The National Register.
London, England, 1812-04-12 00:00:00

C:l4

log death, paleness, emaciation, langour, laxity of limbs, and depression
of muscles ; vet it offers nothing disgusting to the eye, and is seen
with compassion and without horror ; the other actors of this most in-
teresting drama, have also their individual merit, and contribute to the
harmony of the whole; but the person of Christ surpasses the rest—it
ss truly astonishing, and baffles the power of description ; it must be
seen, and when seen, it cannot fail of being admired.
This country, which boasts, with justice, of possessing the famous
cartoons of Raphael, will always have reason to be proud of having
produced such a performance as this, and the liberality of the Gover-
nors of the British Institution, who have purchased it, deserves the
sincere thanks, not only of all men of taste, but of every one whose
mind is warmed with the least spark of patriotic feeling. The Artist
looks at it with emulation ; the religious, with respect ; the healthy, with
gratitude ; the languid, with hope ; and, indeed, the approbation is so
unrestricted, and so general, that it seems as if Envy, struck blind,
were not able to find the doors of the British Gallery.
No man is born without a certain share of discrimination and judg-
ment, yet every one is not always ready to feel, as they ought to be felt,
the beauties contained in the productions of the Fine Arts. Conse-
quently it has been thought proper, that a description should be per-
mitted in be sold at the place, and by a perusal of it; we are enabled to
assert, that the author has deeply entered into the merits of this grand
effect of genius. It points nut harmonies and contrasts, which, although
they produce their intended effect upon the mind, are not immediately
guessed at by the most intelligent beholder; it tells us why, and bow
we are pleased e ancl it is a received axiom, that we'double our pleasure
by ascertaining the cause of it.
We shall terminate these observations by a few lines from the de-
scription itself, not only as a specimen of the style in which it is writ-
ten, but also because it seems to concentrate in one single idea ell what
has been said already on the subject
" The mantel powers of the Artist breathe in every feature, in every
attitude, and with such energy, that after two minutes of steady in-
spection, we forget the canvas and muse on the transaction as if it were
real, with astonishment and respect. Indeed, the personages represented
here are so intent upon their respective objects, so animated, so much
like life, and the visitors standing before the Picture seem so struck with
awe, so still, that when the whole is seen at a distance, the eye is at a
loss to determine where the livine groups end, and where the painted
ones begin. This observation has been made by several persons of taste
sax' feeling, and is, perhaps, the best encomium that can be passed
upon the extraordinary merit of this Picture."

DRAMATIC REGIS:II,7.

LYCEUM.

`,‘‘'ere we to judge of the teste and liberality of the Managers of the
Lyceum, by the number of new productions, which, within the two
last years, they have venter.. d to bring forward at this theatre, there
would not, we are convioced, be found any men within any period of
Fogiish theatric history more profuse of patronage, and more tasteful
iu
selection. But quantity, in toetters of this kind, would be a;i im-
propor grruoul upon which to found a decision. It would be judging
Busch in the same spirit as that Rennin Emperor who formerly col-
lected his opinion of the greatness, and extent of the metropolis of his '
Empire, by the quantity of cobwebs collected in it, amounting, if we
recollect rightly, to letke.:.l). avoirdupois. We would not, by any
means (because we have a fell.ltv feeling for authors) be understood, by
this allusion, to !n,.irtuate that all the farces and operas, and plays,
which have stared 1:2;:n us for t!,e last two years, have any likeness at
all to this very Itrittle mater:ai, we very much apprehend, notwith-
sta”eliite, that no one of :aria, if it were reme::;:;ered, could, like
the ~,erses of it; attc;ont en:ne the source either of fwd
or 'raiment to our shipwrecked marietrs ; we greatly apprehend that
recollection wi:l n give itself much troohle about, them, and that
" Like the baseless fdarie of a vision," &c. &c. If we are not mistaken,
the talents of certain performers, however they may contribute to the
amusement of the public, have not contributed much to the useful ex-
ertiln of whatever little dramatic genius the country at present pos-
-seese% We would litinihy recotruilt.nd to those who turn their thoughts
(~,Inp of this kind, Lot k.-ep the mind exclusively fixed upon
co:r.c with rn,•-t. ~-;!.t.zr. from the ntutals of Me. Do wroN,
geot:ermui or out to ii se, like the autluar of tht. pre:, 4

AlYIi,

sosomeseseasessses•e6
sent pace, above every humble consideration of this kind, and to write
not for a player, but for mankind.
Our limits, and the lateness of the hour will not allow us to spend much
remark upon the Comedy that has been rep eesente d with an enthusiasm of
reception which, at least within our memory, has not been exceeded. We
feel, indeed, a sincere pleasure in having witneSsed a production which
formorality of intention, fur generosity of sentionent, and even, what we
are seldom troubled with in those later days, for ingenuity of plot, is
equally honourable to the heart and to the head of its author. The
principal design of the writer (who, we are informed, is the sister of Mr.
Sheridan) seems to have been to contribute to the removal of those en-
worth) prejudices which many in this country, who hive no acquaintance
with Irish character, but what they derive from a walk thruuz,h St. Giles's,
or a story in a jest book, are apt to entertain. Mr. litzedward (an
Irish gentleman), after having for some time unsuccessfully courted his
relation, Lail/ Aim Loved, at length joins himself in matrimony to Miss
Rivers, without the knowledge of her friends, all of whom vow im-
moveable enmity to her and her husband. FTh.edve soon expends
his fortune in expensive living, and returns to London leaving his w fe
in Ireland. His distresses, and the interference of the lady to whom he
had formerly paid his addresses, bri%s him into the situation of ama-
nuensis to Miss Rivers, the aunt of his wife, a superannuated ma'clen,
who puzzles herself andber acquaintance with chemistry and quotations.
in this place be succeeds in attaching to her the affections of every per-
son who) had before been prejudiced against himself and his country.
Mr. 0:11y (Mr. DOWTON) who entertabed the tenderest ; ffection
for his deceased sister, the mother of Mrs. Fil-xcluNrd. On coming
to London, he finds his brotto r-in-law, •Mr. Riv-w, married to a
second wife, a young dashing" lady, who, under the name of friend-
ship, zelmits the addressees of a fop, who is equally careless of her
affection and her character. Men Fitzedtwre, in the mean time,
comes to London in search of her husband, and takes an obscure
lodeng in the same house where her wide Mr. Odly hap-
pened to reside. They meet ; she is received by him into fa-
vour; and, after a variety of well-chasen embarrassment ; oiler a
tender and highly touching display of conjugal fidelity, and zeelous
fondmass lions Miss Boyce in the char:cter of Mrs. Fiteedwarri ; -after
Mrs. Rit.:rs discovers, and despises the folly of the ateltesiuk; fop, and
is reconciled to her husband, the piece ends in the reconcilement of
ad who had before vowed enmity to each other. The dialogue in the
first Act appeared to us a little heavy, but it was received throushoat
with that applause to which it has very just cleims. We cannot soar
remark upon the exertions of the different performers. The Peblia are
before acquainted with their respective merits, and it is useless to re-
peat what every person knows.
After the piece was terminated, Mr. Doc .t see came forward, and
said, that as the name which it here, and the hill was imposed without
the knowledge of the lady who wrote is, she wished to have it now
announced for representation under tans name of the " Brys cf Erin."
Although we would have been fully satisfa d with the first name, we
will admit that it is not unusual to change at confirmation what was im-
posed at baptism.