The Sun.
London, England, 1822-10-17 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.

„-
DRURY...I_4ANE.—The season commenced fait
night at this Theatre with 'tie Comedy of 71h
School for Scandal and the'Farce of The: Poor
Soldier. The House was full to overflowing im
mediately after the opening of the doors.-,-On
the rising of the curtain ” God. save the King"
was sung by the chief vocal Performers, and was
encored.=" Rule Britannia". was then partially
called for, but not given.—Mr. TERRY then
came forward and delivered the Occasional Ad-
dress, written by Mr. COLMAN, which we have
inserted this day, and which our Readers will see
abounds with all that spirit, humour, and point,
which might be expected from his prompt and
fertile Muse.=Mr.. TERRY delivered it with
energy. and suitable-,variation of tone, according
to'the nature of the sentiments and allusions.—
The.general effect was striking, and the speaker
was interrupted: by plaudits during the whole
recital. When he came to the following couplet,
which he uttered with modest diffidence,
" E'en I, although among the last and least,
'Flay pass, perhaps; as garnish to the feast," .
the audience, by the warmth of ,their applause,
proved that they considered him as one of their,
best standing dishes. A indicrous circumstance;
happened at the conclusion, for, forgetting that
he had been reviling 'Stage-doors, he.passed, by
habit, to retire through such a medium. The
play then followed, and went off with spirited
effect. DOWTON, in Sir. Oliver, experienced a
most triumphant reception, which was renewed
whenlSir Peter welcomed him as " an old friend."
TERRY was also well received in Sir
_Peter,
,and
they both performed' their parts admirably.. Mrs.
GLOVER was also convinced , by the cordial
manner in which she was received that she is a
prime favourite of the public, and her excellent
support of Mrs. Candour amply justified the re-
ception. COOPER is too respectable an actor not
to have been warmly received in the part of
Joseph Surface, which he rendered more than
usually prominent. Mrs. W. WEST was greeted
Warmly, and her
.Lady Teazle proved that her ta,
lents are capable of various exertion. -HARLEY
had full reason to. be satisfied with his reception
in Sir Benjamin, and GATTIE also in Crabtree.
When-Mr. ELLISTON appeared as Charles Surface
he was received with a gratifying enthusiasm,
which he could not but consider as no small
part 'of his reward for his adventurous zeal in the
improvement of the Theatre.' He then 'quitted
the convivial board, and came to the front of the
stage in . order.to, testify his sense of public ap.-
probation. His gestures obviously marked his
feelings, and be then resumed
,the 'character of
Charles, and sustained it with all his indefa-
tigable spirit. The Poor
,Soldier followed, and
Mrs..VEsTßis was Patrick, a character which,
With all her merit, we 'never wish to see her
assume, and we hope that, among the other
improvements of the Stage, no females will appear
in male characters, as: the scenic delusion is en-
tirely.desfroyed, and:as it:will be hard indeed if
Male actors cannot be found fully competent.—
The whole of the evening's entertainments passed
off with all the spirit of novelty, and the au-
dience, by the added convenience of their situa-
tion, .seemed to feel themselves in a state of
domestic comfort. A Mr. MILLAR made his first
appearance in Dermot, and had the honour of
having his first song encored.
COVENTO-ARDEN.--Notwithstanding the power-
ful attraction of the rival Theatre'the sterling
comedy of The Jealous Vile had a very respect-
able attendance last night. Miss. CHESTER re-
sumed the part of Mrs. Oakley, and being more in
possession of her powers, supported it with 'in-
creased, ability and effect. Her person and talents
render her indeed a valuable acquisition to the Lon-
don Stage. Mr, C. KEMELE enters into the charac-
ter of Oakley with critical truth, and expresses
the domestic anxieties arising from causeless jea-
lousy with great feeling. The Major, by BART-
LEY, Lord Trinket, bySoilLs, Russet, by BLAN-
CHARD, and Sir Harty Beagle, by FAWCETT, all
ably contributed to the' general effect, and the
Lady Freelove of Mrs. GIBBS. was marked by
ruth of character and genuine comic spirit.

DEATH OFMRs7GARTRIcK-.-J-This venerable
Relict of the greatest Actor inost probably that
the world ever possessed, 'closed her life, last
night at twelve o'clock, at her house on the
A delphi Terrace, in the hundredth year of her,
age. Her maiden name was VIOLETTE, and she
was a native of Germany, not Italy, as generally
supposed. She was born 'at Vienna, where she
was a dancer highly admired. At an early age
she was taken under the protection of Lord and
Lady BURLINGTON, with whom she resided at
her marriage. It is understood that Lord
BunLINGTorg gave her six thousand pounds as
a marriage portion, when 'she united with our
unrivalled Roscius, in the July of 1749. Mrs.
GARRICK was remarkably beautiful in her face
and person, and till her death she retained that
erect deportment which she derived from her
original profession. GARRICK, always sensibly
affected by ridicule, endeavoured to avert it on
his marriage, and therefore published a Poem on
the, occasion, of which he induced his friend NED
MOORE, as he was familiarly styled, the author
the tragedy of, The Gamester, to assume the
credit ; but it was well known to GARRICK'3
friends, and particularly to the late Dr. MONSEY
of ChelseaCollege,who was intimate with both ,that
it was really the production of GARRICK himself,
written for the purpose of anticipating the wit
and humour' likely to assail him, on his adopting
the character of Benedick in real life. Mr..and
Mrs. GARRICK were a very happy couple, and
enjoyed the highest society in the kingdom, till
the close of his life, in the January of 1779, and
it is remarkable, that during the whole period of
their marriage, whatever invitations they received,
or excursions they took, they never once slept
asunder. Mr. GARRICK was often accused or
parsimony, but the fact is confirmed by the tes-
timony of Dr. JOHNSON, that he was merely
prudent, and that no man was more ready to
part with money in acts of benevolence and ge-
nerosity. The hospitality of his table, in which
the taste and- liberality of himself and his wife
were conspicuous, is another proof that he was
not actuated by the parsimonious feelings that
were invidiously or ignorantlyimputed to him.