The National Register.
London, England, 1815-11-12 00:00:00

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DRAMATIC REGISTER.

DRUM' LANE.

731

Rowe's tragedy of Tan,erhore has been revived at this
Theatre, for the purpose of bringing forward Mr. Keats as
Bajinet. It is got up with great taste and splendour, and
the several characters are sustained by the whole strength
of the house. We need hardly inform our readers. that his-
tory is the source from whence the two leading characters of
this play are drawn ; William the Third of England was the
prototype of Tamerlane, and Louis XIV. of France that of
Rairnet. It frequently happen: when a pert wishes to exalt
the virtues of one character, by contrasting with it the vices
of another, that the two are ove.drawn: this is the case with
Rowe. The moderation and forbearance of Tamerlane, is
greater than ever fell to the lot of human nature; the noble
precept of returning good for evil, is in him carried to ass
extravagant and mischievous length; instead of preventing
his deadly foe from heaping fresh miseries upon himself and
people, by taking advatr sage of the fortune of war and
etaiu-
int; him as his captive, he foolishly grants him sufficient
liberty to enable him to enter into fresh plots to destroy the
peace of his nation. Bajazet, on the other hand, is repre-
sented as possessing the most brutal ferocity ; his thirst foe
revenge increases in proportion to the benefits he receives;
In fact, he has not one drop of the milk of human kiudness
in his composition ; he is alike terrible and hateful.
An apology was made for Mr. Kean, by Mr R,e, stating
that he was fah:swing under a severe cold, and that he must
therefore solicit the indulgence of the audit-nce. His per-
formance however did not appear to be affected by his in-
disposition, nor did we aserve any considerable alitra
in his voice. Hari the character of Baja:-el been drawn ek-
pressly for Mr. Kean, it is almost impossible that it could
have comprised more onportunities fcr the display of that
gentleman's splendid abilities, which are F o admirably cal-
culated to give effect to the representation of the pa:sinus
of hatred or disdain. Ile was greeted on his entrance by
the most rapturous applause; his appearance and depnrt-
ment immediately impressed upon the imagination a just
portrait of the character he was about to represent ; esery
look and gesture bespoke the tyrant whose ambitious ‘ie,,2
were frustrated, but whose daring spirit was still alinve tbe
frowns of fortune. Our limits wilt otevent our doing ade-
quate justice to his masterly performance ; we can only re-
matk a few of the more prominent Passages. in whicluin nut
opinion, he was particularly great. W hen Tainer!wie upbraids
him by saying
The 'world! 'twould be too little for thy pride,
Thou wonklst scale heaven."
the reply of Baja7ct

" I wnnl,l:--Away ! my soul
Distlains thy conference.'
was given with the greatest effect, and gained him thunder*
of applause.
The manner in which

" I would "

was uttered, was strictly in unison with the character of the
tyrant, whose daring temerity we are to suppose equal t.) the
most impious attempt;. NV hen he is ieleAced frim hi, chains
by the order of Tamerlane, and expresses his contempt for
the favour, he was equally successful. The manner in which
the passage of
.44 Donmatioft on thee ! thou smooth ftwnlne talker!
Give me agaia my chains that I tn.ty curse thee,
And gratify my rare."
" Remember I'm thy foci and hate thee deadly."