The Sun.
London, England, 1823-09-02 00:00:00

tr THEATRES.

hNGLISII OP.EItA irOusz.—Last eight the
~celeb-
rated old Comedy of A Bold Stroke for a
Wife was brought• forward in an abridged state,
under the name of The Guardians outwitted,
with the addition of its original title, in or-
der to afford scope for the versatility of nr.-
MAillOrs in the several transformations of Colo-
nel Feignwell. This is a character well suited to
the talents of the actor, and it may he fairly said
that he. assumed them all 'with diStinctiless and
spirit. The Fop, the Dutchman, the Steward,
and the Quaker, succeeded each other with ex-
traordinary celerity and were kept as sepa-
rate as if every single. character had been the
actor's sole. performance' daring' the night.—
MiSS KELLY. had hardly enough -to do in Ann
Lore& ; but her humour, shrewdness, and viva-
city; left nothing untouched that could be
brought into effect. BAIiTLEY, in 03adiah Prim,
gave a diverting mixture of the affected sanctity
and lurking pruriency of the amorous Quaker.—
As there is too much farce in the original play,
with all the wit and humour for which Mrs.
COTTLIVRE was distinguished, and as the main
points. of diversion are comprized in Ate abridge-
ment, it is likely to rank among the stock-pieces
of this fertile Theatre. The house was well at-
tended, and the audience gave a warm sanction
to the performance.
,ROYAL Conuno TUEATRE.—A new piece was
brought forward last night at this Theatre, under
the title of The Jew. It is understood to be a
translation from the. French. On the first re-
presentation of this piece at Paris a considerable
number of Jews attended, for the purpose
of driving it. from the stage ; but the conclusion
was so
.honourable to the Israelite fraternity,
that they loudly applauded what they had as-
sembled to condemn. The piece was altogether.
well received, but some of the dialogue was ra-
ther too low, and excited disapprobation. The
objectionable parts will of course be omitted on
repetition, and it will then, most probably,gratify
the public in general.

The Critic of The Cork Advertiser, speaking
of the tragedy entitled Bertram, says, " those
who admire rants, starts, pauses, abrupt transi-
tions, and such gear, were of course highly de-
lighted" This unfortunately is a true descrip-
tion of the tragic acting of the day, as well as
of the . tragic drama. The truth is that large
Theatres have been the ruin of the regular drama,
compelling the Performers, both serious and
comic, to resort; on the one hand, to extravagance
and distortion, and on the other to buffoonery.—
Publie taste has been debased in the same pro-
portion. Elegant comedy, with very few ex-
ceptions, seems to be wholly-extinct. Tile galle-
' lies would not understand it, or would hoot it off
the stage for insipidity. Nay, even Love for
• Love, with all its variety of characters, its wit
and humour, was so little relished two or three
seasons ago by the lofty critics above mentioned;
on its revival at Covent-Garden Theatre, though
Well supported by the performers, that it was
too roughly treated to tempt a repetition.
PARISIAN TnEAtnts.—A. letter from Paris of
the 27th August says—" In the Moniteur of to-
day there will be found a short. account of the
theatrical pieces compased and acted- In tronour
of the King's fete. The subject is not worth re-
curring to for any other purpose, than to mention
that the public have properly appreciated these
loyal and warlike effusions. The lowest of the
populace, who cannot easily pay for such enter-
tainments, crowded the theatres on Sunday, when
they were first represented, because they could
see then). gratis. Last night they were again re-
presented to a paying audience, and their recep-
tion was strikingly different. Instead of being
crowded, the different theatres were almost de-
serted ; instead of applause, there prevailed a
kind of sullen silence; and if the warm weather
- and Ultra-poetry continue for a week, the caisses
of the different establishments will be emptied,
and the performers exposed to greater danger of
!amine than the garrisons of any of the fortified
Places in Spain."

, During the period of GAnitictes reign, which
ve call the golden age of the drama, and for
some years afterwards, Hampton and the neigh
~ .
",°urhood was the resort and rural residence of
The poets and great actors of the day. Pope
and Mrs. Clive resided at Twickenham; Thom-
-I,°r‘ at Richmond ; Tom King, Beard, and Gar-
rick, at Hampton"; and Mrs. Baddeley lived and
diedn at Moulse •

. NEW ROADS IN NORTHUMBERLAND.--At a ntt•
merous and respectable Meeting, held on Tues-
day last, at llexharn, at which Lord LOWTHER,
"414'1"Es Jou,' BRANDLING, Esq. M.P., WM.
?al)f Esq. M.P., Messrs. LOCILER, RICHMOND,
VAILEs, BEANDLING, Sic. were present, an ex-
tensive plan for the Improvement of the Roads
In the Western Parts of Northumberland, and for
the opening of new lines of communication with
the adjoining counties, was adopted. The work,
will extend to upwards of 1W miles of
is to be planned and executed under the
direction of Mr. ADAM. It will be upon easy
ltnes of communication through those mountainotti
districts, which may at present be said to be al-
'post inaccessible. The Governors of Greenwich
hospital, as becomes-the Guardians of those vast
estates, take the lead in this important work,
and it will, no doubt, be supported by the liberal
contribution of the Laud-owners and others,
l‘ihose interest will be so much promoted by it.
tr. LOCKER, the Sectretary to Greenwich Hos-
pital, has the Merit of introducing Mr. MgAnAm
to the Gentlemen of Northumberland ; and such
is his admirable system of road-making, that in
a short time it may ba fairly expected it will be
reduced to universal practice. Upwards of fif-
teen thousand pounds were immediately sub-
scribed, and it is expected that the remaining rise
will be rapidly obtained, so advantageous are the
terms offered to the subscribers. Indeed, on
most olthe roads of which Mr. M'AnAat has the
'Rlanagement, his skill and economy have 13")-
\ (laced such.an effect 2 that the shares bear _a con-
siderable premium,

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