The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-09-27 00:00:00

CHELTENHAM THEATRE.

It having been deemed eligible that Mr. Charles
Kemble, after two performances at this place, should be
honoured with a benefit, our " distiaguisyleed" Amateurs
gave him their " itipartant sowees" on Tuesday last,
when he received what was, doubtless, a due reward for
his frequent and/alio/iv attempts to afford us such amuse-
ment as may he derived from the Cheltenham drama. On
this very interesting occasion the Hest part of " Henry the
Fourth was selected for performance, in which the Prince
of Wales was sustained by Colonel Berkeley, and Falstaff
allotted to his gallant brother.
Perhaps many persons, like Mrs. Kitty in the farce,
reserve the reading of Shakspeare for a wet afternoon ; at
all events, no small number are accustomed to attend the
representation of his plays with the same careless and ig-
norant feeling. Hence the unusual assemblage of persons
to witness the present exhibition, finding no attraction in
any of its splendid attributes, and experiencing no amuse-
ment from the actors who embodied them, every sensation
resolves itself into a motive of mere curiosity, apd we trust
that the Amateurs, though so warmly greeted upon their
appearance, have too much sense and modesty to consider
the plaudits that are bestowed upon them as sound indica-
tions of the critical favour with which they are regarded.
This would, indeed, be a serious mistake, and we caution
them not to indulge it.
Few " common players" are more conspicuous than Mr.
C. Kemble for perverted talents and idle vanity, of which
his rejection of the Prince in this play, to assume the part
of Hotspur, is a striking example. llis "old robes" cer-
tainly " sat easier than his new," and he would act pru-
dently, in his future career upon the metropolitan boards,
by abstaining from characters which he cannot possibly re-
present without the most painful distortions of mind, voice,
and gesture. Much public injury has been done by Mr.
Keroble's mistakes to our native drama, and we hope to see
him either dissuaded or driven from the track in which he
to blindly proceeds.
The favourite farce of High Life below Stairs followed,
in which the Duke's Servant devolved upon Colonel
Berkeley, whose comic deficiencies were concealed by the
mock gravity of the character. The audience laughed
heartily at his performance, but we were chiefly struck
with the incongruous attempts of a gentleman, possessing
wealth and station, to acquire, even in sport, the sordid
manners of those above whom he is so fortunately exalted.
Mr. Kemble played Lord, the. boyish tricks of wuich cor-
responded but indifferently with his ago. and stature.
Farley was not amiss in the Valet of Sir Ilarry.—Chelten-
hara Herald.
SEPT. 2.3.-Mr. C. Kemble played at our theatre on
Saturday evening, for the last time this season, owing to
the opening of Covent-Garden theatre. The Comedy of
the Suspicious Husband was performed, in which Mr. K.
appeared as Mr. Oakley.
There was not, however, a numerous attendance, owing
to the attractions of the promenade in the Montpelier Spa,
from 7 till 9 o'clock, which was thronged with visitors.
The numerous band playing during the time in the Re-
tunda greatly enlivened the scene. At the conclusion,
' the band rose and played " God save the King." the
company all standing up, the gentlemen taking off their
hats.

Sir Henry Halliard, Mr. Macgrigor, and Mr. Simpson,
visited the Duke of York yesterday, at the residence of the
Duke of Rutland, in Arlington-street. His Royal High-
ness took his accustomed daily airing in the afternoon to
his baroucbc.
Prince Lieven, the Russian Ambassador, and the Spa-
nish Minister, transacted‘business yesterday at the Secre-
tary of State's office for Foreign Affairs.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer came to town yester-
day morning from Beckenham, and, after transacting busi-
ness at his residence in Downing-street, returned to Beek•
enbatn in the afternoon.
Despatches were sent off yesterday from the Foreicn
Office to Mr. S'cretary Canning, at Paris; also to Sir 11%
A'Court, our Minister at Lisbon.
Mr. Alderman Bridges has let his house in Portland-
place to the Spanish Ambassador.
Sir Walter Scott, it is reported, is shortly to be married
to a lady of immense wealth. Mr. Bruce, who, under the.
patronage of the late Lord Melville, became Professor of
Logic in the University of Edinburgh, and afterwards Ilis-
toriog,rapher to the East India Company, and kstiy,
to
conjunction with Sir Hunter Blair, Printer to the
King for Scotland, lately died, leaving behind hint to a
maiden sister, an immense fortune, some say of three hun-
dred thousand pounds. The worthy Baronet, it is re-
ported, has successfully made love to this accompliihtd
lady, who, on her part, insists on his receiving from hi'',
&bre marriage, one hundred thousand pounds to clear his
ineutnbrances. 11'ho, after this, will say that the climate.
of Scotland is cold ?—Evening Paper.
Charles E. Horn's popular Cavatina of " Me been
roaming," which has been nightly sung with applause, by
Madame Vestris, at the Haymarket Theatre, has just been
ushered into the musical world by the spirited proprietor
of the Royal Harmonic Institution, Argyll Rooms (Messrs'
'4e and Hawes), arranged as a rondo for the pianoforte,,
with an introduction, by T. A. Rawlings, a composer of
some eminence. As a musical composition, we have onl
to remark, in justice to Mr. Rawlings, that the introduc-
, tion possesses very considerable talent, and the arrange-
went throughout is scientifically executed.