The Sun.
London, England, 1838-02-06 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE.

After having played Harriet for twelve nights, a success
al!nost without parallel in theatrical history, Mr. Kean last
.sstilyed the character of Richard the Third. The cir-
cumr.tance 01 being t
.. h!! part in which his lamented father
laid the foundation of f'f""perishable fame, rendered Mr. C.
Kean's selection of it for his ;270uLl attempt. peculiarly in-
,. In our opinio
teresti.ig. He was triumphantly success:...
n
.
it was, on the whole, a better sustained performat:::' than big
Hamlet.
Long before the curtain rose the theatre was filled in every
part, and an audience as numerous and as brilliant as any we
have beheld within its walls, animated with eager and anxious
curiosity-to sec how the son would acquit himself in a cha-
racter with which the father had so identified himself. On
C. Kean's entrance he was received with universal, pro-
I mgeti, and enthusiastic cheering. He dressed and looked
the character ador:::Ny ; but his figure appeared rather too
slender—he wants the r,;:!scular power for which his father
was so remarkable—and tin! ;!....ficiency of physical strength
was the only defect which was visitilt is his performance. The
likeness to his father—in countenance Voice—in action--‘
was striking : still it evidently was not the eitei:t of imitation.
but the resemblance natural in a son. e.
His conception of the character is faultless; the irriPiirti;cl.
tions in execution were merely those arising from the defect,
just alluded to. He pourtrayed the "o'er-reaching ambition" of
the crook-backed Richard—his proud, overbearing spirit—his
systematic hypocrisy—his ruthless cruelty—his fiery and im-
petuous temper—his dauntless courage—his contempt for
danger—his triumphant exultaticn—his coufident and rear.-
less gaiety, with tt force and effect which we have never seen
equalled by any living actor. lie has beyond all dispute, in
the present awe of the stage, made the character his own.
This is a character of which the features are so broadly and
strongly marked, that thero. is little scope for originality of
conception. The various peat In it are so well known. that
it is unnecessary to say more, tit.:" that Mr. Charles Kenn
gave them with full effect, and in a maiLrler very
sembling his father's. The line in the opening Sj'ill"l"Y"'"'
" The dogs bark at me as I halt by them," much re.
was finely pronounced, and marked by that rapid transition front
the loud hoarseness in the preceding lines, to a clear, under
tone by which his father's acting was so distinguished. In the
scene with Henry, the cat-like ferocity with which be glided
noiselessly towards his victim--the murderous intent, 50
plainly legible in his look, and the convulsive grasping of his
sword, was perfectly frightful. The scene with Lady Anne,
apparently, at first sight, so improbable, he played in such a
masterly manner—the soft flattering words of the "tongue that
could wheedle like the devil"—the " well-painted" repentant
expression of the face that could be " framed to all oceal
sions"—the serpent-like fascination of the eye, were z
ti
well assumed, that we almost ceased to wonder that Lady
Anne should he deceived ; it could only be equalled by big
expression of the artfully-feigned humility with which the tsily
usurper refuses the crown, and the conscientious reluctance
with which he ultimately accepts it. Mr. C. Kean pourtrays
the dissimulating portion of the character with a fidelity which
it is impossible to surpass—" The power of acting can no fur-
ther go." There is a sincerity, a reality, in his dissembling,
which sometimes nearly deceives the spectator. Nor much
less excellent were the scenes with Buckingham and Stanley.
In the former, the dark hinting at, and radual unfolding of,
the horrible design respecting the youthful Princes—the cau-
tious sounding of the Duke's mind—the rage excited at hit'
evasive answers—the indignant scorn with which the monarch
treats the new-born scruples of the man who had " so long
waded with him through a sea of blood"—and the cutting bit
terness of the exclamation, Thou troublest me—l'm not
the vein :" or in the other—his burst of rage on being informed
that Richmond was upon the seas :
" There let him sink I and be the seas on him,
White-livered renegade What doth he there ?"

The angry suspicion of his enquiry
" Where be your forces, then, to beat him back ?
Are they not all upon the western shore,
Safe conducting the rebels from their ships?"
And the rapid, choking wrath with which he exclaims—
" The North What do they in the North"
When they should serve their Sovereign in the West ?"
could not well be/exceeded. Into the scenes in which the nor-
tial soul of Richard, roused by the news of rebellion, burst°
forth in all its energy and activity, Mr. C. Kean threw
whole powers—he strained every nerve; his action was spirits
and graceful ; every attitude was a picture. The hurried cc:
hemence of his utterance in issuing his warlike diroctil'
was as striking, as the exultant, savage ferocity, 11"
which he uttered—

" Off with his head.—So much for Buckingham 1"
In the tent scene, he displayed great powers of acting; ,`„,
shall never forget his ghastly look of agonised terror
thrilling accents of conscience-struck fear :
" 'Cola fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh,
My blood is chilled—l freeze with horror."
The burst of returning fearlessness—
" Conscience avaunt ! Richard's himself again 1"
was equalled but by the grandeur of the exclamation—
" A thousand hearts are swelling in my bosom,"
Or the fierce undaunted courage of the address to his troops t-4
" Sound trumpet,—sound 1 Upon 'cm
Victory sits on our helms."
Nothing could be more terribly impressive than his contest
with Richmond ; his fighting across the stage upon onc
knee, in the manner for which his father was so eele-
brated,:was loudly applauded ; the manner in which, after hay-,
ing received three wounds—" the least of them a death'
—and his sword has fallen from his hand, he still vainlY,,
endeavours to aim a blow at his antagonist, falling in the attentl):
--approached to the sublime ; and tine dying look of prott°,
and unconquerable defiance with which, in the agoni"
of death, supporting himself upon his arms, he regards tbor
victor, as though in the words' of Hazlett, " the phantoms °:„
his despair had a withering power," might afford a study f°
a painter.
The tragedy has been got up with an attention to scentie,.
appointment which reflects credit upon the taste, as upon tow
liberality of the management. The scenery is mostly' ocl
and the dresses and banners display considerable taste 'l'd
magnificence. The last scene in particular is a very gra,"
and beautiful picture of military " pomp and circumstance.
The Queen witnessed the tragedy from her private 1)0'
and we are happy to add that no intrusion was made upon 115
privacy.
We have equal pleasure in stating, from undoubted autho-
rity, that her Majesty, with characteristic kindness, personalif
commanded the manager to convey to Mr. Kean an c7c,:i
pression of the delight and approval with which she regard
his performance.

The accusation of the Times against the Minister 6
this morning, is that they have " patched up the Government+
and kept it on its legs till a frightful gulf has been formed.
which was within an hour of swallowing up everything that
appertains to England, every enduring interest with which Ile;
power and her prosperity could be identified—how slanderou9,!
that preserving the Government has brought about sue"
consequences ! But what would have been the result
had it not been preserved? The Tories would not have CO'a'
manded obedience either in Ireland or Canada; and in'
stead of being within an hour of being swallowed up'
all "our enduring interests would have perished." We should
have been plunged in the gulf, from which we have been saved
by that patching up of the ani rrernent which has kept °lit
t:
the Tories. The great crime of the Ministers, in the eyes
the Tories, is, that they are in office. In other things, tite
public now begin to fancy that there is a too striking resgn"
blance between both Whigs and Tories.

LOVE, A NOVEL, BY LADY CHARLOTTE BUBI(`
—Gray, who panted to indulge his taste for eternal new novels'
should have lived in these days. The number of clever works
of this description is extraordinary, and " Love" is amongst
the cleverest of its class. The characters depicted, the see"'
exposed, and the habits satirised arc anything but compliinciv
tary to that circle of society to which the personages of thcf
story principally belong. But this is evident, that much °
what here painted, whether pictures of manners or of morals,
has been witnessed by the obFervant and experienced painter
herself in the real world wherein she moves. There is, eon"
sequently, an air of reality about the characters which renderS
it likely enough that many will recognise their own portraits 01
this picture gallery of the vices and virtues of both seges.
There are some sentimentalit'es in the novel, but there ar°
also scenes of deep interest, Out will be sure to fix the
reader's attention if he have a heart unpetrified.

have
The metropolitan church building Committee
decided on building a' new church in the Tenter.groundt
Goodman's•fields, capable of accommodating about 1,200 Pcr,7
sons, according to the sizes of seats adopted by the C'nurol
Bui'ding Commissioners, but not more than 1,080 according •
to the increased size of pews and free scats decided upon 14
the Committee. It compri3( s a tower and spire, 100 feet high'
and the cost is estimated at 3,8001. A new church is also t°
be built in Curtain-road for the parish of St. Leonard's, Shore"
ditch.
THE FOG.—The fog was so dense, in Chesterfield
the neighbourhood, on Tue.fday night, that it was with th°
greatest difficulty that the night coaches could keep the roao•
—North Derbyshire Chronicle.
HOLYHEAD.—An order has been sent by the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty, to Captain Bevis, R.N.:
agent of packets on the Holyhead station, directing the said
packets to take the mails and despatches from every American
packet they may happen to fall in with on their passage to an •
from Ireland, in order to obtain as early arrival a; possible t°
the despatches from Canada.

-
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Set of Four varies in price from Seven to Ten Guineas. T. COP.
SAVORY, Working Goldsmith, Silversmith, and Watchmaker,
47, Cornhill, London (Seven Doors from Graeachurch-street).
N.l3.—The Handles are made to remove from the Covers, which
may be used as Dishes ; taus the Set will form Eight Dishes, when
required.

London: Printed an¢ Publitdied by MURDO YOUNG, of
Ll 2, Strand, at The Sum Office, No. 114, Strand, in the countY
( f itliddlesex.—Tuesday, February 6, 1838.