The Sun.
London, England, 1814-03-22 00:00:00

THE THEATRE.

We have reason to congratulate the Public on
the competition which has been excited by the in-
troduction of Mr. KEAN on the Loadon boards,
as it has awakened 'a spirit of emuiatiou which
prothises, and has indeed produced, iot increase
of excellence in the higher Members of the thea-
trid'al profesSion. This effect was observable last.
week in Mr.-YouNG's appearance in Ric-hard, at
Covent-Garden Theatre, and last night in his
assumption of Hamlet. To the merit of ••his Ri-
chard-we have already borne a very favourable •
testimony; and we are fully win-ran:ed. in speak-
ing still wore favourably of his Hamlet, • bemuse
• it_demands higher and. more varied quai•ties.than
are necessary for the other character, difficult as.
it is to sustain it with appropriate abili•y. With-
oat enteringsinto comparisons, we may fairly say,
that the Hamlet of last night was one of the most
masterly exhibitions of the modern stage. It
was "• Well digested!' throughout, and in. de-
portment was various, dignified, and impressive..
—Perhaps
,we might offer some reasonable objec7
tions to particular passages, but we shall not
stoop to so invidious a task. We feel more
pleasure in recording the beauties, and they
were observable in Hdinlet's conduct' during the
first appearance of the Ghost in the subsequent
scene, where the spirit reveals the cause of his
deatte, in the melancholy which' pervaded the
character, arising .f.rom the murder of his father,
the degradation of his mother, and the elevation
of his atrocious uncle. All these passages re-
ceived a due colouring; and were finished with
admirable precision. The scene with Ophelie was
a masterly proof of address, for, while he gave
into that vehemence which was necessary to
your the suspicion of his madness, it was blend-
ed. with occasional touches of tenderness, that in-
dicated his attachment to her, and the reluctance
with which he rendered her subservient to his pur-
pose. The soliloquies were given with dignified-
-energy ;'butperhaps in the closet scene Mr. YOUNG
chiefly distinguished ,himself. Here he. " spoke
daggers ;" but amidst all the merited censure
which Gertrude deserved, he maintained the
tenderness and duty, of a son. He was particu-
larly excellent in this scene on, the re-appearance '
of the Ghost, and in his awe-strAck and per-
severing attention till its departure.
The whole was most warmly and justly ap-
plauded by a very numerous audience. We oughE.,.
•also to notice his, merit in the scene of the muck-
drama, in -which he agreeably varied playfulness
with
.ophelia, with .a rigorous attention to the,
operations of that drama on die guilty conscience -
of the King. Sit is with much pleasure, also, that
we have to mention the • excellence of another
Performer in this fine- -aan interesting drama
Miss STEP HENS made her first appearance in.Oplre-
lie, and gave as just and as affecting a representa-
tion of the character as we ever attended. In the
dialogue she was critically correct, and there was. a
gentleness, a simplicity, and a pathos, in her
whole performance, that entitled he to almola
as much credit as an Actress as' she has deservedly
obtained as a Singer. The original melodies were
given in thetruest style of affecting simplicity; and
here we wish to have-;‘topped, but we cannot forbear •
from joining with many of the audience, and. some
of our contemporaries, in condemning the intro-
duction of the old song of Mad Bess.. It is indeed
,a masterly composition of one of our old and best
musicians, but it is of a character totally different
from the wild melodies' which tradition has air-
. nexed to the madness of Ophe/iq ;' and it is, be-
sides, a roost improper interpolation of one of the
,finest productions" of the greatest ,dramatic
Bard that ever existed. Much as we admire
the composition, and the pathetic manner in
which it was sung last night, yet we. must
enter our strong' protest against its repeti-
tion in this play, not only because it is a measure
improper in itself, entirely destructive of. the unity
of a finely drawn character; but because, we tear,
that. it may expose the Pei former to some un-
pleasant marks of displeasure for its introduction.

DRUAY-LANE.---Mr. KEAN, with unabated at-
traction, perrormed the part of Eichar There
was a prodigious audience, and he repaid their
solicitu4ie to see him by a very evident improve-
ment in his performance.

As the Covent-Garden Managers hare thought
proper to order Miss STEPHENS. to introduce
Mad Bess in
.ophelia,those of Drury-Lane might,
with equal propriety, dire& Mr. KLAN, WllO
is said. to be a good singer, to introduce "My
lodging is on the cold ground," in one of the
scenes of Hantkt. The Covent Garden Managers
might then retort, by making Mr. You'r:G, whose
musical skill is well known, to do the same; and
then would commence the reign'ot rational com
petition.
Since the extraordinary success of Mr. KEAN,
varimrs. informations have ,reached the London
Managers frbin the dramatic purveyors in the
country. One writes word." he has got an ex-
tpart nta4, to do the young. art
comedy, and for fops and lovers ;" and another,
"'that he is about to engage a young girl for the
nurses, who has a singular squeak in her voice,
and looks like-his grandmother. •

A Play is to be performed at the Plymouth
Dock Theatre,: under the patronage Of the
_gallant
Captain Pinx..t,tmoßE, for the benefit of the wi-
dows and orphans of the, brave men:who fell in
the late memorable contest between the Eurotas
and Clorinde,,an4 rhe wives and children of those
who.were wounded on the same occ4sion._
Lord GRENVILI.II; as Chancellor, has dawn
.up :a protest against what' he deems the poetical
points in the late presented.arfdrdAddress, niticli
is handed about, and wherein his Lordship states
his doubts of the sincerity of this courtly tribute,
Itot in metre, but in pretty plain pose.
Three birds, of the 'kind called Sea Pie, the
Hceniatopus Ostraleguk of LIN:AA:us, were last week
shot on the hanks of the Thames near this town,
They ,are common on most sea coasts, and feed
on oysterS and other shell fish, but are rarely
.seen
in this part of the country.—(Reading ,Paper.):
Tuesday a haddock was sold in the fislimarket
of this city (Edinburgh) forl3k fid.whiCh weighed
I 1 lb. and a quarter. it was the largest ever seen
here.