monday night;
and the tremulousness of tone which we then observed uu
was of less frequent occurrence.
If. Hamlet is fitter for the closet than the stage, °Melia
is doubly out of place in the latter situation. Iler woes
are'of a nature too fine and delicate to be exposed to the
common gaze; and the exquisite feelings by means of
which she adorns her grief and turns her very sorrows
" to favour and to prettiness; are not the fit nratetiel for
stage exhibition: She is too hallowed 'a creature to dwelt
any u licre save in our " heart of hearts." The attempt to
personify her is about as hopeless as to represent thought
through the medium of colour, or to convey a notion of
space lay musical sounds. A fattish young lady, dread
ever so prettily in straw and artificial flowers, is not n.
actly the nymph " remembered in our orisons." By thus
remarks we intend nothing offensive to Miss Hammerder,
who did nearly all that any actress could do for poet
Oplaelea, and quite sufficient for her own reputation. Thy
songs of the part were very sweetly teen, and the acting
(as far as acting in such a ease can go) not amiss. But
tee repeat, Opholia has nothing to.do with the stage—there
The is is much out of plane, se a death's-head at an Alder.
man's table.

Mr. Chapman is the most benevolent of ent-throsts, and
too pitiful by the whole length of his chin for a tempo.
'fhe Queen was royally looked by Mrs. Finch, hut that
was all. Old Farley plays " young thrick" alum et
janntily uhe did twenty years ago—so well, indeed, that
an ancient man in the nit mistook him for Ellistou.
have no quarrel with Mr. Connor's Nordin but its length
of stride, nor with the Lorries of Cooper except on the
score of occasionally a little superfluous strength of loop.
We recommend the latter gentleman to forget to rant, sal
if possible learn to fence. In this enumeration a•e hrl
almost forgotten Fawcett's gravedigger, though we take
it was the best acted character of the evening.

PASIIIONABLE I NTELLIGBNCII.

The Duke of St. Allan's, lady Charlotte Be.auderit, and Ma
Coutts, arrived in town on Thursday evening, from Scotland.
Lord and Lady Catrington and family are expected in toes the
day from Brighton.
Countess Stanhope In expected in town this day from Brighten.
Lady Elizabeth Smart has arrived at the Earl of ilardwakir.
in St. James's-square, from Wimpcie, Cambridgeshire.
Walter Burrell, req. M.P. and Mrs. Burrell, have arrived at
Brighton, from their seat, Knipp Castle, Sussex.
Earl Spencer has left Althorp, Northamptonshire, for lard Bs.
got's, Bhthfleld, Staffordshire.
Ills Excellency Don Manuel &mama. Envoy from the now.
ment of Buenos Ayres, has arrived at Warren's lintel, Berg.
street.

General Garth has arrived at Bath, from his seat in Dorsetshin.
Sir Frederick and Lady Baker and family arrived in torn yn.
terday, from Hastings. Sussex.
Lady Keith left Thonias's Hotel, Berkeley-square, yesterstry,
for Kent.

The Hon. Charlet Cavendish b is arrived in town from the Duke
of Devonshire's, Chatsworth, Derbyshire, and Lady Catherine
Cavendish has arrived from Lady Aboy ne's. in Kent.
Arrivals at Kirkham's Hotel, Lower Ilrook.strex :—Lord Lii.
ford, from Pariq ; Major Weyland and Lady Johnson, from Ox-
fordshire ; Robin Powell, Esq. from Paris. Departures from
ditto :—Dr. Jenks. for Paris ; Stopford, Esq. for Cambridge;
the Rev. Mr. Pbwis, for Oxford.

Lord Roden arrived yestetday at the Burlington Hotel. OM Bur.
lington-strect, from Lincolnshire. General and Mrs. Grant btu
left ditto, for. their seat. Woodridge, Suffolk.
Departures front the British Hotel :—George Illtakham, Err.
for Kent; William Bi.ugley, Lby. for Illighton; H *Mr
for Bath.

The Duke of York received a letter on Wetirry
morning from the iliscensolate Doke of Rutland, notic)
the decease of his Ix lurid Di:chefs. with which the Rlys
Duke was extremely efrected. His Royal Ilighturs tr.h
more intimately acquainted with the noble Duke a:Ai
Duchess than any other noble farni'N.
Yesterday morning Sir Herbert Taylor, Military S:m
tary to the Duke of York, transacted military busincsiv.;!:
his Royal highness, at his house in Sauth Autllerstrec,
and afterwards went to the Commander-in-Chief a Oak.:
in the Horse Guards, and held a public day for miliLry
OfikiTS.

Yesterday aficrnoon, at one o'clock, a Cabinet Coursi
was held at the Foreign Office, in Downing-strect, 111(11
monses for which were issu, d on Thursday night.
Council continued in deliberation till a quarter past dr,f
The members present were—the Earl of Liertpa.,!, ;1.
Earl of Harrowby, the Duke of Wellington, the Cliale:;2;
of the Exchequer, Mr. S,:erctary Peel, Mr. Secretary
&c. - _ . .

Yesterday afternoon, soon after four o'clock, the I.
of his :Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council r,5.41
bled at the ( ouneil Office, Whiteliall-place, to lira f 6
appeals referred to their Lordships.
The Mai-quirt of Ilastimzs and the Earl of t:!.!:!'

.
transacted tiut.incss yesterday at the Secretary of t•:;:,:
Office fur the Colonial Department.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer arrived at his Its:
in Downing-street, from hia residence at B ekenher',,
Kent, yesterday. In the afternoon, soon after four &Jai.
the Right Honourable Gentleman returned to 1.1ce1:c.!,7
The Archbishop of Canterbury is slightly indisp;,3
his Palace in Lambeth.

Yesterday morning Sir Humphrey Davy transactei t.t.!
tress with Mr. Secretary Pcel, at the Home Office.
We honeitt to team that the Duke of Bedford :!,
riously indisposed at Paris ; his illness began, were.
stand, with a sore threat. II is Grace is aetornine,l
the French metropolis by his Duchess, and has el•
ever, attention that his situation demands.

Yesterday a deputation from the principal rcelit•t
spirits waited upon the Chancellor of the Exeltra,at.:.
house in Downing-street, and had an inter% ice for 3
siderable time.

DEATH Or JACOB MOCATTA, ITS..—:-An
held on Thursday, at the sign of the Pied 11:•r,...
well-street, before J. W. Unwin, Esq. t*.ironcr f,;
county of Middlesex, in consequence of the sue'.-'• --
of Jacob Mocatta, Esq. of Finsbury-square, it hi-1,
investigation of the circumstances, and ft 0:11 11:e
produced, the Jury immediately came to the
that it was occasioned by ft spasmodic OZ .-tier: Ot ;11 •
to which the deceased hail been subject, slit! Yet,-• '-
verdict of ," Died by the visitation of God."
About five tinitel: on Tuesday evenini-
Power, Esq., of Cashel, was sitting at tab:: : •
cloth had bi en removed slier dinner—wheu
came in, and presented two guns at him, •
stantly to deliver no the arms ;chid' Lc had in tie
or that they would have his life. Fortunati lv
bad the gun out at the time. On his informiu
they seated thamselees, and remained for al'cut
wahinst the return of the scrv,int. They tut:: r.The fellows fellows were in no way elisguistd.
A cctueN T.—Yes:el day of:clown, about two
Islington coach was overturned at the
lane, in Fleet-strt et, by a coal-wagon runnimt •••i
There was only one passenger, a very .-
who was, of cuur:e, much Maimed, but
man nor she %sip much hurt.
Several fine strawberries were gather. 1 eu
in a garden at Poole.
sa
ißuyrdaany explosion
last,
tiirt of
three men
lire-damp
were
iu atr
burned.
t tlr.lito
:tc
in great danger.—Leeds ah!lii;e7:cer