The National Register.
London, England, 1811-03-10 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGTSTM.

arming my resentment had the play been bad. The honest
critic spares neither 'sex nor age. It is the play, and not the
author on which he is to pass sentence, and if other consider-
ations were to be allowed to influence his decision, he would
shortly be called upon to praise the moat contemptible farrago of
trash that could be 'produced, as it might be said to be the pro-.
duction of a child. Miss CuAMnsxs•_ought to hold it beneath
her thus to come forward as a candidate for compassion. Shy
ought not to strive to gain indulgence, but to deserve applause.

If indeed she were in distress, I should be glad to hear a baneat
was to be given to her, and would•readily contribute my mitt
towards her relief, and I might give it the more freely, because
the object of charity was a lady, and the author of" The- Sclsooi
for Friends." These considerations, however, would lonse their
weight if brought forward to excuse a bad p:ay. They ought not
to be entertained for a moment, and if Miss C. should produce
another comedy, I hope like" Ourselves," it will deserve praise
from its own merits, and not gain support merely because she lit
a lady, and author of " The School for Friends."

MR. COOKE, THE ACTOR.

The follcrwiir copy of a letter from Mr. Cooke was received
by his friend, Mr. incledon, on Wednesday morning :
" Boston, New England, N. America, Jan. 14,1811.
"DEAR Sia—This is the first letter I have writer to EU.
rope, from which my departure was only the result of a few
hours deliberation. On the hth of October hest, I sailed from
Liverpool, and arrived at New York's on the 16th of Novem-
ber. The latter part of the voyage was very tempestuous, and
many vessels were lost. I was received by Mr. Pricet, one of
the Managers, in a very friendly and hospitable manner,
and at whose house I remained while I continued in, that
city. On Wednesday, the. 21st of November, I made my
first appearance before an American audience, and was re-
ceived by a splendid and crowded assemblage in a most flat-
tering manner. I acted seventeen nights to some of the greatest
houses ever known in the New World. My own night exceeded
four hundred guineas. On the 29th of December, in company
of Mr. Price, I set out, in one of the best passage-boats I ever
saw, for Newport, Rhode Islandt, which we reached, after a
most pleasant trip, in twenty-two hours, and after a short stay,
left in a commodious carriage for this town. We slept on Sun-
day at Taunton, and arrived here on Monday. :fly first ap-
pearance on Thursday following, in the new play of Richard,
which was repeated the next night. This was also my first play
in New YUrk, where they,had it three times, and so will the
good people here. The house filled as at New York, and my
reception equally flattering. New York is the handsomest and
largest house. NVe return to that city on Saturday the 29th, and
ab• Jut the 10th of March, journey on to Philadelphia, from
the: cc to Baltimore, where my engagement ends ; but I shall
return to New York, to embark for Liverpool. My time was
passed at the last mentioned city in a most agreeable manner, as
almost every day, rat of business, we had parties. at Mr. P's, or
at tl:e houses of some ofthe principal inhabitant We are going
on the same way here ; with this exception, we are lodged at the
Exchange Coffee-house, one of the largest and most extraordie
nary buildings I ever saw, and of consequence I miss and rem
gret the kind, polite. attention of Mrs. P. at whose house. 1
imagined myself in my own, and feel highly gratified at the
near prospect of returning to it. Mr. Barnard is one of the
Managers here, hut, I believe, retires from it at the conclusion
of the season. Theatricals are conducted at both Theatres ill-4

• New York Theatre holds about 2;000 dollars, it is .situated
in the higher part of the City, called the Park, where the Courts
of Ju,tiee are held. •
t Stephen Pnce, Esq. is an eminent Solicitor of 71;:w York,
and is, or w.tay in partnership•with Mr. Washington Morton.—
He is a joint Lessee with Mr. Cooper, the Actor, in holding the
property of the Theatre, and superintends its managenae,lit Ut
the abs(,nce of Mr. Cooper.
t Mr. Cooke alludes here to the-elegant passage boats which
convey passengers from and to New York, by running up the
Sound between Connecticut and Long Island ; the price of the
pas.age is ten dollars for each person, tor which sum you are
provided with a bed and board of the most satisfactory kind.—
These boats are built in imitation of thc gailiots and cocbe d'eaus
of France, but are infinitely more handsome. The distance frogs
New York. to the town of Providence in Rhode Island, is about
‘2,()0 miles, and at the latter place they tAtkelhe stage. AT
-which is abut 1G miles 'lista:zee.

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