The National Register.
London, England, 1812-10-04 00:00:00

OCT. 4•

voice consists in his• constantly raising it to the highest
pitch, aid soddenly dropping it to the lowest. It this
done for effect, it has no other than to excite a ludi-
crous emotion : but if it spring from a want of knowledge
of the proper fulness of tone required by the largeness of the
house, it is to be lamented that Mr. EL It IN GTON is not
likely to be able to make a second trial ; as, notwithstanding
the warm support of his friends. (whose zeal, in some in•
stances, went so far as to abuse and insult his adversaries,)
be must possess a most undaunted heart if he resolves to en-
counter, a second time, the merciless hisses of a London
audience, rendered more galling by the contrasted peals of
applause which greeted the performance of Miss Cob': E.
This young lady made her first appearance the same night,
in the tender, unsuspicious, loved, and ultimately murdered
Desdeniona, and by her interesting beauty, melody of voice,
grace of action, and just and unaffected delivery, won the
merited approbation of that public, whose severity fell, per-
haps too harshly, on the head of 'Mr. ELRINGTON; who,
though unsuccessful, and certainly deficient in many parts, is
not entirely void of merit.
ENGLISH OPER .1.
We rejoice to see that the managers of this Theatre are
not impenetrable to just criticism. The brilliant success of
Tire Spanird. Patriots, the first night of its performance, (and;
how could it fail of succeeding, when the-house was so well
tilled with the author's and composer'sfr iends, that one of
those gentiemen had only to give the signal, by clapping his
own pieces, and thunders of applause burst from every part,)
would have induced others to prolong- its uninterrupted run
to the very close of the season. Their conscience, however,
smote them. They found they had sacrificed too much to the
came of a distinguished composer, and made every repara-
t•on in their poacr, by reducing the nights of performance of
that opera last week to Wedue-day and Friday, preparatory,
no doubt, to its total abandooment, had they stopped it at
once, they might have been charged with incom.:istenc), in
stifling; themselves the creation they had so lately ushered
into life. They have therefore wisely rendered its downfal
progressive, that it may secm to expire a natural death. Let
it rest in congenial oblivion with all impel fectiotis on its
bead. and the author may then hope, when his production is
totally forgotten, to regain, if he ever possessed it, the repu-
sation of clever uess he has lost.
Instead of this unfortunate piece, the excellent Opera of
the Duenna was performed last Tuesday, when 'Air. PHIL-
LIPS, in Carlos, sang with a degree of taste and sweetness
which BSA HAM hiniself could not have surpassed. Indeed,
in simple melodies, Mr. PHILLIPS' need never shrink from
a Competition with his celebrated rival. Bad we never
seen DOWTON in Isaac illendo.:4,..we should have thought
Mr. 1041611.1's perfoimance of that character unequalled;
hat if it yields in richness to that of his predecessor, it is
secondary to it alone. Mr. PENSON personated Don Jerome
with a degree of spirit which we did not expect, arch d f
creo-
-
quently gave-the part some of that excellent and ri
louring which we thought DowroN alone was able to infuse
into Old men. Miss L. KEL Ll' when she sings next, will
do well not to move her body and agitate her arms, as
though she suffered excruciating pain; and Mr. J. SMITH
will, We ti ust, another time, not let "the insignificance of
the Jew shay c, hot MET him," and will abstain fi om
turn-
ing Sraflish Nan into the Latin negative non.
After the amine a tedious &ince, produced the night
.;:-!'ore, was repealed, and so exhausted the patience of
.audienee, that we entertained no doubt but the new
-,se, which was to be represented after it, would fall a
'.,(";:), to this injudicious arrangement, and out of mere