The Sun.
London, England, 1823-02-11 00:00:00

THE THEATRES.

KING'S THiATILIC.-A Masquerade, according
to custom at this time of the year, took place
last night. The pit was boarded over upon a
level with the stage, us usual. Variegated lamps
were placed at the upper end, forming a splendid
representation-of the letters G. it. encircled by
laurels,and surmounted-by Crown. There was a;

great variety of characters which excited mirth,and
the'company were so well entertained that most

of them rerrain'ed to a late hour. Many of them
were seen in the streets hurrying borne in their
dominos and fantastic dresses, who from the
possibility of procuring coaches were obliged fn;
endure more thane sprinkling of rain, to theamuse-
ment of the passengers who were abroad at that

early hour. The whole seemed to be gratifying to
the company, and passed off without any disordor.
Ditunr-LA N s Mr. K EAN has been several
times seen in the part of King Lear, which.was
by no means considered us one of his most. forte:,

nate efforts,we have chiefly to notice the revival of
the catastrophe last night, as originally written by
'our great dramatic Poet. Doctor JOHNSON says,
in his concluding note on the play, " In the pre-
sent case (the alteration by TATE) the public has
decided. CORDELIA has always retired with
victory and felicity; and if my sensations could add
to the general suffrage, I might relate that I was
many years ago so shocked by Co HDELIA'S death
that I know not whether I ever endured to
read again the last scenes of the play till
undertook to revise them as an Editor." The
Doctor here most probably alluded to the acting
of GARRICK' but until such another performer is
Oen, the last scene can never be expected to ex-
cite the same' emotions. The Doctor had pre-
viously said, that " since alt reasonable beings
love justice, I cannot easily be persuaded that the
observation of justice makes a play worse ; or
that, if other excellencies are equal, the audience
will not al4.ays rise better pleased from the final
triumph of persecuted virtue." Such are the sen-
timents of a Critic whoseopiuious are entitled to the
highest respect in' all matters of literature. Mr.
STEEPENS says " Dr. JOHNSON should rather
have said that the Managers of the Theatres
Royal have decided, and the public has been
obliged to acquiesce in their decision." The
opinions of Mr. STEEVENS, learned and subtle as
he was, should always be received with caution,
as they were generally marked by caustic malig-
nity. The common sense mild love of justice
which characterize mankind must be on the side
of Dr. JonNson, and it is therefore probable
that the managers decided in conformity to the
general feelings and wishes. Why should not
the audience, after all their sympathy with
misfortune be consoled in the end with the triumph
of virtue? If virtue unfortunately suffers in the pro.
press of real life, which admits not of human con.
troul, there can be no reason why it should fivally
suffer in the, Drama, a matter dependent on the
imagination. Besides, there is a moral comprised
in poetical justice which encourages virtue to
persevere, in the hope that it will ultimately be
rewarded; and in this respect it agrees with the
awful doctrines of RE.LtatoN, which promises a
happy eternity as a recompence for good conduct
on earth. We therefore cannot approye of the
restoration of the calamitous termination of the
Play, though written by the greatest Poet that
ever existed.---DENNIS declared -that, to secure
the favourable reception of Cant, 64 the town was
poisoned with much false and abominable' criti-
cism ;" but DENNIS, though more open, was not
less shrewd, than STEEVENS, and both Were ac-
tuated by the same motives of spleen, envy, and
wanton malevolence.—Certain parts of King
Lear, which call forth the peculiar energy of Mr.
KEAN'S acting, were of course effective, and par.
ticularly so in the last scene, but the part
altogether is certainly not calculated to
make him appear to the greatest advantage.
Mrs. WEST acquitted herself with great feeling
and judgment, and rendered Corr/din very in-
teresting. The play was altogether well received,
and the audience derived ample compensation
for their previous melancholy sympathy in the
excentricities of LISTON and JIAnt.LY in
no Murder.