The National Register.
London, England, 1817-07-14 00:00:00

THP. NATIONAL REGISTER._

THE DII.4MA.

COVENT Gannr.x.—On Monday Miss O'Neill ap-
reared for the jai( time in the character of Desdemo-
ha, and in the afterpiece of Katharine aid Petruchia,
she. for the second time, personified the termagant Ka-
tharine. It was understood that it would be her last
appearance this season, anti this, tos.ether with the
novelty of the pc:Mt-mance literaliy eramfwd the
house. She will, however, appear again on Monday,
and Thursday next, tho last night, we believe, of the
company's performing.
Dead/wpm is a character so entirely .composed of
feminine softness that an actress of inferior taint will
please us in it, provided she is possessed of a tolerable
share of personal charms;. but to embody perfectly
the ardent, yet pure love--the meltin, tenderness,
the innocent passiveness Which Shakespeare has drawn,
requires nothing less than the delicate ta.:te and per-
sonal beauty Hof Miss O'Neill. Familliar as the cha-•
raoter is to the public, yet in her hands it becomes
new. Since the decline of Mrs. Siddons " into the
Yale of years." we have seen the character bet as an
outline, in which nothing but the prominent features
were defined—with Miss O'Neill, it is a kuished pic-
ture, perfect in all its parts.
It has become so greatly the fashion of late to esti-
mate the talents of performers by their success in
finding our original readings of the author's text ;
by adopting some new emphases or attitude ; some
new and violent transition that may startle and
surprise, that we have more that once heard it oh-
' jetted to MissO'Neill as a fault that she has inn-educed
no new readings in her characters. If there were any
truth in the axiom that there is nothing good but what
is new, we might be inclined to hull in with this opin-
ion, and estimate the talents of Miss O'Neill somewhat
lower than we do; but as we cannot forget that a
great number of women of high reputation have for-
merly
played this character, and that the text of
Shakespeare has been pretty well understood for the
last fifty years, at least, we arc disposed to forgive her
the crime of having neglected the search atter new
readings.; indeed we rather applaud her for having
done so, for, to this childish taste for novelty may be
attributed many of the absurdities which the stage at
various times has exhibited ; anti on the stage of a
theatre, as well as the stage of tha world there is
no absurdity, however great, but will find some
supporters. We have no doubt the fellow hvho once
appeared in the part of Kart -in King Lear, dressed
like a physician with a powdered wig, black suit and
gold-headed cane, had his admirers : for he bad a sub- •
atautial test to prove he was right. When the en-
raged King calls him " Vassal ! Miscreant!" and lays
his hand upon his sword, Kent exclaims—

6' Kill thy physieino.stud thy fee bestow
Upon the font digrame."—
What argument cculd amv:nee a matter-of
that Kent was not a doctor? _

But to return to Mis 3 O'Neill.—rfer performance of
Desdemona possesses so much of excellence, that we
arc surprised she has not played it before. We hope
she did consider it betwath her talents, for, after her
Julie,. we Inow but of one other character of the ten-
der kind in which we think she could delight us more

—we mean Cordelia. In Deademona she Ina no un-

equal part ; the moment she appears she takes the
senses captive ; as her sorrows increane she seizes on
our sympathies, and obtains so entire an ascendancy
over us, that pity fa. the unfortunate Othello is sma.
thcred in the contemplation of her suffering innocence.
With a3.this was altogether u new feeling; with other
Desdemon ''s, Othellu has shared our pay, but with
Miss O'Neill we can admit him to no part. Fine as
i was her whole performance, vet the chamber scene in
the linirth act was so inimitably fine, that we can
never hope to see it excelled :—as she sunk upon the
ground, overwhelmed by his false accusations, she
drew down our hearts along with her—we would not
exchange our sensations during that single scene, fur a
whole evening oftnirth.
Mr. Youpg, as if feeling that the retreat of tremble
had left him lord of the field, put forth all his ener-
gies to prove himself worthy of it. His correct decla-
mation has long bean admired, but we do not ,re-
member to have seen him so empessioned, as on this
evening.
Wednesday The !err rant of Venice was perfl)rmed for
the benefit of Mrs. l'awit and Mr. Tinney. It is not
our usual practice to notice the performances on benefit
nights, but those of this evening had a singularity
which we cannot refrain from remarking; on —A Mr.
Sherenbeck, of Rochester, atiemremarking;
ptrd lock with the
Jewish aceentl as the bills expressed it ; and, for the
attempt, we wished him well cudgdilcd.
ENGLISH OPERA Honsr.—On Monday evening,
Mr. Pearman, who was announced from Bath, ma,le
his first a,,,pcaranm on t!.cse boark in the .part or
Prince Orlando, in the Cabinet, which he sustained
With considerable ability. He repeated the part on
Wednesday, when the nervousness constantly attending
a first appearun:•e was dissipated ; .and the charming
airs of Fair Ellen, the l'eanfiful ;Void, and the eclo-
brated Polacca, wore loudly encored.
On Thursday, Miss M. U. Bu gists was :gain the

represtmtathve of Mandane, and our remarks of last
week will accord with this her fourth.performance last
ceptiug that the repeated applause stimulated her to
greater exertion, consequently, to increased effect.
Dilalin's ballad opera calle'l the Deserter, and the
beet of the same title (t;wrierly performed at Covent
Garden) hav;ng been united and revived, form a
pleasing entertainment.—Mr. H. Johnston's know-
ledge of pantomime action, enabled him to express
with vivacity the character of Henry.
llavatntc;;r•.•r.—This comfortable little theatre open-
ed for its brief season, on Monday night, with Jame-
son's whimsical three-act Comedy of Exit Get Mistake.
The company is nearly the same as last season. Mr.
Butler, from the York theatre appeared in the part 0..
,S'hcriqiire, in the farce of ne Village Lan,yer, and
was favourably received.

The celebrated Mrs. Billington has been surprised in
her retirement at Fulham within these few days, by
the appearance of her Trench husband, M. Fellison,
whom she married some years ago in Italy, we believe.
Although the visit was wholly unexpected, and euited
no small surprise on the part of the lady and her friends,
we understand that Mrs. B. and her taro sposo are
upon the best terms. She retires to the Continent with
him for life, it seems, the instant she can dispose of her -
property in this country.
The following is the pact Report of the Physicians,
respecting the state of his Majesty's health
Windsor Castle. July S.
" His Majesty has been very composed during the last month.
His Majesty's health is good. but his disorder continues unabated.
" 11. iiALTORD, " .1. WILLIS,
4' M. BAILLIE. R. Wit .n."
" W. HEBERDEPI,
Lotters just received from Barbadoes mention, that
several transports had arrived there with troops from
England, and it was reported that a secret expedition
was on foot.

A society has been formed in the United -States for
the encouragement of American manufactures, and
already reckons among its members the leading indivi-
duals in the nation. Messrs. Jefferson, Adams, Ma-
dison, and recently Mr. Munroe himself; the Presi-
dent, have entered their name on the list of this soci-
ety ; the object of which is, to make the United States
independent of foreign countries for the comforts and
enjoyments that arise out of manufacturing industry.
No name could be less British than that of Sovereign
for the new twenty-shilling piece. The hat/ Sovereign
has already got the nick-name of Regent.
His Grace the Duke of Wellington, having had an
audience of leave of the Prince Regent, has proceeded
to Cambray.
PEDFSTRIANISM.—Yesterday Wormwood Scrubs
ihibited a very gay scene. Bets have taken a turn, and
are now about two to one against Stevens At four
o'clock yesterday he bad, since his commencement, gone
250 miles and a quarter, being a quarter of a mils
above half the distance he undertook to perform.
CLANDESTINE MARRIAGF.S.—A Bill now in Parlia-
ment for the further regulation of marriages to be so-
lemnized after publication of banns of matrimony,
enacts, that no clergyman shall publish banns without
sufficient notice in writing having been given ; •the
parties to make uatk to the truth of the notice, and the
clerk to enter the notice in a book. The notices are to
contain the places of abode of' the pasties, and the Act
is to be read in churches at certain firms.

THE EVANeS bare seen a paper, tigned James
Watson, Arthur Thistlewood, Thomas Preston, and
John Hooper; by which those subscribers testify. thlt
neither Thomas Evans, nor his son, was concercd
or privy to, the calling of the meeting in Spar Ads
nor were they ever consu:ted on any measure relative
thereto. and this the subscribers offer to declare upon
oath.

wi'h

The Tuvistoci C.annl, fortni/v a
the Tamer, and which was commenced 4 years ago,
having cost 70,0001. was opestcd on the 2tith silt. P.
numerous company of betwccn 3 and 400 persons
in boats constructed of shc.ct iron, proeccded.through
the tunnel, at a distance of a mile and three quarters
under ground, beneath a canopy of solid rock, at a
depth of 430 feet from the sunanit of the hill, accom-
panied in their Jack passage 1w songs and music. The
Duke of Bedford has vary contributed to this
work.

The Forest of Man, which i• now replanting, 11; orilc-i.
the production of future oak trees for the ,crsfice of Ow Stale
has already landed three bountiful crop, which have•f•rina
dimity been used in the erection at'" Brit best bobcat ks.'
The last time of its plantation was in the reign of Chalks V.
upwards of 150 years ago.

Igth July, the Last I}v.—J. STVEWRIGHT,
rontrareor for the i;nmsn Lot-rr.iim, which will finish Drawing
SATURDAY. 1St!) July, any:flints those who Numbers were rot
entitled tneuy of the noney Prize,: di: First Day, bot lu tbe.Prw.
I:ge of being dr;twu again on tl,e shit they iu.iy re:vivo. r.t tl e
rate of 11.1. par Ticket, by bringing tAnst tufo' P..) men: 0n..0r
fore the uth of This Monett—it should, however, be charly nutter.
stood, tlut those who thus accept P7e Money for their Illrecks, rein.
quish all claim to any Prize tirtileh the mine Ntunhcrtnny aft-mares
b,,N.,oruc entitled to.—Al! the Pt flit ITIZ PS of tNl,coul.
undecMoil. and the olds are very (cot 15 to 5) araili.,,
gr tre'. being gained by One Number; there remain also ( hllaor
cap:tals. beide, Prise. OM. and 201. aid •GO6Ol. to be disked
r..lcogrt the 1,010 First Drawn Blanks„—there .is no advance in
Prices! !—J. SivrwatunT has Tickets and Shares on Sale at No.
57, co,r4iU, 38, Haymarket, 11, klolbom, ancl.l4l, Oxiine-strect