The Sun.
London, England, 1838-03-13 00:00:00

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Lilly played. A madrigal of Ferretti, of the date 1580, fol:
lowed, and received the same testimony of approval from the
audience as the one in the first part of the concert, being una-
nirncusly encored. The next piece was Horsley's glee for
five voices, '• Oh, the sweet contentment." It was much
better sung than the glee in the first part. Bishop's fine
cherus frcm the Opera of The Maniac, 4. The tiger couches
in the wood," cinclucied the performance. It was well sung,
at.d the orchestra, which was lcd by Mr. Dando and con-
ducted by Mr. Lucas, played with that spirit and energy
which naturally resulted from the conviction that they were
engaged in giving effect to the conceptions of an Englishman
whose talents entitled him to rank by the side of the most
successful Continental composers. The concert attracted a
highly fashionable auditory, hut the room, we observed with
regret, would have afforded accommodation to a great num.
bcr more than were present.

THEATRES.

CO VENT. GARDEN.
The tragedy of Coriolanus was last night produced at this
theatre—we may fairly say revived, not only because the tra-
gedy has for some years been almost a stranger to the London
boards—but because it has now been brought out in a manner
unknown in recent times. Most sincerely do we rejoice at
another of those noble efforts on behalf of Shakspeare, which
have reflected so much honour on the management of this
theatre.
Of those fine plays in which Shakspeare has applied himself
to the embodying, in a dramatic form, some of those interest..
ing stories with which Roman history abounds, the tragedy of
Coriolanus probably ranks the highest. Tho dramatic interest
is greater, the characters more varied, and the story more in-
structive. If we may use such an expression, it is one of the
most useful of Shakspeare's plays. The portion of the history of
Rome which it embodies, is more than ordinarily pregnant with
'instruction to the people of a free State like ours. The struggle
between the conflicting elements of aristocracy and democracy
which it exhibits, is even at this moment, though happily in rather
a milder or less violent form—going on in this country. And
what, then, can be more instructive than the picture of' the
heart-burnings, dissensions, and contests which the want of a
proper balance between these opposing powers occasioned in
ancient Rome ? Shakspeare has done more to make this in-
struction available to the people, by this immortal drama, than
could have been effected by all the historical volumes that
have ever been penned. He here has painted with equal
truth and power the characteristics both of democracy and aris-
tocracy, as exhibited in this chapter of Rome's history ; and
with a fidelity, which ho alone exercises, he exhibits the evils
and the faults of both in strict impartiality. He points out
the fickle, changeable, ever-varying, ungovernable nature of
the one, and the proud, selfish exclusiveness of the other.
The character of Coriolanus, as drawn by Shakspeare, ie
exactly that of which we have read, with mingled admiration
and regret, in Rome's early annals. The same unconquerable
valour, the same fiery temper, the same stern, proud, unbend..
ing determination, hurrying him into dreadful resolves, from
which he is rescued only by his redeeming traits of kind and
generous feeling. The poet has not sought to render his
portrait more agreeable, though less faithful ; nor to make the
character more heroic at the sacrifice of historical truth.
Coriolanus is not disinterested enough to be a patriot. There
is a spice of selfishness in his composition, which neutralizes
the effect of his otherwise noble qualities. He is ♦a-
liant, but it is rather to please himself than benefit
Rome ; and "he is proud even unto the altitude of his
virtue." He loves his country, but then it is as his coun-
try only—he " hates the common people"—he cares
but for" the noble, yet unwise patricians--" he would willingly
consign to the enemies' swords the " plebeian herd," whom he
despises—and to avenge their ingratitude to himself would lay
waste " the city which for them he contemns." He is an in-
stance of what a public man may become who is not ruled by
principle. Brave as he is, he has not achieved that greater tri-
umph than the taking of a city—the governing his own spirit.
Had he been actuated by real devotion to his country he
would never have been impelled by the unchecked violence of
his temper to a course which had well nigh ended in that
country's utter ruin and his own everlasting infamy.
It is impossible to speak in too high terms of the
stile in which this noble tragedy has been brought
out. We have more than once spoken of the splendid
manner in which Shakspeare's plays are represented at this
theatre. On this occasion, Mr. Macready seems to have ex-
ceeded even his former exertions. From the principal charac-
ter down to the minutest detail of scenic arrangement, there
was manifested a careful study to preserve throughout as much
reality and consistency as dramatic representation would allow.
The turbulence of the Roman populace, the martial array of
Latins and Volscians, the excitement of warlike preparations,
the pomp of triumphal procession, were admirably represented.
The applause which greeted the exertions of the Manager in
the first scene was continued uninterruptedly to the last, parti-
cularly the scene in which Coriolanus makes his triumphal entry
into the city—that which exhibits Rome's venerable senators,
about to elect him as their Consul—and the final scene, where
the Volscian army is beheld drawn up to witness his reception
of the embassies from Rome.

Mr. Macready'i personification of Coriolanus was na fine a
piece of acting as it is possible to wish for. It is no groat
praise to say that no living actor could Lave equalled it. We
doubt if as a whole it could have been excelled. As we have
more than once observed, this great actor never is seen to
better advantage than it classical characters ; and he pour..
trayed the haughty Roman with skill, discrimination, and
power, that it would be difficult to surpass. He now is in
a word the Coriolanus of Shakespeare. His contemptuous ad.
dress to the factious mob, his dignified scorn to the artful
tribunes—

" Hear you this Triton of the minnows,
Mark you his absolute shall ?"
—his magnificent delivery of the speech of Coriolanus wht n
exiled by his ungrateful countrymen—
" have the power still to banish your defenders,
Till at last your ignorance deliver you as most
Abated captives to some nation
That won you without blows. Despising,
For you, the city, thus I turn my back—
There is a world elsewhere"
—and his acting in the scene where the stublorn obstinacy of
the so dieryiolds to the kindly feelings of the man—were in the
highest degree of excellence. But lie was perhaps greatest in
the last scene ;—in the noble indignatim of the Roman vete-
ran's reply to the reproaches of the Volecian Chief—
" 'Tis not for such as thee, so often spared
If, Roman arms, to speak of Rome but

With respect and awful veneration.
With all our factions, all our wild contentions,

- .
There is more honour in one year of Roman virtue

Than in ten thousand of your annals of crreping-, dark, duration."
--or in the granckur of voice and ac:ion which accompanied
that fine burst—

" If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there,
At Corioli, that like an eagle in a dovecote
I fluttered you Voices— I
Alone, I did it I"

Mrs. Warner (late Miss Huddart) well performed Volumnia,
the " Roman Matron ;" Mr. Ward, as Comminius, and Mr.
Ai:de.son, as Tullus, were excellent. The frank, open-
hear.ed Menenius, was finely played by Mr. Bartley, who,
however, unfortunrtely laboured tu.dcr a severe cold. The

minor parts wcr.: all carefully filled up.
At the clone Mr. Macready, in obedience to the loud calls of
the audience, came forward, and was received (as he was upon
first coming on) o ith enliusiastic and oft repeated rounds of
applause ; anil it was ri,h unanimous approbation that tho
tragedy was announced for riTr.tition on Monday next.

OLYMPIA
A very amusing- little piece, entitled What have I done?
from the pen of Mr. Osenford. was brought out hero last
night, with complete success. The dialogue of this burletta
is neat and spirited, and there were several good hits which
told with eff•ct on the audience. Nothing !!ould be better
thin the acting of Keeley and Fdrren : albeit the company at
this theatre are not accustoracd to exhibit such ♦ehe.ment

b lity as at some other houses, the drollery of these two ;.rtistca
forced them to relax their smiles into an actual grin. Tho
piece was put upon the stage with that peculiar good taste by
which this house is distingui.hed.

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