The National Register.
London, England, 1818-05-18 00:00:00

TILE DRAMA.

DRURY LANE.

Tuesday night the Comedy of The Dramatist was
performed, in which Mr. Etliston sustained the charac-
ter of Vapid. The public are sufficiently acquainted
with the talents of tits lively and popular actor, to
know how well his vivacity is adapted to the part. He
was indeed admirable throughout. The devotion of a
poet to hisliwourite pursuit, that abstraction of mind,
which, whether properly or not, we arc in the habit
of attributing to the worshiper of the Muses, were ex-
hibited with true comic energy. We would notice
particularly his agitation upou endeavouring to finish
the last line of his epilogue. The anxiety expressed in
his countenance at every attempt, drew down bursts of'
applause and laughter; and the ludicrous despair with
which he submitted to be shut up in the china closet,
bcfhre he had completed his important couplet, was
well contrasted by the extravagautariuteph with which
he smashed the china in the moment of happy
tion. He delivered the original epilogue with great
spirit, awl may be said upon .the whole to have acquitt;ll
himself in a manner corresponding with his high re-
putation. Mr. Penley's Florit.ille possessed a good deal
a merit, particularly in the duel st.ene. 1 ady Waitford
was well represented by Mrs. .parks. Mrs. Robinson as
Louisa Courtney, and Mrs. Urger, as Mariam, acquitted
themselves very creditably. The performance suffered a
short interruption from an accident, of a trifling nature,
as it turned out, but which for a moment caused very
serious alarm. Soon after the comntentement of the
second act, some Gentlemen, who sat in a box near the
stage on the Prince's side, observed that there was much
bustle behind the scenes opposite to them, and that wen
were carrying water up a ladder. The audience in some
other parts of the house learned, from the apparent
anxiety of these Gentlemen, that something of more
moment was passing than the action on the stage ; and
the anxiety was becoming general, when pieces of blaz-
ing linen fell down near the King's box. " Fire—
Fire !" was immediately shouted in the. pit, and the
whole audience-rose. Elliston,•who was on the stage at
the time, came forward and said•something, but was
not beard. lie, however, remained on the stage, and by
so doing tranquillized part of the audience. At length,
he assured the house, that there never had been any
danger ; and that the effects of the accident, which had
.produced .so much alarm, were Already over. In the
•Inean time, the pit had .been nearly half emptied, and
•many persons had left: the boxes. The greater part of
these returned, and the play went on, with many signs
of approbation of Elliston!s conduct. We understand,
.that one of the wines. had caught fire from the lights
which stand between them near the stage.
The West Indian was represented here on Friday
in very efficient style. Easton was the Bekoar. His
merits in this part are now too well known and gene-
sally. appreciated to require any tribute of praise front
us. It is sufficient to say that they remain unimpairen.•
If there was any fault, it was an occasional monotony
and sentiousncss of manner, peculiarly unsuited to the
animated character and ardent • soul of Belcour. The
Ufa or O'Flaherty of :Johnstone, the Captain Dudley
of Walled:, anti the Lad,, 'inspire of Mrs. Sparks, are
excellent. Miss Boyce, in Louisa Dudley, displayed
much good sense and true feeling. But the star of the
• evening,was Mts. Davison. She leaves all her com-
petitors in genteel comedy at an immeasurable distance.
The audience manifested their approbation and delight
by repeated plaudits. The House was well filled. •

COBOURG THEATRE.
This house was opened on Monday to the Public,
Tor the season. A very few minutes after the doors were
thrown open, it was crowded, almost to suffocation, in
every part—And the audience, by repeated cheers, ex-
pressed their most unqualified approbation of the struc-
'-ture. Before the commencement of the entertainments,
the whole of the performers stool forward and sang—
" God save the King," which was enthusiastically ap-
plauded.. Mr. Munro then spoke an opening address,
which was well received. While the audience were
waiting-for the performance of the melo-dramatie.spec-
tacle, with which, Pii was announced in the bills, the
entertainments were to commence, Mr. Norman., the
Stage Manager, appeared, and annplained that he had
been ill-treated by Mr. Glossop, the Proprietor of the
Theatre. ilis.ground of complaint was, that having. to
perform in the Pantomime aeCtivent-garden that night,
he had requested .Mr. Glossop to bring forward his
Pantomime as the first instead of the last piece, by
which means he would be able to do hie duty at the
two Theatres. This Mr. Glossep, who .wished Mr.
Usher to take the part of the Clown in his absence, had
refused—and had absolutely locked up his Clown's dress..
This appeal created a dreadful uproar. Mr. Munrorand
Mr. W. Barrymore, sought in vain to address the au-
dience. Nu sooner did either of them commence his
address, than Mr. 'Norman came forward, and all was
chaos. The two unotiending individuals, who were
sent forward to explain, were pelted with urange-peels,
apples, and various other missiles, usually resorted to
in eleatrical warfare. At length the cry tor Mr. Glos-
. sop w:l6 vociferated with so inuckviolcuee, that, to quell

TILE NATIONAL REGISTER.

the storm, it was found necessary to eancede the point
to Mr. Norman ; and the audience were informed that
the Pantomime would be performed first ; peace was by,
this means restored, and the entcstainments were re-
ceived in the best possible manner.
We think it highly indecorous in any performer nt-
•tempting to do duty at two Theatres on one and the

same night. He must come fatigued and exhausted (if
he can come at all) to his second engagement. And it
is by nu means just to the Public, on the part of the.
Managers, to admit of mien doubliugs. It must neces-
sarily lower the entertainment.

The grand Theatre of Petersburgh, which was de-
stroyed by fire in 1811, has been rebuilt by a French
architect in the service of the Emperor Alexander. It
was opened in February, and made a most brilliant
appearance. His Majesty was present at its opening,
and testified his entire satisfaction at the appearance of,
the new saloon, which is not inferior to any in Europe,
either in the beauty of its structure, or its decorations.
The Imperial Box is platted betbre the curtain, and oc-
cupies the space of three boxes; it is oruatuented in a
superior style, and (litters entirely from that of any
other European Theatre. The Pit is furnished with
about 360 arin-chairs, which are numbered according
to the Russian custom. It is computed, that at the
time of a masked ball, 12,000 persons may be present,,
and pass freely through the different parts of the build-
ing. It is nevertheless intended to build another saloon
on a larger scale near the palace of Anistclikoff.
A letter from Dr. Joint Sibley, dated at Natchitoches,
Jan. 30, to Dr. John 11. Robinson, of Natches, says—
" Some traders lately arrived here from the Hietan In-
dians, andsay, that about three months ago, a party of
these Indians, with their great Chief, Chewawa, fell in
with some Spaniards net Ea &um St. Antonio : they'
fought, and Chewawa was killed. 14 hen these traders
left the nation (less than a month ego), 4000 warriors
were assembledao go against St. Antonio, and said they
would revange the death of their Chief, or all perish i
that they would not leave a soul alive, or a house stand-
ing at St. Antonio, or on this side the river Grande ;
that: the country, which was once a prairie, should again
be a prairie."
On the 10th ult. at five in the afternoon, a dreadful
storm burst in the town of Arnedo, .in the province of
the Riosta, in Spain. Trees of an enormous size were
torn up by the .roots. The labourers-in husbandry,
who were in the fields, were obliged to prostrate them-
selves, to prevent their being carried away by the tem-
pest. Oxen in the team were bodily driven from 20
to SO paces out of their course, and immense damage
was done to every description of crop.
The ratification of the treaty of marriage of the Duke
of Kent has arrived in London. M. B. Taylor, our
Minister at Wurtemberm, conducted the negociations for
his Royal Highness, which occupied him some time, hel
having to attend the contracting parties at Munich, I
Baden, Frankfurt, &c. His Royal Highness was ex-
pected to leaveiondon on Wednesday or Thursday last,
to proceed on his way to Germany, for the solemniza-
tion of his marriage.
lima:ay.—By a proclamation of the Lord Lieu-
tenant and Council, dated April 18,1818, it is declared
I that the Baronies of Coolestown and Philipstown, in
the King's County, are restored to peace and good
order ; and consequently the proclamation of 25th
March, 1817, declaring those Baronies to he in a state
of disturbance, requiring an extraordinary establish-
ment of Police, is revoked.
The Veto York Evening Post of the 11th of April
contains a list of " insolvents advertising for the benefit
of the Act in this State." It occupies two columns,
each name and description occupying one lime, and
contains nearly 400 names of bankrupts in ace State,
that of New York, advertising their insolvency at one
time! lied such a list appeared in London 'we should!
have been told we were,all ruined ; but America is the
land of " public felicity." Every thing there is re-
garded with admiring eyes, while England is viewed
with the eyes of the Editor of the last Edinburgh Re-
view, .who has magnified one eleventh of the popula-
tion receiving parish relief into upwards of nine

ten t us I
It is a cireinwtance worthy of notice, that though
wheat has been f.slliug fur same weeks past, flour ex-
perienced no alteration till last week. This is one of
the effects of the abolition of the Assize:
SAOACITY OT • GIti:THOOND AVD POINTETe+We haTe had
a great many remarks of late on the sagaiity and ingenuity of dogs ;
but perhaps the cwt recorded in the following anecdote, the truth of
which may be relied upon. has not been surpassed by any thing that
bas yet appeared, A gentleman in the county of Stirling kept a
greyhound and a pointer, and, being, fond of coursing, the pointer
was arcustonwdso Mid the bares. an I-the greyhoibnil to catch them.
%%ien the season was over, it was thund that the dogs were in the
habit of going nut byittittrise:ves, and killing the hares for their own
amusement. To prevent this, a Large iron ring was fastened to the
isnnter's neck, by a leather collar, and hung down, so as to prevent
the d... trim running or iimming over dykes. tee. 'rho &rituals,
however. continued to stroll out to the Loads together; and one day
the gentleman, suspecting all was not right, resolved to watch them.
and. to his surprise, firmid that the inemsit they thought they wens
intisci yeti. die greyhound took up the iron ring in his mouth, and.
carrying it, they set off' to the hills, and began to search for hares as
tumid. They were followed ; ens[-it was observed that, whenever the
tolister scented the hare, the ring was dropped, and the greyhound
stood ready to pounce upon poor puss, the moment the other drove
her from her torm, but that he uniformly returned to assist his COOS
patios sky be had a‘compbsticil objuct....Edlswei Magmas.

DEMERARA, MAncli )9.

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