The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-04-10 00:00:00

TIIR4TRES.

01,ERA.110USE. ,

The *pen of Dos Giovanni was preskted for
the second time this season on Saturday evening.
From. frequent repetition in the Italian, and the
well-directed Ishours of those who translated in
Inner yin ll sll rut sind beautiful passages, for the Ilse
of Covent-garden Tlwittre, the work has attained
to a degree of fame nearly commensurate with the
claims of the immortal genius of its author. Thor
characters •re at present cast as effectively as the
strength of the company will admit, and it is very
stliestmeable whether any operatic" theatre of the
euntittent mild furnish a more perfect performance
it than was witnessed on Saturday evening.
Every body knows how finished a " libertine"
A maltose...lt makes of the hero. Madame Be 1.-
LOCHS is 'quid to arty, and superior to most of her
predecessors in Zedika. Miss Conitt is peculiarly
adopted, its manner, as well as in her style of ear-
cation, for the hopeless and highly-pathetic
wailing* or • Donna Anna. 'rlie part of Donna
Elsie. rived increased effect from the taste
and thoristigh 'execution of Miss Mont. AN.
11. doe. every'thing well, and gave the utmost
satisfaction in his two parts of Maud() and !)nn
Pedro. He is, however, must excellent in the
loftier character of Dun Pedro. His conception is
bold. his voice. powerful, sod his manner earnest;
he appears, therefore, So vomit advantage where the
expression iaintended to rouse the higher feelings.
So part can Ire bitter suited to his ability than
that of Don Pedro, especially when be appears as
tha Ghost; the sublime horror of the music which
accompanies that incident receives sn exquisite finish
from his stentorian tones and sepulchral enuncia-
tion. The opera was too long to admit the per-
formence of a •divertisemint, but a pretty sand

ballet, written by DetioNT, was revived, which
represent' the_ last incidents of the courtship of
a country girl by a nobleman in the disguise of
a rustic. The archness and simplicity of the first
character were well represented by Mademoiselle
Ettz.i. The part of her lover was very gallantly
sustained by LA CUOCQUIL The incidents were
so few as to leave the great scope for the pedal
'exertions of the whole corps. A whimsical dance
took place between four of the chief ladies and en
antiquated votary of the tender passion, who was
alternately encouraged and baffled in each separate
movement. Mr. Osc•• Ihrans distinguished
himself. With • figure apparently very muscular
and well knit, he maintains an aerial independence
44 nd alacrity of motion which exceed imagi.
gination. His punctuality in obeying the time of
the music, while between the intervals of its accent
lavishes the most vigorous and beautiful grace.
of his art, gives proof of what must have been the
persevering meteor of his exertions in thus accom-
plishing himself. Next to him we must notice
Madame MILANIE, whose spiritual figure and
features and elf-like motion •• servo ;lot of earth

nlil gh they are upon it." Of her may be said,
we Mr. Montle said of the great Parisian dancer,
" You **old think, as her feet ht the dance twinkle round,
That her steps were of light, and her home was the air.
And she only, par cosvplaisanas, e'er touched the ground."
The horse was crowded in the pit, and a consi-
derable assemblage of company occupied the boxes.
We observed that the dresses iii the main still re.

t3nied the character of mourning, although the
Court order dispessaes with that observance in pub-
lic places. There werca few of the Ladies dressed
in colours, and the head-dresses were generally fan-
ciful, though impressively simple. The only ob-
servafile indication of prevailing fashion was, a coin-
partitive predominance of Scorch bonnet., of vari-
ous burr, surmounted by white feathers. Some
wore white turbans beneath the feathers, and in

more cases the white plumes were simply contrasted
with the raven locks and black eyes over which
'b.y waved.
the season has been interrupted; and the tree-
6Uly n.tist have suffered considerably. But there
irrlu4 cry probability, from the present full at-
terihinee, and the good management of the enter-
tnnan.iits, that, in the conclusion, the profits will
such as the enterprize and judgment of the
proprietors so well entitle them to.

DRUILY.LANg.

Saturday night, after the performance of Artax-
erxes, with the same ability and success as on
R'ciltteptiay night, a farcical pantomimicul drama,
in two ;Jets, entitled Shukspeare versus Harlequin,
wits produced for the first time. The principal
nicidel.ts mod situations are taken from a celebrated
IHece I GARRICK'S, called Harlequin's invasion,
or Chi istnius Gambols.

The ground-work of this piece was represented
originally at Bartholomew Fair, about the time of
the first introduction of pantomime into this coun-
try. rimier soother and a very strange title, being
written by our great Roams, to promote the inte-
rest of a favourite performer. Afterward., feeling
his own supremacy shaken, and his admirers seduc-
ed by this newly-imported prodigy, he etilarg.
ed the production, and adapted it to Drury-lane,
as an expedient at once to amuse the town,
mid convey a reproach for their desertion of him.
It iv** first performed there in the year 1759,
and continued to be acted at the mine place for
many years after. Saturday night's adaptation of
the dratnu was to be considered as a general
satire our, we are sorry to be obliged to say, the
'reigning taste for pantomime. This object is at-
tained by means of a fable, comprehending in its
progress a variety of the absurd iucidento, unnatural
and impossible events, and causeless and unaccount-
able effects invariably composing that species of en-
tertainment, in a somewhat exaggerated and utterly
rtsficulatis hope, and ending in the establishment of
the National drama's dninmiou over this monster
of foreign birth. Harlequin is supposed to invade,
and to have just arrived in this country, the realm
and domains of &unreal's, when Mercury, the
god of declaimers, makes his appearance, raises a
awe sod cry after the motly stranger, and offers a
-large reward for his apprehension. This engages a
Amu', of odd characters in the pursuit, consisting of
Corporal Bounce (Mr. Dow Toe) ; Gasconade. a
Frenchmen (Mr. GATTI6) ; Jae Snip, a tailor (Mr.
Muturels) ; Abraham, his man (Mr. Kuwait).;
Minna, a clown (Mr. OiaertitY) ; Forge, a black-
smith (Mr. ..kusseu.) ; and Toffy, • Welshman
(Nlr.lrinteues), wills numerous others. The clown,
however, deserts his colours, sod joins the enemy.
A C'alumbine spurge into .existeuce out of Mass
Aslay &tip, the daughter; and some

!ninthly comic scene, in which the rharacters re-
press, in intelligible language (which is the case
throughout) tlw natural feelings of human beings,
arise out of Miss Dolly, in, her high notions, dis-
carding her old admirer ,Afirahnes, and his trans.
ferring his slighted !lose to Miss Sukey Chite►lin
(Miss l'ouvt). Harlequin at firm rivals Mercury in
Co'lumbiee'• idrectiona, and fora length of time baf-
fler, by his magic powers, all thwart and dexterity of
the crafty deity. On solemn hearing before a regu-
lar tribunal, Harlequin and Mercury, in the guise
of lawyers, plead, the former hie own pose, the
latter SHAISPEA se's, and judgment is given eguinitt
the latter, for which, however, the three Judges are
transformed into old women, and it is not till
the principal heroes and heroines in SIIAKIPEARE
appear in awful assemblage ■ud majesty before
him, that the intruder is overpowered, and com-
pelled to vanish, and to abandon his usurped em-
pire. The attention bestowed on the preparation of
this piece for the stage is extremely creditable to (lie
theatre. Nearly all the performers of comic, and
several of those of vocal merit, are brought forward
in it. Much of the machinery and tricks evinc-
ed great ingenuity. The music, in great part
a selection, was very pretty. sod tile scenery beau-
tiful and highly finished in the extreme. The part
of Harlequin fell to the lot of Mr. lIAILSY, who
felt by no means emba rr d with his wand and
party-coloured garb. Aladame VEsrats, alter en-
chaining the house with her skill and powers iu the
opera. presented herself a second time is the after-
piece, as Daly Snip and Columbine. We under-
stand she was called on to undertake this character
on very short notice ; hut that was not perceptible
(except, perhaps, in one instance, the act of the
metamorphose) in her acting. Her talents sp.
peered to be as well, at least, adapted to the gay
as the grave. Miss Snip's aspiring., flouting',
and envy, were as strongly exhibited as the fide-
lity and anguish of the regal friend ; and Co-
lumbine's s' light fantastic" step was fully as
graceful and elegant ■s Artaxerxes' more mea-
sured movements. Site introduced a very sweet
Italian air, which was enthusiastically eiscored,
as the song of 1‘ In irfuney our hopes and fears,"
had been in the opera. Mr. T. COOKE played
Mercury, and in one scene, after performing on a
great number of other musical instruments. guve
the Irish melody of " The harp that once in Tora's
hall," on the violin, in exquisite style, and was
also encored. But Mercury's solaria were not
given him for dancing. nor among all the thefts
and grawpings of that deity, did we ever learn that
he had either seised or laid claim to that appropria-
tion to his good parts. His representative, however,
wished to give a specimen of his uccomplishinents
in that way, and in so doing lost the much more va-
luable quality attributed to the divinity by the
Roman Poet, of being a favourite with the Gods
above, " grains dcorum superis." A curtailment
may very well be made in this, as well as in several
other scenes, for the piece was too much prolonged,
occupying nearly three hours in the representation.
To this circumstance partly, but in a mach greater
degree probably to the true drift of the drama not
being generally understood, is to he imputed the
.imputience and disapprobation manifested by a large
part of the audience near to and at the catastro-
phe. After the play had been announced fur
this evening. Mr. RossELL. the stage-manager. came
forward and addressed the house to the following
effect :
" Ladies and Gentlemen —4 think that this property has
given strong proofs, during the present reason, that it has
no desire to obtrude any thing on the public contrary to its
juJgmeat--(Ckeers)—but as you have honoured many parts
of this drama wish your approbation, I trust you will allow
me to announce it fur a second representation."

This address was received favourably by the ma.
jority of the auditors, who indicated a dirposition
to comply with the request, though the tumult did
not immediately subside. For our part, so far from
thinking the entertainment to be merely entitled to
sufferance on the stage, we look upon it as u most
witty, pointed, and judicious satire on a thing whose
popularity proceeds from (we must be excused in
buying) a perversion of public haste.

Mrs. Butter was announced in the Covent.
garden bill of Monday last es one of the dranwis
persowce in The Antiquary for that night. but Miss
!MATTHEWS appeared in the pl.y. This circum-
stance has excited some surprise. The following is
the explanation. The part to be filled is that usual-
ly sustained in the piece by Miss MATTHEWS, but
that Lady having been taken ill, sent an apology,
and Mrs. BISHOP was announced. On Monday,
however, Miss MATTHEW! fnund herself sufficiently
recovered to resume her place, and Mrs. lizsuer
was withdrawn.

Tug CMARE.—Lord DERBY'S stag hounds meet
to-motrow, at Leathrrheutl.

The Hon. E. PETRE has refuted 500 guineas for
his buy hunter, Sultan.

The second change of mourning took place yes-
terday ; awl on the 30th inst. the Court goes out
of mourning.
On Thursday la►t a large party of the friends of
Mr. WETLIERIML gyve a dinner in celebration of
his election in the Hall of Hertford College. Ox-
ford, which was ta•tefuily and elegantly decorated
with hamiers and blimp, surrounded with laurel and
artificial flowers. :The room was splendidly illumi-
nated with gas. introduced fur the especial purpose
of the day. The dintier consisted of every delicacy
of the session.

The following is the House List of the Governors
and Directors of the Book of England for the year
ensuing. viz.

FOR GOVIIRNOM.
CHARLES POLE, Esq Governor.
JOHN BOWDEN, Demoly Governor.
FOR DO CTORS.
George !Mangan. Esq. I Wiliam Mellish, Esq.
James Campbell, Esq. John Horsley Paharr, Fog

.TinscoleyAlWabaruCu;iis,Eaq. I James Pattlwn, junior,
Samuel Drewe, Esq. t Juhu Praire Esq.
Grurul e Durrien, Esq. Julius Rae Reid, Esq.
William Haldtmaud, Esq. WilliaasTi ttubarti,Eaq.
Jertnnali HA111•11, Esq. I Andrew Henry Thonistin,Esq.
Samuel ftibbrrt, Evq. Samuel Tborutou, Esq.
Thames Langley, Esq. Samuel Turner, Esq.
Benton Long, Esq. William'N'ard, EN.
allenning,„Eeq. I Sir Robert %ripe*, Rnt.
Ebenseer IWaStlassi, £.q. John Whitmore, Esq.
The ELECTION fur GOVERNOR alert DEPUTY
GOVERNOR will be held at tie HANK TO.MOKROW
TUEODAY, the 'lib, and for DIRLCTOItS ea WED-
NE,ADAY, she 121 th unhrt, from Teu u'Cluik it Ulu Fiore-
storm till Four ha /be Aficrouna.
• "