The National Register.
London, England, 1817-12-15 00:00:00

THE DRAMA.

DRURY-LANE.

Mr. Fisher snprared on Wednesday night in the
character of dandet. We do nut hesitate to pro-
nounce Ibis performance far superior both to his
Itfach,fh and his Richard; and that, in a degree,
which could nut, we think, havebeen augured from
Lis manner of representing either of those characters.
That calm, subdued manner, into which he has so na-
tural a tendency to sink, and which accords but indif-
ferently with the tyrant and the bold usurper of a
throne, harmonised admirably with the philosophic con
templative Prince of Denmark Mr. Fisher possesses
the stork, we think of having studied the character
closely, and of having forums' his own conception of
it, without any distinguishable imitation of any of hi.
predecessors ; and though we should be inclined in
some passages and scenes to object to his manner of
giving them, the parts cohere well together, and are in
good keeping and contrast with each other. We were
particularly struck with the passages expressive of pure
feeling.
" He was a mats, take him for all n all,
" I snail not look upon his like again,"
was delivered with the perfect tone of a man who sud-
denly calls to mind a great anti irreparable loss. His
scene with the Ghost, in which are some similar points,
was well sustained throughout : his attitude and his
gestures were appropriate; he seemed absorbed in his
attention to the terrible•story, and moved with pity
and indignation as it proceeded. His turning round
to prevent Horatio front following him, was marked
by a firm but dignified urbanity, and a manner pecu-
liarly graceful, which he maintained in other vitae-
tions of the same kind. The Soliloquy of " To be or
not to be," was somewhat too vehement for its
tenour, and the situation of the speaker; but
with that allowance, had a good stage effect, and pro- '
bably told the better to the distant parts of the house.
The speech to the players was delivered in an easy
colloquial manner, without ostentation, and with the
least possible gesture, and was, we think, judiciously
given; the truth of his emphasis, which we be-
fore noticed, there told admirably. He was least suc-
cessful in the closet scene, and those with Po/reties
and with the courtiers llosencraniz and Cutihlernstern;
he wanted that indescribable power, that mai,ie by
which strong minds awe, search into, and control weak
sacs; but we see no reason, from the progress he has
already made, why he should despair of acquiring in
time even this faculty. This is certainly his weak
side, indeed it may be stated of him generally, that in all
eases where the effect is to be produced by the internal
workings of his own mind, he is least strong ; but
where a direct impression is to be made by an exterior
action or event, he is always, in his Hamlet at least,
prompt and efficient. We regret that Mr. Fisher did
slot appear first in this character; we have no doubt
he would have made far greater progress is the publie
estimation. Munden, who has been long confined by
indisposition, took the part of Polonius, and was re-
ceived at his appearance with a warns greeting. Miss
Kelly is throughout un admirable Ophelia; the atti-
tude and look with which she quitted the stage would
Lave formed a model feu• an artist.

On the same' evening, Garrick a musical- entertain-
ment, entitled Li'hind, was revived at this theatre.
This piece was first perfinmed fur Woodward's bene-
fit, in 1757 ; and trifling as it is, the critics of that
slay gave the author credit fin- his talents in having
executed it in a month ! It is probable the idea of
bringing children on the stage was suggested to Gar-
rick by :al event in the early years of his favourite.
Miss Woffington. When only in the tenth year of
her age, living with her mother, a poor woman iu
u French woman named Violante, who paid ,
occasional visits to that city, exhibiting feats of agility
on the tight rope, concerted the plan of getting up
the Beggars Opera, which was then the rage in all the
three kingdoms, with a compuny of children, or as they
were called in the bills of the day, "Lilliputian Ac-
tors." Woflington having been remarked by the
French woman for the jauntiness of her manner, though
a mere child, was fixed ou to play Maclieath, and such
was her success, that the Lilliputian theatre was
crowded every night, .and the foundation seas laid of
that floue which will last as long us the stage lux ta-
nkers.
Since its first appearance, Lilliput has been present-
ed in various shapes ut MOM ut' the theatres, without -at
any time giving much amusement to the public, or
sanding, we believe, any extraordinary bencrit to the
proprietors. Pieces of. this description arc soldom
worth the trouble and expense of their pnalnetion,
and we are runrised to see men of talent waste any
portirm of time • al trifles when it might be sa mucli better
employed, in endeavours to improve the character of
the legitimate drama. We do not mean by thi-: to say,
that we are averse to the representation of every thing
hat tragedy and comedy, but we must ut all times ex-
press our avwsion to the great importance which is too
commonly attached to these ih;nys.
Lilleput has evidently been revived for the purpose of
introducing to public notice a Miss Clara Fishtr, a

TIT? NATIONAL ItEG/STEIt.

child who excited a considerable degree of' interest
from its nppearance in the charaeter of' Lord
Hannah a Nobleman in the King of Lillipufs
Court, whose jealousies are increased-Ito the highest
pitch, at the supposed incorrect condukt of his lady
with the enormous Gulliver. This gives rise to the
expression of feeliirti that might miturally enough
exist in the breast of -:t man so situated„ and, if uttered
by Gulliver to others of ,his race, would excite no par-
ticular attention, But to hear such pigmies speaking
of their wives, their fitmilies, and their honour, and
seeking satisfaction for the injury it h sustained, put
the audience in great good !lumen; who in their mirth
forgot all defects, and highly applanded every edisrt
of the Lilliputian actors.
The,second act commences with to entertainment
given by the King of Lilliput to Gulliver, which con-
sists of a dramatic representation, in which the chief
part of the fifth act of Richard the Third is performed
wholly by Lilliputians. In this Miss Fisher, whose
stature is of the most diminutive dOscription, hi ply
gratified the audience, in her personification of the
tyrant, as well by the correctness of her speaking and
varied tones, as by the propriety of her attitudes. She
was dressed magnificently, and in syiet conformity to
the present usage of the stage. For. our own parts,
we view this only as another of those successful efforts
(of which we hayc seen several), of drilling children
into a seemingly correct manner of giving that which
they can neither feel or understand, and which even
their riper years will, frequently, not allow them to
imagine or ponrtray. Those who saw Master Betty
in the " day of success," and have duce witnessed him
in characters in which he was left to the free exercise
of his own judgment, are best able to form an opinion
on this subject. Muster Betty's first days were marked
with an attention, and an almost frantic enthusiasm,
on the part of the public, that would have subjected to
some linger any individual whose temerity would have
prompted him to resist it in the theatre ; but he had
no sooner attained an age and stature that ought to
have given increased effect to his perfonnances, than
he was found to be unable to maintain his former cele-
brity, even for one season, on those boards that were
only a few years before considered to be honoured by
his tread. However, among this class of juvenile ac-
tors Miss Clara Fisher may justly be ranked, if not
quite, at least one of the most eminent we liave seen.
Much praise was also due to several other characters,
but we must particularly notice Miss Margaret Dunn,
as Minerva, in the Masque, in which she introduced
" The Soldier Tired " in a manner that reflects much
credit on her tutor ; the sweetness of her voice, and
her style of execution, equally enchanted and surprised
her hearers, and called forth a most rapturous end
merited encore. We could have wished that her sister,
as Bacchus, had had mere to do, as she displayed a
richness of voice truly melodious.

Higman seemed to be awkwardly situated as Gxll;ver,
but sung " The Wolf" in a masterly style.
The piece has since been repeated with much ap-
plause.

SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHOW.

Thursday morning, at nine o'clock, the cattle, sheep,
and pigs, all arrived, which were intended to be ex-
hibited for the Premiums this year, generou•ly given
by his Grace the Duke of Bedford, the President, at
the time when the Club, from the disordered state ()I
its funds, was unable, as the bill states, to offer any pre-
miums of its own. _

It gives us pleasure to state, that notwithstanding
the amount of premiums now to be distributed is less
than halt' what has been given in several years pist, that
a Show of uncommon excellence bas been preparel :
some of the cattle therein being esteemed, by those who
have seen them, superior in excellence to any shewn
funner years, particularly a short-herned .ox, belough,
to the Hou..John Simpson.
The three Judges who hare been selected for award-
ing the premiums, are—
Mr. Tbnitlii% Ad.rm, b ocher of Wind.or, At rk%

. .
11r. To 0.11. th R.irkrr. giAticr..T Keer , 1.•
Elpitlck, E.ist!mo lie. ;

who were occupied the, whole day, with the gntes of
the yard shut, in examining the animals, and in dis-
cussing their merits; which last were, it seems, so
nearly balanced, that they were unable to decide on the
premiums before dark

LOSS OF TIM MA DTI N SLOOP 'OF WAR --Ex-
tract of a letter from the Agent to Lloyd's at Xilrush,
dated Dec. B.—" It is with regret I have to billirm
you, that the Martin sh >op of war was last night driven
on shore, in a desperate gale at Mull Bay. The ship is
totally lost, but I um happy to add, that the greater
part of the crew and the officers are safe. The wizen-
mast being cut awe, Laily fell with the mast-head
in u rock, which sermed as u gangway for them, and
enabled . hem to reach the shore. Immediately -me rv-
c;:iving this intelligence, I dispatched curs with refresh-
ments to the crew, who, 1 a mt. tined, are in a most
deplorable state."
The Gazette of Saturday contains 81 Addresses of
Condeknce to thelegent, four Prince Leopold.