The Sun.
London, England, 1824-03-12 00:00:00

THE THEATRE.

COVENT-GA aDEY.-- Last night, 4C A new
Comedy, with Songs," as it is denominated in
the play-bills, was represented at this theatre,
under the name. or Pride shall hays a Fall.

DRAMATIS PERStiN-2E- .- - ---.
Count V entoso . - Mr. W. FARREN.
Stefano
- Mr. EGERTON.
- .
Torrento Mr. JONES.
Lorenzo, L
a Captain (Mr. C. KEMBE.
Colonel
Pistrucci, ! Sicilian ) Mr. ARROTT.
Major O'Sliannon, c Hussars. Mr. Cox won.
Cornet Count Carmine) ) Mr. YATES.
Spado
- -
.Mr. BLANCHARD.
Gaoler - -TAYLOR.r. TAYLOR.
Countess Ventoso - _ Mrs. DAvENPonT.
Vittoria
.. Miss PATON.
- .
Leonora . - . 3liss LovE.

FA .
Victoria, daughter of a SicilianßLE merchant, has been betrothed
to Lorenzo, an officer of Hussars. During his absence on an
expedition to Morocco, the merchant has been bequeated a large
estate, and has become Count Ventoso. The family decide on
rejecting Lorenzo as an inferior match. He returns, is indig-
mint and, acquainting his brother officers with the insult, de.
termtnes on degrading the family by a marriage with a man of
the lowest order, personating a man of rank. This man is
looked for in the public jail ; the family are captivated, and the
match is to occur immediately. Lorenzo suddenly regrets his
vengeance, interferes, and detects the impostor. The pride of
the family has a fall. Lorenzo is ascertained to be of
high birth, and impostor heir to opulence. The daughters
find their lovers, and the Count and Countess are secured in
their title and fortune. The scene is in Palermo.
this newsbeDe
etrat
de,e
Drama
sai very promisingd
itsl4,
toapNpVrooachhale in
what i a
ti-
mate Comedy. We certainly can 'trace resem-
blances to characters, incidents, and situations
in several preceding works of the kind, but .we
must allow at once for the difficulty of devising
new characters, incidents, Sex. and the still greater
difficulty of combining them into a regular and
effective whole. The characters in this piece
are various ; they are properly employed, and
though wit and humour are lavished upon the
dialogue, yet the plot proceeds to its due ma-
turation ; and though the liveliness of some
of the characters, and the spirit of that dia-
logue, amuses the mind, yet it does not
prevent it from feeling a strong interest in
the progression of the story, and an eager cu-
riosity to know the result. That in several of the

oyes we meet with " an old friend with a new

'ace" we readily admit, but those jokes naturally
arise from the circumstances with which they are
connected, and often are conveyed in a more
condensed form, and with a sharper point. The
language is in general easy and spirited, and
sometimes highly poetical : the sentiments
are natural, and some of the situations are
very ludicrous and diverting. The plot, as
we before observed, can by no means be consi-
dered as wholly new, but it is managed in
such a manner as to bear an aspect of no-
velty. The Address from one prisoner to the
rest is a good ridicule of democratic principles and
popular harangues, and the parody on Mercutio's
celebrated fantastical speech is very ingenious
and effective. The songs display no slight de-
gree of poetical spirit, and are much above the
ordinary style of such compositions. The actors
in general, by their correctness and animation,
gave all requisite support to the piece, and among
them, Messrs. C. KIMBLE, JON ES, YATES, CON.
NOR, and EGEItTON, were conspicuous. Mrs.
DAVENPORT also is entitled to distinct notice,
for her bustling activity and forcible hu-
moor. Miss PAToN and Miss LOVE, in the parts
allotted to them, which may be chiefly consi-
dered as vehicles for their musical talents, ac-
quitted themselves very ably. This Comedy
has been ascribed to several well-known writers
of the present day, but we can declare with
certainty, that it is the production of the Rev.
G EURGE CROLY, the author of Cataline, a Tra-
gedy, which has been published, but which
ought first to have appeared on dramatic boards,
as it displays a just conception of character and
a vigorous imagination. Ile is also the author of
many Poems, which have justly placed him on a
high station among the race of living Bards.—
It is not often that the same mind is capable of
producing tragic and humourous productions, and
therefore the piece before us, compared with his
former works', must be deemed a striking proof of
the versatility, as well as of the vigour of his
powers.—The Comedy was received throughout,
by a numerous audience, with great applause,
and announced for repetition with the most de-
cisive success.