The National Register.
London, England, 1816-02-11 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

FEB.

DRAMATIC REGISTER.

COVENT G A RDEN.—The revival of the Plays of Shake-
*Care afilmis an intellectual treat to evetv one who loves
Cie British Drama. Miss O'Neill was on Thursday night
the representative of Isabella, in the Play of Measure for
Measure; and never was the detracter more perfectly adapted
to the talents of any peressrreer. Youth, beauty of person,
innocence, and yet dit,ossity t f demeanottr, with the most
emphatic expression of those poetical sentiments which every
admirer of Shakespeare has by heart, were all united in her
representation of the part. It was, throughout, graceful,
animated, and affecting ; and she was ably seconded by Mr.
Young and Mr. Terry. Mr. Jones was admirably playful in
Lucio; and Mr. Liston, as usual, produced, without gesticu-
lation or effort, the most irresistible laughter. The Play was
received with 'great applause ; and the House was crowded.
We have hitherto not been able to pay that attention to
Miss O'Neill's perfinsnances, which her excellence in the
histrionic art justly demands : we shall,. hereafter, examine
thoroughly and most distinctly, the various means by which
the total effect of her acting is produced, At present, we
can only say, that her last effort in Isabella, we are informed,
was equal to her former exertions.
The Midsummer Night's Dream we have at last been able
to see, and are happy to bears witness to the magnificence
with which it is got up. It certainly does credit to the spirit
et' the managers. The scene-painters and machinists have
contributed every thing that could be done by their art to
the embellishntent of Shakespeare ; but such is the differ-
ence to a classical taste between reading the poetry of this
exquisite piece and its exhibition, that we have some far that
Shakespeare is lost . in a maze of show and glitter. It is,
except in the comic scenes, Shakespeare turned Opera ballet-
roaster. The effect of the groups of fahies in-one scene was
111.,ite picturesque. The music is appropriate, and we were
happy to see Handel united to Shakespeare, by the introduc-
tion of the exquisite music in " Hush, ye pretty warbling
Choir," which is sweetly sung by Miss Stephens. The Bra-
vura at the close is also well executed; but we must ever
regret,charming singer, that this siners who in voice has such
de-
lightful talents, and in person is so interesting, should never
have but one action, as the Guinea-fusel has brit one note.
We should say to her in the words of Hanalei, " Leave
wringing tjf your hands," look up, and endeavour to have
some character in what you do suitable to your part. To see
her before Theseus, one would think that Mr. Conway had
frOttened her out of her wits, by making her happy, in
giving her a husband; and that, when she was actually sing-
ing as int v and as sweetly as any lark in a spring morn-
ing, " when wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear."
If we have to deplore Miss Stephens's want of action, it
must not be so with Miss S. Booth. We never saw any
tiling more enchantingly appropriate than her motions, dress,
and lip,stre in Puck. She is as much the Puck of Shake-
speare, as Macklin was the Jew. We, could not advise Miss
Stephens to do better, than take a few private lessons from a
iViend of good judgment and spirit like diss S. Booth. She
might then, perhaps, learn to play without being always in
a pucker ; and we are certain that we should do the stage
much service, if we could hut persuade the singers to take
lessons of the actors ; and the actors always. to study under
the ballet-master and in the fencing. academy.
In general, we have nothing to complain of the actors its
this pley, which we hope will be reserved fhr the holydays,
i. seed of the gloom and cent of George Barnwell. Butt the
to Ilk pert eat moist not dismiss with faint praibu. Here)

Shakespeare is himself again. Emery, Simmons, and Lis-
ton are true Athenians. Bolton; O'Lottom, what shall we
say of thee ? " There is not a man in all Athens that can
discharge Pyramus like thee." Listen's humour is of the
purest and the richest kind. He has proved in this charac-
ter, that it is quite inexhaustible ; it is a mine which lies so
deep, there is no getting to the bottom of it.

• Among the cretly presents ehi h accompany Lord .stmherst's
Embassy, for the Emperor of r lena,is a glass in frame he elate
of which admeasurcs 16 feet by 10; it is the largest ser cast in
this country, and its value is 12,0001. Two carver- and gildars
will proceed with it, to repair any injury which it n ay receive.
in going out. Some superior cloth, valued at 51. pc, yaid, also
farms part of the presents. The whole is estimated at 80,0001.
'1 here is in the French papers a curious article about an
Edict of the Emperor of China, repealing the {.diet of 17.24,
and thereby permitting the re-introduction of Christian Missi-
onaries into the Chinese Empire. I his was re eiyed with great
jos at Rome ; and particularly so, it is added, at a time when
the European Sovereigns ai e encoura:ing otts toleration.
Twelve Jesuits are to he sent to China in the sarine, an.l a
Pull
is expected to settle their eccio:.tiastical discipiine. If the Chi-
'nese Monarch should chance to hear of his Imperial brother of
Russia's Ukase for expelling these Jesuits for their bad behar
viour, it is not unlikely that he may ertite another et,
chop, with the red pencil, sealed and ornamented with the yello
satin, refusing admission to the miesionar disciples el Ignatius
Los ola.
the following details arc in a letter. from Lyons :—" At
the moment when the disturbances took place, General
jienier, formerly member of the P
roy.s.ona_ mvernince
was at Lyons. Nothing indicated that he had taken any teal in
the movement which had manifested itself; he was, however,
arrested, tried, and shot, in the cote •e of the day . Geuerai Gre,
tiler was Chief of the Staff to '. ince Eugene, du. he.; the late
campaign, previous to 1814. The Policy went to the h•
oee of the richest merchants in the city to art est him, he re-
steel, and they pursued him into a back cabinet, where Le took
refuge; here he took a match, which he had ligeted at a candle,
and attempted to siLt fire to a barrel of gun; °wile,- which was
near the place. AI the moment when he wag about to carry
his pi oject into execution, his finger was cut off by a gendarme;
he Was arrested, and shot six bows afterwardS. These two ex-
ecutions have tilled up the measure of the irritation of the
public mind, and we expect every moment a new burst."
Extract of a letter from Mach id, dated alaneary 15.
" • lite want of motrey becomes every day g, eater. The Ges-
vermnent is di:dressed, and the public discontent proportionally,
increases. An order has been given that :ill the public flincds
shall be paid into the general t, easury ; b it this order sexes
no oil e•• purpose but to spew hew impessible it is that things
should long continue is their pi esent situatam. One of the
measures ofecenotny resorted to, is to sc-nd to their homes fur half
the year, one half of the army, both solcier, and sheets, with,
out pay. At the expiration of the half year, they return to the,
service, and displace the other half of the a -my, which; in eta
turn, retires to enjoy its periodical relit se. The .;overnment,
seeing that the troops appointed to pursue the Lit:titles desert,
awl increase the number of the insurgents, has commanded
that they shall no longer be employed on that se, vice. Thu
easantry arc the' elite charged with it, aid fu'flu the intent o
ti Government so ill, that when they mar of a party of 6ue-
rillas in one direction, they we sure to take the opposite. The
army is in a state ofgenetalcscontent, on ac,Arnua et. the. vtaue
Of 'my.
A S'ig'n', ?fl ill to Ile Lord ill Gazette ll'4i itibli-I;cd nu Wefj....
nesday m fling% containing the Pron4respeeti the clistri.,
bntion of ,he seven hundred militons F.al-Le is to pay
to the AlLe l Powers, Lower A 'aka; of the . rtati. It ale&
contains a copy of the t i eaty between Great LI, auk Ruse.
sea respecting the lonian Islands; the copy of a Ceti-. tution..
between this country and Portugal, and a copy tat die OM-
inertial Treaty between Mini-lea and Great Britain. Ali tlaese'
documents we have publishc4 at diferciat ttins. _

u,i3