The National Register.
London, England, 1813-10-17 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL ItECISTER.

DRAMATIC REGIS] El?.

DRURY LANE.

GODOLPHIN, THE LION OF THE NORTH.
This Play which was produced on Tuesday night, and after
three representations, has been withdrawn from -the Stage in
.compliance with the ssishes of the Public, affinds an addi-
tional proof, that splendour alone is not sufficient to ensure
success. Supported by all the magnificence of dress and I
scenery which the liheralit) of the Nlanagerss could supply,
it owed, out.," tonately, little beside to the genius of its ,;
Author, that after a few inetfectnal struggles to rise, it sunk,
as it deserved, in the midst of its gaudy trappings. To exult
over the dead would be useless and ungracious; to obey the
ancient precept, de morluis nil nisi bonum would be a dere-
liction, and to be silent, a neglect of our duty. " The
Lion," it is true, " preys not upon carcases, and the Critic
might be spared the odious task, but justice requires that a
'verdict should be passed to explain the causes of so sudden
a death. After collecting the evidence of the two senses
which chiefly witnessed the merits of this performance and
its catastrophe, viz. sight and hearing, we are therefore of
opinion, that the new Operatic Drama of Godolphin, the Lion
of the North, died of inherent stupidity. Others might have
brought it, perhaps, Feb de Sc; but for fear the moderation
• of our verdict should be misrepresented, we subjoin the fol-
lowing evidence in elucidation.
Baldwin, Earl of Nottingham (Mr. BELLA MY). a nobleman of die-
s lute habits, being captivated by the beauty of Mamie (Miss Suety),
, the wife of another Peer, and a wealthy heiress in her own right,
causes the husband to be secretly assassieated ; but is defeated in his
purpose of securing the widow, who obtains protection from ighert,
Baron ,f Bestwood (Mr Piller irs) The Earl immediaiely besieges
the Castle of this less powerful neighbour, which for six weeks resists
his assault. During this interval Igbert contrives to seed notice 01
his situation- to his triend Godolphin, Earl of Berwick (Mr. 11A VHOND).
a hero of the highest renown, and surnamed The Lion of the North,
from his distinguished conduct dui ing the Scottish wars.—Godoiphie
• Obey's the call of filen&hip, and at th.s period the piece commences.
Guy (Mr. BANNISTER), an artful vassal of Earl Bobtail; ,undertakes
to surprise the Castle, by obtaining admission in the disguise of a
pi!grini.—The project seeeeeds, and Victoria is carried off to Notting-
ham, which occurs just as Go./ufehin has reached Sherwood Forest with
his troops; and he now learns that the widow, in whose cause he. has
been surunioned, is Victoria.—This Lady's marriage to her late LOW
Vas by compulsion; and, before that event, there had existed between
her and Godolphin a mutual attachment, ton deeply fixed to he eradi-
cated by time and absence.--He flies to her rescue, but is made pri-
teller by an ambuscade, and his friend the Baron left in the fore•t,
-wounded, and oppsrently lifeless.—The lovers now meet, and their of-
fection being discovered by Baldwin, he offers liberty to tiodoiphin em
coniVion of l.is own band being accepted by Victoria, threatening
death to and force to her, if ills proposal be rejected. Godolphin
-encourages defiance of these threats, which she maintains, till her lover
is exhibited her view in the o.idst of six archers, who arc on the
point of discharging their arrows at hint ; when, overpowered with
horror, she pledges a vow to hccuine Baidifin"s wile on the proposed
condition. A wile g scene of great distress ensues, while new ma-
chinations are formed against Godolphin by Baldwin ; when Fghelt
discovers a subterrunemis passnge, by which he and his troops enter
Nottingham Cattle. Baldaiin is attacked at the moment he is dragging
Nis victim to the altar, sled the piece cundudes with the marriage of •
Godolphin and Victoria.
The subordinate parts of this Drainn consist of unsuccessful attempts,
on the part of Guy, to win the affections of I•largarct (Miss KELLY),
an honest servant girl, who is attached to a young, wood-cutter, and
fiiielly united to him.
From this account, 'it might be supposed that the Dr....eia
was not entirely void of interest, though but little sprinkled
With novelty. Yet the contrary is the case. More general,
unvarying dullness never was infused in any performance.
The music itself, except in a few chorusses and songs, seemed
to partake of that character. Yet eminent abilities were
marshalled in its repretientation, and no expense bad been

. l7,

spared. The scenery was beautiful, the dresses new, ele-
gant, and splendid, and the stage filled with well organised
multitudes, which produced the semblance of mat armies.
Yet some radical vice appeared to render all this display un-
availing. it may be paatly traced to the poverty of the dia •
logue, the total absence of energy and elegance in the style
and the expressions, and partly to the trial made of Mr. I:Ice-
l./1:4Y as a tyrant, a character which requires some force of
action and powerful declamation, but which, in this Gentle
mati's hands, became a complete nonentity. A part of such
importance in the piece, being as it were ohliterated, the
vacuum was felt throup,hout, and the effect was most chilling.
We do rot mean, notwithstanding this failure, to tax Mr.
BELLAMY with want of abilities. We only regret, that
when Ws talents lie in a line so totally different from that
which he was so unfortunately thrust on Tuesday night, he
should have„been exposed to fail where he had no chance of
success, As a singer, he will always fill a rank of consider-
able eminence ; but as a performer, who joins expressive
action to scientific melody, hesan never hope to be admired.
It was evidently in • consequence of his apprehended
deficiency that the character of Sir Afaivice was introduced.
Always at hand to save his patron the trouble of speaking,
and leaving him little more than the bare prerogative of tit-
tering his thoughts in song, he destroyed the effect which the
part, had it not been split between two, might otherwise have
produced. had the Earl qi Nottingham been modeled less mu-
sical, and entrusted to Mr. RAYMOND, whose powers are so
well calculated to till such characters with adequate etiergv,
and the lover and hero Godoipiia been personated by Mr.
EL LIsTOI4, we have no doubt but the languid dullness which
pervaded this Drama would have in a great nTasure
!seared. and that instead of being driven hy public disappro-
bation from the stage, it would have met with a kinder re-
ception, though it was too radically defective ever to prove a
favourite. The music by Mr. lltsastis unequal. The Pil-
grims anthem to the morn, aLtv's song with the l!avp
accompaniment, and two or three more in the second and
third act, with the distant chorus Vk h!•11 GOdolphas friends
come to his rescue, were entitled to the highest !praise. The
overture was not without merit, but the rcbt -displa)cd neither
of finality nor taste.