The National Register.
London, England, 1812-05-03 00:00:00

MAY :3.

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

pies, whose enlarged and liberal policy is suited to the enlighrened
cbaracter of the nation, whose wisdom and energy would prove equal
to the exigencies of the times, whose inclination would lead them to
secure the affections of the people. and whose public spirit would
stimulate them to effect those reforms in the f.:ommons House of
rarliamont, and in the various branches of the Stite; which, at this
perilous crisis are absolutely necessary to the restoration of national
prosperity, and not less essontial to the honour arid true interests of
the Crown, than to the security and true glory of the Ernpire.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS'S ANSWER
It must always be my inclination to listen with attention to the Peti-
tions of any part of his Majesty's Subjects.
For the redress of any grievances of which they can reasonably
complain, I have full confidence in the wisdom of Parliament—the
great Council of the Nation.

Btin firmly of opinion, that the total change of the Domestic Govern-
ment and Foreign Policy of the Country, which it is Op! dt clared
object of your Petition to accomplish, would only serve to increase the
dangers against which we have to contend, I should be wanting to my-
self and the great interests committed to my charge, If I did not steadily
persevere in those endeavours which appear to me best calculated to sup-
pert the just rightt of the Nation abroad, and to preserve Inviolate the
Constitution at home.
These endeavours can only be attended with success, when seconded
by the zeal and loyalty of his Majesty's people, upon which 1 shalt
toutinue to place-the, strongest reliance.

DRAMATIC RL• GISTER.

CO VENT-GAR DEN.

THE SECRET MINE, PRODUCED THE 24TH OF APRIL.

The war so long waged by critics with mclo-dramas stems now
at an end. The cavalry which managers have called to tht it aid has
decided the contest, and instead of continuing to inveigh against the in-
troduction of animals on the stage, all arc now lost in admiraticn of
Mrs. H. Jo HN SON'S [excellent horsemanship. The pleasures of sense
tare given way to those of sight; and romances supply subjects fur a
stage, intended to depict human life and to correct human follies. As
all the arrows of censure have hitherto been shot in vain, we shall not
engage in fruitless hostilities, but c.tcamine the last production of the
melo-dramatic muse; according to the fresh rules of theatrical criticism,
to which the new kind of performances has given birth. We do not
mean, however, to express ary disapprobation at the introduction of
horses on the stage. We think they might he turned to some advantage,
were not sense frequently banished to make room for quadrupeds. 11,m-
ployed in some of our regular pieces, where, indeed, their presence is
oftentimes supposed, they would add to the grandeur and even to the
propriety of the spectacle. But why should nonsense be dramatised in
•rder to introduce a horse ?

As magnificence is now the test of theatrical excellence, it may he
expected that it should form the chief feature of Me Secret Mine.
Scenery, dresses, the festive splendour of peace, the terrific pomp of
war, and all the terrors of battles are indeed marshalled is support of
this piece. The story is taken front one of Florian's Tales, but the
sene is changed from. South America to Persia. A tribe of Hindoos
that had been defeated by the Persians many years before, leaving only
oae boy prisoner (Mt% BR u N'ro N), in the hands of their conquerors, had
retired into a mountainous country, tic sole passage to which was
through a secret mine, where all the treasures of the tribe Nyere de-
posited. The youthful prisoner, wtio hid been spared merely in ±e
hope he would one day reve:sl the haunt of his brethren, has
manhood, fallen in love with the daughter of a Persian Governor (Mr.
BARRY moxr.), and distinguished himself in the Persian army, at the
time the drama opens. Both love and ambition are used to make kiln
betray the secret, but in vain. At last h, repairs to his countrymen, by
whom we And hint acknowledged their Rajah, and prevails on them to
carry part of their treasures to a distant cave, quite unconnected with
their habitation. There he leads the agents of the Persian Governor,
Who thinking he has fulfilled the conditions proposed, gives hint his
daughter. But no sooner has the marriage ceremony bleu celebrated
than a letter sent by one of the Rajah's subjects, who ruled during his
absence, and deserts out of- envy at his return, reveals the whole. The
Rajah is thrown into a tower, and ordered for execution the next morn-
ing, and here the usual ingenuity is displayed in picnning and effecting
capes. Through the exertions of his wife (Mrs. H. lOUNSoN), he is
Leed, but she remains in her father's power. She is, however, soon re-
by a Persian Aulazon (Mrs. PARIUR) lice early itinuid, who

279

join ti) with a rejected suitor of hers, had been appointed to guard her
prison. The Amazon, after a desperate fight with the soldier, whom
she kills, also contrives to escape, and to reach the Secret Mine, where
they are soon followed by the irritated Governor, with troops, both
horse and foot, and a train of artillery ! The rocks are battered to
pieces, and the Hindoos encounter their foes with forces of a similar
description in the interior of the Mine. Here we have alternately al!
the viei)situdes of a fight of infantry and cavalry, spiritedly displayed.
During the engagement two mines are sprung with great effect; and
ultimately the Mindoos conquer, and the overpowered Governor resigns
all his pretensions to the Mine.

In this piece, which rivals Timour the Tartar in splendour, some
novel and interesting situations are found. The dialogue sometimes
rises into blank verse, and becomes the vehicle of just and laudable sen-
timents. Mr. BRUNTON, whose general fault is a languid equality of
tone and action, displayed far more spirit and feeling than we have seen
him betray in characters of a superior kind. Mrs. H. JOHNSON pleased
as a skilful actress and astonished as an able and bold rider. Mrs. PAR-
KKR fought with uncommon spirit and ele;;ance. Miss FRRON sang
sweetly, and Li sTo ti was half lost in a Chinese Slave. The Ama-
zonian dance had a novel effect and was well performed. The scenery
throughout is beautiful, the dresses splendid, and the curtain falls over
a scene of real grandeur and almost sphlimity. Two explosions-have
:haat:red the pillars of the great subterianeous hall, part of AN hich lies in
ruins. A conflagration rages at the bottom of the stage, the middle is
strewed with wounded men and horses; from the top a Persian de-
pends still grasping a broken beam, whilst an Hindoo standing on the
remains of a gallery waves a fik; in triumph; in front, the Goverror
forgives his daughter and his ccnque:or, whilst the R.ljah's treacherous
subiect hangs diirg from his horse.

FIA E ARTS.

EXHIBITION OF MR. WILKIE'S PICTURES.

We have expatiated in our last upon the style of Painting which Mr,
Will:1Z has adopted, and in which he has made, as his performances
plait:7y prove, the most rapid progress; we have asserted, and demon-
strated clearly and evid,:ntly, we trust, that the themes, especial/
A:t;e el.to this district, being small compendiums of domestic trans-
actions, and roe siatile3 of the most common utensils, are sure to please
every one of the b:holderl if well executed. We have glanced et the
rea,,,n why different climates inspire, as it seems, different styles as they
generate fruits and flowers peculiar to their relpeetive ternptratur:,e
This lair assertion might be fnrther enlarged by considering it iii ail its
bearing; and p,lrticulars; t,liffice to say, that often invited ot:t, by the
Flowing and 1)i-tut:lid scenes of nature which surround him ; by the
clear :azure of the skies, the brightness of :he 5411, and the romantic
s7l-res of the Mediterranean, wilder turbulent waves present at every
init..nt a different aspect to his eyes; the Italian artist cannot paint
but by starts and tits ; bet with boldness and rapidity, upon immense
canvas, and about the highest conceptions of the human
whilst, sedentary by necessity, industrious by want of cause for idle,.
ness, mid confined to his room by the severity of the weather—the f3a.
tavian or the Caledonian Artist chuses his subjects near at hand, works
leisurely on, and with pleasure, till he has exemplified on his panne! all
the eircumjacent objects.; his pot of foaming ale—the glass in which it
eparkies—his expiring pipe, and the most familiar features of his friends
and companisins.

In the depth of this last observation, we have dived to find out how it
is that the Apollo, who iispii•ed this young Academician, knew no in-
fancy, no dawn, and burst at once into the meridian of manhood; and
we hope that we have solved a problem which has been long the sub-
ject of serious consierations, but had not, as yet, been sufficiently ex-
pl,:ined.. Here we bave physical reasons for moral effects,in the surpris-
ing similarity, or difference in the works of masters of divers nations,
and Nature opens her bosom to let us read the mysteries of Art. •
No. 1. The It'r.•:u Coat, from the Tale (f Jeonnot and Cain, Vot.
TAnte, 1807.—Hcm zit has composed but two poems, or at least two
only, from his immortal hand, have escaped the rapacity of time, and
beeu p:-erved for uuy admiration ; and yet how many subj:ets have
they not.sty,gested to the Muse of Painting and Sculi,tu ? V u LTAIR £.12
Work, fcrra a library .by themselves; they arc varied, fraught with ge-
nius, and bear the un.•ffaceable stamps of a fruitful and most &r id
imazritaitiou ; yet they • tadve inspired few Artists, even in tL•e count; y