The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-01-27 00:00:00

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

Shakspeare's tragedy of King Lear, or rather Tate's'
version of it, was performed last evening at this theatre.i
The part of Lear was assigned to Mr. Young. We have
often borne testimony to the undoubted merit of this per-
former in those characters which require bold and ener-
getic action, and which afford opportunities for the display
of that gorgeous flow of action and fine declamatory style
of acting in which he stands second to no performer. The
character of Lear is not cut in a mould calculated for the
felicitous development of these qualities: and although
the Lear of Mr. Young was not a failure, yet it was not
that peculiarly marked and effective portraiture of the
unfortunate Monarch which the reader pictures to
himself from a perusal of Shakepeare's delightful tragedy
of Sing Lear. To say of Mr. Young's performance
that it wanted originality, is not to utter anything in dis-
praise of it; for were he to imitate successfully J. Kemble's
personation of the character, his personation of it would
be at least creditable and correct. In our opinion the de-
ficiency of Mr. Young consisted in a total absence of pas-
sion, in an indulgence of declamation, where declamation
was vapid and ineffective, and in an endeavour rather to
adapt the character of Lear to his peculiarities than in the
more appropriate one of adapting his qualifications to the
part he had undertaken to personate. However, with the
exception of Mr. Kean, " who is not anything if not
passionate," there is no actor who could at all respectably
sustain so arduous and difficult • character. Mr. Young
may therefore perform it, from the necessity of having such
a play acted ; but we have too good an opinion of his taste
and consciousness of his own powers, to suppose that he
would select it of his own choice. The Edgar of Mr.
Charles Kemble was an animated and effective piece of
acting; the part is below his talents, but his stoop-
ing to the performance of it greatly aided and ensured
the general approbation with which the play went
oft Of Miss Lacy's Cordelia we cannot say any thing
favourably, and we are unwilling to say any thing un-
kindly. This lady has a most unpleasant provincial
drawl in her utterance, of which she must correct herself
before she can arrive at eminence u a tragic actress.
The part itself is not, indeed, a very popular one, nor
likely in any hands to produce much effect. Of the sub-
ordinate characters it is unnecessary Is say anything, but
that they were played neither above nor below the ordinary
standard of subordinate merit. The play is too well known
to need elaborate criticism, and we take our leave of it for
the present, with a wish that we may not again see it at
Covent-garden in the hands of the same performers, unless
the public be tired of everything else; or unless a "special
request," or some such urgent call, impose upon the pro-
prietors the necessity of producing it.

We are desired to state that the 'Mr.Westmacott, men-
tioned in our police report as having applied to the Magis-
trates of Queen-square, is not Richard Westmacott, Ssq.
the eminent sculptor and academician.
Ma. PlERCL.—Nothing has transpired during the pre-
sent week as to the mysterious disappearance of Mr.
Pierce, of this city. The subject, however, continues to
receive its full share of public attention; and the London
Editors having set their inventive powers to work on the
subject, we may expect every day to have fresh versions of
the tale. It is lamentable to think, that a circumstance so
distressing to individuals as tb.s should be made use of for
the display of that wretched kind of wit called hoaxing;
but it is fact that hundreds of persons were attracted to
Tyndale's Park on Saturday last, in consequence of a re-
port circulated by some silly person that the body of Mr.
Pierce was then in the Park, where it had been discovered
by blood-hounds. To this hoax we may attribute a state-
ment in the Cheltenham Paper of Thursday, that the body
bad been dug up in the Park.—Bristol Mirror of Saturday.
THE WISE Mew or rue EAST.—A Friar belonging
to the order of Saint Francis, gave out a discourse for the
benefit of his confraternity. It should be remarked, that it
is the constant usage of painters to describe one of the Magi
who were led to Bethlehem, by the star in the east, to pre-
sent their offerings, as a sable Ethiopian. Of this concep-
tion Friar Emmanuel took a pleaasnt advantage. Having
expatiated at some length on the eternal rewards attendant
on pious donations, as well as on the peculiar claims of his
order on the bounty of his hearers, he proceeded to speak
of the wise men of the east, and of their offerings. " The
ant," said he, " my worthy and benevolent auditors,
brought gold; the second, frankincense and myrrh; and
the third—What did he bring? It is with concern I tell
you that he came empty-handed, on which account God
'turned him black. Yon will agree with me that this was
a terrible punishment, but not a greater one than was me-
rited by so heinous a neglect:—This being said, each
pressed earnestly forward with his donation, insomuch
that, on their breaking up, to the great joy of the Friar,
who congratulated them on the event, not a single black
face was to be seen in the admiring crowd.

MEXICAN LOAN

A Loan of 3,200,000 Stock, for the service of the lo-
verninent of 'Mexico, has been concluded between Don
Francisco de Boris Migoni, agent of that Republic, and
the house of 11. A. Crultli,chtnidt and Co.

The contract is founded on a decree of the Congress of
Mexico, dated let May, 1823, in virtue of which full
powers have been transmitted by the Executive rower to
Don Francisco de Body Migoni, for contracting tilts Loan.
These powers, together with the general bond, pledging
the Government of Mexico for the amount of this Loan,
will be deposited in the Bank of England.
Special bonds will be issued in the following propor-
tions, viz.:-
2,000 . .of . . I,ooeatit 1:1.000,000
4,090 . .of - - Warmth 1,000,000
12,000 . .of - . lee each . 1,2110,000

03,200,000
with sixty half-yearly dividend warrants, at the rate of 5
per cent. per annum, payable is London, free of all ex-
pense, on the Ist April and IdOctober in each year, at
the house of Messrs. B. A. Odinchmidt and Co. The first
payment to be wade on the lat April next.
The Subscriptions to the Lap are to be paid in the fol-
lowing instalments, viz. :-
10 per Cent. on the 211th January
10 . . 18th February
10 . 9:h April
14 . . 19th May
14 . . flu June
58 per Cent.
with interest on the two lad inatalnsents at 4 per Ceti*.
per annum from the 9th, pf April, and a discount at 4
per cent. per annum willje allowed on anticipated pp
meets.

It is atipaintai in the bond
lure Loan or Lens being raised
vernment of Mexico, one
Loan or Loan@ shall be a
asiessit Lome, std also thariiii ea* Loan forAeservioe of
the said Government shall be negociated in Europe within
twelve months from this date.

in the event of any fa..
it the service of the o.'
rt of the amount of snob

The whole of the revenues of the state of Mexico are
pledged as security for the re-payment of this Loan.
The Loan is to be redeemed by a Sinking Fund, to
which the sum of 64,0001. sterling is to be applied in the
first year, and n,oool. sterling in each succeeding year,
with dividends accruing on the bonds so to be redeemed.
The numbers of the bonds redeemed are to be advertised
half-yearly in the London Gaulle.

THE OFFICIAL. DOCUMENTS AND CORRE-