The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-10-16 00:00:00

" Fraed for the gentle offices of lore--

possessing great natural delicacy of mind—trained
in a mild and modest way of thinking—strangers,
from their education, to those specious itscentives.
which render men ambitions— few, very few women,
can form a competent idea of feelings like those by
which Lady Macbeth is saunter'. Love—filial
piety—maternel affection—compassion—in short,
every sentiment that springs front a pure sensibility,
they can, with comparative vase, describe—because
there is scarcely a woman who his not, at one time
or other, feta them. Bat the stormy emotions of s.
lofty ambition seldom agitate their minds—and it
is difficult for them, even after the most intense
study, to describe passions which had never found
a harbour io their bosoms. To this cause, we think.
may be attributed, the very small number of
actresses who have made any great impression in the
character of Lady Macbeth. Mr. WEsfs forte,
we are perfectly convinced, is to be sought for
in the tender, not in the towering. Her Des-
demona and her Beloidera charm us most in their
most tender parts. We rather believe that she
did not, of her own volition, venture on so ar-
duous a character as that in which she last night
appeared—but Mr. KEAN's Macbeth is an attrac-
tive performance, and, as Mrs. liar is the only.
lady in the house who could act with hint, it was
deemed necessary to put her talents into requisi-
tion, sooner than lay the tragedy wholly aside.
Her performance was by no mesh, dis.•reditable to
her abilities. It war judicious, if not great. The
proud domineering spirit of the character was,
not marked with sufficient force. This was the
prevailing fault of her representation. She act-
ed with the ease of a lady, not with the highly
wrought dignity of a heroine. The scene in,
which the taunts of Lady Macbeth, aided by her
insidious statement of the ease and security with
which the murder may be committed, fix the
wavering mind of the Thane to commit the crime,
was marked by some powerful touches—but, us a
whole, its effect was rather weak. Mrs. WEs r wro.
more successful iu the banquet-scene than iii
any other. The agitation occasioned by the
strange conduct of Macbeth, who will, she is.
afraid, divulge the fatal secret, whilst under the
influence of terror, was very naturally expressed.
The apology to the guests, was well delivered,
particularly the latter part, the glazing softness of
which was well contrasted with the hurry and ra-
pidity with which, in the commencement, she com-
manded them not to notice her Lord's infirmity. Mrs,
WEST'S performance was well received. Mr. KEAN
sustained the character of Macbeth unusually well.
His voice was better than it generally is—his enun-
ciation was remarkably clear—he rarely resorted to
the trick of giving one half of a sentence in a high
tone, and the remaining moiety iii a whisper—
mid his pauses did not put our patience to the
test. The soliloquy—

" is this a dagger that I see before me"'

was excellently delivered—and the scene with Lady
Macbeth, after the assassination of Duncan, was
greatly performed. Mr. H. KEMBLE appeared, for
the first time, as the representative of Macdnfl: It
was a good performance. The passionate speech—
or rather series of exclamations—in which be
nounces Duncan's murder, was given with com-
mensurate spirit—and, in the scene where lUacdrif
learns that the tyrant has, " at one fell swoop,"
destroyed " all his pretty chickens and their dam,"
he displayed much energy and not • little feeling.
The house was sery well filled.
cOTENT-GAROEE.
KOTZEBUE'S play, The Stranger, was performed
here last night. It attracted a crowded and elegant
audience. Miss O'NxILL was rapturously greeted
on her ent►e, in the character of Mrs. Haller. She
displayed all her wonted feeling, force, and pathos.
The frail fair one could not be represented in a
lovelier person, nor could her broken and penitent
spirit find expression in more silvery sounds. They
penetrated into the heart, and every eye acknow-
ledged their all-subJuing influence. The other
characters were sustained with ability, and the
piece went off with all its usual success.