The Sun.
London, England, 1819-03-19 00:00:00

PO ET R

CATITI.I.US.—(No. XIII )

Canuthis hole mi Fabulle, apud
Paucis, si tad dii dielfue,

If Gods permit, and thou agree,
FACULLUS soon thourt sup with me;
And sup well too—if thou the thing
Thou lov'st the best wilt with thee bt ing—
And damsel fair, fur loving fit,
And laugh and juke and wine and wit—
Bring with thee these, my pleasant fellow,
Then shalt thou sup well and grow well:iv:—
For thy CATS' LLUS must confess
his purse is full—of emptiness—
But he will give thee friendship true,
And perfect ease—if that will do—
Besides an unguent* rich and rare,
Which Love and Venus gave my fair—
This when thou smell'st—more sweet than rose—
Thoul't pray the Gods to be all nose.

*This would be no great temptation to a Modern even of
the Dandy tribe—but the Ancients were fond of these
unctions, and a Roman would have been as little willing to
part with his ointment as an Alderman with his turtle.

MR. K EA N.

The subjoined Letter has been sent to us, and
appears in two of the Morning Papers. IVe know
nothing of the Author of the Tragedy of The
Italians, but we have read the Preface and the Work,
and under the circumstances which the Author has
stated, we conceive that he- has acted with a
greater share of candour and moderation than
.1
Could reasonably be expected on such an occasion.
Poets are said to be genus irritabile, but this Author
seetna to be exempt from that common failing of
human nature in all its ranks and degrees. He is
evidently a Gentleman of talents and learning, and
his Play certainly possesses considerable merit. The
introduction of an Improvitatore would have
been an interesting novelty on our Stage, and
might have ensured success, if well acted, which
it certainly would have been if Miss KELLY,
for whom it was intended, had supported the cha-
racter. Why the success of this Play mote than
of others of much inferior merit should have been
doubted, we cannot conceive. It possesses va-
riety, strong drawn, and well discriminated
characters, as well as many poetical beauties.
If the Performers did not merely doubt its
success, which they might perhaps reasonably do,
considering the caprice and folly, not of the Pub-
lic in general, but of the usual frequenters of the
Theatre, they displayed a want of judgment in
condemning, or rather in ridiculing it, according► to
Mr. KEAN'S stateineut,- 39 a literary combo-
sition. As to Mr. KEAN'S public letter, we
co►►sider it as a hasty effusion, which his own
reflections and better feelings must regret.—
We consider him as not trusting to his own
'judgment, but yielding to the goadings of ill ad-
visers. Since the Author of the Tragedy has given
him time to pause, we trust that a liberal expla•
nation in private will obviate all farther public no-
tice of the matter. Mr. KEAN'S extraordinary suc-
cess must expose him to envy, and malice will re-
joice at any thing that might subject him to injury
or even mortification. We hear so much, and
upon good authority, of his generous actions in
private, that we are convinced his own nature
could not have prompted so exceptionable a letter;
and therefore, instead of feeling himself degraded
by a liberal concession, he will really gratify his ow❑
feelings by making some atonement to the
wounded mind of an author of talents and learn-
, ing, who has been crossed in his hopes, and dis-
appointed in his expectations.