The National Register.
London, England, 1809-12-03 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGMEnt.-

had been infringed upon bii wheat4.4";;Kers, iliose duty
it is to keep the peace, and by gangs a raffielia whoa sole
emplo-ymeat it is to break it. Uutil.the present-day, thia
internal arrangement, this manageotent of the .111anagers,
was in the hands Of the audience ; hissers were opi;oseil by
clappers, and the majority always settled the busineos; to
this decision the Managers always beloved, without asking
them 4'. Whitt'do you want ?" and if the Oppositionlltt
..had adhered strictly to this, it is not likely that On:Walla-
.
r„ers would have ventured on their .present conduct. There
:s no doubt whatever, indeed, that t.hor of the real Oapo..
sitionists, who have committed acts of assault, for which
alone have hills, we behere, been found, ha,e actually
come within the gripe of the law in defending themselves
against the Oreleilies; but now the question of prices :is
forgotten in the , itogept at rolice Officer's 'taterferin,,o► in our
1
amusements, are 4Th.g iiiit;i4diidnity as if the liberty of
the siibleet Was a uteri: farce, and iveth brutal and' unne-
cessary violence tearing the clothes of the devoted suffer-
er, after assaulting every.perseg to their way, until II)ey
come tat the person pointed out. by. the Inspector-i;eneval.
Such conduct, eseti in a street riot, in a nialit brawl,
would be indecorous, rnd ought in any case whatever to
call down reprehension from the Magistrat..ts ; but it we
are to believe the new paper reports which hitherto re-
main uncontradicted, if sea' conduct has not met with
suppo't, at least the perpetrator 4 of it have escaped-ani•
mad version when complaint li4o been made, with the ex.
caption awn: solitary case. -There is aii..a.cr po:o!, too,
which seems, if nut -a new point of law, at lea 4 a new
point of practice; several peeple have lwai tole :sat the
How-street Office is private, and therefore that no indivi-
dual can demand admission; but this, though it may be •
tolerated with our preseet uprilit 1.3e.,' le, may lead to very
unpleasant consequences under a set of men actuated by
partiality, or influenced by .hribe'ry ; nay, it js even pos-
sible at present, that eoustahle who bring persons to the
(Mee, may refuse admittiince to thole !Wiped to offer
hail, 4 circumstance which must escape the notice of 'the
most tigilant Magistrate, and which may oblie"e an inno-
cent man, or a simple girl, to pass a night in 'Dahl!.
fields. •
- _ .

Whilst thus scrutinising one side of the question, we CAR•
not wilfullir shut our epee to some circumstances on the
other, which deserve severe reprehension ; whilst the
Opposition was confined to Pie usual expressions of thea-
tric displeasure, no imiropor consequences could be dread-
ed ; but when O. P. became the Signal for nocturnal shouts
and for street processions, it was impossible for moderate
people not.to view such proceedings with a certain degree
of jealousy.; nor is it surprising that one party should
stigmatize the whole as of Jacobinical tendency, when they
perceived that some busy spirits, fond of a row of any
kind, and perhaps predicting therefroin a free admission
into other places besides the- Theatre, were endeavouring
to unite thekeexpreisions'of public displeasure, with what
they have been pleased to denominate the canse of the
people. What one Paper has Chronicled as effUsiens of
liberty, another would naturally POJa as ebollitiongs of li-
centiousness, and we are sorry to see that some individuals
%%hose rank and situation in life ought to teach them that
it is possible to be blackguard's like gentlemen, have given
too much occasion to suspect that opportunity was only
wanting to carry things a little farther. There may be
wit in a man boasting; to his friends that he will go to the
dreas-boxes in a night cap, it is rither,incongruoustow even
ley a Auppo,rter of Opposition, and consequently of public
*Komi.), to commit such breach of bknsea,ncg, even
as a jest upon the Manages; party, We hope that no.such
exhibitions will take place in future, st• they must disgust
the.moderate, please the rancorous, and stake the per.
former an object of ridicule to all.
4r
There is a report iu circulation, tilt the late of
Sweden, Gustavus, is ; anit OHO tlier.6. 4 siiike d 04'6•'' otal*
sacs at btickhpiii. . . •

t-

•%4,
COVENT GARDEN THEATRF. • •
It war an observation of the judicious Addiaen,
(pre the " Roman rat4ter," made its appearance before the
that our snglish poets have- succoesled better in the
style thau ia the seutime.sts of their Tragedies; thcr lan-
guage, he says,•is often bold and sonorous, but the cense
either very trifling or very common, a judgertOut Truro
which his own. Tragedy of Cato ill exempt, and tO which
even this first offspring of Whitehetia's muse, upi
adored as ail exception. Yet even here there is "silt little
eriginality to boast of; the nut for lodged has mot been
Iteti?mtlful of that well ILnoyi,o gxprefution of Seneca, that
viritioait man struggling with misfortunes, is such a spec-
tacle, as the Gods might look upon with pleasure," he his
therefore according to his own confession, endeavoured to
render the elder Itoratius the principal personage of the
piece, and he has ever been studious to represent him in
every point of view which his peculiar situation, and,every
possible variety of distress, would admit of How far he 1
has succeeded in this, or how ably he was seconded in 'file.
present instance, 'by the acting of Cooke, it is not here ma- I
terial to enquire; but Tragedy is certainly not the passion 1,
of. the pr scut day, and though some of the histArical
iedies of Shakespeare may excite attention, yet five long
acts of declamation copied from Corneille, are not likely
to produce crowded houses, nor do we believe that the
green carpet would have been spread on the present occa-
sion, had it not been for the purpose of producing Mrs.
Parke in the character of floratia.
Whilst the uproerious accompaniments continued, we
certainly abstained from any decided critique on the inerits
of this actress, but we are now, however, enabled to decide
-on her-capabilities with more accuracy, as she has apreared
in this character twice in the lait week, and on Thursday
night in particular, the 0 Y's, were so quiet, as to permit
us to hear the whole of the performance ; we wall we
could say as Much of the orderlies, who by Heir ill-timed„
injudicious, and languid applause, destroyed the Wlude
elect of the scene. It is surprising that the Managers do
not see impropriety of this venal, this hackney praial.;.
it is disguating to listen to the preparatory knocks in the
side boxes, followed up by the clapping of three front roasa4
in the pit, and two in the two 'shilling gallery, nay., to find
it echoed by so many well known faces in theboxm.wanyt
of whom actually sit with their backs to the:atage, whilst'
they are as loud in their applause as the rest of their 'bro-
ther petf9rmers before the' eurlain. As the oppositioaists,
however, seem to have changed their plan from attack toy
defence, defence, and now stay away, we hope that the Managers!
*ill soon' be tired of playing to empty benches, and will
again restore this Theatre to its usual state. When this-
Tragedy first appeared upon the stage, the influence and
conlroul of the public over their owl) amusements, seem
to have been of more impertans:e than at U* emernt.43l
this appears evidently froin the last three couplets of the
prologue, written expressly for this pitce. .
" If shunning faults which nobterhards ctAnm,i4,
He wants-their forge to- sfrike tb' attentive pi
Ile just and:tell him Sii; he• asks advicet
Wiltingto learn, and would mit.ask it twice,
Your kind applause may bid him write—r---04trare
Or kinder censure teach him to fur forhicar."
• This censure, however, so modestly alluded to by an ad-
naire4 author, it would he.now dangerous to offer, as a
person in the pit on Thursday night, who ventured on a
quiet hiss during the third act, at a ciriapiisNiCeriiii,7*Or
Deserving of it, was. immediately' assalled wits. cues
turn him out, and serroiteded to his man 4.,11 i:s!!?kiwAy
a rude amid riiffiauly. gang !
• But.to return tq Mrs. CL4RIfRI t4u4gh
gariled her as an actress of lomeprenviel,. we must nov
lick now ledge that she has not, by any
the ca epee`plitiiilajor.cl 2,
vxvectAions; her en.up ta it ciatiolid ct

t . ,

♦ a,

.-
speeches are positively bad, and we can ontramirnrelleT;
misplaced variations With that monotonous toss of the
head, and laboured twirl of the arms AvAlkch are ,cer-
tainty tut calculated' to please:, a Londlin • audience.
4S" is glaring. instance of this error, both in her ca-
dee sand emptlapis, we will notice a flue iQ the just
KmAckiktbe lourth act •
• Tks thou allopg can'st give Horatio peace."
4eql 044 e ,raisediher. smite and accept au laud] as to make
" peace" appear as if tititereil in a tone of reproach, and
not as the ofspriagpf resolute despair. Her voice too is
by no means fit for sueli a Theatre ; she is obligetto arti=
culate in her highest and loudest tone, so thither declaim
illation is 911 e continued' kerpto without variation or mo-
dulation. It is tinpkiii.Ant". to observe an actress ray so
little attention to the bye }clay, as to stkiad with app.areut
unc.o.ecera )lijce as iffkeip,49t vvgdst her father ryas sittipg,
until she got the cue word; she aught also, yibeo leek-
ing to others, to loaf: at Own, and nut turn her back in
order to skew oil studied attitudes to the aedience ; and
we cannot approve of a Lady iii a. spljlequy, throwing her
arms about like a windmill. Yet, if she can be satisfied
with such apptanse as is: offered at prefeut, she will have
enough ofl it,
for the audieece would not let her dic in peace,
•• ,
though the actors per.uiitted her to lay .unnoticed like a
bag of sand, and fakriu,s, who was said to have loud.
her, turned his back upon her with the greatest uncoil,-
ceri—but--the whole performance was below criticism.

FOR DECEMBER.

For the out-doOr costume, mantles and pelisses are a mode ut
dress yet unrivalled. They are often constructed of rich double
t« filled sarsnet, or .velvet but Merino cloth holds a decided
pre-emilience. The favourite colour royal or bishops' purple,
hued with white or marigulAl sarsnet ; .they are made to lit tight
in tile figure, sy rapping .over the bosom, and buttoning down
on the right side, with small silk buttons, confined to the waist
(which i, long) by a band and buckle. To give breadth offer the
bosom and back (now.cousidered indispensible), the arm-hole is
cut so small as. nearly to e xclude the cap of the shoulder; and
to encrease this effect, is placed a half-sleeve (very shallow) over
the Jung sleeve, trimmed the same as the pelisse. Figured biwd.
ins of yelvet, in a wave pattern, are most in esteem. Gold is
.becommihg rather general. )f,robroidered borderings in chenille
are chi,efly confiued to dress, or at most are only seen in ear.
.rtages • .but many of our belles declaim coloured edgings altoge-
AO*. Mantle. are made longer and wider than last month, they
,have ftiii cotters 'confined at the throat with long bows nod ends
of corded ribbaad finished with tassels, left plain in the back,
land plaited full on the phoulders, to admit of their folding over
tfi'd arms and bosom. The hoods- have also incroased in diaten-
slops, and no w serve asa temporary Alefertee against the night air,
or sudden currents 4( wind. •
French coats in jeafleil Spanish green, purple or brown cloth,
with high full collars, bruochell at the throat, falliqg in the style
of a robe, nett confined to the waist hehipd by a Silk cord or
tassel brought rbood to tie hefoire ; the edges wrought in shaded
•olive brown chenille, pr (el ieved will} swansdown; worn over it
MO dress pf the sane materials, are an elegant and graceful
,italking dress.
The twig swansdown tippet has entirely taken place &along
,
par hstritinables of the spotted ermine pelerines; we have oh.
)per-ved likewise, a few white mutts.
Hats and bonnets are variously constructed after the Turkish,.
;Spanish, or Grecian manlier.. Riding hats in black beaver, with
'rather ft broad ribband tied. in a' small bow before ; or 'in the
Spoitis.h form with two small fiat ostrich feather's, are of the
newest and most fashionable adoption. Straws are a gond deal
either variegated or einhitiitiered in coloured chenille; wr
~have lettlTSeVeTll}4ll bld.ek chip, droantented with pinksotorangs
feathers, tipped with black -; the form by no means absolute, but
,to be adapted to the :figure and features of the wearer.

' ....ft.....
1

A

1. Morainic dresses bave undergone some fink variation. S'ltsi
of i french none trimmed with atoll border of India muslin in small
bt .01• hind irottlined to the said' behind by
a corded ribbon sash, finished with tassels; to he worn'oner *
'compkte high dress ;
.ibe robe bgintjilloilded to fall bark %slut. •
11' ; 1 Oirt rrt, hanging.; gnicernity *WI/1W ftbufdrrs, ii a tie
fashion. ,jisoldreves 4fo the:wrist•*alt.
ris latal nor pumeliaa Imaaar.. imaidge lilMl the (knout lee
3Fr snicks is tkirg • " . , , - -